How to Find Problems With Your Computer

1. Install a registry cleaner software on your computer. Registry cleaners find infected registry entries, invalid DLL files and unused software entries. Scan your computer with a registry cleaner to have the program list the problems that need to be fixed. Repair and/or delete the registry entries that the cleaner tells you are safe to remove and clean.
2. Find computer malware problems by conducting a full-system scan with an anti-spyware and/or anti-virus program on your computer. Antivirus softwarescans computer systems and lists all virus, malware and Trojan infestations that it finds. Repair and/or remove those problems which the software finds.
3. Look at the list of computer programs and software you have installed. Open up the "Add/Remove Programs" part of your Control Panel if using a Microsoft Windows operating system. Delete and remove the computer programs that you don't recognize or no longer use. Some spyware and virus infestations hide in authentic-looking programs on your computer, but unknown programs on your computer should be removed.
4. Take note of any error messages popping up on your computer. Write these down or copy them to a separate location where you can refer back to them easily. Search for the error messages on the Microsoft "Fix It" website to diagnose problems at fixit.support.Microsoft.com if using a Microsoft Windows operating system. Download and install any automatic fixes which the Microsoft Fix-It website suggests.
5. Check physical connections between your computer power cord and the electrical outlet and all other computer peripherals. Printers, computer mice and audio speakers may not work properly or at all if they are not securely connected to the computer system.
6. Scan your computer with a system checker such as Crucial's System Scanner Tool at crucial.com if your computer is lagging or acting slower than normal. These types of scanners tell you how much random access memory (RAM) you have in your system and suggest compatible upgrades based on the results.

Read more ►

How to Find Windows System 32 Files

Find Windows System32 Files in Windows XP
1. Launch Windows Explorer. Click the 'Start' button, go to 'Programs' or 'All Programs,' select 'Accessories,' then click on 'Windows Explorer.' Alternatively, open 'My Computer,' copy and paste either of the following file addresses in the My Computer address bar: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe or C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe. Then hit 'Enter' on your keyboard.
2. Open the Windows Explorer 'Tools' menu and select 'Folder Options.' Click on the 'View' tab. Select the radio button next to the option to 'Show hidden files and folders.' Deselect the box next to 'Hide protected operating system files (Recommended).' Click 'Apply,' then click 'OK' to close the Folder Options dialog box.
3. Navigate to the Windows System32 folder. In the 'Folder' pane in Windows Explorer, locate and click on 'My Computer,' locate and click 'Local Disk (C:),' locate and click on the 'Windows' folder, locate and click on the 'System32' folder. Alternatively, you could also copy and paste the following file address in the Windows Explorer address bar: C:\WINDOWS\system32. All of the subfolders and files in your Windows System32 folder, both regular files and hidden files, will appear in the right-side window pane. Find the one you want.
Find Windows System32 Files in Windows Vista and Windows 7
4. Open the 'Start' menu and select 'Control Panel.'
5. Click on the 'Appearance and Personalization' link. Then click 'Folder Options.' Go to the 'View' tab. Deselect the box next to 'Hide protected operating system files (Recommended).' In Windows Vista, select 'Show hidden files and folders.' In Windows 7, select 'Show hidden files, folders, and drives.' Click 'OK.'
6. Navigate to the Windows System32 folder. Click the 'Start' button and select 'Computer.' In the left-side window pane, locate and click on 'Computer.' Locate and click on the '(C:)' drive, locate and click on the 'Windows' folder, locate and click on the 'System32' folder. All of the subfolders and files in your Windows System32 folder, both regular files and hidden files, will be displayed on the right. Find the one you want.

