Author: Emma Gibson

Hello all! I'm Emma Gibson and I'm a work-from-home Technical Writer of over 10 years. I write for the DriverFinder site, and have provided thousands of short, step-by-step 'How To' content for the Customer Support portals of various US companies such as HP, Symantec, System Center, Cherwell, and others.When I'm not writing 'tech stuff', I'm mostly likely to be found in the kitchen testing recipes, or outside sporting (to get rid of those calories I consumed while in the kitchen).

Intel UHD Graphics 620

The Intel UHD Graphics 620 is a graphics solution from Intel for mobile computers. It is integrated into the 8^th generation Kaby Lake processors (or core U-series laptop processors). Since it is integrated into the processor chip, it does not come with its own memory but uses system RAM instead (up to 32 GB of shared memory can be used).

The main future of the Intel UHD graphics 620 processing unit is that it is a low-power solution (only uses 15W maximum). It supports DirectX 12, operates at 300 MHz frequency (can be boosted to up to 1000 MHz), and is an upgrade from the Intel HD 620 graphics solution. Full specs can be found at Intel.

Although usable for some gaming, the chip is not comparable to dedicated, external graphics solutions like the AMD and Nvidia graphics chips.

Intel UHD Graphics 620 Driver

To make sure the Intel UHD graphics 620 produces the best results, it is important to install the latest Intel drivers for it. Drivers are available for all Windows version from XP to Windows 11.

The right drivers will make sure the 4K resolution (at 60Hz) is supported and that DisplayPort 1. And HDMI 2.0 are properly working.

To get the latest driver for the Intel UHD 620 solution, download the latest version from the Intel support site. The file name will be something like gfx_win_xxx.xxxx_xxx.xxxx.exe, where each x represents a version number. The driver file for the Intel UHN graphics 620 solution supports all Intel 6^th – 12^th Generation core graphics processors.

When downloading the driver file, be aware that the file can be over 1 GB in size, so the download will take a moment to complete. Once complete, execute the downloaded file to begin the driver installation. After confirming the UAC dialog, the installation screen will show.

Click the Begin installation button and follow the instructions in the installer to complete the driver installation.

Updating the Intel UHD Graphics 620 Driver from the Device Manager

Instead of downloading the complete processor driver installation file from the Intel support website, you can also update the Intel graphics driver from the Device Manager in Windows.

Here is how:

Open the Device Manager by pressing the Windows key + R at the same time. Type devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog box, and press the OK button.
In the Device Manager, expand the Display adapters
Right-click the Intel UHD Graphics 620 device, and in the popup menu select Update driver.
Click the Search automatically for drivers option to let Windows find a newer driver for the graphics device.
Wait for the driver to be updated, and then click Close to finish the driver update process.

If no new driver is found, you will see a message showing “The best drivers for your device are already installed”. If you believe the is a newer version available while it is not being offered by the Windows update process, you will need to manually download and execute the installer as described earlier. This can happen on older Windows versions with no update support for the device.

Solving problems with the Intel UHD Graphics device

With the right drivers, your Intel UHD graphics 620 device should operate without problems. But an incorrect or outdated driver or even device configuration problems can cause the graphics device to have issues. Possible scenarios are a blue screen, flickering screen, no support for a dual monitor, animation issues with Windows Desktop on Windows 10 and Windows 11, and more.

These problems, in most cases, are caused by driver issues. Apart from the above-described driver installation process, there are other steps that can be used to solve graphics problems with the Intel UHD 620.

Reinstalling the Intel UHD graphics 620 device

If the driver is correct, but the driver and/or device configuration is a problem, reinstalling the device can solve it.

Open the Device Manager as described in the earlier steps.
In the Device Manager, open the Display adapters
Right-click the Intel UHD Graphics 620 device, and in the popup menu select Uninstall device.
In the Uninstall Device confirmation window, leave the Attempt to remove the driver for this device unchecked and click the Uninstall
Note: depending on the Windows version, the checkbox might be labeled “Delete the driver software for this device”.
After the device uninstall completes, reboot the computer to automatically reinstall the device with the existing driver.

If these steps do not fix your issue, repeat the steps to uninstall the device, but this time also uninstall the driver using the checkbox.

Rollback the driver to the previous version

In some cases, the graphics problems can be caused by a newer or incorrect version of the device driver. In this scenario, you want to revert back to the previous, working version of the Intel UHD graphics 620 driver. That can also be done using the device manager.

Open the Device Manager as described in the earlier steps.
In the Device Manager, open the Display adapters
Right-click the Intel UHD Graphics 620 device, and in the popup menu select Properties.
In the Properties dialog box, click the Driver
Next, click the Roll Back Driver button.
Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm the driver rollback operation.

Note: If the Roll Back Driver button is grayed out, that means no previous version of the driver for the device is available.

Recommended: find and download the latest drivers for your PC devices automatically by using DriverFinder.

Fix MediaTek MT7921 Wi-Fi 6 Problem with Windows 11

The MediaTek MT7921 Wi-Fi card from Taiwanese manufacturer MediaTek was introduced in 2021. The wireless card was first used by Asus in their ROG and TUF gaming laptops. The new MediaTek chipset has improved wireless network connectivity, offering better performance and improved battery life.

All great of course, but with Windows 11, there are reports that the MediaTek MT7921 is not working after the June 2022 update of Windows 11. Problems vary from intermittent connectivity, no Wi-Fi device showing at all, and device errors (This device cannot start. (Code 10).

Install the MediaTek MT7921 Driver

The primary cause of such problems is the device driver. So the first thing to try is to uninstall the MediaTek MT7921 device in the Device Manager and reinstall the driver.

To uninstall and reinstall the MediaTek MT7921 driver:

Open the Device Manager from the Start menu.
In the Device Manager, click on Network adapters to expand the category and show the devices.
Next, right-click the WIFI 6 MediaTek MT7921 device, and in the popup menu select Uninstall.

After this you have a few options:

Restart the PC, in which case Windows will reinstall the device (but most likely using the same driver). You can also use the Action menu and select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the device.
– or –
Use the MyASUS app (available in the Microsoft Store).

Note: The screenshot is for illustration only, and shows the Intel WLAN Driver instead of the MediaTek MT7921 Driver.
1. Go to the Customer Support section (1).
2. Select LiveUpdate. (2)
3. Select Latest. (3)
4. Under Networking, locate the wireless driver and click the download icon. (4)
5. Select a folder to download the driver to and click OK.
6. Once the download completes, the download icon will change into a folder icon. Click it to open a File Explorer window with the downloaded file.
7. Click the downloaded driver installer to install the driver.

If the device re-install or the driver update did not fix the problem, you might need to reset the BIOS. This was reported as having worked for a system with BIOS version 310. It is not certain this will work for other versions, but it is a possible solution.

To load the Asus default BIOS settings:

With the system showing the Windows 11 desktop, press the power button and hold it for 20 seconds.
Press and hold the F2 key, and then press the power button again to turn on the computer. This will get you into the BIOS.
Click Default(F9) at the bottom of the screen, or press the F9 key on the keyboard.
Next, click the OK button to confirm.
Click Save & Exit(F10) at the bottom of the screen, or press the F10 key on the keyboard.
And finally, click OK again to confirm saving the changes with the default settings loaded.

The computer will reboot and start Windows 11.

Use a third-party driver

In general, is best to use a Microsoft driver or a driver from the computer or hardware manufacturer. But there is a difference in how fast different manufacturers release updated drivers for devices. And in the case of the MediaTek MT7921, the driver from ASUS might not be the latest driver.

If the Windows driver or the ASUS driver do not fix the problems with your MediaTek MT7921 Wi-Fi 6 card, try downloading and installing the Lenovo driver. This might sound weird, but the driver installer is the only real difference. The driver itself is for the exact same MediaTek device.

After the download completes, run the installer, and follow the on-screen instructions to extract and install the driver. If this does not help, you can uninstall it again after, or use a driver rollback to go back to the previous version.

