Windows 11 Home edition account requirements

If you are testing your headphone or your speaker but all of a sudden encountered an error that says, “Failed to play test tone” in your Windows 10 computer, worry not for this post will walk you through how you can fix this problem. The test tone is used to check the right-left balance of the headphones and speakers in your computer, however, if you are not able to use it, there are several options you can check out. You can try to run the Playing Audio troubleshooter or restart the services that are related to Windows Audio. Aside from these, you could also disable Audio Enhancements or you could also change the default test tone rate and bit depth.

Option 1 – Try to run the Playing Audio Troubleshooter

Since the Windows 10 operating system has the Playing Audio Troubleshooter, you can use this troubleshooter to try and fix the problem with the “No Audio Output Device is installed” error. You can access this tool in the Control Panel or in the Taskbar Search and even on the Troubleshooters page of Windows 10. Run this troubleshooter and see if it can fix the issue or not.

Option 2 – Try to restart the Windows Audio-related services

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to restart the services related to Windows Audio. Although the audio services start automatically on every system boot, there are times when they might fail to start. Thus, you can start these services manually by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
• Then look for the services named “Windows Audio” and “Windows Audio Endpoint Builder”.
• Double click on each one of these services and check if their Service Status is set to Running or not and also check if the Startup Type is set to Automatic.
• If none of the services are running, just click on the Start button and select the Automatic option from the drop-down menu.
• Now click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made and then check if the error is fixed.

Option 3 – Try to update the Audio driver

You might also want to consider updating or the Audio driver as it could help in fixing the error.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type in devmgmt.msc and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• Expand the section for the outdated device drivers.
• And then select the outdated driver(s) and right-click on it/them.
• From the drop-down menu, select the Update Driver option and follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest version of the driver.
• Then also click on the option, “Search automatically for updated driver software.
• Restart your PC after the installation.

Note: If updating or reinstalling the Audio driver didn’t work, you can go to the manufacturer’s website and look for the support section where you can download the drivers for your computer. You just need to take note of your PC’s correct model and model number so you can find the appropriate driver.

Option 4 – Try changing the default test tone rate and bit depth

Windows selects a default test tone rate and bit depth depending on your headphone or speaker. This allows you to look for the best sound quality from your audio output device. So if your headphone or speaker has some problems with the default settings, then it’s no wonder why you’re getting the “Failed to play test tone” error. To fix this, you can try to change the default test tone rate and bit depth by following the steps below.

• First, you need to open the Windows Settings panel and then go to System > Sound.
• Next, look for the Device properties option located on your right-hand side and click on it.
• After that, select the Additional device properties option and go to the Advanced tab.
• From there, select a different test tone rate and bit depth and then click on the Test button.
• Once done, check if it was able to fix the problem or not.

Option 5 – Try disabling the Sound or Audio enhancements

To make your operating system’s specific hardware sound nothing but perfect, both Microsoft and third-party vendors have shipped audio enhancement packages which are usually referred to as “Audio Enhancements” in Windows 10. However, there are instances when instead of improving the sound or audio quality of your computer, it can cause problems so to fix the problem you need to turn off these audio enhancements. How? Simply follow the steps below.

• Type in “Sound” in the taskbar search and then from the list of results, select “Sound Control Panel”.
• After clicking Sound, the Sound properties box will pop up. From there, go to the Playback tab and right-click on the default device i.e. Speakers or Headphones then select Properties.
• After that, the Speakers properties box will appear. From there, go to the Enhancements tab and select the checkbox for the “Disable all enhancements” option.

In Windows 11 if you do not own a mouse or it has suddenly malfunctioned you can still move your arrow on-screen using the numeric pad. In this guide, we will guide you on how to turn this option ON, follow this easy guide step by step.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open Windows settings
2. Click on Accessibility on left
3. Scroll down to reach the interaction section on the right and click on Mouse
4. Click on Switch beside Mouse keys under accessibility options
5. Set your preferences
6. Close settings

Settings will be as always automatically applied.

If you encounter a Recovery Error code 0xc000000e, “Your PC needs to be repaired” error on your Windows 10 computer, then it means that there is some hardware failure or an incorrect drive configuration. Apart from the error, it may be accompanied by different error message such as:

• A required device is inaccessible
• The selected entry could not be loaded
• A required device isn’t connected or cannot be accessed
• The selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt
• The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible.

