Error 550 - What is it?

Error 550 is an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) outgoing server error code. It usually occurs when you try to send emails through your Outlook account and the email message encounters a relay error. The email returns back without being delivered with a 550 error message. The error message is prompted as either of the following:

"550 Requested action not taken: mailbox unavailable" "550 5 2 1 mail from refused spam site"

In other words, the error code 550 means that your SMTP server was not able to deliver the sent email to the user.

Solution

Error Causes

There are multiple reasons for this error message including:

• The email address was typed incorrectly
• Incorrect SMTP Server settings
• ISP placing restrictions for outgoing mails on the email server
• System infected by virus or malware

Further Information and Manual Repair Regardless of what the reason may be for the error 550 code occurrence, it is advisable to repair and fix the issue quickly to avoid inconvenience. You may not be able to send emails from your Outlook account if the error continues. This can cause great hassle in corresponding with others timely and may create a big communication gap. Here are some quick and efficient ways to resolve this issue on your system:

Solution 1:

There is no need to panic when you encounter error 550. Sometimes the error message may occur because you inserted the wrong/ incorrect email address of the recipient. In such a case, cross-check the recipient’s email address to verify if it is correct. If not, insert the correct address and try sending the email again.

Solution 2:

If the error still persists, try other methods to resolve it. Sometimes error 550 can also occur due to incorrect SMTP settings. Fix it to resolve the error. This can be done by opening your Outlook settings Tools and Accounts option. Now go to view/change the email account for the email account you are having problems with. After that check, the SMTP server is set to mail.yourdomain.com. Then click more settings and then click the outgoing server tab. See if the ‘My server requires authentication for the outgoing server’ is checked. If not, then check on it. Then simply save to confirm changes. Now try emailing again. Hopefully, this will resolve the issue.

Solution 3:

Another reason for the error occurrence can be ISP blockage. When the junk email volumes increase, network administrators (the people who are responsible for managing ISP servers) place restrictions on SMTP email servers to prevent spam on their network. If this is the reason, contact your ISP administrator to resolve the issue.

Solution 4:

Malware and viral infection can also be the cause for error 550. To remove all kinds of viruses including Trojans and spyware and fix the issue right away without compromising on the speed of your PC it is advisable to download Restoro. This is a highly functional and advanced PC Fixer embedded with multiple utilities like a powerful antivirus and a system optimizer. It scans your entire PC in seconds, detects and removes all kinds of viruses. Simultaneously, the system optimizer feature ensures the speed of your PC does not slow down during the scanning and virus removal process. This feature boosts your PC speed significantly. It is user-friendly and has easy navigations making it quite simple for even those users who are not technically sound to work around it and operate it with ease. It is compatible with all Windows versions. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the error 550 messages today!

As you know, the USB security keys are a secure medium to validate a lot of components in a computer. They can be used to log in to Windows 10. Now with the advancement of APIs, you can authenticate across the website as well using the same key. However, there are times when it may not work and it could be caused by several factors. It could be due to corrupted or incompatible drivers or it could also be due to compromised integrity of the key, and many more. So if you happen to encounter an issue with the USB security key on your Windows 10 computer, then there are several potential fixes you can try. You can try toggling the Internet Options settings or reinstall the respective USB drivers. You could also try changing the PIN of the security key or disable the antivirus program on your computer or troubleshoot the web browser. Refer to the potential fixes provided below to fix the problem.

Option 1 – Try to toggle the settings of the Internet Options

• In the Windows Search box, search for Internet Options to open it.
• Next, go to the Security tab and drag the security slider to the lowest possible security for all the given zones.
• After that, click on OK to save the changes made and close the Internet Options.

Note that this option is only a temporary measure as it can make your computer vulnerable. Make sure to press the Reset all zones to default level button.

Option 2 – Try to update or reinstall the respective drivers

If updating the drivers of the device did not fix the problem with the USB security key, you can try to update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers instead of using the Device Manager. Refer to the following steps:

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.

