DLSU-Manila: IT HelpDesk

I received an error while my newly installed software was attempting to load. How do I fix this?

Probable Causes	Solutions
An update is available from the developer of the program or utility.	Some software programs may require an update before it can be successfully run on your computer. Install the update, then try running the software again.
There are other programs running that affects your software.	Close all other programs and try running the software again.
The software requires rebooting after installation.	Reboot your computer and try running the software again.

If following the above recommendations does not resolve the problem, try reinstalling the program.

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How do I remove a virus from my computer?

If you've determined that a file is infected with a virus, the best method of removal is to run an anti-virus scan on the computer. If the virus is preventing you from entering Windows or running the anti-virus scan, boot the computer into Safe Mode and run the scan there.

If you do not have an anti-virus scan, but still believe a file is infected with a virus, try running an online virus scan. These web sites will scan your computer hard disk drive for any infections. You may also wish to consider purchasing an anti-virus scanner and/or consider one of the many free anti-virus scanner programs.

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How do I close a program if it is not responding?

Every so often a program running under Windows will freeze or refuse to close normally. To close an unresponsive program, follow these steps:

• Press these three keys together (sometimes called a three finger salute) Ctrl, Alt, and Delete. You will know when you've done it right when the Windows Task Manager window opens. This window has several different functions (depending on your Windows Version)
• Select the Applications tab.
• Choose and click on the name of the application you are having trouble with.
• At the bottom of the Task Manager window click the End Task button.
• The program may close immediately but in some instances you will get a message stating that the program is not responding, at this point you can click on the End now button.
• When you have to close a program this way Windows may become unstable and other running programs may slow down of fail to operate correctly. It is recommended that you restart Windows anytime you have to close a program this way.

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I received a warning on my taskbar saying that my virtual memory is too low. How do I fix this?

Probable Causes

Solutions

Not enough Random Access Memory (RAM). Windows first draws from your RAM, but when this runs out, it will then access your virtual memory. When even this runs low, you will receive the low virtual memory message.

Allow Windows to increase your virtual memory or install more RAM to your system by following these steps: For Microsoft Windows XP Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System. On the Advanced tab, under Performance, click Settings. On the Advanced tab, under Virtual memory, click Change. Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file that you want to change. Under Paging file size for selected drive, click to select the System managed size check box, and then click Set. Click OK three times. When you are prompted to restart the computer, click Yes. For Microsoft Windows 2000 Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. Double-click System. On the Advanced tab, click Performance Options. Click Change. Select the drive that you want to use to store the paging file. Increase the value for Maximum size (MB). Note: For the initial size, we recommend that you use the Recommended value under Total paging file size for all drives. Click Set, and then click OK three times. If you are prompted to restart the computer, click Yes. Otherwise click Start, and then click Shut Down.

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My system shows I am missing some files. How can I replace them?>

Probable Causes

Solutions

NYou might indeed have accidentally deleted files of a Windows component.

If you are missing files of a Windows component, then you can run the System File Checker. Windows File Protection only monitors and maintains XP system components. To run Windows System File Checker: Go to Start, click Run and enter: sfc /scannow Insert your XP CD when Windows requires you to do so. You can also use System Restore to recover your system back to date before the files were missing. To activate System Restore: Go to Start. On the Programs menu, go to Accessories. Point to System Tools, and click System Restore.

If it is a 3rd party application, you may need to reinstall that application to restore the missing files.

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How do I password protect my files and folders in Windows?

Before password protecting any document, you may wish to create a backup of the non-password protected folder and files in case you forget the password in the future.

For Microsoft Windows XP Professional users

The following guide for encrypting files on Windows XP Professional applies to users who are using a computer with different accounts. To encrypt files on Windows XP Professional:

• Select the folder you wish to encrypt.
• Right-click the folder and click Properties.
• Click the Advanced button.
• Check “Encrypt contents to secure data” option. (This option is grayed out if you’re using Windows XP Home)
• Click Apply and then OK.

For Microsoft Windows XP Home users:

• Select the folder you wish to encrypt.
• Right-click the folder and click Properties.
• Click the Sharing tab.
• Check the “Make this folder private” check box.
• Click Apply and then OK.