As mentioned, the error code 0xc000000e or STATUS_NO_SUCH_DEVICE error indicates that there is a hardware failure or an incorrect drive configuration and to fix it, you have to check your cables as well as check the drive with the diagnostic utility available from the manufacturer of the drive. And if you are using older PATA (IDE) drives, then this kind of error also indicates an incorrect master/subordinate drive configuration. There could be different causes for this error. It could be that the winload.exe file is not accessible or is corrupted or that the boot location for the operating system cannot be found. Thus, for you to boot into and access the operating system, you can try the suggestions given below.

Option 1 – Try rebuilding the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file

• Once you get to the Welcome Screen part, click on Next.
• Afterward, click on the Repair your computer option located on the bottom-left part of the window.
• Then click on Troubleshoot.
• Next, select the Advanced Options and then Command Prompt.
• Once Command Prompt has been pulled up, the following command to rebuild BCD files.

bootrec /rebuildbcd

• Once the command line is successful in finding out a Windows installation, hit Y to let it boot from the list which will successfully rebuild BCD.
• Now type “exit” to close Command Prompt and then restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Try to run the Automatic Repair Utility

You might also want to use Automatic Repair in fixing the error code 0xC000000E. To do so, follow the steps below.

• You can start by creating and booting from a bootable Windows 10 USB Stick.
• After that, click on Repair your computer located in the bottom left corner when you are on the initial Windows Startup screen.
• Next, click on Troubleshoot, and then on the other screen, click the Startup Repair option.
• Now select the operating system you want to repair. Once you do that, it will start to repair your operating system. Wait until the process is completed and then check if the problem’s now fixed.

Option 3 – Try checking the physical device connections

You might also want to try checking if there are other devices that are connected to your PC. This is because of the configuration of the BIOS or UEFI might be configured in a way that any external device connected to the computer has a higher boot priority compared to the hard disk.  And if it’s really the case, the externally attached disk might be the drive your computer is trying to boot into and not the hard disk. In such cases, Pen Drives, USB storage devices, CDs, DVDs, and so on, are included in this category of physical device connections.

Option 4 – Try updating the BIOS

As you know, the 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 – Try resetting the BIOS/UEFI configuration

You might also want to reset the BIOS configuration which will lead to arranging the boot configuration since it is intended by the manufacturer. Note that this will get rid of any blockage in the boot process.

Option 6 – Try marking your Disk as Online

Marking your Disk as Online can also help in resolving the error code 0xC000000E. To do so, follow the steps below.

• You need to first create a bootable Windows 10 Media and then boot from it.
• After that, click on Repair your computer on the first window of the Windows 10 installation setup.
• Now, choose the operating system partition from the options and click on Next.
• Then select Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options box.
• Next, type in “diskpart” and hit Enter to initiate the Diskpart utility inside the Command Prompt.
• Now type in either “list disk” or “list volume” and hit Enter. Either of these commands will help you in listing all the Disk connects or all the partitions on those disks formed. So you have to select one command depending on the list command you entered.
• Afterward, type in “select disk #” or “select volume #” and hit Enter to select the Disk or Partition you want to select.
• Now type in “online disk #” or “online volume #” and press Enter to mark the disk you selected as Online.

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.

Faraday bag is a new take on security and privacy for people using a lot of electronic devices and credit cards. So what is exactly a Faraday bag?

Faraday bag explained

Faraday bag is designed in the same manner as the Faraday cage which was invented by Michael Faraday, who was an English scientist who contributed to the study of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His main discoveries include the principles underlying electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and electrolysis.

The idea of the Faraday cage is that anything inside a cage that is made of specific grid size is completely isolated from outside current and magnetic fields since the cage itself will pick up everything upon itself. This means that for example, a human could be inside a cage that is struck by lightning and be perfectly safe and fine.

This idea led to the Faraday bag design, which takes this concept and places a wiring pattern inside clothing in order to isolate all magnetic fields from the outside so your devices and cards are completely cut off from any kind of influence and electromagnetic waves. If the pattern and quality of material for the bag are good, you have a fully safe placeholder for your stuff.

Advantages of Faraday bag

The main advantages, of course, are the privacy and safety of mobile phones and credit cards from outside influences and this is why this bag has been designed in the first place. If the bag is designed properly your phone would not be able to be hacked nor accessed from any outside source, GPS tracking will also be disabled and your phone location will not be visible. Credit cards will also be completely safe from any malicious attack via wi-fi signals.

