Your computer has lost the lease to IP Address

If you suddenly encounter the DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL Blue Screen of Death error when using your computer, then there might be some issues with the device drivers on your Windows 10 computer. This kind of BSOD error can occur at any point while you are using your PC. Its main cause is due to some error in the System Pool where a driver becomes incompatible with the operating system or when the configuration files get corrupted for some reason. If you are one of the users who are currently inconvenienced by the DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL error, worry not, as this post will give you some potential fixes that might help resolve the problem.

Option 1 – Perform a System Restore

Performing System Restore might help you in fixing the DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL Blue Screen 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.

Option 2 – 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 DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL error. 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 3 – Update the Device drivers

The device driver installed in your computer might be incompatible with your operating system which is the reason why the DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL Blue Screen error occurs. To fix that, you have to update your device drivers.

• Tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type “msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After opening the Device Manager, update all the outdated Device drivers on your computer.
• Next, right-click on all the driver entries that are appropriately labeled, and then click the Update driver option.
• Now restart your PC and check if the BSOD error is fixed or not.

Option 4 – Uninstall any faulty device drivers

• Tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type “msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• From there, look for any device driver which has a yellow exclamation mark which indicates that something is wrong with them.
• And then right-click on each one of them and click on Uninstall.
• Once you’re done uninstalling the faulty drivers, restart your computer and allow your computer to reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled.

Option 5 – Try running the System File Checker

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 Machine Check Exception BSOD error. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

Option 6 – Try updating the BIOS

As you know, the BIOS is a sensitive part of a computer. Even though it is a software component, the functioning of the hardware depends on it largely. Thus, you must be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
• From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
• After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
• If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
• Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version in your computer.
• Now restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 7 – Try resetting Windows 10

To fix this BSOD error, you can try resetting Windows 10. Doing so won’t get rid of any file in your system – instead of erasing all your media files and documents, this reset option resets all the system settings and files.

One of the most common ways cybercriminals use to inject suspicious code into devices is by tricking users into installing a malicious program on a targeted device. Oblivious users are vulnerable to such tricks, which is why Microsoft has been working hard in the background to address this issue. Recently, Microsoft announced the availability of a sandboxed version of Windows 10 that runs inside Windows 10 in order to isolate suspected software to run inside it and protect the system from potential threats. This Windows Sandbox feature is a new feature that keeps your computer secure. It is a virtual disposable environment that you can enable. So if suspect any software of being malicious, you can run this software in an environment and ensure that it won’t interfere with any normal processes and would not jeopardize files on your computer. To simply put it, “Windows Sandbox is a new lightweight desktop environment tailored for safely running applications in isolation”. So if the Sandbox is closed, all the residual files, software, and other data are deleted permanently. To enable Windows Sandbox, refer to the instructions provided below. Step 1: You have to make sure that you are running either Windows 10 Enterprise Editions or Windows 10 Pro and that your computer is running build 18305 or newer. Step 2: After that, you have to enable Virtualization to let another instance of Windows 10 running in Sandbox mode. Step 3: Next, search for Windows Features on and off in the search box and then select the appropriate entry. Step 4: From the list, go to the mini window and check the Windows Sandbox and then click on OK. Step 5: Afterwards, in the Cortana Search box, search for “Windows Sandbox” and select the related entry to run it in an elevated window. Step 6: Then from your main computer (host), copy the executable file and paste it inside the Windows Sandbox environment. Step 7: Now run the executable file in the Sandbox environment and use it as you normally do. Step 8: Once you’re done, close the Windows Sandbox application and as mentioned, every data regarding the executable file and the temporary environment will be deleted. Step 9: And for the sake of safety, ensure that there are no modifications made to the host because of the executions in the Sandbox environment. You have the option to contact Microsoft for feedback related to Windows Sandbox. You can use the traditional Feedback Hub if you have any suggestions or any issues. Just fill in the appropriate details and select Windows Sandbox for the feature category under the Security and Privacy section. And if you have any issues related to the execution of and within Windows Sandbox, simply choose “Recreate my problem” then select Start capture to reproduce the issue, and once you’re done, select Stop capture.

