Is it wise to keep old electronics

If you are trying to install or update Microsoft Edge on your Windows 10 computer but ended up getting HTTP Error 500 or Error 0x8004xxxx or 0x8007xxxx, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you sort this problem out. The aforementioned errors when either installing or updating the Edge browser occur due to a Network issue. There is actually a range of error codes that are associated with the network connection issue. These error codes include Error 500 or 0x80010108, 0x80040801, 0x80042193, 0x80042194, 0x800421F4, 0x800421F6, 0x800421F7, 0x800421F8, 0x80072742, 0x80072EE2, 0x80072EE7, 0x80072EFD, and 0x80072EFE. To fix them, there are several options you can try. You can try to run the Network Adapter troubleshooter or update or reset the Network Adapter as well as check and the proxy configuration.

Option 1- Try updating the Network Adapter Driver

Follow the steps below to update your Network Adapter Driver:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “MSC” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• From there, expand the list of all the network drives and update each one of them.

Note: If updating the network drivers didn’t help in fixing the problem, you can also try to uninstall the very same drivers and restart your Windows 10 PC. After that, the system itself will reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled. Alternatively, you can also download and install the drivers from the manufacturer’s website directly.

Option 2 – Run the Network Adapter troubleshooter

To run the Network Troubleshooter, refer to these steps:

• Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
• Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
• Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
• After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.
• Restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Network Adapter

You can also try to perform a Network Reset to resolve the problem. This will reset the entire network configuration including your IP address. To perform Network Reset, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• From there, go to the Network and Internet section.
• Next, scroll down and look for “Network Reset” under the status pane.
• After that, click on Network Reset and then on Reset now to start resetting the network configuration. Once done, check if it is able to fix the error or not.

Option 4 – Try to fix the Proxy Settings

• In the Cortana search box, search for Internet Explorer and then click on the related search result.
• After that, tap the Win + T keys on your keyboard and click on Internet Options.
• Next, navigate to the Connections tab and click on LAN Settings.
• Then click on the Advanced button and delete all the entries in the list generated in the Exceptions section. And if the Advanced button is disabled because the “Use a proxy server for your LAN (These settings will not apply to dial-up or VPN connections)” option is disabled then you are good to go. Now proceed to the next step.
• Tap the Win + X keys or right-click on the Start button and select Command Prompt (Admin) or you could also search for “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• If a User Account Control appears, click on Yes to proceed. After that, type each one of the commands listed below, and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type each one of them.
  • netsh winhttp reset proxy
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net start wuauserv

• Now restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not by installing or updating Microsoft Edge again.

Error Code 800b0100 - What is it?

800b0100 is a typical Windows Update error. This error message occurs when you try to install the latest updates from Microsoft Updates and Windows Updates. The error message is displayed in the following format:

“Code 800B0100 Windows Update encountered an unknown error.”

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 800b0100 may pop up on your computer screen due to different reasons. However, some of the common causes include:

• The file needed by Windows Update is corrupt or missing
• Security software conflict such as Firewall
• Incorrect Registry keys
• Windows security .dll files are registered incorrectly

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve error code 800b0100 on your system, you don’t have to hire a professional. This error is quite easy to repair and requires no technical expertise. In other words, you don’t need to be a computer programmer or technically sound to repair this issue. Here are some of the easy and effective DIY methods that you can try to resolve error code 800b0100 on your system:

Method 1

Download System Update Readiness Tool from Microsoft’s website on your PC. This tool can help you fix this problem that might prevent Windows Updates from installing. Typically it will take 15 minutes or less to scan your entire PC.  The System Update Readiness Tool will scan your computer for inconsistencies that may cause errors to occur.

Method 2

Disable Security Software on your PC for example if you use Windows Vista then you will have Firewall already built in. Disable it to resolve error 800b0100. To do this, simply go to the start menu and open the control panel and then select security. Now locate the option Windows Firewall and upon finding, simply choose the option Turn Windows Firewall on or off. Select off (not recommended) option, then click Apply and OK to reset and confirm changes. After that, go back to the Windows Update screen and then click the try again button. The download and installation would start. After the installation is complete, restart your PC to activate changes. Once the updates are successfully installed, not re-enable the Firewall, to ensure your PC is not exposed to potential security threats or viruses.

Method 3

Remove Invalid Keys from the Registry by downloading Restoro. This is a PC Fixer deployed with a registry cleaner. It scans your entire PC and removes all the obsolete and unnecessary files like cookies, bad and invalid registry keys. It cleans and repairs the registry in a few clicks. Click here to download Restoro.

Bttray.exe Application – What is it?

Bttray.exe is basically a Bluetooth Tray Application. Bluetooth Tray Application is developed by WIDCOMM. It provides a system tray icon that allows users to see the status of their Bluetooth connections at a glance. It allows you to easily access the configuration and settings for the Bluetooth products enabling you to change the configuration of the Bluetooth devices. The bttray.exe application error may pop up on your computer screen due to some issue with the Bluetooth software. The process fails to initialize and therefore stops working. Bttray.exe application error code is  displayed in the following format:

• “BTTray.exe can’t initialize (0xc0150004).”
• “BTTray.exe – System Error”

Though this is not a fatal or critical computer error it is advisable to resolve it otherwise it will hamper your access to Bluetooth software and cause you a great deal of inconvenience.

Solution

Error Causes

Bttray.exe application error code may be triggered due to one of the reasons stated below:

• Bttray.exe application is damaged
• Bttray.exe is accidentally removed from your PC
• The Bluetooth software or driver becomes problematic.
• Some modules that run by the process are corrupt
• Malware infection
• Invalid registry entries

Further Information and Manual Repair

If you experience a bttray.exe application error code on your system, it is recommended to fix it right away. To resolve this error you don’t have to be a computer programmer or a technical whiz or have to hire a professional and spend hundreds of dollars in repair. It is easy to fix, simply follow the manual methods given below:

Method 1- Reinstall Bluetooth Software

If the Bluetooth Software is damaged or outdated, the bttray.exe will also not work. If this is the cause of the error code, then simply reinstall Bluetooth software on your system. To do this, first, uninstall the current software and then download the latest version of the Bluetooth Software on your PC. To uninstall click start, go to the control panel, and then programs. Now select Bluetooth software and click uninstall to remove it. After that, install the latest version and update it. To activate changes

Method 2: Scan for Malware

Sometimes the bttray.exe application error code may pop up due to malware and viral infection. To fix it, download a powerful antivirus. Scan and remove malware to resolve.

Method 3: Clean Registry

The registry basically saves all the activities being performed on the PC including junk and obsolete files. If the registry is not clean frequently, unnecessary files like cookies, junk files, temporary files, and internet history can take up a lot of space and cause the registry to damage. Due to this error code like the bttray.exe application can also pop up. To resolve, clean the registry. You can do it manually but that may be difficult and time-consuming if you are not a computer programmer. However, a good alternative would be to download Restoro. This is a user-friendly and next-generation PC Fixer deployed with multiple utilities like a registry cleaner and an antivirus. Simply run it to remove viruses and clean the registry. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the bttray.exe application error now!

Direct replacement for Apple M1 Chip is near. There were some M1 Chips versions like M1 MAX and M1 ULTRA that were upgrades of the existing M1 chip, but the new and upcoming M2 is something different and it is aiming to replace M1 completely.

Made in a 5-nanometer design, with 20 billion transistors and 100GB/s of unified memory bandwidth is meant to increase performance over M1. It has the same M1 8 core design with 4 high-efficiency cores and 4 high-performance ones.

All CPU and GPU cores are faster than their M1 equivalents and Apple states that when running M1 and M2 at the same power level M2 will perform 25% faster. The first version of the chip will place focus on power efficiency so if you are more on side of being a power user wait for the MAX or ULTRA version of M2.

Tech details of M2

M2 system on a chip like its predecessor M1 combines both CPU and GPU on a single chip with shared memory in order to increase performance compared to systems that have separate CPU and GPU. M2 so far has been only announced for MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro that suppose to hit the market somewhere around July this year. Of course, we expect that M2 is included in future iPad series or Mac Mini series as well.

• CPU Cores: 8
• GPU Cores: Up to 10
• Unified Memory: Up to 24 GB
• Neural Engine Cores: 16
• Number of Transistors: 20 billion
• Process: Second Generation 5nm

If you suddenly encounter PFN_LIST_CORRUPT Blue Screen of Death error while using your computer then it means that the Page Frame Number or PFN list is corrupted. Page Frame Number is an indexing number used by the hard drive to find out the location of every single file on the physical disk. This kind of Blue Screen error is usually caused by a driver that’s passing a bad memory descriptor list and it can either be temporary or permanent. And so to fix this particular BSOD error, read on as this post contains a couple of suggestions that could help. Keep in mind that when you get a Blue Screen error like PFN_LIST_CORRUPT, the power connection to your PC must not be interrupted and so if you are using a laptop, it’s best if you connect it to a power source. On the other hand, if creating a dump from 0% to 100% takes up more than 5-10 minutes, then you have to force shut down your computer by pressing and holding the Power Key for 10 seconds or at least until the CPU lights turn off. After you do that, proceed to the troubleshooting tips prepared below.

Option 1 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like PFN_LIST_CORRUPT. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

Option 2 – Run a System File Checker scan

You can also try to run a System File Checker or SFC scan in order to scan your computer for corrupted files that might be the cause behind the PFN_LIST_CORRUPT error. Once it finds any corrupted system files, it will automatically fix them. To run System File Checker, here’s what you have to do:

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

• Restart your computer after the scan is completed.

Option 3 – Check for any hard disk errors

• On your desktop, right-click on the “This PC” or computer icon and then select Manage to open the Disk Management. Here you get to check your drive’s health.
• Next, click on Disk Management on the left side panel.
• From there, check the state of your drives. If it shows that all your partitions are healthy then it means all is good and that the problem may have something to do with some physical issues with your hard drive.

You might also want to run the CHKDSK utility to help you fix any issues with your hard disk. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the CHKDSK utility comes in. The CHKDSK utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /f /r

• Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Update the Device drivers

Updating the Device drivers can also help you fix the PFN_LIST_CORRUPT Blue Screen error. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. If you see a red or yellow sign that shows up against the driver, right-click on the driver and select “Update Driver Software”.
• Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
• Restart your PC and then check if the Blue Screen error is now fixed or not.

Option 5 – Disable OneDrive

The PFN_LIST_CORRUPT error might also be caused by OneDrive. Thus, you have to try disabling this program to resolve the problem.

• Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open the Task Manager.
• Once the Task Manager is open, click on More Details located at the bottom left portion of the window.
• Then go to the Startup tab and select Microsoft OneDrive and then click Disable.

If you are trying to copy or move files to and from your external storage device but you suddenly encounter the error 0x800703EE, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can fix this error in your Windows 10 computer. This kind of error when copying files may be accompanied by an error message that says, “The volume for a file has been externally altered so that the opened file is no longer valid”. This error prevents you from copying or moving the files to and from the external storage device. This kind of issue might be caused by a service that belongs to a backup program that could be blocking the operation or a conflict with your third-party antivirus program. In addition, the error could also be due to corrupted or outdated USB drivers or it could be caused by a disabled Windows Backup and Volume Shadow copy service. It is also possible that some system files are corrupted or that the drivers for the external device are also corrupted. Whatever the cause is, here are some options you need to check out to fix the error. Before you troubleshoot the error, you might want to try moving the files to another location on your local drive and remove the USB drive and insert it back again. After that, try to move or copy the file to the USB drive and see if it still throws an error. If it does, then you need to troubleshoot the problem further by following each one of the suggestions given below.

Option 1 – Update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller driver

Since it could be a driver issue, you can try to update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers using the Device Manager. Refer to the following steps:

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.

Note: If it is a regular USB drive, then it will be listed as a USB Mass Storage Device but if you have a USB 3.0 device, then look for a USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller.

• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

Note: If updating the USB Controller drivers didn’t work, you can try to reinstall them instead.

Option 2 – Try checking the Volume Shadow Copy and Windows Backup services

The next thing you can do to fix error 0x800703EE is to check the Volume Shadow Copy and Windows Backup service.

• First, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field, and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
• From there, look for the Volume Shadow Copy service and right-click on it, and then select Properties.
• After that, make sure that its Startup type is set to Manual and that its status is “Started” so if it isn’t, you need to click on the Start button and then on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Once done, look for the Windows Backup Service and repeat the same process you did with the Volume Shadow Copy service.
• After you complete the steps, restart your computer and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 3 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

If a third party program like antivirus is the one that’s causing the problem, you can try to put your computer in a Clean Boot State to isolate the issue by following these steps:

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now try to copy the files to your external storage device again and check if the error is now gone.

Option 4 – Try to run System File Checker or SFC scan

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow and hit Enter.
• Once done, restart your computer.

Option 5 – Try to delete the Filter drivers

Note that this option is only applicable if you see the error 0x800703EE accompanied with the “The volume for a file has been externally altered so that the opened file is no longer valid” error message. Before you start, create a System Restore Point first.

• Open the Registry Editor and navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
• After that, select the “{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}” key and check if you can find the “Upperfilters” and “Lowerfilters” value in the right pane. If you can find them, right-click on them and select Delete.
• Once done, exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

What is Error 0x80010108?

Error 0x80010108 is a Windows Live Photo Gallery error. This error prevents the Windows PC user from viewing photos. The error code is often displayed in the following format:

‘An error is preventing the photo or video from being displayed’ Error code 0x80010108

Solution

Error Causes

The error 0x80010108 occurs due to multiple reasons including:

• The issue in Windows Live Essential Settings

This error occurs while using Windows Photo Gallery but it is actually related to the Windows Live Photo Viewer within the Windows Live Essentials software.

