Windows Update Error 0x80071a91, what it is? As you know, Windows Updates are very essential to the operating system since they push with them the important security updates that are crucial to the system. And if a Windows Update is delayed, it can the system vulnerable to potential threats. Thus, this kind of issue must be resolved right away.
One of the errors that you can encounter while updating your computer is the Windows Update Error 0x80071a91. The error code 0x80071a91 occurs when the “Transaction support within the specified file system resource manager is not started or was shut down due to an error”. This happens when a service called “File System Resource Manager” or FSRM does not function due to some reason. To fix the Windows Update Error 0x80071a91, here are some suggestions that could help.
Option 1 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the Windows Update Error 0x80071a91. 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 2 – Disable the antivirus program temporarily
There are times when the antivirus program installed in your computer blocks file access and even disk access. Thus, 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 3 – Try resetting the File System Resource Manager
As pointed out earlier, the error 0x80071a91 pops up when the FSRM service suddenly stops working and so resetting this service via Command Prompt might resolve the problem. To do so, follow the steps below.
In the Windows Search box, type “command prompt” and hit Enter.
Then right-click on Command Prompt from the related search results and click the “Run as administrator” option.
After opening Command Prompt as admin, type the following command and hit Enter:
resource setautoreset true C:
After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer and then check if the problem’s fixed by running Windows Update again.
Option 4 – Flush the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folder
You have to stop a couple of services such as BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer, and Windows Update Services. And to do that, you need to flush the contents in the SoftwareDistribution folder. The Software Distribution folder in the Windows operating system is a folder that can be found in the Windows directory and is used to store files temporarily which might be required to install the Windows Update on your PC. Thus, it is required by the Windows Update and maintained by WUAgent. Aside from that, it also contains all the Windows Update History files and once you delete them, you will most likely lose the Update history. As a result, the next time you run the Windows Update, it may result in a longer detection time.
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.
Once all the contents in the Software Distribution folder are deleted, restart your PC and then go back to Command Prompt and input the following commands again.
net start wuauserv
net start bits
Option 5 – Delete the Common Log File System transaction logs
You might also want to delete the Common Log File System or CLFS transaction logs to fix the Windows Update Error 0x80071a91.
Open an elevated Command Prompt.
Then type each of the commands listed below and press Enter after you type each one of them.
cd /d %SystemRoot%System32SMIStoreMachine
attrib -s -h *
del *.blf
del *.regtrans-ms
After you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and try to update Windows 10 again.
The STOP Code 0x0000008E is essentially an error code that is displayed on the STOP message. This STOP message is also commonly known as Blue Screen of Death or BSOD for short. When this error occurs, usually messages like,
“STOP: 0x0000008E” or “KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED”
are displayed to the user.
Solution
Download Available to Completely Repair Error 0x0000008e
Error Causes
These errors are commonly caused by failures of memory hardware. However, viruses, hardware failures or issues with the device drivers may also trigger them.
If this error code appears but Windows is successfully able to recover from it, then the message ‘Windows has recovered from an unexpected shutdown’ is displayed to the users.
Regardless of what causes these errors, it is of paramount importance that counteractive measures are taken as soon as the error appears.
Further Information and Manual Repair
While this error can be removed in many ways, the most effective ones are listed below as follows.
The screen might be a fluke. Restart your system; the blue screen that appears to you may not be what it seems.
Have you just modified or installed new hardware or driver? If yes, it is highly likely that the change you have made has triggered the error. If this is the case, it is strongly recommended that you revert back to the original settings and check whether the blue screen appears again or not. If it does, you can fix it by reconfiguring or removing the hardware you have recently installed. You can perform System Restore or you can go back to the previous versions if you have installed a new driver.
To keep this error from occurring in the future, it is strongly advised that you test your RAM. Damaged memory or one that’s unable to perform in the usual manner is often the reason this error occurs.
Ensure appropriate installation of your system memory. If you have installed memory in a way other than advised by your memory manufacturer that it may lead to STOP 0x0000008E error or other problems.
Misconfigured or over-clocked memory settings can cause STOP 0x0000008E errors as well. To remedy this situation, it is best advised to return the BIOS settings to their default level.
If you haven’t updated your Windows, apply all the updates you come across. Patches and service packs specifically address such issues.
Windows 7 was an operating system that had one thing which no other Windows had, even today. Official Microsoft desktop widgets.
