Keep Windows Running Smoothly

Windows XP, Microsoft's flagship operating system, is widely recognized as the company's most reliable consumer OS yet. With WinXP, Microsoft eliminated the Windows 9x architecture from its consumer OSes and adopted the technology core of its Windows NT and Windows 2000 corporate OSes. This strategy considerably beefed up reliability and virtually eliminated the constant crashes that plagued products such as Windows 98/Me. Windows users hailed the dawn of a new era of reliable, crash-free Windows computing.

But in spite of the significant improvement to Windows reliability, WinXP is not crash-proof. After all, we are talking about a program packing millions of lines of code that must work in a virtually unlimited variety of computer configurations. And we haven't even mentioned the wide variety of computer user skills, from raw rookies who can barely turn on their PCs to accomplished experts who love to tinker with everything in their computers. WinXP is much improved, but it does crash from time to time. And sometimes crashes occur at the worst possible times.

Startup and shutdown crashes are probably the most frustrating for Windows users. Startup crashes are especially vexing because you can't even get your system going long enough to diagnose and solve the problem. Shutdown crashes are frustrating also: Just when you think you can push away from the computer and go on with your life, a mysterious crash throws a monkey wrench into your plans. A 15-minute check-your-email-and-log-off session suddenly turns into a five-hour troubleshooting ordeal.

When crashes occur, WinXP usually presents you with a message attempting to describe the error and, in some cases, telling you what you can do to fix it. The only problem is, for those of us who aren't programmers or Windows experts, most error messages are virtually incomprehensible. Instead of making things clearer, cryptic error messages only muddy the waters. Seeing "Non-system disk or disk error" at startup sounds pretty serious, right?

In the next few pages, we're going to cut through WinXP's gobbledygook and take a closer look at some common WinXP startup and shutdown errors.

STARTUP ERRORS

Error Message: "Non-System disk or disk error . . . Replace and strike a key when ready."

Translation: This simply means that WinXP is attempting to boot from a disk (be it a floppy diskette or one of your hard disks) that doesn't contain the system files WinXP needs to start. WinXP needs access to certain bits of information when it starts up. Your hard drive's boot sector, a specific location on the disk, contains the startup files WinXP needs to continue the boot process. If WinXP can't find those files, the boot process stops cold.

Solution: This one is either a simple mistake or a catastrophe. First, check to see if you have a floppy diskette in your drive. Nine times out of 10, this error is caused when you leave a floppy in the disk drive, turn off the computer, and then turn it on again without taking the diskette out of the drive. If the floppy is not a system disk with the required boot files, WinXP won't launch. Check the floppy drive, and if there is a diskette in it, remove it and press any key on your keyboard. Windows should now start up normally.



This seemingly terrifying message is actually quite common, and most of the time, it has a very simple solution.

If a forgotten floppy disk is not the cause, then you've got a much bigger problem on your hands. Somehow, your hard drive's boot sector has been damaged or erased. This is typically caused by either a boot-sector virus or a hard drive failure. Most antivirus programs let you create a rescue disk designed specifically for those times when a virus renders your computer unbootable.

If you created a rescue diskette, insert it into your floppy drive, restart the computer, and follow the antivirus software's instructions to clean the boot-sector infection and restore your computer.

If you don't have a rescue diskette, go to a friend or co-worker who has one and either use his or use his antivirus software to create one, even if you use different antivirus programs. Right now, your main focus should be on disinfecting and booting your computer.

If a boot-sector virus is not the cause, the hard drive's boot sector, for some reason or another, has been damaged. WinXP's Recovery Console has two utilities you can use to try to repair your boot sector: FIXBOOT or FIXMBR. FIXBOOT writes an entirely new boot sector, while FIXMBR repairs the MBR (master boot record) in the boot sector.

