Everything You Need To Know

The mfc71.dll is a crucial issue for Microsoft Visual Studio and any program or application that uses it. Usually, the error message is caused by a missing file.To fix mfc71.dll you will need to repair or replace the DLL.

"mfc71.dll not found"

You've probably received this message because the file has been corrupted or accidentally deleted by you or a program.

Sometimes, improper installation or uninstallation is the cause. Given that many programs use this file, it might be difficult to determine which program might be the cause. However, if your error occurs during a specific program, this program is the most likely cause.

Try uninstalling and reinstalling the program to see if this resolves your error.

Download the latest version of the program

It is better to be sure that your program is current.

Download updates, service packs or patches to the program failed. It could be possible that the error was corrected in the recent update.

Install all updates until Windows. Sometimes the updates will include repairs and fixes for the registry files and .dll.

If your message contains an error message including the bcmwltry.exe file, then you need to reinstall your wireless drivers: Broadcom NIC. It is a known issue, so if this is the nature of your error, be sure to follow the download instructions on the website of Broadcom.

Upgrade or update your Internet Explorer. Dysfunctions that can occur when using older versions of IE.

Clear Your PC viruses

The virus is still likely, especially if you browse sites often random. To prevent infection, maintain a firewall to high security in place at any time. Sometimes, restrictions may be annoying, but it's always better safe than sorry.

Run a deep analysis on your computer a few times a month. This will help to remove suspicious files like that bunch in your temporary folders and registry system.

Although there are several free programs of antivirus software on the Internet, they are often more specialized and a bit less user friendly. If you're new to antivirus programs, I suggest buying a program of mid-range to help you stay virus free.

Keep your record clean of corrupt files and resource hogging pieces. You can download a registry cleaner to fix errors mfc71.dll. A registry cleaner will replace and repair missing, infected or corrupted system files.

Optimize-Your-PC, with its Advanced Technology Cleaning Registry, set mfc.dll and speed up your PC, all in less than 2 minutes.

Speedtest is a broadband speed analysis tool which allows any users to test their Internet connection. Ookla is the ones who provides this service for free to anyone curious about the performance of their connection to and from hundreds of locations around the world. Whether you test just for fun or you really need to certify and validate the true speed of your Internet connectivity, Speedtest.net is the place you want to be in.This service fro Ookla calculate the speed of your broadband connection by measuring the time it takes to download a fixed amount of data or a small packet.

In this place, you can view all of your historical results, share them easily, and even compare them to other users in your immediate area or around the globe.

Speedtest.net tests the following speeds :

Download Speed: Is the speed at which data is sent from the Internet to your computer
Upload Speed: Is the speed at which data is sent from your computer to the Internet
Ping (Latency): Is the time it takes in milliseconds for a small piece of data to be sent from your computer to the Internet and back
Speedtest.net performs three key measurements used to determine the overall quality and performance of your Internet connection

Here are some simple steps to remove the spyware files off your computer:

1. Make sure your system can view system files and the hidden files
2. Close all applications
3. Restart your computer and enter into Safe Mode. Spyware programs usually fail to operate when Windows is in Safe Mode.
4. Check process that is running using CTRL+ALT+DEL and stop the program that is doubted. If you cannot use Windows Task Manager, you can try replacing it with Process Explorer Utility: http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html
5. After spyware program is successful removed, MS-DOS to remove the spyware file.
6. Click Start->Run then type cmd.exe and click OK Command to remove spyware file is as follows:

del \folder\trojannamefile.exe

Command:
C:\> del \folder\trojanfilename.exe

7. If that file still cannot be removed, change the attribute file using :

attrib -r -s -h namafailtrojan.exe

Command:
C:\> attrib -r -s -h trojanfilename.exe

8. If it still not successful, try remove it using Move On Boot program.

Here is a trick to clean up the start menu of windows xp and also to remove the Recently used documents.

There may be situations where you may need to disable the USB, external harddisk, external CD-ROM, memory flash function which are using USB port without affecting the other peripherals that use USB ports such as keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner and so on.