If an error suddenly pops up that states, “A problem prevented the document from being scanned” when you’re scanning a document in your computer, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how exactly you can fix the problem. A lot of users have reported that they receive a two-layer error message when they try to scan their documents – the first screen throws an error message that says, “Error applying Settings to Driver” while the next error message states, “A problem prevented the document from being scanned”. As a result, the scanning won’t be completed which defeats the whole process of buying a printer with a scanner. As you can see the two error messages point to two different situations, while the other one is pointing at the driver, the second one points to the scanning problem. To resolve these issues, there are several suggestions you need to check such as follows:

Option 1 – Run the Printer Troubleshooter

One of the first basic troubleshooting you can perform to resolve the printer issue is running the Printer Troubleshooter. This built-in troubleshooter can detect and automatically fix the problem for you. To use it, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msdt.exe /id PrinterDiagnostic” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the Printer Troubleshooter.
• Then click the Next button and follow the next on-screen instructions to fix the issue with the printer.

Option 2 – Try updating the Printer drivers

You might also want to try updating your printer drivers. All you have to do is locate the USB Composite Device. For complete details, follow the steps below.

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the USB Composite Device option and right-click on it, and select the Update Driver from the options.
• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

Note: You also have the option to download the latest version of your Printer from the manufacturer’s website.

Option 3 – Try to reset the settings of the Printer or reinstall it

If none of the two options given above worked, you can try to either reset the printer settings or reinstall the printer so that it can go back to its default state. However, if it doesn’t work, you can try to uninstall the printer as well as its related drivers. To do so, follow these steps:

• First, go to Settings > Devices > Printer and Scanners.
• After that, select the printer and select the Remove Device option.
• Once done, restart your computer and check again and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 4 – Try to modify the Registry settings for the Still Image devices

In case you don’t know, Windows has Registry settings for the Still Image devices like Scanners and Printers. And these devices have vendor-specific settings that if ended up getting corrupted or misconfigured then you will most likely encounter errors like “A problem prevented the document from being scanned”. Thus, to fix this error, you can try modifying the Still Image devices registry settings, and to do that, you need to follow the instructions below but before that, make sure that you create a System Restore Point first.

• Once you’ve created a System Restore point, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field, and then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStillImage
• From there, right-click on the “StillImage” registry key and delete it.
• After that, exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
• Once your computer has restarted, Windows will recreate the settings of the Still Image devices back to their default settings.

Error Code 0x80070652 – What is it?

Error code 0x80070652 occurs when Windows users attempt to upgrade their operating system while another program is in the process of being downloaded. It may also occur due to problems related to previously failed update attempts within Window Update. When this Windows 10 upgrade occurs, Windows users fail to access the version of Windows they are attempting to download. Instead, a message box occurs stating that error code 0x80070652 has occurred on the device. If this error message is not rectified, it could give birth to other Windows 10 errors such as error code 0x80072EE2.

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0x80070652 may result from Windows 10 users attempting to download another program while upgrading their operating system. It may also be caused by an issue related to previous installations of updates. For instance, in some cases, your previous installation of the Windows process may have been interrupted or it was simply not completed properly. This causes any other upgrade process that follows to result in error code 0x80070652.

Further Information and Manual Repair

But what can be done in such a situation to resolve the error code? Windows users have several options available. For instance, they can wait on any additional program that may be in the process of downloading to complete the process before attempting to upgrade Windows. They may also troubleshoot problems related to any failed updates or select a system restore point in which the error code was not present.

The manual repair methods Windows 10 users choose may involve any of the solutions mentioned previously. The choice is largely dependent on the user and his determination to fix the error code. However, note that automated tools or Windows repair technicians may also provide solutions to PC issues like error code 0x80070652.

Method One: Verify and Troubleshoot Failed Upgrades

Since previously failed updates within Windows Update can lead to the occurrence of error code 0x80070652, Windows 10 users will need to verify which of these failed updates occurred by checking the history section of the Windows Update tool. Once you’ve been able to verify that failed updates have occurred in the recent past, you’ll need to troubleshoot these problems to rectify the error code. Follow the instructions below to check for updates that have failed to install properly via Windows Update.

• Step one: Type Windows Update in the Search box near Start Menu
• Step two: Select Windows Update settings
• Step three: Select Update history
• Step four: Review updates from the most recent to least recent to see which updates have failed
• Step five: Click failed updates for more details and troubleshoot accordingly.

