Fix Error 0x800F0923 in Windows 10

If you encounter the “Diskpart failed to clear disk attributes” error when you try to change the read-only state of a storage device using the Diskpart application and the request is denied, worry not for this post will give you a couple of fixes to resolve the problem. As you know, Diskpart is used for resolving read-only storage devices by changing their attribute via the command line. So if it is not able to change the attribute of the storage device, then you will most likely encounter an error such as this one. This kind of error is not uncommon and as long as there are no damaged physical attributes, you can resolve it right away. There are tons of reasons why you’re getting this error while using Diskpart, it could be that the storage device has a physical write-protected switch or the disk is hidden or has bad sectors. It could also be because the storage drive might be in RAW format or that you are running the Diskpart application without admin privileges. Whatever the cause may be, here are some options you can try to fix the problem but before you proceed, make sure that you log on to your PC as an administrator.

Option 1 – Check if there is a physical switch on the storage device

There are some USB devices and SD card readers that have a write-protected physical switch that disables all the writable options on the storage device and so if it is turned on, Diskpart won’t be able to change the disk attribute to writable. To check, simply look for the physical switch on both sides of the device and once you found it, make sure that it is toggled off and then plug the storage device back in then try running Diskpart once again.

Option 2 – Modify the WriteProtected key in the Registry Editor

Before you proceed, you have to create a System Restore Point first.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies

• After that, look for the “WriteProtect” registry entry which is located on the left side of the window, and then double click on it.
• Change its value to “0” and click OK to save the changes made and exit the Registry Editor.

Option 3 – Run CHKDSK to check the drive for errors

When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. This error check utility can help with several issues in the system including the “Diskpart failed to clear disk attributes” error.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
• Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:

CHKDSK [volume [[path] filename]] [/F] [/V] [/R] [/X] [/C] [: size]]

Note: In the command given above, “[/F]” will try to fix the system errors while “[/R]” will be the one to fix the bad sectors.

• Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your PC, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
• If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
• After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Clear the attributes on RAW

• Tap the Win + S keys then type “diskpart” in the field.
• Click the Diskpart application and if a User Account Control dialog box pops up, click Yes to proceed.
• After opening an elevated Command Prompt, type in the commands listed below and make sure to tap Enter right after you key in one command after the other.
  • list volume
  • select volume ‘n’ (In this command, you have to replace ‘n’ with the volume number of the drive)
  • format fs=fat32 quick (In this command you also have the flexibility to change the format to ‘ntfs’ or ‘exfat’)
• After executing the commands given, unplug the removable storage device and wait for a couple of seconds and then plug it back in.
• Now try any normal write operations and see if the error no longer appears.

Option 5 – Try checking the hardware components

On the other hand, it is also possible that the issue has something to do with a hardware problem and so you need to check the hardware components on your computer to determine that.

Google Chrome is the most used browser in the world with the most user downloads. Most users are using browsers how it is, open it up and just surf but Chrome offers more than just plain surfing. Here we are presenting you with some interesting features that most users do not use but should.

Use Omnibox to search inside websites

Chrome's Omnibox, also known as the address bar got its name because it can do much more than just search the internet. You already probably know that just by typing any word you will search the internet with Google or another search engine of choice.

You can also set specific keywords inside Chrome settings to tie them with specific websites, for example, you can tie the letter E with errortools, and then just by typing E windows error you will search term windows error on website errortools. There are some already predefined things and you can add anything you want so this is a great feature in order to speed up your work skipping part of actually opening the site.

Search the internet for selected text

On any webpage, you can simply select any text and right-click on it to get a new menu entry that will say search Google for "your selected text" and by clicking on it you will automatically search the net for the selected term.

Grouping tabs

When we surf the internet some of us tend to have plenty of open tabs and over time they can clutter and shrink in width making the surfing experience an unpleasant one.

Chrome has tab groups and you really need to start using them since you can organize much better all the tabs, even color-code them.

Search all open tabs

On top right part on title bar right next to minimize button there is small arrow pointing down, once you clik on it all opened tabs will be displayed by name as a listand by clicking on it you will automatically switch to it.

Change download location

Google Chrome has its default download destination but you can change that destination and even turn on option to be asked where you would like your download to be saved each time.

Live Captions

YouTube has cations for its videos but Chrome itself has live caption option in order to provide you with automatic AI captions for any type of video or audio on any website. If you are struggling with following what is being said try this awesome option.

Extensions

Using extensions in Chrome is awesome, specialy if extensions are usefull but if you go incognito they are not active. There is an option in Chrome to turn on the extensions even in incognito mode and even better, you can even choose which ones you want to be active, you do not need to turn all of them.

