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What is Error 0xe0434f4d?

Error 0xe0434f4d displays when a remote computer runs an instance of the SQL Server 2005 but it fails to initialize. When the plan is started, this error displays in a status window on the SQL Server. Also, when the Update-OffilineAddressBook cmdlet is started in Microsoft Exchange Server, this error can occur.

Solution

Error Causes

Error 0xe0434f4d can occur for possibly two main reasons. The first one is when the System Attendant Service is not properly running, and the second when you don’t have the permission to run the update. Other causes are when the .NET Framework 2.0 security does not allow sqlplanlaunch access to run from a shared network. Another cause is when the Offline Address Book (OAB) is not found in the Configuration Domain Controller server that the server of OAB generation uses.

Further Information and Manual Repair

In case you didn’t know, the Offline Address Book generation server is a mailbox server, and in order to resolve error 0xe0434f4d, you will have to replicate the OAB object to the Configuration Domain Controller server. In order to do so, follow steps:

• Go to start and click on All Programs, then go and click on Microsoft Exchange Server 2010. Click on Exchange Management Console
• In Exchange Management Console, go to Server Configuration and click on Mailbox
• In the details, go to mailbox server that generates Offline Address Book and right-click it, then go to Properties
• In the Properties, click on System Setting and locate the domain controller name in the box that reads Domain controller servers being used by Exchange

Make sure the OAB object is reproduced in the Configuration Domain Controller Server. Follow these steps to do that:

• Go to Start and click on Run. Type Adsiedit.msc in Open box and press Enter. Right-click on ADSI Edit and click on Connect to
• Locate a list reading Select a well-known naming context, and from there select Default naming context. In a Select or type a domain or server window, type FQDN (fully qualified domain name) of the Configuration Domain Controller server which was determined in step 1, and click OK
• Expand Configuration [dc.domain.com], expand CN=Configuration, DC=domain, DC=com, expand CN=Services, expand CN=First Organization, and expand CN=Address Lists Container
• Click on CN=Offline Address Lists and make sure the OAB object is listed on the details pane

When the OAB generation server receives this, then it will connect to the Configuration Domain Controller server and will locate the OAB object. If the OAB generation server is unable to find the OAB object, then the error will return on the cmdlet. On SQL Server, you should change the .NET permissions to allow sqlplanlaunch application access to run from shared administration. For that, follow these steps:

• On ArchiveIQ Server, open System from the Control Panel and note down the computer name
• On SQL Server, log in as administrator and open the command prompt
• On the command prompt type, ‘C:windowsmicrosoft.netframeworkv2.0.50727caspol.ece –m –ag l – url file:\[Archive IQServer Computer Name]AlQRemote$*FullTrust and Press Enter. Type yes and press Enter again to confirm the permission changes.

Signing in to a computer that runs a Windows 10 version OS is usually fast and straightforward. However, there are instances when signing in takes too long especially if there are a lot of programs in the Startup. So if many things are loading as soon as you log into your computer, it will slow down the sign-in process. Aside from programs in Startup, it is also possible that there are too many users that are logged in to the account. In such a case, you will most likely encounter an error that says, “Your computer is running low on resources, so no new users can sign in. Please use an account that has already been signed in”. If you’ve encountered such an error when you try to log into your computer, read on as this post will be guiding you on how you can fix it. Each time a user signs in to Windows 10, it will allocate resources in order to work smoothly. But, in many cases, the system is running low on resources which is why this error pops up and blocks a sign-in of a new user. To fix it, you can try to log out the existing users, or perform a Cold Boot, as well as run both the DISM tool and System File Checker scan.

Option 1 - Try to logout existing users

The first thing you can do is to log out the existing users. If you have a shared Windows 10 computer, you have to check if someone hasn’t logged out. It could be that some background task or there is an existing program that is still running under that account. So you have to make sure to ask the same user to log out in case there is some unsaved work. On the other hand, if that user is not around, then you reboot the computer right away.