Once you’ve completed the troubleshooting of any updates which failed, proceed by rebooting your device. You may then reattempt to upgrade to the latest version of Windows 10 once no other program is in the process of being downloaded.

If the problem causing error code 0x80070652 was related to failed updates of the past, these issues will likely be resolved once you successfully troubleshoot them. However, if the error code reoccurs, apply the next manual repair solution mentioned in this article.

Method Two: Download Updates Manually via Microsoft Download Center

Another option available to users is simply downloading updates manually by visiting the official Microsoft website, specifically the Windows section which provides downloads. To successfully complete this process, ensure you look for stand-alone packages of these downloads available on the website. You will need to know the Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article number related to the specific update(s) which failed.

Once a Windows user has verified the KB article number of the specific update, download it from the Microsoft website, then select Run to install the update. Reboot your PC, then check Windows Update to see if you are able to successfully complete the Windows 10 upgrade.

If the upgrade fails, you may need to implement the next manual repair method as is mentioned below.

Method Three: Use Windows System Restore

One of the best options for Windows 10 users facing certain PC problems is to apply System Restore. This allows them to reset their machine for a period of time in which the problem was not present. This is known as the restore point. To apply this manual repair method, follow the steps below.

• Step one: In the search box beside the Start Menu, type System Restore
• Step two: Select Create a restore point
• Step three: Select the System Protection tab then Configure or Create
• Step four: Provide details regarding a system restore point of your choice
• Step five: Select Create, then OK.

Method Four: Download an Automated Tool

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.

There are several kinds of errors you could encounter when you are running Windows 10 on a virtual machine. The Windows OS knows the difference between booting up in a standalone computer or in a virtual machine. This is why some specific drivers and system capabilities are used while emulating the Windows OS on software and during this phase, there are times when the System Preparation may throw up an error that says, “A fatal error occurred while trying to sysprep the machine”. This kind of error arises due to a race condition wherein the Sysprep command tries to stop the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator or MSDTC service and the VMware tool tries to start the MSDTC service. You may also see the following messages logged in the Setuperr.log file:

• [0x0f0082] SYSPRP LaunchDll:Failure occurred while executing ‘C:Windowssystem32msdtcprx.dll,SysPrepDtcCleanup’, returned error code -2146434815[gle=0x000000b7]
• [0x0f0070] SYSPRP RunExternalDlls:An error occurred while running registry sysprep DLLs, halting sysprep execution. dwRet = -2146434815[gle=0x000000b7]
• [0x0f00a8] SYSPRP WinMain:Hit failure while processing sysprep cleanup providers; hr = 0x80100101[gle=0x000000b7]

To fix the 0x0f0082, 0x0f0070, 0x0f00a8 Sysprep errors, you can check out two potential fixes. First, you have to check the status of the MSDTC service and the second one is to check the settings in the Windows Registry. Note that these fixes are proven to be effective on many users and apply to several versions of Windows, including Windows 10.

Option 1 – Check the status of the MSDTC service via Command Prompt

As mentioned, the error could be caused by the malfunctioning of the MSDTC service or it. Thus, you have to uninstall and reinstall the MSDTC service to resolve the problem and you can do that using Command Prompt. Follow the steps below.

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and from the results, right-click on Command Prompt and then select the “Run as administrator” option to open it with admin privileges.
• If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed.
• Once you’ve opened Command Prompt, execute this command: msdtc –uninstall
• The command you just entered will uninstall the MSDTC service. After that, you need to execute this second command to reinstall the service: msdtc –install
• Now exit Command Prompt and check if the error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Check the Registry settings

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After opening the Registry Editor, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionSoftwareProtectionPlatform
• From there, look for a DWORD value that’s named “SkipRearm” and double click on it.
• Then change its value data to “1”.
• Restart your computer to apply successfully apply the changes made and check if it was able to fix the error.

If you are starting to get into the “wonderful” world of coding there is a high chance that you have heard of GitHub or Git for short and there is a slight chance that you might be confused about what exactly GitHub is. If this is the case, we are welcoming you to go through our article and find everything about it and why it is so popular and used all around the world.

What exactly is GitHub?

