Microsoft Support & Discussions

Hi, on two recent video's that I have rented, the sound volume has been really low. I can hardly hear it. This is not a hardware issue because when I play music it is fine. Also some older video's are fine. Any thoughts? Continue reading...

Hi, My surface RT connects to the Microsoft store and starts to update my apps but then freezes. Same issue when visiting windows update; although it did start to download once and then froze halfway through. Now it just freezes up or I get a message saying that it is not connected to the internet. IE works fine, so that's not it. I also have a problem connecting to a homegroup. It detectes one from my other laptop and then says it can't detect it when I try to connect. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Continue reading...

Hi. If I have my (windows 8 64-bit) laptop updates configured to "check for updates but let me know whether to download or install them", can I still continue to update windows defender manually? I have a problem where my automatic updates don't install (working on it), but I still want to manually update windows defender every time I turn on the laptop. If in this case I go to defender and click "update" manually, will it still work? Or do I need to change update settings to "automatic" even to manually update defender? Continue reading...

After upgrading to Windows 8.1 I cannot turn on Windows Defender. I first noticed the problem when there was a red X on the action center icon. Both "Spyware and unwanted software protection" and "virus protection" were turned off. I tried clicking "Turn on now", but when that opened up Windows Defender there was a message that the service could not be started because it is either disabled or has no enabled devices associated with it along with the error code "0x80070422" Following other suggestions I saw online I tried going into Services and starting Windows Defender, but all options to start it are greyed out. For the record I have no other antivirus programs…

I am using window 8 with "Bit Defender" Internet security for the last year and today antivirus's license has expired. Window has already its own component named "Window Defender" for virus protection. But i am not sure if it provides the full protection to a PC against internet viruses and spywares. Could you please make me sure if i really need to renew the license of antivirus or may continue with the Window Defender for complete PC protection? Thank you for your kind support! Rizwan Khan Continue reading...

I have started hating windows since I bought my laptop with windows 8 now upgraded to 8.1. I have uninstalled Norton antivirus that was on my laptop for trial. Since then no matter what I have done windows defender wouldn't work. It is really annoying to work with windows now and I hate it already. <Split from thread: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-security/windows-defender-in-windows-81-will-not-turn-on/d979e0b3-0291-49b4-8533-790209a7197b> Continue reading...

windows could not start the windows defender service on local computer error 1053: the service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion. I have disabled all other virus software and uninstalled. I also can't open msconfig please help Continue reading...

Hi! I noticed a few days ago that my CPU usage had a few unusual spikes. So I ran a full system scan (Norton 360), which only found a few tracking cookies. I didn't have any other evidence, so I let it go. I'm on my high school's robotics team, and we had a short meeting today. At one point we wanted to connect to the robot (Lego Mindstorms NXT, if anyone knows / cares), so I opened up my laptop and tried with Bluetooth. I have never had any problems in the past with connecting over Bluetooth. But the software (RobotC) kept saying that it couldn't find the NXT brick. So when I got home, I decided to use System Restore. But when I opened it up, I had no restor…

this keeps coming up when I try to use the internet can ANYONE HELP? Continue reading...

Hello Forum, Yesterday, I received a spam email. It was in German. This wasn't just an ordinary spam, slightly different hence my concern and why Im posting here. The email was sent to me but I also noticed that the sender was me aswell !!?? I obviously never sent it so my stomach turned over, thinking Ive been hacked. I instantly took security measures and contacted BT. Recent log activity was too late so I have asked for it from BT. Everything else appears fine. Has this happened to anyone else like the above scenario? Please advise what else I can do and check etc? Many thanks as always. PS - to th…

Recently I installed malware by mistake from a website and now it is preventing me from installing any kind of anti-virus software. I'm unable to install Malwarebytes, Advance SystemCare, AVG 2014, or even use Windows Defender (Action Center Can't Turn On Windows Defender, Please Try Again Later). Whenever I run the installer for any of these programs, it always stops midway giving me the error code 183 (Error 183: Cannot Create A File When That File Already Exists). It gives me the option to abort, ignore, or retry. Whenever I click the options ignore or retry, it continues to popup asking the same 3 options again so I'm forced to abort the installation. Afterwards it pr…

Hello. I've installed a new antivirus which is called the BitDefender, within few minutes later it starts to scan for infected files until it detects one, the file called gs_x64.enabler which is located on c:\Program Files (x86)\gs_x64.enabler. I've been trying to search this on the internet since I was curious about this thing and yet, there is no help. Is this a some kind or a Virus? a Malware? Please guys help me, the antivirus wants me to restart my laptop but I don't know what will happen if that file maybe remove or something. Thanks guys Continue reading...