Option 2 - Try Performing a Cold Boot

You could also try to perform a Cold Boot to fix the problem. A Cold Boot is a process that makes sure that the Windows 10 Kernel shuts down properly and releases all the resources held by any account. To perform a Cold Boot, just press and hold the physical power button on your CPU until it goes off. After that, boot your computer regularly and see if you can now log into your account without any error.

Option 3 - Try to run a System File Checker scan

System File Checker is a built-in command utility in Windows that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the error when you log into your computer. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Boot your computer into the Advanced Recovery mode and from there open Command Prompt.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

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

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

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

Option 4 - run the dism tool

You might also want to run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like the “Your computer is running low on resources, so no new users can sign in” error. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• Go to the Advanced Recovery mode and select Command Prompt.
• 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 problem is now fixed.

Stop C00002lA Fatal System Error- What is it?

C00002lA Fatal System Error is a blue screen of death error that may occur when you start your Windows NT 4.0 based computer. This error causes the screen to turn blue and the system also shuts down. The stop C000021A error message is displayed in the following format:

Stop c000021a {Fatal System Error} The session manager initialization system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000017 (0x00000000, 0x0000000) The system has been shut down.

Error Causes

The stop C000021A error occurs when either Crsrss.exe or Winlogon.exe fails. When the Windows NT kernel identifies that either of these processes has failed, it stops and the error code stop C000021A appears on the computer screen. Here are some of the underlying causes for the stop C0000021A error:

• The incompatible third-party program
• Hard disk issues
• Service pack installation has failed
• Mismatched system files have been installed
• Bad and invalid registry keys

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve the stop C000021A Fatal System Error on your PC try the following solutions:

• Remove Incompatible Third Party Programs

If the error occurred after you recently installed a new program, then it is advisable to remove that program. The error occurs due to the incompatibility of the program. To remove the program go to the start menu and click on the control panel. Now click on Add/Remove Program tab and double click on the program name that you recently installed and remove it from the list. Once removed, not reboot your PC. Reinstall a compatible program and run it. It is most likely to resolve the issue. However, if the stop C000021A error still occurs, then it means the problem is critical. It is related to the registry.

• Repair and Restore the Registry

This procedure is slightly long and tricky. To try it, you need to be technically sound. Here’s what you have to do: first create a parallel installation of Windows NT. Start your PC to the parallel installation and then open the Registry Editor. On the Registry Editor’s Windows menu click HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine and then click Load Hive. Now type the path %systemroot%system32configsystem into the System hive of the prior installation. Then click open. Here you will be prompted to enter the name of the key, type TEST. Note the setting for the current DWord value in the preceding registry key. This is 0x1 and is denoted by CURRENT:Reg_Dword: 0x1. This value indicated that the Current Control Set for your original Windows NT installation corresponds to ControlSet001 in this window. Now if the value is 2, it indicated that the Current Control Set corresponds to ControlSet002. Now locate the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINETESTControlSetXXXControlSession Manager. XXX is the Current Control Set Value. And delete any pending file rename operation entries. Then click TEST hive and then click Unload Hive. After that again repeat the process, open the registry menu and click load hive, here type the path %systemroot%system32configSoftware to the Software hive of the prior installation and then click open. Now you type TEST 2 when you are prompted for the name of the key. Remove any pending file rename operations entries in the following registry keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINETEST2MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINETEST2MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnceEx Now click TEST2 hive and then click unload hive. Quit the Registry Editor and then restart your original installation. This will resolve the stop C000021A error.

If by any chance you are working on a touchscreen PC, tablet, or any similar device and have no access to a hardware keyboard there is a way to place Touch Keyboard on your screen for easy typing, and you can enable icon on the taskbar for easy access.

Enabling the Touch Keyboard

1. Right-click on the Taskbar
2. Select Taskbar Settings
3. Go to Personalization > Taskbar
4. Click on Taskbar Corner Icons to expand it
5. Click on the switch next to Touch Keyboard to turn it ON
6. Close settings

The icon will immediately appear on the Taskbar in the lower right corner. Clicking the icon virtual keyboard will appear on the lower part of the screen. You can use this keyboard to type in applications the same as you were typing on hardware one. By taping on X in the upper right corner, you will hide the keyboard. Tap on the icon in Taskbar to bring it up again.

Hide the Taskbar icon

If you do not want to use Touch Keyboard anymore you can easily hide the icon:

1. Right-click on the Taskbar
2. Select Taskbar Settings
3. Go to Personalization > Taskbar
4. Click on Taskbar Corner Icons to expand it
5. Click on the switch next to Touch Keyboard to turn it OFF
6. Close settings

HowToSimplified is a browser extension developed by MindSpark inc. This extension offers users easy access to DIY tutorials, guides, and websites just a few clicks away. There is also a top video selection with the most popular DIY videos at the moment.

This extension, though it may look useful in the beginning, hijacks your browser's default search provider, it changes your default home page to HowToSimplified, powered by the MyWay search engine. During your browsing sessions, it will record your website visits, collect information, clicks, and sometimes even personal data. This information is later used to deliver ads that are injected into your browser search results. Aside from sponsored links, and additional unwanted ads that this extension displays, it also may from time to time display pop-up ads during your browsing sessions.

Multiple anti-virus scanners have detected HowToSimplified as a Browser Hijacker and are therefore not recommended to keep on your computer for security and privacy reasons.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means that a malicious program code has control over and altered the settings of your internet browser, without your approval. Almost all browser hijackers are made for marketing or advertising purposes. In most cases, browser hijacking is used for earning ad revenue that comes from forced advert clicks and site visits. It could seem naive, but most of such sites aren’t legitimate and could pose a severe threat to your online safety. In a much worst case, your browser can be hijacked to download malware that can do a lot of damage to your computer system.

How you can recognize a browser hijack

There are many symptoms that indicate your browser has been highjacked: home page is changed; bookmark and the new tab are also changed; the default web engine is changed and your browser security settings have been cut down without your knowledge; find new toolbars that you simply didn’t add; unstoppable flurries of popup advertisements show up on your personal computer screen; your internet browser has become unstable or starts running sluggishly; you can’t navigate to certain internet pages, like computer security software related websites.

How they invade PCs

Browser hijackers infect computer systems through malicious email attachments, downloaded infected documents, or by visiting infected websites. They can also be deployed via the installation of a web browser toolbar, add-on, or extension. Other times you may have accidentally accepted a browser hijacker as part of an application bundle (generally freeware or shareware). An example of some notorious browser hijacker includes Babylon, Anyprotect, Conduit, DefaultTab, SweetPage, Delta Search, and RocketTab, but the names are regularly changing. Browser hijacking can lead to severe privacy issues and even identity theft, disrupt your browsing experience by taking command over outbound traffic, drastically slows down your personal computer by consuming a lot of resources, and cause system instability as well.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

The one thing you can try to get rid of a browser hijacker is to find the malware inside the “Add or Remove Programs” list of the Windows Control Panel. It might or might not be there. When it is, uninstall it. However, many hijackers are harder to track down or remove since they might get themselves associated with some critical computer files that enable it to operate as a necessary operating-system process. Amateur computer users shouldn’t ever attempt the manual form of removal methods, since it requires detailed system knowledge to carry out repairs on the computer registry and HOSTS file.

How One Can Eliminate a Virus that is Blocking Websites or Preventing Downloads

Practically all malware is detrimental and the extent of the damage will vary greatly depending on the type of malware. Some malware is meant to hinder or block things that you want to do on your computer. It may well not let you download anything from the web or it will prevent you from accessing a few or all internet sites, especially the anti-malware websites. If you are reading this article right now, you may have perhaps realized that a malware infection is the cause of your blocked internet connectivity. So how to proceed if you need to install an anti-malware program like Safebytes? There are a few actions you can take to get around this problem.