To run the Recovery Console, boot into your WinXP setup CD and press r when prompted. To boot into your WinXP installation CD, restart the computer and enter your Setup (BIOS [Basic Input/Output System]) program. Your BIOS should have a menu where you can change the sequence of boot devices for your computer. By default, your computer looks for a bootable disk in your floppy drive first, your hard drive second, and your CD drive last. Adjust the boot sequence in your BIOS so your computer searches for a bootable disc in your CD drive first (leave the hard drive as the second choice), insert your WinXP installation disc into your CD drive, and restart the computer. Because BIOS programs vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, consult your BIOS' documentation to find out how to change the boot device sequence.

To run FIXBOOT, type FIXBOOT [drive] at the command prompt, where drive is the drive letter for your boot drive (usually C:). To run FIXMBR, type FIXMBR [device name], where device name is the nomenclature the Recovery Console's MAP command uses to describe the various hardware devices in your computer. For example, you might type FIXMBR\device\HardDisk0 to restore your boot record's MBR. If you don't enter a device name, FIXMBR repairs the MBR of the default system disk.

Error Message: "STOP: 0xc000026C [Unable to load device driver] Driver" or "STOP: 0xv0000221 [Unable to load device driver] Driver" or "STOP: 0xv0000221. Bad image check sum, the image user32.dll is possibly corrupt. The header check sum does not match the computed check sum."

Translation: These errors have two possible root causes: As the first two messages imply, the errors can be caused by a device driver file (*.SYS) that is missing or has been corrupted. The third message is pretty straightforward, also: Again, something's gone awry with a file—this time with USER32.DLL. This is one of those critical system files containing information that WinXP absolutely needs to run properly.

In a nutshell, a DLL (dynamic-link library) is a file containing information that another program (this time, it is Windows itself) needs to run properly. For example, a DLL file may contain additional functions that another program's code may call as the program runs. Programmers love DLLs because they let them simply call functions from within their code instead of having to code them from scratch. This particular DLL provides functionality related to the WinXP API (Application Programming Interface). Bottom line is, USER32.DLL is very important to WinXP.

Solution: The solution to this problem is to restore the missing or corrupted files to your system. This is done using WinXP's Recovery Console. In the solution to the last message, we discussed how to access the Recovery Console.

At the Recovery Console's command prompt, type the following commands to restore the required files. First, how to restore the drivers:

1. Type cd windows\system32\drivers at the command prompt to open that directory.

2. Type ren DRIVER.SYS DRIVER.BAK to rename the corrupted copy of the driver (if the problem is a corrupted driver; if the driver is just missing, skip this step and proceed to step 3).

3. Type copy [CD drive letter]:\i386 DRIVER.SYS to copy a fresh, functional copy of the driver from your WinXP installation CD to the Windows\system32\drivers directory.

4. Type exit and then press the ENTER key to exit the Recovery Console.

Second, let's restore USER32.DLL:

1. Browse to the required directory by typing cd [drive letter]:\windows\system32 at the command prompt.

2. If you have a copy of USER32.DLL in the windows\system32 directory that you suspect is corrupt, type ren USER32.DLL USER32.BAK to rename the file. If the file is missing, skip to step 3.

3. Type expand [CD drive letter]:\i386\USER32.DLL_ [drive letter]:\windows\system32 to copy the new USER32.DLL file to your Windows directory.

Error Message: "The file C:\windows\system32\c_1252.nls is missing or corrupt."

Translation: As WinXP error messages go, this is one of the most straightforward. WinXP is simply reporting that the strangely named file c_1252.nls has gone AWOL.

Solution: The strategy to solve this problem is the same as in the "STOP: 0xc000026C [Unable to load device driver] Driver" error: Restore a fresh copy of the missing or corrupted file from your WinXP installation CD. Again, you must use the Recovery Console to do this. Once in the Recovery Console's command prompt, type the following commands:

• cd C:\windows\system32—opens the system32 folder in C:\windows; this is the default location of the file.

• ren c_1252.nls c_1252.bak—The approach here is to give the existing copy of the file an extension that disables it by preventing WinXP from finding the corrupted file at startup. If the file is missing, this step is not necessary.

• expand [CD drive letter]:\i386\USER32.DL_ [drive letter]:\windows\system32—This copies a pristine copy of the file from the WinXP installation CD to the windows/system32 folder.

