Advanced startup options (including safe mode)

The Advanced Boot Options screen lets you start Windows in advanced troubleshooting modes. You can access the menu by turning on your computer and pressing the F8 key before Windows starts.

Some options, such as safe mode, start Windows in a limited state, where only the bare essentials are started. If a problem doesn’t reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers and services as possible causes. Other options start Windows with advanced features intended for use by system administrators and IT professionals. For more information, go to the Microsoft website for IT professionals.

Repair Your Computer

Shows a list of system recovery tools you can use to repair startup problems, run diagnostics, or restore your system. This option is available only if the tools are installed on your computer’s hard disk. If you have a Windows installation disc, the system recovery tools are located on that disc.

Safe Mode

Starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and services.

To start in safe mode:

Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer. Click the Start button , click the arrow next to the Shut Down button (or the arrow next to the Lock button), and then click Restart.

Do one of the following:

If your computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts. You need to press F8 before the Windows logo appears. If the Windows logo appears, you’ll need to try again by waiting until the Windows logon prompt appears, and then shutting down and restarting your computer.

If your computer has more than one operating system, use the arrow keys to highlight the operating system you want to start in safe mode, and then press F8.

On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight the safe mode option you want, and then press Enter.

Log on to your computer with a user account that has administrator rights.

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.

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 professionals and administrators.

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

Enable low-resolution video (640×480). 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. For more information, see Change your screen resolution.

Last Known Good Configuration (advanced). Starts Windows with the last registry and driver configuration that worked successfully.

Directory Services Restore Mode. Starts Windows domain controller running Active Directory so that the directory service can be restored. This option is intended for IT professionals and administrators.

Debugging Mode. Starts Windows in an advanced troubleshooting mode intended for IT professionals and system administrators.

Disable automatic restart on system failure. Prevents Windows from automatically restarting if an error causes Windows to fail. Choose this option only if Windows is stuck in a loop where Windows fails, attempts to restart, and fails again repeatedly.

Disable Driver Signature Enforcement. Allows drivers containing improper signatures to be installed.

Start Windows Normally. Starts Windows in its normal mode.

What are Boot Advanced Options in MSCONFIG in Windows 10?

MSConfig or System Configuration Utility is an inbuilt tool in Windows that allows you to manage startup items, boot options, Services & boot in Safe Mode, etc. Under the boot section, there is an Advanced Options button. This section gives you access to configure options such as the number of processors, the amount of memory, debug, and Global Debug settings. Keep in mind that these options are last-resort choices to diagnose your systems for advanced users. In this post, we will get into details about these Boot Advanced Options in MSCONFIG in Windows 10.

Boot Advanced Options in MSCONFIG

There is one thing you need to understand clearly. The advanced boot section of System Configuration Utility or MSCONFIG is built for troubleshooting. However, the confusion occurs when the end-user finds this option. We strongly urge you to keep these settings at their default values and not change them.

Number of Processors

Open Task Manager and switch to the Performance tab. Take a note of the number of CPU cores and memory.

Now, type MSCONFIG in the Run prompt, and press the Enter key. Switch to Boot section, and click on the Advanced options button

Check the number of processors box and select anything less than the maximum available in the dropdown. The maximum figure you see will be the same as what you saw in the Task Manager.

Reboot, and then check how many processors, and amount of memory is available for the OS.

I am sure you will experience a slower performance compared to what you had when computer boots under default configuration. While I am not sure why these settings are there, but I am guessing it helps developers to figure out how their application performs under low hardware configuration without changing the actual hardware configuration. The same can apply for Windows.

Now let’s take a look at the other sections:

PCI Lock

PCI is a hardware bus to add components to a computer. The BIOS or OS can determine the resource requirement and automatically assign it, so there is no conflict. In earlier days, it was useful as Windows used to take this over.

