Troubleshooting

CPU Running at 100 Percent

By terry Leave a Comment

Reader Scott Adler wrote about a problem he was having with his computer getting stuck at 100% CPU Usage…

to correct a problem I’m having with Adobe Updater I need to get to change the preferences

Start the AdobeUpdater.exe application from …”\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Updater 5″

How do I get to this application??

The symptoms are that the updater runs and uses 100% of the processing capability of my CPU thereby making use of PC virtually impossible. I found an Adobe tech note that suggests changing the preferences by unchecking the “automatically Check for updates”

Scott has very good question. The problem is that Adobe removed that feature in Adobe Reader 8…

Continue reading CPU Running at 100 Percent

Filed Under: HowTo, Optimize, PC Repairs, Software, Speed-up, Stability, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Updates

Catastrophic Hard Drive Failure

By terry Leave a Comment

Reader Jeanne Wright wrote me about her recent hard drive failure:

My computer just crashed and I had to have a new hard drive installed. Is there any way to get the information on my files and folders from the old hard drive? If so, where can I find someone to do this? Needless to say, I had NOT backed up my computer before all this happened. Thanks!

I wrote back to Jeanne to say that, depending on the nature of the hard drive failure, her data may or may not be recoverable at a reasonable price.

Continue reading Catastrophic Hard Drive Failure

Filed Under: Backup, Hard drive, Hardware, PC Repairs, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Upgrades

Broadband Problems and Questions

By terry Leave a Comment

Recently, I received two interesting questions from U.K. subscribers. I wrote about and answered the other one, which was about external hard drives, in this week’s email newsletter.

In this question, subscriber Robin wrote about problems she is having with her broadband connection…

Hi Terry

I have a stand alone desktop computer with a Tiscali.co.uk 8mb broadband connection and Windows XP Home edition.

Whenever I make or receive a telephone call, it cuts off my broadband connection. Any ideas on what could be causing this? I am using a Speedtouch 330 modem to connect.

Continue reading Broadband Problems and Questions

Filed Under: Broadband, DSL, Internet Access, System Control, Troubleshooting, Usability

Optimize 2.0 Review – Five Months Later Review

By terry Leave a Comment

Optimize 2.0 Review Number 2

Back in February, 2008, I bought a license for Optimize 2.0 and was very impressed with its cleanup and speedup changes it made on my computer.

Now, five months later, is it still a worthwhile tool?

As I ran the program on Friday night, it had been several weeks since I had used it to check the optimization and for cleanup.

Continue reading Optimize 2.0 Review – Five Months Later Review or get more information

Filed Under: Free Trials, Optimize, Other, PC Repairs, Registry Repair, Software, Speed-up, Stability, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Vista, Windows XP

A Look Inside PCPitstop Optimize 2.0

By terry Leave a Comment

Like many of the other downloadable programs that are designed to scan and fix computer problems, Optimize 2.0 from PC Pitstop is a program that can be run on schedule to routinely check for and fix problems, or can be run on request to fix and find problems.

Of course, the most significant value will be in the optimizations and repairs it makes on its very first running — optimizing your Internet access settings, checking startup programs, cleaning and repairing the Windows registry, and cleanup of junk files.

While some types of programs like antispyware and antivirus let you have fully-functional trial versions, programs that make repairs to your computer can’t afford to give free trials. Whether you are considering Spinrite 6 from Gibson Research (a hard drive recovery utility) or a Windows registry cleaner program, if there was a free fully-functional trial — no one would ever buy a copy — they’d just download a trial if they had a problem!

The solution for many of these products is to provide a scanner program that will scan your computer, tell you that it found a bunch of things to change, but will only make the repairs if you buy a license.

Does that sound unreasonable? If so, compare it to buying software in a retail box — most retailers will not accept returns of opened software, so you have no way to see it work. I wish I’d been able to see some of the games I’ve bought before spending my money.

Optimize 2.0 goes the extra mile — in the unregistered scanner mode, Optimize 2.0 shows you the changes it would make! It does not just show you the categories of changes that it would make, if you buy a license. This way, if you know what you’re doing and want to take the time, you can make the changes manually.

In the first screen shot below, we see the display after Optimize has done its first scan of my notebook computer (my main computer). The blue “Next” button at the bottom right is the next step…

Continue reading A Look Inside PCPitstop Optimize 2.0

Download the Optimize 2.0 Scanner

Filed Under: Networking, Optimize, PC Repairs, Software, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Vista, Windows Repair, Windows XP

HOWTO: Stopping Blue Screen of Death Reboots

By terry Leave a Comment

Reader Russ Tinley wrote about a strange problem he was having:

Terry, My computer is connected to a Verizon DSL Modem, and everytime I connect the modem to my PC I get a blue screen and the system reboots. I called Verizon and they replaced my Modem but it still does it. So I called adn they said that my computer must be the problem, so just to test it I plugged my Notebook directly to the DSL modem and same blue screen. I called Verizon and they are giving me the run around saying it is my hard ware. Can you give me any tips on what I should look for or how to work with Verizon to get this corrected. Thank you, Russ

Russ had a strange problem. But, let’s look at the pieces:

the original modem caused the bluescreen/reboot on your desktop.
Verizon replaced the modem
The desktop still does it with the new modem.
The notebook also does it when connected to the modem.

