Windows & Network Troubleshooting

Continously Restarting

2007-07-15T14:54:00.000+05:30

Q. hey can u tell whats the problem form my pc its continously restarting when i switch on the cpu button its ok till windows xp prof... logo after that only it is again restarting.....

A. check ur windows Xp installed files..... to do that:

1. Restart computer

2. press F8

3. choose Start windows in Safe mode

4. Run-> type "cmd"

5. Command prompt will now open type this command -> sfc /scannow

6. It will search ur computer for correpted files. and it ask OS CD

7. When Checking finished Restart Ur Computer

or

Cant able to load in Safe mode..... Reinstall ur OS

Troubleshooting Tips for a New Sound Card

2007-07-14T01:36:00.000+05:30

No sound is heard from audio (music) CDs
Various conditions may cause this problem. To troubleshoot, check the following:
1.Microsoft Volume Control or your mixer program mute options and volume sliders.
2.Connect headphones to the stereo phone jack on your CD-ROM drive’s front panel; adjust the volume control settings on the drive. If there is sound from your headphones, check the CD audio cable connection from the CD-ROM drive to the audio card.
3.Ensure the speakers are properly connected to the audio card’s output connector.

Joystick port is not working To troubleshoot, check the following:
1.The audio card joystick port conflicts with another joystick port in the system. Disable the audio card joystick port, and use the system’s joystick port.
2.The joystick drivers, MSJSTICK.DRV and VJOYD.VXD, may not be installed. Uninstall the joystick, then reinstall to load the drivers. The drivers should come with the driver CD or floppy diskette with your sound card.

Computer hangs or restarts during installationA hardware conflict may cause the computer to hang or restart during the installation procedure. Check the following to resolve the conflict:
1.A hardware conflict with another device in your system.
2.Previously installed sound card hardware or software needs to be removed.
3.The audio card is not seated in the slot properly.
4.PCI bus mastering devices may be interfering with the operation of the audio card. Temporarily remove non-essential PCI bus mastering devices.

Resolving hardware conflictsHardware conflicts occur when two or more devices contend for the same resources. Conflicts between your audio card and another device may occur regarding the I/O address, IRQ line, or DMA channel:
1.Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and select Properties. The System Properties dialog appears.
2.Click the Device Manager tab. In the Device Manager, a plus sign(+) represents an expandable list of items. A minus sign (-) represents an expanded list. A circled exclamation mark denotes a conflict.
3.Double-click Sound, video, game controllers. A list of multimedia devices appears.
Select your audio card.
4.Choose the Propertis button.
5.Click the Resources tab.
6.Uncheck the Use automatic settings option.
7.Change "Settings based on:" if alternate settings are available.
8.Determine the conflict by reviewing the "Conflicting device list".
9.Select the conflicting item in the "Resource Settings" list.
10.Click the Change Settings button.
11.Use the mouse to select a new setting.
12.Select OK to close each of the properties windows, and restart your computer.

Audio card is not automatically detectedTo manually configure your audio card for Windows 95/98:
1.Click "Start" on the taskbar, and select Settings from the Start menu.
2.Select Control Panel. The Control Panel group appears.
3.Double-click the Add New Hardware icon. The Add New Hardware Wizard dialog appears.
Select Next to continue.
4.Choose Yes to have Windows search for new hardware, then select Next
5.Select Next to continue.
6.Select Finish, and follow the prompts to complete the new hardware installation.

CD does not automatically run when you insert it in the driveTo enable the "Audio insert notification" feature:
1.Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and select Properties. The System Properties dialog appears.
2.Click the Device Manager tab. A list of devices appears.
3.Double-click CD-ROM, and select your CD-ROM drive.
4.Choose the Properties button. The CD-ROM drive properties dialog appears.
5.Choose the Settings tab.
6.Click the "Auto insert notification" option to enable.
7.Select OK until all Properties dialogs are closed, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

No sound is heard from speakersVerify the following:
1.Check the Microsoft Volume Control or the Audio Mixer Program mute options and volume sliders.
2.Ensure the speakers are properly connected to the audio card’s output connector.
3.Check the volume control and power connection of the speakers, if they are amplified. (Refer to the speakers documentation for detailed information).
4.Ensure a hardware conflict does not exist between your audio card and another device in your system.
5.PCI bus mastering devices may be interfering with the operation of the audio card. Temporarily remove non-essential PCI bus mastering devices. If the device is a display card, upgrade the display card drivers, or set the card to the default Windows VGA mode.

If you are experiencing no sound only during audio CD playback, see "No sound is heard from audio (music) CDs" above.

Static sounds are heard in wave filesCheck to see if the static sounds are heard in all wave files. If the difficulty occurs only with certain games, refer to the software manufacturer’s documentation. To troubleshoot static sounds heard in all wave files:
1.Try different resource settings for the audio card, or set the card to use low DMA.
2.Move the audio card to another PCI slot. Feedback from the power supply or another device may be responsible.

Troubleshooting Tips for New Monitors

2007-07-14T01:21:00.000+05:30

Here are some basic trouble shooting tips for new monitors:

The picture does not appear
Check to make sure the signal cable is firmly connected in the socket.
Check to see if the computer system's power is ON.
Check that the Brightness Control is at the appropriate position, not at the minimum.

The Screen is not synchronized
Check to make sure the signal cable is firmly connected in the socket.
Check that the output level matches the input level of your computer.
Make sure the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.

The position of the screen is not in the center
Adjust the H-Size, H-Phase or V-Size, V-Center controls.
Check if the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.

The screen is too bright or too dark
Check if the Brightness or contrast control is at the appropriate position, not at the maximum or minimum.
Check if the specified voltage is applied
Check if the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.
Especially, check the horizontal frequency.

The screen is shaking
Move all objects that emit a magnetic field, such as a motor or transformer, away from the monitor.
Check if the specified voltage is applied.
Check if the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.

Disk boot failure

2007-07-09T03:39:00.000+05:30

Cause:

This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities.

1.Boot options are not set properly in CMOS
2.Non bootable CD or CD-R in computer
3.All boot devices set are not bootable

Solution:
Boot options are not set properly in CMOS

Verify that the boot options within CMOS are set properly. Below is an example of how we recommend the boot options be set.

1.Floppy drive
2.CD-ROM drive
3.Hard Drive
4.Other / Network

Non-bootable CD, CD-R, DVD or other disc in computer
Verify that no CD, CD-R, DVD, or other disc is in the computer possibly causing the computer to attempt to boot from that disc.

All boot devices set are not bootable
If all of the above recommendations have been attempted and you encounter the same issue it is likely that the computer is not detecting any devices in the computer that are bootable. Attempt to boot from a bootable floppy disk.
If you are unable to boot from a known bootable floppy diskette, ensure that the floppy drive is properly setup.

Once you are able to boot from a bootable floppy diskette, ensure that the hard disk drive is able to be read.

Information about computer hard disk drives

2007-07-09T03:23:00.000+05:30

Size information
The capacity of a computer hard disk drives and the files it contains can be confusing. Below is a listing of the standards in different size values. It is important to realize that not all manufacturers and developers use these values. For example, a manufacturer may consider a gigabyte as the value of a gibibyte.

Bit
Value of 0 or 1
Nibble
4 Bits
Byte
8 Bits
Kilobit
1,000 bits
Kilobyte
1,000 bytes
Kibibit
1,024 bits
Kibibyte
1,024 bytes
Mebibit
1,048,576 bits
Mebibyte
1,048,576 bytes
Megabit
1,000,000 bits
Megabyte
1,000,000 bytes
Gibibit
1,073,741,824 bits
Gibibyte
1,073,741,824 bytes
Gigabyte
1,000,000,000 bytes
Gigabit
1,000,000,000 bits
Tebibit
1,099,511,627,776 bits
Tebibyte
1,099,511,627,776 bytes
Terabyte
1,000,000,000,000 bytes
Terabit
1,000,000,000,000 bits
Pebibit
1,125,899,906,842,624 bits
Pebibyte
1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes
Petabit
1,000,000,000,000,000 bits
Petabyte
1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes
Exabyte
1018 bytes
Exabit
1018 bits
Exbibit
260 bits
Exbibyte
260 bytes
Zettabyte
1021 bytes
Yottabyte
1024 bytes

Windows restarts without warning

2007-07-09T03:16:00.000+05:30

Cause:
This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1.Software issue or error.
2.Hardware issue or error.
3.Heat related issue.
4.Computer virus.
5.Issue with operating system.

Answer:
Software issue or error
Errors generated by software programs can cause a computer to reboot unexpectedly or without warning. If you are running Windows XP see the below section "For Windows XP users" before continuing.

If you are not running Windows XP or following the below steps still cause your computer to reboot without warning. Boot your computer into safe mode, and let the computer run in safe mode.

If the computer is still rebooting in safe mode the issue is likely not software related but something else, skip to the next section. If the computer is not rebooting in safe mode it is likely you have software related issue. We would recommend you run through the basic troubleshooting section for your operating system.

For Windows XP users
Windows XP is designed to automatically reboot each time an error occurs such as a BSoD. Although this may be nice for errors that do not occur often, users who have a re-occurring error may wish to identify the error to troubleshoot it. Below are the steps on how this feature can be disabled and enabled in Windows XP.

1.From the desktop right click on My Computer.
2.Click the Properties option.
3.In the System Properties window click the Advanced tab.
4.In Advanced click the Settings button under Startup and Recovery.
5.In the Startup and Recovery window uncheck the Automatically restart check box.
6.Click Ok.

Now if the computer generates and error it should not automatically restart and enable you to display any errors your computer may be experiencing.

Hardware issue or error
Any failing hardware component in your computer could cause your computer to unexpectedly generate an error and/or reboot without warning. If you have recently attempted to add a new hardware device, remove that device to make sure it is not causing your issues.

Make sure you are not encountering any hardware conflicts by viewing Device Manager for errors. Additional information about Device Manager can be found on our Device Manager page.
New drivers can also cause this issue, if you have recently performed any hardware driver updates you may wish to try an earlier version of the drivers.

If you have updated drivers and removed any hardware that could be causing this issue and continue to experience random reboots, it's possible that the memory is bad in the computer.

Finally, hardware devices that are not installed properly in the computer can also cause random reboots. Make sure all the cables and expansion cards are connected properly to the computer. The best way to determine this is to disconnect and reconnect all cables and expansion cards.

Computer virus
Computer viruses such as the blaster virus are written to reboot your computer without warning. Usually these viruses will make the computer reboot ever 5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes after the computer has booted.
If you believe your computer may be infected with a virus or are uncertain if your computer is infected with a virus make sure your virus scanner definitions are up to date.

Heat related issue
Many computer today are designed to turn off or automatically reboot if the computer, processor, or other device in your computer gets to hot. If you have heard any abnormal noises coming from your computer recently such as a high squealing this could indicate a fan may be failing in your computer.

You can first start by verifying the fan on the power supply is working by examining the back of the computer and seeing if the fan is moving and moving smoothly. For all other fans in the computer you will need to either open the computer and make sure the fan are working (processor fan and case fan) and/or if your BIOS monitors the RPM of the fans enter BIOS and make sure the BIOS does not report any errors.

Users may also be able to determine how hot their computer is by onboard thermal sensors, if your computer comes equipped with these sensors make sure your CPU is not running to hot.

Issue with operating system
If after following each of the above recommendations your computer still continues to reboot it is likely that you are experiencing a Microsoft Windows operating system related issue that cannot be explained. To help make sure this is the case please try the below steps.

1.Reboot the computer and enter CMOS setup as the computer is booting.
2.After you have loaded the computer in CMOS setup let the computer sit.

If the computer does not reboot while letting the computer sit in CMOS it is likely that you are in fact experiencing an issue with Microsoft Windows and it is recommend that if you have followed all of the above recommendations that you reinstall your version of Microsoft Windows.

Computer is running slow

2007-07-09T02:56:00.000+05:30

Cause:
This issue can be caused by any of the below possibilities.

1) Hard disk drive is short on available disk space.
2) everal software programs have been installed/uninstalled leaving behind bad files and/or confusing the software.
3) Data Corruption.
4) Computer is overheating.
5) Bad Hardware.

PC Solution:
Below are steps for Microsoft Windows that should help speed up the computer or determine why the computer is running slow.

Not enough hard disk drive space
If you have a hard disk drive that is 2GB or smaller, ensure that there is at least 200MB of hard disk drive space free. If you have a hard drive larger than this size, verify that there is at least 500MB of free hard disk space. This available space allows the computer to have room for the swap file to increase in size as well as room for temporary files.

Hard drive corrupted or fragmented
Run Scandisk or something equivalent to help ensure that there is nothing physically wrong with the computer hard disk drive.
Run Defrag to help ensure that data is arranged in the best possible order.

Background programs
Remove or disable any TSRs or programs that automatically start each time the computer boots. See document CHTSR for additional information.

Hardware conflicts
Verify that the Device Manager has no conflicts, but if conflicts are present, resolve them.

Issues with Windows XP prefetch
If you have Windows XP try deleting all files in the prefetch directory. These are prefetch files and can lower system resources if loading programs no longer being used. See our prefetch definition for additional information about prefetch.

Issues in Windows 95 / 98 autoexec.bat / config.sys
If you are using Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98 and do not plan on running any MS-DOS programs from MS-DOS, click Start / Run / type command and press enter. In the MS-DOS window type cd\ to get to C:\> then type "ren autoexec.bat autoexec.ch" and "ren config.sys config.ch". This will rename your autoexec.bat and config.sys and help make sure memory is being optimized through Windows.

Computer or processor is overheating
Make sure your computer and processor is not overheating, excessive heat can cause a significant decrease in computer performance some processors will even lower the speed of the processor automatically to help compensate for the heat related issues.

Specific operating system basic troubleshooting
Try running through the basic troubleshooting steps for your operating system.

Erase computer and start over
Finally, if none of the above solutions resolve your issues, it is recommended that you either reinstall Windows and/or erase everything and then start over.

Hardware issues
If your computer continues to be slow after going over each of the above recommendations it's possible that your computer is experiencing a more serious hardware related issue such as a failing component in the computer. This could be a failing or bad CPU, RAM, Motherboard, or other component.

To Remove any unneeded running Processes

2007-07-09T02:54:00.000+05:30

To Remove any unneeded running Processes

Log on as AdministratorStart Settings Control Panel Administrative Tools Services

Default settings for services
Descriptions of System Services (XP/2003)
Windows XP Home and Pro Service Configurations by Black Viper
W2K Tweak Guide

Once completed, repeat the "tasklist /svc" method and compare. If you use the "tasklist /svc >tasklist.txt" method, change the second output (to prevent overwriting the previous file) to: "tasklist /svc >tasklist1.txt" (no quotes) then compare. You can also view this info in System Information, however the text output loses the formatting and is almost unreadable.
Note: to temporarily disable a Service while troubleshooting:Start Run (type) "msconfig" (no quotes)Click on the Services tab, uncheck desired service. (for testing only!)

Determine what Services are running in Windows XP

2007-07-09T02:44:00.000+05:30

Determine what Services are running in Windows XP

When you bring up the Task Manager you'll see an entry for Services and the amount of memory consumed. However this one listing is actually all the Services combined into a single entry. As you can see I have them trimmed down to only the Services needed for this machine.

To view the complete list:
From a command prompt: Start Run (type) cmd (click Ok)
(type) tasklist /svc (press Enter)(XP Pro only)
You will see all the Services running in process.
To save the onscreen info:
Right-click and select: Select All
Right-click again and select: Mark
Open Notepad and Paste the info
File - Save As: tasklist.txtor
(type) "tasklist /svc >tasklist.txt" (no quotes)

Hard Drive Problems (External Storage Devices)

2007-06-25T17:54:00.000+05:30

Problem: Windows pops up a message saying, “A HI-SPEED USBdevice plugged into a non-HI-SPEED USB hub.”
Cause: This problem generally occurs when one plugs a USB 2.0device into a USB port, the reason being the lack of proper drivers.
Solution: In you’re using Windows XP, make sure you have installedthe drivers for proper functioning of the USB 2.0 hub. Most motherboardsrely on Microsoft-certified USB drivers for USB 2.0. You candownload the USB 2.0 drivers from Microsoft’s Web site, or you caninstall Windows XP SP2.

