Safe mode hangs in 2k

[videobruce]

Running 2k w/sp4 I can't boot into safe mode.
It hangs at the splash screen with the black screen and the 4 safe mode's in the corners.

Regular boots are fine! Sounds backwards to me. Suppose to hang on a normal boot!

Ideas?

[ktkendall]

Perhaps there is something connected to the PC perhaps via USB that is causing that. My guess is that it is a peice of hardware that is causing that. I would turn everything off extrnal to the PC like printer and anything USB try unplugging and try to go back into safe mode.. You are right though it is usually the opposite problem but it would sure be nice to know safe mode works if U ever need it..

[videobruce]

2k as been fairly bullet proof for me, but I needed to troubleshoot a video card. I thought USB devices weren't load in safe mode since they aren't essential.

I tried it again, walked away from it came back and it did load. I know in normal boot it is a hardware concern if it hangs (or could be) but in safe mode it shouldn't be.

[ktkendall]

Yes you are right about the hardware thing and if it is hanging the boot process up in a normal boot it should not during safe mode boot since it should bypass loading just about everything, but my thoughts are based on the fact that I've seen hardware cause systems to freeze up and totally malefunction, but of course in your case obviously everything is good, (no faulty hardware), so I am still thinking along the lines of anything connected to the system can still have an efffect on the system and maybe even moreso an adverse effect if it is connected but the drivers aren't being loaded as when you go to safe mode, and thats why I was thinking USB device perhaps.. just a guess on my part though..Now that U mention the video card thing though, that is very likely what is causing the trouble even in safe mode..

[videobruce]

The video card issue is something else. Not anything to do with this.

[ktkendall]

Originally posted by videobruce The video card issue is something else. Not anything to do with this.

Yes but since the standard vga graphics drivers are one of the few drivers that do load in safe mode, and you are having vid card problems, it would stand to reason that video card is causing safe mode to hang, other than that though did you unplug all USB devices and try again??

[crjdriver]

When you say hang in safe mode, how long do you mean? Safe mode does take quite a bit longer to boot than normal mode. I think the last time I had to boot into safe mode, it was about a 3-4 min boot time. Normal mode on my home machine is about 45 sec.

[videobruce]

Trust me, it's not the card! It has to do with 3 things, the card's dual output, a MyHD 120 and Plannar LCD monitor.
The card by itself works fine, it's the combination where there is a problem and it doesn't have to do with crashes, freezes or hanging!