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Fix W11 Installation assistant is not working

Windows 11 is getting adopted more and more each day, and how more and more users are installing it some smaller bugs show up. One of the things that have manifested lately is that in some cases installation assistant is not working throwing error 0x8007007f at you while you try to finish the update of Windows.

Win not working thumb

If you are one of the users that are experiencing this kind of annoyance, we have a solution for you. Follow this guide as presented and repair this annoying error.

Run installation assistant as administrator

This is the most simple solution that can solve problems right away and it is advised to be tried first.

  1. Download standalone Installation assistant installer from Microsoft website here
  2. Go to the location where you had the file downloaded
  3. Right-click on file
  4. Click on Run as administrator
  5. On the permission box, click YES

Disable antivirus and/or firewall software

Antivirus or firewall software can sometimes interfere with Windows’s update and prevent for any reason download or installation of files they consider not safe. If the first solution has not provided success turn off your antivirus or firewall software and try again to install updates by running them as administrator.

Now, how many different antivirus or firewall applications are unique pieces of software it would take too much time to cover all of them but usually and most commonly if you right-click on the taskbar icon of security app most of the time you will have either option to open it and close it or simply just to snooze it for some time.

Set the compatibility

If you are still having issues with installing updates try setting compatibility mode for the installer.

  1. Download standalone Installation assistant installer from Microsoft website here
  2. Go to the location where you had the file downloaded
  3. Right-click on file
  4. Click on properties
  5. Go to the Compatibility tab
  6. Click on Run this program in compatibility mode for:
  7. Choose Windows 7
  8. Click on APPLY
  9. Run installer

Run SFC scan

If you are still facing installation issues there is a high chance there is something wrong with Windows system files. Luckily Windows itself has a built-in tool to address these issues and fix them.

  1. Open command prompt as administrator by pressing Start and searching for the command prompt and then on right-clicking on run as administrator
  2. Once the command prompt opens type in SFC / SCANNOW and press ENTER
  3. Wait for the whole process to complete and then restart your system

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Fix Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003
If you are trying to upgrade your computer but encounter the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003 instead, then read on as this post will guide you in fixing this Windows Update error. This kind of error is commonly encountered when upgrading your copy of Windows 10 and is caused by errors with various developer-related settings that are being enabled in the system. When you encounter Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003, you will see either of these error messages:
“We couldn’t install Windows 10. The installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during INSTALL_UPDATES operation: Error 0x800F081F”  “The installation failed in the Safe_OS phase with an error during apply_image operation: Error: 0x800f081f – 0x20003”
To fix this kind of Windows Update error, you need not use external programs but you can try to disable the Developer Mode, run the Windows Update troubleshooter or restart all the Windows Update-related services and components. For more details, refer to the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to disable Developer Mode

You might have to disable Developer Mode to fix the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003. How? Refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
  • Next, go to Update & Security > For Developers.
  • From there, select the toggle for Sideload apps or Microsoft Store apps located on the right-side panel.
  • If you get any prompt, just click on Yes.
  • After that, navigate to Apps > Apps & features and then click on Optional features on the right-side panel.
  • Then scroll down to locate the Windows Developer Mode entry and select it and click on Uninstall.
  • Once you’re done uninstalling the Windows Developer Mode component, close the Settings app and restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You should also try to run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter as it could help you resolve the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 3 – Try restarting various Windows Update-related services and components

