1. Open the Steam app and select Add a Game.
2. Click Add a Non-Steam Game and choose Browse.
3. Access: C:\Windows\
4. Then, scroll down, open explorer.exe, and click Add Selected Programs.
5. Hold Windows + R keyboard shortcut, type shell:AppsFolder, then press Enter.
6. Select the game you want to add, right-click on it, and choose Create Shortcut.
7. Right-click on the desktop shortcut, go to Properties, type in Target Type or Target, delete the shortcut.
8. Go to Steam, access Library, select Games, right-click on the game explorer, choose Properties, choose the name of the game you want to add.
9. Choose Select Launch Options, write: shell:AppsFolder\<Target Type or Target Here>
10. Click OK, then Close.

If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

If you are trying to update or upgrade your Windows 10 computer using the Windows Update and suddenly an “Error 0x800f0900” appears, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you resolve this Windows Update issue. When you encounter this error, you will see the following error message on your screen:

“There were problems installing some updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and you want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help: 2018-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems (KB4088776) – Error 0X800F0900”

This kind of Windows Update error is most likely caused by some corrupted files in the system. It is also possible that the Windows Database might have become corrupted as well. So if you are currently experiencing this problem, refer to the options given below and see which one of them works best for you.

Option 1 – Try running the DISM Tool

Running the DISM Tool helps in repairing the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.

• Open the Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in this command: exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.

After you run this tool, a log file is created at C:WindowsLogsCBSCBS.log. On the other hand, if the Windows Update client is already broken, you will be prompted to use a running Windows installation as the repair source or use a Windows side-by-side folder from a network share, as the source of the files. Although the chances of this happening are less, if it turns out to be the case, you need to run an advanced command in the DISM tool to repair a broken Windows Update. Just repeat the process above but use the following command instead:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccess

Option 2 – Try running the System File Checker or SFC scan

The SFC scan or System File Checker is a built-in command utility in Windows that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files that cause several issues in the computer like the Windows Update Error 0x800f0900. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

Option 3 – Try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the Windows Update error 0x80073712. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 4 – Perform a System Restore

You can also try to perform a System Restore as it can also help you fix the Windows Update Error 0x800f0900. You can do this option either by booting into Safe Mode or in System Restore. If you are already in the Advanced Startup Options, just directly select System Restore and proceed with the next steps. And if you have just booted your PC into Safe Mode, refer to the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 5 – Reset both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders

You have to stop a couple of services such as BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer, and Windows Update Services. And to do that, you need to flush the contents in the SoftwareDistribution folder. The Software Distribution folder in the Windows operating system is a folder that can be found in the Windows directory and is used to store files temporarily which might be required to install the Windows Update on your PC. Thus, it is required by the Windows Update and maintained by WUAgent. Aside from that, it also contains all the Windows Update History files and once you delete them, you will most likely lose the Update history. As a result, the next time you run the Windows Update, it may result in a longer detection time.

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer, and then try to run Windows Update once more.

Easy Guide to Fix Error Code 14

Error Code 14 - What is it?

Generated due to temporary device and Window system conflicts, Error code 14 is a typical Device Manager error.  This error code can pop up anytime and usually displayed in the following format:

“This device cannot work properly until you restart your computer. (Code 14)”

Though it is not a fatal error code like the infamous Blue Screen of Death and runtime error codes, nonetheless it is still advisable to repair it immediately before any delay to avoid inconvenience.

It can lower your PC’s performance and hamper you from using certain hardware devices as a result of driver problems.

Solution

Error Causes

Error 14 is triggered when your system is unable to correctly read the files and settings which is important for running a certain piece of your PC hardware. Now this conflict may occur due to reasons like outdated, corrupted, or poorly installed drivers. Other causes may include corrupted registry entries.

Simply put, Error code 14 is a good reminder that PC users should pay attention to updating device drivers to ensure healthy systems and optimum PC performance.

Further Information and Manual Repair

The good news is that error code 14 is quite easy to resolve. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to hire a professional programmer to get it fixed. To repair, simply follow the DIY methods listed below.