• Do as usual to exit the Recovery Console.

Error Message: "Devices or applications disabled. CD Recording software will cause Windows to become unstable. Windows has prevented these drivers from loading. Click here for more details."

Translation: WinXP doesn't get along very well with older versions of Easy CD Creator software. If you upgraded to WinXP and didn't remove your older copy of Easy CD Creator software, WinXP detects this incompatible program and lets you know about it with the above message.



Use the Startup tab in Windows XP's System Configuration Utility to view the programs that automatically start with Windows and, if need be, to prevent unnecessary or troublesome programs from starting.

Solution: The solution here is to purge your system of all traces of the program. This problem illustrates a tried-and-true principle of Windows computing: When upgrading to a new Windows version, always perform a "clean" upgrade. In other words, format your hard drive to wipe it clean and then upgrade.

The first step is removing Easy CD Creator. Click Start and Control Panel and double-click the Add or Remove Programs icon. Locate the Easy CD Creator program on the list and click Remove.

The next step is to disable any drivers Easy CD Creator copied to your system. Click Start, Search, and All Files And Folders. Type cdr*.sys in the All Or Part Of The File Name box, select your C: drive in the Look In drop-down menu, and click Search. If Search finds any files called Cdr4_2K.sys or Cdralw2k.sys, right-click the file names, click Rename, and change each file name to Cd*.old.

Finally, you must remove any keys in your Windows Registry that reference Easy CD Creator files. Keep in mind, modifying the Registry is dangerous, so tread with care. A misstep here and you can easily end up with a very sick system. OK, on with our Registry surgery: Click Start and Run, type regedit in the Open textbox, and click OK.

In the Registry editor, find the following key and click it to highlight it:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CONTROL\CLASS\ {4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

If you see a value called UpperFilters on the Registry editor's right pane, delete it by right-clicking it and clicking Delete. Click Yes to confirm.

Likewise, if you see a LowerFilters value, use the same procedure to delete it.

Now, delete the following Registry keys. To delete a key, locate it, right-click, and click Delete. Click Yes to confirm the deletion:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\Cdr4_2K

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES \Cdralw2k

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES \Cdudf

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES \UdfReadr

Error Message: "Hpppt.exe unable to locate component. This application failed because WNASPI32.DLL was not found."

Translation: The message suggests that Hpppt.exe is executed at Windows startup, but because it cannot find the auxiliary file it needs, the program reports the error message and interrupts the Windows startup process.

Hpppt.exe is HP's parallel port test utility, a program that verifies whether or not your parallel port is set to ECP (Extended Capabilities Port) or EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) mode, two parallel-port configurations that support bi-directional communications between your parallel port and whatever device is connected to it. Many devices that connect to your parallel port, such as scanners and printers, require bi-directional communication to allow a software utility that controls the device to get information about the status of the printer or scanner.

Solution: As you might guess, the key is to prevent the Hpppt.exe program from launching when Windows starts. To do this, remove Hpppt.exe from the Startup list of programs by clicking Start and Run and typing msconfig in the Open textbox. Click OK to launch msconfig (the System Configuration Utility) and click the Startup tab. Find the HP Parallel Port Test checkbox and click it. This clears the checkbox and removes Hpppt.exe from the startup list of programs. Click Apply and OK and restart your computer.

Error Message: "Hard disk drive failure"

Translation: This one is self-explanatory: WinXP is reporting a problem with your hard drive.

Solution: This is a hardware problem, so the solution is to determine whether your hard drive is permanently damaged or whether the hard drive information in your system's BIOS is incorrect. The first step is to reboot the computer, enter your computer's BIOS Setup program, and verify the settings for your hard drive. If everything looks OK in the BIOS, you may have a damaged hard drive. In this case, we hope that you have backed up your data because most likely the data on the damaged drive may be very difficult, if not impossible, to recover.

