Article ID: 312930
Article Last Modified on 8/7/2007
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
This article was previously published under Q312930
SUMMARY
The information covered in this article is provided by: Microsoft Press.
This article is part 1 of a series of two articles about solving problems in Windows Millennium Edition (Me). This article explains how to recover from system failures and the tools you will need to get back to work. To view part 2, click the link to the article:
312932 Solving Problems in Windows Millennium Edition (Part 2 of 2)
This information is an excerpt from the Do It Yourself Microsoft Windows Me book, Chapter 7: "My Computer Ate My Homework: Solving Problems". Learn More About Do It Yourself Microsoft Windows Me.
MORE INFORMATION
Part 1 covers the following topics:
- Recovering from System Failures
- The Tools You'll Need To Get Back To Work
- The Windows Me Startup Disk
- The Help System
- Online Technical Support
- Telephone Technical Support
Recovering from System Failures
If it's happened to you, you probably know how Annie feels. You've had that sick, sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you thought you had lost hours, days, or maybe even weeks of work--all because something went wrong with your computer. It's a horrible feeling made up of equal parts fear, helplessness, and despair. I've been there, as have most people with any computer experience, and I want to do everything possible to help you get past that feeling and salvage what you can.
System failures come in a variety of forms, with a variety of consequences. The failure can be caused by anything, from a program unexpectedly closing to a complete system crash from which it takes days to recover. I want to say up front that catastrophic computer failures are--fortunately--very rare. But they do happen. In this chapter, I'll try to share some of my experiences and show you some general techniques to minimize the risk of computer crashes, how to get your computer back on if they occur, and how to recover data you might have lost in the crash. I can't anticipate every problem that might occur, and this book isn't big enough for every fix you might need, so I've included details about how to contact technical support services for any problems that I don't address here.
In the most general terms, any problem your computer develops can ultimately be traced to one of two possible sources: hardware or software. Usually hardware problems are caused by one of three things: improper installation, dirty equipment, or mechanical failure. You can take some preventative measures, such as regular cleaning, to keep your hardware functioning as well as possible. Improper installation is relatively easy to fix.
Mechanical failure is something you probably won't be able to fix. But don't give up until you've checked your hardware owner's manual for troubleshooting suggestions. However, it's likely that your ultimate solution will be taking the broken hardware to the shop to get a diagnosis.
One thing to keep in mind about hardware "Software cannot hurt hardware." While this may be an oversimplification, it is fundamentally true. When software does damage hardware, it's almost always the result of a deliberate act. The reason I tell you this is that many people are afraid that somehow their computer will break if a program crashes. Don't worry. In most cases, your computer will work fine once you get your program running again.
Software problems generally come from one of three sources: bugs, improper installation, and viruses. Bugs are bits of code inadvertently written into the program, making it behave in unexpected ways. Despite every effort manufacturers make to correct all bugs, there is no such thing as 100 percent bug-free software. I'll tell you how to minimize problems with bugs in the task "How Do I Minimize Software Problems?" For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
312932 Solving Problems in Windows Millnnium Edtion (part 2 of 2)
Improper installation is another big cause of software problems. This might not be the fault of the person installing the software either; many things can happen during installation that can cause a program to not function correctly. Sometimes, if you're having the same problem over and over again, your best course of action is to uninstall a program; then reinstall it. Note that failure to properly uninstall a program before attempting to reinstall it is probably the single largest cause of installation-related problems.
Viruses are a third cause of software problems, but--in all honesty--haven't been very common. A virus is a program that someone (usually called a hacker) creates specifically for the purpose of destroying other people's programs and data. Don't ask me what motivates these people; I don't understand them either. But they are a real threat and something that I want you to know how to deal with. Fortunately, a number of good virus checkers are available. I strongly recommend you install one, and I suggest you be sure that the one you buy provides updates via a Web site.
Of course, what concerns you most is getting your computer operational again and making sure that you don't lose the files that you've worked so hard on. And, in the long run, the computer is often not as important as the documents it contains. There are several steps that have been generally accepted as a fundamental part of good work habits for people who use computers. You'll learn about them in the task "How Do I Minimize Damage to My Files?". For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
312932 Solving Problems in Windows Millnnium Edtion (part 2 of 2)
Having a system crash is a traumatic event for anyone. It's something that I sincerely hope you'll never have to deal with. You can reduce your chances of encountering a system failure and improve your chances of recovering from one if you keep a few principles in mind.
- If a program crashes, don't despair and don't panic. There are many things you can do to recover from the crash. If the problem is in a Microsoft program and the steps I suggest in this chapter fail, Microsoft Technical Support can help you get on your feet again.
- Software can't hurt hardware. You're not going to break your computer when you try to recover from a crash.
- Bugs are glitches within a program. Most programs have at least one or two minor bugs. You can learn to deal with them. Then let the software company know about them so that they'll be fixed.
- Improper installation of either hardware or software is a major cause of computer problems. Sometimes all you need to do is uninstall, and then reinstall, the program or the piece of hardware to solve the problem.
- Practice good computer hygiene to keep viruses out of your system. If you do get infected, a virus checker should be able to find and destroy the problem for you. But you have to remember to use the tool so that it can help you.
- Good computer work habits minimize the risk to your data should a crash occur. Remember to save your files frequently and back them up regularly.
The Tools You'll Need To Get Back To Work
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition includes tools that help prevent a system failure and help you get back to work in case of a system failure.
Other tools to help you get back to work, such as System Restore and the TEMP folder, are covered under the appropriate tasks in this chapter. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
312932 Solving Problems in Windows Millnnium Edtion (part 2 of 2)
Windows Me has four tools that I specifically want to talk about here: the Windows Me Startup Disk, the Help menu, telephone technical support, and online technical support. These tools will be a great help in getting you back to work should something dreadful happen to your computer.
