Fix Windows was unable to repair the drive

Windows Setup in Continuous Reboot Loop – What is it?

After upgrading to Windows 10 operating system from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, a lot of Windows users are complaining about the Windows setup in a continuous reboot loop. The computer would just keep on rebooting every time the machine is booted and this incites frustration for a lot of Windows users.

Solution

Error Causes

When Windows launched the third update for Windows 10, users trying to upgrade to Windows 10 encountered an endless reboot loop problem. The computer will crash repeatedly. The KB3081424, which is a roll-up of bug fixes of Windows 10, continuously fails once you start the update process and then triggers a message showing: “We couldn’t complete the updates, undoing the changes.” The undoing process will then cause a system reboot mandatorily.

Once you log back on your computer again, the Windows 10 update will try to reinstall KB3081424. You will not be able to stop the update which will cause your Windows setup in a continuous reboot loop.

The KB3081424 will not be successfully installed since if it fails for the first time, that initial failure can be detected to create a bad entry in your Windows 10 registry. This will then prevent your subsequent attempts to reinstall KB3081424 to make it work correctly.

Further Information and Manual Repair

In order to fix the problem of Windows 10 setup in a continuous reboot loop, there are a few methods you can try. Try following these simple steps and you’ll be able to get rid of the problem.

Note: If you’re not highly confident to solve this issue on your own, it is highly recommended to consult an authorized computer technician who would be knowledgeable enough to fix the issue for you. In addition, you can also use a system optimizer to resolve the issue.

Method One: Check For Windows Update

Microsoft Windows released an updated fix for the Windows setup in continuous reboot loop problem. You can try fixing the issue through Windows Update.

1. Open Settings
2. Go to Update & Security
3. Select Windows Update then choose Check for updates

At this point, an additional update will be installed and downloaded to your operating system to resolve the continuous reboot loop problem.

Method Two: Eliminate Bad Registry Entry

Before KB3081424 attempts to install again, you can try doing this solution:

1. Click on the Start menu then type regedit
2. Once the window opens, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList
3. Create a backup for your registry key (since this process is a bit risky). Select ProfileList then click on File and Export then choose your backup name.
4. From the ProfileList IDs, remove anything with ProfileImagePath in it.
5. Close Regedit then reboot. By this time, the KB3081424 should properly install.

Method Three: Perform A Startup Repair

Another thing you can try to solve the Windows setup in continuous reboot loop problem is to perform a startup repair from a working computer.

1. Ensure that all unnecessary devices are disconnected from your computer as your computer might detect them.
2. If you are connected to a network, you need to disconnect from this as well.
3. On a working computer, download the Windows 10 ISO then you can perform a startup repair.
4. Boot your computer from the Windows 10 DVD.

To change your BIOS option to boot from the Windows 10 DVD, follow these steps:

1. Boot your computer then press the F2 function key to enter setup.

NOTE: You must do this quickly since the BIOS loads rapidly.

2. Once you’re inside the BIOS, navigate to the Boot Configuration screen. On this screen, you’ll be able to change the first device to be loaded.
3. Go to Removable Devices then hit Enter. Removable devices could either be a thumb drive or DVD. Select DVD to put it at the top and be the first boot device.
4. Save your changes by pressing on the F10 function key. A setup confirmation box will appear with a message Save configuration changes and exit now. Select Yes.
5. Exit BIOS by pressing on the ESC key. You should be prompted to boot from the Windows 10 DVD at this point.

If you're not able to execute the aforementioned processes on your own, get help or download and install a powerful system optimizer to assist with the windows continuous reboot loop process and other Windows 10 error messages.

Valve has announced the first gaming PC handheld console: Steam Deck. At its core, Stead Deck is just a portable, small PC in little casing. It uses AMD Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU architecture, has 16GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. It is a portable device with both a touchpad and joystick packing a seven-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x800 (16:10 aspect ratio). The screen has an ambient light sensor for automatic light adjustments same as your modern mobile device. Stating to Valve battery will hold up from two to eight hours depending on the activity of the user and what exactly he is doing. The handheld comes also with a carrying case.

