Basic computer troubleshooting

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Overview
Common errors and how to fix them
Basic software troubleshooting
Basic hardware troubleshooting
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Overview
Below is a listing of commonly asked computer questions and answers and basic troubleshooting
steps for operating systems, software programs, and computer hardware. Keep in mind that this
is just a select few of our thousands of questions and answers in our database. See our
troubleshoot definition for a general overview of steps that should be taken when troubleshooting
a computer. If you're confused on where to start, try our free online Mr. Hope utility.
Common Windows errors and how to fix them
Reference
CH000123
CH000138
CH000179
CH000186
CH000222
CH000223
CH000224
CH000380
CH000396
CH000450
CH000487
CH000528
CH000605
CH000689
CH000690
CH000700
CH000726
CH000749
CH001131
CH001141
Q&A

Question
I have problems in Windows after installing new software.
How do I fix illegal operations?
My computer is running slow what steps can I do to fix it?
How to erase my hard drive and start over.
How to fix an invalid page fault.
How to fix a fatal exception error.
How to fix a general protection fault
Runtime errors.
Divide error.
Issues relating to msgsrv32.
Why do Windows programs stop responding?
Regaining computer hard drive space.
Windows restarts without warning.
Computer turns off without warning.
Windows freezes or stops responding.
What should I do when a computer freezes?
Not a valid win32 application.
Missing Microsoft Windows .dll files.
My Windows computer boots up slow.
How do I fix the Windows blue screen errors?
Section containing a listing of all our questions and answers.

Basic software troubleshooting

Reference
CHGAME
CHIE
CHSOFT
CHMSDOS
CHWIN3X
CHWIN95
CHWIN98
CHWINME
CHWINNT
CHWIN2K
CHWINXP
Software

Question
Basic computer game troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Internet Explorer troubleshooting.
Basic computer software troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft DOS troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows 3.x troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows 95 troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows 98 troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows ME troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows 2000 troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows XP troubleshooting.
Section containing a full listing of other general software Q&A's.

Basic hardware troubleshooting

Reference
CH000208
CH000241
CH000248
CH000254
CH000277
CH000281
CH000443
CH000445
CH001088
Hardware

Question
Missing or lost sound in Windows.
No display on the monitor.
General printer troubleshooting.
Mouse not being detected in Windows.
Basic floppy disk drive troubleshooting.
General microphone troubleshooting.
General scanner troubleshooting.
Basic network troubleshooting.
How can I test for hardware failures in my computer?
Section containing a full listing of other general hardware Q&A's.

I have problems in Windows after installing new software

Issue
I have problems in Windows after installing new software.

Cause
After installing any utility, driver, or other software program you can encounter an almost
endless list of issues that can be caused by any of the below reasons.
1. Confliction with other software installed on the computer.
2. Issue with program.
3. Improper installation or problems with installation.

Solution
Reinstall or uninstall the program
If you're encountering problems with your computer or other programs after installing new
software on your computer, uninstall the program and see if the issues persist.

Uninstalling Windows software.

After the program has been uninstalled try installing the program again.

How to install a software program.

Note: If after installing a program you're unable to boot into Windows, try booting into Safe
Mode.
Check for software program updates or new versions
If you continue to experience issues verify that the program, game, or utility you're installing
doesn't have any updates by visiting the developer of the program website.
If you're installing a software program or drivers for a hardware device such as a printer. Get the
latest software and drivers from the manufacturer instead of using the included software. A
listing of links to drivers can be found on our drivers page.

Uninstalling Windows software

Issue
Uninstalling Windows software.

Solution
If a software program or game is no longer being used or played or additional space is required it
may be necessary to uninstall or delete it. Below is a listing of different methods of uninstalling
software from a computer running Microsoft Windows.
Install/Uninstall option
Pro: Will remove all or the majority of all files copied to the computer during installation.
Con: Not all programs support or use this feature.
1. Click Start
2. Click Control Panel or Settings and then Control Panel
3. Double-click Add/Remove Programs or Uninstall a program.
4. Within the new window select the program you wish to uninstall and click the
Remove button or Uninstall/Change button.

