Boot into Safemode

[mpking]

I have two questions.

1. Has anyone written a script that will restart your computer and force it to boot into safemode

2. Is there a way to start a script automaticly in safe mode? (assuming you can get the computer to boot into safemode)

This is for a generic Cleaning CD i'm trying to make. Most of the students that my IT dept supports couldn't find the F8 button if it bit them.

[Alterego]

I don't see a way to do it.

[bastel123]

you can change the boot.ini

the /SAFEMODE option your friend

[therks]

Well, I don't know about other operating systems, but in WinXP, you can edit your boot.ini to go into Safe Mode.

For instance, my boot.ini looks like this after I used msconfig.exe to turn on SafeBoot:

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /noguiboot /NoExecute=OptIn /safeboot:minimal

Although I'm sure boot.ini varies from computer to computer, so you might be better off just having the script open up msconfig, navigate to the BOOT.INI tab, and check off the /SAFEBOOT checkbox.

[CyberSlug]

2.  Is there a way to start a script automaticly in safe mode?  (assuming you can get the computer to boot into safemode)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe it's a safe mode feature that nothing automatically runs....

[sugi]

I believe it's a safe mode feature that nothing automatically runs....

Basically that's true. But windows starts what it needs to run (like explorer.exe or another shell) and it starts some basic services. So in theory you should be able to mark your script as a required service or as the shell.

But before you're asking: I've never done this, so I dont know how to do this or even if it's possible. And I think you should check if you really need safe mode for what you want to do.

Edited February 28, 2005 by sugi

[Insolence]

If it's possible that means nasty viruses could do bad things. I think safe mode is purposefully to avoid this, in the event you get a nasty virus.

[CyberSlug]

I just came across this info which says:

By default, the value of a RunOnce key is deleted before the command line is run. You can prefix a RunOnce value name with an exclamation point to defer deletion of the value until after the command runs. Without the exclamation point prefix, if the RunOnce operation fails the associated program will not be asked to run the next time you start the computer.

By default, these keys are ignored when the computer is started in Safe Mode. Starting with Windows NT 4.0 SP3, the value name of RunOnce keys can be prefixed with an asterisk (*) to force the program to run even in Safe mode.