Problem: Your Flash drive is 512 MB, but it can’t store data morethan 256 MB
Cause: This is a common problem with most cheap Flash drives.Though they are advertised as 512 MB and show up as 512 MB in thesystem, they have a bad memory chip that doesn’t allow copying ofdata more than 256 MB.
Solution: Don’t take chances with Flash memory. Buy a Flash driveonly from a reliable and known manufacturer.

Hard Drive Problems (Optical Drives)

2007-06-25T17:20:00.000+05:30

Problem: Your drive reads data very slowly.
Cause: This could occur if the drive is old, and the laser pickupassembly weakens. It might also happen when the pickup lensgathers dust.
Solution: Get a lens cleaning kit and clean the lens. If that doesn’twork, it’s time to get a new drive!

Problem: Your CD-RW drive ejects and reloads the disc duringoperation
Cause: This isn’t a problem; it’s a mechanism to clear the drive’sbuffer. All CD-RW drives are provided with some buffer memory tosmooth out the writing process. While some drives have a way toclear it out, some aren’t provided with any, in which case the drivemight pop out the disc to clear the buffer memory.
Solution: Before buying a drive, make sure it has a way to clear outbuffer memory. To find out what drives have this feature and whichones don’t, ask someone who already has the drive model you’recontemplating buying.

Problem: Your CD-ROM drive immediately ejects an empty disc.
Cause: This can be either a software or a hardware problem.
Solution: Certain hardware faults can cause the drive to immediatelyreject certain CDs. To make sure that it’s the drive and not theOS that is rejecting the CD, pull out the data cable from the driveand then insert a CD. If it is rejected, then the drive has a hardwarefault. If the problem is with the OS, try disabling features such asauto-insertion notification.If the machine is powered on for some time and the CD-R wasin use, then the resultant heat can at times lead to such rejectionproblems. The drive might needs realignment, and should be givento a service centre.

Problem: A multi-session disc has only the last-burnt data; youcan’t see data from older sessions
Cause: This happens when you forget to link the data from previous sessions to the data in thelatest sessions. Most CD-ROMs can’t view the datafrom older sessions unlessthey use an applicationthat allows a selection ofsessions to view.
Solution: This used to be aproblem with older burning applications that simply overlookedthis problem. Newer applications default to saving the older sessions,or prompt for user input in this regard. If you are stuck witholder software, update to a newer one that supports the sessionsavingfeature. Else in the older software, make sure you manuallyspecify that the disc is a multi-session disc and that you want theolder session to be saved.Also, applications such as IsoBuster and CD-R diagnostics allowaccessing of older data sessions. However, some older CD-ROMsmight not be able to work with this software, especially forretrieving older data.

Problem: A disc fails repeatedly.
Cause: The problem probably lies with the media and not the writer.
Solution: Media compatibility is critical for proper CD writing.Cheap blank CDs are the culprit—their reliability is questionable.Always use reliable CDs, even if they are more expensive. Try out differentmedia and see which one offers better compatibility withyour drive.

Problem: You’re unable to copy game CDs
Cause: It’s illegal to try to copy game CDs! Today, most game CDs comewith some form of copy protection to avoid piracy. The game publisherplaces blank or unreadable sectors on the disc, which confusesthe copying applications.
Solution: There’s no “solution” we can provide! We only suggestyou use your game CD carefully so you won’t ever need a copy.

Problem: You get a buffer underrun error.
Cause: Almost all CD/DVD recorders come with a small amount ofbuffer memory to smooth out the burning process. The bufferreads ahead and provides the data required for burning in a linear manner. A buffer underrun error happens when the datasource slows down for some reason. Since the CD is spinning andthere is no data to be burnt, it causes the burning process to beaborted, resulting in a coaster.
Solution: Unless you have a really old drive, you shouldn’t see thiserror. In fact, almost all recorders today have hardware support toensure buffer underruns don’t occur. Moreover, burning softwarealso have support for this feature - make sure you activate it; it’sjust a matter of checking a box. If you have a drive that does not supportthis feature, make sure you use your hard drive as the datasource, since a CD to CD copy will definitely result in a coaster. Also,defragment your hard disk regularly to avoid a slow-down duringthe burning process.

Problem: Despite the write process completing, a CD turns upblank.
Cause: It’s not clear why this happens.
Solution: Try using different media. Go to the burning software’sWeb site and check whether any patches to fix the problem havebeen released. Sometimes, these patches will fix such an issue, ifthey don’t, try an alternative application.

Problem: A recorder won’t work with blank CD-RWs.
Cause: This is a common problem. CD-RWs are rated as Slow (1x to4x), High Speed (4x to 10x), Ultra Speed (12x to 24x), and UltraSpeed+ (for drives supporting even higher burning speeds).
Solution: Choose the correct CD-RW media depending on theburning speed supported by your drive. Also, if you’re trying to usean Ultra Speed + media, it might not get detected, whereas a lowerspeedmedia will get burnt at its maximum speed.

Problem: Video DVDs stutter.
Cause: This is a common problem with most DVD players. Duringvideo playback, most drives drop down to a lower speed to cut down on the excessive noise they make when spinning at highspeeds. In technical terms, this lowering of the speed is calledriplock. In poor-quality DVD drives, riplock is responsible for videostutter.
Solution: When choosing a DVD drive, make sure it won’t suffer fromvideo stutter - ask people who have bought the same model you’recontemplating. Essentially, opt for drives from known manufacturers.

Problem: Some DVDs aren’t recognised in your DVD drive.
Cause: The problem lies with the media type. There are two mainDVD formats - +R and -R. -R format is more commonly available andhence is usually supported by lot many older drives than +R format.If you have an older DVD drive, then it is possible that it has beenmanufactured to recognise only one format.
Solution: Check the formats supported by your drive and use mediaof only that format.

Problem: Your DVD-Writer doesn’t play DVD-RAMs.
Cause: Not all DVD-Writers are equipped to handle DVD-RAM. UnlikeDVD±RW, DVD-RAM uses phase-change dual technology pepperedwith magneto-optic features. The main advantage of DVD-RAM is itsdefect management and faster access speeds. However, as we’ve mentioned,this format incompatible with most drives.
Solution: Select a drive that features support for DVD-RAM. Drivesmanufactured by LG, Hitachi, and Matsushita (Panasonic) have supportfor DVD-RAM.

Problem: You can’t burn DVDs faster than the rated speed as youused to do with your CD-Writer.
Cause: Overspeeding is a feature supported only by a handful ofdrives, and only on selected media types. DVD drives from BenQ andPhilips officially support overspeeding; however, you need to usegood-quality media or media specially developed for overspeeding.
Solution: Buy a DVD drive that officially supports the overspeedingfeature. Also, make sure you use officially certified overspeedingmedia, for example, Taiyo Yuden. It might be possible to get suchmedia, but it is not commonly available.

Problem: Some movie DVDs don’t play on your DVD drive
Cause: The movie is region locked, and will only play on a DVDdrive that has the same region code. To control the release of theirmovies, the motion picture group divided the world into sevenregions or zones. Each zone has its own region or zone number.When a specific movie is released in a particular zone, it is encoded with the zone number. DVD players, too, have a zone number.Hence, a movie released in America plays on all DVD players manufactured in the US, but not on DVD players manufactured inIndia such as those from Onida, Mitashi, Sony, etc.
Solution: Many DVD players can be hacked using software to doaway with the region locking encryption. This voids the warranty,but it isn’t illegal to do so. On some drives, however, you need tomodify the chip to make it all-region playable.

Hard Drive Problems (Internal Hard drives)

2007-06-25T16:48:00.000+05:30

Problem: You can’t access the full capacity of a hard drive that’slarger than 8.4 GB.
Cause: This a common problem with older computers when thehard drive is upgraded. BIOSes on older machines were writtensuch that they could only recognise hard drives of up to 8 GBcapacity. When one tries to attach a higher-capacity hard drive,the system either recognises it as an 8 GB drive, or fails to recogniseit altogether.
Solution: The most commonsolution to this problem is toflash the motherboard BIOS.However, since such motherboardsare really dated, it isquite unlikely that you’ll beable to get hold of new BIOS. Ifyou’re lucky, you might find anew BIOS on the manufacturer’sWeb site. If you don’t, you have the option of installing anIDE-PCI card—a card that fits into the PCI slot and offers two IDE connectorsfor hard drives. These IDE-PCI cards have a separate BIOS,which allows you to attach higher-capacity hard drives. It shouldn’t cost more than Rs 500.

Problem: FDISK in Windows 98 misidentifies the capacity of adrive over 64 GB.
Cause: This generally occurs when your bootable floppy has an olderversion of the FDISK tool.
Solution: FDISK is a hard drive partitioning tool often used forpreparing the hard drive before installing an OS. This tool is oftenbundled with the Windows CD, and is an essential part of thebootable floppy created using any Windows machine. If you haveyour original Windows 98 CD then boot the machine via it and thenuse the FDISK tool from the CD. Else you can also use the Ranish Par-Use an IDE-PCI card as the last option tition Manager- a free tooland excellent at that too. Goto www.ranish.com/part todownload it.

Problem: A UDMA/66 orUDMA/100 drive runs atUDMA/33 on systems thatsupport UDMA/66 or UDMA/100.
Cause: This problem was common with IDE drives, but seldomoccurs with SATA drives. The troublemaker used to be the cablethat connected the drive to the motherboard.
Solution: For drives supporting UDMA/100, one needs to use an 80-pin conductor cable to make it work at its full potential. As a ruleof thumb, use 80-pin conductor cables for connecting IDE drivesunless the drive is older than, say, four years: back then, UDMA 33and 66 were the de facto standard.

Problem: You get an “IDE drive not ready” error at startup.
Cause: The BIOS flashes this message during startup. The problemgenerally occurs when the hard drive fails to spin up quickly enough.
Solution: Hard drives have mechanical components that need toattain a certain threshold rotational speed before they are readyfor data transfer. There is a motherboard setting in the BIOS knownas “Hard Disk Pre-delay”. Activating this setting determines theamount of threshold time offered to the drive before the BIOS pollsit for the requisite information. You can increase or decrease thissetting with some motherboards. In most cases, increasing the harddisk pre-delay time works.

Problem: The boot sector is corrupt.
Cause: You’ll face this problem when a boot sector virus corruptsthe MBR (Master Boot Record). Boot sector corruption can generallybe attributed to viruses, but sometimes, tweaking the boot loadercan also leave the system with a corrupt boot record.
Solution: For Windows 9x/ME and DOS, one can use the FDISK commandto repair the boot sector. Boot the system from a bootable floppy or CD-ROM and locate the FDISK command. Once located,type in “FDISK /MBR” and hit [Enter]. Wait for the process to complete,and your boot sector should be fixed.For Windows NT/2000/XP, boot via the bootable CD-ROM andenter the repair console. Here, type in “FIXMBR” and hit [Enter] torestore the boot sector.

Problem: You get an error that says, “Immediately back up yourdata and replace your hard disk drive. A failure may be imminent.”
Cause: A failure could indeed be imminent. The error is displayedduring the boot process only when you have a hard drive that isSMART-enabled. “SMART” stands for “Self-Monitoring Analysis andReporting Technology,” and is an industry-wide standard forincreasing the reliability of hard drives to prevent loss of data.
Solution: When you get such an error, it is advisable to back upthe data on your hard drive. If your drive is in the warrantyperiod, it should be immediately sent to the service centre forreplacement or repair. As of now, the SMART tool can detect upto 70 per cent of drive errors—the warning should therefore betaken seriously.

Problem: The system refuses to boot after installing a newhard drive.
Cause: The hard drive may not be connected properly, i.e., the data connectorand the power connector could be improperly connected.
Solution: When installing a new hard drive, always double-checkthe connection of the data cable. Pin number one on the motherboardshould coincide with pin number one on the hard drive. Oneedge of the data cable is marked red to indicate it as pin number one.While connecting it to the drive, make sure the red line coincideswith pin number one of the drive and motherboard. Usually, the red lineon the cable and the red wire of the power connector will be side by sidewhen connected to the drive—this indicates a proper connection.

Problem: Hard drive letters after C: are pushed ahead when asecond drive is attached.
Cause: This generally happens when the second drive has a primarypartition on it. Since primary partitions take precedence overextended ones, it will take up a drive letter immediately after theprimary partition of the first drive, i.e., C:.
Solution: After installing the second drive, make sure the drive isformatted and that all partitions created are extended. If the seconddrive contains data, move the data to the first drive and thenremove all the partitions before creating new (extended) ones.

Problem: You get an “Invalid media type” error.
Cause: This generally occurs when one tries to view a non-formatted,non-partitioned drive in Windows, or when you try to viewa different file type in an OS that does not support that particularfile type. For example, trying to view an NTFS partition in Windows98 will result in this error.
Solution: First use a bootable floppy or CD-ROM, and then use FDISKto see what type of partitions are present on the drive. The fourthoption in FDISK lets you do that. If a non-Windows partition exists,delete it and create a new FAT32 or NTFS partition that Windowscan recognise. If the drive is brand new, then creating new partitionsand subsequently formatting them should help.

Problem: Your hard drive is not detected in the BIOS.
Cause: This is the most common problem with hard drives, and ithas a simple solution too. Improper connection of the power cableresults in this problem. Also, current-generation drives requiremore power to run, so if your power supply isn’t powerful enough,the hard drives will fail to start up.
Solution: Check whether the power connector is connected properly;if you think it is, then touch the drive. A powered drive willalways vibrate a little because of the high-speed spinning of theplatters. If the drive doesn’t seem to vibrate, the platters aren’tspinning, and the drive requires more power to work—in whichcase, you’ll need to change your power supply. If it is vibratingand still the drive isn’t recognised then probably there is someproblem with the data cable connection, or the BIOS is not setup properly.

Problem: The system can’t detect either of two drives connectedon the same channel.
Cause: This occurs when both drives are set to either Master orSlave.
Solution: Check the jumper connection on both devices and set oneas the Master and the other as the Slave. In newer motherboards,you can set both the devices to cable select—this takes care of theproblem in an efficient manner.

Problem: There is a large number of .CHK files in the root directory of the drive.
Cause: .CHK files are created by the SCANDISK and CHKDSK utilitieswhen they scan the system for lost allocation units.
Solution: You can safely delete all .CHK files after searching forthem. It’s only when the PC is not shut down properly that these.CHK files are created by the two scanning utilities. Hence, alwaysswitch off the PC properly, i.e., don’t reboot the machine by pressingthe reset button on the front panel.

Problem: You’re unable to view a SATA hard drive duringWindows XP installation.
Cause: Windows XP loads the required drivers before it begins tocopy the files necessary for installation. Motherboard chipsetslacking native support for SATA drives are not recognised duringthe installation. You’ll have to manually load the drivers before thefile copying starts.
Solution: Such motherboards come bundled with a floppy drivethat contains the necessary SATA drivers. While loading WindowsXP, at a certain stage, i.e., before loading generic driversinto memory, you’re prompted to press [F6] for installing additionaldevice drivers. Press [F6] once the generic drivers areloaded. The system will prompt for the floppy disk containingthe SATA drivers; insert the floppy disk and then load the appropriatedriver for XP. Once this is done, Windows XP will recogniseSATA drives during setup.

Wireless LANs

2007-06-22T00:39:00.000+05:30

Poor performance: The throughput of a wireless LAN (WLAN) is said to be around 54 Mbps for 802.11g and 11 Mbps for 802.11b. If your computer is using the 802.11b standard and the source is using 802.11g, you will not receive speeds in excess of 11 Mbps.

Apart from this simple mismatch, problems with WLANs abound: high utilisation, coverage holes, obstructions, interference and bad access point placement can also affect the speed of the network. WLANs work on the radio frequency and use air as the medium. Since air has a time lag while sending and receiving signals (as compared to copper), it causes high collision rates and retransmission. These collisions result in noise, which in turn affects network speeds. Gadgets such as microwave ovens affect the performance of a WLAN as well. Other objects include cordless phones that run on the 2.4 GHz frequency, as well as other WLANs. If there are other WLANs within the area, change your WLAN to non-conflicting channels. It’s important to note here that there are only three channels available in the 2.4 Ghz spectrum—1, 6 and 11. If you have a microwave or cordless phone, place them in a position that’s well away from your normal work area and access points.

