Windows 10 Safe Mode: The Easy Way - Comments Page 1

That's great assuming you can even boot. Something went bump in the night with my computer two months back and I couldn't start up at all. That's why I keep a bootable Linux disc handy. I was able to recover the files I wanted and re-install windows. Why they removed the F8 mystifying.

After "bowels of the earth..."

???

Something's missing. Please correct.

So - here is the problem. Most of the time that you need Safe Mode is when Windows fails to start. So there is no way into MSCONFIG - catch22. That is when you need the F8 startup routine.
What I need is a way to start safe mode when I can't get into MSCONFIG.

If you should be able to get into Safe Mode, how then do you get out of it?

I'm with Don. Why would anyone want to boot into safe mode every time? How do you get into safe mode when you can't boot all the way to the start menu's search box and thence to msconfig?

Don: Supposedly when Windows 10 does not start successfully three (3) times, on the next time a repair screen ("Automatic Repair") will be shown in which "Advanced options" will include a method to booting into safe mode. You'll find it under "Startup Settings."

All of these different methods, including W10 failing to boot correctly 3 times, which sometimes doesn't work, none actually addresses the problems one sometimes faces that having the F8 boot into Safe Mode from cold, would help to resolve.
We need someone to hack the part of the code of W10 that would give us back our beloved F8 safe mode.
I cannot think of any real reason why M$ removed it.
Safe mode still exists in Windows so why not have it directly from F8 ?
Sheer control freakery and bloody mindedness.

keith h's comment caught my eye. I also couldn't boot at the same time something mysterious happened to his machine. Did MS make some error somewhere or was it simply a coincidence. ??

Also, my backups were on an encrypted drive! I learned a lesson, there!

All this talk about Safe Mode. Does this mean that I am normally running in Unsafe Mode? Why would MS want me to do that?

I will never mess with "safe boot" again. Last time I did it I couldn't get out of it and had to do a complete re-install of windows.
The only reason I experimented with it to begin with was to see if I could actually do it as per instructions given here by somebody.

In ALL the years of using windows, I have needed "safe boot" maybe 2 times, and couldn't resolve the issues anyway in using it.

My theory is stay out of trouble.
Quit messing with your config, settings, and system files.
Stay away from sites you KNOW are risky, and quit replying to emails from people you don't know.
TIP: Do not ever click a link from a site you are not completely satisfied is safe, especially social networking sites or emails from unknown senders that peaked your curiosity.

Re: Fred's caution about clicking on a link: It has become relatively common for web sites and emails to be "spoofed". That is, the source of the email/web site may be falsified. Don't ever click on a link unless you have *separately* determined that you are expecting the link. If you're not sure, contact the sender to verify the link.

How to turn on F8
Here is the caveat:
You have to do this on a good system because you have to get to the system DOS prompt under administrator
turn on:
bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

turn off
bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy standard

then you should be able to use like every version of windows.

I agree with Don, how do you get into safe mode when you can't even start W10? After the last W10 update my hard drive is in constant state of operation. I need to get into Safe-Mode to find out what it is doing.

You can also enable the F8 key with the following command...
Open an elevated command prompt, or a command prompt at boot.
Type "bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu yes" (no quotes). Press the Enter key.
Close the command prompt window, and the computer will be ready to use the F8 key (Advanced Options) at the next bootup attempt.

Frank D: "If you should be able to get into Safe Mode, how then do you get out of it?"

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Have you ever heard of Google?

To get windows 10 into safe mode is so easy, just keep shift key down at booting time, that is all!

THAK YOU FOR THE REMINDER! I've worked on PCs everyday for the last 30 years (or so). I already knew everything you pointed out and still I was doing the "10 setps" aproach every time I needed Safe Mode. And again. So, bless you for reminding me what I already knew, but some how did not know!!

"To get windows 10 into safe mode is so easy, just keep shift key down at booting time, that is all!"

Holly molly - after all the blather can it really be that easy?

No I am not game to try, at least until MS stops foisting improperly tested Win 10 updates on us.

It should be easier, like the F8 option of old.
WARNING TO ALL!
Your method works BUT DO NOT USE A PIN to log into Windows (instead of a password)
Booting in safe mode does not recognize the PIN for login (why not!?) and if you can't remember the password after a year of using a PIN you have locked yourself out of your own machine. No way to get back into it without a lot of work.

Go to Infopackets.com and look for "How to fix safe mode Windows 10 F8 menu missing". It will show you how to "Include Safe Mode in your Boot Menu Permanently. This works for me every boot. Select Win 10 boot or Safe Mode boot. GREAT FIX!