A Quick Guide to Resolving IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Error

When experiencing internet connection problems, most users run the built-in troubleshooter to fix the problem. However, you might come across another problem when instead of fixing the problem, the troubleshooter throws up an error message saying, “The Windows Wireless Service is not running on this computer”. After displaying this error message, the troubleshooter would exit. Usually, this kind of error indicates that Windows has failed to initialize the wireless service so it can start searching for broadcast signals and try to connect to them. So in this post, we have prepared some workarounds that might help you resolve the issue.

Option 1 – Try to check the WLAN Status

You have to make sure that the wireless service is enabled in your computer before you proceed to the other troubleshooting options below as this error could occur for a simple reason as the wireless capability is turned off from your PC either on some built-in settings or physically. This is why you need to make sure that Wireless is enabled. And if it turns out that it is disabled, you need to turn it back on and then reconnect to the wireless network again. You should now be able to connect to the internet without any issue.

Option 2 – Try to check the WLAN AutoConfig Service

The WLAN AutoConfig service is the one that provides the logic and functionality required to discover, connect and configure wireless networks with your PC. Aside from that, it also contains the module that allows your PC to be discoverable to other systems on a network. Thus, you need to verify if the WLAN AutoConfig service is on or not.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• And in the field, type in “services.msc” and hit Enter to open Services.
• After opening the Services window, look for the entry named “WLAN AutoConfig” and then right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu.
• Next, click on the Start button to turn on the service and then set the startup type as “Automatic”.
• Then try to connect to your Wireless network again and check if the issue has been resolved.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Network Configurations

Resetting the Network Configurations can also help you in fixing the Windows Wireless service as the network settings often get disrupted or corrupted in a variety of different cases every now and then. Note that this module will reset all the network settings stored on your computer.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open Search and then type in “command prompt” in the field.
• From the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter to execute it:

netsh winsock reset

• The command given will reset the Winsock data. Once it is executed, restart your PC for the changes to take effect and then check if the internet connection is now fine.

Note: Do make sure that the WiFi drivers are up to date. To do that, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. If you see a red or yellow sign that shows up against the driver, right-click on the driver’s name and select “Update Driver Software” or “Uninstall”. And if you find any “Unknown device”, you need to update it as well.
• Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
• Restart your PC.

Note: You also have the option to go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturer and check if there’s a new update – if there is, download it.

Option 4 – Perform System Restore

Recently, a lot of issues have resurfaced after users installed the latest Windows update. So the wireless service issue might also be related to it. To fix the problem, you can perform System Restore to roll back your Windows to the last time when it was working just fine. It automatically creates backups in time whenever you install a new update or periodically. Follow the steps below to perform System Restore.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open Search and then type in “restore” in the field and select the topmost result.
• Once you’ve opened the restore settings, click on System Restore located at the beginning of the window under the System Protection tab.
• After that, a wizard will appear that will guide you through all the steps needed to restore the system. You can choose either the recommended restore point or a different one.
• After you select the restore point, click Next to proceed to the next on-screen instructions.
• Then select the restore point where the Windows Update was installed on your computer. If you have more than one restore point, you can just select the latest restore point and check the functionality from there. If it doesn’t work, you can just try another restore point.
• Another prompt will appear and will ask you to confirm your actions. Click OK and wait for the system to be restored. Once it’s done, check if the problem’s now fixed.

Recently, a lot of users reported having an issue with Windows Update. According to these users, they got an error message saying, “Windows Update components must be repaired” after they run the Windows Update troubleshooter. So if you are also facing this issue then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing this problem. There are various suggestions you can check out to fix this problem – you can try running the Windows Update troubleshooter again but this time, in a Clean Boot State or you could also run System File Checker or the DISM tool to repair corrupted Windows Update files or reset the Windows Update components. For more information, refer to the given options below.

Option 1 – Run the Windows Update troubleshooter in a Clean Boot State

Repairing the “Windows Update components must be repaired” error is not that complicated. One of the things you can try is to run the Windows Update troubleshooter again but this time, in a Clean Boot State. Refer to the steps below to get started.

• 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 troubleshooter again and see if the error is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try to run System File Checker

If the Windows Update troubleshooter still failed to fix the problem, you can run System File Checker instead. It 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. 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 3 – Run the DISM tool

Running the DISM Tool helps in repairing the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.

• Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.

Note: If it happens that the Windows Update client is broken, you need to run the following command to repair it then restart your PC and click on Update once again.

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccess

Option 4 – Delete the contents in the Software Distribution folder and Catroot2 folder

You can also delete the contents in both the Software Distribution and Catroot2 folders as it could potentially fix the “Windows Update components must be repaired” error.

• 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.

5 Windows 10 Upgrade Errors

The recently released Windows 10 captivated the mass but its rollout, polished as it might have been, proved everything but seamless. Surf the Internet and you’ll get the gist. People are complaining and they need assistance. Assistance with what you might ask? Many have attempted to make an upgrade but failed after encountering various strange combinations of letters and numbers. These are none other than error codes. If you’ve tried and failed, feast your visuals below as you might encounter one of these 5 Windows 10 Upgrade errors.

Error Code 0x80073712

Encountering error code 0x80073712 in no way implies that you need to throw out your computer system and acquire a new one. Not at all! This error code simply means that a very important file to Windows might have gone missing or corrupted. This file is crucial to Windows update so without obtaining this file, you won’t be able to proceed with the update.

Error Code 0x800F0923

Likely, there are many programs and drivers installed on your computer. They all play a vital role. However, if you’ve received error code 0x800F0923, it might be time to consider or turn your eyes to installed drivers on your system. Why? Error code 0x800F0923 means that there’s a driver or driver on your current Operating System that’s not compatible with Windows 10. There’s clearly a dilemma here.

“We couldn't complete the updates. Undoing changes. Don't turn off your computer.” Or “Failure configuring Windows Updates. Reverting changes”

That’s a pretty odd error but I will say it's slick… That Windows 10 upgrade error is straightforward. Microsoft is just letting you know that they won’t be able to complete the update to Windows 10 and so they are putting your computer back to where it was. How nice of them.

The error messages above are pretty generic and will manifest when the upgrade fails for one reason or the other. To resolve this issue, you’ll most definitely have to decipher what error code was presented. Identifying that will provide a glimpse into exactly what steps you need to take.

The Update Isn't Applicable to Your Computer

I don’t know about you but I strongly believe Microsoft is subtly letting you know that your computer system is old and needs to be thrown out. Also, this update could imply that your PC needs to install important updates to rev you up to the requirements. All relevant updates to your computer must be installed before you can get past this stage.

Error… “Something Happened”

This Windows 10 upgrade error has been the talk of the Internet. In fact, users of Windows OS have been making it a mockery. Clearly, not many have had success after encountering this error. Obviously, “something happened” but it’s just not easy to decipher what went wrong. Microsoft is still trying to figure it out.

Solution

KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED – What is it?

Some users installing or upgrading to Windows 10 experienced the theKMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED Blue Screen of Death (or commonly known as BSOD) error. This error can be due to different types of things, ranging from software to driver issues. When you experience this BSOD error while trying to install Windows 10, it will prompt you to restart your computer every single time you experience it. In most cases, you will also not be able to proceed with the Windows 10 set-up.

Solution

Error Causes

The “KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED” error is normally caused by:

• Hardware incompatibility
• A faulty device driver or system service

Further Information and Manual Repair

You won’t be able to successfully upgrade or set up Windows 10 if you continue to encounter this BSOD error. Note that this error will always prompt your computer to restart every time it happens, preventing you from completing the Windows 10 set-up.

If you’re not tech-savvy or not capable of debugging this issue, it’s highly advisable to proceed with the basic troubleshooting techniques available in this link.

After troubleshooting, below you’ll find a few solutions to rectify the issue.

Method 1 – Check The Cause of The BSOD Error

Two common causes of the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED issue are hardware incompatibility and faulty device driver or system service.

If you experience this error, check first if any of your newly installed hardware is compatible with Windows 10. You can find the required hardware for Windows 10 from this link. 

If all your hardware is compatible with Windows 10, you might need to check the device driver or system service. Review the bug check message. If any of the drivers you have is listed in the message, either disable or uninstall them before upgrading or setting up Windows 10.

You might also find it useful to check the System Log available in the Event Viewer for other error messages that can help you figure out the driver or device that’s causing the error. Running hardware diagnostics can also be useful.

Method 2 – Disable (or preferably uninstall) Software Before Upgrading

If you’re upgrading Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, you might need to disable or uninstall the software first. First, try uninstalling your Antivirus utility before starting the upgrade. Restart a few times before starting the Windows 10 installation. If you’re upgrading using the Windows 10 update, make sure that you disconnect from your Wi-Fi or Internet LAN (Ethernet) connection as soon as the download reaches 100% before attempting to start the set-up. Other users also reported that the cause of the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED issue is BitDefender. If this is what happened in your case, it will show in the error message such as KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (bdselfpr.sys). Users reported that a common solution for this is renaming the file. In the case of BitDefender, try renaming it to bdselfpr.s__. However, make sure to do this cautiously. Sometimes, renaming a file will even do more damage than good.

Method 3 – Disable/Disconnect From Hardware

If you’re connected to any general USB devices (such a smart card reader), disable it. If your computer is connected to other external devices, disconnect all of them. Examples of this include gaming controllers, printers, external hard disk, USB keys, and other non-essential devices).

Method 4 – Other Troubleshooting Steps

Other troubleshooting steps include:

• Upgrade using an .ISO file, instead of directly upgrading from Windows Update. When you do this, make sure you’re disconnected from the Internet during installation. If the process started and you forgot to disconnected, it’s best to restart the installation.
• If you’re connected to a domain while trying to set up Windows 10, disconnect and use a local account.
• If you’re using a SCSI hard disk, connect a thumb drive with the drivers for your storage device. While Windows 10 is setting up, click on the Custom Advanced Option. Using the thumb drive, use the Load Driver command to load the SCSI drive.
• Another possible cause of this error is due to BIOS incompatibility. BIOS issues can be solved by upgrading your version of your system BIOS. If you don’t know how to do this, refer to your BIOS manufacturer’s website.

Method 5 – Use A Trusted Automated Tool

If you still experience the error after doing the methods above, you might want to try a powerful and trusted automated tool to fix the job.

We Couldn't Install Windows Technical Preview 0x80070070 - 0x20005 -- What is it?

Some Windows users have been experiencing errors in an attempt to upgrade to Windows 10 OS. This includes the “We Couldn’t Install Windows Technical Preview 0x80070070 – 0x20005” error code. If you’re one of the many users who’ve encountered this error, you might want to check the available space on your device. Error code 0x80070070 – 0x20005 occurs when you do not have the required space to be able to install the upgrade.

Solution

Error Causes

Just like the other alternatives of error code 0x80070070 – 0x20005 such as 0x80070070 – 0x50011, 0x80070070 – 0x50012, and 0x80070070 – 0x60000, We Couldn't Install Windows Technical Preview 0x80070070 - 0x20005 is most likely caused by the following:

• Insufficient disk space in your computer
• Incomplete installation or improper deletion of applications
• The device is infected with virus or malware

Further Information and Manual Repair

In order to upgrade to Windows 10, you need to have at least 40 to 50 GB of free space in your device. Thus, you need to free up some space in order to successfully upgrade your system to Windows 10. See below for the manual methods you can employ to solve your problem.

NOTE: It would be best to seek help from an experienced technician if you are not confident enough to perform the manual methods yourself or you can alternatively make use of an automated tool.

Method One: Clean Up Your Device

1. Click Start then browse Afterwards, click on This PC.
2. Right-click on Local Disk (C:) then choose
3. Under the General tab, click on Disk Cleanup.
4. Once the Disk Cleanup window appears, check all items you want to clear down, making sure that the recycle bin is empty and clear any temp files, as well as error logs. Click OK once you’re done.
5. Repeating the same process above, clear down your system files as well to ensure that the old OS files from your previous system are taken down by clicking on Clean up system files in the Disk Cleanup window.

 Method Two: Uninstall Unused Applications

Sometimes, there are unused applications just lying around your device. This may take up your needed space from your device for a system upgrade. Uninstalling these applications can make space that will eventually elude error code 0x80070070 – 0x20005 along with its alternatives – code 0x80070070 – 0x50011, code 0x80070070 – 0x50012, and code 0x80070070 – 0x60000.

1. Open the Control Panel then select Programs and Features.
2. Check on unused applications on your device
3. Right-click on the unused application then select

 Method Three: Remove or Archive Files

If there are tons of images, media, videos, or documents that you rarely use but will still be needing in the future, you can move these files to another drive where Windows 10 will not be installed on.

If there are no secondary drives in your device, consider using a USB Drive or external hard disk. Another option you can do is making use of cloud storage programs like One Drive or Google Drive. In this way, you’ll still have access to these files even if it’s not in a physical location while making larger space in your device.

Method Four: Scan Your Device For Viruses

Most Windows users download applications or software regularly. These applications or software might come from unsafe sites where you might have accidentally downloaded a virus or malware along with the legit application or software you intended to download.

With that said, it is highly recommended to download and install in your device a reliable and powerful antivirus. Using an antivirus, you can now perform an overall scan of your device’s system. Once you’re able to detect and remove any suspected virus or malware, you’ll now be able to get rid of the error code 0x80070070 – 0x20005. After solving the issue, you can now resume upgrading to Windows 10.

Method Five: Download An Automated Tool

Can’t seem to put up with the long and technical manual repair process? You can still fix this error by downloading and installing a powerful automated tool that will surely get the job done in a jiffy!

Error Code 17 - What is it?

Code 17 is a typical Spotify error code. Spotify is a music streaming service. Through this software, PC users can browse songs and search by artist, album, and playlist. Simply put, it is an audio player available for BlackBerry, iOS, and Microsoft Windows desktop. You may experience error code 17 if the process fails when downloading Spotify from the internet. The error message is displayed in any one of the following formats:

Error 17: Spotify has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Spotify could not be started (Error code 17)

Some of the symptoms of this error code are program crash, slow Windows performance, and periodic system freeze.

Solution

Error Causes

Error 17 may be triggered by several reasons such as:

• Viral infection
• Incomplete installation of Spotify software
• Corrupt download
• Registry corruption
• Windows Installer service terminated

To use the audio player Spotify successfully on your PC, it is advisable to fix error 17 right away on your system. Delay may cause inconvenience and limit your access to your desired program.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To repair this error code on your PC, you don’t have to hire a professional or be a technical whiz yourself. The good news is that this error is quite easy to fix. You don’t need to be technically sound to resolve it. Here are some proven methods for you to fix error code 17 on your system. So let’s get started:

Method 1 - Make sure that the Windows Installer is running

Sometimes Spotify error 17 may occur if the Windows Installer service is terminated. Therefore before you download, make sure the Windows Installer is running. This is a good way to ensure the error code 17 messages don’t pop up on your PC again. For this here’s what you need to do, first quit all programs. Now go to the start menu and in the search box type RUN, and press enter. In the Open Box, type msiexec /unregister and then press OK to confirm. After that, perform the same steps again, and now in the Open Box type msiexec /regserver and press OK to save. Reboot your PC and try downloading Spotify again. If the program successfully downloads on your system, then this means error 17 is resolved. However, if the error code still persists, then try other methods given below.

Method 2 - Use System Restore to Undo Recent Changes

Another reason for the cause of error 17 is the improper or incomplete installation of Spotify. Improper installations can configure settings and also leave bad entries in the registries. To resolve, use System Restore utility built-in Windows. By using this system tool, you can undo recent changes and resume your computer to its previous condition as it was before the proper installation was attempted. To do this, go to the start menu, then in the search box type System Restore and press enter. Go to System Restore and choose a restore point. Once you’ve selected the point, reboot your PC to activate changes.

Method 3 - Remove Viruses

Viruses can enter and damage your PC if you download software programs from unknown websites. These not only damage your PC but also hinder your ability to install desired programs successfully in this case audio player Spotify. In such an event, simply use an antivirus to remove all viruses infecting your system. After they are removed, make sure you download and install Spotify software from a trusted website.

Method 4 - Repair the Registry

Another cause of error 17 is registry corruption. This occurs due to bad entries, invalid and junk files saved in the registry. To fix the corrupt registry simply download Restoro. This is a user-friendly PC Fixer embedded with a powerful registry cleaner. This software is compatible with all Windows versions. The registry cleaner detects all registry issues, removes all file corrupting the registry, and cleans it immediately in just a few clicks. Click here to download Restoro on your PC and resolve Error 17.

In case you don’t know, Windows 10 supports installation and use of a number of removable devices which includes plug and plays mouse, keyboard, and other USB-based devices. But this could actually pose a threat to the integrity of a computer system and thus, some organizations pose a restriction in using these kinds of devices. the restriction on these devices is also useful especially if you keep on leaving your computer idle and someone tries to mess it up by plugging in a removable device. In such situations, the restriction will defend the user against data theft. Thus, in this post, you will be guided on how you can prevent the installation of removable devices on your Windows 10 computer. There are two options that can help you in preventing the installation of any removable devices on your computer – you can either try to use the Registry Editor or use the Group Policy Editor instead. Follow whichever option you want to use the instructions given below but before you start, don’t forget to create a System Restore Point first.

