GILL COMPUTERS POINT: Computers Basic Info

Showing posts with label Computers Basic Info. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

List of computer hardware manufacturers

Cases / Chassis
List of computer case manufacturers:

Akasa
Antec
AOpen
AplusCase
Arctic Cooling
ASUS
Chassis Plans
Chieftec
Cooler Master
Enermax
Foxconn
Gigabyte Technology
HEC Compucase
Intel
Lian Li
NZXT
IXIUM
RAIDMax
SilverStone Technology
Sunbeam Tech
Supermicro
Thermaltake
Ultra Products
Zalman

CD/DVD
AOpen
ASUS
Philips-Lite-On Digital Solutions (PLDS) (PBDS before Lite-On's acquisition of BenQ's optical drive division)
Hewlett-Packard
Hitachi-LG Electronics Data Storage (HLDS)
Panasonic
Pioneer
Plextor
TEAC
Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST)
Sony-NEC (Sony NEC Optiarc)

Central processing units
List of x86 central processing unit manufacturers:

AMD
Intel
VIA Technologies
Other architectures:

ARM Limited (ARM)
IBM (POWER)
Marvell Technology Group (ARM)
Sun Microsystems (SPARC)
Texas Instruments (ARM)

Controller cards
3ware
Adaptec
Areca
HighPoint Technologies
Promise Technology
Supermicro
Tekram

Digital video interface
AJA Video Systems
BlueFish444
DELTACAST

Display screens
List of computer display manufacturers:

3M
Apple Inc.
Acer
AG Neovo
ASUS
BenQ
BTC Korea Co., Ltd. (brand name NFren)
Chassis Plans
Chi Mei
Dell
Eizo
Hewlett Packard
IC Power
LG Electronics
NEC
Philips
Samsung
Sharp
Sony
ViewSonic
Westinghouse

Graphics cards
AOpen
ASUS
ATI Technologies
BFG Technologies
Chaintech
Club 3D
Colorful
eVGA
EPoX
Foxconn
Gainward
Gigabyte Technology
HIS
Inno3D
Jetway
Leadtek
Matrox
MSI
Palit
PNY Technologies
Point of View
PowerColor
Sapphire Technology
Sensoray
Universal abit
XFX

Graphics chipsets
ATI Technologies
NVIDIA
S3 Graphics
Intel
Silicon Integrated Systems

Hard disks
List of hard disk manufacturers:

ExcelStor Technology
Fujitsu
Hitachi GST
Samsung
Seagate Technology (also Maxtor)
Toshiba
Vantec hard disk enclosure
Western Digital
List of defunct hard disk manufacturers

Keyboards
List of keyboard manufacturers:

Alps
A4Tech
BTC
Chassis Plans
Cherry
Chicony
Fujitsu Siemens Computers
Genius
Ideazon (Zboard)
Key Tronic
KeyScan
Labtec
Samsung
Logitech
Microsoft
Mitsumi
mahendra Ltd
Saitek

Loudspeakers
List of computer speaker manufacturers:

Altec Lansing
Bose
Creative Labs
Edifier
Harman Kardon
JBL
Klipsch
Logitech
Midiland (out of business?)
Trust

Mice
List of mouse manufacturers:

A4Tech
Creative Technology
i-ball
Logitech
Microsoft
Mikomi
Mitsumi
OCZ Technology
Razer USA Ltd
Trust

Modems
List of modem manufacturers:

3Com
Aopen
Agere (formerly Lucent)
Motorola
Rosewill
U.S. Robotics
ZyXEL

Motherboards
List of motherboard manufacturers:

Abit
AOpen
Arima (Flextronics)
ASUS
ASRock
Advansus (Industrial Motherboards)
BFG Technologies
Biostar
Chassis Plans
Chaintech Ceased manufacturing motherboards.
DFI
ECS (also PCChips)
EPoX
eVGA
FIC
Foxconn, manufacturer of Intel motherboards
Gigabyte
Intel
Jetway
Magic-Pro
MSI
Sapphire Technology
Shuttle
Soyo
Supermicro
Tyan
Universal abit (ABIT)
VIA
XFX

Network cards
List of network card manufacturers:

3Com
Belkin
Broadcom (chipset maker)
CNet Technology
D-Link
Intel
Linksys
Netgear
Realtek (chipset maker)
SMC Networks
Via Technologies (chipset maker)
Zoom Technologies
Aztech

Pendrives
List of USB flash drive manufacturers:

AMKETTE
SanDisk
Kingston
Sony
Transcend
IBALL
TREK
ORCHID
PQI
SENSEI
VERICO
Seagate
Quantum
Umax

Power supplies
List of power supply unit manufacturers:

Akasa
Antec
Channel Well Technology
Chieftec
Codegen Technology
Cooltek
Cooler Master
Corsair Memory
Enermax [1]
FSP Group (Fortron Source brand)
Gigabyte
HEC Compucase
Hiper
LC-Power
linkworld
Mushkin
NesteQ
Nexus
OCZ Technology Computer Memory
PC Power and Cooling Power Supplies
Rosewill
Seasonic
Seventeam
SilverStone Technology
Tacens
Tagan Technology
Thermaltake
Trust
Tuncmatik Iyi Elektrik
Vantec
Xilence
Zalman

Printers
List of printer manufacturers:

Brother
Canon
Olivetti
Epson
HP
Lexmark
OKI
Dell
Samsung
Konica Minolta
Xerox
TVS| TVS Dot Matrix Printers

RAM
List of RAM manufacturers:

Apacer
Adata
Centon Electronics
Corsair Memory
Elpida Memory
Fujitsu
G.Skill
Hynix
Hyundai
Infineon
Kingston Technology
Kyocera
Micron Technology - Manufacturer of Avant, Crucial, K-Byte & Spectek brands
Mushkin
Novatech Solutions
OCZ Technology
Patriot
PQI
Qimonda
Rambus
Renesas Technology
Samsung
Sony
Supertalent
Toshiba
Transcend
Tyan

Solid-state drives
Adata
BiTMICRO
Fusion io
HyperOS Systems
Lexar
Memoright
Mtron
PNY
PQI
Samsung Electronics
SanDisk
STEC, Inc.
Super Talent Technology
Transcend

Scanners
List of Image scanner manufacturers:

Canon
Epson
Fujitsu
HP
Microtek
Mustek Systems
Ricoh
Umax
KeyScan

Sound cards
List of sound card manufacturers:

ASUS
C-Media
Creative Technology
E-MU Systems
M-Audio
Razer USA Ltd
RME
TerraTec
Turtle Beach Systems
VIA Technologies

TV tuner cards
List of TV tuner card manufacturers:

ASUS
AVerMedia Technologies
Elgato
Hauppauge
TerraTec
TechnoTrend AG
KWorld Computer
Leadtek
LifeView
Pinnacle Systems
Prolink Microsystems

Webcams
List of webcam manufacturers:

Creative Technology
Genius
Intel
Labtec
Logitech
Microsoft
Philips
Trust

Free Dynamic and Static DNS Services and Domain Name Servers

List on this page are free DNS services that provide your site with nameservers, whether your site has a static IP address or whether it has a dynamic IP address.

