Who is this for?
If you handle day-to-day IT support (or your family's PCs 😅) and you need a clean, repeatable way to fix installation issues, crashes, "Not Responding", licensing failures, or weird update errors — this playbook is for you.
What we'll cover
- 🧭 A 5-minute pre-check that prevents 50% of tickets
- 📦 Installation problems (DLL, admin rights, dependencies)
- 🔐 Licensing & activation issues
- 💥 App won't launch / keeps crashing
- 🐢 Slow & heavy apps (high CPU/RAM/Disk)
- 🧩 Update/patch failures
- 🧼 Clean uninstall/reinstall the right way
- 🏢 Enterprise gotchas (GPO, proxy, AV)
- 🧰 Quick commands & mini checklists
1) Golden Pre-check (5 minutes)
- ✅ Run as Administrator for installers and repair tools.
- ✅ Disk space (C: has at least 5–10 GB free). Clear
%Temp%. - ✅ OS architecture (x64 installer on a 64-bit OS).
- ✅ Internet & time sync (licensing fails if the clock is wrong). Run
timedate.cpl. - ✅ Temporarily pause aggressive antivirus only during install (re-enable right after).
2) Installation Problems
Common causes
- Missing dependencies: .NET Desktop Runtime, Visual C++ Redistributables.
- Blocked by SmartScreen/AV or corrupted download.
- Wrong installer (32-bit vs 64-bit) or old Windows build.
Quick fixes
- Right-click installer → Run as administrator.
- Re-download from vendor, verify checksum if provided.
- Install/repair dependencies:
- .NET Desktop Runtime (latest supported for the app).
- VC++ Redistributables (2015–2022 x86 & x64).
- Clear temp caches: press
Win+R→ type%temp%→ delete contents. - Try Compatibility Mode (Properties → Compatibility → "Run this program in compatibility mode…"), only for legacy apps.
Safety: Never leave antivirus disabled. Only pause during install for trusted software, then turn it back on.
3) Licensing & Activation
Symptoms
- Key is valid but activation fails.
- "Cannot reach activation server", "Service unavailable".
Checklist
- Correct system time & timezone.
- Firewall/proxy allows the app's licensing endpoints.
- Try activation on a different network (mobile hotspot) to isolate proxy issues.
- Run the app as admin once after install (creates license store).
4) App Won't Launch / Keeps Crashing
Fast triage
- Check Event Viewer → Windows Logs → Application (faulting module).
- Run Reliability Monitor (
perfmon /rel) for crash timeline. - Start in Safe Mode or do a Clean Boot to rule out third-party conflicts.
Repair system components
Open PowerShell (Admin): sfc /scannow DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Then reboot and test. If only one user profile is affected, create a new Windows user and test the app there to detect profile corruption.
5) Slow or Heavy App
- Task Manager → sort by CPU / Memory / Disk to find the bottleneck.
- Disable hardware acceleration inside browsers/Office if UI is laggy.
- Close duplicate updaters/launchers; stop background syncs during heavy tasks.
- Switch to the app's 64-bit build if you handle large files (e.g., Office 64-bit for big Excel sheets).
6) Update & Patch Errors
- Clear the app's update cache (vendor-specific), then retry.
- For Microsoft Store apps: run
wsreset.exe. - If MSI: enable logging and review:
msiexec /i setup.msi /L*V C:\msi.log
- Offline devices behind proxy? Allow update endpoints or provide an offline installer.
7) Clean Uninstall & Reinstall (Proper Way)
- Uninstall from
appwiz.cpl(Programs and Features). - Delete leftovers in:
C:\Program Files\Vendor\App(orProgram Files (x86))%ProgramData%\Vendor,%AppData%\Vendor,%LocalAppData%\Vendor
- Reboot, then reinstall as admin.
Heads-up: Be careful with the Registry. If you must, export keys before editing.
8) Enterprise Gotchas (that waste hours)
- GPO restrictions: software install blocked for standard users → use elevated support account.
- Proxy/SSL inspection: activation/update may fail; bypass vendor domains where appropriate.
- Application whitelisting: add the installer and install path to the allow-list.
9) Mini Playbook — Common Apps
- Microsoft Office: Use Office Repair (Quick → Online), switch to 64-bit for large docs.
- Browsers: Disable extensions, clear cache, test in a fresh profile.
- Zoom/Teams: Remove old versions, clear
%AppData%app cache, reinstall latest. - PDF tools: If printing fails, reinstall the app's virtual printer driver.
10) When Escalating — Attach the Right Info
- Exact error text + screenshot.
- Steps to reproduce.
- Logs (Event Viewer excerpt / MSI log) + app version + Windows build (
winver).
Quick Command Box
Win + R → %temp% (clear temp) Win + R → appwiz.cpl (Programs & Features) PowerShell (Admin): sfc /scannow DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth wsreset.exe (Store reset)
Key Takeaways
- Start with the 5-minute pre-check — it prevents most fails.
- Fix dependencies & permissions first, then logs.
- Clean uninstall → reboot → reinstall as admin = magic combo.
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