Windows Programs

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Various issues relating to programs that come with Microsoft Windows, or run under it.

A failed install is taking up a lot of disk space and I can't uninstall. What can I do?

A failed install can leave things behind. Usually it's benign, but when a failed install takes up a lot of disk space, it's time to recover.

Can I delete lsass.exe? svchost.exe?

Lsass.exe and svchost.exe are required system files for Windows NT, 2000 and XP. If you delete them without care your system may become unbootable.

Can I monitor who's using my machine?

Windows XP includes a useful utility to monitor exactly what programs are being run on your machine. It's easy to enable, and easy to see the results.

How can I access my Windows XP Machine Remotely?

Windows XP Pro includes functionality to access the computer's desktop across a network. Remote Desktop must be enabled and configured properly.

How can I connect using remote desktop to someone that has XP Home if I have XP Pro?

Unfortunately you cannot connect to someone via Remote Desktop with XP Home if you have XP Pro. But there are other products that you can use instead.

How can I tell what's running on my machine?

You might be running many different programs on your computer and not even know it. Finding out what's running is easy using tools in Windows.

How do I get Windows Picture and Fax Viewer in Windows Vista?

Windows Picture and Fax Viewer seems to have disappeared from Windows Vista. It's still there with a different name and look.

How do I install programs on a drive other than C:?

Many, but not all programs allow you to specify their install location. In some, however, that ability is somewhat hidden in the install process.

How do I remove Windows Media Player from being the default media player?

There are lots of media players with varying capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. Even if you don't like Windows Media Player you'll need something.

How do I remove a program from the Add/Remove programs list?

Removing a program from the Add/Remove programs can be done by accessing your Control Panel.

How do I schedule Disk Defragmenter to run with the Windows Task Scheduler?

You want to defragment your hard disk periodically. Task Scheduler runs programs periodically. Put those together to defragment your disk regularly.

How do I tell what programs are starting up on my machine?

Process Monitor, a free tool from Microsoft, can be used to find out exactly what's happening on your machine, including which programs are starting.

How do I uninstall Windows programs that I never use?

There are several Windows components that don't show up on the common Add/Remove programs list. Some show up elsewhere and can still be removed.

Is it safe to delete duplicate files?

Programs that identify identical files can be useful, but simply deleting the duplicates found can cause more harm that good.

Is there a quick way to find a particular file out of many without having to open each one?

Windows includes a utility that will search through a collection of files for a specified string. That's often a quick way to find the file you want.

Is there a site where I can get old versions of software such as MSN Messenger 5.x?

After releasing a new version of software manufacturers often make older versions difficult to find. What if you really do need an old version?

Just what is the Malicious Software Removal Tool that I keep getting in Windows Updates?

Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool is downloaded and updated periodically by Windows Update. It's not an complete anti-malware solution.

MSSTDFMT.DLL is missing. Where do I get it?

It's unclear where MSSTDFMT.DLL comes from, but if a "memory optimization" program is asking for it, I'm very skeptical.

One change you should make to Windows Explorer right now to stay safer.

Windows Explorer tries to help by hiding some information. Unfortunately, that opens a hole that hackers can use to fool you.

What are all these other pictures when I view emailed photos?

When viewing photos emailed as attachments your image viewer may also show you lots of other images as well. It's all about where things are on disk.

What do I do when Windows Explorer crashes?

Windows Explorer is the workhorse behind the Windows user interface. In many ways it *is* Windows. I'll cover what to look for when it crashes.

What do I do when a program reports a DLL is missing?

DLLs can go missing for several reasons from accidental deletion to corruption or more. We'll look at some of the common causes and steps to take.

What does "chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process" mean?

Chkdsk checks your disk for errors at a low level. That means chkdsk needs exclusive access to the disk. We'll look at why that is and what to do.

What is Tasklist.exe, and why don't I have it?

Tasklist.exe is a utility to examine your system's running programs. It's not on every version of Windows but a more powerful alternative is available.

What is the Event Viewer, and should I care?

Many Windows components log messages and the Event Viewer displays those messages. Unfortunately those messages are often cryptic and inconsistent.

What is the System File Checker, and how do I run it?

The System File Checker is a little known utility that validates that Windows own files are undamaged. It's a simple to run command line program.

What media players do I need?

Unfortunately, the media player landscape is confusing. Which media player you need often differs based on what media you're playing.

What's the best media player?

Video playback is a confusing mess. For most people the player to be used is defined not by personal preference, but by the type of file.

What's this program running on my machine?

There may be many programs running on your machine. It's not always obvious exactly what they are or why they're running. We'll look for some clues.

When I select "help and support" I get a warning: marscore.dll not found. What should I do?

Marscore.dll appears in some error scenarios. Aside from running the system file checker, what to do isn't clear.

Why does the defrag program crash on my machine?

Defrag organizes the data on your disk for faster and more optimal access. If it crashes it's probably a problem with the disk's data.

Why is my Task Manager disabled, and how do I fix it?

Task manager can be disabled manually, but more commonly it's disabled by a virus. It's easy to re-enable once you're virus-free.

Why would the defragger tell me I still need to defrag after it's done?

Occasionally, the disk defragmenter will tell you that you still need to defrag even after having just done so. We'll look at why, and what to do.

Will deleting programs from my computer make it faster?

Deleting programs can be as simple as removing files which won't have much impact on performance. Occasionally, though, it's nowhere near that simple.