Home | About us | Products | Services | Support | Tutorial | Web design | Contact us

Support > How to fix Windows errors

If your Windows-based PC is generating numerous Windows errors, try these steps to troubleshoot the system.

First, try the System File Checker or SFC. This handy utility will scan your system's files and replace missing or corrupt files with corrected versions. Running this utility could solve your Windows errors. You must be logged on as an administrator or have administrative rights to perform this function.

1.      Go to the Start button.

2.      Choose Run.

3.      Type in: sfc /scannow (include the extra space between sfc and the slash)

4.      Click enter.

This activates the Windows File Protection utility. It will scan your system to make sure all protected files are intact and in their original versions. If it finds missing, corrupt or incorrect protected system files, it will automatically replace them with the correct version.

Running the System File Checker may require access to your original installation discs. In most cases, it can access correct versions from the on-disk cache.

Windows 2000 and Windows XP both come with a built-in repair system designed to recover from Operating System errors without the need to reinstall Windows and lose your valuable data.

1.      First, rule out a hardware issue by checking your hard drive for errors.

2.      Double-click on My Computer.

3.      Right-click on the hard drive (usually the C: drive).

4.      Choose Properties.

5.      Click the Tools tab.

6.      Find the section labeled Error Checking and choose Check Now.

7.      Enter a check mark in both boxes and click Start.

8.      After your disk has been error-checked, turn off your PC

9.      Find your original Windows installation disc and insert it into the CD-ROM drive.

10.     Power on your PC, booting up from the disc by pressing any key when prompted.

11.     The blue Windows Setup screen will load present you with three choices:

o        To set up Windows now, press enter

o        To repair a Windows installation using the Recovery Console, press the R key

o        To quit setup without installing Windows, press F3

12.  While it might seem like the likely choice to choose the Recovery Console - Don't! Choose the first option "set up Windows now". This option will automatically detect your existing installation of Windows and present you with an offer to repair it.

13.  Hit the F8 key to accept the user agreement.

14.  Press R after Windows offers to repair the system.

15.  The Windows Installer will begin the process of repairing your system.

16.  Enter the CD Key if prompted.

17.  After the repair is complete, update Windows to the current standards using Windows Update. The repair discards all of your previous updates so this can be a time consuming task but it is a critical one! Let it update overnight if possible.

18.  You may need to reactivate Windows after performing this repair.

Other general steps to take include clearing out temporary files and cookies, defragging the hard drive, and running thorough virus and spyware scans.

In addition, if one particular software program seems to be the culprit, try uninstalling and reinstalling it. Then, go to that software developer's web site and check for updates. If you want an automated solution that could help resolve Windows errors relating to your system registry.

Support > How to fix Windows errors