Install a Prolific PL2303 driver in Windows 11

When you use a device that connects to the computer through a serial port, you’ll probably use a USB to serial cable solution. The most common solution for this from Prolific is the PL2303-based solution. In Windows 11 the device would show up in the device manager under the Ports (COM & LPT) category. If it does not, or it shows an error, you will need to manually install a Prolific PL2303 driver in Windows 11 to get it to work.

What is Prolific PL 2303?

Prolific is a company that offers a Smart-IO chip that offers a solution for communication with serial ports (like RS232) through USB. This allows a modern computer with only USB ports to use legacy equipment with a serial port. The chipsets from Prolific are the PL23xx and PL25xx chipsets and they are available in different versions for UART, RS232, RS485, I2C, and even IEEE1284 (parallel ports).

Prolific chips are also used by other vendors in their cable solutions. The Sabrent USB to serial cable for example is also using the PL2303 chip and hence the same driver.

Some examples of the types of products that use a serial connection are:

Debuggers and programmers
Printers, and Scanners
Data loggers
AV Receivers
PLCs
Audio equipment (radios, amplifiers, mixers)
Sewing and embroidery machines
Switches
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

If your PC does not have a serial port, many of these devices can still work with a Windows 11-based computer using a USB-to-serial cable. Since the cables are available for USB Type-A ports as well as USB Type-C ports, a solution is available for most Windows 11-based systems.

An alternative solution is available from Silicon Labs. Their chips in the CP210x series also offer USB to UART solutions (the CP2102 is often used). For Windows drivers, check their support site. Another popular solution for USB to RS232 is the TrippLite USA19HS or Keyspan USA-19hs.

What if Windows does not have a Prolific PL2303 driver?

If the driver for the Prolific PL 2303 device is not installed in Windows 11, you can either get an error message like “Please install corresponding PL2303 driver to support Windows 11 and further OS”, or the device will show with an error in the Device Manager (typically with a yellow exclamation mark).

The error code for the device will be “The device cannot start (Code 10)”.

The result in both cases is that Windows 11 cannot communicate with the device that is connected through the USB to serial cable and any programs trying to use it will not find the device.

Detect the PL2303 Chip Type

Like with many hardware vendors, not all variations of their products are supported on all platforms. In most cases, updates to hardware are indicated with revision numbers. With chip manufacturers, it is sometimes type indicators.

For Windows, Prolific also specifies which types are no longer supported on Windows 11. So it is important to know which variation of the PL2303 chip is in use on your system. Since it is not always possible to see the chip and read the type number, you can use the Prolific utility to determine the version.

After downloading the ZIP file, open it and run the EXE file inside it (e.g. PL2303_CheckChipVersion_v1006.exe). There is no need to install anything, simply run the chip check program.

In the program interface, select the COM port in the drop-down field and then click the Check button to get the details of the PL2303 chip connected to the port.

Download and install the Prolific PL2303 driver in Windows 11

To get the latest PL2303 driver, download it from the Prolific website.

Make sure to pick the latest version and take note of the chipsets it supports. If the chipset your cable is using is not included in the Windows 11 version, you can try downloading and installing the previous version for Windows 10.

After downloading the ZIP file (PL23XX_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v402.zip at the time of writing), extract the ZIP file contents, and run the setup program in the subfolder (PL23XX-M_LogoDriver_Setup_402_20220309.exe at the time of writing).

If the User Account Control window shows, click the Yes button to confirm running the installer.

Follow the on-screen instruction in the PL23XX-USB-to-Serial Driver Installer Program window to install the PL2303 driver.

Once the installation is complete, you should see the Prolific device in the Device Manager under Ports without any error. Connect the serial device to your serial-to-USB cable and test the device in Windows 11.

For more details about manually installing drivers in Windows 11, check this article.

Changing the COM port

When the PL2303 driver is properly installed, a program might still not detect the device that is connected through the USB-to-Serial cable. The reason in many cases is that the program requires the serial device to be connected to a specific COM port. Especially older software often does not support higher COM-port numbers, but expects the device to be connected on COM1 or COM2.

