Friday, January 27, 2006

Outlook,

Outlook


Make Outlook your default browser: Start/Run/rundll32.exe
shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,5. Then change the mail
application to Outlook.


Importing:


Go to Outlook/Tools/Services/Add/Personal Folders/Ok. Browse to
the pst file you need to import. Search your system for files with a .pst
suffix. Then move/store them here: C:\Documents and Settings\<User
name>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook.




Import
from Outlook to Outlook Express


Outlook & Exchange
Solutions Center


Sharing Microsoft Outlook
Calendar and Contacts


To repair a damaged
Personal Folders PST file


HOW TO:
Import Contacts into Your Windows XP Address Book


Shared Address Books

Outlook & Exchange/Windows
Messaging Backup and Dual-Boot





Outlook
2002/2000 Add-in: Personal Folders Backup


How to
Back Up, Restore, or Move Outlook Data





OL2000: (IMO) How to Set Up Internet Mail Accounts



OL2000: (CW) Troubleshooting Outlook Configuration Problems



OL2002: (CW) Outlook Connectivity--Outlook Is Slow/Stops Responding, You Cannot
Open E-mail or Attachments



OL2000: Outlook Does Not Receive MSN E-mail Messages





OL2000: "Omi9.dll" Error Message or "Mapi32.dll" Error Message After You Upgrade
to Windows XP



OL2000: Errors in the Module Rtfhtml.dll



OL2002: Outlook Does Not Check for New Messages Automatically




OL2002: Error if You Use Your Contacts to Address a New Message



OL2002: Err Msg: This Operation Has Been Cancelled Due to ...


The OUTBACK Plus utility is designed to make it easy to create a
backup or archive file of your Personal Folder Information from Microsoft
Outlook™ 97, 98, 2000 and 2002/XP. Download
here.


Tip: Earlier versions of
Address Book gave you the option of using your Microsoft Outlook Contacts folder
in Outlook Express. If you accepted this option, Address Book became a front end
to Outlook, visible in Outlook Express and any other applications that used
Address Book. Contacts added via Outlook thus became accessible to Outlook
Express, and contacts added to Address Book by means of Outlook Express.



This integration with Outlook is still available in Address Book 6 (the version
shipped with Windows XP), but only via an undocumented registry edit. To share
contact information between Outlook and Address Book, open Registry Editor, and
go to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4. Add the DWORD value UseOutlook to this
key (if it isn't already present), and set it to 1. [MS-MVP Frank
Saunders]



Outlook - Newsgroups



news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlook



news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlook.configuration



news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlook.General



news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlook.installation




Outlook Express




Outlook Express Issues,
Tips, Spell Check, Mail/News Sharing & Auto-Dialing and Auto-Disconnect Options



Outlook
Express Support Center


How to
Register an Internet Browser or E-mail Client With the Windows XP Start Menu



How to
Uninstall Internet Explorer 6


How to
Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP


OLEXP:
How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet Mail



Tip: Outlook Express crashes when either
hitting enter or using HTML copy and paste: This can be corrected
by

downloading this patch: .MS03-020:
June, 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer


Tip: Clicking on a link opens in a new window and
is empty: Start/Run and type this command: REGSVR32


URLMON.DLL. Ok/Reboot.
Then go to: IE/Tools/Internet Options/Programs/Reset Web Settings.



Tip: Set Outlook Express as default mail client - Start/Run and
type:

"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\MSIMN.EXE"
/REG. Or use this edit:

Restore OE to the Clients List
.



Tip: Re-install Outlook Express - Click Start, Run and enter %SystemRoot%\Inf.
Locate the MSOE50.INF file. Right

click it and select Install.



Tip: Mail and/or Folders are missing: Close OE. Tools/Folder
Options/View/Show Hidden files and folders.


Then do a Search for *.dbx...Open OE/File/Import.
Set search options to search hidden files, folders and system

folders. Inbox is
under a hidden folder.



Tip: Get HTTP Hyperlinks in OE to Open IE - Windows
Explorer/Tools/Folder Options/File Types. Scroll down to

URL:HyperText Transfer
Protocol/Advanced/Edit. Under Application used to perform action it should read:

"C:\Program Files\Internet
Explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome




Tip: Prevent Account Changes in Outlook Express - Start/Run/Regedit


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Outlook
Express, Value Name: No Modify Accts, Data

Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value
Data: (1 = enable restriction). Create new DWORD value called

"No Modify Accts" and set it to "1"

to enable the restriction or "0" to allow users to modify accounts. Restart
Outlook

Express for the change to take
effect.



Tip: Create a Shortcut to OE Mailto: Right click on the
Desktop/New/Shortcut. Paste this into the white box:

"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe"

/mailurl:mailto: Go to Next, name it (ex) OE Shortcut, then hit finish.



Tip: Add OE Email Window (Internet Email Message) to the right
click - New. Go to Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to

this key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.eml.
Highlight .eml then go to Edit/New/Key. Name the key ShellNew.

Highlight ShellNew. In the
right pane right click in the blank area and choose New/String Value and name it
FileName.

Double click FileName and add
Email.eml. Close the registry (File/Exit). To test right click on your Desktop
choose


New and you will then see
Internet Email Message.



Tip: Create Your Own Throbber for
Internet Explorer & Outlook Express in Windows XP





Spell
Checker


Fix Spell Checking in Outlook
Express 6




Clicking Send or Running Spell Check in Outlook Express Runs Windows Installer
for Picture It!




