Safe Mode - Start Windows 8 in

Brink · Sep 28, 2011

How to Start Windows 8 and 8.1 in Safe Mode

Information

Safe mode is a troubleshooting option for Windows 8 that starts your computer in a limited state. Only the basic files and drivers necessary to run Windows 8 are started. The words Safe Mode appears in the corners of your monitor to identify which Windows mode you are using.

This tutorial will show you how to start Windows 8 and 8.1 in Safe Mode.

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

Note

If you have a problem with your PC, you can troubleshoot by starting it in safe mode. Safe mode starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services. If a problem doesn't reappear when you start your PC in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers and services as possible causes.

There are three different safe mode options:

Enable Safe Mode: Starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services.
Enable Safe Mode with Networking: Starts Windows in safe mode and includes the network drivers and services needed to access the Internet or other computers on your network.
Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt: Starts Windows in safe mode with a Command Prompt window instead of the usual Windows interface. This option is intended for IT pros and system admins.

CONTENTS:

Option One: Start Windows 8 in Safe Mode from Windows Boot Manager
Option Two: Start Windows 8 in Safe Mode from Advanced "Startup Settings"
Option Three: Start Windows 8 in Safe Mode from "Advanced Boot Options"
Option Four: Start Windows 8 in "Safe Mode" or "Normal Mode" from MSCONFIG
Option Five: Using BCDEDIT Command in a Command Prompt

EXAMPLE: Windows 8 in Safe Mode

OPTION ONE

Start Windows 8 in Safe Mode from Windows Boot Manager

1. For how, see: How to Add "Safe Mode" to Windows Boot Manager in Windows 8

OPTION TWO

Start Windows 8 in Safe Mode from Advanced "Startup Settings"

1. Boot to Advanced Windows "Startup Settings", and select a (F4-F6) Safe Mode option that you would like to start Windows 8 in. (see screenshot below)

2. Type in an administrator's password to sign in as, and press Enter or click/tap on the arrow. (see screenshot below)

NOTE: If you like, you can click on the back arrow (top left) to select another administrator account to sign in as instead.

OPTION THREE

Start Windows 8 in Safe Mode from "Advanced Boot Options"

1. Press the Shift + F8 keys during boot for the Advanced Boot Options, and select a Safe Mode option that you would like to start Windows 8 in. (see screenshot below)

OPTION FOUR

Start Windows 8 in "Safe Mode" or "Normal Mode" from MSCONFIG

1. Open the Charms bar, and click/tap on Search.

NOTE: You could also press the Windows+F keys to open Search.

2. In the right pane, type msconfig in the Search Apps box, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

3. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

4. Do step 5 or 6 below depending if Windows 8 is in "Safe Mode" or "Normal Mode".

5. To Start Windows 8 in Safe Mode

Warning

If you check the Make all boot settings permanent box, then it will set Windows 8 to always start in Safe Mode until you set it to boot back in normal mode in step 6 below.

Warning

A) Click/tap on the Boot tab, select Windows 8 (ex: Windows Developer Preview), check the Safe boot box and select (dot) Minimal, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

B) Click/tap on Restart. (see screenshot below)

C) The computer will now restart, and start Windows 8 in Safe Mode after logging in.

6. To Start Windows 8 in Normal Mode

NOTE: This step is only if Windows 8 is in Safe Mode from step 5 above, and you want to restart Windows 8 back in Normal Mode.

A) Click/tap on the Boot tab, select Windows 8 (ex: Windows Developer Preview), uncheck the Safe boot box, check the Make all boot settings permanent box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

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

C) Click/tap on Restart. (see screenshot below)

D) The computer will now restart, and start Windows 8 in Normal Mode after logging in.

OPTION FIVE

Using BCDEDIT Command in a Command Prompt

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

2. In the command prompt, type the command below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

NOTE: Under the Windows Boot Loader sections, make note of the identifier value (ex: {current}) for the OS description (ex: Windows 8 Consumer Preview) that you want to use in steps 4, 5, or 6 below.

bcdedit /enum

3. Do either step 4, 5, or 6 below for what you would like to do.

4. To Start in Safe Mode

A) In the command prompt, type the command below and press enter.

