Computer Error Messages.

This is a list of 12 of the most common computer error messages you may get in Windows, an explanation of the likely cause & the suggested remedy.

 

1. Non-system disk or disk error.

You may have left a disk in the A drive. Remove it and press any key on the keyboard to reboot the computer. If you don’t have a disk in the A drive, and the message is accompanied by a “clunking” sound, turn the computer off and run for help (or cover)!

2. Windows was not properly shut down.

Press any key to run Scandisk on these drives. The machine did not use the shut down sequence programmed into it through Windows. Press the enter key and allow the machine to do a scan. If it finds the lost clusters to repair, click on the OK to let it do self-repairing. You do not need to save these so select DELETE or DON’T SAVE when asked to make a choice.

3. Out of memory.

There are too many programs open at one time or you could have too many documents with lots of graphics open close some and try again. Acknowledge the error message; then check the taskbar to see what applications are running. Close the applications that you aren’t using. If you still get the message, exit everything and reboot the machine.

4. This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.

The program listed in the upper-left corner of the error message window is crashing because it experienced some sort of destabilizing error. The best thing to do is save all your open files in applications that are running, and then close all those applications. Reboot the system by clicking Start-> Shut Down, and choosing Shut Down from the menu. Then wait 10 seconds before turning the PC back on.

5. A file being copied is older than the file currently on your computer.

The application or hardware device driver software is attempting to overwrite a file already installed on your hard drive with an older version of that file. Always click YES to skip copying the file and keep the newer version. If the product you are installing doesn’t work, make a backup copy of the newer version of the file, then try uninstalling and reinstalling the program, this time letting the older file overwrite the newer version. Usually programs run better when you leave the newer version alone.

6. Boot disk failure or Operating system not found.

If you get one of these messages instead of a “Starting Windows” message, your PC can’t load Windows from the hard disk. This may indicate a badly damaged drive.

7. Can’t find boot record.

This error can be a symptom of a virus or indicates a problem with the hard drive. Try rebooting your computer. If the error returns, contact your technician.

8. Missing shortcut: Windows is searching for XX.

To locate the file yourself, click Browse. XX is the name of the file you were trying to access via a shortcut, but this error message is telling you that the program the shortcut is associated with is no longer there. If you are using a networked computer, this may mean that you have not logged into the network or have been disconnected from the network. If you restart the computer and login, the shortcut should work. If not, the file that the shortcut points to has been deleted from your system or moved to another location, so you just need to find it if it is still installed on your computer. Right click the shortcut icon and click PROPERTIES, making sure the shortcut tab is selected with the properties box appears. The Target line shows the name of the file associated with the shortcut; it appears after the final slash. Click Start->Find->Files or Folders. Enter the name of the target file in the Named box and search all your drives for the file. If the file shows up, delete the old shortcut, then hold the right mouse button down as you drag the file’s icon to the desktop. Release the mouse button and select Create Shortcut Here to make a fresh shortcut that points in the right direction. If the file does not show up, you have to reinstall the application associated with the broken shortcut.

9. Rename:

A filename cannot contain any of the following characters: /:*?”< > | or Rename: If you change a filename extension, the file may become unstable. Are you sure you want to change it? These messages appear when you have just typed a new name for a file and either pressed ENTER or clicked outside the file icon. The first message is telling you that you tried to use characters that have special meaning to Windows and therefore cannot be used in file names (this occurs frequently when people try to use a slash or a colon) Remove these characters from the file name and click OK (Note file names cannot exceed 230 characters in length) The second message is warning you that the three-letter extensions (such as >EXE, .DOC, or .TXT) was modified when you typed the new name. This is a no-no, because file extensions tell Windows what program to use to open the file and let the programs know how to handle the file.

10. Error Reading CD_ROM in Drive X:

Please insert CD-ROM XX with Serial You have attempted to eject a CD-ROM from the CD-ROM drive while a program was accessing it. Sometimes the error appears when the drive can’t read a dirty, scratched, or damaged CD-ROM. Either press the ESC key to close the error message or reinsert the CD-ROM and press ENTER to attempt to let the program pick up where it left off.

11.DLL is Invalid or Corrupt.

Since the last time you ran this program, you probably installed a new application that uses a DLL file the same name as one used by this program. The two DLLs are incompatible, and that makes the older program crash. One solution is to reinstall the older program.

12.Error Copying File….Cannot copy XX: The disk is write-protected. Remove the write protection or use another disk.

The diskette is configured so information can be read from it, but not added to it. Remove the diskette from the drive and look for a little sliding plastic tab on the back. If you see an open hole through the diskette, the disk is write-protected, and you need to slide the tab downward.