32-Bit vs. 64-Bit Operating Systems

Windows operating systems come in many versions such as Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7. Each of those versions has different editions such as Home, Professional, or Ultimate. To add to the confusion, the operating systems are offered as either 32-bit or 64-bit versions. While the differences between XP, Vista, and Windows 7 and their various editions include interface differences and features, the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems has to do with the way the central processing unit processes and manages information.

A 32-bit system can process 32 bits worth of information at a time while a 64-bit system can handle twice as much. This means that a 64-bit system is well suited for handling more complex calculations and processes. A 64-bit system isn’t necessarily faster for all processes because other factors are involved including the processor’s speed.

The Importance of Knowing Your Operating System’s Specifics

It’s important to know your operating system’s specifics because software and device drivers are often operating system specific. In other words, software designed for the 32-bit version of Windows may not work on the 64-bit version and vice versa. Similarly, device drivers designed for Windows 32-bit may not work on Windows 64-bit.

How to Tell if Windows XP is 32-Bit or 64-Bit

So, how can you tell if Windows XP is 32-bit or 64-bit? Most Windows XP machines are 32-bit systems. Back when 64-bit versions where introduced, the systems were labeled “Windows XP x64 Professional” or “Windows XP 64bit Edition Version 2002/2003.”

To check your version, go to the Control Panel and find the System icon. You should see the version information in the General tab. If it says “Windows XP Professional Version (year),” you have the 32-bit version. If it says “Windows XP Professional x64 Edition,” you have the 64-bit version.

How to Tell if Windows Vista or Windows 7 is 32-Bit or 64-Bit

For those users running Windows Vista or Windows 7, the process is similar. Either go to Control Panel > System or type “System” into the Search bar and click the System icon when it appears. You’ll see a screen with information about your system including a section labeled “System Type.” Here you’ll see either “32-bit Operating System” or “64-bit Operating System.”

The Windows Error Recovery message can appear for several reasons- an improper shutdown, new software, new hardware, etc. Since trying both options that you are given doesn’t work, you need to troubleshoot the Windows startup error. If you have recently added new hardware, disconnecting or removing it could solve the problem for you as it might be creating some type of incompatibility.

Troubleshooting Windows Error Recovery: Last Known Good Configuration

You can attempt to boot up in Safe Mode and select Last Known Good Configuration and see if that works to resolve the Windows startup error. Turn the computer on and immediately begin to press the “F8″ key. If this does not work, you might need to press the “F2,” “F10,” or “F12″ key. Once you see the prompt screen, select “Last Known Good Configuration.”

Troubleshooting Windows Error Recovery: Booting up from the Installation Disk

If that did not work, try booting up the laptop using the Windows installation disk - provided you still have it. If so, follow these steps:

1)   Turn the power button to your laptop on.

2)   Immediately insert the Windows installation disk that belongs to the laptop.

3)   When you see the option for “Check System,” press the “ESC” key. Next, press the “F1″ key. Your laptop should now boot up.

4)   You can now use the “System Restore” feature to allow your laptop to return to a previous setting when it was functioning properly. This might mean selecting “R” for recovery.

Troubleshooting Windows Error Recovery: Disable Automatic Restart

If you are still having trouble starting up Windows, you can disable the automatic restart option for system failure so that you can see what type of error is occurring. Once you know this, you can then fix the Windows startup error by correcting the core problem.

1)   Turn on the laptop power.

2)   Press the “F8″ key.

3)   Select “Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure.”

4)   Press Enter.

5)   Press “F8.”

6)   Select “Last Known Good Configuration.”

7)   Press Enter.

8)   Select the operating system and enter.

9)   Before Windows actually begins to load, press the pause key on your keyboard and copy down any of the error messages that appear on your screen so that you can use them to continue troubleshooting your windows startup error.

Once you manage to get your operating system to load, you might want to clean the registry and scan for malware just in case the problem is caused by a virus. Use a reliable anti-virus application such as Anti-Virus PLUS.

Broken Internet Explorer Shortcut

It sounds as though the shortcut on your desktop is broken. While it seems odd, desktop shortcuts can become corrupt. When this happens, the shortcut no longer works. Since it’s a single shortcut that is corrupt, the solution is to delete the damaged shortcut and replace it with a brand new one. Fortunately, this is relatively easy.

First, let’s make sure that the problem is indeed the shortcut and not a damaged Internet Explorer program file. We’ll do this by trying one of the other ways to open Internet Explorer.

