Windows Startup Settings (including safe mode)

With Windows Startup Settings you can start Windows in different advanced troubleshooting modes to help you find and fix problems on your PC.

Get to Windows Startup Settings in PC settings

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)

Under PC settings, tap or click Update and recovery, and then tap or click Recovery.

Under Advanced startup, tap or click Restart now.

Once your PC restarts, on the Choose an option screen, tap or click Troubleshoot. If you don’t see the Startup Settings option, tap or click Advanced options.

Tap or click Startup Settings and then Restart.

On the Startup Settings screen, choose the startup setting you want.

Sign in to your PC with a user account that has administrator rights.

Get to Windows Startup Settings in the Windows Recovery Environment

If you can’t start your PC, follow these instructions to get to the Windows Recovery Environment. You’ll need to connect a keyboard to complete the steps.

Do one of the following, depending on whether you have installation media (such as a DVD or USB flash drive):

If you have installation media for Windows 8.1, start your computer from the installation media. Insert the DVD or USB flash drive and restart your computer. If you see a message asking you to “Press any key to boot from DVD,” do so. If you don’t see the message, you might need to change the boot order in your computer’s BIOS settings so that it first starts from the DVD or USB. When you see the Install Windows page, tap or click Repair your computer to start the Windows Recovery Environment.

If you don’t have installation media, use the power button to restart your computer three times. This will start the Windows Recovery Environment.

In the Windows Recovery Environment, on the Choose an option screen, tap or click Troubleshoot.

Tap or click Startup Settings. If you don’t see Startup Settings, tap or click Advanced options, and then tap or click Startup Settings.

Tap or click Restart, and then wait while your computer restarts.

On the Startup Settings screen, choose an option.

Sign in to your computer with a user account that has administrator rights.

Some options, such as safe mode, start Windows in a limited state where only essential programs are started. Other options start Windows with advanced features (typically used by system admins and IT pros). For more info, go to the Microsoft TechNet website for IT pros.

Note: If you’re using BitLocker, you’ll need to suspend it before you can get to Windows Startup Settings. If you’re using Windows RT 8.1, you may be asked to enter your Device Encryption recovery key to get to the Startup settings.

Starts Windows in an advanced troubleshooting mode intended for IT pros and system admins.

Creates a file, ntbtlog.txt, that lists all the drivers that are installed during startup and that might be useful for advanced troubleshooting.

Starts Windows using your current video driver and using low resolution and refresh rate settings. You can use this mode to reset your display settings.

Safe mode starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services to help troubleshoot issues. If a problem doesn’t reappear when you start your PC in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers and services as possible causes. There are three different safe mode options:

Enable Safe Mode. Starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services.

Enable Safe Mode with Networking. Starts Windows in safe mode and includes the network drivers and services needed to access the Internet or other computers on your network.

Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt. Starts Windows in safe mode with a Command Prompt window instead of the usual Windows interface. This option is intended for IT pros and system admins.

If the problem doesn’t occur when you restart your PC in safe mode, it’s unlikely that the basic settings, files, and drivers in Windows are the cause of the problem. Try starting all of the apps on your desktop that you commonly use one by one (including the apps in your Startup folder) to see if a specific app might be causing the problem. If one of the apps is causing the problem, uninstall it or contact the software publisher. If the problem appears while in safe mode, or you still can’t find the problem, you can try refreshing or resetting your PC. For more info, see How to refresh, reset, or restore your PC.

Static screen on startup — Windows 7

A majority of the time when I initially startup my PC I am greeted with a static screen, I have posted an image below showing what it looks like.

I have attempted to reinstall Windows 7 and change the cable, however, the problem still persists. The problem thankfully doesn’t affect the performance of my PC after several times of restarting and then it eventually works. I have also performed all the updates issued by Windows and Intel.

Here are my PC specs, if necessary —

Processor: Intel Pentium CPU G2020 @ 2.90GHz

RAM: 6.00GB

System type: 64-bit

PC model: Zoostorm

Thank you very much for your time.

Replies (3) 

What immediately comes to mind is How close are your speakers to your monitor?

It looks like you are getting the static before Windows actually loads up.

Do you get static if you just turn on your monitor and don’t try to start up your computer or does your screen stay black?

What kind of monitor are you using? CRT, LCD, etc.

Another thought is have you updated your video drivers recently?

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

My speakers are touching the monitor, but it was doing the same before I even had external speakers.

I’m using my HDTV and it’s fine when doing anything else.

I have updated my drivers today.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Thank you for keeping us updated on the issue.

