Safe Mode Options

To use a Safe Boot option, follow these steps:

1. Restart your computer and start pressing the F8 key on your keyboard. On a computer that is configured for booting to multiple operating systems, you can press the F8 key when the Boot Menu appears.
2. Select an option when the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, and then press ENTER.
3. When the Boot menu appears again, and the words "Safe Mode" appear in blue at the bottom, select the installation that you want to start, and then press ENTER.

Description of Safe Boot options

• Safe Mode (SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Minimal): This option uses a minimal set of device drivers and services to start Windows.
• Safe Mode with Networking (SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Network): This option uses a minimal set of device drivers and services to start Windows together with the drivers that you must have to load networking.
• Safe Mode with Command Prompt (SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Minimal(AlternateShell)): This option is the same as Safe mode, except that Cmd.exe starts instead of Windows Explorer.
• Enable VGA Mode: This option starts Windows in 640 x 480 mode by using the current video driver (not Vga.sys). This mode is useful if the display is configured for a setting that the monitor cannot display.
  
  Note Safe mode and Safe mode with Networking load the Vga.sys driver instead.
• Last Known Good Configuration: This option starts Windows by using the previous good configuration.
• Directory Service Restore Mode: This mode is valid only for Windows-based domain controllers. This mode performs a directory service repair.
• Debugging Mode: This option turns on debug mode in Windows. Debugging information can be sent across a serial cable to another computer that is running a debugger. This mode is configured to use COM2.
• Enable Boot Logging: This option turns on logging when the computer is started with any of the Safe Boot options except Last Known Good Configuration. The Boot Logging text is recorded in the Ntbtlog.txt file in the %SystemRoot% folder.
• Starts Windows Normally: This option starts Windows in its normal mode.
• Reboot: This option restarts the computer.
• Return to OS Choices Menu: On a computer that is configured to starting to more than one operating system, this option returns to the Boot menu.

An environment variable is set when you use one of the Safe Boot options. The environment variable is SAFEBOOT_OPTION. This variable is set to either Network or to Minimal.

The default Microsoft VGA driver is used for display at 640 x 480 resolution and in 16 colors. You must log on in all modes by a domain or by the local Security Accounts Manager, depending on which Safe Boot mode you select.

SubInACL

SubInACL is a command-line tool that enables administrators to obtain security information about files, registry keys, and services, and transfer this information from user to user, from local or global group to group, and from domain to domain. For example, if a user has moved from one domain (DomainA) to another (DomainB), the administrator can replace DomainA\User with DomainB\User in the security information for the user's files. This gives the user access to the same files from the new domain.

SubInACL enables administrators to do the following:

• Display security information associated with files, registry keys, or services. This information includes owner, group, permission access control list (ACL), discretionary ACL (DACL), and system ACL (SACL).
• Change the owner of an object.
• Replace the security information for one identifier (account, group, well-known security identifier (SID)) with that of another identifier.
• Migrate security information about objects. This is useful if you have reorganized a network's domains and need to migrate the security information for files from one domain to another.

This update addresses the following issues:

• Fixed bug where subinacl.exe failed to process command line arguments
• Fixed bug where subinacl.exe failed to function correctly with cluster file shares

System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows 2000; Windows Server 2003; Windows XP

You can download and install SubInACL.exe on the following operating systems:

• Windows 2000 Professional
• Windows 2000 Server
• Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
• Windows XP Professional
• Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
• Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
• Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
• Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition

Booting Process & Windows Installation

Windows XP Installation Screens
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx#beginBoot Sequence

Boot Process Flash Video :
http://tc3.hccs.edu/ScottJ/ClassWebPages/Demos/XPBootProcess/2272_XPBoot.swf

Boot Process Diagram:
http://www.geocities.com/asoke_dasgupta/boot-xp.html


Exactly what procedures does Windows XP execute during its boot process?

