Windows "How to....."

 

Section 20 Windows 1-0: How to....
  1. How do I determine the version of Direct X installed on my computer, or find a current version.
  2. How to Disable PCI Bus Steering in Windows
  3. How to re-load IDE Controller
  4. How to Start in Safe Mode
  5. How to Restore a Previous Days Registry and How to increase the number of Registry Backup Saves **edited: 12-05-2000**.
  6. How to Back up the Registry; system.dat and user.dat
  7. How to do a ZZ Top Restore
  8. How to Configure Windows 98 or Windows Me to Install New Drivers
  9. How to Select a Preferred Device for Playback and Recording
  10. How to correct VxD SCSI1.HLP error. Windows Me, Date: 2-01-2001
  11. How to Change the Drive Letter of a CD-ROM
  12. How to use the Fdisk Tool and Format Tool to Partition or Repartition a Hard-Disk
  13. How to correct xxx error message(s) on a Blue Screen When you try to play Digital CD Audio
  14. How do I resolve the error “Locate Free PCI Resources for Creative Sound Card” or "Could Not Install Service Vectors" that may occur with the SoundBlaster Live! Value Sound Card in Windows® 98?

This Section contains information from Microsoft`s KB

 

 

win1-0-1: How do I determine the version of Direct X installed on my computer, or find a current version.

To determine the current version of DirectX installed on your computer, follow these steps:

1. Click on START | FIND | FILES OR FOLDERS.

2. In the Named dialog box, type in "dxdiag.exe" (without the quotes) and then click on "Find Now".

3. In the list of files, double click on the "Dxdiag.exe" file located in the c:\windows\system folder.

4. Listed at the bottom of the Help tab, note the version of DirectX installed.

NOTE: If the Dxdiag.exe file is not found, DirectX version 3.0 or earlier is installed on your computer.

To obtain a current version of DirectX, go to:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/default.asp

Select your operating system and follow Microsoft’s directions.

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-2: How to Disable PCI Bus Steering in Windows

 

How to Disable PCI Bus IRQ Steering in Windows
 

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release versions 2, 2.1, 2.5
  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
 

SUMMARY

To disable PCI bus IRQ steering, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.

  2. Click the Device Manager tab.

  3. Double-click the System Devices branch.

  4. Double-click PCI Bus, and then click the IRQ Steering tab.

  5. Click the Use IRQ Steering check box to clear it, click OK, and then click OK again.

  6. When you are prompted to restart your computer, click Yes.

    NOTE: If you click No instead of Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer, the changes do not take affect.

NOTE: You may also have to disable PCI bus IRQ steering in your computer's basic input/output system (BIOS). For information about how to do so, contact you BIOS manufacturer.

 

The following settings determine which routing tables Windows uses when programming IRQ steering:

  • Get IRQ table using ACPI BIOS:

    When this check box is selected, the ACPI BIOS IRQ routing table is the first table Windows tries to use to program IRQ steering. If a PCI device is not working properly, click this check box to clear it.

  • Get IRQ table using MS Specification table:

    When this check box is selected, the MS Specification routing table is the second table Windows tries to use to program IRQ steering.

  • Get IRQ table from Protected Mode PCIBIOS 2.1 call:

    When this check box is selected, the Protected Mode PCIBIOS 2.1 routing table is the third table Windows tries to use to program IRQ steering.

  • Get IRQ table from Real Mode PCIBIOS 2.1 call:

    When this check box is selected, the Real Mode PCIBIOS 2.1 routing table is the fourth table Windows tries to use to program IRQ steering.

    NOTE: By default, the "Get IRQ table from Protected Mode PCIBIOS 2.1 call" check box is not selected. You should only click this check box to place a check mark if a PCI device is not working properly.
IRQ Holder For PCI Steering may appear under IRQ Routing Status even though PCI bus IRQ steering is disabled. This can occur if the IRQ settings are being read by your computer's BIOS. For information about modifying the BIOS, contact your BIOS manufacturer.

For additional information about PCI bus IRQ steering, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q182604 Description of PCI Bus IRQ Steering

 

MORE INFORMATION

The PCI local bus has become the industry-standard bus and is used in most Pentium computers. When a computer with a PCI local bus boots up, the system BIOS dynamically configures all the PCI card resource settings and requirements, because the PCI bus and PCI devices use agreed-upon mechanisms for identifying themselves and declaring their resource settings and/or requirements.

