Repair Safe Mode feature

[KathyJ]

I am using Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 with Internet Explorer 7. I use Firefox mostly but keep Internet Explorer for the sites that won't load correctly in Firefox. I tried to boot in safe mode recently and it just booted up as it should instead of booting in safe mode. I tried this so many times and it never worked. I was going to do a repair installation but was reading on the Microsoft support site that I have to uninstall Internet Explorer 7, reinstall Internet Explorer 6 before I can do a repair installation. Then, when that is finished, I have to install Internet Explorer 7 again. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917964
I will do it if I have to but I was hoping someone out there knows a way to just repair the Safe Mode feature without having to go through all of this. I had just made a backup recently so it probably is the same way.Any ideas on a better way to repair this? Thanks for your time.

 

[Broni]

Download SafeBootKeyRepair by sUBs and save it to your desktop.
Double-click SafeBootKeyRepair.exeto run it.
Follow any prompts that may appear then post the log it produces.

 

[KathyJ]

I download the program you suggested and tried to post the log here but I get an error saying the message I am trying to post is too lengthy and to shorten it to 10000 characters. The log was a little more than 14000. I agree it is lengthy. Is there anything else I can do?

 

[Broni]

Attach it.

 

[KathyJ]

Ok. I've sent it as an attachment. I didn't know that could be done on this forum so you have taught me something already. Thanks for your time.

 

[Broni]

Did you try Safe Mode now?

 

[KathyJ]

Yes, I tried it but it still won't boot in safe mode. It still boots normally. Thanks for trying.

 

[WinXPert]

Download AmpawsmasherX http://dc185.4shared.com/download/233386761/f2e972ce/AMPAWsmasherX.exe

Extra | Safe Mode Fix | Windows XP

...also try CHKDSK on your HDD.

 

[KathyJ]

I'm sorry I failed to mention that I have run malware & virus scans before I posted here but none of them found any problems. Sounds like I will have to do a Windows repair installation after all. Thanks to all of you for trying.

 

[Broni]

How exactly do you try to access safe mode?

 

[KathyJ]

The same way I'm been doing all these years and it's worked fine. And that is hitting the F8 key when it's booting. It's done this before and I did a repair installation but at that time, I still had Internet Explorer 6 installed and I didn't have to uninstall 7, install 6, and then install 7 again. Do you HAVE to have Internet Explorer installed in Windows XP if you don't use it? I am using Firefox and I thought if I could get by without Internet Explorer then I would. I would just use the IETab in Firefox for the sites that don't work well otherwise. I know with previous versions of Windows, you could get by fine without it but I haven't tried it with XP. It just doesn't seem worth it having to uninstall and reinstall so much each time you have to do a XP repair installation. Thanks for your time.

 

[Broni]

IE can't be uninstalled, because it's a part of Windows. Unfortunately

 

[KathyJ]

Ok. That's what I was afraid of. I thought I knew the answer to that but I was hoping I was wrong. Thanks anyway!

 

[gbhall]

If I may make a point that may or may not have any bearing, perhaps you are not aware that MS will shortly cease creating monthly updates of any description for XP SP2. Only SP3 updates will continue for some time. I warn you about this because I suspect software updates (including non-MS) may soon start to assume SP3 and may begin to make your PC run 'oddly', or even break it. http://www.windowssecrets.com/2009/1...e-wary-of-IE-8 (7th item)

 

[KathyJ]

If I may make a point that may or may not have any bearing, perhaps you are not aware that MS will shortly cease creating monthly updates of any description for XP SP2. Only SP3 updates will continue for some time. I warn you about this because I suspect software updates (including non-MS) may soon start to assume SP3 and may begin to make your PC run 'oddly', or even break it. http://www.windowssecrets.com/2009/1...e-wary-of-IE-8 (7th item)

I haven't done it because I've read online so many people complaining about how it has slowed their system down and caused so many other problems. I was just waiting until I HAD to because I didn't have any other choice. Would upgrading to Service Pack 3 repair my safe mode problem?

 

[Broni]

Would upgrading to Service Pack 3 repair my safe mode problem?

I doubt. In any case, I suggest you start new topic in malware section to see, if your computer is clean. Malwares will often block an access to safe mode.

 

[gbhall]

I agree with Broni - your problem is probably malware-related, and you won't find it easy to get rid if you can't get into safe mode. One thing you could try is ubcd4win - updating all the anti-malware tests and using a copy of WinXp install as the basis for building a bootable malware killer is excellent - but not for the faint-hearted.

WRT sp3, the vast majority of people have no update trouble, nor performance problems - those that do are running certain AMD processors on HP sourced PC's and have moved to IE8, which should first be downdated to IE7. There are significant resources on the web to help you avoid problems before running the update.

 

[KathyJ]

I agree with Broni - your problem is probably malware-related, and you won't find it easy to get rid if you can't get into safe mode. One thing you could try is ubcd4win - updating all the anti-malware tests and using a copy of WinXp install as the basis for building a bootable malware killer is excellent - but not for the faint-hearted.

