Diagnose and Fix Problems with Windows 7 Home Premium, Ultimate and Professional Editions |
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This section of this website provides the solutions to the problems with Windows 7 that I have encountered since it was made available in February 2009. Included is a link to another page on this website that provides links to Windows 7 problems dealt with in Microsoft's Knowledge Base. A descriptive link to each problem is provided on this page. All of the main versions - Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate - provide the best problem-solving and recovery options made available by Windows to date, all of which are dealt with on this page. System Restore, first made available in Windows XP, is still the first option to try because it backdates the system to an earlier state - the date a particular restore point was created. However, many problems cannot be fixed by using System Restore and that is the kind of problem that is dealt with on this page. Therefore, as long as the problem is caused by software (is not hardware related), either from within Win7 itself or by third-party software, the chances of rectifying a problem are better than ever. However, if the problem is caused by faulty or problematic hardware components or peripheral devices attached to the computer, you can have a look at the hardware problem sections of this website for a solution or enter as accurate a description of the problem as possible in this website's Search box provided at the top of every page. To make finding a solution to a problem as easy as possible, I have made the titles of every problem contain as many symptoms as possible. Good luck.
The Q&As that deal with problems in Windows 7 are under the table below, which provides useful links to recovery methods that might help you to fix your problem(s). Click here! to go to the page on this website that deals in article form with the various methods of recovering, restoring and repairing Windows 7.
Useful troubleshooting and recovery options provided by Windows 7The Windows 7 Problem Steps RecorderThere is a very useful tool provided by Window 7 (but not Vista) that is simple to use. To run it, enter psr in the Start => Search programs and files box, click on the link called Record steps to reproduce a problem that is presented. The program's small window appears. Click on Start Record and you can record everything you do as you re-create the problem. The recording can be paused at any time and resumed later. If you are computer savvy you should be able to fix the problem yourself without making the recording, but if not you can send the recording to someone who is computer savvy, who can then tell you what to do to fix the problem. How do I use Problem Steps Recorder? - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/How-do-I-use-Problem-Steps-Recorder Windows 7 Walkthrough: Problem Steps Recorder - http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=22292 Obscure Win7 tools [including the PSR] can save you time and trouble - "Some of Windows 7's best new features aren't so easy to find." - http://www.windowssecrets.com/2009/12/17/... How to use the Troubleshooting troubleshooters in Windows 7Windows 7 provides several troubleshooters in its Control Panel that is accessed by clicking on the Start button. The default view of the Control Panel (View by: Category) has a System and Security section. You click on the Find and fix problems link to open the page that provides the troubleshooters, which, when activated, run to fix problems automatically. The easiest way to access them is to type the word troubleshooting in the Start => Search programs and files box (no need to press the Enter key) to be presented with a clickable link. The most useful troubleshooters are under the following headings: Hardware and Sound - Troubleshoot audio recording - Troubleshoot audio playback - Use a printer Network and Internet - Internet connections - Shared folders - HomeGroup - Network adapter - Incoming Connections System and Security - Fix problems with Windows Update - Run maintenance tasks - Check for performance issues How to use the Windows 7 Reliability MonitorWindows Vista and Windows 7 have a useful utility called Reliability Monitor that can be useful to troubleshoot computer problems; for instance, in tracking crashes after software installations and updates. The following webpage provides illustrated instructions on how to use it. Windows 7 - Reliabilty Monitor - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2270-reliabilty-monitor.html |
Diagnose and fix problems with Windows 7
Click the relevant link below to go to that Q&A article. Use your browser's Back button to backtrack.
1. - Troubleshooting Windows 7 Problems with the Microsoft Knowledge Base [Goes to another page on this website.]
2. - Why can't a second Windows 7 PC connect to a HomeGroup? - Error message: This computer cannot connect to a HomeGroup [Goes to a problem on the Networking Problems section of this website.]
3. - Software package Adobe PhotoDeluxe won't work on a Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit PC
5. - Slipstreaming Windows 7: How to create a Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) disc and how to combine a Windows 7 installation disc with the SP1 files to create a slipstreamed Windows 7 SP1 disc that can install Windows 7 SP1 [Goes to another page on this website that deals with slipstreaming Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7.]
10. - The Sleep and Hibernate features in Windows 7 have stopped working
11. - The "Search" feature and Indexing Service in Windows 7 won't/doesn't work
14. - How can I install Windows 7 on a netbook computer that doesn't have an optical CD/DVD drive?
18. - My computer running the 64-bit version Windows 7 Home Premium isn't using all of its 4GB RAM memory [The link takes you to a problem on a separate page that is listed on the RAM Memory Problems page on this website.]
19. - I want to remove Windows Vista from multi-boot Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 (Win7) setup [The link takes you to a problem on the Windows Vista Problems page on this website.]
23. - Windows 7 Backup is not working - won't back up to a USB external hard disk drive
Lost my PC's Recovery Disc and after an irrecoverable system crash, I can't install a retail copy of Windows 7 Home Premium over the existing OEM copy
Problem
My Toshiba Qosmio laptop computer came with an OEM copy of Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed and a Recovery Disc. However, after an irrecoverable system crash, which must be software-related because the computer works using a Ubuntu Linux boot DVD, I discovered that I had lost the Recovery Disc, so I bought a retail copy of Windows 7 Home Premium. Unfortunately, it won't install because it can't wipe the previous installation from the laptop's hard drive.
Answer
That problem could be due to installing Win7 as an upgrade instead of a clean installation or because you have not formatted the hard disk drive when when using the Custom (advanced) installation option.
Here are step-by-step instructions to perform a clean installation:
1. - Start up the computer and press the Setup key indicated on the startup screen (usually the Del key) that opens the BIOS setup program. All BIOS programs allow the user to set the boot order of devices. To boot from a DVD, if it is not the default setting, set the CD/DVD drive as the first boot device. You can leave that setting because the computer will only use it if there is a CD/DVD disc in the drive. Save the setting, insert the Win7 DVD in the drive and exit the BIOS. The computer will reboot and should boot from the disc after you have pressed any key when the message to do so presents itself. If you don't press a key within about 8 seconds, you will have to restart the computer and try again.
2. - When the setup process asks you to do so, set the language preference, click the Next button and click on Install Now on the next setup screen.
3. - Use the mouse pointer to place a check mark in the I accept the license terms dialog box and click on Next.
4. - Select the Custom (advanced) option (not the alternative Upgrade option).
5. - The next Window is called Where do you want to install Windows? It provides the available partitions on the laptop's hard disk drive. Select the drive or partition to install Windows 7 on and click on the Drive Options (advanced) link, which is easy to miss. Your computer's hard drive may have a boot partition and a much smaller recovery partition or it may not be partitioned at all and have all of its capacity as a single drive called Disk 0. If there is a partition it will be called Disk 0 partition 1. If the computer has a second hard drive installed it would be called Disk 1. For some reason, probably due to the binary number system that computer's use, which only uses 0 and 1, software developers like to start from 0 instead of 1. If the drive or partition of the drive that you have selected is labelled as unallocated, then you can just click on the Next button, because it is empty space that doesn't need formatting. Note that if you have accessed the Win7 installation disc from within Windows, the Drive options (advanced) option that you need to use won't be provided, hence the requirement to boot the system from the installation disc.
6. - To wipe the existing installation from the drive or partition it is installed on requires formatting it, so select the drive or partition of the drive that you want to do a clean install of Windows 7 on, then click on the Format option to format it and click on the Next button.
