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How to use the SFC command utility to fix system files on Windows 10

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If Windows 10 isn't working correctly, you can use the SFC command-line utility to repair corrupted or missing system files.

When you begin to notice random errors, issues during boot or Windows components are not working as they should on your computer there is a good chance that one or more system files may have gone missing or corrupted.

Even though Windows 10 does a good job protecting files that are necessary for your PC to work correctly, applications, drivers, or even Windows Update may sometimes be the cause of system instability. Like in previous versions, for these situations, Windows 10 includes the System File Checker (SFC), a tiny but powerful command-line utility that can scan the integrity and replace any corrupted or missing protected system file with a known good version.

In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to use System File Checker (SFC) to repair any damaged system file automatically while you're running the operating system, offline using Advanced startup, and manually when SFC is unable to fix the problem.

Before you begin, it's important to note that you'll be making changes to your system, as such it's recommended to do a full backup or create a system restore point in case things go wrong, and you need to roll back.

How to scan and repair system files on Windows 10

The following command will do a full scan of the protected system files on your computer and fix any file that are causing issues while Windows 10 is up and running.

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin), as you will need administrator permissions to run SFC.
  2. In the Command Prompt type the following command and press Enter:

    sfc /scannow

  3. Once the scan completes, you will see one of the following messages:

    • Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations: This indicates that your system doesn't have any missing or corrupted files.
    • Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation: This message means that there was a problem during the scan and an offline scan is required.
    • Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. Details are included in the CBS.Log %WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log: You will get this message when SFC was able to fix the problem. Now, you can move on or you can view the logs to get more details.
    • Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log %WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log: In this case, you'll need to repair the corrupted files manually.

Quick Tip: You may want to run the command around three times to fix all the problems.

How to view the details of an SFC scan

To see the details of a System File Checker stored in the CBS.Log file, you'll need to make a readable copy on your desktop:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt.
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log >"%userprofile%\Desktop\sfclogs.txt"

  3. Open the sfclogs.txt located on the desktop with Notepad. The file will contain all the details of the scanned system files and information for files that couldn't be repaired.

Note: Details for SFC scans are only available when you do a scan within Windows, not when you do an offline scan on Command Prompt.

How to scan and repair system files on Windows 10 offline

Sometimes protected system files that need to be repaired are loaded in memory while Windows 10 is running. If this is the case, you can run SFC offline to fix your computer.

  1. Use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
  2. Click Update & security.
  3. Click Recovery.
  4. Under Advanced startup, click Restart now.

  5. Click Troubleshoot.
  6. Click Advanced options.
  7. Click Command Prompt to boot your computer only with Command Prompt.

  8. On reboot, you'll be prompted to enter your username and password to continue.
  9. Whenever you need to run SCF outside of Windows, you need to tell the utility exactly where the Windows installation files are. On Command Prompt, type the following command to understand the location of the Windows and System Reserved partitions.

    wmic logicaldisk get deviceid, volumename, description

  10. Type the following command, and press Enter:

    sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=D:\Windows

    Note: We're using the /offboodir switch to specify the drive letter of the System Reserved partition, which in this case is C, and the /offwindir switch specifies the location of the Windows files, which in this case is D:\Windows.

    Keep in mind that when you boot your computer with Command Prompt, the drive letters may be different, which is why you need to use the command on step 9. However, most of the time, when working with Windows 10, D: is usually the drive letter for the installation and C: is the letter for the System Reserved partition.

  11. Once the scan is complete, close Command Prompt.

  12. Click Continue to exit and go back to Windows 10.

How to repair system files manually on Windows 10

If the System File Checker couldn't fix one or more files, you will need to repair them manually.

Open the sfclogs.txt file to determine which are the corrupted files, find where they belong by doing a simple file search or use your preferred Internet search engine to get more details. Then follow the instructions below to replace the corrupted file.

Quick Tip: You can find known good system file copies on another computer running the same version of the operating system like the one running on your PC.

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Take ownership of the corrupted system file. In the Command Prompt type the following command, and press Enter:

    takeown /f C:\Path-and-File-Name

    Note: Replace C:\Path-and-File-Name with the path and name of the corrupted file. For example, C:\Windows\System32\appraiser.dll.

  3. Allow full admin access to the corrupted file using the following command and press Enter:

    icacls C:\Path-and-File-Name /Grant Administrators:F

  4. Replace the file in question with a good copy using the following command and press Enter:

    copy C:\Path-SOURCE-and-File-Name C:\Path-DESTINATION-and-File-Name

    Note: You need to replace C:\Path-SOURCE-and-File-Name with the source path and file name of the known good file, and you also need to replace C:\Path-DESTINATION-and-File-Name with the destination path and name of the damaged file. Here's an example: copy D:\Files\appraiser.dll C:\Windows\System32\appraiser.dll.

  5. Type Yes and press Enter to confirm the overwrite.

After replacing the file, you can type SFC /verifyonly command and press Enter in Command Prompt to verify the integrity of all the system files to see if the problem has been fixed. Alternatively, if you repaired only a few files, you can test the integrity of each file by using the sfc /VERIFYFILE=C:\Path-and-File-Name command (e.g., sfc /VERIFYFILE=C:\Windows\System32\kernel32.dll).

Keep in mind that you're not limited to use this utility on Windows 10, SFC is a command-line tool available on previous versions of the operating system. However, you may find different features depending on the version you're running. In Command Prompt (Admin) use the sfc /? command to list the features available to you.

More on Windows 10

For more tips, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:


How to update your older Windows Phone to Windows 10 Mobile

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Windows 10 Mobile

As you may know, Microsoft has finally begun rolling out the over-the-air update for Windows 10 Mobile to a select number of older Windows Phones devices. Here's how you can find out if your phone is eligible and how to download the update if it is actually available for your device.

1. Check the list:

Only a small number of Windows Phones can currently support the Windows 10 Mobile upgrade. Here's the list of phones as it stands right now, but keep in mind that Microsoft will likely update this list in the coming weeks and months.

  • Lumia 1520
  • Lumia 930
  • Lumia 640
  • Lumia 640XL
  • Lumia 730
  • Lumia 735
  • Lumia 830
  • Lumia 532
  • Lumia 535
  • Lumia 540
  • Lumia 635 1GB
  • Lumia 636 1GB
  • Lumia 638 1GB
  • Lumia 430
  • Lumia 435
  • BLU Win HD w510u,
  • BLU Win HD LTE x150q,
  • MCJ Madosma Q501

2. Download and use the Upgrade Advisor app:

If your phone is indeed on the list above, your next step is to download and install Microsoft's Upgrade Advisor app:

Download Upgrade Advisor from the Windows Store

QR: Upgrade Advisor

After you open the app on your Windows Phone, all you have to do is tap "Next" to see if the Windows 10 Mobile update is available to download. If it is, you should see the app display what's below:

Upgrade Advisor

3. Download the upgrade

After you tap "Done" on the Upgrade Advisor app, the last step is to go to "Settings" on your Windows Phone, then go to the "Phone Update" selection to check again for the Windows 10 Mobile update. You should be able to start downloading the upgrade if it's ready.

Settings

By the way, there are actually two separate downloads. One will update the device to build 10586.107. When that download is installed, check for another update for the final Windows 10 Mobile build 10586.164

Thanks to Karim for the screenshots!

How to set up and manage a Network Bridge connection on Windows 10

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When there aren't ports available on the router and Wi-Fi connectivity isn't possible, then use Network Bridge on Windows 10 to join other PCs to the network.

Network Bridge is a feature that has been part of Windows for a long time. A bridge allows you to connect two or more network segments together allowing devices to join the network when it's not possible to connect them directly to a router or switch.

For example, on an Xbox 360 without a wireless adapter, an Xbox One that no longer connects to Wi-Fi, or when a computer is far away from the router, you can use Network Bridge to share your computer's connection (e.g., Ethernet or Wireless) with these devices to allow access the network. Once devices connect using a bridge, they will appear as if they were physically connected to the router.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to properly set up a bridge connection on your desktop or laptop to allow other devices to join your local network and to access the internet.

Before you begin

Before you start setting up a bridge connection on Windows 10, you will need at least two network adapters. One that is connected to the internet and a second adapter that will be used to connect another computer.

Additionally, as a result of setting up a bridge on Windows 10 (or on previous versions of the operating system), the primary network adapter on the host computer will lose internet connectivity.

To regain access to the internet, you will need to set a static IP address to your computer manually. The first thing you want to do is to save to a text file the current IP address information assigned by the DHCP server on your local network.

To get the IP address information from your computer follow these steps:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt.
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    ipconfig /all

  3. Make note of the IP address configuration of the network adapter connected to the internet. You need to record the following information: IPV4, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers addresses.

Note: You can use an IP address dynamically assigned by the DHCP server as static only as a temporary solution. On best practice you should assign an IP address in the range that doesn't belong to the DHCP address pool on your router. For more information on how to find the DHCP server configuration make sure to check your router's manufacturer support website.

How to create a Network Bridge on Windows 10

  1. Use the Windows key + X to open the Power User menu and select Network Connections.
  2. Select both, the network adapter that connects to the internet and the adapter you want to use in the bridge connection.
  3. Right-click the selection and click Bridge Connections.

At this point, the device connected to the bridge port should have access to the network and internet with the IP address information coming from the router, but the computer hosting the bridge won't be able to access the internet unless you have a third network adapter that is also connected to the network or a static IP address .

How to regain internet access after setting up a bridge connection

To regain access to the internet from the host computer do the following:

  1. Use the Windows key + X to open the Power User menu and select Network Connections.
  2. Right-click the bridge adapter and select Properties.

  3. Select the network adapter that connects to the internet.
  4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
  5. Click Properties.