Note: If it is a regular USB drive, then it will be listed as a USB Mass Storage Device but if you have a USB 3.0 device, then look for a USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller.

• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

Note: If updating the USB Controller drivers didn’t work, you can try to reinstall them instead.

Option 3 – Try to change the PIN of the security key

If the first two options didn’t work, you can try changing the PIN of the security key. There are instances when the PIN for the security key might have been corrupted. Thus, resetting it can help you resolve the problem.

Option 4 – Temporarily disable Firewall and third-party antivirus

Firewall and antivirus programs are known to block the proper functioning of the USB security key. Thus, your antivirus or firewall programs might be the reason why you can’t download anything on your Windows 10 computer. To isolate the issue, you need to temporarily disable both the Firewall and antivirus programs and then check if you can now download anything from the internet. Do not forget to enable them again as disabling them can leave your computer vulnerable to cyber threats.

Option 5 – Try to troubleshoot the web browser

Troubleshooting your web browser can also help you fix the USB security key problem. You can do that by checking if your web browser supports the security key and you can do that by checking on the official website of your browser. You can also try to update your web browser to its latest version but if it didn’t help, you can try to reinstall it or switch to another web browser.

While browsing the internet, if you suddenly encounter a warning with an error message saying, “Server certificate has been revoked ERR CERT REVOKED” then it indicates that the SSL certificate used by the website has been revoked by its issuer. This kind of problem can only be fixed by the website owner but that does not mean that you can’t do anything about it. In fact, you have the option to bypass this error as well as contact the certificate issuer – all this and more. Just a reminder, if a website that accepts payment, its passwords don’t have SSL or has some certification issue, you should never trust it. For instance, if you are trying to purchase something online and you’re on the payment stage but you encounter the “Server certificate has been revoked ERR CERT REVOKED” error, you must not proceed. To resolve the “Server certificate has been revoked ERR CERT REVOKED” error, here are some things you can do.

Option 1 – Try contacting the Certificate Issuer

If you are the website owner, of course, the best thing you can is to get in touch with the Certificate Issuer in order to resolve the problem.

Option 2 – Try fixing the Date and Time

You have to check your computer’s Date and Time. There are cases when this simple setting causes a connection problem. So if your computer Date and Time is set to date or time that this after the certificate expiration date, then you have to make sure that you set it to automatically configure time. To do so, just open Settings > Time and Language. From there, turn on the toggle for “Set time automatically” and “Set time zone automatically” options. After that, check if it fixes the error, if not, you need to check if the manual selection is correctly set or not.

Option 3 – Bypass the Certificate Revocation Check

As pointed out earlier, you have the option to bypass the Certificate Revocation check. All you have to do is follow the steps below.

• In the search box of your browser, type “internet options” and open it once it appears.
• After that, go to the Advanced tab and navigate to the Security subheading.
• Next, uncheck the “Check for publisher’s certificate revocation” option as well as the “Check for server certificate revocation” option.
• Now restart your computer. Upon the next startup, try opening the website again. This time, your browser will stop checking it for certificate issues. However, it’s not safe to leave those options unchecked so make sure that once the website’s SSL certificate is fixed or once you no longer have to visit that website, you recheck those options.

