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How do I know if I’m operating in Safe Mode and how do I change that? I am having problems with installer also.

Using Safe Mode

One of the first steps in most computer troubleshooting scenarios is to boot the computer into Safe Mode. This mode loads only the most basic services and device drivers. By running only basics, interference and conflicts from other components are minimized while system resources are maximized which makes it easier to begin troubleshooting the problem. For example, if a computer is running excessively slow and you want to defrag its hard drive but can’t because it takes forever to respond, going into Safe Mode is a good idea.

Getting into Safe Mode

You must reboot your computer in order to load it into Safe Mode. As the computer begins booting up, press the F8 key (you may have to tap F8 several times). The Windows Advanced Options menu will display. If you cannot manage to force your computer into Safe Mode by using the F8 key, turn off your computer before it fully boots. When you turn it back on, Windows should automatically display this screen because it did not successfully boot up.

Safe Mode Options

Once you see the Advanced Options Menu, use your arrow keys to choose one of the following Safe Mode options:

• Safe Mode
• Safe Mode with Command Prompt
• Safe Mode with Networking
• Last Known Good Configuration

Each option serves a specific purpose. For general troubleshooting, standard Safe Mode is fine. However, if your computer won’t even load Windows after choosing that option, you may need to enter Safe Mode with Command Prompt. This takes you directly to a command prompt where you can enter commands such as %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe (this is the command for launching System Restore from a command prompt).

If you need to access the Internet or connect to your network while working in Safe Mode, choose Safe Mode with Networking. For instance, if you want to run an online virus scan or update your operating system while in Safe Mode, you will need to connect to the Internet.

The Last Known Good Configuration option is a good choice under certain circumstances. For example, if your computer was running fine yesterday but Windows won’t load today, choosing the Last Known Good Configuration will restore the settings from the last time Windows successfully loaded. It does not delete any data though you may need to reinstall any software loaded since then.

How to Tell if your Computer is in Safe Mode

When your computer is in Safe Mode, it’s usually fairly obvious. Because Safe Modes loads the most basic of drivers, the video display is your first clue. Safe Mode loads a VGA driver that displays just 16 colors in a 640 x 480 resolution. This means that the screen will appear larger than normal with bold colors. In addition, the words “Safe Mode” will appear in the corners of the screen.

If the display does not have the words “Safe Mode” in the corners and the screen resolution hasn’t reverted to its normal settings, then your computer is not in Safe Mode. You will need to go into the Display Settings dialog and manually change your screen resolution back to your preferred settings. Do this by clicking the Display icon in the Control Panel and going to the Settings tab. From there adjust your color settings and screen resolution size.

Using Windows Safe Mode

About Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a way of booting up a computer operating system that allows users opportunities to diagnose and troubleshoot errors while running the system in a limited form. When an operating system like Windows powers up, it fires up a number of drivers and devices and launches all the programs that are stored in the computer’s Start Up list. Starting Windows with only limited files, applications and drivers reduces the chances of running into problems and allows you to eliminate corrupt or otherwise not working components and programs.

Diagnostic Tools Used in Safe Mode

You won’t lose any of your data or settings by booting your system into Safe Mode, but you will not have access to all your data or devices as long as you are in Safe Mode. However, some of the troubleshooting tools that are accessible in Safe Mode can remove data and settings such as System Restore, which rolls back time and returns your computer to an earlier state. Here is Microsoft’s list of diagnostic tools that you can use in Safe Mode.

How to Boot into Safe Mode

1. To boot your computer into Safe Mode first turn the computer off.
2. Wait for a moment, then turn it back on
3. As the operating system begins to load, start pressing the F8 key
4. This should open the Advanced Options Menu
5. If you get a keyboard error instead, turn the system off and try again, waiting a little longer before pressing F8
6. From the Advanced Options Menu, use the arrows on the keyboard to scroll to Safe Mode and press Enter

In Safe Mode you can login to an administrative account and reset the password

1. On the users login page either choose Administrator or type Administrator into the user name field if it isn’t offered
2. Leave the password field blank and press Enter
3. Once you are logged in, click the Start Button, then choose Control Panel
4. Click Users and now you can reset the password

Return to Normal Mode

When you turn your computer on it is programmed to boot into Normal Mode, that’s why you have to follow special instructions to enter Safe Mode. As long as you are in Safe Mode, the words Safe Mode will display on the corners of your monitor. The next time that you turn your computer off and on again, it will boot back into Normal Mode.