F8 does not allow you to enter safe mode. Safe Mode or Safe Mode
Safe mode (English - Safe Mode) – diagnostic mode, in which all unnecessary drivers and Windows functions. Used to troubleshoot problems that arise in PC operation. You just need to start safe mode and fix the errors, after which the PC will work as it should again.
In what cases might you need to enter safe mode? For example, to solve the problem when .
Also, in this way you can remove viruses, reset your password, fix errors (incl. blue screen death), restore the system, etc.
There are several ways. Plus, they differ somewhat depending on what operating system you have. Therefore, below we will look at everything available methods how to login securely Windows mode.
There are 2 universal methods that work on all versions of Windows - XP, 7, 8 and 10. Moreover, they are the simplest. Perhaps we'll start with them.
Login via msconfig utility
The first way is through special utility. To do this you need to follow simple instructions:
- Press Win + R (the button between “Ctrl” and “Alt”) and enter the word “msconfig”.
- In the new window, select the “Boot” tab, indicate the desired OS and check the “Safe Mode” checkbox. There are a couple of sub-items here - it is recommended to choose either “minimal” (standard option) or “network” (in this case there will be access to the Internet).
- Click “OK” and restart your PC - now it will turn on in safe mode.
When you fix the errors, don't forget to return normal mode start the computer! This is done in exactly the same way - using the msconfig utility (only now you need to uncheck the box).
There is a small nuance here: in this way you can enable safe mode in Windows only if your OS boots normally. If you can’t even load the desktop, then use the second method.
Login using F8
This method is suitable for those whose PC or laptop does not turn on (the desktop does not load, the monitor goes dark, etc.). IN in this case do the following:
- Turn on your PC (or laptop) and immediately press the F8 key repeatedly until a menu appears (in some cases you need to press Shift + F8).
- If the Windows logo appears or the screen goes dark, you failed. Wait until the system boots completely, then restart your PC and try again.
- When you do everything correctly, a menu will open where you use the arrows to select “Safe Mode” (the best option).
P.S. This method does not work on Windows 10! This function disabled by developers.
Special download options for Windows 10
If Windows starts, then you need to do the following:
What to do if Windows 10 does not start? If the PC boots before the login screen, then “Special boot options” can be opened in another way. To do this, click on the power button icon (in the lower right corner), hold down Shift and select “Restart”.
We use a disk or flash drive
This is the most reliable way boot Windows 10 in safe mode. But in this case, you need a DVD or (they can be recorded on any PC or laptop).
Connect a USB drive or insert a disk, load them (), and then do the following:
- After loading, press Shift + F10.
- After opening command line enter – bcdedit /set (default) safeboot minimal.
- Then close it and restart your PC. It will turn on.
To return the PC to normal startup, enter the following on the command line: bcdedit /deletevalue (default) safeboot.
You can do this in the same way (or as an administrator ) .
You can also enable the mode in Windows 8 in 4 different ways
The first two are described in detail at the beginning of the article. The other two are quite similar to the options that are suitable for Windows 10, but we will still look at them in more detail to make it easier for you to navigate.
Diagnostic tools
So, the first method is to activate the buffer format (only suitable if the OS is working normally). To do this we do the following:
The PC will start in Safe Mode, and you can carry out the necessary manipulations.
And another simple option for starting safe mode in Windows 8 is by bootable flash drive or DVD with Windows files. The procedure is as follows:
What to do on Windows 7 and XP
You can enter safe mode in Windows 7 or XP using one of the following: universal methods described at the beginning of this article. The first option is suitable in cases where the OS is working normally, and the second option is suitable if the PC or laptop does not turn on.
It is worth noting that the operating system is in no way related to the BIOS. It also doesn’t matter what brand of laptop you have – Samsung, Asus, Lenovo, HP, Acer, LG, etc.
What to do if Safe Mode does not start?
Sometimes a PC or laptop stubbornly refuses to enable safe mode. The reason is trivial - viruses damaged the Windows registry. In such situations, there are only 2 options:
- restoring PC operation (system rollback to a checkpoint);
- installation of special programs.
The optimal method, of course, would be the first one - restoring the computer from control point. If you do not have them saved (for example, disabled), then the only option left is to install recovery programs Windows registry. In this case, you can use the free Safe Mode Repair or SafeBootKeyRepair.
Windows 8/10 are very fast, as a result, you may find that the F8 key does not work. There's a reason for this. Microsoft has reduced the timing of F2 and F8 and set the intervals to almost zero - less than 200 milliseconds - less than 200 milliseconds, if you want to know, resulting in almost zero chance of detection of the F8 key and users unable to press it in time F8 key to bring up the boot menu, and then enter Safe Mode in Windows.
