MakeUseOf » errors

How To Fix Common DVD & Blu-Ray Drive Errors

Dave Drager — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:31:35 +0000

Every once in a while, a DVD or Blu-Ray drive starts to go on the fritz. Sometimes video gets choppy or a brand new disk doesn’t even get recognized. Maybe once you put in a disc the drive starts spinning but the disc is never available on your computer.

Whatever the problem, we have some simple tips to try to fix DVD or Blu-Ray drive errors.

Dust – An Optical Drive’s Worst Enemy

Even though a DVD or Blu-Ray drive is mostly enclosed, dust still has an opportunity to invade through small openings and also while the drive is open. This depends heavily on how dusty the environment is but it can really wreak havoc on a drive.

In my experience, when a drive gets dusty, a disc will either take a long time to read initially or it will show random errors and slowdowns while the disc is being read from.

It helps to know how a optical drive, such as a CD, DVD or Blu-Ray drive works to know why this happens. The disc is a round plastic disk with a shiny reflective coating on the top and several layers of plastic. The way data is read from the drive is that there is a tiny laser which shoots up onto the disc, and depending on the configuration of the plastic and reflective layer, data is returned and read back to the drive. In reality it is much more complicated than that, but at the core this is what is happening.

When dust gets into the drive, specifically around the laser, it can block or refract that light causing a number of errors to be returned, and make the drive and/or disc unreadable.

There are several ways to get rid of dust. The first is with compressed air. It is available at many stores and is very cheap to buy. You can also get a special optical drive cleaner disk. This is comprised of a disc with tiny little brushes on it. The DVD disc usually has a program on it to ensure that the laser read head will move over the brushes several times to clean off any dust.

Disc Scratches

Most of the time, the drive isn’t even the problem! Discs become scratched fairly easily and this can cause a lot of read problems on the drive. The way to check is two-fold:

visually inspect the disc to see if there are any scratches.
check the drive with another disc, alternatively try the disc in another drive.

Once you have confirmed the disc is scratched you can try a few things to fix the problem.

The first is to use a wet or dry cloth to clean the disc. Use circular motions to clean it, or wipe from out-to-inside or inside to out. Never wipe in the direction around the tracks, as this can cause track skippage and actually make the problem worse.

The second is to use some sort of abrasive compound, such as toothpaste (not gel) to grind out scratches. I’ve never actually used this method but I have heard it works well.

The final one, and preferred, is to use a motorized disc cleaner. They are available from retail stores for about $20-$30 and automate the above procedures for maximum effect. I think this is the safest way to clean a disk, as there is less chance of human error.

Is Your Firmware Old?

Sometimes there are bugs within the firmware of the optical drive. The firmware is like an operating system for the drive, telling it when to spin, where to move the read/write head, and so on. Sometimes this is a last ditch effort but updating the firmware has raised several drives from the dead for me.

Check the manufacturer’s website to see if there are firmware updates. It might involve burning a CD with the firmware and rebooting the computer or player off of the disc, or there might be a way to update it right in your normal OS – it just depends on the manufacturer’s process.

If you have a Blu-Ray drive – in your PC or as a Home Theater component – then there is a good chance you will need to flash new firmware. This is due to the encryption keys stored on the drive. New protections are put out all of the time on new discs and if you have an older drive you simply might not have the right keys to decrypt the disc. A sign of this is if you have no problem playing older Blu-Rays, but new ones simply don’t work.

Is It A Hardware Problem?

Finally if all else fails, you could simply have a hardware problem. This goes anywhere from a cable that was unseated, to a bad drive or motherboard connection somewhere down the line.

The first step is to try a new cable and connection port on the motherboard to see if that fixes your problem. If it doesn’t you can try to plug another know-good drive in to see if the problem is coming from the old drive or the motherboard.

If it turns out that your DVD or Blu-Ray drive is bad, then it is bad. You can try to send it in for warranty service, but depending on the age of the drive and how much it would cost to replace it, it could just make sense to buy a new one. Buying a new one has other benefits: faster access times, transfer speeds and new features.

