Showing posts with label system repair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label system repair. Show all posts

Thursday, July 29, 2010

windows fax cant install or not working (xp)

in some cases when you try to install windows fax your installation cant continue or stops suddenly, below mentioned solution tried and tested by me (at client place) after doing this i can successfully install windows fax. to do this follow these steps.


  1. click start and run
  2. type esentutl /p %windir%\security\database\secedit.sdb and press enter
  3. after pressing enter it will open warning message and allowing you two options, ok or cancel
  4. dont worry , click ok
  5. when finish, try to install windows fax again, the installation will continue with no problems.


additional - for the above problem, re-registering the cfgmgr32.dll file could also solve the problem, to learn how to register dll file please see this post.

re-enable windows update from group policy (xp)

before doing these steps make sure you have administrative privilege for you user account, to enable windows update follow these steps.

  1. click start and click run
  2. type gpedit.msc to start group policy
  3. in there navigate to computer configuration > administrative templates > windows components > windows update.
  4. now in the right side double click configure automatic update
  5. in the opened window click enable then click apply and ok.
**you can check also windows update service is up and running**

to do this

  1. click start and click run
  2. type services.msc to start services window
  3. in the right side find automatic update and double click to open it
  4. now in the general tab check under startup type
  5. in the drop down menu select automatic as startup type
  6. click apply and click ok

Friday, November 6, 2009

restore missing tabs in "display properties"

In windows xp sometimes you notice that your "display properties" tabs were missing suddenly. (actually sometimes hides itself) such as "Themes , Desktop, Screen saver, Appearance, Settings" ,this can happen for many reasons, the exact cause for this is yet to be found, but we know how to restore the missing tabs in display properties, follow these steps.

  • Click Start, click Run
  • Type regsvr32 themeui and press enter
  • Again Click Start, click Run
  • Type regsvr32 /i shell32 and press enter
Learn more about how to unregister and re-register DLL files

Friday, October 23, 2009

disable auto reboot when error occured (blue screen)

This will show you how to disable automatic restart option in registry, follow these steps.
  • Open registry editor
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl
  • In the right side double click AutoReboot key
  • Change the value to 0 to disable and 1 to enable
  • Exit registry editor and restart pc

windows low on registry space (win 2000)

The most possible cause for this is errors in windows partition, as a result of this error you cannot change the page file values. the first thing to try is using scandisk.

Solution
  • Start command prompt
  • Type chkdsk /f and press enter, this will ask to schedule scandisk in next restart, press y
  • In the restart system will scan the partition you specified, after login to windows your problem will be fixed.
Verify pagefile in registry
  • Start > run
  • Type regedit and press enter
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
  • In the right side open pagingfiles key
  • The default registry value described in here, for example if you set initial size of 2046 and maximum size of 4092 for your pagefile, your registry key value should be C:\pagefile.sys 2046 4092

Monday, October 5, 2009

how to unregister and reregister DLL files

For a number of occasions you might want to unregister and reregister DLL files when a problem occur, this post show you how to do it.

To register (or reregister) DLL file
  • Click start and run
  • Type regsvr32 .dll (for example - regsvr32 zipfldr.dll will register zip folders in windows)
  • Or you can use regsvr32 \.dll (where is the path to the file, and is the name of the file)
To unregister DLL file
  • Click start and run
  • Type regsvr32 -u .dll (for example - regsvr32 -u zipfldr.dll will disable zip folders)
  • Or you can use regsvr32 -u \.dll (where is the path to the file, and is the name of the file)

Sunday, September 27, 2009

common virus attack places in registry

If you pc get infected by a virus your registry will be modified by the virus, this ensures virus to keep coming back, number of registry locations modified and they are described as follows.

Location 1
  • Open registry editor
  • First navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
  • In the right side see if there is suspected key (specially look for a key that running locations such as C:\WINDOWS\ or C:\WINDOWS\system32)
  • Delete the suspected key
Location 2
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
  • Also in here look for a suspected keys as described above, and delete them
Location 3
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
  • In the right side find "Shell" key and verify its value data set as Explorer.exe if it is changed, erase the existing value and change it back to Explorer.exe
  • Also find "Uihost" key and verify its value data set as logonui.exe
  • Last find "Userinit" key and verify its value data set as C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe, there shouldn't be anything after comma, if it does erase the value data and change it back to C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,
Note - if you successfully removed virus from your system, but you haven't correct registry you might see error messages within login process, for a example Userinit key is defferent than described above, you will get error message before desktop came, also can take more time to login process.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

how to reinstall internet explorer 6

You can reinstall internet explorer if there is some problems, you will need windows xp installation CD to complete this process. the procedure as follows.
  • Insert windows xp installation CD to CD Rom
  • Now go to start and click run
  • Type this command rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 c:\windows\inf\ie.inf and press enter.
  • Now proceed the installation process

