Enable or Disable Optional Windows Features

Steam has cemented itself as the largest digital game shop in the World. First, release all the way back on September 12^th, 2003, it was meant to be a standalone software client aimed to deliver updates to Valve’s games. It was soon expanded to include titles from third parties. The greatest Steam expansion and its popularity started in 2004 with the release of Half-life 2. Steam allowed prepurchased editions to be downloaded before the official release of the game making it available for play the moment it was officially out. Very soon after Steam gained its popularity, Valve has opened doors to other developers and offered them to use Steam as means for a digital distribution platform. Today it hosts over 30000 different game titles, not including DLC or applications. And how soon Valve’s steam deck is coming out soon we would like to share some great tips and tricks about Steam itself for easy everyday gaming.

Steam guard account security

Security of any of your accounts should be something that you really take seriously. So as always use a strong password for Steam but if you want an extra layer of security for it, and you should, use the Steam built-in feature: Guard Account Security. In order to activate Security Guard go to Steam>Settings>Account>Manage Steam Guard Account Security. Once enabled you will be able to use the Steam mobile application for special code when opening Steam or your email address.

Use Steam beta feature

Once a Steam account is created by default you will download and install the client. In the client, you will have the latest features available but there are more Steam features than default ones, beta features that can offer some improved and new functionality, and do not worry, they are stable and bug-free. I have been in Steam beta for years and not even once have I had any issues with the client itself but I have always had the latest features that will come to regular users later. To enable beta participation to go to Steam>Settings>Account, open the drop-down Beta participation menu, and choose Steam Beta Update. Confirm on OK and restart the Steam client. You will now get all the latest features first.

Manage your library via Collections

The collection is a neat idea for organizing your large game library into different collections or sections easily expanded and contracted for easier navigation and organization. To add the game to a collection just right-click on it and select Add To>New Collection, make a name for a collection like action, RPG, or whatever rocks your boat, and you are done. Once the collection is created other games can be added to it simply just by dragging it into the desired collection.

Make shelves

Shelves are ways to see your collections in the larger areas of the Steam clients. By clicking Add Shelf>Choose a Shelf, you can now add your collection to a shelf on the larger part of the client as a horizontal scrolling container with your chosen games. There are also some predefined shelves like All Games, Recent friend activity, and more.

Hide Game from Library

By right-clicking on a game and selecting Manage>Hide This Game you will remove the game from the active view of your Steam library. Note that the game will still be owned and a part of your library, you will just not be able to see it. This is a great feature when for example you have some things that came as a part of the game pack you are not really interested in when you have 2 different versions of the same game as for example standard and deluxe edition or just by simply not wanting to have game visible in the library. You can find a hidden game by typing its name in the search box and from there you can unhide it.

Play game soundtracks inside Steam

Some games offer you to purchase their soundtracks if you like music from them and some even include OST with a regular purchase. Steam lets you play these soundtracks and even lets you import your own music library folder into it in order to play all of your music inside the client itself. It has even options to automatically stop music playing once the game is run and you can make playlists as well. Your purchased game soundtracks are automatically included, the rest you will need to add by pointing Steam to the folder where you keep music in.

Configure gamepad

Inside Steam, you can configure your gamepad’s general settings, big picture settings, desktop settings, etc. Steam embraced the idea that many OC users these days own and play with gamepads so it has implemented configuration options inside it. To configure your pad go to Steam>Settings>Controller.

Use big picture Steam mode

Big picture mode is Steam's idea of making Steam an entertainment center. Once it is activated it switches from the application into full-screen mode aimed at large TV screens or monitors. You can easily navigate through it via gamepad, mouse, keyboard, or other devices. You have access to the store, your game library, etc. Same as your typical steam app but a little different. You can easily activate it via View> Big Picture Mode and see for yourself is this something you prefer over a standard application layout.

Enable Steam Cloud

Steam Cloud is a great feature that uses cloud storage to save your game progress meaning that you can easily switch to another PC, install games there and continue where you have left off. Many games support this feature instead of keeping saves locally and it is a great feature worth turning it ON. To turn and use Steam Cloud service go to Steam>Settings>Cloud>Enable Steam Cloud Synchronization. Just remember to check does game you are playing supports this option.

Share your Games via Family sharing

Family sharing is a Steam feature allowing you to share your game library with up to 5 accounts on up to 10 different devices. This is a great way to let other members of your family or even close friends enjoy some games you have or vice versa. They will get as well their own save games so you can sleep safe knowing that your progress can not be changed or hindered. Family sharing can be turned ON by logging into PC Steam client where you would like to share your library and navigate to Steam>Settings>Family and then clicking on Authorize Library Sharing On This Computer.

Refund a game

Sometimes the game is not the same as advertised, sometimes it will not work on your PC, sometimes hardware specifications are too high making the game unplayable, etc. For whatever reason, you might have Steam offers you a full game price refund if you wish to do so, you only need to meet 2 criteria, the game must have been purchased within 2 weeks period, older purchases cannot be refunded, and your game playtime must not be over 2 hours of game time. If you fit into this category all you need to do in order to get the full money back is going to Help>Steam Support, pick a recent game from the eligible list, and ask for a refund.

Gift a game

As you can buy gifts for your friends or loved ones in real life, Valve made sure you can do it in digital as well. Gifting game via Steam is simple and straightforward. Choose a game you wish to gift, go to your shopping cart and instead of clicking Purchase for myself, click on Purchase As a Gift, from there you will be taken to your friend list to choose to whom you would like to gift a game along with the option to write a little note to the receiver like happy birthday, enjoy or whatever.

Stream games in Steam itself

Although Steam is not there yet in streaming as Twitch or Facebook gaming is, there is an option to stream your game sessions on it. Click on Steam>Settings>Broadcast to make all adjustments and start streaming. You can also watch streams from your friend list and Steam is now broadcasting popular streams directly to its client if you want to watch it.

Take a game screenshot

By pressing F12, you can take a screenshot from any game and save it inside your Steam cloud library. You can change of course this default screenshot key via Settings>In-Game and if you would like to see your screenshots you can always do it under View Screenshot Library on a game’s page. That’s it, our Steam tips and tricks for easy and good gaming life, I hope to see you soon on errortools.com for your daily articles, tips, and tricks.

Error 0x800706be is a Windows error code that pops up when a particular system file is having some issue. This error pops up on other Windows-compatible software as well as driver vendors. This error signifies a misconfigured or corrupted system file so you might encounter this error in different instances. For instance, this error might pop up when you click the audio icon from the system tray or when the Windows Upgrade or Update has failed. Needless to say, this error can be caused by different factors. Anyhow, this post will show you what you can do to fix the problem when the error pops up during a Windows Update or Upgrade. If you are seeing this error when you try to install the latest Windows updates, it will show a Windows Update failed message and you obviously won’t be able to update your Windows 10 PC until you fix this error. You will keep seeing this error even when you try to reboot or update it a couple of times. As mentioned, the error code 0x800706be appears when there is something wrong with your system files – they are either corrupted or misconfigured. This error is most likely caused by the corrupted Windows Update Components. Corruption of these files is not unusual and it could happen anytime. So since the Windows Update files or components are corrupted, you won’t be able to successfully install the latest Windows Updates. Here are some options you can try to fix the problem.

Option 1 – Try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the basic things to do when facing any kind of issue with Windows Updates. As long as it can it will detect the issue and automatically solve them so that there will be no need for you to do more technical steps to resolve the issue.

• Tap the Windows and R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type in “control.exe /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting” in the field and tap Enter to open the Windows Update Troubleshooter.
• After that, click Windows Update and follow the next on-screen instructions.

Option 2 – Try resetting the Windows Update Components

This is another basic thing to do in fixing the error 0x800706be. It is also one of the solutions that mostly worked for users who also got this error when trying to install Windows updates. And since the problem is caused by corrupted Windows update components, the most logical thing to do is to delete old files and reset components. To reset the Windows Update components, follow the given instructions below carefully.

• Tap the Windows key once.
• Then in the Windows Start Search, type in “command prompt”.
• From the search results displayed, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After that, type in “net stop wuauserv” and tap Enter.
• Next, type in “net stop cryptSvc” and tap Enter.
• Then type in “net stop bits” and tap Enter.
• Type in “ren C:\Windows\Software\Distribution Software\Distribution.old” and then tap Enter.
• Afterward, type in “C:\Windows\System32\catroot2\Catroot2.old” and tap Enter.
• Next, type “net start cryptSvc” and tap Enter.
• Then type “net start bits” and tap Enter.
• Finally, type in “net start msiserver” and tap Enter.
• Now close Command Prompt and then try updating Windows once more.

The feature that was originally planned for now scrapped Windows 10X is included in Windows 11. You will be able to customize your Virtual desktop with different wallpapers for each screen. In order to fully customize your virtual desktops with different wallpapers follow this easy step-by-step guide.

1. Click on the Task View button in the taskbar
2. When the Task View opens, select the desktop on which you want to set wallpaper
3. The view will switch to the selected desktop. Right-click anywhere on the desktop and select personalize
4. In personalization settings, click on the background
5. Select wallpaper which you would like to have on the desktop by clicking on browse and navigating to the desired one
6. Close the settings
7. Repeat for each virtual desktop you would like to customize

A lot of users lately reported getting an error that says, “The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect”. This kind of error can pop up when you try to open a number of programs, regardless of their origin, the developer, and compatibility. Here’s the full context of the error message:

“<PATH OF THE EXECUTABLE FILE>, This application has failed to start because its side-by0side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more detail”.

This kind of problem has something to do with the C++ runtime package in the background. It could also be related to an error for a registry value. Whatever the cause is, you can fix this error with the help of some suggestions provided in this post. You can try to reinstall the application or check the registry setting or reinstall the suitable Visual C++ Runtimes or re-enable the Microsoft .NET Framework. For more details, refer to the instructions given below.

Option 1 – Try to reinstall the application

There are times when some supporting module for your application under the hood could have messed up the application. And so to fix that, you need to uninstall the concerned application and then try reinstalling it again. Once you’re done, check if it fixed the problem or not.

Option 2 – Try to change the Registry setting

• Tap the Win + R key combination to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “Regedit” in the fields and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: Computer HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows NT CurrentVersion SideBySide Winners x86_policy.9.0.microsoft.vc90.crt_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_none_02d0010672fd8219 9.0
• From there, look for a String value named “default” and double click on it.
• After that, change its Value data to match the one as the third value in BINARY.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try reinstalling the appropriate Visual C++ Runtime

• You need to open the Event Viewer first by searching for it in the Windows Search box.
• After opening Event Viewer, look for the error events that are sourced by SideBySide.
• Next, look for the actual Visual C++ Runtime module that’s causing the error.
• Now download the module from the official website of Microsoft Support and then install it and see if it fixed the problem.

Option 4 – Re-enable the Microsoft .NET Framework

You could also try to disable the Microsoft .NET Framework then enable the latest version of the .NET Framework on your PC and check if the error is fixed.

Mail and Calendar not working with Cortana? As you know, Cortana was first launched way back in 2014 with an emphasis on its tight integration with both the Windows Mail and Calendar apps. This integration has been one of the highlighting features of this Personal Digital Assistant. However, there are some users who reported that the Calendar and Mail integration with Cortana is not working on their Windows 10 computers. This kind of problem could be due to several factors like the loose integration between the services, incompatible versions of the components, and many more. According to the users who experienced the issue, the features affected are the syncing of calendar appointments, sending emails via Cortana, and so on. To fix this problem, there are several options you can try. You can try to restart Cortana’s processor run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter. You could also try to relink your Microsoft account or reinstall the Mail and Calendar apps, as well as reinstall Cortana.  For more details, follow the suggestions given below.

Option 1 – Restart Cortana’s process in the Task Manager

Restarting Cortana’s process in the Task Manager could also help you resolve the problem. Refer to the steps given below to do so.

• Tap the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys to open the Security options window.
• From there, look for the Task Manager in the given list and open it.
• Next, look for the process of Cortana and right-click on it, and then select the End Task option to end its process.
• After that, the Cortana process will restart by itself and re-initialize.

Option 2 – Run the Windows Store App troubleshooter

The Windows 10 Store Apps Troubleshooter will help you in fixing the Web Preview problem in Cortana. This is a great built-in tool from Microsoft that helps users fix any app issues. To use the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter, follow the steps below.

• Tap Win + I keys again to open the Windows Settings panel.
• Go to Update & Security and then go to Troubleshoot.
• Under the Troubleshoot section, on your left-hand side, scroll down to find Window Store Apps.
• Then click on the Run the troubleshooter option and follow the on-screen instructions and then see if it fixes the problem.

Option 3 – Try to relink your Microsoft Account

You might also want to relink your account in Microsoft using the Windows 10 Settings app.

• Open the Windows 10 Settings app.
• Next, navigate to Accounts > Email & Accounts and from there, go to the section of Accounts used by Email, Calendar, and Contacts.
• After that, select your email account and select Manage.
• Once done, a new panel will come up where you have to click on the “Delete account from this device” link.
• Once you get a confirmation, select Delete and then relink the same account. This should resolve the problem.

Option 4 – Try to reinstall or update the Mail and Calendar apps

• Open Windows PowerShell as admin.
• Next, execute this command: Get-AppxPackage *windowscommunicationsapps* | Remove-AppxPackage
• Once done, restart your computer and go to the Microsoft Store page to get the latest updates for both Windows Mail and Calendar apps.

Option 5 – Try to reset Cortana via Settings

• Launch the Windows 10 Settings app and go to Apps > Apps & Features.
• Next, look for the entry of Cortana on the right-side panel and select it.
• After that, select the Advanced options and then select the Terminate button under the Terminate section.
• Once done, click on the Reset button under the Reset section.
• Restart your PC.
• After your computer boots, launch Cortana again and check.

Option 6 – Try to reinstall Cortana

If none of the options given above works, you must consider reinstalling Cortana.

• First, right-click on the Taskbar and select the Task Manager.
• Next, select File menu > Run new task and type “Powershell” in the field and then select the “Create this task with administrative privileges” option.
• Click on OK to open the PowerShell console.
• After that, type the following command and hit Enter to execute it:

Get-AppXPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.Cortana | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"}

• Restart your computer and check if the problem is now fixed.

Hal.dll Error - What is it?

Hal.dll error is a type of dynamic link library error that is common in Windows. Hal.dll is the critical file in all Windows installations and the error occurs when this file cannot be correctly loaded. Hal is the abbreviation for ‘Hardware Abstraction Layer’. Communication between Windows and different PC hardware is facilitated with this file. The error causes inconvenience and hampers your ability to use the hardware. The error message is displayed in either one of the following formats:

• "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: C:Windowssystem32hal.dll. Please re-install a copy of the above file."
• "Cannot find WindowsSystem32hal.dll"
• "C:WindowsSystem32Hal.dll missing or corrupt: Please re-install a copy of the above file."

Solution

Error Causes

Hal.dll error occurs due to multiple reasons. These include:

• BIOS are not configured properly
• Damaged hard drive
• Hal.dll file is missing, damaged, or corrupt
• Viral Infection

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix and resolve the Hal.dll error code on your system, you don’t always have to hire a professional technician for the job. Though Hal.dll error is critical but easy to resolve, here are some solutions that you can try to fix it right away even if you don’t have any technical expertise.

1) Restart Your PC

Sometimes this can be a temporary error, so try restarting your PC. If the error is resolved then that’s great. However, if it still persists, then try other solutions.

2) Change the Boot Order

The underlying cause for the Hal.dll error is often not properly configured BIOS; if this is the cause, simply change the boot order of the bootable devices like your hard drive. The BIOS setup utility is used to change boot order settings. This can be done by restarting your PC. Once you restart, press F2 to enter the setup. Now go to SATA operation and change RAID AHCI to RAID ATA. Save changes and then exit. By doing so, you will be able to re-configure the BIOS and resolve the error.