Other Ways to Open Internet Explorer

Many computer users “pin” Internet Explorer to the Start button. If your Start button contains an icon for IE, click this icon and see if it works. If not, right-click the Start button and choose Explore (or Open Windows Explorer if you have Windows 7). Now, navigate to the Program Files folder and find Internet Explorer in the list. Find iexplore.exe and double-click it to launch your Web browser. Did it work?

If so, Internet Explorer itself is fine. Keep this folder open and return to the desktop. Find the broken icon, right-click it, and choose Delete. Confirm your decision if prompted.

Creating a New Internet Explorer Shortcut

Next, you’ll need to create a new shortcut. Go back to the Windows Explorer folder and right-click the iexplore.exe file. Choose either “Send to Desktop” (which automatically creates a new shortcut and places it on the desktop) or “Create Shortcut.” If you choose the Create Shortcut option, the shortcut will remain in the Internet Explorer folder until you drag and drop it into place on your desktop. The easiest way to drag and drop it is to minimize all other windows and then size your Windows Explorer window to a size where you can easily see the desktop beneath. Once sized in such a manner, drag and drop the shortcut into place.

There are several things that can happen that damage or disable the Windows Control Panel. It is possible that you have inadvertently altered a configuration file that has disabled the Control Panel’s .CPL files. In this case you will need to make some adjustments to re-enable them. Or your computer might be suffering from a bug that has corrupted a .CPL file or a Management Console .MMC file and you will need to make some changes to take control of your computer.

Run Complete System Scans

Either way, as soon as you are able to access your system you should run a thorough virus, malware and spyware scan to make sure that there is not an infection that can cause more problems in the future. Update your security software and run complete scans repeatedly until they come back clean.

Corrupt Control Panel and Registry Errors

Problems like this affecting the Control Panel most often indicate a registry error. As you may know, making changes to the computer system’s registry is a delicate matter - and a mistake can result in disabling your computer completely. Before you attempt any manual registry changes you should be sure you are comfortable doing so and be very careful to follow accurate instructions.

Download a RegCure Program

If you don’t want to manually repair your registry, you can download and run a registry repair program like Paretologic’s RegCure, which will scan and attempt to fix any corrupt or disabled registry files. While this approach is less focused on your current issue, it is a good option for a thorough scan of the registry.

Manual Tweaks to the Registry

If you decide to do a manual repair, first you need to run the Registry Editor:

• Click Start, then Run
• Type regedit and press Enter
• Scroll to the entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER and double click
• Next scroll to and click twice on the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
• On the right side of the window you will see a list of several Binary Value Keys
• Find the keys called NoControlPanel and NoRestriction and delete them both
• Now, reboot your computer and your registry, computer and Control Panel should be back to good working order

Several reasons could lead to this type of problem. It will take a bit of trial-and-error to figure out the culprit. Before attempting any of the following strategies, check your CD/DVD drives and make sure they are empty. If you have an older model with a floppy drive, then check to make sure that is empty as well.

Troubleshooting Shutdown Error: Disable Automatically Restart

It is possible that the laptop is experiencing a problem that causes Windows to stop responding properly. If you have the Automatically Restart setting enabled, then the laptop might restart itself if Windows experienced a problem during shutdown. The best way to deal with this is to disable this setting, which would allow an error message to appear that you could use to solve the problem.

1)   Navigate to Start.

2)   Right click on My Computer and select Properties.

3)   Select the Advanced tab in the dialog box.

4)   Select Settings beneath the tab for Startup and Recovery.

5)   Look at the box in front of Automatically Restart. If it is selected, clear the box.

If Windows is experiencing a problem, you should receive an error message that will help to identify the cause.

Troubleshooting Shutdown Error: Reseat New RAM, Video Cards, Etc

If you have recently installed new RAM or a new video card, it could be that the hardware is loose. Disconnect the laptop from power and reseat your video card, RAM, or any newly installed device. See if this fixes the problem.

Troubleshooting Shutdown Error: Scan for Viruses

It is possible that a computer virus has infected your laptop, so you should scan it as soon as possible. If you need a reliable anti-virus program, I can recommend Antivirus Plus.

Troubleshooting Shutdown Error: Clean the Registry

It sounds as though you might have a problem with the registry. Download and install a good registry cleaner such as RegCure and run it to resolve errors occurring in the registry.

Troubleshooting Shutdown Error: Repair the Operating System

Use your installation disk and complete a repair installation of your operating system to fix the problem of your laptop restarting at Shutdown.