How do I know what to delete? Often users may be concerned about what is safe and what is
not safe to delete our best suggestion is if you don't know what it is we suggest that it not be
removed or ask about what it is first.
If the program or game is not listed within this list, continue reading this document for
alternative methods to uninstalling software.

Unable to remove a program from Windows Add/Remove programs.

Unwise Wizard
Pro: Created or programmed by the developer of the program that will allow the program to
delete any files that were originally installed.
Con: May cause errors with other software because it can uninstall files that other programs may
be using.
1. Click Start
2. Open the Programs folder under Programs or All Programs.
3. Within the folder look for an Unwise or Uninstall shortcut. Click this shortcut
to start the uninstall.

or

1. Open Windows Explorer.

2. In Explorer Open the folder containing the program you wish to uninstall. If
you're not sure where this is located a good place to check first would be the
Program files folder.
3. Once the folder has been located and opened look for an unwise or
uninstall shortcut link or executable program.

Note: Do not search for unwise.exe since it's likely several of these files exist on your computer
and may be associated with another program.
If the program or game you have does not have this option, continue reading this document for
alternative methods to uninstalling software.
Third-party software
Pro: Will remove files and registry settings associated with the program, which manually
deleting the program will not.
Con: May not remove everything since it's third-party and not something the developer created.
There are various commercial and free available solutions for uninstalling software on your
computer. We highly recommend and suggest users use Revo Uninstaller, a free and easy to use
uninstall program and junk file utility.
Manually delete
Pro: Manually deleting the software from the computer will help save space when no other
options are available.
Con: May cause additional errors if the operating system or other programs require files that are
deleted.
Before manually deleting any software from the computer we recommend you do each of the
below suggestions.
1. Make sure your Recycle Bin is empty and that files that are deleted are sent
to the Recycle Bin. This will help allow you to restore those files if they are
required or cause you errors after deleted.
2. Backup all important data.

Once you are ready follow the below steps to manually delete the files.
1. Open Windows Explorer.

2. Highlight the program or game folder making sure you're not highlighting its
containing folder such as Programs files.
3. Press delete to delete the files.
4. After deleted reboot the computer to verify no errors occur. If errors occur the
files can be recovered from the Recycle Bin.

Additional information

See uninstall dictionary definition for information and related links to the term
uninstall.

Unable to remove a program from Windows Add/Remove programs.

Unable to remove a program from Windows Add/Remove programs

Question
Unable to remove a program from Windows Add/Remove programs.

Additional information
Programs that have been manually removed by the user or other programs may cause Microsoft
Windows Add/Remove programs to be unable to remove the program from the Add/Remove
programs list. When this occurs, Microsoft Windows Add/Remove programs may generate the
below error.
An error occurred while trying to remove program. Uninstallation has been canceled.

Answer
Users can manually remove the program listing from Add/Remove programs by
using Microsoft's TweakUI or deleting the entry from the registry.

TweakUI
1. Install and open TweakUI.
2. In TweakUI click the Add/Remove tab.
3. Within the Add/Remove programs tab, select the programs you wish to
remove and click the Remove button.
4. Close TweakUI when done.

Windows Registry

Note: be aware that modifying the registry improperly can cause issues with your computer.
1. Click Start, Run and type regedit.
2. Within the registry, open the below key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninsta
ll
3. Within the above registry key, select the program you wish to uninstall from
the right side of the window.

Backup

An operation or procedure that copies data to an alternative

location, so it can be recovered if deleted or becomes corrupted. Depending on how often the
data changes, how valuable it is, and how long it takes to backup will determine how often a
backup is run. For example, a company with valuable information such as customer records that
change frequently may backup their data every day or in some cases every few hours. Even more
sensitive data such as bank records may be stored on drives using some form of RAID, which
helps protect the data even if a drive fails.
Today, there are dozens of different ways to backup your information and mediums to keep your
data. For example, CD-R, DVD-R, USB thumb drives, external drives, and in the cloud are some
of the most popular places to backup your data.

Help and support with computer backups.

