Chapter 15
Laboratory Activity
Advanced Boot Options
After completing this laboratory activity, you will be able to:
✔ Access the
Advanced Boot Options
menu.
✔ Explain the purpose of each
Advanced Boot Options
menu option.
✔ Explain the purpose of the
ntbtlog.txt
file.
✔ Explain why the
Advanced Boot Options
menu may not be available to a
technician.
Introduction
One of the most important steps in troubleshooting a PC system is accessing
the Windows
Advanced Boot Options
menu. This menu is accessible only after
a successful POST has been completed. If you cannot access the
Advanced Boot
Options
menu, you most likely have a hardware problem and the computer did
not successfully complete POST. Another reason you will not be able to access
the
Advanced Boot Options
menu is because required system startup files are
corrupted. If system files are corrupted, you will need to reinstall the system files.
The most common option in the
Advanced Boot Options
menu is
Safe
mode.
This option allows the computer to finish the complete boot sequence, but with
a minimal number of drivers and services. Drivers and services are often the
cause of a computer system failing to complete the boot process. By loading only
a minimal number of drivers and services, a failed computer system can be often
started and repaired while in safe mode.
The
Advanced Boot Options
menu is accessed at startup by pressing the [F8]
key after POST and before loading the operating system. The following table
describes each menu option. Similar options are available in Windows XP.
Chapter 15 Laboratory Activity 683