One of the inevitabilities of owning a computer is that one day, usually at the most inconvenient moment possible, Windows will either refuse to load at all or will exhibit such a range of problems as to be unusable. This can be caused by all kinds of problems - including failed software installations, wrongly installed drivers, accidentally deleted system files and virus infection.
But if you're locked out of Windows completely, how do you set about the task of returning everything to a properly working state? This is the problem we set out to solve in this feature. There are a variety of techniques you can use, and you should find that one of them will work for you in the majority of cases. As your hard drive no doubt contains files you don't want to lose, we're going to look at the way in which you can restore Windows without having to resort to going back to a fresh installation.
The focus of this article is purely on problem solving, not prevention. We will assume that you have a computer which does not start up properly for whatever reason or is exhibiting serious problems. How to avoid the same thing happening again will be the focus of another feature in an upcoming issue of Computer Buyer.
Problems
The range of problems that can plague Windows is very wide indeed. A poorly written software installation or uninstallation routine can have a number of undesirable effects on your computer. Stray files and rogue Registry entries can lead to system slow down and in more extreme cases, prevent Windows from loading at all.
Similar problems can be experienced after installing a new piece of hardware or after updating an existing driver with a newer version. If the effect of the new installation is to lock you out of Windows, there is no obvious way to remove the offending item in the hope of solving the problem.
Some problems, such as a hard drive that has reached the end of its life or is plagued with bad sectors, are less easily solved. If you believe that your hard drive may fail, it's important that you create backups of your files as quickly as possible. With a new hard drive installed, you can then reinstall Windows and restore your files to furnish yourself with a fully working computer again. Other hardware related problems can be indicated by a series of beeps at startup. Decoding these beep codes will determine what action should be taken next.
Take a look in the manual for your motherboard and you should find a list of what the various combinations of beeps indicate. Alternatively, pay a visit to BIOS Central (www.bioscentral.com) where you can browse through the beep codes for different brands of BIOS. Beeps on startup are usually an indication of some sort of hardware related problem, but this does not necessarily mean that the fix will be expensive. BIOS beep can certainly indicate the presence of defective memory and other components, but they can also mean that an expansion card is not inserted properly.
Error messages
In this feature, we're interested in those problems which, although they can seem very serious at the time, can be solved with a little tinkering. Error messages complaining about missing files or a missing operating system are usually caused by the deletion of files or changes to the Registry. This can be caused by user error or through infection by malicious software such as viruses.
Whatever type of symptom your PC is exhibiting when you switch it on, Windows itself along with your installation CD include a number of option to help get your machine back on its feet again. Read on as we run through these potential solutions.
Rescue Options
Driver roll back
Many problems can be caused by the installation of an incorrect driver. If you start to experience problems with your computer after installing a new piece of hardware or after updating a driver - and assuming you can boot into Windows - you can use the handy driver roll back feature.
If you are unable to boot into Windows in the normal fashion, you could try using Safe Mode (see later for more details).
Once you're at the desktop, right-click on My Computer and select Properties. Click the Hardware tab, then click the Device Manager button. Scan through the list of devices that is displayed and locate the hardware device you most recently installed or updated. Double-click the entry for the device and move to the driver tab when the new dialog appears. Now click the Roll Back Driver button, followed by Yes to confirm.
When the process is complete, restart your computer and check to see if everything is working as it should be.
If you are still experiencing problems, you can try uninstalling the driver completely. Open up the Device Manager as just described and move to the driver tab for the relevant piece of hardware. This time, rather than pressing Roll Back Driver, click the Uninstall button followed by OK to confirm. With this done, restart your computer again and reinstall the driver that came with your hardware. Don't install the updated version this time - if the original driver is working correctly, there is no need to upgrade it. An alternative to rolling back drivers is to use System Restore.
System Restore
Since Millennium Edition saw the light of day, Windows has included a feature called System Restore. This runs invisibly in the background while you are using your computer, constantly monitoring important system files and settings, and creating backups of the Registry. System Restore only monitors system files, such as those required for startup and those related to hardware and user account information. Unfortunately, this isn't a tool to use for recovering personal files that have been mistakenly deleted - see last issue's feature on undeleting files for that.
The first time that Windows XP is run, a new restore point is created and additional ones are created when you install an unsigned driver, update Windows, or install a program which is compatible with the tool. Restore points are also created by default every 24 hours and it's also possible to create them manually. If you already find yourself unable to boot into Windows, it's too late to think about creating restore points, but it's something that's worth noting for future reference.
