How to start protected mode. Windows Safe Mode
In this article, we will talk about Safe Mode in Windows 7. First of all, we will briefly explain what Safe Mode is and how it works, and then we will look at ways to enter and exit it.
What is Safe Mode in Windows?
In safe mode, Windows loads only the bare essentials (a minimal set of drivers and services). Thus, in safe mode you will only have access to basic Windows programs and functions, which, as a rule, do not need drivers for network devices - this means that you will not have access to the Internet when it comes to standard safe mode. . In addition, the Windows interface in safe mode will not look the way you are used to seeing it. This is because Safe Mode is set to run on the lowest graphics settings at the lowest resolution supported by Windows. In the case of Windows 7, this is 800 by 600 pixels.
During the boot process in safe mode, a black screen appears on the screen showing drivers and services being loaded, and after the download is complete, the Help and Support window automatically opens on the desktop, which explains what safe mode is and how to use it.
Remember that Safe Mode does not load any third-party services and programs that are loaded during normal operating system startup, but only the essential services and features needed to start Windows.
Everything written above makes it clear that safe mode itself is used to identify and fix problems in the operation of the operating system.
How to Boot into Safe Mode in Windows 7
There are several ways that you can boot into safe mode, and the first one is to use the System Configuration tool. To open it, press Win + R on your keyboard, type “msconfig” in the Run dialog, and then press Enter. When the window opens, go to the "Download" tab. There you will find the Download Options section.
Check the box next to the "Safe Mode" option, click "OK", and then select "Restart" or "Exit without restarting" - if you want the computer to restart right now, select the first, and accordingly the second if you want to restart computer later by yourself. The next time you start Windows 7, it will boot into safe mode.
Please note that after this, the operating system will constantly boot in safe mode. To turn it off, go back to System Configuration, disable the Safe Mode option, and click OK. Then restart your computer.
Another way to enter safe mode will be useful in cases where Windows 7 for some reason does not want to boot into normal mode, which is usually associated with some kind of software (driver, etc.). To boot into safe mode this way, hold down the F8 key immediately after turning on the computer. This will bring up a menu with advanced boot options where you can choose to boot into Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Network Driver Support, and Safe Mode with Command Line Support. Use the arrow keys to move between menu items and the Enter key to select.
Also note that if you cannot start your computer normally after installing new software or making some changes to the OS settings, try selecting the Last Know Good Configuration option first. If this does not help, then boot into safe mode and look for the cause of the problem.
What are the rest of the safe mode options for?
The good old safe mode comes in several varieties.
If you may need the Internet in Safe Mode, for example to download drivers, you must use Safe Mode with Networking. In this mode, the drivers necessary for the operation of the computer's network card or modem are loaded, which will allow you to open web pages, download files and access computers on the local network.
Advanced Windows users often work in a command prompt window, and "Safe Mode with Command Promt" allows you to run and use this tool in the operating system's safe mode.
Congratulations! Now you know how to boot into safe mode, which can be your savior for various computer problems.
Have a great day!
Safe Mode is a special Windows startup mode that is used to troubleshoot problems with the operating system. In safe mode, most drivers and programs do not load, autoload is disabled, and only what is necessary for Windows to run starts. This mode is useful for troubleshooting problems caused by installing or updating programs and drivers that can cause the computer to malfunction (freeze, slow down), as well as to start Windows normally.
Many of the users in case of failures in Windows immediately begin to reinstall the system or look for a specialist who could do this. But it is possible to solve the problem simply, and by yourself, it is enough to restart the computer in safe mode and look at the latest installed programs and drivers, which could have failed, remove the last ones.
It is very easy to determine the boot in safe mode - on the display of a laptop or PC, the inscription "Safe Mode" is displayed in the corners of the screen.
You can boot your computer in safe mode in several ways and in all Windows operating systems, we will tell you how to do this in versions 7, 8 / 8.1 and 10.
Loading safe mode from the operating system
The easiest way to boot into safe mode is to use the System Configuration program while booted into the Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 or Windows 10 operating system.
To do this, click the START button and select the Run menu item or use the Win + R keyboard shortcuts. In the window that appears, enter the command: msconfig and press Enter
The System Configuration program window opens. Select the tab and in the "Upload Options" check the box Safe mode, press OK
Now confirm the reboot by clicking the appropriate button
After that, your system will reboot into safe mode.
After fixing the problems, do not forget to restart the program and uncheck the boot options. Otherwise, you will always be loaded into safe mode
In the operating system Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10, there is another way to boot into safe mode. To use it, press the On/Off button. power button on the login screen or in Windows 8/8.1 move the mouse to the upper right corner of the desktop and select the Settings button, and then the power button icon , in Windows 10 - START and
The computer will restart and a service screen will appear, where you need to select the Diagnostics option
In the window that appears Extra options, choose Download options
We are asked to reboot for further selection, click Restart
After the reboot, a window appears in front of us with a choice of boot options.