See the MS-DOS backup command page for additional information about the MS-DOS
backup command.

Also see: Archive, Differential backup, Full backup, Incremental backup, Off-line storage
Getting into Windows Safe Mode

Question
Getting into Windows Safe Mode.

Reason
If you cannot boot into normal Windows mode or cannot troubleshoot because of errors in
normal mode boot into Safe Mode. Windows Safe Mode bypasses startup programs and drivers
that are not required for Windows to load and will allow you to fix Windows problems

Solutions
Windows XP users
Windows Vista users
Windows 7 users
Windows 98 and ME users
Windows 95 users
Windows 2000 users
How to get out of Safe Mode?
Which Safe Mode option should I choose?
Unable to get into Windows Safe Mode
How to boot your phone into Safe Mode
Cell phone always boots into Safe Mode
Windows 2000 and XP users
Tip: If you are running Safe Mode because you cannot get into Windows, you may want to first
try loading the last known good configuration.
To get into the Windows 2000 and XP Safe mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your
"F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use
your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.
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.
Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe mode - 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.
Once you're done in Safe mode if you want to get back into Normal Windows restart the
computer like you normally would and let it boot normally. Click here to get additional
information about getting out of Safe mode.

Windows 95 users
To get into Windows 95 Safe Mode, as the computer is booting, when you either hear a beep or
when you see the message "Starting Windows 95", press your F8 key on the top of your
keyboard. If done properly you should get into the Windows 95 Startup menu similar to the
below screen. In this menu choose option 3 by pressing the 3 key and press enter.
How do I get out of Safe Mode?
From Windows Safe Mode click Start, Shutdown, and restart the computer. This will start the
computer automatically back into Normal Mode.
Note: Many users believe that they are still in Safe Mode because the colors or video may not
look correct. Unless in the corners of the screen it says "Safe Mode", you are not in Safe Mode.
For information on how to setup your video card resolution, see document CH000190.
If you are rebooting the computer and it is rebooting back into Safe Mode (it does say "Safe
Mode" in each of the corners), it is likely another problem exists with Windows preventing it
from loading into Normal Windows. We recommend you see the basic troubleshooting section
for additional ideas that may help to resolve your issue.
Which Safe Mode option should I choose?
Users who are running later versions of Windows will get several different options for different
versions of Safe Mode. For example, you may have options for "Safe Mode", "Safe Mode with
Networking", and "Safe Mode with Command Prompt." Below is a brief description of each of
these different modes.
Safe Mode
The basic Safe Mode option is usually what most users will want to choose when
troubleshooting their computer. This is the most basic Safe Mode option and has no additional
support.
Safe Mode with Networking
For users needing access to the Internet or the network they're connected to while in Safe Mode
users may wish to choose this option. This mode is helpful for when you need to be in Safe
Mode to troubleshoot but also need access to the Internet so you can get updates, drivers, or
other files to help troubleshoot your issue.
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

This Safe Mode would also allow you to have access to the command line (MS-DOS prompt).

Additional information

See the Safe Mode definition page for further information and related links.

How do I fix illegal operations?

Issue
How do I fix Illegal Operations?

Cause
Illegal Operations can be caused by several different factors. Below is a listing of the more
commonly known reasons for getting an Illegal Operations.
1. TSR's or Third-party programs causing memory conflicts or other conflicts
with the program or programs attempting to be run.
2. 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.
3. Installing a program or game on a hard drive that has errors or is highly
fragmented.
4. Corrupt files.
5. Memory managers.
6. Bad, incorrect or not the latest video drivers.
7. Computer Virus.
8. Added hardware
9. Error in program coding
10.Corruption or problem within Windows.
11.Bad Memory, invalid bits or physically bad memory.

Solution
TSR's or Third-party programs
TSR's or Third-party programs running in the background are 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 recommend that you temporarily remove or disable programs running and
TSR's running in the background, ensuring that these programs are not causing your issues.

How to remove TSRs and startup programs.