I would like to know some information about the issue so that we could assist you further.

1. Which cable do you use to connect HDTV to the computer?

2. What is the make and model number of the computer?

Step 1 Try to disconnect external devices and check the issue.

Disconnect all the external devices (printers, scanner, USB (universal serial bus) drives, etc.) except mouse and the keyboard and then boot up.

If this corrects the issue then add the devices back one at a time until you discover the piece of hardware causing the issue. Then get updated driver software for the device.

Step 2 Try to run hardware troubleshooter.

Open the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter

Hope this information is helpful. Please do let us know if you need further assistance, we’ll be glad to assist you.

Windows 10 black screen on startup

I upgraded to Windows 10 last night, and was able to twice start it up this morning. But since then, when I startup, it gives me the F2 and F12 options, then displays the blue Microsoft flag for a moment — then the screen goes black, and stays black.

I have no mouse or cursor display.

Can you help me, please?

Replies (34) 

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

I left it alone for a couple of hours — and it loaded. So I’m experimenting now with the startup. I restarted it about 20 minutes ago and it’s a black screen again. Obviously, it might still be starting, but terribly slow.

18 people found this reply helpful

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

I have a similar issue. Installed Win 10 (Enterprise) into new Virtual Machine and it just starts up and screen goes black (no logon screen). It had started several times, but after installing some software it now won’t start.

Good thing it was to a new VM and not something we actually wanted to use.

127 people found this reply helpful

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

I upgraded to Windows 10 last night, and was able to twice start it up this morning. But since then, when I startup, it gives me the F2 and F12 options, then displays the blue Microsoft flag for a moment — then the screen goes black, and stays black.

I have no mouse or cursor display.

Can you help me, please?

Same event occurred to me today at Windows 10 Pro startup — a «dark screen with a dash on the top left-hand side of the screen.» I had to push the power button on the hard disk twice, and then it rebooted. No one likes to encounter this nuisance situation, let alone, wonder whether or not this will happen again. Microsoft gurus, please have someone advice as of how to prevent this problem from happening again.

Windows 10 installed last Saturday, 8-1-2015 and it has been running amazingly well until today. First time I encountered the above problem.

Windows white screen on startup

tl;dr performed a Windows reset, it got stuck for a day, forced a reboot and now it boots immediately to a white screen and nothing else.

The PC in question is an HP Pavilion Elite HPE-000 Series that came with Windows 7. I upgraded it to Windows 10 several months ago. It has slowed down considerably lately so I wanted to perform a Windows reset to restore it to factory condition. The reset process, however, got stuck at some point. I let it work overnight, but the next day it was still in the same place. Seeing no other possible course of action, I forced a reboot by holding down the power button. However, upon reboot, the monitor immediately turns to a white screen and the PC is completely unresponsive.

Replies (4) 

If this system was manufactured before August 2013, it is likely not compatible with Windows 10. Also, if its running Windows 10 1709, it is likely to perform worst.

I am going to recommend you downgrade to Windows 10 1703.

Step 1: download Windows 10 1703 from the following link:
https://tb.rg-adguard.net/index.php?sid=74a7cf5.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Hi Sareth. I’m Greg, a volunteer installation specialist and 8 year Windows MVP, here to help you.

Create Windows 10 Installation Media on another PC: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m.

Insert media, boot it by powering up PC while pressing the BIOS Boot Menu Key: https://www.sysnative.com/forums/hardware-tutor.

Choose the boot device as a UEFI device if offered. If the media won’t boot you may need to enter BIOS/UEFI Setup (pressing key given in chart in link above) to turn off Fast Boot or Fast Startup first.

Clean Install Windows 10 following the illustrated steps in this link to delete all partitions down to Unallocated Space to get it cleanest: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki.

There is a step to Rescue Files from the booted media Command Prompt first: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki.

Feel free to ask back any questions and keep us posted on how it goes.

Over 100,000 helped in forums for 11 years. I don’t quit for those who are polite and cooperative.

Black Screen at Startup in Windows Vista, 7

Get the fix for the error black screen that appears at startup on Windows Vista and Windows 7.

About “black screen that appears at startup“

The following information on this error has been compiled by NeoSmart Technologies, based on the information gathered and reported by our global network of engineers, developers, and technicians or partner organizations.

Description and Symptoms

The error messages, alerts, warnings, and symptoms below are tied to this error.

Symptom 1: Black screen that appears on startup

Windows 7 can display a complete, blank black screen when you boot your computer. The causes can be multiple ones: a video adapter issue, some recent driver updates you may have done or new Windows updates.

