Keyboard folder shortcut in Windows 11

If you are trying to update your Windows 10 computer but are not able to do so since your computer is running low on storage then this obviously indicates that there is not enough disk space available on your drive where Windows 10 has been installed. As you know, when Windows 10 downloads the update packages, it extracts them in a separate folder which means that there should be enough space on that particular folder for the update to begin with. Windows do not really check systems for any adequate space requirements before it even initializes the update or upgrades and you only get to know about it right when the update process starts. On Windows 10 thin clients or the ones with embedded systems that have limited storage space, when Windows Update runs, the update initialization may fail because as pointed out, Windows does not check systems for adequate space requirements so you may have to do the work for them by making sure that your disk has enough space available. Here are some suggestions you can follow to resolve Windows 10 update issues on computers with low storage space.

Option 1 – Delete the files from the Download folder

Since you are going to delete everything manually, you need to create a backup for all your important files which you may have placed in the Download folder. After you create backup copies of important files, delete the files from this folder or you could simply tap the Shift + Del keys to remove the files permanently after you selected them all.

Option 2 – Change the Windows Update Folder location

You might have to change the Windows Update folder location where Windows download all the files need to update the operating system if you cannot really create some space on your primary driver. So all you have to do is set the drive with enough space available for the update to be completed.

Option 3 – Uninstall apps and programs you no longer use

In some cases, apps and programs take up a lot of space on your drive. So if there are programs or apps that you no longer use, you can uninstall them to save storage space. To do so, follow these steps:

• In the search box, type in “control” and then click on Control Panel (desktop app) among the search results.
• After that, select Programs and Features from the list which will give you a list of all the programs installed on your computer.
• From there, look for the apps and programs that you no longer use and right-click on each one of them and click on Uninstall.

Option 4 – Move files to another drive

This is another thing you can try. You can move files, especially the ones with large sizes, to another drive to make up space on your drive. After that, install the updates once again.

Option 5 – Reduce on-drive files from Cloud services

If you are using tons of cloud backup services such as OneDrive and Dropbox, you might want to consider reducing the number of files you have on those cloud backup services. You can do what you’ve done on option number three and have those files moved to another drive to free up storage space.

Option 6 – Empty the contents in Recycle Bin

As you know, the files that are deleted from your computer goes to the Recycle Bin first. So if you have not emptied Recycle Bin for a long time now, the files you delete are still actually taking up space on your drive. Thus, you need to empty the contents in the Recycle Bin to save storage space.

Option 7 – Clean up temporary files

You can use the Windows 10 Storage Sense feature which can clean all the temporary files from your computer. To use Storage Sense, follow the steps below.

• 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.
• Now make sure that the Storage Sense feature is turned On then go 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
• 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.

One of the most common hardware issues with any PC usually has something to do with the hard drive so if your hard drive experiences some errors, you could end up losing a lot of important information that’s stored in your computer. This is why Windows provided users with the CHKDSK utility which helps in looking for bad sectors on the drive. However, there are times when the CHKDSK utility could also face issues like the following error:

“Failed to transfer logged messages to the log event with status 50.”

According to security experts, this error is most likely due to the hard drive or RAM being in a “Read-only” state. It could also be due to some physical issues with the hard drive. On the other hand, it could be that the system is prevented from creating logs by some drive, service, or malware. To fix this error, you have to check if the hard disk is writable. You could also try to run the CHKDSK utility in Safe Mode or you could also check the physical status of your hard disk or external drive.

Option 1 – Check if the hard disk is writable

Although the CHKDSK utility checks for bad sectors in the hard drive, it also has to create logs of the result. And as states in the error message, the CHKDSK utility is not able to log the logged messages. This kind of error occurs when the log can’t be written to an installation disk. You can find the log in this location, “C:WindowsSystem32LogfilesSrtSrtTrail.txt”. Now you have to check if the drive writable by following these steps:

• Log in as administrator and right-click on the system drive.
• Select Properties and then go to the Security tab. Here, check if you are allowed to modify the drive. If not, click on Edit (as an administrator).
• Now edit the permissions for the SYSTEM and Administrators group. Note that these are the only default settings for these two groups or usernames.
• Then click on the Apply button save the changes made and exit.

