Find WiFi password in Windows 7/8/10

If you forgot your WiFi network password, you can find it if you have another Windows PC already connected to your WiFi network. After you find your password, you can use it on another PC or device to connect to your WiFi network.

Find WiFi password in Windows 7 8 10

  1. On a Windows PC that’s connected to your WiFi network, do one of the following, depending on which version of Windows is running on your PC:
    • On Windows 10, you select the Start  button, then select Settings  > Network & Internet  > Status  > Network and Sharing Center.
    • On Windows 7 or 8.1,  you search for Network and, then select Network and Sharing Center from the list of results.
  2. In Network and Sharing Center, next to Connections, select your WiFi network name.
  3. In WiFi Status, select Wireless Properties.
  4. In Wireless Network Properties, select the Security tab, then select the Show characters check box.
    Your Wi-Fi network password is displayed in the Network security key box.
3 votes, 3.67 avg. rating (78% score)

How to Connect a Bluetooth device Windows 7/8/10

You can connect all kinds of Bluetooth devices to your PC—including keyboards, mice, phones, speakers, and a whole lot more. To do this, your PC will need to have Bluetooth. Some PCs, such as laptops and tablets, have Bluetooth built in. If your PC doesn’t, you can plug a USB Bluetooth adapter into the USB port on your PC to get it. To get started with using Bluetooth, you’ll need to pair your Bluetooth device with your PC.

How to Connect a Bluetooth device Windows 7 8 10

In Windows 7

  1. Turn on your Bluetooth device and make it discoverable.The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn how.
  2. Select the Start button Start button icon > Devices and Printers.
  3. Select Add a device > select the device > Next.
  4. Follow any other instructions that might appear. Otherwise, you’re done and connected.
Your Bluetooth device and PC will usually automatically connect anytime the two devices are in range of each other with Bluetooth turned on.

In Windows 8.1

  1. Turn on your Bluetooth device and make it discoverable.The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn how.
  2. Select the Start  button > type Bluetooth > select Bluetooth settings from the list.
  3. Turn on Bluetooth > select the device > Pair.
  4. Follow any instructions if they appear. Otherwise, you’re done and connected.
Your Bluetooth device and PC will usually automatically connect anytime the two devices are in range of each other with Bluetooth turned on.

In Windows 10

To connect a Bluetooth headset, speaker, or other audio device

  1. Turn on your Bluetooth audio device and make it discoverable.The way you make it discoverable depends on the device. Check the device or visit the manufacturer’s website to learn how.
  2. Turn on Bluetooth on your PC if it’s not on already. To do this, on the taskbar, select action center > Bluetooth.

    If you don’t see the Bluetooth icon on the taskbar, select the Start  button, then select Settings  > Devices  > Bluetooth & other devices  and turn on Bluetooth.

    Tag : bluetooth windows 7 , bluetooth windows 8 , bluetooth windows 10

1 vote, 5.00 avg. rating (96% score)

How to fix error 0x80004005 Windows XP

You may receive error code 0x80004005 or other error codes when you try to start a Windows XP-based computer

How to fix error 0x80004005 Windows XP

Summary

When you try to start a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer, you may receive an error message that contains different error codes. This article describes the causes of the different error codes. This article also provides workarounds for the following error codes:

  • Error code 0x80004005
  • Error code 0x80090006
  • Error code 0x8009001d
  • Error code 0x80070002
  • Error code 0x8007007f or error code 0x8007007e
  • Error code 0x800705aa, error code 0x8007007e, and error code 0x80004005
  • Error code 0x800705aa, error code 0x80070002, error code 0x80004005, error code 0x800405aa, and error code 0x80090019
  • Error code 0x800703e7

Additionally, this article contains workarounds for some error codes that are not in this list.

Symptoms

When you try to start a Windows XP-based computer, you may receive an error message that resembles the following:

A problem is preventing Windows from accurately checking the license for this computer. Error code: 0xnnnnnnnn

Note In the error message, nnnnnnnn represents the specific error code that you may receive. For example, you may receive error code 0x80004005.

Cause

The following sections describe why you may receive a given error code.

Error code 0x80004005

This problem may occur if a file that the Windows Product Activation (WPA) requires is damaged or missing. This behavior occurs if one or both of the following conditions are true:

  • A third-party backup utility or an antivirus program interferes with the installation of Windows XP.
  • A file that WPA requires is manually modified.

Error code 0x80090006

This problem occurs because the drive letter has changed or because certain files cannot be found at default locations.

Error code 0x8009001d

This problem occurs if you modified the MountedDevices registry value to change the boot drive letter assignment or the system drive letter assignment.

Error code 0x80070002

This problem can occur if one of the following conditions is true:

  • The default security provider in Windows XP has changed.
  • The system drive letter has changed.

Error code 0x8007007f or error code 0x8007007e

This problem frequently occurs after you upgrade a service pack. After you upgrade, there appears to be a corrupted file, a missing file, or a file mismatch.

Error code 0x800705aa, error code 0x8007007e, and error code 0x80004005

This error code occurs when the Dpcdll.dll file is missing or corrupted.

Error code 0x800705aa, error code 0x80070002, error code 0x80004005, error code 0x800405aa, and error code 0x80090019

This problem occurs because there are some error codes in a third-party program.

Error code 0x800703e7

This specific error occurs when there is a problem performing an inpage operation. This error typically occurs because of corruption of the disk.

Workaround

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods based on the error code that you receive.

Workaround for error code 0x80004005

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1

Note You should follow this method if this error code occurs after you upgrade from Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition.

Start from the Windows XP CD-ROM, and then perform an in-place upgrade repair. Make sure that you use a valid product key.
For more information about performing an in-place upgrade, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

978788How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP

You can also resolve this problem by uninstalling Windows XP. Then, reinstall the operating system that you were running before you upgraded to Windows XP. For more information about how to uninstall Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

312569How to manually start the uninstall process to remove Windows XP

Method 2

To resolve the problem, repair the installation of Windows XP by using the Windows XP CD, and then replace the files. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Insert the Windows XP CD in the CD drive or in the DVD drive.
  2. Restart your computer.
  3. When you receive the following message, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD:
    Press any key to start from CD

    Note Your computer must be configured to start from the CD drive or from the DVD drive. For more information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD drive or from the DVD drive, see the documentation that came with your personal computer. Alternatively, contact the manufacturer.

  4. When you receive the following message, press R to start the Recovery Console. This part of the Setup program prepares Windows XP to run on your computer. 
    To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER. To repair a Windows XP installation by using Recovery Console, press R. To exit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.
  5. You see a numbered option, such as the following:
    1. C:\WINDOWS

    Note this path to Windows (In this example, the path is C:\WINDOWS) for later user in step 7 and step 11. Then, press 1 to access your primary drive installation by using the Recovery Console.

  6. When you are prompted, type the administrator password. If you do not have an administrator password, press ENTER.
  7. Type cd C:\WINDOWS\System32, and then press ENTER.
    Note In this command, use the path that you noted in step 5 if it differs from C:\WINDOWS.
  8. Rename the following files by using the REN command. To do this, type REN File_Name.extensionFile_Name.oldat the command prompt.
    • Wpa.dbl
    • Pidgen.dll
    • Actshell.htm

      Note This file is located in the following subfolder:

      oobe
    • Licdll.dll
    • Regwizc.dll
    • Licwmi.dll
    • Wpabaln.exe

    Note In the previous command, you must replace File_Name.extension with the file name from the list of files in this step. Additionally, File_Name.old represents the new name for the file name. For example, use the following command for the Wpa.dbl file:

    REN Wpa.dbl Wpa.OLD
  9. Type the drive letter of the CD drive together with a colon, and then press ENTER. For example, you type D:, and then press ENTER.
  10. Type cd i386, and then press ENTER.
  11. Type the following commands individually. Press ENTER after each command:
    • Expand licwmi.dl_ C:\WINDOWS\System32
    • Expand regwizc.dl_ C:\WINDOWS\System32
    • Expand licdll.dl_ C:\WINDOWS\System32
    • Expand wpabaln.ex_ C:\WINDOWS\System32
    • Expand wpa.db_ C:\WINDOWS\System32
    • Expand actshell.ht_ C:\WINDOWS\System32
    • Copy pidgen.dll C:\WINDOWS\System32

    Note In these commands, use the path that you noted in step 5 if it differs from C:\WINDOWS.

  12. Type Exit, and then press ENTER to restart the computer.

Workaround for error code 0x80090006

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods.

Note If the methods in this section are unsuitable for your situation, then use the methods in the “Workaround for an error code that is not in this list” section, and begin with Method 1.

Use Ghost

If you deploy a Windows XP-based computer by using Ghost from Symantec, rebuild the Ghost image by specifying the –FDSZ switch during the rebuild process.

