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Error Code “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free” – What is it?

Windows 10 isn’t activated error occurs when Windows users attempt to upgrade to Windows 10 for free and end up in a non-activated state. It is a Windows 10 activation error affecting PC owners who attempt to upgrade their Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 operating systems. A message box will appear with the following message: “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free from Windows 7 SPI or Windows 8.1 update.”

Common symptoms of this error code include the following:

• Inability to upgrade for free to Windows 10
• The appearance of activation error code in the message box

Solution

Error Causes

To understand the cause of this activation error, users will need to understand activation within Windows. Activation is a process that allows Windows to verify that you are upgrading your operating system based on the Microsoft Software Licensing Terms. These terms specify, for instance, the number of devices upon which you can use Windows.

Once you have a genuine copy of Windows and you are following the terms mentioned earlier, you should be able to activate and complete the upgrade to Windows 10. However, the activation fails when these conditions are not met. Note also that the error may occur if users fail to upgrade to Windows 10 before reinstalling, requiring them to repeat the installation process by first going back to the previous version of Windows present on their system. Once the upgrade process is not done as should, you might encounter other Windows 10 errors such as error code 0xc0000142

If you see this error code, “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free” proceed to rectify it using manual repair methods below.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix this activation error code in Windows 10, users will need to employ at least one manual repair procedure. This process can successfully be completed by non-technical Windows users. However, you may also consider getting assistance from a Windows repair technician if you are not certain you have the requisite skills needed to complete the manual repair tasks below.

The main methods to resolve the error code “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free from Windows 7 SPI or Windows 8.1 update” is as follows:

Method One: Manually Activate Windows

If you attempted upgrading for free to Windows 10 and ended up with the activation error you will need to first perform a manual activation. Follow the steps below to complete the process.

• Step one: Tap or click the Start button
• Step two: Select Settings then Update & security
• Step three: Select Activation
• Step four: Once activation status is Connect to the Internet to activate Windows, click or tap Activate

The steps above enable users to successfully activate Windows 10 if the issue involves a connection problem. However, if Windows is not activated, it may mean your copy of Windows is not genuine. This may require you purchase a copy of Windows to rectify the issue. However, if you have a genuine copy of Windows proceed by applying the steps found in method two.

Method Two: Use Product Key to Verify Copy of Windows

A valid product key is one way you can verify your copy of Windows is genuine. This will enable you to complete activation and allow you to access the free upgrade to Windows 10. Follow the steps below.

• Step one: Click or tap the Start button
• Step two: Select Settings then Update & security
• Step three: Click Activation
• Step four: Select Change Product Key then type in the product key. (Ensure you type the 25 characters in the correct order.)

Method Three: Use an Automated Tool

Error codes in Windows often occur due to poor maintenance of one’s PC. To improve your system and reduce your machine’s risk of experiencing error codes, download a powerful automated tool. This tool is both powerful and user-friendly, making its benefits accessible to even the most non-technical Windows users.

Steam Deck release is almost upon us and more news comes to light. The Latest officially confirmed technical detail is that the user will have access to device's BIOS and that dual booting will be officially supported. This, of course, means that you will be able to have both Proton and Windows on your device letting you play anything that you wish if the hardware is strong enough. Valve also said that you can launch OS from an SD card! This of course will save space available for games themselves, especially for entry models with less than one available. All of this information really pushes Deck into the territory of a handheld PC and not just another console and I must admit that this announcement left a smile on my face.

As you know, the Taskbar is one of the integral parts of the Windows desktop and it has been there since the release of Windows 1.0 and up until now with Windows 10. Since then, Microsoft has been modifying the Taskbar with a new design which makes it a home for new features such as Windows Search, Task View, and many more. However, there are times when you may that the Taskbar has disappeared or has stopped responding. If you experience either one of these scenarios, read on as this post will walk you through what you can do to resolve the problem. Here are some suggestions you can check out to resolve the issue with the Taskbar in Windows 10 but before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point first. To do that, follow these steps:

• In the Start search, type in “create a restore point” and click the entry “System Properties”.
• Next, select the main system drive under Protection Settings and click on the Configure button.
• After that, select the “Turn on system protection” option and then click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.

