What To Do When . . .Your PC Starts Slowly

PCs that boot slowly are among the most common complaints users have, but there’s slow and then there’s slow. A computer that needs a minute between pressing the power button and letting you start a program is perfectly normal, even if those 60 seconds may feel like an eternity. A computer that takes a little longer may be suffering from a minor problem (or might just be an older machine), but a computer that takes four or five minutes (or more!) to get rolling is almost certainly suffering from one or more problems that need your attention. Most slow-boot problems have to do with software; specifically, there’s too much software running automatically when Windows boots, but this shouldn’t be the first thing you attempt to tackle. You should check hardware problems first. Follow that by checking for spyware and viruses, because these issues can undermine even the most thorough, intricate software cleaning job. And if you notice your boot process suddenly taking longer after recently adding new hardware or software, you may have already determind the root of your startup problem. Finally, although there may indeed be a smoking gun a large, single problem causing the delay long boots are frequently a result of many small delays and inefficiencies added together. Booting a computer requires dozens of sequential steps, so it’s certainly possible to save 60 seconds by eliminating 10 six-second delays.

Basic Hardware Checks
It isn’t uncommon for a computer to slow as one or more of its components starts to fail, and a slow boot may just be the only noticeable symptom. Fortunately, performing tests and checking the obvious is fairly easy. First, take a deep breath, open up the computer (assuming it isn’t a laptop), and turn it on. Check that all the fans are spinning. Some fans are temperature-sensitive and won’t speed up (or even start spinning) until things are warm, so consider leaving it running this way for a little while. Make a note of any fans that seem dead; have a professional replace them or, if you know what you’re doing, replace them yourself. Next, turn the PC off and take a good look at the CPU’s heatsink. (You may have to remove a plastic shroud that surrounds the CPU.) If it’s covered with dust and grime, clean it with a can of compressed air (readily available at most electronics stores) or a small brush. This ensures the CPU is cooling itself properly, because most modern CPUs throttle back to a lower clock speed if they’re overheating. And a lower clock speed can contribute to a slower boot process.

A marginally working CPU, hard drive, or memory module can also slow the boot process down, especially when the failing component still “sort of works.” For example, a failing hard drive might finally work after 10 attempts at reading from it, and Windows may retry using that failing hard drive many times before giving up. Fortunately, we recommend a free bootable CD called the Ultimate Boot CD, which you can download from www.ultimatebootcd.com. It has dozens of generic tests for your CPU and memory and includes all the major hard drive manufacturers’ hardware tests. And because it’s a bootable CD, you don’t need to load Windows (and, after all, loading Windows is really the problem in the first place) to run the disc’s tests. You can run through all the CPU tests in a few minutes, but let one of the memory checkers run overnight. The hard drive tests will only need a few minutes to do a quick check, but if you can spare another night, opt for running a deep test for better results. If your hardware checks out, you can move on.


BIOS Tweaks
When you fire up your PC, its BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) leaps into action, initializing hardware, testing RAM and other hardware, and looking for a bootable device. You can alter the tasks it performs by accessing your system’s BIOS setup. Immediately after you turn on your computer, take a close look at the screen for a message such as “Press F2 To Access BIOS Setup” or similar language and press that key. Your PC’s/motherboard’s users manual should also identify the appropriate keystroke. With luck, it may even describe some BIOS options. If your goal is to eliminate as many small delays as possible, then there are a few changes you can make to your BIOS. First, look for an option called Quick Boot and enable it; this eliminates some of the system tests during the boot. This feature’s name may vary on a different BIOS, but you should generally enable any option that appears to accelerate your boot speed. Next, move to the Hard Drive Detection (sometimes called IDE Detection) screens, and switch the IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) positions you know to be empty from Auto to None in other words, if you don’t have a Primary Slave IDE drive, set Primary Slave to None. You can identify an IDE drive by the flat, wide cable that connects the drive to the motherboard, but when you start making changes to your BIOS, always be certain you understand exactly what you’re changing. And if your system only uses SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) drives, then set all the IDE positions to None. Finally, if you never boot from a floppy diskette drive, CD/DVD ROM drive, USB device, or network connection, set the hard drive as your first boot device. This prevents your PC from checking for bootable media elsewhere every time.


Clearing Bad Parasitic Software
After you’ve eliminated any hardware issues and streamlined your BIOS, it’s time to deal with the bad software: viruses and spyware. If your computer boots slowly but works reasonably well once it completely boots, any malware that’s snuck into your system is probably a minor infestation, which means it’s probably one you can clear with automated tools. If you have antivirus software installed, it’s time to update your definitions and run a full scan. And if your commercial antivirus subscription (for example, Norton AntiVirus) has expired, either renew your subscription or uninstall what you have and install a free antivirus product, such as AVG Anti-Virus Free (free.grisoft.com) or AOL’s Active Virus Shield (www.activevirusshield.com). Because viruses evolve rapidly, it’s critically important to use an antivirus product with current definitions. Don’t bother with out-of-date antivirus software. Spyware can also bog down your boot, so you should clear that, too. Like antivirus software, antispyware products need current definitions to do an effective job, so update what you have before running a full system scan. If you don’t have any antispyware tools and don’t think you have a serious spyware problem, then try a couple of free programs to be safe. Most of the free scanners don’t have always-on components, and different scanners tend to focus on different types of threats; you can usually install a few and let them scan without worrying that one program will interfere with another. Two that work well together are Ad-Aware SE (www.lavasoftusa.com) and Spybot Search & Destroy (www.safer-networking.org). Perform each application’s antispyware scan individually instead of running them simultaneously.


