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| Deciphering Error Messages |
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Featured Articles August 2000 • Vol.11 Issue 8 Page(s) 39-41 in print issue |
Deciphering Error Messages How To Understand Your Computer’s Complaints | ||
 Your dog is standing at the back door, looking back at you with her ears folded down. She can't explain what she wants in English, but you ignore her "message" at your peril. Of course, the more you interact with your dog, the quicker you'll understand that she needs to go outside. A similar situation may crop up with your PC. You shouldn't expect it to whine at the back door (at least we hope it won't), but it sometimes tries to tell you something mysteriously. Your PC has the advantage over your dog of expressing itself in English, although it still may present phrases that make no sense, and the risks are equally high if you misunderstand the message. Unfortunately, your PC will probably wax cryptic when you need straight talk most: when there's been an error. In general, error messages are generated by the operating system (OS), an application such as a Web browser, or a hardware device. Some error warnings are very descriptive. Others are too nebulous to be helpful. Fortunately, most error warnings contain enough real content to get you started on troubleshooting. This article will help you understand the basics of error messages and how to record them. The next two articles explain the most common Windows and Internet errors. (NOTE: This article's examples come from Windows 98; the procedures may vary in Windows 95, NT4, or 2000.)  Operating System Errors The OS usually catches most of the blame for errors, but it's not always at fault. Software foibles can muck up any OS. Suppose you encounter the message, "EXPLORER caused an invalid page fault in module VTCOM-MON.DLL" when you attempt to open the Control Panel. This message has three main parts: the application name Explorer, the invalid page fault error, and the file name Vtcommon.dll. If you are not using Internet Explorer at the time, you can assume Win98 is referring to Windows Explorer, which is the basis for opening application windows such as the Control Panel. An invalid page fault means the system can't find data that an application has requested from memory, or finds the wrong data in a certain area of memory. The Vtcommon.dll file is the best clue. Vtcommon.dll isn't a Windows file; it belongs to IBM's ViaVoice 98 software. You might not realize this unless you knew where the file was stored. To find the directory path of a file in an error message, click Start, Find, and Files Or Folders. Next, type the file's name (vtcommon.dll, for example) in the Named blank. Finally, choose your Windows hard drive in the Look In list, check the box next to Include Subfolders, and press ENTER. If Vtcommon.dll appears below, right-click it and choose Properties. The Versions tab of the Properties box (if that tab is present) usually tells you which application it belongs to. The following section, Application Errors, has further suggestions. Once you decide to troubleshoot your error, don't be afraid to use Microsoft's free online Knowledge Base for information (http://search.support.microsoft.com/kb). The Knowledge Base may require some digging, but it might give you the error-busting information you need. Choose your Microsoft product from the list. You won't be able to type the whole error message into the My Question Is blank, but you will be able to type in the main phrases. Likewise, you probably won't be able to highlight, Copy, and Paste the error message's text, so type carefully. Once you're finished, click Go and browse the titles and descriptions of all the troubleshooting articles that have some relation to your error message. Application Errors If your application's name appears in the title bar of the error message box, don't blame your OS. Click Help on the application's menu bar and try searching for a troubleshooting section or for keywords in the error message. Some application error messages are easy to understand, such as when Microsoft Excel 2000 tells you, "The information cannot be pasted because the copy area and the paste area are not the same size and shape." This happens when you try to Copy several cells and then Paste them into a single cell. If you a weirder error code, such as "#DIV/0!", click Help, Microsoft Excel Help, and Index. Now select "#DIV/0!" from the keyword list and choose a topic from the list below. Other places to look up error messages are the Readme.txt file in the application's folder (double-click it to open it) or the software maker's Web site. If an application begins generating frequent errors, consider backing up your data files and then uninstalling and reinstalling the program. If an error message mentions a file you can't locate using Find Files Or Folders, it may belong to an application you recently uninstalled. Try reinstalling the program. If it solves the problem, uninstall it again following our advice in For Fewer Errors below. Web browser applications, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 and Netscape Communicator 4.73, have their own genre of error messages. These messages often have numbers that represent more or less standard Internet errors. The main thing to remember is not to get hung up on the number of the error if there's an explanation after it. For example, you might encounter a blank page reading "Error 403: Forbidden". This authoritarian beauty means that the administrator of the server you're trying to connect to has blocked your access. If your browser doesn't explain the error, though, you might not understand it. Refer to "Online Error Messages" in this section for more information. Communicator 4.08 users may occasionally see an error message reading, "Netscape is unable to locate the server: http://www.someisp.com. The server does not have a DNS (domain name server) entry. Check the server name in the Location (URL) and try again." The pivotal information is the URL (Universal Resource Locator) http://www.someisp.com (which would be replaced in a real example by the name of the site you're trying to reach). This error simply means that the Web page you're trying to visit isn't working right now or doesn't exist, or you mistyped its URL. If your browser can't find the URL's DNS entry in the central server at someisp.com, which an active URL would have, it can't find the Web page. Device Errors Device errors are a little different from application and OS errors in