Windows 7 Troubleshooting

Windows 7 is a fairly cool operating system, but like most operating systems it’s not perfect. Some Windows 7 problems are bugs others happen to be features. Either way, they are annoying and all we care for is a quick fix.
Some of the most commonly reported problems with Windows 7 include compatibility with older programs, slow performance on low-end hardware, and trouble with the Aero theme and its features. In this article, I’ll show you how to fix these annoyances. For those that prefer an automatic fix, scroll down to the bottom for suggested software solutions.

1. Windows 7 Seems Slow

Windows 7 is hungry for resources. It features many visual effects that draw heavy on your graphics card and system memory. If your system was slow out of the box, chances are you can easily fix that by turning off superfluous effects.
Go to > Start and type ‘performance‘ in the search field. Select > ‘Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows‘ from the results. The > Performance Options window will open. Under > Visual Effects select > Adjust for best performance. If you would like to retain a nice interface, select > Custom and check > ‘Use visual styles on windows and buttons‘.

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2. Windows Aero Not Working

I proceed to explain how to check and edit your registry, I must warn you! Editing the registry can cause permanent damage to your Windows installation. Please backup your registry and know what you’re doing. Go to > Start and type > ‘regedit‘ into the > search option. Launch regedit and browse to > KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM. The value of the entry > ‘EnableAeroPeek‘ should be set to 1, rather than 0.

3. Older Programs Not Compatible

Before upgrading to Windows 7, it is advisable to check which of your programs will be compatible. The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor checks the most common programs. However, as I have outlined in my article How To Use Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor To Check PC Compatibility, you may have to do a manual check at the Windows 7 Compatibility Center for many other programs. Now, if you have already upgraded and if it turns out that a dear program of yours is not compatible, there is a way out: Windows 7 Compatibility Mode. How To Use Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor To Check PC Compatibility How To Use Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor To Check PC Compatibility Read More

To install a program in Compatibility Mode, right-click its > installation file and select > Properties. In its > Properties windows switch to the > Compatibility tab, check > ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for:‘ and from the > pull-down menu choose the latest version of Windows of which you know that the program was running on.

You may have to repeat this step with the program itself once it is installed. Right-click the > program icon, select > Properties, switch to > Compatibility tab, check > ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for:‘, and choose the respective Windows operating system.
Furthermore, you can change the settings for the respective program and you should explore these, depending on the issue you’re facing.

Finally, if you went with Windows 7 Professional or up, you can use Windows 7’s XP Mode. It runs Windows XP as a virtual machine and you can install all programs that worked on Windows XP in this environment. Ars Technica has a very decent article on Windows 7’s XP Mode.

4. DVD Drive Not Found

Windows 7 can not find your optical drive? This is another issue that involves editing the registry. The warning from point 2 applies!
Click > Start, search for > ‘regedit‘ and launch it from the > results. Navigate to > ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class‘. In the > right-hand panel delete > ‘UpperFilters‘ and > ‘LowerFilters‘, restart Windows and see if the problem was resolved.
If not, click > Start, type > Disk Management, and select > ‘Create and format hard disk partitions‘. In the > Disk Management window right-click on the > optical drive icon and select ‘Change Drive Letter and Paths‘. In the > Change Drive Letter and Paths window click the > Change… button and choose a new drive letter. Restart Windows and hope the issue was fixed.

5. New Themes Change Custom Icons

So you switched themes and found that some of your custom icons where changed? That’s quite annoying, but it’s easy to prevent. Right-click > desktop, select > Personalize, in the control panel windows that opens switch to > Change Desktop Icons, and in the > Desktop Icon Settings window uncheck > ‘Allow themes to change desktop icons‘.

Another common issue, which only seems to occur in older laptops, is that Windows 7 falsely reports an empty battery and subsequently shuts down. ITExpertVoice provides a workaround, preventing Windows 7 from shutting down when it thinks the battery is empty. Unfortunately, this may leave you with a sudden laptop death when the battery really runs out.
Finally, many Windows 7 problems can be fixed in an instant using handy tools. MakeUseOf has reviewed FixWin in the article How To Fix Common Windows Problems In A Snap With FixWin. Another option is QuickFix, which contains 21 common Windows 7 fixes. Since it is a portable app, it could one day help you out of a virus attack or restore default Windows 7 behavior.