Fixing a problem when Windows XP failed to reinstall usually involves a bit of troubleshooting since you don’t know the exact reason behind the problem. Go through the list of suggestions here, starting with whichever one you are most comfortable with and you should be able to sort the problem out. Once you have your operating system up and running again, follow the tips for installing your anti-virus software.

Troubleshooting Windows Reinstall Error: Repair Windows XP Using the Startup Disc

If you have the start up disc that came with your computer, use it now to repair your XP installation. Follow these steps:

1)   Insert the Windows installation disc and power up the computer.

2)   As the “Welcome” page appears, press “Enter.”

3)   At this point, you need to read the licensing agreement.

4)   Scroll to the bottom and press “F8.”

5)   As the prompt appears, you need to press “R” in order to repair your Windows XP operating system.

Troubleshooting Windows Reinstall Error: Boot Up in Safe Mode

Generally, booting up the computer in Safe Mode allows you to bypass a few of the drivers and programs that the computer uses, making it more likely that the computer starts up properly. Follow these steps:

1)   Turn on the computer’s power button.

2)   Press the “F8″ key right away. Sometimes it is necessary to complete this task more than once before you accomplish it correctly.

3)   Select “Last Known Good Configuration.” This step should return your computer to a point when your operating system did work properly. Next time you start up your computer, it will start up in normal mode.

Troubleshooting Windows Reinstall Error: Undo the Reinstallation of XP

You might want to undo the reinstallation of Windows XP since that is where this latest problem of freezing up began. Boot up into Safe Mode using the directions and then complete this task:

1)   Navigate to “Start” in the lower left.

2)   Select “Programs.”

3)   Select the option “Accessories.”

4)   Select “System Tools.”

5)   Select the option “System Restore.”

6)   Select the option “Undo my last restoration.”

7)   At this point, if the computer works, free up some memory and try to download the anti-spyware software using the provided tips.

Troubleshooting Windows Reinstall Error: Hardware/Software Issues

If you recently installed new software or hardware, consider uninstalling them once you get the computer started up again. It is possible that you have an incompatibility issue. Check the paperwork that came with your new equipment or software regarding this issue.

Installing Anti-Virus Software

Installation of anti-virus software sometimes occurs because the computer does not have enough resources available. Use these tips:

1)   Check the memory on your computer and make sure that you have enough room to install the software.

2)   Delete the old anti-virus software application as it might cause incompatibility issues.

3)   Close out all other applications while you are installing the software.

Windows Hidden Administrator Accounts

In recent releases of Windows operating systems - Vista and 7 - the administrative account is hidden and disabled. This is to protect your systems from accidental system changes and resulting data loss, so it’s a good idea to leave this account inoperable unless you need it for troubleshooting. A popular reason that people choose to enable this account is so they can skip the User Account Control dialog that plagues other accounts. However, this account is hidden to secure your system and should be managed carefully.

Check Active Account Statuses

You can use Windows User Accounts to check the activity of your different accounts and set the system to allow changes.

• Click Start, then choose the Control Panel, then select User Accounts
• You will see the different accounts that are currently enabled
• Click the box that says Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer then, if necessary, click the box below to change the Administrator password if you haven’t set one or don’t remember it. By default there should be no password set.

Enable your Hidden Administrator Account

Sometimes you may need to access your Windows administrator account - here’s how to do it:

• Open a command prompt in the Start Menu for the administrative mode by right clicking Command Prompt, then choosing Run as Administrator.
• At the command prompt, type net user administrator /active:yes then hit Enter
• The command screen should report that the operation was successful
• Now, log out and the log in screen should list the Administrator account option in addition to your other accounts.

Disable your Hidden Administrator Account

Once you finish the adjustments you want to make, you should disable the administrator account, here’s how:

• Log in to your regular account and follow the same instructions as above to open an administrator command prompt - you can’t change accounts that you are logged into, so make sure you are in your regular user account
• At the command prompt, type net user administrator /active:no
• When complete, the Administrator account will not display at the log in window

Since you purchased the laptop used, you might not have the manual or recovery disks available. However, if you do have them, refer to the manual for specific instructions on resetting the laptop to factory settings. Several strategies can be used to reset the laptop.

Resetting Laptop to Factory Settings: System Restore

It is possible to use the System Restore feature to reset the laptop back to an earlier date prior to the installation of secondary programs. While it’s unlikely that a restore point is available dating back nearly a decade, it can’t hurt to check. Follow this path: Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore. Use the earliest date possible to reset the laptop.