Clearing “Good” Parasitic Software
It should come as no surprise that software often installs itself to automatically run every time Windows starts, but the sheer volume of this particular software that’s running on your system may shock you when you count it all up. Limiting your software that starts on boot to just the programs, utilities, and drivers you always need can dramatically reduce boot times. There are two challenges to face here. The first is finding a list of programs that start automatically, and the second is to know which programs you can safely disable at boot time. Fortunately, there’s a handy tool that’s built into every version of Windows (except Windows 2000) that shows you almost all your auto-start programs: msconfig. To run it, click Start and Run. Type msconfig and click OK. Next, click the Startup tab to see the auto-start list; a check mark next to an application means that it’s starting every boot, while an empty checkbox means the program is disabled. If you have Win2000 or want a more advanced tool, then try using AutoRuns for Windows (www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/Autoruns.mspx). Just extract the ZIP file you download and double-click Autoruns.exe to run it. Like Msconfig, each checked entry is set to run automatically at startup, and unchecking a program disables it at startup. (You’ll still be able to use program but will have to manually start it each time.) AutoRuns is more thorough in ferreting out auto-start programs, so its list is much longer than Msconfig’s and broken down into different autostart methods. To whittle that list and focus on third-party software, click Options, Hide Microsoft Entries, and the Refresh button. Regardless of which utility you choose, you shouldn’t just uncheck everything in the list. (Although interestingly, WinXP will run just fine and quite fast with everything disabled in the Msconfig Startup tab). Instead, you need to figure out what each item is and decide if it’s something that you really need to run every time Windows starts. For example, many peripherals, such as PDAs and game controllers, have supporting programs that start automatically every time (you can usually see their icons in the System Tray), but how often do you really HotSync your Treo or play a game? If you don’t frequently use the peripherals that require these support applications, consider disabling them at startup. When you plan to actually use the device, manually run the program instead. For example, only run the Palm HotSync Manager when you actually need to HotSync your PDA. You should only disable programs that you can properly identify; determining which programs you can disable occasionally requires some sleuthing. For example, you can track down an oddly named program, such as P17Helper, by doing an Internet keyword search. In this particular case, P17Helper is an ASIO (audio stream input output) driver for a Sound Blaster card, which allows for high-speed digital audio recording. If you never record digital audio, you should consider disabling it. Many Web sites that identify startup programs also state if you can safely disable the programs.Deciding what to disable can be tricky if you can’t find guidance online, but there are useful guidelines the adventurous can follow. If you disable a program related to hardware, reboot and see if the hardware still works. If it doesn’t, re-enable the program. Ditto for software application helpers make sure the main application they help still runs after you restart. Many programs, such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and Real Player, preload some parts of an application into your system’s memory under the assumption that the associated applications will start a few seconds faster when you actually run them. You can safely disable these preloaders, but the trade-off is that your application might take a few extra seconds to load. Some applications install their own schedulers or version checkers, which is something you can usually do manually. Don’t forget to check for updates yourself if you disable these programs at startup. Ideally, when you identify a startup program you want to disable, you should disable it from within the program itself. If there’s no such option, simply uncheck its entry in Msconfig or AutoRuns.


The Payoff
By carefully pruning your autostart programs, optimizing the BIOS, and eliminating hidden malware, you should be able to reduce your boot time from three or four minutes to less than a minute. Over the course of a year of daily startups, that can really add up.

What To Do When . . .You Accidentally Delete Something

At some point in your computing life, you will lose data, whether it’s due to something as serious as a system crash or something less drastic but equally as frustrating, such as accidentally deleting a file. While the sting of losing a coveted photo, spreadsheet, or audio file definitely smarts, it may ease your pain knowing there’s a good chance of getting your data back if you act quickly and logically. For this article we’re assuming you’ve accidentally deleted or misplaced a file, folder, icon, or similar data and a backup copy isn’t available. Data lost to such problems as malfunctioning hardware/software or Windows related errors often require more time-consuming and complicated solutions uninstalling/reinstalling Windows, using Windows’ Repair or Recovery Console utilities, replacing a hard drive, and more than those we’ll discuss here, which are generally easier to execute but potentially as effective. First, though, it will help to know what you’re dealing with when you lose data, accidentally or otherwise.

Where Deleted Files Go
Many users assume once a letter, photo, song, or other file is deleted that it’s gone for good, but this isn’t the case. Deleting a file essentially only erases the bookmark that Windows uses to retrieve the file. What deleting a file really tells Windows is that you no longer wish to reserve hard drive space for the file. Thus, the file remains on your drive until Windows writes over it with new data. Until then, there’s a chance of retrieving your accidentally deleted data. Initially, the best thing you can do is actually nothing, as any new data you save to your hard drive could write over the file you want to retrieve. Also, running a disk defragmenter could wreak havoc on your deleted file. If you’ve scheduled Windows’ Disk Defragmenter to run automatically, disable the option (click Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Scheduled Tasks) until you retrieve the data. Ultimately, getting your file back may mean using an undelete program. At worst, a data recovery service can retrieve data from even a presumed dead hard drive, but typically at a stiff price (more on these options later).
Search For Your Files
Often, just searching for a file can tell you if you really deleted it or accidentally saved it to another location. First, check the list of recently accessed programs and files Windows XP keeps at the left of the Start menu. Windows programs such as Word and Excel also keep a list of recently opened files specific to that program on the File menu. Clicking the File menu in Word, for example, shows you four recently accessed Word documents and their locations. Another option is Windows’ Search tool (click Start, Search). In the Search Results dialogue box under the Search Companion pane are options to search for Pictures, Music, Or Video; Documents (Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Etc.); All Files And Folders; and Computers And People. Try clicking All Files And Folders and entering appropriate text in the All Or Part Of The File Name and A Word Or Phrase In The File text fields. Next, click My Computer from the Look In drop-down menu and click Search. Your results will display to the right. If Search doesn’t find what you’re after, try using a wildcard (*) character and the document’s file extension, such as *.doc or *.xls. Search also has such advanced search options as Search Hidden Files And Folders and searching by file size, last modified date, and other criteria.

Check The Recycle Bin
If Search proves fruitless, check that Windows isn’t holding the file in the Recycle Bin (double-click the Recycle Bin Desktop icon). Most files you manually delete remain in the Recycle Bin, taking up hard drive space until you empty the bin (click File and Empty Recycle Bin). By default, the Recycle Bin uses 10% of your hard drive’s capacity (change this by right-clicking Recycle Bin, clicking Properties, and adjusting the Maximum Size Of Recycle Bin slider.) When the capacity is full, Windows drops off older files as new ones are added. If you have a large-capacity hard drive, your files can remain in the bin for a long time. If your file is in the Recycle Bin, highlight it, click File, and click Restore to retrieve it.

Use System Restore
System Restore is Windows’ utility that can roll your system’s settings back to a previous date, or Restore Point. System Restore doesn’t alter files you’ve recently created, such as email and Word docs. Using a Restore Point will remove any Windows updates or program-specific upgrades (particularly virus and spyware definitions) you installed after the Restore Point’s date. You’ll need to reinstall these after the restoration. To use System Restore, click Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore, and follow the steps given.

Use Undelete Software
If your file is still missing, it’s time to consider using an undelete program, which will scan your hard drive for data that’s still active but that Windows doesn’t recognize. Note, however, that an undelete program may only retrieve portions of a file due to several reasons, including how Windows stores data. Rather than save a file in one location on a hard drive, Windows chops the file into smaller chunks, or clusters, that it fits into spaces on the drive as they become available. These spaces usually aren’t next to one another, and as new data is saved to a drive, it can write over various portions of the file. Although undelete programs range in price and difficulty of use, most can also scan removable storage devices and include a search tool and helpful filters for narrowing down searches. Many free undelete apps are available, but most will only display the files they can retrieve until you pay the program’s full version to retrieve them. When looking at undelete apps, consider one that you can download to and run from a removable storage, such as a CD/DVD, floppy diskette, or USB keydrive, as, again, installing an app to your hard drive could write over the files you want to retrieve. Additionally, although programs differ in how they search for retrievable data, most offer quick and deep scanning options and filters for searches and viewing results. This last point is important, as typically a program will return hundreds to thousands of files that may date back years. Finally, look for an app that rates the chances of retrieving files, such as PC Tool’s File Recover does using Poor (partially recoverable) or Excellent (fully recoverable) qualifiers.

