Get In and Get Out of Safe Mode

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going Start Safe mode, and learn how to get OUT of safe mode!

In a past article we spoke about what is safe mode.  Now we will learn how to get to safe mode, and we will then learn about the different safe mode options.

For now… Here are a list of questions we will cover today:
What is Booting to safe mode?
How to start windows in safe mode?
How to get safe mode?
How do i get to safe mode?
How to start in safe mode?
What is Restart in Safe Mode?
How-To get out of safe mode?
We will touch on all of these questions today!

How-To get out of Safe Mode?

I’m going to start backwards today, because its happens to be the easiest answer first! With most Operating Systems you get out of safe mode by restarting your computer.  You don’t need to do anything else. With older operating systems:

• Restart your computer
• During start up as soon as you see the Starting Windows logo press the F8 key on your keyboard.
• Select 'Normal' from the option and press Enter. Your computer should now boot up in the normal mode.

What is Booting to safe mode?

The easiest way I can explain ‘booting’?  It basically turning your computer in safe mode, instead of your normal desktop view.  You want to turn on your computer IN safe mode! They are basically asking you to restart your computer in safe mode.  We cover that below!

How-To Get To Safe Mode?

We will be shutting off your computer briefly.  If you can save your documents, close your programs, etc.  All the things you normally do when shutting down your computer.
Also before you restart your computer in Safe Mode make sure you remove any discs, DVD, or CD Roms from their drive.
Next, If you look at the top of your keyboard you will find buttons that have “F” and a number.  What are all those buttons on my keyboard? seems to be one of the more popular articles on this blog.

For the safe mode we are going to use our F8 button. 
Make sure you locate that button first before you continue.  Keep in mind all keyboards are a bit different, and your F8 button may look similar to the one pictured.
Now that you know where your F8 button is restart your computer.
Once the computer has turned off completely, and has started up again I immediately hold down the F8 button.  Some people start to tap the F8 button.  Either way the F8 button must be recognized before your normal startup screens or logos are present. If you tapped or pushed the F8 button to late?  No problem restart the computer, and try it again!
The Advanced Boot Options screen will come up next. You will need to use your arrow keys to move up and down the list pictured to select your option. 
Once you have made your choice use your enter key to select it. The Top option is normally the most popular. 
The Computer will now start or reboot in safe mode. 
Notice compared to our normal desktop with all the colors this menu is pretty plain jane in comparison.  Colors are muted, and ‘safe mode’ is almost watermarked on the screen.  YOU MADE IT! You did the ‘reboot to safe mode’!

Safe Mode By Operating System

I have also made a page on how to start or boot to safe mode by operating systems.  I start with Windows 7 and finish with Windows 95.
If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner
on how to get get in  and get out of the safe mode!

Read More

What Is Safe Mode?

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going to touch on what is Safe Mode?
Our Next Article will cover booting or starting your computer in Safe Mode.
Our First question is:

What is Safe Mode?

Microsoft’s Definition of Safe Mode is:

Safe mode is a troubleshooting option for Windows that starts your computer in a limited state. Only the basic files and drivers necessary to run Windows are started. The words "Safe Mode" appear in the corners of the display to identify which Windows mode you are using. If an existing problem does not reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers as possible causes.

To me safe mode is a trouble shooting mode when your computer is having problems. 
Examples of when you may see safe mode is:

• Virus attack
• Installed new software, and either computer didn’t install correctly or outright rejects it.
• Drivers was installed (printer, scanner, etc for example), and again for some reason the computer is rejecting it.
• Your computer hates the software you just installed.

My list certainly IS NOT complete, but I hope I gave you the idea that Safe Mode is used basically when there is a problem.  You will use safe mode to try to fix the issues that the computer is rejecting.
Most of the time if you install new software or a driver, and you computer rejects it – the computer will crash or locks up.  You restart your computer, and it starts up in safe mode.

What does Safe Mode Look Like?

Your computer desktop will look the same, but the words ‘safe mode’ will almost look watermarked on your screen.  In my experience the desktop icons are normally LARGER than normal as well.  The colors aren’t as pretty, but look washed out.
You may not be able to use your scanner or printer, because only the basic resources are being used. 
As Microsoft advanced their software?  In my opinion safe mode became more easy to use, and to understand.  YEP!  Especially for beginners!

What do I do with Safe Mode?

There will be times in which you can restart your computer once again, and the problem will ‘self correct’ itself.  Other times it may not.  Try restarting it first, because it’s the easiest if it fixes the problem!
So what should you do if your computer boots to Safe Mode again?
First, try to determine what has changed on your system that could have caused Windows to fail to boot properly. If you have added any kind of hardware go to the Control Panel and remove it and uninstall the software driver for that device. Then attempt to reboot your computer.
If Windows boots properly, you can be reasonably certain that there was some type of conflict with the device (or software) and try to resolve it.
Use this same method if you have loaded a new game or application sometime recently. Go to the Control Panel, click on Add/Remove Programs and remove the software. Reboot your computer and hopefully it will start as it should.
The last time I used safe mode was when the children’s computer had an extra nasty virus.  It stopped almost all operation of the computer itself, and I used safe mode to run the anti virus program. 
Our following article is about booting in safe mode, or starting safe mode.  It will also show you how to get OUT of safe mode.
Next we will tackle booting or rebooting in safe mode by operating systems.
Finally, we will cover the different aspects of the safe mode. 
If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided below. 
Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.
Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner on What is The Safe Mode!!

