Windows XP provides a number of troubleshooting tools that are extremely useful in resolving a large number of issues. These tools are very useful when a user receives error messages during Windows startup, when opening files, saving files, starting applications, or accessing hardware.
There are a large number of troubleshooting tools that can be used in the Windows XP operating system. Following are some of the most commonly used tools, which are described in detail:
MSCONFIG: It is a command line tool that is basically used to troubleshoot and resolve startup errors and resolve unwanted prompts by third-party applications. The MSCONFIG tool is used to troubleshoot errors that occur during startup, to discover and resolve problems with running services, or to resolve errors regarding the boot path configured on multiple computers. When a user runs the MSCONFIG utility at the command prompt, the following dialog box opens:
The dialog box allows a user to configure the settings on each tab page. On the General tab page, three Startup options are found. Normal Startup, Diagnostic Startup, and Selective Startup. A user can select any of the Startup options. These options determine how the computer will start. Normal Startup loads all the device drivers and services. Diagnostic startup loads only basic devices and services. Selective Startup loads only the manually configured items. The options in the SYSTEM.INI tab page and the WIN.INI tab page tell Windows XP which item configured in the SYSTEM.INI or WIN.INI file respectively to load when starting. The options in the BOOT.INI tab page are used to configure dual-boot computers, check boot paths, set a boot path as a default, configure how long to boot before booting to the default. Options in the Services tab page are used to select or deselect which services on the Windows XP computer will load during Startup. The Startup tab page allows a user to select or deselect which Startup items are loaded during the startup process.
MSINFO32: This tool is used to obtain information about the local and remote computer's hardware configuration, computer components, installed software, or drivers, product activation status, etc. Running MSINFO32 from Start menu will open the System Information dialog box as shown below:
In the left pane of the System Information window, several security options are shown. By expanding each of the options, a user can view the information regarding the hardware and software that are used by the computer.
Expanding Hardware Resources will show and determine conflicts between hardware devices and see interrupt requests, memory, DMA, and many more.
Expanding Components will display information about multimedia hardware, modem, sound and display devices, printing devices, and many more.
Expanding Software Environment will allow a user to view information about system drivers, print jobs, running tasks, services, network connections, and many more.
Expanding Internet Settings will display information about Internet settings, including the browser's version and type, cache settings, security zones, etc.
Expanding Applications option will display applications and information logged during use of the application.
CHKDSK: CHKDSK is an effective tool for troubleshooting. This command is basically used to view the file system type, and verify the integrity of the disks installed on the computer. By adding appropriate parameters with the CHKDSK command, a number of troubleshooting issues can be resolved.
Using the command with different parameters can resolve a number of issues, which are described as follows:
SFC/ SCANNOW:
A user can use the SFC /SCANNOW utility by typing SFC /SCANNOW at the command prompt.
Disk Defragmenter: Disk Defragmenter is a system tool used to defragment or consolidate the fragmented files stored on the hard disk of a computer. The fragmented files are those ones that are saved or stored in different areas of the hard disk. Defragmenting such files arranges and stores them on the hard disk on contiguous blocks. The operating system can access defragmented files at a faster rate than the fragmented ones. The Disk Defragmenter utility can be very helpful when a user complains about the performance of a computer. If a user complains that his computer's speed is slow, he can run the Disk Defragmenter to rearrange the files on the hard disk. A user can find it under Accessories in the Start menu. When this utility is run on a computer, it first analyzes the hard disk and determines the portion of fragmented files, contiguous files, unmovable files, and total available space on the computer's hard disk as shown below:
As per the analysis, it recommends the user whether the hard disk needs to be defragmented or not. A message appears automatically after the completion of the analysis of the hard disk and a user can take the appropriate action accordingly.