In Windows 8 choose Safe mode and press Enter
In Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, to boot into Safe Mode, press the key with the number 4 or F4 on the keyboard
The Windows 8/8.1/10 computer will boot into safe mode.
Booting Safe Mode with Keys
It happens that a laptop or PC cannot boot in normal mode at all and in order to get into Windows safe mode, you need to just before starting the operating system, as soon as the image appears on the screen, hold down the F8 key, sometimes you need to use the keyboard shortcuts Shift + F8
From the Windows 7 start menu select
In Windows 8, 8.1, and 10, go through the procedure that .
Now you know how you can boot your computer and laptop in Windows Safe Mode.
In Windows 7, there are two ways to get into safe mode:
1) Entering Windows 7 Safe Mode at system startup.
2) Entering Safe Mode from the Windows 7 environment (from a running OS by changing the boot in System Configuration).
Entering Windows 7 Safe Mode at System Startup.
Turn on the computer and press the F8 key several times while the system is booting, if the welcome window (Windows 7 logo) appears, it means that you did not have time to press the F8 key, in which case you need to wait until the system boots up and turn off the computer again and when booting, press again F8 key. When trying to get into safe mode, you need to consider:
- On some keyboards, the function keys F1 - F12 are always disabled by default. To enable them, you must press a special key (usually Fn) and while holding it, press the F8 key.
- If your computer has two or more operating systems, use the arrow keys to select the one you want, and then press the Enter key.
- To use the arrow keys on the numeric keypad, Num Lock must be disabled.
In the window Additional download options choose " Safe mode” and press the key “ Enter».
After a few seconds, the system will boot into safe mode.
Entering Safe Mode from Windows 7.
Press the button " Start"and in the search bar we write msconfig and press the key Enter» 
In the opened window system configuration, go to the tab "" check the box " Safe mode” and choose “ Minimum».
For reference:
Safe Mode: Minimum- Loading the Windows GUI (Windows Explorer) in safe mode, running only the most important system services. Network components are disabled.
Safe Mode: Another Shell- Boot the Windows command line in safe mode with only the most important system services running. Network components and GUI are disabled.
Safe Mode: Restore Active Directory - Booting the Windows GUI in safe mode, running only the most important system services and the Active Directory directory service.
Safe Mode: Network- Loading the Windows GUI in safe mode, running only the most important system services. Network components included.
Without GUI - The Welcome screen is not displayed while Windows is loading.
Download log - All information regarding the boot process is stored in the %SystemRoot%Ntbtlog.txt file.
Base video- Loading the Windows GUI in minimal VGA mode. This mode loads standard VGA drivers instead of display drivers that match your computer's video hardware.
OS information - Displays the names of loaded drivers during system boot.
Make these boot options permanent - Changes made to system settings are not tracked. Settings can be changed later using System Setup, but only manually. If this option is selected, you will not be able to roll back changes by selecting Normal Startup on the General tab. 
After that, you will be prompted to restart the computer in order to get into Windows 7 safe mode. If you want to boot into safe mode now, press "", if you want to do it later, select " Exit without reboot”And the next time you restart or turn on your computer / laptop, automatically boot into safe mode.
The next time you boot Windows7, the system will boot into Safe Mode.
In order not to boot into safe mode, you need to go back to the system configuration and uncheck the boxes that were previously set.
Boot your computer in safe mode to troubleshoot your device. Windows Safe Start Mode runs using a limited set of files and drivers, which reduces the chance of boot failures and allows you to correct errors in the operating system.
To boot the computer in safe mode, you must know the password of a user with administrator rights.
How to boot your Windows 10 PC in safe mode
- In the lower left corner, click Start → Settings.
- Click Update and Security.
- Go to section Recovery and press Reload Now.
- Click Troubleshooting.
- Click Extra options.
- Click Download options.
- If block Download options missing, click View other recovery options → Boot options.
- Click Reload.
- Wait for a window with boot options to appear and press F4 on your keyboard to boot your computer into safe mode.
The computer will boot into safe mode. Restart your computer after you've finished.
How to boot your Windows Vista 7 computer in safe mode
- In the lower left corner, click Start.
- Type the command msconfig in the search bar and press Enter on your keyboard.
- After you have finished working in safe mode, uncheck the box Safe mode and restart your computer.
How to select a hard drive when you boot your computer and start safe mode
- When the computer boots up, press the key that brings up the boot selection menu from the physical device on which the operating system is located. The choice of key depends on the manufacturer of the computer, for example, for HP - the F9 key.
- Select the hard drive from which the computer should start booting and press Enter on the keyboard.
- Press and hold F8 on your keyboard.
The F8 key must be pressed before the operating system starts, when the Windows logo appears. The F8 key brings up a menu of additional Windows boot options.
- Select Safe mode and press Enter on your keyboard.
