How to login securely on Windows 10. Last Known Good Configuration. How to enter safe mode

Beginner users may encounter the concept of safe mode for the first time. But experienced PC owners know exactly what it is and how useful it is. It really helps solve a huge number of problems that arise with your computer, from driver errors and nasty viruses to the frightening blue screen of death. "Ten", unlike previous versions of the operating system, does not support launching it by pressing the F8 key. Therefore, we will analyze in detailand we will explain step by step several simple methods.

So, first, let’s clarify what it is and how it differs from the normal mode of operation of the operating system. This is a special way of loading the current OS; at this moment, the system is only partially loaded, that is, only the minimum set of components required for operation is activated. Be prepared for the fact that the desktop will not even load the background wallpaper installed under normal conditions.

What is the advantage of this download option? It blocks the startup of all third-party applications, which is especially important when the computer is infected with viruses. Here's what a user can do by starting the operating system in safe mode.

• . Because malware likes to settle in applications that are included in startup, but in the current mode they do not start. Accordingly, viruses do not have the ability to block the operation of the antivirus. Thanks to this, useful software can be installed without problems and does its job.
• . If your PC has become noticeably unstable, then the best solution to the problem is to activate safe mode and launch the system “ ” in it.
• Install and . As mentioned above, in this mode a minimum set of drivers is activated. And if the problem lies there, it can be easily fixed.
• Check PC operation. If the computer works perfectly in safe mode, but in normal mode it does not please with performance, then there are problems in the software part. If problems persist in safe mode, then you need to look for problems in the hardware.

The computer goes into safe mode without much difficulty. However, the developers removed the usual method during the latest operating system updates, so now we have to figure it outhow to start safe mode in windows 10.

How to start Safe Mode in Windows 10

Today, users have four ways to start Safe Mode. Next we will look at each of them in detail.

Method 1

The first method we want to suggest is entering safe mode through system configuration. By the way, this method will give results in previous versions of the operating room, so it is probably familiar to many experienced users.

To return to normal mode, repeat the described algorithm again, but, on the contrary, uncheck the boot options.

Method 2

The second method uses the special download options section. This option is only suitable if the OS runs without difficulty on your PC. To activate safe mode, do the following:

If the operating system does not boot, but shows the login screen, then you should click on the power button in the lower right corner, and then, while holding down the Shift key, click the “Restart” command. The Special Boot Options screen will open, allowing you to enter Safe Mode.

Method 3

This answer to the questionhow to start safe mode in windows 10, represents heavy artillery and implies the presence of a boot disk or flash drive with a portable OS. This method is perfect when the operating system does not want to boot at all.

To return to normal PC operation, run Command Prompt as an administrator and run bcdedit /deletevalue (default) safeboot

Method 4

The last option to get the desired result is almost the same as the previous one. The only difference is that it does not immediately launch Safe Mode; it allows you to select the appropriate boot options. Moreover, it can also be used on any compatible OS, and not just on the “top ten”.

Exiting the special mode is performed by executing the command bcdedit /deletevalue (globalsettings) advancedoptionsand reboot the computer.

In Windows 10, they removed the method that allows you to select a login mode when you hold down the F8 key when turning on the computer. But there are other options that make it possible to enter the lightweight mode both with and without access to the system.

Why use Safe Mode

Safe mode (SA) differs from normal mode in that when you log into the system, auto-starting programs, some system processes and drivers are not loaded through it.

Thanks to this, you can, firstly, avoid problems caused by errors in drivers, processes or applications, fix them and proceed to work as usual.

Secondly, BR is used to troubleshoot problems with everything that can break in the computer, since while working in BR, most processes are disabled and do not cause conflicts. For example, it is more convenient to rid your computer of viruses, blue screens, errors in programs and drivers, as well as reset your password and set up an administrator account.

There are three BR options: standard safe mode, as well as two additional ones with loading network drivers or the command line. In the latter cases, by booting into a special mode, you will be able to work with the Internet and all programs that require a network connection, since all the elements necessary to set up an Internet connection are added to the list of loaded processes and drivers.

Putting your computer in light mode

There are several ways to switch to BR from the regular one or enter the special mode immediately without logging in to the regular one. The second option may be useful if the system is so faulty that it does not boot or freezes severely, so you must immediately turn on the computer in the BR.

Using system configuration

1. Expand the “Run” window through the system search bar or the Win + R combination.

   Open the Run program

2. Enter the msconfig command.

   Run the msconfig command

3. In the window that opens, go to the “Boot” tab and check the box next to the “Safe Mode” line. Here you can choose one of three boot options: minimal - the most common BR, another shell - includes the ability to work with the command line, network - includes the ability to work with the network. Select one of the items and reboot the system; when you turn it on, it will automatically enter you into the BR.

