Expand right-click menu in Windows 11

Error Code 0x800ccc13– What is it?

0x800ccc13 is an error message related to sending email using Outlook. Many people are receiving this error after making an upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. The error message appears when you try to send an email message with the use of a POP3 account or an IMAP account in an Outlook profile that has an Exchange Server 2010 mailbox configured. A common complaint would be: Since upgrading to Windows 10 I cannot send email from Outlook 2013. Mail stays in the Outbox, and I get: Error 0x800CCC13. Cannot connect to the network.

Symptoms

This problem may arise under the following situations:

• You are using Microsoft Office Outlook in online mode to connect to a Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 mailbox
• When you add an additional POP3 or IMAP account in the same Microsoft Outlook profile
• You are sending an attachment through email.
• You try sending an email by selecting POP3 or IMAP account as the sender

During these circumstances, the email message stays in the Outbox and you receive the following error message: Task '<the POP3 account or the IMAP account> - Sending' reported error (0x800CCC13): 'Unable to connect to the network. Check your network connection or modem.'

Solution

Error Causes

Error Code 0x800ccc13 occurs because the system files in Windows 10 during the upgrade became corrupted and most likely caused authentication issues. It can happen with any version of Outlook. Damaged data files will also cause error code 0x800ccc13 to manifest. Overall, the corruption of the Microsoft Windows System could be a result of an installation partially done (or an incomplete one), deletion of any application or hardware erroneously, and or malware or adware infestation.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Method 1:

Use the Windows System File Checker to repair corrupted files Verify that your SMTP, username, and password settings are correct. Now, in order to correct missing or corrupt Windows System files, try the following solution by running a command. This is known as the System File Checker. Follow the steps below to invoke the program using a command prompt command:

1. At first, you need to open the command prompt. To do so, right-click the Windows button in the bottom left of the screen, and select Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Now, enter the following command

sfc/scannow

When it is done, a message will confirm that Windows found some corrupt or missing files and it has successfully repaired those. Check the Outlook and see if your emails are sending. If the problem persists, don’t worry there is another way to solve this. Users have found another command helpful is using the NetShell utility from the command prompt, which is similar to the above solution.

1. Open the Command prompt by Right-clicking the Windows button in the bottom left of the screen and select Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Enter the following command

netshwinsosk reset

This helpful command will reset the network adapter to its default settings. Hope this will solve your problem. If not, you may want to try the Method 2 listed below.

Method 2:

For this method, you need to consider the following things:

• Are you using POP3, IMAP, or Exchange server for your email account?
• How many email accounts have you configured in your Outlook?
• Is there an undelivered email stuck in your Outbox?
• If you are trying to send an attachment, what is the size of the attachment?

Try the following:

1. Move or delete any undelivered email that is stuck in the Outbox folder, and then try sending an email and verify the result
2. Start Outlook in Safe Mode by following the instructions below

Hold down Windows key + R. Copy this command Outlook /safe Note, there is a space between Outlook and / Paste it in the open box and press Enter If Outlook in Safe Mode works, disable the add-ins by following the steps below and determine if the problem is caused by add-ins.

• Click File menu, click Options, Add-ins, Go button beside Manage Com-in Add.
• If there are add-ins listed, clear the checkbox.
• Close Microsoft Office and restart it.
• Disable the add-ins one at a time. Now, restart Outlook and repeat the procedure once more. If the problem appears again, it will help you find which add-in is causing the problem.

3. Start the computer using the clean boot. Now, try to send an email and see the result.
4. If the problem still lingers, create a new profile and configure the email account.

If you do not possess the technical expertise required to accomplish this yourself or do not feel comfortable doing so, download and install a powerful automated tool to get the job done.

As you know, each one of the applications that you use in your Windows 10 computer has its own set of permissions by default. These applications either allows or denies the interactions between a few other applications, depending on their own needs. This is why you might suddenly encounter a message that says,

“This app wants to access your pictures” or “This app wants to access your account info”

both of which are followed by two buttons that will ask you to Allow or Deny the action. You can always click on any of the given options. This will determine the permission of the application. Users in Windows 10 are given the option to either allow or deny applications in accessing their account information like name, picture and other account information. Thus, in this post, you will be guided on how you can change the Privacy settings of these apps to allow or deny them permission to access not just your account info but for all users, as well as specific apps in Windows 10. The user account information is part of the Privacy data in Windows 10 that you can control easily using the Settings app. In fact, you can revoke or grant access permission for your account information, all the users and specific applications to do that, follow each one of the instructions provided below carefully.

