Computer Diagnostics and

PATHS to
RESOLUTIONS:
Step by Step Paths
 Update Stuck Downloading or Won't
Install
• Windows 10 automatically updates its packages if you have this option turned on.
Sometimes, updates get pushed altogether, so it may cause errors in download or
installation. This is especially true if your connection is faulty. If the Windows Auto
Update File won't download or install, likely, the file is already corrupted. Here is
how you can solve this:
• Press Win + R to open Run.
• Type C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and then select OK.
• Delete all the files contained in the folder but not the folder itself.
• Restart your PC.
• Note: if some files don't get deleted, just boot into safe mode and start the process.
• Check recent Windows Update!!!
 Battery Draining Too Quickly
• If you have newly upgraded to Windows 10, chances are that the new
version has affected battery life. You can solve this by making sure your
drivers are up to date so that they don't strain with the new updates. You
can also turn off some features you don't need, such as Cortana. Go
to Search, type Cortana, and disable Let Cortana respond to Hey
Cortana.
• Automatic Windows Update may also take a toll on the battery. You can
turn it off by going to Update and Security, then Windows Update.
Select Advanced Options and toggle Off for Choose how updates are
delivered.
• Check applications running unnecessarily in Startup after LOGON.
 Default Application Choices Have
Changed
• Windows 10 works funny sometimes, especially when it cannot
remember the default apps you set.
• Press Win + I and choose System.
• From the left side pane, select Default apps.
• Choose the specific app of your choice to open files such as photos,
videos, documents, etc.
 Wi-Fi Connection Not Discoverable
• Before anything else, check to see if the VPN software you installed is not
yet compatible with the new OS. If this isn't the case, you can follow these
steps instead:
• Press Win + X and open Command Prompt (Admin).or Type Command
Prompt in Search box.
• Type in "reg delete HKCR\CLSID\{988248f3-alad-4 netcfg -v -u dni_dne"
• If this step doesn't work either, the problem might be on the drivers.
• Open Device Manager
• Expand on Network adapters. Right-click the available wireless adapter
and choose Update Driver Software.
 Touchpad Not Working: on Laptop
• On your keyboard's settings, you can check if the touchpad has a
toggle on/off option. If it does not have one, follow these:
• First, press Win + I and click on Devices.
• Choose Mouse & Touchpad, then select Additional mouse options.
• On the new window that opens, choose the Device Settings tab and
then Devices.
• Select your specific touchpad and Enable it if it isn't yet.
• You can also check and update the driver by right-clicking on the
touchpad and choosing Update Driver Software.
 Can't Install or Update Store Apps
• If your PC applications cannot install or update automatically, you can
try updating your Microsoft Store. In the Store, open settings and
then click Download and updates> Get updates. If this does not work,
try this other method:
• Open Start and go to Settings.
• Find the Updates & Security
• Click on Troubleshoot and then select Windows Store Apps.
• Windows will then automatically find and repair the store app that
cannot update or install.
 Microsoft Office Files Don't Open

• Press Win + X and choose Command Prompt (Admin).

• On the command line, input: icacls "%programfiles%\Microsoft
Office <n> (note: replace "<n>" with version number)" /grant *S-1-
<n>-2-1: (OI) (CI) RX
• Hit Enter this should help you open the office files.
• You can also repair Office installation by finding Office in Programs &
Features. Right-click on Office and select Online Repair.
 Flickering or Flashing Screen
• This problem may be caused by an incompatible display driver, or
some other application like an antivirus, iCloud or IDT Audio.
• To fix this, just>Update the specific driver by selecting in Device
Manager<.
• You may also uninstall and then reinstall after to fix any corrupted or
missing files in the installation.
Fixing problems with Bluetooth
connectivity
• Go over to Device Manager.
• Expand on the Bluetooth Driver, right-click, and select Update Driver.
• Wait for the update to download and complete, then restart.
Fixing black screen errors
• Black Screen Errors can be caused by different reasons, but it is most
likely because of errors in plugged in external devices, RAM or
incompatibility issues with Windows 10.
• Shut down and then restart your PC, then hold down the Shift key as
soon as it boots to enter the Safe Mode.
• Wait for the PC to start in Safe Mode Follow instructions and this
should guide you in a resolve of the black screen.
• Check hardware issue (RAM), remove and switch around to check for
bad RAM stick.
 Solving sound problems
• Old sound drivers that are not updated along with the Windows 10
version will cause audio problems; one being that you won't be able
to hear anything even if you mute/unmute/volume up or down
multiple times.
• You can solve this problem simply by finding the Audio
Driver from Device Manager, and then proceeding with updating the
driver software automatically online from the right-click options.
 
