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REFERENCE NUMBER: CHSAFE

Getting into Windows Safe
Mode.

About:

Getting into Windows Safe Mode.

Additional Information:

See our safe mode
definition page for a definition on this term as well as
related definitions and pages.

Reason:

Users who may not be able to boot into normal mode may need to
boot into safe mode bypassing normal windows settings and startup
programs, allowing the user to fix his or her computer.

Solution:

Windows 95
Users
Windows 98
/ ME Users
Windows
2000 Users
Windows XP
Users

How to get
out of Safe Mode

Unable to
get into Safe mode see document CH000750

Windows 95 Users

To get into Windows 95 safe mode, as the computer is booting,
when you either hear a beep or when you see the message "Starting
Windows 95", press your F8 key on the top of your keyboard. If
done properly you should get into the Windows 95 Startup menu
similar to the below screen. In this menu choose option 3 by
pressing the 3 key and press enter.

Microsoft Windows 95
Startup Menu
=============================

1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe
mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation
5. Command prompt
only
6. Safe mode command prompt
only

Enter a choice: 1

F5=Safe Mode Shift+F5=Command
prompt Shift+F8= Step-by-step confirmation
[N]

Windows 98 / ME
Users

To get into Windows 98 / ME safe mode, as the computer is
booting press and hold your "F8 key" on the top of your keyboard
or press and hold the left or right Ctrl key as the computer is
booting. If done properly you should get into the "Windows 98 /
ME Startup Menu" similar to the below screen example. In this
menu choose option 3 by pressing the 3 key and press
enter.

Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key
as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If
this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap
the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.

Microsoft Windows 98
Startup Menu
=============================

1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe
mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation
5. Command prompt
only
6. Safe mode command prompt
only

Enter a choice: 1

F5=Safe Mode Shift+F5=Command
prompt Shift+F8= Step-by-step confirmation
[N]

Windows 2000 / XP
Users

Tip: If you are running safe mode because you cannot get
into Windows you may want to first try loading the last known good
configuration. Additional information about this mode can be found
on document
CH000626.

To get into the Windows 2000 / XP Safe mode, as the computer is
booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the
"Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow
keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.

Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe
mode - If after several attempts you are unable to get into
Windows 2000 or Windows XP safe mode as the computer is booting
into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned
on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not
successfully boot and give you the safe mode screen.

Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as
the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this
occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8
key" continuously until you get the startup menu.

Windows Advanced
Options Menu
Please select an option:

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with
Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA
mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent
settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode
(Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging
Mode

Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices
Menu

Use the up and down arrow keys to move
the highlight to your
choice.

How do I get out of safe
mode?

From Windows Safe Mode click Start / Shutdown and restart the
computer. This should start the computer automatically back into
Normal Mode.

Note: Many users believe that they are still in safe
mode because the colors or video may not look correct. Unless in
the corners of the screen it says "Safe Mode", you are not in safe
mode. For information on how to setup your video card resolution,
see document CH000190.

If you are rebooting the computer and it is rebooting back into
Safe Mode (it does say "Safe Mode" in each of the corners), it is
likely another problem exists with Windows preventing it from
loading into Normal Windows. We recommend you see our basic troubleshooting
section for additional ideas that may help to resolve your
issue.

INDEX

Category:
Windows
95
Windows
98
Windows
ME
Windows
2000
Windows
XP

Companies:
Microsoft

Related
Pages:
Questions
& Answers

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