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I’m having problems loading software. Windows Installer says I’m in Safe Mode, or not installed properly, can you help? I’ve recently gotten a virus, and I’m trying to clear the system.

What is Windows Installer?

Windows Installer comes with your Windows Operating System. This is the application that allows you to install programs onto your computer.

Windows Installer Error Messages

Sometimes the Windows Installer Service generates an error message such as the one above when trying to install a program. The problem is most likely not because you are in Safe Mode but an error with the Windows Installer utility. If you are in Safe Mode, you will see those two words on the monitor screen in all four corners. If this is the case, you simply need to reboot and the computer should load up in Normal Mode. The error could be related to broken or missing files. We’ll need to do a bit of troubleshooting in order to locate the right fix.

Checking Windows Installer

First, you’ll need to make sure that Windows Installer is enabled on the computer. Follow these directions to do so:

1)      Navigate to Start.

2)      Select Run.

3)      Type “services.msc” in the open box.

4)      Select Enter.

5)      Double click on Windows Installer to open its dialog box.

6)      Search for the “Startup Type.”

7)      If it is listed as Disabled, change it to Manual using the drop down menu.

8)      Try to install whatever software you were working with. If it works, then you should be okay. If the problem persists, continue to the next set of suggestions.

Register Windows Installer

Since you are having problems with the Windows Installer, it might be beneficial to reregister it. This is a two-step process as follows:

1)      Navigate to Start and select Run. Type “msiexec/unreg” in the open box. Press enter.

2)      Navigate to Start and select Run. Type “msiexec/regserver” in the open box and press enter.

Windows Installer Clean Up

At this point, if you still cannot install any software, then it is time to uninstall your Windows Installer and start with a fresh installation. The best way to remove or uninstall Windows Installer is to use the Windows Installer Cleanup utility. At the same time, you will be able to remove any partial installations of other software from the computer.

After you have uninstalled Windows Installer, you’ll need to go to Microsoft’s website and install the latest version of it. Before you do so, free up some memory/space by deleting unnecessary files, photos, temporary cache, etc from the computer. Hopefully, this strategy fixes the problem for you.

I have a laptop and it’s Windows Vista. I am the administrator for the computer, but I have forgotten my password. Is there anything I can do to change this? I tried to change the password but to do that I need to type in the old one! Silly me.

I get this question a lot, and it makes me uncomfortable every time. Not that you would have any ulterior motive, but I get nervous telling people how to work around a password. That said, I’m not telling you anything that you couldn’t find out by spending some more time on the Internet, so I’ll give you some solutions so that you can get into the machine.

Vista Password Recovery Disk

For future reference, Vista will allow users to create a password recovery disk as long as they have access to the operating system. Once you are in Vista, you should probably create this disk in case this happens again. To do this:

1. Go to Start and then Control Panel. Click on User Accounts and Family Safety.
2. Click on User Accounts.
3. In the task pane on the left, click on ‘Create a password reset disk’. You will see the Forgotten Password Wizard screen. Click Next.
4. You will see ‘I want to create a password key disk in the following drive”. Pick the media drive that you are using from the drop-down menu. Click Next.
5. Put the disk or other media in the drive and enter the current password in the text box. Click Next.
6. Vista will now create the password reset on your media and you can use this if you lose or forget your password in the future.

Check for Password

First off, are you sure there is a password set for the Administrative account? Many times it is left blank when the system is set up. There should be a built-in Admin account that is accessible by getting into Safe Mode. Depending on your computer, you can boot up and press F8 or F1 or F2 to get into Safe Mode and find the Admin account. Put in Admin for the user name, but leave the password blank and see if that will let you in. If this will let you in, then you can change the passwords for any of the user accounts that you want.

Recovery Software

If you still can’t get into Vista, your best bet is going to be with third-party password recovery software such as Password Changer. You will download the program onto another computer and then use it on the Vista computer in question.

If nothing else works for you, you will have to reinstall the Vista operating system and have your computer back to the way it was when it came from the factory. If you need help with this, please let us know.

I have a Gateway computer and can’t figure out how to reset the password.

Are you not able to get into anything at all, including the BIOS? If so, then your Gateway has locked up and you will need to clear the BIOS in order to access the computer. Or are you locked out of the operating system, such as Windows XP? If that is the case, then there are several things you can do to try to reset or remove the password for the operating system.