Hello and welcome to another problem-solving tutorial on errortools.com. Today we will be solving error 0x80070057, we could not format the selected partition which occurs during setup and installation when performing a clean install of Windows from a USB drive. So, you have backed up your files and decided to format and do clean WIndows installation, you have your USB ready, you reboot the system, plug in USB, start Windows setup, choose the hard drive on which you want to do a clean install and then this happens. This error is very frustrating and it annoys pretty much anyone who encountered it but do not worry we have a solution for you. First thing is to confirm the error prompt, Click on the OK button and then on X to exit Windows 10 installation wizard. Click on yes to confirm that you want to exit the setup. You will find yourself in original installation windows. On that screen choose and click on Repair your computer. Choose an option screen that will pop up, click on Troubleshoot. In the advanced options, click on the command prompt. Once you are in command prompts type DISKPART and hit ENTER In the diskpart prompt type LIST DISK and hit ENTER again. type SELECT DISK #, where # is listed disk number where you would like to install Windows. type LIST VOLUME in order to list volumes in the selected disk and hit ENTER You need to select the volume on which you would like to place your WINDOWS, to do this type in SELECT VOLUME #, where # is the listed number of the volume Finally, type FORMAT FS=NTFS and hit ENTER You have successfully formated a given volume, you can now exit DISKPART and return to setup, to exit DISKPART simply type exit and hit ENTER. Leave command prompt as well by again typing exit and hitting ENTER You will be returned to Choose an option screen, click on Turn off your PC. Your drive has been successfully formatted and it is ready for clean Windows installation, you can now restart your Windows 10 installation and the process will complete without errors.

Code 0x800488AB – What is it?

The Error Code 0x800488AB will appear when a user is in the Windows 10 Mail app and has provided an Outlook.com e-mail address. The mail app will give a message that the “account information is out of date” and it does provide an option to fix the issue. After clicking the Fix button, this error code will show up to the user. Common symptoms include:

• A dialog box will appear with the Error Code 0x800488AB
• Microsoft Windows 10 Mail App will not retrieve (or subsequently send) mail
• User cannot delete and re-add the Outlook email account in the Windows 10 Mail app
• User can still access and log in to various Microsoft websites, including logging into the Outlook Mail website

Solution

Error Causes

This error can be caused by a few different actions of the user when they have changed a password or a PIN number to access their Outlook mail. This error does have a relatively easy fix after the cause is determined and where the break-in information has occurred. A few of the causes may be:

• If the user changes their password on the Microsoft website and uses the alternative PIN login method to access the Mail App.
• The log-in information on the Microsoft website does not match the login information on the Windows 10 App.
• The login information was changed on the Microsoft website and was not updated to reflect on the Windows 10 Mail app.

The Microsoft website and Microsoft Mail app do not share the knowledge of the change in login credentials, therefore the log-in credentials appear to be incorrect when trying to access the Microsoft Mail app. It should be noted that a user may bypass the password option if they log in to the Microsoft Mail app while using the alternative PIN log-in method, thus still leaving the password undetected.

Further Information and Manual Repair

As is the case with all new technology and having a few wrinkles, the release of Microsoft Windows 10 is not left out. There have been a few discussions of errors and bugs, including Error Code 0x800488AB. As of right now, there are three different methods that can be utilized by any at-home user. These methods are rather simple and make sense when the problem has been identified.

Method 1:

Run the built-in Windows Store Apps troubleshooter:

1. Press the Windows Key and then type ‘troubleshoot’ and hit Enter
2. Select “View all” on the left panel and run the “Windows Store Apps” troubleshooter from the list displayed and see if it works.

Method 2:

Use the System File Checker tool to repair corrupted or missing system files:

1. Click Start.
2. Type cmd, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to open the elevated command prompt (I.e. Command prompt with administrative rights).
3. The User Account Control window should appear, be sure that the action it exhibits is correct, and then press the Continue button.
4. Type or copy-paste the below command line into it without quotes:

“Sfc /scannow”

Method 3:

1. Press the Windows Key
2. Search for "Credentials Manager"
3. Click on Windows Credentials
4. Look for any reference to your windows account (generally your @outlook.com is listed)
5. Delete them.
6. Then select your account at the top of the start menu and select Log Out.
7. If using a Pin Code, switch to type input and put your password into the box.

When you go to Mail, and select "Fix Issues" it will detect your password and your account should sync with new emails. In some cases, depending on why this particular error code was caused, you may have to use a powerful automated tool to have it resolved.

Driver Pro Description

DriverPro is a program developed by PC Utilities Pro. This program is often found bundled in other installations.

From the author: PC Utilities Pro is a leading software development company founded in 2009. As a group of young enthusiastic programmers, we constantly strive in creating powerful, yet easy-to-use solutions that would enable even the most basic computer users to keep their PCs running like new.

When installed, DriverPro will add registry entries for the current user that allow it to run each time to computer is started. It will also add a scheduled task in Windows, that allows it to run at various times. The optimizing nature of the application allows it to access any file and information on your computer without your knowledge.

Multiple anti-virus programs have marked this application as a Potentially Unwanted Program, and it is not recommended to keep it on your computer.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

Have you ever discovered an unwanted program running on your PC and wondered exactly how the heck it got there? A PUA / PUP (potentially unwanted application / potentially unwanted program) is a software program that comes bundled with freeware/shareware and you agree to install on your computer. These are programs you certainly don’t want on your computer since it doesn’t provide any useful service. Despite being regarded very dangerous, PUPs aren’t necessarily computer viruses or malware What makes a PUP different from malware is the fact that whenever you download one, you are doing it with your consent – though in most instances unwittingly and unwillingly. PUPs might not be malware but still, they’re harmful programs to your computer. At best, these unwanted applications provide hardly any benefit, and at worst, they could be quite damaging to your computer.

What do PUPs do on your computer, really?

Most Potentially Unwanted Programs will come in the form of adware, which typically aims to exhibit numerous irritating pop-up ads, banners, coupons, and bargains on websites you go to. PUPs that come as browser add-ons and toolbars are readily identifiable. They’ll track your online activities, redirect your search results to unsafe websites where spyware and adware can be downloaded, hijack your home page, and slow your internet browser down to a crawl. PUPs load up a dangerous bite if kept unchecked. They will often include things like information gathering program code which could gather and send your sensitive information back to 3rd parties. These are programs that don’t really do anything good for you; in addition to occupying space on the hard drive, they also slow down your PC, often alter settings without your authorization, the list of annoying features goes on and on.

Great tips on protecting yourself from unwanted software

• When setting up anything on your computer system, always study the fine print, like the license agreement. Don’t accept terms of use that are for bundled programs. • Only Use the “custom” or “manual” install method – and never blindly click Next, Next, Next. • Use an advert blocker/pop-up blocker; Install anti-malware products such as Safebytes Anti-malware. These software programs could establish a wall between the computer and cybercriminals. • Think twice before you decide to download any type of freeware or shareware. Just before adding a plug-in or web browser extension, think about whether it is really necessary. • Only download programs from the original providers’ websites. Avoid download portals because they use their very own download manager to pack extra programs along with the initial download.

Help! Malware Blocking Anti-virus Installation And Access To The Web

All malware is bad, but certain kinds of malicious software do a lot more damage to your computer than others. Some malware is meant to hinder or block things that you wish to do on your computer. It may well not allow you to download anything from the net or it will stop you from accessing some or all websites, particularly the anti-malware sites. So what you should do if malware prevents you from downloading or installing Safebytes Anti-Malware? Do as instructed below to get rid of the malware in alternate ways.

Get rid of malware in Safe Mode

The Windows operating system has a special mode known as “Safe Mode” where just the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded. In the event, the virus is set to load automatically when the PC starts, shifting to this mode may well prevent it from doing so. To start the computer into Safe Mode, press the “F8” key on the keyboard just before the Windows boot screen appears; Or right after normal Windows boot up, run MSConfig, check the Safe Boot under the Boot tab, and click Apply. After you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, and update the anti-malware program from there. Now, you are able to run the anti-virus scan to eliminate computer viruses and malware without any interference from another malicious application.

Switch to some other internet browser

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a particular internet browser or attacking particular versions of the browser. If you appear to have malware attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to a different internet browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Run anti-virus from your USB drive

Another way is to download and transfer an anti-malware program from a clean computer to run a scan on the affected system. Adopt these measures to run the anti-malware on the infected computer system. 1) On a clean computer, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the pen drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, which has a .exe file format. 4) Select the USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you intend to install the software. Follow the activation instructions. 5) Remove the flash drive. You may now utilize this portable antivirus on the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the flash drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Press the “Scan” button to run a full system scan and remove viruses automatically.

