WinXP only boots in SAFEMODE

[Termn8tr2002]

Hi:
I have a system running WinXP(Home Ed.) that is only booting up in SafeMode. I've entered the menu option using the F8 button, selected Normal Startup...no success. I've also checked the Boot.ini file under Msconfig to see of safemode/safeboot was checkmarked...it wasn't. Any suggestions as to why this system is only booting in safemode would be greatly appreciated.
Tnx in advance...

 

[bcastner]

Did you check the lines of boot.ini to see if /SAFEBOOT
was present at the end of the line to start XP?

"/SAFEBOOT

You should never have to specify this option manually, since NTLDR does it for you when you use the F8 menu to perform a safe boot. Following the colon in the option you must specify one of three additional switches: MINIMAL, NETWORK, or DSREPAIR. The MINIMAL and NETWORK flags correspond to safe boot with no network and safe boot with network support. A safe boot is a boot where NT only loads drivers and services that are specified by name or group in the Minimal or Network Registry keys under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot. The DSREPAIR (Directory Services Repair) switch causes NT to boot into a mode where it restores the Active Directory from a backup medium you present. "

 

[linney]

Is the F8 button faulty?

When in Safe Mode have a look at the Event Viewer.

Look in the System or Application folder. You can get to the Event Viewer via right click My Computer icon and select Manage.

Any errors logged in the Event Viewer can be expanded by double clicking on the error line.

Take any event error I.D. number and search for it on this site.

http://www.eventid.net/events.asp

Also check any "Information" line that mentions "savedump" and you should find reference to "recovered from a bug check". This is the Stop Error that caused your problem.

You can also turn off "automatically restart after an error" so it will just halt at the fault and display the full Stop Error and blue screen.

Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties .
On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery .
Click to clear the Automatically restart check box under System failure , and then click OK . The error message on a blue screen should remain on the screen so you can record the error information.



How's it go if you disconnect the Keyboard, Mouse and any USB devices?

Have a look in Device Manager for any conflicts.

Run MsInfo32 from the Start Run box and see if that gives you any clues.

 

[linney]

One other thing worth a try is running Chkdsk either from Safe Mode or via the Recovery Console.