3) Use BOOTMGR

Another way to resolve is to update the volume boot code to use BOOTMGR. To do this, access advanced startup options, open the command prompt and type bootsect command and then press Enter. Run the command and then you’ll get the following message: C: (\?Volume{37a450c8-2331-11e0-9019-806e6f6e6963}) Successfully updated NTFS filesystem bootcode. Bootcode was successfully updated on all targeted volumes. After that close the command prompt. This is most likely to resolve the error.

4) Repair Registry With Restoro.

In case the error is still not fixed, then this means that the problem is bigger than you thought. It may be due to hard drive failure, viral infection, or sometimes because of hal.dll file corruption. In the event of these error causes, it is recommended to download Restoro. Restoro is an advanced, next-generation, and multi-functional PC repair tool embedded with numerous utilities like a registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer. The registry cleaner utility:

• Scans for all registry issues
• Wipes out the unnecessary files saved in the hard drive like the junk files, cookies, internet history, and temporary files
• Cleans the disk
• Repairs damaged and corrupt files
• Restores the registry

The antivirus utility scans and removes all malicious software from your PC including viruses, Trojans, malware, adware, and spyware. Simultaneously, it also boosts the speed of your system. It is safe and efficient PC repair software. It has simple navigation and a user-friendly interface. Whether you are using Windows 7, 8 or Vista, it is compatible with all. It can also be used on Windows XP. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the Hal.dll error today!

As you know, Windows allows you to share files between systems that are on the same network even though they are not connected physically. All you have to do is to make sure that the folder administrator allows access to the intended use and that your computer should be connected to the internet. Once you meet these conditions, you can share files between systems. However, recently a number of users reported that despite fulfilling these conditions, they end up getting errors instead when they try to access the shared drive. The error states:

“Error code: 0x80070035. The network path was not found.”

One of the common causes of this error is the antivirus program or the Firewall installed on your computer. It could also be that the drive is not shared in the first place or there are some issues with your network drivers. Whichever the case is, here are some potential fixes you need to check out to fix the Error code: 0x80070035.

Option 1 – Try to temporarily disable anti-virus and Windows Defender Firewall

As mentioned, the error could be due to the antivirus program or the Windows Defender Firewall installed on your computer. Thus, disabling them or any security software installed in your computer is always a good idea you can try when you’re not able to access the shared drive on your computer. There are times when you encounter problems like Error code: 0x80070035 due to interference of antivirus or security programs. Thus, you have to disable both your antivirus program and Windows Defender Firewall for the meantime and check if it fixes the error or not.

Option 2 – Check if the drive is shared

Before you further troubleshoot the problem, make sure that the drive you are trying to access is shared first. To do so, follow these steps:

• Right-click on the folder and select Properties.
• Go to the Sharing tab and check the status of the Network File and Folder Sharing.
• And if the status is “Not Shared”, you need to select Share.
• Next, select the intended Network User for sharing the file and choose the permission level for the user.
• After that, click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made. You or the intended user should now be able to access the shared folder or file.

Option 3 – Try to ping the IP address of the targeted computer

Even though the shared folder or file is shared correctly, it is possible that the network channel is not connected properly which is why you have to test it by pinging the IP address of the targeted computer from the primary computer.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run dialog box.
• Type “cmd” in the field and tap Enter to open Command Prompt.
• Next, type the “ipconfig/all” command and tap Enter to execute it. This will populate various details.
• From the given details, take note of the IPv4 address.
• Afterward, open Command Prompt on the primary computer and then type the “ping <IPv4 address of the target computer>” command and hit Enter.
• Now check if you get 4 confirmation replies or not. If not, you can try to access the Network Adapter Troubleshooter.

To run the Network Troubleshooter, 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 4 – Verify if Network Discovery is enabled

All you have to do is go to Start > Settings > Network & Internet and from there, click on the “Change connection properties” option and shift the radio button for Network profile to Private. After that, check if folder sharing is now working.

