Microsoft® Windows® XP Unleashed

Using the Last Known Good Configuration Feature

If your system doesn't boot, there can be a number of reasons. Perhaps you didn't heed the warning that most books give you when they caution you to be careful when you make changes to important system files such as the Registry. Perhaps you installed an unsigned device driver that makes the system unstable. The first step in trying to boot the system should be to use the Last Known Good Configuration feature available during boot time.

This feature can also be helpful if your computer does boot but exhibits strange behavior, which is another indication that a configuration setting was incorrectly modified or a driver isn't working like it should.

Note

Using the Last Known Good Configuration feature ...