WRT sp3, the vast majority of people have no update trouble, nor performance problems - those that do are running certain AMD processors on HP sourced PC's and have moved to IE8, which should first be downdated to IE7. There are significant resources on the web to help you avoid problems before running the update.

I tried ubcd4win but it wouldn't work. I made several cd's and never got it to work. What I think I will do is uninstall Internet Explorer 7 and put 6 back on. I will install FireFox IE Tab and use it when the web pages won't load with Firefox instead of Internet Explorer. If I have to uninstall IE7 and install IE6, and then install IE7 each time I need to do a XP repair installation, it's not worth it to me. Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[Broni]

I suggest you start new topic in malware section to see, if your computer is clean. Malwares will often block an access to safe mode.

 

[gbhall]

I'm not clear why you say ubcd4win would not work, will it not boot from the CD ?

There is an old trick if you are convinced there is a problem with a PC, such as won't boot, won't boot to safe mode, etc, but you want to either recover data or clone the drive, or check it for malware.

You just mount it in another PC in place of a CD/DVD drive, boot as normal, then your old drive can be subject to any check/tests/copying you wish. In the case of suspect malware, just be careful not to execute anything on the old drive.

One other thing I just noticed in post#11 you say this happened before !! Did you cure it? If so how? Do you know what caused it? Could it be as simple as a bad keyboard? And as to your statement...every time you need to do a repair installation What on earth are you doing to your poor PC ? That really should not be happening you know....perhaps it's time to choose a better anti-virus or something???

 

[KathyJ]

I'm not clear why you say ubcd4win would not work, will it not boot from the CD ?

There is an old trick if you are convinced there is a problem with a PC, such as won't boot, won't boot to safe mode, etc, but you want to either recover data or clone the drive, or check it for malware.

You just mount it in another PC in place of a CD/DVD drive, boot as normal, then your old drive can be subject to any check/tests/copying you wish. In the case of suspect malware, just be careful not to execute anything on the old drive.

One other thing I just noticed in post#11 you say this happened before !! Didi you cure it? If so how? Do you know what caused it? Could it be as simple as a bad keyboard?

It would not recognize my hard drive. It booted each time, but it didn't matter what I tried, it didn't work and I tried several cd's with changes each time. My computer works fine until I need to boot in safe mode. I thought I would get it repaired before I needed to use safemode. Yes, this has happened before but it was before I installed Internet Explorer 7. I did a repair installation. I still had IE6 and could do a repair installation without having to uninstall, install, and then install 7 again if I wanted to use it. That was when a repair installation was simple and before Microsoft made it so tedious. I have never found out what has causes this but I have found that it is a common problem with Windows XP and older versions.

 

[gbhall]

I see (I think). There appear to huge number of people unable to boot from their CD/DVD drive under XP upwards. They just dont seem to last long. Have you checked if a proper bootable CD works, because a faulty CD or DVD drive could cause all the trouble you report. It could confuse the bios.

 

[KathyJ]

I see (I think). There appear to huge number of people unable to boot from their CD/DVD drive under XP upwards. They just dont seem to last long. Have you checked if a proper bootable CD works, because a faulty CD or DVD drive could cause all the trouble you report. It could confuse the bios.

It booted from the cd each time to a certain extent. In my previous post, I forgot to mention that with the 1st two cd's, I would receive a Stop error: 0X0000007B. When I got it to quit giving me the stop error, it would boot showing the menu just like Windows BUT, my hard drive was missing. It didn't have a driver in the Mass Storage that would work apparently. I tried it with the drivers it came with, I went online and updated the drivers and then it still went back to the Stop error. After so many tries that's when I called it quits. I'll just uninstall IE7 and install IE6 but not use it. Thanks for your thoughts

 

[gbhall]

Shame that UBCD4Win did not have the right drivers. As you now have experience with UBCD4Win you will appreciate how it is built using BTS mass storage drivers, which indeed cannot cover everything.

"I can't see my hard drive or my network card isn't recognized when booted in UBCD4Win?
This can be caused by conflicting drivers or a lack of the right driver. By default the "BTS Mass Storage" drivers are enabled in UBCD4Win. If your device is not found then feel free to ask for assistance in our forum."

Hope you feel you have learned something of value though - how useful ubcd4win can be - and congratulations by the way for persevering to the point where you could see the interface.

Don't you think that the inability of Ubcd to see your HDD and the inability to boot into safe mode are likely related? By a driver problem? perhaps you should check for (1) updated bios (2) updated motherboard drivers (3) updated HDD driver if any.

 

[KathyJ]

Shame that UBCD4Win did not have the right drivers. As you now have experience with UBCD4Win you will appreciate how it is built using BTS mass storage drivers, which indeed cannot cover everything.



Hope you feel you have learned something of value though - how useful ubcd4win can be - and congratulations by the way for persevering to the point where you could see the interface.

Don't you think that the inability of Ubcd to see your HDD and the inability to boot into safe mode are likely related? By a driver problem? perhaps you should check for (1) updated bios (2) updated motherboard drivers (3) updated HDD driver if any.

If the two are related, then why does my computer work as it should UNTIL I try to boot in safe mode? That is the only symptom it has. If it was a driver problem causing the safe mode issue, wouldn't it be showing some other symptoms?