Windows XP KB4500331 patches severe security vulnerabilities

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Microsoft recently released a critical update (KB4500331) to patch a remote code execution vulnerability in Windows XP. It’s been years since Microsoft ended official support for the operating system.

The fact that the company released this patch shows just how severe this vulnerability was. You can imagine the nature of the bug that forced Microsoft to release a critical security patch for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 after 5 years.

The tech giant released the update for devices running Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 to fix a “wormable” vulnerability.

However, there is an issue associated with this update, as it is not available via Windows Update. Windows XP users need to manually install the patch from Microsoft’s website.

Download KB4500331

You can simply visit Microsoft’s Update Catalog to download KB4500331 for Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP.

However, the patch is available to Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 users via Windows Update. Moreover, Microsoft confirmed that Windows 8 and Windows 10 users remain safe from the bug.

No threats so far

Although Microsoft has not seen any serious security threats, the company is taking all necessary measures to prevent hackers from exploiting this secyrity vulnerability.

If exploited, this security problem can lead to another WannaCry-style malware attack. The Redmond giant says that devices that have network level authentication are safe from these threats at least to some extent.

We’re sure no one  forgot the horrible WannaCry outbreak and its impact on users around the world. That is why the company didn’t want to take any risks and fall into the trap once again.

The attackers know that most Windows users (both individual and enterprise users) avoid Windows updates or at least postpone installing them. The update process can sometimes turn into a mess specifically for large organizations. 

Attackers can potentially take advantage of similar situations to inject malware that can spread from one PC to another. Microsoft warns its users by stating that:

However, affected systems are still vulnerable to Remote Code Execution (RCE) exploitation if the attacker has valid credentials that can be used to successfully authenticate.

The company recommends Windows XP users to install the latest updates to block any potential attacks. Or better yet, to upgrade to the latest Windows 10 OS version.

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This is how you can fix RAGE 2 fatal errors on PC

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

The latest patch for Rage 2 is causing quite a few issues for players.

Many users reported encountering graphics related issues like: freezing, game crashing, stuttering or low FPS issues.

Error code 35 could be caused by certain graphic driver related issues, system issues and other root-causes.

In order to fix this error, we came up with a few solutions for you to try out.

6 simple solutions to solve RAGE 2 error code 35

  1. Update your graphics driver
  2. Close running processes in the background
  3. Allow Rage 2 to run through Windows Firewall
  4. Lower the video settings
  5. Set high priority for the game in the graphic driver settings
  6. Reinstall Rage 2

1. Update your graphics driver

If you notice that the game is not as responsive as it used to be, you should consider updating your graphics card driver.

Having outdated drivers installed on your computer prevent you from keeping up with the changes made with the latest patch.

In order to update the video card driver, follow these steps:

  • Press the Windows logo key + R on your keyboard > type devmgmt.msc in the Run box and hit Enter

  • Expand the Display adapters section in the Device Manager > right click each existing device and select Update driver

  • Wait for the updating process to complete and restart your computer

2. Close running processes in the background

Make sure to have no unnecessary apps opened while playing the game.

Active processes running in the background could be using up too much memory, making the game freeze, stutter or crash.

3. Allow Rage 2 to run through Windows Firewall

Make sure to grant Rage 2 full access through the Windows Firewall.

Not having full permission could cause the game to encounter different issues.

In order to give Rage 2 full permission, follow these steps:

  • Open Control Panel
  • Select View by Large Icons

  • Open Windows Defender Firewall
  • Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall in the left pane

allow app or feature windows firewall

  • Find Rage 2 in the Allowed apps and features list and make sure to have both Private and Public boxes ticked
  • Press OK and try running Rage 2 again to see if it fixed the issue

4. Lower the video settings

After the new game patch, your computer might not be able to render the game at the highest graphic settings.

Open the game video settings and try choosing to run the game at a lower resolution.

5. Set high priority for the game in the graphic driver settings

Try forcing your video card to maximize its performance when running Rage 2.

If you have a Nvidia graphic card, follow these steps:

  • Open the Nvidia Control Panel
  • Select Manage 3D Settings > in the Program Settings tab select Rage 2
  • Set Power Management to Prefer Maximum Power
  • Save the settings, close the Nvidia Control Panel and see if it fixed the issue.

If you have an AMD graphic card, follow these steps:

  • Open AMD Radeon Settings
  • Go to System > choose Switchable Graphics
  • Select Rage 2, if it’s not in the list click the Browse button and choose the .exe file
  • Choose High Performance from the drop down menu > click Apply
  • Close AMD Radeon Settings and see if this fixed the issue

6. Reinstall Rage 2

If nothing goes your way, then you should attempt reinstalling Rage 2.

Fully uninstall the game from the Control Panel, then download the game back to have a clean running game.

We hope that you found our guide on fixing Rage 2 error code 35 quite useful. If you know other working solutions, feel free to share them with us in the comment section below.

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Failed to start game with shared content Steam error [PRO GUIDE]

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Steam is a great gaming client, but many users reported Failed to start game with shared content please update these games first error. This error usually affects Call of Duty series, and in today’s article, we’ll show you how to fix this problem once and for all.

How can I fix Failed to start game with shared content Steam error? The first thing you should do is to check the game’s cache. If everything is in order, make sure that the game you’re trying to run is up to date. If the issue persists, you might have to reinstall the game to fix it.

What to do if I can’t start the game with shared content on Steam?

  1. Verify Integrity of Game Cache
  2. Make sure the games are always updated
  3. Delete game files and download again

1. Verify Integrity of Game Cache

Sometimes verifying the game cache can fix Failed to start game with shared content error. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Go to your Steam Library and right-click on the game that gives you this error and select Properties.
    properties steam Failed to start game with shared content Steam
  2. Now, navigate to Local files and click Verify Integrity of Game Cache.
    verify integrity of game files local files

After the process is finished, check if the error is resolved.

2. Make sure the games are always updated

If verifying the integrity of the game cache didn’t fix the Failed to start game with shared content error, you need to ensure that the game is up to date.

Usually Steam updates games automatically, but sometimes issues can occur. If that’s the case, make sure that the game you’re trying to run is set to automatically update:

  1. Open the Properties window.
  2. Open the Update tab and check Always keep this game up to date option.

3. Delete game files and download again

If you have tried the previous methods but the issue is still there, the problem might be with the game itself. If that’s the case, you need to delete all the local files and download the game again from the Steam cloud. Don’t worry, all your saved games will be there once you reinstall the game.

There you go, these are three simple solutions that might help you with Failed to start game with shared content error. Use the comments section below to let us know if our solutions worked for you.

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Steam failed to load broadcast [ULTIMATE FIX]

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Steam Broadcasting is a feature that helps you broadcast your gameplay without any other software, but some users reported Steam failed to load broadcast error messages.

There are many things that can cause steam broadcasting to malfunction. These include antivirus, bad network, computer issues, or problems with Steam settings. However, there’s a way to fix those issues.

How can I fix Steam failed to load broadcast error? Your Internet connection is crucial for broadcasting, so make sure that your connection is fast and stable enough for streaming. Bear in mind that your antivirus or firewall can block Steam by accident, so be sure to add Steam to the list of exceptions.

What to do if Steam broadcast isn’t working?

  1. Check your Internet connection
  2. Check your firewall software
  3. Disable your Antivirus Software
  4. Check Steam settings

1. Check your Internet connection

In order to use Steam, you’ll need a fast Internet connection, and if you’re getting Steam failed to load broadcast error, you need to check your Internet connection and ensure that it’s working properly.

If your connection is unstable or not fast enough, you might encounter this and other similar errors. If the connection is the problem, contact your ISP.

2. Check your firewall software

Firewall is security software that protects computers from any threat by monitoring its network connections. It stops unauthorized software from getting access to your computer. It sometimes stops applications such as Steam from connecting to the Internet. As a result, you might get Steam failed to load broadcast error.

To fix this issue, check your firewall settings and make sure that Steam is allowed through your firewall.

3. Disable your antivirus software

Antivirus can sometimes identify Steam as a threat and cause Steam failed to load broadcast error to appear. You can solve this by temporarily disabling your antivirus or by adding Steam to the list of exclusions in your antivirus.

In case that doesn’t work, you might have to uninstall your antivirus. If uninstalling or disabling the antivirus fixes the issue, try switching to a different antivirus.

There are worthwhile choices for you to defend your PC and not block other applications from properly running. Hence, to accomplish that you should choose the best highest detection rates antivirus tools.

4. Check Steam settings

If you have tried all the steps above and you’re still getting Steam failed to load broadcast error, perhaps your settings are the problem. Here’s how to change them:

Turn on the broadcasting indicator

Follow these steps to carry out this method:

  1. Go to Steam then Settings.
  2. After settings, go to Broadcasting.
  3. Go to the Always show Live status option and check it.
  4. After step 3, an indicator will appear at the right upper corner of your screen anytime you are broadcasting.

Lower Steam Quality

To fix this problem, you can lower Steam quality in its settings or change the stream resolution. This might put an end to the problem.

Turn on Steam Broadcasting

  1. Open Steam and go to Settings.
  2. Go to broadcasting and check the Privacy setting option.
  3. Click on the Anyone can watch my games option if you want your broadcast to be public.

Reinstall Steam

If Steam still malfunctions after trying the solutions above, the issue might be a corrupt installation. Uninstall and reinstall Steam and see if it works.

There you go, these are just a couple of simple solutions that might help you fix Steam failed to load broadcast error. Be sure to try them all and let us know if they worked for you.

What to do if your printer prints paper crooked [EXPERT FIX]

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

Many HP users have reported about their printer printing papers crooked instead of printing it straight. The problem, strangely enough, happens to have affected only HP printers of specific series.

My printer is printing a crooked paper for no apparent reason? Fix it by realigning the printer. One of the most common reasons for crooked paper is misconfigured cartridge alignment in the printer. Additionally, you should reinstall printer drivers or check with HP support for further clarification.

Check instructions for these respective steps below.

Why my printer prints paper crooked?

  1. Realign Printer
  2. Uninstall and Reinstall the Driver
  3. OEM’s suggestions

1. Realign Printer

As discussed already, the issue may occur due to a misconfigured alignment of the printer paper tray. You can easily realign the printer cartridge from the tools menu. However, before that, make sure you that you remove and reinsert the duplexer to make sure no paper jam exists. Here is how to do it.

  1. Remove the duplexer from your printer. Make sure there is no paper stuck anywhere. Reinsert the Duplexer and make sure it is placed correctly. Also, wipe off if any dust exists on the duplexer.
  2. Press the Setup button ( wrench icon) on the printer.
  3. Use the right-arrow key to navigate to the 6th option – Tools.
  4. Press OK to select Tools.
  5. Press the right-arrow button to reach the Align Printer option.
  6. Click OK to select the Align Printer option.

