Increase your Internet Speed in Windows 10

Microsoft has implemented a number of small features in Windows 10 to enhance user productivity. These features make a difference in the overall experience and productivity of users. However, there are times that instead of helping users, these small feature causes some issues instead which causes the computer to function in an unusual way. One of the issues caused by these features is where the Mouse automatically scrolls up or down even without any user intervention. This can get really annoying especially when you’re doing an important task on your computer. So if this bug takes place repeatedly, it can make your computer unusable. If you are currently facing this problem, worry not for this post will guide you on what to do to fix the mouse auto-scrolling issue in your Windows 10 computer. Use the options provided below to fix the mouse auto-scrolling issue.

Option 1 – Try to toggle the appropriate Mouse 10 setting

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings app.
• After that, navigate to Devices > Mouse.
• From there, toggle the “Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them” setting to off.
• Now restart your computer and see if the issue is resolved.

Option 2 – Try to uninstall the installed Windows Updates recently

The mouse issue might have something to do with a recent update you have installed on your computer. It is possible that there are some recently installed updates that have messed up some settings in your computer. Thus, you can try to uninstall this recent Windows Update to try and fix the problem. Not that the best way to do this is in Safe Mode.

• Boot your computer into Safe Mode first.
• Once your computer has restarted, tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings app.
• Next, click on Update and Security, and from the left side menu column, select Windows Update.
• After that, select the “View installed update history” option on the right-side column.
• Then click on Uninstall Updates. This will open a window where you’ll see the list of all the installed updates on your computer.
• Select the update you want to uninstall and click on the Uninstall button located in the lower-right corner of the window.

Option 3 – Try to run System Restore

You might have made some adjustments in your computer’s settings that caused the issue with the mouse. You can undo those changes using System Restore.

• 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 then check if your mouse is now back to its normal state.

A copy of Windows gets into a grace period when it is installed on a computer which means that you can use your Windows computer without any constraints on its feature. However, if you suddenly encounter an error code 0xC004F009 then this means that the grace period has already expired. In such cases, you will see the following error message on your screen:

“Error Code 0xC004F009, The Software Licensing Service reported that the grace period expired.”

One of the possible causes of this error is that it could be that the grace period has already expired way before the system was activated which is a result of which the system is in the Notifications state at this moment. The error code 0xC004F009 has something to do with MAK-enabled computers in an enterprise when it comes to Volume Licensing. One of the reasons that this error pops up is due to the possibility that the computer was not activated yet even when it was already connected to the Enterprise. Another most likely cause of the error is when the system was never connected with the Enterprise at all and the given grace period has expired before your computer system is activated. Whatever the real cause of this error, this post will guide you in fixing it. Just refer to the instructions given below to fix it.

Option 1 – Try activating Windows using the command-line tool

• First, you need to obtain your MAK key from the IT administrator.
• Once you have it, tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard and then type “cmd” in the field and hit Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
• After that, type this command and hit Enter to install the product key or replace the existing one: Slmgr.vbs –ipk <your mak key>
• Next, type another command and hit Enter: slmgr.vbs –ato
• Once you’ve executed the given commands, Windows should be activated after it connects to Microsoft servers and then gives it some time and try to check if error code 0xC004F009 is now fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try activating Windows using your mobile phone

Activating Windows 10 can also be done using your phone. Just note that you have to call Microsoft to do so.

• In the Start Search box, type in “Slui 4” and tap Enter.
• Next, select your country and click on Next.
• Keep the window open and call the toll-free number of the country you’re from.
• Afterward, a confirmation ID should be given by the automated system which you must take a note of.
• Finally, in the box on the window, type in the confirmation ID and click on the Activate button. That should do it.

Option 3 – Try to prolong the grace period

On the other hand, it is also possible for you to prolong the grace period but you might have to get another genuine Windows key for that. Before you proceed, you need to create a System Restore point first afterwards, refer to the steps given below to increase the grace period of the Software Licensing Service on your Windows 10 computer.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupOOBEmediabootinstall
• Next, change the value of the “mediabootinstall” key to “0”.
• Now open Command Prompt with admin privileges and then type this command and hit Enter: slmgr –rearm
• The command you just entered will add another grace period to your system activation. After that, you have to obtain a new key and then activate Windows.

Option 4 – Try running the Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter

You can also try to run the Windows 10 Activation troubleshooter to help resolve the error code 0xC004F009.

• Go to Settings and then select Activation.
• After that, click on the Windows Activation and then troubleshoot. This will help you address most of the commonly found activation issues in Windows devices.

As you know, Microsoft is consistent in pushing updates to its supported versions of the Windows operating systems in order to make it better and defend it from different kinds of vulnerabilities. And pushing billions of active Windows computers every now and then is really not an easy thing to do since it calls for a complex Windows Update delivery module. These complexities often give rise to various errors like the Windows Update error code 0x80004005. When you encounter this kind of Windows Update error, you will see the following error message on your screen:

“There were problems installing some updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help 0x80004005.”

This kind of Windows Update error occurs due to an issue while either installing or downloading an update. There are several ways you can fix the problem. You can try to replace the dpcdll.dll file, reset the Windows Update-related services, run the Windows Update troubleshooter or manually install the Windows Updates. For more details, check out the options given below.

Option 1 – Try to replace the DLL file with a trusted source

The first thing you can do is to replace the dpcdll.dll file with a trusted source.

• First, you need to get the new dpcdll.dll file from another computer with preferably the same file version number as your computer.
• After that, you need to boot your PC into Safe Mode and navigate to the paths listed below and then replace the file using a USB drive or other external storage devices.
  • For x86: This PC > C:/Windows/System32
  • For x64: This PC > C:/Windows/SysWOW64
• Next, type “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on Command Prompt, and select “Run as administrator” to open it with administrator privileges.
• Now type the “regsvr32 dpcdll.dll” command and hit Enter.
• Restart your PC and check if the error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Try to reset the Windows Update components

If by any chance that the third option didn’t work, you can also try resetting the Windows Update components as it could also help you resolve the Windows Update error. How? Refer to the following steps:

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop cryptsvc
  • net stop bits
  • net stop msiserver

Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS and MSI Installer.

• After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
  • ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
• Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start cryptsvc
  • net start bits
  • net start msiserver
• Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.

Option 3 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing Windows Update error 0x80004005. 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 4 – Try downloading and installing the Windows Updates manually

Windows Update Error 0x80004005 might be due to a Windows Update that has failed. So if it is not a feature update and only a cumulative update, you can download the Windows Update and install it manually. But first, you need to find out which update has failed, and to do so, refer to the following steps:

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

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

Realtek sound device not playing sound is a common Windows issue.  It happens occasionally and luckily it can be solved with a little effort and in a short time period. Today in this article we will explore the most common reasons and solutions for driver malfunction for Realtek inside Windows 10. If you have this particular problem, go from step 1 to the last step since all steps are meant to go from simplest to the most complex. All of that being said let us fix your Realtek driver issue.

1. Check Speakers or/and Headphones first

   The first thing would in any troubleshooting be to check are your speakers turned on or are your headphones connected and the volume or switch on them is set properly. Nothing more embarrassing than spending an hour or so troubleshooting only to find out that issue was in a malfunction of speakers or them not being turned on.

2. Check the Volume control in Windows

   Same as the previous step where you have checked hardware, now it is time to check to see if the volume control is set properly and not by any chance muted or volume is brought all the way down.

3. Check if the Device Manager is reporting an error and update the driver

   If both hardware is functioning properly and volume control in Windows is set correctly then the issue might be in Windows not detecting device or driver malfunction. In any case, the Device Manager will be the one who will report this problem. In order to check to see if the driver is properly working press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden start menu. Once it opens, click on Device Manager to open it, If you have a driver device error inside Windows, you should see it immediately when entering the Device Manager, it will have a yellow exclamation mark beside it. Right-click on it and choose update driver.

4. Reinstall driver

   If driver update failed or you already have the latest drivers, reinstalling them could fix the issue since drivers might have corrupted during installation of some update or application. Follow steps from point 3 to get to the driver in Device Manager, then right-click on it but instead of update choose to uninstall. Reboot Windows once the driver is uninstalled and Windows will install a new one.

5. Check Windows update

   Check to see if the latest Windows update is installed, update your Windows if needed

6. Fix driver issue with DRIVERFIX

   If everything else fails, get DRIVERFIX, a premium solution for your PC issues, and fix driver errors.

If you are trying to copy a folder or file in your Windows 10 computer but encountered an error that says, “There is insufficient disk space to complete operation”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will walk you through how you can fix the error. This kind of problem could be due to lack of disk space, corrupted disk, and many more. In such cases, this error usually pops up when you move or copy a file or folder to a particular location. There are several potential fixes you can check out to fix this error. You can try to run the Storage Sense or Disk Cleanup or try copying or moving the file in a Clean Boot State. You could also try formatting the given partition to NTFS. For more information, refer to each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to delete the temporary files

The error could be caused by some temporary or junk files in your computer and so you need to clear them up to fix the problem. You can achieve that using the Storage Sense feature.

• Open Setting > System > Storage from the WinX Menu.
• From there, you will see a list of all the local and connected storage devices along with the details on the free space. Make sure that Storage Sense is on.
• Next, find a link that says “Free Up Space” and click it to open.
• After that, a screen which is the built-in program in Windows 10 will appear and will scan your computer for the following junk files so you can free up disk space:
  • Windows Upgrade Log Files
  • The system created Windows Error Reporting Files
  • Thumbnails
  • Temporary Internet Files
  • Previous Windows Installation Files
  • Delivery Optimisation Files
  • DirectX Shader Cache
• Choose the files you want to get rid of and then click on the remove files option. Note that you’ll have an idea of the total size as you select any of the junk files listed above.
• Now go to the “Free Up Space Now” section and click the Clean now button. This will get rid of all the temporary or junk files in your computer and should hopefully fix the “There is insufficient disk space to complete operation” error.

Option 2 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

If the first options didn’t work and you still see the “There is insufficient disk space to complete operation” error when you copy folder or files, you can try putting your computer in a Clean Boot State and then again.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now try to connect copy the folder or file once more and check if the error is now gone.

Option 3 – Try formatting the given partition to NTFS

Even though this option may take a lot of your time, it is proven to fix the “There is insufficient disk space to complete operation” error as reported by many users who also went through the same dilemma. So if the removable disk is showing the same error message no matter which computer you insert it, you might have to format the drive with the help of Command Prompt. But before you do that, you must know that all the contents of your drive will be permanently deleted after you format it.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd and then tap Enter or click OK to open the Command Prompt.
• And in the elevated window of Command Prompt, type in the following command:

format F: /fs:ntfs

In the command given above, “F” is the drive letter and “NTFS” is the file system you want. Just remember to replace “F” with the drive letter you want to format as well as the file system you prefer. Brace yourself as this process might take quite a while even if you only have a 4 GB USB drive – so you must not close the window under any circumstances as the drive might get corrupted and wait for the process to finish.

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL will cause your computer to go to the blue screen of death but do not worry there are solutions around this and we are here to instruct you on how to solve this.

1.  Uninstall and install network drivers

   DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is most commonly tied to bad network drivers, whatever that be a corruption of the driver files or their incompatibility. So first thing is to check if this is the case. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu in Windows and click on Device Manager. In the Device Manager expand Network adapters, choose adapter, right-click on it and choose Uninstall. Install latest driver or reboot so Windows will install the driver automatically

2. Update driver

   If you do not want to reinstall the driver or you are unable to for whatever reason updating the driver might do the trick. To update driver: Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu in Windows and click on Device Manager. In the Device Manager expand Network adapters, choose adapter, right-click on it and choose Update Driver.

3. Fix via Command prompt

   If both of the beforementioned solutions fail, try running the command prompt and fix the issue from there. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu in Windows and click on Command Prompt (administrator) In command prompt type next line and press ENTERDEL /F /S /Q /A “C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mfewfpk.sys Reboot the system

4. Scan your PC for malware

   Sometimes corruption in the system is caused by malware, Scan your system for malware, viruses, etc.

5. Check connections or other hardware issues

   If all methods fail, open your PC case and check to see if connections everywhere are properly connected and tight. Clean your PC and turn it back ON

6. Use system restore

   If anything fails, use Windows system restore and bring back computer into a state where everything was working fine.

Scammers have decided to target Windows’s 10 App installer process in order to infect your computer and steal your data. As in most usual online scams, everything starts with a strange email containing threats and other poorly written and composed speech. At the end of the given email, there would be a link claiming that you, of course, need to read it and follow instructions about the threat, if you click the link it will open a web page where you will have an innocent-looking PDF file with more information about the threat itself. If you click on a seemingly innocent PDF file it will summon Windows 10's AppInstaller.exe tool, kickstarting a download-and-run process that'll put you in a bad place very quickly. From there, you'll have to deal with the dangers of malware BazarBackdoor, including data and credential theft. This kind of scam is nothing new but the interesting thing here is that it uses App installer and by clicking on a link you are opening and giving permission for a malicious crook to use it. So, stay safe and do not click on any links from unknown emails no matter what.

When Windows 11 update is available but you do not wish to restart right away because you are in the middle of using a computer, you can schedule a restart for up to 7 days. It is very easy and we will show you how to do it.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open settings
2. Click on Windows Update
3. At the top, under the Restart required to click on Schedule the Restart
4. Click the switch under Schedule a Time to turn it ON
5. Use the Pick a Time and Pick a Day menu to set time and day when you want to update
6. Go back to one screen and visually confirm that the date is set
7. Close the settings

The scheduled restart will be confirmed in a message on the Windows Update page.

Lately, Microsoft has trying to fix Print Nightmare with various methods and patches. The last patch has seemingly fixed Print Nightmare but it has broken the Alt-tab key combination. It has been reported that the latest patch has broken famous key combinations for quickly switching from window to window. It seems that combination is not working or it is switching to desktop, even going to blank screen if switching from the full-screen game.

Fixing the issue

Luckily this issue is easily fixable. The first and easier fix for this issue is surprising to turn off the news and info widget, right-click on it and choose News and interests and then click on turn off. The second solution would be to uninstall the update. Go to Settings, then to Update & Security, and from there view Update History and remove the update.

Error Code  0x80070490 - What is it?

Error code 0x80070490 occurs in versions of Windows including Windows 8 or 8.1 and Windows 7 or Windows Vista. This error often arises when users attempt to install updates via Windows Update or Microsoft Update.

The main reason for the error relates to the Component-Based Servicing (CBS) manifest which has become damaged. When the error occurs, the Windows device is unable to successfully install updates.

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0x80070490 might appear for various reasons but is most prominent in the following cases:

• Attempts to install Windows 8 or 8.1
• A corrupted Component-Based Servicing (CBS)

Further Information and Manual Repair

The solutions for error code 0x80070490 vary so users may need to attempt each solution to find the best results.

1. Repair Corrupted Windows Files with System File Checker

The System File Checker (SFC.exe) is a Windows-based utility that enables users to check and repair corrupted or damaged system files. It can also restore missing systems files which can be the cause of errors such as error code 0x80070490.

To repair files, begin scan by swiping the right edge of the screen then opening the search box. Type Command Prompt, right-click this option, then select Run as Administrator. Once the scan begins, wait for the process to be completed then restart your device. Check if the error is resolved by reattempting updates. If error code 0x80070490 in Windows 8 or 8.1 persists on your device, proceed to the solution below.

2. Perform Clean Boot

A clean boot is one of the best ways to reduce conflict among files – an issue that may arise whenever users update, install or run programs on their Windows device.

To run a clean boot, your device reboots using limited drives and programs. The process allows you to identify which conflict among programs is causing errors on your Windows device.

You can access the clean boot tool by entering msconfig in the search box. Select Services, then System Configuration. Check the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox then select Disable all. Next, go to the Startup tab, click and open Task Manager. After selecting the Startup tab, make sure you right-click each startup program. Click Disable from the context menu then close Task Manager when done. Select OK on the System Configuration menu then restart your machine to clean boot Windows 8 or 8.1.

If the clean boot successfully identifies and resolves issues with corrupted files, you will be able to access updates using Windows Update or Microsoft Update. Error code 0x80070490 will no longer occur. But if that proves unsuccessful, other options are available below including running Windows Update Troubleshooter.

3. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

This method can provide a simple solution for users as it verifies whether your Internet connection, network adapter and Windows Update services are functioning properly. However, if you are uncertain as to whether you will be able to troubleshoot, seek assistance from a qualified Microsoft technician.

To run Windows Update Troubleshooter, simply download from Microsoft’s website. Be sure you are downloading the tool recommended for your operating system, in this case Windows 8 or 8.1. After you download Windows Update Troubleshooter, run it to enable the tool to check for and resolve update issues on your device.

4. Use DSIM or System Update Readiness Tool

The System Readiness Tool or DSIM is another method you can use to correct issues related to error code 0x80070490. This tool checks problems on your system that might prevent your computer from performing Windows updates including issues related to damaged system files.

Once you download and install this tool, it will be able to run automatically. The process may be technical, however, requiring specialized knowledge to successfully download and run the tool. Consider getting assistance from an IT professional in this case. Also, check Microsoft's online resources to download the tool.

5. Use an Automated Tool

Having an automated tool at hand will enable users to always be prepared. Download a powerful automated utility tool to provide solutions whenever error codes or other problems affect your Windows 8 device.