Backup and
Restore Mail and News



Sharing Mail Between Operating Systems




Share Mail/News and the Address Book in Windows XP



Change the Location of Mail and News in Windows XP




Remove Unread Mail Notification


Unable
to Set Different E-Mail Programs for Different Users


Other
Outlook Express Issues - Kelly's XP Korner Outlook Express Page



Outlook Express Keeps Prompting for Your Password


OLEXP:
How to Configure Outlook Express for Internet Mail


Restores OE to
the E-mail clients list in Internet Options


How to
Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP



Unread Mail Notification,
Spell Checker, Backing up Mail and News, Sharing OE and Password Issues


Outlook Express does not access POP3 accounts after
setting up MSN Explorer


How to
Move Mail Folders Between Two Computers in OLEXP



Backing up OE4 to Import to OE6



Email Saver Xe
utility is designed to easily create a backup or archive
file of your mail data from your favorite Email Client, which may easily be
restored when necessary. It supports the top 7 Mail Clients such as Outlook
Express (5.x and 6.0), Microsoft Outlook, Eudora (Pro and Light) and IncrediMail.


It allows you to backup and restore your messages, address book,
settings, mail and news accounts, message rules, blocked senders lists and the
signatures. All backup functions can be processed either separately or together
and the user can choose the identity to save or restore data.




The AutoBackup feature allows you to backup your important data daily, weekly or
at any time period of your choice. You can backup data on one computer and
restore on another, thus making Email Saver not just a backup utility but also a
synchronization tool. The program is easy to use and has a simplified user
interface, in the form of a wizard, very useful for beginners. The user
interface is multilingual. Download
here.
Support and FAQ's here.



Express Assist is a very easy to use utility to backup all of your Outlook
Express mail folders (including all attachments) as a single compressed, backup
file. You can easily restore one, all, or any selection, of the mail folders
saved in your backup file. In addition, you may synchronize your current Outlook
Express message folders with message folders saved in the Express Assist backup.
Express Assist provides full support for Outlook Express 4, 5, 5.5 and 6.0. It
operates on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, Windows 2000 and XP.



Express Assist also includes backup and restore of the Windows Address Book,
mail account settings, OE preferences, and the Internet Explorer favorites. You
are automatically reminded to backup after a number of days (which you may
specify). Express Assist makes it easy to move your Outlook Express mail between
machines and it simplifies the upgrade of your Windows and/or Outlook Express
installations. More information

here.
Download here.


Outlook Express Backup Wizard


Outlook Express Backup Wizard is an easy-to-use utility that
allows you to backup and restore your Outlook Express data. It saves email
messages, address book, message rules, list of blocked senders, accounts and
signatures into a single backup file; and restores the saved data back to
Outlook Express. More information
here.






Recovering a lost Message Store
(
IDX & MBX)

OLEXP
How to Back Up E-mail Messages in Outlook Express


OLEXP:
How to Back Up and Recover Outlook Express Data


OLEXP
How to Back Up the Account List


OLEXP
How to Back Up the Outlook Express Address Book and Mail Folders


OLEXP
How to Back Up Your Inbox Assistant Rules



OLEXP: How to Backup and Restore Outlook Express Blocked Senders List and Other
Mail Rules




Tip: DBX Extractor -

http://chattanooga.net/~scochran/DBXtract.htm


Tip: OE Tools -

http://www.tomsterdam.com/insideOE/tools.htm



Tip: Archiving Your
Outlook Express Messages:



If you have some really full Outlook Express folders that you'd like to empty
out without losing the messages, you can use the program itself to save your
messages. Just run Outlook Express and select the folder you want to save. Now,
click Create Mail and enter a name for your backup in the Subject line. Next,
drag all the messages you want to save from the selected folder into the new
mail message. You can use Ctrl + A to select all the messages.



Dragging the messages to the new mail message will attach all the files to the
new message. Choose File/Save As, locate a folder for your file and click Save.
Now, you can double-click your new file to read any of the saved messages.



Tip: Blind Copies In Outlook Express




Sending the same e-mail message to a dozen or so people. The thing is that you'd
rather each recipient not know who else is getting the mail. What you need to do
is use the Outlook Express blind copy option.



To do this, click Create Mail. If the "Bcc" entry box doesn't appear, choose
View/All Headers. Now, enter your e-mail address in the "To" entry box. Enter
all the recipient e-mail addresses in the "Bcc" entry box. Separate the names
with a semicolon. Type in the message and click Send. You will get the message
and all the other recipients will see that you are the primary recipient and
they are getting a copy--their own private copy. They will have no idea who else
is getting a copy.



Tip: Outbox Message Too Large To Send




Open Internet Explorer; go to File and select Work Offline. Close IE and open
Outlook Express. You will probably be prompted to go online to send your email.
Stay offline, delete the offending message, then go to File and click the Work
Offline option. Close OE, then reopen. All should be well.



Tip: Outlook Express Mail Accounts



If you have multiple mail accounts set up in Outlook Express, you may not be
able to tell easily which messages go with which accounts. However, Outlook
Express offers an Account column (it doesn't appear by default) that will show
you which account each message belongs with. To activate the Account column,
choose View|Columns. When the Columns dialog box opens, select the check box
labeled "Account" and then click OK to close the dialog box. The Account column
should now appear in your Outlook Express window.



Tip: Decode Email Attachments




Decode Shell Extension allows you to decode Internet email attachments simply by
right-clicking on a saved message file from Explorer and selecting Decode from
the menu. Download
here
.



Tip: Outlook Express Runs Slowly after
Disabling/Removing Messenger. Only 3 Registry edits are required to stop


Messenger and get rid of the delay in OE.




HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client. Add the
following values as New, DWord Values: PreventRun, PreventAutoRun.
Set the value of each of these to1. Then go to:



HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Outlook Express



Add a New, DWord value called Hide Messenger and set the value to 2. (This
step is required to prevent a long delay when opening OE with the Contacts pane
enabled).




