How to Fix Windows 10 Error 0x80070426

A lot of Windows users, use a second GPU for their computer systems, especially gamers above the dedicated graphics card. The operating system is set such that the dedicated high-end graphics card is set to default but there are times when the system does not recognize or detect the second graphics card. Even though every computer system comes with an integrated graphics card, for the most part, it is insufficient for graphics-intensive games and software which is why if you have an extra dedicated graphics card and your computer does not seem to detect or recognize it, then this post is for you. It could be that the dedicated graphics card has failed or it could also be an issue with the drivers and so on. Follow the suggested options below to resolve the problem.

Option 1 – Update your Graphics drivers

• First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
• After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for the Display Adapters and click on them.
• After that, right-click on each entry under the Display Adapters and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
• Now restart your computer.
• After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.

Note: You also have the option to go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD and go to the section called Drivers then check if there’s a new available update – if there is, download and install it.

Option 2 – Update the BIOS

Take note that you have to 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.

Option 3 – Try changing the GPU settings

• Right-click on any empty space on your Desktop and select Graphics Properties. Note that the Graphics Properties screen depends on the graphics drivers installed on your computer and are system-specific as they may be different for other systems but they aren’t hard to find.
• After that, make sure that the dedicated Graphics card is selected as Default under the Select Display drop-down.
• If the Graphics card isn’t set as Default, set it and click Apply and Exit.

Option 4 – Try disabling the driver for the integrated Graphics card

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.
• From there, expand the list of Display Adapters and then right-click and select Disable device for the Integrated Graphics card. However, if the dedicated Graphics card fails, the display won’t work so you need to restart the system and enable it.

In their search for making Windows, a better operating system Microsoft has come up with an insider program that will collect telemetry and send it to Microsoft in order to provide enough information to make a better OS. Being in an insider program is per choice basis and it is not forced to anyone. This guide will cover how to turn off the insider program since its constant updates and telemetry can slow down the internet. So if you decided that you no longer want to be part of this program here is how to turn it off.

• Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
• Type in dialog gpedit.msc and press ENTER
• You will find yourself in the Local Group Policy Editor Window. Inside windows find: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Component > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business
• Move to the right pane and double-click on the Manage Preview Builds option
• Inside the Manage Preview Builds window, check the Enabled radio button
• Go to the Options section, and using the drop-down menu, set the preferred release channel
• Select Apply and then OK

Started as an internal network and has slowly expanded since 1960 internet has taken over the world. In the beginning, it was a means of information change but in the modern age you can run applications and virtual machines over the internet, you can stream video and audio, and you can communicate in real-time with someone on the other side of Earth.

With the internet growing so fast in such a small amount of time it is only logical and wise to take a step back and take a good look at what it offers now, what are great things about it and what are some of the worst.

Good sides of the internet

Information

There are a lot of advantages of the internet, first and foremost is information. Internet was made as an information exchange service and even today you can find a lot of various information about various topics that interest you. A site like Wikipedia is a completely free online encyclopedia and a lot of news companies have their own internet sites where you can find free information and news.

On the other hand, there are also websites like udemy, edx, Coursera, and many others that will offer you the education, some for free, some for money but you can get a glimpse and part of university quality education for just a fraction of price.

Online shopping

Sites like Amazon have used the internet and launched themselves as today's multi-billion companies. In today's world, there is not a single thing you can not buy online. Many sites today are going from the large online marketplace where you can find everything to small niche specialized ones. Also every major brand in the world today has its own online store.

Other shops will offer you music, movies, games, etc. Services like steam, xbox pass, sony pass etc, will let you buy games online, other music, movies, and many more.

Streaming services

Days, when you had to buy movies in order to watch them at home, are gone, thanks to the internet we have plenty of streaming services for movies and tv shows as well as ones for music. If you do not want to spend money on actually purchasing things then a good idea is to have a streaming plan set up when you want it.

