XP TECHNICAL ISSUES

System requirements for Microsoft Windows operating system

2007-09-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

Note:please follow these links according to the exact issue you are facing.

System requirements for Microsoft Windows operating systems
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304297/en-us

"NTLDR is missing" error message when you install or upgrade Windows XP over Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314057/en-us

General USB troubleshooting in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310575/en-us

An error message is displayed when you run Windows product registration
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299056/en-us

How to troubleshoot home networking in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308007/en-us

How to enable Internet Connection Sharing on a home or a small office network connection in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314066/en-us

Description of Internet Connection Sharing in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310563/en-us

"The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed" error message when you install a program in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315353/en-us

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341/en-us

How to install or upgrade to Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316941/en-us

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/en-us

Data or Program Settings Are Missing After You Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313362/en-us

How to Add or Remove a Windows Component in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307894/en-us

How to change or remove a program in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307895/en-us

How to restore the operating system to a previous state in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084/en-us

A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/en-us

How to configure Windows XP to start in a "clean boot" state
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353/en-us

How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316434/en-us

How to troubleshoot by using the System Configuration utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560/en-us

Steps to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2

2007-09-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Use any one of the following methods to remove Microsoft Windows XP SP2 from your computer:

Use the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel

Use the hidden $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder

Use the System Restore process

Use Recovery Console

Use the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel

1.Click Start, click Run, type appwiz.cpl in the Open box, and then click OK.
2.Click to select the Show Updates check box.
3.Click Windows XP Service Pack 2, and then click Remove.
4.Follow the instructions on the screen to remove Windows XP SP2.

Use the hidden $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder

1.Click Start, click Run, type c:\windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spuninst.exe in the Open box, and then click OK.
2.When the Windows XP Service Pack 2 Removal Wizard starts, click Next.
3.Follow the instructions on the screen to remove Windows XP SP2.

Use the System Restore process

1.Click Start, click Run, type %SystemRoot%\System32\restore\rstrui.exe in the Open box, and then click OK.
2.Click Restore my computer to an earlier time, and then click Next.
3.Click the date that you installed Windows XP SP2, and then click Installed Window XP Service Pack 2 in the Restore Point box.
4.Click Next, and then follow the instructions on the screen to remove Windows XP SP2.

Use Recovery Console

Warning The following steps contain information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up, and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.If you cannot successfully remove Windows XP SP2 by using one of the previous methods, follow these steps:
1.Insert the Windows XP startup disk in your floppy disk drive or insert the Windows XP CD in the CD drive or in the DVD drive, and then restart your computer. Note When you receive the following message, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD:
Press any key to boot from CDNote Your computer must be configured to start from the CD drive or the DVD drive. For more information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD drive or the DVD drive, see the documentation that came with your computer or contact the computer manufacturer.
2.When you receive the Welcome to Setup message, press R to start the Recovery Console.Note Multiple options will appear on the screen.
3.Select the Windows XP installation in question. Note You must select a number before you press ENTER, or the computer will restart. Typically, only the 1: C:\Windows selection is available.
4.If you are prompted to type an administrator password, do so. If you do not know the administrator password, press ENTER. (Typically, the password is blank.)Note You will not be able to continue if you do not have the administrator password.
5.At the command prompt, type cd $ntservicepackuninstall$\spuninst, and then press ENTER.Note After you complete this step, you cannot stop the removal process.
6.At the command prompt, type batch spuninst.txt, and then press ENTER.Note The Spuninstal.txt file appears. As the file scrolls down, you will see errors and files being copied. This is normal behavior.
7.After Windows XP SP2 is removed, type exit, and then press ENTER.
8.Restart your computer in Safe Mode. To do this, press F8 as the computer restarts. Note After you restart, the system may lock up with a black screen. (Your mouse will work.) In this case, restart again by turning the computer off and then back on. The second restart will let you to log on.
9.When your computer restarts, Windows Explorer (Explorer.exe) does not run, and the Windows icons and the Start button are unavailable. To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
a.Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to start Task Manager.
b.Click File, and then click New Task (Run...).
c.In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
d.Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\RpcSs
e.On the right side of the viewing pane, right-click ObjectName, click Modify, type LocalSystem in the Value data box, and then click OK.
f.Restart your computer
10.Use one of the previous methods to remove Windows XP SP2 from your computer.

General USB troubleshooting in Windows XP

2007-09-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

SUMMARY
This article describes general troubleshooting tips for Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices in Windows XP.

MORE INFORMATION
Because USB devices are Plug and Play devices, there is little that you can do to control or configure them. However, you can trace most USB problems to one of the following conditions:

Malfunctioning or incorrectly configured hardware

Malfunctioning, incorrectly configured, or missing device driver

Mismatched cabling

Out-of-date firmware or basic input/output system (BIOS)

Improperly configured root hub

You can use the following troubleshooting tips to check for each of these conditions to help you resolve USB device issues.

Malfunctioning or incorrectly configured hardware

Typically, if you plug a malfunctioning or incorrectly-configured device into a USB port, it causes the computer to stop responding (hang). In the majority of these instances, you must physically turn off the computer and turn it back on to reset the bus. Note that it may be more difficult to identify which device is malfunctioning or is incorrectly configured. If another computer that you know is working correctly is available, try to plug the device into that computer to see if you encounter the same issue.
If the device is plugged into a secondary hub, unplug the device from the hub, and then plug the device directly into the root hub.
Many hardware problems (such as high or low power, bandwidth shortage, malfunctioning or incorrectly configured firmware, and so on) can cause issues to occur.
Check Device Manager to be certain that the root hub is functioning correctly. If the root hub is displayed with an exclamation point (!) in a yellow circle, verify that the BIOS is assigning an interrupt request (IRQ) to the root USB controller. This is required for the device driver to be loaded. For more information about how to use Device Manager to troubleshoot hardware issues,

If no devices work when you plug the devices into the root hub, verify that the power requirements of the bus are not being exceeded. USB devices can draw a maximum of 500 milliamps for each connection. If a device attempts to draw more power than this, the specification recommends that the computer should be able to disable that specific port until the computer power is cycled (this is called "suspending" the port). In addition, if the device draws less than 50 milliamps, the port never becomes active.

Check the Power tab in USB Root Hub properties to check the power usage of the USB bus.

Malfunctioning, incorrectly configured, or missing device driver
When you plug in a USB device, the computer should load and then configure the device without ever requesting a device driver (assuming that the device falls within the defined and supplied class drivers). If the computer prompts you for a device driver, check with the manufacturer of the device to determine if a driver is available.

Mismatched cabling

There are two types of USB cables, high speed and low speed. Low-speed cables differ from high-speed cables primarily in their shielding. If you plug a high-speed device into a low-speed cable, you can cause signal distortion over long distances.
Verify the entire USB chain is working correctly to be certain that a device that requires the ability to draw power from the hub is not plugged into the chain on the other side of a non-powered hub. This causes that hub and all of the devices down the chain to be suspended. If the hub is a powered hub, verify that the power supply for that hub is configured properly.

Out-of-date firmware or BIOS
The key to all USB devices is the firmware. The USB device's firmware contains all of the information about the device. A port is not reset until all of the descriptors in the firmware have been loaded and verified by the root hub. This is critical because it applies to items such as printers and modems. Make certain that you have the most up-to-date firmware that is available for both your computer's BIOS and each individual device.

The symptoms of malfunctioning or incorrectly configured firmware might be unusual. Typically, when you remove and then re-add a USB device, the device simply becomes available again. However, the device may be displayed as a second instance of that device, and load itself as such in Device Manager. If you see duplicates of a device, verify that you have the most up-to-date firmware for that device. This issue is common with USB printers and modems. A similar issue that has the same cause occurs when a device loads a device driver, and then adds a second device for which there seems to be no driver. The second device is displayed with an exclamation point in a yellow circle in Device Manager. The device may work correctly, but you cannot remove the "ghost" device until you unplug the parent device that seems to have generated the ghost device. Also, you may be able to resolve this issue by updating the firmware or the device driver for that device.

Incorrectly configured root hub
USB controllers require that an IRQ be assigned. The IRQ line is assigned in the computer's BIOS, and usually IRQ 9 is assigned.

Remove and reinstall all USB controllers
To remove and reinstall all USB controllers, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and click Control Panel, and then click Performance and Maintenance.
2. Click System, and then click the Hardware tab.
3. Click the Device Manager button.
4. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.
5. Right-click every device under the Universal Serial Bus controllers node, and then click Uninstall to remove them one at a time.
6. Restart the computer, and then reinstall the USB controllers.
7. Plug in the removable USB storage device, and then test to make sure that the issue is resolved.

"NTLDR is missing" error message when you install or upgrade Windows XP over Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition

2007-09-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

SYMPTOMS
When you try to install Microsoft Windows XP or upgrade to Windows XP on a computer that runs Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition, you may receive the following error message after the first restart during the installation:

NTLDR is missing Press any key to restart

CAUSE
This problem may occur if your existing Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition installation was cloned and then applied to a drive that has a different geometry from that of the source drive of the cloned copy.

For example, you are running Windows 98 on a 4-gigabyte (GB) drive. After you upgrade to a 30-GB hard disk, you use a third-party disk-imaging utility to make a mirror image of your Windows 98 installation, and then apply the image to the new drive. Later, you upgrade to Windows XP. To do this, you install Windows XP over the cloned image of Windows 98.

For this problem to occur, all the following conditions must be true:

The system/startup partition is formatted with the FAT32 file system.

The computer starts by using INT-13 extensions. (This is a partition larger than 7.8 GB with a System-ID type of 0C in the partition table).

Because of the cloning procedure, the Heads (sides) value in the FAT32 BIOS Parameter Block (BPB) does not match the geometry of the physical drive.

The Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition startup code ignores the Heads value in the BPB and starts those programs even though the value is not valid. However, the startup code in Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP requires this value, and startup does not succeed if the value is not valid.

The Heads (sides) value is stored at offset 0x1A of the FAT32 startup sector. For The Setup Program To continue, manually change this value to match the physical geometry of the drive. You can do this only by using a disk-editing program or by using the procedure in the "Resolution" section.

RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, correct the Heads (sides) value in the FAT32 BPB so the Windows XP startup can continue. To update the value, rewrite the Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition startup code. To do this, follow these steps:

1.Restart the computer by using a Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition startup disk that contains the Sys.com file. (By default, this file is included.)

2. Make a backup copy of the Msdos.sys file in the root directory of your system drive. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt:
attrib -h -r -s c:\msdos.sys
rename msdos.sys *.ysy

3. At a command prompt, type sys c: to rewrite the Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition startup code with accurate BPB information. If this command runs successfully, go to step 4. If you are using a Windows Millennium Edition startup disk, and you receive the following error message, one or more files in the Windows Millennium Edition installation have been removed:
Cannot find the system file in the standard locations on drive C:

Follow these steps to put the correct files on the drive so that the sys command can locate them:
a. Type the following commands. Press ENTER after each command:
c:
cd\windows

If Windows is installed in a folder other than the Windows folder, adjust the commands accordingly.

b. Try to switch to the Command folder by typing the following command:
cd command

If you receive an error message that the path is not found, type the following command to create the Command folder, and then run the cd command command again:
md command

c. Switch to the EBD folder by typing the following command:
cd ebd

If you do not receive an error message that the path is not found, type the following command to create the EBD folder, and then repeat the cd ebd command:
md ebd

d. In the EBD folder, use the following commands to copy the Io.sys file from the root of the hard disk and to rename the Io.sys file to Winboot.sys:
attrib -s -h -r c:\io.sys
copy c:\io.sys winboot.sys

Winboot.sys is the file that Sys.com requires.

e. Switch back to drive A, and then type the following commands:

a:
sys c:

Type the following commands to restore the original Msdos.sys file. Press ENTER after each command:
attrib -s -h -r c:\msdos.sys
copy c:\msdos.ysy c:\msdos.sys

Press Y to overwrite the existing Msdos.sys file. You will receive a "1 FILE(S) COPIED" verification that the file was overwritten.

4. Restart the computer to Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition, and then try to install or upgrade to Windows XP again.

Note Alternatively, after you run the sys c: command, you can start to the Recovery Console, and then use the fixboot command to rewrite the Windows XP startup code. With this procedure, the original installation continues normally.

System requirements for Microsoft Windows operating systems

2007-09-18T16:44:00.000-07:00

SUMMARY
This article contains information about the minimum hardware requirements for Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional.

MORE INFORMATION
These are the minimum requirements for basic functionality. Actual requirements vary, depending on the system configuration and the programs and features that you choose to install. If you are installing Windows XP over a network, you may need additional available hard-disk space.

The minimum hardware requirements for Windows XP Home Edition are:

Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300 MHz is recommended)

At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)

At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk

CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive

Keyboard and a Microsoft Mouse or some other compatible pointing device

Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600)or higher resolution

Sound card

Speakers or headphones

The minimum hardware requirements for Windows XP Professional include:

Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300 MHz is recommended)

At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)

At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk

CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive

Keyboard and a Microsoft Mouse or some other compatible pointing device

Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution

Sound card

Speakers or headphones