Solution

The Windows XP boot process consists of five basic phases:

1. BIOS/POST. The system boots, loads the contents of the BIOS ROM and executes the Power On Self Test (POST). This is not specifically an operating system process.
   
   
2. MBR. At least one bootable device must contain a Master Boot Record (MBR), the first sector on a hard disk drive, which starts the the process of booting the computer. The MBR also contains a small amount of code that executes the files needed to load the operating system.
   
   
3. NT Loader. NT Loader (NTLDR) executes NTDETECT.COM for a very basic hardware check (CPU capabilities, BIOS capabilities). Then it reads BOOT.INI to check where the operating system is located. Based on the results from NTDETECT.COM, the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) is loaded, which prepares the Windows XP kernel for adapting to the situation in the best way possible.
   
   
4. NTOSKRNL.EXE. This file is the kernel of the operating system Windows XP. The kernel is responsible for loading, executing and communicating with device drivers. After the kernel is loaded, services and drivers will be started.
   
   
5. Logon. After all the services and drivers have been loaded, the logon screen or welcome screen of Windows XP will appear. When users log on, Windows XP will load the settings of that user and will execute any startup programs.

In the following table you will find an overview of typical errors that might occur during the boot process of Windows XP, and their possible causes.

Typical errors:	Typical causes:
Beep codes, system hangs during POST.	Wrong BIOS settings, HDD inaccessible, hardware failure.
"Invalid system disk", "Operating system not found".	Floppy in FDD, no partitions defined on HDD.
"Missing Operating system", "Cannot load x:\windows\system32\hal.dll".	BOOT.INI incorrect or damaged, NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM not present in the root of the active partition, BOOT.INI incorrect or damaged.
"Cannot load x:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe", blue screens with "STOP errors", error message if driver or service fails.	NTOSKRNL.EXE is missing or corrupted, bad drivers installed, possible hardware failure.
Cannot logon, error message that application fail to start.	User profile incorrect or damaged, software problems.

XP .cpl files

access.cpl / Accessibility Options
appwiz.cpl / add/remove programs
ASFConfig.cpl / Broadcom ASF Conf. Program
bthprops.cpl / Bluetooth control panel
desk.cpl / Display Properties
firewall.cpl / Windows Firewall
hdwwiz.cpl / Add hardware wizard
inetcpl.cpl / internet Properties
intl.cpl / Regional and Language Options
irprops.cpl / Bluetooth Authentication Agent
joy.cpl / Game Controllers
jpicpl32.cpl / Java Control Panel
main.cpl / Mouse Properties
mmsys.cpl / Sounds and Audio Device Properties
ncpa.cpl / Network Connections
netsetup.cpl / Wireless Network Setup Wizard
NicConfigSvc.cpl / Internal Network Card Power Management
nusrmgr.cpl / User Accounts
nwc.cpl / Gateway Services for NetWare properties
odbccp32.cpl / ODBC Data Source Administrator
plugincpl13121.cpl / JInitiator Control Panel
powercfg.cpl / Power Options Properties
sysdm.cpl / System Properties
telephon.cpl / Phone and Modem Options
timedate.cpl / Date and Time Properties
wscui.cpl / Windows Security Center
wuaucpl.cpl / Automatic Updates

