Start Windows 8 Legacy Safe Mode with Windows Install DVD

A method that works if nothing works anymore

If your Windows 8 computer does not start and you need to reset drivers, an easy fix can be to boot into Safe Mode and then press Shift + F8 during startup. Due to the fact that modern PCs are often too fast to register such key strokes it can be extremely hard to boot up in Safe Mode. There are many tutorials that show you how to enable Safe Mode when Windows is already running; however, if you can not access Windows because it has already crashed during the boot, you also cannot update the boot options.

I had an issue with a graphic driver after an automatic update! The screen was black but the rest of my Windows worked fine. Usually you would boot in Safe Mode and restore the former driver or deactivate the VGA Card or something similar to the same effect. So that was my struggle because I couldn’t get into Safe Mode anymore.

The only solution that worked for me was using the Windows 8 Install DVD!

If you don’t have an install DVD you also can download an evaluation copy here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/jj554510.aspx (scroll to the bottom… and you need to register). In the end you will get an *.ISO File that you can burn on a DVD with any regular DVD burning tool. You only need it to access the command prompt in the repair mode.

Insert the DVD and boot from the DVD. (Eventually you have to press a key depending on your PC that enables booting from a DVD).

Windows will now boot from the DVD.

Choose your keyboard option and press Next

Important: Select Repair your computer — **Important:** Select Repair your computer

Change to your Windows Installation Partition. Usually the C:\ drive.
Now Enter the following command:

bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

Hit enter and it should return a successful message in the prompt.
Write exit or simply reboot the computer.

Now the legacy startup options are enabled and you can simply hit F8 during startup.

The previous startup selection screen will then be displayed, where you can choose your desired startup mode.

Finally you can actually start with the debugging of the problem.

Good Luck.

by cloudtec Veröffentlicht: 6. May 2014 Aktualisiert: 24. May 2019