Windows Tip Sheet
Taking Command of Safe Mode
Enable Windows Installer in Safe Mode to troubleshoot with these tricks.
Ever have to start Windows in Safe Mode and install some software to troubleshoot
or correct the problem? Or uninstall the application that was causing the problem?
Good luck: Safe Mode disables Windows Installer. Sigh. Try and you’ll
get a “This service cannot be started in Safe Mode” error. But what
if you
really want to? Trick Windows.
Trick number one: Tell Windows that Windows Installer is a “safe”
service. Get into the command line and run REG ADD “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\
Minimal\MSIServer” /VE /T REG_SZ /D “Service” net start msiserver.
Long, I know, but it’ll list the Windows Installer Service as legitimate
for Safe Mode. You can actually do this trick for any service, but don’t
overdo it: Safe Mode is supposed to be minimal to
make sure Windows can start.
Trick number two: Run SafeMSI.exe (link included below). It’ll start
the service in Safe Mode. Wow, that was easy. Bravo to Harry Bates, its author,
and thanks to the folks at JSI FAQ for hosting
it.
I like the second trick better because it leaves the Windows Installer service
disabled normally, but it lets you run it if you absolutely need to do so in
order to uninstall something from within Safe Mode. In the event that Windows
Installer was causing the problem that forced you into Safe Mode to begin with
(unlikely, but that’s why the service isn’t on the safe list by
default), the second trick will still allow Safe Mode to get you going in a
minimal configuration.
More Resources:
About the Author
Don Jones is a multiple-year recipient of Microsoft’s MVP Award, and is Curriculum Director for IT Pro Content for video training company Pluralsight. Don is also a co-founder and President of PowerShell.org, a community dedicated to Microsoft’s Windows PowerShell technology. Don has more than two decades of experience in the IT industry, and specializes in the Microsoft business technology platform. He’s the author of more than 50 technology books, an accomplished IT journalist, and a sought-after speaker and instructor at conferences worldwide. Reach Don on Twitter at @concentratedDon, or on Facebook at Facebook.com/ConcentratedDon.