If you suddenly find the Windows Recovery Environment not working and you see an error message saying, “Could not find the recovery environment”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can fix it. In times when you can’t boot into the Windows Recovery Environment, there could be several reasons behind it. However, have you ever wondered where exactly the Windows Recovery Environment is in your computer?
Windows initially places the Windows RE Image file in the installation partition during Windows Setup so if you have installed Windows in the C drive, you can find the Windows RE at the C:/Windows/System32/Recovery or C:/Recovery folder. Keep in mind that this folder is hidden and later on, the system copies the image file into the recovery tools partition to make sure that one can boot into recovery if there are any issues with the drive partition.
The “Could not find the recovery environment” error mostly occurs if the Windows Recovery Environment is disabled or if the “Winre.wim” file is corrupted. Thus, to fix this error, you need to refer to the given suggestions below.
Option 1 – Try to enable Windows Recovery Environment
In the Windows Start Search, type “PowerShell” and from the search results that appear, right-click on Windows PowerShell and then select the “Run as administrator” option to open it with admin privileges.
Next, type the “reagentc /info” command and tap Enter to execute it.
After that, if the output states that Status is enabled, then you’re all set.
Now type the “reagentc /enable” command and tap Enter to enable the Windows Recovery Environment. You will see a success message at the end signifying that Windows RE is available.
Option 2 – Try to fix the corrupted or missing “Winre.wim” file
If the Winre.wim file is either corrupted or missing, you need to get a new copy of this file from another computer where the Windows RE is working. Once you’re able to get a new copy of the Winre.wim file, you have to set the image path to a new location. For more details, refer to these steps:
First, type “Powershell” in Windows Start Search and right-click on Windows PowerShell from the results, and select Run as administrator.
Next, execute the given command below to change the path of the WIM file to the new location. Note that the steps should be used when the file path of the Windows Recovery Environment is different from the usual spot.
Reagentc /setreimage /path C:RecoveryWindowsRE
As mentioned, if the file is corrupted, you just have to get a new copy from another PC but before you do that, make sure that the WINRE on that computer is disabled (just enable it later on) and then place it in the C:/Recovery path and then set its path again using the command given above and then verify its path by executing the following command.
reagentc /info command
Note: Since the Recovery folder is hidden as well as the WINRE folder in it and you won’t be able to access them using the Windows File Explorer, you need to use the Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt so that you can access them.
Option 3 – Try checking and fixing the WinRE Reference in the Windows Boot Loader
The Windows Boot Loader is the one that determines if it has to load the Windows Recovery Environment. It could be that the boot loader is pointing to an incorrect location which is why you’re getting the error. To resolve it, you have to check and fix the WinRE Reference in the boot loader. How? Follow these steps:
In the Windows Start Search, type “PowerShell” and from the search results that appear, right-click on Windows PowerShell and then select the “Run as administrator” option to open it with admin privileges.
After that, execute the “bcdedit /enum all” command.
Next, look for an entry in the Windows Boot Loader identifier set as Current and look for “recoverysequence” in that section and take note of the GUID.
Ensure that the device and the osdevice items show the path for the Winre.wim file and that they are the same. If not, you need to point the current identifier to the one which has the same.
Once you’ve found the new GUID, execute this command: bcdedit /set {current} recoverysequence {GUID_which_has_same_path_of_device_and_device}
Now check if the error in the Recovery Environment is fixed or not.
Option 4 – Try creating a Recovery Media
You could also try creating a Recovery Media to resolve the error in the Windows RE. All you have to do is download the Windows 10 ISO file using the Media Creation tool and then create a recovery drive. Once you’re done, check if it fixes the problem or not.
If you receive an error message that says, “Entry point not found, The procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library” on your Windows 10 PC, then you will find this post useful for this will provide you some potential fixes to fix the error.
This kind of error can occur if a program fails to locate the DLL library that it needs in order to run. It can also occur if the library is not in the specified directory in the path or if the DLL file has gone missing or has become corrupted.
To fix the “The procedure entry point could not be located in the dynamic link library” error, check out the following options given below.
Option 1 – Try to reinstall the program
The first thing you can do to resolve the error is to uninstall the program that throws the error and download its latest version from its official site and then install it again.
Option 2 – Run System File Checker scan
If reinstalling the program didn’t work, you can also try running the System File Checker or SFC scan to fix the error. 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:
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 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.
Reboot your computer.