Steam Deck operating system and software

Out of the box, Steam Dock comes with the latest Valve’s version of SteamOS 3. Just for comparing, the steam box was coming SteamOS 2, so this new Linux-based OS is aimed to provide better performance and better compatibility. Naturally, all Linux games in your Steam library will work right out of the box but Valve has something called PROTON inside OS, it is emulation software based on Wine that will supposedly let you play all of your Library games on a given OS. One big thing to mention here is that this is PC after all meaning that if you do not like having SteamOS on it you can install Windows instead and so far as we know it will support Windows 11. Now with Windows 11, you will be able to play all of your Steam games and run any kind of Windows software on it including EPIC store, battle.net, and others.

Cost and release date

The initial release date is set for December 2021 and today on July 16^th Valve is opening you can reserve your copy if you want to pre-purchase. Follow this link if you want to reserve your copy. Reserve your Steam Deck device The price of the device will depend on the memory capacity which you would like to have. Please note that each of the 3 offered devices will have the same hardware, the only difference will be in memory available, and the most expensive version will also have anti-glare screen, everything else is identical. 64GB model will be $399, 256GB model will have the price of $529 and largest one with whooping 512GB will be $649

Conclusion

Valve ventures into the digital hardware domain again but it is unsure will they make it this time. Both Steam machine and their controller were in long run failed and later unsupported products so perhaps some customer caution is advised. Although having a handheld PC is tempting I would advise seeing how the overall market will accept this contraption before throwing money into it.

REevil is one of the most active and successful hacking groups connected to Russia and operating all over the world. The group recently demanded a huge bitcoin ransom for an attack targeting IT firm Kaseya in the USA. Since Tuesday blog and payment site run by REvil group cannot be longer reached without any kind of explanation or why. The reason behind the disappearance is unknown but has sparked speculation that the group may have been targeted deliberately by authorities. US President Joe Biden said he raised the issue with Vladimir Putin during a phone call on Friday, after discussing the subject during a summit with the Russian president in Geneva last month. Mr. Biden told reporters that he had "made it very clear to him...we expect them to act" on information and also hinted the US could take direct digital retaliation on servers used for intrusions. The timing of Tuesday's outage has sparked speculation that either the US or Russian officials may have taken action against REvil - though officials have so far declined to comment and cyber experts say sudden disappearances of groups are not necessarily uncommon. The development comes after a series of high-profile ransomware attacks which have hit major US businesses this year. The FBI accused REvil - also known as Sodinokibi - of being behind a ransomware attack on the world's largest meat processing company JBS last month.

In this post, you will be guided on how you can turn on or turn off the Tailored Experiences feature in Windows 10 using three methods – via Settings, Registry Editor, and Group Policy Editor. The Tailored Experiences feature in Windows 10 helps Microsoft in delivering recommendations about Microsoft Products. The diagnostic data that comes with it allows Microsoft to know about its consumers’ experiences as well as collect feedback. To simply put it, tailored experiences are personalized tips, ads, and recommendations that enhance Microsoft products and services for consumer needs. And when you enable this feature, Windows will collect information from your browser, apps, features, and many more. After collecting information, it will offer contents that are tailored based on the data gathered on the lock screen of your computer, Windows tips, and other related functions. On the other hand, the diagnostic data is the one that allows Microsoft to get feedback from the customer. So if you’ve noticed some prompts when you use Windows that ask you about the experience, that’s actually a part of the diagnostic data. A lot of users find this feature useful. However, there are also skeptical ones that don’t share the same sentiments. If you are one of the skeptical ones, you actually have the option to turn this feature off if you do not want Microsoft to show ads, recommendations, and so on. It is also recommended that you enable the Diagnostic Data collection as you can choose to delete any collected data, as well as control the feedback frequency from Automatic to Once a day, or once a week, or to never. As mentioned, there are three methods you can choose from to either turn on or turn off Tailored Experiences. You can do it via Settings, Registry Editor, and the Group Policy Editor. To get started, follow the options provided below.

