Can't enter Safe Mode
well,on top of my other woes on this older Toshiba laptop for some reason I can't get it into safe mode. I know in the past, before I reinstalled Windows XP I could get into safe mode OK by repeatedly...
Forum Discussion
mr. ed..
Perhaps you should have the Moderators combine your two threads, basically it is the same problem in both the threads.
I replied in your other thread in which you opened with the following..
"On a whim,I've also tried entering sAFE MODE, BUT REPEATEDLY hittingF8 WHILE BOOTING UP HAS NO EFFECT. IT JUST REVERTS BACK TO THE "eNTER pASSWORD" BOX. i'm guessing I may have to reintall the OS. Any ideas? Thanks. "
I mentioned that I would test something and report back.
I would have done that last night but I had no power last night...
So..
My suspicion was that when you password the ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT you will also need the PASSWORD FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT in order to enter "safe mode".
My tests revealed that my suspicions ARE INDEED CORRECT.
I tested both XP AND Win7 and BOTH REQUIRE THE ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT PASSWORD when you have enabled a password in the Administrative account.
What the OP is seeing when he presses the F8 key is the boot menu. In XP when you choose safe mode and the Administrator account is passworded you will get a all black screen with white "safe mode" in the corners, no desktop icons and the standard Windows LOGON SCREEN IN THE CENTER requiring Administrator name and password.
Win7 you will get the standard Win7 splash screen with the Ctrl Alt Del message. If you Ctrl alt Del you will then get the Windows logon screen requiring Admininstrator name and password.
As long as there is an administrative password enabled you WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SAFE MODE DESKTOP without the proper password.
Pretty much stands to reason, if it was that easy to bypass password security then it would never make sense to even password the computer. Anyone could simply boot to safe mode, access the admin account and do whatever they wanted to do..
OP needs to boot with the OS install disk and see if there is a repair option (pretty slim chance on this one) and see if the repair will blast the admin account.
Alternate #1 is boot with Hirems boot CD (note, I have never tried Hirems but I have seen it recommended in the past) and see if it will remove the passworded account.
Alternate #2 Boot with OS install disk and do a from scratch install making sure you do not password it (you CAN SKIP over the password portion at install time).
Before anyone goes nuts about no password being unsecure..
Having a password on a PC with no other accounts and it is only you or a couple of trusted folks in your family using it there is no reason to password it. As long as you are logged on to the administrative account ALL MALWARE, VIRUS can and will be able to install themselves without your knowledge.
The only way to prevent this from happening is to create a second account with LIMITED PRIVILEGES and use it for all Internet surfing. Using a second account which does not have administrative rights should popup a dialog box which will ask for the admin account name and password.
Please note.. This does not mean it can never happen.. It just means SOME Malware or virus may not be able to install as easily..
Just as an additional note, if you skipped the password at installation time and later you decide you want a password it CAN ALWAYS BE ADDED at a later time.
Perhaps you should have the Moderators combine your two threads, basically it is the same problem in both the threads.
I replied in your other thread in which you opened with the following..
"On a whim,I've also tried entering sAFE MODE, BUT REPEATEDLY hittingF8 WHILE BOOTING UP HAS NO EFFECT. IT JUST REVERTS BACK TO THE "eNTER pASSWORD" BOX. i'm guessing I may have to reintall the OS. Any ideas? Thanks. "
I mentioned that I would test something and report back.
I would have done that last night but I had no power last night...
So..
My suspicion was that when you password the ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT you will also need the PASSWORD FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT in order to enter "safe mode".
My tests revealed that my suspicions ARE INDEED CORRECT.
I tested both XP AND Win7 and BOTH REQUIRE THE ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT PASSWORD when you have enabled a password in the Administrative account.
What the OP is seeing when he presses the F8 key is the boot menu. In XP when you choose safe mode and the Administrator account is passworded you will get a all black screen with white "safe mode" in the corners, no desktop icons and the standard Windows LOGON SCREEN IN THE CENTER requiring Administrator name and password.
Win7 you will get the standard Win7 splash screen with the Ctrl Alt Del message. If you Ctrl alt Del you will then get the Windows logon screen requiring Admininstrator name and password.
As long as there is an administrative password enabled you WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SAFE MODE DESKTOP without the proper password.
Pretty much stands to reason, if it was that easy to bypass password security then it would never make sense to even password the computer. Anyone could simply boot to safe mode, access the admin account and do whatever they wanted to do..
OP needs to boot with the OS install disk and see if there is a repair option (pretty slim chance on this one) and see if the repair will blast the admin account.
Alternate #1 is boot with Hirems boot CD (note, I have never tried Hirems but I have seen it recommended in the past) and see if it will remove the passworded account.
Alternate #2 Boot with OS install disk and do a from scratch install making sure you do not password it (you CAN SKIP over the password portion at install time).
Before anyone goes nuts about no password being unsecure..
Having a password on a PC with no other accounts and it is only you or a couple of trusted folks in your family using it there is no reason to password it. As long as you are logged on to the administrative account ALL MALWARE, VIRUS can and will be able to install themselves without your knowledge.
The only way to prevent this from happening is to create a second account with LIMITED PRIVILEGES and use it for all Internet surfing. Using a second account which does not have administrative rights should popup a dialog box which will ask for the admin account name and password.
Please note.. This does not mean it can never happen.. It just means SOME Malware or virus may not be able to install as easily..
Just as an additional note, if you skipped the password at installation time and later you decide you want a password it CAN ALWAYS BE ADDED at a later time.
