IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL - What is it?

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error is a type of blue screen of death (BSoD) error. It is a typical Windows PC error that occurs even in the latest Windows versions. The IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error occurs on the computer screen when a memory address triggers unauthorized access. This leads to the suspension of your login session. The computer screen turns blue.

Solution

Error Causes

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error occurs due to several reasons. However, the most common causes for this error code include:

• Incompatible device drivers
• The poor device driver installation
• Faulty hardware
• Disk fragmentation
• Registry issues
• Viruses and malware attack

Blue screen of death error codes like IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is critical. If not resolved timely, this error code can pose serious threats to your PC. It can lead to system crash and failure, due to which you can also lose your valuable data stored in your system. How to Fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Error Code?

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the best and easy DIY methods to resolve this error code on your PC:

1. Roll Back Drivers

If the underlying cause of IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error is poor driver installation, then try this method to resolve the issue. This can be done by simply clicking the start menu. Once you click on it, go to the control panel, then double click the system icon and locate the System Properties window. After that, click the hardware tab and then the device manager button. Now locate the device you recently installed. Double click on the recently installed device driver, click the driver tab, and then the rollback driver button. This will take a while, so wait for the process to finish.  After that, reboot the system.

2. Run Hardware Diagnostic

The IRQL error may also be triggered by faulty hardware. To identify which hardware is causing the error to pop up, you will have to run a hardware diagnostic.

• For this, go to the start menu, type Memory Diagnostic in the search bar.
• Now access this tool and click on Diagnose your memory problems. As you click it, it will ask you to perform the check by either restarting the PC immediately or on the next restart.
• Select the immediate one to get going. The system will carry a scan on the memory and show you the list of problematic errors detected during the scan. To resolve this error then all you have to do is replace the piece of faulty hardware.

Nonetheless, if no faulty hardware is detected, this means the error is related to memory. If so, try method 3 to resolve.

3. Disable Memory Caching

To fix the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error, try disabling the memory caching option. This is called BIOS memory caching. This can be done by restarting your PC and pressing the BIOS setup keys to enter the settings screen. Mostly it is an F2 key, however, it may be different in some computers as the motherboards of different makes have their own respective keys. Once you enter the BIOS settings look for options stating memory settings. Access these options and disable the memory caching feature.

4. Scan your PC for Malware

As mentioned above this error message can also result due to the intrusion of malicious software like malware, viruses, and spyware. To detect and remove them from your PC, download an antivirus and perform a system scan. Remove the detected viruses and malware to resolve. Please note, antivirus installation may lower the speed of your PC.

5.  Repair Registry and Fragmented Disk

Due to poor PC maintenance, you may experience registry issues. The registry stores all the activities performed on the PC including the unnecessary pieces of information like junk files, internet history, temporary files, cookies, and other flies. Such files take up a lot of disk space. When there is not much space on the storage device, the new data is saved in fragments. This is called disk fragmentation. When this file becomes fragmented it takes time to rearrange the data and reunite it to run the fragmented file on your PC. If not resolved, this leads to registry issues and thereby generating various PC error codes including IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL errors. The best way to clean the registry and repair the fragmented disk is to download Restoro. This is an advanced and multi-functional PC Fixer. It is embedded with multiple system repair utilities including a powerful registry cleaner that detects all registry issues in seconds, removes and wipes out unnecessary files cluttering the registry, cleans and repairs the registry and the damaged files. Other utilities include an antivirus that detects privacy errors and all types of malicious software infecting your system. It also functions as a system optimizer which means by running this software on your PC you won’t be compromising on your system’s performance. The system optimizer utility boosts the speed of your PC. This tool is safe and efficient. It has a user-friendly interface and is compatible with all Windows versions. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error code right away.

Error Code 0x80d02002? - What Is It?

Error Code 0x80d02002 is one of the common errors encountered by Windows users upgrading to Windows 10 or installing new Windows updates. This error results in program lock-ups, system crashes, and freezes, or slow PC performance. It can also cause possible loss of private data on your device.

Some of the common error messages involving Error Code 0x80d02002 include:

• Something went wrong, Please try again later. Windows update error dt_000 – 0x80d02002
• Error(s) found: Code 0x80d02002 Windows update encountered an unknown error. Windows update ran into a problem.
• Windows Update Cannot Check For Updates – 0x80d02002
• 0x80d02002 – Windows could not search for new updates. An error occurred while checking for new updates for your computer. Some updates were not installed.
• There were some problems installing updates, but we’ll try again later If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help – 0x80d02002

While upgrading to Windows 10, depending on the state of your computer, you might encounter other error messages, including error code 0xc000021a. 

Solution

Error Causes

Error Code 0x80d02002 normally occurs when a user updates their system, upgrades to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, or installs new Windows updates. There are several reasons why this error happens which includes:

• Internet connection problems
• Blocked system ports
• Conflict on system level

Further Information and Manual Repair

In trying to fix Error Code 0x80d02002, you can employ manual repair methods to effectively and efficiently solve the issue. However, keep in mind that one tiny error made in using the command prompt can result in data loss or put your computer in a no-boot situation. In such cases, you can seek help from a Windows professional or consider using an automated tool whenever necessary.

