iPod not Recognized by Computer: 5 Ways to Get it to Work

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Apple devices, namely iPhones, iPads, and iPods, and the Windows OS are commonly used together and, in most cases, work seamlessly. But, for several users, the iPod is not recognized by the computer.

In some cases, the iPod is charging but not recognized by the computer, while on other occasions, there are no signs of a connection between the two altogether. Sometimes, even Windows 11 has trouble recognizing iPod, but the fixes are simple, and you should have things running in no time.

Why won’t my computer recognize my iPod?

Here are a few reasons the iPod Classic isn’t recognized by the computer:

  • Improper connections: An improper connection is the most likely reason you are facing issues connecting the iPod to Windows.
  • The device is turned off: When the iPod or even its display is turned off, it won’t be listed on the PC.
  • Missing permissions: Frequently, it’s the missing permissions, generally the Trusted Device prompt, that lead to iPod Nano not being recognized by a computer.
  • Third-party apps triggering conflicts: A third-party antivirus or a similar security software could also be blocking the connection between the two devices, thus triggering the error.

What can I do if iPod is not recognized by computer?

Before we start making major changes, try these quick tricks:

  • When connecting the iPod to a Windows PC, tap on Allow if a prompt appears.
  • Connect the iPod to a different USB port. Say, if it’s connected to a USB 2.0, plug it into USB 3.0, and vice-versa.
  • Restart both the iPod and the computer while the two are connected.
  • Make sure the cable is not damaged. In case there’s a spare cable lying around, use it, and verify whether iPod Touch 4 is still not recognized by the computer.
  • Disconnect all other devices from the computer and plug in the iPod.
  • Don’t use a USB hub or any other connector.
  • Disable any third-party antivirus or security software installed on the computer.
  • Make sure you have iTunes installed on the PC.

If none work, move to the solutions listed next.

1. Reinstall the relevant driver

  1. Press Windows + X to open the Power User menu, and select Device Manager.device manager
  2. Expand Universal Serial Bus devices, right-click on the Apple entry, and select Uninstall device.uninstall device to fix ipod not recognized by computer
  3. Tick the checkbox for Attempt to remove the driver for this device, and click Uninstall.uninstall
  4. Once done, restart the computer, and Windows will automatically install a fresh copy of the driver.

If it’s the driver to blame when the computer does not recognize iPod, a quick solution is to reinstall it. The process is quick and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.

2. Update iTunes

Note icon NOTE
The steps listed here are for the Microsoft Store’s version of iTunes, which Apple recommends users download. In case you are on the version downloaded from the web, click on Help and select Check for updates.
  1. Launch Microsoft Store, and then click on the Library icon near the bottom left.library
  2. Click on Get updates.get updates to fix ipod not recognized by computer
  3. If an update for iTunes is available, wait for it to install.itunes
  4. Once done, restart the computer for the changes to come into effect.
  5. Now, connect your iPod to the computer and verify whether it’s recognized.

3. Uninstall recent Windows updates

  1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, and click on Update & Security.update & security
  2. Click on the View update history option.View update history
  3. Now, click on Uninstall updates.uninstall updates to fix ipod not recognized by computer
  4. Select the recent update from the list after which the problem first appeared, and then click Uninstall.uninstall to fix ipod not recognized by computer
  5. Click Yes in the confirmation prompt.uninstall

For many, the iPod was not recognized by the computer after an update, and after uninstalling the Windows update, things got up and running just fine.

4. Reinstall iTunes

Note icon NOTE
If the current version of iTunes from downloaded from Microsoft Store, you will have to uninstall it from Settings, as iTunes won’t appear in Progams and Features.
  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type appwiz.cpl in the text field, and hit Enter.appwiz.cpl
  2. Select the iTunes entry here, and then click Uninstall.uninstall to fix ipod not recognized by computer
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
  4. Similarly, uninstall any other applications that have to do with Apple.
  5. Once done, head to Apple’s official website and then use one of the available options to download iTunes.itunes
  6. If you didn’t choose the Microsoft Store option, run the setup to complete the installation.

That’s it! After you have reinstalled iTunes, the iPod not recognized by the computer problem should be gone for good. Also, some users recommend that the downloadable version of iTunes could help fix things, so try that one if you had earlier downloaded iTunes from Microsoft Store.

5. Switch out of S mode

If nothing previously worked, your PC likely runs Windows in S Mode, a version more focused on security and performance, allowing fewer apps to run. Thus, it can often lead to trouble for a lot of users.

So, in this case, switch out of S Mode in Windows 10, wait for the changes to apply, and reconnect the iPod. And, in all likelihood, things should work fine now.

That’s it! One of the solutions here should have worked when the Windows computer does not recognize the iPod, and you should now be able to access the media on the iPod and make changes to it.

Also, if you are looking for a quicker way, check our curated list of the best software to transfer music from an iPod to a PC.

Before you go, we have a great guide on how to transfer music from iPod to iTunes on Windows 7, so don’t miss it.

For any further queries or to share what worked for you in this case, drop a comment below.

Fix: ASP.NET MACHINE ACCOUNT password in Windows 10/11

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Are you one of our users who is getting a prompt in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, 8 every time you try to delete or modify a specific folder or file? Well, all you need to do is follow the steps listed below and you’ll be able to fix your ASP.NET MACHINE ACCOUNT issue in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 in order to resume your everyday activities in no time at all.
Fix ASP-NET-Machine-Account pop up message in Windows 8
There is a feature in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 that you will need to disable first called control userpasswords2. You need to uncheck the check mark next to the “Users must enter a username and password to use this computer” option. If this does not solve your issue, we have a couple of more methods below depending whether you are using the asp.net development toolkit or not.

How do I fix ASP.NET MACHINE ACCOUNT password issues?

  1. Disable control userpasswords2
  2. Delete the Machine Account
  3. Change user account settings
  4. Use System Restore
  5. Refresh your PC
  6. Create a new user account

1. Disable control userpasswords2

  1. Press and hold the “Windows” button and the “R” button.
  2. You should now have in front of you the Run window.
  3. In the run dialog box write the following: “control userpasswords2” without the quotes.
  4. Press the Enter button on the keyboard.
  5. Now in the window that pops up, you will need to uncheck the box next to the “Users must enter a username and password to use this computer” option.
  6. Left click or tap on the “OK” button afterwards.
  7. Close all the windows you opened so far and reboot your Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 operating system.
  8. When the device starts you will need to check again for the pop up password message regarding the “ASP.NET MACHINE ACCOUNT”.

2. Delete the Machine Account

If you are not working with ASP.NET, you can delete the MACHINE ACCOUNT and see how it goes.

  1. Reboot your Windows 10, 8 operating system.
  2. When the device starts, log in with your administrator account and password.
  3. Left click or tap on the “Windows Logo” button.
  4. Write “User accounts” without the quotes.
  5. Left click or tap on the Settings feature presented in the menu.
  6. Left click or tap on the “User Accounts” icon.
  7. Left click or tap on the “Manage another account” feature.
  8. Select from the list the “ASP.NET Machine Account” from the list presented.
  9. Left click or tap on the “Delete the account” button.
  10. In the next window, you can choose to keep the files if you wish before continuing with the deletion process.
  11. After the deleted process has finished reboot your Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 device.
  12. When the operating system starts check again if you get the same pop up message.

3. Change user account settings

  1. Move the mouse cursor over to the upper right side of the screen.
  2. From the menu that appears left click or tap on the “Search” feature.
  3. In the search dialog box, write the following “Change user account settings” without the quotes.
  4. In the next window change the settings presented to “Never Notify” option.
  5. Reboot again your operating system.

RELATED: FIX: Windows 10 won’t let me add a new user account

4. Use System Restore

  1. Place the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 installation media disk into the device.
  2. Reboot your Windows 10, 8 operating system.
  3. After the device reboots, you will get to a black screen where it will tell you to press any key to boot from the CD or DVD in which case you will need to press any button on the keyboard.
  4. In the first window that appears, you will need to set the correct time and keyboard type.
  5. Left click or tap on the Next button.
  6. Now in the next screen, you will need to left click or tap on the “Repair your computer” feature situated in the lower left side of the screen.
  7. In the window “Choose an option” left click or tap on the “Troubleshoot” feature.
  8. From the Troubleshoot window, left click or tap on the “Advanced Options” feature.
  9. Left click or tap on the “System Restore” feature presented in the menu.
  10. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the System Restore process and then reboot your operating system.
  11. Check again if you still get the pop up message regarding the ASP.NET Machine Account.

You can also open System Restore from Control Panel, as shown in the screenshot below:

open-system-restore

5. Refresh your PC

Note: Before attempting the steps below please backup all your important documents and folders you use in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.

  1. Reboot again your operating system with the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 Installation Media disk inside.
  2. Press any button on the keyboard when the message “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD” appears.
  3. Choose again the time and keyboard type and press the Next button.
  4. Left click or tap on the “Repair your computer” feature situated in the lower left side of the screen.
  5. From the “Choose an Option” window left click or tap on the “Troubleshoot” feature.
  6. Now left click or tap on the “Refresh your PC” feature.
  7. Follow the instructions on the screen to proceed with the system refresh of the operating system.

6. Create a new user account

Some users confirmed that creating a new user account with administrative privileges fixed the problem. So, if none of the solutions above helped you solve the problem, go ahead and create a new user account.

And that is it, if you followed the methods above in the order they are listed, you should have managed to fix your ASP.NET Machine account pop up message in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. If you’ve run into issues along the way in this tutorial, please use the comments section below to let us know and we will help you further as soon as possible.

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Windows Server 2019 and SDK Preview builds 17723 are now available for Insiders

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

It’s been almost a week since Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider build 17723 for Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring, and today the company is following suit with Windows Server 2019 Insider build 17723 and the Windows 10 SDK Preview builds 17723. If the new SDK, which is available to download here brings bug fixes and the usual API changes, the latest version of the server OS is probably the most interesting release.

In the Windows Server 2019 build 17692, Microsoft introduced System Insights, a new feature that brings local predictive analytics capabilities natively to the server OS. After installing the latest Insider build, IT Admins will be able to add new predictive capabilities to System Insights without having to install OS updates. “This functionality enables developers, including Microsoft and third parties, to create and deliver new capabilities mid-release to address the scenarios you care about, Microsoft explained.

Other highlights in this new Windows Server 2019 build include the ability to deploy Kubernetes on Windows Server, as well as a new network congestion control provider called LEDBAT. You can download this new build from the Windows Server Insider Preview download page.

Two Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell games are now backward compatible on Xbox One

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist are now backward compatible on the Xbox One, Xbox’s Major Nelson announced today. These two games were released on the Xbox 360 in 2006 and 2013, respectively, with the latter being the latest installment in the stealth video games franchise.

If you don’t already own it, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent is a $19.99 purchase on the Microsoft Store, but please note that the more recent Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist doesn’t seem to be available for purchase digitally (it may still be available in select regions). Anyway, those of you who still own the digital versions or physical discs can play both games right away on Xbox One.

