The Little Geeni

Windows Vista was introduced a while ago as an upgrade to the Windows XP and 2000 users as something more tactile, easier to use – packed with security features that will ensure the safety of your work and your operating system experience. It was also more flashy, more user friendly and gained a lot of popularity because of its more palpable interface. Though it had some compatibility issues when it was first released, Windows Vista has really come ahead in the game and has become the solution for many computer users all over the world. But of course, Windows Vista is built on the same principles as the previous versions of the OS and because of that, it is inevitably an imperfect superstructure. A word of caution here – no OS is perfect because of the degradation effects of technology and the human element in the mix. There are actually quite a few common Windows Vista error messages and this article will discuss how to troubleshoot them if you ever encounter any of them.

The solution is no different from the solution that was available for previous editions of Microsoft’s incarnations. The common element here is the registry, and Windows Vista still operates with the registry as the integral matrix that it uses to ensure that all operations within its operating system environment run smoothly. With the registry, no matter how advanced the OS, common problems will always occur. When ever you introduce third party software and programs in Windows Vista, you will introduce the potential of new problems, especially in the registry. Bad registry keys left by rogue programs, invalid entries left by incomplete uninstalls and orphan keys are still features of an unhealthy Windows registry – be it XP or Vista. Surprised? Don’t be. Microsoft invented the registry for the simple fact that all executions in the computer need a reference point and all instructions for the different programs need somewhere to be stored. It hasn’t changed at all.

The same problems that made those runtime errors, mediahub errors and Active X errors still exist in Windows Vista, and would most likely still exist in future incarnations of Windows. The good thing about most of the registry cleaners is that they have adapted to the new operating system and is compatible with the new code and language that Vista is using. A quick look on the internet reveals many registry cleaners that have the ability to interface with Windows Vista and solve the problems that its registry might incur. Another good thing is that Vista has some bespoke problems that did not exist in XP, mainly because of the new security code and program structure that is being used by the operating system. Registry cleaners have adjusted to this and responded with more feature packed cleaners. Troubleshooting common Windows Vista error messages is now easy with the new stable of registry cleaners out there. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a new OS means a trouble free registry; you still need dedicated programs to deal with the problems associated with it.

Troubleshooting Common, Error, Messages, Them, Troubleshoot, Vista, Windows

Network Diagnostic Tools in Windows Vista

In the Network Sharing Center there is a Diagnose and Repair link that will scan your system for network issues. This diagnostic pings the remote host. If it is not found, you have the option to reset the network adapter Local Area Connection.

In addition to the automated Network Diagnostics interface, several tools are included with Windows Vista that can be used to test network components and connectivity.

Basic Tools

The following tools are fundamental in connectivity and name resolution troubleshooting. In addition, they are useful when troubleshooting failures with applications that communicate on the network or Internet.

Ipconfig

The Ipconfig command line tool displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values. Used without parameters, the ipconfig command displays the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for all adapters. In addition, you can use the following commands:

ipconfig /all – If you want to see more detailed information on the configuration for all interfaces on the computer, use this command.

ipconfig /release – This command releases any DHCP addresses assigned to interfaces on the computer. You can typically use it before the next command.

ipconfig /renew – This command causes the DHCP client service to request network addresses for all network connections. It is useful when you encounter connectivity problems and suspect a bad address. It is also used when troubleshooting name resolution failures to ensure the interface has the correct DNS server addresses assigned.

ipconfig /flushdns – This command clears the local DNS resolver cache. When you connect to machines by name, the DNS client software on the computer stores names and IP addresses as they are resolved. This is so that the name can be resolved without sending a repeat request to the DNS server. If a remote computer’s IP address changes, outdated information in this cache can cause connections by name to fail. Run this command on the local machine to clear the cache.

Ping

The ping command verifies IP-level connectivity to another TCP/IP computer by sending ICMP Echo Request messages. The receipt of corresponding Echo Reply messages is displayed along with round-trip times.

Ping is the primary TCP/IP command used to troubleshoot connectivity, reachability, and name resolution.

Because firewalls typically block ICMP traffic, ping does not receive a response from a system with a firewall configured. Check the firewall settings to ensure Ping or ICMP Echo is enabled while you are troubleshooting.

Tracert

The Trace Route (Tracert.exe) command determines the path taken to a destination by sending ICMP Echo Request messages to the destination with incrementally increasing Time to Live (TTL) field values. The path displayed is the list of near-side router interfaces of the routers in the path between a source host and a destination. The near-side interface is the interface of the router closest to the sending host in the path.