You can try doing the following manual repair methods in an attempt to fix Error Code 0x80d02002:

Method One: Reset Windows Update Components

In trying to fix Error Code 0x80d02002, you may try resetting manually and check the Windows update components by doing the following steps:

1. Right-click on the Start button then select Command Prompt (Admin) from the list to open a Command Prompt window.
2. Once the Command Prompt window appears, type or copy and paste the following commands all at once then hit Enter:

net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 catroot2.old net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver pause

3. Exit the Command Prompt then check if the issue is resolved.

Method Two: Check If The Region Is Correct

1. On the Start screen, type Region. Afterward, click on Settings then hit
2. Under the Format tab, choose English (United Kingdom).
3. Select Language Preferences then click on Add a language. Afterward, add “your language.”
4. After you’ve added your preferred language, choose it then click on Move Up to make it the first language. Close now the Language window.
5. On the Region window, select Additional Settings and see if the values are the same.
6. Select the Location tab then change the Home Location to “your country,” then hit

Method Three: Perform an SFC Scan

Check if there are system files that need to be repaired by running an SFC Scan. Follow the steps below:

1. Type CMD in the search bar then right-clicks on it. Select Run as Administrator. This will open a Command Prompt window in elevated mode.
2. In the next window, select
3. Once the Command Prompt window appears, type the command: sfc /scannow
4. Leave the Command Prompt window open and wait for the process to complete. This might take a while depending on how fast or slow your device is.
5. When everything’s fine, the message saying “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations” will appear.

 Method Four: Disable Skype or Antivirus

There are times when Skype or your installed antivirus can conflict in updating your system. You can disable first your antivirus or Skype as you update your system and enable them once again when you successfully update your system.

Method Five: Download A Powerful Automated Tool 

Can’t seem to put up with the long and technical manual repair process? You can still fix this error by downloading and installing a powerful automated tool that will surely get the job done in a jiffy!

Driver Pro Description

DriverPro is a program developed by PC Utilities Pro. This program is often found bundled in other installations.

From the author: PC Utilities Pro is a leading software development company founded in 2009. As a group of young enthusiastic programmers, we constantly strive in creating powerful, yet easy-to-use solutions that would enable even the most basic computer users to keep their PCs running like new.

When installed, DriverPro will add registry entries for the current user that allow it to run each time to computer is started. It will also add a scheduled task in Windows, that allows it to run at various times. The optimizing nature of the application allows it to access any file and information on your computer without your knowledge.

Multiple anti-virus programs have marked this application as a Potentially Unwanted Program, and it is not recommended to keep it on your computer.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

Have you ever discovered an unwanted program running on your PC and wondered exactly how the heck it got there? A PUA / PUP (potentially unwanted application / potentially unwanted program) is a software program that comes bundled with freeware/shareware and you agree to install on your computer. These are programs you certainly don’t want on your computer since it doesn’t provide any useful service. Despite being regarded very dangerous, PUPs aren’t necessarily computer viruses or malware What makes a PUP different from malware is the fact that whenever you download one, you are doing it with your consent – though in most instances unwittingly and unwillingly. PUPs might not be malware but still, they’re harmful programs to your computer. At best, these unwanted applications provide hardly any benefit, and at worst, they could be quite damaging to your computer.

What do PUPs do on your computer, really?

Most Potentially Unwanted Programs will come in the form of adware, which typically aims to exhibit numerous irritating pop-up ads, banners, coupons, and bargains on websites you go to. PUPs that come as browser add-ons and toolbars are readily identifiable. They’ll track your online activities, redirect your search results to unsafe websites where spyware and adware can be downloaded, hijack your home page, and slow your internet browser down to a crawl. PUPs load up a dangerous bite if kept unchecked. They will often include things like information gathering program code which could gather and send your sensitive information back to 3rd parties. These are programs that don’t really do anything good for you; in addition to occupying space on the hard drive, they also slow down your PC, often alter settings without your authorization, the list of annoying features goes on and on.

Great tips on protecting yourself from unwanted software

• When setting up anything on your computer system, always study the fine print, like the license agreement. Don’t accept terms of use that are for bundled programs. • Only Use the “custom” or “manual” install method – and never blindly click Next, Next, Next. • Use an advert blocker/pop-up blocker; Install anti-malware products such as Safebytes Anti-malware. These software programs could establish a wall between the computer and cybercriminals. • Think twice before you decide to download any type of freeware or shareware. Just before adding a plug-in or web browser extension, think about whether it is really necessary. • Only download programs from the original providers’ websites. Avoid download portals because they use their very own download manager to pack extra programs along with the initial download.

Help! Malware Blocking Anti-virus Installation And Access To The Web

All malware is bad, but certain kinds of malicious software do a lot more damage to your computer than others. Some malware is meant to hinder or block things that you wish to do on your computer. It may well not allow you to download anything from the net or it will stop you from accessing some or all websites, particularly the anti-malware sites. So what you should do if malware prevents you from downloading or installing Safebytes Anti-Malware? Do as instructed below to get rid of the malware in alternate ways.

Get rid of malware in Safe Mode

The Windows operating system has a special mode known as “Safe Mode” where just the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded. In the event, the virus is set to load automatically when the PC starts, shifting to this mode may well prevent it from doing so. To start the computer into Safe Mode, press the “F8” key on the keyboard just before the Windows boot screen appears; Or right after normal Windows boot up, run MSConfig, check the Safe Boot under the Boot tab, and click Apply. After you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, and update the anti-malware program from there. Now, you are able to run the anti-virus scan to eliminate computer viruses and malware without any interference from another malicious application.

