Windows fails to complete boot, always drops into Safe mode

lostish · 26 Aug 2019

Hello there,
Beware that I am a novice.

My computer is a little old and occassionally dodgy but it`s been having some serious "stuck in safe mode problems".

It worked fine in Windows 10 but when it updated (from 1709 I think) it only booted to safe mode. Nothing I could find on various forums would fix it so I rolled the build back and it was fine again. That was last year August.

During the safeboot loop the msconfig "general" tab was (and is) checked for normal boot and the "boot" tab did (and does) NOT have safe boot checked.

Since then the update for the builds have not be working. The messages said the "updates weren`t ready for my system". But the computer worked fine so I didn`t sweat it.

I`ve not found viruses (using the Miscrosoft Security Essentials) anywhere, by the bye.

A few days ago the updater tried 1803 which worked but always booted to safe mode. Following Microsoft forums advice I updated again (to 1904) but it also booted to safe mode - with all the checks as above.

Advice to "cleanup the image" via dism.exe did something but no change.
Advice to use the bcdedit to "/deletevalue {default} safeboot" always leads to "Element not found" message - my bcd list says "default" on the line I was supposed to be looking at.
Advice to chkdsk also did something but still safeboot.

At last - following random forum advice to others with similar sounding issues - I downloaded and used an ISO of 1904. It worked... I don`t remember it saying anything about repairing. But still safe boot.
Advice to use the ISO to "repair install" also lead to it still rebooting in safeboot.

Also note that the Dell screen is fine but after the little Dell chimes, when the blue Window icon comes up, the computer goes into safeboot. I`ve been assuming (naively no doubt) that the safe boot is a glitch of some sort but @Tryx3 pointed out it`s likely something else and I`ve been poking around pointlessly trying to fix the symptom.

Your thoughts and ideas are appreciated.
I`ll try to pass on whatever you need to know to help me sort this out. Most of my computer specs I put into the registration page here but have no idea if they`re visible to you so I`ll post them again if you need them.
J

dalchina · 26 Aug 2019

Hi, let's try something of an indirect stab at this:
Add Safe Mode to Boot Options in Windows 10

Try that, so you should- if it can succeed in being set up- give you an option to boot appropriately.
Try booting both ways, and see if it works.

That's not meant to be a repair, more a bit 'outside the box'.

And just to confirm, how do you know that you are actually in Safe mode?

I guess you mean 1903 rather than 1904... even though 1903 came out late..

dalchina · 26 Aug 2019

Here's a possible solution by @Try3:
How to - Escape from an MSConfig-induced Safe mode boot loop

zbook · 26 Aug 2019

An in place upgrade repair cannot be performed in safe mode:
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

See this link for command prompt options: (option #3, step #5)
Boot into Safe Mode on Windows 10

Try3 · 26 Aug 2019

J,

I do not believe, from your fault description, that your computer is stuck in a Safe mode boot loop as such. I believe that your computer has a fault that is causing Windows to fail repeatedly and that Safe mode is only appearing as a result of that failure of Windows to load.

You clould try a start-up repair. See my How to - Escape from an MSConfig-induced Safe mode boot loop - TenForums article and work through to para 9. At that screen, select Start-up repair.
- The primary Start-up repair reference is Run a Startup Repair - TenForumsTutorials and you might prefer its much neater diagrams to my scruffy ones.

I do not know if this is going to fix your problem or not but do make sure you report back or you'll soon get lots of others suggesting the same thing.

Given that this fault appeared when you updated from Ver 1709 I do wonder if your computer hardware is incompatible with later versions. That happened to one of mine, a 2005 Dell Inspiron 9300, but it failed to complete the update rather than cause problems afterwards. It is possible to revert to Ver 1709 even now. I do not have the links or insdtructions to hand but somebody else might - I'm thinking about the older versions available through heidoc.

Have you applied all BIOS updates for your computer? Perhaps your computer is too old [~30 months, I think] to be getting any new ones?

Denis
Try3 here not Tryx3 so I did not immediately see your thread.

Try3 · 26 Aug 2019

Try3 said:

Given that this fault appeared when you updated from Ver 1709 I do wonder if your computer hardware is incompatible with later versions

Ignore that comment of mine.
- Your latest BIOS seems to be from 2014 so you have probabaly got around to doing it by now.
- These threads indicate that versions beyond 1709 run on a Dell XPS 8300
XPS 8300 & Windows 10 Home x64 v.1709 - v.1903 - Dell user forums
XPS 8300, Windows 10 1809 Fall 2018, not compatible
Dell XPS 8300 Can't Upgrade to Win10 v1809

[Dell's list does not mention your model Computers tested for upgrade to Windows 10 Creators Update - Dell UK so perhaps you need to find the local version of the list]

Denis

lostish · 26 Aug 2019

Hello there all,
Thanks for all your advice. It is 1903 by the bye Dalchina ;P
Let me see what`s going on...

I only think it`s safe mode because it resembles safe mode I`ve seen before - but it might be something else. The Dell screen resolution is fine but when the Windows icon appears the resolution is reduced drastically and from then on there is a thick black border. Things in that border are unusually chunky and wider than they should be - which makes everything hard to read.
So I might have fallen into a semantic hole here - it looks like safe mode won`t go away but everything else is working(ish) so I`ve been calling it a safe mode boot problem whereas it`s likely a symptom.

Give me a moment to
- check for my computer on a Dell JP list
- see if my BIOS is up to date (I bought this computer in 2012 and it might be time for a new one at any rate)
- try to run the start up repair again.

That ought to be enough to keep me busy for a bit... then I`ll be back to report and try out some of your other suggestions.

Wish me luck?
J

see if m

Try3 · 26 Aug 2019

The tutorial Boot into Safe Mode on Windows 10 shows you what Safe mode looks like. It says Safe mode onscreen.

Denis

lostish · 26 Aug 2019

Hello again,
You`re right it doesn`t say "safe mode".
In fact... the device manager can`t find my graphics card or my monitor... both of which would probably lead to a goofy screen and resolution right?
I have a wide screen (1920x1080) so perhaps the generic screen size the computer is trying to use is my real problem.
I`ll see if I can get it to recognise my graphics card and monitor...
Then I ought to rename this thread yeah?
J

- - - Updated - - -

Hello (with embarassed grin)
I found that my graphics driver card wasn`t recognised! I downloaded the GeForce Experience which updated (installed?) the drivers and the screen is back to normal. No funny borders and no resolutions issues.

I still don`t understand why the 1803 build would not recognise the graphics card... but it now recognises my monitor as well. I hope I didn`t mess something else up with all my screwing around... ;P

I`d have never figured this out without your help! Thanks for your insights.
J

Try3 · 26 Aug 2019

J,

Glad it's fixed.

I once spent ages trying to fix a batch script that moved TV recordings between two of my computers. I could not find any faults that explained why a batch file that had been working for a year would suddenly stop working.

Strangely enough, after I turned my router on, the fault mysteriously disappeared.

Denis

Windows fails to complete boot, always drops into Safe mode

Windows fails to complete boot, always drops into Safe mode

Catching up ...

Aha!?