Why Do You Run Cleaning Programs in "Safe" Mode

MVG · 01-09-2006, 10:04 AM

Total rookie question I know but hey, I'm PC-challenged...

Most instructions for removing Spyware, Spyaxe, Trojans, etc. etc. say that you should reboot, hit F8, and do all the inital cleaning in "Safe" mode.

Why?

What if you just download the, for example, Spyaxe-Smitfraud destroyer and run it in normal mode. Will it mess up the computer?

Just wondering...

Thanks in advance.

dingo78 · 01-09-2006, 12:49 PM

I'm not an expert, but think I can give a reasonable answer for this.
When you boot in safe mode the OS runs with only bare-bones essentials for services. There are some instances (in my experience) when a bug or mal-ware you're trying to remove may be locked by a process or service, and attempts to delete it will fail. When you boot in safe mode you minimize the chances of that happening. So by running the scans in normal mode, you don't risk screwing up the computer, but you risk failing to remove any bugs you find.

**POADB** · 01-09-2006, 12:55 PM

Right on the button Dingo.

We take a computer into Safe Mode so that the bare minimum is running, this makes deleting running malware easier to remove.

Make sense?

MVG · 01-09-2006, 08:33 PM

Makes sense to me. Thanks for the info!

**POADB** · 01-10-2006, 03:51 AM

In addition, the user is not connected to the internet in Safe Mode, which makes it a safer working environment. Malware cannot transmit... or download.

01-09-2006, 10:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
MVG Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 13 OS: XP	Why Do You Run Cleaning Programs in "Safe" Mode Total rookie question I know but hey, I'm PC-challenged... Most instructions for removing Spyware, Spyaxe, Trojans, etc. etc. say that you should reboot, hit F8, and do all the inital cleaning in "Safe" mode. Why? What if you just download the, for example, Spyaxe-Smitfraud destroyer and run it in normal mode. Will it mess up the computer? Just wondering... Thanks in advance.

01-09-2006, 12:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
POADB Moderator, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 6,482 OS: XP SP2	Right on the button Dingo. We take a computer into Safe Mode so that the bare minimum is running, this makes deleting running malware easier to remove. Make sense? __________________

01-10-2006, 03:51 AM	#5 (permalink)
POADB Moderator, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 6,482 OS: XP SP2	In addition, the user is not connected to the internet in Safe Mode, which makes it a safer working environment. Malware cannot transmit... or download. __________________

01-09-2006, 12:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
dingo78 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2 OS: WinXP	I'm not an expert, but think I can give a reasonable answer for this. When you boot in safe mode the OS runs with only bare-bones essentials for services. There are some instances (in my experience) when a bug or mal-ware you're trying to remove may be locked by a process or service, and attempts to delete it will fail. When you boot in safe mode you minimize the chances of that happening. So by running the scans in normal mode, you don't risk screwing up the computer, but you risk failing to remove any bugs you find.

01-09-2006, 08:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
MVG Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 13 OS: XP	Makes sense to me. Thanks for the info!