If, after removing these programs, you run the program or game and no longer receive the Illegal
Operations, it is recommend that you reboot the computer and disable or End Task each program
or TSR one at a time to attempt to determine what program is causing the Illegal Operation.
Data not being read properly from source
When running a program or game from a CD you receive an Illegal Operation, verify that the CD
is clean. Additional information on how to clean a CD or CD-ROM drive can be found on our
Cleaning Page.
If you are running a game from a floppy diskette or other floppy media such as a zip diskette or
LS120, verify that the diskette does not have physical errors with it by running a ScanDisk or a
disk drive utility included with the drive.
Installing a program or game on a hard drive that has errors or is highly fragmented
When installing a program or game onto a hard drive it is recommended if you receive errors
after installing that program or game that you uninstall that program or game, run a ScanDisk,
then a defrag, and finally install the program or game again.
If errors exist on the hard drive, they will cause the program or game to run improperly and can
cause Illegal Operations.

Microsoft ScanDisk help page.

Microsoft Defrag help page.

Corrupt files
Corrupt, bad or missing files can cause Illegal Operations. It is recommended that you uninstall
or reinstall the program causing the Illegal Operation to verify that any corrupt, bad or missing
files are replaced or repaired during the reinstallation.
Memory managers
If you are running a memory manager that is used to obtain more memory or handle the
computer memory in replace of Windows, it is recommended you temporarily disable or
uninstall this program to verify it is not the memory manager causing the Illegal Operations.

Bad, incorrect or not the latest video drivers

Bad, incorrect or not the latest video drivers may cause Illegal Operations when performing such
tasks as moving the mouse or dragging data from one source to another as high demands are
placed onto the video card. Decrease the video settings to at least 800 x 600, 256 colors to verify
if the program or game being run is having errors because of the current video settings.

How to set the resolution in Microsoft Windows?

How to set the resolution or change the resolution/adapter in Windows 3.x.

If, after attempting to adjust the video settings, you still encounter the same issue, verify the
computer is utilizing the latest video card drivers by visiting our computer video drivers section.
Computer Virus
Because computer viruses are loaded into memory and can change the data of program files
when infecting a computer, ensure that a virus protection utility is installed on the computer and
that you have the latest Virus Definition.
Additional information about computer Viruses can be found at our Virus page.
Added hardware
If added hardware has been recently installed onto the computer it is likely that either the
hardware is conflicting with other hardware devices on the computer or that the drivers used to
install that hardware is causing issues with other hardware or software installed on the computer.
If added hardware has recently been added to the computer, it is recommended that you
temporarily remove that added hardware and the software associated with it to ensure it is not
causing your issues.
Error in program coding
If you are receiving Illegal Operations only when running a particular program, verify that the
program is compatible with the Version of Windows you are running and ensure no available
patches or software are available that may fix errors made during the development stages.
Corruption or problem within Windows
Because Windows controls the memory operations as well as the file structure and association, it
is possible for Windows or files associated with Windows to become corrupted, causing Illegal

Operations or other errors. It is recommended you reinstall Windows if you are experiencing
Illegal Operations in Windows or more than one program trying to be run on the computer.
Bad Memory, invalid bits or physically bad memory
It is possible that bad memory can cause Illegal Operations. If you have recently added memory
to the computer, it is recommended that it first be removed to verify that you are not
experiencing conflicts with the recently installed memory.
If no memory has been recently added to the computer and you have tried all the above
recommendations test your computer memory.

How can I test my memory to determine if it is bad?

Additional information

See our Illegal Operation definition for further information on this term and
visual example of the error.

How to set the resolution in Microsoft Windows

Issue
How to set the resolution in Microsoft Windows?

Solution
Windows Vista, 7, and 8 users
Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, and XP users
Windows Vista, 7, and 8 users
1. Open the Control Panel
2. Click Adjust screen resolution, which should show the below screen and allow
you to adjust all resolution settings.