If you need reliable DNS services and don't want to rely on free services, or you need more sophisticated DNS services for load balancing, you might want to check out a commercial service like EasyDNS. Besides the more advanced DNS services provided, commercial DNS services typically also have numerous redundant name servers located in separate locations, thus potentially making the service more reliable.
What are Static/Dynamic DNS and Why Do I Want Them?

When you host your website on a commercial or free web host, you usually get a static IP address for your website - that is, an IP address that doesn't change. (IP addresses are the like street addresses on the Internet.) Although web hosts typically provide the name servers for your domain name hosted on their servers, you may sometimes want to outsource your DNS so that you can freely manage your own domain names (such as when you want the freedom to create new subdomain names that reside on different web hosts). Some people outsource their DNS because they have numerous servers in diverse locations answering to the same domain name (for load balancing) - they have more sophisticated DNS needs than the typical site (in this case, they may want something known as round robin DNS). Still others simply don't want to put all their eggs in one basket.

Dynamic IP addresses usually occur when a website is hosted on someone's personal computer, and that computer is only connected to the Internet when the owner connects to his/her ISP. The ISP gives that computer an IP address that is different everytime it connects. If this is your situation, you will need a dynamic DNS service that will update their nameservers with your new IP address each time you log on.

Another use for free DNS services like those listed below is when you have registered your own domain name in order to reserve it for future use, but don't have a website to point it to (yet). Some of the free DNS services allow you to park your domain at any of your existing websites.
Related Pages

* Free Web / URL Redirection Services
* How to Register Your Own Domain Name
* Tips on Choosing Your Own Domain Name
* How to Install and Configure the Apache Web Server on Windows
* How to Install and Configure PHP 4 on Apache for Windows
* How to Add CGI Script Support to Apache on Windows

Disclaimer

The information provided on this page comes without any warranty whatsoever. Use it at your own risk. Just because a program, book, document or service is listed here or has a good review does not mean that I endorse or approve of the program or of any of its contents. All the other standard disclaimers also apply.
Free DNS Services and DNS Servers for Static and Dynamic IP Addresses

FreeDNS - Free DNS, Dynamic DNS, Static DNS New

FreeDNS provides free dynamic and static DNS. You can create DNS entries for an unlimited number of domains and up to 20 subdomains per account. Subdomain names from your domain, unfortunately, are also free for others to use for their websites. If you set your status to "Private", others will still be able to use subdomains from your domain name, but you'll be allowed to screen them. Note though, even before you accept or reject the application, that website will be "live" on the Internet. This service also provides web redirection, including URL cloaking.
The Public DNS Service

This is one of the oldest and longest running free DNS services providing 2 name servers for your website. If you need a name server or two for your site, and don't wish to use your web host's name servers or pay for commercial DNS services, try this one. Managing your domain records require some expertise though, since they do not provide you an easy interface like some of the other free and commercial DNS servers. However, you really get to control nearly every aspect of your domain records. You can add A records, CNAME records, MX records and nearly everything else that can go into the name server records for your domain You can have unlimited number of domains here. Note: they rely on donor hardware and connectivity for their name servers.
Mydomain and MyDNS Domain Name Services

They provide free DNS services for your domain name, free email forwarding, free URL redirection for your domain (with or without cloaking/stealth, with path forwarding), free parking, the ability to change your MX records, A records, SOA records, etc.
EveryDNS

EveryDNS provides static DNS services, dynamic DNS resolution, redirection of your domain name to an existing URL, etc. Although the service is free, they solicit donations to support their services.
DYNU Dynamic DNS Service

This dynamic DNS service will allow you to host your own website, FTP, email, telnet, chat server on your own machine. You get a subdomain name (yourname.dynu.com) and a small program which will inform the DNS server whenever you're online as to which IP address you're at.
Yi.org Dynamic DNS and Web Redirection

Want dynamic DNS or web redirection? You get subdomains like yourname.whyi.org, yourname.yi.org, yourname.weedns.org, yourname.b0b.com which you can point to any IP address you like, and a URL (eg, yi.org/yourname/) which you can redirect to any URL.
DynDNS

You can get up to 5 subdomain names like yourname.dyndns.org which you can redirect to either a static or dynamic IP address. Alternatively, they also provide URL or web redirection where you can get hostnames (subdomains of domain names like doesntexist.org, webhop.net, webhop.org, etc) that are redirected to your actual URL. I'm not sure if there are any advertisements imposed on your site when you use their web redirection service.
ZoneEdit

ZoneEdit allows you to get free DNS services for 5 domains, provided your domains do not get a lot of traffic (according to their FAQ, "a lot" means something like a million hits per year or 200MB worth of traffic per domain; note this is 200MB worth of DNS queries, not the bandwidth used by your web pages). You can also forward your email, park your domains, and run websites on your own computer with their dynamic DNS services.
No-IP Dynamic DNS, Static DNS for your Dynamic IP

No-IP offers you Dynamic DNS so that you can run your websites from your own computer. They also provide you with a short hostnames (like yourname.hopto.org) that you can redirect to your existing website, ie, URL redirection. They also redirect email sent to you@yoursite.no-ip.com to up to three email servers/addresses of your choosing. You can have up to a maximum of 5 subdomain names here.

Computer Maintenance Tips

Santa may have brought you a new computer or peripheral for Christmas, but he didn't tell you how to take care of it. Now is a good time to get some good computer maintenance habits developed before you get yourself into trouble.

Ten tips to keep your computer running smoothly:

1. Never, never, turn your computer off with the power switch until Windows has shut down.

The one exception to this rule is when your computer locks up and your hard drive is not running (hard drive light is not blinking). In this situation, you can turn the power off without harmful effects to the hard drive. As cutting the power can also result in lost data or Windows files, you should only do this when you have to.

Following this rule will prevent permanent hard drive defects caused by the hard drive heads contacting the surface of the drive disc, and it will prevent a host of Windows problems.
Whenever possible, recover from crashes by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time. Press them again to reboot your computer.

