If you are experiencing issues when booting your Windows computer, you can use the Last known good configuration to revert the settings to the most recent which worked. When a computer boots up properly, the system creates a copy of the computer’s hardware configuration from the system’s registry. These settings are saved when the system shuts down. When the computer experiences a problem, the system recalls these settings and loads them so as to continue booting properly. The Last known good configuration is a feature available in Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
This feature is most helpful if you’ve made an error in installing new drivers or devises. Remember that the record for Last known good configuration is replaced every time your computer boots up successfully. The Last known good configuration restores the registry entry for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet . If you’ve made changes to your registry, these will remain unchanged. Also, if you installed a driver before the system error, Last known good configuration restores the previous driver.
When you are troubleshooting persistent system errors, it is recommended that you use Last known good system configuration before you try anything else. If you boot up your system in safe mode, the Last known good configuration does not update. This way, it still remains an option if you cannot fix the problem in safemode.
To boot your computer using the Last known good configuration, here are the steps you can follow:
1. Boot your computer.
2. If you have other operating systems installed on your computer, you will see the message “Please select the operating system to start”. Use your arrow keys to choose WinXP and then hit Enter.
3. Once you see the BIOS, click on F8.
4. You will then see the Windows Advanced Options. Choose your arrow keys to highlight Last known good configuration.
5. Hit the enter key.
Some people find it difficult to reach the windows advanced menu. In this case, reboot your computer again and repeatedly press F8. Don’t hold down F8 while booting because it usually gives a stuck message and will not allow your computer to boot properly.
Keep in mind that the Last known good configuration uses the information which was stored when you last shut down the computer. It can only work if you successfully start your computer (even in safemode) and shut it down properly. Also, Last known good configuration can only recover from the problems caused by newly installed drivers. It does not delete anything on the computer but you may have to reinstall recently installed programs. It does not correct issues which are caused by corrupted or missing drivers. It enables you to continue troubleshooting the rest of your problems and does not automatically fix it.
