How to boot into safe mode in Win XP Pro?

[ghoti]

Sorry for the stupid question, but I'm having trouble booting into safe mode.

I press F8 as the machine boots and get a screen which asks what device do I want to use to boot. I select HD1 (which has Win XP Pro OS on it), the HD I usually boot from, and the machine boots into full mode notwithstanding my sitting here with F8 key depressed the whole time. Must I boot off the WinXP CD to boot into safe mode?

The help screen reads:


To start the computer in safe mode
You should print these instructions before continuing. They will not be available after you shut your computer down in step 2.
Click Start, click Shut Down, and then, in the drop-down list, click Shut down.
In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click Restart, and then click OK.
When you see the message Please select the operating system to start, press F8.
Use the arrow keys to highlight the appropriate safe mode option, and then press ENTER.
If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation that you need to access using the arrow keys, and then press ENTER.
Notes

In safe mode, you have access to only basic files and drivers (mouse, monitor, keyboard, mass storage, base video, default system services, and no network connections). You can choose the Safe Mode with Networking option, which loads all of the above files and drivers and the essential services and drivers to start networking, or you can choose the Safe Mode with Command Prompt option, which is exactly the same as safe mode except that a command prompt is started instead of the graphical user interface. You can also choose Last Known Good Configuration, which starts your computer using the registry information that was saved at the last shutdown.
Safe mode helps you diagnose problems. If a symptom does not reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and minimum device drivers as possible causes. If a newly added device or a changed driver is causing problems, you can use safe mode to remove the device or reverse the change.
There are circumstances where safe mode will not be able to help you, such as when Windows system files that are required to start the system are corrupted or damaged. In this case, the Recovery Console may help you.
NUM LOCK must be off before the arrow keys on the numeric keypad will function.
Related Topics


I never get a message asking what operating system I want to start. Is this help screen simply out of date?

Thanks for any help for this novice.

 

[Kaido]

It sounds like the boot menu for your computer is activated by F8 (mine is F2 for the BIOS, F12 for the boot menu). Try waiting a second or two after the BIOS gets finished loading, then hit F8.

 

[bacillus]

if you're having problems with the F8 timing then run msconfig in windows>boot.ini and check safeboot under boot options.
on restarting the system will boot up in safe mode.

 

[ghoti]

I did what bacillus suggested. It worked. However, there must be a way to boot up in safe mode even if I can't get to a position to run MSCONFIG (for example if the machine gets a virus and won't boot up full mode).

As to what Kaido said, I sat with my finger pressing F8 THE WHOLE TIME from when the BIOS finishes running up until the 'Enter you Password' screen. It doesn't work -- the machine does not boot up into safe mode; it boots up full mode.

 

[FatCity]

Why not add a Safe Mode option to your boot menu?

http://www.theeldergeek.com/add_safe_mode_to_boot_menu.htm

 

[Wik]

wait untill after the bios posts and just as the hard drive starts, just push F8 a few times. Its all in the timing. Holding it down wont work.

 

[ghoti]

Thanks Wik!

I did it by putting an unbootable floppy in and then when I get the error message, I remove the floppy, hit any key and then immediately hit F8. It's amazing how time sensitive it is. That seems to be the only way I can get there!