System Configuration Selective startup and Safe boot issue

James Walton 1 Reputation point
2021-04-14T11:51:29.853+00:00

I have a Windows Server 2012 R2 box that keeps booting into safe mode whenever I restart it. I have to go into the System Configuration and untick Safe boot, then restart it to get it back into 'normal' mode. But then on the next reboot, it goes back into Safe mode.

On the Boot tab in System Configuration, if I untick Safe boot and then go to the General tab, it changes to Selective Startup. If I change that to Normal startup and click apply, then the Safe boot option re-enables itself.

Its like I can only have one of two combinations: Normal startup with Safe boot, or Selective startup without Safe boot. Very strange,

Anyone come across this issue before? I just want it to stick with Normal startup and no safe boot.

Thanks

Windows Server
Windows Server
A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.
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  1. Daisy Zhou 18,721 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2021-04-15T07:38:54.297+00:00

    Hello @James Walton ,

    Thank you for posting here.

    After my view, on my machine, the scenairo is same as you, my computer will not enter safe mode. just use Selective startup without Safe boot combination as below.
    88143-os1.png

    It will boot to Normal startup and no safe boot every time.

    Should you have any question or concern, please feel free to let us know.

    Best Regards,
    Daisy Zhou

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  2. James Walton 1 Reputation point
    2021-04-15T14:55:56.847+00:00

    Hi Daisy,

    That's not the behaviour I'm experiencing unfortunately. The Safe boot option still re-enables itself even though I untick it, and I have Selective startup enabled.

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  3. Daisy Zhou 18,721 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2021-04-16T09:51:09.903+00:00

    Hello @James Walton ,

    Thank you for your update.

    We can try the following step to check if we can find any app/program to check the option "safe mode".

    1.Download Process monitor here on this server.
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

    2.Right click the Procmon.exe and run as Administrator.
    88566-pro1.png

    3.Use Selective startup without Safe boot combination as screenshot I provided above.

    4.Check "Enable Boot Logging" under "Option".
    88604-proc.png

    5.Restart the server.

    6.Check if the safe mode is checked again? If so, open Right click the Procmon.exe and run as Administrator and save the boot logging file.

    7.Try to find any thing (any app\program) is check "safe mode" during server booting in save the boot logging file.

    Tip:
    1.You can also capture a normal boot logging on another normal machine to compare them.
    2.Due to security issues, the log may contain private information, and the forum is not convenient to analyze the customer's log. It is recommended that you try this method to check for any findings yourself.

    Thank you for your understanding and support.

    Best Regards,
    Daisy Zhou

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  4. Docs 15,146 Reputation points
    2021-04-22T06:05:41.507+00:00

    Use command line to change boot to normal boot.

    If the computer is in safe mode with command prompt type:

    bcdedit /deletevalue {identifier} safebootalternateshell

    If the computer is in normal boot with administrative command prompt type:

    bcdedit /deletevalue {identifier} safeboot

    In case there are any further problems:

    post results for bcdedit /enum all

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  5. James Walton 1 Reputation point
    2021-04-22T08:46:29.61+00:00

    Thanks for the replies; I'll look at both of these solutions and let you know how I get on.