Web Browsers Cannot Connect to Internet: Fixes

Several users have reported an issue in which various Web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome) cannot connect to websites despite the presence of an otherwise valid, working Internet connection.
Many users find that, when this problem occurs, they can ping the network, access email and perform other network functions, but browsers are dead in [...]

Start Button, Taskbar Frozen or Unresponsive: Fixes

The Start button and Taskbar in various version of Windows may suddenly become unresponsive or frozen, failing to respond to clicks or other user input.
Fixes
Try the hotfix Microsoft has provided a hotfix for this issue as it occurs under Windows Vista. Unfortunately, a number of users report that the hotfix only temporarily cures the [...]

Cannot Play Streaming Windows Media: Fix

Some users have reported an issue in which they are suddenly unable to play streaming Windows Media files from various websites. These include the Sirius and XM streaming sites as well as other outlets.
Fix
This issue can usually be resolved by simply setting Windows Media Player as the default playback program. This can be accomplished as [...]

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) at Startup: Fix

Perhaps one of the most frustrating times to experience a full system crash, accompanied by the blue screen of death (BSOD), is at startup. This issue typically occurs after a major system update or the introduction of some new third-party software or hardware to the system, and may display the error message “0×0000008E.” Fortunately, there’s [...]

“Windows Cannot Connect to the Printer”: Fix

Several users have reported an issue in which Windows displays the message “Windows cannot connect to the printer. Access is denied” when attempting to add a new printer through the printer wizard, or suddenly after a system update or restart.
Fix
This issue can sometimes be fixed via the following process:

Open the control panel and [...]

iTunes 8.1.1 Released; Fails to Install: Fix

A number of users have experienced problems updating to the newly released iTunes 8.1.1. Generally, when this issue occurs, installation appears to proceed normally but then delivers the error message “The installer encounted errors before iTunes could be configured. Your system has not been modified. To retry these operations at a later time please return [...]

Slow iTunes: Boosting Performance

A number of Windows iTunes users have reported extremely poor performance from the application. Symptoms include long lags when clicking on items, delays before playback starts, slow launches and more.
Fixes
There are a few specific fixes that can provide a significant boost in iTunes for Windows speed.
Exclude iTunes library from antivirus software Launch [...]

Cannot Install Adobe Flash: Fix

Several users have reported an inability to install Adobe Flash Player, generally accompanied by the error message “Unable to authenticate install.”
Fix This problem can usually be quickly fixed via the following steps:

Uninstall the Flash Player by navigating to this Adobe page then downloading and running the appropriate uninstallation program
Next, right-click your Web browser’s icon [...]

Antivirus Software Conflicts Can Cause Internet Problems

As we have noted, the presence of two overlapping antivirus or antimalware/spyware/firewall tools can cause various conflicts. Users should install one (and only one) strong anti-virus package and make sure it’s up-to-date.
One problem that can result from the presence of conflicting protection tools is an inability to connect to the Internet. This issue is [...]

Conficker Paranoia? Instantly Check Whether Or Not You Are Infected

Chances are, you don’t have Conficker. Following a report on 60 Minutes and dire headlines across a broad swath of other media, fear set in, and some users started to blame any system issue on or after April 1 on the worm. According to IBM Internet Security Services, however, the total infection rate is somewhere [...]