that they may result from physical problems as well as software communication difficulties. In fact, physical problems, such as a loose cable or a missing CD-ROM, can be the easiest errors to fix: Simply tighten all the connections or make sure the CD is in the drive. The ominous-sounding but usually harmless "Non-System Disk or Disk Error" during bootup typically means you should eject the non-bootable diskette from the drive and press a key. (NOTE: If you get this error with no diskette in the drive, you could be facing a serious hard drive problem.) Device software errors are a little trickier. Your OS must support and communicate with every device in your PC, from the hard drive to the mouse, so there are ample opportunities for trouble. Other errors may stem from an incorrect installation or a conflict with another device that is competing for the same resources within the PC. Record the error message as outlined below and look for help on the manufacturer's Web site. Some devices require a driver, which is a small program the OS must load into memory before it can use the device to its fullest. You can correct many device errors by installing the newest driver version, if available. It's smart to check your device manufacturers' Web sites every few months for updates. Recording The Error Error messages may look like they contain a few recognizable phrases and more than a few lines of gibberish. Don't be tempted to jot down the words you recognize and skip the rest. A tech support representative may ask for any of the details in the message. Writing down everything in the error message is both tedious and prone to adding errors of your own through typos. A better way is to press the ALT and PRINT SCREEN keys simultaneously. This will take a screen shot, or picture, of the error message box, although you won't be able to see it just yet. (NOTE: ou can take a picture of the entire screen by pressing PRINT SCREEN without the ALT key.) To see the screen shot, click Start, Programs, Accessories, and Paint. Next, open the Edit menu and select Paste. If Paint asks whether you would like to enlarge the bit map (the white box in the upper left) to accommodate the screen shot, click Yes. You should now see the error message box. Click File and Print to print it out. Note that some messages have multiple parts that may require multiple screen shots. Some error message boxes lead to others when you click Close or Details. Of course, you can't take a screen shot if Windows crashes with a blue screen, usually labeled with "Fatal Exception Error" and other data. You'll have to write down as much as possible. A Doctor's Supervision Dr. Watson, a utility included with most versions of Windows, makes it easier for you to gather all the information tech support reps will ask for. If you are experiencing recurrent OS or application errors, set Dr. Watson to load as a TSR (terminate-and-stay-resident) program that operates unseen in the background when you turn on your computer. Right-click the Start button, then click Explore. Click the plus signs next to C: (or the letter of your Windows hard drive), WINDOWS, START MENU, and PROGRAMS, and click the STARTUP folder once to highlight it. Next, open Windows Explorer's File menu and choose New, Shortcut. Type c:\windows\drwatson.exe in the command line (if your Windows hard drive is the C: drive). Finally, click Next and Finish. When you restart your computer, Dr. Watson should be running as a TSR, with a new icon in the System Tray at the lower right.
For Fewer Errors Good file maintenance is the best way to head off potential errors. In Win98, for example, occasionally run Disk Cleanup (Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and Disk Cleanup) and then ScanDisk and Disk Defragmenter in the System Tools folder. Other Windows OSes have similar utilities, although WinNT4 has no defragmentation tool. Also, never have less than 40-50MB (megabytes) of free hard drive space and consider a RAM upgrade if your PC has less than 64MB. Another way to avoid trouble is to study your installation and uninstallation methods. Before you set up or remove an application, try shutting off any antivirus programs or screen savers. To do the latter, right-click a blank part of the Desktop, then select Properties, Screen Saver, and None in the Screen Saver pull-down menu. To delete an application, first check whether it has its own uninstall utility in its folders in the Start menu or Windows Explorer. If not, click Start, Settings, Control Panel, and use Add/ Remove Programs to uninstall the application. If Windows asks whether you want to delete any .DLL or other shared files, answer No To All. These take up little space, and you may need them even if Windows says you don't. A more controversial method of error prevention and/or recovery is installing software such as Norton Crash Guard, a utility in Symantec's Norton System Works 2000 Professional Edition ($99.95; 800/441-7234, 408/253-9600; http://www.symantec.com), or Ontrack's Fix-It Utilities 2000 ($49.95; 800/645-3649, 303/245-8000; http://www.ontrack.com). Some detractors complain that these tools cause as many problems as they prevent. Still, both companies claim their suites will automatically perform important maintenance, which should avoid many errors. The best approach here is to buy a crash utility with a money-back guarantee. Carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions as you install and use it, so you'll be sure to give the software a try. If nothing seems to help, and you still get frequent errors, return the software. Microsoft provides updates and other downloads for Windows OSes at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and http://www.microsoft.com/down loads. Some updates fix common errors. Software vendors often offer free updates and patches on their Web sites, and hardware makers generally post the latest drivers for their devices. You can download the updates or drivers to thwart potential errors, accommodate emerging technologies, or guard against new online threats. Fewer Errors Tomorrow Microsoft says Windows 2000 Professional, an OS designed mainly for business users, greatly reduces errors through better installation procedures, more rigid application development guidelines, and protection of key files against applications trying to change them. It also includes clearer error messages and more thorough troubleshooting wizards. Dogs may remain mysterious, but PCs should get better at saying what they want.  by Marty Sems
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