Option 3 – Try checking the details in the Event Viewer
The Event Viewer can also help you resolve the error as it contains detailed information about the error that could help you pinpoint its root cause and resolve it.
Option 4 – Try to re-register the problematic DLL file
You may have to re-register the ntdll.dll file using the regsvr32.exe before you can successfully install the program and fix the error. The Regsvr32 tool is a command-line utility that can be used to register and unregister OLE controls like DLL and ActiveX (OCX) controls in the Windows operating system. Follow the steps below to use it.
Open Command Prompt as admin from the WinX menu.
Next, type the following commands in the elevated Command Prompt and hit Enter to execute the command. This will re-register the affected DLL file using the Windows operating system tool, regsvr32.exe.
exe /[DLL file]
exe [DLL file]
Note: Replace “[DLL file]” with the name of the DLL file that was pointed out in the error.
After you execute the given commands, you should see a message saying, “DllRegisterServer in vbscript.dll succeeded” if the Regsvr32 tool was able to run successfully. After that, try to install the program again and see if it now works.
Option 5 – Try to replace the DLL file with a trusted source
First, you need to get the new DLL file from another computer with preferably the same file version number.
After that, you need to boot your PC into Safe Mode and navigate to the paths listed below and then replace the file using a USB drive or other external storage devices.
x86: This PC > C:/Windows/System32
x64: This PC > C:/Windows/SysWOW64
Next, type “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right click on Command Prompt, and select “Run as administrator” to open it with administrator privileges.
Now type the “regsvr32 ntdll.dll” command and hit Enter.
Restart your PC and check if the error is now fixed.
Option 6– Try to scan your computer using Windows Defender
It is also possible that the DLL file might be infected with malware or virus which could explain why you’re getting the error. Thus, you have to scan your computer using security programs 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.
Valve has officially announced that Steam Deck will be compatible with Windows 11 despite TPM 2.0 Microsoft requirements.
From the beginning, Deck was announced like a mini handheld PC device. Powered with new Steam OS 3.0 based on Linux. However, besides out-of-the-box OS it was also stated that Deck will be a personal device meaning that other PC-based operating systems could be installed on it and even run your typical applications in it.
Since Microsoft announced Windows 11 hardware requirements, specifically the TPM 2.0 requirement many users voiced concern that Steam Deck will not be able to connect to Windows 11
TPM 2.0 is something that Microsoft requires for every internal and hardware component that is to connect on a Windows 11 device. This is to ensure that only trusted devices would be included in the array of a PC setup and avoid any problems like malicious hardware injecting software into a system.
This would also minimize the compromise Windows would have, as unverified or untrusted devices connect to a Windows PC.
However, Valve and AMD are ensuring us that Deck will not have any issue connecting to a PC running Windows 11 or even if you wish to transform Deck itself into a Device running Windows 11.
As you know, Microsoft is consistent in pushing updates to its supported versions of the Windows operating systems in order to make it better and defend it from different kinds of vulnerabilities. And pushing billions of active Windows computers every now and then is really not an easy thing to do since it calls for a complex Windows Update delivery module. These complexities often give rise to various errors like the Windows Update error code 0x80004005.
When you encounter this kind of Windows Update error, you will see the following error message on your screen:
“There were problems installing some updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help 0x80004005.”
This kind of Windows Update error occurs due to an issue while either installing or downloading an update. There are several ways you can fix the problem. You can try to replace the dpcdll.dll file, reset the Windows Update-related services, run the Windows Update troubleshooter or manually install the Windows Updates. For more details, check out the options given below.
Option 1 – Try to replace the DLL file with a trusted source
The first thing you can do is to replace the dpcdll.dll file with a trusted source.
First, you need to get the new dpcdll.dll file from another computer with preferably the same file version number as your computer.
After that, you need to boot your PC into Safe Mode and navigate to the paths listed below and then replace the file using a USB drive or other external storage devices.
For x86: This PC > C:/Windows/System32
For x64: This PC > C:/Windows/SysWOW64
Next, type “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on Command Prompt, and select “Run as administrator” to open it with administrator privileges.
Now type the “regsvr32 dpcdll.dll” command and hit Enter.
Restart your PC and check if the error is now fixed.
Option 2 – Try to reset the Windows Update components
If by any chance that the third option didn’t work, you can also try resetting the Windows Update components as it could also help you resolve the Windows Update error. How? Refer to the following steps:
Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptsvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS and MSI Installer.
