gnu -

The "standard procedure" varies with the computer, but on many of them if you hold down a key (usually Tab, Exc, F8, or F3, or F2, or ...) while the computer is cranking up, you'll get a DOS screen asking how you want to boot just before Windows starts.

You can generally choose "Safe Boot" which starts the computer but doesn't run the Startup folder, and omits starting many of the "services" that normally load during bootup.

There's usually also an option for "Safe with network connection" which may be handy some times. In some older OS versions you might have the option whether or not to connect Optical Drives (CD/DVD etc) which "back then" required loading software before you could read from them.

The same screen occasionally appears automatically if there was an error during computer shutdown.

You can also go into Control Panel (in some Win versions) or use a command line startup-config command (I'd have to look up the command) to tell it to boot "clean" in a number of configurations the next time it's started.

Norton gives the command line setup in the instructions for removal of many malware types where a "Safe Boot" is required; and using the command is the "cleanest" way with the most control over how the computer starts the next time; but it's been quite a while since I've looked at one of them.

A simple boot from a "DOS disk" usually gives you some ability to delete files, but may not let you do some other cleanups that may be needed, since some Windows functions have to be "started" before you can modify them.

John