Windows 10 has now surpassed the most popular operating system, Windows 7, which is bigger than ever. It’s been over three years since the release of Windows 8.1, and users had plenty of time to figure it out.
Fortunately, over the years, Microsoft has solved most of the problems with Windows 10. There are still some security vulnerabilities and other bugs that remain or are caused by recent Windows updates. This is partly because the Windows 10 update is still a mess, and the latest update, the October 2018 update, has caused all sorts of issues, including blue screen errors on Microsoft’s own Surface devices.
This may be why acceptance of this update is starting in time for the next update. If all of these problems are implied, Microsoft has a lot to do. Also, there are still a lot of problems with Windows 10 like printer connection problems. But who knows? Microsoft will actually fix some of these issues with the upcoming Windows 10 May 2019 Update.
That said, if you’re having problems with your operating system, we’ve put together a guide to the 100 most common Windows 10 problems and how to fix them. It doesn’t matter if it’s a printer issue, a connection issue, or a Windows 10 issue. So if you’re looking to troubleshoot your device, read on.
1. Having enough space to install Windows 10
If you’re looking to upgrade to Windows 10, installing an OS is the first area that could potentially cause problems. The installation of a new operating system requires a certain amount of free space on the disk to load and allow some elements to function successfully.
For Windows 10, the required space is 16 GB and there should be free space on the primary system drive used by the computer. In fact, this is the same as in previous versions of Windows, so if you have upgraded before, you can do it again.
To check the free space on your computer, go to “My Computer” (or “This Computer”, depending on the version of Windows on which you are running), which will indicate the drives you have. You can see the remaining space displayed under each drive, or right-click and select Properties for a better overview (system drives are usually C :).
2. Checking you have a powerful enough PC
Just like the space requirements, your computer must also support Windows 10. In other words, it must meet certain minimum system requirements.
The requirements for working with Windows 10 are relatively low. A processor with a clock speed of 1 GHz or higher; 1 GB (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit) RAM, 16 GB of free disk space; Graphics device Microsoft DirectX 9; Microsoft account combined with internet access.
To check your PC specifications, go to Control Panel, select System and Security, then select System.
However, this is a minimum requirement and you should aim for higher specs to get a smooth and enjoyable experience.
3. Activating Windows 10
Some users have reported problems with Windows 10 activation, which can be caused by a number of reasons. In some cases, the easiest way to fix the problem is to buy a legal copy of Windows 10.
Unlike previous versions of Windows, the latest version is almost exclusively available online, so it’s best to buy from the official Microsoft website. The company provided the OS for free, but its promotion ended long ago.
Microsoft has a useful website offering downloadable copies in 32-bit or 64-bit versions.
If you are unable to activate Windows 10 successfully, Microsoft introduced a new Activation Troubleshooter in its 1st Anniversary Update. You can find it in Settings, click on Update & Security, go to the Activation section and select Troubleshoot (if your OS is active, you won’t see this option).
4. Avoiding inconvenient software update reboots
Windows 10 is an Internet-based operating system in many ways. This is mostly a bonus, but there are times when it’s not, and Microsoft’s attitude towards operating system updates is one such case.
The most annoying part of automatic updates is restarting, which can happen accidentally (at an inconvenient time). The easiest way to respond to this is to go to Windows Update (under Settings > Update & Security), click on Advanced Options, and then click Notify on Scheduled Restart. This means that the OS will ask you to restart. Instead of stopping everything you’re working on.
5. Updating the previous of Windows 10 into new version
Moving from Windows 8.1 to 10 is much less annoying than moving from Windows 7 to 8, but it can still break some apps and in some cases not work at all.
If the program doesn’t work on Windows 10, check the Windows Store for updates, and if that doesn’t work, uninstall and reinstall.
Windows 10 has been around for many years, so most programs should be compatible with the operating system. If not, it never will.
It’s time to consider upgrading to a newer version of your software, or find an alternative if development has stalled.
6. Changing privacy and Wi-Fi Sense settings
Data security is very important, especially as hackers become increasingly sophisticated and cyberattacks increase.
Windows 10 comes with decent built-in protection, but you can’t be too careful. One of these features that privacy-conscious individuals should disable is Wi-Fi Sense, which automatically uses Wi-Fi passwords for all Windows 10 devices with one account.
Microsoft has updated Wi-Fi Sense to share less data, but turning this feature off is the perfect way to prevent unwanted events. To turn it off, go to the Start menu, select Settings, click Network & Internet, click Wi-Fi, and go to Manage Wi-Fi Settings. Turn off all options here.
You can also get an overview of everything that happens in Windows 10 in terms of privacy in settings in the “Privacy” section. This is not surprising. Here you will see a number of toggles that you can control by adjusting some privacy settings.
7. Printer compatibility
If you’re using an older device, printer compatibility can be a real issue. If you are upgrading from Windows 7 (or earlier) to Windows 10, you need to update all available printer drivers. It won’t work after the update.
Fortunately, nothing could be easier. All you have to do is search the name of your printer in a search engine of your choice and download the latest driver that is compatible with Windows 10, but you need to download it from the actual manufacturer’s website. You just need to install it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
AUTHOR BIO
On my daily job, I am a software engineer, programmer & computer technician. My passion is assembling PC hardware, studying Operating System and all things related to computers technology. I also love to make short films for YouTube as a producer. More at about me…
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