Razer Hazel, an RGB mask for max protection

Windows 10 has displayed one of the most efficient and user-friendly interfaces. However there have been many issues on the backend of this commonly praised operating system: For example, Windows Update is still a wonky and error-laded system application. One example of this error is Windows Update Error 0x80073712 which stands in the way of users just wanting to keep their PCs updated hassle-free. The error code 0x80073712 signifies that a file needed by Windows Update to function is either damaged, missing, or corrupted. However, this does not mean that your Windows version will forever stay as-is with no mode to update it. Windows Update Error 0x80073712 is perfectly fixable with the set of provided steps below and some of Windows’ built-in troubleshooting steps:

Solution 1: Open Windows Update Troubleshooter

1. Open the Windows Update Troubleshooter by pressing the Windows and S keys simultaneously.
2. Enter the word “Troubleshoot” in the search box and select the Troubleshoot result
3. On the new window, select “Windows Update” to troubleshoot.
4. Run the troubleshooter, then open Windows Update and try to install the update again.

Solution 2: Run the DISM tool

1. Open the command prompt by pressing Windows and S keys simultaneously
2. Enter “cmd” in the search box. Right Click command prompt among the results and select “Run as administrator”
3. In the Command Prompt window type the following and press the Enter key after every command

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

4. To close the Administrator: Command prompt window, type Exit, and then press Enter.
5. Run Windows Update again.

Solution 3: Rename the Software Distribution folder

1. Open the command prompt as previously mentioned
2. Input the following command pressing Enter after every line net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver rename c:/windows/SoftwareDistribution/softwaredistribution.old net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver exit
3. Restart the PC and run the updater if it works again.

Solution 4: Restart Windows Update Services

1. Press the Windows logo key and R together to open Run -> Input services.msc -> and press Enter
2. Search for the Windows Update service -> Check its status
3. If it is not indicated, right-click on the service and select Start to force start your Windows Update
4. If you see an error, locate the Startup Type option and set it to Automatic
5. Now you should reboot your computer and see if your Windows Update is OK

Solution 5: Fix Registry Issues

If after all the aforementioned solutions, you still experience problems with Windows Update, the problem may lie in the registry that is either damaged or corrupted. You may choose to do manual editing of your Windows registry by opening your Windows registry editor. But doing so is risky as one wrong letter may do incalculable damage to your system. To do so safely for more inexperienced users we recommend using a third-party registry cleaner/tools, many of which can be found online.

As you know, Microsoft is consistent in pushing updates to its supported versions of the Windows operating systems in order to make it better and defend it from different kinds of vulnerabilities. And pushing billions of active Windows computers every now and then is really not an easy thing to do since it calls for a complex Windows Update delivery module. These complexities often give rise to various errors like the Windows Update error code 0x80004005. When you encounter this kind of Windows Update error, you will see the following error message on your screen:

“There were problems installing some updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help 0x80004005.”

This kind of Windows Update error occurs due to an issue while either installing or downloading an update. There are several ways you can fix the problem. You can try to replace the dpcdll.dll file, reset the Windows Update-related services, run the Windows Update troubleshooter or manually install the Windows Updates. For more details, check out the options given below.

Option 1 – Try to replace the DLL file with a trusted source

The first thing you can do is to replace the dpcdll.dll file with a trusted source.

• First, you need to get the new dpcdll.dll file from another computer with preferably the same file version number as your computer.
• After that, you need to boot your PC into Safe Mode and navigate to the paths listed below and then replace the file using a USB drive or other external storage devices.
  • For x86: This PC > C:/Windows/System32
  • For x64: This PC > C:/Windows/SysWOW64
• Next, type “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on Command Prompt, and select “Run as administrator” to open it with administrator privileges.
• Now type the “regsvr32 dpcdll.dll” command and hit Enter.
• Restart your PC and check if the error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Try to reset the Windows Update components

If by any chance that the third option didn’t work, you can also try resetting the Windows Update components as it could also help you resolve the Windows Update error. How? Refer to the following steps:

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop cryptsvc
  • net stop bits
  • net stop msiserver

Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS and MSI Installer.

• After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
  • ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
• Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start cryptsvc
  • net start bits
  • net start msiserver
• Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.

Option 3 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing Windows Update error 0x80004005. 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 4 – Try downloading and installing the Windows Updates manually

Windows Update Error 0x80004005 might be due to a Windows Update that has failed. So if it is not a feature update and only a cumulative update, you can download the Windows Update and install it manually. But first, you need to find out which update has failed, and to do so, refer to the following steps:

• Go to Settings and from there go to Update and Security > View Update History.
• Next, check which particular update has failed. Note that Updates that have failed to install will be displayed under the Status column which has a label of “Failed”.
• After that, go to the Microsoft Download Center and look for that update using its KB number and once you find it, download and then install it manually.

Note: You can also use the Microsoft Update Catalog, a service from Microsoft that provides a list of software updates that can be distributed over a corporate network. With the help of this service, it can be easier for you to find Microsoft software updates, drivers as well as fixes.

The Recycle Bin is undeniably an important place to make files ready for deletion. To put it simply, it assumes some importance but there are times when it displays an unpredictable behavior. For instance, it just suddenly goes missing and even Cortana is unable to find it. A lot of users have experienced the missing Recycle Bin issue in their Windows 10 computers. If you are one of these users, you might have wondered where the Recycle Bin icon has gone and how you can get it back. Worry not, as this post will provide you a couple of options you can try to bring back Recycle Bin in your Windows 10 computer. Follow the given options below to get started.

Option 1 – Try to restore Recycle Bin

It could be that you have disabled the Recycle Bin by accident which is why Windows was not able to show it on your desktop. To restore Recycle Bin, follow these steps:

• First, click on the Start button and select Settings.
• Next, select the Personalization setting and then select Themes from the left pane.
• After that, click on the “Desktop icon settings” link under the “Related Settings” heading. This will display a list of icons in the Desktop Icons window.
• From there, make sure that you check the checkbox for “Recycle Bin” to make it appear on your Desktop screen once again.

Option 2 – Try to recreate the Recycle Bin

If the first option didn’t work, then it could be that Recycle Bin might have been deleted which is why you fail to restore it. And to resolve this problem, you need to recreate Recycle Bin. Refer to the following steps to do so:

• You need to launch the Windows File Explorer first and go to the View tab.
• From this tab, select Options and click on the drop-down arrow and then select the “Change folder and search option”.
• Afterward, switch to the View tab when the Folder Options window appears on your screen and select the “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” option.
• And then unmark the checkbox next to the “Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)” option and click on both the Apply and OK buttons, respectively.
• Next, go back to the File Explorer and click on “This PC” located on the left bar and go to the C: drive.
• From there, you will find a file named “$Recycle.Bin” located at the top.
• Open this folder to access its contents and you should see the Recycle Bin icon located at the top.
• After that, right-click on the Recycle Bin icon and click on the “Send To” option and then click on “Desktop (create shortcut)”.
• It will then confirm and recreate the Recycle Bin icon on your Desktop screen.

Note: Even though this icon is quite similar to the original one, it actually differs from it. The difference is that you won’t see if fill up when you delete files and you can’t simply empty it by right-clicking on the shortcut. On the other hand, you can still drag items into it just like with the original one. So when you want to empty the content of the newly restored Recycle Bin, you just have to double-click on the shortcut and right-click on the recycle bin in the window that appears, and select the “Empty Recycle Bin” option. In addition, now that you’ve set up the Recycle Bin shortcut, you have to re-activate the “Hide protected operating system files” to keep the important files and folders in your computer hidden.

Option 3 – Try to repair the Recycle Bin

If both the first two options failed to restore the missing Recycle Bin, then you can try repairing it instead. There are times when the Recycle Bin is removed from the Desktop screen due to some corrupted Windows system files. To fix these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like the missing Recycle Bin. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 4 – 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 Recycle Bin. 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

Screen flickering in Windows 10 - What Is It?

Screen flickering when you’re using Windows 10 is quite a common problem. It is often caused by apps that are not compatible with the operating system, or faulty display drivers.

There are a lot of possibilities for why this issue occurs. If you are one of the many users that encounter this kind of problem, you might want to check on your task manager to see if everything is working fine. One common sign that something wrong has happened is if the task manager flickers, as well. To fix this, you will need to update an app, uninstall an app, or update your display driver.

Solution

Error Causes

Common causes of the screen flickering when running on Windows 10 are software issues. This is most likely caused by the following:

• Faulty display driver
• You have an application installed that is not compatible with your operating system

Further Information and Manual Repair

In order to fix the issue of your screen flickering when you have Windows 10 as your operating system, follow these simple steps.

Note: It is very important to consult with an authorized computer technician if you are not highly confident in solving this issue by yourself. Furthermore, you can also use software to fix this problem.

• The first method is by checking if your task manager is flickering. To open the task manager, all you have to do is right-click or press and hold the start button, then select task manager.

If you have confirmed that the task manager is the one causing the screen flickers, the display driver can possibly be your problem. To fix it, all you have to do is update your display driver.

How to update the display driver

1. You have to reset your computer and boot it on Safe Mode.

      -In order to do this, you have to hold the Shift key while selecting Power>Restart. When your computer boots up, you will be greeted by a Choose an option screen. From there, you have to select Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, then Startup Settings, and then Restart. When your computer restarts, select 4 or hit the F4 key to enter into Safe Mode.

2. When your computer finally boots up in Safe Mode, right-click or press and hold the Start button. From there, click Device Manager.

3. From the Device Manager screen, you have to expand the Display Drivers section, right-click on the driver that might be causing the problem then select Uninstall. Don’t forget to tick the Delete the driver software for this device box, press the OK button, and then restart your computer.

            - When you have two, or more, drivers installed on your computer, all you have to do is disable the other drivers. You can do this by right-clicking on the driver in the Device Manager and click the Yes box next to disable. Shut down your PC after this, disconnect the installation, and boot your computer back on.

4. When your PC boots up after the restart, click on the Start button then click on Settings.

5. You need to go to Update & Security, then Windows Update, and then check for updates.

            - If you are using multiple drivers and this technique doesn’t work, repeat the process in Step 3 and try to disable a different driver.

Remove an incompatible app

There are two ways to remove an incompatible app to fix the issue of a screen flicker on Windows 10. Apps like Norton AV, iCloud, and IDT Audio are usually the ones causing the problem. Uninstalling these apps could solve the problem. Uninstall the apps by using the methods below:

First Solution: Uninstall an app in Settings

1. Click Start, and then click Settings.
2. Click on System, and then click on Apps & Features.
3. A window will pop up and from there you will need to select the application you wish to uninstall. Click the app, and then click uninstall. Follow the screen prompt to fully uninstall the program.

Second Solution: Uninstall an app in the Start Menu

1. Click Start, and then click All Apps.
2. Look for the application you will need to uninstall, right-click the said app, and then click Uninstall. Follow the screen prompt to fully uninstall the program.

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The Motitags toolbar browser add-on was created by Mindspark Inc. and is compatible with Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. It claims to enhance users’ Internet browsing experience by enabling smileys within popular email clients such as Gmail, Yahoo!, AOL, and Outlook Live. While such added functionality may seem useful, Internet users should be aware that this browser plugin is categorized as a Browser Hijacker due to its behavior.

When installed this extension changes your default search engine, the home page, and new tab to MyWay.com, and while installed it gathers user browsing data and sends it back to Mindspark servers. This data is later used to inject additional unwanted ads into the user’s browser search results.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a type of unwanted software program, often a web browser add-on or extension, which then causes modifications in the web browser’s settings. Browser hijacker malware is developed for a number of reasons. These are generally used to force hits to a specific website, manipulating web traffic to generate ad revenue. It could seem harmless, but the majority of these websites aren’t legitimate and could pose a serious threat to your online safety. In a much worst case, your internet browser could be hi-jacked to open up your computer to a host of additional computer infections.

How one can identify a browser hijack

There are several signs of browser hijacking. Here are a few of them: the home page of your browser is changed unexpectedly; you get re-directed to websites you never intended to visit; the essential web browser settings are altered and unwanted or unsafe resources are added to the trusted websites list; discover new toolbars that you didn’t add; endless pop-up adverts show up and/or your web browser popup blocker is disabled; your browser gets sluggish, buggy, crashes frequently; you can’t navigate to certain internet pages, for example, security software related websites.

So how does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

Browser hijackers infect computers via malicious email attachments, downloaded infected files, or by going to infected sites. Many internet browser hijackings come from add-on software, i.e., toolbars, browser helper objects (BHO), or plug-ins added to browsers to provide them extra capabilities. Browser hijackers sneak into your pc in addition to free software application downloads that you unwittingly install along with the original. An example of some infamous browser hijacker includes Babylon, Anyprotect, Conduit, SweetPage, DefaultTab, RocketTab, and Delta Search, but the names are often changing. Browser hijacking can bring about severe privacy problems and also identity theft, affect your browsing experience by taking control over outgoing traffic, drastically slows down your PC by consuming lots of resources, and result in system instability also.