7. - Windows 7 will start to install on the formatted drive or partition of that drive. The computer will restart a few times, so there is no need to worry that anything is going wrong when it does this.
Note that if you don't want anything other than Windows and programs and data files on the drive and there are no partitions that contain critical data, such as a recovery partition that contains a backup that returns the computer to its factory state (its user manual will tell you if it uses a recovery partition), or system diagnostics programs, you can delete all of the partitions and then format the whole capacity of the drive as a single drive. Alternatively, you can break the drive into partitions and then format them. Note that Windows and its programs uses up large quantities of disk space and if you install Windows on a small partition it can run out of space. A drive or partition that has Windows installed on it should have about 20% free space in order to be able to function properly. Open Start => Computer and right-click on the C: drive and choose Properties to see how much free space there is on the boot drive. To avoid problems later on, I would just use the full capacity of the drive (with no partions created).
Remember that you will have only installed Windows, not the original software that Toshiba installed. Consequently, certain buttons and hardware might not work. To fix that, visit Toshiba's website, find its Support section and download the software made available for your model of laptop.
Software package Adobe PhotoDeluxe won't work on a Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit PC
Problem
In both Windows 98 and Windows XP, I could use Adobe PhotoDeluxe 3.1, which came with my scanner, to clean up photocopies of birth, death, marriage certificates and accompanying image files, but the application won't run even using compatibility mode set to Windows XP in the Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit version that my new desktop PC runs. Apparently, I need the Professional or Ultimate versions if Win7 in order to use Windows XP Mode that allows a user to run Windows-XP-compatible programs from a copy of Windows XP built into Win7. Is there any other way I might be able to get this software working on my new PC?
Answer
Adobe PhotoDeluxe 3.1 is an excellent application, but all things must pass. However, if you want to keep using it, you can run Windows XP in a virtual machine within Windows 7 and install it in that copy of XP. Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 is free to download from microsoft.com or you can use VirtualBox from http://www.virtualbox.org/. With either program installed, you can use your Windows XP installation disc to install XP in that virtual machine. If necessary, you should be able to find many guides on how to use those programs by using a suitable search query in a search engine.
However, I would abandon that application for the excellent Photoshop Elements, which you would have to purchase. Google's Picassa is a free program that you can use. Photoshop Elements can read the PDD files generated by Adobe PhotoDeluxe, Picassa can't, but if you can use your old computer running Adobe PhotoDeluxe to convert the PDD files into a format that Picassa finds compatible, such as JPEG, TIFF or PNG, you'll be on your way with Picassa.
Fortunately, you won't have to convert thousands of files individually, you can buy a program, such as Image Converter Plus for around £30, which can convert large batches of files automatically.
The Adobe Flash Player won't work in the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer 9 on my laptop running the 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 Home Premium
Problem
I just installed Internet Explorer 9 on a dual-boot Windows Vista and Windows 7 system (both 64-bit versions of the Home Premium edition). When I use the 64 bit version of the Adobe Flash Player in IE9, it won't work. A particular website that I normally use is now wanting to install the Adobe Flash Player Installer Active-X, and when I click OK, nothing happens and some of the graphics do not appear. Everytime I navigate to a different page on the same website, the same thing happens all over. I do not have a problem if I don't use the 64 bit version of IE9. The same issue applied with IE8 when trying to use the 64 bit version. The 32 bit version worked fine.
Answer
Adobe don't currently have an official release of a 64-bit version of the Flash Player. (Date: July, 2011). I have no idea when the officially-released 64-bit version will be made available, but a beta (test/preview) version is available that works well. You can download it from this page on Abobe's website: http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flashplayer11.html.
Look under the Flash Player 11 Beta 64-bit Installers heading. There is a download for IE and another for other browsers (Firefox, Chrome, etc.). Under the Flash Player 11 Beta 32-bit Installers heading are the same downloads for a 32-bit system that can also install a 32-bit version of the Flash Player 11 Beta on a 64-bit version of Windows.
This is the solution that Adobe offers if you want to use the latest official release (Flash Player 10) instead of the Beta (Flash Player 11 Beta): "To use Flash Player to view Flash content on a 64-bit operating system, you must run a 32-bit browser. For details on setting this up for Windows see Microsoft Help & Support."
Read the information on the following page of Adobe's website - http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/000/6b3af6c9.html
Read the information below on how to remove web-tracking cookies below to find out how to set the available settings of the Flash Player.
How to remove web-tracking flash cookies created by the Adobe Flash Player
November 24, 2009. - The Adobe Flash Player, used by most browsers to display web content such as video, can record 100Kb (kilobytes) of data, much more than the 4Kb that standard cookies use. The flash cookies are stored silently on our computers by more than half of the top 100 websites, and are not always mentioned explicitly in privacy policies. The flash cookies track online activity and therefore are a threat to your privacy. Online sources state that these cookies are used to target users with adverts, and to capture private data that can then be sold. Flash cookies are capable of re-creating regular web cookies after they have been deleted, so even after you have deleted regular cookies, they will reappear. They are shared between browsers and can't be managed via or deleted by your browser. Flash cookies can't usually be managed or deleted using a program on your computer. CCleaner removes many of them but not all.
Macromedia.com used to develop the Flash Player before Adobe took that company over. That is why the flash cookies are stored in a folder called macromedia.com. To get rid of them, use Windows Explorer to locate the following end folders within the macromedia.com folder and delete the files in them:
In Windows XP, find C:\Documents and Settings\Username\ Application Data\Macromedia\Flash Player\ #SharedObjects\RandomFolderName and
C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Macromedia\Flash Player\macromedia.com\.
For Windows Vista and Windows 7, use C:\users\username\AppData\roaming.
The AppData folder in Windows Vista and Windows 7 will be hidden unless you open Appearance and Personalization, open Folder Options, click on the View tab and enable Show hidden files, folders, drives. You should leave the Settings.sol file because it contains the Global Settings that you create using the Flash Settings Manager on the following webpage. You have to go to that page to set the settings of Flash Player being used by your computer, because there is no local control panel for the Flash Player. The reason for this is obvious - Adobe doesn't want users to be able to choose the settings easily from within their own computers that prevent tracking data and information capture.
Flash Settings Manager - http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/...
Note that when the Flash Player is updated, the settings are set back to the default settings, so you'll have to visit the link above to reset them manually every time you install an update. The player usually asks you if you want to install an update, but you can also check the settings by right clicking with the mouse on the player's screen.
You should make sure that the amount of disk space is set to zero on the Global Setting Storage page and that a check mark is placed in the Never Ask Again box.
The BBC iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer uses the Flash Player, so unless you change the default settings on the page provided above, it can collect data from your PC and even access its microphone and camera if it has them, which most recently-purchased laptops do.
You won't be able to view it unless you have the Flash Player installed as an add-on to your browser. To find out what its settings are on your computer, choose a programme to watch, right-click with the mouse pointer on the video screen and select Settings. The settings should be the global settings that you set on the Flash Settings Manager webpage.
Error code:0x80070057: The Windows 7 System Repair Disc could not be created. Incorrect parameter (0x80070057)
Problem
My desktop/laptop PC is running Windows 7 Home Premium. Whenever I try to create the System Repair Disc, I always receive the following error message: The System Repair Disc could not be created. Incorrect parameter (0x80070057).
