Windows boot menu - Add Safe Mode

All versions of windows provide the following modes.

normal mode	This loads all the device drivers, Programs in the Run keys, and the like.
Safe mode	This does not load most device drivers and optional programs. (The only exception is when your system is infected by some parasite.)

When debugging various problems, it is necessary to boot into In general, Safe mode is used to debug various problems - normally device driveer problems and certain parasites. To enter Safe mode, Microsoft suggests rebooting the machine and continuously pressing F8 until a menu is presented. If you wait too long to press F8, the menu is not displayed, and the system boots normally. In this case, you must start over. (What a pain ... unfortunately, it is also fairly typical.)

Starting with Windows NT4 (and those operating systems based on it), it is possible to create a boot menu that lets you select the boot mode without having to press F8.

C:\boot.ini

With Windows XP (and other version based on Windows NT), the boot is partially controlled by

C:\boot.ini This is a typical example. It has only one option and, therefore, does not display a boot menu.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

When the operating systems section contains more than one entry, a selection menu is presented as part of the boot process. Normally, I find these menus a frustrating waste of time ... but when debugging a problem, they are a major time saver.

This version displays a menu and allows you to select either normal or safe mode .

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog

Available switch options for the Windows XP and the Windows Server 2003 Boot.ini files

Author: Robert Clemenzi - clemenzi@cpcug.org

Windows boot menu - Add Safe Mode

C:\boot.ini

URL: http:// cpcug.org / user / clemenzi / technical / Boot_Menu.html