Windows Clock Wrong After Every Restart? Read the Gap
Windows clock wrong after every restart? Whole hours mean the time zone or Linux on the same PC, minutes mean syncing, and a reset date means the CMOS battery.
Antimalware Service Executable High CPU? Find the Trigger
Antimalware Service Executable eating your CPU? Record what Microsoft Defender scans with its performance analyzer, then exclude that program, not MsMpEng.exe.
Destination Path Too Long? Copy It With Robocopy
Windows says the file names would be too long for the destination folder? Skip loses nothing. Copy with robocopy and /e, move the folder up, or zip it first.
File Open in Another Program? Find What Holds It
Windows says the folder or a file in it is open in another program? Close the Preview pane, end COM Surrogate, restart rather than shut down, then find the holder.
MSVCP140.dll Was Not Found? Install Both x86 and x64
The code execution cannot proceed because MSVCP140.dll was not found? Install the x86 and the x64 Visual C++ Redistributable from Microsoft, then restart.
File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable? Run chkdsk
A folder says the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable? Copy everything else off first, then run chkdsk with /r on that drive, which may delete the damaged folder.
Default Gateway Is Not Available? Make the Fix Stick
The troubleshooter says the default gateway is not available, fixed, then the internet drops again? Reset the network stack, reinstall the adapter and stop it sleeping.
Reboot and Select Proper Boot Device? Reset the BIOS First
Black screen saying reboot and select proper boot device? Tap the setup key to reach the BIOS, load the defaults, check the drive is first, and turn CSM off after a UEFI install.
The Disk Is Write Protected? Clear It in Diskpart First
Windows says the disk is write protected? Test it on another PC, check the lock switch, then clear the read-only flag in diskpart, spelled readonly with no hyphen.
Surface Go No Bootable Device? Use Microsoft’s USB Fix
Surface Go or Go 2 shows No Bootable Device? Check UEFI for a drive warning, then build Microsoft’s SurfaceGo_FixNoBootableDevice USB on a Windows PC and run it.