Dealing with blue screen/reboot endless cycle

[snorkel]

Ok, I've been doing a lot of PC tech work for others lately and running into a situation where Windows won't boot. It gets to a blue screen then reboots before I can see what the blue screen says. Now I know how to set the option so that windows WON'T reboot on a blue screen but you have to set that option while Windows is functional. Many people don't set this option and then I am hosed when troubleshooting.

Question is: Can you set that option by modifying the registry from a boot CD (like Bart PE) if Windows won't boot OR can you view the blue screen error from the boot CD by browsing somewhere on the HDD with the problem???

Thanks. Either way, this would help me to see what Windows is complaining about instead of just deciding to reload windows.

 

[stduc]

There is an easier way that registry editing.

Use the F8 option at boot up and select "Disable automatic restart on system failure"

If that fails and the system still auto re-boots then you need to get creative. My favourite trick is to film the screen with digital camera that takes movies and then step through the frames.

[navy]When I married "Miss Right" I didn't realise her first name was 'always'. LOL[/navy]

 

[snorkel]

I think this is what I was looking for.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314466

4. Browse to the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
5. On the File menu, click Load Hive.
6. Navigate to the System file in the original Windows XP installation location.

By default, the System file is stored in the following location:
%SystemRoot%\System32\Config\System
7. Type an arbitrary name when you are prompted for a key name in the Load Hive dialog box.

The original HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive is loaded as a subkey of the current key.
8. In the arbitrary name key (where arbitrary name is the name that you assigned the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry key from the original Windows installation), browse to the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\CrashControl
9. In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, double-click AutoReboot.
10. In the Value data box, type 0 (zero), and then click OK.
11. Click the minus sign to collapse the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry subkey.
12. On the File menu, click Unload Hive.
13. On the File menu, click Exit.