Disclaimer: I assume NO responsibility for the below information. Try all the below
suggestions at your own risk. Properly done, there should be no harm, but you are
dealing with 110 volts a.c., which could be deadly.
1. The very FIRST thing you should do whenever you get an error message is:
Write down the EXACT error message or messages, in the order they occurred.
a. Save all your open files. Use [Alt-Tab] or the taskbar to switch programs.
b. Exit Windows or shut down Windows 95/98/ME/2000/NT/XP.
c. Remove power to the computer.
d. After 30 seconds, turn the computer on.
e. Verify that you can duplicate the problem.
A lot of problems go away at this point. It pays to turn your computer off at night, or cycle it through a "Shutdown & Restart" (Win95/98/ME/2000/NT/XP).
If you have an anti-virus software, run a "live update" to update the software, and then scan your drive.Check the instructions that came with it for how to do this. If you have NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE, just stay off the Internet, please.
If you open a lot of programs at once, you may need to run one or two less, or upgrade your memory. If you have an older system, now may be the time to upgrade to a new or newer system. The minimal system required these days is about a Pentium III 500Mhz. For Windows NT/2000, you can "right-click" the Task Bar, select Task Manager, and look at the "Performance Tab".
COMPUTER WON'T EVEN START UP
1. Verify that your computer has power to all the components. You should have a light showing on the surge suppressor, or you can use a portable lamp to test each outlet.
2. Make sure all the cables in the back of the computer are connected and tight. If something is hanging loose, look at the connector. Match it up to the corresponding connector on the back - you should be able to find a match. If any of the sound card wires are loose, you will have to check the owner's manual or the manual that came with the sound card. On some computers, the wires are "color-coded" to the adapter they go to.
3. If you normally shut off the system with the surge suppressor, check all the individual units to make sure one of them hasn't been turned off.
4. Please take the time and extra cost to put your system on a surge suppressor. Even better, buy a UPS (Uninterruptible power supply), particularly if you're running a business and you data is priceless.
3. Please***Please***Please, back up your data. You can buy a tape backup, or an external zip drive, external hard drive, or a read/write CD or DVD. Hard drives don't last forever....If a hard drive fails mechanically, it's $350 or more per hour to try and recover that data....
1. Name of the computer (Acer, Apple, AST, Compaq, Dell...)(Packard Bell does not qualify....)
2. Type of Computer (486, Pentium (II, III or IV), PowerPC....)
3. Operating system (Windows 3.1/3.11, Windows 95/98/2000/XP, NT3.51/4.0, OS\2, Linux, Unix...)(ME only marginally qualifies.....)
4. Write down the exact symptoms. In particular, write down the exact error message or messages as they appeared.
5. List all the programs you had open at the time (MSWord, Internet Explorer, Powerpoint, Kazaa, Waterfall Pro, etc...)
6. Have a pencil and paper ready to write down the consultant's suggestions. Remember, he charges by the hour.......
1. Use the utility that comes with most of the Operating systems to scan your hard drive, checking for bad sectors or file corruptions.
It's normally called Scandisk, and can usually be found under "Start - Programs - Accessories - System Tools" ON NT/2000/XP, you
can run "chkdsk /f /r" from a DOS window, but for NT and 2000 you have to have Local Admin Access. If you try it and it won't run, you
probably will need someone's help at that point.
2. Use a utility to "de-fragment" the drive. Diskeeper is a good one for most systems, and generic version of it is built-in to 2000 & XP. After-Market versions are MUCH better
3. Keep your virus definitions up-to-date, set it up to update automatically.
4. DO NOT USE Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express for your e-mail. Use something like the Eudora Mail package, or sign up for a
free e-mail account at a place like Yahoo.com. They don't have the weaknesses that the MS products do, and they use Norton Anti-virus to
scan the mail for you. If you insist on Outlook, you need to go to www.Microsoft.com and locate all the security patches available, and
apply them.
5. Organize your data files, so you can back them up easily. Create a directory called "Files", or named after you, and create sub-directories
(folders) below it for each one of your programs. If you look under the "Options" in the menu of each program, you can generally tell the
program to save your files in the directory of your choice.
6. There is a lot of "stealthware" and "spyware" hiding amongst all those "free" programs you've been downloading. One, which came with the
Kazaa software, intends to link up your computer into a network, and use your bandwith (Internet connection), processor, and your hard drive so
other companies can pay them for it. There are complete instructions on how to remove Brilliant's software at ZDNet.com's site at
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-11-875278.html. You can also go to www.lavasoftusa.com and download the latest copy of Ad-Aware. It runs much
like an anti-virus software, and needs periodic updating. You can set it up to run automatically, but you have to run it for it to do you any good.
Another choice (or use both!) is Spybot (http://www.safer-networking.org/)
7. If you are a bit more technical than most, and especially if you are on a DSL or Cable Modem connection, you should use a firewall to protect
your system. There are several available, such as Norton's, or you can get a free one from www.ZoneAlarm.com
8. Back up you data files! One of the easier methods is just to copy them over to a R/W CD or R/W DVDon a frequent basis.
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