Solutions to common problems with logging on to Windows

Unable to login

Here are several possible solutions to fix this problem:

Caps Lock might be on.
Passwords in Windows are case-sensitive, which means that every time you type your password, you have to capitalize each letter in exactly the same way that you did when you first created it. If you have accidentally pressed Caps Lock (sometimes the key name is spelled CapsLk), then you're inadvertently typing your password in all capital letters. Make sure Caps Lock is off, and then type your password again.
You might be typing the wrong password.
If you can't remember your password, you need to reset your password, either with a password reset disk or an administrator account.
An administrator on the computer might have reset your password.
If your computer is on a network, a network administrator has the ability to reset your password. If you think this might be the problem, check with your network administrator. If your computer is in a workgroup, anyone who has an administrator account on the computer can change your password.
You might be trying to log on to the wrong user account.
If you have more than one user account on the computer, make sure you're logging on to the account that matches the password you're using.

My computer is part of a domain and I want to log on to a local user account, not my domain account.

To log on to a local user account on your computer, you need to know the name of your computer and the user name for the account that you want to log on to. If you don't know the name of your computer,To log on to a local user account, follow these steps:

On the Welcome screen, click Switch User.
Click Other User.
In the user name field, type the name of your computer, a backslash (\), and the user name for the account that you want to log on to. For example: computer name\user name
Type your password, and then press Enter.

I can't use my fingerprint reader to log on to Windows.

If you upgraded to this version of Windows from a previous version of Windows, your fingerprint reader should continue to work. If your fingerprint reader is not working, an updated driver or application might be available for download through Action Center or Windows Update.

Why do some solutions or problem reports stop showing up in Action Center?

Some solutions are moved into the message archive either by you or, over time, by Windows.

If a solution has been moved and you want to view it again, you can find it in the message archive.

To open the message archive

Click to open Action Center.
In the left pane, click View archived messages. All the archived solutions are listed. Right-click a solution to see more options for working with it.

Runtime errors

Runtime errors can occur if you are running two software programs that aren't compatible, if your computer has memory problems, or if the computer has been infected with malicious software. If a runtime error keeps occurring, follow these steps:
Install the latest updates for Windows and for the program displaying the error. Note that the update for the program might be listed as an optional update on the Windows Update page.
- Click to open Windows Update.
Check Action Center for a solution to the program displaying the error.
When you have Windows Error Reporting turned on and a program stops working, a problem report is typically sent to Microsoft for more analysis. If a solution is available, or there are steps you can take to minimize the likelihood of the problem recurring, they'll be available in Action Center.
- Click to open Action Center.
Update and run your antivirus software. Windows doesn't come with antivirus software, but Action Center can often monitor the antivirus software that you or your computer manufacturer have installed.
- Click to open Action Center.
Make sure your computer has at least the minimum amount of random access memory (RAM) required to run the program that is displaying the error. Look for the program requirements online or in the packaging information. To learn more about computer memory, see View your computer information.

Website error messages (HTTP errors)

HTTP errors are sent to your web browser from a website if a problem is encountered when trying to view a webpage. If the webpage cannot be displayed, Internet Explorer will display either the actual error page sent by the website or a friendly error message built into Internet Explorer. Below you will find some of the most common errors and ideas for how to solve the problem that's causing them.

The following table lists the most common HTTP errors that Internet Explorer will display. For information about HTTP protocols, error codes, and causes,

HTTP error message	What it means
The webpage cannot be found (HTTP 400)	Internet Explorer is able to connect to the web server, but the webpage cannot be found because of a problem with the web address (URL). This error message often happens because the website address is typed incorrectly. Make sure the address is correct and try again.
The website declined to show this webpage (HTTP 403)	Internet Explorer is able to connect to the website, but Internet Explorer does not have permission to display the webpage. This can happen for a variety of reasons; here are some of the most common: The website's administrator has to give you permission to view the page or the web server does not accept public webpage requests. If this is a website that you should have access to, contact the website administrator. The webpage you're trying to view is generated by a program, such as a shopping cart or search engine, and the folder on the server the program is contained in is not correctly configured by the website administrator. You have typed a basic web address (for example, www.example.com), but the website does not have a default webpage (such as index.htm or default.html). Additionally, the website does not allow directory listing, which allows you to view files in a web folder.
The webpage cannot be found (HTTP 404)	Internet Explorer is able to connect to the website, but the webpage is not found. This error is sometimes caused because the webpage is temporarily unavailable (in which case, you can try again later) or because the webpage has been deleted.
The website cannot display the page (HTTP 405)	Internet Explorer is able to connect to the website, but the webpage content cannot be downloaded to your computer. This is usually caused by a problem in the way the webpage was programmed.
Internet Explorer cannot read this webpage format (HTTP 406)	Internet Explorer is able to receive information from the website but the information is not in a format that Internet Explorer can display.
The website is too busy to show the webpage (HTTP 408 or 409)	The server took too long to display the webpage or there were too many people requesting the same page. Try again later.
That webpage no longer exists (HTTP 410)	Internet Explorer is able to connect to the website, but the webpage cannot be found. Unlike HTTP error 404, this error is permanent and was turned on by the website administrator. It is sometimes used for limited-time offers or promotional information.
The website cannot display the page (HTTP 500)	The website you are visiting had a server problem that prevented the webpage from displaying. It often occurs as a result of website maintenance or because of a programming error on interactive websites that use scripting.
The website is unable to display the webpage (HTTP 501 or 505)	Error 501 (HTTP 501 - Not Implemented) means that the website you're visiting is not set up to display the content your browser is requesting. For example, the browser is asking for a file with a video extension (.AVI), but is telling the website it's looking for an HTML page. Error 505 (HTTP 505 - Version Not Supported) means the website does not support the version of the HTTP protocol your browser uses (HTTP/1.1 being the most common) to request the webpage.