Whatever the issue, the steps above should be enough to try to fix your DVD drive on your own. Let us know your own tips and tricks to reviving zombie DVD drives!

Photo Credits: William Hook, czarcats, nickwheeleroz, and Don Fulano.

Top 10 Websites for Error Codes & Troubleshooting

Saikat Basu — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:30:00 +0000

Errors happen. Thankfully, computer errors are unlike those that occur in life. With computer errors, the feedback is instantaneous. It is in the form of an alert message or a deviation in behavior. The most commonly frightful one could be the “˜Blue Screen of Death’ which Windows users are accustomed to.

Errors are also more clearly expressed in the form of error codes.

Microsoft error codes signal a fault of a specific nature. The fault could be due to a wrong user input, or a problem with an installed software or hardware. But error codes have a very important function. They are meant to be hints for troubleshooting. The computer tells us ““ Okay, this is the problem right now. This could be the cause.

Error codes narrow down the troubleshooting steps we need to take. Then again, it is not only for the support guy or the technician. We, the normal users, can take the help of the web to understand what the error codes mean and do a bit of self diagnosis. With some luck, we might not have to punch in a SOS.

These ten web resources could help save your day.

ErrorGoblin

ErrorGoblin presents a simple search bar. Type in the Windows system error code and it displays the reason. The search field takes in the value of the error code in the 0xn or 0xen formats where n is a number. The tool is a quick way to search for a problem because you don’t need to log-in or trawl through a list. ErrorGoblin may not always return a result. In that case you can mail them your error code and they will add it to the database.

See our directory mention here.

ErrorKey

ErrorKey covers a lot of ground by allowing you to search errors across many systems like Oracle, Sybase, DB2, HTTP, Flash, SAP DB, as well as Microsoft error codes. Uniquely, it also fields error help for several automotive sensor systems. You can give the error code number or type in the error text.

The site uses its own database and also Google custom search to look for the meaning of the error codes. You need to login to see the full explanation of the error.

See our directory mention here.

ErrorHelp

Previously known as Bug.gd, ErrorHelp has been renamed. The database and function remain the same. The error guide also gives you a Firefox and IE7 search extension. ErrorHelp has a section on solved errors, which is a huge knowledge base in itself. The site lists about 130,414 errors and their solutions.

Users collaborate on the solutions and they can vote in to say that the solution mentioned really works. The site also asks you to share how you solved an error. From the search field, you can also search for Apple and Linux errors and also do a Google search.

EventID

EventID’s are the unique numbers that correspond to any significant happening in a Windows system or a program. This information gets logged. EventID is a rich reference for these logged events. We have seen the troubleshooting utility of Windows Event Viewer in How to Solve Any Windows Problem with Event ID.

The site has a record of 10,569 event IDs and 500 event sources with a lot more info provided by contributors. On EventID, you can also search error codes other than Windows event IDs.

Wikipedia’s List of HTTP Status Codes

The HTTP codes are the ones you most commonly encounter when a webpage is inaccessible or an entire website is down. HTTP Status codes are the error messages returned by the server to the browser when the target website does not load properly. It usually includes the HTTP Status code and the reason like “˜Internal Server Error’ or the famous “˜404 Not Found’ error. If you want to quickly look more deeply into the HTTP error, Wikipedia has a neatly arranged list of the codes.

SMTP Error Codes

Probably after the 404 Error, this is the most common kind. We have all seen it sometime or the other when a mail is left undelivered or simply bounces. SMTP errors define the system status between the email server that sends the email and the email server that receives it. Usually we don’t pay attention to the three digit error code. But if you want to, the About.com page is a good place to understand the meaning. Each digit in an SMTP error code means something and in combination they tell us what went wrong and where.

List of POST / beep codes

Computers still beep when they boot up. An irregular beep is a signal that there’s something wrong with the hardware. It could be a loose RAM (a long BEEP), or it could be something as serious as a faulty motherboard. The nature of the beeps may vary with the manufacture, but the above list compiles a few common ones. The site also gives a few solutions you can try out, if you are comfortable with opening up a computer.

