Using msconfig to Boot in Safe Mode

[Becky]

I used the msconfig to activate the setting on the
Boot.ini tab to have my computer start in Safe Mode. I
checked the \SAFEBOOT option. Now my system will go
through the POST, but XP will not start.
Is there a way to take the safe boot off without getting
into XP and the msconfig?
Before making this change I could at least start Windows
XP.
Thanks for any help.

 

[John Barnett - MVP]

If you have a windows 98 startup disk (get a freind to download a copy from
www.bootdisk.com) Insert the floppy startup disk into your floppy drive and
boot to the dos 'A' prompt.
At the 'A' prompt type C: to change to your C drive
Once the rpompt changes to C:\ type edit boot.ini Your boot ini file should
now be displayed. You need to delete the safeboot option.
After deletion your boot ini file should look like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

If you have windows home edition then "Microsoft Windows XP Home" will be
displayed instead of 'Professional'
Finally click on the File option on the main tool bar and select the Save
option. Now exit and restart your machine.

 

[Steve Nielsen]

Won't work if he's using NTFS. File system was not mentioned in OP. Are
we reading minds here now?

Steve

 

[John Barnett - MVP]

Apologies for missing out that vital piece of information. However, as for
reading minds, unless you have installed the operating system yourself and
specifically chosen an ntfs file system most installations appear to be
fat32.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
www.freelanceit.glowinternet.com

Won't work if he's using NTFS. File system was not mentioned in OP. Are
we reading minds here now?

Steve

If you have a windows 98 startup disk (get a freind to download a copy from
www.bootdisk.com) Insert the floppy startup disk into your floppy drive and
boot to the dos 'A' prompt.
At the 'A' prompt type C: to change to your C drive
Once the rpompt changes to C:\ type edit boot.ini Your boot ini file should
now be displayed. You need to delete the safeboot option.
After deletion your boot ini file should look like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

If you have windows home edition then "Microsoft Windows XP Home" will be
displayed instead of 'Professional'
Finally click on the File option on the main tool bar and select the Save
option. Now exit and restart your machine.

 

[Alex Nichol]

used the msconfig to activate the setting on the
Boot.ini tab to have my computer start in Safe Mode. I
checked the \SAFEBOOT option. Now my system will go
through the POST, but XP will not start.
Is there a way to take the safe boot off without getting
into XP and the msconfig?

Go to www.terabyteunlimited.com and from the free tools get EDITBINI
Put that on a DOS startup floppy, boot it and run the program

Use it to delete the /Safeboot from the line in the [Operating Systems]
section.

Once back in business I would run the line
/SFC SCANNOW
to refresh system files. Safe Mode bypasses drivers to use basic
facilities, and it probable that the file for one of these basic items
has been damaged

 

[Steve Nielsen]

Hmmm...

No apologies needed.

However, every pre-install of XP I have seen (I have seen a lot from
various manufacturers) has used NTFS unless when ordering FAT32 is
specifically asked for. FAT32 is not the default choice in Setup either,
so I don't understand why you would assume an XP installation is more
likely to be FAT32 than NTFS.

Steve

 

[Alex Nichol]

However, every pre-install of XP I have seen (I have seen a lot from
various manufacturers) has used NTFS unless when ordering FAT32 is
specifically asked for. FAT32 is not the default choice in Setup either,
so I don't understand why you would assume an XP installation is more
likely to be FAT32 than NTFS.

I just got a new Tablet PC from Toshiba - that explicitly uses FAT 32 so
the user can have a choice. And they have *not* been aligned ready for
the conversion, so if you carry it out without taking precautions you
end up with 512 byte clusters. See www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfscvt.htm

Their restore procedure, which I then used, is based on Win 98!

 

[Please reply to news group.]

My computer came preloaded with Win XP Pro and is formatted in NTFS
because it has to be. FAT32 has a drive size limit. It appears that
the drive is formatted with NTFS in this case, also because 40GB is TOO
BIG for FAT32.

 

[Guest]

as you restart , and as the logo is comming up , keep tapping control and f8 . you will then go to the window you seek . GABY

 

[Yves Leclerc]

OT: 40GB is not too big for FAT32. It is just that XP can not format a
FAT32 drive greater than 32GB. If the drive is formatted elsewhere, XP can
use it.

Y.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In Please reply to news group." <"Please reply to news group.

My computer came preloaded with Win XP Pro and is formatted in NTFS
because it has to be. FAT32 has a drive size limit. It appears that
the drive is formatted with NTFS in this case, also because 40GB is
TOO BIG for FAT32.

Nope, this is a widely-repeated statement, it isn't true. Windows
XP can not *create* a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB, but it
will happily use one if it's first created externally, for
example with FDISK from Windows 98 or Me.

I don't recommend doing this, but it *is* possible.

 

[Please reply to news group.]

That's interesting. I wonder why that is.

OT: 40GB is not too big for FAT32. It is just that XP can not format a
FAT32 drive greater than 32GB. If the drive is formatted elsewhere, XP can
use it.

Y.