Troubleshooting – Windows XP, Vista, 7 Computers

Computers can be very intimidating – especially when they start to throw a tantrum! Follow these easy-to-understand, basic Windows computer troubleshooting steps and fix your computer all by yourself.

The Windows XP Operating System comes to you with a set of built-in tools which are designed especially for troubleshooting. Now, let’s list out the things we need to do when you notice something is ‘just not right ‘ in your computer.

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Quick basic computer troubleshooting steps for you:

• Check for “Not Responding” applications in the Task Manager, using Ctrl+Alt+Del keys and stop it.
• Try LKGC (Last Known Good Configuration)
• If the error is due to a recently installed application or device driver, uninstall it.
• Try a system restore to a previous date
• Repair Windows
• If nothing works, say your prayers and re-install Windows (Have you backed up your data ?)

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Detailed Basic Windows (XP, Vista, 7) Computer Troubleshooting:

Try out these steps one by one till your issue is resolved:

• If you notice that your computer has “frozen up” or just “stopped responding” – first give it some time to recover itself – and that could be say something like 3 – 5 minutes. (Tap on the NumLock key on your keyboard – if your computer is just busy, the Numlock light will go on & off when you tap the key. Else, if your computer is completely frozen, the NumLock light will just stay on.)
• If after, say 5 minutes your computer still does not respond, check the Task Manager and see which program shows up as “Not Responding” in it’s status. To get to the Task Manager, just hit <Ctrl>+<Shift>+<Esc> on your keyboard or right-click anywhere in the Task bar and select “Task Manager”.

The Task Manager will look like this:

Now look at the image above, and note there are two programs that have a status of “Not Responding” – this is probably what has caused your computer to stop responding. Click on each of them and then click on the End Task button seen at the bottom of that dialog box. Then, in the next window, click OK to confirm your decision to terminate the application.Remember, doing this will result in loss of any unsaved data.

But once you have terminated the erring application, you can restart it again and carry on with your work.

• In case you were not able to terminate the frozen application, go ahead and restart your computer by clicking on the Start Button (if that responds, but chances are that, at this stage, it will not) or by using the power button in your computer. (You will lose any unsaved information, sorry!)
• Many times, your issues will get resolved after a simple restart of your computer. But what if the problem still persists? You still have a wide range of options. First – get to a screen called “Windows Advanced Boot Menu Options” – the easiest way to get there is to restart your computer, count 02 seconds and start tapping on the <F8> key on your keyboard. The Windows Advanced Options Menu screen would look something like the one given below:

As you see in the image above, there are a number  of options. What we are primarily interested in is the option called “Last Known Good Configuration“. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard and navigate to that option and hit the <Enter> key on your keyboard.

Having done that, let’s wait for your computer to restart itself to the most recent configuration that worked. Generally, that should resolve a number of problems.

But what if it hasn’t? There is one more option and it’s called “System Restore“

• In order to get to the System Restore option – Click on the Start Button -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools ->System Restore. You will then see the “Welcome to System Restore” screen with the default option already selected “Restore my computer to an earlier time“. Click on the Next button to continue – you will get a screen that looks like the image given below:

Note the image above – you see a calendar with some dates which are highlighted. These are called restore points which were automatically created by Windows. You can select any of these restore points and click on the Next button to continue with the system restore wizard. Once you come out of the wizard, your computer should restart and come back to the good working condition it was on the date that you have selected. If one restore point did not work, you can always select a different one. (It is also a good idea to create a restore point when your computer was working fine, though Windows XP creates them automatically).

Sometimes, you may not be able to run System Restore because the computer cannot start up in the normal way. But you can still start up your computer up in Safe Mode / Safe Mode with Command Prompt and run System Restore from the Command Prompt by typing:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

(%systemroot% is the same as C:\Windows.)

While you are doing this, you may be prompted to select the Operating System in your computer (select Windows XP Professional here) and also to enter your username and password. You should have Administrator rights in your computer to do this.

• If you get to the point when you have tried multiple system restores and it still does not fix your problem, you can still go and repair the windows installation in your computer. In order to do that please follow the steps given below:

How to Repair the Windows Installation in your computer?