Windows 11 has brought us a new and revamped settings application that will cover most personalization and overall settings for your operating system. But as much as the new settings app is tweaked and modified there are still some things that can be modified only inside Control Panel. Since the Control Panel icon itself is somewhat not right away once clicked on the start button we are presenting you a couple of ways to open it so you can change each detail you want.

Via Start menu

The most straightforward and easiest way to reach and open the control panel is via the Start menu. In order to do it just click on the Start menu and type in the control panel. Then click on Control Panel Icon in the results.

Pin Control panel icon to the taskbar

In order to actually pin the control panel to Taskbar, you will need to open it first. Use the previous simple and fast steps in order to quickly open it then in the taskbar right-click on its icon. Choose Pin to Taskbar and close control panel. Now you can open the control panel quickly just by clicking it on its icon in the Taskbar.

Add Desktop icon

If you liked the idea to have an icon that you can click in order to fast open the control panel but you are not very fond of the icon being located in your Taskbar then let's place it on Desktop instead. In order to place a special control panel icon on the desktop, we will use Windows setting app. Open settings app with ⊞ WINDOWS + I and go to Personalization tab. Inside the personalization tab, go to Themes and click on Desktop Icon Settings. Check the box beside Control Panel and click on OK. The Control Panel icon will appear now on your Desktop and you can double click on it to launch it.

Run Control Panel from the Run dialog box

Same as in the previous version of Windows you can also open the Control Panel via Windows built-in run menu. This is mostly the preferred way to gain access to it by system administrators. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog. Inside dialog type in control and press ENTER. Control Panel will open right away.

Bluetooth perhaps is slowly becoming an outdated feature but sometimes you can really used it and need it. By default, in Windows 11 Bluetooth is turned OFF so if you need it, you will need to turn it ON first. Luckily turning it ON is easy and we will guide you through the process

Turning Bluetooth using the Quick Settings menu

The easiest and fastest way to turn the Bluetooth ON is using the quick setting menu:

1. Click on indicator icons located left of date and time in Taskbar
2. Click on the Bluetooth icon (if the icon is not displayed, click on the pencil icon, then click on Add and add Bluetooth icon from the list)
3. Right-click on the Bluetooth icon and select go to Settings
4. Go to Adding a Bluetooth Device to Windows 11 section

Switch it ON via Windows Settings

1. Open Windows settings by using ⊞ WINDOWS + I combination
2. Click on Bluetooth & Devices
3. Inside settings turn Switch to ON beside Bluetooth
4. Click + Add Device large button on top
5. Click Bluetooth
6. Select device in the list of found devices (make sure device is turned ON, it has Bluetooth sharing ON, and that it is in pairing mode)
7. If the device needs the password, type it in
8. When the message Your device is ready to go is showed on the screen click on the Done

Advice on Bluetooth devices

Note that the Bluetooth devices you connect to Windows 11 stay linked to your PC unless you pair them with a different PC, smartphone, or tablet later. After a time, most Bluetooth devices power down automatically to save battery life. To continue where you left off, either power the Bluetooth device up (if it has a power button) or press a button on a keyboard or mouse, and it should automatically turn on and reconnect with your PC. If you’re having trouble connecting your Bluetooth device, make sure that Windows 11 is fully updated and that you’ve installed any drivers that came with your device. Make sure that the device is fully charged or that it has a fresh set of batteries. while Windows is searching. You’ll need to remove the device from Windows 11 first and then attempt to pair it with your PC again.

Removing devices

If you need to remove (un-pair) a Bluetooth device, just open Windows Settings and navigate to Bluetooth & Devices. Locate the name of the device that you want to remove, click the three dots button in the corner of its square and select Remove Device.

As you know, DLL files in the Windows environment contain all the code needed by programs in order to properly function. And like with most other software, the functions in the DLL file have to be compatible with Windows especially if they are using any built-in service. So if you encounter an error that says, “DLL is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error”, when you try to launch a program, then this could be due to a compatibility issue. To fix this error, read on as this post will walk you through doing that. Based on the reports of users who encountered this error, the error pointed to a DLL file that was either designed to run on a different version of Windows. It is also possible that the DLL file itself is the problem. Here’s the complete error message:

“Bad Image – DLL file is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.”

According to security experts, the DLL files that are known to trigger this kind of error message are msvcr100.dll, msvcr110.dll, msvcp140.dll, lmirfsclientnp.dll, and so on. To fix this problem, you can try to update or reinstall the program that’s throwing the error to its latest version. You could also ask the vendor for the latest version of the DLL as well as run a System File Checker scan.