2. I highly recommend that you purchase an UPS (uninteruptable power supply) for your computer. This will keep your computer from crashing during power outages, and will protect your computer from low and high voltage occurrences.
An UPS is far superior to a surge protector and will save your computer from almost any power type of disaster. (See #1 above for what happens when your computer crashes.)

3. Backup, backup, backup, any data you cannot afford to lose to at least two separate physical drives. So backup data to floppies, Zip disks, CD-RWs etc.
The time to backup is when you create something you can't afford to lose. Don't wait until tomorrow.

4. Run Scandisk and Defragment at least once a month. This will keep your hard drive healthy and prevent crashes. Alternatively, purchase Norton Utilities and use it to keep your hard drive healthy.

5. Never unplug peripherals from the computer when it is powered up. Unplugging with the power on can short out the connector socket or the motherboard.

The only exception to this rule is if you know a peripheral is "hot pluggable". If you do not know what "hot pluggable" means then ignore this exception.

6. Do keep at least 100 MBs of your C: drive free for Windows to use. If you use Windows Me or Windows XP then you should have 200 MBs of free space on your C: drive.
If you do not have enough free space you will choke Windows and it will start dumping data to your hard drive, or it will just get really, really, slow.
Use the ADD/Delete tool in the Windows Control Panel to delete unneeded programs from your drive.
You can also use Cleansweep included in Norton Utilities to clean up your drive. If you do use Cleansweep or another hard drive cleaner, do not delete shared files unless you back them up. The cleaners do a rotten job of knowing if another program uses shared files.

7. Do not let a lot of programs load up when you start your computer. They use valuable memory and Windows Resources (Windows internal workspace).
All programs in your Windows System Tray (in the lower left of your screen) are running on your computer. Close them if you don't need them or run them and configure them not to load when you boot up.
Other programs running in the background can be found by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete at the same time.

8. Do use a virus checker regularly. Everyone should use a virus checker. The best type of protection is continuous monitoring from a dedicated anti-virus program like Norton Antivirus.
The second best thing is to use is the free online virus checker Housecall provided by Trend Micro.

9. If you have a high speed Internet connection you need a firewall program. A firewall program keeps those who want to hijack your computer from gaining access to your system. You really do not want someone else running your computer.
I suggest you purchase and run Norton's Personal Firewall program. Your firewall should boot up with your computer to protect it from invasion. A free personal firewall program is available from Tiny Software.

Case in point: When I run Windows Me for 10 hours or more with my DSL connection, my computer is usually attacked by a hacker at least once.
Do not think you are safe from hackers!! Hackers use search programs to seek out computers at random. Get a firewall program and use it.

10. Keep track of the software disks you receive with your computer and new peripherals. These disks contain valuable software drivers and programs for Windows and are needed when Windows must be reloaded. Keep these disks and your Windows software disks in a safe, dry, place -- you never know when you will need them.

How To Keep Your Computer Running Smoothly

When you use your new computer for the first time, you were probably amazed by its blazing speed. But now it seems to have slowed down. Chances are it needs just a little routine maintenance to get it back in tip-top shape.

Defrag
When you add a file or a new program to a brand new computer, the hard disk is relatively empty so new data is written to the hard disk in one contiguous block. When you need to use that information, the computer can quickly access it because it is all in one place.

As you use your computer adding files and programs, the hard disk begins to fill up. Deleting files or removing programs creates small empty areas among the other data that the computer will reuse. After awhile, the computer is no longer saving information in large blocks. Instead, it stores information in the many little empty nooks and crannies of your hard disk. The result is that one program or file is broken up, or fragmented, into little pieces and stored in many different areas of the hard disk. The computer ingeniously keeps track of the addresses of each piece of data and puts it all together when it is needed. Yet, obviously, the more broken up the information is, the longer it takes to access the data and the slower the computer becomes.

The solution is a simple one. Your Windows computer comes with a program that will defragment your hard disk. This process reunites all the data into large blocks and gathers all the free space on the hard disk into one block making data retrieval faster and easier for the computer.

Most of you will be able to find the disk defrag program by clicking on the Start button, then choosing Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and finally clicking on the Disk Defragmenter. If you have any trouble finding it, simply click on Start, then Help. Click on the Search tab and type in the word "defragment." The computer will give you a link to the defrag program.

Depending on your computer and your hard disk, defragmenting the hard disk can take a bit of time. After you defrag, you will see no difference in your computer, except for a little faster speed if the disk was very fragmented. You should routinely defrag your computer. Once a month is a good practice for most average users.

Check for Free Space
One little known fact about computers is that they use the hard disk as sort of a scratch pad when they perform many functions. If your hard disk begins to fill up, it slows down these functions and the computer will seem very sluggish. You should occasionally check your hard disk to make sure that you have enough free space for the computer to function properly. To check the status of the hard disk, click on My Computer, then right-click on the C drive. Choose Properties, and you will see a pie chart showing the amount of available space. If you have only a sliver of free space remaining, you will want to free up some space immediately. Depending on the size of your disk, I recommend keeping a minimum of 100 megabytes (MB) of free space.

Your hard disk may be partitioned into several sections. When you click on My Computer, you may see disk drives for C, D, E, etc. Even if you have other partitions, the C partition is the area where the computer needs space.

Cleaning up Your Hard Disk
If you are lucky enough to have a newer computer with Windows 98, when you check the properties of your C drive, you will see a button labeled "Disk Cleanup." Click on this button and a window will pop up enabling you to empty the recycle bin, delete unnecessary files like temporary files, and downloaded program files.

If you are using an older version of Windows and do not have this button, you will have to do this cleanup by hand. Emptying the recycle bin by right-clicking on it and choosing "Empty Recycle Bin" can often free up a lot of space.

If you are low on hard disk space, you will also want to clean up your disk by removing any unnecessary files and programs. To delete a file, highlight it and press the DEL key on your keyboard, or drag it to the Recycle Bin. Remember although you have deleted files by placing them in the Recycle Bin, they still take up room on your hard disk until you actually empty the Recycle Bin. To remove a program, click on the Start button, click on Settings, Control Panel, and then choose Add/Remove Programs.

Cleaning up your computer should be a monthly ritual, whether you think you need it or not. Removing unused programs and files will keep both you and your computer more organized. If you are ever unsure about whether you will need a file or not, better to be safe than sorry. Make a copy of the file on a floppy disk, zip disk, or other backup medium before you delete it completely.