This command is useful for troubleshooting connectivity failures when you can ping the default gateway but cannot ping Internet servers. Such a situation can indicate a failure in the routing from the client machine to the Internet.

Running Tracert returns data on the failure indicating which hop in the routing is dropping the traffic. When used for Internet connectivity troubleshooting, the data gathered is often used to work with the ISP to resolve such routing issues. The output should identify the router at which the problem occurs.

For more details, please refer to www.wintechhelp.com

Troubleshooting Diagnostics, Network, Vista, Windows

Troubleshooting IP networks has never been simple. Various LAN adaptor settings, router and firewall configurations, DNS and TCP/IP settings are just a few things to mention. UNIX administrators enjoy a variety of command-line tools such as netstat, arp, ipconfig, ping, and traceroute providing basic information about network configuration and performance.

Windows administrators have access to the same command-line tools. However, they fuss about them instead of enjoying these legacy command-line utilities. Network information is only scarcely available in the Windows graphical user interface, but is never assembled in a single place.

NetStat Agent (http://netstatagent.com/) makes diagnosing network connections and troubleshooting connection problems a snap. Combining and enhancing a number of functions provided by the command-line utilities, NetStat Agent gathers all information about the network and connection configuration in one place. You will never need to go back to using netstat, arp, ipconfig, ping, traceroute, nslookup or whois tools from the command line!

NetStat Agent allows network administrators to monitor TCP and UDP connections, diagnose connection settings, troubleshoot network configuration, and obtain information about network resources such as remote hosts and domain names. The built-in Whois tool queries domain names for exact information about their owner, and allows checking whether a domain name is taken or still available without visiting any domain registrar’s Web sites.

Not limited to displaying just network configuration and current settings, NetStat Agent also provides dynamic statistics and logs TCP and UDP connections with full information about each applications opening a connection. Suspecting a virus or Trojan? It’s easy to figure out exactly what process maintains a particular connection, obtain the path to its executable and DLL files on the hard disk and determine where in the world the connection terminates. NetStat Agent collects and displays network and TCP/IP statistics, logging and aggregating data such as sent and received TCP and UDP packets, the number of ICMP messages, sent and received IP datagrams, and more.

Network administrators can change many network settings without leaving the NetStat Agent interface. A unique feature of NetStat Agent is the ability to change MAC addresses of network adaptors, or restore their original physical MAC addresses if they were changed from somewhere else.

If you need an all-in-one tool to monitor and troubleshoot a network, NetStat Agent is the ideal solution. Featuring comprehensive functionality combined with a full graphical user interface, NetStat Agent will be appreciated by new and experienced Windows network administrators. Download a free trial version at: http://netstatagent.com/

Keywords: netstat, arp, ipconfig, ping, traceroute, nslookup, whois, mac address, tcp ip, network configuration, network monitor, network troubleshooting, log connections, network administrator, network statistics, bind, dns

Summary: NetStat Agent is an all-in-one Windows tool to monitor and troubleshoot networks, diagnose connection problems and access network statistics.

Troubleshooting Easy, Made, Network, Troubleshooting

Most of us have had the problem before. You start up your Windows machine and are greeted with a cryptic error message or “blue screen of death” before your system boots. It’s a sinking feeling. You cannot access the operating system and troubleshooting the problem can be difficult. In most cases, people end up resorting to drastic measures, such as reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling the operating system. It’s not always a lost cause. Windows Server 2003 includes a number of alternative boot options to help you troubleshoot and resolve these issues.

When attempting to recover from a Windows boot failure, the first step is to get to the boot options menu. You can do this by hitting the F8 key on your keyboard immediately after the Windows boot loader screen is displayed. Once you have accessed the boot options menu, you will have a number of options which are outlined below:

Safe Mode

This option starts the operating system with a bare minimum of system drivers. Safe Mode will help you when troubleshooting boot failures caused by device drivers and registry problems. This mode does not provide networking support and most system services are disabled.

Safe Mode with Networking

The same exact thing as Safe Mode, only with Networking support.

Safe Mode with Command Prompt

This is a command line interface. It can be useful for renaming files and doing other basic command line routines. The windows explorer shell is not loaded and it’s basically just a dos prompt.

Enable Boot Logging

Boot logging starts the system normally, but it creates a detailed log of all the services and drivers that are trying to load at boot time. This can help you determine what is causing the system to crash. The default location for the log file is C:Windows
tbtlog.txt.