Use Drive Image Pro

If you deploy the Windows XP-based computer by using Drive Image Pro, upgrade the Drive Image Pro to Deploy Center version 5.0 from Power Quest.

Workaround for error code 0x8009001d

To resolve this problem, you must remove the whole contents of the MountedDevices registry key. This key is located in the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

223188 How to change the system/boot drive letter in Windows 2000

You cannot modify the
MountedDevices registry key in Windows XP because there are many hard-coded paths to the C:\Windows drive. These hard-coded paths may not load. Then, that behavior provokes the WPA-related error code.

Workaround for error code 0x80070002

To work around this problem, use the appropriate method.

Reset the default security provider in Windows XP

To reset the default security provider in Windows XP, delete the relevant registry keys from the registry. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Start the computer. Press the F8 key during startup to start the computer in safe mode.
  2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click
    OK.
  3. Delete the following registry subkeys from the registry:
    • HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Cryptography\Providers
    • HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20\Software\Microsoft\Cryptography\Providers
  4. Exit Registry Editor.
  5. Restart the computer.

Reset the drive letter of the system drive

Use Registry Editor to change the drive letter of the system drive back to its original value. Edit the following registry key to change the value of the system drive:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices

For more information about how to restore the system drive letter, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

223188 How to restore the system/boot drive letter in Windows

Workaround for error code 0x8007007f or error code 0x8007007e

To work around this problem, uninstall the service pack that you installed. Then, reinstall the service pack.

Workaround for error code 0x800705aa, error code 0x8007007e, and error code 0x80004005

To work around this problem, replace the Dpcdll.dll file by using a clean Dpcdll.dll file that has the correct version.

Note To obtain the clean Dpcdll.dll file, copy the Dpcdll.dll file from a new installed computer.

Workaround for error code 0x800705aa, error code 0x80070002, error code 0x80004005, error code 0x800405aa, and error code 0x80090019

Note In most scenarios, the WinTools third-party software causes this problem.

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

  1. Disconnect the network cable from the computer.
  2. Restart your computer, and then press F8 during the initial startup to start your computer in safe mode with a command prompt.
  3. Remove the WinTools third-party software from Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.
  4. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and the click
    OK.
  5. Delete the registry key that has a WinTools value. This key is located in the following registry subkey:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
  6. Delete the following registry subkeys if they exist:
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{87766247-311C-43B4-8499-3D5FEC94A183}
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\BrowserHelperObjects\ {87766247-311C-43B4-8499-3D5FEC94A183}
  7. Exit Registry Editor.
  8. Restart your computer.
  9. Delete the following files from the ProgramsDir\Common files\WinTools path: :
    • ProgramsDir\Common files\WinTools\WToolsA.exe
    • ProgramsDir\Common files\WinTools\WSup.exe
    • ProgramsDir\Common files\WinTools\WToolsS.exe
    • ProgramsDir\Common files\WinTools\WToolsB.dll

    NoteProgramsDir represents the Program Files folder where WinTools is installed. By default, this is C:\Program Files.

  10. Clean up the hosts file that is located in the %Windir%\System32\Drivers\Etc\Hosts path.

    Note%Windir% represents the Windows folder on a Windows XP-based computer. By default, this is C:\Windows.

  11. Delete the all the files that have Wtools or Wsup in the name. For example, the
    %Windir%\prefetch folder may contain some files that have Wtools or Wsup in the name.

    Note The %Windir%\prefetch folder is a hidden folder. To access the folder, type %Windir%\prefetchin the
    Address box, and then press ENTER.

  12. Restart the computer in normal mode.

Workaround for an error code that is not in this list

If the error code you receive is not in this list, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Rename the Wpa.dbl file and the Wpa.bak file

If you want to force activation in Windows XP again, rename the Wpa.dbl file and the Wpa.bak file.

Method 2: Rename the Wpa.bak file

Consider the following scenario. You receive an error code that states that you must start Windows XP. However, you cannot start Windows XP. In this scenario you must rename the Wpa.dbl file to invalidate the Wpa.dbl file name. For example, change the name of the Wpa.dbl file to Wpa.dblinvalid. Then, change the name of the Wpa.bak file to Wpa.dbl.

