I have been around computers for years. I even teach on Introduction to Computers class at a four-year university. Despite my knowledge of computers, I was not immune to the problems that viruses^ and spyware can do to a computer. My computer was attacked and it was so bad I ended up replacing my hard drive. Does that sound scary to you? If so, I apologize. At the same time, I hope that my experience can benefit you.
While many computer users are familiar with the term virus, not as many understand the term spyware. Simply put, spyware is software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without your premission. Here are a few things that can happen if you get spyware on your computer.
* Pop-up advertisements will appear even when you are not on the internet.
* Your home page (the page that comes up when you first open your internet browser) changes all of sudden and you don't know why.
* A new toolbar appears and you can't seem to get rid of it.
* Your computer takes longer than usual to complete certain tasks.
* Your computer crashes a lot when it never used to.
Just reading the above list should be enough to encourage you to read on and do what you can to prevent viruses and spyware from attacking your computer. Below is a list I compiled of things you can do to protect yourself from viruses and/or spyware. Following these suggestions doesn't mean you will never have a problem. However, it should lessen the chance of it happening.
1. Everyone should have good anti-virus software on their computer. This is especially true it you use the internet. I use PC-cillin Internet Security 2006 on my computer. Before that I used Norton's Internet Security. Both are good but only work well if used properly. If you are a beginner computer user, I would recommend Norton over PC-cillin. However, PC-cillin is a good program for those who are more advanced computer users. It requires a little more patience to set up and a better understanding of computers than Norton's does.
2. While it is nice to have Internet Security software, one must make sure it is turned on and that it is updated weekly. New viruses are being created daily and if you don't update your anti-virus software weekly your computer is open to attack by new viruses.
3. Make sure you have a good firewall and that it is turned on. A firewall helps protect your computer from outside attacks. Again, a good Internet Security program such as Norton's and PC-cillin come with a firewall. However, remember they only work if they are turned on.
4. I use two free programs in addition to PC-cillin to give me a little extra protection from spyware. I run these programs once a week to ensure that my computer is free from spyware. The two programs I use are:
SpyBot - Search and Destroy
Spyware Blaster
Both these programs can be downloaded for free at www.downloads.com
5. I use a free program that checks for advertising trackers and lets me get rid of them. You can download a copy of this program at www.downloads.com. The name of this program is:
Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal
There are a few other things I would like to mention concerning viruses and protecting yourself from them.
a. When you receive an email from someone you don't know and it has an attachment. Never open the attachment. Often times these attachments can have viruses in them.
b. If you receive an email from someone you know with an attachment and you weren't expecting it, don't open the attachment. Contact them first to make sure they sent it. Sometimes a virus can send out emails without the person even knowing.
c. Be careful when you are downloading software or programs off the internet. Often spyware software will install during the installation of other software you want such as a music or video file. Whenever you are installing something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation is documented, but it may appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement.
d. Be careful when you use a file from someone else's computer. If someone gives you a disk, even if it is your best friend, run a virus scan on the disk before opening any files. It is possible for the file to have a virus without the person knowing about it.
I hope these tips will prove helpful to you. If you have good protection and exercise caution you have a much better chance of getting through your computer life without the headaches of viruses and spyware. However, remember there is no guarantee that it will never happen to you.
^A computer virus is a program that invades your computer system, hides there, and replicates itself. Viruses spread when you launch an infected application or start up your computer from a disk that has infected system files."
Over the years, the beauty of the Internet has opened many different doors pertaining to socializing, networking, and the overall art of communication. Today, computer users of all ages are exploring the possibilities associated with chat rooms, discussion boards, forums, and online personals. Sending emails, instant messaging family and friends, and relaying text messages across the World Wide Web are also popular forms of contact. Despite the fact that users are unseen behind the guise of their computer, there is still a written and unwritten code of conduct that exists about the Internet.
Even in the world of online communication, one may offend, confuse, and irritate the people they send emails to or speak with in a chat room. Just as you participate in face-to-face communication, you are often aware of the way you move your body, execute hand gestures, or raise your voice. When contacting others across the Internet, there are also certain messages conveyed through the way you type out your thoughts. One of the most irritating online habits involves the use of all-caps when typing to others. Not only are long strings of capped words a strain on the eyes to read, but is often viewed as "shouting."
When typing emails or chatting with others while online, spelling and grammar really does count in not only making people see your side of things, but also promoting intelligent and free-flowing conversation. Usually, glaring spelling mistakes cause a distraction and confusion in correspondences. Additionally, just because you attempt to avoid making spelling errors and lapses in grammar – doesn’t mean you have the right to criticize others for their poor use of the English language. It is highly suggested to ignore the spelling mistakes of others and concentrate on the way you communicate while online.
Additional email etiquette rules include the avoidance of sending or forwarding junk mail and Internet hoaxes, forwarding virus warnings (which are sometimes hoaxes), replying to all recipients of a collectively sent email, and sending unnecessarily large attachments.
There are also plenty of "netiquette" issues to recognize when communicating with others in online communities (chat rooms and forums). One of the first things to do when joining a chat room, forum, or other online group is familiarize oneself with the rules or guidelines of the service. This practice comes in rather handy and helps one avoid any future online confrontations or misunderstandings.
At all times, your privacy should be protected, as well as other members of the online community. It is unwise to use full names in chat room correspondences and is rude to ask the full names of those you come in contact with. Staying on topic is also a rule of Internet etiquette. For instance, if you have joined a chat room community regarding model airplanes, it is often inappropriate to start sharing your marital problems with others. Using offensive language is warned against and is usually punished (suspension or ban).
When chatting, it is also suggested to keep messages short and present information in the most concise manner. Also, a common practice is to use abbreviations, but not everyone is familiar with the current lingo and this should be kept in mind – the abbreviation of your words and phrases should be used sparingly.
Overall, it is suggested to treat communication across the Internet in the same manner that you like to receive correspondences. Usually, the things that irritate you are the same actions others dislike as well.
It's been years since blogging has been practiced. But it's just recently that it has been considered as one of the addicting fads. Many teenagers have resorted to blogging as an outlet for their emotions, a little online nook where they can blurt out whatever just bugs them or whatever makes them feel elated. Savvy marketers have discovered that blogging is one of the best Internet marketing methods that won't cost you a cent.
What exactly is blogging? Blog is the widely used term that refers to web log. Basically, a blog is an online journal. A blog could be set up to no cost at all, and can be used for just for the fun of it or for business reasons.
Blogging for your Internet business is one surefire way to boost the visibility of your products and services. Here are a few ways to boost your internet advertising with the help of a blog:
1. Make your clients or customers abreast on your website's alterations. Your new products and affiliate websites could also be announced through your blog.
2. Keep track of your business objectives and plans through open writing. Your blog content can be easily stored through archives. What could be better than searchable information that could be easily accessed by anyone browsing the web, right?
3. Air your opinions, advice or reviews on specific services or products that are related to your business. Publishing is a very easy process with blogging.
4. Include links that will fetch back links and subsequently improve your ranking on search engines. This could be better executed through putting well-written articles in your website. Affiliate links could also be included in your blog to earn more extra income.
5. Collect response through the ability of blogs to fetch comments from your blog readers. You can learn and improve your products and services through with the feedback from your readers.
6. Connect easily with other bloggers. When other bloggers notice that you have something good in your blog, they will put you in their favorite lists that will automatically link you to their blogs.
So, how do you set up a blog? Here are some of the options you can make use of to take advantage of this fun way to advertise your Internet business.
Either you load a blogging software or let a blogging hosting service do it for you. Host services such as LiveJournal and Blogger.com are the most popular in this field. Those hosts will provide you with easy instructions on how to put up your blog.
Internet has greatly changed the shopping habits of the people precisely because of the convenience it provides in terms of saving time and money. You do not have to travel from one shop to the other; you can simply sit in the comfort of your home and browse through the various websites, do a comparison shopping and buy the goods online using your credit card. That said, there is a catch and that is online frauds. Today, making money online is very easy and there are lots of opportunities available on internet. Online retailers have to provide safety measures to build consumer confidence. If you have an e-commerce business you must ensure that it is 100 percent secure and the sensitive information they provide is completely protected. Keep in mind the following points to prevent your E-commerce website against fraud.
