Ever had that sinking feeling when, following installation of an updated driver or that latest, must have web application recently downloaded, your computer simply refuses to boot next time you come to switch on? If you have been a regular Windows user over the years, then the chances are the answer is yes! If so, then starting in ‘Safe Mode’ might be your only answer in order to try and reverse the situation, remove that recently installed piece of software or simply for general troubleshooting and problem diagnosis.
In Safe Mode, only programs and files needed to fire up your operating system are actually loaded. Some functionality therefore simply won’t be available. As a standard video driver is installed, your screen appearance will also probably look different with the temporary application of a lower resolution.
However, because essential programs and files are loaded, this should allow you to remove any offending programs that cannot be accessed in Normal Mode.
So how do you start your computer in safe mode? Well, its quite easy.
If your computer is already running, shut it down and turn off the power. Wait for a short period, say 30 seconds, and then switch back on. As soon as you have powered on, start tapping the F8 key. This will bring up the Windows Advanced Options Menu. The exact format of the menu will look slightly different, depending upon the version of Windows you are running. The one below comes from Vista.
Select the Safe Mode option and press Enter. That’s it. The computer should then load into Safe Mode and away you go.
And remember, if you don’t fancy trying to sort out your computer problems yourself, My PC Surgery is here and only to happy to help get you back up and running with the minimum of fuss and inconvenience!