The Extended Attributes Are Inconsistent Error

A few days ago we celebrated fixing of months-long PrintNightmare vulnerability by Microsoft, sadly a new bug and issue have been found. Firstly discovered Microsoft stated:

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.

A few days ago, Microsoft officially released a patch that was supposed to finally fix it. As you might recall this vulnerability was present for quite some time, Microsoft's solution after a long struggle was to elevate certain privileges to administrator account only and remove user accounts from managing printers. It complicated things a little bit but it was stated payoff was worth it. The new issue now is that on a system that already had accounts created and set, old accounts still can hijack the system, patch issues address only accounts that are created after the fix is administrated, old ones can still do whatever they want. Once again of course Microsoft has stated that until it is again resolved you should again disable the Print Spooler service as a temporary workaround.

The dxgmms2.sys file is a system driver file in Windows that is associated with the Graphics Rendering capabilities of a computer. However, this file is known to cause various Blue Screen of Death errors. Some of the culprits for these errors include issues with RAM, hard disk issues, corrupted drivers, and incompatible firmware. Despite its many causes, fixing this issue is quite straightforward so it should be easier for you to fix it. Here are some of the Blue Screen errors related to the dxgmms2.sys file:

• SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
• SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
• KMODE EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED
• PAGE FAULT IN A NONPAGED AREA
• IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL

If you have recently created a System Restore point prior to getting the dxgmms2.sys Blue Screen error, then you need to perform System Restore first before you further troubleshoot the problem as it might help in resolving the Blue Screen error. Refer to the steps below to perform System Restore.

• First, press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

If System Restore didn’t help in fixing the Blue Screen error, now’s the time for you to resort to the troubleshooting tips provided below but before you get started, make sure that you create a System Restore point first.

Option 1 – Reinstall the Graphics Card drivers

• 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. From there, look for the Graphics Card drivers listed under Display Adapters.
• Right-click on each one of the Graphics Card drivers and select Uninstall device and then follow the next on-screen instructions given to uninstall the driver.
• Now reboot your computer. During this time, your system will automatically reinstall the Graphics card drivers.

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. After that, you could also check if there’s a new update of the game you’re getting the issue of the black bar.

Option 2 – Try running the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Since the dxgmms2.sys Stop error has something to do with the DirectX Graphics APIs, you can run the DirectX Diagnostic tool to resolve the problem.

Option 3 – Try updating or re-installing DirectX

If the DirectX Diagnostic tool didn’t work, you can try to update or reinstall DirectX instead. This can help in fixing the problem because when you reinstall or update DirectX, it will replace the incompatible or corrupted components of DirectX from your computer.

Option 4 – Try to update the BIOS

Updating the BIOS can help you fix the Blue Screen error related to the dxgmms2.sys file but as you know, BIOS is a sensitive part of a computer. Even though it is a software component, the functioning of the hardware depends on it largely. Thus, you must be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
• From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
• After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
• If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
• Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version on your computer.
• Now restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 5 – Use some registry tweaks

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlGraphicsDrivers
• From there, right-click on the right-side panel and click on New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Then set the name of the new DWORD to “TdrDelay”.
• After that, use the next set of instructions and select the one for the Windows version you are using.

32-bit Windows:

• Choose the DWORD (32-bit) value.
• Then type in “TdrDelay” as the name and hit Enter.
• After that, double click on TdrDelay and add “10” as its value and click OK. This will set the response time for your GPU to be 10 seconds.

64-bit Windows:

• Select the QWORD (64-bit) value.
• Next, type in “TdrDelay” as the name and hit Enter.
• Double click on TdrDelay and type in “10” as its value data and click OK.
• Restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 6 – Disable the Sleep Functionality

You might also want to disable the Sleep Functionality as it could be the reason why you’re getting the Blue Screen error. There are times when the graphics card’s drivers are being used in the background and if the display goes to sleep and is awakened, it may cause a Blue Screen error. To fix it, you can prevent your computer from going into Sleep mode.