  6. Select the Use the following IP address option.
  7. Use the IP address information you collected at the beginning of this guide to assign a static IP address like is shown in the screenshot below.

  8. Click OK.
  9. Click Close to complete the task.

How to add more network adapters to a bridge connection

You're not limited only to offer bridge connectivity to a single network adapter. At any time, you can add multiple adapters.

  1. Right-click the network adapter and select Add to Bridge.
  2. Connect a game console or another computer and the device will automatically acquire the network settings from the local router.

How to remove a bridge connection from your computer

When you no longer need a bridge connection, select one or all the participating network adapters, and select Remove from Bridge.

At this point, the bridge adapter should disappear from Network Connections, but if it doesn't, simply reboot your computer.

The last thing left to do is to remove the IP address static settings and let your PC once again get this information automatically from the router.

  1. Right-click the network adapter and select Properties.
  2. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
  3. Click Properties.
  4. Select the Obtain an IP address automatically option.
  5. Select the Obtain DNS server address automatically option.

  6. Click OK.
  7. Click Close to complete the task.

Network Bridge or Internet Connection Sharing?

It's important to note that Network Bridge is very similar to the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) feature, but they're not the same.

When you use Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), you will convert your computer into a router, which uses a built-in DHCP server to assign IP addresses to computers participating in ICS. It also offers Network Address Translation (NAT) that allows multiple devices to connect to the network using the ICS host as the middle man.

On the other hand, Network Bridge doesn't turn the host computer into a router and you won't get Network Address Translation. It only provides a medium (bridge) in which other devices can connect directly to the network and obtain the same IP address scheme every other computer connected to the network is using.

Which feature you should use? The answer to the question is: "depends". Both features offer similar benefits. If your local network already includes a router connected to the internet and you want a seamless network integration where all devices share the same network addressing scheme, then you should consider using Network Bridge.

If you need a router-like feature, and you want to keep the network segments separated while taking advantage of the security benefits of Network Address Translation, then you'll be better suited using Internet Connection Sharing.

In theory, a bridge connection is more efficient, because the host is only a pass-through, and all the routing process will occur in the local router and not on the host computer.

Remember that Network Bridge and Internet Connection Sharing have been designed only for home and small office networks, and for scenarios, where a wireless connection can't be established, or a cable run to the main router or switch is not possible. These features are not recommended as networking solutions for businesses. In addition, there can only be one Network Bridge or one Internet Connection Sharing per-computer.

Windows 10 resources

For more tips, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

Put some super in your screen with this Wallpaper Wednesday

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Your phone is like your utility belt, so that makes you Batman, doesn't it?

Don't let your home screen fall into a rut — switch out your wallpaper!

Wallpapers are important. They can give our phone a new feel, even if only for a little while. Some of us change wallpapers as often as we change shirts (sometimes to match), while some of us set one wallpaper and forget it, and that's a shame. A good wallpaper can be a pick-me-up, can remind us of better times (and upcoming times). They can show off what's important to us, be it a picture of the grandkids or an emblem of your favorite house in Game of Thrones. In an effort to brighten your screen, and maybe your day, we present an offering of wonderful wallpapers to grace your smartphone.

If you've got a wallpaper you use everywhere, share it in the comments below! We're always looking for something new. Now get your wallpaper picker ready and see what's in store this week.

Dawn of Justice by cainulgen

Dark vs light. God vs man.

This dramatic scene feels like it'd be a bit too colorful for the Snyderverse we're about to get, but it's wonderfully stages and I rather like the reds and blues over the scene as Superman intimidates Batman. And look at his cape! That is some top-notch cape action. And is that a jetpack I spy on Batman's capeless back? Time to take the fight to the skies. This vibrant wall can pump you up every time you wake your phone.

Dawn of Justice by cainulgen

Loser by The-Orange-One

Lois Lane is calling you a loser. What are you gonna do about it?

Bright. Bold, Beautiful. Lois is calling you out to step up your game in this wallpaper, or pointing at a specific app on your homescreen. Just look at that purple hair, too! I'm getting a bit of a Futurama vibe from it. The way The-Orange-One has stylized the Metropolis crew for her 'The Daily Planet Files' is fresh and just makes we want to binge a whole series in this style. Ya hear that, WB Animation?! A whole series!

Loser by The-Orange-One

Emblems of the Heroes by Kalangozilla

I got an Aquaman wall in two weeks in a row! OUTRAGEOUS!

We're gonna get a pretty big dose of superheroes this week, but let's not kid ourselves, there's a lot of heroes out there, and they couldn't possibly fit them all in? Well, even if they won' be showing up this go around, that doesn't mean we can't show our support with a t-shirt or wallpaper for our favorite heroes! This is a massive gallery of superhero logo wallpapers, along with logos for a lot of popular TV shows, anime, and cartoons. Somewhere in the 13 pages of wallpapers is one that's right for you. He even has Megaman! The good one!

Emblems of the Heroes by Kalangozilla

Minimal Batman by Cheetashock

I am vengeance. I am the night.

What can I say, a good minimal wallpaper speaks for itself! I will say that like the logo gallery we just mentioned, deviantart user Cheetashock has a collection of wallpapers for the entire Justice League, including John Stewart, Green Lantern that I grew up with and will always be the GL in my heart. (Sorry Hal. Go fly your jets with your silver spoon girlfriend/nemesis.)

Minimal Batman by Cheetashock

Wonder Woman by Struck-Br

By the goddess.

Wonder Woman is the hero I have the highest hopes for heading into theaters this week. The Amazon warrior princess is not without her share of love by the fans, and this retro-looking wallpaper is fit for any device and any fan. And if you see me looking for silver gauntlets this weekend… well, Comic-con is coming up.

Wonder Woman by Struck-Br

How to set up and manage an FTP server on Windows 10

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If you want to create your own private cloud and be able to share and transfer large files without restrictions, then build your own FTP server on Windows 10.

Building your own FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server can be one of the easiest and most convenient solutions to transfer file through a private or public network without limitations and restrictions typically found with most cloud storage services.

There are also many benefits running your FTP server. For example, it's private, and you have absolute control. It's fast (depending on your internet connection speeds), and there is virtually no limits on the amount and type of data you can store.

Also, you don't have restrictions on file sizes either, which means that you can transfer something as small as a text file or a 1000GB PC backup, and you can even create multiple accounts to let friends and family access or store content remotely too.

You'll find many third-party software on the internet to build a file transfer server, but Windows includes an FTP server feature that you can set up without the need to resource to other solutions. In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to successfully set up and manage an FTP server on your PC to transfer files from your home network or remotely over the internet.

How to install an FTP server on Windows 10

Very similar to previous versions, Windows 10 includes the necessary components to run an FTP server. Follow the steps below to install an FTP server on your PC:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Programs and Features.
  2. Click the Turn Windows features on or off link.

  3. Expand Internet Information Services and check the FTP Server option.
  4. Expand FTP Server and check the FTP Extensibility option.
  5. Check Web Management Tools with the default selections.
  6. Click OK to begin the installation.

  7. Click Close.

How to configure an FTP site on Windows 10

After installing the necessary components to run an FTP server on your PC, you need to create an FTP site using the following instructions:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Control Panel.
  2. Open Administrative Tools.
  3. Double-click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

  4. Expand and right-click Sites on the Connections pane.
  5. Select Add FTP Site.

  6. Name your new FTP site and enter the path to the FTP folder you want to use to send and receive files.

    Note: You can also use the Make New Folder button to create a specific folder to store your FTP files.

  7. Click Next.

  8. On Binding and SSL Settings leave all the default settings, but change the SSL option to No SSL.

    Note: It's worth pointing out that in a business environment or on an FTP server that will host sensitive data, it's best practice to configure the site to require SSL.

  9. Click Next.

  10. On Authentication, check the Basic option.
  11. On Authorization, select Specified users from the drop-down menu.
  12. Type the email address of your Windows 10 account or local account name to allow yourself access to the FTP server.
  13. Check the options Read and Write.
  14. Click Finish.

How to allow an FTP server through Windows Firewall

If you have Windows Firewall running on your computer, then the security feature will block any connections trying to access the FTP server. Use the steps below to allow the FTP server through the firewall.

  1. Open the Start menu, do a search for Windows Firewall, and press Enter.
  2. Click the Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall link.

  3. Click the Changes settings button.
  4. Select FTP Server and make sure to allow it on a Private and Public network.
  5. Click OK.

At this point, you should be able to use your favorite FTP client to connect your newly created FTP server from your local network.

Note: Make sure to check your software vendor support website for specific instructions to allow an FTP server, if you're using another security software other than the Windows Firewall.

How to configure a router to allow external connections

For your FTP server to be reachable from the internet, you need to configure your router to open TCP/IP port number 21 to allow connections to your PC.

The instructions to forward a port will vary from router-to-router, but below you'll find the steps to configure most routers. (For more specific instructions to forward TCP/IP ports, you should check your router's manufacturer support website.)

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt.
  2. Type the following command: ipconfig and press Enter.
  3. Make note of the Default Gateway IP address, which is the IP address of your router. Typically, it's private address in the 192.168.x.x range. For example, 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1.

  4. Open your default web browser.
  5. On the address bar enter the router's IP address and press Enter.
  6. Sign-in with your router credentials.
  7. Find the Port Forwarding section -- usually you'll find this feature under the WAN or NAT settings.
  8. Create a new port forwarding that includes the following information:

    • Service name: You can use any name. For example, FTP-Server.
    • Port rage: You must use port 21.
    • PC's TCP/IP address: Open Command Prompt, type ipconfig, and the IPv4 address is your PC's TCP/IP address.
    • Local TCP/IP port: You must use port 21.
    • Protocol: TCP.