For this article we used various demo, free trial, and final versions of PC Tools’ File Recover ($29.95; www.pctools.com), WinRecovery Software’s WinUndelete ($49.95; www.winundelete.com), OfficeRecovery’s Free Undelete (free; www.officerecovery.com), Executive Software’s Undelete 5.0 Home ($29.95; www.executive.com), and R-tools Technology’s RUndelete ($54.99; www.r-undelete.com). Other apps include Que-Tek Consulting’s File Scavenger 3 ($49; www.quetek.com), Active@Data Recovery’s Active@File Recovery ($29.95; www.file-recovery.net), and Stompsoft’s Recover Lost Data ($39.99; www.stompsoft.com). Wellknown manufacturers such as Symantec (Norton SystemWorks Standard, $69.95; Save & Restore, $49.99; Norton Ghost 10, $69.99; www .symantec.com) and McAfee (Internet Security Suite, $49.99; www.mcafee.com) also offer recovery tools.

Use A Data Recovery Service
Depending on how valuable your lost data is, a data recovery service is an excellent option. The bad news is that such services are typically time-consuming and expensive, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Typically, after evaluating the drive, the service will provide a cost estimate for getting your data back. Further, you may get multiple estimates based on different factors that may influence the ability to get back your data, such as if the hard drive is physically damaged. Before choosing a service, ask what data you can expect it to retrieve, including the specific data you want back. Check if the company performs retrievals in its offices, onsite, or offers software you can operate yourself at home. Most importantly, make certain the company adequately answers all privacy-related questions, as the service will have access to all the data on your hard drive, including personal information. Two data recovery services include DriveSavers (www.drivesavers.com) and Ontrack Data Recovery (www.ontrack.com/services). Overall, some preparation is often the best solution for getting accidentally deleted data back. This means routinely backing up important files and having an undelete program on hand so you can immediately search for the file after you realize it’s gone. Additionally, many Windows programs have auto-save and backup features, such as Word’s Always Create Backup Copy setting (Click Tools and Options and click the Save tab).

What To Do When . . .You Can’t Delete Something

Deleting something is usually one of the easiest computing tasks to accomplish. So much so that OS (operating system) developers such as Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) have added safeguards to their products to make sure trigger happy users think twice before deleting the wrong file and doing irreparable harm to their data or systems. But there are times when the simple act of deleting something can go awry. The causes are many, from the simple to the exotic, but they all have one thing in common: They can be extremely vexing and frustrating when you just want to, well, throw out the digital trash.

Working Status
Deleting a file is usually quite simple. The application that you’re working in may provide you with a warning before you delete a file, asking you to confirm that you indeed want to delete the file before proceeding. Once confirmation is given, that’s all it takes. Windows versions since Windows 95 all feature the Recycle Bin, the trash can icon on your Desktop that temporarily stores deleted files. The Recycle Bin is there in case you have second thoughts and decide you need a deleted file after all and is just an area on your hard disk set aside to temporarily hold files marked for deletion. Files stored in the Recycle Bin may last for a while, depending on the size of the Bin. (By default, Windows makes the Recycle Bin 10% of whatever the hard disk capacity is.) But be aware that the Recycle Bin doesn’t exist in certain situations. For example, if you delete a file stored in a thumb drive, there won’t be any Recycle Bin to bail you out if you change your mind. Ditto for network drives, which usually don’t have a Recycle Bin either; usually, a file stored in a network drive is immediately deleted. But, since network drives are frequently backed up by businesses, there may be a copy of the file that you can retrieve from backup media if you accidentally delete something you needed after all.

Try, Try Again
You try to delete a file, but you receive a warning telling you the file can’t be deleted. When this occurs, the first step is to determine whether the file is in use by a program. For example, if you attempt to delete a file that is open in Microsoft Word, switch to Word and then close the file within Word. Once you close the file in Word, you should be able to delete it with no problem. In most cases, Windows XP tells you the application that is using the file in question, so it’s pretty simple to close the file and then delete it. You can also get a clue as to the application that is using the file by the file’s icon or the extension. For example, if a file extension is .PDF (Portable Document Format), you know this is an Adobe Acrobat (www.adobe.com) file that is viewed using Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Reader. Sometimes, even closing an application using a file isn’t enough. This can happen because an application does not play nice and refuses to let go of the file even though the application is closed. In some cases, an application may appear closed (you exited the application), but it is still running in the background. For example, some applications don’t close all the way when you exit but continue to run in the background. These apps may appear as a small icon on your System Tray (the area in Windows on the lower-right portion of the screen where you may see a number of small icons). If you suspect this is the problem, simply locate the application’s icon in the System Tray and close the application. For most programs, right-clicking the System Tray icon will launch a small menu that contains an Exit or Close command. Click the appropriate command and then delete the file. If the application using the file you want to delete is closed, there is no System Tray icon, and you still can’t delete the file, you may be grappling with a poorly programmed app that refuses to release a file even after you exit the application in the normal way. To close this type of stubborn program, press CTRL-ALT-DELETE to launch the Windows Task Manager. Click the Processes tab and look through the list of programs and processes running in your system. Unfortunately, the contents of this list are usually program names ending in .EXE or file names ending in .DLL, so things may appear a bit cryptic. Usually, the name of the program executable file for an application matches the name of the application: For example, Excel’s program executable file is Excel.exe. Scan the list, find your application’s executable file, and click the End Process button to close it. If the name of the application’s program executable file is not obvious, browse to the program folder that contains the application’s program files. To do this, double-click My Computer, Local Disk (C:), and the Program Files folder. Scroll through the list of folders until you locate the folder containing the program in question and then double click it to open it. Look for file names ending with .EXE; one of those will be the app’s main program executable, which you can then close using the Windows Task Manager’s Processes tab If all else fails, the inability to delete a file may be an indicator of file system corruption. This means the area of the hard drive where the file is stored is corrupted. This could be due to a software or hardware issue. For example, if an area of your hard drive is physically damaged, strange behavior can occur. To have Windows find and correct file system errors, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and Disk Defragmenter. Click the Analyze button in the Disk Defragmenter window. Windows will look for file system errors and correct anything it finds, if possible. Now try to delete. If you still can’t delete the file after trying this software fix, there may be serious errors with your hard disk signaling an impending hard drive failure. And that is a real problem requiring swift action. Back up your important files and replace the hard disk as soon as possible.

