Blame it on the Storm

Has your computer stopped working properly? Often times a severe thunder and lightning storm can wreak havoc on your computer. Following a storm if you find that your computer is not working the way it was a few days prior, the damage from the storm could be the culprit. There are a few common issues that indicate that your computer may have suffered from lightning damage following a storm. Depending on the issue and the damage some of these errors are easily fixable while others may be a sign of more serious internal damage to your system. There are ways to prevent lightening damage to your system.

Here are a few common issues that result from storm damage:

• No power to your computer is indicative of power supply cord damage. Your computer fails to turn on when you boot up, or will turn on and shut off immediately.
• Motherboard damage. Your system is not displaying information correctly, is slow or
• Modem damage. You are unable to connect to the internet or your system is displaying error codes or freezing up during connection. .
• Processor damage. Your system may run much slower, you may find that you are missing files, receiving error messages when attempting to open certain programs.

The best thing you can hope for is that your power supply cord was fried. This is very common after a lightning storm and is something that you can repair yourself for a small price. If you have access to another power supply cord that you know is working properly, attempt to reboot your computer with the working cord and see if makes a difference. If the computer is still not working with the good cord the damage probably extended beyond the power supply.

You can pick up a new power supply cord for about $100.00 with universal tips that can be adapted to all of your computers. Replace your cord and hopefully this will work. If you do not have access to another cord and don’t want to purchase a universal before knowing if this is the issue you can take your entire hard drive and the cord to your local computer repair shop.

Most computer repair shops will allow you to take your hard drive into the shop and test it with a different cord for free, that way you will know right there if you have an internal issue that need repair by a technician. Issues with your motherboard, modem and processor may be mild and will probably require the assistance of a trained technician who can check the part for damage. It is possible that lightning did mild damage to a part and it can be repaired for a low cost. The probability is that if your system was fried by lightning the part that received the damage will have to be replaced completely which unfortunately can be costly and may run you the cost of a whole other computer. The best advice is to prevent this from happening by protecting your system from storm damage ahead of time.

Prevention:

• Ensure that you have a surge protector for your power supply.
• Always unplug your system off during a severe thunder and lightning storm. Do not just log off but rather shut your system down completely and unplug it to prevent lightening damage to the internal working of your computer.

hpqste08.exe Error

The hpqste08.exe is a normal process that is installed onto your computer system for Hewlett Packard imaging. Most likely the software was installed on your computer system before you purchased it. The program itself is considered a non-essential process. This means that the computer can function properly without this file but some of the features related to digital imaging that you use on your computer may require this program to work properly. Errors generally occur when something goes wrong with the process or the originally installed file.

The hpqste08.exe error is not a damaging error nor is it a dangerous virus, spyware or malware but it may cause problems on your system if issues occur that corrupt the program. Generally fragmentation and errors may accumulate on any software that is installed. If this occurs it may cause the program to start showing error codes, running slow or simply stop working. hpqste08.exe errors may occur when something goes amiss with the program.

It is very common to receive a hpqste08.exe error and most people who have spent a few hours on the computer have probably encountered it at one time or another. While this error is annoying it is not necessarily harmful and doesn’t set you back hours trying to find a way to correct it. Generally errors will be the result of either conflicting software applications or applications such as HP imaging that has become fragmented or damaged in some way.

The best way to resolve an hpqste08.exe error is to first identify that the exe file is located in the correct place. It is common for malware to disguise itself as legitimate files and attach to your computer causing issues. While this particular error in its original form is not harmful you still want to ensure that the file is legitimate. You can do so by checking your task list. The common path for hpsqte08.exe is at C:\rogram Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqSTE08.exe.To check your task list you can press the ctrl+alt+del key. This will display your task manager. You can then click on the processes tab which will show all of the files that are running on your computer with exception of the DLL files. Check to ensure that only hpqste08.exe is located there. If you see something else that looks similar it you should delete it leaving only the exact file as specified above.

Next you should uninstall any programs or applications you are not currently using. These may be causing errors because they are interfering with the hpqste08.exe process. If you started receiving these errors after installing new software try uninstalling that software and reinstalling it. Once you do this restart your system.

One of these suggestions should assist you in resolving the errors related to hqqste08.exe, if not you can refer to your operating system support or Hewlett Packard support to assist with further troubleshooting options.

The Endless Reboot Issue with Windows 7 Upgrade

The new Windows 7 operating system offers some great benefits but it does not come without its share of issues. Once you get through the small and annoying little bugs it seems that using Windows 7 is smooth sailing. Once of the complaints from many Windows 7 users is the endless reboots that seem to happen during the installation upgrade.

When attempting to upgrade to Windows 7 some users may experience one of the two common error messages.

• Windows 7 could not be installed.
• The previous version (Vista or XP or whatever version was being upgraded) has been restored.

Both messages indicate that there is a problem with the upgrade. These reboots could go on forever even if you stop the upgrade and restart your system. Users report that each time the system is rebooted Windows will automatically start the upgrade process again and the same error messages surface again and again. This process can go on and on until you do something to stop this vicious reboot cycle and finally complete the Windows 7 download once and for all.

Here is a quick fix for the Windows 7 endless reboot bug:

• Select your previous operating system from the boot menu at startup.
• Insert your old operating system installation disk into your drive.
• When the old operating system setup menu appears click Exit setup.
• Click Start.
• Click on All Programs.
• Click on Accessories.
• Right click and the Command Prompt.
• Choose Run.
• At the Command prompt type in D:/Boot/Bootsect.exe/NT60 All. (Note: You will want to replace the letter D with the letter of the drive that contains your installation disk if it is not D). This command should reset the parameters for your system to complete the installation.
• Reboot your system and try the installation process again.

These instructions should help you get past the reboot bug. If you do not have an installation disk or continue to experience problems with the upgrade you should contact Windows help and support.

Netsetup.cpl Error Code

The Netsetup.cpl usually offers the explanation of: an error occurred while Windows was working with the control panel file. It will usually read C:/windows?syste32/netsetup.cpl. This is a benign error message but annoying none the less. The nice thing is it is a very specific error with a very simple and specific fix.

The Netsetup.cpl error generally has two causes. It seems to be confined to users with Windows XP service pack 2 and is related to either an application from Verizon called IPMon32 or a Visual IP InSight application. IPMon32 is an application that is used by Verizon to provide the user with certain diagnostic tools. The Visual IP InSight Client is an application that deals with the Windows Dial-UP Networking. Interestingly both applications that cause the error message do not seem to effect the other applications but they have been said to be related in some way to spyware. Both applications are unnecessary to the workings of your system and take up an unusually large quantity of space.

Many users are not even aware that they have these applications installed on their system and in most cases they do not need either program for any reason. It makes sense to remove these programs especially if they are prompting an error message.

Take the following steps to disable the IPMon32 service:

• Go to your Start menu
• In the Run box type msconfig
• Click the Startup tab
• Uncheck IPMON32
• Click Apply
• Restart your computer

Next check your list of Programs to see if you have Visual IP InSight Client installed. If it is on your list of programs you will want to remove it. If it is not on your list you have taken all of the necessary steps to rid yourself of the Netsetup.cpl error message.

To Remove Visual IP InSight Client take the following steps:

• Go to Start
• Control Panel
• Add or Remove Programs
• Allow the list to populate this may take a few minutes
• Check to see if Visual IP InSight Client comes up on the list
• If it does highlight this program
• Click Remove if it is on your list, if it is not there exit the Control panel and you are finished with your task
• If you do remove the program proceed with exiting the Control Panel and restarting your computer

Internet Explorer 9 Crashes on Startup

Microsoft’s latest release of Internet Explorer is version 9. It is available for use with Windows Vista or Windows 7. This version is said to be the best browser for Windows to date. Some of the benefits that Internet Explorer 9 has to offer include:

• Increased speed and optimal search performance.
• Simplified designs that include one click access to favorites and a combined search and address bar.
• Privacy controls that offer increased privacy for confidential information.
• Improved add on management that can tell you which add on is slowing down your browser performance.

