If you have a significant computer problem, you may need to sign in through Safe Mode. If started correctly, this function will make it possible to boot a PC with a set of basic drivers - a mouse, monitor, keyboard, video adapter, disks. Also included are standard services to help keep the system running. Using this method, as a rule, it is possible to eliminate most of the malfunctions associated with computer work. Find out how to carry out this procedure correctly.
What is Windows Safe Mode
Safe Mode is inherently diagnostic and helps identify problems with device drivers. If you are having trouble starting up your PC normally, you should try turning it on with basic services. If the device works normally with such parameters, the essence of the failures should be looked for in the recently appeared additional elements. Such loading Windows allows you to remove software that interferes with the adequate functioning of a laptop or stationary PC.
If the computer is turned on immediately in safe mode, then there is a problem that prevents the operating system from starting. As a rule, this is influenced by the programs that you installed recently. To fix the problem, you can use the "System Restore" function, which you will find in the "Start" tab, "Control Panel".
How to boot windows 7 in safe mode: instructions
Two methods are used to launch in a safe mode, they differ from one another in principle. In the first version, the procedure occurs at boot time, and the installed Windows 7 does not start, so you can easily make changes to the operation of devices. In the second case, the inclusion of a basic set of services comes from the OS environment, which imposes some restrictions and will not make it possible to fully carry out repair procedures. However, both of these methods can solve some of the problems that arise during operation. Read more about them below.
Entering windows 7 safe mode at OS startup
If you encounter problems in the functioning of your PC, you need to know how to enter the safe mode of windows 7. If the device is turned on, click the "Restart" button in the "Start" tab. You need to switch to special mode when the computer is off. Before the icon appears, indicating that Windows is starting, you must click on the F8 key several times. Try not to miss the moment, otherwise the OS will start, and you will have to reboot the device again. A window with the following connection parameters should appear on the screen:
- Safe mode. With it, you can start using a set of standard driver programs. Only those services are included that are required to start and operate the computer.
- With loading of network drivers. You will need to choose this method if you want to use the Internet or connect via a local network.
- With command line support. The familiar desktop interface will not launch. Choosing this option causes the command line to appear instead.
In addition to the tabs described above, you will see other possibilities. For example, enabling boot logging creates a special file that records all the drivers that are in Autostart. This helps detect broken programs. VGA launch will help you set up the ideal monitor resolution. Choosing the last good configuration will allow you to restore windows with the settings that were at a healthy boot. The remaining options (Directory Service Restore, Debug) are for IT professionals.
Use the arrow keys to select the tab that best suits your task. After the selection is made, press the Enter key on your keyboard. Then you can enter Windows and figure out the causes of the problems. Using this method, you will be able to restore the system by rolling back to the moment when the device was working normally, remove virus programs, broken drivers and much more.
Possible startup problems:
- A window starts, indicating that Windows is turned on. This can happen if you press F8 too slowly or not enough times. Repeat the procedure by restarting your computer.
- Disabled F1 to F12 buttons. If this happens, you need to know which key turns them on. Hold down the Fn button, and then press F8, and the device will boot.
How to get into safe mode from the OS environment
In some cases, a system logon can be performed using the minimum number of services from the operating system environment. This method can help in solving many problems, although it is less popular. If windows crashes are too severe, enabling from the OS may not bring the desired results. How to get into the mode you need (safe) using the operating system:
- Find the Win key on your keyboard (it may have a Windows icon displayed when you turn it on). Hold it together with the R button.
- The command line will appear. Enter the following letters there without the quotes "k". Press the "OK" button.
- This will bring up the settings window. Among the tabs, open the section called "download".
- Select the required operating system. As a rule, most computers have one OS - in your case, windows 7, loaded by default.
- Below you will see a section called Boot Options. Select "Safe Mode", check the box next to "Minimum".
- Click "Apply", then "Ok".
- Then a small window will appear where you will see two tabs "Reboot" and "Exit without rebooting". If you want to restart your computer now, select the first option. In the second case, the next time you turn on the PC, the device will start the basic set of programs.
