How to Start a Gateway Laptop in Safe Mode

You can use Safe Mode on your Gateway laptop to start your computer using the minimal number of programs and drivers. Starting your Gateway laptop in Safe Mode allows you to open and close programs and roll back drivers to troubleshoot and find out which programs or drivers may be causing a disruption in your operating system. Once you locate a troublesome program, you can uninstall that program from the Windows Control Panel using the Add/Remove Programs feature.

Access Safe Mode from the Windows 7, Vista or XP Startup Screen

Shut down your Gateway laptop, unplug any cables and devices, and restart your machine.

Press "F8" repeatedly when the Gateway logo appears on your computer monitor. The advanced startup options will appear on your screen.

Highlight "Safe Mode" using the arrow keys, and press "Enter."

Within Windows 7 and Vista Using Msconfig

Shut down your Gateway laptop, unplug any cables and devices, and restart your machine.

Click "Start" in the lower-left corner of your Vista or Windows 7 home screen, type "Msconfig" in the Search box at the bottom of the Start menu and press "Enter." The System Configuration dialog box appears on your screen.

Click the "Boot" tab, and click the box to the left of "Safe Mode" in the "Boot Options" section. Click "OK."

Click "Restart" to restart the Gateway laptop in Safe Mode.

Click "Start" and type "Msconfig" in the Search box at the bottom of the Start menu and press "Enter." Follow the above steps and uncheck the "Safe Mode" box so the computer does not continue to start in Safe Mode. Restart your computer so that it boots up normally.

Within Windows XP Using Msconfig

Shut down your Gateway laptop, unplug any cables and devices, and restart your machine.

Click the "Start" button in the lower-left corner of your Windows XP home screen, and click "Run."

Type "Msconfig" in the Run dialog box and click "OK." The System Configuration dialog box appears on your screen.

Select the "BOOT.INI" tab. Beneath "Boot Options" click the box to the left of "/SAFEBOOT," and click "OK."

Click "Restart" to restart your computer in Safe Mode.

Click "Start" and "Run" when you are done working in Safe Mode. Type "Msconfig" in the Run dialog box and click "OK." Follow the above steps and uncheck the "/SAFEMODE" box so the computer does not continue to start in Safe Mode. Restart your computer so that it boots up normally.