Windows 7 - Can't boot into safe mode

Cmate · 06-27-2010

If I hit the f8 key while booting, my motherboard (Asus M4a78-EM) brings up a boot device menu. In msconfig all the safe mode boot options are not available and there is no OS listed in the box. I'm on Windows 7 Home premium. I haven't activated it yet, if that makes a difference. Any ideas?

Brink · 06-27-2010

Hello Cmate, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You should be able to check the Safe Boot option in your screenshot above to be able to boot into Safe Mode afterwards.

Cmate · 06-27-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Brink

Hello Cmate, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You should be able to check the Safe Boot option in your screenshot above to be able to boot into Safe Mode afterwards.

Thanks for the quick replies, guys!

Hitting f8 on my mother board brings up a bios boot device menu.
Tried many times (before-after beep etc).

Nothing in the boot tab of msconfig is available i.e. "clickable" tried running from an elevated command prompt-no go.

I'm stumped!

richc46 · 06-27-2010

Read what Brink posted,about safe boot, then look at your screen shot, its there. Read the tutorial, also.

Check safe boot.

Cmate · 06-27-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by richc46

Read what Brink posted,about safe boot, then look at your screen shot, its there. Read the tutorial, also.

Check safe boot.

Clicking it does nothing. Everything in the box is "greyed out"

"Nothing in the boot tab of msconfig is available i.e. "clickable" tried running from an elevated command prompt-no go."

gregrocker · 06-27-2010

What are the listings on the Boot Device Menu accessed by tapping F8 at Startup?

Cmate · 06-27-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by gregrocker

What are the listings on the Boot Device Menu accessed by tapping F8 at Startup?

optical drive
HDD
HDD
Usb device

It is a bios screen to change boot device priority. System then tries to boot to the device you choose.

gregrocker · 06-27-2010

Hmmm. Try booting the Windows 7 HDD from the menu and then tapping F8 to see if you get Advanced Boot Options.

THe mobo should not be able to eliminate Advanced boot options accessibility by tapping F8 at bootup since its a Windows function, so try tapping F8 after you actually boot the HD on that menu.

bobkn · 06-27-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Cmate

If I hit the f8 key while booting, my motherboard (Asus M4a78-EM) brings up a boot device menu. In msconfig all the safe mode boot options are not available and there is no OS listed in the box. I'm on Windows 7 Home premium. I haven't activated it yet, if that makes a difference. Any ideas?

With my Asus P6T Deluxe, the same thing happens.

However, I can get into safe mode from there. Select the boot device you want (the normal boot drive will be the default), press the return key, and immediately press F8 again.

If it works for me, it doesn't require superhuman reflexes.

Cmate · 06-27-2010

Bingo! Thanks guys, that worked.
@bobkn You weren't kidding when you said immediately...

Any idea why I'm locked out of the boot tab of msconfig?

Am I correct in assuming that windows should be listed in the box of the boot tab?

Windows 7 - Can't boot into safe mode

Can't boot into safe mode problems?