Chrome browser downloads stuck at 100%

If you connected your Hard Disk, USB, or SD card to your Windows 10 computer and you suddenly encounter an error that says, “Windows was unable to repair the drive”, read on as this post will help you fix the problem. This kind of error indicates that the file system on the drive has become corrupted and that ChkDsk was not able to repair the problem. You can also encounter this error when you try to run the ChkDsk utility to repair the system. This kind of error is most likely due to the general corruption of the contents in the drive. It is also possible that you removed the external drive without using the “Safely remove hardware” option or it could be that the drive is still in use. To fix the problem, the obvious thing to do is to safely remove the external drive by using the “Safely remove hardware” option. If it didn’t work, you can try to run the CHKDSK utility from the command line or you could also restart your computer in a Clean Boot State and then run the scan. Before you proceed with the potential fixes provided below, make sure that you create a system restore point first or you could also create a backup copy of the data to an external drive.

Option 1 – Run the CHKDSK utility from the command line

Although some users reported getting the “Windows was unable to repair the drive” when they run a CHKDSK scan, other users reported that running it also fixed the error. Thus, you can try to run it and see if it works or not.

• In the Windows Search box, type “command prompt” and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening Command Prompt, type this command and tap Enter: chkdsk <Partition Letter>: /f
• The command you entered will start to check for errors and fix them automatically. Else, it will throw an error message saying, “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like the schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”.
• Tap the Y key to schedule Disk Check the next time your computer restarts.

Option 2 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

There are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that triggers the “Windows was unable to repair the drive” error to appear when you connect your external drive or run the CHKDSK utility. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.

• 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.)
• Once your computer has restarted in a Clean Boot State, perform your scan again and see if it now works, and then start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

As you know, just like other web browsers, Google Chrome offers Incognito Mode or private browsing which you can use to make sure that your browsing activities are not being tracked by any websites you visit and it also keeps targeted ads at bay. On the other hand, signing in to a website, even when in Incognito Mode is a different thing since that website can track your browsing activities. Thus, Incognito Mode is still useful especially if you want to browse the web safely and without getting tracked except when you log in to some site. However, there have been reports recently that Incognito Mode is missing in Chrome and users are clueless as to how or why it happened. If you are one of them, worry not for this post will walk you through what you can do if there’s no Incognito Mode in Chrome on your Windows 10 computer. This is an unusual and strange issue since the Incognito Mode in Chrome is available by default and you don’t have to do anything to enable it. It is possible that there might be corruption in the Windows Registry which caused the disappearance of Incognito Mode, worry not though for there are some tweaks you can apply to restore the missing Incognito Mode. To apply these tweaks, you need to create first a System Restore point, and then once you’re done, follow the instructions provided below carefully. Step_1: Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. Step_2: Next, after opening the Registry Editor, navigate to this path – ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPolicies Step_3: From there, look for ChromePolicies and locate the DWORD named “IncognitoModeAvailability” and double click on it. Step_4: Edit the value of the “IncognitoModeAvailability” DWORD by changing its value from 1 to 0 so you can enable Incognito Mode in Chrome. Step_5: Once done, exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer and then check if you can now see Incognito Mode in Chrome. On the other hand, there is also another option that allows you to force open your Chrome browser in Incognito Mode. All you have to do is set the value of the “IncognitoModeAvailability” key to “2” instead of 0. This can be useful especially if you always browse the web in this mode. But you need to remember that you won’t be able to go back to the normal mode once you do this. Here are what the values of the IncognitoModeAvailability DWORD actually mean:

• 0 – Incognito mode is enabled by default
• 1 – Incognito mode is disabled
• 2 – Chrome is forced to always open in Incognito mode

Access denied error code 16 is tied to websites, it is an error which you will encounter when trying to visit some specific website or if you are unlucky on all of the websites. Lucky for us this error is fixable and in order for us to do this, follow this guide for possible solutions.