If you find that there are other WLANs using all three channels, increase the transmitting power of your WLAN. Remember to keep access points closer to each other to improve the signal to noise ratio. Also, if too many users log on to your network at the same time, your network performance will degrade—keep access points closer together and reduce the transmission power (the same concept used in your mobile phone). This reduces the number of users per access point.

Obstructions in the WLAN field can also affect performance. Properly survey the area that you want to cover with your WLAN and place access points smartly. Walk about with a laptop and look for coverage holes—spots in your coverage area where network strength drops drastically (even to zero). Shift your access points about and increase transmission strengths to plug these holes. You could also try to get hold of directional antennas, and point them in such a way so as to plug coverage holes.

Sometimes, the access points themselves are to blame, due to lockdowns, broken antennas, use of incorrect power adaptors or varied output frequencies. A reboot of the access point should solve a lockdown problem. Make sure to upgrade the firmware regularly, and also only use adaptors meant for the same model.

Connection Problems: You could face connection problems when moving from one access point’s area to another’s. This happens when the two access points have different subnet masks.

WLANs that work on the older 802.11a (5 GHz frequency) system are not compatible with newer standards such as 802.11b and g. The newer versions work on the 2.4 GHz frequency and are backward-compatible. You will have to upgrade your network card if you want to connect to an 802.11b/g network.

Wired Networks (Other Problems)

2007-06-22T00:34:00.000+05:30

Wake on LAN: Check if the system you are trying to wake up is connected to the power source. Check for loose cables and for the Wake up on LAN setting in the BIOS (this should be enabled). If you don’t find the “Wake on LAN” setting in the BIOS, your motherboard doesn’t support this feature.

Cannot access a system: If you’re trying to connect to a Windows NT/2000/XP-based system and receive a message that the system cannot be found, it’s probably not a network problem—it’s just that the user name might not be listed. To overcome this, just add the user name to the Windows NT, 2000 or XP-based system.

System locks up after installing network card: Sometimes, when you install a new LAN card, your system could hang. If that happens, open your machine’s cabinet and remove the LAN card. Clean the LAN card’s golden connectors as well as the PCI slot on the motherboard. Re-plug the card and make sure that the card sits properly in the slot. Now restart the system in Safe Mode and go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Information > System Summary > Hardware Resources > IRQs. Check if any IRQ is conflicting with another.

Cannot see others computers on the network: Check if there are multiple workgroups. If so, go to Control Panel > System > Computer Name. Here, click “Change…”. Under “Member of in the Workgroup text field, type in the name of the new workgroup you want to connect to and click OK. You should now be able to see other computers on the network.

Cannot share printers or folders over the network: If you want to share your printer, but other systems on the network cannot access it, your printer is not shared. To share a printer, go to Control Panel > Printers and Faxes. Select the printer you want to share, right-click it and select Sharing. Here, select “Share this printer” and give it a name that others can use to connect to it.

Similarly, if you want to share a folder, right-click on the folder, go to “Sharing and security…”, and check the box “Share this folder on the network”. If you want others on the network to modify the contents on the folder, check the box “Allow network users to change my files”. Click Apply and then OK. Now other systems under the same workgroup should be able to access the printer and the shared folder.

Networked computer works with 10BASE-T network but not with Fast Ethernet: You might face this problem when the computer is located far from the hub. The computer should be within 100 meters of the hub or switch. If the system in the network is further away, you need to install a repeater.
One user can’t access network, but others can: This problem arises only when the user has not logged on to the network. To overcome this problem, log off the system and log in again.

Wired Networks (Missing Protocols, Version Problems)

2007-06-22T00:29:00.000+05:30

Missing Protocols
In Windows 95 and 98, to check if TCP/IP is installed on your computer, go to Network in the Control Panel. If the protocol is installed, it should be listed under the installed Local Area Network properties. If not, you need to reinstall it by clicking the Add button. Select “Microsoft” as the manufacturer, and under the network protocol, select the TCP/IP protocol. You’ll need to reboot the system.
If you’re using Windows ME/2000/XP, go to Control Panel > Network and Dial-up connections > Local Area Connection. Here, go to Properties. If the protocol is installed, it should be listed under the network adaptor properties. It is important to note here that a network adaptor is different from a dial-up adaptor. The dial-up adaptor gives you access to the Internet, and not to the LAN. If you don’t see the TCP/IP protocol here, click the Add or Install button, select the protocol and click OK. Once installed, you will need to reboot your system for the changes to take effect.

Version Problems
Sometimes, problems crop up when using certain programs, and you see a pop-up with an error message. This may be due to differences
in program versions between the connected systems, or it could be that one system does not have the latest network drivers. The best way to solve this is to verify that the programs you’re using on the different systems are of same version. Also, it’s advisable to update your LAN card driver—go to Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager > Network Adaptors, right-click on the LAN card displayed in Network Adaptors, and select Update Driver. Make sure you have the updated driver handy—the system will ask for its location.

If the TCP/IP protocol files are corrupt, youneed to reinstall them.Go to Control Panel >Network Connections,select the Local AreaConnection, right-clickit and go to Properties.Select “Internet
Updating the LAN driversProtocol (TCP/IP)”, unin-stall it, reboot your computer and reinstall it. If you don’t find the protocol after rebooting, return to the menu, click Install > Protocol > Add, and select TCP/IP.

What Icon?
If you can’t see the network icon in the system tray, it’s only because it isn’t set to be displayed. By default, the system tray network icon is not enabled in certain Windows versions. To enable the system icon, go to Control Panel > Network Connection > Local Area Connection right-click your LAN connection and select Properties. Check “Show icon in notification area when connected”.

Router Woes
If your system is part of a LAN, and you’re trying unsuccessfully to connect to the Internet through a router, try to connect to the Net directly from your system. If you are still not able to connect, call your ISP and get the Internet connection checked.
If you can connect to the Internet directly from your system, reconnect the router, modem (dial-up, DSL, or cable) and computer. Check if you can log on to the router. If not, check for loose cables or joints. Also check if the LED of the port on the router that your computer is connected to is lit up. If the LED does not light up, connect the cable to a different slot. If that doesn’t work, power off the router for a few minutes and then turn it back on.
If no LED lights up after this, hard-reset your router. You can do this by looking for a tiny hole at the bottom of the router, inserting a pin into the hole and pressing the tiny button inside. Remember, the router power needs to be on while hard-resetting.
The router should now check if its IP address is static or dynamic, and if you are using PPPoE. If you are using the router to connect to an ISP that assigns static IP address, type in the ISP’s DNS and the address of the gateway. If PPPoE is configured, enter the username and password set by you or your ISP and click Apply. If the router still cannot find its IP address, power off the modem, router and computer. First turn on the modem, wait a minute or so, and then turn the router back on and finally the computer. If you can access the Internet now, no computer on your network should have any problems.

If you still cannot access the Net, try and find the modem’s IP address through the router’s status page, as described in the router’s manual. If you can’t see the IP address of the modem, then there is a problem with your browser settings. The browser’s security settings may be set to high-change this to medium.

Wired Networks

2007-06-22T00:24:00.000+05:30

The most common problem you might face in networking is when you are not able to see other computers on the network. In this situation you need to follow the following steps.
The Device Manager in Windows XPFirst, check if your network card is properly installed. Verify that your network card is properly inserted in the motherboard slot and that the card’s resources are properly set and not conflicting with other hardware. Also check that there are no loose network cable connections. If you have connected your home network to a hub or switch, check if the cables are connected properly and that the hub or switch is powered on. It is important to note that the maximum allowable distance from an adapter to the hub is 100 metres.

To check if the network cable is properly connected to the back of the computer, look if the LEDs on the network card are properly illuminated. If there is a solid green/yellow LED, or if the light is blinking, it indicates that the card is connected and that it is receiving signals from the network.To check if your LAN card is conflicting with other hardware in your computer, open the Device Manger. If the network drivers are not properly installed, there will be a question mark icon in front of the device. You should install the motherboard drivers first, and then the network drivers. If you want to update the network driver, use only the latest drivers from the adapter manufacturer’s Web site.

If you are connecting two computers together without using a hub or switch, make sure you’ve used a crossover cable. Crossover cables can be easily confused with regular cables.

Let’s Play Ping-Pong
If you’ve followed the above steps and still have no luck, check if the network card can ping itself. “Ping” is a diagnostic utility that helps you to find out if the network connection is working properly, and the utility is present in all versions of the Windows and Linux operating systems. In Windows, you can ping your network card by going to Start > Run, typing in “command” and pressing [Enter]. At the command prompt, type in “ping 127.0.0.1” or “ping localhost”. You should see a set of replies from your network card. If you receive an error message, or if transmission fails, then the network card is not physically installed in the computer correctly, or is faulty. If the network card is faulty, get it replaced instead of trying to get it repaired. If you buy a new card, opt for a gigabit Ethernet card instead of the older 10/100 cards.

If your card is properly installed and pings itself, but still cannot see other computers on the network. It’s time to verify that the protocols used are correct and installed on all the computers on the network. Most computers today use TCP/IP as the default protocol, but some network administrators prefer IPX/SPX and NetBEUI.
When specifying the IP values, it is important to make sure that the Subnet Mask must be the same on all the systems connected to the network, and that no two systems have the same IP address. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority has reserved the following three blocks for private networks such as a LAN: 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255, and 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255. So if you are setting up a LAN that’s also connected to the Internet, you can safely use these numbers within your network without causing errors in DNS (Domain Name System) resolving.

If you have firewalls installed on the system, make sure that all ports that are required are open. If you are running a firewall and cannot access the network, try disabling your firewall for a bit and attempt to access your network again.

Note: Ports are gateways for programs on your system. When a browser wants to communicate with a server for Web pages, it does so via port 80. Each program uses certain ports to communicate.

If you still cannot see computers on the network, try to ping other computers. To do this, verify that the TCP/IP protocol is installed on all the computers on the network. At a command
prompt, type in the IP address you want to ping. Let’s say there is a computer on the network with the IP address 192.168.0.2. Then you should type in
“ping 192.168.0.2”
If you get a response from the computer you pinged, it means that you are able to communicate with that computer. If you are still unable to connect or see the network, there may be other network issues.
Another method of isolating issues with your network is using the “tracert” command (“traceroute” for Linux users). To use this command, get to a command prompt and type in the following:
“tracert 192.168.0.2”
Tracing the number of hopsThis will start listing the number of hops between the computer
and network devices. When a device fails, you know it’s that device that is causing the problem.

Note: Hops are the number of intermediates (such as routers) through which data passes from the source (your computer) to the destination (the traced computer) or vice-versa.

Troubleshooting Video Codecs

2007-06-22T00:16:00.000+05:30

Problems
One of the common problems many people face is the inability to play some downloaded movie files or video CDs. There might be an error message stating that a particular codec is missing and needs to be installed before the file can play correctly. In many cases, the player will not give any kind of error message, leaving you mystified. Assuming that your CD and DVD drives are working without trouble, the culprit would be the lack of a supporting codec.

What are codecs?
“Codec” stands for “Compression-Decompression algorithm.” In raw uncompressed form, multimedia files take up a huge amount of space. To minimise the space used, the multimedia video and/or audio files are encoded using a particular codec. When you want to listen to or view the file, a video/audio player decodes the information in the file using the specific compression-decompression algorithm. When a multimedia player (like Windows Media Player, Winamp, etc.) doesn’t play a particular file, the problem is usually that the required codec is missing.

Finding and installing the missing codec
There are millions of codecs with varying efficiencies in encoding and compressing multimedia files. However, there are a limited number of popular video codecs and typically, your movie file/CD should be of one of the types in the list below:

MPEG-1 Part 2: One of the most popular, nearly all computers in the world can play this codec. It is regularly used for video CDs (VCDs) and sometime for online video.

MPEG-2 Part 2: Used in most digital video broadcasting, cable distribution and DVD systems. Also used in another form for SVCD. On DVD, it supports widescreen with good picture quality. It’s not as good on SVCD, but definitely better than VCD. (Note: SVCD can hold 40 minutes of video on a CD whereas VCD can fit 60-70 minutes.)

MPEG-4 Part 2: Relative to MPEG-2, it offers better quality and is intended for use on the Internet and broadcast and storage media.

MPEG-4 Part 10: The current state of the art in standardised compression technology. It is rapidly gaining adoption in many applications, and has been recently adopted in a number of companies’ products including the PlayStation Portable, Nero Digital product suite, and Mac OS X v10.4.

DivX, XviD and 3ivx: Video codec packages using MPEG-4 Part 2, with the *.avi, *.mp4, *.ogm or *.mkv file extension formats.

Sorenson 3: Many movie trailers on the Internet use this codec. It is used by Apple’s popular QuickTime movies, which have the .mov file extension.

WMV (Windows Media Video): Microsoft’s video codec family includes WMV 7, WMV 8, and WMV 9. It can be used right from low-resolution video for dial-up users to HDTV. Files can be written to CD-Rs and DVD-Rs or output to many types of devices. Also useful for Media Center PCs, WMV can be considered a version of the MPEG-4 codec design.

RealVideo: Developed by RealNetworks, a popular codec (.ram file extension) technology a few years ago, now fading in importance for a variety of reasons.

Flash Video: Gaining popularity of late, the Macromedia Flash Video file format (FLV) is becoming a standard on many Web sites. To play back files, a Macromedia Flash Video player is embedded into the Web page. You may need to also get the Flash plug-in for your browser.
Finding out what codec is missing can be a frustrating process if done manually. Thankfully, there are codec information software tools that will do the job for you. Select the multimedia file that is not playing from within the codec information tool, and it will inform you what codec is required to play the file correctly. Some of the tools also give you direct links to download the missing codecs! Take your pick from some of the popular commercial and freeware tools listed below.

VideoInspector (www.kcsoftwares.com/index.php?vtb): This gives direct download links to missing codecs after analysing the file format. Can analyse most file formats such as AVI, MPEG, etc.

Gspot (www.headbands.com/gspot/): Even though it has some features missing that you can find in others, Gspot is a useful tool. It was a pioneer in troubleshooting video applications.

MediaInfo (http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en): An open source alternative to GSpot.

AVICodec (http://avicodec.duby.info): Another useful codec information tool.

Troubleshooting the Video Card / Memory / Driver / BIOS 2

2007-06-22T00:13:00.000+05:30

The screen blanks after it is idle for some time evenwithout the screensaver
Cause: This could be due to the Power Management settings in either Windows or the BIOS. The settings control when the monitor should blank out after a period of inactivity.
Solution: Disable Power Management (ACPI) in the BIOS. If required, disable it in Windows as well. (Right-click on the Desktop, select Properties, and click the Power Management button on the Screen Saver tab).

‘Not Enough Video Memory’ error message comes up
Cause: This message would appear when you have run out of both RAM and virtual memory.
Solution: Increase the virtual memory of your system. Virtual memory should be at least 1.5 times your physical RAM. In Windows XP, right-click My Computer and select Properties. Click the Advanced tab, and click Settings under Performance. Select the Advanced tab. Under Virtual Memory, click Change. Select Custom, and set Initial equal to the amount of RAM you have and Maximum to 1.5 times the RAM you have.

The PC works fine for a few hours and then freezes
Cause: This symptom is typical of overheating. Overheating processors are a major source of PC freezes and crashes. Other than the main processor, the graphics processor can also overheat and bring the entire PC to a grinding halt. Like the CPU, the graphics processor has its own heat sink and fan. An overheating graphics processor would point to some problem with the cooling system.
Solution: Troubleshooting this is similar to troubleshooting an overheating CPU. However, you should eliminate all the other heat generating culprits first: check the power supply, the CPU heat sink, and fan. Once you have eliminated these possibilities, turn your attention to the graphics processor: check the heat sink and fan, it may be that the fan is not working or the heat sink is not fitted snugly on the graphics processor. Check the power connections for the fan and reseat the heat sink to fit it tightly with the processor. Use thermal paste if necessary.

Such graphics cards should have a temperature sensor that can be viewed from within the operating system. This would give you a good indication of whether the card is overheating. Unless you are A graphics processor card with a fan stressing out the system with high-end 3D applications for hours on end, it is unlikely that the graphics card is your source of trouble. In most cases it would be the power supply. But the sudden freeze and shut down is typical of overheating, so look at the CPU and PSU again if you have ruled out the graphics card as the source of the problem.