The USB Port can be disabled from registry as shown below:

I . Click start>Run>Type regedit>Click OK
II. In registry Editor Windows go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR

III. Double click Dword Start (on the right) replace Data Value 3 to 4 then click OK – close registry editor windows. Now the USB function had been disabled

[Sometimes, You need to restart the computer to get the effect]

To restore the function of the USB repeat the steps above, and on the 3rd step just change the value from 4 to 3.

Hope you all give it a try.....

Many of us had got a situation like, your computer can't boot into windows XP or 2000 or even into safe mode, if you only get a blue screen or your computer just hangs, then performing a system repair may fix the problem. This will allow you to repair your operating system without you losing all your saved data or settings.

[Note]Performing a system repair will remove any updates you have previously installed which are not on your CD. All drivers will be reverted to their original versions and also some settings, like network and performance settings. It may also be necessary to reactivate windows as well.

A: What caused the problem

You should first try to find out what caused the problem. Most of the time when windows becomes unable to boot, there is usually a good reason. Often this can be due to hardware failure (bad hard drive, memory or CPU). If this is the case, using system repair will not fix the problem. System repair will only repair your operating system software.

B: Starting the repair process

You must boot from XP/2000 CD. Make sure you have the same version of windows which is installed on your computer ( XP home edition cannot repair XP professional). Place the CD into your drive and then restart your computer.

Before the windows logo appears you will be prompted to press any key to boot from CD, press any key.

C: Repairing your system

A blue screen will appear and start loading XP setup from from the CD.

RAID/SCSI/Unsupported UDMA users:

You will be prompted to "press F6 to install any third party SCSI or RAID drivers". Most users will not need to press the F6 key unless you are using RAID, SCSI or any unsupported ATA controllers, then you will need your controller drivers on a floppy disk. If you are not sure if you have RAID/SCSI, just let the CD load without pressing F6.

Once completed, you will see the windows setup screen. You will then be asked to setup windows, or repair windows using the recovery console, at this point select the first option, do not choose the recovery console option.

D:Select F8 to continue

Next, windows setup will find existing windows installations. You will then be asked to repair an existing XP installation or install a fresh copy of windows.

If no installations were found, you will not be given an option to repair. This will usually happen if the data or partition on your hard drive has become too corrupted.

That's all, the windows appears to be installing itself for the first time, but it will keep all of your data and settings. follow the prompts and when finished you should be able to boot into windows.

Here i will tell you about the system restore tool, to restore your computer to a previous state. system restore takes a snapshot of critical system files, program files as well as the registry settings and stores this information as restore points for the operating system. Lets say you downloaded a piece of software from the Internet and you installed the software, only to discover the software has spy-ware or a virus, now your computer is running slow and you have pop ups appearing constantly. You can use the system restore points to recover your computer to a state before you installed the offending software. System restore can also change scripts, batch files and executable (exe) files on your computer.

[Note:]System restore will not delete any of your personal files, also system restore will not restore these files if they have been deleted. You must be logged on as an administrator to be able to use system restore.

*How to use System Restore

Just Log onto Windows as an Administrator.

Then Click start/all programs/accessories/system tools then select system restore.

In the welcome to system restore page, select restore my computer to an earlier time and click next.

In the select a restore point page, click the most recent system restore point from the, on this list, or select an earlier date from the, on this calendar, then click next.

Then A system restore message may appear which lists any configuration changes that system restore will make, click OK.

I the confirm restore point selection page, click next. System restore will then restore the previous windows configuration , and your computer will reboot.

Then Log onto the computer as administrator, the system restore, restoration complete page will be displayed.

After that Click OK.

If by any cause , if the system restore could not restore your computer to an earlier time, you then should try using system restore in safe mode. Some viruses and Trojans will prevent system restore from restoring your computer, using safe mode will prevent these from starting with your computer.

*Undoing a System Restore

Follow these steps.

First Log onto windows as an administrator.

Then Click start/all programs/accessories/system tools, then select system restore. On the welcome to system restore page, click undo my last restoration, then click next.

Then A system restore message may appear with a list of configuration changes that system restore will make, click OK.

