Event Viewer
Windows NT keeps track on any special event in
the Event Log.
And if something goes really wrong on the system, you get a
message like:

In such cases, ALWAYS have a look to the "Event Viewer"
(part of the Administrative Tools):

(NT4-Server Event-Log can be viewed on
a Windows95/98 system via the NT-Server Tools)
There are 3 logs, but you should view the System Log:

The messages have a different level:
 |
Information: view it after
a system is installed to verify, that everything
is in good condition |
 |
Warning: view it, it
requires most the time a correction |
 |
Failure: A serious problem
caused a failure |
Lets have a look at some typical messages:

An information:
The system advises, that the definition of COM1 does NOT match
the PC-BIOS.
Reason: I had deactivated COM1 in the BIOS to install an internal
Modem
on COM1.

An information: The Browse-Master had to be elected, because the system currently acting
as Browse-Master had been stopped (Now
you know, why you could not see during that time anything in the
Network Neighborhood)

an information: the IPX-protocol was configure for "Auto-Frame", NT
has
detected on the network the frame for 802.3 and it using it now.

A failure: The system is configure for an NE2000 network board,
but it could not find that board. The board may be broken or your
network card is a different type.

A Failure: The network board is not working properly (in this
case, the network cable was not connected properly).
|