ch 16

A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, 7e

Chapter 16Fixing Windows Problems

A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, 7e 2

Objectives

• Learn what to do when a hardware device, application, or Windows component gives a problem

• Learn what to do when Windows Vista/7 won’t boot or boots with errors

• Learn strategies that you can use to solve problems with Windows 2000/XP startup


Fixing Problems Caused By Hardware

• Steps to determine device causing a problem– Research any error messages– Use the Vista/7 Problem Reports and Solutions

window or the XP Error Reporting window– Check logs in Event Viewer– Check the Reliability and Performance Monitor– Consider recent changes

Fixing Problems Caused By Hardware (cont’d.)

• Steps to discover the problem source– Check simple things first– Ensure Device Manager recognizes device with no

errors or warnings– Verify BIOS setup recognizes device with no errors




• Solving a problem with a device driver or service– Update device drivers– Update Windows– Try moving device to a different port or connector– Try reinstalling device– Try moving device to a different computer– Use System Restore


• Solving a problem with a device driver or service (cont’d.)– Check manufacturer’s documentation– Search the Internet for help– Boot into Safe Mode– Use System File Checker– Consider application using the device– Replace device



Fixing Problems Caused By Applications

• Steps to find the problem source and fix it– Interview user and back up data– Ask user to reproduce problem while you watch– Use Task Manager to end a process not responding– Try a reboot– Suspect a virus causing a problem– Allow Windows to provide a solution


Fixing Problems Caused By Applications (cont’d.)

• Steps to find the problem source and fix it (cont’d.)– Windows update might solve the problem– Download updates or patches for the application– Use the application setup to repair the installation– Consider data corruption– Try restoring default settings– Uninstall and reinstall application– Use System Restore



• Steps to take if application never worked– Run application as administrator– Install application as administrator– Consider whether an older application having

compatibility problems with Vista/7• Windows Vista/7 Compatibility Center

• Try running application in compatibility mode

– Verify application digitally signed



• Considerations to determine if problem is caused by other applications, services, Windows, or hardware– Another application might be interfering– Use the Services console– Might be low on system resources– Verify Windows system files– Problem might be bad memory– Use Event Viewer to look for clues



• Considerations to determine if problem is caused by other applications, services, Windows, or hardware (cont’d.)– Use the Reliability Monitor to look for clues– Use the Chkdsk command to check hard drive– Run application in Safe Mode with Networking


Troubleshooting Vista/7 Startup

• Three startup stages of the boot– Stage 1: Before the progress bar– Stage 2: After the progress bar and before logon– Stage 3: After logon

Problems at Stage 1: Before the Progress Bar Appears

• Check with user– Verify important data location– Verify data backed up

• Attempt to copy data to safe location if possible

• Progress bar not showing– Portions of Vista/7 kernel, critical drivers, and services

not yet started• Indicates problem with hardware or startup files

• Failing hardware may include: power supply, motherboard, CPU, memory, hard drive, video, or keyboard


Problems at Stage 1: Before the Progress Bar Appears (cont’d.)

• Is the screen blank?– Absolutely nothing on the screen

• Verify system power, monitor is plugged in and on

– Suspect no power to system• Verify system not in standby mode or hibernation

– Monitor totally without lights• Check monitor power

– Monitor LED light lit• Reboot, check monitor power, and that it is on

– Trade monitor for a good one




• Does the computer appear to have power?– Can’t hear spinning drive or see lights on case front

• Suspect electrical system

• Check power connections and switches

• May have bad power supply

• Loose connections inside case



• Does an error message appear before Vista/7 starts?– BIOS displays error message on-screen if problems

• Uses beeps if video not working

– On-screen messages for nonessential hardware• Try to bypass error by pressing a key and moving

forward in the boot

– On-screen messages for essential hardware• Focus attention on the error message, beep code, and

voice message describing problem


• Can startup BIOS access the hard drive?– Possible messages

• Hard drive not found

• Fixed disk error

• Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter

• No boot device available

– Check for physical problem• Drive, data cable, power, motherboard

– Verify BIOS detected drive correctly• Turn on autodetection and reboot

– Power down system, unplug it, and physically inspect A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, 7e 18


