Common Computer Problems and Their Solution- II

1. Task Manager Disabled:

If you are working on Windows XP pro, following steps will help u to enable Task Manager

SOLUTION 1:
Click Start --> Run
Enter gpedit.msc in the Open box and click OK
In the Group Policy settings window, select User Configuration
Select Administrative Templates
Select System
Select Ctrl+Alt+Delete options
Select Remove Task Manager
Double-click the Remove Task Manager option
Disable that option

SOLUTION 2:
Click on Start >> Run and in the Open box type:

REG add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v DisableTaskMgr /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Click OK.


2. Double-clicking any drive opens search option:

Solution 1:
That's a virus named as ravmon.exe and autorun.inf
Scan first with a good antivirus [Nod32 Recommanded]
then try this trick.

First show the hidden files and folders options then try this method

1. Go to Start-->run and type cmd then click ok

2. If u want to remove the infected file from c drive then type C: in command prompt and press enter

3. Type autorun.inf and press enter
autorun.inf file is opened

4. Now type "attrib autorun.inf -s -h -r" and press enter

5. Now delete the file by typing
"del autorun.inf" and press enter

6.Now type autorun.inf and press enter now, u will find no infected autorun.inf file.

7. same way do for all other drives then restart ur pc


3. I accidentally deleted my "mspaint.exe"/"notepad.exe"/etc. file, how can I get it back?


Solution::

You can use any of following methods:

A. Goto "%windir%\System32\DLLCache" folder and look for the file, if its there then copy it to "%windir%\System32\" folder.

B. Insert your Windows Setup CD and goto "I386" folder. Now look for the same file, it'll present there but the last letter of extension will be "_". e.g., u'll get "mspaint.ex_"/"notepad.ex_"/etc. Now open Command Prompt and goto "I386" folder and give following command:

expand mspaint.ex_ mspaint.exe
expand notepad.ex_ notepad.exe
etc.

Now u can copy the file to "%windir%\System32" folder.

C. Give following command in Command Prompt:

sfc /SCANNOW

It'll automatically restore the files.


4. When I right-click on Start button and select "Open", a "Copy To" or "Move To" dialog box opens automatically.

Solution:
Open regedit and goto:
Code:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\

Now under this key, delete following 2 keys:
Copy To
Move To


5. Windows is showing some wrong icons of files. How can I reset the corrupted icons?
Solution:

You can use any of following methods:

A. Download TweakUI and then click on "Repair Icons" in "Repair" section.

B. Open My Computer and goto:
C:\Documents and Settings\User_Name\Local Settings\Application Data

Replace C:\ with your system drive and "user_Name" with your username.
Now there'll be a HIDDEN file "iconcache.db", delete it and restart your system.


6. A strange process "ctfmon.exe" always runs in background and if I click on "End Process" button, it restarts automatically.

Solution:
Open Control Panel and goto Add/Remove Programs list. Now click on the Microsoft Office entry and then click on "Change" button. Now select "Add/Remove Features" and click on "Next". Now expand "Office Shared Features" and click on "Alternative User Input" and then select "Not Available" and finally click on Update. It'll permanently remove that ctfmon.exe and your problem will be solved.


7. My Windows Login Screen has changed to "Classic Logon Box". I want the new Welcome Screen back.

Solution:
Type "control userpasswords" in RUN dialog box or Open "User Accounts" in Control Panel. Then click on "Change the way Users log on and off". Now check the option "Use Welcome Screen". If you get following error:

Uninstall client services for netware.

Then Open "Network Connections" and open Properties of your Internet Connection. Now goto "Networking" tab and select "Client services on Netware" option and click on the"Uninstall" button.