BIOS Password Reset

Because you have a Gateway (and they are notorious for this), I’m guessing that you are locked out of the BIOS. There are a few ways to get around this and regain access to your system, depending on the age and model of the computer.

You can try to use a ‘backdoor’ password, as long as your computer isn’t the kind that will lock you out after 3 wrong password tries - check your manual or online with your model number to find out if this is yours. If not, then do a Google search for backdoor passwords to get a list of the most common passwords that you can try to unlock the system.

You can also try to clear the CMOS battery, if there is one and it is easy to do on your computer. Most CMOS batteries look like flat little watch batteries, and many can be simply disconnected from inside the computer. Make sure you have unplugged and discharged the electricity before you reach inside. If you can see the CMOS battery and it is not soldered down, take it out, wait a minute or two and put it back. This should restore the BIOS to the original settings. If it is soldered down, you need to decide whether it is worth removing and re-soldering (although this isn’t common with Gateway).

Your motherboard may also have a CMOS reset jumper that is on the side. You can flip the jumper switch, wait a few minutes and then flip it back. This will accomplish the same thing as taking the CMOS battery out - it will restore your BIOS to the original settings.

There are third-party programs out there such as KillCMOS that will accomplish a similar thing, but you need to be careful that the one you choose doesn’t have a Trojan or other problem.

Reset Windows Password

If you can get your computer to load, but you just can’t access your operating system, then you need to reset the Windows password. There are many programs that will do this for you for low cost, or you can try a backdoor solution that will work for Windows XP as long as you have the CD. Rather than list the directions here, I’m going to point you to this Filetonic article.

If you’re still having trouble, you might do well to contact Gateway support where you can enter the serial number for your computer and get specific help, hopefully including any default Gateway BIOS passwords.

Everything on my laptop has enlarged: the desktop items, Web pages, etc. How can I get it back to normal size?

Display Resolution Settings

Since everything appears to be larger, it sounds like your display’s resolution has been changed. This can happen when another user shares your computer and has made adjustments as well as by software. For example, some computer users prefer larger or smaller displays. If you share a computer, it’s possible the other user made this change. In addition, some programs (especially games) require a specific screen resolution and make the change automatically. Depending on the programming of the game, the display should revert back to its original settings when you exit the game. However, this doesn’t always happen. In either case, you can change the resolution manually.

First, go to the Desktop and right-click any blank area. If you have Windows XP, choose Properties and click the Settings tab. If you have Windows Vista, choose Personalize and click the Display Settings link. See the Screen Resolution slider bar? That’s the adjustment that you will want to make. Slide the bar to the right in order to “shrink” the items back down to size.

Other Causes of Enlarged Displays

Adjusting the resolution should do the trick. If not, there are other tools that change the way the display appears that you may want to check. Windows XP and Vista come with tools that make computers more accessible to users with disabilities including vision impairment. An onscreen magnifier is one such tool found in XP’s Control Panel’s Accessibility icon and Vista’s Control Panel’s Ease of Access Center. The magnifier can be dragged around the screen, significantly magnifying these areas. Another tool found here changes the DPI (dots per inch) which enlarges fonts and icons. These tools can easily be turned off by going into either Accessibility or Ease of Access and making the changes.

In addition, Internet Explorer features a Zoom tool down in the lower left corner of the window. If only your Web pages are enlarged, then this tool is likely responsible. Click the down arrow and change the zoom level to 100%.

My Sony VAIO keeps rebooting. I can’t open or run anything. It says error with Windows Update.

Occasionally, a Windows update causes problems such as continual rebooting. Fortunately, there are several strategies that you can try to fix the problem.

Troubleshooting Error when Windows Update Freezes: “Safe Mode”

One of the first things to try is to see if you can get your Sony VAIO booted up in “Safe Mode” so that you can select “Last Known Good Configuration.” This will allow you to go back in time, hopefully, to a point before you tried to update Windows. This should resolve the problem.

Start with the machine turned off. Turn the power on and immediately begin to press the “F8″ key or whatever key on your machine allows you to get into “Safe Mode.” If you aren’t sure, you can try the “F2″ or “F12″ key if “F8″ doesn’t work for you. Keep pressing the key until you see the menu come up on the screen. Select the option for “Last Known Good Configuration.” If this works and you can get the Sony to boot up properly, obtain your next Windows Update using the directions below.