Option 2 – Run the CHKDSK utility in Safe Mode

You could also try to run the CHKDSK utility in Safe Mode as this might solve the error.

• Boot your computer in Safe Mode.
• Next, open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type and enter this command to execute it: chkdsk c: /f /r
• Wait until the process is completed and boot your computer normally and then run the CHKDSK utility again and check if the “Failed to transfer logged messages to the log event with status 50” error is now fixed.

Option 3 – Try to check the hard disk or external drive physically

If the first two options didn’t work, you might want to check the physical status of your hard disk or external drive as the problem could root from there. You can try to tighten the wires that connect the hard disk to the motherboard. However, if it doesn’t help, you should seek out assistance from a hardware technician.

Building your own custom PC system can be one of the greatest things you can do to your budget. Instead of going for a rebuild, we will go into detail about why building your own PC is a much better option. Also, note that if you do not possess enough technical knowledge about a topic there are plenty of stores that will offer you advice on components and after all, you can always get help from a friend.

So without further diversion from the topic, let us explore all the benefits of building a custom computer.

Building a custom PC is cheaper

At the first look, this statement does not feel right since when you look at the prebuilt systems you get a feeling that it is much cheaper than do it yourself variant and although CPU and GPU seem like a great deal I beg you to look under the hood on other components. Usually to lower price compromise would be made on other crucial components like SD or power supply, a PC case, or motherboard so even if you have a good CPU and GPU that will not matter much since other components would not be able to catch up with them. After all, prebuild computers will need to pay people who are building them and there is no way that will be cheaper if you just plain went and bought the same components yourself and install them.

When you are in control in choosing each component there is not only being cheaper online, it is flexibility with building itself. You choose which components you want to be stronger and which to be normal. Also, you can choose the exact model of the given component leaving you more in control and open to future upgrades.

More flexibility

Also, it may sound irrelevant but when building your own custom PC you can also choose which company you would like to purchase for each model, yes considering the CPU it is AMD or Intel but when you are buying a case, SSD, GPU, and other components choosing the right company for your needs is also the thing that should not be overlooked.

You can customize it the way you want

Not really a quality argument but with a custom PC build, you can choose would you like that RGB component or not, you choose do you like white or black fans, and many more things. You really can place a personal stamp on the computer making it indeed a personal computer.

You choose OS and applications

When you buy an already prebuilt PC, usually it comes with some sort of OS on it, sometimes it is freedos, Linux and sometimes it is Windows Home. When you get your hands dirty you can place whichever system you want on it and install applications that you use and know and some preinstalled typical apps.

No one knows everything about a program off hand. You need to use the program for a long time before you can even possibly know all that it is able to do and all you are able to achieve with it. However, this doesn’t mean that you don’t need help from time to time. This is also the case when Outlook errors pop up. Sometimes there are things you must or probably should do with your program that you do not understand and definitely don’t know how to do. Set up POP3 with your email account in Outlook is one of these things you will probably need help to achieve.

Steps to Set up POP3

First, you may need to know what POP3 is. POP3 is the way emails are sent from one email address to another. It may be more or less instant nowadays, but the process is still long and hard-winded. Similar to how your letters get from your mailbox to the recipients' mailbox, your emails get from you to the next person. Letters are picked up in your mailbox and sent to your post office where they send it to the recipient’s post office who sends it to the recipient’s mailbox. Similarly, your email is sent to your outbox, which sends it to your email service provider, that sends it to the recipient’s email service provider who sends it to their inbox. This is one of the reasons that sending an email to someone who uses the same email service provider as you is about a millisecond faster. This process of sending emails is called POP3 and you need to set it up if you use Outlook on Microsoft. This, on Outlook, also determines which email account you send your emails from. You see, on Outlook and many other email service providers, you can have many different email addresses, no even necessarily with the email service provider’s prefix on the end. Now, if you want to see this for yourself, go on to your settings on Outlook and look for manage email accounts. If you have more than one email account, you will see them listed. Somewhere on the sidebar, you will see POP3 as well. If you want to add more email accounts to this, such as a business email or a personal email, then just click ‘Add new account’ instead of 'Manage email accounts'. When you click on an email account you have linked already, you will see on this side the details for your POP3 (incoming emails) and your SMTP (outgoing emails). This can be changed, but since everyone’s number of accounts and type of accounts is different, there is no set way to change this. However, you can give Microsoft a call and they will walk you through the necessary steps in order to change this.

Conclusion

So, POP3 can be incredibly easy to understand or incredibly hard; it depends on how good you are with electronics and the advice you are given. But don’t try to change things by yourself; get a professional from Microsoft to help you with POP3 on your Microsoft Outlook account.

The Windows Update service, just like other services in Windows 10 may sometimes experience some issues and stop behaving properly. One of the issues you might encounter as you use the Windows Update service is the Windows Update error 0x8024A10A. This kind of error code signifies that the Windows Update service is shutting down. So if you encounter this error, read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix it. When you receive the Windows Update error 0x8024A10A, you may see this error message on your screen: “USO_E_SERVICE_SHUTTING_DOWN indicates that the WU Service is shutting down. This may happen due to a very long period of time of inactivity, a system hang leading to the service being idle and leading to the shutdown of the service. Ensure that the system remains active and the connections remain established to complete the upgrade.” You could try to restart your computer to resolve the problem since there are instances when a simple restart can fix errors. However, if it does not work, you might find the options provided below useful.

Option 1 – Try to restart the Windows Update Service

The first thing you can do to fix Windows Update error 0x8024A10A is to restart the Windows Update Service from the Services Manager. To do so, follow these steps:

• In the Cortana search box, type “services” and click on the Services icon to open the Services Manager. Alternatively, you can also tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run prompt and then type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
• After opening the Services Manager, look for the Windows Update Service.
• Once you found it, right-click on it and check if the Service is stopped. If it is, then select the Start option. On the other hand, if the Windows Update Service is already started, just select the Restart option.
• After that, try to run the Windows Update again and see if the error 0x8024A10A is now fixed.

Option 2 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Since the Windows Update troubleshooter reviews the status of the services that support the process, it would prompt and fix it if there is anything that’s not right. Thus, you might want to run a built-in Windows Update troubleshooter to resolve the Windows Update error. It is one of the things you can check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update errors like error 0x8024A10A. To run this troubleshooter, 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 3 – Run Microsoft’s online troubleshooter

Aside from the Windows Update troubleshooter, running Microsoft’s online troubleshooter might also help you fix the Windows Update Error 0x8024A10A. This online troubleshooter is known to help in fixing Windows Update errors, it scans your computer for issues that might be causing the problem and then fixes them automatically.

Option 4 – Try to run the Windows Update Service in a Clean Boot State

There are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that’s causing Windows Update error code 0x8024A10A. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now try to run the Windows Update Service again and see if Windows Update error 0x8024A10A is now gone.

Fatal Error c000021a - What is it?

Fatal Error c000021a is a type of Windows stop error also known as the blue screen of death (BSoD) error. When this error occurs, it causes the computer screen to go blue and locks the user out of the current activity. This error code is fatal and can lead to serious issues like system crashes and freeze. The error code is usually displayed in the following format:

STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error} The Windows Logon Process system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000034 (0x00000000 0x0000000)

Solution

Error Causes

Fatal Error c000021a occurs when the Windows kernel detects that either Winlogon.exe or Csrss.exe service processes have stopped responding or failed to load.  When this happens the error code pops up on the screen. Nonetheless, this is not the only reason for the occurrence of this error. There are plenty more reasons why Fatal Error c000021a may pop on your computer screen. These include:

• Missing or corrupt hardware drivers
• Faulty hardware
• Windows System Restore failed during the rollback process
• Malware or viral infection
• Registry issues

No matter what the reason may be, it is advisable to fix the error right away without any delays. Remember it is a fatal error and can cause a great deal of damage to your PC.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Fatal Error c000021a is a serious PC issue but this does not mean you have to hire an expert to get it fixed. The good news is that this error is actually quite easy to resolve. You don’t have to be a technical whiz or a computer programmer to fix Fatal Error c000021a on your PC. Here are some do it yourself methods to fix this error code right away without any hassle: Let’s get started:

Method 1: Update Your PC Drivers

As we mentioned about corrupt or missing drivers can be one of the many reasons for the occurrence of this error. So, check the drivers first. Perform a driver scan and make sure all your drivers are updated.

