Windows 2000 start-up problem

How to Start the Computer Using the Last Known

Good Configuration
If the startup problem occurs immediately after you make a change to the computer
(for example, if you install a new driver), try to start the computer by using the Last
Known Good Configuration feature.
When you use the Last Known Good Configuration feature, you start your computer
by using the most recent settings that worked. This feature restores registry
information and driver settings that were in effect the last time the computer started
successfully. Use this feature when you are unable to start Windows after you make a
change to the computer (for example, if you install or upgrade a device driver).
To start the computer by using last known good configuration, follow these steps:
1. Restart the computer.
2. Press F8 when you receive the following message:
Please select the operating system to start
3. In Windows Advanced Option Menu, use the arrow keys to select Last
Known Good Configuration, and then press ENTER.
4. If you are running other operating systems on the computer, click Microsoft
Windows 2000 from the list that is displayed, and then press ENTER.
WARNING: After you start your computer by using the last known good
configuration, changes that you made since the last successful startup are lost.
If you can start your computer by using the last known good configuration, the
last change that you made to the computer (for example, the installation of a
driver) may be the cause of the incorrect startup behavior. It is recommended
that you either remove or update the driver or program, and then test Windows
for proper startup.
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How to Start the Computer in Safe Mode

When you start the computer in safe mode, only essential drivers and computer
services are loaded. You can use safe mode when you need to identify and resolve
problems that are caused by either faulty drivers, programs, or services that start
automatically.
If the computer starts in safe mode but it does not start in normal mode, the computer
may have a conflict with either the hardware settings or the resources. There may be
incompatibilities with either programs, services, or drivers, or there may be registry
damage. In safe mode, you can disable or remove a program, service, or device driver
that may be preventing the computer from starting normally.

To troubleshoot startup problems in safe mode, follow these steps:

1. Restart the computer.
2. Press F8 when you receive the following message:
Please select the operating system to start
3. In Windows Advanced Option Menu, use the arrow keys to select Safe
Mode, and then press ENTER.
4. If you are running other operating systems on the computer, click Microsoft
Windows 2000 on the list that is displayed, and then press ENTER.
5. Do one of the following steps:
o If the computer does not start in safe mode, check for possible
hardware problems such as defective devices, installation problems,
cabling problems, or connector problems. Remove any newly added
hardware, and then restart the computer to see if the problem is
resolved.
o If the computer starts in safe mode, proceed to the next section to
continue to troubleshoot the startup issue.
How to Use Event Viewer to Identify the Cause of the
Startup Problem
View the event logs in Event Viewer for additional information that may help you
to identify and diagnose the cause of the startup problem. To view events recorded to
the event logs, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Event Viewer.
Alternatively, start Microsoft Management Console (MMC) that contains the
Event Viewer snap-in.
3. In the console tree, click to expand Event Viewer, and then click the log that
you want to view, for example, System log or Application log.
4. In the details pane, double-click the event that you want to view.
To copy the details of the event, click Copy, open a new document in the
program in which you want to paste the event (for example, Microsoft Word),
and then click Paste on the Edit menu.
5. To view the description of the previous event or the next event, press either the
UP ARROW key or the DOWN ARROW key.
For additional information about how to diagnose system problems with Event
Viewer, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:
302542 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302542/EN-US/ ) How To Diagnose System
Problems with Event Viewer in Microsoft Windows 2000
How to Use System Information to Identify the Cause of the
Startup Problem

The System Information tool displays a comprehensive view of the computer's

hardware, the system components, and the software environment. Use this tool to help
you identify possible problem devices and device conflicts. To do so, follow these
steps:
1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type msinfo32, and then click OK.
3. Check for problem devices or device conflicts. To do so:
a. In the console tree, click to expand Components, and then click
Problem Devices.
Note any devices that are listed in the right pane.
b. In the console tree, click to expand Hardware Resources, and then
click Conflicts/Sharing.
Note any resource conflicts that are listed in the right pane.
c. If you identify a problem device, perform the appropriate action (for
example, either remove, disable, or reconfigure the device, or update
the driver), and then restart the computer in normal mode.
You can use Device Manager to remove or disable devices and their
drivers. For more information about Device Manager, see the Use
Device Manager to Identify the Cause of the Startup Problem section
of this article.
If the computer starts correctly, that particular device may be the cause
of the startup problem.
If you disabled a device to resolve the problem, check that the device is
listed on the Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL), and
that it is installed correctly. Additionally, contact the manufacturer to
report the behavior and to obtain information about possible updates
that can resolve the startup problem.For information about how to
contact computer hardware manufacturers, click the appropriate article
number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:
65416 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/65416/EN-US/ ) Hardware
and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K
60781 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/60781/EN-US/ ) Hardware
and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P
60782 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/60782/EN-US/ ) Hardware
and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z
Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find
technical support. This contact information may change without notice.
Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact
information.

