Resources

Windows System Recovery

Without knowing more about the nature of the problems you are having, and what preceded the collapse of your system, it sounds as though you might benefit most from a clean operating system install. Before doing so, try using the “scan now” command which scans your computer for damaged Windows operating system files and replaces them with fresh copies off of your installation discs. First, insert your original Windows installation discs and then go to the Start button (if possible), click Run, and enter: sfc /scannow.

If that doesn’t work and you can access your files and folders, make backup copies of them and save them to either disks or a UBS flash drive. If your operating system is corrupted and you can’t access your system controls, you will have to format your computer.

Prepare your data, program files and drivers for reformatting

Before you format your hard drive, you should know that absolutely everything will be removed from your computer. This means all your files and folders of documents, photos, music and video. It also means all of your programs and applications will be removed, so you are going to need to have the original installation disks to re-install, or download the programs again from the Internet. If you have added external components to your system, or enhanced your computer with advanced graphic or sound cards, you might also need to reinstall the drivers to re-configure the compatibilities. So, before you go any further, look for your program and device disks, or look online at the manufacturers’ websites for downloads. Once you are sure that you have or can access the programs that you will need to re-install, you can format your hard drive.

Prepare to reformat your hard drive

Formatting your computer hard drive means wiping it clean of all its saved file directories and addresses, essentially deleting the material and preparing the disk for a clean install of the operating system. Make sure that you have your operating system registration code, in addition to the disk, because you will need it to activate the installation. Once you have saved all your data, organized your programs and disks, you are ready to go.

Access the specific process for your computer and operating system

The precise steps used to format hard disk drives vary by computer model and operating system and you should seek some more specific advice pertaining to the details of your system. Write again, and provide your computer make and model, and the operating system that you are installing for a step by step guide to format your computer. Or, if you prefer some more hands on advice, Filetonic recommends the remote technical support available here www.filetonic.com/support. These experts will discuss your particular situation, and walk you through the process of troubleshooting your system.

Internet Explorer Error Messages versus Warning Messages

Error messages are designed to alert users that a problem exists. On the other hand, warning messages alert users that a problem might occur in the near future. Once the error message appears, the user knows that something is wrong. Internet Explorer problems can occur for a variety of reasons. Therefore, it is necessary to do a bit of troubleshooting to figure out a solution for the problem.

Internet Explorer: Unexpected Error

Problems with Internet Explorer often arise due to the presence of spyware and viruses. I know that you have run an anti-spyware/anti-virus application, but you might want to run another version. Some anti-spyware/anti-virus applications are not as reliable as others and running a secondary application is often useful. Consider checking out ParetoLogic Anti-Virus Plus at Anti-virus Plus. You can run a free scan before purchasing this software in order to see if any undesirable applications are on your computer.

Internet Explorer and Updates

Performance issues can also occur if you haven’t updated to the newest version of the application. Make sure that you have Internet Explorer 7, which you can get by visiting this link: Internet Explorer Upgrade.

Utilizing Support Offered through Microsoft

One of the options that you have when problems occur with your Internet Explorer is to take advantage of technical support offered through Microsoft. You’ll be taken through a series of questions that are used to help narrow down the problem. You can access this at:

Support Microsoft IE.

Troubleshooting Internet Explorer Error

You can also try a number of other solutions to help fix the problem.

• If you have recently installed any new software, try uninstalling it to see if that resolves the issue
• Clear the temporary Internet cache and browser history.
• Defrag your computer to clean up broken files.
• Use System Restore to return your operating system to an earlier date when your Internet Explorer did work.
• Delete all unnecessary files, folders, and applications.
• Empty the recycle bin.
• Make sure that you have the latest update for your operating system.

Acroread.msi is the installation file for Adobe Reader, and it looks like that file is either missing or corrupted. You’re right, the Adobe Reader didn’t install properly, and now you can’t remove it the regular way because the cached msi in C:\Windows\Installer is corrupted. Any attempt to download the new version (which is Adobe Reader 9) will see that you have some of the Adobe files already on your computer.

You need to use the program that Microsoft has developed for just this situation. The

Microsoft Windows Installer Cleanup Utility is perfect for partially installed programs that use the Windows Installer. It doesn’t remove the actual program, but it does remove the installation files so that you can download a new version of Adobe Reader.

Click on the link above to go to the Microsoft website. Once you scroll down and click on the Cleanup Utility, you will see a security warning. Click Run. Once the Cleanup has been downloaded, go to Start and then Programs on your computer. Look for the Windows Install Cleanup and open it. Look for the Adobe Reader file in that window. Click on it to select. Make sure that you have ONLY selected the Adobe Reader files you want to delete. Choose Remove.

After Adobe Reader has been removed, you can check in Control Panel, then Add/Remove Programs. See if the Adobe Reader is gone.

Once you’ve removed the installed program, go to the Adobe website and download Adobe Reader 9 by clicking on the link. Now that you’ve uninstalled the corrupted version completely, you should have no trouble downloading the new version.

You mentioned Gateway - are you running an eMachine? If so, this is a common problem with eMachines. If you have another computer, most of this information will apply - just search for the specifics of your system.

A computer will shut off randomly for three basic reasons: a faulty power supply, an overheating problem or a bad motherboard. Unfortunately, eMachines are notorious for having all three problems, and it can be difficult to diagnose which issue is causing your problem.

Faulty Power Supply

Newer computers often have power supplies that don’t last all that long, and frequent rebooting is a symptom of this problem. Replacing the power supply is a relatively easy fix and will cost somewhere around $50. You can get a power supply tester for under $20, or have it tested at a repair shop. If you have an eMachine you can find eMachine Power Supply lists by clicking the link.