Websites display HTTP errors in one of two ways: by showing a custom webpage or by sending a simple error number to Internet Explorer. If a website offers a custom webpage for the error, Internet Explorer will always display it. If a website sends a simple error number instead of a custom webpage, Internet Explorer will read the error number and display an error message that provides a bit more information than the number alone (these errors are also known as friendly error messages). Follow the steps below to tell Internet Explorer to turn off these friendly error messages and simply display the error number sent by the website.

To turn off friendly HTTP error messages

Click to open Internet Explorer.
Click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
Click the Advanced tab, and then scroll down to the Browsing section.
Clear the Show friendly HTTP error messages check box, and then click OK.

Solutions to common battery problems

The battery icon is always empty.

An empty battery icon (one that has no color) indicates that your computer is running on battery power, but the charge can't be detected or measured. You might need to replace the battery, or there might be a problem with your computer hardware. To learn more, check the information that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website.
The battery charge never reaches 100 percent.
The battery might be old. In some cases, when a battery is old, a full charge is represented as less than 100 percent.
Tips

The battery won't hold a charge, doesn't last as long as it used to, or Windows doesn't recognize the battery.

The battery might be old or might have been damaged. For a solution to this problem, contact your computer manufacturer. If you purchased the battery separately from the computer, contact the battery manufacturer.

The battery becomes very hot.

This could be caused by a problem with the battery itself. For a solution to this problem, contact your computer or battery manufacturer immediately.

Warning

A hot battery can cause serious burns.

About certificate errors

The following table contains a list of common certificate errors and information about what they mean.

Error message	What it means
This website’s security certificate has been revoked	Do not trust this website. This error message often indicates that the security certificate was obtained or used fraudulently by the website. The encryption key that is specified in the certificate might have been compromised or the user listed in a certificate does not have authority to use it (for example, the company was sold). The certification authority that issued the certificate keeps a list of revoked certificates and that list is checked by Internet Explorer.
This website’s address does not match the address in the security certificate	This error indicates that a website is using a digital certificate that was issued to a different web address. This error can also occur if a company owns several websites and uses a certificate that was issued for one web address for another site (for example, for a different department or division). This error should only be ignored if you are confident that the site really is related to the website on the certificate.
This website’s security certificate is out of date	This error occurs when the current date is either before or after the time period during which the certificate is valid. Websites must renew their certificates with a certification authority to stay current. Outdated certificates can be a security risk. After a certificate expires, the certification authority that issued the certificate is no longer responsible for ensuring that the certificate is not misused.
This website’s security certificate is not from a trusted source	This error occurs when the certificate has been issued by a certification authority that is not recognized by Internet Explorer. It is unlikely that this error will occur on a legitimate business or banking site. Phishing sites often attempt to use fake certificates that will trigger this error.
Internet Explorer has found a problem with this website’s security certificate	This error occurs when Internet Explorer finds a problem with a security certificate that does not fit any other error conditions. The error can potentially occur because a certificate has been corrupted, tampered with, is written in an unknown format, or is unreadable. You should not trust the identity of the site if the certificate has this error.

Check your hard disk for errors

You can solve some computer problems and improve the performance of your computer by making sure that your hard disk has no errors.

Click to open Computer.

Right-click the hard disk that you want to check, and then click Properties.

Click the Tools tab, and then, under Error-checking, click Check now. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

To automatically repair problems with files and folders that the scan detects, select Automatically fix file system errors. Otherwise, the disk check will report problems but not fix them.

To perform a thorough disk check, select Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors. This scan attempts to find and repair physical errors on the hard disk itself, and it can take much longer to complete.

To check for both file errors and physical errors, select both Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.

Click Start.

Depending on the size of your hard disk, this might take several minutes. For best results, don't use your computer for any other tasks while it is checking for errors.

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Latest Windows Errors and Solutions