|| ----- Original Message -----
|| From: "DAG" <
[email protected]>
|| Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 12:56 AM
|| Message || <SNIP> I cannot get to the boot menu to choose safe mode. Is
|| there a way to get to safe mode through DOS or using the
|| Windows CD?
| ----- Original Message -----
| From: "Andrea" <
[email protected]>
| Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 03:14 AM
| Message | I too am having the same problem because of fooling around with
| the settings. Somebody out there please help. I need to get into my
| computer for tons of reasons. I am using my old one for now.
If I understand correctly when your operating system (re)boots it
starts automatically and does not indicate when you need to press
F8 to boot into Safe Mode. Instead, you must guess when to
press F8 (and boy isn't this the worst time to be guessing!)
If that is correct then you can force a Boot menu to appear by
editing the Boot.ini file and creating a second entry in the
[Operating Systems] section. The Boot menu will have text that
lists your Operating System startup choices and the text:
"For troubleshooting and advanced startup options for
Windows, press F8."
For more information about the problem see the following
Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
KB242443 - Boot Menu Is Not Displayed and Timeout Value
Is Not Used
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;242443
And for detailed information about how to edit the boot.ini file see
the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
KB289022 - HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;289022
As an alternative to the above is to install the Recovery Console as
a hard disk startup option. The installation will automatically create
another entry in the [Operating Systems] section of your boot.ini
(for the Recovery Console). Then when you (re)start your computer
"Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" will appear as a menu item
(along with your Operating System). And the aforementioned "For
troubleshooting and advanced startup.. Press F8" text will appear, too.
For more information about how to "install the Recovery Console
as a startup option" search the Windows XP Professional Help and
Support Center for the words in double-quotes and read the topic
by that title.