No Safe Mode

[Caring1]

I've spent the day swapping Processors in an old socket 775 Motherboard, trying to find one that runs the fastest and smoothest while using least power and therefore generating less heat.
It is used solely for Crunching for WCG.
According to everywhere I look online I can use up to an E6400 C2D 2.13GHz in the Acer 946 GZT AM2 V1.0 Motherboard. It's made by ECS but appears different to the ECS board.
Based on the specs of that Processor I've upgraded to a Xeon 3070 dual core @ 2.66GHz which runs perfectly.
Now the problems start when I try a Quad Core of the same specs, it loads Windows fine, but then freezes when fully loaded, so my thought is something like a system process is stopping it.
I wanted to boot into safe mode to see if it ran fine on minimal drivers and processes but I can't boot into safe mode, can't find it at all with any push of the function keys.
HALP Anyone have any ideas how to find safe mode on that board or if a Quad core will work?
I'll add more info if needed and sorry if It's a bit long

 

[R-T-B]

If it's windows 8, you'll need to get into recovery to change boot options to boot to safe mode. To do this, the conventional way is to boot and go to PC settings.

Nice, isn't it? (I'm being a bit sarcastic if it isn't obvious)

 

[Caring1]

Lol, it's Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit

 

[R-T-B]

You know what they say about assuming, right Caring1?

Well I'm guilty. Anyhow, It's one of the F-series of keys is all I remember. Should get you a boot menu.

 

[Caring1]

That's been my experience on other systems too, so I tried all the F keys while booting multiple times, it's usually F8.
The only option I found was to select the boot drive or enter set up and set up in the BIOS is very basic due to it being specific to Acer.

 

[Jetster]

Try a PS/2 Keyboard

Also boot with a CPU that will load completely and then open MSCONFIG and disable all start up for diagnostics. Shut down and swap CPUs

 

[Dia01]

msconfig -> boot tab -> select check box 'safe boot' -> restart

 

[Caring1]

Try a PS/2 Keyboard

It's the only one I use when testing components.

 

[Tatty_Two]

You can always try booting it up but just before the point that it normally crashes switch off, you may then on next boot get the "windows failed to load properly" message and at that point it should give you the option to boot to safe mode.

 

[OneMoar]

If it's windows 8, you'll need to get into recovery to change boot options to boot to safe mode. To do this, the conventional way is to boot and go to PC settings.

Nice, isn't it? (I'm being a bit sarcastic if it isn't obvious)

or you could simply hold left-shift while clicking restart .... or while booting

 

[R-T-B]

or you could simply hold left-shift while clicking restart .... or while booting

Left shift while booting is a convenience I didn't know about. Thanks.