Undoubtedly, most users are aware of the existence of the so-called safe start mode, or Safe Mode, in all Windows systems, which can be accessed through a special menu called by pressing the F8 key when Windows 7 starts up. In the eighth and tenth versions, it is not so just. But for now, let’s dwell on the seventh version and see what practical benefits can be obtained when the system starts in this mode.
Why do I need a start menu when booting Windows?
To begin with, many users clearly underestimate the practical importance of accessing the operating system startup options through such a menu and believe that in the best case one can use either a quick rollback or a safe start, completely forgetting about some additional tools. Firstly, there are three use cases for Safe Mode itself. Secondly, you can immediately eliminate some of the problems associated with starting Windows. Thirdly, do not lose sight of the fact that it is in this menu that you can completely deactivate the digital signature verification of drivers blocked by the OS itself, without the use of Windows tools or the command line.
Quick system recovery
One of the main points on the start menu is a quick rollback (download bar of the last successful configuration).
If only Windows does not experience any critical failures by calling the start menu with the F8 key when loading Windows 7, it will be easiest to restore to working condition using this method (even without using a special rollback tool, since in this case a working copy of the system will be loaded automatically).
But back to a safe start. It is intended to eliminate possible problems if in normal mode Windows does not want to boot under any pretext. Before using any start option, pay special attention to the activation of the standard VGA driver, which can be very useful in troubleshooting video card malfunctions.
How to enter the safe mode of Windows 7 and below: boot options
As already clear, to enable this type of start, you need to use the F8 key, which brings up the main boot menu. But the main problem for novice users is that they press the F8 button once, as provided, completely forgetting that it’s quite difficult to accurately guess the moment at which system control is transferred from the BIOS to the Windows boot loader. Therefore, pressing should be done several times.
So, we assume that the exit to the main menu is completed.
It is immediately evident that in the options for using safe boot, three points are presented:
- Safe Mode
- start with command line support;
- booting with network drivers.
The first type is usually suitable for all users, since it allows you to download only the basic system components and important drivers. That is, most components that could theoretically fail would not be activated. On this, in fact, is the basis for troubleshooting.
The second option is intended for those cases when it is impossible to identify or fix problems using standard methods or even the system in the normal Safe mode also does not start. On the command line, this kind of problem can be fixed quite quickly (for example, this concerns a full scan and recovery of system files or boot sectors).
The third option is used when for some reason you need to use access to the Internet. Most often, you may need this when searching for and loading drivers or when using automated system library recovery utilities such as DLL Suite.
Call a safe start in a running OS
However, you can get there and activate the start in Safe Mode in another way, and you won’t even have to use the F8 key when loading Windows 7. True, the system should start as usual.
To activate the subsequent safe restart in standard mode, you must use the system configuration settings (msconfig), where the corresponding item is activated on the boot tab. As a rule, it is enough to use the minimum configuration, and not all the other items presented, the activation of which is more aimed at professionals who know how to handle such tools. But the inconvenience of this method lies in the fact that the system in safe mode will start all the time, despite the fact that the installation point of such parameters as used by default at startup will be permanently disabled.
What to do if F8 does not work when loading Windows 7 : option one
Finally, it is also not always possible to get to the menu itself in the classic way. Who did not encounter a situation when F8 does not work when loading Windows 7, despite the fact that the stationary keyboard or a similar block on the laptop works without violations and crashes? There can be many reasons for this. We will not find out all of them, but right away we will proceed to the elimination of problems.
We assume that there is no access to Safe Mode through configuration settings. In this case, there remains only one means - the command line, starting as administrator.
In it, you should set the bcdedit / set {globalsettings} advancedoptions true command to be executed , after which the download will be performed just through the start menu, where you can choose the desired option to start the system or some specific tool. Again, such a download will be performed continuously. To disable it, you need to use the command console again and delete the parameters by running the bcdedit / deletevalue {globalsettings} advancedoptions command.
Access to download selection: option two
Suppose that for some reason this option did not work, and F8 cannot be used when loading Windows. To restore access, you can use a small program called VistaBootPRO.
In the application, you first need to scan for existing system components by clicking the Manage OS Entries button, then add a new component (Add New OS Entry). In the system name field, enter Windows 7, adding Safe Mode, and then set Windows Vista in the type of OS (which is extremely important!).
After saving the settings, go to the configuration settings and activate the safe start. When rebooting, the start manager appears on the screen, in which you can use the fast boot in Safe Mode.
Note: please note that the solution above does not restore the original menu, but simply provides the ability to access Safe Mode if you cannot start the computer in this mode by any other methods.
Epilogue
As you can see, the use of the menu that is called by pressing the F8 key when loading Windows is justified in many situations, since using the tools with this access can eliminate, if not all, then most of the problems with the system. If the described methods for managing Windows settings using the system’s tools are not suitable for you, you can use portable applications like AVZ or stationary programs like Windows 7 Manager. There are several more settings in them, but initially your system should at least somehow load in normal mode.