With an attractive design, users loved to exploit the adequacy and neatness of these gadgets. However, Microsoft had to discontinue these gadgets as they posed a serious security threat to the Operating System. It was believed that a potential attacker could even use a gadget to take complete control of your PC.
With Windows 10, things have changed big time. You have all the fantastic apps and live tiles at your disposal providing a more native experience.
Despite all this, if you still have a fondness for fancy gadgets, we have just the right tool for you to get started with similar “Widgets” on Windows 10. Win10 Widgets is a tool that places the most important information right in front of you, on your desktop.
Win10 Widgets
Win10 Widgets is a desktop app package provided by Rainmeter which is an effective system customization engine for Windows. It brings some informative widgets to Windows 10 which look almost native with their intuitive and sleek design. You can pin them on your desktop to keep an eye on various system figures like CPU usage, data storage, battery usage, detailed computer performance, etc.
Native looking Widgets for Windows 10
These widgets are designed in such a way that it looks totally indigenous to the Windows 10 UI. With a similar design language, visual style, accent color, and even font settings, these widgets almost look like an inseparable system component.
You can choose between different size variants to pin on your desktop and arrange them in an orderly fashion to make the most of it.
Highly customizable desktop gadgets
Apart from the default size variants, you can configure several other parameters pertaining to the look and appearance of any widget. As Rainmeter is an open-source program, you are provided with the .ini configuration files which you can customize as per your wish. You can make adjustments to the widget coordinates, position and transparency as well. You can even create your own skins (.rmskin package) using the built-in Skin Packager and publish them for general usage through Rainmeter.
Illustro Skins
Over and above the cool widgets, Rainmeter also contains Illustro, a simple collection of skins that shows the range of Rainmeter’s capabilities. You can load the skins on your desktop for a brief look at your system internals. You can also start editing these skins to make them yours by taking advantage of the Rainmeter manual and forum link provided on the Welcome screen.
Win10 Widgets is a great tool if you like widgets or gadgets on your Desktop. It blends into the background and puts the important piece of information right on your desktop without you having to look somewhere else. If you already have the Rainmeter application, you can download the Win10 Widgets .rmskin file from here, else you can download the combined bundle for both Rainmeter and Win10 Widgets from here.
There is various Blue Screen of Death errors that you can encounter as you use your Windows 10 computer and some of these Stop errors have something to do with the win32kbase.sys file. This post will guide you in fixing the BSOD errors related to the win32kbase.sys file.
A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. The problem seems to be caused by the following file: Win32kbase.sys.
Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. If you would like to know more, you can search online later for this error: win32kbase.sys.
The win32kbase.sys file is a Windows operating system Base Win32 Kernel Driver file located in the System32 folder so if it ends up getting corrupted or if it went missing, your computer will throw up Blue Screen error. To fix BSOD errors that have something to do with the win32kbase.sys file, here are some possible fixes that could help. Worry not for these possible fixes are not complicated.
Option 1 – Run the Check Disk or CHDSK utility
One of the first things you can try to resolve the win32kbase.sys Blue Screen error is running the CHKDSK utility. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the CHKDSK utility comes in. The CHKDSK utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.
Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:
chkdsk /f C:
Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.
Option 2 – Run SFC or 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:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
Restart your PC.
Option 3 – Try to run the DISM commands
You might want to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also trigger the win32kbase.sys Blue Screen error. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:
Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the dxgkrnl.sys Blue Screen error is now fixed.
Option 4 – Try to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter
As you know, the Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing Blue Screen errors related to the win32kbase.sys file. It can be found in 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.
Distributed Component Object Model or DCOM is a module on Windows computers that allows computers to run programs over a network to another computer. It is a software component from Microsoft that allows COM objects to communicate with each other while that program is remotely running over the network. The COM Model is another extension of the DCOM model which both work together in order for the intended task to be executed. To make this module work, there are three components needed such as the Class Identifier or CLSID, the Programmatic Identifier or PROGID, and the Application Identifier or APPID.
However, DCOM does not always work as expected as it could still encounter some errors. One of them is error 1084. Because of this error, the execution of programs in a remote computer on the network would be interrupted. So if you encounter the DCOM error 1084 when you try to start a service like running the DISM tool or in other scenarios on your Windows 10 computer, then this post could help you. Refer to the instructions given below to start troubleshooting the problem.