The printer will show “Aligning cartridges .. please wait. This process will take approximates 7 minutes“.

After the process is complete, the printer will print a page automatically with a message “Alignment successful. Recycle or discard the [age printer. Press OK to Continue“.

Now try to print any document on your printer and check for any improvements.

2. Uninstall and Reinstall the Driver

Another common issue that may cause the printer to behave abnormally is the outdated or buggy printer driver software. Users have reported that uninstalling and reinstalling the printer driver has resolved the issue. Here is how to do it.

  1. Search for Device Manager in the search bar and open it.
  2. In the Device Manager, locate and expand the Print Queues section.
  3. Right-click on the problematic printer and select “Uninstall Device”. Click on Yes if asked to confirm the decision.
    Print Queues Uninstall Device
  4. After the printer driver is uninstalled, reboot the system.
  5. Windows will automatically install the printer driver after the restart.
  6. If the Printer is still not detected, open Device Manager and go to Actions > Scan for hardware changes.

Make sure you have the latest version of HP Solution Center installed as well. Also, try to uninstall and reinstall the HP Solution Center if uninstalling the drivers did not work.

3. OEM’s suggestions

According to HP support, the printer itself cannot print the paper crooked. It is only possible if the papers are fed crooked. The problem is usually with the paper tray and the alignment. Even if the paper tray is not loose or miss aligned, it is possible that some object ( like a piece of paper) is causing the issue.

Make sure to clean the paper tray and look for any objects and realign the printer to before considering repairing the printer.

How do I fix DS4Windows Controller Connection in Windows 10?

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

DS4 Windows is an application intended for Sony’s Dual Shock 4 controllers. It’s more of an emulator that allows you to fool Windows 10 into thinking that you actually are connected with a XBOX controller.

Because many gamers just prefer a controller instead of a mouse and a keyboard, the functionality of this tool is imperative for them.

Lately, many of them are complaining about not being able to connect their controller with the Windows 10 PC through the DS4 Windows app. If you are among them, let’s see how we can fix the issue.

Most often than not, when DS4 Windows is failing to recognize your controller in Windows 10, you will stumble upon the No Controllers Connected (Max 4) error message.

What can I do if  DS4 Windows is not detecting my controller on Windows 10 PC? The fastest solution is to uninstall the latest Windows update. In most cases, this is the main cause of the problem. If that doesn’t work, then uninstall and reinstall DS4 Windows and then install PS4 Remote Play app.

Let’s see how to do that in the guide below.

How do I get my PC to recognize my PS4 controller?

  1. Uninstall the latest Windows 10 update
  2. Install PS4 Remote Play app for Windows 10

You should start with some simple steps, just to make sure that you need a more complex solution:

  • Check your hardware. If your controller is broken, this guide does’t apply to you.
  • Restart your Windows 10 computer.
  • Update DS4 Windows.
  • Uninstall and reinstall the application.

1. Uninstall the latest Windows 10 update

Most of the users are reporting that the error occurred after a Windows 10 update, so let’s start with the simplest fix, and that’s deleting that update. To do that, follow the steps:

  1. Open Start and click on Settings.ds4 windows can't regognize controller
  2. In Settings, click on Update & Security.ds4 windows won't detect controller in windows 10
  3. In the left side panel you should be on Windows Update. In the right section, click on View update history.view update history ds4 wondows can't connect controller
  4. Now, in the top of the window you should see the Uninstall updates option. Click on it.uninstall updates ps4 controller connection problem
  5. Select the update that caused the problem (usually is the latest – you can see the date in the last right column), right-click it and hit Uninstall.
  6. Wait for the process to finish and restart your PC.

This should solve the problem. If you’re still experiencing some connection issues, go to the next solution.

2. Install PS4 Remote Play app for Windows 10

This solution is a bit more complicated, but it is tried and true. It’s confirmed as working by the majority of the users. To do it yourself, follow the steps:

  1. Download and install PS4 Remote Play.
  2. After the install finishes, go to the Windows search box and type Device Manager. Hit Enter.ds4 windows doesn't recognize my controller in windows 10
  3. In Device Manager there should be a lib32 Wireless driver. Right-click the Wireless Controller Driver and uninstall it. Also check mark Delete driver software for this device before uninstalling it.
  4. After the uninstall finishes, connect the DS4  and let Windows install the drivers automatically.
  5. Now download, install and set up DS4 Windows without the controller connected.
  6. After that, connect the controller. It should be instantly recognised.
  7. In DS4 Windows setting, check mark the Hide DS4.
  8. If you only need the default profile, uncheck Swipe touchpad to change profile.

If you want to make sure that you install the driver correctly and also save some time, we recommend using a dedicated driver updater/ fixer such as Fortect Driver Updater. It removes all risks that come with faulty drivers and updates them within seconds.

That’s it. Your controller should now be recognized instantly and everything should be in working condition. Again, this solution is confirmed by many, and if you do it properly it should certainly work for you, too.

If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to reach for the comments section below.

Windows Media Player cannot connect to the server error [SOLVED]

Posted on by Matthew Adams

The Windows Media Player cannot connect to the server error is one that arises for some Internet Explorer users. That error message pops for some IE users when they try to watch videos via SharePoint Online library. Consequently, Windows Media Player doesn’t play the videos.

Why is my Windows Media Player unable to connect to the server? Firstly, to fix it check the authentication with Office 365. The lack of access permission for Windows Media Player usually leads to this error. On the other hand, if that doesn’t help, add the SharePoint URL to Internet Explorer’s Trusted Sites or re-register the Wmnetmgr.dll File.

Continue below with the detailed step-by-step instructions.

How do I fix Windows Media Player cannot connect to the server error?

  1. Check That You’re Authenticated With Office 365
  2. Add the SharePoint URL to Explorer’s Trusted Sites
  3. Reregister the Wmnetmgr.dll File

1. Check That You’re Authenticated With Office 365

First, check that you’re signed in with Office 365. To do that, users need to sign in with SharePoint Online with Office 365 account credentials. Then select the Keep me signed in option if it’s not already selected.

Some users might need to sign out of Office 356 first, select the Keep me signed in setting and then sign in with Office 365 account credentials.

2. Add the SharePoint URL to Explorer’s Trusted Sites

  1. To ensure SharePoint isn’t in any way blocked, add the SharePoint page URL (which includes the videos) to Internet Explorer’s trusted sites. To do so, open Internet Explorer.
  2. Click Tools and select Internet options to open the window shown directly below.internet properties
  3. Select the Security tab.
  4. Select the Trusted Sites checkmark on the Security tab.internet properties trusted sites
  5. Press the Sites button.trusted sites add url
  6. Next, enter the required SharePoint URL (for organization) in the text box.
  7. Click the Add button.
  8. Click Close to exit the Trusted sites window.
  9. Select the Apply option, and click OK to close the window.

3. Reregister the Wmnetmgr.dll File

Users have also said they’ve fixed the Windows Media Player cannot connect to the server error by registering wmnetmgr.dll file.

  1. To do that, click the Type here to search button to open Cortana in Windows 10.
  2. Input ‘cmd’ in the text box to search for Command Prompt.
  3. Right-click Command Prompt and select the Run as administrator setting.
  4. Enter ‘regsvr32 wmnetmgr.dll’ in the Prompt’s window, as below, and press the Return button.regsvr32 wmnetmgr.dll cmd
  5. Then restart Windows.

One of those resolutions might resolve the Windows Media Player cannot connect to the server error so that users can play videos on SharePoint with Windows Media Player. Any IE users who have discovered other fixes for the same WMP server error are welcome to share them below.

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Windows Media Player Cannot Detect The Length of The File [FULL FIX]

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

Windows Media Player allows the users to burn files to CDs and DVDs. Sometimes, the file burning function of the player may not work properly and start showing Windows Media Player cannot detect the length of the file error.

Is Windows Media Player unable to detect the length of the file when burning CD or DVD? First, use the drag & drop approach to add files instead of a complete batch. This way it’ll be easier for the application to identify files. Alternatively, you can run the dedicated troubleshooter or change the Music folder.

Check the detailed instructions below.

Fix Windows Media Player cannot detect the length of the file

  1. Drag & Drop the Track
  2. Run Troubleshooter for WMP
  3. Change the Music Folder
  4. Use a Third-party CD Burning Software

1. Drag & Drop the Track

Among the most recommended solutions to fix this error, one solution is to directly drag and drop the track you want to burn onto the Windows Media Player. Here is how to do it.

  1. In Windows Media Player, right-click on the track that is causing the error.
  2. Click on Open File Location. It will open the track directory.
    Windows Media Player Open File Location
  3. Drag and drop the track from the folder onto the Windows Media Player.
    Windows Media Player - Drag and Drop
  4. Now Windows Media Player should detect the track length. Proceed with burning the track. Check if the error is resolved.

2. Run Troubleshooter for WMP

Windows OS comes with a built-in troubleshooter to find and fix any issues with the Windows Media Player. Run the troubleshooter to scan and fix problems with the media player. Here is how to do it.

  1. 1. Press Windows Key + R to open Run.
  2. Type Control and press OK to open Control Panel.
  3. Click on Troubleshooting.
  4. Click on Hardware and Sound.
  5. Scroll down and click on “Windows Media Player DVD“.
    Windows Media Player - Troubleshoot
  6. Click Next to proceed. The troubleshooter will look for any issues with the DVD Playback device as well as the WM Player and apply the fix.

Close the troubleshoot and restart the PC. After the restart, launch Windows Media Player and try to drag and drop the track again and check for any improvements.

3.  Change the Music Folder

If the file directory or the folder is corrupted, Windows Media Player may fail to recognize the files from that folder. If you can see the length of the media file in the File Explorer but not in the Media Player, try to move the tracks to a new folder.

  1. Select all the track you want to burn and copy it.
  2. Create a new folder outside the original directory and move the copied files to the new folder.
  3. Launch Windows Media Player and drag and drop the tracks from the new folder onto the player.
  4. Windows Media Player should detect the track length. Select the tracks and click on Burn.

4. Use a Third-party CD Burning Software

Now, this is not a fix or solution to Windows Media Player burning error. However, if you use the disc burning feature frequently, consider using a third-party CD burning software.

We have already covered the top 5 free burning software for Windows 10  that you can use to replace Windows Media Player. Third-party disc burning tools have more features and offer more customization options than the Windows Media Player.

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Windows 10 update error 0x80d06802 [FIXED by EXPERTS]

Posted on by Matthew Adams

The Windows 10 update error 0x80d06802 arises for some users when they try to download updates (via Settings). The full 0x80d06802 error message states: There were problems installing some 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: Error 0x80d06802.