Error Message: "Fatal System Error: 0x000000a0 (0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)"

Translation: This one is fairly straightforward: WinXP reports a serious crash along with a memory address. The question is, what exactly is this telling you? Reporting a hexadecimal memory address without further detail is no help at all in deciphering this message.

Solution: According to Microsoft, this error occurs if you have a Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad Pro USB device, and you unplug it during the boot process. The solution? Simple, really. Don't unplug your Gamepad Pro during startup.

Error Message: "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \Windows\System32\Drivers\Isapnp.sys"

Translation: This is another one of those messages that points directly to the culprit. ISAPNP.SYS is a device driver WinXP needs to function properly. The message is telling you this file is either missing or damaged.

Most WinXP files with a *.SYS extension are Windows device drivers that reside in the C:\windows\System32\dRIVERS folder. This folder is one of the most important in your entire hard drive. If any of these files go AWOL or are damaged, WinXP will report serious errors and you won't be able to get your system started until you restore a functional device driver.

Solution: Start the Recovery Console (we've already discussed how to start the WinXP Recovery Console). If the ISAPNP.SYS file is still in your C:\Windows\System32\DRIVERS folder, the driver is corrupt. Rename the existing file and copy a new version from your WinXP installation CD. If the file is missing, then all you need to do is copy the file from your WinXP CD to the C:\Windows\System32\dRIVERS folder by typing the expand command: expand [CD drive letter]:\i386\isapnp.sy_ C:\win dows\system32\drivers\isapnp.sys.

Error Message: "STOP: 0x0000009F DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE"

Translation: This error can occur when you're starting up the computer from a standby or hibernation state or when you attempt to shut down your computer. The message is telling you that a device driver in your system—it doesn't specify which one—is not behaving properly when WinXP changes power states.

Solution: According to Microsoft, you must find out if any device drivers in your system are not digitally signed by Microsoft. WinXP's developers knew that a huge reason for Windows problems in previous versions was the use of device drivers that did not work well with Windows, especially with its power-management features. Many times, hardware and software developers did not take the time to properly test their device drivers, resulting in incompatibility problems with Windows.



The Windows Signature Verification utility is an excellent tool for determining which device drivers are not digitally signed by Microsoft.

Microsoft's solution was to digitally sign device drivers that were tested and verified to work well with Windows. Obviously, not every developer is going to have its driver tested. So, many third-party hardware devices and applications have unsigned device drivers. These unsigned drivers may be the root cause of the specific problem described here.

To find out which device drivers in your system are not digitally signed, run a tool called sigverif.exe (File Signature Verification utility) by clicking Start and Run and typing sigverif.exe in the Open textbox. Click OK to launch sigverif.exe. At the sigverif startup window, click the Advanced button and click the Look For Other Files That Are Not Digitally Signed checkbox. Now, click the Browse button, go to the C:\windows\system32\dRIVERS folder, and click OK. Click OK again to return to the initial screen and click Start to begin the search. The tool's output is a list of device drivers that are not digitally signed.

Now, the task is to disable each driver one by one to verify whether it is the root cause of the problem. There are three ways to disable a driver. First, right-click My Computer, click the Hardware tab, and click the Device Manager button. Scroll down the list until you encounter the hardware device that the driver controls. Right-click the device's entry in the list and click Disable. Click OK to accept your changes.

Second, if the driver in question is associated with a software application, remove the program. Do this by going to Control Panel and using Add/Remove Programs to uninstall the application.

The third and final way to disable a driver is to browse to the Drivers folder in C:\WINDOWS\System32 and simply rename the device driver file.

Once you disable the driver, try to duplicate the error by putting your computer into Hibernate or Standby mode and attempting to wake the computer from its low-power mode. If the computer restarts normally, you've isolated the problem; if the error message still occurs, you've got some more wayward-driver hunting to do.

Error Message: "Windows cannot find openme.exe"

Translation: This one is straightforward: Windows is looking for a file called OPENME.EXE that is configured via the Registry to start automatically.

