Schedule restart update on Windows 11

If you suddenly encounter Activation Error codes such as 0xC004E016, 0xC004F210, 0xC004F034, and 0xC004F00F on your Windows 10 computer, then they all point to the same issue – Invalid Product Key or Version mismatch. When you see any of the aforementioned error codes above, it indicates that you are either entering a wrong product key or you are using an incorrect ISO when installing it on your computer. In such cases, you may see either of the following error messages:

“You are running Windows 10 Pro, but you have a valid digital license for Windows 10 Home.” Or: “The specified product key is invalid or is unsupported by this version.”

If you got the error code 0xC004F00F then it means that you’ve entered a product key for the Enterprise edition of Windows to activate Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Home. It could be that you have a key from your work and you accidentally use it on your Home PC. If you got the error codes 0xC004E016, 0xC004F210, then it means that you have entered a product key that is meant for a different edition or version of Windows. On the other hand, if you got the error code 0xC004F034 instead, then it means that you have entered an invalid product key or a product key for a different Windows version. Whichever error codes you have, refer to the possible solutions given below to fix the Invalid Product Key or Version mismatch Activation Error in Windows 10.

Option 1 – Try running the Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter

The first thing you can do to resolve this Activation error is to run the Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter. To do so, follow these steps:

• 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.

Option 2 – Try purchasing a new license

There is an exception offered by Microsoft – if you are connected to a Microsoft account prior to the hardware change, then you can most certainly use the same license key to reactivate Windows 10 again. Microsoft calls this an “Exception path” which should be fixed easily by the Windows Activation Troubleshooter as pointed out earlier. However, if the Windows Activation Troubleshooter isn’t able to resolve the error you can try purchasing a new license. In such rate case, even if you do have a Microsoft account available on your Windows 10 computer, and if Windows was never activated, this solution will not work. And if you haven’t connected your Microsoft account with your Windows 10 computer prior to the major hardware change, then your only option left is to purchase a new license. For you to do that here are some steps you can follow.

• To purchase a new Windows license, the first thing you have to do is click on the Start button > Settings > Update & Security.
• From there, go to Activation and select the “Go to Microsoft Store” option.
• After receiving your new license, you need to go back to Update & Security then go to Activation and select the “Change product key” option.
• Now update your Windows 10 computer using the new key and it should automatically activate your computer.
• Next, you have to create a Microsoft account or connect to your existing local account to your online account.
• Once the system links the key and the account, you need not buy a new license in case something like this happens again.

Note: If you are an IT administrator, you need to keep in mind that there is a limit to the number of times you can reactivate Windows on your computer. Moreover, if you don’t see any option to reactivate the license, and it is a work computer, you need to contact your organization’s tech support.

Option 3 – Try activating Windows 10 via 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.

If you were trying to print some documents but encounter the HIDCLASS.SYS Blue Screen error instead, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing any Blue Screen errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS file. HIDCLASS.SYS is a Windows operating system driver file. HID or Human Interface Device includes Keyboards, mice, and other input devices. HIDCLASS.SYS is a critical system driver file that is responsible for connecting different kinds of devices all over the system, including the functionality where a Word Processor can access the printer to print documents. This file comes under the category of kernel-mode device drivers and if the driver fails, it can result in a Stop Error. There are a lot of Stop errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS file, such as:

• KMODE EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED
• SYSTEM SERVICE EXCEPTION
• DRIVER POWER STATE FAILURE
• PAGE FAULT IN A NONPAGED AREA
• SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED
• DRIVER VERIFIER IOMANAGER VIOLATION
• IRQL NOT LESS EQUAL

The fixes for the Blue Screen errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS files are pretty simple but before you troubleshoot the problem using these fixes, make sure that you boot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking first. After that, get started on these tips:

Option 1 – Update or rollback or disable concerned device drivers

To fix the HIDCLASS.SYS error, you can also try to roll back, or update, or disable the concerned device drivers.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers particularly the ones that are under the sections of Keyboard, Mouse, USB, and HID Drivers.
• Next, right-click on them to open the Properties.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions or disable them.

Option 2 – Check for any incompatible devices

The next thing you can do to troubleshoot the HIDCLASS.SYS Stop error is to plug in and out each one of the different hardware that is connected to your computer. Doing so will help you determine which one of the hardware is the one that’s triggering the error to pop up. You will also know what hardware drivers or anything else that could be causing this error which includes external devices like mouse, keyboard, printer, as well as internally attached components like the Graphics card and so on.