Allow or deny apps permission to account info for yourself:

Step_1: The first thing you have to do is open Settings. From there, select Privacy. Step_2: After that, scroll and look for Account info and select it. Step_3: Now turn off the toggle button for the “Allow apps to access your account info” option if you want to deny apps permission to your account info. But if you want to allow them access, simply turn the toggle button on. Keep in mind that when you allow access or permission, you can select which apps can access your picture, name, and other account info by simply using the settings on the page you’re currently in.

Now if you want to allow or deny apps to access your account info for all the users, here’s what you have to do:

Step_1: First, open Settings and click on the icon for Privacy. Step_2: Next, scroll down until you see the Account info located on the left side and then click on it. Step_3: After that, click on the Change button under the “Allow access to account info on this device” section. If you want to deny account info access for all other users, then turn the toggle button off. Doing so will automatically disable not just the account info access for all users but also for all the apps as well.

On the other hand, if you want to allow or deny account info access to specific apps, you can do so by following these steps:

Step_1: As you did earlier, go to Settings and click on the Privacy icon. Step_2: After that, scroll down and select Account info located on the left side. Step_3: Now turn on or off the toggle button under the “Choose which apps can access your account info” section if you want to deny or allow specific apps permission to access Account Info. If you’ve turned on the toggle button under the “Allow apps to access your account info”, all the apps get access permissions by default.

Microsoft just released Windows 11 Insider build 22000.71. Let’s dive in and see what it brings with you.

Changes and features

New entertainment widget. The entertainment widget allows you to see new and featured movie titles available in the Microsoft Store. Selecting a movie will direct you to the Microsoft Store to see more information about that title. Just open widgets and click or tap on the “Add widgets” button and choose the entertainment widget. For now, the entertainment widget is available for Insiders in the following countries: US, UK, CA, DE, FR, AU, JP. The new context menus and other right-click menus have been updated to use acrylic material. We are testing the usability of a SplitButton for making new folders and files in the File Explorer command bar. The Taskbar previews (when you mouse-over open apps on the Taskbar) have been updated to reflect the new visual design of Windows 11.

Fixes

Taskbar:

• We fixed an issue where if you drag app icons on the Taskbar to rearrange them, it was making the apps launch or minimize when you released the icon.
• Using a long press with a touch on an app icon in the Taskbar to open the jump list should now work.
• After right-clicking the Start icon in the Taskbar, clicking somewhere else should now dismiss the menu more reliably.
• Shift + Right-click on an app icon in the Taskbar will now bring up the window menu like it used to and not the jump list.
• We’ve addressed an issue that was making your mouse move slowly when hovering over the Taskbar previews.
• We’ve included the fix for an issue when using multiple Desktops where an app icon in the taskbar might give the appearance of multiple windows being open when that wasn’t the case on that Desktop.
• When using the Amharic IME you should no longer see an unexpected X next to the IME icon in the taskbar.
• The issue where if you click on the input indicator on the Taskbar and it would unexpectedly highlight Quick Settings has been fixed.
• When you hover over Task View, the preview flyout for your Desktops will no longer pop back up after using Esc to dismiss them.
• We made a fix to address an issue where explorer.exe might crash after hovering over the Task View icon in the Taskbar.
• We fixed an issue where the selected date in the calendar flyout was out of sync with the date in the Taskbar.
• We made an update to address a scenario resulting in some Insiders not seeing the lunar calendar text in the calendar flyout when enabled in Settings.
• This flight addressed an issue that could unexpectedly make the Taskbar background transparent.
• Right-clicking the focus assist icon in the taskbar should now show a context menu.
• The issue from the previous flight where icons in the taskbar corner were getting crushed against the top of the Taskbar has been addressed.
• The tooltip for the location in use icon in the Taskbar should no longer appear blank sometimes.

Settings:

• We fixed an issue making Settings crash on launch periodically.
• Using the volume mixer sliders in Sound Settings should be more responsive now, as well as the page responsiveness as a whole.
• We fixed an issue resulting in Disk and Volumes Settings’ change size option being clipped.
• There was a non-functional verify link under Backup Settings – this has been fixed.
• The Power and Battery Settings page should no longer be reporting that the battery saver is engaged if it’s not.
• The Power and Battery Settings page should also now not crash when launched from Quick Settings.
• We fixed a grammatical error in the Sign-in Settings text.
• The “I forgot my PIN” link was unexpectedly missing in Sign-in Settings when a PIN was set up and has now been returned.
• The issue where the Move option under Apps & Features in Settings wasn’t working reliably should be addressed in this build.
• We’ve mitigated a problem where some of the colors in Settings weren’t updating after switching between dark and light mode, leaving the unreadable text.
• We’ve done some work to help improve the performance of Settings when switching between light and dark mode.
• We addressed an issue where some of the elements of the Themes page in Settings would end up crowded together when the window size was small.
• We resolved an issue where the Pen menu toggle under Taskbar Settings was not in sync with the actual state of the feature.
• Changes made to “Dismiss notification after this amount of time” in Accessibility Settings should now persist.
• Some of the icons you could enable in Taskbar Settings were erroneously labeled Windows Explorer even though that’s not what they were – this should now be fixed.
• The Connect text in Quick Settings has been updated to say Cast.

File Explorer:

• Clicking the command bar button twice should now close any dropdown that appeared.
• The new command bar should now appear when “Open folders in a separate process” is enabled under File Explorer Options > View.
• This build addresses an issue where right-clicking a file and selecting Open With > Choose another app might launch the file in the default app rather than opening the Open With dialog.
• Fixed an issue the desktop and File Explorer context menu would stop launching.

Search:

• We fixed an issue where the option to verify your account in Search wasn’t working.
• Hovering over the Search icon on a secondary monitor will now show the flyout on the correct monitor.
• Search should now work if you open Start and start typing after having gone to the apps list and back.

Widgets:

• When using the Outlook client with a Microsoft account, Calendar, and To-Do updates should sync faster down to the widgets.
• We addressed an issue where if you added multiple widgets quickly from the widget's settings, it could result in some of the widgets not being visible on the board.
• We fixed a bug where widgets could all become stuck in a loading state (blank squares in the window).
• The traffic widget should now follow the Windows mode (light or dark).
• The title of the sports widget should no longer mismatch with the content of the widget.

Other:

• This build addresses an issue where ALT + Tab was getting stuck open sometimes after you released the keys and had to be manually dismissed.
• We made a fix for an issue where Narrator's focus wasn’t ending up on the emoji panel after using the keyboard shortcut to open it.
• Magnifier’s lens view has been updated so the lens now has rounded corners.
• We found an issue that was noticeably impacting Start launch reliability for some Insiders, and have addressed it with this flight.
• We’ve updated the “Most Used” text in the Start menu’s app list so it should no longer be getting clipped.
• Using the semantic zoom in Start’s app list should no longer result in the list being pushed down and to the right off the edge of the window.
• We fixed an issue where if you pressed ⊞ WIN + Z you would need to press Tab before you could use the arrow key to navigate through the snap layouts.
• We addressed an issue where an acrylic area could get left on the screen after repeatedly snapping and unsnapping a window with touch.
• We’ve done some work to mitigate an unexpected flash when moving a snapped window with touch.
• We made a change to help window borders have a little more contrast when “Show accent color on title bars and windows borders” was turned off.

Known issues in Windows 11 repaired

Start:

• In some cases, you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the Taskbar. If you experience the issue, press ⊞ WIN + R on the keyboard to launch the Run dialog box, then close it.
• Based on feedback, we are working on adding access keys to ⊞ WIN + X so that you can do things like “⊞ WIN + X M” to launch Device Manager. Insiders may see this functionality in this build, however, we are currently investigating an issue in which sometimes the option is unexpectedly unavailable.

Taskbar:

• There is an issue in this build where Explorer.exe will crash when the date and time button on the Taskbar is clicked to access new notifications with Focus Assist turned off. The workaround for this is to enable Focus assist to priority or alarms mode. Note that when focus assist is turned on, notification popups won’t appear, but they will be in the notification center when opened.
• The Taskbar will sometimes flicker when switching input methods.
• Taskbar previews may draw partially offscreen.

Settings:

• When launching the Settings app, a brief green flash may appear.
• When using Quick Settings to modify Accessibility settings, the settings UI may not save the selected state.
• The button to rename your PC doesn’t work in this build. If needed, this can be done using sysdm.cpl.
• Settings will crash when clicking “Facial recognition (Windows Hello)” under Sign-in Settings if Windows Hello is already set up.
• Reset this PC and Go back buttons in Settings > System > Recovery does not function. Reset and rollback can be accessed from the Windows Recovery Environment by selecting System > Recovery > Advanced startup, and pressing Restart now. Once in Windows Recovery, choose Troubleshoot.
• Choose Reset this PC to perform a reset.
• Choose Advanced options > Uninstall Updates > Uninstall latest feature update to perform a rollback.

File Explorer:

• exe crashes in a loop for Insiders using the Turkish display language when the battery charge is at 100%.
• When right-clicking the desktop or File Explorer, the resulting context menu and submenus may appear partially off-screen.
• Clicking a desktop icon or context menu entry may result in the wrong item being selected.

Search:

• After clicking the Search icon on the Taskbar, the Search panel may not open. If this occurs, restart the “Windows Explorer” process, and open the search panel again.
• When you hover your mouse over the Search icon on the Taskbar, recent searches may not be displayed. To work around the issue, restart your PC.
• The search panel might appear black and not display any content below the search box.

Widgets:

• Widgets board may appear empty. To work around the issue, you can sign out and then sign back in again.
• Launching links from the widgets board may not invoke apps to the foreground.
• Widgets may be displayed in the wrong size on external monitors. If you encounter this, you can launch the widgets via touch or WIN + W shortcut on your actual PC display first and then launch on your secondary monitors.

Store:

• The install button might not be functional yet in some limited scenarios.
• Rating and reviews are not available for some apps.

Windows Security:

• Device Security is unexpectedly saying “Standard hardware security not supported” for Insiders with supported hardware.
• “Automatic sample submission” is unexpectedly turned off when you restart your PC.

Localization:

• There is an issue where some Insiders may be missing some translations from their user experience for a small subset of languages running the latest Insider Preview builds. To confirm if you have been impacted, please visit this Answers forum post and follow the steps for remediation.

That's is so far, the latest update information on Windows 11 insider build. Stay tuned for more information when it comes as it comes.

If you are trying to run Windows Update but encountered an Error 0x80070003, read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix it. This kind of error in Windows Update can occur when you activate Windows Firewall or download from the Windows Store. This kind of error indicates that the Windows Update service or WUAUSERV is not started or that the Background Intelligent Transfer Service or BITS can’t be started. Aside from that, you can also encounter this error with the other Windows Update components. To fix the Windows Update error 0x80070003, you can try to run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter or replace the old Configuration file named “Spupdsvc.exe”. You can also try to reset the Windows Update components or check the status of all the Windows Update-related services, as well as run a System File Checker scan.

Option 1 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the things you can first check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update errors like error code 0x80070003. To run this troubleshooter, Refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• From there, click Update and Security and go to the Troubleshoot section.
• Next, select Windows Update and click the “Run the troubleshooter” button and wait until it’s finished, and then try to run Windows Update again.

Option 2 – Try replacing the old Configuration file named “Spupdsvc.exe”

The next thing you can do to fix the Windows Update error is to replace the Spupdsvc.exe file. This is a process file that comes under the Microsoft Update RunOnce service. So when an update becomes available for your computer, the process responsible for performing the upgrade is notified. In addition, the RunOnce entry is also added to the registry for the spupdsvc.exe and this process is executed when your computer restarts and when you log on.

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• Next, execute this command to replace the old configuration of the Spupdsvc.exe file with a new one: c m d (remove spaces on CMD) /c ren %systemroot%System32Spupdsvc.exe Spupdsvc.old
• After that, try to run Windows Updates again and check if the error is now gone.

Option 3 – Try deleting the files from the SoftwareDistribution folder and resetting the Catroot2 folder

The downloaded Windows Updates are placed in a folder called “SoftwareDistribution”. The files downloaded in this folder are automatically deleted once the installation is completed. However, if the files are not clean up or if the installation is still pending, you can delete all the files in this folder after you pause the Windows Update service. For complete instructions, refer to the steps below.

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Option 4 – Check the status of some Windows Update Services

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the following services and make sure that their Startup type is as follows:
  • Windows Update – Manual (Triggered)
  • Background Intelligent Transfer Service – Manual
  • Cryptographic Services – Automatic
  • Workstation Service – Automatic
• After that, check if the Service status of the listed services above are set to Running. If they’re not, click on the Start button to start these services and then check if the Windows Update error 0x80070003 is now fixed or not.