• If the “Make this folder private” option is grayed out, you must first have the following requirements to enable this option:

  • The hard disk drive must be formatted in NTFS and not FAT32.
  • b. The folder you're attempting to encrypt must be in your own personal folder. For example, if your name is bob, you must be encrypting a folder that is or that is contained within the below folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Bob\. You cannot encrypt any folders outside of this folder. (If you wish to encrypt outside this folder, read on to the next part.)

Other Security Solutions for Protecting your Files and Folders in Windows

• Password protecting files and/or folders not frequently used

  If you need to password protect files and/or folders that you do not frequently use, one of the simplest ways is to compress the folder and files with a compression utility and password protect the compressed file. However, each time you wish to work or modify the files you will need to uncompress the files using the password.

  Microsoft Windows ME and Windows XP come with their own compression utility. This utility can also be used to compress and password protect files.

  Note: When a file is compressed, users can still view a listing of the files in the compressed file. If you wish for both your file names and the contents to be hidden, move all the files into a single folder and password protect that folder.

• Password protecting files and/or folders frequently used/accessed

  If you need to password protect and/or encrypt data you frequently use, you will need to install a third-party program that will enable you to protect your files and folders. Below are some free and commercial solutions:

  • AxCrypt - An excellent free encryption utility that enables users to encrypt all files within a folder and not allow those files to be viewed unless a passphrase (password) is known.
  • WinCry - A freeware utility that enables your files to be encrypted, secure deletion, as well as other helpful methods of protecting your files.
  • Folder Guard - A commercial version of a password protection software that enables you to password protect files, folders, and other Windows resources.

Things to remember when encrypting or password protecting files and folders

• There is no such thing as a 100% protected file. There are numerous tools, utilities, and instructions for how to break a lot of the encryption and passwords on files. However, the protection methods listed above will protect your files from the majority of users who may encounter them. If you're working with really sensitive data, we suggest a commercial product for protecting your files and data.
• Even though a file or folder may be password protected it still can be deleted (unless the program supports the ability to protect files from being deleted). Always remember to backup all your files, even those protected by passwords.
• If you forget the password, unless you're willing to spend the time attempting to break it or pay someone else to break the password, all your file data will be lost; unless you've made a backup of the non-password protected data.

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The My Computer icon on my desktop has disappeared. How do I get it back?

To place the My Computer icon on your desktop, follow these steps:

• Right click an empty area of your desktop

• Go to Properties and click the Desktop tab. Click the Customize Desktop button and under the General tab, tick the item that you would like an icon to appear on your desktop. Your choices are:

  • My Computer
  • My Documents
  • My Network
  • Internet Explorer
• In this case, tick the My Computer check box.

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How do I boot my computer to safe mode?

Users who may not be able to boot into normal mode or are not able to troubleshoot their computer properly may need to boot into safe mode, bypassing normal windows settings and startup programs and allowing the user to fix his/her computer.

To get into the Windows 2000 / XP Safe mode, follow these steps:

• As the computer is booting, press and hold your F8 to get to the Windows Advanced Options Menu.

• Use your arrow keys to move to Safe Mode and press Enter.

  Note: With some computers, if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting, you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the F8 key, tap the F8 key continuously until you get the startup menu.

If after several attempts you are unable to get into Windows 2000 or Windows XP safe mode as the computer is booting into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time, Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the safe mode screen.

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How do I run defrag?

Microsoft defrag, or disk defragmenter, is a software utility designed to help chronologically order the data on the hard disk drive. The theory behind defrag is to place each program together instead of scattered throughout the hard disk drive, allowing the read-write head to access the data faster on the hard disk drive.

Keep in mind that Windows 2000 and XP are network operating systems, and that if you are a user using Windows 2000 or XP on a network, your network administrator may have restricted users from running defrag or from having any direct disk access. To run defrag, follow these steps.

• Double-click My Computer.
• Highlight a local hard disk drive by clicking on it once.
• Right-click the highlighted local drive.
• Click Properties.
• Click the Tools tab and click the Defragment now button.

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How do I print the contents of my screen?

Press the Print Screen key on your keyboard. Doing this copies the current contents of your screen to the Clipboard. You can copy the contents into any application capable of displaying .BMP images such as Paint.