Resetting Laptop to Factory Settings: System Recovery

Lenovo ThinkPads feature a blue ThinkVantage button that can be pressed during boot up to access the power to complete a full system recovery that takes you back to the factory settings. The Blue ThinkVantage button at boot up is designed to generate a menu of options or system recovery tools. These tools include a full system recovery of the preinstalled Windows operating system. You can also access this by selecting the blue Access IBM button if you do not have the blue ThinkVantage button on your laptop.

Simply press the button early on during bootup and choose the option to reset to factory settings. When you reformat the laptop in this manner, any data or programs outside of the operating system are wiped away, so you might want to save anything that you have placed on the laptop already.

Resetting Laptop to Factory Settings: Use Restore Disks

If you have the restore disks for the IBM A31 available, you can use them to restore your laptop to its factory settings. If you do not have a set of restore disks, create them by following this path: Start>Programs>ThinkVantage>Create Recovery Media. You should have at least 2 blank disks to copy the data onto. In fact, even if you use the system recovery to restore your laptop to the factory settings, you can create a set of restore disks for use in the future.

After Restoring IMB A31 to Factory Settings

Once you have reset your IBM A31 to factory settings, you need to reinstall any software, drivers, games, and custom settings that you want on the laptop. These are all lost during the resetting of the laptop. In addition, you will need to update Windows.

If you hadn’t already bought the Windows XP disc, I’d probably recommend that you hold off and upgrade to Windows 7 - that is the newest Microsoft operating system. In any case, you will probably be happy with Windows XP, and it isn’t difficult to upgrade your laptop.

You will need the XP CD and the product key. There are two basic methods to install the operating system - an upgrade or a clean install. For both methods, make sure that all of your important data is backed up on an external medium. The upgrade should leave your data in place, but you can never be too careful.

Upgrade to Windows XP

Before you upgrade, try to update your BIOS settings from the computer manufacturer.  Otherwise, your upgrade could be compromised.

Start the computer with the Windows XP CD in the drive. Your computer should detect the CD. Choose Install Windows and the Wizard should start up to guide you through the process. You will need to select the installation type - choose upgrade then click Next. You should then see the prompts that will guide you through the rest of the upgrade.

If your computer does not detect the CD drive, go to Start and then Run. At the prompt, type in: CD drive (insert the letter of the drive here)\setup.exe and then click OK.

Clean Installation

This method repartitions and reformats your hard disk and installs the operating system to a clean hard disk. In doing so, you will wipe out all of the data on your computer, so be extra sure that you have a reliable backup for all of your information.

Put the CD in the drive and start the computer.  If you see the message “Press any key to boot from CD,” press any key. You should see the Welcome to Setup screen - press Enter.  Press F8 to accept the license terms. You will then follow the instructions to choose and format a partition where you want XP to install the operating system.

You shouldn’t have any problem with your device drivers, but if you do, you can go to the device manufacturer’s website and download the newest driver from there. Most manufacturers’ websites have the driver download buttons in an easy to find location.

Reformat Blank Screen Error

This error could be as simple as removing the Windows recovery disc from the disc drive or a bit more complicated. Let’s start with potential cause number one before exploring the other options.

Recovery Disc Blank Screen Error

When reformatting the Acer, did you use a recovery or Windows installation disc? If so, when you rebooted, the computer may be confused because it has found a bootable disc in the drive. Make sure that all disc drives do not have discs inserted and then reboot your computer.

No such luck? Let’s see if you can start your computer in Safe Mode.

Starting the Computer in Safe Mode

Try pressing the F8 key as you reboot the computer. Does Windows load in Safe Mode? If so, you may be able to access some advanced troubleshooting and diagnostics tools such as Disk Management.

However, since you just reformatted the computer, if the problem is not related to a disc being present in one of the drives, it’s probably easier to reinstall Windows rather than try to troubleshoot the first reinstallation. Reboot your computer with your recovery discs or Windows installation discs in the drive. These are bootable discs, so you should see a screen with instructions for restoring the computer to its factory condition.  

Advanced Microsoft Help

The Acer TravelMate 4020 comes in both Windows XP and Windows Vista versions. If you have Windows XP, the following Microsoft Support article may be useful:

Computer Stops Responding with a Blank Screen when Starting Windows XP

If you have Windows Vista, the installation CD has a “startup repair” tool that you can try which Microsoft describes here:

Windows Vista Startup Repair Tool

Hopefully your computer is simply refusing to load because it’s confused by the disc in its drive and will come to life once you remove the disc and reboot. If not, a reinstall may be in order.