When bad tech stuff happens, fight back with one of these PC
life-savers.
The bad news: PCs have been around for 30 years, and they still
find new and unusual ways to break. The good news: I've discovered
a kitbag full of tools that troubleshoot and fix perplexing tech
problems.
The hassle: The last time I manually updated Windows (by clicking
Start, All Programs, Windows Update), I got the dreaded
'Initialization Error 0x80040FF2' pop-up.
The fix: I could have read Microsoft's engrossing Windows Update
Troubleshooter page (requires Internet Explorer). But instead of
plowing through that blizzard of links, I whipped out DjLizard's
Dial-a-fix, a multipurpose utility that repairs all sorts of PC
problems. For instance, the program deals with Windows Update woes,
corrects installer errors, restores missing Registry entries, and
fixes Secure Sockets Layer glitches. If Windows' Defragger, System
Restore, or even Internet Explorer stops running, Dial-a-fix can
reinstall it. Behind the scenes, the utility massages the Registry
to make it run more efficiently. Dial-a-fix is free, but the
authors request a $5 donation if you find it useful--and you
will.
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The hassle: USB devices usually play nicely. But every once in a
while, when you try to install a new USB gadget, one of the others
cries foul and stops working.
The fix: To find out why, run USBInfo, a utility that identifies
and tests every USB port on your system and each device plugged
into it. The $20 program works with Windows 98 and XP; try their
15-day trial version.
Extreme nerd alert: If your USB devices aren't recognized, or if a
USB driver insists on reinstalling when you reboot, have I got some
software for you! DevCon, which you launch from a command line, is
Microsoft's free device-management tool for XP and Vista. Using Rob
van der Woude's RenewUSB.bat file, DevCon will erase all of your
USB device drivers, making your PC just like new. Then it will scan
to relocate the devices and reinstall their drivers. The program is
tough to use, so if you're going to try, you'd better know that
"hash code" isn't something you eat with your breakfast eggs. I
also insist that you back up your PC first. This trick can bring a
sick system back to health, but it can also flatline it. Browse to
DevCon for instructions on using the script file (including a
disclaimer on potential damage to your OS).
Bad codecs bring down the curtain
The hassle: Figuring out why some videos won't play on my PC is my
new least-favorite pastime.
The fix: I go straight to the heart of the matter by using
CodecInstaller. It's a freebie (donations are accepted) that looks
over my system and tells me which codecs--the programs needed to
view videos--are missing. Then it supplies safe, reliable download
sources. If CodecInstaller doesn't keep your videos rolling, try
the shotgun approach: Download and install K-Lite Codec Pack, which
has almost every codec known to humankind (13 gazillion at least);
this freebie comes with a handy video viewer, too.
The hassle: I recently went 15 rounds with an erratic power button
on my PC; every other day or so, it wouldn't work, stalling Windows
in mid-shutdown and forcing me to remove the power cord to turn off
the PC.
The fix: Replacing the power button didn't help, but a $10
power-supply tester from PC Power and Cooling revealed that the
power supply was a goner. If you're handy (and cautious), try this
shockingly easy power-supply testing trick from the company's
troubleshooting page.
For people who like tracking down ornery problems on their own,
What's Running offers a look at every active element of a PC:
services, processes, drivers, and other modules. What sets What's
Running apart from similar tools is its clever way of saving
snapshots of settings; compare a shot taken when the system was
working right with a shot from when it wasn't to hone your
troubleshooting skills.
Tool of the Month: Disable Windows Update Reboot
Every week Windows automatically downloads and installs Microsoft's
slew of updates onto your PC (unless you've changed the default
update settings; see "Don't Let a Windows Update Bring You Down"
for more). That's a good thing--usually. The bad thing is having
Windows pester you every 20 minutes or so (depending on the type of
update), asking whether you want to reboot now or wait until later.
(Later, I said!) My old strategy was to wait until late in the day
before getting the updates. Then I discovered Auto Reboot Remover,
a tool that lets me safely disable--or change my mind and
re-enable--Windows XP's Automatic Reboot annoyance.
source:
http://tech.msn.com/howto/articlepcw.aspx?cp-documentid=5617508>1=10540