Windows Stop Messages

How do you walk around a Window’s freeze? Stop errors are quite common and they sometimes occur when you are installing Windows. But the one I dread is the “Stop 0x0000007B” error message. That means I have a boot sector virus. The link above lists out a lot of the Stop errors and their solutions via Microsoft support links. You can also take the help of the site’s search page.

Microsoft Support

The Microsoft Support site comes with two types of error lookup. In the Basic search, you just need to type in the error code. The Advanced search gives you the option to narrow it down by product and the Microsoft locations you want to search like Microsoft Answers & Windows Online or solutions from the Microsoft community.

Don’t leave out”¦Google (and others)

A generic search for the error taps into other knowledge sources like discussion boards and Q&A websites. Also using a normal search engine like Google, Yahoo, and Bing can direct you straightaway to the product’s homepage. For example, peripherals like printers maintain their own lists of error codes.

Where do you go in search of error codes and their deeper meanings?

Image: Geekandpoke

Top 5 Freeware Registry Cleaners That Improve PC Performance

Tina Sieber — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:01:17 +0000

The Windows Registry is the root ball of the operating system. Every little bit of system information is rooted in the registry, be it software, drivers, user information or registration data.

Over the lifetime of a computer, numerous tools are installed, updated, moved or removed. Even if done thoroughly, this can create a mess in the registry when files are left behind and references become outdated. As a result, the computer slows down, programs produce registry-related errors, and eventually the system becomes unstable.

There is a number of freeware registry cleaner apps out there that can fix common registry errors, such as missing shared DLLs, incorrect file extensions, invalid paths, missing shortcuts, orphan Active X objects, invalid devices, invalid links to startup programs, and lots more.

Here is a short review of the five best freeware registry cleaners.

5. CCleaner

CCleaner definitely is the most popular Windows system optimization tool. It comes with a ton of features, one of them being a freeware registry cleaner.

CCleaner is available for all Windows versions.

If you’re a diligent user, who only installs programs he really needs and who uninstalls programs thoroughly, you won’t need a full-fledged deep registry cleaner. The registry cleaning feature included in CCleaner should be sufficient. And since CCleaner is a tool you should use in the first place, it’s very convenient.

CCleaner can not backup your registry. It’s advisable that you create a manual backup of your registry.

4. Eusing Free Registry Cleaner

Eusing’s Registry Cleaner is a tool dedicated to registry cleaning. It’s perfect for people who cannot be bothered as it is very basic and easy to use.

The tool is compatible with Windows 95 through Windows 7.

This freeware registry cleaner scans a little deeper and finds many invalid entries that were not detected by CCleaner.

Through > File you can access additional features, such as a full registry or a Windows backup. If you run into problems, you can easily restore a previous registry version under > Action or the Tasks option.

3. nCleaner second

nCleaner comes highly recommended from our IT industry superhero and tech guru Karl, who wrote a thorough nCleaner review last year. Please refer to Karl’s review for in-depth information!

The latest version of this tool is called nCleaner second and it is one of the most comprehensive free system cleaning tools on the market. Like CCleaner, it also features a registry cleaner.

Unfortunately, it is not yet available for Windows 7. Currently, Windows XP, 2003, and Vista are supported.

To clean the registry, go with the > Clean System option and continue with the > Registry clean and repair option. Before you start, you can backup the registry and in case something went wrong, restore it. Right there, you can also create a system restore point, which also backs up your registry.

2. Auslogics Registry Cleaner

Here we have a very simple to use registry cleaner, which is perfectly suited for the novice user.

Auslogics Registry Cleaner is distributed for Windows 2003 through 7 and supports both 32- and 64-bit.

The cool thing about this cleaner is that it comes with a wizard that guides you through the scan. You can select either a quick or an advanced scan. When running an advanced scan, also critical items, e.g. software and shared DLLs, can be examined. Per default, only safe items are checked and a warning is displayed, if you attempt to scan items that require experience.

The wizard offers a restore changes option. So I was wondering where the option to backup the registry was hidden. Per default, registry keys are backed up before you fix problems. However, you can deselect this option.

Finally, the tool displays the speed the computer supposedly gained after the cleaning process. Before you close the application, you can also view the full report.

