Carey Holzman has spent years troubleshooting Windows systems. Here he shares a few of his collected problems and solutions that might help you with your Windows-based computer.
Problem: I get an error message when I load Outlook Express (IE5.5 SP1) for the first time – “Explorer has caused an error in COMCTL32.DLL. Explorer will close…” And pretty much everything closes down. It’s fine thereafter.
Possible Solution: It’s a bug in the PGP plugin for Outlook Express. In versions after 6.5.8 (e.g. 7.0), it *might* be fixed. Since I really don’t rely on the plugin, I merely installed PGP without it and it works fine. If I need to unscramble a news item, I just decrypt the current window from PGPTray.
Problem: Content Advisor was enabled. I would like to disable it. I cannot just click the DISABLE button… I need to go into settings. Each time I go into Tools | Internet Options | Content | Settings and deselect the second check mark about users not having to type a password, and click APPLY, I can then DISABLE (after typing my password). However, when I exit IE and then reopen, Content Advisor is again enabled. How can I completely disable the content advisor so I don’t keep getting the pop-up menu about “check settings for content advisor” each time I access the Internet?
Possible Solution: The password is held in the HKEY LOCAL MACHINESOFTWAREMICROSOFTWindowsCurrent VersionPoliciesRatings in a key
labeled “key.” Delete this key and it will set the password to blank. Next, find and delete the file Ratings.pol. You’ve just deleted your original Content Advisor password. Restart the computer and run Internet Explorer again. Choose View, Internet Options, click on the Content tab, and click on Disable. When asked for a password, don’t enter anything, just click on OK. This will disable Content Advisor, since there’s no longer a password. You can enable it again if you want as soon as you think up a more memorable password.
Problem: Can you tell me how to add or remove entries that are listed when right clicking the start button? Is it a registry hack?
Possible Solution: Yes it is a registry hack.
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryShell
Everything in here is what is listed when your right click on the Start button.
To remove an entry just delete the Key.
To add an entry, do this: (As and example I will add a Notepad option)
1) Right click on the “shell” Key and select New->Key.
2) Name the new Key “Notepad.”
3) In the default string enter “Notepad” in the data field. (This is the name that will appear when you right click on the Start button.)
4) Right click on the “Notepad” key you just created and select
New->Key and name the new key “command”
5) For the default string type in “c:windowsnotepad.exe” in the data field. (Enter whatever command you want to run when you click on the item, after right clicking on the Start button.)
This is just and example of using the Notepad command, but you could really do it for any application on the windows system.
Problem: In the My Computer window, when I click on Map Network Drive and select the next available Drive letter, and then select the path that is HOMEC, I can either check, or leave the Reconnect at logon box and it doesn’t make a difference. I don’t get any error message. But I also don’t see the mapped drive.
I can access the ME C drive from the 98 machine through Network Neighborhood, but why can’t I see it as a Network Drive?
Possible Solution: Is Tweak UI installed? If so, run it and go to the My Computer tab. Make sure that your chosen drive letter is enabled.
Problem: Using either the AT&T dialer, a connectiod with the AT&T number or a connectoid to the local free service (ALL which worked previously) the modem dials, logs on and then seems to stop any sending/receiving of data. It’s as if the computer doesn’t know it’s connected to the Internet. When I try to browse any web pages (using IE) I get “Page cannot be displayed”
Trying to send/receive email (Outlook Express) gets “Server not found.” Pinging web name addresses and IP addresses gets “unknown host.”
Possible Solution: The “Unknown host” message from “ping” indicates that DNS name resolution is failing. Since it’s happening with two different ISPs, it’s probably not a problem in either DUN connection. To confirm this theory, connect to an ISP, go to a command prompt, and enter:
ping 216.32.74.51
ping www.yahoo.com
If the first one succeeds and the second one fails, there’s a good TCP/IP connection but no name resolution. In that case, try this fix:
Go to Control Panel | Internet Options | Connections. If there’s a LAN Settings button, click it, then clear all of the boxes on that screen.
If that doesn’t help, try this:
1. Un-install Dial-Up Networking. Don’t reboot.
2. Delete registry key HLMSystemCurrentControlSetServicesWinsock2
3. Re-install Dial-Up Networking.
4. Reboot.
Problem: My firewall (ZoneAlarm) and it telling me that explorer.exe is trying to connect to 239.255.255.250 port 1900. Do you know anything about this?
Possible Solution: Take a look at this MSKB article, it may help.
Q262458 – Description of Universal Plug and Play Features in Windows Me
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q262/4/58.asp
Q276507 – How to Enable the Universal Plug and Play Feature in Windows Millennium Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q276/5/07.asp
Problem: Help! I deleted SULFNBK.EXE because of the email hoax suggesting it (http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/sulfnbk.exe.warning.html). How do I restore this file?
Possible Solution: Click Start, click Run, type MSCONFIG (hit enter), click the button labeled “Extract File.” For the name of the file you want to restore, type SULFNBK.EXE. Restore from your Windows Millennium CD (if your CD is your D: drive, type: D:WIN9X). Save File In: C:WINDOWSCOMMAND
Carey Holzman owns and operates Discount Computer Repair (602-527-9723) in Phoenix, Arizona, where he offers repairs, upgrades, custom built PCs and network wiring at highly competitive pricing. His networking tips have appeared in David Strom’s book, The Home Networking Survival Guide (McGraw/Hill), and his own book on PC maintenance is currently available at local book stores, amazon.com or directly through him. His free informative web site can be found at http://www.careyholzman.com. Donate $30 to help maintain his site and you’ll get a free autographed copy of his book. Carey can be reached directly at carey@careyholzman.com.
Ask Carey a Question! Free Windows help is just a click away.
