What to do if Mouse Pointer lags or freezes in Windows 10

Error Code 0xd0000272 – What is it?

Error code 0xd0000272 is an activation error code that occurs when Windows users are unable to activate their Windows operating system. This error code features common symptoms which include the following:

• Inability to activate Windows 10 operating system
• Message box with error code 0xd0000272

Solution

Error Causes

When error code 0xd0000272 occurs in Windows 10, it is usually due to issues related to the Windows activation servers. In such a case where the error code occurs due to an activation server that is temporarily unavailable, users may need to wait for a few hours until the activation server is available. Their copy of Windows will then be automatically activated. Once the activation process is not done accordingly, you might encounter other Windows 10 errors such as error code 0xc004f034. 

Further Information and Manual Repair

As is the case with many activation error codes, Windows 10 users can perform several manual repair methods to determine the cause as well as fix the error code affecting their device. Instead of passively waiting to see if your activation error code will be fixed on its own, resolve error code 0xd0000272 through the manual repair methods available. Below are simple instructions that when followed can lead to your success.

Method One: Verify Internet Connection

Check Settings to verify if your machine is connected to the Internet. This is one of the causes of various error codes which affect Windows 10. Also, this manual method is a simple process that can help Windows users recognize or eliminate factors that may or may not be affecting their system. To check your Internet connection, follow the simple instructions below.

• Step one: Click the Start button and select Settings
• Step two: Select Network & Internet
• Step three: Click the Status section of the Network & Internet tab

Once you’ve been able to verify an Internet connection or troubleshoot any issues related to your network, go to Update & security. Make an attempt to activate your system. If you are successful, you will be able to access all the features and benefits offered via your copy of Windows. However, move to the next manual method below if error code 0xd0000272 reoccurs.

Method Two: Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

Your inability to activate Windows 10 may be related to an issue with Windows Update. To verify whether or not Windows Update is functioning properly, run Windows Update Troubleshooter.

You’ll need to visit the Microsoft website to access their Windows Update Troubleshoot tool. Once you’ve downloaded the troubleshooter, run the tool. After running the tool, check if you are able to access Windows Update services as well as activate Windows 10.  If the problem with error code 0xd0000272 persists, however, follow the instructions provided for manual repair method three detailed below.

Method Three: Disable Proxy Settings

Another option available to individuals experiencing error code 0xd0000272 in Windows 10 is to manually disable their machine’s proxy settings. After disabling the proxy settings, remember to open the Windows Update tab to complete the activation process. See the instructions provided below to disable proxy settings.

• Step one: Press Windows key + R
• Step two: Type control then click OK
• Step three: Select Settings then go to Network & Internet
• Step four: View connection settings
• Step five: Click on the Network tab
• Step six: Click Proxy -- turn off proxy

Once you have successfully disabled your proxy settings, open Windows Update. Select the activation option to access your copy of Windows 10. If you are unable to complete the activation process, however, contact a Windows repair technician.

Method Four: 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.

If you are having issues with your network connection and you have it configured to DHCP, then you shouldn’t have any issues in figuring your IP address out. If you want to prevent conflicts between network devices and enable their easy management, then you have to set a static IP address in your Windows 10 computer, worry not for this post will show you how it’s done. The IP addresses for computers are usually configured to the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol or DHCP automatically by the respective router. This is really convenient since the devices instantly connect to your network and through this, you can save yourself the trouble of configuring the IP address for each new device manually. However, there’s a shortfall in the process – the computer’s IP address can change every now and then. Moreover, you might also find it a lot easier to share a printer or configure a Port forwarding when you set a static IP address. There are three ways to do it – you can set it via Control Panel or Windows Settings or using Windows PowerShell. For more details, follow the options provided below.

Option 1 – Set a static IP address via Control Panel

• Right-click on the network or Wi-Fi icon located in the Taskbar.
• Then select the “Open Network and Internet settings” option from the given list of options.
• Next, go to Wi-Fi settings and scroll down until you see the “Related Settings” section. Here, click on the “Change adapter options” link which will open a new window that will direct you to the Network Connections section of the Control Panel.
• After that, right-click on the network connection you want to set a static IP address for and then select the Properties option.
• Then select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) under the Networking tab and click the Properties button.
• Now switch the selector to the “Use the following IP address” option and make the entry for the following fields that correspond to your network setup.
  • IP address (Find it using the “ipconfig /all” command)
  • Subnet Mask (On a home network, it is 255.255.255.0)
  • Default Gateway (It is your router’s IP address.)

