Diagnose Windows virtualization, shared folders, devices and recovery issues with prerequisites, specific steps and official Microsoft sources.
WSL 2 error 0x80370102 prevents a distribution from starting. CPU virtualization in UEFI/BIOS, Virtual Machine Platform, or nested virtualization may be disabled. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Restore the WSL optional component when error 0x8007019e appears. The Windows Subsystem for Linux feature may be disabled, or Windows may still need the restart requested after enabling it. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
WSL alone cannot resolve names while a VPN is connected. VPN NRPT rules, enterprise firewall policy, or an older NAT DNS proxy configuration may conflict with WSL DNS requests. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Hyper-V is missing from Windows Features or cannot be enabled. The PC may run Home edition, lack a SLAT-capable CPU, have firmware virtualization disabled, or have hypervisor launch disabled in boot configuration. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
WSL 2 or Hyper-V cannot run inside a Hyper-V virtual machine. The host may not expose CPU virtualization extensions to the guest, or the setting may be attempted while the VM is running. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Windows Sandbox is missing or cannot start. The PC may run Home edition, have virtualization disabled, lack memory or disk space, or have Containers-DisposableClientVM disabled. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Disable networking and clipboard sharing in Windows Sandbox. Windows Sandbox enables networking and clipboard sharing by default, creating unnecessary paths between untrusted code and other resources. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
An SMB share repeatedly asks for credentials or returns access denied. Saved credentials, an existing SMB session, or a mismatched username format may conflict. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Shared computers do not appear under Network in File Explorer. The network profile may be Public, network discovery may be disabled, or Function Discovery services may be stopped. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
A mapped network drive cannot reconnect after sign-in. Drive reconnection may run before Wi-Fi or VPN is ready, saved credentials may be stale, or the share name may have changed. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Remote Desktop NLA rejects credentials. The destination account may lack permission, saved credentials may be stale, clocks may differ, or the domain/local username format may be wrong. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Remote Desktop is not listening on TCP port 3389. Remote Desktop may be disabled, TermService stopped, built-in inbound rules disabled, or an upstream network may block traffic. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Windows Hello PIN is unavailable or must be reset. TPM state, account authentication, organization policy, or the PIN container may be inconsistent. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Storage Spaces reports a warning or degraded state. A disconnected or failed pool drive, insufficient free capacity, or an unfinished repair job may have removed redundancy. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
A print job remains stuck on Deleting. An application or driver may hold a spool file, preventing Print Spooler from processing the queue. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
USB devices repeatedly disconnect after idle or sleep. USB hub power management, selective suspend, cable or power limitations, or a device driver may be involved. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Hibernate is missing from the power menu. Hibernation may be disabled, free space may be insufficient for hiberfil.sys, or firmware/drivers may restrict available sleep states. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Adding a Windows optional feature fails because source files are missing. The component store may lack the payload and cannot reach Windows Update, WSUS, or the specified repair source. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Resolve Windows Installer error 1618: another installation is running. Windows Update, another setup, or a pending-restart msiexec transaction may already be running. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.
Windows Installer error 1601: service cannot be accessed. Windows Installer may be disabled or damaged, Windows may be in Safe Mode, or installer registration may have a problem. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.