How to Fix Windows 10 Error Code 0x80072F8F

We’ve already covered disabling Security Questions If you want to disable Security Questions on your Windows 10 computer then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in doing exactly that. In this post, you will be disabling Security Questions using a PowerShell script. This PowerShell script is called “Update-AllUsersQA”. It is designed to remove or disable the security questions and answers for local users on a Windows 10 computer. It lets administrators take control of the security questions in the environment and at the same time minimizes the risk that comes with them. If a user has a Microsoft account that’s configured to sign in to Windows 10 then he will not probably notice the Password Recovery questions. On the other hand, if he has a chosen local account for installing Windows, he will e prompted to create three security questions that can be used to reset the password and log into the Windows 10 account in case there is any misfortune. However, if you do not have much use for these Security Questions, then you can definitely have them disabled using a simple PowerShell script which you can download from GitHub. For more details on how to disable security questions in a Windows 10 machine, refer to the steps provided below. Step 1: You need to first download the .ps1 file from the GitHub repository. Step 2: Once you’ve downloaded the file, open the PowerShell window with admin privileges. Step 3: After that, navigate to the folder where you had saved the .ps1 file. Then copy the address of the folder location. Step 4: Next, change the directory by using the following command:

cd "folder location address"

Step 5: After that, enter the following script to disable the security questions:

Update-AllUsersQA

Once you’ve completed the steps above, the Security Questions should be disabled and you will be notified with a message stating that the feature has been disabled. On the other hand, if you have a change of heart and you want to enable the Security Questions back, here are some steps you need to take: Step 1: First, open the PowerShell window as admin. Step 2: Next, run the same script with one more parameter such as:

Update-AllUsersQA -answer SecretAnswer

Step 3: And that’s about it. Do not forget to replace the Secret Answer with your preferred one and once you’re done, it will be set as the answer for all the Security Questions. Step 4: Now all that’s left to do is go to the Settings app to change the answer to the questions and you should be good to go.

Error Code 0xc00000fd - What is it?

In its most basic essence, Error Code 0xc00000fd appears when a program can not be initiated. It can occur when a file or program is corrupted, incompatible with the current version of the operating system, or out of date.

This error code occurs primarily in Windows but is also present in previous editions of the operating system. The symptoms of this error and the resolution methods for each of these systems are essentially resolved in the same way.

Common symptoms include:

• Failure of programs to open properly, even if they were able to be opened in the past
• The appearance of an error message stating that the application couldn’t be started correctly

There are several different things that Windows 10 users can do to try to fix the appearance of Error Code 0xc00000fd on their machine. Some of these methods are fairly simple for the average user, while others may require advanced knowledge and comfort with diving into the deeper tools and settings of the Windows operating system. If you have difficulty in implementing the methods below, contact a qualified Windows repair technician to assist you in the resolution of the error code.

Solution

Error Causes

Error Code 0xc00000fd can arise when program files are not recognized properly by the operating system, when the operating system is no longer compatible with the program being run, when files are missing or corrupted, or when the program has been changed in a substantial way. Each of these causes requires a different method of resolution.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Several methods can be used to attempt to resolve Error Code 0xc00000fd on your computer. Basic users can use some of these methods, while others require familiarity with advanced tools and options in Windows. If you have trouble implementing the steps below, contact a qualified professional to assist you. Here are the top ways to deal with Error Code 0xc00000fd on your machine:

Method One:  Check for Updates using the Windows Update Tool

In some cases, compatibility issues can be resolved through updates and patches available directly from Microsoft via the Windows Update tool. This is most likely the case if you have not kept up with regular updates on your machine over time. In your settings, open up the Windows Update tool and run a scan to see if there are any required updates available for your programs or for the operating system itself. If there are updates, install them, then reboot your computer to make sure that all updates are able to be fully applied to your operating system. Attempt to open the program that caused the error after you are finished to see if this method addressed the problem fully or if an additional method needs to be used.

Method Two:  Roll Back to an Earlier Version of the Updates

Sometimes, an update can cause a compatibility issue. If you have previously been able to open the program in question without any problems, but have recently installed an update on your computer, that update may have been the source of the problem. If this is the case, roll your system back to an earlier stage of updates to see if that fixes the problem. If so, you may need to wait to reinstall the updates until Microsoft corrects the issue.

Method Three:  Run Scans on Your Registry, Antivirus Software, Drivers, and Update Troubleshooters

If there truly is a corrupted or missing file within the program that you are trying to run, you can open up several tools to scan for the file that may be causing the trouble and attempt to fix it. Run the following tools to try to fix the problems:

• Windows Registry Repair Tool (this particular tool may take some time to complete)
• Windows Update Troubleshooting Wizard
• Windows Drivers Updates
• Antivirus software or Microsoft Security Essentials

After running each of these tools, restart your computer to allow any necessary changes to be applied to your system. If the above methods do not fix error Code 0xc00000fd on your particular device or if you do not have the confidence and knowledge to implement these steps on your own, get in touch with a Windows repair professional who can help you to resolve the problem.

Method 4: Use An Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

A few days ago we celebrated fixing of months-long PrintNightmare vulnerability by Microsoft, sadly a new bug and issue have been found. Firstly discovered Microsoft stated:

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.

A few days ago, Microsoft officially released a patch that was supposed to finally fix it. As you might recall this vulnerability was present for quite some time, Microsoft's solution after a long struggle was to elevate certain privileges to administrator account only and remove user accounts from managing printers. It complicated things a little bit but it was stated payoff was worth it. The new issue now is that on a system that already had accounts created and set, old accounts still can hijack the system, patch issues address only accounts that are created after the fix is administrated, old ones can still do whatever they want. Once again of course Microsoft has stated that until it is again resolved you should again disable the Print Spooler service as a temporary workaround.

Receiving a screen of death is not a pleasant experience at all and most users would agree that they would very much like not to face one during their work with the computer. Sadly PC is not a perfect machine and it is not working in a perfect environment so errors happen. The most famous and well-known death screen is blue which is also the most common one, my bet would be that there is not a user which has not been faced with this blue error screen. There is no simple explanation why these stop errors occur as several factors can be involved. However, it is known that the malfunctioning of hardware drivers or drivers that are installed by third-party software drive this unwanted change. But did you know that there is more colors for infamous death screens and not just blue one? Microsoft has coded different errors to different colors in the goal for the technical team to be aware right away of what type and kind of error they are dealing with. Color for screen errors are: Blue, Black, Pink, Brown, Yellow, Red, Orange, Green and White If you are interested in what color represents what keep reading.

BLUE

A stop error or exception error commonly called the blue screen of death (BSoD) or blue screen, is an error screen displayed on Windows computers following a fatal system error. It indicates a system crash, in which the operating system has reached a condition where it can no longer operate safely. This is caused by many different problems, such as a general hardware failure or a crucial process terminating unexpectedly.

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BLACK

On Windows 10 systems, a Black Screen of Death can be caused by an unfinished Windows Update. To resolve this problem, simply hold the power button down on your PC or laptop to switch off the computer. A cold start should result in the system booting properly.

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PINK

It is a diagnostic screen with a white type on a pink background. Pink Screen is mainly seen when the VMkernel of an ESX/ESXi host experiences a critical error, becomes inoperative, and terminates any virtual machines that are running. It is not fatal and generally considered more of a developer testing issue. When encountered, it can be fixed quickly by following the simple action of pressing and holding your computer’s power button to shut down the device.

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BROWN

The Microsoft Windows 10 Operating System Brown Screen of Death is an on-screen fatal error notification with bug check codes which is seen when a computer crashes due to graphics hardware or software-related problems (failing graphics drivers).

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YELLOW

It affects the functioning of a browser, particularly Mozilla Firefox. The Yellow Screen of Death makes the appearance with a weird buzzing sound in the background when the XML parser refuses to process an XML document causing a parsing error and a weird buzzing sound. The issue persists unless the computer is manually rebooted.

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RED

Commonly the Windows 10 red screen is caused due to the hardware error, particularly if you overclock your Windows PC/laptop. Despite this, sometimes the red screen of death is also caused by outdated or incompatible drivers or due to BIOS issues.

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ORANGE

The Orange Screen of Death on Windows occurs due to fatal hardware errors. Multiple reasons have been reported for the Orange Screen of Death. Some had this issue when watching a YouTube video, some were not able to boot into Windows. It can even occur when waking up from Sleep.

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GREEN

The green screen of death only appears when you're running an Insider Preview version of Windows 10. It's the same as the blue screen of death, and it will show the same error messages. ... If you see a green screen of death (GSOD) on your PC, that's a sign you're using an Insider Preview build of Windows 10.

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WHITE

The White Screen on Windows is also an error where the screen of the computer just turns white and freezes. There can be several things that can cause the white screen to appear on the Windows laptop monitor. But the main issue could be because of malfunctioning of the graphics hardware.

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.

Microsoft wants to escalate the situation from Australia to the EU, what a surprise. Hello all and welcome to another news article, this time we are focusing on Microsoft pushing the EU to accept law proposition from Australia. For all of you who are not familiar with the given situation let me quickly explain. The feud began when the Australian government proposed a new law that targeted Facebook and Google specifically. The government said that it believed that both of the tech giants were using content from news outlets without paying. Have you ever seen the little news snippets that Google or Facebook sometimes show its users to keep them up to date? These are lifted directly from news websites, and the Australian government claimed that this practice meant that people didn't bother visiting the news website. This then staved news websites of revenue. As such, the government put forward a new law that would mean Google and Facebook would have to pay the source website for every time they displayed a news snippet. Facebook responded by removing its Australian news coverage in light of the law. Google, however, put up a fight. It argued that its snippets encouraged people to click on it to read more, thus driving more traffic to the news website. It also said that such a law would be too expensive to maintain in the long run. As such, Google threatened to remove itself from Australia if the law passed. This was likely a scare tactic, as 95 percent of Australian web users use Google; however, it actually opened the door for its rival, Microsoft. Microsoft saw how it could push its own search engine BING to replace google. It of course went and reached the Australian government to assure them that BING is more than capable to fulfill its needs and fully abide by the proposed law. Now Microsoft knows that if this law passes it could see a similar situation happening in Europe and it is pushing it. US News reported on how Microsoft plans to encourage EU countries to adopt this new law too. The company has teamed up with the European Publishers Council and News Media Europe to make the following statement: Publishers might not have the economic strength to negotiate fair and balanced agreements with these gatekeeper tech companies, who might otherwise threaten to walk away from negotiations or exit markets entirely

Error Code 0x803f7001 – What is it?

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

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

Solution

Error Causes

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

Further Information and Manual Repair

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

Method One: Use a Valid Product Key

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

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

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

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

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

Method Two: Install an Automated Tool

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

What is error 0x800ccc17?

This is a typical Outlook Express error code. Outlook Express is email software by Microsoft. This error may pop up when sending or receiving emails on your Outlook Express. It cancels email sending and receiving operations. In other others, the 0x800ccc17 error code hampers your email communication via Outlook Express account. This error message is displayed in the following format:

0x800CCC17 - User cancelled operation

Solution

Error Causes

0x800ccc17 error code may appear on your PC due to multiple reasons. These include:

• Issues with Pop3uid.dbx file (this file supports Outlook Express software on Windows Vista)
• Viral infection
• Registry corruption

No matter what the underlying reason for this error code may be, it is advisable to resolve the issue right away without any delay. This error may cause great deal of inconvenience. It may lower your office productivity badly especially if you interact and communicate with people of other office departments via your Outlook Express account.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the best and efficient do-it-yourself methods to resolve the 0x800ccc17 error code on your system. These methods are very easy to work around and do not require any kind of technical expertise.

Method 1 - Restart Your PC

Sometimes this might error can be resolved by simply rebooting your system. So, restart your PC and try using your Outlook Express account again. If it works, the error is resolved. However, if it persists then try other methods given below.

Method 2 - Rename pop3uid.dbx File on Your System

If the underlying cause of error 0x800ccc17 is related to pop3uid.dbx file damage, then simply rename it to resolve. This can be done by searching for the file pop3uid.dbx. After locating it rename it to ‘pop3uid.bak’. Now reopen Outlook Express and try sending or receiving emails again. If the operations are executed successfully then the error is resolved.