Tip: As you increase the resolution the overall picture will get smaller, however the quality also
increases because there are more pixels shown on the screen. A resolution of 800x600 is going to
appear much larger and poorer quality than a resolution of 1024x768.
Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, and XP users
1. Open the Click Start, Settings, Control Panel
2. Double-click on Display
3. Click the Settings tab

Once in the Settings tab change the "Screen area" by dragging the switch from the left to the
right to increase the resolution. If you wish to increase the colors click the down arrow on the
colors box and select the amount of colors you wish to use. It is important to realize that as you
increase your screen area or resolution you may not be able to use all the different colors.
Tip: As you increase the resolution the overall picture will get smaller, however the quality also
increases because there are more pixels shown on the screen. A resolution of 800x600 is going to
appear much larger and poorer quality than a resolution of 1024x768.

Unable to increase the resolution in Windows.

Distorted video after increasing the resolution in Windows.

Additional information

What resolution should I set my monitor to?

My computer is running slow what steps can I do to fix it?

Issue
My computer is running slow what steps can I do to fix it?

Causes

This issue can be caused by any of the below possibilities.

1. Not enough hard drive space.
2. Left over programs and bad files.
3. Data Corruption.
4. Missing Windows updates or outdated drivers.
5. Computer is overheating.
6. Corrupt OS.
7. Bad Hardware.

Solution
Tip: This page only cover an overall slow computer and not a computer that has a slow boot up.
Below are steps for Microsoft Windows users that should help speed up the computer or
determine why the computer is running slow.
Reboot
If your computer has not been reboot recently make sure to reboot it before following any of the
below steps.
Not enough hard drive space
Verify that there is at least 200-500MB of free hard drive space. This available space allows the
computer to have room for the swap file to increase in size as well as room for temporary files.

Determining available hard drive space.

Regaining computer hard drive space.

Hard drive corrupted or fragmented

Run ScanDisk or something equivalent to verify there is nothing physically

wrong with the computer hard drive.

Run Defrag to help ensure that data is arranged in the best possible order.

Background programs
Remove or disable any TSRs and startup programs that automatically start each time the
computer boots.
Tip: To see what programs are running in the background and how much memory and CPU they
are using open Task Manager. If you are running Windows 7 run Resmon to get a better
understanding of how your computer is being used.
If you've got an antivirus scanner on the computer, spyware protection program, or other security
utility make sure it's not scanning your computer in the background. Often when these programs
begin to scan the computer it can decrease the overall performance of your computer.
Scan for malware
Today, spyware and other malware is a big cause of many computer problems including a slow
computer. Even if an antivirus scanner is installed on the computer we recommend running a
malware scan on the computer. Use the free version of Malwarebytes to scan your computer for
malware.
Hardware conflicts

Verify that the Device Manager has no conflicts. If any exist resolve these
issues as they could be the cause of your problem.

Update Windows

Make sure you have all the latest Windows updates installed in the computer.

If you are on the Internet when your computer is slow also make sure all
browser plugins are up-to-date.

Update your drivers

Make sure you've got the latest drivers for your computer, especially the latest video drivers.
Having out-of-date drivers can cause an assortment of issues.
Computer or processor is overheating
Make sure your computer and processor is not overheating. Excessive heat can cause a
significant decrease in computer performance since most processors automatically step the speed
of the processor down to help compensate compensate for the heat related issues.

What temperature should my processor be running at?

Dust, dirt, and hair can also constrict a proper air flow on your computer, which can also cause a
computer to overheat. Make sure your computer case is clean and fans are not obstructed.

Steps on cleaning your computer.

Memory upgrade
If you've had your computer for more than one year it's likely you're computer is not meeting the
memory requirements for today. Today, we suggest at a minimum the computer have 1GB of
memory.

Determining how much RAM is installed and available.

Specific operating system basic troubleshooting

Basic Microsoft Windows XP troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows 2000 troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows ME troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows 98 troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows 95 troubleshooting.
Basic Microsoft Windows 3.x troubleshooting.
Or go through the other basic troubleshooting steps.
Run registry cleaner
We normally do not recommend registry cleaners. However, if you have followed all of the
above steps and your computer is still slow try running a registry cleaner on the computer.
Erase computer and start over

If none of the above solutions resolve your issues, it is recommended that you either reinstall
Windows or erase everything and then start over.
Old computer
If your computer is older than five years come to terms that it is likely the age of the computer
that is causing it to be slow. Computers progress at an alarming rate as new programs and
updates for programs come out their minimum requirements increase and will cause older
computers to slow down. If your computer is older than five years we suggest purchasing a new
computer or just realize it is going to run slow because it is old.