Option 7 – Try to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that might help you fix any Blue Screen errors related to the dxgmms2.sys file. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a Driver is a software driver used in WI FI communication between OS and device itself. When this driver stops working usually it means loss of connection and no internet available. This error knows to comes frequently and repeat itself over long periods of time which makes it quite annoying. If you are one of the unlucky users of Windows who get this error please keep reading in order to eliminate it and continue working on your computer normally.

1. Disable & Enable the Qualcomm Adapter Driver

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu, click on the device manager. In device manager expand network adapters. Right-click on Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a wireless network adapter and click on disable Right-click on Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a wireless network adapter and click on enable

2. Rollback the Qualcomm Adapter driver

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu, click on the device manager. In device manager expand network adapters. Right-click on Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a wireless network adapter and click on properties Under properties, window click on Driver tab and left-click on Roll Back driver (if the option is greyed there is no previous driver, follow next step) Choose your reason and click on OK

3. Update Qualcomm Atheros driver to the latest version

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu, click on the device manager. In device manager expand network adapters. Right-click on Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a wireless network adapter and click on Update Driver

4. Install the new driver in compatibility mode

   Right-click on the installer package and choose properties Go to the compatibility tab Choose compatibility settings and install.

ShopAtHome Toolbar is a browser extension. This extension tracks information when you visit a website, whether typing in the URL or clicking a link, the Browser App recognizes whether the URL is that of an Affiliate Store, and, if so, may redirect you through the affiliate network site to the Affiliate Store’s website, at which time, a tracking cookie will be placed in your browser. This cookie is the tracking mechanism that will follow your transaction with the Affiliate Store.

During installation, the Browser App may automatically change the default search engine used by your Web browser, whether via a built-in search box or otherwise, to our search engine. Upon installation and setup, it defines an auto-start registry entry which makes this program run on each Windows boot for all user logins. A scheduled task is added to Windows Task Scheduler in order to launch the program at various scheduled times.

Multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in ShopAtHome.com Helper and are therefore classified as potentially unwanted and flagged for optional removal.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a form of an unwanted program, often a web browser add-on or extension, which then causes modifications in the browser’s settings. Browser hijackers can do a variety of things on your PC. The idea would be to force users to visit certain sites that are looking to increase their visitor traffic and generate higher ad income. A lot of people assume that these kinds of sites are legitimate and harmless but that is incorrect. Almost every browser hijacker poses an actual threat to your online safety and it is important to classify them under privacy risks. They do not just screw up your web browsers, but browser hijackers could also modify the system registry, leaving your computer or laptop susceptible to other forms of hacking.

Browser hijacking signs and symptoms

Signs that your web browser is hi-jacked include: 1. the home page of your web browser is changed suddenly 2. you find yourself regularly directed to some other web page than the one you actually meant 3. The default search page of the browser is changed 4. you find many toolbars in your web browser 5. you see a lot of pop-ups on your computer screen 6. your internet browser starts running sluggishly or displays frequent glitches 7. Inability to navigate to particular sites, particularly anti-malware as well as other security software sites.

How browser hijacker infects PCs

Browser hijackers infect computers through malicious email attachments, downloaded infected documents, or by checking out infected internet sites. They also come from add-on programs, also called browser helper objects (BHO), web browser extensions, or toolbars. Other times you may have unintentionally accepted a browser hijacker as part of a software program package (generally freeware or shareware). Popular examples of browser hijackers include Conduit, CoolWebSearch, Coupon Server, OneWebSearch, RocketTab, Delta Search, Searchult.com, and Snap.do.

The best ways to get rid of browser hijackers

Some hijackers could be removed simply by uninstalling the related freeware or add-ons from the Add or Remove Programs in the Microsoft Windows Control Panel. Sadly, the majority of the software packages utilized to hijack a web browser are deliberately designed to be hard to detect or remove. Besides, browser hijackers can modify the Windows registry so it can be very difficult to fix manually, particularly if you are not a very tech-savvy person.

