The so-called safe mode or Safe Mode, used to start the system in the presence of critical problems, is available in any version of operating systems of the Windows family. But sometimes you can encounter completely unusual situations when safe mode does not start. Many people simply don’t know what to do in this case, and for some reason most start immediately reinstalling the operating system. It must be said that this is far from the most correct and reasonable solution, since troubleshooting this type of problem, unless disruptions in the operation of the OS itself or computer hardware have reached a peak level at which only the most drastic measures can help, can be done quite simply. And before we figure out why safe mode doesn’t start, let’s define what it is, what it’s for, and what factors may be associated with the inability to use it.
What is Safe Mode and what is it for?
The Safe Start mode itself, as stated by the Windows developers, is a kind of selective type of startup of the operating system, in which only its most necessary components are loaded, and only those that are capable of ensuring the computer’s performance at a minimum level, but at the same time allow the use of basic OS tools to troubleshoot problems. possible problems. Indeed, many people know that during normal booting of the system, along with its main components, a huge number of additional services and processes start, including control driver programs that ensure the correct functioning of absolutely all hardware and some virtual devices. Thus, if a failure occurs in some process, which is displayed throughout the OS as a whole, it can be eliminated by loading the minimum configuration.
Standard safe start call in Windows version seven and below
Quite often, novice users complain that in Windows 7, safe mode does not start using the standard method, although they seem to follow the instructions exactly and press the F8 key at the beginning of boot. The problem here is that single pressing does not always work (sometimes you need to press the key several times).
In addition, many people miss the very moment when loading begins or try to use the keystroke too early. But this is the simplest thing that can be.
In principle, if the system starts without problems in normal mode, you can start a reboot with a safe start directly through its configuration settings (msconfig), where on the boot tab you just need to check the appropriate box, save the changes, and perform a restart. Please note that when this item is activated, loading will always be done in Safe Mode, so if it starts to work normally, its use will need to be disabled when you re-enter the configurator parameters.
Note: if several operating systems are installed on your computer, the option to use a reboot with safe start will need to be checked for each of them.
Why won't Safe Mode start in Windows 10?
The above solution is relevant for all systems, including the tenth modification. But many people complain that safe mode does not start via F8. Why is that? Yes, only because it shouldn’t start using this method, since calling the boot menu using this key in the “ten” is disabled initially. Access to this start option (it is unknown why) was changed and became extremely difficult for an untrained user. To use it, you need to use completely different loading methods, and often even navigate through many different menus.
How to load "top ten" in Safe Mode: methods one
Now let's see what can be done if Windows 10 does not start in safe mode with F8. One of the options for activating it, provided in this modification of the system, is to use the new options menu, called up through the start button, in which the update and security section is selected.
On the left in the menu there is a recovery item, and in the window on the right there is an item for special boot options. After confirming the immediate restart, a slightly modified menu will appear on the screen, in which you can select the desired boot mode.
Safe start of Windows 10: method two
One more method can be called both simple and quite complex. Let's assume that using the above methods (although this is unlikely), Windows Safe Mode does not start. In this case, you can get to his selection section by navigating through several menus.
First, you should use the reboot item from the start menu while holding down the Shift key, and then through the diagnostics menu and additional options go to the boot options section, where you select the desired item, after which a full restart is confirmed.
Note: exactly the same sequence can be used when starting from removable media, when not only a normal start, but even safe mode does not start when you try to boot Windows from the hard drive.
How to return the use of the F8 key in the tenth system modification?
Despite the fact that there is no standard entry to the boot menu in Windows 10, you can return to using the F8 key to call it quite simply. If the system boots in normal mode without any problems, you need to launch the command console (necessarily with administrator rights) and run the command in it to activate the standard boot mode by changing the policy for calling the corresponding menu (bcdedit /set (current) bootmenupolicy legacy).
When you restart, you can use the standard method again. By the way, the same applies to executing the corresponding command when booting from removable media, but the command line in this case is called up by pressing Shift + F10 or by navigating to the desired item from numerous additional sections.
Why won't Windows start in safe mode?
