If you encounter an error code of 0xa0000400 while trying to upgrade your Windows 10 computer using the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant or the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, then you might find this post useful as it will guide you in resolving this problem. When you get this error, you will see the following error message:
“Something went wrong
You can contact Microsoft support for help with this error. Here is the error code 0xa0000400.”
As you know, keeping your computer up to date with all the Windows Updates is important and is imperative especially if you are experiencing a couple of issues like the Windows Upgrade error 0xa0000400. At the time of writing, there is no specific cause that has been found for this error. However, there are some potential fixes that might help you. You can try to recreate the Windows 10 installation USB and get the ISO files or you could also get a newer version of the Windows Media Creation Tool, or turn off your internet connection at a specific time or run the Windows Update troubleshooter. For more details, refer to the options given below.
Option 1 – Try to recreate the Windows 10 installation USB
Recreating the Windows 10 installation USB might help in fixing the problem. You can use a USB drive to do so but make sure that it has a great read-write speed. Follow the steps below to recreate Windows 10 installation USB”
Click this link and then click the Download Tool Now button.
Next, click the “Use the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file)…” option and follow the next given instructions on the screen.
Now select the ISO file option in step 5.
After that, you should now have an ISO file.
Next, go to the location where you’ve downloaded the ISO file.
Then right-click on the Windows 10 ISO file and select the Open with option and then select File Explorer.
Now click on “setup.exe” and follow the next instructions that appear on the screen. When asked, you have to select either Nothing (clean install) or Keep personal files only option. Take note that you must not select the “Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings since it doesn’t really work.
Option 2 – Try turning off the Internet connection at a specific time
You might want to turn off your internet connection at a specific time. This option can be quite tricky so what you need to do is to disconnect the internet connection when the update is downloaded using the Windows Upgrade tool. It’s actually okay since all the files you need would be downloaded safely and the Windows Upgrade tool will be the one to install the newer updates using those files.
Option 3 – Try to get a newer version of the Windows Media Creation tool
You can also fix the Windows Upgrade error 0xa0000400 by using the latest version of the Windows Media Creation tool. And so if what you have is an older version, you need to update it in order to resolve the error and upgrade your Windows 10 computer.
Option 4 – 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 or upgrade errors like error code 0x800701E3. 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 5 – Try running Disk Cleanup
You might want to run the Disk Cleanup utility as it is a useful tool that could delete temporary and useless files in your computer.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “cleanmgr” in the field and hit Enter to open the Disk Cleanup window.
After that, select the drive you want to clean.
Now click OK to clean the disk and restart your computer.
In today's time, Wi-Fi is a common occurrence, each household has it, on town squares, there are free Wi-Fi hotspots, etc. But sometimes when relaxing at home WI-Fi can fail on us and stop working. If this happens to you do not lose your mind because we have several troubleshooting help tips and ways to get it back quickly so you can continue with your browsing and using your internet.
Restart the Router and Computer
Yes, we will start with this typical cliche in IT and tech in general. Surprisingly this method still proves over and over again to be true and effective. Over time some electric components simply start working a little bit differently, electrostatic electricity can accumulate on some parts and they can cause issues. By turning off the device and leaving it for some time you are discharging accumulated electrostatics and placing it again into normal working mode.
Unplug your router and leave it for at least 30s like that, a full 1 min is recommended, and then plug it back. Turn it on and restart your computer in order to reboot addresses.
Reset DHCP
If simple have you tried unplugging it and plugging it back in did not work let us reset DHCP. Click on the start button and type in PowerShell, then click on Run as administrator. Once inside the PowerShell type in the following command followed by ENTER: ipconfig /release and after the command finishes, type in: ipconfig /renew also followed by ENTER key. Try the connection again.
Reset TCP/IP stack
The next thing that we will try if the previous one failed is to reset the TCP/IP stack to eliminate corruption of settings files. Like in the previous step, press Start and type in PowerShell and click on run as administrator. inside type in: netsh int IP reset and press ENTER key. Wait for the process to finish and reboot your PC.
Reset WinSock
WinSock is yet another part of Windows OS that is responsible for network communication and resetting it could solve the issue. Again go to PowerShell as described in previous steps and type in this time: winsock reset and press ENTER. Wait for the process to finish and restart your computer.
Other things you can try
Change TCP IP setting back to automatic if you have set manual Ip address on your computer.
Update your network driver via the manufacturer's website of your network adapter. There is a chance that somewhat updates are available to address some issues discovered.
Factory reset your router on the back by locating the reset button on it and pressing and holding it for around 10s.
Turn off your firewall and antivirus protection in order to eliminate it from blocking your internet access.
In case you don’t know, Windows contains a feedback mechanism that generates error reports from hardware and software problems. These reports are temporarily stored in the system and send them back to Microsoft so that it can find solutions to the reported problems and fix them in the upcoming updates. However, as time goes by, these reports actually take a lot of space in your computer which is why end-users like you are free to delete them with the help of the new Free Up Space feature in Windows 10.
As useful the Free Up Space feature may be, there are times when you won’t be able to use it for some reason which is why in this post, you will be guided on how to use alternative ways in deleting very large System queued Windows Error Reporting file, some of which may run in Gigabytes.
Every time the Windows Error Reporting or WER sends out an error file and looks for a solution, the WER server at Microsoft sends out a solution instantly. And if the solution is under investigation or is unknown, then you will be notified about it right away and will be asked for more details.
As mentioned, even though the Free Up Space feature in Settings will be able to clear the error reporting files, there are instances when it won’t be able to delete very large System queued Windows Error Reporting files. Alternatively, there is an option to delete these files using the Disk Cleanup Utility.
Feel free to select which option you’d like to use to get rid of Windows Error Reporting Files.
Option 1 – Delete Windows Error Reporting Files via Settings
Go to Settings.
From there, go to System > Storage > Free Up Space and then click on it to launch it.
Afterward, give it some time to populate all the files and folders. Once it’s done, select “System created Windows Error Reporting files” to mark its checkbox while leaving the other options unchecked.
Next, click on the Remove files button to delete all the Windows Error Reporting files from your computer.
Option 2 – Manually delete the Windows Error Reporting Files
Tap the Win + E keys to open File Explorer.
Next, enable the Hidden Files view from the menu.
Then go to C:/ProgramData/MicrosoftWindowsWER.
From there, you will see various folders like LocalReportArchive, ReportArchive, ReportQueue, and Temp.
Open each one of the aforementioned folders and delete the archive files. Note that these files will have names similar to “00c58c1f-b836-4703-9bcf-c699ca24d285”.
Note: If you are not able to delete any of these files, you have to take ownership of the folder. To do so, refer to these steps:
Right-click on the folder and then select Properties.
Next, click on the Edit button in the Properties window and click OK to confirm if you got a User Account Control elevation request.
After that, select user/group from the permission windows or click on the Add button to add another user or group. It would be best if you add “Everyone” to give permission.
Then check “Full Control” under the “Allow” column to assign full access rights control permissions.
Now edit the permission to Full Control for “Everyone”.
Click OK to save the changes made and then exit.
On the other hand, if you do not want to go through all these troubles in deleting the Windows Error Reporting files, you can just disable it especially if it already becomes a daily annoyance as the files generate every day and their sizes are mostly gigabytes. And besides, there are times when these files do not make it to the Microsoft WER server and end up only occupying a lot of space for nothing.
Some Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users reported experiencing a Compare Exchange128 error when trying to upgrade to Windows 10. The error reads, “You can’t install Windows 10 because your processor doesn’t support CompareExchange128”. In order to upgrade to Windows 10 (64-bit), the CMPXCHG16B instruction must be present. If you receive this error, this mostly means that your CPU doesn’t have the CMPXCHG16B instruction.
Solution
Error Causes
The CompareExchange128 error normally occurs due to two possible reasons:
CPU lacks CMPXCHG16b Instruction
Old & Outdated BIOS – Even if your CPU has the CMPXCHG16b instruction, the CompareExchange128 issue can still occur if you have an older BIOS.
