Resources for troubleshooting games and multimedia in Windows XP (310697)

SUMMARY

This article helps you use the Games and Multimedia Troubleshooter that is included in Windows XP Help and Support Center. This article also lists the online support services that may help you solve your problem.

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Problems that the Games and Multimedia Troubleshooter resolves

The Games and Multimedia Troubleshooter includes step-by-step instructions to troubleshoot the following problems in Windows XP:

• You are having a problem with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device.
• You are having a problem with the installation of DirectX.
• Windows starts only in Safe mode after you installed your game or multimedia program.
• Your DirectX, multimedia, or game program has stopped responding.
• You are experiencing video problems or receive messages about DirectDraw.
• You are having a problem with a joystick or another game device.
• You see a black screen or black patches around the mouse pointer. Or, the mouse pointer leaves old images of itself behind.
• You have a problem with sound.
• You have a problem when you try to play a DVD.
• You receive the following error message:
  Set Display Mode: DDERR_GENERIC

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How to start the Games and Multimedia Troubleshooter

If you are already familiar with Windows XP Help and Support Center, you can start the Games and Multimedia Troubleshooter automatically. To do this, click here.

If you are not yet familiar with Windows XP Help and Support Center, follow these steps to start the Games and Multimedia Troubleshooter:

1. Click Start, and then click Help and Support.
2. Under Pick a Help Topic, click Fixing a problem.
3. In the left pane, click Games, sound, and video problems.
4. In the right pane, click Games and Multimedia Troubleshooter.

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How to use the Games and Multimedia Troubleshooter

1. Click the option that describes the problem that you are having, and then click Next.
2. Repeat step 1 until your problem is resolved or you have reached the end of the troubleshooting path. You can click Back to repeat the last step or click Start Over to restart the troubleshooter.

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Recommended Microsoft Knowledge Base articles

For additional information about how to troubleshoot games and multimedia issues in Windows XP, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Back to the top

How to use the Microsoft Product Support Services Web site to find a solution

If you cannot resolve the problem by using the Games and Multimedia Troubleshooter or by viewing the recommended Knowledge Base articles, you can use the Microsoft Product Support Services Web site to find a solution to your problem. The Microsoft Product Support Services Web site provides the following services:

• Searchable Knowledge Base
  To search technical support information and self-help tools for Microsoft products, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

  http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=0

• Frequently asked questions
  To view product-specific frequently asked questions and support highlights, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=faqs

• Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups
  To contact with your counterparts, peers, and Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) over the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/default.mspx

• Software and software updates
  To find software and software updates on the Microsoft Download Center, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp

• Other support options
  To ask a support question by using the Web, to call Microsoft Product Support Services, or to provide feedback, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=csshome

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