8. Whenever I start my computer, Scandisk starts running even I proper shut down the PC last time.

Solution:
Do as following:

A. Open regedit and goto:

Code:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager

In right-side pane, change the value of BootExecute to:

autocheck autochk *

B. If the above trick doesnt help then give following commands in Command Prompt:

chkntfs /x drive_name

for e.g., if ScanDisk runs automatically for C: and D: drives, then give following commands one by one:

chkntfs /x C:
chkntfs /x D:


9. When I start my computer, I get error message:

"Windows\System32\config\system" file missing or corrupt

Solution::
Boot using Windows Setup CD and enter into "Recovery Console" by pressing "R". Now Log into windows installation and enter admin password. Now give following commands at prompt:

copy %windir%\Repair\system %windir%\System32\Config

If it doesnt work, then again boot into "Recovery Console" and give following commands:

fixmbr
bootcfg /scan
bootcfg /rebuild
fixboot

Common Computer Problems and Their Solution

Now i am going to speak about "Most common problems and solutions". Here you will find the solution for most of the common problems faced by people with there computer.

Note: All the information here is collected form various sites and forums.

1. I can't see Hidden files/folders in my computer. Even I enable the option "Show hidden files/folders" in "Tools -> Folder Options", its automatically disabled again.

Solution1: Go to your Start menu, click on Run and open up your Registry Editor by typing "regedit" without the quotes and pressing OK.

Once there go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folde r\Hidden\SHOWALL

Delete the value CheckedValue. (Its type should be REG_SZ and data should be 0 or 1.)

Create a new DWORD value called CheckedValue (same as above, except that the type is REG_DWORD) by right clicking on the right pane->New->DWORD Value. Modify the value data to 1 (0x00000001).
Solution 2: Open regedit and goto:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
In right-side pane, change value of "Hidden" to as following:

1 - To show hidden file
2 - To not show hidden files

If it doesn't work, then scan your computer with an anti-virus software.


2. Task Manager Disabled:

Using Group Policy Editor - for Windows XP Professional to Enable Task Manager.

* Click Start, Run, type gpedit.msc and click OK.
* Navigate to this branch:

User Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / Ctrl+Alt+Delete Options / Remove Task Manager

* Double-click the Remove Task Manager option.
* Set the policy to Not Configured.

Enable RegEdit [It is not tested]

REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersio
n\Policies\System]
"DisableRegistryTools"=dword:00000000

Save the text file as any name u with extension .reg
example:- "enable.reg"
After that double click to run the file.

Note:DO SCAN YOUR MACHINE WITH A GOOD ANTIVIRUS. BECAUSE THIS PROGRAMS DON'T TURNED OFF BY HIMSELF OR AUTOMATICALLY. IT HAS TO A VIRUS EFFECT OR A ADMINISTRATOR HAS TO MANUALLY DISABLE THIS PROGRAMS.


3. Restore Deleted Recycle Bin Icon from Desktop:

Method #1:
1. Right-click an empty area of your desktop
2. Select Properties
3. Click the Desktop tab
4. Click the Customize button
5. Click Restore Default
6. Exit all windows and restart your computer

Method #2:
Note: Be sure to make a backup copy of your registry prior to making any changes.

Go to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter]

Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace

Hold the mouse on NameSpace and right-click once. From the resulting menu, select Edit>> New>> Key

Copy and Paste the following Key code (including the brackets):

{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}

Press Enter on your keyboard, exit the registry editor and restart your system.



4. Blank User Accounts Applet :

Problem:
When you double-click User Accounts applet in the Control Panel, the User Accounts applet opens, but it may be completely blank.

The buttons Back | Forward | Home are displayed in the dialog.

Resolution:
To resolve the problem, type these commands from Start, Run dialog:

regsvr32 jscript.dll

If that does not help, execute the following commands as well.

regsvr32 nusrmgr.cpl
regsvr32 /i mshtml.dll


5. Force windows XP to reboot upon crashing:

This registry edit will cause your system to reboot itself automatically upon crashing. This can be useful if you have a reason for keeping your system on 24/7:


Open REGEDIT

Navigate to 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM
\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl'

Edit the 'AutoReboot' value to '1'


6. Stand By Icon Disabled:

Problem:
I reinstalled my windows and now "Stand By" option is Grey out in shutdown dialog box and I can't use it.

