14th March 2002

Whenever someone utters the phrase "Safe Mode," my stomach turns. That's usually the last step in troubleshooting problems with Windows. To get to this menu in any Windows OS, tap F8 in between the last post code (beep) and the Windows splash screen. It's been around since Windows 95, although the first time you use it in Windows XP, you may be faced with a bevy of new options. "Safe Mode" is akin to the classic routine (using just the bare essentials to get back into Windows); "Safe Mode with Networking" allows you to connect to any given network, including (hopefully) the Internet; "Safe Mode with Command Prompt" may not be what you've been used to (CMD.EXE is used instead of COMMAND.COM); "Enable VGA Mode" is wonderful when you're having video card problems or troubleshooting a "new" monitor; "Last Known Good Configuration" is perfect when you JUST messed something up and want to turn back the clock; "Debugging Mode" is a troubleshooter's dream come true (you can redirect the output to another computer via serial cable); "Enable Boot Logging" does what it says; "Starts Windows Normally" does what it says, too; "Return to OS Choices Menu" brings you to the boot menu if you have more than one OS installed.