While Internet Explorer offers an excellent browsing experience it does not come with out its share of problems. These problems are generally the result of incompatible add-ons, toolbars or display adapter which sometimes happens because of an incompatible or a dated driver.

Internet Explorer 9 has been known to freeze on startup or simply restart without an error message. This is a sure sign of a problem. Some users may receive one of the following error messages before the big freeze. “Internet Explore has encountered a problem and needs to close” or “Internet Explorer has stopped responding” are the two most common error messages.
Resolving the issues with Internet Explorer can be done by using one of both of the methods listed below. If the first does not work proceed to the second method.

Changing the Add-ons Mode

• Click Start
• Type in “iexplorer.exe-extoff”
• Press Enter

This opens Internet Explorer in Add-ons mode. If you do not receive any error messages during this step you can go ahead and disable the add-ons by taking the next steps.

• Open Internet Explorer.
• Click Tools on the right hand corner.
• Click Manage add-ons.
• Click on the Show drop down menu and select all add ons.
• Select the add–ons by using the check marks
• Click Disable in the information window.
• Exit the program.
• Restart Internet Explorer.

If changing the add on mode does not resolve the issue proceed with resetting the Internet Explorer Settings.

It is important to know that doing this will reset all of the settings you as a user have created and saved. This will include security, privacy browsing history and temporary internet files and cookies. It will keep the favorites and subscribed feed settings in tact.

Reset Internet Explorer Settings

• Click Start.
• In the Start Search Box type in “inetcpl.cpl”.
• Press Enter.
• When the Internet Options dialog box appears click on the Advanced tab.
• Click Reset under the Resent Internet Explorer settings.
• Click Reset again.
• Close the program when the settings have been reset.
• Restart your computer.

One of these two methods should prevent Internet Explorer 9 from crashing on startup allowing you to get the most from the new and improved browsing options.

What is the ieframe.dll Error?

DLL is the short version for Dynamic-link library. DLL is used by the Windows operating system to handle application data that make your programs such as MS office and Internet Explorer work properly. DLL is much like the library inside of your computer screen. When we want to run a certain program such as Internet Explorer, Microsoft will refer to DLL to figure out how to do it. Much like checking out a book from the library to figure out how to plant a garden, Microsoft checks with DLL to figure out how to run the selected program.

DLL has a big job inside of the hard drive. It is relied upon by the operating system to figure out where to go and what to do when a user opens a program. A DLL error can occur when the data in the library is corrupt, incomplete or missing. DLL errors can happen for a variety of reasons from simple routine use an outdated security or fire wall setting, installing an update or getting a computer virus.

The ieframe.dll error is associated with the Internet Explorer web browser. Knowing that it is associated with your browser helps to narrow down the reasons why the error is occurring. A browser error is easy to repair and generally does not mean that there is anything seriously wrong with your computer system.

If you receive an ieframe.dll error you can repair this yourself in a few easy steps. First, shut down and restart your system. If the error goes away on its own, consider yourself lucky.

If the problem persists, take the following next steps:

• Download and install the latest compatible version of Internet Explorer; this will depend on your operating system.
• Restart your router or the network that you use to communicate with the internet.
• Perform a virus scan on your system.
• Check to ensure that your firewall and security software is up to date. You may want to consider disabling the protected mode and phishing filter as this may contribute to the dll error.
• Delete your temporary internet files by going to Start, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup. Wait for the entire process to complete.
• Shut down and restart your system and see if the ieframe.dll error persists.

If these steps do not resolve the error you can replace the DLL by downloading a clean version of the DLL. To do this you can do an internet search for downloading DLL and follow the instructions. If you are not comfortable installing a clean version of DLL it is advisable to call Microsoft support or take your system to a trained computer technician.

