Troubleshoot Windows

Category: Windows Vista

  • How to Backup/Restore Windows Registry [Updated 2023 Guide]

    How to Backup/Restore Windows Registry [Updated 2023 Guide]

    This post will help you backup/restore Windows Registry in case a problem related to the registry arises.

    Before taking you through the steps to backup/restore Windows registry files in 2023 and beyond, let us first explain to you what are registry files in Windows and why they’re important.

    What Are Windows Registry Files?

    Ever wondered how your Windows-powered desktop or laptop powers ON and functions perfectly each time?

    Well, basically, they launch each time launching the required features, services, and applications with the help of Windows registry files.

    So, simply put, you can think of Windows registry files as a collection of configuration files for the Windows OS installed on your computer.

    When you power ON your machine, it collects all the information related to account access, applications/services to launch, device drivers, UI elements, your pre-configured device settings, and much more.

    How to Create Windows Restore Point Before You Backup/Restore Windows Registry?

    It is always recommended to create a “Windows Restore Point” before you attempt to back up/restore the Windows registry.

    In case something goes wrong, then the restore point can help you restore your computer to an earlier working condition as it is currently.

    Below are the steps to create Windows Restore Point:

    1. Click on the “Start” menu.
    2. Type “Create a restore point” in the search bar and select the option that appears with the same name.

      restore_sys

    3. Follow the onscreen instructions to proceed with the creation of a Windows Restore Point backup.

    How to Backup Windows Registry?

    You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps. If you are not logged in as an administrator, you can only change settings that apply to your user account.

    • Launch the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows” key + “R” key on your keyboard.
    • Now, type “Regedit” into the search box, and then press “ENTER” on your keyboard. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. (For Windows XP –> start menu-> run-> Regedit)
    • Click on My Computer or Computer ( depending on your OS type) Click the File menu, and then click Export.
    • In the “Save In” box, select the location where you want to save the backup copy, and then type a name for the backup file in the File name box.
    • Click Save.

    And that’s it. You have now created a backup of Windows registry files on your computer.

    How to Restore Windows Registry Files?

    Follow the steps below to restore previously existing Windows registry backup files.

    1. Press the “Windows” key and the “R” key on your keyboard to launch the “Run” window.
    2. Within the Run window, type “regedit.exe” and click on the “Ok” button within the Run window or press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
    3. The “Registry Editor” window will now launch.
    4. Click on the “File” option located on the top menu bar of the Registry Editor window and then click on the “Import” button.
    5. Within the window that appears, select the pre-existing Windows registry backup file on your computer and click on the “Open” button.

    The Windows registry backup that you selected in step 5 above will now be restored on your computer.

  • How to Fix: Windows Live Photo gallery or stuck pictures screensaver in Windows 7

    How to Fix: Windows Live Photo gallery or stuck pictures screensaver in Windows 7

    After reading this post you will be able to fix the problems associated with Windows Live photo gallery in Windows 7, Vista, XP. These problems include:

    • Windows live photo Gallery Freezes
    • Windows Photo gallery screensaver says “ no pictures found”
    • Other Photo Gallery related issues.

    There are two methods to fix this:

    Before starting let’s backup your Windows Registry, as this method includes registry editing. Click here

    Method 1:

    To fix this problem, you have to regenerate the database for Windows Live Photo Gallery. To do this, follow the appropriate steps for your operating system:

    Windows XP

    Close Windows Live Photo Gallery.

    • Click Start, click Run, type %userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Photo Gallery, and then click OK.
    • Delete any existing instance of “OLD_Pictures.pd4” and “OLD_Pictures.pd5.”
    • Locate and then right-click “Pictures.pd4” or “Pictures.pd5.”
    • Rename “Pictures.pd4” to “OLD_Pictures.pd4” or rename “Pictures.pd5” to “OLD_Pictures.pd5.”

    Windows Vista

    Close Windows Live Photo Gallery.

    • Click Start, click Run, type %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Photo Gallery, and then click OK.
    • Delete any existing instance of “OLD_Pictures.pd4” and “OLD_Pictures.pd5.”
    • Locate and then right-click “Pictures.pd4” or “Pictures.pd5.”
    • Rename “Pictures.pd4” to “OLD_Pictures.pd4” or rename “Pictures.pd5” to “OLD_Pictures.pd5.”

    Windows 7

    Close Windows Live Photo Gallery.

    • Click Start, click Run, type%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Photo Gallery, and then click OK.
    • Delete any existing instance of “OLD_Pictures.pd4” and “OLD_Pictures.pd5.”
    • Locate and then right-click “Pictures.pd4” or “Pictures.pd5.”
    • Rename “Pictures.pd4” to “OLD_Pictures.pd4” or rename “Pictures.pd5” to “OLD_Pictures.pd5.”

    Make Sure Windows Live Photo Gallery is closed when you perform this repair operation. When you restart Windows Live Photo Gallery, the database will be rebuilt.

     

    Method 2:

     

    Automatic Method:

    fix-it

  • Check your Laptop/Netbook/notebook/Ultra portable Computer’s battery healthy easily

    Check your Laptop/Netbook/notebook/Ultra portable Computer’s battery healthy easily

    After reading this guide, you will be able to check how healthy your computer battery is. When the computer is new it gives you good battery backup. But, as it gets old the backup goes considerably less than it used to be.

    To Check the current status of your battery now, you can use a built-in utility in Windows 7 to check the health of your battery.

    • Make Sure your charger is plugged in
    • Go to Start Menu
    • In the Start Search box type CMD
    • Right Click CMD and click Run as Administrator
    • Type powercfg –energy in the opened windows ( Command Prompt )
    • Windows will run a trace on your battery for 60 second and then save a report in your root drive Example: C:\energy-report.html
    • You can then double click the HTML file to open it with your web browser and read the report.
    • This report explains Errors, warnings etc.
    • To know the current charge capacity and health status, scroll down to the section that reads battery information
    • Here, see Design Capacity
    • Now, see the Last Full Charge Capacity
    • If, Both the numbers in Design Capacity & Last Full Charge differ a lot, let’s say for example the Design Capacity was 6500 & Last full charge is 2500. Your battery is not in a healthy state and is not holding most of the charge capacity it was designed for.
    • This would be the proper time to order a replacement battery.
  • How to Install Windows 7, Windows 8 from USB pen drive

    How to Install Windows 7, Windows 8 from USB pen drive

    After following this post you will be able to easily Install Windows 7 and Windows 8 via a USB pen drive. Now-a-days small computers namely netbooks & ultra-books lack CD/DVD drive. In this situation you either buy an external CD/DVD drive or use this guide to Install Windows from a USB pen drive.

    Microsoft has released a tool to do this job very simply. You can use this tool to install Windows 8 or Windows 7 according to your need.

    Download & Install this tool: click here

    or use this alternate link

    Requirements

    • USB Pen drive with 4gb or more capacity (8 Gb preferred)
    • Windows 7 or 8 ISO image ( if you have a disc and want to make ISO check out this guide)
    • DVD-USB tool
    • A computer to work on Open-mouthed smile

    Now Follow these steps:

    • Insert your pen drive into a USB port
    • Run the USB-DVD tool you downloaded before

    dvd_tool1

    • Select the ISO image by browsing for it and then click next

    dvd_tool2

    • Choose USB Device option

    dvd_tool3

    • Select your desired USB device and click on Begin copying.

    dvd_tool4

    • If there is less free space, you will be asked to erase USB device.

    dvd_tool5

    • Tool will format your drive and then start copying files.

    dvd_tool6

    • All done. Remove and USB pen drive, boot from it and Install Windows
  • Solution : Windows Media Player cannot play some media files : missing codecs

    Solution : Windows Media Player cannot play some media files : missing codecs

    After Reading this you will be able to play almost all type of media files on your computer. Different media files need different codecs to run properly. This problem can sometimes lead to misery for a user. You want to play a song or a movie and you get an error that some codec is missing and required to play that file.

    The Simplest of all the ways to get those files to play are :

    • Download and install VLC media player
    • or Download and Install K-lite codec package

    K-lite codec package comes with Media Player Classic that I personally like to watch movies on.

    Download VLC Media Player

    K-Lite Codec Package

    Note: It is always recommended to scan the files you download of the internet. If even a fragment of suspicion is detected on your part, please do not download the file.