1. Wise Registry Cleaner

Wise Registry Cleaner is one of the most comprehensive cleaners in this list. Hence, it made it to the number 1 position.

Despite many options, the interface remains clear. Even the novice user will find this tool easy to use, since the program guides the user through each step upon running it for the first time.

Wise Registry Cleaner is available for Windows 98 through 7 and supports 32- and 64-bit.

While the tool may ask you for your eMail address and offer to download further software during installation, it’s all optional. Just be sure to uncheck the respective boxes.

When you run Wise Registry Cleaner for the first time, you are greeted with a window that provides a link to a quick start guide. The next notice offers to perform an automatic registry backup. You can choose to never see these windows again. And don’t worry, you can manually launch a full registry backup or restore a previous registry version anytime. Also the guide and further material is available through > Help.

Once you got through the initial welcome procedure, you are pointed to the start button. Entries are categorized as safe or not fully safe to fix. Using the respective buttons you can check the safe entries, all, none or invert all checks. All these options make the tool look complicated, but I find them quite convenient.

Through > Options you can edit settings and create a scheduled task to launch and auto run the tool.

If you would like to further enhance your computer’s performance, check out TanaG’s post for 7 Common Reasons Why Windows Can Get Unresponsive and refer to Angelina’s article on Top 8 Programs That Can Make Your Computer Run Faster. This material should point you into the right direction.

How often do you clean your registry and what tool do you use?

Image credits: tryout0

How To Analyze A Windows Blue Screen Of Death With WhoCrashed

Stefan Neagu — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:00:53 +0000

Windows machines are often the subject of jokes within the computer geek community, and much of that bad credit is due to cryptic error messages that reveal very little information even to the veterans of this operating system.

Of those type of errors, BSODs (Blue Screen of Death) are the worst and are often caused by poorly written device drivers, kernel extensions or faulty RAM (Random Access Memory). You can’t recover to the normal software environment without either a soft or hard reset. Soft resets are usually the case, as the computer will try to automatically reboot or display the error code and require the user to initiate the restart sequence, the infamous “Ctrl-Alt-Delete” or “Press Any Key” prompts.

Many of you probably have encountered this type of error and know that any files that weren’t saved at the moment of crash have either lost changes or have been corrupted. Personally, as a writer, I consider this to be one of Windows’ greatest flaws. I have lost a lot of work due to this kind of issues and the problems seem to continue in Windows 7, although the frequency appears to be greatly reduced.

WhoCrashed, an application developed by Resplendence Software Projects, aims to demystify the error codes and present you with a likely culprit of the crash. Finding out what caused it can be the first step in eliminating the problem and creating a more stable computing environment. RAM memory, as well as faulty drivers, can be replaced ““ but your time can’t be.

With the help of WhoCrashed, an error code like “0x0BJS00341110B12″ can point you to a kernel module like “nvlddmkm.sys” which comes most of the time with vendor information. In this case, as the “˜NV’ prefix suggests, an nVidia Miniport driver caused the crash.

Unlike many applications these days, WhoCrashed is presents you with only two buttons and a simple text-oriented interface. The “˜simple is always better’ motto holds true in this case. All you have to do is press the “˜Analyze’ button and scroll down to the date of the computer crash you want to inspect. Most of the times WhoCrashed will identify the module that failed and allow you to fix the problem.

When a driver caused the crash, which happens 99% of the time, a simple and easy way to fix the problem is to identify it and download the latest version from the manufacturer’s website. When a Windows component frequently causes a crashes, the problem will most likely be fixed by running Windows Update.

Overheating can also be responsible for faults in data transfer or processing. If crashes happen while playing intensive 3D games, photo or video editing, check the ventilation system and revert to previous clock speeds if you’re overclocking any of the system’s parameters. Overheating can permanently damage the hardware, so fixing the problem as fast as possible is recommended.

Pressing and holding the F8 key while the systems boots will bring up a screen with various system recovery options including Safe Mode, which only loads the basic drivers and modules, and a RAM verification tool. Various Linux distributions including Ubuntu, have a similar memory check module (memtest) which is presented at boot-time when the live CD is inserted or by the bootloader in multi-boot environments.

