I don't know what operating system you are using, though I'm not sure it
matters too much for the general suggestions that follow.  I'm also not
aware of what you've already been told to try and what happened when you
did.  However, usually, if you restart your computer you'll be at least be
given the option, during the boot process to choose which mode you want to
boot into, if your computer doesn't just go ahead and boot into windows
normally.  Did some of the suggestions that you've already followed involve
typing MSCONFIG at the RUN prompt, and did you make some changes to the
settings that utility makes available?

You should be able to shut down the background tasks by way of bringing up
the task manager with ctrl-alt-del.  (For windows xp, click on the
applications tab after you bring up the task manager.)  Shut down everything
but systray and explorer.  You probably can try shutting down a number of
these background applications by bringing up the menus for each of the icons
sitting down in the lower right corner of your system tray, first.
Hopefully, most of these running applications offer the option to shut down
or exit the application.

Another notorious source for spawning numerous processes that hog system
resources is ad-ware ("free" programs that are supported by advertising).
These probably can't be shut down by any method other than through the Task
Manger, and then only temporarily.

By the way, F5 boots you directly into safe mode.  F8 brings up the boot
menu, where you can choose which mode to boot into, including safe mode and
DOS mode.  DOS mode does not load windows at all, and makes a command line
operating system, DOS, available, which can be helpful when windows isn't
cooperating.

John

----- Original Message -----
From: "susan studdard" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2003 7:26 PM
Subject: [PCBUILD] msdoss and safe mode


My computer would not all the way defrag so I was told to put it in safe
mode. It was running very slow.
I was told to do  f# something and what ever # I used was wrong and it went
into msdoss mode-whatever that is.  I then put it is safe mode and it still
would not scan disc. Said I had too many programs open even in safe mode.
Now I can't get it out of safe mode. I have done everything told to do and
it will not get out of this.

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