  • What to Know & do about BSOD ( Blue Screen ) (Black Screen) errors

    What to Know & do about BSOD ( Blue Screen ) (Black Screen) errors

    After Reading this you will be able to know more about

    • Blue/Black Screen Errors
    • To find which error you are dealing with
    • To resolve the error

    A Blue Screen or Black Screen error which is also known as BSOD occurs when Windows faces a serious problem & shuts down or restarts your system to protect it from damage. Sometime when you boot back into Windows you get a message that “Windows has recovered from a serious error”.

    There can be many different problems associated with both hardware and software that might case a BSOD. But, we cannot troubleshoot these errors if we don’t know what particular problem we are dealing with.

    To know which particular error/problem we are dealing with, the first step would be:

    To disable automatic system restart on system failure

    To do this, Press the F8 key while booting ( just after you press power button on your computer ).

    Select the Advanced Startup options (Windows 7) & select Disable Automatic Restart on system failure.

    This will restrict windows to not to shutdown/restart when the problem occurs.  At this moment you can note down the error code & more information displayed on your screen: Example screen below:

    BSOD

    and

    BSOD2

    Both the screen grabs above have highlighted white portions. These are the significant piece of information that you must note down from your BSOD. This will help you narrow down you problem and then solve it.

    Once you have the error code & description, search http://support.microsoft.com with the error code or search our website www.troubleshootwindows.com for more information on the error code.

    Basic Steps to resolve the Blue Screen errors

    • Remove any newly installed hardware & uninstall the driver software associated with it. To uninstall the drivers you can simply remove the hardware first and then boot into safe mode and uninstall them.
    • Remove any newly installed software or antivirus program by logging into safe mode.
    • Use System Restore, to restore your computer to an earlier time when it was working fine. To learn how to use system restore click here.
  • How to Fix No Sound Problem in Windows Vista/XP/7/8/8.1/10/11

    How to Fix No Sound Problem in Windows Vista/XP/7/8/8.1/10/11

    Are you looking for ways to Fix the No Sound Problem in Windows Vista/XP/7/8/8.1/10/11?

    Then today we are here with a detailed article on the same to help you out.

    What Could Be Causing No Sound Problem in Windows?

    There can be a number of reasons if your computer doesn’t play any sound at all. Sounds include Windows basic sounds, music, etc.

    What to Check:

    • Does the computer have sound hardware?
    • Does the computer have the device drivers?
    • Verify the speaker/headphone wires has proper connections.
    • Is the mute button active?
    • Does BIOS have Sound/Audio Hardware Enabled?

    How to Fix No Sound Problem in Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10/11?

    Solution 1: Check the Sound Hardware/Sound Card:

    Sound Hardware is also called the “Sound Card”. If you have a desktop system & have installed an add-on sound card for high-performing sound, the first step would be to open the cabinet and check if the sound card is installed into the slot properly.

    If you have a laptop ( notebook/netbook/ultrabook), there are very slight chances that you have an Add-on Sound card installed.

    Below are the steps to Check the sound card from within windows:

    1. Press the “Windows” key + “R” key on your keyboard to bring up the Run window.
    2. Within the Run window, type “devmgmt.msc” and click on the “Ok” button.
    3. This will bring up the “Device Manager” window.
    4. See the below screenshot and check if the sound, video & game controllers show your Audio hardware installed.

    device manager

     

    Solution 2: Check if Device Drivers are Installed or not

    If you see an Exclamation mark on any listed hardware or a yellow question mark saying “Other Devices”, it is quite possible that either the device drivers installed for your device are faulty or there are no drivers installed.

    To resolve, right-click the hardware listed either in other devices or with an exclamation mark & click on update drivers & let Windows search the Windows Update service for any new drivers that might be available for your device type.

    You can also visit your computer manufacturer’s support website & try downloading the drivers from there. * refer to your computer documentation.

    If you see no hardware present within the sound, video & game controllers, you should try pressing the Scan for hardware changes button just below help ( refer to screenshot above). If the device manager fails to respond post-refresh, the chances of hardware issues are high or the audio hardware could be disabled in BIOS. ( To enable the same or to check BIOS settings, go to the end of this page).

    Solution 3: Verify the Speakers/Headphone Wires Does Not Have Any Damages

    Faulty headphones or speaker wires also cause the no audio issue. Check wires for any damages and ensure the connections do seem proper.

    Solution 4: Verify the Wires Connections Does Seem Correct

    If on a desktop PC, check out the image below and confirm all the wires connections do seem proper.

    sound back panel desktop

    Also, check for faulty speakers/headphones.

