How to Start Windows XP in Safe Mode

· Filed Under Tutorials

Windows XP’s Safe Mode is built for diagnostic and troubleshooting purposes. While in Safe Mode, only the processes needed to run Windows XP are loaded. This allows you to delete files from your system that otherwise can’t be removed. The Safe Mode is especially useful for those occasions when malware has wreaked havoc with your PC, and you can’t delete it on "Normal" mode.

There are two ways to start Windows XP in Safe Mode:

Method: 1

The first way to start XP in Safe Mode is by tapping the F8 key before XP’s splash screen:

Step: 1

Windows XP Splash Screen

Restart your PC, or turn it on. Start tapping the F8 key after you start your PC to enter the Windows Advanced Options Menu. Do it before the Windows XP splash screen appears (shown above).

Step: 2

Windows Advanced Options Menu

You should now see the Windows Advanced Options Menu screen (show above).

Here you are presented with three variations of XP’s Safe Mode:

Safe Mode – This will only load the essential processes required to load Windows XP
Safe Mode with Networking – This also load’s XP’s networking functions
Safe Mode with Command Prompt – This option will allow you to access the Command Prompt, which can be useful if advanced troubleshooting is needed.

Choose whichever option you require (the first one is usually the best) using the arrow keys on your keyboard and press Enter.

Step: 3

Safemode

When the dialogue box shown above appears, click Yes to enter Safe Mode. To quit Safe Mode just restart your PC.

Method: 2

The other way to start Windows XP in Safe Mode is through the System Configuration Utility:

Step: 1

Click Start > Run > type MSCONFIG and click OK

Step: 2

Now the System Configuration Utility will appear. Go to the BOOT.INI tab, check the /SAFEBOOT option, click OK, and restart your computer when prompted. Make sure that you save all your data and close all programs before restarting!

When you want to exit Safe Mode, open MSCONFIG again, go to the BOOT.INI tab, uncheck /SAFEBOOT, and restart your PC when prompted.

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Tags: Tutorials, windows xp

Comments

11 Responses to “How to Start Windows XP in Safe Mode”

Blogging School on December 4th, 2008 1:00 am

Found you on Problogger! Nice blog.
Danilo on January 8th, 2009 12:35 pm

Estou com um problema…
Meu Pc estava com Vírus ai passei o antivirus ele detectou, mais não conseguiu excluir, e pediu para mim iniciar o windows em modo de segurança!!
Ai Utilizei a etapa 02.
Só que agora o windows não carrega mais, nem em modo de segurança nem normalmente, nem em opção nenhuma…
Gostaria de saber como faço para voltar a carregar o windows, se tem algum jeito de fazer isso pelo boot do windows, ou seja tirar a configuração SafeBoot do ms config????
Aguardo…
Cássio on January 17th, 2009 10:12 am

Valeu sobre a dica , ma quebrou um galhão!!!!!
s.o.s on February 7th, 2009 8:29 pm

yo tengo el mismo problema pero le pongo en modo seguro y se vuelve a poner lo mismo
designerplus1 on February 11th, 2009 7:16 pm

Thx a lot

you helped me
LUCAS on March 19th, 2009 5:25 pm

hola tengo un problema toque el msconfig y se me inicia siempre igual no me anda el sonido y la barra de inicio se me queda siempre en forma de versiones anteriores quiero ver la lista de dispositivos para reinstalar el sonido y me aparece todo en blanco la lista de dispositivos nose que hacer ya use la opcion en el msconfig para que cargue todo los controladores de inicio y se inicia igual que puedo hacer para que me ande bien la maquina? gracias
alex on March 25th, 2009 10:17 pm

am o mare problema, nu’mi intra in safe mode si e al 2 lea windows instalat
How to Rid Your Computer of Adware, Spyware and Viruses - Tips And Tricks | Phoenix All In One Blog on May 11th, 2009 1:16 pm

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Problem Installing Messenger and Windows Live « Regev’s Library on July 3rd, 2009 12:22 pm

[...] be removed, restart the PC and try deleting them once more. If delete fails again, restart in “safe mode” and delete the directories, and then restart normally (not in safe mode). 7) Open the Registry [...]
juli on November 22nd, 2009 8:29 am

windows advanced option is appear, but still cannot go through safe mode window. it still running the same option after pressed normal or safe mode option. why?
Jonny on November 22nd, 2009 6:14 pm

Thanks man, I’ve got this Security Tool virus program that is denying me access to pretty much everything, I had just recovered it and I got it up, downloaded stuff like .net framework 3.5 and a driver for my audio media card because it had corrupted and my sounds weren’t working, but I got it all fixed and I went to download AC web ultimate repack 8.0 to start my private server (Offline, my World of Warcraft account has been frozen for quite some time.) and right as I got to google it started acting up, but you have saved meee, thank you oh great computer guru!