Nilpo's Ultimate Windows Troubleshooting and Security Guide

The Window's Guru's original Windows Troubleshooting and Security Guide!

PC problems can be a huge nightmare. Finding the answers that you need can be even harder. I've put together some simple guides that can get you headed in the right direction. If these guides don't get you up and running feel free to post a thread in one of our forums.

Although this thread is being written as thoroughly as possible, please don't let that deter you from starting a thread of your own. Even if a solution here solves your problem, we'd still like for you to share your experience for the benefit of the group.

Things to Remember When Posting a Thread

1. Before posting, use the search box at the top of the page to see if we have had a thread dealing with your specific problem in the past. Replying to the same specific problems over and over again can become a tedious task. If you can't find a thread, or it doesn't fit your specific situation, feel free to start a new one in an appropriate forum. We're not here to send anyone away.
2. Please be as specific as possible when asking questions. Clear concise questions will get the the fastest most effective responses.
3. Describe your problem in detail. Please provide as much background information as possible to indicate when the problem started, what events led up to it, and how frequently the problem occurs. All of these details can be extemely helpful in properly diagnosing a problem. Always remember other members can't see what you see so you need to be as thorough and descriptive as possible.
4. List the hardware involved. Every PC is different and there are literally thousands of hardware combinations available. Whenever possible please provide both brand and model numbers for the hardware in your system. If you have a system from a large company like Dell or Gateway providing information such as Service Tag numbers can allow members to find specific information about your configuration.
5. Never post information that could reveal your personal identity unless your are comfortable with that risk. If a serial number or service tag number can reveal your identity, DO NOT POST IT. If you post screenshots of your problem, keep in mind that screenshots can reveal information such as user account names and IP addresses. You can edit or blur this information out before posting them. Several freeware image editing tools can be found in the Useful Freeware Database thread.
6. Post any errors or error information in their entirety including any text messages and error numbers (if any). If possible, indicate what program generated the error.
7. Post any related log files and information about what programs were running when the problems occurred. Information on how to export system event logs are provided in the posts below. You may be asked to run programs like HijackThis whose log files can be extremely helpful in diagnosing some problems.
8. Please be patient! It sometimes takes time to receive a response. This doesn't mean that we don't care.

And above all, please post back when you have found a solution that works. Not only do we like to know things worked out for you, but it may also be helpful for anyone else who comes along your thread with a similar issue.

For help on how to ask the right questions, check out this link provided by Quantum Skyline.

Good luck, and thanks for choosing DevH!

Contents:

Windows Troubleshooting Guide

• Troubleshooting BSOD's (Blue Screen Of Death)
• Troubleshooting a Non-Booting PC or Boot Errors
• Troubleshooting Random Reboots During Startup
• Troubleshooting Resource Conflicts
• Diagnosing a Sluggish or Slow PC
• Diagnosing a PC that Frequently Hangs or Freezes
• Dealing With Spyware, Adware, Viruses, and Other Malware
• Using Device Manager to Troubleshoot Hardware
• Using Dr. Watson for System Troubleshooting
• Using Windows Event Logs
• Using Windows Boot Logging
• Troubleshooting Windows Errors
• Other Miscellaneous or Program Specific Errors
• Troubleshooting Windows Installer Problems
• Using the Network Troubleshooter for Internet and Connectivity Problems
• Repairing Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer
• Troubleshooting Shutdown Issues
• Dealing With Random Problems and Glitches
• Additional Resources: Finding the Answers You Need
• Recovery Suggestions and Disaster Planning
• An Overview of Windows Troubleshooting and Recovery Tools
• What To Do When All Else Fails

Virus Removal Primer

• Updated Virus Removal Guide
• Sysclean Script
• Common Executable File Types
• Living In The Aftermath
• Online AV and Security Tools

Windows Security

• The Complete EFS (Encrypted File System) Tutorial

Other Contributions by Nilpo

• Index of Articles published by Developer Shed Network
• Index of topics for future articles.

Note:

The bulk of this guide is written for Windows XP, most of the steps outlined in this guide will work in other versions as well. It would be a tedious task to customize this guide for every version of Windows available. Some links for other Windows distributions have been provided. If this guide doesn't fit your particular setup, please open a thread with your issue and someone will be happy to give you a customized response.

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When a Windows machine randomly reboots during the boot process, Windows will generally tell you what the problem is. Please complete the following steps before posting a thread. This will save time in diagnosing your problem.

What Is A Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)?

Most of the time when Windows reboots during the boot sequence, it will display an elusive BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) that contains the error information. Typically, this will flash too quickly for you to read before the computer restarts. Here is how to stop the system from restarting so that you can collect the error information.

Click here for an example blue screen from Windows XP.

1. Boot into Safe Mode by pressing F8 repeatedly during boot and selecting Start Windows in Safe Mode from the Advanced Boot Menu.
2. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties to open the System Properties dialog.
3. On the Advanced tab, click the Settings button under Startup and Recovery.
4. In the System failure section, remove the checkmark next to Automatically Restart.
5. Click OK twice to close all dialog boxes and restart normally.

Breaking The Code:

The Blue Screen contains very important information that should be included when you post your thread.