Help! Malware Preventing Anti-virus Installation And Access To The Web

All malware is inherently dangerous, but certain kinds of malware do a lot more damage to your computer or laptop than others. Some malware sits in between the computer and the net connection and blocks some or all websites that you would like to visit. It might also block you from adding anything on your PC, especially anti-malware applications. If you’re reading this, odds are you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you to download and/or install Safebytes Anti-Malware software on your PC. Do as instructed below to get rid of the malware by alternate methods.

Boot your PC in Safe Mode

In the event the malware is set to load at Windows startup, then booting in Safe Mode should avoid it. Just the minimum required applications and services are loaded when you boot your personal computer in Safe Mode. To launch your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 PCs in Safe Mode with Networking, please do as instructed below. 1) Press the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your PC boots, but before the big Windows logo shows up. This will conjure up the “Advanced Boot Options” menu. 2) Make use of the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) Once you get into this mode, you should have online access again. Now, obtain the virus removal application you need by utilizing the browser. To install the application, follow the guidelines in the installation wizard. 4) Right after installation, do a full scan and let the software delete the threats it detects.

Use an alternate web browser to download a security program

Malicious program code can exploit vulnerabilities in a particular browser and block access to all antivirus software websites. The best solution to avoid this problem is to choose a browser that is well known for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to keep you secure online.

Install and run anti-virus from a USB drive

Here’s another solution which is using a portable USB anti-virus software package that can check your system for viruses without the need for installation. Try these simple actions to clean up your affected computer by using portable anti-malware. 1) Make use of another virus-free computer system to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Put the USB drive into the clean PC. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to run the installation wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the USB drive as the place where you would like to store the software files. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation. 5) Now, plug the thumb drive into the corrupted system. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the pen drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Run Full System Scan to identify and clean-up up all types of malware.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware Features

If you’re planning to purchase anti-malware for your computer system, there are many brands and utilities for you to consider. Some are very good ones, some are ok types, while some are simply just fake anti-malware software that could harm your PC themselves! While looking for an antimalware tool, pick one that provides reliable, efficient, and total protection against all known computer viruses and malware. While considering the dependable software programs, Safebytes AntiMalware is undoubtedly the highly recommended one. Safebytes is among the well-established computer solutions firms, which provide this complete anti-malware tool. With its cutting-edge technology, this application can help you remove multiples types of malware including computer viruses, worms, PUPs, trojans, adware, ransomware, and browser hijackers. SafeBytes anti-malware takes computer protection to a totally new level with its enhanced features. Here are a few popular features found in this program: Antimalware Protection: With a critically acclaimed anti-malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection that is intended to find and get rid of viruses and malware that are hidden deep inside your computer’s operating system. Live Protection: SafeBytes provides complete and real-time security for your PC. It’ll continuously monitor your pc for hacker activity and also gives users sophisticated firewall protection. Extremely Speed Scanning: SafeBytes Anti-Malware has got a multi-thread scan algorithm that works up to 5x faster than any other anti-malware software. Web Filtering: SafeBytes provides an instant safety rating on the pages you are about to check out, automatically blocking harmful sites and make sure that you’re certain of your online safety while browsing the net. Lightweight Application: This software program is not “heavy” on the computer’s resources, so you will not find any overall performance troubles when SafeBytes is operating in the background. 24/7 Customer Service: Skilled technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will quickly fix any technical issues you might be encountering with your security software.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove ShopAtHome without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by ShopAtHome

Have you ever deleted a file by mistake? Do not feel bad, we all have, but what if you deleted the file by mistake and then you went to Recycle bin to restore it only to find out that the bin is empty? If you experienced this kind of issue then you know how unpleasant and frustrating it is but do not worry, we are here to help and provide you with solutions to this problem and hopefully get your file back. Follow the next steps from first to last since they are organized in a way to minimalize the permanent deletion of lost files.

1. Refresh Recycle bin view

   If you spend any amount of time on this site reading through articles, you know I am a big fan of simple and effective solutions and there is nothing simpler than a single press of a button. Open your recycle bin and press F5 to refresh view or right-click anywhere inside and choose refresh. If your file does not appear with this method go to the next step.