Finally, let’s leave the standard methods for calling the boot menu alone and see what problems may be associated with the impossibility of using Safe Start as such. We will assume that safe mode in Windows 7 does not start at all (despite the fact that it seems to be possible to use it). Most often, such problems are associated with failures in the hardware or software of the computer system. In terms of hardware, this could be problems with the operation of the hard drive, and in terms of software components, it could be damage to system files and the effects of viruses.
Troubleshooting hard drive problems
So, if Windows 7 does not start in safe mode, first of all pay attention to the condition of the hard drive. First, make sure that it is defined in the parameters of the primary input/output system BIOS or UEFI. If this is all right, try booting the system in normal mode and check the hard drive for errors. It is not recommended to use the standard tool. It is better to use the command line and the CHKDSK toolkit. By and large, it may not be possible to check the system partition. In this case, you will be prompted to check the next time you boot. But this technique does not guarantee complete elimination of possible failures. The optimal option, it is believed, would be to boot from removable media, call the command console and run a scanning tool indicating the letter for each partition (for example, chkdsk c: /x/f/r).
It also happens that if safe mode does not start, sudden failures and malfunctions can be eliminated by rolling back the system to an earlier state in which everything worked. In the case of loading in normal mode, you can use the special section “Control Panel”.
To simplify the actions, it is better to call the “Run” console (Win + R) and set the rollback command in it (rstrui), and then select the desired restore point.
Similarly, you can restore the functionality of the OS from removable media with the installation distribution. A simpler (but considered barbaric) action to initiate an automatic rollback is to force shutdown by long pressing the power button and then starting (this procedure is performed several times in a row).
Checking system files
If safe mode does not start even after this, it may well be that some important system files are damaged. Accordingly, it is necessary to check their integrity and, if possible, restore them (meaning bootloader components). It is already clear that it is impossible to do this in a non-working system. Therefore, you will again have to use a removable disk or flash drive with an installation distribution or special recovery media, and then call the command line and run the sfc /scannow command in it.
If there is no result, you can use the first two commands of the Bootrec.exe tool, shown in the image above, to restore the boot. If such actions do not produce results, you will need to completely rewrite the bootloader by specifying another (third) command for execution.
Viral Exposure Issues
Finally, if safe mode does not start due to a virus attack, all previous methods of restoring the operating system may simply not make sense, since in most cases, even with recovery, files may become infected again.
In this case, it is advisable to use not even portable scanners (after all, it is impossible to boot the system), but special disk programs that have their own boot loaders (for example, Kaspersky Rescue Disk or similar). But after removing threats and disinfecting objects, you can use tools to restore system components.
Special abilities
It remains to be said that if none of the above proposed methods yielded results, you can use the AVZ utility. Despite the fact that it is ostensibly an antivirus, the program has many additional features, including tools for troubleshooting startup problems and using Safe Start. If the application is included on a disc like a LiveCD, even better. It can be launched directly from removable media. If you wish, you can even add the program to the system distribution yourself, using applications like Actual Installer or similar utilities that allow you to create your own installation kits integrating any components into them. But to create bootable media, the easiest way would be to use the small Rufus program, which is by far the simplest, despite its English-language interface.
What to do if nothing helps?
Finally, if after this neither the normal boot nor calling any of the safe start options work, all that remains is to reinstall the operating system, and with a complete formatting of the system partition, since the new copy may inherit the errors of the old OS, and the startup problem will manifest itself again. Please note that some specific laptop models may contain built-in additional menus through which you can return the device to its original state, including the operating system pre-installed on it. In this case, the user's actions are simplified even more. The only thing you should pay attention to when performing a reset is the safety of user files (they can either be previously copied to another location, or rolled back while preserving the data, if so provided by the settings). But, in theory, things usually don’t come to such drastic measures, and at least one of the methods described above will give results.
Modern hard drives are connected to the motherboard of computer devices via the SATA interface, which allows operation, in particular, in IDE and AHCI modes. IDE is an old mode, it is necessary to ensure compatibility with outdated components and programs. The AHCI mode is also not a new development in the IT field, it appeared back in 2004, but it is a current mechanism for connecting hard drives via the SATA II and SATA III interface. AHCI has a number of advantages over IDE:
- the ability to connect more devices to the motherboard;
- operating hard drives at their highest possible speed;
- so-called “hot swapping” of hard drives, that is, disconnecting and connecting without having to turn off the computer;
- support for NCQ technology, which improves hard drive performance under multitasking conditions.
