The Fake Geek

Problem:One day you turn on your computer and have the computer tell you that it’s missing “\windows\system32\config\system” Nothing you do gets windows to boot normally.

Fix: Multiple causes. Read on.

This error might happen for a variety of reasons so I’ll post a few methods on dealing with this starting with the simplest and most obvious to the more complex.

FIRST METHOD:

1. Take a look around at your computer. Try to remember if you bought any new printers, video cards or any other type of device that plugs into the computer recently.
2. Unplug them. The new devices might be causing this error.
3. Unplug any USB devices or extension devices using serial or parallel connectors.
4. Reboot and see if that works.

SECOND METHOD:

1. This could be a bad hard drive. Download hard drive diagnostics software from your drive manufacturer and run the “extended” or “full” tests.
2. If the software points to the drive being defective then you’ve gotta get a new hard drive.

THIRD METHOD:

1. You need to load into the Windows recovery console using your Windows XP OS Disc. I’ll assume you know how to do this. (If you don’t it’s really easy, just ask me on the forums and I’ll be glad to outline the steps.)
2. Making sure you’re logged into the proper windows installation, type in “chkdsk /r.” This will force windows to do a thorough disk check and fix any errors it finds.
3. After it is done try booting into windows.

FORTH METHOD:

Try the registry resetting method from Microsoft Knowledge Base article 307545.

How to explain this problem to the client: This was caused by something breaking or corrupted a part of windows. It could be caused by a bad hard drive or another means like a virus or improper installation/uninstall of a program.

Good luck and tell me how it goes on the forums.

Problem:You try to boot into windows and it blue screens on you. Being a clever fellow you try safe mode and everything seems to be going great until the computer seemingly freezes when loading something called agp400.sys

Fix: Disable the video card driver using the Windows XP Recovery Console.

This problem is caused by an incompatible video card driver that has been recently installed. What you need to do is disable the driver so that windows can boot normally. Once the computer is in windows and the desktop loads download a “known good” version of the driver. You might also want to update the BIOS (flash it.)

THE METHOD:

1. You need to load into recovery console using your Windows XP OS Disc. I’ll assume you know how to do this. (If you don’t it’s really easy, just ask me on the forums and I’ll be glad to outline the steps.)
2. Making sure you’re logged into the proper windows installation, type in “listsvc“. This will pull up a listing of all the current services and drivers on your computer.
3. Type in “Disable” and then the driver that you want to disable. In this case it will be the agp400.sys driver.
4. Reboot into Windows.
5. Find a “known good” version of the driver. Perhaps even an older one.
6. <OPTIONAL> Some of these incompatibilities are solved with a new BIOS revision. You could try flashing the BIOS using a new revision from the manufacturers site and then reinstalling the video card driver. Could solve things.

ALTERNATE METHOD:

If the above does not work you might need to fix some errors first. Run a disk check using recovery console.

1. You need to load into recovery console using your Windows XP OS Disc. I’ll assume you know how to do this. (If you don’t it’s really easy, just ask me on the forums and I’ll be glad to outline the steps.)
2. Making sure you’re logged into the proper windows installation, type in “chkdsk /r.” This will force windows to do a thorough disk check and fix any errors it finds.
3. After it is done try booting into windows. If the problem persists apply the first method.

Good luck!

How to explain this problem to the client: After installing a new version of a video driver that was incompatible with your system (perhaps from Windows Update) the computer crashed whenever it tried to load that driver. We’ve removed the bad driver and installed a known good one. Your computer works great!

Good luck and tell me how it goes on the forums.

Problem: Whenever you try to right-click on the desktop or you try to open Windows folders such as My Computer, windows crashes (explorer.exe restarts).

Fix: There is a corrupt Context Menu handler, find it and delete it from the registry.

THE METHOD:

This problem is caused by a corrupted shell extension created by a program. My exact case was caused by Adobe Reader but others have reported Photoshop, Divx and Spysweeper.

1. Back up your registry, we will be deleting various registry values one by one until we hit the one that is causing the problem. After we find the bad key we need to restore the others we have deleted.
2. Open up regedit.
3. Browse to the following key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
4. There will be a list of context menu handlers here. Delete them one by one and after deleting each one try to right click on the desktop. When you can finally do so proceed to step 5.
5. Remember which key finally did the trick and using your registry backup bring the registry to how it was before you started deleting context handlers. After that is done delete JUST the one that is causing the problems.
6. If you delete all those values and the right-click still does not work then you need to move on to a different registry section. Repeat the above steps here: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers and here: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers.
7. You might want to uninstall/reinstall the corrupted application.

How to explain this problem to the client: It would seem that one of the programs on your computer has become somewhat corrupted. Specifically the part that linked itself to the menu that appears when you right click. We needed to remove that part. Money please.

Good luck and tell me how it goes on the forums.

Problem: An Acer laptop is seemingly frozen but when you plug in an external USB keyboard and mouse the laptop works. It’s just the built-in touchpad and keyboard that don’t work or respond.

Fix: Remove the laptop’s battery.

THE METHOD:

Fix the the issue by turning off the laptop and removing the battery. Then turn on the laptop and you will see that the touchpad and keyboard are no longer frozen and now work.

How to explain this problem to the client: Good customer, it would appear that the battery you have is defective and needs to be replaced. It is causing a short in the system and is causing the keyboard and touchpad to not respond.

Good luck and tell me how it goes on the forums.