Email and messaging

Communication is a great thing and since the dawn of mankind people have been talking and sharing with each other, the internet has made it possible to send mail electronically and instantly and modern chat communication is everywhere. We can not just talk with our friends and family that can be on the other side of the world, we can also talk in real-time with the sales representative, with technical service, or attend online classes with a group of people.

Cloud storage services

Saving your pictures in this digital media age on the hard drive can be risky but thanks to modern technologies you can save most of your precious files on cloud servers for safekeeping. From pictures to documents and even other files that you need and want to save. There are some of them that will offer you a free amount and some basic free plans as well.

Bad sides of the internet

Malware, viruses, and phishing

We could not talk about the bad side of the internet if we do not mention its greatest threat. Bad sites, infected software, phishing emails, and many more malicious threats. Problem is that these kinds of tricks and attacks have become more and more sophisticated and harder to detect and avoid.

Pornography

Pornography is bad, having it freely available to children is even worse. Sadly the only way to regulate this is on a computer-by-computer basis by turning on parent control on each one. There are many studies that go into detail about why this is bad, sadly currently there are no effective ways to isolate this content.

No privacy

When we say there is no privacy we do not mean by using social media and not setting your privacy settings altho that also fits in this point, what we are talking about is data mining of your habits and things you do. It is well known that today lot of websites are using some form of AI recommender system in order to tailor your internet experience to suit your needs better. Most of these AI systems are trained by mining your data and analyzing your habits.

If you have 2 google accounts there is a high probability chance that for the same query you will get different results, depending on your so far browsing habits. The same goes for other services as well.

Dark webshops

There are some great things in dark and deep WEB-like sites with true news and information. Even some legit libraries where you can find and download rare books. Sadly as goes with the internet dark and deep WEB also has its well, dark sides, from disturbing content to shops that sell stolen items to straight stealing your money by parading as legit shops but only to steal your money.

Dating sites

We all try to find someone that is perfectly matched with us but using the online dating site has many proven bad effects on psychology. It also devaluates interaction between people and can lower self-esteem.

Bad habits

Since the internet has become wildly available and popular on various devices like tablets and mobile phones more and more people are spending an unhealthy amount of time on it. Harvesting the benefits of the internet is great but find some time for other people as well.

Error Code 3 - What is it?

Error code 3 is a type of PC windows error that can occur on any Windows version including Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, or 8. This error code means that the system cannot find the path specified. The error 3 messages are displayed in the following format: “Error_ Path_Not_Found” or it may sometimes be displayed with the value 3 in this format:  (0x80070003: Error_Path_Not_Found)

Solution

Error Causes

The error code 3 indicates poor PC maintenance. It is a critical sign of an unstable system. The causes of this error code are:

• Missing or broken system files
• Registry issues

This error code poses serious system threats and should be resolved immediately before the damage is done. If you don’t address this error timely, your PC may be exposed to risks like system failure and crash. And this may lead to valuable data loss.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve this error on your system, you don’t have to hire a technician or be technically sound yourself. What you simply need to do is clean the registry. Here are 2 ways to clean the registry:

1. Manually by Launching Registry Editor

First, launch the Windows registry editor by clicking the start button and selecting run. In the text box type, 'Regedit' and press enter and click OK. Before you make changes to the registry, make sure you create a backup of your existing registry. This is advisable because if you accidentally lose important data during the cleaning process you can also recover the lost data. Once you create a backup, now get started with the cleaning process. Expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER" key, then click on the software key and look for applications that you think could have corrupted the registry. Now delete them. After that, remove the unwanted start-up items, by accessing this link:  My Computer HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows Current Version. Now click on the run tab and delete invalid entries/ values. This process may be time-consuming and for some, it may be slightly technical to identify unwanted start-up items.

2. Download Restoro Registry Cleaner

Another way to clean and repair the registry is to download Restoro. This is an innovative and a highly-functional registry cleaner. It is embedded with an intuitive algorithm that detects all the registry issues instantly and removes them right away in just a few simple clicks. It removes all the unnecessary and obsolete files, repairs the registry, and fixes the damaged dll and system files. It has a user-friendly interface and simple navigation which makes it easy for all levels of users to work around it. This software is compatible with all Windows versions. Besides functioning as a registry cleaner, Restoro also functions as an antivirus and a system optimizer. It scans and removes all kinds of malicious software and simultaneously boosts the speed of your PC. Click here to download Restoro and resolve error 3 “Entry_Path_Not_Found” on your PC now!

