Windows startup boot log

The first method is msconfig, the GUI tool which can be used to configure various startup options of the OS. The second one is the console tool, bcdedit. In this article, we will review both methods. The boot log feature is disabled by default.

In order to enable it, you must be signed in as administrator. Once you press the Enter key, the tool will list all the installed operating systems and their boot records. You need to note the identifier of the OS for which you want to enable the boot log. See the following screenshot:. This will disable the boot log feature, which is the default option.

Winaero greatly relies on your support. You can help the site keep bringing you interesting and useful content and software by using these options:. One Safe Mode option that will help troubleshoot boot problems is to enable Boot Logging which will create a log and help identify the device or driver that is causing the problem during startup.

When Boot Logging is enable, Windows boots normally, until the device or driver that is causing the problem either crashes the system or completes starting up but causes an error message in the Event Log. While booting, Windows creates a log file that lists every step processed that is attempted and completed. You can then reboot in to Safe Mode and review the log file named ntbootlog.

Below is an example of ntbootlog. SYS Loaded driver pci. SYS Loaded driver intelide. SYS Loaded driver disk. SYS Loaded driver fltmgr. Vista menu will look slightly different than XP. You will be returned to the menu screen and you should see Enable Boot Logging in blue displayed at the bottom of the screen don't worry if this screen is not displayed and Windows starts to boot :. If the problem does not cause Windows to crash, and after startup has completed, you can review the ntbootlog.

Look for any signs of problems loading device drivers. If you find problems, go into Device Manager and disable the device or uninstall the program, then reboot again.

If the problem does not occur then you know it was that device and you should check the vendor website for new drivers or known issues. If your problem does cause Windows to crash, reboot into Safe mode by selecting Safe Mode from the Advanced Menu screen.

When reviewing ntbootlog. More than likely the problem will be toward the end of the file since that was the last item logged before crashing. When you identify the problem, either uninstall the application or go in to Device Manager and disable the device.

Reboot your Computer and see if the problem still exist. If it boots without crashing, check the vendor website for new drivers or known issues. If you are still having problems, enable Boot Logging again to see if new events are logged after you have disabled the device or uninstalled the program.

If you are unable to fix the problem, you may need to have a Computer shop troubleshoot the problem for you. Notes on Boot Logging:. Filed under Windows Tips by Mike Boyds.

Think you for this I was struggling on my assignment I finally got an idea on what I was looking for. Thankfully, enabling boot logging in Windows 10 is much easier than you think.

In fact, there are several different ways to enable boot logging feature in Windows I will show two of those methods. Follow the method of your choice. Though kind of hard to find, Windows has a neat little option to enable boot logging. All you have to do is select a checkbox and reboot the system to see the boot log. The msconfig tool is nothing but the System Configuration tool. For more details, check this article.

If the system gets stuck during the kernel phase, you experience multiple symptoms or receive multiple error messages. These include, but are not limited to, the following:. For example, "0xC2" , "0xB" , "inaccessible boot device" and so on. The screen is stuck at the "spinning wheel" rolling dots "system busy" icon. If either of these options works, use Event Viewer to help identify and diagnose the cause of the boot problem.

To view events that are recorded in the event logs, follow these steps:. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then click the log that you want to view. For example, click System log or Application log. On the Edit menu, click Copy , open a new document in the program in which you want to paste the event for example, Microsoft Word , and then click Paste.

To troubleshoot problems that affect services, do a clean boot by using System Configuration msconfig. Select Selective startup to test the services one at a time to determine which one is causing the problem. If you cannot find the cause, try including system services. However, in most cases, the problematic service is third-party. Disable any service that you find to be faulty, and try to start the computer again by selecting Normal startup.

For detailed instructions, see How to perform a clean boot in Windows. If the computer starts in Disable Driver Signature mode, start the computer in Disable Driver Signature Enforcement mode, and then follow the steps that are documented in the following article to determine which drivers or files require driver signature enforcement: Troubleshooting boot problem caused by missing driver signature x Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method.

These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk. The ISO should be of same version of Windows or a later version.