• After pressing the Print Screen key on your keyboard, open the Paint application, which is usually found under Accessories in your Programs menu.
• From the menu bar, go to Image, and then click Attributes.
• In the field corresponding to Width, type in 800. In the field corresponding to Height, type in 600. Then click OK.
• From the menu bar, go to Edit and click Paste. You will now see a copy of the contents of your screen when you pressed the Print Screen key.
• From the menu bar, go to File, and then click Print. If you wish to save the screenshot, click Save.

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How do I remove temporary Internet files from my web browser?

Temporary Internet files use up a critical amount of hard disk space. That is why it is necessary to regularly perform a clean-up.

To perform a clean-up on Internet Explorer 6, follow these steps:

1. Open Internet Explorer 6.
2. In the menu bar, go to Tools and click Internet Options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Click on Delete Files to remove all temporary Internet files from your computer.

Note: Deleting cookies and your web history are optional. But note that deleting cookies may be helpful in removing malware that track your web surfing behavior. Clicking on the Delete Cookies button will remove all files left behind by certain web sites. By deleting cookies, web sites that remember certain preferences (such as passwords) may “forget” those preferences. Clicking on Clear History on the other hand will clear the history of web sites you have visited.

 

To perform a clean-up on Internet Explorer 7, follow these steps:

1. Open Internet Explorer 7.
2. From the Internet Explorer 7 command bar, choose Tools and then Delete Browsing History.

3. In the Delete Browsing History window that appears, click on the Delete files button, which should be the first button you see.
4. In the Delete files window that is displayed, you are presented with the question Are you sure you want to delete all temporary Internet Explorer files?
5. Click on Yes to confirm.
6. The Delete Browsing History window may appear, showing you the progress of the deletion. When this window disappears, all of the files saved (cached) from your Internet browsing activities will have been removed.
7. Click Close in the Delete Browsing History window to complete the process and return to Internet Explorer.

Note: Deleting cookies and your web history are optional. But note that deleting cookies may be helpful in removing malware that track your web surfing behavior. Clicking on the Delete Cookies button will remove all files left behind by certain web sites. By deleting cookies, web sites that remember certain preferences (such as passwords) may “forget” those preferences. Clicking on Clear History on the other hand will clear the history of web sites you have visited.

To perform a cleanup on Mozilla Firefox, follow these steps:

1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. From the Firefox menu options, choose Tools and then go to Clear Private Data.

3. In the Clear Private Data window that appears, uncheck all checkboxes except for the Cache checkbox.

Note: Deleting cookies and your web history are optional. But note that deleting cookies may be helpful in removing malware that track your web surfing behavior. Ticking on the Cookies checkbox will remove all files left behind by certain web sites. By deleting cookies, web sites that remember certain preferences (such as passwords) may “forget” those preferences. Ticking on the Browsing History checkbox on the other hand will clear the history of web sites you have visited.

4. Click on the Clear Private Data Now button.

There is another option for clearing your private data in Firefox. Through this option, your private data will automatically be cleared whenever you close Firefox.

1. From the Firefox menu options, go to Tools and click Options.
   
2. Select the Privacy tab.
   
3. In the Private Data area, tick the checkbox corresponding to Always clear my private data when I close Firefox.
   

4. Taking this option further, you can click the Settings button to configure what data you would like to erase whenever you close Firefox.
   

To perform a clean-up on Opera, follow these steps:

1. Open Opera.
2. Go to Tools and click Delete Private Data.
3. Click Details to expand the window. You will then see several items with checkboxes. Uncheck all checkboxes except for the Delete entire cache checkbox.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: Deleting cookies and your web history are optional. But note that deleting cookies may be helpful in removing malware that track your web surfing behavior. Ticking on the Delete all cookies checkbox will remove all files left behind by certain web sites. By deleting cookies, web sites that remember certain preferences (such as passwords) may “forget” those preferences. Ticking on the Clear history of visited pages checkbox on the other hand will clear the history of web sites you have visited.

4. Click Delete.

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I can’t install my software. What should I do?

Go through the following steps to see what is causing your software installation to fail.