1. Check Date and Time, Incorrect date and time can often interfere with services in your Windows, browsers are not different and this can cause some websites not to be shown. Check your date and time and set it correctly if needed.
2. Try to access the website from another device. If you manage to open a website on another PC or some other device then keep reading in order to find the solution, if you can not, then the problem is on the website itself.
3. Turn off Firewall or antivirus. New antivirus and firewall applications can sometimes mark certain websites as malicious and will cut contact with them rendering them unable to be accessed or opened. Try turning the firewall and antivirus temporarily off and then try to access the website.
4. Try opening web site in another browser. To eliminate browser-specific issues and their configuration, try opening the website in another browser.
5. Disable PROXI server. Some applications, especially malicious ones can change your proxi setting in LAN. go to your LAN settings and turn off proxi if it is enabled.
6. Reset your Browser. If this issue is caused by bad data in your browser or by its settings and preferences, resetting the complete browser will solve the issue.
7. Use VPN. Sometimes the reason for you was not able to access some website might be because the site is not available for your region, to bypass this issue use VPN and reroute your location.

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.

What is ‘Entry Point not found dll’ Error?

Entry Point not found dll errors are common in Windows PC. These errors indicate poor PC maintenance. An entry point is basically the memory address inside the dynamic link library. It contains the call being made. A dynamic link library on the other hand is a collection of small programs which use and request this call to run and load programs successfully on your PC. However, when this process is unable to be executed successfully, you come across ‘entry point not found dll’ error messages.

Solution

Error Causes

Generally speaking, some of the typical causes of ‘entry point not found dll’ errors are:

• Missing, corrupted, and damaged dll files
• Registry overloaded with invalid entries
• Disk fragmentation
• Viral infection

It is advisable to resolve these ‘entry point not found dll’ errors on your PC immediately because dll errors can cause you a great deal of inconvenience as you may be locked out and unable to access your desired programs. Furthermore, if dll errors are left unresolved, such errors can expose your PC to serious threats like system failure, system damage, corruption, and crash.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Though ‘entry point not found dll’ errors are critical errors but the good news is that these can be easily resolved. To fix dll errors on your PC, you don’t always have to hire a professional technician or be a computer programmer yourself. Here are some of the best DIY (do it yourself) ways to resolve ‘entry point not found dll’ errors on your system:

1. Reinstall the Deleted Program

This method to resolve ‘entry point not found dll’ error code is very basic. It is advisable to uninstall and then reinstall the deleted program to retrieve the missing or deleted dll files. Here’s why: dll files are shared files. There are multiple programs on your PC that may be using one type of dll file to load. Now when you uninstall a program that you no more need on your PC, chances are that it may also delete that particular dll file. And when this happens the other programs supported by the deleted dll file are unable to load. Therefore, in such an event the best way to retrieve the missing dll file is to uninstall the program that displays the errors message and then reinstall it. This will help you restore the missing dll file and run the program successfully.

2. Install an Antivirus and a Registry Cleaner

As mentioned above, ‘entry point not found dll’ errors indicate poor PC maintenance. If you don’t maintain your system, the registry overloads with bad and invalid entries, redundant and obsolete files, junk files and cookies. These files acquire a lot of space which damages dll files and the registry. Furthermore, due to data volume overload and less storage space, files are then saved in different places. This is also known as disk fragmentation. When these files are called, it takes a lot of time for the disk to consolidate fragmented data and execute the function successfully. To resolve these issues, you need to clean and restore the registry. Though this can be done manually it may be slightly complicated and time consuming therefore it is advisable to install and run a registry cleaner.

Restoro.

In addition to this, due to poor PC maintenance, viruses and malware can also enter your system unknowingly through file downloads and phishing emails. These can also damage dll files. To remove viruses and malware from your PC it is important to run an anti-virus. Instead of downloading both tools separately on your system, we recommend Restoro. This is a multi-functional and advanced PC fixer embedded with an intuitive algorithm and a user-friendly interface. It includes multiple utilities including a powerful antivirus, a high functional registry cleaner, and Active X controls and class scanner. It also functions as a system optimizer. By running this software on your system, you can easily scan all registry issues and viruses simultaneously. It repairs the damaged registry and dll files, removes unnecessary files and all types of malicious software. It is compatible with all Windows versions. It is easy to use and high on performance. It is a one-stop solution for all ‘entry point not found dll’ errors on your PC. In just a few clicks you can resolve system errors and optimize your PC performance dramatically. Click here to download Restoro and resolve ‘entry point not found dll’ errors.

Anytime when a new folder is created in Windows name "New Folder" is offered and set as the default name. If by any chance you would like to change this and set your own default name instead of the standard one, follow this guide. Please be aware that this guide will require you to change the registry of Windows, it is common practice to make a backup of your registry each time you want to manually change any values in it, just in case something goes wrong.

• In order to change the default new folder name first press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog, type in it RegEdit, and press ENTER
• In registry editor find the key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

• Select the NamingTemplates key. If it is not present, you’ll need to create one.
• Right-click the NamingTemplates key to add a String Value.
• Assign it the following name: RenameNameTemplate.
• Double-click on the RenameNameTemplate data value to open the Edit String dialog box.
• In the Value Data field enter the new text you want to appear when you create a new folder. You have to make sure you are not using any of the following characters: \ / ? : * " > < |
• Close the Registry Editor and Exit.
• Now, when you create a new folder, it will be named Whatever you chose instead of the New folder.

And that is all to it, you now have your own personal new folder naming template.

Windows 10 has a UWP app for its Camera that you can use to take pictures and videos. However, if you suddenly encounter an error code 0xa00f4243 while using the Camera UWP app, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will provide some potential fixes that you can use to fix the problem. This kind of error could be due to an outdated or corrupted driver or a third-party program. When this error appears on the Camera UWP app, you will see the following error message:

“Close other apps. It looks as though another app is already using the camera. If you need it, here’s the error code: 0xA00F4243 (0xC00D3704)”

To fix the error code: 0xA00F4243 (0xC00D3704) in the Camera UWP app, you can try to run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter or reset the Camera app or update or reinstall the driver or apply some tweaks in the Registry Editor. In addition, you can also try checking the Windows Services or run the System File Checker.

Option 1 – Try to run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter

The Windows 10 Store Apps Troubleshooter will help you in fixing the Camera UWP app error code: 0xA00F4243 (0xC00D3704). 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 Apps Troubleshooter, follow the steps below.

• Tap Win + I keys again to open the Windows Settings panel.
• Go to Update & Security and then go to Troubleshoot.
• Under the Troubleshoot section, on your left-hand side, scroll down to find Window Store Apps.
• Then click on the Run the troubleshooter option and follow the on-screen instructions and then see if it fixes the problem.

Option 2 – Try to reset the Camera app to fix

As pointed out earlier, you can also reset the Camera app to fix the error. To do so, follow the steps below.

• The first thing you have to do is go to the My Pictures folder under the C: drive of the File Explorer and then delete the Camera Roll folder.
• Once you’re done, right-click on an empty area on your screen and create a new folder and name it “Camera Roll”.
• Then from the Start menu open the Settings app and select System.
• From there, navigate to the Apps and features section.
• Now go to Camera and click on the Advanced Options and click the Reset button.

Option 3 – Try to reinstall the drivers for the Camera app

You might want to reinstall the Camera drivers as it could resolve the problem. To do so, refer to these steps:

• First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
• After that, 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. From there, look for the driver listed under the Camera section and then, right-click on each entry of the device drivers and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
• Now restart your computer.
• After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.

Option 4 – Try to use the Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, navigate to this registry key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWOW6432NodeMicrosoftWindows Media FoundationPlatform
• Here, look for a DWORD named “EnableFrameServerMode” and if you can’t see it, just create a new DWORD by right-clicking on any empty space.
• Then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it as “EnableFrameServerMode”.
• Double click on the newly created DWORD and set its Value data to “0” and click on OK.
• Restart your computer and see if it fixes the Camera UWP app error code: 0xA00F4243 (0xC00D3704).

Option 5 – Try checking the Windows Services

Note that this option only applies to computers with Intel Hardware for the Camera.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
• Next, look for the “Intel(R) RealSense(TM) Depth” service from the list of services and double click on it to open its Properties.
• After that, change its Startup Type to “Automatic” and make sure it’s running and then click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Restart your computer and check if the problem has been resolved.

Option 6 – Try running System File Checker or SFC 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 to good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• 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.

• Reboot your PC.

Cortana is your personal digital assistant fully integrated into Windows 10 designed to help you make your life easier. The more you use it, the more Cortana can learn about you, and the experience becomes more personalized and accurate. It can perform a variety of tasks, and it's full of handy tricks, but perhaps one of the best features is the advanced speech recognition that enables Cortana to understand the context of a natural voice conversation. On Windows 10, and across platforms with the Cortana app on iPhone and Android, the assistant can understand virtually any voice command and perform tasks. For example, by just speaking you can find facts, create reminders and manage your calendar, launch applications, change settings, and a lot more. Now, if you're looking for an official list of all the voice commands Cortana supports, you'll never find it because it doesn't exist. Cortana can understand natural language and context, there's no particular set of commands to make things happen. In a sort of way, you are speaking to Cortana as you would to any other person.

Invoking Cortana

Before using voice commands, it's important to know the ways in which you can invoke Cortana using natural language:

• You can click the microphone icon in the taskbar next to the Start menu.
• You can use the Shift + ⊞ Windows + C keyboard shortcut to open Cortana in listening mode.
• You can use the Hey Cortana feature, which lets you invoke the assistant by simply saying Hey Cortana followed by the command. For example, Hey Cortana: How's the weather?.
• On Windows 10 Mobile devices, you can press and hold the search button to open Cortana in listening mode.

Comprehensive list of Cortana voice commands

The following list of commands are examples you can use to learn how to control Cortana with voice commands. Keep in mind that there isn't a specific way to speak the commands. For example, Hey Cortana: Let me listen to some tunes is the same as asking for a more systematic command like Hey Cortana: Play music.

Cortana basic voice commands:

Getting the time for any location:

• "What time is it?"
• "What time is in New York?" or "What time is in Greece?"

Getting weather information for any location:

• "What's the weather like?"
• "What's the weather in Madrid?" or "What's the weather in Slovakia?"
• "When does the sun set?"
• "Is it hot in Hawaii?"
• "How's the weather looking for tomorrow/next week?"

Opening (Store and desktop) apps and websites:

• "Open Photoshop" or "Go to Firefox"
• "Open errortools.com."

Getting news information:

• "Show me top headlines."
• "Show me the latest news."
• "Show me weather news."
• "Show me Blizzard stock."
• "Show me bitcoin exchange rate."
• "What was the score of the last Brazil football game."

Creating a note:

• "Create a note."
• "Create Shopping note."
• "Create Shopping note: Buy a basket of eggs"
• "Take a note."
• "Draft a note."
• "Write a note."

Translating to a different language:

• "Translate."
• "Translate Hello to German"
• "Translate Where is the nearest park? to Spain"

Doing math:

• "What's 34% or $764.89?"
• "What's 43 times 59?"
• "What the square root of 26509?"
• "What's 29 times 6 divided by 12?"
• "Convert 6.9 cups to fluid ounces."
• "How many miles are in 89 Kilometers?"

Defining a word:

• "Define Space."

Tracking packages:

• "Where is my package?"
• "Show me my packages."

Cortana search voice commands:

Finding documents, photos, videos:

• "Find photos from August 1998."
• "Find cat videos."
• "Find document called Collection of poems."

Searching the web:

• "Search the web for Heroes of Might and magic."

Finding facts:

• "How tall is Mount Everest?"
• "Who is Steve Jobs?"
• "When Arnold Schwarzenegger was born?"
• "Who is Mercedes CEO?"
• "When does spring begin?"
• "What's the capital of Zimbabwe?"
• "When is Thanksgiving?"

It's important to note that Cortana is capable of conversational understanding, which means that you can also ask follow-up questions without having to be very specific. For example, if you ask Cortana: "Who is the president of the United States", you can then ask a follow-up question, such as "Who is his wife?" or "When was he born?" and the assistant should be able to answer those questions accurately.

