Solved Help Please - Safe Mode Boot Startup Option - Gone

[moondog99]

Hi - I didn't see a Windows 7 forum category that seemed to apply to this....

I had the dreaded ukash virus on my Lenovo e16 laptop earlier this morning and it virtually blocked me from doing anything - including booting in safe mode. I was somehow able to restore my laptop to a version that worked, Avira then decided to recognize it and got rid of it (better late than never, I guess). I did a full scan and it seems to be gone.

However, when I interrupt the start up process now, the option to boot in safe mode is still not available. What I see is only one option - Windows 7.

After doing a little research, I determined that this option should normally only be available when running more than one OS, which I am not. I also read that if I hit F8 after I select 'Windows 7', it should present me with the standard boot/start-up options. I have tried that, in fact I have tried every plausible key on my keyboard, and it still won't work. I can still boot in safe mode if I select that option in msconfig, but that won't help much in an emergency.

This doesn't seem to be a common problem judging from the lack of searchable material.

Any help or suggestions anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[benjy206]

Hi - I didn't see a Windows 7 forum category that seemed to apply to this....

I had the dreaded ukash virus on my Lenovo e16 laptop earlier this morning and it virtually blocked me from doing anything - including booting in safe mode. I was somehow able to restore my laptop to a version that worked, Avira then decided to recognize it and got rid of it (better late than never, I guess). I did a full scan and it seems to be gone.

However, when I interrupt the start up process now, the option to boot in safe mode is still not available. What I see is only one option - Windows 7.

After doing a little research, I determined that this option should normally only be available when running more than one OS, which I am not. I also read that if I hit F8 after I select 'Windows 7', it should present me with the standard boot/start-up options. I have tried that, in fact I have tried every plausible key on my keyboard, and it still won't work. I can still boot in safe mode if I select that option in msconfig, but that won't help much in an emergency.

This doesn't seem to be a common problem judging from the lack of searchable material.

Any help or suggestions anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris

Chris, you have to keep pressing f8 until it comes up the minute you boot up the pc start pressing f8 until it comes up

 

[Gary]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html

If all else fails you can try the above.

 

[moondog99]

Thanks for you reply Benji.

I have done that. That is where I get the 'Windows 7' boot option rather than the standard ones (like safe mode). When I do select the 'Windows 7' option, I continue to hit F8 (because that is supposed to bring up the other options) but it just continues to boot normally.

I honestly have never seen this before.

 

[benjy206]

Thanks for you reply Benji.

I have done that. That is where I get the 'Windows 7' boot option rather than the standard ones (like safe mode). When I do select the 'Windows 7' option, I continue to hit F8 (because that is supposed to bring up the other options) but it just continues to boot normally.

I honestly have never seen this before.

Ok that is strange. So basically when you are pressing f8 it gets the boot devices instead of the advanced menu? Did you try to use the boot button instead of the f8 button?

 

[alphanumeric]

On my ASUS motherboards F8 brings up the quick boot menu. It lets you select another device like a thumb drive for this one boot up. On the next boot if you don't do anything it just boots up normally to the hard drive. It's a nice feature except that its a pain trying to get the timing right if you're after the Windows 7 F8 boot menu. If you wait to long you miss it, too early and you're in the ASUS quick boot menu.

 

[benjy206]

On my ASUS motherboards F8 brings up the quick boot menu. It lets you select another device like a thumb drive for this one boot up. On the next boot if you don't do anything it just boots up normally to the hard drive. It's a nice feature except that its a pain trying to get the timing right if you're after the Windows 7 F8 boot menu. If you wait to long you miss it, too early and you're in the ASUS quick boot menu.

Must be the problem so. That laptop has the asus motherboard also.

 

[moondog99]

Thanks for you reply Benji.

I have done that. That is where I get the 'Windows 7' boot option rather than the standard ones (like safe mode). When I do select the 'Windows 7' option, I continue to hit F8 (because that is supposed to bring up the other options) but it just continues to boot normally.

I honestly have never seen this before.

Ok that is strange. So basically when you are pressing f8 it gets the boot devices instead of the advanced menu? Did you try to use the boot button instead of the f8 button?

Thanks Benji - I've used every key I've got - although I don't know which one is the boot one. Ignorance shown here, I didn't know there was a boot key.

