How to Fix Windows Update Error 0x800f0900

mixGames is an Extension for Google Chrome that adds “Games:” functions to Google Chrome. In our testing, this function did not work and only redirects you back to the extension page. There are two variations of mixGames: mixGames Search, which changes the Chrome homepage to one managed by their own advertising-driven search; and mixGames Start, which changes the homepage in Chrome. These extensions utilize Searchalo to change search engine functions from the default or user-set preferences to Yahoo, injecting additional advertising. Due to the browser function modifications, mixGames is classified as potentially unwanted and is flagged for detection and optional removal by some Antivirus programs.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a common type of online fraud where your web browser configuration settings are altered to allow it to do things you do not intend. They are created to disrupt web browser programs for a variety of reasons. These are typically used to force hits to predetermined sites, manipulating web traffic to generate ad revenue. Nevertheless, it isn’t that innocent. Your internet safety is jeopardized and it is also extremely annoying. What’s more, hijackers can make the entire infected system fragile – other dangerous malware and viruses would use these opportunities to get into your system very easily.

Indications of browser hijack

There are various symptoms that could indicate a browser hijacking: 1. the browser’s home page is modified 2. new bookmarks pointing to pornographic websites are added to your favorite pages 3. the main web browser settings are modified and unwanted or unsafe resources are added to the trusted websites listing 4. you’re getting new toolbars you have never noticed before 5. your browser will display constant pop-up windows 6. your internet browser starts running sluggishly or exhibits frequent errors 7. you cannot go to certain sites like home pages of antivirus software.

Exactly how browser hijacker finds its way onto your computer

Browser hijackers infect computers by numerous means, including through a file-share, a drive-by download, or an infected e-mail attachment. Many internet browser hijackings come from add-on programs, i.e., browser helper objects (BHO), toolbars, or plug-ins added to web browsers to give them extra capabilities. A browser hijacker can be installed as a part of freeware, demoware, shareware, and fake programs. A good example of a well-known browser hijacker is the latest Chinese malicious software known as “Fireball”, which has infected 250 million computer systems globally. It works as a hijacker but can be turned into a full-functioning malware downloader later on. Browser hijacking can cause severe privacy problems and even identity theft, disrupt your web browsing experience by taking command over outbound traffic, substantially slows down your personal computer by depleting a lot of resources, and result in system instability at the same time.

How you can fix a browser hijack

Some hijackers can be easily removed by uninstalling the free software they were included with or by eliminating any extension you’ve recently added to your browser. But, the majority of hijacking codes aren’t easy to remove manually, since they go deeper into your operating system. Besides, browser hijackers can modify the Windows registry therefore it can be quite hard to restore all of the values manually, especially if you’re not a very tech-savvy individual.

How To Install Safebytes Anti-Malware On An Infected PC

All malware is bad and the consequences of the damage will vary according to the specific kind of malware. Certain malware types modify web browser settings by including a proxy server or change the computer’s DNS settings. In such cases, you will be unable to visit certain or all internet sites, and therefore unable to download or install the required security software to remove the infection. If you are reading this, you may have affected by a virus that stops you from downloading a computer security application like Safebytes Anti-Malware. Do as instructed below to remove malware by alternate methods.

Get rid of viruses in Safe Mode

In Safe Mode, you could modify Windows settings, uninstall or install some applications, and remove hard-to-delete viruses. In the event the malware is blocking internet access and affecting your computer, running it in Safe Mode allows you to download anti-malware and run a diagnostic scan while limiting possible damage. To get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the PC is starting up or run MSConfig and find the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. Once you are in Safe Mode, you can try to download and install your antivirus software program without the hindrance of the malware. Following installation, run the malware scanner to get rid of standard infections.

Switch over to an alternative browser

Some malware only targets specific internet browsers. If this sounds like your situation, make use of another internet browser as it could circumvent the computer virus. The ideal way to avoid this issue is to pick a web browser that is well known for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you secure online.

Create a portable USB antivirus for removing malware

Another option would be to make a portable antivirus program on your USB flash drive. Do these simple steps to clean up your affected computer using a portable antivirus. 1) On a clean computer, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the USB drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the executable file to open the installation wizard. 4) Choose the drive letter of the pen drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you want to install the antivirus. Follow activation instructions. 5) Transfer the flash drive from the clean PC to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the EXE file to run the Safebytes program from the pen drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and get rid of all types of malware.