Video File Issues
It is possible that you may receive an Access Denied or Windows Can’t Delete The File Because It’s In Use error message while trying to delete a file ending in the .AVI (Audio Video Interleave) file extension. This problem can occur because WinXP creates thumbnails for video files (such as AVI files) that show the first frame of the video. This makes it easy for users to see what video content a file contains without having to open it. To provide this functionality, WinXP uses a file called the Shell Media Extension (Shmedia.dll). This feature usually works perfectly, but whenever a video file is corrupted or not playing nice with Shmedia.dll, the system “locks” the file and doesn’t release it, even after you reboot. To solve this problem, you can do one of two things. First, you can open up a command line by clicking Start and Run and typing cmd in the text box. At the command prompt, type CD drive where file is stored:\folder where file is stored and press ENTER. For example, if the file is kept in a folder called Video in your C: drive, type CD C:\Video to open the folder. Type dir at the command prompt to see the list of files contained in the folder and then type DEL file name (where file name is the name of the file you want to delete) to delete the file. If the name of the folder is greater than six characters, you must shorten it by entering ~1 after the first six characters. For example, if the name of the folder you are trying to get to is called Program Files, to open the folder from a command prompt you must type CD C:\progra~1 to open the folder. That’s because the command prompt environment can’t handle long file names. The second approach requires modifying your Windows Registry. (NOTE: Making changes to the system using the Registry Editor may cause errors that render the operating system unstable. You should always create a backup before editing the Registry.) To do this, click Start and Run and then type regedit in the text box. With Registry Editor open, locate the following key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler\{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE
6850DC73E}. Click the key in the right-hand panel of the Registry Editor to highlight it, right-click the key, and select Delete from the context menu. You’ll give up the thumbnail previews of video files feature, but you’ll now be able to delete the offending AVI file.

For Your Own Protection
You keep deleting a file in one of your Windows system folders, but whenever you open the folder that contained the file, the file is there again. What’s going on? To prevent users from accidentally destroying their Windows installations, Win2000/XP contains a feature which is enabled by default called Windows File Protection. (The feature is called System File Protection in WinMe.) If you delete a file that Windows deems important, that file is automatically restored to its proper location from a cache of critical files that Windows keeps on your hard drive. If you’re trying to delete a file located in any of the Windows system folders, chances are you won’t be able to do it unless you disable Windows File Protection. And disabling Windows File Protection, while straightforward, requires some editing of a DLL file using a hex editor. Unless you have a really good reason to do this, you’re better off leaving Windows File Protection alone. It’s there for your protection. Only technically savvy users who are very experienced at tweaking and customizing their systems should attempt to remove Windows File Protection and delete files stored in the Windows system folders.

What To Do When . . .You Can’t Install Something

It all seemed like such a good idea at the time. You picked up the newest, coolest video-editing suite this afternoon and spent the whole drive home thinking of how your video creations were going to put Martin Scorsese to shame. However, every time you tried to install the software, your computer coughed up some new and exotic error that gave you no idea as to what the actual problem was. While the causes of install errors are many and varied, we’ve got you covered with some of the most common ones and how to go about fixing them.

Insufficient Resources
There’s one error that you may be able to circumvent before even buying the software. Too often, you can trace installation problems back to insufficient system resources. Most software manufacturers list the system requirements for their products right on the software packaging itself, but that helpful information really means nothing if you don’t know what you’re looking at or what resources your system has.

Let’s take a look at your system’s resources.
In Windows XP, simply click Start, then Control Panel, then double click System. In the window that pops up, click the System tab. Under the System heading, you’ll find your current operating system, as well as the Service Pack that’s currently installed. In the lower-right quadrant of this window, you’ll find information on your processor speed and available memory. Take note of all of this information; if your system’s specifications don’t match or exceed the requirements listed by the manufacturer, then the software won’t properly function on your computer.

Some software packages will also have specific requirements for your video card, as well. While still in the System Properties window, you can check these by clicking the Hardware tab and then clicking the Device Manager button. To see what kind of video card your system has, click the plus (+) symbol next to the Display Adapters icon. (You can also find this information by double-clicking the Display icon in the Control Panel and then clicking the Settings tab; the video card should be listed under the Display: heading about halfway down.) One final note about system requirements: Manufacturers will often list minimum system requirements as well as recommended ones. Though the software may work with the minimum requirements, it’s probably a good idea to make sure that your system has the recommended ones because the programs you install will generally run a lot smoother and crash less if your system doesn’t have to use every bit of its resources just to load them.

Do You Have Permission?
Another common problem users run into when installing new software, especially on newer machines, stems heavily from something called user permissions. Machines running Windows NT/2000/XP are all configured with an Administrator login, which is usually included so that normal users can’t access certain parts of the computer. You’ll know you have a problem with user permissions when your error message includes the words “Please contact your system administrator.” Of course, you probably don’t have a system administrator. You’re probably running the computer at home, not at an office. So why is your computer asking you to contact someone who probably doesn’t exist? User privileges are sometimes tricky to negotiate, but the first step is to make sure that you’re logged into your computer under the machine’s Administrator account. To do this, click the Start button in the lower left-hand corner of the screen and then click Log Off USERNAME. When the system comes back up, choose the Administrator profile and then type in your password, which should have been set up at the time Windows was installed or set up on the computer. After you’ve logged in as an Administrator, try to install the program again. You shouldn’t see any more error messages asking you to contact anyone.

Old News
Installation problems don’t always crop up while you’re installing that brand-spankin’ new piece of software. Every once in a while, a program you’ve used with delight for years will give you a fresh error that’s related to installation. The problem here is that many types of software cannot install properly if there is an older version of the same software already present on the computer. Though this error can be frustrating, it’s fortunately rather easy to fix. Click Start, then Settings, then Control Panel. Double-click the Add or Remove Programs icon.

A list of the software that is currently installed on the machine should appear. Scroll down through the list until you find a match for the software you’re trying to install (for example, if you’re trying to install the newest Adobe Flash Player, check the list for any mention of that name). When you do find a match, click the software name and then click the Change/Remove button. Your computer will uninstall the old version of the software. Sometimes, Windows will require you to restart your computer to complete the process. Once the computer is finished rebooting, log in as an Administrator and then try installing the software again.

If It Isn’t The Software
So far, we’ve mainly covered software installation problems, but another set of errors can cause just as much frustration for the average home user. Instead of purchasing the newest, coolest video-editing suite, you’ve instead just purchased some new hardware, in the form of a DVD-R drive for your machine. You followed the instruction sheet to the letter, but when you turn your computer on, the new component still won’t work. What gives? There are many reasons why a newly installed piece of hardware might not work, but we’ll cover three of them in general here.

The first reason should look rather familiar, as it’s also a common cause of software installation problems: system requirements. Check in the hardware’s packaging, and make sure your machine meets or exceeds the manufacturer’s requirements for the new part to operate. If your system requirements are in order, make sure that your machine has the correct drivers installed to run the new piece of hardware. These will usually come in the box with the new hardware, most often on a CD. Run this CD to install the proper set of drivers for the new hardware. Also, the hardware manufacturer’s

Web site may also have the driver for the hardware available for download. Now that the drivers are installed in your well-above-specs system, everything should work as advertised. If it doesn’t, however, you may want to check for a device conflict. This error occurs when more than one device is trying to use the same resource or set of resources on your computer. To see if this is the case, open the Device Manager as described above and then check the list for any piece of hardware that registers a device conflict (there will usually be a red exclamation mark in a yellow circle next to the names of such devices). Check with the hardware manufacturer on how to resolve these errors.