How to Know if You Have a Bad Hard Drive Sector

A sector is an area on the surface of a hard drive or disk that has several areas called platters, which are the areas on the drive or disk that are covered with the magnetic type material where the data is stored. The platters are divided into a set of tracks and each track is separated into smaller areas called sectors. The sectors on a drive are the areas where data is stored. Hard drives have many different sectors, so if one goes bad it does not ruin the entire hard drive, only the data in the sector is affected.

Hard drives have millions of sectors, many of which do go bad just because of everyday use. You may or may not know if you have a bad sector on your computer’s disk drive because the computer will be alerted to the bad sector and know not to store data in that area. It is always possible that the data stored in a sector that was bad is no longer useable, even with recovery methods.

A faulty sector cannot be used if it has permanent damage to it, but a modern computer comes with many spare sectors, so if one goes bad, the computer is naturally programmed to remap to a functioning sector. When this remapping occurs, the user may not even be aware of it because all of the programs are written to the spare sector and the computer continues to function normally.

In the case that more than one sector in your hard disk has gone bad, there may be noticeable changes to the way your computer system functions. If you are having issues with reading certain data on your hard drive or receive a sector error, or a timeout, it may simply mean that the computer is remapping the data. If the problem continues to persist you can attempt to repair your hard disk sectors by taking the following steps:

• Go to Start
• Select My Computer
• Under Hard Disk Drives, highlight the drive you want to scan
• Open File, Menu and click on Properties
• Open Tools
• Click the Check Now button and follow any prompts

If enough of the sectors go bad, or the problems continue to persist even after your repair, it may be time for a new hard drive. The potential for a bad drive sector is just one of the reasons why it is always advisable to have a reliable back up system for all work stored on the hard drive.

My iPhone won’t Sync in Windows 7

It is not uncommon for Windows 7 users to be faced with the issue of being unable to sync their iPhones with the Windows 7 operating system. The issue seems to be isolated to Windows 7 users who use 64 bit Intel chipsets. Something with this combination prevents easily synching the iPhone with the computer.

After investigation from Intel, Apple and Microsoft, it seemed that there was an easy fix to this disruptive issue. It seems that while Windows 7 is a new and popular operating system that ensures that your computer runs quickly and efficiently, it sometimes tries to fight off other hardware that may pose a potential threat. In most cases, when users attempt to sync the iPhone to Windows 7, they are met with an error message or it simply won’t work. It is likely due to Windows 7 trying to conserve power to ensure that the system runs quickly.

There is a quick fix for this issue by taking the following steps:

• Go to Start
• Right click Computer
• Choose Properties
• Chose Device Manager
• Choose Universal Serial Bus Controllers
• Right click on USB Root Hub
• Choose Properties
• Choose Power Management
• Uncheck the box that says “Allow the computer to turn this device off to save power”.
• If you want to be proactive you can uncheck every entry that is checked in USB root hub to prevent this issue from occurring with other hardware.
• Reboot your computer and attempt to sync your phone.

Gigabyte Technology is a manufacturer of many computer products including processors, motherboards and graphic cards. This company is well known to not only provide products but to investigate issues that come up with technology and provide solutions to some common problems.

Gigabyte came up with a quick BIOS update that was said to not only fix the iPhone sync issue, but provide other enhancements to Windows 7 users. For those that have a Gigabyte motherboard in their computer system, simply download the Gigabyte BIOS update from their site and it will automatically fix the sync problem. This will not work for everyone, only users who have Gigabyte mother boards. If you are unsure of the make and model of your motherboard the first solution offered above is your best and safest option.

The Meaning Behind the Red Screen

We have all heard of the infamous blue screen of death, and have probably experienced one of the many damaging relatives, the red screen or the blank screen. Less popular, but equally as damaging as the blue or blank screen is the Red Screen of Death. It is sometimes referred to as the Red Screen of Doom and it has a codename of “Memphis.” Luckily, not everyone will have the unfortunate experience of seeing their computer screen plastered with complete red. If you never have to experience this consider yourself lucky.