This error appears regardless if your computer is a desktop PC or a laptop. Other users with HP laptops and computers with Windows 7 reported that this error occurred after a recent Windows update.

Causes of this Error

This error has been known to occur as a result of one of the following causes:

Cause 1: System files are damaged

The hard drive’s file system may become damaged because of disk write errors, power outages or virus attacks. If that’s the case, the operating system cannot find the required system files to boot properly and the loading process is halted.

Cause 2: An outdated driver is installed

Another possible cause of this error is an outdated driver. This may happen after a Windows upgrade/downgrade, or Windows Update that ended incorrectly.

Fixing “Black screen that appears at startup ” on Windows

Windows Setup CD/DVD Required!
Some of the solutions below require the use of the Microsoft Windows setup CD or DVD. If your PC did not come with a Windows installation disc or if you no longer have your Windows setup media, you can use Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows instead. EasyRE will automatically find and fix many problems, and can also be used to solve this problem with the directions below.

Fix #1: Use Easy Recovery Essentials

Easy Recovery Essentials can fix many errors such as this automatically using its built-in Automated Repair option. EasyRE is currently available for Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and can be downloaded and created on any PC.

1. Download Easy Recovery Essentials. Make sure to note your Windows version (XP, Vista, 7 or 8) before you download EasyRE. This guide can help you identify what version of Windows you have installed.
2. Burn the image. Follow these instructions on how to burn the bootable ISO image very carefully, as making a bootable CD can be tricky! Alternatively, these instructions explain how to create a bootable EasyRE recovery USB stick/drive.
3. Boot up your PC from the Easy Recovery Essentials CD or USB you created.
4. Once EasyRE is running, choose the “Automated Repair” option and click Continue .

Choose “Automated Repair” in Easy Recovery Essentials

Choose the drive associated with the Windows installation you’re trying to repair.

Easy Recovery Essentials searches for errors and makes corrections to the selected Windows installation.

Windows, booting up successfully.

You can download Easy Recovery Essentials from here.

Fix #2: Boot the PC in Safe Mode

You can boot into the Last Known Good Configuration to repair it.

Here are the steps to boot into the Last Known Good Configuration mode:

1. Restart your computer
2. Press F8 repeatedly until you see the list of boot options
3. Choose Last Known Good Configuration (Advanced)
4. Press Enter and wait to boot

Last known good configuration screen

Fix #3: Boot into Safe Mode and update Driver Software

Boot into Windows Safe Mode first by pressing F8 repeatedly after you restarted your computer. After you select “Safe Mode” from the Options menu, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Start Task Manager by right-clicking on the task bar
2. Go to the Processes tab of this Manager
3. Find and click on explorer.exe and click End Process to terminate it
4. Then click on File and choose New Task (Run)
5. Enter explorer.exe in the Open box and then click on the OK button
6. Go to the Start Button and enter device manager
7. Search results will appear, choose Device Manager
8. At this step, double-click on Display adapter and then right click on your display device
9. Click Update Driver Software
10. Follow the steps in Drive Software Wizard

Device manager screen

Fix #4: Access System Restore with a recovery disc

This solution method will only work if you have System Restore enabled on your Windows 7. Here are the steps for accessing System Restore from an installation disc:

1. Insert the Windows 7 install disc
2. Press a key when “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD” message appears on your screen
3. Click on Repair your computer after selecting a language, time and keyboard method
4. Select the drive where you installed Windows (usually C:\ ) and click Next
5. Select System Restore from the System Recovery Options box
6. Follow System Restore instructions to select a restore point
7. Restore your PC by clicking Finish

System Restore screen

Fix #5: Run Startup Repair

1. Insert your Windows install CD
2. Press any key when you see “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD”
3. Click Repair your computer after selecting your language, time and keyboard method
4. Select the drive of your Windows installation and click Next. The standard drive is usually C:\
5. Select Startup Repair and wait for the process to finish.

More Information

Linked Entries

Support Links

It’s an easy-to-use and automated diagnostics disk. It’s available for Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista. It’s also available for Windows XP and Windows Server.

Read more at Windows Recovery Disks.

The NeoSmart Support Forums, member-to-member technical support and troubleshooting.

Get a discounted price on replacement setup and installation discs: Windows Vista, Windows 7.

Applicable Systems

This Windows-related knowledgebase article applies to the following operating systems:

• Windows Vista (all editions)
• Windows 7 (all editions)