Start/Run/Regedit



HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{FB7199AB-79BF-11d2-8D94-0000F875C541}\InProcServer32



HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{FB7199AB-79BF-11d2-8D94-0000F875C541}\LocalServer32



For both, in the right pane, right click Default/Modify/Delete the value data.



Tip: Change Email Association




When you click the Start button, the resulting menu includes an "Email" shortcut
in the top-right corner. Not happy with Windows XP's email program choice--for
example, it says Outlook Express, but you prefer to use Outlook? Then change it.



Move your mouse pointer up to the Email item, Right click and select Internet
Properties. In the resulting dialog box, click the Programs tab. Under Internet
Programs, click the down arrow next to Email and select the desired program--in
this case, Microsoft Outlook. Click OK, and you'll see your change the next time
you click the Start button.



Alternatively, Right click the Start button or a blank area of the Start menu
and select Properties. On the Start Menu tab, click the Customize button next to
Start Menu. At the bottom of the resulting dialog box, click the down arrow next
to the selected email program and take your pick. Click OK.


Tip: Address Book



Move
your Address Book to a Safe Location


OLEXP:
Error Message: Address Book Failed to Load


OLEXP:
Mail Folders, Address Book, and E-mail Messages Are Missing After You Upgrade to
Microsoft Windows XP




Err
Msg: Address Book Failed to Load, Outlook Express Is...


OLEXP:
Outlook Express Address Book Does Not Load




Note: For KB Articles Q191946 and Q274745 (the above two), with OE
6, the value in:




HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed
Components\{7790769C-0471-11d2-AF11-00C04FA35D02} Should read "Address Book 6"
without the quotes.



Block Senders Rule Disappears



Close all open OE windows, then click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT Go to:



HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook
Express\5.0\Block Senders\Mail

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0\Block
Senders\News




The {GUID} part of the line above is a unique number for the Identity you're
currently using. Usually there will only be one.



Right click on the Block Senders\Mail and the Block Senders\News sub keys, in
turn, and select Export. This will give you two REG files which can be viewed in
Notepad (so you can salvage some of the list).



Then right click the Block Senders subkey and select Delete. Open OE, go to
Tools, Message Rules, Blocked Senders. The list will be empty. Close this
dialog, then close OE (don't ask my why, but it is a bit flaky).



Now open OE again, go back to Tools, Message Rules, Blocked Senders. Leave this
open. Locate the REG files you saved when you selected Export in the earlier
steps. Right click on each in turn and select Edit.



Each of the addresses you had Blocked previously are there. The reason for
exporting Mail and News separately is so that you can easily determine which
address goes in which group, should you be concerned about it.



Outlook Express - Minimize to Tray




From the developer: "PowerMenu adds some powerful new extensions to the windows
system menu. It adds the following extensions: -Minimize windows to the system
tray. -Make windows overlap other windows (always on top). -Set the parent
process priority of windows. -Set the transparency level of a window (Windows
2000/XP only). "Version 1.5.0 supports making console windows top most (under
NT) and new command line options."

Download Here
.


Outlook Express - Mail
Washer


MailWasher is a powerful email checker with effective spam elimination.
Discover the safe way to stop unwanted viruses and e-mails before they get to
your computer.


Outlook Express - Virus Protection





OLEXP: Using Virus Protection Features in Outlook Express 6


Office



Office
XP Suite Support Center


Office XP
Resource Kit




Open With



HOW TO:
Specify the Program Used to Open Certain File Types


HOW TO:
Change File Associations in Windows XP



Outlook



Outlook Newsgroup


Outlook & Exchange/Windows
Messaging Backup and Dual-Boot


HOW TO:
Import Contacts into Your Windows XP Address Book


Shared Address Books

Outlook & Exchange
Solutions Center



Sharing Microsoft Outlook
Calendar and Contacts


To repair a damaged
Personal Folders PST file


Import
from Outlook to Outlook Express


Do a Search
Here: Outlook Issues



OL2000: Outlook Does Not Receive MSN E-mail Messages



OL2000: Error Message: Cannot Start Microsoft Outlook



Allow Opening Attachments in Outlook 2K/XP



Outlook - Minimize to Tray



Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ 10.0 \ Outlook \ Preferences




Data Type: REG_DWORD

Value Name: MinToTray

Data: 1 (0 to disable MinToTray)


Owner and Organization -
Change




Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion In the right
pane, double-click RegisteredOrganization. Under "Value data", type the name
that you want, and then click OK.



To change the name of the registered owner, do the following: In the right pane,
double-click RegisteredOwner. Under "Value data", type the name that you want,
and then click OK/Exit.


You can also change this information with a small VB Script
available

here
.



Ownership



HOW
TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Hard Disk - Activity

Hard Disk - Activity

Run the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab, and turn on the following
columns: "I/O Read Bytes" and "I/O Write Bytes." This will give you details as
to which process is accessing the disk. Although many processes will be
accessing the disk a lot, look for one with a high total or a fast rate of
increase, especially when you hear the drive being accessed.
Hard
Disk Performance Is Slower Than You Expect

OFFXP: Hard Disk Runs Continuously After You Install Office XP

Hard Disk - Cleaning
Hard disks keep getting bigger and bigger, but somehow we still run out of space. MP3s and other media files are immensely popular–and simply immense. Programs are bigger, and data files are bigger. Windows Explorer isn't much help. It will tell you the size of all selected files in a folder, but nothing about the files in that folder's subfolders.

Enter
DiskPie2 a
utility to identify the biggest consumers of disk space. Pie charts let you see
at a glance which folders and file types are taking up the most space. The
charts are highly customizable, and can be printed.

An Explorer view lets you navigate to the folder you want to chart, and as a bonus displays the number of bytes in and below the selected

folder. DiskPie2

also can display and print a report of the largest files in the selected folder.
Armed with the information that DiskPie provides, you can decide how best to
allocate the space on your disk.