    Check if the audio is on mute.

    We may mistakenly turn the speakers into the mute mode, which might be causing the problem. Check the screenshots below to understand if your speakers are on mute or not.

    Muted

    muted

    Unmuted

    unmuted

    If you see the muted icon in your taskbar click on it to unmute. Also, check the volume level and increase it if necessary.

    Solution 5: Verify BIOS Has Sound/Audio Hardware Enabled

    To do this, refer to your motherboard/system maintenance manual & looks for the things given below:

    • Press Del or F2 or F10 or any other key depending on your system type & make
    • Advanced Options/ Integrated Peripherals
    • Enable Onboard Audio/ AC’97/HD Audio
    • Enable it
    • F10 ( Save & Exit )

    Final Words

    We hope you found this article on how to fix no sound problem in Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10/11 versions helpful and informative.

    Got any questions? Feel free to reach out and we’re more than happy to help you.

  • Block Internet Access over Network but allow Network Access / File & Print Sharing in Windows 8 , 7 , Vista , XP

    Block Internet Access over Network but allow Network Access / File & Print Sharing in Windows 8 , 7 , Vista , XP

    After reading this guide you will be able to block internet access over a home network or any network that your are an administrator to. This guide is a very simple collection of steps that do not require any additional software or firewall support to block internet access & just allow file & printer sharing.

    There are situations where one needs to allow or block internet usage to some users over a network. There are different methods that can be used to do the same, though the most easy method is given below:

    Let’s assume that you have a network running with single or multiple routers, either in home or office & you wish to block just the internet access to specific and / or all users. For this you have to login to your router by either IP address or router address & provide your username & password therein. Now in DHCP or DNS setting just uncheck the automatic DNS & mention the DNS settings to be anything you wish. for example: 192.168.1.15 or anything you like except the router’s IP address. 

    Now all the computer systems over your network might still show the internet to be connected but will not resolve / open any websites.

    To enable network access in a specific computer, just go the properties of the network adapter of that specific computer & within the IP address menu mention any open DNS. i.e 208.67.222.222 208.67.220.220 or Google DNS would also do.

    DNS

    And that is all there is to it.

  • Fix: “Hidden” Attribute Option Greyed Out in Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11

    Fix: “Hidden” Attribute Option Greyed Out in Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11

    Is the “Hidden” attribute option greyed out for you in Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11?

    Then we’re here today with a fix for the same.

    The ability to set the “Hidden” attribute to files and folders in Windows OS is a great feature. This allows you to hide certain files and folders from the public eye.

    However, sometimes you may see that the option appears to be greyed out. This means that it doesn’t allow you to change the settings of the Hidden feature for the file/folder.

    In this article, we bring you two different ways to fix this issue.

    How to Fix “Hidden” Attribute Option Greyed Out?

    This little tip can save you from a lot of trouble when suddenly your drive or folder gets disappeared from Windows Explorer & you only see it as a hidden folder or file. When this is the case it usually indicates either a file system malfunction or a small-time virus attack.

    Fix “Hidden” Attribute Option Greyed Out using Command Prompt

    1. Right-click the file or folder & check if your properties window looks something like this i.e. the hidden option greyed out as marked below.hidden_attrib
    2. Don’t be alarmed. Just open the Command Prompt window by searching for it within the Windows search bar in the taskbar.
    3. Now, check out the command below:ATTRIB -H C:\Users\MyName\Desktop\TestFile.txt

      In the above command, the “C:\Users\MyName\Desktop\TestFile.txt” part (without quotes) shows the file location.

      Fix-Hidden-Attribute-Option-Greyed-Out-in-Windows-XP-Vista-7-8-8.1-10-11

      You can replace the bold text with the actual location of your file, which you wish to unhide on Windows. Now, to get the location in the format as above, navigate to the location where the file is saved and copy the entire address bar info (as shown in the screenshot below).

    4. If the path you gave above is of a folder, and you wish to unhide all the files and sub-folders within that folder, then add /S /D at the end of the above command.So, the command will look like this:
      C:\Users\MyName\Desktop\TestFolder /S /D

    Fix the “Hidden” Attribute Option Greyed Out by Reverting Settings

    If any changes made to the customization settings of a folder are causing this issue to happen, then reverting the changes you made can help fix the issue.

