How to boot up in safe mode from Windows XP

When you start the PC, as soon as it hums up start hitting F8 button. The black window with a bunch of safe mode options will show up, select the one you need.

HI there,

To understand this much better,could you please elaborate:

When it shows black screen,While booting up,after showing the Windows logo?

Which is the operating system?

However i will assume your operating system as windows 7.

I would suggest you to try the following steps:

Step 1:Disconnect all the external devices (printers, scanner, USB(universal serial bus) drives, etc...)Except mouse and the keyboard and then boot up.

If this corrects the issue then add the devices back one at a time until you discover the piece of hardware causing the issue. Then get any updated drivers\software for the device.

Step 2: Boot the computer in safe mode. To do this, follow the steps below:

Access the Advanced boot options menu by turning on your computer and pressing the F8 key continuously before Windows starts. On the advanced boot options menu select Safe Mode.

Advanced startup options (including safe mode)

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Advanced-startup-options-including-safe-mode

Enable clean boot in safe mode

Step 3: Put the computer in clean boot, to figure out if any third party software is hindering the process

Enable clean boot, see step 1 in the link below:

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

If everything works fine after a clean boot, you can infer that some third party services are causing the problem.

Proceed with the remaining steps to pin-point out the third party service.

Note: After you figure out the problem causing program, you may have to update or install a higher version of the program, if you seldom use that software you can consider uninstalling

Important: - Remember to put the computer back to normal startup follow step 7 in the link.

Follow these steps:

1. Restart your computer and start pressing the F8 key on your keyboard. On a computer that is configured for booting to multiple operating systems, you can press the F8 key when the Boot Menu appears.
2. Select an option when the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, and then press ENTER.
3. When the Boot menu appears again, and the words "Normal mode" appear in blue at the bottom, select the installation that you want to start, and then press ENTER.

MAY BE DUE TO LOT OF VIRUSES. DISMOUNT YOUR HARDDISK FROM YOUR SYSTEM AND SCAN IT FOR VIRUSES IN ANOTHER SYSTEM WHICH HAS THE LATEST UPDATE OF A POWERFULL ANTIVIRUS SUCH AS KASPERSKY....

Hi, your best bet is to start XP in safe mode, or, if that does not work, do a repair after booting from your installation disk.

To use a Safe Boot option, follow these steps:

1. Restart your computer and start pressing the F8 key on your keyboard. On a computer that is configured for booting to multiple operating systems, you can press the F8 key when the Boot Menu appears.