Remote restart into safe mode? (windows)

Solution 1:

If you have admin rights on the remote machine then it's possible.

You need to edit the boot.ini file (usually found on the root of the C: drive)

Open a command prompt on your local machine

type:

EDIT \\MACHINENAME\C$\BOOT.INI

The boot ini file will open which usually looks something like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional"  
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect

On the end of the last line you need to add

/safeboot:network

the last line will then read something like

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional"  
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect /safeboot:network

Save the changes and then force a reboot from the command line and it should restart into safe mode with networking. Remember to change the boot.ini file back when you're done!

Solution 2:

To reboot Windows 7 into safe mode with networking, run msconfig.exe. On the Boot tab, you can select "Safe boot" and there is a checkbox for networking.

I'm not sure if Remote Desktop will run in safe mode. I use TightVNC. To have the TightVNC service start in safe mode, copy it's registry entry to safeboot\network:

REG COPY HKLM\system\CurrentControlSet\services\tvnserver HKLM\system\CurrentControlSet\control\safeboot\network\tvnserver /s /f

Other VNC services can probably be activated in the same way.