How To Use Windows XP Safe Mode

Windows XP Safe Mode was created to help users troubleshoot boot up and system issues with Windows XP. There are really 3 different versions of Safe Mode. Depending on your scenario, you may want to choose one over another. Safe Mode basically boots up Windows XP with minimal functionality, not loading all the any drivers or system functions to enable you to make changes.

If Windows XP fails to boot up, or you get an error message, or just hangs, the initial beginning step in troubleshooting is to try to boot into Safe Mode. When your computer is starting up, press the F8 key to bypass normal booting and you will be shown the Windows Advanced Options Menu. The first 3 options are your different Safe Modes:

Safe Mode –
The most basic version, nothing lodes but the bare minimum processes

Safe Mode With Networking –
This version allows network access and the Internet if connected

Safe Mode With Command Prompt –
This version will put you into the MSDOS mode at a command line

The purpose of Safe Mode is to allow you to bypass boot issues with startup applications, hardware drivers, and malware or spyware programs. While in Safe Mode you can change system settings to stop these offending applications or drivers from loading, erase files that would normally be in use (if the file is open it is normally locked and you can’t delete it), or run some of the utilities designed to fix boot issues.

When Windows XP was originally released, Safe Mode was created to deal with video issues and other hardware drivers. Safe Mode uses the generic video settings (640 X 480 and 16 colors) and a generic VGA.sys driver. The first choice also loads the minimum system processes which also may eliminate startup application problems. *If you still can’t boot into Safe Mode you probably have issues with your primary boot files, and you should use the Recovery Console to address any file replacement.

If you need to access updated or new versions of hardware drivers, the second Safe Mode option will allow you to connect to the Internet to download and install these files. This may also be a good choice if you have some malware or adware on your system that prevents you (when booting normally and starting the offending program) accessing the anti-virus or malware software to remove these programs. One of the favorite tricks these programs do is to prevent you from accessing any software known to remove them.

The 3rd choice of Safe Mode, which boots you to an MSDOS Prompt, allows you to run utilities in MSDOS mode. Most of the advanced system adjustments and programs designed to run diagnostics will run in this mode. Since many of the major system files are not loaded, you can delete and replace this files in MSDOS.

**Warning**, if you have a USB mouse and keyboard, Safe Mode will not load USB device drivers so you will need the PS1 connections. If you have a more recent computer (say 2006 and newer), your computer bios may have the ability to mount any USB devices automatically. If your computer came with a USB mouse and keyboard, that’s a good indication your bios will perform the auto-load function for USB devices. You can go into your bios setting make sure USB legacy is enabled. Or you can borrow a standard mouse and keyboard if that option is not available.

You can also access a utility called MSCONFIG from the start menu in Safe Mode using the run command. MSCONFIG has the ability to run in diagnostic startup (only loads minimal processes) or selective startup. This can be helpful to get you to be able to boot up in normal mode. And that means if you have not backed up important data files, do it first. Current backups give you the absolute best fall back position. Make sure you have a current backup of any essential data files before doing anything else. That’s your first priority.

Once you have made a current backup, you can try the following methods to get your computer back up and running in normal mode.

If you can determine where the offending files are of any malware or adware, you can delete them to stop the automatic loading when your computer starts up. You need to be careful when deleting files in MSDOS mode, if you accidentally delete a required file for booting or running critical system processes, your computer may not reboot. Always exercise caution even make a backup if you are uncertain and be sure you know that the file you are deleting is not a necessary system or boot file.

Many times if you simply start your computer in Safe Mode and then reboot to normal booting up the loading problems can be eliminated. I cannot tell you why, only that it works at least 25% of the time. If there is a file that may not have closed properly or got out of the proper boot sequence, Windows XP does a clean boot from Safe Mode and that may be the reason why it corrects minor boot problems.

One of the most over looked fast fixes in Safe Mode is to do a System Restore. System Restore is a utility under System Tools. If you click on start, all programs, Accessories, then System Tools you will see the System Restore selection. You want to pick a Restore Point that is well before the time your current issues started. If some renegade software has been installed, it will restore your computer back to a point before this install.

You should also run any ant-virus, malware or adware, or root kit removal software whenever possible from Safe Mode. This keeps the offending software from preventing or stopping any removal activity. Many of the newer versions of these rogue programs have a self protecting feature that may prevent removal software from running in normal mode.

Windows XP Safe Mode can be a huge help to resolve many boot up problems. Always start up in Safe Mode first and try to determine if your issue is with any boot files or device drivers. It’s the best first step in determining any start up issues.

John Dow owns Houston Computer Repair, and a website that offers computer utilities to repair and protect against malware. His Power Solutions CD has helped thousands of customers fix, repair, and remove malware. Click here to learn more: Computer Repair Utilities.

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