Error Not Safe Mode Driver: 4 Ways to Fix it

Rolling back or updating your drivers can fix this

Windows 11 » Repair

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by Milan Stanojevic 

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ERROR_NOT_SAFE_MODE_DRIVER
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Running into the Error Not_Safe_Mode_Driver issue can be a real headache, especially when you need to troubleshoot your system in Safe Mode. Let’s dive into some effective solutions to get your drivers working smoothly in Safe Mode.

How can I fix the ERROR_NOT_SAFE_MODE_DRIVER error?

1. Update or Reinstall the Driver in Safe Mode

  1. Press Win + R, type msconfig, go to the Boot tab, check Safe boot, and select Minimal. Restart your PC to boot to Safe Mode.
    Safe Boot Minimal
  2. Once you enter Safe Mode, press Win + X and select Device Manager.
    device manager windows 11 win+x menu
  3. Find your driver under the appropriate category, right-click, and choose Update or Rollback.
    update driver device manager
  4. Go back to msconfig uncheck Safe boot, and restart your PC.

2. Use NtLoadDriver for error diagnosis

  1. Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Shift + Ctrl + Enter.
    cmd run window
  2. Use a tool that employs NtLoadDriver() to load your driver manually.
  3. If the command returns 0xC000035F STATUS_NOT_SAFE_MODE_DRIVER, it confirms the Safe Mode restriction issue.
  4. The returned NTSTATUS code can help diagnose why the driver fails.

3. Modify SafeBoot registry settings

  1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
  2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal
     minimal boot registry
  3. Right-click Minimal and choose New > Key. Give the key the driver name (e.g., Driver64.sys) and set the default value to Driver.
    new key minimal boot
  4. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Network
  5. Repeat adding your driver name key and setting the default value.
  6. Ensure the driver file (e.g., Driver64.sys) is in C:\Windows\System32\drivers

4. Ensure driver signature compliance

  1. Ensure your driver is signed with an Extended Validation (EV) SHA-256 certificate.
  2. Submit your driver for Microsoft co-signing through HLK or attestation.
  3. Ensure that the driver does not contain an outdated SHA-1 signature.
  4. Temporarily disable SecureBoot in BIOS to test driver loading.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the Error Not_Safe_Mode_Driver issue effectively. It’s important to mention that this error comes with the following description: 646 (0x286) The driver was not loaded because the system is booting into safe mode.

This isn’t the only driver issue, and many encountered Thread Stuck in Device Driver error. To prevent issues such as these check our guide on how to fix driver error issues on Windows 11.

More about the topics: Driver issues, Safe Mode, Windows 11 Fix

Milan Stanojevic

Milan Stanojevic Shield

Windows Toubleshooting Expert

Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He's a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology. Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he's one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.

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