Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.71

Valve has released a big update to its online store and distribution platform Steam. Among typical bugs fixing and making the user experience a little more fluid, we have received some major updates as well. Please take note that you need to update Steam itself to the latest version in order to get new features.

Storage management Page update

The storage management page has received a complete redesign and UX overhaul and it is now much easier to manage your game libraries and create new ones. The page itself looks and feels a little console more like but thanks to that it offers a much easier and clearer look and feel. Another thing with the Steam store management page is the ability to move installation files from one location to another. Let’s say that you have two or more hard disk drivers in your machine and that you have SSD that you use for running stuff since it is fast and larger and slower one for storage. Now you can easily and quickly move one installation from one to another in order to take advantage of your faster SSD for quicker LOAD game times without making a new installation.

Steam Download page improvements

The download page has also received some love from Valve by enabling us to now see the installation progress. So far on the download page of Steam, you would only get download progress but it has been updated to show installation progress after download as well now making it more straightforward and giving you a general idea of how much more time there is to wait in order to start gaming. Also, you can now drag and drop items in the download bracket to reorder download orders or place them as active downloads to start downloading right away.

As you know, DLL files in the Windows environment contain all the code needed by programs in order to properly function. And like with most other software, the functions in the DLL file have to be compatible with Windows especially if they are using any built-in service. So if you encounter an error that says, “DLL is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error”, when you try to launch a program, then this could be due to a compatibility issue. To fix this error, read on as this post will walk you through doing that. Based on the reports of users who encountered this error, the error pointed to a DLL file that was either designed to run on a different version of Windows. It is also possible that the DLL file itself is the problem. Here’s the complete error message:

“Bad Image – DLL file is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.”

According to security experts, the DLL files that are known to trigger this kind of error message are msvcr100.dll, msvcr110.dll, msvcp140.dll, lmirfsclientnp.dll, and so on. To fix this problem, you can try to update or reinstall the program that’s throwing the error to its latest version. You could also ask the vendor for the latest version of the DLL as well as run a System File Checker scan.

Option 1 – Try to update or reinstall the program to its latest version

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to update or reinstall the program that’s throwing the error. It is possible that the version of DLL might be using a system call that is deprecated. So if you had updated your Windows 10 computer recently, you might want to check for an update of the software or you could also try to reinstall its latest version.

Option 2 – Try asking the vendor for the latest version of the DLL

The next thing you can do to fix the error is to ask for the latest version of DLL from the vendor. There are times when the software uses an open-source version of DLL so it is better if you ask the vendor if there is a DLL file that has to be updated. If there is, then you need to make sure to register the DLL once you have it.

Option 3 – Try to re-register the problematic DLL file

You can also try to re-register the DLL to resolve the problem. The Regsvr32 tool is a command-line utility that can be used to register and unregister OLE controls like DLL and ActiveX (OCX) controls in the Windows operating system. Follow the steps below to use it.

• Open Command Prompt as admin from the WinX menu.
• Next, type the following commands in the elevated Command Prompt and hit Enter to execute the command. This will re-register the affected DLL file using the Windows operating system tool, regsvr32.exe.
  • exe /[DLL file]
  • exe [DLL file]

Note: Replace “[DLL file]” with the name of the DLL file that was pointed out in the error.

• After you execute the given commands, you should see a message saying, “DllRegisterServer in vbscript.dll succeeded” if the Regsvr32 tool was able to run successfully. After that, try to install the program again and see if it now works.

Option 4 – Try to replace the DLL file from a trusted source

• First, you need to get the new DLL file from another computer with preferably the same file version number.
• After that, you need to boot your PC into Safe Mode and navigate to the paths listed below and then replace the file using a USB drive or other external storage devices.
  • x86: This PC > C:/Windows/System32
  • x64: This PC > C:/Windows/SysWOW64
• Next, type “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on Command Prompt, and select “Run as administrator” to open it with administrator privileges.
• Now type the “regsvr32 ntdll.dll” command and hit Enter.
• Restart your PC and check if the error is now fixed.

Option 5 – Run System File Checker scan

If reinstalling the program didn’t work, you can also try running the System File Checker or SFC scan to fix the error. System File Checker is a command utility built into your computer that helps restore corrupted files and missing files. Refer to the following steps to run it:

• Hit the Win + R keys 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.