Discovering food places nearby:

• "Find food places near me."
• "Find restaurants near me."
• "Find bars near me."
• "What's a good restaurant near me?"
• "What's interesting nearby?"
• "Show me Chinese restaurants near me."
• "Show me Italians restaurants in Los Angeles."

Cortana health and fitness voice commands:

• "How was my sleep last night?"
• "What was my step count yesterday?"
• "How many calories did I burn today?"

These commands require a tracking device, such as the Microsoft Band 2 to enable your fitness and health activities, and you need to connect Cortana with the Microsoft Health (Microsoft Band) service.

Cortana settings voice commands:

Opening the Settings app:

• "Open Settings."
• "Open Action Center."

Controlling settings:

• "Turn on/off Bluetooth"
• "Turn on/off Wi-Fi"
• "Turn on/off Airplane Mode"

Cortana reminders voice commands:

Creating reminders:

• "Remind me to wash the car."

Creating location-based reminders:

• "Remind me to buy CDs next time I go to Walmart."

Creating person-based reminders:

• "Remind me to ask for vacation time next time I talk to Goran."

Creating time-based reminders:

• "Remind me to watch the basketball game at 6 PM."
• "Remind me to buy the food for the d&d session on Sunday at 3 PM."

Viewing reminders:

• "Show me my reminders."

Cortana calendar voice commands:

Viewing calendar events:

• "How's my schedule looking today?"
• "Show me my appointments for next week."
• "When is my dentist appointment?"

Adding new calendar events:

• "Add dental appointment for Monday at 2 PM."

Moving calendar events:

• "Move dental appointment to Friday at 5 PM."

Cortana alarms voice commands:

Creating alarms:

• "Set an alarm for next Monday at 5:30 AM."
• "Set an alarm for Saturdays at 9 AM."

Viewing alarms:

• "Show my alarms"

Removing alarms:

• "Cancel alarm for Saturdays at 9 AM."

Cortana timer voice commands:

Creating a timer:

• "Set a timer for 5 minutes."

You can only start a one-timer at one point in time. If there is a timer already running, Cortana will ask you to restart it at a new time.

Viewing timer:

• "Show timer."
• "How much time is left on the timer?"

Canceling timer:

• "Stop timer."

Cortana location voice commands:

Knowing your exact location:

• "Tell me where am I?"

Cortana messaging voice commands:

Sending text messages:

• "Send a text to Milan: I'll be late for lunch today."

Sending quick emails:

• "Send email to Milena: See you later tonight."
• "Send email to John and Claudia: How is the project coming along?"

Cortana location voice commands:

Getting directions:

• "What's the traffic like on the way home?"
• "How do I get home."
• "How long would it take to drive to Madison Square Garden?"
• "Get me directions to Port Authority."
• "How do I get from my location to Long Beach, New York?"
• "How far away is the moon?"
• "Show me walking directions to the nearest gas station."
• "Show me public transit to 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036."
• "Show me the map of San Francisco."

Tracking flights:

• "Track flight 1056."
• "Is my flight delayed?"
• "Is my flight on time?"

Cortana entertainment voice commands:

Controlling music:

• "Play Metallica."
• "Put some Symphonic music."
• "Shuffle music."
• "Play and Justice for all by Metallica."
• "Stop music"
• "Pause music"
• "Pause song."
• "Play next"
• "Next track"
• "Skip track."

Identifying what's playing:

• "What is this song?"
• "What's playing?"

Movies & TV:

• "What's Blade Runner run time?"
• "Who was the director of Gladiator?"
• "What movies are playing near me?"
• "What are the showtimes for Star Trek lower decks?"

Cortana technical support voice commands:

• "How do I install a printer?"
• "How do I project my screen?"
• "How do I change my background?"
• "How do I update Windows?"
• "How do I make a backup?"
• "How do I change default apps?"
• "How do I change Privacy?"
• "How do I connect a wireless device?"

Sometimes asking a "How to do I" question will result in a web search response.

Cortana phone voice commands:

• "Call wife on speakerphone."
• "Call David at home."
• "Call Goran."
• "Redial."
• "Send a photo to my PC."

Cortana random voice commands:

• "Tell me a joke."
• "Tell me a riddle."
• "Tell me something interesting."
• "Tell me something funny."
• "Tell me a scary story."
• "Sing me a song."
• "Surprise me."
• "Do an impression."
• "What do you look like?"
• "Which is the best smartphone?"
• "What is love?"
• "Which is better, Google or Bing?"
• "Why should I buy this phone?"
• "What do you think about Google?"
• "Do you like Google?"
• "What do you think about Yahoo?"
• "Do you like Windows 10?"
• "Play the movie game."
• "Are you better than Siri?"
• "Where is Clippy?"
• "What do you think about Clippy?"
• "Heads or tails?"
• "Rock, paper, scissors."
• "Roll a dice."

Disk partitioning is a concept that’s been around for so long, but is still only familiar to few. If done right, it can help get your computer in perfect order. 

Today we bring you a simple definition of disk partitioning, its pros and cons, and a quick tip on how to do it properly to reap its full benefit!

Definition and purpose

The simplest way to define disk partitioning would be: it’s exactly what it sounds like. It means taking a hard disk drive and separating it into different segments. These segments are called partitions. You can visualize it as cutting a cake into smaller pieces - not necessarily of the same size, though. 

So what is the purpose of these pieces?

Well, when you first get a hard drive, it’s basically just a bunch of unallocated storage space. Until there’s at least one partition, this space is unusable to your operating system. Once you create a partition, your OS will recognize it as usable storage space. 

You can choose to create a single partition and use it for all your files, from program files to personal data. A lot of off-the-shelf computers come with one primary partition like this and a small secondary one reserved for recovery purposes. 

Whether or not you want to split your disk into more than one segment is up to you. We would generally recommend it, though. The whole point of partitioning is for each segment to have its own purpose.

So treating all your storage space as a single unit containing different file types would be like constructing an office building with only one massive room for everything - day-to-day work, conferences, interviews, etc. And all of this for different departments of the company. You can see how this might get a little messy.

Creating multiple partitions eliminates the task of running several different types of files from the same place. This takes a heavy load off the entire process of accessing data.

Disk partitioning also brings a ton of other benefits to the table. An important disclaimer, though: there are disadvantages too. We will walk you through both sides to help you get an objective idea and make an informed decision.

What are the benefits of disk partitioning?

1. Better file organization

This is the most obvious and perhaps the biggest advantage of partitioning your hard drive. 

As we already mentioned, partitioning allows you to create separate segments for different file and data types. You wouldn’t want to use the same partition for your system files and for games, would you? 

If organization and time management are important to you, then multiple partitions are the right solution. Searching for specific files will be much easier overall. Say you have one hard drive, but three partitions: C for the system files alone, D for multimedia files and documents, and E for games and apps. Your computer loads the system from C without interference from the other two, and you know exactly where to look when searching for a file.

2. Easy reinstallation

File management isn’t the only thing made faster and simpler thanks to partitioning. If you opt for creating multiple segments on your drive, reinstalling Windows will be easy peasy. 

That’s because all you need to do is format the partition your system is on. Then you reinstall the OS on it, and there you go. Now you have a clean installation, with all your files saved on other partitions intact. You can even make a copy of your system partition, so you can revisit the exact same installation in the future if you want. And the whole time your pictures, music, documents stay exactly where you left them. 

3. Possibility of using multiple file systems

By now you’ve understood that partitions function completely separately. This means that, if for some reason you need multiple file system capabilities, partitioning will allow that.

One segment could be used for, say, an NTFS file system, while another could run ext or APFS.

4. Running different OSes

You’re an avid Windows user but need to use Linux on the side? No problem. You don’t need to buy a separate computer or anything. The possibility of running different file systems also means you can use partitioning to run multiple operating systems.

Doesn’t that sound enticing? One machine for multiple totally different uses!

5. Backup and recovery made simple

Data loss can happen on any disk, partitioned or not. However, it’s much easier to get it back on a partitioned one. You know where you stored what, and each partition can be backed up exactly as it is. It’s also a lot faster to back up single partitions than entire hard drives.