Enable VGA Mode

This actually loads the currently installed video driver, but uses the lowest resolution and color depth available. This is a useful option if you are troubleshooting an issue with your video card or monitor driver.

Last Known Good Configuration

You can use this option to revert to a copy of the registry that was saved during the last successful login to Windows. Although it sounds great, I can’t remember a single instance that this has ever worked for me in the past, and believe me, I’ve tried it several times.

Directory Services Restore Mode

This is only applicable for Active Directory Domain Controllers. It allows you to perform maintenance and backup recovery tasks on Active Directory.

Debugging Mode

This will allow you to hook up a working server via a serial cable to send debugging messages for analysis. This requires a great deal of configuration on the receiving end and may not be a realistic option for most people.

Finally, you can use the Recovery Console to perform more advanced troubleshooting. The Recovery Console is not installed by default. If it is not installed, you can still use it by booting to the Operating System CD and choosing the “Repair with Recovery Console” option. The Recovery Console allows you to change service startup options, create or extend volumes and or select alternative boot options.

In this article we’ve covered the multiple boot options provided by Windows Server 2003. If you are not dealing with a hardware failure you can often narrow down and correct most boot problems in Windows Server 2003 using these tools.

Troubleshooting 2003, Boot, Failures, Server, Troubleshooting, Windows

Computer troubleshooting is in many ways more art than science; it’s more of a marriage between your basic computer understanding and all the peculiarities of your specific environment. Truth be told, this series of articles actually possesses very little capability in terms of helping you troubleshoot your network. What it can do, however, is get you pointed in the right direction so that you have a better idea of the troubleshooting resources that are at your fingertips within Vista.

Of course, there’s no way any computer article can possibly foresee every possible computer troubleshooting scenario. If you want to really know whether a particular troubleshooting approach will work, my best advice is to give it a try. It’s just a machine, after all, and you aren’t going to break it with a few clicks of the mouse.

OK, you might break it, but if you follow some of the advice laid out in this article, you shouldn’t be able to do anything that you can’t undo. Here, we focus mainly on some of the troubleshooting tools that Windows Vista places in the hands of the administrator. As always, the focus is mainly on what’s new: we will examine a new utility called Problem Reports and Solutions, and I’ll bet you don’t need to read much further to guess what the nature of that one is. Also, we’ll explore some tools that an administrator might already know from previous operating systems like the System Restore utility, and we’ll look at situations in which System Restore just might save the day.

In this 5-part series of articles, we will discuss the various tools available for troubleshooting within Windows Vista. As I’m sure you’re aware, this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. If you’d like to get my entire book “Windows Vista Administration: The Definitive Guide” by Brian Culp, Publisher: O’Reilly, ISBN-13: 978-0-59-652959-8 (or any of my 20+ other books and tutorials), you can pick it up at my website, www.TheAnswerHub.com or at most major book chains. In addition, I’m always happy to provide additional assistance for free (within reason, mind you…don’t go thinking this is some sort of a free ride). Visit me at my website and submit your questions to me. I’ll get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.

Up next: we start with a look at a troubleshooting task that is meant to prevent many problems from happening in the first place. It’s the Vista Automatic Updates, which Vista admins should absolutely use to enforce good preventive health.

Troubleshooting Introduction, Microsoft, Part, Series, Troubleshooting, Vista, Windows

This vista problem troubleshooting article guide you how to troubleshoot various windows vista error problem and in detail windows vista troubleshooting solution.

There are lots of problems with windows vista and those are vary difficult to troubleshoot for a layman user. Here are the list of windows vista problems and troubleshooting guide for those vista problems.

Vista problem kernel data inpage error status no such device

During re-enumeration of a previously enumerated ide controller, a race condition exists between atapisys and pciidexsys or between Ataportsys and Pciidex.sys. In this race condition, the following conditions are true:

Atapi.sys and Ataport.sys use the stm method to select a transfer mode on a channel. The stm method is in the advanced configuration and power Interface bios. pciidex.sys verifies whether that channel exists by checking for the ide decode enable bit.

If the bios implementation of the stm method has cleared the ide decode enable bit, pciidex.sys determines that the channel does not exist. When this behavior occurs, pciidexsys does not enumerate the channel.

vista troubleshooting guide for this error

Because atapisys and ataportsys never run the stm method as long as there is i o on the channel, the stm method does not have to clear the ide decode enable bit. Therefore, BIOS manufacturers should not clear the ide decode enable bit in the stm method.

Path maximum transmission unit black hole router detection.The following is a list of black hole router detection changes that are included in windows server 2003 sp2.