XP .msc files

admgmt.msc / Active Directory Management
azman.msc / Authorization Manager
certmgr.msc / Certificates
certsrv.msc / Manage Certificate Services
certtmpl.msc / Certificate Templates
ciadv.msc / Index Service
compmgmt.msc / Computer Management
devmgmt.msc / Device Manager
dfrg.msc / Disk Defragmentor
dfsgui.msc / Distribute File System
dhcpmgmt.msc / DHCP
diskmgmt.msc / Disk Management
dnsmgmt.msc / DNS Management
domain.msc / Active Directory Domain and Trusts
dsa.msc / Active Directory Users and Computers
dssite.msc / Active Directory Sites and Services
eventvwr.msc / event Viewer
fsmgmt.msc / Shared Folders
gpedit.msc / Group Policy
gpmc.msc / Group Policy Management
ipaddrmgmt.msc / IP address management
lusrmgr.msc / Local Users and Groups
ntmsmgr.msc / Removable Storage
ntmsoprq.msc / Removable Storage Operator Requests
perfmon.msc / Performance
pkiview.msc / pkiview Enterprise PKI
pkmgmt.msc / Public Key Management
rsadmin.msc / Remote Storage Server Manager
rsop.msc / Resultant Set of Policy
schmmgmt.msc / schmmgmt Active Directory Schema
secpol.msc / Local Security Settings
services.msc / Services
tapimgmt.msc / Telephony
tsmmc.msc / Remote desktops Manager
uddi.msc / UDDI Services Console
winsmgmt.msc / WINS
wmimgmt.msc / Windows Management Infrastructure(WMI)

Windows XP Run Command List (.msc & .cpl repeated)