Option 5 – Run the System File Checker Scan

If manually resetting the Windows Update components didn’t work, you can run a System File Checker scan instead. It is a built-in command-line utility that replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the error when you try updating your computer. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

• Restart your computer.

Same as in Windows 10, Windows 11 also features a lock screen. IN this lock screen by default, you will see a clock and date above the standard Windows 11 background. Not all users will be happy with this choice but do not worry, you can choose and customize your lock screen to better suit your idea of it.

To personalize the lock screen do:

1. Right-click on Desktop and select Personalize
2. Click on the lock screen
3. Choose one of three options and customize it

   • Personalize Your Lock Screen

     this option will let you set a custom image or slideshow for your lock screen. Choose either one that best suits you. Under selecting picture or pictures for the slide show you can uncheck the option to see tips, tricks, and facts on your lock screen.

   • Lock screen status

     when clicking on this option you can select the application widget that you wish to be shown on the lock screen like weather, mail, calendar, etc. Choose if you would like one by clicking on it.

   • Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen

     as self-explanatory this switch will enable or disable chosen lock screen wallpaper on your login credentials screen.
4. Close settings

All settings will be automatically saved and applied and when you wish to lock the screen easiest way is to press ⊞ WINDOWS + L shortcut on your keyboard.

NDIS or Network Driver Interface Specification is a programming interface for the network interface cards that aids in the proper functioning of a system driver in a computer network. The NDIS helps the computer system in order to communicate with other connected devices and hardware components on a computer network. In relation, the ndis.sys file is a critical system file developed by Microsoft for the Windows operating system. As you know, sys files or system files are important parts of the Windows operating system as well as a repository of system driver settings used by Windows to communicate with the connected hardware and devices. The ndis.sys files are stored mostly in a driver folder at C:/Windows/System32/drivers and as mentioned, these files are essential for the system to function properly. Although the presence of ndis.sys system file is not yet known to affect the normal functioning of the Windows OS, some of the Windows 10 users reported that they encountered ndis.sys blue screen errors on their PCs. Blue Screen of Death errors or Stop errors usually occurs when you open a program or a function. Moreover, it could also occur when the driver gets loaded during the system startup or during system shutdown. It isn’t yet clear what really causes the ndis.sys blue screen error. However, like other Stop errors, it may occur due to corrupted files, misconfigured device drivers, bad drivers, corrupted Windows Registry, missing or damaged system files, and malicious programs. Aside from the aforementioned reasons, the ndis.sys blue screen error might also occur if your hard disk is damaged and if the RAM is corrupted. In such cases, a lot of users usually disable the ndis.sys file. However, it won’t really resolve the issue since the file is required for the normal functioning of the operating system and even when you disable the file, it’s pretty useless as the file will start all over again. In addition, you might want to disable security programs or firewalls and antivirus programs in the meantime to check if these programs are the ones that are causing the error. And if you’ve determined that none of the security programs or firewalls and antivirus programs are to blame, refer to the options below that might help you resolve the DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL or ndis.sys Blue Screen of Death error.

Option 1 – Try to update or reinstall the PC device driver

The Ndis.sys Blue screen error can occur when the device driver in your computer is outdated or corrupted. Thus, you either have to update or reinstall it to fix the issue.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. If you see a red or yellow sign that shows up against the driver, right-click on the driver’s name and select “Update Driver Software” or “Uninstall”. And if you find any “Unknown device”, you need to update it as well.
• Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
• Restart your PC.

Option 2 – Rollback your Network drivers

If you have updated the driver software as of late and you suddenly got this BSOD error, you might have to roll back the device driver – in other words, switch back to the previous working version. To do that, follow 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 it.
• Next, select the driver entries that are labeled appropriately other than anything in the context of the WAN Miniport.
• Then select each one of them and double-click to open a new mini window.
• After that, make sure that you’re on the Driver tab and if you are not, just navigate to it then click the Roll Back Driver button to switch back to the previous version of your Network adapters.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try running the System File Checker

The SFC or System File Checker scan could detect and automatically repair damaged system files that could be causing the ndis.sys Blue Screen of Death error. SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow and hit Enter.

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

Option 4 – Try running the CHKDSK utility

Running the CHKDSK utility might also help you resolve the Netwtw04.sys failed BSOD error. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the CHKDSK utility comes in. The CHKDSK utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /f /r

• Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.