Switch to some other internet browser

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a particular internet browser or attacking particular versions of the browser. If you appear to have malware attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to a different internet browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Run anti-virus from your USB drive

Another way is to download and transfer an anti-malware program from a clean computer to run a scan on the affected system. Adopt these measures to run the anti-malware on the infected computer system. 1) On a clean computer, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the pen drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, which has a .exe file format. 4) Select the USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you intend to install the software. Follow the activation instructions. 5) Remove the flash drive. You may now utilize this portable antivirus on the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the flash drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Press the “Scan” button to run a full system scan and remove viruses automatically.

Detect And Remove Viruses With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Want to download the very best anti-malware software for your laptop or computer? There are many applications available that come in paid and free versions for Microsoft Windows computers. A few are worth your money, but many aren’t. You need to pick a company that creates industry-best antimalware and has earned a reputation as reliable. Among few good programs, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the strongly recommended software for the security-conscious end user. Safebytes is one of the well-established PC solutions firms, which provide this complete anti-malware software program. This software program can easily detect, remove, and protect your computer from the most advanced malware intrusions such as adware, spyware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, along with other potentially harmful software applications. SafeBytes anti-malware offers a plethora of advanced features that set it apart from all others. The following are some of the good ones: Real-time Protection: SafeBytes provides complete and real-time security for your personal machine. It will regularly monitor your computer for hacker activity and also gives users superior firewall protection. Best AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware program goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean out your computer system. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard to remove malware that hides deep within your PC. Web Protection: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating about the web pages you are about to check out, automatically blocking unsafe sites and ensuring that you are certain of your safety while browsing the world wide web. Fast Scan: SafeBytes Anti-Malware has a multi-thread scan algorithm that works up to 5x faster than any other antivirus software. Very Low CPU and RAM Usage: This software program is not “heavy” on your computer’s resources, so you’ll not notice any overall performance problems when SafeBytes is operating in the background. Fantastic Tech Support Team: You will get 24/7 technical assistance to promptly resolve any issue with your security application.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To remove Driver Pro manually, navigate to the Add/Remove programs list in the Control Panel and choose the offending program you want to get rid of. For web browser plug-ins, go to your web browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the add-on you want to remove or disable. You may also want to reset your web browser settings, as well as clear your web browser cache and cookies. Lastly, check your hard disk for all of the following and clean your registry manually to remove leftover application entries after uninstalls. Please note that only professional computer users should try to manually edit the system files mainly because removing any single vital registry entry leads to a major problem or even a computer crash. Also, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing its removal. Carrying out this in Safe Mode is suggested.

In today's digital life, when we access the internet daily, browsers are essential almost as our operating system, after all, we do access all of the internet data via them, and having a good, reliable, and personal browser tailored for our needs can make all the difference in the world. In today's article, we will introduce you to the five greatest browsers of today, we will point their advantages and disadvantages and why should you pick one or another. As with each piece of software, there is not an ultimate browser, better than anything else and we will not favor anyone on this list, the decision which you should use is solely up to you, we are here to provide you with an objective opinion on each one. All of this being said, let's begin with the countdown in no particular order.

1. Mozilla firefox.

   If you consider yourself a power user or you value your privacy then firefox is the browser for you. It is open source and is packed with great features like reporting when your email has been used for a known data breach, it stops annoying pop-up notifications, stops browser fingerprinting, and many more. Firefox is also a cross-platform browser making it a great choice if you want to transfer and use your data across multiple devices with one account. The downside of firefox however is its speed, this browser is the slowest on this list, I guess features and advantages took their tool in the speed department, but if that is not a concern for you and you feel like the positives outweigh some slower speed, grab it here.

2. Google Chrome

   Chrome browser has been a game-changer when it was released and even today some of its features are still great and needed. It is packed with some great features like tab freezing, for example, it is cross-platform meaning that also as firefox you can change data between browsers on different devices. it is a very expandable browser with tons of extensions and its speed performance is very very good. The downside of Chrome are two things sadly, one of them is its hunger for RAM, the browser takes a big chunk of RAM once it is active and on some older computer with limited RAM it performs slowly, another is telemetry which its sending, in other words, other browsers don’t come with the lingering fear that Google’s just a little bit too involved in all of our lives. But if downsides do not trouble you and you have a decent amount of RAM in your system chrome might be the best solution for you, grab it here and check it out.

3. Microsoft Edge

   Or should I say Microsoft edge 2.0 since this new Edge is completely recoded and rethought, a completely new browser based on chromium. The first version of the edge was an inhouse attempt from Microsoft and it was a disaster, I guess the lesson was learned, and this new edge we have today is a great Browser, it is lightning fast and packed with some great features with one among them standing out I just love, that is the ability to save web pages as applications and truth to be told you have to try this in order to see al great advantages it offers. A very interesting feature is that edge itself wins the speed race from all of the 5 contestants here which is a great surprise. Of course, the downside of annoying Microsoft pushing it to be your default is, well it's Microsoft, as chrome is tied to Google so is edge tied to Microsoft, and the same dreaded feeling that big MS is watching you. If however, you do not concern yourself with these kinds of things, since it is already part of Windows 10, give it a spin and try it, I am sure you will at least love its blazing speed.

