XP Recovery Techniques

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Windows XP Recovery Techniques (from Cybex MCSA/SE WinXPPro 3rd Edition)

Event Viewer - If the Windows XP operating system can be loaded through Normal or Safe Mode, one of the first places to look for hints about the problem is Even Viewer. Event Viewer displays System, Security and Application Logs.

Safe Mode - This is generally your starting point for system recovery. Safe Mode loads the absolute minimum of services and drivers that are needed to boot Windows XP. If you can load Safe Mode, you may be able to troubleshoot devices or services that keep Windows XP from loading normally.

Last Known Good Configuration - This option can help if you made changes to your computer and are now having problems. Last Known Good Configuration is an Advanced Options Menu item that you can select during startup. IT loads the configuration that was used the last time the computer booted successfully. This option will not help if you have a hardware problem.

Driver Rollback - Driver Rollback is used to restore a driver to a previous version that has been saved. This option is used when you update a driver and it is not functioning properly.

Dr. Watson - This utility helps when you are experiencing problems with an application. Dr. Watson is used to diagnose and troubleshoot application errors.

Backup - You should use this utility to safeguard your computer. Through the Backup Utility you can back up the sytem or parts of the system and restore data from the backups that you have made.

Recovery Console - You can use this option if none of the other options or utilities works. The Recovery Console starts Windows XP without the graphical interface and allows the administrator limited capabilities, such as adding or replacing files and enabling/disabling services.