Option 1 – Try checking the status of DCOMLAUNCH Service or DCOM Server Process Launcher and its 3 dependencies
The DCOM Server Process Launcher service launches both COM and DCOM servers in response to object activation requests. This is why if this service is stopped or disabled, the programs that are using COM and DCOM won’t properly function. So you need to make sure that the DCOMLAUNCH service is running.
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 “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
Next, check the following services:
DCOM Service Process Launcher
Background Tasks Infrastructure Service
Local Session Manager
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Then right-click on each one of the services and click on their Properties.
After that, select Automatic from the drop-down menu of Startup Type and make sure that all the aforementioned services are Running.
Now click OK for each one of the services.
Option 2 – Troubleshoot the problem in a Clean Boot State
There are instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that’s causing DCOM error 1084. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow 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.)
From there, start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.
Option 3 – Try to use the DISM tool
You might want to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also trigger the DCOM error 1084. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:
Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the DCOM error is now fixed.
Option 4 – Reset your computer
Tap the Win key or click on the Start button located in the Taskbar.
Then click on the Power button at the bottom right portion of the screen.
Next, press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard and then click on Restart. This will restart your Pc into the Advanced Startup options.
Note: Once you have access to the Advanced Startup options, you have to go to the setting which allows you to Reset your Windows 10 PC. All you have to do is select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC to reach the following screen
Afterward, select either the “Keep my files” option and then proceed to the next on-screen instructions that follow to reset your Windows 10 computer without losing your files.
Error code 0xC004E003 almost always appears when there are damaged files in the Windows operating system. These files could be corrupt for a number of reasons and are usually a serious danger to the life of the computer system. These file errors may be caused by a number of things. Incomplete installation setup, incorrect deletion of hardware or utilities, or an unfinished file erasure. The trigger might also be in the event that the computer system is contaminated with a virus or adware or spyware, or even by the improper shut down of the computer. Any of these scenarios have the possibility to result in the removal or corruption of data of the Windows system data files.
The data system files that are damaged will give linked data and archives that are missing or wrongly linked. These are needed for the proper functioning of the software. This can also happen when or after installing third-party software that might have changed the system files. If it is suspected that a program installation will need to be stopped, it is best to let it run through the setup and then delete it later. While it installs, it is altering program files, and likely rearranging them. Stopping this in the middle can scramble files associated with the program and files vital to the usage of the computer.
Solution
Error Causes
This error will pop up after installing third-party software that has changed the system files. These system files are necessary to finish the activation process. A restore point will be necessary if it is ultimately determined that a system restore is necessary, to bring the computer back to the state it was in previous to the failed installation.
Error code “0xC004E003” appears and does not allow the system to continue the install.
The computer will not allow any further access or installation of the program.
The computer may crash.
The third-party program will not have installed completely or successfully.
The system will not start up correctly.
Personal files are corrupt or missing.
Further Information and Manual Repair
There are several steps that can be taken when the error code 0xC004E003 appears. It is helpful to know that this can occur from trying to install third party software. Going forward, do not attempt to install third-party software that is not trusted, and does not attempt to abruptly stop the third-party software from installing. This may cause the program to corrupt the files or delete important files. Recovering from this error can be easy if there is a recent restore point already backed up in the recovery portion of the system's files.
Method One
Run an error scan. The problem should be resolved after rebooting the computer once these steps have been completed.
Download and save an error code fix utility.
Setup the program and then click the Scan button.
Click the Repair Errors button when the diagnostic has been completed successfully.
Reboot the computer.
Method Two
Best when utilized by an expert.
Start the system up and sign in as the admin.
Click on Get Started, then select Programs, Accessories, Tools, and then System Restore.
On the next screen, click on Restore my PC to an Earlier Period, and then click Next.
Select the most recent system restore date within the drop-down menu of “select restore point”.
Click Next.
Click Next on the confirmation window.
Reboot the system after the system has finished restoring.
Method Three
Another option for restoring. This method can be used by a novice.
Right-click on the Start button, then select Control Panel.
Look for the Control Panel for Recovery.
Select Recovery, then Open System Restore, then Next.
Choose the restore point right before the problematic installation.
Click Next, click Finish.
NOTE: If there are no restore points available, the system recovery may not be turned on. To check this, go to Control Panel, and select Recovery. Configure System Restore, Configure. Then, select Turn on system protection. Having a current restore point for a computer ensures the ease of recovery if any problems with the computer arise.
If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.
