Wipe out error messages in XP and Vista

Every computer user will, from time to time, face an error message. Some are completely harmless and can be simply dismissed, but others will keep coming back and annoying you without ever explaining what has gone wrong.

We've listed the most common error messages you are likely to see during day-to-day use of Windows XP and Vista. We will also tell you the most likely cause of each one and how to go about fixing them. And don’t worry, none of the solutions we cover require any advanced technical knowledge. Most errors here can be found in both XP and Vista, but we will note when this is not the case.

‘[PROGRAM NAME] is not responding’
This appears in both XP and Vista, although the error message and options are slightly different for each operating system. In both cases, the culprit is usually a program that’s taking longer than expected to complete a function.

Before clicking ‘End now’ (XP) or ‘Close the program’ (Vista), it’s worth giving the program a chance to complete what it’s doing ­. This error message can often appear when a program is still running but trying to do something difficult. If a program keeps producing this error we recommend checking for any updates or completely reinstalling the program.

‘404 ­ Page not found’
Regardless of which internet browser is being used, a ‘404’ error message will appear if the page you’re trying to visit cannot be found. The message is sent by the website itself, so this shows that there’s no problem with your computer or internet connection: it’s just that the page you want doesn’t exist on the website.

To rectify it, check the web address has been entered correctly. Alternatively, remove all the characters after the domain name and try searching for the page from there (so, for example, try www.bbc.co.uk instead of www.bbc.co.uk/link/sample/test.html). It’s also worth noting that 404 error messages can be customised by each site, so they don’t always look the same.

‘Cannot uninstall [PROGRAM NAME]’
The exact wording of this error will depend on the type of program you’re trying to remove and what went wrong during the process, but there are a few methods that can usually fix it. First try reinstalling the program in question ­ this should replace the uninstallation files, allowing you to remove it successfully. If this doesn’t work there are many programs that can help with removing troublesome software: Tuneup Utilities 2009, for example, includes a dedicated uninstaller tool.

‘Your system is running low on virtual memory’ (XP)
Modern computers usually have at least 512MB of memory installed, but when the amount of temporary information that needs storing exceeds the memory they write some of it to the hard disk.

The space used to do this is known as virtual memory. If this space hasn’t been set up correctly, though, Windows will start to complain. It’s usually best to let Windows decide how much virtual memory should be available.

To do this, right-click My Computer and select Properties. Now click on the Advanced tab, then, under Performance, the Settings button. Click on the Advanced tab once more and, at the bottom, click Change. Make sure the ‘System managed size’ option is selected and click the Set button. Finally, click OK and restart your PC.

‘553: sorry, that domain isn’t in my list of allowed rcpthosts’
In contrast to the other error messages we’ve covered here, this one appears in the form of an email. The exact wording of the message can vary, but it will usually have the error code of 553 listed and will occur when email is sent using a private account (not a webmail service such as Hotmail or Google Mail) using an email program such as Outlook Express or Windows Mail.

The error indicates that the computer used to send emails wants you to authenticate your self and prove that you have an account. To do this in Outlook Express head to the Tools menu, click on Accounts and then double-click your email account from the list. Next, select the Servers tab and, at the bottom, place a tick in the ‘My server requires authentication’ box. Now click OK, and those pesky 553 email errors should disappear.

‘Error moving file or folder’
This error appears if you try to move a file when it is currently open in an application (for example a document in Word). It’s easy to do this by accident if you try to move a folder when one of the files inside it is open.

Similarly, try to delete a file that’s being used and the error message ‘Error deleting file or folder’ will appear. In order to successfully move or delete the file, you will first need to exit the program that’s using it.

Vista produces a ‘File in use’ error under the same circumstances. It also has a ‘Try again’ button ­ if you close the application that’s using the file, clicking this will move or delete the file as requested.

If you can’t see any programs using the file try waiting 10 seconds before retrying, and if that doesn’t work restart the PC then try to remove or delete the file again.

‘The system has recovered from a serious error’
This message appears after a PC has restarted following an error. More often than not, you won’t need to do anything other than decide whether or not to send an error report to Microsoft.

However, if this message repeatedly appears every time Windows starts, even when no error has occurred, head to this Microsoft support page where a file can be downloaded to fix the problem.

‘Insert a disc’
If you get this error when there is a disc in your CD or DVD drive, it’s worth going to the drive manufacturer’s website to check for an updated driver or firmware. If there are no updates, or they have no effect, it could be that the drive doesn’t support the type of disc you’re trying to read or write to. To find out which formats are supported, download a copy of the free DVD Identifier tool.