Overall, Microsoft brought 10 new games to the Xbox One Backward Compatibiliy list in July, including Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD, Silent Hill: HD Collection and Dante’s Inferno. You can see more of the latest entries on Major Nelson’s website.

Sea of Thieves hits 5 million player milestone, “Cursed Sails” update launches

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The flood of free content updates seems to do well for Sea of Thieves, as Microsoft has just announced a new five million players milestone for the pirate game. This includes players on both Xbox One and Windows 10, and those who play the game with their Xbox Games Pass subscription.

“Being able to share that we’ve welcomed more than five million players to Sea of Thieves since launch is both inspiring and humbling,” wrote Joe Neate, Executive Producer at Rare. “Home to players from all over the world, the thriving Sea of Thieves community includes an army of content creators who have helped the game rack up 300M views on YouTube and more than 40M live broadcast hours on Twitch.

Despite Sea of Thieves getting mixed reviews at launch, Rare managed to keep players engaged with free content updates, and today marks the release of the second one called “Cursed Sails.” This new update brings new gameplay elements including a new Alliance feature allowing and the Brigantine three-player ship. But the main addition is the limited-time Cursed Sails campaign, which will put pirates against terrifying skeleton ships.

The Cursed Sails campaign and its skeleton ships will be available for three weeks in Sea of Thieves, but all the new gameplay features including the new Brigandine ship will remain once the limited-time campaign ends. Rare is already working on a new content update for its pirate game and we should learn more about it in the coming weeks.

Quick hands on and first impressions of the Microsoft Surface Go

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The Microsoft Surface Go won’t be out for another few days, but local Microsoft stores here in the US already have units on display. I had actually already pre-ordered the top range model just a few days ago, but I wandered down to the 5th Ave Microsoft Store in NYC yesterday to try one out for myself before the arrival date. In just spending 15 minutes with the 128GB SSD/8GB RAM Surface Go, I’m already somewhat happy about my pre-order, feeling satisfied with the overall design, performance, and inking. There are a few things which worried me though, and I am looking forward to diving deeper later in the next few weeks with my full on review with my own personal Surface Go.

Design that pops

Microsoft appropriately displayed the Surface Go right alongside the other members of the Surface family, and you can right away see that it’s different. Not only is the device smaller, but its corners are more rounded off, making the Surface Go look just so beautiful. It also makes the device feel much lighter and easier to hold in your hands, especially when in portrait mode. I won’t dive too deep into the rest of the design, as I’m saving that for my review, but for now, the look and feel have got to be the #1 highlight of Surface Go for me.

Peep the more rounded Surface Go on the left, and the Surface Pro 2017 on the right

Inking feels natural

One of the first things I did when I arrived at the Microsoft Store was detach Surface Go from the Type Cover and do some inking. At first, the Surface Go had a rough time accurately tracking the tip of the pen. Some of my movements were not being picked up, but a Microsoft Store rep told me that could just be due to the fact that this display unit was “popular” and was being messed with before. Anyway, after spending a good 4 minutes inking in Paint 3D, everything was smooth and accurate. I actually moved the pen from the Surface Go to the Surface Pro and didn’t feel any difference between the two. Inking on the Go and in a sample PDF file was just as good as the Pro, especially when in comfortable “clipboard” mode.

Inking in clipboard mode on the Surface Go (Sorry, vertical picture, I know)

Cramped Keyboard

When Microsoft first showed off Surface Go, the keyboard was a major concern for me. It initially seemed like the keys were jammed too close together, and it wouldn’t make for a good typing experience. These fears all came true when trying the display unit, as my fat fingers jammed more than one key at a time when attempting to speed type. I wasn’t able to get to my usual 100WPM typing speed, and on the Bing.com typing test, I only got to 51WPM. I only spent about 5 minutes typing and my speed increased over time, so I think that once my fingers get used to the small layout It’ll be okay. Sadly, the Surface Pro keyboards won’t work on the Surface Go, so this small keyboard and the comfort level is definitely something that I’ll keep an eye on and dive deeper for my final review.

The cramped Surface Go Keyboard

Performance

Since Surface Go runs Windows 10 in S Mode, I was assuming that it would perform very well, and these beliefs were confirmed in my time at the Microsoft Store. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do any Geekbench testing as the display units were locked to S Mode. I instead put it through my usual web-based stress tests. I opened up YouTube, OnMSFT, and Microsoft website in Edge, and the Surface Go still stayed snappy and speedy. Pages opened fairly quickly and nothing ever froze up. The RAM went up to 3.5GB/7.9 GB, and the CPU usage was anywhere between 60-73%. I opened up Word in the background and also Excel, and again, nothing froze up and slow down. I honestly think the performance is great on this 128GB SSD/8GB RAM variant of the Surace Go, but I wish Microsoft had the base eMMC unit on display so I could compare. Time will have to tell as my full review Surfaces.

Performance on the Surface Go when using Edge

At the end of the day, I’m excited to spend some more time with Surface Go once my unit gets here on August 2nd. I’m traveling to Canada for a family wedding the same weekend as Surface Go releases, and I’ll be keeping my Surface Go right by my side. Be sure to keep it tuned right here to OnMSFT, as I’ll be doing an in-depth review.

Your Computer Needs to be Repaired Error in Windows 10/11

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Some users have reported that they didn’t have any problems using Windows 10 or Windows 10 Technical Preview since they’ve installed it, but recently, a strange error which says “Your computer needs to be repaired” shows up, preventing the normal work of the system.

How to Fix ‘Your Computer Needs to be Repaired” Error in Windows 10

Your computer needs to be repaired error can prevent you from starting your PC. This can be a big problem, and speaking of this issue, here are some similar problems that users reported:

  • Your PC needs to be repaired 0xc000000f, 0xc000014c, 0xc0000225, 0xc0000098, 0xc0000185, 0xc0000034 – Various error codes can appear with this message, but you should be able to fix this and many other errors by using one of our solutions.
  • Your computer needs to be repaired blue screen – Sometimes this problem can appear due to missing updates. If you can enter Windows, be sure to download and install the latest updates on your PC.
  • HP, ASUS your computer needs to be repaired – This issue can affect any PC brand, and HP and ASUS aren’t exceptions. All of our solutions are universal, so you should be able to apply them regardless of the PC brand you’re using.
  • Your PC needs to be repaired a required device is not connected, the boot configuration data file is missing, kernel is missing – Sometimes this issue can occur if the boot records are damaged or if your system files are corrupted. However, you can fix the issue by running a few commands in Command Prompt.

Solution 1 – Run Windows Update

According to users, Your computer needs to be repaired message can appear due to missing updates. However, you should be able to fix it simply by downloading and installing the latest updates.

By default, Windows 10 installs the missing updates automatically, but sometimes you might miss an update or two. However, you can always check for updates manually by doing the following:

  1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Now go to the Update & Security section.
    Your PC needs to be repaired a required device is not connected
  3. Click Check for updates button.
    Your PC needs to be repaired 0xc000000f

Windows will now check for available updates and download them in the background. Once the updates are downloaded, they’ll be installed as soon as you restart your PC. After your system is up to date, the problem should be resolved.

Since Windows Update runs automatically in Windows 10, and it downloads new builds and other updates automatically, not receiving the latest build probably means that Windows Update process is disabled. So, we’re going to check, and enable it again, if it’s disabled. To check if Windows Update process is running, do the following:

  1. Go to Search, and type services.msc, and open Services.
  2. Find Windows Update service and right-click on it, and go to Properties.
  3. See if the process is running, if not, select Startup Type as Manual, and click on Start.Your PC needs to be repaired 0xc000000f

Solution 2 – Change BIOS Date

Your computer needs to be repaired blue screen

Another thing that could cause this problem is wrong BIOS date. Your current Windows 10 Build reads the date of your BIOS, and according to that date, it ‘decides’ whether it’s still valid or not. So if the BIOS date is wrong, the Build may ‘think’ that it’s expiration time, and you’ll have problems. So, just in case, enter your BIOS settings, and check if the date is right.

To check if your BIOS date is valid, do the following:

  1. Restart your computer.
  2. On the boot, press the key which allows you to enter BIOS settings (it’s usually DEL, but it varies on different computers).
  3. Find date and time of your BIOS, it’s usually under General tab.
  4. Follow the instructions from BIOS on how to change your date and time, and set it to the current date.
  5. Exit BIOS and start your computer again.

Unfortunately, we can’t give you precise instructions about changing your BIOS date and time, because it could be different on some computer, so if you’re having trouble changing the date and time of your BIOS by following our instructions, search the internet, and try to find instructions which fit well with your computer.

Solution 3 – Fix the boot records

According to users, sometimes this problem can occur due to issues with your boot records. However, you can fix that problem by running a couple of commands. To do that, first you need to start Command Prompt outside of Windows. You can do that by following these steps:

  1. Restart your PC several times during the boot sequence.
  2. Now select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
  3. Run the following commands one by one:
  • bootrec /scanos
  • bootrec /rebuildbcd
  • bootrec /fixmbr
  • bootrec /fixboot

After running all commands, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.

Solution 4 – Delete the EFI partitions

Several users reported that Your computer needs to be repaired message can appear due to EFI partitions that remained from the old Windows installation. To fix the problem, users are suggesting to create a bootable media and boot your PC from it.

This will start the installation process. Select Advanced settings and look for EFI partitions from the older Windows installation. Once you find and remove those partitions, the problem should be completely resolved.

Solution 5 – Use Automatic Repair feature

If you can’t boot to your PC due to Your computer needs to be repaired message, you might be able to fix the problem by using Startup Repair feature. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Restart your PC few times during the boot sequence. After a couple of restarts you’ll be presented with the list of options.
  2. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Automatic Repair.
  3. The repair process will now start. Wait for the few moments to complete.
  4. Once the process is finished, your PC will restart and everything should start working again.

Few users are suggesting to fix this problem by booting from the installation media and choosing the repair option. Once you start the repair option, follow the instructions from above to repair your PC.

Solution 6 – Remove unnecessary hardware and peripherals

HP your computer needs to be repaired

According to users, sometimes your peripherals or hardware can cause this issue to appear. If this problem started recently, be sure to remove any non-essential peripherals from your PC. If you have any USB devices connected, except your keyboard and mouse, be sure to remove them. The same goes for additional monitors.

As already mentioned, your hardware can cause this problem to appear, so be sure to check your hardware as well. If you installed any new hardware recently, check it and make sure that it’s working properly.

Solution 7 – Make sure that correct partition is set as active

Sometimes Your computer needs to be repaired message can appear if the incorrect partition is set as active. To fix this problem, you need to start Command Prompt outside of Windows and run a couple commands. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Restart your PC several times during the boot sequence.
  2. Now choose Troubleshoot > Command Prompt from the menu.
  3. When Command Prompt opens, enter the following commands:
    • diskpart
      Your PC needs to be repaired 0xc000014c
    • list part
  4. Now find out which partition needs to be selected as active. Enter select partition X and replace the X with the matching number.
  5. Now enter active and press Enter.

