Dell Inspiron 4150 - Manual (Page 19)

Using Microsoft Windows XP Device Driver Rollback
If you install a new device driver that causes system instability, you can use the Windows XP Device Driver Rollback utility to replace the new device driver with
the previously installed version of the device driver. If you cannot reinstall your previous driver by using the Device Driver Rollback utility, then use
System
Restore to return your operating system to its previous operating state before you installed the new device driver. To use Device Driver Rollback:
1. Click the Start button and right-click My Computer.
2. Click Properties.
3. Click the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.
4. In the Device Manager window, right-click the device for which the new driver was installed and then click Properties.
5. Click the Drivers tab.
6. Click Roll Back Driver.
Resolving Software and Hardware Incompatibilities
In the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system, IRQ conflicts occur if a device either is not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but
incorrectly configured. To check for IRQ conflicts on your computer:
1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
2. Click Performance and Maintenance and click System.
3. Click the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.
4. In the Device Manager list, check for conflicts with the other devices.
Conflicts are indicated by a yellow exclamation point (!) beside the conflicting device or a red X if the device has been disabled.
5. Double-click any conflicting device listed to bring up the Properties window so that you can determine what needs to be reconfigured or removed from
the Device Manager.
6. Resolve these conflicts before checking specific devices.
7. Double-click the malfunctioning device type in the Device Manager list.
8. Double-click the icon for the specific device in the expanded list.
The Properties window appears.
If an IRQ conflict exists, the Device status area in the Properties window reports what other devices are sharing the device's IRQ.
9. Resolve any IRQ conflicts.
You can also use the Windows XP Hardware Troubleshooter. To use the troubleshooter, click the Start button and click Help and Support. Type hardware
troubleshooter
in the Search field, and then click the arrow to start the search. Click Hardware Troubleshooter in the Search Results list. In the Hardware
Troubleshooter list, click I need to resolve a hardware conflict on my computer, and then click Next.
Using Microsoft® Windows® XP System Restore
The Microsoft Windows XP operating system provides a System Restore utility that allows you to return your computer to an earlier operating state if changes
to the computer's hardware, software (including new hardware or program installations), or system settings have left the computer in an undesirable
operating state. You can also undo the last system restore.
System Restore automatically creates system checkpoints. You can also manually create your own checkpoints by creating restore points. To limit the amount of
hard disk space used, older restore points will be automatically purged.
To resolve an operating system problem, you can use System Restore from Safe Mode or Normal Mode to return your computer to an earlier operating state.
System Restore does not cause you to lose personal files stored in the My Documents folder, data files, or e-mail messages after restoring the computer to an
earlier time. If you restore the computer to an operating state that existed before you installed a program, the program's data files are not lost, but you must
reinstall the actual program again.
System Restore is enabled on your new computer. However, if you reinstall Windows XP with less than 200 MB of free hard-disk space available, System
Restore is automatically disabled. Before you use System Restore, confirm that it is enabled.
1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
2. Click the Performance and Maintenance.
3. Click System.
4. Click the System Restore tab.
5. Ensure that Turn off System Restore is not checked.
NOTICE: It is important to make regular backups of your data files. System Restore does not monitor changes to or recover your data files. If the
original data on the hard disk is accidentally erased or overwritten, or if it becomes inaccessible because of a hard disk malfunction, use your backup
files to recover the lost or damaged data.