Once you’ve created a System Restore point, refer to the troubleshooting steps below to fix the Taskbar in Windows 10.

Option 1 – Try to restart the Explorer process

This may sound really basic but it actually is a proven method to fix the Taskbar issue. So if anything gets stuck on the system tray or the Taskbar, you can always fix it by restarting the explorer.exe. How? Refer to these steps:

• First, right-click on the Taskbar and select the Task Manager.
• After opening the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the process named “Windows Explorer”.
• Then right-click on that process and select the option to Restart. Afterward, you should now be seeing the Taskbar as this will reload the whole Windows Shell.

Option 2 – Unhide the Taskbar using the Settings app

It is possible that the Taskbar could be hidden so you can try to unhide it using the Settings app.

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• After that, go to Personalization > Taskbar.
• From the main section, make sure that the “Automatically hide the task in desktop mode” is toggled to the off position. However, if it’s already off then proceed to the next options below.

Option 3 – Make sure that you are not in Tablet Mode

Since Windows 10 is designed to work on both desktop and mobile devices, it could be that your computer has slipped into Tablet Mode which explains why you’re not seeing the Taskbar. To check if your computer is really in Tablet Mode, follow these steps:

• Go to the Start menu and select Settings.
• Next, select the System setting and from the left pane select the Tablet Mode.
• From there, make sure that the buttons next to the options given below are set to the off position:
  • Hide app icons on the taskbar in tablet mode
  • Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode

Option 4 – Try to check the Projection Settings

You might also want to check the Projection settings as it could be the reason why Taskbar has disappeared.

• Tap the Win + P keys to open the Windows Projection settings.
• Next, make sure that you select the “PC screen only” option and then check if your Taskbar has now appeared or not.

Google Docs has cemented itself as a great free alternative to Microsoft Office Word. Most of the time people just share links to google Docs among themselves but sometimes you need to save and download files.

Luckily Google docs let you download easily files in various formats including PDF as well. In this short tutorial we will explain how can you download your Google document as a PDF file.

Saving Google Docs as a PDF

Open the Google document inside the browser and click on the File drop-down menu. In the file drop-down menu go to Download and choose PDF document. Next, choose the location where you would like your file to be saved and click on SAVE.

And that's all that needs to be done. Also, you can edit PDF files as well in google docs if you need to.

Error 504 - What is it?

Error 504 is a type of runtime error that occurs on Windows PC. A runtime error is a bug that causes software or hardware problems thereby preventing programs from working on your PC correctly. This error may occur during the execution of the program.  It also slows down your PC performance.

Solution

Error Causes

Error 504 can be triggered by many causes such as:

• Incompatibility between 2 software programs
• Malicious software
• Missing DLL files
• Registry issues

Further Information and Manual Repair

Whenever you experience the error 504 on your system, it is advisable to resolve it immediately, typically because runtime errors like error 504 can lead to system failure and valuable data loss which is more than often hard to recover. To resolve this error code, you don’t necessarily have to hire a professional for the job. In fact, here are some solutions that you can try to fix by yourself, even if you are not a computer programmer.

1. Get the latest updates for Windows and for the program showing the error

This is a quick way to resolve runtime error 504 on Windows PC. To update the latest updates for Windows and for the program causing the error, open Windows Update by going to the start menu. In the search box type ‘update’ and then in the list of results click Windows Update.  In the left pane click on check for updates, wait while Windows looks for the latest updates. It will show you a list of updates available select the important updates that you want to install. Then click ok and then click install updates. After the updates are successfully complete, restart your PC and try running the application. If the error still persists, then try the solution given below.

2. Scan For Malicious Software

Sometimes the runtime error 504 may occur due to viral infection and malware. So, to resolve it download an antivirus. However, the antivirus can also slow down your PC performance.