Disadvantages of bag

Well, the disadvantage of using this bag is a very simple one, since your phone is isolated from outside influence that will also mean that you will not be able to take messages or calls on it while it is in the bag. Notifications from the internet would also be disabled so it is security vs usability deal.

Every computer has to have a graphic card, it is one of the essential components in order for the computer to work. If you have a second-hand computer, got one as a gift, or similar, there is a high chance that you do not really know which components are inside. Luckily finding out which graphic card you have inside is quite easy. Right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager Click the Performance tab at the top of the window, if you don’t see the tabs, click “More Info.” Select “GPU 0” in the sidebar. The GPU’s manufacturer and model names are displayed at the top right corner of the window. You’ll also see other information, such as the amount of dedicated memory on your GPU, in this window. Windows 10’s Task Manager displays your GPU usage here, and you can also view GPU usage by application. If your system has multiple GPUs, you’ll also see “GPU 1” and so on here. Each represents a different physical GPU.

Microsoft has presented its next version of their flagship product, Windows 11, and feelings are divided among users. Some users like it very much and eager to upgrade, some do not like the graphic overhaul it went through, but overall I think Microsoft has done a good job with it. Here in this article, we will discuss some of the new features which Windows brings to the table, well at least ones that were showed, I am sure there are plenty more which we will see once OS has been released.

New Start menu

One of the first things that everyone saw when Microsoft has unveiled Windows 11 is its Start menu. Funny enough this is what has caused most of the divide among users, some find it interesting, and some do not like it. Truth is, it is different, and it is centered in the middle instead of the lower left part of the screen. It has been confirmed however that the Start menu can be moved to any part of the screen so if you want, you could place it on the lower left as it has always been. Live tiles do not longer exist in the Start menu, instead, we have styled simple icons.

Windows 11 Snap controls are great

If you have used the cascade option in previous Windows versions then it is most likely that you will like the new Snap controls. You can quickly snap windows side by side, or arrange them in sections on your desktop just by hovering over maximize button on the title bar.

Windows 11 File Explorer

File explorer has gone through some visual and design changes, the ribbon on top has been completely removed and replaced with a header-like feature with a slick and clean design. The header contains a nice organized and designed single row of icons like cut, paste, copy, rename, delete, and new folder icons.

Settings app ovberhaul

The settings app also has gone through visual and design changes. It has a new design that is very visually appealing and navigation has been simplified and more organized. Finding the right and desired setting is much faster and clearer now.

Widget tab makes comeback in Windows 11

Yes, widgets are back but not like you remember them. Instead of being all-time present at your desktop like once they used to be, now there is a button on the taskbar which brings the widget bar up that contains desired widgets. This way they are easily accessible and do not clutter desktops. So far we have weather, news, calendar, and stocks widget but we will see how development on these goes. I expect to have community-made widgets like in old days for all of our needs.

XBOX app

The new Xbox app is now integrated into Windows 11, offering quick access to Xbox Game Pass games, the social parts of the Xbox network, and the Xbox store.

Security and TPM 2.0 in Windows 11

As widely known by now Windows 11 will require you to have a TPM 2.0 module capable CPU in order to install it. This system requirement has caused a lot of controversies but essentially it seems that MS's goal is to protect your personal data by using this module. The upside of course is that your data will be protected much more than in previous Windows versions, the downside, of course, will be that you will need newer hardware to run OS on it. and that is essentially it, keep on tuned on more Windows 11 information and overall articles tied to PC and technology here at errortools.com

What Is 0x00000050 Stop Error?

While running your Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2, your system suddenly stops responding out of complete randomness and you see an error message popping up which says something like this:

0x00000050 (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4)

Solution

Error Causes

The stop error 0x00000050 signifies that there’s a PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA problem. If you’ve seen this error on different occasions then you will find the parameters in the message to be varying. That is because they are dependent on your PC’s configuration. Not all Stop errors "0x00000050” occur due to a single issue.

However, the most common problem which is encountered which results in the stop error popping up is due to a pool corruption occurring in the Srvnet.sys file.

This issue might be caused because of software incompatibility or a defective physical memory which resulted in requests for data for a hardware driver or service which was not found in the memory.