You can download WhoCrashed for free. Installation is achieved via a simple and straightforward wizard. A Pro version aimed at tech support staff is also available for $35. The Pro license removes the “˜home-use-only’ restriction and provides more details about the crashes among other features.

At under 1MB, WhoCrashed is a must-have in any geek’s virtual toolbox. Check out more posts related to Windows or RadarSync, an application which automatically keeps your drivers and software up-to-date.

Are you annoyed by BSODs or Windows errors? What’s the most common one and what did you do to fix it? Let us know in the comments.

How To Troubleshoot Your Windows With The MSconfig Utility

Saikat Basu — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:01:28 +0000

Most of us take pains over our personal computers almost with the same love as we would have for a pet. Most of us get equally concerned when the computer takes ‘ill’. If the source and the reasons for the problem elude us, concern warps into a head banging frenzy.

It could be a failed device driver, or an application which refused to start up or it could be one of the many background processes which decided to conk out. Thankfully, there’s a bit of self diagnosis we can do before we decide to pick up the phone and dial for the emergency services.

This first aid lies in a Windows System utility called the System Configuration Utility (MSconfig.exe). Advanced users are familiar with this vital application but for the basic users this system tool deserves a look.

The System Configuration Utility (or MSconfig.exe) is used to manage the processes that happen when the Windows operating system boots up. With its GUI it simplifies control over the various startup processes and the configuration files used. It is also the first tool we turn to if we want to speed up our boot process as it allows us to switch startup programs on and off. It is this property again we will turn to for diagnosing a system crash.

The technique we use is called a clean boot. In a clean boot the operating system loads without launching the background startup processes which might be causing a conflict.

How to clean boot your computer?

Windows XP

Click on Run (or WinKey+R) ““ In the Open field of the Run dialogue box enter msconfig. This launches the System Configuration Utility.

On the General tab of the System Configuration Utility, click on the button marked Selective Startup. Uncheck the boxes corresponding to Process SYSTEM.INI File, Process WIN.INI File and Load Startup Items. Keep the Load System Services box checked because this launches essential Microsoft services. The bullet against the Use Original Boot.ini is enabled by default.

Caution: Unchecking Load System Services will temporarily disable Microsoft services (for e.g. Plug and Play, Networking and Error Reporting) as well as permanently deleting all restore points for the System Restore utility. System services are also critical to pinpoint the conflict. So keep it checked.

The Services tab is where we should go next. On the Services tab, select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box and click on Disable All. Then hit OK. A message box pops up warning that you have used the System Configuration Utility to change the way in which Windows starts. Click on OK to reboot the computer.

Windows Vista

The process is almost a mirror to the previous one.

Click Start ““ enter msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press enter to launch the System Configuration Utility in Vista.
On the General tab, click Selective Startup ““ uncheck Load startup items.

Next stop is the Services tab. Check Hide All Microsoft Services and press the Disable All button. Click OK to reboot at the prompt. (The screen is similar to that shown for Windows XP)

After the computer has restarted, run the previously conflicting application again. If the problem persists then the cause lies elsewhere. Return the computer to the previous state by selecting Normal Startup from the General tab and rebooting.

If the problem has disappeared then the culprit is one of the startup programs on the Services tab.

Pinpointing the problem program

I have about 25 services which run in the background. So how do I narrow down on that one which is causing the problem? The simple solution lies in selective activation (leaving the rest deactivated) of some of the services and rebooting the computer.

Start with a wider field, for instance leave half of the services activated and half deactivated. Reboot the computer. Run the error prone application to check for the problem.

If the problem persists, then the conflict is with the services enabled. If it vanishes, then it is in the other half. Either way the field is narrowed down by half.
Repeat the process of selective enabling and disabling of services in the suspect half of the services. Through two or three trial and error reboots the one single cause can thus be pinpointed.
It is so far only half the battle won as we now have to deal with the culprit service. Three solutions present themselves ““
- Disable the service from the Services tab or from the Startup tab. If it’s a non-essential service then this shouldn’t be a problem.
- Search the net for a possible answer and apply it.
- If all fails call in the experts.