Thursday, August 27, 2009

what is error 1324

sometimes this can occur when you try to install program, if you have this problem try to install program in a different user account, check hard disk for errors and verify enough disk space available for installation.There is more than one possible cause for this error, they are described as follows.
  • User profiles are enabled
  • You are installing to an invalid destination folder
  • The Windows registry contains invalid characters
  • The computer is using a real mode (16-bit) driver to access the CD-ROM drive
  • The Microsoft Windows Installer file is damaged or is not installed correctly
  • The computer has insufficient hard disk space
  • Your profile contains a slash (/) character in the name (for example, Jones/Smith)
  • The CPU does not meet the minimum system requirements to run the program
  • Possible disk errors

Sunday, August 23, 2009

disk read error after uninstall vista and install xp

have you received "disk read error" after you remove windows vista and try to install windows xp. did you think your hard disk might faulty, don't worry you don't have to replace your hard disk, this is a most common error after removal of vista and try to install xp. the problem occurs after initial files are copied to hard disk and restart pc.

to solve this problem you have to re-partition your hard disk, first you need to take a backup of your data to another pc or hard disk, then while installing xp you can delete all partitions and re-partition hard disk again, or you can just delete C: partion and create partion again, no more disk read errors, enjoy installing windows.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

check disabled registry in group policy editor

Have your registry disabled, there are many methods to open disabled registry, but this time we talk about group policy editor, the procedure as follows.
  • Click start and run
  • Type gpedit.msc and press enter
  • Go to the each of following location
User Configuration
Administrative Templates
System
  • In the Settings Window, find the option for "Prevent Access to Registry Editing Tools" and double-click on it to change
  • Select Disabled or Not Configured and choose OK
  • Close the Group Policy Editor and restart your computer
  • Now try opening registry editor again
if still cant open registry read this

Friday, August 7, 2009

how to troubleshoot system restore issues

  1. First things first, if you see error message that is related to system restore, you need to record the error message, because most error messages that contains a description of the issue and suggestions for how to resolve the issue.
  2. Make sure that you have enough disk space on all of the drives on which System Restore is enabled.
  3. Make sure that System Restore is enabled on the drives
  4. Make sure that the System Restore service is running.
you can check the system restore status using following methods.

Check in Control Panel
  • Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click "Performance and Maintenance"
  • Click Administrative Tools, click Computer Management, and then click Services and Applications
  • Click Services, and then click System Restore Services
Check using command prompt
  • Click Start, click Run, and then type "CMD" Press ENTER key
  • then type''Net Start'' and press enter
  • the you will see a bunch of list,
  • in command prompt make sure that the System Restore service is up and running.
Check event viever to investigate System Restore service errors
  • Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click "Performance and Maintenance"
  • Click Administrative Tools, click Computer Management, double-click Event Viewer, and then click System
  • Click the Source tab to sort by name, and then look for "sr" or "srservice
  • Double-click each of these services, and then evaluate the event description for any indication of the cause of the problem.

how to get missing system restore tab in windows xp

to re-enable system restore through the Group Policy Editor, follow these steps.
  • Click start, and click run
  • In there type gpedit.msc to open group policy editor
  • Go to Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / System Restore
  • Set Turn off System Restore and Turn off Configuration to Disable
  • Right click on My Computer
  • Select Manage
  • Go to Services and Applications / Services
  • Scroll down to System Restore Service
  • Set it for Automatic
  • Click on the Start button to start the service
  • Close the window
  • Go back to the Group Policy Editor and configure both to Not configured
  • Then right click my computer, click properties
  • You will see now there is a system restore tab and you can configure how much space to use for the process.

create registry key for system restore (if missing)

this describes how to create registry key for system restore in windows xp.
  • go to the registry editor
  • go to the key of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
  • then go to the Edit menu, select New, DWORD
    value,
  • rename it as '' DisableSR ''
  • now set the value to 1 to disable System Restore or 0 to enable System Restore

start system restore using command prompt

Note - you must have a administrator privilege to perform this task.

