Safe mode (keyboard, screen, crashing, Windows)

[RUBIES77]

What is running a computer in Safe Mode means? And how do I go about it? Thank you,

[EscapeCalifornia]

If your computer won't start normally, you can often start it in safe mode and fix the problem. Safe mode starts the computer with a minimum of drivers and services. To get to safe mode, hit the F8 key on your keyboard just as Windows begins to load. If you see the Windows logo or spash screen, you need to restart and hit F8 sooner. F8 brings up the startup menu and safe mode is an option on that list.

[hoffdano]

Safe mode strips Windows down to just essential pieces. It doesn't load programs that normally start automatically. It uses the base video driver instead of the normal one. Typically the display will show 640x480 in safe mode instead of the normal high resolution.

It can be useful to prevent malware from running while you try to get rid of it. Or to start your system when an automatically started program is crashing.