• Then check the “Validate settings upon exit” option to help Windows check your new IP address quickly as well as the other relevant information to make sure that it’s working.
• Once you’re done, click the OK button and close the network adapter’s properties window.

Option 2 – Assign Static IP address using Settings

• First, click on the gear icon for Settings and select the Network & Internet tab.
• Next, select Wi-Fi > Current connection where you’ll have to select the network connection your computer is connected to.
• After that, scroll down until you reach the IP settings section and then click the Edit button.
• Now click the drop-down arrow when the IP settings window pops up and select the Manual option.
• Now turn on the IPv4 toggle switch and set the static IP address. You also have to set the Subnet prefix length (subnet mask). For instance, if your subnet mask is “255.255.255.0”, then the subnet prefix length in bits should be 24.
• Afterward, configure the Default Gateway address and the Preferred DNS address and then save the changes you’ve made.

Option 3 – Assign the static IP address using Windows PowerShell

• In the Start Search, type “PowerShell” and right-click on Windows PowerShell from the search results to open PowerShell with admin privileges.
• After that, enter this command to view your computer’s current network configuration: Get-NetIPConfiguration
• Next, take note of the following information:
  • InterfaceIndex
  • IPv4Address
  • IPv4DefaultGateway
  • DNSServer

• Once you’re done, execute this command to set a static IP address: New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceIndex 15 -IPAddress 192.168.29.34 -PrefixLength 24 -DefaultGateway 192.168.29.1
• Afterward, change the default gateway with the default gateway address of your network and make sure that you change the InterfaceIndex number with the one that corresponds to your adapter and IPAddress with the IP address you want to assign to your computer.
• Now execute this command to assign a DNS server address: Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceIndex 4 -ServerAddresses 10.1.2.1
• Finally, save the changes you’ve made and restart your computer.

If you have encountered the “Windows Cannot Find a System Image on This Computer” error while you are trying to restore a system image, then read on as this post will guide you in resolving this problem. A system image is basically a backup of your whole data in the system. For instance, it can be the backup data of your hard disk or the whole hard disk itself, or one of the volumes. This is really useful in some cases like when you are not able to get back into your system for some reason or when your system has been corrupted. In such cases, you can utilize this feature and get going safe and sound. However, not all things go the way as expected like when you make a system image of a drive for instance, or use that backup to restore data and you suddenly encounter the “Windows Cannot Find a System Image on This Computer” error. This kind of error occurs due to a number of reasons but worry not for your data is safe and you can fix this error easily. This error is most likely triggered by changing the name of the “WindowsImageBackup” folder. Renaming this folder will certainly be an issue since it is the one that stores all your data. Aside from renaming the WindowsImageBackup folder, renaming the sub-folders can also cause this error which means that renaming the sub-folders of the WindowsImageBackup folder can trigger the error. To fix this error, here are some suggestions that might help:

Option 1 – Try putting the WindowsImageBackup folder in the Root directory

Windows will have issues finding the WindowsImageBackup folder if it isn’t in the root directory of the drive so if it is not there, the “Windows Cannot Find a System Image on This Computer” error will pop up. When a folder is in a root directory, it means that it shouldn’t be stored within a folder but in the main directory instead.  Thus, you need to put the WindowsImageBackup folder in the root directory to fix the error.

Option 2 – Don’t add any sub-folders in the WindowsImageBackup folder

Another cause of the error is when you add sub-folders in the WindowsImage Backup folder. Adding any sub-folders in this folder will only trigger the error so you should leave the folder as it is and you must not make any modifications to it. So if you have added sub-folders in it, make sure to remove them right away.