From what I have seen in forums, it is best to keep it unchecked, unless you are having issues with connected hardware. Windows can take this over, but we haven’t head about except that when checked, it results in a BSOD.

If you have checked PCI Lock, and are getting a BSOD, make sure to boot into safe mode, and then disable the PCI lock using msconfig. You may need a bootable USB device to get into the Advanced Boot configuration.

Debug

It is a developer option where to debug Kernel, debugging tools are connected to the OS. Again it is a non-consumer option and should be left as is. When you check Debug, you can configure the rest of the options, including Debug port, Channel, USB target name, and Baud rate. When using this, you will have to disable or suspend BitLocker and Secure Boot on the computer.

There is a lot that can be done using the bcdedit tool in Windows 10, which also offers /dbgsettings as one of the options. You can use it to disable driver signature, enable or disable data execution, and so on.

You will also see other settings for Maximum memory, Global debug settings, etc.

There is one thing clear here. These are not consumer options, and there is no way you can use them to speed up computers. These Advanced options are debugging tools, and they have been there as long as I can remember. There are many such tools in Windows, and unless you are into hardware debugging, do not use it.

I hope the post was easy to understand, and you were able to figure out why you, as a consumer, should not be using the Boot Advanced Options in MSCONFIG in Windows 10.

How to Get to Windows 10’s Advanced Startup Options Menu

Whether you need to repair Windows 10, reset the OS, access the BIOS, restore from a backup file or boot into safe mode, you have to navigate to the Advanced Startup Options menu. There are several different ways to navigate to Advanced Startup Options, depending on whether you can boot up or not.

Method 1: Hit F11

On many computers, if you hit F11 as soon as the computer powers on, you can get to the Advanced Startup Options menu.

Method 2: Boot off of an Install Disk

If you have an install disk on USB or DVD, you can boot off of it and get into the Advanced Startup Options menu that way.

1. Create a bootable Windows 10 install disk if you don’t have one already. We have instructions for creating a bootable install drive.

2. Boot off of the disk. You may need to hit a button on your laptop to tell it to boot off of removable media.

3. Click Next.

4. Click Repair Your Computer.

5. Click Troubleshoot.

Method 3: Wait for Your Computer to Take You There

If Windows 10 encounters a startup error, it may eventually take you to the Advanced Startup Options menu on boot.

Method 4: Hit Restart with Shift Key Down

If you can make it to the Windows 10 login screen, you can get to the Advanced System Options menu.

1. Click the power button icon in the lower right corner.

2. Hold down shift and click Restart.

3. Click Troubleshoot on the screen which appears.

4. Click Advanced Options

Method 5: Use the Settings Menu

If you are already at the Windows 10 desktop, getting to the Advanced Startup Options menu is easy.

1. Navigate to settings. You can get there by hitting the gear icon on the Start menu.

2. Click Update & security.

How to Access Advanced Startup Options in Windows 10 or 8

6 Methods for accessing the ASO Boot Menu in Windows 10 or Windows 8

The Advanced Startup Options menu, available in Windows 10 and Windows 8, is the central fix-it location for the entire operating system.

From here you can access Windows diagnostic and repair tools like Reset This PC, System Restore, Command Prompt, Startup Repair, and much more.

It’s also where you access Startup Settings, the menu that includes Safe Mode, among other startup methods that could help you access Windows 10 or 8 if it is having problems starting. In other words, Advanced Startup Options functions as the Windows 10/8 boot menu.

The Advanced Startup Options menu should appear automatically after two consecutive startup errors. However, if you need to open it manually, there are six different ways to do so.

The best way to decide which method to use is to base your decision on what level of access you have to Windows right now:

• If Windows 10/8 starts normally: Use any method, but 1, 2, or 3 will be easiest.
• If Windows 10/8 does not start: Use method 4, 5, or 6. Method 1 will also work if you can at least get to the Windows logon screen.

Time Required: Accessing ASO is easy and can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes, depending on which method you use.