   Activate safe mode

Using System Restore

You can also enter safe mode through the system recovery option:

1. Expand PC settings.

   Open computer settings

2. Select the "Update and Security" block.

   Select the “Update and Security” block

3. Go to the “Recovery” subsection and click on the “Restart now” function.

   Click the “Restart now” button in the “Special boot options” block

4. When the system reboots, a list of possible options will open. Select one of the modes using the keypad (numbers 4–6).

   Select one of the safe modes

From the lock screen

The lock screen or login screen appears at the moment when you need to select an account and enter a password, if one is set, when you turn on the computer or wake up from sleep mode. You can go to the BR directly from this screen:

1. Click on the Power icon in the lower right corner, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and then select the “Restart” function. When the system starts to turn on again, a list of special login methods will appear on the screen.

   Hold down the Shift key and click on the “Restart” button

2. Go to the “Diagnostics” block.

   Go to the “Diagnostics” section

3. Open advanced options.

   Open the “Advanced Settings” section

4. And the last transition is loading methods.

   Click on the “Download method” section

5. Select one of the BR items by pressing keys 4 to 6 on the keyboard.

   Selecting recovery mode

By rebooting the computer

This method does the same thing as described in the “From the Lock Screen” instructions, but provided that you have access to the system. Open “Start”, then a menu with a list of ways to turn off the computer, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and select the “Restart” function. The device will begin to reboot and when turned on, will expand the recovery menu. For further steps, see the previous instructions “From the lock screen”.

Hold Shift and restart the computer

Return menu F8

In previous versions of Windows, you could press the F8 key at startup and select a boot mode. In Windows 10, this feature is not available by default, which speeds up logging in. But you can get it back by opening the command line and running the command bcdedit /set (default) bootmenupolicy legacy. After this, you can reboot the system, press F8 during startup and indicate that you need to go to BR.

Run the command bcdedit /set (default) bootmenupolicy legacy to return the selection menu

Using installation media

This method is suitable if you do not have access to the system, but need to log into BR. You will need installation media, which can be created using another computer from a regular flash drive or disk.

1. Once you receive the media, insert it into the computer being converted to BR and change the boot order in the BIOS so that the system starts from the media rather than the hard drive.

   Changing the boot order

2. Once the installer appears, install the language you want and move on to step two.

   Install the desired language and move on to the next step

   Open Command Prompt via System Restore

3. The second option for going to the command line is to hold down the F10+Shift combination when the installation program is open.

Once you are at the command line, all you have to do is run one of the following commands:

• bcdedit /set (default) safeboot minimal - for the next boot in safe mode;
• bcdedit /set (default) safeboot network - for safe mode with network support;
• bcdedit /set (default) safeboot minimal and bcdedit /set (default) safebootalternateshell yes - for safe mode with command line and network;
• bcdedit /deletevalue (default) safeboot - will need to be executed later to disable the transition to safe mode when the need for it disappears;
• bcdedit /set (globalsettings) advancedoptions true - to activate the boot mode selection menu, which will appear every time you turn on the computer;
• bcdedit /deletevalue (globalsettings) advancedoptions - to disable the menu enabled by the previous command.

Video: Safe Mode in Windows 10

Why might Safe Mode not work?

The computer may not boot into BR if the system is so damaged that disabling some drivers, programs and processes does not help. First, try logging into the most common BR, which does not support either the command line or the network. Secondly, even if this does not help, then reset the system, reinstall or restore it from a restore point, after which the computer should start working both in normal mode and in safe mode.

Exiting Safe Mode

To get out of BR, you need to know how you got into it. If you use “System Restore” or hold down the Shift key and reboot, then just reboot the system again or turn off the computer and turn it on again, after which the device will automatically return to normal mode. If you logged in by executing commands on the command line, then open the command line again and write a command that disables logging into safe mode. If the login was performed when BR was enabled in the system configuration, then re-open the configuration, go to the “Boot” block and uncheck the “Safe” mode, thereby disabling the computer to be switched to this mode the next time the system is rebooted.

Uncheck "Safe Mode"

So, you can go into safe mode in Windows 10 in different ways: both with access to the system and without it. If safe mode does not work, you should think that the system files are too damaged and you need to reinstall or restore the entire system. To exit Safe Mode, you must restart your computer or cancel Safe Mode entry using configuration or commands before restarting the device.

Windows 10 inherits all the boot system features of Windows 8, providing the same graphical environment for performing system recovery tasks. It is expected that system recovery operations after failures will be primarily performed by the automatic recovery system. If Windows 10 does not boot correctly, the automatic recovery system starts, which, without user intervention, tries to find and fix problems that prevent the system from loading normally. However, this does not mean that Windows 10 does not have Safe mode, it just means that this boot mode is hidden from users by default.

In some cases, it is necessary to start the system in safe mode, for example to debug a driver or application. Let's see how to enable safe mode in Windows 10.