• Can startup BIOS access the hard drive? (cont’d.)– BIOS found hard drive, but could not read drive or

find what it needed• Invalid boot disk

• Invalid drive specification

• Invalid partition table

• No operating system found, missing operating system, or error loading operating system

• Could not find bootmgr or bootmgr missing

– Boot from Windows setup files (DVD or SS drive)




• Use BIOS setup to set the boot sequence– Access BIOS setup utility– Find screen to change boot sequence– Make sure DVD drive listed before hard drive

• Force system to boot from Windows Vista/7 setup DVD

– Save settings and exit BIOS setup


Figure 16-11 Verify that the boot sequence looks to the DVD drive before it checks the hard drive for an operating systemCourtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning



• Can you boot from the Vista/7 setup DVD?– If not then study error messages, and solve

immediate hardware problem• Hard drive and optical drive might have failed

• Try floppy drive with DOS or Windows 9x floppy disk

• Successful boot from floppy indicates problem with both the hard drive and DVD drive

– If able to boot from Vista/7 DVD• Windows logon screen appears

• Problem isolated to the hard drive


Figure 16-12 Select your language preferenceCourtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning



• Can Windows Recovery Environment find the Vista/7 installation?– Launch Windows RE

• Windows RE attempts to locate Vista/7 installation on the hard drive

– If Windows RE cannot locate the installation, but BIOS setup recognizes the drive

• Drive partitions and file systems might be corrupted

– If Windows RE does locate the installation• Problem likely limited to corrupted or missing system files

or drivers

– Attempt fixes: restart system after each step


• Can Windows RE find the Vista/7 installation? (cont’d.)– Run Startup Repair

• Sometimes fixes drastic problems with system files, boot records

– Run System Restore• Process won’t help if file system corrupted

– Restart system and launch Advanced Boot Options menu

• No boot menu: problem may be corrupted boot sector• Boot menu appears: probable BCD file or other startup file

problem




• Can Windows RE find the Vista/7 installation? (cont’d.)– Restart system, launch Advanced Boot Options menu

(cont’d.)• If boot menu appears: enable boot logging and reboot

• Check boot log (\Windows\ntbtlog.txt) for the last entry

• Might indicate which system file missing or corrupt

– If boot menu does not appear:• Return to Windows RE, launch command prompt

window, and attempt to repair boot sector

• use Bootrec.exe on Win7/Vista/7



• Can Windows RE find the Vista/7 installation? (cont’d.)– If boot menu does appear:

• Return to Windows RE, launch command prompt window, and attempt to repair the BCD file

– Try to repair corrupted file system• Use command prompt window and chkdsk c: /r

command

– When startup files missing or corrupt• Vista/7 may display an error message



• Can Windows RE find the Vista/7 installation? (cont’d.)– Use command prompt window to access drive C

• Get to C prompt: use DIR command to list folders and files

• Good list: check log file for clues

• Not a good list: most likely Vista/7 installation destroyed beyond repair

• Make every effort to copy data to another media


• Options to recover from a corrupted Vista/7 installation– Option 1: Complete PC backup available

• Restore system to last backup

– Option 2: Complete PC backup not available and data backups available on hard drive

• Install Windows Vista/7, format hard drive during installation, install all applications again, restore data

– Option 3: Complete PC backup and data backup not available

• Try to copy data to removable device and reinstall Windows Vista/7



• Steps to reinstall Windows Vista/7 when OS refuses to boot and important data on the drive– Boot from Vista/7 DVD, select language, select Install

now from opening menu• Follow directions on-screen to install the OS

– Enter product key and accept license agreement• Select Custom (advanced) installation

– When asked where to install the OS select partition on which Vista/7 installed



• Steps to reinstall Windows Vista/7 (cont’d.)– Vista/7 setup moves old installation folders into \

Windows.Old folder– Clean Vista/7 installation goes in the \Windows folder– Suspect hard drive failing

• Copy all data and reinstall Vista/7 again

– Healthy hard drive• Run Chkdsk to fix errors

• Install all applications and device drivers

• Create all user accounts and customize Vista/7 settings

• Delete the \Windows.Old folder A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, 7e 31