In the confirm restoration undo page, click next. system restore will then restore your computer back to the original windows configuration and then reboot.

Then Log onto the computer as an administrator. the system restore undo complete page will appear.

After that Click OK.

We know that a stitch in time will prevent nine. So why not we the windows before anything large will happen

I. Microsoft Update

Select Start > All Programs and Windows Update. This opens Internet Explorer pointed at the Microsoft Update site. You may be prompted to download and install the latest version of update software. Click Scan for updates. The software examines your Windows installation to find out which updates you already have.

II. Selecting Updates

In the left hand pane, you’ll see a list of updates found under different categories. All critical updates and service packs are already selected for you. To select updates under other categories, click the relevant link and select add.

III. Review your Updates

Choose Review and install updates. Here you can press remove to get rid of any unwanted items. Click Install Now and accept the Licence Agreement. Your updates will now download. Once downloaded, the updates install automatically. Restart your computer.

IV. Update CD

Go to the Windows Update catalogue and download the most recent updates to your hard drive. Burn these to CD. If you need to reinstall Windows, you won’t need to download the updates again.

V. Get Advice

Use Microsoft’s Support site to track down solutions to problems your PC has developed. Browse to http://support.microsoft.com for a range support and services.

VI. Knowledge Base

Microsoft’s site includes the Knowledge Base, which you can search if you can describe the symptoms of your computer problem. You’ll be in the company of many IT professionals.

VII. Updating A Driver

a) Device Manager

Right click My Computer on the Start Menu and choose Properties. Open the Hardware tab and click Device Manager. Browse to the item of hardware you want to upgrade, right click it and choose Update Driver.

b) Hardware Update Wizard

This starts the Hardware Update Wizard. Change the default from Install the software automatically to install from a list or specific location. This is because you want to point Windows to a specific driver.

3. Install The Driver

Click Next. Check Search removable media if you have the driver on floppy or CD. Otherwise check include this location and browse to the driver file. Once you’ve supplied the right location, click next to install the new driver.

VIII. Roll Back

If a driver upgrade fails, open Device Manager from the Hardware tab of System Properties. Double-click the entry, switch to the Drivers tab and click Roll Back Driver.

IX. Unknown Devices

Don’t know what drivers you need? Check your PC or motherboard manual (or the manufacturer’s website for support information). Still no luck? Use the free Unknown Device Identifier tool to help you, get it from www.zhangduo.com/udi.html

X. Unsigned Drivers

If you want to err on the side of caution, set Windows to block all unsigned drivers, although you may not be able to get some hardware working. To do this, click Driver Signing under the Hardware tab of the System properties, choose Block and click OK twice.

XI. Deleted Devices

When you take out a hard drive or a graphics card, Windows keeps the settings in the registry in case you put it back. In Device Manager, choose View > Show hidden devices, right –click the offending entry and choose Uninstall.

XII. Fix Boot Problems

If Windows crashes when booting, you’ll be shown the boot menu: try Last Known Good configuration. This should work in most cases.

XIII. Disk Check On Boot

If Windows asks to check your disk drives as you boot, this may be because a check was scheduled or because your drives developed errors. Run the check to correct them.

XIV. Schedule It

Use Task Scheduler (Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Scheduled Tasks) to automate maintenance tasks like defragmenting your hard drive.

XV. Restore Points

Create a System Restore Point before installing any major software or hardware. This gives you the opportunity to roll back to this time if you run into any problems.

XVI. Rescue Disks

Many system utilities and anti-virus programs give you the opportunity of creating rescue floppies or CDs, take the time to create these, as one day they could save your bacon.

XVII. Keep Up To Date

Virus checkers and system tools are only as good as their most recent update. Check regularly for new files and install them as soon as possible.

XVIII. Error Reporting

If you’d rather Windows didn’t report program errors and crashes to Microsoft, click Start > Run, type msconfig and press Enter. Switch to the Services tab, uncheck Error Reporting Service and click OK, restarting when prompted.

XIX. Remove Devices

Never just unplug a USB device from your PC, especially a removable drive. Use the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the notification area first.

