The BOOTLOG.TXT file contains a record of the current startup process for starting Windows 95. This file is created during Setup when the Windows 95 operating system is first started from Windows 95 Setup. This file shows the Windows 95 components and drivers loaded and initialized, and the status of each.
When you use the F8 option for interactive system startup, you can choose to create a boot log during system startup. You can also use the /b switch to create a boot log when running WIN.COM from the command line to isolate configuration problems. For information, see Chapter 35, "General Troubleshooting."
The information in BOOTLOG.TXT is written in sequence during startup, in roughly five major sections. Depending upon a specific error condition, you might need to examine multiple sections. Notice, however, that a loadfailed= entry means only that the related VxD refused to load. For example, loadfailed=ebios indicates that the EBIOS driver did not detect EBIOS in the computer and so reported that it should not be loaded. The following table shows the sections to examine, and describes the possible errors and methods for correcting those errors.
BOOTLOG.TXT Sections for Determining Errors
Section and errors | Corrective action | |
Loading real-mode drivers: | ||
No XMS memory | Verify that the section contains this entry: loadsuccess=c:\windows\himem.sys If not, verify the file and entry in CONFIG.SYS | |
Incorrect MS-DOS version (message appears when driver loads) | If this error appears when loading drivers or programs that worked before, verify that the section contains this entry: loadsuccess=c:\windows\setver.exe. | |
Windows 95 doesn't start on a SCSI hard drive | Verify that the section contains this entry: loadsuccess=c:\windows\dblbuff.sys | |
IFSHLP.SYS message occurs | Verify that the section contains this entry: loadsuccess=c:\windows\ifshlp.sys | |
Loading VxDs: | ||
Verify the loading, system, and device initialization of all VxDs by checking the section for these entries: loading vxd = ios | ||
Cannot access D??SPACE drives | Verify that the section contains this entry: loadsuccess = c:\dblspace.bin | |
Sharing violations occur | Might be due to failure of the Vshare VxD to load. The section might contain an entry such as: loadfailed = vshare | |
System-critical initialization of VxDs: | ||
System-critical initialization error occurs | Verify that this section contains entries such as: syscritinit=ios | |
Device initialization of VxDs: | ||
Verify that the section contains entries such as: deviceinit=ios | ||
Successful VxD initialization: | ||
Verify that the section contains entries such as: initcomplete=ios | ||
The following table shows the kinds of entries in BOOTLOG.TXT to examine for information about the system startup process.
BOOTLOG.TXT entry | Description |
Error | Errors that were logged during startup |
Fail | Failures that occurred during startup |
Dynamic load success | Dynamically loaded VxDs |
INITCOMPLETESUCCESS | Loaded VxDs |
LoadStart, LoadSuccess, Loading Device, Loading Vxd | Indication of loading processes |
LoadFailed | Indication that component failed to load |
SYSCRITINIT, SYSCRITINITSUCCESS | System initialization actions |
DEVICEINIT, DEVICEINITSUCCESS | Device initialization actions |
Dynamic load device, Dynamic init device | Dynamic loading and initialization of devices |
Initing, Init Success, INITCOMPLETE, Init, InitDone | Initialization actions |
Status | Current status indicator |
For example, if you see an entry such as DynamicInitDevice=PPPMAC but there is no matching entry such as DynamicInitSuccess=PPPMAC, then that VxD failed to load. If a driver in the Windows SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS directory stalls when it is being initialized, you can sometimes successfully start the system by renaming that file.
The following shows a sample BOOTLOG.TXT file:
Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE
Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\SETVER.EXE
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\SETVER.EXE
Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS
Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
Loading Vxd = VMM
LoadSuccess = VMM
Loading Vxd = nwlink.vxd
LoadSuccess = nwlink.vxd
Loading Vxd = vnetsup.vxd
LoadSuccess = vnetsup.vxd