Protect Your Computer & Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

These days, an anti-malware tool can protect your computer from different kinds of online threats. But how do choose the best one among several malware protection software that’s available on the market? You may be aware, there are lots of anti-malware companies and tools for you to consider. Some are well worth your money, but most aren’t. You have to be very careful not to choose the wrong application, especially if you purchase a paid software. Among few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended program for the security-conscious user. SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, very effective protection software intended to assist users of all levels of IT literacy in identifying and removing harmful threats out of their personal computers. Using its outstanding protection system, this software will quickly detect and remove the majority of the security threats, which include browser hijackers, viruses, adware, ransomware, PUPs, and trojans. SafeBytes anti-malware takes PC protection to a whole new level with its enhanced features. The following are some of the best ones: World-class AntiMalware Protection: Using its enhanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware removal tool can identify and eliminate the malware threats hiding in your computer effectively. Active Protection: SafeBytes delivers complete and real-time security for your PC. It’ll constantly monitor your pc for hacker activity and also provides users with superior firewall protection. Website Filtering: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes alerts you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will assure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the web. Faster Scan: This tool has one of the fastest and most efficient virus scanning engines in the industry. The scans are very accurate and take a short amount of time to complete. Low Memory/CPU Usage: SafeBytes is really lightweight software. It consumes an extremely small amount of processing power as it works in the background therefore you will not see any computer performance problems. 24/7 Assistance: You can get totally free 24/7 technical support from their computer experts on any product queries or computer security issues.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not wish to use malware removal software and like to remove mixGames manually, you may accomplish this by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and removing the offending program; in cases of browser extensions, you could uninstall it by going to the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. It is also suggested to factory reset your browser settings to their default state. Lastly, examine your hard disk for all of the following and clean your Windows registry manually to remove leftover application entries following an uninstallation. But bear in mind, this is a complicated task and only computer experts can perform it safely. In addition, certain malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Completing this task in Safe Mode is recommended.

What is Error 1723?

Error Code 1723 is a peculiar error type common in Windows PC. It is related to the Windows Installer package. This error is displayed in the following format:

"Error 1723- There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A DLL required for this install could not be run. Contact your support personnel or package vendor...”

You are most likely to come across the error code 1723 if the Java installation is not completed successfully. In other words, the error indicates that the installation process has failed.

Solution

Error Causes

The 1723 error may occur due to several reasons, the most common being:

• Corrupted installers
• Files are not extracted successfully
• Registry problems
• Missing DLL files

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve this issue on your PC, you don’t always have to hire a professional technician and pay hundreds of dollars to get it fixed. The error code 1723 may not be a common Windows PC error but it is easy to fix. Here we have listed some of the best and easiest DIY ways to resolve this error on your system. These solutions are so easy to perform that even if you are not a computer programmer or technically adept, you can work through them and resolve the error in just a few simple clicks. So, let’s get started:

Solution 1: Install the latest Java Version

If the Java version previously installed on your system is not working properly and showing 1723 error messages then it is advisable to install the latest Java version. However, to do this first you will have to uninstall the old version and then download the latest Java version on your PC from a trusted website to ensure it does not contain malicious viruses and malware.

Solution 2: Ensure the Required Files are extracted in the ‘Temp’ Folder for Installers

Another method to resolve the 1723 error code is to check whether the required files are extracted in the temp folder for installers or not. The error may occur if the location is incorrect and the account is not permitted to extract files in the temp folder. In this scenario, the best way to resolve the issue is to change the permissions of the temp folder. This can be done by logging in to your account and opening file explorer or ‘My Computer’. Now copy and paste this link address in the address bar: DL:UsersUSERNAMEAppDataLocal. Please note, here DL is the drive letter of the Windows drive, and in the username insert the username of the account that you are using. Now right-click the ‘temp’ folder. Select properties and click on the Security tab. After that click edit below the list and press add. Again type the username here and click OK. The next step is to select the added account from the list and tick ‘FULL CONTROL’ box under ‘Permissions for Username’. Click OK and then close the properties. Once this process is complete, now try running the installer again. This will most likely resolve the issue. Nonetheless, if the error still persists, then this means the underlying cause of the error is deeper than you think. The error may be related to registry issues. In such situations, try solution 3 to fix the error 1723 on your system.

Solution 3: Download Restoro.

When the error code 1723 is triggered due to registry issues, then it is advisable to scan your PC with Restoro. Registry issues should be resolved immediately because they pose serious threats to your system. It can lead to system failure, crash and valuable data loss. Registry basically saves practically all the information and activities performed on your PC including the unnecessary and obsolete files like junk files, cookies, temporary files, and invalid entries. If these files are not removed they can corrupt the registry, damage dll files and installers thereby generating error codes like 1723 on your system. The easiest way to repair and clean the registry in seconds is to run Restoro on your PC. It is a smart, intuitive, advanced, and multi-functional PC repair tool. It is embedded with multiple powerful utilities and is a one-stop solution for all PC related issues. This software is compatible with all Windows versions. It is deployed with a highly functional registry cleaner that scans and detects all registry issues on your PC and removes them right away. It wipes out the unwanted files, repairs the damaged dll files and restores the registry. Other powerful utilities that are embedded in this software include an antivirus, a system optimizer and Active X controls and class modules. To resolve 1723 error code on your PC today, click here to download Restoro.

During Windows 10 installation, you will see all the beautiful user interfaces, however, what’s more, important are the drivers, your processor, and free storage disk in order for the installation to be successfully completed. So if you are getting the CompareExchange128 error during the installation of Windows 10, this means that the CPU lacks a very important instruction known as “CMPXCHG16B”. Thus, if you don’t have CMPXCHG16B, then it will result in the CompareExchange128 error when you install Windows 10. In fact, CMPXCHG16B, PrefetchW as well as LAHF/SAHF is a criterion for you to be able to use Windows 10 64-bit version when upgrading from an earlier version of Windows. So what exactly is the CMPXCHG16B instruction? The CMPXCHG16B instruction is the one that performs an atomic compare-and-exchange on 16-byte values. This instruction can also be referred to as “CompareExchange128”. The atomic compare-and-exchange means that the CPU compares the contents of a memory location with a given value. So if the values are the same, it modifies the contents of that memory location to a new given value. Note that this kind of issue only happens to the 64-bit Windows 10 version and the only way to resolve it is by getting an update on the hardware level from the OEM. On the other hand, if nothing really works, it’s maybe time for you to get a new CPU but before you resort to that, in the meantime, you can try following the options given below to fix the CompareExchange128 error during the installation of Windows 10.

Option 1 – Try to update the BIOS and Chipset Drivers

One of the best things you can do to fix the CompareExchange128 error is by updating the BIOS and chipset drivers which is why you need to check if your OEM has an update available for your computer’s BIOS as well as the related chipset drivers. But before that, you need to first check the BIOS version. To do so, follow these steps:

• Type “msinfo32” in the search bar and hit Enter to open the System Information Tools.
• After opening the System Information Tools, check the BIOS version.
• Then take note of that BIOS version. You also need to use the BIOS utility that came with your computer and use it for the upgrade. Note that it is different for every computer and if you don’t have it, you can just go to the OEM website and see if there is an option to download it there.

Option 2 – Try to downgrade to the 32-bit Windows 10 version

If option 1 didn’t work as the BIOS update is not available, you can also try downgrading to the 32-bit version of Windows 10. Keep in mind that this will bring restrictions on the amount of RAM installed and other places but that won’t be a problem as you can still switch.

Option 3 – Try buying a new hardware

If none of the first two options didn’t work for some reason then maybe it’s time for you to purchase new hardware especially if your computer is way too old. In such cases, it’s better to buy new hardware or better yet, a new computer that can keep up for the next couple of years.

What is Mastodon? Mastodon is an open-source microblogging network very similar to Twitter. You can make 500 characters post messages called toot (tweet), share videos or images, and follow other people. But unlike Twitter, Mastodon is decentralized, meaning the entire Mastodon is not run by a single company pulling all strings.

Mastodon can be used directly in your web browser or through a mobile client on a smartphone or tablet. It includes features that seem copied from Twitter-like replies, boosts (retweets), favorites (loves), a timeline view, blocking, and voluntary content warnings that hide sensitive content.

