[Lumarie]

Hi, hope you're well. I wanted to know how I could find out what the text was on my computer when it starts up for the first time. I start it, then the screen is blank, then some white text appears on a black background, but only for a few miliseconds. then the text disappears and the main 'windows' start up logo comes up, before the desktop finally appears and the computer is ready to be used. I was wondering how I could find out what the white text said, before the windows pre-logo.

My computer is windows XP professional, version 2002, service pack 2

Thanks very much for your time,

Lucy

[Elvandil]

Possibly boot.ini. But you can go to Start > Run:

msconfig

Look at the boot options and disable the startup screen so you can read the text. Or look at the boot.ini file.

[Lumarie]

hey Elvandil! thank you so much for your quick reply!!

i ran msconfig and got to the boot.ini file but i am a bit of a novice so i'm not sure how to find the actual text. as for your second suggestion, do you mean to disable the windows logo '2nd' screen?? so that the white text will still be there?

i went to msconfig. on the main section, 'Boot ini' it had

'boot options'

with

SAFEBOOT
NOGUIBOOT ...

etc..

then on 'advanced options'

it had some more but that was to unfamiliar territory for me!!!

do you have any specific suggestions on what steps to take?!!

thanks for your time i appreciate it

[Elvandil]

I'm on Vista at the moment and will boot XP later for more specific advice.

But you can post your boot.ini file here and try the NOGUI boot option to see if you get text instead of images on boot. Maybe that will answer your questions about what is "behind" the boot screen.

[Lumarie]

ok no probs. thanks.

btw it says:

[boot loader]
timeout = 30
default = signature(490af337)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
signature(490af337)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

...

[Elvandil]

You could also try the Pause key. That will pause the boot at many locations, including during BIOS detection, but not always after boot starts.

That is an unusual boot.ini. XP setup tends to use that format when it gets conflicting information from the drive and BIOS enumeration. It may be helpful to turn off the option in your BIOS that says that you do not have a Plug-and-Play OS. But then, if it all works OK, you might just want to leave things as they are until the next installation of XP.

[Lumarie]

Elvandil you clever boy! this is the answer (pause button) i was looking for!

thanks thanks thanks

have a good day and xmas!!!!