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Solve Windows setup problems My PC throws up an error at startup. How can I get the operating system to ignore the error and load up so that I can fix it? Windows Setup supports a number of command line options, some of which may be useful when trying to overcome installation problems. Run Setup/? from the command line to list the documented ones for your version of Windows. Options that you may find useful are listed below. Some of these options are undocumented, and may not be available in all versions of Windows Setup. /C = run without using the disk cache /D = clean install, that is, ignore existing Windows installation. However, it's better to reformat the drive and remove old files before installing /ID = skip the disk space check /IE = skip creation of a startup disk /IH = skip the Registry validity check /IM = skip the memory check /IN = run Setup without the Network Setup module. You will not be able to set up an internet connection if you use this option /IP = skip detection of unknown plug and play devices /IQ = skip the check for cross-linked files /IR = skip detection of system Bios /IS = skip the ScanDisk disk check /IV = skip the display of information screens during Setup /L = load a Logitech mouse driver instead of a Microsoft mouse driver /M = suppress playing of WAV sounds /N = run without mouse support /NM = bypass CPU type detection. This enables Windows to be installed on a PC that doesn't meet the minimum system requirements for the version of Windows - use at your own risk. /Nostart = perform only the file copy part of the installation, not the setup. The end result is a system that will boot from the hard disk allowing the user to complete the installation /NTLDR = bypass check for existing operating system, which normally prevents OEM versions of Windows from being installed on a PC with an existing Windows installation /T: <dir> = specifies the location Setup will use for its temporary files. Use this if the C drive is short on free space. Please note that existing files in this directory will be deleted /P = allows diagnostic options to be selected during Setup. Multiple options should be separated using semicolons, for example: Setup /P b;f. Options can be: b = enables 'Prompt Before' mode, allowing you to choose whether to run each device detection module. f = enables Clean Registry mode, which ignores info about previously, detected hardware in the Registry (Windows 95 only). i = bypasses detection of unknown plug and play Bioses and devices (those not listed in machine.inf). j = installs ACPI support, although this is Windows 98 only. Note that the printer port may need reconfiguring (using Bios Setup) before ACPI will work properly.
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