TreeSize: Every hard disk is too small if you just

wait long enough. TreeSize tells you where precious space has gone to. TreeSize
can be started from the context menu of a folder or drive and shows you the size
of this folder, including its subfolders. You can expand this folder in
Explorer-like style and you will see the size of every subfolder. Scanning is
done in a thread, so you can already see results while TreeSize is working. The
space, which is wasted by the file system can be displayed and the results can
be printed in a report. TreeSize is Mailware for Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP.
Download.

Hard Disk - Heavy Load

HeavyLoad simulates heavy activity on a PC, it allows you to
test if a workstation or server PC is working stable under heavy load. It
stresses processor, memory and hard disks, operating system, etc.
Download.

Harddrive Repair

Title: Harddrive Repair

URL:
http://www.my-hard-drive-repair.com


Description: Data recovery, hard drive repair,

recover files, tools, information and guide.


Title: Data Recovery

URL: http://www.my-data-recovery.com


Description: Hard drive recovery tools and tips,

guide for data recovery and repair.



Title: Quick Data Recovery

URL:
http://www.quick-data-recovery.com


Description: Info on data recovery and tools for

repairing your hard drive.


Hardware Detection



Troubleshooting Device Manager Issues


Hardware Profiles in Windows XP


To create a hardware
profile


You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators
group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a
network, network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this
procedure.



  1. Open

    System
    in Control
    Panel.


  2. On the Hardware tab, click Hardware Profiles.

  3. Under Available hardware profiles, click Profile 1
    (Current), and then click Copy.

  4. Type a name for the new

    hardware profile
    , and
    then click OK.


  5. You can customize your new profile by enabling or
    disabling devices for that profile in


    Device Manager
    .


Notes


To open System, click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and
  • Maintenance, and then click System.

  • The profile named Profile 1 (Current) provides a
    model for you to create new hardware profiles. It will not appear in the list
    of available hardware profiles shown during startup.


To specify the
default hardware profile for startup



You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the
Administrators group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is
connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from
completing this procedure.



  1. Open


    System
    in Control
    Panel.

  2. On the Hardware tab, click Hardware Profiles.

  3. Under Available hardware profiles, use the arrow
    buttons to move the



    hardware profile
    you
    want to use as the default into the top position in the list. During startup,
    Windows will load only the


    device drivers
    for
    hardware devices that are enabled in the profile you select.

  4. Under Hardware profiles selection, click one of the
    options that specifies how long
    Windows waits before automatically loading the default hardware
    profile.



Notes




  • To open System, click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and
    Maintenance, and then click System.

  • If you want the default hardware profile to load
    automatically without showing you the list during startup, enter a 0 in
    seconds under Hardware profiles selection. If you decide later to select a
    different hardware profile, press the SPACEBAR during startup and choose a
    profile from the list.


To copy,
rename, or delete a hardware profile

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is

connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from
completing this procedure.



  1. Open

    System
    in Control
    Panel.

  2. On the Hardware tab, click Hardware Profiles.


  3. Under Available hardware profiles, click the
    existing


    hardware profile
    you
    want, and do one of the following. Click:


    • Copy to open the Copy Profile dialog box, and type
      a new name for the copy.

    • Rename to open the Rename Profile dialog box, and
      type a new name for the selected profile.


    • Delete to remove the selected profile.

    Note
  • To open System, click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and
    Maintenance, and then click System.



Hardware and Software Detection


The Belarc Advisor builds a detailed profile of your installed
software and hardware. Download
here
. In the Software Versions section you'll see all of your installed
software. At the end of each entry is a clickable asterisk that will take you to
the folder the software is installed in.


Hardware Malfunction - Call your hardware vendor for
support - The system has halted Error Message




Hardware Malfunction Results in System Error Message


Hayes



Windows XP
Drivers & INF Files

HCL - Hardware Compatibility List

Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility
List



Microsoft Support Policy on Hardware Not On Windows HCL

For More Information about Build Your own PC and Errors

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Explorer Crashes, Error Messages - When Booting (Disable

Error Messages - When Booting (Disable)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Windows

Value Name: NoPopupsOnBoot
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Data: (1 = disable messages)
Stops the annoying Windows pop-up messages notifying you a device is not
functioning when you boot-up Windows.
Create a REG_DWORD value of 'NoPopupsOnBoot' in the key below (if it doesn't
already exist). Set the value to '1' to disable pop-up messages from appearing.

Error Message - When Booting: A Serious Error.....

Windows
XP Patch: System Recovery Error Appears After Every Reboot


You
Receive a "System Has Recovered from a Serious Error" Message After Every
Restart


Three other options:
Right Click the My Computer
Icon/Properties/Advanced/Performance/Settings/Advanced/Change. Set Page File to
0, ok your way out and reboot. Then follow the same procedure and reset the Page
File to System Managed File.

Right Click the My Computer
Icon/Properties/Advanced/Performance/Advanced/Virtual Memory/Change/No Page
File. Reboot. Then delete C:\Pagefil.Sys then revert the page file setting.

Right Click the My Computer
Icon/Properties/Advanced/Performance/Advanced/Virtual Memory/Change. Set the
swap file size to zero, reboot. Re-set to System Managed, reboot. Reset the
Custom setting, reboot.

Error Reporting - Automatic

windows XP contains a feature that allows your system to send error report

information directly to Microsoft. This information is collected and
analyzed to assist in spotting problems, and developing solutions/fixes for
them.

This feature can be customized as to what types of errors are reported, and what

information is sent to Microsoft, if you choose. Click Start, Run and
enter GPEDIT.MSC. Go to Computer Configuration/Administrative
Templates/System/Error Reporting. Various options can be enabled, disabled or
customized here.