  • Tap the Win + X key combination and select Command Prompt (Admin) to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
  • After opening Command Prompt, copy and paste each one of the commands listed below one by one and tap Enter right after you enter each command.
    • net stop wuauserv
    • net stop bits
    • net stop appidsvc
    • ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
    • ren %systemroot%system32catroot2 catroot2.bak
  • Once you’ve entered all the commands given above, they will stop all the Windows Update services that are running on your computer as well as clear the SoftwareDistribution folder, and reset the Catroot2 folder. Now you have to start all these Windows Update services you’ve just stopped by executing the following commands:
    • net start wuauserv
    • net start bits
    • net start appidsvc
    • net start cryptsvc
  • After that, restart your computer and try to run the setup again, and see if the error is now fixed.
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OneDrive thumbnails are not showing
A lot of users prefer to use Microsoft OneDrive when it comes down to cloud storage as it does not only come with the seal of approval from Microsoft but it’s also primarily good and better compared to other cloud storage services. However, that doesn’t mean that OneDrive isn’t without any issues. For one, you might encounter an issue where the OneDrive thumbnails do not show in File Explorer in Windows 10. If you are currently experiencing this problem, read on as this post will help you fix it. As you know, you can add OneDrive to your Windows 10 computer and have all the files locally synchronize to the cloud and so on. This means that whatever is available in the cloud will be seen on your computer. It is smooth and definitely saves you a lot of time which is why a lot of users prefer to use it. So if you suddenly not see any thumbnails in OneDrive, then that would be a problem. You are actually not the only one having this problem as there are other users who reported getting the same issue recently about the picture thumbnails that no longer show up in the OneDrive folders in the File Explorer. At the time of writing, it isn’t clear yet what the cause of the issue really is. Even so, there are still potential fixes you can check out to resolve it, and the sooner you do it, the better as this can be a major problem. To get started, refer to the instructions given below.

Option 1 – Try to disable Files on Demand

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to disable the Files on Demand. This is what you have to do to get things under control.
  • First, right-click on the OneDrive icon located in the taskbar and go-to of OneDrive.
  • After that, click on More and Settings. This will open a new window where you have to click on the Settings tab and uncheck the “Files on Demand” service.
  • Once done, restart your computer and check if you can now see the thumbnails in the OneDrive folder. However, if it didn’t work, then proceed to the next given option below.

Option 2 – Try to change the icon view

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to change the icon view. It is possible that the problem might have something to do with the size of the icons than anything else. So you have to change the icon view and to do that, follow these steps:
  • First, open Control Panel in Windows 10.
  • Next, in the search box, type “folder” and then click on the File Explorer Options.
  • From there, click on the View tab and uncheck the “Always show icons” option, and make sure that showing thumbnails is active.
  • Now go back to Control Panel and type “system” in the search box. This will open a new window where you have to select the “View advanced system settings” option.
  • Then under the Performance section, click on Settings and click on the option that allows you to show the thumbnails instead of icons.
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Repair Windows 10 Error Code 0xC1900200, 0x20008

Code 0xC1900200, 0x20008, What is it?

Error Code 0xC1900200, 0x20008 (Code 0xC1900202 – 0x20008)  is an error that occurs when you attempt to upgrade to Microsoft Windows 10, but the minimum requirements have not been met by your computer. You will therefore be unable to upgrade to Microsoft Windows 10 until your computer is updated or upgraded to meet those requirements. Common symptoms include:
  • When attempting to upgrade a dialog box with Code 0xC1900200 – 0x20008 (Code 0xC1900202 – 0x20008) is displayed.
  • Your computer is unable to begin the Microsoft Windows 10 upgrade process.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

Error Code 0xC1900200 – 0x20008 (Code 0xC1900202 – 0x20008)  occurs when you are unable to begin the Microsoft Windows 10 upgrade because your computer does not meet the minimum requirements to run Microsoft Windows 10.
  • You are unable to begin the upgrade because your computer does not meet the required system or hardware specifications.
  • You are not running the correct version of Microsoft Windows to be able to begin the upgrade.
  • You are not running the latest updated version of Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 or Microsoft Windows 8.1. Error Code 0xC1900200 – 0x20008 (Code 0xC1900202 – 0x20008) as stated, simply means your computer does not meet the requirements to update and does not indicate a permanent problem or inability to continue to use your computer. This error only means that you will not be able to upgrade to Microsoft Windows 10 until your computer is made to meet these requirements.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are several solutions that the user can complete at home that should fix the problem resulting in a manifestation of Error Code 0xC1900200 – 0x20008 (Code 0xC1900202 – 0x20008). Below are several options that should resolve this error.

