Safe Mode

[Djarum]

Here is the rundown. I have an HP 8485z computer. 96megs of ram, p3 450 proccesor. I have an ati on board agp rage 128 video card.

Here is the problem. I have run into a situation where I need to get to safe mode, but I cant. I am running windows 98. According to the tech ppl at HP, they say hit F8 at the blue screen untill It beeps. I do this, however, Safe mode doesnt load, regular windows does. I even checked in the MSCONFIG to make sure that the start up menu appears. I have even tried F5. I have even put in a blank disk to slow down the blue screen to get into safe mode.

Is there anyway to resolve this without reinstalling windows?

Dj

[MishY]

Hi,

Why may I ask do you need to go into safe mode ?

The F8 trick works but depending on how your computer boots because its an HP you may not get to see the screen where the screen goes black and you see in white writing at the bottom "Starting Windows 98". If you do that is the time to press it.

You might also want to try holding down CTRL at boot because that on some systems can also bring up the start menu.

The above method is much more preferable and easier to do than the following method although this does work.

I would like to also stress that if you don't feel comfortable doing the following that you please ask any questions you have before doing this.

Go into MyComputer C:\

Click View/FolderOptions the click the View tab and tick show all files.

Look for MSDOS.SYS

Rightclick the file and select Copy. Then unselect the file and click on the Mycomputer toolbar Edit/Paste. This will create a file called "Copy of MSDOS.SYS". Click on the new file and press F2. Then rename it to MSDOS2.SYS. This is your backup.

Right click MSDOS.SYS then click Properties and take the tick out of "Read Only" this allows you to write to the file as MSDOS.SYS is a protected system file. Click Apply then OK.

Then right click MSDOS.SYS and click Open With.

Choose Notepad from the programs listed there.

Now scroll down to the Header [Options]

Look under this header for a line :

BootMenu=0

If you see it change the 0 to a 1

If it's not there....

insert the following line under that header :

BootMenu=1

This will force the menu which F8 would have brought up - to load at boot.

Save the file.

Then reboot.

Once you have finished with Safe Mode boot into Safe Mode and edit the MSDOS.SYS file again and replace the 1 of that line to a 0 (zero) this will stop the boot menu from coming up when you restart your computer. Then and you should do this go into MyComputer C:\ and rightclick your MSDOS.SYS file and click Properties. Then put the tick back into the Read Only check box then click Apply and OK. This way the MSDOS.SYS is readonly again and protected as it should be.

Please keep us posted

MishY

[ 04 April 2001: Message edited by: MishY ]

[Djarum]

Thats not a bad Idea. Sounds good.

Reason I need to go to safe mode is simply to install a new video card. Hewlet packard says that I have to disable the onboard card by deleting the ATI rage adapters, then rebooting to safe mode, and deleteing the VGA adapters. After all this, they say put the new card in, start up, and load drivers.

I get a blue screen at boot up, but according to HP, once you hit F8 when it comes up, the start up menu should appear.

dj