NOTE: Substitute identifier in the command below with the actual value or long GUID number to the right of identifer in the command used from step 2.

bcdedit /set {identifier} safeboot minimal

For example: If I wanted to have Windows 8 Consumer Preview boot into Safe Mode using the values in the screenshot under step 2, I would type this command below and press Enter.

bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal

B) Go to step 7.

5. To Start in Safe Mode with Networking

A) In the command prompt, type the command below and press enter.

NOTE: Substitute identifier in the command below with the actual value or long GUID number to the right of identifer in the command used from step 2.

bcdedit /set {identifier} safeboot network

For example: If I wanted to have Windows 8 Consumer Preview boot into Safe Mode with networking using the values in the screenshot under step 2, I would type this command below and press Enter.

bcdedit /set {current} safeboot network

B) Go to step 7.

6. To Start Windows 8 back in Normal Mode

A) From step 2, look for the identifier (ex: {current}) for the OS description (ex: Windows 8 Consumer Preview) under a Windows Boot Loader section that has the safeboot value in it.

B) In the command prompt, type the command below and press enter.

NOTE: Substitute identifier in the command below with the actual value or long GUID number to the right of identifer in the command used from step 2.

bcdedit /deletevalue {identifier} safeboot

For example: If I wanted to have Windows 8 Consumer Preview not boot into Safe Mode anymore, I would type this command below and press Enter.

bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot

Note

If you are currently in Safe Mode with Command Prompt, then you will also need to type the command below, and press Enter.

Note

bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safebootalternateshell

C) Go to step 7.

7. Restart the computer.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

arachnaut · May 7, 2013

I use these settings:

BCDEDIT /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu yes
BCDEDIT /timeout 5

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...-change-time-wait-before-default-os-runs.html

During the 5 second interval that the boot menu displays, you can select Advanced and go into just about any mode.

It's very general and useful as long as you don't mind the 5 second boot delay.

ectech · Jan 11, 2014

Another useful one..

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5245-startup-options-enable-disable-windows-8-a.html

How to enable the F8 key to boot into advanced options menu.

BCDEDIT /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

How to remove the settings.

BCDEDIT /set {default} bootmenupolicy standard

David Bailey · Nov 24, 2014

I have a Gateway SX series computer.

I can press F-5 at boot-up & boot to Safe Mode.

Once there I can get a CMD Prompt.

Just thought this might be of interest.

SaggyMaggyPoo · Nov 29, 2014

I am having similar problems with 2 identical laptops and a member has suggested starting in safe mode.

The problems are that each laptop will freeze randomly, at which point it is impossible to access Task Manager and it is often necessary to power down the laptop. Sometimes the Event log has lots of warnings and errors, other times there is little or nothing there, but it feels like the problems may have some sort of internet connectivity issue involved as it is usually something internet related that is the first sign of the freeze.

But the problem is intermittent (though becoming quite regular), so would need monitoring over several days.

Looking at your tutorial, could I choose Safe Boot/Network (instead of minimal) in msconfig to set the laptops to automatically boot in safe mode but with internet capability?

Or is there a better way to monitor this or try and get to the root of the problem? I do have a thread related to this, but the safe mode option is the only suggestion so far

.

Brink · Nov 29, 2014

Hello Maggi,

Yes, you sure can to boot into Safe Mode with network.

SaggyMaggyPoo · Nov 30, 2014

Thanks Shawn.

Here's hoping that this may help to identify or eliminate suspects

.

Edit: I can use the internet but my taskbar icon has a red cross suggesting there is a problem. Is this normal in safe mode?
Also, it seems it isn't possible to have realtime AV running in safe mode

. Again, is this normal?

Brink · Nov 30, 2014

It's normal for the AV, but the network icon is just a graphical glitch that sometimes happens and 's nothing to worry about.

