Windows Troubleshooting

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Windows Troubleshooting
Chapter 11
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Overview

• In this chapter, you will learn to
• Troubleshoot Windows boot failures
• Troubleshoot GUI failures
• Use troubleshooting utilities

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Troubleshooting Windows

• Failure to Boot
• Failure to Load the GUI
• Troubleshooting Tools in the GUI

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Failure to Boot

• Common errors
• No Boot device Present
• NTLDR Bad or Missing
• Invalid Boot.ini
• Three step response process
• Attempt to repair
• Attempt to restore
• Rebuild

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Attempt to Repair

• The Recovery Console is a text-mode command
  interpreter
• Separate from the Windows command prompt
• Enables you to access the hard drive
• Limited access to NTFS and FAT volumes
• Requires an Administrator password
• Start and stop services, repair the master boot
  record and boot sector, format volumes
• Boot to Windows CD and select Repair
• Access pre-installed Recovery Console at startup

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Recovery Console Commands
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Attempt to Restore

• For Windows 2000
• Use ERD
• ERD is available only if ERD disk was created
• For Windows XP, use ASR
• ASR Recovery is available only if ASR backup was
  created
• Consider ASR a last resort
• Restores to ASR backup point

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Rebuild

• Try to back up or recover data first
• Recover CDs or recovery partitions restore system
  to factory state
• All data is lost

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Failure to Load GUI

• Device driver problems
• Windows Stop Error
• Blue Screen of Death (BSoD)
• Remove the device and reboot
• Registry
• BSOD with Registry File Failure
• Windows could not start
• Restore the Registry w/ Advanced Startup Options
  (Last Known Good Configuration) and reboot

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Advanced Startup Options

• Press F8 after POST to launch Advanced Startup
  Options
• Safe Mode
• Safe Mode with Networking
• Safe Mode with Command Prompt
• Enable Boot Logging (creates NTBTLOG.TXT)
• Enable VGA Mode
• Last Known Good Configuration
• Directory Services Restore Mode (Server only)
• Debugging Mode
• Start Windows Normally (to abort advanced boot
  options)

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Advanced Startup Options

• Safe Mode
• Basic files and drivers are loaded with no
  network
• Can access Device Manager and restore points in
  Safe Mode
• Often works in response to BSoD
• Safe Mode with Networking
• Networking capabilities added
• Safe Mode with Command Prompt
• Command prompt only

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Advanced Startup Options

• Enable Boot Logging
• ntbtlog.txt is located in the windir folder
  (C\winnt)
• Enable VGA Mode
• Load driver in standard VGA mode
• Allows correction of settings (refresh/resolution)
  
• Directory Services Restore Mode
• Domain controllers only
• Debugging Mode
• Rarely used

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Troubleshooting Tools in the GUI

• Once in the GUI, can use any tools weve
  discussed or will discuss
• Event Viewer
• Device Manager
• More

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Autoloading Programs

• System Configuration Utility (msconfig)
• Can set which programs and services automatically
  start can turn services off
• Very effective when combating Spyware

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Services and System Files

• Services
• If critical services does notstart, Windows will
  give error
• Common error Service set to manual instead of
  automatic
• System Files
• Corrupted DLL files
• Corrected with System File Checker (SFC)
• SFC /SCANNOW will verify they are healthy and
  replace if necessary

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