GUDUR KRISHNAIAH FOR INDIAN RAILWAY EMPLOYEES: June 2008

Monday, June 30, 2008

TROUBLESHOOT MOBILE YOUR SELF

Troubleshooting on a mobile phone deal
Carol relies on her mobile phone more than most, as she suffers from multiple sclerosis. She was spending too much on her Orange pay-as-you-go and visited Carphone Warehouse to change over to a monthly contract deal.
Carol showed Carphone Warehouse the phone that she wanted and says that she was recommended a contract on the T-Mobile network. She told us she also wanted to keep her existing phone number.
"They told me that it would take a few days to change the number over, and in actual fact it took more than a fortnight!"
When her number was eventually transferred to the T-Mobile network, Carol found out that there wasn't any reception in her house.
She says she went back to Carphone Warehouse where the only solution they could offer was an additional SIM card on the Orange network which she could change and put in her phone when she was at home and then revert to the T-Mobile SIM card when she was out and about. However, this proved very difficult for Carol as switching the SIM cards was a very fiddly operation.
"With the MS I've got very little feeling in my hands, so it really is almost impossible to get the back off," she told us."
Carphone Warehouse wouldn't let Carol cancel the contract because she was outside of the 14 day cooling off period. Carol says that this is because the number transfer took so long.
Carphone Warehouse are also saying that they conducted a T-Mobile StreetCheck when she took out the contract which indicated that coverage should have been good at her address - so what is the advice when buying a mobile phone?
Margaret Griffiths a Professor in Consumer Law expert said: "Everyone knows that mobile phone coverage does vary depending on what network you're on or where you are - so really it should be buyer beware. You should take time to check out the information to make certain before you commit to buying a phone.
"If the shop is saying the coverage is good and it's not, then technically you have the right to cancel the contract under the Sales of Goods Act because the product isn't fit for the purpose."
We headed off to Carphone Warehouse to try and sort this one out.
Carphone Warehouse say the network providers' street check advice is generally accurate, but for a minority there may be unforeseen circumstances - which is what happened with Carol.
Carol might be finding her reception about to change - Carphone Warehouse have apologised for the inconvenience and have spoken to T-Mobile who have agreed to cancel the contract with no penalties.
They have found Carol a deal on Orange, and are giving her £40 to cover the difference in line rental. Best of all, she now has a phone that works at home.
Sorted!

MOBILE IMAGES

PC HARDWARE REPAIRS

How To Diagnose PC Hardware Problems
How-To > PC > ...
Use the general diagnosis table below as a guide to finding the problem component. We have separate diagnostic pages for each component of the PC.
Symptom
CheckClick on underlined items for further information
When I turn it on...
It makes no sound and there are no lights
Check the Power Supply
Check the Motherboard
Check the CPU
When I turn it on...
It just beeps
Read our Beep Codes List
Check the Keyboard
Check the Video Card
Check the Memory
Check the Motherboard
When I turn it on...
It sounds normal but the screen is blank
Make sure the monitor has power
Check the connection to the video card
Check the Video Card
When I turn it on...
It starts up but never loads the operating system
Check the Hard Disk
Check the Memory
Check the Motherboard
Check the CPU
When I turn it on...
It freezes BEFORE the operating system starts loading
Check the Keyboard
Check the Video Card
Check the Memory
Check the Power Supply
Check the Motherboard
Check the CPU
When I turn it on...
It freezes WHILE the operating system is loading
This is probably a software problem not covered in this hardware guide. If you are using Windows, try booting into safe mode by holding down the "F8" key or in some cases the "CONTROL" key.
While it is on...
It makes a screeching or other loud noise
Check the Power Supply, CPU, Case or other Internal Fans
Check the CD-ROM
Check the Hard Disk
Check the Floppy Drive
While it is on...
It shuts itself off
Check the power features in the BIOS
Check the power features in the Windows Control Panel
Check the Power Supply
Check that all fans are working
Check for the accumulation of dust

SAFETY ON RAILWAYS

Online Practice Exams :
Take Practice Exam on SafetyThere is information that from 6th Pay Comminssion Implementation onwards, promotins for Railway Employees will be carried out based on their performance. We can expect manditory departmental exam for all kinds of promotions. There is alread a seperate setup for conducting departmental exams by name Railway Recruitment Cell for each Zonal Railway.In recent days all exams are going to ONLINE for convience. RRB also conducting online exams and framed a model for it. You can check up at RRB-Chennai or RRB-Trivandrum websites. Based on above situation, The Railway Employees Welfare Society wants to provide Online Practice Exams for Railway Employees.

