Sunday, October 12, 2008
How to Reinstall Windows Without Losing Your Data
Before you begin, gather your Windows and application CD-ROMs. Back up your data files (just to be safe), and then clear two days off your calendar. If everything goes smoothly, you can reinstall Windows in a few hours. But you have to assume something will go wrong: You may not be able to find a necessary CD, or data won't be where you thought it was, or something will simply refuse to work.
There's a difference between a repair reinstall and a complete reinstall. Though a repair (also called a refresh) will let you keep your current settings, a complete reinstall will give you a truly fresh version of Windows. Repairs are fast and easy, but they don't fix anywhere near as many problems. The instructions below are for total reinstalls, except where noted.
Your Vendor's Restore CD
Most computers ship with a vendor-specific restore CD rather than with a Microsoft Windows CD-ROM. (If your PC came with a Microsoft Windows CD, or if you bought a retail copy of Windows, skip to the section for your version.)
Some restore CDs give you all the options of a full Microsoft Windows CD, but with better instructions and the convenience of having all the right hardware drivers. Others can do nothing except reformat your hard drive and restore it to the condition it was in when you bought the PC. (This case is the exception I mentioned above that requires a reformat.)
If your restore CD is reformat-only, back up your data files to a network or a removable medium before reinstalling Windows. If you use Windows 98 or Me, back up C:\My Documents, plus the folders inside C:\Windows discussed in the 98/Me section below. If you have Windows 2000 or XP, back up C:\Documents and Settings. Also back up any other folders in which you store your data files.
Windows 98 and ME CDs
These Windows versions keep some important data inside your soon-to-be-erased Windows folder, so you need to copy several of its subfolders to another location. Right-click My Computer and select Explore. Double-click the C: drive icon (in Me, you may then have to click View the entire contents of this drive). Right-click in the right pane and select New, Folder. Name the new folder oldstuff.
Go to the Windows folder (you might have to click View the entire contents of this folder), hold down Ctrl, and select the following subfolders: All Users, Application Data, Desktop, Favorites, Local Settings, Profiles, SendTo, and Start Menu. If you don't see them all, select View, Folder Options (Tools, Folder Options in Me), click the View tab, select Show all files, and click OK. (If you still don't see them all, don't worry about it.) Press Ctrl and drag the folders to C:\oldstuff (see FIGURE 1).
Restart Windows with a start-up disk in your floppy drive. (To make a start-up floppy, insert a disk, select Start, Settings, Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs, click Startup Disk, Create Disk, and follow the prompts.) At the Startup Menu, select Start computer with CD-ROM support. While the drivers load, insert your Windows CD-ROM.
Unless you're doing a repair reinstall, type the command c:\windows\command\deltree /y c:\windows and press Enter. Deleting your old files could take time, but the /y switch suppresses confirmation prompts, so take a break.
When you're back at the A: prompt, type x:setup, where x is your CD drive letter (it's likely one letter past what it usually is in Windows, so if it's D: in Windows, it's probably E: here). Press Enter and follow the prompts.
Once you're back in Windows, reinstall your graphics card driver. If you have Windows set up for more than one user, you'll also have to re-create each account. Select Start, Settings, Control Panel, Users to do so. It's important that the user names match those in the old installation. If you're not sure, open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\oldstuff\profiles. There you'll find a folder for each registered user name (see FIGURE 2). Don't worry about passwords. Log off and log back on as each user. When you're done, log off and back on one more time, but instead of choosing a user name and a password, press Esc to enter Windows without being a specific user.
Select Start, Programs, MS-DOS Prompt (in Windows 98) or Start, Programs, Accessories, MS-DOS Prompt (in Windows Me). Type xcopy c:\oldstuff\*.* c:\windows /s /h /r /c and press Enter (if you want to know what the xcopy switches do, enter the command xcopy /?). When xcopy asks if it should overwrite a file, press a for All.
When xcopy is through, reboot and log on (as a particular user, if necessary). Open My Documents to make sure all your personal files are where they belong, including your Internet Explorer favorites and your custom Start menu shortcuts.
Now skip ahead to "Finishing the Job."
