It is common to run multiple programs and applications at the same time and it’s important to be able to switch between them using their Taskbar icons or using the usual Alt + Tab shortcut. However, there are times when you might suddenly find that neither of the aforementioned methods worked and you will no longer be able to switch between programs in the Windows Taskbar. To fix this issue, refer to the options given in this post.
For instance, when you have multiple instances of Microsoft Edge running and every time you press the Alt + Tab combo nothing happens so you are left with no choice but to minimize everything and then hover your mouse on the icon and switch between the instances of Edge. You will also notice that the right-click on the taskbar won’t respond back and will only keep on showing the loading circle icon.
Here are a few tips you can follow to fix the issue with the Windows 10 Taskbar.
This is one of the basic things you can try as restarting Windows Explorer helps in refreshing the user interface and makes most of the things work in relation to the user interface.
Aside from restarting Windows Explorer, you could also try changing the Foreground Lock Time to fix the issue with the Taskbar.
Note: If you are running some Full-Screen applications there are some devices especially the gaming ones, disable the Windows key to make sure that you won’t be able to switch. If this is the case, you need to make some modifications to the Full-Screen games.
Error Code 38 is a device driver error that users encounter on any Windows 2000 operating system and its following versions.
It occurs when the peripheral device that you connect to your PC cannot be accessed due to an inability of the Windows system to acknowledge the driver as a previous record of the driver being loaded is found in its memory.
It is a common error that users come across and appears on your PC with the following message:
“Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory. (Code 38)”
Error Code 38 is prompted when incomplete program files are left in the Windows system which damage or corrupt its files. There are various factors that contribute to this, some of which are:
The above triggers are very likely to create incomplete files within the Windows registry thereby leading to its damage and corruption.
This is especially true in the case of your PC when it has recovered from viruses when using anti-virus software. The anti-virus in its effort to remove the virus also could remove the files which contain them thereby increasing the risk of the error code.
These damaged files can severely impact the health of your PC and are imperative to fix it immediately to prevent further problems.
Although this error code may pose serious problems for your PC, thankfully, it is very similar to other PC driver errors and thus is an easy one to get rid of. Here are various methods that you can use to get your PC running smoothly again.
If restarting your PC does not help, you will have to find the exact nature of the problem by running the troubleshooting wizard for the device and then address the problem accordingly. To do this, proceed with the following steps:
After following the directions of the Troubleshooting wizard, make sure to restart your PC for the changes to take effect. Now check if your device is still causing problems.
If the error persists, you can use system restore to eliminate the problem. Here is how to do so:
By restoring the system via a last saved system checkpoint, you can obtain undamaged Windows system files that can help resolve the error code.
If using system restore does not work either, you may have to resort to manually uninstalling and then reinstalling the device driver causing the problem.
This would be necessary since the remaining incomplete files due to a partial removal or installation of programs are responsible for the error code. By uninstalling and reinstalling the device driver program, it would lead to the completion of the files.
You can do this by firstly logging in as Administrator and opening Device Manager. Select the device that is causing the problem and double click it; make sure that the peripheral is connected properly to the PC.
Upon opening, click on the ‘Driver’ tab and then select ‘Update Driver’. Make sure to refer to the system documentation that you received with your PC or computer to check for the motherboard details and driver specifics.
Manually uninstalling and reinstalling the driver will do the trick; however, it may be time-consuming especially when you would have to resort to your hardware user manual.
Using a program such as DriverFIX can save you a lot of time and frustration in having your device to work properly on your computer.
DriverFIX, with its user-friendly approach to help you fix your PC issues, comes with an integrated database that detects which drivers you need to reconfigure within just a few seconds and downloads it automatically.
It further ensures that your drivers are installed in their entirety leaving no room for any incomplete files to remain that create Error Code 38, or any other driver-related errors for that matter.
It also has the added advantage of being able to backup and restores your files should there be the slightest possibility of system file damage. DriverFIX is the answer to fixing your PC error codes accurately and quickly.
Click here to download DriverFIX to fix Error Code 38 quickly and effectively!
Windows 10 isn’t activated error occurs when Windows users attempt to upgrade to Windows 10 for free and end up in a non-activated state. It is a Windows 10 activation error affecting PC owners who attempt to upgrade their Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 operating systems. A message box will appear with the following message: “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free from Windows 7 SPI or Windows 8.1 update.”
Common symptoms of this error code include the following:
To understand the cause of this activation error, users will need to understand activation within Windows. Activation is a process that allows Windows to verify that you are upgrading your operating system based on the Microsoft Software Licensing Terms. These terms specify, for instance, the number of devices upon which you can use Windows.
Once you have a genuine copy of Windows and you are following the terms mentioned earlier, you should be able to activate and complete the upgrade to Windows 10. However, the activation fails when these conditions are not met. Note also that the error may occur if users fail to upgrade to Windows 10 before reinstalling, requiring them to repeat the installation process by first going back to the previous version of Windows present on their system. Once the upgrade process is not done as should, you might encounter other Windows 10 errors such as error code 0xc0000142
If you see this error code, “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free” proceed to rectify it using manual repair methods below.
To fix this activation error code in Windows 10, users will need to employ at least one manual repair procedure. This process can successfully be completed by non-technical Windows users. However, you may also consider getting assistance from a Windows repair technician if you are not certain you have the requisite skills needed to complete the manual repair tasks below.
The main methods to resolve the error code “Windows 10 isn’t activated after upgrading for free from Windows 7 SPI or Windows 8.1 update” is as follows:
If you attempted upgrading for free to Windows 10 and ended up with the activation error you will need to first perform a manual activation. Follow the steps below to complete the process.
The steps above enable users to successfully activate Windows 10 if the issue involves a connection problem. However, if Windows is not activated, it may mean your copy of Windows is not genuine. This may require you purchase a copy of Windows to rectify the issue. However, if you have a genuine copy of Windows proceed by applying the steps found in method two.
A valid product key is one way you can verify your copy of Windows is genuine. This will enable you to complete activation and allow you to access the free upgrade to Windows 10. Follow the steps below.
Error codes in Windows often occur due to poor maintenance of one’s PC. To improve your system and reduce your machine’s risk of experiencing error codes, download a powerful automated tool. This tool is both powerful and user-friendly, making its benefits accessible to even the most non-technical Windows users.
0x80004005 Outlook is an error that users commonly encounter while attempting to send or receive emails on Outlook.
The message that appears usually states “This message could not be sent. Try sending the message again or contact your network administrator."
The client operation failed. Error is [OX80004005- 0X0004B9-OXOO501].
This error is usually caused by a problem in the Local Area Network or LAN. What actually happens is that signals with the wireless LAN are lost or a connection problem occurs within the network cable.
As a result, the 0x80004005 Outlook error is triggered while sending or receiving an email. Sometimes the problem goes away on its own. However, if it recurs after a few hours, it shows that some problem exists within the network.
Also, it is important to understand that different factors can affect the quality of wireless connections in a network.
For instance, garage door openers, microwave ovens, and Bluetooth devices can easily become obstacles, disrupting the connection and causing the quality to degrade. Other causes are listed below as follows.
It is a must to fix this error otherwise potential risks associate with this error such as permanent damage and blue screens.
There are two ways to fix this error and both are listed below as follows.
Both these workarounds will work. Therefore, it is advised that you employ any one of them as per your needs.