Troubleshooting

The Task Manager Is Stalled

My Task Manager seems stuck. It doesn't reflect newly opened or closed applications.

You might have this problem if you've paused the Task Manager. Choose View, Update Speed, and then choose any setting other than Paused. Another approach, if you want to keep it paused, is to choose View, Refresh Now.

Sending the Task Manager to the Background

My Task Manager doesn't drop into the background when I click another program.

Like some Help files, the Task Manager has an Always on Top option. Choose Options, and turn off this setting.

Wrong Language

I'm seeing Windows Update in the wrong language. Why?

You're probably having this problem because of settings in Windows and Internet Explorer. But let's start at the beginning. The first thing to know is that every copy of Windows has a language tag associated with it. If you're running an English version of Windows XP, then Windows Update is only going to offer to download English-based add-ins for the operating system.

Now with that said, yes, you can change the language in which you view the Windows Update pages. If you have the wrong Regional settings in Windows and/or in Internet Explorer, you might be dishing up Greek or Italian when you want English. Here's the order in which Windows Update checks for your language preference:

1. Language tag of your copy of Windows and Internet Explorer

2. Your system's Regional Settings

3. Internet Explorer's auxiliary language preferences setting

The catch is that Internet Explorer has a feature called Accept Language, which supersedes the Windows Regional Settings. If you are viewing Windows Update (which is available in multiple languages), Internet Explorer looks to the list of languages in your language preference settings to determine which language to display. This list is prioritized, so if you have Greek as the first language and English as the second, Windows Update is displayed in Greek.

To see the Windows Update site in a different language, you can adjust your Internet Explorer's language preference settings as shown here. Note that changes here affect other multilanguage sites that you view.

1.	In Internet Explorer, choose Tools, Internet Options.
2.	On the General tab, click the Languages button.
3.	Select the language you want, and then use the Move Up button to place your selection at the top of the list of languages. Click OK.
4.	Click OK in the Internet Options dialog, and restart your browser.
5.	Reload the Windows Update page

Problem Viewing Windows Update

In Windows Update, I can't view update details, installation history details, or troubleshooting articles.

This is probably because you have a pop-up blocker set either in IE or another program. That prevents Windows Update's site from opening new browser windows from links that you click. To change Pop-up Blocker settings (available only for Internet Explorer 6):

In Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, point to Pop-up Blocker, and then click Pop-up Blocker Settings. Then do one of the following:

• To allow pop-up windows only when using Windows Update, under Address of Web Site to Allow, type (or copy and paste) this URL: https://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and then click Add.

• To allow new browser windows to open when using any secured (https://) Web sites, in the Filter Level list, click Low: Allow Pop-ups from Secure Sites.

If you use other pop-up blocking software, find out whether you can change your settings just for links that you click within a Web site. If not, you might need to allow pop-ups while using Windows Update.

Also, make sure you're not using a browser other Internet Explorer. Due to the extensive use of ActiveX controls, Windows Update may not run reliably on other browsers.

The Scheduled Tasks Doesn't Activate Correctly

My Scheduled Tasks doesn't seem to activate correctly. What's the problem?

You can check several things when a Scheduled Tasks job doesn't activate correctly. Here's the rundown; check these steps in order:

1.

Open the Scheduled Tasks window, and then open the properties for the task. Make sure the task is actually enabled via the Enabled check box on the Task tab.

2.

On the Schedule tab, verify that the schedule is set correctly.

3.

Check the permissions for all the items involved in running the task, such as scripts, executables, and so on. Make sure the permissions for those items match those of the user account assigned to the task.

4.

If a user whose account a task is set to run in is not logged on at the time the task is scheduled to run, the task runs but is not visible. Check the task log file to see whether the task was running but you didn't know it.

5.

Some commands hang, waiting for user input, unless launched with command-line arguments. Research the command or executable you are trying to run. Check the Help file for the program or issue the command from a command prompt window, followed by /?, -?, or just ? to see a display of options.

6.

Check or ask your administrator to check that Scheduled Tasks service is turned on (by choosing My Computer, Manage).

7.

Check the Status column in the Scheduled Tasks window, and look for the task in question. (Use the Details view.) Table 27.6 describes the status types.

Table 27.6. Scheduled Task Status Types

Status	Description
Blank	The task isn't current running, or it already ran and encountered no obstacles.
Running	The task is currently being run.
Missed	One or more attempts to run this task was missed, possibly because the computer was not turned on, or the scheduler was paused at the time.
Could not start	The most recent attempt to start the task failed for some reason. Check the log file if you care to investigate further. The log file, named schedlgu.txt, is stored in the \Windows folder. This file is used to record the activity of scheduled tasks.

No Events in Security Log

No events are showing in my security log.

By default, security logging is turned off in Windows XP. Therefore, no security events are monitored or recorded, and your security log is devoid of entries even if you do have the administrative rights required to view them. See Chapter 21 for details on auditing and the recording or logging of security events into the Security log.