Solution:
For any of a variety of reasons, your computer is unable to boot up in Normal mode. Safe Mode is an alternative operating mode which is less prone to crashes, lock-ups, hardware conflicts, software bugs, and system error messages. As such it serves as the perfect environment for troubleshooting a variety of problems. Generally, Windows only boots into Safe Mode if it can't boot normally because of some problem. You can, however, configure Windows to automatically boot into Safe Mode every time you turn on your PC.
Here are a few common reasons your PC may boot (start) in Safe Mode:
* A virus or other malware has infected your PC.
* A device driver is corrupted or missing.
* An essential system file has been altered.
* The computer crashed or otherwise shut down improperly the last time you used it.
* A hardware conflict has occurred.
Example: If you install a new device (an internal component such as a video card) and don't install the correct driver for the device, that can cause Windows to not boot properly and go into Safe Mode.
Essentially, Safe Mode is Windows at its plainest. Forget about accessing your backup drive, network printer, or digital camera when you boot your PC in Safe Mode. This type of window dressing is out when you’re working in Safe Mode. Ditto for a broadband Internet connection, though you might have luck getting online with a dial-up account. You should be able to open most of your third-party applications, too. Most importantly, you still have access to the Control Panel, My Computer, Disk Cleanup, and Windows’ other built-in troubleshooting components.
The whole point of Safe Mode is to provide a stable platform from which you can examine your system, identify problems, and take corrective measures without the threat of interference from external forces. If you've just installed new hardware or software, for example, you can work from Safe Mode to verify recent changes in default drivers or uninstall recently-installed applications.
If you're able to identify and resolve the problem in Safe Mode, you can then reboot the computer and return to Normal mode. If not, the article "It's Just Not Normal" in the "See Also:" section below gives you tips on how to use Windows troubleshooting capabilities to diagnose your problem.
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