Start and Stop Properly
Two other routines can go a long way towards keeping your computer running smoothly. Be patient and always allow your computer to complete its entire start-up routine before you start to use it. Even more importantly, be sure to shut down correctly. Turn the computer off by clicking on the Start button and choosing Shut Down, Okay. Allow the computer to turn itself off or press the off button when the screen says it is okay to do so. If you turn the computer off without going through this necessary process, it will invariably lead to problems.

Have you ever had your computer freeze forcing you to turn it off improperly? If you have, don't worry; it's not unusual. In fact, the computer has a routine to try to correct any problems that this improper shut down may cause. It's called Scan Disk. I'll explain what Scan Disk is and how it works in my next "How To."

Saturday, June 7, 2008

What is Chipset

A chipset or "PCIset" is a group of microcircuits that orchestrate the flow of data to and from key components of a PC. This includes the CPU itself, the main memory, the secondary cache and any devices situated on the ISA and PCI buses. The chipset also controls data flow to and from hard disks, and other devices connected to the IDE channels. While new microprocessor technologies and speed improvements tend to receive all the attention, chipset innovations are, in fact, equally important.
Although there have always been other chipset manufacturers - such as SIS, VIA and Opti - for many years Intel's "Triton" chipsets were by far the most popular. Indeed, the introduction of the Intel Triton chipset caused something of a revolution in the motherboard market, with just about every manufacturer using it in preference to anything else. Much of this was down to the ability of the Triton to get the best out of both the Pentium processor and the PCI bus, together with its built-in master EIDE support, enhanced ISA bridge and ability to handle new memory technologies like EDO and SDRAM. However, the new PCI chipsets" potential performance improvements will only be realised when used in conjunction with BIOSes capable of taking full advantage of the new technologies on offer.
During the late 1990s things became far more competitive, with Acer Laboratories (ALI), SIS and VIA Technologies all developing chipsets designed to operate with Intel, AMD and Cyrix processors. 1998 was a particularly important year in chipset development, with what had become an unacceptable bottleneck - the PC's 66MHz system bus - to finally being overcome. Interestingly, it was not Intel but rival chipmakers that made the first move, pushing Socket 7 chipsets to 100MHz. Intel responded with its 440BX, one of many chipsets to use the ubiquitous Northbridge/Southbridge architecture. It was not long before Intel's hold on the chipset market loosened further still, and again, the company had no-one but itself to blame. In 1999, its single-minded commitment to Direct Rambus DRAM (DRDRAM) left it in the embarrassing position of not having a chipset that supported the 133MHz system bus speed its latest range of processors were capable of. This was another situation its rivals were able to exploit, and in so doing gain market share.
The following charts the evolution of Intel chipsets over the years, from the time of its first Triton chipset. During this time there have also been a number of special chipsets optimised for the Pentium Pro or designed for use with notebook PCs.

NTLDR is missing

Related errors:
Below are the full error messages that may be seen when the computer is booting.
NTLDR is Missing
Press any key to restart
Boot: Couldn't find NTLDR
Please insert another disk
NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl Alt Del to Restart
Cause:
1. Computer is booting from a non-bootable source.
2. Computer hard disk drive is not properly setup in BIOS.
3. Corrupt NTLDR and/or NTDETECT.COM file.
4. Misconfiguration with the boot.ini file.
5. Attempting to upgrade from a Windows 95, 98, or ME computer that is using FAT32.
6. New hard disk drive being added.
7. Corrupt boot sector / master boot record.
8. Seriously corrupted version of Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
9. Loose or Faulty IDE/EIDE hard disk drive cable.
Solutions:
Computer is booting from a non-bootable source
Many times this error is caused when the computer is attempting to boot from a non-bootable floppy disk or CD-ROM. First verify that no floppy diskette is in the computer, unless you are attempting to boot from a diskette.
If you are attempting to boot from a floppy diskette and are receiving this error message it is likely that the diskette does not have all the necessary files and/or is corrupt.
If you are attempting to install Windows XP or Windows 2000 and are receiving this error message as the computer is booting verify that your computer BIOS has the proper boot settings. For example, if you are attempting to run the install from the CD-ROM make sure the CD-ROM is the first boot device, and not the hard disk drive.
Second, when the computer is booting you should receive the below prompt.
Press any key to boot from the CD
Important: When you see this message press any key such as the Enter key immediately, otherwise it will try booting from the hard drive and likely get the NTLDR error again.
Note: If you are not receiving the above message and your BIOS boot options are set properly it's also possible that your CD-ROM drive may not be booting from the CD-ROM properly. Verify the jumpers are set properly on the CD-ROM drive. Additional information about checking the CD-ROM drive connections can be found on document CH000213.
Additional information: This error has also been known to occur when a memory stick is in a card reader and the computer is attempting to boot from it. If you have any type of card reader or flash reader make sure that no memory stick is inside the computer.
Computer hard disk drive is not properly setup in BIOS
Verify that your computer hard disk drive is properly setup in the BIOS / CMOS setup. Improper settings can cause this error. Additional information on how to enter the BIOS / CMOS setup can be found in document CH000192.
Corrupt NTLDR and/or NTDETECT.COM file
Windows 2000 users
Windows XP users
Windows 2000 users
If your computer is using Microsoft Windows 2000 and you are encountering the NTLDR error. Create the below boot.ini file on the floppy diskette drive.
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
Copy the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM files from another computer using the same Operating System. Both of these files are located in the root directory of the primary hard disk drive. For example, C:\NTLDR and C:\NTDETECT.COM should be the locations of these files on many computers.
• Please keep in mind that these files are hidden system files, if you need additional help with viewing hidden files in Windows please see document CH000516.
Once these files have been copied to a floppy diskette reboot the computer and copy the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM files to the root directory of the primary hard disk drive. Below is an example of what commonly should be performed from the A:\> drive.
copy ntldr c:
copy ntdetect.com c:
After the above two files have been copied, remove the floppy diskette and reboot the computer.
Windows XP users
1. Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
2. When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
3. Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
4. Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
5. You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
6. Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk. In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM drive letter "E". This letter may be different on your computer.

copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\
copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\
7. Once both of these files have been successfully copied, remove the CD from the computer and reboot.
Misconfiguration with the boot.ini file
Edit the boot.ini on the root directory of the hard disk drive and verify that it is pointing to the correct location of your Windows Operating System and that the partitions are properly defined. Additional information about the boot.ini can be found on document CH000492.
Attempting to upgrade from a Windows 95, 98, or ME computer that is using FAT32
If you are getting this error message while you are attempting to upgrade to Windows 2000 or Windows XP from Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows ME running FAT32 please try the below recommendations.
1. Boot the computer with a Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME bootable diskette.
2. At the A:\> prompt type:

sys c:
3. After pressing enter you should receive the "System Transferred" message. Once this has been completed remove the floppy diskette and reboot the computer.
New hard disk drive being added
If you are attempting to add a new hard disk drive to the computer make sure that drive is a blank drive. Adding a new hard disk drive to a computer that already has Windows installed on it may cause the NTLDR error to occur.
If you are unsure if the new drive is blank or not try booting from a bootable diskette and format the new hard disk drive.
Corrupt boot sector / master boot record
It's possible your computer's hard disk drive may have a corrupt boot sector and/or master boot record. These can be repaired through the Microsoft Windows Recovery console by running the fixboot and fixmbr commands.
Additional information and help in getting into the Microsoft Windows Recovery console can be found on document CH000627.
Seriously corrupted version of Windows 2000 or Windows XP
If you have tried each of the above recommendations that apply to your situation and you continue to experience this issue it is possible you may have a seriously corrupted version of Microsoft Windows. Therefore we would recommend you reinstall Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
If you are encountering this issue during your setup you may wish to completely erase your computer hard disk drive and all of its existing data and then install Microsoft Windows 2000 / Windows XP. Additional information about erasing the computer and starting over can be found on document CH000186.
Loose or Faulty IDE/EIDE hard disk drive cable
This issue has been known to be caused by a loose or fault IDE/EIDE cable. If the above recommendation does not resolve your issue and your computer hard disk drive is using an IDE or EIDE interface. Verify the computer hard disk drive cable is firmly connected by disconnected and reconnecting the cable.
If the issue continues it is also a possibility that the computer has a faulty cable, try replacing the hard disk drive cable with another cable and/or a new cable.

MS-DOS help and commands

Introduction to Hard Disks

When the power to a PC is switched off, the contents of memory are lost. It is the PC's hard disk that serves as a non-volatile, bulk storage medium and as the repository for a user's documents, files and applications. It's astonishing to recall that back in 1954, when IBM first invented the hard disk, capacity was a mere 5MB stored across fifty 24in platters. 25 years later Seagate Technology introduced the first hard disk drive for personal computers, boasting a capacity of up to 40MB and data transfer rate of 625 KBps using the MFM encoding method. A later version of the company's ST506 interface increased both capacity and speed and switched to the RLL encoding method. It's equally hard to believe that as recently as the late 1980s 100MB of hard disk space was considered generous. Today, this would be totally inadequate, hardly enough to install the operating system alone, let alone a huge application such as Microsoft Office.
The PC's upgradeability has led software companies to believe that it doesn't matter how large their applications are. As a result, the average size of the hard disk rose from 100MB to 1.2GB in just a few years and by the start of the new millennium a typical desktop hard drive stored 18GB across three 3.5in platters. Thankfully, as capacity has gone up prices have come down, improved areal density levels being the dominant reason for the reduction in price per megabyte.
It's not just the size of hard disks that has increased. The performance of fixed disk media has also evolved considerably. When the Intel Triton chipset arrived, EIDE PIO mode 4 was born and hard disk performance soared to new heights, allowing users to experience high-performance and high-capacity data storage without having to pay a premium for a SCSI-based system.

Information on batch files

Batch file ABCs
Batch files allow MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows users to create a lists of commands to run in sequence once the batch file has been executed. For example, a batch file could be used to run frequently run commands, deleting a series of files, moving files, etc. A simple batch file does not require any special programming skills and can be done by users who have a basic understanding of MS-DOS commands.
A good example of a batch file for someone who is more familiar with Windows or the MacOS is to think of a batch file as a shortcut in Windows or an icon on the MacOS. Much like a shortcut, batch files could be used to run one or more commands and/or programs through the command line.
Another example of a very well known batch file is the autoexec.bat, which is a simple boot file loaded each time the computer is loaded on MS-DOS and early Windows computers. This batch file contained all the necessary commands and programs used to run MS-DOS and Windows each time the computer booted.
Creating a batch file
MS-DOS users
Microsoft Windows and other users
MS-DOS users
To create a basic batch file in MS-DOS, follow the below steps that give you an example of how to create a basic batch file.
1. Open an MS-DOS command window or get to MS-DOS. Additional information about doing this can be found on document CHDOS.
2. At the MS-DOS prompt, type: edit test.bat and press enter.
3. If typed properly, you should now be in a blue screen. Within the screen, type:

pause
dir c:\windows
dir c:\windows\system
4. Once the above three lines have been typed in, click File and choose exit; when prompted to save, click "Yes". Users who do not have a mouse cursor can accomplish this same task by pressing ALT+F to access the file menu, then pressing "X" to exit, and pressing enter to save changes.
5. Once you are back at the MS-DOS prompt, type: test and press enter. This will execute the test.bat file and begin running the file. Because the first line is pause, you will first be prompted to press a key. Once you press a key the batch file will run line-by-line; in this case, listing the files in the windows and windows\system directories.
If you wish to add more lines to this batch file you would simply type "edit test.bat" to edit the file again.
Additional information about the MS-DOS edit command can be found on our edit command page. Some versions of MS-DOS and bootable diskettes may not have the edit command; if this is the case, you would either need to obtain the edit.com file to access this file or use the copy con command.
Microsoft Windows and other users
A Windows user can still use the above MS-DOS steps if they wish to create a batch file. If, however, you're more comfortable using Microsoft Windows or your operating system, you can use any text editor, such as Notepad or Wordpad, to create your batch files, as long as the file extension ends with .bat. In the below example we use the Windows notepad to create a batch file.
1. Click Start
2. Click Run
3. Type: notepad and press enter.
4. Once notepad is open, type the below lines in the file or copy and paste the below lines into notepad.

