How To Boot To Recovery Mode Safe Mode In Ubuntu

Ubuntu, unlike Windows, does not have a traditional "Safe Mode" but instead offers a "Recovery Mode" that allows users to troubleshoot and repair their system. This mode is crucial for resolving issues that prevent the system from booting normally.

To boot into Recovery Mode, you first need to access the GRUB menu. Here’s how you can do it:

BIOS Systems: Switch on your computer and quickly press and hold the Shift key as the BIOS is loading. This will bring up the GRUB menu.
UEFI Systems: Press the Escape key repeatedly as the UEFI is loading to enter the GRUB menu.

If you miss the timing, you can reboot and try again.

Selecting Recovery Mode

Once you are in the GRUB menu:

Select the line that starts with "Advanced options".
From the submenu, select the line that ends with "(recovery mode)", which is usually the second line.
Press Return to begin the boot process.

Recovery Mode Options

After booting into Recovery Mode, you will see a menu with several options:

Drop to root shell prompt: This option allows you to log in as the root user and use command-line tools to repair your system. You may need to scroll down to find this option.
Enable networking: This option can be useful if you need to download packages or access online resources, but be cautious as it can sometimes cause the system to hang.

Mounting Partitions

By default, the root partition is mounted read-only in Recovery Mode. To make changes, you need to remount it read/write:

mount -o remount,rw /

If you have other partitions (e.g., /home, /boot, /tmp), you can mount them using:

mount --all

This ensures that /etc/mtab is writable.

Safe Graphics Mode

If your issue is related to graphics drivers, you might need to boot into "Safe Graphics Mode" instead. This mode disables kernel video modesetting, which can help resolve graphics-related problems.

Configuring GRUB for Safe Graphics

To boot into Safe Graphics Mode automatically, you need to modify the GRUB configuration:

Edit the GRUB configuration file:
```
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
```
Add the nomodeset argument:
```
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="nomodeset"
```
Update the GRUB menu:
```
sudo update-grub2
```

This will ensure that the next time you boot, the system will use safe graphics mode.

Additional Tips

Holding the Shift Key: If you are having trouble accessing the GRUB menu, try holding the Shift key repeatedly as the system boots. This can help ensure the menu appears even if you miss the initial timing.
Using a Live CD: If you are unable to boot into Recovery Mode, you can use a live CD or USB to access your system and perform repairs. Most distribution installers include a recovery environment as a boot option.

By following these steps, you can effectively boot into Recovery Mode or Safe Graphics Mode in Ubuntu, allowing you to troubleshoot and fix various system issues.