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Your password may have expired or ...

There are instances when you have to connect to another Windows 10 PC via remote connection from another Windows 10 PC. However, when you encountered an error saying, “Your password may have expired or the remote pc might not accept blank passwords” while doing so then read on as this post will walk you through how you can fix it.

Here is the full content of the error message:

“Your password may have expired, or the remote PC might not accept blank passwords. Try connecting again. If this keeps happening, ask your admin or tech support for help.”

It is unknown what the exact cause of the error message is as it could involve several factors. Even so, there are still various potential fixes you can try to fix this kind of error. You can try to check if your password has expired or troubleshoot any issues with the network. You could also use a remote desktop application or configure the settings of firewall or restart the remote desktop service. For more details, refer to each one of the given options below. But before you proceed, make sure that you have someone to help assist you on the other side to help you troubleshoot the issue.

Option 1 – Try to check if the password has expired

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to check if the password has expired as it could be the reason why you’re experiencing this problem. You have to make sure that you are using a user account that is on the remote computer and then check if the user account password has not expired yet. And if your PC is not within your access, then you can just ask someone to verify the password for you.

Option 2 – Try to troubleshoot network issues

To troubleshoot network-related issues that might be the one that triggers the error, you need to run the Network Troubleshooter. To get started, refer to 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.
  • Restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to use a remote desktop software

A number of users reported that the issue occurred when they used the universal app for Remote Desktop and they were able to fix it by switching to the Remote Desktop application. Thus, you can try to switch to the remote desktop software and see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 4 – Try to configure Firewall settings

You might also want to configure the settings of the Firewall as it could also help in fixing the problem. It is possible that the firewall is blocking the incoming connection on the remote computer. To check if whether the firewall is the culprit or not, follow the steps below.

  • Go to Windows Security and then go to Firewall and network application.
  • Next, click on the Advanced Settings link. This will open the classic Windows Defender Firewall and Advanced Security application.
  • From there, look for the rule named “Remote Desktop – User Mode (TCP-In)” under inbound rules and check if it has been disabled or not.
  • If the rule is disabled, you have to enable it.
  • Once done, check if the error is now fixed or not.

Option 5 – Try to restart the Remote Desktop service

If none of the four given options given above worked, you might want to restart the Remote Desktop service as it can help you in fixing the problem. To do so, follow these steps:

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box 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 Remote Desktop Service and right-click on it, and then click on the Restart option.
  • Once done, check it was able to fix the “Your password may have expired or the remote pc might not accept blank passwords” error or not.

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Option 4 – Run the CHKDSK utility