New Tab Aid is an extension for Google Chrome. It is published by Spigot Inc. It is classified as a potentially unwanted browser hijacker as it injects Yahoo search into your new tab windows. This extension also adds recently viewed tabs under the search bar. It also redirects all your searches to Yahoo instead of your default browser search engine. It is often found bundled with other software found on the internet and not installed directly by the user. For these reasons, numerous anti-malware utilities flag New Tab Aid as potentially unwanted or malicious.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes called hijackware) are a kind of malicious software that changes internet browser configurations without the user’s knowledge or permission. These types of hijacks appear to be increasing at an alarming rate around the world, and they could be actually nefarious and often harmful too. Browser hijackers could do more than just modifying homepages. The idea is to force users to visit specific websites that are looking to improve their website visitor traffic and produce higher ad earnings. Even though it may seem naive, all browser hijackers are damaging and therefore always regarded as security risks. Browser hijackers can even allow other vicious programs without your knowledge to further damage your personal computer.

Major signs that your web browser has been hijacked

There are numerous signs of browser hijacking: 1. the home page of your respective web browser is changed all of a sudden 2. you see new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, typically directed to advertisement-filled or pornography sites 3. the default web browser settings are changed and/or your default web engine is altered 4. unwanted new toolbars are added to your browser 5. you observe numerous ads show up on your browsers or computer screen 6. your web browser gets sluggish, buggy crashes regularly 7. Inability to navigate to particular websites, particularly anti-malware and other security software sites.

How does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

Browser hijackers might use drive-by downloads or file-sharing networks or even an email attachment in order to reach a targeted computer. Many web browser hijackings come from add-on applications, i.e., toolbars, browser helper objects (BHO), or plug-ins added to browsers to provide them additional features. Browser hijackers sneak into your computer in addition to free software application downloads also that you unintentionally install alongside the original. Popular examples of browser hijackers include Conduit, CoolWebSearch, Coupon Server, OneWebSearch, RocketTab, Searchult.com, Snap.do, and Delta Search. Browser hijacking can result in severe privacy issues and also identity theft, affect your browsing experience by taking control of outgoing traffic, substantially slows down your personal computer by consuming a lot of resources, and cause system instability also.

How to fix a browser hijack

Certain browser hijacking could be quite easily stopped by discovering and eliminating the corresponding malware software through your control panel. However, most hijackers are hard to get rid of manually. No matter how much you attempt to remove it, it may come back again and again. Moreover, browser hijackers could modify the Windows registry therefore it can be very hard to repair manually, particularly when you’re not a very tech-savvy individual.

Virus Blocking Access To Safebytes Site And Preventing Anti-Malware Downloads - What To Do?

Malware can cause all kinds of damage if they invade your computer, from stealing sensitive information to deleting files on your computer system. Certain malware goes to great lengths to stop you from installing anything on your computer system, especially anti-malware software programs. If you’re reading this, you probably have affected by malware that prevents you from installing a computer security application like Safebytes Anti-Malware. Although this sort of issue will be tougher to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Eliminate malware in Safe Mode

If any malware is set to load immediately when Microsoft Windows starts, getting into Safe Mode could block this attempt. Just minimal required applications and services are loaded whenever you start your personal computer into Safe Mode. The following are the steps you need to follow to take out viruses in Safemode. 1) Tap the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your PC boots, however, before the large Windows logo shows up. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Select Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you should have the internet. Now, obtain the malware removal application you want by using the web browser. To install the software, follow the directions within the installation wizard. 4) Once the application is installed, let the diagnostic scan run to eliminate viruses and other threats automatically.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Malicious program code may exploit vulnerabilities on a particular browser and block access to all anti-malware software sites. The most effective solution to avoid this issue is to choose a browser that is well known for its security measures. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you safe online.

