Find Windows update, startup, device and recovery guides. Match the Windows build and KB number before applying advice for a specific known issue.
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
Windows asks to reconnect the backup drive
File History on Windows 11 / Windows 10, with an external or network destination
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
An external SSD or hard drive is absent from This PC
Windows 11 / Windows 10; healthy data volumes without a drive letter
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
Large files fail to copy despite available free space
Windows 11 / Windows 10; copying to USB drives, SD cards or external storageFAT32
▦WSL 2Troubleshooting guide
WSL 2 error 0x80370102 prevents a distribution from starting.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)0x80370102
▦Windows Subsystem for LinuxTroubleshooting guide
Restore the WSL optional component when error 0x8007019e appears.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)0x8007019e
▦WSL 2Troubleshooting guide
WSL alone cannot resolve names while a VPN is connected.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)DNS
▦Hyper-VTroubleshooting guide
Hyper-V is missing from Windows Features or cannot be enabled.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)Hyper-V
▦Hyper-V nested virtualizationTroubleshooting guide
WSL 2 or Hyper-V cannot run inside a Hyper-V virtual machine.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)0x80370102
▦Windows SandboxTroubleshooting guide
Windows Sandbox is missing or cannot start.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)0x80070002
▦Windows SandboxTroubleshooting guide
Disable networking and clipboard sharing in Windows Sandbox.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)WSB
▦Windows SMB clientTroubleshooting guide
An SMB share repeatedly asks for credentials or returns access denied.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)0x80070035
▦Windows network discoveryTroubleshooting guide
Shared computers do not appear under Network in File Explorer.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)SMB
▦Windows mapped drivesTroubleshooting guide
A mapped network drive cannot reconnect after sign-in.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)0x80070043
▦Remote DesktopTroubleshooting guide
Remote Desktop NLA rejects credentials.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)NLA
▦Remote DesktopTroubleshooting guide
Remote Desktop is not listening on TCP port 3389.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)0x204
▦Windows HelloTroubleshooting guide
Windows Hello PIN is unavailable or must be reset.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)0x80090016
▦Windows Storage SpacesTroubleshooting guide
Storage Spaces reports a warning or degraded state.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)Degraded
▦Windows Print SpoolerTroubleshooting guide
A print job remains stuck on Deleting.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)Spooler
▦Windows USB power managementTroubleshooting guide
USB devices repeatedly disconnect after idle or sleep.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)Code 43
▦Windows power managementTroubleshooting guide
Hibernate is missing from the power menu.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)powercfg
▦Windows optional features / DISMTroubleshooting guide
Adding a Windows optional feature fails because source files are missing.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)0x800f081f
▦Windows InstallerTroubleshooting guide
Resolve Windows Installer error 1618: another installation is running.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)1618
▦Windows InstallerTroubleshooting guide
Windows Installer error 1601: service cannot be accessed.
Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)1601
▦WindowsResolved
Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC fails
Windows 11 23H2/22H2 (Targeted by KB5066189 in this record. The same symptoms were also reported in other Windows 10 and LTSC editions, but the corrective update to be applied differs depending on the OS)KB5063875
▦WindowsResolved
Upgrading using Windows Setup > Upgrade displays error 0x8007007F and the process fails
Upgrade from Windows 10 1809/21H2/22H2 to Windows 11 22H2/23H2, and some upgrade paths from Windows Server 2016/2019 to Server 2019/20220x8007007F
▦WindowsResolved
Unable to create or select a word after entering a complete character structure
Windows 11 23H2 and Windows 11 22H2 Enterprise/Education after KB5062552. The KB5062663 preview fix is listed for 23H2; do not install that package on 22H2 or another Windows version.KB5062552
▦Windows 11Resolved
Device becomes unresponsive
Windows 11 24H2 (device with sprotect.sys 1.0.2.372 or 1.0.3.48903 installed)sprotect.sys
▦Windows 11Resolved
Blue screen error occurs on Windows 11 24H2
Windows 11 24H2, device equipped with Intel 11th generation Core processor and IntcAudioBus.sys 10.29.0.5152 or 10.30.0.5152IntcAudioBus.sys
▦Windows 11Investigating
Custom desktop background does not load and becomes solid black
Windows 11 25H2/24H2 (OS build 26100.9278, KB5120998 or later)KB5120998
▦Windows 11Workaround available
Microsoft Teams doesn't start or closes unexpectedly
Windows 11 26H1/25H2/24H2 ARM-equipped device (KB5121003 or later; Surface Pro 11, Surface Laptop 7, etc.)KB5121003
▦Microsoft Defender Antivirus on WindowsInvestigating
"Microsoft Defender Antivirus is turned off" notification appears when starting or using Windows
Windows 11 26H1/25H2/24H2/23H2, Windows 10 22H2/21H2/LTSC 2019/LTSC 2016, and Windows Server 2025/2022/2019/2016/2012 R2/2012 with the latest Defender updates
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
Updates fail to download or install
Windows 11 / Windows 100x800705b4
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
Windows functions do not work
Windows 11 / Windows 10DISM
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
Sign-in or application operation fails during normal startup
Windows 11 / Windows 10
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
You will be asked for a 48-digit recovery key upon startup.
Windows 11 / Windows 10BitLocker
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
Displays as offline even though the power is on
Windows 11 / Windows 10
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
The expected network does not appear in the Wi-Fi list
Windows 11 / Windows 10
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
System drive capacity bar is red
Windows 11 / Windows 100x80070070
▦WindowsTroubleshooting guide
Windows won't start
Windows 11 / Windows 10WinRE
▦Windows 11Troubleshooting guide
Bluetooth is missing from Quick Settings
Windows 11
▦Windows 11 BluetoothTroubleshooting guide
The device does not appear in Add device
Windows 11
▦Windows 11 AudioTroubleshooting guide
Video audio or notification sounds cannot be heard
Windows 11
▦Windows 11 MicrophoneTroubleshooting guide
Other meeting participants cannot hear you
Windows 11
▦Windows 11 CameraTroubleshooting guide
The camera image is black
Windows 110xA00F4244
▦Windows USB / Device ManagerTroubleshooting guide
The USB device is not recognized
Windows 11 / Windows 10Code 43
▦Windows Device ManagerTroubleshooting guide
A network, audio, USB, or other device does not work
Windows 11 / Windows 10Code 10
▦Windows 11 ActivationTroubleshooting guide
An error appears under Activation
Windows 11 Home / Pro / Enterprise / Education0xC004F074
▦Windows 11 / .NET Framework 3.5Troubleshooting guide
.NET Framework 3.5 cannot be enabled in Windows Features
Windows 11 25H2 and earlier. Windows 11 26H1 (build 28000) and later use a standalone installation method and are outside this scope0x800F081F
▦Windows 11 File ExplorerTroubleshooting guide
Opening a folder causes a freeze
Windows 11
▦Windows 11 Default AppsTroubleshooting guide
Double-clicking a file opens an unintended app
Windows 11
▦Windows 11 Search IndexingTroubleshooting guide
Existing files do not appear in Start or File Explorer search
Windows 11
▦Windows 11 Date and TimeTroubleshooting guide
The clock is off by minutes or hours
Windows 110x80072F8F
▦Windows 11 DisplayTroubleshooting guide
No image appears after connecting HDMI or DisplayPort
Windows 11
▦Windows 11 Power and SleepTroubleshooting guide
Keys or the mouse cannot wake the PC
Windows 11