What Is Windows Safe Mode? Safe Mode Deatils Here For You Easy Understanding
Safe Mode is a familiar word for any Windows (ie Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7) users. Safe mode is a troubleshooting option for Windows that starts your computer in a limited state. Only the basic files and drivers necessary to run Windows are started. The words Safe Mode appear in the corners of your monitor to identify which Windows mode you're using.
If an existing problem doesn't reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers as possible causes. If you don't know the cause of the problem, you can use the process of elimination to help you find the problem. Try starting all of the programs you commonly use, including the programs in your Startup folder, one by one to see if a program might be the cause of the problem.
If your computer automatically starts in safe mode without prompting, a problem with your computer might be preventing Windows from starting normally. If you think the cause of the problem might be a recently installed program or device, try using Recovery in Control Panel.
Safe mode starts Windows with only the basic drivers and services listed here.
- Floppy disk drives (internal and USB)
- Internal CD-ROM drives (ATA, SCSI)
- External CD-ROM drives (USB)
- Internal DVD-ROM drives (ATA, SCSI)
- External DVD-ROM drives (USB)
- Internal hard disk drives (ATA, SATA, SCSI)
- External hard disk drives (USB)
- Keyboards (USB, PS/2, serial)
- Mice (USB, PS/2, serial)
- VGA display cards (PCI, AGP)
Windows services that start in safe mode
- Windows event log
- Plug and Play
- Remote procedure call (WPC)
- Cryptographic Services
- Windows Defender
- Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
Start your computer in safe mode
Safe mode starts Windows with a limited set of files and drivers. Startup programs don't run in safe mode, and only the basic drivers needed to start Windows are installed. For more information, see What is safe mode?
Safe mode is useful for troubleshooting problems with programs and drivers that might not start correctly or that might prevent Windows from starting correctly. If a problem doesn't reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers as possible causes. If a recently installed program, device, or driver prevents Windows from running correctly, you can start your computer in safe mode and then remove the program that's causing the problem. For more information about troubleshooting problems in safe mode, see Diagnostic tools to use in safe mode.
- Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer. Click the Start button , click the arrow next to the Shut Down button , and then click Restart.
- Do one of the following:
1. If your computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts. You need to press F8 before the Windows logo appears. If the Windows logo appears, you'll need to try again by waiting until the Windows logon prompt appears, and then shutting down and restarting your computer.
2. If your computer has more than one operating system, use the arrow keys to highlight the operating system you want to start in safe mode, and then press F8.
- On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight the safe mode option you want, and then press Enter. For more information about options, see Advanced startup options (including safe mode).
- Log on to your computer with a user account that has administrator rights.
When your computer is in safe mode, you'll see the words Safe Mode in the corners of your monitor. To exit safe mode, restart your computer and let Windows start normally.
How can I decide which drivers are safe to install?
When you connect a new hardware device to your computer, Windows tries to find and install a software driver for the device. Occasionally, you might see a notification that a driver is unsigned, has been altered since it was signed, or can't be installed by Windows. You can always decide whether to install a driver that's unsigned or has been altered.
A signed driver is a device driver that includes a digital signature. A digital signature is an electronic security mark that can indicate the publisher of the software, as well as whether someone has tampered with the driver since it was signed. If a driver has been signed by a publisher that has verified its identity with a certification authority, you can be confident that the driver comes from that publisher and hasn't been altered.
Windows will alert you with one of the following messages if a driver is unsigned, was signed by a publisher that hasn't verified its identity with a certification authority, or has been altered since it was signed and released:
Unfortunately, there's no trustworthy source of information that indicates who has published an unsigned driver. Anyone can alter the contents of an unsigned driver. The original version of an unsigned driver might have actually come from the manufacturer of your device, but if the driver is unsigned, someone might have altered it. There is no way to know if it was altered for malicious purposes. Most manufacturers now digitally sign the drivers they create before releasing them to the public.
If you see any of these messages when attempting to install a driver, you should visit your device manufacturer's website to get a digitally signed driver for your device.
If an existing problem doesn't reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers as possible causes. If you don't know the cause of the problem, you can use the process of elimination to help you find the problem. Try starting all of the programs you commonly use, including the programs in your Startup folder, one by one to see if a program might be the cause of the problem.
