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It sounds to me like you are having a problem with the registry keys where the information is being stored. I always hesitate to tell people to start messing with the registry because any problems may require that you reinstall the operating system, so try a few other things first.

Check Settings in IE

You may have tried this already, but bear with me.

1. Open Internet Explorer. Select Tools and Internet Options.
2. The choose Content. You will see the Autocomplete. Click on Settings and then make sure the last two options are checked.

Antivirus and Malware

It’s likely that the original problem was caused by some malware that messed up your registry. Before you try to fix the registry manually, I would make sure that you have run all of the antivirus programs that you should to solve this problem. At minimum, I would run Ad-ware, Spybot and Hijack This. These will cross check your system to find anything that might be affecting the registry or the Explorer problems you are having.

Fix the Registry

If none of the downloads have helped, you need to focus on the registry. A good way to go is to use a registry fixing program such as RegCure . This program will scan your system for registry errors and fix them for you.

If you really want to fix the registry manually, make sure that you have set a system restore and backed up your data in case there is a problem. Then follow these steps:

1. Go to Start and then Run. In the box, type in services.msc.
2. Find the service Protected Storage. Set it to manual and disable.
3. You then need to get the registry key. Go back to Start and Run and type in regedit.
4. Get the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider.
5. You will see subfolders for the user profiles - there may be one for local machine, one for default and one for the username.
6. Select that username folder and export that key for safekeeping.
7. Highlight that username folder. Right click on it and select Delete.
8. Exit the registry and reboot.

Hopefully, the system is working for you now. If you continue to have problems, you can always contact Filetonic Support for more specific information.

I’m not sure here whether you are trying to get the system to dual-boot with Ubuntu and Windows XP, or if you are trying to install Windows XP and use that instead of Ubuntu. It would also be helpful to know what kind of error message you are getting - it would tell us a lot about what problems the install is having.

Dual Boot System

That said, let’s take each scenario separately. Many people like to have a dual-boot system so that they can run both Windows XP and Ubuntu. There is a little discussion about whether Windows or Ubuntu should be installed first. Most forums say that you should install Windows first, making sure that you leave room for Ubuntu so that you don’t have to resize the NTFS partition. The actual steps to do a dual-boot are a bit involved, so I’m not going to go into it here, but you can find a good Ubuntu and Windows XP dual boot video as well as detailed Ubuntu forum instructions by clicking on the links.

When you are doing a dual boot, there are a few things to remember:

1. Make sure you back up any data you need to save to a USB device or CD. So many problems can pop up as you do an install that you can’t risk losing things that you need.
2. You will also need a recovery CD handy. Many computers ship with a recovery CD, but some newer computers have the recovery on the partition and not on a CD. In this case, you will have to get a recovery CD because if your partition table becomes corrupted, you won’t be able to recover that way.
3. Before you do an install you should defrag your system. Go to Start, and then choose My Computer. Right click on the drive you want to defrag. Click on Properties and then Tools and Defragment Now. This may take up to 30 minutes to complete, so be sure to leave enough time.
4. The grub is the boot manager that Ubuntu installs by default. If you install Windows after Ubuntu, it will overwrite the master boot record. You will then need to boot off of a live CD and reinstall grub.
5. If you are getting an error message, you may have a pre-existing problem with the file system, partition table or hard drive. Try running chkdsk and reinstall.

Installing Windows over Ubuntu

You should be able to install Windows XP over Ubuntu if that’s what you want to do. You will need a Windows XP CD so that you can get into BIOS at startup and then direct the system to boot from the CD. There are good step by step directions on installing Windows XP from a CD on the Petri.com website. Follow these steps and you may be able to avoid any additional errors. Make sure that you format it correctly or you won’t remove the grub from Ubuntu and you will get an installation error.

If you’re still having problems, send us some more detailed information and we should be able to help you further.

Troubleshooting a Toshiba Satellite Laptop

Re-boot the Power

Since you know from the power light that your computer is getting power, the first thing to check is that the computer is set to receive the power. As simple as is sounds, sometimes all electronic units need is a power reboot. Unplug your laptop and remove the battery. Wait for at least 30 seconds, and then put the battery back in and plug the power cord back in. Sometimes this procedure alone is sufficient to reset the power.

