Problem
When you install Windows, the installation procedure prompts you to enter an owner name and a company name. Then, this information displays on the General tab of the System Properties dialog box under the Registered To heading. Unfortunately, Windows doesn't provide you with a tool for changing this registration information when transferring a system from one user to another. However, you can alter the registration information by editing the Registry.
Warning
Making manual changes to the Windows Registry can have negative consequences on a system. Always make a backup copy before you begin making changes.
Solution
Follow these seven steps to alter the owner and company information:
1. Launch the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe)
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version
3. Locate and double-click the RegisteredOwner value
4. When you see the Edit DWORD Value dialog box, change the Value Data setting to whatever owner name you want, and click OK
5. Locate and double-click the RegisteredOrganization value
6. When you see the Edit DWORD Value dialog box, change the Value Data setting to whatever company name you want, and click OK
7. Close the Registry Editor and restart Windows XP in order for the changes to take effect.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Xp Search option Fix
Hi,
If your search option is corrupted or Search windows is not comming properly
here is the solution
download the below reg file and merge it
http://www.divshare.com/download/7455590-f11
By Scott Lowe
One of the most effective ways to secure a Windows workstation is to turn off unnecessary services. This reference sheet lists the Windows XP SP 2 services, describes each service's function, specifies whether you can safely disable the service, and outlines the ramifications of disabling the service. The list assumes the machines is running Windows XP SP2 in a corporate network environment. The list offers one of the following three possibilities for safely disabling each service:
• YES = You can disable the service without causing any problems.
• MAYBE = The computer's role dictates whether you should or should not disable the service--read the special considerations for further information.
• NO = The service is critical to proper Windows operation and should not be disabled.
Service
Description
Safely Disable?
Ramifications if disabled
Suggested setting
Special Considerations
Alerter
Notifies selected users and computers of administrative alerts
Yes
Programs that use administrative alerts will not receive them.
Disable
Application Layer Gateway
Provides support for application-level protocol plug-ins and enables network/protocol connectivity
Maybe
Programs that rely on this service, such as MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger will not function.
Enable
Only enable when using the Windows firewall or another firewall. Failure to do so can result in a significant security hole.
Application Management
Processes installation, removal, and enumeration requests for Active Directory IntelliMirror group policy programs
Yes
Users will be unable to install, remove, or enumerate any IntelliMirror programs.
Disable
Automatic Updates
Enables the download and installation of critical Windows updates
Yes
The operating system cannot automatically install updates, but can still be manually updated at the Windows Update Web site.
Enable
Automatic updates help keep your computer current. If you do disable the service, perform regular, manual updates.
Background Intelligent Transfer
Transfers data between clients and servers in the background
Yes
Features such as Windows Update will not work properly.
Disable
Enable this services if you enable Automatic Updates.
Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times
Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times Hack #3
Shorten the time it takes for your desktop to appear when you turn on your
PC, and make XP shut down faster as well.
No matter how fast your PC boots, it’s not fast enough. Here are several
hacks to get you right to your desktop as quickly as possible after startup.
Perform a Boot Defragment
There’s a simple way to speed up XP startup: make your system do a boot
defragment, which will put all the boot files next to one another on your
hard disk. When boot files are in close proximity to one another, your system
will start faster.
On most systems, boot defragment should be enabled by default, but it
might not be on yours, or it might have been changed inadvertently. To
make sure that boot defragment is enabled on your system, run the Registry
Editor [Hack #83] and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction
Edit the Enable string value to Y if it is not already set to Y. Exit the Registry
and reboot. The next time you reboot, you’ll do a boot defragment.
I’ve found many web sites recommending a way of speeding
up boot times that might in fact slow down the amount of
time it takes to boot up and will probably slow down
launching applications as well. The tip recommends going to
your C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch directory and emptying it every
week. Windows uses this directory to speed up launching
applications. It analyzes the files you use during startup and
the applications you launch, and it creates an index to where
those files and applications are located on your hard disk. By
using this index, XP can launch files and applications faster.
So, by emptying the directory, you are most likely slowing
down launching applications. In my tests, I’ve also found
that after emptying the directory, it takes my PC a few seconds
longer to get to my desktop after bootup.
Hack Your BIOS for Faster Startups
When you turn on your PC, it goes through a set of startup procedures in its
BIOS before it gets to starting XP. So, if you speed up those initial startup
procedures, you’ll make your system start faster.
You can speed up your startup procedures by changing the BIOS with the
built-in setup utility. How you run this utility varies from PC to PC, but you
12 | Startup and Shutdown
#3 Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times
HACK
typically get to it by pressing the Delete, F1, or F10 keys during startup.
You’ll come to a menu with a variety of choices. Here are the choices to
make for faster system startups:
Quick Power On Self Test (POST)
When you choose this option, your system runs an abbreviated POST
rather than the normal, lengthy one.
Boot Up Floppy Seek
Disable this option. When it’s enabled, your system spends a few extra
seconds looking for your floppy drive—a relatively pointless procedure,
especially considering how infrequently you use your floppy drive.
Boot Delay
Some systems let you delay booting after you turn on your PC so that
your hard drive gets a chance to start spinning before bootup. Most
likely, you don’t need to have this boot delay, so turn it off. If you run
into problems, however, you can turn it back on.
Fine-Tune Your Registry for Faster Startups
Over time, your Registry can become bloated with unused entries, slowing
down your system startup because your system loads them every time you
start up your PC. Get a Registry clean-up tool to delete unneeded Registry
entries and speed up startup times. Registry First Aid, shown in Figure 1-3,
is an excellent Registry clean-up tool. It combs your Registry for outdated
and useless entries and then lets you choose which entries to delete and
which to keep. It also creates a full Registry backup so that you can restore
the Registry if you run into a problem.
Registry First Aid is shareware and free to try, but it costs $21 if you decide
to keep using it. Download it from http://www.rosecitysoftware.com/
Reg1Aid/index.html.
After you clean out your Registry, you might want to try compacting it to get
rid of unused space. The Registry Compactor, available from http://www.
rosecitysoftware.com/RegistryCompactor/index.html, will do the trick. Compacting
your Registry reduces its size and decreases loading time. It’s shareware
and free to try, but it costs $19.95 if you decide to keep it.
Speed Up Shutdown Times
It’s not only startup times that you’d like to speed up; you can also make
sure that your system shuts down faster. If shutting down XP takes what
seems to be an inordinate amount of time, here are a couple of steps you can
take to speed up the shutdown process:
Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times #3
Startup and Shutdown | 13
HACK
Don’t have XP clear your paging file at shutdown. For security reasons,
you can have XP clear your paging file (pagefile.sys) of its contents
whenever you shut down. Your paging file is used to store temporary
files and data, but when your system shuts down, information stays in
the file. Some people prefer to have the paging file cleared at shutdown
because sensitive information, such as unencrypted passwords, sometimes
ends up in the file. However, clearing the paging file can slow
shutdown times significantly, so if extreme security isn’t a high priority,
you might not want to clear it. To shut down XP without clearing your
paging file, run the Registry Editor and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management
Change the value of ClearPageFileAtShutdown to 0. Close the Registry
and restart your computer. Whenever you turn off XP from now on, the
paging file won’t be cleared, and you should be able to shut down more
quickly.
Turn off unnecessary services. Services take time to shut down, so the
fewer you run, the faster you can shut down. For information on how to
shut them down, see “Halt Startup Programs and Services” [Hack #4].
Shorten the time it takes for your desktop to appear when you turn on your
PC, and make XP shut down faster as well.
No matter how fast your PC boots, it’s not fast enough. Here are several
hacks to get you right to your desktop as quickly as possible after startup.
Perform a Boot Defragment
There’s a simple way to speed up XP startup: make your system do a boot
defragment, which will put all the boot files next to one another on your
hard disk. When boot files are in close proximity to one another, your system
will start faster.
On most systems, boot defragment should be enabled by default, but it
might not be on yours, or it might have been changed inadvertently. To
make sure that boot defragment is enabled on your system, run the Registry
Editor [Hack #83] and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction
Edit the Enable string value to Y if it is not already set to Y. Exit the Registry
and reboot. The next time you reboot, you’ll do a boot defragment.
I’ve found many web sites recommending a way of speeding
up boot times that might in fact slow down the amount of
time it takes to boot up and will probably slow down
launching applications as well. The tip recommends going to
your C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch directory and emptying it every
week. Windows uses this directory to speed up launching
applications. It analyzes the files you use during startup and
the applications you launch, and it creates an index to where
those files and applications are located on your hard disk. By
using this index, XP can launch files and applications faster.
So, by emptying the directory, you are most likely slowing
down launching applications. In my tests, I’ve also found
that after emptying the directory, it takes my PC a few seconds
longer to get to my desktop after bootup.
Hack Your BIOS for Faster Startups
When you turn on your PC, it goes through a set of startup procedures in its
BIOS before it gets to starting XP. So, if you speed up those initial startup
procedures, you’ll make your system start faster.
You can speed up your startup procedures by changing the BIOS with the
built-in setup utility. How you run this utility varies from PC to PC, but you
12 | Startup and Shutdown
#3 Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times
HACK
typically get to it by pressing the Delete, F1, or F10 keys during startup.
You’ll come to a menu with a variety of choices. Here are the choices to
make for faster system startups:
Quick Power On Self Test (POST)
When you choose this option, your system runs an abbreviated POST
rather than the normal, lengthy one.
Boot Up Floppy Seek
Disable this option. When it’s enabled, your system spends a few extra
seconds looking for your floppy drive—a relatively pointless procedure,
especially considering how infrequently you use your floppy drive.
Boot Delay
Some systems let you delay booting after you turn on your PC so that
your hard drive gets a chance to start spinning before bootup. Most
likely, you don’t need to have this boot delay, so turn it off. If you run
into problems, however, you can turn it back on.
Fine-Tune Your Registry for Faster Startups
Over time, your Registry can become bloated with unused entries, slowing
down your system startup because your system loads them every time you
start up your PC. Get a Registry clean-up tool to delete unneeded Registry
entries and speed up startup times. Registry First Aid, shown in Figure 1-3,
is an excellent Registry clean-up tool. It combs your Registry for outdated
and useless entries and then lets you choose which entries to delete and
which to keep. It also creates a full Registry backup so that you can restore
the Registry if you run into a problem.
Registry First Aid is shareware and free to try, but it costs $21 if you decide
to keep using it. Download it from http://www.rosecitysoftware.com/
Reg1Aid/index.html.
After you clean out your Registry, you might want to try compacting it to get
rid of unused space. The Registry Compactor, available from http://www.
rosecitysoftware.com/RegistryCompactor/index.html, will do the trick. Compacting
your Registry reduces its size and decreases loading time. It’s shareware
and free to try, but it costs $19.95 if you decide to keep it.
Speed Up Shutdown Times
It’s not only startup times that you’d like to speed up; you can also make
sure that your system shuts down faster. If shutting down XP takes what
seems to be an inordinate amount of time, here are a couple of steps you can
take to speed up the shutdown process:
Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times #3
Startup and Shutdown | 13
HACK
Don’t have XP clear your paging file at shutdown. For security reasons,
you can have XP clear your paging file (pagefile.sys) of its contents
whenever you shut down. Your paging file is used to store temporary
files and data, but when your system shuts down, information stays in
the file. Some people prefer to have the paging file cleared at shutdown
because sensitive information, such as unencrypted passwords, sometimes
ends up in the file. However, clearing the paging file can slow
shutdown times significantly, so if extreme security isn’t a high priority,
you might not want to clear it. To shut down XP without clearing your
paging file, run the Registry Editor and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management
Change the value of ClearPageFileAtShutdown to 0. Close the Registry
and restart your computer. Whenever you turn off XP from now on, the
paging file won’t be cleared, and you should be able to shut down more
quickly.
Turn off unnecessary services. Services take time to shut down, so the
fewer you run, the faster you can shut down. For information on how to
shut them down, see “Halt Startup Programs and Services” [Hack #4].
Thursday, February 12, 2009
new virus problem and solution (Sirc32.exe )
issue is virus, can’t open any programs (any exe files)
Observed: Many exe file were their in c drive I deleted those things and the regedit, taskmgr, mspaint, outlook, is not opening if you click on the exe it will give open with option are file missing error.
Cause: The W32.Sircam.Worm@mm worm virus can cause this issue. The W32/Sircam virus spreads itself through e-mail messages or unprotected network file shares and can reveal or delete information on your computer. To verify that your computer is infected with this kind of virus:
Restart your computer, press F8 at the Windows XP Startup menu, and then select Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
At the command prompt, type regedit, and press ENTER.
If the following registry key is set to C:\recycled\sirc32.exe "%1" %*, your computer is infected with the W32/SirCam worm virus:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command
Note If this registry setting is anything other than
"%1" %*
Your computer may be infected with a different virus.
Solution
In front of the above data anything is their just delete it. and run combofix in command prompt.
Note:
The removal of the Sirc32.exe virus without modification of the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Exefile\Shell\Open\Command key will invalidate every executable file on the computer because, according to this line in the registry, the executable files are to be run as a command line parameter to the Sirc32.exe file which no longer exists. This prompts the "Windows cannot find" message when you try to start the executable file
For more info check Article ID: 311446
Observed: Many exe file were their in c drive I deleted those things and the regedit, taskmgr, mspaint, outlook, is not opening if you click on the exe it will give open with option are file missing error.
Cause: The W32.Sircam.Worm@mm worm virus can cause this issue. The W32/Sircam virus spreads itself through e-mail messages or unprotected network file shares and can reveal or delete information on your computer. To verify that your computer is infected with this kind of virus:
Restart your computer, press F8 at the Windows XP Startup menu, and then select Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
At the command prompt, type regedit, and press ENTER.
If the following registry key is set to C:\recycled\sirc32.exe "%1" %*, your computer is infected with the W32/SirCam worm virus:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command
Note If this registry setting is anything other than
"%1" %*
Your computer may be infected with a different virus.
Solution
In front of the above data anything is their just delete it. and run combofix in command prompt.