Troubleshooting the Video Card / Memory / Driver / BIOS 1

2007-06-22T00:02:00.000+05:30

Read This First
Many problems with video (graphics, display, etc.) cards, and general Windows stability, can be due to incorrect software drivers. Before looking anywhere else, ensure that you have the correct drivers for your video card. This will save you many hours of needless frustration. If your card is onboard and part of the motherboard chipset you can visit the motherboard manufacturer’s Web site to download the latest updates for the video drivers, or get it from the motherboard CD. If you have an add-on card, get the latest updates from the card manufacturer’s Web site or the CD that came with the card.

The screen flickers, causing eye strain and fatigue
Cause: The computer ‘paints’ the screen with the image several
times a second—this is known as the refresh rate. If the refresh rate
is set too low, it can cause visible flicker, which can be a strain onthe eyes.
Solution: Right-click on the Desktop, select Properties, go toSettings > Advanced, and look
for the Refresh Rate option in the Properties window for the display adapter that launches.
Increase the refresh rate to the maximum supported level. Note that setting the refresh
rate too high can cause blank screens—you’ll then have to revert to the old setting.

The image is scrambledor jumping, or there arediagonal lines
Cause: The display controls could have ‘pushed’ the image off-screen. It may also be a problem with the refresh rate or the resolution being set too high.
Solution: Adjust the display controls and see if you are able to get back a stable picture. Reduce the refresh rate and/or the resolution. If you are not able to see the screen, reboot and press [F8]. Select Safe Mode from the list of options; Windows will start with a simple driver at a low resolution and low refresh rate. Disable any video drivers (through Device Manager) so that Windows is forced to use its own driver to handle the display when you reboot normally. After rebooting in normal mode, enable the driver and run the Add New Hardware Wizard to redetect your video driver at the basic resolution. Readjust your refresh rates and resolution to below the values that caused the scrambling.

The display is too large or small, or the screen isspilling out
Cause: It could be either that the horizontal, vertical, and other image controls are not adjusted properly, or it could be a problem with the video driver.
Solution: Adjust the image controls of the monitor. Check the screen resolution and try lowering it. Ensure that you have the correct video driver for your video card. Check the options in the video driver software to adjust the screen size.

You think the problem is with the video card, butyou’re not sure exactly what!
There are several possible problems that can’t be directly pinpointed. The most likely causes are resource conflicts or wrong configuration settings. If you recently upgraded or added a component to your system, check that first. Verify everything is installed correctly; that jumpers, if any, are configured properly, and then read on.

Cause 1: If the video card was recently added, it could be a problem with the fixing.
Solution 1: Ensure that the card is seated tightly, firmly and completely in its slot. Power off, remove the card, reseat it properly, and then reboot.

Cause 2: If you have an older card, the chips on the card itself may have come loose.
Solution 2: Carefully press the chips back in. Take care not to touch any exposed circuitry. Moreover, don’t pile on the pressure! A firm but gentle push should push the chips back in.

Cause 3: There maybe a resource conflict with another device using the same IRQ. PCI video cards generally use IRQs 9, 10, 11 or 12.
Solution 3: Remove the video card and reboot. Open Device Manager and verify that at least one of these IRQs are available. Check the video card manual for any jumper settings you need to set to match the IRQ settings of your system.

Cause 4: If the motherboard has an onboard graphics adapter, the
video card may be conflicting with the adapter, and neither will
work.
Solution 4: Disable the onboard video adapter in the BIOS or
through a jumper setting on the motherboard.

Cause 5: The video card is bad.
Solution 5: If you have a similar video card, test the second one on your system. If the second video card works, then you can conclude that your original card is bad. Test your video card on another system. If your card works on the other system then the video card is good and the problem is most likely a resource conflict. In rare cases, it could mean that your video card is not compatible with your PC.

Cause 6: If you just added memory to your video card, this could point to memory incompatibility or faulty insertion.
Solution 6: Remove the memory module and reinsert it properly. Verify you have the correct memory for the card. The memory should be identical to what already exists.

Cause 7: Video BIOS Shadowing may be conflicting with the graphics card.
Solution 7: Disable Video BIOS Shadowing from the BIOS.

Troubleshooting the Monitor

2007-06-21T23:51:00.000+05:30

Modern monitors are especially robust and in most cases, you would upgrade the PC before thinking of changing the monitor. Troubleshooting is relatively easier than the rest of the PC for the simple reason that it is an independent ‘box’ with no user-serviceable parts.

Warning
Do not try to open the monitor yourself. There are high voltages inside, and it is best left to a monitor professional who knows what he is doing.

There’s no power to the monitor
Cause 1: There actually is no power being supplied to the monitor.
Solution 1: By far the most common mistake people make is to forget to check the power cables! Sometimes, when monitors are moved around, the power connectors come off or become loose. Plug all cables in tight and check if the power returns. If it is connected to a UPS or stabiliser, check if there is power supply from that unit. Also check the power cable; try using another cable which you know works, to see if power is restored.

Cause 2: If the power cables are plugged in and there is still no power, the problem is more serious. It could mean that a fuse has blown, or there is a more serious problem with the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube).
Solution 2: If the fuse is accessible from the casing of the monitor, replace it and check. If the fuse blows again, or if it still doesn’t power up, you have a problem with the electrical circuitry inside the monitor. Your only option is to take it in for repairs.

The LED on the monitor glows but the screen is blank
Cause 1: A black screen is displayed.
Solution 1: Another common mistake. Check the brightness and contrast settings. Sometimes the settings are turned way down, giving you a blank screen. Also try the other display controls if changing the brightness and contrast don’t seem to work.

Cause 2: The monitor is incompatible with the PC or the CRT is dead.
Solution 2: If the monitor is being connected to the PC for the first time, it could be that you have a monitor that is incompatible with your PC. Check if the monitor works on another PC. If the monitor doesn’t work on that PC either, then it is most likely some sort of internal failure in the monitor and you will have to get it repaired, if possible. Otherwise, you’ll have to go in for a new monitor.

Cause 3: There might be a problem with the signal between the PC and the monitor.
Solution 3: In most modern monitors, if there is no signal from the video card, there should be a message on the screen saying something like “No Signal.” Absence of any message, however, does not rule out the possibility of a problem with the cable between the monitor and PC. If the monitor works with another PC and the signal cable is detachable (most monitors have the signal cable integrated with the monitor), use a different signal cable.If the signal cable is not detachable you might have to take it in for repairs. Check the other possible problems before you do so. If there is still no picture then this would point to some problem with the video card.

The monitor is producing a high-pitched whine
Cause: This is often noticed in cheaper monitors, and it will become more pronounced with age.
Solution: Try adjusting the brightness and contrast controls, this may reduce the noise somewhat. You can also try ignoring the noise and let it merge with the background, like the hum from your TV. If it is bothersome, take it to repair shop; there might be some components that can be changed to reduce the noise.

The screen is totally white or grey in colour
Cause: There is no signal from the video card.
Solution: Check the signal cable as explained above.

The display is too bright or dim; the contrast is toohigh or low
Cause: The brightness and contrast settings may not be set correctly. The CRT may be wearing out.
Solution: Check the brightness and contrast settings. As the CRT ages, the screen will start to dim. In some cases, your repair shop may be able to tweak the monitor to improve the brightness. Change the lighting in the room so that there is no direct light falling on the monitor. Turn off the monitor when not in use. In any case, this might well be an indication of age catching up with the monitor—time to go shopping!

The screen has a bluish, greenish or purplish tint
Cause: This is usually caused by a break in one of the three colour signals between the video card and the monitor. The problem is especially common in older monitors, and is caused by heat stresses that break the connections between the cable and the circuit board inside the monitor.
Solution: Check the signal cable for kinks, frays and other signs of wear and tear. If the cable is not integrated, have it replaced, else take the monitor to the repair shop and they should replace it for you at very little cost.

The screen twists with wavy lines and the picturebends
Cause: This is caused by electromagnetic interference (EMI) from some other appliance such as a fan, motor, or even other monitors, either very close to the monitor or on the same power circuit.
Solution: Move the other appliance out of range of the monitor or off the same power circuit. If the symptom continues, there could be an EMI problem with the monitor itself. Have it checked at the repair shop.

Images are blurred
Cause: This may be a problem with the display settings of the monitor, or with the signal cable
Solution: Adjust the display. There might be an option called ‘Focus’ or ‘Sharpness’. Adjust that setting. If that doesn’t work, check the cable and its connection to the PC.

There is some irregular discoloration along the edgesof the screen
Cause: This is caused by the magnetisation of the metallic elements on the surface of the CRT. The magnetisation happens because of EMI or due to sudden knocks to the body.
Solution: Cycle through the display controls and select the Degauss option. Degaussing is the process of demagnetising the CRT.

The image disappears and reappears randomly
Cause: This most probably points to an electrical fault.
Solution: Check all the cable connections as well as the video card. The electrical fault may be internal to the monitor; get it checked at a repair shop.

Recovering from a corrupted flash

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Some of the main reasons for flash BIOS corruption are incompatible add-on cards, aborted flash updates due to power fluctuations (laptop users note: don’t flash while on battery, ensure you are plugged into a live wall outlet), or improper BIOS images.
If your flash attempt fails, don’t panic! Such failures are often reliably recoverable, as most newer BIOS codes today include a Boot Block Protection option. A BIOS of this type has two distinct parts. The first Boot Block part contains information needed to initialise only critical system devices such as the floppy drive, processor, memory and ISA video devices. This part is write-protected and cannot be overwritten by flashing. The second part is the flashable part, known as the System Block, and contains all the information needed to initialise other system devices such as video, storage, COM ports, input devices, other peripherals, and performing the POST.
To recover from a corrupted flash, you need to be able to boot into the floppy where you have the flash program and the BIOS file you want to flash. An ISA video card is preferable, but if you do not have one, you can still do it. If you have the ISA card then you will be able to see what you are doing. Reboot the system to the DOS prompt and repeat the steps outlined above for flashing, or the steps specified by your motherboard manufacturer.
If you don’t have an ISA video card, create an autoexec.bat file, which will run when you boot into the DOS system. Use Notepad to a create a single line entry which will contain the flash program name followed by the update file name along with any switches that are specified. For example, the following line should be in the autoexec.bat file to flash an Award BIOS:

a: awd802.exe backup.bin /py /Sb /sn /cc /cp /cd /R.

This instructs the DOS system to run autoexec.bat when the system boots up and run the awd802.exe flash program using the backup.bin BIOS update file. The switches are various options specific to the flash program, with the last switch instructing the program to reboot once flashing is completed.
Copy the autoexec.bat file to the floppy with your flash program and the BIOS update file you want to use. The floppy should only contain the basic DOS system files, and should not have any other files (such as config.sys) that may auto-load on start up and interfere with the flashing.
The example above is for an Award BIOS update. While the parameters will most likely differ for your particular BIOS version, the general approach remains the same:
o Create a DOS system floppy o Copy the flash program and the BIOS update file o Create an autoexec.bat batch file with a single line entry instructing DOS to flash the BIOS when the system starts up
Be sure to read up the manufacturer’s instructions on each switch parameter and how they should be used.

Updating (flashing) the BIOS and other firmware

2007-06-21T23:25:00.000+05:30

Warning

Never Flash The BIOS Unless Absolutely Essential!
In the old days, when you wanted to upgrade/update your BIOS, you had one of two options: change the motherboard or replace the chip with a newer model. With the introduction of EEPROM (Electronically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) it has now become possible to update the BIOS via software.

Taking advantage of the capabilities offered by EEPROM, motherboard manufacturers have begun releasing new versions of the BIOS with greater frequency these days. There are many reasons that an update to the BIOS may be required: the new version offers better stability, compatibility or performance; new technical breakthroughs require new features in the BIOS; a device attached to the computer may not function without the newer version; and increasingly, flashes fix some problems in the earlier version of the BIOS!
Just as the PC motherboard has a BIOS chip, so do other hardware components and peripherals. These include things such as the video card, the CD-ROM/RW, DVD-ROM/RW, etc. Generally, the BIOSes on these are known as firmware. And just as the PC BIOS can be updated, the BIOS of these devices can be updated, too. While we only cover flashing the PC BIOS, the procedure is pretty similar for other firmware. In all cases, make sure you have all the information and the procedure down before the procedure.
Updating, or flashing as it’s popularly known, the BIOS should only be undertaken if everything else fails and you have sufficient reason to believe that flashing your BIOS will help. The golden rule to follow here is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”.

Identify if your BIOS is flashable
The first step is to identify if you have a flashable BIOS. Peel the sticker off the BIOS
chip and note down the The CMOS chip on a motherboard model number. Go to the motherboard manufacturer’s Web site and search for the model and whether it’s flashable. Once you’ve determined that you have a flashable BIOS, we are in business.

Note Down The Current Settings
The next step is to note down all the current BIOS settings. Switch on the PC and enter your BIOS setup. If you have a printer attached and the print screen button works, go to each and every menu page and print out the settings. Otherwise, note it down by hand. In case something goes wrong, you will need to refer to these settings to reset your BIOS.

Get the latest BIOS updates
Once you’ve copied down all your settings, the next step is to identify the latest updates for your BIOS. To do this, go to your motherboard manufacturer’s Web site and look up BIOS updates for your motherboard model, make and number. Download the correct update from the site. Download the flash program (usually a .exe file) that will ‘flash’ the update onto your BIOS chip. Usually, the update and the flash program will be zipped together.

Create two MS-DOS boot floppy disks
Ensure that you’re on a reliable power supply and that your floppy drive is not defective. Copy the flash program to a new floppy disk formatted as an MS-DOS startup disk. (Right click the floppy drive and select ‘Format…’; in Windows 98, select the ‘Copy System Files’ checkbox, in Windows XP, select ‘Create an MS-DOS Startup Disk’). Keep a second formatted disk also ready.

Back up your current BIOS
Ensure that the floppy drive is the first boot device in your BIOS settings. Insert the first floppy and reboot the system. You will taken to a DOS prompt (A:\) from where you should type in the name of the flash program. On the screen that appears, select the option to save your current BIOS to the first floppy disk where you only have the flash program. This will serve as a backup in case something goes wrong with your update and you need to revert to your old BIOS.

(Flashing From Within Windows :
Some motherboard vendors have started offering the option of flashing software that works under Windows. This is usually a program that is specifically designed to work the motherboard and BIOS of that system and makes the process of updating your BIOS much easier. Typically, the software will search the Internet for BIOS updates and guide you through the update process through a Wizard-like interface. This option is safer than the manual process, but only a few motherboard vendors provide this facility. So if you are shopping around for a new motherboard, you might want to consider this feature as one of your requirements.)

Flash the BIOS
Copy the flash program and the BIOS update file to the second floppy disk. Verify that the update file has been copied correctly. Reboot the system with the floppy inserted in the floppy drive. At the A:\ prompt, type out the name of the flash program followed by the BIOS update file name. A screen appears showing you the update file that will be flashed to the BIOS. Confirm it. WAIT will the BIOS is flashed. You will be informed when it is over and asked to exit. Once you are back at the DOS prompt, remove the floppy and reboot the system. If everything has gone off well, you should get the normal POST screen.

Configure the new BIOS

After flashing your BIOS with new version and rebooting, enter the BIOS setup. The first step is to load the factory defaults (or the BIOS setup defaults—the terminology may vary depending on your BIOS). This will ensure that all the new options will default to the factory setting, which under normal circumstances should be safe. After loading the defaults, the next step is to configure the BIOS to your system-specific settings. Pull out the screenshots you printed out (or the settings you wrote down) earlier and key in all the settings there. You may, of course, change any of those settings if you are sure about what you are doing. As a first step, however, it is better to use the old settings and check if system boots up to the OS and your everything is working normally.

(Disable all forms of shadowing. Do not shadow the BIOS while trying to flash it. The BIOS will not be completely written. This applies to video BIOS or any other shadowed BIOS.
Disable the byte merge setting-it can potentially kill your motherboard. Check the manufacturer's site for any other settings that need to be disabled.)

Common Stop Message error codes and suggested resolutions

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These are some of the most common Stop Messages along with their cause and suggested resolution:

Stop Code: STOP 0x0000000A
IRQL_NOT_LESS_EQUAL Code Meaning : Faulty device drivers, or services from backup utilities or virus scanners
Recommended Resolution: Remove, disable or stop the offending drivers, backup utilities or anti-virus programs. Get updated software from the manufacturer.

