Module 15: Troubleshooting Windows Startup

An error message is displayed during Windows startup about a service that has failed to start, and then the system locks up. You try to boot into Safe Mode, but you get the same error message. What do you try next?

Boot to Windows RE, and perform a startup repair.

Your computer displays the error message, "A disk read error occurred." You try to boot from the Windows setup DVD, and you get the same error. What is most likely the problem?

The boot device order is set to boot from the hard drive before the optical drive.

As a computer starts up, you see an error message about a missing operating system. At what point in startup does this error occur?

When BIOS/UEFI is searching for an OS using devices listed in the boot priority order

You see multiple errors about device drivers failing to launch at startup. Of the following, which is the best option to try first?

Perform a startup repair.

When a driver is giving problems in Windows 10, which tool offers the least intrusive solution?

Device Manager

Your friend mentioned in question 4 is having problems finding the bootmgr file and asks for your help. What is your best response?

Explain to your friend that performing a startup repair is a better option.

You have important data on your hard drive that is not backed up, and your Windows installation is so corrupted you know that you must reinstall Windows. What do you do first?

Make every attempt to recover the data.

A customer reports their recently purchased computer does not consistently run their old applications. Application errors occur intermittently, and data files get corrupted. They have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the apps, and the problems persist. As you troubleshoot the problem, you reboot the system and get a BSOD error. The customer tells you the BSOD has occasionally appeared. Which subsystem is most likely causing the problem, and what is the next best step?

Memory is faulty; run Memory Diagnostics.

Stop errors happen when which types of processes encounter an error?

Processes created by Windows components running in kernel mode

Which tool is the least invasive solution to repair Windows?

Startup repair

Your friend sees an error message about a corrupted bootmgr file during Windows startup. They have another computer with a matching configuration and decide to copy the bootmgr file from the working computer to the computer with the problem. Where is the bootmgr file stored?

System Reserved\bootmgr

When error messages indicate that the Windows registry is corrupted and you cannot boot from the hard drive, what tool or method is the first best option to fix the problem?

Use bootable media to launch Windows RE and perform a startup repair.

A stop error halts the Windows 10 system while it is booting, and the booting starts over in an endless loop of restarts. How can you solve this problem?

Use the Windows Startup Settings screen to disable automatic restarts

Your Windows system boots to a blue screen stop error and no Start screen or desktop. What do you do first?

Use the web to research the stop error messages and numbers.

As a computer starts up, you see an error message about the HAL. At what point in startup does this error occur?

When Windows attempts to launch critical device drivers

If you are having a problem with a driver, which of the following should you try first?

Update Windows.

Which Windows program must be running before a user can sign in to Windows?

Lsass.exe

You have used Disk Management to verify that a laptop has a recovery partition, but when you do a Windows reset, you don't see the option to restore preinstalled apps. What is the most likely problem?

The laptop factory state uses an OS other than Windows 10.