You saw in this atricle,
“Customizing Startup and Shutdown,” that Windows 7 has some useful
options on its Advanced Options menu. But under what circumstances
should you use each option? Because there is some overlap in what each
option brings to the table, there are no hard-and-fast rules. It is
possible, however, to lay down some general guidelines.
Safe Mode
You should use the Safe mode option if one of the following conditions occurs:
Windows 7 doesn’t start after the POST ends.
Windows 7 seems to stall for an extended period.
You can’t print to a local printer.
Your video display is distorted and possibly unreadable.
Your computer stalls repeatedly.
Your computer suddenly slows down and doesn’t return to normal without a reboot.
You need to test an intermittent error condition.
Safe Mode with Networking
You should use the Safe Mode with Networking option if one of the following situations occurs:
Windows 7 fails to start using any of the other Safe mode options.
The drivers or programs you need to repair a problem exist on a shared network resource.
You need access to email or other network-based communications for technical support.
You
need to access the Internet via a network gateway device to download
device drivers or Windows 7 an online tech support site.
Your computer is running a shared Windows 7 installation.
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
You should use the Safe Mode with Command Prompt option if one of the following situations occurs:
Windows 7 fails to start using any of the other Safe mode options.
The programs you need to repair a problem must be run from the Command Prompt.
You can’t load the Windows 7 GUI.
Enable Boot Logging
You should use the Enable Boot Logging option in the following situations:
The Windows 7 startup hangs after switching to protected mode.
You need a detailed record of the startup process.
You
suspect (after using one of the other Startup menu options) that a
protected-mode driver is causing Windows 7 startup to fail.
After starting (or attempting to start) Windows 7 with this option, you end up with a file named ntbtlog.txt in the %SystemRoot%
folder. This is a text file, so you can examine it with any text
editor. For example, you could boot to the Command Prompt (using the
Safe Mode with Command Prompt option) and then use Notepad to examine
the file. Move to the end of the file and you might see a message
telling you which device driver failed. You probably need to reinstall
or roll back the driver.
Enable Low-Resolution Video (640×480)
You should use the Enable VGA Mode option in the following situations:
Windows 7 fails to start using any of the Safe mode options.
You
recently installed a new video card device driver, and the screen is
garbled or the driver is balking at a resolution or color depth setting
that’s too high.
You can’t load the Windows 7 GUI.
After Windows 7 has
loaded, you can either reinstall or roll back the driver, or you can
adjust the display settings to values that the driver can handle.
Last Known Good Configuration
Use the Last Known Good Configuration option under the following circumstances:
You suspect the problem is hardware related, but you can’t figure out the driver that’s causing the problem.
You don’t have time to try out the other more detailed inspections.
Directory Services Restore Mode
The Directory Services Restore Mode option is only for domain controllers, so you should never need to use it.
Debugging Mode
Use the Debugging Mode
option if you receive a stop error during startup and a remote technical
support professional has asked you to send debugging data.
Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure
The Disable Automatic
Restart on System Failure option prevents Windows 7 from restarting
automatically when the system crashes. Choose this option if you want to
prevent your system from restarting so that you can read an error
message or deduce other information that can help you troubleshoot the
problem.
Disable Driver Signature Enforcement
Use
the Disable Driver Signature Enforcement option, which prevents Windows
7 from checking whether devices drivers have digital signatures, to
ensure that Windows 7 loads an unsigned driver. It’s possible that
failing to load that driver is causing system problems.
