When facing a system crash or startup up problems on Windows Computers, troubleshooting the problem can be difficult to resolve. The first step with recovery is to use Windows Safe Mode option during startup. One Safe Mode option that will help troubleshoot boot problems is to enable Boot Logging which will create a log and help identify the device or driver that is causing the problem during startup.

When Boot Logging is enable, Windows boots normally, until the device or driver that is causing the problem either crashes the system or completes starting up but causes an error message in the Event Log. While booting, Windows creates a log file that lists every step processed that is attempted and completed.

You can then reboot in to Safe Mode and review the log file named ntbootlog.txt. The log is stored in the %SYSTEMROOT% directory (normally C:\Windows or C:\WINNT folder). Below is an example of ntbootlog.txt log file on Windows XP (Vista log is similar):

Service Pack 2 5  4 2007 10:45:44.500
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\system32\hal.dll
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\system32\KDCOM.DLL
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\system32\BOOTVID.dll
Loaded driver ACPI.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\WMILIB.SYS
Loaded driver pci.sys
Loaded driver isapnp.sys
Loaded driver compbatt.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\BATTC.SYS
Loaded driver intelide.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\PCIIDEX.SYS
Loaded driver MountMgr.sys
Loaded driver ftdisk.sys
Loaded driver dmload.sys
Loaded driver dmio.sys
Loaded driver PartMgr.sys
Loaded driver VolSnap.sys
Loaded driver atapi.sys
Loaded driver vmscsi.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\SCSIPORT.SYS
Loaded driver disk.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\CLASSPNP.SYS
Loaded driver fltmgr.sys
Loaded driver sr.sys

To enable Boot Logging on Windows XP and Vista, boot your Computer, and during startup continually press F8 until the menu screen appears:

NOTE: screen shot is from XP. Vista menu will look slightly different than XP.

Press F8 to display the Advanced Menu screen and select Enable Boot Logging

You will be returned to the menu screen and you should see Enable Boot Logging in blue displayed at the bottom of the screen (don't worry if this screen is not displayed and Windows starts to boot):

If the problem does not cause Windows to crash, and after startup has completed, you can review the ntbootlog.txt file. Look for any signs of problems loading device drivers. If you find problems, go into Device Manager and disable the device or uninstall the program, then reboot again. If the problem does not occur then you know it was that device and you should check the vendor website for new drivers or known issues.

If your problem does cause Windows to crash, reboot into Safe mode by selecting Safe Mode from the Advanced Menu screen. When reviewing ntbootlog.txt file, look for events that were attempted to load but not completed. More than likely the problem will be toward the end of the file (since that was the last item logged before crashing). When you identify the problem, either uninstall the application or go in to Device Manager and disable the device. Reboot your Computer and see if the problem still exist. If it boots without crashing, check the vendor website for new drivers or known issues.

If you are still having problems, enable Boot Logging again to see if new events are logged after you have disabled the device or uninstalled the program. If you are unable to fix the problem, you may need to have a Computer shop troubleshoot the problem for you.

Notes on Boot Logging:

• Boot Logging can only be enabled from Safe Mode. Once it is enabled, it only logs during the current boot. It will not log during the next reboot unless you enable it again from Safe Mode.
• If an existing ntbootlog.txt files exist, the next time Boot Logging is enabled, Windows will append to the existing log file.
• It is a good idea to have Windows create a new log when there are no problems or after you have added new devices. This will allow full logging to occur and will let you compare with a log when problems exists.

Some third-party programs require disk write caching to be enabled or disabled. While having disk write caching enabled on computers gives them extra performance by making disk writes more efficient, it can sometimes interfere with how certain applications work on these machines. This article describes how to enable or disable disk write caching.

Enabling or Disabling Disk Write Caching In Windows XP:

1. Right-click on My Computer > Properties.

2. Switch to Hardware tab > click on Device manager button.

3. Expand Disk Drives node and then right-click the drive on which you want to enable or disable disk write caching, and then click Properties.

4. Go to Policies tab and check or uncheck the check-box with: "Enable write caching on the disk".

Memory (RAM) can become corrupted and not work properly. Usually, a replacement is needed to fix the problem, but before you replace your hardware, you should use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool. This tool is available in both Windows Vista and 7.


To run Windows Memory Diagnostic:
1. Click the Start button, type mem, and click on Windows Memory Diagnostic.
2. When the Windows Memory Diagnostic screen loads, click Restart now and check for problems.

3. You computer will restart.
4. The memory diagnostic will run and can take some time (up to an hour).

5. Windows will restart and report any errors to you. 

After sharing this feature with Windows Vista and Windows 7 users, many of them reported a more responsive system after the test.

Summary

With Target Display mode, you can use your 27-inch iMac with Mac OS X as an external display. Connect any computer or other device with a Mini DisplayPort to your 27-inch iMac using a Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable or using a converter that converts other electrical, video, and audio protocols from another source device to Mini DisplayPort compliant signals.

If you back up multiple disks attached to your Mac, such as external hard disks or additional internal hard disks, and you want to restore data from one of these disks but it is not connected to your Mac (or the disk is no longer working), follow these steps:

1) Click the Time Machine icon in the Dock, or choose Enter Time Machine from the Time Machine menu extra.

2) Click the computer name found at the top of the devices group in your Finder sidebar, or press Shift-Command-C.

3) Click on the name of the unavailable or absent volume.

4) Select the data you want to restore.

5) Click "Restore".

6) When "The enclosing folders for some items no longer exist in their original locations..." dialog appears, click the "Choose Location..." button.

7) Navigate to the location that you would like to restore your data to, then click "Choose".

Use the Keyboard Viewer to test whether the keyboard keys are responding correctly when they are pressed.

1) Choose System Preferences from the Apple () menu, then choose Language & Text from the View menu (or International from the View menu in Mac OS X v10.5 or earlier).

2) Select Input Sources.

3) Select the Keyboard & Character Viewer checkbox.

4) Enable the input source for the keyboard layout you are testing by selecting the checkbox next to it.

5) Make sure that "Show Input menu in menu bar" is enabled.

6) Choose Show Keyboard Viewer from the Input menu in the menu bar, as shown.

7) The Keyboard Viewer shows the keyboard layout.

8) Type the key on the keyboard that doesn’t respond and observe whether the corresponding key highlights on the Keyboard Viewer. If it does, that particular key is functioning correctly. In the sample shown above the shift and command keys are being pressed.

9) If the mouse keys feature in the Universal Access System Preferences pane is enabled, many of the keyboard keys may not respond as expected.

10) Try starting up into single user mode to determine whether a software issue is causing the issue.

Symptoms

 If you’re having trouble with your wireless mouse or keyboard, clicking the mouse may wake it or the keyboard up.

Wireless Connection issue

Make sure Bluetooth is turned on

If the "Show Bluetooth status in the menu bar" option is not enabled in the Bluetooth System Preferences, the Bluetooth icon will not display in the menu bar.  Enable this option in System Preferences, then check the status of the Bluetooth icon in the upper right menu bar. If the Bluetooth icon does not appear in the menu bar, restart your computer.

Make sure the wireless mouse and keyboard are turned on.

Mouse

1) Slide the On/Off switch on the bottom of your mouse to turn it on. Note: If the battery compartment cover is not installed properly the On/Off switch may not function correctly or may be difficult to operate. Remove the battery compartment cover and carefully reinstall it.

2) When your mouse is on and paired, and the batteries are charged, the indicator light glows steadily.

3) If your mouse isn’t paired with a Mac, the indicator light will blink, indicating your mouse is in discovery mode and ready to pair.

4) If the indicator light doesn't illuminate, check to make sure you have two good batteries and that they're installed correctly.

Keyboard

1) Push and release the On/Off switch to turn on the Apple Wireless Keyboard.

2) When your keyboard is on and paired, and the batteries are charged, the light will glow steadily for several seconds, then turn off.

3) If your wireless keyboard isn’t paired with your Mac, the indicator light will begin to blink. This indicates your keyboard is in discovery mode and ready to pair with your Mac.

4) If the LED doesn't light up, remove the batteries to make sure they're good and that they're installed correctly.

Check preferences

From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences, then choose Bluetooth from the View menu. The Bluetooth preferences pane will list the Bluetooth devices paired with the computer, the status of the devices (paired or connected), and whether Bluetooth power is on or not.

1) Click the gear icon and choose "Connect" to connect a device that is powered on.

2) To set up a new device, click the + icon and follow the Bluetooth setup assistant.

3) If the Mouse System Preferences pane is open and no wired or wireless mouse is connected, your Mac will immediately start looking for a wireless mouse (with Mac OS X v10.6.  For Mac OS X v10.5, the Setup Assistant should open).

Keyboard or mouse intermittently stops responding

Click the mouse

1) Click the mouse once to reconnect it with your Mac. It may take a moment for the mouse to respond.

2) Check the battery level of the mouse. Choose System Preferences from the Apple (), then choose Mouse from the View menu. The battery level indicator is in the lower-left corner. Replace the batteries if they are low. 

Note: Choose Keyboard & Mouse from the View menu with Mac OS X v10.5.

Press a key on the keyboard

1) Press a key on the keyboard to reconnect it with your Mac. It may take a moment for the keyboard to respond.

2) Check the battery level of the keyboard. Choose System Preferences from the Apple (),  then choose Keyboard from the View menu and select the Keyboard tab. The battery level indicator is in the lower-left corner. Replace the batteries if they are low.

Mouse does not track as expected (jittery, jumpy, slow, fast)/Mouse buttons do not work as expected.

The Apple Wireless Mouse can be used on most smooth surfaces, however if tracking issues occur try these options:

1) Choose System Preferences from the Apple () menu, then choose Mouse from the View menu. Set the Tracking slider to adjust how fast the pointer moves as you move the mouse.

2) Try using a different surface to see if the tracking improves.

3) Turn the mouse over and inspect the sensor window. Use compressed air to gently clean the sensor window if dust or debris is present.

4) If multiple Bluetooth wireless devices are in use nearby, try turning them off one at a time to see if the issue improves. Bandwidth intensive devices could affect tracking.

Compared to older displays, LCD monitors are an excellent low cost, low power consumption solution to our need for a computer’s display. Unfortunately, some monitor settings can make an LCD screen appear to flicker.

A flickering LCD monitor is more than just an annoyance. It can cause eye strain, headaches, and a host of other ailments, especially if you spend a great deal of time in front of your computer. Luckily, there is something you can do to stop the flickering and avoid these problems. Learn how to stop your LCD monitor from flickering in Windows 7.
What Causes an LCD Monitor to Flicker

Although your computer’s monitor may appear to be just sitting there even when no one is using it, your LCD monitor is constantly updating to make it appear that there is motion. Much like a film strip is just a bunch of static images, your monitor updates at a fast rate to make it look like things are moving on the screen.

The rate at which your monitor updates is measured in Hertz. One Hertz is equal to one cycle per second. If you monitor is set to update at a rate of 100 Hertz, then it is refreshing 100 times per second. The Hertz used to measure monitor refresh rates is similar to the Gigahertz used to measure the speed of your computer’s processor except that Gigahertz is a measure expressed in a billion cycles per second.

If the refresh rate on your LCD monitor is set too low, it can appear to be flickering since there are too few updates per second. While some people are comfortable with around 60 Hertz, others can see the flickering and require a higher refresh rate.
Setting the Refresh Rate for an LCD Monitor in Windows 7

The rates at which you can set your LCD monitor to refresh is largely determined by the capabilities of your monitor. While some LCD monitors can take advantage of several different refresh rates, others are confined to just one or two.

To choose a new refresh rate for your LCD monitor in Windows 7, begin by clicking on Start>Control Panel>Appearance and Personalization>Display.

On the left hand side of the window, click on Change Display Settings.

Finally, click on Advanced Settings.

Click on the Monitor tab and you will notice a few things. First, notice the setting labeled Screen Refresh Rate. This is your LCD monitor’s current refresh rate. Click the drop down menu and Windows 7 will display all of the refresh rates of which your monitor can take advantage.

It is possible that your monitor can only use one or two refresh rates so this list may not be long. Some manufacturers build monitors that can display from 40 Hertz to 200 Hertz. It all depends on who made your LCD monitor.

From here, you can try a higher refresh rate and see if the flickering stops. Usually this does the trick. If it doesn’t work or there is only one refresh rate listed, there are two things you can do.

First, make sure you are using the latest driver for your LCD monitor. If the driver is outdated or Windows 7 is using a generic driver, the number of refresh rates available to you may be limited. Visit the manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver for Windows 7.

If that doesn’t work, you can force Windows 7 to use a refresh rate that is not technically supported by the monitor. Be careful, though, because it is possible to damage the monitor permanently by doing this.

On the Monitor tab discussed above, you may have noticed that there is an option that is checked by default titled Hide Modes That This Monitor Cannot Display. By unchecking this option, you can force Windows 7 to use any refresh rate for your monitor that you want.

Notice that right underneath this option, Windows 7 warns you about an unusable or damaged display. Uncheck this option and set your monitor to an unsupported refresh rate at your own risk.

Very often, when you buy new hardware you usually obtain a CD with drivers for that device. In case, if you lose the CD you can always download drivers from the manufacturer' official web-site. But this approach will not work if you do not know the exact manufacturer of the hardware or the exact device model. This article is intended to show you how to figure out with this problem.

Each device has a Vendor and Device ID associated with it. If you can find this ID, then you can easily find appropriate drivers for this device in Windows environment.

Following steps are required to be done to get the device ID:

1. Open Device Manager. Go to Start > right click on My Computer and choose Manage option. In the opened window on the left pane find Device Manager item. Click on it. All the connected devices are listed on the right pane of the window.

Note: all the devices that haven't been recognized by Windows or Windows has not found needed drivers for the unknown device is marked with the yellow question mark.

2. Choose the Unknown device (usually it appears with such name) and then right lick on it. Choose Properties.

3. Go to Details tab and select Device Instance ID or Hardware ID.

4. On the screen above Hardware ID is: PCI\VEN_1186&DEV_1300&SUBSYS_13031186&REV_10.

 Vendor ID: 1186.

 Device ID: 1300.

5. After you've got these IDs, go to PCI Database. Enter proper Vendor or Device ID to identify the device. Continue with the drivers download from the manufacturer' site.