I can't get out of Safe Boot! Help!

In Safe Mode, click Restart from the Apple menu. Your Mac should boot up normally after you click Restart.

Safe Mode is for troubleshooting ONLY.

This is what a Safe Mode does...

• It forces a directory check of the startup volume. You may see a progress bar on the screen during this check, and the computer may take longer than usual to complete its startup.
• It loads only required kernel extensions (some of the items in /System/Library/Extensions).
• Mac OS X v10.5.6 or later: A Safe Boot deletes the dynamic loader shared cache at (/var/db/dyld/). A cache with issues may cause a blue screen on startup, particularly after a Software Update. Restarting normally recreates this cache.
• It disables all fonts other than those in /System/Library/Fonts (Mac OS X v10.4 or later).
• It moves to the Trash all font caches normally stored in /Library/Caches/com.apple.ATS/(uid)/ , where (uid) is a user ID number such as 501 (Mac OS X v10.4 or later).
• It disables all startup items and login items (Mac OS X v10.4 or later).
• In Mac OS X v10.3.9 or earlier, Safe Mode runs only Apple-installed startup items (such items may be installed either in /Library/StartupItems or in /System/Library/StartupItems; these are different than user-selected account login items).

Taken together, these changes can help resolve software or directory issues that may exist on the startup volume.

From here > Mac OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?

message edited by; cs

Yes. When you startup in Safe Mode you will see Safe Mode in red on the startup window.

If startup time was normal, then it's not in Safe Mode. A Safe Mode takes much longer.

The login screen will say Safe Boot or Safe Mode. You can't miss that.

If that isn't happening, they it's not in Safe Mode.

You are holding down the Shift key to boot in Safe Mode, correct?

I have a similar problem, but it's a little more complex.

My shift key is stuck due to a water spill. We were able to work around the problem of booting up by using a bluetooth keyboard. This is a good solution to have access the computer if that is the only damage.

But because holding down the shift key is the method of entering Safe Mode, I can only use it in Safe Mode.

Does anyone know a workaround to this issue so I can get out of Safe Mode? In other words is there away to counteract the fact that my shift key is stuck?

Thank you.

Jeff

NebWillie -

In the future, creating your own post, rather than bumping an old one, will probably be better for you as it helps keep the issues in the threads separate.

Is the key physically stuck down in a noticeable way? If so, perhaps it would be worth removing the key and seeing if the computer boots up normally.

You may be able to get the bad key replaced at an Apple store - not sure if it will come at a cost, but it wouldn't hurt to bring it in and ask.

~Lyssa

Lyssa,

Thank you very much for your note. (This was my first time accessing the community and I actually figured out that I should have started my own question.)

I had the computer opened and looked at by a genius bar guy and he confirmed that the key was damaged by the water spill. So, what I'm trying to do is find a way to more effectively use it until our IT guy at work can find a replacement part.

Thanks again for taking the time to answer my question.

Jeff

I should have added. I did open an original question and someone directed me to an answer that sounds very promising (I left the computer at my office overnight so I haven't been able to test it) the suggestion is that holding the ESC key down while starting up will allow the computer to open normally. If it works I will report back.

Come back here & post the results - if holding the ESC key doesn't help, I'll do a little digging and see what I can come up with (other than solutions that involve tearing apart the machine 🙂).

Replacement parts can be obtained through a variety of places online - I generally recommend checking ifixit.com as they have teardown instructions and links to the necessary part(s) for your particular Mac.

~Lyssa