2. Set Windows to show hidden system files

   In order for this to work first, you will need to open File Explorer by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + E When File Explorer opens go to VIEW > OPTIONS. Inside options select “Show hidden files, folders, and drives”, uncheck “Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)”, and click APPLY > OK Go to the recycle bin and check to see if files have managed to show up.

3. Check if Don't move the file to the recycle bin is enabled

   Right-click on recycle bin and choose properties, under properties, there is the option that says Don’t move files to the Recycle Bin, Remove files immediately when deleted. This option is not selected by default, but it could be turned on by someone else or by mistake. If you see that this option is enabled sadly your file is gone and you will have to get the file back by using some third-party undelete application, uncheck this option to prevent future deletion of files by mistake.

4. Increase recycle bin size

   This will not help you to get your file back sadly but it will help you in storing more files in recycle bin. This is helpful since if you reach your recycle bin limit all further files will be permanently deleted and not been able to get them back. So by increasing bin size you will have more space for deleted files to be saved. To do that, right-click on Recycle Bin, select Properties. Now, increase the Maximum size from the Custom size option, and click Apply and OK.

5. Reset recycle bin

   To reset and fix corrupted recycle bin do the following: Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret Windows menu and click on command prompt (admin) In the command prompt type in the following: rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.bin Reboot your system

NVIDIA is undeniably the market leader as a Graphics Card manufacturer. Recently, NVIDIA came about a feature known as NVIDIA Share. This feature allows users to carry out a number of tasks such as streaming, recording, and sharing their gameplay with other users. NVIDIA Share allows users to take multiple snapshots of the gameplay which brings in capabilities to get the memories of the moments that happen during an awesome game. However, as of late, there were reports that NVIDIA Share is not working or responding. So if you are one of the users who are currently facing this issue, then read on as this post will guide you in resolving it. Make sure to follow the options given below carefully for a successful result.

Option 1 – Try to update the drivers from the official site of NVIDIA

The first thing you can do is to update the drivers from the official site of NVIDIA. And in case you don’t know the type of Nvidia graphics card that your computer is on, follow the steps below:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next type in “dxdiag” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.
• From there, you can see what type of Nvidia graphics card that your system is on.
• Take note of your graphics card information and then look for the best drivers for your operating system. Once you’ve downloaded and installed the file, restart your PC.

Option 2 – Try to roll back the driver to the previous version

If the first option didn’t work for you, then it’s time to roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the NVIDIA Drivers and expand them.
• Next, select the driver entries that are labeled appropriately.
• Then select each one of them and double click to open a new mini window.
• After that, make sure that you’re on the Driver tab and if you are not, just navigate to it then click the Roll Back Driver button to switch back to the previous version of the NVIDIA Drivers.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try disabling NVIDIA Share

If the first two options given above didn’t work then you might want to try disabling NVIDIA Share. In case you didn’t make any modifications to the driver, chances are either your driver is out of date or there are some issues with the installation of the drivers. For you to find out, you need to first check if your NVIDIA drivers are really up to date. Once you’ve confirmed it, you can now disable the NVIDIA Share feature. Just refer to the steps below to do that.

• Search for the NVIDIA GeForce Experience in the search box and then click on the appropriate result to open it.
• After you open the NVIDIA GeForce Experience, go to the General tab.
• Next, scroll down to the NVIDIA Share section and then select the toggle to turn off this feature.
• Now restart your computer and try to check if there are any updates available for the NVIDIA Graphics card and install them again if there are any.

Error Code 80070490 - What is it?

