There are so many people who use Windows as their dependable operating system, it is shown by the 28% of market share just second to Linux, with 42% global market. Aside from the ease of use, the regular updates (although can be quite annoying, sometimes), can actually be helpful to make the OS better protected against various malicious harms.
Although the system has been receiving a lot of updates, especially in its latest version, we could meet with some bugs or troubles sometimes, causing the whole system to break or even shut down entirely.
There are plenty of reasons why it might happen, with one most common being the new software installation. When you installed a new program on your device, sometimes it could make your computer crash. And when trying to reboot the device, you’ll see the words Safe Mode in the corners. What’s the deal with this?
This is a way the operating system does to solve the problems. In Safe Mode, you are able to troubleshoot Windows to find what’s causing the issue. Once it has been resolved, you can now enter Windows normally again.
What Is Safe Mode?
As mentioned before Safe Mode is a safe environment provided by the operating system used for diagnostics, clearing malware and virus, or safely removing any apps. It works by loading only the essential drivers, and that’s why you may notice that some elements are missing and the Windows itself looks a bit weird.
When your computer can run or even start normally, generally you’d want to use this Safe Mode to detect any problematic issues. That way, you can fix it right away and restart Windows normally again.
By entering the Safe Mode, you may easily remove any unwanted application and run your diagnostic 0tools to find any possibility for a fix. For example, if your computer is infected with a virus, you may run Safe Mode and open the anti-malware tools to detect and remove the problem completely.
It’s safer that way as this mode is not using larger resources to boot everything. Plus, since not many apps are loaded, the cleaning process may also run quicker.
Since the programs loaded are pretty limited, you may also notice some limitations while being in safe mode. For example, the audio is automatically turned off, the resolution is messed up (since it uses the minimal value), and no apps are opened properly.
How Does It Work
As mentioned above Safe Mode works by using only a small assortment of drivers and files. Their absence makes the Windows itself look like default with every setting having been switched to basic.
Thanks to this simplicity, it makes it easier for users to identify the cause of problems on their devices. And the troubleshooting process may go smoother that way.
The way safe mode works is different from the normal booting. Here are a few of them:
1. Safe Mode Doesn’t Run Startup Files
It’s the biggest difference. When you’re booting into safe mode, the essential startup files, like config.sys and autoexec.bat are not loaded. The first one is actually a startup file for DOS or the earliest Windows version, while the latter is for Windows version 3 and earlier and is used as an import tool for the device and OS files to make sure that the standard booting can be done properly.
2. Graphic Reducing
In safe mode, you may notice that Windows is applying the lowers resolution possible that even makes some letters look pixelated. The reason behind this is that this mode uses the standard VGA graphic mode as a replacement for the usual graphic device drivers.
The resolution here is around 640×480 and loaded with a maximum of 16 colors. Right in the corners, you can see the word “Safe Mode”, implying that you’ve successfully booted into it. Other than the resolution, the background wallpaper is also changed into a solid color, usually black.
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Why It’s Important
Safe mode has been around for quite a while now. And it seems that it’s inseparable from the Windows itself. Even since the beginning of Windows XP and 2000, the safe mode has always been here to be used for device troubleshooting.
Both users and administrators will surely need it because of several reasons, such as:
1. Safe Mode Is Easy to Use
The first important reason is that this mode is easy to use. You don’t need someone with skillful IT mastery to deal with it. Booting into safe mode is as easy as changing a few settings on your computer.
By looking at the potential problems through booting into safe mode, most consumers might conduct self-serving repairs, which may save them a lot of money.
2. Possibility to Be Used With Remote Support
Thanks to how easy it is to use the safe mode, consumers, or possibly an employee can access their computers while the experts give remote support over the phone. That way, they can easily follow the guidance, and the basic steps to do the proper repair in case there are some driver issues or other technical problems to be solved.
How To Boot Into Safe Mode On Windows 11
Booting into safe mode is actually pretty easy, especially if you’re using Windows 10 or 11. Here’s what you need to do:
- First thing first, turn on your PC and type Windows + R at the same time
- Once the small Run tab has opened, enter “msconfig”, then enter
- You may notice a few options here, click the Boot tab
- On the Boot Options, check the mark for Safe Boot
- Once you’re done, click Apply
- You can restart the computer now or later. But once you do it, your computer will automatically boot into safe mode
- Do the troubleshooting and effectively solve the problems.
- Once it’s done, you can restart your computer normally again.