After doing that, you can close Command Prompt and check if the problem with your system is resolved.

Solution 8 – Perform SFC and chkdsk scans

According to users, sometimes this error can occur if your system files are corrupted. However, you can fix this issue by performing both SFC and chkdsk scans. To do that, just follow these steps:

  1. Start Command Prompt outside of Windows like we showed you in one of our previous solutions.
  2. When Command Prompt starts enter the following command:
  • sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c: /offwindir=c:windows
    ASUS your computer needs to be repaired

Once the SFC scan is finished, check if the problem is still there. If the issue is still there, you might have to run one more command.

In some cases the files on your hard drive might be corrupted, and to fix them, run chkdsk c: /r command. Once your hard drive is scanned, check if the problem is resolved.

That would be all, I hope this article cleared up the situation for you, and that these solutions were helpful. If you have any comments, or questions, just let us know in the comments.

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Google’s new Chromebook ads takes big shots at both Windows and macOS

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

If you’ve been following tech for a while, you likely remember Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign, and maybe even Microsoft’s “Scroogled” ads. In both instances, the tech giants were mocking their rivals— Apple taunting Microsoft’s Windows, and Microsoft attempting to mock Google’s search engine. Well, fast forward to 2018 and Google is bringing back the hate and mocking both Apple and Microsoft with a new Chromebook ad.

Google’s latest ad mocks older versions of Windows by throwing up “fake” error screens and even a fake Blue Screen of Death. We see tons of errors from Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8, but Windows 10 is not put in focus for longer than 2 seconds (at the 0:18 mark.) There’s even a piece where we see a fake tech support scam pop up on the screen, and hear “a serious error has occurred” on a loop.

The search engine giant also mimics Apple’s macOS with similar popups messages about disc errors. They also throw in the infamous “App Updates are available” pop up notification, and the “Application quit unexpectedly” error too.

These various segments essentially tell users that if you don’t error screens, and want a laptop you can count on, buy a Chromebook. It’s fun marketing yes, but it would have been more interesting if Google specifically targetted Windows 10, the most secure and current version of Windows where these errors are less common.

FIX: Can’t connect to Homegroup via WiFi on Windows 10/11

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Have you upgraded to the Windows 10/Windows 8.1 operating system and you are having trouble connecting to a certain Homegroup or perhaps your own Homegroup? Well, I can tell you that by the time you’ve reached the end of this article your Homegroup in Windows 10, 8.1 will be available and you can connect your laptop to it as you normally do.
Fix Created New Homegroup on Ethernet but WiFi Laptop Doesn't Find it in Windows 8.1
The issues that might occur when trying to connect to a certain Homegroup in Windows 10, 8.1 can be caused by the Windows Firewall, Antivirus or some registry errors that might occur in Windows 10, 8.1. After following the tutorial below in the order it is described, you can fix this problem in the shortest time possible.

How to connect your PC to a Homegroup on Wi-Fi

  1. Run the Network and Internet troubleshooter
  2. Join the HomeGroup
  3. Turn off your antivirus
  4. Turn on Find Devices and Content
  5. Check date and time settings
  6. Check the name of your computer, domain and workgroup
  7. Turn on network discovery
  8. Leave HomeGroup and then join it again
  9. Turn off Windows Firewall
  10. Repair network problems

1. Run the Network and Internet troubleshooter

  1. Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
  2. From the menu that appears left click or tap on the Search feature.
  3. In the search dialog box write the following: “troubleshooting” without the quotes.
  4. After the search has finished left click or tap on the “Troubleshooting” icon.
  5. Left click or tap on the “Network and Internet” feature present in the troubleshooting menu.HomeGroup windows 10
  6. From the next window left click or tap on the “HomeGroup” feature.homegroup troubleshooter windows 10
    Note: If you get prompted by a user administrator window you will need to write in your administrator user and password.
  7. Left click or tap on the “Next” button to proceed.
  8. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the troubleshooting process.
  9. Reboot your operating system after you are done.
  10. Check again if you can connect your Laptop to the Homegroup.

— RELATED: Full Fix: Homegroup Cannot Be Set Up in Windows 10, 8.1 and 7

2. Join the HomeGroup

  1. Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
  2. From the menu that appears left click or tap on the “Settings” feature.
  3. From the next menu left click or tap on the network icon.
  4. From the list that shows you will need to left click or tap on the network you want to join.
  5. Left click or tap on the “Connect” button.
  6. Now try joining the Homegroup.

3. Turn off your antivirus

For the duration of this step you will need to completely disable any kind of third party antivirus.

  1. After you disabled it try connecting again to the Homegroup.
  2. If it works then you antivirus has restrictions that prevent you from accessing the desired Homegroup.

4. Turn on Find Devices and Content

  1. Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
  2. From the menu that appears left click or tap on the “Settings” feature.
  3. Now left click or tap on the “Change PC settings” button.
  4. In the next window left click or tap on the “Network” option.
  5. Left click or tap on the “Connections” button.
  6. From the list choose your network connection.
  7. Turn on the feature “Find devices and content”.
  8. Reboot your operating system and try again accessing your HomeGroup.

— RELATED: Homegroup problems after installing Windows 10 Creators Update [Fix]

5. Check date and time settings

  1. Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
  2. From the menu that appears left click or tap on the Search feature.
  3. In the search dialog box write the following: “date and time” without the quotes.
  4. After the search has finished left click or tap on the Settings option.
  5. Left click or tap on the “Date and time” icon.
  6. Left click or tap on the “Change date and time” feature.
    Note: If you are prompt by a user account control window you will need to write in the administrator account and password.
  7. Make sure the correct settings for the date and time are correct and then reboot your operating system.
  8. Try again your laptop to see if you can connect to the Homegroup.

6. Check the name of your computer, domain and workgroup

Make sure your Laptop has its own unique name, domain and Workgroup settings by doing the steps below.

  1. Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
  2. From the list left click or tap on the “Search” feature.
  3. In the search dialog box write the following: “System” without the quotes.
  4. After the search has finished left click or tap on the “System” icon.
  5. Check your PC name under the “Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings” topic and make sure it is uniquely assigned only to your Laptop.
  6. If there are other PCs with the same name you will need to change the Laptops name to another one.

On Windows 10, you can quickly check and modify your computer’s name by going to Settings > System > About, as shown in the screenshot below.

— RELATED: How to: Remove Homegroup on Windows 10

7. Turn on network discovery

  1. Move the mouse over to the lower side of the screen.
  2. Left click or tap on the “Search” feature.
  3. In the search dialog box write the following: “advanced sharing” without the quotes.
  4. After the search has finished left click or tap on the “Manage advanced sharing settings” icon.
  5. Next to the “Private network profile” topic you will need to left click or tap on the drop-down arrow.
  6. Left click or tap on the “Turn on network discovery” feature.turn on network discovery windows 10
  7. Left click or tap on the “Save changes” button.
    Note: If you are prompted by a user account control window write in your administrator account and password.
  8. After you changed the setting reboot your Windows 8.1 operating system.

8. Leave HomeGroup and then join it again

  1. Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
  2. Left click or tap on the Settings feature.
  3. Left click or tap on the “Change PC settings” button.
  4. Left click or tap on the “Homegroup” button.
  5. Left click or tap on the “Leave” button next.
  6. Then try connecting again to your Homegroup and see if it works.

— RELATED:  Fix: Asked to Join a Nonexistent Homegroup on Windows 10

9. Turn off Windows Firewall

  1. Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
  2. From the list that appears left click or tap on the “Search” feature.
  3. In the search dialog box write the following: “firewall” without the quotes.
  4. After the search has finished left click or tap on the “Windows Firewall” icon.
  5. Left click or tap on the “Turn Windows Firewall on or off” option.Turn off Windows firewall
    Note: If you are prompted by a user account control write in the administrator account and password.
  6. Now under each network you will need to choose the “Turn off Windows Firewall (not recommended)” option.
  7. Left click or tap on the OK button.
  8. Try connecting again to your Homegroup.

10. Repair network problems

  1. Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
  2. Left click or tap on the Search feature presented there.
  3. In the search dialog box write the following: “Identify and repair” without the quotes.
  4. When the search has finished left click or tap on “Identify and repair network problems”
  5. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the troubleshooting issues.
  6. Reboot your operating system.
  7. Check again if you can connect your Laptop to the Homegroup.

Note: The steps listed above to repair network problems apply only to Windows 8.1 systems. On Windows 10, you can simply go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > select Internet Connections and run the troubleshooter.

internet connections troubleshooter

And you are done, we hope one of these methods helped you solve the Homegroup issues that you are having in Windows 10, 8.1. If the problem persists, and you still can’t join your HomeGroup, here are a few additional troubleshooting solutions that you can use:

EA just launched Origin Access Premier, a $15/mo service for its latest games

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

After pioneering subscription-based gaming services on Xbox One and Windows PCs, EA is pushing forward with Origin Access Premier, a new premium tier for its subscription service for PC gamers. The new membership tier, which is available today for $14.99/month or $99.99/year will give subscribers early access to full versions upcoming games (additional content included) such as Battlefield 5, FIFA 19 or Anthem.

This is exactly what Microsoft did with Xbox Games Pass, which will now include all future Microsoft Studios games on launch day. To sweeten the pot, Origin Access Premier members will also enjoy an evolving collection of PC games plus 10% off on Origin digital purchases

Nothing changes for the pre-existing Origin Access service, except the new “Origin Access Basic” name. These subscribers will still get access to the latest EA games after waiting a couple of months after their release, as well as limited-time trials for new EA games. Origin Access Basic members can also upgrade to the new Premier tier at any time on the Origin website.

EA didn’t say if a “Premier” tier could also come to EA Access, the equivalent to Origin Access on Microsoft’s Xbox One console, but it would certainly be a welcome addition. EA Access preceded Xbox Games Pass on the Xbox One, and the service now has its own dedicated tab in the “My Games and Apps” section of the Xbox dashboard. Microsoft and EA share the same forward-looking approach about subscription-based gaming services, and it remains to be seen if other big publishers such as Ubisoft could follow suit.

Xbox Game Pass is replacing Entertainment tab on the Xbox One dashboard today

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft started testing with select Xbox Insiders a new Xbox Games Pass on the Xbox One Dashboard. The new tab replaced the “Entertainment” tab, which used to showcase content from Microsoft Movies & TV, Netflix, Spotify and other entertainment apps, and you may remember that this Entertainment tab previously replaced the “OneGuide” tab last year.

Well, after receiving “overwhelmingly positive feedback” from Xbox Insiders, the new Xbox Games Pass tab is rolling out to all Xbox One users today. “This new tab makes Xbox Game Pass even more discoverable to new members and will help our current members check out what’s new every time they turn on their console,” the blog post reads on Xbox Wire. “It also up-levels popular titles in the catalog, highlights newly-added games, spotlights the latest deals on games and DLC for members, and recommends games based on your interests so that you can easily find your next favorite game.”

Xbox Games Pass content was already accessible from the Microsoft Store and the “My Games and Apps” section, and some users may not be happy to be another “ad” for Microsoft’s game streaming service. For those of you who will miss the Entertainment tab, Microsoft says you’ll still be able to find entertainment content in the Store tab, Apps Category tab and Microsoft Movies & TV app. “These will continue to showcase the latest and greatest in trending and popular movies, TV and music across our Microsoft service, as well as our many 3P Partners,” Microsoft said.

Microsoft Edge gets web authentication: sign in to websites with Windows Hello, etc

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft today has just announced the introduction of support for the  Web Authentication specification in Microsoft Edge. This support should make it easier for users to leverage the power of Windows Hello, and log into websites without the need for passwords.

Support for this feature is present in the most recent Windows Insider Build, 17723. The implementation supports a wider variety of authenticators compared to other browsers, with examples including FIDO2 Security Keys, Facial Recognition, a PIN, and even fingerprint. Microsoft is also supporting FIDO U2F devices, for websites which are not yet ready for moving to a passwordless model.

Passwords are easily hacked, but Windows Hello technology is not. Microsoft has long been on a journey to a passwordless and more secure web and actually shipped the first preview implementation of the Web Authentication API in Microsoft Edge back in 2016.

Microsoft is working with its partners to bring this feature to more experiences across the web, but for now, developers can get started by checking this guide.

First Redstone 5 build for HoloLens brings new Miracast projection feature, UI changes

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

If you’re a Windows Insider sporting a HoloLens, it is time to head to your settings and install a new build. Indeed, HoloLens has just got its first Windows 10 Redstone 5 preview, bringing a new Miracast projection feature, UI changes, and more (via MSPoweruser.)

This Insider Redstone 5 build will show up for those who are running the Windows 10 April 2018 Update on their HoloLens device. If the device is not yet already opted to receive Insider builds, you can do so by heading to Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Insider Program and selecting Get started. Anyway, the following new features come for everyone running this version 10.0.17720.1000 Redstone 5 build on HoloLens.

  • Stop video capture from the Start or quick actions menu: To start recording, select Start > Video. To stop recording, select Start > Stop video.
  • Project to a Miracast-enabled device: On Start, select Connect. Select the device you want to project to.
  • View and respond to notification toasts on HoloLens, just like you do on a PC: You’ll now see notifications from apps that provide them. Gaze to respond to or dismiss them (or if you’re in an immersive experience, use the bloom gesture).
  • You’ll now see overlays such as the keyboard, dialogs, file picker, etc. when using immersive apps.
  • When you use the volume up/down buttons on your HoloLens you’ll see a visual display of the volume level.
  • A loading indicator was added during the boot process to provide visual feedback that the system is loading.
  • Addition of the Windows Nearby Sharing experience, allowing you to share a capture with a nearby Windows device.
  • Share button is now available on Microsoft Edge windows on HoloLens.

The build also brings new features to developers and commercial users. Developers are getting support for Holographic Camera Capture UI API, and some improvements to Mixed Reality Capture. Commercial users, meanwhile, are getting post-set-up provisioning, assigned access with Azure AD groups, PIN sign-in on profile switch, and more. Feel free to check out Microsoft’s documentation here for more on what’s new and changed for devs and commercial users.

PowerPoint Not Responding or Opening: How to Fix it

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

PowerPoint is one of the most widely used apps from the Office suite. Millions of students and business users rely on this program to create powerful presentations for school and work. But many found that PowerPoint is not responding.

Just like every other program or app in Windows, PowerPoint might suddenly become unresponsive at some point. If this happens once a month, there’s nothing to worry about, but frequent occurrences point to a critical problem.

According to Microsoft, various factors can cause PowerPoint problems in Windows, including an outdated version of the program, a conflicting add-on, or an outdated antivirus software that conflicts with PowerPoint.

Keep reading to find out what to do when PowerPoint is not responding or stops opening in Windows.

How do I fix PowerPoint not responding?

Tip icon Tip
There’s no way to predict if or when PowerPoint will become unresponsive. But, you can secure yourself from losing your work if such an issue happens simply by having the Office suite (including PowerPoint) connected to the OneDrive account.

Before we move to the slightly complex solutions, here are a few quick ones:

  • Make sure you are running the latest version of Microsoft Office and Windows. If there are any pending updates, install them.
  • Disable any third-party antivirus or security software installed on the PC. If that works, uninstall the program.

If none work, head to the fixes listed next.

1. Remove conflicting add-ons

  1. Click on the Start Menu, type PowerPoint /safe, and hit Enter.
  2. If the issue is resolved, on the File menu, click Options, and then click Add-Ins.
  3. Select COM Add-ins, and then click Go.COM-Add ins to fix powerpoint not responding
  4. Click to clear all the checkboxes (Disable the Add-ins) in the list, and then click OK.
  5. Restart PowerPoint.

Some PowerPoint add-ons actually aren’t good for the program. In case you installed such an add-on, you might experience problems. So, go to PowerPoint, and make sure none of the installed add-ons conflicts with it.

If you notice that the problem doesn’t occur while having add-ons turned off, start turning them on one by one until you find a troublesome extension. However, if none of the add-ons causes your PowerPoint to crash, your problem is caused by something else.

2. Repair Office

  1. Close any Microsoft Office applications that are running.
  2. Open Control Panel, and click on Programs and Features.
  3. In the list of installed applications, right-click your version of Microsoft Office, and then click Change, select Quick Repair, and click Repair.powerpoint-unresponsive2
  4. In case a Quick Repair doesn’t work, go with the Online Repair option.

If some internal error leads to PowerPoint not responding, resetting Office will bring it back to normal.

3. Disable Hardware acceleration

3.1 From within PowerPoint

  1. Open the PowerPoint app.
  2. Go to File, select Options, and navigate to Advanced.
  3. Locate Hardware Acceleration under all the entries and disable it.
  4. After doing that, start Microsoft Office again.

3.2 Via the Registry

  1. Open Registry Editor.
  2. In the left pane, navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office16.0\Common key.
  3. Right-click on Common, choose New, and select Key. 
  4. Enter Graphics as the name of the new key.
  5. Now, right-click the Graphics key, select New, then DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it DisableHardwareAcceleration.
  6. Double click DisableHardwareAcceleration value and set its Value data to 1. Click OK to save changes.
  7. Close Registry Editor and check if the problem is resolved.

Hardware acceleration is one of the most common causes of various Office issues and is often why PowerPoint is not responding. So, it’s probably the best idea to disable it.

That’s about it, we hope that at least some of these solutions helped you with the crashing problem in PowerPoint. Once again, we highly recommend you have your Office and OneDrive account connected, just in case of issues like this.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, just let us know in the comments below.

Fix: Cortana is Disabled by Company Policy in Windows 10/11

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

The Settings app on Windows 10 is the new modern control center to make changes in a lot of the components on Windows 10. Windows 10 was developed as an operating system that not only home users but also the office users could use.

When you use Windows 10 in an office, chances are that many settings and programs on Windows 10 are disabled by default by your organization. This is a measure taken by companies to make sure that their employees are not able to access any kind of setting or part of the operating system that they are not allowed to.

It is totally understandable if your company has restricted use of Cortana on your office/company machine but if you have a PC at home and you still see this message, then it might be disappointing for sure. This is an error on Microsoft’s part and can happen cause of a lot of reasons.

Reasons such as having your work or school Microsoft Exchange account setup on your PC can restrict you from using Cortana at all! But you can actually fix this pretty easily. You can just remove that email account from work or school that is restricting you from using Cortana. Let’s see how to fix this.

What to do if  Cortana is Disabled by Company Policy

Table of contents:

  1. Make sure your PC is running Cortana supported region and language
  2. Delete your work/school email account
  3. Check Regional settings
  4. Run the Apps Troubleshooter
  5. Reset Cortana
  6. Enable Cortana in Registry
  7. Run the SFC scan
  8. Run DISM
  9. Fix “Managed by your organization” message

Solution 1 – Make sure your PC is running Cortana supported region and language

Follow the steps to verify the language and region settings. This should fix this error.

cortana language pack speech

  1. Open the start menu and then look for Settings.
  2. Now go to Time & Language Settings.
  3. The look for the Region & Language Settings.
  4. Set the United States and set the English (United States) as the default for the machine.

Solution 2 – Delete your work/school email account

Follow the above steps and you will not see the error message. But if you still see the message, move to the Mail app on Windows 10. Most of the users who received the machines either from school or from their workplace have a Corporate Exchange account configured in the Windows 10’s Mail app. These accounts may not allow Cortana to be used. To fix this follow the below steps.

disabled by company policy mail app 1

  1. Open the start menu and type Mail and open the first result.
  2. Click on Accounts then click on the corporate account and a new window will open up.
    disabled by company policy mail app
  3. You will now see an option that says Delete account and upon clicking that button, you will be able to remove that account from your computer.

Solution 3 – Check Regional settings

If you were able to use Cortana seamlessly before the update, and now it’s not available, there’s a great chance that something with your Region settings is wrong. Either you have installed an unsupported language by mistake or the installation changed the settings on its own. In both cases, you can resolve this issue in a few easy steps.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Region & Language.
  3. Under the Country or Region drop-down menu, select one of the supported regions/countries.
  4. Now, go to Speech.
  5. Under the Speech Language drop-down menu, select one of the supported spoken languages.
  6. Restart your PC and the Cortana should be placed on the taskbar after the system is up

Solution 4 – Run the Apps Troubleshooter

We can also use Windows 10’s built-in troubleshooting tool to resolve problems with Cortana. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Head over to Update & Security > Troubleshoot
  3. Find Windows Store apps, and click Run the troubleshooter
  4. Follow further on-screen instructions
  5. Restart your computer

Solution 5 – Reset Cortana

If none of the previous solutions resolved the problem, let’s try resetting Cortana. To reset Cortana, just follow these instructions:

  1. Go to Search, type powershell and run Windows PowerShell as administrator.
  2. When PowerShell starts, run the following command: Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest­.xml

Solution 6 – Enable Cortana in Registry

If there’s no other way to activate Cortana, there’s a useful Registry tweak you can try. To enable Cortana in the Registry Editor, do as follows:

  1. Go to Search, type regedit, right-click regedit and choose Run as Administrator.
  2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSearch.
  3. Change the BingSearchEnabled value from 0 to 1.
  4. Make sure all of the Cortana flags are set to 1 instead of 0.
  5. Restart PC and check out Cortana again.

Solution 7 – Run the SFC scan

If Windows 10’s troubleshooter didn’t get the job done, we can try with the SFC scan. Here’s how to run it:

  1. Right-click on the Start Menu button, and open Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Enter the following line and press Enter: sfc/scannow
  3. Wait until the process is done (it may take a while).
  4. If the solution is found, it will automatically be applied.
  5. Now, close the Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Solution 8 – Run DISM

And the last troubleshooter we’re going to try is DISM. Here’s how to run DISM in Windows 10:

  1. Open the Command Prompt as shown above.
  2. Enter the following command and press Enter:
      • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
  3. Wait for the process to finish.
  4. Restart your computer.
  5. In case the DISM can’t obtain files online, try using your installation USB or DVD. Insert media and type following command:
      • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccess
  6. Make sure to replace the ”CCortana is Disabled by Company Policy in Windows 10:RepairSourceWindows” path of your DVD or USB.
  7. Follow further on-screen instructions.

Fix “Managed by your organization” message

“Managed by your organization” message mostly appears when to try and change the settings for Microsoft’s default telemetry program. If you don’t know what a telemetry program is, then let me explain it to you. As you know Microsoft collects a bunch of anonymous usage data from your Windows 10 machine. Telemetry helps them in capturing and sending the data from your PC to Microsoft’s servers where Microsoft will look at your data and see how people are using their PC to enhance the experience in a better way. You need to make some changes in order to make sure Cortana works.

  • Open the start menu and then open the Settings app.
  • Open the Privacy settings and then scroll down and choose Feedback & diagnostics.
  • Change the Diagnostic and usage settings to either Full or Enhanced.

Windows 10’s Cortana and some other services need this setting to be at ‘Enhanced’ or even ‘full’ mode. After changing these settings, Cortana will work on your machine normally.

RELATED STORIES YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT:

Microsoft Rewards is experiencing issues with emails, Microsoft recommends checking Order History for redemptions

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

If you’ve recently redeemed some Microsoft Rewards points and not received an email confirmation or an email with your reward, fear not. Microsoft has placed an alert on the Microsoft Rewards dashboard alerting users to an issue with emails.

Redemptions are still being processed, but to see them, you’ll need to view your Order History within the Microsoft Rewards dashboard.

Points can be earned and redeemed as normal. This issue only affects the sending of email confirmations.

Microsoft news recap: LinkedIn to get voice messaging, Outlook.com gains Dark Mode, and more

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft news recap is a weekly feature highlighting the top Microsoft news stories of the past week. Sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the read!

Voice messaging is coming to LinkedIn

Linkedin is rolling out voice messaging across its apps, with the aim of voice messages being to build a “more personal connection”. The rollout will take place over a number of weeks, but all LinkedIn users should have access to the feature within the next few weeks.

Redesigned Outlook.com adds Dark Mode option, gets ready to drop beta tag

The push for websites and online services to add Dark Mode’s is ever-growing, with the benefits being less eye-strain, and a more comfortable viewing experience at night or in dim lighting. Now, Microsoft is adding a Dark Mode to its web-based email service, Outlook.com.

Microsoft Authenticator app updates on iOS with new password-free feature

In a push to reduce the usage of passwords, Microsoft has updated Microsoft Authenticator to enable password-free login on Azure AD accounts, providing a more seamless login experience for work and school accounts.

Microsoft reportedly planning a low cost cloud-based gaming console along with next gen Xbox

Microsoft’s plans for the future of its Xbox console lineup appears to becoming more apparent. A new report claims the company is planning to release a low-cost console that plays games from the cloud, rather than requiring all of the hardware on-board, built for game streaming. Microsoft believes it has a solution to the latency issues often experienced with game streaming.

Microsoft, Xbox

That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with more Microsoft news!

Windows Insiders on Windows 10 Release Preview receive new Windows Maps update, brings several new features

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Windows Insiders on Windows 10’s Release Preview ring are receiving a new Windows Maps update. The update brings a number of new features that will make the app more useful, particularly for those travelling and exploring areas that they don’t often visit.

Here is the changelog for version 5.1806.1911.0:

  • View the house numbers directly on the map
  • Save the places you are looking for
  • Find locations near you easily with shortcut menus
  • Going for a drive? We’ll show you the scenic route

The update for Windows Maps is available from within the Microsoft Store, for Windows Insiders. It is likely to be released to the general public in the near future.

Windows Maps
Windows Maps
Download
QR-Code

Windows Maps
Developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Price:
Free

How to fix error 0xc03f4320 affecting Windows Store purchases

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Have you bough a new Surface device or laptop with Windows 10 incorporated? If you are one of those users who are continuously getting the error 0xc03f4320 while trying to buy certain applications from the Windows Store, then you are in luck. After following the tutorial below, you will be able to fix your Windows 10 computer and buy all the apps you wish.
How to fix error 0xc03f4320 while trying to buy apps from a Ms store (Windows 8.1)
The error message 0xc03f4320 appears when your Windows 10 account on your Surface device or Windows 10 laptop is not set up correctly. So, creating a new account is the next step in this tutorial. Also, please follow the steps in the order they are listed in order to fix the error 0xc03f4320 in the shortest time possible.

How do I fix Microsoft Store error 0xc03f4320?

  1. Create a new user account
  2. Let apps use your location
  3. Disable Proxy Server
  4. Run WSReset.exe
  5. Contact Microsoft Support

1. Create a new user account

  1. First of all you will need to sign in with the administrator account you have in Windows 10.
  2. Move the mouse cursor over to the upper right side of the screen.
  3. From the menu that appears left click or tap on the “Settings” feature.
  4. Now in the menu of the Settings feature left click or tap on the “Change PC settings” option.
  5. In the left menu left click or tap on the “Accounts” option.
  6. Now left click or tap on the “Other accounts” option you have in the menu.
  7. Find and left click or tap on the “Add an account” or “Add someone else to this PC” option (depending on your Windows 10 version).add microsoft account add microsoft account login screen missing
  8. Left click or tap on the “Sign up for a new email address” option.
  9. Write in this window there the requested information.
  10. Left click or tap on the “Next” button to proceed.
  11. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the process accordingly.
  12. Now after you successfully setup the account you will need to move the mouse cursor again to the upper right side of the window.
  13. Left click or tap on the “Settings” feature.
  14. From the menu of the Settings feature left click or tap on the “Change PC Settings” option.
  15. In the Change PC Settings window left click or tap on the “Accounts” button.
  16. Next left click or tap on the “Other accounts” feature.
  17. Left click or tap on the account you created previously.
  18. Select the “Edit” option for this account.
  19. Select by clicking on the “Account type” drop down list the account type.
    Note: The account type should have administrative privileges.

2. Let apps use your location

  1. Press and hold the “Windows” button and the “W” button.
  2. Write in the dialog box the following “Allow apps to use my location”.
  3. Press the Enter button on the keyboard.
  4. Turn on the feature “Allow apps to use my location”.
  5. Also turn on the feature “Let apps use my location”.
  6. Reboot your Windows 10 operating system and try again purchasing an app.

Note: Depending on your Windows 10 version, you can also allow apps to use your location by changing some privacy settings. Go to the Settings page > select Privacy > click on Location and enable location services.

app use location windows 10

3. Disable Proxy Server

  1. Open your Internet explorer application.
  2. Left click or tap on the “Gearbox” feature situated in the upper right side in Internet Explorer.
  3. Left click or tap on the “Tools” feature.
  4. From the Tools menu left click or tap on the “Internet Options” feature.
  5. Left click or tap on the “Connections” tab situated in the upper side of the window.
  6. From the Connections tab left click or tap on the “LANsettings” option.change internet settings windows 10
  7. Now uncheck the box next to the “proxy server for your LAN” feature.
  8. Left click or tap on the “OK” button next.
  9. Reboot your operating system.
  10. Check again if you are able to purchase your applications via Windows Store.

4. Reset the Windows Store app

If the error persists, try resetting the Windows Store app. This quick solution can help you fix a wide array of Microsoft Store error codes, so it’s worth giving it a try.

All you need to do is launch a new Run window, enter the WSReset.exe command, hit Enter and wait for a couple of seconds. Restart your computer and check if error 0xc03f4320 still occurs.

Windows Store cache broken

5. Contact Microsoft Support

If you still get the same error message after you successfully made another account, then you will need to write to Microsoft about your issue because it might be an internal problem from them.

And you are done. You now have a good Microsoft account and therefore you should be able to buy the apps you wish from the Windows Store platform. If you have further questions regarding this subject, you can always write us in the comments section below. We will help you further as soon as possible.

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How to Fix Game Issues on AMD R270X Video Cards

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Are you trying to play your games on the new Windows 10 OS and they crash? It seems that some Windows 10 users who use PCs powered by the AMD R270X video cards are getting all sorts of errors. In some cases, there is only a black screen that appears instead of the actual game. I am pleased to tell you that we have found a few fixes to solve these issues. Follow the steps listed below for a detailed explanation on how to fix this issue.
How to fix issues with gaming on video card AMD R270X - Windows 10 TP - DirectX
The error messages you get while trying to play your games on Windows 10 OS appear mainly because the video card driver is not fully compatible with your Windows 10 OS version. In this tutorial, you will learn how to properly install the driver in compatibility mode and see how it goes from there.

Fix AMD R270X issues on Windows 10

  1. Reinstall your display adapter driver and run it in compatibility mode
  2. Refresh your PC
  3. Disable overclocking software
  4. Run SFC scan

1. Reinstall your display adapter driver and run it in compatibility mode

  1. Press and hold the “Windows” button and the “R” button.
  2. You should have the Run window in front of you.
  3. In the run dialog box write the following: “devmgmt.msc” without the quotes.
  4. Press the Enter button.
  5. Now the Device Manager Window will be in front of you.
  6. On the left side pane you will need to left click or tap on the “Display Adapters” to expand it.update display adapter
  7. Right click or hold tap on the device in the list.
  8. Left click or tap on the “Uninstall” feature from the menu.
  9. Check the box next to “Delete driver software“.
  10. After the uninstall process has finished reboot your Windows 10 PC.
  11. After the device starts go on the manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver you have available.
    Note:Be sure to check with what version of Windows the driver is compatible.
  12. After the download has finished go to the directory where you saved it.
  13. Right click or hold tap on the driver executable file.
  14. From the menu that appears left click or tap on the “Properties” option.
  15. Left click or tap on the “Compatibility” tab situated in the upper side of the Properties window.
  16. Put a check mark next to ” Run this program in Compatibility mode”.
  17. From the drop down menu left click or tap on the operating system for which the driver is compatible.
    Note: Windows 8.1 will work for most updated drivers.
  18. Left click or tap on the “OK” button to save the changes.
  19. Now right click or hold tap again on the driver executable.
  20. Select from the menu the “Run as Administrator” feature.
    Note: If you are asked for an administrator account and password please write them in.
  21. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the installation process.
  22. Reboot your Windows 10 PC and see if you still have gaming issues as you did before.

2. Refresh your PC

Note: Before attempting this step please make a back up copy of all your important files, folders and applications.

