Solved Stuck in Safe Mode with flickering screen.

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

I'm stuck in safe mode with a flickering screen and the only thing I can do is open is Task Manager. The only way to get out of this is to boot to the Macrium recovery console via USB to restore an image file. My first thought was corrupt video drivers, however I have reinstalled, uninstalled and the flickering safe mode is still here. I have run DISM restore, chkdsk, SFC and none of those have fixed it. I don't know what to try next. Can anyone help with this?

Try3 · Apr 30, 2022

In Safe mode it's Windows own default driver that is in use.
What about when you are booted to the USB, does it flicker then?
- If so, it might be a connection or the display cabling itself.

The stuck in Safe mode issue might be unrelated. I haven't seen it for a few years now but some people found they were stuck in Safe mode if they used the MSConfig method of getting there.
How to - Escape from an MSConfig-induced Safe mode boot loop - TenForums

[Boot to Safe Mode - ElevenForumTutorials]

Best of luck,
Denis

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

Try3 said:
In Safe mode it's Windows own default driver that is in use.
What about when you are booted to the USB, does it flicker then?
- If so, it might be a connection or the display cabling itself.

The stuck in Safe mode issue might be unrelated. I haven't seen it for a few years now but some people found they were stuck in Safe mode if they used the MSConfig method of getting there.
How to - Escape from an MSConfig-induced Safe mode boot loop - TenForums

[Boot to Safe Mode - ElevenForumTutorials]

Best of luck,
Denis

The USB has the Macrium recovery console on it, and no it does flicker in the recovery console. Thank god for that too or I would be stuck in safe mode forever!

I did try pulling and re-plugging the Display Port cable to the GPU when the screen was flickering and I recall after that it went to complete black screen. I'm starting to think this is not VGA or cable related but I have never experienced this issue before. Looking at links now.

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

Forgot to to mention that I have the Macrium recovery console installed to C: which lets it be an boot option at boot. Restarting the computer from the flickering safe mode now bypasses the boot menu screen and hence why I have to the USB bootable recovery console instead.

Try3 · Apr 30, 2022

Yes, very difficult to know what to say about the flickering.
- If it's flickering in Safe mode & in normal booting [when you were able to use that beforehand] then it's not the driver causing it because two different drivers are used in those two different cases.
- If it's not flickering in the USB then the fault can't be in the Bios because that would affect all states.

I have experienced flickering in two Dell laptops and both times it was the display cable getting damaged in the hinges.

Best of luck,
Denis

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

It's not flickering in normal booting, only in safe mode after I have initiated a safe mode boot from MSConfig. To clarify, I've restored a Macrium image to escape the safe mode loop/flicker. Right now I'm back in Windows and it's fine, no flickering. But if I initiate another safe boot from MSConfig the flickering will return...

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

Could it be Windows Update related? It's the same flicker but for me only in safe mode.

Try3 · Apr 30, 2022

Kol12 said:
It's not flickering in normal booting, only in safe mode

Safe mode only? I had not realised that. It rather implies a fault in the MS default display driver or in Windows.

I think you could re-try Safe mode to make sure the problem re-occurs. Just don't use that MSConfig method - I have not seen any other methods cause Safe mode 'loops'.

Don't you Insiders / Release previewers have a thread where you exchange notes?
Could you ask somebody on the same build as you to go into Safe mode to see how theirs behaves? [Give them the Safe mode tutorial link and suggest that they use a different option not the MSConfig one]

Best of luck,
Denis

Try3 · Apr 30, 2022

Kol12 said:
It's the same flicker

You mean the bit they show between 5 secs & 10 secs into the video?

If so, I would guess it is software at fault.
It seems to me to be too slow & rhythmic to be a hardware problem.
It's more a fairly frequent fading in & out rather than a flickering.

Denis

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

Try3 said:
You mean the bit they show between 5 secs & 10 secs into the video?

If so, I would guess it is software at fault.
It seems to me to be too slow & rhythmic to be a hardware problem.
It's more a fairly frequent fading in & out rather than a flickering.

Denis

Yes.

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

Why/how can MSConfig initiated safe boots cause problems like boot loops or possibly the issue I have?

Try3 · Apr 30, 2022

Kol12 said:
Why/how can MSConfig initiated safe boots cause ... boot loops

I don't know why/how.
There have been reports of it happening for a decade.
All I know is how to get out of it & how to avoid getting into it.

Denis

Fabler2 · Apr 30, 2022

Kol12 said:
Why/how can MSConfig initiated safe boots cause problems like boot loops or possibly the issue I have?

It's a fairly common issue and if you Google it you'll get a fair bit of results. I never recommend using msconfig. Better to press SHIFT and RESTART.
If you have the Macrium recovery USB you could boot from that and select the fix boot tool.

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

I will try booting to safe mode with an alternative method to see if the flickering is gone or still there. Failing that I have a Macrium image made just before installing the latest Insider preview build which I can go back to see if it's related to the new build.

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

Fabler2 said:
It's a fairly common issue and if you Google it you'll get a fair bit of results. I never recommend using msconfig. Better to press SHIFT and RESTART.
If you have the Macrium recovery USB you could boot from that and select the fix boot tool.

So holding Shift when clicking restarting will boot to safe mode?

Fabler2 · Apr 30, 2022

Kol12 said:
So holding Shift when clicking restarting will boot to safe mode?

Have a look at this video,

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

Fabler2 said:
Have a look at this video,

Troubleshoot/Advanced options/Startup settings. Then will it automatically boot to safe mode from there? I couldn't see them select any option in particular to enable safe mode from there?

Fabler2 · Apr 30, 2022

Kol12 said:
Troubleshoot/Advanced options/Startup settings. Then will it automatically boot to safe mode from there? I couldn't see them select any option in particular to enable safe mode from there?

After reboot you get these options, (check YT for better videos that might be easier to follow )

Kol12 · Apr 30, 2022

I see now.

Try3 · Apr 30, 2022

Kol12 said:
So holding Shift when clicking restarting will boot to safe mode?

Sort of, just as the tutorial also says, there are more selections to make afterwards.
- It is not a single action job which might be why people can find MSConfig more convenient.
- I think Option 3, command prompt, is the simplest of all.

Try3 said:
Boot to Safe Mode - ElevenForumTutorials

All the best,
Denis

Solved Stuck in Safe Mode with flickering screen.

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