XX. Use A Back-UP Tool

Windows XP Pro users get the Windows Backup tool by default, but Home users need to install it from their CD. Browse to the VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP directory to find ntbackup.msi

XXI. Product Key

Should you ever need to reinstall Windows you’ll be prompted for your product key. If you’ve lost it, use the free Belarc Advisor tool (www.belarc.com) to retrieve it.

XXII. Video Problems

If you can’t play a certain video file, chances are you’re missing a codec. Download the Windows codec pack from www.free-codecs.com, which covers most types.

XXIII. System Admin Tools

The System Administration Tools are shortcuts to essential maintenance utilities like the Computer Management Console and Event Viewer. Access them through the Control Panel.

XXIV. Create A Shortcut

Place a shortcut to the tools on the Start Menu: right-click the Start button and choose Properties. Click Customize > Advanced tab and scroll down the list, selecting “Display on the All Programs menu and Start menu”. Click OK twice.

XXV. Check Your Drive

Errors on your hard drive can also cause delays or loss of data. Regularly run Microsoft’s Error Checking, which is also part of windows. Open My Computer from the Start Menu and right-click the drive that you suspect has problems. Choose Properties > Tools tab. Under Error Checking click Check Now.

XXVI. Automatic Errors

For the most thorough scan, tick Automatically fix file system errors and scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors before clicking Check Now. The first of these options corrects file system errors. these aren't physical problems.

XXVII. Bad Sectors

These are areas of the drive that have damage that may or may not be possible to fix. If it isn't fixable, these areas will be marked and not used.

XXVIII. Reboot To Check

If you tick either option, you may need to reboot your computer for the test to take place. With these options left clear, the test can run and report back without rebooting, but it can’t fix errors.

XXIX. Add Or Remove Components

Many built in tools in Windows aren't found on the Currently Installed Programs list of Add or Remove Programs Control Panel; instead, click Add/Remove Windows Components button to access them.

XXX. View Hidden Files

Windows hides certain files and folders to protect them from accidental deletion, to access these, open My Computer, choose Tools > Folder Options > View tab and select “show hidden files and folders”.

XXXI. File Associations

Review which programs open which files by default by switching to the File Types tab and scrolling down the list.

XXXII. Free Up Space

One way to free up space without deleting files in Disk Cleanup is to select the Compress old files option, this automatically compresses files that have not been accessed for more than 50 days.

XXXIII. FAT32 Or NTFS?

If your still using the FAT32 file system (open My Computer, select your hard drive and view file System under Details to find out), convert to NTFS for greater stability and reliability. Back up your data before you begin.

XXXIV. Convert To NTFS

Click Start > Run, type cmd and hit enter. Type convert c: /fs:ntfs, where c: is your drive letter (including the colon) and press Enter. When prompted, type in the drive label, you’ll find it by right-clicking your drive and selecting Properties (the box at the top): if it’s blank press Enter.

XXXV. System File Checker

To ensure that all your system files are correct and haven’t been corrupted or replaced, choose Start > Run and enter cmd into the open bar. In the command line window, type sfc /scannow. You may need to insert your windows CD to restore system files so have it handy.

XXXVI. Reveal Hidden Components

By default, Windows is set to hide certain components from the Windows Components Wizard, but you can display any or all with a little hacking. Open the Windows\Inf directory and look for the hidden sysoc or sysoc.inf file. Drag a copy to your desktop (hold down [Ctrl]), then right-click the original, choose Open with…and select Notepad. Choose Edit > Replace. Enter hide under Find what:, leave Replace with: blank and click Replace All. Save the file and they’ll all be visible when you next click Add/Remove Windows Components.

WATCH OUT YOURSELF WHEN YOU WORKS WITH THE COMPUTER!!!.
The most common accident which happens while attempting to fix a computer problem is erasing software and data. unless you know what you are doing, you can cause damage. To prevent these sorts of accidents, and also the physically dangerous ones, you only need to take a few safety precautions. The text below will describe the potential sources of damage to computers and how to protect your computer and yourself against them.