Option 3 – Try running the ChkDsk utility

Running the ChkDsk utility can also help you resolve any Blue Screen errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS file. To run this tool, refer to these steps:

• First, open This PC and right-click on your operating system partition for Windows.
• Next, click on Properties and navigate to the Tools tab.
• Then click on Check under the Error Checking section.
• After that, a new mini window will be opened and from there click on Scan drive and let it scan your disk drive partition for any errors and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try checking the Memory for any errors

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type exe and hit Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
• After that, it will give two options such as:
  • Restart now and check for problems (Recommended)
  • Check for problems the next time I start my computer
• Once your computer has restarted, perform a basic scan or you could also go for the “Advanced” options such as “Test mix” or “Pass count”. Simply tap the F10 key to start the test.

Note: After you select the option, your PC will restart and check for memory-based issues. If it finds any issues, it will automatically fix them.

Option 5 – Run the System File Checker

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

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• 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.

• Now restart your computer and see if the Blue Screen error is fixed or not.

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.

Error Code “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free” – What is it?

Windows 10 isn’t activated error occurs when Windows users attempt to upgrade to Windows 10 for free and end up in a non-activated state. It is a Windows 10 activation error affecting PC owners who attempt to upgrade their Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 operating systems. A message box will appear with the following message: “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free from Windows 7 SPI or Windows 8.1 update.”

Common symptoms of this error code include the following:

• Inability to upgrade for free to Windows 10
• The appearance of activation error code in the message box

Solution

Error Causes

To understand the cause of this activation error, users will need to understand activation within Windows. Activation is a process that allows Windows to verify that you are upgrading your operating system based on the Microsoft Software Licensing Terms. These terms specify, for instance, the number of devices upon which you can use Windows.

Once you have a genuine copy of Windows and you are following the terms mentioned earlier, you should be able to activate and complete the upgrade to Windows 10. However, the activation fails when these conditions are not met. Note also that the error may occur if users fail to upgrade to Windows 10 before reinstalling, requiring them to repeat the installation process by first going back to the previous version of Windows present on their system. Once the upgrade process is not done as should, you might encounter other Windows 10 errors such as error code 0xc0000142

If you see this error code, “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free” proceed to rectify it using manual repair methods below.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix this activation error code in Windows 10, users will need to employ at least one manual repair procedure. This process can successfully be completed by non-technical Windows users. However, you may also consider getting assistance from a Windows repair technician if you are not certain you have the requisite skills needed to complete the manual repair tasks below.

The main methods to resolve the error code “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free from Windows 7 SPI or Windows 8.1 update” is as follows:

Method One: Manually Activate Windows

If you attempted upgrading for free to Windows 10 and ended up with the activation error you will need to first perform a manual activation. Follow the steps below to complete the process.

• Step one: Tap or click the Start button
• Step two: Select Settings then Update & security
• Step three: Select Activation
• Step four: Once activation status is Connect to the Internet to activate Windows, click or tap Activate

The steps above enable users to successfully activate Windows 10 if the issue involves a connection problem. However, if Windows is not activated, it may mean your copy of Windows is not genuine. This may require you purchase a copy of Windows to rectify the issue. However, if you have a genuine copy of Windows proceed by applying the steps found in method two.

Method Two: Use Product Key to Verify Copy of Windows

A valid product key is one way you can verify your copy of Windows is genuine. This will enable you to complete activation and allow you to access the free upgrade to Windows 10. Follow the steps below.

• Step one: Click or tap the Start button
• Step two: Select Settings then Update & security
• Step three: Click Activation
• Step four: Select Change Product Key then type in the product key. (Ensure you type the 25 characters in the correct order.)

Method Three: Use an Automated Tool

Error codes in Windows often occur due to poor maintenance of one’s PC. To improve your system and reduce your machine’s risk of experiencing error codes, download a powerful automated tool. This tool is both powerful and user-friendly, making its benefits accessible to even the most non-technical Windows users.

Recently on errortools.com, we were talking about Cooler Master’s Orb X gaming chair that is an absolute beast and an amazing product. One downside of Orb X is its price. IW product line is somewhat competing with Orb X with a much more affordable price aiming to probably take customer base with lower income but offering them a great experience as well. The first thing you will notice is a different design and somewhat feeling of cheaper quality if you compare it to Orb X but that is quite reasonable considering the chair itself is around 3.5 times cheaper than Orb X which really puts it in range of everyone can get it. But does a much cheaper price means low quality? Let’s explore.

