My computer (Sony Vaio running on Windows ME) will only start Safe Mode. Please help!?
149577
Well, you have a Windows problem. Start it in Safe Mode. Go to control panel -> add/remove programs, and look to see if there are any programs that you don't recall adding. A good indicator is something like Bargain Buddy, Bonzai Buddy, Kazaa, etc. Remove those from the add/remove programs section, then run your virus scan. (You do have an updated virus program, right?). Then attempt to restart. \nGood Luck
849561
restart and start tapping the 'F8' key. You will be asked what kind of startup you want to do. select "Last known working configuration" or something like that. If it reboots to safe mode again, you got bigger problems.
95614
This could be from a couple of things.  Did you add any hardware to the machine recently?  If so, remove it.  Can you get into Safe Mode?  Hit F8 while the computer is booting and you will get a menu.  Choose safe mode.  If that works (which I don't think it will) try to check your drive for errors.  A last resort is a reinstall of your OS using your XP cd.  If you do this properly you will not lose any of your data or programs.  If you do it incorrectly you will lose everything, so be carefull.  If you are not comfortable performiong any of these tasks take your PC to a professional.
1026216
Try and reboot your computer and while booting hit the F8 key. If it is a Windows XP it will take you to a bootup menu and see if you can go into Safe Mode. If your able to get in there with no problem, go to you Add/Remove programs and see if you notice any program that is new and remove it. That could be the issue also you might want to disable any programs that startup that are causing the problem. To do that, click on Start>select run> type msconfig. That should bring up a window, now look for the startup tab and click on the option that says disable all and hit ok which will tell you restart your computer. Give that a shot. If that works do a virus scan. Than go back into msconfig and enable one by one until you reach that cause of that problem and if it is a program removed that program.
828228
Reboot to safe mode , perform the steps provided in the links. This should resolve the issue.\n\n====Entering Safe Mode when starting the computer====\n\nUse the following steps to start Windows XP in Safe Mode when the computer is already off:\n\n1. Turn on the computer.\n2. Press the F8 key repeatedly when the first screen appears. \n3. From the Windows Advanced Options Menu, select Safe Mode and press ENTER \n4. When the Windows XP desktop appears, Safe Mode is displayed in the four corners of the screen and the desktop will probably look much worse due to the reduced colors.\n5. Click Administrator and enter the password (if applicable). \n\n==Entering Safe Mode from inside Windows XP==\n\n1. Use the following steps to start Windows XP in Safe Mode from the Windows desktop:\n2. Click Start, and then Run. \n3. In the Open field, type: msconfig \n4. Click OK. \n5. The MS Configuration Utility opens.\n6. Click the BOOT.INI tab. \n7. Under Boot Options, select /SAFEBOOT. \n8. Select Minimal. \n9. Click OK. When prompted, click Restart. \n10. The computer starts into Safe Mode. Click Administrator and enter the password if prompted. Click Yes on the message prompt that appears. \n11. When you are done troubleshooting, repeat these steps and remove the checkmark from /SAFEBOOT to prevent the computer from always starting in Safe Mode. \n\nIncreasing System Resources and Performance Without Adding Memory :\nhttp://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bph06569\n\nHow to set performance options in Windows XP :\nhttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/308417
880667
I have recently gotten and old ibm and installed win Me and had really bad shutdown issues as well .These were caused by antivirus programs. I could not install any AV at all without problems.It may have been a virus in the computer itself since the hard disk was overwritten 7 times.There is a built in antivirus that you can turn on or off through the bios setup menu .To access press and hold F1 right when you see the ibm screen and hold until you see the setup menu .In the startup options you will see "Virus detection" if it is disabled turn it on,save your settings and exit and  your computer should boot normally if that was the problem.If not turn it off and reboot this time holding down the control key this will give you the boot menu options choose 'safe mode'and enter.This will prevent startup items from loading try a shutdown from safe mode if it works one of your startup items is causing your trouble.Start>Run>type msconfig,enter>choose selective startup.Click the startup tab then disable all entries there except one restart and repeat process until one of these makes your computer misbehave on startup or shutdown when it does you found your culprit.Currently using F-prot antivirus . It dosen't seem to be giving me any problems like the other ones did. Did you upgrade your video card software recently ? Sometimes the upgrade is worse than the old driver.Good luck!!!