You can also disable error reporting, or change whether Program Errors, System
Errors or both are reported. You can even specify which Program errors
will be reported. Right Click the My Computer
Icon/Properties/Advanced/Error Reporting and adjust the settings as desired.

Additionally, Error Reporting can be turned off in the Registry. Click
Start, Run and enter REGEDIT Go to:




HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PCHealth\ErrorReporting

Locate the
Value: DoReport and double click on it. Change the value to your desired
setting: 1 = Send Reports, 0 = Don't Send


Evaluation Expired



Windows
XP Evaluation Expiration Behavior and Error Messages

Event Log
One of the administrative tools in Microsoft Management Console,

Event Viewer maintains logs about program, security, and system events on your
computer. You can use Event Viewer to view and manage the event logs, gather
information about hardware and software problems, and monitor Windows security
events.


If Event Viewer reports on startup that one or more of your log files is
corrupt, you can remedy the situation as follows:

Disable the Event Log service. Restart Windows XP. Delete the corrupt log(s)—Appevent.evt,
Secevent.evt, and/or Sysevent.evt—from %SystemRoot%\System32\Config (or wherever
they may be).

Your existing event data will be lost, but a new log file will be created when
the service is restarted, and that log will start to accumulate new events.
Re-enable the Event Log service, and start the service. If the Event Log service
doesn’t restart successfully, then restart Windows XP. You cannot delete or
rename the log files while the Event Log service is running.

Event Viewer - Clear Log

start/Run/Eventvwr.msc. Right click either/each in the right

pane/Properties/Clear Log.

Executable Files


Cannot
Start Executable Programs (.exe Files) on Your Computer


You Are
Unable to Start a Program with an .exe File Extension


EXE File Association Fix for Windows XP

This download restores the default File Association for EXE files.

Download the REG file here and save it
to your hard drive. Double click the file you just saved and answer yes to
the import prompt. REG files can be viewed in Notepad by right clicking
the file and selecting Edit.

Explore - Processes

Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes
have opened or loaded.


http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml

Explorer - Right Pane Blank



Click in the blank right-hand pane. Press the Ctrl key and the + key (only the +
key on the numeric keypad)
Q179875 Windows Explorer Does Not Display Item's Contents in Right Pane

Explorer Crashes - No Desktop Icons and/or Start Button

Control/Alt/Delete - When the Windows Task Manager dialog box appears,
select the File menu and then New Task (Run). When the Create New Task dialog
box appears, type in Explorer and press the OK button. Windows Explorer should
restart complete with the Start button.

Explore Exe


Err
Msg: Explorer.exe Has Generated Errors and Will Be Closed...



Winsock Proxy May Cause an Error Message in Windows XP


Error
Message: Explorer.exe Has Generated Errors and Will Be Closed by Windows


Error
Message When You Start Windows Explorer: Explorer.exe Has Generated Errors and
Will Be Closed by Windows

Explore Here - Add to Every Folder


Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell\Explore. Value Name: (Default), Data Type:
REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: explorer.exe /e,/root,"%1" Change the value
of '(Default)' to equal 'E&xplore From Here'. Create a new key under the
[Explore] key called command, and edit the (Default) value to equal explorer.exe

Monday, January 16, 2006

Click the MS Knowledge Base reference number to go to that article with Description of the problem


1. Hibernation Problem on Computers with 1 GB of RAM [Applies to Windows XP]
2. RAM memory leaks and how to detect and isolate them [General article]

3. "Out of Memory" Error Messages with Large Amounts of RAM Installed [Applies to Windows 95/98/Me - Windows 98 SE (Second Edition) has trouble with 512MB of RAM and more. Windows
95/98/Me systems were not designed to use large amounts or RAM. Most home users of Windows 95/98/Me are unlikely to require this much RAM in any case, so, if possible, it's advisable to install less than 512MB. The fix is detailed in this article]

4.
Insufficient RAM Memory to Load System Files [Applies to Windows 98 Standard Edition / Windows 95]

5. Computer Stops Responding During the Memory Check Phase of the Startup Process [Applies to Windows 2000 Professional Edition ]

6. How to Use a RAM Drive to Troubleshoot RAM Memory [Applies to Windows 95/Windows 98 Standard Edition/Windows 98 Second Edition]

7. Error Message - Insufficient Memory to Initialise Windows - when 1 gigabyte (1GB) or more of random-access memory (RAM) is installed [Applies to Windows 95/98/98 SE]

Thursday, December 29, 2005

An introduction to BIOS beep codes


When you power on your computer, the motherboard's basic input/output system (BIOS) first detects the computer's internal hardware configuration and then performs the power-on self-test (POST). The POST executes several diagnostic tests that check the basic functionality of the power supply, motherboard, CPU, I/O Bus Controller, RAM, keyboard, and video components. If the computer passes the POST, it will usually return a single short beep or two short beeps, depending on the BIOS manufacturer. If the POST detects any problems, it will halt the boot process and return an error message either visually on the screen and/or audibly through a series of beeps.
Unfortunately, there is no official standard for beep codes. Depending on the BIOS manufacturer, a keyboard controller failure could be three, four, five, or six beeps. While this document lists common BIOS manufacturer beep codes, you should always consult your motherboard's documentation, the manufacturer's Web site, and the BIOS manufacturer's Web site for a definitive beep code list for your particular BIOS. The information contained in the following lists was gathered from various BIOS manufacturers' Web sites.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

What Are Microsoft Windows Fatal Exception Errors :

Fatal exception errors are codes returned by a program, like this: Access to an illegal instruction has been encountered
Invalid data or code has been accessed
The privilege level of an operation is invalid
A fatal exception has occurred at xxxx:xxxxxxxx

In this document you will find some helpful links to MS Support about the most common fatal exceptions:

Q150314 - What Are Fatal Exception Errors
When you attempt to shut down your computer, start Windows, or start a program in Windows, you may encounter error messages that are similar to: A fatal exception XY has occurred at xxxx:xxxxxxxx

Definition of Fatal Exception 0E Error Messages
A Fatal Exception 0E is a Page Fault interrupt and typically occurs when the operating system tries to access virtual memory on a demand-paged basis and that "page" is missing or damaged.