Answer
The error message 0x80070057 occurs in several problem areas in Windows Vista and Windows 7, mostly to do with failing to partition a hard disk drive and failing to make a backup with the Windows backup program to an internal or external hard disk drive. This Q&A on this website - Error code:0x80070057 occurred while preparing the partition for the installation of Windows 7 - Windows 7 could not format a partition on disc 0 - or when trying to create a system backup using Backup and Restore - deals with those cases.
When Windows 7 is up and running, you have the option at long last of creating a System Repair Disc that provides recovery tools. No doubt this is because the Windows Vista and Windows 7 DVD cannot be used as a boot disc as the Windows XP disc can to perform a repair installation, due to the fact that all of the versions of Windows Vista/7 respectively are on the same disc and your licence only installs the applicable version for that licence.
To create a System Repair Disc requires a CD or CD/DVD drive that can burn data to recordable CD/DVDs. All you have to do is enter repair in the Start => Search programs and files box and click on Create a System Repair Disc, put a recordable CD/DVD disc in the optical drive, and then label the disc something like Windows 7 Repair Disc and then put it in a safe place. The following article provides information on each of the above-mentioned System Recovery Options:
What are the system recovery options in Windows 7? - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-IN/windows7/...
If you cannot create the disc and this message comes up: "The System Repair Disc could not be created. Incorrect parameter (0x80070057)", the following page provides how to go about it: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7repair/thread/...
This is the fix: Boot the system by inserting the Windows 7 installation disc. When the process gets to the main setup window, click the Repair option in the lower-left corner. Select Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options menu that presents itself. At the Command Prompt, enter the recdisc command and then press Enter. A pop-up allows you to choose the letter of the drive on which you want to create the System Repair Disc disc. Choose the drive letter for your computer's CD/DVD drive as shown under Start => Computer. With a clean recordable DVD in the DVD drive, select Start to burn the disc.
This is the menu that comes up when you choose the Repair option provided by the Windows 7 installation DVD:
Error code:0x80070057 occurred while preparing the partition for the installation of Windows 7 - Windows 7 could not format a partition on disc 0 - or when trying to create a system backup using Backup and Restore
Problem
While installing the retail Windows 7 Home Premium on a brand new Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS hard disk drive, I click on Disk 0 partition 1 and instantly get this error message: "Windows could not format a partition disc 0. The error occurred while preparing the partition for installation. Error code:0x80070057".
Answer
This error code can be produced by several situations in Windows Vista and Windows 7, such as when trying to partition a hard disk drive, or when trying to perform a system backup using the Windows 7 Backup program to an internal or external hard disk drive, or even when trying to create a Win7 System Repair Disc. The Q&A Error code:0x80070057: The Windows 7 System Repair Disc could not be created. Incorrect parameter (0x80070057) deals with that case on this website.
Visit the following computer-forum thread that deals with the inability to format a Western Digital VelociRaptor in Windows Vista due to the 0x80070057 error message. The information can be used to solve the same problem in Windows 7.
Vista - Failed to Format Vista x64 Ultimate (0x80070057) -
http://www.vistax64.com/general-discussion/199742-failed-format-vista-x64-ultimate-0x80070057.html
If the error message is produced while you are performing a system backup to an internal or external hard disk drive using the Windows 7 Backup program, try increasing the amount of virtual memory. The easiest way to do that is to enter the words virtual memory in the Start => Search programs and files box and then click on the How to change the size of virtual memory link the presents itself. Step 7 tells you how to change the amount of virtual memory. If you have enough free hard-disk space, try using a setting of 4000MB (4GB) under Custom size.
You can find out how much free space is available on a particular hard drive or partition under Start => Computer. Remember that many other programs reserve disk space, such as the Recycle Bin, Internet Options in the Control Panel, System Restore, etc., so you'll have to reduce the amount of reserved disk space that they use if there is not plenty of free disk space otherwise the virtual memory might not be able to use it or the amount of virtual memory reserved might prevent those other programs from working properly. Remember that in Windows 7, as with the virtual memory settings, you can access most areas just by enter the relevant name in the Start => Search programs and files box.
If you still are having problems you ca try using a Windows and Registry-cleaning program that can fix any errors in the Windows Registry and free up some disk space that can fix the problem. CCleaner is free from http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner. It can clean Windows itself and it provides a good Registry cleaner. Alternatively, you can try using the free trial period of a paid-for program from http://regcure.net/ - or any similar cleaner with a good reputation.
Windows 7 won't allow me to delete jpeg (.jpg) image files, saying that I need permission to delete them, but I don't know how to get that permission
Problem
My desktop PC runs Windows 7 Home Premium, fully updated. In a folder of my external hard disk drive, I keep backups of my photo images, which are all JPEG files (with a .jpg extension), but I cannot delete any of them. When I try to delete one or more of them, I get a message saying: "You need permission to perform this action. You require permission from the computer's administrator to make changes to this file...Item type: JPEG Image." Try Again or Cancel are the only options. I have tried opening Windows Explorer as Administrator. No good. I have tried changing the owner, who is me, ffs, the only one who uses the computer. No good yet again! I've noticed that the folder that contains the .jpg files has a little lock symbol on it and none of the .jpg files shows the picture, only a generic icon instead of a small photo. Can you please tell me how to get rid of them? I never had this problem with Windows XP.
Answer
Microsoft has (some say foolishly) added a somewhat burdensome security measure that makes it necessary to take the following actions in order to perform administrative functions:
1. - Open Elevated Command Prompt with Administrator Privileges
When you first use the Command Prompt to run text commands, you don’t get any administration privileges. In Windows Vista and Windows 7, an elevate Command Prompt is required to be able to perform administrative functions. Some commands that you can run using Command Prompt might require elevated or administrative privileges. To run these commands, you can use the Run as administrator command. You will know this is the case if a message comes up saying that an elevated Command Prompt is required. To open an elevated Command Prompt, click on the Start button. In the Search programs and files box, enter the words Command Prompt. Command Prompt will appear as a clickable link. Right click on Command Prompt icon and choose Run as administrator. Note that if you use it a lot, you can pin the Command Prompt to the taskbar by right-clicking on its icon on the taskbar and then enabling Pin this program to taskbar with the mouse pointer. To unpin it enable Unpin this program from taskbar.
If you need illustrated instructions go here:
2. - Take Ownership and Grant Permissions to Access Files and Folders in Windows 7
Illustrated somewhat lengthy instructions on how to do that are provided here:
"Windows 7 has implemented addition security mechanism to prevent accidental or intentional file or folder modification by not allowing users other then owner of file or folder to access it. Hence in case if you need to access, modify or delete such files or folder you need to take ownership first then assign rights or permission to respective users. Here is Guide on How to take Ownership and Grant Permission in Window 7." -
If you want to add the ability to the Right Click Context Menu so that the option appears whenever you right-click on a folder or file, all you have to do is download and run the .reg file that adds the ability to the Windows Registry, which makes it appear in Windows. A file that removes that ability from Windows 7 is also provided within the first link.
Add Take Ownership Option in Right Click Context Menu of Windows 7 -
"What if you can have Take Ownership option straight under your right click context menu ? Don’t you think it will be faster and easier to change ownership? If answer is yes then here is method to get Take Ownership option under to right click menu." -
http://www.blogsdna.com/2173/add-take-ownership-option-in-right-click-context-menu-of-windows-7.htm
Take and Grant Full Control Permissions and Ownership in Windows 7 or Vista Right Click Menu -
I can't change or save Word 2010 docs because they have become Read Only by themselves in Windows 7 but not in Windows XP
Click here! to go to that Q&A on this website. The best solution involves disabling the User Account Control [UAC].
