Windows-related

[Direhit]

This section is devoted to Windows-related matters.

[Direhit]

From Fireball:

Q: My system has started crashing at random / is acting wierd and locking up. What can I do to fix it?

A: There is no magical answer to this question. Windows has approximately 20,000 files after a clean install, and corrupting or deleting approx 10% of them will cause it to die without grace.

There are however, a series of things you can do that will clear up 99% of problems.

1) First step, a lot of times if your system is slow to respond / locking up, a simple reboot will do the trick. A reboot will reinitialize the system, cleaning out your memory etc.

2) Make sure you have the latest and greatest drivers for your system. And this means ALL of your system. You should look for avaiable drivers for your

- motherboard
- chipset mods
- graphics card
- sound card
- ethernet card
- modem
- raid / special i/o device

- updated antivirus definitions

Even if your using XP and it says the device is compatible, check to make sure the manufacturer hasnt released better drivers than the standard XP ones. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT DRIVERS. The generic drivers for a card type, such as NVidias Detonator series, while designed to work on just about everything, are not guaranteed. For the best fit, make sure your manufacturer has not already made new drivers. Often the manufacturer's drivers are a superset of the standard ones.

Also, be sure to reboot, load into safe mode, unload the drivers, reboot, go into safe mode, then install the new ones.

3) If the problems started right after you installed something new, then try unistalling whatever program that was. If that fixes your problem, then you know why. Not all software works with all OS's correctly, regardless of the claims by the designers. Check the designers site for any known compatibility issues with your hardware

4) Try reinstalling the program. If you hang / crash during a certain program, its possible that some of its files became corrupted. Half Life seems to be especially prone to this, especially when people heavily customize things.

5) If nothing seems to work, become friends with safe mode. If you crash in safe mode, then its you either corrupted a major system file in windows or you have a hardware problem. Try uninstalling all the drivers you have an reinstalling them to make sure that none of them got corrupted.

6) If that still doesnt fix it, while your comptuer is running, check for abnormal amounts of heat in your computer. Check the manufacturers website for exact temperatures, but your cpu should be running under 40 C ( p3, p4 ) and 55 C ( tbird, athlon xp ). If you see something abnormally hot, such as above 60 C, consider a new heatsink.

If not the processor, see if your memory or hard drives are excessively hot. High heat leads to easier data corruption, which will cause crashes and failures.

Also, make sure your bios settings are all correct. Try underclocking the system ( if possible ) to as slow settings as available. While this wont give you the ultimate performance, itll help determine hardware or software.

7) If none of the above have helped you yet, consider reinstalling the OS. While this may seem an enourmous step, it is usually not nearly as massive an undertaking as it would seem. If your on 95 98 or ME, unless your on it for a specific reason ( hardware has no support in NT for example ) consider upgrading the OS. The majority of bugs found in the 9x series are corrected for in the NT based series ( 2K, XP ).

With any of the more modern OS', you should be able to reinstall over itself without losing your data. Your programs may not work, but the actual data ( word docs, mp3s, etc ) will still all be there. You may have to perform a clean install however, to guarantee the wiping of all illicit data ( if you suspect a virus for instance )

8) If, after a clean install, with correct drivers, you still crash, then you have a hardware problem. Whether two parts are incompatible, or you have the settings improperly set, this is the point when you should come asking for help. Be sure to bring specific model numbers / driver revisions for as much hardware as you can find.

[Direhit]

Q: I am getting bombarded / spammed with messages, some of which are ads, and others are just plain garbage. How do I turn off this feature?

A: From Incubus:

Disable the Messenger Service. Start -> run -> services.msc. Scroll down to the Messenger Service, right click -> properties -> Change start up type to 'disabled' and then stop the service (the button labelled stop).

It is a service that is built into windows to facilitate IT messages, but can easily be exploited by less than ethical individuals.

Alternatively, as suggested by Unix_Yoda:

http://hh.nationhosts.com/fix/messanger_fix.reg

[Direhit]

Q: Where can I get the service packs, updates, etc, for Windows and / or Office?

A: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.aspx?displaylang=en

Just search using the appropriate keywords.

No, they do not make you type in any authorization codes, so as long as your software is legitimate, you should have no problems at all.

If you cannot download the files, for some reason, or if you do not want to download 130 megabytes over a poor dialup connection, then you can contact Microsoft directly (call the number on your license), and they will send you a CD containing the patches for free.

[Direhit]

Q: I want to play a certain type of file, but Windows keeps telling me that I need Virtual Machine for my operating system. I went to the Microsoft web site, and searched for Virtual Machine, but I cannot find it. How do I get it?