Sol: Install VGA drivers from your motherboard CD and the option will be enabled. If you don't have the motherboard CD, then go to the manufacturer site and download the required drivers.

7. Improving the Slow Boot up time:

There are a variety of reasons why your windows XP system would boot slowly. Most of the times it this has to do with the startup applications. If you would like to speed up the bootup sequence, consider removing some of the startup applications that you do not need. Easiest way to remove startup apps is through System Configuration Utility. Go to Start then Run and enter MSCONFIG and go to the Startup tab. Deselect/UnCheck application(s) that you do not want to startup at boot time.


8. Regedit Disabled By Admin:

Open Notepad pad, copy paste the following text to the note pad::

REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersio
n\Policies\System]
"DisableRegistryTools"=dword:00000000

Save the text file as any name u with extension .reg

example:- "enable.reg"

After that double click to run the file.

Hide your Files With Notepad

Another Old but great Notepad trick, not exactly notepad one but the Windows one. I can't add a big intro of this method just try it out.

1. Open Command Prompt. Start --> Run --> CMD

2. Get to the directory Where you want to save the hidden file.
CD --> to Change Directory
MD --> to make Directory

once done. proceed further

3. Type down following command.
notepad:filename.txt:hidefilename.txt

yes we are creating two files.

4. error pops up Cannot find filename.txt:hidefilename.txt, Do you want to create ??
obviously yes

5. Type your message to hide and save and close.

You have done the hiding task. Lets check did it worked or not. Visit the folder with your windows explorer. Oh man theres only one file named filename.txt where the hell is hidefilename.txt is ??? its hidden. Lets open Filename.txt (to check your message ), This file is blank !! Party but where is the hidden text ?? its in Hidefilename.txt You can type any text in open notepad file. it will be saved in filename.txt. and using command prompt, notepad filename.txt:hidefilename.txt will give you hidden file.

Well thats simple and sweet from Windows.

Recover a Corrupted Windows File

f an essential Windows file gets whacked by a virus or otherwise gets corrupted, you can restore it from the Windows CD. Search the CD for the filename, replacing the last character with an underscore; for example, Notepad.ex_. If it's found, open a command prompt and enter the command 'EXPAND', followed by the full pathname of the file and of the desired destination. Example:

EXPAND D:\SETUP\NOTEPAD.EX_ C:\Windows\NOTEPAD.EXE

If either pathname contains any spaces, surround it with double quotes. If the file isn't found, search on the unmodified filename. It will probably be inside a CAB file, which Windows XP treats as a folder. Simply right-drag and copy the file to the desired location. When the search is done, open a command prompt and enter 'EXTRACT /L' followed by the desired location, the full pathname of the CAB file, and the desired filename. Example:

EXTRACT /L C:\Windows D:\I386\Driver.cab Notepad.exe

Download YouTube videos with a 'kiss'

Watching videos over YouTube is great fun. You get to see loads of videos everyday. Seeing them is pretty easy but when it comes to saving these videos to your hard drive, then it might be a bit difficult.

What about downloading these videos with just a 'kiss' ? You might be wondering what this 'kiss' is. Well this relates to a new method of downloading YouTube videos. What you actually have to do is to just add the word 'kiss' at the begining of a YouTube video URL. For example you want to download this video -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX8L1QYwZ7.
To get it using the method described above, modify the URL like this -
'http://www.kissyoutube.com/watch?v=AX8L1QYwZ7c'.
Hope you got hold of it now.

You must be thinking how all this happens. It's pretty simple. There's a website called kissyoutube.com which is doing all this work for you. This method is quite simple and easy and requires you to install no other software.