PCI devices can share the same IRQ's because the system BIOS builds a table called the PCI IRQ routing table, which is made up entries for each PCI device which is given an ISA IRQ that is mapped to a particular PCI INT number associated with the specific PCI slot which the device is installed to. These combined together to create a link value. The link value is used when communicating with the device, and while PCI devices may use the same IRQ, they actually all have individual link values.

After the system BIOS assigns resource settings and builds the PCI IRQ routing table, Windows will load up and will extract PCI and ISA Plug and Play-compliant device resource information from the system BIOS and read the information from the PCI IRQ routing table. Windows can at this time reassign the ISA IRQ's mapped to a particular PCI INT number. Windows can also dynamically reassign the IRQ's when a Plug and Play event occurs, such as docking a laptop with it's docking station.

Sometimes when reassigning IRQ's in this way, Windows may hang, reboot, or have a device fail to work when it tries to reassign the IRQ's setup by the BIOS. You can prevent Windows from dynamically allocating ISA interrupts by turning off IRQ steering. This prevents Windows from dynamically allocating interrupts, and relies on your system BIOS to do so.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufactures) may find it necessary to disable IRQ steering even on new PC's to prevent hardware resource conflicts on devices they have installed in a computer system. This doesn't prevent any loss of functionality for the devices, it simply insures the devices will remain enabled to use a specific IRQ configuration that the OEM has found to work properly when testing the system.

Additional query words: w98ssfaq

Keywords : kbenv win95 win98 win98se
Issue type : kbhowto
Technology :

Last Reviewed: October 20, 2000

**Article from Microsoft`s KB**

Back to Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-3: How to re-load IDE Controller

To remove the IDE Controller thus forcing Windows to re-detect the hardware.

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the System icon.
  3. Click on the Device Manager tab.
  4. Check for any red X’s or yellow !’s.
    If you see any of these, write down the device name for future reference or additional troubleshooting, click on the device and click Remove for each one. Allow the system to reboot to test these changes. If you reboot, repeat steps 1 to 3 to return to the Device Manager and proceed with step 5.
    If you do not see any red X’s or yellow !’s, proceed with step 5.
  5. Double-click on the Hard Disk Controllers.
  6. Click on the controller[s] to select them.
  7. Click on Remove.

Allow the system to reboot and re-detect the controllers.

Windows XP:

  1. Right Click on My Computer | Properties
  2. Select Hardware Tab | Device Manager
  3. Check for any red X’s or yellow !’s.
    If you see any of these, write down the device name for future reference or additional troubleshooting, click on the device and click Uninstall for each one. Allow the system to reboot to test these changes. If you reboot, repeat steps 1 to 3 to return to the Device Manager and proceed with step 4.
    If you do not see any red X’s or yellow !’s, proceed with step 4
  4. Double-click on IDE ATA/ ATAPI controller
  5. Right click on first entry of Secondary IDE Channel (or Primary IDE Channel with System that have only one IDE channel; The Dell systems with only one IDE Channel will have a SATA Hard drive set-up)
  6. Click Uninstall.

Allow the system to reboot and re-detect the controller.

 

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-4: How to Start in Safe Mode

To start your computer in safe mode

Restart the computer.

Hold down the CTRL key as the computer starts.

On the Startup menu, select Safe mode.

 

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-5: How to Restore a Previous Day Registry and How to increase the number of Registry Back up Saves

To restore the registry from the previous day's backup

Hold down the CTRL key as you restart your computer.

On the Startup menu, select Safe mode command prompt only. (The computer may take longer than usual to start.)

Type scanreg /restore, and then press ENTER.

When you are prompted, select Previous Day's Registry.

Note: If you restore a previous registry, you may need to reinstall any programs that were installed after the registry backup was made.

(another suggestion)

1) At the Dell screen on bootup, press the F8 key about once a second until you get to the windows 98 menu.
2) Choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only (Option 6)
3) At the C:\> prompt, type SCANREG /RESTORE
4) Choose one of the files that is dated prior to the date you installed the software, and press enter.
5) It should restore the backup, and prompt you to reboot. Do the reboot, and you should be OK

How to increase the number of Registry Back up Saves (per PC World)**edited in PC World December Issue 2000**

You can tell ScanReg to increase the number of backups and you do not have to modify the Registry. All the settings you need to change reside in a file called scanreg.ini, which you can modify in any text editor.

