Windows 10 home problems free

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The sequel to Windows 8. Luckily, most Windows 10 problems have been patched out by Microsoft over the last few years. There are still some security exploits and other bugbears that have either lingered or have been caused by recent Windows updates. That could be why the adoption of that update is only now starting to take off, just in time for the next one. If all of these problems are any indication, Microsoft has a lot of work to do. Plus, there are still a lot of Windows 10 problems that are still around, like printer connectivity issues.

But, who knows, maybe Microsoft will actually fix some of these problems in the Windows 10 May Update , which should be out soon. If you’re planning to move to Windows 10, actually installing the OS is the first area you could potentially run into problems with. Installing a new operating system requires a certain amount of free space on your drive so that it can be downloaded and certain elements can be run successfully. For Windows 10, the space requirement is 16GB, which should be kept free on the main system drive the computer uses.

This is actually the same as previous versions of Windows, so if you’ve upgraded before you can most likely do it again. You can see the remaining space indicated beneath each drive, or you can right click and select Properties for a better overview your system drive is usually C:. Just as with space requirements, your PC will also have to be capable of running Windows This means that it must reach certain minimum system requirements.

However, keep in mind that these are the minimum requirements, and you should shoot for higher specs to have a smooth and enjoyable experience. Some users have reported issues with activating their copies of Windows 10, which could have been down to a number of different reasons. In some cases, the easiest way to get around the problem is to purchase a legitimate copy of Windows Unlike previous versions of Windows, the latest one is almost exclusively available online, which means that official Microsoft websites are the best bet for your purchase.

The company was giving the OS away for free, but that promotion ended quite a while ago. Microsoft has a helpful website opens in new tab that provides a downloadable copy in either bit or bit versions. If you do find that you’re unable to activate Windows 10 successfully, handily Microsoft introduced a new activation troubleshooter feature way back in the Anniversary Update.

Windows 10 is, in many ways, a truly internet-based operating system. Mostly, this is a bonus but there are times when it isn’t — and Microsoft’s attitude towards operating system updates is one such time.

The most annoying part of automatic updates is the restarting, which can seemingly come at random and inconvenient times. Each version of a new operating system comes with its own set of backwards compatibility issues and Windows 10 is no exception.

The transition from Windows 8. If a program isn’t working with Windows 10, try looking in the Windows Store for an update and, if that doesn’t work, delete and reinstall it.

Now that Windows 10 has been out for a few years, most programs should be compatible with the operating system. If they aren’t, then they likely never will be.

Consider moving to a newer version of the software, or if it’s stopped being developed, it may be time to look for alternatives. Data security is incredibly important, especially as hackers become increasingly sophisticated and the number of cyber-attacks is on the up.

Windows 10 comes with a decent set of built-in protection measures, but you can never be too careful. One such feature that should be disabled by privacy-minded individuals is Wi-Fi Sense, which automatically shares the Wi-Fi password across Windows 10 devices on the same account. Microsoft updated Wi-Fi Sense to share less data, but switching it off is the ideal way of preventing anything you don’t want happening.

Also in Settings, it’s possible to get an overview of everything else happening on Windows 10 in terms of privacy — unsurprisingly, under the Privacy section. In here, you’ll be presented with a bunch of toggles that adjust some privacy options to help keep everything under control. If you have an older device, printer compatibility can turn into a real problem. For many people, however, using Chrome or Firefox is the norm, no matter what Microsoft wants.

To install Chrome or Firefox — and get back to normality — open Edge, search for either, and find a Windows 10 version. Download it, install it, and make sure it’s set as the default browser option so that Edge doesn’t keep reappearing. To do this, head to Settings, System, and click on Default Apps — click under Web Browser and you can then select your preferred default browser.

But, now that Microsoft Edge is moving to Chromium , you may have less of a reason to switch over. Having a touchpad-enabled laptop is also good for Windows 10, but some users have reported that the upgrade from Windows 7 and sometimes Windows 8 breaks it.

One of the ways to solve this is by first checking to see if your keyboard has a key that turns the touchpad off.

