I need to access Safe Mode. OS -XP Home Edition Ver.2002 with SP1 included, (updated to SP3).

I have an issue [security?] when trying to open folders/shortcuts on desktop, "Access Denied" pops up!!

Pressing F8 won't start Safe Mode. I believe I need to "Take Ownership" in Safe Mode. (I have printed out the steps in how to do so.)

All steps can be executed successfully, but when enter 'Safe Mode' is selected, a black screen loads with a full page of:-
"multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system32\drivers\'~'
and just sits there, forever!!

The computer starts and runs OK in normal start.

Any suggestions??

Baz8.

Hi baz8,

Safe mode can take longer to load sometimes. The page listing file is normal - this is safe mode showing you which drivers are being loaded in order to help pinpoint problem drivers.

How long have you left the PC on this page? I would suggest giving it quite a few minutes, especially if the HDD activity light is on/flashing.

I have left it on that page for up to 5mins or more. Yes the HDD keeps flashing. Will try leaving it longer.
Thanks for that.
Baz8

I have left it on that page for up to 5mins or more. Yes the HDD keeps flashing. Will try leaving it longer.
Thanks for that.
Baz8

PS. Please bear with me in "posting". I think I just 'replied' to myself!?

Talking to yourself might get you locked up!

Yes, please leave it longer. If the HDD light is flashing then something is still doing something. I had a machine that took 20 mins to start in safe mode (I have no idea why to this day).

Thanks, wii-ste, for the suggestion.

I left the black screen 'loading drivers' for 45mins and noticed the HDD light went off after the 1st 5-6min or so and stayed off. No activity at all, until I hit the boot button and it will do a normal start.

There has to be more to this! I do regular maintenance including: registry cleaning/optimising, disk cleanup, checkdisk [ ~:/f/v/r ] to view results in Event Viewer [Applications], and defrag.

baz8

I would suggest running virus scans or at least get some Hijackthis logs up on the correct part of the forum and see if you have any infections, possibly run ComboFix.

I found when safemode seems to be broken, combofix can fix this in the first instance, very helpful.