Troubleshoot Windows

Blog

Fix: Mouse / Touchpad pointer jumps while typing in Windows 8, 7 ,Vista, XP
After reading this post you should be able to fix a problem where your mouse or touchpad pointer jumps while you type. This creates an unwanted disturbance while typing. The problem usually occurs in Laptop ( portable computers ), but can also occur with a desktop computer. Below are the steps for both scenarios, i.e. Desktop & laptop computers.

Universal Solution
- Go to Control Panel ( in start menu )
- Find Mouse options
- Now, Click on Pointer Options
- uncheck the checkbox Hide Pointer While typing
- If the Pointer speed has been set to Fast, try reducing it & see if that helps.
Method 2

Download & Install navigation ( keyboard mouse software )
- Almost all the Computer Manufacturer’s ( Portable / laptop ones) , provide hotkeys & navigation / multimedia integration software for your touchpad or mouse.
- Go to your Computer or product manufacturer’s support website.
- Locate the software for your Model
- Download & Install
- Now,
As, I have a Lenovo ThinkPad, i am using a UltraNav software with my Windows PC. I will be outlining a few features that you can compare with ones in your computer & choose to turn them off.
- Coasting – Turn Off
- Touch Sensitivity – Choose this options according to your needs
- Momentum – Though this feature tends to decrease the overall effort while using the touchpad, it can cause your pointer to jumps out of control while typing (Turn it off)
- Gestures – I have hardly seen any touchpad perform a perfect gesture. I choose to turn them off.
Method 3
- Check if the problem comes while plugged in to charge or not
- The Charger for your laptop could be causing your touchpad to malfunction.
- Get your charger checked at a Authorized service centre of your Compute Manufacturer
- Replace if necessary
Hope this post proves to be useful for you. For any questions and queries please use the comment section.
November 8, 2012
How to create a USB / CD / DVD Recovery Repair media in Windows 8
After reading this post, you will be able to create a recovery media in Windows 8. This media can be used in situations when your Windows installation fails to start. This Recovery media is a recovery partition for your Windows 8 PC. You can simple boot from this & repair your computer to a stable situation. You can use a USB Pen drive that has more than 256 MB of disk space. Alternatively you can also use a CD / DVD disk to create the recovery media.

Follow the steps to make the recovery disk
- Go to start screen & type recovery,
- click on settings on the right pane.
- Now Click on Create a recovery disk
- Click yes or allow when prompted for Administrator privileges
- You might have to provide a password as well
- Click next
- Insert the USB pen drive if you have one that has more than 256 MB of space
- Else Click on Create a system recovery disk with CD or DVD
- If you selected CD / DVD
- Insert a blank CD / DVD into the drive you selected herein.
- Click on Create Disk
- Done
Hope this post helps you create a System recovery disk ( media ) in Windows 8
October 31, 2012
Refresh your PC : Windows 8 Feature make your Installation new again

This post explains a new feature in Windows 8, that enables the users to refresh their PC to a state comparable to a new Windows Installation. Refresh your PC is a feature intended for those users, who after some months of usage start to face problems with their PC. This might be due to a number of reasons from problem with files or settings or maybe a installed program affecting your system stability.

To use this feature go to the start screen:

Type Refresh your PC :

Click on Refresh your PC :

Press Next & follow the wizard’s onscreen instructions

October 30, 2012
How to add another or non Microsoft email account in Windows 8 mail app
This article focuses on the users who wish to add / configure another email account in windows 8 mail app. Many of us think that the mail app in Windows 8 just supports a Microsoft email account i.e. hotmail , outlook, msn, live. But on the contrary you can also configure some other service providers email address with the Microsoft Mail app in Windows 8.