Definition of Fatal Exception 0D Error Messages
A Fatal Exception 0D is an error message that is most commonly found, but not limited to, out dated or damaged video display adapter drivers and out dated multimedia software; however, this error message has also been know to occur when the Hsflop.pdr file is missing or damaged.

Q138788 - Bad RAM Causes Fatal Exception Errors Running Windows 95/98
Windows reports random "Fatal Exception Error 0x:xxxxxxxx" error messages even though your previous version of Windows or Windows for Workgroups did not.

Q182142 - "Fatal Exception 03H..." Error Message During Windows 98/Me Setup
When you install Microsoft Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (Me), you may receive one of the following error messages when your computer first restarts during Setup: MPREXE.EXE caused an exception 03H in module USER32.DLL at . USR32.EXE caused an exception 03H in module USER32.DLL at

Q187214 - Err Msg: A Fatal Exception 0E Has Occurred at 0028:C02A0201...
While you are installing Windows and Setup restarts your computer for the last time, you may receive the following error message on a blue screen: A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 0028:C02A0201 in VXD IOS(04)+00001FC9.

Q189655 - Err Msg: A Fatal Exception 0E Has Occurred at 0028:
After you install Windows, you may receive the following error message when Windows starts: A Fatal Exception 0E has occurred at 0028:XXXXXXXX in VXD SYMEvent(02)+XXXXXXXX.

Q253798 - Windows Media Player May Stop Responding or Generate an Error Message When Streaming Media
When you try to stream media by using Microsoft Windows Media Player, you may receive the following error messages: Fatal exception 0E has occurred at 0028:... in VXD UNIMODEM. Fatal Exception 0E has occurred at 0028:... in VXD Logger. Tapisrv has caused an Invalid Page Fault in module Kernel32.dll.

Q191195 - Problems Using Media Player to Play .avi Files
You may receive any of the following error messages when you play audio- video interleave (.avi) files: A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 0028: in Vxd Vmwaudio (01)
-or- MMSYSTEM257 Invalid MCI device ID. Use the ID returned when opening the MCI device. -or- MMSYSTEM296 The file cannot be played on the specified MCI device. The file may be corrupt, or not in the correct format.

Q192803 - "Fatal Exception 0D" Using ATI All-in-Wonder Pro Video Adapter
A Fatal Exception 0D has occurred. Press any key to continue.

Q250005 - () Error Message: A Fatal Exception 0E Has Occurred in VxD SCSI1HLP
When you try to upgrade your computer to Windows Millennium Edition (Me), you may receive the following error message: A fatal exception 0E has occurred at xxxx:xxxxxxxx in VxD SCSI1HLP If you click Cancel your computer may stop responding (hang).

Q253241 - Fatal Exception 0E When Shutting Down Using a Matrox Video Adapter
When you try to upgrade your computer to Windows Millennium Edition (Me), you may receive the following error message: A Fatal Exception 0E has occurred at 0028:C00082CD in VxD VMM(01) +000072CD

Q252414 - Fatal Exception 0E Has Occurred in VXD mrtRate (01) When Printing
When you try to print you may receive the following error message: Fatal exception 0E has occurred in VXD mrtRate (01).

Q261404 - Error Message When Sending Computer into Hibernation Mode
When you request your computer to exit from Hibernation mode while it is in a docking station, and then you resend it into Hibernation mode while it is undocked, you may receive the following error message: Fatal Exception Error 0028:C156DAD1.

Q271754 - Exception 0E in Vredir.vxd During CoCreateInstanceEx() on Remote DCOM Server
If your network is set up as a workgroup, you have a drive mapped to a Microsoft Windows NT-based server, and you run a Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) program that attempts to start a remote server component on the Windows NT-based server, you may receive one of the following error messages on a bluescreen:
Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition:
A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 0028:???????? in VXD VREDIR(??) + ????????. The current application will be terminated.
* Press any key to terminate the current application. * Press CTRL+ALT+DEL again to restart your computer. You will lose any unsaved information on all applications. Press any key to continue.
Windows Millennium Edition (Me):
Windows An error has occurred. To continue: Press Enter to return to Windows, or Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart your computer. If you do this, you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications. File Name: VREDIR(06) + 00006C54 Error: 0E : 0028 : C02D2770 Press any key to continue. If you press ENTER, CoCreateInstanceEx returns RPC_S_CALL_FAILED (0x800706BE). The program may display the following error message: The remote procedure call failed.

Q275003 - "Exception 03h in Module..." Error Message Starting Windows Me
After use the Disk Defragmenter tool (or a third-party defragmenting tool) to defragment your hard disk, your computer continues to run correctly. However, when you restart your computer, you may receive any of the following error messages: Scandskw caused Fatal exception O3H in module user32.dll Mprexe caused an exception 03h in module user32.dll Statemgr caused an exception 03h in module user32.dll Rundll32 caused an exception 03h in module user32.dll Mstask caused an exception 03h in module user32.dll

Q281252 - Fatal Exception 0E in Scsi1hlp.vxd After Upgrading to Windows Millennium Edition
After you upgrade certain Compaq computers that were shipped with Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition preinstalled and have a DVD drive to Windows Millennium Edition (Me), you may receive the following error message: A fatal exception 0E has occurred at xxx:xxxxxxxx in VxD SCSI1HLP. If you click Cancel, your computer may stop responding (hang).



