Troubleshooting the Startup Process

The following are the phases of a successful startup process:

• Initial phase
• Boot loader phase
• Kernel phase
• Logon phase

Any one of these startup phases can prevent the computer from starting successfully and might require troubleshooting. Troubleshooting might require examining the Boot.ini file, verifying drivers, or replacing damaged or missing files. You might also need to refer to the following steps:

• Identify the phases of a successful Windows 2000 startup.
• Identify the events of the initial phase of the startup process.
• Identify the events of the boot loader phase of the startup process.
• Identify the events of the kernel phase of the startup process.
• Identify the events of the logon phase of the startup process.
• Identify the contents and switches of Boot.ini.
• Verify which drivers were successfully loaded.
• Replace missing or damaged files.

Windows 2000 provides a variety of options that you can use when a computer does not start, including safe mode, the Windows 2000 setup floppy disks, the Recovery Console and the Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

For more information about using the Windows 2000 startup floppy disks to start your computer, see "Planning a Reliable Configuration" in this book. For more information about troubleshooting startup problems and using safe mode, see "Startup Process" in this book. For more information on using the Recovery Console and the emergency repair process see "Repair, Recovery, and Restore" in this book.

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