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Applications you should remove from Windows

ApplicationsOver time Applications change, some for the better some for worse. Some of them even stop receiving updates and are old and vulnerable. Sometimes standards change and some file types are not used anymore. Software evolves along with technology and that is good.

Keeping old and useless applications inside your Windows is not so good. From various exploits to simply taking up space, maybe even slowing down OS it is always wise and good to clean your Windows from unwanted old applications.

In this article, we will be mentioning some relics of old and providing you with an explanation of why you should remove them from your system if by any chance you still have them on it.

Silverlight

Silverlight was meant to be a competitor for Adobe Flash, it is a WEB framework that enables rich media content inside your WEB browser. The issue is that it is not developed anymore and today's browsers do not support it.

The only browser that actually can support it is internet explorer which itself is not supported and how there is practically 0 content on today's modern WEB that will require Silverlight, it is safe and recommended to remove it.

Adobe Flash

Speaking of Adobe Flash, you should remove it as well. Flash has stopped receiving support as of January 2021 and browsers have dropped support for it and even blocked it due to security issues.

However, there still might be some local installation of Flash itself inside Windows along with the old Shockwave player that stopped receiving support in 2019. You should remove them both.

JAVA

Now this one is tricky, by itself JAVA does not present any security issues since browsers do not support it anymore and the desktop version is not really slowing down your computer. This one has simply put just another media runtime that is not used and simply takes up space and resources.

However if you have some applications that you do use that rely on it (I can really just think of JAVA Minecraft at this point) leave it of course but in any other case, it is just purely not needed.

Quicktime

While we are at media runtime and stuff that just simply is not needed, Quicktime is one of them. Now this Apple Video player and codec is still pretty developed and active in Apple’s iOS environment, Windows version has not been updated since 2016 and it was discovered that it contains some critical vulnerabilities.

Uninstall it and if you need a player that could play MOV files, just use a VLC player that can play them without any separately installed codec.

uTorrent

This one, the same as CCleaner was once a good application, as a matter of fact, it was the best torrenting application. Sadly it has fallen from its grace very low, from getting tons of ads in its interface to findings in 2015 that code of torrent client was packed with a crypto miner that used system resources of an installed computer to mine crypto without user’s awareness.

You should uninstall this torrent client if you would like to get your PC back and not provide it for cryptocurrency mining for the company that developed it. Use qBittorrent or TIxati, open-source and free ones that have everything needed for any torrenting needs.

Toolbars and Browser extensions

There are a lot of toolbars for browsers and extensions that are malicious in nature or simply not updated providing security issues. It is very advisable to remove this as soon as possible.

WinRAR

WinRAR has gained its large popularity solely for the reason that you could download it from the official site like shareware and use it forever. The license never expired and you could use it indefinitely. Sadly not much has been improved in the application itself and it is slowly falling out in its range of what it can do.

There are better open source and free options today like 7zip, PeaZip, ZIPvare, and more that are working the same as WinRAR if not even better.

Windows and manufacturers Bloatware

Yes, applications that come bundled with Windows and with some laptops that include manufacturers made software for different tasks like its own specific media players, calculators, etc.

It is known that these applications are not better than their open-source rivals and there are too many of them including some that you will probably never use. It is the same as buying a new phone bundled with tons of applications that you do not need, did not ask for, and do not use. Delete all of them.

Considering Windows there are also some Store application like Candy Crush Saga demo and other are safe to remove if not needed.

That’s it, our advice for old and not needed applications so you can keep your PC safe and fast.

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A Guide to Fixing STOP 0x00000000 Error Code

STOP 0x00000000 Error Code - What is it?

Stop 0x00000000 error code is a type of a Stop error popularly known as a blue screen of death error code. This is a critical error. It can pop up while loading or using the Windows program on your PC. When this error occurs, the computer screen turns blue and you, the user, get locked out of the program. Furthermore, it can also result in sudden system shut down or system freeze. If not fixed timely, the error may start to pop up more and more frequently which then may lead to complete system corruption and system crash.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

The two most common causes for the STOP 0x00000000 error code are:
  • Malware infection
  • Registry corruption
This is a fatal system error and must be resolved immediately. Delay may lead to system crashes and data loss. And recovering lost data is not easy.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Though this is a fatal error the good news is that it is easy to resolve. To repair the STOP 0x00000000 error on your system, here are some methods that you can try:

Method 1 - Use System Restore to Bring Your Computer Back to its Previous State

To resolve this error on your system, try using the System Restore tool. Use this tool to bring your computer back to its previous state. The Windows System Restore utility is one of the most valuable recovery tools. To use it, simply type System Restore in the search box. Once you find it, click on it and select a restore point to bring your PC back to its normal state. To activate changes, reboot the PC.