• Make sure the CD is readable by reading the files on the drive. For example, Microsoft Windows users can explore the drive in Windows Explorer. If the CD attempts to AutoPlay, you may need to right click the drive and click Explore to browse the drive.
• If the CD reads fine with no errors, verify your computer meets the minimum requirements of the software program. If your computer does not have enough disk drive space or does not meet the requirements, the program will not install.
• Make sure the program or utility you are installing is compatible with the version of Operating System you have on your computer. For example, many older utilities such as a virus protection program may only work with a specific version of Microsoft Windows. If you are running Microsoft Windows 95 or higher, try installing the program from safe mode.
• Make sure the CD is clean and contains no significant scratches. Information about how to clean a CD and a CD-ROM can be found at http://helpdesk.dlsu.edu.ph/help/faq/hardware/#skipping.

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How do I fix illegal operations?

Illegal Operations may be caused by several different factors. Below is a listing of the more commonly known reasons for getting an Illegal Operation.

• TSRs or Third-party programs causing memory conflicts or other types of conflicts with the program or programs attempting to be run.
• Data not being read properly from source. Running a program or game with a dirty CD can cause the CD to be read improperly causing Illegal Operations. Floppy diskettes which may contain errors can cause illegal operations.
• Installing a program or game on a hard disk drive that has errors or is highly fragmented.
• Corrupt files
• Memory managers
• Bad, incorrect, or not the latest video drivers
• Computer Virus
• Added hardware
• Error in program coding
• Corruption or problem within Windows.
• Bad Memory, invalid bits or physically bad memory

TSRs or Third-party programs running in the background is one of the more commonly found reasons for Illegal Operations. If you are receiving an Illegal Operation when attempting to run a game or program, it is recommended that you temporarily remove or disable programs and TSR's running in the background to make sure that these programs are not causing your issues.

If, after removing TSRs, you run the program and no longer receive Illegal Operations, it is recommended that you reboot the computer and disable or End Task each program or TSR one at a time to attempt to determine which program is causing the Illegal Operation.

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What should I do whenever a Windows program stops responding?

A computer, operating system, software program or driver may stop responding or cause other programs to stop responding because of several possible reasons, such as a conflict in software or hardware resources between two programs, lack of system resources, or a bug in the software or drivers.

To recover from a program that has stopped responding, a user can generally press the CTRL + ALT + DEL keys on the keyboards to open the "Close Program" window or open the "Task Manager" window, and then click the "End Task" button to terminate the program. If another window opens, click the "End Task" button again to confirm stopping that program. It is important to realize that when a program stops responding, any work that has not been saved will more than likely be lost when end tasking a program. Unfortunately, there is no alternative.

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References:

5 Star Support. (2007). Windows XP Troubleshooting FAQ. Retrieved September 21,

2007, from 5 Star Support Web site:http://www.5starsupport.com/faq/

/xp.htm.

About.com: Focus on PC Support. (2008). How to Clear the Internet Cache in Firefox 2.

Retrieved March 12, 2008 from Opera Software Web site:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/maintenance/ht/clearcacheff.htm.

About.com: Focus on PC Support. (2008). How to Clear the Temporary Internet

Files in Internet Explorer 7. Retrieved March 12, 2008 from Opera Software Web site: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/maintenance/ht/clearcacheff.htm.

Computer Hope. (2007). Computer Hope Questions and Answers. Retrieved

September 21, 2007 from Computer Hope Web site:: http://www.computer

hope.com/qanda.htm.

Global Village. (2007). Closing an Unresponsive Program. Retrieved September 24,

2007, fromGlobal Village Freetech Support Database Web site: http://www.g

lobalvillage.net/free_tech_support/idx.php/11/175/Windows-Software-

Troubleshooting/article/Closing-an-Unresponsive-Program.html.

Microsoft Help and Support. (2007). Error message when you start or play a Microsoft

game: "Your system is low on virtual memory". Retrieved September 21, 2007, from Microsoft Help and Support Web site: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/837869/enus?spid=6790&sid=global.

Opera Software. (2008). Tips and Tricks. Retrieved March 12, 2008 from Opera

Software Web site: http://www.opera.com/support/config/tricks/index.dml.

Technipages. (2008). Clear Your Private Data Upon Closing Firefox.

Retrieved March 13, 2008 from Technipages Web Site:

http://www.technipages.com/clear-your-private-data-upon-closing-firefox.html.

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