To troubleshoot a program that does not run as expected after it is installed or to troubleshoot a program that produces an error message after it is installed, use the following advanced troubleshooting methods.
Method 1: Disable Aero Glass when you run the program
In some cases, a program may not be compatible with the new Desktop Window Manager and Aero Glass functionality in Windows Vista. Symptoms that indicate that a program is incompatible with Aero Glass include any of the following:
- A flickering screen
- Desktop and window artifacts
- A program window not painting correctly on the screen
- A program window not painting at all and possibly causing a black window
To determine whether the program compatibility issue is related to Aero Glass, follow these steps:
- Click Start
, and then type the name of the program in the Start Search box. - In the Programs list, right-click the program that you are troubleshooting, and then click Properties.
- On the Compatibility tab, click to select the Disable desktop composition check box.
When you select the
Disable desktop composition option in the program properties, Windows Vista disables Aero Glass every time that you run the program. Aero Glass is re-enabled when the program is closed.
If the program still does not work correctly, go to the next method.
Method 2: Run the program in safe mode
Note To start the computer in safe mode, press the F8 key while the computer is starting. You must press the F8 key before the Windows Vista progress indicator appears.
To determine whether the issue that occurs with the program is caused by another program that is running in the background, we recommend that you restart the computer in safe mode and then test the program. If the program runs correctly in safe mode, but does not run correctly in normal mode, there likely is another program that is conflicting with the program in question.
To determine which program is causing a conflict with the program in question, we recommend that you perform a "clean boot" of the computer. A clean boot is intended to disable as many background services and programs as possible. This helps determine which service or program may be causing the problem.
For more information about how to perform a clean boot for troubleshooting, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
929135 How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista
If the program still does not work correctly, go to the next method.
Method 3: Repair the program installation
Note Before you repair the program, we recommend that you create a System Restore Point. To do this, follow these steps:
- Click Start , click Control Panel, click System and Maintenance, and then click System.
- In the navigation pane, click System Protection
. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.
- Click the System Protection tab, and then click Create.
- In the System Protection dialog box, type a description, and then click Create.
Many programs provide a mechanism to verify and to repair the state of the program. To determine whether this is possible for the program in question, follow these steps:
- Click Start , and then type Programs and Features in the Start Search box.
- In the Programs list, click Programs and Features.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
- Click the program name in the list of programs, and then click Repair if the option is available. The Repair option is located in the same toolbar as Organize and View. If the Repair option is not available, the program may not provide a repair mechanism.
- If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
If the program still does not work correctly, go to the next method.
Method 4: Uninstall and reinstall the program
Note Before you uninstall and reinstall the program, we recommend that you create a System Restore Point. To do this, see the "Method 3: Repair the program installation" section for detailed steps.
If the program does not provide a repair mechanism, you may be able to resolve the issue if you uninstall and then reinstall the program. To do this, follow these steps:
- Click Start , and then type Programs and Features in the Start Search box.
- In the Programs list, click Programs and Features.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
- Click the program in the list of programs, and then click either Uninstall/Change or Uninstall.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
- Follow the on-screen directions to uninstall the program.
Note If the Program Compatibility Assistant (PCA) starts automatically, click Uninstall using recommended settings.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
- Use the original program installation media to reinstall the program. Before you reinstall the program, it may help if you enable the compatibility mode option for the program installer.
Program reinstallation and activation
Be aware that you may have to reactivate the program after it is reinstalled. In some case, activation may be unsuccessful if the software vendor disallows installation under a new operating system. Activation is a process that makes sure that the software that you are using is licensed to run on the computer where it is installed. Typically, activation requires that the software vendor’s Web site is contacted over the Internet to verify the validity of the program installation. Contact the software vendor if you have any questions about the activation process for the software vendor's program.
Note You may be prompted to enter a code that was provided by the software manufacture.
If the program still does not run correctly after you follow these steps, the program may not be compatible with Windows Vista.