I can't connect an iPod Touch via a USB port to my Windows 7 desktop PC, an error message from which says that the device is not recognised [US: recognized]
Problem
I have a new Windows 7 Home Premium desktop PC that won't allow me to connect my iPod touch to it via a USB port. This iPod worked perfectly with iTunes on my old Windows XP desktop computer, but I keep getting an error message that says the device isn't recognised.
Answer
iTunes can be difficult to get working. You have to know if you have the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium. Any device that you connect to a computer requires a software device driver that is compatible with the operating system. With iTunes, the current (January 2011) default option is to download the 32-bit version of the driver. 64-bit editions of Windows Vista or Windows 7 require the iTunes 64-bit installer - iTunes 10.1.1 for Windows (64 bit) - http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1047. The 64-bit version won't install on a 32-bit version of Windows and vice versa, which is why there are different 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
In Windows 7, to find out which bit-version is installed, enter system in the Start => Search programs and files box and then click on the System link that appears under the Control Panel heading. In other versions of Windows, open System in the Control Panel and look at the information on the General tab of the System Properties window.
Before you can install it, you must uninstall the current version of iTunes, which is an involved process. When iTunes is installed, it adds several services and programs, which must all be removed according to the instructions in the iTunes removal guide on Apple's website.
Removing and reinstalling iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows Vista or Windows 7 -
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1923
Removing and Reinstalling iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows XP - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1925
The guide lists all of the components that have to be removed and the order of their removal.
When you have the new version of iTunes installed, restart the PC and connect the iPod. If it still won't connect, try restarting it by holding the power button until the red Slide to power off slider appears. Slide this and the iPod will power off. Hold the power button down to switch it on. After the device has started, try to connect it. If no go, the following could be the reason. iPods - particularly the iPod touch and iPhone - have a tendency not to connect to a USB hub (to which several USB devices can be connected) or even a PC that has a USB hub connected to it. To find out if that is the case, unplug every USB device from the computer except the keyboard and mouse and then plug the iPod's USB cable into one of the rear USB ports built into the PC's motherboard. If it works, you can use a process of elimination to discover which device is preventing the iPod from working.
If a USB hub that is not independently powered is responsible, you can try replacing it with a self-powered model. If the iPod still won't connect, as a last resort, you can force Windows 7 to remove and redetect all USB devices and reinstall them.
The following steps can stop devices working and lock up your computer, so back up important files and close all other applications. In Windows 7, enter the term device manager in the Start => Search programs and files box to be presented with a clickable link that opens the Device Manager. (The Device Manager can be accessed via System in the Control Panel of all version of Windows since Windows 95.)
With the mouse, expand the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section. Right-click with the mouse pointer on the first USB Universal Host Controller and choose the Uninstall option on the menu that presents itself. Uninstall all of the other USB Universal Host Controllers, of which there are usually three. If your mouse and keyboard stop working, shut the computer down by pressing its power button until it switches off. If not, complete the removal and restart the computer. When it restarts, Windows 7 will reinstall all of the USB drivers. After that has been completed, shut down the iPod as described above, turn it back on and reconnect it to your computer. It should now be working as it did with your Windows XP computer.
The Sleep and Hibernate features in Windows 7 have stopped working
On a new desktop PC running Windows 7 Professional, the Sleep and Hibernate features worked as they should, but all of a sudden neither worked. Whenever I tried to make the computer sleep or hibernate, the system will either turn off the display, which would not turn back on, forcing a reboot and the computer would stay switched on - that is, the fan stayed on and computer would not enter Sleep or Hibernate mode. Alternatively, the computer would just shut off and when I powered it back on, I was greeted with this message:
Problem signature: Problem Event Name: BlueScreen OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.48 Locale ID: 1033. Additional information about the problem: BCCode: d1 BCP1: 0000000000005312 BCP2: 0000000000000002 BCP3: 0000000000000000 BCP4: FFFFF8800D8EF0A9 OS Version: 6_1_7600 Service Pack: 0_0 Product: 256_1 Files that help describe the problem: C:\Windows\Minidump\020711-32604-01.dmp C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-47861-0.sysdata.xml
None of that information was of any use whatsoever in determining the cause of the problem.
I knew that a PC's BIOS Setup Program usually has a Wake On LAN feature - a setting that wakes up the system if it receives a signal from LAN network it is connected to - which should be disabled to allow the Sleep, Hybrid Sleep (a mixture of both of those features) or Hibernation modes to function. I also knew that the BIOS must be set to allow Sleep, Hybrid Sleep or Hibernation to function. Most computers are set by default to allow those functions to work, but I entered the BIOS and checked that that was the case. In this case, the BIOS settings were correct.
I turned off the option within Device Manager for the PC's Network Adapter (under Network adapters) called: Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, which is the recommended setting to allow Windows to sleep with USB devices, which the network adapter was. But that setting wasn't the cause of the problem.
I knew that the first remedy to try would be to restore a restore point in System Restore that predated the problem, but I also knew that I needed to find out what the cause of the problem was because using System Restore would probably fix the problem, but the conditions that brought it about would probably recur. For example, if the problem was caused by a device driver, using System Restore would backdate the system to the previous driver, but Windows would probably visit Windows Update and restore the new driver that was causing the problem - automatically.
I suspected that a driver update was responsible for the problem (I thought that the network adapter's driver was the most likely to be to blame) and I also knew that you should NEVER obtain device-driver updates from Microsoft, because Windows Update is known to mess up with some driver updates. Remember, ALWAYS go directly to the device manufacturer for a driver update.
By installing the latest device driver, I discovered the cause of the problem was the Atheros driver, which the Netgear WNDA3100 External USB Network Adapter was using. Unfortunately, it wasn't the compatible version for Windows 7, it was meant to be used by Windows Vista, so that meant that it must have been conflicting with Windows 7's sleep and hibernate protocol. I went to the Netgear website and downloaded the latest version: 3.5.0.7. Then I uninstalled the old driver and ran the new version setup. This worked like a charm and, as an added bonus, I was able to use the Netgear Smart Wizard Network Manager that comes with the adapter, which wasn't possible with the Vista version of the driver. The driver is still listed as coming from Atheros Communications Inc., so it must be a subsidiary or associated company of Netgear.
You should always turn off Windows Update in the Control Panel when you install a new piece of hardware by choosing the Change settings option and the using the drop-down menu to choose Never check for update (not recommended) setting, which you can re-enable to its previous setting after the driver installation. Because, what happened in this case was PC's owner installed the Netgear network adapter in the PC, Windows visited Windows Update on the web and installed the driver for Windows Vista, which allowed the network adapter to work and connect to the web, but screwed up the Sleep and Hibernate features, which function in a different way in Windows 7.
The Search feature and the Indexing Service in Windows 7 won't/doesn't work
Win 7 Search: Problem 1
I am having difficulty getting the Search facility in my new Windows 7 Home Premium computer to work. When I search for files in the same folder, some of them are listed but others that I know are there are ignored. All of the recommended solutions have been tried without success. Also, the Indexing Service is telling me that it has finished having indexed only 33 items. This number slowly increases over several days. Why isn't this service working?
