Windows XP failed to start in safe mode?

I'm using Windows XP Home Edition SP2. Everything is up-to-date, including my drivers. However, I recently found that I could no longer start my system in safe mode. Once selecting "start in safe mode", the files be loaded are listed on screen, and after a few seconds, a blue screen flashed for less than 1 sec, and then the system automatically reboots. I wasn't able to catch what was written on the blue screen, but I'm pretty sure it is some kind of critical error.

Does anyone have similar experience and know how to solve it? Thanks.

Windows XP failed to start in safe mode?microsoft visual studio

It sounds like Windows is having a problem initializing

VIDEO with the safe mode 16 color driver (VGA)

Is your Video not ATI or NVidia chipset?

Another possibility is you created a USER account with Admin rights then deleted the USER Adminstrator

this USER must be present and HAVE a password

(blank password = NO password) for use of

system recovery system console and safe mode

Windows XP failed to start in safe mode?ie internet explorer

Does the mach boot normally otherwise?

Have you recently added any software or hardware?

Did you recently upgrade to XP?

Please add

Read add

Now need make and model of mach

Drivers are not generic

Different makes and even models can require different drivers
If your able to start the system normally, there should be a dmp file in windows\minidump. Go to

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/techfiles...

and download the DebugWizard tool and follow the instructions for reading the dmp file.

Anytime a machine automatically reboots without providing any info, the Startup and Recovery is usually set to Automatically restart. Uncheck the box and at least the error message may stay up then. You'll find it under System Properties on the Advanced tab and then under the Settings button.

I have seen something similar with DEP enable and if there is a low level packet driver (nic trace utility) that is enabled with Windows Firewall. One quick test would be to disable any firewall software and reboot.
I will assume that your system is not booting into windows at all. If it was I would use system restore first.

If not your best bet may be to go into the bios (hit del at first boot), find the boot sequence and choose boot from CD as the first pick. Insert your Windows XP Home disk and save / reboot. Your CD should boot into XP setup where you can reinstall or choose repair instillation. Limited success with repair, I would reinstall.

At that point your problem should be solved or it could be your hard drive. You will know by then.

I tend to seek the simplest solutions.