What To Do When . . .You’re Having Audio Problems

As computers and notebooks evolve into multimedia playback centers, reliable, quality sound becomes ever more important. Alas, many problems with your computer’s audio can arise at any moment. Audio troubles can originate from hardware and software sources, and you can even track these issues back into your computer’s most basic operating code, the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). If your computer’s audio doesn’t sound quite right or isn’t making any sounds at all, try walking through these audio troubleshooting basics.

When Silence Is Not Golden
The most common audio frustration seems to be not being able to get any audio at all. Unfortunately, there are many sources of this problem, from the embarrassingly obvious to the most technically daunting. First, check your hardware: Make sure that you’ve correctly connected the speakers to the audio outputs of the computer and that you properly power up the entire set. Most external PC speakers require their own power source that you need to plug in and turn on. After power outages, for instance, when you turn your computer back on, your speakers may not power back up unless you do so manually. Also, make sure that you turn the speaker volume back up to audible levels. These may seem like painfully obvious solutions, but in our experiences we can trace back many “no sound” problems to the simplest oversights. Next, check to make sure that Windows recognizes your audio hardware. Click the Start menu, select Settings, and click Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, double-click the System icon. In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab and then under Device Manager, click the Device Manager button. This window shows an outline of your hardware and the software drivers that make them work properly with Windows. Double-click Sound, Video And Game Controllers to check to make sure none of your audio devices has a red X on it. If you see a red X, this means that your computer recognizes the audio hardware, but the drivers are not properly installed. In this case, you’ll need to reinstall your audio controller drivers. To do this, please see “Basic Troubleshooting: Audio Cards”.

If all of the hardware is operating correctly and you still can’t hear anything, then you need to check the volume settings in Windows XP. First, open up Windows Media Player (or a music player of your choice) and start playing a song so you have a constant audio stream for testing. Click the Start menu, select Settings, and then click Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, double-click Sounds And Audio Devices. In the Sounds And Audio Devices Properties window under Device Volume, look to see if there’s a check mark in the Mute box; if there is, click the box to uncheck it. In this same area, move the Device Volume setting to High. If this doesn’t work, then click the Advanced button in this area. In the Play Control window, you’ll see different sliders that control the various channels of your audio. The Play Control slider (far left) is for overall output level, but other sliders regulate the output for specific audio types. Most of your Windows sound effects and media playback come through the Wave channel, and some CDs play through the CD Player channel. Make sure there are not check marks in these channels’ Mute boxes and set the sliders to about 70% (a line or two away from the top). If this doesn’t work, you will have to make sure that the PC knows you have speakers connected. In the Sounds And Audio Devices Properties window, click the Advanced button in the Speaker Settings box. In the Speaker tab, if the Speaker Setup field says No Speakers, then your PC may not be driving any sound to the output channels. Click the dropdown arrow to select the setup that matches your speaker configuration and then click OK.


Can You Hear Me Now?
Getting a microphone to work properly on a PC can be a daunting task in itself. For starters, the microphone signal may be coming into your PC across one of several channels. To ensure that all of them are open, go back into the Sound And Audio Devices Properties menu via the Control Panel (see directions above). Click the Volume tab and the Advanced button in the Device Volume area. In the Play Control window, click the Options menu and make sure Advanced Controls has a check mark next to it so that you can see all of the available channels. With the same Options menu open, click Properties. In the Properties window under Adjust Volume For, select Recording. Under Show The Following Volume Controls, put check marks in all of the available boxes and click OK. You should now see all of the possible recording channels from your hardware. It’s most likely that the microphone or headset is using the Microphone or Line-In channel, so make sure the volume levels on each of these is at 70%. Again, in the Play Control Window click Options, Properties, and this time select Playback and place check marks in all of the boxes under Show The Following Volume Controls. Click OK to see the full range of playback channels available to you. Be sure to set the volume levels for all channels at about 70%. In some configurations you may have trouble recording from a microphone or using a headset for voice chatting if the Line-In or Microphone channels are set to Mute. If they are, simply uncheck the Mute boxes in each of these channels and test the audio recording again. The most effective way to set your audio input is through the well hidden Sound Hardware Test Wizard in WinXP. First, connect your microphone or headset to your line-in or microphone input on your PC. Go into the Sound And Audio Properties window and click the Voice tab. Under Voice Recording, click the Test Hardware button, and Windows will start a wizard that helps troubleshoot voice input channel problems and then sets the right levels for acceptable playback.


Isn’t This Supposed To Be A CD Player?
Yes, your PC is supposed to play CDs at least as well as most dedicated CD players, but it doesn’t always work out that way. If you want your music CDs to start right away and use the media player software of your choice, then double-click the My Computer icon on your Desktop. Right-click your optical disc drive and select Properties from the drop-down menu. In the drive’s window, click the AutoPlay tab and the drop-down menu arrow to choose Music CD. Under Actions, click the Select An Action To Perform radio button. The list below will show you all the possible actions Windows can perform whenever you put in a CD. Highlight your choice and click OK to activate it. If your CD is already playing but you don’t hear any sound, then open the Sounds And Audio Device Properties window from the Control Panel. Click the Advanced button under Device Volume and check to make sure that CD Player volume slider is set to 70% and that the Mute box does not have a check in it. Another final fix to try on an older computer is to see if the CD drive itself has a volume knob below the disc tray. If it does, turn the volume up to just below maximum and see if that brings your CD sound back.


I Have 5.1 Speakers & 2.1 Sound
Just because you have a fancy surround sound speaker kit doesn’t mean that your Windows computer knows how to use all six channels. Very often, software upgrades and audio settings from other programs will reset your audio output for standard two- or three-speaker arrangements even if you have full surround sound. If you aren’t getting audio from all of the speakers attached to your computer, then go into the Sound And Audio Devices Properties window (see above for directions). Click the Volume tab and the Advanced button under Speaker Settings. In the Speakers tab, under Speaker Setup, click the drop-down menu to select the appropriate speaker setup. Surround sound games and DVDs will only take advantage of all of your speakers if the basic speaker setup is correct in this window. Keep in mind that only some audio sources will take advantage of all six speakers in a 5.1 audio setup. In many cases, MP3 music and basic sound effects will only play back in stereo (two speakers) unless you’ve specifically instructed your audio hardware to “expand” all audio to your full four- or five-speaker set. To expand all audio, you must find your audio hardware’s control software. (Please see “Basic Troubleshooting: Audio Cards” for more information.)


The Twisted Chain Of Audio Settings
In many PCs, two sources control your audio input/output: WinXP and software associated with an audio add-on card or the built-in audio chipset for your motherboard. This can make the process of troubleshooting audio problems frustrating because your settings may be proper in the WinXP control boxes, yet the audio hardware’s drivers and software may be overriding the system settings. Most of the tips in this article deal with WinXP settings because the software for your audio hardware is particular to that hardware. As a general rule, however, you should locate that software. If it is an add-in card, one of the most likely manufacturers is Creative Labs, so look for that listing in Programs (Click Start and select Programs from the menu). If your audio functions come straight from your motherboard, then you may be looking for control software from Realtek, Nvidia, ESS, C-Media, AD SoundMAX, or Via/IC Ensemble, to name some of the most likely providers.