Answer
The Windows 7 Indexing Service should start on a new computer by indexing all the files in specific locations (Documents, Pictures, etc.) as quickly as it can, which is usually very rapidly. This usually reduces system performance, but only for a short while. In your case, for some reason it looks as if the computer is struggling to access particular files.
Security software preinstalled on the computer would monitor all file accesses. Some security programs are known to block access to files so that they can't be searched. There should be an icon for the security software in the Notification Area in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Right-click this and you should be presented with an option either to turn the security software off or access its control panel. If you have to go into a control panel, look for an option that disables the software or turns off real-time file protection, then click on the Start button and enter Indexing in the Search programs and files box. Click the Indexing Options link, followed by the Advanced option and click Rebuild. If this fixes your problem, you should either update your security software or replace it. The free version of AVG Anti-Virus or Microsoft's free Security Essentials are excellent choices.
If the problem remains, the computer may be suffering from a file-system error. The next step is to click on the Start button and enter the word Command in the Search programs and files box. Right-click with the mouse pointer on the Command Prompt link and select Run as Administrator. Click OK in the dialog box that appears. At the Command Prompt (a black DOS-like window) enter sfc /scannow. This runs the System File Checker that checks protected operating system files for errors and repairs them. Now try rebuilding the index by following the instructions provided above.
If doing that doesn't work, click on Computer on the Start menu. Right-click the C: drive and select Properties. Click the Tools tab and click the Check now button under Error-checking. Windows asks you to restart your computer so that the checking can take place while Windows itself isn't running, so do this and wait for the computer's hard disk drive to be checked by the chkdsk utility. When this has completed, use the instructions provided above to rebuild the index. Hopefully, the problem will now no longer exist.
Win7 Search: Problem 2
What is it with the Search in Windows 7 when used to search for files? Windows XP has a marvellous file-search facility. It can find any file if it is on the computer. But when I type terms such as *.exe that finds all files that have an .exe extension in the Windows 7 Search box, it finds everything except what I asked for. The responses might not even be related to what the search is for.
Answer
Microsoft's developers changed the search syntax in Windows 7 to make it more powerful, but somehow made it much more difficult to perform simple file searches. Until Microsoft improves the file-search ability, you'll have to use an alternative program.
The free Google Desktop is a very good alternative. Its file searches are fast and easy to use. There are several other alternatives that you can find by making use of a search engine.
I installed the Upgrade version of Windows 7 to a new hard disk drive on my desktop PC. Why has Product Activation failed?
Problem
My desktop PC was running Windows XP. I decided to upgrade it to Windows 7 Home Premium. Microsoft makes it clear on its website that the upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 has to be a clean installation. I replaced the old IDE hard drive with a new SATA hard drive because the PC's motherboard has a single IDE connector and six SATA connectors. I used the Upgrade version of Windows 7 Home Premium. This seemed to work properly, but when I tried to activate it, it refused to accept the Product Key, but continued to run. Several days later, after entering the word activate in the Start => Search programs and files box and then clicking the Activate Windows link that was provided, I saw that my copy wasn't activated and it continued to refuse activation. If you have an Upgrade version of Windows 7, is it necessary to install it from within Windows XP or Windows Vista so that it can check for the presence of the old version of Windows before it allows activation? If that is the case, if your old hard drive has failed, you won't be able to use the Windows 7 Upgrade DVD to install Windows on a new hard drive.
Answer
You will be able to install a retail copy of an Upgrade version of Windows 7 on a new hard disk drive if the hard drive it was initially installed on dies. In that situation, you can also install an OEM copy (that can only be used on the computer it was first install on) on a new hard drive.
If you have a retail or OEM copy of a version of Windows XP or Windows Vista on your current system, you can buy and install an Upgrade version of Windows 7, which is cheaper than the full product, which is meant to be installed on a new PC or a new hard disk drive that does not have XP or Vista installed on it. Note that an OEM copy can be purchased by a user or is preinstalled by a PC manufacturer such as Dell. It is significantly cheaper than the full version of the same version and is slightly cheaper than the retail Upgrade version and can only be used on the computer on which it is first installed. The retail boxed product can be installed on as many computers as you like as long as only one of them is being used. When you use it on another computer, the computer on which it was first installed has to be put out of action, etc.
Microsoft requires a clean installation if Windows XP is installed on the computer, because an inplace upgrade is not possible due to the fact that XP is two versions of Windows away from Windows 7. In order to overcome your Product Activation problem, what you need to do is install the Upgrade version of Windows 7 on the new hard drive, but don't enter the Product Key.
If you want to install Windows 7 on a hard disk drive with Windows XP already installed on it, say, because you want to reuse the drive but want to get rid of Windows XP, you can run the Windows 7 installation disc from within the older version of Windows. Windows 7 will activate properly because it checks that the old version of Windows is present before it formats the hard drive in order to perform a clean install.
If you want to keep Windows XP on its original hard disk drive so that you can go back to using it, you have to replace it with your new SATA hard drive and boot the system from the Windows 7 installation disc. Note that in order to boot from a CD or DVD, the CD/DVD drive must be set as the first boot device in the BIOS setup program. The licence agreement entitles you to install Windows 7 to an empty hard drive using an Upgrade version (the Home Premium version in your case) as long as Windows XP is no longer being used. However, there is nothing legally preventing you from accessing the files on the old drive via the Windows 7 installation.
That said, if you install Windows 7 to the new drive while having the old drive still installed, Windows 7 will create a dual-boot system automatically that presents a boot menu at startup that provides the option to boot to Windows 7 or to a previous version of Windows (Windows XP in your case). This isn't legal according to the Windows 7 licence agreement, which says that you can't use the version of Windows that you upgraded from, but Microsoft has done nothing to prevent it from happening. You will be able to boot from both versions and Windows XP will still be updated.
You should find that installing Windows 7 by booting from the installation disc and then making use of the Custom install option works perfectly, but don't try to activate it until you've installed it and rebooted the system. Microsoft itself has provided a workaround if doing that doesn't work. You just perform the installation again, but, this time, choose the Upgrade option instead of Custom. After this has finished, you should be able to activate Windows 7 by using the Activate option provided in the Start menu.
I want to upgrade my laptop to Windows 7, but ATI and Nvidia don't provide Win7 video/graphics card drivers
Problem
I want to install Windows 7 on my laptop PC. It has an integrated ATI graphics chip, but ATI doesn't seem to provide laptop device drivers for all laptops, and my manufacturer doesn't currently provide Windows 7 drivers. Is there a way out?
Answer
Note that the video/graphics card manufacturer, ATI, which was purchased by AMD, is now called AMD.
ATI and Nvidia don't provide drivers for all mobile graphics chips on all laptops because the laptop manufacturers provide their own support and don't want users installing drivers that they haven't approved.
For many years, ATI (and Nvidia) had their hands tied by laptop manufacturers who request that ATI does not offer support for the mobile graphics chips that they use in ATI's Catalyst Driver. Most laptop manufacturers, such as Dell, customise the drivers they use and have their own support system, so they don't want their customers downloading device drivers from ATI's home page that won't work properly.
Annoying certainly, but there are ways to get around the problem. With the Mobility Modder tool, you can use the standard ATI/AMD or Nvidia drivers on your laptop.
Instructions on using the tool for ATI/AMD mobile graphics chips can be found at http://www.hardwareheaven.com/modtool.php. For Nvidia laptop graphics chips the page is http://www.hardwareheaven.com/nvmodtool.php.