IW Unicorn

The 2021 CLUVENS BRAND newly issued model UNICORN has fully electrical tilting capabilities to 160 degrees, Reading light-two LED & RGB illumination lighting, manual open/close keyboard tray, and armrests. This model is suitable for home and office, and also gaming computer work environments. It offers functions that enable the user to experience unprecedented comfort and quasi total immersion through strategically positioned 1-3 monitors, audio systems, and accessories. The result is a complete computer office, ergonomically optimized, with a minimal footprint that improves overall performance and productivity and health and comfort. Sitting on a chair can help a lot for relieving health problems like lower back pain, herniated discs, sciatica, and neck pain and also enhance performance and viewing effects.

More Luxury and More comfortable:

Equipped with Luxury feeling reclining Gaming chair made with high-density Mold Shaping Foam and superior quality PU leather with very comfortable texture, electrical recline to 128 degrees, and more to 160 degrees for the flat position for the user.

More High-End Setting and more High-tech:

Manual push for open / close of big sized (87x34cm) Self-Balancing Keyboard tray, adjustable with 20cm distance range with Electrical control for the height of roof arm & monitors. Electrical control for reclining Zero Gravity position or even flat position, Manual adjusted Feet pedal for a more comfortable position for feet. Using a High-Quality PU leather Gaming chair that has Heat/Massage functions with it! The IW-Unicorn monitor mounts allow the use of a single monitor up to Ultra-wide 49” or 43” in size or triple monitor setups up to 3 x 29” other monitors configurations are available upon request. (VESA standard)

IW Scorpion

Scorpion is basically a premium version of Unicorn with being able to hold more weight, having cup holders on the armrest, etc. The look is also similar with Scorpion being more sinister-looking but overall Steel frame and chair are the same.

Conclusion

Sadly I have not personally experienced neither of these products including Orb X but from all information I have found and looked over, I would say these products are not trying to compete with each other. Although Products are similar in nature, Orb X is aimed at hi end-users focusing on privacy and robustness while IW is filling the gap of users that would like an advanced chair but are not willing or ready to shell hi amount of money for it offering advanced chairs with advanced features in somewhat affordable price.

Can graphic cards wear out over a longer period of time? Recent studies and experience from crypto miners say no but they can die due to different reasons like improper use, low cleaning habits, factory mistakes, etc. Many gamers and people who use GPU intense applications tend to think that some glitches and hiccups in the software are a sign that graphic card is dying out and that it is time to be replaced. Altho this could be true in many cases these kinds of behavior are mostly due to old drivers and software issues. Older cards can produce these kinds of results due to their old age and new software is often more demanding than these cards can handle. So in order to diagnose and be sure that your GPU is indeed dying out lookout for these signs.

The Main Signs of a Dying GPU:

The Computer Crashes and Won’t Reboot

If your computer shutdown while working in the graphic application or while playing the game and the monitor loses signal there is a high chance the graphic card is soon going to be gone. Some motherboards have hardware detection failure and can signal immediate fail. If when turning your computer ON you are greeted with a blue screen with the message that the signal can not be found or you do not have picture at all it is most likely that GPU has failed.

Graphic Glitches While Playing Games

If you are playing the game and all of sudden you get off-color pixels, screen flickering, strange graphic behaviors, random artifacts, or similar and that keeps repeating in multiple games it is likely that GPU days are coming to an end.

Abnormal Fan Noise or Performance

Fans are an essential part of cooling the GPU and over time if they are intensively used they could wear out and need replacing. If however you have not noticed and have not replaced the fans card can sustain overheating damage. Many cards have cooling fans that are designed to spin at a higher RPM only when the GPU is under load. It prevents bearings in the fans from dying prematurely, so don’t worry if one of your fans is inactive while you are browsing the web. However, when you play games that utilize software that your card isn’t built to support, the bearings in the fans wear out faster. Once the fans stop working under load, the graphics card can quickly die.

How to Diagnose a Dying Graphics Card

Presented next are essential steps in order to recognize a dying graphic card.

Check Motherboard Error Codes

Many motherboards today completely shut down a component that is no longer working. If your graphics card has died completely, this may be one of the easiest ways to tell. If your motherboard doesn’t have display codes, you can try testing the card in a new system.

• Open the computer case: Use your screwdriver to remove screws on the side panel and gently slide it back.
• Locate the error code display on your motherboard: If you have a motherboard with error codes, they should appear near an outer corner.
• Try to reboot your computer: Record each error number you see after you boot your computer.
• Consult the motherboard manufacturer manual for error codes: Open the manual and locate the list for your error codes. If the code matches a graphics processing unit error, your video card could have died.

Check Hardware for Damage or Debris

A graphics card that has damage or debris on the physical parts might quickly overheat and kill the card.

