Trouble Shooting

The Symptoms

             1. Computer is slow
             2. Computer is slow and popups popup continually when using Internet browsers.
             3 Computer is frozen, fails to respond to inputs from keyboard or mouse, or fails to respond to efforts to restart.
             4 Windows does not boot properly; the blue screen of death pops up with an error message.
             5 Computer acts strangely, shuts down unexpectedly, can't connect to the internet via Internet Explorer, everything runs unexpectedly slow.

Avoiding CATCH 22

Do this before you ever go on line... (if you haven't you are in Catch 22 mode)

Backup, Backup, Backup Only your important data backed up at least twice!!! Once on your hardrive and on 2 seperate CD/DVD's	Backup Software (comes with XP) MCafee comes with a backup Utility CNet Lesson 3 there is NO easy way to back up a full windows installation --- instead use the Windows Restore Option If you suspect a virus or spyware, do NOT back up anything Run your scans immediately in Safe Boot Mode When you are clean, immediately do a backup...
When you go online You have installed Anti-Virus Software	Anti-Virus Reviews Safe Web Surfing Utilities PCWorld Top All-in-One Security Suites PCworld ranking
When you go online You have installed Anti-Spyware software	Anti-Spyware suggestions See list here Spyware Warrior a wealth of resources to help you fight spyware and adware.
When you go online You have a firewall turned on	Home PC Firewall Guide Keep Your PC Safe (PC MAgazine) Use a Hardware firewall Routers
You have Windows XP/Vista update turned on	Start > Control Panel > Secutity Center You access the automatic update from the security center...
You have Your Anti-virus/spyware update turned on...	It won't hurt to have more than one Anti-Spyware program installed and in use I use The MCafee Suite (It's free from Comcast) and Stopzilla

Go To Safe Boot...

If you do not have anti-virus software and anti-Spyware software installed go Boot in Safe mode Now!
and install the software. (you have either downloaded the software from the software company of your choice, or you have purchased a cd/dvd containing the software you need to install.) That's the catch, trying to do it after the fact... If need be you can boot into safe mode with Networking turned on...
Install your software in safeboot mode!

But, I don't want to boot into safemode... yet!

Try this first

The Obvious...

Absolute Rule #1: always Check the Obvious First and

DON'T PANIC,

DON'T DO ANYTHING YOU CAN'T UNDO,

DON'T RANDOMLY PRESS KEYS

DON'T MAKE MOUSE CLICKS!

INSTEAD Do this,

get a cup of coffee or tea, then act

If it's a program crash, and the mouse has frozen, the keyboard doesn't work...(and you didn't do a recent ssssssave...)

Windows	Apple
Do this first! press the keyboard combination Control + alt + delete	Apple + Option + Escape or the menu Apple > Force Quit
Task Manager If a program has crashed it will say "Not Responding" instead of Running.	Apple's Force Quit for Applications (when you highlight software that is "not responding" the "Relaunch" button changes to "Force Quit")
If your mouse is working you can highlight the offending program... Then Try clicking on the End Task Button or use the Shut Down Menu to re-boot or to safely shut down the PC On your PC/ Laptop in the menu Start > Control Panel > Power Options Properties > Advanced you can reprogram the start button to do one of the following Do Nothing Ask me what to do Stand by Hibernate Shut down (safely) Parenthesis mine... If you can safely Shut down... do so now!	Relaunch only re-launches the Apple "Finder" Force quiting only closes the non responding application To reboot your Macintosh select the menu Apple > Restart... or Apple > Shut Down...
If none of those above things work, press and hold the power button on either computer. They will shut down. When you restart either computer (a Mac or a PC) they both will run a (hidden) abnormal shut down diagnostic. You can watch your Mac do this if you hold down the Apple and V key ( Command (Apple) key and the V key: (Command-V) Some computers will boot into a safe mode after holding down the start button after 11 - 15 seconds Rule #2 If a program crashes, Always re-boot, even if you have successfully exited the crashed program... even if you can restart the crashed program without booting...

Oh, Oh...

Symptom
        The problem persists

When you are "safely" shut down do this...
1. MAKE SURE THE COMPUTER AND THE PERIPHERALS ARE TURNED OFF and un-plugged from power, and
      remove the nbattery from your laptop!
             2 Check the cabling, power cords & Monitor (Desktop), battery, mouse, (laptop)
             3. Check the disk drives (floppy, cd, USB and firewire... disconnect them and then add them back one at a time)
                         (Check for a Bad floppy disk, maybe the cd/dvd is upside down, etc...)
             4. Ask your self what changed...
                       were you online
                         did you download and install new software/hardware...
                            was there a power failure/glitch,
                               what were you doing when the computer froze up?

Boot into Safe Mode

Click this butoon for detailed info on how to boot into safe mode on a PC
(the window with detailed info may popup behind your browser)

F8 Safe Mode Booting (Tapping the F8 Key on startup)
You should get a screen that lists the following (The Safe Mode Screen)

Windows Safe Mode desktop

Windows Advanced
Options Menu

Please select an option:

        Safe Mode

        Safe Mode with Networking

        Safe Mode with Command Prompt

        Enable Boot Logging

        Enable VGA Mode

        Last Known Good Configuartion
(your most recent setting that worked)

        Directory Services Restore Mode
(Windows domain controllers only)

        Debugging Mode

        Disable automatic restart on
system failure

        Start Windows Normally

        Reboot

        Return to OS Choices Menu

        Use the up and down arrow keys to
move to the highlight to your choice

you should see a black screen with the word
"safeboot" in each corner...
Install updates and/or run your scans.

Once in safe mode startup your anti-virus software and
If you can still go online update the software (Updates are called Virus definitions) and do a full scan

Once in safe mode startup your anti-spy ware software and
If you can still go online update the software and do a full scan

If problems persisits and a specific software package insists on crashing
Re-boot, go to the Software's web site and check for updates and known bugs
Download the updates or patches and re-install as instructed by the publisher.