GENERAL TOPICS FOR INDIAN RAILWAY EMPLOYEES

1: Election Manifesto
SRMU Election Manifesto2: Bharathapuzha - The legendary rail companion.
For Anybody who likes train journey.3: Take care of accident victims - Dont worry abt police formalities
The Supreme Court has ruled that all injured persons especially in the case of road traffic accidents, assaults, etc., when brought to a hospital / medical centre, have to be offered first aid, stabilized and shifted to a higher centre / government centre if required.4: Guidelines for Pensioners
complete refernce regarding pension5: With respect comes responsibility
Self-confidence allows a child to respect himself or herself and others and learn the responsibilities that come with it. Norms and limits are important to facilitate this process. Norms and limits teach children mutual respect and responsibility of their actions — responsibility towards themselves and responsibility towards ensuring other’s rights. This learning starts from childhood. 6: Train your brain
The most important brain functions related to studies are attention, concentration, memory, abstract thinking, comprehension, learning, processing-thinking speed and reasoning. 7: The Wayside Station of Old
Mitchell wrote these words nearly three quarters of a century ago. Having served in the railways since 1963, the mention of naphtha flares and oil-lit jungle stations struck a familiar note for me, bringing back wistful memories of a laid back era when smoke and steam reigned supreme, when the electric telegraph was the prime instrument used for communication, and when the word 'station' hardly ever referred to anything other than a railway station.8: Working of a Junction Station
For the average traveler the excitement and wonder of a large station seldom goes beyond what he experiences when he is traveling himself, or perhaps when he is at the platform to receive a friend. But there is much more to a station than mere arrivals and departures, crowded platforms and reservations. Behind the smooth working of a station lies a whole world of careful planning and strategy which the casual observer can hardly ever discover for himself. Each little detail that is jotted down, every message that is passed on over the phone, each little particular is planned out with such meticulous care and forethought that it can only fill us with wonder and admiration at the ingenuity with which the railways have ordered their day to day working.9: Zonal Reorganization of IR Since Independence
Most of the larger systems had been taken over by the government by 1947, although hardly any attempt was made to rationalize the systems. The new government decided to combine the railways into a smaller number of zones which would result in viable zones.10: Anglo-Indians' Contributions to Indian Railways
The Anglo Indians undoubtedly made the Indian Railways what it is now. Their contribution to the development of the Indian Railways was immense. They dominated the Supervisory and higher management echelons particularly in pre Independence days.

FINANCE

Perhaps you read this title and thought to yourself, “how is this possible? Is it a trick?” Let me assure you that it is not a trick. Indeed, it is very real. There is no scam. It’s an age-old investing strategy called leverage. Leverage is using the right balance to use a little force to generate a big motion. Investment gurus have been doing it successfully for years in margin accounts to borrow stocks, make money on them, then sell them. The difference in price is their income.But this is not a crazy investment scheme. It’s a tried and true method of investing that you’ll feel completely at ease with.If you own a home, you can get a secured loan to help you leverage the value of your home into a greater amount. Here’s how.When you bought your home, you paid a certain amount for it and although you have been enjoying it over the years, you (like many other people) probably hope that your home will increase in value so when you sell it you’ll make money. Who doesn’t want to do that?So here’s where a secured loan comes in. A loan, when used to improve your home, can help you increase the value of it. And often, the overall value of your home increases at a greater rate than the amount of the loan! That’s great news. And that’s leverage!So you should get a secured loan and build that addition, put on a roof, get new windows, or give your house a paint job. Whatever you decide to do, you’ll be helping to increase the value of your home, which is an investment you can enjoy until you decide to sell.And a secured loan lets you do that inexpensively. This is because a secured loan is a loan that uses the guarantee of an asset to help you secure a loan. When a lending institution is deciding whether or not to give you money, they look at the potential risk they will take. If you have nothing to offer them but your credit rating, the risk is higher than if you have a home, a car, some stock certificates, or some art. Anything of value will help them reduce the perceived risk they feel because they can potentially take the asset and earn back their money by selling it should you not be able to make payments.So if you want to make money on your home, and most people do, you should consider getting a UK secured loan to help you leverage. Get the loan, improve your house, and sell it for a greater amount.
About the Author
Jeff Lakie is the owner of http://www.best-refinance-loan.co.uk providing Uk homeowners with a free loan quote service. Visit us today for a free no obligation quote.

