Troubleshoot Error Messages

Q.  I was told to disable my screensaver because it doesn’t save anything. Is that true and if so, how do I do that?

A.  Yes, that’s true. In the primordial days of monitors, text that displayed for long periods of time could burn into a screen’s surface resulting in shadowy, ghostly images. Today’s monitors, particularly flat-panel LCD monitors, are not susceptible to that type of damage, therefore screensavers serve little purpose other than their minimal entertainment and/or privacy value.

To turn off your screensaver, right-click a blank spot on your Desktop, select Properties, then click the Screensaver tab that appears in the Display Properties window. Click the small down-arrow to the right of the words “Screen Saver” to display a list of installed screensavers. Select “None” at the top of the list, followed by OK.

To have your monitor go dark after a period of non-use, on the same Display Properties screen, click the Power button and you’ll see the setting for turning your monitor off after X period of time.

Q. What should I do when I get an error message? Is there any “standard procedure” that should be followed? Thanks, Mr. M.

A.  Messages of this type are rarely displayed because of a mistake you made, so when an error message appears, it’s best to remain calm and continue to breathe normally, though an occasional, high-pitched scream can be an effective and highly entertaining stress reliever.

The first thing to do when an error message presents itself is to read it carefully. I’ll often hear from my subscribers who say, “I received an error message that said something like…” That doesn’t help. When seeking assistance, don’t provide a synopsis; provide the precise wording that appears. One can often gain insight into the cause of a problem by simply reading an error message slowly and thoroughly.

The four most common error messages include Invalid Page Fault, Fatal Exception Error, General Protection Fault, and Runtime Error. When any of these messages appear, close the program being used at the time and press the CTRL + ALT + DEL keystroke combination to display the Task Manager. Locate the program you were using at the time the error message appeared and click End Task. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, restart your computer.

If you continue to receive the same error message after restarting your PC, you might want to have a reputable computer repair facility take a look at your system. Before taking your computer into the shop, however, if you are a subscriber of my weekly newsletter (another excellent reason to subscribe, I might add), send me an email and let’s see if we can figure out what’s going on and save you a few dollars in the process.

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The Mozart Project
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