2. If no device conflicts or problem devices are reported by the System

Information tool, check for programs that start automatically when Windows
starts. To do so, follow these steps:
a. In the console tree, click to expand Software Environment, and then
click Startup Programs.
Programs that start automatically when Windows starts are listed in the
right pane.
b. Disable the programs, and then restart the computer.
For more information about how to disable the program, refer to the
program documentation or contact the manufacturer.
c. If you disable the startup programs, and the startup problem is
resolved, enable the programs again, one at a time.
Shut down and restart the computer each time you enable a program,
and note if the incorrect startup behavior occurs. If the behavior
occurs, the last program that you enabled may be causing the incorrect
startup behavior.
How to View the Safe Mode Boot Log File
To troubleshoot startup issues, view the boot log file, Ntbtlog.txt, and then make a
note of the drivers and services that did not load when you started your computer in
safe mode. This log file is located in the in the %SystemRoot% folder (by default, this
is the Winnt folder). The log file lists devices and services that load (and do not load)
when you start the computer in safe mode. You can use Microsoft Notepad to open
and view the log file.
Use the list of drivers and services that failed to load at startup to help you identify the
possible cause of the startup problem.
NOTE: Some startup problems may occur early in the startup process. In this
scenario, Windows may not save the boot log file to the hard disk drive.

How to Use Device Manager to Identify the Cause of the

Startup Problem
Device Manager displays a graphical view of the hardware that is installed on your
computer. Use this tool to either resolve any possible device conflicts or to identify
incompatible devices that may be the cause of the startup problem.
To start Device Manager, follow these steps:
1. On the desktop, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.
2. Click to expand System Tools, and then click Device Manager.
The devices that are installed on your computer are listed in the right pane. If a
symbol is displayed next to a device, there may be a problem with the device.

For example, a black exclamation point (!) on a yellow field indicates the
device is in a problem state.
NOTE: To disable a device in Device Manager, right-click the device, and
then click Disable.
3. Investigate possible device conflicts. To do so, double-click the device in the
right pane, and then click the Resources tab.
If a device conflict exists, it is listed under Conflicting device list.
Note the Use automatic settings check box. If Windows successfully detects a
device, this check box is selected, and the device functions correctly.
However, if the resource settings are based on Basic Configuration n (where n
is any number from 0 to 9), you may have to change the configuration. To do
so, either click a different basic configuration from the list or manually change
the resource settings. WARNING: This procedure may require you to change
the computer's complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) settings
and the basic input/output system (BIOS) settings. Incorrect changes to the
BIOS of the computer can result in serious problems. Change the computer's
CMOS settings at your own risk.
If Windows is unable to resolve a resource conflict, verify that the computer is
configured to allow Windows to enumerate the devices in the computer. To do
so, enable the Plus and Play OS setting in the Setup tool of the computer's
BIOS. To change the computer's BIOS settings, either refer to the computer
documentation or contact your computer manufacturer.
4. If you identify a problem device, disable it, and then restart the computer in
normal mode.
If the computer starts correctly, the device that you disabled may be the cause
of the startup problem.
Ensure that the device is listed on the Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility
List (HCL) and that it is installed correctly. Additionally, contact the
manufacturer to report the behavior and to obtain information about possible
updates that can resolve the startup problem.
For additional information about how to use Device Manager, click the following
article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
199276 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199276/ ) How to manage devices in
Windows
244601 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/244601/ ) How to troubleshoot unknown
devices listed in Device Manager
125174 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/125174/ ) Explanation of error codes
generated by Device Manager
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How to Confirm that the Computer's CMOS/BIOS

Settings Are Correct

WARNING: This procedure may require you to change the computer's CMOS
settings and the BIOS settings. Incorrect changes to the BIOS of the computer can
result in serious problems. Change the computer's CMOS settings at your own risk.
Incorrect or damaged CMOS and BIOS settings can cause startup problems. For
information about the correct CMOS and BIOS settings for the computer, and for
information about how to check and change these settings, either refer to the computer
documentation or contact the manufacturer of your computer.
To make sure that the computer's BIOS is current, contact the computer manufacturer
to inquire about the latest BIOS update available for the computer.
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The Recovery Console Tool

The Recovery Console tool is a command-line tool that you can use to repair
Windows if the computer does not start properly. You can start Recovery Console
from either the Windows 2000 Setup disks, the Windows 2000 compact disc (CD), or
at startup if Recovery Console was previously installed to your computer.
For additional information about how to use Recovery Console, click the article
numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
301645 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301645/EN-US/ ) How To Recover a
Windows 2000 Server that Does Not Start
229716 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/229716/EN-US/ ) Description of the
Windows 2000 Recovery Console
216417 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216417/EN-US/ ) How to Install the
Windows Recovery Console
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The Emergency Repair Process

If you have created an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD), use it to troubleshoot and
resolve the startup problem. Note that the emergency repair process is limited to
repairing the system files, the partition boot sector, and the startup environment. For
additional information about the emergency repair feature, click the article number
below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
231777 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/231777/EN-US/ ) How to Create an
Emergency Repair Disk in Windows 2000
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How to Use the Microsoft Product Support Services

Web Site to Find a Solution
If you cannot resolve the problem by following the steps in this article or by
viewing the Knowledge Base articles in the References section of this article, you can
use the Microsoft Product Support Services Web site to find a solution to your
problem. The following list describes some of the services that the Microsoft Product
Support Services Web site provides:

Searchable Knowledge Base (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?

pr=kbinfo&) - Search technical support information and self-help tools for
Microsoft products.
Frequently Asked Questions (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
scid=fh;rid;faqs) - View product-specific frequently asked questions and
support highlights.
Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups
(http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/default.mspx) - Consult
with your counterparts, peers, and Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals
(MVPs).
Software and Updates (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/default.aspx)
- Find software and updates on the Download Center.
Other Support Options (http://support.microsoft.com/) - Ask a support
question using the Web or call Microsoft Product