Filter
Top Products
Finding Software Solutions 4-1
Chapter 4
Finding Software Solutions
B
ecause most computers have several application pro-
grams installed in addition to the operating system,
isolating a software problem can be confusing. Software
errors can also appear to be hardware malfunctions at
first. Software problems can result from the following
circumstances:
•
Improper installation or configuration of a program
•
Input errors
•
Device drivers that may conflict with certain appli-
cation programs
•
Interrupt conflicts between devices
You can confirm that a computer problem is caused by
software by running the System Set Test Group as
described in Chapter 5, “Running the System Diagnos-
tics.” If all tests in the test group complete successfully,
the error condition is most likely caused by software.
This chapter provides some general guidelines for ana-
lyzing software problems. For detailed troubleshooting
information on a particular program, see the documenta-
tion that accompanied the software or consult the support
service for the software.
I
nstalling and Configuring
Software
The user should check newly acquired programs and files
for viruses with virus-scanning software before installing
the programs on the computer’s hard-disk drive. Viruses,
which are pieces of code that can replicate themselves,
can quickly use all available system memory, damage
and/or destroy data stored on the hard-disk drive, and
permanently affect the performance of the programs they
infect. Several commercial virus-scanning programs are
available for purchase, and most bulletin board services
(BBSs) archive freely distributed virus-scanning pro-
grams that you can download with a modem.
Before installing a program, the user should read its
documentation to learn how the program works, what
hardware it requires, and what its defaults are. A program
usually includes installation instructions in its accompa-
nying documentation and a software installation routine
on its program diskettes.
The software installation routine assists users in transfer-
ring the appropriate program files to the computer’s
hard-disk drive. Installation instructions may provide
details about how to configure the operating system to
successfully run the program. Users should always read
the installation instructions before running a program’s
installation routine.
When users run the installation routine, they should be
prepared to respond to prompts for information about
how the computer’s operating system is configured, what
type of computer they have, and what peripherals are
connected to the computer.
U
sing Software
The following subsections discuss errors that can occur
as a result of software operation or configuration.
Error Messages
Error messages can be produced by an application pro-
gram, the operating system, or the computer. Chapter 3,
“Messages and Codes,” discusses the error messages that
are generated by the system. If you receive an error mes-
sage that is not listed in Chapter 3, check the operating
system or application program documentation.