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Add a Safe Mode Option to the Boot Menu

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3 replies

by dukestrjr

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Should the /fastdetect switch be left on that (newly created)last line?

3 replies

by cntrysky

Hi!
If you want to add a regular safemode shortcut to your boot.ini then add /safeboot:mininal

If you want to add safemode with networking support then add /safeboot:network

It should look something like this in your boot.ini file.

--

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional (SafeMode-Normal)" /safeboot:minimal
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional (SafeMode-Network)" /safeboot:network

--

You can make the modifications by going to System Properties, Advanced Tab, 3rd Settings button, and click on Edit.

Or you can go to the Recovery Console and manually rebuild the boot.ini by using bootcfg /rebuild. This is normally only done if you cannot boot to Windows because of a messed up boot.ini. It will just add lines to the boot.ini you already have. It will ask for the title of the boot.ini entry and then for the section at the end such as /safeboot:minimal or even /fastdetect.

To get Recovery Console as an option on your boot.ini you'll need to have your WinXP CD or at least have the i386 folder copied on a flat. (another partition with the i386 folder or simply have the I386 folder copied from the XP CD to your Hard Drive somewhere). If you have this then you can go to a Command Prompt and run winnt32 /cmdcons from the i386 folder. Don't mind the first error you receive when installing Recovery Console on your computer. Just press OK and it will proceed.

After instlalling Recovery Console it will edit the boot.ini and create the line:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional 2" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

It's a good idea to have Recovery Console as a shortcut when you first boot. It comes in handy when the time to use it comes. It's nice to have both normal

by cntrysky

Sorry, ignore the following line towards the last section of my previous comment.

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="M icrosoft Windows XP Professional 2" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

The Recovery Console line should simply be:
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

The CMDCONS is a hidden folder.
The reason that I have two entries almost the same...

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="M icrosoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

and

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="M icrosoft Windows XP Professional 2" /fastdetect

... is because I have reinstalled XP on an old partition that had an older OS on it as I had problems with the old WinXP that "Windows XP Professional 2" belongs to. (It was running too slow on shutdown and I couldn't solve it. I just haven't grabbed what I need from that partition before I remove it.

So as an end result if you want both safemodes and recovery console on the boot.ini should look something like:

[boot loader]
timeout=3
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="Microsoft Windows XP Professional (SafeMode-Normal)" /safeboot:minimal
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional (SafeMode-Network)" /safeboot:network
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

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