d5200t computer fails to ask if I want to boot in safe mode, but always boots to safe mode

[milesrf]

My HP d5200t (NE504AV-ABA) computer has startup problems.

Whenever I try to restart it from a shutdown, it does not ask whether to restart
Windows in Safe mode, and always starts it in some variety of Safe mode that blocks
use of the Ethernet port or any other networking device.  This safe mode also blocks
use of the 64-bit Windows Installer service, so I cannot install any program I
expect to help this.

How can I make it resume booting Windows in normal mode, without losing the
various files I have accumulated over the years?

It's my last computer running 64-bit Windows Vista SP2, and has a program I need
that will not run on more recent versions of Windows.  No installation package for
this program is available.

All of my last 100 or so backups for it are stored on an HP disk server that will
no longer boot, so these backups are EXTREMELY difficult to reach.

This site does not allow copy and paste, so I had to insert the text file I had prepared as if it was code.

[Malygris1]

Hi there @milesrf,

Welcome back to the HP Support Forums!  I understand that your computer is always starting in Safe Mode. I am happy to assist you with this.

From Safe Mode, run msconfig.exe.

When the utility comes up, click on the boot tab along the top.

Under boot options remove the check in the box for Safe mode then Click Apply

Restart your system and it should start normally.

Please let me know whether that works for you, and if it does resolve your issue, please mark this post as a solution. Kudos would also be appreciated.  

[milesrf · Accepted solution]

It did not work - the safe mode box was not checked.  What finally fixed MOST of this problem was telling the boot procedure to use the last known good configuation.  It then took about four Windows restarts, and correcting the system time, to finish the fix.

During the problem, the computer was often not quite in safe mode, only confused about whether it was in safe mode or not.  "Safe Mode" did not appear in the corners of the screen, but trying to install software gave error messages saying the installation could not be completed in safe mode.  Internet connections were usually blocked.  Switching to the alternate shell made cmd.exe the only way to tell the computer what to do, and if there was any way to switch back to the GUI, it was well hidden.