Excellent idea, Michael, and I'll be very interested in trying it. It
sounds reminiscent of the "Trace" debugging tools that were
built into FORTRAN compilers that I learned to use 40 years ago.
I'm pretty sure that the F8 tap will work on my bootable drive,
I'll have to see about the other one. If it will deposit a file that
I can find on either drive, I know that I can access it from the
booted-up system. I don't offhand see how I can tell it to store
a file anywhere, on the system that hangs halfway through and
doesn't get the OS running, but I'll have to look and see and try.

This is exploring brand-new ground, however,
so if there's a document with instructions, for F8 booting and
saving, I'd appreciate it, and will take it from there.
WBL

Michael Solomon (MS-MVP Windows Shell/User) wrote:

Here's a thought, though I'm not sure it would work because it will place a
file on your unbootable drive but you might use the option to log the boot
on the bootable drive (You find this option, I've forgotten the name for the
moment) on the same menu as Safe Mode; boot the system, start tapping F8,
select the appropriate option which will be obvious by the name and check
that log.

Then do the same thing on the unbootable drive, it too, should create a
bootlog. If you can access it, you might be able to compare the two and see
on what exactly the boot is choking.