Detect And Remove Viruses With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Want to download the very best anti-malware software for your laptop or computer? There are many applications available that come in paid and free versions for Microsoft Windows computers. A few are worth your money, but many aren’t. You need to pick a company that creates industry-best antimalware and has earned a reputation as reliable. Among few good programs, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the strongly recommended software for the security-conscious end user. Safebytes is one of the well-established PC solutions firms, which provide this complete anti-malware software program. This software program can easily detect, remove, and protect your computer from the most advanced malware intrusions such as adware, spyware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, along with other potentially harmful software applications. SafeBytes anti-malware offers a plethora of advanced features that set it apart from all others. The following are some of the good ones: Real-time Protection: SafeBytes provides complete and real-time security for your personal machine. It will regularly monitor your computer for hacker activity and also gives users superior firewall protection. Best AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware program goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean out your computer system. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard to remove malware that hides deep within your PC. Web Protection: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating about the web pages you are about to check out, automatically blocking unsafe sites and ensuring that you are certain of your safety while browsing the world wide web. Fast Scan: SafeBytes Anti-Malware has a multi-thread scan algorithm that works up to 5x faster than any other antivirus software. Very Low CPU and RAM Usage: This software program is not “heavy” on your computer’s resources, so you’ll not notice any overall performance problems when SafeBytes is operating in the background. Fantastic Tech Support Team: You will get 24/7 technical assistance to promptly resolve any issue with your security application.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To remove Driver Pro manually, navigate to the Add/Remove programs list in the Control Panel and choose the offending program you want to get rid of. For web browser plug-ins, go to your web browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the add-on you want to remove or disable. You may also want to reset your web browser settings, as well as clear your web browser cache and cookies. Lastly, check your hard disk for all of the following and clean your registry manually to remove leftover application entries after uninstalls. Please note that only professional computer users should try to manually edit the system files mainly because removing any single vital registry entry leads to a major problem or even a computer crash. Also, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing its removal. Carrying out this in Safe Mode is suggested.

As you know, the CHKDSK utility is proven to be one of the useful tools to fix any issues that concerns file system, storage, and disk. However, as useful as it may be, it is still not immune to issues as you could encounter errors when running it. One of these errors is the “One such error is the CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode” error. If you receive such an error message while running CHKDSK, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you sort the problem out. It is possible that the drive is read-only or that the Write Protection is enabled. It could also be that the drive is already being used and scanned by a different program or utility. To get rid of this error, there are a couple of suggestions you need to check out. You can try to run the CHKDSK utility from Recovery or run it on Boot. You could also try to disable Write Protection. For more detailed steps, follow the given instructions below.

Option 1 – Try to run the CHKDSK utility from Recovery

The first thing you can do to resolve the error in CHKDSK is to run the CHKDSK utility from Recovery. How? Follow these steps:

• First, boot into the installation environment for Windows 10 from a Windows installation media.
• Next, click on the “Repair your computer” option.
• After that, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
• After opening Command Prompt, type this command and tap Enter: chkdsk <Partition Letter>: /r /f
• Wait until the disk error checking process is completed.
• Once it’s done, exit the Command Prompt window and restart your computer and then see if the error is fixed.

Option 2 – Try running the CHKDSK utility on Boot

On the other hand, you can also try to run the CHKDSK utility on Boot so you can fix the error and recover any damaged segments of the drive.

• Open an elevated Command Prompt and enter this command: chkdsk /r
• After that, you will a message that says, “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”
• Type Y and tap Enter to schedule a CHKDSK scan once your computer reboots next time.

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

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

Via Diskpart utility:

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

Via Registry Editor:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to the following registry key:

ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies

• After that, look for the DWORD named “WriteProtect” and double click on it, and then set its Value Data to “0”.
• Now restart your computer and see if the problem is now fixed or not.