If you have another computer, look on the manufacturer’s website for their particulars. Replacing the power supply requires opening the machine and replacing the components - if you aren’t comfortable doing this yourself, you should get a tech savvy friend or take it to a local repair shop. Since you are out of warranty, you may want to tackle it yourself. There is a good step-by-step set of directions on Wikihow.

Overheating

Computers have fans inside that keep the temperature low - if they get dirty or dusty or just wear out, the temperature in your computer can cause power and shutdown problems. You can check the temperature by using a freeware download such as Everest or get into the BIOs by starting your machine and immediately pressing DEL. When you see the blue screen, go to Power at the bottom and then to Hardware Monitor. You will see the computer’s temperature listed. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 C is probably running hot. If your computer feels hot or you can hear the fan making a loud whirring noise, that could be an indicator that it is overheating. You can try to place it in a cooler location or putting an extra fan on the back, but if it is internal, you’re going to have to get help.

Bad Motherboard

Many eMachines have problems that eventually cause the motherboard to fail. You can get a new compatible motherboard and drop it into your machine, but it is probably something you don’t want to tackle if you are squeamish about opening your machine. Fonerbooks has a good illustrated example of how to remove and replace a motherboard if you want to try it yourself.

DLL Errors

The DLL errors you’re getting probably don’t have anything to do with the shutdown problem. They are remnants of the component file of MyWebSearch that were probably left behind when you cleaned up your machine. You need to uninstall anything related to the program by going to:

1. Start, then Settings and then Control Panel. Click on Add/Remove Programs.
2. Find MyWebSearch in programs and then click on Change/Remove Programs to uninstall. Uninstall anything that is related to it including MyWay and SmileyCentral.

You can also try a different Adware or SpyBot program and use a registry cleaner such as RegCure.

Since you’ve already tackled the spyware question and restored your system, I think it comes down to one of these three issues. Fix the one that is causing the problem and your shutdown issues should disappear.

The snmaster.idx is a file from AOL that is installed on your computer and contains your password and screen name. It is a particular problem with people who are running Vista and AOL. There are a few fixes for this common problem that have worked for other users.

Delete the Shortcut

If you have AOL as an icon on your desktop, delete the shortcut. Then, from Program Files, create a new shortcut for your desktop. This has solved the problems for many people.

Uninstall and Defrag

Some users have recommended that you uninstall the version of AOL that you are running, defrag the computer and then reinstall the latest version. To uninstall:

1. Go to Start, then Control Panel and then Add/Remove Programs.
2. Find the AOL programs and click on Change/Remove.
3. Select all of the AOL programs to remove.
4. You will see a confirmation window - click Next.
5. The computer will need to be restarted, but the AOL files should be removed.

Then you need to defrag your system. Over time, data gets scattered around your computer. Defragmenting the system puts the data back in order so that your computer can find the files easier.

1. Go to Start, then All Programs and then Accessories.
2. Click on System Tools, then Disk Defragmenter.
3. Click on the drive you want to defragment - the drive where you install AOL.
4. You will see a bunch of colored lines on the screen as the system defrags. This process can take awhile to complete.

Now you can go to the AOL Download and grab the latest version.

AOL’s Solution

The AOL solution is to copy AOL to a different location on your computer.

1. Go to Start, then click on My Computer. Access AOL.
   1. In Windows XP, click on Local Disk (C) then go to Windows\All Users\Application Data\AOL
   2. In Vista, go to Local Disk (C) then go to Windows\Program Data\AOL Folder

1. Right click on the C_AOL90 folder. Choose Copy. You may see multiple AOL folders - copy the one with the highest letter of the alphabet after it.
2. You then need to past the folder in the right location.
   1. In Windows XP - go to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AOL.
   2. In Vista - go to C:\Programs Data\AOL.
3. Right click on the folder and choose Paste.
4. When you restart AOL, the problem should be fixed.

I have listed these fixes in order from easiest to most difficult, but all of these should be easy to do. Hopefully, your error message should disappear.

Dr. Watson Debugger

The Dr. Watson Debugger is a utility that is included with Microsoft Windows that creates files that contain diagnostic data for program errors. This data can be read by technical professionals in case of a problem. You can disable Dr. Watson fairly easily, but you should probably run a CHKDSK afterward to make sure there are no other problems.

Dell BIOS

For Dell laptops, the U7670 is the authorization code for Windows XP. I’m assuming that you are using a Dell Dimension laptop. To get into BIOS you need to hit F2 or DEL on startup. If you are running another Dell product, you can find the code to get into BIOS here at Michael Steven’s Tech website.

Disable Dr. Watson

Many techs offer the opinion that Dr. Watson isn’t very useful and it should be disabled to avoid problems. I’m not going that far, but it is easy to disable it to see if that solves your issues. To disable it follow these steps:

1. Click on Start then Run.
2. Type in regedit.exe in the Open box. Click Ok.
3. Find the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current Version\AeDebug.
4. Click on this key and delete it.

Run CHKDSK

After you have deleted Dr. Watson, you should run a CHKDSK to make sure there is nothing wrong with your program files. If you can get into Windows, double click on My Computer, right click on the drive, select Properties and then Tools. Choose the Check Now and Automatically fix file system errors.

If you need to run it in Safe Mode, click on Run, then type in cmd. Type in chkdsk/f and then choose Enter.

Hopefully, this has answered all of your questions. If you have any further issues, don’t hesitate to let us know and we can help you further.