Can't boot into Windows 10 Safe Mode, F8 brings up Boot Manager with no option for Safe Mode

[KevinStrong]

MacOS 10.15.7

Fusion 11.5.7

Just did the latest Windows 10 Update (which itself took several attempts)

Login screen comes up, but after logging in the window goes black

In searching for solutions to this, seems it may be due to the Windows display driver, and need to change it to standard MS VGA driver in Device Manager, and also to uninstall VMWare Tools and install the latest version of VMWare Tools.

To change the display driver, you need to boot into Safe Mode.

However, when I hit F8, it brings up this Boot Manager below, with no option for Safe Mode.

Any idea how to get to Safe Mode?  I've tried hitting F8 again after selecting either "Boot normally" or "Windows Boot Manager", but just does a full boot.

[scott28tt · Accepted solution]

@KevinStrong 

Options here: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/4-ways-boot-safe-mode-windows-10/

[KevinStrong]

Thanks @scott28tt 

Coincidentally I had just found that same site myself here this evening, and had just succesfully used method 1 described there to get to Safe Mode.

Though unfortunately getting to Safe Mode didn't solve my problem with the black screen after logging in.  Still get the black screen, both in Safe Mode and also low resolution video mode.  Safe Mode with Command Prompt does display, though not sure if anything can be done from there to fix the main problem.

Anyway, instead in Troubleshoot -> Advanced Options, that you go through to get to Safe Mode from the link, there is also an option to Uninstall Updates, so I used that to roll back the latest Windows feature update.  I now have Windows displaying and working properly again after I login.  I think the feature update that causes the black screen problem to appear, is version 20H2, which it seems is a new version of Windows.  So now I'm not sure how I'll ever get that version installed and working.  Maybe something to do with VMWare Tools?  I'll post a separate topic about that tomorrow.

[BMunn205]

@KevinStrong, thank you very much for your posting.  I was able to roll back my windows 10 update, as I was having the same issue as you, the black screen.  Have you been able to install the latest Windows 10 updates, since this post?  If so, any posts about it?  Thank you!  BMunn205

[KevinStrong]

@BMunn205 I've been getting "quality updates" to the version I was on.  But have still not done the Feature update to 20H2.  Just checking Windows Update and it says "Your version of Windows 10 will stop receiving important quality updates soon.  You can stay in support by updating to a newer version of Windows 10."  This is underneath the section on "Feature Update to Windows 10, version 20H2".

So it sounds like I am going to be forced to try it again soon.

[wila]

Hi,

There should not be an issue with running Windows 10 rev 20H2.
FWIW I run 21H1 Windows insider preview down here as a VM and have run Windows insider preview software for long, including what is now 20H2.

One thing to make sure though is that your VM is using the latest virtual hardware.

You can find that under Settings -> Compatibility

It can only be changed with the VM shut down.
You might be able to get away with hardware version 16, but I would not run versions before that for a current Windows 10 VM.

hope this helps,
--
Wil