A)Power to the Computer

To protect yourself and the computer components while working inside a computer, turn the power off, unplug the computer, and always ground yourself to discharge any static electricity built up in your body, either by wearing an anti static wrist band or by touching any unpainted part of the computer case.

Think of the monitor and the power supply unit (PSU) as "black boxes". Never remove the covers unless you know about the hazards of charged capacitors. The power supply unit and the monitor can hold dangerous levels of electricity even after they are turned off and disconnected from the power source.

B)Protecting Against The Electrostatic Discharge

Protecting the computer against electrostatic discharge (ESD), more commonly known as static electricity, always ground yourself before touching any of the electronic components, including the hard drive, motherboard, expansion cards, processors and memory modules. there are a number of ways you can ground yourself and the computer components by using one of the methods below.

C)Anti static wrist strap or a Ground Bracelet:

A ground bracelet is a strap you wear around your wrist. the other end is attached to a grounded conductor such as the computer case or a ground mat or it can be plugged into a wall outlet (Note: only the ground prong makes a connection!). The bracelet also contains a current-limiting resistor which prevents electricity from harming you.

D)Ground mats:

Ground mats usually come equipped with a cord to plug into a wall outlet to provide a grounded surface to work on. Remember if you lift the component off the mat, it is no longer grounded and susceptible to ESD.

E)Static Shielding Bags:

All new components are supplied in static shielded bags. It is a good idea to save these bags to store spare computer components in to keep them protected from ESD.

The best solution for protecting against ESD is to use a ground bracelet together with a ground mat. You should consider a ground bracelet to be essential equipment while working on a computer. if you find yourself in a situation when your without one, touch the computer case before you touch any components. Leave components inside their protective bags until they are ready to be used. Work on hard floors, not carpet, because walking on and shuffling your feet on carpet generates static electricity. Generally, don't work on a computer if you or the computer have just come inside from the cold.

When handling motherboards and expansion cards, don't touch the chips on the boards. don't stack the boards on top of each other, which could accidentally dislodge a chip. hold cards by the edges, but be careful not to touch the connections of the cards.

Don't touch the chips with a magnetized screwdriver. when using a multimeter to measure electricity, be careful not to touch a chip with the probes. when changing DIP switches, don't use a graphite pencil, because graphite conducts electricity; a small screwdriver works the best. Do not store expansion cards within one foot of the monitor, because the monitor can discharge as much as 29,000 volts of ESD onto the screen.

F)Protecting Hard Drives and Disks

Always turn the computer off before moving it, to protect the hard drive, which is always spinning while the computer is turned on (unless the drive has a sleep mode). Never jar a computer while the hard disk is running. Avoid placing a PC on the floor, where the user can accidentally kick it.

Follow the user precautions to protect disks. keep them away from magnetic fields, heat and extreme cold. Treat disks with care and they will last for years.

A) Fix startup and shutdown problems

Startup and shutdown problems aren't usually related – if your PC doesn't shutdown properly it tends to be annoying, but on the other hand a start up problem can lock you out of Windows XP completely, which could be cause for panic !

Fear not, however because armed with the right troubleshooting techniques you can get back into windows without putting your data at risk, plus discover how to go about fixing shutdown problems.

B)Cant boot, wont boot

Not all boot problems are catastrophic, but the most pressing concern is when windows is unable to start successfully. you may find it reaches a certain point in the process before inexplicably restarting, or it may throw up a blue screen with a STOP error on it.

Either way it’s bad news. When you first restart after encountering an error like this, Windows will throw up a boot menu that’s designed to help you get around the problem. It will apologize for not loading successfully and give you a number of options to choose from.

If Windows fails to start successfully, the boot menu gives you more startup options.

It may seem silly, but the first you do is choose “Start Windows Normally”. Sometimes a glitch that prevented you from loading Windows can resolve itself. so the next time you boot it’s gone. If this is the case, breathe a sigh of relief, but be wary: the problem may resurface or be indicative of something else.