So, you’ve got two computers doing it with two modems.

Continue reading HOWTO: Stopping Blue Screen of Death Reboots

Filed Under: HowTo, Stability, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Windows Repair, Windows XP

Number 1 Step in Computer Troubleshooting

By terry Leave a Comment

You’ve seen the problem. The program you use every day, or maybe one you use occasionally, isn’t doing what it should.

Perhaps the program can’t load one of its data files, so it doesn’t actually start. Perhaps it won’t do the task you told it to do – even if it worked yesterday. Perhaps the program crashes when you run it.

There is one often-forgotten cure for Windows.

In today’s world of Windows, fast computers, fast Internet connections using cable modems, DSL modems or even Ethernet connection to the ISP, many of us leave our computers turned on all the time.

We take the prudent and necessary steps of running a two-way firewall (like Sunbelt Personal Firewall), we run an anti-virus program that auto-updates, we run an anti-spyware/anti-adware program (like CounterSpy v2), and maybe even run an anti-spam program.

But, we forget to reboot our computers occasionally. We joke about calling technical support at a software company and being told to reboot.

Continue reading Number 1 Step in Computer Troubleshooting

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware, HowTo, Other, Stability, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Vista, Windows XP

HowTo: Change Windows Default Font Size

By terry Leave a Comment

I received an email recently from someone who was having problems with a Windows dialog box. In this particular case, she was trying to put a registration code into software, but the field for the code extended outside the box � and she couldn’t input the whole code.

It really sounds to me like a font-size settings problem in your copy of Windows. Programmers almost often specify the size fo a Windows dialog boxes — but Windows itself lets YOU change the default font size that you use.

As a result, when users make their default Windows fonts larger (their Windows font, not their default web browser font), they can end up moving stuff from the dialog box into the invisible, unusable portion of the dialog box.

Continue Reading HowTo: Change Windows Default Font Size

Filed Under: Software, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Web Browsers, Windows Repair, Windows XP

Serial ATA Drives and PC Problems

By terry Leave a Comment

Reader Ian Holland wrote after reading one of my Special Edition Newsletters, which sometimes go to email subscribers:

Hi Terry,

Just read your VERY absorbing newsletter, I have a ( moronic??) question about those SATA hard drives.

I recently ( 2006) built 5 pcs for the office ALL with SATA drives, and they are all the same spec as this one at home with regards to RAM ( 2gb) and processors ( all Pentium 4, 3.5GHz) . So, to all intents and purposes they should be more or less the same ( all ASUS mother boards the same make and type, all with the same version of XP Pro Corp) –except the ones at the office are all on a network to ADSL (yukk!) this one is on a small home network (4pc’s) to cable broadband ( much better!).

The pcs at the office with minimal data installed are all far, far slower at moving files, searching, transferring data ( I ran a comparison with the same 36,588 images / 2.94 Gbytes) and also with downloading, than the one here on IDE at home.

I also get many more sudden “blue screens” ( “windows has shut down to prevent damage to the system….”) at the office machines, usually when running, e.g. three video editing programs, Nero 7 DVD burning, + maybe four large downloads and some word processing all simultaneously-

-at home I NEVER managed to get these messages at all, however hard I work the processor / RAM.

My question ( as an ignoramus!) is this;-

What is the purpose and advantages ( if any!) of going to SATA drives when they are patently less reliable, and lower performance than the “old” IDE ones? It seems to be yet another marketing ploy for us to shell out more money again.

I seek real elucidation here….

Thanks for an ever-improving newsletter, Ian.

Ian,

SATA (Serial ATA) is actually capable of much faster communication than is the PATA (Parallel ATA) interface.

The fact that you’re seeing significantly faster performance on one machine than on the other 4. Despite the 4 being on an office network, they should not be markedly slower than the home machine.

Here are some fo the things that come to mind:

Continue Reading Serial ATA Drives and PC Problems

Filed Under: Hard drive, PC Repairs, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Upgrades, Windows XP

Outlook Express Emails Going into Deleted Items Folder

By terry Leave a Comment

Sometimes, there are weeks of weird problems. Something in the air? The phase of the moon? Who knows?

Whether users have opened dialog boxes and accidentally clicked on the wrong things or “IE7 did it to me,” I’ve read of some subscriber problems have been very frustrating. Take this one from Louise, for example:

Terry,
I have somehow clicked on something this morning, and now my messages that should go in my “inbox” are going into my “deleted message” box.
I have tried different things, and I am at a loss as to how to fix this. Please help. Thanks in advance. Louise Langley..
Oh I have DSL Windows XP. OUTLOOK EXPRESS for my email.

I wrote back to Louise to say that it appeared that she had…

Continue reading Outlook Express Emails Going into Deleted Items Folder

[eminimall]

Filed Under: Email, Outlook Express, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting