Safe Mode won't run

[Panic]

I have Win XP SP2 that is working fine. For some reason I can no longer
boot into Safe mode. I click on F8, choose Safe Mode and it shows devices
loading, then the Starting Windows comes up with a large mouse cursor the
way it does in Safe Mode, then the screen shows black with the Safe Mode
legend showing at top and bottom but then it stops and does a reboot.

Of course if I allow the reboot to continue without interference it boots
into normal Win XP mode. A few days ago a Safe Mode boot stopped before it
completed due to a power outage. Perhaps this screwed up my capability to
boot into Safe Mode?

Darrell R. Schmidt
B-58 Hustler Web Site
http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/
USAF Pilot Class 55-I Web Site
http://pilotclass55india.org/

 

[Rich Barry]

Darrell, you thinking on the problem may very well be correct. Try going
to Start>run
type: msconfig click Ok and select the Boot.ini tab. Check the Safe
Boot box. Click
Apply, Ok.

 

[Panic]

Boy, that was almost a tragedy!!! I took your advice and checked the Safe
Boot box on the Boot.ini tab. On the reboot it automatically tried to go
into the Safe Mode but, again, got to the black screen with the Safe Mode
legend showing at top and bottom and stopped and rebooted. I was trapped in
that run-around. Even when I hit the F8 key to bring up the boot options
and chose Normal Windows bootup it automatically tried to go into Safe Mode,
stopped, rebooted, back into the run-around.

Luckily I have GoBack on my computer. During a boot attempt I engaged
GoBack and found a System Safe Point 20 minutes ago. I chose that and
GoBack returned everything to as it was 20 minutes ago. Then I was able to
do a normal boot. But, of course, I still have the problem of the attempts
to boot into the Safe Mode not being satisfactory.
Anyone have any ideas? It's no immediate problem but if I ever need to boot
into Safe Mode I can't do that.

 

[Guest]

I have Win XP SP2 that is working fine. For some reason I can no longer
boot into Safe mode. I click on F8, choose Safe Mode and it shows devices
loading, then the Starting Windows comes up with a large mouse cursor the
way it does in Safe Mode, then the screen shows black with the Safe Mode
legend showing at top and bottom but then it stops and does a reboot.

Of course if I allow the reboot to continue without interference it boots
into normal Win XP mode. A few days ago a Safe Mode boot stopped before it
completed due to a power outage. Perhaps this screwed up my capability to
boot into Safe Mode?

Darrell R. Schmidt
B-58 Hustler Web Site
http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/
USAF Pilot Class 55-I Web Site
http://pilotclass55india.org/

Hello,
Can "System Restore" or "GoBack" be used to return
system to before the power problem?
If so "GoBack" usually creates a list of files that can
be restored after using a restore point.
May help.
take care.
beamish.

 

[Rich Barry]

Sorry Darrell, my fault, didnt mean to cause you any panic. Glad you got
it running using Go Back. Somehow I thought you could always tap F8 and
choose Normal Boot mode
and it would override the checked box in msconfig. Well, I learned
something as well.
Again sorry it had to be at your expense.

 

[Panic]

Hello,
Can "System Restore" or "GoBack" be used to return
system to before the power problem?
If so "GoBack" usually creates a list of files that can
be restored after using a restore point.
May help.
take care.
beamish.

Since I rarely boot into the Safe Mode I have no idea how long ago the
problem started. My GoBack only goes back 3 days since I have high
activity. It drops out the oldest stuff when the more recent activity fills
the space I have dedicated to GoBack memory. System Restore also has only
about 3 days past data. I'll try System Restore over GoBack since SR
doesn't change data I created. I'll let you know.

 

[Panic]

OK, I have a problem. It's more than just that I cannot boot into Safe
Mode. I have a slipstreamed CD with my WinXP Home OEM plus SP2. I tried
booting to it to check for a repair install but it loaded for a while and
then reported that "vga.sys" file was corrupted and it stopped booting from
CD and went back to normal hard drive boot.

I don't do this stuff much. Anyone know how I should overwrite the
corrupted vga.sys file? My search shows one in C:\Windows\system32\dllcache
and one in C:\Windows\system32\drivers. They show the same size and date.
Should I overwrite the one in \drivers with the one in \dllchache?

 

[Panic]

OK, I have a problem. It's more than just that I cannot boot into Safe
Mode. I have a slipstreamed CD with my WinXP Home OEM plus SP2. I tried
booting to it to check for a repair install but it loaded for a while and
then reported that "vga.sys" file was corrupted and it stopped booting
from CD and went back to normal hard drive boot.

I don't do this stuff much. Anyone know how I should overwrite the
corrupted vga.sys file? My search shows one in
C:\Windows\system32\dllcache and one in C:\Windows\system32\drivers. They
show the same size and date. Should I overwrite the one in \drivers with
the one in \dllchache?

Update: It looks like that won't help. I went to DOS Prompt and ran a FC
(File Compare) between those 2 vga.sys files and they show identical.

 

[Panic]

Update: It looks like that won't help. I went to DOS Prompt and ran a FC
(File Compare) between those 2 vga.sys files and they show identical.

Update 2: OK it appears my slipstreamed CD with both WinXP Home and SP 2 on
it is bad.
I put the Operating System CD in and it boots normally. I started into a
Repair/Install. It came up with a DOS type interface. It asked me what
system I wanted to repair and only listed 1. Windows so I typed in 1 and
hit Enter. It asked for my Administrator password. I'm the only one using
this computer and have never used a password. Any ideas?
Without the password it just sits there as a DOS screen for entering DOS
commands.

 

[Guest]

Update 2: OK it appears my slipstreamed CD with both WinXP Home and SP 2 on
it is bad.
I put the Operating System CD in and it boots normally. I started into a
Repair/Install. It came up with a DOS type interface. It asked me what
system I wanted to repair and only listed 1. Windows so I typed in 1 and
hit Enter. It asked for my Administrator password. I'm the only one using
this computer and have never used a password. Any ideas?
Without the password it just sits there as a DOS screen for entering DOS
commands.

Hello,
I have less ability then you, taking a shot.
Press "enter". Leaving the DOS screen blank.
take care.
beamish.

 

[Nightowl]

Hi Panic

Sounds like you're choosing "To repair a Windows XP installation using
the Recovery Console, press R"; this is *not* what you want. You need to
continue past that screen as if you were going to install. When you
accept the Licence Agreement, on the screen after that Windows will
search for an existing installation and you will have the choice to
repair it. Step by step guide here:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm