What to do when you see an "Error Message"?

From time to time, we all receive an error message we don't understand – so you will want to capture your screen so you’ll be able to research the error message accurately, first on Google and if that doesn’t help you then you can show what was actually on your monitor to your favorite tech support person for their help…

FIRST: To capture your screen:

When the error message is on the screen – Hold the CTRL Key down and simultaneously hold the  PRINT SCREEN KEY  on your keyboard (on some laptops you will need to hold the Fn key and simultaneously hold the PRINT SCREEN KEY).  This action takes a copy of everything on your monitor at that moment in time including your Task Bar…

Next, open whatever you use for your word processing program, Word Pad, Word, Word Perfect – and when you have a blank page on the monitor – activate paste and remember there are 5 different ways to paste-use the one you are comfortable with:

1)     Use the right click on your mouse-action list appears, choose paste

2)     Use the action key on your keyboard, when you tap it, the action list will appear, choose past

3)     Use the Paste icon on your toolbar

4)     Use edit on your Menu Bar, when the menu list appears, choose Paste, or

5)     Use your keyboard: by holding the CTRL Key and  V key at the same time

SECOND: Once the photo of your monitor w/the error message is on your piece of paper, save it (you should have a "troubleshooting folder" on your pc for these things) – Once it is saved, print it off for your reference…note I always put a date on my document so I know when it happened - and once I get the "fix" to the problem I type that on the document also for future reference... 

THIRD: Type the error message into Google Search, so will find recommendations from others who have had the same problem – some will e individuals, but more than likely you will see recommendations from the software company itself telling you how to correct the problem.  It’s recommended that you a few different websites opinions before jumping to a conclusion. 

Remember, we can type any question into Google in plain English, it is the easiest way to search for anything - You can even type in a telephone number and if it’s not a private number/or cell phone you will see the name & address of the person it belongs to..

FOURTH:  If you don’t find a simple solution you are comfortable trying, then talk to your favorites tech support person – you can show them hat was happening or if you are contacting them via email, you can email them the document you created so they can see exactly what was happening at the time you received the error message…

Good luck and remember with a little effort – you are the one in control..…

Dealing With Error Messages

From time to time, we all have error messages appear on our monitor that we don’t know what they mean. Next time this happens this tip will help:

First:
I always save the error message in word for future reference. To do that easily:

· Use your CTRL Key – Print Screen Key together (this will take a copy of the error message & all that is on your monitor at the time)

· Now open your WP software (Word, Works, Word Pad) and use your PASTE command-now the error message is on a clean piece of paper-Now Save it so once you know what this means, you can type the answer on the same page for future reference

· And print the message so you can see it easily

Next:

· Type the error message into Google Search.

· You are not the first (and won’t be the last) to get this error message.

· Personally I read a few answers, to be sure I am getting an answer I understand and resolution I can work with

Last:
Once I have the explanation and resolution I need, I use my copy and paste skills:

· Highlight the information

· Activate your copy command

· Open the document that has the error message copy on it

· Put my cursor on that document and activate the paste command, which adds the answer and resolution

· And save it once again

Now in the future if the error message comes back up, I have my answer.

Error Message: Windows-No Disk

Question: I am getting a error message a lot lately: “WINDOWS-NO DISK” pops up on the monitor and it makes no difference what I’m working on or have open and it happens several times a day…

Answer: Tech support forums and sites (including Microsoft) indicate that this is common (more so with Windows XP & Vista) than Windows 7. THe following is the solution, copied directly from Microsoft’s website at the following link:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-system/windows-no-disk-exception-processing-message/b1a67525-d5e8-46ae-9801-6b169547e656

"The answer lies in the words "Windows: No Disk", your PC is looking for a USB device - e.g. a USB stick or a cell phone - that you've recently plugged in and have removed without using the "remove hardware safely" option in the right hand bottom corner of your screen. Put the last USB device you used back into the USB port and then use the "remove software safely" option.

The pop up message will disappear."

In my case, I didn't have to plug the USB device in, I just needed to click on the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the system tray, and tell it to remove the device that is no longer plugged in.

What do Internet Error Messages Mean?

From time to time when you are browsing on the Internet and trying to open a website or e-mail you might get “an error code” – The following is a list of the most common Internet error codes and what they mean so that you know what to do and why you received them…

Common Internet Error Codes/Messages and what they mean:

Error codes/messages, number #400-499 tell us that the web server cannot find the content/web page or that we don’t have the correct permissions to access it.. The most common error messages received are:

• 400 - This means the Internet address you typed in was incorrect and the server couldn't understand your request. So be sure you haven’t made a typing error and spelled the web address incorrectly
• 401 – This means the page/web address you were trying to access can not be loaded until you first log on with a valid user ID and password, so double check that you aren’t making a mistake when you are typing in your username and/or password
• 402 – This is a “Payment Required” Error
• 403 – Means you are trying to open a website or page that is “forbidden” and you are being blocked by that domain (web address)
• 404 – The host server can’t find the “website” at the web address/URL you typed in. Either you have mistyped the URL, the website no longer exists, or you’ve been given the wrong URL/web address. This browser error message also often appears as “The page cannot be found”.
• 408 - This is time out error – it simply means you didn’t send the request within the allotted time that the server set for you.

URL stands for Universal Resource Locator

Domain/Domain Name is the “core” of identity on the Internet. It is the web address that is used to find your website. This web address name is yours entirely and there is only one website (web address) with that name, because once you register a “domain name-web address” no one else can use it – much like a telephone number.