Girl Geekette

Starting Windows XP in Safe Mode
If your computer is off, switch it on to boot up.
If your computer is on, close all open programs. Go to Start and select Shutdown, click on Restart and OK.
While the screen is black with white writing press the F8 key.
Use the arrow keys to move to and highlight Safe Mode, and then press Enter. Allow the machine to finish booting.

Notes About Starting Windows XP in Safe Mode
In Safe Mode, as with other Operating Systems, only basic files and drivers will be loaded, such as, mouse, monitor, keyboard, mass storage, base video, default system services. Safe Mode helps you diagnose problems. If the problem that brought you to this point is not manifest when you start Safe Mode, then you can be sure that the default settings and device drivers that were loaded to create the Safe Mode, are not responsible. Equally, if a newly installed device or driver is causing the problem, you can use Safe Mode to uninstall it or reverse the change.

Starting Windows XP in Safe Mode - Method 2
If your computer is off, switch it on to boot up.
If your computer is on, close all open programs.
Click Start and Run. The Run dialog box appears. Type "msconfig" into the Open line and click OK.
The System Configuration Utility box appears.
Click on the tab BOOT INI to display its contents, click to select the /SAFEBOOT option and then click OK.
Click on Restart when you are prompted to do so.
The computer will reboot in Safe Mode.

Restarting Your Computer in Normal Mode
Close any programs that may have been activated while in Safe Mode.
Go back through the above steps and uncheck the box /SAFEBOOT, Click OK.
Click on Restart when you are prompted to do so. Or,
Go to Start and select Shutdown, click on Restart and OK.
Do not interrupt the start up process by pressing any keys.