How to: Remove Specific Windows Updates

mikeLeave a comment

Even with all the testing that Microsoft does prior to pushing out updates for all the Windows operating systems, things can still go awry. It may be the specific hardware that you have installed inside your PC, the software programs that you have installed, or a combination of the two. Regardless, there may come a time when you have to manually remove a Windows update. With the steps below, you can get your system back to normal.

Open Windows Update Settings

Search from the Start menu, or do Windows Key + S, and type Update to open Windows Update Settings.

search_update

From the Windows Update screen, select Update History to view installed updates.

update_history

The Update History view shows you all recently installed updates. From here, select Uninstall updates.

uninstall_updates

After clicking Uninstall updates, you will be redirected to the legacy Uninstall an update screen, familiar to Windows 7 users. On this screen, you can select the individual update that you want to remove, and then select Uninstall.

select_update.PNG

Advertisements

Night Light in Windows 10

mikeLeave a comment

Do you love the blue light filter on your iPhone (Apple calls it “Night Shift”)? With the recent Creators Update, Microsoft has finally brought the feature to Windows 10. Microsoft’s implementation allows you to not only adjust the times at which the mode will turn on and off, but there is also a slider to adjust color temperature. See the picture below for the complete interface.

night_light

To use the Night Light feature, you have to have the Creators Update, which should automatically download and install (as long as you have automatic updates on). Otherwise, you can manually install the update via Microsoft’s update tool: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Once you have the update installed, just search “Night Light”. Enjoy!

How To: Remove Stuck Print Jobs

mikeLeave a comment

Stop the Print Spooler Service

First, do the Windows Key + S combination to open a search box. Type in Services and hit Enter.

services_search

This will open up the Services window. The specific service you are looking for is the Print Spooler. Right click Print Spooler and select Stop.

spooler_service

Leave the Services window open, as you will need it later.

Delete files in the Print Spooler Directory

Now we need to delete the stuck jobs in the Print Spooler directory. This directory is located at C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS. Once there, you can do CTRL+A to select all of the jobs and delete them. If you get an error that you are unable to delete a specific file, restart your PC and try again (you will have to stop the Spooler Service again).

print_jobs

Once all the files in the Spooler directory are deleted, right-click on the Spooler Service in the Services window, and this time, select Restart.

That’s it! Comment below if you ran into any issues.

 

How To: Remove Downloaded Windows Updates

mikeLeave a comment

Locate your downloads folder:

First, you need to navigate to your downloads folder. This is located at: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

downloads_folder

Here you will find any Windows updates that have been downloaded, but not installed. Delete any updates you want, or delete them all.

Receive an Error?

If you received an error, it may be because the Windows update service is still running. Hit your Windows key, and type in services.msc

services.png

The service you are looking to stop is called Automatic Update Service. Double click it, and select Stop. 

How To: Receive Insider Preview Builds

mikeLeave a comment

Opting in to receive Windows 10 Insider Preview Builds:

Those looking for the latest and greatest from Windows 10 updates, can always switch to the Insider Preview Builds of Windows 10. Microsoft themselves, describe this as a way for users to get new features earlier than other, with a minimal risk of bugs. Still interested? Follow the steps below to get started.

1) Hit your Start button and click Settings

2) On the Settings screen, click Update & Security

settings

3) With the Windows Update tab selected, click on Advanced Options

updatesecurity

4) Take a look around the options that you have for applying updates to your Windows 10 OS. After you turn on Insider Builds, you may have to restart your PC. You will also see a slider, where you can set just how much of an “Insider” you want to be. Take into consideration that these builds have not been put through the ringer, and may contain bugs. If something does go wrong, worry not, as you can always go back to the stable update path.

insiderbuilds

How To: Delete User Profiles in Windows 8.1/10

mikeLeave a comment

Deleting User Profiles in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10:

If you have ever tried to remove a user profile the same way you did in Windows 7 or XP (C:\Users), you may have noticed that you encounter an error stating that some of the files in that profile are too long to be deleted. Using the method below, you can easily remove any unwanted/unused profiles on your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 PCs.

1) Hit Windows Key + R to easily open the Run command

2) Type sysdm.cpl in the text box and hit Enter

sysdmcpl

3) Navigate to the Advanced Tab, and in the User Profiles group, select Settings

userprofiles

4) Here you will be able to see all the User Profiles on the PC. It will show you the size of the profiles, and whether they are roaming or local. To delete a profile, simply select it, and click Delete. Remember that if you only have one profile, it cannot be deleted, nor can any default profiles (built-in Administrator profile, etc.)

profile_list