Users have stated in forum posts that the error arises for specific updates, such as KB4493440, KB4013429, and KB4493437 when they check for updates. As a consequence, users can’t get the required updates for Windows 10.

What can I do to solve the update error code 0x80d06802 on Windows 10? Firstly, run the Windows Update Troubleshooter from the Settings menu. This usually deals with minor halts in the system update delivery. If the issue persists, reset Windows Update services with Command Prompt or re-register DLL files.

Read about the detailed instructions below.

Fix Windows Update error 0x80d06802 with these steps

  1. Open the Windows Update Troubleshooter
  2. Reregister DLL Files
  3. Reset Windows Update via the Command Prompt
  4. Download the Required Updates From Microsoft Update Catalog

1. Open the Windows Update Troubleshooter

The built-in Windows Update troubleshooter fixes quite a few 0x80 error codes. Therefore, running the Windows Update troubleshooter might provide a fix for error 0x80d06802. Users can open that troubleshooter as follows.

  1. Open Cortana with the Windows key + Q hotkey.
  2. Input ‘troubleshoot’ in the search box.
  3. Then click Troubleshoot settings to open the Settings app as shown directly below.windows update troubleshooter
  4. Select Windows Update and press the Run the troubleshooter button.
  5. Thereafter, the Windows Update window will open; and users can go through its suggested resolutions.windows update troubleshooter detecting problems

2. Reregister DLL Files

Reregistering a few Windows Update DLL files might also resolve error 0x80d06802 for some users. The mssip32, initpki.dll, and mssip32.dll are three of the more essential DLL files to reregister. Users can register those DLL files as follows.

  1. Open an elevated Command Prompt window.
  2. Enter ‘regsvr32 mssip32.dll’ in the Prompt, and press the Return button.
  3. Input ‘regsvr32 initpki.dll’ and press Enter.regsvr32 initpki.dll cmd
  4. Then enter ‘regsvr32 wintrust.dll’ and press Return to reregister the wintrut.dll.
  5. Close the Command Prompt, and restart the desktop or laptop.

As an alternative, you might consider specialized support from a PC repairing software that will take care of problematic DLL files.

3. Reset Windows Update via the Command Prompt

Resetting Windows Update is one of the most common fixes for numerous update error messages. So, resetting Windows Update is certainly worth a shot as that might repair update components. Users can do that with the Command Prompt as follows.

  1. Press the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open a Win + X menu.
  2. Select Command Prompt (Admin) on the menu.
  3. Then users need to enter this series of separate commands and press Enter after each:
    net stop wuauserv
    net stop cryptSvc
    net stop bits
    ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\ SoftwareDistribution.old
    ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
    net start wuauserv
    net start cryptSvc
    net start bits
  4. Thereafter, close the Command Prompt and restart Windows.

4. Download the Required Updates From Microsoft Update Catalog

Users can also get the updates that error 0x80d06802 occurs for from the Microsoft Update Catalog. Open the Microsoft Update Catalog in Internet Explorer or another browser. The enter the update number in the search box on Microsoft Update Catalog. Click Download to download a compatible update. Then users can manually install that update.

Those are some of the best methods for fixing error 0x80d06802 so that users can install the required updates. In addition, resetting Windows 10 to its factory defaults can also resolve the error.

How to fix frequent Yakuza Kiwami 2 bugs on PC

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

The remake to Sega’s 2006 Yakuza 2 is finally out. The open-world third-person adventure brings back old characters with new gameplay features, aswell as new story segments.

All these features in Yakuza Kiwami 2 are aimed to tie the older storyline to other titles in the franchise.

We’ve grown accustomed to the fact that no game launch can be considered flawless, and Yakuza is no exception. With a few hiccups here and there, but worry not, we’ve got a few solutions for you.

How do I fix common Yakuza Kiwami 2 issues?

Here’s the list of bugs we’re going to focus on in this guide:

  1. Game crashes
  2. Framerate drops
  3. Out of memory alerts
  4. Audio issues

1. Fix Yakuza Kiwami 2 crashes

Most of the times, this issue can be traced to faulty game files, maybe something got corrupted at some point. But we’ve got a solution for this, that can alleviate installation issues as well. Simply follow these steps:

  1. Open up your Steam client.
  2. In the Library section, right-click on Yakuza Kiwami 2 game and click on Properties from the menu.
  3. Now select the Local files tab and click on the Verify integrity of game files.
  4. After this is done, try running the game again.

A more efficient solution would be to use a real-time game booster. This type of tool has game-oriented features that aim to eliminate crashes and lag.

With a few clicks, it can optimize your computer’s system and help it reach peak performance while you play. Moreover, it enables you to customize the settings and have full control over the optimization process.

⇒ Get Game Fire

2. Fix Yakuza Kiwami 2  low FPS

Proceed by updating your graphic card with the latest drivers. Another good solution is disabling the vertical sync, since it can reduce graphical tearing.

If after this, you are facing tearing while playing Yakuza,  we suggest you toggle vertical sync to back on in your game settings. Or alternately, you can switch from a higher detail setting to a lower one.

3. Fix Out of memory errors

Firstly go to your Control Panel and select System and Security and then click on System. Now you’re going to click on Advanced System Settings, select the Virtual Memory window, uncheck automatically manage paging file size for all drives.

Now select a value that would help you in running the game smoothly.

For additional solutions on how to fix low memory issues, check out the guides listed below:

4. Fix Yakuza Kiwami 2 audio bugs

First things first, try changing your audio from surround sound to stereo. On your desktop, just right click on the speaker icon on the bottom right corner of your screen and select Sounds.

Now head on over to Playback and disable all the sound devices except the internal speaker or the speaker which you wish to use.

Tips for a smoother Yakuza Kiwami 2 gameplay

If you’re running the game from your Steam library, remember to whitelist your game on Windows Firewall or to add an exception for it in your antivirus.

Also, if you’re running an overclocking program, we suggest yo turn it off if your game is unstable.

Always remember, when running a new game, to check up on the minimum system requirements. These

  • OS: Windows 7 (64-Bit Required)
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-3470, 3.2 GHz / AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 3.1 GHz
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: GeForce GTX 660, 2 GB / Radeon HD 7870, 2 GB
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 42 GB available space

We hope that these fixes were of some help to you. We would love to know on your feelings related to Yakuza Kiwami 2 in the comment section down below.

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New Xbox One 1910 preview build brings estimated install time feature

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The latest Xbox One 1910 Preview build, which Microsoft is releasing today for Skip Ahead Xbox Insiders will make the long downloading periods slightly more bearable. After installing the update, the Xbox One OS will now display the estimated download time for games, telling gamers when they will be able to finally play.

“We are adding new features in this build to the Download Queue in My Games and Apps today based on User feedback,” explained Bradley Rossetti, Xbox Insider Team Lead. “You will now see the Estimated time to finish downloads appears in queue and Allow users to move titles in the queue up and down, not just move to front.”

In an era where Xbox One games can weigh more than 100GB of storage and take hours to download, this should be a very welcome improvement. As a reminder, certain Xbox One games support a “Ready to start” feature allowing gamers to launch them before they’re fully downloaded. Other games also support FastStart, a new technology that can get you into your game in half the time by identifying the most important bits to download first.

This new feature won’t be available until the fall when the 1910 update for the Xbox One is released. In the meantime, the Xbox team is planning a new system update (1906) in June, but we don’t know yet what’s in the pipeline for this release.

Purple-colored Xbox One S Fortnite Limited Edition leaks

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

A new Fortnite limited-edition Xbox One S console is in the pipeline and could be launching soon. Roland Quandt from the German blog Winfuture.de managed to get a picture of the packaging, revealing a purple-colored console with a matching controller.

It’s been quite some time since Microsoft unveiled a limited-edition Xbox One S, though you may remember the custom-designed Gears of War 4 console that launched ahead of the game’s release in October 2016, as well as the Xbox One S Minecraft Limited Edition Bundle that was released a year later. Microsoft is no longer selling these limited edition consoles, so it’s nice to see that a non-white Xbox One S will be available soon.

The Xbox One S Fortnite Limited Edition will reportedly be priced at $299.99 in the US, and it will come with special goodies for Fortnite fans. In case you missed it, Microsoft also released the disc-less Xbox One S All Digital Edition on May 7, though the $249 pricing for the less versatile hardware received lots of criticism right after the official announcement.

Surviving Mars video game is free to play on Xbox One this weekend

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Surviving Mars is free to play this weekend for all Xbox One gamers with an Xbox Live Gold subscription. The free play period has already begun and lasts until Monday.

As with previous Free Play Weekends, all gameplay done during this period will save to the cloud and be available should players choose to buy the game and play it in the future. Xbox Achievements are also unlockable while playing it for free.

Surviving Mars is a city-building title in the same vein as Sim City. Players are tasked with colonising the planet Mars and building a thriving city while dealing with city planning issues and the dangers of building on a dead planet.

Here’s the official list of game features:

  • Building a sustainable colony in space: Building on a planet not fit for human life challenges you to build a smart, functional colony. Bad planning isn’t about traffic jams, it’s about survival of your colonists. You really don’t want rolling blackouts in a city constructed in a place without oxygen.
    Individually simulated colonists: Each colonist is a unique individual with problems and strengths that influence the needs and behavior of the other colonists.
  • Things can get really interesting if your chief scientists develops alcoholism after one too many long nights in the lab.
  • Futuristic Space Dome construction: Retro-futuristic super structures housing colonists, factories and commercial buildings with their own “neighborhood personality.” Create colonies that value science over everything else, while tired workers drink their pay away at a local bar, or attempt a utopia among the stars.
  • Exploration of Mars’ secrets: Inspired by the classic sci-fi of Asimov and Clarke, Surviving Mars holds many secrets. During each playthrough players may encounter one of Mars’ individually crafted mysteries. Uncovering these secrets might bring your colony great fortune, or terrible ruin.
  • Randomized research tree: Combine static and random research through exploration, which allows for a different experience for each journey through the game. Attain new scientific breakthroughs by exploring the uncharted terrain of Mars’s surface.
  • Unique retro-futuristic aesthetic: A sleek, modern take on the bright futurism of the 1960s. A time of exploration and adventure.

Have you played Surviving Mars before or will this be your first time? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments below and then follow us Twitter for more Xbox gaming news.

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Castlevania Anniversary Collection launches on Xbox One with heaps of classic video games

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Castlevania Anniversary Collection is now available to play on Microsoft’s family of Xbox One consoles. This new collections contains eight classic Castlevania video games, most now playable for the first time on Xbox One.