To start System Restore using the Command prompt, follow these steps
  • start your computer, and then press and hold F8 during the initial startup.
  • in the menu, select safe mode with a Command prompt.
  • If you prompted to select an operating system, use the arrow keys to select the appropriate operating system and press enter.
  • log on as an administrator or with an account that has administrator privilege.
  • at the command prompt, type %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe, and then press ENTER
  • now follow the instruction in screen to restore your computer to a functional state.
important - If you have not previously set a restore point in System Restore, you cannot restore your computer to a previous state

Friday, July 24, 2009

how to repair boot sector in xp

If your pc wont be able to boot from xp there might be a damaged boot sector or a missing or corrupt ntldr or ntdetect.com files, to repair these items follow these steps.

To repair a damaged Boot Sector
  • go to the recovery console
  • type following command and press enter
  • fixboot
  • press Y and proceed
Note - the boot sector is written to the partition that's currently labeled as the C: drive

To replace damaged ntldr and ntdetect.com

To replace damaged ntldr and ntdetect.com you can copy fresh files from the XP CD using the COPY command. Boot with the XP CD and enter the Recovery Console.At the Command Prompt type the following (where "X" is your CD-Rom drive letter) allowing the files to overwrite the old files.
  • COPY X:\i386\NTLDR C:
  • COPY X:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C:

how to format using recovery console

there is some commands you should know before format, these are

format for initialised format command
/q for quick format
/fs specify file system (FAT, FAT32, or NTFS)

So before using command select format drive, select quick format or full format, and file system.

For example if you put FORMAT C: /Q /FS:NTFS will quick formats C partition as NTFS

If you put FORMAT C: /FS:FAT32 will full format of C as FAT32

Note - If a file system is not specified, then the existing file system format is retained.

how to repair master boot record (MBR) in xp

a problem with the master boot record in a system may prevent the system from booting.MBR can be corrupted in several ways, it can corrupted by malicious code, by disk errors, or be overwritten by other boot loaders.but you can easily repair MBR using recovery console.go to the recovery console by either following ways from windows xp installation disk or Windows XP Recovery Console at startup (first have to install) for this example we get start from windows installation cd,
  • Start your pc in with CD-ROM support and windows installation cd on it.
  • When prompted, press R to repair a Windows XP installation.
  • If you repairing multiple operating systems, select the appropriate one (XP) from the menu. If you have only one operating system, enter 1 to select it.
  • Enter the administrator password if prompted
  • To fix the MBR, use the following command
  • fixmbr
  • Type y and ENTER to fix the MBR
  • Type exit and press enter to leave the recovery console and reboot system.

for additional info
to install recovery console in windows xp read this post

Thursday, July 16, 2009

what is "Other Operating System found" error

When you try to upgrade your Microsoft Windows 95-based, Microsoft Windows 98-based, or Microsoft Windows ME-based computer to Microsoft Windows XP, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:

Error: Setup found some blocking issues.

Blocking issues Setup found some issues that will prevent you from upgrading your Windows Installation.

You must fix all of these issues before you can upgrade to Windows XP

"Other Operating System found"

The possibility for this errors are

* You previously installed Windows XP
* You uninstalled Windows XP
* Folders from the original Windows XP installation are still on your computer

there are several ways to resolve this issue

  • Verify hardware compatibility
Verify that any external devices that are connected to your computer are compatible with Windows XP. Remove any external devices if those devices are not compatible with Windows XP.to check device compatibility with Windows XP
please visit http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx

  • Remove unknown devices that are listed in Device Manager.
  • Delete previous system installation files
  • Disable any antivirus software that is running on your computer
  • Create a temporary storage folder for any files from the original system installation that are still on your hard disk.
Run Windows upgrade again.

detailed view of recovery console commands

ATTRIB

Use the attrib command together with one or more of the following parameters to change the attributes of a file or a folder:

-R
+R
-S
+S
-H
+H
-C
+C

Notes

+ Sets an attribute
- Resets an attribute
R Read-only file attribute
S System file attribute
H Hidden file attribute
C Compressed file attribute

You must set or clear at least one attribute.To view attributes, use the dir command.

BATCH

Use this command to run commands that are specified in a text file. In the command syntax, inputfile specifies the text file that contains the list of commands to be run, and outputfile specifies the file that contains the output of the specified commands. If you do not specify an output file, the output appears on the screen.

