Problems & Solutions

Problems & Solution

From:- Rahul Jonwal Data Center Administrator Sheelafoam Pvt Ltd Contact No- 919910464907

1) The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed" error message when you install a program in Windows XP View products that this article applies to. This article was previously published under Q315353 Expand all | Collapse all SYMPTOMS

When you try to install a program, such as Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP or Microsoft Office 2003, in Microsoft Windows XP, you may receive the following error message: The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if you are running Windows in safe mode, or if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance. Back to the top CAUSE

This issue may occur when both the following conditions are true:

•

You are using Windows XP in Normal mode.

•

The Windows Installer Service that is included with Windows XP is unregistered or damaged.

Back to the top

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1.

Log on to your computer as an administrator.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Click Start, and then click Run. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK. At the command prompt, typemsiexec.exe /unregister, and then press ENTER. Type msiexec /regserver, and then press ENTER. Verify that the SYSTEM account has full control access permissions to the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT hive in the Windows registry. In some cases, you may also have to add Administrator accounts. To do so:Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

a.Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK. b.Click the following registry hive:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

c.On the Edit menu, click Permissions. d.If SYSTEM is not listed in the Group or user names list, click Add, make sure that the local computer name appears in the From this location box, type system in the Enter the object names to select box, click Check Names, and then click OK.

e.Click SYSTEM in the Group or user names list, and then select the Full Control check box under Allow in the Permissions for SYSTEM box.

f.Click Apply, click OK, and then quit Registry Editor. 2.

Restart the computer. If the problem is not resolved, repair Windows XP. For more information about how to repair Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

315341 How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP

2) Err Msg: Content Advisor Will Not Allow You to See This Site Retired KB Content Disclaimer View products that this article applies to. This article was previously published under Q155355

On This Page • • • o o o

SYMPTOMS CAUSE RESOLUTION Internet Explorer 5 Internet Explorer 4.x Internet Explorer 3.0 Expand all | Collapse all SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to access a Web page using Internet Explorer, Content Advisor may display the following error message: Sorry! Content Advisor will not allow you to see this site. However, the error message also indicates that the page has no rating. Back to the top CAUSE

This issue can occur when Content Advisor is enabled, but the "User can see sites which have no rating" option is disabled. Back to the top RESOLUTION

NOTE: Content Advisor settings apply to all users on the local machine and cannot be changed by users who are not administrators on the local machine (Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 only). You cannot create different Content Advisor settings for different users on the same machine. To resolve this issue, follow these steps: Back to the top

Internet Explorer 5

1. 2. 3. 4.

In Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options. On the Content tab, under Content Advisor, click Settings. In the Password box, type the supervisor password, and then click OK. On the General tab, under User Options, select the User can see sites which have no rating check box.

5.

Click OK, and then click OK again.

Back to the top

Internet Explorer 4.x

1. 2. 3. 4.

In Internet Explorer, on the View menu, click Internet Options. On the Content tab, under Content Advisor, click Settings. In the Password box, type the supervisor password, and then click OK. On the General tab, under User Options, select the User can see sites which have no rating check box.

5.

Click OK, and then click OK again.

Back to the top

Internet Explorer 3.0

1. 2. 3. 4.

In Internet Explorer, on the View menu, click Internet Options. On the Security tab, under Content Advisor, click Settings. In the Password box, type the supervisor password, and then click OK. On the General tab, under User Options, select the User can see sites which have no rating check box.

5.

Click OK, and then click OK again.

For additional information about Microsoft's Policies on Missing or Invalid passwords, please click the following link to view the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 189126 Microsoft's Policy Regarding Missing or Invalid Passwords Back to the top

APPLIES TO

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 1.0

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 128-Bit Edition

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5

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Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.2

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Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition

3) How to troubleshoot network connectivity problems in Internet Explorer View products that this article applies to.