Option 3 – Make sure that there is one system image per USB drive

The error can also appear if you’ve stored multiple images inside a single USB drive as it could confuse Windows and will trigger the “Windows Cannot Find a System Image on This Computer” error. Note that storing system images of different volumes of your hard disk in a single USB will prevent you from restoring your data.

Option 4 – Try renaming the System Image folder

If you’ve just changed the name of the System Image folder after you store it on a USB stick or other external device, then it’s no wonder why you’re getting the “Windows Cannot Find a System Image on This Computer” error. Windows search for the default name, “WindowsImage Backup” folder when restoring your data so if it is not able to find it, it throws up this error instead. To fix the error, you need to change the folder back to its default name which is “WindowsImageBackup”.

Option 5 – Check the WindowsImageBackup sub-folders

As mentioned earlier, renaming sub-folders in the WindowsImageBackup folder can trigger the error so if you have renamed sub-folders in this folder, you need to change them back to their default names so that you can restore your data peacefully.

As you know, Windows Updates are essential for your operating system as it keeps it protected from potential threats, fixes bugs and improves your experience in using Windows 10. However, there are instances when Windows Updates also cause errors and one of them is the Windows Update Error 0x8024000B. One of the causes of this particular Windows Update error is that Windows was not able to read the Update Manifest file which is needed to install the Windows Updates. This means that the operation was canceled by either the service or the user. On the other hand, this error could also occur if you are not able to filter the results. When you encounter this error, you will see an error message that says, “WU_E_CALL_CANCELLED: Operation was canceled”. This indicates that the operation was canceled by the operating system itself. To resolve the Windows Update Error 0x8024000B, here are some suggestions you need to check out.

Option 1 – Try to run the Cleanup (Decline) Superseded updates PowerShell script

The first thing you can do to fix the Windows Update Error 0x8024000B is to run the Cleanup (Decline) Superseded updates PowerShell script. This is actually an easy fix since all you have to do is download and run it from the Microsoft Technet site. Once you’re done downloading and running the file, restart your computer and see if the error is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try to rename the Spupdsvc.exe file

If the first option didn’t work, you can try renaming the Spupdsvc.exe file which is one of the reasons why you’re getting the Windows Update Error 0x8024000B.

• First, tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility.
• Next, type the following command and hit Enter to execute it in cmd:

 /c ren %systemroot%System32Spupdsvc.exe Spupdsvc.old

• The command you entered will rename the troublesome “Spupdsvc(.)exe” file to “Spupdsvc(.)old”.
• Now restart your computer after the command has been executed.

Option 3 – Try to restart various Windows Update-related services and components

You could also try to restart some Windows Update-related services to resolve the Windows Update error. Refer to the following steps to do so:

• Tap the Win + X key combination and select Command Prompt (Admin) to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, copy and paste each one of the commands listed below one by one and tap Enter right after you enter each command.
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop bits
  • net stop appidsvc
  • ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
  • ren %systemroot%system32catroot2 catroot2.bak
• Once you’ve entered all the commands given above, they will stop all the Windows Update services that are running on your computer as well as clear the SoftwareDistribution folder, and reset the Catroot2 folder. Now you have to start all these Windows Update services you’ve just stopped by executing the following commands:
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start bits
  • net start appidsvc
  • net start cryptsvc
• After that, restart your computer and try to run the setup again, and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 4 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You should also try to run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter as it could help you resolve the Windows Update Error 0x8024000B. To run it refer to these steps:

• Go to Settings and then click on Windows Update from the given menu.
• Next, click on the Troubleshoot option and select Windows Update from the given options to run the Windows Update troubleshooter.
• After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and wait until the process is completed, and check if the Windows Update Error 0x8024000B is fixed or not.

There is various Blue Screen of Death errors that you can encounter as you use your Windows 10 computer and some of these Stop errors have something to do with the win32kbase.sys file. This post will guide you in fixing the BSOD errors related to the win32kbase.sys file.

• A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. The problem seems to be caused by the following file: Win32kbase.sys.
• Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. If you would like to know more, you can search online later for this error: win32kbase.sys.
• SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (win32kbase.sys)
• STOP 0x0000000A: IRQL_NOT_LESS_EQUAL – win32kbase.sys
• STOP 0x0000001E:

KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED – win32kbase.sys

• STOP 0×00000050:

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA – win32kbase.sys

The win32kbase.sys file is a Windows operating system Base Win32 Kernel Driver file located in the System32 folder so if it ends up getting corrupted or if it went missing, your computer will throw up Blue Screen error. To fix BSOD errors that have something to do with the win32kbase.sys file, here are some possible fixes that could help. Worry not for these possible fixes are not complicated.

Option 1 – Run the Check Disk or CHDSK utility

One of the first things you can try to resolve the win32kbase.sys Blue Screen error is running the CHKDSK utility. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the CHKDSK utility comes in. The CHKDSK utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /f C:

• Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.

Option 2 – Run SFC or System File Checker scan

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

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

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

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

 Restart your PC.

Option 3 – Try to run the DISM commands

You might want to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also trigger the win32kbase.sys Blue Screen error. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the dxgkrnl.sys Blue Screen error is now fixed.

Option 4 – Try to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

As you know, the Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing Blue Screen errors related to the win32kbase.sys file. It can be found in 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.

Recently, a number of users reported that they weren’t able to download anything from the internet after they’ve updated their Windows 10 computers. This kind of problem occurs because of some Internet options settings located in the Control Panel. Based on the reports, this issue has been known to occur in all kinds of browsers and not only on Microsoft Edge. Not being able to download anything from the internet is a huge problem since almost everything is wrapped around the internet. To resolve this problem, here are some suggestions that you can try.

Option 1 – Temporarily disable Firewall and third-party antivirus

Firewall and antivirus programs are known to block files the instant it detects a threat to the system. However, there are some cases when it can also block a file even when it’s a safe one. Thus, your antivirus or firewall programs might be the reason why you can’t download anything on your Windows 10 computer. To isolate the issue, you need to temporarily disable both the Firewall and antivirus programs and then check if you can now download anything from the internet. Do not forget to enable them again as disabling them can leave your computer vulnerable to cyber threats.

Option 2 – Try changing the Internet Options settings

According to users, changing the Internet Options settings helped them resolve the problem. There are times when the drive location in your Internet Options settings is not the system drive, chances are, it will cause the error to pop up which is why you need to make sure that it’s correct.

• Go to Control Panel and search for Internet Options and open it.
• Next, go to the General tab and click on Settings.
• From there, check if the drive location is “C:”. If it is, close the window, otherwise, click on the “Move folder…” option, and then select your preferred folder under drive C: and click OK.
• Now restart your computer and check if changing the Internet Options settings helped in fixing the problem.

Option 3 – Try clearing browser data

There are instances when browser data can cause issues in downloading files online. And so you can try to clear your browser’s data. This might be a very basic solution but oftentimes it works in fixing this kind of error. Follow the steps below to clear the data in your browser.

• Open your Google Chrome browser.
• After that, tap the Ctrl + H keys. Doing so will open a new panel that allows you to delete the browsing history and other data in your browser.
• Now select every checkbox that you see and click on the Clear browsing data button.
• Then restart your Chrome browser and check if you can now open any website or not.

Option 4 – Get rid of any conflicting browser extensions

• Open Chrome and press Alt + F keys.
• Go to More tools and click Extensions to look for any suspicious browser extensions or toolbars.
• Click the Recycle bin and select Remove.
• Restart Chrome and press Alt + F keys again.
• Proceed to On Startup and mark Open a specific page or set of pages.
• To check if the browser hijacker is still active, click Set pages, if it is active, overwrite the URL.

Option 5 – Try to remove Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the connection issue in Cortana. Here’s how you can do it:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
• After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
• From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
• Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
• Restart your PC.

Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 6 – Try reinstalling your browser

If none of the options given above worked in fixing the problem, you can try to reinstall your browser. There are times when the browser wasn’t installed properly which can cause several issues like not being able to download anything from the web. Thus, reinstall your browser and see if that helps.