After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
net start wuauserv
net start cryptsvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.
Option 3 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing Windows Update error 0x80004005. 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 downloading and installing the Windows Updates manually
Windows Update Error 0x80004005 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.
As we near the end of 2022 we look at the current best antivirus software for popular platforms, why they are the best, and why you should get them.
Avira, a great free Antivirus
Avira has been around a long time with its free antivirus version of the larger protection suite. It had its ups and downs but the latest versions are really great. With high-speed scans and low system impact, Avira antivirus is really one of the best free antivirus software currently on the market.
The software itself has also received UI & UX updates making it straightforward and easy to use. The virus scanning engine is the same as in paid version that ranks among the top engines in the world for this type of work. The package also gives you some great browser protection and a good firewall as well, there is really no excuse to skip on this if you want a free solution.
The only thing that we would say is not so great in Avira is reporting some false positives, sometimes even for MS updates, it is rare but it can happen.
Malwarebytes, a powerful Windows antivirus
Malwarebytes Premium is easy to use, simple antivirus solution that shies away from complicated UI, and simply put, it just works. Its scanning engine is well-known and places among the top and best in the world often finding some malware that other can miss.
Another great thing is its integration with Windows itself, it is one of the rare applications that can and will work incredibly well beside your typical Windows protection tools so you can have both of them running at the same time.
Installation and running are really simple and every typical PC user will find it as easy as walking in the park. On the other hand, sadly system impact is a little high and it will have issues running on lower-end systems due to its memory requirements.
Intego MAC Internet Security X9, the best Mac antivirus
Gone are the days when MAC had no virus issues, since MAC rose in popularity among the users, also rose the number of viruses and malware. The system itself has some great protection built it inside but for more security and better control of it, you will need a third-party dedicated solution.
Intego was made by Mac antivirus experts who have been building this kind of software last 25 years. The interface is easy to use and premade presets are really helpful, but the security suite can also be customized to fit your needs and desires.
Since this is only available as a security suite, you are getting a firewall and some other security tools along with your antivirus that will run as a part of it.
The bad side is that scans can sometimes run slow, most of the time they are OK in terms of speed but occasionally they can switch to slower speeds and impact scanning time to some annoying times. Also, there is no webcam protection nor VPN service included where others on this list have them.
Bitdefender mobile security: best Android protection
While protection is not only needed for your gaming or workstation, software suites that are dealing with mobile and tablet security exist. The best of them is the Bitdefender antivirus mobile suite. Low on system resources and low on performance impact with the really great virus detection rate Bitdefender is at the top of suites for your phone.
Consistent high virus detection packed with low battery impact is great but the suite comes with tons of other tools as well like browser security tools, email protection, and real-time link and notification protection.
The application will always scan each file and newly installed application in the background and alert and cut off any found threat. App itself is easy to install and use and most of the time it will do everything in the background for you but offer you customization if you need it.
The package also includes VPN and application lock that will let you protect the critical applications from being accessed as well as an online account scanner. Anti-theft and anti-loss tools, which allow you to find, remotely lock or wipe a stolen or lost device, add yet another layer of protection.
One thing that is missing from this great package is fraudulent call protection. Newer Android phones have this feature inside but it would be nice if Bitdefender had it as well.
Bitdefender, the best antivirus software
Now that we have covered specific cases of each platform, there is one player that has all of them covered and with a quality product, that player is BitDefender and it is great. Personally, this is my protection suite of choice and as I type this it is running in the background.
Bitdefender has it all, low system impact, as a matter of fact, it is one, if not, the lowest performance impact engine on the market currently and that is packed with a great and highly consistent virus & malware detection suite. Along with real-time malware protection, browser security, and anti-spam tools, you also get anti-phishing defenses, ransomware protection, and a strong firewall.
Bitdefender scores are very high in both the zero-day threat and real-world protection tests at AV-Test, an established organization that tests antivirus software. Despite being tested against tens of thousands of well-known and widespread malware threats, the software consistently achieves a 100% blocking rate.
The suite also comes with a restricted free VPN and with parental controls as well. Webcam and microphone protection are also included in the suite and on top of all, it has great pricing plans and constant discounts.
BitDefender is really a great package and it might sound too good, but after years and years of personally using it I have not had single malware or virus issue, the only thing that I would put as a negative is that system is severely slowed down when system scans are performed so be sure to run or schedule them when you are not using your computer. This, of course, can put some people off and I will admit it is a serious drawback but for me, the security of my workstation is more important than leaving the computer for 20 or so minutes in order to perform a full scan of the system.