Option 1 – Try to update or reinstall the program to its latest version

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to update or reinstall the program that’s throwing the error. It is possible that the version of DLL might be using a system call that is deprecated. So if you had updated your Windows 10 computer recently, you might want to check for an update of the software or you could also try to reinstall its latest version.

Option 2 – Try asking the vendor for the latest version of the DLL

The next thing you can do to fix the error is to ask for the latest version of DLL from the vendor. There are times when the software uses an open-source version of DLL so it is better if you ask the vendor if there is a DLL file that has to be updated. If there is, then you need to make sure to register the DLL once you have it.

Option 3 – Try to re-register the problematic DLL file

You can also try to re-register the DLL to resolve the problem. 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 4 – Try to replace the DLL file from 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 5 – 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:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

 Reboot your computer.

Option 6 – Troubleshoot the isDone.dll error in a Clean Boot State

You can also troubleshoot the “DLL is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error” in a Clean Boot state. It could be that there are some third-party applications in your computer that are preventing the application from getting installed and to isolate this possibility, you need to boot your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try installing the program again. Putting your computer in this state can help you identify which program is the culprit and thus isolates the problem. In a Clean Boot state, your computer will start using only the pre-selected minimal set of drivers and startup programs. Note that you have to disable and enable one process at a time.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• After you’ve set your computer into a Clean Boot State, make sure that you’re signed in as administrator and then try to install the application again.

Option 7 – Try scanning your computer using Windows Defender

The DLL file might also be infected with malware or virus and to eliminate it which could explain why you’re getting the “DLL is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an 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.

If you receive an error code of “0x80073afc” in Windows Defender after you boot your Windows 10 computer or when you try to manually run Windows Defender, then it could be that the Windows Defender files are corrupted. In such cases, this error could also occur if there is third-party security software that interferes with the smooth functioning of this Microsoft Security Client. If you are one of the users who are currently facing this issue, then here are some suggestions you can check out to resolve the Windows Defender error code 0x80073afc.

Option 1 – Try to check the status of all the Windows Defender-related services

• In the Cortana search box, type “services” and click on the Services icon to open the Services Manager. Alternatively, you can also tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run prompt and then type “msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager
• After opening the Services Manager, look for the following services and make sure that their Startup type is set to their default values:
  • Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection Service – Manual
  • Windows Defender Antivirus Network Inspection Service – Manual
  • Windows Defender Antivirus Service – Manual
  • Windows Defender Firewall Service – Automatic

• You can right-click on each one of the listed services and then select Start to start them.
• And if some of the services don’t have their default values, just double-click on the Services to change the Startup types and select the correct option from the drop-down menu of the Startup type under the Properties box.
• Next, set up the Startup type of these services to Automatic and then click on the Start button if the services are not running yet.
• Now click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made and then see if it fixed the problem or not.

Option 2 – Try to re-register the concerned DLL files

You could also try to re-register some Dynamic Link Library or DLL files on your computer as this could also help in fixing the Windows Defender error.

• In the Start search, type “cmd” and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option from the context menu.
• After opening Command Prompt as admin, type the following commands one after the other:
  • regsvr32 dll
  • regsvr32 dll
  • regsvr32 dll
  • regsvr32 dll
• Once you’ve entered the commands given above, it will re-register the concerned DLL files in your system.
• Now restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Option 3 – Try to use the Registry Editor

• 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.
• Afterward, navigate to this registry path: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionImage File Execution Options
• Next, look for the DWORDs named “MSASCui.exe”, “MpCmdRun.exe”, “MpUXSrv.exe” and “msconfig.exe”.
• If you can’t find these DWORDs, refer to the next given option below.
• Restart your computer.

Option 4 – Check the Environmental Values

• Type “View advanced system settings” in the Windows search box and select the appropriate result.
• This will open a new mini window. From there, go to the Advanced tab and click on the “Environment Variables…” button located at the bottom part of the window.
• Next, look for the “%ProgramData%” variable name and make sure that its value is set to C:/ProgramData.
• Then click OK to save the changes made.

Option 5 – Run the System File Checker Scan

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

• Restart your computer.