Method 1:

Verify what version of Microsoft Windows you are currently running, older, outdated, or no longer supported versions of Microsoft Windows are not able to upgrade to Microsoft Windows 10. If you are not running one of the following versions you will have to update before being able to upgrade.
  • The most current version of Microsoft Windows 7 SP1
  • The most current version of Microsoft Windows 8.1

Method 2:

Your computer's system specifications do not meet the requirements to be able to upgrade to and run Microsoft Windows 10. To check your system specifications do the following.
  • Click on the start button in the bottom left corner, then locate the control panel on the menu, click on it to open.
  • Once it opens, locate system and security on the menu and click to open, click on system and this will show you your amount of RAM and processor speed.
  • Find device manager on the left-hand side click this then select display adapter, and it will show you your current video card.
  • Click on the start button again, then click on the computer in the menu, this will show you your hard drive size, and available space.
If you have the option available you can simply run the get Microsoft Windows 10 app to check compatibility. Once you have your system specs make sure they meet or exceed the following.
  • 1 GHz or higher processor or SoC
  • 1 gig of RAM for 32 bit and 2 gigs of RAM for 64 bit
  • 16 GB available hard drive space for 32 bit, 20 GB for 64 bit
  • Minimum of DirectX9 that has 1.0 WDDM
  • At least an 800x600 display
If your computer does not meet these minimum requirements, upgrade the components necessary to meet them. 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.

Method 3:

Your computer might not meet the aforementioned requirements to make an upgrade because of insufficient hard drive space or resources. Learn how to create space on your computer.

Method 4:

Many people hold on to and use the same computer for a very long time. It is possible that your computer cannot be upgraded to meet the requirements, or that the cost to do so would be so high that a new computer would be cheaper. If that is the case, your only option may be to replace your computer.
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How to Fix Error Code 0xc1900106 on Windows 10

Error Code 0xc1900106  – What is it?

One of the most common errors encountered by Microsoft users upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to Windows 10 is the Error Code 0xc1900106. Microsoft users experience a failure in the installation process. Either they will be notified that the installation process was ended but failed or that Windows is not able to install the update.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

More and more Windows users are having trouble upgrading their operating system to Windows 10. There are a lot of errors being encountered by users and one of them is the Error Code 0xc1900106. This error is normally due to the misconfigured system files. If a Windows user encounters this error, most likely their device has some registry problems.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Fixing error code-related issues could be best resolved to do manual repair methods. Applying repair methods manually can help Windows users address the root causes of the errors they encounter, as well as apply definite solutions to rectify the issue.

Most Windows users can be able to implement manual repair methods themselves but there are some cases where help from a Windows professional is needed. If you’re not a very tech-savvy person and not confident performing the manual repair methods yourself, it would be advisable to seek help from a professional Windows technician who is knowledgeable enough to address the errors or problems you are encountering. However, if you don’t want to resort to seeking help from a professional, you can also consider using a powerful automated tool.

In trying to fix Error Code 0xc1900106, here are the following manual repair methods you can take:

Method One: Custom Installation

  1. Make a backup of your personal files
  2. Users of Windows 8/8.1 should Refresh first then proceed to upgrade.
  3. If the Refresh process does not work, reset your device then try again.
  4. If resetting your device still does not work, you can proceed with a custom installation.
  5. When your Windows installation media is ready, you need to choose to boot from CD, DVD, or USB drive to begin setup. (For example purposes, this article will discuss booting from DVD).
  6. When your device is all set to boot from DVD, you will be prompted to Press any key to boot from CD or DVD…
  7. Once you’ve pressed any key, the screen will show the Windows logo which might take a while. No need to worry though, as long as you can see the indicator, you’re good.
  8. Choose your Language, Time, and Keyboard method from the drop-down menu then hit Next.
  9. Click on the Install Now button then wait until Setup begins.
  10. Tick on the I accept the license terms check box then select Next.
  11. Choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)
  12. Choose the Primary partition then select Next. You will be prompted by the following warning: The partition you selected might contain files from a previous Windows Installation. If it does, these files and folders will be moved to a folder named Windows.old. You will be able to access the information in Windows.old, but you will be able to use your previous version of Windows. Just click the OK button then wait as the Windows continue to install. Windows will restart once this phase of the setup completes and will reboot into setup once again.
  13. At this point, Windows will detect and install your hardware. Once this finishes, Windows will restart again.

Method Two: Reset Windows Update Components

  1. From your device’s desktop, hit Windows key + X to open the command prompt as admin.
  2. Once the command prompt window appears, you can type or copy and paste the following commands (all at once):

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

  1. Exit the command prompt.
  2. After you reset the Windows Update components, see if you receive Windows Updates which includes the firmware updates for your computer.

Method Three: Ensure Windows is Updated

  1. If you have an antivirus, make sure to disable it during the upgrade process.
  2. Run Windows Update to check if the system is updated.
  3. Ensure that the latest firmware and drivers are installed. To be able to do this, go to the computer manufacturer’s website or you can also try contacting company support.
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Enable or Disable Status Bar in File Explorer
As you know, the Windows File Explorer is quite a responsive program and contains tons of features. It allows you to do various customizations by changing Settings or changing the value of a Registry key or Group Policy modification. Either way, you will be guided on how you can enable or disable the Status Bar in File Explorer on your Windows 10 computer. The Status Bar is located at the bottom of the File Explorer and shows you how many items are inside the folder and how many items you’ve selected. In addition, it also shows you information about each item and can display items using large thumbnails with just a single click. In order to enable or disable the Status Bar in File Explorer, you can use the two given options below as reference. You can either use the Folder Options or the Registry Editor.

Option 1 – Enable or Disable Status Bar via Folder Options

  • Tap the Win + E keys on your keyboard to open File Explorer.
  • Then tap the Alt + F keys and click on Options.
  • From there, make sure that you are in the View tab and look for the “Show Status Bar” option in the list that gets populated.
  • After that, check if the Show Status Bar option is enabled or disabled. It is supposed to be enabled by default so if it is enabled and you want to disable it, just simply uncheck its checkbox otherwise, leave it as it is.
  • Now click on Apply and then OK to save the changes made

Option 2 – Enable or Disable Status Bar via Registry Editor

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to pull up Registry Editor.
  • Next, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced
  • Afterward right-click on Advanced and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and then input “ShowStatusBar as the name of the newly created DWORD.
  • Now double click on the new DWORD and change its value to “0” if you want to disable Status Bar and “1” if you want to enable it.
  • Then exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the changes made.
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How to Fix the Low Disk Space Notification on Windows 10
As you know, Microsoft constantly releases new updates with the main goal of fixing bugs as well as deliver users with new and exciting features. However, there are times when the latest update comes with an unwanted bug. One of these bugs is an error message saying, “Low Disk Space. You are running out of disk space on Local Disk (G:). Click here to see if you can free space on this drive.” So if you have recently installed a Windows 10 update, then you’ll most likely see a completely new drive on your computer which will appear right after the installation of the update and you’ll also start seeing the aforementioned error message. It gets irritating as this error message keeps on popping up even if you still have a lot of free space on your other drivers. Obviously, the main reason why this error message pops up all the time is the bug brought along by the Windows Update. This bug unhides the recovery partition drive and allocates it a drive letter which is why you are seeing a new drive in your computer. Thus, you can get rid of the pesky error message by simply removing the letter of the new drive. Just remember that you must not delete anything from the recovery partition drive nor format the drive. Formatting or deleting the recovery partition drive can heavily affect the recovery of Windows since the data on the drive is used by the Windows Recovery Environment or your system’s manufacturer. A lot of users have reported that removing the drive letter has resolved the issue. And if you worry that removing the drive letter will delete the drive, you are mistaken. This solution is basically harmless and is proven effective to make the notifications go away. Carefully follow the instructions below to get rid of the Low Disk Space notification by removing the drive letter.
  • Step 1: Tap the Windows key once.
  • Step 2: Next. In the Windows Start Search, type in “command prompt” and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results and select the “Run as administrator” option or you could simply tap Win + R keys and then input “cmd” and hit Enter to open Command Prompt.
  • Step 3: After opening Command Prompt, type in “diskpart” and tap Enter.
  • Step 4: Next, type in “list volume” and tap Enter. After that, you will see a list of drives.
  • Step 5: Take note of the letter associated with the newly created drive.
  • Step 6: Afterwards, type in “select volume <drive letter>” and tap Enter. Take note that you must replace the <drive letter> with the drive letter you’ve found in Step 5.
  • Step 7: Now type in “remove letter=<drive letter>” and then tap Enter. Once again, replace the <drive letter> with the letter you took note of in Step 5.
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Mobile Hotspot does not show up or detected
As you know, the Mobile Hotspot feature is used to share the internet connection with other devices using Wi-Fi signals. These Wi-Fi signals are later caught by other devices using their Wi-Fi and then the internet connection is shared once they are connected. However, recently, some users reported that their devices weren’t able to see the Wi-Fi network even if their Wi-Fi is on. This kind of problem could be caused by several factors but one of the main ones include the frequency at which the Wi-Fi network is being broadcasted. If you are one of the users who are currently facing this problem, read on as this post will guide you on what you can do if the Mobile Hotspot or Wi-Fi connection does not show up or is not detected on your Windows 10 device. In most cases, there are only two frequencies at which a Wi-Fi network is broadcasted. They are broadcasted either at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The ones that are broadcasted at 5 GHz need specific hardware since it is a newer technology compared to the ones at 2.4 GHz. There are several other pieces of equipment as well as electrical appliances that operate at 2.4 GHz that includes microwaves as well which causes disruption in the signal strength of the Wi-Fi network. Moreover, aside from signal interruption, this issue with the mobile hotspot might also have something to do with the network-related drivers in your computer. Thus, to fix the problem, here are some suggestions you should follow.

Option 1 – Try toggling the Network band or the frequency at which the Wi-Fi network is broadcasted

  • First, open the Windows 10 Settings app and then navigate to Network & Internet > Mobile hotspot.
  • From there, click on the Edit button located under the Network name, Network password, and Network band.
  • After that, set the Network band to be at 2.4 GHz and then click on the Save button.
  • Once done, restart the Mobile hotspot in your Windows 10 device as well as the Wi-Fi connection of the device that’s trying to connect to the hotspot.

Option 2 – Try running the Network Adapter Troubleshooter

If the first option didn’t work, you might also want to run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter. You can use it to troubleshoot the problem with the Mobile hotspot, to run it, follow these steps:
  • Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
  • Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
  • Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
  • After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.

Option 3 – Try updating the Network adapter driver

As mentioned, the problem could also be due to the network-related drivers. So it probably might be the reason why you’re mobile hotspot did not appear or was not detected. That’s why it is recommended that you update the Network adapter driver and to do it, refer to these instructions: Follow the steps below to update your Network Adapter Driver:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “MSC” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
  • From there, expand the list of all the network drives and update each one of them.
  • Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the issue with the mobile hotspot.
Note: If updating the network drivers didn’t help in fixing the problem, you can also try to uninstall the very same drivers and restart your Windows 10 PC. After that, the system itself will reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled. Alternatively, you can also download and install the drivers from the manufacturer’s website directly.
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Fix Windows Update Error 0x80244007
Getting errors while trying to update your Windows 10 computer is not an uncommon occurrence. Although some of them are easy to fix, there are others that need a lot of time and research in order to resolve. One of these tough Windows Update errors is Error 0x80244007. This kind of Windows Update error halts the process of Windows Update and a simple system restart won’t help much to fix it. When you encounter this Windows Update error, you will see a description that says, “SOAP client failed because there was a SOAP fault for reasons of WU_E_PT_SOAP_* error codes”. One of the main causes of such an error is that Windows was not able to renew the cookies for Windows Update. To fix this error, here are some suggestions that might be useful.

Option 1 – Clear up temporary or junk files

The error could be caused by some temporary or junk files in your computer and so you need to clear them up to fix the problem. You can achieve that using the Storage Sense feature.
  • Open Setting > System > Storage from the WinX Menu.
  • From there, you will see a list of all the local and connected storage devices along with the details on the free space. Make sure that Storage Sense is on.
  • Next, find a link that says “Free Up Space” and click it to open.
  • After that, a screen which is the built-in program in Windows 10 will appear and will scan your computer for the following junk files so you can free up disk space:
    • Windows Upgrade Log Files
    • The system created Windows Error Reporting Files
    • Thumbnails
    • Temporary Internet Files
    • Previous Windows Installation Files
    • Delivery Optimisation Files
    • DirectX Shader Cache
  • Choose the files you want to get rid of and then click on the remove files option. Note that you’ll have an idea of the total size as you select any of the junk files listed above.
  • Now go to the “Free Up Space Now” section and click the Clear Now button. This will get rid of all the temporary or junk files in your computer and should hopefully fix the Windows Update error 0x80244007.

Option 2 – Try running the Windows Update troubleshooter

Windows 10 have various troubleshooters that can help you resolve many system issues. So if you’re dealing with Windows Update errors like Error 0x80244007, you can run the Windows Update troubleshooter to resolve it. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Windows Update components

If by any chance that the second option didn’t work, resetting the Windows Update components could also help you resolve the problem. How? Refer to the following steps:
  • Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
  • After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
    • net stop wuauserv
    • net stop cryptsvc
    • net stop bits
    • net stop msiserver
Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS and MSI Installer.
  • After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
    • ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
    • ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
  • Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
    • net start wuauserv
    • net start cryptsvc
    • net start bits
    • net start msiserver
  • Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.
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Turn On or Off the Recommended Troubleshooting
For a while now, Microsoft has been working hard to add various built-in troubleshooters in Windows 10. In fact, there is a troubleshooter for almost every standard or common error in Windows 10. And now with the newly released Windows 10 v1903, Microsoft has added the Recommended Troubleshooting which allows Windows 10 to automatically fix a lot of critical issues on your computer, and in this post, you will be guided on how you can turn on or off the Recommended Troubleshooting in Windows 10. The Microsoft Diagnostic & Feedback data only provides two settings – Basic and Full. So if you want to turn off the Recommended Troubleshooting for some reason, the only way to do so is to stop it from collecting complete data from your PC. And to turn it on or off, you can choose to switch between them. To do that, navigate to Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback and from there, select Basic under the Diagnostic Data section. After that, go back to Settings and go to Update & security > Troubleshoot. Once you’re there, you should see a warning message saying, “Share Full Diagnostic data to get additional troubleshooting recommendations”. Based on the message, Microsoft will only offer the recommended troubleshooting based on the Full Diagnostic data which it collects from your computer. On the other hand, if you know how to navigate and use the Windows Registry, then you can enable or disable the Recommended Troubleshooting via Registry Editor but before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point. Once that’s covered, follow these steps:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoft
  • From there, look for the key named “WindowsMigration”. If you can’t find it, just right-click on the left pane and create a new key and then name it “WindowsMigration”.
  • After that, create a DWORD “UserPreference” and double click on it to set its value to “0” if you want to turn it off or “1” if you want to turn it on.
  • Exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the changes made.
Note: The Recommended Troubleshooting functionality can look into the error logs sent back to the Microsoft team and use an algorithm to set up a solution for you and they’re nothing but Diagnostics and Feedback data that Windows collects and sends back to Microsoft. Moreover, the recommendations are only visible if you are connected to the internet, else it will show the same message.
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10 Worst Computer Viruses in history
Computers viruses, worms, ransomware, etc. are kinds of malicious software that no user should take lightly. On several occasions, we have touched upon security steps that each user should take in order to protect its identity and data. Sadly sometimes even when all precautions are taken some malware can still slip through and wreak havoc. Today we are looking at some of the worst or the best, depending on your view that has indeed wreaked plenty of havoc.

viruses10 worst computer viruses in history

In the list of the 10 most famous computer viruses below, we show the costs, dates, reach, and other key facts. First a note about terms: we use the words “virus” and “worm” interchangeably because most readers search for them that way. But there’s a subtle difference that we explain after the list.