Speech Recognition is a technology used to control computers using voice commands. Through this feature, you can say commands that your computer will respond to, and aside from that, you can also dictate text to your computer which eliminates the need to type words in any word processing program or text editor. All in all, the Speech Recognition feature allows you to communicate with your computer and improves your computer’s ability to understand your own voice better as well as improve its diction accuracy. However, before you can improve its accuracy, you need to “train the feature” first. And if so far you are not satisfied with its performance, you actually have the option to disable it. So in this post, you will be guided on how you can disable the Speech Recognition feature in Windows 10 v1809.
To disable Speech Recognition on your computer, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Go to Settings > Ease of Access.
Step 2: From there, go to Speech.
Step 3: Now switch off the toggle button for Speech Recognition to disable this feature.
On the other hand, you can also disable the Online Speech Recognition feature if you really don’t want to have anything to do with it. You have two options to do that – you can either do it using Settings or using the Registry Editor.
Disable Online Speech Recognition feature via Settings:
Click on the Start button and select Settings.
Next, go to the Privacy section and click on the Speech option located at the right pane.
Then switch the toggle button off to turn off the Online Speech Recognition feature.
Note: Speech services exist on your computer and even in the cloud since Microsoft collects essential information from these services in order to enhance user experience and if you want to stop this, you have to turn off the “Getting to know you” option under the “Inking and typing Personalization” section.
Disable Online Speech Recognition feature via Registry Editor:
Before you proceed, you need to create a System Restore Point first.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
After that, check the default value of the “HasAccepted” key located in the right pane. As you can see its value is set to “1” which means that the Speech Recognition feature is enabled. And so to change it, you have to set “0” as its new value to permanently disable the feature.
Just double click on the key and change the value from “1” to “0”. Keep in mind that even if you are using a 64-bit Windows 10 computer, you still have to create a 32-bit DWORD value.
After that, restart your computer to apply the changes made.
MyFunCards Toolbar is a browser hijacking extension for Google Chrome made by Mindspark Interactive. This extension installs a toolbar for your browser, changes your default search engine, and lowers the general performance of your browser. This extension has access to your personal information, injects your search results with potentially dangerous ads, and possibly breaks some of the browser functions. Since this extension injects its code into too many files and has access to all your browser details, upon removing it you will lose all your browser settings, themes, and login information. MyFunCards is considered a potentially unwanted application, and as a result, is flagged for optional removal by many anti-malware programs.
About Browser Hijackers
Browser hijacking is amongst the web’s constant problems that target internet browsers. It is a type of malware program that alters your web browser’s settings so that you are redirected to internet sites or pages that you had no intention of checking out. There are many reasons why you may have a browser hijack; however commercial, marketing, and advertising are the main reasons for their creation. It redirects you to the sponsored sites and injects advertisements on the browser that assists its developer to generate revenue. Even though it may seem naive, these tools were created by vicious people who always look to take advantage of you, so that they can easily earn money from your naivety and distraction. They not only mess up your browsers, but browser hijackers can also modify the computer registry to make your PC susceptible to various other types of attacks.
Key symptoms that an internet browser has been hijacked
When your web browser is hijacked, the following might happen:
1. the home page of the browser is changed all of a sudden2. your internet browser is constantly being redirected to adult sites3. the default search engine has been changed and the web browser security settings have been cut down without your knowledge4. unwanted new toolbars are added to your browser5. your browser will display endless pop-up ads6. your internet browser has become unstable or starts running slowly7. You cannot access certain websites, in particular anti-malware sites.
How browser hijacker finds its way onto your computer system
A browser hijacker could be installed on your PC if you visit an infected site, click an e-mail attachment, or download something from a file-sharing website. They could also be deployed via the installation of a web browser toolbar, add-on, or extension. A browser hijacker can be installed as a part of freeware, demoware, shareware, and fake programs. Common examples of browser hijackers include Conduit, CoolWebSearch, Coupon Server, OneWebSearch, RocketTab, Snap.do, Delta Search, and Searchult.com.
Browser hijacking can cause severe privacy issues and even identity theft, disrupt your web browsing experience by taking control of outgoing traffic, significantly slows down your personal computer by depleting lots of resources and result in system instability as well.