BOOTCFG

Use this command for boot configuration and recovery. This command has the following options:

bootcfg /add
bootcfg /rebuild
bootcfg /scan
bootcfg /list
bootcfg /disableredirect
bootcfg /redirect [portbaudrate] | [useBiosSettings]
Examples:
bootcfg /redirect com1 115200
bootcfg /redirect useBiosSettings

You can use the following options:

/add Adds a Windows installation to the boot menu list.
/rebuild Iterates through all Windows installations so that you can specify which installations to add.
/scan Scans all disks for Windows installations and displays the results so that you can specify which installations to add.
/default Sets the default boot entry.
/list Lists the entries already in the boot menu list.
/disableredirect Disables redirection in the boot loader.
/redirect Enables redirection in the boot loader, with the specified configuration.

CD and CHDIR

Use the cd and chdir commands to change to a different folder. For example, you can use the following commands:
Type cd .. to change to the parent folder.
Type cd drive: to display the current folder in the specified drive.
Type cd without parameters to display the current drive and folder.
The chdir command treats spaces as delimiters. Because of this, you must put quotation marks ("") around a folder name that contains a space.

The following is an example:

cd "\windows\profiles\username\programs\start menu"
The chdir command works only in the system folders of the current installation of Windows, in removable media, in the root folder of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources.

CHKDSK

chkdsk drive /p /r
The chkdsk command checks the specified drive and repairs or recovers the drive if the drive requires it. The command also marks any bad sectors and it recovers readable information.

You can use the following options:

/p Does an exhaustive check of the drive and corrects any errors.
/r Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.

Note If you specify the /r option, the /p option is implied. When you specify the chkdsk command without arguments, the command checks the current drive with no options in effect.

When you run the chkdsk command, you must use the Autochk.exe file. CHKDSK automatically locates this file in the startup folder. If the Command Console was preinstalled, the startup folder is typically the Cmdcons folder. If CHKDSK cannot find Autochk.exe in the startup folder, CHKDSK tries to locate the Windows installation disc. If it cannot find the installation media, CHKDSK prompts you for the location of the Autochk.exe file.

CLS

Use this command to clear the screen.

COPY

copy source destination
Use this command to copy a file. In the command syntax, source specifies the file to copy and destination specifies the folder or file name for the new file. You cannot use wildcard characters indicated by an asterisk (*), and you cannot copy a folder. If you copy a compressed file from the Windows installation disc, the file is automatically decompressed while it is copied.

The source of the file can be removable media, any folder in the system folders of the current Windows installation, the root of any drive, the local installation sources, or the Cmdcons folder.

If destination is unspecified, the default destination is the current folder. If the file already exists, you are prompted whether you want the copied file to overwrite the existing file. The destination cannot be removable media.

DEL and DELETE

del drive: path filename
delete drive: path filename
Use this command to delete a file. In the command syntax, drive: path filename specifies the file that you want to delete. The delete command works only in the system folders of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root folder of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources. The delete command does not accept wildcard characters.

DIR

dir drive: path filename
Use this command to display a list of files and subfolders in a folder. In the command syntax, drive: path filename specifies the drive, folder, and files to list. The dir command lists all files, including hidden files and system files. Files can have the following attributes:
D Directory
H Hidden file
S System file
E Encrypted
R Read-only file
A Files ready for archiving
C Compressed
P Reparse point
The dir command works only in the system folders of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root folder of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources.

DISABLE

disable servicename
Use this command to disable a Windows system service or a driver. In the command syntax, servicename specifies the name of the service or driver that you want to disable.

Use the listsvc command to display all services or drivers that are eligible to be disabled. The disable command prints the old start type of the service before resetting the start type to SERVICE_DISABLED. Record the old start type if you must enable the service again.

The disable command displays the following start_type values:
SERVICE_DISABLED
SERVICE_BOOT_START
SERVICE_SYSTEM_START
SERVICE_AUTO_START
SERVICE_DEMAND_START

DISKPART

diskpart /add/deletedevice_name drive_name partition_name size
Use this command to manage the partitions on your hard disk volumes. You can use the following options:

/add Creates a new partition.
/delete Deletes an existing partition.
device_name The name of the device that is used to create a new partition.
drive_name A drive-letter-based name, for example D:.
partition_name The partition-based name for deleting an existing partition.
size The size of the new partition in megabytes.
You can determine the device name from the output of the MAP command, for example, \Device\HardDisk0. You can use the partition name instead of the drive name argument, for example, \Device\HardDisk0\Partition1. If you use no arguments, a user interface for managing your partitions appears.