Check out if your anti-virus works or not

How to be sure if your anti-virus program is working properly or not ? Using this simple method you can figure out if it's functioning correctly or not.

Copy the below line on a notepad. Then save it with the name of 'fakevirus.exe' or any other name you wish. Just make sure that you add .exe at the end of the file name. After you save it, give it a scan and you'll know it all.

Here's the line -

X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*

If your anti-virus is working, it will alert you. Otherwise you need to pay attention to your program.

Speed up acrobat reader

Do u get irritated when acrobat reader takes 5/10 seconds to load once you open a PDF document? There is a way to speed up the loading.

Follow these steps:

1. Make sure Adobe Reader is not running. If it's opened, then it will lock the files and not allow you to move them. So close it first.
2. Go to the installation folder of acrobat reader
(C:\program files\adobe\acrobat\reader\..... whatever)
3. Move all the files and folders from the 'Plugins' directory to the 'Optional' directory. (Do not copy the files, cut and paste them)

After you follow these steps, your acrobat reader will open up quickly.

Make Shift Turn Off Caps Lock

Some people find it a lot more convenient to have the Shift key release the Caps Lock function, as typewriters do. With windows XP, this feature is available from the Control Panel, but only when you install another keyboard layout during the Windows installation. You can also change this feature in the Registry.
Simply folow these steps:

1. Click on the Start button and select Run.
2. Type in regedit and press OK
3. Look for the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout

4. In the right pane, right-click and select 'New->DWORD Value'
5. Name the new value 'Attributes'
6. Double-click on the new Attributes value
7. In the Value box enter '00010000' and press OK
8. Exit the Registry and reboot your computer

After you make this change, the Caps Lock key will always turn Caps Lock on but you must press one of the Shift keys to turn it off. This tip reduces the chances of you looking up at your screen only to find that you've typed a whole paragraph in uppercase letters.

Change Timeout For Hanged Programs

When an application hangs and no longer responds, Windows XP displays a dialog box that prompts you to kill the application or wait a while longer. By default, the dialog box appears after the application hasn't responded for half of a second. You can increase or decrease the amount of
time it takes before Windows reports that the program has hung.

To do so, simply follow these steps:

1. Click Start and select Run.
2. Type in 'regedit' and press OK.
3. Look for the following string:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
4. In the right pane, right-click on the 'HungAppTimeout' string and select 'Modify'.
5. Change the 'Value Data' to any time you want but in milliseconds (10000 milliseconds = one second).
6. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Now you can set the time Windows takes to report that an application is not responding.

Rename Internet Explorer Title

You can change the title in the Internet Explorer toolbar to whatever you like. To do so, go to the Registry and look for this string:

HKEY_USERS\Default\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

1)Look for the 'WindowTitle' String value in the right pane
2)right-click on it and select 'Modify'.
3)Type in whatever you want to go into the Toolbar.
4)If the String value does not exist, create it by right-clicking in the right pane and selecting 'New->String Value' and naming it 'WindowTitle'.
5)Double click on it and type in the text you want.

Now you'll have your own title being displayed in the Internet Explorer.

Causes of DLL Errors & Its Correction

Overview:
Before discussing the causes of DLL errors, first we need to know what DLL files are and their purpose. Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files are executable files compiled in different libraries. These libraries are used by the Windows operating systems to perform different functions that can be important for the system entire functionality. DLL files are associated to a specific application that can have static or dynamic link. A dynamic DLL link is used by the program only when required while static link is used all through out the operation of the program. The DLL files have a .dll file extension, but there are also cases when they are given .exe extensions.




The great thing about DLL files is that it can be used by different programs simultaneously. Windows include DLL files that can be used by applications installed in the computer. All programs have DLL files included which is executed or used when the program is in use.




What is a DLL Hell?
The term DLL Hell is a collective term for the errors that occurred which is related to DLL files.