Browser hijacker removal methods
Certain hijackers can be removed by just uninstalling the corresponding freeware or add-ons through the Add or Remove Programs in the Windows control panel. Having said that, the majority of hijackers are quite tenacious and require specialized applications to eradicate them. Moreover, browser hijackers can modify the Computer registry therefore it can be quite hard to repair manually, especially when you’re not a tech-savvy individual.
Malware Blocking Internet And All Antivirus Software? Do This!
All malware is inherently dangerous, but certain kinds of malicious software do more damage to your computer than others. Some malware goes to great lengths to prevent you from installing anything on your computer system, especially anti-virus software programs. If you’re reading this article, you may have got affected by malware that prevents you from downloading a security program such as Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. There are a few options you can try to get around with this particular obstacle.
Install the anti-virus in Safe Mode
If any malware is set to load immediately when Windows starts, stepping into Safe Mode could block the attempt. Just bare minimum required applications and services are loaded when you start your personal computer in Safe Mode. You will have to do the following to eliminate malware in Safe mode.
1) After switching on the computer, press the F8 key before the Windows splash screen begins to load. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu.2) Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking and hit ENTER.3) As soon as this mode loads, you will have an internet connection. Now, make use of your browser normally and go to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware.4) As soon as the software is installed, allow the scan run to eliminate viruses and other threats automatically.
Use an alternate web browser to download security application
Malicious program code might exploit vulnerabilities on a specific web browser and block access to all antivirus software websites. If you are not able to download the anti-malware application using Internet Explorer, it means malware could be targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you need to switch over to a different web browser like Firefox or Chrome to download Safebytes software.
Make a bootable USB antivirus drive
Another option is to create a portable antivirus program on your USB stick. Adopt these measures to employ a USB flash drive to clean your corrupted computer system.
1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or MS Windows Defender Offline onto a clean computer system.2) Plug the Flash drive into the clean computer.3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, with an .exe file format.4) Select the USB flash drive as the location for saving the software file. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.5) Now, plug the USB drive into the corrupted system.6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the thumb drive by double-clicking the icon.7) Run Full System Scan to detect and get rid of all kinds of malware.
SafeBytes Anti-Malware: Lightweight Malware Protection for Windows Computer
Nowadays, anti-malware software can protect your computer from various forms of online threats. But exactly how to select the best one among numerous malware protection application that is available in the market? You may be aware, there are lots of anti-malware companies and tools for you to consider. Some of them are great and some are scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware software waiting around to wreak havoc on your computer. While looking for an anti-malware program, pick one which gives dependable, efficient, and total protection against all known computer viruses and malware. One of the strongly recommended software is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes has a really good history of excellent service, and customers are happy with it.
SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, very effective protection application created to assist users of all levels of IT literacy in finding and removing harmful threats from their PC. Using its outstanding protection system, this utility will easily detect and remove most of the security threats, which include viruses, adware, browser hijackers, PUPs, trojans, worms, and ransomware.
SafeBytes has great features when compared with various other anti-malware programs. Below are a few of the best ones:
Active Protection: SafeBytes provides a completely hands-free live protection that is set to monitor, prevent and destroy all computer threats at its very first encounter. They are very effective in screening and eliminating different threats because they’re continuously revised with new updates and alerts.
Anti-Malware Protection: With its enhanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware removal tool can identify and eliminate the malware threats hiding in your PC effectively.
SuperSpeed Scanning: This application has one of the fastest and most effective virus scanning engines in the industry. The scans are extremely accurate and take a short amount of time to complete.
Safe Web Browsing: Safebytes allots all websites with a unique safety ranking that helps you to have an idea of whether the website you’re about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site.
Lightweight: SafeBytes gives you total protection from internet threats at a fraction of the CPU load because of its advanced detection engine and algorithms.
24/7 Premium Support: Skilled technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will quickly resolve any technical issues you might be encountering with your security software.
Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)
If you wish to manually remove MyFunCardsToolbar without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser.
To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.
The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by MyFunCardsToolbar
If you encounter Error Code 0x80090016 while trying to create a PIN or when you are using Microsoft Store, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in how you can fix this problem.
Recently some users reported that they were unable to sign in or set up the Windows 10 Login PIN. Note that the potential fixes for this issue are totally different in both scenarios.
Here’s the error message you get when you encounter the PIN related error:
“Something went wrong, We weren’t able to set up your PIN. Sometimes it helps to try again or you can skip for now and do this later.”
