Menu
First Stop When Troubleshooting Windows - Control Panel

Having problems running a program? Can't connect to the Internet? Can't print? Other problem? Don't waste time and money searching for technical help, and don't panic. Windows 7 has a new Troubleshooting section in Control Panel.

The Troubleshooting section of Control Panel includes more than a dozen troubleshooters. These troubleshooters aren't guaranteed to solve every problem, but choosing the right Control Panel Troubleshooter can often save you time and anxiety.

To access the troubleshooters, in Control Panel, select the System and Security group. In the System and Security group, select Action Center. In the Action Center windows, click on the Troubleshooting link.

warning box

If your Troubleshoot common computer problems page has a warning box like the one shown above, click on the [Yes] button to get access to the latest online troubleshooters.

Get up-to-date troubleshooter checkbox

your Troubleshoot common computer problems page should look like the one shown above, with the Get the most up-to-date troubleshooter from the Windows Online Troubleshooting service checkbox checked.

List of all available troubleshooters

In the Troubleshoot common computer problems page left column, click on View all to see a list of all available troubleshooters with a description of each.

Network Adapter troubleshooter

When you run a troubleshooter, in general it will display a Detecting problems progress bar. It might ask you some questions or reset common settings as it works to fix the problem. If the troubleshooter fixes the problem, you can close the troubleshooter. If it couldn't fix the problem, it will give you a list of options you can take to continue to diagnose and resolve the problem.

Many of the troubleshooters are actually for maintenance, helping you head off trouble by providing scheduled maintenance, such as cleaning up temporary files or scanning your hard disk for errors.

So next time you have a problem with Windows 7, don't panic. Open the new Troubleshooting section in Control Panel and choose the appropriate Troubleshooter.


Learn more at amazon.com

More Windows Troubleshooting Articles:
• Get Remote Technical Assistance
• How to Fix Windows XP Errors
• Free Open Source CPU Temperature Monitor
• How to Fix Advapi32 Error
• Buffer Underrun and Overrun Scenarios
• How to Recognize and Repair Power Supply Problems
• Troubleshooting and Maintaining Your PC Desk Reference For Dummies
• Five Ways to Fix USB Ports Not Working
• Windows Doesn?t Shut Down
• Your Computer Can't Keep Time