How to start Windows in Safe Mode

To start Windows in Safe Mode, first, restart the computer.

Choose Start, Shut Down and choose Restart The Computer.

What you do next depends on which version of Windows you have.

Windows 95
When you see Starting Windows 95, press F8 and choose Safe Mode (or Safe Mode with Network Support if you need access to the network to do further testing)

Windows 98, 98SE, ME
As soon as your screen goes black after restarting, hold down the F8 key. After a bit, the computer will probably start to beep. At that point, release the F8 key. Eventually, you'll see a menu of choices. Pick Safe Mode.

If that doesn't work, restart and try holding down the Ctrl key when your computer starts. You may see keyboard error messages; ignore them. Hold the Ctrl key down until you see a startup menu.

Windows NT4
Normally, you'll see a menu of choices while NT boots up. One of these will usually refer to VGA mode. That's the one to pick.

Windows 2000
As soon as you see the Starting Windows screen with the "thermometer bar" at the bottom of the screen, press F8 for a menu of bootup options. One of these is Safe Mode.

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