SATA mode is set in the BIOS. On modern laptops, AHCI mode is usually set by default. But new motherboards for PC builds may come with IDE mode active for hardware compatibility purposes. You can change IDE to AHCI (or vice versa) at any time in the BIOS of computers that support both modes. Not all computers support AHCI, but most do, since this mode has been around for 12 years. The minority includes rare vintage devices that were released onto the market, respectively, before the advent of AHCI. But even if the computer is less than 12 years old, if it supports AHCI, switching to this mode may still cause problems due to the lack of the appropriate setting in the outdated BIOS version. In such cases, you must first resolve the issue of updating the BIOS.
1. How to find out which mode – IDE or AHCI – is currently installed
You can find out which mode - IDE or AHCI - is currently active on your computer in Windows Device Manager. Expanding the thread:
- “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers” in Windows versions 8.1 and 10;
- "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers" in Windows 7.
If your computer's hard drives are connected via AHCI mode, the list of devices will include a SATA AHCI controller.
If IDE mode is active on the computer, the list of branches will contain an entry, respectively, about the IDE controller.
An alternative way is to use the AS SSD Benchmark utility to test the speed of hard drives. If hard drives can operate in AHCI mode, but the BIOS is set to IDE, the utility will notify you of this with the red value “pciide BAD”.
If the computer is running in AHCI mode, in the utility window we will see the green value “storahci - Ok”.
These two methods will make it possible to understand which mode is currently set. But to determine whether support for AHCI mode is implemented in the BIOS, you need to enter it and find the option to enable AHCI. The selection of SATA operating modes in different BIOS versions may be located in the “Advanced” or “Main” sections. For example, in the BIOS UEFI of the Asus motherboard, this is the “Advanced” section, in it you need to enter the “SATA Configuration” subsection and expand the options for the “SATA Mode” parameter.
Another example is the BIOS AMI (V17.9) of the MSI motherboard, here everything is more complicated, and not everyone will be able to immediately figure out where the AHCI setting is. In the “Integrated Peripherals” section, you must select the “On-Chip ATA Devices” subsection, and in it – “Raid Mode”, which provides a choice of hard drive connection modes.
2. Consequences of switching to AHCI mode for Windows operation
So, you can change the IDE mode to AHCI at any time in the BIOS settings. But for Windows, such a move will not result in a slight delay at startup due to the automatic installation of the necessary drivers, as when replacing some computer components. In this case, even getting rid of the connection to computer components using the standard Windows Sysprep utility, as is the case with replacing the motherboard or processor, will not help. Changing the IDE mode to AHCI leads to serious consequences - Windows simply will not start again. As a result, we will get either a blue screen of death or a cyclic reboot of Windows with a notification that the system has not started correctly.
The fact is that IDE and AHCI modes when installing Windows are registered at the registry level. To operate hard drives in AHCI mode, a special driver is required, which is automatically installed with versions of Windows starting with Vista. Since the AHCI mode appeared later than Windows XP, the AHCI driver must first be integrated into the distribution of this version of the system, taken from the motherboard driver disk or downloaded from the Internet.
Ideally, switching to AHCI mode should be done before installing or reinstalling Windows. But there are ways to activate AHCI without having to reinstall Windows - by starting safe mode or editing the system registry. Below we will consider these methods for versions of Windows 7, 8.1 and 10.
3. Mandatory measures and procedures
In principle, any experiments with Windows can lead to undesirable results, but methods for adapting the operating system to AHCI mode must be taken with particular seriousness. Because in this case, settings that affect the system's ability to boot will be affected. It is strictly forbidden to proceed with the instructions below without having previously prepared emergency means. You must either make a backup copy of the system and burn bootable media with a backup program, or create a system restore point and prepare Windows installation media. Using the latter, you can enter the recovery environment of the current system or, as a last resort, start the process of reinstalling Windows.