 

[alphanumeric]

On my ASUS motherboards F8 brings up the quick boot menu. It lets you select another device like a thumb drive for this one boot up. On the next boot if you don't do anything it just boots up normally to the hard drive. It's a nice feature except that its a pain trying to get the timing right if you're after the Windows 7 F8 boot menu. If you wait to long you miss it, too early and you're in the ASUS quick boot menu.

Must be the problem so. That laptop has the asus motherboard also.

I don't know, my new ASUS laptop doesn't have that feature but my two desktop PC's do. The original post sounded like the situation I ran into so maybe other manufacturers have a similar feature that also uses F8? I can easily tell which screen I booted into just by looking at it, one is a BIOS screen the other is the Windows boot screen. After reading it again I'm not so sure. I wouldn't expect to see 'Windows 7' on the BIOS screen, it would list the different boot options like hard drive, DVD drive, USB thumb drive etc. Now I'm just as confused as the rest of you.

 

[benjy206]

Thanks for you reply Benji.

I have done that. That is where I get the 'Windows 7' boot option rather than the standard ones (like safe mode). When I do select the 'Windows 7' option, I continue to hit F8 (because that is supposed to bring up the other options) but it just continues to boot normally.

I honestly have never seen this before.

Ok that is strange. So basically when you are pressing f8 it gets the boot devices instead of the advanced menu? Did you try to use the boot button instead of the f8 button?

Thanks Benji - I've used every key I've got - although I don't know which one is the boot one. Ignorance shown here, I didn't know there was a boot key.

Ya so basically what he is saying here is that it has to be at the perfect time to press the f8 to get into the menu, but if you don't it will get you into the boot menu. So I would just try and keep doing it maybe. I've seen a few people with problems like this so it will just take practise

 

[alphanumeric]

Thanks for you reply Benji.

I have done that. That is where I get the 'Windows 7' boot option rather than the standard ones (like safe mode). When I do select the 'Windows 7' option, I continue to hit F8 (because that is supposed to bring up the other options) but it just continues to boot normally.

I honestly have never seen this before.

Ok that is strange. So basically when you are pressing f8 it gets the boot devices instead of the advanced menu? Did you try to use the boot button instead of the f8 button?

Thanks Benji - I've used every key I've got - although I don't know which one is the boot one. Ignorance shown here, I didn't know there was a boot key.

Not all PC manufacturers have the quick boot menu. It would be listed in the manual for your laptop if it did. The BIOS splash screen on my ASUS desktop lists it but you can't blink or you'll miss it. reading though this thread again it sounds like you don't have that option and I may have lead you down a dead end, sorry if that's the case.

 

[alphanumeric]

Also, if you are just telling Windows to reboot, try actually shutting completely down. Then boot up and press F8. There are some things skipped on a reboot so going at it from a dead start might improve the odds.

 

[moondog99]

Ok that is strange. So basically when you are pressing f8 it gets the boot devices instead of the advanced menu? Did you try to use the boot button instead of the f8 button?

Thanks Benji - I've used every key I've got - although I don't know which one is the boot one. Ignorance shown here, I didn't know there was a boot key.

Ya so basically what he is saying here is that it has to be at the perfect time to press the f8 to get into the menu, but if you don't it will get you into the boot menu. So I would just try and keep doing it maybe. I've seen a few people with problems like this so it will just take practise

Timing - my goodness, I finally got it to show up. It's like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. But at least I know it's still there.

Thanks for your help everyone - sorry if I wasted your time.

 

[benjy206]

Not at all we are here to help

 

[Thorsen]

You could also try going into msconfig.exe and selecting the option to boot into safe mode on next boot.

Force Windows 7 / Vista to Boot Into Safe Mode Without Using the F8 Key

The virus might have disabled safe mode. This can be done by editing the registry. I would say startup repair would be able to fix this, but I am not entirely sure. you can check the command string in msconfig as well to see if it includes any commands: Tips for Windows.

Further info on how to disable safemode:
Disable F8 Key to Block Access to Safe Mode during Windows Startup



Edit: good to see you got in. I would also run some other diagnostics regarding the virus if you have only ran Avira... http://www.wiki-security.com/wiki/Parasite/UkashVirus/

 

[alphanumeric]

Not at all we are here to help