Change msconfig boot options from command prompt via boot disc #

During a malware cleanup, msconfig was used to change the boot method to Safe Mode with Networking (msconfig > Boot > Boot options > check Safe boot > check Network). On reboot, Windows would not load. Reverting the changes and returning to Normal Mode was done like so:
  1. Boot from Windows install disc and open command prompt (Shift+F10)

  2. Check the current boot mode:

    X:\>bcdedit
    ...
    Windows Boot Loader
    -------------------
    identifier {default}
    ...
    nx OptIn
    safeboot Network

  3. Remove the Safe Mode with Networking option:

    X:\>bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot
    The operation completed successfully.

  4. Check boot mode again:

    X:\>bcdedit
    ...
    Windows Boot Loader
    -------------------
    identifier {default}
    ...
    nx OptIn

BCDEdit can be used on offline drives via the "store" command (the help documentation oddly refers to it as a command instead of a flag or switch), e.g., bcdedit /store E:\Boot\BCD /deletevalue {default} safeboot. (Found this handy for editing BCD on a DiskCryptor-encrypted drive mounted inside of a Windows PE session.)

Sources:

/windows | Apr 17, 2016


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