Note:
The removal of the Sirc32.exe virus without modification of the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Exefile\Shell\Open\Command key will invalidate every executable file on the computer because, according to this line in the registry, the executable files are to be run as a command line parameter to the Sirc32.exe file which no longer exists. This prompts the "Windows cannot find" message when you try to start the executable file
For more info check Article ID: 311446
You will get "Access Is Denied" error message when you try to delete a file
You will get "Access Is Denied" error message when you try to delete a file or folder. This happens when file or folder is being used by processes running in the system and you do not know which process it is!
Windows doesn't ship with any tool that can be used to find out which process is locking up the file or folder. You need to use Process Explorer tool to find the lock on the file and then kill the lock so that you can delete the file and folder.
Steps:
Download Process Explorer at here (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx)
Note the file name or folder you're trying to delete
Run Process Explorer > Find > Find Handle > Enter the file or folder name in "Handle or DLL Substring" Dialogue box
Click on Search
Right Click on the handle and then click "Close Handle" > Press Yes when promoted.
Now you can successfully delete the file or folder you are trying to delete.
Windows doesn't ship with any tool that can be used to find out which process is locking up the file or folder. You need to use Process Explorer tool to find the lock on the file and then kill the lock so that you can delete the file and folder.
Steps:
Download Process Explorer at here (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx)
Note the file name or folder you're trying to delete
Run Process Explorer > Find > Find Handle > Enter the file or folder name in "Handle or DLL Substring" Dialogue box
Click on Search
Right Click on the handle and then click "Close Handle" > Press Yes when promoted.
Now you can successfully delete the file or folder you are trying to delete.
Windows XP Directory Structures
Windows XP Directory Structures
The Windows XP installation routine makes several changes to your hard drives. Windows XP uses two different partitions to store its information: a system partition and a boot partition. These partitions can exist on a single physical partition or on two physical partitions. Unfortunately, the way these terms are used is the reverse of common sense usage. The system partition is the partition containing the initial bootstrap components and the boot menu. The boot partition is the partition hosting the Windows XP root folder and all operational drivers and files.
The boot and system partition files can be located on the same partition, on different partitions, or even on different hard drives. However, the system partition must always be on the first hard drive in the system and must be an active primary partition. The boot partition can be a primary partition or a logical drive within an extended partition.
System Partition
Table 3.1 shows the files contained on the system partition for an x86 computer.
Table 3.1 Files Located on the System Partition for an x86 Computer
File
Description
NTLDR
Controls the operating system boot selection process and hardware detection before the actual Windows XP Kernel is launched. It requires that boot.ini, ntdetect.com, bootsect.dos (if dual booting), and ntbootdd.sys (if booting on a non-BIOS enabled SCSI drive; that is, scsi() is used instead of multi() in the ARC name in boot.ini) exist in the root system partition.
boot.ini
Contains the contents of the boot menu displayed by NTLDR. This file contains the default operating system selection, the timeout period for the selection, and an ARC name or pathname for each listed operating system boot selection.
ntdetect.com
Detects the major components of the computer before NTLDR selects a configuration and loads the Kernel.
bootsect.dos
Present only on dual-boot systems. NTLDR uses this file when the selected operating system is not Windows XP. Bootsect.dos in turn seeks out the OS-specific operating system loader file, such as io.sys for MS-DOS or os2ldr.exe for OS/2.
ntbootdd.sys
Used only on systems with SCSI drives that do not have on-board BIOS translation enabled. It is a copy of the device driver for your particular SCSI drive.
hiberfil.sys
Available if hibernation is enabled on the computer.
NOTE
When BOOTSECT.DOS is installed using the DOS-mode setup (for example, a Windows 98 startup disk), the file will still appear, even though it is not really a dual-boot system, meaning there is no COMMAND.com to boot into DOS. In this scenario, there is only one OS entry in the boot.ini file, and the boot selection menu does not appear.
For more information on the boot.ini file, see Chapter 7, "Booting Windows XP," p. 129.
Other files can appear in the system partition on x86 dual-boot and multi-boot systems. The addition of these files does not affect the function or capabilities of the required Windows XP boot files in the system partition. Installing multiple operating systems on a single computer with Windows XP Professional (or Home Edition) often requires a specific installation order or manual post-installation configuration changes. Both the Microsoft Windows XP documentation and TechNet include detailed articles on performing multi-boot setups with Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows Server 2003, Windows 95, Windows 98, MS-DOS, and OS/2.
Multi-booting Windows XP with non-Microsoft operating systems, such as Linux, often requires third-party boot and partition managers. For popular tools, see the "For More Information" section at the end of this chapter. Red Hat Linux contains two boot loaders—LILO and GRUB—that can also be used for a dual-boot configuration with Windows XP.
The system partition does not include any folders. It exists as a root folder only with three or more files. Having additional folders in the system partition does not affect the operation of boot files.
You might notice that the files in the system partition are among the files found on an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD). This should not be surprising because an ERD is used to restore files to the system partition if these files are corrupted, deleted, or otherwise destroyed.
Boot Partition
The directory structure and subsequent files installed into the boot partition are quite a bit more complex than those of the system partition. Table 3.2 describes the five folders created in the boot partition's root folder (normally the C:\ drive) during the installation of Windows XP.
Table 3.2 Folders Created by Windows XP in the Boot Partition's Root Folder
Directory
Description
Documents and
This folder is used to hold the configurations for each user
Settings
who accesses the system. In Windows NT, this information was stored in the \Windows\profiles folder.
Program Files
This folder is the default installation location for Windows applications.
System Volume Information
This folder stores all disk permission and security information.
Recycler
This is not a true folder; instead, it is the system-controlled temporary repository for deleted files. You can access its contents by launching the Recycle Bin tool from the desktop.Note that this folder does not appear until a file is deleted.
Windows
This is the main folder containing all the Windows XP system files, and the default folder for Windows XP.
The root of the boot partition is also the default location for pagefile.sys, which is the page file the Windows NT virtual memory system uses.
For information on how to tune Windows XP performance by placing and configuring the page file, see Chapter 22, "Tuning and Optimizing Windows XP," p. 485.
NOTE
The file and folder structure discussed in this chapter is derived from a fresh installation of Windows XP on an x86 desktop system with Service Pack 1 integrated. The typical installation method was chosen. No other applications from Microsoft or any third-party vendors were present on the system. That means no additional services or applications were installed from the Windows XP distribution CD, no hotfixes were applied, and Internet Explorer was not updated.
The Program Files folder is home to 16 subfolders:
Common Files. This folder contains files shared with the Microsoft applications.
ComPlus Applications. This folder contains files used by ComPlus applications. If there are no ComPlus applications installed on your XP machine, this folder will be empty. COM+ builds on the Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) integrated services and features, making it easier for developers to create and use software components in any language, using any tool.
Internet Explorer. This folder contains the files and executables for Internet Explorer, a Web-browsing tool.
Messenger. This folder contains files and executables for the new Windows Messenger Service. This service combines features found in MSN Messenger with an improved communications infrastructure.
Movie Maker. This folder contains the files and executables for the Movie Maker application.
MSN. This folder contains the files and executables for MSN Explorer, the new Internet connectivity tool from Microsoft that combines Web, e-mail services, and Internet setup services.
MSN Gaming Zone. This folder contains the files and executables for the MSN Gaming Zone.
NetMeeting. This folder contains all the files used by Microsoft NetMeeting.
Online Services. This folder contains files used to establish Internet connectivity. These files enable you to set up Internet access through MSN or to select another available Internet service provider.
Outlook Express. This folder contains all the files and executables needed by Microsoft Outlook Express, a simple e-mail application.
Uninstall Information. This is a hidden folder containing files and information for uninstall services.
Windows Media Player. This folder contains the Microsoft Media Player application.
Windows NT. This folder contains any applications that have been ported over from other Windows operating systems (such as Pinball). This folder has empty folders in it if the ported components were not selected during installation.
Windows Update. This folder contains all the files used by the Windows Update Service.
Xerox. This folder contains all the files used by Xerox applications. By default, this folder is empty.
The Windows root-level folder contains an extensive subfolder hierarchy but very few files. The Windows\System32 folder is the main repository of all files required to launch and operate Windows XP. The following files are among those stored in the Windows folder:
Wallpaper and tiling images (.bmp)
Initialization and configuration files for backward-compatibility with various 16-bit utilities and applications (.ini)
Readme, log, and documentation files (.txt, .log, and .wri)
The following is a listing of the subfolders under the Windows folder:
Addins. ActiveX controls files.
AppPatch. Contains application compatibility .dlls and Appfix packages.
Config. Contains configuration .idf files used by the MIDI sound system. Depending on system configuration, this folder might be empty.
Connection Wizard. Files used for establishing Internet connectivity. Can be an empty folder.
CSC. The Client Side Cache is where contents of mapped network drives are cached so that the contents of these drives will be available offline. By default, this folder contains empty folders.
Cursors. Contains static and animated cursor files. You can use these files by configuring the Mouse applet.
Debug. Contains .log files that can be used to debug network connectivity and other setup functions.
Downloaded Program Files. Contains ActiveX controls and Java applets that have been downloaded from the Internet.
Driver Cache. Contains a platform subdirectory and a copy of the driver.cab file so that new devices can be easily installed without needing the Windows XP CD. Might contain SP1.cab if installing an integrated copy of the operating system.
Fonts. Contains all installed fonts.
Help. Contains the help files used by the Windows XP Help system and all its native utilities.
Ime. Files to support the Input Method Editor. Provides language support for Windows XP.
Inf. Contains the .inf (system information) files used to install software components. This is a hidden folder.
Installer. The location for temporary files used by the Windows Installer program. This is a hidden folder.
Java. Folder structure for Java files.
Media. Contains media files (sound and video) used by sound themes.
Msagent. Microsoft agent files, which are software services that support using animated characters in the Windows interface to assist users in manipulating the operating system.
Msapps. Contains files for backward-compatibility with applications that use shared components.
Mui. MUI (Multilingual-User Interface) Packs give companies flexibility in making language options available to users.
Offline Web Pages. Any Web pages designated as offline accessible are stored in this folder, along with any images and other files that go with it.
PCHEALTH. Contains files and subfolders to support the Microsoft Help Center Service. These files support all the Windows XP Help services, including features such as Remote Desktop Assistance.
Prefetch. Contains the files that XP is tracking for prefetch execution. Caching frequently used files decreases startup time for applications and optimizes XP performance.
Registration. Contains files that support COM+ applications.
Repair. Contains backup copies of the permanent Registry hives. The NTBackup program updates this directory with the System State option.
Resources. Contains files to support the user's shell interface.
Security. Contains subfolders and files related to security. Includes log files that define the default security applied during setup and templates for assigning new security privileges.
Srchasst. Contains files and subfolders for Search Companion, the updated search assistant included with XP. Includes files to support an indexing function that improves search performance.
System. Contains 16-bit versions of protected and real mode drivers and .dll files used by applications. These files are provided for backward-compatibility with older applications. Additional 16-bit driver files can be stored in this folder.
System32. Contains the core operating system files and subfolder trees.
Tasks. Contains scheduled tasks that run without operator intervention.
Temp. Contains any temporary files used by the system and applications.
Twain_32. Contains files to support Twain technology, enabling a scanner document to be inserted into a file.
Web. Contains files and subfolders to support Internet printing and document access.
WinSxS. A folder to store the shared components of side-by-side applications. These can be multiple versions of the same application or the same assembly.
The System32 subfolder contains most of the files used by Windows XP. This is the primary storage location for DLLs, Control Panel applets (.cpl), device drivers (.drv), help files (.hlp and .cnt), MS-DOS utilities (.com), language support files (.nls), screensavers (.scr), setup information files (.inf), and a handful of other files used for support, configuration, or operation.
The most commonly accessed subfolders in Windows\System32 are described in the following list:
1025, 1028, 1031, 1033, etc. Contains locationization languages files. Most of these folders will be empty. The English language is 1033. The complete list of locale IDs can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/reference/loclanghome.mspx.
CatRoot. Contains security catalog files.
CatRoot2. Contains catalog database files.
Com. Contains COM object information.
Config. Contains the Registry hives used during bootup and is the storage location for the System, Security, and Application log files viewed through Event Viewer. Config now contains a new folder called \systemprofile that holds a standard profile for the local system.
DHCP. This is an empty folder used to hold Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) database files if the host becomes a DHCP server.
DirectX. Contains files to support the accelerated performance features of game devices.
Dllcache. Contains backup copies of the operating system files that are under the Windows File System Protection system.
Drivers. Contains driver files (.sys); the \etc folder contains sample copies of the TCP/IP text-based configuration files, such as Hosts and LMHosts files.
Export. This is an empty folder.
IAS. If there is no Internet connection capability, this is an empty folder used to hold configuration files for the Internet Authentication Service. This service is typically found on servers. If the machine has a device capable of connecting to the Internet, the IAS folder should not be empty. It will contain two files: DNARY.MDB (used to phrase IAS log files) and IAS.MDB (used to store remote access policies).
Icsxml. Contains files for Univeral Plug and Play.
IME. Contains files for Input Method Editors.
Intsrv. Contains files used by the World Wide Web service. This folder is empty.
Macromedia. Contains a subfolder with the Shockwave Flash .ocx file.
MsDTC. Contains Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator files that control transaction output and message delivery between two different applications or processes.
MUI. Contains Multilingual-User Interface files that are created by applications, such as Service Pack 1.
Os2. Contains drivers used by the OS/2 subsystem.
NPP. Contains files to support collecting network traffic from an XP PC by a Network Monitor server.
Oobe. Contains "Out of Box Experience" files that prompt users to complete product activation and registration and to create a new user other than Administrator. This feature is activated only after setup.
Ras. Contains the default scripts used by Dial-Up Networking.
Restore. Contains a list of files to be monitored and saved to an alternative location in case of file corruption. The System Restore service takes snapshots of the XP system periodically to enable the system to be restored from a previous set of data. This folder also contains the machine GUID.
Setup. Contains setup files for additional services, such as FrontPage Server Extensions and Microsoft Fax.
ShellExt. By default, this folder is empty.
Spool. Used by the printing system to store spooled print jobs and related files. The Printers subfolder is used to store spool files. The other folders found here vary based on printer drivers and configuration.
USMT. USMT stands for User State Migration Tool. This folder contains files to support both USMT and the File and Settings Transfer Wizard. Both tools enable user files and settings to be copied to another PC.
WBEM. Used by Web Based Enterprise Management to store its data and executable files and utilities. The Microsoft implementation of WBEM is the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Service. With WMI, programmers can create applications that control network devices, using the same commands regardless of platform.
Wins. Contains files to support the Windows Internet Name Service (WINS). This folder is empty
The Windows XP installation routine makes several changes to your hard drives. Windows XP uses two different partitions to store its information: a system partition and a boot partition. These partitions can exist on a single physical partition or on two physical partitions. Unfortunately, the way these terms are used is the reverse of common sense usage. The system partition is the partition containing the initial bootstrap components and the boot menu. The boot partition is the partition hosting the Windows XP root folder and all operational drivers and files.
The boot and system partition files can be located on the same partition, on different partitions, or even on different hard drives. However, the system partition must always be on the first hard drive in the system and must be an active primary partition. The boot partition can be a primary partition or a logical drive within an extended partition.
System Partition
Table 3.1 shows the files contained on the system partition for an x86 computer.
Table 3.1 Files Located on the System Partition for an x86 Computer
File
Description
NTLDR
Controls the operating system boot selection process and hardware detection before the actual Windows XP Kernel is launched. It requires that boot.ini, ntdetect.com, bootsect.dos (if dual booting), and ntbootdd.sys (if booting on a non-BIOS enabled SCSI drive; that is, scsi() is used instead of multi() in the ARC name in boot.ini) exist in the root system partition.
boot.ini
Contains the contents of the boot menu displayed by NTLDR. This file contains the default operating system selection, the timeout period for the selection, and an ARC name or pathname for each listed operating system boot selection.
ntdetect.com
Detects the major components of the computer before NTLDR selects a configuration and loads the Kernel.
bootsect.dos
Present only on dual-boot systems. NTLDR uses this file when the selected operating system is not Windows XP. Bootsect.dos in turn seeks out the OS-specific operating system loader file, such as io.sys for MS-DOS or os2ldr.exe for OS/2.
ntbootdd.sys
Used only on systems with SCSI drives that do not have on-board BIOS translation enabled. It is a copy of the device driver for your particular SCSI drive.
hiberfil.sys
Available if hibernation is enabled on the computer.
NOTE
When BOOTSECT.DOS is installed using the DOS-mode setup (for example, a Windows 98 startup disk), the file will still appear, even though it is not really a dual-boot system, meaning there is no COMMAND.com to boot into DOS. In this scenario, there is only one OS entry in the boot.ini file, and the boot selection menu does not appear.
For more information on the boot.ini file, see Chapter 7, "Booting Windows XP," p. 129.
Other files can appear in the system partition on x86 dual-boot and multi-boot systems. The addition of these files does not affect the function or capabilities of the required Windows XP boot files in the system partition. Installing multiple operating systems on a single computer with Windows XP Professional (or Home Edition) often requires a specific installation order or manual post-installation configuration changes. Both the Microsoft Windows XP documentation and TechNet include detailed articles on performing multi-boot setups with Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows Server 2003, Windows 95, Windows 98, MS-DOS, and OS/2.
Multi-booting Windows XP with non-Microsoft operating systems, such as Linux, often requires third-party boot and partition managers. For popular tools, see the "For More Information" section at the end of this chapter. Red Hat Linux contains two boot loaders—LILO and GRUB—that can also be used for a dual-boot configuration with Windows XP.
The system partition does not include any folders. It exists as a root folder only with three or more files. Having additional folders in the system partition does not affect the operation of boot files.
You might notice that the files in the system partition are among the files found on an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD). This should not be surprising because an ERD is used to restore files to the system partition if these files are corrupted, deleted, or otherwise destroyed.
Boot Partition
The directory structure and subsequent files installed into the boot partition are quite a bit more complex than those of the system partition. Table 3.2 describes the five folders created in the boot partition's root folder (normally the C:\ drive) during the installation of Windows XP.
Table 3.2 Folders Created by Windows XP in the Boot Partition's Root Folder
Directory
Description
Documents and
This folder is used to hold the configurations for each user
Settings
who accesses the system. In Windows NT, this information was stored in the \Windows\profiles folder.
Program Files
This folder is the default installation location for Windows applications.
System Volume Information
This folder stores all disk permission and security information.
Recycler
This is not a true folder; instead, it is the system-controlled temporary repository for deleted files. You can access its contents by launching the Recycle Bin tool from the desktop.Note that this folder does not appear until a file is deleted.
Windows
This is the main folder containing all the Windows XP system files, and the default folder for Windows XP.
The root of the boot partition is also the default location for pagefile.sys, which is the page file the Windows NT virtual memory system uses.
For information on how to tune Windows XP performance by placing and configuring the page file, see Chapter 22, "Tuning and Optimizing Windows XP," p. 485.
NOTE
The file and folder structure discussed in this chapter is derived from a fresh installation of Windows XP on an x86 desktop system with Service Pack 1 integrated. The typical installation method was chosen. No other applications from Microsoft or any third-party vendors were present on the system. That means no additional services or applications were installed from the Windows XP distribution CD, no hotfixes were applied, and Internet Explorer was not updated.
The Program Files folder is home to 16 subfolders:
Common Files. This folder contains files shared with the Microsoft applications.
ComPlus Applications. This folder contains files used by ComPlus applications. If there are no ComPlus applications installed on your XP machine, this folder will be empty. COM+ builds on the Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) integrated services and features, making it easier for developers to create and use software components in any language, using any tool.
Internet Explorer. This folder contains the files and executables for Internet Explorer, a Web-browsing tool.
Messenger. This folder contains files and executables for the new Windows Messenger Service. This service combines features found in MSN Messenger with an improved communications infrastructure.
Movie Maker. This folder contains the files and executables for the Movie Maker application.
MSN. This folder contains the files and executables for MSN Explorer, the new Internet connectivity tool from Microsoft that combines Web, e-mail services, and Internet setup services.
MSN Gaming Zone. This folder contains the files and executables for the MSN Gaming Zone.
NetMeeting. This folder contains all the files used by Microsoft NetMeeting.
Online Services. This folder contains files used to establish Internet connectivity. These files enable you to set up Internet access through MSN or to select another available Internet service provider.
Outlook Express. This folder contains all the files and executables needed by Microsoft Outlook Express, a simple e-mail application.
Uninstall Information. This is a hidden folder containing files and information for uninstall services.
Windows Media Player. This folder contains the Microsoft Media Player application.
Windows NT. This folder contains any applications that have been ported over from other Windows operating systems (such as Pinball). This folder has empty folders in it if the ported components were not selected during installation.
Windows Update. This folder contains all the files used by the Windows Update Service.
Xerox. This folder contains all the files used by Xerox applications. By default, this folder is empty.
The Windows root-level folder contains an extensive subfolder hierarchy but very few files. The Windows\System32 folder is the main repository of all files required to launch and operate Windows XP. The following files are among those stored in the Windows folder:
Wallpaper and tiling images (.bmp)
Initialization and configuration files for backward-compatibility with various 16-bit utilities and applications (.ini)
Readme, log, and documentation files (.txt, .log, and .wri)
The following is a listing of the subfolders under the Windows folder:
Addins. ActiveX controls files.
AppPatch. Contains application compatibility .dlls and Appfix packages.
Config. Contains configuration .idf files used by the MIDI sound system. Depending on system configuration, this folder might be empty.
Connection Wizard. Files used for establishing Internet connectivity. Can be an empty folder.
CSC. The Client Side Cache is where contents of mapped network drives are cached so that the contents of these drives will be available offline. By default, this folder contains empty folders.
Cursors. Contains static and animated cursor files. You can use these files by configuring the Mouse applet.
Debug. Contains .log files that can be used to debug network connectivity and other setup functions.
Downloaded Program Files. Contains ActiveX controls and Java applets that have been downloaded from the Internet.
Driver Cache. Contains a platform subdirectory and a copy of the driver.cab file so that new devices can be easily installed without needing the Windows XP CD. Might contain SP1.cab if installing an integrated copy of the operating system.
Fonts. Contains all installed fonts.
Help. Contains the help files used by the Windows XP Help system and all its native utilities.
Ime. Files to support the Input Method Editor. Provides language support for Windows XP.
Inf. Contains the .inf (system information) files used to install software components. This is a hidden folder.
Installer. The location for temporary files used by the Windows Installer program. This is a hidden folder.
Java. Folder structure for Java files.
Media. Contains media files (sound and video) used by sound themes.
Msagent. Microsoft agent files, which are software services that support using animated characters in the Windows interface to assist users in manipulating the operating system.
Msapps. Contains files for backward-compatibility with applications that use shared components.
Mui. MUI (Multilingual-User Interface) Packs give companies flexibility in making language options available to users.
Offline Web Pages. Any Web pages designated as offline accessible are stored in this folder, along with any images and other files that go with it.
PCHEALTH. Contains files and subfolders to support the Microsoft Help Center Service. These files support all the Windows XP Help services, including features such as Remote Desktop Assistance.
Prefetch. Contains the files that XP is tracking for prefetch execution. Caching frequently used files decreases startup time for applications and optimizes XP performance.
Registration. Contains files that support COM+ applications.
Repair. Contains backup copies of the permanent Registry hives. The NTBackup program updates this directory with the System State option.
Resources. Contains files to support the user's shell interface.
Security. Contains subfolders and files related to security. Includes log files that define the default security applied during setup and templates for assigning new security privileges.
Srchasst. Contains files and subfolders for Search Companion, the updated search assistant included with XP. Includes files to support an indexing function that improves search performance.
System. Contains 16-bit versions of protected and real mode drivers and .dll files used by applications. These files are provided for backward-compatibility with older applications. Additional 16-bit driver files can be stored in this folder.
System32. Contains the core operating system files and subfolder trees.
Tasks. Contains scheduled tasks that run without operator intervention.
Temp. Contains any temporary files used by the system and applications.
Twain_32. Contains files to support Twain technology, enabling a scanner document to be inserted into a file.
Web. Contains files and subfolders to support Internet printing and document access.
WinSxS. A folder to store the shared components of side-by-side applications. These can be multiple versions of the same application or the same assembly.
The System32 subfolder contains most of the files used by Windows XP. This is the primary storage location for DLLs, Control Panel applets (.cpl), device drivers (.drv), help files (.hlp and .cnt), MS-DOS utilities (.com), language support files (.nls), screensavers (.scr), setup information files (.inf), and a handful of other files used for support, configuration, or operation.
The most commonly accessed subfolders in Windows\System32 are described in the following list:
1025, 1028, 1031, 1033, etc. Contains locationization languages files. Most of these folders will be empty. The English language is 1033. The complete list of locale IDs can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/reference/loclanghome.mspx.
CatRoot. Contains security catalog files.
CatRoot2. Contains catalog database files.
Com. Contains COM object information.
Config. Contains the Registry hives used during bootup and is the storage location for the System, Security, and Application log files viewed through Event Viewer. Config now contains a new folder called \systemprofile that holds a standard profile for the local system.
DHCP. This is an empty folder used to hold Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) database files if the host becomes a DHCP server.
DirectX. Contains files to support the accelerated performance features of game devices.
Dllcache. Contains backup copies of the operating system files that are under the Windows File System Protection system.
Drivers. Contains driver files (.sys); the \etc folder contains sample copies of the TCP/IP text-based configuration files, such as Hosts and LMHosts files.
Export. This is an empty folder.
IAS. If there is no Internet connection capability, this is an empty folder used to hold configuration files for the Internet Authentication Service. This service is typically found on servers. If the machine has a device capable of connecting to the Internet, the IAS folder should not be empty. It will contain two files: DNARY.MDB (used to phrase IAS log files) and IAS.MDB (used to store remote access policies).
Icsxml. Contains files for Univeral Plug and Play.
IME. Contains files for Input Method Editors.
Intsrv. Contains files used by the World Wide Web service. This folder is empty.
Macromedia. Contains a subfolder with the Shockwave Flash .ocx file.
MsDTC. Contains Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator files that control transaction output and message delivery between two different applications or processes.
MUI. Contains Multilingual-User Interface files that are created by applications, such as Service Pack 1.
Os2. Contains drivers used by the OS/2 subsystem.
NPP. Contains files to support collecting network traffic from an XP PC by a Network Monitor server.
Oobe. Contains "Out of Box Experience" files that prompt users to complete product activation and registration and to create a new user other than Administrator. This feature is activated only after setup.
Ras. Contains the default scripts used by Dial-Up Networking.
Restore. Contains a list of files to be monitored and saved to an alternative location in case of file corruption. The System Restore service takes snapshots of the XP system periodically to enable the system to be restored from a previous set of data. This folder also contains the machine GUID.
Setup. Contains setup files for additional services, such as FrontPage Server Extensions and Microsoft Fax.
ShellExt. By default, this folder is empty.
Spool. Used by the printing system to store spooled print jobs and related files. The Printers subfolder is used to store spool files. The other folders found here vary based on printer drivers and configuration.
USMT. USMT stands for User State Migration Tool. This folder contains files to support both USMT and the File and Settings Transfer Wizard. Both tools enable user files and settings to be copied to another PC.
WBEM. Used by Web Based Enterprise Management to store its data and executable files and utilities. The Microsoft implementation of WBEM is the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Service. With WMI, programmers can create applications that control network devices, using the same commands regardless of platform.
Wins. Contains files to support the Windows Internet Name Service (WINS). This folder is empty
Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Today i came across with an error.when i open the internet explorer
Error:
Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Solution: WindowsXP-KB946627-x86-ENU this patch will solve this error
If you've experienced this crash, visit Windows Update or download the patch from Knowledge Base article 946627 to fix this issue. Once you install this update to Microsoft's recent IE cumulative rollup, you should no longer see this problem.
Error:
Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Solution: WindowsXP-KB946627-x86-ENU this patch will solve this error
If you've experienced this crash, visit Windows Update or download the patch from Knowledge Base article 946627 to fix this issue. Once you install this update to Microsoft's recent IE cumulative rollup, you should no longer see this problem.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Windows XP Professional Top Knowledge Base Articles
Windows XP Professional Top Knowledge Base Articles
Updated: March 31, 2003
Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks (310994)
Windows XP Setup boot disks are available only by download from Microsoft. The Setup boot disks are available so that you can run Setup on computers that do not support a bootable CD-ROM.
How to Create a Multiple-Boot System with Windows XP (306559)
This article explains how to set up Windows XP as a multiple-boot system.
Start Menu and Favorites Menu Are Not Listed in Alphabetical Order (177482)
When you view the Start menu and the Favorites menu, the shortcuts and folders may not be in alphabetical order and new shortcuts that you create may be added to the bottom of the menu.
Windows Media Player Invalid File Format Error Message (234019)
When you attempt to play a file with Windows Media Player, you may receive one or more of the following error messages: Invalid File Format. (Error=8004022F); cannot play back the file. The format is not supported. (Error=80040265); cannot play back the video stream: no suitable decompressor could be found. (Error=80040255).
Error Message: Unable to Download an Appropriate Decompressor (230687)
When you try to play a file with Microsoft Windows Media Player and the required decompressor is not installed on the computer, you may receive one of the following error messages: Unable to download an appropriate decompressor. (Error=80040200) -or- One or more codecs required to open this content could not be found. (Error=C00D10D1).
How to Obtain the Latest Windows XP Service Pack (322389)
Windows XP updates are distributed in service packs. Service packs help to keep Windows XP current, and extend and update the functionality of your computer. Service packs are cumulative; each new service pack contains all of the fixes that are included with previous service packs and any new fixes.
List of Bugs That Are Fixed in Windows XP Service Packs (324720)
This article provides a list of the bugs that were fixed in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Service Pack 1a (SP1a). Service packs are cumulative. This means that the bugs that are fixed in a service pack are also fixed in later service packs.
"File Open" Error Message Using Windows Media Player (234292)
When you type the name of a file to play with Windows Media Player, you may receive one or more of the following error messages: Cannot open file (Error=80040216); Cannot open 'http://Servername/Path/Filename.asf'. Please verify that the path and filename are correct and try again.(Error=80070002).
Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry (256986)
This article describes the registry. This article also includes information about how to edit the registry, and lists references for additional information.
Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks (310994)
Windows XP Setup boot disks are available only by download from Microsoft. The Setup boot disks are available so that you can run Setup on computers that do not support a bootable CD-ROM. If your computer does support booting from a CD-ROM, or if network-based installation is available, Microsoft recommends that you use those installations methods instead.
How to Troubleshoot Hardware and Software Driver Problems in Windows XP (322205)
After you install a new hardware device or new software, your computer may start to restart spontaneously, or you may receive error messages on a blue screen.
Windows XP Documentation Update Can Help You Understand How to Make Your Computer More Secure (327405)
A documentation update is available from Microsoft to help you to understand how to configure your Windows XP-based computer to make it more secure. You can use this information to make your computer more secure when you are using the Internet or you are sharing files with other people.
Media Player Cannot Play .avi File Using Indeo 4.x Codec (191533)
When you try to play an audio-video interleave (.avi) file compressed with the Indeo 4.x codec, the file may be displayed incorrectly or not at all in the Media Player tool included with Windows 98.
Release Notes for Windows XP Service Pack 1 (324722)
This article contains a list of Microsoft Knowledge Base article numbers for release notes and known issues with Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Service Pack 1a (SP1a).
Media Player Cannot Establish a Connection to the Server (235901)
When you attempt to play a file stored on a remote computer with Windows Media Player, you may receive one or more of the following error messages: Could not connect to server. (Error=C00D0006); There was no timely response from server. (Error=C00D0013); The server session limit was exceeded. (Error=C00D000F).
Macromedia Flash Player 5.0 Causes an Error Message in Windows XP (320219)
When you try to use Macromedia Flash Player version 5.0, your computer may become unstable, Microsoft Internet Explorer may stop responding (hang), or you may receive the following error message or an error message that is similar to it: Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and must be shut down.
Error Message: Cannot Play Back the Video Stream... (156286)
When you attempt to play a video movie file with ActiveMovie or Media Player, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms: you are unable to hear the audio while playing a movie; you are unable to see the video while playing a video.
Error C00D0029 Using Windows Media Player (234904)
While you are viewing multimedia content with Windows Media Player, one of the following error messages may appear: The connection to the server has been lost. (Error=C00D0029); Cannot open http://www.domainname.com/filename. Please verify that the path and filename are correct and try again. (Error=C00D0029).
HOW TO: Back Up, Edit, and Restore the Registry in Windows XP (322756)
This step-by-step article describes how to back up, edit, and restore the registry in Windows XP. Microsoft recommends that before you edit the registry, you back up the registry and understand how to restore it if a problem occurs.
DirectX 8.1 Potential Issues in Games That Use Software Vertex Processing (321178)
Under very rare circumstances, games that use the Software Fixed Function Transform and Lighting functionality in DirectX 8.1 may stop responding (hang) while you play a game.
Err Msg: No Combination of Filters Could Be Found to Render... (195880)
When you attempt to play an .avi or .mpg file using Microsoft ActiveMovie or Microsoft Windows Media Player, you may receive the following error message: No combination of filters could be found to render the stream.
HOW TO: Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You Upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me (310064)
This article describes troubleshooting steps that you can use if you have problems when you try to upgrade to Windows XP from Microsoft Windows 98, from Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, or from Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me).
HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP (307654)
The Windows Recovery console is designed to help you recover when your Windows-Based computer does not start properly or does not start at all. If Safe mode and other startup options do not work, you can consider using the Recovery Console. This method is recommended only if you are an advanced user who can use basic commands to identify and locate problem drivers and files. In addition, you must be an administrator to use the Recovery Console.
The Computer Cannot Enter Standby or Hibernate If a Direct3D-Based Screen Saver Is Running (306676)
If the 3D Flowerbox, 3D Flying Objects, 3D Pipes, 3D Text, or another Direct3D-based screen saver is running in Windows XP, the computer may be unable to enter standby or hibernation by using the timer in Power Management properties. This issue is not video adapter-dependent.
HOW TO: Change the Volume Licensing Product Key on a Windows XP SP1-Based Computer (328874)
This article describes how to change the Windows XP product key in a Volume Licensing installation. Because of changes in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows XP-based computers that use a leaked product key that is known to be available to the general public may not be able to install SP1 or automatically obtain updates from the Windows Update Web site.
Windows Media Player Multimedia File Formats (316992)
This article describes the multimedia file types that are supported by Microsoft Windows Media Player, and it provides a sample of most of these file types. If problems occur when you play a supported file type from another source, Microsoft recommends that you try a sample file from this article that has the same extension. If you can play the sample file, there may be a problem with the file from the other source that you are trying to play.