  1. Left click or tap on the Start button.
  2. In the search box of the start button write the following: “refresh”.
  3. Press the Enter button on the keyboard.refresh windows 10
  4. After the refresh has finished left click or tap on the “Refresh your PC without affecting your files”
  5. Under the section “Refresh your PC without affecting your files” left click or tap on the “Get Started” button.
  6. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the system refresh.
  7. Reboot your device after the refresh has completed.
  8. Check again your games to see if they work properly in Windows 10.

In order to boost your game performance and get rid of slowdowns, lags, low FPS and other annoying issues, we recommend downloading Game Fire (free).

3. Disable overclocking software

If you’ve overclocked your computer, try to disable these tools and check of the issue persists. If you’re using really old AMD R270X graphics cards, chances are they’re not fully compatible with your overclocking software. In this case, you can quickly fix the problem by simply disabling your overclocking tools.

4. Run SFC scan

AMD R270X driver issues or crashes may occur if certain Registry entries are missing or are corrupted. You can fix this issue by repairing your Registry. Before you do anything Registry-related, you need to first back up your computer — just in case anything goes wrong and you need it to restore it to a previous working state.

  1. Go to Start > type cmd > right-click Command Prompt > select Run as Administrator
  2. Type the sfc /scannow command > hit EnterSFC scan
  3. Wait for the scanning process to complete and then restart your PC. All the corrupted or missing files will be replaced on reboot.

And that is it, you have reached the end of our tutorial. If you followed the steps above in the order they are listed, then you should now be able to play your games in Windows 10 without any issues. If you did  encounter additional issues, let us know in the comments section below. We will help you further as soon as possible.

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Windows Mixed Reality now lets you peek into the real world

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Windows Mixed Reality is a series of Windows 10 virtual reality headsets that mixes VR with AR. Microsoft updated Windows 10 and Edge to fully support Windows Mixed Reality last year. Now the software giant has introduced a Flashlight option that will enable WMR users to take a peek into the real world without removing their headsets.

Microsoft’s Mr. Sarkar announced Flashlight along with the latest Windows 10 preview builds for the Redstone 5 and 19H1 updates. Flashlight is one of the new things Microsoft has included within the latest Windows 10 build previews. Thus, Windows Insiders on the Skip Ahead and Fash rings can try out Flashlight with their WMR headsets. Mr. Sarkar stated on Windows Blogs:

Today we are excited to announce that we are adding the ability to peer into your physical environment through Flashlight – without removing your headset! With the latest Windows Insider Program build, you can open a portal into your real world at any time via the Start menu, a button shortcut, or a voice command.

A YouTube video (below) shows Flashlight in action. The video shows that you can activate Flashlight with a “Flashlight on” command or by pressing a button shortcut pretty much as Mr. Sarkar stated on the Windows Blogs. When users turn on Flashlight, a circular ring appears that includes a monochrome video feed of the real world that they can move around.

Flashlight could be a very handy addition to WMR headsets. For example, without Flashlight you would need to remove the VR headset to pick up a drink glass on a table. Now you can activate Flashlight to pick up a drink with the headset on.

Aside from Flashlight, the new Windows 10 preview builds also include additional emojis. The new build previews include 157 new Unicode 11 emojis to select on the Emoji Panel. Superheroes, pirate flags, llama and softball are among the new emojis in the latest build previews.

However, Flashlight is undoubtedly the most notable new addition in the latest Redstone 5 preview. The new Flashlight will certainly be a handy new video mode for WMR headsets, which are still lagging behind the likes of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. You can activate the new Flashlight mode when Redstone 5 rolls out in October 2018.

Hyperkin to release a new HDMI cable for the original Xbox console

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Hyperkin has been getting deeply involved in the classic console market, releasing the “Duke” controller in March of this year and showing off neon variants at this years E3.

The company is now turning its head towards the display connector. They are planning to release a new HDMI cable that allows the console to be connected directly to a HDMI port on a monitor and display at a resolution of up to 1080i (via Neowin). The original Xbox made use of proprietary cables and component cables, but this solution will make it easier for direct HDMI use.

Hyperkin’s HDMI cable is likely to be licensed and approved by Xbox, which sets it apart from other cables that already provide similar functionality.

How to Fix VirtualBox Video Driver Problems in Windows 10

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Are you interested in trying the new Windows 10 versions? Did you already install them on a VirtualBox system?

It seems that a few Windows 10 users are having issues with the video driver for the virtual machine when they try to install Windows 10 on it.

How to fix VirtualBox video driver in Windows 10 build 10041

Well, we can tell you that the fix for the video driver issue is very simple. All you need to do is follow the steps below in the order they are listed and you should fix the problem in less than 5 minutes.

So, basically, the most important features affected by the video driver issues in VirtualBox are the auto-resize option that you use for the guest display to work properly, the clipboard sharing feature, and also the mouse integration process.

Also, as a reminder, you need to download the last version of Oracle VirtualBox because this is the one that is fully compatible with your Windows 10 operating system.

How do I fix video driver issues in VirtualBox?

1. Enable 2D and 3D video acceleration

  1. Close the Virtual Machine on Windows 10.
  2. Reboot your Windows operating system first.
  3. After the device starts, open the settings page of the Windows 10 Virtual Machine.
  4. Left click or tap on the “Display” settings which you can find on the left side panel.
  5. On the right side of the Settings window, look for the “Extender Features” topic.
  6. Under that section, check the box next to the “Enable 3D Acceleration” feature.
  7. Also, check the box next to the “Enable 2D video Acceleration” feature.
  8. Left click or tap on the “OK” button to save your changes.
  9. You can open now the Windows 10 Virtual Machine.
  10. After the Windows 10 Virtual Machine opened, the system will activate the drivers properly.
  11. Check again if your video driver in VirtualBox is working properly for Windows 10 OS.

To restore proper display resize, clipboard sharing, and mouse integration in your Windows 10 virtual machine, you should install VirtualBox Guest Additions, since it installs the drivers and services that make these features work correctly in VirtualBox.

2. Update your graphics driver

Since this is a video driver-related issue, make sure that you’ve installed the latest graphics driver updates on your computer. The best solution is to download the latest drivers from your GPU manufacturer’s website.

If you prefer to quickly update your drivers, then you can use a dedicated tool that helps you solve many issues related to your computer drivers.

Using specialized driver updating software to update or fix your drivers is definitely more efficient than doing it manually, plus you can finish really fast.

Hence, update all drivers quickly with such practical tools, and avoid other critical issues because of installing the wrong drivers.

You have reached the end of this article. If you followed the steps above in the order they were listed, you should now have a working video driver for Windows 10.

Also, if you encountered other errors along the way regarding this specific issue, let us know in the comments section below. We will help you further as soon as possible.

Xbox One cheaters could soon be caught by a new Microsoft AI

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

While Microsoft has seemingly divested its business interests into two oddly contradictory buckets in cloud productivity software and services and gaming; the company sees a line between the two. Over the past few months, we’ve seen Microsoft talk up a future where the resources of its cloud platform will power portions of its gaming business.

While the notion of Microsoft leveraging its cloud platform to boost its gaming efforts seems like nothing more than a Skittles bag of buzzwords, the company may be putting its vision into motion sooner rather than later with a new project that will use cloud powered AI to prevent cheating on the Xbox One.

According to the Next Web, Microsoft recently applied for a patent that would filter cheating behavior on Xbox by using AI to search for suspicious behavior, ranks or achievements in a users accounts.

The patent application was published by the US Patent and Trademark Office last month. Unlike other efforts by the likes of Valve, this AI wouldn’t just look for cheaters within active games. Instead, it would snoop through the interactions between game and platform, such as “notifications of achievements, game scores reported to the platform, and/or a player rank achieved on the platform based upon game activities.”

Unlike other platform attempts, Microsoft is attempting to target cheaters outside of games but rather going after the spoils of said cheating to discourage the behavior.

Microsoft’s approach will also minimize console resource demands where the company can offload its AI processes to the cloud rather than using additional cycles during already resources demanding games.

Microsoft’s Council for Digital Good promotes “positive online behaviors” in open letter to US lawmakers

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

The Internet has arguably become a dual edge sword for most users. Easy and free access to the world knowledge base, but a cesspool of unfiltered negativity and danger due in part to the inherent anonymity it offers users.

Microsoft would like to try and address the latter claim by penning an open letter to U.S. law and policy makers. The letter from Microsoft’s Council for Digital Good, calls on lawmakers to address the meshing of real and digital issues of sextortion and cyberbullying by promoting modern laws that would essentially help to protect in-school education.

“As young people who have encountered some of these problems firsthand, our goal as the Council for Digital Good is to provide strategies, solutions and resources for other young people in these situations,” council members wrote. “For our sake and for that of future generations, it is imperative that we amplify discussions about making the internet a more productive, civil, and safe place.”

Microsoft would like lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to help tout the real world consequences when internet users, children in particular, succumb to digital risks. Microsoft’s council for well being of internet users is recommending that internet behavior and safety become a prioritized portion of in-school online education.

Offering more than penned letters, Microsoft’s CDG council members held a two-day summit where panels discussing the importance of cyber safety the promotion of kindness and maturity online, were held. The first lady, Melania Trump also met with council members, teens and other individuals to discuss projects and presumably align her own anti-bullying “Be Best” campaign tenants.

Xbox Forums make the move to Microsoft Answers

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Last month, we noted that Xbox Forums would be moving to the Microsoft Community Forums.  The move was part of Microsoft’s plans to “empower users with discussions,” but there wasn’t an exact timeframe for when things would fully transfer over. Well, it looks as though part of the move is now complete as an official announcement is now out (via MSPoweruser.)

The announcement can be seen in full here, as posted by Mister Quimby, a Microsoft Agent, Ambassador, and Moderator. He explains that “the time has come for the forums to move” adding that “very soon, we’ll be redirecting all of the forum threads to open only in their new home in the Microsoft Community forums.”

It is being urged for Xbox forum members to head to the Microsoft Answers Forums and start using it today. Users can still view all their threads via forums.xbox.com or the Community forums, but it’s still best to try out the Microsoft Answers forums and fill out this survey.

Per Mister Quimby, forums.xbox.com will be turned off once all the features od the Xbox area of the community forums are fully finished and tested. So it’s best to try out our right now and get yourself acquainted.

Slack to acquire Hipchat, Stride, as pressure from Microsoft Teams mounts

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

In a surprise announcement yesterday, Slack revealed a new partnership with Atlassian, owner of several popular enterprise-focused apps such as HipChat, Stride and Jira. Slack will purchase the IP for HipChat and Stride (a successor to HipChat), and help customers transition to Slack before Atlassian’s apps are discontinued next year.

The partnership will allow Atlassian to focus on its other assets such as its issue tracking solution Jira and the project management app Trello, and the company will also be making a “small, but symbolically important investment” in Slack. On the other hand, the latter will be able to boost its user base thanks to users migrating from HipChat and Stride, something that the company will need to compete with the increasingly popular Microsoft Teams.

Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a free version of Teams, which is now available worldwide in 40 languages. The Redmond giant says that more than 200,000 businesses are now using Teams across 181 markets, while Slack claims it’s already being used by 500,000 organizations. With its free tier, Slack quickly become popular among startups and small businesses, but the company can’t really afford to underestimate Microsoft Teams and all its synergies with other Office 365 apps.

“Hundreds of thousands of teams are already using Slack with JIRA, Confluence, Bitbucket, Trello, etc. — this will have a big impact,” said confidently Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield. It’s true that Slack is still enjoying some great momentum this year, but the footsteps from Teams should certainly get louder in the near future.

National FFA Organization and Microsoft partner to help more than 650,000 US students learn digital skills

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The National FFA Organization and Microsoft yesterday announced a new partnership which will help more than 650,000 US students learn digital skills. The partnership will also bring science, research, and entrepreneurship opportunities to classrooms across the US as part of a Blue 365 initiative.

For those unfamiliar, the National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education. It is expected for Blue 365 to be unveiled in Indianapolis, Indiana, this October at the 91st National FFA Convention & Expo.

Blue 365 aims to solve the most critical challenges facing farming communities, like respecting the planet or feeding the world. This partnership was announced at an event in Fargo yesterday with National FFA CEO Mark Poeschl and Microsoft’s Brad Smith and Mary Snapp. As explained by Brad Smith, President and Chief Legal Officer at Microsoft:

“While digital technology is transforming every part of the American economy, not everyone is acquiring the skills to thrive…As a company, we’re focused on ensuring everyone, regardless of their geography or circumstance, has access to the digital skills they need to compete and prosper. And our partnership with the National FFA will expand this work, helping students across the country prepare for digital jobs and the farms of the future.”

Mary Snapp, Corporate Vice President and Lead for Microsoft Philanthropies, dived deeper into the partnership in a blog post on LinkedIn. She also penned another post which revealed that Microsoft is investing $500,000 in partnerships for two computer science and STEM learning opportunities for students of color in Seattle.

The NHL 19 open beta is now live on Xbox One consoles for gamers to play

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The open beta for EA Sports NHL 19 is now live on all Xbox One consoles. The beta version of the game can be downloaded from the Store for free and gamers can now dive right in.

The proper, full version of NHL 19 isn’t due for release until September 14th so those participating in the open beta should keep in mind that this is an early version of the game, that it’s being used for testing, and that it may differ from the final version of the game when it comes out in a few months.

NHL 19 is a hockey video game that allows players to create their own character and team and play against over 200 famous hockey athletes. The game will feature over 900 customization options and apparently will feature improved responsiveness over previous entries in the series.

Will you play the NHL 19 open beta? Share your impressions with the community in the comments below and follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox content.

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How to download Windows Live on Windows 10

Posted on by Aleksandar Ognjanovic

Microsoft is quite attached to UWP apps and their development that there’s a little space for the old Windows programs. Microsoft Essentials 2012 was the last iteration which provided users with Windows Live. And that suite was a fan favorite for a long time. Now, many of users who moved to Windows 10 had a hard time getting used to the UWP successors.

Download and configure Windows Live Mail in Windows 10

Now, even though the Essentials suite was discontinued back in January of 2017, you can still use it. This includes Windows Live Mail, which is, based on the opinions of so many users, much better choice than the subpar built-in Mail & Calendar app. In regards to lack of support, we’re glad to inform you that it won’t take much out of Windows Live. Even though security patches are not available and this email client isn’t the safest one to use, it’s still available. If you can deal with it, the app still can be used on Windows 10.

There are no too much available sources to get the application suite, though. Since it was officially discontinued, the download links are either rather scarce or come from suspicious third-party sources. Luckily, we find and tested one semi-official download link and it worked out just fine. The installation and configuring settings is just like with any third-party email client.

Here’s how to get Windows Live as the part of the Essentials 2012 suits:

  1. Download Essentials 2012, here.
  2. Install the suite and open Windows Live Mail.
  3. Open Properties and choose File > Options > Email accounts.
  4. Add your Microsoft account and credentials.
  5. Check the “Manually configure server settings” box.
  6. For the incoming server, enter mail.outlook.com and choose port 993.
  7. For the outgoing server, enter smtp-mail.outlook.com and choose port 587.
  8. Save settings and wait until the emails are synchronized.

That should do it. If this was helpful, make sure to give us a shout in the comments section below.

Fix: Windows 10/11 Facebook app has no sound

Posted on by Aleksandar Ognjanovic

The Facebook app found in Microsoft Store is only recently getting a larger number of users. Lots of folks are still gravitating towards browsers, even though this UWP port-like Facebook app is not bad at all. If we exclude Facebook‘s practice to mandatory pair it with Facebook Messenger.

All in all, the app is useful and we can recommend it. However, lots of good things a social network like Facebook offers are diminished by the lack of sound. That’s exactly what some users experienced as they were unable to reproduce sound while playing videos.

How to fix sound issues on the Facebook app for Windows 10

  1. Run app troubleshooter
  2. Check the sound and video drivers
  3. Reset the app settings
  4. Reinstall the app
  5. Reduce the sound sampling rate
  6. Re-register apps

1: Run app troubleshooter

The first thing we suggest is running the Store Apps Troubleshooter. This built-in troubleshooting tool found in Settings should address the usual issues concerning Microsoft Store app. If it doesn’t resolve them, it should at least give you a better insight into what’s causing the sound distortion.

If you’re not sure where to find this troubleshooter, follow the steps we provided below:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Choose Update & Security.windows 10 facebook app no sound
  3. Select Troubleshoot under the left pane.
  4. Expand the Store Apps Troubleshooter.windows 10 facebook app no sound
  5. Run the troubleshooter.

You can also run the Sound troubleshooter under the same section. It might resolve the sound-related issues.

2: Check the sound and video drivers

After that, let’s confirm that sound and video drivers are properly installed and up to date. Of course, this expands to overall system performance, so you’ll probably already be aware of the faulty sound device and graphics card. However, you can try and update them or even better, install the drivers from the official source instead of relying on Windows Update.

Here’s the list of 3 major OEMs where you can find the drivers for your graphics card:

3: Reset the app settings

To resemble the app troubleshooting on some other platforms, Microsoft offers factory reset of individual apps in Windows 10. That option can come in handy, especially since lots of apps are seemingly performing below the initial expectations.

Now, the Facebook app is a rather good UWP port (by UWP standards, at least). But there are certainly some issues surrounding it. So if the sound suddenly starts missing when playing videos in the Facebook app, resetting the app should help.

Here’s how to reset the Facebook app in Windows 10:

  1. Right-click Start and open Settings.
  2. Choose Apps.windows 10 facebook app no sound
  3. Under the Apps & features, search for Facebook.
  4. Expand Facebook and select Advanced options.windows 10 facebook app no sound
  5. Scroll down and click Reset.windows 10 facebook app no sound

4: Reinstall the app

If the resetting fails, reinstallation should take it the step further. With one little tweak included. If you just reinstall the app which malfunctions, chances are it’ll continue doing. On the other hand, if you perform a clean reinstallation (clear all remaining associated files prior to installation), the issues won’t reoccur.

Here’s how to reinstall the Facebook app in Windows 10:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Apps > Apps & features and look up for the Facebook app.
  2. Click Uninstall to remove it.windows 10 facebook app no sound
  3. Run one of the free uninstallers we suggested in this list.
  4. Navigate to Microsoft Store and install Facebook again.windows 10 facebook app no sound

5: Reduce the sound sampling rate

Some user reports state that the sample rate is the core of the problem. Namely, after reducing the sample rate, the sound issues on Facebook (and other apps, for that matter) completely stopped. This can be done in device sound settings. Once you’ve done it, the sound in the Facebook app should restore fully.

Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Right-click on the Sound icon in the notification bar and open Sound options.
  2. Click on the Device properties.windows 10 facebook app no sound
  3. Select the Advanced tab.
  4. Change the default format to a lesser value and confirm changes.windows 10 facebook app no sound
  5. Restart your PC and open Facebook.

6: Re-register apps

Finally, if the issue is wide-spread, you can try and re-register the whole Store. This helped some users, while others decided that the alternative wrapper is a better deal than the official Facebook app. The re-registering procedure is rather simple and you’ll need to use the PowerShell elevated command-line to execute it.

Follow these steps to re-register Microsoft Store:

    1. Right-click on the Start and open PowerShell (Admin).
    2. In the command-line, copy-paste the following command and press Enter:
      • Get-AppXPackage *Microsoft.WindowsStore* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}windows 10 facebook app no sound
    3. When it’s done, close the PowerShell and open the Facebook app and give videos another try.

That’s it. In case you still have sound issues in the Facebook app, try some wrappers found in the Microsoft Store. Either way, if you succeed or fail, make sure to keep us posted. That’s the purpose of the comments section below.

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How to Speed up Slow Shutdown in Windows 10/7

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

If you are wondering how you can speed up the shutdown process in Windows 10, then this is the right tutorial for you. Luckily for us, the slow shutdown that you encountered in the operating system can be solved by modifying some Registry items. So, follow the steps listed below to find out how to speed up the slow shutdown in Windows 10. This will only take you a couple of minutes of your time.
How to speed up slow shutdown (Windows 10)
When you try to launch the shutdown process, the Windows 10 operating system will have to wait for the running applications to close first. So, this is mainly the one issue that is taking so much time to process. Also, please create a back up copy of all your important files, folders and applications because there is always the possibility to damage the operating system if you modify something wrong in the system registries.

How to fix slow shutdown in Windows 10/7

  1. Change WaitToKillServiceTimeout value
  2. Run the Power Troubleshooter
  3. Create a shutdown shortcut

1. Change WaitToKillServiceTimeout value

  1. Press and hold the “Windows” button and the “R” button.
  2. Now you should have the “Run” window in front of you.
  3. In the run dialog box write the following: “regedit” without the quotes.
  4. Press the Enter button on the keyboard.
    Note: If you are prompted by a user account control window, left click or tap on the “Yes” button to proceed.
  5. On the left side panel double, click or double tap on the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” folder.
  6. From the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” folder, find and double click to open the “SYSTEM” folder.
  7. Within the “SYSTEM” folder, find and open the “CurrentControlSet” folder.
  8. Now in the “CurrentControlSet”, find and double click to open the “Control” folder.
  9. On the right side panel, search for the “WaitToKillServiceTimeout” REG_SZ.wait kill service timeout windows 10
  10. After you found it, double click or double tap on it to open.
  11. Under the Value Data field, you will need to modify that from “5000” to “1000”.
    Note: This value is the time in which an application will be shutdown by Windows if it has not closed yet.
  12. Left click or tap on the “OK” button to save your changes.
  13. Now go on the left side panel again and double click or double tap on the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER” folder to open it.
  14. From the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER” folder, find and open the “Control Panel” folder.
  15. In the “Control Panel” folder, you should find and open the “Desktop” folder.
  16. On the right side panel, you will have to created 2 “REG_SZ” values.
  17. Name one of the “HungAppTimeout” without the quotes.
  18. Name the other REG_SZ as “WaitToKillAppTimeout” without the quotes.
  19. After you successfully created them, double click on “HungAppTimeout” first.
  20. In the value data field, you can lower the time it takes for an app to shutdown.
    Note: Keep in mind that if you drastically decrease the time for this REG_SZ file then the application might fail to save your changes properly. So, if you do decrease the time, please make sure to save your changes in the apps you are running when you shutdown the Windows 10 device.
  21. Double click or double tap to open “WaitToKillAppTimeout”.
  22. In the value data field, decrease the value as well but the minimum should be “1000” ms.
  23. After you made all your changes, close the Registry Editor window.
  24. Reboot your Windows 10 operating system.
  25. After the reboot is completed, you can try out your shutdown feature to see if the timing has improved.