Mastodon also has some great features that Twitter does not have like automated post deletion for the older post of a certain age, requiring approval for follows without restricting your account, and opting out of search engine indexing.

Currently, there are also no ads on Mastodon meaning no ad tracking or ad network surveillance.

How Does Mastodon Work?

Mastodon is a social media network made of nodes called servers or instances each running special software meaning anyone can run their own Mastodon instance (if they have a proper dedicated server). When you have your own instance it can be linked in the federation or remain private, so individuals or companies can have control over individual Mastodon servers.

The software itself is open source based on the social networking protocol ActivityPub which was developed by WWW Consortium.

While using Mastodon, people sign up for accounts with specific instances. Once logged in, you can view a local timeline (of posts from that instance only) or, if the instance is federated with others, see a federated timeline comprised of toots from people in other instances. Mastodon users can send messages to each other using their Mastodon account names that are similar to email addresses in that they feature the server address as well as the user name.

If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

If you are trying to run Windows Update but encountered an Error 0x80070003, read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix it. This kind of error in Windows Update can occur when you activate Windows Firewall or download from the Windows Store. This kind of error indicates that the Windows Update service or WUAUSERV is not started or that the Background Intelligent Transfer Service or BITS can’t be started. Aside from that, you can also encounter this error with the other Windows Update components. To fix the Windows Update error 0x80070003, you can try to run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter or replace the old Configuration file named “Spupdsvc.exe”. You can also try to reset the Windows Update components or check the status of all the Windows Update-related services, as well as run a System File Checker scan.

Option 1 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the things you can first check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update errors like error code 0x80070003. To run this troubleshooter, Refer to these steps:

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

Option 2 – Try replacing the old Configuration file named “Spupdsvc.exe”

The next thing you can do to fix the Windows Update error is to replace the Spupdsvc.exe file. This is a process file that comes under the Microsoft Update RunOnce service. So when an update becomes available for your computer, the process responsible for performing the upgrade is notified. In addition, the RunOnce entry is also added to the registry for the spupdsvc.exe and this process is executed when your computer restarts and when you log on.

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• Next, execute this command to replace the old configuration of the Spupdsvc.exe file with a new one: c m d (remove spaces on CMD) /c ren %systemroot%System32Spupdsvc.exe Spupdsvc.old
• After that, try to run Windows Updates again and check if the error is now gone.

Option 3 – 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.

Option 4 – Check the status of some Windows Update Services

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the following services and make sure that their Startup type is as follows:
  • Windows Update – Manual (Triggered)
  • Background Intelligent Transfer Service – Manual
  • Cryptographic Services – Automatic
  • Workstation Service – Automatic
• After that, check if the Service status of the listed services above are set to Running. If they’re not, click on the Start button to start these services and then check if the Windows Update error 0x80070003 is now fixed or not.

Option 5 – Run the System File Checker Scan

If manually resetting the Windows Update components 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 with 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.

When experiencing internet connection problems, most users run the built-in troubleshooter to fix the problem. However, you might come across another problem when instead of fixing the problem, the troubleshooter throws up an error message saying, “The Windows Wireless Service is not running on this computer”. After displaying this error message, the troubleshooter would exit. Usually, this kind of error indicates that Windows has failed to initialize the wireless service so it can start searching for broadcast signals and try to connect to them. So in this post, we have prepared some workarounds that might help you resolve the issue.

Option 1 – Try to check the WLAN Status

You have to make sure that the wireless service is enabled in your computer before you proceed to the other troubleshooting options below as this error could occur for a simple reason as the wireless capability is turned off from your PC either on some built-in settings or physically. This is why you need to make sure that Wireless is enabled. And if it turns out that it is disabled, you need to turn it back on and then reconnect to the wireless network again. You should now be able to connect to the internet without any issue.

Option 2 – Try to check the WLAN AutoConfig Service

The WLAN AutoConfig service is the one that provides the logic and functionality required to discover, connect and configure wireless networks with your PC. Aside from that, it also contains the module that allows your PC to be discoverable to other systems on a network. Thus, you need to verify if the WLAN AutoConfig service is on or not.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• And in the field, type in “services.msc” and hit Enter to open Services.
• After opening the Services window, look for the entry named “WLAN AutoConfig” and then right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu.
• Next, click on the Start button to turn on the service and then set the startup type as “Automatic”.
• Then try to connect to your Wireless network again and check if the issue has been resolved.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Network Configurations

Resetting the Network Configurations can also help you in fixing the Windows Wireless service as the network settings often get disrupted or corrupted in a variety of different cases every now and then. Note that this module will reset all the network settings stored on your computer.