Method 3: Restore the system

Restore the Windows XP-based computer from a restore point by using the system recovery options. For more information about how to restore the system, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457025.aspx

Method 4: Perform an in-place upgrade

Perform an in-place upgrade on the system. For more information about performing an in-place upgrade, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

978788 How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
1 vote, 5.00 avg. rating (96% score)

How to show hidden files and folders in Windows 10

How to show hidden files and folders in Windows 10

How to show hidden files and folders in Windows 10

  1. You open File Explorer from the taskbar.

  2. You select View > Options > Change folder and search options.

  3. You select the View tab and, in Advanced settings, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives and OK.

1 vote, 5.00 avg. rating (96% score)

How to Rip a CD or DVD

When you copy music, videos  and pictures from a CD or DVD to your PC, it’s called “ripping.” You can use Windows Media Player to do it .

How to Rip a CD or DVD

How to Rip CD or DVD

When you rip music from a CD, you’re copying songs from an audio CD to your PC. During the ripping process, the Player compresses each song and stores it on your drive as a Windows Media Audio (WMA), WAV, or MP3 file.
Ripped files are automatically saved to the Music folder, but you can change the location using the options on the Rip settings tab.

Rip music from a CD

Make sure your PC is connected to the Internet if you want Windows Media Player to automatically get info about the songs, such as the name of the CD, the artist, and titles for the tracks being ripped.
  1. Open Windows Media Player.
  2. Insert an audio CD into the PC’s CD drive.
  3. Select the Rip CD button Rip CD button .
Tips
  • If you want to select a different format or bit rate, select the Rip settings menu, and then choose Format or Audio Quality in the Player Library.
  • If you don’t want to rip every song, clear the check boxes next to the songs you don’t want.

Add or edit media info after ripping

  1. In the Player Library, search for the album or song you want to edit.
  2. Right-click the album, and then select Find album info.
  3. Do one of the following:
      • If the correct album or artist info appears in the search results, select the correct entry, and then follow the instructions on the page to automatically update the album art and media info.
      • If the correct album doesn’t appear in the search results, follow the instructions on the page to search again using different search criteria, or to manually add the media info.
1 vote, 5.00 avg. rating (96% score)

How to Burn a CD or DVD

When you copy music, videos  and pictures from your PC to a blank CD or DVD, it’s called “burning” . You can use Windows Media Player to do it .

How to Burn a CD or DVD

How to Burn CDs or DVDs

Different discs you can burn

With Windows Media Player, you can burn three kinds of discs: audio CDs, data CDs, and data DVDs. To decide which kind of disc you should use, you’ll need to think about what you want to copy, how much you’re copying, and how you want to play the disc. This table helps you decide what type of disc to use.
Disc type  Description
Audio CD
Choose this option if you want to make music CDs that you can play in your car, on your stereo, or on your PC.
  • Use this for music only
  • Capacity: up to 80 minutes
Data CD
You can play a data CD on PCs and some CD and DVD players. The device must support the file types that you add to the disc, such as WMA, MP3, JPEG, or Windows Media Video (WMV). Choose this option if you have lots of music and a CD or DVD player that can play the file types you add to the disc or if you want to back up your media.
  • Use this for music, pictures, and videos
  • Capacity is about 700 megabytes (MB), or roughly 8 hours of music
Data DVD
 You can play a data DVD on PCs and some DVD players. The device must support the file types that you add to the disc, such as WMA, MP3, JPEG, or WMV. Choose this option if you have a lot of files that won’t fit on a single CD because a data DVD has a lot of space.
  • Use this for music, pictures, and videos
  • Capacity is about 4.7 gigabytes (GB), or roughly 54 hours of music

What you’ll need

You’ll need two things to get started:
  • A CD or DVD recorder drive (also known as a CD or DVD burner).
  • A blank CD or DVD.

Burn an audio CD (or a data CD or DVD)

You can make a CD that stores about 80 minutes of music and will play in almost any CD player. Or you can make a data CD or DVD that can hold several hours of music (or many photos or short video clips) and will play in PCs. A data CD will work in CD players that support the file types copied to the disc.
Here’s how to burn an audio CD: 
  1. Open Windows Media Player.
  2. In the Player Library, select the Burn tab, select the Burn options button Options button , and then select Audio CD or Data CD or DVD.
  3. Insert a blank disc into your CD or DVD burner.If your PC has more than one CD or DVD drive, select the drive you want to use.
  4. Search for the items in your Player Library that you want to burn to the disc, and then drag them to the list pane (on the right side of the Player Library) to create a burn list.
  5. When you’re finished with the list, select Start burn.
1 vote, 5.00 avg. rating (96% score)

Runtime Broker is using too much memory Windows 10

Runtime Broker is using too much memory Windows 10

Runtime Broker is using too much memory Windows 10

Runtime Broker is a Windows process in Task Manager that helps manage permissions on your PC for apps from Microsoft Store. It should only use a few megabytes of memory, but in some cases, a faulty app might cause Runtime Broker to use up to a gigabyte of RAM or more.