PSYCHOHUMAN BEHAVIOUR

Psychology Intelligence Behavior Neuroscience Dementia Social Psychology

Cognition
The term cognition is used in several loosely related ways to refer to a faculty for the human-like processing of information, applying knowledge and changing preferences. Cognition or cognitive ... > more
Psychology Consumer Behavior Intelligence Tinnitus Dementia Behavior

Exposure effect
Exposure effect is a psychological artifact well known to advertisers: people express undue liking for things merely because they are familiar with them. This effect has been nicknamed the ... > more
Psychology Social Psychology Consumer Behavior Perception Language Acquisition Behavior

Cooperation
Cooperation or co-operation, refers to the practice of people or greater entities working in common with commonly agreed upon goals and possibly methods, instead of working separately in competition. ... > more
Psychology Social Psychology Intelligence Perception Behavior Consumer Behavior
Anchoring
Anchoring or focalism is a term used in psychology to describe the common human tendency to rely too heavily, or "anchor," on one trait or piece of information when making decisions. During normal ... > more
Behavior Psychology Social Psychology Consumer Behavior Perception Anger Management
Illusion of control
Illusion of control is the tendency for human beings to believe they can control or at least influence outcomes that they demonstrably have no influence over. The predominant paradigm in research on ... > more
Psychology Behavior Intelligence Social Psychology Child Psychology Dementia

Cognitive psychology
Cognitive Psychology is the school of psychology that examines internal mental processes such as problem solving, memory, and language. It had its foundations in the Gestalt psychology of Max ... > more
Psychology Children's Health Social Psychology Child Psychology Child Development Behavior

Developmental psychology
Developmental psychology is the scientific study of progressive psychological changes that occur in human beings as they age. Originally concerned with infants and children, and later other periods ... > more
Mental Health Mental Health Research Depression Psychology Healthy Aging Attention Deficit Disorder

Psychopathology
Psychopathology is a term which refers to either the study of mental illness or mental distress or the manifestation of behaviours and experiences which may be indicative of mental illness or ... > more
Anxiety Behavior Psychiatry Disorders and Syndromes Depression Mental Health
Phobia
A phobia is a strong, persistent fear of situations, objects, activities, or persons. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive, unreasonable desire to avoid the feared subject. Some ... > more
Social Psychology Psychology Language Acquisition Child Psychology Spirituality Anger Management
Inferiority complex
An inferiority complex, in the fields of psychology and psychoanalysis, is a feeling that one is inferior to others in some way. It is often unconscious, and is thought to drive afflicted individuals ... > more
Search ScienceDaily

WOMEN HEALTH

1: reduce fat
Ladies, it's time to FINALLY end the frustration with your body2: Menstruation
Menstruation is the periodic discharge of blood and other materials from the reproductive organs of women. A menstruation cycle usually lasts around 28 days, but different women can have different menstruation cycles. When a baby is not conceived in the womb, the lining of the uterus is removed during menstruation and pregnancy is one time when menstruation does not take place.3: Depression
Depression does not Cure by Itself! Attend To It4: Pregnancy
HealthCare >> Women's Health >> Pregnancy 5: HealthCare >> Diseases & Conditions >> HIV / AIDS
What are HIV and AIDS

MOBILE REPAIRS

Mobile Phone Repairs and Unlocking
The UK's number one for mobile phone repairs, components and phone repair tools.

Mobile Phone UnlockingJust bought a new phone, but it's on the wrong network? Need your handset to work abroad? We can unlock most phones while-u-wait! Unlock your mobile phone »

Mobile Phone RepairsOur workshop has the latest Mobile phone diagnostic equipment in order to fully diagnose and repair your handset.We have the tools and expertise to repair most makes and models. Get your mobile phone repaired »

We are the leading mobile phone repair centre in the UK. We can repair and unlock 99% of mobile phones in the market.
We have recently expanded our 'state of the art' workshop to be able to offer a greater number of mobile phone repairs and a higher level of service. We have recently added PDA repairs and laptop repairs to our list of services.
We deal with basic repairs like broken LCD replacements, speaker, microphone and charging problems. We also offer high level component replacement like the treatment of liquid damage and physical damage. We are constantly upgrading our mobile phone unlocking systems this means we can unlock the latest phones. Click here for mobile phone unlocking services.
OUR SERVICES
Data (Phone Book) Recovery / Retrieval
Power Faults
Liquid Damage Treatment
Software problems (phone crashes)
Speaker or Microphone Faults
Charging Problems
LCD problems
Dropped / Physical Damage Phones
Housing / Chassis Replacements
Unlocking / SIM Restriction Removal
Flip / Slide Problems
No reception / no signal
Our mobile phone repairs and mobile phone unlocking services are available to the trade and we also offer corporate accounts for companies. We can offer tailor made maintenance plans to cater to all your companies mobile phone repairs, PDA repairs, laptop repairs.
If you have any questions about our mobile phone repairs or mobile phone unlocking services please do not hesitate to contact us.