Method 3 - Remove Viruses

Viruses can infect your PC without you knowing about it. These malicious programs usually enter your system through phishing emails and file downloads. If the error 0x800ccc17 is triggered due to viral infection then it is advisable to install a powerful antivirus and remove all viruses from your PC.

Method 4 - Repair the Registry

If you don’t clean the registry frequently it fills up with unnecessary and obsolete files like junk files, cookies, internet history, and bad registry entries. These files then corrupt and damage the registry thereby generating codes like error 0x800ccc17. To resolve this, you first need to remove all these unnecessary files and repair the registry. Though this can be done manually if you are not technically sound, it may be time-consuming and slightly tricky. Therefore it is advisable to download Restoro. This is a powerful registry cleaner that wipes away all obsolete files instantly, cleans the registry, and repairs it in seconds. Click here to download Restoro and fix error 0x800ccc17 on your PC today.

First time when your computer is turned ON and when Windows is booting it will wait 10 seconds before starting your startup applications. This 10 second is used to load all of Windows services so everything is running smoothly. If by any chance you do not want to wait for this startup delay and wish to start applications right away then keep on reading and follow this guide precisely. This guide will require you to play ad tweak with the registry of Windows, it is always recommended to make a registry backup before attempting any tweaks. Also, it is imperative to follow the guide as it is presented step by step. be aware that this guide will eliminate a 10-second delay for all of your starting applications, there is no way currently to remove delay for only one or a few.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
2. In run dialog type Regedit and press ENTER
3. Locate HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Serialize
4. If the key does not exist, make a new one,  Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\, right-click on the explorer and choose new > key. Name it Serialize
5. Right-click on Serialize and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value
6. Name the value StartupDelayInMSec
7. Double click on StartupDelayInMSec and locate Value data
8. Set the value to 0
9. Save changes and Exit Registry editor
10. Reboot

If you want to reverse changes and enable delay again, go back to the Registry Editor and delete the StartupDelayInMSec value.

Error 504 - What is it?

Error 504 is a type of runtime error that occurs on Windows PC. A runtime error is a bug that causes software or hardware problems thereby preventing programs from working on your PC correctly. This error may occur during the execution of the program.  It also slows down your PC performance.

Solution

Error Causes

Error 504 can be triggered by many causes such as:

• Incompatibility between 2 software programs
• Malicious software
• Missing DLL files
• Registry issues

Further Information and Manual Repair

Whenever you experience the error 504 on your system, it is advisable to resolve it immediately, typically because runtime errors like error 504 can lead to system failure and valuable data loss which is more than often hard to recover. To resolve this error code, you don’t necessarily have to hire a professional for the job. In fact, here are some solutions that you can try to fix by yourself, even if you are not a computer programmer.

1. Get the latest updates for Windows and for the program showing the error

This is a quick way to resolve runtime error 504 on Windows PC. To update the latest updates for Windows and for the program causing the error, open Windows Update by going to the start menu. In the search box type ‘update’ and then in the list of results click Windows Update.  In the left pane click on check for updates, wait while Windows looks for the latest updates. It will show you a list of updates available select the important updates that you want to install. Then click ok and then click install updates. After the updates are successfully complete, restart your PC and try running the application. If the error still persists, then try the solution given below.

2. Scan For Malicious Software

Sometimes the runtime error 504 may occur due to viral infection and malware. So, to resolve it download an antivirus. However, the antivirus can also slow down your PC performance.

3. Scan for Registry Issues

Another way to resolve it is to scan for registry issues. The registry and DLL files get damaged when it overloads with too much data. This particularly includes irrelevant and obsolete files. Registry issues trigger runtime errors like 504. The best way to resolve it is to download Restoro. This is an advanced and multi-functional PC Fixer embedded with multiple utilities like a registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer. The registry cleaning utility resolves registry issues by removing the unnecessary files completely and repairing the damaged dll files. The antivirus module scans and removes all kinds of malicious software on your PC like viruses and Trojans, thereby resolving the runtime error 504 in seconds. As for speed, Restoro also functions as a system optimizer which boosts the performance of your system significantly. Restoro is safe and bug-free software. It has simple navigation and a user-friendly interface which makes it very easy to operate and workaround. It is compatible with all Windows versions. Click here to download Restoro and resolve error 504 today!