If we want to go all technical and just point the obvious we could say that GitHub is basically a WEB site and cloud service used for storing and managing code in all languages. But to truly understand why you should use GitHub and not Dropbox or any storage service instead you need to understand concepts like Version Control and Git.

Version Control

Version control is meant to help developers to work separately on different parts of codes and update is separately not breaking the original one. Take note that this option is meant when there is a big project and has more than one coder working on it. If you are a solo coder on your personal project this might not be anything groundbreaking for you personally. But let’s now assume that you are part of a team and that your task is to edit only one function of a project and other people working will also have their tasks. With version control, you could take only part of the code and work on it and once you are finished merge it back into the main repository. All changes in the main code are automatically tracked and can be easily reverted back if needed. The good stuff is that rolling back can be used only let’s say on a code you submitted and other changes made to the source can be kept. As you can see this makes a very good and efficient working space and a good coding environment.

Git

Git itself is a specific version control system, an open-source version control system to be more precise created by Linus Torvalds in 2005. It is a distributed version control system, which means that the entire codebase and history is available on every developer’s computer, which allows for easy branching and merging. Currently, over 87% of worldwide developers are using Git on a daily basis.

So GitHub is?

GitHub is a profit company that offers a cloud-based Git repository hosting service, in other words, it automates and makes it easy for everyone to use Git for version control and collaboration. It focuses on user interface and ease of use so even beginner coders can use it right away without any large confusion and using command lines and setting it themselves manually. GitHub also has a free personal plan in which you can host a public code repository completely free. This option placed GitHub very popular with open source projects. If you are a company you can purchase a plan to have a private code repository shared only to members of your team or company.

Conclusion

As stated almost every developer on a planet uses some version of Git, many of them are on GitHub and there is a lot of open source projects on it. Some employers even ask to see your GitHub repository when deciding if they want to employ you, think of it as a portfolio for coders. There is not a single disadvantage and not a single argument against using it, especially it has a personal free option. So if you want to look better and more professional in the coding world go, make an account and place some code on it, share it with the world, and see how it goes. You might even get some help on projects from other coders if you need it.

if you were following our articles you are aware that Windows 10 has a build-in-game mode that you can summon by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + G. But did you know that you can use this to capture and record your screen? Hello and welcome to another great tutorial about how to get the maximum out of your Windows 10, today our topic will be recording your screen using Windows 10 game mode.

• In order to start recording first, we need to bring game mode by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + G
• In the Game Bar overlay screen, look for the “Capture” window.
• If you don’t see it, click the Widget menu icon on the left. It looks like several lines with bullet points to their left.
• A drop-down list will appear; click “Capture.” The “Capture” shortcut may also be in the Game Bar toolbar.
• Look for the “Capture” widget window in the overlay. There are four buttons on the Capture widget (from left to right):
  • Screenshot: Takes a screenshot of the active window.
  • Record last 30 seconds: Creates a recording of the previous 30 seconds.
  • Start recording: Starts recording your active window.
  • Turn on the mic while recording: If this option is enabled, Windows 10 will capture audio from your computer’s microphone and include it in the recording.
• You’ll notice text underneath the buttons. This is how you’ll know what the active window is, aka what will be recorded. For example, if you’re browsing the web, it will show the title of the open tab.
• To start recording your screen, you must first decide whether you want to use your mic, which is useful if you’re trying to explain something on the screen.
• Next, simply click the Start Recording button.
• The screen recording will begin, and you’ll see a little toolbar appear in the corner of the screen. It will show the running time of the recording, and it also has buttons to stop recording and toggle the microphone.
• When you’re finished, click the Stop icon to end the recording.
• From the Capture widget, click “Show All Captures” to see your recording.
• Your recording will be at the top of the list. Click the folder icon to see all recordings and screenshots in File Explorer.
• These recordings are stored under your Windows user folder at C:\Users\NAME\Videos\Captures by default.

Installing programs on your Windows 10 computer does not go smoothly as you could encounter some issues along the way that could prevent you from successfully installing the program. One of the common errors you can encounter during the installation of programs is Error 2753. There are times when the packages are corrupted or those packages are not working properly or it wasn’t able to create files and paths. When you encounter this kind of error, you will get the following error message:

“Error 2753, The File is not marked for installation.”