The procedure is as follows:
- Step 1 – check the AHCI enable setting in the BIOS;
- Step 2 – preparation of emergency means;
- Step 3 - depending on the chosen method, either configure the next system startup in safe mode, or edit the system registry;
- Step 4 – reboot, enter BIOS and enable AHCI mode;
- Step 5 – start the computer.
4. Windows Safe Mode
The first method is designed so that when you enter Windows Safe Mode, the AHCI driver will be installed automatically. But, unfortunately, this will not work in every case. On a running system, you need to configure the next startup in safe mode, reboot, enter the BIOS and set the AHCI mode. After starting the computer in safe mode, the AHCI driver should in theory be installed. If everything goes well, all that remains is to reboot the system in normal operation.
A universal way to enter safe mode the next time you boot Windows for all current versions of the system is to use the msconfig utility, called using the “Run” command.
5. Editing the Windows Registry
If the safe mode method does not work, you can avoid reinstalling the system by editing its registry. To launch the Registry Editor, in the “Run” command field, enter:
4.1 Editing the registry Windows 8.1 and 10
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
In this branch, look for the “iaStorV” folder, click on it, open the “Start” parameter and set its value to “0”. Click "Ok".
Expand the “iaStorV” folder, select the “StartOverride” subfolder, open the “0” parameter and set its value to “0”. Click "Ok".
We go down alphabetically and find the “storahci” folder. Click on it and open the “ErrorControl” parameter. We remove the preset value “3” and enter “0” instead. Click "Ok".
4.2. Editing the Windows 7 registry
In the Registry Editor window, expand the branch:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services
In the branch we find the “iaStorV” folder, click on it, open the “Start” parameter and set the value to “0”. Click "Ok".
After editing the registry, reboot the computer, go into the BIOS, activate the AHCI mode and start the system.
6. If Windows won't boot
If none of the methods helped adapt Windows to work in AHCI mode, the system will have to be reinstalled. But the current Windows can be started if, for example, you need to remove the settings of installed software or save some important files stored on drive C in a safe place. To do this, you need to enter the BIOS again and set the active IDE mode setting back.
However, it may also happen that the system will not be able to boot in either AHCI or IDE mode. If there is no blue screen of death, but versions of Windows 8.1 and 10 reboot cyclically, giving a screen that says “Automatic recovery,” click “Advanced options.”
Going to the “Select Action” menu, follow the path indicated in the screenshot below and roll back to the restore point.
If a blue screen of death appears when you start your computer, boot from the Windows installation media and at the system installation stage, select the “System Restore” option at the bottom.
Once in the “Select Action” menu, we follow the steps described above.
Those who choose the backup method using third-party software use the bootable media of the backup program.
One of the main elements of any computer device, as you know, is the hard drive on which information is stored. In relation to hard drives of any type, the term AHCI is used. But many users not only know how to enable AHCI, but have no idea what it is. Let's consider the meaning of the main term and the actions required to activate this mode on Windows systems.
What is AHCI?
Modern hard drives connected to the motherboard through operation can use two modes: IDE (compatibility with legacy equipment) and AHCI - the latest standard, designated as Advanced Host Controller Interface, which allows you to significantly increase the performance of the device itself and the installed operating system due to faster reading data.
Almost all modern SSD drives show an increase in performance when accessing them precisely when the AHCI mode is set. But this is not the most important thing.
What is AHCI mode for?
Let's leave for now the question of how to enable AHCI mode in Windows, and let's look at the benefits that a user of a modern computer can derive from activating this mode.
First of all, when AHCI mode is activated, you can change or install additional hard drives, as they say, “on the fly” (even without turning off the computer or reinstalling the operating system). This is undoubtedly a huge plus for servers.
The second aspect is related to the fact that when this mode is installed, a special NCQ technology comes into effect, which allows you to reduce the number of movements of the read heads, while speeding up the simultaneous use of access to the hard drive by different applications, programs and services. Finally, activating AHCI is believed to have a beneficial effect on overall system performance. Of course, as evidenced by reviews from experts and users, at home there will not be a significant increase in performance, however, if you install an SSD hard drive, it is still better to enable this mode.
