Read the recovery screen before rebuilding
LibreELEC Safe Mode is intended to break a repeated Kodi crash cycle. If a familiar installation suddenly opens a fresh-looking interface with a recovery notice, read that notice and record the exact system version. Do not immediately add all the old sources again under the assumption that the configuration has been erased.
Keep the hardware and storage unchanged while inspecting the state. A new empty recovery view and a missing source drive are different observations. Preserve any crash time and the last known change, such as an add-on update, without treating that timing alone as proof of the cause.
Locate the preserved failed Kodi data
The LibreELEC guide says Safe Mode renames the failing Kodi folder to /storage/.kodi.FAILED and starts a clean recovery environment. It directs investigation toward the preserved folder. This is the important distinction: the current recovery session and the configuration that crashed are separate places.
Use an authorized supported access route, such as the offered local sharing or administration method. Record any services enabled for recovery and keep their credentials private. Do not expose the device to unrelated networks simply to make a file easier to retrieve.
Collect the relevant original failure evidence
Inspect the failed folder’s temp directory for the relevant Kodi log through the documented route. Copy a private original before editing or sharing anything. Confirm the log time matches the crash you are investigating rather than the fresh recovery session.
Review paths, tokens and account details before submitting a sharing copy. A log from the clean interface may show only that recovery started successfully, which is a different question. Keep the failing version, last known change and exact startup sequence with the captured file.
Make a narrow repair before testing a restart
Use the actual evidence and the current project support process to identify a targeted correction. Avoid removing a guessed add-on directory or deleting the preserved setup merely because a forum example contains a command. Keep a recoverable copy before any configuration modification.
After a justified repair, follow the documented recovery restart and check the intended configuration. If the cause remains, another crash cycle can return to Safe Mode; disabling the recovery mechanism does not repair it. The expected outcome is preserved evidence and a controlled recovery attempt, not an unperformed restoration claim.
Questions answered
Does a fresh Safe Mode screen prove my old configuration was deleted?
No. LibreELEC documents preserving the failing Kodi folder separately. Inspect that state before rebuilding.
Which log is most useful for the original crash?
Use the preserved failed configuration’s relevant session log and verify its time, rather than assuming the fresh recovery log contains the earlier fault.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.