All of these means of getting to the Advanced Startup Options menu work equally well in any edition of Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 unless noted otherwise.

Method 1: SHIFT + Restart

This is by far the easiest way to get this done. Just hold down either SHIFT key while selecting Restart, available from any Power icon.

Power icons are available throughout Windows 10 and Windows 8 as well as from the sign-in/lock screen.

All you do now is wait while the Advanced Startup Options menu opens!

This method doesn’t seem to work with the on-screen keyboard. You’ll need to have a physical keyboard connected to your computer or device to open it this way.

Method 2: Settings Menu

In Windows 10, select the Start button, and then choose the settings button followed by Update & Security.

In Windows 8, Swipe from the right to open the charms bar. Select Change PC settings. Choose Update and recovery from the list on the left (or General prior to Windows 8.1).

Choose Recovery from the list of options on the left.

Locate Advanced startup, at the bottom of the list of options on your right.

Select Restart now.

Wait through the Please wait message until Advanced Startup Options opens.

Method 3: Shutdown Command

Another option is to open Run (use the WIN+R keyboard shortcut) if you can’t get Command Prompt started for some reason, probably related to the issue you’re having that has you here in the first place!

Save any open files before continuing or you’ll lose any changes you’ve made since your last save.

Execute the shutdown command in the following way:

To cancel the shutdown command once executed (like if you forgot to save your work!) execute shutdown /a in the same Command Prompt window.

Select Close to the signoff warning message that appears a few seconds later.

After several seconds, during which nothing seems to be happening, Windows will then close and you’ll see a Please wait message.

Wait just a few seconds more until the Advanced Startup Options menu opens.

Method 4: Boot From Your Windows 10/8 Installation Media

Insert into your computer a Windows 10 or Windows 8 DVD or a flash drive with the Windows installation files on it.

You can borrow someone else’s disc (or other media) if you need to. You’re not installing or reinstalling Windows, you’re just accessing Advanced Startup Options—no product key or license breaking required.

Select Next from the Windows Setup screen.

Choose Repair your computer at the bottom of the window.

Advanced Startup Options will start, almost immediately.

Method 5: Boot From a Windows 10/8 Recovery Drive

Insert your Windows 10 or Windows 8 Recovery Drive into a free USB port.

Don’t worry if you weren’t proactive and never got around to creating a Recovery Drive. If you have another computer with the same version of Windows or a friend’s computer with Windows 10/8, see How to Create a Windows 10 or Windows 8 Recovery Drive for instructions.

On the Choose your keyboard layout screen, select U.S. or whatever keyboard layout you’d like to use.

Advanced Startup Options will begin instantly.

Method 6: Boot Directly to Advanced Startup Options

Start or restart your computer or device.

Choose the boot option for System Recovery, Advanced Startup, Recovery, etc.

On some Windows 10 and Windows 8 computers, for example, pressing F11 starts System Recovery.

What this boot option is called is configurable by your hardware maker, so the options mentioned here are just some that we’ve seen or heard. Whatever the name, it should be clear that what you’re about to do is a boot to the advanced recovery features included in Windows.

The ability to boot directly to Advanced Startup Options isn’t one that’s available with a traditional BIOS. Your computer will need to support UEFI and then also be configured properly to boot directly to the ASO menu. Fortunately, this is very common these days.

Wait for Advanced Startup Options to begin.

What About F8 and SHIFT+F8?

Neither F8 nor SHIFT+F8 is a reliable option for booting to the Advanced Startup Options menu. See How to Start Windows 10 or Windows 8 in Safe Mode for more on this.

If you need to access Advanced Startup Options, you can do so with any of the several methods listed above.

How to Exit Advanced Startup Options

Whenever you’re finished using the ASO menu, you can choose Continue to restart your computer. Assuming it’s working properly now, this will boot you back into Windows 10/8.

Your other option is Turn off your PC, which will do just that.