If you find the error occurring after you’ve installed a new application or a device driver then you should access Safe Mode and uninstall, disable or remove that application or driver.

Further Information and Manual Repair

In order to fix this issue, you should try booting your computer to the “Last Known-Good Configuration” as listed during startup.

For this you have to follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Start your system.
2. When you see the message which says “For Troubleshooting And Advanced Startup Options For Windows, Press F8” hit F8 and proceed.
3. Use the up and down arrow keys to highlight “Last Known-Good Configuration” and hit enter (This method will only work if your system boot was not successfully carried out ever since you made any specific changes).
4. When you are starting the computer, press F12 and proceed with the PSA/32 Bit Diagnostics.
5. Do the following so that a clean boot can be performed:

• Go to the Start menu when the Windows 7 desktop shows up.
• On the search bar, type “msconfig” and hit search.
• Disable all the applications which are listed on the “Startup” tab.
• Now head over to the “Services” tab and mark the option which reads "Hide all Microsoft Service".
• Select the “Disable All Services” option.
• Apply the changes by clicking on “Apply” then restart your PC. You should now check the performance of your computer. If you don’t see a BSOD then you start re-enabling all the Services and Startup applications one by one until you finally figure out which one is causing the BSOD to appear.

6. Update your Windows with “Windows Updates”.

OneXPlayer is a direct competitor to Valve’s upcoming steam deck. This device is clearly inspired by Valve’s offering and it shows all over the place, from its looks to its purpose and aims to PC gamers as a handheld device.

Hardware under the hood

This device is packing a 7-inch 1080p display, 11th generation Intel Core i7-1195G7 CPU, stunning 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD drive with the option to purchase 1TB or 2TB model. GPU of choice is Intel iris Xe Graphics that is in our opinion a bottleneck in the whole system and for more demanding games, we believe switching them to 720p would be a better option. Everything here is powered with a 10455 mAh lithium-ion battery.

OneXPlayer inputs and other stuff

Handheld is equipped with dual bumpers and dual linear triggers. The console comes with dual speakers on both sides of it. Inside the console, there is an aluminum heat sink with copper heat pipes and a fan in order to cool internal hardware. On the outside, we have two USB-C ports and one USB-A port for connections, and of course, a headphone jack for headphones. The console comes with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity.

Price

The base entry model will cost you a whopping $1.259, 1TB model $1.399 and 2TB one will go as far as $1,599. With this kind of price, I am not sure it can come up as a winner against Valve. Sure it is packing fully licensed Windows 11 that will for sure offer more options than Stem’s OS based on Linux but even with that advantage I do not think it justifies such a big price difference.

Conclusion

Of course, this kind of console or handheld PC will still find its customer base, many users will probably like it since it comes Windows ready out of the box. Sure, you can place Windows on Steam deck as well but you will need to know how, where everything is ready and you can run beside steam other launchers without issues like origin, uplay, gog, etc. How this will be accepted by community time will tell but it is good to see that there is variety and competition in handheld PC space.

Logitech announced the Logitech G CLOUD gaming handheld, somewhat of a STEAM Deck competitor. Somewhat, because the reason is that not like Deck this device is not packing huge power in order to run locally PC games, instead it is made with one goal in mind to connect to Cloud gaming and let you play games in that way.

The device is packed with a 7-inch display featuring 1080p resolution in a 16:9 ratio with a refresh rate of 60Hz, an analog thumbstick, a D-pad, 4 action buttons, and triggers. Inside the device beats Snapdragon 720G (CPU used in most Android phones), 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM & 64GB of internal storage. As seen hardware is way less impressive than one that is packed inside the STEAM deck but as stated this handheld is not meant to run natively PC games so this hardware will suffice for its purpose.

Logitech has partnered with both Nvidia and Microsoft to add GeForce now and Xbox Cloud Gaming access to its device. If you have an account on either one of these services you can fully use them on the Logitech G Cloud gaming handheld. You can also play some Android games via the Google play store but the main goal is Cloud gaming.

The price of 350$ USD is not very impressive since STEAM Deck which is a way more capable device is running for 400$ USD, for the difference of only 50$ USD Deck has an advantage, and the price itself is a hard point for selling and if we place into this mix som retro handhelds that go as low as 100$ USD Logitech is in an awkward position. Note that Nintendo Switch is 300$ USD.