Fraud Detection Service
There is a fraud detection service you can avail of to prevent fraudulent activities.
The fraud detection service asks the consumer to verify an address and compares it to what is one file with the credit card issuer. It the address matches, the customer is given permission to go ahead with making a purchase.
Credit Card Verification Codes
The credit card verification code is the three important numbers found on the back of a credit card. As a consumer, you would be asked to insert those numbers when you shop on a site. In order for someone to place website fraud, they most acquire the credit card numbers and the credit card as well. So if you have the verification system is place, you can decrease the risks of fraud significantly.
Site Design
You website design can also help to reduce online frauds. For this, your website should be designed with the latest versions of scripting languages and programs to fight off hackers and protect the integrity of your business. You may have to shell out extra money to make sure fraud is not occurring, but it is well worth it in the long run. Having a secure site will save you money and protect your customers, which is perhaps the most important aspect of online business.
Go for a trusted web design company to ensure that your website is protected against frauds. ITRIX Technologies, http://www.itrixtechnologies.com is one such company providing neat, clear-cut secure web design services customized to their customers' unique requirements. Their certified web designers have extensive experience in web site design and graphic art. The company understands that your website represents your brand and can help design a solution that not only strengthens and creates brand awareness but also fulfils your business objectives. ITRIX Technologies can take care of your web needs from web hosting to web page design to online marketing.
Have you ever wanted to find someone's name with an email address but didn't know quite how to do it? If so, you'll be pleased to know that this is such a simple process, even a moron can do it!
With the technology available today, public information is easy to obtain if you have the right tools.
There are several reasons you might want to find someone's name with an email address. First, if someone keeps spamming you, you can find out their identity and report them to the proper authorities.
Second, if you are having issues with someone following or stalking you, you can easily obtain their identity and proceed accordingly. Your findings can even be used as evidence in court, along with the threatening emails they have sent to you.
Third, if someone keeps sending you an email and doesn't mention their name, you might delete or ignore the message without reading it. What if you are missing out on an important message from a friend, family member, or an old classmate? You would be able to solve the mystery easily by doing an email search.
If all you are needing is someone's name, simply go to the website of the sender's email provider and perform a search. For instance, if the email address ends with "@hotmail.com", you know they are using Hotmail. Simply go to the Hotmail website and type in their email address to do a search. Additionally, you can go to search engines like Google or Yahoo and enter the email address to see if there are any search results that come up.
Unfortunately, when you perform searches on free sites, the results may be false or incomplete. One reason for this is because it is easy for people to register emails under false names. It is also easy for people to opt out of lists, databases, or other public information portals. Since most free search sites just access user-controlled databases, the information you may not be accurate or complete.
If you need to be sure that the information you have received is accurate, or if you need more information than just someone's name, there are sites that do a more advanced search for a small fee. The cost of a lifetime membership is usually about $25 and includes unlimited searches. These sites have access to numerous databases and also comb the social networking sites like Facebook or Myspace.
Ultimately, if you use a site that charges a nominal fee, the result is much more accurate, authentic, and complete information about a person, even if the person has tried his best to hide behind a fake email address or has hidden his personal information from public view. I think you'll share my view that accurate information is essential and well worth the small charge of a membership.
What is the Conficker Virus? The Conficker virus (aka Downup virus, Downandup virus, Conflicker virus, and Kido virus) is a worm. A worm is a type of virus that spreads itself through networks. Basically someone starts it up and it starts looking around a network that it is connected to - including the Internet - to find computers that are vulnerable to infection.
What computers are vulnerable to the Conficker virus? Any computer that is or has been connected to a network (including the Internet) and running the following version of Windows:
1. Windows 2000 (very vulnerable)
2. Windows XP (very vulnerable)
3. Windows Server 2003 (very vulnerable)
4. Windows Vista (less vulnerable)
5. Windows Server 2008 (less vulnerable)
Microsoft put out a patch to fix the vulnerability: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-067 - Critical. Computers that have had the patch applied, providing that the Conficker virus was not already on it, are not vulnerable to attack via a network.
What is the "vulnerability"? How can the Conficker virus gain access to a computer over a network? All computers that are able to share information over a network have programs running on as part of the operating system that "listen" for communications from the network. For instance, if a co-worker on another computer wants to access a folder on your computer they (through their computer) send a message to your computer asking to access the folder. The appropriate operating system component on your computer handles the request and gives access or denies access to the file based on whether you shared the file and gave the requestor permission to see it. The important thing to understand is that a program on the requesting computer makes contact with a program on the listening computer and gets the listening program to do something for it.
If the listening program mentioned above has a bug in it that can enable the requesting program to make it do unsavory things - like give the requesting program access to install itself on the receiving computer - then that would be a "vulnerability". In the case of the Conficker virus that is basically what was discovered - the program that lets you share folders and printers and other things on a Windows computer, called the Windows Server service, had a bug in it that would allow another program to get it to do things that would then allow a program to be installed over the network without anyone knowing about it.
What would protect me from the Conficker virus or similar viruses? If your network and computer are being protected by a properly configured firewall then you were really never at risk. If you applied the patch Microsoft put out for this vulnerability by running Windows updates then your Windows computer was not vulnerable for long and is no longer vulnerable. If you are running Windows Vista and have the UAC turned on (the thing that asks you "Confirm or Deny" whenever you try to install anything) then you are minimally at risk.
There are many ways to make a system more secure but basic security practices would have minimized your risk to this virus as well as similar ones:
1. Use a firewall - this will stop almost any worm attack.
2. Stay on top of updating your operating system.
3. Use an up-to-date antivirus program.
The above go a long way toward keeping you productive and safe from viruses.
Question:
Windows restarts without warning.
Additional information:
• This document is about computers that are restarting or rebooting by themselves.
• Some of the below steps in the answer require you open your computer and remove hardware devices, while in the computer make sure you're aware of ESD.
Cause:
This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Software issue or error.
2. Hardware issue or error.
3. Heat related issue.
4. Computer virus.
5. Issue with operating system.
Answer:
Software issue or error
Errors generated by software programs can cause a computer to reboot unexpectedly or without warning. If you are running Windows XP see the below section "For Windows XP users" before continuing.
If you are not running Windows XP or following the below steps still cause your computer to reboot without warning. Boot your computer into Safe Mode, and let the computer run in Safe Mode. Additional information and help with getting into Safe Mode can be found on document CHSAFE.
If the computer is still rebooting in Safe Mode the issue is likely not software related but something else, skip to the next section. If the computer is not rebooting in Safe Mode it is likely you have software related issue. We would recommend you run through the basic troubleshooting section for your operating system.
For Windows XP users
Windows XP is designed to automatically reboot each time an error occurs such as a BSoD. Although this may be nice for errors that do not occur often, users who have a re-occurring error may wish to identify the error to troubleshoot it. Below are the steps on how this feature can be disabled and enabled in Windows XP.
1. From the desktop right-click on My Computer.
2. Click the Properties option.
3. In the System Properties window click the Advanced tab.
4. In Advanced click the Settings button under Startup and Recovery.
5. In the Startup and Recovery window uncheck the Automatically restart check box.
6. Click Ok.
Now if the computer generates and error it should not automatically restart and enable you to display any errors your computer may be experiencing.
Hardware issue or error
Any failing hardware component in your computer could cause your computer to unexpectedly generate an error and/or reboot without warning. If you have recently attempted to add a new hardware device, remove that device to make sure it is not causing your issues.
Make sure you are not encountering any hardware conflicts by viewing Device Manager for errors. Additional information about Device Manager can be found on our Device Manager page.
New drivers can also cause this issue, if you have recently performed any hardware driver updates you may wish to try an earlier version of the drivers.
If you have updated drivers and removed any hardware that could be causing this issue and continue to experience random reboots, it's possible that the memory is bad in the computer.
Finally, hardware devices that are not installed properly in the computer can also cause random reboots. Make sure all the cables and expansion cards are connected properly to the computer. The best way to determine this is to disconnect and reconnect all cables and expansion cards.
Computer virus
Computer viruses such as the blaster virus are written to reboot your computer without warning. Usually these viruses will make the computer reboot ever 5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes after the computer has booted.