 Reboot your computer.

Option 6 – Troubleshoot the isDone.dll error in a Clean Boot State

You can also troubleshoot the “DLL is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error” in a Clean Boot state. It could be that there are some third-party applications in your computer that are preventing the application from getting installed and to isolate this possibility, you need to boot your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try installing the program again. Putting your computer in this state can help you identify which program is the culprit and thus isolates the problem. In a Clean Boot state, your computer will start using only the pre-selected minimal set of drivers and startup programs. Note that you have to disable and enable one process at a time.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• After you’ve set your computer into a Clean Boot State, make sure that you’re signed in as administrator and then try to install the application again.

Option 7 – Try scanning your computer using Windows Defender

The DLL file might also be infected with malware or virus and to eliminate it which could explain why you’re getting the “DLL is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error”. Thus, you have to scan your computer using security programs like Windows Defender.

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Update & Security.
• Then click on the Windows Security option and open Windows Defender Security Center.
• Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Run a new advanced scan.
• Now make sure that Full Scan is selected from the menu and then click the Scan Now button to get started.

There are times when you might find it difficult to delete folders or files in File Explorer and it could be due to many reasons. One of these reasons can be attributed to the failure that can lock down the folders or files which prevents you from deleting them. In this kind of situation, you can utilize the Command Prompt to delete the folders, sub-folders, and files on your computer, and in this post, you will be guided on how exactly you can do that. Before you proceed, keep in mind that when you use the Command Prompt incorrectly, it might affect your computer and render it inoperable, thus, you must be extra careful when executing the steps given below and it would also be better if you create a System Restore Point. After that, refer to the following instructions. Step 1: First, in the Start Search, type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and then select the “Run as administrator” option to open Command Prompt with admin privileges. Step 2: After opening Command Prompt as admin, navigate to the folder where the file you want to delete is located. Note that you have to execute the “cd” or the change directory command. Step 3: Next, execute the following command in Command Prompt:

DEL /F /A <file path with extension>

Note: In the given command, “/F” is the force delete command, while “/A” is the command that selects the files with the ready for archiving attribute. Step 4: After that, go to the location where you can find the folder you want to delete by using the “cd” command again. And then execute the following command right after:

RD /S <folder path>

Note: In the given command, “RD” is the command that removes the folder from the directory, while “/S” removes all of its sub-folders and files. On the other hand, if you also use the “/Q” parameter, you won’t see the “Y/N” confirmation but if you didn’t use it, then simply tap the Y button to proceed.

Error Code 0x80072efe - What is it?

Error Code 0x80072efe is a fairly common error code that generally occurs in Windows 10. It is most often associated with the process of performing updates using the Windows Update tool.

Common symptoms include:

• Inability to install or complete updates on your Windows machine
• Computer freezing as programs are run or started
• Inability to perform installations of downloaded programs
• Programs crashing or failing to work properly

While Error Code 0x80072efe can cause a number of frustrating issues on your device, the good news is that there are several methods that can be used to fix this error. The two most common methods are actually fairly easy to perform and do not require advanced tools or knowledge. However, if you don’t feel like you will be able to perform the necessary steps on your own, be sure to get in touch with a qualified computer repair technician to help you in the resolution of this particular error.

Solution

Error Causes

Two things are generally behind the appearance of Error Code 0x80072efe on a Windows device. The first is that one or more of your registry keys are not available, have been corrupted, or are not installed properly. The second is that necessary DLL files aren’t working properly within your machine.

However, other things can mimic these causes, which is why the two methods listed below will resolve the issue in most cases.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Fortunately, there are two resolution methods that can be used quickly and easily when Error Code 0x80072efe arises on your Windows computer. Neither of these requires advanced knowledge or skill, but if you don’t feel comfortable with performing these steps on your own, it is recommended that you contact a qualified computer repair technician in order to get assistance.

Here are the best ways to resolve Error Code 0x80072efe on your computer:

Method One:  Check Your Time and Date Settings for Accuracy

If your time or date has been set incorrectly, it can make your system logs appear to have incorrect information, which can lead to the appearance of Error Code 0x80072efe. Because this is the easiest thing to fix if it is indeed the problem that is making the error code appear, this should always be the first thing that you try when this error code arises.

