Everything You Need to Know About Disk Partitioning
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.
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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.
Source Andrew M on Unsplash
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.
When you receive Error 0x800704C8 when trying to move a file inside Windows 10 operation is stopped and it can not continue leaving you with the file in its original location without a copy. Several issues can be the cause of this type of behavior and error and after some digging and analyzing we are bringing you various solutions for this error and how to fix it.
Ownership issues
It turns out that not having ownership of fie can cause this error and prevent you from copying it. For some reason, Windows can assume that file is owned or used by another application or process and thus prevents you from making a copy since you do not have ownership of it. Resolving this particular issue will require you to install a third-party application that is tailored for this kind of task.
After some talk and research, we found out that there is a freeware application that can solve this issue quite fastly. Unlocker is the name and the download link is here. Once downloaded, install it and run it. Once inside the application browse to the location where you need to change the ownership, click on it to select it, and click OK.
Use the No Action drop drown menu to select Move, then click OK
Antivirus Issue
As with other file and application issues, this error could also be a product of antivirus marking it inaccessible to Windows and thus preventing copy or move operation on it.
note: Do not turn off Windows defender since it was proven that it is not the cause of this kind of error, so if you are using only Windows defender you can skip this solution.
How temporary turning off each security suite is different and it depends on the application itself we can not cover in detail the procedure here. Go to your security suite manufacturer's website and get information there or if you want, go directly to applications and features inside Windows and uninstall the software.
Visual Studio issue
If the file you are trying to move is part of a Visual Studio project then the issue can be linked directly to Visual Studio itself, luckily the solution is quite easy. All you have to do it to exit Visual Studio and then run it with administrator privileges.
In order to run Visual Studio with elevated privileges locate its executable file and right-click on it.
Choose properties and go to the compatibility tab
Inside compatibility tab check box that says run this program as an administrator
Corrupted system files
If the previous solutions have 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:
Run SFC scan
SFC scan is a built-in Windows tool for solving corrupted system file 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
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
BSOD or Blue Screen of Death errors are one of the most common errors you can encounter on your Windows PC. One of these BSOD errors is the “ACPI_BIOS_ERROR”. If you suddenly get this error, it means that there is some problem in booting the operating system from your hard drive or Windows was not properly installed on your PC. In addition, this error could also mean that there is something wrong with the CMOS battery located in the motherboard.
Unlike other BSOD errors, the workaround for this error is a bit different as these workarounds require a bit more expertise in updating the BIOS as well as setting the correct boot configuration. If you know are capable enough in troubleshooting the problem, refer to the instructions laid out below to fix the BSOD “ACPI_BIOS_ERROR”.
Option 1 – Try to remove the SSD and update the BIOS
The first thing you have to do is to check the primary storage devices on your PC. If you have just installed a new hard drive or SSD recently on your computer, then it’s most likely the cause of the BSOD error. Moreover, you should also ensure that your BIOS is up-to-date to the latest available build.
Remove the SSD/HDD and inject a different HDD that was already preinstalled in your Windows PC.
After that, update the BIOS to the latest available build. After updating it, insert the old SSD/HDD and then try to boot your PC again. The problem should be fixed now. If not, refer to the next given option.
Option 2 – Try to check the CMOS battery and reset the CMOS module
As mentioned earlier, the CMOS battery might also be the one that’s causing the problem. It is a physical component of the motherboard and is a memory chip that contains all the settings configuration on your computer and is also powered by a battery. So if your battery loses power, the CMOS will be reset and as a result, all the configurations will be gone as well. It is also possible that the CMOS module is not properly working and every time things are saved, they are properly written due to the battery. That’s why you have to consider changing the CMOS battery and see if it fixes the problem. In addition, you also have to make sure that you completely reset the CMOS module and then try booting your PC again.
Option 3 – Try to check the BIOS settings
If the BIOS settings are incorrect, chances are that’s the reason why you’re getting the “ACPI_BIOS_ERROR” BSOD error. Every BIOS has different settings which you can make use of to enhance your computer experience. So make sure that your BIOS is up-to-date and that the settings are in accordance with your requirement.
Another thing you can try is to disable the Legacy USB and the Legacy BIOS in the BIOS settings if you are trying to install a 64 bit Windows version. Make sure that you also enable AHCI before plugging in the installation drive on your PC. Moreover, ensure that your PC is using IDE or Integrated Drive Electronics mode instead of SATA or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. Aside from that, try to check the extracted setup if it is in NTFS format, if it is, you should extract the ISO in FAT32 and use it to install Windows.