If you believe your computer may be infected with a virus or are uncertain if your computer is infected with a virus make sure your virus scanner definitions are up to date.
Heat related issue
Many computer today are designed to turn off or automatically reboot if the computer, processor, or other device in your computer gets to hot. If you have heard any abnormal noises coming from your computer recently such as a high squealing this could indicate a fan may be failing in your computer.
You can first start by verifying the fan on the power supply is working by examining the back of the computer and seeing if the fan is moving and moving smoothly. For all other fans in the computer you will need to either open the computer and make sure the fan are working (processor fan and case fan) and/or if your BIOS monitors the RPM of the fans enter BIOS and make sure the BIOS does not report any errors.
Users may also be able to determine how hot their computer is by onboard thermal sensors, if your computer comes equipped with these sensors make sure your CPU is not running to hot.
Issue with operating system
If after following each of the above recommendations your computer still continues to reboot it is likely that you are experiencing a Microsoft Windows operating system related issue that cannot be explained. To help make sure this is the case please try the below steps.
1. Reboot the computer and enter CMOS setup as the computer is booting.
2. After you have loaded the computer in CMOS setup let the computer sit.
If the computer does not reboot while letting the computer sit in CMOS it is likely that you are in fact experiencing an issue with Microsoft Windows and it is recommend that if you have followed all of the above recommendations that you reinstall your version of Microsoft Windows.
Question:
Windows freezes or stops responding frequently.
Cause:
This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Software related issue.
2. Driver related issue.
3. Operating system related issue.
4. Heat related issue.
5. Hardware issue.
6. Serious issue with Windows
7. Hardware failure.
Answer:
This document contains recommendations on what to do if the computer frequently freezes or completely halts. An easy way to determine if your computer is in this situation is by pressing the Num Lock button on the keyboard and watching the Num Lock led to see if it turns off and/or on.
If you're able to get the light to turn off an on, press CTRL + ALT + DEL and attempt to end task the program.
Software related issue
A computer locking up or freezing is often is caused by a software related issue. If you're encountering lockups when the computer is opening a particular program, make sure you have all the latest updates for that program. You can find the latest updates for your software through the software developer or publisher.
Driver related issue
A computer lock up can also be caused by drivers. For example, if there is an issue that exists with your video drivers a computer could lock up while playing a game or displaying any other type of video. Make sure you have the latest drivers for all major devices in your computer (video, sound, modem, and network).
Operating system related issue
Make sure your operating system has all of the latest updates installed on it.
Heat related issue
If the computer processor is getting too hot it can cause the computer to freeze. If you have heard any abnormal noises coming from your computer recently such as a high squealing, this could indicate a fan may be failing in your computer.
You can first start by verifying the fan on the power supply is working by examining the back of the computer and seeing if the fan is moving and moving smoothly. For all other fans in the computer you will need to either open the computer and make sure the fan are working (processor fan and case fan) and/or if your BIOS monitors the RPM of the fans, enter BIOS and make sure the BIOS does not report any errors.
Users may also be able to determine how hot their computer is by onboard thermal sensors. If your computer comes equipped with these sensors, make sure your CPU is not running too hot.
Hardware issue
In addition to software, hardware can also cause a computer to lock. If you have recently added any new hardware into the computer, try temporarily removing it to make sure it is not the cause of your issue.
Before attempting to remove any hardware, make sure you are not encountering this issue because of hardware conflicts by viewing Device Manager for errors.
If you have not recently installed any new hardware into the computer, the next best solution to determining if this is a hardware issue would be remove any hardware on the computer that is not needed. For example, remove your modem, network card, sound card, and any other expansion cards that are not needed for the computer to operate. Run the computer without these cards to see if they are the cause of your issue.
Note: When opening the computer, make sure you are aware of ESD and its potential dangers.
Serious issue with Windows
If you have tried all the above recommendations and the computer continues to frequently lock up, its possible that Windows may be seriously corrupt. Try running through the basic troubleshooting steps for your version of Windows on our basic troubleshooting page. If these additional steps do not resolve your issue, we suggest you backup all information and erase and reinstall Windows on your computer.
Hardware failure
If after reinstalling your operating system, or during the installation of your operating system, your computer turns off abnormally, it is very likely that other hardware is failing in the computer. Often this is RAM, CPU, Motherboard, and/or Power Supply (in that order).
If you have extra available parts or have a friend or co-worker with a similar configuration that is willing to allow you to test their hardware in your computer, try swapping these parts to determine if they are at fault. Otherwise, you will need to have the computer serviced.
Issue:
Why do Windows programs stop responding?
Additional information:
A computer, operating system, software program or driver may stop responding or
cause other programs to stop responding because of several possible reasons, such as a confliction of software or hardware resources between two programs, lack of system resources, or a bug in the software or drivers.
Solution:
To recover from a program that has stopped responding, a user can generally press the CTRL + ALT + DEL keys on his or her keyboards to open the "Close Program" window or open the "Task Manager" window and click the "End Task" button to terminate the program. If another window opens, click the "End Task" button again to confirm stopping that program.
It is important to realize that when a program stops responding any work that has not been saved will more than likely be lost when end tasking a program. Unfortunately, there is no alternative.
Question:
What should I do when a computer freezes?
Answer:
This document contains recommendations on what to do if the computer frequently freezes or completely halts. An easy way to determine if your computer is in this situation is by pressing the Num Lock button on the keyboard and watching the Num Lock led (light) to see if it turns off and/or on.
If you're able to get the light to turn off and on and are running Microsoft Windows, press CTRL + ALT + DEL and attempt to end task the program.
Make sure the computer is really frozen
Although the above Num Lock trick is a good indication on whether or not the computer is really frozen, it's still always a good recommendation to give the computer at least a minute before turning it off.
Reboot the computer
After waiting a minute, reboot the computer; it's completely locked and will not recover. Keep in mind that all work being worked on is going to be lost and cannot be recovered if the information has not been saved or automatically saved.
Issue:
Regaining computer hard disk drive space.
Answers:
Microsoft Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP and Vista users
Run the Disk Cleanup option
1. Open My Computer.
2. Right-click on the hard disk drive that you wish to regain hard disk drive space. For example, right-click on the C: drive.
3. Click Properties.
4. Within the General tab, click the "Disk Cleanup" button located next to the pie chart.
5. Windows will scan the computer for all files available to clean up.
6. Once in the Disk Cleanup window check each of the boxes (except "compress old files") that are taking disk space and click Ok and then Yes if you wish to proceed.
Compress?
When performing a Disk Cleanup you'll have an option to compress your hard drive. We strongly recommend users do not compress their hard disk drive and/or compress their old files.
Additional suggestion for Windows 2000 and Windows XP users:
Window 2000 and Windows XP keeps all the necessary files needed to uninstall any of the updates ever installed on your computer. Often this is several dozen updates that can take up several hundred and sometimes over 1 gig of space on your hard disk drive.
Disable System Restore
Windows XP users can also decrease the default space utilized by Windows System Restore and often gain several additional gigabytes of hard disk drive space. See the below steps in customizing this feature.
1. Click Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and open "System Restore".
2. Within the System Restore window, click "System Restore Settings".
3. Within the "System Restore" tab you can either check the "Turn off System Restore on all drives" to completely disable this feature, or click the Settings button and decrease the space usage, which we would recommend.
Disable hibernation
If you turn your computer off instead of using hibernation mode you can disable this feature to free up a lot of disk space.
Microsoft Windows 95 users
Users can regain computer hard disk space by performing any or all of the below steps.
Clean up temporary files
1. Click Start and then Search or Find
2. In the "File Type" text field type: *.tmp and verify the computer is looking at the C: drive or the drive that contains your operating system.
3. Search for files and delete each of the temporary files that are found.
Delete chk files
Perform the same steps as number one except search for *.chk and delete any of the files that are found.
Uninstall old programs or games no longer used
MS-DOS and Windows 3.x users
Users can regain computer hard disk drive space by performing any or all of the below steps.
1. From the MS-DOS prompt, type "del *.tmp /s" and "del *.chk /s". This command will delete any temporary files or scandisk error files on the hard disk drive.
2. Delete any software programs or games you are no longer using from MS-DOS or from Windows.
Issue:
I have problems in Windows after installing new software.