Cortana is your personal digital assistant fully integrated into Windows 10 designed to help you make your life easier. The more you use it, the more Cortana can learn about you, and the experience becomes more personalized and accurate. It can perform a variety of tasks, and it's full of handy tricks, but perhaps one of the best features is the advanced speech recognition that enables Cortana to understand the context of a natural voice conversation. On Windows 10, and across platforms with the Cortana app on iPhone and Android, the assistant can understand virtually any voice command and perform tasks. For example, by just speaking you can find facts, create reminders and manage your calendar, launch applications, change settings, and a lot more. Now, if you're looking for an official list of all the voice commands Cortana supports, you'll never find it because it doesn't exist. Cortana can understand natural language and context, there's no particular set of commands to make things happen. In a sort of way, you are speaking to Cortana as you would to any other person.

Invoking Cortana

Before using voice commands, it's important to know the ways in which you can invoke Cortana using natural language:

• You can click the microphone icon in the taskbar next to the Start menu.
• You can use the Shift + ⊞ Windows + C keyboard shortcut to open Cortana in listening mode.
• You can use the Hey Cortana feature, which lets you invoke the assistant by simply saying Hey Cortana followed by the command. For example, Hey Cortana: How's the weather?.
• On Windows 10 Mobile devices, you can press and hold the search button to open Cortana in listening mode.

Comprehensive list of Cortana voice commands

The following list of commands are examples you can use to learn how to control Cortana with voice commands. Keep in mind that there isn't a specific way to speak the commands. For example, Hey Cortana: Let me listen to some tunes is the same as asking for a more systematic command like Hey Cortana: Play music.

Cortana basic voice commands:

Getting the time for any location:

• "What time is it?"
• "What time is in New York?" or "What time is in Greece?"

Getting weather information for any location:

• "What's the weather like?"
• "What's the weather in Madrid?" or "What's the weather in Slovakia?"
• "When does the sun set?"
• "Is it hot in Hawaii?"
• "How's the weather looking for tomorrow/next week?"

Opening (Store and desktop) apps and websites:

• "Open Photoshop" or "Go to Firefox"
• "Open errortools.com."

Getting news information:

• "Show me top headlines."
• "Show me the latest news."
• "Show me weather news."
• "Show me Blizzard stock."
• "Show me bitcoin exchange rate."
• "What was the score of the last Brazil football game."

Creating a note:

• "Create a note."
• "Create Shopping note."
• "Create Shopping note: Buy a basket of eggs"
• "Take a note."
• "Draft a note."
• "Write a note."

Translating to a different language:

• "Translate."
• "Translate Hello to German"
• "Translate Where is the nearest park? to Spain"

Doing math:

• "What's 34% or $764.89?"
• "What's 43 times 59?"
• "What the square root of 26509?"
• "What's 29 times 6 divided by 12?"
• "Convert 6.9 cups to fluid ounces."
• "How many miles are in 89 Kilometers?"

Defining a word:

• "Define Space."

Tracking packages:

• "Where is my package?"
• "Show me my packages."

Cortana search voice commands:

Finding documents, photos, videos:

• "Find photos from August 1998."
• "Find cat videos."
• "Find document called Collection of poems."

Searching the web:

• "Search the web for Heroes of Might and magic."

Finding facts:

• "How tall is Mount Everest?"
• "Who is Steve Jobs?"
• "When Arnold Schwarzenegger was born?"
• "Who is Mercedes CEO?"
• "When does spring begin?"
• "What's the capital of Zimbabwe?"
• "When is Thanksgiving?"

It's important to note that Cortana is capable of conversational understanding, which means that you can also ask follow-up questions without having to be very specific. For example, if you ask Cortana: "Who is the president of the United States", you can then ask a follow-up question, such as "Who is his wife?" or "When was he born?" and the assistant should be able to answer those questions accurately.

Discovering food places nearby:

• "Find food places near me."
• "Find restaurants near me."
• "Find bars near me."
• "What's a good restaurant near me?"
• "What's interesting nearby?"
• "Show me Chinese restaurants near me."
• "Show me Italians restaurants in Los Angeles."

Cortana health and fitness voice commands:

• "How was my sleep last night?"
• "What was my step count yesterday?"
• "How many calories did I burn today?"

These commands require a tracking device, such as the Microsoft Band 2 to enable your fitness and health activities, and you need to connect Cortana with the Microsoft Health (Microsoft Band) service.

Cortana settings voice commands:

Opening the Settings app:

• "Open Settings."
• "Open Action Center."

Controlling settings:

• "Turn on/off Bluetooth"
• "Turn on/off Wi-Fi"
• "Turn on/off Airplane Mode"

Cortana reminders voice commands:

Creating reminders:

• "Remind me to wash the car."

Creating location-based reminders:

• "Remind me to buy CDs next time I go to Walmart."

Creating person-based reminders:

• "Remind me to ask for vacation time next time I talk to Goran."

Creating time-based reminders:

• "Remind me to watch the basketball game at 6 PM."
• "Remind me to buy the food for the d&d session on Sunday at 3 PM."

Viewing reminders:

• "Show me my reminders."

Cortana calendar voice commands:

Viewing calendar events:

• "How's my schedule looking today?"
• "Show me my appointments for next week."
• "When is my dentist appointment?"

Adding new calendar events:

• "Add dental appointment for Monday at 2 PM."

Moving calendar events:

• "Move dental appointment to Friday at 5 PM."

Cortana alarms voice commands:

Creating alarms:

• "Set an alarm for next Monday at 5:30 AM."
• "Set an alarm for Saturdays at 9 AM."

Viewing alarms:

• "Show my alarms"

Removing alarms:

• "Cancel alarm for Saturdays at 9 AM."

Cortana timer voice commands:

Creating a timer:

• "Set a timer for 5 minutes."

You can only start a one-timer at one point in time. If there is a timer already running, Cortana will ask you to restart it at a new time.

Viewing timer:

• "Show timer."
• "How much time is left on the timer?"

Canceling timer:

• "Stop timer."

Cortana location voice commands:

Knowing your exact location:

• "Tell me where am I?"

Cortana messaging voice commands:

Sending text messages:

• "Send a text to Milan: I'll be late for lunch today."

Sending quick emails:

• "Send email to Milena: See you later tonight."
• "Send email to John and Claudia: How is the project coming along?"

Cortana location voice commands:

Getting directions:

• "What's the traffic like on the way home?"
• "How do I get home."
• "How long would it take to drive to Madison Square Garden?"
• "Get me directions to Port Authority."
• "How do I get from my location to Long Beach, New York?"
• "How far away is the moon?"
• "Show me walking directions to the nearest gas station."
• "Show me public transit to 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036."
• "Show me the map of San Francisco."

Tracking flights:

• "Track flight 1056."
• "Is my flight delayed?"
• "Is my flight on time?"

Cortana entertainment voice commands:

Controlling music:

• "Play Metallica."
• "Put some Symphonic music."
• "Shuffle music."
• "Play and Justice for all by Metallica."
• "Stop music"
• "Pause music"
• "Pause song."
• "Play next"
• "Next track"
• "Skip track."

Identifying what's playing:

• "What is this song?"
• "What's playing?"

Movies & TV:

• "What's Blade Runner run time?"
• "Who was the director of Gladiator?"
• "What movies are playing near me?"
• "What are the showtimes for Star Trek lower decks?"

Cortana technical support voice commands:

• "How do I install a printer?"
• "How do I project my screen?"
• "How do I change my background?"
• "How do I update Windows?"
• "How do I make a backup?"
• "How do I change default apps?"
• "How do I change Privacy?"
• "How do I connect a wireless device?"

Sometimes asking a "How to do I" question will result in a web search response.

Cortana phone voice commands:

• "Call wife on speakerphone."
• "Call David at home."
• "Call Goran."
• "Redial."
• "Send a photo to my PC."

Cortana random voice commands:

• "Tell me a joke."
• "Tell me a riddle."
• "Tell me something interesting."
• "Tell me something funny."
• "Tell me a scary story."
• "Sing me a song."
• "Surprise me."
• "Do an impression."
• "What do you look like?"
• "Which is the best smartphone?"
• "What is love?"
• "Which is better, Google or Bing?"
• "Why should I buy this phone?"
• "What do you think about Google?"
• "Do you like Google?"
• "What do you think about Yahoo?"
• "Do you like Windows 10?"
• "Play the movie game."
• "Are you better than Siri?"
• "Where is Clippy?"
• "What do you think about Clippy?"
• "Heads or tails?"
• "Rock, paper, scissors."
• "Roll a dice."

If you encounter Windows Update error 0x80092004 while trying to update your Windows 10 computer, then this post is for you. This kind of Windows Update error could be due to many reasons but none of them includes your hardware or installed driver software. Microsoft releases updates that are either not supposed to go out, or you install them when you click on the Check for Update button which can install updates that have not finished testing yet. As a result, you may encounter the Windows Update error 0x80092004 To resolve the Windows Update error 0x80092004, here are some fixes you can try.

Option 1 – Try removing recent updates and packages

When a Windows Update fails, it mostly rolls back and cleans up all its residues. However, there are times when it doesn’t and you can clean that package manually. To remove recent updates and packages, you can go to the Update History and find out what KB updates were installed and once you’ve figured it out, you can execute the DISM tool to remove it manually.

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, execute the “Dism /online /Get-Packages”. This will give you a list of packages that were recently installed.
• Now run the Remove Package program to remove the concerned update and package.

dism.exe /online /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix_Wrapper~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.248.1.17 /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.125.1.6 /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix_Wrapper~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.192.1.9 /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.192.1.9 /norestart

• Now restart your computer and log back in.
• After that, run the following command:

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

• Then scan for updates.

Note: Keep in mind that the remove package command is made for AMD 64-bit machines specifically.

Option 2 – Try deleting the files from the SoftwareDistribution folder and resetting the Catroot2 folder

The downloaded Windows Updates are placed in a folder called “SoftwareDistribution”. The files downloaded in this folder are automatically deleted once the installation is completed. However, if the files are not clean up or if the installation is still pending, you can delete all the files in this folder after you pause the Windows Update service. For complete instructions, refer to 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 start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

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

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

• Type each one of the following commands.

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

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the “We couldn’t install some updates because the PC was turned off” error. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 4 – Try to manually install the Windows Updates

Windows Update Error 0x80092004 might be due to a Windows Update that has failed. So if it is not a feature update and only a cumulative update, you can download the Windows Update and install it manually. But first, you need to find out which update has failed, and to do so, refer to the following steps:

• Go to Settings and from there go to Update and Security > View Update History.
• Next, check which particular update has failed. Note that Updates that have failed to install will be displayed under the Status column which has a label of “Failed”.
• After that, go to the Microsoft Download Center and look for that update using its KB number and once you find it, download and then install it manually.

Note: You can also use the Microsoft Update Catalog, a service from Microsoft that provides a list of software updates that can be distributed over a corporate network. With the help of this service, it can be easier for you to find Microsoft software updates, drivers as well as fixes.

Internal Error 2503 - What is it?

Internal Error 2503 mostly pops up on Windows 8. It occurs when you try to uninstall or install software on Windows 8. The error code message may vary and displayed in different formats such as:

The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2503. Called RunScript when not marked in progress The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2503. Called Install Finalize when no installation is in progress

Solution

Error Causes

Some of the most common causes for internal error 2503 are:

• Permission not granted to access the Windows Installer Folder
• Viruses
• Problems with Windows Installer

Further Information and Manual Repair

To repair this issue on your PC without any professional assistance, try the DIY methods given below:

Method 1

Internal error 2503 may occur when your account has limited privileges. You don’t have the privilege to use or access the Windows Installer folder. Your inability to access this folder hampers you from successfully install or uninstall the desired program on your PC. To gain access, you need to ensure you have permission.

• For this navigate to the C:\windows folder. Here find the installer folder and then right-click and choose properties.
• After that click on the security tab and check if the System and Administrator account has Full access permission.
• For that make sure the system group option has ‘all’ selected to allow you full permission.

Method 2 - Re-register Windows Installer

Another alternative to resolve internal error 2503 is to re-register Windows Installer.

• To do this, go to Start and click Run. Now type ‘msiexec /unreg’ in the Run box and then press enter.
• Follow the same steps and now type ‘msiexec /regserver’ in the box and then press enter. This will resolve the issue.

Method 3 - Remove Viruses

If internal error 2503 is triggered by a viral infection on your PC, then it is advisable to download an antivirus and scan your entire system. Viruses are notorious for system failures and pose data security threats. If not removed timely, these malicious programs can damage your PC. To remove all viruses on your system, run an antivirus. An antivirus detects all malicious software programs including viruses, malware, adware, and spyware. Delete all the malicious files found right away. This will help resolve internal error 2503.

Hello and welcome to errortools articles. Today we will talk about some great and awesome tips and tricks for the command prompt. Commands which can make your life easier and your workday more pleasant. That being said let's dive in right into muddy waters and swim out with new knowledge.

Tip 1: Read Motherboard information

There are a lot of reasons why you would like to read information from your motherboard, maybe you would like to upgrade your BIOS, perhaps you would like to know the serial number, maybe even the version number. Well, you can, type the following code into the command prompt and you will receive all information about your motherboard.

wmic baseboard get product,version,serialnumber,product

Tip 2: Copy command output to clipboard

Getting information from the command prompt to a word processor, into an email or any other medium can be somewhat troublesome, usually, people tend to screenshot or write from a command prompt into another destination, which could induce errors, and let's be honest, it is not practical. You can copy command output directly into the clipboard ready for pasting it anywhere with | clip. So for example if you would like to paste the directory structure of your c drive command would look like: dir c: | clip, now output would be placed into the clipboard ready to be pasted anywhere needed.

Tip 3: Erase data permanently

When you delete data on your hard drive, what really happens is that files are marked with a marker which marks that space for new data writing, but the data itself is still present and can be brought back. This sometimes could impose problems but if you would type: cipher /w:c Windows will write random data over each marked file deleting it forever without means to be brought back.

Tip 4: Manage your IP address

If you would like to play with your IP address and do fancy stuff with it do the following: ipconfig /release to release your IP address ipconfig /renew to renew your IP address ipconfig /flushdns to flush down DNS information and enjoy a new browsing start.

Tip 5: Check to see are packets reaching the desired location

You installed a new LAN printer, or a new switch, maybe you want to check if your new site is up and running. Use ping destination in order to see if TCP packets are reaching desired information, you can use it with a specific address like ping 192.168.1.1 or you can type a web address, for example, ping google.com and see if a connection can be established.

Tip 6: Get information about a specific command

So you learned some command prompt commands, but you do not know all of their configuration or switches? No worries, just type command/? to get a list of available switches for it. For example ipconfig/? will write you a list of available switches for ipconfig command.

Tip 7: Link and execute multiple commands one after another.

Let us say that for example, you would like to copy files into a different folder, then rename some and delete others and you need to do a couple of times. Instead of writing command after command once each one is finished link them with && and they will execute one after another.

Tip 8: Scan and repair files.

In order to scan files and repair broke or corrupted ones write in the command prompt: sfc /scannow. Please know that this command can take a long time since it is solely dependant on the number of files, their size, and the power of the computer.

Tip 9: Manage and configure your computer energy

Command powercfg will let you manage and see the power configuration of your computer. Just write powercfg/? and see what you need and want to change or get information about.

Tip 10: Associate files with applications

Windows already has some file associations defined, and some applications take over some type of files but if you want to take control into your own hand use assoc command. For example assoc.txt= "APPLICATION NAME" will associate txt files with the provided application.

Tip 11: Hide files and folder.

Do you have some folder or file with information that you do not want to be seen when someone opens file explorer? Use attrib +h <name of file> and hide file or attrib +h /D <folder name> to hide folder.

Tip 12: Get a list of installed computer drivers

Want to know which drivers are installed in your system? Use driverquery and take a look.

Tip 13: Find and locate shared folders

have you shared a folder but forgot which one and where? Do not bang your head on the wall, we have a simple solution for you. just type in command prompt net share and see everything.

Tip 14: Run commands as an administrator

You do not have administrator privileges? Do you want to bypass common blockades?

runas /user:yourdomainadministrator command

That is all that we have for you today, I certainly hope you have found something useful here and that we have managed to teach you some valuable things.