Help! I went away for a few days, and when I turned on my computer, I got this message saying that Windows was running in “Safe Mode.” I don’t want to be in “Safe Mode!” My colors are screwed up, my icons are HUGE, and everything has gotten all weird on me. How do I get back to “unsafe” mode?
TIA
How was the computer turned off last time it was used? With the start menu, or by shutting off the switch?
Was anything done with your computer while you were gone?
And finally, did you try rebooting it?
When I left Friday afternoon, I tried to shut down via the task bar, but I got the familiar blue screen with the “Fatal Exception Error” message, so I just shut it off with the on/off switch.
Some storms may have passed through the area while I was gone, but I don’t think lightning struck near here. My digital clocks aren’t flashing.
I’ve tried rebooting it, to Noah Vail.
Well, I’m not a computer expert, but I do play one on TV. So, maybe try rebooting, hit F8 during the reboot (your screen should say something about that). This is what you do to choose safe mode, so if you can get into that menu, you might be able to select normal startup.
Safe mode is designed to diagnose problems with your computer. Usually you go back into normal mode with a reboot, but its possible that some of your drivers are corrupted and it can’t boot into normal mode.
There isn’t an easy answer if a reboot doesn’t fix it. When you restart, press F8 when the words “loading Windows 95” appear on the screen. You will have several options. Try going into normal mode. If that doesn’t work, try a step by step installation, which asks you “yes or no” to each step. You may have luck if you avoid processing some of the options – most notably, loading the drivers.
If you can get on the net, go to http://www.microsoft.com and search their knowledge base; they will have further suggestions.
If you have windows millenium try pushing and holding the ctrl key down when you restart your computer to get to the options screen and select normal mode from there
I need to know what operating system it is!
Also, try unplugging it from wall for a minute, plug it back in & turn it on. make sure printers, scanners, modems are also on before you turn it on.
If you can only boot to safe mode, right-click on My Computer, then Properties. Click on the device manager tab to see if any icons have little exclamation points next to them, or to see if any icons have red x’s through them (means they’re disabled). Also, click on the far-right tab (Performance?). This should have a window that lists what’s currently goofy; it should say you’re running in safe mode, and something about some drive functionality not working because you’re currently in safe mode. Let us know if it says anything ELSE on that performance page, because that’s what’s most likely wrong.
Thanks for all your help.
I won’t take the trouble to e-mail a mod, but if one of you catches this, I hereby grant you permission to close this thread.
Oh no you don’t, mister. 
You have to tell us what was wrong.
I’ll close it per instructions by the OP. Feel free to open it in MPSIMS if you’d like to discuss it further.
Jill