Troubleshooting
Links to the most popular Microsoft Knowledge Base Troubleshooting articles. Links to articles about Networking Issues (including network printing,) Cable Modems, Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) and DVD/CD Reader/Writer problems are covered elsewhere.
Index
Hardware and Software Driver Problems
Troubleshoot Video Adapter Driver in Safe Mode
Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting
Black Screen When You Start Windows
Black Startup Screen, Computer Restarts Repeatedly
Shutdown & Restart Troubleshooting
Unknown Devices in Device Manager
Stop 0x00000077 or KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR
You Cannot Delete a File or a Folder
Computer Speed and Performance Decrease
Setup Hangs During the "Preparing installation " Phase
Files May Not Be Copied During Text-Mode Setup
Troubleshooting IEEE 1394 (FireWire) Devices
The Diskpart Command Line Utility
How to Troubleshoot By
Using the Msconfig Utility
This article describes how to troubleshoot configuration errors in Microsoft Windows XP by using the System Configuration utility (Msconfig.exe). Back to Top
How to Troubleshoot Hardware and
Software Driver Problems
After you install a new hardware device or new software, your computer may start to restart spontaneously, or you may receive error messages on a blue screen. Back to Top
How to Troubleshoot Audio
and Video Issues in Media Player (WMP)
This article describes the issues that may impact the quality of media that is played in Windows Media Player, and the general troubleshooting steps that you can perform to overcome these issues. Back to Top
Resources for Troubleshooting
Display Problems
This article is intended to assist you in using the Video Display Troubleshooter that is included in Windows XP Help and Support Center, and to provide a list of online support services that may help you solve your problem. Back to Top
Troubleshooting Device Conflicts
with Device Manager
This article provides steps that you can use to troubleshoot hardware configuration problems by using Device Manager. You can use Device Manager to examine and change software-configurable devices. Note that if your hardware device uses jumper pins or dip switches, you must configure the device manually. Back to Top
Troubleshooting MS-DOS-Based
Programs
This article describes how to troubleshoot MS-DOS-based programs in Windows. Back to Top
How to Troubleshoot Program
Compatibility Issues
This article describes how to troubleshoot the most common program compatibility issues you may encounter on your Windows XP-based computer. Back to Top
Using Application Verifier
to Troubleshoot Programs
Application Verifier (AppVerifier) is included in Windows XP to promote stability and reliability. You can use this tool to troubleshoot application issues. This article describes how to use Application Verifier to isolate and troubleshoot a program in Windows XP. Back to Top
How to Troubleshoot the
Video Adapter Driver in Safe Mode
This article shows you methods of troubleshooting Safe-Mode video problems. In Safe mode, the computer does not start the video adapter driver that is used during normal operations, so you need to use Device Manager to discover, update, roll back, or uninstall the video driver instead of accessing the Display properties. Back to Top
How to Troubleshoot 16-Bit
Windows Programs
Many different 16-bit programs designed to run under Microsoft Windows 3.1 have been tested with Windows XP. When you troubleshoot a 16-bit Windows-based program that is not working properly, consider the following items.… Back to Top
This article describes how to disable common startup programs, settings, and drivers to troubleshoot issues in Windows XP. This procedure is known as "clean booting." Use this procedure only to troubleshoot error messages or behaviors when you are unable to determine the cause of the issue. Following these steps results in a temporary loss of some functionality. Restoring the settings restores the functionality, but may result in the return of the original error message or behavior. Back to Top
How to Perform Advanced
Clean-Boot Troubleshooting
Many issues that you may experience on a Windows XP-based computer occur because of an incompatible or corrupted program. To determine whether this is the case, you can either perform a clean boot or restart Windows without starting the program in question. This article explains how to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting to determine whether the problem in question is affiliated with the core operating system or with a program that is loading in the Windows environment. Back to Top
Troubleshooting System
Restore
This article (link above) describes how to perform basic troubleshooting for issues that involve the System Restore tool in Windows XP.
Also read the TechNet article, Frequently Asked Questions Regarding System Restore in Windows XP. Covers off how System Restore differs from Backup, performance loss, impact on documents and data files, what files are monitored, impact on recently installed applications, what is restored when use System Restore, when restore points are created, disk space requirements and how to determine how much is currently used, deleting restore points and turning it off, why restore points may not be created automatically and more.