Read more ►

How to Fix Setupx.Dll

Updating Setupx.dll
1. Click the 'Start' button in the bottom left corner of Windows. Look in the 'All Programs' folder, then click the 'Windows Update' icon. Microsoft Internet Explorer will open and load the Windows Update page.
2. Click 'Express Install.' Windows will immediately begin looking for available updates, which can take a while. If Windows discovers any uninstalled service packs or other important updates, click 'Install Updates' when prompted. The installation will begin automatically, but may take a while.
3. Restart your computer if and when you are prompted to do so by Windows at the end of the installation process. If Windows installed any service packs or updates that affect Windows system files, it may have updated setupx.dll.
4. See if your problems related to setupx.dll still occur. If they do, proceed to the next section to restore an earlier working version of the file.
Restoring the Original Setupx.dll
5. Click the 'Start' button in the bottom left corner. Look in 'All Programs,' then in 'Accessories' and finally in 'System Tools.' Click 'System Restore.'
6. Make sure the bubble next to 'Restore my computer to an earlier time' is selected, then click the 'Next' button.
7. Choose a restore point from the calendar by clicking on it. Only the bold dates represent valid restore points. You can choose one from as far back as you like, but you should select a restore point that predates the problems you're having with setupx.dll. Click the 'Next' button after clicking a restore point.
8. Read over your chosen restore information on the confirmation screen, then click 'Next' or 'Finish.' Your computer will restore itself and then reboot, which will take a few minutes.
9. Click the 'OK' button on the confirmation dialog box that appears after rebooting. Check to see if you're still having problems related to setupx.dll. If you are, your best remaining option is to replace the file manually, which is explained in the next section.
Replacing Setupx.dll
10. Open your Web browsing application. Find the link in the Resources section, which redirects to a download location for a working version of setupx.dll. If you prefer to download this file from another location, search for the file name using your chosen search engine. There are several sites that offer replacement versions of the .dll files that are relatively common.
11. Download the file and open it. It will open in the application designated to handle .zip files. Unzip or extract the setupx.dll file to your computer's desktop.
12. Right-click the 'Start' button and select 'Explore.' In the left panel of Windows Explorer, navigate to the system folder for your version of Windows. This is 'C:\Windows\System32' in 32-bit XP and Vista, 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64' in 64-bit XP and Vista, 'C:\WINNT\System32' in NT and 2000, and 'C:\Windows\System' in 95, 98 and ME. When you find this folder, left-click it once.
13. Drag and drop the setupx.dll file from your desktop into the system folder you opened in the previous step. If the original file is present but corrupted, you'll see a message stating that a file by this name already exists. Click the 'Yes' button to replace the old file with the new one.
14. Reboot Windows. Windows will automatically register the new .dll file when it loads, which should correct any remaining problems.

Read more ►

How do I Fix Runtime Errors to Install Scansoft Paperport?

1. Click the 'Start' button and then click the 'All Programs' button.
2. Click the 'Windows Update' icon from the menu.
3. Click the 'Check for updates' button on the left side of the software window.
4. Click the 'Install Updates' button at the bottom of the software window.
5. Restart your system to clear the errors.
6. Insert your Scansoft Paperport installation disc into the computer's optical drive.
7. Follow the prompts to install the software onto your computer.

Read more ►

How to Explain the PC Registry

Manual Management
1. Open the registry by clicking the Windows 'Start' button. Click 'Run' or 'Start Search' (Windows Vista users).
2. Type 'regedit' (Without quotes) and press 'Enter.' That will open your computer's registry.
3. Back up your registry by clicking 'My Computer' on the left panel. Click 'File' and click 'Export.' Type in the name for the backup file and click 'Save.' Before you make changes to the registry, it is always important to create a backup copy that you can come back to in case you make an error.
4. Click the path on the left panel that you want to access to adjust or delete certain registry keys. For example, to modify (adjust) a certain key in the 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software' path, you click the 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' folder on the left panel and click the 'Software' folder. Right-click the key you want to adjust on the right panel and click 'Modify.' Type in the value data and click 'OK' to save the changes. The value data you have to add all varies depending on the programs you have on your computer and which ones are causing problems. Those values will not be the same for every computer user.
5. Most of the registry entries you would want to delete have been added by viruses, spyware and malware. They may vary depending on which of those components are on your computer.
Delete a registry item by clicking on the path you want on the left panel and right-clicking the registry key on the right panel and selecting 'Delete.' For example, to delete a key in the 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software' path, you click the 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' folder on the left panel and click 'Software.' Locate the key you want to delete on the right panel and right-click it. Click 'Delete' to remove the registry key.
If you want to search for specific registry entries, press 'F3' to open the search window. Type in the name of the registry entry you want to search for and click 'Find text.' To search for registry entries using 'F3' you need to know the name of the registry entry you are looking for.
6. Click 'File' and click 'Exit' to close the registry.
Automatic Registry Cleaning
7. Download and install CCleaner free (see resources below). CCleaner is an automatic registry cleaner program that removes unnecessary files, and repairs ActiveX and missing DLL files. ActiveX files are Web browser add-on programs that allow you to view videos, photos and download files from different websites. DLL files are support files for many different programs. When they become corrupt, the programs using them do not open properly or crash within minutes of use.
8. Launch your program after it has installed and click the'Registry' button on the left panel. Place a check on all the registry options in the 'Registry Integrity' window.
9. Click 'Scan for Issues' to automatically search for corrupt registry files. Click 'Fix selected issues' when the scan is complete and click 'Yes' to backup your registry.
10. Click 'Fix all Selected Issues' after you have a created a registry backup and click 'OK.' CCleaner will remove unnecessary files and repair corrupt and missing ones. Close the program when the process is complete.

Read more ►

How to Fix a Word Runtime Error 438

1. Click "Start," "Settings" and then "Control Panel."
2. Double click "Add/Remove Programs," then, in the "Options" dialog box, select the "File Locations" tab.
3. Select "Install/Uninstall," click "Word in Works Suite Add-in" and click "Add/Remove."
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove the add-in that is causing the conflict with Word.

Read more ►

How do I Correct ActiveX Controls?

1. Launch Internet Explorer from your 'Start' menu.
2. Click on the 'Tools' menu and select 'Internet Options'.
3. Click on the 'Security' tab.
4. Click on the 'Custom Level...' button under 'Security level for this zone'.
5. Scroll down through the settings and locate 'ActiveX controls and plug-ins'.
6. Click to select 'Enabled' next to 'Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins'.
7. Click to select 'Enabled' next to 'Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting'.
8. Click on 'Apply'. Click on 'OK' to complete the task.

Read more ►

How to Register the Msxml3.Dll File

1. Go to the 'Start' menu, type 'run' in the 'Start Search' box and press 'Enter.'
2. Type 'regsvr32 'C:\Windows\System32\msxml3.dll' in the search field of the 'Run' window and press 'Enter' to register the DLL file.
3. Click 'OK' in the confirmation pop-up and then restart your computer.

Read more ►

How to Restore an Invalid Application in Win32

1. Ensure that the application you are trying to run is indeed a Win32 application. If it was designed for an older version of Windows (prior to Windows 95) or for DOS, it may not run properly on a 32-bit version of Windows. Similarly, if it was designed for a 64-bit version of Windows Vista or Windows 7, it definitely will not run. Check the source from which you obtained the program for further details about the application.
2. Uninstall the application that Windows is calling invalid. Then, download and install the application again, if possible. If you are downloading the program from the Internet, make sure the source website is reliable and that the file you are downloading actually is an executable program. If you installed the application from a CD, make sure the disc is clean and undamaged.
3. Scan the file with a virus scanner of your choosing, as it is possible that the application has been infected by a computer virus.
4. Boot Windows in Safe Mode and try to run the program there. Restart your computer and hold down the 'F8' key as it boots. When the Advanced Options or Startup menu appears, choose 'Safe Mode.' If the program runs successfully in Safe Mode, then some other application running in the background of the normal Windows boot is preventing it from executing. Reboot your computer and use your virus scanner to fully scan your hard drives, especially if you are experiencing this problem with more than one program. Also, use a free spyware/malware scanner like Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, which can be downloaded from the link in the Resources section of this article.

Read more ►

How to Diagnose a Connection DLL Problem Returns Error

1. Click the 'Start' button, and then click the 'All Programs' button.
2. Click the 'Accessories' icon, and then right click on the 'Command Prompt' icon.
3. Select 'Run as administrator' from the menu, and then enter your administrator password into the field.
4. Type 'sfc /scannow' into the command prompt. Press the 'Enter' key to start the scan.
5. Restart your computer after the scan has completed to clear your error.