4. Vivaldi

   A new kid on the block, relatively unknown Browser Vivaldi offers some great customizable features no other one on this list offers, a very unique and down to each detail customization option, you can literally tweak each and every aspect of this browser making it best customizable and personal browser ever. How it is also based o chromium, every chrome extension works in it naturally. It is very good in speed and constantly updated and developed. The downside, well if you are anything like me, you could spend ages trying to customize it, ages, it has tons of features, and making it really feel and tick as you want can consume a really lot of time. If this thing does not bother you at all, grab Vivaldi here.

5. Opera

   Last but not least, we have another relic of the old browser age, the Opera browser. Packed with great security and great in-house features like a built-in VPN, built-in ad blocker, built-in crypto wallet, etc this browser seems like a swiss army knife. Opera is full of features and it shows once you start using it. The downside of opera is that its look and feel are specifically tailored to a certain type of user and not everyone will find that appealing or attractive, add some great but hidden and hard to come by features and it may go unnoticed. However, I think you should really give it a go since it definitely deserves more attention than it gets. Grab it here and check it out.

That's it, 5 great browsers to look up, I hope that you have enjoyed the read and I hope to see you again here for more articles. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

Cortana is your personal digital assistant fully integrated into Windows 10 designed to help you make your life easier. The more you use it, the more Cortana can learn about you, and the experience becomes more personalized and accurate. It can perform a variety of tasks, and it's full of handy tricks, but perhaps one of the best features is the advanced speech recognition that enables Cortana to understand the context of a natural voice conversation. On Windows 10, and across platforms with the Cortana app on iPhone and Android, the assistant can understand virtually any voice command and perform tasks. For example, by just speaking you can find facts, create reminders and manage your calendar, launch applications, change settings, and a lot more. Now, if you're looking for an official list of all the voice commands Cortana supports, you'll never find it because it doesn't exist. Cortana can understand natural language and context, there's no particular set of commands to make things happen. In a sort of way, you are speaking to Cortana as you would to any other person.

Invoking Cortana

Before using voice commands, it's important to know the ways in which you can invoke Cortana using natural language:

• You can click the microphone icon in the taskbar next to the Start menu.
• You can use the Shift + ⊞ Windows + C keyboard shortcut to open Cortana in listening mode.
• You can use the Hey Cortana feature, which lets you invoke the assistant by simply saying Hey Cortana followed by the command. For example, Hey Cortana: How's the weather?.
• On Windows 10 Mobile devices, you can press and hold the search button to open Cortana in listening mode.

Comprehensive list of Cortana voice commands

The following list of commands are examples you can use to learn how to control Cortana with voice commands. Keep in mind that there isn't a specific way to speak the commands. For example, Hey Cortana: Let me listen to some tunes is the same as asking for a more systematic command like Hey Cortana: Play music.

Cortana basic voice commands:

Getting the time for any location:

• "What time is it?"
• "What time is in New York?" or "What time is in Greece?"

Getting weather information for any location:

• "What's the weather like?"
• "What's the weather in Madrid?" or "What's the weather in Slovakia?"
• "When does the sun set?"
• "Is it hot in Hawaii?"
• "How's the weather looking for tomorrow/next week?"

Opening (Store and desktop) apps and websites:

• "Open Photoshop" or "Go to Firefox"
• "Open errortools.com."

Getting news information:

• "Show me top headlines."
• "Show me the latest news."
• "Show me weather news."
• "Show me Blizzard stock."
• "Show me bitcoin exchange rate."
• "What was the score of the last Brazil football game."

Creating a note:

• "Create a note."
• "Create Shopping note."
• "Create Shopping note: Buy a basket of eggs"
• "Take a note."
• "Draft a note."
• "Write a note."

Translating to a different language:

• "Translate."
• "Translate Hello to German"
• "Translate Where is the nearest park? to Spain"

Doing math:

• "What's 34% or $764.89?"
• "What's 43 times 59?"
• "What the square root of 26509?"
• "What's 29 times 6 divided by 12?"
• "Convert 6.9 cups to fluid ounces."
• "How many miles are in 89 Kilometers?"

Defining a word:

• "Define Space."

Tracking packages:

• "Where is my package?"
• "Show me my packages."

Cortana search voice commands:

Finding documents, photos, videos:

• "Find photos from August 1998."
• "Find cat videos."
• "Find document called Collection of poems."

Searching the web:

• "Search the web for Heroes of Might and magic."

Finding facts:

• "How tall is Mount Everest?"
• "Who is Steve Jobs?"
• "When Arnold Schwarzenegger was born?"
• "Who is Mercedes CEO?"
• "When does spring begin?"
• "What's the capital of Zimbabwe?"
• "When is Thanksgiving?"

It's important to note that Cortana is capable of conversational understanding, which means that you can also ask follow-up questions without having to be very specific. For example, if you ask Cortana: "Who is the president of the United States", you can then ask a follow-up question, such as "Who is his wife?" or "When was he born?" and the assistant should be able to answer those questions accurately.

Discovering food places nearby:

• "Find food places near me."
• "Find restaurants near me."
• "Find bars near me."
• "What's a good restaurant near me?"
• "What's interesting nearby?"
• "Show me Chinese restaurants near me."
• "Show me Italians restaurants in Los Angeles."

Cortana health and fitness voice commands:

• "How was my sleep last night?"
• "What was my step count yesterday?"
• "How many calories did I burn today?"

These commands require a tracking device, such as the Microsoft Band 2 to enable your fitness and health activities, and you need to connect Cortana with the Microsoft Health (Microsoft Band) service.

Cortana settings voice commands:

Opening the Settings app:

• "Open Settings."
• "Open Action Center."

Controlling settings:

• "Turn on/off Bluetooth"
• "Turn on/off Wi-Fi"
• "Turn on/off Airplane Mode"

Cortana reminders voice commands:

Creating reminders:

• "Remind me to wash the car."

Creating location-based reminders:

• "Remind me to buy CDs next time I go to Walmart."

Creating person-based reminders:

• "Remind me to ask for vacation time next time I talk to Goran."

Creating time-based reminders:

• "Remind me to watch the basketball game at 6 PM."
• "Remind me to buy the food for the d&d session on Sunday at 3 PM."

Viewing reminders:

• "Show me my reminders."

Cortana calendar voice commands:

Viewing calendar events:

• "How's my schedule looking today?"
• "Show me my appointments for next week."
• "When is my dentist appointment?"

Adding new calendar events:

• "Add dental appointment for Monday at 2 PM."

Moving calendar events:

• "Move dental appointment to Friday at 5 PM."

Cortana alarms voice commands:

Creating alarms:

• "Set an alarm for next Monday at 5:30 AM."
• "Set an alarm for Saturdays at 9 AM."

Viewing alarms:

• "Show my alarms"

Removing alarms:

• "Cancel alarm for Saturdays at 9 AM."

Cortana timer voice commands:

Creating a timer:

• "Set a timer for 5 minutes."

You can only start a one-timer at one point in time. If there is a timer already running, Cortana will ask you to restart it at a new time.

Viewing timer:

• "Show timer."
• "How much time is left on the timer?"

Canceling timer:

• "Stop timer."

Cortana location voice commands:

Knowing your exact location:

• "Tell me where am I?"

Cortana messaging voice commands:

Sending text messages:

• "Send a text to Milan: I'll be late for lunch today."

Sending quick emails:

• "Send email to Milena: See you later tonight."
• "Send email to John and Claudia: How is the project coming along?"

Cortana location voice commands:

Getting directions:

• "What's the traffic like on the way home?"
• "How do I get home."
• "How long would it take to drive to Madison Square Garden?"
• "Get me directions to Port Authority."
• "How do I get from my location to Long Beach, New York?"
• "How far away is the moon?"
• "Show me walking directions to the nearest gas station."
• "Show me public transit to 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036."
• "Show me the map of San Francisco."

Tracking flights:

• "Track flight 1056."
• "Is my flight delayed?"
• "Is my flight on time?"

Cortana entertainment voice commands:

Controlling music:

• "Play Metallica."
• "Put some Symphonic music."
• "Shuffle music."
• "Play and Justice for all by Metallica."
• "Stop music"
• "Pause music"
• "Pause song."
• "Play next"
• "Next track"
• "Skip track."

Identifying what's playing:

• "What is this song?"
• "What's playing?"

Movies & TV:

• "What's Blade Runner run time?"
• "Who was the director of Gladiator?"
• "What movies are playing near me?"
• "What are the showtimes for Star Trek lower decks?"

Cortana technical support voice commands:

• "How do I install a printer?"
• "How do I project my screen?"
• "How do I change my background?"
• "How do I update Windows?"
• "How do I make a backup?"
• "How do I change default apps?"
• "How do I change Privacy?"
• "How do I connect a wireless device?"

Sometimes asking a "How to do I" question will result in a web search response.

Cortana phone voice commands:

• "Call wife on speakerphone."
• "Call David at home."
• "Call Goran."
• "Redial."
• "Send a photo to my PC."

Cortana random voice commands:

• "Tell me a joke."
• "Tell me a riddle."
• "Tell me something interesting."
• "Tell me something funny."
• "Tell me a scary story."
• "Sing me a song."
• "Surprise me."
• "Do an impression."
• "What do you look like?"
• "Which is the best smartphone?"
• "What is love?"
• "Which is better, Google or Bing?"
• "Why should I buy this phone?"
• "What do you think about Google?"
• "Do you like Google?"
• "What do you think about Yahoo?"
• "Do you like Windows 10?"
• "Play the movie game."
• "Are you better than Siri?"
• "Where is Clippy?"
• "What do you think about Clippy?"
• "Heads or tails?"
• "Rock, paper, scissors."
• "Roll a dice."

If you receive an error message saying, “File System Error 2147219196” when trying to open a picture, access a file or when moving a folder on your Windows 10 computer then read on as this post will help you resolve this error. According to experts, this error started to appear right after the Windows Update v1803 was released. Users who installed the new Windows version faced the same dilemma. This error might be caused by a corrupted disk or it could be due to some broken Windows components or due to file system encryptions. Before you troubleshoot the problem, make sure that you are logged in as an administrator.

Option 1 – Update Windows

The first thing you can do to Resolve File System Error -2147219196 is to update Windows. Since Microsoft is already aware of this issue, they might have already released a fix for this in one of their new updates so make sure to check for any available updates on your computer and have it installed right away.