Option 6 – Perform a System Restore

Performing a System Restore on your computer can also help you fix the Windows Defender error. You can do this option either by booting into Safe Mode or in System Restore. If you are already in the Advanced Startup Options, just directly select System Restore and proceed with the next steps. And if you have just booted your PC into Safe Mode, refer to the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

As you know the Windows 10 operating system is has a lot of features and some of them are related to turning off your computer in different ways in order to save power at different levels. These particular features are Shut down, Restart, Hibernate, and Sleep. However, there are times when you might encounter some issues when using any of the aforementioned features. One of these issues is when your computer shuts down instead of going to Sleep. This issue could be caused by several factors including a bug related to the Intel Management Engine Interface or IMEI driver as well as any misconfiguration in the power settings of the BIOS or UEFI. If your computer is going through this problem, read on as this post will guide you in fixing it. There are several potential fixes you can try to fix the problem. You can try to check the Sleep Advanced Settings or run the built-in Power troubleshooter or run the Power Efficiency Diagnostic Report. In addition, you can also try to troubleshoot the problem in a Clean Boot State or reset or update the BIOS.

Option 1 – Check the Sleep Advanced Settings

• Click on the Windows key and type “control panel” in the field and select the related search result.
• Next, select the Security and Maintenance option and click on the Power Options.
• After that, you have to select the Change Plan Settings but keep in mind that this option is barely readable so you need to read each option carefully.
• Now click on the Change advanced power settings button and a new window will appear.
• Then look for the “Sleep” option and expand it. Make sure that the “Allow hybrid sleep” option is on.
• Reboot your computer and check if your computer now functions properly. If it still didn’t work, you may have to reverse the changes you’ve made.

Option 2 – Try to run the Power troubleshooter

The next thing you can do is to run the Power troubleshooter. To do so, follow these steps:

• Go to Settings and navigate to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• After that, look for the “Power” option from the given list of built-in troubleshooters and click on it.
• Next, click on the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Power troubleshooter.
• Once the troubleshooter is done identifying the problems, follow the next on-screen instructions to resolve the problem.

Option 3 – Troubleshoot Sleep Mode issue in a Clean Boot State

The issue with Sleep Mode might be caused by some third-party programs installed on your computer. This program might be the one that puts your computer to sleep and so to isolate this possibility, you have to put your PC in a Clean Boot State using the steps below.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• After that, try to put your computer to sleep again.

Option 4 – Try to run the Power Efficiency Diagnostics Report

You could also try to run the Power Efficiency Diagnostics Report to fix the problem. This tool is helpful and will help you analyze the status of the battery but note that this can be quite overwhelming especially if you’re not well-versed in this matter.

Option 5 – Try to update the BIOS

Updating the BIOS can help you fix the ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY BSOD error but as you know, BIOS is a sensitive part of a computer. Even though it is a software component, the functioning of the hardware depends on it largely. Thus, you must be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
• From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
• After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
• If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
• Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version on your computer.
• Now restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Note: If updating the BIOS didn’t help, you might want to consider resetting it instead.

If you are one of the few users who is still burning CDs and DVDs, you might have come across an error that says, “Medium Speed Error” or “Power Calibration Error”. There are several factors that could cause this error but it’s most likely that the CD/DVD burner wasn’t able to determine the Optimum Power Calibration rate properly. So what is Optimum Power Calibration rate? It is a test that runs before the burning process to regulate the optimal laser power needed to complete the job. And if this process malfunctions, obviously, you won’t be able to burn the content on your CD or DVD. There are also cases when the Power Calibration error pops up for some small issues that have nothing to do with the regulation of laser power. Here are some quick fixes you can try to resolve the Power Calibration error when burning a CD or DVD.

Option 1 – Make sure you’re using good quality CD or DVD

A lot of burning issues stem down to the purchase of low CDs or DVDs to make sure that what you are using has good quality for it is not always a good idea to purchase cheap products as cheap products could also mean cheap quality.

Option 2 – Try burning at lower speeds

If you’re certain the problem is not with the CD or DVD you are using then you can try burning again, this time at lower speeds. There are instances when doing things quickly can end in a disaster such as the “Medium Speed Error” or “Power Calibration Error” you’re getting.  To fix the problem, you have to burn at a slower speed and just take the time to wait until the burning process is done.

Option 3 – Try updating your burning software

It’s always a good idea to check if the burning software you’re using requires an update especially if it’s throwing up “Medium Speed Error” or “Power Calibration Error”. Thus, you need to update your burning software right away and then try to burn your CD or DVD once the update has been completed.

Option 4 – Try cleaning the disk drive

You might want to consider cleaning the disk drive using several tools in the market that is designed to clean the disk drive. These tools work on removing dust particles from the lens which helps a lot in the burning quality. Aside from that, it also helps in reducing errors like “Medium Speed Error” or “Power Calibration Error”. So give this option a try as it might time for a disk drive cleanup.