Historically, the red screen is an error message reserved for the beta versions of some of Microsoft’s operating systems, including Windows Vista and Windows 98. The red screen of death does still exist, but is becoming a bad memory because of the changes in Windows operating systems. Basically the red screen is designed simply to let users know that there is a serious system error that has occurred and Windows is informing the user of this error with a big bold red screen. Windows has since reverted back to a black or blue screen for this type of error; however, some users still may be one of the few to experience the red screen.

Much like fixes for a blue screen, the red screen may occur due to software errors, device drivers or bugs in the operating system. If this is the case, it typically requires a technician to diagnose and correct them. On other occasions, the red screen can be caused by something as basic as overheating, faulty or loose power supplies or cords or hardware that is running without enough memory to support it.

The first thing you will want to do is shut down the system. Let it cool for a few minutes and check all of your cables to make sure they are securely plugged into the back of your system. Take note if the system seems to be running loudly or the fan is working overtime, this can be a clue that the system is overheating.

If you have installed any recent software, try uninstalling it and restart your system to see if the screen reappears normally. It may be that there is not enough memory to run the software or it may be something as simple as loose wires causing what Windows thinks is a system error. If you determine it is the memory, you can have new memory installed before you run your new software. To be preventative, run a virus scan on your computer once it is up and running normally.

If the red screen goes away, chances are it was probably one of the simple issues that you were able to fix taking the steps above. If the red screen appears again, even intermittently, you should seek the assistance of a trained technician.

XP Automatically Restarts After I Shut it Down

Does your Windows based computer sometimes appear to have a mind of its own? There are a few reasons why Windows may do something other than what you command. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, there may be a simple fix for your computer issue:

• Does your computer automatically restart when you prompt it to shut down?
• Does your computer unexpectedly restart when you ask it to perform certain tasks?
• Do you get an error message or a blue screen when the computer automatically restarts?

Windows operating systems are typically configured by default to automatically restart when a program stops responding. The first step is to check your settings. To do this, follow these instructions:

• Click on Start
• Right click on My Computer
• Click on Properties
• Click on the Advanced tab
• Under Startup and Recovery click Settings
• Under System Failure look at to see if the box that says automatically Restart is checked.
• You can change the setting by unchecking the Automatically Restart box. This should stop your computer from automatically fix the issue with your computer continuing to restart.

When the box is unchecked and the system encounters a problem you will receive an error message rather than an automatic restart. When and if you receive an error message you can research the message to see what type of error you have and how to correct it.

If you do receive continuous error messages it is a clue to you, the user that a critical error or issue needs further resolution. In this event you should research the error message and complete steps to correct the problem.

My Router Connection Keeps Dropping

There are many reasons why your router connection may drop. Some of the reasons are controllable by the user; others have to do with the network performance or the auto-speed detection of the router itself. The router has the capability to detect what the difference in speed from one network to the next and sometimes the device gets it wrong.

Sometimes a connection is dropped when the router becomes confused. When the devices at your computer and at the other end of the network are trying to auto-detect at the same time, it can cause conflict resulting in a dropped connection.

Typically home and office networks run anywhere from 10 to 100 megabits per second. 10 is the most common for most home computer systems. The router will monitor the speed and automatically change it if and when necessary. Ensure when purchasing a router that you have one that is adequate to meet your needs.

It is possible to turn off the network speed auto detection if you are consistently having problems with dropped connections, however in most cases this will not be necessary, unless you have exhausted all other options.