All of the video games are playable in their original aspect ratios and graphic styles including Castlevania The Adventure and Castlevania II Belmont’s Revenge which both originally came out on the Nintendo GameBoy in black and white (well, black and green).

This collections also contains Kid Dracula which has never before been released in English.

Here’s the official game description and trailer:

Konami’s Castlevania Anniversary Collection traces the origins of the historic vampire franchise. Included is a unique eBook with details provided by developers, artists and others inspired by the Castlevania legacy which sheds a fresh light into the world of Castlevania.

Released as part of the Konami 50th Anniversary celebration, relive these timeless classics that helped define the platformer genre. From the Belmont clan to their extended bloodlines and allies, the Castlevania Anniversary Collection is the best first step for anyone to take into the world of Castlevania and the fight against Dracula!

Here’s the full list of included video games in Castlevania Anniversary Collection on Xbox One:

  • Castlevania
  • Castlevania II Simon’s Quest
  • Castlevania III Dracula’s Curse
  • Super Castlevania IV
  • Castlevania The Adventure
  • Castlevania II Belmont’s Revenge
  • Castlevania Bloodlines
  • Kid Dracula (never released in English before)

Are you a Castlevania fan? Let us know which game you think is the best one in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

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Castlevania Anniversary Collection
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Windows 10 Build 18898 adds new disk information in Task Manager

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

This week, Microsoft rolled out the May 2019 Patch Tuesday Updates for different versions of Windows 10. It looks like the series of Windows 10 updates does not end here.

Fast Ring Insiders recently got access to a new build: Windows 10 20H1 preview build 18898. 

Microsoft started to work on 20H1 builds even though Insiders in the Release Preview Ring are currently testing the May 2019 Update. This feature update is expected to land at the end of this month.

Let’s discuss what changes, improvements and bug fixes 20H1 build 18898 brings to Windows 10 users.

Windows 10 20H1 build 18898 changelog

New Disk type option

Microsoft rolled out a new feature in Task Manager’s Performance tab. The tab now shows what type disks you have. This feature will help users to differentiate among their disks based on the disk type.

DWM crash bug fix

Some Windows 10 users reported DWN crash issues on their Windows 10 systems. This bug was introduced by some recent releases and Microsoft fixed the issue in Windows 10 20H1.

Explorer.exe crash issues resolved

Microsoft addressed a bug that caused explorer.exe to crash. Microsoft fixed pcshell.dll issues introduced by some recent builds.

Japanese IME settings bug fix

Previously, users failed to apply Japanese IME settings for some desktop bridge apps. Microsoft recommended Windows 10 users to reset their application to resolve the issue. You need to navigate to app Settings >> Apps >> Choose your app >> Advanced Options >> Reset. 

We can not deny the fact that Windows 10 users and developers often experience bugs with Insider preview builds.

Therefore, downloading and installing the update on your production machine is not a good idea. Microsoft acknowledged a long list of known bugs that came along with 20H1 release.  

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Server execution failed File Explorer error [EXPERT FIX]

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Some users have stated in forums that a Server execution failed error message appears when they try to open File Explorer. Consequently, those users can’t utilize File Explorer.

Are you seeing the Explorer.exe Server Execution Failed on your computer? Fix it by setting up a new Admin account. That should promptly deal with the issue, seemingly caused by the corruption of your current profile. Alternatively, try editing the registry entry or rolling back Windows 10 to an earlier point.

Read about instruction in detail below.

Why does my computer say Server execution failed?

  1. Roll Back Windows 10
  2. Set Up a new Admin Account
  3. Edit the Registry
  4. Reset Windows 10

1. Roll Back Windows 10

The System Restore utility might fix the Server execution failed error for corrupted user accounts. System Restore might provide a resolution if users can restore Windows to a date when File Explorer opened ok. Users can roll back Windows 10 as follows.

  1. Open Run’s Window.
  2. Enter ‘rstrui’ in the Open box, and select the OK option.
  3. Click Next and select Show more restore points.system restore server execution failed file explorer
  4. Select a restore point to roll Windows back to.
  5. Press the Scan for affected programs button to check what software gets deleted for a restore point.system restore check affected programs server execution failed file explorer
  6. Click Next to select the Finish option.

We recommend installing a reliable third-party PC repair tool to scan your device and restore compromised system settings, as well as the registry values to their default Microsoft settings.

Repairing and replacing the damaged files are two equally important actions for an optimal operating system. An all-in-one software repair solution can provide a thorough system diagnosis and perform these actions within minutes.

Plus, using this solution you’re able to fix functionality issues on Windows OS or other system malfunctions caused by corrupted files.

2. Set Up a new Admin Account

The Server execution failed error is usually due to a corrupted user account. Some users have fixed the issue by logging in to Windows’ built-in admin account. This is how users can activate the built-in admin account.

  1. Open the Cortana app with the Windows key + Q hotkey.
  2. Enter the search keyword ‘cmd’ in the text box.
  3. Then right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
  4. Enter net user administrator /active:yes in the Prompt, and press the Return key.net user administrator /active:yes
  5. Close the Command Prompt, and restart Windows 10.
  6. Log in to the new Administrator account.
  7. Then try opening File Explorer in the new admin account.

3. Edit the Registry

Other users have fixed the Server execution failure by restoring the Personal string value in the registry to its default %USERPROFILE%\Documents value. However, set up a system restore point before editing the registry just in case. Then follow the guidelines below to edit the registry.

  1. Press the Windows key + X hotkey, and click Run to open that accessory.
  2. Then input ‘regedit’ in Run’s Open box, and select the OK option.
  3. Enter this path in the registry editor’s address bar:
    Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\
    Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
    Explorer\Shell Folders    . HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software  > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > Shell Folders server execution failed file explorer” width=”975″ height=”623″>
  4. Then double-click Personal to open the window shown directly below.edit string %userprofile%Documents
  5. The Value data box for the Personal string should include the path for your Documents folder. Enter ‘%USERPROFILE%\Documents’ in the Value data box.
  6. Then click the OK button.
  7. Close the Registry Editor, and restart Windows.

4. Reset Windows 10

As a last resort, try resetting Windows 10. That will reset Windows 10 to its default settings, but users will also need to reinstall the software that didn’t come bundled with the platform. Users can reset Win 10 as follows.

  1. Press the Windows + S hotkey.
  2. Enter ‘reset’ as the search keyword.
  3. Then click Reset this PC to open the Settings window as shown directly below.reset windows 10 server execution failed file explorer
  4. Click Get started to open the window shown below.reset windows 10 keep my files server execution failed file explorer
  5. Select the Keep my files option.
  6. Then press the Next and Reset buttons to confirm.

That’s how users can fix the Server execution failed in Windows 10. Users who have fixed the same error with any other alternative resolutions are welcome to share those fixes below.

Fix: Required storage device removed Xbox error

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Sometimes while playing your favorite game on Xbox you might encounter certain errors. In most cases these errors are relatively harmless, but some errors can be severe.

Users reported Required storage device removed error on their Xbox, and today we’re going to show you how to fix it.

Required storage device removed Xbox error, how to fix it?

Fix – Xbox error “Required storage device removed”

    1. Clear system cache
    2. Format your hard drive
    3. Set discs to play automatically
    4. Use an 8GB USB flash drive or larger
    5. Restart your console

Solution 1 – Clear system cache

According to users, they managed to fix this error simply by clearing the system cache.

Your cache can sometimes become corrupted and that can lead to this and many other errors. You can fix this error easily by following these steps:

  1. On the Xbox Home screen go to System.
  2. Select Storage.
  3. Select any device and press the Y button on your controller.
  4. Select Clear System Cache option.
  5. After clearing the cache, restart your console and check if the problem is resolved.

Solution 2 – Format your hard drive

Users reported that clearing the cache doesn’t always fix the issue, therefore you might want to try formatting your Xbox hard drive.

Keep in mind that formatting your hard drive will delete all files from your drive, therefore be sure to back up all important files. To format your hard drive, do the following:

  1. Start your Xbox without a disc in its tray.
  2. Go to Settings > System.
  3. Select the Storage option.
  4. List of all storage devices will appear. Highlight your hard drive and press the Y button on the controller.
  5. Select the Format option.
  6. You should see the confirmation message on the screen.
  7. Choose Yes to start the formatting process. During this step you might be asked to insert the console’s serial number, so be sure to do that. You can find the serial number of your console on its back side.

Once again we have to mention that this process will delete all files, including saved games and downloaded content, so be sure to back them up. After formatting the drive, check if the error is resolved.

Solution 3 – Set discs to play automatically

Few users reported that they fixed the issue simply by enabling disc autoplay option. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Press the Menu button on your controller.
  2. Go to Settings > Disc & Blu-ray.
  3. In the Disc settings section check the Play disc automatically option.

After doing that, the issue should be resolved.

Solution 4 – Use an 8GB USB flash drive or larger

Users reported this issue while using a 4GB USB flash drive with their Xbox. To fix this problem you just need to replace the 4GB flash drive with an 8GB drive or larger.

After doing that, format the 8GB flash drive by following the steps from Solution 2. Once your USB drive is formatted, the issue should be resolved.

Solution 5 – Restart your console

Sometimes you can fix this error simply by restarting your console.

To do that, just press and hold the power button on your Xbox until it turns off. Now press the power button again to turn on your console and check if the error is resolved.

Required storage device removed error can cause certain problems on your Xbox, but this isn’t a serious error and you should be able to fix it simply by clearing your system cache or by formatting your hard drive.

READ ALSO:

How to fix Xbox error Update failed

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

In order to improve Xbox gaming experience, Microsoft is constantly releasing new software features and bug fixes.

If you want the best Xbox experience, it’s important that you keep your software up to date by downloading the latest updates.

Unfortunately, sometimes you can experience certain errors such as Update failed Xbox error.

“Update failed” Xbox error, how to fix it?

Fix – Xbox error “Update failed”

    1. Try installing the update again
    2. Check if you have enough storage space
    3. Delete the system cache
    4. Reinsert the storage device
    5. Install the update from a USB flash drive or CD
    6. Roll back updates
    7. Use the USB flash drive as a storage device
    8. Check your network connection
    9. Try using a wired connection
    10. Use your phone as a mobile hotspot
    11. Disconnect all external storage devices
    12. Restart your modem
    13. Delete and redownload your profile
    14. Delete the corrupted content
    15. Format your hard drive
    16. Replace your hard drive

Solution 1 – Try installing the update again

If you get Update failed error message after trying to install a certain update, you should try to install it again and check if the error reoccurs. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Restart your console.
  2. Once your console restarts, press the Guide button on the controller.
  3. Go to Settings and select System Settings.
  4. Now select Network Settings. Select the Wired Network or your wireless network.
  5. Choose Test Xbox Live Connection option and select Yes if you’re asked to update the console software.