The next option to try is “Last Known Good Configuration”. This restores the settings that enabled Windows to boot successfully last time, and in most cases will fix your problem. If you installed any hardware or software, or made changes to the way programs run or behave, you’ll find these have been lost. However, as the most recent changes to your system are likely to have caused the problem, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Try installing the program or piece of hardware again – if the problem persists, visit the manufacturers web site for more help and support.

C)Safe mode fixes

If “Last Known Good Configuration” doesn’t work, then try booting into Safe Mode. You’ll see there are three choices: basic Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, and Safe Mode with Command Prompt. All three load only a basic set of drivers and services, plus no start-up programs are loaded, so in most cases you will at least be able to access your PC in this mode.

If you choose the Networking option and you’re physically connected to your network by an Ethernet cable, you’ll have access to the Internet if you connect through your network (as well as the network itself).

If you can get into Safe Mode, log on as either your own user account or the master Administrator account. You’ll then have a number of options to try. If you suspect a virus or similar piece of malicious software, you may be able to manually run your security tool and see if it can detect and remove the problem.

You can also launch System Restore from safe mode. Launch System Restore by clicking Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore.

System Restore may offer a quick and easy solution to your start-up woes

If you can’t even get into Safe Mode, try Safe Mode with Command Prompt. This bypasses the basic Safe Mode interface to give you access to just the command prompt itself. If this works, launch System Restore using the following command: %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe Once done make sure “Restore my computer to an earlier time” is selected before clicking Next. Choose the most recent Restore point and see if that eradicates the problem; if necessary reboot into Safe Mode and try earlier Restore points until you find one that works. Be warned: the further you go back , the more unrecognizable your system will be after the Restore has been performed: your data will be untouched, but programs, hardware, updates and settings installed since that Restore Point will either stop working or vanish completely from your system.

D)Wont boot at all

In the worst case scenario you wont be able to boot into any flavor of Windows at all, even safe mode. When this happens there are two symptoms that point to a corrupt Registry: first your PC continually restarts when you try to start it regardless of the option you choose in the Boot menu. If your PC doesn't automatically reboot, you’ll get a STOP error referring to the Registry or a missing or corrupt file.

In these circumstances your only course of action is to recover your system manually. You could attempt a repair installation of Windows following the step by step guide below – if your PC came with a recovery disc, try booting from that and looking for a repair or non-destructive option (if no option exists, do not proceed – a full destructive system recovery will wipe all of your personal files and settings).

The upside is that you should be able to boot into Windows again; the downside is that all of your updates – including any service packs you’ve applied – will have been removed. Not only will you need to visit Windows update to download them all again , but you may also need to reinstall some of your programs again in order for them to work properly.

I. Boot from Windows CD

If you have a genuine Windows installation CD, reboot with it inserted, and press any key when prompted to. Let setup load the initial files, then press enter at the welcome screen.

II. Choose to repair Windows

Accept the license agreement by pressing F8, then wait. When asked if you would like to repair Windows, make sure your current installation is selected before clicking R. Windows will now delete a load of files.

III. Let Windows repair itself

The rest of the process is identical to what happens when Windows installs from scratch.

E)Hardware problems

If you can’t get your PC to even recognize your hard drive – you’ll get a boot failure message appear before Windows even begins to load – then you may have a dead drive to deal with. If the drive has been making funny noises recently, this is the likely scenario, and the downside is that your data is now inaccessible unless your willing to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars to a data recovery specialists to get it back.

Sometimes drive cables can become loose, so it’s worth opening up your case and making sure everything's securely plugged in before assuming the worst.

memory is another problem that can manifest itself in start-up problems. If you suspect memory is the cause of your problems download the free diagnostic tool on a working PC from http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp – you can then transfer this to a floppy disk or CD, and boot from it on your malfunctioning PC. It’ll then test your memory and report any problems it finds.

Faulty memory should be replaced as soon as it’s been spotted. If you have more than one memory stick in your PC, try different combinations of memory in conjunction with the Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool to track down the faulty module.

If all else fails – you’ve recovered your data, determined there's no hardware issues, but still can’t get Windows to boot again – then bite the bullet and reinstall Windows XP from scratch.