Option 5 – Run the DISM Tool

The DISM tool is another command-line tool in the Windows operating system that could help users fix various corrupted system files. To use it, follow these steps:

• Open the Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in this command: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• The DISM command you entered will repair the corrupted system image. Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.
• Restart your PC.

Option 6 – Perform a System Restore

Performing a System Restore on your computer can also help you fix the ndis.sys Blue Screen of Death error. You can do this option either by booting into Safe Mode or in System Restore. If you are already in the Advanced Startup Options, just directly select System Restore and proceed with the next steps. And if you have just booted your PC into Safe Mode, refer to the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Windows 10 has a lot of several useful features and one of them is the Nearby Sharing feature. You can access this feature by going to Start > Settings > System > Shared experiences. From there, switch on the Nearby Sharing option and select the folder where you want to download the files to. This feature is really useful as it allows you to share files. However, there were reports from a number of users recently stating that Nearby Sharing is not working on their Windows 10 computers. If you are one of the users facing this problem, you might want to try checking if the Windows 10 v1803 Update is installed on your computer or not. You could also try to check if Bluetooth supports low energy mode or you could also try bringing the device closer or check if the adapter has Bluetooth version 4.0 or later. For more information, refer to each one of the given options below.

Option 1 – Try checking if Windows 10 v1803 Update is installed

To check if the Windows 10 v1803 Update is installed on your computer, go to Start > Settings > System > About. From there, scroll down to the Windows specifications and check the Version. If it is 1803 or above, then the Nearby Sharing feature should be active on your computer. However, if you find that Windows 10 v1803 Update is not installed yet, then you need to update your computer to its latest version and then see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 2 – Verify if Bluetooth supports low energy mode

Although low energy mode is not really necessary in using Nearby Sharing, there are some Bluetooth terminals that support low energy mode which makes a lot of difference. Thus, you need to check if Bluetooth in your computer supports low energy mode by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Device Manager.
• After that, expand the list of Bluetooth adapters, and then right-click on your adapter and select Properties.
• Go to the Details tab and select Bluetooth radio supports Low Energy Central Role from the drop-down menu and if its value says “<true>”, it means that your Bluetooth supports low energy mode, otherwise, it doesn’t.
• If your Bluetooth does not support low energy mode, then you might want to consider purchasing an external one.

Option 3 – Try bringing the devices closer

Nearby Sharing might not work if your devices are not close enough. Thus, you need to bring your devices closer together and see if it fixes the problem. And when you do, make sure that Network Sharing is switched on for all the concerned devices.

Option 4 – Make sure that you’re using Bluetooth version 4.0 or later

For you to use the Nearby Sharing feature, you have to make sure that the adapter for all the concerned devices is using Bluetooth version 4.0 or later. So if one of the devices or if all the devices are not using this version or later versions, then you must buy an external Bluetooth adapter for you to enjoy the Nearby Sharing feature.

If you encounter the BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO Blue Screen error in your Windows 10 PC, then read on as this post will guide you in fixing this issue. Usually, this kind of Blue Screen error is caused by some issues with the Boot Configuration Data file. The main issue inside of the Boot Configuration Data file is that either some boot order files or older files might be in conflict with the newer ones or the stable ones and thus triggering the BAD SYSTEM CONFIG INFO Blue Screen error. This kind of Stop error also indicates that there is an error in the Windows Registry which is why you need to update potential culprit drivers as well as edit some entries in the Registry if need be. But before you get started, make sure that you create a System Restore Point first. After creating a System Restore Point, try to boot your computer into Safe Mode and then restart your computer normally. However, if it doesn’t work, proceed to the given options below.

Option 1 – Run System Restore

Performing System Restore might help you in fixing the BAD SYSTEM CONFIG INFO Blue Screen error. You can do this option either by booting into Safe Mode or in System Restore. If you are already in the Advanced Startup Options, just directly select System Restore and proceed with the next steps. And if you have just booted your PC into Safe Mode, refer to the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Update or rollback your device drivers

If the first option didn’t work for you, then it’s time to either update or roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.

• 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.

Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.

Option 3 – Try fixing the Windows Registry files

In order to fix the Windows Registry files, you need to make a bootable Windows 10 USB drive and then boot your PC using it. To do so, refer to the steps below.