PC REPAIRS

Most problems that occur with computers are the result of software-related issues: programs that lock up, printers that suddenly won’t print, operating systems that won’t boot and lots of other common quandaries are all somehow related to the operation of software on your PC. So, if these kinds of problems happen to you, take comfort in the fact that the good news (if you can call it that), is that you’re not alone.
Unfortunately, the bad news is that troubleshooting software problems on PCs is unquestionably the hardest problem-solving task you’re ever likely to run into (on your computer, that is). The reason for this is because of the Byzantine-like structure of today’s PC applications and operating systems. In essence, the problem can be boiled down to this: All the various pieces of software on your computer—your main applications, the drivers for your specific peripherals, and the various Windows system files—work together in an enormously complex web of inter-relationships. Adding, removing or altering one piece of that puzzle can (and often will) lead to software that just doesn’t work.
That would be fine and good if changes to this puzzle were few and far between, but for most people, these types of changes occur on a surprisingly frequent basis—and very often these changes are out of your control. Sometimes it’s a matter of simple user error (oops, shouldn’t have deleted that file), but often it’s due to conflicts between two or more different pieces of software, or even as a result of simply installing or removing applications. The end result is that software-based problems are an all-too-frequent occurrence on virtually all Windows computers.
Keep Current
One good general rule of thumb to keep in mind when doing software-related troubleshooting is to make sure you have the most recent versions of your applications, drivers and operating system. Usually that means taking an inventory of the software and hardware you have installed on or in your computer, and then trolling the web sites of the companies who make those products in search of updates, patches, service packs and other types of bug fixes.
If you're using Windows 98, Windows 98 SE or Windows ME, you should take advantage of the built-in Windows Update feature to help you in this regard. Be aware, however, that as handy as Windows Update may be, it will only provide you with operating system and some driver updates. It will not get all the drivers you need nor will it get any application updates you might require. So, use it as a starting point, but not as a sole resource.
Also remember to check for viruses. Most of the times you get a virus on your PC you'll know about it, but some of them work "stealthily" in the background, so you always have to be careful. Make sure that any computer you work on has good anti-virus software installed and properly configured so that it's regularly checking for viruses. Even more importantly, make sure that you keep the virus definition files for the program current. Unless you update those definitions on at least a monthly basis, your data will be at risk.
When is an Application not an Application?
Many of the software problems that people run into stem from the confusing nature of today’s Windows applications. Instead of consisting of one large chunk of code (as they generally used to do, and still in many cases do on the Mac), today’s software programs are actually made up of lots and lots of little pieces held together by an umbrella application. This umbrella app is typically the main program file you double-click on to get an application started. To confound matters further, these different pieces are often strewn across several different locations on your hard disk, which creates even more possibilities for errors or other breakdowns.
Many of these individual pieces are .DLLs, or Dynamic Link Libraries, which are chunks of program code that are called upon to perform various functions as you run an application. Another name for them is Application Extensions. Ideally, you never have to worry about these files—they just do their magic in the background while you do your work. And, when everything works right, that’s exactly what happens. If one of those files is deleted, changed or somehow corrupted, however, the application that uses them won’t work, and you’ll be in trouble.
Let me explain the installation process to give you an idea of the issues involved. When you install an application, what usually happens is that the installer creates a folder for your new program, copies some of the application’s pieces into there, copies other pieces into the Windows folder, creates shortcuts to your program on the Start Menu (or in the Program Manager for Windows 3.1), makes additions to the Windows Registry, and may even make some additions or alterations to your startup files, such as autoexec.bat, win.ini, etc. (In many cases, these changes are the cause of problems that keep your PC from booting properly. See the "PC Startup Troubleshooting Tips" article for more.)
The complexity of this process is the reason, by the way, that uninstaller applications were developed in the first place—it simply got to be too hard to keep track of where all the different pieces of an application were stored (if you could even get that info in the first place).
The files copied into the Windows folder may be .DLLs or they may be other files that the program’s developer has decided should be kept there. Unfortunately, so many developers have decided to store bits and pieces of their applications in the Windows folder that it’s become a dumping ground for a whole lot of junk. (Even worse, there’s no easy way to separate the wheat from the chaff—the useful, necessary stuff from the unneeded "bloatware"—so Windows folders just keep growing and growing….) Some of the .DLLs will probably be unique to the program you installed and will only be used by that application. Others will be shared files, which means they might be used by more than one application. And that’s where lots of problems arise.
Imagine, for example, that application A uses a shared .DLL called ABC.DLL. Now, let’s say that you install application B, which also happens to use the shared ABC.DLL. But, it turns out, application B uses a later version of ABC.DLL and so it overwrites the existing ABC.DLL file when it’s installed (without any warning to you). Now, depending on how application A is written, the next time it’s run and it looks for ABC.DLL, it may seamlessly work with the later version of ABC.DLL installed by application B, or it might crash (a likely possibility). If the latter occurs, it will undoubtedly lead you to wondering how that could’ve happened, since it worked just fine the day before. Sound familiar?