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

netsh winsock reset

• The command given will reset the Winsock data. Once it is executed, restart your PC for the changes to take effect and then check if the internet connection is now fine.

Note: Do make sure that the WiFi drivers are up to date. To do that, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in devmgmt.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. If you see a red or yellow sign that shows up against the driver, right-click on the driver’s name and select “Update Driver Software” or “Uninstall”. And if you find any “Unknown device”, you need to update it as well.
• Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
• Restart your PC.

Note: You also have the option to go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturer and check if there’s a new update – if there is, download it.

Option 4 – Perform System Restore

Recently, a lot of issues have resurfaced after users installed the latest Windows update. So the wireless service issue might also be related to it. To fix the problem, you can perform System Restore to roll back your Windows to the last time when it was working just fine. It automatically creates backups in time whenever you install a new update or periodically. Follow the steps below to perform System Restore.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open Search and then type in “restore” in the field and select the topmost result.
• Once you’ve opened the restore settings, click on System Restore located at the beginning of the window under the System Protection tab.
• After that, a wizard will appear that will guide you through all the steps needed to restore the system. You can choose either the recommended restore point or a different one.
• After you select the restore point, click Next to proceed to the next on-screen instructions.
• Then select the restore point where the Windows Update was installed on your computer. If you have more than one restore point, you can just select the latest restore point and check the functionality from there. If it doesn’t work, you can just try another restore point.
• Another prompt will appear and will ask you to confirm your actions. Click OK and wait for the system to be restored. Once it’s done, check if the problem’s now fixed.

If you encounter a Windows Update error with an error code 0x80070652 and an error message saying, “ERROR_INSTALL_ALREADY_RUNNING”, then it indicates that there was a previous Windows Update that was not installed successfully. This kind of Windows Update error typically happens when it gets stuck and so to resolve it, here are some suggestions that might help.

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

You can restart your computer and then try installing the updates once again. There are instances when a simple restart resolves Windows Update errors. Thus, after you restart your computer, check for updates once again and see if you’re still getting the error or not.

Option 2 – Try running the Windows Update troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing Windows Update error code 0x80070652. 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 3 – Try downloading the Windows Update that failed

If the Windows Update that has failed is not a feature update and only a cumulative update, you can download the Windows Update and install it manually. But first, you need to find out which update has failed, and to do so, refer to the following steps:

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

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

Option 4 – Try to restart the Background Intelligent Transfer Service

The Background Intelligent Transfer Service or BITS is a part of the Windows Update service and is the one that manages the background download of Windows Update, as well as scans for new updates and so on. And if Windows Update is experiencing some problems, you can try restarting BITS but make sure that you have admin privileges to do so.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and double-click on it to open Properties.
• After that, you need to set the Startup type to “Automatic (Delayed Start) and click on Apply.
• Now click the Stop button to stop BITS and then click the Start button to restart the service.
• Click OK to save the changes made and then restart your PC.

Option 5 – Try to update Windows after a couple of minutes or an hour

There are times when the issue is from Microsoft’s end. It could be that there’s some issue with Microsoft’s server so it would be better if you give it a couple of minutes or an hour or so before trying to run Windows Update again.

Error Code 0xc004c008 - What is it?

This specific Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 error code has to do with the number of times you can use your license number to install windows programs on computers. All windows activation codes are licensed to be used one time for a device, to control piracy, but what happens when your PC crashes, or you have to change a hard drive component and are forced to re-install Windows Operating System. Luckily, there is an easy fix for this issue.

Solution

Error Causes

Basically, when you need to re-install the Windows operating system that you have previously bought and installed on another computer an error code will be displayed with a message telling you that the activation server determined that the specific key could not be used for activation. This occurs because the key has already been used on that computer, or a different one, to install operating systems. There are a few easy fixes for this issue, and most of them should be easily completed on your own.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There aren’t many explanatory ways to repair Error Code 0xc004c008. Below are two methods to go about addressing this issue.

