A Bunch of Error Messages Just Flew By

A Bunch of Error Messages Just Flew By!

Are error messages displayed when your computer boots? If so, they can provide invaluable clues to determine the source of the problem.

Tip 

If you see error messages when you start up your computer, keep these points in mind:

• Don't panic if you see a lot of error messages. Sometimes a simple problem that's easy to correct can cause a plethora of error messages when you start your computer. The messages may look as though your computer is falling to pieces, but the fix may be very simple.

• If the messages fly by so fast that you can't see them, press your computer's Pause key. Your computer comes to a screeching halt, giving you a chance to catch up on your error-message reading. After you read enough of them, press the Pause key again to get things moving. (On computers that don't have a Pause key, press Ctrl+Num Lock or Ctrl+S to do the same thing.)

• If you missed the error messages the first time, restart the computer and watch them again.

• Better yet, press F8 when you see the message Starting Windows. This action displays a menu from which you can select from several startup options, including one that processes each line of your CONFIG. SYS file separately so that you can see the messages displayed by each command before proceeding to the next command.