Error 126 is a very commonly occurring error that is often the result of damaged system files of Windows. They usually occur during the installation of some Windows program or application. When Error 126 is generated, it terminates the installation process almost instantly.
It is important to take corrective measures immediately to ensure that no such problems are encountered again in the future.
Solution
Error Causes
There are a variety of conditions that may trigger Error 126. These conditions are listed below as follows.
Corrupt or incorrect registry entries in the system files
When any of the above-listed conditions occur, the corrupt system files will go to the improper links or missing information.
Eventually, the problems with the files will keep the applications or programs from responding in the usual manner. Whatever are the reasons for error generation, it is of utmost importance that the error is removed to ensure smooth functioning of the system.
Further Information and Manual Repair
There are many different ways this error can be rectified. However, the two most effective solutions are listed below as follows.
This solution is for the advanced user. Turn on the system and log on to it as the Administrator. Now click on the Start button. Now click on All programs -> Accessories -> System Tools. Here you will come across the option for System Restore. Click on it. A new window will appear. Select 'restore my computer to an earlier time' point. Now clock on Next. A list of restore points will now appear in front of you. Choose the latest restore point you come across from this list and click on ‘Next’. In the next window that opens, click on ‘Next’ again. This is the confirmation window. Once the restoration finishes, restart your computer.
This solution is for novice users. Download an Error 126 repair utility program. Install it on your system. Now use it to scan your system for errors. Find out if there is an option to fix/repair error. When you come across it, click on it as soon as the scan is complete. Restart your computer. Your system is now free of Error 126.
Ever gotten an e-mail offer that seemed just a little bit too good to be true? Might’ve been a phishing attempt! These are everywhere and can come in many different forms.
So what’s phishing exactly, how can you detect it and how can you keep safe?
What is phishing?
Phishing (pronounced like fishing) is a type of cyberattack that tricks the user into trusting the source and revealing sensitive information. Fishing being the perfect analogy, the bait is a legitimate-looking site, e-mail or file and when you take a bite, your identity, banking information and much more can be revealed and stolen.
Credit: Anne Nygård on Unsplash
Some phishing attempts are incredibly obvious, others are super elaborate. Like with most types of malware, cybercriminals have become extremely well-versed in phishing and anyone can fall for it. To help you recognize and avoid it, we’ll take you through a couple of phishing types and give you tips on what to do if faced with them.
Phishing techniques
E-mail phishing
This is actually the most common type of phishing. A cybercriminal creates an e-mail containing stuff like attractive offers, legitimate-looking attachments or links and makes it appear as though it’s coming from a trusted source.
Credit: Justin Morgan on Unsplash
For example, it looks like it’s coming from your bank or your favorite retailer. The logo looks legit and the structure of the e-mail seems familiar, so you might get tricked into clicking on whatever clickable content is in it.
Unfortunately this exposes your device to malware that hands your data off to the hacker, who can decide what to do with it further.
SMS and social media phishing
Like the above example, you could be approached with lucrative offers or links via text messages or social media messages. Typically, the messages seem relevant to the user as they will be made to look like they’re related to apps or services you’re using.
Voice phishing
Voice phishing attacks are schemes that appear as though they’re coming from a credible number. Normally, you’ll get a call about something related to credit cards or taxes to get you into a state of worry, leading you to disclose personal information on the phone.
Spear phishing, whaling and BEC
Spear phishing normally targets specific individuals within a company who are likely to have access to sensitive data. Spear phishers spend time collecting information they can use to reach out to the individual looking as trustworthy as possible. They’ll typically lead with something relevant, for example mentioning an upcoming company event, and make a seemingly legitimate request.
Whaling is a more elaborate form of spear phishing, which targets people in even stronger positions such as executives or high-value individuals. The ultimate goal is to get them to transfer financial or other sensitive information that can be used to compromise the entire business.
Credit: Azamat E on Unsplash
BEC, or Business e-mail compromise, is a specific spear phishing technique carried out via e-mail. While there are many ways this is done, most commonly you’ll see instances where the phisher poses as a CEO or similar executive, or as a lower-level employee in specific positions (e.g. sales managers or financial controllers).
In the first situation, the impersonator reaches out to employees requesting them to transfer certain files or pay invoices. In the second situation, the phisher takes control of the employee’s e-mail account and sends false instructions to other employees in order to obtain data and information from them.
What can you do?
There are many ways you can be aware and spot a phishing attempt. Here are some tips:
Always check the sender’s address in your e-mails, even when they seem to come from a familiar source.