We have compiled some of the best, proven, and easy to perform solutions for PC users to resolve Device Manager error codes like error code 14. Follow the instructions here to resume the functionality of your PC.

Let’s get started:

Method 1 - Reboot Your System

Sometimes, an action as simple as rebooting your PC can also resolve technical problems like error code 14. So, before you try any other method, try giving this a shot.

The moment the error code pops on your screen, simply close all the programs running on your system and restart your PC. This refreshes your system settings, processes and services allowing it to run smoothly.

However, if the error still persists, then try other methods given below.

Method 2 - Delete the Corrupted Registry Entries

Corrupted registry entry can also trigger error code 14. To resolve delete the corrupted registry entries. For this, go to the start menu and type Regedit. A dialog box will open. Now navigate through the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key. Expand further to locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass. Once located, now in the right pane click upper filters and then click delete on the edit menu. Click yes when prompted to confirm the deletion.

Now in the right pane, click lower filters. Repeat the same steps as performed to delete upper filters. Confirm deletion and then exit the registry editor. To activate changes, restart your PC. This will hopefully resolve the issue. If the error code pops up on your computer screen, then try method 3.

Method 3 - Update Corrupted/Outdated Drivers

Drivers are basically software applications that communicate and provide instructions to your system to operate hardware devices.

When these become corrupt or outdated, you start experiencing problems like error code 14. To resolve, locate corrupted drivers and update them. You can do it both manually and automatically. We’ll discuss both ways.

For a manual driver update, go to the start menu, control panel, and then Device Manager. Now go through all devices listed to locate problematic drivers. To identify problematic drivers, look for yellow exclamation marks next to each device. Devices with yellow exclamation marks indicate that driver issues. To repair, right-click on each hardware device and select update driver.

Method 4 - Install DriverFIX - Alternative to Manual Driver Update

Updating each driver separately and manually is a stressful and frustrating task. This can take a lot of your time. Sometimes, you may also have to download new driver versions from the internet to install perform updates. To avoid the hassle and save time, it is advisable to install a program like DriverFIX.

This user-friendly and intuitive software is based on sophisticated technology featuring an intelligent programming system that automatically detects all your PC drivers in seconds.

Once you install this software on your system, it instantly identifies problematic drivers and matches them to the latest versions. It updates PC drivers immediately thereby resolving the error code 14 problem in a few seconds. It enables accurate installations and ensures that your PC runs at its optimum level.

More importantly, with this software installed on your PC, you don’t have to worry about keeping track of your driver updates anymore. The software updates drivers on a regular basis with new and compatible versions ensuring that your PC functions properly and you don’t experience any type of Device Manager error code. It is easy to use and install. It is compatible with all Windows versions.

Click here to download DriverFIX to resolve error code 14 on your system right away.

One of the most common brands of GPUs that comes in a large number of computers is AMD’s Radeon Graphics processing units. AMD included the Radeon Settings panel so that users can control how the hardware functions. However, as of late, a lot of users reported that the Radeon Settings panel throws an error that says, “Radeon Settings are currently not available. Please try again after connecting AMD graphics” when they try to use it. This kind of error in the Radeon Settings panel is most likely caused by either corrupted drivers or incompatible drivers. If you are one of the users who are facing this problem, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing this error. You can either use the Device Driver Uninstaller or change the driver version. For more details, make use of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to use the Device Driver Uninstaller

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to uninstall the AMD Radeon drivers by using the Device Driver Uninstaller software. After you’ve uninstalled the AMD Radeon drivers using this software, go to the official website of AMD to download the AMD Radeon drivers. Once you’ve downloaded them, you can install them by simply running the executable file. Once the installation of the new AMD Radeon drivers is done, try to open the Radeon Settings panel and see if the error is now fixed or not. If not, refer to the next given option below.

Option 2 – Try changing the Driver version

If you have followed the instructions in the first option then you can proceed to the next given steps below.