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Introduction More Information Step 1. Use the Network Diagnostic tool Step 2. Manually troubleshoot the problem Method 1: Test other known good sites Method 2: Verify the network connection Step 1: Verify external DSL modem, cable modem or dial-up modem connectivity Step 2: Verify the internal modem device connections Step 3: Verify the home network connectivity Method 3: Other connectivity issues or network-related issues Step 1. Restart the modem or the router Step 2. Verify the firewall or the router settings Step 3. Verify device compatibility Step 4. Create a System Restore point before you reset the Winsock protocol Fix it for me Let me fix it myself Did this fix the problem? Verify the contents of the Hosts file Fix it for me Let me fix it myself Expand all | Collapse all Introduction

This article describes how to troubleshoot network connectivity problems in Internet Explorer. Back to the top More Information

Step 1. Use the Network Diagnostic tool The Network Diagnostics tool that is part of Windows Vista is designed to test the network connection for errors. The Network Diagnostics tool can also be used to determine whether networkrelated programs are working correctly. To use this tool to troubleshoot network connectivity problems, follow these steps:

1.

Open Internet Explorer, and try to access the Web page that causes network connectivity problems.

2.

On the page that displays an Internet Explorer error message, click the Diagnose Connection Problems link.

The Network Diagnostics tool will run. When the tool has finished running, it will report one of the following results:

•

It was unable to find a problem.

•

It has detected a problem. Additionally, the tool will provide guidance on the next steps to take to troubleshoot the problem.

If you cannot resolve the problem by using the Network Diagnostics tool, you must manually troubleshoot the problem. To do this, go to the "Manually troubleshoot the problem" section. Back to the top

Step 2. Manually troubleshoot the problem Method 1: Test other known good sites Start Internet Explorer, and then enter one of the following addresses in the Address bar at the top of the browser window: http://www.microsoft.com http://www.msn.com http://www.hotmail.com If you do not experience network connectivity problems when you type one of these addresses in the Address bar, we recommend that you contact the owner of the Web site where you see the problem. The site may be temporarily offline or experiencing other issues of its own.

However, if you continue to experience network connectivity problems when you type one of these

addresses in the Address bar, there may be a conflict with other software that is installed on the system. In this case, go to the method 2.

Method 2: Verify the network connection Make sure that the cables that connect the computer to the Internet or your home network are secured firmly. Additionally, make sure that the network devices that your computer uses are turned on and working correctly. Then, follow these steps to verify network connectivity, as appropriate for your situation. Step 1: Verify external DSL modem, cable modem or dial-up modem connectivity

If you use an external modem, check the following:

1.

Verify that the cable that connects the modem to the wall is connected securely. The cable will most likely connect to either a telephone jack or to a cable outlet.

2.

Verify that the cable that connects the computer to the modem is attached securely at both ends and that the connector on each end of the cable has clicked into position if it is a network cable. A network cable will resemble a telephone cable, although it may be thicker, and the connector on each end will be larger.

3.

If the cable that connects the external modem to the computer is a USB cable, you must perform some additional checks. A USB cable will have different connectors on each end of the cable. One end will be flat and rectangular, and the other end will have a square connector with angles on two of the corners. To verify a USB connection, try the following:

a.If the modem is attached to the computer by using a USB hub, try to bypass the USB hub. You can bypass the USB hub by plugging the cable from the device directly into one of the USB ports on the computer. b.If the modem is plugged into one of the ports on the front of your desktop computer, try plugging the USB cable into one of the ports on the back of the computer instead. Some computers do not provide sufficient power to the front USB ports. This may create problems with the connection to the modem.

Step 2: Verify the internal modem device connections

If the modem that is used to connect to the Internet is inside the computer, there should be only one cable coming out of the modem device. Verify that the cable that connects the modem to the

wall outlet is connected securely at each end. The cable will most likely connect to either a telephone jack or a cable outlet. Step 3: Verify the home network connectivity

If the computer connects to the Internet through a home network, we recommend that you check the items in the following list, as appropriate for your situation.