Option 1 – Prevent installation of Removable Devices via Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsDeviceInstallRestrictions
• From there, look for a DWORD named “DenyRemovableDevices” and set its value to “0”. On the other hand, if you can’t find this DWORD, just simply create it and set its value to 0.
• Once done, exit the Registry Editor and reboot your PC to apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Prevent installation of Removable Devices via Group Policy Editor

Keep in mind that the Group Policy Editor is not available in the Home Edition of the Windows operating systems. Thus, if you are using one, just stick to the first option, otherwise, proceed to the following steps.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “gpedit.msc” and click OK or tap Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• After that, go to this policy setting: Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemDevice InstallationDevice Installation Restrictions
• Next, look for the “Prevent installation of removable devices” entry and once you find it, set it as “Enabled”. From this window, you should see the following description of this policy setting:

“This policy setting allows you to prevent Windows from installing removable devices. A device is considered removable when the driver for the device to which it is connected indicates that the device is removable. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device is reported to be removable by the drivers for the USB hub to which the device is connected. This policy setting takes precedence over any other policy setting that allows Windows to install a device. If you enable this policy setting, Windows is prevented from installing removable devices and existing removable devices cannot have their drivers updated. If you enable this policy setting on a remote desktop server, the policy setting affects redirection of removable devices from a remote desktop client to the remote desktop server. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Windows can install and update device drivers for removable devices as allowed or prevented by other policy settings.”

• Then click the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Now restart your computer to save the changes made. This should prevent the installation of any removable devices in your Windows 10 computer.

Windows 11 has some cool animations including fading effects which make working in it feels nice and futuristic but the cost of this is that there is a slight delay to certain actions performed. If you want the snap fast feature in Windows 11 and do not care about this eye candy there is an easy way to turn animations off inside it.

• First, open Windows Settings by pressing ⊞ Windows + I on your keyboard
• Alternatively, click on Start, search for Settings, and then click its icon.
• When Settings appears, look in the sidebar and select Accessibility.
• In Accessibility settings, click on Visual Effects.
• In Visual Effects, switch Animation Effects to Off.

That’s it, changes will be applied automatically, you can close settings and continue working inside Windows 11 without animations and fades. You can always switch animations back On via settings if you change your mind.

Windows 10 has displayed one of the most efficient and user-friendly interfaces. However there have been many issues on the backend of this commonly praised operating system: For example, Windows Update is still a wonky and error-laded system application. One example of this error is Windows Update Error 0x80073712 which stands in the way of users just wanting to keep their PCs updated hassle-free. The error code 0x80073712 signifies that a file needed by Windows Update to function is either damaged, missing, or corrupted. However, this does not mean that your Windows version will forever stay as-is with no mode to update it. Windows Update Error 0x80073712 is perfectly fixable with the set of provided steps below and some of Windows’ built-in troubleshooting steps:

Solution 1: Open Windows Update Troubleshooter

1. Open the Windows Update Troubleshooter by pressing the Windows and S keys simultaneously.
2. Enter the word “Troubleshoot” in the search box and select the Troubleshoot result
3. On the new window, select “Windows Update” to troubleshoot.
4. Run the troubleshooter, then open Windows Update and try to install the update again.

Solution 2: Run the DISM tool

1. Open the command prompt by pressing Windows and S keys simultaneously
2. Enter “cmd” in the search box. Right Click command prompt among the results and select “Run as administrator”
3. In the Command Prompt window type the following and press the Enter key after every command

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

4. To close the Administrator: Command prompt window, type Exit, and then press Enter.
5. Run Windows Update again.

Solution 3: Rename the Software Distribution folder

1. Open the command prompt as previously mentioned
2. Input the following command pressing Enter after every line net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver rename c:/windows/SoftwareDistribution/softwaredistribution.old net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver exit
3. Restart the PC and run the updater if it works again.

Solution 4: Restart Windows Update Services

1. Press the Windows logo key and R together to open Run -> Input services.msc -> and press Enter
2. Search for the Windows Update service -> Check its status
3. If it is not indicated, right-click on the service and select Start to force start your Windows Update
4. If you see an error, locate the Startup Type option and set it to Automatic
5. Now you should reboot your computer and see if your Windows Update is OK

Solution 5: Fix Registry Issues

If after all the aforementioned solutions, you still experience problems with Windows Update, the problem may lie in the registry that is either damaged or corrupted. You may choose to do manual editing of your Windows registry by opening your Windows registry editor. But doing so is risky as one wrong letter may do incalculable damage to your system. To do so safely for more inexperienced users we recommend using a third-party registry cleaner/tools, many of which can be found online.

As of the time of writing this article you no longer need or are required to have a password if you plan to log in to your Microsoft account. Microsoft explored various options for account security and came to the conclusion that passwords are obsolete. Microsoft is letting you access your account through the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key, SMS verification, or email verification code. All of these methods are way better in terms of security than passwords.

How to turn these features on?

To get rid of your Microsoft password, the process is simple. You simply need to go to your Microsoft account, click “advanced security options,” then “enable passwordless accounts” under the Additional security section.