Windows 2000 and XP CDs
Boot your computer with your Windows CD-ROM inserted. When you get the 'Press any key to boot from CD' message, do so. (If you don't see that message before Windows starts, restart Windows, press the key you're prompted to enter for your PC Setup program, and change the boot order so your CD drive is first.)
At the 'Welcome to Setup' screen, press Enter. The R (repair) option takes you to the Recovery Module, which is useful if Windows won't boot, but it's no help with a reinstallation. Soon you'll be told that there's already a Windows installation on the computer. Press r for a repair reinstall or Esc to begin a complete, destructive one. For a complete restore, select your C: partition and press Enter. When you get the warning that says an operating system is on that partition, press c. When you are asked your partition preference, select Leave the current file system intact (no changes). When you're told that a Windows folder (or Winnt folder for Windows 2000) already exists, press l ('ell') to delete it and create a new one. Follow the series of prompts. When the installation program asks for your name, enter temp.
Once the installation is complete, your system will reboot into Windows, and you'll be logged on as user Temp. If the screen is difficult to read, reinstall your graphics card driver.
If you are reinstalling Windows XP, skip to "For Both Windows XP and 2000."
If you're reinstalling Windows 2000, log off as Temp and back on as Administrator. Now log off and on again, this time as Temp. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Documents and Settings. One of the subfolders will be named Administrator. Another will be named something like Administrator.computername.
Select Start, Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt. Type cd "\documents and settings" and press Enter. Then type xcopy administrator\*.* administrator.computername /s /h /r /c, replacing computername with the last part of that folder's name (after "Administrator.") in Documents and Settings. Now press Enter, and when you're asked about overwriting files or folders, press a for All.
If you have any users on the old installation besides Administrator, continue with the "For Both Windows XP and 2000" section. Otherwise, open Windows Explorer and make sure your data files are where they belong. Then go to Control Panel's Users and Passwords applet and delete the user Temp before skipping to "Finishing the Job."
For Both Windows XP and 2000
Reopen Windows Explorer. Select your C: drive (you may have to click Show the contents of this folder). Right-click in the right pane and select New, Folder. Name the new folder oldstuff. In the left pane, choose the Documents and Settings folder. It should have subfolders for each user from the previous install, plus one for Temp and a few others. Move the folders for your previous user names to oldstuff.
Select Start, Control Panel, User Accounts (Start, Settings, Control Panel, Users and Passwords in Windows 2000). Create an account for each user who was registered before the reinstall. Be sure to use the exact names. They are the same names as the folders you just moved to oldstuff (as shown in FIGURE 2). In Windows XP, at least one user must have administrator privileges.
Log off and back on as each user, before logging back on as Temp. Make sure that you select Log Off and not Switch User at Windows XP's Log Off dialog box (this isn't an issue in Win 2000).
Log on as Temp, select Start, Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt (in XP, Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt), type xcopy c:\oldstuff\*.* "c:\documents and settings" /s /h /r /c, and press Enter. Press a when asked if you want to overwrite a file. Log off Temp and log on to each restored account to make sure everyone's documents and data are where they belong. Log on as an administrator and run Control Panel's User Accounts applet again to remove the user Temp.
Finishing the Job
Now you've got Windows going, but not much else. You may have to reinstall your printer, sound card, and so on. Luckily, if a driver for the gadget came on your Windows or vendor restore CD, it was probably reinstalled automatically.
You'll have to reinstall your applications to reintroduce them to Windows. Some of their settings will not be changed by the reinstallation, but those that were stored in the Registry were wiped out.
Once your Internet connection is running again, browse to Windows Update and download all critical updates for your version (see FIGURE 3). Then visit the sites of your hardware vendors to update your drivers.
After the reinstall, some of your data may not show up where it should. Search for it in both your Application Data and oldstuff folders, and see if you can move it to the folder in which Windows or your apps are looking for it. If you find a folder called Identities with two subfolders whose names are long and indecipherable, try moving the contents of one to the other and see if your data reappears.
You've probably guessed that the final step is deleting the c:\oldstuff folder--and the Administrator folder in Windows 2000. Make this the very last step, however. Wait a couple of days, weeks, or even months until you're confident that all of your needed files are accessible.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Computer Boot Problems
What to do?
