F8 does not load safe mode solution

However, if you can at least get into Windows, you can use the MSCONGIF utility to help you out.

Click on Start, then Run. In the Run dialog box type “msconfig” and press enter to start the MSCONFIG utility.
MSCONFIG offers a variety of options and settings you can use to selectively enable or disable certain programs or services to try and troubleshoot and narrow down problems you might be having. You can view the contents of the System.ini, Win.ini and Boot.ini files and check or uncheck the items you want to start. You can also uncheck services or programs that startup when Windows loads if you don’t want them to start.

For our purposes, we just want to use MSCONFIG to boot into SafeMode. If you click on the Boot.ini tab you will see some checkboxes at the bottom under Boot Options. Click the checkbox next to /SAFEBOOT and select Minimal (if you really need network access while you are in SafeMode you can select Network instead).

After you make the changes the computer will need to be rebooted for the changes to take effect. The computer will boot into SafeMode and allow you to do what you need. Once you have completed the actions or tasks you needed to use SafeMode for, you need to reopen MSCONFIG following the instructions above and uncheck the /SAFEMODE box under Boot Options so that the computer will boot into normal Windows mode the next time you start it up.

That’s all!

I’ve found all versions of Windows (including Vista) to be a littly nutty at time when it comes to a USB keyboard. This is the reason I never bought a USB keyboard. USB mouse is ok. But keyboards causes hiccups once in a while.

But, if so is the problem, how could you get into bios with the same usb keyboard???

to Kumar: I don’t think the BIOS is the problem. It’s Windows that is the problem.

Yeah I had the same problem after going from a regular old Logitech keyboard to a new Logitech USB keyboard..

I could not get into the BIOS, (or hit F8 for safe mode)- I had to just hook up my old Logitech PS2 KB to hit the “Delete” key to get into the BIOS. I have an ASUS A8N-E mobo, but I never noticed any USB keyboard support options. I do have “legacy USB support option, but that doesn’t seem to work for this problem. Seems there would be a way to load the USB drivers first, before Windows starts or something. Anyway, here’s a little time saver- no need to disconnect the USB KB, just add the PS2 KB, then disconnect it when done changing options in BIOS, etc. It is annoying though.. and it should work with a USB keyboard, I don;t see why the mobo just doesn’t recognize the fact that you have a USB KB and work from that as if it were a PS2 KB, especially now, w/ so many USB KBs out there.

Hey I just tested this again, and now it works.. I CAN hit “DELETE” during boot w/ my USB KB and get into the BIOS. I DID turn on that “Legacy USB support” option on in the BIOS last time I was in there though, that might have done it.

Also It might have been that before I just shutdown to test this, I went into device manager, went to the “Keyboards”- there was an “HID keyboard device” listing in there. I actually right-clicked and chose update driver, and it updated the driver. Usually anything like that just doesn’t update the driver automatically like that. Anyway. That worked, but not sure if I can get into safe mode via F8 with a well timed key-press or not. Strange, I know I couldn’t before… but now it seems to work, at least to get into the BIOS, and I imagine that if that works, getting into safe mode w/ F8 will work too.

EDIT- I forgot- I am using Windows XP pro SP2 all updated..