What to do if Safe Mode does not start on a laptop
On some laptop models, there is an issue that prevents the device from turning on with minimal services. Then, after pressing F8 several times, the window in which you can select such a function does not appear, and the operating system starts to start. This may be due to the default keyboard shortcut, which involves holding down the Fn + F8 button at the same time. If this option does not work, the problem may be related to a broken keyboard.
When the operating system boots normally, you can enable the minimum set of services required for operation using the command line:
- To do this, press "Win + R", enter the combination of letters "msconfig" without quotes. Click "Ok".
- Then you can go to the tab where you need to select "Download", mark the desired OS.
- In the Boot Options section below, look for Safe Mode and select Minimum. Finally, click "Apply", "Ok".
- Select "Restart" or "Exit without restarting" if you need to start with a minimum set of programs later.
Video: how to enable safe mode on windows 7
If you have never entered Safe Mode using the operating system, then the first time you may not understand how to do it according to the instructions. Check out the step-by-step video below from an experienced PC user to help you resolve this issue and troubleshoot your issue. The video presenter explains in a few minutes how to enable the basic software suite effortlessly. The method is simple, even those people who have never encountered such a problem can cope with it. Watch a step-by-step video tutorial:
Can't boot Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 in Safe Mode? You press F8 or Shift + F8, but it doesn't get you anywhere? The loading of the new operating system from Microsoft is so fast that it is not always possible to interrupt it with keystrokes.
You can enter safe mode Windows 8 or 8.1 in 5 different ways, any of them will allow you to start the system on Windows 8-8.1 safely!
Safe Mode in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 is almost the same as in earlier OS versions.
The operating system still only loads the most basic drivers and services. The only noticeable difference is that the minimum screen resolution in Safe Mode has increased from 800x600 pixels to 1024x768 pixels.
1. Use the System Configuration tool (Msconfig.exe)
As with, the easiest way to boot into Safe Mode is to use System Configuration, also known as msconfig.exe.
Run it, go to the "Boot" tab and activate the "Safe Mode" option in the boot options. Then click on the "OK" button.
Next, you will see a message that you need to restart your computer. Click Restart or Quit without restarting, depending on whether you want the computer to restart now or later.
The next time you start Windows 8 (Windows 8.1) will boot into Safe Mode.
2. Use the combination Shift + Restart
Press the power button on the Windows logon screen or in the Settings Charm. Then press and hold the SHIFT key on your keyboard and hit Restart.
Windows will prompt you for an option. Select "Diagnostics".
On the Diagnostics screen, click the More Options button.
On the Advanced Options screen, click Boot Options.
When your computer restarts, a list of 9 options will appear on the screen, including three types of Safe Mode.
Press F4 on your keyboard to enable Safe Mode, F5 to enable Safe Mode with Network Driver Support, and F6 to enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt. After that Windows 8 / Windows 8.1 will be loaded according to your choice.
3. Boot into Safe Mode using the System Recovery CD / DVD (Windows 8 only)
On Windows 8, but not Windows 8.1, you can. So, if you have such a disk, you can boot from it.
After booting from the recovery disc, you will be prompted to select a keyboard layout. Choose the one you want to use. Then you will see the options screen. All further steps will be identical to those described in method 2.
4. Boot into Safe Mode using USB for System Recovery
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 allow. Detailed instructions can be found here. Using such a disk, you can also boot the OS in safe mode. To do this, boot from your USB system recovery drive and follow the instructions from the previous method.
5. Use F8 or Shift + F8 (does not work when using UEFI BIOS and SSD)
In the case of Windows 7, just press F8 just before starting the operating system to get to the menu with additional boot options, from where you can boot the operating system in safe mode.
For Windows 8 and 8.1, some sites advise using the Shift + F8 keyboard shortcut, which launches recovery mode, allowing you to boot into Safe Mode. However, the problem is that neither Shift + F8 nor just F8 often work.