Install and run antivirus from your USB drive

Another way is to download and transfer an antivirus application from a clean computer to run a scan on the affected system. Do these simple measures to clean up your affected computer using a portable antivirus. 1) Download the anti-malware program on a virus-free computer. 2) Insert the USB drive on the same system. 3) Double-click the exe file to open the installation wizard. 4) When asked, select the location of the pen drive as the place in which you want to put the software files. Follow the instructions on the computer screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the USB drive to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the pen drive to run the software. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and get rid of all sorts of malware.

Ensure the Safety of Your PC by Installing SafeBytes Anti-Malware

These days, anti-malware software can protect your computer from various types of internet threats. But exactly how to decide on the best one among many malware protection application that is available on the market? As you might be aware, there are several anti-malware companies and products for you to consider. Some of them are good, some are ok types, and some will destroy your computer themselves! When searching for antimalware software, pick one that provides reliable, efficient, and full protection against all known viruses and malware. One of the highly recommended software by industry experts is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, the most dependable program for Microsoft Windows. SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, very effective protection tool designed to assist end-users of all levels of computer literacy in detecting and eliminating malicious threats out of their computer. This program could easily detect, remove, and protect your computer from the most advanced malware attacks including spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, along with other possibly damaging software programs. SafeBytes has excellent features when compared to various other anti-malware programs. Let’s look into some of them below: Active Protection: Malware programs trying to get into the computer are discovered and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes real-time protection shields. This tool will constantly monitor your computer for any suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep current with the latest threats. Antimalware Protection: With its enhanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware removal tool can identify and remove the malware threats hiding in your PC effectively. Web Security: Safebytes allots all websites a unique safety rating that helps you to get an idea of whether the webpage you’re about to visit is safe to browse or known to be a phishing site. Lightweight: SafeBytes is well known for its minimal impact on computer resources and great detection rate of diverse threats. It operates quietly and efficiently in the background so you are free to utilize your personal computer at full power all of the time. 24/7 Customer Service: For any technical concerns or product assistance, you can get 24/7 professional assistance through chat and email.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove NewTabAid 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 NewTabAid

One of the most important components of a computer in the network. The network, with the help of network devices, makes it possible for all kinds of devices to exchange information. One of the files associated with the network driver is the netio.sys file. It is a system file used by third-party programs to interact with the devices on the network. If you encounter a Blue Screen of Death error that’s related to the netio.sys file then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing it. Here are some of the Blue Screen errors related to the netio.sys file:

• KMODE EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED
• PAGE FAULT IN A NONPAGED AREA
• IRQL NOT LESS EQUAL
• SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
• DRIVER IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL
• SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED

To fix the netio.sys Blue Screen errors on your Windows 10 computer, you can check out each one of the following suggestions.

Option 1 – Try to use the System File Checker

One of the built-in tools in Windows that you can use to fix Blue Screen errors is the System File Checker. This built-in command utility can help you restore corrupted or missing files as well as replace bad and corrupted system files. Chances are, the netio.sys file might be corrupted so to fix it, use System File Checker.

• First, right-click on the Start button and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin) option.
• Next, type in the sfc /scannow command and hit Enter to execute it.

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.

• Finally, restart your computer.

Option 2 – Try checking the Memory for any errors

The first thing you can do to check the memory for errors is to run the CHKDSK utility. The CHKDSK utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.

• You need to open “This PC” first.
• And then right-click on your operating system partition for Windows.
• Next, click on Properties and navigate to the Tools tab.
• After that, click on the Check button under the Error Checking section.
• A new mini window will appear and from there, click on Scan drive.
• Now let it scan your disk drive partition to check for errors and then restart your computer.