• Once you see the Welcome Screen, click on Next.
• Then click on the “Repair your computer” option located on the bottom-left section of the window.
• Next, click on Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute each one of the commands listed below in the sequence that they are given:
  • CD C:WindowsSystem32config
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32configDEFAULT DEFAULT.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32configSAM SAM.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32configSECURITY SECURITY.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32configSOFTWARE SOFTWARE.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32configSYSTEM SYSTEM.old
• After executing the commands given above, type in the next ones below and make sure to execute them in the given sequence below.
  • copy C:WindowsSystem32configRegBackDEFAULT C:WindowsSystem32config
  • copy C:WindowsSystem32configRegBackSAM C:WindowsSystem32config
  • copy C:WindowsSystem32configRegBackSECURITY C:WindowsSystem32config
  • copy C:WindowsSystem32configRegBackSYSTEM C:WindowsSystem32config
  • copy C:WindowsSystem32configRegBackSOFTWARE C:WindowsSystem32config
• Now type “exit” to close Command Prompt.
• Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

Option 4 – Run a Memory Check to test RAM

On the other hand, you can also fix the BAD SYSTEM CONFIG INFO Blue Screen error by running a Memory Check using the Windows Memory Diagnostic. Refer to these steps to do so.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “mdsched.exe” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic.
• After that, the Windows Memory Diagnostic will give out two options such as:

1. Restart now and check for problems (recommended)
2. Check for problems the next time I start my computer

• Select any of the given options. After that, your computer will restart and check for memory-based issues upon the restart. If there are any issues, it will automatically them.

Option 5 – Rebuild BCD files and repair MBR files

Like what you did on the third option above, you also have to make a bootable Windows 10 USB drive for this option and then boot your Windows 10 PC using it.

• Once you get to the Welcome Screen part, click on Next.
• Afterward, click on the Repair your computer option located on the bottom-left part of the window.
• Then click on Troubleshoot.
• Next, select the Advanced Options and then Command Prompt.
• Once Command Prompt has been pulled up, enter each one of the following commands and in the sequence that they are given to rebuild BCD files and repair MBR files:
  • bootrec /repairbcd
  • bootrec /osscan
  • bootrec /repairmbr

• Now type “exit” to close Command Prompt and then restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

If you were trying to copy, move modify or delete a folder or a file in your computer but you’re not able to do so and encountered an error instead that says, “Could not find this item, This is no longer located in <path>, Verify the item’s location and try again”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can fix this error. You can encounter this error when you delete, rename, open or copy a certain file which is often created by third-party software and lacks important information like file format, and so on. Although you can see these files in File Explorer, you might not be able to perform some operations in them. To fix this problem, you need to check out the given suggestions below.

Option 1 – Try to rename the file via Command Prompt

If you were trying to rename the file but unable to do so, you can achieve that by executing a command in Command Prompt. Make sure to follow the steps carefully.

• Type in “Command Prompt” In the Start menu to search for it or you could also click the search button right next to the Start menu and then right-click on the related result and select the option “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Next, type in “cd” followed by the path where the file is located with this format – “C:/Folder1/Folder2/Folder3”. However, you have to omit the problematic file this time. To put it simply, the last folder in the command must be the folder where the file is located.
• After inputting the command, press Enter on your keyboard and then use the set of commands given below. Note that each command is a new line so you need to tap Enter after copying each line.
  • DIR /A /X /P
  • RENAME (the current name of the problematic file) (a non-problematic name)
  • EXIT

Note: Make sure that you only input the current name and the new name separated by a space. You must not write the brackets in the command. If everything goes well, you will now be able to operate the file like you used to before.

Option 2 – Try to delete the file using Command Prompt

On the other hand, if you were trying to delete the file instead of renaming it, you can execute another command in Command Prompt.

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges like what you did earlier.
• Once you’ve opened Command Prompt, copy and paste the command given below and tap Entre after you do so. You also have to make sure that you key in the correct path where the file is located as well as its name.

rd /s \?X:badfolderpath

Note: In the command above, “X” is the placeholder letter so you must input the letter that corresponds to the drive’s letter where the file is located.

• After that, you will see the “Operation completed successfully” message on your screen. If you don’t, check if you’ve really inputted the correct location of the file or its name.

Option 3 – Delete the file without any extension

If the file you were trying to delete does not have an extension, this means that Windows does not know what to do with this file which is why it’s throwing an error message. The best thing to do in such cases is to delete the file especially if it takes up a lot of memory. To delete these kinds of files, here’s what you have to do:

• Follow the first two steps from the previous option above so you can navigate to the location of the file accurately just be careful in inputting the folders.
• Don’t forget to tap Enter right after each command and then use the next command below so you can delete the affected file which has no extension:

del *.*

• After you’re done, open the File Explorer and then check if the file is now deleted or not.

