Windows 8 : Safe Mode (F8) changed :(

JustInspired said:
....My whole point is that 90% of the time we need safe mode when we CANNOT boot into normal mode.
Click to expand...

Precisely, this is Computer repair tech class 101.

The more I think about it, the more this winds me up.

Microsoft, what the BLOODY HELL were you thinking !
 
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when windows 8 loads, hold down shift and select restart.
Click to expand...

I done this & whilst it does work my concern is if the computer has something similar to the ukash virus that may lock interaction with the charms bar to restart (with shift key)then how am I meant to get into safemode with command prompt as this cannot be done on a cold boot?!
 
It is my experience that if Win 8 can boot, the Shift F8 command has no effect. If you need safe mode you enter through the Advanced Startup inside Settings.

If Win 8 can not boot, you then can use Shift F8 to enter Recovery Mode, and then drill down to Safe Mode.

From what I've read, MS is using some sort of algorithm to determine when Shift F8 is enabled.
The full article is below, but for those like me who are TL;DR

"We ultimately solved these problems with a combination of three different solutions. Together they create a unified experience and solve the scenarios without needing to interrupt boot with a keystroke:

1. We pulled together all the options into a single menu – the boot options menu – that has all the troubleshooting tools, the developer-focused options for Windows startup, methods for accessing the firmware’s BIOS setup, and a straightforward method for booting to alternate devices such as USB drives.

2. We created failover behaviors that automatically bring up the boot options menu (in a highly robust and validated environment) whenever there is a problem that would keep the PC from booting successfully into Windows.

3. Finally, we created several straightforward methods to easily reach the boot options menu, even when nothing is wrong with Windows or boot. Instead of these menus and options being “interrupt-driven,” they are triggered in an intentional way that is much easier to accomplish successfully."


http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/22/designing-for-pcs-that-boot-faster-than-ever-before.aspx
 
The concern is Windows can boot with the Ukash virus (or similar), it's only after a short while that it takes over.

Let's hope that Win8 can notice a problem & allow us to then reboot to safe mode etc if the charms bar is not accessible.
 
Windows 8 on some UEFI bios machines doesn't fully shut down. Skips safe mode?

Fred Langa's article mentions that there is a new hybrid shutdown of Windows 8.

https://windowssecrets.com/langalist-plus/with-windows-8-off-isnt-really-off/

Perhaps this is why some are having trouble getting back into safe mode. If the system is really in a new kind of hibernation then it really hasn't been rebooted thus you can't get to safe mode.
 
bertie40 said:
Finally, the bits of the jigsaw are starting to come together and make sense. VERY useful post. :)
Click to expand...

Ah! there you are Bertie40! Thought you'd left us. :)

The Fred Langa article makes sense in that I suppose it could affect the F8 key function but it still doesn't help much if you can't actually get into Windows to perform the 'hard shutdown'. :rolleyes:
 
<Begin necroposting...>

I cannot believe I just read this: (from a Dell community help forum - bold bits are mine)

Since you're running Windows 8 on the computer, we need to crash boot the operating system for it to give you options to go into safe mode. To crash boot please follow the steps below:

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Power on the system
3. Power off the system at Dell logo with "rolling dots" at the bottom of the screen.
4. Repeat the above steps for 5 to 6 times.

Then you should see the screen below:
Click to expand...

:eek::eek::eek:

My client bought a Dell laptop and brought it in to have data transferred to it. He had switched it on for the first time previously and entered a new username and password. He then forgot the password.

So I said - "no problem, there's nothing on it yet; we'll just do a factory recovery on it."

He hasn't yet made the recovery discs or USB flash drive.
No 'F-Keys' work (like Ctrl-F11) to boot into the recovery system.
F8 and Shift + F8 do not work (like that's a surprise)

We tried the 'crash boot' method as suggested by Dell. I'm sure that didn't help the hard drive but it got us eventually to the recovery options.

Talk about a step backwards!

URL in question: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19524649.aspx
 
Wow what joke, this is insane, I mean they really need to reimplement the F8 option, throw it in an update already.

I did find this however which may help in some cases and it actually works. Also works if you are signed in.