Figure 16-16 Free up disk space by deleting the Windows.Old folderCourtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning



• Reinstall Vista/7 on a laptop or trusted computer– Use hidden partition on hard drive to recover the

Windows installation• During startup, press appropriate key for access

– Menu should appear with two options:• One option repairs the Windows installation, saving

user data

• Other options reformats drive C and restores system to purchased setup

– If neither method works use recovery CD or DVD

Problems at Stage 2: After the Progress Bar Appears and Before Logon

• Microsoft progress bar appears during the boot– Windows kernel loaded successfully– Critical drivers and services configured to be started

by the kernel running– Session Manager (Smss.exe) running in user mode

started the Win32 subsystem– If logon screen not displayed:

• Probable corrupted driver or service started after kernel finished its part of the boot

• Fix by isolating and disabling Windows component, service, or application causing trouble




• Back up data before focusing on the problem

• Follow these steps:– Launch Windows RE from Vista/7 setup DVD

• Run Startup Repair from Recovery Environment menu

– Reboot, launch the Advanced Boot Options menu• Select the Last Known Good Configuration

– In Windows RE, run System Restore


• Steps (cont’d.)– Try booting into Safe Mode

• Immediately run antivirus software

• Run Chkdsk c: /r

• Examine all logs in Event Viewer

• Use Software Explorer, MSconfig to stop applications just installed, then uninstall and reinstall

• Use Device Manager to check for hardware errors

• Use the System File Checker (SFC) tool

• Rename the \Windows\Ntbtlog.txt file



• Steps (cont’d.)– Boot to the Advanced Boot Options menu and select

Enable Boot Logging– Compare the Ntbtlog.txt file to the one created in Safe

Mode– Easiest way to view the logs is to boot into Safe Mode

and view the files with Notepad– Problem service or device identified

• Boot into Safe Mode and use Device Manager to disable

• Use Services console to disable


Problems at Stage 3: After Windows Logon

• Problems caused by applications or services configured to launch at startup– Shortcuts in startup folders, Scheduled Tasks, or

software installation processes affecting registry entries

– Error message at startup• Disable program using MSconfig


How to Recover Lost Data

• Use Windows tools, third party software, or commercial data recovery services

• Recovering a deleted or corrupted data file– Look in the Recycle Bin– Use the Recover command– Use application manufacturer’s web site– Find third party software

• Undelete Plus http://undeleteplus.com

• Recuva http://www.piriform.com/recuva

• PC Inspector File Recovery www.pcinspector.de


http://undeleteplus.com/

http://www.piriform.com/recuva

http://www.pcinspector.de/

How to Recover Lost Data (cont’d.)

• Recover data from a computer that will not boot– Remove hard drive and install as a second

nonbooting hard drive in another system– Use IDE to USB or a SATA to USB converter kit

• Temporarily connect hard drive to a USB port on a working computer

• Browse drive and copy data using Windows Explorer

• Use a data recovery service– research “data recovery” on web

• Read up on reviews, understand warranty and guarantees, and get a recommendation


Troubleshooting Windows 2000/XP Startup

• Steps:– Talk to the user

• Recent changes, conditions right before error, new hardware or software, data backup location

– Important data not backed up• Make every effort to copy data to another media before

working on the Windows problem

– Determine point in the boot where system fails– For problems related to hardware check simple things

first


Troubleshooting Windows 2000/XP Startup (cont’d.)

• Steps (cont’d.)– Error message displayed on-screen

• Start by addressing it

– Problem software related and cannot boot to desktop• Boot to the Advanced Options menu

• Select the Last Known Good Configuration

– Can boot load Windows desktop• If system giving many errors or is extremely slow,

suspect a virus and run antivirus software


Summary

• Solve Windows problems by using strategies and techniques– Diagnosing a Windows problem

• Problems involve hardware, applications, and Windows

• Problems occur after the boot with hardware or software

• Problems occur during the boot

– Determining the best tool for each situation– Solving Windows Vista/7 boot problems

• Different from solving Windows XP/2000 boot issues


ch 16

Technology

fixing problems

fixing windows problems

application use system

windows system files

system power

hardware device

problem research

application setup