Choose Start | Run and type c:\windows\scanreg.ini (your path may differ); then press <Enter> Scanreg.ini should open in your assigned text editor ( Notepad is the default). Look for a line that reads MaxBackupCopies=5. Change the number in this line to any amount from 0 - 99. For example, if you want Windows to keep 25 copies of the Registry, edit the line so that it reads MaxBackupCopies=25

**edited in PC World December 2000 Issue.**

I`m sorry this does not work as listed above due to a flaw in ScanReg. Microsoft fixed this flaw in Windows Me but you have to boot from the Start-up disk. There is a work around for Win98, but in my opinion, is not worth the trouble. Rather than me list it here, you may search for in it here: http://www.pcworld.com/dec00/windowstips

 

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

 

win1-0-6: How to Back up the Registry; system.dat - user.dat

You can back up the Registry in Windows Explorer. Select View | Folder Option ( or View | Options) Click the View tab, select Show all files and click OK. Now create a folder called C:\Regback

Go to the Windows folder, find the files, system.dat and  user.dat, then hold down <Ctrl> as you drag those two files to C:\Regback.

If you need to restore the Registry, you must first exit to DOS. Do this by selecting Start  | Shut down | Restart in MS-DOS mode. At the DOS prompt, type the following commands, pressing <Enter> at the end of each line:

attrib -r -s -h c:\regback\*.*

attrib -r -s -h c:\windows\user.dat

attrib -r -s -h c:\windows\system.dat

copy c:\regback\*.* c:\windows /y

attrib +r +s +h c:\windows\user.dat

attrib +r +s +h c:\windows\system.dat

 

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

 

win1-0-7: How to do a ZZ Top Restore

To perform the system restoration using ZZTOP, you should boot to the "Dell Diagnostics" disk and choose EXIT TO DOS. Then type

ZZTOP

at the dos prompt, and press Enter. This program will format and completely erase everything on the C: drive partition. Do not proceed unless you have backed up important files you want to save. In addition, you will need to reinstall any other programs you have installed after the system is restored.

The program will only work if the image file is still good. If you receive an error that the image or dump file is corrupt, you can not use either program to restore the system. At this point, you may want to consider a "clean" installation of Windows using the media provided with your computer.

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-8: How to Configure Windows 98 or Windows Me to Install New Drivers

 

How to Configure Windows 98 or Windows Me to Install New Drivers

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article describes how to configure Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (Me) to prompt you to install new drivers for a device even if a different driver has previously been used or associated with this device. You may want to do so to verify that you have completely installed all of the components of a device driver and the supporting files needed for your device.

NOTE: This procedure should only be used if you have already tried to update or change the appropriate device driver in Device Manager.

MORE INFORMATION

To configure Windows 98 or Windows Me to prompt you to install new drivers for a device even if a different driver has previously been used or associated with this device:

  1. Configure Windows 98 or Windows Me to redetect your hardware:

    1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.

    2. Click the Device Manager tab, and then double-click the appropriate branch that lists your hardware to expand it. For example, if you want to change your modem driver, double-click the Modems branch to expand it.

    3. Click the entry for the hardware component needing the driver update, click Remove, click OK, do not restart your computer when you are prompted, and then quit Device Manager. For example, if you want to change your modem driver, click your modem, click Remove, click OK, and then quit Device Manager.

     

  2. Configure your computer to prevent Windows 98 or Windows Me from automatically reinstalling the previous driver files:

    1. Right-click the desktop, point to New, click Folder, type oldinf, and then press ENTER.

    2. Click Start, click Run, type inf in the Open box, and then click OK. Note that this opens the Windows\Inf folder.

    3. On the Windows\Inf folder Edit menu, click Select All, and then click Cut on the Edit menu.

    4. Minimize the Windows\Inf folder, and then double-click the oldinf folder on the desktop you created in step 2a.

    5. On the Windows\Desktop\oldinf folder Edit menu, click Paste, and then close the oldinf folder.

    6. Restart your computer.

    7. When your computer restarts and prompts you for driver files for your device, install the correct or updated drivers.

     

  3. After the correct drivers have been installed, return the files you moved to the oldinf folder on the desktop to the Windows\Inf folder:

    1. Double-click the oldinf folder on the desktop, and then click Select All on the Edit menu.

    2. On the Edit menu, click Copy, and then close the oldinf folder.

    3. Click Start, click Run, type inf in the Open box, and then click OK.

    4. On the Windows\Inf folder Edit menu, click Paste, and click No or No to all if you are prompted to overwrite any files.