Option 1 – via Settings

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences using Settings, refer to these steps:

• Go to Settings and here, click on Privacy.
• Next, go to Diagnostic and Feedback.
• From there, toggle off the control under the Tailored experiences option to turn it off or toggle it on, if you want to turn it on.

Option 2 – via Registry Editor

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences via Registry Editor, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPrivacy
• After that, look for the DWORD named “TailoredExperiencesWithDiagnosticDataEnabled” and change its value to 0 if you want to turn it off or 1 if you want to turn it on.

Option 3 – via Group Policy Editor

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences using the Group Policy Editor, here’s what you have to do:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this policy setting: User ConfigurationAdminstrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsCloud Content
• Here, double click on the “Do not use diagnostic data for tailored experiences” option and select Enabled. Once you do that, you will see the following description:

“This policy setting lets you prevent Windows from using diagnostic data to provide tailored experiences to the user. If you enable this policy setting, Windows will not use diagnostic data from this device (this data may include browser, app, and feature usage, depending on the “diagnostic data” setting value) to customize the content shown on the lock screen, Windows tips, Microsoft consumer features, and other related features. If these features are enabled, users will still see recommendations, tips, and offers, but they may be less relevant. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Microsoft will use diagnostic data to provide personalized recommendations, tips, and offers to tailor Windows for the user’s needs and make it work better for them. This setting does not control Cortana tailored experiences, since there are separate policies to configure it.”

What is 0x0000007E Error Code?

If you’ve been experiencing a 0x0000007E error code pop message on your PC frequently then you need to get it fixed before it causes serious damage to your system. 0x0000007E is a Stop error or Blue Screen of Death error code. This error message turns your computer screen blue and locks you out of the program running on your computer. It freezes your system and hampers your ability to perform any type of task on your PC.

Solution

Error Causes

Error 0x0000007E, a blue screen of death error triggers registry issues. It’s not easy to narrow down the cause of 0x0000007E as it results due to many reasons like memory overload, cluttered disk space, viral infection, malware attack, and if the hardware malfunctions. Ignoring 0x0000007E error pop up is not wise. It is more like a warning of the serious damage that can happen to your PC if it is not fixed timely. It also leads to slowing down the system and increases boot time. This error message exposes you to dangerous Windows PC threats like registry corruption and damage. Registry corruption can lead to system crash and failure and you may also lose all your important data saved on your PC.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Install Restoro

You don’t always have to spend hundreds of dollars to hire a technician to fix error pop-ups on your PC try using Restoro Restoro is an advanced and multi-functional PC repair tool with a comprehensive suite of powerful features designed to resolve almost all types of PC errors in seconds including 0x0000007E error code. It is a next-generation PC repair tool that serves as a system optimizer, anti-virus, and quality registry cleaner. Its built-in intuitive technology enables Restoro to scan, identify and repair the ultimate cause of the error code 0x0000007E in just a few seconds. Eventually, it spares you from the hassle of finding the root cause of the 0x0000007E error message and then selecting a tool specifically designed to resolve only that particular cause with limited features. This highly functional PC error tool is the answer for all your registry issues. By running Restoro on your PC, you can fix the 0x0000007E BSOD error code and avoid registry corruption.

Why Restoro?

The smart registry cleaner utility embedded in this tool enables it to scan for registry errors and clear up disk space accumulated by junk files, internet temporary files, invalid entries, and other types of unnecessary files taking up a good chunk of your disk space. This clutter also slows down your PC performance as it requires more power than it has to run the system because of the excess load on the RAM. However, by wiping out the clutter with this helper, you can optimize the speed of your PC and see a significant difference in its performance. Restoro backup feature enables you to create backup files for safety purposes. Furthermore, it has several other built-in value-adding features like privacy error utility and system stability utility for enhanced functionality. To resolve the error code 0x0000007E in seconds, all you need to do is download and install Restoro on your system and run it to scan for errors. In a few seconds, you will see a scanning report with comprehensive details of the types of PC damages. To fix the issue right away, create backups and click ‘fix’ to resolve. In just a few clicks you can repair your PC. Download Restoro Today!

