Number 255 - August 2004
Computers -- From the Very Beginning for New Users
by Charlie Paschal, Palmetto P C Club, Columbia, SC - Columnist, The (Columbia) State newspaper, SC
   One of the biggest "panes" about Windows is that just about anything can break it--such as installing a new program or getting rid of an old one.

   There's a right way and a wrong way to do both--but even if you do things the right way, you still can have problems. Windows 2000 and XP have better ways to recover than 98 but it's still not a perfect world. That's where the knowledge of one keystroke might be able to save your skin.

   One hidden setting in Windows 2000 and XP (not in 98) also could help you, or someone from technical support, right the Windows ship. This one is turned off by default in those two versions of Windows but I'm going to tell you how to fix it.

   Here are the steps:
  • Right click on My Computer, then left click on Properties.

  • Click on the Advanced tab at the top of the next dialog box

  • Click on Settings in the startup and recovery section of the next dialog box.

  • Uncheck the box next to Automatically restart under the System failure section.

  • Click OK twice.


    •    What does this do? Let me set up a scenero (sic) for you. You install an application that corrupts (or changes) a file the system needs to run correctly. If the box above is checked, the system will automatically restart, showing a brief "blue screen" that doesn't give you (or anyone else) a chance to see what the error is before Windows restarts again. It's a vicious circle.

       With the above box unchecked, although Windows still might not run, at least it will stop on the above blue screen, meaning you might be able to trace down the problem, perhaps replacing the needed file or get help from a more experienced technical support person who can identify the problem and talk you through fixing it.

       This is not a total solution but it gives you a fighting chance. With the above box checked, you don't have a chance at all since you have no way of identifying the problem. If you're using Windows XP or 2000, before you go to bed tonight, uncheck that box. By the way, Windows 2000 will make you restart your computer after hitting OK twice--XP won't.

       The other keystroke might get you out of an install mess. Sometimes with this one you have to be really quick because you have to hit it while Windows is starting up. With computers getting faster and faster, you don't have much time to hit this key because once Windows starts loading the desktop, hitting this key won't help.
       One of the ways to make sure you have time to hit the keys is to turn the computer off completely, then get poised to hit the F8 key. It's along the top row of keys of your keyboard and you MUST strike it before Windows starts loading the desktop.

       (With some computers this is made even harder by a flashy screen they display while in the background, Windows is busy trying to load everything. Even if you get this type of screen once you hit the power button, hit F8 anyway.)

       Sometimes you'll get a message that you have a keyboard error and be asked to hit F1 to continue. If that happens, press F1, then F8 again. You should then get a menu in a DOS-like black screen.

       Let's say that you install a program in Windows (any of the above three versions) and then you start getting error messages or, even worse, Windows won't run at all. The one you want to choose is "Safe Mode." This is Windows with all the good stuff removed. The operating system uses a minimum set of drivers and, to tell you the truth, it looks grimy because the display is using only 16 colors. I remember the days of 16 colors on monitors and they looked pretty good back then; now I'm spoiled with millions of colors.

       Once Windows loads, Windows 2000 and 98 will look pretty much the same, except for the few colors. This is the time to go to the Control Panel, click on Add/Remove Programs and remove the program that started giving you the trouble in the first place.

       You also can go into Device Manager (right click on My Computer, then left click on Properties) to disable drives of devices you suspect are creating the problem. By clicking on the + sign next to a category, you can see the all the devices listed. Right clicking on the device will give you a context menu. On that menu is a "disable" device. That's what you might want to do if that's the one with the problem.

       While in this cocoon of safety, you can do such stuff as change video drivers, adjust video drivers or uninstall a program that is creating problems.

       How to uninstall a program:
  • Open the Control Panel.

  • Double click on Add/Remove Programs.

  • Select the program you want to uninstall and follow the directions from the Wizard.


    •    In many cases, this will fix your computer. If it doesn't, at least you have a fighting chance by unchecking the automatic boot and learning how to use the startup menu that contains a goody that can help you rescue your system.

       Questions, comments: Charlie@askcharlie.com
      Number 255 - August 2004