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512 Chapter 12 Troubleshooting Windows Vista Figure 12-13 Viewing a list of device drivers when performing a Safe Mode startup Figure 12-14 Running Windows Vista in Safe Mode Lesson 1: Diagnosing Issues in Windows Vista 513 In addition to the standard Safe Mode boot options, users can choose from related options. Safe Mode with Networking loads a minimal set of drivers but also loads network drivers. This option is helpful because it allows troubleshooters to connect to the Internet to obtain updated drivers or more information about the problem. The Safe Mode with Command Prompt option automatically launches the command window for performing text-based oper- ations. This option is most appropriate when system problems are preventing Windows Explorer from properly starting. Safe Mode is intended to be a temporary startup option designed to perform troubleshooting. Common operations might include uninstalling new software or removing or disabling hard- ware devices. After the troubleshooting process completes, users should choose to restart the computer. On the next boot operation, Windows Vista automatically attempts to perform a normal boot. Using Windows Error Recovery Startup problems can occur due to a variety of different problems on the system. In some cases, the addition of new hardware or faulty device drivers might prevent the computer from starting up normally. In other cases, a hardware failure or corruption of boot-related files might have occurred. It’s also possible that there was a temporary problem, such as a power failure. Windows Vista is able to detect startup-related failures automatically. If the operating system failed to boot successfully during its last attempt, the boot manager automatically displays the Windows Error Recovery screen (see Figure 12-15). This screen informs the user that there was a potential problem with startup and that there might be a hardware-related error. The available boot options include the following: n Safe Mode n Safe Mode With Networking n Safe Mode With Command Prompt n Last Known Good Configuration (Advanced) n Start Windows Normally Although it is certainly possible that a hardware-related issue might require restarting the com- puter by using the installation disc or by using one of the other options, it is also possible that a simple power failure caused the screen to appear. Therefore, it is generally a good idea to try using the Start Windows Normally option unless the problem occurs repeatedly. 514 Chapter 12 Troubleshooting Windows Vista Figure 12-15 Using the Windows Error Recovery screen during the boot process Using Boot Logging One potentially challenging aspect of troubleshooting startup problems is identifying the source of the startup problem. Windows Vista loads dozens of drivers and services during a typical startup process, but which one is causing the problem? The purpose of the Boot Log- ging startup option is to instruct Windows Vista to create a text file automatically that contains a list of the operations it performs during the boot process. To enable boot logging, during the startup process, from the Advanced Boot Options menu, select Enable Boot Logging. Gener- ally, the last item in the list is the source of the startup problem. The log file itself is a text file named Ntbtlog.txt located within the Windows folder (usually C:\Windows), which you can open using Notepad or command-line utilities such as Type. Figure 12-16 shows an example of the information that you can find in the file. Lesson 1: Diagnosing Issues in Windows Vista 515 Figure 12-16 Viewing the contents of the Ntbtlog.txt file Using the Last Known Good Configuration Sometimes, when performing troubleshooting operations, you might find yourself wishing for a way to revert the system configuration automatically to a previous state. That’s the purpose of the Last Known Good Configuration startup option on the Windows Error Recovery screen. When Windows Vista successfully completes a boot operation, it makes a backup of the important startup-related files and settings. If a problem occurs during the startup pro- cess, the system can use the previous “known good” set of startup files. Although this option can simplify troubleshooting, there is a potential drawback to consider: if new applications were installed or system settings were recently modified, it’s likely that other system problems might occur. For example, if a newly installed application required sys- tem Registry changes to occur, it might not run properly when reverted to an older configura- tion. In this case, it might be necessary to reinstall the program. Because of these potential issues, the Last Known Good Configuration boot option is considered an advanced process and is not recommended as an initial troubleshooting step. Configuring Startup Options with MSConfig In some cases, the Windows operating system might boot properly, but you want to change the way in which the system starts up the next time you restart it. You can use the System Con- figuration (MSConfig) utility to specify various startup options. Figure 12-17 shows the Gen- eral tab of the System Configuration dialog box. 516 Chapter 12 Troubleshooting Windows Vista Figure 12-17 Viewing the General tab of the System Configuration dialog box The Startup Selection options include the ability to specify Normal Startup (the default option) or to perform a Diagnostic Startup. The latter option specifies that the computer should run with a minimal set of devices and services. It is useful when trying to resolve issues that might have been caused by the installation of new software or devices to the sys- tem. The last option, Selective Startup, offers the ability to enable or disable the following boot operations: n Load System Services n Load Startup Items n Use Original Boot Configuration When you select modified startup options, Windows Vista informs the user of this during the next boot of the computer. Users can then return to the MSConfig utility to make changes to the computer’s startup configuration. Generally, you should use these settings only when troubleshooting a specific problem. It is not recommended that computers run using modi- fied