Method 2: Perform a Windows System Restore

To do this, first launch Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC on your keyboard. Now click on the application tab and then click ‘New Task’ then browse. After that, go to C:\Windows\System32\Restore  folder and then double click the rstrui.exe file. This will help start system restoration. Your computer will reboot during the process and hopefully, the error will be resolved. Nonetheless, if the error still persists then try methods 3 and 4.

Method 3: Scan for Viruses

Sometimes Fatal Error c000021a may also occur due to malware infection. Your PC may be affected by viruses hidden in different locations without you knowing about it. Therefore to resolve this error, it is recommended to run an antivirus and scan for viruses. If detected, remove them right away to fix the error code.

Method 4: Repair the Registry

Another method to resolve Fatal Error c000021a code on your system is to repair the registry. The registry stores all the information and activities performed on the system. If it is not cleaned frequently, it gets loaded with too many files unnecessary and obsolete files like the junk files, cookies, internet history and temporary files which corrupts and damages the registry thereby generating blue screen of death error codes like Fatal Error c000021a. Though you can repair the registry manually it can be both time-consuming and slightly difficult especially if you are not a computer programmer. Therefore it is advisable to download a registry cleaner to fix it right away.

Automatic Repair with Restoro.

Whether the Fatal Error c000021a code occurs due to viral infection or registry issues, download Restoro. This is a next-generation, advanced, and multi-functional PC Fixer. This software is deployed with multiple utilities such as a powerful registry cleaner, an antivirus, a system optimizer, and more. The registry cleaner scans the entire PC and detects all types of registry issues at once. It cleans the registry, wipes out all the unnecessary files, and restores the registry back to normal. Simultaneously, the antivirus embedded in this software detects all types of viruses including malware, adware, spyware and Trojans and removes them in seconds. The system optimizer feature ensures the speed and performance of your PC are not compromised during the repairing process. It ensures your PC works at its optimal speed. Restoro is a one-stop solution for all your PC needs. It has a user-friendly interface making it easy for all levels of users to work around. It is compatible with all Windows versions Click here to download Restoro and resolve the Fatal Error c000021a code on your PC today!

What is Backup Error 0x80070002?

Error 0x80070002 shows once you’re done backing up files through the Windows Backup program on a system running Windows 7, you see a notification that pops up with a message that reads something like: “Check your backup results. The backup completed but some files were skipped.” You try finding out the reason and you hover over to the Options button beside the message, then you get to read the following lines: “Check your backup results. The backup completed but some files were skipped. View skipped files.” Upon clicking the “View Skipped Files” option, the backup error 0x80070002 pops up on your screen and you’re left scratching your head, wondering what you’re going to do now.

Solution

Error Causes

There are multiple error logs that you will encounter in backup error 0x80070002 as per different conditions. The two most common cases in which this error shows up are stated below:

Case 1

You will see the following message when you press “View skipped files”: “Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C: Windows/System32/config/systemprofile. Error: (The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))” You will face this case if you have backed up a library that included custom folders that were located in your user profile.

Case 2

Upon pressing “View Skipped files” you will encounter the below-mentioned messages: “Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:/Users<User>AppDataLocalLow. Error: (The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))” “Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:/Users<User>Contacts. Error: (The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))” “Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:/Users<User>Searches. Error:(The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))” You are likely to encounter any of these messages in case:

• The Windows Backup program is trying to back up your files in either one or all of these folders (LocalLow, Searches, Contacts).
• All three of these folders don’t exist in your system.

Keep in mind that all three of these folders exist due to the installation of certain programs and applications on your system.

Notes

The backup error 0x80070002 is also found to occur while using USB devices instead of storage devices. Other occurrences include the times when input/output (I/O) operations are performed on the USB device, which results in failure.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To make sure this issue is resolved, you will have to follow either one of the following solutions as appropriate to your situation:

Solution for Case 1

1. Ignore the error. The store files of the custom library in your user profile will not be created as backups.
2. Transfer the library folder from where it currently exists to a place outside its current folder (user profile). For instance, you can move the library folder to an entirely new destination such as “C: My Folders”
3. Remove the library folder from the list of files that you are backing up using the Windows Backup program. Then, add the original place of the library’s content in the list.
4. Go back and check step two. If carried out successfully then add a link to the folder you moved from the library. Check to see if the backup includes the library folder. To make sure, you have to do as follows:

• Go to Start and select your username.
• Hover across to the folder you wish to move, right-click on it and select “Cut”.
• Head to the navigation pane and search for the area you will store the folder in, right-click and select “Paste” so that the folder is moved to that location.
• Right-click on the folder that you just moved and select “Copy”.
• Go back to Start, select your username, right-click any vacant space in your folder and select “Paste Shortcut”.