•

Wireless connection

If the computer uses a wireless connection to the home network, we recommend that you read the following articles on the "Windows Vista Help and How-to Web" site:

o

To troubleshoot problems that are related to detecting wireless networks, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/7805207d-b0b9-4159b36f-ab81a1f376c21033.mspx

o

To troubleshoot problems that are related to low wireless signal quality, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/fbb50492-3623-450d8fd5-92cc74fab0ae1033.mspx

•

Wired connection

If the computer uses a wired connection (This connection is also known as an Ethernet connection.), we recommend that you read the "I can’t connect to my home network” section in the following article that is titled “Troubleshoot network and Internet connection problems”:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/33307acf-0698-41ba-b014ea0a2eb8d0a81033.mspx

If you want additional guidance about specific network configurations, hardware configurations, or network configurations, we recommend that you contact the vendor of the network hardware that you are using.

Note You may have to contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to verify connectivity.

Method 3: Other connectivity issues or network-related issues One potential cause of network connectivity problems is that the network or the Internet connection that you are using to go online is experiencing a problem. You can test for this by using the following troubleshooting steps: Step 1. Restart the modem or the router

It is sometimes possible that the IP settings or network configuration that you receive from the Internet service provider are incorrect or must be updated. Sometimes, the connection between the modem and the ISP may be experiencing problems. To update the settings on the modem or the router, you must restart the device. Restarting the device will also create a fresh connection to the Internet service provider. Use one of the following methods to restart the modem, depending on the type of modem that you have.

External modem

To restart an external modem, follow these steps:

1.

Disconnect the cable that connects your computer or router to the modem. This may be either a USB cable or a network cable.

2.

Turn off the modem. If the modem does not have a power switch, disconnect the power cord from the back of the modem, or unplug it from the wall.

3.

After waiting for several minutes, turn on the modem, reconnect the cable from the computer or the router to the modem, and then restart the computer.

4.

Test your connection again to see whether you can access the Internet.

If you still experience network connectivity problems, go to step 2.

Internal modem

To restart an internal modem, you must restart the computer. If you still experience network connectivity problems after you restart the computer, go to step 2. Step 2. Verify the firewall or the router settings

If you connect to the Internet by using a router, there may be a problem with the configuration settings, and they must be updated. To determine whether a network connectivity problem is being caused by a mis-configuration or by a problem with the router, you can bypass the router and connect your computer directly to the modem.

Caution Connecting your computer directly to the Internet may leave it vulnerable to attacks. To protect the computer against attacks, make sure that a firewall is installed and that the firewall is enabled on your computer. To find out about the Windows Firewall that is included in Windows Vista, see the "Windows Firewall" section.

Windows Firewall

Windows Vista includes a firewall called the Windows Firewall. By default, the Windows Firewall is enabled. However, you must still verify that the Windows Firewall is enabled before you connect the computer to the Internet. To verify that the Windows Firewall is enabled, follow these steps:

1. 2. 3.

Click Start, and then click Control Panel. In the search box at the upper-right corner of Control Panel, type security. In the search results that appear, click the icon or the link for Security Center. In the window that is displayed, you will see four bars that are titled Firewall, Automatic updating, Malware protection, and Other security settings.

4.

Click the right arrow button on the Firewall bar to expand the bar. The expanded bar will display one of the following three options:

a.If the Firewall bar is green, it means that the firewall is enabled.

b.If the Firewall bar is red, you may see a message that the Windows Firewall is turned off. To turn on the Windows Firewall and to cause the Firewall bar in security center to turn green, click Turn on now. c.If the Firewall bar is red, and the message describes a problem with a third-party firewall program, we recommend that you disconnect the computer from the network, and then contact the vendor of that firewall program for more information about how to turn on the third-party firewall program.

For more information about the Windows Firewall in Windows Vista, visit the following "Windows Help and How-to" Web sites:

•

To read the article, "Firewall: frequently asked questions," visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/33307acf-0698-41ba-b014ea0a2eb8d0a81033.mspx

•

To read the article, "What is a firewall?," visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/4673a386-2e73-4b7a-a3336f826a3d44b41033.mspx

•

To find out more about Windows Firewall, read the article, "Windows Firewall: recommended links," at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/05eee553-6a90-456a-b9e5fcb4233905431033.mspx

•

For more information about the relationship between Windows Firewall and Windows Security Center in Windows Vista, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

929462 Description of the relationship between Windows Firewall and Windows Security Center in Windows Vista

After you connect the computer directly to the modem, test Internet Explorer. If you are now able to access the Web sites that you were unable to access before, contact the router's manufacturer for help in configuring the device. If you are still unable to access any Web sites, go to step 3. Step 3. Verify device compatibility

For a modem or a network adapter to work correctly in Windows Vista, it must be compatible with Windows Vista. Additionally, it must have device drivers that can be used by Windows Vista to communicate with the device. To find out whether the modem or the network adapter that you are using is compatible with Windows Vista, you must first determine what adapter model you have in the computer. To do this, follow these steps:

1. 2.