It can be a heart-wrenching experience. You push that power button, and all hell breaks loose. Beeps, error messages, red X's, BSOD's (Blue Screen of Death) are everywhere. Or, even worse, nothing at all. Deadly silence. What's going on?
The first rule is to stay calm. Panicking, yelling, cursing and throwing things won't help - though it might make you feel better for a second. But to troubleshoot and resolve the problem, a clear head is imperative. Be systematic and approach the problem logically. The troubleshooting steps below will take a methodical approach to help you figure out why your PC is not booting correctly or not booting at all. Some of the steps might sound silly to you, but please don't ignore those steps! Every single problem and solution in this article has happened to somebody at some point. Most of them it takes only a few seconds to check, take the time to do so.
Nothing happens at all
Start with the power. Is the power cable plugged in correctly into a UPS, surge protector, power strip, or wall outlet? Is the wall outlet where the power comes from controlled by a wall switch that was turned off accidentally? Is the power strip turned on? Is the light on the UPS or power strip on, indicating that it has power? Is the power cable plugged into the back of the computer correctly? The socket on the back of the computer where the power cable goes in is part of the power supply in your PC. Some power supplies have a separate on/off switch, usually labeled 0/1. Is that switch turned on? Check the voltage - most power supplies have a switch to change between 115 and 230V - and make sure it is set correctly.
The power comes on but the monitor stays black
Is the power cable for the monitor plugged in correctly? Is the monitor turned on? Is the cable from the video card to the monitor plugged in correctly? Is the video card seated properly? Take the cover off of the case, remove the video card and insert it again properly, then try again.
If everything is connected and powered up correctly, push the power button again and pay close attention: do any lights on the front of the PC blink or light up? Does the fan in the power supply start whirring? This could indicate a hardware problem. Try to think what happened right before the problem started. Did you add a new piece of hardware? If so, it might be faulty or not installed right. Remove it, then try again. If everything is fine without the hardware, try to reinstall and configure the hardware again. If that does not help, try exchanging it and see if that corrects the problem. If the error persists, narrow it down systematically. Remove everything but the CPU, memory, keyboard, and video card, then boot again. Does the error still occur? If not, then add one piece of hardware and try again. Repeat until one new component causes the error and you now know who the culprit is. If yes, then reseat your CPU, memory and video card and try again. If the error still happens, try replacing the CPU, video card and memory one by one to see if one of them is the troublemaker. If that does not help, you could have a bad motherboard. Check the motherboard carefully for any signs of damage. Also check for shorts, a metallic object could have found its way onto the motherboard, or the motherboard is not installed correctly and touches the case somewhere.
Another possible cause could be incorrect CPU settings. If you replaced the CPU with a different one, be sure to choose the correct settings for multiplier and bus speed, either via jumpers on the motherboard or a menu in the BIOS. Consult the manual for the correct setup. If you can't even get into the BIOS to change the settings, use the jumper on the motherboard to clear the BIOS and load the default settings, it should allow you to boot.
Laptop SODIMM Swap - Testing Laptop Memory One Module At A Time
Sure enough, the laptop memory is split between two SODIMM's, 256 MB each. As the modules are facing each other in this design, you see a different side of each module in the picture to the right. Many designs have the two SODIMM's stacked over each other in a deeper bay, though the connectors are usually staggered a little so they aren't exactly in line. Many older laptops had some or all of the system memory soldered to the motherboard, which is a real drag if you're troubleshooting, or if a memory chip has indeed failed. Unless you have advanced soldering skills and decent equipment, replacing a surface mounted RAM DIMM is just not a likely repair.
aptop memory modules are held in place a little spring clip on either end. You can pretty much always spring them back so the SODIMM pops up on its own with just your fingernails for tools.Note the angle of the module to the left. That's it's unsprung, or relaxed position. You have to angle it about the same when you go to install it. If I kept raising the SODIMM until it flipped over the connector and sat on the other side, it would look just like the second module, with the label down. the two connectors are mirrored.
