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Tech Term: Safe Mode

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Vince Arden

Wednesday, June 27 2018

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Sometimes it can be hard to diagnose a problem with your PC. While it might not be something system-breaking, it’s still important to find the root of an issue before it becomes a major problem. One of the best ways to diagnose an issue with your computer is by logging in using Safe Mode. We’ll talk about when and how you can use Safe Mode to your computer’s benefit.

What Does Safe Mode Do?
In its most basic form, Safe Mode lets you boot up your PC in a limited fashion. Only critical drivers and files will be activated, allowing for only a barebones boot that can help you isolate and diagnose issues with your computer. For example, the issue becomes apparent outside of Safe Mode, but it doesn’t happen during Safe Mode. This means that it’s likely not a critical driver and is something additional that you’ve installed.

There are two different ways to access Safe Mode. The first is the one that we just outlined. The other is one that includes other network drivers and devices, which depending on the situation might not be what your goal is.

Follow the below instructions to implement Safe Mode on startup.

From the Start Menu...

Select the Start button in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
Select Settings (the gear icon)
Click on Update & Security
Go to Recover in the left-hand column
Go to Advanced Startup and select Restart Now
When the device restarts, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup > Settings > Restart
Upon startup, hit F4 or the number 4 for Safe Mode. Hit F5 or the number 5 for Safe Mode with Networking

From the Sign-in Screen…

Restart your PC. Hold down the Shift key while you’re selecting Restart.
When the device restarts, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup > Settings > Restart
Upon startup, hit F4 or the number 4 for Safe Mode. Hit F5 or the number 5 for Safe Mode with Networking

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About the author

Vince Arden

Vince Arden is the founder and President of Preferred Communication Systems. He is a graduate of DeVry University with over 30 years of experience in the IT industry. In addition to providing leadership in sales, marketing, project management, and service delivery at Preferred, Vince provides Virtual CIO-level services for the 4th-largest Realtor Association in the nation and to an Inc. 500 fastest growing company. He has been interviewed by industry publications like Redmond magazine, CRN News, and Continuum for his expertise related to cloud computing and the managed IT services industry. He also lends his voice as a contributing author for the Cloud Business Review.

His core purpose is to, "Help people achieve their greatest potential in work and L.I.F.E." He passionately works toward making this a reality in every aspect of life, including his areas of expertise, such as thought leadership, ideation, communication, team building, and Servant Leadership. Vince models building strong relationships, both with his team at Preferred and with his clients. He strives to build a network of people he can embolden to work smarter, so that they may ultimately be able to live better.

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