  9. Apply the new changes, and save the new router configurations.

How to access an FTP server from any PC

Here's the quickest way to test your FTP server, after configuring the firewall, and forwarding port 21 on your router.

Open your default web browser and in the address bar type your Windows 10 PC IP address, on an FTP link format, and press Enter. The address should look like this: FTP://192.168.1.105.

Note: I'm using Internet Explorer, because Microsoft Edge seems not to include the functionality to browse FTP sites. You can also opt to use Chrome, Firefox, or another modern web browser.

To test if your FTP server is reachable from the internet, visit Google or Bing, do a search for "What's my IP?". Note your public IP address from the results and type it into the address bar using the FTP link format and press Enter.

If you get a login prompt, then everything is working as expected. Simply enter your account credentials and you're should be able to sign-in.

How to upload files to an FTP server on Windows 10

Keep in mind that the method shown above is only useful to test, browse, and download files from an FTP site. You have to use the following instructions to be able to browse, download and upload files.

  1. Use the Windows key + E keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer.
  2. On the address bar type your public IP address on an FTP format. For example, FTP://172.217.3.14.
  3. Enter your username and password.
  4. Check the Save password option.
  5. Click Log On.

Using this method, you can browse, download, and upload files as if FTP server was just another drive connected to your computer.

Furthermore, you can also right-click Quick Access on the left pane and select Pin current folder to Quick Access to easily reconnect to the FTP server at a later time.

Quick Tip: You're not limited to use only File Explorer, you can use any FTP client like the popular FileZilla open source software to transfer files over a local or public network.

How to create multiple FTP accounts on Windows 10

If you want to allow other people to access your FTP server too, you can create multiple accounts with specific permissions to download and upload files.

To let other people access to your FTP server, you need to create a new Windows 10 account for each user, associate each account with the FTP home directory, and configure the appropriate settings. Follow the steps below to accomplish these tasks:

Add a new user account on Windows 10

  1. Use the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Click Accounts.
  3. Click Family & other users.
  4. Click Add someone else to this PC.

  5. Click the I don't have this person's sign-in information link.

  6. Click the Add a user without a Microsoft account link.

  7. Enter the new user account information and click Next to complete the task.

    Note: This account will be accessed from the internet, as such make sure to use a strong and secure password.

Add a new user account to access the FTP folder

  1. Right-click the FTP folder and select Properties.
  2. Click the Security tab.
  3. Click Edit.

  4. Click Add.

  5. Enter the user account name and click Check Name.
  6. Click OK.

  7. On Group or user names, select the user account you just created, and select the appropriate permissions.

  8. Click Apply.
  9. Click OK.

Configure a new user account to access the FTP server

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Control Panel.
  2. Open Administrative Tools.
  3. Double-click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
  4. Expand Sites.
  5. Select the FTP site and double-click Authorization Rules.

  6. Right-click on and select Add Allow Rules from the context menu.

  7. Select Specified user and enter the name of the Windows 10 user account you created earlier.
  8. Set the Read and Write permissions you want the user to have.
  9. Click OK.

Now the new user should be able to connect to the server with their own credentials. Repeat the steps mentioned above to add more users to your FTP server.

Wrapping things up

In this guide, you learned to set up and manage your own private FTP server without third-party software, and we've shown you different methods to access your files remotely. Just remember that your PC must be turned on and connected to the internet for the FTP server to work, you won't be able to access any files if your computer is in Sleep or Hibernation mode.

The FTP feature is available on Windows 10 Pro as well as on Windows 10 Home, and previous versions of the operating system.

Windows 10 resources

For more interesting guides, tips, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

How to use DISM command-line utility to repair a Windows 10 image

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Is your Windows 10 PC slowing you down, and the SFC utility is unable to fix the problem? Then use DISM to repair the Windows image to enable SFC to do its job.

Windows 10 includes a nifty command-line utility known as Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM). It's fairly a new tool, which Microsoft first introduced with the original release of Windows 8, and now comes installed by default on Windows 10 and Windows 8.1.

The utility can be used to repair and prepare Windows images, including the Windows Recovery Environment, Windows Setup, and Windows PE. Also, DISM can be used to fix the recovery image within an installation of the operating system and even to service a virtual hard disk.

If your computer begins to feel buggy and you notice problems during boot, you can use the System File Checker (SFC) command-line utility to check the integrity and replace any corrupted or missing protected system files with a known good version.

When SFC is unable to fix the problem, chances are the utility was unable to get the necessary files from the Windows image, which might have become broken. In this situation, you can use DISM to repair the Windows image (.wim), which then it will allow you to use the System File Checker to fix any issue with your Windows 10 installation.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to use the command-line DISM to help you get your system back to a healthy state.

Before you begin

It's important to note that you'll be making changes to your computer, as such it's recommended to do a full backup or create a system restore point in case things go wrong, and you need to rollback the changes.

How to run DISM commands to fix Windows 10

There are three main options you can use with DISM to repair the Windows image on your computer, including CheckHealth, ScanHealth, and RestoreHealh -- and you want to use them in this order.

Using DISM with the CheckHealth option

Use the DISM command with the /CheckHealth switch to verify whether any corruption has been detected. This command can only be used to see if corruption exists, but it doesn't perform any repairs.

To run the command do the following:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Using DISM with the ScanHealth option

Use the DISM command with the /ScanHealth switch to scan the Windows image for any corruption. Unlike the /CheckHealth, the /ScanHealth switch can take up to 10 minutes to complete the process.

To run the command do the following:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

Using DISM with the RestoreHearlh option

Use the DISM command with the /RestoreHealth switch to scan the Windows image for any corruption and to perform a repair automatically. Unlike the /ScanHealth switch, the /RestoreHealth switch can take up to 20 minutes to complete the process.

To run the command do the following:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Note: While the running DISM using the /RestoreHealth or /ScanHealth, you will notice the process will seem stuck at 20% or 40%, but it's normal behavior. After a few minutes, the operation will finish as expected.

When you run the command mentioned above, DISM will try to use Windows Update to replace the damaged files. However, if the problem has also extended to the Windows Update components, then you'll need to specify a source containing the known good files to repair the image.

Using DISM with the RestoreHearlh and Source options

You can specify a new location for the known good files by using the /Source switch alongside /RestoreHealth.

Before you can use the repair command, you will either need a copy of the install.wim file from another computer running the same version of the operating system, the Windows 10 installation media, or the Windows 10 ISO file with all the known good files.

You can download the ISO for Windows 10 using these instructions:

  1. Visit the Microsoft Windows 10 download page.
  2. Click the Download tool now button.
  3. Double-click the file to run the Media Creation Tool.
  4. Follow the on-screen directions to create an ISO file with the same version and edition of your current version of Windows 10.
  5. Once the process completes, double-click the file to mount the ISO, and note the drive letter as you'll need it set the source path.

Now you are ready to run the command to fix the Windows image:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:repiarSource\install.wim

    Or you can also run the following to limit the use of Windows Update:

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:repiarSource\install.wim /LimitAccess

Note: Remember to replace "repairSource" for the path to the source with known good files. For example, D:\Sources\install.wim.

The command will perform a Windows image repair using the known good files included within the install.wim file using the Windows 10 installation media, and without trying to use Windows Update as a source to download the required files for repair.

Using DISM with an install.ESD file

Alternatively, you can not only specify a source pointing to install.WIM, but you can also use an install.ESD file, which is an encrypted version of Windows image.

If you have upgraded to Windows 10 from a previous version of the operating system, the installation files may still stored on the C: drive, which means that you may just have a source of known good files.

To use the install.esd to repair the Windows image in your computer use the following steps:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\Install.esd

    Or you can also run the following to limit the use of Windows Update:

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\Install.esd /LimitAccess

    Or if the install.esd is located on another drive use the following command:

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:repairSource\Install.esd

Note: Remember to replace "repairSource" for the path to the source with known good files. For example, D:\Sources\install.esd.

The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) utility will always create a log file at %windir%/Logs/CBS/CBS.log capturing any problems the command-line utility fixed or found.

How to repair Windows 10 problems

The instructions you've learned thus far are to repair the Windows image. Now you can use the Windows image to fix the problems in your Windows 10 installation using the System File Checker (SFC) utility.

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. In the Command Prompt type the following command and press Enter:

    sfc /scannow

Quick Tip: It could take up to three tries for SFC to fix the issue.

This SFC command will scan and repair system files on Windows 10, but now with access to replace missing or corrupted files using known good files from the Windows image.

There is more to SFC command-line utility. You can learn more about SFC in our previous Windows 10 guide.

Windows 10 resources

For more tips, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

How to install extensions on Microsoft Edge Preview

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Microsoft Edge Extensions

Starting with build 14291 for Windows 10 Insider Preview, insiders have been able to add a selection of extensions for Microsoft Edge.

Microsoft plans to make extensions available in the Windows Store, but for now, they have to be manually installed. There aren't many extensions available for preview, but we get a glimpse of how they can enhance the browsing experience. Read on for the steps!

  1. Click the ellipsis in (...) the top right corner of Microsoft Edge and select Extensions.

    Microsoft Edge extensions

  2. Tap or click Get extensions.

  3. Tap or click the Download button next to the extension you are interested in installing

  4. Select Run from the download notification.

    Microsoft Edge extensions

  5. Tap or click More (three dots) on the top right corner, then Extensions.

  6. Tap or click Load extension.

    Microsoft Edge extensions

  7. Choose the extension folder, then Select folder.

You're done! It'll be a lot easier when the extensions become available at the Windows Store, but, at least, Windows Insider members can get a preview of some extensions already.