Getting rid of browser hijackers

Some browser hijacking could be easily stopped by discovering and eliminating the corresponding malware program through your control panel. But, most browser hijackers are difficult to eliminate manually. No matter how much you try to eliminate it, it can return over and over. Rookie PC users should not try for the manual form of removal, since it needs thorough computer knowledge to perform fixes on the system registry and HOSTS file. Professionals always recommend users to remove any malware including browser hijacker with an automatic removal tool, which is easier, safer, and quicker than the manual removal technique. Safebytes Anti-Malware has a state-of-the-art anti-malware engine that will help you stop browser hijacking in the first place, and clean up any existing issues.

What To Do If You Cannot Download Safebytes Anti-Malware?

Malware could potentially cause all sorts of damage once they invade your computer, starting from stealing your private details to erasing data files on your computer system. Some malware sits in between your computer and your internet connection and blocks some or all sites that you would like to visit. It might also prevent you from installing anything on your PC, particularly anti-virus programs. If you’re reading this, you probably have infected by malware that prevents you from downloading a computer security program such as Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. There are a few options you could try to get around with this particular obstacle.

Install in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to load automatically when Windows starts, entering Safe Mode could block this attempt. Only minimal required programs and services are loaded whenever you start your personal computer in Safe Mode. To start your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, please do as instructed below. 1) At power on/start-up, press the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This would conjure up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and press Enter. 3) When you are into this mode, you will have online access again. Now, get the virus removal application you want by using the web browser. To install the program, follow the directions within the setup wizard. 4) Right after the software is installed, allow the scan run to eliminate viruses and other threats automatically.

Use an alternate web browser to download security software

Malicious code could exploit vulnerabilities on a particular internet browser and block access to all anti-virus software sites. The most effective way to avoid this issue is to choose a web browser that is renowned for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you safe online.

Install security software on a USB drive

To effectively eliminate the malware, you need to approach the problem of installing an anti-virus software program on the infected PC from a different angle. Follow these steps to run the antivirus on the affected computer. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Microsoft Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free computer system. 2) Plug the pen drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Choose the USB stick as the destination for saving the software file. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish up the installation process. 5) Disconnect the flash drive. You may now use this portable anti-malware on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the anti-malware program EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and get rid of all sorts of malware.

Benefits and Features of SafeBytes Security Suite

To protect your laptop or computer from many different internet-based threats, it is very important to install an anti-malware program on your PC. However, with so many anti-malware companies in the marketplace, nowadays it’s difficult to decide which one you should obtain for your laptop. A few are very good ones, some are ok types, and some are simply just fake anti-malware applications that could damage your computer themselves! When looking for an anti-malware program, pick one which gives reliable, efficient, and total protection against all known viruses and malware. One of the highly recommended software by industry analysts is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, a popular security application for Microsoft Windows. Safebytes is one of the well-established computer solutions companies, which provide this complete anti-malware software. Using its cutting-edge technology, this application can assist you to eliminate multiples types of malware such as viruses, PUPs, trojans, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes possesses a variety of wonderful features that can help you protect your laptop or computer from malware attack and damage. Below are some typical features found in this application:

World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built upon a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can find and remove numerous stubborn malware threats like browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other typical anti-virus applications will miss. Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes gives complete and real-time security for your computer. They’re extremely effective in screening and getting rid of numerous threats since they’re regularly improved with the latest updates and alerts. “Fast Scan” Features: Safebytes Anti-Malware, using its enhanced scanning engine, provides ultra-fast scanning which can quickly target any active online threat. Website Filtering: Through its unique safety ranking, SafeBytes notifies you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will ensure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the internet. Light-weight: The program is lightweight and can run silently in the background, and will not have an effect on your PC efficiency. 24/7 Premium Support: SafeBytes provides you with 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and software upgrades for the best user experience. Simply put, SafeBytes has developed a meaningful anti-malware solution that is aimed to protect you against various malware. Malware issues can become a thing of the past when you put this tool to use. So if you’re seeking the very best malware removal application out there, and when you don’t mind shelling out a few bucks for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove Motitags without using an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the application from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. Additionally, it is advised to factory reset your web browser to its default state to fix corrupt settings. Finally, check your hard drive for all of the following and clean your computer registry manually to get rid of leftover application entries after uninstalls. Please remember that only advanced users should try to manually edit the system files simply because removing any single vital registry entry leads to a serious issue or even a PC crash. Moreover, certain malicious programs have the capability to defend against its removal. Carrying out this in Safe Mode is recommended.

The latest update from Panos Panay on Twitter is including New and redesigned Snipping tool inside Windows 11. From the shared video, we can see that it includes modern Windows 11 UI redesign and it looks and feels like a part of Windows 11. More things that can be seen from the shared video is that it looks like the new snipping tool is a merged version of the old with snip & sketch. It is good to see that it is still possible to capture screen with easier way natively inside Windows 11 but some more functionality would be more welcome I guess. Users were asking for added functions for a long time like adding simple text for example but from shared video, no new features were presented so for some users 3^rd party solutions will still be the way to go. The new and redesigned Snipping tool will roll out with the next update and we will see then about all new features inside it firsthand. Until then, take care.

Something we are used to doing in a certain way inside Windows 10 is slightly changed in Windows 11. One of those things is how you open task manager, well kind of. Option to right-click on the taskbar and launch task manager is gone but do not worry there are other same and simple ways you can launch it.

1. Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC or CTRL + ALT + DEL
2. Right-click on the START button
3. Type task manager in start search on top in the start menu
4. Type taskmgr in command prompt
5. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open run dialog and type in taskmgr

And that’s it, now depending on your situation, you might use different methods to evoke task manager.

Sharing is caring, an old saying says. I completely agree and that is reason enough for this article filled with sharing goodness. Holidays are coming and I hope that the holiday spirit is strong with you, that you will spend them in peace and with loved ones. All that being said wouldn’t it be great if you can spend some joy with close ones and share some of your games on their account so they can enjoy them as well? Well, you can and it is not complicated as well. Follow this easy guide to see how can you get someone’s account up and running with some of your games.

The steam Family sharing feature

The family Sharing feature inside Steam will let you share your games to another account so owners of that account can play games that you have purchased without the need to buy themselves. You can allow up to 5 accounts and 10 devices to play your library games, and owners of these accounts will have their own achievements. Be aware that enabling this option will place your entire library on the share, you will not be able to choose which games you would like to share and therefore any kind of parental controls are not applying here. Also know that once the game is running on one device, others will have to wait for one playing to finish before they can get a spin on it. Only the owner of the game can play whenever he wants as a priority but others will have to wait for the game to be not run by someone else.

How to Share Your Game Library

In order to share your game library have a person, you wish to share games with at his device on ready to go and enable steam guard on your account. To enable steam guard login into your account and on the top left corner click on Steam and then on Settings. Inside settings click on the Manage Steam Guard Account Security button. Choose the way of authentication either by mail or steam guard mobile app. Check Get Steam guard codes by email radio button and re-login into account.

Sharing Games on another Steam account

Now that Steam Guard is enabled on the primary account let’s share some games!!! Inside client again, in the top left click on Steam and again on settings. In the left panel choose and click on Family. Inside Family section check box beside Authorize Library Sharing on This Computer. Log out of your account and login into the client user account credentials you wish to share your library with (this is your friend or cousin account, they need to log in to Steam client on your computer but with their credentials). After they have successfully logged in, log them out and re-log with your account again. Now go again into Steam > Family and now you should see an account in the box at the bottom with the user name or your friend or relative. Confirm that this is an account that you wish to share the library with by clicking on the checkbox next to the name. Now let users login into the desired device with their credentials and they will have access to your entire library. Happy gaming!

Error Code 0xc004f050 – What is it?

Error code 0xc004f050 refers to a problem with activating the Windows key. The problem appears when you try to activate a copy of Windows by using Windows Activation wizard. This happens when the system becomes unstable and critical system files start missing. Though Windows 10 is a free upgrade for Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1 users, the activation error is still an issue. If you already had Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1 activated and did an upgrade successfully, then there should be no problem. This Problem Occurs only when you do a clean install.

Symptoms

When you try to activate a copy of Windows Vista or Windows 7 by using the Windows Activation wizard, you receive an error similar to the one below:

An error has occurred Code: 0xC004F050 Description: The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is invalid

Solution

Error Causes

• This causes due to an invalid product key.
• This problem may occur if the license validity interval has expired, or if the license is not signed correctly.
• Error Code 0xc004f050 occurs when the system becomes unstable and critical system files start missing.
• Improper way of installing, deletion of some very important system files, misconfigured system files, etc. may also cause this error.
• When you do a clean install, it wipes everything from the Primary Drive and after the install, windows can't find the Hardware ID which is used to verify your license.
• For Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Vista-based computers, this error may occur if you have entered the key for a beta version of the operating system while using the released version of the operating system.