3. Scan for Registry Issues

Another way to resolve it is to scan for registry issues. The registry and DLL files get damaged when it overloads with too much data. This particularly includes irrelevant and obsolete files. Registry issues trigger runtime errors like 504. The best way to resolve it is to download Restoro. This is an advanced and multi-functional PC Fixer embedded with multiple utilities like a registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer. The registry cleaning utility resolves registry issues by removing the unnecessary files completely and repairing the damaged dll files. The antivirus module scans and removes all kinds of malicious software on your PC like viruses and Trojans, thereby resolving the runtime error 504 in seconds. As for speed, Restoro also functions as a system optimizer which boosts the performance of your system significantly. Restoro is safe and bug-free software. It has simple navigation and a user-friendly interface which makes it very easy to operate and workaround. It is compatible with all Windows versions. Click here to download Restoro and resolve error 504 today!

One of the most common ways cybercriminals use to inject suspicious code into devices is by tricking users into installing a malicious program on a targeted device. Oblivious users are vulnerable to such tricks, which is why Microsoft has been working hard in the background to address this issue. Recently, Microsoft announced the availability of a sandboxed version of Windows 10 that runs inside Windows 10 in order to isolate suspected software to run inside it and protect the system from potential threats. This Windows Sandbox feature is a new feature that keeps your computer secure. It is a virtual disposable environment that you can enable. So if suspect any software of being malicious, you can run this software in an environment and ensure that it won’t interfere with any normal processes and would not jeopardize files on your computer. To simply put it, “Windows Sandbox is a new lightweight desktop environment tailored for safely running applications in isolation”. So if the Sandbox is closed, all the residual files, software, and other data are deleted permanently. To enable Windows Sandbox, refer to the instructions provided below. Step 1: You have to make sure that you are running either Windows 10 Enterprise Editions or Windows 10 Pro and that your computer is running build 18305 or newer. Step 2: After that, you have to enable Virtualization to let another instance of Windows 10 running in Sandbox mode. Step 3: Next, search for Windows Features on and off in the search box and then select the appropriate entry. Step 4: From the list, go to the mini window and check the Windows Sandbox and then click on OK. Step 5: Afterwards, in the Cortana Search box, search for “Windows Sandbox” and select the related entry to run it in an elevated window. Step 6: Then from your main computer (host), copy the executable file and paste it inside the Windows Sandbox environment. Step 7: Now run the executable file in the Sandbox environment and use it as you normally do. Step 8: Once you’re done, close the Windows Sandbox application and as mentioned, every data regarding the executable file and the temporary environment will be deleted. Step 9: And for the sake of safety, ensure that there are no modifications made to the host because of the executions in the Sandbox environment. You have the option to contact Microsoft for feedback related to Windows Sandbox. You can use the traditional Feedback Hub if you have any suggestions or any issues. Just fill in the appropriate details and select Windows Sandbox for the feature category under the Security and Privacy section. And if you have any issues related to the execution of and within Windows Sandbox, simply choose “Recreate my problem” then select Start capture to reproduce the issue, and once you’re done, select Stop capture.

Error Code 0x80073b01 - What is it?

The 0x80073b01 is an error message that often pops up on the screen when you run Windows Defender. Windows Defender is an antispyware by Microsoft integrated into Windows Vista and Windows 7. The error code 0x80073b01 is considered to be a critical Windows error which must be fixed immediately. This error code locks you out of Windows Defender thus putting your computer at risk potential security loopholes in the Windows environment such as notorious software like spyware, adware, and viruses. This is dangerous especially if you have confidential data saved on your PC as it can be exploited easily if you don’t remove such malicious software the right way. This can lead to data breaches, cybercrime, and the worst-case scenario can be identity theft. Error code 0x80073b01 symptoms include:

• Sluggish pc performance,
• Problems during software installations
• Beeping sounds
• Unexpected shutdowns
• Screen freeze

Solution

Error Causes

The error code 0x80073b01 occurs when Windows Defender gets damaged due to misconfigured files and registry corruption. It is advisable to fix this error right away to avoid serious damages.

How to Resolve the Error Code 0x80073b01?