In any instance where payment information is requested, be very, very careful.
If you are receiving attachments you never asked for and definitely didn’t expect, better not click on them.
Beware of content that transmits a sense of urgency (sales deals, urgent updates to login credentials, etc.).
Bad spelling and grammar are usually a telltale sign of phishing.
Links that look shortened (e.g. Bit.ly) or just suspicious in general - if you have a bad feeling, do not click on them.
If you are receiving threats, you probably shouldn’t be clicking on anything in that message.
Always examine first-time senders in detail.
Block suspicious e-mail addresses, numbers and social media accounts.
If you are receiving a coupon for free stuff… You aren’t.
If you’re being asked to update your payment details by a service you use, such as Netflix, chances are it’s an impersonator.
Those are some of the ways to identify and prevent phishing attacks. However, sometimes phishers disguise themselves a little too well or a misclick happens and there you go - you’ve been exposed to malware.
Credit: FLY:D on Unsplash
This won’t happen if you invest in powerful protection software from the get-go, though. A good antivirus program like Bitdefender will keep you safe from becoming a victim of phishing scams. In fact, it will protect you from malicious attacks overall.
Be it your household or your business you’re concerned about, there are a bunch of different packages and options available, providing different kinds of cybersecurity services. That’s the only way you can ever really be sure you aren’t at risk of a digital attack.
Summary
Have you ever been targeted by phishers and didn’t know that’s what it was until you read this article? Many can relate. Protect yourself before it’s too late!
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:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
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.
There are times when system files get corrupted and if the Windows Update process finds the system’s integrity questionable, chances are, the update, upgrade or the installation may fail and you will only be getting an error code 0x80073712 instead of completing the process.
The error code 0x80073712 indicates that a file needed by the Windows setup or the Windows Update is most likely missing or damaged. To resolve the problem, here are some suggestions you can try.
Option 1 – Try running the DISM Tool
Running the DISM Tool helps in repairing the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.
Open the Command Prompt as admin.
Then type in this command: exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.
After you run this tool, a log file is created at C:WindowsLogsCBSCBS.log. On the other hand, if the Windows Update client is already broken, you will be prompted to use a running Windows installation as the repair source or use a Windows side-by-side folder from a network share, as the source of the files. Although the chances of this happening are less, if it turns out to be the case, you need to run an advanced command in the DISM tool to repair a broken Windows Update. Just repeat the process above but use the following command instead:
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 with good system files that might be causing the error 0x80073712. 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:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
Option 3 – Try running the Chkdsk utility
You can also try running the Chkdsk utility to resolve the Windows Update error 0x80073712. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the Chkdsk utility comes in. The Chkdsk utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.
Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
After opening Command Prompt, execute the commands listed below, and don’t forget to hit Enter right after you type in each one of them and if you have installed Windows to some different directory, you must replace “C” with the name of the drive you’ve installed Windows with.
chkdsk C: /r /x
chkdsk C: /f
Note: The Chkdsk function might take a while before it finishes its operations so you need to be patient and wait until the entire process is completed.
Option 4 – Try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter
Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the Windows Update error 0x80073712. 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.
In case you didn’t know, the new Windows 10 v1903 has brought tons of new features around Windows 10 Updates. One of these features is the ability to automatically adjust the Active Hours based on your computer activity. This feature is really useful as it tells the operating system when to install the Windows Updates.
A lot of users use the Active Hours feature to ensure that the Windows Update won’t force them to restart their PCs to install the update. So if your computer is turned on, it won’t apply the update during the active hours you’ve specified. In addition, the active hours change for many users and they are not that strict. For instance, if you set the active hours between 10 am to 5 pm, Windows Update won’t be forcing you to restart your computer to install the updates at those times.
Note that Windows Update allows enabling an option using where it can monitor the active hours in your computer and change it. To configure this setting, here’s what you have to do:
Frist, go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update.
Next, take note of your current active hours and click on the “Change active hours” link.
Then toggle the option that says, “Automatically adjust active hours for this device based on activity”. This will change the active hours and if you match it with the previous one, it should be different.
As you can see on the image given above, the earlier active hours were between 8:00 to 17:00 and were changed to 11:00 to 19:00. If you have been using this feature for a while you’ll find how useful and handy it is especially when you’re using your computer and don’t want any notifications like the prompts for Windows Updates to bother you while working.
Error Causes