Stop Code: STOP 0x0000001E
KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED Code Meaning: Some driver files may be causing a problem.

Recommended Resolution: Remove, disable or update the driver-file listed in the error message. Verify if new hardware installation is correct.

Stop Code: STOP 0x00000024
NTFS_FILE_S YSTEM Code Meaning: Usually caused by disk corruption in the NTFS file system or third-party disk defragmenters.

Recommended Resolution: Use hard disk diagnostic software to verify that the hard disk is working. Remember to always Use Microsoft-certified disk defragmenters.

Stop Code: STOP 0x0000002E
DATA_BUS_ERROR Code Meaning: Caused by a parity error in the system memory. Almost always caused by hardware problems—a configuration issue, defective hardware, or incompatible hardware.

Recommended Resolution: If physical RAM was recently added to the system, remove it and see if the error still occurs. If the error persists, try disabling memory caching in the BIOS. Else remove, repair or reinstall the defective hardware.

Stop Code: STOP 0x00000050
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Code Meaning : Caused when requested data is not found in memory; the system checks the page file, but the missing data is identified as unable to be written to the page file Recommended Resolution: Remove any newly-added hardware or run diagnostic software supplied by the manufacturer to check if the component has failed. Install updated device drivers or roll back to a previous driver.

Stop Code: STOP 0x0000007B
INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE Code Meaning: Caused when Windows loses access to the system partition during the Startup process. This can be caused by: an incorrect driver for a SCSI, RAID, or UDMA IDE controller; incorrect ARC path in the Boot.ini; or a failed boot device. Recommended Resolution: Verify that the disk storage device is installed correctly and working. Reinstall or update the device driver. Verify that the BIOS setting for the device is correct. Verify the integrity of the hard disk.

Stop Code: STOP 0x0000007F
UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP Code Meaning: Caused when the CPU generates an error that the kernel does not catch. Usually hardware related—especially RAM. Can also be caused by CPU overclocking, or defective components on the motherboard.
Recommended Resolution:
1. Run the memory diagnostic to test RAM.
2. Restore overclocked settings to previous values.
3. Repair/replace the motherboard.
4. Disable sync negotiation in SCSI BIOS; check SCSI termination.

Stop Code: STOP 0x000000D1
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Code Meaning: Occurs when the system attempts to access pageable memory at a process IRQL that is too high

Recommended Resolution: Very similar to STOP 0xA. Remove, disable or stop the offending drivers, backup utilities or anti-virus programs. Get updated software from the manufacturer.

Stop Code: STOP 0xC000021A
STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED Code Meaning: Caused when the user-mode subsystem (Winlogon or CSRSS) is fatally compromised and security cannot be guaranteed. The most common causes are third-party applications or mismatched system files.
Recommended Resolution:
1. Remove, disable, or roll back any newly-installed device driver.
2. Uninstall any newly-installed software.
3. Use Windows-compatible backup/restore programs.
4. Restore full control permissions to the local SECURITY account on the systemroot folder by doing a fresh parallel installation of Windows on a separate partition.

Troubleshooting the Blue Screen Of Death

2007-06-21T17:36:00.000+05:30

One of the most dreaded error messages for a Windows user is the blue screen, or the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) as it is popularly known, which suddenly pops up informing you that something is seriously wrong with Windows. What this screen essentially means is that Windows has crashed and needs to reboot to recover. Usually, you will be able to recover and continue without any problems, but it can sometimes be a hair-raising experience—like when you’re pressed for time and have to get that PowerPoint presentation ready for your boss!

Windows 9x/ME
In Windows 9x/ME this error is less serious but more common. You can usually recover from the error by simply pressing [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [Del] and restarting the computer, or by switching off the PC and switching it back on. However, the error message will contain very little information that you can use in troubleshooting.

Problems causing the BSOD
The BSOD is the main way for virtual device drivers to report a problem. The error description will state that Windows faced a problem (exception) at a particular memory address (a portion of the RAM) in a certain file, usually with the prefix VxD (virtual device driver), or the file name may have the DLL extension. At the minimum, it indicates that there was a problem with that particular file. Typically, this may have been caused by some action of the user that Windows does not allow—like accessing a document from a floppy and then removing the floppy before closing document. In other cases it may indicate that there is a problem with a particular software or hardware. If the BSOD repeats with the same message, then there is potentially something seriously wrong, and you should investigate further.

The basic approach
Use the file name in the error message to give you a clue as to what is causing the problem. Search the hard disk for the filename and look at the folder in which the file is located to give you an idea of which software program or hardware uses this file. Also search the Internet for any information on this file. Once you have identified the software or hardware associated with the filename, uninstall or remove the software or hardware. Verify that the software or hardware, as the case may be, is compatible with your version of Windows. Get updates if applicable and reinstall it. Also, see the Troubleshooting Startup, Shutdown and Power Management sections in this guide.

System Restore in Windows ME and Windows XP
In addition to the above, Windows ME/XP provides the extremely useful System Restore tool. System Restore takes daily snapshots of the system state—every 10 hours the system is on and every 24 hours of real-time. The snapshot contains all the information required to restore the system to that particular point in time. To restore the system to a previous point in time do the following: o Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System
Restore. o Choose “Restore my computer to an earlier time” and click Next. o On the calendar on the left, choose the last day you remember
that Windows operated without problems. On the right, choose
the Restore Point description; if there are multiple restore points
that day, choose the one you’re most certain about or choose the
latest time. Click Next. o Make sure you’ve closed all open files and running programs, and
click OK. oThe system will roll back to the settings of that restore point and
you can continue working normally.

Windows 2000/XP
Error reporting in Windows 2000/XP is more robust, nevertheless,hen you get a BSOD, it is just as mysterious at first glance. The “Windows Stop Message”, which is the official name for the BSOD, occurs when Windows encounters a problem from which it cannot recover. At this moment Windows stops and displays the error message shown on the screen. Additionally, the contents of the system memory are dumped to a file. This memory dump file can be analysed by competent support technicians to troubleshoot the problem in depth. All the stop errors are numbered according to the circumstances that caused the error. This is a big step up from Windows 9x/ME, where the stop errors were more generalised and hence were much more difficult to troubleshoot.

Problems causing the BSOD
The BSODs are generally associated with five problems faced by Windows:
o Software or device drivers may have a problem
o A hardware device is malfunctioning, or was removed while Windows was running, or does not fully support Windows. On older machines, outdated BIOS information can also cause errors.
o Hardware or hard disk errors during installation of Windows.
o Corrupted startup files, hardware and driver software during Windows startup can also be the cause. This type of error will always require troubleshooting before Windows can start up normally.
o Intermittent errors that appear randomly. These can be caused by an overheating processor, a defective memory system, a dying or dead hard disk, or faulty software and device drivers.

Possible solutions to the BSOD
When a BSOD occurs, the first step is to note down the Stop number, the ‘friendly name’ of the error and also the name of the file that is reported as the cause of the problem. The Stop number will be in hexadecimal format—something like this:

STOP : 0x0000000A (0xDB000000, 0x00000001, 0x00000002, 0xB04FB0DB)

The friendly name will be something like this:
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

If the error comes up very briefly, before you can note it down, and the system restarts, you will need to change a setting to tell Windows not to automatically reboot. Right-click My Computer, select the Advanced tab, and click “Startup and Recovery”, in Windows 2000, clear the “Automatically Reboot” checkbox. In Windows XP, click Settings and clear the “Automatic Restart” checkbox. This, of course, assumes that Windows has rebooted normally and you are able to change the setting.
If you are not able to boot normally, restart Windows and press [F8] repeatedly during the POST cycle. This will take you to the Advanced Options menu. Choose Safe Mode. Windows will attempt to load with a minimum set of drivers. If Windows is able to boot into Safe Mode, this most likely means that the problem is with a particular software, and is not hardware-related. If Windows is not able to boot into Safe Mode, restart the computer, bring up the Advanced Options screen (by pressing [F8] during POST) and select “Last Known Good Configuration”. Windows will then attempt to load the last settings where everything worked normally. If that doesn’t work, then it most likely means you have a serious hardware or critical startup system file error. If this error has occurred after any recent hardware additions, remove the hardware and try to boot again.
If you are able to boot into Safe Mode, first perform a virus and spy-ware scan using a tool such as Norton AntiVirus and Spybot S&D. Uninstall any recently added software, and remove or roll back any updated device drivers. (To roll back device drivers, go to the Properties page of the device in Device Manager, select the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver). In XP, you can perform one additional step—running System Restore, as explained above for Windows ME.
Restart the computer normally and check if the problem recurs. If it is an intermittent problem, and occurs at random, you can note down the error number the next time it occurs, since you disabled Automatic Restart after a crash. Boot into Safe Mode and see if you get the same random error. If you do, then the problem is likely hardware-related. Resolve the issue by following the hardware troubleshooting steps explained below. If the error only occurs in normal mode, then it is likely a software problem. Follow the steps for software and device driver troubleshooting described below.
Look in Device Manager and troubleshoot any hardware device conflicts as explained in the Troubleshooting Hardware Device Conflicts in Windows section. You can remove or disable the device, or roll back its driver to a previous version.
If the BSOD is caused by a faulty program that crashes Windows at system startup, you can disable the software from starting up by using msconfig.exe. Type Start > Run, type in “msconfig” and press [Enter]. Select the Startup tab and disable any or all software you think may be the ones causing the problem. Better still, you could disable all the software in the list, enable them one at a time, and reboot the computer to identify the offending software.
If the BSOD is caused by faulty hardware, remove any recently added hardware—after switching off the PC, of course! If the BSOD still occurs, or there are no newly added hardware, test the RAM for errors by using a memory diagnostic program such as Windows Memory Diagnostic (http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp). See the Memory section of this guide for further information. If the diagnostic reports errors, then you’ve found the culprit. Replace the defective RAM.
If the BSOD is due to corrupt system startup files, you can repair Windows by performing a Repair Install. Boot the PC from the Windows installation CD, press [Enter] to set up Windows XP, press [F8] to accept the license agreement, and then press [R] to start the Repair Installation. Windows will reinstall all the system files and redetect all the hardware. Note: You will have to visit the Windows Update site to reinstall any patches and Service Packs, since the repair installation will remove them.
If you are still getting BSODs, switch off the PC, open the cabinet and remove all but the essential hardware: the mouse, keyboard, hard disk, CD-ROM, display card and RAM, along with the PSU and processor of course! Now, first attempt booting into Safe Mode, and if that works, reboot normally. If you are successful, the problem is with one of the peripheral devices. Add all the peripherals back one by one till you get a BSOD again—the last added peripheral is the culprit.
If you are getting BSODs during installation, then the problem could be with the RAM, hard disk, processor, or one of the peripherals. Test the RAM using a memory diagnostic tool as described above, check the hard disk for errors (most hard disk manufacturers provide software utilities that can diagnose errors), verify that the CPU is not overheating by following the instructions in the Motherboard section of this guide, and remove all peripherals and run the installation with the minimum configuration as described above. If the installation is successful, you can troubleshoot the rest of the hardware devices from within Windows.

Troubleshooting unknown devices in Device Manager (Those with a yellow question mark)

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There are many reasons that a Device Manager will list a device as unknown and hence, there is no foolproof way to troubleshoot the error. Some of the causes for Unknown Device error are:
oThe hardware does not have the requisite software drivers, and Windows is not able to determine the device type

oThe driver is not compatible with the OS and hence it is not able to inform Windows about the hardware. This is common if a Windows 9x/ME driver is installed on Windows 2000/XP.

o Each hardware component should normally communicate a basic device ID to Windows. If the hardware does not have this device ID or Windows does not recognise the device ID of the hardware, then the device is listed as unknown.

o Programs can also install virtual devices. Usually, these virtual devices act as a bridge between the software and some hardware function. Sometimes, device driver software for hardware is installed in a non-standard way. When the hardware along with driver software is removed, all the entries in the Registry are not-deleted.

First, boot the computer into Safe Mode. If the device is no longer listed in Device Manager, then most likely it was a virtual device driver. Next, check the programs loaded at system startup (Start > Programs > Startup). By trial and error, disable each program till you identify the software that is causing the device to be unknown. Uninstall and reinstall the software. If these steps do not work, or if you suspect that the problem is hardware-related, remove hardware devices from your comput-er one at a time until Device Manager no longer lists the unknown device. Or, if you know what hardware is causing the error, verify that the hardware is working and that you have all the correct and updated drivers for the OS. Install the drivers through the Add Hardware Wizard.

Device Manager Error Codes

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Additionally, a problem code explaining the problem is displayed for the device. The next step is to understand what each of these error codes mean and apply the recommended resolution. The list of problem codes and the recommended resolution are as follows:

Code 1
Code Meaning: The device is not configured correctly.
Recommended Resolution: The software drivers for the device have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly configured. Select the Driver tab and click the Update Driver button. This will launch an update Wizard. Follow the instructions and locate the correct driver for the device to install it.
Additionally, you could try removing the device from Device Manager and reinstalling it using the Add Hardware Wizard.
Verify from the hardware documentation/manufacturer’s Web site that the device will work with your OS.

Code 2
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) Depending on the
type of device, this could indicate either a problem with the BIOS
or a problem with loading the device driver.
Recommended Resolution: Check with the BIOS manufacturer for
an updated BIOS. See the BIOS section of this guide on how to
update the BIOS.

OR

Get an updated driver for the device from the manufacturer and
update the device software by clicking Update Driver on the Driver
tab.
AND/OR
Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the
Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 3
Code Meaning: The driver is corrupt or your system is running low on memory and other resources.
Recommended Resolution: Run the Update Driver Wizard and reinstall the driver or get an updated driver from the manufacturer. AND/OR
Close any applications using memory. AND/OR
Add more RAM. See the chapter on Memory on how to do that. AND/OR
Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 4
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) One of the drivers
for the device may have been corrupted, or its Windows Registry
entry may be damaged.
Recommended Resolution: Check the registry by running scan-
regw.exe. Click Start > Run. Type scanregw.exe and hit [Enter]. This
program will check the Registry for corruption and prompt you to
restore a previous good version of the Registry if it encounters any
damaged entries.

AND

Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using Add
Hardware Wizard.

Code 5
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) The device has requested a resource that Windows doesn’t know how to handle. Recommended Resolution: Run the Update Driver Wizard and rein-stall the driver or get an updated driver from the manufacturer.

OR

Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the
Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 6
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) Another device is using a resource that this device needs.
Recommended Resolution: Run msinfo32.exe to get more information on the conflict. Check the Resources tab to get details of the conflict. Refer to the hardware documentation and/or the manufacturer’s Web site for instructions on the correct values that need to be set manually. Clear the Automatic Settings checkbox, click the Change Setting button and input the values.

OR

Run the Update Driver Wizard and reinstall the driver or get an updated driver from the manufacturer. AND/OR
Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 7
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) The drivers need to be reinstalled.
Recommended Resolution: Run the Update Driver Wizard and reinstall the driver or get an updated driver from the manufacturer. AND/OR
Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 8
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) Windows cannot load the basic device loader file that loads the device driver, or it is missing or corrupt, or a software value for the device is missing or corrupt.
Recommended Resolution: Run the Update Driver Wizard and reinstall the driver or get an updated driver from the manufacturer.

AND/OR

Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the
Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 9
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) The BIOS is reporting the resources for this device incorrectly and the Windows Registry is invalid.
Recommended Resolution: Run the Update Driver Wizard and reinstall the driver or get an updated driver and the correct Registry entries from the manufacturer. AND/OR
Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard. OR (as a last resort) Reinstall Windows.

Code 10
Code Meaning: The hardware will report the reason for failure that Windows should display. If the hardware doesn’t report the reason for failure, Windows will say that the device is not present, not working correctly or does not have all the required drivers installed.
Recommended Resolution: If the failure message is present, use that to troubleshoot the problem by referring to the documentation or manufacturer’s Web site. AND/OR
Run the Update Driver Wizard and reinstall the driver or get an updated driver from the manufacturer.

AND/OR

Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 11
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) Windows stopped responding when it tried to start the device, and hence will never try to start this device again.
Recommended Resolution: Run the Update Driver Wizard and reinstall with an updated driver from the manufacturer.