In a post on their official blog, Microsoft explains that this behavior is due to a very fast boot process. Steve Sinofsky once said: “Windows 8 has a problem. It loads too fast, so fast that in fact, you simply don't have time to interrupt its download when you turn on your PC. The operating system simply does not have time to detect the pressing of the F2 or F8 keys. "
In general, if you have a modern computer with UEFI BIOS and SSD, you are unlikely to be able to interrupt the boot process with keystrokes. On older PCs with classic BIOS and no SSD, pressing these keys still works.
Have a great day!
This is a Windows operating mode in which only the most essential OS components are loaded. Loading only the essentials allows you to exclude the influence of secondary programs and on the operation of the entire operating system. Safe Mode allows you to boot your computer in the event of a virus infection, driver conflict, or other software errors. In this article, you will learn how to enable Safe Mode on Windows 7.
Enabling Safe Mode on Windows 7 is pretty simple. All you need to do is restart the computer (if the computer is turned off and does not turn on, then just click on the power button) and press the F8 button at the time the download starts. You need to press the button repeatedly until a list of Windows 7 boot options appears on the screen.
Please note that you need to start pressing the F8 button immediately after the computer starts booting, if you are late with pressing, then Windows will boot in normal mode. If you see that Windows starts loading normally (a logo appears), it means that you did not have time to press the F8 button. In this case, you must restart your computer and try again.
If you press F8 in time, you will see a menu of additional Windows boot options (see screenshot below).
Safe Mode in Windows is a kind of "cure" for ailments plaguing your computer. Its essence is to load the operating system, and preferably nothing more. All programs from automatic start, all services, drivers, and also, possibly, viruses will not start in safe mode so that you can determine and fix the cause of your computer malfunction. In Windows 10, the developers removed the convenient function of entering Safe Mode using the F8 key, so I decided to tell you how to enter Windows 10 Safe Mode in other ways:
- Through the restart button;
- Through the system configuration utility (msconfig);
- Advanced way using the command line;
- With special boot options;
- Using a Windows 10 installation disc.
Attention! If you do not understand how to perform these methods, then there is a video below that will help you deal with this issue.
Safe mode with restart button
This method is convenient and simple, so I decided to talk about it first. You need to click on "Start", then on the "Shutdown" button. A menu will pop up, in which there will be three ways to shutdown, hold down the "Shift" key and select the "Restart" item.
The monitor image turns blue and “Please wait” appears. After loading, we will see three possible options for further actions. The first one allows you to continue working on the computer, the second takes you to a further selection menu, and the third shuts down the operating system. You need to choose the second option "Diagnostics".
The Diagnostics menu appears. Now you have to click on "More Options".
If you click on it, then we will see a menu with many icons, select the "Boot Options" item, which will allow us to configure the Windows boot parameters to get into Safe Mode.
Here you will find the system boot options that will allow you to select Safe Mode. Now you need to click on "Restart":
After a quick reboot, you will see a blue screen with boot options. We are interested in the options that are under items: 4,5 and 6. They differ from each other in the loadable drivers and services that network mode or the command line can enable. But we need to select the mode under the number 4, to do this, press the F4 key.
Starting safe mode with msconfig
The utility is a very useful tool in working with the operating system. With the help of it, we will now launch Safe Mode in Windows 10.
To run this program, press the key combination "Win" + "R" on the keyboard and enter "msconfig" in the window that appears, click "OK". You can also start the Run window in a simpler way - right-click on Start and select Run.
The system configuration window appears. It contains five tabs, each of which is responsible for a specific functionality. Go to the "Download" tab, it contains the settings for safe mode. The first step is to choose an operating system that will boot safely.
In the group of elements called "Boot options" you need to check the box opposite the "Safe mode" item, under it, using the switch, you can select the type of boot, the minimum - standard mode, another shell - allows you to use the command line and network - allows you to work with a local network and the internet. We will also set the parameter defining the timeout, i.e. time delay before choosing the boot type before starting the operating system.