The causes of DLL errors are:
If an application is newly installed in the computer and then the DLL files already in the system is overwritten with old version. Replacing DLL files can cause errors because as mentioned DLL files are in use by several applications installed in the computer.




To avoid DLL errors, developers must also make sure that the DLL files already installed in the computer must match the DLL files included in the installation file. If in case a message prompts you that DLL files are about to be overwritten make sure that you maintain the newer version of the DLL files.




The error message could appear when deleting files in the Recycle Bin:
This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor. Specifically, this error message occurs when the Msvcrt40.dll file encountered a problem or it is corrupted. The Msvcrt40.dll file is stored in the Windows System folder.If a DLL file is deleted and it is used by several applications can cause DLL errors. DLL errors can be deleted when an application using it is uninstalled.




Another cause of DLL errors is malfunctioned hardware, damaged registry entry, and problems encountered by an application.



An example of an error message that can be encountered when there is a missing DLL file: could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
C:\system32\hal.dll. Please re-install a copy of the above file.

This error usually happens when in a multi-boot operating system. One of the common causes of DLL errors is when the computer is infected with a virus or malware programs. Malware programs can interfere with the normal operation of the system. Like for instance, when the Internet Explorer is upgraded to version 7 the following error might occur: for res://ieframe.dll/dnserror.htm.



A simple way to resolve this error is to install antivirus software in the computer. Then constantly scan your computer and update the antivirus software when needed. When the error message appeared when you are browsing a suspicious site through Internet Explorer7, disable the protected mode options of the browser.



Lastly, the error can also be caused by Kerio and Zone Alarm firewall so if needed uninstall the applications causing the error.

Few things you might want to try with Google

A few things you might want to try with Google:


1)Install the Google Toolbar so you can easily check PageRank, backlinks, similar sites, and sites with text containing the name of a given site.

2)Enter just the word http for your search to find the top 1000 PageRanked sites (unfortunately, the listing stops near the beginning of the 7's).

3)Hand type the following prefixes and note their utility:
A)link:url Shows other pages with links to that url
B)related:url same as "what's related" on serps.
C)site:domain restricts search results to the given domain.
D)allinurl: shows only pages with all terms in the url.
E)inurl: like allinurl, but only for the next query word.
F)allintitle: shows only results with terms in title.
G)intitle: similar to allintitle, but only for the next word.
H)"intitle:webmasterworld google" finds only pages with webmasterworld in the title, and google anywhere on the page.
I)cache:url will show the Google version of the passed url.
J)info:url will show a page containing links to related searches, backlinks, and pages containing the url. This is the same as typing the url into the search box.
K)spell: will spell check your query and search for it.
L)stocks: will lookup the search query in a stock index.
M)filetype: will restrict searches to that filetype. "-filetype:doc" to remove Microsoft word files.
N)daterange: is supported in Julian date format only. 2452384 is an example of a Julian date.
O)maps: If you enter a street address, a link to Yahoo Maps and to MapBlast will be presented.
P)phone: enter anything that looks like a phone number to have a name and address displayed. Same is true for something that looks like an address (include a name and zip code)
Q)site:www.somesite.net "+www.somesite.+net"
(tells you how many pages of your site are indexed by google)
R)allintext: searches only within text of pages, but not in the links or page title
S)allinlinks: searches only within links, not text or title


3)Check out Froogle and Google Catalogs.
4)Also Google API

Tired of PC Errors? Here's What You Can Do

Computer errors are not only time consuming and frustrating for computer users, but at times they may cost you a large amount of money for maintenance and repair. So, if you are tired of PC errors and are looking for a solution, you may consider following some simple steps:

1. Check your system configuration.

Quite often, errors occur due to incorrect system configuration and are resolved when you resolve the issue. For instance, Windows Messenger may generate error code 0x81000370 when you try to sign in to it, if the system clock of your system is not set correctly. This issue can be resolved by resetting your clock to the correct configuration.

