The “bootmenupolicy” setting in the Boot Configuration Database (BCD) defines the type of boot menu (Standard vs. Legacy) the system will use. For Windows 11, 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, and Windows RT, the default is Standard. For Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, the default is Legacy. When Legacy is selected, the Advanced options menu (F8) is available.Read more
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[Fix] EFI System Partition Appears in Explorer
The EFI system partition, which contains your boot files and boot configuration database, is hidden by default. However, on some systems, the EFI partition may show up with a drive letter in File Explorer.
[SFC] You must be an administrator running a console session
When you try to run Sfc.exe /scannow on Command Prompt to repair the system files, the following error message may appear:
You must be an administrator running a console session in order to use the sfc utility.
This may happen even though you right-click Command Prompt from the Start menu search results, and click Run as administrator.Read more
Msg.exe is missing in Windows 10/11?
Msg.exe is a built-in console tool that can send a message to a user on the same network.
On Windows Home editions, you’ll see the following error when trying to run msg.exe:
'msg.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
That’s because the tool is available only in Windows 10/11 Pro and higher editions. This article explains how to get a copy of msg.exe for Home Edition users.Read more
How to Find if a Disk Uses MBR or GPT
Knowing how your disks were set up (MBR vs. GPT) is essential for troubleshooting boot issues and Windows Update errors. Master Boot Record (MBR) disks use the standard BIOS partition table. GUID partition table (GPT) disks use the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI).Read more
[Fix] The boot configuration data store could not be opened
When you run bcdedit to view the settings in the boot configuration database (BCD), the following error may occur:
The boot configuration data store could not be opened. The volume for a file has been externally altered so that the opened file is no longer valid.
How to Install Windows Sandbox in Windows 10 and 11
This article explains how to uninstall and reinstall Windows Sandbox in Windows 10 and 11.
Windows Sandbox provides a lightweight desktop environment to safely run applications in isolation. Software installed inside the Windows Sandbox environment remains “sandboxed” and runs separately from the host machine.Read more
Reset WinHTTP Proxy Settings in Windows 10 or 11
Sometimes, you may have to reset the WinHTTP proxy, firewall or network settings to fix connectivity issues when using Windows Update, Microsoft Store, or other apps. WinHTTP provides the HTTP client APIs, which are used by desktop applications and Windows services.
This article tells you how to disable or reset the WinHTTP and WinINET proxy settings using Netsh.exe and Internet Options, respectively.Read more
How to Set the Default Terminal Application in Windows 11
The Windows Terminal becomes the default terminal. This means, all command line applications, such as Command Prompt and PowerShell, will open in Windows Terminal automatically. This article tells you how to change the default terminal to Windows Console Host or revert to Windows Terminal as the default host. Set the default Terminal app in Windows … Read more
How to Export Windows Event Logs from Event Viewer
The Windows Event logs provide very valuable information for diagnosing problems on the computer. Event logs store records of significant events on behalf of the system and applications running on the system.
This article tells you how to export the event logs to a file using the Event Viewer or the wevtutil console tool. The exported .evtx log can be sent to a support technician for diagnosis.Read more
