If a PC will boot to Safe Mode but the problem remains unsolved after scanning the registry and startup process, the problem may be hardware related. Follow these steps to use the Device Manager to help isolate the problem:
- Open the Device Manager from the Control Panel's System icon or by right-clicking the My Computer icon and choosing Properties.
- On the Device Manager tab, disable all of the devices listed under the following device trees by right-clicking on each device, choosing Properties, and clicking the disable in this hardware profile box.
- Display adapters
- Floppy disk controllers
- Hard drive controllers
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Network adapters (if present)
- Ports
- PCMCIA socket (if present)
- SCSI controllers (if present)
- Sound, video, and game controllers
- If the PC starts without a problem, begin enableing the devices in this order until the problem repeats:
- COM ports
- Hard drive controllers
- Floppy disk controllers
- Other devices
Restart the PC after enabling each device one at a time. Also check the Resources tab for the device to see if any problems are listed under the Conflicting Device List.
Using the Automatic Skip Driver
The Automatic Skip Driver (ASD) agent will attempt to enable any disabled device that may be causing the startup problem and report the problem. The ASD tool is located on the Accessories menu. To access it, click Start - Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Information - Tools - ASD.
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