Further Information and Manual Repair
One main requirement to upgrade to Windows 10 is for your CPU to have the CMPXCHG16b instruction. You also need the right BIOS version to guarantee a smooth installation. See below on how to manually fix this issue.
NOTE: If you don’t feel confident using the manual methods listed below, it’s highly advisable to get help from an expert technician. If you don’t know someone, you can also use an automated tool to fix this.
Before performing any fixes, try to determine first if the cause of the error is due to your CPU lacking the CMPXCHG16b instruction. You can use a CPU Info tool that provides complete details about your processor, memory, and motherboard. If you’re looking for more in-depth information, you might also try command-line utilities. But, the safest and easiest way to check this is by simply searching online. Try using the search query: <CPU Model> CMPXCHG16b
Method 1 – Update your BIOS
This method will download the latest BIOS from your motherboard’s manufacturer. This makes sure your CPU has the CMPXCHG16b instruction needed to complete the Windows 10 64-bit installation. To update your computer’s BIOS, complete the following steps:
Determine first the current BIOS you have on your computer. Open System Information Windows app and type msinfo32 in the search bar. The BIOS version will appear under the processor speed. Record it somewhere.
Go to the support page of your motherboard’s manufacturer. Find if there’s any update on the BIOS that you’re currently using. If you find one, download the BIOS update file available. Make sure that you’re looking into the right model and you download all the necessary documentation. Otherwise, the BIOS update might not work.
Update your BIOS. Most BIOS update steps are straightforward. Just make sure to follow the steps provided.
Method 2 – Install Windows 10 32-bit version
If updating the BIOS doesn’t work, what you can do is install a 32-bit version of Windows 10 instead of the 64-bit version. Here’s how to do this:
Download and install the 32-bit version of Windows you currently have. If you have a Windows 7 64-bit version, get the 32-bit version of Windows 7. The same goes for Windows 8.1. When you do this, you might want to back up your files first. Remember that installing the 32-bit version works like other installations, and could delete some of your files.
After installing the 32-bit version, go to Updates and install all the necessary updates. This includes upgrading to Windows 10 if you’re asked to.
When you installed the Windows 10 upgrade, you’ll now have the Windows 10, 32-bit version installed. This will be the version activated on Microsoft servers. Despite this, the activated version stored is only applicable to your computer’s hardware, not the version of Windows 10.
Download Windows 10, 64-bit version.
Prepare an empty DVD or USB flash drive. Use Creation Media software then click the Create Installation Media for Another PC option.
Install the 64-bit Windows 10 version you downloaded from Step 4. Make sure not to put anything when you’re asked to input the serial number.
Once the installation is complete, you’ll have the 64-bit version of Windows 10.
Method 3 – Buy a new processor/motherboard
If the above two methods don’t work, there’s a great chance that this error occurs because of an outdated processor/motherboard. Your next possible solution is to buy an updated model that’s fully compatible with 64-bit Windows 10.
Method 4 – Download an automated tool
If all else fails, you might want to consider using this powerful automated tool to quickly fix the problem and any other computer-related issues.
If you have multiple products with Windows on them, Copy & Paste text between them is easy as 1,2,3 and we will be happy to tell you how can you do it.
Hello and welcome everyone, today we will see how can we share text information between 2 devices using Windows 10 in instant. In order for you to be able to share text information between devices, there are two prerequisites that you must meet. The first is that all devices must be connected to the internet, the second is that you must have a Microsoft account.
If you have both of these things continue with the tutorial, if you do not have a Microsoft account go to Microsoft website and create one for free.
Also, know that this option needs to be turned ON on all devices in order to work. So steps we will explain will have to be done on each device, if you already have some device logged in and connected to Microsoft account, you can skip setting it up.
Click on ⊞ WINDOWS and click on settings.
Then click on System.
Once you are in the system, on the left tabs find and click on Clipboard.If you are not logged in to your Microsoft account do so on the right panel by locating Sync across devices and click on sign in.
When you are signed in click on the option to turn it on.