Windows 10 can be booted into Safe Mode in several different ways.

MSConfig Utility (System Configuration)

The easiest way to boot Windows 10 in safe mode, as in previous versions of Windows, is to use the utility msconfig.exe. For this:

Advice. You can also disable booting in safe mode using msconfig by unchecking the Safe boot option.

Shift + Restart combination

In the start menu, press the Power button and, while holding down Shift on your keyboard, select reboot system ( Restart)

Note. The same Shift+Reboot combination can be used on the login screen.

In the dialog that appears, select the items sequentially Troubleshoot(Diagnostics) -> Advanced options(Advanced options)-> Startup Settings(Boot Options).

Reboot the computer by pressing the button Restart.

After the reboot, a window will appear with available system boot options (9 options, including three types of safe mode). To boot into safe mode, press F4 or 4 (or F5/F6 to boot into safe mode with networking or command line support, respectively).

Launching diagnostic mode from the new Control Panel interface

To launch the new modern Windows 10 Control Panel, click the button Start and select menu Settings. Then go to the section Update &security.

Go to section Recovery and in the section Advanced Startup click Restart now.

Starting safe mode from the command line

It is also possible to configure Windows 10 to start in safe mode and from the command line. To do this, open a command prompt (cmd) with administrator rights and run the command:

Then restart your computer with the command:

Windows 10 will now always boot in Safe Mode. To return to normal boot mode:

bcdedit /deletevalue (default) safeboot

Bringing back the old text boot menu

In Windows 10/8 it is possible to revert to the old Windows text loader that supports the key F8(Shift+F8) and the ability to select system startup options.

Note. The system boot speed with such a bootloader will be lower.

To return the test bootloader, run in a command prompt with administrator rights:

bcdedit /set (default) bootmenupolicy legacy

Now, when booting the computer after the self-test stage (POST), you need to press the key several times F8. The good old text menu with system boot options should appear.

To disable text bootloader mode and return to fast boot, run:
bcdedit /set (default) bootmenupolicy standard

Launching Safe Mode from Recovery Mode

Few people know that to enable safe mode and other recovery options in Windows 10, it is enough 3 times in a row interrupt the system boot with the power off button.

The system recovery environment will start 4 times ( Recovery mode), from which you can choose to boot into safe mode or other system boot options.

Select an item See advanced repair options and follow the instructions from the second paragraph of our article.

Safe mode (English – Safe Mode)– diagnostic mode, in which all unnecessary drivers and Windows functions are disabled. Used to troubleshoot problems that arise in PC operation. You just need to start safe mode and fix the errors, after which the PC will work as it should again.

In what cases might you need to enter safe mode? For example, to solve the problem when .

Also, in this way you can remove viruses, reset your password, fix errors (including the blue screen of death), restore the system, etc.

There are several ways. Plus, they differ somewhat depending on what operating system you have. Therefore, below we will look at all the available ways to enter Windows safe mode.

There are 2 universal methods that work on all versions of Windows - XP, 7, 8 and 10. Moreover, they are the simplest. Perhaps we'll start with them.

Login via msconfig utility

The first way is through a special utility. To do this you need to follow simple instructions:

1. Press Win + R (the button between “Ctrl” and “Alt”) and enter the word “msconfig”.
2. In the new window, select the “Boot” tab, indicate the desired OS and check the “Safe Mode” checkbox. There are a couple of sub-items here - it is recommended to choose either “minimal” (standard option) or “network” (in this case there will be access to the Internet).
3. Click “OK” and restart your PC - now it will turn on in safe mode.

When you fix the errors, do not forget to return the computer to normal startup mode! This is done in exactly the same way - using the msconfig utility (only now you need to uncheck the box).

There is a small nuance here: in this way you can enable safe mode in Windows OS only if your OS boots normally. If you can’t even load the desktop, then use the second method.

Login using F8

This method is suitable for those whose PC or laptop does not turn on (the desktop does not load, the monitor goes dark, etc.). In this case, do the following:

1. Turn on your PC (or laptop) and immediately press the F8 key repeatedly until a menu appears (in some cases you need to press Shift + F8).
2. If the Windows logo appears or the screen goes dark, you failed. Wait until the system boots completely, then restart your PC and try again.
3. When you do everything correctly, a menu will open where you use the arrows to select “Safe Mode” (the best option).

P.S. This method does not work on Windows 10! This feature has been disabled by the developers.

Special download options for Windows 10

If Windows starts, then you need to do the following:

What to do if Windows 10 does not start? If the PC boots before the login screen, then “Special boot options” can be opened in another way. To do this, click on the power button icon (in the lower right corner), hold down Shift and select “Restart”.

We use a disk or flash drive

This is the most reliable way to boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode. But in this case, you need a DVD or (they can be recorded on any PC or laptop).