Cause:
After installing any type of utility, driver or other software program on a computer you can encounter an almost endless list of issues that can be caused by any of the below reasons.
1. Confliction with other software installed on the computer.
2. Issue with program.
3. Improper installation or problems with installation.
Solution:
Reinstall or uninstall the program
If you're encountering problems with your computer or other programs after installing new software on your computer attempt to uninstall the program and see if the issues persist..
Note: If after installing a program you're unable to boot into Windows, try booting into Safe Mode. Additional information about getting into Safe Mode can be found on document CHSAFE. In Safe Mode follow the above steps.
Check for software program updates or new versions
If you continue to experience issues verify that the program, game, or utility you're installing doesn't have any updates by visiting the developer of the program website.
If you're installing a software program or drivers for a hardware device such as a printer. Attempt to get the latest software and/or drivers from the manufacturer instead of using the included software.
Question:
Not a valid Win32 application.
Additional information:
Often this error message will be similar to the below error message.
C:\Program Files\myprogram\program.exe is not a valid Win32 application.
Cause:
This issue can be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. File is corrupt, bad, or missing.
2. File is not designed for your version of Windows.
3. File is a virus, worm, or other malware file.
4. Hardware incompatibility.
Answer:
File is corrupt, bad, or missing
If the file or program you're attempting to run is corrupt or missing, Windows will be unable to execute the file properly and sometimes generate this error message.
Download files
If you downloaded this file and verified it is complete and compatible with your version of Windows, delete the file and try downloading and running it again. It's possible during the download that the file became corrupted.
Finally, if the second download does not work, try downloading the file from a different webpage. It is possible that the person or company maintaining the website mistakenly uploaded a corrupt version of the file you're attempting download.
Installing a program from a CD or other disk
If you're attempting to install a program and are getting this error, verify that the CD is clean. If the CD is dirty or bad, you could get this error during the install and/or get this error after the program has been installed because it was not copied properly onto the computer..
Running a program from the computer
If you're running the program from a shortcut on the computer, verify that the program is still on the computer. In some cases if the program is no longer installed on the computer you may get this error.
If the hard disk drive is corrupted or bad it can also cause working programs to fail either because not all the data can be read from the hard disk drive or because the program has become corrupted while on the drive. Run scandisk and defrag on the hard disk drive to check for any potential errors.
Long file name issue
Make sure the program or file you're attempting to run does not contain the same name as the long file name directory it is contained in. For example, executing a file named "program" in the "program files" directory can cause errors in some versions of Windows.
Additionally, if you're attempting to install a program and after the install the program does not work, you may also want to try installing the program in a different directory.
Bad file
Any file can be changed or renamed to be a .exe file. If you're downloading the file, make sure the file is supposed to be a .exe file and that it's not being changed. If you're attempting to create a .exe, file make sure you're compiling the file for Windows and never just rename a file to a .exe file. For example, renaming a .bat file to a .exe file will not make the file an executable file. For a file to become an executable file it needs to either be compiled or converted through a software program designed to convert the file.
File is not designed for your version of Windows
If you're trying to run a program that is not designed for your version of Windows you may get this error. Although many older programs designed to work in older versions of Windows will work with new versions of Windows, unfortunately, not all programs will work.
• If the program is an older MS-DOS program or early Windows program you may get this error.
• If the program is designed for a 64-bit version of Windows and you're running it in a 32-bit version of Windows, it will not work and generate this error.
File is a virus, worm, or other malware file
This error can be generated by a file that is a virus, worm, trojan, or other type of malware file. Often, this will be caused because the virus scanner installed in the computer will not allow the file to be installed or run. Try scanning the file to verify it is not a virus and/or infected.
If the file has been checked and is clean, it is still possible that the virus protection program and/or another program installed on the computer is causing issues during the install or execution of the program. Boot the computer into Safe Mode and try running the program; booting the computer into Safe Mode will make sure nothing is running in the background that could be causing this issue.
Hardware incompatibility
If you're getting this error during the installation of a program it's also possible that the CD-ROM drive or the drive you're installing the program from is not compatible with Windows or has drivers that are not compatible with Windows.
Issue:
My computer is running slow what steps can I do to fix it?
Cause:
This issue can be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Hard disk drive is short on available disk space.
2. Several software programs have been installed/uninstalled leaving behind bad files and/or confusing the software.
3. Data Corruption.
4. Computer is overheating.
5. Bad Hardware.
Additional information:
If your Internet is slow this document does not contain information about this issue.
PC Solution:
Below are steps for Microsoft Windows that should help speed up the computer or determine why the computer is running slow.
Not enough hard disk drive space
If you have a hard disk drive that is 2GB or smaller, ensure that there is at least 200MB of hard disk drive space free. If you have a hard drive larger than this size, verify that there is at least 500MB of free hard disk space. This available space allows the computer to have room for the swap file to increase in size as well as room for temporary files.
Hard drive corrupted or fragmented
Run Scandisk or something equivalent to help ensure that there is nothing physically wrong with the computer hard disk drive.
Run Defrag to help ensure that data is arranged in the best possible order.
Background programs
Remove or disable any TSRs or programs that automatically start each time the computer boots.
Hardware conflicts
Verify that the Device Manager has no conflicts, but if conflicts are present, resolve them.
Issues with Windows XP prefetch
If you have Windows XP try deleting all files in the prefetch directory. These are prefetch files and can lower system resources if loading programs no longer being used.
Issues in Windows 95 / 98 autoexec.bat / config.sys
If you are using Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98 and do not plan on running any MS-DOS programs from MS-DOS follow the below steps.
1. Click Start, Run and type command and press enter.
2. In the MS-DOS window type cd\ to get to C:\> and then type ren autoexec.bat autoexec.ch and ren config.sys config.ch
This will rename your autoexec.bat and config.sys and help make sure memory is being optimized through Windows.
Computer or processor is overheating
Make sure your computer and processor is not overheating, excessive heat can cause a significant decrease in computer performance some processors will even lower the speed of the processor automatically to help compensate for the heat related issues.
Specific operating system basic troubleshooting
Try running through the basic troubleshooting steps for your operating system.
Erase computer and start over
Finally, if none of the above solutions resolve your issues, it is recommended that you either reinstall Windows and/or erase everything and then start over.
Hardware issues
If your computer continues to be slow after going over each of the above recommendations it's possible that your computer is experiencing a more serious hardware related issue such as a failing component in the computer. This could be a failing or bad CPU, RAM, Motherboard, or other component.
Question:
Missing Microsoft Windows .dll files.
Cause:
A missing or corrupt .dll file can be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Another program was uninstalled that removed a .dll file that was required by another program or the operating system.
2. A program was installed that overwrote the .dll file with either an older version or a version that is incompatible with other programs causing .dll errors.
3. A bad installation of a program corrupted one or more files causing the .dll errors.
4. Another user or program maliciously or mistakenly deleted the .dll file or an associated file.
5. A hardware issue exists with the computer, such as a bad hard disk drive, causing the data on the drive to become corrupt, casing the .dll errors.
Answer:
This document is meant to be a solution for users who are encountering missing .dll errors or other error messages related to .dll files. Before trying the recommended resolutions to resolving these errors, we suggest if you're getting a single missing .dll error, that you search for that .dll file on Computer Hope.
For example, if you're getting an error similar to "Internet Explorer encountered an error in KERNEL32.DLL at 0137:BFF3191C", search for "kernel32.dll" to make sure a specific document has not been created for your issue. In some situations a .dll file error may be caused by a specific situation.
Downloading a .dll file
In some situations, it may be possible to download or copy a .dll file from another computer onto your computer to resolve the issue. However, because .dll error messages are almost always a more serious issue and/or replacing the missing .dll file with a replacement will cause additional errors or report additional missing files, we suggest you try the below suggestions first.
Safe mode
If you're encountering .dll errors that are preventing you from getting into Windows, to troubleshoot the computer, boot the computer into Safe Mode. Additional information and help with getting into Windows Safe Mode can be found on document CHSAFE. Once successfully in Safe Mode, you can continue with the below steps.
If your computer boots normally and/or you're able to bypass the .dll errors and still operate Windows, you can continue following the below steps.
Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 2000 users
If you're a Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 2000 user, Microsoft has included some tools that can help resolve .dll file errors relatively easily; before trying any of the below recommendations you, may want to first try the below suggestions.