The above techniques are very basic in nature. It is something which can be done in a relatively safe way. A self cooked solution without yelling out for help is after all a high in itself. Do you think learning about the Msconfig tool is a good way to start off?

Photo Credit : Ben Lawson

The Mark Pack – The Essentials On My Computer – Part Two

Mark O'Neill — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:01:11 +0000

Yesterday I gave you a sneak peek into my Mark Pack which is my collection of indispensible software apps that I always have installed on the computer. But it was too much for one post so here is Part Two of “what Mark always has installed and what he recommends you install too”

So, tally ho! And on with the show!

7. TrueCrypt

The king of computer encryption programs. Extremely easy to set up and once you have your encrypted folder(s) set up on your computer, it is impossible for anyone to crack it open (unless you make your password blatantly obvious like P-A-S-S-W-O-R-D for example, in which case you have no business using an encryption program in the first place).

Everyone should have an encryption program on their computer for computer passwords, financial records, private correspondence and any other sensitive material that shouldn’t be readily accessible to prying eyes.

My first ever post for MakeUseOf was about TrueCrypt and you can also encrypt your USB stick with the app. So Truecrypt is very versatile and flexible. Sometimes it does pay to be paranoid and careful.

8. Unlocker

Have you ever tried to delete a file only to get this error message?

I get this message a lot and it irritates the hell out of me. So this is where Unlocker comes in to save the day (and my sanity).

Whenever you can’t delete a file, just right-click on it and choose “Unlocker” (the app integrates itself into the Explorer right-click menu). Unlocker will then kill all the Windows processes that are holding that app and stopping you from deleting it. You can then go ahead and nuke the file.

If for any reason it can’t kill the dastardly processes which are holding you back, Unlocker will blast away the file for you when you next boot up the computer.

Here’s my original MUO story on Unlocker.

9. Filebox eXtender

There are two parts to this app that are insanely useful. The first is the ability to add shortcuts to certain Windows Explorer folders which you access on a regular basis :

This saves a lot of time if one of your most accessed folders in Windows Explorer is a sub-folder tucked away in lots of other sub-folders. Instead of tediously click-click-clicking with a mouse to get to that folder several times a day, you can use Filebox eXtender to create a one-click shortcut to that folder instead.

But the best part of Filebox eXtender are the “push-pins” which you can use to keep an app “on top” of all other windows. So say I want to keep Skype on top of all other Windows. I just need to use the push-pin to “pin” Skype to the top of all the other windows, as if I was pinning it to a notice board :

Here’s the original MUO story.

10. CDex & Audioshell

Whenever I buy a CD, I immediately rip a MP3 copy for my iPod using CDex. CDex is most definately the best freeware CD ripping tool available. After putting the CD into your hard drive, CDex immediately detects the disk and after hitting a button, the disk is ripped to MP3 format in the space of a couple of minutes. Most of the time, it can even auto-name your files for you too.

When the files have not been auto-named by CD-ex, I then use the free Audioshell to edit the ID3 tags and add album art (see my original MUO story here).

11. Quick Media Converter

When it comes to file conversion, Quick Media Converter is an absolute gem and it seems there is nothing it can’t do. I have yet to find a file it won’t convert. It seems totally unbeatable.

It converts audio files and video files from one format to another. It converts files to iPod format and iPod files back to normal format. It converts files to Flash and back again. DVD’s from PAL to NTSC and vice versa. Files to iPhone format and vice versa. Files to Playstation and Xbox format even.

There is also a webcam video recorder and a Camstudio screencast recorder but I haven’t ever used those so I can’t give an opinion on how good they are. But the file conversion tools are just far and away the best I’ve ever encountered.

So that’s the Mark Pack – 11 apps that appear on my computer ALL the time. But as I said in my last post, due to me testing and reviewing apps all the time, I might find a new favourite app tomorrow and number 12 might enter the Mark Pack any day. But when it does, I’ll be sure to let you know!

So what’s in your Pack? Please do let me know! And let me know what you think of my choices!