Check the CD/DVD Drive

Another common cause of a computer failing to boot is if there is a CD or DVD left in the CD/DVD drive. When you want your computer to boot from its installation CD, you put the CD in the drive and the computer automatically loads the operating system from the CD drive. If there is a disk in the CD/DVD drive, the computer might be trying to boot from the disk, but if it isn’t its operating system installation CD, then it gets stuck. Check and make sure that there isn’t anything in the CD/DVD drive, then turn the computer off and reboot, it might start now without any further problems.

Listen for Sounds of Life from the Hard Drive

The next thing to check out is whether or not the hard drive sounds like its starting up. Turn the computer off by holding down the power button until it shuts off, then hold it down again to encourage it to turn on. When the power lights come back on, listen for any noises from the hard drive. Whirls, hums and beeps are all good things and indicate that that hard drive is still alive.

Hardware and Motherboard Problems

Toshiba gets some bad press for using poor quality motherboards that have been known to die in less than one year. If your computer is still under warranty, I would suggest taking it to the retailer or contacting Toshiba customer service directly. If you aren’t under warranty, you could try seeking assistance from a remote technician who can ask more questions and help diagnose your specific problem. At Filetonic we recommend the remote tech support available here.

The noises that you hear show that your computer is making an attempt to boot up properly, but something isn’t quite right. Perhaps, a driver had failed or a file has become corrupted. One of the following strategies should work for you. Try them one at a time, using the one that you feel most comfortable with first.

Boot Up into Safe Mode

Booting up in Safe Mode generally works when starting up in standard mode doesn’t. This is because Safe Mode uses the fewest drivers, files, applications, etc when booting up the computer. To boot up in safe mode, follow these directions:

1. Turn your computer on.
2. Immediately begin pressing the “F8″ key on the keyboard.
3. Select “Last Known Good Configuration.”
4. Press “Enter.”

Run chkdsk

To correct existing disk errors, you should run the chkdsk utility, which checks for problems related to lost clusters, directory errors, cross-linked files, and bad sectors. Follow this path:

1. Click “Start.”
2. Click “Run.”
3. Type “cmd”
4. Press “Enter.”
5. At the prompt, type in “chkdsk volume:/r” This will recover readable information, locate bad sectors, and repair errors.

Use System Restore

To use System Restore, follow this path:

1. Click “Start.”
2. Select “All Programs.”
3. Select “Accessories.”
4. Select “System Tools.”
5. Select “System Restore. “

Boot from the Installation Disk

If your computer came with an installation disk, you should be able to boot up from the installation disk. You can select the “repair” option from this disk so that you don’t lose any of your data. Use these directions:

1. Insert the disk into the drive and turn the computer on.
2. Next, click on the message “Press any key to boot from disk.”
3. At the prompt, select “install.”
4. Select the “language” and “keyboard” options.
5. At the prompt, select “Repair your computer.”
6. At the prompt, select “Startup Repair.”
7. If step 6 does not resolve the issue, select “System Restore.”

Repair and Restore Windows Vista Operating System

If you are using Windows Vista, additional solutions can be found by reading the following article:Microsoft936212. This is the best way to scan and replace system files for Vista.

The other day, we received two similar questions:

1. I have a Dell notebook that I just got fixed and right now it is acting up, such as when I boot it up it will load only the background desktop pic and nothing else. When I use Ctrl+Alt+Del is says the task manager is disabled. Any suggestions?

1. I have had my Compaq Presario R4000 for over 2 years. Right after I got it (about 2 months) it just wouldn’t turn on again. It starts up to the Main Screen. It just has the “Compaq” logo and I can get to one setting (pressing F12) but it doesn’t go anywhere from that. I don’t know what to do…

I’ve combined my answer to these two questions as they are similar and can use the same advice in most cases to restore them to functionality. Most of the time, boot-up problems are caused by a virus or something that was altered manually.

System Restore

The easiest thing to do is to try a System Restore in both cases. This basically brings your computer back to a time when it was working well. To do this:

1. If you can see the Start button, click on that, then go to All Programs and Accessories.
2. Choose System Tools and then System Restore.
3. You will see a Welcome Screen. Choose ‘Restore my computer to an earlier time’.
4. You will see a page that asks you to select a restore point. You should pick a date BEFORE the computer started having problems. Confirm the date and then click Next.
5. The computer will shut down and reboot. You should see a ‘Restoration Complete’ message.
6. If you can’t get to the Start button, you can still run System Restore from Safe Mode. This is when you start the machine and immediately press the key that will get you into Safe Mode - most often F8, F1 or F2 depending on the computer. Most Windows programs will work using F8.
7. Once you are into Safe Mode, type in: %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe.
8. Follow the directions to restore as above.

Disable Task Manager

If you don’t have a useable System Restore point, then you need to try other measures. For the Dell problem, try deleting the Disable Task Manager.

1. Go to Start and then Run. Type in: regedit in the dialog box and click OK.
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER. Then choose Software, then Microsoft, then Windows.
3. Click on Current Version and then Policies and then System.
4. Find the Disable Task Manager line. Right click on it. Choose Delete and confirm.

Last Known Good Configuration

This is another way to restore your system in Safe Mode and is worth trying.

1. Start the computer and get into Safe Mode as above.
2. See the Windows Advanced Options menu. Select the Last Known Good Configuration. Click Ok. You may see a Start menu. If you do, choose Microsoft Windows XP.
3. Windows will restart your computer using the registry.

Diagnostic Startup

Once you have determined that System Restore isn’t working for you, try this fix. Do a System Restore first though, as this will delete your System Restore points so you can’t use it.

1. Go to Start then Run.
2. In the dialog box, type in: msconfig. Click Ok.
3. Go to General, then Diagnostic Startup.
4. Click Ok and restart your computer.

If one of these methods allows your computer to start normally again, make sure that you run a good antivirus program to prevent future problems. If you need advice on a good program, you can view our article here.

Welcome to the subtle nuances of Windows Vista. You’ll find quite a few changes have been made that make it a little tough transition-wise. The Control Panel is a maddening example of this. Just try to find “Add and Remove Programs” and you’ll see what I’m talking about. It’s there, but has been renamed “Programs and Features.” Windows Vista has dozens of little renames and rearrangements and your application data folder problem appears to be another one.

What is the Program Files Folder?

Before discussing the Application Data folder, let’s take a look at a related folder. When you install programs on your computer, you’ll typically find the programs listed in a folder called Program Files. This makes it easy to know which folder to start your search in. It is also conveniently linked to the Start button’s All Programs link. The All Programs folder contains the program files for your software such as the .EXE files that launch the program along with any other necessary related files. For example, folders in the Program Files list are categorized by vendor, you may have a folder listed for Microsoft and another listed for Adobe. Within the Microsoft folder, you’ll have subfolders for various Microsoft products like Money and Office. The further you drill, you’ll eventually find the .EXE file, such as winword.exe.

What is the Application Data Folder?

The Applications Data folder is a designated folder where your programs store data files. Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that the data files you create, such as Word documents or Excel spreadsheets, are stored there. Rather, the Application Data folder contains program-specific data files such as user preferences, customized toolbars, program logs, program cache files, .INI files containing program settings, and so on. The data files that you create, such as your Word documents are typically stored to either your My Documents folder or a folder that you specifically designate.  

Where is the Application Data Folder?

So, where is it? In Windows Vista, the Application Data folder is found within your User subfolders. Go to Windows Explorer and navigate to the main drive, typically C, and find Users. Now, select the user name associated with the account you’re working with, for example, Joe.

Here’s where it gets flukey. If you look in the main (right side) part of the window, you’ll see a list of folders and files, but the Application Data folder isn’t showing. However, if you look in the left pane, there it is, named “AppData.” Click the AppData and you should then see a list of subfolders: Local, LocalLow, and Roaming. You may have to navigate through each of these folders to find the data files you’re looking for.