One of the first extensions available for preview is Mouse Gestures. It lets you perform basic browsing tasks by right-clicking and then gesturing with the mouse. For example, right-click and hold, then move the mouse right and up to open a new tab, or move the mouse from right to left to go back to the previous page.

Another example is the Microsoft Translator extension, which can translate foreign language pages for over 50 languages. The translation icon will appear in the address bar when visiting a foreign-language web page in Microsoft Edge.

What kind of extensions would you like to see on Microsoft Edge? Let us know in the comments!

How to activate Dev Mode on your Xbox One console

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Developers building new Universal Windows Apps with Xbox One support can now turn their consoles into a developer kit to test new apps before submitting them to the Store.

During Build 2016 Day 1 keynote -- Microsoft's annual developer conference --, the company unveiled its software roadmap for the rest of the year and beyond. The software giant introduced new features coming to the next update of Windows 10, which is branding as "Anniversary Update", and it also talked about the changes the new update will bring to Xbox One.

Among the all the new changes, the Anniversary Update will bring support for Universal Windows Apps to Xbox One. Also, to help developers get those new apps ready in the Store, Microsoft is introducing the new Dev Mode, which turns any retail Xbox One console into a development kit. The mode is in a preview, but the company expects to have a final release in time for the roll out.

In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to activate the Dev Mode on your Xbox One to start building new and exciting apps for the game console. Additionally, we'll also show you the steps to deactivate the developer mode and safely go back to retail mode.

What you need to know before moving to Dev Mode

Before you make the switch to the new mode, there are a few things to keep in mind. For example, Xbox One now has two modes Retail Mode and Developer Mode, and depending on which mode you choose, the console will have access to a different set of features:

  • Retail Mode: This is the state of any consumer Xbox One console, which allows anyone to play games and apps from the Store.
  • Developer Mode (Dev Mode): This is the new state that developers can use to create new applications, but you can't run retail apps or play retail games. However, you can always switch between the two modes if you want to team up with friends to play games on Xbox Live.

If your console is part of the preview program, you can't activate the Dev Mode on your Xbox One. In this case, you will need to use the Xbox Preview Dashboard app to leave the program, which will reset the console to the factory default settings, and you will have to reinstall all your games and apps.

Once, you're back in the Retail Mode. You will be able to activate developer mode in your game console, which will trigger a new system update with the necessary components to test and help you build apps. However, the update includes experimental and pre-release software, as such features not working correctly, crashes, and data loss are expected scenarios.

How to activate the Dev Mode on your Xbox One

To enable the developer mode in your retail console use the following instructions:

  1. Open the Xbox One Store and do a search for the Dev Mode Activation app.
  2. Click on Download.

  3. Click Confirm to install the app.

  4. Navigate to My games & apps.
  5. Select Apps from the left pane.
  6. Click the Dev Mode Activation tile to open the app. Carefully read Microsoft's disclaimer before making the decision to switch.

    Note: Microsoft is just getting started. If you have any issues trying to run the app, leave it, and come back on later time.

  7. Note the code it will be displayed to you in the app.

  8. On your PC, open the web browser, and visit developer.microsoft.com/xboxactivate.
  9. Sign-in with your Dev Center account.
  10. If you don't have an account, you will be redirected to the Dev Center account registration page.
  11. In the page, follow the on-screen directions, where you'll be prompted to purchase either a Individual or Company subscription for $19.00 USD or $99.00 USD respectively.

  12. On developer.microsoft.com/xboxactivate, enter the activation code it was generated for you in your Xbox One.

    Note: There is a limited number of consoles that can be activated on your account. Once you activated your console, go back to the Dev Center online to check the remaining activations in your account.

  13. Click the Agree and activate button.
  14. After entering the code, your Xbox One will begin the activation process.
  15. Once the activation process completes, the console will proceed to install the required preview software, which it could take up to several hours.

  16. Followed by the activation and software installation, open the Dev Mode Activation app, and click the Switch and restart to begin the developer mode on Xbox One.

How to switch from Dev Mode to Retail Mode

Because you can't play retail games or run retail apps while in the developer mode, you can use the Dev Mode Activation app to switch back and forth between modes.

  1. Open to the Dev Home and click Leave developer mode button. After your console restarts, you will be back into Retail Mode.

How to switch from Retail Mode to Dev Mode

Once you're done having fun with your console and it's time to work, you can switch back to the Dev Mode with the following instructions.

  1. Open the Dev Mode Activation app.
  2. Click Switch and restart. After your console reboots, you'll be back in developer mode.

How to deactivate the Dev Mode on your Xbox One

When you no longer need to use the developer mode, you can use the following instructions to deactivate.

  1. Open to the Dev Home and click Leave developer mode button. After your console restarts, you will be back into Retail Mode.
  2. Open the Dev Mode Activation app located on My games & apps > Apps.
  3. Click the Deactivate button.

  4. Open My Games & apps.
  5. Select Apps from the left pane.
  6. Launch Settings from the list of apps.
  7. Navigate to System and open Console info & updates.
  8. Click the Reset console button.

  9. Click the Reset and remove everything button.

  10. Wait until the process completes and then reinstall your games and apps.

How to deactivate your Xbox One from the Dev Center

If after deactivating, you cannot access your console, you may also want to deactivate your Xbox One from the Dev Center.

  1. On your PC, open your web browser, and go to developer.microsoft.com/xboxactivate.
  2. Sign in with your Dev Center credentials.
  3. Click the Deactivate link for the console you want to remote.

Wrapping things up

While Microsoft is allowing anyone with a Dev Center account to turn their Xbox One console into a development kit, developers building new apps should be the only ones using the Dev Mode. Regular users making the switch won't get any benefits. Instead, they won't be able to play or run retail games or apps, and it will force them to reset their console to deactivate that specific mode.

Resources

For the latest coverage on Build 2016 and Xbox use these resources:

What Universal Windows Apps you want to see on Xbox One? Let us know in the comments below

Source & image credit Microsoft


How to ensure TRIM is enabled on Windows 10 to keep an SSD at top performance

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TRIM is an essential feature for an SSD to keep it on top performance and helps the drive to last much longer. Here's how to make sure the feature is enabled on Windows 10.

Besides getting a speedy processor and as much RAM as you can afford, a Solid State Drive (SSD) also plays a very important role in making your PC fast. However, an SSD will stay on it best performance and last longer only if it's properly maintained.

TRIM is an ATA command set that was originally designed for the purpose of keeping a Solid State Drive at its optimal performance throughout its lifespan.

The TRIM feature allows Windows 10, or any supported operating system, to notify an SSD which blocks of data are no longer in use and can be safely wiped out to be writable again. Having this operation done ahead of time improves performance, as the drive won't have to spend time erasing a particular block when space is needed to store new data, ensuring the SSD reaches its advertised lifespan.

While the operating system should properly detect and enable TRIM automatically, sometimes this may not happen. In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you the commands to make sure TRIM is configured and how to enable it when it's not.

How to check TRIM is enabled in your Windows 10 PC

Making sure that TRIM is enabled on Windows 10, you only need to use a command using the Command Prompt with administrator privileges.

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify

Explanation: If after executing the fsutil command with the DisableDeleteNotify you get a result of zero (0), then it means that TRIM is enabled, and no further action is required. However, if after running the command you see a result of one (1), then it means that TRIM is disabled.

How to enable TRIM on your Windows 10 PC

When TRIM isn't enabled on Windows 10, you need to do the following:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0

After running the command, you will notice the same DisableDeleteNotify = 0, which indicates that the feature is enabled.

How to disable TRIM

If at any time for any reason you need to disable TRIM, you need to do the following:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 1

For TRIM to work, both the operating system and the Solid State Drive must support the feature, and it must be enabled in the operating system.

While we're focusing the guide for Windows 10, you can use the same commands on Windows 7 and Windows 8.x.

Was TRIM enabled on your computer? Let us know in the comments below.

Windows 10 resources

For more tips, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

How to customize app notifications on Microsoft Band 2

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Microsoft Band 2 Lumia 950

The Microsoft Band 2 keeps getting better even after several months since its release date. The latest update that was released earlier this month added a social aspect to the Band, but there was another feature that was quietly added that we're equally happy about.

The Microsoft Band 2, in conjunction with the Microsoft Health mobile app, now lets you choose which apps send you notifications. You get notifications from only the apps you care about most. We'll show you how to set it up.

  1. Make sure you have the latest version of the Microsoft Health app on your phone. Check the Windows Store for updates.

  2. Open the Microsoft Health app on your phone, scroll down, and tap Add and Manage tiles at the bottom.

  3. Enable the Notification Center tile and tap the pencil icon next to it.

    Microsoft Health Notifications

  4. Take a look at the list and enable the apps you would like to show up in the Notification Tile on your Microsoft Band.

  5. When you're done, tap the back button and tap Confirm.

That's it! Previously, all the notifications on your Windows Phone get forwarded the Band. This new feature gives you more control.

This feature also fixes an annoying bug on Windows 10 Mobile that displayed my Outlook emails on both the Mail and Notification icons on my Microsoft Band 2. Now I can stop it from showing up in the Notification Tile, while still visible in the Mail tile.

The customizable app notifications is just one of the recently added features to the Microsoft Band 2, and we look forward to seeing more in the future. What would you like to see on the next update? Let us know in the comments!

Download Microsoft Health from the Windows Store

QR: Microsoft Health

Where to buy Microsoft Band 2

See at MicrosoftSee at Amazon

Make the most of Neverwinter Double XP Weekend with our Leveling Guide

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Make the most of Neverwinter Double XP Weekend with our Leveling Guide

Neverwinter is the free to play massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for Xbox One that takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. In anticipation of next month's expansion, The Maze Engine, Double XP weekend has just begun in Neverwinter. Time to get your adventurer leveled up and ready for the new Maze Engine content!