• The first is a textual error code. This will be located near the top of the screen and will appear in CAPS. Words will be separated with underscores (_) rather than spaces. Here is the text code from our example:
  Code:

  PAGE_DEFAULT_IN_NONPAGE_AREA

• The second is a hex code. This is the first line in the Technical information section and will generally be a Stop code. You should include the entire line. The error from our example is:
  Code:

  STOP: 0x000000050 (0xFD3094C2, 0x00000001, 0xFBFE7617, 0x00000000)

• The third is optional since it will not appear for every error. This is located at the bottom of the blue screen and indicates the file that caused the error and, typically, the memory address where the error occurred. Our example shows:
  Code:

  SPCMDCON.SYS - Address FBE7617 base at FBFE5000, DateStamp 3d6dd67c

All three pieces of information (or as many as possible) should be included when opening a thread or posting your problem.

If your computer randomly reboots without displaying a BSOD, this indicates a hardware failure. While this is typically a failing PSU (Power Supply Unit) it can often be other hardware as well. When posting in this instance, be sure to include as much information about your hardware and system configuration as possible. Wherever possible you should indicate brands and model numbers for all of the system components.

It also helps to know if this problem has occurred before and with what kind of frequency. Typically, these problems will begin intermittently and progressively become worse.

Additional information may also be found in the system Event Logs or in the Boot Log if enabled. The following posts will describe how to enable these logs and use the information they contain.

Armed with this information we can better help you diagnose your problem and get you up and running more quickly.

Thanks for choosing DevH and remember to stop by often.

Click here for a description of the BSOD and it's purpose.

Additional Resources:

Troubleshooting Windows Stop Messages (Author's Choice )
Windows XP Professional Resource Kit: Understanding the Startup Process
Windows XP Events and Errors Database
Interpreting Bug Check Codes

Direct Link: http://guide.nilpo.com/bsod

Windows keeps event logs that can be useful in identifying problems. You can view these event logs using the Event Viewer. The following example will show you how to troubleshoot an example event (failing hard drive).

1. Open Administrative Tools in the Control Panel. This will differ slightly depending on your Start Menu settings. Typically, you will click the Start Button, choose Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, then double-click Event Viewer. (You can also open the Event Viewer by eventvwr.msc in the Run dialog.)
2. In the left-hand pane of the Event Viewer, select the Event Log you wish to investigate. (In our example, we'll be using the System log.) screenshot
3. Double-click the event in question to view the Event Properties. screenshot
4. Click the link in the Description box to open the event's details in the Help and Support Center. You may see a security dialog box warning you that information is being sent over the internet, if so, click OK to continue. screenshot
5. The Error Details that are displayed by the Help and Support Center can be used to further research the error. Resource links will be provided below. For now, scroll down to the User Action section to see the recommended fix. In our example, we had a IO_ERR_BAD_BLOCK error. The recommended action was to replace a failing hard drive. screenshot

The event logs can be extremely useful in diagnosing and troubleshooting problems. They will also contain warnings that can help indicates problems before they happen.

How to Export the Event Log Contents:

With the Event Viewer open, select the log you would like to export in the left pane. Select Export List... from the Action menu to save a tab-delimited text file of your event log. screenshot

Additional Resources:

Windows Events and Error Messages Center Search
Event Search at EventID.net
Deciphering Windows Error Messages
EventLogScan.com - Scan your security event log online!

Direct Link: http://guide.nilpo.com/eventlogs

Windows Boot Logging can be an effective way to diagnost startup issues. Boot with any of the Windows Safe Mode options will enable boot logging automatically, however, it can also be enable in Normal mode as well.

Enabling Boot Logging - Method 1:

1. Click the Start button and enter msconfig in the Run dialog to start the System Configuration Utility.
2. Click the Boot.ini tab and select your Windows installation. An example has been provided. screenshot
3. Put a checkmark next to /bootlog.
4. Press Apply and OK and restart your computer for changes to take affect.

Enabling Boot Logging - Method 2:

1. Restart the computer and press F8 when prompted.
2. On the Windows Advanced Options Menu, select Enable Boot Logging.

Enabling boot logging will cause Windows to create a log file of the boot process. The default location for the log file is:

C:\Windows\Ntbtlog.txt Click here for an example log file.

The log file will specify the time of startup and the location of all drivers that were loaded. It will also note any drivers that were not successfully loaded. This log file can be used with other tools such as the System Event Viewer to locate problems.

Programs like Boot Log Analyzer can help you use your boot log more effectively.

Additional Resources:

Available Switch Options for the Windows XP Boot.ini File
Ntbtlog.txt File Not Written When Boot Logging Is Enabled

Direct Link: http://guide.nilpo.com/bootlog

So what do you do when you're not having a Windows specific problem? Perhaps, you're receiving an error from another program. The following links will guide you to some other common troublespots.

Additional Resources:

Windows Installer Error Reference
Program: Error Messages For Windows
Error code information for Windows Media Player 9 Series
File Download: Windows XP Device Manager Error Code Help File (free membership required)
Program: WinErrs
Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express Error Codes
InstallShield Error Codes

Direct Link: http://guide.nilpo.com/programerrors

The Device Manager can be a very useful tool in diagnosing hardware related problems such as hardware failures, resource conflicts, and firmware or driver conflicts. Learning to make use of the Device Manager can greatly reduce diagnostic times and increase overall system performance. Here are some common uses of the Device Manager.

Troubleshooting Hardware:
The Device Manager's primary function is to provide an interface for diagnosing and troubleshooting your system's hardware. Right-clicking any device and choosing Properties will open the devices Properties dialog. From here, you can access many of the Device Manager's tools.

On the General tab, the Device Status box will indicate any problems with your device. The links below can be used to identify the specific error code. Beneath the Device Status box you will also find a Troublehoot button. Clicking this button will start Windows' Hardware Device Troubleshooter which can be very useful in identifying configuration problems and failing hardware.

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