Tech Tips for Windows XP Professional, Second Edition

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Backup and Recovery

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Tech Tips for Windows XP

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Break out of a continuous reboot loop

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Break out of a continuous reboot loop

Have you ever had to troubleshoot a Windows XP system that appeared to be stuck in a continuous reboot loop? In this scenario, you can start the system as you normally would and even log on. But within seconds of logging on, the system mysteriously reboots itself. In some cases, you don't even have to log on before the system reboots. If this sounds familiar, you're encountering a feature of Windows XP's Startup and Recovery system. By default, this system specifically configures Windows XP to automatically restart itself after encountering a system failure error. These system failure errors are usually isolated and occur randomly. As such, the best way for the operating system to deal with them is to automatically restart.

In most cases, doing so solves the problem. But if the system failure error is more serious and occurs on a regular basis, you'll encounter a continuous reboot loop.

However, you can disable the automatic restart behavior. Follow these steps:

1. Press [Windows][Break] to open the System Properties dialog box.

2. On the Advanced tab, click the Settings button in the Startup And Recovery section. 3. In the System Failure section, deselect the Automatically Restart check box, and click OK. 4. To enable the changes, click OK in the System Properties dialog box.

This change configures the system to halt after encountering a system failure error, which allows you to investigate the problem error in more detail. You'll then have to manually restart the system.

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Schedule Chkdsk for bootup

with Chkntfs in Windows XP

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Schedule Chkdsk for bootup with Chkntfs in Windows XP

When using Chkdsk to troubleshoot and fix problems on NTFS-formatted drives, you may want to configure Chkdsk to run in the early stages of system bootup instead of while the operating system is actually running.

This allows you to obtain a more accurate reading on the condition of the disk without the extra overhead of the running operating system. You can do this using the Chkntfs utility.

Follow these steps: 1. Go to Start | Run.

2. To restore all Chkntfs default settings, enter Chkntfs /d.

3. If there are multiple hard drives in the system, enter Chkntfs /x <drive letter>:. This excludes the drives you don't want to check. Make <drive letter> the letter(s) of the drive(s) you want to exclude.

4. Enter Chkntfs /t:0 to set the countdown to zero.

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Add a Safe Mode option to the

Boot menu in Windows XP

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Add a Safe Mode option to the Boot menu in Windows XP

When you're experiencing a problem with Windows XP, you may need to boot the system into Safe Mode more than once. However, doing so can be a tiresome process. When the Boot menu appears, you must press [F8], and then you must select Safe Mode from yet another menu.

Wouldn't it be nice if Safe Mode were available from the Boot menu? In fact, it's relatively easy to add a Safe Mode option to the Boot menu.

Follow these steps:

1. Press [Windows][Break] to open the System Properties dialog box.

2. On the Advanced tab, click the Settings button in the Startup And Recovery section. 3. In the System Startup section, click the Edit button.

4. When the Boot.ini file opens in Notepad, locate the line that ends with the /fastdetect switch. 5. Highlight and copy that line, and paste it in the line below.

6. Change the section on the line that reads WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" to WINDOWS="Safe Mode."

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What is System Restore?

System Restore is another feature that has its roots in Windows ME. It allows users to save all important system files, called creating a checkpoint, and restore them later if something happens with the system. It is essentially a feature that allows users to go back in time and undo all changes to a system.

System Restore monitors system files and creates checkpoints at the time of significant system events (e.g., driver and application installation) and periodically (every 24 hours). Periodical restore points are only created when the CPU is idle. Additionally, users can manually create restore points through the System Restore utility found in Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools.

System Restore is enabled automatically once Windows XP is installed. Keep in mind that System Restore requires at least 200 MB of free space on each partition; otherwise, it is disabled and all previous restore points are lost. When more than 200 MB of free space becomes available, System Restore is turned on automatically.

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Disabling System Restore

Although System Restore is a useful utility, it is a feature that some users might still wish to disable. Microsoft does not recommend disabling the feature; however, it may make sense to disable it on the data-only partitions.

System Restore points are managed through the System Restore utility found in the Accessories | System Tools folder in the Start Menu. This utility is primarily used to create and restore the System Restore checkpoint, but it is also used to change the System Restore Settings. Click on the System Restore Settings, and the new dialog will appear. You’ll have the option to turn on the System Restore for all system hard drives or disable it on individual drives.