The Windows Me Startup Disk
The Windows Me Startup Disk is a floppy disk or CD that will start Windows Me after it has crashed if Windows Me refuses to load. You need to have created a Windows Me Startup Disk ahead of time; waiting until you need it won't do you any good. If you bought your computer with Windows Me already installed, the manufacturer may have included a System Recovery Disk or Emergency Recovery Disk with your computer. This may be a CD and will generally include the files from the Windows Me Startup Disk as well. If you've installed Windows Me yourself, the Setup Wizard prompted you to create a Windows Me Startup Disk at that time.
Even if you have a recovery disk labeled something like "System Recovery" or "Emergency Recovery," I recommend that you create your own Windows Me Startup Disk. The reason for this is that most emergency recovery CDs have a feature that restores your computer to its factory settings. That means you could lose all your data if you accidentally hit the wrong key at the wrong time--irretrievably. It's much safer to have a specially dedicated startup disk available should you need it. You'll want to keep that recovery disk around though. If your system is consistently crashing, you may want to copy your files and restore your computer to a bug-free and virus-free state.
If you don't have a Windows Me Startup Disk or can't find the one you did have, you should make one now. Store it in a place where it won't get lost. The task "How Do I Create a Windows Me Startup Disk?" walks you through the process. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
312932 Solving Problems in Windows Millnnium Edtion (part 2 of 2)
The Help System
You can use Windows Me Help for many things but probably not for help with crashes and system failures (since you most likely can't start your computer). But if you're having other types of problems, it can be a powerful diagnostic tool and can help you figure out what's happening with your system.
To use Help in this fashion, click the Start button and then click Help. In the Help And Support window that appears, click in the Search text box. Type Troubleshooter, and click the GO button. As shown in Figure 7-1, the result of your search is a list of more than 30 troubleshooters for different Windows Me operations. Scroll through the list until you find a topic that looks like it might explain the source of your problem. Follow the directions of the Troubleshooter, and you could very well find yourself back in business sooner than you ever imagined.
[GRAPHIC: Picture of the Help and Support Window]
Figure 7-1: I think the most useful part of Help is the troubleshooters. These will help you diagnose many problems that might occur with Windows Me.
Online Technical Support
- If the troubleshooters don't pinpoint the problem, you can get online help from Microsoft as well. To do this, you'll need to have a functioning computer and be able to log on to the Internet.
- To use the online technical support service Microsoft offers, log on to the Internet and go to http://support.microsoft.com/directory/. This is the general Microsoft support Web page, and what you do from here depends on what you want. When you open this Web page, you'll see five tabs: Home, Self Support, Assisted Support, Custom Support, and Worldwide Support.
- The Home tab lists many of the features you'll find on the other tabs, but with less explanation of what each item does. I'd say skip this tab and click one of the others.
- Self Support lets you try to find the answers you want on your own. There are three categories to this tab. The Searchable Knowledge Base (KB) lets you scan the Microsoft library of support information. The Download Center lets you download free Microsoft software, which may let you find another program (or a program fix) to solve your problems. The third category, FAQs by Product, allows you to see a list of frequently asked questions about Microsoft products and their answers.
- Assisted Support has three areas of help. The first is an Assisted Support Directory that helps you find telephone numbers and other support options to answer your questions. Online Support Requests lets you send a question to a Microsoft support professional via e-mail. This is the route that I suggest you take. Phone Numbers is a quicker way to get to the phone numbers you want than the Assisted Support Directory.
- Custom Support is a tool primarily for software developers (or programmers) and computer professionals, but it does contain a link for Microsoft Personal Online Support that you might find to be of help. It also provides you with links to specialized developer-oriented Web sites that alert you to problems with a product. Often the Web sites give you some fixes to those problems. If you're comfortable with more technical language and want to experiment with some of their suggestions, you may find what you need.
- Worldwide Support can direct you to the Web sites for Microsoft offices anywhere in the world. The information may be very useful if you live outside the U.S.
Telephone Technical Support
Using either Help or online support presumes that you have a functioning computer on your hands. That may not be the case. This is when you might want to give telephone technical support a call.
The advantage of telephone technical support is that you can talk to a real-live human being and have him or her hold your hand (figuratively speaking) as you try to recover your system. Keep in mind that this service is available Mondays through Fridays from 5:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., and Saturdays from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Pacific Time. That means that if your computer crashes at 4:00 P.M. on Saturday, you can't talk to someone until 5:00 A.M. the next Monday. Also, Microsoft's free telephone technical support for Windows Me is available only if you bought your program from a retail outlet (nothing installed at the factory). The 90-day warranty period starts when you make your first call. After that, you can get telephone support on a pay-per-incident basis at $35 dollars a shot. The upside of using paid phone support is that it's available around the clock every day of the year, including holidays.
Before you call, you need to have the product ID number for your program--in this case, Windows Me. You can get the product ID for your system by right-clicking the My Computer icon on your desktop. On the shortcut menu, click Properties. You'll find your product ID number on the General tab, just below the name of the person who registered the program.
Once you have that information, you can use the warranty service by calling Microsoft Product Support Services at 1 (425) 635-3311. The number to call if your warranty has expired is 1 (800) 936-5700; the cost for this service is then $35. If you need TDD service for either warranty or paid product support, call 1 (800) 892-5234.
REFERENCES
The information in this article is an excerpt from the Do It Yourself Microsoft Windows Me book, published by Microsoft Press.
[GRAPHIC: Picture of the Do It Yourself Microsoft Windows Me Book][1]
Learn More About Do It Yourself Microsoft Windows Me
For more information about this publication and other Microsoft Press titles, see http://mspress.microsoft.com.
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