A new window will appear. From here, select the tab that says Device Settings, then Devices, and then make sure the touchpad is enabled. This should fix things. Safe Mode is just what you’d expect — a safe way of booting up a PC and running the system with no startup apps and only essential drivers, which should hopefully allow the computer to boot successfully when it won’t otherwise due to some issue or other. With Windows 10, to access Safe Mode, hold down the Shift key during boot-up or select Restart from the desktop while holding down Shift.

Location-based apps are fairly prominent in Windows 10 which makes it a good idea to let your PC know roughly where you are. Cortana, for example, can give far more information if it can accurately pinpoint where in the world it’s being used. Windows Hello is one of the most innovative features that Microsoft has built into Windows Essentially, it lets a user login just by using facial recognition or a fingerprint virtually instantly. The software, which is available to all Windows 10 users, does require special hardware and most likely won’t work on older computers.

Assuming you have the necessary hardware, how do you set up Windows Hello? Once you’ve done this, there will be an option to Setup under Face. Select this and follow the instructions.

To tag a file, right click it, select Properties, go to the Details tab, and if you click on the Tags section under Description you can add a tag from there — simply type it in. You can then use those tags when searching — for example, you could tag a few files as a specific work project, all of which would come up when you searched for that term at a later date. Tweaking these options is easy, and the one that will yield results for our purposes is Exclusions, which dictates the areas of the system that are left unchecked by Defender.

Is working with the keyboard and mouse too sluggish for your liking at times? Well, Windows 10 is a touchscreen-optimised operating system just as Windows 8 was , and that means it can do a lot of cool stuff rather swiftly with just a finger prod.

For example, swiping in from the left will bring you to Task View, an overview of all the apps running currently. Swiping in from the right brings up Action Center, where notifications are displayed and settings can be changed. Swiping down from the top produces a title bar complete with minimisation tools. One desktop not enough for you? Well, handily enough, Windows 10 lets you run multiple virtual desktops so you can work across different projects on just the one monitor screen.

To close these desktops, go back to Task View and hit the cross. There is no limit on how many virtual desktops you can create, incidentally. Say you have the Settings app and an Edge window open side-by-side.

Settings is in the foreground but you want to scroll the Edge window. In Windows 8. Not anymore. Microsoft changed how Windows 10 works so that just having the mouse pointer over Edge is enough. Pretty neat. Cortana is a virtual assistant of many talents, and can help Windows 10 users out in many different ways. This will list all of the commands and functions Cortana can take care of, which includes setting reminders or calendar alerts, creating lists, getting directions, working out sums and calculations, checking the weather, or your stocks, flight times and so on.

You might also want to check out how to fix a stuck Windows update opens in new tab. Max Slater-Robins has been writing about technology for nearly a decade at various outlets, covering the rise of the technology giants, trends in enterprise and SaaS companies, and much more besides. Originally from Suffolk, he currently lives in London and likes a good night out and walks in the countryside. Current page: Getting started with Windows North America. Image Credit: TechRadar. Max Slater-Robins.

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Windows 10 home problems free.Windows 10 problems

 
Retrieved March 8, Luckily, Microsoft’s suggested workaround is simple: if you find your Start menu won’t register anything you type, Microsoft recommends you open the Run app. Windows Update can also use a peer-to-peer system for distributing updates; by default, users’ bandwidth is used to distribute previously downloaded updates to other users, in combination with Windows 10 home problems free servers. If this isn’t the case, you can follow these steps instead:.

 

How to Repair Windows 10 for Free Without Losing Data (6 Ways).Use a fix-it tool with Windows 10

 

Often that goes smoothly. This guide targets two separate but intertwined groups: Those who have recently upgraded from Win7 or, less likely, Win8. Go to the Windows Update Troubleshooter page and download the Troubleshooter for your version of Windows. The downloaded file is called latestwu.

Click on the Advanced link, then click Run as Administrator. Click Next. The Troubleshooter will take a minute or two to scan your update files and settings. If it encounters any problems, it will fix them automatically.

To see the results of the scan, click the link to View detailed information. Click Close, and the Troubleshooter disappears. Try running the upgrade again. Sometimes the hidden folder used to store upgrades both Win7-to-Win10 and Win10 version-to-version can get corrupted. Corruption is bad in any form. Step 2. In Win10, click View, then check the box marked Hidden Items. Step 3. WoodySaidZapIt or something similar. Step 4. WoodySaidZapIt folder.