In order to check your time and date settings, follow these simple steps:

• Step One: Make sure that you are logged into your computer as an administrator.
• Step Two: Click on the time and date listed on the lower right edge of your screen. If the settings are not correct, choose the option to change the time and date.

If method one has not successfully resolved Error Code 0x80072efe, you may need to attempt method two.

Method Two:  Check Your Firewall Settings During Updates

In some cases, your firewall can prevent your machine from accessing the information that it needs in order for the installation or update to go through correctly. If that is the case, you can follow a few simple steps to turn off your firewall, just while you install the update, and then turn it back on.

In order to do so, follow these steps:

• Step One: In the Start menu, choose the option to open the Control Panel.
• Step Two: Select the option for System and Security, looking for and clicking on Windows Firewall.
• Step Three: Turn off any private network firewalls.
• Step Four: Reboot your computer to apply the changes that you have made.
• Step Five: Re-attempt to run your Windows Update.

Note that if this method allows you to successfully bypass the error code, you’ll need to make sure to turn the firewall back on when you are finished. Even though it can interfere with the Update process, your firewall is still very important to your computer.

Method Three: Use An Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

Blackouts are one of the most annoying things that can happen in the modern age. We have all learned to depend on electricity, maybe too much, so having a backup plan in these unpleasant situations is necessary. Here are some good gadgets for these kinds of situations.

Power Bank

The fully charged power bank is a great item that could fill up your phone or tablet. If it is a larger power bank it could fill them up all the way to the top several times and having charged phone or tablet can help greatly with some fun during dark times. The power bank can also be used to fill up other gadgets on this list so if the power outage is expected to last longer perhaps it would be wiser not to waste it on phone/tablet games.

Portable Generator

If the power bank is too short-lived for your needs, a portable generator is always a good option since it can provide power for longer time periods. The solar generator is what we recommend because it is much cheaper to produce electricity but it is limited if a power surge comes at night, one on gasoline is more stable and practical but it costs more to produce electricity.

Portable Solar Charger

One more electric-producing device on the list, this one however is aimed at charging your phone, tablet, or laptop by harvesting Sun's energy and turning it into valuable electricity for your devices. Fully silent and easy to operate this is a great tool for power outrage. It will not be able to produce electricity for smaller house appliances but for basic phone/tablet/laptop needs it will suffice.

Panic light

Self-sustained with its own battery, panic lights are great assets for lightning when power is not present. They can turn automatically when the circuit detects that power is missing but can be also manually switched on or off. There are many versions of panic lights ranging from the light they produce to how long can they work so picking the right one will depend entirely on your home size and needs.

USB Headlamp

If you lack panic lights USB headlamp is a great choice to light your way and it works even better than a flashlight, although a flashlight is also a great tool, a headlight will provide you with free arms to do various things that you would not be able to by holding a flashlight. Modern headlights come with LED lights so they provide a good amount of light with small power consumption and they can be recharged in a power bank, solar charger, or generator.

LED lantern

LED Lantern is a gadget sitting somewhere between a headlight and a panic light, it offers around the same light amount as a panic light but you can carry it around with you. Of course, it will drain its battery faster than a panic light and it will still need to carry around but it can offer some good options when you need it, like taking it with you to the toilet.

Electric Lighter

An electric lighter is also one of the things that you will need, it can ignite candles, paper, stoves, etc. Its battery is usually enough for extensive use and there are small chances that it will need to be recharged. Having matches is also smart, just in case.

Solar Oven

Great gadget when outbreaks last long or when you get hungry. Not all households have gas ovens so a Solar oven is a great tool to keep you full of food. Granted it will not be on par in speed and quality with a regular oven but when it is the only option it will suffice.

Error Code 0x8007007b – What is it?