Option 4 – Try to reset the ACPI Compliant Control Method
ACPI or Advanced Configuration and Power Interface provide an open standard that operating systems can use to detect hardware, perform power management, as well as monitor the status of your device and provide information for other processes. Chances are, there are some misconfigurations with this module on your PC that lead to believing that there is no battery present. That’s why you need to reset it and see if it fixes the BSOD error or not.
Boot your PC into Safe Mode.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Type in “devmgmt.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Device Manager.
After opening the Device Manager, go to the “Batteries” section and click it to expand it and then right-click on the “Microsoft ACPI-Complaint Control Method Battery” option and click on Uninstall.
After you disable the module, click on any empty space and then click the “Scan for hardware changes” option.
Then check if you can now boot your PC normally and without the BSOD error.
As you know, Excel sheet is frequently acclaimed as one of the most useful software that allows users to create spreadsheets, crunch numbers as well as prepare a business report. Usually, tapping the arrow keys to move from one cell to another. However, there are times when you might experience trouble in tapping them – for instance, they won’t work when you tap them.
This kind of problem can be quite frustrating since no matter what you do, especially when you tap the arrow keys, instead of a single cell, it moves the entire spreadsheet. If you are one of the users who experience this problem, worry no more for this post will guide you on what you can do to fix it.
When arrow keys won’t function as intended in Excel spreadsheets, it could be due to unintended behavior of the Scroll key or it could be related to some issues with the keyboard driver. Whatever the cause is, here are some suggestions you can check out to fix it.
Option 1 – Try to disable the Scroll Lock
The first thing you can do to fix this problem with arrow keys is to disable the Scroll Lock. Although doing this is easy, newer laptops don’t actually come with it so if your keyboard does not come with a scroll key, all you have to do is tap the Fn key and disable Scroll Lock. Aside from that, you could also use the on-screen keyboard to turn off the Scroll Lock. You will see its status on the Excel sheet which will help you to double-check. Moreover, you could also tap the Shift + F14 keys to toggle off the Scroll Lock. To use the on-screen keyboard to turn off Scroll Lock, follow the steps below.
Tap the Windows key and type “on-screen keyboard” and then tap Enter.
Once the on-screen keyboard is opened, you should see that the Scroll Lock is on the “On” position since the ScrLk keys are in blue.
Like pointed out earlier, you can utilize the Scroll Lock indicator located in the status bar as well as disable or enable the scroll key by using this feature on Microsoft Excel.
Option 2 – Try turning on the Sticky key
If disabling the Scroll Lock did not fix the problem, you can try turning on the Sticky Key instead. A lot of users reported that this option fixed the problem for them. So you should try to turn on the Sticky key and to do that, follow the steps below.
First, type “control panel” in the Start Search and click on Control Panel from the search results.
Next, select the “Turn On Sticky Keys” option and click on OK.
After that, go back and uncheck the “Turn On Sticky Keys” option. This should fix the malfunctioning arrow keys on Excel.
Option 3 – Try running the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
The first thing you can do to fix the problem is by running the Hardware Troubleshooter. Although it won’t make much of a difference, there’s still a possibility that it could automatically fix the problem with these function keys. To use it, refer to these steps:
The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.
Option 4 – Update the keyboard driver
You can also update the keyboard driver to fix the problem. There are cases when an outdated or corrupted driver can fix the problem. To do so, follow the steps below.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.
From there, look for the keyboard driver and click on it.
Next, right-click on the keyboard driver and select the Update driver option.
After that, click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option to proceed.
Option 5 – Reinstall the keyboard driver
If updating the keyboard driver didn’t help, then you might want to reinstall it. How? Follow the steps below.
Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
Type in 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. Look for the keyboard driver, right-click on it and then select “Uninstall device”.
After that, unplug the device and restart your PC.
Then plug your device back in. Assuming your device is connected to your PC, open the Device Manager again.
Next, click on the Action button and click the Scan for hardware changes button. That should fix the problem
Note: You could also completely uninstall the driver and go directly to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver for your hardware and then install it.
You can prevent starting of app installations files if they have not come from the MS store inside Windows 11.
This can make your PC more secure because all apps in the store will have to be digitally signed and overall it can provide you with more control over what will be installed.
Follow the guide below to find out how can you easily turn this feature ON.
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open Windows settings
Select Apps and then choose Apps & Features
Click on Choose where to get apps to bring a drop-down menu
Select The Microsoft Store only (Recommended)
Close settings
Settings will apply changes immediately and you continue using Windows right away.
With these settings turned ON if you want to install a downloaded application or run the installer you will not be able to, and message The app you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft-verified app will show on your screen.
You can always reverse this setting by choosing Anywhere in settings instead of Microsoft store only.
The GDI32.DLL is a DLL (Dynamic Link Library) file that was developed by Microsoft. It is an essential file of the Windows OS as it contains instructions and information for exe files to follow.
These DLL files also use to store the various procedures and codes for the Windows programs. It is considered an essential component of Windows because it ensures that all the programs on Windows are operating properly.
So, if the gdi32.dll not found on your computer, then it can negatively impact your computer and the associated programs. Though DLL files used to be so efficient and convenient, they are extremely vulnerable to errors and issues.
Perform SFC scan
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the Windows menu
From the menu choose command prompt (admin)In command prompt type sfc /scannow and press ENTER
Leave the computer for the operation to be completed and Reboot your computer
Run DISM
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the Windows menu
From the menu choose command prompt (admin)in command prompt type: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and press ENTER
wait for the process to be finished and Reboot your computer
Update device driver
Go to your manufacturer's website and update drivers for your components with the latest versions.
Update Windows
If you have an update ready for Windows, update it and see if this will remove the error
Scan computer for malware
Perform a full PC scan for malware to see if this is causing issues with the GDI32.DLL error.
Download file
One solution is to download a file from the official site and place it in the corresponding folder.
Perform System restore
Rollback system restore before the issue happened and your Windows will be working as intended
In recent times, some Windows 10 users have seen an error code BCM20702A0, when using Bluetooth and they are concerned as to what it is all about. We can say for certain that it has something to do with your Bluetooth driver. The error message in question is:
The drivers for this device are not installed. There are no compatible drivers for this device.
The problem here tends to no longer allow specific Bluetooth components to properly communicate with your Windows 10 operating system. It also affects laptops that do not have native Bluetooth support; therefore, the manufacturer installed a dongle on the inside to deliver the service. This is not the best way to do things because native support is always better. On the other hand, maybe you’re using a Broadcom USB Bluetooth dongle that is acting up, and as such, the error is showing.
Below are solutions provided for this particular error and how to eliminate it.
Run the Bluetooth Troubleshooter
Press ⊞ WINDOWS to open the menu and select settings
In settings choose Update & Security
Go to troubleshoot and on the right panel click on additional troubleshooters
Click on Bluetooth
Select Run the troubleshooter, then sit back and allow the tool to do its thing. Once you’ve completed the task, click on Apply this fix if any repairs are needed
Reboot your computer
Install Broadcom driver from official website
Windows drivers for Broadcom Bluetooth devices are no longer posted on their website. They should be available through Microsoft’s Windows Update service. If drivers were not downloaded automatically by Windows Update, use Device Manager to refresh the driver from Windows Update.
However, the Broadcom Bluetooth drivers seem to be available here on the Lenovo website. To fix the BCM20702A0 driver error, you may download and install them.
After downloading it, right-click on the downloaded item, and select Run as administrator. After installation, restart your computer, then check again if it works.
Remove all Bluetooth drivers and USB controllers
If previous solutions did not work, go to device manager and remove all Bluetooth devices along with all USB controllers.
Reboot your computer and Windows will automatically reinstall and set all devices.
Code 19 is a Windows PC error code that indicates a damaged or corrupt registry. This code usually appears when trying to start a connected device, the DVD/ CD ROM drive. Code 19 is a type of Device Manager Error code.
When you experience Code 19, the error message is displayed on your Windows screen in either of the following formats:
"Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. To fix this problem you should uninstall and then reinstall the hardware device. (Code 19)"
"Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. To fix this problem you can first try running a Troubleshooting Wizard. If that does not work, you should uninstall and then reinstall the hardware device. (Code 19)"
You might encounter other error messages such as error code 42.
Error Causes
Typically the underlying cause of this error code is problems in the registry. The error should be fixed timely without any delays before the damage sets in. Registry issues are critical PC errors. If not resolved it can lead to system freeze, crash, and failure.
You are most likely to lose all your important data.
Further Information and Manual Repair
If you have come across this error on your computer, you don’t need to panic.
Though this is a serious issue the good news is that it is easy to resolve. You don’t have to be a computer programmer, technically sound or hire a technician to fix the error on your system.
Here are a couple of ways to work your way out of this problem:
1. Uninstall and then Reinstall the DVD/CD ROM Drive
For this here’s what you need to do: simply click on the start menu, and type Device Manager in the search box, and press enter. When the device manager window opens locate the DVD/CD ROM drives.
Click on the + sign to expand it. Now right click on the DVD drive click uninstall. After doing this, restart your PC. On the restart, Windows should automatically detect and reinstall the DVD driver. Once the driver installation is complete now see if the DVD drive works.
If the error still appears, then you need to repair the registry by deleting the corrupt registry entries. You can download drivers automatically by using a tool such as Restoro.
2. Trouble Shooting Method to Delete the Corrupt Registry Entries
To remove the corrupt registry entries, go to Start and select Run.
Type ‘Regedit and press enter to open the registry editor windows. To continue you may be asked to enter the administrator password, insert it to proceed. Now the registry window will be displayed.
Here locate the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then navigate to the following sub registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
Here you will see the upper filters registry entry in the right pane. Right-click on the upper filter and select delete. You will be prompted for the confirmation for deletion. Click on the yes tab to confirm. Exit the editor and restart your computer.
If you are not technically sound, this may be a little confusing for you, and besides it does not guarantee to resolve all the registry issues on your PC so chances are that Code 19 error may reappear in a short time.
To resolve registry issues for the longest time and ensure that errors like Code 19 don’t pop up every now and then, you need to perform proper and in-depth registry cleaning. For this, it is advisable to download Restoro.
Hello everyone and welcome to another great tutorial from errortools.com I hope everyone is feeling great and that you are prepared to boost the performance of your computer. This time we will speed up Windows startup time and overall performance by eliminating startup programs that we don't need and do not use.
Microsoft itself and some application developers tend to have some applications or some services always active and set to be loaded on Windows startup. If you want to change which of these applications are starting up with your Windows and change them, follow this easy guide and you will be speeding up your Windows in no time.
First thing is to open a task manager, fastest and most direct way of doing this is with a keyboard combination of CTRL + SHIFT + ESCWhen Task Manager opens, click on the startup tab on top.
Once you click on startup you will get a list of applications that are set to be started when Windows is booted.
You can now click on the application and then click on disable on the bottom button, the application status will update in task manager to disabled and it will not be booted anymore when Windows starts. In this same manner, you can enable back some applications if you changed your mind about them.
Please note that some applications are using some services and must have them running or they will not work properly. The best practice is to disable applications you are positive you will not use or use rarely so you do not want them to slow down Windows.
If you are trying to connect to the internet using a Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or a Wi-Fi connection and you suddenly encounter Error 633, then read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix this problem in your Windows 10 computer.
According to users who encountered the same problem, when they try to connect to the internet, an error pops up that states, “The modem or other connecting device is either already in use or not appropriately configured”. This error is the VPN Error 633 which indicates that the modem is malfunctioning due to some broken configuration. It is possible that this broken configuration is caused by the WAN Miniport device which is associated with your preferred VPN protocol. It could also be due to the TCP port that’s required for the VPN connection to work might be used by another application.
There are instances when Error 622 could occur when there are multiple internet connections set up on one device or when the communication port is exploited by another program. It could also occur when the affected modem is not bound to one specific device. Thus, any model and computer can be affected by this problem.
The first and basic thing you can do to fix the VPN Error 633 is to turn off or unplug the modem your computer is using and then plug it back in to see if the problem is fixed. If not, then there are several other potential fixes you need to check out to resolve the problem. You can try the suggestions provided below and see if any of them help.
Option 1 – Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter
Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.
Option 2 – Try to explicitly reserve the TCP port
The next thing you can do to fix the error is to reserve the TCP port explicitly and to do that, follow the steps below.
Tap the Win + R keys to pull up the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesTcpipParameters
After that, follow the path New > Multi-String Value on the edit menu and rename the multi-string value as “ReservedPorts” and then double click on it.
Now in the value data of ReservedPorts, input “1723-1723” and click OK to save the changes made.
Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC. Once your computer has restarted, check if the VPN Error 633 is fixed or not.
Option 3 – Try to use the netstat command
In the Windows Start Search, type “cmd” and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
After opening Command Prompt as admin, type this command and hit Enter: netstat –aon
After that, the output will be displayed and from there, look for the process ID or PID of any program that uses the TCP port 1723 on your computer.