Solution: OPENME.EXE is an executable file containing the W32.DSS Trojan horse virus. The file is typically attached to an unsolicited email; if you launch the executable, you infect your computer with this Trojan horse, and the program also adds an entry in your Windows Registry. If your antivirus software is working properly, it will remove the virus and the program from your computer, but, in some cases, it won't remove the reference to the file in your Registry.

To get rid of the Registry entry causing this startup problem, click Start and Run and type regedit at the Open textbox. In the Registry editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSNT\CURRENTVERSION\Winlogon and click the Winlogon key to select it. In the Registry editor's right pane, find the name Shell and look at its Data value. If the Data column contains the string "explorer.exe openme.exe," right-click Shell, click Modify, and delete the openme.exe part of the string. Restart the computer; the issue should now be resolved.

Error Message: When you complete an upgrade to WinXP from Win98 or WinMe and Setup restarts your computer, you get the following message:

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt.

C:\Windows\\system32\hal.dll.

Please re-install a copy of the above file."



As this error message advises, the key to solving this problem is using the Recovery Console to copy a functional version of this file to the appropriate directory.

Translation: This is another one of those messages reporting that a specific file—Hal.dll in this case—is missing or damaged. Hal.dll is the Windows Hardware Abstraction Layer DLL, a set of programming tools that shields Windows from having to know intimate details about every piece of hardware it controls. So this DLL is critical to Windows' interaction with device drivers in your system.

Solution: The solution, unfortunately, is to begin the setup process all over again. Restart the computer, select Cancel Windows XP Setup in Windows Advanced Options to uninstall WinXP, and then run Setup again.

SHUTDOWN ERRORS

Error Message: "Your system is low on virtual memory. Windows is increasing the size of your virtual memory paging file. During this process memory requested for some applications may be denied."

Translation: This message is telling you that an unruly application is hogging inordinate amounts of virtual memory. Virtual memory is space on your hard drive that Windows reserves as "pseudo-memory." When you're running low on system RAM, Windows swaps memory usage to a designated region in your hard drive. That is why, especially if your system has the minimal memory requirements to run WinXP, your hard drive starts to audibly thrash when your system memory is used up and WinXP has to go to virtual memory. According to Microsoft, this problem occurs when Symantec's Norton Personal Firewall is installed and configured to run at Windows startup.

Solution: According to Microsoft, the solution to this problem is to configure the Norton Personal Firewall to start from the Startup folder and not from the Registry. To disable the application's Registry startup, click Start and Run, type msconfig in the Open textbox, and click OK. This launches the aforementioned System Configuration Utility; now click the Startup tab and click the checkbox to the left of the IAMAPP.EXE entry in the Startup Item list to uncheck it. Click OK to accept your changes.

To add IAMAPP.EXE to your Startup folder, browse to the Startup folder at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp. Click File in the folder's window, click New, and click Shortcut to launch the Create Shortcut window. At this window, click the Browse button and navigate to C:\Program Files\Norton Personal Firewall\Iamapp.exe (if you have Norton Internet Security, the path is C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Iamapp.exe). Click OK and click Next; type a name for the shortcut and click the Finish button to create the shortcut.

Error Message: "Saving your settings."

Translation: This one occurs as WinXP becomes nonresponsive during a shutdown. The computer hangs, and you are unable to restart it.

Solution: The root cause of this one is that a Microsoft IME (Input Method Editor) is installed and set up for use at the Welcome screen but is not functioning properly. And what, you might ask, is an IME? IME is a program in Windows designed to let you enter complex, foreign language characters (such as Far East languages such as Korean or Chinese) using a standard keyboard.

WinXP already comes with built-in language support for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, so you don't need to download any of the IMEs to work with one of those Far East languages in WinXP. To set up the various multilanguage options in WinXP, double-click the Regional and Language Options icon in Control Panel.

Error Message: Here, you can't see the message; instead, you briefly see a blue screen and then Windows automatically restarts.

Translation: The reason Windows is quickly restarting when the error occurs, without giving you enough time to see the error message, is that the system is configured to automatically restart when a system error occurs. When a STOP error occurs, Windows restarts so rapidly you have no time to look at the message. This behavior is quite disconcerting because you can't get the error message information you desperately need to troubleshoot the problem.