This error code occurs when users fail to activate their Windows operating system. It is one of the more popular Windows error codes since it affects many versions of Windows including Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. Error code 0x8007007b has common symptoms which include the following:

• Inability to activate a Windows installation
• Message box highlighting error code 0x8007007b

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0x8007007b in Windows 8.1 usually results due to one or more main clauses. Windows 8.1 users may experience this error due to the use of volume-licensed media. The error code may also arise if the activation wizard is unable to connect to Key Management Service (KMS) host computer or if corrupted system files are present on your computer.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Windows error codes such as Error code 0x8007007b can be a complicated issue, requiring the use of technical knowledge and skills. For this reason, we have listed instructions in the simplest of forms to enable even average users to successfully complete manual repair methods that will resolve error code 0x8007007b.

The same approach has been applied to all our error code solutions. See also Error Code 0x00000024 and Error Code 0x80004005.

Below are the two main methods for correcting this issue.

Method One: Use Multiple Activation Key (MAK) to Activate Windows

This method involves the use of a Multiple Activation Key (MAK) instead of the Key Management Service (KMS) to activate the Windows operating system you intend to use on your PC. This manual repair method requires the use of Command Prompt so ensure you follow the instructions provided carefully so as to avoid the risks of causing harm to your system.

• Step one: Select Windows log key + X.
• Step two: Click Command Prompt, then Admin
• Step three: Type in admin password if Command Prompt requests it
• Step four: Type slmgr -ipk followed by the MAK product key. Note that the product key should have 25 characters with dashes between them like this xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

Attempt to activate your Windows installation once you’ve completed the exact instructions above. If you are unable to complete this process, consider getting help from a Windows repair technician or simply move to the next manual repair method listed below.

Method Two: Run System File Checker

System File Checker (SFC) enables Windows users to scan and repair errors or corruption on system files. Since such errors within your system files can cause error code 0x8007007b to occur, follow the steps below to fix this error code.

• Step One: Go to Start and type Command Prompt or CMD.
• Step Two: Run as Administrator
• Step Three: Type sfc /scannow with a space between “sfc” and “/scannow”.

The System File Checker tool will begin scanning your machine for corrupted or missing files in need of repair. If these files are found on your system, the tool will repair and replace them. Once this is done, restart your computer then check to see if you can now activate your Windows operating system.

Method Three: Use an Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 8 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

In this post, you will be guided on how you can turn on or turn off the Tailored Experiences feature in Windows 10 using three methods – via Settings, Registry Editor, and Group Policy Editor. The Tailored Experiences feature in Windows 10 helps Microsoft in delivering recommendations about Microsoft Products. The diagnostic data that comes with it allows Microsoft to know about its consumers’ experiences as well as collect feedback. To simply put it, tailored experiences are personalized tips, ads, and recommendations that enhance Microsoft products and services for consumer needs. And when you enable this feature, Windows will collect information from your browser, apps, features, and many more. After collecting information, it will offer contents that are tailored based on the data gathered on the lock screen of your computer, Windows tips, and other related functions. On the other hand, the diagnostic data is the one that allows Microsoft to get feedback from the customer. So if you’ve noticed some prompts when you use Windows that ask you about the experience, that’s actually a part of the diagnostic data. A lot of users find this feature useful. However, there are also skeptical ones that don’t share the same sentiments. If you are one of the skeptical ones, you actually have the option to turn this feature off if you do not want Microsoft to show ads, recommendations, and so on. It is also recommended that you enable the Diagnostic Data collection as you can choose to delete any collected data, as well as control the feedback frequency from Automatic to Once a day, or once a week, or to never. As mentioned, there are three methods you can choose from to either turn on or turn off Tailored Experiences. You can do it via Settings, Registry Editor, and the Group Policy Editor. To get started, follow the options provided below.

Option 1 – via Settings

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences using Settings, refer to these steps:

• Go to Settings and here, click on Privacy.
• Next, go to Diagnostic and Feedback.
• From there, toggle off the control under the Tailored experiences option to turn it off or toggle it on, if you want to turn it on.

Option 2 – via Registry Editor

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences via Registry Editor, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPrivacy
• After that, look for the DWORD named “TailoredExperiencesWithDiagnosticDataEnabled” and change its value to 0 if you want to turn it off or 1 if you want to turn it on.