How often should I buy a new computer?

Hardware issues
Finally, if your computer continues to be slow after going over each of the above
recommendations it's possible that your computer is experiencing a more serious hardware
related issue such as a failing component in the computer. This could be a failing or bad hard
drive, CPU, RAM, motherboard, or other component.

Additional information

Why is my Internet connection so slow?

What makes a computer fast and powerful?

Is it a good idea to change my Microsoft Windows page file size?

Swap file
Alternatively referred to as a page file or paging file, a swap file is a file stored on the computer
hard drive that is used as a temporary location to store information that is not currently being
used by the computer RAM. By using a swap file a computer has the ability to use more memory
than what is physically installed in the computer. However, users who are low on hard drive
space may notice that the computer runs slower because of the inability of the swap file to grow
in size.
It is perfectly normal for the swap file or page file to grow in size, sometimes growing several
hundred megs in size. Below is a listing of common Microsoft operating system swap file
information; however, it is important to realize that this information may vary. Finally, by default
the swap files are hidden.
Operating system

Swap file name

Location

Windows NT, 2000, XP, Vista, and 7

Windows 95, 98, and ME
Windows 3.x

PAGEFILE.SYS
WIN386.SWP
386PART.PAR

C:\
C:\
C:\WINDOWS

Related pages

How to view Windows virtual memory or page file settings?

Is it a good idea to change my Microsoft Windows page file size?

Additional information about the Microsoft Windows win386.swp swap file.

Also see: Memory definitions, Operating system definitions, Paging, Virtual memory

Reboot

1. Alternatively referred to as restart, reboot is a term used to

describe the process of restarting the computer or electronic device. Rebooting is sometimes
necessary to recover from an error, re-initialize drivers, or hardware devices. A reboot may also
occur automatically if the computer or hardware device encounters an error or is overloaded. In
the picture to the right, is the Turn off computer prompt in Windows XP that includes the Restart
option.
If the computer is operating normally, the user should not press the reset button or power the
computer off and on to reboot. Instead, restart the computer or shutdown the computer as
required by your operating system.

How do I reboot Microsoft Windows?

Windows restarts without warning.

How often should I reboot or restart my computer?

How to turn off, restart, and shut down Linux.

2. Linux command, see the reboot command for further information.

Also see: Auto restart, Boot, Bounce, Power cycle, Reset, Shutdown, Warm boot

Temporary file
Alternatively referred to as a foo file, a temporary file is a file created to hold information
temporarily while a file is being created. After the program has been closed, the temporary file
should be deleted. Temporary files are used to help recover lost data if the program or computer
is abnormally halted.
Microsoft Windows and Windows programs often create a .TMP file as the temporary file.

How to remove temporary program files.

Computer file extensions.

Also see: Dummy, Foo, Operating system definitions, Template, Temporary directory

How to remove temporary program files

Question
How to remove temporary program files.

Answer
Note: This document relates to deleting .tmp files. Which is not how you clear your browser
Internet history or cache.
Windows 98, XP, Vista, 7, and later
If you are running any of these versions of Windows we suggest running the Windows Disk
Cleanup utility to delete temporary files and cleanup other portions of your computer.

See the Disk Cleanup definition for additional information and help.

Searching for .tmp files

If you are running Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows ME,
Windows XP follow the below instructions to search for and delete any .tmp file found on your
computer.
1. Click Start, Find, and click Find Files or folders
2. In the named box type *.tmp to search for any files ending with tmp.

3. Verify that Look in section of the search box is pointing to the C: drive and not
Document Folders.
4. Click Find Now
5. Delete all files that are found

Once the above section has been done it is also recommend that you ensure that the temporary
folder on the hard drive is empty by following the below instructions.
1. Double-click My Computer
2. Double-click the C: drive
3. Double-click the Temp folder (if present) verify that all files within this folder
are deleted.
4. Close the window and re-open My Computer
5. Double-click the C: drive
6. Double-click the Windows folder
7. Double-click the Temp folder (if present) verify that all files within this folder
are deleted.

