Windows XP is an operating system from Microsoft which was released back in 2001. The operating system has many features a user can take advantage of to run his system more efficiently. There are also problems that can occur which will require troubleshooting to determine the cause and to find a solution. There are many tools that you can use to troubleshoot problems that occur while using Windows XP.
Task Manager
You can use the Task Manager that is included with Windows XP to diagnose problems that can occur with running programs. When you run a program in Windows it can crash or appear to freeze or lock-up for no reason. When you access the Task Manager you can see if there are any programs currently running that are not working correctly. Press "CTRL," "ATL" and "DEL" on the keyboard to access the Task Manager window. You can find the status of currently running programs by viewing the "Applications" tab. When you see a program that has a status of "Not Responding" it can be terminated and restarted.
Event Viewer
Windows XP includes an option called the Event Viewer that you can use to troubleshoot and view information about events that occur on the system. Events can include anti-virus scans, program updates and other events that are initiated by various types of installed software. If a program does not appear to be running properly, you can access the Event Viewer to see if there are any errors occurring with the program. You can access the Event Viewer by double-clicking on the "Administrative Tools" icon located in the Control Panel. When the Event Viewer is displayed click on the "Application" option to see a list of all events for running applications. Double-click on en entry to view the Event Properties window.
Device Manager
When a hardware or driver conflict occurs on the system you can use Device Manager to see where the conflict is occurring. You can make changes to devices that can be configured using installed software, such as sound, video and game controllers. The Device Manager is accessed by first double-clicking on the "System" icon that is located in the Control Panel. You will then need to select the "Hardware" tab and then double-click on the "Device Manager" tab. If there is a conflict with a device, you will see an indicator such as an exclamation point or a question mark. You can view the properties window by double-clicking on the device.
