# A safe way to start Windows.



## franca (Aug 26, 2002)

Having trouble with Windows? If Windows won't start, sometimes you can get in there and fix what ails you in Safe Mode. Heck, if you cannot get ScanDisk to ever finish, running it in Safe Mode normally does the trick. When you see the "Starting Windows" message, here are the secret keys to press:

F5 -- Safe mode. This allows Windows to start with its most basic configuration, bypassing Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files and using the VGA driver for video and not loading networking software.

F6 -- Safe mode (like F5) but with the addition of network support.

F8 -- Gives you a menu of different options before Startup. This is a really good one to remember!


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## RSM123 (Aug 1, 2002)

Thanks,

Here is another site that users might want refer to :

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm

As an XP user however, there were several occasions when the F8 option failed for some reason - in that instance anyone using XP might like to try Start > Run type MSCONFIG - click Boot.ini tab at the top of the interface that appears - then click Safe Mode box under Boot Options.

It can take a while to restart in Safe Mode but it does work.


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## joe2cool (Feb 7, 2002)

..........


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## GoJoAGoGo (Dec 26, 2002)

tips, thanks guys.


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## Alfie_UK (Mar 28, 2003)

Hi Franca&RSM,
Thanks for both your tips/link,learning something new all the time


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## franca (Aug 26, 2002)

Your welcome.


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