If you are running MS-DOS or Windows 3.x follow the below instructions to remove any
temporary files currently on the computer.
1. If you are currently in Windows click File and choose the option to Exit
Windows
2. Once at the prompt type:
cd\ <press enter>
del *.tmp <press enter>
3. Delete all temporary files found in the root directory of the C drive.
4. Next type:
cd\ <press enter>
cd temp <press enter>
5. If present or in the C:\TEMP> directory type del *.* and delete all files in the
temp directory.
6. Once deleted or if the temp folder is not present type:
cd\ <press enter>

cd windows <press enter>

cd temp <press enter>
7. If present or in the C:\Windows\TEMP> directory type del *.* and delete all
files in the C: windows temp directory.

Unable to delete .tmp file

If when deleting a .tmp file you get an error it's likely a program is running in the background
that's using the file. Close out of all programs, reboot, and try again if you wish to delete the file.

Additional information

See the temporary file definition for additional information on this term and
related links.

How do I clear my Internet browser history?

Question
How do I clear my Internet browser history?

Answers
As you browse the Internet, each of the items you view are saved locally on your hard drive. This
helps web pages you visit frequently load faster by loading the files from you hard drive instead
of having to downloading the web page again. To conserve hard drive space or to help keep their
Internet browsing private, users may find it necessary to delete their Internet History, below is
how to do this.
Tip: If you clear your Internet browser history often you may also want to consider browsing in
incognito mode.
Microsoft Internet Explorer users
Mozilla Firefox users
Google Chrome users
Opera users
Safari users
Netscape Navigator users
Microsoft Internet Explorer users
Tip: Users running Internet Explorer 7.0 and above will need to press the Alt key in order to
access the file menu to get access to options such as File, Tools, etc.

Viewing History

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and above users can view their history files
by clicking the "Tools" menu, "Internet Options", clicking the "Settings" button
under the Browsing history, and then clicking the "View Files" button.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x users can view their history files by clicking
the "Tools" menu, "Internet Options", clicking the "Settings" button, and then
clicking the "View Files" button.

Deleting History
Press CTRL + Shift + DEL to open the Clear Browsing History window.
or

Microsoft Windows users running Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and

above can delete their history files by clicking the "Tools" menu, "Internet
Options", and clicking the "Delete Files" or "Delete" button. Users also have
the option of automatically deleting files each time the close the browser
window by clicking the "Advanced" tab and checking "Empty Temporary
Internet Files folder when browser is closed" under the "Security" section.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x users on an Apple Macintosh can delete the
history by clicking the "Hard Drive" icon, "System", "Preferences", "Explorer",
and moving the history file into the trash.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02 and lower users can delete their history by
clicking the "View" menu, "Options", open the tab "Advanced", click the
"Settings" tab, and click the "Empty Folder" button.

Mozilla Firefox users

Viewing History
Press Ctrl + H to open the left-side history bar.
or
Click History at the top of the window.
or
Users using earlier versions of Mozilla Firefox can also view their history by clicking "Go" and
clicking "History."

Deleting History
Press CTRL + Shift + DEL to open the Clear All History window.
or
Mozilla Firefox users can clear their history by clicking the "Tools" menu, "Options", clicking
the "Privacy" button, and under "History" click the "Clear" or "Clear Now" button.
Tip: If you don't see the File, Edit, View menu press the Alt key.
Google Chrome users
Viewing History
Press Ctrl + H to open the left-side history bar.
or
Click on the "wrench"
or "Menu"
icon, which is located near the top-right side of the
browser window and then click History.
Deleting History
Press CTRL + Shift + DEL to open the Clear Browsing Data Window.
or
1. Click on the "wrench"
or "Menu"
right side of the browser window.

icon, which is located near the top-

2. Move your mouse over Tools, then select Clear browsing data...

3. Select the amount of time you want to go back to delete in your history. You
can choose from the past hour, the past day, the past week, the last
four weeks, and the beginning of time.
4. Select the types of history you would like to delete. You can choose as many
as you like from this list: Clear browsing history, Clear download
history, Empty the cache, Delete cookies and other site and plug-in
data, Clear saved passwords, and Clear saved Autofill form data.

