Crazy Error Messages

ScanDisk keeps telling me that an FSInfoSector error was detected and corrected. If it was corrected, how come it keeps coming back? And how can I correct it permanently?

Mike Greene, Alexandria, Virginia

There are a lot of crazy error messages that can crop up. I'll explain yours as well as two other confusing ones.

FSInfoSector is where FAT32 stores file system information. When Windows fails to shut down correctly, this sector gets corrupted. The next time you run ScanDisk, the problem is detected and fixed, and you get a message telling you so.

If you're getting frequent FSInfoSector errors, chances are Windows isn't shutting down properly. Try closing all your programs before shutting Windows down to see if that solves the problem. And be sure not to turn off your system until Windows says it's ready to be shut down (or until your system has shut itself down, if it is set to do so).

Some error messages can be needlessly alarming. One of my favorite examples of such overstatements is Microsoft's choice of the words fatal exception, as in 'A fatal exception xx has occurred at yyyy:yyyyyyyy'. To my knowledge, a fatal exception has never killed anyone--outside of Redmond, Washington, that is.

The error message is really trying to tell you that something stepped on a part of memory where it didn't belong, or on a part that has gone bad. If this error happens only occasionally, don't worry about it. If it happens a lot, however, enter Safe mode by following the steps described in the previous tip and see if the error recurs. If the problem goes away in Safe mode, the source is most likely a bad driver. Browse to your device vendors' Web sites for updates.

On the other hand, the error may be the result of a defective RAM chip. In that case, you might be able to correct the problem by entering your PC Setup program (press the appropriate key when your computer starts; your system should tell you which key that is). Then either adjust your memory wait states or turn off your motherboard's L2 cache. There are many different PC Setup programs, so I can't give you exact instructions on how to find the specific settings, but it's not difficult. If the problem persists, consider replacing your RAM.

Another message that confuses people is one in Windows 2000 and XP announcing that a program 'has generated errors and will be closed by Windows' and that 'An error log is being created'.

That log is in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\DrWatson, and its name is drwtsn32.log. Double-click it to open it in Notepad, but don't expect it to be much help. Only a tech can decipher its gobbledygook. See this month's Windows Tips for more on Windows XP's error reporting.

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