A similar type of situation is possible in reverse. Let’s say you try to remove application A from your system using Windows' Add/Remove Programs Control Panel (or even the application’s own uninstaller). At some point during that uninstall, the program may ask you if it should remove any shared .DLLs that are not being used by other applications. The default choice is to remove them and that's what most people do, but that can lead to more problems.
Again, depending on how the uninstaller works in conjunction with the application being removed, it’s possible that application A would remove ABC.DLL because it didn’t know that a newer version had been installed by application B and therefore would think that it wasn’t being used by another application. The result would be that after uninstalling application A, application B wouldn’t work because it was missing the ABC.DLL file (and you might even get an error message to that effect).
In both of these instances, the only real solution to these problems would be to reinstall the apps in question because there’s usually no simple way to reinstall only a shared .DLL (and even if there is, it may not be at all obvious where it needs to be located). In the first example, you’d probably have to first get an updated version of application A from the vendor’s web site and then reinstall that, hoping that it works with the new version of the ABC.DLL (and praying that it doesn’t add any new shared .DLLs that might break other applications!). In the second example, you’d just need to reinstall application B.
Windows System File Problems
A related, but even worse version of the problem can occur if an application overwrites some of the shared system files used by Windows 95—although that often means the operating system won’t load. (The same types of problems can also happen with Windows 98 or Windows ME, although Win98's System File Checker utility can help take care of these problems much more easily.) If that’s the case—it is relatively rare—you’ll probably need to reinstall Windows itself. (And if you do, you'll probably need to have a boot disk complete with a CD-ROM driver. Here's an article that tells you how to create one.)
If you do think it's time to reinstall Windows, you might try the Windows Setup program's Verify option first—it should save you time and maybe even a few extra headaches. The Verify option is supposed to be available any time you run Windows 95, 98 or Windows ME Setup on a machine that already has the same version of the operating system installed (although I've found that it doesn't always show up for some reason).
What happens is, the Setup program detects that Windows is already installed and then asks if you'd like to Verify your installation. If you do choose to Verify, it goes through an installation log file called Setuplog.txt (you can find it in your main hard drive's root directory--e.g., C:\--if you want to look at it) to see what should be installed, confirms that all the required files exist and aren't damaged, and then silently reinstalls any components that it finds are missing or damaged. In some cases, this will solve Windows system problems.
Diving In
If your willing to get your digital fingernails a bit dirty and you know the specific name of a .DLL or other Windows system file that's causing a problem (perhaps because an error message keeps telling you the problem file's name), there's another option. You can try to individually reinstall particular files. The process is not trivial, however, because all the Windows system files are stored in compressed Cabinet (.cab) files either on your hard disk, the Windows 95/98/ME CD-ROM, or both. What you have to do is find the compressed file within a particular .cab file, decompress it, and then copy it to appropriate directory inside the Windows folder.
Microsoft includes a DOS-based .cab file decompressor called Extract.exe on the Windows 95 CD and installs it in your Windows folder as part of the default installation. However, as you'll be able to quickly see from this article in Microsoft's Knowledge Base on how to use the Extract program, the program is not easy to use. Nevertheless, it can help you find the files you need. Another more straightforward option is to get the CabView utility from Microsoft (it's party of their handy PowerToys utility pack), and use it to specifically find and then decompress the component you need. Another improvement in Windows 98 and Windows ME is you can view the contents of CAB files and extract individual elements just by using Windows Explorer.
Most shared .DLL problems can be avoided if the programmers have done their homework, but given all the possible combinations of programs and .DLLs that are out there, it’s almost impossible for them to avoid all problems. And unfortunately, as frustrating as it may be, the only real answer to these problems is to reinstall the software. In fact, I’ve even heard or read some people recommend that you reinstall Windows and your apps every 3-6 months or so to avoid problems. I think this is overkill, but the thought has passed through my mind on more than one occasion as I’ve struggled through trying to resolve software problems on my own or other people’s machines.
Another possible solution is to not remove any shared .DLL files when you uninstall an application, but while that may work in a few instances, it eventually leads to a Windows folder full of unnecessary, potentially problematic stuff, so it’s not a great long-term solution. Frankly, there’s no great long-term solution other than to slug your way through, keeping your software as up-to-date as you can (and even that doesn’t always work—sometimes it’s better just to find a combination of software that works and stick with it).
Getting into Conflict
Oftentimes, software problems are due to conflicts between two applications, which basically means one or both of the programs in question does something in the course of their normal operation that causes the other application to crash or to not function properly. This is related, though not identical, to the .DLL problems described above.
Some conflicts are relatively easy to troubleshoot. If you install a new application and every time you try to run it while your word processor is open the new program crashes, but the new application works fine if the word processor isn’t running, then you’ve got a software conflict. The only way to fix it is by getting an update for one (or sometimes both) of the applications in question. Hopefully you won’t end up in a situation where each vendor claims it’s the other’s fault and nothing gets done, but be aware that that exact scenario sometimes happens.