Gables is a browser extension developed by MindSpark Inc. This browser extension lets you create gifs and memes with a few simple clicks. This extension usually comes bundled up with the ASK toolbar.

While active this extension monitors your browser activity and records website visits, clicked links, and potentially personal data. This data is later forwarded to MindSparks ad servers where it is used to better target ads.

This extension hijacks your browser home screen, as well as your default search provider, and changes them to MyWay.com. This extension has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by several anti-virus scanners, and due to its behavior, it is not recommended to keep it on your computer for security reasons.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means that a malicious program code has taken control over and altered the settings of your browser, without your approval. Browser hijacker malware is designed for a number of reasons. It redirects you to the sponsored websites and injects adverts on your internet browser that helps its creator generate earnings. Most people believe that these sites are legitimate and harmless but that is not true. Nearly every browser hijacker poses an existent threat to your online safety and it’s important to categorize them under privacy dangers. In a worst-case scenario, your internet browser could be hijacked to download malicious software that will do a lot of damage to your computer system.

Indications of browser hijack

There are numerous signs of web browser hijacking: your browser’s home page has been reset to some mysterious site; you find yourself regularly directed to some other web page than the one you actually meant; The default search page of web browser is modified; unwanted new toolbars are added to your browser; unstoppable flurries of popup advertisements appear on your computer screen; your browser has instability problems or displays frequent errors; You cannot access certain websites, in particular anti-virus sites.

Exactly how browser hijacker finds its way to your PC

Browser hijackers infect computers in numerous ways, including through a drive-by download, a file-share, or an infected email. They can be included with toolbars, add-ons, BHO, plugins, or browser extensions. Other times you may have mistakenly accepted a browser hijacker as part of an application bundle (generally freeware or shareware). A good example of a popular browser hijacker is the most recent Chinese malicious software called “Fireball”, which has infected 250 million computers globally. It works as a hijacker but can be turned into a full-functioning malware downloader later on. Browser hijackers could affect the user’s browsing experience significantly, record the websites frequented by users and steal personal information, cause difficulty in connecting to the internet, and ultimately create stability issues, making software programs and computers crash.

Learn how to get rid of browser hijackers

Some browser hijacking could be easily stopped by identifying and removing the corresponding malware program from your control panel. Often, it could be a challenging job to discover and delete the malicious program because the associated file will be running as part of the operating system process. Also, browser hijackers could modify the Computer registry so that it can be extremely difficult to restore all of the values manually, particularly if you are not a tech-savvy individual.

What To Do If You Cannot Install Any Antivirus?

Malware can cause a great deal of damage to your computer. Some malware is designed to hinder or block things that you wish to do on your computer system. It may well not allow you to download anything from the web or it will prevent you from accessing some or all of the sites, in particular the antivirus sites. If you’re reading this article, odds are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware software on your computer system. Refer to the instructions below to remove malware by alternate methods.

Use Safe Mode to resolve the problem

Safe Mode is a special, basic version of Microsoft Windows in which only essential services are loaded to prevent viruses and other problematic applications from loading. In the event, the virus is set to load immediately when PC boots, shifting to this particular mode may prevent it from doing so. To enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the PC is starting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you are in safe mode, you can attempt to install your antivirus software program without the hindrance of the malware. At this point, you could run the anti-malware scan to get rid of computer viruses and malware without hindrance from another malicious application.

Download the security software using an alternate browser

Some malware mainly targets specific internet browsers. If this sounds like your case, make use of another web browser as it might circumvent the malware. The best way to avoid this problem is to opt for a web browser that is known for its security features. Firefox has built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to help keep you secure online.