This error 80070490 code may occur when you try to update your PC either through the Microsoft Update website or with a Windows update. The error message is displayed in the following format:

Error 80070490 (Element not found)

Solution

Error Causes

Error Code 80070490 is triggered because of a couple of reasons. It indicates the file CBS Manifest that is needed to install Windows update is corrupt or damaged. CBS (Component Based Servicing) Manifest is the file that is used to help your computer recognize various components inside your PC. Another reason for error occurrence is registry corruption. If the registry that stores all the information and activities performed is not cleaned frequently, the obsolete files saved in the registry like the junk files, bad entries and cookies eventually accumulate and corrupt it thereby generating such error codes.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some effective and proven methods that you can try by yourself to resolve error code 80070490 on your PC.

Method 1 - Use the System Update Readiness Tool

Download the System Update Readiness Tool from the Windows website and run it on your PC. This tool is designed to detect and scan for abnormalities and inconsistencies that could be preventing and causing problems during the system update. Once you have downloaded and scanned your PC, try to install the updates again. If the error still persists, try other methods illustrated below.

Method 2 - Repair Windows

Here are the steps that you need to follow to repair Windows:

• First, close all programs and then reboot your PC. Insert the Windows DVD into the computer’s disk drive and wait for the setup to begin.
• If for any reason, the setup doesn’t start automatically, then don’t worry simply click start, then type Drive: setup.exe in the search box. Please note, in the drive insert the letter of your computer’s DVD drive for example D:setup.exe.
• Now in the programs list, click setup.exe  And then click install now.
• After that click ‘go online to obtain the latest updates for installation’, if you are asked for the Windows Product Key, then simply type it to proceed.
• In the ‘Which kind of Installation do you want?’ option, click Upgrade.

When the Windows installation is complete, restart your PC and then run Windows update.

Method 3 - Clean the Registry

If the cause of error code 80070490 on your PC is related to registry corruption, then it is advisable to download Restoro. This is an advanced and easy-to-use PC Repair Tool embedded with a registry cleaner. The registry cleaner scans your entire PC, removes all obsolete and unnecessary files corrupting the registry, and cleans it right away. Click here to download Restoro to repair error code 80070490

Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well. Today we will be changing the Windows Lock Screen background. Changing the lock screen background is a very easy task and it can be done in a very short time. So let's jump right into it. The first thing you need to do is to press the Windows start button on the bottom left and then press settings. Once the settings screen appears, choose and click on Personalization. Inside personalization, click on the Lock Screen tab. On the right screen, under the picture, you will find Windows spotlight, click on it to bring a drop-down menu up. Your choice is presented as a single picture for background or slideshow, a series of pictures that are going to be looped in a given time interval. If you would like just a single picture for your background, choose that and click on it. Once you are in choose picture dialog, click on the browse button and navigate to the picture on your storage which you would like to have as a background. If however, you fancy slideshow as your lock screen background, click on the background drop-down menu and choose the slideshow. Next, click on add a folder and navigate to a folder where you have pictures that you would like to have as a slideshow for your Windows lock screen.

Error Code 7 - What is it?

This is a typical system error that occurs during Windows setup. To be precise, this error may pop on your computer screen during the text mode portion of Windows setup. The setup hangs and stops responding and the error message is displayed in either one of the following formats:

‘The file I386Ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded. The error code is 7.’ or ‘The file I386L_intl.nlf could not be loaded. The error code is 7.’

Solution

Error Causes

Error 7 may be triggered due to several reasons but the 2 most common causes for this error code are:

• Incorrect settings of the BIOS
• Faulty RAM modules
• Registry corruption

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve this error on your system, here are some easy and effective DIY methods that you can try.

Method 1 - Change Back the BIOS to its Default Settings

If the underlying cause of error code 7 is related to incorrect BIOS settings, then it is recommended to restore default settings to resolve. You can reset your computer’s BIOS (basic input and output system) settings to factory defaults by selecting the restore defaults option within BIOS or by removing CMOS ( Complementary Metal Oxide Semi-Conductor) battery from your unplugged computer for about five minutes. The battery removal method requires opening the computer case, so only attempt it if you are unable to access BIOS. To reset BIOS follow these steps, reboot your PC and then press the key assigned to loading BIOS during your computer boot splash screen. The key assigned to load and access BIOS varies from manufacturer to manufacturer but usually, it's F1, F2, or F12. Once you enter the BIOS, select the ‘Restore Defaults’ option listed in the menu.  I t may be a keyboard shortcut or be under the Advanced settings menu. Confirm settings and then exit BIOS. Hopefully, this will resolve Error 7.