2. Keep your Operating System and Applications Updated

When you purchase a computer, your computer performs efficiently as all the applications, operating system and device drivers are the latest versions and are updated. However, if these are not updated on a regular basis, they not only slow down your computer, but also cause a lot of critical errors. Therefore, it is recommended that you update your Windows OS as well as other applications installed on your computer. New updates make your operating system and software equipped with the latest service packs and plugs any loopholes thereby, minimizing the chances of an update error.

Note: In order to ensure that your Windows OS is up-to-date please select the Automatic Updates option in your Control Panel. While some of the software manufacturers provide free updates of their products, others are available only on a subscription basis.

3. Keep your Hard Disk uncluttered and defragmented

Another simple way of ensuring that your system remains free of errors is to take care of your computer’s hard disk. This involves using two important system tools that come with your Windows Operating System. These are:

1. Disk Cleanup: This tool helps you get rid of the clutter on your hard disk by deleting any redundant, outdated and unnecessary files that may have accumulated over a period of time.
2. Disk Defragmenter: The purpose of this tool is to make more space available by consolidating the files present on the hard drive and by making clusters of files contiguous.

4. Keep your Windows Registry Clean

The Windows Registry is a very busy component of your operating system. Each time a software or hardware device is installed, relevant entries are made in the registry. These entries are deleted whenever this software or hardware is uninstalled from your computer. However, many times this does not happen as planned and many unnecessary files are left over even after the related software or hardware is removed. This leads to a corrupt and bloated Windows registry, which causes many errors and interferes with the smooth functioning of your system. A reliable registry scanner tool will not only eliminate such useless entries and make it error-free, but will also make a complete backup of registry entries that is useful in case you have a system crash.

5. Use three important protection tools

The three tools that your system should have are:

1. Anti-virus: A reliable anti-virus which is always ON and updated with the latest definitions offers a great protection from virus threats. You must also run a thorough scan at regular intervals for best results.
2. Anti-spyware: A good anti-spyware will protect vital information from malicious software manufacturers who create spyware, adware and other illegal software.
3. Firewall: A firewall is a must for computers connected to the internet and other external networks. It acts as security personnel that shields your system against hackers trying to gain unauthorized access to your computer.

GOOGLEBOT ND PAGERANK FORMULA

Googlebot/2.1 IP Addresses

64.68.80.#
64.68.81.#
64.68.82.#
64.68.84.#
64.68.88.#
216.239.46.#
216.239.38.#
216.239.36.#

Google PageRank Formula

PR(U) = (1-d) + d *
sumV(PR(V)/N(V))

Sites with PageRank 10
Adobe.com
Apple.com
Blogger.com
Energy.gov
FirstGov.gov
Google.com
Macromedia.com
NASA.gov
NSF.gov
NYTimes.com
Real.com
StatCounter.com
W3.org
WebStandards.org
Whitehouse.gov

This is Your Own Password Protected Folder

Copy the below text into a Notepad and save it as *.bat in your folder.
Then in the bolded text (see the 22nd line) enter your own password. Thats all !

enjoy :)


cls
@ECHO OFF
title Folder Passworder [Beta Test] by zXara
if EXIST "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" goto UNLOCK
if NOT EXIST Locker goto MDLOCKER
:CONFIRM
echo Are you sure u want to Lock the folder(Y/N)
set/p "cho=>"
if %cho%==Y goto LOCK
if %cho%==y goto LOCK
if %cho%==n goto END
if %cho%==N goto END
echo Invalid choice.
goto CONFIRM
:LOCK
ren Locker "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
attrib +h +s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
echo Folder locked
goto End
:UNLOCK
echo Enter password to Unlock folder
set/p "pass=>"
if NOT %pass%== password goto FAIL
attrib -h -s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
ren "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" Locker
echo Folder Unlocked successfully
goto End
:FAIL
echo Invalid password
goto end
:MDLOCKER
md Locker
echo Locker created successfully
goto End
:End