Read more ►

How to Fix Root Rot

Preparation
1. Remove the affected plant from the plant pot and set aside. Remove all other plants from the soil, because it is contaminated and will need to be replaced. Set the plant with root rot aside, away from the other plants.
2. Rinse the roots of the healthy plants in 75-degree water to remove the existing soil.
3. Mix sterilized drainage material like rocks, gravel or broken pieces of clay pot into your sterile soil to improve drainage. If you are using a container to grow your plants, put 2 to 3 inches of drainage material on the bottom of the pot to improve soil drainage.
4. Fill the container or growing area half full of soil and drainage mix. Gently place the plant in the planting area and hold it in place as you gently fill soil around its roots. Once the plant is stabilized and the growing container is full to within 1 to 2 inches of the top, give the soil a little pat to gently pack it in and even it out.
5. Water your newly replanted plant liberally and watch the water drain to make sure that its stagnant, root-rot encouraging water is no longer stopped up in your growing area.
Sterilizing soil
6. Sterilize the new soil. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
7. Place the soil in an oven bag like that which you would use to bake turkey and add a cup or two or water until the soil is moist, not runny. Seal the oven bag. Poke a meat thermometer into the soil at least 2 inches deep to measure the temperature.
8. Bake the soil at 200 degrees until the soil has been at 170 degrees for 30 minutes. If the soil begins to exceed 170 degrees before the time is up, turn the oven down or temporarily off to adjust the temperature.
9. Turn the oven off and allow the soil to cool inside the oven until it reaches a safe handling temperature; typically 110 degrees or below. The soil will be hot enough to burn you until it has been allowed to cool to this point.
10. Remove the soil from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature before using it.

Read more ►

How to Fix Windows Vista Registration File

1. Open the 'Start' menu and type 'cmd' into the 'Search' box.
2. Click on the 'cmd' program that appears at the top of your Start menu.
3. Type in 'slmgr.vbs -ipk x' and press 'Enter,' where 'x' is your correct Windows Vista product key.
4. Type in 'slmgr.vbs -ato' to re-register the correct key, fixing the registration file.
5. Reboot your computer.

Read more ►

How to Repair a Svchost.exe Application Error

Verify Windows Update Settings
1. Press the 'Start' key and the 'R' key simultaneously to launch the Run box. Type in 'services.msc' (without the quotes) and click 'OK.'
2. Click 'Automatic Services.'
3. Select 'Local System Account' under the 'Log On' tab. Uncheck 'Allow service to interact with desktop.'
4. Click the 'General' tab and select 'Automatic' under 'Startup Type.'
5. Repeat Steps 2 to 4 for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
Windows Update DLLs
6. Press the 'Start' and 'R' keys at the same time to open the Run box.
7. Type in 'cmd' (without the quotes) and hit 'OK.'
8. Type in the following lines individually to register the files:REGSVR32 WUAPI.DLLREGSVR32 WUAUENG.DLLREGSVR32 WUAUENG1.DLLREGSVR32 ATL.DLLREGSVR32 WUCLTUI.DLLREGSVR32 WUPS.DLLREGSVR32 WUPS2.DLLREGSVR32 WUWEB.DLLRegister one at a time. Type in the next one after you receive a confirmation of your previous action.
Corrupted Windows Files
9. Press 'Start' and 'R' simultaneously.
10. Type 'cmd' (without the quotes) to launch the Command Prompt.
11. Type in the following commands, one at a time:net stop WuAuServcd %windir%ren SoftwareDistribution SD_OLDnet start WuAuServreboot

Read more ►

How to Remove Old DLL Files That Are Still Running

1. Determine that the DLL files are malicious or unnecessary before going forward. Removing a DLL file that pertains to the operating system or another program could cause the application or system itself to stop functioning.
2.
Press the 'Start' button and click 'Run.' In the 'Open' box, type 'cmd' and click the 'OK' button. The command prompt window will open.
3.
Type 'cd' and then press the space bar. Type in the complete file path of the DLL file. Press the 'Enter' key.
4.
Type 'regsvr32 /u' followed by a space and then the DLL name. Press the 'Enter' key. This will unregister the DLL file.
5. Run the antivirus and spyware removal programs on the computer to rid it of any remaining malicious files.

Read more ►

How to Scan amp; Repair a DLL Error

1. Download and install Registry Booster 2010 4.7.2.15 (see Resources). Run the set-up to finish the Registry Booster installation. Open the tool and click 'Registry Scan.' Scan your system for DLL errors. Click 'Fix Errors' once the scan is complete. Reboot your system.
2. Download and install Free Registry Cleaner 4.21.20 (see Resources). Run and complete the set-up. Open Free Registry Cleaner and click 'Scan Now' to detect the DLL errors. Click 'Fix all' once the scan is complete. Reboot your system once the repair is complete.
3. Download and install Cleanersoft Free Registry Fix 1.8 (see Resources). Complete the set-up and open the tool. Scan your entire registry for DLL errors. Select all the errors and click 'Fix 'Errors.' Reboot your system once the repair is complete.

Read more ►