Remote Restart Windows XP SafeMode

[jamin]

Hi folks,

Done a lot of searching to figure out why RemoteAssistance wasn't
working for some XP SP1 Pro clients at one of our sites. Turns out that
GhostWalker 7.5 was used which messed up sessmgr service - we've got a
fix which is to restart the PC in safemode and run "sessmgr.exe
-service" from the commandline.. this is just a pain to try and talk a
user through on the phone and I figured there's probably a way to do
this remotely. Under Window 9x using rundll it was possible to force a
safemode reboot - using the shutdown command from the XP ResKit there
doesn't seem to be any such option.

I thought of putting an entry in
HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/RunOnce to do my
sessmgr.exe -service after a reboot (would safemode w/command prompt
run this registry key?). A remote reboot is easy - shutdown -f -m
\\netbiosname -t 00 - and of course I can modify the boot.ini on the
client using the admin share to boot into safemode. But I want to
automate this completely - just want to write a script which will
reboot the box into safemode (1 time only) run sessmgr.exe -service and
reboot again.

There must be a reg key somewhere which will tell Windows to start
safemode next time it boots... or has anyone got any better ideas? If
the HKLM\RunOnce key is not processed in Safemode any other way of
automating this process??

Replies in the ng or via mail - I will pass any solution via mail back
to the group. Ta in advance.

Regards,

Jamin Davis
Technical IT Support - Unilever NV

 

[Kelly]

Have never worked a script of this nature; however, without knowing more,
try:

Start/Run/Msconfig/Boot.ini/SafeBoot and/or in the meantime:

Use as an example/guideline: Go to Start/Run and type in: C:\boot.ini and
copy/add what you want (Safe Mode or with Command Prompt), then save,
reboot.

Normal, Safe Mode and Command Prompt.

[boot loader]
timeout =15
default = multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS = "Windows XP Normal"
/fastdetect /sos)

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS = "Windows XP SAFE
Mode"/safeboot:minimal)

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS = "XP SAFE Mode with
Command Prompt" /safeboot:minimal(alternateshell)

Added or:

Q179365 INFO: Run, RunOnce, RunServices, RunServicesOnce and Startup
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q179/3/65.asp

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol: http://www.dts-l.org/

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com