Files Used in the Boot Process Ntldr Boot.ini Bootsect.dos Ntdetect.com Ntbootdd.sys Ntoskrnl.exe Hal.dll System Device drivers

Preboot Sequence The computer runs power-on self test (POST) routines. The computer BIOS locates the boot device and loads and runs the master boot record (MBR). The MBR locates, loads into memory, and executes the boot sector. The computer loads and initializes the Ntldr file.

Boot Sequence Gathers information about hardware and drivers Uses Ntldr, Boot.ini, Bootsect.dos (optional), Ntdetect.com, and Ntoskrnl.exe Consists of four phases: Initial boot loader Operating system selection Hardware detection Configuration selection

Kernel Load Ntldr loads Ntoskrnl.exe but does not initialize it. Ntldr loads the hardware abstraction layer file (hal.dll). Ntldr loads the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM registry key from systemroot\System32\Config\System. Ntldr selects the control set it will use to initialize the computer. Ntldr loads device drivers with a value of 0x0 for the Start entry.

Kernel Initialization Ntldr passes control to the kernel. The system displays a graphical screen with a status bar indicating load status. The kernel creates the registry key that contains hardware information. The kernel creates the Clone control set. The kernel loads and initializes device drivers. Session Manager starts the higher-order subsystems and services. Session Manager executes the instructions in the BootExecute data item, and in the Memory Management, DOS Devices, and SubSystems keys.

Logon The Win32 subsystem automatically starts Winlogon.exe. Winlogon.exe starts Local Security Authority and displays the Logon dialog box. The Service Controller executes and makes a final scan of the Services subkey, looking for services with the value 0x2 for the Start entry. Windows 2000 startup is good when a user successfully logs on to the system. The system copies the Clone control set to the LastKnownGood control set.

Microsoft Windows 2000 Control Sets The control sets are stored as subkeys of the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM. The CurrentControlSet subkey is a pointer to one of the ControlSet00x keys. The Clone control set is a clone of the control set used to initialize the computer (either Default or LastKnownGood).

The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\Select Registry Subkey Current Default Failed LastKnownGood 8

The Last Known Good Process

Use the Last Known Good Configuration Option If you install a new device driver, and Microsoft Windows 2000 restarts, but the system stops responding If you accidentally disable a critical device driver

Don’t Use the Last Known Good Configuration Option When the problem isn’t related to Windows 2000 configuration changes After you log on When startup failures relate to hardware failures or missing or corrupted files

Safe Mode

Other Advanced Boot Options Enable Boot Logging Enable VGA Mode Last Known Good Configuration Directory Services Restore Mode Debugging Mode Boot Normally

Components of the Boot.ini File [boot loader] Timeout Default [operating systems] Contains a line for each available operating system on the computer Uses ARC paths

ARC Paths

Boot.ini Switches /basevideo /fastdetect=[comx | comx,y,z] /maxmem:n /noguiboot /sos

Modifications to Boot.ini Modify the timeout and default parameter values using System Properties. Manually edit parameter values in the Boot.ini file. Clear the read-only and system attributes of the Boot.ini file to edit.

Installing and Starting the Recovery Console Install from the Windows 2000 Professional source files. Run i386/winnt32/cmdcons to install the Recovery Console. Access from the Please Select Operating System To Start menu.

Accessing the Recovery Console from CD-ROM Boot off the CD-ROM or Setup Boot diskettes. Press Enter at the Setup Notification message. Press R to repair an installation. Press C to start the Recovery Console. Type the number of the Windows 2000 installation you wish to repair. Type the administrator password and press Enter. Type Help and press Enter to view the list of available commands.