Options to Use When a System Does Not Start

Windows 2000 provides a variety of options that you can use when a computer does not start, including safe mode, the Recovery Console, and the Emergency Repair Disk (ERD). You can use safe mode to start the computer with only minimal necessary services. Safe mode options, including Last Known Good Configuration, are especially useful if a newly-installed driver is causing the problems.

If safe mode does not start the computer, you can use the Recovery Console. Using the Recovery Console is recommended only for advanced users or administrators. You can access the Recovery Console to start the system by using the Windows 2000 Setup CD or the Setup floppy disks that you created from the CD. The Recovery Console is a command-line interface that allows you to perform tasks such as starting and stopping services and accessing the local drive.

The ERD provides another option if safe mode and the Recovery Console do not start the system. If you have already created an ERD, you can start the system with the Windows 2000 Setup CD or the Setup floppy disks, and then use the ERD to restore core system files.

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