On the other hand, here’s the error message you get for the Microsoft Store-related error:
“Try that again, Something happened on our end and we couldn’t sign you in.”
Here are some potential fixes you can try to fix the Error Code 0x80090016 in the Microsoft Store:
Option 1 – Try to sync the Date and Time
The first thing you can try is to sync the Date and Time of your computer as the wrong Date and Time settings are one of the most common causes of connection problems like the Error Code 0x80090016. This is because of the incompatibility between the SSL Certificate validation date and the System Clock. Thus, you have to sync your System Clock. Refer to the steps below to do so.
Start by tapping the Win + I keys to open the Windows Settings.
Next, go to Time & Language > Date & time.
From there, turn the toggle on for the “Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically” option on the right-side panel.
After that, click on Region & language located on the left side panel and make sure that the Country or region on the right-side panel is set to the country you live in.
Now close the Settings app and restart your computer and see if it fixes the problem or not.
Option 2 – Try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via PowerShell
Tap the Win + X key combination or right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option.
If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed and open the Windows PowerShell window.
Next, type in or copy-paste the following command to re-register the Microsoft Store app and tap Enter:
Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.
Option 3 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache
Just like browsers, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.
Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
Next, type in the command, “exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again and then see if Error Code 0x80090016 is resolved or not.
Option 4 – Try to run the Windows Store Troubleshooter
The Windows 10 Store Apps Troubleshooter will help you in fixing the Error Code 0x80090016. This is a great built-in tool from Microsoft that helps users fix any app installation issues. So this is worth a try to solve the problem. This built-in tool also helps you fix the Windows 10 Store if it isn’t working.
To use the Windows Store 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.
On your right-hand side, scroll down to find the Windows Store Apps and then click on Run the troubleshooter option and see if it fixes the problem.
On the other hand, you can use the options below if you encounter Error Code 0x80090016 while setting up your PIN.
Option 5 – Try to manage the NGC Folder
You need to boot your computer into Safe Mode first.
Next, delete all the contents of the NGC folder and you can do that by taking ownership of the folder first. To do so, refer to these sub-steps:
First, locate the concerned folder and right-click on it then select Properties.
Next, click on the Edit button in the Properties window and click OK to confirm if you got a User Account Control elevation request.
After that, select user/group from the permission windows or click on the Add button to add another user or group. It would be best if you add “Everyone” to give permission.
Then check “Full Control” under the “Allow” column to assign full access rights control permissions.
Now edit the permission to Full Control for “Everyone”.
Click OK to save the changes made and then exit.
After you take ownership of the folder, you can now delete all of its contents.
Once you’re done, restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed.
Option 6 – Try to use the Group Policy Editor
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box
Then type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Group Policy Editor.
Next, navigate to this setting: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Logon
After that, double click on “Turn on convenience PIN Sign-in” and set its radio button to Enable. This policy setting has the following description:
“This policy setting allows you to control whether a domain user can sign in using a convenience PIN. If you enable this policy setting, a domain user can set up and sign in with a convenience PIN. If you disable or don’t configure this policy setting, a domain user can’t set up and use a convenience PIN. Note: The user’s domain password will be cached in the system vault when using this feature. To configure Windows Hello for Business, use the Administrative Template policies under Windows Hello for Business.”
After you set the radio button to Enable, it will turn on the Logins using the PIN. Note that setting the radio button to Disabled or Not Configured will turn off the Logins using the PIN.
Now exit the Group Policy Editor and restart your PC so that the changes can take effect.
If you encounter an error code of 0xa0000400 while trying to upgrade your Windows 10 computer using the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant or the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, then you might find this post useful as it will guide you in resolving this problem. When you get this error, you will see the following error message:
“Something went wrongYou can contact Microsoft support for help with this error. Here is the error code 0xa0000400.”
As you know, keeping your computer up to date with all the Windows Updates is important and is imperative especially if you are experiencing a couple of issues like the Windows Upgrade error 0xa0000400. At the time of writing, there is no specific cause that has been found for this error. However, there are some potential fixes that might help you. You can try to recreate the Windows 10 installation USB and get the ISO files or you could also get a newer version of the Windows Media Creation Tool, or turn off your internet connection at a specific time or run the Windows Update troubleshooter. For more details, refer to the options given below.
Option 1 – Try to recreate the Windows 10 installation USB
Recreating the Windows 10 installation USB might help in fixing the problem. You can use a USB drive to do so but make sure that it has a great read-write speed. Follow the steps below to recreate Windows 10 installation USB”
Click this link and then click the Download Tool Now button.