2. Run the Power Troubleshooter

Your computer may take longer to shut down due to incorrect or incompatible power settings. You can quickly solve this problem by running the built-in Power Troubleshooter from the Settings page. So, navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > select and run the troubleshooter as shown in the screenshot below.

power troubleshooter windows 10

3. Create a shutdown shortcut

If you know that you computer usually takes a few minutes to completely shutdown, you can also create a shutdown shortcut which will immediately shut down the system.

  1. Right-click on your desktop > select New  > Shortcut (You’ll enter the specific command strings to make your new shortcut immediately shutdown your computer
  2. Type Shutdown.exe -s -t 00

And you are done. If you carefully followed the steps above, you have decreased the shutdown time of your Windows 10 operating system by the time your read this line. If you do run into any issues along the way,please write us in the comments section below and we will help you further as soon as possible.

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Windows 10 build 18204 bugs: High CPU usage, apps are missing

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Windows 10 build 18204 is the very first Redstone 6 build release. Skip Ahead Insiders can now download and install this build on their computers and test the new features.

Unfortunately, some Insiders are still struggling to install this build. Well, this is not the only issue affecting Windows 10 build 18204.

In this post we’ll list the most common bugs affecting Windows 10 build 18204 just to give you an idea of what to expect in terms of issues.

Windows 10 build 18204 reported issues

  • High CPU usage

Here’s how one user describes this problem:

I have just upgraded to Build 18204. When I go to System Configuration Boot Advanced Processors 4 and Maximum Memory and reboot, the system runs slow and when I check CPU in Task Manager it shows two processors and four logical processors. When I uncheck processors and maximum memory and check task manager, it shows four processors and eight logical processors.

For more information on how to fix this issue, check out the guides listed below:

  1. 5 Best software to fix high CPU usage
  2. Fix: High CPU when browsing the Internet
  3. Windows 10 Update process (wuauserv) causes high CPU usage [FIX]
  • Time won’t set automatically

Some Insiders also noticed the computer clock often fails behind.

8204: Time fails to set automatically. Just spinning dots forever, network is working fine. Screenshot shows 05:52am when in fact was 21:52pm

Windows 10 build 18204 bugs

If you’re experiencing the same problem, you may want to check out our dedicated troubleshooting guide on how to fix Windows 10’s clock if it’s wrong.

  • Some apps are missing

If you can’t find some of your apps or programs after installing Windows 10 build 18204, you’re not the only one. For example, some users reported that the gaming menu is missing, while others can’t find Groove and WMP.

  • PowerShell crashes

Other Insiders complained about PowerShell crashing after just a few seconds. This bugs makes it impossible for Insiders to actually use the tool.

We’ll end our list here. If you encountered other issues after installing Windows 10 build 18204, let us know in the comments below.

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How to Turn off Touch Screen on Windows 10 Quickly

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Many of you might have already gotten used to the touch screen displays used on Windows 10. But what if you want to remain to the plain old simple keyboard and mouse devices?

Well, the tutorial below will show you how exactly you can disable the touch screen feature in the Windows 10 operating system in the shortest time possible and get back to your normal days’ work.

How do I turn off touch screen in Windows 10?

1. Use Device Manager

  1. Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager.
  2. Double-click the Human Interface Devices option to expand it.
  3. Now, right-click the HID-compliant touch screen option.disable touch screen windows 10
  4. Next, select the Disable device option.
  5. Finally, click the Yes button to confirm the action and restart your PC.

An easy way to turn off the touch screen on Windows 10 is to go via the Device Manager.

If you would like to get the touch screen feature up and running again, you will only have to open the Device Manager window, locate the touch screen device again, right-click on it, and select the Enable feature.

2. Disable Tablet Mode

  1. Press the Windows key + I and select the System option.
  2. Click Tablet mode in the left pane.
  3. Finally, select Don’t switch under When this device automatically switches tablet mode on or off.
    tablet mode

And that’s it, you now know how to turn off the touch screen feature for your Windows 10 operating system.

If yu want to enable or disable Tablet mode on Windows 11 instead, we have prepared a guide to help you do it.

If you do run into any issues after following the steps listed above, you can always write us in the comments section below, and we will be more than happy to help you further.

5 Best Smart Home Apps for Windows 10/11

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Looking for the best smart home apps for Windows 10 PC? We’ve got you covered. Read this guide to learn what are the best smart home programs to use right now.

Due to technological advances, several smart homes and smart home software have sprung up over the years. However, these smart devices in the home don’t just control themselves. A software is needed to automate all these processes.

This post gives you some of the best smart home programs that can be used to automate your home devices. The software reviewed in this article differ from each other in terms of some features —  though they all provide general services which ensure convenient automation of devices.

What are the best smart home programs for Windows 10?

OpenHAB

OpenHAB has a large following among smart home users, as it has an active community of users. The software uses a stable open source Javascript which allows multiple support of devices and ensures you can easily integrate different devices on the software. This tool uses a powerful software engine which enables users flexibility as there are several plugins which can be installed to ensure user preference is achieved.

Your devices can easily be controlled using specific apps and users can customize the software with the inbuilt design tools. So therefore, OpenHAB is an excellent home software app to use due to its flexibility and compatibility to hundreds of devices.

⇒ Get OpenHAB

Castle OS

Castle OS is a popular smart home software that has integration with over a hundred different smart devices. Users are able to use the various features to conveniently automate their homes. Castle OS supports several popular home apps such as UPB, WeMo, LightwaveRF, Sonos, Ecobee and Nest,

Users can access the unique voice control system by connecting a Microsoft Kinect, this allows ease in controlling several devices by saying command prompts.

Meanwhile, Castle OS helps keep track of your home energy consumption which allows you to know the devices consuming much power in your home.

The scheduling feature is also effective as you can easily create time scheduled events and receive notifications of events via Email or SMS. Also, Castle OS is an excellent Home software to employ for your Windows O.S and is compatible with Windows 10.

⇒ Get Castle OS

Creston

smart home apps windows 10

When it comes to a home apps that features state of the art technology and features, Creston is up there. The software may be of a premium price to other home app software but it gives good value for the price.

Creston specifically develops devices which can be purchased in addition to the software. The user interface allows for customization by users and it can be ideal for setting up a conference center.

The voice control is also automated to allow ease and convenience in controlling smart home devices.  Overall Creston is a good solution for smart home users as they get extensive features from the software.

⇒ Get Creston

Iobroker

smart home apps windows 10

Iobroker is a budding smart home apps software which has a thriving community and offers quality services. The software can be used to control devices in all areas of your home from the garage, kitchen to individual rooms in your home.

It is compatible to multiple devices which makes it ideal home app software. iobroker uses an open Javascript and supports Windows,Linux, OSX and Raspberry devices.

The user interface is clean and easy to use for beginners with all menu arranged precisely for scalability. You can easily set voice controls and use the command prompts to control various devices in your home or office.

Lastly, iobroker is an efficient home app software as it performs the basic needs of a smart home owner and supports numerous operating systems.

⇒ Get Iobroker

EventGhost

smart home apps windows 10

EventGhost is a simple automation software that allows users to access different input devices to trigger control of connected devices. It does not provide extensive features like the other software on the list but it lightweight and can perform the majority of the tasks needed by a smart home user on a small scale.

In addition, EventGhost allows the use of input devices like wireless remote to control home devices. The interface as to be expected is simple with different task icons in the menu which have specific functions.

To enjoy more features, you would need to download several plugins which could be the downside of the app. Infrared motions work exquisitely and can be easily setup by following the tutorials on the software website. You can always try EventGhost since it is free to download and check out the features.

⇒ Get EventGhost

Conclusion

These are the best smart home software for smart home owners. They have been tested and found to possess features needed. In addition, they are all compatible with Windows 10.

Issues with smart home apps can happen on any setup. If your lights stop responding, check our Wiz app not working guide for quick fixes.

Meanwhile, EventGhost is lightweight to use but with limited features while Creston is the most expensive of the apps listed above. Our recommended smart home software to utilize in your home is OpenHAB, as it gives all the necessary features and compatibility needed for a smart home software

Some Office 2019 and Windows 10 Enterprise users to see price hikes in October, Microsoft confirms

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Noted by ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft is planning on increasing the prices for some Office 2019 and Windows 10 Enterprise users come October 1st. The pricing changes were initially mentioned in a blog post yesterday and are coming because the company wants to “create more consistency and transparency across purchasing channels.”

According to Microsoft, the first of the pricing changes impact the commercial business on-premises versions of Office 2019. These prices will go up by 10% over the current rates, impacting the Office client, Enterprise CAL, Core CAL, and server products.  As explained in the blog post:

Microsoft will be making a series of changes across our program and product portfolio to provide unique offers that support customer digital transformation, improve the buying and selling experience, and make it easier to do business with Microsoft. We continue to execute on our Modern Commerce strategy by introducing programmatic changes across our VL programs that relate specifically to offer pricing and discounting.

Microsoft is also making changes to Windows 10 Enterprise, raising prices to $83 per user in order to match the rates of Windows 10 Enterprise E3. In addition, Windows 10 Enterprise E3 per user offers will be re-named to as Windows 10 Enterprise E3. And finally, Microsoft will be renaming Windows 10 Enterprise E3 per Device as Windows 10 Enterprise. Other price changes mentioned by the company can be seen below.

  • Windows 10 Enterprise E5 per device will be discontinued
  • Establishing a single, consistent starting price across all programs aligned to web direct for online services (OLS)
  • Removing the programmatic volume discounts (Level A and Open Level C) in Enterprise Agreement (EA)/EA Subscription, MPSA, Select/ Select Plus, and Open programs (Open, Open Value, Open Value Subscription)
  • Aligning government pricing for on-premises and online services to the lowest commercial price in EA/EAS, MPSA, Select Plus, and Open Programs
  • Delivering a newly designed Customer Price Sheet that better outlines how a customer’s price was derived (direct EA/EAS only)

These prices can be confusing for the non-technical type, so you can check out the modern commerce page for more information on any price changes. All price changes will take into effect in October of 2018, and impacted users will have a preview on the September 2018 price listing.