Solution: Before any troubleshooting effort can begin, you need to configure WinXP so it won't automatically restart when the error occurs. Right-click My Computer, click Properties, and click the Advanced tab. Click the Settings button in the Startup and Recovery option groups and click the Automatically Restart checkbox in the System Failure option group to clear it. Click OK to accept your changes.

WinXP now displays the error message, and you can troubleshoot the problem.

Error Message: "STOP: 0x000000D1, (0x0000002b, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0xEEEE1b01) IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Kbdclass.sys" or "STOP: 0x0000007E (0xc00000005, 0xFC7F1945, 0xFC9589B0, 0xFC9586Bo) Kbdclass.sys- address Fc7F1945 base at FC7F1000, Datestamp 3b7d82f3"

Translation: These two separate errors are very similar, so we will discuss them together. As you can see, the device driver file Kbdclass.sys is triggering an error; the dense hexadecimal nomenclature you see here is the memory address affected by the error.

Solution: The problem occurs with Logitech equipment, such as a mouse or keyboard, which uses a driver (kbdclass.sys) that's incompatible with WinXP. Specifically, the second message is triggered when you are using version 1.5 or earlier of Logitech's iTouch software, used with the company's Cordless Freedom keyboards. The first message affects computers using Logitech mice with Logitech's Mouseware software versions 9.10 and 9.24.

The solution is simple: Browse to the Logitech Web site and get the very latest updates for your device's software. Go to www.logitech.com for instructions on removing the old software and upgrading to the latest version.



Check out Microsoft's HCL (Hardware Compatibility List) catalog to see which of your installed hardware devices or software programs are deemed compatible with Windows XP, especially if you are about to upgrade to WinXP.

These two error messages illustrate a very common WinXP problem that you can easily solve by acting proactively before you upgrade to WinXP. The first step is to take a look at Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility List (www.microsoft.com/hcl) and check to see if your hardware is included in the list. This list is a comprehensive catalog of software and hardware tested and approved to work with WinXP. At the very least, you should visit the manufacturer for every piece of hardware you own and make sure they have published device drivers written specifically to achieve compatibility with WinXP. Doing this prep work before upgrading is time well spent and will most likely prevent annoying problems later on.

Error message: When you attempt to shut down your computer, WinXP hangs. After awhile, a dialog box launches stating: "Msmsgs.exe not responding" or "ActiveMovie not responding"

Translation: According to Microsoft, this doesn't occur very often and is caused by an intermittent problem (bug) with Windows Messenger.

Solution: To resolve this, upgrade to the very latest WinXP Service Pack.

This simple-to-solve problem illustrates a tried-and-true principle in Windows computing: Always keep your system up-to-date with the latest patches, upgrades, and service packs. This keeps your system secure and prevents these documented bugs from wreaking havoc with your computer. With WinXP's automatic update feature, it's very easy to keep your system up-to-date.

To use WinXP's automatic update feature, right-click My Computer, click Properties, and then click the Automatic Updates tab. You can configure Windows to tell you before downloading and installing an update or you can configure it to download updates automatically and then prompt you before installing them. The most automatic setting is the third option: Here, WinXP downloads and installs the updates automatically without any interference from you. We prefer the second setting, which lets you review the details about an update and, if you choose to do so, postpone the install to a later date. This is convenient when you're busy working and don't have time to install an update and restart your computer.

Error Message: When you attempt to shut down your computer, the system hangs and displays the following message: "It is now safe to turn off your computer"

Translation: WinXP is reporting a problem with your computer's power-management settings. For your computer's APM (Advanced Power Management) feature to work correctly, the computer must support the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) standard, and the settings must be correct in both WinXP and your system BIOS.



If the entry under Computer in Device Manager is Standard PC, your computer is not ACPI-compliant or Windows is not reporting this information correctly.

