XP: "Press F8 for advanced options" screen is invisible during boot

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ivan Krivyakov
  • Start date Start date
I

Ivan Krivyakov

When Windows XP starts up on my computer,
first appears a screen with the text "Windows XP Professional"
and a slider that moves back and forth.

Next, there supposed to be a screen with announcement
"press F8 for advanced boot options", or something like that.
INSTEAD, MY SCREEN TURNS BLACK!

After a while, I see "welcome" screen of Widnows XP
and everything proceeds as normal.

Thus, computer boots fine, and as long as everything is OK with it,
this is not very important problem. However, it does become important when
- you run chkdsk; chkdsk output is invisible!
- you want to boot in the safe mode: if you press F8, boot menu is
invisible!

My computer had Windows 2000 before, and this problem did not occur.
My video card is Matrox Millenium G450.

I saw similar problem with some other computers on Windows 2000
(in fact, a whole class of computers with certain hardware, also Millenium).

However, I could not find any reference to this problem on the Internet.
Can somebody please advise how to avoid this black screen?

Thanks in advance
Ivan
 
Ivan;

You should only see the Boot Menu if you have dual boot.

[[If you install Windows on a computer with no other operating system
installed, no Boot menu is displayed when you start the computer.]]
[[If you need the Boot menu to be displayed, edit the Boot.ini file and
create a second entry in the [Operating Systems] section.]]
[[This behavior is by design.]]
Boot Menu Is Not Displayed and Timeout Value Is Not Used
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;242443

You May Be Unable to Access the Windows Advanced Options Menu When You Use a
USB Keyboard
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283778#appliesto

The Purpose of the Boot.ini File in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314081

HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;289022

One Installed Operating System Is Missing from the Startup Menu in a
Multiple-Boot Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307061

Purpose of the BOOT.INI File in Windows 2000 or Windows NT
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;99743

Windows May Use Signature() Syntax in the Boot.ini File
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;227704

BOOT.INI and ARC Path Naming Conventions and Usage
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;102873
 
Wesley Vogel said:
Ivan;

You should only see the Boot Menu if you have dual boot.
Click to expand...

I do not expect to see boot menu.

How about output of chkdsk?
Let's say I did chkdsk /f c:.
It goes like this: the system boots, screen goes blank,
and it does chkdsk "in the background", then reboots again.
This is definitely not normal.

The problem is that certain stage of the boot process is blacked out.

Ivan
 
For a peek at the Chkdisk log.
Start | Run | Type: eventvwr | OK
Look in Application | Listed as Information
under Winlogon, Event 1001
 
Wesley Vogel said:
For a peek at the Chkdisk log.
Start | Run | Type: eventvwr | OK
Look in Application | Listed as Information
under Winlogon, Event 1001
Click to expand...

Thanks.
But it is supposed to be visible while it's running, isn't it?

Ivan
 
Yes it should be visible. However towards the end, it
goes by to fast to see everything.

Try this:
Start | Run | Type: msconfig | OK |
Boot.ini tab | Check all boot paths button |
Do you see a popup saying:
[[It appears that all BOOT.INI lines for Microsoft
operating systems are OK.]]
 
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