Code 12
Code Meaning: Two devices have been assigned the same I/O port, interrupt or DMA channel. This could be by the BIOS, by Windows, or both. Also, it could be that the BIOS has not allocated enough resources for the device.
Recommended Resolution: Disable one of the devices. (Windows 9x/ME: Double-click, select “Disable in this hardware profile” on the General tab of the property sheet; Windows 2000/XP: Right-click and select Disable)

OR

Check the Resources tab to get details of the conflict. Refer to the hardware documentation and/or the manufacturer’s Web site for instructions on the correct values that need to be set manually. Clear the “Automatic Settings” checkbox, click the “Change Setting” button, and input the values.

AND/OR

Reconfigure the BIOS resource allocation if possible. Refer to the motherboard documentation along with the device documentation.

Code 13
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) Windows did not detect the hardware.
Recommended Resolution: Verify that the hardware is working and that the physical installation is correct. Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for specific installation instructions. AND
Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 14
Code Meaning: The device cannot work properly until the system is
restarted.
Recommended Resolution: Restart the computer.

Code 15
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) The device is causing a resource conflict.
Recommended Resolution: Run msinfo32.exe to get more information on the conflict. Check the Resources tab to get details of the conflict. Refer to the hardware documentation and/or the manufacturer’s Web site for instructions on the correct values that need to be set manually. Clear the “Automatic Settings” checkbox, click the “Change Settings” button, and input the values.

Code 16
Code Meaning: The device is only partially configured and Windows could not find all the resources required by this device.
Recommended Resolution: Run msinfo32.exe to get more information on the conflict. Check the Resources tab to get details of the conflict. Refer to the hardware documentation and/or the manufacturer’s Web site for instructions on the correct values that need to be set manually. Clear the “Automatic Settings” checkbox, click the “Change Settings” button, and input the values.

Code 17
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) The hardware is a multi-function device whose driver file is reporting invalid information on how to split the resources.
Recommended Resolution: Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard. Use an updated device driver if required.

Code 18
Code Meaning: The drivers for this device should be reinstalled.
Recommended Resolution: Select the driver tab and click the “Update Driver” button. Use an updated device driver if required.

Code 19
Code Meaning: A problem with the Windows Registry entry for
this device was detected.
Recommended Resolution: In Windows 9x/ME/2000, run the Registry scanner (scanreg.exe). If this does not solve the problem, run “scanreg.exe /restore”. If this still does not solve the problem, remove the device and reinstall it using the Add New Hardware Wizard.
In Windows XP, run the Troubleshooting Wizard from the General tab of the Device Properties sheet. Click Uninstall and then click “Scan for hardware changes” to reinstall the device. If that doesn’t solve the problem, restart the computer in Safe Mode and select “Last Known Good Configuration”.

Code 20
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) One of the drivers
for this device could not be loaded, and Windows is not able to
interpret the result.
Recommended Resolution: Remove the device from Device
Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 21
Code Meaning: The device is being removed as it has a problem,
and Windows needs to be restarted.
Recommended Resolution: Wait a few seconds and refresh the
Device Manager. If the device still shows, then restart the computer.

Code 22
Code Meaning: The device has either been disabled by a user or has
not started.
Recommended Resolution: Wait a few seconds and refresh the
Device Manager. If the device still shows, then restart the computer.
Trying enabling the device. If that is not possible, remove the
device, reboot the computer and reinstall it using the Add
Hardware Wizard.

Code 23
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) This indicates a problem with the drivers of either the primary or secondary display adaptor. The device loader program delayed loading the device and then did not inform Windows.
Recommended Resolution: Verify that the drivers for all the display adaptors on the computer are correct and updated. Remove the display adaptors and reboot. Windows will automatically detect the adaptors and configure them.
If the device is not a display adaptor, then remove the device and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 24
Code Meaning: Windows couldn’t detect the device. This error may
happen if the device has been set for removal.
Recommended Resolution: Verify that the hardware is working
and that the physical installation is correct. Remove the device
from Device Manager. Reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.
Update the device driver to the latest.

Code 25
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) The device installation has not yet been completed.
Recommended Resolution: Restart the computer. Windows may require to be reinstalled depending on whether the reboot solves the problem or not.

Code 26
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP)
The device did not load or not all the drivers were installed.
Recommended Resolution: Remove the device from Device
Manager. Reinstall using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 27:
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP)
The Windows Registry entry describing the resources for this
device is not valid.
Recommended Resolution: Remove the device from Device
Manager. Reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 28
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) The driver for the device was not installed correctly.
Recommended Resolution: Use the Update Driver Wizard to reinstall the driver. AND/OR
Remove the device from Device Manager. Reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 29
Code Meaning: The device has been disabled in the BIOS, or the device will not work with the version of Windows you are using. Recommended Resolution: Enable the device in the BIOS. Refer to the motherboard documentation for details and see the BIOS section of this guide for further information.

Code 30
Code Meaning: (Not applicable to Windows XP) An IRQ that cannot be shared is being used by this device and another device driver. Recommended Resolution: View the resource conflict in the resources tab, if available. Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for either device and change the IRQ allocation manually. You can do this by clearing the “Automatic Settings” checkbox and clicking the “Change Settings” button.

Code 31
Code Meaning: To function properly, the device depends on another device which is not functioning properly. Most likely the other device will also have a error code.
Recommended Resolution: Troubleshoot the dependant device to enable this device. If they still don’t work, remove them from Device Manager and reinstall them using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 32
Code Meaning: (a) The installation disk/CD-ROM or network location was not accessible to install the device drivers. (b) A driver or service for the device has been disabled.
Recommended Resolution: (a) Restart the computer. If that doesn’t solve the problem, copy the installation files to the hard disk and run the setup program for the device.
(b) Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 33
Code Meaning: (a) The hardware is not responding to the driver software for the device.
(b) The software that determines the resources required by the device has failed.
Recommended Resolution: (a) Obtain an updated driver from the manufacturer. Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard. (b) The hardware might have failed and needs to be replaced.

Code 34
Code Meaning: The device has to be configured manually.
Recommended Resolution: Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for instructions.

Code 35
Code Meaning: The BIOS is missing a resource assignment entry
for the device and needs to be updated.
Recommended Resolution: Obtain and install a new or updated
BIOS from the computer manufacturer or motherboard
manufacturer.

Code 36
Code Meaning: The IRQ configuration has failed.
Recommended Resolution: Refer to the motherboard documentation to see if you can change the IRQ settings in the BIOS. See the BIOS section of this guide for further information.

Code 37
Code Meaning: The driver software failed to load.
Recommended Resolution: Remove the device from Device Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard.

Code 38
Code Meaning: The driver software is already loaded into RAM and
cannot be loaded again.
Recommended Resolution: Restart the computer.

Code 39
Code Meaning: Some or all the drivers could not be loaded as they
may be corrupted or missing.
Recommended Resolution: Remove the device from Device
Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard. Update
the driver if possible.

Code 40
Code Meaning: The driver’s Registry entry is either corrupted or
missing.
Recommended Resolution: Remove the device from Device
Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard. Update
the driver if possible.

Code 41
Code Meaning: This usually happens when Windows cannot
detect non-Plug and Play devices.
Recommended Resolution: Obtain an updated driver for the
device from the manufacturer. Remove the device from Device
Manager and reinstall it using the Add Hardware Wizard. Update
the driver if possible.

Code 42
Code Meaning: A (system bus) driver has created duplicate entries,
or a serial number is discovered in a new location before it is
removed from the old location.
Recommended Resolution: Restart the computer.

Code 43
Code Meaning: One of the drivers controlling the device notified
Windows that the hardware has failed in some manner, and
Windows stopped the device.
Recommended Resolution: Refer to the hardware documentation
or the manufacturer’s Web site to resolve this error.

Code 44
Code Meaning: A software program or system service has shut
down the hardware.
Recommended Resolution: Restart the computer.

Code 45
Code Meaning: The hardware is not connected to the computer.
This error is reported when the computer is set to show all devices
previously connected to the computer.
Recommended Resolution: Reconnect the hardware or ignore the
error. No resolution is necessary.

Code 46
Code Meaning: Windows is not able to access the device as the system is shutting down.
Recommended Resolution: The device should work correctly when the computer restarts.

Code 47
Code Meaning: The device has been prepared for safe removal either by unplugging or pressing an eject button.
Recommended Resolution: Unplug or eject the device and then plug it or insert it back in to bring the device back online. Note: Restarting the computer also brings the device back online.

Code 48
Code Meaning: The driver for the device is known to have problems
with Windows.
Recommended Resolution: Obtain an updated driver from the
device manufacturer and update the driver.

Code 49
Code Meaning: The system hive of the Windows registry has reached its maximum limit and new devices cannot work until the size is reduced.
Recommended Resolution: The system hive contains configuration for the entire computer. Uninstall all device drivers that are no longer in use to reduce the size of the system hive.

Using Device Manager

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The Device Manager utility provides a graphical view of all the hardware installed on the computer along with their associated device drivers and resources. It also acts as a central point to change any hardware settings and update associated device drivers. To access Device Manager on Windows 9x/ME, right-click My Computer and select Properties. Select the Device Manager tab. On Windows 2000/XP, right-click My Computer, select Manage, and click Device Manager in the left pane.
Device Manager will list all the hardware in the PC in a tree structure. You can view devices by device-type or by connection-type. In either view, Device Manager will list the devices causing problems. The problem devices will be listed with any of the following symbols:
o A black exclamation mark (!) in a yellow circle means that the device has a problem. Note: A problem-state device could still be working.
o A red “X” means the device is disabled. That is, it is physically present in the computer and is consuming resources, but does not have a driver loaded.
o A blue “i” on a white circle means that the device’s “Use Automatic Settings” feature is not selected for the device, and that the resources were manually allocated, usually for non-Plug and Play devices. Note: This does not mean that the device is in a problem or disabled state.
o A green question mark (?) in Device Manager means that a compatible (and not the actual) driver for this device is installed, which makes it possible that all the functionality may not be available. Note: This applies only to Windows ME.
o A yellow question mark (?) with “Unknown Device” means that Windows has not recognised the device.
Once you’ve identified the device(s) with problems, double-click on the device to bring up the property page for the device. The property page or sheet has a General tab that shows the details of the device, and its current status (enabled or disabled). Depending on the type of device, there may be additional tabs such as Resources, Driver and Settings.

Installation of Plug and Play Devices

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If the device is a new installation, Windows should detect the
device at startup. One of three things can happen:
1. Windows will already have the required software device drivers and configure the system with or without user prompts
2. Windows will prompt the user for the OS installation CDs to retrieve the required drivers
3. Windows will prompt the user to provide the location for the required drivers supplied by the device manufacturer.
This would be your cue to insert the manufacturer’s CD that came with the device and point Windows to the correct driver installation file for the OS. Alternately, the manufacturer’s installation guide may provide a different method for installation. Example: most USB devices require that you install the software first before connecting the device.
If Windows recognizes the device but you don’t have the manufacturer’s CD, there is a good chance that you can enable basic functionality by using the default Windows drivers. See the section Installation of non-Plug and Play Devices on how to tell Windows to use the default Windows drivers.

Installation of non-Plug and Play devices
If the device is not getting detected by Plug and Play during system startup, this usually means that you have a non-Plug and Play device. If you have the manufacturer’s CD and/or manual, look for installation instructions. Non-Plug and Play devices are usually older, and require manual allocation of resources, usually through setting jumpers or switchers on the device itself. Once you have ensured that the device has been configured as per the manufacturer’s guidelines, boot up and install any software provided by the manufacturer as per the installation guidelines.
If there are no installation guidelines or the device is a second hand component with no documentation or you don’t have the required software drivers, then you can try to force Windows to recognise the device. First try to verify if the physical installation and the jumper/switch settings on the device are correct. Search the Internet for information on how to do this. If you are able to do this, good; if not, don’t worry too much about it and go on to forcing Windows to recognise the device:
1. Click on the Add New Hardware (Windows 9x/ME) / Add Hardware (Windows 2000/XP) in the Control Panel. The Add Hardware Wizard will start up. Click Next.
2. If you have Windows 9x/ME go to Step 3, else go to Step 5.
3. In Windows 9x/ME, the Wizard will inform you that it is going to search for new hardware. Allow it to do so by clicking Next twice. After Windows finishes searching for Plug and Play Devices it will report that no Plug and Play devices are found.
4. Click Next. The first option tells Windows to search for non-Plug and Play devices. If it successfully detects the device, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Otherwise, select “No, I want to select the hardware from a list” and click Next. Go to Step 6.
5. In Windows 2000/XP, select “Add a new hardware device” and click Next. In the next dialog box, you can either ask Windows to search for a driver, or you can install the device manually. For manual device installation, select “Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)”.
6. Select the hardware type from the list and click Next.
7. If you know the name of the device manufacturer, select the name of the manufacturer and browse through the list on the right side to see if your device model number is listed or a generic name for your model series e.g. HP DeskJet for DeskJet printers. If you do not know the name of the manufacturer or the device model number, check if there are standard device types that you can install. If there are no standard types that can be installed, you will need to find a suitable driver by searching the Internet or getting it from other sources.
8. If the device has a standard type, choose the specification closest matching to your device. If the device does not have a standard type, click the “Have Disk…” button and provide the location for the appropriate driver installation file. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

The above steps (for both Plug and Play and non-Plug and Play devices) should normally solve the device conflict and get your hardware operational.

Troubleshooting Hardware Device Conflicts In Windows

2007-06-21T00:19:00.000+05:30

Hardware devices can conflict with each other due to a variety of reasons. Every hardware device installed must be allocated a set of operating system (Windows) resources to operate correctly. These resources include IRQ, DMA (Direct Memory Access), I/O port addresses and memory resources. Some of these resources will be shared by more than one device while others cannot. This depends on the capabilities of the hardware and its software drivers.
Each device installed will have one or more software device drivers that enable the operating system to access and use the device. The software could be provided either by Microsoft itself that will enable basic functionality, or by the device vendor who knows more about the specific model and hence will be able to provide a more tightly integrated device driver.
Normally, Windows Plug and Play will automatically detect the newly-added hardware, determine the system resources required and assign them properly. Plug and Play will also search for the required software drivers and install them transparently. If Plug and Play cannot find the required drivers, it will prompt the user to provide them by inserting the CD/floppy provided by the device manufacturer. Additionally, it will also reconfigure the system resources if required, for example when the newly added device requires some resources already in use.

Device Conflict Symptoms
A hardware conflict may occur when you add a new device to your system. In some instances, this conflict will not cause any problem, and depending on the operating system you may not even be aware that such a conflict exists. Typical symptoms of hardware conflicts include:
o The operating system may freeze frequently
o The new device may suffer performance problems
o An existing device that is conflicting with the new device may
suffer performance problems o Windows starts in Safe Mode
oThe system crashes and you get a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) o The sound card stops working or stutters oThe screen jumps and shows garbled images o The mouse stops working o Modem/network card doesn’t respond o CD/DVD drive doesn’t respond or crashes the system

Problems causing conflicts
A wide range of problems may be causing the above and other symptoms. Assuming that the hardware is not defective and has been installed correctly, at the operating system level the problems can be broadly classified as follows:
o There could be a resource allocation (IRQ/memory address) conflict. Two devices are allocated the same IRQ/memory address space. Usually, non-Plug and Play devices would give this problem. Since Windows is unable to detect these devices it may not allocate the resources properly and hence cause conflicts with an existing device.
Note: Some devices, such as PCI devices, can share a single IRQ without conflicts in Windows 2000/XP.
o The software device drivers may not be compatible with the operating system, or may have been corrupted, or may not have been installed. If you have recently upgraded from Windows 95/98, this would usually be the problem.
o A new software program installed is trying to use system resources allocated to other hardware devices or software programs.

Resolving conflicts
With thousands of devices that work with Windows operating systems, it is practically impossible to describe all scenario specific solutions. What remains is to describe a strategy that will help you identify and resolve the problem.
The first step is to determine that the problem is really a hardware conflict at the OS level and not something caused by an incorrect physical installation. If you are able to normally boot into the OS, this would probably mean that the physical installation is fine. However, you cannot be certain at this stage. Try accessing the device. If the system hangs, crashes or starts acting weird, then it is pretty safe to assume that the physical installation is fine and the problem is because of the operating system’s interaction with the device. However, just to be on the safe side, power off and inspect the device for proper installation.
If everything seems correct, verify that you have followed the installation procedure as described in the manufacturer’s manual, have all the required software driver CDs and/or floppies on hand and switch the PC on.