Further Information and Manual Repair

This error is not something that can be fixed in seconds but will require some time and technical knowledge.

Method 1:

Re-insert the product key by using the Change Product Key tool:

1. Click Start, click Computer, and then click System properties on the toolbar.
2. In the Windows activation section, click Change product key.
3. If you are prompted for an administrator password, type the password or click Continue.
4. In the Product key box, type the product key, and then click Next.
5. Follow the steps in the Windows Activation Wizard to complete the activation process.

Method 2:

Activate Windows by using the automated telephone system:

1. Click Start, and then click Computer.
2. Click System properties on the toolbar, and then click Click here to activate Windows now in the Windows activation
3. If you are prompted for an administrative password, type it and click Continue.
4. Click Show me other ways to Activate.
5. Click Use the automated phone system and follow the instructions.

Method 3:

1. Clean install Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1 using the installation disk and activate your copy.
2. Now, download all the updates to see the Windows 10 Upgrade notification or download Windows Media Creation Tool and use the option Upgrade this PC to get Windows 10 right away.
3. Once the upgrade is done, check the Activation Status. It will be fully activated as it should be. The Error code 0xc004f050 should not appear anymore.

If you want to get rid of the old Windows installation folder, then use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a Flash Drive. Clean Install Windows 10. Now, every time when it asks for a product key, skip it. After installation is complete, Windows will automatically identify and activate your Copy. NOTE: Clean Install will make Sure you cannot roll back to your previous Windows 7 or Windows 8. So do it only if you are confident of using Windows 10 from here on. To verify the Windows activation status, follow these steps:

• Click the Start button, and then click Computer.
• Click System properties on the toolbar, and then view the activation status in the Windows activation section.

As you already know, the Windows Update mechanism in Windows 10 is a bit complex as it depends on thousands of files and services in order to properly function. There are DLL files and services that support this mechanism’s proper functioning. And so if there is any malfunction with any of these files or services, it will result in some errors when running Windows Update. One of these errors is the error code 0x8e5e0147 which has the following error message: “There was a problem installing some updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help – Error 0x8e5e0147” To fix this error, there are several methods you can try. You can run the Windows Update troubleshooter or reset the Windows Update components manually or clear the SoftwareDistribution folder and install the update manually. You could also reset the Windows Update Agent to default using a command in PowerShell.

Option 1 – Try to run the Windows Update troubleshooter

The first thing you can do to fix the Windows Update error code 0x8e5e0147 is to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. 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 2 – Try to reset the Windows Update components

If by any chance that the third option didn’t work, you can also try resetting the Windows Update components as it could also help you resolve the Windows Update error. How? Refer to the following steps:

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop cryptsvc
  • net stop bits
  • net stop msiserver

Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS and MSI Installer.

• After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
  • ren C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution/SoftwareDistribution.old
  • ren C:/Windows/System32/catroot2/Catroot2.old
• Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start cryptsvc
  • net start bits
  • net start msiserver
• Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.

Option 3 – Try downloading and installing the Windows Updates manually

Windows Update error code 0x8e5e0147 might be due to a Windows Update that has failed. So if it is not a feature update and only a cumulative update, you can download the Windows Update and install it manually. But first, you need to find out which update has failed, and to do so, refer to the following steps:

• Go to Settings and from there go to Update and Security > View Update History.
• Next, check which particular update has failed. Note that Updates that have failed to install will be displayed under the Status column which has a label of “Failed”.
• After that, go to the Microsoft Download Center and look for that update using its KB number and once you find it, download and then install it manually.

Note: You can also use the Microsoft Update Catalog, a service from Microsoft that provides a list of software updates that can be distributed over a corporate network. With the help of this service, it can be easier for you to find Microsoft software updates, drivers as well as fixes. Option 4 – Try to reset the Windows Update Agent Since you can’t update the Windows Update Agent on your Windows 10 computer manually, you can try resetting it instead and you can do it using the Reset Windows Update Agent tool which you can download from the official Microsoft website. This tool allows you to:

• • Scan all protected system file and replace the corrupted one’s (sfc /scannow)
  • Scan, detect, and repair corruptions in Windows system image
  • Clean up superseded components
  • Reset Windows Update components

• Change invalid values in Windows Registry
• Delete temporary files

Moreover, this tool also allows you to carry out these operations:

• Open Internet Explorer settings
• Search for Windows Updates
• Explorer for local or online solutions
• Restart your computer