Boot from CD

If you have the Windows CD, insert the disc and try booting from it. Turn on your computer and wait for a prompt to press a key to boot from the disc. This should get you into your operating system where you can then uninstall the problematic update and then try again.

Troubleshooting When Windows Update Fails

I always run a virus and spyware scan whenever I experience problems with my computer just to be on the safe side. Use a good anti-spyware/anti-virus application such as Anti-Virus Plus.

Troubleshooting Error with Windows Update: Vista

If you are using Windows Vista and experiencing problems with the updates, you can download the System Readiness Tool to run a scan that could help fix the rebooting problem. The scan will take at least 15 minutes, so be prepared to wait.

How to Update Windows

In the future, you might want to follow this next suggestion. Microsoft suggests that the best way to update your version of Windows is to take advantage of its “Windows Updates” service. This practice takes up fewer resources and avoids problems that can occur. One of the added benefits of using the “Windows Updates” service is that it automatically checks to see if any of the drivers need updating and takes care of that issue as well for you.

Another good point to remember when updating your version of Windows is that you should have all other applications turned off at the time of your update. This will prevent interference that could result in problems with the download.

Check to see if you have available space on the hard drive to accommodate the updates. If you have insufficient room, then the updates will not be completed.

I think my computer is infected by virus and it won’t work as before. I cannot send my attachments. Microsoft Word and Outlook have vanished from my computer and it is a big mess in my laptop. How can I fix my computer by myself?

How to Cleanup Viruses

If your laptop is infected with a virus, then no matter what you do, it isn’t going to work properly until you get rid of the virus. Once you do get rid of the virus if it exists, then you can try a few other things to get your laptop back to good working order if it is still a bit shaky. If you have a reliable and reputable anti-spyware/anti-virus application, update it so that it has the latest information and then run it on the laptop.

Slow PC, Windows Error Messages or other Computer problems? Run a free scan Now

If you don’t have an anti-spyware/anti-virus application or you have a freebie that you randomly found through an online advertisement (careful with those - they are often malware in disguise), I can recommend Anti-VirusPLUS. This application offers a free scan as well that will show you exactly what type of virus is on your laptop before you buy.

How to Restore Windows to Good Running Condition

Once you have removed any viruses that existed, you can also use the “chkdsk” utility to repair errors on the hard drive.

• Navigate to the laptop’s “Start” button.
• Click on “Run.” Type in the following letters “cmd.”
• Type in the following letters “chkdsk / f.”
• Please note that there is a space before and after the “/” in the phrase above.
• Press on “Enter.” If this doesn’t work, try the next strategy.

How to Repair Windows

If you have the original boot up disk for your laptop, you can use it to boot up and repair your operating system if you are still having problems with it. The repair does not delete any of your existing documents or files that you have saved on the laptop. However, you might have to change some of your settings if you had personalized any of them.

Use the following directions:

1)      Take the installation disk for the laptop and place it into the CD drive while the laptop is turned on. Turn the laptop off.

2)      Wait a minute or two and turn the power back on. The laptop should be able to boot up from the disk. If it does not, press a key on the keyboard to get it to work or follow any prompts that appear or try pressing “ESC” and “F1.”

3)      On the first screen that appears, don’t press the option for “R” for the “Recovery Console.” Instead, wait and press the “R” to “Repair” your system when that prompt appears.

4)      Follow each of the remaining prompts as they appear until you are finished.

Finding Microsoft Word and Outlook

Slow PC, Windows Error Messages or other Computer problems? Run a free scan Now

Now, let’s see what’s going on with Word and Outlook. Are the shortcuts missing? If so, the programs may still be on the computer, so let’s check and see. Right click the Start button and choose Explore. Go to Program Files and look for the Microsoft Office folder. Depending on the version that you have, you should see a folder labeled OfficeX with ‘X’ indicating the version. For example, Office 2007 has a folder labeled Office12. Scroll down until you find the .EXE file for Outlook (outlook.exe) and Word (winword.exe). Right click each one and choose Send to > Desktop. This will create a desktop shortcut for each one. Click the shortcuts and your programs should launch.