Shutdown your PC properly

When your computer is slow, you don’t have much choice but to wait until it gets done with a task at its own pace, albeit a slow one. So if you want to switch user accounts on your computer a couple of times daily, then a slow computer can get really irritating. What makes system processes slow is that the accounts have some programs or applications running and resources allocated to them. And besides, if your computer is already low on performance, it will kill the natural fluidic flow of the user. But worry not, for this post will guide you in switching user accounts with the help of some minor tweaks in your Windows 10 computer. To disable or enable Fast User Switching, you have two methods to do that using the Registry Editor and the Group Policy Editor. Either way, refer to the instructions laid out below.

Option 1 – Enable or disable Fast User Switching via Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, go to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem
• Then right-click on System and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and name this newly created DWORD as “HideFastUserSwitching”.
• Now double click on it. If you want to enable Fast User Switching, input “0” as the value, and if you want to disable it, input “1” as its value.
• Restart your PC to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Enable or disable Fast User Switching via Group Policy Editor

Take note that this option will not work if you are using the Windows 10 Home edition since the Group Policy Editor does not come with Windows 10 Home. Refer to the steps below to enable or disable Fast User Switching using Group Policy Editor.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type in “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this path inside the Group Policy Editor: Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemLogon
• Now double click on the configuration listing labeled as “Hide entry points for Fast User Switching” to open the configuration page.

Note: On the configuration page, you will see the following description:

“This policy setting allows you to hide the Switch User interface in the Logon UI, the Start menu, and the Task Manager. If you enable this policy setting, the Switch User interface is hidden from the user who is attempting to log on or is logged on to the computer that has this policy applied. The locations that the Switch User interface appears in the Logon UI, the Start menu, and the Task Manager. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the Switch User interface is accessible to the user in the three locations.”

• From there, you can choose to enable or disable the Fast User Switching depending on your preferences. After you’ve selected, click OK and exit the Group Policy Editor.
• Now restart your PC to apply the changes made successfully.

If you have a dual monitor setup on your Windows 10 computer and you mostly use the second screen when you are presenting something, this makes the Taskbar completely unnecessary and is not really required. So if you are using your computer generally and do not want the taskbar on your second screen, read on as this post will guide you in disabling Taskbar on your second display. The good thing is, Windows comes with a built-in feature to disable Taskbar on your second screen or projector connected to your computer. In this post, you will be guided on how you can hide or disable the Taskbar from the second monitor in Windows 10. This post is coming in handy especially if you are using projectors or multiple displays. Refer to the steps given below to disable Taskbar on the second display in Windows 10. Step 1: Go to Settings and click on Taskbar from the left menu. Step 2: After that, scroll down to lo look for Multiple Displays. Step 3: Next, turn off the toggle labeled, “Show taskbar on all displays”. Note: After completing the steps given above, it will disable the Taskbar on all the secondary displays. Bear in mind that these settings will work only if you are running a second screen in Extended mode. Contrariwise, if you are in the Duplicate mode, this setting will not work but you can always set your Taskbar to Autohide so that it won’t be displayed.

On the other hand, if you are facing some issues in finding which screen is primary and which one is secondary, refer to these steps:

Step 1: Go to Settings and select System. Step 2: Next, from the left menu open Display. Step 3: From there, select the desired display and make it the primary one as required by your setup.

If you are trying to log into your user account on your Windows 10 computer but encountered an error message instead that says, “Your account has been disabled, Please see your system administrator”, read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix this problem. In this kind of scenario, you won’t be able to access your data unless you have access to the administrator account. This problem could be caused by several problems. It is possible that malware has infected your computer and has changed some settings in your computer, especially if your system has been under a malware attack not too long ago. The malware could’ve changed the “Account is disabled” option. The only thing you can do to resolve this kind of problem is to log into your computer using another administrator account and then change the setting. However, if you don’t have a second administrator account, you can just enable the built-in hidden administrator account on your computer. You shouldn’t have any problem enabling the hidden administrator account as it is quite easy when you can log into your account. And in this post, you will be guided on how you can enable the hidden administrator account using the Registry Editor to fix the “Your account has been disabled, Please see your system administrator” error.

To get started, follow the instructions given below.

1. First, you need to start your computer and ensure that you are on the error screen. From there, you will see the Power options located on the right-hand side.
2. Click on the Power options and tap and hold the Shift key and then select Restart.
3. After that, the Advanced Boot Options will appear and from there select Troubleshoot > Command Prompt.
4. Next, you have to select your user account and enter the user account’s password to open Command Prompt.
5. After opening Command Prompt, open your screen and type “Regedit” and then tap Enter on your keyboard.
6. Now select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE in the Registry Editor and go to File > Load Hive.
7. Afterward, you have to open the Windows installation drive and go to the location – WindowsSystem32Config
8. From there, you should find a file named “SAM” – select this file and click the Open button.
9. Next, you have to enter a key name. You can just input whatever you prefer.
10. Once done, navigate to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEkey_nameSAMDomainsAccountUsers
11. From this path, you will see a key named “000001F4” – select this key and double click on the “F” entry that you can find on the right-hand side of the screen.
12. After that, look for the value data line labeled “0038” which should show 11 in the first column. You have to replace it with 10.
13. Once done, click on the OK button and close the Registry Editor and the Command Prompt to restart your computer.
14. Now once your computer has restarted, sign in to the Administrator account and open the Computer Management window. You can just search for it using the search bar in the Taskbar.
15. After you open Computer Management, go to Local Users and Groups > Users – where you can find all the user accounts. Look for your deleted user account and right-click on it and select Properties and then unmark the checkbox that says “Account is disabled”. This should fix the problem.

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

Skinning of applications is not new to PC users, but did you knew you could skin Steam? With skin, you can customize the UI and style of the client to what you want making it more personal and to your liking. First thing is to find the skin that you would like to install. There are a lot of sites where you could find custom made Steam skins but we would recommend steamskins.org The site itself is organized in tabs with different sections, once you click on the tab you will get a list of skins available for chosen section. If you click on the skin you will be taken to skin page detail where you can find what skin is aiming for, its legibility, a record of how the skin has been altered over time, or some mix of these aspects. Note that some skins might have issues like some buttons might be missing from big picture mode but so far none of the skins has any kind of client breaking feature, only functionality one.

Downloading skin

Once you have chosen desired skin and while on the skin details page, scroll to the middle of the page just above the Related Skins sections with two options: Direct Download and External Download. Now usually I would recommend Direct download but in this case, I would advise going with External Download for the simple reason that the External link will send you to the developer's website where there is a higher chance to get the latest updated skin.

Installing it in Steam

Once the skin is downloaded you will first need to create a skin folder inside your Steam installation location. Navigate to your Steam installation folder (default: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam) and create a new folder inside it. Give new folder name Skins and confirm. Extract the skin zip file in the newly made folder. Once the file is extracted you can delete the ZIP file if you wish. Go to your Steam client and go to Steam>Settings. In settings select Interface on the left bar and on the right part then click the Select the skin you wish Steam to use the drop-down menu and select the skin that you wish to use. Confirm and restart your Steam client

Reverting to old skin

If you found skin unappealing or, unfortunately, has some functions missing you can always choose another skin or revert back to default Steam skin. Default Steam skin is named in the drop-down menu as < default skin >.

Microsoft Designer, a new application developed by Microsoft will bring design backed with DALL-E 2, an AI image creation open-source software. The new app is shown as a dedicated graphic design tool that will help you in the creation of stunning social media posts, invitations, digital postcards, graphics, and more, all in a flash.

Use of the application will be by typing headings and then typing text into the prompt to generate a background image. Since Microsoft uses DALL-E 2 for image creation output should be fairly good but if you wish you will be able to use your own images instead of using AI to generate one.