One option is turned ON, you will be greeted with two choices, to copy everything from the clipboard automatically or to choose text which you want to sync and paste it with ⊞ WINDOWS + V. Choose whatever better suits your needs, and you are done.
Repeat these steps for other devices and you are done.
Same as in Windows 10, Windows 11 also features a lock screen. IN this lock screen by default, you will see a clock and date above the standard Windows 11 background. Not all users will be happy with this choice but do not worry, you can choose and customize your lock screen to better suit your idea of it.
To personalize the lock screen do:
Right-click on Desktop and select Personalize
Click on the lock screen
Choose one of three options and customize it
Personalize Your Lock Screen
this option will let you set a custom image or slideshow for your lock screen. Choose either one that best suits you. Under selecting picture or pictures for the slide show you can uncheck the option to see tips, tricks, and facts on your lock screen.
Lock screen status
when clicking on this option you can select the application widget that you wish to be shown on the lock screen like weather, mail, calendar, etc. Choose if you would like one by clicking on it.
Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen
as self-explanatory this switch will enable or disable chosen lock screen wallpaper on your login credentials screen.
Close settings
All settings will be automatically saved and applied and when you wish to lock the screen easiest way is to press ⊞ WINDOWS + L shortcut on your keyboard.
Code 39 is a device driver error code that pops up when the Windows operating system cannot load the driver for the hardware you want to use.
This hampers your ability to use the hardware properly. The error code is almost always presented in the following format:
“Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing.”Code 39
Error Causes
A device driver is a software program that tells the operating system how to control a particular hardware device. Each hardware device has a different driver.
There are separate device drivers for printers, CD-ROM readers, and keyboards, to name a few.
Many device drivers are already built into the operating system. But sometimes you will need to install a new device driver when you want to use a new piece of hardware device that the operating system is not familiar with, or does not anticipate.
Regardless of whether or not the drivers are already integrated into the operating system, you may still experience code 39, typically because of the corrupted or outdated drivers.
Outdated and corrupted drivers cause hardware malfunction and failure, which trigger device driver error codes like code 39. Other causes include incorrect registry values.
Further Information and Manual Repair
Below are some of the easiest and most effective methods to resolve Device Manager error code 39 on your PC.
To follow and implement these methods, you don’t require any technical knowledge or expertise. Simply follow these instructions to fix the error right away.
Method 1 - Fix with a Simple Reboot
There is a possibility that the error code 39 is caused by some fluke within the Device Manager or your BIOS.
If that’s the reason, then a simple PC reboot can resolve the issue immediately. Therefore, before you try anything, it is advisable to restart your system.
If it works, then that is great, but if it doesn’t, then don’t worry, try other methods given below to fix this problem successfully.
Method 2 - Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers
If the error code 39 is generated due to faulty or outdated drivers, then simply uninstall and remove them and then reinstall new driver versions. There are two ways to remove faulty drivers.
Method One
One is, to go to the start menu, click on Control Panel, and then Add/Remove Programs.
Remove the program and the driver you think is causing problems. This will thoroughly remove all traces of the faulty driver.
To reinstall, follow the same steps but this time install the new device driver version.
Method Two
The other way is to go to the start menu, type Device Manager in the search bar, and then press enter to continue.
In the Device Manager, find and locate the problematic device.
After that, double-click the category of device that you wish to uninstall. Let’s say, Windows is unable to load the graphics card driver.
This means you will have to click on the Display Adapter category in the Device Manager to uninstall the graphics card.
After you have successfully uninstalled, Windows will prompt you to confirm device removal.
Simply click OK to confirm and proceed. To activate the changes, restart your PC.
To reinstall, go to the Device Manager, click on the Action tab and then select the option ‘Scan for Hardware Changes.’
This method, although effective in resolving error code 39, can be time-consuming. To avoid the hassle and save time, try method 3.
Method 3 - Update Drivers Automatically with DRIVERFIX
If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.
One of the most popular and most used web browsers commonly used by Windows users is Google Chrome. This well-known web browser has been introducing various features recently in order to stay at the top. However, it makes the web browser a lot more complex and thus prone to errors. Although this may not be a big deal, it can be quite annoying as it can interrupt your web browsing.
