Fix Fatal Errors
Can I Fix Fatal Errors? Warning! An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure.
Getting a fatal computer error is confusing. Is it possible for laymen to fix fatal errors? Repairing these errors isn’t a matter of a technical understanding of exactly what happened, but an understanding of what to do to prevent it from happening again.
Several Things You Should do to Prevent Fatal Errors From Appearing:
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Restart your computer. It’s good to keep in mind that a restart will often resolve many computer problems, not just the dreaded fatal error. It gives your machine a chance to regroup and try again.
After you have restarted your machine, don't open anything else before attempting the program again. This will cut down on the possibility of other programs interfering with the process.
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Uninstall any software you have recently installed. The software may have a problem with it or might have installed incorrectly.
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Run the Scandisk program that comes with your computer. There may be errors on your hard drive that are causing fatal errors. Sometimes Scandisk can solve hard drive problems.
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Learn how to back up your system. Do you have a huge project at work? Have you logged hundreds of hours playing a game? If you have already experienced a fatal error, then you know that it causes you to lose what you were working on. Make sure you know how to back up your files to a safe location.
Timing is Everything When it Comes to a Fatal Error
Pay attention to when the fatal error occurs. Does it happen when you are trying to save something or do you experience the error when you are trying to shut down?
If you are running Windows XP, the default setting is for the computer to reboot automatically when a fatal error occurs. If that fatal error only occurs when you're shutting down, the system reboots automatically.
If you have not changed any of the system settings, you should be able to see the error by looking in the Event Log.
However, a better long-term solution is to shut off the automatic reboot so you can see the error when it occurs. Chances are it will tell you enough about itself to let you troubleshoot further.
To Change the Recovery Settings:
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Right-click on My Computer, and then select Properties. |
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Click the Advanced tab. |
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Under Startup and Recovery, select Settings to open the Startup and Recovery dialog box. |
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Clear the Automatically restart check box, and click OK the necessary number of times. |
5. |
Restart your computer for the settings to take effect. |
Now when you go to shut down and a fatal error occurs, you'll see it and it won't cause an automatic reboot. Fatal exceptions usually stop a program dead in its tracks, so you will have to start over whatever it was you were trying to do.
Before you start over, though, you should try a few simple steps that will likely make the program work next time. Good luck!
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