1. Accessibility Controls – access.cpl
2. Accessibility Wizard – accwiz
3. Add Hardware – Wizardhdwwiz.cpl
4. Add/Remove Programs – appwiz.cpl
5. Administrative Tools  – control admintools
6. Adobe (if installed) – acrobat
7. Adobe Designer (if installed)- acrodist
8. Adobe Distiller (if installed)- acrodist
9. Adobe ImageReady (if installed)- imageready
10. Adobe Photoshop (if installed)- photoshop
11. Automatic Updates – wuaucpl.cpl
12. Bluetooth Transfer Wizard – fsquirt
13. Calculator – calc
14. Certificate Manager – certmgr.msc
15. Character Map – charmap
16. Check Disk Utility – chkdsk
17. Clipboard Viewer – clipbrd
18. Command Prompt – cmd
19. Component Services – dcomcnfg
20. Computer Management – compmgmt.msc
21. Control Panel – control
22. Date and Time Properties – timedate.cpl
23. DDE Shares – ddeshare
24. Device Manager – devmgmt.msc
25. Direct X Control Panel (If Installed)- directx.cpl
26. Direct X Troubleshooter- dxdiag
27. Disk Cleanup Utility- cleanmgr
28. Disk Defragment- dfrg.msc
29. Disk Management- diskmgmt.msc
30. Disk Partition Manager- diskpart
31. Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected)- control color
32. Display Properties- control desktop
33. Display Properties- desk.cpl
34. Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility- drwtsn32
35. Driver Verifier Utility- verifier
36. Event Viewer- eventvwr.msc
37. File Signature Verification Tool- sigverif
38. Files and Settings Transfer Tool- migwiz
39. Findfast- findfast.cpl
40. Firefox (if installed)- firefox
41. Folders Properties- control folders
42. Fonts- control fonts
43. Fonts Folder- fonts
44. Free Cell Card Game- freecell
45. Game Controllers- joy.cpl
46. Group Policy Editor (XP Prof)- gpedit.msc
47. Hearts Card Game- mshearts
48. Help and Support- helpctr
49. HyperTerminal- hypertrm
50. Iexpress Wizard- iexpress
51. Indexing Service- ciadv.msc
52. Internet Connection Wizard- icwconn1
53. Internet Explorer- iexplore
54. Internet Properties- inetcpl.cpl
55. Internet Setup Wizard- inetwiz
56. IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents)- ipconfig /flushdns
57. IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) – ipconfig/all
58. IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID)- ipconfig/showclassid
59. IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents)- ipconfig /displaydns
60. IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID)- ipconfig /setclassid
61. IP Configuration (Release All Connections)- ipconfig /release
62. IP Configuration (Renew All Connections)- ipconfig /renew
63. IP Configuration(RefreshesDHCP&Re-RegistersDNS)-ipconfig/registerdns
64. Java Control Panel (If Installed)- javaws
65. Java Control Panel (If Installed)- jpicpl32.cpl
66. Keyboard Properties – control keyboard
67. Local Security Settings – secpol.msc
68. Local Users and Groups – lusrmgr.msc
69. Logs You Out Of Windows – logoff…..
70. Malicious Software Removal Tool – mrt
71. Microsoft Access (if installed) – access.cpl
72. Microsoft Chat – winchat
73. Microsoft Excel (if installed) – excel
74. Microsoft Frontpage (if installed)- frontpg
75. Microsoft Movie Maker – moviemk
76. Microsoft Paint – mspaint
77. Microsoft Powerpoint (if installed)- powerpnt
78. Microsoft Syncronization Tool – mobsync
79. Microsoft Word (if installed)- winword
80. Minesweeper Game – winmine
81. Mouse Properties – control mouse
82. Mouse Properties – main.cpl
83. Nero (if installed)- nero
84. Netmeeting – conf
85. Network Connections – control netconnections
86. Network Connections – ncpa.cpl
87. Network Setup Wizard – netsetup.cpl
88. Notepad – notepad
89. Nview Desktop Manager (If Installed)- nvtuicpl.cpl
90. Object Packager – packager
91. ODBC Data Source Administrator- odbccp32.cpl
92. On Screen Keyboard – osk
93. Opens AC3 Filter (If Installed) – ac3filter.cpl
94. Outlook Express – msimn
95. Paint – pbrush
96. Password Properties – password.cpl
97. Performance Monitor – perfmon.msc
98. Phone and Modem Options – telephon.cpl
99. Phone Dialer – dialer
100. Pinball Game – pinball
101. Power Configuration – powercfg.cpl
102. Printers and Faxes – control printers
103. Printers Folder – printers
104. Private Character Editor – eudcedit
105. Quicktime (If Installed)- QuickTime.cpl
106. Real Player (if installed)- realplay
107. Regional Settings – intl.cpl
108. Registry Editor – regedit
109. Registry Editor – regedit32
110. Remote Access Phonebook – rasphone
111. Remote Desktop – mstsc
112. Removable Storage – ntmsmgr.msc
113. Removable Storage Operator Requests – ntmsoprq.msc
114. Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof) – rsop.msc
115. Scanners and Cameras – sticpl.cpl
116. Scheduled Tasks – control schedtasks
117. Security Center – wscui.cpl
118. Services – services.msc
119. Shared Folders – fsmgmt.msc
120. Shuts Down Windows – shutdown
121. Sounds and Audio – mmsys.cpl
122. Spider Solitare Card Game – spider
123. SQL Client Configuration – cliconfg
124. System Configuration Editor – sysedit
125. System Configuration Utility – msconfig
126. System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache)- sfc /purgecache
127. System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting)- sfc /revert
128. System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately)- sfc /scannow
129. System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) – sfc /scanboot
130. System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot)- sfc /scanonce
131. System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x)-sfc/cachesize=x
132. System Information – msinfo32.
133. System Properties – sysdm.cpl
134. Task Manager – taskmgr
135. Task Manager – taskmgr
136. TCP Tester – tcptest
137. Telnet Client – telnet
138. Tweak UI (if installed) – tweakui
139. User Account Management- nusrmgr.cpl
140. Utility Manager – utilman
141. Windows Address Book – wab
142. Windows Address Book Import Utility – wabmig
143. Windows Backup Utility (if installed)- ntbackup
144. Windows Explorer – explorer
145. Windows Firewall- firewall.cpl
146. Windows Magnifier- magnify
147. Windows Management Infrastructure – wmimgmt.msc
148. Windows Media Player – wmplayer
149. Windows Messenger – msmsgs
150. Windows Picture Import Wizard (need camera connected)- wiaacmgr
151. Windows System Security Tool – syskey
152. Windows Update Launches – wupdmgr
153. Windows Version (to show which version of windows)- winver
154. Windows XP Tour Wizard – tourstart
155. Wordpad – write