I have reset the boot sequence to boot from the sabrent dock, but computer freezes at safe mode screen even if normal mode is selected. Can I boot off docking station, and if yes, got any other ideas?

Typically a computer that boots up does not come up in safe mode. You have to press the F8 key as the computer is booting up. If the computer comes up to a screen, and it is highlighting safe mode, use the arrow keys to select Normal boot mode. Press enter, and your computer will boot normally.

try booting up in Safe Mode. turn off your computer and once it's fully shut down, turn it on again. while it's booting up, hit the F8 key repeatedly until you hear some beeps or the screen prompts you to enter Safe Mode or Start up Normally. choose Safe Mode. hopefully, that will enable you to get past the start up screen. if so, you can try to diagnose the problem. the first step you might try is is checking msconfig to see what items you can de-select in Services and Startup. for further suggestions, please post more details including the operating system you're running and what happens when you try the suggestions above. good luck!

Try Right Clicking on a empty space on the desktop and select Properties. Click the Settings Tab and go change the screen resolution. The higher the resolution, the smaller the icons. Normal resolution is about 1024x768, but you can make the icons even smaller by increasing the resolution.

If you can't get into the screen resolution that way, turn off the computer and boot up into safe mode.

Turn off the computer, then hit the power button to turn it back on and immediately start hitting the F8 key repeatedly until you see SAFE MODE. Take the Safe Mode option and let it boot up. Safe Mode will look different to you, the screen will be darker and the icons bigger, this is normal.

When the computer boots up click Start/Control Panel or Start/Settings Control Panel and look for Desktop or Appearance and Personalization.
Look for Screen Resolution or open the desktop and click the Settings tab. Make the resolution higher to make the icons smaller. Normal is 1024x768 but you can make it higher.

In Windows 7 just click Start and in the search box type: Screen Resolution. Look up at the top for the returned search results and click on Screen Resolution. Go in and set the resolution higher.

After you change the resolution reboot and let windows go into it's normal boot up mode.

When did you get this virus? have you tried booting into Safe Mode, then do a System Restore. Click Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Restore and select a restore point (date and time) before you started having the problem. System Restore does not cause you to lose any data, documents, music, pictures, videos or programs (unless the program was installed after the restore date you selected).

To get to Safe Mode:
Turn off the computer, then hit the power button to turn itback on and immediately start hitting the F8 key repeatedly until you see SAFEMODE. Take the Safe Mode option and let it boot up. Safe Mode will lookdifferent to you, the screen will be darker and the icons bigger, this isnormal.

Hi,

Try to go to Safe Mode by reseting the computer then tapping F8. If your able to acces safe mode follow these instructions:

1. Go to start then click on RUN
2. Type msconfig
3. go to services tab, click hide microsoft services then click disable all
4. reboot the computer and see it it will go to normal mode. It you will be able to boot to normal mode it only means that one of the isntalled software is preventing windows to load
5. if still cant boot you neet to reformat the system


Thanks for using Fixya.

There are many reason for a system goes to safe mode directly.here is the solution to solve the issue

Follow the steps:

Immediately begin tapping the "F8" key when the reboot sequence begins (make sure your "F Lock" key is activated.) Once the black "safe mode" screen appears, then first try selecting the option "Start Windows Normally" using your mouse or keyboard up and down keys. Allow Windows to boot, log into your profile and wait for the program to fully configure. Once that is completed, go to the "Start" button and select "reboot." If all is well, the "safe mode" will not reappear.

If that fails, then repeat the reboot sequence -- tapping the "F8" key repeatedly -- and when "safe mode" reappears, choose the "Last Known Good Configuration" selection and allow it to go through the same sequence as in the above paragraph.

If the above does not work and your system continues to first boot into "safe mode" it is possible that a setting in the boot configuration file is checked.

For that go to start -> RUN and Type in "msconfig" in the provided box and hit "enter." The "System Configuration Utility" will appear. Using your mouse or right arrow key, select the "BOOT.INI" tab. Look for the "boot options" section and the "SAFEBOOT" selection box. If it is checked, uncheck it, select the "Apply" button and then "OK."
Go to the "Start" button and select "reboot" and your machine should now boot directly into Windows.

Try to lower your screen display resolution: you might have to do it under 'Safe Mode' (eg. reboot your computer in 'Safe' mode normally done using the F8 key during the initial boot sequence) as your screen display appears to be unstable/unreadable.

Hi,
The display drivers maybe corrupt.

Boot the machine into safe mode. Right click on My Computer (XP) Computer (Vista) and select manage from the sub menu.
When the window pops up select Device Manager.
A device list will populate. When it has look down the list for Display Adapters. Click on the + icon next to Display Adapters to it expands. Right click on the display adapter and select uninstall.

Restart the computer and let it boot in normal mode.
If it boots in normal mode let it detect the Display and install the drivers for it.
I would be a good idea to update the display drivers via the Dell support website.

If it still won't display in normal mode please post back.

Good luck.

Have you tried accessing the bios to set boot order? It may be trying to load from the hdd before the optical/usb drive.

During the flash screen, press F2 (though it can vary by maker) and change your boot order to load the USB drive first.

Hope this helps!