Other conflicts are much harder to determine. One thing you should check is to see if the conflict is related to applications that are running in the background. Unbeknownst to most computer users, quite a few small applications are usually running in the background on typical Windows 95/98/ME machine. This is true even if you don’t see any applications running on the Taskbar (which is why this can be so confusing).
Under Windows 95, you can see a list of all applications running at a particular time by holding down Ctl-Alt-Del simultaneously (just do it once, though—if you do press all three again, it will restart your machine without prompting you to save any open files). The Close Program Window that pops up lists all the currently running tasks. While some are easy to understand, many of the programs listed only use obscure names like Systray or Rnaapp (which happen to be System Tray—which is the system application that puts all the icons in the lower-right corner of your Taskbar—and Remote Networking—which is used by Dial-Up Networking whenever you connect to the Internet via a modem). Figuring out what some of these various programs are and do can be extremely difficult because there’s usually very little information available about them.
Again, Microsoft has improved this situation in Windows 98 and ME by including a handy utility called Microsoft System Information that gives a thorough, understandable breakdown of all the different software components that are open and running on your machine at the time you run the utility.
One possible option for Windows 95 users is to pick up a copy of a shareware utility from SiSoft called Sandra. Sandra's Processes Information module can not only give you more information about each task (technically called a process) currently running on your machine, it can also tell you how much memory each one is using. Very handy.
Another option for Windows 95 users is to get a copy of the WinTop utility, which is part of Microsoft's Kernel Toys for Windows 95. What WinTop does is give a quick overview of what applications and other software processes are open on your computer at a given time and shows you how much of the processor's time they're demanding.
For troubleshooting purposes under Windows 95, 98, or ME you can quit applications individually from the Close Program Window mentioned earlier by selecting one and clicking on End Task. As you go through and quit each one you can see if that resolves your problem, but it’s a tedious process that doesn’t always give you the results you want. Another way to prevent (or see) some, though not all, of the applications that run in the background is to check your Startup folder, which is buried inside the Windows folder (it’s in the Programs folder, which is inside the StartMenu folder). Many applications place small utility programs inside the Startup folder, so you might be surprised at all the stuff you find there.
All the applications that are listed in the Startup folder are run in the background every time Windows 95 starts. Some of them put an icon in the System Tray to let you know that they’re running, but many of them don’t provide any visual indication whatsoever that they’re currently in use. If you want to prevent them from loading at startup to check for conflicts with certain programs, or if you just want to remove them completely, just remove the shortcuts listed in the Startup folder, either by deleting them or moving them to a different place. (Note that deleting a shortcut has no impact on the real file that the shortcut points to—it will still be on your system, but it won’t load at the system’s startup.)
I’ll Take the Driver
So far, I’ve only touched on applications, but there’s still more (hey, I told you this was hard…). Drivers, which are small pieces of software that allow your computer and operating system to "talk" to various peripherals that make up your system, such as your video card, printer, CD-ROM, etc., are often at the heart of software-related computer problems.
Like regular applications, drivers are subject to bugs, or errors, in them that can cause them to not function properly. More often than not, however, driver problems are due to conflicts or incompatibilities either with specific applications, other drivers, or some piece of system software. As I described in the beginning of this piece, today’s software is like a very complex puzzle and changing one piece in a seemingly unrelated area of the PC’s total software system can create problems somewhere else.
Driver problems can manifest themselves in a number of different ways. For example, if an application that used to be able to print can no longer print, it might be the application’s problem, but there’s also a very good chance that something has happened to the printer driver. Either a new piece of software that was recently installed has created a conflict that prevents the driver from working properly, or the driver file may have somehow been corrupted. (File corruption is a baffling, confounding problem that can happen for any number of reasons, including a quick electrical surge, an error in an application, a hardware error, and more.)
As with application problems, the only way to resolve many driver issues is to get an updated version of the driver and reinstall it. (For more info on installing or updating drivers, see the "PC Hardware Troubleshooting Tips" article.)
The End
As difficult as it may be to accept, there’s no magic solution that can tell you exactly what’s causing the problem when a piece of software doesn’t work right. Even utilities that claim to solve system software problems for you are only partially successful and sometimes they introduce new incompatibilities or other problems of their own. That’s part of the reason why software troubleshooting is so tough—and often such a frustratingly inexact science. If you keep your calm and use your head, though, you can usually get through lots of seemingly tough situations on your own (or perhaps with the help of a vendor-supplied update). Remember this maxim: when in doubt, reinstall! (For more on reinstalling everything, see "Starting Over: Repartitioning, Reformatting and Reinstalling.") Good luck.
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If you enjoyed this article, you'll really like my book, "Personal Computer Secrets."PC Software Troubleshooting Tips

