Category Archives: Tips & Tricks

Advice, tips and Information.

Tips & Tricks Workshop Tales

Windows Update Problem 20H2 on HP legacy machines

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During the course of 2021 as several machines updated to Windows 10 Version 202H2 both 32 bit and 64 bit they demonstrated catastrophic failures that mimicked other problems. These included Windows displaying a BSOD. Message ‘BAD SYSTEM CONFIG INFO’ refering to log files at ‘c:\windows\system32\logfiles\srt\SrtTrail.txt’. Other messages would be typical of those displayed when hard drives are really failing. After running automatic repair and disk checking – they would then repeat the process. The machines would re-boot repeatedly. Attempts to use the self-repair options or Windows boot drives would lead to User accounts disappearing from the options and failure to find Restore points (if available). One machine would lock on the dark start-up screen many times, then would successfully boot and run for days as long as it wasn’t powered down. Another machine was running normally then Outlook 2019 ‘disappeared’ before the machine started cycling through the other symptoms.

Machines affected included: HP dc7900, HP dc8200.

The resolution to all this, so far, was Windows 21H1 either by fresh installation or using the Windows update assistant if the machine was capable of running it.

Tips & Tricks

Windows 10 Install Error code 0x8007025D

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After getting this error attempting to install from USB stick and from a DVD created with Windows Media Creation Tool on an old system with a 160Gb Hard Drive the solution was to delete all existing system partitions on the Disk drive leaving a large unallocated block to assign for the new windows installation.

Full Error Description:

Windows cannot install required files. Make sure that all files required for installation are available and restart the installation.

On a later occasion the same problem was resolved by creating a new USB Installation drive using the latest Windows 10 version, 21H2 at the time.

On another occasion the same problem was resolved by using a DVD installation disc rather than a USB stick.

Tips & Tricks

Disable ‘Require CTRL+ALT+DELETE’ to log-in to Windows 10

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Open Run a run dialogue (WinKey+R), type ‘Control Userpasswords2’ and hit Enter to open the User Accounts Properties box. Open the Advanced tab, and in the Secure logon section, click to clear the Require users to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete check box if you want to disable the CTRL+ALT+DELETE sequence. Click Apply/OK > Exit.

If the option is greyed out:

Run ‘secpol.msc’ and hit Enter.

In the left pane, select Local Policies > Security Options. Now in the right pane, double click on Interactive logon: Do not require CTRL+ALT+DEL. Enable the policy as per your requirement, click Apply/OK and Exit.

Tips & Tricks

Windows Problem Reporting high CPU

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Experienced this issue in May 2020 on an old Windows 10 Pro i5 and whilst troubleshooting rebooted into SAFE MODE after rebooting normally the problem had disappeared. Task Manager showed the service using 35%+ of CPU resources continuously through several re-starts and re-boots before this.

Tips & Tricks Workshop Tales

Insufficient SSD capacity for Windows 10 feature update

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A common problem with small notebooks and laptops with minimal capacity drives of 32Gb is that there is not enough spare drive space to carry out a Windows update to the next release with the current version installed. This was the issue with a Lenovo 120S 11IAP Model: 81A4. The sequence to take this machine from version 1709 to 20H2 in December 2020 was:

  • Added an external USB flash drive; used a 64Gb blank NTFS formatted. The update left a 4Gb file on this stick which could be ejected later.
  • Reset Windows 10 : Skip Network Connection add a Local User
  • Disable/Pause Update in settings
  • Connect to WiFi / Network
  • Download and run Windows Upgrade Assistant