The Little Geeni

Windows XP Safe Mode was designed to help users troubleshoot boot up and system issues. There are actually three versions of Safe Mode. Depending on your problem, you may choose one over another. Safe Mode essentially boots up your computer with minimal functionality, not loading all the different drivers or system functions to allow you to make changes.

If your computer fails to boot up, gives you an error message, or just hangs, the first step in troubleshooting is to try to get into Safe Mode. When your computer is booting up, if you press the F8 key, you will be shown the Windows Advanced Options Menu. The first three options are your Safe Modes:

Safe Mode -

The most basic version, nothing lodes but the bare minimum processes

Safe Mode With Networking -

This version allows network access and the Internet if connected

Safe Mode With Command Prompt -

This version will put you into the MSDOS mode at a command line

The primary purpose of Safe Mode is to bypass boot issues with startup applications, video or other hardware drivers, and malware or spyware. You can change settings to stop these offending applications or drivers from loading, erase files that would normally be in use (if the file is open it is normally locked and you can’t delete it), or make system changes.

When Windows XP was first released, Safe Mode was designed to deal with video issues and other hardware drivers. Safe Mode uses the most basic video settings (640 X 480 and 16 colors) and a generic VGA.sys driver.
The first choice also loads the minimum system processes which also may eliminate startup application problems. *If you still can’t boot into Safe Mode you probably have issues with your primary boot files, and you should use the Recovery Console to address any file replacement.

If you need to access updated or new versions of hardware drivers, the second Safe Mode option will allow you to connect to the Internet to download and install these files. This may also be a good choice if you have some malware or adware on your system that prevents you (when booting normally and starting the offending program) accessing the anti-virus or malware software to remove these programs. One of the favorite tricks these programs do is to prevent you from accessing any software known to remove them.

The third choice of Safe Mode, which boots you to an MSDOS Prompt, allows you to run utilities in MSDOS mode. Most of the advanced system adjustments and programs designed to run diagnostics will run in this mode. Since many of the major system files are not loaded, you can delete and replace this files in MSDOS.

Warning, if you have a USB mouse and keyboard, Safe Mode will not load USB device drivers. If you have a newer computer (say 2007 and forward), your computer bios may have the ability to mount any USB devices automatically. If your computer came with a USB mouse and keyboard, that’s a good indication your bios will perform the auto-load function for USB devices. You can go into your bios setting make sure USB legacy is enabled. Or you can borrow a standard mouse and keyboard if that option is not available.

You can also access a utility called MSCONFIG from the start menu in Safe Mode using the run command. MSCONFIG has the ability to run in diagnostic startup (only loads minimal processes) or selective startup. This can be helpful to get you to be able to boot up in normal mode. And that means if you have not backed up important data files, do it first. Current backups give you the absolute best fall back position. Make sure you have a current backup of any essential data files before doing anything else. That’s your first priority.

Once you have a current backup, you can try the following methods to get your computer back up and running in normal mode.

If you know where the offending files are of any malware or adware, you can easily delete them to stop the automatic loading when your computer boots up. You need to be careful when deleting files in MSDOS mode, if you accidentally delete a required file for booting or running critical system processes, your computer may not reboot. Always exercise caution and be sure you know that the file you are deleting is not a system file.

Many times if you simply start your computer in Safe Mode and then reboot loading problems can be eliminated. I cannot tell you why, only that it works about 25% of the time. If there is a file that may not have closed properly or got out of the proper boot sequence, Windows XP does a clean boot from Safe Mode and that may be why it corrects minor boot issues.

One of the often over looked quick fixes in Safe Mode is to do a System Restore. System Restore is a utility under System Tools. If you click on start, all programs, Accessories, then System Tools you will see the System Restore selection. You want to pick a Restore Point that is well before the time your current problems started. If some renegade software has been installed, it will restore your computer back to a point before this install.

You should also run any ant-virus, malware or adware, or root kit removal software whenever possible from Safe Mode. This keeps the offending software from preventing or stopping any removal activity. Many of the newer versions of these rogue programs have a self protecting feature that may prevent removal software from running in normal mode.