Method 2 - Remove the Faulty RAM

When error code 7 is triggered by faulty RAM modules, then to resolve it simply remove the memory modules that are installed in the computer. If the error code is displayed again after you remove the memory module, remove a different memory module. This procedure requires you to reboot your PC several times to identify the specific memory module that is not working properly.

Method 3 - Repair the Corrupted Registry

Error code 7 is sometimes also linked with registry issues. If the reason for the error occurrence is a damaged or corrupted registry, then simply download Restoro. This is a powerful PC Fixer embedded with a registry cleaner. It is easy to operate and user-friendly. The registry cleaner detects and removes all errors in seconds. It cleans the registry and repairs the damages in no time. Click here to download Restoro.

Error Code 0xC004C4AE - What is it?

Activation errors in Windows 10 can interfere with your ability to fully use the system. When Error Code 0xC004C4AE appears on your computer, you may see a message that shows that the validation process has been stalled due to binaries that appear to have been tampered with.  

While the text of this message may sound intimidating to people who are not familiar with the inner workings of the Windows 10 system, the basic meaning of the error message is that something has been introduced to the system that is not natively supported in Windows 10. During the Activation process, Windows checks to ensure that all of the Windows elements that are currently on the computer are valid and authentic to the Windows system. Usually, this particular error code refers to a language package that has been downloaded into the system using an outside application, which the Windows 10 operating system does not support. 

Common symptoms include: 

• An error message when the activation is attempted 
• Inability to complete the Windows 10 Activation process 
• Inability to fully use apps in Windows 10 until the issue is resolved 

This particular error can easily be resolved with a few simple steps. However, if you are not confident in your ability to use the methods below or they do not fully remove the issue on your computer, you may want to seek the assistance of a qualified repair technician who is well versed in the Windows 10 Activation process.

Solution

Error Causes

The most basic cause of Error Code 0xC004C4AE is that an unsupported language package has been enabled in the computer. This most often occurs when third-party applications have been used to introduce additional display languages to your system. While third-party applications that provide language packs are acceptable in some versions of the Windows operating system, the Windows 10 Activation process will not be able to complete if the system detects that one of these unofficial language packs exists on your machine.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are several methods that may be helpful in resolving the basic issue in the display languages that causes Error Code 0xC004C4AE to appear: 

Method 1: Restore Your System to an Earlier Point to Revert Changes 

Use a backup copy to restore your computer to an earlier date, in effect undoing the changes that caused the error. When your system has been restored, you will be able to go through any language packs that are not native to the Windows operating system and remove them before re-attempting the installation and activation of the Windows 10 system. 

This method is most useful if you keep a regular backup of your system and files. If you do not regularly back up the information on your computer, attempt one of the other methods instead. If you are unsure of how to use a backup to revert your changes or are not comfortable completing this step on your own, contact a certified Windows technician to assist you in the process. 

Method 2:  Revert to an Earlier System to Remove the Language Pack 

If you are unable to restore your system using a backup, the other option to resolve Error Code 0xC004C4AE is to halt your installation of Windows 10 and go back to Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, from which you will be able to remove the language pack in question. Once the offending language pack has been completely removed from your computer, the Windows 10 Activation process should be able to proceed normally. 

Several versions of windows don’t support language packages, so the best way to prevent this error from occurring is to avoid using any kind of third-party tool to install additional languages onto your Windows system. Activities Language You may be able to use third-party tools to instead complete alternative language actions without installing these languages as language packs. 

If the above solutions do not help you to resolve Error Code 0xC004C4AE on your machine, get in touch with a qualified Windows repair technician, who may be able to perform the operations needed to remove the problematic language pack from your computer and allow the Windows 10 Activation process to continue to completion.