There are various errors that can come up with this level of complexity of the web browser. One of these errors is the “This site can’t be loaded from the cache, ERR_CACHE_MISS” error message that can suddenly appear while you browse the web using your Google Chrome browser on your Windows 10 PC.
Take note that when you encounter this particular error, there really is no direct fault in the Chrome browser as there are also issues with caching the website data locally in the computer. Moreover, this error can also occur when a website is coded in an incorrect manner or if there are some browser extensions or toolbars that are in conflict with the proper functioning of the website.
To fix the ERR_CACHE_MISS error in Google Chrome, refer to the possible solutions laid out below.
Option 1 – Try clearing browser data
There are times when some data in the browser is conflicting with the loading of the website and triggers errors like ERR_CACHE_MISS. And so you can try to clear your browser’s data. This might be a very basic solution but oftentimes it works in fixing this kind of error in Google Chrome. Follow the steps below to clear the data in your browser.
Open your Google Chrome browser.
After that, tap the Ctrl + H keys. Doing so will open a new panel that allows you to delete the browsing history and other data in your browser.
Now select every checkbox that you see and click on the Clear browsing data button.
Then restart your Chrome browser and check if you can now open any website or not.
Option 2 – Try using the Developer Tools
You can also try using the Developer tools in Google Chrome to help you fix the ERR_CACHE_MISS error. Refer to the steps below to do so.
Open Google Chrome.
Tap the Ctrl + Shift + I keys on your keyboard and then tap the F1 key to open the Settings tab inside the Chrome Developer Tools.
Next, select the Disable cache option while DevTools is open and apply those settings.
After that, refresh your browser and check if the entries you’ve seen previously in the Network tab are gone.
Now try to load the same webpage again and see if the problem is resolved.
Option 3 – Reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS
Resetting Winsock, TCP/IP, and flushing DNS might help you resolve the ERR_CACHE_MISS error. To do so, follow these steps:
Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator) so you can pull up an elevated Command Prompt.
After that, execute each one of the commands listed below. And after you typed in one after the other, you have to hit Enter.
netsh winsock reset – type in this command to reset Winsock
netsh int ip reset resettcpip.txt – type in this command to reset TCP/IP
ipconfig /flushdns – type in this command to flush the DNS cache
Next, restart your PC and check if the problem’s fixed.
Option 4 – Get rid of any conflicting browser extensions
Open Chrome and press Alt + F keys.
Go to More tools and click Extensions to look for any suspicious browser extensions or toolbars.
Click the Recycle bin and select Remove.
Restart Chrome and press Alt + F keys again.
Proceed to On Startup and mark Open a specific page or set of pages.
To check if the browser hijacker is still active, click Set pages, if it is active, overwrite the URL.
Note: If removing the browser extensions or toolbars didn’t work, you can also try to reset your Google Chrome browser.
Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
After that, click on Settings.
Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
Runtime Error r6034 is one of the most commonly occurring errors. This error usually arises in Windows Vista and Windows 7.
The message that appears to the user states ‘An application has made an attempt to load C runtime library incorrectly, please contact the support team for more information’.
As the message suggests, this problematic error occurs simply because an application attempts to load the C runtime library without a manifest.
Solution
Error Causes
Runtime Error r6034 occurs when the system compiler fails to compile the working application. While this is the primary reason, there are some other conditions that trigger Runtime Error r6034 which are outlined below.
Existence of viruses and malware in the system.
Corrupt or missing system files.
Power outages.
Hardware problems.
Hardware driver problems.
There are several other reasons that may trigger Runtime Error r6034 that are beyond the scope of this article. Regardless of what triggers this error, it is crucial to ensure that it is fixed as soon as possible.
Further Information and Manual Repair
There are several ways to deal with Runtime Error r6034. However, one of the most effective ways is listed below as follows.
When this error occurs, restart your computer. Make sure you press F8 before the windows logo is displayed.
Choose safe mode and press enter.