Hi all, My computer has just crashed and the with my last computer it was a continuing problem. With this crash, my computer crashes while I am playing some video games and what happens is it goes unresponsive while my monitor turns to black then to a random color. I checked to see if there was a minidump file and there wasn't. I hope that someone can help me with this problem. If it happens again and there is a minidump file I will upload it. Continue reading...

almost every icon I click to open I E ,EBAY, COMCAST,POGO,etc, windows media center loads.cant get rid of it.i'm a computer dummy so I do not want to try anything else without some help.in the past I just made things worse.i was looking for a file I thought I saved when this happened. the icons on the left side of screen now have a windows media center circle around them. system is windows 7.using ie 10. thanks for looking …

Not sure what's going. This computer is pretty new and right off the bat I've been having some problems with it. Anyone know what could be wrong? Problem signature: Problem Event Name: BlueScreen OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3 Locale ID: 1033 Additional information about the problem: BCCode: d1 BCP1: 0000000000000000 BCP2: 0000000000000008 BCP3: 0000000000000001 BCP4: FFFFF8800513C7BF OS Version: 6_1_7601 Service Pack: 1_0 Product: 768_1 Files that help describe the problem: C:\Windows\Minidump\020814-10982-01.dmp C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-35583-0.sysdata.xml Read our privacy statement online: http://go…

Kruptos 2 Pro options to encrypt, decrypt, shred, etc. do not appear in my windows explorer right click context menu when I right click on a file. These should be installed with the software. They show up on my other computer, any ideas? Continue reading...

how transfer a product key code Windows 7 Premium from a desktop that someone gave me to my desktop I bought used in Dec 2013 thats currently running a counterfeit Windows 7 Ultimate Continue reading...

windows backup on XP wants me to make a recovery disk on a floppy. There is no floppy drive can I use a dvd and if so how do i direct the program to copy the necessary files to the disk. Continue reading...

i purchased music in windows media player a few years ago cant play it a message comes up click om i already own it it takes me to a sight the sight says media usage rights acquisition. could it possible be that i lost the digital rights to this music. i don't understand why if i purchased it i cant listen. Continue reading...

My hard drive is nearly full. After deleting tons of videos, music, pictures, and documents, the net gain is only a 1% of free space which is now a total 19%. After all that deletion I expected more free space to become available. Throughout my ownership of this computer, items emptied from the recycle bin return. Presumably, this is a safeguard in case a user wants to retrieve deleted items. Would permanently emptying the recycle bin create more free space on the hard drive. If so, how can I do that? Sincerely, Kestal Phillips Continue reading...

Please someone help!!! So i got a Dell computer from a friend whose father had passed, apparently his dad had a administrator account password protected, but even when you try and enter into safemode, the exact same thing Congress up....login and password for windows...i don't have the disc as this was given to me because i didnt have a computer....I'm really anxious, can.someone please help...also its windows XP pro... Thanks Kara Continue reading...

The "My Documents" folder is using one gig of space for storage. The folder is saved to at least three places on my C: drive (Desktop, Documents and Settings, etc.). Does this folder use a gig of space at each location in which it is saved? If so, how do I safely delete the extra folders in order to regain "unused" space on my C:drive? Continue reading...

My Yahoo email messages get stuck in Outbox folder of Windows 8 mail App. I can't send them. Very short emails with no attachments. Thank you for your help Continue reading...

After having difficulty connecting to the app store, resolved by changing the time and date, I can not select any of the apps or the upgrade to 8.1 in the store. I can see all of the apps but can not select them. I have tried "touching" them, clicking on them and double clicking but nothing happens. The app shrinks slightly so I know it is registering my touches and clicks but will not move on. I have restarted the notebook, run WSreset, I have verified my time and date are correct and I have turned off the fire wall. Any suggestions? Continue reading...

I was recently uninstalling adware/malware from my newish Windows 8 laptop. I restarted, and now I have no sound. All sound is up, I checked my hardware driver, and I have RealTek High Definition Audio and Intel Display Audio. Both are "working properly". I did an admin command prompt, it came back saying there are some corrupt files, and that it couldn't fix some of them, as in the 'CBS log'. I would like to not clear my whole system, since I really just finished loading everything on here (I got in a month or 2 back). What should my next step be? Continue reading...