• Remove the screws holding the GPU in place: There are typically one or two screws holding the card to a bracket on the case.
• Unhook the power cords from the GPU and pull the release tab: Remove the power cords from your GPU by pushing in their tabs and gently rocking them out. Once you remove each cord, gently push or pull up on the release tab near the motherboard.
• Inspect the GPU for damage/debris: Check the card for any dirt or debris buildup and clean it out with a Q-tip. You can replace broken fan pieces from the manufacturer.

Test Your GPU Under Load

Download GPU stress-testing and heat-monitoring software.

• With the card installed, run a stress test.
• As you are running the stress test, run heat-monitoring software: With the stress test running, check your heat-monitoring software for GPU overheating. Any reading over 80 degrees Celsius is too hot.
• Check device manager for outdated drivers: If your GPU is clean, but still running too hot, your software drivers are not installed correctly. To check, type in “device manager” at the bottom of your desktop and click on Device Manager. Find your display adapter and right-click on it to see if it’s working. If your drivers are not working correctly, it is indicated here usually. However, the driver may appear to be functioning even if it says otherwise in the properties.

Keep your graphic card drivers updated

When you don’t have the right driver installed, graphics cards can quickly burn up, and their cooling components may fail faster. That’s why you should always keep drivers updated for each new game you install or play. Older games may also release new software patches, so your GPU drivers should be updated accordingly.

Recently, a number of users reported not being able to use the Restore, Minimize and Close buttons on their Windows 10 computers. This kind of issue can be quite annoying as you won’t be able to use your computer properly, especially when you navigate between programs and windows. In such cases, the buttons on the right side of the title bar won’t respond to any inputs which could be caused by a number of factors such as different input modes, corrupted system files, and many more. If you are one of the users who are currently facing this problem, worry not for this post will guide you on what you can do to resolve it. There are several potential fixes you can check out to fix the issue. You can try to check if Tablet Mode is enabled and if it is, you have to disable it. You could also boot your computer in a Clean Boot State to check if a third-party program is the one that’s causing the problem. In addition, you could also reinstall the program where you experience the problem or run built-in utilities like System File Checker and DISM tool.

Option 1 – Make sure that you are not in Tablet Mode

Since Windows 10 is designed to work on both desktop and mobile devices, it could be that your computer has slipped into Tablet Mode which explains why you’re not seeing the Taskbar. To check if your computer is really in Tablet Mode, follow these steps:

• Go to the Start menu and select Settings.
• Next, select the System setting and from the left pane select the Tablet Mode.
• From there, make sure that the buttons next to the options given below are set to the off position:
  • Hide app icons on the taskbar in tablet mode
  • Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode

Option 2 – Put your computer in a Clean Boot State

As pointed out, it is possible that some third-party program or service is the one that’s behind the problem. To isolate this possibility and to identify the culprit, you have to put your computer into 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.)
• Once your computer is in a Clean Boot State, try to open the program where the problem occurred.

Option 3 – Try reinstalling the program

If the first two options didn’t work, then you might want to consider uninstalling the program and then install it back with its latest version. This should resolve the problem.

Option 4 – Try to run System File Checker

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files that might be the cause why the Restore, Minimize and Close buttons don’t work. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• 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.

• Now restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 5 – Run the DISM tool

You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the problem. 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. Once it’s done, restart your computer.

Upgrading your Windows 10 computer does not always go smoothly and you often encounter not just one but various errors so, in this post, we are going to cover several Windows 10 upgrade errors such as 80240020, 8007002C, 80246007, 80070004. All these upgrade errors are related to the Windows Update folder. Thus, you need to clear the Software Distribution folder, repair the System Image and fix System Health in order to resolve all these Windows 10 Upgrade errors. Before you get started on the steps to resolve these tons of errors, you have to disable your security program for the meantime, disconnect your peripherals, remove USBs connected to your PC and then make sure that your PC is connected to the main power supply. Once you have everything covered, carefully follow the options given below.

Option 1 – Delete Windows 10 Update Files in the SoftwareDistribution folder

The Software Distribution folder in the Windows operating system is a folder that can be found in the Windows directory and is used to store files temporarily which might be required to install the Windows Update on your PC. Thus, it is required by the Windows Update and maintained by WUAgent. A lot of users tried deleting the files in this folder to fix the problem and so far it has worked. Like them, you can try clearing the Windows Update cache by simply deleting the contents of the folder named “SoftwareDistribution” since Windows apparently can’t clear and re-download the update contents once they are corrupted. Thus, deleting the contents of this folder will make Windows download the contents again which will fix the problem. To do that, follow the steps below.

