Five-Minute Fixes
Rapid relief for balky PCs, stuck Windows, stalled networks, recalcitrant printers, and your other everyday computing hassles.
Kirk Steers
Windows Treatments
A Stitch in Time
Quick fix #1: Go to the Windows Update site to download the latest patches for your version. To configure Windows XP to automatically download and install updates, right-click My Computer, select Properties, Automatic Updates, and click Automatic (recommended). In Windows 2000 and Me, open Control Panel, double-click Automatic Updates, make sure 'Keep my computer up to date' is checked, and choose one of the three options under Settings. For Windows 98, go to the Windows Update site and download the Critical Update Notification utility.
Most Windows patches deal with security holes, but the update service also adds support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, the latest DirectX versions, and other new technologies.
Quick fix #2: Roll back Windows 2000 or XP to the last time your PC worked by launching in Safe Mode. Restart your PC and press F8 to bring up the Windows Advanced Options. Select Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked) and press Enter.
If that doesn't do the trick, you can restore even earlier settings in Windows XP and Me by using System Restore. Click Start, All Programs (Programs in Me), Accessories, System Tools, System Restore and choose Restore my computer to an earlier time. Click Next, select a recent date checkpoint (see FIGURE 1), and then proceed through the rest of the System Restore wizard.
Bad XP Prescription?
Problem: Since you installed Windows XP Service Pack 2, your PC seems slower, and several programs have started acting strangely.
Quick fix #1: Often the fix is as simple as a driver update. Click here to read Microsoft's list of programs with SP2 compatibility issues.
Quick fix #2: SP2 is an improvement, but it isn't for everybody. Read Scott Spanbauer's "Is XP's Fix Safe?" from last November's issue. To uninstall SP2, open Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, choose Windows XP Service Pack 2, and click Remove. Keep in mind, however, that any programs you installed with SP2 running may need to be reinstalled.