Install the anti-malware in Safe Mode

The Windows operating system comes with a special mode referred to as “Safe Mode” where just the minimum required applications and services are loaded. If the malware is obstructing the internet connection and affecting your PC, starting it in Safe Mode allows you to download anti-malware and run a diagnostic scan while limiting potential damage. To enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the PC is starting up or run MSCONFIG and look for the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you’re in Safe Mode, you can attempt to install your anti-malware software application without the hindrance of the malicious software. At this point, you can actually run the antivirus scan to get rid of viruses and malware without interference from another malicious application.

Obtain the anti-malware program using an alternate web browser

Web-based viruses can be environment-specific, targeting a particular internet browser or attacking specific versions of the web browser. If you seem to have a trojan attached to Internet Explorer, then switch to a different browser with built-in security features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite anti-malware program – Safebytes.

Install and run anti-malware from the USB drive

Another solution is to create a portable anti-malware program on your USB thumb drive. Try these simple measures to clear up your infected PC using portable anti-malware. 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free computer. 2) Plug the Thumb drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the antivirus program to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Choose a thumb drive as the place when the wizard asks you where you want to install the application. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. 5) Transfer the USB drive from the uninfected PC to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the EXE file to run the Safebytes software right from the thumb drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for viruses. If, after all of these methods, you are still having troubles with the possible infection, feel free to write to us with your question, through chat or email. If you are unsure which method to employ, simply call our toll-free number 1-844-377-4107 to speak to our technical support team. Our experts can walk you through the virus removal process on the phone and fix the computer remotely.

Protect Your Personal Computer From Viruses and Malware With SafeBytes Security Suite

Nowadays, an anti-malware tool can protect your laptop or computer from various kinds of internet threats. But exactly how to choose the best one amongst the many malware protection software that is available on the market? Perhaps you might be aware, there are several anti-malware companies and products for you to consider. A few of them are great but there are lots of scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware software waiting to wreak havoc on the computer. You must be careful not to choose the wrong product, especially if you purchase a paid application. When thinking about trustworthy programs, Safebytes AntiMalware is certainly the highly recommended one. SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, highly effective protection tool designed to assist users of all levels of IT literacy in detecting and eliminating malicious threats from their PC. This tool can easily detect, eliminate, and protect your PC from the most advanced malware intrusions including spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, as well as other possibly damaging software programs. SafeBytes has great features when compared to other anti-malware programs. A few of them are listed as below: Best AntiMalware Protection: Built on a highly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application has the capacity to identify and remove various obstinate malware threats such as browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other common anti-virus software will miss. Live Protection: SafeBytes provides real-time active monitoring service and protection against all known computer viruses and malware. It’ll constantly monitor your computer for hacker activity and also gives users superior firewall protection. Web Protection: Safebytes allots all websites a unique safety score that helps you to have an idea of whether the webpage you’re about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. “Fast Scan” Features: SafeBytes Anti-Malware possesses a multi-thread scan algorithm that works up to five times faster than any other protection software. Very Low CPU and RAM Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight application. It uses up a really small amount of processing power as it works in the background therefore you won’t notice any computer performance difficulties. 24/7 Customer Support: You will get 24/7 technical support to quickly resolve any concern with your security tool.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove HowToSimplified 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 HowToSimplified

When you encounter an error message that says, Chassis Intruded…Fatal Error…System Halted on your monitor then it indicates that the Chassis or the cabinet that holds the CPU, GPU, motherboard, and many more is open. It is a security feature offered by OEMs wherein a connector that is found in the motherboard can detect if the chassis component has been replaced or removed. There are a few OEMs that offer onboard speaker or PC chassis speaker which goes off in this kind of situation. Obviously, the problem has something to do with the hardware and in most cases, you have to put the jumper back on the motherboard with the pin-labeled chassis signal and ground. There are times when some OEMs offer a simple switch that is armed automatically when you properly close the chassis. Thus, you need to check if this switch has something to do with the error. If there is no switch or if it doesn’t resolve the issue, although you may be able to get into Windows with a warm boot, the normal Windows boot won’t really work unless you fix the problem. It is rather false positive and has something to do with the RTC RAM state or the BIOS. You might need to completely disable the Chassis intrusion feature to fix the error. Refer to the suggestions given below to try and fix the “Chassis Intruded, Fatal Error … System Halted” error.