What not to do and what to pay attention to initially
But the most important misconception of most users is that they try to use exclusively the settings of the primary BIOS system for activation (at least, this can be read in most reviews of emerging problems). It is strictly forbidden to do this without performing preliminary actions in the operating system.
You can activate the mode in the BIOS only if you install the OS on a “clean” hard drive. If you perform this procedure with an existing OS on board, Windows will generate an error at startup and go into constant reboot mode. Then the complaints begin, saying that the user enabled AHCI mode in Windows, but nothing good came of it. What to say? Basic rules may have been violated, since different modifications of the system require different actions.
How to check if AHCI mode is active?
But first you should check if the mode is enabled. Perhaps its additional activation will not be needed.
In the simplest case, when starting a computer terminal or laptop, you need to go to the BIOS settings and access the SATA Mode section.
In the operating system itself, you can use the “Device Manager”, called from the “Control Panel”, administration or the “Run” console with the command devmgmt.msc and go to the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers section. When this mode is enabled, the AHCI controller will be displayed in standard devices. If it is not on the list, you will have to decide how to enable AHCI in the system. Again, the decision depends on which version of Windows is installed on the computer.
How to enable AHCI mode in Windows 7
So, first, let's look at the "seven". For the seventh and tenth versions, the actions look somewhat similar, but for Windows 8 they are quite different.
- The first step is to call the registry editor (regedit in the Run console).
- Expand the HKLM thread.
- Through the SYSTEM, CurrentControlSet directories and the final Services directory, reach the msahci folder.
- On the right, call up the menu for editing the Start parameter and set its value to zero.
- Now in the Services directory you need to find the IastorV directory, in which, for the Start parameter, actions similar to those described above are performed.
- Only after completing these procedures, the question of how to enable AHCI in the BIOS without catastrophic consequences for the system will cease to be a problem.
Actions in Windows 8/8.1
For Windows 8, the above method will not work, since there is a simpler solution. In this case, you first need to set the system to minimum boot mode in safe mode. How to enable AHCI? Simple enough.
- To do this, first call the command line (necessarily as an administrator), and enter the combination bcdedit /set (current) safeboot minimal.
- After this, you need to reboot, at the very beginning of the restart, enter the BOIS settings and then switch the mode from IDE to AHCI.
- After saving the settings, a reboot follows again, the command console is called, and the line bcdedit /deletevalue (current) safeboot is written in it, after which another restart of the computer follows.
In principle, the question of how to enable AHCI in the G8 can be resolved by using a special utility from Intel (of course, if you have a processor from this particular manufacturer).
- First, you need to download the driver in the form of the f6flpy file and the SetupRST.exe customizer from the official resource.
- After this, the desired hard drive is selected in the “Device Manager”, the driver update procedure is applied, and the downloaded f6flpy file is manually specified as the driver itself.
- This is followed by a reboot, and after the system starts with the AHCI mode already activated, the SetupRST executable configuration file is launched to complete the computer setup.
How to enable AHCI on Windows 10?
As already mentioned, for the tenth version of the system the actions are somewhat similar to those performed in Windows 7. The only difference is the selection of folders and parameters.
- In the system registry we find the Services directory. Here, the storahci directory is used for the Start parameter.
- Next, zero values are set for parameter 0 in the storahci/StartOverride and iaStorV/StartOverride directories.
- After this, you can begin to activate the primary value in the BIOS primary input/output system settings.
By the way, in the eighth version of the system, editing similar parameters can also be done. But why, if there is a simpler rational solution to the problem?
Activating AHCI in BIOS
To enter settings on desktop computers, the Del key is most often used, and for laptops - F2, F12, combinations with the Esc and Fn keys, or special buttons on the panel like ASSIST in Sony VAIO.
Here you need to find the AHCI mode section or settings. How to enable the required parameter in the BIOS? Just use the enter key on the SATA mode setting line, and select a parameter using the arrows with confirmation in the form of another press of Enter. When exiting, don’t forget to save the changes (F10 + Y) and reboot the system. When you restart, the system will automatically install the necessary drivers.