You should take the following steps first to attempt to remedy a dropped router connection:

• Disconnect the power cord, cable and/or phone line to the modem.
• Wait about 5 minutes and plug all of the cables back in to the modem.
• IF you have more than two computers on the modem you can disconnect one computer at a time and attempt to connect using the computer that is still connected.
• Do this one by one and see if you can determine the source of the issue. If your connection works with all but one of the computers it may mean that either the computer that is disconnected may be the source of the issue, or the router can’t handle all of the connections for your computer systems.
• You can try the following: First, contact your internet service provider to see if there are settings that can be adjusted on their end to correct the issue. If this does not work contact your router support line and ask them for assistance with the router connections or suggestions for other capabilities.
• A last resort may be that you may have to purchase a router that can better support your network.

Benefits of Defragmenting Your Hard Drive

Many common computer problems can be prevented by performing a simple task called disk defragmentation. In addition, prevention there are also benefits that make your computer run better. Disk defragmentation can be done on any drives that hold files, this includes flash drives.
Disk defragmentation is a simple process that rearranges files on your computer to make them run more smoothly. It is recommended that disk defragmentation should be done about once a month for frequently used drives and at least twice a year for smaller or less frequently used drives.

Disk defragmentation offers the following benefits:

• You will be able to access your files quicker because your computer doesn’t have to search as hard for the files when it is prompted to locate them.
• It preserves the life of your computer by cleaning up files that have been fragmented throughout your drives.
• It will make commonly used programs run faster, which in turn makes your computer work better.
• Performing this task regularly can prevent wear and tear on your drives, your programs and the overall functioning of your computer.

Most computers today automatically run disk defragmentation; however, there is an option you can use to per perform a disk defragmentation manually. Performing this task more frequently than necessary is better than not doing it frequently enough.

Disk defragmentation can be performed by taking the following steps:

• Go to Start
• Programs or All Programs
• Accessories
• System Tools
• Disk Defragmenter
• Click on Defragment Now

The time this takes will range anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on the size of your memory and the number of drives you are defragmenting. You can still utilize your computer during the time that your disk is defragmenting.

How to Get Rid of Messenger Pop-up Windows

Messenger pop-ups are little windows created by computer users or companies that use that use the Windows net send command to create the uncontrollable pop-up messages you see on your screen when you least expect it. There are a few different types of pop-ups that may surface; these may be general browser pop-ups, advertisements or pop-ups generated from adware or spyware. Regardless of what they are, most users find them annoying and distracting.

All pop-ups can be prevented by installing or using an existing pop-up blocker. While most operating systems now do include a built in pop-up blocker some users that still work from an older operating system may need to manually stop pop-ups by disabling them or installing a special program. Many browsers such as Google have pop-up blockers that can be turned on to prevent pop-ups from occurring.

There are several programs that prevent these ads from popping up without your consent and interrupting your computer work. If you are working with Microsoft Windows it is advisable that you stick with a Microsoft sponsored option for pop-up blocking, some non-Windows programs specifically designed to stop pop ups may interfere with other components of the operating system and while the pop-ups may be blocked other issues may surface.

Here are some universal instructions for Windows users to stop the messenger pop-ups from intruding on your computer screen.

• Write down the pop-up messenger string information
• Click on the Start menu
• Go to the Run command
• Type Services.msc /s
• Click on OK
• Locate the messenger string and select this from the box
• On the Services toolbar select Properties
• On the Startup type set this to Disabled
• Click on the Stop command
• Click Apply
• Restart your computer for your setting to take effect

Access to Adobe Reader is Denied

Trying to open, copy or move a file or folder in Adobe can result in the ACCESS DENIED prompt. The reason that access is denied may be that the user does not have permission to view the folder or the folder is not shared properly. It may also happen when trying to open up a PDF file within certain external e-mail programs, such as Microsoft Outlook Express, Mozilla or Eudora. Typically the access issue is an easy fix.