AskWoody Lounger jmwoods has detailed instructions for stopping the Windows Update service, renaming the SoftwareDistribution folder, then restarting Windows Update. Chances are very good that Windows will recognize the error of its ways and not bother you again, although it may take a couple of days for the activation routine to figure it out.

Grab a pencil and a piece of paper. Press Windows key-R. Note the space. Hit Enter. Choose your country. You will hear an automated voice give you an installation key. Write it down. Click Next on the slui dialog box and type in the numbers; you should be home free.

Tell the folks on the other end of the phone that you had a genuine copy of Windows 7 or 8. A good attitude and profuse thanks are called for.

If they suggest you reinstall Win7 or 8. Sometimes a gentle request for a supervisor works. Second, make sure you have the right upgrade: bit for bit machines, bit for most.

The download and update process can take a while, depending on how many drivers need updating. FixWin 10 isn’t just one of the best Windows 10 repair tools, it’s portable! You can use FixWin 10 to repair a huge variety of operating system issues. The program is divided into six neat sections, each representing problems with a specific component File Explorer, System Tools, etc.

Each section contains at least ten fixes see the full list here. Some fixes may require a reboot, but you’ll be informed of this when you click the Fix button.

Fixes vary from common irritants, such as the Recycle Bin icon failing to automatically update after emptying, to more advanced fixes like restoring access to the Registry Editor. The Additional Fixes section contains novel-but-useful tweaks, such as restoring the Sticky Notes delete warning dialog box, while the Troubleshooters section directs you to the relevant Windows 10 troubleshooter tool on your system. The integrated troubleshooters are sometimes the easiest option, at least before delving into the depths of your system.

This is immediately evident because both programs share the same easy-to-use interface. Unlike FixWin 10, which addresses Windows 10 issues and lets you fix them, this program enables you to quickly enable, disable, hide, or remove specific features from Windows. However, Ultimate Windows Tweaker puts all the options within neat sections that list relevant issues, which you can then address quickly.

Click the Create Restore Point button at the bottom left before you start, tick the changes you want to make, then click Apply at the bottom.

There are over Windows 10 tweaks that are available at the click of a button. Making changes to your OS has never been easier. Windows Repair All in One is another free and useful Windows 10 repair tool you can use to repair numerous Windows 10 issues.

The Windows Repair developer strongly suggests you should run the tool in Safe Mode for maximum effect. The repairs cover registry permissions, file permissions, Windows Firewall settings, Winsock and DNS cache fixes, Windows Update issues, and much more. If the utilities don’t fix your issues—and you know what you’re doing and understand the risks—you can head to the Repairs tab.

Here you have six options. The Open Repairs button opens the repair panel containing the numerous fixes available. The other options are preset to fix specific issues, such as malware cleanup, broken file permissions , and Windows Updates.

Windows 10 is a great operating system, and despite some well-documented irritations, most users seem to enjoy using it. And while we don’t necessarily disagree with the often repeated advice of using specialist tools, there’s a case to be made for the ease of usability that an all-in-one tool gives. Because let’s be honest, who has the time and money to go out and look up fixes for every other PC problem that pop-ups—especially when an alternative exists.

With Windows Repair Toolbox , you get a complete package of pretty much all the important repair tools you’ll need for your PC.

When you open up the application, you’ll see a host of other tools on the home screen, arranged in separate sections like Hardware, Repairs, Uninstaller , and more. So, when you have, say, a PC rife with generic Windows 10 errors, you’ll have with you a plethora of useful applications to choose from, available in the Repairs section.

To use any of these applications, simply click on one, and it’ll be downloaded and ready to use. The tool has other handy features as well. For instance, the Malware Removal tab offers a multitude of malware scan and removal solutions. RKill, Kaspersky, Microsoft, and even Ccleaner—it’s all here. There’s also a Run Unattended option that lets you run a scan without downloading any specific tool. All in all, we believe you won’t go wrong with this application as your first choice for a free Windows 10 repair tool.

Windows 10 has privacy issues, and Microsoft knows it. Windows 10 privacy control has improved slightly since its release, but the core issues of tracking, telemetry, and data gathering remain.