Wash Out Windows Errors
The Windows operating system, in all of its varying forms, is prone to generating various Windows errors. From the dreaded "Blue Screen of Death" to strange error messages, failing programs and unmountable drives, getting a Windows error is cause for alarm.
Windows errors can range from annoying to downright devastating. In addition, they can be caused by specific applications that don't work with other applications such as Microsoft's "Error 403: Access Denied/Forbidden" Windows error. In this case, your firewall software, security software, or web accelerator is interfering with accessing the Windows Update website. Here you are, trying to do everything right in order to prevent hackers from getting in. You have a firewall and security software and you are trying to get the latest security patches from Microsoft. But you get the 403 error. Now that's a catch-22. You'll have to disable your protection in order to get updates. 403 Windows errors can also require a password or user name.
Another common form of Windows errors is a devastating one: unmountable boot volume in Windows XP. In short, your computer won't boot up! Arrgh. A corrupt boot.ini file is often the culprit. What to do? You can try accessing the Recovery Console from your original Windows XP installation CDs and typing in: CHKDSK /F or CHKDSK /P. You can also use the FIXBOOT command as described by Microsoft.
Other Windows errors can be caused by a lack of system resources. Your memory may be spread too thin across too many applications all demanding a piece of it. Many of these programs may be running without your knowledge. When you call up a program such as your favorite photo editing program, you may get an "out of memory" error. Before you run out and buy more memory, consider doing a little cleaning.
Your maid may not wash windows but you will need to do some deep cleaning to solve many of your Windows errors. Here's your chore list:
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First, many Windows errors are the result of spyware and virus infections so it's critical that you protect your computer (as well as your finances) by investing in high-quality anti-spyware and anti-virus programs. Don't click on flashy banner ads prompting you to buy their product. Do your research and find a reputable security solution.
Now, deal with all those programs that start up each time you boot your system. Having too many programs running is a common cause of Windows errors. Stop the madness by going to Start, clicking Run, and typing: MSCONFIG. Go to the Startup tab and disable unnecessary startup items.
Next, get familiar with the contents of the "System Tools" folder. This folder is found by going to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools. Here you'll find both the disk defragmenter utility as well as the disk cleanup utility. Use both of these tools often to keep your Windows errors at bay. You'll recover resources and allow Windows to run more efficiently.
Once you've done the basic maintenance using the above mentioned system tools, head to the Windows Update Center accessed through the Control Panel. If you don't have automatic updates enabled, consider doing so now. That way you won't have to remember to do it later. It's important to keep Windows updated with the latest patches because hackers love to exploit any hole they can find in the operating system. The engineers react and patch up the holes as they are discovered.
Finally, clean the Windows registry and get rid of potentially thousands of Windows errors at their root. As with your spyware and virus tools, you'll need a reputable third party software utility for the job. A registry cleaning utility safely cleans out all the garbage left behind from malware, failed installations, incomplete uninstalls, corruption, and unexpected shutdowns. These junky entries interfere with the way Windows operates and are the cause of all kinds of Windows errors. By getting rid of the problems here at the registry level, you will solve, and prevent, Windows errors.