Error code 0x800ccc0f - What is it?

Error code 0x800ccc0f is an error that occurs when users attempt to send/receive emails in Outlook or Outlook Express. Though information regarding the error is limited and sometimes difficult to decipher to those unfamiliar with error code issues, the following are possible symptoms users can expect when this error occurs:

• Unexpected termination of the connection
• Inability to access email messages sent to one’s account
• Inability to send email messages

Solution

Error Causes

Errors in Outlook or Outlook Express may occur due to a multiplicity of reasons. It may be due to a problem with your network connection or the server. You may also encounter this problem after an extended period of inactivity.

Since the error could be due to one of many issues, several solutions are recommended. However, note that these suggestions require you to make changes that come with various risks. Be sure to implement these instructions correctly to avoid causing more problems to occur.

If you are not confident that you will be able to successfully implement the solutions below, get help from a certified Windows technician or IT professional.

Further Information and Manual Repair

As with other error codes, manual procedures are available which users can take to correct the problem. To implement manual repair, follow the methods suggested below:

Method one: Troubleshoot your Internet Connection

Since error code 0x800ccc0f may manifest itself due to an issue with your network, you can seek to rectify the problem by first checking your connection. To do this, open an Internet browser. Type a valid web address in the address bar and click Enter.

If you are unable to access the website, you may then seek to fix the Internet connectivity issue by using Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services. These free tools are available for download on Microsoft’s website.

Not only can these tools fix your Windows Firewall – if this is the cause of your connectivity issues. These automated troubleshooting tools can also resolve other issues related to your Internet browser or network.

However, if after downloading and running these tools error code 0x800ccc0f still persists in Outlook or Outlook Express, implement the solution below.

Method two: Verify your Network Connection

Verifying your network connection is another way you can resolve your Outlook issues, i.e. once the issue is in fact a network-based problem.

To verify your network connection, make sure your computer’s network devices are turned on and fully functioning. Also ensure that the cables that connect your computer to a network are secure. You may also contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to verify your connection.

If there is no issue with your network and error code 0x800ccc0f persists, you will need to implement method three.

Method three: Check your Firewall or Router Settings

Problems with sending or receiving email messages based on the 0x800ccc0f error code could also be due to configuration issues for individuals who connect using a router. If this is a misconfiguration issue, you may be able to resolve the problem by bypassing the router and connecting through your modem.

Before doing this, however, be sure to check if your firewall is turned on as connecting directly can leave your machine vulnerable. Prevent attacks by checking your Windows Firewall setting. After making adjustments where necessary to ensure the firewall is turned on, test your connectivity to ensure you can access a connection. Also, check Outlook to see whether the error message has been resolved. If the error persists, consider the next solution.

Method four: Disable Third-party Security Apps

Third-party apps like anti-virus software can sometimes cause interference, leading to errors. For this reason, check if the antivirus on your device is the source of the issue. Start by disabling the antivirus software. You may also turn off the software’s email scanning feature to verify whether or not that is the cause of the error.

Note that disabling your antivirus is only a temporary solution as it is not recommended that you use your computer without such protection in place. Consider replacing your antivirus or uninstalling and reinstalling for a permanent fix if indeed your issue with error code 0x800ccc0f was caused by interference from third-party apps.

Method five: Automated Tool

Also, consider downloading a powerful automated tool to protect your machine from possible errors in the future.

When your computer is slow, you don’t have much choice but to wait until it gets done with a task at its own pace, albeit a slow one. So if you want to switch user accounts on your computer a couple of times daily, then a slow computer can get really irritating. What makes system processes slow is that the accounts have some programs or applications running and resources allocated to them. And besides, if your computer is already low on performance, it will kill the natural fluidic flow of the user. But worry not, for this post will guide you in switching user accounts with the help of some minor tweaks in your Windows 10 computer. To disable or enable Fast User Switching, you have two methods to do that using the Registry Editor and the Group Policy Editor. Either way, refer to the instructions laid out below.