After running the CHKDSK utility, it’s now time to fix issues with your RAM by running the Memory Diagnostic tool. This tool in windows can help resolve the Blue Screen errors related to the netio.sys file by checking and automatically fixing any memory-based issues. To run it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type mdsched.exe and hit Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
• After that, it will give two options such as:
  • Restart now and check for problems (Recommended)
  • Check for problems the next time I start my computer
• Once your computer has restarted, perform a basic scan or you could also go for the “Advanced” options such as “Test mix” or “Pass count”. Simply tap the F10 key to start the test.

Note: After you select your preferred option, your computer will restart and check for memory-based issues. If it finds any issues, it will automatically fix them and if there’s no issue found, then it’s most likely not a memory-based issue so you should try the other options given below.

Option 3 – Try to update or rollback or disable Network drivers

You might also want to update, roll back or disable your Network drivers to resolve the netio.sys Blue Screen errors.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “mdsched.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
• Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and depending on your preference, you can either select “Update driver”, “Disable device” or “Uninstall device”.
• After that, restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the netio.sys Blue Screen error.

Option 4 – Perform System Restore

Performing System Restore can also help fix BSOD errors, including the ones related to the netio.sys file. To run System Restore, follow the steps below.

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

Option 5 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

Troubleshooting Blue Screen of Death errors wouldn’t be complete without the Blue Screen troubleshooter. As you know, it is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like Storport.sys. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

Cortana is your personal digital assistant fully integrated into Windows 10 designed to help you make your life easier. The more you use it, the more Cortana can learn about you, and the experience becomes more personalized and accurate. It can perform a variety of tasks, and it's full of handy tricks, but perhaps one of the best features is the advanced speech recognition that enables Cortana to understand the context of a natural voice conversation. On Windows 10, and across platforms with the Cortana app on iPhone and Android, the assistant can understand virtually any voice command and perform tasks. For example, by just speaking you can find facts, create reminders and manage your calendar, launch applications, change settings, and a lot more. Now, if you're looking for an official list of all the voice commands Cortana supports, you'll never find it because it doesn't exist. Cortana can understand natural language and context, there's no particular set of commands to make things happen. In a sort of way, you are speaking to Cortana as you would to any other person.

Invoking Cortana

Before using voice commands, it's important to know the ways in which you can invoke Cortana using natural language:

• You can click the microphone icon in the taskbar next to the Start menu.
• You can use the Shift + ⊞ Windows + C keyboard shortcut to open Cortana in listening mode.
• You can use the Hey Cortana feature, which lets you invoke the assistant by simply saying Hey Cortana followed by the command. For example, Hey Cortana: How's the weather?.
• On Windows 10 Mobile devices, you can press and hold the search button to open Cortana in listening mode.

Comprehensive list of Cortana voice commands

The following list of commands are examples you can use to learn how to control Cortana with voice commands. Keep in mind that there isn't a specific way to speak the commands. For example, Hey Cortana: Let me listen to some tunes is the same as asking for a more systematic command like Hey Cortana: Play music.

Cortana basic voice commands:

Getting the time for any location:

• "What time is it?"
• "What time is in New York?" or "What time is in Greece?"

Getting weather information for any location:

• "What's the weather like?"
• "What's the weather in Madrid?" or "What's the weather in Slovakia?"
• "When does the sun set?"
• "Is it hot in Hawaii?"
• "How's the weather looking for tomorrow/next week?"

Opening (Store and desktop) apps and websites:

• "Open Photoshop" or "Go to Firefox"
• "Open errortools.com."

Getting news information:

• "Show me top headlines."
• "Show me the latest news."
• "Show me weather news."
• "Show me Blizzard stock."
• "Show me bitcoin exchange rate."
• "What was the score of the last Brazil football game."

Creating a note:

• "Create a note."
• "Create Shopping note."
• "Create Shopping note: Buy a basket of eggs"
• "Take a note."
• "Draft a note."
• "Write a note."

Translating to a different language:

• "Translate."
• "Translate Hello to German"
• "Translate Where is the nearest park? to Spain"

Doing math:

• "What's 34% or $764.89?"
• "What's 43 times 59?"
• "What the square root of 26509?"
• "What's 29 times 6 divided by 12?"
• "Convert 6.9 cups to fluid ounces."
• "How many miles are in 89 Kilometers?"