Go to the ‘Start’ button and type ‘msconfig’ in the search box. Press enter.
The MSConfig program will now open.
Choose ‘Start up’ in the general tab and then click on the ‘Load Start Up’ item.
Click on the ‘Services’ tab. Now click ‘Hide all Microsoft Services’ and then choose ‘Disable All’.
Close the system configuration window.
Restart the computer.
After restarting your computer, you will notice that the Runtime Error r6034 has been removed. If this approach fails to deliver the desired results, it is advised to follow the steps listed below.
Go to the start button. In the search box, type ‘System Restore’.
The system restore window will open. Make sure any process or application that’s open is now closed.
In the System Restore window, if a calendar list appears, it means the restore point is open. Now choose the point from where the error appeared and click Next.
This process may take some time. Your system will restart automatically and the Runtime Error r6034 will disappear.
It really sucks when you can’t fully enjoy the newest version of your favorite OS.
Windows 11 is still relatively fresh and consequently has some annoying little bugs that really ruin our experience. The good news is that you’re not alone and most of them are easy to fix.
Here are 5 commonly reported Windows 11 issues and what you can do to get rid of them.
1. Windows 11 audio problems
One of the absolute most irritating things in the world is struggling with the sound on your computer. Windows 11 users have reported facing the issue of low or no sound. If you’re currently experiencing the same frustration, you can be relieved. Chances are fixing it will only take a few minutes.
The first thing to check would be whether you accidentally muted your device by pressing the mute button on your keyboard. Yes, we know it sounds a lot like the old “have you tried turning it off and on again?” But it’s important to leave no stone unturned, and the most obvious things are usually the ones we easily overlook.
Moreover, if you have several audio output sources, check whether the right one is selected. You can do this via the Action Center or through Settings. If you want to use the same source every time, we also recommend you set it as the default one.
It’s also important to have a good, up-to-date audio driver. More often than not, this will be the true cause of your audio struggles. Make sure to update your driver, and if that doesn’t work out, you can always un- and reinstall it or install a different one.
Lastly, if all attempts remain unsuccessful, run the audio troubleshooter to figure out what’s actually going wrong.
2. Unable to find files
Such a powerful new operating system, yet it can’t seem to do the simplest thing imaginable? The File Explorer not responding on Windows 11 is one of the most frustrating and most common problems with Microsoft’s newest iteration of its awesome OS.
However, 9/10 times it can be fixed by simply restarting your PC. You could also try killing the Windows Explorer process in the Task Manager and then rerunning it.
If these don’t help, check whether there are any pending Windows 11 updates. A single missing update can compromise your PC’s functionality, so always make sure to install them all on time.
Should none of that work, then there are other ways to solve the File Explorer problem. However, then the issue is probably a bit deeper and it’s no longer in the ‘easy fix’ territory.
3. Start menu not working
Just like the File Explorer, the Start menu is a fundamental element of your OS. So, it’s only natural that its malfunction grinds your gears. It may be more customizable than on previous Windows versions, but it doesn’t always work smoothly.
If you’re facing the so-called Start menu critical error, there are a few things this could be caused by. Usually it means you turned off your system while an important update was still being installed, there is a corrupt file on your PC, or Windows forcefully stopped a program.
Whatever the reason, the solution should be pretty simple. Try the basic steps: restarting your File Explorer (like we explained above) and signing out and back into your account. If that doesn’t do anything, you may want to try uninstalling third-party start menu apps (if you have any), since they can interfere with your default programs’ functionality.
Now, those are the easy fixes. If you get nowhere with them, you might need to identify the root cause and search for more complex solutions than that.
4. Snipping tool not working
Our beloved screenshot tool was introduced with Windows 10 and Microsoft decided to keep it. However, you were probably just as disappointed as us when you tried to run it and failed.
Normally, this can be fixed by installing the latest Out-of-band (OOB) update, or even pending updates in general. Even if your system appears to be up-to-date, run the checker just in case.