Weird Noises In The Attic
The source of audio distortion can be just as elusive as “no sound” problems. Again, the first response is to check the hardware. If your audio comes through an add-in card, you may be suffering interference from the many radio-emitting parts within a computer. For instance, if you hear chirping or buzzing when your hard drive is active, then your audio card may be picking up “noise” inside the computer case. One common cure is to move the audio card into the slot furthest from the hard drive and from any network interface card. Before moving the card, uninstall the audio drivers so you can reinstall them fresh after moving the audio card. (Please see “Basic Troubleshooting: Audio Cards” on how to do this.)

No Fun
Some of the most vexing audio problems arise when playing computer games, DVD movies, or MP3 audio files. Audio and video often interact with one another, and each can undermine the other’s performance. Entertainment software that uses 3D graphics or 5.1 audio tends to push your system to its limits and expose underlying weaknesses that can affect sound quality. For instance, video performance in 3D games can affect the audio, and you may get audio pauses or “hiccups” in the audio tracks during game play. In this case, your first line of defense is to address the video. Try to update the drivers for your graphics card because the card processes the images and sends that information across the motherboard, which can impact the audio track, as well. Of course, update your sound card or audio chipset drivers, too. (Please see “Basic Troubleshooting: Graphics Cards” for more information.) Audio “burps” may also come from a setting buried deep within your Sound And Audio Devices Properties window. Access those controls through the Control Panel (see previous directions) and click the Audio Tab. Under Sound Playback, click the Advanced button. The Advanced Audio Properties window controls the quality and range of audio features Windows uses. If you’re experiencing persistent audio distortion in games or even in music, click the Performance tab in this window and move the Hardware Acceleration slider to one notch below the Full setting. This disables some of the most advanced audio features and may produce cleaner multimedia sound. Click OK to activate the setting. In games or other multimedia such as DVD and MP3 playback, audio burps can also come from a badly fragmented hard drive. Over time, pieces of saved files are stored in different places on your hard drive, which makes your computer strain harder when accessing data and interrupts the audio flow. If your audio problems occur when you can see the hard drive access light flicker on your PC or hear the drive loading data, then you may need to defragment the drive. Double-click My Computer, right-click the drive letter where your computer stores Windows (usually the C: drive), and select Properties from the drop-down menu. Click the Tools tab and under Defragmentation, click the Defragment Now button. The process could take up to an hour or more to complete, but it creates a cleaner pathway for your data, including audio files.

Hiss
The interior of a computer can produce electrical “noise” that results in background hissing through your speakers or headphones. The first cure is letting your speaker system do the amplification rather than your audio card or motherboard. As in the examples above, go into the Sounds And Audio Properties window via the Control Panel. Click the Volume tab and the Advanced button under Device Volume. In the Play Control window, set all of the volume sliders to 70% or 80% and leave them there. Setting your computer’s output volume to the max tends to overdrive the onboard amplifier, which generally isn’t as efficient as the amplifier in your external speakers. From now on, if you rely on your speakers to control volume, you should get a cleaner sound. If the hissing or buzzing persists, then you are probably experiencing interference from one of the multiple audio channels going into and out of the computer. The Line-In channel is the most likely suspect when it comes to a constant hissing. In the same Play Control window as above, click the Mute box under the Line-In column to block any audio input coming from that channel. Of course, if you use that audio input for a microphone or some other external audio input, then you will need to un-Mute the channel whenever you need to use the external device. The other culprit may be your Microphone channel. Again, in the Play Control window, look for the Microphone channel. If it doesn’t show up, click the Options menu and select Properties from the drop-down menu. Under Show The Following Volume Controls, place a check mark in the Microphone box and click OK. You should now see the Microphone box. Place a check mark in its Mute box to silence any background noise that may be coming from that channel. In fact, you can keep your audio clean by muting any input or output channel that you don’t need. In the end, if you’re having computer audio problems, the general rule is don’t set anything to the max. Also, be sure to always check for obvious solutions to your problems (be sure speaker cables are connected correctly) and then move on to the less obvious.

What To Do When . . .You’re Having Video Problems

It’s not uncommon to feel completely in the dark when your computer’s video or display seems to be acting up. Often, video problems prevent you from following the normal troubleshooting routines and lack error messages that hint at the real problem. The following are some common problems you may encounter and solutions to help you back into the light.

If Your Monitor Is Blank . . .
Check the computer. The first step is to make sure your computer is connected to a working outlet. Press the power button. Commonly, you can determine if the computer is running by listening for fan noise and looking for lit LEDs (light-emitting diodes) on the front of the PC. Sometimes you’ll hear a beep from the internal speaker as the computer boots. If your PC won’t boot, then refer to “Your PC Won’t Start”. Check the monitor. If your monitor is blank, make sure its power cable is connected to a working outlet and fully inserted into the monitor itself. Also make sure the video cable is connected to the appropriate VGA (Video Graphics Array) or DVI (Digital Visual Interface) port on the graphics card or motherboard. Tighten the screws on the video cable connector to make sure you’re getting the best connection possible. Inspect both cables for exposed wires and kinks. If these exist, or if the video cable connector has some bent pins, you may need to replace the cable or monitor. Press the power button on the monitor. If you see a light, then you know the monitor is receiving power. If your monitor has physical brightness and contrast knobs or buttons on the unit, try adjusting these to make sure they were not accidentally turned to low or high. If all else fails and you have a spare monitor handy, try plugging it into your computer. If the alternate monitor works, then you’ll need to troubleshoot the former monitor itself. For more information on specifically troubleshooting monitors, refer to “Basic Troubleshooting: Screens & Monitors” on page 100. If both monitors fail to display video, then you may need to dig a bit deeper.

Check the graphics card.
Your graphics adapter is responsible for everything that you see, so video problems commonly relate to graphics adapter issues. PCs typically come with one of two types of graphics adapters: the standalone variety, called graphics cards, or the built-in variety, which we’ll refer to as graphics adapters. Built-in graphics adapters are actually a component of the motherboard, so refer to “Basic Troubleshooting: Motherboards” for more information. To inspect a standalone graphics card, shut down the computer and open the case. While the computer is still plugged in and before touching any internal components, touch a metal part of the case to discharge static electricity. Next, unplug the power cable, unplug the video cable, and examine the graphics card. If it looks like it is not fully inserted, or if the card is dusty or difficult to fully inspect, then you’ll have to remove the power supply connectors (if applicable); unscrew the rear bracket screw; and unlatch the card by sliding, pushing, or pulling the latch that holds the card into the slot (usually found on AGP [Accelerated Graphics Port] and PCI [Peripheral Component Interconnect] Express slots). You may need to bend a tab to free the card from the slot. Gently ease the card out of the slot. Now inspect the card for obvious problems, wipe away dust with a clean, dry cloth, and also wipe the slot on the motherboard. Reinsert the graphics card, making sure the metal contacts on the graphics card are aligned with the slot. Screw the bracket into place, slide the latch on the port (if applicable), and reconnect the power connectors (if applicable).