ENABLE

enable servicename start_type
You can use the enable command to enable a Windows system service or a driver.

LISTSVC

Use the listsvc command to display all eligible services or drivers to enable. The enable command prints the old start type of the service before it is reset to the new value. It is a good idea to note the old value, in case you have to restore the start type of the service.

Valid options for start_type are as follows:
SERVICE_BOOT_START
SERVICE_SYSTEM_START
SERVICE_AUTO_START
SERVICE_DEMAND_START
If you do not specify a new start type, the enable command prints the old start type for you.

EXIT

Use the exit command to exit the Recovery Console and restart your computer.

EXPAND

expand source [/F:filespec] [destination] [/y]
expand source [/F:filespec] /D
Use this command to expand a file. In the command syntax, source specifies the name of the file to be expanded and destination specifies the folder for the new file. If you do not specify a destination, the command uses the current folder by default. You cannot include wildcard characters.

You can use the following options:

/y Do not prompt before overwriting an existing file.
/f:filespec Identifies the files to be expanded.
/d Do not expand; display only a directory of the files in the source.
If the source contains more than one file, you must use the /f:filespec parameter to find the specific files to be expanded. You can include wildcard characters.

The destination can be any folder in the system folders of the current Windows installation, in the root of the drive, in the local installation sources, or in the Cmdcons folder. The destination cannot be removable media, and the destination file cannot be read-only. Use the attrib command to remove the read-only attribute.

Unless you use the /y option, the expand command prompts you if the destination file already exists.

FIXBOOT

fixboot drive name:
Use this command to write the new Windows boot sector code on the system partition. In the command syntax, drive name is the drive letter where the boot sector will be written. This command fixes damage in the Windows boot sector. This command overrides the default setting, which writes to the system boot partition. The fixboot command is supported only on x86-based computers.

FIXMBR

fixmbr device name
Use this command to repair the MBR of the boot partition. In the command syntax, device name is an optional device name that specifies the device that requires a new MBR. Use this command if a virus has damaged the MBR and Windows cannot start.

Warning This command can damage your partition tables if a virus is present or if a hardware problem exists. If you use this command, you may create inaccessible partitions. We recommend that you run antivirus software before you use this command.

You can obtain the device name from the output of the map command. If you do not specify a device name, the MBR of the boot device is repaired,

for example:

fixmbr \device\harddisk2
If the fixmbr command detects an invalid or non-standard partition table signature, fixmbr command prompts you for permission before it rewrites the MBR. The fixmbr command is supported only on x86-based computers.

FORMAT

format drive: /Q /FS:file-system
Use this command to format the specified drive to the specified file system. In the command syntax, /Q performs a quick format of the drive, drive is the drive letter of the partition to format, and /FS:file-system specifies the type of file system to use such as FAT, FAT32, or NTFS. If you do not specify a file system, the existing file system format is used if it is available.

LOGON

The logon command lists all detected installations of Windows and then requests the local administrator password for the copy of Windows that you want to log on to. If your first three tries to log on fail, the console closes, and your computer restarts.

MAP

map arc
Use this command to list drive letters, file system types, partition sizes, and mappings to physical devices. In the command syntax, the arc parameter tells the map command to use ARC paths instead of Windows Device paths.

MD and MKDIR

The md and mkdir commands create new folders. Wildcard characters are not supported. The mkdir command works only in the system folders of the current installation of Windows, in removable media, in the root folder of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources.

MORE

more filename
Use this command to display a text file to the screen.

NET

Although the Help file states otherwise, the net command is not usable from the Recovery Console. The protocols stack is not loaded for the Recovery Console. Therefore, there is no networking function available.

RD and RMDIR

Use rd and rmdir commands to delete a folder. These commands work only in the system folders of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root folder of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources.

REN and RENAME

Use the ren and rename commands to rename a file.

Note You cannot specify a new drive or path for the renamed file. These commands work only in the system folders of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root folder of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources.

SET

You can use the set to display or modify four environment options.
AllowWildCards = FALSE AllowAllPaths = FALSE AllowRemovableMedia = FALSE NoCopyPrompt = FALSE
For more information about how to use the set command, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
235364 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/235364/ ) Description of the SET command in Recovery Console

SYSTEMROOT

The systemroot command sets the current working folder to the %SystemRoot% folder of the Windows installation that you are currently logged on to.

TYPE

type filename
Use the type command to display a text file.