Top the left I'm pulling out the second memory module, you can see the two sided connector that it sits in pretty clearly. When you have two memory modules in a laptop, it may work with either memory slot filled, or one the design may require that one slot is always filled first. In this Dell, even though the slots are labeled "A" and "B", it turns out the laptop will run with either one filled. So it's a trivial matter to put one module aside and install the other. If you don't have multiple SODIMMs installed and don't know where to buy one, try the memory advisor at Crucial.
I've put aside the first SODIMM removed and I'm installing the second one from Slot A into Slot B. It turns out the laptop worked fine. So I took it out and put the other SODIMM in Slot A. Laptop still worked fine. So the problem with the video in this case had nothing to do with the memory. If I'd been troubleshooting a blue screen of death (BSOD) failure on overheating, I'd have run the laptop for a while with just one module, and if it didn't have problems, I'd have tried it for a while with the other.
The last thing you want to see when you open up your laptop to try a memory swap is permanently installed RAM. That's the deal with this older Toshiba to the left, the 256 MB of factory installed RAM is in the form of DIP chips soldered to the motherboard. There is a SODIMM memory slot in the foreground which allows you to upgrade the memory capacity, but it's usually not possible to bypass failed RAM on the motherboard. In other words, if one of those chips fails, adding a SODIMM to the system won't help unless there's some way to inform the BIOS to ignore the soldered RAM. I didn't find a jumper!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
How To Disable Error Reporting in Windows XP
The error reporting feature in Windows XP is turned on by default but you may want to disable error reporting for privacy concerns, if you're not connected to the Internet all the time, or to simply stop being alerted by it.
Error reporting works by prompting you after a critical error in the operating system or in other programs and asking permission to notify Microsoft about it. This way, Microsoft can gather technical information about serious errors from millions of users, helping them develop fixes and service packs.
If you'd like to disable error reporting, follow the easy steps outlined below.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Disabling error reporting in Windows XP usually takes less than 5 minutes
Here's How:
Click on Start and then Control Panel.
Click on the Performance and Maintenance link.
Note: If you're viewing the Classic View of Control Panel, double-click on the System icon and skip to Step 4.
Under the or pick a Control Panel icon section, click on the System link.
In the System Properties window, click on the Advanced tab.
Near the bottom of the window, click on the Error Reporting button.
In the Error Reporting window that appears, choose the Disable error reporting radio button and click the OK button.
Note: I would recommend leaving the But notify me when critical errors occur checkbox checked. You probably still want Windows XP to notify you about the error, just not Microsoft.
Click the OK button on the System Properties window
You can now close the Control Panel or Performance and Maintenance window
Install a Central Processing Unit in a PC
The Central Processing Unit, or CPU, is the electronic brain of your computer. Learn how how to install a CPU in a desktop PC.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
11 Ways to Keep Your PC Cool
Your PC contains a lot of parts, almost all of which create heat when your computer is on. Some parts, like the CPU and GRAPHICS CARD, can get so hot you could cook on them.
In a properly configured computer, much of this heat is moved out of the computer's case by several fans. If your computer isn't removing the hot air fast enough, the temperature can get so hot that you risk serious damage to your PC. Needless to say, keeping your PC cool should be a top priority.
Below are the top eleven PC cooling solutions. Many are free or very inexpensive so there's really no excuse to let your computer overheat.
Allow for Air Flow
The easiest thing you can do to help keep your PC cool is to give it a little breathing room by removing any obstacles to air flow.
Make sure there's nothing sitting right against any side of the computer, especially the back. Most of the hot air flows out of the back end of the computer case. There should be at least 2 to 3 inches open on either side and the back should be completely open and unobstructed.
If your computer is hidden away inside a desk, make sure the door isn't closed all the time. Cool air enters from the front and sometimes from the sides of the case. If the door is closed all day, hot air tends to recycle inside the desk, getting hotter and hotter the longer the computer is running.
Run Your PC With the Case Closed
An "urban legend" about PC cooling is that running your computer with the case open will keep it cooler. It does seem logical - if the case is open, there would be more air flow which would help keep the computer cooler.
The missing puzzle piece here is dirt. When the case is left open, dust and debris clog the cooling fans faster than when the case is closed. This causes the fans to slow down and fail much quicker than usual. A clogged up fan does a terrible job at cooling your expensive computer components.