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.HTMLMenu.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.HTMLPanel HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.HTMLPanel.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.MultipleButton HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.PseudoTransparentPlugin.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.Radio HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.Radio.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.RadioSettings HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.RadioSettings.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.ScriptButton HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.ScriptButton.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.SettingsPlugin HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.SkinLauncher.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.SkinLauncherSettings HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.SkinLauncherSettings.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.ThirdPartyInstaller HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.ThirdPartyInstaller.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.ToolbarProtector HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.ToolbarProtector.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\GamingWonderland.XMLSessionPlugin.1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\0c7bac04-8f5d-4bbd-956a-34fafa547752 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\16fbdf8c-476f-4d6b-8009-84471903cf96 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\82bacdc9-afce-41ee-92f5-b54f6db45a1c HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\8b70e4e8-100a-4b4f-b928-6d8126b730bb HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\c1151fbb-ef5b-4a2b-91e4-e8776f091f37 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\82bacdc9-afce-41ee-92f5-b54f6db45a1c HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\8b70e4e8-100a-4b4f-b928-6d8126b730bb HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\c1151fbb-ef5b-4a2b-91e4-e8776f091f37 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\e65f4fe3-b8a9-408f-9e8d-37689e565618 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Browser Helper Objects\ab5d199e-9659-47a2-930b-fc3b69061353 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\f4d7584b-6643-4bc7-8e24-17c3258dc5ef HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\26A73C38-B71A-4D3A-80B7-E010420DA1E7 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\1a30aa28-2fc6-4360-9e14-cfa627d51b6c HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\08fbcb5f-de4f-49e0-977e-e4269f4d7206 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\f4d7584b-6643-4bc7-8e24-17c3258dc5ef HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\99c8d756-4d22-4d0f-898a-34a232884ce1 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\75faf80f-56c7-4bb3-b825-39d0a706b5a4 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\4c297ddf-0a36-4b17-b8fa-0c0395f2c5bc HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\MozillaPlugins\@GamingWonderland.com/Plugin HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MozillaPlugins\@GamingWonderland.com/Plugin HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, value: GamingWonderland Search Scope Monitor HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\GamingWonderlandbar Uninstall Firefox HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\GamingWonderlandbar Uninstall Internet Explorer HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, value: GamingWonderland Search Scope Monitor HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\GamingWonderland HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Google\Chrome\Extensions\hpflffkopmgalfhfholanbnhoiblmajp HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\Extensions\hpflffkopmgalfhfholanbnhoiblmajp HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar, value: a899079d-206f-43a6-be6a-07e0fa648ea0 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar, value: a899079d-206f-43a6-be6a-07e0fa648ea0 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\GamingWonderland Chrome Extension Uninstall HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\3d29c02b-bf3e-4d3b-8a7a-e0e7d0f6dbab HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\3d29c02b-bf3e-4d3b-8a7a-e0e7d0f6dbab HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\c5ce0d8e-0300-4a17-a89c-6cc8078348ad HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\c5ce0d8e-0300-4a17-a89c-6cc8078348ad HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\free.gamingwonderland.com HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\gamingwonderland.com HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Approved Extensions, value: 7C8F8FE5-9785-4F74-BCF8-895EF9752D97 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Approved Extensions, value: A899079D-206F-43A6-BE6A-07E0FA648EA0 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Approved Extensions, value: AB5D199E-9659-47A2-930B-FC3B69061353 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, value: GamingWonderland EPM Support HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, value: GamingWonderland EPM Support HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\gamingwonderland.dl.myway.com
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As you know, the Start Menu in Windows 10 is quite a stable experience. However, there are times when it can encounter some issues as well like getting corrupted. If your computer is going through the same problem, you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can fix the “Tile Data is corrupt” error. This kind of problem is actually quite common among a lot of Windows 10 users. This kind of problem prevents the Start Menu from working properly and no amount of clicking the keyboard keys or mouse will resolve the issue. Fixing it is important since the Start Menu is required for the operating system to function properly and even though there are several ways to get around in using the Start Menu, it can get quite problematic. Even if you manage to open the Start Menu, the ability to click on apps to open them is out of the question and you need to fix the problem. Worry not for the potential fixes provided in this post are not hard to follow. You can try to run the Start Menu troubleshooter or run the DISM tool. You could also reset the folder for Tile Database or re-register the Windows 10 Start Menu. For more details, refer to each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try running the Start Menu troubleshooter

The first and basic thing you can do to fix the problem is to run the Start Menu troubleshooter as it can help you fix the problem automatically. Since this is not a built-in troubleshooter, you can download it from the official website of Microsoft. After you download it, run it and wait until it’s done identifying the problem and automatically fixing it.

Option 2 – Try running the DISM tool

You can run the DISM tool as well to help fix the “Tile Database is corrupt” 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
    • Dism(.)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.
  • Once it’s done, check if it was able to fix the corrupted Start Menu or not.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Tile Database folder

  • First, you need to restart your computer and log into another user account where the Start Menu works.
  • Next, navigate to this folder location, C:/Users/<userX>/AppData/Local/Tile/DataLayer.
  • From there, copy the “TdlData.xml” file and save it to another drive.
  • Once done, restart your computer and log into the user account where the Start Menu is corrupted.
  • After that, navigate to this folder location, C:/Users/<userY>/AppData/Local/Tile/DataLayer.
  • Now paste the TdlData.xml file you copied earlier and navigate to this location, %LocalAppData%MicrosoftWindowsShell.
  • Afterward, copy the DefaultLayouts.xml file from the user account that’s working fine to the user account where the Start Menu is corrupted.

Option 4 – Try to re-register the Windows 10 Start Menu

  • Tap the Win + X and select the “Windows PowerShell (Admin” option from the menu.
  • After opening PowerShell, execute this command: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers |Foreach{Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"}
  • Wait until the command is executed and then see if it fixed the problem with the Start Menu or not.
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MS Edge Can’t connect to the proxy server
If you are trying to connect to the internet using the Microsoft Edge browser but encountered an error message instead that says, “Can’t connect to the proxy server”, read on as this post will show you how you can fix this error. This kind of error in Microsoft Edge could be caused by incorrect proxy settings or worse, malware. To fix this error, here are some suggestions you need to check out:

Option 1 – Try to check your internet connection

The first thing you can do to resolve the “Can’t connect to the proxy server” error in Microsoft Edge is to check your internet connection. There are times when your internet connection or Wi-Fi router can cause such problems. In such cases, you have to ensure that you have a valid internet source and if you are using a Wi-Fi router, you can try to use another connection and then see if the error is gone or not.

Option 2 – Try to disable the manual proxy set up from the Settings

In case you miss it, there is actually an option in the Settings panel that you can use to set up proxy in your Windows 10 computer. So if you encounter the “Can’t connect to the proxy server” error, you should disable manual proxy for the meantime and check if it fixed the error or not.
  • Tap the Win + I keys to open the Windows Settings.
  • Then go to Network & Internet > Proxy.
  • And on your right-hand side, ensure that the Automatically detect settings are enabled and that the Use a proxy server option under the Manual proxy setup is disabled.
  • Now try to open any website again and see if the problem’s fixed.

Option 3 – Try disabling the VPN

Like pointed out earlier, if you are using VPN, this could be the reason why you’re getting the “Can’t connect to the proxy server” error so the most obvious thing to do is for you to turn off the VPN and try to load a website in Edge again. And if you use a VPN software that works using their software, you can just completely exit or log-off from its account. On the other hand, if you are using a built-in Windows 10 VPN, you can simply turn it off or delete all the settings you have created there.

Option 4 – Disable the proxy server for your LAN

If your PC was just attacked by some adware or malware as of late, it is possible that it has changed the network settings in the system and might display spam advertisements. Thus, you have to disable the proxy server for your LAN. To do that, refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
  • After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
  • From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
  • Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
  • Restart your PC.
Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 5 – Temporarily disable Firewall and third-party antivirus

Firewall and antivirus programs are known to block files the instant it detects a threat to the system. However, there are some cases when it can also block a file even when it’s a safe one. Thus, your antivirus or firewall programs might be the reason why you can’t download anything on your Windows 10 computer. To isolate the issue, you need to temporarily disable both the Firewall and antivirus programs and then check if you can now download anything from the internet. Do not forget to enable them again as disabling them can leave your computer vulnerable to cyber threats.

Option 6 – Clear the browsing data of Microsoft Edge

  • Open Microsoft Edge.
  • Then click on the three horizontal dots to open the menu.
  • From there, click on Settings. And under Settings, click the “Choose what to clear” button under the Clear browsing data section.
  • Next, check all the checkboxes and then click the Clear button to clear the browsing data in the Edge browser.
  • Restart Edge.

Option 7 – Try to reset, repair or reinstall Edge via Settings

You can reset, repair or reinstall the Edge browser through Settings. If none of it helped, you can try the following:
  • Open File Explorer and then go to this path – C:/Users/YourUsername/AppData/Local/Packages
Note: Before you type in the path in the Address bar, make sure that you put your user account name in place with the “YourUsername”.
  • Tap Enter to proceed.
  • Next, look for the folder named “MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe” then right-click on it.
  • Click on Properties and uncheck the option “Read-only” under the General tab in the Properties window.
  • Click on Apply and then OK to save the changes made.
  • After that, look for the MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder again and delete it. And if a prompt stating “Folder Access Denied” appears on your screen, just click on the Continue button to proceed – doing so will delete most of the content inside the folder except for the folder named “AC”.
  • Restart your PC.
  • Now all you have to do is to re-register Microsoft Edge using PowerShell. In the Start Menu, search “Windows PowerShell”.
  • Right-click on Windows PowerShell from the search results and select the “Run as administrator” option.
  • Type in this command in the PowerShell windows and tap Enter – Cd C:/Users/YourUsername
Note: Once again, make sure that you key in your user account name in place of “YourUsername.
  • After that, type in this command and tap Enter – Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml" -Verbose}
  • Restart your PC.