How can I install Windows 7 on a netbook computer that doesn't have an optical CD/DVD drive?
Because of their small size, netbook computers don’t have a built-in optical CD/DVD disc drive, so, unless an external optical CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive is used, an alternative method is required to install an upgrade version Windows 7, but all netbook computers have USB ports.
Microsoft has just released the USB/DVD fix that creates a bootable USB flash drive from a Windows 7 installation disc. -
Microsoft’s little-known Open Source division has created the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool. It creates a bootable ISO copy of a Windows 7 installation disc on a USB flash drive/memory stick, so all you have to do is plug it into the netbook computer and follow the prompts to install Windows 7. If you are using a Windows XP Pc to create the bootable disc, you have to download and install a couple of NET Framework files first. - http://store.microsoft.com/Help/ISO-Tool
A USB flash drive with at least 4GB of storage space and another computer PC that has a CD/DVD drive (or an external optical drive) is required, plus, of course the Windows 7 disc. Here is a tutorial on how to accomplish that task. -
How to create a bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive -
"If you're looking for a quicker way to install Windows 7 than via DVD, try installing it from a USB drive. This guide describes two ways to make a bootable Windows 7 USB drive." - http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2009/12/-the-usb-flash-drive.ars
As mentioned above, you can also use an external CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive, which are widely available for around £30 from online stores such as internal CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive. amazon.co.uk. The drive plugs into one of the PC’s USB ports and once the computer has recognised it you can use it in exactly the same way as an
Slow Windows 7 network - file transfers and backups from Win7 client PC on mixed Windows network take forever to Windows Home Server
Problem
I have two client desktop PCs connected to a Windows Home Server. One client is a new HP PC that runs Windows 7 Professional 64 bit version. The other client is a Dell PC that runs Windows Vista 32 bit version. The Dell PC was working just fine, but for some reason, file copying from the HP Win7 PC to any other machine on the network are painfully slow, while copying files to the HP Win7 PC are blazing fast. This problem first came to my attention when I tried the initial backup of the HP PC to the Windows Home Server. It was excruciatingly slow and I had no idea why. Then, I tried a simple file copy from it to the Windows Home Server and that was also very slow.
Answer
Try the following possible fixes:
Instructions on how to disable the Task Offload settings by using the Command Pompt are provided on this page:
Slow Network copy and connection drops in Windows 7 - "If you experience Slow Network Connection or file copy from and to the Windows 7 PC or laptop takes ages to complete or connection disconnects then this could be caused by the Task Offload settings. The task offload settings are enabled by default at the NIC level and globally at the system level. This should work for Windows Vista as well." -
http://www.windowsreference.com/windows-vista/slow-network-copy-and-connection-drops-in-windows-7/
If doing that fails to fix the problem, try disabling the Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) in Windows 7. to do that, enter that term in the Start => Search programs and files box to be presented with a link to the feature or follow this click path: Start => Control Panel => System and Security => System => Remote tab.
Remote Desktop Connection: frequently asked questions -
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Remote-Desktop-Connection-frequently-asked-questions
My network is made up of Windows 7/Windows XP/Linux PCs. I can't access the Network Attached Storage (NAS) drives via Windows 7 Professional
Problem
Since installing a PC running Windows 7 Professional on my wireless home network that also has PCs running Windows XP and Linux, I have not been able to access the NAS drives, which are fully operational from my Windows XP and Linux work stations. I can access the NAS drives via HTTP from Win7, but it refuses to see them as standard network drives. I have searched the web for a solution, but all of the recommendations have proved useless.
Answer
Networking PCs, all of which are running Windows 7, is usually very easy, but connecting a Windows 7 system to older PCs with previous versions of Windows or non-Windows operating systems, such as Linux, can sometimes problematic.
When a Windows 7 system doesn't network properly with older network devices, the first action to take is to check third-party firewalls, such as ZoneAlarm, Comodo, McAfee, Norton, etc. In most of the cases where this kind of mixed networking is a problem, a third-party firewall is usually responsible.
The Windows 7 HomeGroup feature accounts for most of the other Windows 7 networking problems.
You can connect by using some network protocols (e.g., HTTP), but not others, which means that connectivity is present, but full access is being blocked, probably by a closed network port or some other firewall issue.
Try following these steps:
1. - Disconnect the network from the web by unplugging the data cable that feeds your cable-box/DSL modem/router so that it will no be left unprotected when you disable the third-party firewall. Your network computers are now only connected to each other.
2. - Remove or disable the third-party firewalls (not the Windows Firewall, because it is designed to work with HomeGroup) running on all of your computers. With no third-party firewalls running, you should be able to get your network working properly. For those of you who have more than one computer running Windows 7, don't set up or enable a HomeGroup on any of them yet, just concentrate on getting the basic networking functioning properly. With the firewalls gone, you should be able to get everything working properly.
If you had a HomeGroup set up between Win7 PCs, you can leave it by opening the Control Panel from the Start menu. If you have View by: Category selected, click on Choose homegroup and sharing options under the Network and Internet category. Look for the option called Leave the homegroup.
3. - When you have all the connections working, re-enable the firewalls by doing one computer at a time. As each firewall starts working, it should see and allow, or ask you to allow, the new connections.
If a third-party firewall proves to be problematic, try using the Windows Firewall (controlled via the Control Panel) on the Windows 7 PCs.
4. - Acess the web. You should now have full connectivity. Remember that when firewalls aren't the cause of Windows 7 networking problems, a HomeGroup is usually responsible. Windows 7's HomeGroup feature is aimed at home users who know nothing about networking, so it has been automated to set up network sharing of files, folders, devices, etc.. Unfortunately, HomeGroup and security elements of Windows 7 networking, such as 128-bit encryption for shared files, introduces additional complexity that can be the source of problems. You have already set up a mixed-operating-system LAN, so you know how to set up network sharing, so avoid using a homegroup. Just set up the network that you want yourself, which is what most experienced users do on mixed Win7/Vista/XP/Linux LANs.
Windows 7 Home Premium doesn't provide a device driver for the ATI Radeon X1650 series graphics card in my Packard Bell iMedia B2216 desktop PC. If I upgrade the card to a more powerful one, will I also have to upgrade the power supply?
Problem
I've just upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium by doing a clean installation of it on a new 1TB hard disk drive that I installed in my Packard Bell iMedia B2216 desktop PC. Its current video/graphics card is a Radeon X1650 series, the manufacturer doesn't provide a Windows 7 device driver. I'd like to upgrade the computer's graphics card. I'm not a gamer, but I have an interest in graphics and video editing. I understand that I might have to upgrade the PC's 250W power supply unit as well. Packard Bell told me that I have to use Tech Guys, which will charge me to do it. So far, I've upgraded the processor and RAM memory as well as installing a second hard disk drive and optical DVD writer. Which graphics card would suit my PC and give an improvement over the Radeon X1650? Also, which power supply would you recommend?
Answer
Note that the video/graphics card manufacturer, ATI, which was purchased by AMD, is now called AMD.