• Boot from the Windows XP installation CD
• Choose press enter to set up Windows XP now
• Press F8 to skip through the End User License Agreement (EULA)
• Now press R to begin a repair installation

Please note: There are two things you can do here: First: When you first get the option which says “Press R to Repair a Windows XP installation…” it will take you to the Recovery Console where you have many options to Repair Windows in your Computer. Do NOT select this option, unless you want to land up at the Recovery Console and try to repair Windows from there.

Instead, wait till you get the same option a second time – you will get this option after you Accept the License Agreement (By pressing the F8 key) – then, wait for Windows to locate the Current Windows Installations in your Computer – Once Windows has identified the existing installations, you will be able to select that installation and Repair it by pressing R! Though, it will go through the full Windows XP re-installation process, it will not result in loss of data – as this procedure will only repair the Windows Operating Systems System Files in your computer.

Optimize Windows for better performance

Here are some tips to help you optimize Windows 7 for faster performance.

Try the Performance troubleshooter

The first thing that you can try is the Performance troubleshooter, which can automatically find and fix problems. The Performance troubleshooter checks issues that might slow down your computer's performance, such as how many users are currently logged on to the computer and whether multiple programs are running at the same time.

Open the Performance troubleshooter by clicking the Start button

, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Under System and Security, click Check for performance issues.

Delete programs you never use

Many PC manufacturers pack new computers with programs you didn't order and might not want. These often include trial editions and limited-edition versions of programs that software companies hope you'll try, find useful, and then pay to upgrade to full versions or newer versions. If you decide you don't want them, keeping the software on your computer might slow it down by using precious memory, disk space, and processing power.

It's a good idea to uninstall all the programs you don't plan to use. This should include both manufacturer-installed software and software you installed yourself but don't want any more—especially utility programs designed to help manage and tune your computer's hardware and software. Utility programs such as virus scanners, disk cleaners, and backup tools often run automatically at startup, quietly chugging along in the background where you can't see them. Many people have no idea they're even running.

Even if your PC is older, it might contain manufacturer-installed programs that you never noticed or have since forgotten about. It's never too late to remove these and get rid of the clutter and wasted system resources. Maybe you thought you might use the software someday, but never did. Uninstall it and see if your PC runs faster.

Limit how many programs run at startup

Many programs are designed to start automatically when Windows starts. Software manufacturers often set their programs to open in the background, where you can't see them running, so they'll open right away when you click their icons. That's helpful for programs you use a lot, but for programs you rarely or never use, this wastes precious memory and slows down the time it takes Windows to finish starting up.

Decide for yourself if you want a program to run at startup.

But how can you tell what programs run automatically at startup? Sometimes this is obvious, because the program adds an icon to the notification area on the taskbar, where you can see it running. Look there to see if there are any programs running that you don’t want to start automatically. Point to each icon to see the program name. Be sure to click the Show hidden icons button so you don't miss any icons.

Even after you check the notification area, you might still miss some programs that run automatically at startup. AutoRuns for Windows, a free tool that you can download from the Microsoft website, shows you all of the programs and processes that run when you start Windows. You can stop a program from running automatically when Windows starts by opening the AutoRuns for Windows program, and then by clearing the check box next to the name of the program you want to stop. AutoRuns for Windows is designed for advanced users.

Defragment your hard disk

Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Disk Defragmenter rearranges fragmented data so your hard disk can work more efficiently. Disk Defragmenter runs on a schedule, but you can also defragment your hard disk manually.

Clean up your hard disk

Unnecessary files on your hard disk take up disk space and can slow down your computer. Disk Cleanup removes temporary files, empties the Recycle Bin, and removes a variety of system files and other items that you no longer need.

Run fewer programs at the same time

Sometimes changing your computing behavior can have a big impact on your PC's performance. If you're the type of computer user who likes to keep eight programs and a dozen browser windows open at once—all while sending instant messages to your friends—don't be surprised if your PC bogs down. Keeping a lot of e‑mail messages open can also use up memory.

If you find your PC slowing down, ask yourself if you really need to keep all your programs and windows open at once. Find a better way to remind yourself to reply to e‑mail messages rather than keeping all of them open.

Make sure you're only running one antivirus program. Running more than one antivirus program can also slow down your computer. Fortunately, if you're running more than one antivirus program, Action Center notifies you and can help you fix the problem.