 Enable System Restore
• In the search box, key in System and choose System Protection.
• Choose a drive and press Configure to turn on system protection.
• Click Turn On System Protection in the Restore Settings tab and
press OK to exit the window.
 Fix slow boot times
• Windows can be subject to a slow boot or slow startup, taking too
long for the desktop to appear.
• From Start, search Power Options.
• The Control Panel window for this selection will appear. On the left
side pane, select Select what power buttons do.
• Select Change settings and uncheck the Turn on fast startup
• Click on Save changes.
 Stop Windows 10 using 4G data
• Windows 10 often uses an obscene amount of internet bandwidth
which can mess up your data plan and usage. You can turn it off so it
does not run in the background:
• In Settings, select Network & Internet.
• Choose Wi-Fi and then click on Advanced Options.
• Select the Set as metered connection option ON to stop Windows
from fetching unnecessary data updates.
• Note: this method does not work on Ethernet-connected computers.
 Turn on Pop-Up Blocker in Edge
• If you are a Microsoft Edge user, popup web ads might be an annoying
occurrence to you.
• Simply disable the popups by choosing the three-dot menu on the
upper right hand of the window and choose Settings.
• Go to View Advanced Settings and set to ON the Block popups
selection.
 Files opening with the wrong default
apps
• If your file opens with the wrong app or a program that you don't
recognize, you can just set it to your desired app by following these
steps:
• Find a file that opens on a wrong app and right-clicks on it.
• Select Open with and then choose Choose another app.
• Highlight the specific app you want to open the file by clicking on it.
• Check the box beside Always use this app.
 Speeding up your PC

• Having too many applications on startup can slow down your PC by a lot.
Since they run in the background, they will take up some of your precious
drive space, making the computer boot slower. Some of these apps are
unnecessary, so you can easily stop them from running as soon as you boot
your computer.
• Press the CTRL + SHIFT + ESC buttons simultaneously and select More Details.
• Find the Startup tab on the Task Manager.
• Pick the apps or services you don't want to run at startup, right-click, and
select Disable.
• You can restart your PC and observe if it improved the speed of your PC.
 Fix computer booting very slowly
• A slow PC may be caused by a host of things, including very low
memory, malware, or damaged drive. Before anything, try rebooting
your computer and check whether the problem is solved. If not:
• In Task Manager, open the Startup tab and disable the background
apps that run upon booting PC.
• You can also try deleting temporary files. In the Search field,
type %temp%.
• In the Run window, a list of temp files will show. Select and delete
those that you do not need anymore, since they take up a lot of
memory.
Disable lock screen advertisement to speed
up your machine
• Windows 10 has an added (and unneeded) update in their lock screen
feature that introduces lock screen ads. This appears after a few
minutes of inactivity and replaces your wallpaper, which can be
annoying. Also, it could slow down the switch from the lock screen to
the wallpaper if this option is enabled.
• Select the cogwheel icon in the Start
• In the Settings window, select Personalization and then Lock Screen.
• On the Background menu drop-down, select the option other than
Microsoft Spotlight.
• Unselect the option to put fun facts, tips, and more on the lock screen.
 Making DVDs work again
• Windows 10 removed the free application that plays DVD and gives
users a paid version (hmm!), but it surely is impractical to purchase an
app that can be done by another free application.
• You can just download and install the VLC Media Player for free by
searching the official website with the download link. VLC supports a
lot of video formats, so it's the best free option to play DVDs on
Windows 10 again.
• Check DVDs for scratches and cracks.
 Banish annoying notifications
• The Action Center is a feature in Windows 10 that compiles all
notifications at the bottom right corner of the desktop. While it is
useful, it is also annoying since every time a logged-in application
sends a notification, it pops up on the screen with a ping. To disable:
• Go to Settings.
• Select System and then Notifications & Actions.
• On the list, toggle OFF for apps that you don't want to appear in the
notification center.
• You may also switch off third-party app notifications from the menu.
Stopping Windows 10 from using loads of
data
• Since Windows 10 is optimized to get updates in real-time, the Windows
updates happen automatically. This means that apps are running in the
background, making this OS a data-consuming version. The system uses your
connection to push updates to other PC's, but you can disable this.
• In the Search box, type in Updates & Security. Click on the top result.
• Select and click Windows Update.
• Choose Advanced Options.
• Click on Choose how updates are delivered.
• Select the option that says PCs on My Local Network.
• You may also disable it if you want to.
 Use Quick Access to speed up
navigation
• In your File Explorer, you will see the Quick Access selection on the
left-hand pane of the window. There you can see files, folders, and
documents you have accessed recently. You can also choose to drag
and drop specific files on Quick Access to save time navigating around
the many folders in a drive.
• To set Quick Access as the default window upon starting File Explorer,
simply open View tab next to Share and then select Options. You will
then see and click Change folder and search options and then Open
File Explorer to.
• On the drop-down menu, select Quick Access and click OK.
 Moving apps to a different drive
• Running out of memory in your drives is also an annoying yet common issue for
Windows 10. When your PC has a lot of programs installed, it would affect the drive's
total memory, especially if you install these programs in one drive. If you have effective
partitions on your PC, you can easily free up space by transferring applications from one
drive to another.
• Click on Start, then Settings.
• Select System and hit Next.
• Choose the Apps & Features
• Click on a specific program and select the Move
• You will see a list of available drive location to move the program. Select one with more
free memory and click OK.
• Windows will then automatically transfer the app to the desired drive.