Additional query words: 98

Keywords : kbtool win98 win98se kbWinME
Issue type : kbhowto
Technology :

Last Reviewed: November 8, 2000
**Article from Microsoft`s KB**

 

 

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-9: How to Select a Preferred Device for Playback and Recording (Article # Q142006)

 

How to Select a Preferred Device for Playback and Recording

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

To receive the best recording and playback sound, you must select a preferred device for recording and for playback. Windows sets the detected sound card as the preferred device by default.

MORE INFORMATION

To select a different device as the preferred device, follow these steps:

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Multimedia or Sounds and Multimedia.

  2. On the Audio tab, select the devices you want in the Preferred Device boxes.

  3. Click the Use Preferred Devices Only check box to select it.

  4. Click OK.

NOTE: If you are using Windows 3.x drivers for your sound card, the Preferred Device fields are unavailable.

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-10: How to correct VxD SCSI1.HLP error. Windows Me, Date: 2-01-2001 (Article # Q250005)

 

Error Message: A Fatal Exception 0E Has Occurred in VxD SCSI1HLP

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition


SYMPTOMS

When you try to upgrade your computer to Windows Millennium, you may receive the following error message: A fatal exception 0E has occurred at xxxx:xxxxxxxx in VxD SCSI1HLP If you click Cancel your computer may stop responding (hang).


CAUSE

This issue can occur if you have installed a Hewlett Packard 8100i SureStor CD-Writer with the Easy CD Creator, the Easy CD Audio/Copier, or the Direct CD program.


RESOLUTION

To work around this issue, use one of the following methods:

Method One

Disable the SCSI1HLP.VxD using the Microsoft Configuration Utility:

  1. Restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key while Windows is starting, and then choose Safe Mode from the Startup menu.

  2. Click Start, click Run, and then type msconfig in the Open box.

  3. On the Static VxDs tab, click to clear the Scsi1hlp.vxd check box, click OK, and then follow the instructions to restart your computer.

Method Two

NOTE: By following the steps below, any device that uses the Scsi1hlp.vxd file may not function properly or you may not be able to restart your computer. Some SCSI devices and some ATAPI devices use this file. If you are not sure if your hardware uses this file, check with your hardware manufacturer before you proceed.

Rename the Scsi1hlp.vxd file in the Windows\System\Iosubsys folder:

  1. Restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key, and then choose Safe Mode from the Startup menu.

  2. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.

  3. In the Named box, type scsi1hlp.vxd, and then click Find Now.

  4. In the list of found files, right-click the Scsi1hlp.vxd file that is located in the Windows\System\Iosubsys folder, and then click Rename.

  5. Type scsi1hlp.old, press ENTER, and then restart your computer.

For more information about this issue, visit HP's Web site:

http://www.hp.com/cposupport/information_storage/support_doc/lpg40777.htmll

The third-party contact information included in this article is provided to help you find the technical support you need. This contact information is subject to change without notice. Microsoft in no way guarantees the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kb3rdparty kberrmsg kbhw kbsetup kbWinME kbFatalExErr0E kbFatalExErr0D
Issue type : kbprb
Technology :

 


Last Reviewed: February 1, 2001

 

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-11: How to Change the Drive Letter of a CD-ROM (Article # Q121244)

 

How to Change the Drive Letter of a CD-ROM Drive

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition


SUMMARY

This article describes how to change the drive letter for a CD-ROM drive in Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.


MORE INFORMATION

You can change the drive letter of a CD-ROM drive by performing the following steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

  2. Double-click the System icon, and then click the Device Manager tab.

  3. Click the CD-ROM drive you want to change, and then click the Properties button.

  4. Click the Settings tab.

  5. In the Reserved Drive Letters section, set Start Drive Letter and End Drive Letter to the drive letter you want the CD-ROM drive to use. Click OK until you return to Control Panel.