Solution 2 – Check if you have enough storage space

Before you try to install new software updates, be sure that you have enough storage space to install them.

Some updates require more than 200MB, therefore you might have to remove some files from your hard drive.

To do that, follow these steps:

  1. From Xbox Home go to Settings and select System.
  2. Select Storage and choose your storage device.
  3. Now you should be able to choose between different content including Games and Apps, Gamer profiles, Demos, Videos, Themes, Gamer Pictures, Avatar Items, System Items and Music.
  4. Select the content that you want to delete, for example, Demos, Music or Videos and choose Delete.
  5. Select Yes to confirm that you want to delete the content.

In some cases you don’t even have to delete your content. If you have external storage device attached, you can simply move your content to it to make enough space for the update to install.

Solution 3 – Delete the system cache

Your system cache includes game updates, system update installation packages and other files that can sometimes interfere with your Xbox and cause this and many other errors to appear.

To fix this problem on Xbox 360, you need to clear the system cache by following these steps:

  1. Press the Guide button on your controller and choose Settings. Select System Settings.
  2. Now select Storage.
  3. Highlight a storage device and press Y to open Device Options. Keep in mind that you can select any storage device to clear cache for entire system.
  4. Choose Clear System Cache option.
  5. When the confirmation message appears, choose Yes.

If you own Xbox One, you can clear cache by doing the following:

  1. Press and hold the power button on your console to turn it off.
  2. Unplug the power cable from your console.
  3. While the power cable is plugged out, press the power button on the console few times. This process will ensure that any remaining power in the battery is drained thus clearing the cache.
  4. Connect the power cable to the console and wait until the light on power brick turns from white to orange.
  5. After that, press the power button on your console to turn it on.

Solution 4 – Reinsert the storage device

According to users, sometimes you can fix Update failed error simply be reinserting the storage device.

If you’re using an Xbox Memory Unit or USB flash drive instead of a hard drive, simply remove it and reinsert it. If you’re using a hard drive, you need to remove it by following these steps:

  1. Turn off your console.
  2. Position the console horizontally.
  3. On the right side of the console you should see a hard drive cover.
  4. Open the cover and remove your hard drive.
  5. After removing the hard drive, wait for a few seconds and reinsert it.

After reinserting the hard drive, try to install the update again.

Solution 5 – Install the update from a USB flash drive or CD

If you have problems while downloading and installing updates, you might want to install the update from a USB flash drive or a CD. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Download the latest Xbox update to your PC.
  2. The update will be in a zip archive, therefore you’ll need to extract it.
  3. Copy the content from the zip archive to a USB flash drive. Alternatively, you can burn the content to a CD or DVD.
  4. Insert the USB drive or CD to your Xbox.
  5. Restart the console.
  6. Once the console restarts, the installation process will start automatically.
  7. Select Yes to confirm that you want to install the system update and follow the instructions on the screen.

Need a full walkthrough for the USB method? Follow the step by step guide here: Update Xbox Offline.

Solution 6 – Roll back updates

If you’re having problems while installing updates, you might want to consider rolling back the installed updates. This process will delete all system updates that are installed on your console. To roll back updates, do the following:

  1. Press the Guide button on your controller and choose Settings > System Settings.
  2. Select Storage.
  3. Scroll down to Memory Unit or hard drive and highlight it.
  4. Now press the Left bumper, Right bumper and X. Repeat this step one more time.
  5. If you performed the previous step correctly, you’ll see a confirmation message on your screen. Select Yes.
  6. Your console will now restart.
  7. After your console restarts, you’ll be asked to install pending updates, so be sure to install them.

Solution 7 – Use the USB flash drive as a storage device

According to users, you can fix Update failed error on Xbox simply by inserting the a USB flash drive and using it as a memory unit. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Connect a USB thumb drive to your Xbox.
  2. Once the drive is connected, go to Settings > Storage Settings.
  3. Select the first option in order to use USB flash drive as a memory unit.

After doing that, try installing the update again and check if the problem is resolved.

Solution 8 – Check your network connection

Sometimes you might not be able to install updates due to network connection errors. To check if there are any network errors that prevent you from accessing Xbox Live, do the following:

  1. From the Dashboard choose Settings.
  2. Go to Network and select Test network connection.
  3. Wait for a few moments for the scan to check your network connection.

If there are any problems with your connection, you need to resolve them first before you can download and install updates.

Solution 9 – Try using a wired connection

Sometimes issues with wireless connection can appear and they are usually caused by wireless interference, high packet loss or latency. You can avoid all of these problems simply by using a wired connection.

Connect your Xbox directly to your modem with an Ethernet cable and check if the problem is resolved. If you can’t do that, you might want to change the location of your wireless router in order to get the best reception.

Solution 10 – Use your phone as a mobile hotspot

Users reported that they fixed the Update failed error on their Xbox by using their phone as a mobile hotspot.

After connecting the to the mobile hotspot with their Xbox, users were able to download and install the update without any problems.

If you can’t create a mobile hotspot, you might want to try downloading the update on a different network.

Solution 11 – Disconnect all external storage devices

According to users, sometimes this error can occur due to external storage devices.

To fix this problem, be sure to remove all external storage devices from your console.

After doing that, try to download and install the update, and it should install without any issues.

Solution 12 – Restart your modem

Sometimes you won’t be able to install the latest updates due to network errors, and one of the simplest ways to fix this problem is to restart your modem. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Press the power button on your modem to turn it off. In addition, you can unplug your modem from the power outlet. If your modem is connected to a wireless router, be sure to turn off the router as well.
  2. Now turn off your console by pressing the power button on the front.
  3. Wait for a couple of minutes and turn your router and modem back on. If you don’t have a router, just turn on your modem.
  4. Now turn on your Xbox and try to download the update again.

Solution 13 – Delete and redownload your profile

Sometimes you can fix this problem simply by removing your profile and downloading it again. This is a simple procedure, and in order to do it you need to do the following on Xbox 360:

  1. Go to Settings > System.
  2. Select Storage.
  3. If you have external devices connected to your Xbox, select All Devices option. If you don’t have any external storage, select Hard Drive.
  4. Select the profile that you want to delete and choose the Delete option.
  5. Now select Delete Profile Only option to remove your profile without removing saved games and achievements.

After deleting the profile, download it again by following these steps:

  1. Press the Guide button on your controller.
  2. Select Download Profile option. If this option isn’t available, you need to sign out of your current profile.
  3. Select the Download Profile button.
  4. Enter your Microsoft account login information.
  5. Select the storage device for your profile and wait for it to download.
  6. After that, check if the problem is resolved.

To remove your profile on Xbox One, follow these instructions:

  1. Scroll left on the Home screen.
  2. Choose Settings > All Settings.
  3. Go to Account and choose Remove accounts.
  4. Select the account that you want to remove and choose Remove.
  5. After you’re done, select Close.

To add your account, do the following:

  1. On the Home Screen scroll left.
  2. On the Sign in tab select Add & manage.
  3. Now select Add new.
  4. Enter your login information.
  5. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process.

In some cases you might get signed out of your profile when you encounter issues while installing updates.

If that’s the case, you just need to download your profile again and the issue should be resolved.

Solution 14 – Delete the corrupted content

According to users, you can fix this error simply by deleting the corrupted content from your hard drive.

After you delete the corrupted content, test your internet connection and check if the problem is resolved.

Solution 15 – Format your hard drive

According to users, they managed to fix Update failed error on their Xbox simply by formatting their hard drive.

We have to warn you that formatting your hard drive will delete all your files, therefore we urge you to back up all important files. To format your hard drive, do the following:

  1. Start your console without a disc in the tray.
  2. Go to Settings > System.
  3. Select Storage.
  4. Highlight the storage device you want to format and press the Y button.
  5. Select Format.
  6. You’ll see a confirmation message. Select Yes to format the storage device.
  7. You might be asked to enter your console’s serial number before you’re able to format your hard drive. You can find the serial number on the back of the console. After entering the serial number, the formatting process will start.

Once again, we have to mention that formatting your hard drive will delete all your files, including saved games, so be sure to back up all important files before starting.

Solution 16 – Replace your hard drive

If the problem still persists, you might be able to fix it by replacing your hard drive. Few users reported that the issue was completely resolved after replacing their hard drive with a new one, so you might want to try that.

To see how to remove your hard drive, be sure to check Solution 4 for detailed instructions.

Update failed error will prevent you from downloading important updates on your Xbox, but we hope that you fixed this error by using one of our solutions.

READ ALSO:

Xbox One consoles to get a 1906 update next month, with first preview build coming next week

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has just released the Xbox One 1905 update today, which brings improvements for Xbox Live Messaging, Friends List and Sorting. This new system update follows the 1904 update released in April, and we’ve just learned today that a 1906 update will also be coming in June.

Brad Rossetti, the head of the Xbox Insider Program announced the upcoming 1906 update on Twitter today, teasing that a first preview build could be released as soon as Monday.

The Xbox One 1906 update will probably be another minor release, just like the 1905 update. It’s also worth noting that the 1905 update is still coming from the same 19H1 development branch that gave us the Xbox One 1904 update in April, as well as the Windows 10 May 2019 update on the PC side.

We don’t know yet what’s coming in the Xbox One 1906 update, but we guess that some experimental features that have been in testing in preview 1905 builds may well end up there. We’re thinking about the new “Play Later” list for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, as well as the Voice channels in Xbox Live Messaging that were mentioned in a previous build.

As usual, Preview Alpha Xbox Insiders should get the new bits first, so make sure to check your Xbox Insider settings before the next testing period kicks off.

How to download and install Silverlight on Windows 10

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Microsoft Silverlight was used in the past, but with rapid change of Internet and introduction of new technologies Silverlight was replaced by them.

If you want to use Silverlight on Windows 10, today we’re going to show you how to do it.

Table of contents

How to install Silverlight on Windows 10?

To install Microsoft Silverlight, you need to do the following:

  1. Go to Microsoft’s website and download Silverlight.
    silverlight-download
  2. After downloading it, you should be able to use it without any problems.
    silverlight-install

As we already mentioned, if you visit a website that still uses Silverlight, you’ll have to use Internet Explorer 11 or Firefox in order to display Silverlight content.

Google Chrome has dropped support for NPAPI plug-ins and it doesn’t run Java or Silverlight anymore, so you’ll have to use one of aforementioned browsers.

Check which browsers still work with Silverlight and fix common errors with these guides: Browser support for Silverlight and Silverlight not working.

