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Question

Help with safe mode

Sep 6, 2015 11:37AM PDT

I was trying to boot up my computer in safe mode to run an AV program; however, when I booted up the computer I just get a purple screen with 3 buttons I can click: in the lower left hand corner is a button with a 3/4 circle and two arrows (when I click it the following options come up: narrator, magnifier, on-screen keyboard, high contrast, sticky keys, filter keys), in the bottom right hand corner is a button to change between keyboard languages and the power button to restart or shut down the computer. I can't get to the desktop and it keeps restarting to this screen. I've tried Shift + F8 upon startup but it never works. I have windows 8. When I when to system configuration I clicked the third option under safe mode (I think something with diagnose in it). I also changed normal start-up to diagnose start-up. Sort of confusing to try and explain this problem....

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: Safe Mode
Sep 6, 2015 11:50AM PDT

Things you can try:
1. Download, burn and boot from an antivirus CD to do that check you want.
2. See if windows-key + E runs Explorer. If so, you might be able to run your antivirus from there.

Kees

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my main concern
Sep 6, 2015 11:55AM PDT

I'm more worried right now how to get my computer out of this mode rather than running my antivirus program. I can't even get to the desktop from the screen I described. No keyboard commands work. It's as if windows is disabled.

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It sounds like you're in the Setup mode, not Windows.
Sep 6, 2015 12:33PM PDT

Since you haven't told us what make and model computer you have, all I can tell you is that my dog broke my crystal ball.
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If you're asking for technical help, please be sure to include all your system info, including operating system, model number, and any other specifics related to the problem. Also please exercise your best judgment when posting in the forums--revealing personal information such as your e-mail address, telephone number, and address is not recommended.

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Computer details
Sep 6, 2015 12:45PM PDT

I have a Lenovo IdeaPad Z580 with windows 8. I have an intel core i7. Model name: 20135 (anything else you might need?). When I tried to boot the computer into safe mode, I went to System Configurations. In the general tab I selected Diagnostic startup. In the Boot tab I selected Safe boot (under boot options) and then selected Active Directory Repair. I restarted my computer and it just gets to a monochrome screen with a power icon and ENG (language icon) in the bottom right. In the bottom left is an icon that reveals options when I click it such as Narrator, Sticky keys on/off, Filter keys on/off. Obviously, I'm not computer literate; otherwise, I would give much better information. Hopefully this info help some.

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Re: Safe Mode
Sep 6, 2015 1:48PM PDT

Active Directory is something only seen in companies, who maintain their users with their authorisation on an Active Directory Sever. So there's no need to check that. And it might even be the cause of your blank screen, because there is nothing to repair.
Anyway, if Active Directory is involved, this is a job for the helpdesk now.

I' ve never seen f8 not working to get into Safe Mode, except in 3 circumstances:
1. Serious hardware issues, like a broken keyboard
2 Pressed at the wrong moment
3. Disabled by the company IT staff.
Let's assume it's #2.

Also realise that Safe Mode as a repair tool for whatever issue (you didn't disclose yet why you wanted to boot into Safe Mode, most people never do) tends to be more an expert job then a newbie job.

If it's a personal PC, I think a Windows refresh (leaves your data intact, in principle) is the next step. But be prepared for a reset (deletes everything) by first making that backup of what you don't have 2 other copies of. Member wpgwpg below told how.

Kees

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Re: Windows
Sep 6, 2015 12:44PM PDT

That is how my office laptop looks also, except that it's blue in stead of purple and has two fill-in fields in the middle, to type a user name and a password and a button to login. That purple makes me think something is not standard.

Maybe your PC is set to autologon and doesn't do that because of a corrupted user account? Without being logged in, there is no desktop. And Windows is doing nothing while you're nog logged in, except offering you the choices you mention.
What happens if you boot into normal mode? You didn't tell that.

Did you try startup repair or refresh? Or even reset?


Kees

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Re: Re: Windows
Sep 6, 2015 12:54PM PDT

I think the purple comes from my personalized settings. It was a color scheme that I had picked out before. Unfortunately, the login fields aren't there. F8 wasn't working, but there was a button next to the power button that gave me options like systems restore and normal mode. I tried normal mode and nothing happened. If I do a system restore will it erase my files? There's work of mine from the past month that I hadn't backed up yet.

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System Restore leaves files intact, but other restores don't
Sep 6, 2015 1:14PM PDT

You have to be up and running with Windows to do a System Restore, so I expect you're talking about either restoring from a backup or restoring to factory conditions. Restoring from a backup will take your data back to the date the backup was made. Restoring to factory settings will erase all your data - every bit and byte.
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What you CAN do would be to boot from a Linux DVD and copy your data to a flash drive or external hard drive. I use Linux Mint for such purposes. You can download it from here:
http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php and put it on either a flash drive or DVD. You can boot it from a DVD and not have to install anything and be up and running in roughly 3 min. Booting from a flash drive takes about 2 min.
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Good luck.