Launch the tool from the Start menu (Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore) and you will be given the option of creating a restore point, or restoring your computer to an earlier time. It's a good idea to manually create a restore point before you make any major change to your system, so you have a roll back option should something go wrong. If you select the 'Restore my computer to an earlier time' option, you will be presented with a calendar from which you can select the date you would like to restore settings to.
From the screen that appears when you first launch System Restore, you can also adjust the amount of hard drive space which is set aside to store restore points. Click the System Restore Settings link to the left of the screen and use the slider to adjust the amount of storage space you want to reserve - remember, the more space you set aside, the more restore points you will be able to create. System Restore can also be accessed from within Safe Mode.
Safe mode
Even if you are unable to boot into Windows in the usual way, you still have the option of using Safe Mode. Using this method, Windows will only load the files that are absolutely essential for running the operating system - no extra drivers will be loaded, and any programs configured to run at startup will be ignored. By opting to run in this bare bones mode, you may well be able to bypass any hardware or software which is causing Windows problems, then you can set about the task of removing the offending item.
To enter Safe Mode, restart your computer and as soon as the black and white boot screen appears, start to tap the F8 key on your keyboard. If you're using Windows 98 or Me, the Windows 98/Me Startup menu will be displayed; in the case of Windows XP, Windows Advanced Options will be displayed instead. In either case, use the arrow keys on your keyboard to scroll down to Safe Mode and press Enter. Despite the fact that fewer files are loaded in Safe Mode, you will probably find that your computer takes longer than normal to start.
Additionally, you will notice that your screen resolution drops dramatically as does the number of colours displayed on screen.
With Safe Mode successfully loaded, you can uninstall any software you think may be causing problems or uninstall or roll back drivers. You also have access to System Restore which may well be able to return your system to a working state. Once you have made any necessary configuration changes, restart your computer in the normal way and load Windows as usual. If you are still unable to reach your desktop, you could try entering Safe Mode again and try removing additional items, or try some of the other methods described on these pages.
Last known good configuration
Windows XP introduced a new recovery option called 'last known good configuration'. Selecting this option will enable you to load Windows with the most recent system settings that worked properly, enabling you to bypass any troublesome system changes that have been made. This is a great way to recover your system if you have installed the incorrect driver for a piece of hardware, although it will delete any other changes which have been made to your computer since this time.
Unlike System Restore, it's not possible to manually create restore points that can be used with this feature, as it's all done automatically. When your computer starts up successfully and when you shut it down, the current system settings are written to the Registry and it's these that are accessed when using last known good configuration.
To access the feature, restart or switch on your computer and start to tap the F8 key once the BIOS screen is displayed. From the Windows Advanced Options menu that appears, use the arrow keys to select the option labelled 'Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)' and press Enter. If everything goes to plan, Windows XP should load as normal.
Windows XP recovery console
Windows XP users have access to another handy option in the form of the recovery console. This is a somewhat more advanced recovery mode than any of the others discussed in this feature, but this is because it's also the most powerful. If you have been experiencing problems with missing files on boot up - such as boot.ini, ntdetect or ntldr - the recovery console can help you get things back on track. Similarly, serious problems such as a corrupt Master Boot Record can be fixed from here.
The Recovery Console is particularly useful as it enables you to replace individual files even if you cannot boot into Windows. While this is not a very user-friendly tool, if you have used MS-DOS in the past, the way the console works and the range of commands available to you should be familiar. For full details of these pay a visit to www.tinyurl.com. To find out how individual commands can be used, type the name of the command followed by /? In the Recovery Console, or type 'help' (without the quotes) followed by the command you want to learn more about.
Below we guide you through the process of getting the Recovery Console up and running as well as listing how to solve a couple of common problems. In the final step of the walkthrough, when replacing missing or corrupt files, it can be useful to have access to another computer. Use the second PC to track down the file you need on your Windows installation CD so that you know where it is located. A number of system files are contained within compressed .CAB files (or files with incomplete extensions) and you will need to use the Expand command to extract them. You can use a file compression tool such as WinZip to browse through the contents of these files.