Below are the steps to help you do that :

Go to the start screen
- Open the Mail app
- Take you mouse to the top right hand corner
- a menu bar will open
- Click on settings
- Click on Accounts
- Click on Add an Account
- Below is the screenshot of Add an account window
- Click on the desired provider, if listed
- else
- Click on other account
- Type in the required information as provided by your email provider
For any question & queries or to correct a mistake in my content, feel free to use the comment form.
October 29, 2012
Fix : Clock watchdog timeout stop / blue-screen error in Windows 10 | 8 |8.1
After reading this post you will be able to fix a STOP error or better known as BSOD ( Blue screen error ) in Windows 8. The error code is something like Clock Watchdog timeout. Below is the screenshot of this error:

The image above is for reference only.

Note: FOR SSD users : Make sure you are running latest AHCI Drivers & AHCI in BIOS. Also if the problem persists, secure erase your SSD and install Windows 8.

UPDATE: Windows 10 users

If you are facing this error, make sure your Windows is updated & if a BIOS update for Laptop or Desktop PC motherboard is available, update it. Remember BIOS update must be done on your own risk, if done incorrectly, it can make your PC unusable. Refer your system documentation and seek your system /motherboard manufacturer’s support on this.

Fix for Windows 10 – If you are using UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), Rebuild your BCD as suggest in this post – Click here

Fix:

Step 1
- Use Windows update to download and install all the necessary updates for your windows PC
- To use Windows update, just start typing windows update on the start screen & choose windows update from the results displayed
Step 2
- Go to your system or motherboard manufacturers support website
- Download the latest SATA / AHCI drivers
- Make sure the downloaded drivers are for Windows 8
- Also, download and install the latest chipset drivers
Step 3
- Go to run ( windows key + R )
- type SFC /SCANNOW
- let the process run and finish
- Restart your computer
Step 4
- Remove any USB storage devices attached to your computer
- If this computer is a desktop make sure your hard disk drive is seated properly
- also make sure that the hard disk data & power cables are connected properly
Step 5
- Go to your BIOS by pressing the key ( refer the documentation that came with your computer / motherboard ( usually it’s DEL , F10 , F2 )
- Locate a setting called AHCI or SATA mode
- make sure it’s set to AHCI or BOTH
This should solve your problem, if not use the comment section to notify me.
October 28, 2012
Fix : Windows 8 UI / Metro Apps shows splash screen but won’t launch
After reading this post you will be able to fix an issue where none of your Windows 8 UI apps formerly known as Metro UI apps wont launch. You try opening the app and it creates multiple entries in device manager, but the application itself will not launch. This issue happens when your Windows 8 system detects a time-out. Your application is required to open in a specific time & due to some problem your application times out and does not open, while you do see a splash screen. In some cases when you press ALT + TAB, you can still the splash screen of your app.

Fixing the issue:
- Go to Your computer / system manufacturers support website
- Select Windows 8 as your operating system
- Download and Install the latest SATA / AHCI drivers ( storage controllers )
- Restart your computer
Step 2
- Press Windows key + X
- Click on Command Prompt (admin)
- type SFC /SCANNOW
- let this run & wait until the process finishes
- restart your machine
Step 3

Antivirus Update
- This step mostly applies to AVAST & Norton users
- Either Update or Uninstall / Reinstall your Antivirus application
- To Uninstall, Go to start screen & type uninstall a program
- Select your antivirus from the list & click on uninstall.
- OR
- Update your antivirus software
- Open your Antivirus software application
- Locate the update section
- Press update icon
- let the updates finish
- Restart your computer
Method 6

Microsoft Apps Troubleshooter
- Download and run Microsoft apps troubleshooter from this link
Method 7

Check if UAC is Disabled
- Go to the start screen
- Type control panel
- Locate View ( Top Right corner )
- Set View to Large icons
- Open User accounts
- Click on Change User Account Control Settings
- Set it to the Second Level from the Top
This should fix your problem. If not, use the comment section below to notify me & i will try to fix your issue further.
October 28, 2012
Windows 8 : Reimagined era of computing now begins

After much anticipation, Windows 8 has reached the general availability milestone in it’s release cycle today the 26th of October 2012. Windows 8 from it’s pre-release stages got mixed feedback from developers, IT professionals and consumers. Windows 8 UI has received some appreciation but a lot of criticism from the enthusiast / consumers. With Windows 8 reaching GA today, It will somewhat become clear on how good this product will do for Microsoft. Windows 7 has been a huge success for Microsoft. Let’s see how windows 8 does.