If such boot settings for this OS should be made permanent, then you can check the box next to the corresponding item. Done, it remains to click apply and on the next reboot you will be prompted to choose which mode to start Windows 10 in.
After you enter safe mode and do all the necessary steps, you can go to msconfig and do a normal boot of the system.
Using the command line to enter safe mode
I find this method quite advanced and interesting. We need a command line to run it, right-click on "Start" and select "Command line (administrator)" in the menu that appears.
A small black window has appeared, in which you can enter various commands that the program will execute with the specified parameters. Let's introduce the following line: bcdedit / copy (current) / d "Safe Mode"(or any other name) and press Enter. Now you can close the command line.
The above command will create a new parameter in the msconfig program (we looked at it earlier). In the "Boot" section there will be a new opportunity to start the operating system, which will be called "Safe Mode".
When you go to "System Configuration" and go to the "Boot" tab, you need to click on the 2nd item - "Safe Mode (C: / Windows)" and check the box next to "Safe Mode". Also, pay attention that the timeout is at least 10, because if it is less, then you may not have time to select the parameter you need.
Now this option will always be present in your system, if it interferes and creates some inconvenience, then this function can be disabled. To do this, you need to run the utility - press the "Win" + "R" keys and enter "msconfig" and press Enter.
A familiar window will appear, go to the "Download" tab. To delete, select the desired item with the left mouse button and click on the "Delete" button.
Now, when you turn on the computer, everything will happen without delay.
Special download options
To use this method, click on the notification icon in the lower right corner of the desktop. And select the item "All parameters".
The next stage and all subsequent ones are the same as in the first method described in this article, we confirm the reboot.
The computer will start shutting down, before Windows starts, a window for selecting a boot method will appear. Choices 4,5 and 6 correspond to the F4, F5 and F6 keys. All of these modes are briefly described in the first method discussed in this article.
Bcdedit / set (default) safeboot minima l and press Enter. Now restart your computer, and you will automatically enter Safe Mode. If you need to return to its original state (as it was), then enter bcdedit / deletevalue (default) safeboot.
You can also use another method, enter in the command line - bcdedit / set (globalsettings) advancedoptions true and then restart the system. Next, the system will show the boot options, where the safe mode will be. To disable this option, you need to enter in the command line bcdedit / deletevalue (globalsettings) advancedoptions.Attention! This command can be entered in normal Windows mode.
"Safe Mode" refers to limited Windows boot, for example, starting without network drivers. In this mode, you can try to fix problems. Also, you can fully work in some programs, however, it is strongly not recommended to download or install anything on your computer in safe mode, as this can lead to serious failures.
"Safe mode" is needed exclusively for solving problems within the system, therefore, it is not suitable for constant work with the OS (editing any documents, etc.). "Safe Mode" is a simplified version of the OS with everything you need. Its launch does not have to be from the BIOS, for example, if you are working in the system and noticed any problems with it, you can try to log in using Command line... In this case, a restart of the computer is not required.
If you cannot enter the operating system or have already exited it, then it is better to really try to enter through the BIOS, as it will be safer.
Method 1: Keyboard shortcut at boot
This method is the simplest and most proven. To do this, you need to restart your computer and, before the operating system starts loading, press the key F8 or a combination Shift + F8... Then a menu should appear where you need to select the OS boot option. Besides the usual one, you can choose several types of Safe Mode.
Sometimes the shortcut key combination may not work as it is disabled by the system itself. In some cases, it can be connected, but for this you need to do a regular login.
Use the following step-by-step instructions:
It is worth remembering that some motherboards and BIOS versions do not support entering Safe Mode using key combinations at boot time (although this is very rare).
Method 2: Boot disk
This method is much more complicated than the previous one, but it guarantees the result. To complete it, you need the Windows Installer media. First you need to insert a USB flash drive and restart your computer.
If after rebooting you do not get the Windows Setup Wizard, then you need to do the distribution of boot priorities in the BIOS.
