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Beginners Guides: Safe Mode in Windows Vista For Crash Recovery
Beginners Guides: Safe Mode in Windows Vista For Crash Recovery - PCSTATS
The first step to recovering a crashed computer is Windows Vista's Safe Mode. Knowing this will allow you to deal with bad software drivers, determine if it's a hardware or software error, and fight off virus attacks. Safe Mode is like a second chance to save your PC from certain doom!
Filed under: Beginners Guides Published:  Author: 
External Mfg. Website: PCSTATS Nov 23 2009   M. Dowler  
Home > Reviews > Beginners Guides > PCSTATS

Disabling Problem Devices in Safe Mode

If you have installed a new piece of hardware that has caused an error, the simplest thing to do is turn the computer off and physically remove the offending hardware. If this is not possible, the next best thing is disable the hardware device in safe mode, rendering it non-existent as far as Vista is concerned.

To disable a device in Windows Vista safe mode:

Open the 'start' menu and right-click on 'computer'. Select 'properties'. Click 'device manager' in the left-hand pane.

Locate the hardware you want to disable. Network connection hardware is stored in the 'network adapters' section, for example.

To disable a device, right click on it and choose 'disable'.

'Roll back' faulty drivers

Faulty or incompatible driver installations are a primary source of software problems in Windows Vista. This is hardly surprising given the relative newness of the operating system, but they can cause huge headaches for users. Fortunately, using Windows Vista safe mode in conjunction with the 'roll back driver' option that Vista supports allows you to easily correct driver issues without too much frustration.

By default, Vista keeps a record and copy of each new driver you install, and its previous versions. You can 'roll back' to an older version of a given driver at any time by using the Vista device manager applet. If you have just installed a new driver and your system is now either refusing to boot normally or acting very strange when it does, here are the steps you need to take.

To roll back a device driver in Windows Vista safe mode:

Open the 'start' menu and right-click on 'computer.' Select 'manage'. In the computer management window, Click on 'device manager' in the left-hand pane.

The right-hand pane shows a list of the hardware devices present in your computer, each associated with a software driver that allows the computer to use that device. Expand the correct category for your device (video cards will be in 'display adapters', network cards in 'network adapters', sound cards in 'sound, video and game controllers', etc.).

Right click on the device that you would like to revert to a previous driver. Choose 'properties'.

Now click the 'driver' tab and choose the 'roll back driver' option. When asked to confirm, click 'yes'. Your driver version will be reverted to the previous installed driver. Attempt to reboot normally to test the fix.

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Contents of Article: PCSTATS
 Pg 1.  Beginners Guides: Safe Mode in Windows Vista For Crash Recovery
 Pg 2.  Loading Windows Vista into Safe Mode
 Pg 3.  Identifying the problem in Vista's Safe Mode
 Pg 4.  — Disabling Problem Devices in Safe Mode
 Pg 5.  Use System Restore to revert your Vista install to a working state
 Pg 6.  Removing Viruses and Malware
 Pg 7.  Accessing Files in a 'reduced-functionality' Vista PC

 
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