By default, black hole detection is turned on.

Black hole probing is performed only for connections in established or advanced states.

Black hole probing is performed only for connections on which there is no full-size segment acknowledgement.

If black hole probing fails, the tcp maximum segment size of the connection is restored to what it used to be before probing.

• With black hole router detection turned off in versions of Windows that are earlier than windows server 2003 sp2, a connection times out approximately after 63 rtt. In windows server 2003 sp2, connections time out after 71 * rtt.

Remove Hibernation in Windows Vista troubleshooting

Hibernation is not made unavailable when you set the value of the hibernate after setting to never by using the power options item in windows vista control panel.

To make hibernation unavailable on windows vista, follow these steps:

1. Click start, and then type cmd in the start search box.

2. In the search results list, right-click command prompt, and then click run as administrator.

3. When you are prompted by user account control, click continue.

4. At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe hibernate off, and then press enter.

5. Type exit, and then press enter.

To make hibernation available, follow these steps for vista troubleshooting:

1. Click start on windows vista, and then type cmd in the start search box.

2. In the search results list, right-click command prompt, and then click run as administrator.

3. When you are prompted by user account control, clicks continue.

4. At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe hibernates on, and then press enter.

5. Type exit, and then press enter to close the command prompt window.

Troubleshooting Problems, Troubleshooting, Vista, Windows

All roads lead to Windows 7; especially when by “road” you mean “expectations cherished by a computer user”, by “lead to” you mean “let the dreams come true” and by “Windows 7” you mean “a new world of hope and possibilities”. It simply goes without saying that software giant Microsoft has always been invested its utmost effort to create something exceptional with the purpose of making its customers’ lives hassle-free as well as exciting and its newly launched ‘Windows 7’ has proved it again.

All those people associated with the IT world and stay up-to-date with IT news must have found several criticisms about the predecessor of Windows 7 – Windows Vista in almost every issue of their favorite IT magazines. By keeping all the issues raised regarding Windows Vista in mind, Microsoft has come up with a new gift for all the computer affectionate – Windows 7. This is especially for those, who have become jaded with the tedious designed and slow Operating Systems.
Now a number of questions regarding this new-age operating system must be coming to your mind, like its operation, features and facilities, tools and applications, compatibility and so on. Well, the good news is that Microsoft has designed the OS as a much advanced version of Vista and that’s why you will not find any of the drawbacks that you have faced with Windows Vista.

Now let’s take a quick glance at all the features of Windows 7 and see how it is going to thrill the users:

•    Windows 7 comes with a unique designed Taskbar which will let the users experience the Windows through Start Menu and System Tray. Both the System Tray and Taskbar have got a completely new makeover.

•    Windows 7 will allow you to shrink the icons and bring the labels back in case you feel uncomfortable with them.

•    This most advanced OS comes power-packed with more advanced security features, for which you will not have to bother about your computer’s security issue.

•    Microsoft Windows 7 offers you a completely new feature named ‘Jump Lists’. This facilitates the users to perform multiple tasks within an application, even when the application is closed.

•    The operating system will let you access the Internet at much faster speed than Windows Vista.

•    With Windows 7 all your hassles related to backing up data will be gone.

So, if you have really become bored with your same old operating system and want to add more zeal to your life then nothing but Windows 7 would be an ideal choice for you.
If you are using the older version of Windows and confused how to upgrade it and which would be the perfect OS for you then don’t worry; remote PC support services would be perfect companions for you. Get yourself registered with a well-known remote technical assistant service provider today and avail all kinds of PC and laptop related services in easiest of manner.

Troubleshooting Computer, Experience, From, help, Thrilling, Windows

When it comes to the most advanced, technologically-rich and sophisticated operating system that will simply thrill anyone then no doubt the name of Windows 7 comes on the top. Within a very short time of its launch, Windows 7 has become extensively popular worldwide and many people have already done Windows 7 upgrade. Many experts say that after Windows XP, software giant Microsoft launched another exceptionally effective Operating System, named Windows 7.

The latest Windows 7 is fully features and power-packed with plethora of essential features. No matter in which profession you belong to and what types of jobs you need to perform in your computer, the Windows 7 operating system would be the right choice for you.

Now you must be thinking that what additional features and facilities come with this most recent operating system and why you choose go for Windows 7. Well, now let’s discuss about the distinct advantages that you will get from this operating system.

