PC lifesavers - Part 1

With so many of us reliant upon a computer for work, hobbies and home use, we are often left scrambling in the dark for a solution when a major problem hits the PC. When the computer doesn't show any signs of life after switching on, refuses to start Windows, or if important files have apparently disappeared or been accidentally deleted, panic can quickly set in.

Lost files
Essential files can sometimes go missing and be hard to find or retrieve. Accidentally deleting a file is one of the common causes, and also one of the most embarrassing to have to admit to. Luckily, versions of Windows dating from as far back as 95 up to the latest XP, shift deleted files to a place called the Recycle Bin. This is usually displayed as an icon on the Windows Desktop. Opening the Recycle Bin by double-clicking on it will display any files that have been deleted.

To retrieve a file you didn't want to delete, right-click on its entry or icon in the Recycle Bin and choose Restore from the menu that appears. This will resurrect and return the file to its original location on your computer. Alternatively, simply drag and drop the file into a desired folder, such as My Documents.

If the missing file isn't stored in the Recycle Bin, and you know you've accidentally deleted it, there may still be a chance of recovering it. When a file is deleted, it isn't completely removed from the computer's hard disk. The main contents of the file remain somewhere on the disk surface but the space it occupies can be overwritten if the computer needs it to store another file.

For older versions of Windows and in the days of DOS (versions 5 to 6.22), a program called Undelete was used to find deleted files for recovery. Windows 95 and later versions don't have such a program, but there are plenty of similar utilities available for download on the internet.

Handy programs such as File Rescue Plus 3.0 (£23) from can scan hard disks, floppy disks, CDs and memory cards for deleted data files and documents. File Rescue can even recover erased pictures, music files and video.

Once a deleted file is found, details concerning its condition and whether it can be recovered are displayed (pictures are viewed as thumbnails in File Rescue). All you have to do is select a file to retrieve and click on the recover button.

Sometimes, a deleted file is successfully recovered but cannot be opened. Trying an alternative recovery application may result in a successful recovery. Some are designed to be installed after a major disaster, such as a hard disk error, whereas others are best installed as a precautionary measure for use when a disaster strikes. Most of these programs have a free trial option before you have to commit to buying.

Program problems
If an application refuses to open, displaying a message that a particular file is missing, a recovery program may save the day. Alternatively, try a search of your computer using the Windows Search tool (or Find for early versions of Windows), which is located in the Start menu. After the Search window has opened, select 'All files and folders' and type in the name of the file you are looking for.

Make sure the correct drive letter (usually C:) is displayed and click on Search (or Find Now). Any files or folders found during the search will be displayed in a list, including their location and the date they were last modified. If you want to take a file and copy it into a particular program's folder, right-click on it and choose Copy then use My Computer or Windows Explorer to locate the folder of the program you want to paste it into. Once you've found the correct location, click on the Edit menu and choose Paste.

If the program still won't open after retrieving a file that has been reported missing, the simplest solution is to either re-install the software or run a 'repair'. Some applications, such as recent version s of Microsoft Office, can be repaired by inserting the installation CD into the computer's CD drive.

The Office installation program will automatically launch and find that the software has already been installed. A menu screen will appear with choices to remove programs, install more programs or repair programs. Selecting the repair option will fix any problems in the installed programs (such as missing files).

Windows XP also has a repair option. By inserting the installation CD after Windows has opened, a repair option will appear on a menu screen that will check Windows XP and repair or reinstall any missing files. Where a program doesn't have a repair facility, reinstalling the software may be the wisest move.

First you'll need to uninstall the existing faulty version but remember to always back up any files that have been created with the program first. To uninstall a program, click on the Start menu, choose Settings, then Control Panel.

From the screen that appears, open the icon labelled Add/Remove Programs. A list of programs to uninstall will appear. If the one you want is listed, select it, then click on the Remove button (Add/Remove for earlier Windows versions) and follow the instructions on screen. Once the program has been uninstalled, close the Control Panel, then use the program's original CD to install the software from scratch.

Reinstalling software can sometimes clear up problems such as error messages reporting that the program needs to close. If this doesn't fix the problem, you can look into the causes of the error by running a program called Dr Watson, which is supplied with Windows. To start this application, click on the Start menu and choose Run. In the box that appears type 'drwtsn32' ('drwatson' for earlier versions of Windows) and the Dr Watson program window will appear.

The program causing problems should be displayed in the list of Application Errors. Select it and click on the View button. Another box will appear with information about the error that occurred. If you contact the technical support service for the program concerned, the information displayed here may help them to resolve it.

Programs that create conflicts with others can be 'switched off' if they are running in the background. Some of these programs are shown as small icons next to the time display on the Windows Taskbar. You can usually right-click on one of these icons and choose the Exit or Close option.

Holding down the Ctrl and Alt keys on the keyboard, then pressing the Delete key opens the Windows Task Manager where you can select a program and click on the End Task button (though this is rather a heavy-handed method of closing applications). Some of the programs that run in the background and are always opened when Windows starts can be switched off permanently, so you don't have to manually close them each time you switch on your computer. This may also help to resolve any conflicts causing program errors or other problems.

To permanently switch off a program, click on the Start menu and choose Run. From the box that appears, enter 'msconfig' then click on OK. After a few seconds, a System Configuration Utility window will appear. Click on the Startup tab. A list of programs will appear. Any programs with tick marks against them are launched when Windows starts up. Click to remove tick marks from programs you suspect are causing problems, but make a note of these. Click on OK, then restart the computer to see if these changes have made any difference.

When restarting a computer in Windows XP after making changes using the System Configuration Utility, a message box may appear warning you that changes have been made to the way Windows starts and consequently Windows is starting in Diagnostic or Selective Startup Mode. Add a tick mark to the option stating 'Don't show this message ...' then click on OK. The message will not appear again, but if you want to reverse any of the changes made to the System Configuration Utility, return to the program via the Start menu and choose Run.