When you take a picture using your digital camera or smartphone, metadata is stored inside the photo files. The EXIF or metadata can include information such as the resolution, camera settings, the date the picture was taken, and even the GPS coordinates.Read more
Utilities
Task Scheduler: User account does not have permission to disable the task
When you open Task Scheduler and try to disable a task, the following error message may occur even though you’re logged in to an administrator account:
The user account you are operating under does not have permission to disable the task.
How to Create a Shortcut (.lnk) to a Non-Existent Target
There are situations where you need to create a shortcut (.lnk) to a target that doesn’t exist on the computer. For instance, you want to create a set of shortcuts for using them on another computer.
However, the Create Shortcut wizard in Windows will not allow you to create a shortcut to a path that does not exist.Read more
How to Start Explorer.exe Cleanly by Disabling Third-party Modules
The Explorer.exe process loads many DLLs, including some third-party shell extension DLLs. The shell extensions installed on the computer load whenever Explorer.exe is started. A buggy DLL may sometimes cause problems in File Explorer — such as freeze issues, crashes, or other unusual behavior in the Explorer shell. In most cases, a third-party shell extension will be the culprit.
Fix: Unremovable “Apps” Extension in Edge or Chrome
Of late, many users are facing a problem where a rogue browser extension named “Apps” appears in Chrome or Edge. Also, the user is unable to remove the extension. Attempting to remove the extension via the registry or deleting the extension folder doesn’t help, as the extension is automatically installed whenever the user opens Edge or Chrome.Read more
Error 1310: Error writing to file; Verify access to that directory
When you try to install a program, the installer may encounter the error 1310. The error code 1310 means “Error attempting to create the destination file.”Read more
Find Unnecessary Device Drivers in your Windows PC
Your Windows installation may get bloated over time with unwanted device driver packages. The driver store may accumulate drivers that aren’t required by the system — i.e., the hardware no longer exists, or another package has superseded the driver. You can remove device drivers in Windows using several methods. But how do you find out … Read more
Apps Don’t Open Unless Run as Administrator
You may notice that some programs don’t run when you double-click on the icon of the program. However, they run if you right-click on the icon and then click “Run as Administrator”; whereas the same programs used to run just fine even without elevation.Read more
How to Collect Diagnostic Logs in Windows
There are many different types of diagnostic logs in Windows. Each log is to diagnose a specific component. The Windows Update client creates the Windows Update ETL or Windows Update log files, the Component-Based Servicing uses “cbs.log”, and the DISM tool writes to “dism.log”, etc.Read more
How to Completely Uninstall a Driver in Windows 11/10
Windows comes with many built-in drivers for various hardware. When you connect a device to your computer, Windows will automatically install drivers from the driver store. If a suitable driver is unavailable in the store, you can use the vendor-supplied device driver or let Windows download the device driver automatically from the Microsoft Update servers.Read more