Click Start, type device manager in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. Click the entry for Device Manager that appears in the search results.

3.

Expand the entry for the type of device that you are looking for. For example, expand Network adapters.

Note The specific type of device that you must look for will be determined by the way that you connect this computer to the Internet. For example, if you connect to the Internet by using a wireless network connection, you must look for information about a wireless network adapter and you must expand Network adapters. 4.

Note the entries that appear under Network adapters.

5.

On another computer, start Internet Explorer.

6.

Type the following address, and then press ENTER:

http://whql.microsoft.com/hcl/

7.

Search for the network adapter that you noted in step 4. Information that is contained on this Web site will tell you if the network adapter is compatible with Windows Vista.

If you cannot determine the type of modem or of network adapter that you have in your computer, or if that device shows that it is experiencing a problem, we recommend that you contact the OEM or the hardware vendor from whom you obtained this adapter.

For information about your hardware manufacturer, visit the following Web site: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/vendors/en-us If the device that you are looking for is either an internal DSL modem or an internal cable modem, we recommend that you contact the Internet service provider that gave you the modem. Some potential problems that you might see include the following:

•

The modem or the network adapter is missing from Device Manager.

•

The modem or the network adapter is listed as an Unknown Device or with a generic name such as Ethernet Adapter or PCI Simple Communications Controller.

•

The modem or the network adapter is marked with either a red X or a yellow exclamation point.

If you still experience network connectivity problems after you verify that the modem or the network adapter is compatible with Windows Vista and that the latest drivers for the device are installed, go to step 4. Step 4. Create a System Restore point before you reset the Winsock protocol

Important Before you follow the steps that are described in the "Reset the Winsock protocol" section, we recommend that you use the System Restore tool in Windows Vista to create a restore point on the computer. This will let you roll back the computer to the point in time before any changes were made in case these changes create new problems.

Create a System Restore point

To create a System Restore point by using System Restore, follow these steps:

1. 2.

Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties. In the task pane, click the System protection link. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

3. 4.

Click Create on the lower-right corner of the System Properties dialog box. In the System Protection dialog box, type a suitable name in the box. For example, type Computer before network changes, and then click Create.

5.

As soon as the restore point is successfully created, the following notification is displayed:

The restore point was created successfully.

6.

Click OK two times.

Reset the Winsock protocol

Another possible cause of network connectivity problems is the mis-configuration or the corruption of the Winsock protocol on the computer. This protocol is used by Windows to communicate with other computers and to access resources on the Internet, such as e-mail and Web sites. If there is a problem with Winsock, Windows Vista will no longer be able to access the Internet.

Caution Programs that access or that monitor the Internet, such as antivirus programs, firewall programs, and proxy clients, may be adversely affected when you reset the configuration of the Winsock protocol. If you have a program that no longer functions correctly after you follow these steps, you may have to uninstall and then reinstall the program to restore its functionality, or you may have to repair the program by using the application’s Setup program.

After the restore point has been successfully created, reset the configuration of the Winsock protocol back to its default settings. To have us reset the configuration of the Winsock protocol for

you, go to the "Fix it for me" section. To do this yourself, go to the "Let me fix it myself" section.

Back to the top Fix it for me

To reset the configuration of the Winsock protocol automatically, click the Fix this problem link. Click Run in the File Download dialog box, and follow the steps in the Fix it wizard.

Fix this problem Microsoft Fix it 50203

Note this wizard may be in English only; however, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.

Note if you are not on the computer that has the problem, save the Fix it solution to a flash drive or a CD and then run it on the computer that has the problem.

