A+ Guide to Software: Managing, Maintaining, and ...€¦ · –Suspect hard drive failing •Copy all data and reinstall Vista again –Healthy hard drive •Run Chkdsk to fix errors

A+ Guide to Software:

Managing, Maintaining, and

Troubleshooting, 5e

Chapter 7

Fixing Windows Problems

A+ Guide to Software

Objectives

• Learn what to do when a hardware device,

application, or Windows component gives a problem

• Learn what to do when Windows Vista won’t boot or

boots with errors

• Learn strategies that you can use to solve problems

with Windows 2000/XP startup

2


Fixing Problems Caused By Hardware

• Steps to determine device causing a problem

– Research an error messages

– Use the Vista 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

3


(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

A+ Guide to Software 4



(cont’d.)

• 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

5


(cont’d.)

• 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

7



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

8




• 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

• Windows Vista Compatibility Center

• Try running application in compatibility mode

– Verify application digitally signed

9




• 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

10




• 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

11


Troubleshooting Vista 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

12

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 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



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

15




• Does an error message appear before Vista 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

16


Figure 7-10 This error message at POST indicates a hardware problem

Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning

17



• 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 Software 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

• Inaccessible boot device

• 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 Vista setup DVD





• 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 setup DVD

– Save settings and exit BIOS setup

20


Figure 7-11 Verify that the boot sequence looks to the DVD

drive before it checks the hard drive for an operating system


21




• Can you boot from the Vista 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 DVD

• Windows logon screen appears

• Problem isolated to the hard drive

22


Figure 7-12 Select your language preference


23




• Can Windows RE find the Vista installation?

– Launch Windows RE

• Windows RE attempts to locate Vista 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

24




(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 A+ Guide to Software 25





(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

26





(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 may display an error message

27





(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 installation destroyed

beyond repair

• Make every effort to copy data to another media

28



• Options to recover from a corrupted Vista 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, 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




• Steps to reinstall Windows Vista when OS refuses to

boot and important data on the drive

– Boot from Vista 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 installed




• Steps to reinstall Windows Vista (cont’d.)

– Vista setup moves old installation folders into

\Windows.Old folder

– Clean Vista installation goes in the \Windows folder

– Suspect hard drive failing

• Copy all data and reinstall Vista again

– Healthy hard drive

• Run Chkdsk to fix errors

• Install all applications and device drivers

• Create all user accounts and customize Vista settings

• Delete the \Windows.Old folder



Figure 7-16 Free up disk space by deleting the Windows.Old folder


32




• Reinstall Vista on a laptop or brand-name 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

33

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 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

35



• 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





– 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





– Cannot boot into Safe Mode

• Open Recovery Environment command prompt window

• Back up registry, find key that loads services and

drivers

– Disable service or driver by changing Start value to

0x4

• Reboot, replace program file, and restart service or

driver


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



Table 7-1 Error messages during the Vista startup and what to do about them

40

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


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

– Google “data recovery”

– 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



Startup (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



Table 7-2 Error messages

during Windows 2000/XP

startup and what to do

about them

45


Startup (cont’d.)


– System recently changed

• Assume installation is guilty until proven innocent

– New application or utility program installed

• Go to Control Panel Add or Remove Programs applet

• Uninstall software and reboot

– System will not start normally

• Boot into Safe Mode and XP recognizes System

Restore used

• Launch System Restore Wizard

• Choose a restore point



Figure 7-21 Windows XP gives you the opportunity to launch

System Restore before it loads Safe Mode


47



Startup (cont’d.)


– After boot into Safe Mode

• Use SFC, Chkdsk, and Defrag commands

– Cannot boot into Safe Mode

• Try Safe Mode with Command Prompt

• Use SFC, Chkdsk, and Defrag commands

– Cannot boot from hard drive

• Create and use a Windows 2000/XP boot disk

48



Startup (cont’d.)


– Cannot boot from Windows 2000/XP boot disk

• Load Recovery Console

• Try to restore system files

– Problem still not solved

• Assume Windows installation corrupted

• Need to restore Windows installation

• Try various tools to restore

49

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 boot problems

• Different from solving Windows XP/2000 boot issues


A+ Guide to Software: Managing, Maintaining, and ...€¦ · –Suspect hard drive failing •Copy all data and reinstall Vista again –Healthy hard drive •Run Chkdsk to fix errors

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