Another cool thing Windows 11 lets you do is ‘Repair’ and ‘Reset’, which is the easiest way to troubleshoot your Snipping tool. If this fails, you can also try the good old un- and reinstall method. Simply uninstall the tool through the Control Panel and reinstall it from the Microsoft Store.
Furthermore, in the case of an upgrade from Windows 10 to 11, it may be that the old Snipping tool version is interfering with the launch of the new one. If you don’t care that much about the additional options available with the enhanced screenshot tool, you can use the old version instead.
Simply go to your C Drive, find the Windows.old folder, search for the tool and open it from there. Make sure to pin it to your taskbar as well, if you know you’re going to use it often.
5. Can’t install the latest update
The latest Windows 11 version, 22H2, has brought tons of enhancements to our dearest operating system. Unfortunately, a lot of users still haven’t had the opportunity to experience it. A mere update of your OS version should be the one thing that goes smoothly, but sometimes that’s not the case.
Failure to install 22H2 can be caused by a few things. Most commonly, the issue is caused by lack of storage space or corrupted files, but there could be other culprits.
There are a couple of things you could try. For example, it’s crucial that your drivers be up-to-date and some important services be enabled. These are: Windows Modules Installer, Background Intelligent Transfer Service, Cryptographic Service, Windows Update services.
To enable them, search ‘Services’, find the service you need and right-click on it. Open ‘Properties’ and select the startup type ‘Automatic’.
It may also be necessary to unplug all peripherals that aren’t crucial and disable third-party antivirus tools until after the update is finished.
Ultimately, you can run the Windows Update troubleshooter to detect and fix other possible issues.
Summary
Tiny bugs like these are nothing out of the ordinary. That said, we still all hate when they happen.
Hopefully some of our solutions have helped you to a smoother Windows 11 experience. But if you’re still struggling, feel free to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help!
If you suddenly encounter PFN_LIST_CORRUPT Blue Screen of Death error while using your computer then it means that the Page Frame Number or PFN list is corrupted. Page Frame Number is an indexing number used by the hard drive to find out the location of every single file on the physical disk. This kind of Blue Screen error is usually caused by a driver that’s passing a bad memory descriptor list and it can either be temporary or permanent. And so to fix this particular BSOD error, read on as this post contains a couple of suggestions that could help.
Keep in mind that when you get a Blue Screen error like PFN_LIST_CORRUPT, the power connection to your PC must not be interrupted and so if you are using a laptop, it’s best if you connect it to a power source. On the other hand, if creating a dump from 0% to 100% takes up more than 5-10 minutes, then you have to force shut down your computer by pressing and holding the Power Key for 10 seconds or at least until the CPU lights turn off. After you do that, proceed to the troubleshooting tips prepared below.
Option 1 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter
The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like PFN_LIST_CORRUPT. 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.
Option 2 – Run a System File Checker scan
You can also try to run a System File Checker or SFC scan in order to scan your computer for corrupted files that might be the cause behind the PFN_LIST_CORRUPT error. Once it finds any corrupted system files, it will automatically fix them. To run System File Checker, here’s what you have to do:
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 after the scan is completed.
Option 3 – Check for any hard disk errors
On your desktop, right-click on the “This PC” or computer icon and then select Manage to open the Disk Management. Here you get to check your drive’s health.
Next, click on Disk Management on the left side panel.
From there, check the state of your drives. If it shows that all your partitions are healthy then it means all is good and that the problem may have something to do with some physical issues with your hard drive.
You might also want to run the CHKDSK utility to help you fix any issues with your hard disk. 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 /r
Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.
Option 4 – Update the Device drivers
Updating the Device drivers can also help you fix the PFN_LIST_CORRUPT Blue Screen error. To do so, follow the steps below.
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 and select “Update Driver Software”.
Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
Restart your PC and then check if the Blue Screen error is now fixed or not.
Option 5 – Disable OneDrive
The PFN_LIST_CORRUPT error might also be caused by OneDrive. Thus, you have to try disabling this program to resolve the problem.
Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open the Task Manager.
Once the Task Manager is open, click on More Details located at the bottom left portion of the window.
Then go to the Startup tab and select Microsoft OneDrive and then click Disable.