Delaware PCUG meeting presentation:
Troubleshooting Common Windows Problems
Thursday, November 21, 2002 · Presenting
speaker: Kristopher T. Liu
This
evening we will be covering the troubleshooting common Windows problems.Audience participation is encouraged –
please do ask questions!After the
presentation there will be an open Q&A forum as well for all desired
topics.
I.You’ve got a problem … now what?(Common Windows problems and their
solutions):
1.Computer
is operating unusually slow – what is considered “unusual”?
A.Clearing
the Internet cache – beware modem users
B.Did
you recently upgrade software such as Microsoft Office or web browsers?You might now need more RAM or even a faster
processor—newest is not always best for everyone
2.Freezes
and crashes – what’s the difference
A.Illegal
operations?
B.Single
program stops responding
1.Windows
95, 98, and ME—close program dialog, followed by a strongly-recommended
reboot
D.Hardware-related
freezes—dust, cigarette smoke, bad RAM / processor / motherboard can cause
these
3.The “blue
screen of death”
A.It is
a more serious type of crash, but may still be related to either hardware or
software
B.If you
just installed new software or new hardware / a new hardware driver, try
uninstalling it, if you can
C.NT/2000/XP
only—this may be an early warning for imminent failure of your hard drive
4.Computer
won’t finish booting Windows (WinME + WinXP)
A.Most
often associated with an incompatible hardware driver, or a faulty piece of
attached hardware
1.If you
just installed a new hardware driver, try uninstalling it, if you can
2.Try
disconnecting external hardware (i.e. printers, scanners, PDA/Palm Pilot, etc.)
one-at-a-time and rebooting after each piece until Windows boots.
5.Single
piece of hardware is not responding
A.Examples:
1.Dial-up
modem: unable to connect to the Internet (message appears saying “port
is in use” or “modem could not be initialized” or a similar message)
2.Unable to print (message appears stating the printer
could not be found or printing failed, or simply nothing happened upon
attempting to print)
3.Unable
to scan (your scanning software cannot locate or initialize your scanner)
4.The
number one solution to this is simple: REBOOT
5.If
rebooting does not solve the problem, power down all hardware, wait a
minute, and then power everything back on
6.Only
after trying the previous two items should it be necessary to start removing
and reinstalling software/drivers
7.If
reinstallation of software/drivers did not solve the problem, and it is a
newly-acquired piece of hardware, it just might not be compatible with
your system
8.If at
any point in the troubleshooting procedure you do not feel comfortable with the
next step, stop and seek the services of a qualified person.
II.So what preventative measures can I take to avoid
problems in the first place?
1.Make
sure your system is up to the task—make sure your machine meets the
processor speed, memory, and other requirements listed on the software package
2.Avoid
running unnecessary programs in the background
3.Always
use current, updated virus protection software
A.Don’t
open E-mail attachments if you don’t know the sender, or weren’t expecting
such an E-mail from the sender
4.Keep
your computer clean, both physically and “logically”:
A.Dust
the inside of the computer by blowing dust or carefully vacuuming
B.If you
are in a very dusty environment, or a smoking household/office, periodically
remove expansion cards and memory chips carefully and then replacing
them.
C.Clear the
Internet cacheand temp files periodically
D.Remove
programs you use infrequently, or never at all.
E.As
with some of the other tips, never perform a task you are not comfortable
performing.When in doubt, seek help
from a qualified person
5.Keep
your computer maintained
A.Periodically
run ScanDisk and Defrag
1.ScanDisk
makes sure your hard drive is operating correctly
2.Defrag
keeps data in order so it is more rapidly accessed
6.Install
one new program or piece of hardware at a time
7.Don’t
run too many programs at once unless your computer has lots of RAM and a
fast processor.