Chapter 15 PC Troubleshooting 661
Windows Vista uses the Problem Reports and Solutions feature to serve as the
same function as Windows Report Tool. It is discussed later in this section.
Registry Editor
You can also view and modify registry contents manually by running either
regedit.exe
or regedt32.exe.
Regedit.exe
is a 16-bit version of the registry editor
and
regedt32.exe
is the 32-bit version. Windows Vista does have a version of both
available. Windows XP will run either editor, but the preferred registry editor to
make changes is regedt32.exe.
Microsoft states that, in general, you should not edit or modify the contents
of the system registry. There are times when Microsoft provides step-by-step
instructions as to how to modify the contents of the registry using these utilities
to repair a problem. Never simply use trial and error methods when working
with a registry. The contents of the registry are critical. An improper modification
can disable the computer operating system requiring a complete reinstallation of
the system files and possible loss of important data. Microsoft has an extensive
article on registry editing and recovery at the following Web site links:
✔ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986.
✔ http://support.microsoft/kb/322756.
✔ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545.
You should never attempt to repair the registry files directly.
An error made in the registry files can render the computer
system inoperable. You may have to completely reinstall
the system onto a clean hard drive. Simply loading the
software over the corrupt registry would do no good. The
new installation would inherit the previous corrupt settings.
Event Viewer
The Event Viewer in Windows 2000 and XP allows you to view the
application, security, and system log files. These log files are named
AppEvent.
Evt, SecEvent.Evt, and
SysEvent.Evt
and are only viewable through the Event
Viewer program. Each log can be viewed in chronological order or by categories
such as event and user. Since the Event Viewer log files retain a history of events
that have occurred on the PC, it can be a very valuable troubleshooting tool.
For example, users typically will not want to reveal information about installed
software such as games, especially if gaming software is against company policy.
A technician can quickly view a list of software changes and obtain objective
data that can be used to identify possible causes of system problems.
Further enhancements were developed for Event Viewer in Windows Vista.
Look at Figure 15-21. The Event Viewer is a centralized depository of various
logs that were kept separate in early versions of Windows operating systems.
Event logs relating to system setup and configuration, applications, security,
and more can be accessed and grouped into summaries such as Error, Warning,
Information, and Audit success. You can use the mouse to select specific types of
event and expand the list. You can then select individual events and look at them
in detail, as shown in Figure 15-22. Notice that more information about the event
Tech Tip: