Author: shantanu

This post produces some possible solutions to a problem with your windows 8 PC, where you cannot log in to your windows 8 PC with your Microsoft Account. There can be a few possible reasons why this problem might occur.

Reason / Resolution 1

Antivirus Software

If you have upgraded to Windows 8 & you had an antivirus installed in your PC prior to the update ( which you did not disable or uninstall ), it might be a reason for this error. Some incompatible or unsuited version of your antivirus software might delete some of the important Windows 8 core operating registry entries. An example is Webroot Software .

• Log in with a local account
• Uninstall your Antivirus software
• Retain your license key or activation information for your Antivirus / Security software for future installation
• Restart your computer again in local account
• press Windows logo key + X
• Click on Command Prompt (admin)
• type SFC /SCANNOW
• Let the process finish
• Restart your computer
• Try to login with your Microsoft Account
• Download and Install the latest version ( Windows 8 Compatible ) from the Software Manufacturer’s website
• Activate using the license information your saved before.

If this does not solve your problem

Reason / Resolution 2

Sometimes for some reason application access is revoked by the server.

• Just use any other computer to open http://account.live.com
• Login with your Microsoft Account
• Click on Edit Security Info
• Check if your PC is listed here
• If not, Login with a local account in Windows 8
• Open the same website mentioned above
• Go to Edit security info
• Click on Add Trusted PC
• Click on Save

If this does not work

Reason / Resolution 3

• Check your language options to make sure you are entering your password in the correct language

If nothing works you can:

• Using Recovery Options in Windows 8

After reading this post you will be able to fix an issue where your windows 8 computer might restart or shutdown automatically if left IDLE for sometime. Though Windows 8 power options lets you decide whether you wish you put your computer to sleep , shut it down or do nothing, in case your computer is left IDLE for a set time ( in minutes ).

But due to some reason even if this setting is set to Do Nothing or sleep, your computer shuts down or restarts itself.

Troubleshoot this problem by following the Methods herein :

Method 1:

Check Power Options

• Go to the start screen
• Start typing Power Options
• Select Power options from the displayed results

• Now, within power options,
• Click on Change what the power buttons do

• Now, Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable
• Uncheck the Checkbox that reads Turn On Fast Startup

If this does not solve your problem,

Method 2

Follow the steps mentioned above till you reach power options

• Check which plan is selected and click on Change plan settings of that particular power plan

• Click on Change Advanced settings

• Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable
• Set Turn off hard disk after  to Never
• Click on Apply, OK

Method 3

• Boot into your BIOS Setup ( press DEL or F2 or F10 ) (depending on your computer ) (refer documentation)
• Check the Power Options to make sure ACPI Version is set to the maximum available settings ( example : ACPI ver 3 )
• If unsure, just load setup defaults and refer your motherboard / computer user manual to set the correct options
• In the end, check your SMPS ( DESKTOP COMPUTERS ONLY) , is not faulty.

The Video tip in this post contains steps for using Refresh Your PC feature in Windows 8. Refresh Your PC is a feature that in a way resets your Windows Computer to factory defaults or you can say that it restores your Windows Installation to a fresh state. This enables the user to solve a lot problems that might occur with your Windows PC over a long time of usage. This feature can also be highly useful if your PC gets infected with a malicious software or in a similar situation where some program might be making your Windows Computer unstable.Watch the Video Tip below to learn more :

This short tip explains the quickest way to open applications , program settings, files etc. on your Windows 8 PC. Windows 8 uses a new start screen instead of the traditional start menu. The new start screen is a power tool for users how demand maximum productivity from their Windows PC. Watch the video to find out more.

This post will help you fix a problem with your Windows 7 , Windows 8 or Windows Vista PC where Password Protected Sharing option will not turn off. Password protected sharing option can be turned on & off by accessing Network and sharing center and locating an option called Advanced Sharing options.

To fix this issue :

• Go to Control Panel
• Find Users
• Click on Manage Another Account
• Click the Guest Account
• Remove the password for the guest account
• OR
• Simply turn off the guest account

If you face a problem removing the password

• Go to run ( windows logo key + R )
• type control userpasswords2
• Click on Guest account and click on reset password
• Leave both the fields blank and press OK
• Done

This should fix the issue.

For any comments or suggestions please use the comment form.

After reading this post you will be able to troubleshoot issues with Windows Update in Windows 8. The post focuses on resolving issues where specific Windows updates might fail or might hang your computer while installing updates.