Method 2 - Scan for Viruses

If the underlying cause of the Stop 0x00000000 error code is related to malware infection, then you must download a powerful antivirus to resolve it. Run it to scan your entire PC. Make sure you remove all types of malware including adware, spyware, viruses, and Trojan. Once your PC is malware-free, the error will be fixed in no time.

Method 3 - Clean and Repair the Registry

The registry is an important part of the PC. It stores practically all the activities you perform on your system. It saves all the files including both important and unnecessary files such as junk files, cookies, internet history, bad and invalid entries. If these obsolete and unnecessary files are not deleted frequently and keep on accumulating it takes up all the registry space and corrupts it. This results in registry errors like runtime and BSoD errors and sometimes may also lead to disk fragmentation. To resolve it is advisable to repair the registry. This can be done manually but that will take too much time and also require technical expertise. However, another way to resolve it is to download Restoro. This is a user-friendly PC Fixer with a powerful registry cleaner. It removes all obsolete and unnecessary files, cleans the registry and repairs the damaged files, thereby removing the error right away. Click here to download Restoro and resolve Stop 0x00000000 today!
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A Guide to Resolving Error Code 32

Error Code 32 - What is it?

Code 32, a Device Manager error, pops up when a device driver and other required services related to the driver are disabled.

The error code 32 is usually displayed in the following format:

“A driver (service) for this device has been disabled. An alternate driver may be providing this functionality. Code 32”

When a driver experiences a problem, it is reported to the Device Manager. Though error Code 32 does not cause detrimental damage to your system, it can cause the loss of functionality of the hardware device whose driver is disabled.

Solution

driverfix boxError Causes

Error 32 may be generated due to several reasons. However, the most common causes include:
  • The device driver is outdated
  • The device is not configured as the default
  • Some other device is providing default functionality
  • The device driver is disabled in the registry
  • Corruption of registry values in the CD ROM Drive Class registry key

Further Information and Manual Repair

If you come across error code 32 on your PC, then repair it immediately to ensure optimum PC performance. To resolve this error code, try the methods listed below. If you are not a computer programmer, don’t worry!

The listed solutions are easy to perform, require no technical background or expertise and more importantly, these solutions are very effective.

Simply follow the instructions to repair error code 32 on your system in just a few minutes.

Method 1 - Reboot Your PC

Sometimes Device Manager error codes may appear due to temporary issues, which may be resolved simply by rebooting your system. If you are lucky, this might actually work.

By restarting your PC, you might be able to get rid of error code 32. However, if the error still persists, then try other methods given below.

Method 2 - Uninstall and Reinstall the Driver

To resolve error code 32, uninstall and then reinstall the driver. To uninstall the driver, simply follow these steps:

  1. Go to the start menu
  2. Type Device Manager in the search bar and then press enter
  3. Now in the Device Manager, find and then double-click the category of device that you wish to uninstall, for example, click on the Display Adapter to uninstall the graphics card.
  4. Once you have located the device and the driver you wish to uninstall, simply right click on it and then click ‘uninstall’
  5. Windows will prompt you to confirm device removal changes.
  6. Click OK to confirm and proceed.
  7. After that, simply restart your system to activate changes
  8. To reinstall, go to the control panel and choose Add/Remove Hardware and add a new device.  Follow all prompts to reinstall the device.

Method 3 - Delete Both the Upper Filters and Lower Filters Registry Values

As discussed above, sometimes error code 32 may be triggered due to corruption of registry values.

If this is the underlying cause, then delete both the upper filters and lower filters registry values from the registry. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Here’s what you have to do:

  1. Go to the start menu
  2. Type Regedit in the search box and then press enter
  3. Now locate the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder under  ‘My Computer’
  4. Click the |> or (+) icon next to the folder name to expand
  5. Here you will see a long list of subkeys
  6. Locate the correct class GUID for the problematic device
  7. Now click the registry subkey that corresponds to the device class GUID
  8. Locate the Upper Filters and Lower Filter values and delete
  9. Close the registry editor
  10. Restart your PC to activate changes

This will hopefully resolve error code 32 on your system if the error was generated due to registry value corruption. However, if the error continues to appear, then resort to method 4.

Method 4 - Update the Problematic Driver

Locate the problematic drivers and update them with the latest versions. This procedure is effective but time-consuming if performed manually.

It takes several minutes to identify problematic drivers and find the latest and compatible versions for each driver on the manufacturers’ website. And besides, you will have to perform updates continuously to ensure the error doesn’t occur again.

Method 5 - Download DriverFIX to Update Drivers Automatically

To avoid the hassle, download DriverFIX.

This is a cutting-edge and user-friendly software program embedded with intelligent system programming and intuitive technology that identifies problematic drivers and updates them with the latest and compatible driver versions in seconds, automatically and on a regular basis.

By installing it on your PC, you can update all the drivers and repair code 32 in no time.

Click here to download DriverFIX to resolve Device Manager error code 32 today!

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Managing the Local Users and Groups
As you know, Windows PowerShell is a useful command-line utility in Windows 10 that can be used to manage the Local Users and Groups which affirms the multiuser operating system principle of Windows 10. Although there are other GUI-based utilities used to manage the Local Users and Groups, there are some system administrators that would still like to use the command-line utility to manage these Local Users and Groups. So in this post, you will be guided on how exactly you can manage the Local Users and Groups using PowerShell on your Windows 10 computer. To get started, refer to the options provided below to manage both the Local Users and Groups using Windows PowerShell.

Option 1 – Manage the Local Users via Windows PowerShell

  • You need to first open Windows PowerShell as an admin. To do that, just tap the Win + X keys and select the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option.
  • After opening PowerShell, you need to execute the “Get-LocalUser” cmdlet so that you can find all the details about all the local user accounts in your computer which would include the Account Name, Enabled status, as well as description.
Note: On the other hand, you can also get the customized data about several objects that are related to your account. For instance, if you want to check when was the last time the Local account’s password was set, then you need to execute the “Get-LocalUser -Name root | Select-Object PasswordLastSet” cmdlet. Thus, the structure for this cmdlet is “Get-LocalUser -Name root | Select-Object *”. Here are the objects you can use to get different sorts of data:
  • AccountExpires
  • Description
  • Enabled : True
  • FullName
  • PasswordChangeableDate
  • PasswordExpires
  • UserMayChangePassword
  • PasswordRequired
  • PasswordLastSet
  • LastLogon
  • Name
  • SID
  • PrincipalSource
  • ObjectClass

Option 2 – Manage the Local User Groups using Windows PowerShell

  • Like what you did earlier, open Windows PowerShell as admin and then execute the “Get-LocalGroup” cmdlet so you can get all the information about all the groups of all the local user accounts.
  • Now if you want to create a new Local User Group, just execute the “New-LocalGroup -Name <NAME OF THE GROUP> -Description '<ENTER THE DESCRIPTION OF THE GROUP HERE>'” cmdlet.
  • And if you want to add Local User Accounts to a specific group, just execute the “Add-LocalGroupMember -Group '<NAME OF THE GROUP' -Member ('NAME 1','NAME 2','<ROLE>') -Verbose” cmdlet. You could also use the “Get-Localuser -Name john | Add-LocalGroupMember -Group '<NAME OF THE GROUP>'” cmdlet for the same purpose.
  • If you want to display all the User Accounts of a specific group, just use the “Get-LocalGroupMember –Group ‘ ’” cmdlet.
  • Now if you want to remove a local user account from a group, all you have to do is use the “Remove-LocalGroupMember -Group '<NAME OF THE GROUP>' –Member <NAME OF THE LOCAL USER ACCOUNT>” cmdlet.
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How to Fix Windows 10 Error Code 0x803f7001

Error Code 0x803f7001 – What is it?

Error code 0x803f7001 occurs when there is a failure to update your Windows operating system to Windows 10. Usually, a message box pops up with the following statement, “Windows is not activated as your previous version of Windows on this device was not activated prior to upgrade to Windows 10.” When this occurs, common symptoms of the error code will manifest themselves:

  • Inability to upgrade your Windows operating system to Windows 10
  • Message box with error code 0x803f7001

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

The cause for error code 0x803f7001 varies. Usually, it occurs for two reasons: 1) when during the process of upgrading to Windows 10, no valid Windows license or product key is found for your device or 2) when a user performs a clean installation of Windows 10. During a clean installation, a new license is usually required to allow you to activate your copy of Windows.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are two main options available to fix error code 0x803f7001. Usually, the use of a valid product key can help users rectify error code 0x803f7001. You may also try an automated tool to access the best solutions.

Method One: Use a Valid Product Key

A product key is a code containing 25 characters that enable users to activate Windows. You will need to enter the product key in the exact order it appears in order to install your Windows operating system. All users will be able to access this code in an email or on a card within the Windows DVD package they receive upon purchasing a version of the Windows operating system.

To solve error code 0x803f7001, complete the following steps.

  • Step one: Click the Start button then select Settings
  • Step two: Select Update and Security then Activation
  • Step three: Click the Change product key
  • Step four: Type in your valid product key. (To do this ensure the 25 characters are accounted for and in the correct order.)

If the issue causing error code 0x803f7001 relates to your product key, then the instructions within method one will rectify the issue. You will be able to install and activate Windows 10. However, if while attempting to update your Windows operating system, the error occurs once more, you will need to follow the instructions in the manual repair below.

You may also consider contacting a Windows repair technician if you are uncertain of your ability to perform the tasks required to fix error code 0x803f7001. This IT professional will be able to use his or her technical knowledge to perform complex manual repair tasks if the need arises.

Method Two: Install an Automated Tool

Automated tools help PC users eliminate common issues such as Windows error codes. To address or rectify error codes like error code 0x8007007b download a powerful automated tool on your machine. This tool enables users to access quick solutions. It also scans for and corrects issues that may result in error codes or poor PC performance.

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Disable Windows 11 animations for fast work
windows 11 animationsWindows 11 has some cool animations including fading effects which make working in it feels nice and futuristic but the cost of this is that there is a slight delay to certain actions performed. If you want the snap fast feature in Windows 11 and do not care about this eye candy there is an easy way to turn animations off inside it.
  • First, open Windows Settings by pressing ⊞ Windows + I on your keyboard
  • Alternatively, click on Start, search for Settings, and then click its icon.
  • When Settings appears, look in the sidebar and select Accessibility.
  • In Accessibility settings, click on Visual Effects.
  • In Visual Effects, switch Animation Effects to Off.
That’s it, changes will be applied automatically, you can close settings and continue working inside Windows 11 without animations and fades. You can always switch animations back On via settings if you change your mind.
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Fix Errors 0x80070001, 0x81000037, 0x80070003
Windows has a built-in Backup and Restore system so if the Windows Backup or Restore fails and you receive any of the errors 0x80070001, 0x81000037, 0x80070003, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing the problem. You might not be able to browse to the folders and files that you want to restore in the File Restore Wizard. The cause of the error could vary depending on what error code you receive:
  • 0x80070001 – If you got this particular error code when trying to back up a specific library or when you accept the default settings in Windows Backup and Restore.
  • 0x81000037 – If you got this kind of error code when you try to read from the shadow copy on one of the volumes being backed up.
  • 0x80070003 – If you got this error code when trying to restore the folders or files in a library by using the Windows Backup and Restore.
  • On the other hand, you cannot use the Browse for files or the Browse for folders functionality.
Note that the Windows Backup or Restore failed, Errors 0x80070001, 0x81000037, 0x80070003 Error code 0x80070001, 0x81000037 occurs during backup while Error code 0x80070003 and “Browse for Files” issue occurs when you try to restore files. Whichever error codes you got, here are some possible fixes that might help.