If your RAM use is high and your PC is running slowly, an app may be the cause of the problem. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager and then, on the Processes tab, check to see how much memory Runtime Broker is using. If its using more than 15% of your memory, you probably have an issue with an app on your PC. To stop Runtime Broker from using so much memory, select Runtime Broker in the list, select End task to close Runtime Broker, and then restart your computer.

1 vote, 5.00 avg. rating (96% score)

How to get Microsoft Rewards points

Bing Rewards is now Microsoft Rewards. If you were a Bing Rewards member, your account transitioned automatically to the new program and your credits have been converted into points. One credit in Bing Rewards is equivalent to 10 points in Microsoft Rewards.

How to get Microsoft Rewards points

There are thousands of Rewards available to you – from films, to apps, to sweepstakes and more – all from Microsoft. Once you have enough points to snag what you want, each of those eligible rewards will light up for redemption on your Rewards page. Just select Redeem and follow the steps. Browse the Redeem page anytime you’re feeling spendy.

Save up for a big item, spend your points on smaller rewards along the way – however you want to redeem your points, we’re with you. We’ll track your point progress, so you can keep earning and spending without counting on your fingers.

0 votes, 0.00 avg. rating (0% score)

Change a printer’s status to “online”

  • Your printer will display as “offline” if it can’t communicate with your PC. Check to make sure the printer is turned on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your PC. To find out if your printer is connected to Wi-Fi, see if your printer’s built-in menu has options for checking, or check the printer’s manual for specific instructions.
  • If you’re still having trouble printing, try uninstalling and reinstalling your printer driver. Select Start  > Settings  > Devices > Printers and scanners, then select the printer and select Remove Device. To reinstall it, select Start  > Settings  > Devices > Printers & scanners. Then select Add a printer or scanner and allow Windows to find nearby printers. Choose the one you want and select Add device.

Read more :

2 votes, 3.50 avg. rating (77% score)

Redeem a gift card or code to your Microsoft account

Redeem your gift card or code

Redeem a gift card or code to your Microsoft account

The easiest way to redeem a gift card or code is by visiting microsoft.com/redeem. If you or your family have multiple Microsoft accounts, make sure you’re signed in to the one to which you want to apply the gift card or code. Then enter the 25-character code, select Next, and follow the instructions on the screen.

See Find your downloads and product keys for more info about downloading and installing apps and games.

Redeem a gift card or code on Windows 10 or Xbox devices

Windows 10

  1. Open Microsoft Store .
  2. Select the See more  menu (next to the Search box).
  3. Select Redeem a code. If you aren’t already signed in, sign in to the Microsoft account on which you want to redeem the code.
  4. Enter your code and select Redeem.
  • If the card or code has money on it, we’ll apply the entire balance to your Microsoft account. You can use it to buy things from Microsoft Store online, on Windows 10, and on Xbox One.
  • If the card or code is for a specific app or game, we’ll add it to your personal library, where you can download and install it. Go to My Library in Microsoft Store. When some apps or games are redeemed, they will take you to the product page where you can also download and install.
  • If the card or code is for a subscription, you can find it in your Services & subscriptions.

Xbox One

Make sure your console is connected to the Internet and you’re signed in to the Microsoft account on which you want to redeem the code.

  1. Select Store > Use a code.
  2. Follow the instructions on the screen to redeem your gift card or code.
  • If the card or code has money on it, we’ll apply the entire balance to your Microsoft account. You can use it to buy things from Microsoft Store online, on Windows 10, and on Xbox One.
  • If the card or code is for a specific app or game, we’ll add it to your personal library, where you can download and install it. Press the Xbox  button on your controller and then select My games and apps > Ready to install. Select the app or game, then select Install.
  • If the card or code is for a subscription, such as a subscription to Xbox Live Gold, you can find it in System > Settings > Account > Subscriptions.
—or —
  1. Say “Xbox, use a code”.
  2. Follow the instructions on the screen to redeem your gift card or code

Xbox 360

Make sure your console is connected to the Internet and you’re signed in to the Microsoft account on which you want to redeem the code.

  1. Press the Guide button on the controller.
  2. Choose Games and apps > Redeem code.
  3. Enter the gift card code and select Done.
1 vote, 5.00 avg. rating (96% score)