Defining a word:

• "Define Space."

Tracking packages:

• "Where is my package?"
• "Show me my packages."

Cortana search voice commands:

Finding documents, photos, videos:

• "Find photos from August 1998."
• "Find cat videos."
• "Find document called Collection of poems."

Searching the web:

• "Search the web for Heroes of Might and magic."

Finding facts:

• "How tall is Mount Everest?"
• "Who is Steve Jobs?"
• "When Arnold Schwarzenegger was born?"
• "Who is Mercedes CEO?"
• "When does spring begin?"
• "What's the capital of Zimbabwe?"
• "When is Thanksgiving?"

It's important to note that Cortana is capable of conversational understanding, which means that you can also ask follow-up questions without having to be very specific. For example, if you ask Cortana: "Who is the president of the United States", you can then ask a follow-up question, such as "Who is his wife?" or "When was he born?" and the assistant should be able to answer those questions accurately.

Discovering food places nearby:

• "Find food places near me."
• "Find restaurants near me."
• "Find bars near me."
• "What's a good restaurant near me?"
• "What's interesting nearby?"
• "Show me Chinese restaurants near me."
• "Show me Italians restaurants in Los Angeles."

Cortana health and fitness voice commands:

• "How was my sleep last night?"
• "What was my step count yesterday?"
• "How many calories did I burn today?"

These commands require a tracking device, such as the Microsoft Band 2 to enable your fitness and health activities, and you need to connect Cortana with the Microsoft Health (Microsoft Band) service.

Cortana settings voice commands:

Opening the Settings app:

• "Open Settings."
• "Open Action Center."

Controlling settings:

• "Turn on/off Bluetooth"
• "Turn on/off Wi-Fi"
• "Turn on/off Airplane Mode"

Cortana reminders voice commands:

Creating reminders:

• "Remind me to wash the car."

Creating location-based reminders:

• "Remind me to buy CDs next time I go to Walmart."

Creating person-based reminders:

• "Remind me to ask for vacation time next time I talk to Goran."

Creating time-based reminders:

• "Remind me to watch the basketball game at 6 PM."
• "Remind me to buy the food for the d&d session on Sunday at 3 PM."

Viewing reminders:

• "Show me my reminders."

Cortana calendar voice commands:

Viewing calendar events:

• "How's my schedule looking today?"
• "Show me my appointments for next week."
• "When is my dentist appointment?"

Adding new calendar events:

• "Add dental appointment for Monday at 2 PM."

Moving calendar events:

• "Move dental appointment to Friday at 5 PM."

Cortana alarms voice commands:

Creating alarms:

• "Set an alarm for next Monday at 5:30 AM."
• "Set an alarm for Saturdays at 9 AM."

Viewing alarms:

• "Show my alarms"

Removing alarms:

• "Cancel alarm for Saturdays at 9 AM."

Cortana timer voice commands:

Creating a timer:

• "Set a timer for 5 minutes."

You can only start a one-timer at one point in time. If there is a timer already running, Cortana will ask you to restart it at a new time.

Viewing timer:

• "Show timer."
• "How much time is left on the timer?"

Canceling timer:

• "Stop timer."

Cortana location voice commands:

Knowing your exact location:

• "Tell me where am I?"

Cortana messaging voice commands:

Sending text messages:

• "Send a text to Milan: I'll be late for lunch today."

Sending quick emails:

• "Send email to Milena: See you later tonight."
• "Send email to John and Claudia: How is the project coming along?"

Cortana location voice commands:

Getting directions:

• "What's the traffic like on the way home?"
• "How do I get home."
• "How long would it take to drive to Madison Square Garden?"
• "Get me directions to Port Authority."
• "How do I get from my location to Long Beach, New York?"
• "How far away is the moon?"
• "Show me walking directions to the nearest gas station."
• "Show me public transit to 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036."
• "Show me the map of San Francisco."

Tracking flights:

• "Track flight 1056."
• "Is my flight delayed?"
• "Is my flight on time?"