Afraid of the growing threats online? As you should be. But we’re here to show you what kinds of malware are out there and what you can do to keep them at bay.

Malware definition

Malware comes from the term malicious software. It’s software designed to attack and exploit devices and networks to the advantage of the hacker who made it.

Malware can be transmitted in different ways. Most commonly this happens via infected USB drives, downloadable files or malicious websites. Depending on the type and ultimate goal, the consequences of a malware attack can range from negligible to catastrophic.

What kinds of malware are there?

1. Virus

A virus is typically spread via infected files, websites or links. It’s one of the oldest malware types and one of the most difficult to get rid of. That’s because, once activated, it replicates itself - hence the name. 

It can perform different kinds of attacks, depending on what the creator wants to achieve. The main characteristic of a virus is that it really doesn’t show itself until you activate the host. So that’s a scary thought for sure.

2. Adware

Sometimes an ad blocker isn’t enough to fight off unwanted ads. And some of them can, unfortunately, be malicious. They may redirect you to infected sites or prompt downloads of risky files. Even just opening a malicious site can lead to data theft.

So, definitely be careful when clicking around. Even if an ad seems completely legitimate, you can never be too sure.

3. Ransomware

Through ransomware, cybercriminals gain access to a user’s data and use it to extort them for money. Basically, the user is threatened with data deletion or even exposure if a ransom isn’t paid by a specific deadline.

This is a particularly nerve-wracking type of malware. If it targets an individual, it preys upon their sense of anxiety, fear, guilt and even shame. If it targets a business (which is a lot more common), it preys upon not only that business’s profit but also every single one of their customers and their data.

4. Trojans

This type of malware disguises itself very well as a legitimate-looking program. Once you download it, hackers can get full access and control of your device, data and network. They can even be hidden in games, apps and attachments. They cannot self-replicate, though, so we guess that’s… good news?

5. Worms

Worms can replicate, just like viruses, but you don’t need to actually activate the infected program for them to get going. They can be used for various purposes, ranging from data deletion to file encryption to support a ransomware attack.

6. Spyware

Spyware refers to malicious software that stays hidden on your computer and monitors your activity. The best-known type is keyloggers. This can be used to steal sensitive data like passwords and banking information.

7. Rootkits

Rootkits are among the most dangerous types of malware. They allow administrative access and full control of a device, which lets hackers continue hijacking all your data and monitoring your activity without your knowledge.

8. Botnets

Botnets are networks made up of bots - computers that cybercriminals have infected with malicious software. Bots and botnets give hackers remote access to users’ devices and allow them to spy on your camera, take screenshots, memorize passwords and launch Distributed Denial of Service attacks. This one truly makes your hair stand on end.

What can you do about it?

You know the old adage - better safe than sorry. And trust us, malware attacks are such a pain in the you-know-what that you really don’t want to be sorry.

Luckily, there are simple solutions that can shield you from most digital threats these days. What you want to be looking at is a solid antivirus program. Well, technically, you need an antimalware program, but since the latter evolved from the former, we still mostly refer to them as antivirus software.
The majority of antimalware programs these days don’t just shield you from potential risks online, but include additional features as well. For example, some Bitdefender antivirus packages also include parental control and a VPN. And Bitdefender is not just for PCs either - it offers protection for your beloved iPhone or Android as well. You can throw in a password manager in there too, for an additional layer of security.

If you aren’t too concerned about all these various threats or feel like you don’t need extra security, you can at least take a step to protect your information from being exposed to lurking cybercriminals as you’re browsing. This can be done through a good VPN like Surfshark, which hides your identity in the digital space and prevents your data from being tracked.

Choosing the right protective software is especially important if you have children with access to the Internet, since they’re unfortunately even more vulnerable to malicious attacks. If you aren’t sure what the right kind of antimalware program is right for you, you can reach out to us and we’ll be happy to help keep your entire household or office digitally secure.

The bottom line

The truth is that there’s no way to be 100% protected in the online world. Hackers are constantly coming up with new ways to infiltrate our devices. But malware-battling software evolves along with them and there’s still plenty you can do to keep risks away. Stay safe!