If your computer automatically starts in safe mode without prompting, a problem with your computer might be preventing Windows from starting normally. If you think the cause of the problem might be a recently installed program or device, try using Recovery in Control Panel.
Safe mode starts Windows with only the basic drivers and services listed here.
- Floppy disk drives (internal and USB)
- Internal CD-ROM drives (ATA, SCSI)
- External CD-ROM drives (USB)
- Internal DVD-ROM drives (ATA, SCSI)
- External DVD-ROM drives (USB)
- Internal hard disk drives (ATA, SATA, SCSI)
- External hard disk drives (USB)
- Keyboards (USB, PS/2, serial)
- Mice (USB, PS/2, serial)
- VGA display cards (PCI, AGP)
Windows services that start in safe mode
- Windows event log
- Plug and Play
- Remote procedure call (WPC)
- Cryptographic Services
- Windows Defender
- Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
Start your computer in safe mode
Safe mode starts Windows with a limited set of files and drivers. Startup programs don't run in safe mode, and only the basic drivers needed to start Windows are installed. For more information, see What is safe mode?
Safe mode is useful for troubleshooting problems with programs and drivers that might not start correctly or that might prevent Windows from starting correctly. If a problem doesn't reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers as possible causes. If a recently installed program, device, or driver prevents Windows from running correctly, you can start your computer in safe mode and then remove the program that's causing the problem. For more information about troubleshooting problems in safe mode, see Diagnostic tools to use in safe mode.
- Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer. Click the Start button , click the arrow next to the Shut Down button , and then click Restart.
- Do one of the following:
1. If your computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts. You need to press F8 before the Windows logo appears. If the Windows logo appears, you'll need to try again by waiting until the Windows logon prompt appears, and then shutting down and restarting your computer.
2. If your computer has more than one operating system, use the arrow keys to highlight the operating system you want to start in safe mode, and then press F8.
- On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight the safe mode option you want, and then press Enter. For more information about options, see Advanced startup options (including safe mode).
- Log on to your computer with a user account that has administrator rights.
When your computer is in safe mode, you'll see the words Safe Mode in the corners of your monitor. To exit safe mode, restart your computer and let Windows start normally.
How can I decide which drivers are safe to install?
When you connect a new hardware device to your computer, Windows tries to find and install a software driver for the device. Occasionally, you might see a notification that a driver is unsigned, has been altered since it was signed, or can't be installed by Windows. You can always decide whether to install a driver that's unsigned or has been altered.
A signed driver is a device driver that includes a digital signature. A digital signature is an electronic security mark that can indicate the publisher of the software, as well as whether someone has tampered with the driver since it was signed. If a driver has been signed by a publisher that has verified its identity with a certification authority, you can be confident that the driver comes from that publisher and hasn't been altered.
Windows will alert you with one of the following messages if a driver is unsigned, was signed by a publisher that hasn't verified its identity with a certification authority, or has been altered since it was signed and released:
Windows can't verify the publisher of this driver softwareThe driver either doesn't have a digital signature or has been signed with a digital signature that wasn't verified by a certification authority. You should only install this driver if you recieved it from an original manufacturer's disc or from your system administrator.
This driver hasn't been signedThe driver hasn't been digitally signed by a verified publisher. The driver might have been altered to include malicious software that could harm your computer or steal information. In rare cases, legitimate publishers do alter driver packages after they've been digitally signed. You should only install a driver that hasn't been signed if you got it from an original manufacturer's disc.
Unfortunately, there's no trustworthy source of information that indicates who has published an unsigned driver. Anyone can alter the contents of an unsigned driver. The original version of an unsigned driver might have actually come from the manufacturer of your device, but if the driver is unsigned, someone might have altered it. There is no way to know if it was altered for malicious purposes. Most manufacturers now digitally sign the drivers they create before releasing them to the public.
Windows requires a digitally signed driverA driver that lacks a valid digital signature, or was altered after it was signed, can't be installed on 64-bit editions of Windows. You will only see this message if you try to install such a driver on a 64-bit edition of Windows.
If you see any of these messages when attempting to install a driver, you should visit your device manufacturer's website to get a digitally signed driver for your device.
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