• Tap Win + S to open Search then type “update” in the field and from the search results that appear, click on Windows Update.
• After that, it will open Windows Update under Settings and from there click the Check for Updates button and let Windows check for any available updates.
• And if there are any updates available, download and install them on your Windows 10 computer.
• Restart your PC and check if the error is now fixed or not.

Option 2 – Run CHKDSK to check your disk for errors

When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. This error check utility can help with several issues in the system including File System Error -2147219196.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
• Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /r /f

• Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your PC, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
• If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
• After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.
• Once your computer has restarted, try accessing the file and check if the error persists.

Option 3 – Disable the File System Encryption

File System Encryption allows you to encrypt drives to protect them from being accessed from another computer. This is the standard practice in various organizations in order to protect their data. However, there are times when the file encryption system caused issues for users in accessing files and throws the File System Error -2147219196 instead which is why you need to temporarily disable it to access your file. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “control” in the field to open Control Panel.
• From there, navigate to Security and select the BitLocker Drive Encryption option from the list.
• After that, make sure that all your drives are not encrypted and if any of them are encrypted, turn off encryption by selecting Turn off BitLocker.
• Reboot your computer for the changes to take effect.

Option 4 – Run SFC scan

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow
• Restart your computer once the scan is completed.

Windows 7 was an operating system that had one thing which no other Windows had, even today. Official Microsoft desktop widgets. With an attractive design, users loved to exploit the adequacy and neatness of these gadgets. However, Microsoft had to discontinue these gadgets as they posed a serious security threat to the Operating System. It was believed that a potential attacker could even use a gadget to take complete control of your PC. With Windows 10, things have changed big time. You have all the fantastic apps and live tiles at your disposal providing a more native experience. Despite all this, if you still have a fondness for fancy gadgets, we have just the right tool for you to get started with similar “Widgets” on Windows 10. Win10 Widgets is a tool that places the most important information right in front of you, on your desktop.

Win10 Widgets

Win10 Widgets is a desktop app package provided by Rainmeter which is an effective system customization engine for Windows. It brings some informative widgets to Windows 10 which look almost native with their intuitive and sleek design. You can pin them on your desktop to keep an eye on various system figures like CPU usage, data storage, battery usage, detailed computer performance, etc.

Native looking Widgets for Windows 10

These widgets are designed in such a way that it looks totally indigenous to the Windows 10 UI. With a similar design language, visual style, accent color, and even font settings, these widgets almost look like an inseparable system component. You can choose between different size variants to pin on your desktop and arrange them in an orderly fashion to make the most of it.

Highly customizable desktop gadgets

Apart from the default size variants, you can configure several other parameters pertaining to the look and appearance of any widget. As Rainmeter is an open-source program, you are provided with the .ini configuration files which you can customize as per your wish. You can make adjustments to the widget coordinates, position and transparency as well. You can even create your own skins (.rmskin package) using the built-in Skin Packager and publish them for general usage through Rainmeter.

Illustro Skins

Over and above the cool widgets, Rainmeter also contains Illustro, a simple collection of skins that shows the range of Rainmeter’s capabilities. You can load the skins on your desktop for a brief look at your system internals. You can also start editing these skins to make them yours by taking advantage of the Rainmeter manual and forum link provided on the Welcome screen. Win10 Widgets is a great tool if you like widgets or gadgets on your Desktop. It blends into the background and puts the important piece of information right on your desktop without you having to look somewhere else. If you already have the Rainmeter application, you can download the Win10 Widgets .rmskin file from here, else you can download the combined bundle for both Rainmeter and Win10 Widgets from here.

How summer is slowly slipping away and winter is coming people will spend more time indoors, and on top of that delta variant of Covid-19 is rampaging through the world. Being the gamer is now maybe the best time to be, sitting in the comfort of your home, safely isolated from viruses and people, just pushing buttons and emerging yourself in a vast world and new adventures. But games cost money, and sometimes being a gamer can be expensive, also the COVID situation makes it even more difficult to spend some time with friends. Do not worry, we are here to help. I am presenting you the list of MMO games that you should try or play during this COVID Winter, and since they are MMO games, you can play them with your friends and hang out in the virtual world. Some of them are also free to play so they will not cost you any money to enjoy them. The following list is not set in any particular order and remember that this is not a ranked list. There is no best MMO and I will not try to place any of these titles as one dominant, I will just point their style and who they might be for, it is up to you to decide which one you will pick and enjoy.

Best MMO’s in no particular order

EVE Online

EVE Online is one of the earliest MMO games out there but since its release, it is still actively developed and is receiving updates. This science-fiction Sandbox will offer space lovers everything they need and more. Large scale PvP, mining, pirating, etc. It can be daunting and complex for beginners but take your time to get familiar with its systems and you will be rewarded greatly with an immersive and complex game worth the time. Open PvP in some zones might not be everyone’s cup of tea and seeing only your ship might be a turn-off for some players, but if you do not mind these things give it a go. It is free to play with an item shop.

Final Fantasy XIV

FF14 had a tough start, so tough that it was scrapped and destroyed and has been remade again and that idea was great. The game now is better than ever and at this time it is experiencing large players from other games surging into it. This on the rails fantasy MMO will offer you a great story and great leveling experience. It has a free trial where you can play the whole original game for free but if you wish to continue playing you will have to buy the expansion and pay a monthly subscription but the content is well worth the money.