The operating system helps you to organize all your stuffs more smartly and quickly through its pin feature. Like you make notes of all your important tasks and paste those in your bulletin board, you can also create sticky notes on your computer and stick that on the desktop of your computer’s desktop.
While enjoying your favorite music or graphics you need not to install the required driver, because the Windows 7 does the same automatically.
With Windows 7 connecting with the internet would not be a matter of concern for you. The pre-installed Windows Live Essential will make it hassle-free to connect with the internet in the easiest of manner.
The Windows 7 operating system will help you to protect your valuable data stored in your computer. The OS comes equipped with data protection software, named BitLocker data encryption, which will help you to protect your data from any external use. By using this tool you can easily protect your folders and data in the smartest manner.

So, if you are using any other version or Windows or any other operating system then you are suggested to migrate to Windows 7. If you are unable to upgrade Windows 7 by yourself then you are suggested to go for remote tech service providers. There are several tech service providers who offer wide range of computer and laptop repair services at much cheaper prices than the traditional service providers. So, be smart and upgrade you Operating System to Windows 7 with a remote tech service provider.

Troubleshooting Benefitted, Operating, System, Windows

Indeed, using the best email client is also not far from foolproof. You may also get error messages like “Invalid Page Fault,” “Mail Undeliverable,” and other nasty popup windows every day. The most irritating of all is send and receive problems, but no error message will tell you the exact story to help you figure out what has gone wrong with your email client. If you are facing email problems, then take them seriously and get online email support as soon as possible. Well! Email support services can be of great help to you. Resources offering such services have got highly trained email specialists who can help you with any email problem you may have, from installation of email client to troubleshoot any pesky email errors.

Email errors can occur out of nowhere and can be highly irksome. They can arise within your email account or with the configuration of your email client. Diagnosing email errors support and then troubleshooting them requires expertise which is easily available with email support technicians.

Computer support resources offering email support for email errors generally include email clients like Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, Eudora Mail, and other similar email programs. Their scope of service may include fixing email errors, installation, configuration, setting up free email accounts with your Internet Service Provider (ISP), setting up personalized email accounts on the net (web mail), Activate spam blockers in your email program so you can stop receiving adult spam in your inbox, setting up email rules, troubleshooting email errors.

There are several advantages of buying email support services from computer support resources with saving on time and money. Other benefits are quality service, expertise, and 24×7 availability. Specialists can set up the whole program for you in less turnaround time.

Tech support companies like iYogi technical services offer a complete array of support services under a single package for one low price.

Troubleshooting Easy, email, Made, Services, Support, Troubleshooting

This guide provides the basic tips on computer networking, hardware, security, troubleshooting and configurations in the Windows XP Professional. These tips can also be applied to Windows 2000/2003 and Windows Vista.

How to Determine the IP address of the Computer

You can determine the IP address of the computer by the following method.

Start Run > Type CMD > Type Ipconfig at the command prompt.

In this way you will get the IP address your computer.

How to Determine the Computer name ?

Start Run > Type CMD > Type Hostname at the command prompt.

You will get the computer name by this command.

How to convert FAT32 to NTFS?

If you want to convert your system’s drive to NTFS use the following command

Covert [drivename]: /FS:NTFS

This command will convert the file system of any specified drive to NTFS. NTFS provides more advanced features as compared to FAT32 such as security, disk quota, encryption and other features.

How to Enable/Disable Firewall in Widows XP?

Firewall is useful for blocking unauthorized access to your computer network as well as blocking the certain applications, URLs and IP addresses on the internet. Windows XP Professional has built-in firewall in it and if you want to enable it, do the following steps.

Start > Control Panel > Double click Windows Firewall icon

Turn on or off Windows firewall according to your choice.

How to Add/Remove Programs from the Start menu?

Click Start > Right click on the empty space > Properties > Click start menu > customize

Here you can increase or decrease the number of programs that appear on the start menu.

Click advance for more options on the start menu.

Removing the programs from Start up?

If can limit the number of programs that loads when Windows starts up.

Click Start > Run > type Msconfig > go to start up and uncheck the programs that you don’t want to load when Windows starts up. You can increase the Windows loading time by decreasing the number of programs at the time of startup.

How to install Net Meeting in Windows XP?

Netmeeting is installed by default in the Windows XP and you can load it by the following method.

Start > Run > type Conf

Netmeeting Window will appear and now you can get connected with your friends family and colleagues.

Hopefully these simple tips will help you out with you working in Windows XP Professional and Windows 2000/2003. More tips, how tos and IT tutorials will come soon.

Troubleshooting Tips, Windows