Solution: First, verify whether your PC is ACPI-compliant. To do this, right-click My Computer, click Properties, click the Hardware tab in the System Properties window, and click the Device Manager button. Click the plus sign (+) to the left of the Computer entry on the list to expand the branch. If the computer is listed as Advanced Configuration And Power Interface (ACPI) PC, your computer is ACPI-compliant. If the computer is listed as Standard PC, then either your computer is not ACPI-compliant or WinXP is not reporting your computer's ACPI status correctly.

If your computer is ACPI-compliant and you are experiencing this issue, restart your computer and verify the power-management settings in your system BIOS. It's possible that this error is caused by a BIOS with incorrectly entered power-management settings.

(NOTE: The BIOS is a critical part of your system; consult with your PC's manufacturer and plan your approach very carefully before messing around in here. A misstep could render your computer unbootable.)

Microsoft advises that if your computer is not ACPI-compliant, you may be able to resolve this issue by installing the NT Apm/Legacy Interface Device. As you did before, launch the Device Manager. In the Device Manager window, click View and click the Show Hidden Devices entry. Click the plus sign to the left of the Non-Plug And Play Drivers entry in the devices list; if Microsoft ACPI Driver is not listed, click the plus sign to the left of the NT Apm/Legacy Support entry to expand this branch. The NT Apm/Legacy Interface Node entry should have a red X next to it indicating that the driver is disabled. Right-click the NT Apm/Legacy Interface Node entry and click the Enable Device button. Click OK to accept the change, exit the Device Manager, and click OK in the System Properties window to accept all your changes.

If you expand the Non-Plug And Play Drivers' branch in the Devices list and Microsoft ACIP Driver is listed, you must disable this driver before installing the NT Apm/ Legacy Interface Device. To disable the ACPI driver, right-click its entry in the list, click Disable, exit the Device Manager, click OK in the System Properties window, and restart your computer.

Now you have to add the NT Apm/Legacy Interface Device support. Go to Control Panel, double-click the Add Hardware icon, and click Next to launch the Add Hardware wizard. The wizard will automatically search your system for recently added hardware. When the wizard finishes searching, click the Yes, I Have Already Connected The Hardware radio button and click Next. Scroll to the bottom of the Installed Hardware list, click the Add A New Hardware Device entry to select it, and click Next. In the next dialog box, click the Install The Hardware That I Manually Select From A List (Advanced) radio button and click Next. In the Common Hardware Types list box, find the NT Apm/Legacy Support entry, click to select it, and click the Next button. In the next dialog box, click the NT Apm/Legacy Interface Node entry in the Model list box (it should be the only one on the list) and click Next to install the driver. Click the Finish button to complete the process.



You can set up your USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub's power management options in the USB Root Hub Properties dialog box's Power Management tab.

Error Message: No message here, just a symptom: After connecting a USB device, your computer hangs when you try to shut it down.

Solution: The root cause of this problem is the fact that a USB device is configured for selective suspend, but the device doesn't support it. The Selective-Suspend feature allows Windows to turn a device (a USB mouse or keyboard, for example) off to conserve power. This is especially useful in notebook computers, where conserving battery power is a primary goal. But for this feature to work, of course, the device must support it.

To resolve the problem, right-click My Computer, click Properties, and then click the Hardware tab. Click the Device Manager button and scroll down the devices list until you find the Universal Serial Bus Controllers entry.

Click the plus sign to the left of the entry to expand it, right-click the USB Root Hub entry, and click Properties. Click the Power Management tab on the USB Root Hub Properties window and click the Allow The Computer To Turn Off This Device To Save Power checkbox to clear it.

Click OK to accept your changes and then exit the Device Manager.

by Sixto Ortiz Jr.


Most Common Error Message

Yes, the most common error message found in Computerland is the classic "Non-System disk error" message. More often than not, this error occurs because we leave a floppy disk in the disk drive after turning off the computer. When the computer is turned on again, it attempts to boot from the floppy disk, which more than likely does not contain the files Windows needs to boot normally.

We already gave an exhaustive overview of this message, including what to do when a floppy disk is not the cause (besides panic when you don't know what the error means). Most of the time, the panic is short-lived, and all you have to do is remove the floppy from the drive and restart your system.


Most Unusual Error Message

This one is also a tough category to award; we went outside the Microsoft Knowledge Base and found this gem (the message occurs when you install Laplink Software's Laplink or PCSync software):

"_INS0432._MP - Entry Point Not Found - The procedure entry point SUnMapLS_IP_EBP_16 could not be located in the dynamic link library KERNEL32.dll"

Wow! This one is bound to strike fear in the hearts of even the hardiest PC veterans. Laplink recommends various possible remedies for this issue, including updating your video drivers to the latest version, removing temporary files from your computer and attempting the installation again, downloading and installing the latest Microsoft Java Virtual Machine, and finally, ensuring that all the latest patches and service packs are installed.

We realize this one isn't related to a startup or shutdown, but we simply couldn't pass this one up.


Most Hilarious Error Message

We searched and searched and finally found what we think is the most hilarious Windows error message we've seen. Of course, you might not find this so funny if it's happening to you. The message is:

"Windows could not start because of an error in the software"

Really? And all this time we thought Windows crashed just to spite us. The guy in charge of error messages must have been in a hurry to get home the day this one got written because it's painfully obvious that very little thought went into crafting this pearl of wisdom.

But seriously, this error occurs when Windows XP or Windows 2000 program files are missing or corrupted. To correct the error, you must perform an in-place upgrade using your WinXP installation CD.

To perform an in-place upgrade, boot your computer from your WinXP installation CD. At the Welcome To Setup screen, press ENTER to enter the WinXP Setup program. On the next screen, press F8 to accept the Windows licensing agreement. In the next screen, you should only see one WinXP installation listed; to repair it, press r. The process starts automatically, so follow the instructions to complete it and perform the required in-place upgrade. All this does is reinstall a fresh copy of Windows over your existing (and malfunctioning) copy. Microsoft's error message might not tell you what specific software error is causing the problem, but this shotgun approach is designed to cure it.


Most Confusing Error Message

Windows error messages are confusing to begin with, so awarding the "Most Confusing Error Message" crown was a difficult task. We selected the following message because it requires you to go on a Windows scavenger hunt for information. The fun begins during startup when Windows displays:

"At least one service or driver failed during system startup. Use Event Viewer to examine the event log for details."

What could have been a clear, straightforward message quickly slides into a confusing ordeal. It's logical to ask why Microsoft can't simply report the specific service or driver that failed. But, let's follow Microsoft's logic on this one.

The next step is to launch the Event Viewer and see what further information is displayed. To start the Event Viewer, click Start and Control Panel and double-click the Administrative Tools icon (this is assuming your Control Panel is in Classic view). If your Control Panel is in Category View (Windows XP's default), click Performance and Maintenance and then click Administrative Tools. Double-click the Event Viewer shortcut; in Event Viewer's right pane, look for an Error entry with Event ID 7024. The description for this event is The Messenger Service Terminated With Service-Specific Error 2270. Now, the task is figuring out exactly what "Error 2270" is. For this, run a utility called net helpmsg.

To run net helpmsg, click Start and Run and type command in the Open textbox. At the command prompt, type net helpmsg followed by the message number. In this case, type net helpmsg 2270 and press ENTER. The following message is displayed:

"The computer name could not be added as a message alias. The name may already exist on the network.

EXPLANATION

A software error occurred.

ACTION

Contact technical support."

This is the end of the trail, and if you're like everyone else out there, everything should now be clear as mud. Microsoft's Knowledge Base advises that this message is triggered when your computer's name on a network is not unique. Microsoft's Messenger service monitors network messages and uses a set of aliases based on data about network computers to determine a message's intended recipient. One of the criteria for the aliases is a computer's name, so if the computer name is not unique, Messenger cannot use the alias and the service fails to start.

To resolve this problem, rename the computer so its name is unique. Right-click My Computer, click Properties, click the Computer Name tab, and click the Change button. Type a unique name and click OK. Then click OK again to accept your changes and restart your computer.