To repair the error code 0x80073b01 on your PC you don’t necessarily have to call a professional; you can fix it on your own with the help of Restoro. It’s very easy to use and does not require you to be technically sound. Besides, it can be downloaded for free thus helping you save hundreds of dollars that you are likely to spend on hiring a technician for the error code repair job. Restoro is the latest and a multi-functional system optimizer and a repair tool. This software is integrated with highly functional features that enable you to resolve almost all types of PC-related errors including the error code 0x80073b01. It includes powerful and value-adding features like registry cleaner, system stability detector, privacy error finder with anti-virus properties, and Active X and Class issues detector. With the help of its ‘registry cleaner’, you can easily scan for 0x80073b01 error codes on your PC. It offers in-depth registry cleaning scanning all the underlying causes of registry corruption that triggers 0x80073b01 error. The underlying cause for registry corruption is the accumulation of unnecessary and malicious files in the registry like junk files, temporary internet files, and invalid entries. Restoro with the help of its registry cleaning utility clears the clutter in seconds, frees up your disk space, and repairs the registry. And since the error 0x80073b01 hampered your ability to scan for viruses and spyware with Windows Defender, your computer may be exposed to serious data security threats by such malware. However, with Restoro you can remove malware from your system too. Restoro also functions as a powerful anti-virus. With the help of its privacy error detector, it scans for malicious viruses, adware and spyware on your PC ensuring that you are safe and protected from data breaches and cybercrime. This tool resolves the error 0x80073b01 successfully while repairing your registry and simultaneously optimizing the speed of your PC. It has a user-friendly interface and a simple design. There is absolutely nothing complex about it. All you have to do is download and install Restoro on your system and run it to scan for errors. After the scanning is complete, you will see a comprehensive and detailed error report specifying the number and the types of errors your PC is inflicted with. Now all you have to do is click on the Repair button to fix the issues on your PC including the error 0x80073b01 right away. Restoro is a safe and efficient tool that helps you resolve PC issues in seconds. For optimum results, it is advisable to run it on your PC regularly. This will help you keep the registry clean, PC error-free, reduce boot time, and ensure speedy PC performance. Click here to download Restoro on your PC today!

It is common knowledge that when you open a file that contains viruses, it will automatically infect the operating system. This is why most antivirus programs like Windows Defender won’t allow the opening of a file or execution of any associated program if they detected that the file or program could potentially harm the computer. In situations like this, you may get an error stating, “Operation did not complete successfully because the file contains a virus”. In addition, it is also possible that this error message can pop up even for known programs. To open the program or file that triggered the error, you will be given a couple of options in this post but make sure that the program or file is really safe to open and does not contain any virus. You can open the file or execute the program by disabling the Windows Defender or any antivirus program temporarily. You could also try to add an exclusion in your antivirus program or repair File Explorer or run the Disk Cleanup tool. For more details, refer to each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to temporarily disable the Windows Defender program

Although you could encounter this error with any antivirus program, it is more common in Windows Defender. Thus, you can try to disable it for a while when you open the file or execute the program. To do so, follow these steps:

• First, click on the Start button and go to Settings > Update and Security > Windows Security.
• Here, select the “Open Windows Security” option located in the right pane.
• After that, click on the “Virus and threat protection” option.
• Next, click on Manage settings under the Virus and threat protection settings.
• Then turn off the switch for both Real-time protection and Cloud-delivered protection.
• Now restart your computer and try to open the file or execute the program again and see if it works.
• Note: Do not forget to enable the Real-time protection and Cloud-delivered protection back in Windows Defender.

Option 2 – Try adding an exclusion in the Windows Defender program

• Open the Windows Defender Security Center from the system tray area.
• Next, click the “Virus & threat protection” option and then open the “Virus and threat protection settings”.
• After that, scroll down until you find the “Exclusions” and click on the “Add or remove exclusions” option.
• Then click the plus button and select the type of exclusion you want to add and from the drop-down list, select Folder.
• Next, navigate to the path where the file or program is located.
• When a User Account Control or UAC prompt, just click on Yes to proceed.
• Now try to run the program or file again and see if it worked. If it did, then make sure to turn on your antivirus. However, if it didn’t work, proceed to the next given options below.

Option 3 – Try to run a System File Checker scan

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the errors 0x8024a11a and 0x8024a112. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• 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.

 Now restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 4 – Run the Disk Cleanup tool

You can also try using the Disk Cleanup tool. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “cleanmgr” in the field and hit Enter to open the Disk Cleanup window.
• After that, select the drive you want to clean.
• Now click OK to clean the disk and restart your computer.