F)Fix shutdown problems

Most Shutdown problems have been fixed by updates available through Automatic Updates (click Start, right click My Computer and select properties, Control Panel, then switch to the Automatic Updates tab). If your PC is fully up to date, but you still encounter shutdown problems, read on.

If your PC restarts instead of shutting down, then the likely culprit is a STOP error, By default Windows is set to restart when it encounters one of these, but if it’s preventing you from shutting down you need to take matters into your own hands.

First, force Windows to display the STOP error instead of restarting: open the System Properties Control Panel, switch to the Advanced tab, click Settings under “Startup and Recovery” and untick Automatically restart before clicking OK twice. When you next shutdown Windows, the STOP error should pop up. Make a note of it, and then visit http://www.aumha.org/a/stop.htm for more advice.

If your PC hangs during shutdown – in other words, it reaches a certain point in the process and then just stops for five minutes or more without powering down or displaying an “it’s safe to turn off your computer” message – then the problem could be caused by a program or process currently running on your PC. When your ready to shut down, try to end as many running programs as possible, including those that have icons in the notification area in the taskbar. If Windows can now shut down, you’ve traced the culprit to one of these programs.

If this doesn’t work, try running a diagnostic startup as described earlier and then immediately shut down. If Windows is able to do so, then something that starts with Windows and runs in the background is to blame. Once identified using the same techniques described for troublesome start-up entries, uninstall the program or look for an update or additional help at it’s website.

If this doesn’t work but your able to access Task Manager (press Ctrl+Alt+Del), then try ending individual processes from the Processes tab. Make a note of any processes that refuse to disappear, and do a search on Google to find out more about that process when you next start Windows. If all else fails at this point, and you have access to the shutdown menu try turn off computer from this menu.

Shutdown problems are numerous, and while non critical in the sense that you’re able to run Windows again afterwards, may be indicative of deeper problems with your system. For additional shutdown advice visit

http://aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm.

[NOTE ] Not connecting the power cables correctly can damage the drive. Normally, the power connector can only fit one way.






The Interface Connector can now be connected

Connect the 40-pin IDE cable to the back of the Drive, making sure the coloured (red) stripe on
the IDE cable is connected to pin 1 on the drive. Pin 1 is closest to the Power Connector.

[NOTE ] normally, the IDE connector is keyed and will only fit one way.







The Sound Card can now be connected

If the computer is using a sound card, the drive is connected to the sound card with an audio
cable. The supplied analog audio cable fits most sound cards or one can be purchased at a local
computer store.
Refer to the manual for the sound card
for detailed information regarding this
connection.







Put Back the Computer Cover

When the installation of the drive unit is
complete, replace the computer cover.

Drivers

When using Windows 2000 Pro/XP or Window NT Workstation Ver. 4.0, no special device driver is required. Your system will find and install the drivers, upon Power On and bootup after installing and connecting the new drive, will recognize and load software drivers automatically.
The DOS and Windows 3.1 users can download the DOS Device drivers via the Internet.

For Windows 2000 Pro/XP Users

a) In order to ensure normal drive operation, please check the following:

i) The drive is displayed in

Windows 2000 Pro/XP : [Control Panel]-[System]-[Hardware]-[Device Manager]-
[DVD/CD-ROM-Drive]

ii) 32-bit is displayed in [Control Panel]-[System]-[Performance]

b) If the drive is not recognized by your computer, please check the following items.

• If an indicator is displayed on the IDE controller in [Control Panel]-[System]-[Device
Manager]-[Hard Disk Controller], you will need to contact your PC’s manufacturer or the
motherboard’s manufacturer and get the appropriate IDE controller driver.

c) Run Add New Hardware in Control Panel to let PC search again for new device.
For Windows NT Workstation Ver.4.0 Users

d) In order to ensure normal drive operation, please check to see if the drive is displayed on
the IDE controller in [Control Panel]-[SCSI Adapter]-[Device]

e) If the drive is not recognized by your computer, an indicator is displayed on the IDE
controller in [Control Panel]-[SCSI Adapter]-[Devices], you will need to contact your PC’s
manufacturer or the motherboard’s manufacturer and get the appropriate IDE controller driver.