startup operations for general use because certain operating system features and applica- tions might fail to work properly. NOTE Troubleshooting startup problems For more information about using MSConfig to troubleshoot issues with startup programs and ser- vices, see Chapter 5. In addition to the settings on the General tab, the System Configuration dialog box includes a set of startup options on the Boot tab (see Figure 12-18). These options enable users to spec- ify which mode Windows Vista should use when they restart the system. For example, you can Lesson 1: Diagnosing Issues in Windows Vista 517 select the Safe Boot check box to boot the system into Safe Mode automatically without requir- ing input from the user. Figure 12-18 The Boot tab of the System Configuration utility Repairing Windows Vista Thus far, the content of this lesson has focused on troubleshooting common operating system problems by using a variety of tools and techniques. In some cases, however, it’s possible that none of these methods works. For example, if critical system files have been deleted or there has been severe file system corruption, these issues might not be easily resolvable. If there’s an issue related to startup configuration, you might not be able to access the startup menu to per- form further troubleshooting. One potential resolution is for you to reinstall the entire operating system. Although this strat- egy will most likely work (except in the case of physical hardware failures), it can lead to a lot of additional effort. For example, you will need to reinstall all applications, add all drivers and system updates, and reset operating system configuration options. Fortunately, there’s a better option that can resolve many common issues. Accessing System Repair Options You can access the Windows Vista Repair options by booting the computer, using the Windows Vista installation media. Home and small-business users usually receive this media from either their computer manufacturer (if the operating system came preinstalled) or with their retail purchase of the product. Note that, in some cases, users might need to change the boot pref- erence order in their system basic input/output system (BIOS) or press a specific key during the system startup process to boot from the installation media. 518 Chapter 12 Troubleshooting Windows Vista The initial screen that loads provides options related to installing Windows Vista. If you wish to start a reinstallation of the operating system, you can do so using the steps described in Chapter 2, “Installing Windows Vista.” To access repair-related options, click Repair Your Computer. The System Recovery Options dialog box is displayed (see Figure 12-19). The program attempts to locate automatically any existing Windows Vista installations on the local computer. Figure 12-19 Viewing the System Recovery Options dialog box If no Windows Vista installations can be found, there are two likely causes. The first is that you must load additional drivers for the storage controller or hardware. You can do so by using the Load Drivers command. The other possibility is that the hard disk itself has failed or that the data has been severely corrupted and cannot be read. In these situations, it is likely that you first need to resolve the hardware-related issue and then reinstall Windows Vista. If the operating system does appear in the list, select it and click Next to access additional trou- bleshooting and repair options. The next dialog box displays a list of available troubleshooting commands and options (see Figure 12-20). The System Restore and Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool options were described earlier in this lesson. The Windows Complete PC restore functionality is covered in Chapter 13, “Pro- tecting Data and Repairing Windows Vista.” The two main troubleshooting options are Star- tup Repair and Command Prompt. Lesson 1: Diagnosing Issues in Windows Vista 519 Figure 12-20 Viewing troubleshooting options in the System Recovery utility Using Startup Repair There are several common causes of startup-related issues for Windows Vista. Some of the most common ones involve the deletion of critical boot-related files or improperly configured startup options. The Startup Repair operation can automatically detect and repair these com- mon configuration issues. The actual tests performed include the following: n Check for updates n System disk test n Disk failure diagnosis n Disk metadata test n Target OS test n Volume content check n Boot manager diagnosis n System boot log diagnosis n Event log diagnosis n Internal state check n Boot status test 520 Chapter 12 Troubleshooting Windows Vista The most common types of issues, if encountered, can generally be repaired automatically without any additional user input. Figure 12-21 shows an example of the results displayed when no configuration problems are detected. Figure 12-21 Viewing Startup Repair results Using the Command Prompt The Repair installation process does not include a full operating system, but it does include a basic command prompt feature that enables you to perform a variety of operations. Examples of commands include the ability to list, move, copy, or rename files. Additionally, it is also pos- sible to use the DiskPart utility to create and manage disk partitions (see Figure 12-22) and the bcdedit command to modify boot-related settings. Another useful command is the chkdsk utility, which you can use to detect file system errors on the computer. MORE INFO The Windows Recovery Console Earlier versions of the Windows platform (including Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP) include a Recovery Console option. This feature enables users to access a com- mand prompt for performing various troubleshooting options. These features are now available to you by using the Repair option when booting from the Windows Vista installation media. For more information about the specific commands that are available, see the Command-line reference for IT Pros page on the Windows Vista Web site at http://windowshelp.microsoft.com /Windows/en-US/Help/4e7cd306-e9b0-4296-9528-9121d4f9bd111033.mspx. Lesson 1: Diagnosing Issues in Windows Vista 521 Figure 12-22 Viewing