Note that I might recomend a lower powered power supply than is recommended by the graphics-card manufacturers, because it is the practice with them to play safe with their recommendations so as not to run the risk of disappointing the purchasers of their hardware. Some people have so much hardware installed on their desktop PCs that a more powerful unit would be required for an upgrade than would normally have been the case. For example, AMD recommends a 450W power supply to run an ATI Radeon HD 4770 graphics card, but by using the Antec Power Supply Calculator from http://www.antec.outervision.com/ to work out if a particular computer is able to use that graphics card with a lower-powered power supply, it could easily turn out that a 300W power supply is perfectly adequate. However, if someone has a lot of power-hungry hardware components installed, a 500W or even a 600W unit could be required, depending on the hardware. A safe policy is to add about 200W to the requirement. So, if a 300W is adequate, buy a 500W unit.
Packard Bell's support website provides very little information your computer. It doesn't even specify which graphics card is installed or which slot it uses. However, I don't know of any desktop PCs of the age of yours that don't have a PCI-Express x16 slot on the motherboard. A PCI-Express x16 slot allows you to install most PCI Express cards, PCI Express being the current graphics standard for graphics cards.
Depending on the graphics card you buy, you may also have to upgrade the PC's measly 250W power supply unit (PSU). Current (March 2010) graphics cards draw more power than was the case a few years ago and may also require extra power connectors, which your PC's power supply may not have. The first thing to do is measure your power supply. A standard unit is 150mm wide and 85mm tall, although its depth can vary. If yours is this size, you can install any ATX power suppy. To be safe, buy a 500W unit at least, or even a 650W unit. Just because it is, say, a 500W unit doesn't mean that it uses 500W all the time; it provides as much power as the PC draws. Any new power supply should provide PCI Express power connectors for current graphics cards. The ModXStream Pro 500W unit, made by OCZ, currently (March 2010) costs only £50, is a good inexpensive power supply. The DarkPower Pro 650W, made by Be Quiet!, is a superior choice, but it currently costs £100.
Are you sure that you need a new graphics card. If you don't play games, a more powerful card won't improve video editing, because most video-editing programs use a PC's processor more than its graphics card. There is no Windows 7 device driver for your existing ATI Radeon X1650 graphics card, but the Windows Vista driver is available from http://www.amd.com/. The Download Drivers section on the right-hand side of the home page. There's no official AMD support, but that driver should run under Windows 7, having replaced Microsoft's driver with AMD's. If you still want to upgrade, the ATI Radeon HD 4770 card would be a good buy. It costs around £65, uses about 50W and requires a six-pin PCI Express (PCI-E) power connector. However, you can avoid replacing your PC's power supply by buying an ATI Radeon HD 4670, which costs around £50. It also uses about 50W, but doesn't require an extra PCI-E power connector. However, since you have also upgraded the hard disk drive, processor and RAM memory, the 250W power supply might not be able to supply the extra power for the new graphics card, so make use of the Antec Power-Supply Calculator.
Administrator privileges: An error message saying that my Windows 7 PC/computer has "insufficient privileges" come up when I try to run some programs that I used with Windows XP
Problem
My Windows 7 Home Premium desktop PC is running using the Administrator account, not a user account that has far fewer privileges, but when I try to run a few programs that ran perfectly well under Windows XP, an error message is produced that tells me that I have "insufficient privileges" and that I should make sure that I am running them "as an Administrator". Is there a way that I can make them run?
Answer
This is no doubt caused by the security feature in Windows Vista and Windows 7 called User Account Control (UAC) that prevents unrecognised software from being run. It can prevent older software from being run, but is easy to get around.
Use the Start => All Programs menu to find an installed program that is being affected in this way. Right click with the mouse pointer on the entry. One of the options in the menu that presents itself should be called Run as Administrator. Choose it. A message should come up asking, "Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to your computer?" Click OK and the program should then run as it should.
If you want to make sure that a program always runs with Administrator privileges, right-click on its entry as before, but this time choose Properties from the menu. Next, click on the Compatibility tab, enable the option called Run this program as Administrator and click OK.
Windows 7 has no sound - sound card drivers not installed - there are no entries for sound devices in the Device Manager
Problem
My laptop PC can dual-boot to Windows XP and Windows 7. The sound works properly in XP, but Win7 is silent. I have looked in Device Manager and there is no entry at all for sound, but there are several entries in XP. I have checked the Control Panel under Sound for recording and playback, but it shows no device installed. Is this a question of no device drivers installed for the sound card, and, if so, why isn't Windows detecting hardware that has no drivers installed and then installing them, as is usually the case? The motherboard make/model is Alienware Aurora m9700 AB040. In Windows XP, the only sound entry that shows a driver tab is SoundMax.
The http://www.alienware.com/ website provides a support area should be able to provide a driver for the sound card or sound chip integrated on the motherboard. I looked but I could only see the availability of Windows XP and Windows Vista drivers for all devices. You will probably be able to use a Vista driver if there is no Windows 7 driver.
Windows 7 provides several very effective automatic troubleshooters in its Control Panel that is accessed by clicking on the Start button. I have used it to correct a device driver problem with an old HP printer, scanner, copier for which there is no full Windows 7 drivers. The printer troubleshooter found and installed a basic printer driver that allowed the printer to function but not the scanner and copier.
The default view of the Control Panel (View by: Category) has a System and Security section. You click on the Find and fix problems link to open the page that provides the troubleshooters, which, when activated, run to fix problems automatically. The easiest way to access them is to type the word troubleshooting in the Start => Search programs and files box (no need to press the Enter key) to be presented with a clickable link.
The most useful troubleshooters are under the following headings: Hardware and Sound - Troubleshoot audio recording - Troubleshoot audio playback - Use a printer Network and Internet - Internet connections - Shared folders - HomeGroup - Network adapter - Incoming Connections System and Security - Fix problems with Windows Update - Run maintenance tasks - Check for performance issues
For a sound problem, just enter the word sound in the Start => Search programs and files box and then look for the Find and fix problems link
Feedback from the sender: The good news is I have fixed it. Searched the web for SoundMax, found and downloaded the Vista drivers from somewhere, clicked on setup.exe which opened the SoundMax wizard and after some creaking and freezing it installed. Rebooted, got a message driver not installed then heard the Win7 startup tune. There was another download for Vista that did not work, so with this problem keep trying. The Device Manager now has a sound entry.
Optimize/Optimizing multicore processors in windows 7: Questions on multitasking in Windows Vista and Windows 7 with muliticore (dual-core and quad-core) processors
The following article tell you how to enable Windows Vista and Windows 7 to make use of multicore processors to speed up the boot (startup) process.
Windows 7 and Vista Boot Optimization - http://ttcshelbyville.wordpress.com/2009/12/24/windows-7-and-vista-boot-optimization/
If you experience any problems with programs after setting the number of cores to use at startup, just undo the setting.
Setting processor affinity to an application (process) in Windows Vista [and Windows 7] - You use the same method in Windows 7. You can set the Set Affinity and the Set Priority options. I would avoid using the Realtime option provided by the Set Priority option, because it can cause probems. - http://techblissonline.com/set-processor-affinity-windows-vista-applications-process/
"Ok multitasking is great in these modern times of multiprocessors and Win7 management directives, but what about the times when multitasking is not a priority? When one basically wants one task to get done as quickly as possible and many times, using a program that is not very multi-processor aware? Using affinity only seems to distribute the workload more evenly among the processors but does very little to actually increase the utilization of cpu time overall. Same lack of utilization when priority is given high or real time status (because its not competing with anything else of significance already). So its the multitasking reserve that I'd like to adjust, make it 10% or less instead of up to 45% or so in some instances (program dependent?) with 30% seemingly the most common reserve approximation. Any way to do that on a dynamic or static basis? For example when I'm using DVDFlick on my quad, its terrible in Win7. Processing is only 14 frames per second and as mentioned affinity and priority have little to no effect. If I boot to XP on the same system and use DVDFlick on the same file, 45 frames per second processed, no adjustments made, distribution to all 4 processors excellent and 2-10% reserve only. That's what I want from Win7 if possible."