Next, type this next command and hit Enter: taskkill /PID PID /F
Once the command has been executed, the concerned program will be forced to close and the TCP port 1723 will be freed up. Keep in mind that the taskkill command ends the process corresponds to the process ID number and the given command above, “/F” option is used to end the program’s process forcefully.
Now restart your computer and after that, the concerned program should start using a TCP port other than 1723 which leaves the TCP port 1723 free for your internet device to use.
Option 4 – Remove any irrelevant internet device programs
You could also try removing any irrelevant device programs since it is possible that any of these programs could be the one that’s causing the modem to malfunction. These irrelevant programs could be an internet booster or third-party tools that comes with the modem and so on. These programs are not necessarily needed for your modem to function. Thus, if you want to fix the VPN Error 633, you can try uninstalling them and see if it fixed the error.
Option 5 – Update the Network Adapter drivers
You might also want to update the Network Adapter drivers by following these steps:
Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand them.
Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and update them all.
Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the BSOD error.
Note: If updating the network drivers didn’t help in fixing the VPN Error 633, you can also try to uninstall the very same drivers and restart your Windows 10 PC. After that, the system itself will reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled. Alternatively, you can also download and install the drivers from the manufacturer’s website directly.
To reinstall the network adapter driver, refer to these steps:
Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.
Disk cleanup is part of Windows 10 tools and it is essential in keeping your computer up and running in optimal settings and to free so much needed space as well as remove temporary files that can accumulate over time.
Using disk cleanup from time to time is recommended and a very useful habit that will save you some headaches and optimize your computer running time, speed up boot sequence, etc. Think of it like cleaning up your desk, from time to time it can get too overwhelmed with junk and non-important things and if you are keeping it tidy all the time each time you need to find something it will be much faster and easier, same goes with computers, so if you do not have it, try to develop a habit that once per month you start disk clean up and remove trash from your hard drive.
In order to do so, press ⊞ WINDOWS + E to bring File Explorer up
Once File Explorer is up and running right-click on the hard drive you wish to run disk cleanup on and click on properties.Properties Windows will open on the general tab, on that tab you have disk cleanup on the lower right part of properties, click on it.
Wait for Windows to gather information about your hard drive and files on it. After it is finished you will be greeted with the next screen:
Here you can thick and mark which items you would like to get rid of and which ones you would like to keep. Note that you can freely tick all of them and remove them since removing these files will not break WIndows in any way. make your choices and click on ok. You can also click on Clean up system files to run system files cleaner and get rid of junk there, you will not be able to choose any options there, Windows will alone clean up what is not needed.
After disk cleanup is finished least thing you will have is more free disk space, but like mentioned, keeping your Windows and computer healthy goes a long way in its usability, speed, and performance.
You can prevent starting of app installations files if they have not come from the MS store inside Windows 11.
This can make your PC more secure because all apps in the store will have to be digitally signed and overall it can provide you with more control over what will be installed.
Follow the guide below to find out how can you easily turn this feature ON.
From the menu choose command prompt (admin)
In command prompt type sfc /scannow and press ENTER
Leave the computer for the operation to be completed and Reboot your computer
When Task Manager opens, click on the startup tab on top.
Once you click on startup you will get a list of applications that are set to be started when Windows is booted.
You can now click on the application and then click on disable on the bottom button, the application status will update in task manager to disabled and it will not be booted anymore when Windows starts. In this same manner, you can enable back some applications if you changed your mind about them.
Please note that some applications are using some services and must have them running or they will not work properly. The best practice is to disable applications you are positive you will not use or use rarely so you do not want them to slow down Windows. 
Once File Explorer is up and running right-click on the hard drive you wish to run disk cleanup on and click on properties.
Properties Windows will open on the general tab, on that tab you have disk cleanup on the lower right part of properties, click on it.
Wait for Windows to gather information about your hard drive and files on it. After it is finished you will be greeted with the next screen:
Here you can thick and mark which items you would like to get rid of and which ones you would like to keep. Note that you can freely tick all of them and remove them since removing these files will not break WIndows in any way. make your choices and click on ok. You can also click on Clean up system files to run system files cleaner and get rid of junk there, you will not be able to choose any options there, Windows will alone clean up what is not needed.
After disk cleanup is finished least thing you will have is more free disk space, but like mentioned, keeping your Windows and computer healthy goes a long way in its usability, speed, and performance. 