Double XP weekend runs from right now through Monday, 10 AM PT. Read on for detailed tips to help you level up faster, details of the next Neverwinter expansion, and how to join the Windows Central guild!

The importance of leveling up

Neverwinter XP guide Xbox One

Like any MMORPG, Neverwinter players will spend much of their time working towards the maximum experience level, 70. The game doesn't end there, though – that's when you reach the endgame content and the real fun begins.

Level 70 players can use powerful artifact equipment that can be leveled up independently, participate in Epic Dungeons, and most importantly, engage in endgame campaigns such as Dread Ring, Sharandar, Icewind Dale, and the Underdark. Those campaigns offer unlockable Boons, significant stat increases that make Level 70 players even more powerful.

The path from level 60 to 70 is a long one, though, as the XP requirements for leveling up increase dramatically. That's why it's so important to play as efficiently as you can during events like Double XP weekend!

Leveling Tips

Neverwinter XP guide Xbox One

Whether you're playing during Double XP weekend or any other time, these tips will help speed you along the path to Level 70:

  • Daily Invocations: Once you reach level 11, you gain the ability to perform Invocations up to six times per day. After learning the ability from an NPC in Protector's Enclave, stand near any fire or Portable Altar and press Left Bumper + D-Pad Right to perform an invocation. You also gain Astral Diamonds (currency) and items from Invocations, so it's important to do them every day with all of your characters. Make a habit of Invoking at least at breakfast and bedtime, even if you can't squeeze in all six invocations.
  • Daily Guild Stronghold Quests: You can join a guild at any level, but the NPCs in the Guild Stronghold won't start assigning quests until Level 21 or so. At that point, four of the NPCs will give a quest every day. These quests pay big experience dividends, so complete them as often as possible. The quest for recruiting workers in Protector's Enclave is especially fast and easy. If you need a guild, see Windows Central's recruitment details at the end of this story.
  • Tyranny of Dragons Campaign: Upon reaching level 26, you can begin the Tyranny of Dragons campaign. This campaign gives at least, three quests daily, and awards Boons upon reaching certain milestones. You can only progress a certain amount per day in Tyranny, so be sure to start and keep up with it as soon as possible.
  • Ensorcelled Weapons: You'll progress through the game faster if you have the best weapon for your character. Up until you reach level 70, the best weapons are Ensorcelled weapons. These Epic (Purple rarity) weapons level along with your character and have an enchantment slot for extra bonuses. The easiest way to get your main-hand and off-hand Ensorcelled weapons is to buy them from the Tarmalune Trade House (Auction house). You'll need Astral Diamonds, a currency earned by performing Invocations and completing Dungeons and Skirmishes. Depending on the popularity of your class, an Ensorcelled weapon will cost anywhere from 300-8,000 AD.

Neverwinter XP guide Xbox One

  • Level 60 – Vigilance Quests: Upon reaching Level 60, you'll gain access to areas with NPCs who give out Vigilance Quests. These quests are repeatable and refresh every hour, so you can work on them all day if you like. The four Vigilance Quest zones are Drowned Shore, Reclamation Rock, Fiery Pit, and Spinward Rise. By completing eight tasks in all three areas of each zone, you'll gain some quality gear, including your hero's main-hand Artifact Weapon.
  • Level 60 – Underdark Campaign: At level 60, players can begin the Dwarven King quest arc of the Neverwinter campaign. This consists of nine Chapters (quests) that must be completed before beginning the primary Underdark campaign. Speak with the NPC Captain Belgold in Protector's Enclave to receive the first quest. You can't access the main Underdark campaign until level 70, but it's good to have the prelude out of the way before then.

Premium Items from the Zen Store

If you have money to burn and really want to speed the leveling process along, the in-game Zen Store has four premium items that boost XP gain: VIP Membership ($10 per month), Inscribed Garments ($15), Experience Booster ($9), and Epic Experience Booster ($50).

VIP Membership provides all of your characters with at least a 10% XP boost, and you get one Enchanted Key per day. Many serious long-term players opt for VIP Membership because of the premium items they get from those keys, plus the other bonuses that stack with more months of membership. For example, buying four months unlocks fast traveling and seven months provides immunity to injuries from traps and death.

The Inscribed Garments give a 20% XP boost and are an account-wide unlock, so the more characters you have, the more you'll benefit. The Experience boosters are for single characters only, but even one $10 booster will really hurry things along for that character.

Join the Windows Central Guild!

Neverwinter XP guide Xbox One

Guilds benefit Neverwinter players in several ways, such as those Stronghold Quests I mentioned earlier. All guilds provide access to the Guild Stronghold, a base of operations from which members can access their mail, banks, and more. And high-level guilds offer special benefits such as access to exclusive items and Boons (huge stat boosts).

Naturally Windows Central has an established Neverwinter Xbox One guild, and we'd love for you to join! We prefer players to be level 60 or higher, but anyone above level 30 is welcome. You must be an active player (playing multiple times per week), participate in Guild Chat, and regularly donate to the Guild Coffer (which helps us level up the guild and build new structures).

To join, send EastX a message on Xbox Live with your Character Name and Gamertag. Be sure to leave your old guild if you're in one. See these resources too:

We look forward to questing with you!

The Maze Engine Campaign

Neverwinter The maze Engine orcus promo

Every three months or so, Perfect World Entertainment unleashes a new Neverwinter expansion and campaign. The last expansion, Underdark, arrived back in February. The next expansion is called The Maze Engine, and it promises some welcome additions and improvements.

The new Maze Engine campaign follows the story of the Underdark, with players having defeated the Demogorgon. But new demon lords Baphomet and Orcus emerge to threaten the realm. Adventurers who begin this level 60+ campaign will team up with famous Dungeons & Dragons heroes Drizzt Do'Urden, Minsc, Bruenor Battlehammer, Regis, and more to fend off the demonic armies. This campaign is also designed to be solo-player friendly!

On top of the new campaign, The Maze Engine brings these features:

The Neverwinter: Maze Engine expansion arrives on Tuesday, May 3. Be sure to start leveling up so you'll be ready for it! Remember, Neverwinter is free (with in-app purchases) on Xbox One, so anyone can experience this massive social role-playing adventure.

See Neverwinter on Xbox.com

How to chat like a pro in Neverwinter for Xbox One

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How to chat and customize chat in Neverwinter for Xbox One - The Maze Engine

With Double XP weekend currently ongoing in free to play Xbox One MMO Neverwinter, players have lots to discuss in the game's text and voice chat. Unfortunately, Neverwinter doesn't tell console players how to use or customize chat very thoroughly. Windows Central is here to help with this detailed guide that covers everything you could want to know about using and customizing chat in Neverwinter!

Voice chat or text chat?

How to chat like a pro in Neverwinter for Xbox One

Neverwinter supports both voice and text chat on Xbox One. As you'd expect, voice chat is the fastest and most convenient way to communicate with other players – especially during combat. However, you can't just voice chat with anyone at any time. The game would be a mess of overlapping voices if that were the case!

Thus, voice chat is limited primarily to players who join the same group. Groups can consist of up to five players. After joining a group, all group members should be able to hear each other's voice chat, regardless of area or proximity.

Group chat is ideal for normal team play, but the strict limit of five players to a group makes it hard to communicate vocally when you have more than five people playing together (such as during guild events). In those cases, you'll want to invite everyone to an Xbox Live party. Party chat supports up to sixteen players.

How to access text chat with a controller or keyboard

How to chat like a pro in Neverwinter for Xbox One

Although voice chat can be convenient for some purposes, often you'll need to communicate to players outside of a group or without headsets. Thus knowing how to use text chat (and actually monitoring text chat) are essential. Seriously, players who can't or won't chat cut themselves off from Neverwinter's inherently social experience, limiting progress and how much fun they can have.

If you'll be doing much chatting in Neverwinter, the best option is to buy either a USB keyboard or the Xbox One Chatpad. A Chatpad will cost $34.99 from Amazon and connects directly to your controller. Full-sized USB keyboards sell for under $10 on Amazon, and you can find a USB wireless keyboard for as cheap as $15. The convenience of these three alternatives far exceeds that of inputting text via a controller.

Once you have a Chatpad or keyboard connected to your Xbox One, simply hit the Enter key to begin typing. Enter always jumps directly to the text entry box of the Chat Window when outside of other menus. After hitting Enter, you can either press the A button to access the Xbox One's generic text entry screen or don't hit A and just type directly into the in-game chat field.

If you don't have a keyboard, you can still access text chat relatively painlessly. Just hit the Left Bumper button + Down on the D-Pad to jump to the text entry box of the Chat Window. Now you can press the A button to access the Xbox One's generic text entry screen and type out your message using the controller.

While the Chat Window is selected, pressing Up on the D-Pad will allow you to resend the previously typed message. Clicking the Right Analog Stick expands the chat window to make more chat messages visible.

Chat Channels

How to chat like a pro in Neverwinter for Xbox One

Now that we understand how to send chat messages, it's important for those messages to reach the intended audience. Neverwinter features color-coded Chat Channels that allow players to easily distinguish the type of message being displayed. Because we can customize which channels are displayed in the chat tabs, proper use of channels also helps prevent the wrong types of messages from showing up.

After selecting the Chat Window by either pressing Left Bumper + D-Pad Down or Enter on a keyboard, you can change Chat Channels by pressing Left Bumper or Right Bumper on the controller. The currently selecting Chat Channel is visible in the lower-left corner of the Chat Window.