Option 3 – via Group Policy Editor

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences using the Group Policy Editor, here’s what you have to do:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this policy setting: User ConfigurationAdminstrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsCloud Content
• Here, double click on the “Do not use diagnostic data for tailored experiences” option and select Enabled. Once you do that, you will see the following description:

“This policy setting lets you prevent Windows from using diagnostic data to provide tailored experiences to the user. If you enable this policy setting, Windows will not use diagnostic data from this device (this data may include browser, app, and feature usage, depending on the “diagnostic data” setting value) to customize the content shown on the lock screen, Windows tips, Microsoft consumer features, and other related features. If these features are enabled, users will still see recommendations, tips, and offers, but they may be less relevant. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Microsoft will use diagnostic data to provide personalized recommendations, tips, and offers to tailor Windows for the user’s needs and make it work better for them. This setting does not control Cortana tailored experiences, since there are separate policies to configure it.”

As you know, Windows Hello offers you quick access to computers since you can log in to your Windows devices three times faster compared to passwords with the help of the camera via Face recognition and fingerprint reader. This way, Windows Hello will recognize you right away. However, there are also times when you might encounter some problems when using Windows Hello. For one, if you are trying to add the PIN method to Windows Hello on your Windows 10 computer but you suddenly encountered an error code of 0x801c004d or if you are trying to use your existing pin and you encounter an error code of 0x80070490 along with an error message that says, “Not recognized”, then read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix both of these errors. Here is the complete content for both errors:

• “0x801c004d – Unable to enroll a device to use a PIN for login”
• “0x80070490 - Not recognized, Pin and fingerprint are no longer options for signing in”

If you got any of these two errors, there are several potential fixes you can check out to resolve them. You can try to check for any Windows Updates or create the PIN again or check the CNG Key Isolation Service. You could also try to reset the TPM or create a new User Account. For more information, follow the instructions provided below.

Option 1 – Try checking for any available Windows Updates

The first thing you can do is to check for any available Windows Updates. It is possible that your computer may be outdated and is the reason why you’re having troubles with Windows Hello. To check for Windows Updates, just go to Settings and from there, head over to the Update and Security section and click on Windows Updates located on the left pane, and then click on the Check for Updates option. Wait until the process of checking updates is completed and if it finds new updates, install it. After you install the new Windows Updates, check if you can now add the PIN on Windows Hello or not.

Option 2 – Try creating the PIN again

The next thing you can do is to create the PIN again by signing out and signing in again and then try creating the PIN once more. If this does not work, you can try restarting your computer and creating the PIN again. You could also try removing the PIN and then change it.

• Remove the PIN by going to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
• From there, go to the PIN section and click on the Remove button.
• You will be asked to verify your account to proceed in removing the PIN, enter your credentials.
• Restart your computer and then set up a new PIN.
• Once you’re done, restart your computer and check if the error is gone now.

Option 3 – Try checking the CNG Key Isolation Service

The CNG Key Isolation Service is the one that stores and uses long-lived keys in a secure process complying with the common criteria requirements and it is possible that the error could be related to this service. This service is hosted in the LSA processes and provides key process isolation to private keys and associated cryptographic operations as required by the common criteria. Thus, you need to check this service to see if it’s the one that’s causing the error.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• Next, locate the “CNG Key Isolation Service” and once you find it, double click on it to open its Properties box.
• After opening its Properties, check its Startup type and select Manual. This is the default setting and if it is Disabled, then it’s no wonder why you’re getting errors with Windows Hello, thus, you need to enable it.
• Once done, restart your computer and check if you can now add the PIN to Windows Hello. If you still get the error, then you might want to try setting the CNG Key Isolation Service from Manual to Automatic and then click on the Start button and see if it fixes the error or not.

Option 4 – Try to reset the Trusted Platform Module or TPM

You might also want to try resetting the Trusted Platform Module or TPM to fix the error. You can do this by opening Windows PowerShell and then executing the “Clear-Tpm” command. After that, check if the error is now resolved.

Option 5 – Try to create a new User Account

You could also try to create a new User Account on your Windows 10 computer to fix the Windows Hello error. Once you have created a new local user or administrator account in Windows 10, check if you are now able to add the PIN from this newly created user account.