Error Code 0xc004f210 – What is it?

Error code 0xc004f210 occurs when Windows 8 users fail to activate their Windows operating system. Users will be able to identify error code 0xc004f210 because of the following common symptoms which occur:

• Inability to activate Windows 8 operating system
• Message box with error code 0xc004f210

Solution

Error Causes

If you enter an invalid product key or do not have a digital entitlement for the edition of Windows you are attempting to activate, you may experience error code 0xc004f210. Since this error usually occurs due to these main reasons, you will most likely find success resolving this issue by ensuring you use a valid product key or activate an appropriate edition of Windows based on the edition of your digital entitlement.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Error codes can be resolved through manual repair procedures that seek to fix the underlying issues causing the error. In the case of error code 0xc004f210, you should be able to resolve this error by using the methods below. You may also consider contacting a Windows repair technician if you have difficulty resolving the error code.

Method One: Enter Valid Product Key

To successfully activate your operating system and resolve error code 0xc004f210, you will need to enter a valid product key in the Update & security section of Windows. Follow the instructions below to enter the product key.

• Step one: Click the Start button then select Settings
• Step two: Select Update & security then Activation
• Step three: Click the Change product key
• Step four: Enter a valid product key

If the issue causing error code 0xc004f210 is related to the use of an invalid product key, you should be able to successfully activate your Windows operating system. Should the problem persist, however, you will need to attempt the next manual repair method explained below? Note: Failure to fix this error code might result in other Windows 10 error messages.

Method Two: Ensure Edition of Windows Matches Your Digital Entitlement

Digital entitlement allows Windows users to access activation without using a product key. This digital entitlement only affects Windows 8 users who are attempting to activate versions of Windows 10 that include Windows 10 Pro. Once you are using a genuine copy of Windows 8.1 and your edition of Windows matches your entitlement, you may proceed with the instructions below.

• Step one: Click the Start button then select Settings
• Step two: After selecting Settings, click Update & Security
• Step three: Select Windows Update then the Check for updates tab
• Step four: Click activate Windows 10 update

You should be able to activate your Windows update once you follow the instructions above. Remember error code 0xc004f210 is an activation code related to product keys or your digital entitlement so once these issues are rectified, you should have no problem activating your operating system of choice and enjoying the benefits it offers. If, however, the problem remains unresolved after you have attempted both manual repair methods, there may be unusual issues affecting your system. Contact Microsoft to rectify the issue or get help from a Windows repair technician.

Method Three: Download an Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 8 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

One of the most useful tools you can use to repair bad or corrupted sectors in the hard disk of your computer is the CHKDSK utility. However, there are also instances when this Disk Checking tool could encounter some issues and one of them is the error that states, “The type of the file system are RAW, CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives”. This kind of issue is due to the RAW file format which is not recognized by the Windows operating system that you’ve installed which explains why you’re getting this error when running the CHKDSK utility. You can also encounter this error in case there is something wrong with the drive encryption. To fix this error, you have to change the File System of the drive. How? Refer to the steps given below. Step 1: The first thing you need to do is create a bootable Windows 10 media. Step 2: After that, click on Repair your computer on the first Windows 10 installation setup window. Step 3: Next, you have to select the operating system partition from the given options and then click on Next. Step 4: Now select Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options box and then type the following command and tap Enter to initiate the Diskpart utility inside Command Prompt.

diskpart

Step 5: Afterwards, type in either of the following commands to help you in either listing all the Disk connects or all the partitions on those disks formed.

diskpart or list volume

Step 6: Next, you need to select any of the two given commands below depending on the list you entered on the previous step.

select disk # or select volume #

Step 7: After you enter the command, it will select the Disk or the Partition you want to select. Now you have to type and enter the following command to clean your drive.

clean

Step 8: Now enter any of the two following commands.

list disk or list volume

Step 9: Then type the next command below to create a specified partition.

create partition primary

Step 10: Once done, type in the following command to select the newly created partition.

select partition 1

Step 11: Next, type the following command to mark the selected partition as active.

active

Step 12: Finally, restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made and then see if it has fixed the problem or not.