Migrating Out of the Last Millennium – How About Windows XP

Are you still running Windows 98 or Windows ME?  If so, perhaps after reading this, you might finally decide to move to Windows XP.  If you are already running Windows XP, then you too will appreciate this. One of the most common tech related calls I get are the ones where a program works one day, but is dead in the water the next day. Maybe they were trying to clean up their computer and accidentally deleted some files that the program needed in order to work.

Just recently, I received a distress call from a person who was trying to view a DVD on her computer.  It was using a 3rd party program, but didn't provide her with the functionality that she needed for this particular project.  So she tried to remove the program and force the DVD to use Windows Media Player.  Whatever it was that she did, it didn't work and she couldn't remember exactly what it was that she deleted. Now she was in panic mode.  She needed the DVD to work, because she was teaching a class that next morning and the computer was required for the lesson.  (BTW this was at 11:00pm)  This poor woman was panicked.

She contacted Technical Support from the major computer company that made her PC and they weren't able to fix it. Good thing she didn’t have to pay for that off shore call!  When I read the dialog between her and the support technician, I was surprised that they hadn't even suggested what I am about to tell you. Needless to say, she was up and running in less than 10 minutes when she tried this simple fix.

Have you ever had anything like this happen to you? Did you panic? Or perhaps have some other strange phenomenon happen, that knocked you into confusion and the only thing you could do was reinstall the program or worse reinstall Windows?  Do not do that!  Do you just want to scream “How do I use my PC?” sometimes?

The fix is relatively easy, if you know the secret. Windows XP has this feature called System Restore in their Help and Support option.  It will undo changes made to your computer.  Most people are uncomfortable using it, because they are afraid they will lose their data.  This feature doesn't change any data, it only affects programs.  System Restore is ideal if you installed a program and it caused your computer to wig out, or tried to remove a program and your computer wigged out.  You can be a genius!

This is how you fix it.

• Start you computer in SAFE MODE.  (This is always the best method, as some programs can cause the System Restore function to fail.)

• Once you log in, you will be prompted with a message telling you that you are in Safe Mode and asking if you want to proceed click YES to perform a system restore. CLICK NO.  You want to click NO!

• Follow the wizard and restore your computer to the nearest date PRIOR to the malfunction. System Restore does it all for you.

Normally, it takes a whopping 10 – 15 minutes to complete and you are back up and running again. No off shore call. No confusion. No more headaches. Easy.

©2006, Blue Mountain I.T. Solutions.   Permission granted to reprint this article as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and that the content, by-line and hyperlinks remain unaltered and functional.