Silverlight was once a popular framework, but it was replaced by HTML5, and in fact, even Microsoft recommends streaming services to use HTML5 over Silverlight.

HTML5 is supported by all major modern browsers. It works perfectly on all platforms and devices, and there are no additional plug-ins to install.

Silverlight is slowly but surely becoming a thing of a past, and even Microsoft suggests users to move on from Silverlight to different technologies.

If you still need to run Silverlight, you can download it and install it by following the instructions above.

FAQs

Can I install Silverlight on Windows 11?

Yes, the legacy installer still runs, but Silverlight reached end of support in October 2021 and modern browsers block it; it only works through Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge.

How do I open a Silverlight site on Windows 11?

Install Silverlight, open Edge, go to Settings > Default browser, set Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode to Allow, restart Edge, visit the site, then select … > Reload in Internet Explorer mode.

Why does Silverlight not load in Chrome or regular Edge tabs?

Chrome, Edge, and Firefox removed plugin support, so Silverlight content will not run in standard tabs; only Internet Explorer mode in Edge can host the required ActiveX control.

Is using Silverlight on Windows 11 safe or recommended?

It is not recommended for the open internet since it is out of support; if you must use it for a line of business app, isolate usage to trusted intranet sites, restrict permissions, and plan a migration to HTML5 or WebAssembly.

Windows 10 v1703 KB4499181 is all about security improvements

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Microsoft releases Patch Tuesday Updates every month to fix known issues and security flaws affecting Windows operating systems.

This month, the Redmond giant is back with a new round of Windows 10 cumulative updates. More specifically, Microsoft released KB4499181 for Windows 10 v1703. The company completely focused on improving the security of Windows components, including the system’s built-in IE and Microsoft Edge browsers.

However, we recommend to pause the updates for around 2-3 weeks until a stable release is available. Sometimes, Windows 10 updates may bring along some major bugs that Microsoft’s engineers failed to detect before the official rollout.

Furthermore, you should enable the system restore option before installing the update. In case you experience any issues, you can use the system restore options to rollback to a working OS version.

Let’s have a brief look at what KB4499181 brings in terms of improvements and bug fixes.

KB4499181 changelog

Fix for Visual Studio Simulator launch issues

Previously, Windows 10 users were unable to launch Microsoft Visual Studio Simulator. Microsoft fixed all these issues in KB4499181.

Japanese fonts bug fix

Microsoft Excel users pointed out that some Japanese fonts are triggering MS Excel formatting issues. The company promised to release a fix in the upcoming release. Finally, KB4499181 fixes all such issues.

A series of security patches

As a part of the Windows 10 cumulative update KB4499181, Microsoft rolled out a series of security patches for most of its products. To learn more about these patches, you can check out the official update page.

Download KB4499181

You can download Windows 10 cumulative update KB4499181 automatically on your system.

However, if you have not yet received the update, you can navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for updates.

Alternatively, you can manually download the update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

As a quick reminder, a new Windows 10 version is just around the corner. Microsoft is ready to release Windows 10 version 1903 aka the May 2019 Update later this month.

Windows Insiders are currently testing the build. The company wants to make sure that no major bugs make their way to Windows 10 users. That is the reason Microsoft delayed the official release and preferred last-minute testing. 

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How to download and install Windows Essentials on Windows 10

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

We saw all sorts of great tools from Microsoft over the years, and one of these tools is Windows Essentials.

Windows Essentials worked great on previous versions of Windows, and since this is such widely used set of tools, we decided to make a small guide on how to install Windows Essentials on Windows 10.

Windows Essentials is a collection of Microsoft’s applications and it was first released in 2006.

Over the years Windows Essentials went through various changes with some tools added and others removed from the suite.

Regarding updates, the last update for Windows Essentials was released in 2012, and since Microsoft isn’t actively working on Windows Essentials, many are concerned whether will Windows Essentials run on Windows 10.

We’re pleased to inform you that Windows Essentials can be installed on Windows 10, and that many of its applications work perfectly.

The customer support period ended in January 2017, so it is not available for Windows 10. Currently, Windows Essentials can’t be downloaded from Microsoft Store.

If you need something similar to this product, you may try Microsoft Photos app, where you can create and edit videos with text, music, animations, filters, and 3D effects.

You can also download Windows Essential from third party websites, but on your own risk.

How can I install Windows Essentials on Windows 10?

Installing Windows Essentials on Windows 10 is rather simple, and you can install it by following these steps:

  1. Download Windows Essentials.
  2. Run the setup file.
  3. When you get to the What do you want to install window select Choose the programs you want to install.
     essentials-setup
  4. Select the programs you want to install. Make sure that Messenger isn’t selected.
    choose-programs
  5. Click Install and wait for the installation process to finish.
    installation

If you’re not familiar with Windows Essentials, we’ll give you a short guide on what does each application do.

First on our list of tools is OneDrive. As you know, Windows 10 comes with OneDrive preinstalled, therefore you cannot install it using Windows Essentials.

If you want to know what is OneDrive and how it works on Windows 10, we wrote an article about it, so be sure to check it out.

Next on our list is Windows Live Mail. This is a popular email client and direct successor to Outlook Express. If you’re planning to use this client, bear in mind that Windows Live Mail doesn’t work with Outlook anymore.

windows live mail wind8apps

If you want to download and use Windows Live Mail on Windows 10, check out this guide.

Photo Gallery is an image viewer with a simple to use interface. In addition to viewing images, this tool allows you to edit images, apply different effects to them and share them online.

photo-gallery

If you want to download and install Photo Gallery on Windows 10, follow the simple steps from this guide.

Photo Gallery not working on Windows 10? Don’t worry, we’ve got the right solution for you.

Movie Maker is a popular video editing software, and many older users will probably remember that this tool was a part of older versions of Windows.

Microsoft did some changes, and Movie Maker is now a part of Windows Essentials, and it works perfectly on Windows 10.

movie-maker

Movie Maker has stopped working? Check out this guide and solve the problem in no time.

Windows Live Writer is a blogging client and it allows you to access several major blogging services such as WordPress, SharePoint and many others.

By using this tool you can easily write blog posts right from your desktop, without using the blog’s web interface.

We should also mention Windows Live Messenger. As you remember, we choose not to install this tool because Windows Live Messenger service was discontinued in 2013.

Since Messenger service was canceled, all of its users switched to Skype.

As you can see, Windows Essentials worked great on Windows 10, and you could install it and use it without any problems.

If you have any other questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

READ ALSO:

Download Windows 10 KB4494440 to fix virtual drive errors

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

This month’s Patch Tuesday updates landed with a plethora of bug fixes and improvements. These include both security and non-security updates for all Windows 10 versions.

If you’re running Windows 10 v1607, you can now download and install KB4494440 on your machine. This build takes the existing version of Windows 10 Anniversary Update to build version 14393.2969.

This build didn’t introduce any new changes to the operating system. However, there are some important quality enhancements that make this update worth downloading.

In this article, we are going to provide you with a brief overview of some of KB4494440’s key improvements, and known issues.

KB4494440 major improvements and fixes

Security flaws fixed

Microsoft recently discovered a new side-channel vulnerability in Windows 10 and named it as Microarchitectural Data Sampling. This security flaw targeted various 64-bit versions of Windows. Thankfully, Microsoft fixed this flaw in this release. 

Zone transfers failure

KB4494440 fixed an issue that was restricting zone transfers over TCP. This bug can only appear during a transfer case involving primary and secondary servers.

1309 error message

Microsoft addressed an issue that was popping up 1309 error message.  The bug appeared during installation or removing of some file types saved on a virtual drive.

KB4494440 known issues

As a matter of fact, Microsoft acknowledged a total number of four known issues that came along with KB4494440.

Microsoft warned its users that they may encounter the error 2245 (NERR_PasswordTooShort). Notably, this bug causes cluster service to fail.

This error message appears if you set 14 or more characters for the Minimum Password Length group policy setting.

Moving further, the second bug is related to some specific operations that may fail to complete. The tech giant says that you may encounter the following error code while renaming your files and folders: STATUS_BAD_IMPERSONATION_LEVEL (0xC00000A5)

Microsoft suggested some temporary workarounds to fix these issues. You can expect a permanent fix in the upcoming release.

Comment down below if you are experiencing some KB4494440 issues.

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Xbox One 1905 system update is out with improvements for Xbox Live Messaging, Friends List and Sorting

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft is rolling out the May 2019 update for Xbox One systems. The update has been in testing for some time, and primarily focuses on greatly improving the social experience in the system, giving users quicker access to the friends they play with most.

Microsoft is moving all messages from those who might not know you into a separate message requests tab, which helps clean up the experience as a whole and help the player focus on those that matter. It’s important to know that the transition to the new messaging system in the update will cause group chats to be deleted, so those wishing to keep their chat logs will have to archive them manually.

Another very nice addition is that users will now be able to see which device their friends are playing off of thanks to the small indicator icon that represents either a phone, PC, or Xbox. This is especially useful in helping players know which device to use if they want to join the game with them, or perhaps in deciding which players are using the same device as they are.

One last important change is how games are sorted. Articles (a, an, the) are no read in the sorting of games, meaning that, for example, The Witcher will now be sorted under “W” instead of the “T”. It’s how titles should be sorted, and it’s sure to please many users who have their own digital libraries.

As pointed out on the blog post, the updates are thanks to Insider feedback, and Microsoft encourages those who might want to participate to download the Xbox Insider Hub to help provide feedback and ideas.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate reaches Preview Delta ring

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

Microsoft is testing the waters of its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate before its official unveiling later this year by floating it to gamers enrolled in Insider preview rings and this time, Preview Delta ring participants can join in the testing.

As early as today, May 16, 2019, anyone enrolled in the Preview Delta Insider flight for Xbox One can join and test Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (XGPU) alongside with other supported preview ring users.

Other details of today’s rollout include:

When you join Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, we will apply any prepaid time you have on Xbox Live Gold and/or Xbox Game Pass toward Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, up to a maximum of 36 months. For example, if you have 3 months of Xbox Live Gold and 3 months of Xbox Game Pass already on your account when you purchase your first month of Game Pass Ultimate, you will have a total of 7 months of Ultimate on your account before you need to renew your membership.

Please note that if you redeem Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Live Gold tokens after joining Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the information presented during the token redemption is inaccurate. This is a known bug and we are rapidly working on deploying a fix. During Xbox Insider testing, we recommend redeeming any Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Live Gold tokens prior to upgrading to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

So it appears to be a rolling enrollment that will credit participants for any current expenses invested in either of the individually supported subscription services in Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Live, up to 36 months.

Also noted, are the potential bugs that may occur during test such as token redemption, that subscribers need to be on the lookout for after signing up.