It's true that running your computer with the case open might provide a small benefit at first, but the increase in fan exposure to debris has a much greater impact on temperature.
Clean Your Computer
The fans inside your computer are there to keep it cool. Do you know what slows a fan down and then eventually makes it stop? Dirt - in the form of dust, pet hair, etc. It all finds a way into your computer and much of it gets stuck in the several fans.
One of the most effective ways to cool your PC is to clean the internal fans. There's a fan on top the CPU, one inside the power supply, and usually one or more on the front and/or back of the case.
Just shut your computer off, open up the case, and use canned air to remove the dirt from each fan. If your PC is really dirty, take it outside to clean or all that dirt will just settle elsewhere in the room, eventually ending up back inside your PC!
Move Your Computer
Is the area you're running your computer in just too hot or too dirty? Sometimes your only option is to move the computer. A cooler and cleaner area of the same room might be fine, but you may have to consider moving the computer somewhere else entirely.
If moving your PC just isn't an option, keep reading for more tips.
Important: Moving your computer can cause damage to the sensitive parts inside if you're not careful. Be sure to unplug everything, don't carry too much at once, and sit things down very carefully. Your main concern will be your computer's case which holds all the important parts like your hard drive, motherboard, CPU, etc.
Upgrade the CPU Fan
Your CPU is probably the most sensitive and expensive part inside your computer. It also has the most potential to overheat.
Unless you've replaced your CPU fan already, the one that's in your computer now is probably a bottom-of-the-line fan that cools your processor just enough to keep it working properly, and that's assuming it's running at full speed.
Many companies sell large CPU fans that help keep CPU temperature lower than a factory installed fan ever could.
Install a Case Fan (or Two)
A case fan is just a small fan that attaches to either the front or the back of a computer case, from the inside. Case fans help move air through a computer.
Installing two case fans, one to move cool air into the PC and another to move warm air out of the PC, is a great way to keep a computer cool.
Case fans are even easier to install than CPU fans so don't be afraid to get inside your computer to tackle this project.
Stop Overclocking
If you're not sure what overclocking is, you're probably not doing it so you don't have to worry about it.
To the rest of you, you're well aware that overclocking pushes your computer's capabilities to its limits. What you may not realize is that these changes have a direct effect on the temperature that your CPU and any other overclocked components operate at.
If you're overclocking your PC's hardware but haven't taken other precautions to keep that hardware cool, I definitely recommend reconfiguring your hardware to factory default settings.
Replace the Power Supply
The power supply in your PC has a large fan built into it. The air you feel when you hold your hand behind your computer is from this fan.
If you don't have a case fan, the power supply fan is the only way that the hot air created inside your computer can be removed. Your computer can heat up quickly if this fan isn't working.
Unfortunately, you can't just replace the power supply fan. If this fan is no longer working, you'll need to replace the entire power supply.
Install Component Specific Fans
It's true that the CPU is probably the biggest heat producer in your computer but nearly every other component creates heat as well. Super fast memory and high end graphics cards can often give the CPU a run for its money.
If you find that your memory, graphics card, or some other component is creating a lot of heat, you can cool them down with a component specific fan. In other words, if your memory is running hot, buy and install a memory fan. If your graphics card is overheating during gameplay, upgrade to a larger graphics card fan.
With ever faster hardware comes ever hotter parts. Fan manufacturers know this and have created specialized fan solutions for nearly everything inside your computer.
Install a Water Cooling Kit
In very high end computers, heat buildup can become such a problem that even the fastest and most efficient fans can't cool the PC. In these cases, installing a water cooling kit can help. Water transfers heat well and can drastically reduce the temperature of a CPU.
"Water inside a computer? That doesn't sound safe!" Don't worry, the water is completely enclosed inside the transfer system. A pump cycles cool water down to the the CPU where it can absorb the heat and then it pumps the hot water out of your computer where the heat can dissipate.
Water cooling kits are easy to install, even if you've never upgraded a computer before.
Install a Phase Change Unit
Phase change units are the most drastic of cooling technologies. A phase change unit can be thought of as a refrigerator for your CPU. It utilizes many of the same technologies to cool or even freeze a CPU.
Some phase change units can cost $1000USD or more.