@echo off
echo Hello this is a test batch file
pause
dir c:\windows
5. Click File and click Save; browse to where you want to save the file. For the file name, type "test.bat", and if your version of Windows has a "Save as type" option, choose "All files", otherwise it will save as a text file. Once all of this has been done click the Save button and exit notepad.
6. Now, to run the batch file, simply double-click or run the file like any other program. Once the batch file has completed running it will close the window automatically.
Batch commands
Just like all MS-DOS commands, all batch file commands are not case sensitive. However, in the below listing we have listed all commands in all caps to help you identify what is a command and what is not.
@ Does not echo back the text after the at symbol. This is most commonly used as @ECHO OFF to prevent any of the commands in the batch file from being displayed, just the information needed.
%1 The percent followed by a numeric value, beginning with one, allows users to add variables within a batch file. The below line is an example of what can be used in a batch file.
ECHO Hello %1
When the above one-line batch file is created, add your name after the batch file. For example, typing myname (being the name of the bat file) and then your name:
myname bob
would output:
Hello bob
Note: This can be extended to %2, %3, and so on.
:LABEL By adding a colon in front of a word, such as LABEL, you create a category, more commonly known as a label. This allows you to skip to certain sections of a batch file such as the end of the batch file. Also see GOTO.
CALL This is used to run another batch file within a batch file. When the batch file that is called is completed, the remainder of the original batch file is completed. Note if the batch file does not exist it will give an error message.
CHOICE See running different programs for an example of how to use this command.
• Additional information and the syntax of this command in each version of Windows and MS-DOS can be found on our CHOICE command page.

CLS Just like the DOS command would clear your screen.
• Additional information and the syntax of this command in each version of Windows and MS-DOS can be found on our CLS command page.

ECHO Will echo a message in the batch file. Such as "ECHO Hello World" will print: Hello World on the screen when executed. Note if you have not typed @ECHO OFF at the beginning of the batch file this will also print "ECHO Hello World" and "Hello World". If you would just like to create a blank line, type ECHO. adding the period at the end creates an empty line.
EXIT Exits out of the DOS window if the batch file is running from Windows.
• Additional information and the syntax of this command in each version of Windows and MS-DOS can be found on our EXIT command page.

GOTO LABEL Used to go to a certain label, such as LABEL. An example of GOTO would be to GOTO END. For an example of this see running different programs.
• Additional information and the syntax of this command in each version of Windows and MS-DOS can be found on our GOTO command page.

IF Used to check for a certain condition if the condition exists. If that condition exists it will perform that function. To see an example of this see running different programs.
• Additional information and the syntax of this command in each version of Windows and MS-DOS can be found on our IF command page.

PAUSE Prompt the user to press any key to continue.
REM Allows you to place remarks into the batch file without displaying or executing that line when the batch file is run.
SHIFT Changes the position of replaceable parameters in a batch program.
• Additional information and the syntax of this command in each version of Windows and MS-DOS can be found on our SHIFT command page.

START Used for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0 and above to start a windows application; such as START C:\WINDOW\CALC would run the Windows Calculator. Users running Windows 3.x need to utilize the WIN command. For example, WIN C:\Windows\CALC.EXE would run Windows and then Calculator after Windows has finished loading.
• Additional information about the start command can be found on our start command page.

Batch file examples
Running different programs
How to start Windows files and programs from a batch file
Creating a batch file delay
How to make a time log
Running different programs
Below is a simple example of how you can implement the choice options into your batch files. Each line that is in red can be left out of the batch file. They have been included to help explain some of what the batch file means. Windows 2000 and Windows XP users will need to substitute the choice command with the set command; see our set command page for additional help and information with this command.
@ECHO OFF
REM - LABEL INDICATING THE BEGINNING OF THE DOCUMENT.
:BEGIN
CLS
REM - THE BELOW LINE GIVES THE USER 3 CHOICES (DEFINED AFTER /C:)
CHOICE /N /C:123 PICK A NUMBER (1, 2, or 3)%1
REM - THE NEXT THREE LINES ARE DIRECTING USER DEPENDING UPON INPUT
IF ERRORLEVEL ==3 GOTO THREE
IF ERRORLEVEL ==2 GOTO TWO
IF ERRORLEVEL ==1 GOTO ONE
GOTO END
:THREE
ECHO YOU HAVE PRESSED THREE
GOTO END
:TWO
ECHO YOU HAVE PRESSED TWO
GOTO END
:ONE
ECHO YOU HAVE PRESSED ONE
:END
How to start Windows files and other programs from a batch file
To run Microsoft Windows programs or files use the START command. The below example would run Windows Notepad.
START /MAX NOTEPAD
You can also specify the direct location of the file by typing the below command.
START /MAX C:\Windows\NOTEPAD.EXE
*Windows users who have a different directory (e.g. Windows 2000 users) would need to substitute WINNT or the name of their directory in place of Windows in the above example.
The /m representing it to start the window Maximized. See our start command page for additional information about this command.
Creating a batch file delay
Below is an example of how to delay a batch file any where from 5 to 99 seconds. In the below example we illustrate a 5 second delay.
TYPE NUL | CHOICE.COM /N /CY /TY,5 >NUL
Additionally, you could use the sleep file found on our utility download section.
How to make a time log in a batch file
The below example demonstrates how to create a time log of when the batch file is loaded, or for example, this could be used in the autoexec.bat when someone logs into a computer that supports this file.
ECHO. |TIME > TIME
COPY LOG +TIME
An alternate, slightly more complicated method that, to our knowledge, cannot be used in Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows ME would be the following:
echo @prompt set date=$d$_set time=$t$h$h$h > {a}.bat
%comspec% /e:2048 /c {a}.bat > {b}.bat
for %%v in ({b}.bat del) do call %%v {?}.bat
echo %date% %time% >> log
Another alternative is:
echo. |time |find "current" >> log
For the above batch file to work properly you must create a file called "log", by typing: "edit log" (without the quotes) and then save and exit the file that will be 0 bytes. If this file is not created or not created properly you will receive the error message "Content of destination lost before copy".

Reference Issue / Question
MS-DOS
Additional help and information with MS-DOS.

MS-DOS Q&A
Listing of Questions and answers relating to MS-DOS.

FORUM
If your question is not listed on this page, please try our online forum.

CH000010
Deleting files in MS-DOS without a prompt.

CH000036
How to execute commands in a batch file in timed intervals.

CH000209
Information about long file names.

CH000319
Creating a blank line in a batch file.

CH000320
How to exit a Windows MS-DOS window through a batch file.

CH000321
How to shut down / restart the computer with a batch file.

CH000322
How to run a batch file each time the computer boots.

CH000323
How to quickly replace the file extensions of several files.

CH000435
How to make a bat executable?

CH000540
How to change the title of a MS-DOS Window.

CH000570
Additional information and options for the rundll32.exe file.

CH000738
Preventing a MS-DOS window from automatically closing in Windows.

CH000754
Deleting files equal to 0 in a batch file.

CH000785
How can I run a batch file at a specific time?

CH000932
How can I run a batch file or other file minimized?

CH000987
How can I make a batch file rename a file to the date or time?

CH001041
How can I play a sound file from a Windows batch file?

CH001049
How can I run a batch file in full screen?

CH001050
How can I loop or start a batch file over after it has completed?

How to create a bootable disk

Quick links
What is a boot disk?
Creating a MS-DOS boot disk
Creating a Windows 3.x boot disk
Creating a Windows 95 boot disk
Creating a Windows 98 or ME boot disk
Creating a Windows NT boot disk
Creating a Windows 2000 boot disk
Creating a Windows XP boot disk
Copying additional files
How to use a boot disk
Troubleshooting
What is a boot disk?
A boot disk will allow you to boot off of a diskette instead of your hard drive. This diskette can be used to fix issues that may arise during the lifetime of your computer and/or to help load older MS-DOS games.
Tip: After you have created a boot diskette, it is highly recommended that you write-protect the diskette to prevent possible computer virus infection and to help the diskette from being erased.
Creating a MS-DOS boot disk
Note: These steps are for users who have MS-DOS installed on the computer. If you have any version of Windows follow the below steps for your version of Windows.
To create a MS-DOS diskette, begin by getting to the DOS directory by typing:
cd\dos
Once at the C:\DOS directory, skip to copying files.

Creating a Windows 3.X boot disk
Note: These steps are for users who have Windows 3.x installed on the computer.
To create a Windows 3.x diskette, from Windows Program manager, click File and then choose the option to Exit Windows, which will get you to a prompt; at the prompt, type:
cd\dos
Once at the C:\DOS directory, skip to copying files.
Creating a Windows 95 boot disk
Note: These steps are for users who have Windows 95 installed on the computer.
In Windows 95, Microsoft has created a new method of creating a bootable recovery diskette. Unfortunately, however, this diskette does not support CD-ROM support and is missing a few recommended files. To do this, click Start / Settings / Control Panel / double-click the Add Remove programs icon / click the Startup Disk and create disk.
Alternatively, to create a Windows 95 boot diskette manually from Windows, click Start / Shutdown and choose the option to restart the computer in a MS-DOS prompt. At the prompt, type:
cd\windows\command
Once at the C:\DOS directory, skip to copying files.
Creating a Windows 98 / ME boot disk
Note: These steps are for users who have Windows 98 or Windows ME installed on the computer.
An excellent feature of Windows 98/ME is its boot diskette. Using Windows to create you a Windows 98 boot diskette will give you all the needed files as well as CD-ROM support. To create a Windows 98 boot diskette, click Start / Settings / Control Panel / double-click the Add Remove programs icon / click the Startup Disk and create disk.
Alternatively, to create a Windows 98 boot diskette manually from Windows, click Start / Shutdown and choose the option to restart the computer in a MS-DOS prompt. At the prompt, type:
cd\windows\command
Once at the C:\DOS directory, skip to copying files.
Copying additional files
NOTE: When making a boot disk, if you are running "Stacker" or some kind of a DoubleSpace or drive swapper program, this could not work
Once you are in DOS and at the correct directory as instructed in the above sections by operating system, you are ready to create your bootable diskette. Insert a diskette that does not contain any information (it will be erased).
At the prompt, if you have MS-DOS 6.2 / Windows 3.x / Windows 95 / Windows 98, type:
FORMAT A:/S
If you have MS-DOS 5.0 type using double density 5.25" diskettes type:
FORMAT A: /360 /S
If you have MS- DOS 3.11 through 4.0 using double density 5.25" diskettes, type:
FORMAT A: /4 /S
Once the diskette has been formatted and the system has been transferred, you should be returned to your original directory. In this directory, type:
copy format*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
copy fdisk*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
copy mscdex*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
copy sys*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
copy edit*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
copy qbasic*.* a: [PRESS ENTER] (Win 95/98 users skip this line)
copy debug*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
copy himem*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
copy emm386*.* a: [PRESS ENTER]
If you are planning to use this diskette as a diskette to load games or you feel that you need mouse support, you will need to copy the mouse driver onto the boot diskette. The MS-DOS mouse driver is generally mouse.com / mouse.sys. Locate this file and copy it to your bootable diskette.
For CD-ROM support, visit our CD-ROM drivers page for information on loading your CD-ROM driver.
Once you have copied the above files, create an autoexec.bat and a config.sys. Get to the floppy drive by typing A:, once at the floppy drive, type:
copy con autoexec.bat [PRESS ENTER]
@echo off [PRESS ENTER]
LH A:\MSCDEX.EXE /D:CDROM [PRESS ENTER] (this line is used for your CD-ROM drive).
LH A:\MOUSE.* [PRESS ENTER] (skip line if you did not copy mouse file, the * is either sys / com).
Press and hold CTRL + Z - this should return ^Z. Once this is displayed, press enter to copy the file.
copy con config.sys [PRESS ENTER]
device=a:\himem.sys
dos=high,umb
device=a:\emm386.exe noems
files=30
buffers=20
devicehigh=a:\oakcdrom.sys /d:CDROM (this line is used for your CD-ROM drive).
Press and hold CTRL + Z - this should return ^Z. Once this is displayed, press enter to copy the file.
Congratulations, after completing the above steps you should now have a bootable floppy diskette.
Creating a Windows NT boot disk
To create a boot diskette you must have access to the i386 directory located on your Windows NT CD or possibly your Hard disk drive.
Format the floppy diskette you wish to make a bootable Windows NT boot disk using the Windows NT machine.
Copy boot.ini, ntdetect.com and ntldr to the floppy diskette just formatted.
If you are using any SCSI devices that you need access to, you will also need to load these drivers onto the diskette.
Creating a Windows 2000 boot disk
To create a Windows 2000 Professional bootable diskette you will need four 1.44MB diskettes and the Windows 2000 Professional CD.
Click Start / Run / browse to the CD-ROM drive.
Open the "BOOTDISK" folder and double-click makeboot.exe and click ok to launch the program to create the diskette.
Users can also easily create an Emergency Repair Disk by clicking Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and opening Backup. From the Backup window, click the button for Emergency Repair Disk and follow each of the steps.
Creating a Windows XP boot disk
Note: The Microsoft Windows XP CD is a bootable CD and in many cases you should not need a bootable floppy diskette. Booting from the Windows XP CD will allow you to not only install/re-install Windows XP but will also allow you to troubleshoot it.
Create MS-DOS bootable diskette
When formatting a floppy diskette, users have the option of creating a MS-DOS startup disk, follow the below steps to do this.
1. Place diskette in the computer.
2. Open My Computer, right-click the A: drive and click Format.
3. In the Format window, check Create an MS-DOS startup disk.
4. Click Start
Create Windows XP Setup diskettes
Microsoft is beginning to phase out bootable floppy diskettes in favor of bootable CD discs and has not included a method of easily creating a bootable floppy diskette in Windows XP or from the CD. However, Microsoft has downloads available for users who still need to create bootable diskettes to install (not upgrade) Windows XP. These downloads can be found through KB310994.
Additional help and information about troubleshooting bootable CDs not booting is found on document CH000217.
How to use a boot diskette
Once the bootable diskette has been successfully created, following the below steps you will be able to boot from the diskette.
1. Place the diskette into write-protect mode (in case a virus is on the computer, this will not allow the virus to transfer itself onto the diskette).
2. Insert the diskette into the computer and reset or turn on the computer to begin the boot process.
3. As the computer is booting, answer the questions prompted (if any).
4. Once at the A:\> take the appropriate actions depending upon the situation of the computer.
5. If you are unfamiliar with MS-DOS we recommend you see our MS-DOS page.