824724
This is really quite odd.  Especially being that you have tired f8 and f12 and you are still stuck in safe mode.  \n\nHave one suggestion that just may work for you.  Pull all the cables from your laptop or desk top and then reconnect them and turn your desktop or laptop back on and then see if the system will load windows will give you a normal bootup outside of the safe mode.\n\nIf it works you may have to reset the clock/year in the tray so that your time is exact as possible to your ISP.  \n\nMinddoctor, France
51999
Did you install any new hardware or software before the issue occured?  You can try accessing your system using a boot disk (a floppy disk or the Windows XP boot CD).  I think if you are unable to start the system in the Safe Mode, you will probably have to reinstall the OS or format and reinstall the OS.\n\nYou can reinstall Windows XP if you have the XP installation CD.  Just pop it in and follow the instructions to reinstall (you will need to make the installation CD as the first booting device in BIOS).  To access the BIOS settings, press F2 or F8 immediately when you start your computer.  Then go to the boot sequence settings.
353140
try to boot it from safe mode and system scan
1079794
Ok I have no idea what Kipper was talking about but here is how you can fix your problem.\n\nSee if you can boot up in safe mode to do this reboot your computer and press F8 the entire time.  You will be prompted for a to select from a menu.  Choise Safe mode. \n\nIf you can boot up and get explorer to load and get past the log on screen go to Start>Run  Type in MSCONFIG go to start up and uncheck everything except your anti-virus. and then reboot your computer and see if it works now\n\nIf it doesn't work you will need to put your OS CD back in and boot from that and follow the menu and do a repair on your system.  After you do that it will fix any curropted files on the OS so you can boot from it again.  Worse case senerio is that you have to completly wipe out your system which means you will lose all your data.  Hope this will work for you.
209297
Geeesj, Get rid of the old OS and install new.\nyou need to find out why it going into safe mode, what was the last thing you installed have you added any new hard ware?\n\nBest thing to do is spring clean... in other words start removing the junk from your computer, temp files cookies ect...
333513
go to start > run and type msconfig and hit enter. Go to boot.ini and tick safeboot and then ok. Restart and your computer will be in safe mode. \n\nOnce in safe mode run your antispyware and antivirus scans and delete the malware.\n\nNow to  go back to normal mode again do the same as above, this time uncheck safeboot and then ok and then restart.
1148858
Try doing it in the safe mode... Or try doing it frm the command prompt...
1104397
This might work for you.  It's from the Microsoft article listed below.\n\nTo resolve this issue, follow these steps:\n1.Start Windows in Safe mode. To do so, follow these steps:\na. Restart the computer, and then press F8 while the computer starts.\nb. On the Windows Advanced Options Menu, use the ARROW keys to select Safe Mode with Networking, and then press ENTER.\nc. Use the ARROW keys to select what operating system to start, and then press ENTER to start Windows XP in Safe mode.\n2.Log on as a user with administrative credentials.\n3.Locate a folder that you want to open, right-click it, and then click Properties.\n4.In the Properties dialog box, click the Security tab, and then click Add.\n5.Under Enter the object names to select, type your user name, and then click OK.\n\nThis step adds your SID number to the permission settings for this folder.\n6.Under Permissions for the user name that you added in step 5, click to select the Allow Full Control check box.\n7.Repeat steps 3 through 6 for each folder that you want to open.\n8.When you have added your user name to all the folders that you want to open, restart your computer as usual.
693157
u are not going to, Safe Mode was designed to load only the default Window drivers for advance troubleshooting.\nHarry, Tech Support.
1082064
If Windows XP is the only operating system installed on your computer, booting into Safe Mode with these instructions.\n\nIf the computer is running, shut down Windows, and then turn off the power \nWait 30 seconds, and then turn the computer on. \nStart tapping the F8 key. The Windows Advanced Options Menu appears. If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a "keyboard error" message. To resolve this, restart the computer and try again. \nEnsure that the Safe mode option is selected. \nPress Enter. The computer then begins to start in Safe mode. \nWhen you are finished with all troubleshooting, close all programs and restart the computer as you normally would.
275441
What do you mean by "not start up"? You could try hitting f 8 when booting up (keep hitting f 8). that will take you to a screen where you can start in safe mode. uninstall the video card driver and reboot into normal mode. Then reinstall your driver