XP Repair Boots only to Safe Mode

I have a client's computer that I am having some issues with. The computer was apparently getting slow and was always booting straight to safe mode. I turned off the automatic reboot on errors, but nothing was ever coming up. When trying to force normal mode via the boot menu, it would still boot into safe mode with no indication that it was doing so until it was loaded up.

I tried disabling all services and removed all internal cards and devices except for the harddrive. This still had no effect. The client then decided to perform a repair install using their install CD. Well, this has caused a new issue. When the computer rebooted to start up Windows and complete the install, it still boots to Safe Mode except the install cannot be performed in Safe Mode. There is a prompt to reboot the computer to continue the install, but it will just reboot in Safe Mode, rinse and repeat.

So...

Anyone have any idea how I can cancel out of the repair install? And, anyone have any ideas what is causing Windows to boot straight to Safe Mode?

Just for further info, when selecting Safe Mode from the Boot Menu, the screen shows it loading all the drivers, yet when just allowing the computer to boot up, it appears as if it is booting normally and then just goes right into Safe Mode.

Thanks,
Merg

 

Check the boot.ini file (root of the C: drive) and verify it hasn't been set to include the /SAFEBOOT switch. If found, edit it out, save, and reboot.

 

The only way for me to get to the command prompt is via the Recovery Console after booting via the XP Setup CD. When I do that, I see the switch of SAFEBOOT:MINIMAL, however, there is no way for me to edit it.

If I use the UBCD to get a DOS prompt, the boot.ini file does not have the switch there. I'm guessing that the Recovery Console adds that switch there when it is loading up.

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Merg

 

What are the specifications of the system? I expect it is an OEM system. I don't even know if it is XP Pro.

 

I am no expert at this, but can you rebuild the boot.ini. using the XP setup CD.

 

It was an XP Home system. And as I stated, if I used a boot CD, the boot.ini file did not appear to have any switch in it that was forcing Windows into Safe Mode.

The client opted to just have the non-destructive System Recovery performed. That seemed to do the trick the system was able to boot up fine afterwards. Although I am now performing all the updates to get from SP1 up to SP3 and beyond. The client is then going to work on reinstalling applications they want on the system.

- Merg