Option 5 – Try to modify the Network Security settings

There are times when the Network Security settings interfere with the folder or file sharing process. And if that’s the case, you can modify it to resolve the problem. How? Refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “secpol.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Local Security Policy manager window.
• After that, go to Local Policies > Security Options located on the left pane.
• Next, double click on Network security: LAN Manager authentication level in the right pane to open its Properties.
• And then select the “Send LM & NTLM-use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated” option from the drop-down menu.
• Now click on Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Reboot your computer.

Option 6 – Try to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “ncpa.cpl” in the field and tap Enter to open the Network Connections window.
• After that, right-click on your network and select Properties.
• Next, double click on Internet Protocol Version 4 and click on the Advanced button.
• From there, go to the WINS tab and shift the radio button to Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP.
• Now click OK to save the changes made and then restart your computer.

Option 7 – Update the Network Adapter drivers

You might also want to update the Network Adapter drivers by following these steps:

• 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.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
• Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and update them all.
• Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the BSOD error.

Note: If updating the network drivers didn’t help in fixing Error code: 0x80070035, 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. To reinstall the network adapter driver, refer to these steps:

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

If you are trying to update your Windows 10 computer but encounter the Windows update error 0x80244019 instead, read on as this post will help provide you some possible fixes to resolve the problem. This kind of Windows Update error is usually caused by your Windows Update settings or the Windows Update components. Many users who encountered this error reported that the update fails with the said error which keeps them from enjoying the latest features that the Windows Update brings. In such cases, some of the common culprits for this Windows Update error are the Windows Update settings, Windows Update configuration, third-party antivirus programs, and so on. To resolve this error, you can check out the options provided below.

Option 1 – Restart your computer and try installing the Updates again

You can restart your computer and then try installing the updates once again. There are instances when a simple restart resolves Windows Update errors. Aside from that, it would also be better if you make sure that your internet connection is working and that it’s stable. And so after you restart your computer, check for updates once again and see if you’re still getting the error or not.

Option 2 – Try to change the Windows Update settings

You might also want to try tweaking the Windows Update settings. This will prevent other Microsoft products from being updated and besides, you can always turn the option back on afterward. To change Windows Update settings, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• Next, go to Updates and Security and click on the Advanced Options.
• From there, turn off the “Get me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows” option.

Option 3 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the things you can first check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update errors like error code 0x80244019. To run it, Refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• From there, click Update and Security and go to the Troubleshoot section.
• Next, select Windows Update and click the “Run the troubleshooter” button and wait until it’s finished, and then try to run Windows Update again.

Option 4 – Try to disable the third-party antivirus program

Disabling the antivirus program or any security software installed in your computer is always a good idea you can try when the Windows Update process does not go smoothly. There are times when you encounter Windows Update errors like 0x80244019 due to interference of third party antivirus programs. So before you try updating your computer again, make sure to disable the antivirus or security program and once the Windows Update is done, don’t forget to enable the antivirus program back again.

Option 5 – Try to manually install the Windows Updates

Windows Update Error 0x80244019 might be due to a Windows Update that has failed. So if it is not a feature update and only a cumulative update, you can download the Windows Update and install it manually. But first, you need to find out which update has failed, and to do so, refer to the following steps:

• Go to Settings and from there go to Update and Security > View Update History.
• Next, check which particular update has failed. Note that Updates that have failed to install will be displayed under the Status column which has a label of “Failed”.
• After that, go to the Microsoft Download Center and look for that update using its KB number and once you find it, download and then install it manually.

Note: You can also use the Microsoft Update Catalog, a service from Microsoft that provides a list of software updates that can be distributed over a corporate network. With the help of this service, it can be easier for you to find Microsoft software updates, drivers as well as fixes.

Option 6 – Restart some Windows Update services

The first thing you have to do is to restart Windows Update-related services. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net stop bits

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.
• Once all the contents in the Software Distribution folder are deleted, restart your PC and then go back to Command Prompt and input the following commands again.

net start wuauserv net start bits

 Since the folder has already been flushed, it will be populated afresh the instant your restart your computer and open Windows Update. Now try to update your computer again and see if the error is fixed or not.