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

net stop wuauserv net stop bits

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
• Next, 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.
• Once all the contents in the Software Distribution folder are deleted, restart your PC and then go back to Command Prompt and input the following commands again.

net start wuauserv net start bits

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

• Now Open Settings and check for Windows Updates. Windows 10 should begin the download right away.

Option 2 – Try using 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

Note: The Windows Upgrade error, with error code 80240020 is an expected error message that happens when the upgrade requires customer user action. Thus, you need to do the following steps to resolve this particular Windows Upgrade error.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionWindowsUpdate
• Now right click on WindowsUpdate located in the left pane and then create a new key and name it as “OSUpgrade”
• Next, right-click in an empty space in the left pane and create a new DWORD and name it “AllowOSUpgrade” and enter “1” as its value.

Option 3 – Try running the Windows Update in a Clean Boot State.

Putting your PC in a Clean Boot state can also help you install Windows Updates or Upgrades without any trouble because, during this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.

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

As you know, the Win + X menu, which is the shortcut context menu, is a useful way to launch several utilizes in Windows such as Power Options, Windows PowerShell, Event Viewer, Device Manager, and so on. However, there are times when you might experience difficulty in identifying the required utility. This is actually a part of the Windows 10 shell that goes out of scope in the customization of Windows 10. However, there is an easy trick you can use to do that. So in this post, you will be guided on how you can rename the options in the Win + X menu in Windows 10. In case you don’t know, the context menu is divided into three groups. Microsoft has categorized the bottom-most part as Group 1, while the middle part is categorized as Group 2 and the first part as Group 3. To rename these options, you need to use File Explorer and follow the instructions laid out below. Step 1: First, tap the Win + E keys to open File Explorer. Step 2: Next, navigate to this path: %LocalAppdata%MicrosoftWindowsWinX Step 3: From there, you should see three folders as Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3. Open the appropriate folder of your choice. Step 4: After that, right-click on the shortcut option you want to rename and then select Properties. Step 5: Next, navigate to the Shortcut tab under the Properties window. Step 6: Now in the text field of Comment, enter the new name of the option you selected. Step 7: Click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made. Note: You can now either Sign back in or sign out of your Windows 10 User Account to see the result of the changes you’ve made. You could also restart the process of File Explorer via Task Manager. This will close the File Explorer as well as the shell components and then only launch the shell components again. In addition, you can check the Win + X menu to see the customized name that you’ve just set for a particular option. As you can see, even though it does not add anything extra, it is still a lot better in knowing how you can customize it.

All malware is detrimental and the magnitude of the damage will vary greatly depending on the type of infection. Some malware variants modify internet browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the PC's DNS settings. When this happens, you'll be unable to visit certain or all the sites, and therefore not able to download or install the required security software to clear out the computer malware. If you’re reading this article, chances are, you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you from downloading and/or installing the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your computer. Refer to the instructions below to remove malware through alternate methods.

Method 1: Install Anti-Malware in Safe Mode with Networking

If the malware is set to load automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, entering safe mode may block the attempt. Since only the minimal applications and services start-up in safe mode, there are rarely any reasons for conflicts to happen. You will need to do the following to remove malware in Safe mode.

• 1) Tap the F8 key continuously as soon as your computer boots, however, before the large Windows logo or black screen with white texts come up. This would invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu.
• 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and press Enter.
• 3) When you are into this mode, you will have access to the internet once again. Now, utilize your web browser normally and download Safebytes Anti-Malware.
• 4) After installation, do a complete scan and allow the software to get rid of the threats it detects.

Method 2: Utilize An Alternate Internet Browser to Download Anti-Malware Software

Malicious program code may exploit vulnerabilities in a specific web browser and block access to all antivirus software sites. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by computer malware or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the most effective plan of action is to switch to an alternate web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your chosen security program - Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Download SafeBytes Anti-Malware for Malware Removal

Method 3: Install and Run Anti-Malware From a USB Drive

To effectively remove the malware, you might want to approach the problem of installing an antivirus software program on the affected computer from a different angle. Adopt these measures to employ a flash drive to fix your infected computer.

• 1) Use another malware-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware.
• 2) Plug the thumb drive into the uninfected computer.
• 3) Double click on the executable file to open the installation wizard.
• 4) Choose the drive letter of the USB drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the anti-virus. Follow activation instructions.
• 5) Now, transfer the thumb drive to the infected computer.
• 6) Double-click the antivirus program EXE file on the USB flash drive.
• 7) Click on the “Scan Now” button to start the malware scan.

If no other method of downloading and installing the antivirus software works, then you've no other option than to hit the last resort: a full Windows reinstallation, the only approach known to have a 100% rate of success at virus removal.