Windows XP users only
First, try restoring the computer back to an earlier date, this troubleshooting step is a quick and easy recommendation that can resolve a lot of issues encountered with Microsoft Windows computers..
Windows XP and Windows 2000 users
Use the Windows XP SFC command to have windows scan and repair files; to run this command, follow the below steps. Additional information about the SFC command can be found on our SFC command page.
1. Click Start
2. Click Run
3. Type "sfc /scannow" and press enter.
Once the above steps have been completed, Windows will verify that all protected windows files are intact.
Issue with .dll files only with a specific program
If you're encountering the missing, corrupt, or other errors relating to .dll files only when you attempt to open or run a program, it's likely an issue with that program. Thankfully, resolving program-specific errors can be much easier than operating system related .dll errors.
If the program you're attempting to run has worked in the past on your computer and has only recently started to get the .dll errors, reinstalling the program generating the errors will almost always resolve your problem.
Additionally, while reinstalling the program, it's also a good idea to check if updates or patches have been made available by the developer of your program. Updates are often found through the developer's website.
Recently uninstalled program
If you have recently uninstalled a program on the computer, it is possible that the program may have removed a .dll file that is necessary for Windows or a Windows program to work properly.
If you've already tried the above recommendations, you may wish to reinstall the program to get whatever file has been deleted back on the computer. If this resolves your .dll error message and you wish to uninstall the program again, during the uninstall process, make sure that you click "No" or "No to all" when asked to delete a system file or any file that may be used by another program.
Recently installed program
If you have recently installed a program and after the installation began encountering your .dll error messages, we suggest you first check if updates are available for the program. In some situations, a program may need to be updated for it to work properly on your computer. Updates are often found through the developer's website.
If no updates are available for the program, try uninstalling the program to resolve the issue. If this does correct your issue, we suggest you contact the developer of the program for additional support on getting the program installed on the computer without it causing errors.
Virus, spyware, or other malware installed on the computer causing your .dll error
It is possible for a virus, spyware, or other malware program to cause .dll errors; and therefore, we suggest users make sure to run a full virus and spyware scan on your computer.
Windows .dll error message or .dll errors when trying to do something within Windows and not a program
Microsoft Windows .dll errors or .dll error messages that occur when starting Windows or trying to do something within Windows, such as opening the Control Panel, can be more serious and unfortunately more difficult to resolve. For these errors we suggest you run through the basic troubleshooting steps for your operating system.
If running through these steps you encounter the same issues to resolve your .dll errors, it is likely you'll need to reinstall or erase everything and reinstall Windows to resolve your errors. If issues continue after windows has been reinstalled or errors occur during the installation of Windows, it's possible that you may have a hardware issue that is the cause of all your problems.
Issue:
Issues relating to msgsrv32.
Additional information:
Note: It is known that users may confuse msgsrv32 with msgrv32. While msgrv32 is a spelling error, it is related to this document.
The file Microsoft msgsrv32.exe or msgsrv32.dll is a file located in the C:\Windows\SYSTEM directory placed on the computer during the Windows installation. The description of this file is "Windows 32-bit VxD Message Server" and is responsible for such Windows tasks as:
• Handle Plug and Play messages between various parts of the operating system.
• Handle responses to and from setup programs.
• Display the initial logon dialog box if a network is present or profiles are enabled.
• Play the system startup and shutdown sounds.
• Load the Windows drivers at startup and then unload them at shutdown.
• Run the shell program.
Cause:
Errors or issues relating to msgsrv32 can be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Resource conflict or issue
2. TSRs or other running programs
3. Sound driver or sound card issues
4. Onboard sound or video issue
5. MIDI device or codec issues
6. Power Management or screensaver issue
7. Microsoft Find Fast related issue
8. Memory manager being used
9. Issue with shell
10. Computer virus or back orifice
11. Bad hardware
Solutions:
NOTE: If you are unable to boot into Windows because of the MSGSRV32 error, attempt to follow the below steps in Windows Safe Mode. Information about booting into Safe Mode can be found on document CHSAFE.
Resource conflict or issue
Before attempting any of the below recommendations, ensure that the computer has no conflicts or errors in Windows Device Manager. If conflicts or errors are present, it is highly recommended that they be fixed first, as they could be causing your
issue.
TSRs or other running programs
If you are encountering the MSGSRV32 error when attempting to open a program or perform a particular task on a computer, verify programs or other TSRs are not causing your issues by End Tasking all TSRs and closing all programs before running or performing the task generating your MSGSRV32 error.
Sound driver or sound card issues
First, ensure that you have the correct audio devices in Multimedia by following the below steps:
1. Click Start / Settings / Control Panel double-click the multimedia icon.
2. Verify that the playback device is set to the audio device in the computer.
Second, verify that your sound card has the latest drivers and/or updates installed from the computer or motherboard manufacturer (if onboard sound).
MIDI device or codec issues
Verify that the computer has the proper MIDI codec and that no more than 11 MIDI devices are installed. To check this, follow the below steps:
1. Click Start / Settings / Control Panel
2. Double-click the Multimedia icon
3. Select the Advanced or Devices tab
4. Click the + next to "MIDI Devices and Instruments"
5. Verify that the correct codec is installed according to the sound card installed in the computer. In addition, verify that no more than 11 MIDI devices are listed below this category.
If more than 11 MIDI devices are installed or the improper codec appears to be installed, remove the improper codec or one of the MIDI devices. Note: if MIDI Express XT driver is installed, you may also wish to remove this codec to help free up available space for additional MIDI devices.
Power Management or screensaver issue
If you are experiencing issues with MSGSRV32 after recovering from power management or when the computer has been idle for over 10 minutes, it is possible that your computer may have issues with Power Management. To attempt to resolve these issues, please try the below recommendations.
1. If any screensavers or CPU sharing programs such as SETI are running on the computer, temporally disable these programs to ensure they are not causing your issue.
2. If your issues persist, attempt to disable Power Management by clicking Start / Settings / Control Panel / Power. In the Power menu, disable or set the power settings to Off or Never. Once set, click ok or Apply and reboot the computer.
Microsoft Find Fast related issue
Ensure that Microsoft Find Fast is not being loaded in the startup group by clicking Start / Programs / Startup. If "Find Fast" or "Microsoft Find Fast" is listed, remove this program from automatically loading each time your computer boots; follow the below steps:
1. Click Start / Settings / Taskbar & Start Menu
2. Click Start Menu Programs tab
3. Click the Advanced button
4. Click the + next to Programs and then the + next to startup
5. Highlight the Find Fast icon and press the delete key on the keyboard.
6. Once removed, close out of all windows and reboot the computer to see if issue has been resolved.
Memory manager being used
If the computer has a memory manager installed such as QEMM, temporarily uninstall this program from the computer to ensure it is not causing your issue.
Issue with shell
If your are using a shell other than explorer.exe (standard Windows shell), it is possible that the msgsrv32 error is being encountered because of the third-party shell. Temporarily disable or remove the third-party shell and attempt to use the standard Windows explorer.
Computer virus or back orifice
Errors relating to msgsrv32 can be caused by computer viruses, and in some cases back orifice, which is a hack utility used to gain access to an individual's computer.
Verify that you have the latest updates for your computer virus scanner and that no viruses have been detected on your computer.
Other Software corruption
If you have attempted each of the above recommendations and your issue is not listed in the below specific MSGSRV32.DLL errors, it is possible your computer may have another type of software or data corruption causing the issue.
If you have not already attempted the recommendations on our basic troubleshooting page, please try those recommendations now.
If you continue to experience issues it is recommended you format and reinstall the computer operating system.
Bad hardware
If after reinstalling the operating system you immediately continue to experience the MSGSRV32 errors, it is possible that the computer may have bad hardware. If your sound card is not an onboard sound card and you are familiar with ESD, you may want to consider temporarily physically removing the sound card or DVD decoder cards and see if the issue persists.