"If you're not signed in to Windows, tap or click the power icon Power icon from the sign-in screen, hold Shift, and then tap or click Restart"
 
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JustInspired said:
<Begin necroposting...>

I cannot believe I just read this: (from a Dell community help forum - bold bits are mine)



:eek::eek::eek:

My client bought a Dell laptop and brought it in to have data transferred to it. He had switched it on for the first time previously and entered a new username and password. He then forgot the password.

So I said - "no problem, there's nothing on it yet; we'll just do a factory recovery on it."

He hasn't yet made the recovery discs or USB flash drive.
No 'F-Keys' work (like Ctrl-F11) to boot into the recovery system.
F8 and Shift + F8 do not work (like that's a surprise)

We tried the 'crash boot' method as suggested by Dell. I'm sure that didn't help the hard drive but it got us eventually to the recovery options.

Talk about a step backwards!

URL in question: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19524649.aspx
Click to expand...

Are you sure the FN keys don't work? I am finding a lot of new laptops with windows 8 have the FN functions reversed. So instead of hitting FN and F4 to change the backlight or something you have to use FN and the FN to use it AS the F4 key. You can change it back in bios but the shipped method is opposite of what most laptops did for years.
 
nlinecomputers said:
Are you sure the FN keys don't work? I am finding a lot of new laptops with windows 8 have the FN functions reversed. So instead of hitting FN and F4 to change the backlight or something you have to use FN and the FN to use it AS the F4 key. You can change it back in bios but the shipped method is opposite of what most laptops did for years.
Click to expand...

Yes, I checked that. Point I was making is that Dell no longer seems to have the Ctrl+F11 option that used to bring up the recovery options in the old laptops.
 
I suppose I need to make a Windows 8 iso and put on a flash drive, but seems like the only ways I've been able to get to safe mode are...

1. Crash boot....
2. Boot up, msconfig, select safe mode from options there
3. Boot from Windows 8 dvd or recovery dvd and access recovery options/advanced from there
4. Seems like there's supposed to be a way if you can get it to boot, at the bottom of the screen on the right I think there is a power button icon that you can click, seems like you can hold down shift there to make it reboot in safe mode, would have to look it up.
 
Here guys, I compiled a short Windows Batch script to fix your woes. You can use it to set safe mode version, and also to restore to normal mode version.

There is also an option to change Windows 8/8.1 boot to legacy. It will then act as if it is Windows 7, allowing F8 to be used.

Must be run with ELEVATED privileges. If you choose Safe Mode with Command, make sure you can access/run it when you are ready to switch back to normal.
 

Attachments

JustInspired said:
<Begin necroposting...>

I cannot believe I just read this: (from a Dell community help forum - bold bits are mine)



:eek::eek::eek:

My client bought a Dell laptop and brought it in to have data transferred to it. He had switched it on for the first time previously and entered a new username and password. He then forgot the password.

So I said - "no problem, there's nothing on it yet; we'll just do a factory recovery on it."

He hasn't yet made the recovery discs or USB flash drive.
No 'F-Keys' work (like Ctrl-F11) to boot into the recovery system.
F8 and Shift + F8 do not work (like that's a surprise)

We tried the 'crash boot' method as suggested by Dell. I'm sure that didn't help the hard drive but it got us eventually to the recovery options.

Talk about a step backwards!

URL in question: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19524649.aspx
Click to expand...

Julian, boot a gparted disk. set the recovery partition as the boot partition. Reboot, and it should start the recovery.
 
The asus ultrabook I worked on accessed recovery by holding f9 at boot. Like holding it, not tapping it, holding it for a good 30 seconds. I thought that was odd.
 
ohio_grad_06 said:
I suppose I need to make a Windows 8 iso and put on a flash drive, but seems like the only ways I've been able to get to safe mode are...

1. Crash boot....
2. Boot up, msconfig, select safe mode from options there
3. Boot from Windows 8 dvd or recovery dvd and access recovery options/advanced from there
4. Seems like there's supposed to be a way if you can get it to boot, at the bottom of the screen on the right I think there is a power button icon that you can click, seems like you can hold down shift there to make it reboot in safe mode, would have to look it up.
Click to expand...

YES! Yes yes yes yes!

I just did number 4 on a Toshiba laptop with Windows 8.

Got to the logon screen.
Clicked the Power Icon.
HELD DOWN THE LEFT SHIFT KEY.
Clicked Restart while holding Shift key.
Held Shift key until the big blue screen of options appeared.
Jumped up and down like a crazy person with a big grin on my face.
:D
 
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