Find the answers in this thread from which the above quote comes:
Questions on multitasking in Windows 7 with dual-core and quad-core processors -
http://lounge.windowssecrets.com/index.php?showtopic=775588
Windows 7 Backup is not working - won't back up to a USB external hard disk drive
The poster of the following post on a computer forum used Windows 7 Backup to create scheduled backups to an external USB hard disk drive, but, having remembered to connect the backup drive to the computer for the first couple of backups, he subsequently forgot to do so. The Windows 7 Action Center reminded him about the missed backup, so he decided to do it manually. However, the incremental backup took so long that he had to cancel it, but then Windows would not shut down, so he had to keep the start button pressed until it did. This happened again the next time he tried to make a backup. He tried successfully to transfer a few small files to the external drive and thought that this proved that the drive was working. However, he subsequently tried to copy a 2GB folder and found that the transfer rate was only 217Kbps, so he decided to check the connection to the external drive (he was using a USB extension cable to get extra length) and discovered that "the USB connector on the external disc cable was bad - it didn't make a tight connection with the USB extension cable. Luckily, I had a spare cable around, and backup worked without problems."
This solution shows that you should always check the basics, such as the connection, before attempting more complex troubleshooting.
Windows 7 Backup is not working - http://lounge.windowssecrets.com/index.php?showtopic=777314
Windows 7 on a laptop PC/computer won't connect to secure wireless networks, only to unsecured wireless networks
Problem
Two weeks ago I installed Windows 7 Professional [The equivalent of Windows Vista Business] on a friend's laptop computer. The previous version was Windows Vista. I did a full installation, not an upgrade installation. Everything worked as it should, including connecting to my secured wireless network from my router. My friend collected her laptop, took it home, but then I got a call saying she could not connect to her wireless home network. When she took it to the school where she works as a teacher, it would only connect to unsecured networks, but not to her own. I got the laptop back and now it wouldn't connect to my home network. Windows produced a message saying that it was unable to connect. It didn't provide the box that allows you to enter its network encryption key.
This is what I have already tried or done: 1. - The wireless device does have the latest driver. 2. - Removed the connection from my gateway. 3. - The laptop wireless device does support IPv6. 4. - Changed Network ID to Home computer instead of Domain. 5. - Made sure that Network Discovery was turned on. 6. - Disabled the DHCP Broadcast Flag (recommendation from Microsoft). 7. - Ran the Wizard to set up a new connection or network. 8. - Also made sure the following were set to Automatic and started in Services:
* DNS Client
* Function
Discovery Provider Host
* Function Discovery Resource Publication
* Peer
Networking Grouping
* HomeGroup Provider
* HomeGroup Listener
* SSDP
Discovery
* UPnP Device Host
Also, the Troubleshooter in the Network and Sharing Center does not find a problem.
Answer
The solution is no doubt going to involve doing something very simple. When this happened to me, I fixed the problem by giving the wireless network an new name (the name can be anything you like, but is usually named after your internet service provider (ISP) if you got your router from an ISP). The network name is also called its SSID. It identifies the network when you view the available wireless networks by right-clicking the network icon in the Notification Area in the bottom right-hand corner of the Windows desktop (or via Network and Sharing Center in the Control Panel). I also changed the WPA-PSK encryption key. Windows 7 will then have to configure it again with the new details, so it will have to bring up its dialog box that requires the encryption key to be entered before you can connect to the 'new' (reconfigured) network when you choose to view the available wireless networks and then choose to connect to yours.
Only a wireless network that has WEP or WPA encryption enabled via its router requires an encryption key. The settings differ from router to router and are changed via the router's web-based configuration page (and sub-pages), which is opened in a browser, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, when you enter a specified IP address - http://192.168.1.1 for my router. The router's user manual or the instructions on how to use a router provided by an ISP tell you how to bring up the settings page. Then you just have to look through all of the settings' pages to find the page that allows you to enable/disable WEP or WPA encryption (don't ever use weak crackable WEP only the much stronger WPA), change the network name (SSID) and change the WPA-PSK encryption key.
How can I create a triple-boot system that allows me to choose from Windows XP, Windows 7 and Ubuntu Linux from a boot menu at startup?
Problem
I am building a new desktop PC. I want it to be able to run Windows XP Professional, Windows 7 and Ubuntu Linux and to be able to choose which operating system to boot into at startup. I have a new hard disk drive that I will partition to create a separate partition for each operating system, plus one partition for the data files that can be accessed irrespective of which operating system is chosen at startup. I know that the partitions will have to be formatted to use the NTFS file system, but I don't know if there is a preferable order to install the operating systems. Will each installation configure the boot loader so that it is made available as a boot choice at startup?
Answer
Here is how I created this triple-boot system myself.
I started with a blank hard disk drive, booted from the Windows XP Professional installation disc, created a partition for XP, using the option that is provided from the set procedure to do so, and installed it on that partition.
Next, I inserted the Windows 7 Home Premium installation disc in the DVD writer and ran the Windows 7 installation program from within Windows XP. I created a second partition for Windows 7 in the same way, as I did for Windows XP, and installed it in that partition. You must install Windows XP first because you won't be able to add XP if you install Windows 7 first without going to a great deal of trouble.
When the PC was booted it offered the boot options of Windows 7 or an "Earlier version of Windows" (Windows XP). Windows 7 is the default choice and if you don't choose it, after a few seconds it boots automatically. You have to choose Windows XP to boot into it. You can reverse this boot order from within Windows 7 so that Windows XP is the default choice that boots after a few seconds provided for you to make a choice. To do that follow this click path: Start => Control Panel => System (System Properties window comes up) => Advanced tab => Startup and Recovery => Settings button. You have to do it from within Windows 7 because it created the boot menu.
Next, I created another NTFS partition to use for storing data files, which can be accessed from all three operating systems.
Finally, I booted from the Ubuntu Linux installation disc that I burned from an ISO file downloaded from http://www.ubuntu.com/ and installed it in the remaining hard-drive space.
Note that you cannot create more than 4 primary partitions on a hard disk drive. In this case, I only needed to create two primary partitions and an extended partition. The Windows partition manager allows you to do that. You can then create as many logical partitions within the extended partition as are required. The operating system allocates a drive letter (C:, D:, E:, etc.) to each logical partition. If you need more information, read Disk partitioning - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning.
Now, whenever I boot the PC, using nothing more than the default boot loaders that each operating system provides, the procedure is as follows:
First Grub offers Ubuntu or the Windows 7 boot loader. If I select Windows 7, the Windows 7 boot loader offers Windows 7 or Windows XP. All the operating systems boot up as they should.
Then all you have to do is sort out drive lettering so that the two versions of Windows have the same drive letters for the data partition and also set it to automount when you start Ubuntu. You can make sure that each version of Windows uses the same drive letter for the data partition in Disk Management, which you can bring up by entering diskmgmt.msc in the Start => Run box in Windows XP and in the Search programs and files box in Win7. You can also enter the term disk management in Win7's Search box to be provided with a link to it. To change the drive letter, right-click the mouse with its pointer in the drive's box in Disk Management and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths...
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