How to download and install Microsoft Expression Studio on Windows 10

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

In the past Microsoft created many great tools, and one of these tools is Microsoft Expression Studio.

Many users are concerned whether these old tools can work on modern operating systems, therefore today we’re going to show you how to install Microsoft Expression Studio on Windows 10.

Microsoft Expression Studio was a set of tools designed for building web and Windows applications along with rich digital media content.

Expression Studio was released in 2007, and over the years Microsoft has enhanced the Expression Studio suite with new and exciting features.

Unfortunately, the Expression Studio was discontinued by Microsoft in 2012, and the last version of this tool was released in June 2010.

Install Microsoft Expression Studio on Windows 10

Microsoft Expression Studio is available for download, and you can easily install it on Windows 10 by following these steps:

  1. Navigate to Microsoft Expression Studio download page and download the tool.
  2. Once you’ve download the tool, run the setup file.
  3. Choose which tools you want to install and click the Install button.
    expression-studio-setup-1
  4. Wait for the tools to install.
    expression-studio-setup-2
  5. After the setup process is completed, just start any of the tools.

If you don’t know which tools are available in Microsoft Expression Studio, we did a quick test for all of them, and all tools ran without issues without using the compatibility mode.

First tool is Microsoft Expression Web and this tool is used for creating HTML websites.

In addition to Expression Web, there’s also Expression Web SuperPreview available that allows you to test your websites in different resolutions for different versions of Internet Explorer.

expression-web
expression-web-superpreview

Microsoft Blend is a tool designed for creating Silverlight applications, and we’re happy to say that this tool works without any issues on Windows 10.

expression-web-blend

Microsoft Expression Design is a photo editing tool, and you can use it to design your applications, websites or to edit photos.

expression-design

Next we have Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture that is used to record your desktop, so it’s great if you’re making video tutorials for example.

Last tool on our list is Microsoft Expression Encoder, and this is a video editing tool that you can use to create and edit your own videos.

expression-web-encoder

As you can see, Microsoft Expression Studio works without any issues on Windows 10, and you can download and install it by following our instructions above.

Keep in mind that Microsoft Expression Studio has a trial version with a period of 60 days.

Because it is an old tool, its system requirements are modest. It needs a PC with 1 GHz or faster processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 2 GB or more of available hard-disk space.

This isn’t the only legacy software from Microsoft, and we wrote on how to download and use Encarta Kids in one of our older articles, so don’t miss it.

Latest Edge Insider Canary build now matches your OS theme on Windows 10

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft’s new Edge Insider browser on Windows 10 currently uses a light theme by default, but Microsoft is changing this in the latest Canary build 76.0.160.0. As spotted by Techdows (via MSPoweruser), Microsoft Edge will now respect your default Windows 10 theme, and automatically enable the dark theme if you did so in system settings.

Previously, Edge Insiders had to go to edge://flags to force the web browser to automatically match their OS theme. However, in the new Canary build 76.0.160.0, you can now set the Microsoft Edge theme flag as “Default” and be assured that the browser will respect your OS theme. As of this writing, this only works on Windows 10 and not on Edge Canary on macOS.

In other Microsoft Edge-related news, the beta version of Microsoft Edge on iOS has been updated today and it can now sync favorites with the Edge Insider browser on Windows 10 and macOS. The Android version of Microsoft Edge was previously updated with this same capability a couple of weeks ago.

The new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge was one of the highlights of Microsoft’s Vision keynote at Build 2019 last week, and we’ve also seen the first macOS builds and beta build for Windows 10 leak during the event. The Microsoft Edge team has yet to announce when a stable version for Windows 10 and macOS will be available, and a Linux version is also not confirmed yet.

System Cannot Find Python.exe: How to Fix it

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

If you’re installing a package for Node on Windows 10, you might receive the following error: system cannot find python.exe.

This issue can become very annoying since it stops you from accessing your Python and Node files freely. In the past, we covered Python runtime error, but this is a different issue.

In today’s guide, we will take a closer look and show you the best ways to fix this problem.

Why does it say Python was not found?

  • Missing Windows Build Tools on your PC.
  • Python’s executable file is not in the environment variable.

Where does Python exe install?

Like any regular software, Python will be installed in the Program Files directory. The exact location is the following:

C:\Program Files\Python

How can I fix system cannot find python.exe error?

Install the Windows Build Tools

  1. Press Windows key + X and choose Windows PowerShell (Admin).powershell windows can't find python executable
  2. Type in the following command: npm install  --global --production windows-build-toolsinstall build tools windows can't find python executable
  3. After the first installation is completed, also install node-gyp by typing in the following command: npm install node-gyp
  4. Press Enter.

Restart the terminal window and try to install the package with problems again. After making these changes, the installation process should go without any issues.

In this article, we explored the best and fastest way to deal with the system cannot find python.exe error while trying to install Node.

Missing components are usually responsible for this error, but you can fix that simply by running a few commands from the command line tool on your PC.

If you have more issues, visit our error loading Python DLL guide for more information. Our latest guide covers the python27.dll is missing issue, so be sure to visit it.

In case you also run into Python error OXZEP7 software, our dedicated guide provides simple solutions to resolve it.

Follow these steps carefully, and this problem will be resolved. Please let us know if this fix worked for you by using the comment section below.

Xbox One’s LEGO Batman 3 and The Surge video games come to Xbox Game Pass

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The Surge and LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham are now both playable as part of the Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, as its title suggests, is the third entry in the LEGO Batman video game series and features an incredibly large roster of DC Comics characters to play as in LEGO form. Green Lantern fans in particular will feel well-represented. The game supports local multiplayer for up to two players at the same time.

The Surge is a Sci-Fi action title with a strong focus on melee combat. The game came out relatively recently in 2017 and supports HDR10 lighting when played on an Xbox One X console.

The Surge and LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham follow a number of new video games joining Xbox Game Pass this month. For The King went straight to Game Pass after it launched on Xbox One last week and was preceded by Tacoma, Surviving Mars, and Black Desert the day before. Earlier in May, Descenders, Wolfenstein II and Wargroove also joined the growing Xbox Game Pass library.

As per usual, all of these new video games take the place of existing Xbox Game Pass titles with 11 more games set to leave the service before the end of the month.

Do you have Xbox Game Pass? Let us know why or why not in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

LEGO® Batman™ 3: Beyond Gotham
LEGO® Batman™ 3: Beyond Gotham
Download
QR-Code

LEGO® Batman™ 3: Beyond Gotham
Developer:
Warner Bros. Games
Price:
$19.99


The Surge
The Surge
Download
QR-Code

The Surge
Developer:
Focus Entertainment
Price:
$2.99

May Patch Tuesday updates fix KB4495667 font bugs

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Microsoft recently acknowledged that KB4495667 may sometimes trigger various Excel issues.

The company says that some fonts can affect the layout of documents created in Microsoft Excel after the installation of the update.

When using the MS UI Gothic or MS PGothic fonts, the text, layout, or cell size may become narrower or wider than expected in Microsoft Excel. For example, the layout and cell size of Microsoft Excel sheets may change when using MS UI Gothic.

The tech giant recently release the May 2019 Patch Tuesday updates fixing this problem. If you don’t want to download the latest Windows 10 updates, Microsoft suggests there are two options to get rid of this issue.

You can either uninstall the recently installed optional updates or use a switch to a different Japanese font like MS Mincho or Yu Gothic.

As a quick reminder, Microsoft didn’t release any new features in Windows 10 Cumulative Update KB4495667. However, the update came with a series of performance enhancements and bug fixes. 

Updates triggering font bugs

Microsoft confirms that these updates are hit by the above-mentioned bug:

  • Windows 10 version 1809: Build 17763.475 (KB4495667)
  • Windows 10 version 1803: Build 17134.753 (KB4493437)
  • Windows 10 version 1709: Build 16299.1127 (KB4493440)
  • Windows 10 version 1703: Build 15063.1785 (KB4502112)
  • Windows 10 version 1607: Build 14393.2941 (KB4493473)

Windows 10 finally overtakes Windows 7

As we reported earlier, the latest statistics released by NetMarketShare prove that the popularity of Windows 10 is increasing now.

The market share of the OS is increasing as more and more Windows 7 users are upgrading their machines.

Some recent reports suggest that around 825 million active devices are currently using Windows 10. Microsoft is very close to hitting the 1 billion user mark.

Microsoft announced that it would no longer provide official support and security updates to Windows 7 users beyond January 14, 2020. Hence, the Windows 10 user base is expected to increase by the end of this year.

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KB4499167 fixes app launch issues in Windows 10 v1803

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

It’s Patch Tuesday again and Microsoft released a bundle of new security updates for devices running Windows 10 April 2018 Update.

Apart from the April 2018 Update, the tech giant released new cumulative updates for all the Windows 10 versions currently supported. These updates addressed major vulnerabilities affecting the OS.

Back to Windows 10 v1803,  KB4499167 bumps the current version of Windows 10 to build 17134.765. The recent release fixed a long list of issues improving the stability of the OS.

KB4499167 major improvements and fixes

Application launch issues

Microsoft addressed an issue with Microsoft Visual Studio Simulator that was restricting it from launching properly.

Fixes for .msi and .msp files installation issues

Some users reported that they encountered “Error 1309” during the installation and uninstallation of some .msp and .msi that were basically saved on a virtual drive.

Zone transfer bug fix

Previously, Windows 10 users were experiencing a bug that caused zone transfers failure. KB4499167 fixed the bug for primary and secondary DNS servers.

Japanese font bugs fixed

We have already reported, some Japanese fonts caused formatting issues in KB4495667. Thankfully, Microsoft fixed the issue with MS PGothic and MS UI Gothic fonts in this release.

Security updates

KB4499167 brings various security updates for Internet Explorer, Windows Cryptography, Windows Virtualization, Windows Wireless Networking, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Edge, Windows Kernel, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Server, Microsoft Graphics Component, Microsoft JET Database Engine and Windows Datacenter Networking.

KB4499167 bugs

KB4499167 brings two known issues to the table. The tech giant says that some specific operations that are performed on CSV folders or files may encounter error xC00000A5. 

The update may bring some issues of its own. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you back up your system before installing the latest updates.

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Download Windows 10 KB4499179 to fix Excel font issues

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

The May 2019 Patch Tuesday edition is here and brought a new cumulative update (KB4499179 ) to Windows 10 v1709 users. Windows 10 cumulative update KB4499179 bumps the existing version to build number 16299.1146.

This patch came with numerous security updates and fixes to address some new security flaws.

Microsoft no longer releases security patches to Windows 10 version 1709. The tech giant ended official support for Windows 10 v1709 IoT Core, Workstation, Home and Pro versions in April.

