Advanced Options MenuConcepts | Windows Server 2003 in a Nutshell

Advanced Options MenuConcepts

The Advanced Options Menu provides alternate methods for starting WS2003 in order to troubleshoot various kinds of startup problems. Using these options, you can usually bring up WS2003 to the point where you can make any repairs needed so that normal startup can then be achieved. This topic explains these advanced options and how to use them to troubleshoot startup and shutdown problems.

Safe Mode

Safe mode starts your system with drivers for mouse, keyboard, mass storage, base video, and essential system services. Safe mode doesn't enable network connections or services, and it bypasses any programs in the Startup menu. Safe mode also creates a boot log file, Ntbtlog.txt , in the /Windows folder that records the success or failure of initialization of device drivers and system services and that may be useful for troubleshooting startup problems. If you can successfully boot your system to Safe Mode, you may be able to repair any problem preventing a normal boot. For example, you can remove or roll back a recently installed device driver, disable a service that is causing problems, or uninstall a faulty application.

Safe Mode with Networking

This is the same as Safe Mode except that networking support is included. A boot log file is also created. Use this option if a device driver or service is preventing a successful boot and you need to connect to shared network resources to resolve the problem.

Safe Mode with Command Prompt

This is the same as Safe Mode except that a command prompt is opened instead of the GUI interface. A boot log file is again created. You might use this option if a GUI problem is preventing a successful boot.

Enable Boot Logging

This performs a normal boot with the addition of creating a boot log file, Ntbtlog.txt , in \Windows . This is not a toggleyou have to select this option each time you want to create a boot log for a normal boot.

Enable VGA Mode

This is the same as a normal boot except that a generic VGA video driver is used instead of the OEM or vendor driver that was installed. Use this option if a problem with your video driver is preventing a successful boot or preventing the GUI from appearing.

Last Known Good Configuration

This is the same as a normal boot except that it uses the registry settings and device drivers from your last successful boot. You might use this option if you made one or more configuration changes to your system such as installing new devices or updating device drivers, and the system failed to boot successfully afterward. If you select this option and the boot is successful, remove the device you installed or roll back the driver you updated that caused the problem. Alternatively, if you have some idea of which configuration change might be causing the problem, you can use Safe Mode instead to reconfigure your system the way it was previously and, if necessary, roll back any device drivers you installed to earlier versions.

In WS2003, the Last Known Good feature restores not only previous working registry settings but also device drivers from your last successful boot. This is different from NT and W2K, in which only registry settings are rolled back.

Directory Services Restore Mode

Selecting this mode on domain controllers lets you boot without starting Active Directory so you can repair or restore Active Directory using command-line tools like ndsutil.exe . If you select this option on a member server or standalone server, the system simply boots to Safe Mode.

Debugging Mode

This option is used by qualified technicians to troubleshoot "stop" screens and other serious errors. It boots the system and transmits debugging information through a serial port to a second computer for debugging purposes. If you plan to use this option, use the System utility in Control Panel to specify which action should occur when a stop screen occurs, including what debugging information is saved. Such debugging information may be of use for Microsoft support specialists when trying to determine the cause of the crash. You can also use this utility to specify whether to automatically boot to the operating system or the Recovery Console if the Recovery Console is installed and how long the boot menu is displayed during startup. Note that no boot menu is displayed if only a single operating system is installed and there is no Recovery Console.

The other two menu options are Start Windows Normally and Reboot. If you installed your server using Remote Installation Services (RIS), there may be additional menu options related to this.