Note: If you want to store the folder in a different place other than the folder in which it currently exists (user profile), you will need to create a new folder. In order to do so, go to the Windows Explorer menu and look up the root of the drive. Hit “New Folder” and then choose edit to change its name. You can set it as any name for instance, “My Folders”.

Solution for Case 2

You can ignore this error safely. However, if you wish not to see this error in the future during your backup operations then you will need to carry out the following steps:

1. Create all the folders listed in the error message including LocalLow, Contacts, and Searches.
2. Remove all of these folders from the Backup settings to make sure they aren’t being backed up then add the folders which are in their original place. To carry out this procedure, you will have to follow the below-mentioned steps:

• Head over to the Control Panel and open “Backup & Restore”.
• Go to the Backup section and select “Change Settings”.
• Click Next in the Setup backup dialog box.
• Select “Let me choose” in the dialog box termed “What do you want to back up” then proceed by clicking Next.
• Expand Data Files, expand <user> Libraries, expand Additional Locations then proceed by clearing out the AppData Folder, searches, and Contacts checkboxes.
• Expand Computer as well as the item for your system drive (expand Local Disk (D:)), expand users, expand <user>, then go to AppData, Searches and Contacts and mark them if they are present.
• Proceed by clicking next and select “Save Settings” then exit.
• Back to Backup & Restore, select Back up now and your new backup will begin proceeding. The entire process will be complete without any errors now.

People are becoming more and more concerned with their privacy and Facebook's flagship messaging application is caught between it all. While still widely popular it has becoming to lose its ground due to many unanswered questions about privacy encryption. Lucky for all of us there are alternatives for more secure messaging.

SIGNAL

Arguably the most secure of all well-regarded messaging apps, Signal is the favorite of the European Commission, as well as newsrooms around the world. While Signal doesn’t disclose how many daily or monthly users the app has, Google’s Play Store says it has been installed more than 50 million times. While using Signal, each voice or video call connected through the app includes full end-to-end encryption. Signal takes an extra step by hiding message metadata so that the location of the original message is missing. While it asks for your mobile number, that number isn’t used with your profile. Instead, it acts as a numeric username. Once registered, you will find 1-1 chat, audio, and video calls, disappearing or “secret” chats, and a privacy lock so nobody can access the app even if they have your phone. Best of all, it’s completely free to use.

TELEGRAM

One of the biggest competitors to Facebook Messenger (and WhatsApp), Telegram is a very strong alternative. With more than 400 million users, it offers an interface that should feel right at home for anyone coming from Messenger. Telegram offers some huge benefits over Messenger, including features like groups that can hold up to 200,000 members for a chat. There is no limit on your media or chat size, and you can share all types of files between users and in groups. From a privacy standpoint, Telegram has robust security, but it is worth noting that only “secret” messages are end-to-end encrypted and can self-destruct. Non-secret messages can be stored on Telegram’s servers so you can pick them up between your devices quickly. That’s a consideration worth knowing prior to making Telegram your default Messenger replacement. Telegram is free across all platforms.

THREEMA

Rising in popularity, Threema is another privacy-focused alternative that has quickly become a competitor to Facebook Messenger. This paid service ($2.99 on both App Store and Play Store) is a pay-once, use forever option. Once you pay the small fee, you gain all of Threema’s touted privacy options, like open-source end-to-end encryption for both messages and calls. Like Signal, Threema won’t require you to link any phone numbers or emails to your account. All chats are handled anonymously, and the service generates a random user ID when you first open and register for the app. No data is collected from any of your chats and no ads are shown. The Swiss-made app does have its own servers hosted in Switzerland, which do not store any chat messages. Another privacy benefit of Threema is the notion that all of your contact lists, groups, and user profiles are hosted on your device, not on the Swiss servers. Because of that, Threema can once again state that none of your personal info is stored anywhere they have access.

You might be trying to play music files using the Windows Media Player, but were unable to do so since you encountered an error saying, “Windows Media Player Error – Server Execution Failed” error. If you encountered this error, worry not for this post will guide you on how to fix it using some potential fixes. In the error message, the “Server execution failed” indicates that the “wmplayer.exe” is still running or shutting down at that point and it is possible that it is stuck which is not able to close properly. To fix this error, there are several potential fixes you can try. The first one is to run the Video Playback troubleshooter. While you could also try to disable the WMP Network Sharing Service or register both the jscript.dll and vbscript.dll files. For more information, refer to the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to run the Video Playback troubleshooter

The first thing you can do to fix the problem, you can try to run the Video Playback troubleshooter instead. To run it, simply go to Settings > Update & security > Troubleshoot. From there, scroll down until you see the Video Playback option and then click on the “Run the troubleshooter” button to get started. This troubleshooter will detect and automatically fix any problems related to video playback so it should help fix the error.

Option 2 – Try to disable the WMP Network Sharing Service

If the Video Playback troubleshooter didn’t work in fixing the problem, the next thing you need to do is disable the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service. The WMP Network Sharing Service is used to share the libraries of the Windows Media Player to other users on the network as well as media devices using the Universal Plug and Play. And since you are not using any network here, then you can disable this service to fix the problem. How? Refer to the given steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Services Manager.
• Next, look for the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service from the list of Services and right-click on it.
• After that, click on the Stop option and see if it fixes the Windows Media Player error.

Option 3 – Try to register the jscript.dll and vbscript.dll files

• Tap the Win + X keys and from the menu select the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option to open an elevated Command Prompt.
• Next, type this command to register the jscript.dll file and click on the confirmation box: regsvr32 jscript.dll
• After that, execute the regsvr32 vbscript.dll command to register the vbscript.dll file.
• Once you’re done, these DLL files will be re-registered and should fix the Windows Media Player error.

Recently, a lot of users reported to Microsoft about getting an error code 0x80096004 while trying to update their Windows 10 computers. This kind of Windows Update error occurs during the initial download and verification process. It also affects the Windows features (FODs) and when you encounter this error, you will also see this error code, “TRUST_E_CERT_SIGNATURE”. This error code indicates that the signature of the certificate could not be confirmed. This is caused by a broken certificate store or a corrupt copy of the Windows operating system is installed. Here’s the complete error message:

“There were some problems installing 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: (0x80096004).”

To fix Windows Update error 0x80096004, you can check out the options provided below.

Option 1 – Delete the contents in the Software Distribution folder and Catroot2 folder

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer, and then try to run Windows Update once more.

Option 2 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the things you can first check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update errors like error code 0x80096004. To run it, Refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• From there, click Update and Security and go to the Troubleshoot section.
• Next, select Windows Update and click the “Run the troubleshooter” button and wait until it’s finished, and then try to run Windows Update again.

Option 3 – Try to temporarily disable anti-virus and Windows Defender Firewall

As mentioned, the error could be due to the antivirus program or the Windows Defender Firewall installed on your computer. Thus, disabling them or any security software installed in your computer is always a good idea you can try when you’re not able to access the shared drive on your computer. There are times when you encounter problems like Error Code 0x80096004 due to interference of antivirus or security programs. Thus, you have to disable both your antivirus program and Windows Defender Firewall for the meantime and check if it fixes the error or not.

Option 4 – Try to replace the DLL file with a trusted source

You can also try to replace the crypt32.dll file as it could help in fixing the Windows Update error. Just make sure that you get one from a trusted source.

• First, you need to get the new DLL file from another computer with preferably the same file version number.
• 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.
  • x86: This PC > C:/Windows/System32
  • 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 crypt32.dll” command and hit Enter.
• Restart your PC and check if the error is now fixed.

Option 5 – Try downloading and installing the Windows Updates manually

Error Code 0x80096004 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.

Option 6– Run System File Checker or SFC scan

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

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

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

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.

 Reboot your PC.

Option 7 – Try to run the Windows Update Service in a Clean Boot State

There are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that’s causing Windows Update error. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now try to run the Windows Update Service again and see if Windows Update error 0x80096004 is now gone.