Next, go to the "Did this fix the problem?" section. Back to the top Let me fix it myself

To do this, follow these steps:

1. 2.

Click Start, and in Start Search, type cmd. Right-click the cmd entry that appears in the search results, and then click Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

3. At the command prompt, type the following, and then press ENTER: netsh winsock reset

Then, you should see the following message:

Successfully reset the Winsock Catalog. You must restart the computer in order to complete the reset.

4.

Restart the computer.

Note If you receive an “Access Denied” error message instead of the message that is mentioned in step 3, the command prompt was not correctly elevated. In this case, close the Command Prompt window, and repeat steps 1 through 3. Make sure that you correctly implement step 2.

Back to the top Did this fix the problem?

Test Internet Explorer again to see whether network connectivity problems still occur. If you still experience network connectivity problems, verify the contents of the Hosts file.

Verify the contents of the Hosts file

A Hosts file is used by TCP/IP to provide a method to associate a particular Internet address together with an IP address. Whereas this file has many legitimate uses, some malicious software, such as malware and spyware, can use this file for dubious purposes. The intent of the entries that are included in the Hosts file by malicious software is to prevent you from accessing certain Web sites. For example, you may be prevented from accessing a Web site where you can update your antivirus signatures or where you can access updates. This may leave the computer in a compromised state. Additionally, you cannot access any of the tools that you could use to fix it.

Note In some cases, legitimate entries may be added by system administrators, or you may have added those entries yourself. If you rename a Hosts file, the associations in that file will no longer work. For more information, contact the system administrator or the network administrator.

To determine whether the network connectivity problems that you experience are caused by entries in the Hosts file, you must find and then rename this file so that the entries it contains will no longer be used. To have us reset the Hosts file back to the default for you, go to the "Fix it for me" section. To reset

the Hosts file back to the default yourself, go to the "Let me fix it myself" section.

Fix it for me

To reset the Hosts file back to the default automatically, click the Fix it button or link. Click Run in the File Download dialog box, and then follow the steps in the Fix it wizard.

Fix this problem Microsoft Fix it 50267

Note this wizard may be in English only; however, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.

Note if you are not on the computer that has the problem, save the Fix it solution to a flash drive or a CD and then run it on the computer that has the problem.

Next, go to the end of the "Did this fix the problem?" section below.

Let me fix it myself To reset the Hosts file back to the default yourself, follow these steps:

1. 2.

Click Start, type drivers in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. Click the entry for drivers that is displayed in the search results. The icon next to drivers will be a folder.

3.

A window appears that will display Windows > system32 > drivers in the address bar at the top. Double-click the etc folder.

4. 5.

Locate and right-click the hosts file, and then click Rename. Type oldhosts, and then press ENTER. If you receive the following error message click Continue:

You need to confirm this operation.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

6.

Restart the computer to make sure that the change takes effect.

7.

Test Internet Explorer.

Check whether the configuration of the Winsock protocol and the HOSTS file is reset. If it is, you are finished with this section. If the Winsock protocol or HOSTS file is not reset, you can contact support. Back to the top

APPLIES TO

•

Windows Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista

•

Windows Internet Explorer

4) It's not always malware: How to fix the top 10 Internet Explorer issues:It's beyond the scope of this article to cover all of the potential fixes for my "Top 10" Internet Explorer issues, what you'll find here is what experience has taught me is most likely to succeed. Note: Some of these procedures are for more advanced users.

Issues viewing Web pages "Page cannot be displayed" errors Red x instead of pictures View, Source doesn't work To address the issues above, you may need to try one, some, or all of the following three procedures.

Empty the cache The first thing to do when Internet Explorer is misbehaving is empty your Internet Explorer cache. Often the cache is not corrupt or damaged – it is simply too large. 1. 2.

Click Tools, then Internet Options, and then click the Delete Files button. A Delete Files window will appear. Select the option to Delete all offline content, and then click OK.

3.

Click Settings and reduce the size of your cache to, say, 50 to 100 MB (more if you routinely

download very large files). This will invariably fix the dreaded red x, View, Source, and sometimes "Page cannot be displayed" errors.