Possible problems
Unfortunately, sometimes unexpected errors may occur when switching to AHCI mode. Perhaps the hard drive itself does not support this mode of operation. In this case, there is no point in trying to activate AHCI.
On the other hand, if the system boots, but some errors are displayed or crashes occur precisely after switching from IDE to AHCI, you can try to troubleshoot using a specially developed utility from Microsoft called Fix It.
If neither one nor the other helps, you will have to call up the BIOS settings again and change the operating mode of the hard drive. Please note: if AHCI was activated without performing the preliminary steps in the system registry described above, these methods may not work. The solution is either a system restore using removable media or a complete reinstallation of Windows. So be careful. However, I would like to hope that it will not come to this (of course, provided that the entire sequence was completed exactly in the order that was given in the description).
When repeating or clearing, you can initially enable this mode in the BIOS, so that later you don’t have to rush around looking for a solution to activate it or troubleshoot problems and malfunctions in your computer or laptop.
Instead of a total
In conclusion, it remains to add that inexperienced users who are not familiar with the intricacies of setting up the primary BIOS system and Windows operating systems should not activate this mode unless absolutely necessary. All the same, on modern computers with powerful processors and large amounts of RAM, the performance increase will not be particularly noticeable. On old terminals or laptops there is no point in using this mode at all. Basically, as already mentioned, such settings are more suitable for servers when the hard drive is accessed by several dozen child terminals on the local network.
Windows7 won't boot into safe mode / Windows 7
At the moment, the leading place among well-known operating systems is occupied by Windows 7. But, despite the popularity of the “Seven,” even “an old woman can get screwed.” In other words, the “seven” is by no means a symbol of the absolute quality of the OS: and the “seven” has a whole bunch of its own system “jambs”. Let's consider one of these:
So, you decided to test your computer in Safe Mode. Why do you need this is a different question. And now we are interested in this: you tried to launch “Seven” in “Safe Mode”, but nothing worked for you! But you should pay tribute to the fact that since your system starts quite normally in normal mode, then everything is not so bad.
Let's consider options for solving the problem that has arisen.
"Windows7" does not boot in "Safe Mode":
Option #1 is the most radical: a complete reinstallation of Windows OS. But, as you understand, this is not always possible, since valuable files may be accumulated on the system, and removable drives may not be at hand.
Option #2: Download the 7-safe-boot.zip file from the Internet. This is the archive you should unpack. Immediately after unpacking, you need to run the safeboot.reg file. As soon as the file is launched, you will have access to the "Registry Editor". A window will appear that says something like this: “Adding information may cause values to be changed or deleted unintentionally...”, etc. At the end you will be given two options to choose from: “Continue” (or “Yes”) or “Cancel”. Guess what you need to choose? That's right: "Continue"!
Another message window appeared, in which it was written that “the data from the registry file 7-safeboot.reg was successfully added to the registry.” Now all that remains is to do the final touch: click on “Ok”.
Option #3: change the system configuration. This method is interesting because the “teapot” acquires the skill of working with system settings. But be careful: do not make a mistake and do only what is written in these instructions! So, go to the "System Configuration" window: Start - Run. In the "Open" field, enter the "msconfig" command and press the "Enter" or "Ok" key. You see the "System Configuration" window open and a bunch of active tabs at the top. Open the tab labeled "Download" and the line "Safe Mode" will appear there. Place a checkmark next to “Safe Mode” and click “Ok”.
Restart your computer and check the operation of “Safe Mode”: press “F8” at the very beginning of loading the operating system. After you succeed, you should once again enter “System Configuration” - “Boot” - “Safe Mode” to uncheck the box next to “Safe Mode” - “Ok”.
There is another way!
enable the following parameter in the BIOS settings:
USB Keyboard Support
USB Keyboard Function
Legacy USB Support
USB Device Function
USB Device Legacy Support
USB Driver Select
USB Emulation
USB Function for DOS
USB KB/Storage Support
USB Legacy
USB Legacy Support
Safe mode (English – Safe Mode)– diagnostic mode, in which all unnecessary drivers and Windows functions are disabled. Used to troubleshoot problems that arise in PC operation. You just need to start safe mode and fix the errors, after which the PC will work as it should again.