Option 1 – Try to clear CMOS

You can easily clear CMOS by shorting two pins which can be found side by side on the motherboard. Keep in mind that it may vary from OEM to OEM although the basics are still the same to clear CMOS. In addition, you might also have to download the manual from the OEM’s website so that you’ll know its exact location.

Option 2 – Try booting into the BIOS

You can also try booting into the BIOS. All you have to do is tap either the DEL or F2 keys to get there. Note that everything will be set back to their default setting after you reset the CMOS.

Option 3 – Try disabling Chassis intrusion

In this option, you have to look for the Chassis intrusion feature in your BIOS. It might be located under security. From there, disable it and check if the problem’s fixed.

Option 4 – Try to reconfigure the BIOS

Once you have disabled the Chassis feature, you need to reconfigure the BIOS the way you expect it to be or to what it was before the reset.

Error Code 0x80d02002? - What Is It?

Error Code 0x80d02002 is one of the common errors encountered by Windows users upgrading to Windows 10 or installing new Windows updates. This error results in program lock-ups, system crashes, and freezes, or slow PC performance. It can also cause possible loss of private data on your device.

Some of the common error messages involving Error Code 0x80d02002 include:

• Something went wrong, Please try again later. Windows update error dt_000 – 0x80d02002
• Error(s) found: Code 0x80d02002 Windows update encountered an unknown error. Windows update ran into a problem.
• Windows Update Cannot Check For Updates – 0x80d02002
• 0x80d02002 – Windows could not search for new updates. An error occurred while checking for new updates for your computer. Some updates were not installed.
• There were some problems installing updates, but we’ll try again later If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help – 0x80d02002

While upgrading to Windows 10, depending on the state of your computer, you might encounter other error messages, including error code 0xc000021a. 

Solution

Error Causes

Error Code 0x80d02002 normally occurs when a user updates their system, upgrades to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, or installs new Windows updates. There are several reasons why this error happens which includes:

• Internet connection problems
• Blocked system ports
• Conflict on system level

Further Information and Manual Repair

In trying to fix Error Code 0x80d02002, you can employ manual repair methods to effectively and efficiently solve the issue. However, keep in mind that one tiny error made in using the command prompt can result in data loss or put your computer in a no-boot situation. In such cases, you can seek help from a Windows professional or consider using an automated tool whenever necessary.

You can try doing the following manual repair methods in an attempt to fix Error Code 0x80d02002:

Method One: Reset Windows Update Components

In trying to fix Error Code 0x80d02002, you may try resetting manually and check the Windows update components by doing the following steps:

1. Right-click on the Start button then select Command Prompt (Admin) from the list to open a Command Prompt window.
2. Once the Command Prompt window appears, type or copy and paste the following commands all at once then hit Enter:

net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 catroot2.old net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver pause

3. Exit the Command Prompt then check if the issue is resolved.

Method Two: Check If The Region Is Correct

1. On the Start screen, type Region. Afterward, click on Settings then hit
2. Under the Format tab, choose English (United Kingdom).
3. Select Language Preferences then click on Add a language. Afterward, add “your language.”
4. After you’ve added your preferred language, choose it then click on Move Up to make it the first language. Close now the Language window.
5. On the Region window, select Additional Settings and see if the values are the same.
6. Select the Location tab then change the Home Location to “your country,” then hit

Method Three: Perform an SFC Scan

Check if there are system files that need to be repaired by running an SFC Scan. Follow the steps below:

1. Type CMD in the search bar then right-clicks on it. Select Run as Administrator. This will open a Command Prompt window in elevated mode.
2. In the next window, select
3. Once the Command Prompt window appears, type the command: sfc /scannow
4. Leave the Command Prompt window open and wait for the process to complete. This might take a while depending on how fast or slow your device is.
5. When everything’s fine, the message saying “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations” will appear.