Using The Disks

When using CD-ROM discs or DVD discs, don’t put any stickers or labels to the discs. Using
discs with them attached will cause read and write errors and also damage the disc.
The Discs in DVD/CD drives rotate at a very high
speed! DO NOT use damaged, cracked or
warped discs. The drive’s optical unit may be
damaged if they break.




The Emergency Eject

Most DVD/CD drives have a feature that allows the CD to be ejected manually if necessary such as failure of the drive or a power outage.
[NOTE ] Don’t use this feature except in an emergency.

a) Turn the power to OFF.

b) Poke a fine-tipped object (such as a straightened heavy duty paper clip) into the small hole
above the eject button. The front door will pop open and the disk tray will come partway out.

c Pull the front door to open it all the way, then grip the disc tray between thumb and forefinger and pull it straight out.
[NOTE ] This feature is a last measure to
be used only in an emergency.
Using it excessively will cause the drive to malfunction.





How to Troubleshoot a DVD/CD Drive

- The drive doesn’t have power.
- Is the power supply cable from the host computer plugged in?
- Is the Power Connector to the drive securely attached?
- The system doesn’t start.
- Are the Primary and Secondary connections and the Master and Slave settings correct?
- Is the total length of the IDE cable 18 inches or less?
- Is each connector completely attached?
- Movement of the PC may loosen connections.
- Read or Write Discs.
- Is the condition of everything else in the system (CPU, hard disc, and others)
as it should be?
- Does the CD, DVD disc have dirt or scratches?
- Did a screen saver or other application operate while writing to the disc?
- Is there enough free space on the CD, DVD disc?
- Does writing fail even using the simulation test?
- Is the disc loaded in the drive with the read/write surface facing the right direction?
(label up)
- Is the drive installed in the correct orientation?
- Was the drive or disc moved from a low temperature environment to a high temperature
environment? (There is a possibility of condensation on the lens in the drive or on the
surface of the disc.)

10 reasons why PCs crash, you must Know

Fatal Error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says. "Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications."

You have just been hit by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Microsoft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it from happening?

I) Hardware conflict

The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are meant to be unique for each device.

For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to use a single IRQ for itself.

If you have a lot of devices connected to your computer, or if they are not installed properly, two of them can end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. To check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the device manager:

* Start/Settings/Control Panel/System/Device Manager.

If a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer, if no numbers appear select the "view" tab then "resources by type" and then interrupt request (IRQ). If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.

Often a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The easiest way to fix this problem is to uninstall the problem device and then reinstall it.

If the device is a sound card, or a modem, it can usually be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).

When working inside a computer make sure its switched off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity in your body.

To be fair to Microsoft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not their fault. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip.

Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.

II) Bad Ram

Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.

But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.

One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash.

When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.

Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be the cause of trouble.

EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programs.

III) BIOS settings

Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.

Once inside the BIOS, care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.

A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SD Ram has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.

Microsoft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).

IV) Hard disk drives

After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to

* Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Disk Defragmenter

This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.

The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows desktop on the task bar.

Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.

Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to

* Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Scan Disk

Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.

V) Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors

Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.

These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to

* Start/Settings/Control Panel/Display/Settings

Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.

If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to

* Start/Settings/Control Panel/System/Device Manager

Select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Highlight it and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.

If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.

The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.

Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to

* Start/Settings/Control Panel/System/Performance/Graphics

Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. The most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).

Look up your video card's manufacturer on the Internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.

VI) Viruses

Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why its a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to

* Start/Settings/Control Panel/Add/Remove Programs

Look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.

A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the web site of your anti-virus software manufacturer.

VII) Printers

The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.

Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.

If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you should be able to carry on.

VIII) Software

A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it.

The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. There are plenty of free registry cleaners available Regscrub XP and easycleaner are two good one's.

Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.

Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.

Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.

Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.

IX) Overheating

Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been over clocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.

One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU.

CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.

X) Power supply problems

A power surge or spike can crash a computer and damage the CPU and motherboard as easily as a power cut.

If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.

It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.