Troubleshootin Shutdown Problems

2007-06-19T22:08:00.000+05:30

► Problem: When you click on “Shut down”, XP reboots!
Cause: Windows XP, by default, is configured to restart in case of an error. This behavior may occur if an error is generated during the shutdown process. It could be either hardware or a software problem.
Solution: Disable Automatic Restart. Right-click My Computer. Select Properties > Advanced > Settings > Startup and Recovery. Clear the “Automatically Restart” checkbox. Shut down the computer and see if you get an error message or a BSOD. Follow the troubleshooting steps explained earlier in the BSOD section of this guide. If there is no error message or BSOD, check your hardware. Some of the most common culprits are CD-Writing software suites (Roxio, Nero, etc.), some specialty keyboards such as Internet keyboards, USB devices, and power management settings. Check the drivers for all the hardware devices and update them if possible. Unplug the hardware devices one by one and go through the shutdown process to isolate the device. Check the power management settings and switch to the “Always On” option. Troubleshoot problems with Windows system services as explained earlier in this chapter.

► Problem: The system hangs at the “Saving your settings” screen.
Cause: This is a known issue in older XP releases, and can bepatched by upgrading to Service Pack 1. Also, some software drivers “lock” during the shutdown process, preventing Windows XPfrom shutting down completely.
Solution: Upgrade your system to at least Service Pack 1. Update the
device drivers. If the problem persists, uninstall problematic devices through Device Manager and all their associated software, and restart the computer. Windows XP will auto-detect the hardware and ask you to provide the location for the software drivers. Specify the location of the new drivers and let Windows complete the installation. Some devices may require a firmware update. See the Updating the BIOS section of this guide to understand the general principles on how it is done. Refer to the manufacturer’s Web site for details on the exact steps to be followed.

► Problem: A BSOD during shutdown.
Cause: This is most likely a problem with the hardware; it may also be caused by rogue software or problems with system services.
Solution: Note down the stop message error code and the friendly name. Refer to the Troubleshooting BSODs section for general principles on how to troubleshoot the problem. Troubleshoot problems with Windows system services as explained earlier in this chapter.

► Problem: Shutdown is very slow.
Cause: Windows is waiting for all running programs and services to stop before shutting down.
Solution: In XP, many programs (including Windows itself) install services that run in the background, waiting for some action from the user. Some of these may take a long time to shut themselves down after receiving the Shutdown command from Windows. Identifying the service or services causing this problem will mostly be a trial and error process. If you have installed some software recently it might have a service that is slow in exiting and is delaying the shutdown process.
To find out the list of services that are running on your system, click Start > Run, type in “services.msc” and click OK. This launches the Services Manager. Look through the list and identify any services related to software you have recently installed.
Stop the services one at a time and shut down the system till you identify the offending service. Restart all the other services and shutdown again just to make doubly sure you’ve stopped the right service. Note: Ensure that you don’t stop any Windows systems services and other essential services. Stopping critical and essential services will cause more problems. Also, you should be aware that if you stop a service related to any software you have installed, that particular software may not function correctly or not function at all. Check the vendor’s Web site for more details on the issue and any updates to correct it.

Troubleshooting startup problems

2007-06-19T21:33:00.000+05:30

There are many sources of problems that could give you Startup troubles. These include (but are not limited to): defective, incompatible, or incorrectly configured hardware, incompatible (software) device drivers, or a recently installed program.
► Problem: Your screen remains blank when you switch on the PC. Cause: That you are not able to even get the BIOS POST screen indicates a problem with basic hardware.
Solution: Look at the other sections in this guide. Work through the PSU, video card, and motherboard troubleshooting sections before checking the other components.
► Problem: After the POST screen, the system hangs.Cause: Again, more hardware related problems. This time theculprit could be the video card.
Solution: Work through the video card troubleshooting section before checking the other components.
► Problem: Your XP computer stops responding at startup.Cause 1: A device driver or a recently installed software or serviceis stopping Windows from booting up normally. There has been acorruption in the Windows registry.
Solution 1a: Restart the computer and log into XP in Safe Mode. Open Device Manager and look for any problematic devices. Ensure that any jumper settings on the hardware are properly set. If the hardware is properly configured and you are still facing the problem, then it may mean that the device driver for the hardware needs to be updated. Remove the device through Device Manager and reboot normally. Obtain the updated device drivers for the hardware (through the Internet, a CD, etc.). Run the Add Hardware Wizard and reinstall the device drivers.
Solution 1b: Reboot the computer in Safe Mode. If the problem is not related to hardware, or you don’t see any problematic devices in Device Manager, run the System Restore utility to roll back the computer to a previous time when you know it was working normally.
Solution 1c: If System Restore doesn’t get your computer to start normally, get to the Windows Advanced Options menu and select “Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)”. Windows XP will start the computer using the Registry information from the last shutdown.
Solution 1d: If the Last Known Good Configuration does not work, then your final course of action is to do an in-place upgrade. Run the Windows XP Setup program from your installation CD. Refer to the Upgrading Windows XP from Windows 98 section of this guide. The steps are similar.
Solution 1e: If you suspect that a recently installed system service is causing this problem, stop the service by following the steps outlined earlier.

Cause 2: The BIOS settings are incorrect.
Solution 2: Restart the computer and enter the BIOS setup screen. If you have changed any settings, restore them to the previous values. If you are not sure about the previous values or haven’t changed the settings, select the Load Fail-safe Defaults (this could also be “Factory Defaults”, “BIOS Setup Defaults”, etc.) option and reboot.
Cause 3: There might be a hard disk failure or data corruption in the boot records
Solution 3: Insert the Windows XP installation CD and restart the computer. On the “Welcome to Setup” screen, press [R] to start the Recovery Console. You will be prompted for the administrator password. Type in the password, or if the password is blank, hit [Enter]. At the command prompt, type in “chkdsk”. This will run the Checkdisk utility that will scan the hard disk for any faults. Checkdisk may report a hardware failure or errors on your disk. If it does, it is best to take your PC to a repair professional.

► Problem: You receive an error message when Windows XP starts. Cause: A recently installed file or service or software program is incompatible with Windows XP and is preventing it from starting. Look carefully at the error message. If a file or service name is referred to in the error message, then you can troubleshoot by either clean booting or by stopping the service.
Solution 1a: To perform a clean boot in Windows XP, use the following steps:
1. Start the system configuration tool by going to Start > Run, typing in “msconfig”, and pressing [Enter]
2. Click Selective Startup and clear the following checkboxes: “Process System.ini File”, “Process Win.ini File”, and “Load Startup Items”.
3. Select the Services tab and click the “Hide All Microsoft Services” checkbox, and then select “Disable All”.
4. Click OK and then “Restart” to restart your system.
5.When Windows restarts, if the error doesn’t occur, re-open “msconfig” and check the “Process System.ini File” checkbox, click OK and restart your computer. If the error returns, you know that the problem is with one of the System.ini entries. If the error doesn’t occur, progressively enable the remaining checkboxes (“Process Win.ini File”, “Load Startup Items”, and “Load System Services”). Restart the computer after you enable each checkbox till the error occurs again. 6. Once you have identified the area in which the error occurs, disable the entry or stop/disable the service as the case may be.
Solution 1b: If you are unable to perform a clean boot to trou-bleshoot the problem and you know the name of the service, then start the Recovery Console as explained earlier. From the command prompt, change to the System32 folder. Type in “listsvc” at the command prompt in the System32 folder. A list of all services on your computer will be displayed. Locate the service name that is causing the error. Type “disable ” and press [Enter].
The computer will print a message listing the “start type” that is being shut down. Note it down in case you need to re-enable the service. Type “exit” and allow the computer to restart normally.
Solution 1c: If you recently installed a program that is causing this error, remove the program. If the program is not listed in the Add/Remove list, you’ll have to visit the developer’s Web site for instructions on how to remove the program.
► Problem: After an upgrade, programs that loaded during start up do not start.
Cause: This symptom is noticed when you log in for the first time after upgrading from Windows 98 or ME. Windows XP will remove all programs from the startup list, which it ‘feels’ are not compatible.
Solution: Click Start > Run, type in “msconfig” and press [Enter]. Click the Startup tab. Select the “Restore Startup Programs” option and click OK. Restart the computer. (This option won’t be available if Windows XP Setup did not disable any startup programs.)

User-Configurable BIOS settings

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Using the BIOS setup, you can configure and change the settings of many hardware components. Some of the settings can give you performance boosts if done right. If done wrong, they can cause rapid overheating and can fry your system. While we have tried to keep everything as accurate as possible, it should be noted that the BIOS options in your system may radically differ from what we have described here. Also, we cannot be sure on how these options are implemented in your system.
Make any changes one at a time or in the smallest increments. Test system stability by booting into Windows and working on it for 5 to 10 minutes after each change. If the system becomes unstable, revert to the previous settings. Using these settings is at your own risk!

Memory Options
15M—16M Memory Hole / Memory Hole
Options: Enabled, Disabled
Recommended Setting: Disabled
Explanation: Older ISA cards used the 15th megabyte of memory
for their own purposes. Modern EISA, PnP-ISA and PCI cards don’t
need this, with one exception: Sound Blaster PCI128 and Sound
Blaster Live cards. If you have these cards, leave this enabled.

Autodetect DIMM/PCI Clock
Options: Enabled, Disabled
Recommended Setting: Enabled
Explanation: Turns off unused slots. It may also slightly reduce
power usage.

Bank Interleave Options: Disabled
2-Way, 4-Way
Recommended Setting: Depends on the memory modules you have.
Explanation: Interleaving requests to different RAM banks can give you a performance boost. 64 MB and lower RAM modules have two banks. Larger modules have four banks. Check your RAM modules and decide.

Data Integrity Mode
Options: ECC, Non-ECC
Recommended Setting: ECC
Explanation: Both the chipset (motherboard) and the RAM have to
support ECC. If you don’t know, then it should be set to Non-ECC.

Delay DRAM Read Latch Options: Auto, No Delay, 0.5ns, 1.0ns, 1.5ns
Recommended Setting: Depends on the memory modules you have.
Explanation: Tweaks for high RAM loads. Two-sided 256MB modules are high-load, one-sided memory modules are not. For lower RAM loads, set it at No Delay. For high RAM loads, you need to increase the delay. If you are getting crashes after you install new RAM, this is the first place to look.

DRAM CAS Latency Time / DRAM Cycle Length
Options: 2, 2.5, 3
Recommended Setting: Depends on the memory modules
you have.
Explanation: CAS latency is part of the wait between the chipset
requesting data and the RAM modules getting ready to send it.
Shorter delays are better. A lower number is therefore better if
your RAM is able to handle it. 2.5 is only available with DDR RAM.

Fast R-W Turnaround
Options: Enabled, Disabled
Recommended Setting: Depends on system stability
Explanation: When the CPU switches from reading to writing there is a delay. Enabling it reduces the delay. Disable it if it causes system instability.

Force 4-Way Interleave
Options: Enable, Disable
Recommended Setting: Disabled
Explanation: This is supposed to force the chipset to use 4-way
interleave even if it does not detect it. The chipset will most likely
turn on 4-way interleave if it is specified in the Bank Interleaving
setting, so you can leave this disabled.

MD Driving Strength/Memory Data Drive
Options: Low, High
Recommended Setting: Depends on the memory modules
you have.
Explanation: Change from low to high if the signal strength,
under high RAM Load, is insufficient. Changing this setting may
affect system stability.

Read Around Write
Options: Enabled, Disabled
Recommended Setting: Enabled
Explanation: Out-of-order read-write commands result in higher
performance.

Read Wait State/Read Latency
Options: 0, 1
Recommended Setting: 0 if there is no instability.
Explanation: When a device reads from the RAM, the chipset holds the data for one cycle. Setting it to zero cycles increases performance, but the device may not be ready to receive the data-resulting in instability.
Refresh Interval/Refresh Mode Select Options: 7.8 µsec, 15.6 µsec, 31.2 µsec, 64 µsec, 128 µsec Recommended Setting: 128 µsec; depends on the memory modules you have.
Explanation: Every cell in SDRAM and DDR are refreshed every 64 milliseconds. But trying to refresh everything together will result in a power surge which is not good, so it is staggered. 128 MB and smaller modules are refreshed every 15.6 microseconds. 256 MB modules every 7.8 microseconds (µsec). Today’s RAM modules can handle more than the recommended 64 µsec between refreshes. A setting of 128 µsec increases performance and reduces power consumption.

SDRAM Command Leadoff
Options: 3, 4
Recommended Setting: Depends on system stability
Explanation: 3 is better.

SDRAM Idle Limit/SDRAM Idle Timer
Options: Disabled, 0 cycles, 8 cycles, 12 cycles, 16 cycles, 24 cycles,
32 cycles, 48 cycles
Recommended Setting: 12 cycles for less than 512 MB, 32 cycles for
all others
Explanation: The idle time before SDRAM recharge. Higher values
postpone the recharge and reduce RAM latency. Use this together
with the Refresh Interval setting for best results.

SDRAM Precharge Control/SDRAM Page Control
Options: Enabled, Disabled
Recommended Setting: Enabled. Disable it if there is instability.
Explanation: This checks whether the RAM or the chipset
should control the refreshing. Enable for RAM to control the
refresh. Can cause instability with large amounts of RAM or
poor-quality RAM.

Video RAM Cacheable
Options: Enabled, Disabled
Recommended Setting: Disabled
Explanation: Enabling this causes video data to be cached in the
L2 cache. Can cause a performance bottleneck when enabled.

General BIOS Problems

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Problem: The BIOS fails to detect the hard disk(s), CD-ROM, floppy drive, etc.
Cause: All of a sudden, hard drives and floppies disappear from the list of devices, or you cannot boot because the BIOS declares that you have no hard drive!
Solution: The most common reason for this error is a bad or loosely connected cable or incorrect jumper settings on the device. Check all the cable connections to the device. Ensure that the data cable and the power cable are properly plugged in both to the device and to the motherboard. Next, check the jumper settings. If two disks are connected to a single port, make sure one is set to Master and the other to Slave. Also check the BIOS setup program and ensure that IDE controllers are enabled. Go to the Integrated Peripherals menu and confirm that the Primary and Secondary Channels are enabled. If you are not comfortable changing individual values, reset the settings using the “Load Fail-safe (or Factory) Defaults” option.

Problem: After powering off the PC and switching it back onafter a few hours, the time has changed
Cause: The CMOS battery powers the real-time clock. This symptom indicates that the battery is dying. In rare cases, it could also mean there’s a problem with the battery port of the CMOS. Solution: Replace the battery. If the symptom persists, there’s a good chance that the battery port is damaged. In this latter case, you may need to replace the motherboard! Get it checked by a computer technician first.

Problem: An error message says there is a problem with IRQ, I/Oport, DMA configuration or resource allocation, and refers totroubleshooting the BIOS
Cause: The BIOS configures and allocates resources to the IRQ,and I/O ports. In most BIOSes, this allocation cannot be changed or modified by the user. Some BIOSes may provide a “soft menu” to change these allocations.
Solution: It’s preferable to get the BIOS checked by a computer engineer. Use the “Load Fail-safe (Factory) Defaults” options in the setup menu. If a soft menu is available, ensure you read up the associated documentation before changing any settings.

Problem: An error message asks to update the BIOS
Cause: The BIOS firmware does not support the device without an
update.
Solution: See the Updating the BIOS section

The PC freezes or reboots suddenly

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1. This could indicate a failing PSU that is not supplying power correctly to the motherboard. You may be able to get the PSU serviced but in most cases you will be better off getting a new power supply.
2. This could be due to overheating of the PSU or CPU: If the PSU is overheating, the metal cabinet may be hot to touch or you might get a shock. Shut off immediately. Check if the PSU fan is working, clean or replace the fan if not working or spinning very slowly. If it’s a faulty PSU you may be able to service it.
If the PSU seems normal it might be due to an overheating CPU.

The PC freezes or reboots suddenly

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There is a squealing/whistling/whining noise when the PC starts

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This could indicate either a problem with the fan, which has accumulated dirt over time, or one of the internal components of the PSU. Switch on the PC and listen carefully to confirm that it’s the PSU fan and not the CPU fan or the hard disk. Usually, the noise will stop once the fan picks up speed, and you can ignore it temporarily. It’s a good idea, however, to clean out the dirt around the PSU fan using a PC vacuum. This will increase the working life of the PSU fan as well as the PSU itself. If the fan stops working, the PSU will generate heat and cause more trouble. So a little prevention will save you a lot of headaches later.
If the sound is not from the fan but from within the PSU itself, then you may be able to service it. A PSU has no ‘user-serviceable’ parts, and it’s best left to a competent technician, although in most cases of component failure, you will have to replace the PSU.