SaggyMaggyPoo · Nov 30, 2014

Hmm, followed Option 4 of the tutorial which I thought would mean I would always start up automatically in safe mode, but I just switched on and it went straight into normal mode

.

When choosing safe mode on the boot tab, there is an 'Apply' option, but the tutorial doesn't mention this, just says to click 'Okay'. Could this be why it didn't do what I expected it to?

Brink · Nov 30, 2014

Clicking on On or Apply basically does the same thing. The difference is that Apply will apply the changes and leave the window open, and On will apply the changes and close the window.

Double check that you had checked the Make all boot settings permanent box in msconfig to make it stick.

SaggyMaggyPoo · Nov 30, 2014

You don't actually mention clicking on that option in the tutorial when you start safe mode, just when you want to return to normal mode.

And I assume that warning message about making the changes permanent if you choose that option doesn't mean you can't EVER change them again? I would hate to be stuck in safe mode - can't play any videos on the interweb

Brink · Nov 30, 2014

Nar, when you do step 6A in Option Four, it will undo it.

SaggyMaggyPoo · Dec 1, 2014

So you need to check the 'Make Settings Permanent' box to automatically start in safe mode, then again, to change back to automatically starting in normal mode then?

You might want to have a look at Step 5 of Option 4, and compare the boot tab screenshot there to the one in Step 6. The first doesn't say anything about checking the box, or show it checked, while the second does.

Brink · Dec 1, 2014

The check box is only if you want it to always stay set to boot in the mode you selected.

If you don't check the box when selecting to boot into Safe Mode, then it'll only boot into Safe Mode that one time, and then boot to Windows the next time.

That's why I only included to check the box when selecting to boot into Windows (normal mode) to make sure it stays that way in case someone checked the box to select to always boot into Safe Mode.

SaggyMaggyPoo · Dec 2, 2014

Thanks Shawn. I did find it confusing, because at Step 5 of Option 4 you have this:

which I assumed meant that following these instructions (that don't include checking the Make all boot settings permanent box) DID mean that I would automatically start in Safe Mode

. Oh well, I understand better now.

Something that happened in Safe Mode has got me a bit confused though (as opposed to my general confusion

). I was logged in to my normal account that has Admin rights. I tried to open a Store App (Microsoft Sudoku) and got a message saying the Built In Admin account could not open Store Apps. I've also just been reading a thread that says you can't install programs in Safe Mode but I did (and uninstalled them too).

Any idea what was happening? Was I automatically logged into the Built In Admin account when I chose Safe Mode?

Brink · Dec 2, 2014

You can install and uninstall desktop apps in Safe Mode, but not modern Store apps. Modern apps will not work when signed in to an elevated account like the built-in Administrator.

SaggyMaggyPoo · Dec 3, 2014

Brink said:

Ok, that makes sense, and fits with what I could and couldn't do, but I wasn't logged in to the built in Administrator account, just a normal Admin account. Is this the same thing in Safe Mode?

David Bailey · Dec 3, 2014

You might want to consider ---

WinAero: Boot UI Tuner

It gives options at boot up for Safe Mode among others.
Freeware.

You must choose an option or press Enter to continue booting.

I use it.
I like it.

edit--- See picture---

SaggyMaggyPoo · Dec 3, 2014

David Bailey said:

Thanks David. I did look at this a few days ago as you attached a link earlier in this thread (I think, or I saw it where you'd put it someplace else). Seems like it may be a better option for me than changing the msconfig setting to automatically boot to Safe Mode, as I then have the opportunity to make the choice each time (and am less likely to forget to change it back

). I'm not one of those people who is desperate for the laptop to boot up as quickly as possible so the additional second or two involved in using this wouldn't bother me at all.

Does it seem odd to you that when I had logged into Safe Mode on my normal Admin account I got a message related to the Built In Admin account? (see comments in my posts above)

David Bailey · Dec 3, 2014

I have poor short term memory.

About the account, I do not know.

Safe Mode - Start Windows 8 in

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