 Method Four: Disable Skype or Antivirus

There are times when Skype or your installed antivirus can conflict in updating your system. You can disable first your antivirus or Skype as you update your system and enable them once again when you successfully update your system.

Method Five: Download A Powerful Automated Tool 

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

Error Code 45 – What is it?

Error Code 45 is a common device manager problem that users encounter on any Windows 2000 and later operating system versions.

The error occurs when your Windows system fails to acknowledge the connected device by either stating that the device is not present or that it was previously attached to a computer.

The error pops up and appears on your computer screen with the following message:

“Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer” (Code 45)

Solution

Error Causes

The error is prompted either due to a temporary system file malfunction or a problem in the Windows registry system files. In the latter case, it could be due to a damaged or corrupted Windows registry.

Further Information and Manual Repair

While it may appear that Error Code 45 is a serious threat to your computer, it cannot be farther from the truth. Error Code 45, unlike other error codes, is the easiest one to fix. Here is how you can do it.

Method 1 – Reconnect the device to your computer

Unplugging and plugging the USB cable of the device into the computer is the easiest way to solve the error.

Doing this will help refresh the system and increase the likelihood of the device driver files loading and function properly.

It is often only a case of reconnecting the device back to your computer which helps eliminate the error and does not require any particular resolution other than this.

Method 2 – Install DriverFIX

Although reconnecting the disconnected device is all you need to fix the error code, it is always safer to fix your Windows registry system files by using a program like DriverFIX.

DriverFIX, with its user-friendly approach to help you fix your PC issues, comes with an integrated database that detects which drivers you need to reconfigure within just a few seconds and downloads it automatically.

It further ensures that your drivers are installed in their entirety leaving no room for any corrupted or damaged registry.

It also has the added advantage of being able to backup and restores your files should there be the slightest possibility of system file damage.

Thus, registry damage can be averted by letting the software roll back the system files to an earlier healthy checkpoint. DriverFIX is the answer to fixing your PC error codes accurately and quickly.

Click here to download DriverFIX now!

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."

So you have just got home from that new computer store with your fancy and all-new mouse, screen, keyboard, etc. You plugged in your new component, Windows detected it, installed drivers for it and it is working like a charm. A few months later down the road and the computer starts little by little to slow down. Plug and play is a great concept, and automatic detection is even greater but how time passes old unused stuff piles in your hard drive and in Windows itself thus slowing down your computer and taxing it more and more as new components and software are added. Old drivers from old components sadly are not removed from Windows itself and over some larger period of time they can pile up and slow down your daily operations on the computer or even cause some problems in it. This guide will teach you how to manually remove old unused device drivers from your Windows so it is fresh and like new again.

Making old devices visible

In order for us to remove old drivers, the first thing we must do is make them visible in our device manager, old drivers are hidden and will not show up, we must make this happen. We do this by pressing WINDOWS + X keys on your keyboard to bring up a hidden menu in Windows. Once the menu appears, click on Command Prompt (admin) Once the command prompt with administrator privileges comes on-screen type in it following string: The device manager will open, go to view > snow hidden devices in order to show unused devices.

Removing old device

Open any category and if there is a device that was once used and still has its drivers in the system it will be shown as faded out. Right-click on the device and click on uninstall device to remove it completely from your system. Please always be careful when removing devices so you do not remove the device which is being used by mistake and always double-check that you are removing something that you used to have on your system. This method will show all hidden devices even ones that are hidden but crucial to the system working properly.