If you select the drive and click the Settings button, you’ll get a new dialog in which you can disable the System Restore for the drive and specify the amount of disk space you want to reserve for restore points. The graphical user interface does not provide the only means of disabling System Restore. You can also use VBScripts. Here is a sample script that disables System Restore on the D: drive:

Set SRP = GetObject("winmgmts:\\.\root\default:SystemRestore") eSRP = SRP.disable("d:\")

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Restore your system with

Automated System Recovery

Restore your system with Automated System Recovery

The best way to prepare for computer failure is to perform regular backups. Windows XP Professional ships with a backup and restoration tool, Automated System Recovery (ASR), that lets you make copies of important system files and settings.

The ASR Wizard, in All Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Backup, guides you through the backup procedure. It allows you to save a backup file to a medium that you specify, plus it helps you create a floppy Recovery Disk. The floppy disk will restore the operating system and settings to a previous state, so you can start XP when other recovery options don't work.

To activate ASR and recover from system failure, insert the Windows XP CD-ROM and boot

the system. When prompted, press [F2] for Automated System Recovery and follow the restoration steps. Keep these points in mind before using ASR:

• ASR will not back up or restore data files.

• Only use ASR if your system is unable to boot and can't be repaired with other tools, such as the Recovery Console and the Last Known Good Configuration.

• If you have a broken system but can still boot to XP, use System Restore instead of ASR to restore the system to a previous state.

• ASR doesn't support 4-GB partitions formatted with FAT.

• When you use ASR, the backup will format your system partition, which can result in the loss of data.

Use great caution when using ASR. As a last resort, you may even want to consider reinstalling XP over the existing installation. This takes a little longer to restore the system,

but all your data will be preserved.

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Sharpen your tools

for when disaster strikes

Sharpen your tools for when disaster strikes

System failure, data loss, and computer instability are common problems for administrators and end users alike. Fortunately, Windows XP Professional and Home Edition include several built-in disaster recovery tools to help get your system—and data—back up and running.

Here are a few utilities to add to your troubleshooting arsenal:

• Last Known Good Configuration: If you are unable to boot the computer because of hardware or software changes, use Last Known Good Configuration. On the Boot loader screen, press [F8] and select Last Known Good Configuration. This only works if you haven't logged on after the problem occurred.

• Safe Mode: If you are unable to boot Windows XP, try to boot into Safe Mode, which loads only the basic drivers needed for the system. On the boot loader menu, press [F8] and select Safe Mode.

• Recovery Console: If you are unable to boot Windows XP, and Last Known Good Configuration and Safe Mode are not working, use Recovery Console to try to repair the system. Run Recovery Console from the Windows XP CD-ROM by selecting R for repair during the setup.

• Device Driver Rollback: If the computer becomes unstable after installing a new driver, roll back to the previously installed driver. To do this, run Device Manager, right-click on the Device, and select Properties. Go to the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver.

• System Restore: If the system is not working as expected after installing an application—or when you're uncertain about the problem but know that the system worked fine the previous day—use System Restore to return the system to the previous, working configuration. System Restore is located on the Start menu in the System Tools folder. Keep in mind that System Restore doesn't save or restore user data.

• Backup: The Backup utility allows you to save data and system files. If data is lost on the hard drive, you'll be able to restore it from the backup. By default, backup is not automatic on Windows XP Home Edition, so either perform the backup manually or schedule it to automatically back up your data at certain intervals.

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Use Driver Rollback to remove

a new driver

Use Driver Rollback to remove a new driver

Among the most critical pieces of software running on your computer are device drivers. Drivers are executed in the kernel mode and communicate directly with the operating system. Because they have access to parts of the hardware and operating system that other applications cannot access, drivers can create a great deal of damage, if written improperly.

A single driver can cause your computer to continuously crash. (Microsoft discovered that most crashes are caused by faulty drivers.) If you have ever experienced this for yourself, you'll appreciate a new feature in Windows XP, called Driver Rollback.

Whenever you install a new device driver on your computer, Windows XP will create a backup copy of the old driver. If the system crashes or if you are not satisfied with the new driver, you can use Driver

Rollback to remove the new driver and reinstall the old driver. (The system keeps only one previous driver.)

To restore the previous driver:

1. Log on with an account that has administrator privileges.

2. Open Device Manager by right-clicking the My Computer icon and selecting Properties. On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.

3. Right-click a device and select Properties. 4. On the Driver tab, click Roll Back Driver.