World of Warcraft

Let’s be honest, not a single list of MMO games cannot be without a once greatest and most successful MMO ever made, World of Warcraft. But instead of me praising the game why it was the greatest and why you should play it and how great it is I am going to take a little different approach. I am going to recommend you World of Warcraft classic, yup, you read it correctly, classic. Now World of Warcraft is a retail game with a subscription service but with that one subscription you will be able to access three games in the World of Warcraft universe: World of Warcraft retail (standard game), World of Warcraft Classic (vanilla WOW without expansions offering you experience as it once was when it was released) and World of Warcraft the Burning Crusade classic (same as WOW classic but with the first expansion the Burning Crusade). Among all solutions, I would really urge you to play either WOW classic or WOW TBC classic simply for reason that they are far superior games in comparison to typical retail ones, but if you like easier game go for retail, it is included in the sub anyway.

Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 1 was one of my favorite games and I sank a lot of times in it and once Guild Wars 2 came I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with it and I would recommend it highly. The base game is completely free to play with only expansion to be purchased and it is buy to play model without monthly fees. It has specific mechanics different from other games and interesting classes to try. The living world is a great feature of the game and it is still very strong with its player base.

Star Wars: old republic

This game is made for people who enjoy, love, and like Star Wars. Mechanically besides being able to have henchmen with you and space battles (which I do not really like how they are done) game itself does not offer anything special. Where it shines is in the story and overall Star Wars experience. If you look at this game as a single-player game with multiplayer dungeons you will have a great time, since the story is really good but sadly end game lacks in comparison.

Elder Scrolls Online

I am going to admit something here, I was not fond of the idea to make the beloved Elder Scrolls series into MMO, but in time I gave it a go and I am really glad I did. This game is great and it is getting better and better as time progresses. It is buy to play without monthly fees and basic game free, same as FF14 but without fees. It has a decent community and offers a really good Elder Scrolls experience and now it is packing Morrowind expansions and other great areas. Highly recommended for any Elder Scrolls fan.

Lord of the Rings Online

This one is troublesome to recommend, on one side you have free to play games deeply inside Tolkien Lord of the Rings lore, on the other side, you have outdated graphics and some stupid item shop decisions like buys specific classes. But if you look past stupid item shop decisions and can live with playing free class in the game you will be pleasantly surprised. The game itself is surprisingly good, the story is great as expected from the game infused with lore taken from one of the best books series ever written, and the feeling when visiting iconic landscape is epic. But if I need to be real as I should, I would recommend this one to people appreciate good story and lore and ones that are fans of Lord of the Rings itself.

Neverwinter

Neverwinter is a premium and licensed D&D MMO game and it is well strange. The free-to-play model of the game will let you enjoy it until you hit the end game, then you will have to shell real money if you want to be competitive but the journey until then is great. I would recommend it to D&D lovers and people that love to try other people's maps, yup you read it correctly. Neverwinter has a map editor making it one of a kind MMO game where you can create your own dungeons and post them for other players to play, this user-generated content makes it a very specific beast in this list, and for that feature alone it has my recommendation.

Tera

Another one of the older titles, Tera will offer you nor depth nor anything new in terms of leveling, quests, or end game except… the COMBAT. This is maybe the greatest MMO Combat game ever created and it is quite fascinating that even after so many years no other game has managed to create a better combat system than one of Tera. If you enjoy action combat and like some specific aesthetics Tera is a game for you.

Albion

Albion is a sandbox game with open-world PvP and building mechanics where you can build your own forest, house, etc. You know, sandbox stuff, including a lot of crafting and well, other sandbox stuff. If you want great quests and some occasional play then skip Albion, this game is made for a more hardcore player base not being afraid to die and spend some time crafting and going through the economy. The best comparison might be with EVE but in fantasy settings.

Black Desert

Black Desert is also a sandbox game but different from Albion, here you can organize and hire a workforce and send them to different nodes on a map to harvest resources and build an economy while you are on some epic adventure. Housing is also included but you can buy already made houses instead of making your own in the world. Combat is a game that comes very close to Tera combat and it is very enjoyable. The end game is money sink and PvP based so be careful when choosing this one.

Secret World Legends

If you like occult and supernatural with new world order themes and conspiracy theories, Secret World Legends is the game for you. Somewhat little clunky its setting and story really set it apart in many many ways. It has semi-action combat and it is free to play with item shop but all the content can be experienced for free. Recommended for fans of deeper gameplay and horror lore.

Runescape

When I said no MMO list can be without World of Warcraft, it also cannot be without Runescape, one of the oldest games it was revamped with newer mechanics and graphics, free to play all the way and you can also pick old school Runescape if you really want to go all the way on a nostalgia trip. I would recommend a newer one for newer players, the game offers a great story and unusual quests infused with puzzles and interesting storylines. If you like really good quest design without fetch and grind quests along with interesting story this is a game for you.

AION

Last on my list would be AION, a very interesting game made also a long way back, but the fact that is completely free with the cosmetic shop will make it as one to recommend since you can experience the whole game for free. It has some limited flying mechanics in it and later game zone are open PvP zones, story is interesting and leveling process is enjoyable. Also game itself is not really easy and if not careful you can get yourself in danger quite quickly. Recommended for old-school feeling.