5. Click the Clear browsing data button. This will clear the selected types of
Internet history for the chosen time period.

Opera users

Viewing History
Click Help and then About. Within the About Opera window you'll see the full path to where the
cached files are stored. Browse to that file path to view cached files.
Deleting History
Opera users can delete their history by clicking the "File" menu, "Preferences", "History", and
click "Empty now" button. In addition, users can check "Empty on exit" if they wish for this task
to occur each time they exit the browser.
Safari users
Viewing History
Press Ctrl + H to open the left-side history bar.
or
Click on the "gear" icon
and then click History.

, which is located near the top-right side of the browser window

Deleting History
1. Click on the "gear" icon
browser window.

, which is located near the top-right side of the

2. Click the Reset Safari... link to get the below window. Leave everything
checked if you want to clear everything out or just keep Clear history checked
to clear the history. Once your options have been selected click the Reset
button.
Identifying problems in Windows Device Manager

Question
Identifying problems in Windows Device Manager.

Answer

When opening the Windows Device

Manager you should see a screen similar to example picture to the right.
If everything is properly detected you'll see all +'s next to each of the device categories with no
"Other devices" listed as shown in the example. However, when problems do occur you'll be
presented with one or more of the below errors.
Exclamation Mark or Other Devices
Red X
Down arrow
Missing hardware or device not found
Exclamation Mark or Other Devices

When a device has a yellow circle with an exclamation mark or found under "Other devices" this
is an indication that the device is conflicting with another hardware device or the drivers for the
device are not installed properly.
Double-clicking and opening the device with the error will present you with an error code.

Information on Windows Device Manager error codes.

What to do
Remove all devices with exclamation mark and any "Other devices" from Device Manager by
highlighting them and pressing the delete key on the keyboard. Once they've all been removed
reboot the computer and allow Windows to re-detect the devices.
If after rebooting the computer the Device Manager remains the same Windows is not installing
the devices because it lacks the proper driver support. You'll need to download the latest drivers
for that device.
Red X

The device has been disabled, removed, or Windows is unable to locate the device.
What to do
If you want this device enabled, double-click the device with the red x, at the bottom of the
General tab click the Device usage drop down box where it says "Do not use this device
(disabled)" and select Use this device (enabled).
If this is not available or is already enabled instead of following the above steps. Highlight the
device in Device Manager, press delete on the keyboard to remove the device. Reboot the
computer and let Windows re-detect the device.

If after rebooting the computer the Device Manager remains the same Windows is not installing
the devices because it lacks the proper driver support. You'll need to download the latest drivers
for that device.
Down arrow
In Windows Vista, 7, and later if you see a small down arrow as shown in the below picture next
to the device this is an indication that the device has been disabled.

What to do
To resolve this issue double-click the device, click the Driver tab, and click the Enable button.
After it's been enabled restart the computer if asked.
Missing hardware or device not found
If you do not see the device listed you're trying to install into the computer or hardware that has
worked in the past is no longer showing up in Device Manager and there are no "Other devices"
listed in Device Manager this is an indication that the device is not being detected at all by the
computer. Even if Windows does not have the proper driver support for the device it should still
put that device under "Other devices".
Try turning off the computer and disconnecting and reconnecting the hardware device and then
turning the computer back on. If Windows still does not detect the device either that device is not
compatible with your version of Windows or it's bad.

Netscape users
Viewing History

Microsoft Windows users can view history by first opening Netscape and click
the "Edit" menu, "Preferences", "History", and view the location where
Netscape is storing your files. Next, open this folder within Explorer.

Deleting History

Netscape users can delete their history files by clicking the "Edit" menu,
"Preferences", "History", and click the "Clear History" button.

Additional information

How can I clear my browsing history on exit?

How do I view, edit, and disable Google search History?

See the cache and history definitions for further information about each of
these terms.