Connect the video cable to the back of the card and replace the case cover. Restart the computer. If you have another graphics card, try installing it in the current graphics card’s place. If this doesn’t solve the problem, you may need to troubleshoot your graphics card. Refer to “Basic Troubleshooting: Graphics Cards” Check other internal components. Sometimes, components besides the monitor and graphics card can cause video problems. One common culprit is RAM. If the RAM modules in your system are improperly seated or have failed, your display won’t initialize and your computer will fail to boot. Shut down your computer, open the case, touch a metal part of the case to dissipate static electricity, and unplug the computer. The RAM modules are commonly located to the right of the processor. To remove the modules, press the clips at either end of each module down. The module should pop out of the slot. Examine the modules for visible damage, remove dust with a clean, dry cloth, and reinsert them if they appear undamaged. Make sure the modules are oriented in the slot correctly (the slots are keyed to prevent improper orientation) and then press the modules firmly into the slots and allow the clips to snap into place. Close the case, plug in the PC, and restart it. If the problem persists, you may need to troubleshoot your RAM. Refer to “Basic Troubleshooting: RAM”. If you’ve attempted all the above but still don’t see anything on the display, any number of your PC’s components may be causing your computer to fail to boot. Turn to the PC Components section of this issue to begin troubleshooting other possibilities, such as your PC’s ports (see “Basic Troubleshooting: Ports”), power supply (see “Basic Troubleshooting: Power Supplies”), or processor (see “Basic Troubleshooting: Processors”) Clear the CMOS. The CMOS (complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor) keeps track of your computer’s internal clock and basic system settings. If the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) settings have been improperly configured and your computer won’t boot, then you may need to clear the CMOS memory and restore your PC to its factory default settings. Don’t attempt to clear the CMOS unless you feel comfortable doing so.

This procedure involves opening your case, so exercise caution. Shut the computer down, open the case, discharge static electricity as described above, and unplug the computer. Next, locate the button battery that powers the CMOS. This battery is like a smooth nickel. Near this battery you’ll find the CMOS jumper, which consists of three jumpers, or pins, on the motherboard. To clear the CMOS, remove the jumper cap and move it so that it caps the middle pin and the pin that was previously exposed. Leave the cap here for approximately 10 seconds. Next, move the jumper cap back to its original position. It’s very important that you return the jumper cap to its original position, otherwise the computer won’t boot. Now that the CMOS has been cleared, close the case, plug in the PC, and restart. You may need to press a key while the computer boots to acknowledge that the settings have been reset to the factory defaults.

Windows Won’t Boot

Use the last known good configuration. Sometimes, after installing a graphics card driver, you’ll be unable to boot into Windows. Restart your computer and, as the computer boots, repeatedly press the F8 key until you see the Windows Advanced Options Menu. Use the arrow key to highlight the Last Known Good Configuration option and then press ENTER. Use a system restore point. Restart your computer and, as the computer boots, repeatedly press the F8 key until you see the Windows Advanced Options Menu. Use the arrow key to highlight the Safe Mode option and then press ENTER. Log on to your computer as you normally would. Before you see the Windows Desktop, you’ll see the Windows Is Running In Safe Mode pop-up. Click No. In the System Restore dialog box, make sure the Restore My Computer To An Earlier Time radio button is enabled and click Next. Select a Restore Point from the calendar on the left, particularly one that was saved prior to when you first encountered the problem, and then click Next. Click Next to restore your computer.

Trouble With New Video Cards
Reboot your computer. If you recently installed a new video card and driver, then your computer will rely on the generic VGA driver until you reboot the system. To start using your new card to its full potential, reboot the system. Uninstall the current graphics card driver and install an updated driver. If you didn’t uninstall the previous driver, then your system probably opted to use the generic VGA driver when it determined that the current graphics card wasn’t designed to run with the installed driver. Even if you installed the graphics driver from the disc that accompanied your new graphics card, it may not have been the most up-to date version available. Any time you upgrade hardware, it’s a good idea to download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s Web site (if you haven’t already done so) and save it to your Desktop. Top graphics card manufacturers Nvidia (www.nvidia.com) and ATI (ati.amd.com) make finding the right graphics card driver easy. From Nvidia’s site, click the Download Drivers link at the top of the page and follow the onscreen instructions for downloading the appropriate driver. From ATI’s site, click the Drivers & Software icon, click Find A Driver, and then click the appropriate options to download the latest driver for your video card. Next, uninstall the existing driver, as well as any related graphics configuration software, using the Add Or Remove Programs utility. In WinXP, click Start and Control Panel and then click (double-click in Classic View) Add Or Remove Programs. If you’re using Win98/2000, click Start, Settings, Control Panel and then double-click the Add Or Remove Programs icon. Scan the Currently Installed Programs list for the graphics card’s manufacturer and then click the Remove or Change /Remove button on all items that pertain to the graphics card. Restart the computer and double click the executable files for the new graphics card drivers you previously downloaded. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver and restart the computer. Check the BIOS. Sometimes, improper BIOS settings can result in a conflict between AGP and PCI graphics cards. To make sure your BIOS is properly configured, restart your PC and immediately begin pressing the designated key that grants you access to the BIOS. This key varies from system to system, so check your computer or motherboard manual for information about which key to press.

You may also see instructions for accessing the BIOS appear on-screen as the computer boots. Some common keys are DELETE, ESC, F1, or F2. If you’re required to press a function key, make sure you don’t have F-LOCK enabled on your keyboard. Press the key repeatedly until you enter the BIOS. Changing BIOS settings can cause your computer to fail to boot, so exercise caution. If you’re using an AGP or PCI graphics card, make sure the BIOS is configured to initialize the display with whichever type of card you use. Some older PCs are set by default to recognize PCI graphics cards before AGP graphics cards. Examine the BIOS menus for an option that lets you change this to the appropriate setting for your graphics card. Individual menu and options names vary greatly by PC, so consult the documentation that came with your computer or motherboard. Once you’ve changed the settings, press the Save And Exit key, typically F10. If at any point you made a change to the BIOS that you want to undo, you can reset the BIOS by pressing the designated Load Defaults key. The Save And Exit and Load Defaults keys usually appear on the main BIOS options screen. Roll back your driver. Sometimes, installing an updated graphics driver will actually cause more problems than it solves. Although this is a rare occurrence, it may force you to use an older graphics driver until a fixed one becomes available. To perform this step, you’ll need to be able to access your Windows Desktop. Click Start, right-click My Computer, click Manage, click Device Manager from the left pane of the Computer Management window, and then click the plus (+) symbol in front of Display Adapters in the right pane. Right-click the graphics adapter, click Properties, click the Driver tab, and then click the Roll Back Driver button. Click Yes to continue on the Are You Sure You Would Like To Roll Back To The Previous Driver window. If at one time you installed an older driver, the Roll Back procedure will restore it as the main graphics adapter driver. If not, Roll Back will remove the current driver and begin using the generic VGA driver. Click Close to complete the process. Click OK in the System Properties dialog box and then close the Device Manager window.