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

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

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

Take note that this option will not work if you are using the Windows 10 Home edition since the Group Policy Editor does not come with Windows 10 Home. Refer to the steps below to enable or disable Fast User Switching using Group Policy Editor.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type in “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this path inside the Group Policy Editor: Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemLogon
• Now double click on the configuration listing labeled as “Hide entry points for Fast User Switching” to open the configuration page.

Note: On the configuration page, you will see the following description:

“This policy setting allows you to hide the Switch User interface in the Logon UI, the Start menu, and the Task Manager. If you enable this policy setting, the Switch User interface is hidden from the user who is attempting to log on or is logged on to the computer that has this policy applied. The locations that the Switch User interface appears in the Logon UI, the Start menu, and the Task Manager. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the Switch User interface is accessible to the user in the three locations.”

• From there, you can choose to enable or disable the Fast User Switching depending on your preferences. After you’ve selected, click OK and exit the Group Policy Editor.
• Now restart your PC to apply the changes made successfully.

In this post, you will be guided on how you can turn on or turn off the Tailored Experiences feature in Windows 10 using three methods – via Settings, Registry Editor, and Group Policy Editor. The Tailored Experiences feature in Windows 10 helps Microsoft in delivering recommendations about Microsoft Products. The diagnostic data that comes with it allows Microsoft to know about its consumers’ experiences as well as collect feedback. To simply put it, tailored experiences are personalized tips, ads, and recommendations that enhance Microsoft products and services for consumer needs. And when you enable this feature, Windows will collect information from your browser, apps, features, and many more. After collecting information, it will offer contents that are tailored based on the data gathered on the lock screen of your computer, Windows tips, and other related functions. On the other hand, the diagnostic data is the one that allows Microsoft to get feedback from the customer. So if you’ve noticed some prompts when you use Windows that ask you about the experience, that’s actually a part of the diagnostic data. A lot of users find this feature useful. However, there are also skeptical ones that don’t share the same sentiments. If you are one of the skeptical ones, you actually have the option to turn this feature off if you do not want Microsoft to show ads, recommendations, and so on. It is also recommended that you enable the Diagnostic Data collection as you can choose to delete any collected data, as well as control the feedback frequency from Automatic to Once a day, or once a week, or to never. As mentioned, there are three methods you can choose from to either turn on or turn off Tailored Experiences. You can do it via Settings, Registry Editor, and the Group Policy Editor. To get started, follow the options provided below.

Option 1 – via Settings

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences using Settings, refer to these steps:

• Go to Settings and here, click on Privacy.
• Next, go to Diagnostic and Feedback.
• From there, toggle off the control under the Tailored experiences option to turn it off or toggle it on, if you want to turn it on.

Option 2 – via Registry Editor

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences via Registry Editor, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPrivacy
• After that, look for the DWORD named “TailoredExperiencesWithDiagnosticDataEnabled” and change its value to 0 if you want to turn it off or 1 if you want to turn it on.

Option 3 – via Group Policy Editor

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences using the Group Policy Editor, here’s what you have to do:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this policy setting: User ConfigurationAdminstrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsCloud Content
• Here, double click on the “Do not use diagnostic data for tailored experiences” option and select Enabled. Once you do that, you will see the following description:

“This policy setting lets you prevent Windows from using diagnostic data to provide tailored experiences to the user. If you enable this policy setting, Windows will not use diagnostic data from this device (this data may include browser, app, and feature usage, depending on the “diagnostic data” setting value) to customize the content shown on the lock screen, Windows tips, Microsoft consumer features, and other related features. If these features are enabled, users will still see recommendations, tips, and offers, but they may be less relevant. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Microsoft will use diagnostic data to provide personalized recommendations, tips, and offers to tailor Windows for the user’s needs and make it work better for them. This setting does not control Cortana tailored experiences, since there are separate policies to configure it.”