available commands for the DiskPart utility at the command prompt Using Other Diagnostic and Troubleshooting Tools In addition to the troubleshooting tools that you’ve learned about in this lesson, there are some other utilities in Windows Vista that can help in diagnosing and resolving common errors. In this section, you’ll learn how to use them. Registry Editor (RegEdit) The Windows Registry is a centralized database that is used to store a wide variety of informa- tion related to the configuration of the operating system and the applications and services it supports. Examples of information stored in the Windows Registry include the following: n Hardware details n Operating system configuration details n Software registration information n User-specific settings In most cases, users should try to use the built-in tools and features of Windows Vista to man- age various system settings. For example, when removing software, it is safest to use the unin- stall features that are available in Control Panel. When making changes to programs such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, it is best to use the configuration Properties dialog boxes. Sometimes, you will need to make specific configuration changes for which there is no user interface or graphical method for changing settings. In these cases, it might be necessary to make changes directly to Registry values. You can launch the Windows Registry Editor (RegEdit) program by clicking regedit in the Start menu. Figure 12-23 provides a view of the Registry Editor interface. [...]... choosing Safe Mode affect the Windows Vista startup process? 2 What are two ways in which you can launch the System Restore utility? Quick Check Answers 1 When running in Safe Mode, Windows loads only a minimal set of device drivers and operating system services 2 You can launch System Restore from within Windows Vista or by choosing the Repair option when booting from the Windows Vista installation media... Removing Malware from Windows Vista 5 39 Exam Tip When studying for Exam 70- 623, you might want to install a piece of known malware purposely to practice responding to it Installing malware is potentially risky because it can often result in data loss or unwanted system conf iguration changes One way to reduce this risk is to use a product such as Microsoft Virtual PC to run a copy of Windows Vista on a virtual... should perform when troubleshooting a real startup failure problem You need the Windows Vista installation media (most commonly on DVD-ROM) to complete these steps: 1 Place the Windows Vista installation media into the appropriate drive and either restart or power on the computer 528 Chapter 12 Troubleshooting Windows Vista 2 If necessary, change the boot options in the system’s BIOS settings to boot... press a key to boot from the Windows Vista installation media You should see a progress bar and the message Windows is loading files.” 4 At the Install Windows step, verify that the appropriate language and location settings are chosen, and then click Next 5 Click Repair Your Computer to start the Repair process 6 On the System Recovery Options screen, select the Windows Vista installation, and then... Diagnostic And Repair Details to view details and which tests were performed 9 When done, click Finish 10 Remove the Windows Vista installation media from the appropriate drive, and then click Restart to reboot the computer Windows Vista should reboot normally Lesson Summary n You use Event Viewer to monitor messages that are written to the Windows event logs n You can use System Restore to roll back the configuration... the computer is functioning properly n Windows Vista automatically detects startup problems and provides users with a list of alternate boot options n The Safe Mode option enables you to boot Windows Vista, using a minimal set of drivers and services to facilitate troubleshooting n You can correct many types of boot problems by using the Repair option in Windows Vista Setup n The Problem Reports and... The Problem Reports and Solutions utility can be used to track, report on, and find fixes for Windows application errors Lesson 1: Diagnosing Issues in Windows Vista 5 29 Lesson Review You can use the following questions to test your knowledge of the information in Lesson 1, “Diagnosing Issues in Windows Vista. ” The questions are also available on the companion CD if you prefer to review them in electronic... Control (UAC) can protect against malware installations, see Chapter 6, “Conf iguring Windows Vista Security.” For details on security-related features in Internet Explorer 7, see Chapter 11, “Managing and Troubleshooting Devices.” Chapter 9, “Conf iguring Windows Vista Networking,” covers network protection features such as Windows Firewall Finally, for details on detecting and removing startup programs,... specific requirements You can launch Windows Defender from the Start menu or by double-clicking the Windows Defender icon in the system tray (if it is present) Figure 12- 29 shows the default display of the program Figure 12- 29 The Windows Defender default display The screen provides details related to the last time a scan was run as well as an overview of current Windows Defender settings It can also... Vista installation media Practice: Diagnosing and Troubleshooting Windows Vista Issues In these practice exercises, you use various diagnostic and troubleshooting features of Windows Vista to resolve simulated problems Practice 1: Using System Restore In this practice exercise, you create a new restore point on a computer running Windows Vista You then make a simple operating system change and use the . Windows Vista Web site at http://windowshelp.microsoft.com /Windows/ en-US/Help/4e7cd306-e9b0-4 296 -95 28 -91 21d4f9bd111033.mspx. Lesson 1: Diagnosing Issues in Windows Vista 521 Figure 12-22 Viewing. Troubleshooting Windows Vista Figure 12-13 Viewing a list of device drivers when performing a Safe Mode startup Figure 12-14 Running Windows Vista in Safe Mode Lesson 1: Diagnosing Issues in Windows Vista. Restore from within Windows Vista or by choosing the Repair option when booting from the Windows Vista installation media. Practice: Diagnosing and Troubleshooting Windows Vista Issues In these