I am using this day to read up on new stories and technologies for new content on the site. Please bare with me while I compose myself and get my head out of the vacation cloud. Of course this is not easily done…

As you can see from the last post we are now taking posted questions to better serve our users. As well I would like to add if there is a new technology or concern you would like for me to address please post a comment to this blog. I would be happy to research and address topics for our users.

After all….It is you the end user for which we create the content.

 With the release of Vista they have removed the ability from the power options control panel to disable hibernation mode. No where in the control panel will you find an option to disable hibernation mode. It is so nice of Microsoft to remove the abilityto disable this feature considering all the past problems it has caused

Don’t worry though…..there is a simple way to turn off this feature.

Instructions for disabling Hibernation mode:

1. Press the WINDOWS key and type cmd into the Start Search box but DO NOT press ENTER

2. Right-click on cmd in the Programs list  when it appears and select Run As Administrator

3. Click Continue when the UAC prompt appears

4. Type powercfg -h off and press ENTER

You have now disabled Hibernation mode in Vista. You should not experience any of the annoying errors normally experienced from this mode activating. Happy computing!

This new utility is actually booted from the Vista DVD and has a few new utilities. Included in this new utility are the functions below.

BCDMD
Repairs the MBR, partition table, or boot sector.

ChkDsk
Runs ChkDsk in repair mode.

File Repair
Replaces the corrupt system file with a backup copy.

BootCfg
Reconstructs the BCD.

System Restore
Rolls back the system state by using System Restore.

ACLs fix
Sets the ACLs of the specified file to a default value.

Registry rollback
Replaces the corrupt registry hives with a backup copy.

Change Crash on Audit Failure setting
Disables Windows auditing. Only an administrator can log on to Windows.

Memory Diagnostics
Runs the Windows Memory Diagnostics tool.

You might notice the new Memory diagnostics utility. This utility not only tests RAM but cache memory as well. This can be very handy when experiencing memory errors. Its a great diagnostics utility.

The easily accessible registry rollback utility….. I am sure will be used by many users knowing how the registry can become corrupted.

If you ever have experienced an issue that could not be resolved through normal or safe mode you may want to look into the Recovery Environment utilities as it isn’t necessary to boot to Windows to use this utility. I hope it proves to be as helpful in troubleshooting and repair as I think it will be.

If you would like to review more deatiled information on this utility use the link below.
Click Here

Before going into the Registry and changing or deleting anything I always recommend that you backup the registry.
To back up the registry Go to Start/run and type in the command field “regedit” without the quotes. Once the interface is open select file and then export. You should select the save in location as the root of c:\. You will need to provide a name for the file. Once completed select save.

The computer registry consists of two files hidden in the Windows directory, system.dat and user.dat. User-specific system information is contained in the user.dat file and computer and hardware specific information in the system.dat file.

Microsoft Windows now includes a new feature known as system restore. This great new feature enables a user to backup and restore their important registry and system files from an earlier date. By default this feature automatically creates a backup of the system each day When working properly. If you wish to create a restore point using system restore follow the steps below.

Try downloading the bug doctor software to test your pc for problems.

Creating a restore point

1.Click Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore

2.Select the option to Create a restore point

3.Click next and follow the remainder steps.

Reversing to a previously created restore point

1.Click Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore

2.Select the Restore my computer to an earlier time option and click next

3.Select the day and the restore point you wish to restore and click next.

Using regedit to incorrectly change data can render you system non-functional and it can cease to boot up. Please do not attempt to manually edit registry information if you are not experienced in doing so.

Keep your pc running like new with the brand new version of PC Registry Cleaner Version 2.0

The following lists situations in which you may experience these errors:

• A real-mode driver and a protected-mode driver are in conflict

• If the registry is damaged

• If either the Win.com file or the Command.com file are infected with a virus, or if either of the files are damaged

• If a protected-mode driver is loaded from the System.ini file and the driver is already initialized

• If there is a physical input/output (I/O) address conflict or a random access memory (RAM) address conflict

• If there are incorrect (CMOS) settings for a built-in peripheral device (such as cache settings, CPU timing and hard disks)

• If the Plug and Play feature of the basic input/output system (BIOS) on the computer is not working correctly

• If the computer contains a malfunctioning cache or malfunctioning memory

• If the motherboard on the computer is not working properly

Most of the BIOS settings which can cause these types of errors should only be modified by a knowledgeable hardware technician. Changing these settings incorrectly can cause other issues with your hardware. Use your motherboard manufacturers hand book for more information on accessing your BIOS, and you should be able to alleviate this wonderful condition that has been created.

For more detailed information on trouble shooting these errors in Windows 95, 98, or Me please refer to the Microsoft knowledge base article below.

Click here

For Windows XP and 2000 you can review your errors by entering into safe mode and using the event viewer to access detailed information pertaining to your particular issue. The event viewer can be accessed by going to the control panel and selecting the administrative utilities icon. These reports should include detailed information on the module or driver causing the issue.