The Most Common Windows Problems

Windows is an excellent operating system but it also has its share of issues. This article compiled a list of the most commonly encountered problems and how to fix them.

If you are using Windows 7, you might come across the following:

Shutdown Takes Time

Shutdown should be quick especially for Windows 7. However, users would often complain about shutting down would usually take a few minutes. This might be caused by the page file. This is a file that contains overflow data from the computer's RAM. If this is set to be cleared at every shutdown, it could really slow down the process.

1. Go to Start and click the Search button.

2. Type in regedit.exe to open Windows Registry Editor.

3. Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEM/CurrentControlSetSession ManagerMemory Management.

4. Search for ClearPageFileatShutdow. If this is set to 1 (enabled), change to 0.

This page file is a potential security risk. If you have sensitive information on your computer, someone might try to steal it and immediately go to this page file. For some it's a non-issue, though.

System Running Slow

This latest version has a lot of visual effects that can take its toll on your video card and RAM. If your system is performing sluggishly, you might need to fix the visual effects.

1. Go to Start and access Search.

2. Type in performance.

3. Choose Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.

4. This leads you to Performance Options.

5. Go to Visual Effects and choose Adjust for best performance.

6. Choose Custom and check and then Use visual styles on windows and buttons.

7. Click OK when done.

Older Programs are Not Compatible

Since version 7 is more advanced, computer experts recommend that before upgrading, you have to check if the programs that you have on your computer would be compatible with the newer version. You can use the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to analyze those programs.

In case you have already upgraded and failed to do a programs check, you can do the following with the use of the Windows 7 Compatibility Mode.

1. Go to Compatibility Mode.

2. Right click installation file.

3. Access Properties.

4. From the Properties window, choose Compatibility tab.

5. Check on Run this program in compatibility mode for. You can choose from the pull-down menu a list of the latest versions of the operating system that the program was using.

6. You might need to repeat this with the program once installed:

* Right click program icon.

* Select Properties.

* Go to Compatibility tab.

* Check Run this program in compatibility mode for:, and then choose what system to use.

DVD Drive Not Found Error

This issue can be resolved when you edit Windows Registry.

1. Go to Start.

2. Type in regedit.exe on the Search box.

3. This will launch Results interface.

4. Navigate and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass.

5. When you're in the right hand panel, try deleting UpperFilters and LowerFilters.

6. Restart and see if this solves your problem.

If the problem persists:

1. Go to Start.

2. Type in Disk Management.

3. Choose Create and format hard disk partitions.

4. When you are in the Disk Management window, right click optical drive icon.

5. Choose Change Drive Letter and Paths.

6. Click on Change and choose a new drive letter.

7. Reboot the system to see if issue has been fixed.

System "Wakes from Sleep"

When you choose the Sleep mode, the system should stay that way until you "wake it up". If this doesn't happen, you can do the following:

1. Go to Start.

2. In the Search window, type in cmd.

3. When the black window pops out, type in powercfg-lastwake. The last hardware device that caused the computer to "wake up" will be shown.

However, technicians do not rely on this 100%. If no hardware becomes visible, try the following instead:

4. Type in powercfg-devicequery wake_armed in the Search window. This will show you the devices that are allowed to "wake up" your PC.

5. Open the Device Manager. Look for the devices that the command gave you.

6. When you have found the device, open Properties.

7. Go to Power Management tab.

8. When you see Allow this device to wake the computer box, uncheck it.

If the problem persists, the problem might be with the software already and not with the hardware.

1. Go to Power Options.

2. Click on Change advanced power settings.

3. Scroll down until you get the Sleep tree.

4. Expand and look for Allow Wake Timers, and disable it.

5. The software will cease "waking up" your PC.

These are just some of the more common problems you will encounter. You might also encounter errors with system files, and in such cases you may use automatic repair software such as DLL repair tools, registry optimizers and driver updaters.