Specific MSGSRV32.DLL errors:
MSGSRV32.DLL caused a general protection fault in CM8330SB.DRV
MSGSRV32.EXE caused a general protection fault in CM8330SB.DRV
EXPLORER caused a general protection fault in CM8330SB.DRV
Iexplorer caused a general protection fault in CM8330SB.DRV
This issue is related to the C-Media 8330 sound card chipsets included in various computer sound cards and some modems. Verify with the sound card manufacturer, modem manufacturer, or, if you have an onboard sound card, the motherboard manufacturer, to see if any updated drivers or patches are available for your sound card / modem.
MSGSRV32 caused an invalid page fault in module Kernel32.dll during Microsoft Network (MSN) login or when attempting to open Internet Explorer or Microsoft Outlook
This issue may be encountered when the MSN password file is corrupt. To resolve this issue, follow the below instructions.
1. Click Start / Find / Files or Folders
2. In the Named field type:
*.pwl
3. Verify that the Look in field is looking in the C: drive
4. Click Find Now
5. If files are found click Edit and click Select All.
6. Once all the files are highlighted, press the delete key.
7. Once the files have been deleted, reboot the computer, when the computer reboots, the pwl files should be recreated and you should then be able to log into MSN.
8. If this resolves your issue and you are running Windows 95, download the file mspwlupd.exe from our Windows 95 download page.
MSGSRV32 caused a general protection fault in KRNL386.EXE during windows install
This issue may be caused by a problem with the dblbuff.sys file. Microsoft has released a support fix for this issue, but to obtain the file you must contact Microsoft.
When browsing or installing device drivers, one of the following error messages occurs:
Msgsrv32 caused a General Protection Fault in module Kernel32
Msgsrv32 caused an invalid page fault in Msgrv32.dll
MSGSRV32 caused an invalid page fault in module Kernel32.dll
Msgsrv32 caused a General Protection Fault in Msgsrv32.exe
This issue may be caused by a problem with the msgrv32.exe file. Microsoft has released a support fix for this issue, but to obtain the file you must contact Microsoft.
Issue:
How to fix an invalid page fault.
Additional information:
An invalid page fault is caused when the operating system or a software program attempts to store or call a segment or block of the computer's memory that does not exist. Because of the invalid call, the program will generate an invalid page fault error message and terminate the program or process to prevent additional issues.
Cause:
There are several reasons a computer may generate an Invalid Page fault error. Below are few of those possibilities.
1. Incompatibility or issue with the software programs.
2. Issues with the computer memory.
Solution:
Remove all TSRs
Disable or unload any TSRs or programs currently running before running the program causing the GPF.
Delete all program temporary files
Delete all temporary files that may still be residing on the hard disk drive from currently or previously running programs.
Run Scandisk / Defrag
Attempt to run scandisk / defrag on the hard disk drive as it could be possible your hard disk drive may have an issue causing the swap file or data files to become corrupt or invalid
Update software or check for software patches
If you are experiencing invalid page faults in only one program, verify that the software program is compatible with the operating system you are running the program within. Also verify with the manufacturer or vendor of the software program that there are no available patches or updates for the program that may help or resolve your issue.
Recently installed software / hardware
If you have recently installed new software or hardware, attempt to uninstall or reinstall that software / hardware to verify it is not causing your issue.
Bad Memory, invalid bits or physically bad memory
It is possible that bad memory can cause Illegal Operations. If you have recently added memory to the computer it is recommended that it first be removed to verify that you are not experiencing conflictions with the recently installed memory.
If no memory has been recently added to the computer it is recommended you follow all other steps found on this page before replacing the memory within the computer.
Issue:
How to fix a general protection fault.
Cause:
There are several possibilities and reasons a computer receives a General Protection Fault error, below is a listing of some of the more common reasons.
1. The program being used is calling a section of memory that is already being used by another program or TSR.
2. The program has not been programmed properly or is still in testing and is calling an invalid portion of memory.
Solution:
The following are recommendations into finding the cause of a GPF and or resolving a GPF. It is important to know that GPFs are always likely to occur on the computer and if you are experiencing a GPF rarely such as once every few weeks to not worry about attempting to locate the root cause of that GPF. However, if you are experiencing GPF error messages often it is recommended you follow the following recommendations to help resolve your issues.
Remove all TSRs
Disable or unload any TSRs or programs currently running before running the program causing the GPF.
Delete all program temporary files
Delete all temporary files that may still be residing on the hard disk drive from currently or previously running programs.
Run Scandisk / Defrag
Attempt to run scandisk / defrag on the hard disk drive as it could be possible your hard disk drive may have an issue causing the swap file or data files to become corrupt or invalid.
Verify your computer has more than 200 MB available
If your computer is running low on hard disk space, your Windows swap file will be unable to increase in size when needed, causing programs to be swapped between memory and the hard disk drive more frequently. When this occurs it is more likely that a GPF can occur.
Recently installed software / hardware
If you have recently installed new software or hardware attempt to uninstall or reinstall that software / hardware to verify it is not causing your issue.
Disable external cache
If your CPU utilizes external cache attempt to disable it temporarily to verify if it is causing your GPF error messages. If available, you will be able to disable your external cache through CMOS.
If this resolves your issue it is recommended that you contact your manufacturer or motherboard / CPU manufacturer for additional recommendations and/or BIOS updates that may resolve your issue.
Disable Power Management / Screen savers
If you are receiving GPFs when away from the computer or during durations when your computer is inactive, attempt to disable power management and screen savers to ensure that they are not causing your issue.
Operating System issue
It is possible for Windows or an overwritten Windows related file to cause a General Protection fault. Most commonly the General Protection Fault with Explorer and KRNL386.EXE. Attempt to reinstall your operating system to resolve the issue.
Bad memory or other bad hardware
If you have followed all of the above recommendations and continue to experience GPFs it's possible hardware inside your computer may also be bad. Often bad memory is the primary cause for random GPFs..
Issue:
How to fix a fatal exception error.
Additional information:
Windows and software now commonly use exceptions which allow Windows or other software to communicate in layers and communicate errors or exceptions. If a program is given an exception that is invalid or unknown, the program or operating system will generate a fatal exception. Fatal exceptions are also commonly referred to as a Fatal OE, as the OE error is one of the more commonly experienced fatal exception error messages.
Fatal exception error messages are generated when one of the below situations occur.
• Access to an illegal software instruction has occurred.
• Invalid data or code has been accessed.
• The privilege level of an operation is invalid.
When a fatal exception is encountered the error will be in the below format.
A fatal exception
In the above example of the fatal exception the YZ represents the actual processor exception, this can range from 00 to 0F. Each of theses processor exceptions are explained under Extended information.
After the processor exception is the enhanced instruction pointer to the code segment and the 32-bit address. This is exactly where the error exception has occurred.
Cause:
Fatal exception errors are generally caused by incompatibility issues, errors in the code, heat related issues, and/or other hardware / software issues. Because of the wide range of possibilities, we have created this document to help determine or resolve your issue.
Solution:
Remove all TSRs
Disable or unload any TSRs or programs currently running before running the program or attempting to recreate the error.
Delete all program temporary files
Delete all temporary files that may still be residing on the hard disk drive from currently or previously running programs.
Run Scandisk / Defrag
Attempt to run scandisk / defrag on the hard disk drive as it could be possible your hard disk drive may have an issue causing the swap file or data files to become corrupt or invalid
• Additional information on scandisk can be found on our scandisk page.
• Additional information on defrag can be found on our defrag page.
Disable External Cache in CMOS
If the option is available, attempt to enter your computer's CMOS setup and disable the external cache. If this resolves your issue it is likely that you are encountering a heat related issue.
Heat related issue
Verify that all fans in and on your computer are properly working. Possibly attempt to add an additional case fan, if there is available space.
Overclocked computer
If you have overclocked any component within the computer, set the computer to its factory settings to verify that the overclocked component is not causing the issue.
Update software or check for software patches
If you are experiencing invalid page faults in only one program, verify that the software program is compatible with the operating system you are running the program within. Also verify with the manufacturer or vendor of the software program that there are no available patches or updates for the program that may help or resolve your issue.
Verify your computer has more than 200 MB available
If your computer is running low on hard disk space, your Windows swap file will be unable to increase in size when needed, causing programs to be swapped between memory and the hard disk drive more frequently. When this occurs it is more likely that a GPF can occur.
Recently installed software / hardware
If you have recently installed new software or hardware attempt to uninstall or reinstall that software / hardware to verify it is not causing your issue.
