HP Presario SR1900 PC Troubleshooting and Maintenance Guide - Page 19

Repairing Software Problems Your PC uses the operating system and installed software programs during normal operation. If your PC works improperly or stops because of the software, you may be able to repair it. Some software repairs are as simple as restarting your PC, and others require performing a System Recovery from files on your hard disk drive. NOTE: It is important that you perform the PC repair methods in the order described in this document. Software Repair Overview This section lists the available methods to fix your PC if you are experiencing software problems. Detailed instructions about each method are in the sections that follow. You must perform the procedures in the order listed here. • Restarting your PC • Turning off your PC • Updating drivers • Microsoft System Restore • Application Recovery and Driver Recovery • System Recovery NOTE: If you are replacing a hard disk drive, you only have to run the System Recovery. Restarting Your PC Restarting is the simplest repair method for your PC. When you restart, the PC reloads the operating system and software into its memory. To restart your PC: 1 Close all open programs and windows. 2 Click Start. 3 Choose Turn Off Computer. 4 Click Restart. Turning Off Your PC When you turn off your PC and then turn it on again, you force the PC to reload the operating system into its memory, which clears some tracking information. This may eliminate some problems that can remain after performing a restart. To turn off your PC: 1 Close all open programs and windows. 2 Click Start. 3 Choose Turn Off Computer. 4 Click Turn Off. 5 Start your PC by pressing the On button. Updating Drivers A driver is a software program that allows your PC to communicate with an attached device, such as a printer, a hard disk drive, a mouse, or a keyboard. Complete the following procedure to update a driver, or to revert to an earlier version of the driver if the new one does not solve your problem: 1 Click Start, right-click on My Computer, and then click Properties. The System Properties window displays. 2 Click the Hardware tab, and then Device Manager. The Device Manager displays. 3 Click the plus sign (+) to expand the device whose driver you want to update or rollback, (for example, Keyboard). Right-click the specific item (for example, PS-2 Keyboard), and then select Properties. The Properties window for the selected device displays. 4 Click Update Driver or Rollback Driver, and follow the onscreen instructions. PC Troubleshooting and Maintenance Guide 15