HELP: Can't boot in SafeMode RAID 0

[4PLaY]

Specs below
2x WD Sata in raid 0, windows XP SP2 installed in 10gb partition
can boot with no problems at all in normal mode, I need safe mode to run driver cleaner and other maintenance stuff.

when trying to boot in safemode, It starts loading the vxds then it stops somewhere randomly in 3 files, I cannot recall what they are.

I've been keeping to this setup for the longest time since I never had the need to go back to safe mode and it worked perfectly well in Normal mode no issues, and now that I need to do drivercleaner, I really need the safemode to remove the NGO optimized drivers...

Any ideas.

[redduc900]

Try performing a Selective Startup from within Windows... Start | Run | Type msconfig, and click OK | "General" tab | Select "Selective Startup", and remove the checks from each item below the Selective Startup option | Click OK to restart your PC, and again try to enter Safe Mode.

If you can enter Safe Mode with all of the options unchecked in the Configuration Utility, then repeat the process but add one check back each time to the list of files listed under the "Selective Startup" menu.... and again see if you can enter Safe Mode. So you'll test under each of the following conditions...

1. Clear all checks
2. Process System.ini
3. Process Win.ini
4. Load System services
5. Load Startup Items

[v8440]

I thought you made the choice of safe mode or not before the start menu stuff gets loaded. I'm not sure about that, but it would seem to make sense since you wouldn't want the machine to start loading things before you made a selection. If that were the case, wouldn't the machine have to unload stuff if you selected safe mode?

[4PLaY]

Sounds like a plan, I'll try it out and report back here. Thanks

[4PLaY]

in all instances of selective startup, when I try to start in safe mode they will all stop in vax347b.sys, then go to BSOD.

in all instances of selective startup, when I try to start in normal mode, I can boot just fine.

Any more ideas?

[v8440]

I just altavista'd the problem with this search: "vax347b.sys safe". You aren't the only person with that problem. Lemme guess, you have alcohol 120 on your machine. If so, uninstall it or at least delete that file-it's a file from that program. I bet the problem goes away.

[4PLaY]

Yes, you're right.
I uninstalled Alcohol 120% and tried to boot in safe mode, this time it stops in SPTD.sys, and goes into the same BSOD that tells me to run CHKDSK /F.

Still able to boot in normal mode. :bang head

[v8440]

Well, try searching like I did, except substitute the name of the file that's now causing the problem. I'll admit, I've never heard of this before.