  6. Restart the computer.

Additional query words: cdrom w95usefaq

Keywords : kbui win95 win98 win98se kbWinME
Issue type : kbhowto
Technology :

 


Last Reviewed: December 14, 2000

 

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-12: How to use the Fdisk Tool and Format Tool to Partition or Repartition a Hard-Disk (Article Q255867)

 

How to Use the Fdisk Tool and the Format Tool to Partition or Repartition a Hard Disk (Article Q255867)

The information in this article applies to:

This is really too long a document for me list here, so I have provided Mirosoft`s link below--->

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q255/8/67.ASP

 

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-13: How to correct xxx error message(s) on a Blue Screen When you try to play Digital CD Audio (Article Q274370)

 

Error Message on a Blue Screen When You Try to Play Digital CD Audio. (Article Q274370)

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition


SYMPTOMS

When you try to play digital CD audio, you may receive an error message on a blue screen that refers to one of the following:

  • Ios.vxd
  • Vmm.vxd
  • Vfat.vxd
  • Kernel32.dll
  • Cdvsd.vxd
  • Usbaudio.sys
  • Universal Serial Bus (USB) audio driver name


CAUSE

This problem can occur if your computer is equipped with a sound card, USB speakers, or any other device that enables digital audio, and any of the following Intel 800 series chip sets:

  • 810
  • 810E
  • 815
  • 815E
  • 820
  • 820E
  • 840 (with the Integrated Audio-Codec 97 Controller

The vendor-supplied driver does not set the data transfer length in the Small Computers System Interface (SCSI) request block data structure that it passes to the miniport driver.


RESOLUTION

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem described in this article and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://support.microsoft.com/directory/overview.asp

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: 

   Date        Time    Version    Size   File name  Platform
   ------------------------------------------------------------------
   09/28/2000  10:26p  4.10.2186  32,443 Cdvsd.vxd  Windows 98
   09/28/2000  10:05p  4.10.2226  32,443 Cdvsd.vxd  Windows 98 Second
                                                    Edition
   09/28/2000  10:08p  4.90.3002  41,643 Cdvsd.vxd  Windows Me



STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words: ac97 srb compact disk iop cdvsd

Keywords : kbenv kberrmsg kbtool win98 win98se kbWinME kbkern32dll
Issue type : kbbug
Technology :

 


Last Reviewed: February 1, 2001

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW

win1-0-14: How do I resolve the error “Locate Free PCI Resources for Creative Sound Card” or "Could Not Install Service Vectors" that may occur with the SoundBlaster Live! Value Sound Card in Windows® 98?

How do I resolve the error “Locate Free PCI Resources for Creative Sound Card” or "Could Not Install Service Vectors" that may occur with the SoundBlaster Live! Value Sound Card in Windows® 98?

 

Problem

If you have SoundBlaster Live Value Sound Card on your system, when you shut down Windows 98 one of the following errors may appear:

  • Locate Free PCI Resources for Creative Sound Card

  • Could Not Install Service Vectors 

Discussion

The error occurs due to insufficient available Interrupt Requests (IRQs) to install the SoundBlaster Emulation. In order to provide compatibility for older DOS-based applications, Creative installs a driver that emulates the original SoundBlaster sound card. This device appears as Creative SB Live! SB16 Emulation in the Device Manager.

If you have added additional hardware to your computer that requires IRQs, your computer may not be able to reserve an IRQ for the SB Live! SB16 Emulation on shutdown.

If you do not have any older MS-DOS software, such as a game, that requires sound in MS-DOS only, you can disable the SB16 Emulation in the Device Manager.

Solution

To disable Creative SB Live! SB16 Emulation, perform the following steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
    The Control Panel window appears.
  2. Double-click the System icon.
  3. Click the Device Manager tab.
  4. Click the plus (+) sign beside the Creative Miscellaneous Devices entry.
  5. Double-click Creative SB Live! SB16 Emulation.
    The Creative SB Live! SB16 Emulation Properties window appears.
  6. Near the bottom, click the checkbox next to Disable in this hardware profile to place a check in it.
  7. Click OK.
    The System Properties window reappears.
  8. The icon beside Creative SB Live! SB16 Emulation should appear to have a red x on it. This indicates that it has been disabled.

The error message will no longer appear.

 

Back to the Top Back to CD/RW