How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from Starting (307545)
This step-by-step article describes how to back up, edit, and restore the registry in Windows XP. Microsoft recommends that before you edit the registry, you back up the registry and understand how to restore it if a problem occurs
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=&fr=1
Copy and past the above address to the internet explorer
In search tab copy past the article number
Updated: March 31, 2003
Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks (310994)
Windows XP Setup boot disks are available only by download from Microsoft. The Setup boot disks are available so that you can run Setup on computers that do not support a bootable CD-ROM.
How to Create a Multiple-Boot System with Windows XP (306559)
This article explains how to set up Windows XP as a multiple-boot system.
Start Menu and Favorites Menu Are Not Listed in Alphabetical Order (177482)
When you view the Start menu and the Favorites menu, the shortcuts and folders may not be in alphabetical order and new shortcuts that you create may be added to the bottom of the menu.
Windows Media Player Invalid File Format Error Message (234019)
When you attempt to play a file with Windows Media Player, you may receive one or more of the following error messages: Invalid File Format. (Error=8004022F); cannot play back the file. The format is not supported. (Error=80040265); cannot play back the video stream: no suitable decompressor could be found. (Error=80040255).
Error Message: Unable to Download an Appropriate Decompressor (230687)
When you try to play a file with Microsoft Windows Media Player and the required decompressor is not installed on the computer, you may receive one of the following error messages: Unable to download an appropriate decompressor. (Error=80040200) -or- One or more codecs required to open this content could not be found. (Error=C00D10D1).
How to Obtain the Latest Windows XP Service Pack (322389)
Windows XP updates are distributed in service packs. Service packs help to keep Windows XP current, and extend and update the functionality of your computer. Service packs are cumulative; each new service pack contains all of the fixes that are included with previous service packs and any new fixes.
List of Bugs That Are Fixed in Windows XP Service Packs (324720)
This article provides a list of the bugs that were fixed in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Service Pack 1a (SP1a). Service packs are cumulative. This means that the bugs that are fixed in a service pack are also fixed in later service packs.
"File Open" Error Message Using Windows Media Player (234292)
When you type the name of a file to play with Windows Media Player, you may receive one or more of the following error messages: Cannot open file (Error=80040216); Cannot open 'http://Servername/Path/Filename.asf'. Please verify that the path and filename are correct and try again.(Error=80070002).
Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry (256986)
This article describes the registry. This article also includes information about how to edit the registry, and lists references for additional information.
Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks (310994)
Windows XP Setup boot disks are available only by download from Microsoft. The Setup boot disks are available so that you can run Setup on computers that do not support a bootable CD-ROM. If your computer does support booting from a CD-ROM, or if network-based installation is available, Microsoft recommends that you use those installations methods instead.
How to Troubleshoot Hardware and Software Driver Problems in Windows XP (322205)
After you install a new hardware device or new software, your computer may start to restart spontaneously, or you may receive error messages on a blue screen.
Windows XP Documentation Update Can Help You Understand How to Make Your Computer More Secure (327405)
A documentation update is available from Microsoft to help you to understand how to configure your Windows XP-based computer to make it more secure. You can use this information to make your computer more secure when you are using the Internet or you are sharing files with other people.
Media Player Cannot Play .avi File Using Indeo 4.x Codec (191533)
When you try to play an audio-video interleave (.avi) file compressed with the Indeo 4.x codec, the file may be displayed incorrectly or not at all in the Media Player tool included with Windows 98.
Release Notes for Windows XP Service Pack 1 (324722)
This article contains a list of Microsoft Knowledge Base article numbers for release notes and known issues with Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Service Pack 1a (SP1a).
Media Player Cannot Establish a Connection to the Server (235901)
When you attempt to play a file stored on a remote computer with Windows Media Player, you may receive one or more of the following error messages: Could not connect to server. (Error=C00D0006); There was no timely response from server. (Error=C00D0013); The server session limit was exceeded. (Error=C00D000F).
Macromedia Flash Player 5.0 Causes an Error Message in Windows XP (320219)
When you try to use Macromedia Flash Player version 5.0, your computer may become unstable, Microsoft Internet Explorer may stop responding (hang), or you may receive the following error message or an error message that is similar to it: Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and must be shut down.
Error Message: Cannot Play Back the Video Stream... (156286)
When you attempt to play a video movie file with ActiveMovie or Media Player, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms: you are unable to hear the audio while playing a movie; you are unable to see the video while playing a video.
Error C00D0029 Using Windows Media Player (234904)
While you are viewing multimedia content with Windows Media Player, one of the following error messages may appear: The connection to the server has been lost. (Error=C00D0029); Cannot open http://www.domainname.com/filename. Please verify that the path and filename are correct and try again. (Error=C00D0029).
HOW TO: Back Up, Edit, and Restore the Registry in Windows XP (322756)
This step-by-step article describes how to back up, edit, and restore the registry in Windows XP. Microsoft recommends that before you edit the registry, you back up the registry and understand how to restore it if a problem occurs.
DirectX 8.1 Potential Issues in Games That Use Software Vertex Processing (321178)
Under very rare circumstances, games that use the Software Fixed Function Transform and Lighting functionality in DirectX 8.1 may stop responding (hang) while you play a game.
Err Msg: No Combination of Filters Could Be Found to Render... (195880)
When you attempt to play an .avi or .mpg file using Microsoft ActiveMovie or Microsoft Windows Media Player, you may receive the following error message: No combination of filters could be found to render the stream.
HOW TO: Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You Upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me (310064)
This article describes troubleshooting steps that you can use if you have problems when you try to upgrade to Windows XP from Microsoft Windows 98, from Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, or from Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me).
HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP (307654)
The Windows Recovery console is designed to help you recover when your Windows-Based computer does not start properly or does not start at all. If Safe mode and other startup options do not work, you can consider using the Recovery Console. This method is recommended only if you are an advanced user who can use basic commands to identify and locate problem drivers and files. In addition, you must be an administrator to use the Recovery Console.
The Computer Cannot Enter Standby or Hibernate If a Direct3D-Based Screen Saver Is Running (306676)
If the 3D Flowerbox, 3D Flying Objects, 3D Pipes, 3D Text, or another Direct3D-based screen saver is running in Windows XP, the computer may be unable to enter standby or hibernation by using the timer in Power Management properties. This issue is not video adapter-dependent.
HOW TO: Change the Volume Licensing Product Key on a Windows XP SP1-Based Computer (328874)
This article describes how to change the Windows XP product key in a Volume Licensing installation. Because of changes in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows XP-based computers that use a leaked product key that is known to be available to the general public may not be able to install SP1 or automatically obtain updates from the Windows Update Web site.
Windows Media Player Multimedia File Formats (316992)
This article describes the multimedia file types that are supported by Microsoft Windows Media Player, and it provides a sample of most of these file types. If problems occur when you play a supported file type from another source, Microsoft recommends that you try a sample file from this article that has the same extension. If you can play the sample file, there may be a problem with the file from the other source that you are trying to play.
How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from Starting (307545)
This step-by-step article describes how to back up, edit, and restore the registry in Windows XP. Microsoft recommends that before you edit the registry, you back up the registry and understand how to restore it if a problem occurs
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=&fr=1
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In search tab copy past the article number
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