Turn off visual effects

If Windows is running slowly, you can speed it up by disabling some of its visual effects. It comes down to appearance versus performance. Would you rather have Windows run faster or look prettier? If your PC is fast enough, you don't have to make this tradeoff, but if your computer is just barely powerful enough for Windows 7, it can be useful to scale back on the visual bells and whistles.

You can choose which visual effects to turn off, one by one, or you can let Windows choose for you. There are 20 visual effects you can control, such as the transparent glass look, the way menus open or close, and whether shadows are displayed.

To adjust all visual effects for best performance:

1. Open Performance Information and Tools by clicking the Start button 
   
   , and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type Performance Information and Tools, and then, in the list of results, click Performance Information and Tools.
2. Click Adjust visual effects
   
   . If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
3. Click the Visual Effects tab, click Adjust for best performance, and then click OK. (For a less drastic option, select Let Windows choose what’s best for my computer.)

Restart regularly

This tip is simple. Restart your PC at least once a week, especially if you use it a lot. Restarting a PC is a good way to clear out its memory and ensure that any errant processes and services that started running get shut down.

Restarting closes all the software running on your PC—not only the programs you see running on the taskbar, but also dozens of services that might have been started by various programs and never stopped. Restarting can fix mysterious performance problems when the exact cause is hard to pinpoint.

If you keep so many programs, e‑mail messages, and websites open that you think restarting is a hassle, that's probably a sign you should restart your PC. The more things you have open and the longer you keep them running, the greater the chances your PC will bog down and eventually run low on memory.

Add more memory

This isn't a guide to buying hardware that will speed up your computer. But no discussion of how to make Windows run faster would be complete without mentioning that you should consider adding more random access memory (RAM) to your PC.

If a computer running Windows 7 seems too slow, it's usually because the PC doesn't have enough RAM. The best way to speed it up is to add more.

Windows 7 can run on a PC with 1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM, but it runs better with 2 GB. For optimal performance, boost that to 3 GB or more.

Another option is to boost the amount of memory by using Windows‌ ReadyBoost. This feature allows you to use the storage space on some removable media devices, such as USB flash drives, to speed up your computer. It’s easier to plug a flash drive into a USB port than to open your PC case and plug memory modules into its motherboard.

Check for viruses and spyware

If your PC is running slowly, it's possible that it's infected with a virus or spyware. This is not as common as the other problems, but it's something to consider. Before you worry too much, check your PC using antispyware and antivirus programs.

A common symptom of a virus is a much slower-than-normal computer performance. Other signs include unexpected messages that pop up on your PC, programs that start automatically, or the sound of your hard disk constantly working.

Spyware is a type of program that's installed, usually without your knowledge, to watch your activity on the Internet. You can check for spyware with Windows Defender or other antispyware programs.

The best way to deal with viruses is to prevent them in the first place. Always run antivirus software and keep it up to date. Even if you take such precautions, however, it's possible for your PC to become infected.

Check your computer's speed

If you try these tips and your computer is still too slow, you might need a new PC or some hardware upgrades, such as a new hard disk or faster video card. There's no need to guess the speed of your computer, however. Windows provides a way to check and rate your PC's speed with a tool called the Windows Experience Index.

The Windows Experience Index rates your computer on five key components and gives you a number for each, as well as an overall base score. This base score is only as good as your worst-performing component subscore. Base scores currently range from 1 to 7.9. If your PC is rated lower than 2 or 3, it might be time to consider a new PC, depending on what tasks you want to do with your computer.

Change the size of virtual memory

If you receive warnings that your virtual memory is low, you'll need to increase the minimum size of your paging file. Windows sets the initial minimum size of the paging file equal to the amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer, and the maximum size equal to three times the amount of RAM installed on your computer. If you see warnings at these recommended levels, then increase the minimum and maximum sizes.

1. Open System by clicking the Start button 
   
   , right-clicking Computer, and then clicking Properties.
2. In the left pane, click Advanced system settings
   
   . If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
3. On the Advanced tab, under Performance, click Settings.
4. Click the Advanced tab, and then, under Virtual memory, click Change.
5. Clear the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives check box.
6. Under Drive[Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.
7. Click Custom size, type a new size in megabytes in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box, click Set, and then click OK.