The designer will be a free application once it is ready and it already has a web preview version, also free but with a waitlist. There will be premium features inside the app once it is released that will be available to Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers. Microsoft also wants to add a version of a designer directly to the Edge browser as well.

Error Code 0x80240017 – What is it?

Error code 0x80240017 is associated with installing or updating a Windows Store app. This error is more common in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. It appears due to missing certain system files and also corrupt registry.

Common symptoms

• When you try to install a Windows Store app on a PC running Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, or Windows Server 2012 R2, the installation fails and you receive an error message: 0x80240017
• Certain apps may become unresponsive.
• You may not be able to download apps or Windows update
• You may have difficulty updating or installing and uninstalling other built-in programs inside Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.
• When you have multiple applications running, you may experience crashes and freezes.

Solution

Error Causes

The error code 0x80240017 in Windows 8.1 or Windows 8 usually appears due to the fact that your system has changed after you installed a third-party application. It might also appear if registry entry has changed after a reboot of the operating system and you do not have the required permissions. Other causes may be due to:

• Corrupted, broken, or missing system files.
• Malware/spyware infection or virus attack
• Hardware/RAM decline
• Fragmented file
• Unnecessary or redundant program installations

Further Information and Manual Repair

Repairing Error Code 0x80240017 in Windows 8/Windows 8.1

Method 1:

Resetting Windows Store app:

1. Press and hold the Windows key and press R. This will open up the Run command
2. Now, type exe and hit Enter
3. Just wait for it to finish and it will re-launch Windows Store. Now, try and install the app you were trying to install which was previously showing an error.

This basic solution will delete the cache and reset Windows Store.

Method 2:

Using Windows troubleshooter:

1. Click on Search on the Charm bar and type Troubleshooting. Click on the very first option.
2. A new window will open. Click View all from the left pane.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and click on Windows update.
4. Troubleshooter window for Windows update will pop up. Click on NEXT. It may ask you for administrative permission.
5. The troubleshooter will automatically detect problems and fix them.
6. Now, close this window and try download/install the app which was previously showing an error.

Method 3:

Disable Proxy Settings: Disable proxy server on Internet Explorer

1. Press the Windows + R Run window will appear.
2. Type cpl and hit Enter
3. Click the Connections tab and click LAN settings
4. Under proxy server uncheck “Use a proxy server for your LAN”
5. Click OK

Now try to install apps from Windows Store.

Method 4:

Boot in Safe Mode:

1. Open Run command as previously described
2. Type MSConfig
3. Click on the Boot tab
4. Tick Safe boot in Boot option
5. Select Network
6. Click Apply and OK
7. Reboot your system

Your system will boot in Safe mode with Networking. You may now try and open Windows Store and should not see any errors.

Method 5:

Note: It is recommended that you back up your files and folders before attempting this step:

1. Move the mouse cursor over to the upper right side of the screen.
2. A menu will pop up on the left. Click on the “Settings” feature on the menu.
3. On the Settings window, click on the “Change PC settings.”
4. Now, left-click on the “Update and recovery” feature.
5. For the next step, left-click on the “Recovery” feature.
6. There is an option here saying “Refresh your PC without affecting your files.” There, left-click on the “Get started” button.
7. Now, follow the instructions on the screen to finish the Refresh process.
8. After the Refresh process has finished restart your Windows 8.1 or Windows 8 device.
9. Check again to see if the error 0x80240017 has been fixed.

If you do not possess the technical expertise required to accomplish this yourself or do not feel comfortable doing so, download and install a powerful automated tool to get the job done.

Microsoft's anniversary update has come with many new features and improvements. One of these features is that Microsoft's Cortana can now be installed on your Android phone and as long as you are logged in to your Microsoft account on different devices, she can pass information between devices. You can not see battery life on your desktop PC, notifications, etc. There are some prerequisites in order to get this going, first is to have a Windows version 1607 or newer. The second is to have the last Android version

Installing Cortana on Android

1. Download and install the Cortana app from the Google Play store.
2. Open the app and accept the license terms.
3. Enter the credentials for the Microsoft account you use to sign in to your PC.
4. After a few seconds, Cortana will open.
5. Click the settings button and select Sync Notifications.
6. By default, missed calls, incoming messages, and low battery notifications will be turned on. You can turn this on\off from here. The only option off by default is for App notifications. Any non-system apps such as Facebook and Instagram can also send alerts to your Windows box. You can choose to enable the App notification sync option or leave it off.
7. If you enable “App notification sync,” you will need to give Cortana permissions to read and control notifications on your phone.
8. You can then select exactly which applications will be synched to your PC.
9. Once done you can exit out of Cortana.

Configuring Cortana on PC

1. Click the Windows button and type Cortana. Click the icon for Cortana and Search Settings.
2. Scroll through the settings list and look for Send notifications between devices
3. Click the switch to turn it on.
4. Sign in to the same Microsoft account you used in the previous section
5. Navigate back to the Cortana & Search settings tool.
6. Click Edit Sync Settings. Make sure that your phone shows up on the list. You can also determine if you want PC notifications are sent to your phone.

With those settings in place, you should now start getting alerts for the items you enabled in your Action Center. As notices come in, you will see them pop up in a small bubble on the lower right of your screen. You can dismiss the notification or use the link to find a compatible app in the Windows store.

What Is 0x000000D1 Error?

Error code 0x000000D1 is a serious error that is displayed when Windows automatically shuts down to protect the system against further damage.

Usually, when this error occurs, the message displayed to the users states something like STOP 0x000000D1 DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL.

Solution

What Causes 0x000000D1 Error?

Usually, the STOP 0x000000D1 error code is caused by issues like incompatibilities, third-party drivers, driver conflicts, outdated drivers, malicious drivers, and other related problems.

Speaking technically, the message displayed to the user actually means that the kernel-mode driver has tried to gain access to memory at an unreasonably high process IRQL.

If left unfixed, STOP 0x000000D1 error can become quite serious. Increased frequency of occurrence may not only lead to data loss but can cause system corruption as well. That’s why it is crucial to fix it and to resolve the underlying issues causing it as soon as possible.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are different ways of quickly fixing this error, some of which are briefly listed below as follows.

• The solution advised for advanced users is to start the system and log on to it as the administrator. Then do to Start button. Click on All Programs -> Accessories-> System Tools->  System Restore. Here you will find the option, “Restore my computer to an earlier time”. Click on it and select ‘Next’. A list of restore points will appear in front of you. Select the latest restore point and then click on ‘Next’. The confirmation window will appear again. Click on the Next button again. Restart your computer. Congratulations, you have successfully restored your computer.
• Another way that’s more suitable for novice users goes as follows. Download a repair utility tool. Now install the program. You are most likely to come across a Scan button. Once that happens, choose the Fix/Repair button. Your scan will be completed. The error will be removed. You can then restart your computer again to ensure the error is no longer displayed.

Some other suggestions to keep your computer from encountering these problems in the future are outlined below.

• Update all your drivers. Obsolete or old hardware or software drivers may also trigger this STOP 0x000000D1 error.
• If you have recently installed or modified a driver or hardware and the error has occurred afterward, it is highly likely that the installation or modification has caused it. Revert back to the original settings to steer clear of this driver in the future.

Copy & Paste is an essential part of Operating and working on a computer. We copy and paste a lot of different stuff through our workday, moving stuff from application to application. In an earlier article today we have explored troubleshooting and how to repair copy-paste stopped responses, this time we are going to focus on a little feature of Windows 10 called Clipboard history. Clipboard history is a built-in feature in Windows 10 which lets you store multiple copies of different types and then selectively pasting them into another application. Let's say you have multiple copies of different text from different websites and you then paste everything or just some into a Word processor. If this feature sounds interesting to you then let's turn it on. Press the start button and then on settings. In settings window click on System in system dialog click on the clipboard and on the right screen turn ON CLipboard history.