Unable to boot in Safe Mode

[Derek]

When I press F8 during boot-up on my Notebook computer it will not boot-up
in Safe Mode.
My initial feeling was that there is a F8 keyboard problem, but Fn+F8
toggles the sound on & off to my speaker as normal.
Can this be a Windows XP Home software configuration problem?
Derek Nicholson

 

[Derek]

By using Start>Run>msconfig>Boot.ini> and checking the box /Safe Boot the
computer will boot in Safe Mode. However, it will not boot in Safe Mode
from F8 at Startup.
Derek Nicholson

 

[Pavel A.]

F8 does not start in safe mode.
Rather it shows a menu where you select the safe mode.

--PA

 

[Derek]

I agree I worded the question badly. I should have said that the computer
does not offer a bootup in Safe Mode or any other option when F8 is pressed
on Power Up. There isn't an error message and continues to boot-up in
normal mode without hesitation.
My desktop computer performs normally, so I am aware of the sequence to
expect when F8 is pressed at power up.
Derek Nicholson

 

[Pavel A.]

Ok then, maybe, timeout value for the boot menu is 0 ( = no wait)

--PA

 

[Pavel A.]

Derek,
yes this is exactly that menu and timeout.
So... maybe the keyboard is the culprit. Is it USB?
Is USB legacy support enabled in BIOS?

--PA


Pavel, I am not sure exactly what you meant. I went to msconfig>Boot.ini, I see that Boot Loader timeout=30. Is this
the boot menu time out you were referring to.
Derek

 

[Derek]

Pavel,
The computer is a laptop and the keyboard is an integral part of the
computer, would this make it USB? Anyway, USB Legacy Support is Enabled in
the BIOS Setup.
Initially I thought that it might be the keyboard but as I said earlier, I
use Fn+F8 to toggle on and off the sound to my speakers; This functions
normally, so presumably the F8 key does not have a mechanical malfunction.
Also when I press either F2 (BIOS Setup) or F12 (Boot Menu) during the
power-up these functions operate normally.
Derek

Derek,
yes this is exactly that menu and timeout.
So... maybe the keyboard is the culprit. Is it USB?
Is USB legacy support enabled in BIOS?

--PA


Pavel, I am not sure exactly what you meant. I went to msconfig>Boot.ini,

I see that Boot Loader timeout=30. Is this

 

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

Initially I thought that it might be the keyboard but as I said earlier, I
use Fn+F8 to toggle on and off the sound to my speakers; This functions
normally, so presumably the F8 key does not have a mechanical malfunction.
Also when I press either F2 (BIOS Setup) or F12 (Boot Menu) during the
power-up these functions operate normally.

You need to wait for your BIOS to finish loading and just when the black
Windows XP boot screen with the load bar animation appears that is when
you start tapping F8 until your machine beeps. Then you should get a
menu that allows you to select one of several Safe Modes.

Tap vigorously. Start tapping even before the boot screen appears. You
only have a few seconds.

 

[Derek]

Thank you Kent, that solved my problem on my Acer Notebook. I was trying to
press F8 while the notification about F2 & F12 were on the screen. My
desktop (Dell) has a slightly different on screen presentation during
bootup, the F2 & F12 instruction doesn't appear and I press F8 after the
Adaptec SCSI loads. Hence the confusion on my part.
Again thank you Kent and Pavel for the assistance.
Derek Nicholson

 

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

Thank you Kent, that solved my problem on my Acer Notebook. I was trying to
press F8 while the notification about F2 & F12 were on the screen.

You're welcome. I would like to see them make the boot menu easier to
find. Your difficulty is quite common.