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Technical Help & Discussion => Windows PCs & Software: Help, News & Discussion => Topic started by: daveeb on August 06, 2005, 11:00

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: daveeb on August 06, 2005, 11:00

Me again  :blush:   My second problem with my wonderful new (april) machine is that i cant seem to get into safe mode.  When i try F8 at startup instead of the usual safe mode menu ie "safe mode with or without cd support", "last known good configuration" etc etc  i just get a menu giving me the option to boot from drive 1, drive 2 or cd. The drives are sata but are not raided.  There is only one OS which is not surprisingly on drive 1, drive 2 is just a storage drive.  Does anyone know of a different method to access safe mode.

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: Simon on August 06, 2005, 11:24

Not sure if it's the same as Safe Mode, but if you go into Start > Run > MSCONFIG, you can select 'Diagnostic Startup' from that first screen.  Not a solution to your problems though - maybe your machine just has a different 'Safe Mode' key?  Have you checked any documentation you may have got with the machine?

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: daveeb on August 06, 2005, 11:37

Hi Simon, lets just say the documentation is minimal (postage stamp comes to mind)  :roll:   Its a very strange machine, lots of non standard "features" to it.  I've already used msconfig to kill a few startup progs, I was just curious why i cant seem to get safe mode.  I dont know of any alternative keys to access it.

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: Simon on August 06, 2005, 11:45

Do you know the make of the Motherboard?  You might be able to get some clues from their website.

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: daveeb on August 06, 2005, 11:58

Yes its the MS-7091 v1.2 micro ATX board.  i have the manual but its entirely hardware issues in it.  No help there unfortunately  :roll:

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: Sandra on August 06, 2005, 12:44

I have seen this on a friends pc with SATA drives but that was on a raid setup. I think the timing of when to hit F8 is the answer but I cant remember just when at the moment. I will be seeing him this evening so if you can wait until tomorrow I should have the answer for you, unless its because his is a raid setup and not just the SATA drives causing it.
Is it a RAID board ?
Is there anything in the BIOS thats telling it its set as an array even though youre not using it in that way ?

One way to force it into safe mode that usually works is to let the pc boot up and then unplug it when its in normal windows, when it restarts it often comes up with the menu with safe mode or start windows normally after that happens.

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: daveeb on August 06, 2005, 14:25

Yes the board supports sata, raid 0, raid 1 and matrix raid whatever that is.

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: Sandra on August 06, 2005, 14:39

Check the BIOS for anything enabled for raid Dave, I think that if you disable the raid function then it should work with F8 as normal  :)

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: Sandra on August 06, 2005, 19:54

Apperently its a matter of timing Dave.
Dont hit the F8 key until its run through all the text stuff then try and catch it just as it finishes the cmos stuff but before it starts to boot into windows.
At least thats how it works on my friends with SATA drives and a raid setup  :)

Title: Safemode problem
Post by: daveeb on August 06, 2005, 23:50

Great Sandra i'll try that. I'll have to be quick tho' as the text lasts for a split second only.   :wink: