There are cases when you want to undo some changes you’ve made to your computer and to do that you have to perform the System Restore task. However, if you encounter an error that states “To use System Restore you must specify which Windows installation to restore”, when doing so, read on as this post will help you fix the problem.
This kind of error in System Restore could be due to corrupted files in the system. There are also situations where you are not able to boot up once you encounter this error which could be a big problem. On the other hand, this error might have something to do with corrupted BCD files. Whatever the cause is, here are some potential fixes you have to try.
Option 1 – Try to run System File Checker offline
Like pointed out, since the error might be due to corrupted system files, you can try to run System File Checker offline. How? Refer to these steps:
You need to go to the Advanced Startup Options and from there select Troubleshoot.
Next, select the Advanced Options and then Command Prompt.
After opening Command Prompt, type the commands given below and tap Enter right after you type each one of them.
Cd /
Dir
If you can see the “Users” folder, that is your system’s drive. However, if you can’t see it, you can just change the drive-by assigning “D” as its alphabet volume.
Then execute this command where “C” is the system drive: sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C: /offwindir=C:Windows
Now repeat the given steps sequentially.
Option 2 – Try to run DISM tool
You can also run the DISM tool to repair the potentially corrupted system image. First, you have to check the health of the system like checking the integrity of the system files and Windows services. To run DISM, follow the given steps below sequentially.
Open Command Prompt from the Advanced Startup options.
After that, execute this command where “C:” is the system volume: DISM /Image:C:Windows /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:WindowsWinSxS
If you encounter an error after executing the given command, insert the Windows USB or DVD and then execute this next command where “E:” is the USB or DVD drive: DISM /Image:C:Windows /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:esd:E:SourcesInstall.esd:1 /limitaccess
In some cases, “install.esd” would be “install.wim” and in such case, you have to modify and execute this command: DISM /Image:C:Windows /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:E:SourcesInstall.wim /limitaccess
Option 3 – Try to repair corrupted BCD
As mentioned, the error could also be due to corruption in BCD, and to fix it, you can use Bootrec.exe – a built-in command-line tool used to troubleshot issues related to boot up and Windows Startup. Before you run this tool, make sure that you have inserted a bootable USB or DVD into your computer. Once you have that covered, follow these steps:
You need to go to the Advanced Startup Options.
Then click on Troubleshoot.
Next, select the Advanced Options and then Command Prompt.
Once Command Prompt has been pulled up, enter each one of the following commands and in the sequence that they are given to rebuild BCD files and repair MBR files:
Bootrec /Fixmbr
Bootrec /FixBoot
After you execute the commands given above, you should see a confirmation message that says, “The operation completed successfully”.
Now type the “Bootrec /RebuildBCD” command to rebuild BCD.
Finally, close Command Prompt and then restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.
Option 4 – Try to run the Automatic Repair Utility
You might also want to use Automatic Repair in fixing the error. To do so, follow the steps below.
You can start by creating and booting from a bootable Windows 10 USB Stick.
After that, click on Repair your computer located in the bottom left corner when you are on the initial Windows Startup screen.
Next, click on Troubleshoot, and then on the other screen, click the Startup Repair option.
Now select the operating system you want to repair. Once you do that, it will start to repair your operating system. Wait until the process is completed and then check if the problem’s now fixed.
Option 5 – Try to use the Windows Recovery Environment
If the four options given above didn’t help fix the problem, you could try running Windows Repair and a Windows bootable USB or DVD.
First, insert the bootable USB or DVD and boot into it, and select the “Repair your computer” option.
Next, once you see the manufacturer logo on your computer, tap the key to enter into Windows Recovery Environment.
After that, change the Boot sequence to DVD drive under the UEFI Firmware settings and restart your computer.
Once your computer has restarted, select the boot order and make changes accordingly as displayed in the BIOS.
Option 6 – Try running System Restore in Advanced Startup Options
Since you probably can’t boot into your Windows 10 computer, you can try to run System Restore again in the Advanced Startup Options.
Boot your computer into the Advanced Startup Options screen.
From there, you will see some options to troubleshoot when you can’t log in to Windows in the usual way.
Now select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
After that, type “exe /OFFLINE:C:Windows” and hit Enter to execute the command which will start the System Restore process.
Note: You need to replace “C” with the drive where Windows Installation is located.
Could not connect to the System Event explanation: Although logging into a Windows 10 computer may seem like a simple process, it’s actually not since the Windows operating system has built a mechanism in a way that any third party or malware intervention would not compromise access to the system. This mechanism is supported by numerous services, functions, and DLL files. And Microsoft has been taking this security to a whole new level with the introduction of Windows Hello.
Recently, a number of users reported getting the “Windows could not connect to the System Event Notification Service service. Please consult your system administrator” error when logging into their computers. While some users also reported that although they can log in, they encounter the same error message from the Notification area. There are several options you can check out to resolve the error. You have to check the status of several Windows Services and make sure that they are running. You also have to reset Winsock as well as run the System File Checker scan.
Option 1 – Check for certain Windows Services
First, you need to tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Next, type “services.msc” in the field and click OK or tap Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
After that, you will see a list of services and from there, look for the following Windows Services:
DHCP Client
System Event Notification Service
Windows Font Cache Service
Now make sure that the Startup Type of each service is started and running.
Option 2 – Try resetting the Winsock drivers
In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results, and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
After opening Command Prompt, execute this command: netsh winsock reset
Note: If you are using IPv4, execute the “netsh int ipv4 reset” instead. On the other hand, if you are using IPv6, execute the “netsh int ipv6 reset”
Now exit Command Prompt and see if the error is now fixed.
Option 3 – Try running System File Checker or SFC scan
You could also run System File Checker or SFC scan to fix the BSOD error. It is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.
Tap Win + R to launch Run.
Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow
The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
If you were trying to run Windows Update or activate Windows Firewall or download from the Windows Store but encounter the Windows Update Error 0x80070422 instead, read on as this post will show you how you can resolve the problem.
This kind of Windows Update error occurs when the Windows Update or WUAUSERVE is not started or when the Background Intelligent Transfer Service or BITS can’t be started. It could be that they are disabled or because they have no enabled devices associated with them. Whichever the case is, you can check out the options given below to fix the Windows Update Error 0x80070422 and make sure that you create a System Restore point first before you start.
Option 1 – Check the status of some Windows Update Services
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
From the list of Services, look for the following services and make sure that their Startup type is as follows:
Windows Update – Manual (Triggered)
Background Intelligent Transfer Service – Manual
After that, check if the Service status of the listed services above is set to Running. If they’re not, click on the Start button to start these services and then check if you can now enable the Windows Update service or not.
Option 2 – Try to disable IPv6 in the Network Center
You might also want to disable IPv6 in the Network Center in order to fix the Windows Update Error 0x80070422. How? Follow these steps:
Tap the Win + X key combination on your keyboard and click on Network Connections.
This will open the Network Connections section under the Setting app. From there, click on the Network and Sharing Center link located at the right side of the panel which will open a Win32 version of the Windows settings known as Control Panel.
In the Control Panel, click on the network your computer is connected to.
A mini window will appear and in that window click on Properties which will open another mini window that will provide a list.
From this list, uncheck the option that says, “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)”.
Now click on OK and close all the other windows and see if it fixes the Windows Update error.
Option 3– Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
If disabling IPv6 didn’t work, you could also try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing any issues related to Windows Update including the Windows Update Error 0x80070422. 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 4 – Try running the DISM tool
You can also try to run the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the Windows Upgrade error. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.
Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.
Option 5 – Run Microsoft’s online troubleshooter
Running Microsoft’s online troubleshooter might also help you fix the Windows Update Error 0x80070422. This online troubleshooter is known to help in fixing Windows Update errors, it scans your computer for issues that might be causing the problem and then fixes them automatically.
Corsair is well known for RAM memory modules for PC but then it has expanded to PC peripherals and even selling some pre-build computers as well in past few years. New Corsair expansion now includes a laptop line, starting with their new gaming laptop Voyager.
Voyager laptop is packed with a mechanical keyboard and MacBook-like touch bar for your typing and pointing needs. It is built with a 16-inch QHD+ screen packing 240Hz that is run by Radeon 6800M GPU. Also inside lurks AMD 16 thread Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU, Wi-Fi 6E support, Dolby Atmos audio, and full HD 1080p WEB camera.
The keyboard has low-profile mechanical Cherry MX switches with per-key RGB lightning and above is what Corsair calls a macro bar, with 10 shortcut buttons and a small LCD in the center.
Corsair is also including a few features that tie in with its other products. Many of the company’s keyboards, mice, and other accessories use the ‘Slipstream’ USB wireless adapter, which is built into the Voyager laptop. The macro bar is also configured using the same software used for the Elgato Stream Deck, a popular product sold by Corsair.
Hello and welcome to our software series review. Weel this time we could say this is more of a service review since the application we are going through today is online and you can use it freely without ever needing to install it.
When we choose software that we are going to review and recommend we really try to recommend something that is worth your time and money, Cartoonize fits in both categories in my opinion.
First of all basic plan of this graphic software is completely free and as mentioned it is working online, also as one more feature basic plan does not even require you to have an account of any kind, all you need to do is go to the website of the application and you can start using it right away. There is also paid plan for extra features if you need them billed monthly or annually.
Features
First things first, this is not Photoshop or GIMP and it does not aim nor want to be. This is something else, directed and pointed at the different types of users. This application is aimed at people that want to make some quick graphics and post them on social media and it does that very well. Even without knowledge to use graphic software this one is so well designed and straightforward that even a complete newcomer can do something right away.
So as the application that wants to be used by people that want to place some cool pictures or ads on their social media what it offers. For starters simplicity and ease of use, every option that you can use is on the left side of the screen nicely packed into the vertical toolbox. Inside the toolbox, you have access to various tools, effects, and filters that you can apply to your image.
Tools explained
Image manager
The first section on the tool panel is the image manager, here you can upload your images, delete them, search stock images, and so forth. nothing more to say about this one as it is only a basic file manager.
Edit
In this tool panel, there are a lot of basic settings for your image manipulations divided into 3 sections: Basics, Enhance, and Creative. In the basic section, you can crop, resize and rotate your image. Enhance panel will let you set exposure, color, vibrance, tint, and details (sharpen). Finally, the Creative part will let you remove the background with AI in a single click, replace colors in the image, and add a vignette and round image.
Effects
In the effects panel, you will be given 4 options to choose from Cartoonizer, Digital art, Sketcher, and painting. Each option once clicked will open another set of options tied to chosen preset where you will be able to choose a different style from chosen template. Once you click on the desired template it will be applied to your image and in the upright corner, you will have edit options to tweak it to your liking. You can play around as much as you want because only once you click on the apply button, the effect will be applied to your image.
Filters
Same as in the effects tool panel here you will also get a series of different filters that you can apply to your image. As in the previous tool once clicked on the chosen filter, you will be given options for its variations and details edits. How there is really plenty of filters options and combined with its own presets I will not focus on explaining what each one is doing since picture thumbnails are pretty accurate and just one look at them will explain to you everything you need to know.
Overlays
In the overlays panel, you can as the name says overlay different kinds of effects on your image. You can add snow, fog, sun flares rain, and many more. Presets work identically to previous effects and filters.
Masks
If you want to place your image in a certain shape or in-text this is the section for you. You will be presented with sections as custom text, shapes, brushes, floral, animals, and patterns. Each section will once again lead to plenty of variations on the chosen subject where you can pick one that you like the most and tweak its options.
Text
As the name suggests, this section is to add text to your picture or design. If you are making some cool ad for Facebook, Instagram, or other social media I believe that you will spend most of your time in this section adding text and tweaking it so it looks best. You have all the tools that you will need to make a catchy title or smaller block of text and you can add multiple texts to your picture tweaking their own visual appearance, the font used, color, and some effects like a drop shadow.
Draw
In the draw section, you will be able to freely draw whatever you like with your mouse or pen if you have one. you have basic options for a brush and eraser so you can erase stuff. Pretty basic tool but it gives a nice touch to underline something, circle it, etc.
Graphics
This panel will let you place various already made graphic assets into a picture. You have hearts, hats, glasses, etc. There really are tons of premade graphics along with thematic ones like new year, st. Patric day and more.
Frames
As the name suggests this section will place a frame of your choice around your picture. You can choose the style of frame, position, color, and many more. There are various styles and each style has its own options.
Conclusion
Cartoonize is a great online application that will let you quickly and easily do cool and nice image edits. As mentioned you can also add various effects, text, and graphics and use this app to make some quick and nice ads for social media. You have the option to publish to your social media right from the app in the save dialog but you can also of course download your image or design to your local computer.
Please note that for this review we used the pro, paid version so all of the features were unlocked. We wanted to give you a full overview of the full potential of the app. In my opinion, the small monthly fee that they charge is well worth it when you see all things that you can do with it.
Go to the cartoonize website and check it out, basic option is completely free and it does not even require making an account. Have fun, be creative and take care, I hope to see you again tomorrow.
Windows Setup in Continuous Reboot Loop – What is it?
After upgrading to Windows 10 operating system from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, a lot of Windows users are complaining about the Windows setup in a continuous reboot loop. The computer would just keep on rebooting every time the machine is booted and this incites frustration for a lot of Windows users.
Solution
Error Causes
When Windows launched the third update for Windows 10, users trying to upgrade to Windows 10 encountered an endless reboot loop problem. The computer will crash repeatedly. The KB3081424, which is a roll-up of bug fixes of Windows 10, continuously fails once you start the update process and then triggers a message showing: “We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing the changes.” The undoing process will then cause a system reboot mandatorily.
Once you log back on your computer again, the Windows 10 update will try to reinstall KB3081424. You will not be able to stop the update which will cause your Windows setup in a continuous reboot loop.
The KB3081424 will not be successfully installed since if it fails for the first time, that initial failure can be detected to create a bad entry in your Windows 10 registry. This will then prevent your subsequent attempts to reinstall KB3081424 to make it work correctly.
Further Information and Manual Repair
In order to fix the problem of Windows 10 setup in a continuous reboot loop, there are a few methods you can try. Try following these simple steps and you’ll be able to get rid of the problem.
Note: If you’re not highly confident to solve this issue on your own, it is highly recommended to consult an authorized computer technician who would be knowledgeable enough to fix the issue for you. In addition, you can also use a system optimizer to resolve the issue.
Method One: Check For Windows Update
Microsoft Windows released an updated fix for the Windows setup in continuous reboot loop problem. You can try fixing the issue through Windows Update.
Open Settings
Go to Update & Security
Select Windows Update then choose Check for updates
At this point, an additional update will be installed and downloaded to your operating system to resolve the continuous reboot loop problem.
Method Two: Eliminate Bad Registry Entry
Before KB3081424 attempts to install again, you can try doing this solution:
Click on the Start menu then type regedit
Once the window opens, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList
Create a backup for your registry key (since this process is a bit risky). Select ProfileList then click on File and Export then choose your backup name.
From the ProfileList IDs, remove anything with ProfileImagePath in it.
Close Regedit then reboot. By this time, the KB3081424 should properly install.
Method Three: Perform A Startup Repair
Another thing you can try to solve the Windows setup in continuous reboot loop problem is to perform a startup repair from a working computer.
Ensure that all unnecessary devices are disconnected from your computer as your computer might detect them.
If you are connected to a network, you need to disconnect from this as well.
On a working computer, download the Windows 10 ISO then you can perform a startup repair.
Boot your computer from the Windows 10 DVD.
To change your BIOS option to boot from the Windows 10 DVD, follow these steps:
Boot your computer then press the F2 function key to enter setup.
NOTE: You must do this quickly since the BIOS loads rapidly.
Once you’re inside the BIOS, navigate to the Boot Configuration screen. On this screen, you’ll be able to change the first device to be loaded.
Go to Removable Devices then hit Enter. Removable devices could either be a thumb drive or DVD. Select DVD to put it at the top and be the first boot device.
Save your changes by pressing on the F10 function key. A setup confirmation box will appear with a message Save configuration changes and exit now. Select Yes.
Exit BIOS by pressing on the ESC key. You should be prompted to boot from the Windows 10 DVD at this point.
If you're not able to execute the aforementioned processes on your own, get help or download and install a powerful system optimizerto assist with the windows continuous reboot loop process and other Windows 10 error messages.
Installation Error 1628 is, as the name suggests, an installation error. When it occurs, a generic 1628 message is displayed to the user. When this message appears, it is either a problem with the install files or an issue with the InstallShield.
Solution
Error Causes
Installation Error 1628 is caused because every Windows-based program or application has been designed that such that it has to be installed on the computer for use.
This installation process is important because it not only moves files to the appropriate location on one’s hard drive but also because the process creates registry entries in Windows System files.
A vast majority of these programs and applications have a built-in tool that’s responsible for aptly performing this installation. This built-in tool is the InstallShield.
This establishes that when this error occurs, it is either because of some unforeseen issue that occurred during the installation process or because of some problem with the InstallShield.
Further Information and Manual Repair
In order to keep this error from occurring in the future, some recommendations are outlined below.
Check the installation disc and determine if there are any smudges, scratches, or fingerprints on it. If the system is unable to read data from the disc, Installation Error 1628 will be generated. In order to ensure that the Installation Disc is clean, use a microfiber cloth. Dampen it lightly with water and clean the disc. Wipe the inside of the disc lightly in an outward direction, making sure that it is not wiped in a circular pattern. Try to reinstall the application or program after cleaning the disc. The issue should be resolved. However, if it persists, some problems may be with the InstallShield.
The alternative solution is to repair the InstallShield and the procedure goes as follows.
Stop InstallShield’s running process. It may have been crashed and simply needs to be restarted. Now access task manager. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and the task manager will open. Now go to the processes tab and disable ‘idriver.exe’ and ‘msiexec.exe’ from here.
Now go to ‘C: Program Files/Common Files’. Here you will find the ‘InstallShield’ folder. Select ‘rename’ and modify the folder name to ‘InstallShield1’. Confirm rename and start the installation process again. Now Windows will try to re-install any InstallShield files one needs.
If the error persists after renaming the InstallShield folder, download the Windows Installer from Microsoft’s website. This file will determine whether or not your version is valid. Old versions often have bugs that cause problems. Your system is now ready to be used.
The File Explorer in Windows 10 provides several ways to organize the contents of folders and files in the system. Windows users can utilize some efficient styles to view the contents of the file system as per the user’s requirement. A user may opt to display the file picture in large size thumbnails while the other one could opt to set the icons of folder and files in a small or medium size list. On the other hand, while setting up several styles for the folder and file icons, some Windows 10 users have experienced some unusual issues where there is the Black background showing up behind folder icons. They tried refreshing the File Explorer a couple of times but it didn’t help in fixing the problem and the black squares are still visible on some folder icons.
The black squares behind the folder icons might look disturbing though it’s not really a big problem and is merely a graphical glitch that does not cause any damage or whatsoever to the content of the folder and files. The most likely cause of this glitch might have something to do with the corrupted system files or it could also be caused by outdated thumbnail caches. In addition, graphical glitches like this one could also occur if you are using out outdated graphics drivers. To fix this problem, you need to follow the options laid out below.
Option 1 – Try using the Disk Cleanup to remove Thumbnail files
The Disk Cleanup tool is one of the options you can try to fix the black squares behind the folder icons. Through this tool, you can delete all the Thumbnail files on your disk. To use it, refer to these steps:
Open the Search bar and type “disk cleanup” in the field.
After opening Disk Cleanup from the search results, then from the drop-down menu select the C: drive to clean up and click OK.
Wait for the scanning process to complete. Once it’s done, select the files you want to delete.
Ensure that you select the box labeled “Thumbnails” under the Files to Delete section then click on OK.
After that, a confirmation box will appear, just click on Delete files to delete the files permanently.
Restart your PC.
Option 2 – Try resetting the Thumbnail cache
You have the option to manually delete the Thumbnail Cache to resolve the black square background behind the folder icons issue. Follow the steps given below to reset the Thumbnail cache.
Open the File Explorer.
Next, navigate to the View tab and select the option with Hidden items to display all the hidden folders and files.
Next, go to this path: C:Users<username>AppDataLocal
In the given path, make sure that you put your actual username in the username field. Then look for a file named “IconCache.db”. Right-click on this file and click on Delete.
After that, go to this path: C:Users<username>AppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsExplorer
From there, select all the files and delete them.
Note: If a prompt appears saying, “The files are in use and cannot be deleted”, simply select the “Do this for all current items” option and then click on Try Again. If you get an error message, click on Cancel to close the window and restart your computer.
Option 3 – Try updating or reinstalling the Graphics driver
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type in devmgmt.msc and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
Expand the section for the outdated device drivers.
And then select the outdated driver(s) and right-click on it/them.
From the drop-down menu, select the Update Driver option if you wish to update the driver or select the Uninstall device if you want to uninstall the driver and then follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest version of the driver.
Restart your PC after the installation to allow the system to reinstall the driver.
We’ve already covered disabling Security Questions If you want to disable Security Questions on your Windows 10 computer then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in doing exactly that. In this post, you will be disabling Security Questions using a PowerShell script. This PowerShell script is called “Update-AllUsersQA”. It is designed to remove or disable the security questions and answers for local users on a Windows 10 computer. It lets administrators take control of the security questions in the environment and at the same time minimizes the risk that comes with them.
If a user has a Microsoft account that’s configured to sign in to Windows 10 then he will not probably notice the Password Recovery questions. On the other hand, if he has a chosen local account for installing Windows, he will e prompted to create three security questions that can be used to reset the password and log into the Windows 10 account in case there is any misfortune. However, if you do not have much use for these Security Questions, then you can definitely have them disabled using a simple PowerShell script which you can download from GitHub.
For more details on how to disable security questions in a Windows 10 machine, refer to the steps provided below.
Step 1: You need to first download the .ps1 file from the GitHub repository.
Step 2: Once you’ve downloaded the file, open the PowerShell window with admin privileges.
Step 3: After that, navigate to the folder where you had saved the .ps1 file. Then copy the address of the folder location.
Step 4: Next, change the directory by using the following command:
cd "folder location address"
Step 5: After that, enter the following script to disable the security questions:
Update-AllUsersQA
Once you’ve completed the steps above, the Security Questions should be disabled and you will be notified with a message stating that the feature has been disabled. On the other hand, if you have a change of heart and you want to enable the Security Questions back, here are some steps you need to take:
Step 1: First, open the PowerShell window as admin.
Step 2: Next, run the same script with one more parameter such as:
Update-AllUsersQA -answer SecretAnswer
Step 3: And that’s about it. Do not forget to replace the Secret Answer with your preferred one and once you’re done, it will be set as the answer for all the Security Questions.
Step 4: Now all that’s left to do is go to the Settings app to change the answer to the questions and you should be good to go.
Many Linux users if not all of them can run their distros from a USB drive but did you know you can run Windows 10 from a USB drive as well?
Microsoft has introduced all the way back to Windows 8 one feature called Windows To Go and it kept it in Windows 8.1 and in Windows 10 as well.
This feature is intended as a convenient way for workers to carry their corporate environments with them, but having your own copy of Windows on a thumb drive could be handy for backup purposes, too, or if you frequently use public machines that lack your preferences/applications or that have a restricted OS.
What you will need?
In order to actually make Windows 10 run from a USB drive you will need the following things:
Install Rufus on your Windows 10 and run it. Stick USB in PC and open Rufus. On the screen that follows choose your Windows 10 ISO image and under Image options choose Windows To Go. Click on ready and you are finished, that’s it.
After Rufus finishes you have now fully working Windows 10 bootable drive which you can use on another PC for whatever reason.
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.
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.