Cortana entertainment voice commands:

Controlling music:

• "Play Metallica."
• "Put some Symphonic music."
• "Shuffle music."
• "Play and Justice for all by Metallica."
• "Stop music"
• "Pause music"
• "Pause song."
• "Play next"
• "Next track"
• "Skip track."

Identifying what's playing:

• "What is this song?"
• "What's playing?"

Movies & TV:

• "What's Blade Runner run time?"
• "Who was the director of Gladiator?"
• "What movies are playing near me?"
• "What are the showtimes for Star Trek lower decks?"

Cortana technical support voice commands:

• "How do I install a printer?"
• "How do I project my screen?"
• "How do I change my background?"
• "How do I update Windows?"
• "How do I make a backup?"
• "How do I change default apps?"
• "How do I change Privacy?"
• "How do I connect a wireless device?"

Sometimes asking a "How to do I" question will result in a web search response.

Cortana phone voice commands:

• "Call wife on speakerphone."
• "Call David at home."
• "Call Goran."
• "Redial."
• "Send a photo to my PC."

Cortana random voice commands:

• "Tell me a joke."
• "Tell me a riddle."
• "Tell me something interesting."
• "Tell me something funny."
• "Tell me a scary story."
• "Sing me a song."
• "Surprise me."
• "Do an impression."
• "What do you look like?"
• "Which is the best smartphone?"
• "What is love?"
• "Which is better, Google or Bing?"
• "Why should I buy this phone?"
• "What do you think about Google?"
• "Do you like Google?"
• "What do you think about Yahoo?"
• "Do you like Windows 10?"
• "Play the movie game."
• "Are you better than Siri?"
• "Where is Clippy?"
• "What do you think about Clippy?"
• "Heads or tails?"
• "Rock, paper, scissors."
• "Roll a dice."

If you are using the Camera app on your Windows 10 computer but encountered an error code 0xa00f429f with an error message that says, “Can’t start your camera”, read on as this post will guide you in fixing this problem. This kind of error in the Camera app could be due to a recent update gone wrong or it could also be due to a corrupted driver. If you are certain that the camera is connected and is properly installed, you can try to check for updated drivers. The error code signifies that the drivers have to be updated. However, that isn’t always the case sometimes as the problem could also have something to do with corruption in the driver. The effective ways to troubleshoot this problem would be trying to reinstall or reset the Windows Camera app, or update, rollback or uninstall some device drivers as well as use the Registry Editor. Before you proceed with the instructions provided below, make sure that you have admin privileges and don’t forget to create a System Restore point.

Option 1 – Try to reset or reinstall the Windows Camera app

As pointed out earlier, you can also reset the Camera app to fix the error. To do so, follow the steps below.

• The first thing you have to do is go to the My Pictures folder under the C: drive of the File Explorer and then delete the Camera Roll folder.
• Once you’re done, right-click on an empty area on your screen and create a new folder and name it “Camera Roll”.
• Then from the Start menu open the Settings app and select System.
• From there, navigate to the Apps and features section.
• Now go to Camera and click on the Advanced Options and click the Reset button.

Option 2 – Try to reinstall the Camera app

If resetting the Camera app didn’t help, you might want to reinstall it by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + X keys and select the “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” option from the menu to open Windows PowerShell as admin.
• Next, type this command to uninstall the Camera app: Get-AppxPackage *camera* | Remove-AppxPackage
• Once done, exit the Windows PowerShell and restart your computer and then try to install the latest version of the Camera app from Microsoft Store.

Option 3 – Try to rollback, update or disable drivers

The next thing you can do to fix the error code 0xa00f429f in the Camera app is to roll back, or update, or disable device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• After opening the Device Manager, look for the device drivers which have a yellow exclamation mark.
• Then right-click on each one of them. If you haven’t updated this driver in a while, select the “Update Driver” option. On the other hand, if you’ve just updated this driver, then select the Uninstall Device option.
• Next, follow the screen option to update or uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically if you have chosen to uninstall them.

Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.

Option 4 – Try to use the Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWOW6432NodeMicrosoftWindows Media FoundationPlatform
• From there, right-click on any empty space on the right side part of the window and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Then name it as “EnableFrameServerMode” and double click on it.
• Now set its value data to “0” and its base value as Hexadecimal and then click on OK.
• After that, restart your computer and see if it helped in fixing the problem or not.

One of the important processes in the Windows operating system is the Setting Synchronization or SettingSyncHost.exe. This process is the one responsible for synchronizing the settings of your computer with other devices. It is the one that replicates settings like OneDrive, Internet Explorer, wallpapers, and so on, to other systems. However, it has been known to cause high CPU usage in Windows 10 and there are times when it causes the system to freeze or system lags. So if you notice that the SettingSyncHost.exe process is causing high CPU usage in your computer, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing them. You have to be cautious when you notice high CPU usages caused by system processes since cybercriminals mostly set the names of viruses in a way that the system or the user won’t be able to identify them. Cyber crooks could name the virus and malware the same as one of the system processes like SettingSyncHost.exe to make it seem like it’s a legitimate process. Thus, you need to keep in mind that original system processes like the SettingSyncHost.exe file are located in the System32 folder. The original SettingSyncHost.exe file is located in the System32 folder. To check for the same, right-click on the troublesome process in the Task Manager and select Open file location. If the place is any other than the System32 folder, run a full system anti-virus scan on the system. The SettingSyncHost.exe causes high CPU usage when it gets stuck in the sync process and is not able to come out of the loop. To fix this problem, you need to follow the solutions offered below but before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point first.

Option 1 – Apply some registry tweak

The first thing you can do is to apply some tweaks to the Windows Registry. To get started, follow these steps:

• 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 this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInputPersonalizationTrainedDataStore
• From there, right-click on the key and select Permissions.
• After that, check the box next to “Allow” for Full Permission for every user group.
• Now click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Then restart your computer.

Option 2 – Close the Host process for setting synchronization

If the registry tweak didn’t work, you can try to close the host process for setting synchronization, especially if this process continues to hog resources. You can terminate this process by opening the Task Manager. From there, end the process or task of the host process. On the other hand, you can also turn off the Host process for synchronization by opening Settings > Accounts > Sync settings located in the left pane. After that, turn off the Sync setting.

Option 3 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter or the Performance Troubleshooter

Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter:

• The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
• After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
• From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
• Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
• After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.

Performance Troubleshooter:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Type “exe /id PerformanceDiagnostic” in the field and hit Enter to open the Performance troubleshooter.
• Then click on Next to get started. Wait until the process is completed.

Option 4 – Try scanning your computer using Windows Defender

As mentioned, it is possible that the SettingSyncHost.exe could be infected with a virus or malware. To eliminate it, 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.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 have automatic dynamic screen brightness depending on the surrounding light inside the room. Please take note that this option is available only on devices with build-in screens like laptops, tablets, and all in one desktop PC. If you are connected with your PC via an external monitor you will not have these settings available and probably feature is not even working.

Some computers will also allow automatic brightness changes also on what is displayed on the screen. This option is meant to save battery life on devices. Microsoft calls this automatic brightness feature Content adaptive brightness control. In order to change this setting, we will go to settings inside Windows.

Disabling automatic brightness inside Windows

Open Settings inside Windows, in Windows 11 press WINDOWS + I to open settings, then click on the system in the sidebar and then go to Display. Click on the small arrow beside the Brightness slider in order to expand a small menu and then uncheck Help improve battery by optimizing the content show and brightness. If you see Change brightness automatically when lighting changes, uncheck that as well. Close the settings and you are good to go, now brightness will always be as set in settings.

Inside Windows 10, go to Settings and then go to System and then in Display under the Brightness and Color section look below and locate the box that says Automatically adjust contrast based on the displayed content to help improve battery and uncheck it, if the box below with text Change brightness automatically when lighting changes exists, uncheck it as well. Close settings and you are done.