Option 5 – Try to disable the IMAPI

If none of the options given above worked, you might want to disable the IMAPI or Image Mastering Applications Programming Interface. How? Refer to the steps below.

• Open Control Panel by simply clicking the Start button and then typing “control panel” in the field.
• Control Panel should pop up in the search results. Once you found it, click it to open it.
• Next, select System Security > Administrative Tools and then click Services.
• After that, you’ll have to search for the “IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service” option.
• Then right-click on it and select Properties.
• From there, switch the Startup Type from “Enabled” to “Disabled”.
• Now click on Apply and then restart your PC.

Updating your Windows 10 computer does not always go smoothly as there are some errors you can encounter along the way. One of these Windows Update errors is the error code of 0x80246008. This kind of error can occur during different phases of an update that’s being downloaded or installed and even when an update is being initialized. If you narrow down the cause of this Windows Update error, you’ll most likely see that it is related to the deliverability of a file to a computer from the servers of Microsoft. In other words, the error might be due to conflicts from programs like Firewall as well as third party programs like Antivirus or it could also be due to corrupted disk image or system files or it could be that any of the supporting Windows Update components and services are not working properly. Whatever the cause may be, the potential fixes provided in this post can be applicable to Windows Updates as well as the Microsoft Store. Refer to the suggestions provided below to resolve the Windows Update Error 0x80246008 but before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point first.

Option 1 – Apply some tweak in the Windows Registry from Command Prompt

• Tap the Win + X keys and select Command Prompt (Admin) to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Next, navigate to the root location of the bootable device inside the Command Prompt command line.
• Once you’re in the root location, type the following command and tap Enter to execute it:

reg add HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlBackupRestoreFilesNotToBackup

• After that, close the Command Prompt command line and then tap the Win + R keys to open Run utility.
• In the field, type “services.msc” and click OK or tap Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• From there, look for the following services:
  • Windows Update – Manual (Triggered)
  • Background Intelligent Transfer Service – Manual
• Now open their Properties and make sure that their Startup type is as mentioned above and that they are running. If they are not running, just click on the Start button.

Option 2 – Run the System File Checker Scan

If the registry tweak didn’t work, you can run a System File Checker scan instead. It is a built-in command-line utility that replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the error when you try updating your computer. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

• Restart your computer.

Option 3 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

If the System File Checker wasn’t able to resolve the Windows Update error, you could also try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing any issues related to Windows Update including this one. 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 to disable your antivirus program

Disabling the antivirus program or any security software installed in your computer is always a good idea you can try when the Windows Update process does not go smoothly. So before you try updating your computer again, make sure to disable the antivirus or security program and once the Windows Update is done, don’t forget to enable the antivirus program back again.

Option 5 – Try deleting the files from the SoftwareDistribution folder and resetting the Catroot2 folder

The downloaded Windows Updates are placed in a folder called “SoftwareDistribution”. The files downloaded in this folder are automatically deleted once the installation is completed. However, if the files are not clean up or if the installation is still pending, you can delete all the files in this folder after you pause the Windows Update service. For complete instructions, refer to the steps below.

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

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer.

When clean Windows is installed or when you place new hardware in your computer usually Windows itself detects the device and installs its driver. The question that comes now is, do you keep that driver or do you install the manufacturer's one. In order to answer this question let's analyze what is difference between the two drivers and other factors which could influence your decision.

Difference between drivers

First of all, know that drivers Windows installs are also drivers from the device manufacturer which have gone through Microsoft quality control in order to be included in Windows itself. Now naturally question which occurs, what is the difference, well answer to that would be this: in Windows, you have stripped down driver, just a driver in order for Windows to know what device is plugged and how to use it, meaning that for example if you install printer device, you will be able to print documents and Windows will know it is a printer but ... You will not get the control panel for that printer where you can adjust the printer itself and all of its features like let's say paperweight, etc. So if you need these kinds of features in that case it would be better to install a complete driver suite from the manufacturer and get the whole package. Windows will recognize the RAZER mouse for example but you will not be able to change its colors of program custom buttons on it until you install RAZER drivers. One more important thing to note is that drivers which are in Windows are less updated than drivers from the manufacturer's site. That being said, if you prefer and want to have the latest drivers you will prefer to get them again from the manufacturer.

Conclusion

So it seems that manufacturer's drivers are always in some form of advantage and that you will always want them and most of the time this is true, as a matter of fact, the only time I could think that you could use bare down Windows drivers is when new drivers update breaks something in Windows and device start behaving improperly. in this particular case, it is better to roll back to the previous Windows driver which has passed Microsoft quality control and is working for sure. In any other case, you are better off with the latest manufacturers drivers If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.