Read More

Safe Mode By Operating System

Our First Article is What is Safe Mode?

Our Second Article is getting in and getting out of Safe Mode.

Below are safe mode articles by operating system.  Click on your computer’s operating system below.

Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP

Windows 2000

Windows 98 and Windows ME

Windows 95

Read More

Safe Mode Windows Vista XP Seven 7

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going to touch on Safe Mode for Windows 7, XP and Vista

 

This is one in a series of articles on safe mode, and we cover other operating systems as well.

Our first was What is Safe Mode, and then we covered getting in and out of safe mode in a general manner.

How to start a Windows Vista / Windows 7  / Windows XP operating system in safe mode

• We will be restarting your computer so make sure you prepare your computer for that by removing disks, saving documents, and closing programs.

  Click on Start button and then click the arrow next to the Lock button and then click restart.  Allow the computer to completely shut down first.  Then…

• Start tapping the F8 key.   The Windows Advanced Options Menu (Pictured above) will then appear. If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a "keyboard error" message. To resolve this, restart the computer and try again. (If you have more than one operating system use the arrow keys to highlight the operating system you would like to boot in safe mode)
• 

• Ensure that the Safe mode option is selected by using your down arrow key to highlight  the words ‘safe mode’.  If you miss it?  Use your up arrow key to go back.

  Press Enter once you are on the highlighted ‘safe mode’. The computer then begins to start in Safe mode.

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided below. 

Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner on Safe Mode in Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7!

Read More

Safe Mode Windows 2000

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going to touch on Safe Mode for Windows 2000.

 

This is one in a series of articles on safe mode, and we cover other operating systems as well.

Our first was What is Safe Mode, and then we covered getting in and out of safe mode in a general manner.

How to start a Windows 2000 operating system in safe mode

Windows 2000 doesn't have the system configuration utility and can only be started in safe mode by using the F8 key during system startup.

• Restart your computer

• During start up as soon as you see the Starting Windows logo press the F8 key on your keyboard.

• From the Windows 2000 Advanced startup menu select safe mode by using the arrow keys and press ENTER when complete.

  
• I will mention there is an option called, Last Known Good Configuration.  This feature enables a user to load the last working version of Microsoft Windows.  Its something like system restore in more current versions of Windows Operating Systems.

As you can see it looks similar to the menu above, and you will use your arrow keys and enter key in the same way.

Once you are finished with your fixes you can restart your computer once again to get OUT of safe mode!

Here is a Microsoft Article on safe mode that goes into more detail if you need it.

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner

On Safe Mode for Windows 2000.

Read More

Safe Mode Windows 98 Windows ME

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going to touch on Safe Mode for Windows 98 or Windows ME.

 

This is one in a series of articles on safe mode, and we cover other operating systems as well.

Our first was What is Safe Mode, and then we covered getting in and out of safe mode in a general manner.

How to start a windows 98/ME  operating system in safe mode

 

Method 1(Most commonly used):

• Restart your computer

  

• During start up press the CTRL key on your keyboard.

• From the start up menu select safe mode by using your arrow keys and press ENTER when complete.

  

Method 2:

• Click on Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> System Information

  

• From the Tools menu click on System Configuration Utility

• Click on Advanced and the select the Enable Startup menu checkbox

  

• Restart the computer and during start up select Safe Mode

Method 3:

• Restart your computer in MS-DOS mode

• On the command prompt type "win /d:m" without the quotes

Microsoft Article on Windows 98 Safe Mode

Microsoft Article on Windows ME safe Mode

Problems booting into Safe Mode

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner for Safe Mode for Windows 98 and Windows ME.

Read More

Safe Mode Windows 95

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going to touch on Safe Mode for Windows 95.

 

This is one in a series of articles on safe mode, and we cover other operating systems as well.

Our first was What is Safe Mode, and then we covered getting in and out of safe mode in a general manner.

How to start a Windows 95 operating system in safe mode

Windows 95 AGAIN doesn't have the system configuration utility and can only be started in safe mode by using the F8 key during system startup.

• Restart your computer

• Start tapping the <F5> key during the Starting Windows 95 message.

• OR During start up as soon as you see the Starting Windows 95 logo press the F8 key on your keyboard.

• From the start up menu select safe mode using your arrow keys and press ENTER

  

FileMaker Article on Safe Mode Win 95

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner on Safe Mode for Windows 95.

Read More