The best place to start if you have Adobe access issues is to restart your computer and try again to access the file. If this does not solve the problem, you can take the following steps to correct the access denied issue:

For Windows XP and Windows Vista Users:

• Right click on My Computer
• Click on Manage
• Double click on the Services and Application Tab
• Next click on Services
• Double click on Server
• Under the General Tab of the Server Properties menu go to the Startup Type prompt and select Automatic
• Click on the Start button under Service Status
• Click Apply
• Click OK
• Restart your computer for the new settings to take effect

If you are not a Windows XP or Vista user or the first fix does not solve the problem, try the following:

• Open up Adobe Reader
• At the Toolbar go to Edit
• Click on Preferences
• Go to the General tab under Categories and unclick the “Enable Protected Mode at Startup”
• Click Yes and then OK
• Close Adobe Reader and try again to reopen the PDF file

Hopefully one of these options will allow you access to Adobe. If all else fails, contact the support line provided through your operating system.

Prompt Message to Reactivate Windows

Sometimes you will encounter a program will make Windows want or need to reactivate itself. This is one way that you know there is an internal issue that needs to be resolved. This problem of installing a new program is a common issue that often occurs with computer that has the initial version of Windows Vista.

You may also receive an Activation Error 0xC004F02A that usually occurs when you attempt to restore a Vista image that was created during a certain volume licensing installation. These issues have since been resolved since Vista came out however they still do pop up on some PC’s.

It is important to note that Microsoft stopped offering support on April 13th of 2010 for Vista operating systems without any service packs installed. In order to receive support for your Windows Vista make sure that you have Service Pack 2 installed on your PC.

Certain changes, additions or deletions of hardware are allowed to take place by Windows without requiring you to restart your computer, but other more complex changes or multiple changes can cause something in Windows to trigger the need to reactivate itself. If you are being prompted to reactivate Windows, the best solution is to take advantage of the Microsoft Patch.

The Microsoft patch offers an easy solution to a frustrating problem of being prompted to reactivate Windows. The patch can be found on the Windows Support website. Follow the directions offered to apply the patch which in turn should provide a long-term solution to issues that have popped up on your PC with Vista installed.

Anti-virus Conflicts

An effective anti-virus program is essential to the health and overall functioning of any computer. Not only does it prevent you from being the victim of a malicious virus that could ruin your system and corrupt your documents but it will proactively scan your system and alert you to potential risks ahead of time.

Many people think that two is better than one but not in the case of your anti-virus programs. Having two anti-virus programs will not protect your system better but it may actually make it run worse. When you have two different anti-virus programs running on your system one program acts as if the other program is an intruder and attempts to fight it off as it would a virus. This can cause an array of problems with your computer system.

Running two different anti-virus programs can cause any of the following common problems:

• Computer errors.
• System slow downs.
• Program or computer freeze up.

The good thing is that if this problem does occur it is an easy fix. Simply uninstall the programs and reinstall one program.

Renewing your Anti-virus Program

You will have nothing to worry about if you are simply installing an update to your current anti-virus software that comes from the same manufacturer. Simply follow the manufacturers instructions for download and the current version will override the existing version and your system should run smooth and be protected.

Changing Anti-virus Programs

When you update or change your anti-virus software and are changing from one manufacturer to another, such as from Norton to Viper you first have to uninstall the existing anti-virus program from your system before installing or downloading the new software.

To do this you would go to Add/Remove programs on your system and uninstall your current anti-virus program. Once the program has been removed follow the instructions to install your new anti-virus software.

Take care if you are downloading software from the internet without an existing anti-virus program on your computer, this leaves you vulnerable to a virus. In the event that you have to do this you may want to consider purchasing a CD to eliminate having to download from the Internet.

Explorer.exe has Generated Errors

Following an upgrade from an older version of Windows to a newer version, it is not uncommon that you may receive an error message at your first log on. Errors are very common when users upgrade to XP. When the error message appears the Windows Error Reporting utility runs and creates a file that attempts to tell you what the error. Once you know the error code you can begin to troubleshoot through the issue.

The error will read: Explorer.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows. Typically you will see the error message and your desktop will not appear at all or will appear blank. This happens because the Task Manger is already using all of its resources for upgrade and there are no resources available to display the desktop.