You can switch between the following Chat Channels:

  • Zone: Anyone on the current map, regardless of instance, will see Zone chat. This is a great way to announce the imminent arrival of a dragon, ask for help, or chat socially.
  • Guild Officer: If you're an officer in a guild, you'll gain access to this channel. Regular guild members and non-guild members won't see it.
  • Guild: The primary method of communicating with your fellow guild members. Ask guild mates to team up on dungeons, Heroic Encounters, quests, and more.
  • Looking for Group: If you need help with a specific dungeon, instanced area, or quest, this channel will aid with recruitment.
  • Say: Communicate with nearby players on the same instance.
  • Trade: Discuss buying, selling, or trading items.

Customizing Chat Tabs

How to chat like a pro in Neverwinter for Xbox One

The Chat Window offers three chat tabs, each of which displays different types of messages by default. After selecting the Chat Window by either pressing Left Bumper + D-Pad Down or Enter on a keyboard, press Left Trigger or Right Trigger to switch tabs. The default tabs are Default, Social, and Log, but all three can be renamed.

Do you find the Chat Window too busy to keep up with? Customizing your chat tabs and turning off certain types of messages will help. To customize a particular chat tab:

  • Select the Chat Window by either pressing Left Bumper + D-Pad Down or Enter on a keyboard
  • Press the Y button for "Menu"
  • Choose "Configure channel [Channel name]"

From here, you can rename the tab, enable and disable specific Chat Channels, and change the color of currently enabled Channels.

The easiest way to reduce chat clutter is by turning off the Trade Channel. You'll miss some deals by ignoring Trade, but most players probably don't buy and sell items outside of the Tarmalune Trade House (auction house) anyway. You can also disable neighborhood Notify, NPC, and Loot Rolls without missing anything important.

I caution against turning off Zone Chat in the Default Chat Tab. Although Zone gets really busy in the Protector's Enclave area, it's still important for discussing dragons, Heroic Encounters, and other areas. You might disable Zone in the Social Tab though, and just use Social for Guild, Group, and Private Message discussions.

Sending Private Messages

How to chat like a pro in Neverwinter for Xbox One

Want to chat with just one person and nobody else? You could invite that person to Group and use the Group Chat as a private chatroom. But sometimes it's better to send someone a Private Message instead.

There are two ways to send a Private Message. The chat shortcut method:

  • Select the Chat Window by either pressing Left Bumper + D-Pad Down or Enter on a keyboard
  • Type /Whisper followed by the message

Or you can select the recipient in-game by pressing the A button while targeting the other player, selecting the other player from your Guild or Friends list, your in-game party list, or the chat window. We'll go over selecting a player from the chat window in this guide's "Reporting players for spam" section.

After selecting the desired player and pressing A, choose "Private message (tell)" and begin typing the message. After PMing someone, Private Messages to that person will become your Chat Channel until you change channels. You can also type /Reply to reply directly to a Private Message.

Reporting players for spam

How to chat like a pro in Neverwinter for Xbox One Report Spammer

All MMOs with public chat suffer from spammers, and Neverwinter is no different. Perfect World Entertainment could certainly do more to combat spam than it is, but players can at least help by reporting spammers.

When you see a spammer in Zone Chat, follow these steps to select and report the player:

  • Select the Chat Window by either pressing Left Bumper + D-Pad Down or Enter on a keyboard
  • Press the View/back button to switch the cursor from the text entry box to the upper portion of the chat window.
  • Scroll up, select the name of the offending player, and press A.
  • Choose Report Offensive Player.
  • Select Chat Spam and then type an explanation if desired.
  • Press the Y Button to submit the report.

You can only report players once every 30 seconds.

Join the Windows Central Neverwinter Guild!

How to chat like a pro in Neverwinter for Xbox One

Guilds are a huge part of the Neverwinter social experience, providing a valuable source of players with which to team up and chat. All guilds allow access to the Guild Stronghold, a base of operations from which members can access their mail, banks, and more. And high level guilds offer unique benefits such as access to exclusive items and Boons (massive stat boosts).

Naturally Windows Central has an established Neverwinter Xbox One guild, and we'd love for you to join! Obviously, we prefer players to be level 60 or higher, but anyone above level 30 is welcome. You must be an active player (playing multiple times per week), participate in Guild Chat, and donate regularly to the Guild Coffer (which helps us level up the guild and build new structures).

To join, send EastX a message on Xbox Live with your character name and level. Be sure to leave your old guild if you're in one. And see these resources:

We look forward to questing with you! Remember, Neverwinter is free (with in-app purchases) on Xbox One so that anyone can experience this massive social role-playing adventure.

See Neverwinter on Xbox.com

Microsoft shows how to convert an iOS app to Windows 10 with its bridge tool

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Pori Fashion Show

Microsoft has been hyping up the use of its Windows Bridge for iOS tool to developers who want to bring their iPhone and iPad apps over to Windows 10 without a lot of effort. This week, the company posted a highly technical blog post showing an example of how a real iOS app, Pori Fashion Show, can be converted to Windows 10 with the bridge tool.

The blog post states that Pori Fashion Show is the creation of Dong Yoon Park, a Microsoft team member:

Dong Yoon Park is currently leading the design effort for Windows Bridge for iOS, focusing on the translation of iOS controls and patterns into Windows to achieve the best Windows 10 experience. He also has a developer background and has developed a wide variety of apps on iOS.

The app itself, Pori Fashion Show, is for a younger audience:

Pori Fashion Show is a paper doll style game for kids that lets you dress up cartoon characters using drag-and-drop mechanics. Once their dolls are dressed up, children can save them as images or walk them down an in-game fashion runway.

The blog shows how the iOS app can be converted to a UWP Windows 10 app while still retaining most of its code by using the bridge tool. Some adjustments will have to be made; for example, developers will have to remove the iOS-specific frameworks and libraries from the app. The final result can now be seen in the Windows Store. The app normally costs $1.99 but for the next six days it is on sale for just $0.99.

Download Pori Fashion Show from the Windows Store

How to create a Windows 10 ISO file using an Install.ESD image

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Do you want to install the latest build of Windows 10 using an ISO? Then use this guide to turn the install.ESD file into an installation media with the most current version of the operating system.

When you need to do a clean install or upgrade to Windows 10, similar to previous versions, Microsoft provides the installation files through a new ESD (Electronic Software Delivery) image format, which is commonly available via Windows Update.

We know this image as the install.ESD file, which is around 3GB in size and contains everything that is needed to install the operating system from scratch. Windows Update will typically download this ESD file plus other files to the $WINDOWS.~BT hidden folder on your computer.

The benefits of the Install.ESD is that it's an encrypted and compressed version of the Install.WIM image, thus making the download faster and more secure, which also results in spending less time during an upgrade.

While Microsoft makes publicly available the files to install Windows 10 through the Media Creation tool and via Tech Bench upgrade program, the software giant typically doesn't offer the ISO files to install the latest Insider preview builds released in the Fast ring. However, you can use an ESD image to create an ISO file that you can use to do a clean install or upgrade of the latest version of Windows 10 on one or multiple computers.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you the steps to convert an encrypted image into an ISO file.

How to create an ISO file of Windows 10 with the Install.ESD image

When a new Insider preview build becomes available, do the following.

  1. Download the ESD Decrypter command-line utility using this link.

    Warning: While this command-line utility is known to work successfully, it's still a third-party tool, use it at your own risk.

  2. Uncompress the utility to an empty folder on your desktop.

    Note: If you can't open the .7z file to uncompress the utility, you can use popular 7zip tool, which can be downloaded here.

  3. Use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
  4. Click Update & security.
  5. On Windows Update, click Check for updates and let the latest version download to your system.

  6. When the new installation files are ready, and you're asked to restart to begin the process, use the Windows key + E keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer.
  7. Click This PC from the left pane.
  8. Double-click the Windows installation drive -- Usually the C: drive.
  9. Click the View tab on File Explorer.
  10. Check the Hidden items option to see the $WINDOWS.~BT the folder that contains the installation files.
  11. Open the $WINDOWS.~BT and inside the Sources folder, right-click and copy the Install.ESD file.

  12. Open the folder where you extracted the ESD Decrypter utility files, right-click, and paste the Install.ESD file on this location.

  13. Right-click the decrypt.cmd file and click Run as Administrator.
  14. In the ESD Decrypter Script user interface, type 2 to select the Create full ISO with Compressed install.esd option and press Enter to begin the process.

Once the process completes, you'll end up with ISO file inside the ESD Decrypter folder with a descriptive name and build number (e.g., en_windows_10_pro_14316_x64_dvd.iso).

You can now use this file to install Windows 10 on a virtual machine, or you can use a tool like Rufus to make a bootable installation media.

It's important to point out that there are different versions of the ESD Decrypter tool, but version 4.7 continues to work with the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview. You will also find other similar tools around the internet, such as ESD-Decripter, that are based on the command-line tool we're mentioning in this guide.

Note: The nature of dealing with an encrypted file makes the tool useful as long you're using the correct RSA key to do the decryption. While the RSA key comes integrated in the ESD Decrypter tool, Microsoft can begin to ship a new version of Windows with a different key at any time, which can make the tool unusable unless you provide a new key.

Windows 10 resources

For more tips, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

How to roll back Windows 10 Mobile from Fast and Slow Ring to Production release

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Roll back Windows 10 Mobile

Microsoft is deep into developing the Anniversary Update for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile. The Anniversary Update is known internally as Redstone 1 (Redstone 2 is due early next year) and many Insiders on PC and Mobile are already using the preview OS on their daily devices.

Today, we'll walk you through on how to roll back your phone from Redstone (from Fast or Slow Ring) to the more stable production release. While not a hard process you will need some time, a USB cable and a PC.

Should you use Redstone on your primary Windows Phone?