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PC DOCTOR

Don't think your computer has errors? It's a known fact that over 93.7% of computers that are over 30 days old are infected with spyware and adware. Such software is rarely accompanied by an uninstall utility and even when it is it almost always leaves broken Windows Registry errors behind it.Even if you bought a spyware remover tool your Windows Registry might be broken - developers of those tools are focused on removing spyware and adware only, not every trace of software itself.With ERROR DOCTOR™ you can safely clean and repair Windows Registry problems with a few simple mouse clicks! Problems with the Windows Registry are a common cause of Windows crashes and error messages. By using ERROR DOCTOR™ regularly and repairing your registry your system should not only be more stable but it will also help Windows and your software run faster.
Auto ScanBy default, ERROR DOCTOR™ scans the registry for all types of errors. This is the simplest way to clean up the registry. Automatic Scan is recommended for 'non-technical' users.
Manual CleanupAfter the scan is complete, ERROR DOCTOR™ will show you a full list of errors with details, and let you fix individual invalid entries or all invalid entries of a certain type.
Backup and UndoBefore scanning your registry for errors, ERROR DOCTOR™ gives you the option to create a backup file(s) that can be used to undo the changes.
SchedulerYou can schedule ERROR DOCTOR™ to scan the registry for errors every 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes or whenever you prefer. You even have the option to have your PC automatically scan for errors when your computer starts.
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Most Common Windows Registry Problems Your PC is likely infected with Windows registry errors if it has ever experienced any of the problems:• PC runs much slower than when you first bought it • PC keeps crashing at critical times• Unable to remove a software using add/remove dialog• PC doesn't shutdown correctly• PC doesn't startup correctly• PC needs frequent rebooting• Getting the "Blue Screen of DeathThis is just a small list of problems and errors that your Windows registry may have. Let us scan your PC right now to see if your PC is infected with errors and fix them before it's too late!
Did you know that most of these computer problems are easily repairable?Don't pay a technician loads of money for an issue that you can easily repair yourself! For the fraction of the cost of getting a new computer or having your old one repaired, Error Doctor™ can clean up your PC so it's running like new again!
ERROR DOCTOR™ will fix hidden bugs and errors on your PC and increase the overall performance speed of your computer by as much as 300%. Statistics show that 93.7% of personal computers have corrupt and potentially dangerous files with 150 or more errors on them.Let the award winning ERROR DOCTOR™ software repair those errors for you today so you can enjoy a faster and more efficient PC.
What are Windows Registry Errors? The Windows Registry is a database that stores critical information and settings for all the software, hardware, registry keys, files, and preferences on your Windows PC. These Windows registry keys and files can begin to accumulate overtime and become corrupted as software and hardware is added and removed from your computer. The best way to know if your PC is corrupted with registry errors is by giving your computer a free diagnostic scan. By scanning your PC you'll then know what registry problems your PC may have and then fix them before your computer experiences a potential computer crash.
Here's What They're Saying...
ERROR DOCTOR has become such a huge hit that tens of thousands of people are now primarily using it to keep their PC's running error free. Read just a few of our user testimonials below.
"HI, Just a quick note to say how excellent the Error Doctor software is. My PC was constantly crashing and hanging 4 or 5 times per day and I ran spyware doctor and registry mechanic none of which did anything to help. I was on the verge of buying a new PC in the belief it was hardward problems but found your product and ran it. It found a number of Active X problems and device driver issues which it cleared and the PC has been stable now for several days. Fantastic and what a saving over the cost of a new unit. I can now work in the confidence I won't loose work as a result of a system crash.":: Steve Wardle
"I was going to invest over $2,500 in a new computer, but I decided to try ErrorDoctor first and I'm glad I did. Now my PC runs like new again, saving me hundreds of dollars and tons of time." :: Chris Valen
"Love the software, I recommended it to all my friends":: Jennifer Smith
"When my computer started getting those msg errors and started to crash on me... I thought it was only a matter of time before it would be toast. It kept getting worse and worse. So I downloaded ErrorDoctor as a last resort hoping to fix the problem .......my computer is back to new again thanks to you guys! It stopped getting the error messages and it runs better too. I can't say enough!":: David Dewolfe
"ErrorDoctor was so simple to use....I'm a novice and had no problems at all. My PC now runs faster and I don't get anymore errors! Great job.":: Valerie Renolds
ERROR DOCTOR™ is the most advancederror repair software on the market today!

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