First, you will need to use the 'cd' command (change directory) to navigate to the folder (the new Windows name for a directory - the command just hasn't been updated) the files should be extracted to. For example, type 'cd system32' to navigate to c:\windows\system32. If you wanted, for example, to replace a damaged hal.dll file, you would need to type 'expand x:\i386\hal.dl_' and press Enter. Use your second machine to determine the exact location of the files you require.
Other useful commands include 'fixboot' which can be used to repair a corrupt boot sector, and 'fixmbr' to repair a damaged master boot record. When you have finished with the recovery process, type 'exit' (again without the quotes) and press Enter.
Reinstall Windows over the top
Missing or corrupt system files can cause serious problem when it comes to booting into Windows. If an important file has been deleted or changed, Windows simply may not be able to start. One of the easiest ways to solve this problem is to reinstall Windows over the top of itself - as opposed to formatting your hard drive and installing from scratch. The advantage of using this method, if it does indeed sort out the problem, is that only files which are missing or corrupt are replaced and any user files are left in place, helping to protect personal documents.
If you are running Windows 98 or Me, such an overlay installation can be performed from within Windows itself if you are able to load the operating system, or by booting from CD. To reinstall from a CD boot, insert your installation CD and restart your computer. Continue with the setup process as normal, and your existing Windows installation will be detected.
From the menu that appears, select the option to replace your operating system, press Enter and work your way through the steps of the setup routine.
Alternatively, if you are able to boot into Windows, but are experiencing a series of problems, load Windows and open up My Computer. Double-click the icon for your CD drive and then click the Browse this CD link from the menu that appears. Now double-click the Setup.exe file in the window that opens and then click Continue. After a quick check of your hard drive, you will be asked if you want to save your existing system files - select No and click Next. You will now need to set country information and create an optional Startup Disk. Click Next and installation of Windows will continue, replacing any necessary files.
In the case of Windows XP, either Home or Professional Edition, care must be taken to ensure that you select the right option. With your Windows installation CD inserted, start your computer, press a key to boot from CD and wait for the Welcome To Setup screen to appear. You will be presented with three options: setup Windows; repair an installation and exit. Although the repair option may seem like the one to go for, you should press Enter to start setup in the usual way. This done, press F8 to agree to the Licensing Agreement and your computer will be scanned for existing versions of Windows. When your current, broken installation is detected, make sure it's selected in the list and then press R to perform a repair. The rest of the process is now an automated affair and your computer will restart itself as and when necessary. If you are sitting in front of your PC when a restart takes place, ignore the message reading 'Press any key to boot from CD' and the setup will copy across any necessary files.
Many computers do not come supplied with a standalone installation CD for Windows, instead coming with a 'restore' CD. This is designed to return your computer to the state it was in when you first bought it - complete with any software that was pre-installed. As with a fresh installation, using a restore CD will first wipe everything off your hard drive before putting the new files in place. As such, you should backup any files you don't want to lose if you are able to boot into Windows. If this is not an option, you could remove the hard drive and install it on a second computer to copy the files across. If your hard disk has been split into two or more partitions, it's likely that only data on the C: drive will be lost if you use a restore CD - but check with the PC manufacturer first, just to be on the safe side.
Very little user intervention is needed when using restoration CDs. Start by ensuring that your computer is configured to boot from the CD drive by checking its BIOS settings, and then insert the first restore CD before restarting it. You will then be guided through the process of returning everything to a working state. Note that using this method will not restore any program or settings that have been put in place since buying your computer, only those that were initially installed, so you will have to restore other programs manually.
Conclusion
If you have worked your way through the list of potential solutions above, but still have the same problem with your computer, it's time to take more drastic measures. There are some problems which just can't easily be sorted out. We have exhausted all of the common fixes, so the only option left available is to completely reinstall Windows from scratch. In the majority of cases, you will lose all of the files on your hard drive.
If you have taken the precautionary measure of partitioning your hard drive and storing all of your documents on a separate partition to Windows itself, things are going to be much easier. You can restart your computer with your Windows installation CD inserted and run through the process of deleting the existing installation before reinstalling first the operating system, and then any drivers and applications you need.
Should your documents be stored on the same partition as Windows, you can backup important files if you have access to a second computer. Remove the hard drive from your troublesome computer and install it in a working machine so that the drive can be accessed from within Windows. You can then browse through the contents of the disk and burn valuable files onto CD or DVD. With your backup created, return the drive to the original PC and reinstall Windows from scratch before restoring your backed-up files.
Emergency measures