Here are a few methods :

Method 1:

Disable your Antivirus security software / Firewall

• To do this, right click on your antivirus program in taskbar
• Click on Disable product protection or a similar looking button

Method 2:

Disabling non-Microsoft services temporarily

(Based on replies on Microsoft Answers forum)

• Press Windows Logo key + R to open run
• Type msconfig
• Go to the services tab

• Click on Hide all Microsoft Services

• Make sure all the remaining services are checked
• Click on Disable all
• Now,
• Try running Windows update
• After the update process is finished
• Enable all the services you disabled

Method 3:

Update your Computer Drivers ( Video, Chipset & AHCI )

• Go to your Motherboard / Computer Manufacturer’s support website
• Locate the driver section for your model
• Download and install the latest drivers for your Video ( graphics ), Chipset and AHCI ( Storage drivers )

Method 3:

Scan & Repair

• Press Windows logo key + X to open the quick launch menu

• Click on Command Prompt (admin)
• Type dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
• Press Enter
• Type dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
• Press Enter

Method 4

Refresh you PC

Follow this Guide

Hope this helps

For any comments or suggestions, please use the comment form

This post focuses on the new and reimagined task manager in Windows 8. Microsoft has reimagined Windows, everything in Windows 8 seems new and exciting. Today, we are going to talk about the new Task Manager.

Task Manager has always been a useful tool in Windows. In Windows 7, it used to show the list of opened programs, running services, performance monitor & users tab.

In Windows 8, the purpose of the Task Manager has been reimagined too. Though, the all new task manager still does it’s usual chores, now it supports some cool new features & does focus on a lot of small details that make your PC usage even more easier.

Let’s understand the working of this new Task Manager:

Process Tab:

The process tab tells the user what apps, background processes and windows processes are running in your PC. You can sort these by Name, type, CPU usage, memory usage etc.

Performance Tab:

The Performance Tab shows detailed information of your Processor ( CPU ), Memory & Disk. You can click on the CPU, Memory or Disk field to get more information. As you can see the selected CPU section shows details about your CPU. Normally you would have to download and install a program like CPU-z to get this sort of information. You can easily tell if your CPU supports virtualization or how much Cache does your CPU have.

Same is the case with memory. You can easily tell the speed of your RAM, how many slots are used up and a lot more details.

The App History Tab

This tab tells your about the App usage history on your Computer system.

Startup Tab

The startup tab is something that I like the most. Windows 8 users now have even more control of the applications that start when their computer starts. This feature has now been integrated in the new and improved Task Manager in Windows 8 that easily let’s you choose which application to start when your computer starts. If you don’t want a application to start, just select it and select disable.

Services Tab

Services tab is the second most useful feature in the new and reimagined task manager in Windows 8. It let’s the user start or stop a service with just a click. You can even get more information about a service by right clicking it and then clicking on search online.

For any questions or queries please use the Comment button.

This post will help you fix an issue with your Windows 8 PC. This problem occurs after you try to setup a virtual machine using Hyper-V in Windows 8. Virtualization technology is dependant on your software as well as hardware. Hyper V uses your computer’s hardware based virtualization support / ability to help make your virtualization environment more performance rich & also to provide better stability.

If your hardware supports hardware virtualization, you should enable it, if there is an option of enabling / disabling hardware based virtualization feature in your computer’s BIOS.

To check :

• Refer the documentation that came with your computer
• Access your BIOS by pressing the DEL or F2 or F10 key (or any other key based on your system, Refer documentation)
• Locate an option that says something like “ Use Hardware Virtualization “ or “Enable Hardware Virtualization”
• Enable the said feature. If by chance the feature is already enabled, Disable it.
• Save & Exit from your BIOS.
• Try booting into Windows.
• If the boot is successful, Follow step 1 to 4 to enable hardware virtualization support.

If this does not solve your problem:

• Check on your Motherboard / Computer Manufacturer’s support website for any BIOS updates they might be offering.
• Please Read the Instructions associated with Updating / Upgrading your BIOS carefully before proceeding and Perform any update or upgrade at your own risk.

If that too does not solve your problem:

• Perform a system Start-up repair operation by booting with the Windows DVD & choosing the repair options.

Windows 8 is proving out to be a great & responsive operating system. It’s an operating system that interacts with the user to provide the best user environment. Windows 8 has some great keyboard shortcuts for the power users.Below is the list of some of the keyboard shortcut combinations in Windows 8 to make your work or play even more faster :

• Win key‌ + C – Opens the Charm menu
• Win key‌ + F – Opens the Search charm
• Win key‌ + H – Opens the Share charm
• Win key‌ + I – Opens the Settings charm
• Win key‌ + K – Opens the Devices charm
• Win key‌ + J – Switch the main app and snapped app
• Win key‌ +O – Lock the screen orientation (portrait or landscape)
• Win key‌ + Q – Opens the Search charm to search apps
• Win key‌ + W – Open the Search charm to search settings
• Win key + X – Open Admin / Command menu ( bottom left of the screen ( POWER USER )
• Win key‌ + Z – Shows the available commands in the application
• Win key‌ + Tab – Cycle through open applications
• Win key‌ + Shift + Tab – Cycle through open applications in reverse order
• Win key‌ + shift + . (DOT) –  Snap app to left
• Win key‌ + . ( DOT) – Snap app to right