Note that this kind of error is not bound to only some specific files but it can also happen with any file, be it an executable file or an MSI file. To fix this error, here are some possible solutions that you could try.

Option 1 – Fresh download the setup file

The first thing you can do is to fresh download the setup file from the official homepage and then place it in a different location. Just make sure that you download the correct setup file that’s compatible with your operating system. Then restart your computer and sign in as administrator. After that, right-click on the setup file and select the Run as administrator to proceed with the installation.

Option 2 – Try removing all the previous versions of the software

If there is a previous version of the program that’s still installed on your computer, you need to uninstall that program since it might be the reason why you’re getting Error 2753.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box
• Then type “appwiz.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to open the Programs and Features in Control Panel.
• From there, look for the previous version of the program you are trying to install, select it and then click on Uninstall to remove it.
• After that, restart your computer and try to install the latest version of the program again. It should work now. If not, proceed to the next available option below.

Option 3 – Run the setup file as administrator

The setup file may need more permission in order to execute properly and so you need to run it as an administrator. To do so, you need to give it more privileges for it to work as intended by its developer.

• Right-click on the setup file and select the Run as administrator option.
• Afterward, a User Account Control or UAC prompt will appear and from there, click on Yes and then check if the file runs or not.

Note: If the setup file does not run, you may have to take ownership of the folder where the setup file is located. To take ownership of the folder, refer to these steps:

• First, locate the concerned folder and right-click on it 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.

Option 4 – Try running the setup file in Compatibility Mode

You may be getting Error 2753 if the setup file is not intended to run on the Windows 10 version you are using which is why you have to run it in Compatibility Mode. This will allow the setup file to think that it is running in a compatible environment as it is intended to.

Option 5 – Try to re-register the vbscript.dll file

You may have to re-register the vbscript.dll file using the regsvr32.exe before you can successfully install the program and fix Error 2753. The Regsvr32 tool is a command-line utility that can be used to register and un-register the OLE controls like DLL and ActiveX (OCX) control in the Windows operating system. Follow the steps below to use it.

• Open Command Prompt as admin from the WinX menu.
• Next, type exe vbscript.dll in the elevated Command Prompt and hit Enter to execute the command. This will re-register the affected DLL file using the Windows operating system tool, regsvr32.exe.
• You should see a message saying, “DllRegisterServer in vbscript.dll succeeded” if the Regsvr32 tool was able to run successfully. After that, try to install the program again and see if it now works.

There are a lot of users who use their Windows 10 PCs to create and access data on their servers using their network. However, some of them reported getting an error saying that the server is not accessible. Here’s the full content of the error message:

“\server is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions. Logon Failure: The target account name is incorrect.”

If you are among the users who experience the same issue, read on as this post will help you resolve this error when accessing your server. But before you start troubleshooting the problem, you might want to perform System Restore, especially if tend to create one. To use System Restore, here’s what you have to do:

• 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.

If System Restore didn’t help in fixing the ACPI.sys Blue Screen error now’s the time for you to make use of the potential fixes laid out below.

Option 1 – Try rebooting your router

The first thing you can try to do to fix the error is to simply restart your router. All you need to do is reboot the router from its Admin panel or you can also turn it off manually and turn it back on after a couple of seconds so that it can completely reboot. Once you’re done, try accessing your server again and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Try checking the status of the Workstation Service

You might want to check the status of the Workstation Service as the error might have something to do with it.

• Tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard to launch the Run utility.
• Then type “services.msc” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• After opening the Services Manager, you will see a list of all the services on your computer and from there, locate the Workstation Service.
• Double click on the Workstation Service to open its Properties.
• Next, Stop the Service and Start it again or you can also right-click on it and select Restart and then make sure that its Startup type is set to Automatic.
• Now restart your computer and check if the error is fixed.

Option 3 – Try to change the File Sharing Connections setting

You can also try to change the File Sharing connections setting. All you have to do is go to Control Panel > Network and sharing center > Advanced sharing settings > File sharing connections. From there, you need to select “Enable file sharing for devices that use 40 or 56-bit encryption and check if it helps in fixing the problem. If not, undo the changes you’ve made and proceed to the next given option.