If you connected your Hard Disk, USB, or SD card to your Windows 10 computer and you suddenly encounter an error that says, “Windows was unable to repair the drive”, read on as this post will help you fix the problem. This kind of error indicates that the file system on the drive has become corrupted and that ChkDsk was not able to repair the problem. You can also encounter this error when you try to run the ChkDsk utility to repair the system. This kind of error is most likely due to the general corruption of the contents in the drive. It is also possible that you removed the external drive without using the “Safely remove hardware” option or it could be that the drive is still in use. To fix the problem, the obvious thing to do is to safely remove the external drive by using the “Safely remove hardware” option. If it didn’t work, you can try to run the CHKDSK utility from the command line or you could also restart your computer in a Clean Boot State and then run the scan. Before you proceed with the potential fixes provided below, make sure that you create a system restore point first or you could also create a backup copy of the data to an external drive.

Option 1 – Run the CHKDSK utility from the command line

Although some users reported getting the “Windows was unable to repair the drive” when they run a CHKDSK scan, other users reported that running it also fixed the error. Thus, you can try to run it and see if it works or not.

• In the Windows Search box, type “command prompt” and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening Command Prompt, type this command and tap Enter: chkdsk <Partition Letter>: /f
• The command you entered will start to check for errors and fix them automatically. Else, it will throw an error message saying, “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like the schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”.
• Tap the Y key to schedule Disk Check the next time your computer restarts.

Option 2 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

There are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that triggers the “Windows was unable to repair the drive” error to appear when you connect your external drive or run the CHKDSK utility. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Once your computer has restarted in a Clean Boot State, perform your scan again and see if it now works, and then start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

Error Code 707 - What is it?

Error code 707 is a typical Gmail error. Gmail is an email service provided by the largest internet giant Google Inc. It is an email service that is most widely used by web-based email providers with more than 425 million active users worldwide. The error code 707 is usually displayed in any one of the following formats:

“Oops... the system encountered a problem (#707)” “Server error occurred and your email was not sent (error 707)”

Solution

Error Causes

The error code 707 may be triggered due to many reasons. These include:

• Enabled Lab ‘Background Send’ feature on Gmail
• Web browser history and cache is full of junk content
• Outdated browser

Though this error code is not fatal it is advisable to fix it right away to avoid inconvenience and to ensure your email is sent right away without any delays.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the easy DIY methods to repair and fix the error code 707 on your PC. These methods are simple and do not require any kind of technical expertise. So, even if you are not technically sound, you can repair the error code 707 on your system in no time.

Method 1

Sometimes you may experience error code 707 while sending email via Gmail because of the enabled Background send labs feature. To fix this error here’s what you must do: Log in to your Gmail account, click on the Gear Box, and select settings. Now simply switch to the lab tab under the settings. Here search for Background Send. If you can’t locate it, then scroll down and insert background Send in the find box. Once you find this lab feature, disable it. After disabling this feature, try resending the email. Hopefully, this will resolve the issue. Nonetheless, if the error 707 still persists, then try method 2 given below.

Method 2

The error 707 may also be triggered if your web browser becomes outdated. If so, then it is advisable to update the browser to resolve the issue. Simply download the latest browser version from a reliable website. After the installation is complete, log on to your Gmail account and then try to send an email. If the email is sent successfully, then the issue is fixed.

Method 3

Try clearing cache and web browser history.  When the web browser history and cache are full of junk files, then you might experience this error on your system. Sometimes this can also lead to registry issues. To remove the error and repair the registry immediately, download Restoro. This is a multi-functional and user-friendly PC Fixer compatible with all Windows versions and embedded with multiple powerful scanners including a registry cleaner. It scans your entire PC for such errors. It clears the registry, removes all obsolete and unnecessary files including cookies, web browser history, junk files, and invalid entries, and cleans it right away thereby fixing the error immediately. Click here to download Restoro and resolve error code 707.