Welcome to the Guides section of our website! You can find simple guides here to help resolve some PC problems for Windows 2000 and later.

Access safe mode

If you are having problems starting or running your computer normally, there is an option in Windows that allows you to start Windows in safe mode so you can fix problems and then return to normal mode.

1. To boot Windows into safe mode, as soon as you turn on your computer, continuously tap the F8 key until you see a menu with options such as "Safe Mode" and "Start Windows Normally."
2. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to select "Safe Mode" and press Enter.

Note: This mode will look quite different from normal because it is running with minimal processes and drivers. Also, please note that some programs and functions will not function properly when in this mode including the Internet. You may have a "Safe Mode with Networking" option in the safe boot options menu to be able to access the Internet in the safe mode depending on your version of Windows.

Access programs when your desktop is blank and your taskbar is missing.

1. Open your task manager by holding Ctrl + Alt + Delete or Ctrl + Shift + Escape on your keyboard.
2. Expand the "File" menu, and click "New Task (Run...)."
3. Click "Browse...," and choose the application you want to run.

Note: A blank desktop and missing taskbar is usually a result of malware infection. See the Security Section on our recommended software page to view a list of software to remove malware. Also, if you try to run a program that exists such as "C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe" and you receive an error stating that the file does not exist, use this method again to run SysCheckUp, and run the Repair Tool.

Reset registry permissions

If you receive errors related to not having proper permissions to the registry, follow these steps.

Download SubInACL and run:

subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /setowner=administrators /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /setowner=administrators /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f

This gives permission to all users in the Administrators group and the System account to access all registry keys.

Use System Restore

System Restore can be a useful component in Windows if you encounter certain problems. Follow these steps to use System Restore if it is enabled.

1. Open your Start Menu, expand "All Programs," "Accessories," "System Tools," and click "System Restore."
2. Select a date to restore to and follow the instructions to proceed.

Note: System Restore is not available in all versions of Windows such as Windows 2000. Also, some dates cannot be restored to as it depends on when restore dates are created.

Reassociate Executable Files

In rare cases, you may not be able to run any program due to .exe file association corruption. This is generally caused by malware. To reassociate .exe files:

1. Open your task manager by holding Ctrl + Alt + Delete or Ctrl + Shift + Escape on your keyboard.
2. Expand the "File" menu, hold Ctrl on your keyboard, and click "New Task (Run...)" to open a command prompt.
3. Type "notepad", press Enter, and type this into Notepad:

   Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe] @="exefile" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\DefaultIcon] @="%1" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command] @="\"%1\" %*" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas\command] @="\"%1\" %*"

4. Save the file in a folder as "exe_fix.reg"
5. Close Notepad and go back to the command prompt.
6. Run "regedit," open the "File" menu, click "Import...," select the "exe_file.reg" file from Step 4, and click "Open."

Check for Missing Required Files

Many computer problems are attributed to missing required DLLs and other dependencies. To troubleshoot problems with missing required files, run:

sfc /scannow

to check for missing files.

Note: This procedure may require your Windows installation CD.

Stay Updated

It is important to stay updated to prevent future computer problems. Here are some examples of software that should be kept updated.

• Microsoft Update
• Browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, etc.)
• Java
• Quicktime/iTunes
• Adobe Flash Player
• Security Software

Note: There are rare cases when updates may cause problems. System Restore should help with these cases.

5 Other Basic Methods to Optimize your PC

1. Check for malware. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is a good antimalware application.
2. Check for hard drive errors.
3. Defragment your hard drive.
4. Check for updates. Use Microsoft Update to check for updates for Windows, and check for antivirus software updates, driver updates, etc.
5. Remove unnecessary startup items. Autoruns is an excellent tool to accomplish this task.

Fix it Center

If SysCheckUp does not solve your problem, you can try Microsoft's official troubleshooting tool, Fix it Center.

Note: Fix it Center requires Windows XP SP3/XP Pro (64-bit) SP2/Vista/7/Server 2003 SP2/Server 2008/Server 2008 R2. Fix It Center also requires Microsoft .NET 2.0 or higher.

Hardware Maintenance

Keeping hardware is very important to help keep your computer running smoothly. Here are some steps to take for regular hardware maintenance:

1. Heat can significantly deteoriate hardware parts and shorten the life of your computer. Clean the fan on a regular basis.
2. If you are using a laptop, make sure nothing is blocking the vents.
3. If you are using a laptop, remove the battery if you do not plan to use your battery for long periods of time.
   
4. Although hard drive performance naturally decrease over time, defragmenting can extend help the life of your hard drive