Registry Question On Windows XP Professional

Hello All,

A brief summary and later the question. Apologize for a lengthy post.

This is with regards to the Control Set Numbers in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM.

Under the \Select, we have Default, Current, Failed, LastKnownGood.

Default: Points to Control Set Number that the System has specified for use at the Next StartUp. If no error or manual invocation of LastKnowGood StartUp option occurs, this Control Set Number is designated as the Value of the Default, Current and LastKnownGood entries.

Lets say, no error or manual invocation of LastKnownGood occurs and the Values of Default, Current and LastKnownGood are Set to
ControlSet009 for example. From this we can say that the Control Set Number to be used for the Next StartUp is ControlSet009.

I Start the System and from the above the Control Set Number to be used is ControlSet009 and an error occurs that did NOT start the Windows XP Pro successfully and I invoke the LastKnownGood.

Here is my question. Once I invoke the LastKnownGood, it Points to ControlSet009 which was NOT able to Start the OS Successfully. How is this issue resolved?

FallenZer0

Last Known Good is populated with the settings that last successfully started the system, and until you get another successful start it doesn't get overwritten with your current control set. So you always have the settings of the last successful boot in your last known good. Say you boot up and then you change something that will make the boot fail next time. Those changes go into your current control set, and when you do a proper shutdown that control set is copied over and becomes your next boot candidate. So when you boot you have a choice of that control set or the last known good from before you made the changes. Hope that helps - I think I understand it but on re-reading this it's not a very good explanation!