F8

[LCplMurphy]

Add Safe Mode to the Boot menu

Safe Mode is generally used during times when you need to troubleshoot a Windows problem. To access it, you have to press F8 during startup. If you’re not paying attention and don’t press the key at the right moment, you’ll be restarting in some instances, several times. Trekkers might call this a Parabolic Loop and it can get real old, real fast. So here is a way you can save yourself having to press F8 during startup to access Safe Mode. Instead, you can add it as an option to your Windows XP Boot Menu. "Live long and prosper".

1. Right click My Computer and click Properties.

2. Click the Advanced tab.

3. Under Start Up and Recovery, click the Settings button.

4. Click Edit. The boot.ini file will open in Notepad.

5. Copy the line that reads as follows: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS=â€Microsoft Windows XP Professional†/fastdetect.

6. Paste the line you just copied after the original one.

7. Change the second line from “Microsoft Windows XP Professional†to “Windows XP Safe Mode†or something similar.

8. At the end of this line add the following: /safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog.

9. Save the boot.ini file by clicking File then Save.

10. Restart your computer and Safe Mode should be available at the boot menu.

Handy for users with multiple os's.

[BitBangerUSA]

nice tip - thanks.

[JSKY]

Yes, It is a good tip. Thanks

[martymas]

hi last year i lost the use of safe mode and il_wiccan posted this tip .

and ive searched all the web to find it so i can put it in a folder for future use.

so thanks for that.

he also sent a fix when you loose your sound program .

which i put in my favourites you do it from the command prompt .

i will post it in later.

marty .

[CurlingSteve]

That's the method I use, but some folks don't like that boot selection screen slowing their startup times.

One way to handle that is to edit the value of timeout while you have BOOT.INI open in Notepad.

I find 3 is a nice value, giving me an opportunity to choose without delaying things too much.

The second, if you just want to boot into safe mode temporarily, run MSCONFIG, select the BOOT.INI tab, and enable the /SAFEBOOT checkbox.

This will temporarily edit BOOT.INI to boot into safe mode until you clear the checkbox or select Normal Startup on the General tab of MSCONFIG.

Edited January 16, 2005 by CurlingSteve

[jeservices]

That is a very nice tip. Do you mind if I copy it for another site? You would get credit, or course, with your username at this message forum.

[LCplMurphy]

Hey Gang. Glad ya liked it. Feel free to use wherever you like. Darren