• Viral Infection
• Registry Issues

To view the photos on your Windows PC, it is advisable to fix the problem right away. Furthermore, you should also not delay in fixing this problem especially if the underlying causes are related to the registry or viral infection. These can pose serious system and security threats including system failure, crash and data breaches.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve this error on your system, you don’t always have to hire a technical expert or be a technical whiz yourself. Here are some easy and effective methods to resolve error 0x80010108 on your PC immediately:

Method #1

To repair Windows Live Essential Software Settings, go to the start menu and then click the control panel. Now in the control panel go the option Programs. In the programs click the tab programs and features and then select Windows Live Essentials and click repair tab. Once the settings are repaired, restart your PC to activate changes.

Method #2

Go to the start menu and type regedit.exe and then press enter. Type the following key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.bmp.15.4 shell open DropTarget then right-click DropTarget and then Rename. Prefix a hyphen so that it becomes “-DropTarget”. Now type the following for each GIF/ICO/JPG/PNG/TIF file types: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTWindowsLive.PhotoGallery.gif.15.4 shellopen DropTarget HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.ico.15.4 shell open DropTarget HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.jpg.15.4 shell open DropTarget HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.png.15.4 shell open DropTarget HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.tif.15.4 shell open DropTarget

Method #3

Download Restoro on your PC to scan for both registry issues and malware. Restoro is a multi-functional PC Fixer embedded with utilities like a powerful registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer to name a few. The registry cleaner scans and detects all registry-related issues. It removes all unnecessary files damaging the registry and corrupting the registry settings. Simultaneously, the antivirus removes all kinds of malicious software affecting your PC including spyware, viruses, and Trojans. The system optimizer feature ensures that your PC works at the optimal level and does not slow down during and after the cleaning process. Restoro is efficient and safe. It has a user-friendly interface and simple navigations which makes it quite easy to operate. It can be downloaded on all Windows versions including. Click here to download Restoro to resolve error 0x80010108.

One of the essential parts of the Windows 10 operating system is the Microsoft Store as it is the distribution hub of numerous applications such as Netflix, Facebook, and many more. In fact, Microsoft is planning to make it a hub not just for UWP applications but also Windows Classic applications. Microsoft has already built a bridge with the power of Project Centennial which allows developers to migrate and upload their Windows Classic applications to the Microsoft Store. Although the Microsoft Store has been constantly improving, there are still times when you might face an error while using it. One of these errors is error 0x80131500. When you encounter this error, you will get the following error message on your screen:

“Try that again, Something happened at our end, Waiting a bit might help, The error code is 0x80131500 in case you need it.”

To fix this error, you can try changing your internet connection, toggle the date & time settings, change DNS, create a new user account, run the Microsoft Store Apps troubleshooter or reset the Microsoft Store as well re-register it using Windows PowerShell.

Option 1 – Try changing your internet connection

The first thing you can do is to change your internet connection. If you are using Ethernet, you can try to connect to a Wi-Fi connection instead and see if it helps.

Option 2 – Try to toggle the Date and Time settings

The first thing you can try is to sync the Date and Time of your computer as the wrong Date and Time settings are one of the most common causes of connection problems like the error 0x80131500. This is because of the incompatibility between the SSL Certificate validation date and the System Clock. Thus, you have to sync your System Clock. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• Start by tapping the Win + I keys to open the Windows Settings.
• Next, go to Time & Language > Date & time.
• From there, turn the toggle on for the “Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically” option on the right-side panel.
• After that, click on Region & language located on the left side panel and make sure that the Country or region on the right-side panel is set to the country you live in.
• Now close the Settings app and restart your computer and see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 3 – Try to change the DNS Server

In this option, you can try changing your current DNS settings to the Google Public DNS as it could also help in fixing error 0x80131500. To do so, follow the steps below.

• The first thing you have to do is right-click on the network icon in the Taskbar and select Network and Sharing Center.
• Next, click on the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
• After that, search for the network connection that you are using to connect to the internet. Note that the option might be “Wireless Connection” or “Local Area Connection”.
• Right-click on your network connection and click on Properties.
• Then select the new window to choose the “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
• After that, click on the Properties button and click the checkbox in the new window for the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
• Type in “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

Option 4 – Try to create a new Administrator User account

If you have a standard account, you can try creating a new account but this time, you create an administrator user account and then see if the error is fixed or not. Note that you have to sign in with your main account before you can create an admin account.