Ultimately this also means a faster path to recovery. If you lose or accidentally delete important files and data, you might want to use a recovery tool like Recuva to scan for them and get them back. Recuva is even powerful enough to recover data from damaged hard drives. But no matter how powerful, scanning a whole drive is strenuous for any recovery tool. Scanning independent partitions is a lot more convenient than that, and will get you to your goal more efficiently.

6. Optimized performance

Now, let’s keep in mind that computer performance is influenced by a number of factors. Partitioning alone isn’t what makes it better or worse. However, it can contribute to optimization. It’s easier for your computer to scan, say, a 40 GB partition to fetch the system file it needs than scanning the entire capacity of your drive.

7. Improved security (possibly*)

Separate partitions can help make your system more secure. Firstly, they minimize file corruption. If one partition gets corrupted, the others should remain unaffected. And keeping in mind the previous point about backup and recovery, ‘fixing’ the damaged partition would be much easier than fixing the entire hard drive. 

Partitioning also improves security in terms of malware protection. A malicious attack on one partition is easier to deal with than malware on the whole drive. If your system partition gets infected, you can simply reinstall your OS and that should do the trick.

*Do keep in mind that partitioning can’t defend you against more advanced attacks. So make sure not to give in to a false sense of security.

What are the disadvantages of partitioning?

1. Data is still vulnerable

Yes, it’s easier to back up and recover data from independent partitions. And yes, partitioning may help protect separated files and data to a higher degree. But remember: everything is still on a single physical drive. So while digital errors and issues may be easier to deal with on partitioned drives, physical damage obviously won’t be.

If your hard drive is destroyed in some way, all data on it will be gone. That’s why, if you have crucial files on your PC, it’s important to give them the proper backup treatment before it’s too late.

2. Disbalance of space

Allocating storage space on separate partitions may be a little more tricky than you think. You may fill up one partition a lot faster than another. So on one side you’re struggling with space, and on another you have too much of it to spare. Imagine nearly filling up your system partition and then it turns out you need a lot more space for its updates than you thought.

That’s why you really have to be sure you actually have enough files of different types that you need help managing efficiently. Otherwise you’ll just create a struggle and disbalance in terms of storage.

3. Increased risk of error

If done incorrectly, partitioning can lead to more harm than good. Aside from space disbalance, there is an increased risk of incorrect partition sizes and formatting. Plus, human error is also a factor: in a moment of distraction, you may erase one partition when you meant another. Undoing such mistakes will definitely be tedious and time-consuming.

4. SSDs eliminate the need of partitioning

SSDs (solid-state drives) don’t function in the same way that HDDs do. They have faster read times and can organize files on their own. This quite literally eliminates the need for organization on your part.

Partitioning: yes or no?

The bottom line is that multiple partitions might not be necessary for the average user. But if you’re planning on storing many file types or different file and operating systems on the same PC, then you should give it a shot. It’s also an excellent solution for businesses, of course.

And if our pros and cons list isn’t enough to help you decide, you can always send us a message and we’ll help you make the right choice.

Decided to partition your hard drive?

If you’ve decided to give it a go, you definitely should make sure to do it right. 

The two most effective and reliable ways to partition are using the built-in options on Windows or investing in a dedicated partitioning tool, like the EaseUS Partition Master. Which one you'll opt for depends on your specific needs. 

Option 1 may be more suitable for users with at least some level of experience. In this case, you’d have to know exactly which steps to take without making errors. This is done in Disk Management on Windows 10/11. From there, you can select the partitions you’d like to split into different volumes of selected sizes.

If this is your first time partitioning, we highly suggest you either consult professionals for this or move on to option 2. The EaseUS partitioning software is specifically designed for beginners, with an intuitive interface helping you succeed in the process. All you need to do is pick the Partition Master package tailored to your needs and follow their guide. 

Each package offers technical support as well, and even free upgrades (to varying degrees based on your subscription). Plus, all of this is valid for not one, but two PCs.

It’s the perfect solution for a smooth and error-free partitioning process. If you want to organize your hard drives efficiently and make the most of all your space without doing irreparable damage, it’s definitely worth the investment.