Windows 8 packs a lot of features. Microsoft says that it’s a completely new & reimagined Windows with everything built from the grounds up. The new Windows UI is very easy to use & feels like a hybrid between a PC & tablet. This new user interface provides almost equal ease of use on a touch screen & a non touch screen device. Windows Store is another new addition to Windows. Store will be a cool place to get an application to use on your Windows 8 PC. Windows 8 is a great new Operating system from Microsoft & features some great new features. In my opinion Windows 8 is a step towards a paradigm shift in computing, whether we talk about software of devices.

Here, watch this video to know Windows 8:

Windows 8

Microsoft says Our launch activity is truly global. We’ll be sharing photos and video from New York and many of the Windows 8 launch events from around the world (including Microsoft’s campus in Redmond) through our Windows Facebook page and our Windows YouTube channel.

Visit www.windows8.com to see more videos & features

If you purchased a Windows 7 PC between June 2^nd, 2012, and January 31^st, 2013, you can register for the Windows Upgrade Offer where you can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $14.99 (U.S.), for users from India this offer goes for nearabout INR700/- Those of you who have already registered for the Windows Upgrade Offer, you will be able to redeem your upgrade. Our OEM partners are also bringing new Windows 8 PCs and devices to market and are available for purchase in stores and online starting tomorrow. If you pre-ordered a Windows 8 PC or device, those pre-orders will start shipping if they haven’t already!

October 26, 2012
Calibrate your display with Display calibration tool in Windows 7, 8
After reading this post you will be able calibrate your display. Display calibration lets you adjust gamma, contrast, brightness & RGB color channels for the perfect display settings. A standard display might seem ok to you, but a calibrated display increases the clarity & to some extent the viewing angles of your computer display. This display can be a LCD monitor for your desktop or a attached laptop display. This tools also works on the old CRT type monitors.

To start using this tool in Windows 7 or 8:
- Go to the start menu ( start screen in Windows 8)
- type calibrate display color
- Right click the program and
- Click run as administrator (you might to provide the administrator password)
- Click Next on the wizard screen
- Read the instructions carefully before proceeding.
Gamma
- Make sure that your adjusted gamma setting looks like this picture
Brightness
- Good Brightness is a key setting
- Make sure that you set the brightness as low as possible without loosing the X in the background
- Cannot see any X ?
- Set the brightness level to a higher position.
Contrast
- Set your contrast level as high as possible without loosing the wrinkles on the shirt
Color balance
- Makes sure all these shades of grey are neutral & they should not show a hint of other colors in them.
Checking the difference between your previous display settings & calibrated display settings

If the text on your screen looks fuzzy or is not clearly readable, you can choose to open the Clear type text calibration wizard to make the text appear better on screen.
October 24, 2012
Fix : Frequent Windows is not responding error message in Windows 7 & Vista
After reading this post you will learn a few ways to troubleshoot the frequent “not responding” problem with your Windows computer. This post applies to fixing those Windows PCs which often show the not responding message for the opened Windows or programs. If it’s a rare problem, I am sure you don’t need to read any further. Your PC is just fine & does not need any fixing. On the other hand, if you are facing this issue quiet often you should follow the steps mentioned herein:

Check Your Hard Drive
- Make sure you have enough space available on your hard disk, to do this :
- Go to Computer
- Right Click your root drive ( C: or any partition where you have installed Windows )
- Click on Properties
- Check the used & free space
- Check your Drive for errors
- Go to command prompt by typing command in your start menu search box ( right Click –> run as administrator )
- Navigate to your system partition by typing the drive letter of your system partition ( example : C:\ )
- type CHKDSK /f
- type CHKDSK /r
- You might get a message that disk check will be scheduled on next reboot
- Also, make sure that your hard disk drive is defragmented
- Type defragment in start menu search box
- Run disk defragmenter
- If it’s a desktop computer
- Try changing the hard disk data cable
- NOTE: If you don’t know how to change the HDD cable, get it done by a computer hardware professional.
Check your RAM ( Memory )
- If you have a demanding usage of system resources & you like to multitask
- make sure that you have adequate RAM installed.
- Check your system RAM for errors
- Go to start menu
- type Windows Memory diagnostics (in the start menu search box)
- Run the program
- This will restart your computer
- Check your RAM for errors & display a report after you login the next time.
Windows Update
- Make sure your Windows is up to date
- Go to start menu
- In the start menu search box type Windows Update
- Click on Check for updates
- Select recommended updates
- also select any driver updates from Optional updates section
Drivers & BIOS

NOTE: Please perform any BIOS update operation at your OWN risk, BIOS update, if not done properly, or for any other reason, it fails, can crash your computer system & damage your hardware. Troubleshootwindows.com or I, the author of this post will not be responsible for any damage whatsoever.
- SATA/AHCI drivers
- Go to your motherboard / system manufacturer’s support website
- Locate the support page for your computer /motherboard model
- Download and Install the SATA / AHCI / IDE ( STORAGE drivers )
- & also install the latest chipset & Display drivers from that support site.
- BIOS updates
- You can check the support site, if any new BIOS updates for your system has been released.
- Read the documentation associated with the BIOS release to make sure that it addresses any problems that your might be facing.
October 21, 2012
Fix: Wireless Connection not showing – not able to connect – red cross icon–no wireless networks available in Windows 8 , 7 , Vista , XP
After reading this post you will be able to fix some issues that you might be facing while trying to connect to a wireless network in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista or XP. There are quite a few issues that might restrict you from using a wireless network properly. Most of the times it’s bad drivers installed for your device, misconfiguration or just a simple software interrupting with your Wi-Fi connection in windows.

Follow the steps mentioned herein one by one:

Method 1

Press of a button
- If you are using a laptop to connect to a Wi-fi / wireless connection. Your wireless was working just fine & now without a cause it has stopped working.
- The first thing to check is small wireless on / off button on most laptops
- It can be a dedicated on/off type switch on the side of your laptop
- or
- i could be a key amongst your Function keys on top.
- There would be a wireless sign imprinted on that particular key ( refer screenshot )
- Your key sign might look like the ones above or it might be anything that would suggest a wireless connection
- Try pressing that key or if it’s a switch, try turning it on.
- The wireless key / wireless sign might be in a different colour suggesting that it can be used by pressing a FN key located mostly on the left hand side of your keyboard near CTRL , ALT buttons.
Check if the problem is solved
- On your taskbar right hand side
- locate this icon
- Click on it to see this menu
- If you see available networks here, you have successfully solved the problem.
Method 2

Checking the Drivers
- It’s always a good idea to update your drivers at a good interval
- To make sure you have updated / proper drivers installed for your hardware device, you can choose:
  - Run Windows Update
  - Select your driver updates from optional updates section
- OR
- Go to your computer manufacturer’s support website
- navigate to downloads section
- locate the drivers for your particular hardware
- download & install
- It’s also a good idea to, first uninstall the previously installed drivers
  - to do that: Go to Control panel
  - Programs & Features
  - Locate your Wireless Lan drivers
  - Uninstall
Method 3

Check your router
- Make sure that your router is broadcasting your network’s SSID.
- To check that :
  - Connect your router directly to your computer using a LAN cable
  - Check the documentation provided with your router to get the login IP address
  - for example we take 192.168.1.1 as a router’s login IP
  - Go to your browser and type this IP in the address bar:
- Type in the username & password for logging into the router’s panel
- refer the screenshot above
- make sure your SSID broadcast is enabled.
Method 4

Connecting to a hidden network

Click here for the guide on connecting to a hidden network in Windows
October 20, 2012