Windows 7 / Getting Started

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Using the system repair disc

Here's how to run the system repair disc:

1. Boot from the system repair disc.
   Usually, all you have to do is put the system repair disc in a drive and then press any key when Windows says "Press Any Key to Boot from CD or DVD." In case you don't see the Press Any Key message, About. com has a good discussion of the problem and its solution at tinyurl.com/6osf4a.
   If the Windows Boot Manager appears, proceed with Step 2. If you don't see the Boot Manager, the system repair disc asks you for your keyboard layout, and you can continue with Step 4.
2. In Windows Boot Manager, choose Windows 7 as your operating system choice and press Enter.
   The Boot Manager shows you another text screen, titled Advanced Boot Options. For details about the advanced boot options see Table below.
3. Choose the first option, Repair Your Computer, and press Enter.
4. When the System Recovery routine kicks in, choose your keyboard layout (typically, US).
   The System Recovery routine asks for a username and password. (If your computer has an administrator account with no password, you don't see the prompt.)
5. Type a username and password that are valid on this computer.
   You can use all the System Recovery options if you supply an administrator's name and password. If you use a standard account, System Recovery doesn't let you get to the Command Prompt.

What the Advanced Boot Options Really Mean

Option	What It Does
Repair Your Computer	If you booted from the system recovery disc, you can see this option.
Safe Mode	Starts Windows 7 with a minimal set of drivers, including the bone-stock VGA video driver. In Safe Mode, you can run most Windows programs and try to narrow down the problems pestering your PC. See the following sidebar, "Running in Safe Mode."
Safe Mode with Networking	Starts Windows 7 in Safe Mode and loads all drivers necessary for Windows to connect to your network. That should include the ability for you to get on the Internet.
Safe Mode with Command Prompt	Starts Windows 7 in Safe Mode, but you end up at a DOS-style command line. This is different from the Command Prompt option on the system recovery disc because, with this option, all of Windows is running.
Enable Boot Logging	As drivers are loaded, Windows lists them in the file c:\windows\ntbtlog.txt. If Windows doesn't start properly, you can look at the log and see where it died.
Enable Low-Resolution Video	Loads your current video driver and puts it in lowresolution, 640 x 480 mode.
Last Known Good Configuration	Rolls back your computer to the previous restore point (see "Using System Restore and Restore Points," later in this tutorial) and then tries to boot normally.
Debugging Mode	You don't want to go there.
Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure	If you hit a Blue Screen of Death, Windows doesn't automatically restart. This option is useful if Windows is in an endless loop of BSODs.
Disable Driver Signature Enforcement	If you know that you have a good drive but Windows 7 doesn't accept it, try this option to force-feed the driver.
Start Windows Normally	Uh, starts Windows normally.