Safe Mode - Add to Windows Boot Manager in Windows 8

How to Add Safe Mode to Windows Boot Manager in Windows 8 and 8.1


information   Information
Safe mode is a troubleshooting option for Windows that starts your computer with a minimal set of drivers and services.

This tutorial will show you how to add Windows 8 Safe Mode to the Windows Boot Manager to be able to easily choose Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, Safe Mode with Command Prompt, Windows 8, or any another OS (ex: dual boot) at boot to run at startup.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

Note   Note
If you do not already dual boot Windows 8 with another OS (ex: Windows 7 or Vista) with Windows 8 set as the default OS to run at startup, then adding Safe Mode to the Windows Boot Manager will also give you the Change default or choose other options link as in the example screenshot below to make it easier to boot into the Startup Options menu for more System Recovery Options.


EXAMPLE: Windows 8 Safe Mode added to Windows Boot Manager

Example.jpg








OPTION ONE

To Add Windows 8 "Safe Mode" to Windows Boot Manager




1. Open an elevated command prompt or a command prompt at boot.


2. In the command prompt, copy and paste the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
bcdedit /enum /v
CMD-A.jpg


3. From under a Windows Boot Loader section, look for the description that has Windows 8.1 listed (ex: Windows Developer Preview), and make note of it's identifier number (ex: {672baf70-e2b4-11e0-8f18-f57b82248477} ) . (see screenshot above)


4. In the command prompt, type the command below for the type of Safe Mode you want, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute identifier number in the command below with your actual Windows 8.1 identifier number from step 3.
bcdedit /copy {identifier number} /d “Windows 8.1 Safe Mode”
OR​
bcdedit /copy {identifier number} /d “Windows 8.1 Safe Mode with Networking”
OR​
bcdedit /copy {identifier number} /d “Windows 8.1 Safe Mode with Command Prompt”
For example: I would type this command below exactly for Safe Mode with my identifier number {672baf70-e2b4-11e0-8f18-f57b82248477}.​
bcdedit /copy {672baf70-e2b4-11e0-8f18-f57b82248477} /d “Windows 8.1 Safe Mode”
warning   Warning
While you could copy and paste the bcdedit /copy {identifier number} part of the command, you must completely type out the /d “Windows 8.1 Safe Mode” part of the command or you will get the "A description for the new entry must be specified" error message if you try and copy and paste it. Be sure to backspace and then type out the rest of the command to also leave a space between these parts of the same command.

warning   Warning

If it doubt, you can always type out the full command.​


CMD-B.jpg


5. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type msconfig, and click/tap on OK.


6. Click/tap on the Boot tab, verify that Windows 8.1 (or the OS you want) is set as the Default OS instead of Windows 8.1 Safe Mode. (see screenshot below)

A) Next, select Windows 8.1 Safe Mode in the top box, and check the Safe boot box under "Boot options".


B) Select (dot) either Minimal, Alternate shell, or Network for the type of Safe Mode you wanted from step 4 above.



Note   Note
Safe Mode (Minimal) = This starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services.

Note   Note



Safe Mode with Networking (Network) = This starts Windows in safe mode and includes the network drivers and services needed to access the Internet or other computers on your network.


Safe Mode with Command Prompt (Alternate shell) = This starts Windows in safe mode with a command prompt window instead of the usual Windows interface.




C) Set enough seconds (ex: 30) in the Timeout field to be able to have enough time to choose an OS at boot, check the Make all boot settings permanent box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

CMD-3.jpg


7. Click/tap on Yes. (see screenshot below)


CMD-4.jpg
8. Click/tap on Restart. (see screenshot below)
msconfig-3.jpg



9. When the computer restarts, you will see that Windows 8.1 Safe Mode has been added to the Windows Boot Manager.







OPTION TWO

To Remove Windows 8 "Safe Mode" from Windows Boot Manager



Note   Note
This option will undo OPTION ONE above to remove Windows 8.1 Safe Mode from the Windows Boot Manager screen, and return you back to what you had before doing OPTION ONE.




1. Open an elevated command prompt or a command prompt at boot.


2. In the command prompt, copy and paste the command below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
bcdedit /enum /v
CMD-7.jpg



3. From under a Windows Boot Loader section, look for the description that has Windows 8.1 Safe Mode listed, and make note of it's identifier number (ex: {203ca718-e98b-11e0-842d-080027916f7d} ) . (see screenshot above)


4. In the command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute identifier number in the command below with your actual "Windows 8.1 Safe Mode" identifier number from step 2.
bcdedit /delete {identifier number}
For example: I would type this command below exactly for my identifier number {203ca718-e98b-11e0-842d-080027916f7d}.​
bcdedit /delete {203ca718-e98b-11e0-842d-080027916f7d}
CMD-8.jpg



5. Close the command prompt. The next time that you restart the computer, you will see that Windows 8.1 Safe Mode has been removed.



That's it,
Shawn


 

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Hi,

Nice work.:cool:

If you don't mind my saying so, if you'd step through steps 1 to 4 from option 1 then you've just done what the title of the tutorial suggests; a new entry is added to W8's boot manager allowing one to pick it from the list of other options.
Mind that I run the CP version and have never ran the DP one so don't take it as a criticism, it's just that I was a bit puzzled as to why anyone would want W8 to default to Safe Mode, that's all.


Best, ;)
 
Hello Fdegrove, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Safe mode is a troubleshooting option for Windows that starts your computer with a minimal set of drivers and services.


The tutorial works for either the Windows 8 CP or DP as is. It's just that the tutorial was written when the DP was released. The screenshots will be updated if anything changes in any future release, or when the final Windows 8 is released. The tutorial doesn't make W8 default to booting into Safe Mode unless you select it to startup to in the Windows Boot Manager screen. If you restart the computer afterwards, you'll have the same choice to boot into W8 or W8 Safe Mode. By default, it boots into W8 though.


In Windows 7 and Vista, you could boot to the Advanced Boot Options screen to be able to select to boot into "Safe Mode" if needed. Windows 8 doesn't have this option, so this tutorial gives it to you in the Windows Boot Manager screen instead to make it even easier to do so.

Hope this helps, :)
Shawn
 
Hi,

Thx for the swift reply and the welcome.
My bad for jumping to conclusions, of course it won't default to Safe mode unless you tell it so in MSConfig....:o

Anyhow, just goes to show, right....

Cheers, ;)

Frank
 
Seems to me that it doesn't work on the Consumer Preview!

Capture.JPG

Or, I'm doing something wrong!
 
Hello Kizo,

It works in W8 CP as well. It looks like you copied and pasted the command instead of typing it out. When you copy and past the last /d "Windows 8 Safe Mode" part of the command, it thinks the space is a enter instead and is why you are getting the description error. The commnad must be fully typed out for it to work instead. :(
 
You're welcome. It's one of those little quirks of copying and pasting in the command prompt.
 
Oh my. I was able to copy and paste the first bcdedit /copy {identifier number} part of the command, but had to type out the rest making sure to backspace and then type out the rest.
 
Hi,

Actually, I c/ped the identifier as well and that worked fine. I did leave a space after it and the rest of the command after it though.

Ah...Sorry, I now see Brink has had succes doing the same. Ignore me.:cry:
 
Hi,

Sure. Just repeat the same procedure from within W7.

Cheers, ;)

EDIT: There actually is no need to apply the changes to MSConfig from within W7 itself, you can add the params you want to change from within any other MS OS recognized by the W8 bootman.
 
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