As you know, Microsoft Store is the ultimate source of applications for Windows 10 devices and it’s turning to be the hub for various applications. In fact, aside from applications, it has also become a source for movies, books, TV and even buying hardware directly from Microsoft and many more. Although downloading goes smoothly most of the time, depending on your internet connection, there are also times when you might experience slow download speeds while downloading apps and other things in the Microsoft Store. There are several factors that could be causing this kind of issue. It can be due to the Microsoft Store app itself or it could be enforced speed limiter on the application or it could be due to a corrupted Microsoft Store cache, or it could be due to the Windows Update service running in the background, and so on. To fix this problem, you can try to reset the Microsoft Store cache, or set the bandwidth limit for downloads, or try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via Windows PowerShell. Before you proceed with the troubleshooting options provided below, make sure that your internet connection is stable enough to download apps and games. You also have to check if there is an update or a massive download in progress. Once you have these things covered, follow the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache

Just like browsers, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
• Next, type in the command, “exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
• Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again and then try to install your app or update your computer again.

Option 2 – Try to set the bandwidth limit for downloads

• Tap the Win + I key combination to open the Windows Settings app.
• After that, navigate to Update & security > Windows Update.
• From there, select the Advanced options located on the right-side panel.
• Next, select Delivery Optimization and check the box for “Limit how much bandwidth is used for downloading updates in the background under the Download settings section and then set the slider to 100%.

Option 3 – Try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via Windows PowerShell

• Tap the Win + X key combination or right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option.
• If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed and open the Windows PowerShell window.
• Next, type in or copy-paste the following command to re-register the Microsoft Store app and tap Enter:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $Env:SystemRootWinStoreAppxManifest.xml

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

This post will guide you in fixing yet another annoying Blue Screen of Death error, “BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER”. This particular BSOD error occurs due to some issue with usbhub.sys, winusb.sys, or usbport.sys system driver file. When you encounter this kind of Stop error on your Windows 10 PC, it indicates that an error has occurred in the Universal Serial Bus or USB driver. The USB driver is issued by Microsoft themselves and it comes along with the Windows 10 system which is why it is difficult to download its latest version using a web browser. Thus, you need to take some basic steps to resolve the problem. Carefully follow the given fixes below to fix the BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER Blue Screen error and before you proceed, you need to create a System Restore Point, this way you have some backup in case something goes out of hand.

Option 1 – Update the USB Controller Drivers

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.
• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

You also have the option to update the motherboard and the USB driver from the manufacturer’s official website.

Option 2 – Check for any available Windows Updates

Another you can try is to check if there are any Windows Updates available to make sure that your Windows 10 PC has all the latest updates installed. All you have to do is go to Settings > Update &security. From there, just click on the Check for updates button.

Option 3 – Uninstall conflicting programs and services

There are certain programs like VMWare, Virtual Box, Hyper-V Virtualization services that might be in conflict with the USB port drivers on the parent operating system. Thus, you can try uninstalling the aforementioned programs and other similar ones to see if it fixes the BSOD error.

• In the search box, type in “control” and then click on Control Panel (desktop app) among the search results.
• After that, select Programs and Features from the list which will give you a list of all the programs installed on your computer.
• From there, look for the concerned program and select it and then uninstall it.

Note: If you have downloaded the app from the Windows Store, you can simply right-click on it from the application list and then uninstall it. If uninstalling the programs mentioned above didn’t help, you might want to try putting your PC in a Clean Boot State to help you find the faulty program.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)

Option 4 – Modify the Power Settings

• In the Cortana Search box, type “power options” and then select Power Options from the search results.
• After opening Power Options, click on Change plan settings for your selected power plan.
• Next, click on Change advanced power settings.
• Then look for USB Settings and click on it to expand it.
• Now expand the USB selective suspend setting and then disable it.
• After that, click on the Apply and then OK buttons to save the changes made.

Option 5 – Check for any hard disk errors

• On your desktop, right-click on the “This PC” or computer icon and then select Manage to open the Disk Management. Here you get to check your drive’s health.
• Next, click on Disk Management on the left side panel.
• From there, check the state of your drives. If it shows that all your partitions are healthy then it means all is good and that the problem may have something to do with some physical issues with your hard drive.

You might also want to run the CHKDSK utility to help you fix any issues with your hard disk. 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 /r

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