Connect a USB drive or insert a disk, load them (), and then do the following:

1. After loading, press Shift + F10.
2. After opening the command line, enter – bcdedit /set (default) safeboot minimal.
3. Then close it and restart your PC. It will turn on.

To return the PC to normal startup, enter the following on the command line: bcdedit /deletevalue (default) safeboot.

You can do this in the same way (or as an administrator ) .

You can also enable the mode in Windows 8 in 4 different ways

The first two are described in detail at the beginning of the article. The other two are quite similar to the options that are suitable for Windows 10, but we will still look at them in more detail to make it easier for you to navigate.

Diagnostic tools

So, the first method is to activate the buffer format (only suitable if the OS is working normally). To do this we do the following:

The PC will start in Safe Mode, and you can carry out the necessary manipulations.

And another simple option for launching safe mode in Windows 8 is using a bootable flash drive or DVD with Windows files. The procedure is as follows:

What to do on Windows 7 and XP

You can enter safe mode in Windows 7 or XP using one of the universal methods described at the beginning of this article. The first option is suitable in cases where the OS is working normally, and the second option is suitable if the PC or laptop does not turn on.

It is worth noting that the operating system is in no way related to the BIOS. It also doesn’t matter what brand of laptop you have – Samsung, Asus, Lenovo, HP, Acer, LG, etc.

What to do if Safe Mode does not start?

Sometimes a PC or laptop stubbornly refuses to enable safe mode. The reason is trivial - viruses damaged the Windows registry. In such situations, there are only 2 options:

• restoring PC operation (system rollback to a checkpoint);
• installation of special programs.

The optimal method, of course, would be the first one - restoring the computer from a checkpoint. If you do not have them saved (for example, disabled), then the only option left is to install programs to restore the Windows registry. In this case, you can use the free Safe Mode Repair or SafeBootKeyRepair.

Hi all! In the last article we learned how. In today's article, we will learn how to enter Windows 10 safe mode if the system does not boot due to any errors.

Friends, as a result of what usually our operating system stops loading? That's right, because of damaged system files and critical drivers, but most often Windows does not boot due to programs and drivers we have installed that are not designed to work in our operating system. I'll explain in a little more detail.

How to enter Windows 10 safe mode if the operating system won't boot

Recently, one person contacted me; he successfully updated his Windows 7 to Windows 10, but after the update, the drivers for his video card and TV tuner were lost. I updated the drivers for the video card, but with the TV tuner it turned out to be more and more difficult; on the official website of the device, drivers were posted only for Windows 7, there were not even drivers for Windows 8.1. The support told me that there are no 100% working drivers for Win 10 yet, but there are beta drivers and they are suitable for some and not for others.

I downloaded and installed the drivers along with the software on the TV tuner, without even creating a restore point just in case. The driver installed and asked to reboot, after the reboot blue death (blue screen) appeared on the monitor, several reboots led to the same effect - the system boot ended with a blue screen.

What happened. The blue screen of death is Windows’ protective reaction to incorrectly working code, that is, the system was automatically protected by a blue screen from a malfunctioning TV tuner driver. To remove the incorrect driver, I decided to use safe mode.

• Note: everything would be easier if I had installed the driver before installing .

We all know that safe mode is specially designed to fix various operating system problems. In Safe Mode, Windows 10 starts with a minimal set of processes that are Microsoft-owned and can be trusted. Therefore, we can use safe mode to remove incorrectly working drivers or programs that lead to Windows boot failure or unstable operation.

All this is clear, but how to enter safe mode if Win 10 does not boot!?

In the initial system installation window, click keyboard shortcut Shift + F10.

A command line window will open, enter the command (suitable for any computer, including laptops with the UEFI interface enabled and the Secure Boot option):

bcdedit /set (globalsettings) advancedoptions true

The command will make a change to the boot store configuration file (BCD).

The operation was completed successfully.

Reboot your computer and the Special Boot Options window will open.

Press the key F4 or 4 to enter safe mode, you can also use other special modes used when troubleshooting Windows 10.

If you want to enter the operating system in the usual way, then press Enter on your keyboard.

Here we are in Windows 10 safe mode.

We remove an incorrect driver or program in the usual way.

Typically, drivers are installed into the operating system along with the software.

Open the Computer window and click Uninstall or change a program.

Find the name of the software that is not working properly and click Remove.

If you installed the driver manually without an installer, uninstall it directly in Device Manager - right-click on it and select Uninstall.

If you want to prevent the Special Boot Options window from appearing when loading, then Boot from the Windows 10 bootable USB flash drive into the recovery environment, launch the command line, enter the command:

bcdedit /deletevalue (globalsettings) advancedoptions

This command will undo previously made changes to the boot store configuration file (BCD).

For insurance, before work, you can do.