Create a bootable USB antivirus drive

Here’s another solution which is creating a portable USB antivirus software package that can check your system for viruses without needing installation. Adopt these measures to run the anti-virus on the affected computer. 1) Make use of another virus-free computer to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the Flash drive into the clean computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, which has a .exe file format. 4) Select the drive letter of the pen drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you want to install the anti-malware. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. 5) Now, transfer the pen drive to the infected computer. 6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the USB drive to run the application. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and clean-up up all kinds of malware.

How SafeBytes Anti-Malware Keep your Computer Virus Free

Do you wish to install the best anti-malware program for your system? There are many applications on the market that come in paid and free versions for Windows computers. Some are worth your money, but most aren’t. You really should select a company that creates industry-best anti-malware and has earned a reputation as reliable. While thinking about reliable applications, Safebytes AntiMalware is undoubtedly the highly recommended one. SafeBytes antimalware is a highly effective and user-friendly protection tool that is designed for end-users of all levels of IT literacy. This tool can easily identify, remove, and protect your computer from the latest malware intrusions including adware, spyware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, as well as other possibly damaging software programs. SafeBytes anti-malware takes computer protection to a whole new level with its enhanced features. Below are some of the good ones: World-class AntiMalware Protection: Using its advanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware removal tool can detect and get rid of the malware threats hiding in your computer system effectively. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes gives round-the-clock protection for your computer limiting malware attacks instantly. It will continuously monitor your pc for hacker activity and also provides users with advanced firewall protection. Safe Browsing: Through its unique safety ranking, SafeBytes informs you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will ensure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the online world. “Fast Scan” Features: This program has got one of the fastest and most powerful virus scanning engines in the industry. The scans are very accurate and take a little time to complete. Minimal CPU Usage: SafeBytes is renowned for its minimal influence on processing power and great detection rate of numerous threats. It runs quietly and efficiently in the background so you are free to use your PC at full power all of the time. Fantastic Technical Support: Support service is accessible 24 x 7 x 365 days through chat and email to answer your questions.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove GIFables without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by GIFables

If you are trying to restore your computer using a System Image that has been created by the Windows Backup and Restore tool but encountered an error message instead that says, “Windows cannot find a system image on this computer”, you’ve come to the right place as this post will walk you through in fixing this error. Here’s the complete context of the error message:

“Windows cannot find a system image on this computer, Attach the backup hard disk or insert the final DVD from a backup set and click Retry. Alternatively, close this dialog for more options.”

In the error message, you are offered two choices – to either Retry or Cancel the operation. You can try to select Retry to try again but you will most likely get the same error if you do so. This kind of error can occur if the name of the WindowsImageBackup folder or any of its sub-folders has been modified. On the other hand, this error can also pop up if this folder or any of its sub-folders have gone missing or have become corrupted. To resolve the error, you can try to move the WindowsImageBackup folder or check its sub-folders. You can also try to isolate the System Image file or rename the System Image folder or remove all the unwanted sub-folders as well as use Command Prompt in Repair mode.

Option 1 – Try to move the WindowsImageBackup folder

The WindowsImageBackup folder must be stored in the root of the volume where it is stored, in line with the functioning of the System Restore utility. For example, if the WindowsImageBackup folder is stored in the “C:/Backups/System Restore Backups/New” location, then you have to move it to the C: drive as well.

Option 2 – Try to check the subfolders of the WindowsImageBackup folder

The classification of folders and files plays an important part to restore in restoring a computer from a System Restore point. Thus, if have modified the names of any files or folders inside the WindowsImageBackup folder, then you need to set the defaults. After that, run System Restore again and check if it fixes the error.

Option 3 – Try to isolate the System Image file

If the System Image file is stored in a USB storage device along with various System Restore images, then it’s no wonder why you’re getting this error. To set things right, you have to make sure that the System Restore image you wish to restore your computer from, is the only one that’s present at the root of the USB storage device.

Option 4 – Try renaming the System Image folder

If you have renamed the System Image folder prior to running System Restore, then it is most likely the reason why you’re getting the “Windows cannot find a system image on this computer” error. This error pops up because the System Restore utility in Windows 10 looks out for the WindowsImageBackup folder so if you have renamed it, you need to change its name back to what it originally was to fix the error.