Here are two commonly used methods to fix the explorere.exe errors and allow your computer to run properly:

Method #1

• When you receive the error message press CTRL, ALT, DEL at the same time.
• Click on Task Manger.
• Click New Task.
• Type the word control and press Enter.
• Double click on Add/Remove Programs.
• When the list populates, click on the Clean Sweep program.
• Remove this program.
• When all steps are complete restart the computer.

Method #2

• Restart the computer.
• At the Boot menu press the F8 key to start Safe Mode.
• Select the Safe Mode Command.
• Change to the %SystemRoot%System32 folder.
• Rename the Apitrap.dll file to Apitrap.old.
• When all steps are complete, restart the computer.

One of these methods should be successful in repairing the error. If all else fails contact your Windows Support resource that can be located either with your operating system information or online.

The Black Screen Caused by Windows Operating System Lockdown

We have all heard of the infamous blue screen of death or have encountered the blank screen on our PC but the black screen is not quite as well known may crop up for many Windows users. The black screen appears to be specific to Windows 7, Vista and XP is obviously very disruptive to users.

The cause for the black screen is due to a change in the Windows Operating Systems lock down of the registry keys. The lock down invalidates a few of the many key registry entries and causes the black screen to appear at boot up. This is an internal issue that the user cannot prevent but can easily repair with a patch if it is to occur. The patch is available through Microsoft and is said to repair the issue easily and quickly in only a few minutes.

If you have symptoms of the screen take the following steps to repair the issue.

• Restart your PC.
• Logon and make sure your internet connection is working properly.
• When the black screen appears press CTRL, ALT and DEL keys at the same time.
• Click Start Task Manager when prompted to do so.
• Click the Application Tab.
• Click New Task.
• Enter the following command: C\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
• Click OK and the Run when prompted, this will begin the download. Allow the patch to download completely.
• Restart your PC and this should eliminate the issue.

Illegal Operation Error Messages

Illegal operation error messages are often displayed by Windows when it receives a request from a program running on the computer that is not understood by Windows. As a result of the request that is not understood, what the program is trying to do will not be completed. When this occurs, Windows usually stops or shuts down the program that sent the offending request and then displays the illegal operation message on the computer screen.

Illegal operations can be caused by several different factors including corrupt files, bugs in software programs, errors in the Windows operating system itself (which are rare) and sometimes, viruses or malware files. Illegal operation errors can vary in severity with some causing fatal crashes of the system and others just stopping the program that is running. In some cases, work that is being done using the offending program will be lost.

Manually fixing the cause of an illegal operation error message can be difficult as it can be hard to find and replicate what actually caused the error message in the first place. If the program is frozen, you can close it using Task Manager and try restarting it. Sometimes the illegal operation error is due to a conflict with another program so restarting the program or rebooting your system may be enough to correct the issue. If you are consistently getting the error with one particular program, you can try uninstalling and re-installing it. Finally, using a registry cleaner can help get rid of corrupt registry files that may be causing illegal operation errors.

Cyclic Redundancy Check Error

A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) ensures that when data is being transferred, it is secure and uncorrupted … or cyclic redundancy checks are done to make sure your data is OK. Basically, it is a procedure that continuously checks data to ensure it wasn’t damaged during the transfer process. When a CRC error message is displayed, it usually means that the file the computer is trying to access has been corrupted in some way. Although this type of message may be daunting, on the plus side, it does not always mean that you have lost all of the data.

Data that is being transferred is broken down into small pieces, and each of the blocks of data is assigned a CRC value. If something goes wrong when the data is moving between the origination of the transfer and its final destination, the CRC value that it arrives with will not match the original one that was assigned when the transfer was started. It is at this time that the CRC error message will appear.

These types of error can occur with any type of data transfer, including sharing files over the Internet or a network or trying to read data from a CD or DVD. If the error occurred during the transfer process, the original data should still work fine, so in many cases trying the transfer again should correct the problem.