Vista - Vista entering reduced functionality mode without warning

"Chad Harris" wrote:

> Shelby--
>
> I agree with everything you said. I think Darrell would probably like to
> get your logs--he's been consistently helpful on this group and others and
> the Beta groups for a long time. In my experience the setup people want to
> get to the logs to analyze them if they can provide material that tells what
> is going on.
>
> One thing I want to make clear. Although I don't *think a startup repair
> (which is different coding in Vista than a repair install in XP will work
> with these symptoms, it could and we're only talking about a couple minutes
> of time. Doing this has no risk to what you have whatsoever. Here are the
> directions for using Vista Win RE's Startup Repair and Safe Mode from that
> environmnet.
>

I'll give it a shot just for completeness.

However, I've finally figured out what triggers the problem... booting
without the Vista install media present in my dvd drive....

I've just rebooted 10 times in a row with the install media in my dvd drive
and each time Vista is fully functional (control panel, windows welcome
center, etc) once I log into my desktop. As soon as I remove the media from
my dvd drive and reboot, Vista returns to the behavior I originally reported.
O_o

I don't even know what to think at this point.

Regards,

Shelby Cain

Shelby--

Take a look at this thread started by Richard Urban on this group recently.
I think there may be a connection between what you're experiencing or if
not, at least the need to supply the DVD to boot with full functionality is
a common denominator. I understand the scenario Richard paints is one where
Vista will not boot:

Vista will not boot - work around
Saturday, March 03, 2007 2:51 PM


I have installed the various versions of Vista on 56 various computers. On
eight of those computers I have run into, and solved, this nasty boot
problem. I have also assisted with this problem for a rather large handful
of people who post here with a similar condition.

The problem concerns computers with the following configuration/condition:

1. A computer with multiple hard drives (any mix of S-ATA or PATA it
turns out)

2. Any of the 2nd, or higher, drives has been setup as having a logical
partition/partitions

3. The user installs Vista by booting from the DVD

When a drive is setup with a logical partition, 8 meg of unallocated space
is reserved at the beginning of the drive.

The Vista installer, it appears, will start installing boot code to the
unallocated space on a 2nd, 3rd or 4th drive. I have used a hex editor and
have found this code there. This 8 meg of unallocated space is quickly
filled and the installer places the remainder of the code on the disk chosen
by the user for the Vista install.

The Vista install completes and the user removes the DVD. Upon startup, the
user finds that Vista will not boot. Vista is looking for the boot code on
the drive where the user had chosen to install Vista (system partition). It
is not there. Part of it resides on another drive where it is not
recognized.

If the user puts the DVD into the drive tray, Vista boots fine. Startup
takes the code from the DVD.

This should not occur, but it is too late to change the code on the Vista
DVD's at this point. The work around is to physically disconnect any drive
that you do not want the Vista installer to touch. In this way, all of the
code is written to the desired drive/partition.

Upon arriving at the Windows desktop, go to system management | Disk
Management and change the drive letters for your CD drive, DVD drive, USB
drives, card readers etc. to the end of the alphabet. This gets them out of
the way prior to you shutting down the computer and reconnecting your other
drives.

Now, shut down your computer and reconnect your drives. Upon booting to the
desktop, you will see that the new drives are recognized and initialized.
You will also see that the drive letters are in sequence, and not broken up
by the various other drives (you previously moved them). You may be asked to
reboot so the changes can be made permanent. Do so if directed.

The next time you boot to the desktop you can rearrange those re-lettered
drives if you so desire.

Now, I am not certain how pervasive this problem is but I have seen it on
old/new motherboards from 3 major M/B manufacturers. It is not, of course,
going to affect those who purchase a new computer with Vista on it. It
"will" affect those who upgrade or build their own computers, as these are
the users who are more likely to have multiple drives installed in their
machines.


--


Regards,

Richard Urban MVP
Microsoft Windows Shell/User
________________________________

CH

"Shelby Cain" <ShelbyCain@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F0326657-8337-4A35-85AC-0585A2AA4D39@microsoft.com...
>
>
> "Chad Harris" wrote:
>
>> Shelby--
>>
>> I agree with everything you said. I think Darrell would probably like to
>> get your logs--he's been consistently helpful on this group and others
>> and
>> the Beta groups for a long time. In my experience the setup people want
>> to
>> get to the logs to analyze them if they can provide material that tells
>> what
>> is going on.
>>
>> One thing I want to make clear. Although I don't *think a startup repair
>> (which is different coding in Vista than a repair install in XP will work
>> with these symptoms, it could and we're only talking about a couple
>> minutes
>> of time. Doing this has no risk to what you have whatsoever. Here are
>> the
>> directions for using Vista Win RE's Startup Repair and Safe Mode from
>> that
>> environmnet.
>>
>
> I'll give it a shot just for completeness.
>
> However, I've finally figured out what triggers the problem... booting
> without the Vista install media present in my dvd drive....
>
> I've just rebooted 10 times in a row with the install media in my dvd
> drive
> and each time Vista is fully functional (control panel, windows welcome
> center, etc) once I log into my desktop. As soon as I remove the media
> from
> my dvd drive and reboot, Vista returns to the behavior I originally
> reported.
> O_o
>
> I don't even know what to think at this point.
>
> Regards,
>
> Shelby Cain
>
>

Hello Shelby,
Please sent me the application logs from the machine.
\Remove the online from my email addres.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
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|>Subject: Re: Vista entering reduced functionality mode without warning
|>Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2007 13:54:32 -0800
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microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup:11219
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|>
|>
|>"Chad Harris" wrote:
|>
|>> Shelby--
|>>
|>> I agree with everything you said. I think Darrell would probably like
to
|>> get your logs--he's been consistently helpful on this group and others
and
|>> the Beta groups for a long time. In my experience the setup people
want to
|>> get to the logs to analyze them if they can provide material that tells
what
|>> is going on.
|>>
|>> One thing I want to make clear. Although I don't *think a startup
repair
|>> (which is different coding in Vista than a repair install in XP will
work
|>> with these symptoms, it could and we're only talking about a couple
minutes
|>> of time. Doing this has no risk to what you have whatsoever. Here are
the
|>> directions for using Vista Win RE's Startup Repair and Safe Mode from
that
|>> environmnet.
|>>
|>
|>I'll give it a shot just for completeness.
|>
|>However, I've finally figured out what triggers the problem... booting
|>without the Vista install media present in my dvd drive....
|>
|>I've just rebooted 10 times in a row with the install media in my dvd
drive
|>and each time Vista is fully functional (control panel, windows welcome
|>center, etc) once I log into my desktop. As soon as I remove the media
from
|>my dvd drive and reboot, Vista returns to the behavior I originally
reported.
|> O_o
|>
|>I don't even know what to think at this point.
|>
|>Regards,
|>
|>Shelby Cain
|>
|>
|>