Also see:
System Restore "Restore Points" Are Missing or Deleted
System Restore Tool Displays a Blank Calendar
System Restore Suspended When There Is Enough Disk Space
How System Restore Handles Hard-Disk Space Usage Back to Top
Black Screen When
Starting (Computer stops responding)
When you attempt to start Windows XP, the computer may appear to stop responding (hang) with an empty, black screen immediately after the power-on self test (POST) is complete and before the Windows logo normally appears on the screen. Back to Top
Black Startup Screen Displayed,
Computer Restarts Repeatedly
When you attempt to start Microsoft Windows XP, the black startup screen may be briefly displayed, and then your computer restarts repeatedly. Back to Top
Resources for Troubleshooting
Startup Problems
You receive an error message when you start your computer. Your computer stops responding when you try to start windows XP. Back to Top
How to Troubleshoot Scheduled
Tasks
This step-by-step article describes how to troubleshoot scheduled tasks in Windows XP. If scheduled tasks do not run, you can use several methods to determine the source of the problem. Back to Top
How to Troubleshoot Common Fax
Problems
How to troubleshoot common fax problems in Windows XP. How to use the Microsoft Product Support Services web site to find a solution. Back to Top
Resources to Help Troubleshoot
Shutdown Problems
This article refers to resources that you can use to troubleshoot shutdown problems in Windows XP. After you follow the steps in each article in a section, determine if you have resolved the problem by either shutting down or restarting your computer. If you still cannot shut down or restart your computer, continue to the next section in order. Try to shut down or restart your computer at the end of each section.
NOTE: If you have very slow shutdown, try turning off the Clear Pagefile at Shutdown option before using these resources. Beware that the article gives instructions for turning the option on. Change the recommended registry key value of 1 to 0. Back to Top
Shutdown & Restart Troubleshooting
Shutdown problems in Windows XP can be caused by many factors, just like earlier versions of Windows. These include: a damaged exit sound file; incorrectly configured, damaged, or incompatible hardware; conflicting programs, or an incompatible, damaged, or conflicting device driver. Back to Top
How to Troubleshoot Unknown
Devices Listed in Device Manager
Device Manager displays a list of all devices that are installed on your Microsoft Windows XP-based computer. When you view device information in Device Manager, you may see a device listed as Unknown Device next to a yellow question mark. It may be hard to determine the cause of this unknown device, because there are few indications of what generates it. This article explains the possible reasons that an unknown device may appear in Device Manager. Back to Top
Troubleshooting General Printing
Problems
This article describes how to troubleshoot difficulties that you may encounter when you try to print to a local printer in Windows XP. Back to Top
Resources for Troubleshooting
Printing Problems
This article is intended to assist you in using the Printing Troubleshooter that is included in Windows XP Help and Support Center, and to provide a list of online support services that may help you solve your problem. Back to Top
"Stop 0x00000077" or
"KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR"
When you are running Windows XP, you may receive one of the following error messages "Stop 0x00000077" or "KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR". Back to Top
You Cannot Delete a File or a
Folder
You may not be able to delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume. This article describes why you may not be able to delete a file or a folder on an NTFS volume and how to address the different causes to resolve this issue. Back to Top
Computer Speed and Performance May
Decrease
Under some conditions, your computer may run slowly. Back to Top
Setup Stops Responding (Hangs)
During "Preparing Installation"
When you attempt to upgrade your Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), or Microsoft Windows Millennium (Me)-based computer, Setup may stop responding (hang) during the "Preparing installation" phase. Back to Top
Random Files May Not Be Copied
During Text-Mode Setup
When you install Windows, you may receive a message during text-mode Setup that states that a file cannot be copied because it is damaged or missing. If you attempt to skip the file, you may receive the same message for random files that Setup tries to copy to your hard disk. Retrying a file may or may not work, but the process continues to stop on subsequent files. Back to Top
Troubleshooting IEEE 1394 (FireWire) Devices
A series of MSKB articles describing how to troubleshoot various difficulties that you may encounter with IEEE 1394 (FireWire) devices in Windows XP. Back to Top
The Diskpart Command-Line Utility
Diskpart enables a superset of the actions that are supported by the Disk Management snap-in. The Disk Management snap-in prohibits you from inadvertently performing actions that may result in data loss. It is recommended that you use the Diskpart utility cautiously because Diskpart enables explicit control of partitions and volumes. Back to Top
Revision Date: 30 Nov 2003