17Jun/0712
Booting XP in safe mode through Parallels

Just a quick tip, which took me 15 minutes to find
When you need your windows xp to boot up in safe mode through Parallels you need to press fn-F8 (Apple key-F8) while starting up the virtual machine.


August 31st, 2007 - 21:39
Thanks for posting this! I found it with a google search came up in the top 3. Nice site mapping.
September 17th, 2007 - 20:51
If you are using a newer MacBook Pro, it’s the fn+F8 key combination, not the apple key and f8. The fn key is at the extreme lower left corner of the keyboard.
November 19th, 2008 - 19:35
None of these suggestions worked for me. Any other suggestions as to start a Parallels machine in Safe Mode on a Mac 10.5.5?
March 1st, 2009 - 03:08
Marie, you need to post what the actual computer is. You posted the OS version, which doesn’t help.
May 22nd, 2009 - 21:28
Your blog is very interresting for me, i will come back here..
July 14th, 2009 - 10:08
did not work for me neither. im on new mac book pro running newest leo.
August 7th, 2009 - 12:36
Thanks: working on a mac osx mbp with parallels, i was able to boot in safe mode by using (fn) F8
September 8th, 2009 - 13:10
Thanks for the post. I had a virus in XP and couldn’t delete the offending files. This solution on your forum really helped me solve this.
September 24th, 2009 - 02:08
make sure Spaces is disabled… fn+F8 will cause Spaces to intervene before you can get to the boot screen
February 16th, 2010 - 09:17
I will know, many thanks for the help in this question.
August 10th, 2010 - 19:39
you can get to the Safe Mode by clicking the little keyboard at the bottom of the parallels screen and clicking the F8 upon startup of windows
December 24th, 2010 - 17:27
At newer macbook (like mine MacBookPro5,2) you need to press
a. cmd+fn+F8 (if you have fuction keys as defaults)
or
b. cmd+F8 (if you have F1, F2, etc. keys as standard fuction keys)
you can check yours from System Preferences–>Keyboard–>Keyboard “Use all F1,F2, etc. keys as standard fuction keys”