Troubleshooting fix number 1—empty your IE cache.

Emptying the cache will not be sufficient to fix things if a hidden file in the cache folders, called index.dat, is corrupt. Our best alternative in such a situation is to delete the cache folders in their entirety, but this cannot be done from within Windows under normal circumstances. Index.dat is a system file, and any attempt to delete it while Windows is running or while the user is logged on will be blocked. Therefore, we need to reboot into DOS mode or, when running later versions of Windows that support user accounts, we need to log in to Windows using a different Administrator account to that which is affected. Note: The following procedure is for advanced users. If you are running Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition (Me) 1.

Click on Start, then Shut Down, and select the Restart the Computer in MS-DOS mode

option. (If you are running Windows Me use a Windows 98 startup disc to access DOS mode.) The steps required to create a startup disk are the same for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me. 1. 2.

Click on Start, point to Settings, and then click on Control Panel. Open Add/Remove Programs, click on the Startup Disk tab, and then click Create Disk and

follow the prompts. Make sure you have an empty floppy disk ready. If you have difficulties when using Add/Remove Programs to create a startup disk (for example, if the Wizard prompts for your operating system installation disk and you cannot find it, or you only have a manufacturer provided restore disk or partition) go to www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm.

Download a Windows98 boot disk executable file from that site, put an empty floppy disk in the correct disk drive, and then double click on the downloaded file to make the disk. I recommend Windows 98 SE Custom, which includes smartdrv. Turn your PC off, and place the startup disk in the computer’s floppy drive. Turn on your PC, which should read the startup disk and load the DOS operating system instead of Windows. Once the system has finished booting into DOS mode, run the following commands from the Windows directory, typically displayed in DOS as c:\windows\>. smartdrv deltree tempor~1 Just to be sure, let's also run: deltree history deltree cookies I should explain what tempor~1 means. The version of DOS that is included on the Windows 98 startup disk does not support long file or folder names like "temporary internet files." We are restricted to 8 letters only. Therefore, any file or folder which has more than eight letters to its name must shortened, and appended with ~1 when use the Windows 98 version of DOS. Tip: The smartdrv command is used to speed up disk operations in MS-DOS mode. Believe me, you don't want to run the deltree commands without loading smartdrv first. I have forgotten a few times, and can tell you that computers can hobble along for hours instead of minutes during the deltree process if smartdrv is not loaded first. Reboot using CTRL+ ALT+ DELETE. If you are running Windows Me, remember to remove the startup disk from the floppy drive first. If you are running Windows 2000 or Windows XP We do things differently when working with operating systems that support User Accounts, such as Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Firstly, Windows 98 boot disks do not work if a hard drive is formatted as NTFS instead of FAT . Secondly, Windows 2000 and Windows XP use a more complicated directory structure than Windows 95 and Windows 98, making DOS more difficult to use successfully. The path to the Internet Explorer cache directory will typically be something similar to: C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\... Thankfully, Windows 2000 and Windows XP users can log in using an Administrator account to delete the folders in question directly from within Windows Explorer. Note that an Administrator cannot delete his own Internet Explorer cache folders. He must log on using a different Administrator account.

Edit the HOST file Note: The following procedure is for advanced users. The HOSTS file is a hidden file used by some Internet related programs to control Web browsing by directly linking particular Web sites to pre-set IP addresses. The only problem is, if a Web page's IP address changes, the HOSTS file will not update itself to suit, causing "Page cannot be displayed" errors.

The HOSTS file can be viewed and edited using Notepad, but first we must temporarily show hidden files. For Windows XP 1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. 2. Click Appearance and Themes, and then click Folder Options. For older systems 1. 2.

