How to Resolve Program Crashes in Windows XP

Program crashes are no fun, especially when you're on a deadline.

Although Windows XP is more stable than its predecessors, it still can freeze and sometimes crash. For this reason, Windows XP comes with several diagnostic tools that can help. When a program crashes, it may be indicative of a problem with your hard disk. You can use the Chkdsk utility to try to fix the problem.

Instructions

1. Restart Windows XP and try to launch the program that you need again. During the reboot process, XP will try to recover any damaged files.

2. Click "Start" and then "Run."

3. Type "cmd" into the Open box and click "OK."

4. Type "chkdsk /r" at the command prompt and press "Enter" to open the Chkdsk utility.

5. Press the "Y" key on your keyboard and then press "Enter."

6. Restart your computer again.

Tips & Warnings

• If these steps don't fix the problem, contact the manufacturer of your hard disk or of your computer.

References

• Microsoft Support: Disk Error Causes a Program to Crash in Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Vista