1. Mydoom – $38 billion

The worst computer virus outbreak in history, Mydoom caused estimated damage of $38 billion in 2004, but its inflation-adjusted cost is actually $52.2 billion. Also known as Novarg, this malware is technically a “worm,” spread by mass emailing. At one point, the Mydoom virus was responsible for 25% of all emails sent. Mydoom scraped addresses from infected machines, then sent copies of itself to those addresses. It also roped those infected machines into a web of computers called a botnet that performed distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks were intended to shut down a target website or server. Mydoom is still around today, generating 1% of all phishing emails. That’s no small feat considering the 3.4 billion phishing emails sent each day. By that figure, Mydoom has taken on a life of its own, infecting enough poorly-protected machines to send 1.2 billion copies of itself per year, 16 years after its creation. Though a $250,000 reward was offered, the developer of this dangerous computer worm was never caught. Wondering what makes the world’s most secure computers so safe? See the Tech@Work guide: Upgrade to the World's Most Secure and Manageable PC

2. Sobig – $30 billion

The 2003 Sobig computer virus is actually another worm. It is second only to the Mydoom virus in its scope. The $30 billion figure is a worldwide total, including Canada, the U.K., the U.S., mainland Europe, and Asia. Several versions of the worm were released in quick succession, named Sobig.A through Sobig.F, with Sobig.F being the most damaging. This cybercriminal program masqueraded as legitimate computer software attached to emails. It disrupted ticketing at Air Canada and interfered with countless other businesses. Despite its widespread damage, the creator of the successful bug was never caught.

3. Klez – $19.8 billion

Klez is a close third on the list of the worst computer viruses ever created. With nearly $20 billion in estimated damages, it infected about 7.2% of all computers in 2001, or 7 million PCs. The Klez worm sent fake emails, spoofed recognized senders and, among other things, attempted to deactivate other viruses. As with other viruses and worms, Klez was released in several variants. It infected files, copied itself, and spread throughout each victim’s network. It hung around for years, with each version more destructive than the last. Windows has come a long way since most of the computer viruses on this list hit the web. Thankfully, built-in protection with Microsoft Defender is always on the watch.

4. ILOVEYOU – $15 billion

The year 2000’s ILOVEYOU virus worked by sending a bogus “love letter” that looked like a harmless text file. Like Mydoom, this attacker sent copies of itself to every email address in the infected machine’s contact list. Shortly after its May 4 release, it had spread to more than 10 million PCs. The virus was created by a college student in the Philippines named Onel de Guzman. Lacking funds, he wrote the virus to steal passwords so he could log into online services he wanted to use for free. He reportedly had no idea how far his creation would spread. This virus is also known as Loveletter. Need to up your remote work security game before there’s another entry on the list of most deadly computer viruses? See our guide: How to Work Remotely and Securely

5. WannaCry – $4 billion

The 2017 WannaCry computer virus is ransomware, a virus that takes over your computer (or cloud files) and holds them hostage. The WannaCry ransomware ripped through computers in 150 countries, causing massive productivity losses as businesses, hospitals, and government organizations that didn’t pay were forced to rebuild systems from scratch. The malware raged like wildfire through 200,000 computers worldwide. It stopped when a 22-year-old security researcher in the U.K. found a way to turn it off. Computers with out-of-date operating systems were hit especially hard. That’s why security experts always recommend updating your systems frequently.

Ransomware strikes again

In September 2020, one of the potentially largest computer virus attacks in medical history hit Universal Health Services. The U.S. hospital chain, which has more than 400 locations, was reportedly struck by damaging ransomware. The attack forced the cancellation of surgeries and made healthcare workers switch to paper records.

6. Zeus – $3 billion

The Zeus computer virus is an online theft tool that hit the web in 2007. A whitepaper by Unisys three years later estimated that it was behind 44% of all banking malware attacks. By then, it had breached 88% of all Fortune 500 companies, 2,500 organizations total, and 76,000 computers in 196 countries. The Zeus botnet was a group of programs that worked together to take over machines for a remote “bot master.” It originated in Eastern Europe and was used to transfer money to secret bank accounts. More than 100 members of the crime ring behind the virus, mostly in the U.S., were arrested in 2010. It’s not as prominent today, but some of the virus’ source code lives on in newer botnet viruses and worms. Zeus caused documented damage of $100 million. But the real cost in terms of lost productivity, removal, and undocumented theft is undoubtedly much higher. A $3 billion estimate, adjusted for inflation, puts this virus at a cost of $3.7 billion in today’s dollars.

