Safe Mode Access

[WMB]

For diagnostic work on your computer I often see the below info given to
access Safe Mode. I also know that if you use msconfig in the run box,
select /safeboot on the Boot.INI tab it lets you get into safemode so
much easier on reboot. Are these two methods the same for entering Safe
Mode or are they different in some way?


Boot into safe mode by tapping F8 as the computer boots and log in as
administrator.

Thanks for any help

 

[Malke]

For diagnostic work on your computer I often see the below info given to
access Safe Mode. I also know that if you use msconfig in the run box,
select /safeboot on the Boot.INI tab it lets you get into safemode so
much easier on reboot. Are these two methods the same for entering Safe
Mode or are they different in some way?


Boot into safe mode by tapping F8 as the computer boots and log in as
administrator.

The difference is that when you select the /safeboot in msconfig, you have
to deselect it when you want to get back to Regular Mode. That's all. For
most people tapping F8 at startup is simpler and quicker but there are
machines and situations where that doesn't work. The methods are different
but the results are the same.

Malke

 

[Gerry]

Malke

Aren't there occasions when accessing Safe Mode from Normal mode is not
possible e.g. BSOD occurs before boot completes so you have to use the
F8 route. Conversely on some keyboards the F8 route does not work so you
have to access through normal mode. On my keyboard the F lock key has to
be depressed every time you restart the computer if you want the
function keys to work. That's a good reason to have older simpler
keyboard around to use if the need arises for it.

--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Malke]

Malke

Aren't there occasions when accessing Safe Mode from Normal mode is not
possible e.g. BSOD occurs before boot completes so you have to use the
F8 route. Conversely on some keyboards the F8 route does not work so you
have to access through normal mode. On my keyboard the F lock key has to
be depressed every time you restart the computer if you want the
function keys to work. That's a good reason to have older simpler
keyboard around to use if the need arises for it.

Yes, quite. I'm sorry if my answer wasn't clear (it's early AM here and
maybe the coffee hasn't done its job yet). I thought the OP wanted to know
if the end result was different and I was trying to say that it wasn't.
There are very legitimate reasons to use the /safeboot setting such as the
keyboard not working when you need it (some wireless keyboards are useless
for getting into Safe Mode), the keyboarder not being quick/coordinated
enough, or the keyboard method just Not Working Right.

Conversely, for some people doing the whole /safeboot process is tiresome
because they have to do Start>Run>msconfig [enter], find the boot.ini tab,
make your changes, go into Safe Mode, do the whole reverse thing again,
then when you get into Regular Model the stupid "you've used the System
Configuration Utility" box comes up (no duh!). Also on a few machines
(including one of mine) there is no boot.ini tab which makes /safeboot
Right Out.

Whatever works is good. ;-) It's the same Safe Mode either way.

Malke

 

[Claymore]

For diagnostic work on your computer I often see the below info given to
access Safe Mode.  I also know that if you use msconfig in the run box,
select /safeboot on the Boot.INI tab it lets you get into safemode so
much easier on reboot. Are these two methods the same for entering Safe
Mode or are they different in some way?

Boot into safe mode by tapping F8 as the computer boots and log in as
administrator.

Thanks for any help

One other problem can be that if you activate the /safeboot switch and
the computer can't boot into Safe Mode for whatever reason, you wind
up in an endless loop and have to manually edit the boot.ini file the
hard way. I would recommend the F8 method unless there is some
compelling reason not to.

 

[Malke]

Claymore wrote:

One other problem can be that if you activate the /safeboot switch and
the computer can't boot into Safe Mode for whatever reason, you wind
up in an endless loop and have to manually edit the boot.ini file the
hard way. I would recommend the F8 method unless there is some
compelling reason not to.

Very good point. Thanks for posting it.

Malke

 

[dph1134]

To Malke:
My computer would not enter safe mode via the F8 key method. I did a
search on microsoft.com indicating that my computer would not enter safe
mode. I read an article which indicated using the msconfig/boot.ini tab and
check the box for safe mode. I did that. My problem now is, that since my
computer would not enter safe mode with the F8 key (for reason(s) unknown to
me), I used the msconfig/boot.ini tab method, and now I cannot get back into
Windows XP at all. The machine just keeps on rebooting itself. Do you know
how I will be able to fix my problem? Thank you.

Malke

Aren't there occasions when accessing Safe Mode from Normal mode is not
possible e.g. BSOD occurs before boot completes so you have to use the
F8 route. Conversely on some keyboards the F8 route does not work so you
have to access through normal mode. On my keyboard the F lock key has to
be depressed every time you restart the computer if you want the
function keys to work. That's a good reason to have older simpler
keyboard around to use if the need arises for it.

Yes, quite. I'm sorry if my answer wasn't clear (it's early AM here and
maybe the coffee hasn't done its job yet). I thought the OP wanted to know
if the end result was different and I was trying to say that it wasn't.
There are very legitimate reasons to use the /safeboot setting such as the
keyboard not working when you need it (some wireless keyboards are useless
for getting into Safe Mode), the keyboarder not being quick/coordinated
enough, or the keyboard method just Not Working Right.

Conversely, for some people doing the whole /safeboot process is tiresome
because they have to do Start>Run>msconfig [enter], find the boot.ini tab,
make your changes, go into Safe Mode, do the whole reverse thing again,
then when you get into Regular Model the stupid "you've used the System
Configuration Utility" box comes up (no duh!). Also on a few machines
(including one of mine) there is no boot.ini tab which makes /safeboot
Right Out.

Whatever works is good. ;-) It's the same Safe Mode either way.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

 

[Malke]

To Malke:
My computer would not enter safe mode via the F8 key method. I did a
search on microsoft.com indicating that my computer would not enter safe
mode. I read an article which indicated using the msconfig/boot.ini tab
and check the box for safe mode. I did that. My problem now is, that since
my computer would not enter safe mode with the F8 key (for reason(s)
unknown to me), I used the msconfig/boot.ini tab method, and now I cannot
get back into Windows XP at all. The machine just keeps on rebooting
itself. Do you know how I will be able to fix my problem? Thank you.

You aren't the original poster, are you? If not, then I don't know anything
about your computer - why it wouldn't go into Safe Mode, why you were
trying to get into Safe Mode in the first place, recent history of the
machine, etc. So I can't really give you a good, focused answer, sorry.

Malke

 

[Justin Hoyt]

You will probably have to boot your XP disk and go to the recovery console
at the c:\ prompt rename boot.ini to boot.old and then run bootcfg /rebuild
to make a new boot file
this should do away with the /safeboot switch thats currently on the
boot.ini