Methods 1:

1. The first step is to open the “Run” Window. You can do this in two ways. First, press the “Window” key and press the “R” key simultaneously. This will open the “Run” menu. Or you can start the “run” window by going to the Start menu and selecting Run.
2. In the Run window type “SLUI 4” and click enter.
3. A Phone Activation window will open up, after which you'll need to select a few options.
4. First chose the country in which you registered the product for the first time.
5. Choose your country and a phone number will be displayed specific to your choice. You will now need to call the number provided.
6. After you’ve dialed you will be prompted to write your “Installation ID”. Type your “Installation ID” on the phone.
7. After that step, you will be asked how many copies of Windows have been installed using this license. Choose “1”, should anything else be chosen but “1”, this will not work.
8. After the process is completed, you will be given a confirmation ID and should be able to proceed as normal with installation. You will have a workable product key again.
9. Install whatever copy of the Windows Operating System you are attempting to with the new product key.

Method 2:

If the first method did not work, the only other option is to call Microsoft and walk through the process with a technician. To do this, dial “1-800-936-5700”. Explain the error that you received and the steps in the update process during which it was displayed. The technician will be able to walk through the steps from getting a new product key to finishing the installation.

If you're not a tech-savvy individual but would like to solve this problem without the aid of a technician, download a powerful automated tool to fix error code 0xc004c008.

There are times when you might notice that the Drive letter from the File Explorer is missing, right after you install an update in your Windows 10 computer. So if you are facing this issue right now, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on what to do to fix it. In case you don’t know, a drive letter represents a single alphabetic character which is through A-Z typically. This could be assigned to a physical disk partition, floppy disk drive or the removal device/ CD-ROM/ mapping network drive in your PC. In most cases, the drive letter “C:” is assigned to the first disk partition where the running Windows is installed. Thus, if the assigned letter is missing from either the Disk Management or the Windows File Explorer, it could result in inconveniences or will leave the partition inaccessible. To fix this problem, you can try to show the missing drive letters manually or make sure that the drive has a drive letter assigned in the Disk Management as well as assign the letter using a tweak in the Windows Registry. For more details, refer to the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to show the missing drive letters manually

• Open the Folder Options from the Start Search and go to the View tab,
• Next, scroll down on the list of given options until you see the “Show drive letters” option and then check the box that’s marked against this option.
• After that, click on the Apply and OK buttons and then go back to the “This PC” window. You should now see the drive letters

Option 2 – Make sure that the drive has a drive letter assigned in Disk Management

As you know, every drive is assigned a drive letter in Disk Management. However, if it goes missing, you can still get it back through Disk Management. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Open Disk Management and from there, right-click on the menu of a partition or volume and you should see a function named “Change Drive Letter and Paths”.

Note: This function allows you to add the drive letter, remove the drive letter and change the drive letter. If the last option, namely, “Remove”, is selected and applied, the letter of the drive will be removed and won’t appear in Disk Management. Thus, this could be one of the reasons why a drive letter is missing.

• You need to click on “Add” to assign a letter to the selected drive in order to reverse the change. Note that you must assign the drive with the original letter because if not, the programs that rely on the original letter might not work as expected.
• If the original letter is already taken by a new drive, you need to change the letter of that new drive to another available letter.
• Then allocate the released letter of the targeted drive.

Option 3 – Try assigning the letter using a Registry tweak

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to assign the letter using a tweak in the Windows Registry but before you do that, make sure that you create a System Restore point first, after that, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMMountedDevices
• From there, check if a device is shown as being mounted at the specific drive letter and then right-click on that drive letter.
• Select the “Rename” option from the right-click menu to change the letter to any other available letter.
• Exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try to format the destination drive

Formatting the drive can also help you resolve the error. To format it, follow these steps:

• To get started formatting your drive, tap the Win + E keys and then go to the access page of the drive.
• Next, right-click on the drive and select Format.
• After that, uncheck the “Quick Format” option and then format your drive properly.
• Now once the formatting process is finished, unplug the drive and plug it back in afterward.
• Check if the error is already fixed. If the drive is not initialized, tap the Win + R keys and hit Enter.
• After opening the Run dialog box, type “diskmgmt.msc” and hit Enter to open Disk Management.
• From there, right-click on the drive volume and select initialize disk.
• Next, select the correct partition type and proceed.