Enterprise, loT, and Education edition users still enjoy updates for an extended period of 12 months. 

It is therefore recommended that users upgrade their PCs ASAP. That is the only way users can continue to receive the latest security and feature updates on their machines.

KB4499179 changelod

MS Excel issues fixed

Some users previously reported that MS PGothic or MS UI Gothic fonts in MS Excel caused some visible changes in the formatting of text, cell or the size of its layout. KB4499179 fixed the issue.

Microarchitectural Data Sampling vulnerability fix

Microsoft claims that KB4499179 addresses a newly discovered vulnerability targeting Windows 10 users. This security flaw is named Microarchitectural Data Sampling.

HSTS TLD fixes for UK govt websites

The HTTP Strict Transport Security Top Level Domains for Microsoft Edge and IE welcomed the addition of “uk.gov” in the latest release.

KB4499179 known issues

Surprisingly, Microsoft acknowledged only one known issue in KB4499179. This issue is related to operations performed on files or folders that are on CSV. 

Microsoft recommended its users to try one of the following workarounds.

  • Perform the operation from a process that has administrator privilege.
  • Perform the operation from a node that doesn’t have CSV ownership.

The company says that it is working to fix the issue and an update should be released very soon.

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KB4494441 patches Windows 10 side-channel security vulnerabilities

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Microsoft started rolling out the May 2019 Patch Tuesday cumulative updates to Windows 10 users.

Similar to the previous releases, KB4494441 build does not bring any new system features. This release specifically deals with non-security vulnerabilities in Windows 10.

As a matter of fact, the majority of non-security enhancements are targeting enterprise and business users. 

Update KB4494441 increases the current version of Windows 10 to to build version 17763.503. The update also addresses Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities on Windows 10 devices. 

The company designed a brand new mitigation strategy named Retpoline to deal with Spectre variant 2 vulnerability on machines running October 2018 Update. Retpoline resolves performance issues caused by some previous builds.

KB4494441 major improvements and fixes

Protection against side-channel vulnerabilities

Microsoft released fixes to deal with a bundle of speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities were targeting devices running the latest Intel processors.

HSTS TLD fixes

Previously uk.gov was not a part of HTTP Strict Transport Security Top Level Domains. Thankfully, KB4494441 added those websites to HSTS TLD for both Microsoft Edge and IE users. 

Microsoft fixed error 1309

Some users reported that they were experiencing error 1309 during the installation and removal of specific .msp and .msi files. These files were saved on a virtual drive.

Additionally, a bug was preventing Windows 10 users from launching Microsoft Visual Studio Simulator. Microsoft addressed these issues in KB4494441.

Security updates

The tech giant also released important security updates for different products including  Internet Explorer, Windows Kernel, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Server, Microsoft JET Database Engine, Windows Graphics, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Microsoft Edge and Windows Virtualization.

KB4494441 bugs

Microsoft acknowledged four known issues that come along with KB4494441. The company warns Edge users that they may experience configuration issues with their printers.

Furthermore, some Asian language packs that exist on your PC may trigger 0x800f0982 error. 

KB4494441 will be automatically downloaded on your system through the Windows Update section. Moreover, you can also visit the Microsoft Update Catalogue to download the update directly on your system.

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Launch programs on virtual desktops with VDesk for Windows 10

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

If you’ve been looking for a virtual desktop app for Windows 10, we have one for you: VDesk. It’s a free, open-source program that allows you to open several virtual desktops on which you can switch between separate programs.

This is not the first virtual desktop app available for Windows: Microsoft also rolled out its own virtual desktop app during the Windows XP era.

VDesk, what it does and how to use it?

Running a virtual desktop is similar to using multiple displays, with the difference being that only one virtual desktop is visible at a time. You can also move the programs from one virtual desktop to the other.

VDesk speeds up access to your programs, documents, and other files as well.

It doesn’t just put all shortcuts in one place, but also gives you the opportunity to create logical groups of icons, displaying them only when you need to run a program.

When you’re done, the virtual desktop hides all shortcuts and you get rid of all the maze of icons spread on your desktop.

If you want to navigate from one desktop to another, use the mouse wheel or the Tab key from the keyboard.

VDeskIt is a command line program, but you also have the option to integrate its functionality in File Explorer.

For example, the command vdesk run:notepad.exe launches Notepad on a virtual desktop. Also, you can select on which virtual desktop is launched.

Therefore, the command vdesk on:3 run:notepad will open Notepad on virtual desktop 3.

Run vdesk -install on the command line and you will see a new “open in new virtual desktop” option when you right-click on executable files in File Explorer.

The command vdesk -uninstall will help you undo this entry from File Explorer.

You can choose to run VDesk when you launch Windows 10 and choose to always load programs on virtual desktops when the operating system starts by creating batch files and adding them to the startup locations of the OS.

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Windows Media Player Crashes in Windows 10/11 [QUICK FIX]

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Watching a movie in Windows Media Player can be done very easily seeing that this application is implemented in the Windows 10 operating system.

The tool has a very user friendly interface but you might have already stumbled upon the most annoying issue that can happen to you while using the application.

Sometimes, the program may crash in the middle of a movie or just right after you open it.

Read this guide to learn what you can do in order to apply some troubleshooting steps and prevent your Windows Media Player from crashing again.

Windows Media Player might crash for more than one reason but the most common is that the registry files that use the application might have gotten damaged or deleted by a third party application.

This issue usually appears when you update to another version of Windows like the Windows 10 or just by installing an application that interfered with the registry files for Windows Media Player.

Steps to fix Windows Media Player crashes

  1. Troubleshoot from Control Panel
  2. Run an SFC scan
  3. Disable and reenable startup applications
  4. Windows Media Player issues in Windows 10 and their fixes

First Method: Troubleshoot from Control Panel

  1. Press and hold the button “Windows” and the button “X”.
  2. You should now have in front of you a menu where you will need to find the “Control Panel” feature.
  3. Left click or tap on “Control Panel” icon.
  4. Left click or tap on the “View All” button in this window.view all control panel
  5. You must find there the troubleshooter for “Windows Media Player Library and Windows Media Player Settings”
  6. Run every troubleshooting step you have there and select “apply the fix” to make the changes to the operating system.
  7. Close the windows you have opened and reboot the Windows 8.1 operating system.
  8. Try starting your Windows Media Player and see if it crashes again.

Second Method: Run an SFC scan

  1. Press and hold the “Windows” button and the “X” button.
  2. Right click on the “Command Prompt” window and left click on Run as Administrator.
    Note: or left click on “Command Prompt (Admin)” icon.
  3. You should have in front of you the command prompt window with administrative privileges.
  4. You will need to write in the Command Prompt window the following: “sfc /scannow” but without the quotes.sfc scannow command prompt
  5. Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
  6. Let the SFC scan finish.
  7. After the SFC scan is completed you will need to close the Command Prompt window.
  8. Reboot the Windows 8.1 device.
  9. Try again and see if your Windows Media Player is still crashing.

Third Method: Disable and reenable startup applications

  1. Swipe in from the right side of the screen.
  2. Left click or tap on the “Search” feature.
    Note: Move the mouse cursor to the lower right side of the screen to open the menu if you are using a mouse.
  3. In the search box you will need to write the following: “msconfig” without the quotes.
  4. Open “System Configuration” window.
  5. Left click or tap on the “Services” tab situated in the upper side of the window.
  6. Check the box next to “Hide all Microsoft Services”.hide all microsoft services
  7. Left click or tap on the “Disable All” button.
  8. Left click or tap on the “Startup” tab situated in the upper side of the window.
  9. Left click or tap on the “Open Task Manager” feature.
  10. Left click or tap on the “Startup” tab in the Task Manager window.
  11. In the list you have there you will need to click on each application at a time and left click or tap on the “Disable” option.
  12. Close the Task Manager window.
  13. In the “System Configuration” window in the Startup tab you will need to left click on the “OK” button.
  14. Reboot your Windows 8.1 operating system.
  15. After the devices start again, check and see if your Windows Media Player is working.
  16. If it is, then one of your applications you disabled from Startup is interfering with your Windows Media Player.
  17. If it isn’t you will need to enable the applications you had on the Startup and reboot the Windows 8.1 device again.

Fix specific Windows Media Player issues in Windows 10

Windows Media Player has some additional issues in Windows 10. Of course, you can use the troubleshooting methods listed above on any Windows version. But if you’re looking for specific fixes for Windows 10, then read on.

If you have this version installed on your PC or laptop, here are some of the most encountered issues that might appear and bother you. First of all, in Windows 10, WMP might simply disappear.

You will find the solution on how to fix this problem in our dedicated guide on how to fix Windows Media Player disappearing in Windows 10.

Some file types may not be played by WMP, but we also have a solution for that, especially for AVI files that are not played by Windows Media Player. If it does not work, we recommend you to follow the steps from the tutorial on how to add an AVI Codec in WMP.

That’s it, a few methods that you can follow in order to fix your Windows Media Player and prevent it from crashing again during your usage. Please write us below for any additional questions you might have on this subject and we will help you further with this issue.

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Microsoft open sources one of Bing’s most advanced AI tools

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

Once again Microsoft has sought the counsel of the open source community and laid one of its most power AI technologies at its feet.

As of May 15, 2019, the open source community congregating at GitHub repositories will now have access to Microsoft’s Space Partition Tree and Graph (SPTAG) algorithm that “allows users to take advantage of the intelligence from learning models to search through billions of pieces of information, called vectors, in milliseconds.”

As a bit of a refresher, Vector searching stems from the evolution of keyword search but conduct searches based on broader conceptual understanding more than specific keyword queries. As voice search lurches towards prominence, Vector searches that involve more conceptual questions such as “How tall is the tower in Paris?”, will spur answers that involve Paris’ most well-known landmark, the Effiel Tower, without the user ever having to explicitly involve the Effeil keyword.

Microsoft AI blog author Charlie Walburger walks through the more nuanced description of Vector searching as such:

Essentially a numerical representation of a word, image pixel or other data point, a vector helps capture what a piece of data actually means. Thanks to advances in a branch of AI called deep learning, Microsoft said it can begin to understand and represent search intent using these vectors.

Once the numerical point has been assigned to a piece of data, vectors can be arranged, or mapped, with close numbers placed in proximity to one another to represent similarity. These proximal results get displayed to users, improving search outcomes.

The combination of Microsoft’s SPATAG algorithm used in Bing, and the evolution of voice and audio search is on display in this new 2:37 min long company produced video below.

Microsoft’s Bing search engine has been implementing Vector searches for its own efforts to varying degrees of success and now developers with considerably fewer resources than the software giant, will reap the benefits of its cloud development A/R.