Safe Mode is a component of Windows that allows you to access your Window’s interface without having to load unnecessary drives and software. This component becomes useful if you are having much difficulties running your Windows version normally or if it has been corrupted by another program. In Safe Mode, only your basic drivers and programs will show up (enough to let you as least try to reconfigure the Windows errors that might have happened or remove virus that become active only when starting your PC normally.).
How to get into Safe Mode with Windows XP
It is easy to get into Safe Mode. It is done while you are switching on (booting) your computer.
1. When the first screen will display the memory and hardware information about your PC, press the F8 key.
2. Windows XP will by now list the various booting options for your system. With the keyboard arrows, choose to boot your system in ‘Safe Mode’.
3. If you are somehow in a network and your system requires that you are connected to the other computers or to the Internet, choose ‘Safe mode with networking’ option. Note that dial up connection users will not be able to use this option in Safe mode.
How to get into Safe Mode with Windows XP Home edition
With a Windows XP Home edition, you should first logon to the Admin account by disabling the “Bypassing the Logon Screen”.
If you have “Bypassing the Logon Screen” turned on here's how to turn it off:
To disable this function:
- 1. Go to your start button, select “Command Prompt” from the “Accessories” list.
- 2. Type in “control userpasswords2” and press “Enter”. This command will launch the Windows 2000 User Accounts application.
- 3. Go to the “Users tab” and check the box labeled “Users Must Enter a User Name and Password to Use This Computer”, then click “Ok”.
You can now boot into Safe Mode by pressing the F8 key. The password for the Admin account should be left blank in Safe mode.
How to get into Safe mode by the System Configuration Utility
- 1. Got to your Start menu and select “Run” option.
- 2. Type in msconfig command and click OK. The System Configuration Utility program will then open.
- 3. Select the BOOT.INI tab located at the top of the System Configuration Utility window.
- 4. Check the box labeled /SAFEBOOT and click OK.
- 5. When asked if you prefer to restart the PC immediately, or Exit Without Restart, choose to restart the computer manually.
- 6. Your computer will automatically boot into Windows XP Safe Mode when you will restart it.
- 7. When you are done with Safe Mode, go to the Start menu again and select Run option. Type in msconfig *and click OK.
- 8. Select the Normal Startup radio button and click OK.
- 9. When asked if you prefer to restart the PC immediately, or Exit Without Restart, choose to restart the computer manually.
- 10. Your computer will boot into Normal mode the next time you switch it on.
IMPORTANT:
If you are a novice, do not try to change any configuration settings in a Safe Mode environment using the Command Prompt. You could seriously damage your system. You can contact a technician if you are not able to boot in Safe Mode.