1. Check your computer's date and time. If they are incorrect, you will receive security certificate errors. Click on the time in your taskbar, and set the correct time in the pop-up window. Refresh the website where you received the error message. If you receive a security certificate error message again, the problem lies with the website's security certificate.
2. Click the icon that looks like a padlock next to your browser's address bar.

3. Read the information in the window. This will detail who owns the website, the site's verification status and any known information about the website's trustworthiness. Compare this to what you know about the site you were attempting to visit.
4. Click 'View Certificates, then 'Install Certificates.'
5. Click 'Yes' at the security warning to install the certificate for the website.

1. Click the 'Start' button and then click the 'All Programs' icon.
2. Click the 'Accessories' button and then right-click on the 'Command Prompt' icon.

3. Click the 'Run as Administrator' option from the menu, then enter your administrator password into the field that appears.
4. Type 'sfc /scannow' into the command prompt and press the 'Enter' button.
5. Wait for the scan to complete and then restart your computer to clear the error.

1. Go to 'Start,' click on 'Run,' type 'cmd' in the text box, and then click on 'OK.'
2. On to the black window that opens up, click and drag the software installation file icon that you wish to install. For example, suppose you want install Google Talk on your computer and the setup file (googletalk-setup.exe) is stored in the 'C:\\Software' folder. Click and drag the 'googletalk-setup.exe' icon from the Software folder, onto the black window. Once you have dragged it, the entire path (C:\\Software\\googletalk-setup.exe) shows up on the black screen.

3. Press the spacebar on your keyboard and type '/NCRC'. In our example, 'C:\\Software\\googletalk-setup.exe /NCRC'.
4. Press 'Enter.' The setup program will start now.

1. Go to the 'Start' menu and click on 'Run.'
2. Type 'regedit' in the search line, and click on 'OK' to bring up the Windows Registry Editor utility.

3. Navigate to and then click on the following registry entry:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\Components
4. Right-click on 'DeskHtmlVersion' in the right pane of the Registry Editor's window, and select 'Modify.'
5. Type '0' (zero) in the Value data box, and then click on 'OK.'
6. Close the Registry Editor, and restart your computer.

1. This error happens when the mshtml.dll file is missing or deleted. It can also happen when we repair the registry and damage or delete the mshtml.dll file. To repair this you must install the most current security update for IE7
2. The easiest way to repair this on Vista is to: 1) Click the START button. 2) Click the 'ALL PROGRAMS'. 3) Click 'WINDOWS UPDATE' (in left pane you may need to scroll up or down in Vista depending on how many programs you have installed on your computer. After you click WINDOWS UPDATE, Windows will automatically open the 'SYSTEM and MAINTENANCE-WINDOWS UPDATE' screen. Click on install updates.

3. Another option is to simply click the START button and go to CONTROL PANEL. After clicking on Control Panel, in right pane under the Security title, click 'INSTALL UPDATES.' In the new window, click install updates.
4. For both options you will be prompted to RESTART your computer. You must restart the computer for the updates to install. When your computer restarts, the updates will install. Do not close your computer until they are complete.
5. If you have a different version of IE (Internet Explorer), but have a similar problem you can go to: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. The site will recognise your version of IE and your country of origin and guide to the correct version for your browser.
6. If the updates don't work and you have the Vista installation disk, Insert the disk and repair from the installation screen. Click 'Repair', not 'Install'.
7. If you don't have the Vista installation disk: You can do a 'System Restore'. This restores the Windows registry to a prior moment in time (before the registry was changed and caused the problem).
8. System Restore: Start-Control Panel-System and Maintenance-Back up and Restore-Repair Windows using System Restore.
9. If all these fixes fail, you can always find a Free Registry Cleaner. These applications scan the registry for errors and repair them automatically though they may cause some programs to not work properly.

1. Click 'Start' followed by 'All Programs' and find Microsoft Outlook in the list of available programs.
2. Right-click on Microsoft Outlook and then click 'Properties' from the context menu.