Option 5 – Try to remove all the sub-folders of the WindowsImageBackup folder

If you have stored some foreign files inside the WindowsImageBackup folder, you need to get rid of them right away and return the folder to its default state as this folder must be left alone and should not be meddled with if you want to run System Restore smoothly.

Option 6 – Try to use Command Prompt in Repair Mode

• Open Command Prompt while your computer is in the Repair Mode.
• Next, type and enter this command where you need to replace “<Partition Letter>” with your drive’s letter: dir <Partition Letter>
• After you’ve found the WindowsImageBackup folder in any of the partitions, type and enter this command: dir <Parition Letter>WindowsImageBackup /s
• The command you entered will display all the contents of the folder exceeding 10 GB in total size. You can check and confirm the integrity of the folder and if you find that the integrity is violated, then it is the reason why you’re getting the error.

Steam has cemented itself as the largest digital game shop in the World. First, release all the way back on September 12^th, 2003, it was meant to be a standalone software client aimed to deliver updates to Valve’s games. It was soon expanded to include titles from third parties. The greatest Steam expansion and its popularity started in 2004 with the release of Half-life 2. Steam allowed prepurchased editions to be downloaded before the official release of the game making it available for play the moment it was officially out. Very soon after Steam gained its popularity, Valve has opened doors to other developers and offered them to use Steam as means for a digital distribution platform. Today it hosts over 30000 different game titles, not including DLC or applications. And how soon Valve’s steam deck is coming out soon we would like to share some great tips and tricks about Steam itself for easy everyday gaming.

Steam guard account security

Security of any of your accounts should be something that you really take seriously. So as always use a strong password for Steam but if you want an extra layer of security for it, and you should, use the Steam built-in feature: Guard Account Security. In order to activate Security Guard go to Steam>Settings>Account>Manage Steam Guard Account Security. Once enabled you will be able to use the Steam mobile application for special code when opening Steam or your email address.

Use Steam beta feature

Once a Steam account is created by default you will download and install the client. In the client, you will have the latest features available but there are more Steam features than default ones, beta features that can offer some improved and new functionality, and do not worry, they are stable and bug-free. I have been in Steam beta for years and not even once have I had any issues with the client itself but I have always had the latest features that will come to regular users later. To enable beta participation to go to Steam>Settings>Account, open the drop-down Beta participation menu, and choose Steam Beta Update. Confirm on OK and restart the Steam client. You will now get all the latest features first.

Manage your library via Collections

The collection is a neat idea for organizing your large game library into different collections or sections easily expanded and contracted for easier navigation and organization. To add the game to a collection just right-click on it and select Add To>New Collection, make a name for a collection like action, RPG, or whatever rocks your boat, and you are done. Once the collection is created other games can be added to it simply just by dragging it into the desired collection.

Make shelves

Shelves are ways to see your collections in the larger areas of the Steam clients. By clicking Add Shelf>Choose a Shelf, you can now add your collection to a shelf on the larger part of the client as a horizontal scrolling container with your chosen games. There are also some predefined shelves like All Games, Recent friend activity, and more.

Hide Game from Library

By right-clicking on a game and selecting Manage>Hide This Game you will remove the game from the active view of your Steam library. Note that the game will still be owned and a part of your library, you will just not be able to see it. This is a great feature when for example you have some things that came as a part of the game pack you are not really interested in when you have 2 different versions of the same game as for example standard and deluxe edition or just by simply not wanting to have game visible in the library. You can find a hidden game by typing its name in the search box and from there you can unhide it.

Play game soundtracks inside Steam

Some games offer you to purchase their soundtracks if you like music from them and some even include OST with a regular purchase. Steam lets you play these soundtracks and even lets you import your own music library folder into it in order to play all of your music inside the client itself. It has even options to automatically stop music playing once the game is run and you can make playlists as well. Your purchased game soundtracks are automatically included, the rest you will need to add by pointing Steam to the folder where you keep music in.

Configure gamepad

Inside Steam, you can configure your gamepad’s general settings, big picture settings, desktop settings, etc. Steam embraced the idea that many OC users these days own and play with gamepads so it has implemented configuration options inside it. To configure your pad go to Steam>Settings>Controller.

Use big picture Steam mode

Big picture mode is Steam's idea of making Steam an entertainment center. Once it is activated it switches from the application into full-screen mode aimed at large TV screens or monitors. You can easily navigate through it via gamepad, mouse, keyboard, or other devices. You have access to the store, your game library, etc. Same as your typical steam app but a little different. You can easily activate it via View> Big Picture Mode and see for yourself is this something you prefer over a standard application layout.

Enable Steam Cloud

Steam Cloud is a great feature that uses cloud storage to save your game progress meaning that you can easily switch to another PC, install games there and continue where you have left off. Many games support this feature instead of keeping saves locally and it is a great feature worth turning it ON. To turn and use Steam Cloud service go to Steam>Settings>Cloud>Enable Steam Cloud Synchronization. Just remember to check does game you are playing supports this option.

Share your Games via Family sharing

Family sharing is a Steam feature allowing you to share your game library with up to 5 accounts on up to 10 different devices. This is a great way to let other members of your family or even close friends enjoy some games you have or vice versa. They will get as well their own save games so you can sleep safe knowing that your progress can not be changed or hindered. Family sharing can be turned ON by logging into PC Steam client where you would like to share your library and navigate to Steam>Settings>Family and then clicking on Authorize Library Sharing On This Computer.

Refund a game

Sometimes the game is not the same as advertised, sometimes it will not work on your PC, sometimes hardware specifications are too high making the game unplayable, etc. For whatever reason, you might have Steam offers you a full game price refund if you wish to do so, you only need to meet 2 criteria, the game must have been purchased within 2 weeks period, older purchases cannot be refunded, and your game playtime must not be over 2 hours of game time. If you fit into this category all you need to do in order to get the full money back is going to Help>Steam Support, pick a recent game from the eligible list, and ask for a refund.

Gift a game

As you can buy gifts for your friends or loved ones in real life, Valve made sure you can do it in digital as well. Gifting game via Steam is simple and straightforward. Choose a game you wish to gift, go to your shopping cart and instead of clicking Purchase for myself, click on Purchase As a Gift, from there you will be taken to your friend list to choose to whom you would like to gift a game along with the option to write a little note to the receiver like happy birthday, enjoy or whatever.

Stream games in Steam itself

Although Steam is not there yet in streaming as Twitch or Facebook gaming is, there is an option to stream your game sessions on it. Click on Steam>Settings>Broadcast to make all adjustments and start streaming. You can also watch streams from your friend list and Steam is now broadcasting popular streams directly to its client if you want to watch it.

Take a game screenshot

By pressing F12, you can take a screenshot from any game and save it inside your Steam cloud library. You can change of course this default screenshot key via Settings>In-Game and if you would like to see your screenshots you can always do it under View Screenshot Library on a game’s page. That’s it, our Steam tips and tricks for easy and good gaming life, I hope to see you soon on errortools.com for your daily articles, tips, and tricks.

There are instances when instead of fixing problems the Windows Update brings you problems on your Windows 10 computer. You might even see some pending Windows Updates which for some reason, refuse to install no matter what you do. The good thing is you won’t have to deal with those failed and pending updates that are incompletely downloaded to your PC as you can actually delete them. Follow the instructions prepared below to delete the failed and pending Windows Updates.

Step 1: The first thing you have to do is delete all the contents in the Temporary folder

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type in “%temp%” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Temporary folder.
• From there, select all the folders and files within the Temporary folder and then delete them all.

Note: %temp% is one of the many environment variables in Windows that could open the designated folder by Windows as the Temporary folder which is usually located at C:\Users[username]AppDataLocalTemp.

Step 2: Next, remove the pending.xml file

• Go to the C:\Windows WinSxS folder.
• Once you’ve opened the folder, look for a file named “pending.xml” file and right-click on it and you can either rename it or delete it.
• After that, the Windows Update should delete the pending tasks and build a fresh new update.