At this time, it is hard to recommend Fast or Slow Ring Redstone builds (14295+) over the production build (10586.218 as of today) if you are looking for a smooth, bug-free experience. Redstone is in the early stages and is more akin to running Windows 10 Mobile last July than necessarily a mature operating system.

Personally, I keep Redstone on a secondary device for testing while for my Lumia 950 I prefer Production. Windows 10 Mobile build 10586.168 and 10586.218 have been fantastic to use and if you just want the best mobile experience you should go with that.

If, however, you want new features then go with Redstone. Just understand that Microsoft is refactoring the OS as the Mobile and PC versions begin to overlap heavily in features and functions. Current Insider builds will likely sharpen up closer to June at which point you may want to consider jumping back into the mix.

Let's say you are on Windows 10 Mobile build 14295 (or later) and want to go back to Production (10586) – How do you do it?

Can you just switch Insider Rings?

If you launch the Windows Insider app on your phone and choose a different Ring e.g. Production instead of Fast or Slow, you will stop getting Insider builds. However, this will not revert your OS to an earlier version.

Currently, if you are a higher build of the OS the only way to go back is to use the Windows Device Recovery Tool (WDRT).

This will wipe your phone! Back it up

Before we begin let's be very clear: this process will erase your phone and install the old OS (and maybe some firmware if not yet distributed over-the-air).

You will lose all data on the phone (SD cards are untouched).

Remember to copy any files to your PC or storage card on the phone (if supported) and to use Windows Phone Backup (Settings > Update & security > Backup > More options > Back up now).

What you need to start

Before we begin let's see what you will need for this rollback process:

  1. Windows Device Recovery Tool (WDRT) PC software from Microsoft (Download file and more info can be found here)
  2. A Windows PC or laptop
  3. USB data cable for your phone
  4. Phone should have the battery charged 50% or higher for safety
  5. High-speed internet to download your phone's recovery files
  6. About 15 to 30 minutes to spare depending on PC and internet speeds

Once you have downloaded and installed Windows Device Recovery Tool, you are all set to start the rollback process.

How to roll back

You should allocate around 30 minutes for the restore process.

  1. Launch & Connect

    Launch the recovery tool and connect your phone using a USB cable. If your handset isn't detected, click My phone was not detected to force the application to rescan for and detect the phone or choose from the list of manufacturers e.g. BLU.

  2. Verify phone

    On the next screen, click your phone, wait a few seconds, and you'll see your phone information and the software available for download to roll back to a previous operating system. To continue, click Reinstall software.

  3. Reminder: Back up!

    Next, the recovery tool will warn you to backup all your data, settings, and apps before proceeding further, as the rolling back process will delete all the previous data on your phone. Click Continue to move forward.

  4. Survey

    Take the optional survey on why you are rolling back your OS

  5. Download & Install

    Now, the recovery tool will download the image from Microsoft's servers and replace Windows 10 Mobile that is currently on your phone. The process will take some time depending on your internet connection and the hardware in question.

    For a Lumia 950 XL, the download package is 2.76GB for reference.

Note: Phones sold with Windows Phone 8.1 who upgraded to Windows 10 Mobile will revert to Windows Phone 8.1. They will then need to upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile again. Phones sold with Windows 10 Mobile pre-installed e.g. Lumia 550, 650, 950, 950 XL and other phones like Moly X1 will go back to the production release of Windows 10 Mobile.

After the tool completes the process, you will receive a message saying "Operation successfully completed." At this point, the phone will reboot, and you will have to go through the Out-of-Box-Experience (OOBE), like on any version of Windows. Then, you'll need to sign-in with your Microsoft account, select to restore your phone from backup (if this is something you prefer), and after a few additional questions, you'll be back to an earlier version of Windows.

Check for updates!

In some cases, your phone will roll back to a build of Windows 10 Mobile that is too early. For example, my Lumia 950 XL went back to build 10586.107 even though 10586.218 is the latest release. No worries, just run Phone update on the device to grab the latest version: Settings > Update & security > Phone update > Check for updates

If you check for updates and there is nothing new then you are on the latest release.

Restore from backup?

One interesting question we get a lot is should you restore from a backup during the Out-of-Box-Experience (OOBE)?

Yes, it should be fine as that is what it is designed to do. Remember, however, that you are now adding an extra layer of complexity to the situation meaning another area where things may not go right. There is no risk of damaging your device, but some users have claimed that doing a clean install and just manually rebuilding your phone and software is a better choice.

Personally, I'm agnostic on this issue, but I do not restore from backup as the majority of my things are on the SD card (e.g. music, photos, documents) or in the cloud (OneDrive). I also like starting fresh as I tend to reconsider app choices, layout, etc.

However, if you have game saves etc. that you need you may want to think out your options.

I should mention that restoring also takes much longer as your phone will then re-download all your apps and games and install them while merging saved data. If you have 100+ apps and games on your phone, this could take some considerable time depending on your internet connection so set aside a good 30-60 minutes (once again, it will vary on the number of apps and phone's processor) along with an AC plug for your phone to keep it charged.

Remember, if you have more questions about this process you can always hop into our vast user forums where there are tons of user experiences around this issue along with various tips and more!

Please Bookmark & Share! If you see someone asking about how they can roll back their phone's OS to a more stable build please share this article! It will save them a lot of time!


How to shutdown, restart, or sign-out of Windows 10 hands-free using Cortana

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Here's a handy trick you can use to use voice commands with Cortana to shutdown, restart, hibernate, or sign-out of your Windows 10 PC hands-free.

Cortana is perhaps one of the best features of Windows 10. You're likely to have interacted with other digital assistants, such as Apple's Siri and Google Now, but with Windows 10, you get it everywhere -- on your PC, tablet, phone, and soon, Microsoft is even working to bring the feature to Xbox One.

The coolest thing about the personal assistant is that you can use voice commands to get help on anything you need, such as find files on your device, track packages, set up appointments or new reminders, answer common questions, and much more.

However, as much as you would like to actually "ask anything" and get an instant answer or action, Cortana still limited on the things it can do. For example, you can't ask basic tasks like: "Hey Cortana: Shutdown my PC" or "Hey Cortana: Restart my PC."

But there are other ways to trick Cortana into performing such tasks. In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you a simple trick you can use to enable Cortana to shutdown, restart, sign-out, or put your computer into a hibernate state using voice commands.

How to use Cortana to perform power-related tasks on Windows 10

For this guide, we'll be using Cortana's ability to launch programs to trick it into executing specific commands using traditional shortcuts.

How to shutdown your Windows 10 PC using Cortana

To use Cortana to shut down your computer use the following steps:

  1. Use the Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
  2. Click This PC from the left pane.
  3. Click the View tab.
  4. Check the Hidden items option.
  5. Open the Windows installation drive (typically C:) and navigate to the following path: Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

  6. In the Programs folder, right-click, select New, and click Shortcut.
  7. Type the following command and click Next:

    shutdown.exe -s -t 00

    Explanation: The command mentioned above starts Shutdown.exe and uses the -s switch request a total shutdown and the -t 00 switch is used to set how long to wait before turning off your computer -- in this case, zero seconds.

  8. Name the shortcut with the voice command you want to use with Cortana. For example, "Shutdown" or "Turn off PC".
  9. Click Finish to complete.

Assuming that you have enabled the "Hey Cortana" feature, you can now say: "Hey Cortana: Open Shutdown" to turn off your computer hands-free.

How to use Cortana to restart your Windows 10 PC

If you want Cortana to be able to restart the computer use the following steps:

  1. While in the Programs folder, right-click, select New, and click Shortcut.
  2. Type the following command and click Next:

    shutdown.exe -r -t 00

    Explanation: The command mentioned above starts Shutdown.exe and uses the -r switch to request a full shutdown and restart of your PC, and the -t 00 switch is used to set how long to wait before rebooting your computer.

  3. Name the shortcut with the voice command you want to use with Cortana. E.g, "Restart" or "Reboot PC".
  4. Click Finish to complete.

Now you can invoke the command: "Hey Cortana: Open Restart" or use the name you used in the shortcut, and your computer should begin the restart process.

How to use Cortana to hibernate your Windows 10 PC

You can also use Cortana to put your Windows 10 PC in the hibernation state with the following steps:

  1. While in the Programs folder, right-click, select New, and click Shortcut.
  2. Type the following command and click Next:

    shutdown.exe -h

    Explanation: The command mentioned above starts Shutdown.exe and uses the -h switch to perform a hibernation request. However, keep in mind that your computer must have hibernation enabled to work. You can learn more on how to use hibernation on Windows 10 here.

  3. Name the shortcut with the voice command you want to use with Cortana. E.g, "Hibernate".
  4. Click Finish to complete.

Once you finish creating the shortcut, you can invoke the new command saying: "Hey Cortana: Open Hibernate."

How to use Cortana to sign-out of your Windows 10 account

Additionally, you can use Cortana to sign out of your account with the following steps:

  1. While in the Programs folder, right-click, select New, and click Shortcut.
  2. Type the following command and click Next:

    shutdown.exe -l

    Explanation: The command mentioned above starts Shutdown.exe and uses the -l switch to request a logoff action.

  3. Name the shortcut with the voice command you want to use with Cortana. For example, "Sign out".
  4. Click Finish to complete.

Similar to the previous command, you can now say: "Hey Cortana: Open Sign out" to log off of your Windows 10.

Extra

After creating the new shortcuts in the Start menu Programs folder, you will see four new application entries in the All apps list. You can add more styles to make the new entries more identifiable:

  1. While in the Programs folder, right-click the Shutdown shortcut, and click Properties.
  2. In the Shortcut tab, click the Change Icon button.