Next, click the “Use the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file)…” option and follow the next given instructions on the screen.
Now select the ISO file option in step 5.
After that, you should now have an ISO file.
Next, go to the location where you’ve downloaded the ISO file.
Then right-click on the Windows 10 ISO file and select the Open with option and then select File Explorer.
Now click on “setup.exe” and follow the next instructions that appear on the screen. When asked, you have to select either Nothing (clean install) or Keep personal files only option. Take note that you must not select the “Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings since it doesn’t really work.
Option 2 – Try turning off the Internet connection at a specific time
You might want to turn off your internet connection at a specific time. This option can be quite tricky so what you need to do is to disconnect the internet connection when the update is downloaded using the Windows Upgrade tool. It’s actually okay since all the files you need would be downloaded safely and the Windows Upgrade tool will be the one to install the newer updates using those files.
Option 3 – Try to get a newer version of the Windows Media Creation tool
You can also fix the Windows Upgrade error 0xa0000400 by using the latest version of the Windows Media Creation tool. And so if what you have is an older version, you need to update it in order to resolve the error and upgrade your Windows 10 computer.
Option 4 – 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 or upgrade errors like error code 0x800701E3. 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 5 – Try running Disk Cleanup
You might want to run the Disk Cleanup utility as it is a useful tool that could delete temporary and useless files in your computer.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “cleanmgr” in the field and hit Enter to open the Disk Cleanup window.
After that, select the drive you want to clean.
Now click OK to clean the disk and restart your computer.
The third time is charm saying goes but not when we are talking about Microsoft. Print spooler is again in focus, in a bad way.
This is the third print spooler vulnerability to emerge in just five weeks. While a critical flaw was originally identified and patched in June, a similar flaw came to light shortly after and was subsequently patched (with mixed success).
Microsoft is once again advising its customers to disable Windows print spooler after a new vulnerability that allows hackers to execute malicious code on machines has emerged. While a patch fixing the flaw will be released in due course, the most effective workaround currently on the table is to stop and disable the print spooler service entirely.
"An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights."
Stop this service right away or you are risking a potential attack.
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu
Click on Power Shell (admin)
In Power Shell type in the following command to check if spool service is running: Get-Service -Name Spooler followed by ENTER
If spooler service is running type in the next command to stop it: Stop-Service -Name Spooler –Force and press ENTER
Then follow with this command to disable it at startup: Set-Service -Name Spooler -StartupType Disabled followed with ENTER
That’s it, we hope a patch will come soon for all the people that are using network printing and indeed need this service running in order to do work.
Error 0x8000ffff prevents you from using the Microsoft store. Altho it is not a critical error that will break Windows, it is annoying enough that will require fixing so we can use the store once again and install apps when we want to. Interesting thing is that this error was present inside Windows 10 as well causing some annoyance, you think Microsoft would learn, and then you see reality. Anyway, we have not come here to bash Microsoft, we came to solve errors.
So there are several problems that can cause this error like issues with accessing the Microsoft servers, corrupt system files, settings being misconfigured, malware infections, or conflicting applications. We will cover all solutions for each scenario taking approaches from most simple solutions to more complex ones. Follow the guide and let's fix this annoyance.
Wait for Microsoft's servers to become accessible
Yes, just wait. If the problem is tied to Microsoft servers having heavy load or being temporarily down there is not much you can do except for their tech team to resolve the issue. Go to Twitter or Facebook and check the Microsoft page to see if anyone else has this issue, if several people are reporting the same error then it is due to server problems. In this case, the only thing you can do is to wait.
Run troubleshooter
If servers are working fine then the issue is within your system so let's get down to fixing. Most simple and easiest solution is to let Windows try and resolve the problem by itself. We will use troubleshooter for this, Windows's integrated fixing solution:
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open the settings app
Click on System in the left panel, then on Troubleshoot on the right
Click on Other troubleshooters
In most Frequent section find Windows Update and click on the Run button
Wait for the troubleshooter to finish and follow on-screen instructions
Clear Store cache
If the troubleshooter has not found the issue or was unable to repair it, the next step is cleaning the Microsoft store cache in order to eliminate corrupted or partial cache files.
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
In run dialog type in: wsreset and press OK or press ENTER
A black screen will appear and it will not give any kind of feedback about progress, so it might seem like Windows has frozen, but do not panic nor try to do anything, this kind of behavior is normal, just wait for the process to finish and once it is done Microsoft store will launch with the cleared cache.