The computer will boot into safe mode from the selected hard drive.
What to do if safe mode won't boot
If an error occurred while loading safe mode, the registry branch responsible for loading safe mode may be corrupted. You can restore the Safeboot registry branch using a previously exported REG file. For this:
- Download the SafeBoot.zip archive.
- Unzip the contents of the archive.
- Run the .reg file:
- For Windows XP - SafeBootWinXP.reg file
- For Windows Vista - SafeBootWinVista.reg file
- For Windows 7 - SafeBootWin7.reg file
- For Windows 8, 8.1, 10 - SafeBootWin8.reg file
- Click Yes to allow the program to make changes to the computer.
- Click Yes.
- Boot your computer in safe mode.
If the error persists, contact Microsoft Technical Support.
Many of the things we associated Windows with slowly disappear over the years as technology advances, and we form new habits to accommodate. For example, I remember the days when you just had to repeatedly press F8 to boot into safe mode.
It was such a little secret - something like a life hack that you could teach a friend at the right time over the phone. Those days are long gone, however, even if entering Safe Mode has become more confusing, it is also a hallmark of progress in the Windows system boot sequence.
Windows 10 Safe Mode
In Safe Mode, Windows automatically excludes some programs and drivers that are not necessary for Windows to boot and run normally. And he takes only the most necessary in the minimum amount. Thus, the download process will be fast and safe.
In Windows 10, booting your computer in Safe Mode is a little different from previous versions of Windows. Starting with versions 8 and 8.1, Microsoft has changed the usual way for everyone to get into safe mode.
If earlier we just used the F8 keys or the Shift + F8 combination to enter safe mode, then in Windows 10 these old methods rarely work. But that doesn't mean you don't have another way to enter Safe Mode in Windows 10. In this post, I'll show you 4 ways to boot your Windows 10 computer in Safe Mode. Let's take a look.
#1 F8 or F8 + Shift
In this case, the oldest method is not the best. Pressing F8 or F8 + Shift repeatedly during boot can bring back memories of your first Windows 95 or XP. But the truth is that the combination of these keys will rarely work in Windows 10.
Starting with Windows 8, Microsoft has been able to significantly reduce boot time, and therefore a large percentage of modern computers are too fast to register these keystrokes. Even if the method is still technically supported by the operating system, the system simply cannot respond quickly enough.
Of course, you should try to use this easiest way first. If everything went well, you will be directed to the Advanced Boot Options Menu, where you can select and start Safe Mode.
Note: You must press the key quickly enough until the boot logo appears. The boot logo will look like a picture, which, for each user, may be different, depending on the manufacturer of the equipment.
#2 Special boot options
The Special Boot Options menu was introduced in Windows 8.1 and it provides a wide range of options for users who have problems with their computer. It also gave access to additional boot options, which we need. Below are several ways to access the menu with special boot options:
- One of the easiest ways to boot into a menu with special boot options is the combination of shift and the reset button. To do this, press the button Shift and press reset button. This can be done in Start menu, V login menu And other places where there is a reload button.
- Another way is to connect recovery disk. Immediately after connecting the disk, start the system. You will be prompted to select a keyboard layout, after which you will be taken to a menu with special boot options. Creating a recovery disc is very easy. Just type "recovery disk" into the search field, plug in your flash drive, and follow the on-screen prompts.
- Finally, you can boot into the menu with special boot options via Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. There, click on the "Restart now" button under the heading Special boot options, and your computer will restart.
All three of these methods will lead you to the same menu. There select Diagnostics > Advanced Options > Boot Options. Then press the reboot button, after which various download options will appear on the screen. Pressing F4, F5 or F6 to load one of the available Safe Mode options.
#3 System configuration
The System Configuration menu provides the fastest method, at least when you're already in Windows. Open the search field, write msconfig.exe and press Enter. Then, in the tab, check the box "Safe Mode". If you want to enter safe mode with advanced options, select the option Another shell, not the minimum. Click OK and you will be prompted to reboot the system immediately.
If you need to do anything before rebooting, then simply select the “Exit without restarting” option and you can restart your PC after.
#4 Interrupt launch
The last method is a little cruel, but necessary in some cases. For example, if you cannot boot into the desktop, then of all the options that I described above, only one is guaranteed to work on Windows 10 - this is the recovery disk. Pressing F8 or F8 + Shift simply won't work on most modern computers, and if you don't have a recovery disk there doesn't seem to be a way to get into safe mode.
If this is the situation for you, then I want to please you, you can still get into safe mode. Do you remember that your computer repeatedly crashed and after that a message was displayed notifying that Windows was not shut down correctly, or the startup was interrupted (similar to the screenshot below)?
You can do the same with your computer. Simply start your computer and abort before or during the Windows logo. Do this three times and after that let your PC start normally. Instead of booting to the desktop, your PC will ask you how to start the system, among the options available will be safe mode.