After applying a new driver to a NIC, the server fails to restart. What is the BEST way to resolve this?

The best way to resolve the issue following the failure to restart after applying a new driver to a Network Interface Card (NIC) is to boot the server and use the last known good configuration. This option allows the system to revert to its last stable state prior to the installation of the problematic driver. The last known good configuration utilizes the system's registry settings and driver configurations that were successfully applied before the changes, which can help to avoid further complications or data loss.

When using the last known good configuration, the operating system will load the previous settings and drivers that functioned correctly, enabling the server to start without the interference of the newly installed driver that caused the issue. This option is efficient since it does not require any external recovery tools or backups and can often resolve boot issues quickly.

The other choices, while they may also aid in recovery, involve more complex processes or are less direct. Restoring a previous driver using the recovery console can take more time and may not guarantee resolution if additional dependencies were impacted. Restoring from a backup tape is a more drastic measure that would involve potential data loss if any changes were made since the last backup. Booting with ASR (Automated System Recovery) can be useful in certain scenarios but may require additional recovery