CPU Core Voltage
If available, verify within your CMOS or by jumper that your CPU core voltage is set to factory specification. This may require that you consult your documentation or motherboard manufacturer.
Bad Memory, invalid bits or physically bad memory
It is possible that bad memory can cause a Fatal Exception. If you have recently added memory to the computer, it is recommended that it first be removed to verify that you are not experiencing conflicts with the recently installed memory.
Extended Information:
Below is a listing of the more commonly experienced processor exceptions ranging from 00 to 0F. If you have not already, please review the Additional Information section of this document explaining the basic information about the Fatal Exception errors and the layout of the Fatal Exception.
00 = Divide Fault
Occurs if division by zero is attempted or if the result of the operation does not fit in the destination operand.
02=NMI interrupt
Interrupt 2 is reserved for the hardware Non-Maskable-Interrupt condition. No exceptions trap through interrupt 2.
04=Overflow trap
Occurs after an INTRO instruction has executed and the OF bit is set to 1.
05=Bounds Check fault
The array Index is out of range
06=Invalid Opcode fault
This error can be caused by one of the below conditions.
1. Processor attempting to decode a bit pattern that does not correspond to any legal computer instruction.
2. Processor attempts to execute an instruction that contains invalid operands.
3. Processor attempts to execute a protected-mode instruction while running in virtual 8086 mode.
4. Processor attempts to execute a LOCK prefix with an instruction that cannot be locked.
07=Copressor not available fault.
This error can occur if no math coprocessor is present. This error can also occur when the math coprocessor is used and a task switch is executed.
08=Double Fault.
This error occurs when processing an exception triggers a second exception.
09(OD)=Copressor Segment Overrun.
Floating point operand is outside the segment.
10(0Ah/0A)=Invalid Task State Segment Fault
Can be caused by a number of possibilities as Task State Segment contains a number of descriptors.
11(0Bh)=Not Present Fault
The Not Present interrupt allows the operating system to implement virtual memory through the segmentation mechanism. 0B fault occurs when this segment is not available.
12(0Ch)=Stack Fault
Occurs when instruction refers to memory beyond the limit of the stack segment.
13(Odh)=General Protection Fault
Caused by any condition that is not covered by any of the other processor exceptions. The exception indicates that this program has been corrupted in memory generally resulting in the immediate termination of the program. Also see document CH000224 for additional information about GPFs.
14(Oeh)=Page Fault
Occurs when a paging protection rule is violated (when the retrieve fails, data retrieved is invalid or the code that issued the fault broke the protection rule for the processor).
16(10h)=Coprocessor error fault
Occurs when an unmasked floating-point exception has signaled a previous instruction.
17(11h)=Alignment Check Fault
Only used on 80486 computers. Caused when code executing at ring privilege 3 attempts to access a word operand that is not divisible by four, or a long real or temp real whose address is not divisible by eight.
Issue:
How do I fix Illegal Operations?
Cause:
Illegal Operations can be caused by several different factors. Below is a listing of the more commonly known reasons for getting an Illegal Operations.
1. TSR's or Third-party programs causing memory conflicts or other types of conflicts with the program or programs attempting to be run.
2. Data not being read properly from source. Running a program or game with a dirty CD can cause the CD to be read improperly causing Illegal Operations. Floppy diskettes which may contain errors can cause illegal operations.
3. Installing a program or game on a hard disk drive that has errors or is highly fragmented.
4. Corrupt files.
5. Memory managers.
6. Bad, incorrect or not the latest video drivers.
7. Computer Virus.
8. Added hardware
9. Error in program coding
10. Corruption or problem within Windows.
11. Bad Memory, invalid bits or physically bad memory.
Solution:
TSR's or Third-party programs
TSR's or Third-party programs running in the background are one of the more commonly found reasons for Illegal Operations. If you are receiving an Illegal Operation when attempting to run a game or program it is recommend that you temporarily remove or disable programs running and TSR's running in the background, ensuring that these programs are not causing your issues.
If, after removing these programs, you run the program or game and no longer receive the Illegal Operations, it is recommend that you reboot the computer and disable or End Task each program or TSR one at a time to attempt to determine which program is causing the Illegal Operation.
Data not being read properly from source
When running a program or game from a CD you receive an Illegal Operation, verify that the CD is clean.
If you are running a game from a floppy diskette or other floppy media such as a zip diskette or LS120, verify that the diskette does not have physical errors with it by running a scandisk or a disk drive utility included with the drive.
Installing a program or game on a hard disk drive that has errors or is highly fragmented
When installing a program or game onto a hard disk drive it is recommended if you receive errors after installing that program or game that you attempt to uninstall that program or game, run a scandisk, then a defrag, and finally attempt to install the program or game again.
If errors exist on the hard disk drive, they will cause the program or game to run improperly and can cause Illegal Operations.
Corrupt files
Corrupt, bad or missing files can cause Illegal Operations. It is recommended that you attempt to uninstall and or reinstall the program causing the Illegal Operation to verify that any corrupt, bad or missing files are replaced or repaired during the reinstallation.
Memory managers
If you are running a memory manager that is used to obtain more memory or handle the computer memory in replace of Windows, it is recommended you temporarily disable or uninstall this program to verify it is not the memory manager causing the Illegal Operations.
Bad, incorrect or not the latest video drivers
Bad, incorrect or not the latest video drivers may cause Illegal Operations when performing such tasks as moving the mouse or dragging data from one source to another as high demands are placed onto the video card. Attempt to decrease the video settings to 640 x 480, 256 colors to verify if the program or game being run is having errors because of the current video settings.
If, after attempting to adjust the video settings, you still encounter the same issue, verify the computer is utilizing the latest video card drivers by visiting our Video drivers section.
Computer Virus
Because computer viruses are loaded into memory and can change the data of program files when infecting a computer, ensure that a virus protection utility is installed on the computer and that you have the latest Virus Definition.
Added hardware
If added hardware has been recently installed onto the computer it is likely that either the hardware is conflicting with other hardware devices on the computer or that the drivers used to install that hardware is causing issues with other hardware or software installed on the computer.
If added hardware has recently been added to the computer, it is recommended that you temporarily remove that added hardware and the software associated with it to ensure it is not causing your issues.
Error in program coding
If you are receiving Illegal Operations only when running a particular program, verify that the program is compatible with the Version of Windows you are running and ensure no available patches or software are available that may fix errors made during the development stages.
Corruption or problem within Windows
Because Windows controls the memory operations as well as the file structure and association, it is possible for Windows or files associated with Windows to become corrupted, causing Illegal Operations or other errors. It is recommended you reinstall Windows if you are experiencing Illegal Operations in Windows or more than one program trying to be run on the computer.
Bad Memory, invalid bits or physically bad memory
It is possible that bad memory can cause Illegal Operations. If you have recently added memory to the computer, it is recommended that it first be removed to verify that you are not experiencing conflicts with the recently installed memory.
Issue:
Divide error.
Note: This document also applies to the error messages "Divide by Zero", "Divide by 0" or "Divide Overflow" error messages.
Additional information:
The divide error messages are caused when the computer or software attempts run a process that attempts to perform a mathematical division by zero, which is an illegal operation. This error message could also be caused by a computer or software limitation or conflict with computer memory.
Cause:
This issue can be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Hardware / software incompatibility
2. Error with autoexec.bat / config.sys
3. Driver issue
4. Software issue
5. External Cache / 2nd level Cache
6. Improper calculation
7. Operating System issue
8. Hardware issue
Solution:
Hardware / software incompatibility
This issue can occur if software is being run on a computer that has hardware that is incompatible with the software. For example, this issue may occur with restore software designed for a specific computer and is being run on another computer or on the correct computer that has added hardware within it.
Ensure that the software that is being run on the computer is compatible with the computer and that the computer meets the system requirements and/or determine if there are updates or replacements to the software being used.
Error with autoexec.bat / config.sys
Users who are running Microsoft Windows 3.x can temporarily remark or remove any additional lines that may not be required in the autoexec.bat / config.sys
Users who are running Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98, it is recommended that they temporarily rename the autoexec.bat and config.sys to ensure that these files are not causing the issue. To do this, follow the below instructions:
1. Click Start / Shutdown and restart the computer in a MS-DOS mode.
2. Once at the MS-DOS mode,
type:cd\
ren autoexec.bat autoexec.ch
ren config.sys config.ch
3. Once the files have been renamed, reboot the computer.
Additional help and information with the autoexec.bat / config.sys can be found on our autoexec.bat / config.sys page.