Step 3: Delete all the contents of 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 stop bits

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
• Next, got to the C:\Windows\Software\Distribution 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

Since the folder has already been flushed, it will be populated afresh the instant your restart your computer and open Windows Update.

Step 4: Try resetting the catroot2 folder

You can also try resetting the catroort2 folder as it is known to fix tons of Windows Update issues. Both the Catroot and catroot2 are Windows operating system folders that are required for the Windows update process.  So when you run the Windows Update, the catroort2 folders stores the signatures of the Windows Update package and helps it in the installation. It makes use of the “%windir%System32catroot2edb.log” file in the updating process. Afterward, the updates are stored in the SoftwareDistribution folder which is used then by the Automatic Updates in order to execute the updating process. Keep in mind that you must not rename or delete the Catroot folder. Although the Catroot2 folder is recreated automatically by Windows, the Catroot folder isn’t.

If your Windows PC encounters an error, it will display a Blue Screen of Death or BSOD error which usually comes up for a fraction of second and creates some logs or Dumps Files as what other user prefers to call it and then boots your PC suddenly. This process usually takes place quickly that most users find it hard to get the error code and won’t probably be able to check what really went wrong with their PCs. This is where the dump files come in. They are stored internally in your computer and can only be accessed by an administrator. They are classified into 4 main types and in Windows 10 they are either:

1. Complete Memory Dump
2. Kernel Memory Dump
3. Small Memory Dump (256 KB)
4. Active Memory Dumps

Dump Files are useful as they could help you in resolving the problem and so you need to configure your Windows 10 PC to create them but first, you need to make a system restore point. This is essential as you are about to modify some system files as well as critical Windows 10 settings. There are two ways you can create Dump files – first is by modifying the settings in the Startup and Recovery and lastly is via the WMIC command line. Refer to the instructions prepared below to be guided on how you can create Dump files after any BSOD error using these options.

Option 1 – via Startup and Recovery

• Type in “control panel” in the Cortana Search box and then click on Control Panel from the search results to open it.
• After opening Control Panel, you need to make sure that you view the contents by their Category then click on the header link which is labeled “System and Security” or you could also right-click on the This PC icon and then click on Properties.
• Next, select the Advanced system settings from the left panel. Once you do, a new and small window will pop up.
• Under the newly opened window, look for the section called Startup and Recovery and then click on the Settings button.
• And from the System Failure section, you can choose any option from the drop-down for Write debugging information such as:
  • None – this means that there is no dump file created by Windows
  • Small Memory Dump – this means that Windows will create a Minidump file on BSOD
  • Complete Memory Dump – this means that Windows will create a Complete Memory Dump file on BSOD
  • Automatic Memory Dump – this means that Windows will create an Automatic Memory Dump file on BSOD
  • Active Memory Dump – this means that Windows will create an Active Memory Dump file on BSOD

Note: The complete dump needs a page file that is allowed to be the size of the physical memory installed in your PC with a dedicated 1 MB of space for just the page header.

• Now once you have selected the most suitable option for you, just click on OK/Apply and then exit.
• Restart your PC to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 2 – via the WMIC command line

• The first thing you need to do to create Dump files via the WMIC command line is to tap the Win + X keys combination or simply right-click on the Start button and then select the Command Prompt (Admin) option. You could also type in “cmd” in the Cortana search box and then right-click on Command Prompt from the results and select Run as administrator.
• After that, type in any of the commands given below depending on your preferences so that your Windows 10 PC will be configured to create Dump Files:
  • No dump file: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 0
  • Small Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 3
  • Kernel Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 2
  • Complete Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 1
  • Automatic Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 7
  • Active Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 1

Note: A complete dump has to have a Page file which is allowed to be the size of the physical memory installed on your PC accompanied by a 1 MB space for just the page header.

• Now type in “exit” in the Command Prompt to exit it.
• Restart your PC to apply the changes made successfully.