Safe Mode in Windows 10/8
Although we know how to boot Windows into Safe Mode using the msconfig tool, we have seen how to force Windows to show additional boot options and use them to boot into Safe Mode. We have also seen how we can display the boot options to boot into Safe Mode in Windows 8. In this article, we will show you how we can enable the F8 key so that we can boot Windows 8/10 into Safe Mode using this key, just like we did in Windows 7.
To do this, you will have to enable Boot policy. Note that when you do this, Windows will start in a few seconds. When you enable this policy on a system with dual boot, You will also be able to select the operating system you want to boot. You won't need to do the following steps again.
F8 key doesn't work
To enable the F8 key so that we can use it to start Windows 10/8 in Safe Mode, open an elevated Command Prompt window. Enter next command and press Enter:
bcdedit /set (default) bootmenupolicy legacy
You will see a message: Operation completed successfully.
You will see that the key in Windows 8 is the F8 key, which was not working, now works! You may have to restart your computer for the task to start working.
If you wish to change the settings, enter the following command and press Enter:
bcdedit /set (default) bootmenupolicy standard
You will see the message again: Operation completed successfully. The settings will be restored back to Windows 8 default.
If you need to frequently boot into Safe Mode or access the diagnostic and troubleshooting utility, you may need to enable the F8 key; but as mentioned above, your Windows 8/10 OS may start to boot after a few seconds and slower and so you should be prepared to lose those few seconds.
Part 2: How to Enter Safe Mode on Windows 10
If you just need to enter safe mode and also need a system quick launch, here we provide you 2 easy ways to enter Safe Mode in Windows 10.
Solution 1: Enter Safe Mode in Windows 10 Advanced Startup
Open the Windows 10 settings application, click on the “Update & Security” option. Here you need to select “Recovery” from the left panel and click on the “restart now” button under the “ special options downloads". The computer will restart with enhanced capabilities.
Select diagnostics > Extra options> Boot Options > Restart, you will see the “Boot Options” window, press F4 key to select “Enable Safe Mode”, the computer will automatically switch to Safe Mode in Windows 10.
Note: If you have forgotten your Windows 10 login password and cannot log in, please on your computer on the login screen, you need to press “Shift” and click the “Restart-Restart” button, as a result the computer will boot into the “Settings” window launch".
Solution 2: Enter Safe Mode through Windows 10 System Configuration
Press “Win” + “R” and here you will need to enter the command “msconfig” to open the “Configuration” dialog box, and then click on the “Boot-boot” tab.
Then you need to check the “Secure Boot” checkbox and select “Minimal”.
Then Windows 10 will tell you that you need to restart your computer so that the changes you have made can take effect, click the “Restart” button, now you can safely enter safe mode after the system restarts.
Windows 10 uses many strategies to speed up the system and provide a better user experience. To keep your launch Windows computer 10 is faster, we recommend that you don't have to constantly support the F8 key to enter Safe Mode in Windows 10 and the boot menu, you can manually enter Safe Mode when you really need it.
If, after installing programs, add-ons, or making some changes to the system, Windows reboot/boot fails, the debug menu options, which can be opened by pressing a key during Windows boot. I would like to note that, in comparison with previous versions Windows - 2000, XP and Server 2003 this menu has additional options.
If you click on the boot menu key, then a menu with the following content will open:
Safe mode– in this mode, Windows loads only the basic drivers and files necessary for operation and management of the system, such as monitor and keyboard drivers, mouse drivers, except for the mouse driver for the serial port; standard system services; disk and video adapter driver. Network drivers won't load, so network connections will be missing.
In safe mode you can restore the system, remove interfering programs normal operation system, install drivers, and generally make the necessary changes. The only thing is that the changes made cannot be undone, because... System Restore is disabled in Safe Mode.
Safe Mode with Boot network drivers - in this mode, Windows loads similar to simple safe mode, plus loads network drivers.
Safe Mode with Command Line Support– loading the main drivers and files only after the system starts instead of Windows interface The command line opens.
Enable boot logging– the system creates a file with a list of all services and drivers that were started and loaded when the system started (or were not started and not loaded). This is the file ntbtlog.txt and it is located in the %windir% directory (c:\windows\). The boot log is very useful for identifying causes and problems when booting a system.
Enable VGA mode– here the system boots with the main VGA driver. This mode is very useful if the cause of the Windows boot error is the installation of a new driver for the video card (). The main driver is used in all three versions of Safe Mode.