What Are Microsoft Windows Fatal Exception Errors (2):

Q243037 - Error Message: Fatal Exception 0E in VxD IOS (04)
You may receive the following error message when you start or shut down Windows: Fatal Exception 0E has occurred at memory address in module Vxd IOS(04) + memory address.

Q189329 - Errors When Shutting Down Windows with Compaq FX-Series Monitors
When you try to shut down your Windows 98-based computer with a Compaq FX-series monitor, you may receive the following error message, or one similar to it: A Fatal Exception 0E has occurred at 0028:C001AEEB

Q162390 - "Fatal Exception 0D" Error Message Installing Program
When you are installing any program that uses the Windows Install wizard or the InstallShield installation program, you may receive the following error message: A Fatal Exception Error 0D has occurred in VxD VMM(01) + 00001840

Q179347 - "Fatal Exception 0E" Error Message When You Start Windows 95
When you start Windows 95, you may receive the following error message: A Fatal Exception 0E has occurred at 0137:

. The current application will be terminated. If you press a key to continue, one of the following symptoms may occur: You receive the following error message: A Fatal Exception 0C has occurred at 0137:
. The current application will be terminated. Your computer is restarted.

Q163329 - Fatal Exception 0E in WSIPX Using Windows Sockets Program
When you are using a program that uses Windows Sockets over the IPX/SPX protocol, you may receive either of the following error messages in Windows 95: A fatal exception 0E has occurred at <00xx:xxxxxxxx> in VxD WSIPX(01) + . The current application will be terminated. An exception 0E has occurred at <00xx:xxxxxxxx> in VxD WSIPX(01) + . This was called from <00xx:xxxxxxxx> in VxD NDIS(01) + . It may be possible to continue normally.

Q162211 - "Fatal Exception 0E" May Occur During Critical Suspend
On a computer (Windows 95) equipped with advanced power management (APM), a "Fatal Exception 0E" error may occur in VPOWERD if a critical suspend occurs while the computer is already in the process of suspending normally.

Q192925 - Fatal Exception Error Message in VXD IOS(04)
When you start your Windows 98-based computer, you may receive the following error message on a blue screen: A Fatal Exception 0E has occurred at 0028:xxxxx in VXD IOS(04). The current application will be terminated.

Q193494 - Fatal Exception Error Message in VXD VMCPD(01)
When you restart your computer after enabling the "Never use the numeric data processor" option in the Numeric Data Processor Properties dialog box in Device Manager, you may receive the following error message: A fatal exception 0D has occurred at

in VXD VMCPD(01)+000002DB. The current application will be terminated.

Q175211 - Fatal Exception Error When Opening or Closing Control Panel
If a scanner is installed in your computer, any or all of the following symptoms may occur: When you attempt to open or close Control Panel, or when you remove Network components in Network properties and then restart Windows 95/98, you receive on of the following error messages:
A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 0028:C029F7A1 in VXD IFSMGR(04) + 0000D4F1.
A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 0028:c0274274 in VXD IFSMGR(03) + 000CF7C.

After receiving one of these error messages, you can still use Control Panel, but the Speaker icon may no longer appear on the taskbar. This behavior may also occur in Safe mode.
When you start Windows 95/98, you receive the following error message: A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 028:C0282dB0 in VxD IFSMGR(03) + 0000 CF7C. Windows 95/98. Setup stops responding (hangs) while the Control Panel is being configured.

Q139771 - Fatal Exception Errors and Random Characters Using ATI Mach 32
When you are using the Windows 95 ATI Mach 32 video card drivers, you may see random characters on the screen or experience random fatal exception 0E errors.

Q192445 - Fatal Exception Errors in Wsipx.vxd
When you run a program that uses Windows sockets over the IPX/SPX protocol to transfer large quantities of datagrams, you may receive either of the following error messages:- An exception 0E has occurred at 0028:C1029F6C in VxD WSIPX(01) +00000DBC. This was called from 0028:C0043174 in VxD NDIS(01) +00000D7C - A fatal exception has occurred at 0028:C10297D1 in VxD WSIPX(01)+00000621. The current application will be terminated.

Q197004 - Fatal Exception in CDVSD Starting Windows 98
When you start your computer, you may receive the following error message on a blue screen: An exception 0E has occurred at 0028:C143EADA in VXD CDVSD(01) + 00001CFA. This was called from 0028:C18413E8 in VXD voltrack(04)+ 00000A18. It may be possible to continue normally.

Q182567 - Fatal Exception in Msgsrv32.exe When You Quit Windows 95
This behavior can occur if you have the Autodesk AutoCad Release 14 program installed on your computer, and the Graphics Display Interface (GDI) handle table has become damaged.

Q145836 - Fatal Exception in VMM(06) Caused by Damaged Registry
You may receive either of the following error messages in Windows 95: Windows Networking The following error occurred while loading the device driver Vnetsup. Error 6107: Could Not Setup Instance Data A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 0028:xxxxxxxx in VxD VMM(06) + xxxxxxxx While the exception number may vary, 0E is the most common.

Q177525 - "Fatal Exception 0D" Error Message After Pressing CAPS LOCK Key
If you press the CAPS LOCK key while you are typing in a box in any of the products listed above, you may receive the following error message on a blue screen: A Fatal Exception 0D has occurred... Other symptoms may include the screen turning black or the computer not responding (hangs).

Q192835 - "Fatal Exception 0D" Using Copy Disk Command
When you use the Copy Disk command in My Computer or Windows Explorer, you may receive the following error message after you insert the destination disk and click OK: Fatal Exception 0D has occurred at

in VxD V86MMGR (01)+ . In addition, the Performance tab in the System tool in Control Panel may indicate that your floppy drives are using MS-DOS Compatibility mode.

Q243037 - Error Message: Fatal Exception 0E in VxD IOS (04)
You may receive the following error message when you start or shutdown Windows: Fatal Exception 0E has occurred at memory address in module Vxd IOS(04) + memory address.

Q274370 - Error Message on a Blue Screen When You Try to Play Digital CD Audio
When you try to play digital CD audio, you may receive an error message on a blue screen that refers to one of the following files: Ios.vxd, Vmm.vxd, Vfat.vxd, Kernel32.dll, Cdvsd.vxd, Usbaudio.sys, Universal Serial Bus (USB) audio driver name...

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Ever wish there was a way to keep a disgruntled employee from destroying records or messing with files or NC programs? This is a scary time for an employer or manager - not knowing how an employee will react to an unfortunate situation like cutbacks or downsizing. Manufacturing companies today are having the screws put to them due to a suppressed market that has been long and difficult. Unfortunately, sometimes-good employees have to be let go. If not, the business will fold. It's a tough decision to make but one that many companies have had to face recently. Even more unfortunate, emotions sometimes run high and these employees feel they should make a "statement" about their unfortunate situation.

Today, the typical manufacturing company cannot afford to have an IT department watching over all their PCs, and other computing equipment, including their machine tool(s). Yes, their machines. Each of these machines has a computer inside that is completely vulnerable to attack - especially if the machine is connected to the company network. Besides attacks from the outside, inside attacks cause companies to lose productivity and money all the time. Removing one decimal point somewhere in an important revenue-generating program could cause many thousands of dollars damage to that machine tool and tooling - damage that cannot be repaired in many cases.

So what's a CNC machining company to do? You can't afford to staff more people or hire consultants to secure your network - after all that are why you had to lay someone off. Times are tough and the company is struggling to survive.

Help Is On the Way

Soon, security will be built-in to the PC on any motherboard. This will allow someone in IT, which can be anyone, to give someone access, or deny access to any PC in the company (whether on a desk or built-in to a machine control). So if you suspect there may be problems, access can be turned off ahead of time over a network connection. With the the right software, it will be easy. Okay so you've heard that before, but it really will be easy.

Security Gets Attention

In the year 2003, the number one word used in search engines last year was "embedded". Embedded refers to software loaded onto a small computer chip. For 2004, this will have a huge impact on security for companies looking to protect their data from viruses or attacks (from people outside, or inside, the company).

Some computing "Gorillas" have been getting together since the late 1990s (remember those days?) and formed a group to collaborate on ideas and come up with a solution. Some of these companies include AMD, Intel, Microsoft, Verisign, Wave Systems and many more. These products are finally hitting the shelves. Intel recently announced its new security-specific motherboard for PCs, the Intel D865GRH motherboard.

This motherboard has what's called a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) soldered onto the board. This TPM chip is a piece of hardware that will actually act as a "vault" for your PC, or the files or NC-programs stored on the PC. The files can be encrypted when they are saved, with the key to unlock the file, stored in the TPM. A matching "key" can be assigned to any user. For example, XYZ Corp. would have a key assigned to the owner, the manager and the NC-Programmer. At any time, the owner can take that key away, or give it to someone else. Beautiful, isn't it?

This "key" will allow the NC-programmer access to only the things he accesses: CAD CAM Software programs, NC-programs, Posts, Secured E-mail like Outlook, Internal Company Data (that only he needs to see), etc. For an administrative person, they would not have a key to the CAD CAM Software, or Posts, since this does not concern them. Their "keys" would allow them to have access to accounting software, employee records, etc. With the proper management software, the assigning of keys for new/old employees will be a simple drag-and-drop operation and managing everyone's access will be easy, so any owner or manager can act as the IT person in this regard.

By the end of 2004, this TPM-enabled motherboard will have plenty of company. The Trusted Computing Group (which came up with the idea) anticipates many more PC makers to jump on board in the first-half of the year, as well as many other motherboard manufacturers. Currently, this technology is available on select HP and IBM computers: HP 530d desktop series and IBM Thinkpad notebooks. Your company may already have some of these PC in the building. By the end of 2004, the group anticipates to see a majority of computing equipment in support of the specification so "Trusted Computing" is gaining traction, which is good for us all. It will make security more affordable to the smaller company, or single user.

So What Happens If I Lose My "Keys"?

No problem. This isn't like your car keys where you find yourself borrowing a coat-hanger from the dry-cleaner shop nearby. There are software companies that are making solutions available to prevent this from being a problem. One company, Wave Systems, which in August announced the availability of their Embassy Trust Suite software, will allow you to recover those keys if you lose them, or get a new computer and need to transfer everything from one PC to another. This software encrypts files and manages them easily so your worries of losing a key and never being able to get access to a file again are over.

What's more is that their software allows you to work with this security system across multiple brands of computers. So it doesn't matter if you bought one from Gateway and another from HP, or Dell. All of them will be able to work together as though they were meant to be.

So What about My Machine Tool?

Well, let's face it, the machine tool industry is always a little behind, but that doesn't stop you from calling them up and requesting they provide built-in security using the new motherboard design. More and more machine tools are being networked. As they are "plugged-in" to the company network, any virus that infects the company computer system can infect the machine tools. A hacker can delete key NC-programs or destroy CAM files or posts. If enough manufacturing managers and owners send emails and letters to these machine OEMs, the problem will be addressed more quickly, and the machine tools will be just another "secure PC" on the network. Once enough requests are made, the machine OEM will have no choice but to respond to the demand for more security, and contact the control manufacturers to "embed" security in the control. Don't let your machine tools be unsecured, secure them in the vault and protect your company from outside (or inside) attack.

For More information visit our network site: CNC Machines Info