Windows XP Safe Mode can help you resolve many boot up problems. Always boot up in Safe Mode first and try to determine if your problem is with any boot files or device drivers. It’s the best first step in troubleshooting any boot issues.

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If you’re connected to the Internet (especially with an “always on” connection such as cable or DSL), you’re at risk for intrusion from hackers or with infection from a virus or spyware. This can happen without your knowledge. You can be browsing, logging on and off various web sites, etc., and be compromised. However, you can protect yourself from this type of intrusion by following a few simple steps.

1.. Use a firewall to block all incoming connections from the Internet to services that should not be publicly available. By default, you should deny all incoming connections and only allow services you explicitly want to offer to the outside world.

2.. Enforce a password policy. Complex passwords make it difficult to crack password files on compromised computers. This helps to prevent or limit damage when a computer is compromised.
3.. Ensure that programs and users of the computer use the lowest level of privileges necessary to complete a task. When prompted for a root or UAC password, ensure that the program asking for administration-level access is a legitimate application.

4.. Disable AutoPlay to prevent the automatic launching of executable files on network and removable drives, and disconnect the drives when not required. If write access is not required, enable read-only mode if the option is available.

5.. Turn off file sharing if not needed. If file sharing is required, use ACLs and password protection to limit access. Disable anonymous access to shared folders. Grant access only to user accounts with strong passwords to folders that must be shared.

6.. Turn off and remove unnecessary services. By default, many operating systems install auxiliary services that are not critical. These services are avenues of attack. If they are removed, threats have less avenues of attack.

7.. If a threat exploits one or more network services, disable, or block access to, those services until a patch is applied.

8.. Configure your email server to block or remove email that contains file attachments that are commonly used to spread threats, such as .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files.

9.. Isolate compromised computers quickly to prevent threats from spreading further. Perform a forensic analysis and restore the computers using trusted media.

10.. Train employees not to open attachments unless they are expecting them. Also, do not execute software that is downloaded from the Internet unless it has been scanned for viruses. Simply visiting a compromised Web site can cause infection if certain browser vulnerabilities are not patched.

When it comes to doing business online, security is a two-way street. Safe online transactions demand smart behavior on the part of consumers and proactive security policies and procedures on the part of Web sites.

Businesses that sell goods or services online also have a responsibility to keep their transactions secure and private. And the more sites know about current e-commerce security threats, the better job they can do at protecting their transactions. Your browser should comply with industry security standards, such as SSL Certificate. SSL(Secure Socket Layer) is a security Protocol.

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These days, computers are almost as common in households as telephones. Computers themselves do not cause any threat to individual security. When connected with networks and the chaos that is the World Wide Web, computers have become the tools that identity thieves and hackers use to extrapolate this chaos. In order to establish computer security, software companies have created devices to ward off the hazards and hassles of viruses, spyware, pop-ups and spam.

The first of these creations is anti-virus software. There are two main companies that offer this software: McAfee and Norton. These programs work to scan the files on your computer and check them for attributes that are in viruses or are often linked with viruses. These traits or attributes are often called virus definitions and need to be downloaded on a relatively regular basis. In addition to the files on your computer, files on CDs, floppy discs and e-mails can and should be filed. There is no question on this one: anti-virus software is vital to computer security.

Next on the list is spyware scanning software. Spyware occurs when certain websites run programs in the back ground of your computer while gleaning information from it. The information can be as benign as tracking what type of websites you look at, to actually acquiring passwords. Regardless of the type of spyware, it can slow your computer to a crawl and needs to be removed from your computer. Two popular software options are Spy Sweeper and Ad-ware.

Last, but certainly not least are pop-up blockers and span filters. Not only are pop-ups and spam annoying, but these often contain the spyware scanning software explained above. In addition, they can slow your computer down incredibly. And when you are angry at your computer, your computer is not secure!

In addition to these software items, there are a few more tricks you can use to keep your computer and your information secure. Password secure everything you can, and when you create the passwords, don’t make them easy. Do not use your name, your birthday or your social security number. And, if you are on an unsecured wireless network, do not check your bank statements. These networks allow several people on them at one time. Remember, hackers are smart. You have to be smarter!

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