Option 8 – Scan your computer for malware using Windows Defender

Your computer could be infected with malware which might have triggered the “Can’t connect to the proxy server” error. To fix this, you need to scan your computer using a reliable program like Windows Defender.
  • Tap the Win + I keys to open Update & Security.
  • Then click on the Windows Security option and open Windows Defender Security Center.
  • Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Run a new advanced scan.
  • Now make sure that Full Scan is selected from the menu and then click the Scan Now button to get started.
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7 Ways to Fix Error 0x80070020 in Windows 10

Error Code 0x80070020 – What is it?

One of the problems encountered by Windows users when upgrading to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 is the Error Code 0x80070020. This error code normally occurs when users try to download updates from the Windows Update Website or simply by upgrading to Windows 10. Error Code 0x80070020 also occurs when the device already has a Windows 10 installed.

Once this error is encountered, it will cause malfunction of update installs and display the following message:

An error (-5006 : 0x80070020) has occurred while running the setup. Or The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process”

Solution

Error Causes

In an attempt to fix Error Code 0x80070020, it is important to pinpoint what the cause is. The most probable cause of this error is due to interference. This error code most likely occurs when there is another automatic update running, for instance, an Antivirus scanning in real-time. If you’re scheduled to have an automatic update during real-time scanning, the Windows 10 update might malfunction.

Further Information and Manual Repair

In trying to fix Error Code 0x80070020, you can perform manual repair methods to resolve the issue effectively and efficiently. Most Windows users can easily employ these manual repair methods, even those who do not have technical abilities. However, there are certain instances where a Windows professional’s help is needed. If you don’t want to face any risk in resolving the issue, it would be best to consult a professional Windows technician or you can also make use of a powerful automated tool.

NOTE: It is best to attend immediately to errors encountered since unresolved errors can result in slowing down your computer’s performance. This might also cause other error messages to arise such as Error Code 0x80070057.

Method One: Restart Your Device

Since Error Code 0x80070020 is most likely encountered due to interference during your update, the easiest method you can do is to close all opened programs and restart your device. After restarting, try to start the update process again.

Method Two: Disable Antivirus Temporarily

Another quick and safe way to fix Error Code 0x80070020 is to disable your antivirus. You must take note though that in doing so, your computer will be susceptible to virus attacks. If you want to proceed with this method, follow these steps:

  1. Locate all programs in process in the notifications area, found in the lower right-hand section of your screen. If in case the antivirus icon is not visible on the taskbar, you may have to click an arrow pointing up to show what programs are currently running.
  2. Right-click on the antivirus icon then select the disable option.

Method Three: Run the Update Troubleshooter for Windows

The Windows Update Troubleshooter may resolve many of the errors encountered by Windows users when installing updates from Windows Update. To execute the troubleshooter, follow the steps below:

  1. Access a menu by holding the Windows key and X. Wait for the menu to appear on the bottom left corner of the screen.
  2. Open the Control Panel.
  3. Change the appearance of files by selecting large or small icons in the View by option located on the upper right section of your screen.
  4. Once you change the appearance of the files, choose the troubleshooting
  5. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter.
  6. Restart your device then check if this resolves the problem.

Method Four: Execute A Clean Boot

Executing a clean boot means starting Windows using only a few resources, including startup programs and drivers. This safeguards minimizing conflicts and prevent software clash when an update is received. In performing a clean boot, you will be able to pinpoint what caused the manifestation of error code 0x80070020. Check Microsoft’s Support website to know how to execute a clean boot.

Method Five: Reset Windows Update Components

Performing this method is a bit risky and should be your last option if all methods were unsuccessful. This process will alter your device’s registry so you must ensure to perform accurately the steps. A single mistake can lead to modifying your registry erroneously, which might result in the occurrence of other error messages. Carefully follow the steps found on Microsoft’s Support website to successfully reset Windows Update components.

Resetting Windows Update components can also be done by implementing the following steps:

  1. Open the Command Prompt by pressing Windows Key + X. Select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.
  2. Stop the BITS, MSI Installer, Cryptographic, and the Windows Update Services.
  3. Rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders to <name of folder> old.
  4. Start now the BITS, MSI Installer, Cryptographic, and the Windows Update Services.
  5. Exit the Command Prompt then restart your device. After restarting, try installing the updates again.

Method Six: Disable Third-Party Antivirus

A third-party antivirus such as BitDefender may recognize the Windows Update as a threat since the new update of Windows 10 is probably not yet registered with this third-party antivirus vendor. To solve this, you must disable temporarily the antivirus before performing the update. Once the third-party antivirus is disabled, you can now proceed with the updating process. Update as well your third-party antivirus.

Method Seven: Use the DISM Tool for Windows 10

The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is a command-line utility that is installed by default in Windows 10 system. This program is used to fix images in Windows. In the case of Error Code 0x80070020, the DISM can repair the recovery image in Windows 10 and can perform as a virtual hard disk as well.

  1. Scan and check files for errors.
  2. Open the Command Prompt by pressing Windows Key + X. Select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.
  3. Type sfc /scannow
  4. You can also use the following commands to check for corrupted files:

/CheckHealth – to check for corrupted files or components

/ScanHealth – to check for corrupted Windows image. This may take up to 10 minutes to finish

/RestoreHealth – to check for corrupted Windows image and do an automatic repair. This may take up to 20 to 30 minutes to finish

NOTE: In an instance where you cannot locate the good files in your computer, the system image files may be corrupted. If this happens, you need to have a copy of install.wim from a computer with good Windows 10 OS or the Windows 10 ISO file. Make sure that the source of the good files has the same language, version, and edition of your OS.

Cleaning corrupted files using DISM utility:

Enter the following commands one by one to perform the /RestoreHealth switch using the source path location of good files you copied:

  1. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:repairSource install.wim
  2. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:repairSource install.wim /LimitAccess
  3. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:repairSource install.wim:1 /LimitAccess

For example purposes, the “repairSource” is the source of the good files.

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Restoring accidentally deleted system files
There are times when we delete a system files without meaning to on your Windows 10 computer. This happens a lot for users sometimes mistake a system file for a malware-laden file or junk file when it’s actually a system file from the System32 or SysWOW64 folder. In such cases, it could affect your computer. For instance, you might not be able to reboot your PC or open Settings. If you have removed system files from any of these folders by accident and you desperately want to restore them, read on, as this post will guide you in resolving the problem. Restoring them isn’t actually hard, just make sure that you have system admin access. The good thing is that there exists Windows Resource Protection which protects registry keys and folders and even critical system files. So if there are any detected changes to a protected system file, the modified file is restored from a cached copy located in the Windows folder. However, if the Windows Resource Protection program fails to restore these files, you need to check out the given fixes below.

Option 1 – Run System File Checker scan

To restore the system files you deleted, you can try running System File Checker or SFC scan. System File Checker is a command utility built into your computer that helps restore corrupted files and missing files. Refer to the following steps to run it:
  • Boot your PC into Safe Mode.
  • Hit the Win + R keys 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 while before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:
  1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
  2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
  3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
  • Reboot your computer.

Option 2 – Try to run the DISM tool

Aside from System File Checker, you can also run the DISM or Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management Tool as it could help in restoring the system files on your Windows 10 computer. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth” which could help you resolve the problem.
  • 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 3 – Try performing a System Restore

Running System Restore can also help you bring back the system files. You can do this option either by booting into Safe Mode or in System Restore. If you are already in the Advanced Startup Options, just directly select System Restore and proceed with the next steps. And if you have just booted your PC into Safe Mode, refer to the steps below.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
  • Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
  • After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 4 – Try to run Automatic or Startup Repair

Startup Repair, previously known as Automatic Repair, is an advanced tool in Windows that can help you diagnose various system issues, including this one. This tool will scan system files, configuration settings, registry settings, and so on in order to fix the problem on its own. To run Startup Repair, all you have to do is boot into the Advanced Startup Options and then go to Troubleshoot > Advanced option > Startup Repair and then run it. This will resolve the problem if you have deleted any system file that’s essential to your Windows 10 PC.

Option 5 – Reset your computer

  • Tap the Win key or click on the Start button located in the Taskbar.
  • Then click on the Power button at the bottom right portion of the screen.
  • Next, press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard and then click on Restart. This will restart your Pc into the Advanced Startup options.
Note: Once you have access to the Advanced Startup options, you have to go to the setting which allows you to Reset your Windows 10 PC. All you have to do is select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC to reach the following screen Afterward, select either the “Keep my files” option and then proceed to the next on-screen instructions that follow to reset your Windows 10 computer without losing your files.
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Windows Update service could not be stopped
If you are running the Windows Update service but decided to stop it but you encountered an error message instead that says, “The Windows Update service could not be stopped”, read on as this post will help you fix the problem. This kind of error appears when you use the Command Prompt to stop the Windows Update service, especially if you are using cmd without admin privileges. A lot of users reported that they were not able to disable the automatic Windows Update in Windows 10 using Command Prompt. The command used to stop the Windows Update service is the “net stop wuauserv” command. However, when some users executed this command, they got the error message. So if you are one of these users that can’t stop the Windows Update Service via Command Prompt, you can try to fix that using PID as well as checking the Service dependencies. For more details, follow the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to stop the Windows Update service via PID

In case you don’t know, each running service or process has its own unique ID or PID and you can find it in the Task Manager. You can use it to stop the Windows Update service. How? Refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open the Task Manager.
  • Next, go to the Services tab and look for the service named “wuauserv” and get its PID.
  • After that, type “cmd” in the Windows Start search and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
  • After opening Command Prompt with admin privileges, execute this command: taskkill /f /pid <PID>
Note: You need to replace “<PID>” with the PID of the “wuauserv” service. For instance, the PID is 6676, then this is how the command should be “taskkill /f /pid 6676”.
  • After you execute the command, you will this message on your screen, “SUCCESS: The process with PID 6676 has been terminated” which indicates that you have stopped the Windows Update service successfully.

Option 2 – Try to check the Service dependencies

Dependencies of a Windows Service in Windows 10 are when windows services depend on other services. Such is the case with the Windows Update service – it also depends on three different services such as the Remote Procedure Call or RPC service, DCOM Server Process Launcher, and the RPC Endpoint Mapper. Meaning to say, if two of these services are not working as expected, then the dependant service will also be affected. This could be the reason why the Windows Update service could not start.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
  • From the list of Services, look for the following services:
    • Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service
    • DCOM Server Process Launcher
    • RPC Endpoint Mapper
  • After you find these services, double click on each one of them and check whether the Startup type for all is set to Automatic and the Service status is set to Running or not.
  • If the service status is not running, then click the Start button. Afterward, check if you can now run the Windows Update service.
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Enable or disable Fast User Switching
When your computer is slow, you don’t have much choice but to wait until it gets done with a task at its own pace, albeit a slow one. So if you want to switch user accounts on your computer a couple of times daily, then a slow computer can get really irritating. What makes system processes slow is that the accounts have some programs or applications running and resources allocated to them. And besides, if your computer is already low on performance, it will kill the natural fluidic flow of the user. But worry not, for this post will guide you in switching user accounts with the help of some minor tweaks in your Windows 10 computer. To disable or enable Fast User Switching, you have two methods to do that using the Registry Editor and the Group Policy Editor. Either way, refer to the instructions laid out below.