Option 5 – Run the Microsoft Store Apps troubleshooter

The Microsoft Store Apps Troubleshooter will help you in fixing the error 0x80131500. This is a great built-in tool from Microsoft that helps users fix any app installation issues. So this is worth a try to solve the problem. This built-in tool also helps you fix the Windows 10 Store if it isn’t working. To use the Windows Store Troubleshooter, follow the steps below.

1. Tap Win + I keys again to open the Windows Settings panel.
2. Go to Update & Security and then go to Troubleshoot.
3. On your right-hand side, scroll down to find the Windows Store Apps and then click on the Run the troubleshooter option and see if it fixes the problem.

Option 6 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache

Just like browsers, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
• Next, type in the command, “exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
• Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again and then try to install your app or update your computer again.

Option 7 – Try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via PowerShell

• Tap the Win + X key combination or right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option.
• If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed and open the Windows PowerShell window.
• Next, type in or copy-paste the following command to re-register the Microsoft Store app and tap Enter:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $Env:SystemRootWinStoreAppxManifest.xml

• Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.

As you know, the Win + X menu, which is the shortcut context menu, is a useful way to launch several utilizes in Windows such as Power Options, Windows PowerShell, Event Viewer, Device Manager, and so on. However, there are times when you might experience difficulty in identifying the required utility. This is actually a part of the Windows 10 shell that goes out of scope in the customization of Windows 10. However, there is an easy trick you can use to do that. So in this post, you will be guided on how you can rename the options in the Win + X menu in Windows 10. In case you don’t know, the context menu is divided into three groups. Microsoft has categorized the bottom-most part as Group 1, while the middle part is categorized as Group 2 and the first part as Group 3. To rename these options, you need to use File Explorer and follow the instructions laid out below. Step 1: First, tap the Win + E keys to open File Explorer. Step 2: Next, navigate to this path: %LocalAppdata%MicrosoftWindowsWinX Step 3: From there, you should see three folders as Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3. Open the appropriate folder of your choice. Step 4: After that, right-click on the shortcut option you want to rename and then select Properties. Step 5: Next, navigate to the Shortcut tab under the Properties window. Step 6: Now in the text field of Comment, enter the new name of the option you selected. Step 7: Click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made. Note: You can now either Sign back in or sign out of your Windows 10 User Account to see the result of the changes you’ve made. You could also restart the process of File Explorer via Task Manager. This will close the File Explorer as well as the shell components and then only launch the shell components again. In addition, you can check the Win + X menu to see the customized name that you’ve just set for a particular option. As you can see, even though it does not add anything extra, it is still a lot better in knowing how you can customize it.

Each you connect time external devices like scanners, printers, and the likes to a Windows 10 computer, the device either pushes the drivers through the USB or any other port, or you are expected to install the drivers through external media. In both cases, the driver will be loaded into the system, allowing you to use the device. However, it doesn’t always go smoothly as you could encounter some errors like the “Windows cannot load the Device Driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the Device Driver is still in memory ( Code 38 )”. If you encounter such an error in the Device Manager, then this means that a previous version of the device driver is still in memory and that each time the device is used, that previous version is loaded into memory and then unloaded which triggers the “Windows cannot load the Device Driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the Device Driver is still in memory (Code 38)” error. This kind of error occurs if the operating system loads the unwanted driver or if it fails to unload the driver. It could be that there is an obsolete version of the driver that’s still installed in the system or it could also be that you need to update your USB drivers as they could be outdated or the problem could also be due to some third party program that is interfering with the installation. Whatever the cause is, here are some suggestions you can check out to resolve the problem.

Option 1 – Uninstall previously installed drivers and reinstall their latest working version from the manufacturer’s website

The first thing you can do is to uninstall the drivers that are currently installed on your computer and then reinstall their latest working versions from their official sites. This kind of error is commonly encountered while loading drivers for scanners and printers. This is due to the fact that their drivers and software come along with a package which is usually in external media like CD or DVD. So when you install the software package, there’s a possibility that a newer version has been launched by its manufacturer. When that happens, you have to uninstall the previously installed driver package and then download the drivers from the manufacturer’s website and install them.

Option 2 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

• The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
• After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
• From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
• Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
• After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.

Option 3 – Update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller driver

Since it could be a driver issue, you can try to update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers using the Device Manager. Refer to the following steps:

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.

Note: If it is a regular USB drive, then it will be listed as a USB Mass Storage Device but if you have a USB 3.0 device, then look for a USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller.

• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

Note: If updating the USB Controller drivers didn’t work, you can try to reinstall them instead.

Option 4 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

If the first three given options didn’t work and you still see the error when you connect external devices, you can try putting your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try connecting them again.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now try to connect the external devices and check if the error is now gone.