Double-click My Computer, click View, and then click Folder Options. On the View tab, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders, and

then clear the Hide protected operating system files check box. Important: Files are hidden by Windows for a very good reason. It is not wise to experiment with these files. Unfortunately, to successfully complete the following steps we must turn this protection off temporarily. Please turn the protection back on when you have finished. Find and edit your HOSTS file The correct directory for a HOSTS file depends on what version of Windows you are running: Windows XP = C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc Windows 2K = C:\Winnt\System32\Drivers\Etc Win 98\ME = C:\Windows Once you have found your HOSTS file, right-click on the HOSTS file, and then select Open. You will be asked to choose a program to use. Select Notepad, but make sure you that you do NOT turn on any option to always use the same program. Examine the content of your HOSTS file, and compare it to the screenshot below. We do not need to worry about any line that begins with an # because is ignored by Windows. Also, the line "127.0.0.1 localhost" can be safely ignored, because it is a standard entry.

A HOSTS file can be used to control Web page to IP address associations

Anything else that appears in your HOSTS file without an # at the beginning, apart from the "127.0.0.1 localhost" line, should be viewed with suspicion when we are trying to diagnose the cause of "Page cannot be displayed" errors. The quickest way to test for HOSTS file involvement is to right click the HOSTS file, then select Rename. Add the letter X to the beginning or end of the file name and then ok your changes. By changing the name of the HOSTS file, we stop Internet Explorer from using it, and therefore resolve any issues caused by the file.

Repair Layered Service Provider problems Sometimes Internet Explorer is unable to access the Internet if software known as Layered Service Provider (LSP) has been removed incorrectly from a computer. You might not know you have this software; it is sometimes installed by unrelated software such as file-sharing programs, without

your knowledge. In such cases, you will need to run LSPfix or Winsockxpfix. As its name suggests, Winsockxpfix should only be used on machines running Windows XP. LSPfix can be used on all other consumer versions of Windows, but make sure that Winsock 2 has been installed on Windows 95 machines. Tip: If you are using Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) there is a command that can be used instead of Winsockxpfix. It works by resetting the winsock catalogue. Click Start, then Run and type CMD in the dialogue box that appears, and then click OK. Type netsh winsock reset into the DOS window that appears. Other issues when viewing Web pages Creating a new cache and checking for HOSTS file involvement are, in my experience, the most likely way to successfully resolve page view issues in Internet Explorer. But it is not exhaustive. If you are still having issues, it would be worth reviewing the advice on my Web site. Some of the information is repetitious, but worth wading through—it addresses connection settings, third-party applications that may cause problems, issues related to Internet connection sharing, and a few other bits and pieces. Top of page

Issues related to default browser settings Error messages when attempting to send a page or link by e-mail First, reset your default e-mail client from within Internet Explorer. To do this go to Tools, then Internet Options, then Programs, then select your e-mail program of choice.

The easiest way to set your default e-mail client is from within Internet Explorer

Sometimes your e-mail program will not appear in the drop down list shown above. When this happens, we need to re-register the program in question. To re-register your e-mail program: 1.

Click Start, then click Run, and then type the appropriate command based on the following email programs: Outlook Express: "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\Msimn.Exe" /reg Outlook:

"c:\program files\microsoft office\office\outlook.exe" /checkclient Make sure the path to msimn.exe or outlook.exe is correct for your machine. Type the command line exactly as it appears, including quote marks and spaces. If using a non-Microsoft e-mail program: A program must be Internet Explorer aware to automatically list itself as a default program option. If the program does not appear, there are a couple of things you can do. First, you can right-click the executable file for the program, and see if Register appears as an option, (which should cause the program to be listed on the drop box on the Program Tab) Otherwise, there's a manual method, but it involves editing the registry and adding the program under: HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\Software\Clients\mail -orHKEY LOCAL MACHINE\Software\Clients\news You will need to contact your program's vendor for the appropriate syntax. Hyperlinks not working Hyperlinks will not work if a computer system does not know which Web browser is set as the default, which happens if the settings that control this choice are damaged or incorrect. The easiest way to fix the problem is to allow your preferred Web browser to rewrite the appropriate settings by resetting your default browser. Rather than walk through the steps required to achieve this in this column, I refer you to my previous column about how to set up your browser as the default. "Open in new Window" doesn't work Sometimes resetting our default browser is not enough to get hyperlinks to work again, especially if they trigger a new window. Open in new window is dependent upon several system files, therefore you should ensure they are correctly registered. Click on Start, then Run, then run the following commands. After you run each command, a small window should appear stating that the command was successful. regsvr32 Shdocvw.dll (if that doesn't work, try shdoc401.dll) regsvr32 Oleaut32.dll regsvr32 Actxprxy.dll regsvr32 Mshtml.dll regsvr32 Urlmon.dll Some programs that control pop-up windows and advertisements can stop hyperlinks from working. Also, some third-party add-ins are known to cause a problem and must be uninstalled when misbehaving in this way. Disable all third-party Internet related programs (not your firewall) and test. Top of page