7. Code Red – $2.4 billion

First observed in 2001, the Code Red computer virus was yet another worm that penetrated 975,000 hosts. It displayed the words “Hacked by Chinese!” across infected web pages, and it ran entirely in each machine’s memory. In most cases it left no trace in hard drives or other storage. Financial costs are pegged at $2.4 billion. The virus attacked websites of infected computers and delivered a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack on the U.S. White House’s website, www.whitehouse.gov. In fact, the White House had to change its IP address to defend against Cod Red. Can your printer get a virus? See our cool infographic: The State of Printer Security

8. Slammer – $1.2 billion

The SQL Slammer worm cost an estimated $750 million across 200,000 computer users in 2003. This computer virus randomly selected IP addresses, exploiting vulnerabilities and sending itself on to other machines. It used these victim machines to launch a DDoS attack on several internet hosts, significantly slowing internet traffic. The Slammer worm hit banks in the U.S. and Canada especially hard, taking ATMs offline in many locations. Customers of Toronto’s Imperial Bank of Commerce found themselves unable to access funds. The attack reared its ugly head again in 2016, launching from IP addresses in Ukraine, China, and Mexico.

9. CryptoLocker – $665 million

Thankfully, ransomware attacks like the 2013 CryptoLocker virus have dipped since their 2017 peak. This malware attacked upwards of 250,000 machines by encrypting their files. It displayed a red ransom note informing users that “your important files encryption produced on this computer.” A payment window accompanied the note. The virus’ creators used a worm called the Gameover Zeus botnet to make and send copies of the CryptoLocker virus. According to a report by security firm Sophos, the average ransomware attack costs a business $133,000. If we estimate that CryptoLocker hit 5,000 companies, that would put its total cost at $665 million. Where will cybersecurity go next? See our guide: The Future of Cybersecurity

10. Sasser – $500 million

The Sasser worm was written by a 17-year-old German computer science student named Sven Jaschan. He was arrested at the age of 18 in 2004 after a $250,000 bounty was posted for the computer virus’ creator. A friend of Jaschan’s tipped authorities that the youth had penned not only the Sasser worm but also the damaging Netsky.AC attack. Jaschan was given a suspended sentence after it was found he was a minor when he wrote the malware. The Sasser worm crashed millions of PCs, and though some reports put damages at $18 billion, the relatively low infection rate suggests a more likely cost of $500 million. Other notable viruses The top 10 worst computer viruses above are just the ugly tip of a gargantuan digital iceberg. With a million new malware programs popping up every 3 years, we may miss the forest for a few outstanding trees. Here are just a few more viruses that have wreaked havoc over the years: Mimail: This worm tried to harvest data from infected machines to launch a string of DDoS attacks, but was relatively easy to remove. Yaha: Yet another worm with several variants, thought to be the result of a cyber-war between Pakistan and India. Swen: Written in C++, the Swen computer worm disguised itself to look like a 2003 OS update. Its financial cost has been pegged at $10.4 billion, but not reliably. Storm Worm: This worm showed up in 2007 and attacked millions of computers with an email about approaching bad weather. Tanatos/Bugbear: A 2002 keylogger virus that targeted financial institutions and spread to 150 countries. Sircam: A computer worm from 2001 that used counterfeit emails with the subject line, “I send you this file in order to have your advice.” Explorezip: This worm used fake emails to spread to every machine on thousands of local networks. Melissa: The most dangerous computer virus in 1999, Melissa sent copies of itself that looked like NSFW pics. The U.S. FBI estimated cleanup and repair costs at $80 million. Flashback: A Mac-only virus, Flashback infected over 600,000 Macs in 2012 and even infected Apple’s home base in Cupertino, Calif. In 2020, there’s now more malware on Macs than on PCs. Conficker: This 2009 virus still infects many legacy systems and could do significant damage if it ever activates. Stuxnet: This worm is reported to have destroyed Iranian nuclear centrifuges by sending damaging instructions.
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