A: Microsoft lost the court case, and is now forbidden from distributing Virtual Machine. However, all is not lost, as you can still get it from Sun:

http://java.sun.com/getjava/

[Direhit]

Q: I just updated my Internet Explorer with the IE Service pack, and now this message keeps appearing every time I go to certain websites, that asks if I want to debug something. How do I get rid of that?

A: You can prevent this from coming up again by doing the following in IE:

Tools -> Internet Options -> Advanced

From here, find the box that has the words "Disable script debugging" and make sure it's checked.

[Direhit]

Q: I've noticed that there are two versions of any given Windows operating system. What are the differences?

A: The ones you see in the nicely packaged, bright colored boxes, are the retail boxed versions. If you buy one of these, and register, you are entitled to free technical support from Microsoft.

The ones that are just packaged in shrink wrap or a plain white box, are the OEM versions. These versions come with no technical support from Microsoft, unless you are willing to dial their 1-900 number (significant costs). This is why they are cheaper than the retail boxed versions.

The only way you can purchase the OEM version of a Microsoft operating system is if you are a reseller, or if you are a normal customer that is buying this operating system with a computer system. As to what a retailer considers a computer system is up to that particular retailer. Some will consider a system as nothing more than a case with a floppy drive, while others, such as Dell, will require that you buy a whole, functional computer system.

In terms of functionality, both the retail and OEM versions are identical.

Note: If you are at a computer trade show, and if you see a vendor trying to sell these OEM copies of the Microsoft operating systems without selling them with a computer system, stay far away!!! The FBI will bust the vendor, and may very well be paying the customers who bought such software an unpleasant visit.

[Direhit]

Q: I just installed the service pack for Windows (or Office) XP, and now that I've rebooted, it's asking me for my CD-Key. I just entered it in (it worked before), and it won't accept it. What's going on?

A: In an effort to deter piracy, Microsoft has placed an instruction set in the patches to disable all operating systems that were installed using pirated CD-Keys. If this has happened to you, then you were not using a legitimate copy of the software.

If you are a lawful owner of the software, then contact Microsoft, and speak to a customer service rep, and explain the situation. They will ask for proof of ownership, and after you send it to them, they will send you a new CD and code in very short order.

[Direhit]

Q: I get warning messages from Windows, saying that my system is shutting down because the Remote Procedure Call service was terminated unexpectedly. How do I stop this?

A: From NuclearKitten:

Control Panel/Admin Tools/Remote Procedure Call/Properties/Recovery/ Change only the first one from Restart PC to Restart Service

Before you do this, though, you should patch your operating system.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-026.asp

If you are running XP, get the 32 bit version. In almost all likelihood, you are NOT running the 64 bit version of XP. If you are, you already know what to do, and don't need my help.

[Direhit]

Q: I wanted to install a few more files from my Windows 2000 CD-ROM, and accidentally installed a second copy of Windows 2000 on my hard drive. Now, when I boot up, I get to a menu that gives me a choice of 2 versions of Win2K from which I can boot. How do I get rid of the new one without affecting the old one?

A: Right click on My computer.

Select Properties -> Advanced

Click the Startup and Recovery button.

Be sure the OS you want to boot to is selected as the default.

Uncheck Display List of Operating Systems.

[Direhit]

Q: Why am I getting constant Buffer Overrun errors while just doing ordinary tasks in Windows 2000 or XP?

A: There's a good chance that you are vulnerable to yet another RPC exploit in the operating system, as described by Microsoft here:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];824146

Download the appropriate patch for your system. This is NOT the same RPC patch that was released back in late August.

[Direhit]

Q: How do I disable the Windows key without ripping it out of the keyboard?


A:

In Windows XP, 2000, or NT 4.0 (any version, any service pack level):

1. Click Start, click Run, type "regedit" (without the quotation marks),
and then click OK.

2. On the Windows menu, click "HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE on Local Machine".

3. Click the System\CurrentControlSet\Control folder, and then double-click the Keyboard Layout folder.

4. On the Edit menu, click Add Value, type in "Scancode Map" (without the quotation marks), click REG_BINARY as the Data Type, and then click OK.

5. Type "00000000000000000300000000005BE000005CE000000000" (without the quotation marks) in the Data field, and then click OK.

6. Close the Registry Editor and restart the computer.

[Direhit]

Q: I am running Windows 95 / 98 / ME, and just installed a new video card in my system that has 512+ MB of memory. Now I only get 16 colors in standard VGA mode. I know I have the right drivers, and that the card is perfectly good. What's going on here?

A: This is a bug with the 16/32 bit hybrid Windows (95, 98 and ME), where the system has problems handling 512+ MB of memory. Simply put, the operating system is too stupid to handle the extra memory. There are four ways to correct this:

1) Dump Win 95/98/ME. These operating systems are crippled, especially when it comes to robustness.

2) Physically remove the memory chips from your system, so that you have less than 512 megabytes.

3) Use the MaxFileCache setting in the System.ini file to reduce the maximum amount of memory that Vcache uses to 512 megabytes or less.

4) Use the System Configuration utility to limit the amount of memory that Windows uses to 512 megabytes (MB) or less.

Options 3) and 4) are going to be the least intrusive, but with Microsoft no longer supporting most of the older operating systems, it's probably time to dump the obselete software anyways.

[Direhit]

Q: Where can I get the security patches for all of the recent problems with Windows?

A: It's easier if you just do a simple Windows Update. It may take several updates, but it's still the easiest.

If you want to manually download each, then here are some for starter:



RPC buffer overrun: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];824146

Blaster Worm update for XP: http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/8/b/98bcfad8-afbc-458f-aaee-b7a52a983f01/WindowsXP-KB823980-x86-ENU.exe

Blaster Worm update for 2000:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/1/f/01fdd40f-efc5-433d-8ad2-b4b9d42049d5/Windows2000-KB823980-x86-ENU.exe

RPC vulnerability for XP:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/d/d/cdd7ac92-e4cc-4b1e-bc2f-7a61b46b23bf/WindowsXP-KB824146-x86-ENU.exe

RPC vulnerability for Win2000: http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/a/6/0a634e35-f29a-4f26-b006-d315e898edef/Windows2000-KB824146-x86-ENU.exe

[Direhit]

Q: I want to get Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP Professional, but don't want to pay full price. What are my options?

A: Several LEGAL options are in place:

1) If you are affiliated with an academic institution in any way, whether you are a student, professor, cafeteria worker, or even a janitor, then you are most likely eligible to get a site license for many pieces of software. This generally includes Microsoft Windows as well as Microsoft Office products, many Adobe products, etc. These are the FULL versions that will not require registration, and are fully active even if patched.

Typically, these site licenses are available from your IT (Information / Technology) people on your campus. They shouldn't charge you more than $5 per CD.

2) If your academic institution does not offer site licenses, and if you are affiliated with an academic institution, then you can go to various vendors and buy the academic versions of Microsoft Office, Windows, Adobe products, etc., at a highly reduced rate. For example, Newegg.com sells Microsoft Office XP Professional (full version, not just the upgrade) for $165.00, and the upgrade version for $81.00.

3) If you are not affiliated with an academic institution, and don't mind not receiving any technical support from Microsoft, you can buy the OEM version of the software from most retailers. The catch here, though, is that you may not buy it all by itself; you must purchase the software with qualifying hardware, which isn't too expensive at all, and even with the hardware purchase, you'll save a lot of $$ over having to buy the normal retail software at some place such as Best Buy. For example, from Newegg.com, you can buy the OEM versions of the software if you also purchase a 5 dollar power splitting cable.

[Direhit]

Q: I just installed the service pack for Windows XP, and now my Microsoft Office XP doesn't work! They want me to re-enter my CD-Key, and my CD-Key won't work anymore.

A: Microsoft has put instructions in the service packs to disable any known warezed versions of Microsoft Office XP (and later). If you lawfully own a copy of Microsoft Office XP (or 2003), and are experiencing this problem, then you can simply call Microsoft and explain your situation. They will be more than happy to help you, if you lawfully own such software, and accidentally was placed on the blacklist.

Be sure to have your registration confirmation available for fast processing. They will get a new CD and key to you in VERY short order.

[Direhit]

Q: Someone has hacked into my system, and deposited some files / directories that I cannot delete. How do I get rid of them?

A: First, make sure that you've closed access to your system until you've figured out the security leak.

Secondly, to get rid of the files, open up a command prompt:

Start -> Run -> command

Navigate to the directory in which the suspect directories / files are held. You won't be able to access them using their normal names, since these hackers probably did their little POSIX tricks.

Do this command:

dir /x

This will give you the old-fashioned 8+3 DOS-type names, and you can remove the files in question.

[Direhit]

Q: How do I install Windows XP or 2000 on a hard drive that is SCSI or Serial ATA-based? The OS doesn't support my SCSI / SATA controller natively.

A: From Miyagi:

steps to installing Windows 2000/ XP on a SCSI or S-ATA drive.

1) install a 3.5" Floppy drive into your PC

2) start computer

3) go into BIOS

4) open your cd-rom drive and place Windows 2k/XP cd in drive, close drive

5) (still in BIOS) find your start-up configuration settings and select "CD-Rom" or CD-Rom1 [if it looks different, RTFM.]

6) reboot

7) the Windows setup utility will boot up from the CD

8) when you see the blue "setup" screen, hit [F6]

9) wait

10) find the 3.5" floppy that came with your motherboard package, or if you have a PCI SATA controller look in the box for one.

11) follow steps on the screen

12) the end