Miscellaneous issues Internet Explorer freezes, shuts down without warning, or the computer reboots. This problem is often caused by out-of-date video drivers. Go to the Web site run by the manufacturer of your video card and download, then install, the latest (non-beta) drivers for your video card. Alternatively, you can try the following: 1. 2. 3.

Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Display (in classic view of Windows XP), click the Settings tab, and then click Advanced. Click the Performance or Troubleshooting tab (depending on your operating system), and

then reduce hardware acceleration a notch at a time until your system stabilizes. Internet Explorer opens off screen, or tiny, or minimized, or the window will not move If your taskbar is set to Autohide, turn the setting off and then maximize the problem window. While the window is maximized, increase the height of your taskbar from one row to two. The maximized window will automatically resize itself to fit into the smaller area available with a taller taskbar. Then, return the taskbar to its normal single row and allow the maximized window to resize once more. This will make Windows re-calculate window size and boundaries, overwriting registry keys that may be damaged. If the affected window is partially off screen, so that the Minimize, Maximize, Restore, and Close buttons are hidden, you can access the same options by clicking on the Internet Explorer icon on the far left edge of the Internet Explorer title bar, or by right-clicking on the Internet Explorer button on the taskbar.

Internet Explorer's window sizing options can be accessed in several ways

If resizing your Taskbar does not work, run Regedit and remove the following registry key values which are most likely corrupt. Do not delete the entire key, just the last word which will appear in the right hand pane. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\window_placement HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\OldWorkAreas\OldWorkAreaRects Then reboot. The computer keeps disconnecting from the Internet This one can raise suspicions of malware. But, before you reformat your computer, do the following. 1.

In Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the

2. 3.

Connections tab. Under Dial-up or Virtual Private Network settings, click the Settings button. Under Dial-up settings, click the Advanced button and make sure that Disconnect when connection may no longer be required check box is cleared, and that the Disconnect if

1. 2.

idle check box is cleared as well. In Outlook Express, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Connection tab. Turn off the option to Hang up after sending and receiving, and then close the Options window

3. 4.

On the Tools menu, click Accounts, and then click the Mail tab. Make sure that each connection is set to use Any Available. If not, highlight the account then

5.

click on Properties. Click the Connection tab and ensure that the option "Always connect to this account

using" is turned off. "A runtime error has occurred. Do you wish to debug?" This is another symptom that tends to raise suspicions of malware. 1.

In Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Advanced

2.

tab. Make sure that Disable Script Debugging (Internet Explorer) and Disable Script

3.

Debugging (Other) are both enabled. Make sure that Disable a Notification about ever script error is disabled.

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Further assistance The procedures I have listed above should resolve most occurrences of the issues being discussed. If this is not the case, I recommend some further research and assistance. You are welcome to browse my Web site for further hints and fixes. I also recommend the Internet Explorer newsgroups which are dedicated to helping users make the most of Internet Explorer.

5) You receive a random "0x0000008E" error message on a blue screen in Windows XP

Symptoms of the problem

When you run Windows XP, you may randomly receive an error message on a blue screen that references the 0x0000008E (KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED) error. Back to the top Methods to resolve the problem

Use Microsoft Update to obtain the latest service pack for Windows XP Microsoft Update is a program that automatically installs important updates for you. This includes the latest service pack. You can install Microsoft Update automatically or manually.

Automatic method To automatically install Microsoft Update, please visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://update.microsoft.com

Manual method To manually install Microsoft Update, please visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/updates/mu.mspx Back to the top More information

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 945658 General troubleshooting for an error message that you may receive randomly in Windows XP: "Stop 0x0000008E" 322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack