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Troubleshooting
test whether the cable may be at fault by swapping it for a
new one. Another common problem is loose internal
computer connections, which especially can occur after
computer transport. With awareness of the warranty re-
quirements, as well as all safety precautions, our more
technically minded readers may wish to fasten the internal
connectors, with all due care. Be careful though: discon-
nect the power cable first, and wait for the high voltage to
drop. Ground yourself with the computer. This can pre-
vent many visits to the repair man (or the hospital). How-
ever, we cannot be held responsible for any computer ma-
nipulation of this kind.
Hardware Conflicts
The installation of various PCI cards and the use of exter-
nal devices (like MIDI interfaces) can cause hardware
problems—these sound more intimidating than they ac-
tually are. If Windows does not respond the way it used to
after having installed new hardware, it will be useful to be-
gin to localize the problem. Start Windows in Safe Mode.
– Restart the computer.
– During startup (while still in DOS mode) the message
“Windows is starting” will appear—press F8 as soon as
it does.
– Choose Safe Mode by selecting 3 and confirm your
choice with return. Windows will now launch in Safe
Mode. Your video and audio card features will not be
available—for example, the screen resolution will be
lower than usual.
You can, at this point call up the Windows Help file, which
can help you in many cases. Choose Start > Help. The
“Contents” section has an entry for “Troubleshooting”.
Now, right-click the “My Computer” icon on your desktop,
and choose “Properties”, then select “Device Manager”.