Another Safe Mode Boot Command

Submitted by HelpMeRick.com on December 31, 2005 - 12:58am.

I mention entering Safe Mode many times on the show to help people solve problems or perform system utilities. Safe Mode is used when there may be a problem with your monitor or other device drivers required to start Windows normally. Safe Mode uses default settings and a minimum amount of device drivers to run Windows.

The screen, in safe mode, displays only 16 colors (ugly) and all the icons seem out of place and abnormally large. In safe mode, Windows prevents access to CD-ROM's, modems, sound cards and other hardware 'extras'. 

I usually recommend users press F8 after the machine starts to boot up. However, I recently discovered another method of getting into Safe Mode. All you need to do is hold down the CTRL key at the first sign of any text on the screen during boot until the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu appears.

This method may be easier than the F8 method because of the timing involved using the F8 key...start pushing the key too late and Windows will boot into normal mode.

Again, safe mode is primarily for troubleshooting purposes or performing some key system utilities that don't run for you in regular mode. Here are some past tips where we mention Safe Mode:

Run Scan Disk or Defrag in Safe Mode

If this helped, consider buying me a beer or an Americano!