Re: Unable to Access Safe Mode in XPSP2

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From: Mike P. (MikeP_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 02/01/05 

Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 04:43:05 -0800

Hello again Colin.

Sorry, I could have been more explicit with my previous reply.

After pressing F8 during start up, the normal list of start up choices
appears on a black background. The choices are: Safe Mode (3 off)/Enable Boot
Logging/Enable VGA Mode/Last Known Good Configuration/Directory Services
Restore Mode/Debugging Mode/Start Normally/Reboot and Return to OS Choices
Menu.

After selecting Safe Mode and pressing enter, the PC attempts to start and
it is during this phase that the list of files/drivers scrolls up the screen
and stops at Windows/System32/Drivers/agp440.sys. Eventually the PC doesn't
start in the selected Safe Mode, nor any other mode. Instead another black
screen appears with comments to the effect "Sorry for the inconvenience but
Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change
might have caused this.....".

At the bottom of the screen there are then just five start up choices: Safe
Mode (3 off)/Last Known Good Configuration and Normal. Choosing any of the
Safe Mode choices again has the same result, so one must select Normal.

I've made no recent hardware changes; of course one is always making
software changes and therefore it is possible that this problem is caused by
a third party software - but, if so, which is the dilemma.

Of course I could embark on a clean re-install of Windows XP and re-load of
all third party software and personal data - but I had hoped to avoid this.

Regards

"Mike P." wrote:

> Hello Colin and thanks for the interest.
>
> These are the usual ones after pressing F8 during start up that appear
> against a black background. I'm trying to remember them, but they include
> 'last known good' and 'debug' etc.
>
> Regards
>
> "Colin Barnhorst" wrote:
>
> > What are the startup choices you are referring to?
> >
> > --
> > Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
> > (Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
> > "Mike P." <Mike P.@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:7D8F82D4-5216-4574-866A-64F6A6FC503D@microsoft.com...
> > >I am unable to start in Safe Mode in XPSP2, either by hitting F8 during
> > >boot
> > > up or using msconfig: BOOTINI/SAFEBOOT. Start up will not enter Safe Mode,
> > > but simply returns to the start up choices each time. Because of this,
> > > when I
> > > tried the msconfig method, the PC kept cycling and I could not enter
> > > msconfig
> > > again to disable SAFEBOOT. I had to turn off the PC and restore an image
> > > of
> > > my hard drive to overcome the start up cycling problem.
> > >
> > > I have uninstalled SP2 - still couldn't access Safe Mode.
> > >
> > > I then carried out a 'Repair' to XP from original CD - seemed to go well
> > > but
> > > still couldn't access Safe Mode.
> > >
> > > Then re-installed SP2 - and still can't access Safe Mode.
> > >
> > > Have tried sfc /scannow - no joy.
> > >
> > > When I try to enter Safe Mode, a number of files and drivers scroll
> > > through
> > > on a black screen and the scrolling stops at
> > > windows/system32/drivers/agp440.sys. I don't know if this is normal, or
> > > whether there should be more drivers, or whether stopping on this
> > > particular
> > > driver means that there is a problem with it in particular or indeed the
> > > next
> > > one. If so, can this be repaired or replaced?
> > >
> > > I have tried a second uninstallation of SP2 - still no access to Safe
> > > Mode -
> > > and then a second 'Repair' of XP from the Windows CD, but still no joy
> > > with
> > > Safe Mode.
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >

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