There is a squealing/whistling/whining noise when the PC starts

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The PC powers on and runs POST but there is no display

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This may be a display card problem and not related to the PSU.

The PC powers on and runs POST but there is no display

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This may be a display card problem and not related to the PSU.

The PC powers on, beeps and stops. No Power On Self Test (POST) messages.

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This may be a motherboard problem and not related to the PSU.

The PC powers on, beeps and stops. No Power On Self Test (POST) messages.

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This may be a motherboard problem and not related to the PSU.

The PC powers on, beeps and stops. No Power On Self

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The PC powers on but nothing happens after that (no beep)

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1. This may be due to the addition of new hardware that is overtaxing the power supply. Remove the last hardware component installed and check again.
2. A defective hard disk or one that is not plugged in correctly: Check the power cable to the hard disk. Sometimes it may not be fully plugged in. Check the hard disk on another system.

The PC powers on but nothing happens after that (no beep)

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The PC powers on after the second or third try

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The mostly likely problem is that the power_ok (or power_good) signal is sent before the power supply has stabilised. Get a better quality PSU. In modern PCs, the power switch is a logic device that tells the PSU to supply full power to the motherboard. The power_ok signal tells the motherboard that the power supply is available and stable. If the signal is sent too soon the motherboard does not recognize it and stays off to protect itself. This can happen in lower-quality PSUs. Booting more than once is not recommended, and you will be better off getting a better PSU.

The PC powers on after the second or third try

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Troubleshooting Power Supply Units (PSUs)

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Among all the PC components, the power supply is the most dangerous. It converts the 240V wall voltage into smaller 12V, 5V and 3.3V DC allocations required by the PC. Usually, the power supply comes with the cabinet and is backed by a warranty so you shouldn’t have problems. However, it pays to be careful and take the extra effort to verify the quality of the power supply. If you are purchasing it separately, opt for a brand name. Check around with your friends, the Internet and other system A PSU with all its connectors builders. Horror stories of faulty PSUs
that blow up and ruin entire PCs are common, so be careful. A good quality PSU will not only give your system a long life span, it will also help reduce the noise and heat generated inside the cabinet. Some common problems you may face with PSUs are:
The power doesn’t come on
1. No power from the wall socket: Use a live power outlet. In rare cases, the power cable may be defective and may require replacement. Check the power cable on another working PC. Plug in a lamp or any other electric device to see if you have a live outlet.
2. Incorrect voltage setting on the PSU: Select the proper voltage setting (220-240V) on the back of the PSU. WARNING: If you have switched on the PC with the voltage set to 110-120V and with a mains supply of 240V you may have blown your PSU beyond repair at worst or blown a fuse at best. Be careful!
3. The front panel power switch’s connector to the motherboard is not fixed correctly or has come off or is defective: Check the motherboard manual and fix the lead (wires) from the front panel switch to the motherboard correctly. If there is still no power, try a different lead.
4. The front panel power switch is defective: Replace the switch. In case you do not want to get a replacement, one option is to use the reset button. The only problem with this is that to cut the power to the system in case of system hangs etc., you will have to switch off the power from the mains wall outlet rather than from the front panel.
5. Tsupply connections to the motherboard are not correct:Check the power Check the power connections from the PSU to the motherboard. Refer to the motherboard manual and identify the correct connection points.
6. Not identified; non-PSU related problem: After attempting all the above, if the system still doesn’t power up, it is time to look elsewhere.
Disconnect all the drives and see if it is powering up. (Note: Pull out the power cord when removing or disconnecting something.)
If the system is powering up, then start reconnecting the drives one by one to identify which is defective drive.
If the system is not powering with all drives disconnected, remove the other adaptors one at a time and checking to see if it is powering up. Leave the video adaptor for the last.
If you are able to isolate the problem to one of the adaptor cards, verify that the slot and the adaptor cards are compatible. Then try plugging it into a different slot and see if the system powers up before discarding it and going for a new one.
If the system is still not powering up, then you either have a defective PSU or a defective motherboard. If there is a burnt smell, then most probably either one of them has been fried. Look for burn marks on the motherboard. Sometimes the PSU and motherboard may be incompatible. If the motherboard looks fine, replace the PSU, since it’s cheaper!
Check the relevant sections of this guide for troubleshooting hints for the other components.

Don’t Be Careless

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Don’t Be Careless
When working with hardware, the first thing is to ground yourself properly. Whenever you are tinkering under the hood, have an antistatic wrist strap hooked up. If you don’t have one, stop what you are doing and go buy one now! Never, ever, work without protecting your delicate electronic components from static. A tiny shot of static can fry your CPU, RAM and even the motherboard.
Computer components have highly complex and delicate electronics. When working with an exposed and live motherboard don’t try to take shortcuts, keep the area clear of other electricity conductors, an accidental short can just as well fry your PC components. The same goes for leaving components lying around on the floor, or on the edge of the shelf—you could accidentally step on or drop them. Also take care to not drop things onto the motherboard, bend any components or touch anything you shouldn’t.

Don’t Be Careless

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BIOS Beep Codes

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BIOS Beep Codes
When your system has a problem that won’t let it start up properly, the first thing you will hear is warning beeps. These could be because of hardware or even because of the BIOS itself.
Unfortunately, beep codes are not standardised across BIOS vendors and motherboard manufacturers. Below are mentioned the beep codes, along with the possible problem that could be causing the beep, and some suggestions towards resolution. These are for two popular BIOS vendors—AMI and Award. If your BIOS is from any other vendor, you will need to refer to the motherboard manufacturer’s or the BIOS vendor’s manual for details.
Also, motherboard manufacturers may modify the beep codes to their convenience and not maintain consistency. Keep an open mind when you decipher the beep, and don’t get into a tizzy if the codes don’t match what is in here or in the BIOS vendor’s manual! You should always try and contact the manufacturer to get the correct beep codes.

AMIBIOS (American Megatrends Inc.)

One beep: RAM failure
Problem: Motherboard problem or failed RAM.
Solution: Troubleshoot the motherboard and/or the RAM.

Two beeps: Parity Circuit Failure
Problem: Motherboard problem or failed RAM.
Solution: Troubleshoot the motherboard and/or the RAM.

Three beeps: Base 64K RAM failure
Problem: There is a failure within the first 64K of memory.
Solution: Troubleshoot the motherboard and/or the RAM.

Four beeps: System Timer Failure
Problem: One or more of the system timers on the motherboard
has failed; usually indicates motherboard failure.
Solution: Troubleshoot the motherboard. You may need to replace it.

Five beeps: Processor Failure
Problem: The processor is generating an error condition. This does not mean that the processor is not working—with a dead processor, the computer won’t boot at all.
Solution: Check if the processor is overheating, and whether it is set correctly on the motherboard. Troubleshoot the motherboard.

Six beeps: Keyboard controller or gate A20 failure

Problem: Keyboard, keyboard controller or motherboard error.

Solution: Check if the keyboard is connected properly. Use another keyboard to see if the problem persists. If it does, look for the keyboard controller chip on the motherboard and see if it is seated properly and that it is not damaged. If the problem continues, troubleshoot the motherboard.

Seven beeps: Virtual mode exception error
Problem: This error is reported when testing the processor’s virtual mode. Solution: Troubleshoot the motherboard/processor. Verify that all jumpers are properly configured.

Eight beeps: Display memory read/write failure
Problem: The BIOS is not able to read/write the display card’s
memory.
Solution: Troubleshoot the motherboard and/or display card.

Nine beeps: BIOS’ ROM checksum failure
Problem: The BIOS CMOS chip is most likely defective. May also be a problem with the motherboard.
Solution: The CMOS chip can be replaced, but replacing the motherboard is simpler and more cost-effective.

10 beeps: CMOS shutdown register read/write error
Problem: A motherboard component is creating an error when interacting with the CMOS.
Solution: Troubleshoot the motherboard and verify that all components are properly set up and configured.

11 beeps: Cache memory error
Problem: There is an problem with the processor’s L2 cache.

Solution: Verify that the L2 cache chip is inserted correctly. Verify that all connections inside the PC are correct. Replace the cache module if the problem persists.

Continuous beeps: Video / Memory problem
Problem: A problem with the RAM, display card or motherboard.

Solution: Troubleshoot the RAM first, followed by the display card and then the motherboard.

Other beeps: Check motherboard manual
Problem: Check the motherboard manual or the vendor’s Web site for more information. Treat it as a motherboard problem.

Solution: Troubleshoot the motherboard.

Award BIOSAward has the least number of documented beep codes. They prefer to display an error message on the screen. Beep codes are used only if the BIOS can’t access the display subsystem.

One long beep: Memory problem
Problem: A problem with the memory or motherboard

Solution: Troubleshoot the memory and the motherboard

One long and two short beeps: Video error
Problem: The BIOS is not able to access the video sub-system

Solution: Troubleshoot the video card, and if the problem persists, go on to the motherboard.

One long and three short beeps: Video error
Problem: The BIOS is not able to access the video sub-system

Solution: Troubleshoot the video card, and the if problem persists, go on to the motherboard.

Continuous beeps: Video / memory problem
Problem: There is a problem with the RAM, display card or
motherboard.
Solution: Troubleshoot the RAM first, followed by the display card
and then the motherboard.

Other beeps: Check the motherboard manual
Problem: Check the motherboard manual or the vendor’s Web site for more information. Treat it as a motherboard problem.

Solution: Check the motherboard manual. Troubleshoot the motherboard.

Troubleshooting TCP/IP

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Troubleshooting TCP/IP - Detailed Steps
This article shows how to troubleshoot TCP/IP connectivity between computers on a Windows network. If you haven’t already done so, disable XP’s Internet Connection Firewall on all local area network connections, and remove all firewall programs on the network. Improperly configured firewalls are the most common cause of TCP/IP problems.

Open a Command Prompt Window
For many of these steps, you’ll be typing at the command prompt. To open a command prompt window in Windows 2000 or XP, click Start Run, type cmd in the box, and click OK. To open a command prompt window in Windows 95, 98, or Me, click Start Run, type command in the box, and click OK. Type one command per line, and press Enter after each one to execute it. To close the command prompt window, use the exit command.

Determine the TCP/IP Settings
Determine the TCP/IP settings of each computer on the local area network. In XP, open the Network Connections folder, right click the LAN connection, and click Status Support Details. For example, here are the Status and Details views for the LAN connection on an Internet Connection Sharing host.
In Windows 95/98/Me, click Start Run, type winipcfg in the box, and click OK. Select the LAN adapter from the menu, and click More Info.
You can also see the TCP/IP settings from the command prompt. This is especially convenient if a computer has more than one network adapter. Use the ipconfig /all command, which is available in all versions except Windows 95. The output from this command can be long, so it’s best to write it to a file. Specify the file name in the command this way:
ipconfig /all >ipconfig.txt

Description of TCP/IP Settings
Here are the TCP/IP settings that are used in network troubleshooting:
IP Address – Unique address assigned to a network adapter. A computer with multiple network adapters has an IP address for each one, and each one must be in a different subnet.
Subnet Mask – Used in conjunction with the IP address to determine which subnet an adapter belongs to. At the simplest level, communication is only possible between two network adapters when they’re in the same subnet.
Default Gateway - IP address of a computer or router, on one of this computer’s local area networks, that knows how to communicate with subnets not present on this computer. For an Internet connection, the default gateway is a router belonging to your Internet service provider, and all access to sites on the Internet goes through it. For an ICS client, the default gateway is the ICS host. If you use a hardware router, it serves as the default gateway.
DHCP Server – If an adapter is configured to obtain an IP address automatically, this is the address of the server that provides it. It could be your ISP, an ICS host, or a hardware router.
DNS Servers – IP address of one or more Domain Name Server computers. DNS servers translate Internet names (like http://www.practicallynetworked.com/) to their IP addresses (like 63.146.109.227).

Subnets
See our article on subnets for a brief description of how they work. For more details, see this Microsoft Knowledge Base article.
If two computers are supposed to be on the same subnet, but aren’t, something is wrong with the network hardware or software configuration. This is most likely to happen when one of them receives an IP address of 169.254.x.x, which indicates that:
It’s configured to obtain an IP address automatically.
It couldn’t find a DHPC server on the network to make the assignment.
Windows assigned it an Automatic Private IP Address.
See our article on Specific Networking Problems and Their Solutions for more information.

Pinging
The ping command is the basic tool for testing TCP/IP connectivity. It sends a special packet (called ICMP Echo) to a particular IP address and looks for a reply. If everything is working right, the reply comes back. If not, the ping times out in a few seconds. By default, the ping command repeats the process four times. Here’s an example of an ICS client computer pinging a Windows XP Home Edition ICS host, using the host’s IP address and its computer name.
When ping fails, you’ll see one of these error messages:
Request timed out - The IP address is valid, but there’s no reply from it. If the IP address is on a local area network, the most likely cause is a firewall program blocking the ping.
Unknown host or Ping request could not find host - The computer name doesn’t exist on the local area network. Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled.
Destination host unreachable – The IP address isn’t on a local area network, and the default gateway can’t access it. Either there’s no default gateway, its address is wrong, or it isn’t functioning.

Pinging the Local Area Network
Here is a series of ping commands to use in finding where a problem occurs on a local area network. Run them in the order shown, and don’t go on to the next command until all of the previous commands work properly. In this example:
The computer being tested is named Winxp, with IP address 192.168.1.101.
There’s another computer on the network, named Win98, with IP address 192.168.1.123
Substitute the appropriate IP addresses and computer names for your network.

Command Target What Ping Failure Indicates
ping 127.0.0.1 Loopback address Corrupted TCP/IP installation
ping localhost Loopback name Corrupted TCP/IP installation
ping 192.168.1.101 This computer’s IP address Corrupted TCP/IP installation
ping winxp This computer’s name Corrupted TCP/IP installation
ping 192.168.1.123 Another computer’s IP address Bad hardware or NIC driver
ping win98 Another computer’s name NetBIOS name resolution failure

To fix a corrupted TCP/IP Installation on Windows XP, follow the steps in this Microsoft Knowledge Base article. For Windows 95/98/Me, un-install the TCP/IP protocol in Control Panel Network, reboot, and re-install it. If that doesn’t fix it, use this procedure on Windows 95 or 98.

Pinging the Internet
You can also use ping to find a problem with Internet access. Run these commands in the order shown, and don’t go on to the next command until all of the previous commands work properly. Use the Default Gateway and DNS Server addresses that you got from the winipcfg or ipconfig /all command.

Command Target What Ping Failure Indicates
ping w.x.y.z Default Gateway Default Gateway down
ping w.x.y.z DNS Server DNS Server down
ping w.x.y.z Web site IP address Internet service provider or
web site down
ping www.something.com Web site name DNS Server down or web site
down

Error Message: "Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator"

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Symptom
When you try to open Task Manager, the following error may occur:

"Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator"

Resolution
This error is caused if the DisableTaskMgr restriction is enabled. To enable Task Manager, try one of these methods:

IMPORTANT: If this restriction was enabled in your system without you doing anything or without your knowledge, then it's highly likely that a Virus has blocked the usage of Task Manager in your system by enabling the DisableTaskMgr policy via the registry. I strongly suggest that you perform a thorough checkup of your system immediately. Steps listed in the Resolution section of this article helps you unblock the Task Manager, but that does not remove the Virus (if any) from your system.

Method 1
Click Start, Run and type this command exactly as given below: (better - Copy and paste)

REG add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v DisableTaskMgr /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Method 2
Download and run this REG fix and double-click it.

Method 3
Click Start, Run and type Regedit.exe
Navigate to the following branch:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies\ System
In the right-pane, delete the value named DisableTaskMgr
Close Regedit.exe

Method 4:

Using Group Policy Editor - for Windows XP Professional
Click Start, Run, type gpedit.msc and click OK.
Navigate to this branch:
User Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / Ctrl+Alt+Delete Options / Remove Task Manager
Double-click the Remove Task Manager option.
Set the policy to Not Configured.