  3. If you get a warning, just click OK.
  4. Select the appropriate icon and click OK.

    Note: If you don't see any icon listed, then copy and paste this path: %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll and click Enter, and you should now see the list of icons.

  5. Click Apply.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Repeat these steps for each shortcut.

Wrapping things up

The only caveat with the method is that you must say the word "Open" on every command, but it's a small price to pay for the new actions Cortana can do for you.

Keep in mind that Microsoft is also working on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, which will include a lot of new features and enhancements. In particular, the software giant is planning to add various improvements to Cortana that could also include new power-related voice commands, as we have caught a glimpse of the feature during the Microsoft Build 2016 developer conference. In the meantime, you can use this handy trick to sign-out, restart, hibernate, or shutdown your computer hands-free.

More on Windows 10

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

How to prevent Windows 10 from delivering web search results when using Cortana

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Here's how you stop web results from showing up on every search you do on Windows 10 while improving local results for files, apps, and settings.

When you are on the look for a document you have been working on, trying to launch an app, or looking for a particular PC setting, you can quickly click the new search box in the taskbar to start a search. However, as soon as you start typing, Cortana pops up, and you'll start getting different grouped results, including (sometimes unnecessary) web data

While certain web results can be helpful, they are not always necessary, because we tend to use search in Windows to find local documents, settings, and apps, and we leave the online searches as a task for the web browser. Also, these web results powered by Bing seem to get more priority, pushing your local stuff to the bottom of the list, which makes the experience a little inconsistent.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you the easy steps to prevent the operating system from serving web results when you do a search on your computer.

How to disable web results on Windows 10

  1. Click to open the search box in the taskbar.
  2. Click the Notebook icon.
  3. Click Settings from the list of options.

    Note: On Windows 10 build 14316 and later versions the Settings button to access Cortana setting may appear outside of Notebook in the navigation pane on the left.

  4. On the Settings page, turn off the Cortana can give me suggestions, ideas, reminders, alerts and more option.
  5. After disabling Cortana, turn off the Search online and include web results option.

You will now notice that the search box in the taskbar no longer says "Ask me anything," instead, it reads "Search Windows," indicating that you have completed the task. Try to do a search one more time, and this time, you'll see that search results will no longer appear.

In the case you need a more advanced search experience, type your search query, and click the Search my stuff button. In the advanced search section, you can sort results by relevance or time, and you can limit the result to a particular category (e.g., Documents, Settings, apps, etc.).

If your concern is Cortana displaying Bing results, then you can use our previous guide with the instructions to force the assistant to use Google to get online results.

Keep in mind that stopping web results from showing up in the taskbar search box will also turn off Cortana in your system, which means that you'll have to make the decision of which experience is more important to you.

More on Windows 10

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

How to defragment your PC's hard drive on Windows 10

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Is your PC slowing you down? Use this guide to defragment files using the Optimize Drives tool on Windows 10.

In order to minimize slow hard drive performance, Windows 10 (and so Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and previous versions), includes a built-in tool to defragment all fragmented files and help your PC stay at top speeds.

Over the years, improvements have been made to the Windows drive optimization tool. However, even when the operating system can accurately detect the type of storage and handle defragmentation of files automatically, it's not always optimal. Because you may not keep your PC turned on long enough or you may have an external hard drive that it's not always connected to your computer that prevents maintenance from running properly.

As a result, the time will come when you'll begin to notice that opening apps and saving files to disk will take longer than usual, in which case manual optimization may be required. In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you the easy steps to check if your hard drive is fragmented and defragment as necessary to keep your computer running more efficiently.

How to use Optimize Drives on Windows 10

  1. Open Start type Defragment and Optimize Drives and press Enter.
  2. Select the hard drive you want to optimize and click Analyze.

    Note: You always want to analyze the drive first to figure out if the drive needs optimization. If the result shows less than 10% fragmented, you probably don't need to optimize the drive.

  3. If the files stored on your PC's hard drive are scattered everyone and defragmentation is needed, then click the Optimize button.

  4. Once the process complete, the current status should display "0% fragmented".

Note: Keep in mind that depending on the number of files, the size of the drive, and fragmentation, the defragmentation tool may take some time to complete the task. It's also recommended to perform this task when you know, you won't be around your computer.

How to change the optimization schedule

By default Windows automatically runs maintenance on drives every week, but depending on how you use your computer, the operating system offers the option to change the frequency in which drivers are optimize.

If you prefer to modify the schedule, then follow the steps below:

  1. While in the Optimize Drives window, click the Change settings button.
  2. Change the frequency to: Daily, Weekly (default), or Monthly.
  3. On Drives, click the Choose button.

  4. Check the drives you want to apply the new schedule.

  5. Click OK to apply the settings.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Click Close to quit the tool.

Remember that these optimization options only apply to traditional rotating platters hard drives. Solid-state drives work differently. They don't have any motors or moving parts. They only use banks of memory to store data, which means that these drives don't need to be defragmented (you shouldn't defragment SSDs, as it may cause performance issues and even reduce the life of the drive).

However, you'll still see "Solid state drive" listed under the Optimize Drives tool, because Windows can also perform different maintenance tasks to optimize your SSD, including the ability to inform the drive that certain blocks of data are no longer in use and can be erased making them writable again.

Although Windows 10 can detect and configure the appropriate optimization options for storage devices, if you have a traditional hard drive or an external drive that it's now always connected to your system, you should run maintenance on them manually.

More on Windows 10

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

Lost your Windows Phone? Here's how to find it

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Find my Phone

Losing your phone can be really annoying. Fortunately, Windows Phone has a free service called Find My Phone that can help you recover your phone. It even goes a step further by giving you options to lock or erase your phone from any computer.

Head past the break to watch our how-to video.

Two settings you should turn on

When you first get your Windows Phone, there are two settings we recommend turning on. Go to settings, then Find my phone. Check both boxes.

Find my Phone

The Find My Phone service and the Windows Phone Store on the web use text messaging to send commands and apps to your phone. Check the first box to use push notifications instead. Push notifications can be faster than text messages, and might also be cheaper if your carrier charges you for each incoming text message. Also, My Phone can only send 15 text messages to your phone in a three-day period while there's no limit with push notifications.

The second box saves your phone's location periodically and before the battery runs out to make it easier to find.

Find your phone’s location on a map

  1. On your computer, open a web browser and sign in to windowsphone.com
  2. In the My Phone menu, click Find My Phone.
  3. Follow the instructions in the dialog box (you'll only need to do this once. After that, your phone will automatically show up on the map when you go to Find My Phone).

Find my phone map

Make it ring

If you think your phone is nearby, you can make it ring. Follow these steps below. What’s great about this is that your Windows Phone will ring even if the volume is off or if it’s vibrate mode.

  1. On your computer, open a web browser and sign in to windowsphone.com
  2. In the My Phone menu, click Find My Phone.
  3. Click Ring, then follow the instructions in the dialog box (you'll only need to do this the first time you ring your phone).

Lock phone and show message

If you can’t find your phone immediately, you can lock it from your computer and show a message. Here’s how:

  1. On your computer, open a web browser and sign in to windowsphone.com
  2. In the My Phone menu, click Find My Phone.
  3. Click Lock, and then follow the instructions. If you don't already have a password set up on your phone, you'll need to enter one—you'll use it to unlock the phone if you get it back.
  4. We recommend providing a phone number or an email address in the message box, so someone who finds your phone can contact you.

Erase your phone

You can erase your phone remotely if you don’t think you’ll be able to get your phone back or if you have contents inside that you want to protect until you recover it.

  1. On your computer, open a web browser and sign in to windowsphone.com
  2. In the My Phone menu, click Find My Phone.
  3. Click Erase.

Erase my Phone

Have you lost your precious Windows Phone device recently? Were you able to get it back? Let us know in the comments!

Not using a Windows Phone?

How to fix the firmware installation issues with Surface Book and Surface Pro 4

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Microsoft recently began rolling out fresh new firmware updates for its Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. The new release includes major fixes and improvements that users have been waiting to see for a long time.

The April 2016 firmware update for the latest model of the Surface tablets brings improvements for Windows Hello, fixes for screen flickering, auto-rotate problems, and a lot more. However, it appears that the installation process is not going as smooth for everyone.

On the Surface subreddit, users are reporting some issues trying to install the new update and that it's even causing a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) in certain situations.

Reddit user Zac_l, a developer from the Windows team, has noted that the company is aware of the issue, and it's working on a fix. The software giant also said that the issue is already fixed in the Redstone update.

Microsoft officials on Reddit also explain that the company is unable to publish the instructions to resolve the issue, because the fix is "literally" different for each computer.

However, a general set of instructions already surfaced to help users to point them in the right direction to fix the issue.

Warning: Only use these steps as a reference. Trying to fix the current problem installing the latest firmware update for Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book may cause other issues. Make sure to make a full backup of your system before proceeding.

  1. Open the Setupapi.dev.log file located on C:\Windows\Inf with Notepad or another text editor.
  2. File the error Failed to install device instance.
  3. Above this error, you will see which inf file has caused the install to fail. For example: oem90.inf, but this error is likely to be different on every machine.
  4. Use the Windows key + X to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  5. Type the following command pnputil -d oem90.inf and press Enter.
  6. Try to run Windows Update one more time.

Keep in mind that these are general guidance to point you in the right direction to resolve the issue.

Currently, Microsoft officials on Reddit are asking for those affected by the April 2016 firmware update for Surface Pro 4 and Surface Pro 4 to upload the C:\Windows\inf\setupapi.dev.log file to OneDrive or another service and send them the link so you can receive the specific instructions to resolve the issue on your machine.

Have you come across this issue with the latest firmware update? Were you able to fix the problem? Tell us your experience in the comments below.

Source Reddit, Blackforce

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