The Desktop Doesn’t Look Right
Adjust the display settings. If you can see your Windows Desktop when you boot the PC, then open the display properties and adjust the settings. Right-click anywhere on the Desktop, click Properties, and click the Settings tab. Here you’ll find the Display, Screen Resolution, and Color Quality settings. If your computer is configured to use multiple monitors, make sure you select the appropriate one from the Display drop box. Adjust the Screen Resolution and Color Quality settings to the highest settings that your monitor supports. You may need to consult the documentation or manufacturer’s Web site to determine these settings for your monitor. Click Apply and then click Yes if the Desktop looks satisfactory. If the icons and text appear too small, move the Screen Resolution slider to the left one increment, click Apply, and then click Yes if you prefer the new setting. If not, click No, and move the slider an additional increment. Continue this trial and error process until you find a setting that works. Common resolutions supported by most 17-inch or larger monitors include 800 x 600, 1,024 x 768, and 1,280 x 1,024. Occasionally, the Screen Resolutions on the Display Properties box don’t match those supported by your monitor. If you choose a setting that isn’t supported, and the monitor goes blank, wait 14 seconds to allow the system to reset your monitor to the previous setting. Often the monitor will display a message such as No Connection, No Input, or No Signal during this short interval. Typically, you’ll want to set the Color Quality to the highest available setting, which is usually Highest (32-bit). Some software applications require lower Color Quality settings, so if you see errors pertaining to Color Quality when running a given application, adjust the setting accordingly.

What To Do When . . .You Can’t Open Email Attachments

Maybe you’re expecting a photo of your newest grandbaby, waiting for a cute forward from a friend, or looking for an important business contract. Regardless of the contents, when an email message arrives, you want to open it. Unfortunately, that’s not always easy; attachments that accompany many emails can be difficult to open. To help, we’ve rounded up some tips and tricks to assist you in opening troublesome email attachments.

Safe & Saved
Because email attachments can contain viruses and other harmful files, the software installed on our computers often tries to protect us from attachments. In doing so, this software prevents us from opening those attachments, even if the attachment and email is legitimate. There are ways around this, but it’s best to proceed with caution. Because of the damage viruses can cause, it’s always a good idea to make sure that the attachment you are trying to open is legitimate and safe before opening it. Although most trustworthy antivirus programs scan your email and attachments, it never hurts to save an attachment to your hard drive and let the antivirus program scan it there. Never assume that an attachment is safe until it has been scanned; even friends may unknowingly send you an infected file. Use your email program to save the attachment to a location on your hard drive. Then, open your antivirus program and scan the file you just saved. If it’s too late, and you suspect you may have opened an infected attachment, see “What To Do When...Your PC Has A Virus” Some files are difficult to open as an attachment. In this case, you’ll want to save the file to your hard drive and open it from there. If you still have difficulties opening the file, right-click it and choose Properties. On the General tab, look for an option to Unblock the file. If available, click the checkbox next to Unblock and then click OK. Now, try to open the file again. Rather than trying to open a saved attachment directly, you may also try loading the program first, then clicking File and Open. Some users prefer this method to other methods of opening files. Use the method you feel most comfortable with.

An Overzealous Antivirus
Although we highly recommend having an antivirus program installed, updated, and running on your computer, especially when using email, some antivirus programs will stop you from opening certain types of attachments. When you can’t open a legitimate file, check your antivirus’ security settings. You may have to go as far as disabling the program temporarily. When you’re finished viewing the attachment, make sure you re-enable the antivirus program and restore any security settings you may have changed. For more information on working with antivirus programs.

Email Settings
Some email programs, such as Outlook Express, block potentially unsafe attachments. To open attachments that are blocked by Outlook Express, you’ll need to change your security settings. In Outlook Express, click Tools, Options, and navigate to the Security tab. Uncheck the box next to Do Not Allow Attachments To Be Saved Or Opened That Could Potentially Be A Virus. Click Apply and OK, then try to open the attachment again. After viewing the attachment, close it, and then re-apply the security setting in Outlook Express for best protection.

The Right Software
Sometimes, the lack of a software program stops your computer from opening an email attachment. When your email program can’t find an appropriate application to use in opening the attachment, you may get an error similar to the following: This File Does Not Have A Program Associated With It For Performing This Action. If this happens, you may also see the Open With dialog box that lets you choose a program from a list. If your computer has a program you know will open the file, select it from the list, and click OK. Assuming the file is compatible with the program you chose, the attachment should open successfully. If you’re unable to find a compatible program from the Open With dialog box, click the link for If The Program You Want Is Not In The List Or On Your Computer, You Can Look For The Appropriate Program On The Web to find a suitable program. For example, if someone sends you an image file in .EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) format, and your computer doesn’t have a program that will read EPS files, you won’t be able to open the attachment. In this case, you have two options: you can ask the sender to resend the document in a different format that is compatible with the programs on your computer, or you can install software that will read the file in its current format. Using the aforementioned link to search for a program that will open EPS files, we found a couple of applications that will let us view the file, including IrfanView (free; www.irfanview.com). If you don’t know if your computer has the required software to open the attached file, look for the file’s extension, denoted by a period and three or four letters that follow the file name. A file’s extension will tell you what type of file you’re dealing with. You can then check to see if your computer has a program associated with that file type by clicking Start, My Computer, Tools, and Folder Options. Look for the file’s extension in the File Types tab. If you find the file format you’re trying to open in the list, but the program associated with that file type is incorrect or different from what you would prefer, click the Change button to select a different program to use in opening all files with that extension.

Missing Messages
Some ISPs (Internet service providers) limit the size of emails you can receive. If you’re expecting an email with a large attachment from someone and never receive the message, check with your ISP to see if it limits the size of messages you can receive. If your friend sent an email with a 5MB attachment, but your ISP limits email sizes to 2MB, you may never receive the message. Some ISPs will send a message to the sender to let him know that you never received his message. This isn’t always the case, though, and some messages are lost forever.

Ask For Help
When you’re unsure as to why your computer won’t open a particular attachment file, ask the sender of the message what program she used to create and view the file. If you have the same program, double-check to make sure it’s the most recent version and the program functions without errors. Occasionally, files can become corrupted during the transport process. If you receive an attachment in a format your computer can read, but the file won’t open, ask the sender to resend it.

Be Persistent
Email attachments aren’t always easy to open. Because email attachments come in many different formats and sizes, no single solution will open every attachment. With a little persistence and these tips, you should be able to open the majority of email attachments.