3. Click the 'Compatibility' tab in the 'Properties' dialog box.
4. Click the 'Run This Program as an Administrator' check-box. Click 'OK.' This completes the procedure for computers with a single user. If the computer has multiple users, you'll need to also click the 'Change Settings For All Users' option. This displays a further 'Properties' dialog box for Outlook. Again, click the 'Run This Program as an Administrator' check-box. Click 'OK' twice.

CCleaner
1. Download, install and open CCleaner (see Resources--click 'Download Now').
2. Click the 'Registry' button on the left side of the program.

3. Click 'Scan for Issues' to begin searching for faults in the registry.
4. Click 'Fix selected issues' if any errors display once the scan is complete.
Registry Mechanic
5. Download, install and open Registry Mechanic (see Resources--click 'Start Download Now').
6. Click 'Optimize' then 'Clean Your Registry.'
7. Click 'Smart Update' to download the latest registry updates and definitions.
8. Wait for Registry Mechanic to scan your registry. If it finds any errors, click 'Repair' to clean and repair your registry.
Registry Healer
9. Download, install and open Registry Healer (see Resources--click a download 'Site' under 'Registry Healer').
10. Click the red 'Play' button to begin scanning your registry.
11. Click 'Include all user registry files into the scan.'
12. Click 'OK.'
13. Click the 'Select All Files' button (two buttons to the left of the information 'I').
14. Click 'Yes' to confirm the registry cleaning.

1. Pull the USB flash drive out of your computer's USB port. Check the bottom end and sides of the drive to see if it has a write protection switch. Push the plastic switch into the 'Unlock' position.
2. Insert the USB flash drive back into the USB port. Close the pop-up window that appears and navigate to the Start menu. Select 'My Computer.'

3. Locate the drive letter that corresponds to your USB flash drive in the 'My Computer' window, such as 'F:\' or 'D:\.' Double-click the drive letter. Attempt to use one of the files on the drive. Right-click one of the files if you still receive a write protection error and select 'Properties.'
4. Navigate to the 'General' tab and remove the check mark from the box labeled 'Read-Only.' Click 'Apply' and then attempt to use the file.
5. Return to the Start menu and click 'Run.' Type 'Regedit' and press 'Enter.' Navigate to the registry folder 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.'
6. Check if there is an entry at the right side of the window labeled 'WriteProtect.' Right-click inside the window if the entry is not there and choose 'New DWord.' Type 'WriteProtect' and press 'Enter.'
7. Double-click the 'WriteProtect' entry. Check that the value listed in the text box is '0.' If it is not, delete the value and replace it with '0.'
8. Close the registry editor and attempt to use any of the files on the USB drive. Return to the 'My Computer' window if you continue to receive a write protection error message.
9. Right-click the drive letter for the USB flash drive. Choose 'Format.' Click the drop-down menu named 'File System' and select 'Fat32.'
10. Click 'Start' to format the USB flash drive and remove the write-protection feature.

1. Log in to Windows with the username and password of an account that has administrator permissions. Click the 'Start' button on the PC desktop, type 'Event Viewer' in the 'Start Search' box and press 'Enter.'
2. Click the 'Windows' directory located in the left pane of the Event Viewer. Click the 'Application' log item. Double-click to open each error listed in the 'Application' log displayed until you find the DDE error. Read the notes presented on the 'General' tab of the error and note the application named in the notes as the cause of the error.

3. Update the application that is named in Event Viewer as the cause of the issue with current patches and service packs and then reboot and run the application. If the DDE error still occurs, proceed to the next step.
4. Click the 'Start' button and click 'Control Panel.' Double-click 'Programs and Features' in the Control Panel window. Select the application that is causing the error from the list displayed and then click 'Uninstall' and follow the prompts to complete the uninstall process. Reboot the computer.
5. Reinstall the application that was causing the DDE server errors and then update the application with the most current patches and service packs. Test to confirm the issue is now resolved.

1. Click the 'Start' button in the lower-left corner of the screen. Click 'Computer.'
2. Double-click the letter that corresponds to your primary hard drive--in this article, for the sake of example, we'll assume that your primary hard drive is 'C:'. Navigate to the following folder path:C:\Windows\System32\Drivers

3. Locate the 'nvlddmkm.sys' file. Right-click the file and rename it 'nvlddmkm.sys.old.' Exit Windows Explorer.
4. Press the Windows button plus 'F.' Type 'nvlddmkm.sy_' in the 'Search' field. Press 'Enter.'
5. Right-click the file and copy it to your desktop.
6. Press 'R' and the Windows button on the keyboard. Type 'cmd' in the dialog box and click 'OK.'
7. Type 'chdir Desktop' in the prompt. Press 'Enter.'
8. Type 'expand -r nvlddmkm.sy_ nvlddmkm.sys' and press 'Enter.' Exit the Command Prompt.
9. Locate the file 'nvlddmkm.sys' on your desktop. Right-click the file and click 'Copy.'
10. Click 'Start' and then click 'Computer.'
11. Navigate to the following folder path:C:\Windows\System32\Drivers
12. Paste the file from Step 9 in the folder. Reboot your computer.

1. Start the Windows XP Recovery Console by booting up your computer from your Windows XP installation CD. Insert the XP CD into your CD-ROM drive and turn on your computer.
2. Set your BIOS to boot from CD or from DVD. Your system’s BIOS settings can be opened by hitting the 'F2', 'F8', or the 'Del' keys on your keyboard. One of these should be pressed as the computer is booting up. The specific key differs depending on the manufacturer of your computer. When you see the following message, 'Press any key to boot from cd', tap any key on your keyboard and wait until you see the “Welcome to Setup” screen.

3. Hit 'R' to begin the Recovery Console. You will then be asked to select which Windows installation you wish to load. You should choose the first option unless you have a multi-boot system.
4. Type in the administrative password and hit 'Enter'. If you don’t have an administrative password, simply press 'Enter' to continue. This will bring you to the following command line: C:\Windows>.
5. Type in the following command into the command prompt, 'chkdsk /p /r'. This will launch and run 'chkdsk'. Be patient as this may take a few minutes. (It may even take a few hours on a slower system). Make sure you don’t cause any interruptions.
6. Type in 'Exit' to restart your computer after 'chkdsk' completes. And you are done!

1. Open Internet Explorer and click 'Tools,' then click 'Internet Options.'
2. Click the 'Connections' tab at the top.

3. Click 'Never dial a connection,' then click 'Apply.'
4. Click the 'LAN Settings' button at the bottom.
5. Click 'Automatically detect settings' and then click 'OK.'
6. Click 'OK' again to save your new settings, and then close Internet Explorer.
7. Open Internet Explorer and click 'File.' Look for 'Work Offline'; if it has a check next to it, click it. Otherwise, just click 'File' again to close the menu. You should no longer be prompted with messages stating that you're offline.

1. Insert the Ubuntu installation CD.
2. Restart the computer.

3. Change the boot device to CD/DVD-ROM from the system BIOS or by accessing the boot device menu. Your computer specifies how to access the BIOS or boot device menu at the bottom of the screen upon powering on.
4. Save the boot settings and restart.
5. Select 'Try Ubuntu without any change to your computer.' This launches Ubuntu in Live CD mode.
6. Launch Terminal by selecting 'Applications,' 'Accessories' and then 'Terminal.'
7. Type 'sudo grub' and then press 'Enter.'
8. Type 'root (hd0,0)' and then press 'Enter.' If GRUB was installed onto a different hard drive or partition, you must edit 'hd0,0' to reflect the hard drive that contains GRUB. Be sure that these changes are reflected in Step 9 as well.
9. Type 'setup (hd0)' and then press 'Enter.'
10. Type 'exit' and then press 'Enter.' GRUB is now reinstalled and the error should be resolved when you restart your computer.

1. Open your internet browser.
2. Navigate to the following address: http://download.cnet.com/Free-Window-
Registry-Repair/3000-2086_4-10606555.html

3. Click on the 'Download Now' link.
4. Download the file to your computer.
5. Install the program. On the final step, make sure that 'Launch Free Windows
Registry Repair' is selected (this will open the program upon the closing of the
install process).
6. Click on 'Full Scan' in the registry repair program.
7. Wait for the scan to complete.

1. Close any games that you've been playing on your computer. The 'Auto Config Please Wait' error tends to pop up when full screen games are being played. To get around this error, change the settings of your games so the screen size is smaller. This can often be done by navigating to the options or settings section of a game.
2. Change your screen resolution by right-clicking on your desktop, selecting 'Properties,' then 'Display Settings.' The resolution size you choose doesn't matter. Changing the screen size sometimes resets the settings and fixes the 'Auto Config Please Wait' error.

3. Check the cord that connects your computer monitor to the back of your computer tower. A loose, ripped or old cord could cause the 'Auto Config Please Wait' error. Try connecting the cord to another computer and see if you get the same error. If you do, it's time to buy a new cord.
4. Download updates for your computer monitor. Outdated drivers can also cause the 'Auto Config Please Wait' error to pop up. If you don't know the brand of your monitor, check the sticker on the back. It will list the model and brand. Then, go to that brand's website and download any drivers you are missing.
5. Connect your computer monitor to a spare computer and see if the 'Auto Config Please Wait' error still pops up. If so, it's a problem with the monitor.
6. Turn off your computer and disconnect all the wires from the tower. Open your computer by twisting off the screws and sliding off the side. Locate the graphics card. It will be a red or green card, several inches long, that is screwed into your computer. Sometimes this card comes loose and causes the 'Auto Config Please Wait' error. Press down gently but firmly on the graphics card. Press only hard enough to make sure the card hasn't come loose.
7. Hook everything back up to your computer and see if the error persists. If it does, you'll need to replace your graphics card. The kind of graphics card you'll need will depend on your computer type, so note your computer model number. This information can be found on the back of the tower.

1. Go to 'Start' and click on 'My Documents.' In the My Documents window that opens, click on the 'File' menu, click on 'New' and then click on 'Folder.' Type a name for the new folder (for example 'setupfile'), and then press 'Enter.'
2. Insert the software setup CD into your CD drive.

3. Go to 'Start' and click on 'My Computer.' In the My Computer window, double-click on the CD drive to open it.
4. On the 'Edit' menu, click on 'Select All' and then click on 'Copy.'
5. Go to the 'setupfile' folder you created, click on the 'Edit' menu, click on 'Paste' and wait for the process to complete.
6. From among the files you just copied, double-click on 'Setup.exe.' Setup starts.

1. Click 'Start' and select 'Run' in the right-hand corner of the Start menu. Type 'Notepad.exe' into the text box, and click 'OK.'
2. Type 'x=MsgBox('Error Message', 0 16, 'Box Title Name')' into Notepad without the external quotation marks and include your custom error message in the 'Error Message' section (in quotation marks) and a title for the error message in 'Box Title Name' (in quotation marks). An example of an error message may be x=MsgBox('You clicked the wrong key!', 0 16, 'Wrong Key!'), as exactly written.

3. Click 'File' and select 'Save As' in Notepad. Save your error message as 'Error.vbs' to your computer, preferably on the desktop.
4. Click 'Start' and select 'Run' as in Step 1. Select 'Browse.' When the Explorer window appears, select 'All Files' from the drop-down box in the right-hand corner. Locate the error message saved in the previous step; for example, if your file was saved on the desktop, you could navigate to 'Desktop' and select 'Error.vbs.'
5. Click 'OK' in the 'Run' window. Your error message should now appear. If the error message does not appear as expected, ensure you have followed the method correctly or try creating a new error message.
6. Right-click on your saved error file, and select 'Copy'. Select 'Start,' click 'All Programs,' right-click on 'Startup' and click 'Open.' Right-click in the 'Startup' window and click 'Paste.' Your custom error message will now appear when Windows starts.

1. Right-click on the 'Start' button from your desktop and click the 'Explore' option from the shortcut menu.
2. Click the 'OK' button that appears for the 'Class Not Registered' error to close out of the dialog box.

3. Click the 'Start' button from the desktop and then click the 'Run' button. If you don't see the 'Run' button, type 'Run' in the search field and press 'Enter.'
4. Enter 'regsvr32 ExplorerFrame.dll' into the 'Open' field. Click the 'OK' button and then try to run Windows Explorer again. Click the 'Start' button from your desktop if you still receive the error and then click the 'All Programs' option.
5. Select the 'Accessories' option and then click the 'System Tools' option. Click the 'System Restore' option.
6. Click the 'Restore my computer to an earlier time' option and then select a restore date for a time before the error occurred. Click the 'Restore' button and your computer will automatically restart.

1. Go to 'Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Administrative Tools.'
2. Click 'Services' and type in the password if you have one.

3. Right-click on 'Windows Update' and hit 'Stop.'
4. Go to 'Start > Computer.' Click on 'C' drive.
5. Open the 'Windows' folder and then open 'SoftwareDistribution.'
6. Open 'DataStore' and right-click to delete any files in there.
7. Hit the 'Back' button. Open 'SoftwareDistribution' and delete any files in the 'Download' folder.
8. Hit the 'Back' button. Open 'SoftwareDistribution' and delete any files in the 'Download' folder.
9. Open 'Services' and right-click 'Windows Update.' Hit 'Start' to resume updates. If it will not start, go to 'Start > All Programs > Windows Update > Check for Updates.'

1. Click the 'Start' button and then click the 'All Programs' tab.
2. Click on 'Accessories' and then right-click on the 'Command Prompt' option.

3. Click 'Run as administrator' and then enter your administrator password into the field that appears on the screen.
4. Type 'sfc /scannow' into the command prompt and press the 'Enter' button.
5. Wait for the scan to complete and then restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Restoring Search Tool in Start Menu
1. Right-click on the Windows taskbar and select 'Properties' to open the Task Bar and Start Menu Properties window.
2. Click the 'Customize' button under the 'Start Menu' tab to open the Customize Start Menu.

3. Scroll to and check the 'Search' option under the 'Advanced' tab. Click 'OK' to close the window. You have just restored the 'Search' companion shortcut to the Windows Start Menu.
Eliminating Search Tool Pop-up Errors
4. Click 'Start' and then select 'Run' to open the Run command prompt window. Type 'regedit' (without quotes) and click 'OK' to open the Registry Editor window. This step begins the process of eliminating any pop-up errors you might be getting when attempting to run the search companion tool.
5. Drill down to the 'Namespace' folder in the left-hand pane of the Registry Editor window:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace
6. Right-click on the 'Namespace' folder and click 'New' to enter a new registry key.
7. Type the following key (including the curly brackets) into the window and press 'Enter' when finished:{e17d4fc0-5564-11d1-83f2-00a0c90dc849}
8. Right-click the 'Default' registry key in the right-hand pane of the Registry Editor window, and select 'Modify' to open the Edit String menu.
9. Type 'Search Results Folder' in the window and click 'OK.' Close the Registry Editor window and reboot the computer. The Windows XP search companion tool should now be fully functional.

1. Click on the 'Windows' orb logo at the bottom of the desktop to show the Start menu. Click on the 'Computer' link from the menu to open a window.
2. Right-click on the drive letter, e.g., 'C,' 'D,' etc., to show a pop-up menu. Select 'Properties' from the menu to open a dialog box.

3. Click on the 'Tools' tab to bring it to the front of the box. Click the 'Check now' button in the 'Error-checking' section.
4. Place a check mark into the box next to both options, 'Automatically fix file system errors' and 'Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.'
5. Click the 'Start' button. Wait and monitor the screen while Windows diagnoses and fixes disk errors, including the 'disk read error.' You will see status messages during, and a report at the end of, the process.

1. Restart your computer by hitting 'Ctrl'-'Alt'-'Del' twice; if your keyboard is disabled, hold down your 'Power' switch for 10 seconds or so to turn the computer off and then turn it back on. When your computer boots back up, hit the 'F8' key over and over until an option screen comes up.
2. Choose 'Safe Mode without Networking' from the menu and then 'Start.' If your computer starts up with a desktop and without the blue screen, you can assume the cause of the blue screen is a driver for the operating system. Move on to Step 3. If there is still a blue screen, you may need to replace your RAM; see Warnings.

3. Click on the Start menu and type 'ipconfig' in the search prompt. Double click on 'ipconfig' and then on the 'Startup' tab. Click 'Disable All' and then restart your computer in regular mode. If there is no blue screen, the problem may be one of your startup items; move on to Step 4. If there is still a blue screen, move on to Step 5.
4. Go back to ipconfig and try adding one startup item at a time and then restarting your computer. If you receive a blue screen after adding a particular startup item, you can pinpoint that program as the problem. Keep testing until you determine which item has caused your blue screen and keep that item disabled for the future.
5. Restart your computer and hit the 'F8' key as described in Step 1. Click 'Enable VGA mode' from the menu. When you start your computer, go to 'Start,' 'Control Panel,' 'Personalization' and then 'Display Properties.' Lower your screen resolution one or multiple settings lower (for example, if it is 1,280 by 800, try lowering it to 800 by 600). Restart your computer in regular mode. If it works, you can assume that your resolution was too high for your monitor. If you still have a blue screen, move on to Step 6.
6. Repair faulty system files on your machine by using a system scan. Start your computer in Safe Mode again. Click 'Start,' 'All Programs' and Accessories.' Right-click 'Command Prompt' and select 'Run as administrator.'
7. Type the following into the command prompt 'SFC [/SCANNOW] [/VERIFYONLY] [/SCANFILE=
] [/VERIFYFILE=
] [/OFFWINDIR=
/OFFBOOTDIR=

1. Click the 'Start' button and select 'All Programs.' Scroll up to find the shortcut for Internet Explorer. Click to launch the browser.
2. Click on the 'Tools' and select 'Internet Options.'

3. Click on the tab titled 'Security.'
4. Find the 'Custom Level...' button under the sub-heading 'Security level for this zone.'
5. Scroll down under the 'Settings' subheading to find 'ActiveX controls and plug-ins.'
6. Scroll down further to find the contents under 'ActiveX controls and plug-ins.' Look for 'Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins.' Make sure it shows 'Enabled.' If it doesn't, be sure to change it to 'Enabled.'
7. Look for 'Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting.' It should be located right below 'Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins.' Make sure it also shows 'Enabled.' If it doesn't, make sure to change it to 'Enabled.'
8. Click 'OK.' Click 'Apply.' Close and re-launch Internet Explorer to complete the task. You should not find any ActiveX error messages. If you still do, click on the 'Reset button' under 'Reset Custom Settings' after finishing Step 4.

1. Download the Ws2_32.dll file.
2. Right-click the saved DLL file and click 'Copy.' Go to the 'Start' menu, click 'Computer,' double-click the 'C:' drive, double-click the 'Windows' folder and then the 'System32' folder. Right-click anywhere in a blank space and click 'Paste.'

3. Go to the 'Start' menu, type 'run' in the 'Start Search' box and press 'Enter.' Type 'Regsvr32 'C:\Windows\System32\ws2_32.dll' in the search field and hit 'Enter' to register the DLL. Click 'Yes' in the pop-up to confirm the registration.
4. Restart your computer.