Option 4 – Try checking the Network Configuration

Checking the Network Configuration can also help you fix the error. Refer to the steps below to do so:

• Right-click on the Wi-Fi connection or on the Ethernet connection icon located in the system tray.
• Then select open Network and Internet Settings and then click on the “Change Adapter Options”.
• After that, a new window will appear and from there, select the network connection that connects your computer to your network – this can either be a Wi-Fi connection or Ethernet connection.
• Right-click on that connection and select Properties where you will see a list of items.
• Select the Internet Protocol Version 4 or Internet Protocol Version 6 from those items according to your system requirement.
• Then click on the Properties button.
• Check if everything is now configured as to how it is supposed to be and then check if the error is resolved.

Option 5 – Try to reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS

You might also want to try resetting Winsock, TCP/IP, and flushing DNS might help you resolve errors. 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.

1. netsh winsock reset – type in this command to reset Winsock
2. netsh int ip reset resettcpip.txt – type in this command to reset TCP/IP
3. ipconfig /flushdns – type in this command to flush the DNS cache

• Next, restart your PC and check if the problem’s fixed.

Option 6 – Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter

• Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
• Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
• Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
• After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.

The “Unknown Hard” error that keeps on appearing in Windows 10 can put users in an unpleasant situation. This kind of error leads to the freezing of the taskbar, blackening of the screen, and sudden disappearance of the icons on the Desktop. And each time you try to open Windows, the system will only give you an error message saying that it’s a critical error and some applications like Start and Cortana won’t work. Upon analysis, it seems that the “sihost.exe” is not responding and that it is the one that’s causing the c000021a Unknown Hard error to pop up. Sihost.exe files represent the Shell Infrastructure Host which is an essential component in the Windows operating system. The Windows Shell Infrastructure Host is primarily responsible for handling some graphical elements of the operating system interface such as the Start menu and the taskbar transparency. And so if the Shell Infrastructure or Sihost.exe has stopped, has been removed, or corrupted, you will most likely have issues with the overall functionality of the Windows operating system and you’ll get the Unknown Hard error In addition, the ctfmom.exe Unknown Hard error may also occur due to incompatible drivers installed on your PC. Ctfmom is a process that identifies inputs such as handwriting, languages, and many more. It’s the one that controls the functions of background behavior. To resolve this issue, you need to first try to identify which application is the one that’s running the sihost.exe file. And if needed, you need to either update or reinstall or completely uninstall the problematic application.

Option 1 – Try to run the System File Checker

The SFC Scan or System File Checker, us a built-in utility in Microsoft Windows that can be found in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. This tool allows users to scan and restore any corrupted system files in Windows that might be causing the Unknown Hard error to appear. Before you use this tool, make sure to find out whether the sihost.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you have to remove or if it’s a file that belongs to a trusted Windows application. Once you have that sorted out, follow the steps below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

Option 2 – Try to use System Restore

You can also try using System Restore. This is one of the ways you can use it to back up your PC. Since restore points are created automatically each week by System Restore, you can use System Restore to restore your computer back to an earlier good point in time.

Option 3 – Try to troubleshoot the error in a Clean Boot State

Putting your PC in a Clean Boot state can help you diagnose and troubleshoot the issues in your system. During this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the Unknown Hard Error.

• 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” checkbox 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” checkbox.
• 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.)

After putting your PC in a Clean Boot State, try creating a system restore point and see if the problem still occurs. Clean Boot troubleshooting is designed to help you isolate the problem. For you to execute a clean boot troubleshooting, you must do a couple of actions (the steps are given above) and then restart your PC after every action. You might have to disable one third-party app after the other to really isolate the issue. And once you’ve narrowed down the problem, you can either disable the third-party app that’s causing the problem or remove it. Note that you must switch your PC back into the Normal Startup mode after you’re done troubleshooting the problem. Here’s how you can do it:

• From the “Start” menu, go to System Configuration.
• After that, switch to the General tab and click the option for “Normal Startup”.
• Next, go to the Services tab and clear the checkbox for “Hide all Microsoft services”.
• Then find and click “Enable all” and if prompted, you have to confirm.
• Afterward, go to the Task Manager and enable all the Startup programs and confirm the action.
• Restart your PC when prompted.