Disable Proxy
Proxy setting can interfere with establishing a connection to the store servers and if previous solutions have not worked we will check proxy next.
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
Inside run dialog type: inetcpl.cpl and hit ENTER or press OK button
Inside Internet Properties click on the Connections tab and then on LAN settings
Uncheck the box next to Use a proxy server for your LAN and click on OK
Turn off antivirus
If nothing worked so far, turn off your anti-virus software, there is a slight possibility that your antivirus is misconfigured or preventing the system from accessing the store. Turn off antivirus and firewall to make sure that this is not an issue.
Delete the software distribution folder
So, we have tried a lot of things, and the error still persists? Let's then go to the next step and delete the software distribution folder in order to be remade new so we can eliminate corruption in the folder itself. To do this follow the guide:
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + S to open the search menu
Inside search type in Windows terminal, right-click on the terminal and click on Run as administrator.
Confirm with YES on UAC prompt pop up
Inside terminal press CTRL + SHIFT + 2 to open command prompt
inside command prompt type in: net stop wuauserv and press ENTER
Then type in: net stop bits followed with ENTER
Next press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
Inside run dialog type in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and press the OK button or ENTER
File Explorer will open and you will find yourself inside SoftwareDistribution folder. Press CTRL + A to select all files inside
Press on the delete icon or press DEL, confirm with YES
Once all files are deleted, the system will redownload new ones.
Enable Cryptographic service
Windows 11 has come with a cryptographic service that aims to make your computer more secure but if the service is turned off it can be the cause of 0x8000ffff error. In order to turn this service back ON, follow the guide:
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
In run dialog type in services.msc and press ENTER or click on the OK button
In the list find Cryptographic Services and double click on it
Inside properties click on Startup type dropdown menu and select Automatic from the list
Click on the Start button to run service and then on the OK button to save the changes
Run SFC scan
SFC is an internal Windows tool for fixing corrupt system files, application will scan all system files and repair ones that are corrupted. To run an SFC scan do the following:
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + S to open the search menu
Inside search type in Windows terminal, right-click on the terminal and click on Run as administrator.
Confirm with YES on UAC prompt pop up
Inside terminal press CTRL + SHIFT + 2 to open command prompt
inside command prompt type in: SFC /scannow and press ENTER
Wait for the whole process to finish and reboot your system
Run DISM scan
Similar to SFC, DISM scan will scan your system Windows image and if required it will repair it.
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + S to open the search menu
Inside search type in Windows terminal, right-click on the terminal and click on Run as administrator.
Confirm with YES on UAC prompt pop up
Inside terminal press CTRL + SHIFT + 2 to open command prompt
inside command prompt type in: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press ENTER
Wait for the whole process to finish and restart your computer
Valve has officially announced that Steam Deck will be compatible with Windows 11 despite TPM 2.0 Microsoft requirements.
From the beginning, Deck was announced like a mini handheld PC device. Powered with new Steam OS 3.0 based on Linux. However, besides out-of-the-box OS it was also stated that Deck will be a personal device meaning that other PC-based operating systems could be installed on it and even run your typical applications in it.
Since Microsoft announced Windows 11 hardware requirements, specifically the TPM 2.0 requirement many users voiced concern that Steam Deck will not be able to connect to Windows 11
TPM 2.0 is something that Microsoft requires for every internal and hardware component that is to connect on a Windows 11 device. This is to ensure that only trusted devices would be included in the array of a PC setup and avoid any problems like malicious hardware injecting software into a system.
This would also minimize the compromise Windows would have, as unverified or untrusted devices connect to a Windows PC.
However, Valve and AMD are ensuring us that Deck will not have any issue connecting to a PC running Windows 11 or even if you wish to transform Deck itself into a Device running Windows 11. 
Microsoft is once again advising its customers to disable Windows print spooler after a new vulnerability that allows hackers to execute malicious code on machines has emerged. While a patch fixing the flaw will be released in due course, the most effective workaround currently on the table is to stop and disable the print spooler service entirely.
So there are several problems that can cause this error like issues with accessing the Microsoft servers, corrupt system files, settings being misconfigured, malware infections, or conflicting applications. We will cover all solutions for each scenario taking approaches from most simple solutions to more complex ones. Follow the guide and let's fix this annoyance.
