When critical Windows system files are missing or corrupted, your operating system may begin to malfunction. Common symptoms include Windows features not working properly, system errors, or Windows becoming unresponsive or freezing.

Download the drivers for the desired device from the device manufacturer's site. Make sure to download the correct drivers that match the version and architecture of Windows. Once downloaded, if necessary, uncompress the downloaded drivers. Make a note of where the drivers are located on the Windows device.

To run a Control Panel tool in Windows, type the appropriate command in the Open box or at a command prompt. NOTE: If you want to run a command from a command prompt, you must do so from the Windows folder.

Provides links to the uninstall tools and directions for many security programs.

After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Your PC will still work, but we recommend moving to Windows 11. Learn more. Note: Use these steps for Windows programs.

In Windows, a CD or DVD drive may not appear in File Explorer and may show a yellow exclamation point in Device Manager. This issue usually indicates a driver or configuration problem, and an error code may appear in the device’s Properties under Device status.

Learn how to use the DxDiag.exe tool to collect system information useful for troubleshooting problems with Microsoft Casual Games.

Learn how to use Manage and Optimize Drives to keep your disk and data drives defragmented and at top performance in Windows.

Disk Management in Windows helps you perform advanced storage tasks like initializing a new drive and extending or shrinking volumes.

Play music and video in more formats and stream it to more places with Windows Media Player 12.