Getting into Windows Safe Mode

About:
Getting into Windows Safe Mode.
Reason:
Users who may not be able to boot into normal mode or are not able to troubleshoot their computer properly may need to boot into Safe Mode bypassing normal windows settings and startup programs and allowing the user to fix their computer.
Solutions:
Windows 95 users
Windows 98 / ME users
Windows 2000 users
Windows XP users
Windows Vista users
How to get out of Safe Mode?
Which Safe Mode option should I choose?
Unable to get into Safe mode see document CH000750
Windows 95 users
To get into Windows 95 Safe Mode, as the computer is booting, when you either hear a beep or when you see the message "Starting Windows 95", press your F8 key on the top of your keyboard. If done properly you should get into the Windows 95 Startup menu similar to the below screen. In this menu choose option 3 by pressing the 3 key and press enter.
Microsoft Windows 95 Startup Menu
=============================
1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation
5. Command prompt only
6. Safe mode command prompt only
Enter a choice: 1
F5=Safe Mode Shift+F5=Command prompt Shift+F8= Step-by-step confirmation [N]
Windows 98 / ME users
To get into Windows 98 / ME Safe Mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 key" on the top of your keyboard or press and hold the left or right Ctrl key as the computer is booting. If done properly you should get into the "Windows 98 / ME Startup Menu" similar to the below screen example. In this menu choose option 3 by pressing the 3 key and press enter.
Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.
Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu
=============================
1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation
5. Command prompt only
6. Safe mode command prompt only
Enter a choice: 1
F5=Safe Mode Shift+F5=Command prompt Shift+F8= Step-by-step confirmation [N]

Windows 2000 / XP users
Tip: If you are running Safe Mode because you cannot get into Windows you may want to first try loading the last known good configuration. Additional information about this mode can be found on document CH000626.
To get into the Windows 2000 / XP Safe mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.
Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.
Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe mode - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe Mode as the computer is booting into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen.

Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode
Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.
Microsoft Windows Vista users
Tip: If you are running Safe Mode because you cannot get into Windows you may want to first try loading the last known good configuration. Additional information about this mode can be found on document CH000626.
To get into the Windows Vista Safe mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.
Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.
Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe mode - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe Mode as the computer is booting into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen.

Choose Advanced Options for: Microsoft Windows Vista
Please select an option:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable low-resolution video (640x480)
Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)
Directory Services Restore Mode
Debugging Mode
Disable automatic restart on system failure
Disable Driver Signature Enforcment
Start Windows Normally
Description: Start Windows with only the core drivers and services. Use
when you cannot boot after installing a new device or driver.
How do I get out of Safe Mode?
From Windows Safe Mode click Start / Shutdown and restart the computer. This should start the computer automatically back into Normal Mode.
Note: Many users believe that they are still in Safe Mode because the colors or video may not look correct. Unless in the corners of the screen it says "Safe Mode", you are not in Safe Mode. For information on how to setup your video card resolution, see document CH000190.
If you are rebooting the computer and it is rebooting back into Safe Mode (it does say "Safe Mode" in each of the corners), it is likely another problem exists with Windows preventing it from loading into Normal Windows. We recommend you see our basic troubleshooting section for additional ideas that may help to resolve your issue.
Which Safe Mode option should I choose?
Users who are running later versions of Windows will get several different options for different types of Safe Mode. For example, you may have options for "Safe Mode", "Safe Mode with Networking", and "Safe Mode with Command Prompt". Below is a brief description of each of these different modes.
Safe Mode
The basic Safe Mode option is usually what most users will want to choose when troubleshooting their computer. This is the most basic Safe Mode option and has no additional support.
Safe Mode with Networking
For users needing access to the Internet or the network they're connected to while in Safe Mode users may wish to choose this option. This mode is helpful for when you need to be in Safe Mode to troubleshoot but also need access to the Internet so you can get updates, drivers, or other files to help troubleshoot your issue.
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
This Safe Mode would also allow you to have access to the command line (MS-DOS prompt).

Computer Hope Overview

The location for free online computer support and computer related information. Computer Hope has been designed to assist all types of computer users with any of their computer related questions as well as a great location to learn more about your computer and its hardware and software.
Internet - Google
Below is a list of our top ten Google tricks many users don't know about.

1. Definitions - Pull up the definition of the word by typing define followed by the word you want the definition for. For example, typing: define bravura would display the definition of that word.

2. Local search - Visit Google Local enter the area you want to search and the keyword of the place you want to find. For example, typing: restaurant at the above link would display local restaurants.

3. Phone number lookup - Enter a full phone number with area code to display the name and address associated with that phone number.

4. Find weather - Type weather followed by a zip code or city and state to display current weather conditions and forecasts for upcoming days.

5. Track airline flight - Enter the airline and flight number to display the status of an airline flight and it's arrival time. For example, type: delta 123 to display this flight information if available.

6. Track packages - Enter a UPS, FedEx or USPS tracking number to get a direct link to track your packages.

7. Pages linked to you - See what other web pages are linking to your website or blog by typing link: followed by your URL. For example, typing link:http://www.computerhope.com displays all pages linking to Computer Hope.

8. Find PDF results only - Add filetype: to your search to display results that only match a certain file type. For example, if you wanted to display PDF results only type: "dell xps" filetype:pdf -- this is a great way to find online manuals.

9. Calculator - Use the Google Search engine as a calculator by typing a math problem in the search. For example, typing: 100 + 200 would display results as 300.

10. Stocks - Quickly get to a stock quote price, chart, and related links by typing the stock symbol in Google. For example, typing: msft will display the stock information for Microsoft.