Option 1 – Enable or disable Fast User Switching via Registry Editor

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • After that, type “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Next, go to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem
  • Then right-click on System and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and name this newly created DWORD as “HideFastUserSwitching”.
  • Now double click on it. If you want to enable Fast User Switching, input “0” as the value, and if you want to disable it, input “1” as its value.
  • Restart your PC to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Enable or disable Fast User Switching via Group Policy Editor

Take note that this option will not work if you are using the Windows 10 Home edition since the Group Policy Editor does not come with Windows 10 Home. Refer to the steps below to enable or disable Fast User Switching using Group Policy Editor.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type in “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
  • Next, navigate to this path inside the Group Policy Editor: Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemLogon
  • Now double click on the configuration listing labeled as “Hide entry points for Fast User Switching” to open the configuration page.
Note: On the configuration page, you will see the following description:
“This policy setting allows you to hide the Switch User interface in the Logon UI, the Start menu, and the Task Manager. If you enable this policy setting, the Switch User interface is hidden from the user who is attempting to log on or is logged on to the computer that has this policy applied. The locations that the Switch User interface appears in the Logon UI, the Start menu, and the Task Manager. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the Switch User interface is accessible to the user in the three locations.”
  • From there, you can choose to enable or disable the Fast User Switching depending on your preferences. After you’ve selected, click OK and exit the Group Policy Editor.
  • Now restart your PC to apply the changes made successfully.
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CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode
As you know, the CHKDSK utility is proven to be one of the useful tools to fix any issues that concerns file system, storage, and disk. However, as useful as it may be, it is still not immune to issues as you could encounter errors when running it. One of these errors is the “One such error is the CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode” error. If you receive such an error message while running CHKDSK, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you sort the problem out. It is possible that the drive is read-only or that the Write Protection is enabled. It could also be that the drive is already being used and scanned by a different program or utility. To get rid of this error, there are a couple of suggestions you need to check out. You can try to run the CHKDSK utility from Recovery or run it on Boot. You could also try to disable Write Protection. For more detailed steps, follow the given instructions below.

Option 1 – Try to run the CHKDSK utility from Recovery

The first thing you can do to resolve the error in CHKDSK is to run the CHKDSK utility from Recovery. How? Follow these steps:
  • First, boot into the installation environment for Windows 10 from a Windows installation media.
  • Next, click on the “Repair your computer” option.
  • After that, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
  • After opening Command Prompt, type this command and tap Enter: chkdsk <Partition Letter>: /r /f
  • Wait until the disk error checking process is completed.
  • Once it’s done, exit the Command Prompt window and restart your computer and then see if the error is fixed.

Option 2 – Try running the CHKDSK utility on Boot

On the other hand, you can also try to run the CHKDSK utility on Boot so you can fix the error and recover any damaged segments of the drive.
  • Open an elevated Command Prompt and enter this command: chkdsk /r
  • After that, you will a message that says, “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”
  • Type Y and tap Enter to schedule a CHKDSK scan once your computer reboots next time.

Option 3 – Try to remove the Write Protection from the drive

As mentioned, removing the Write-Protection on the concerned drive could also help you fix the problem and there are two ways to get rid of the write protection – you can either use the Diskpart utility or the Registry Editor. How? Refer to the following steps.

Via Diskpart utility:

  • Open Command Prompt with admin privileges and then type the “diskpart” command and tap Enter to execute it.
  • Next, type “list disk” and tap Enter to get the list of all the Disk connects or all the partitions that are formed on those disks.
  • After that, you need to choose one command depending on the list of commands you entered. Type “select disk #” and tap Enter to select the disk or partition you want to select.
  • Then type “attribute disk clear readonly” and tap Enter to Disable the Write Protection on the selected disk or partition.

Via Registry Editor:

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Next, navigate to the following registry key:
ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies
  • After that, look for the DWORD named “WriteProtect” and double click on it, and then set its Value Data to “0”.
  • Now restart your computer and see if the problem is now fixed or not.
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