Bypass Your Startup Files

What if that Doesn't Isolate the Problem?
Uh-Oh!

Remember to document your efforts so that you remember what you've done, and what has to be undone!

Restart the computer and allow it to boot normally, but when the Windows logo is displayed, press and hold the SHIFT key until Windows is loaded and the cursor is no longer an hour glass (hard drive activity is finished). This prevents programs from loading automatically at startup. If the problem is gone, here's some places to check:

1) Your StartUp Folder
Click START/PROGRAMS/STARTUP. The programs in here start up automatically when your computer boots. Use Windows Explorer.

Go to C:\WINDOWS\START MENU\PROGRAMS\STARTUP. Make a temporary folder on the desktop, drag everything out of the STARTUP folder to the new folder. Restart Windows normally. If the problem disappears, then move each item back into the STARTUP folder one by one. Restarting your computer each time until you isolate the item causing the trouble.

2) The WIN.INI File
Use Windows Explorer (or the DOS Prompt if Windows won't start), go to C:\WINDOWS and rename the WIN.INI file to WIN.CY7. Restart Windows. If the problem is gone.... Right! It resides in the WIN.INI (WIN.CY7)file. Check it out in your favorite text editor. The usual place is in the [Windows] section after 'Load=' or 'Run='. After resolving the problem, or if the WIN.INI file was not the culprit, remember to delete the new WIN.INI file that was created, and rename the WIN.CY7 file back to WIN.INI.

3) The SYSTEM.INI File Windows won't start properly without a SYSTEM.INI file. So you can't just rename it and restart your computer. There is, however, a basic, generic version of the SYSTEM.INI in the WINDOWS folder called SYSTEM.CB.

Rename SYSTEM.INI to SYSTEM.CY7, and copy SYSTEM.CB to SYSTEM.INI. Notice I said COPY SYSTEM.CB to SYSTEM.INI. Before restarting your computer, open the new SYSTEM.INI file in a text editor and add the following lines:

[boot] drivers=mmsystem.dll
mouse.drv=mouse.drv

[386Enh]
mouse=*vmouse, msmouse.vxd

This is so that you'll have mouse support when you restart. Restart the computer and see if the problem resides in the SYSTEM.INI file. Remember, afterwards to delete the new SYSTEM.INI file and rename SYSTEM.CY7 to SYSTEM.INI. Restart your computer.

4) The Registry
Before working in the Registry, MAKE A BACKUP! Know how to back up your Registry and how to restore it. Know how to make changes to your Registry. If you read the last 3 NewsLetters, you'll know how important this is. If you missed them, the information is now on the website under Care & Maintenance.

After making your backup, open the Registry Editor and investigate the keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows/ CurrentVersion/Run
(also, CurrentVersion/RunServices)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/ CurrentVersion/Run

The entries and values in these three keys are programs or files that are loaded at startup. Don't delete these keys, just their entries and values. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. If the problem goes away, you found where the offending item was loaded. If it doesn't, restore the original registry from your backup. If your computer has new problems, or won't start, you've made a mistake. Restore the original registry from your backup.

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