    Below are the steps you can follow to revert changes made to a folder’s customization settings easily.

    1. Navigate to the folder for which you wish to revert the customization settings applied.
    2. Right-click on the folder and click on “Properties”.
    3. From the Properties window, switch to the “Customize” tab.
    4. Within the Customize tab, click on the “Restore Defaults” option.
    5. Click on the “Apply” button and then click on “Ok”.

    That is all. You have now reverted the customization settings you applied to the folder.

    Final Words

    We hope the above article on how to fix “Hidden” Attribute Option Greyed Out in Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11 was easy to follow and informative to you.

    In case you have any questions on the steps listed above, feel free to leave a comment below with your queries and we will definitely help you out.

     

  • How to System Restore Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11

    How to System Restore Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11

    In an unfortunate event of a system crash or data corruption, the System Restore feature of Windows is a real lifesaver. Are you wondering how to system restore Windows OS?

    In this article, we are going to take you through the process that will help you perform System Restore on computers running Windows operating system versions 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11.

    What is System Restore Feature in Windows OS?

    Microsoft Windows gives its users the privilege to create restore points (similar to a save point in video games).

    In an unlikely event of a system crash or data corruption that is not fixed by following other methods, a system restore can help take your Windows system back to a point that was error-free.

    System Restore is an inbuilt feature within the Microsoft Windows operating system.

    Moreover, users can create multiple restore points and then pick the latest error-free restore point while following the System Restore procedure. Thus, ensuring that the user gets back the most recent error-free state of their computer.

    When Should You Use the Windows System Restore Feature?

    You should use system restore when:

    • Your computer system starts crashing unexpectedly
    • Fails to boot
    • You detect a virus or other file corruption
    • Some programs or features got deleted somehow
    • For lots of other misc. problems

    How to System Restore Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10/11

    Below are the steps to restore Windows running the XP/7/8/8.1/10/11 versions.

    How to Restore Windows XP?

    • Launch the Start menu on your Windows XP machine.
    • Click on “All Programs”.
    • Now, click on “Accessories” within the new side window that opens up.
    • Next, click on “System Tools”.
    • Finally, click on “System Restore” and follow the instructions on-screen.

    How to Restore Windows 7?

    • Start Menu-> type “ system restore “ (without quotes) and press enter.

      system restore windows 7

    • On clicking next:

      restore1

    • Here you can select the date to which you want to restore your system or you can click the checkbox which says “Show more restore points”, to see more restore points you can choose from.
    • You can also check out what programs will be affected by your restore operation by clicking on “Scan for affected programs”.
    • After checking all the rights & making sure you have selected the right restore point, click next and then click on finish.

    Steps to Restore Windows 8/8.1?

    1. Go to the “Start” screen by either clicking on the Windows icon on the taskbar, or by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard.
    2. Type “System Restore” within the Start window search.
    3. Click on “System Restore” from the search results and then follow the on-screen instructions.

    How to System Restore Windows 10/Windows 11?

    The steps to perform System Restore are the same on Windows 10 and Windows 11. We have mentioned the steps below. The guide also works if you did an upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 as well.

    1. Press the “Windows” key + “R” key on your keyboard to launch the Run window.
    2. Within the Run window, type “control” and press Enter to launch the Control Panel window.
    3. Inside Control Panel, search for “Recovery” and click on the first option as shown in the screenshot below.system restore windows 10/ windows 11
    4. On the next screen that appears, click on “Open System Restore”.system_restore_control_panel
    5. This will launch the System Restore window.
    6. Follow the on-screen steps by clicking on the “Next” button.
    7. Now, select the most recently available restore point to proceed.system_restore_windows_11
    8. Tick the “Scan for affected programs” checkbox.
    9. Click on “Next”, and then click on “Finish”.

    And that is it. Now the restore process will begin on your Windows 10/Windows 11 system.

    How To Perform Windows Restore from System Repair Disc or Startup Menu

    If you have not created a system repair disc for Windows 7, create one now following this guide. If you already have a repair disc, just boot from it. you will see some options like the screenshot given below:

    system-restore-windows

    Select System Restore and follow the instructions given therein.

    OR

    You can, Press F8 while on the system startup and select Advanced Startup options, then click on repair your computer. It will also take you to the screenshot given above. You can simply select “System Restore” and follow the onscreen instructions.