• Now that you’ve completely uninstalled the AMD Radeon drivers and reinstalled their latest working versions, check if the drivers are still updating. If they are, you need to stop them.
• To disable the drivers being automatically updated, you need to go to the Group Policy Editor by tapping the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and then type “gpedit.msc” in the field and tap Enter or click OK.
• After opening the Group Policy Editor, navigate to this policy setting: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation > Device Installation Restrictions
• From there, double click on the “Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device IDs” policy setting to open a new window, and from this window, you will see the following description of the setting:

“This policy setting allows you to specify a list of Plug and Play hardware IDs and compatible IDs for devices that Windows is prevented from installing. This policy setting takes precedence over any other policy setting that allows Windows to install a device. If you enable this policy setting Windows is prevented from installing a device whose hardware ID or compatible ID appears in the list you create. If you enable this policy setting on a remote desktop server the policy setting affects the redirection of the specified devices from a remote desktop client to the remote desktop server. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting devices can be installed and updated as allowed or prevented by other policy settings.”

• Now set the radio button of the policy setting to “Enabled”. This will turn off the delete confirmation prompt. Note that setting the radio button to either Not Configured or Disabled will turn off the driver being automatically updated.
• Next, click on the Show button under the Options section. And in the field that pops up, type in the Hardware ID of your GPU and click OK. You can find the GPU’s Hardware ID under this location: Device Manager > <DEVICE NAME> Properties > Details > Hardware IDs
• Once you’re done, click the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Close the Group Policy Editor and restart your PC and see if the “Radeon Settings are currently not available. Please try again after connecting AMD graphics” error is now fixed.

One of the worst Blue Screen of Death errors you can encounter is the UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME BSOD on Windows 10. In this BSOD error, your computer won’t be able to properly boot. Meaning to say, even if you want to reinstall Windows, you won’t be able to back up your important files. Thus, it wouldn’t be really feasible to fix the system files, and besides, reinstalling Windows 10 would take a lot of time, not to mention resources. The UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error is the kind of BSOD error that occurs if Windows is not able to access the volume that contains the boot files. Resolving this BSOD error won’t be easy but you will surely manage by following the suggestions laid out below but before you go on, make sure to create a System Restore Point.

Option 1 – Try checking the hardware

If you got the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME BSOD error while trying to update your computer to a higher version of Windows, then you need to check if you have the compatible drivers for the disk controller as well as re-check the drive cabling and make sure that it is properly configured. And if you’re reusing either ATA-100 or ATA-66 drivers, ensure that you have an 80-connector cable and not the standard 40-connector IDE cable.

Option 2 – Try using Automatic Repair

You might also want to use Automatic Repair in fixing the BSOD error. To do so, follow the steps below.

• You can start by creating and booting from a bootable Windows 10 USB Stick.
• After that, click on Repair your computer located in the bottom left corner when you are on the initial Windows Startup screen.
• Next, click on Troubleshoot, and then on the other screen, click the Startup Repair option.
• Now select the operating system you want to repair. Once you do that, it will start to repair your operating system. Wait until the process is completed and then check if the problem’s now fixed.

Option 3 – Try fixing the Master Boot Record or MBR

The MBR or Master Boot Record is the location and is where the architecture of the operating system is installed. Thus, if either the location or the architecture has tampered with, it can cause lots of BSOD errors like the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error.

• Boot your computer into Safe mode with Networking using the Advanced startup options which you can access by tapping the F2 or F8 key. Once you’ve accessed the Advanced startup options.
• After you access the Advanced Startup options, select Command Prompt by using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

bootrec /fixboot

• After entering the command, wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer to apply the changes made successfully.

Option 4 – Run the CHKDSK command to repair hard disk errors

Running the Chkdsk utility could help you fix the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the Chkdsk utility comes in. The Chkdsk utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.

• After you access the Advanced Startup options, select Command Prompt by using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /f /r

• The command you entered will scan the hard disk for any errors and will automatically fix it if it finds some issues. Wait for the process to be completed and then reboot your PC.

Error Code 0x80d02002? - What Is It?

Error Code 0x80d02002 is one of the common errors encountered by Windows users upgrading to Windows 10 or installing new Windows updates. This error results in program lock-ups, system crashes, and freezes, or slow PC performance. It can also cause possible loss of private data on your device.

Some of the common error messages involving Error Code 0x80d02002 include:

• Something went wrong, Please try again later. Windows update error dt_000 – 0x80d02002
• Error(s) found: Code 0x80d02002 Windows update encountered an unknown error. Windows update ran into a problem.
• Windows Update Cannot Check For Updates – 0x80d02002
• 0x80d02002 – Windows could not search for new updates. An error occurred while checking for new updates for your computer. Some updates were not installed.
• There were some problems installing updates, but we’ll try again later If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help – 0x80d02002

While upgrading to Windows 10, depending on the state of your computer, you might encounter other error messages, including error code 0xc000021a. 

Solution

Error Causes

Error Code 0x80d02002 normally occurs when a user updates their system, upgrades to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, or installs new Windows updates. There are several reasons why this error happens which includes:

• Internet connection problems
• Blocked system ports
• Conflict on system level

Further Information and Manual Repair

In trying to fix Error Code 0x80d02002, you can employ manual repair methods to effectively and efficiently solve the issue. However, keep in mind that one tiny error made in using the command prompt can result in data loss or put your computer in a no-boot situation. In such cases, you can seek help from a Windows professional or consider using an automated tool whenever necessary.

You can try doing the following manual repair methods in an attempt to fix Error Code 0x80d02002:

Method One: Reset Windows Update Components

In trying to fix Error Code 0x80d02002, you may try resetting manually and check the Windows update components by doing the following steps:

1. Right-click on the Start button then select Command Prompt (Admin) from the list to open a Command Prompt window.
2. Once the Command Prompt window appears, type or copy and paste the following commands all at once then hit Enter:

net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 catroot2.old net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver pause

3. Exit the Command Prompt then check if the issue is resolved.

Method Two: Check If The Region Is Correct

1. On the Start screen, type Region. Afterward, click on Settings then hit
2. Under the Format tab, choose English (United Kingdom).
3. Select Language Preferences then click on Add a language. Afterward, add “your language.”
4. After you’ve added your preferred language, choose it then click on Move Up to make it the first language. Close now the Language window.
5. On the Region window, select Additional Settings and see if the values are the same.
6. Select the Location tab then change the Home Location to “your country,” then hit

Method Three: Perform an SFC Scan

Check if there are system files that need to be repaired by running an SFC Scan. Follow the steps below:

1. Type CMD in the search bar then right-clicks on it. Select Run as Administrator. This will open a Command Prompt window in elevated mode.
2. In the next window, select
3. Once the Command Prompt window appears, type the command: sfc /scannow
4. Leave the Command Prompt window open and wait for the process to complete. This might take a while depending on how fast or slow your device is.
5. When everything’s fine, the message saying “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations” will appear.

 Method Four: Disable Skype or Antivirus

There are times when Skype or your installed antivirus can conflict in updating your system. You can disable first your antivirus or Skype as you update your system and enable them once again when you successfully update your system.

Method Five: Download A Powerful Automated Tool 

Can’t seem to put up with the long and technical manual repair process? You can still fix this error by downloading and installing a powerful automated tool that will surely get the job done in a jiffy!

Windows comes with a built-in backup solution. However, if it failed because of an internal error, you will encounter an error message saying, “The backup application could not start due to an internal error, Server execution failed (0x80080005)”. When you get this kind of error, it means that it did not start and the process failed with a Server execution error. If you got this kind of error worries not for this post will guide you in fixing the problem in your Windows 10 computer. The Windows Backup service is an excellent feature in Windows that only works on the NTFS file system and if you want to use this make sure that you have formatted your files system to NTFS. It is performed by the Volume Shadow Copy, all you have to do is right-click on any folder and if you see the “Previous versions” option, this means that a backup process runs from time to time and can bring back old files when needed. To resolve the “The backup application could not start due to an internal error”, here are two suggestions you can check out.

Option 1 – Check if the Volume Shadow Copy service is running and restart it

The first thing you need to do is check if the Volume Shadow Copy service. To do that, refer to the following steps:

• Click on Start and type “cmd” and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results.
• Then select the “Run as administrator” option to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After that, type “net stop sdrsvc” and hit Enter to execute the command in stopping the Volume Shadow Copy service.
• Next, type the “net start sdrsvc” command and hit Enter to start the service again.

Note: You can also restart the service using the Windows Services Manager.

• In the Cortana search box, type “services” and click on the Services icon to open the Services Manager. Alternatively, you can also tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run prompt and then type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
• From there, look for the Volume Shadow Service (sdrsv) from the list of services. Its Startup type should be set to Manual by default.
• Restart the service and if you don’t encounter any error while you turn it on, re-run the backup service and see if the backup process runs successfully.

Option 2 – Try to run the Volume Shadow Copy Service in a Clean Boot State

If the first option didn’t work and the service still keeps on failing even though the service is running, you can try putting your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try to run Windows Backup again.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now try to run the Volume Shadow Copy service again and see if the process goes smoothly.

Note: You might also want to delete all the files in the backup solution if you want to start fresh with the backup solution. Just go to C:/System/Volume/Information/Windows Backup and take ownership of the folder. After that, make sure to stop the Volume Shadow Copy service and then delete all the files inside it.

Creating a System Restore point is definitely a must especially when you are about to make some changes to your computer. This will help make sure that the system settings and files can go back to an earlier point, should something go wrong, without affecting any personal files. However, there are cases when creating a System Restore Point does not go smoothly and you encounter an error that says, “The shadow copy provider had an unexpected error while trying to process the specified operation ( ox8004230F )”. Aside from creating System Restore Point, you can also encounter this error when you create a system image or backup. According to reports, this error pops up when the required services are not running or not properly responding. And to fix it, there are several recommendations that will be provided in this post to fix the Error 0x8004230F when creating System Restore point in Windows 10. You can try to check the Volume Shadow Copy Services status or run the VSSADMIN tool. You could also check the status of the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider Service or create System Restore Point in a Clean Boot State. For more details, refer to the provided options below.

Option 1 – Try checking the status of the Volume Shadow Copy Service

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• From the list of services, look for the Volume Shadow Copy service and double-click on it.
• After that, this will open the Properties where you have to make sure that the Startup type is set to Automatic (Delayed Start) and then click on the Start button underneath it.
• Once done, click on Apply and then OK to save the changes made.
• Now try creating a System Restore Point again and see if the error is already fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try to run the VSSADMIN tool

In case you don’t know, the shadow copy provider is sensitive and some other backup, disk cloning, etc. can make it malfunction. To fix this, you can run the VSSADMIN tool by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “cmd” and hit Enter to open Command Prompt.
• Next, execute this command to check if you have other third party VSS admin providers: vssadmin list providers
• After that, if it finds any, you need to disable them but if it does not find anything, then proceed.

Option 3 – Try to check the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider Service status

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• From the list of services, look for the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider Service and double click on it.
• After that, this will open the Properties where you have to make sure that the Startup type is set to Automatic (Delayed Start).
• Once done, click Apply and OK to save the changes and then try creating System Restore Point again.

Option 4 – Troubleshot the problem in a Clean Boot State

It is possible that some third-party program installed in your computer might be the one that’s causing the ox8004230F when you try to create a System Restore point. Thus, you can try to boot your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try to perform the task again.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And to configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Once your computer has restarted try to create a System Restore Point again and if it now works, start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

If you get an Error Code 15 or Error Code 16 while you are browsing the web and you notice that your access is blocked to a particular website, then read on as this post will guide you in resolving this problem. Both Error Code 15 and Error Code 16 have the same message that states, “Access Denied: This request was blocked by the security rules”. Note that the error depends on what kind of browser you are using, as well as the operating system and network that you are using. On the other hand, the fixes for this error are the same and there is a handful of them that you can check out just make sure to follow each one of them carefully.

Option 1 – Sync Date and Time

The first thing you can try is to sync the Date and Time of your computer as the wrong Date and Time settings are one of the most common causes of connection problems like Error code 15 or Error code 16. This is because of the incompatibility between the SSL Certificate validation date and the System Clock. Thus, you have to sync your System Clock. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• Right-click on the Taskbar and click on the Adjust Date and Time option.
• Next, click on the Sync Now button to synchronize the Date and Time with the Microsoft Servers.
• Now make sure that the Time Zone that’s set on the same page is correct.

Option 2 – Try to reset the affected browser

Resetting the affected browser might help in fixing Error Code 15 or Error Code 16.

Mozilla Firefox

• Open Firefox and click the icon that looks like three stacked lines located at the top-right section of the browser.
• Next, select the question mark icon from the drop-down menu.
• Then select “Troubleshooting information” from the slide-out menu.
• After that, click on the “Reset Firefox” button located at the top-right section of the newly opened web page.
• Now select “Reset Firefox” in the confirmation pop-up window that appears.

Google Chrome

• Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
• After that, click on Settings.
• Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
• After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
• Now restart Google Chrome.

Internet Explorer

• Launch Internet Explorer.
• Next, click the wrench icon for Settings.
• Then click Internet Options.
• After that, go to the Advanced tab.
• From there, click the Reset button. This will reset Internet Explorer’s settings to their default condition.
• Now click OK to save the changes made.

Option 3 – Temporarily disable Firewall and third-party antivirus

Firewall and antivirus programs are known to block files the instant it detects a threat to the system. However, there are some cases when it can also block a file even when it’s a safe one. Thus, your antivirus or firewall programs might be the reason why you can’t download anything on your Windows 10 computer. To isolate the issue, you need to temporarily disable both the Firewall and antivirus programs and then check if you can now download anything from the internet. Do not forget to enable them again as disabling them can leave your computer vulnerable to cyber threats.

Option 4 – Disable the Proxy server

You can also try to disable the Proxy server for your LAN to fix Error code 15 or Error code 16 especially if your computer was attacked by some malware or adware recently. In such cases, there is a chance that the malware or adware has changed your network settings in order to generate intrusive advertisements. Thus, you have to disable the proxy server and you can do that by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
• After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
• From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
• Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
• Restart your PC.

Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 5 – Check your VPN

If you are using a VPN application, there are times when it causes some issues like this error. If that’s the case, you can try to disable your VPN temporarily and see if the error is resolved or not and if turns out that your VPN is the culprit, you have to uninstall it and install a new one or its latest version. To uninstall it, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box
• Then type “appwiz.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to open the Programs and Features in Control Panel.
• From there, look for the VPN service you are using, select it and then click on Uninstall to remove it.
• After that, restart your computer and try to install the latest version of the program again. It should work now. If not, proceed to the next available option below.

A lot of Windows users, use a second GPU for their computer systems, especially gamers above the dedicated graphics card. The operating system is set such that the dedicated high-end graphics card is set to default but there are times when the system does not recognize or detect the second graphics card. Even though every computer system comes with an integrated graphics card, for the most part, it is insufficient for graphics-intensive games and software which is why if you have an extra dedicated graphics card and your computer does not seem to detect or recognize it, then this post is for you. It could be that the dedicated graphics card has failed or it could also be an issue with the drivers and so on. Follow the suggested options below to resolve the problem.

Option 1 – Update your Graphics drivers

• First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
• After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for the Display Adapters and click on them.
• After that, right-click on each entry under the Display Adapters and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
• Now restart your computer.
• After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.

Note: You also have the option to go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD and go to the section called Drivers then check if there’s a new available update – if there is, download and install it.

Option 2 – Update the BIOS

Take note that you have to be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
• From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
• After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
• If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
• Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version on your computer.
• Now restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try changing the GPU settings

• Right-click on any empty space on your Desktop and select Graphics Properties. Note that the Graphics Properties screen depends on the graphics drivers installed on your computer and are system-specific as they may be different for other systems but they aren’t hard to find.
• After that, make sure that the dedicated Graphics card is selected as Default under the Select Display drop-down.
• If the Graphics card isn’t set as Default, set it and click Apply and Exit.

Option 4 – Try disabling the driver for the integrated Graphics card

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.
• From there, expand the list of Display Adapters and then right-click and select Disable device for the Integrated Graphics card. However, if the dedicated Graphics card fails, the display won’t work so you need to restart the system and enable it.