Loading the latest successful configuration(with working parameters)– loading the system using driver and registry data that was saved in Windows when the computer was last rebooted or shut down. All changes made since the last successful boot of Windows will be overwritten. This boot method should be used if the configuration is incorrect. This mode does not fix problems that were caused by missing or corrupt files and drivers.
Directory Service Restore (Controller only) Windows domain) – this method is intended for server operating systems and is used to restore directory services Active Directory on the domain controller and SYSVOL directory.
Debug mode– loading the system with sending debugging data to another computer using direct cable connection. Debug mode is used to resolve conflicts in system files. This mode is used to restore the operating state of the system, in which only the most necessary drivers and libraries.
Disable automatic reboot on system failure- this option will help boot the system when there is a constant reboot due to a failure. In certain situations, if the error is not too critical, and this is usually due to software, this can help. Or when you don't know where in system settings disable automatic reboot.
Note:
1. If for Windows installations If you are using or have used the Remote Installation Service, additional options may be available in the Windows Advanced Boot Options Menu related to restoring your system using Remote Access Services.
2. On some keyboards function keys F1 – F12 are always disabled by default. To turn them on, you need to press special key(usually this key is indicated by a stylized lock labeled F-key and is located in the upper left corner of the keyboard).
3. If your computer has 2 or more operating systems, select the one you want using the arrow keys, and then press Enter.
4. To use the arrow keys on numeric keypad Num Lock mode must be disabled.
5. In some situations, such as damage system files Windows required to boot the system, Safe Mode will not help. In this case, the Recovery Console can help (see How can I restore Windows XP using the Recovery Console?).
6. When Windows boots in Safe Mode, System Restore does not create a restore point. Therefore, it is not possible to undo a restore that was performed while the computer was booted in Safe Mode.
7. In Safe Mode, you can perform a system restore using any available restore point.
8. To restore the state to the time when the computer started without errors, select a restore point that is as close as possible to the time the computer started without errors.
9. If System Restore is paused due to lack of free space on the disk, then, being in Safe Mode, it is impossible to enable it, freeing up additional disk space. You need to restart your computer in standard mode and free up more disk space.
10. In Safe Mode, some devices and programs may not work correctly (or not work at all!).
11. Most (but not all!) malware can be found and deleted in Safe Mode, although it is better to use the so-called clean boot for this.
Can't boot Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 in Safe Mode? Are you pressing F8 or Shift+F8 but it doesn't do anything? Loading the new operating system from Microsoft has become so fast that it is not always possible to interrupt it with keystrokes.
You can enter Safe Mode in Windows 8 or 8.1 5 different ways, any of them will allow you to run the system on Windows 8-8.1 safely!
Safe Mode in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 is practically no different from that in more earlier versions OS.
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 the System Configuration program, also known as msconfig.exe.
Launch it, go to the “Boot” tab and in the boot options activate the “Safe Mode” option. Then click on the "OK" button.
Next, you will see a message stating that you need to restart your computer. Click Restart or Quit Without Reboot, depending on whether you want the computer to restart now or later.
Next time Windows startup 8 (Windows 8.1) will boot into Safe Mode.
2. Use the combination Shift + Restart
Click the power button on the Windows login screen or in the Settings Charm. Then press and hold the SHIFT button on your keyboard and click Restart.
Windows will prompt you to select an option. Select "Diagnostics".
On the Diagnostics screen, click the Advanced Options button.
On the screen with additional options 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 Support. After this, Windows 8/Windows 8.1 will be downloaded according to your selection.
3. Boot into safe mode using CD/DVD to restore system (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 disk, you will be prompted to select a keyboard layout. Select the one you want to use. You will then see the options screen. All further steps will be identical to those described in method 2.
4. Boot into USB Safe Mode to Restore System
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 allow . Detailed instructions can be found at the link. Using such a disk you can also boot the OS in safe mode. To do this, boot from your System Recovery USB 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 options download, from where you can already boot the operating system in safe mode.
For Windows 8 and 8.1, some sites advise using the keyboard shortcut Shift + F8, 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 its official blog, Microsoft explains that this behavior is due to very fast process downloads. Steve Sinofsky once said: “Windows 8 has a problem. It loads too quickly, so quickly that you actually don't have time to interrupt it when you turn on your PC. The operating system simply does not have time to detect pressing the F2 or F8 keys.”
In general, if you have modern computer With UEFI BIOS and SSD, you are unlikely to be able to interrupt the boot process with keystrokes. On older PCs with a classic BIOS and no SSD, pressing these keys still works.
Have a great day!