Note: if you are unable to get to a MS-DOS prompt or to Windows to rename or edit the files, boot the computer to a MS-DOS mode only. Information about how to do this can be found on document CHDOS.
Driver issue
If you are encountering a divide error within Windows, ensure that all computer hardware devices, such as the computer video card, sound card, network card or modem have the latest drivers and/or patches.
Software issue
If the divide error is occurring while in a computer game or software program and the above recommendations does not resolve your issue, ensure that all software patches and/or upgrades have been obtained and applied.
In addition, ensure that another program that may be running in the background, such as a Virus protection program, is not causing your issue by end tasking all third-party programs / TSRs. Information about TSRs and how to end task these programs can be found on document CHTSR.
External cache / 2nd level cache
If you are encountering the divide error in an older software program or game it can be caused by compatibility issues with External / 2nd level cache. Temporarily disabling this feature in CMOS may resolve your issue.
Improper calculation
If you are performing a calculation in any type of program and experience a divide error, ensure that the calculation being performed is possible. Some programs are not capable of verifying the accuracy of a calculation and may perform an illegal instruction.
However, many programs, such as Microsoft Excel, will generate an error such as #DIV!0 error indicating the formula or calculation is invalid or you are attempting to divide by zero.
Operating system issue
If you continue to experience a divide error while in Windows or in a particular software program and have followed each of the above recommendations, ensure that the issue is not being caused by the operating system by attempting to reinstall the operating system.
Hardware issue
Finally, if none of the above recommendations resolve or help to determine the cause of your issue it is possible that your computer may have a hardware issue. Generally, when a Divide Error is encountered because of hardware it is caused by an issue with the computer Processor (CPU).
Question:
Computer turns off without warning.
Cause:
This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Heat related issue.
2. Hardware issue or error.
3. Computer virus.
4. Issue with operating system.
5. Other failing hardware
Additional information:
Some of the below steps in the answer require you open your computer and remove hardware devices. While in the computer, make sure you're aware of ESD.
Answer:
Heat related issue
A computer that turns off without warning is often a heat related issue. Many computers today are designed to turn off or automatically reboot if the computer, processor, or other device in your computer gets too hot. If you have heard any abnormal noises coming from your computer recently such as a high squealing, this could indicate a fan may be failing in your computer.
You can first start by verifying the fan on the power supply is working by examining the back of the computer and seeing if the fan is moving and moving smoothly. For all other fans in the computer, you will need to either open the computer and make sure the fan are working (processor fan and case fans) and/or if your BIOS monitors the RPM of the fans, enter BIOS and make sure the BIOS does not report any errors.
While inside the computer it's also a good idea to verify the processor heatsink is properly connected by disconnecting and reconnecting the heatsink. If the processor heatsink is not properly it will not keep the processor cool causing the computer to overheat.
Users may also be able to determine how hot their computer is by onboard thermal sensors. If your computer comes equipped with these sensors, make sure your CPU is not running to hot..
Hardware issue or error
Any failing hardware component in your computer could cause your computer to unexpectedly turn off without warning. If you have recently attempted to add a new hardware device, remove that device to make sure it is not causing your issues.
Before attempting to remove any hardware, make sure you are not encountering this issue because of hardware conflicts by viewing Device Manager for errors.
If you have not recently installed any new hardware into the computer, the next best solution to determining if this is a hardware issue would be remove any hardware on the computer that is not needed. For example, remove your modem, network card, sound card, and any other expansion cards that are not needed for the computer to operate. Run the computer without these cards to see if they are the cause of your issue.
Computer virus
It's possible for your computer to be infected with a virus that is designed to shut down your computer or turn it off. If your computer seems to be turning off when executing a certain program at specific times in the day, it could be infected.
If you believe your computer may be infected with a virus or are uncertain if your computer is infected with a virus, make sure your virus scanner definitions are up to date.
Issue with operating system
If after following each of the above recommendations your computer still continues to reboot, it is likely that you are experiencing a Microsoft Windows operating system related issue that cannot be explained. To help make sure this is the case, please try the below steps.
1. Reboot the computer and enter CMOS setup as the computer is booting.
2. After you have loaded the computer in CMOS setup, let the computer sit.
If the computer does not turn off while letting the computer sit in CMOS, it is likely that you are in fact experiencing an issue with Microsoft Windows or your operating system and it is recommend that if you have followed all of the above recommendations that you reinstall your version of Microsoft Windows.
Other failing hardware
If after reinstalling your operating system, or during the installation of your operating system, your computer turns off abnormally, it is very likely that other hardware is failing in the computer. Often this is RAM, CPU, Motherboard, and/or Power Supply (in that order).
If you have extra available parts or have a friend or co-worker with a similar configuration that is willing to allow you to test their hardware in your computer, try swapping these parts to determine if they are at fault. Otherwise, you will need to have the computer serviced.
Question:
Computer turns off without warning.
Cause:
This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Heat related issue.
2. Hardware issue or error.
3. Computer virus.
4. Issue with operating system.
5. Other failing hardware
Additional information:
Some of the below steps in the answer require you open your computer and remove hardware devices. While in the computer, make sure you're aware of ESD.
Answer:
Heat related issue
A computer that turns off without warning is often a heat related issue. Many computers today are designed to turn off or automatically reboot if the computer, processor, or other device in your computer gets too hot. If you have heard any abnormal noises coming from your computer recently such as a high squealing, this could indicate a fan may be failing in your computer.
You can first start by verifying the fan on the power supply is working by examining the back of the computer and seeing if the fan is moving and moving smoothly. For all other fans in the computer, you will need to either open the computer and make sure the fan are working (processor fan and case fans) and/or if your BIOS monitors the RPM of the fans, enter BIOS and make sure the BIOS does not report any errors.
While inside the computer it's also a good idea to verify the processor heatsink is properly connected by disconnecting and reconnecting the heatsink. If the processor heatsink is not properly it will not keep the processor cool causing the computer to overheat.
Users may also be able to determine how hot their computer is by onboard thermal sensors. If your computer comes equipped with these sensors, make sure your CPU is not running to hot..
Hardware issue or error
Any failing hardware component in your computer could cause your computer to unexpectedly turn off without warning. If you have recently attempted to add a new hardware device, remove that device to make sure it is not causing your issues.
Before attempting to remove any hardware, make sure you are not encountering this issue because of hardware conflicts by viewing Device Manager for errors.
If you have not recently installed any new hardware into the computer, the next best solution to determining if this is a hardware issue would be remove any hardware on the computer that is not needed. For example, remove your modem, network card, sound card, and any other expansion cards that are not needed for the computer to operate. Run the computer without these cards to see if they are the cause of your issue.
Computer virus
It's possible for your computer to be infected with a virus that is designed to shut down your computer or turn it off. If your computer seems to be turning off when executing a certain program at specific times in the day, it could be infected.
If you believe your computer may be infected with a virus or are uncertain if your computer is infected with a virus, make sure your virus scanner definitions are up to date.
Issue with operating system
If after following each of the above recommendations your computer still continues to reboot, it is likely that you are experiencing a Microsoft Windows operating system related issue that cannot be explained. To help make sure this is the case, please try the below steps.
1. Reboot the computer and enter CMOS setup as the computer is booting.
2. After you have loaded the computer in CMOS setup, let the computer sit.
If the computer does not turn off while letting the computer sit in CMOS, it is likely that you are in fact experiencing an issue with Microsoft Windows or your operating system and it is recommend that if you have followed all of the above recommendations that you reinstall your version of Microsoft Windows.
Other failing hardware
If after reinstalling your operating system, or during the installation of your operating system, your computer turns off abnormally, it is very likely that other hardware is failing in the computer. Often this is RAM, CPU, Motherboard, and/or Power Supply (in that order).
If you have extra available parts or have a friend or co-worker with a similar configuration that is willing to allow you to test their hardware in your computer, try swapping these parts to determine if they are at fault. Otherwise, you will need to have the computer serviced.