Option 1 – Fix Windows Backup error codes 0x80070001, 0x81000037

The reason for the Windows Backup error codes 0x80070001, 0x81000037, as mentioned above, is when there is a volume that uses a FAT file system (0x80070001) and when a volume contains compressed files (0x81000037). To fix these errors, you need to remove the “reparse point” also known as SYMBOLIC LINK, and select the absolute path of this location in the Windows Backup configuration user interface. Refer to these steps to remove the reparse point.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Then type “cmd” in the field and hit Enter to open Command Prompt.
  • Next, type the following command and hit Enter:
DIR /AL /S
  • After you enter the command, it will display the JUNCTION list.
  • Now to delete the mounted volume reparse point, you have to locate the reparse point you found and right-click on the reparse point icon, and click on Properties.
  • Confirm that the folder Type is Mounted Volume in the General tab and then delete this folder.

Option 2 – Fix the Windows Restore Error 0x81000037

When you try to restore a deleted backed-up directory, it fails and the Error code 0x81000037 pops up. You can also encounter this error when you select to restore the files to their original subfolders check box in the File Restore Wizard and you try to restore folders or files to an alternative location, then you will encounter error code 0x81000037 which will be displayed in an error message as shown below: To fix this error, you need to re-create the missing directory using the following steps:
  • Take note of the path for which the error occurs.
  • Then create the corresponding folder.
  • Now perform the restore operation again.
And since you might have subfolders in the deleted folder, click to clear the “Restore the files to their original subfolders” checkbox when you run the File Restore Wizard.

Option 3 – Cannot use the Browse for files or the Browse for folders functionality

There is no proper fix for this particular error but if you remember the name of the files, you can just search for them. Click on the Search button when using the File Restore functionality and then type the name of the file and when that file appears, select and click on it to restore it.
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Fix Windows defender 0x800700AA Error
Windows defender error 0x800700AA, service can not be started comes when the user is trying to run Windows defender scan on their system. This kind of behavior happens for two reasons mostly, third-party application conflict or corrupted system files. In this article, we will tackle both scenarios and provide you with solutions in both cases.

Third-party application conflict

In this rare scenario when Windows defender can not start scan due to conflict with installed service or application in the system solution is quite simple. Restart your PC into safe mode and run the scan from there. In a safe mode environment, minimum drivers and services are only loaded eliminating any conflicts that might occur when everything is booted. If Windows defender can not run the scan in safe mode and you get the same 0x800700AA error then you can eliminate application conflict as a reason and move to the next solution which will tackle corrupted system files. If you, however, managed to run a scan then you have a rare third-party application conflict, you can boot normally into windows and try to eliminate one by one to see which one is causing the issue. The safest bet would be to start with security software because most of the time that is what causes conflicts in running services and applications.

Corrupted system files

If the previous solution has not provided you with results then you have system file corruption that needs to be fixed. Move from one solution to another as presented below:
  1. Run SFC scan

    SFC scan is a built-in Windows tool for solving corrupted system files issues, it is fully automated and does not require from the user any kind of knowledge or information. To run it and scan the system do the following: Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu Left-click on the command prompt (admin) In command prompt type SFC /SCANNOW and press ENTER Wait for the process to finish, do not interrupt it and once it is done, restart your computer
  2. Run DISM scan

    DISM scan is similar to SFC scan but it tackles different types of system file corruption and it is recommended to run it also after SFC has been completed. Please note that for DISM scan to be successful you will need a stable internet connection since DISM will replace corrupted files with new ones downloaded from Microsoft. To run it do the following: Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu Left-click on the command prompt (admin) inside command prompt type: exe /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth followed by ENTER, then type: Dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth also followed with ENTER. Leave scan to finish and reboot your PC
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Fix Dism.exe error 1392 in Windows 10
Dism.exe error 1392 is usually displayed whenever a file or directory is corrupted, and unreadable. The location specified in the error message states that some temporary files are corrupt. Since the files are only temporary, you could delete the mentioned file in the error message and check if the issue persists. The error is caused by missing system files or broken corrupt data, which should be fixed as soon as possible. Taking action should prevent further hardware and app damage, as this can lead to system crashes, data loss, or hardware failure in most cases.
  1. Temporarily disable the antivirus program

    Antivirus applications are well known that they can detect certain things as false positives and quarantine them or cut their system access, to make sure that this is not the case in this situation, disable your antivirus and try the operation again.
  2. Perform an SFC scan

    Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the windows menu Click on Command prompt (admin) In the command prompt window type: sfc /scannnow and press ENTER Wait for the operation to complete Reboot
  3. Run Check disk to check and fix disk errors

    Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the windows menu Click on Command prompt (admin) In the command prompt window type: chkdsk /f c: where c: is hard drive with issue and press ENTER
  4. Scan your computer for malware

    Malware and other malicious software can be a problem for this type of behavior, run your security's software scan on the whole system and remove any found malware.
  5. Perform a system restore

    If anything else failed run system restore and bring Windows back to a date when everything was working fine.
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Something happened, we couldn’t start upgrade
As you know, each one of the Windows 10 versions is priced differently and one of the considered more expensive compared to the Windows 10 Home version is the Windows10 Pro. The good thing is, Microsoft allows its users to upgrade from the Windows 10 Home version to the Windows 10 Pro version at a reasonable cost instead of buying the entire license again. However, upgrading your Windows 10 computer is not always that easy and you might encounter some errors along the way. One of the reported errors you could encounter is an error message that says, “Something happened, and we couldn’t start the upgrade”. This kind of problem is due to the problems with the Microsoft Store or the key authorization and to fix it, there are several options you can check out. You can try to run the built-in troubleshooters such as the Windows Update troubleshooter, Windows Store Apps troubleshooter, or Microsoft Accounts troubleshooter. You could also try to reset the Windows Store cache or re-register the Windows Store app. For more details, refer to each one of the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to run the Microsoft Accounts troubleshooter

Since the Microsoft Accounts troubleshooter is not built-in into the Windows operating system, you can download this troubleshooter by clicking on this link.

Option 2 – Try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the “Something happened, and we couldn’t start the upgrade” error. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 3 – Run the Windows Store App troubleshooter

The Windows 10 Store Apps Troubleshooter will help you in fixing the problem in Microsoft Store. This is a great built-in tool from Microsoft that helps users fix any app issues. 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 4 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache

As you know, like any other apps, 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, “wsreset.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 5 – Try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via Windows 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.

Option 6 – Try contacting Microsoft

If none of the options worked, you might also want to contact Microsoft for further assistance in fixing the error.
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Disable or Enable App Launch Tracking
The Windows 10 operating system utilizes a variety of measures in order to track your app launches so that it can boost both your start and search results. It can personalize the start menu based on the apps that you use the most on the Start menu as well as the search results. This way, the App Launch Tracking is definitely useful especially when you want to access your favorite and frequently used apps quickly in the Start menu and search results on your Windows 10 computer. On the other hand, Windows 10 provides users with the ability to control their privacy settings in order to protect the privacy of users. Windows 10 users can either opt to enable the app launch tracking to improve the start menu and search menu or opt to disable the app launch tracking in order to prevent the Windows operating system from tracking that you open if you really value your privacy that much. Whichever setting you prefer, you need to change the privacy control settings as well as make some tweaks in the Windows Registry in order to turn on or turn off the app launch tracking feature.

Option 1 – Turn off or turn on app launch tracking via Settings

  • Go to Settings and click on Privacy.
  • After that, toggle On the “Let Windows track app launches to improve Start and search results” option on the right side of the page under the General Settings to enable the app launch tracking feature.
  • And of course, if you wish to disable the app launch tracking feature, simply toggle Off the “Let Windows track app launches to improve Start and search results” option on the very same page under General Settings.
  • After that, close the Settings window.
Note: Keep in mind that when you disable the app launch tracking feature, the “Show most used app” setting will either be grayed out or labeled as “Disable” on your Windows 10 computer. Thus, if you want to keep viewing the most used apps, just re-enable the app launch tracking feature if you have disabled it.

Option 2 – Turn off or turn on app launch tracking via Windows Registry

Before you proceed, make sure to create a System Restore point
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Registry Editor.
  • Next, navigate to the following path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced
  • After that, right-click on the Advanced folder and then click on New to create a new 32-bit DWORD value.
  • Name the newly created DWORD as “Start TrackProgs” and set its value to “1” to enable the app launch tracking feature.
  • If you want to disable the app launch feature, set “0” as the value instead of 1.
  • Now click OK and restart your computer.
Take note that you still have to create a 32-bit DWORD value even if you are using a 64-bit Windows computer.
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