In what cases might you need to enter safe mode? For example, to solve the problem when .
Also, in this way you can remove viruses, reset your password, fix errors (including the blue screen of death), restore the system, etc.
There are several ways. Plus, they differ somewhat depending on what operating system you have. Therefore, below we will look at all the available ways to enter Windows safe mode.
There are 2 universal methods that work on all versions of Windows - XP, 7, 8 and 10. Moreover, they are the simplest. Perhaps we'll start with them.
Login via msconfig utility
The first way is through a special utility. To do this you need to follow simple instructions:
- Press Win + R (the button between “Ctrl” and “Alt”) and enter the word “msconfig”.
- In the new window, select the “Boot” tab, indicate the desired OS and check the “Safe Mode” checkbox. There are a couple of sub-items here - it is recommended to choose either “minimal” (standard option) or “network” (in this case there will be access to the Internet).
- Click “OK” and restart your PC - now it will turn on in safe mode.
When you fix the errors, do not forget to return the computer to normal startup mode! This is done in exactly the same way - using the msconfig utility (only now you need to uncheck the box).
There is a small nuance here: in this way you can enable safe mode in Windows OS only if your OS boots normally. If you can’t even load the desktop, then use the second method.
Login using F8
This method is suitable for those whose PC or laptop does not turn on (the desktop does not load, the monitor goes dark, etc.). In this case, do the following:
- Turn on your PC (or laptop) and immediately press the F8 key repeatedly until a menu appears (in some cases you need to press Shift + F8).
- If the Windows logo appears or the screen goes dark, you failed. Wait until the system boots completely, then restart your PC and try again.
- When you do everything correctly, a menu will open where you use the arrows to select “Safe Mode” (the best option).
P.S. This method does not work on Windows 10! This feature has been disabled by the developers.
Special download options for Windows 10
If Windows starts, then you need to do the following:
What to do if Windows 10 does not start? If the PC boots before the login screen, then “Special boot options” can be opened in another way. To do this, click on the power button icon (in the lower right corner), hold down Shift and select “Restart”.
We use a disk or flash drive
This is the most reliable way to boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode. But in this case, you need a DVD or (they can be recorded on any PC or laptop).
Connect a USB drive or insert a disk, load them (), and then do the following:
- After loading, press Shift + F10.
- After opening the command line, enter – bcdedit /set (default) safeboot minimal.
- Then close it and restart your PC. It will turn on.
To return the PC to normal startup, enter the following on the command line: bcdedit /deletevalue (default) safeboot.
You can do this in the same way (or as an administrator ) .
You can also enable the mode in Windows 8 in 4 different ways
The first two are described in detail at the beginning of the article. The other two are quite similar to the options that are suitable for Windows 10, but we will still look at them in more detail to make it easier for you to navigate.
Diagnostic tools
So, the first method is to activate the buffer format (only suitable if the OS is working normally). To do this we do the following:
The PC will start in Safe Mode, and you can carry out the necessary manipulations.
And another simple option for launching safe mode in Windows 8 is using a bootable flash drive or DVD with Windows files. The procedure is as follows:
What to do on Windows 7 and XP
You can enter safe mode in Windows 7 or XP using one of the universal methods described at the beginning of this article. The first option is suitable in cases where the OS is working normally, and the second option is suitable if the PC or laptop does not turn on.
It is worth noting that the operating system is in no way related to the BIOS. It also doesn’t matter what brand of laptop you have – Samsung, Asus, Lenovo, HP, Acer, LG, etc.
What to do if Safe Mode does not start?
Sometimes a PC or laptop stubbornly refuses to enable safe mode. The reason is trivial - viruses damaged the Windows registry. In such situations, there are only 2 options:
- restoring PC operation (system rollback to a checkpoint);
- installation of special programs.
The optimal method, of course, would be the first one - restoring the computer from a checkpoint. If you do not have them saved (for example, disabled), then the only option left is to install programs to restore the Windows registry. In this case, you can use the free Safe Mode Repair or SafeBootKeyRepair.