Conclusion

That's it, there are many more MMO games out there but some are on verge of closing down and some are plainly bad. I hope that I have made your choice easier and that you will find one or a few from this list to spend your time in it. Remember, stay safe and take care of yourself.

Minecraft has taken the world like a storm and if you tried it, you could tell why, procedurally created worlds, various modifications available and fun gameplay are just some of the things this game offers and it is non wonder why kids and adults are enjoying it. Minecraft is even more fun when you play with your friends on dedicated servers, where you all can adventure and build together. Sadly as everything costs, so does the Minecraft servers as well. Lucky you can create your own Minecraft server on your computer so your friends can join and play with you free of charge with just a little time you need to spend reading this guide and building one for yourselves. Without further delay let's dive right into it.

1. Install the most recent Java version

In order to run your personal server, you will need to own and have Minecraft: JAVA edition, not Windows 10 one. If you have this version of the game and it is already running it means that you already have JAVA as well but we will need to check to see if it is the latest version of JAVA, to check this do the following:

• Press Windows and type in configure java followed by ENTER
• Under the update tab, click on the update now button
• If you have the latest version you are all good, if not follow the onscreen instruction on how to update it.

If by any chance you do not have JAVA installed you can get it here.

2. Prepare a dedicated location for your Minecraft server files

You can use any folder you like for your Minecraft server folder but it is highly recommended to create a new folder whose sole purpose will be to hold and run Minecraft server files. this will be very beneficial in the future when server files need to be updated or configured. Having things in one isolated space is always a good idea and keeping things organized is also a good idea.

3. Download, install and start the Minecraft: Java Edition server file

It is now time to download server files, you can get them here. Download the server.jar file and place it inside your server folder. Once everything is downloaded and prepared do the following:

• Run the server.jar file, the first time it runs, the file will create some configuration files.
• After additional files appear, there should be a text document called eula.txt. Open it with a text editor then change eula=false to eula=true.

4. Enable port forwarding on your router

This sep is required if you want to have people to play with you that are outside your router network, for example, if you want them to connect to your server from their home. If you do not wish to do this and want only people on your serves from your router network you can skip this step. Unfortunately, to enable port forwarding, you’ll need to make your computer on your local network to be accessible by other computers over the internet via a router. This will effectively make your port to be an open port. This can make your system vulnerable to malicious attacks. Once you’ve enabled it, set the default server port to 25565. You’ll need the Server IP address, which you can get by opening Command Prompt or PowerShell and run ipconfig. Your IP address is usually listed as IPv4 or IPv6 Address.

5. Run the Minecraft server

Simply double-click the server.jar file to run the server. If you want to have more control over it, use the command line.

• Navigate to your Minecraft server directory using file explorer.
• We will be using PowerShell instead of Command Prompt to enter commands. Hit Shift + Right-click on the directory window and select “Open PowerShell window here.”
• Once you are in the right directory, write the following command:

java -Xms1024M -Xmx1024M -jar {server file name} nogui

5. Replace the {server file name} with the full name of .jar file. The command above will make the server run with no Graphical User Interface (GUI) and use 1024MB of allocated RAM space.
6. If you want to enable the GUI, remove the nogui command. Additionally, you can edit the memory allocation for the server by changing the Xms and Xmx value.
7. After the server is up, invite your friends to play by sharing your local or public IP address, depending on whether you are using a local or public network. For a local network, you can give the IPv4 or IPv6 Address earlier. For public networks, go to Google and type “what is my ip” to get the address.

If you suddenly encountered an error when you try to run the Windows Sandbox that says, “Windows Sandbox failed to start, Error 0xc030106, The virtual machine or container exited unexpectedly”, read on as this post will guide you on what you can do to resolve the problem. According to security experts, this kind of error in Windows Sandbox is due to some issues with the supporting virtualization component. It could also be caused by other factors and to fix it, there are several potential fixes you need to check out. You can try running the Windows Sandbox as an administrator. You should also make sure that all the supporting processes are running properly, as well as try to install any pending Windows Updates.

Option 1– Try to run Windows Sandbox as an admin

• In the Start Menu, scroll down until you see the entry for the Windows Sandbox.
• Then right-click on it and select More and then select the “Run as administrator” option to open it with admin privileges.
• Next, if a User Account Control or UAC prompt pops up, just click on Yes to proceed.
• You should now be able to open the Windows Sandbox without the error. However, if the error persists, proceed to the next given options below.

Option 2 – Ensure that all the supporting processes and services are running properly

If running Windows Sandbox as an administrator didn’t fix the error, you have to ensure that all related processes for Windows Sandbox are running properly. To do that, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• Next, from the list of services, look for the following services in the given order:
  • Network Virtualization Service
  • Virtual Disk
  • Hyper – V Virtual Machine
  • Hyper – V Host Compute Service
  • Container Manager Services
• After you find the aforementioned services, restart each one of them.
• Once done, try to open the Windows Sandbox again and see if the error is fixed or not.

Option 3 – Try to install any pending Windows Updates

If the second option still didn’t work, then you might want to check Windows Updates on your computer and see if there are any pending Windows Updates you have to install. All you have to do is go to the Windows 10 Settings app and then go to the Windows Updates section and click on the “Check for updates” button to check if there are any pending updates that are needed to be installed. This could fix the Windows Sandbox error.