In Windows 11, you can change the COM port number using the Device Manager. Here are the steps:

Right-clicking the Start icon in the Taskbar.
In the menu, click Device Manager.

Tip: You can also use the Run option. For this, press the Windows Key + R, then type “devmgmt.msc” and press the Enter key.
In the Device Manager window, click the Ports (COM & LPT) section to open it and show the ports.
Note: If the Ports section is not shown, clicking Show hidden devices in the View menu might bring it up.
Now right-click the COM port to change, and in the popup menu select Properties.
Select the Port Settings tab.
Click the Advanced button.
Change the COM Port Number to the desired COM port number (it will only allow selection of unassigned port numbers).
Click the OK button to confirm.
Click the OK button on the Properties
Close the Device Manager.

Next, try the program that uses the device on the COM port again. If it does not work immediately, restart Windows first.

Solving Prolific PL2303 serial-to-USB problems

In some cases, installing the driver alone does not solve your problem. As mentioned in the previous section, changing the COM-port can be necessary for a program to find the device connected through the PL2303 cable.

But there are other possible causes of problems with the Prolific PL2303 cables too.

Specific driver version required

For some devices, installing the latest Prolific driver might actually cause the device to stop being recognized or working. This can be the result of the device no longer being supported by the new driver version. Examples are the PL2303HXA, PL2303TA, and PL2303X, which will require an older driver version. For Windows 11 compatibility the recommended chip type is PL-2303GC.

In the Device Manager, use the Roll Back Driver option on the Prolific device, or use the Update Driver option to manually select a different version.

To prevent Windows from re-installing a new version when the new version is installed through Windows Update, you can disable Windows driver updates. Either disable driver updates altogether or just prevent the specific update that pertains to the Prolific driver.

Install a Serial port expansion card

This solution is only possible if you have a desktop computer. But if you do, and the Prolific cable-based solution is not working for your serial device, consider the option to install a serial port expansion card into the PC.

Once installed, you can connect your serial device directly to a serial port rather than using a serial-to-USB conversion solution.

Prolific PL2303 and FTDI cables

Apart from installing the correct device driver for the PL2303-based cable, it is also important to consider the quality of the cable. Most USB-to-serial cables these days are either Prolific PL2303 based or FTDI based. But even though these are the most common chipsets, there are quality differences in the cables sold online. So, if you are facing problems with a serial device, do consider trying an alternative USB-to-serial cable.

How to Enable System Restore on Windows

When working with any operating system, there will be moments when things go wrong and you wish you could go back in time. In Windows, System Restore offers a feature that is somewhat like that. Restore points can be created to make a snapshot of the configuration. Using the System Restore option, that configuration can then later be restored.

System Restore will only capture Windows configuration, not user files or settings. So it is a good feature to ensure the system can be restored in case of problematic apps, updates, drivers, and other system-critical changes.

Enable System Restore

Before restore points can be created, the System Restore function needs to be enabled. Enabling system restore will also allocate storage space on one or more drives for creating restore points.

To enable system restore on Windows:

Open the Settings window using the Windows + I keys (or use the Start menu).
In the Settings window, click System and then About.
Scroll down to Related settings, and click the Advanced system settings link.

This will open a new dialog box named System Properties.
In the System Properties window, select the tab System Protection.
Under Protection Settings, select the drive for which to enable the system protection.
Click the Configure button. A new dialog box will open showing the drive protection settings.
Select the option Turn on system protection (1).
Optionally, change the slider for Max Usage (2) to limit the amount of drive space that can be used for creating restore points.

Note: By default, Windows will have system protection enabled for the system drive.
Click the OK button when done.
Repeat steps 5 to 10 for any other drive for which you want to enable system protection. The main advantage of enabling system protection on other drives in your system is to limit the use of the system drive and allocate more space for restore points. The functionality of the System Restore feature does not change as a result.
Click the OK button in the System Properties dialog box when done.

Once enabled, Windows will automatically create a system restore point when changes are made (driver install, Windows Update, etc.). But it is also possible to manually create a restore point. This can be convenient if you plan to manually make changes to your Windows system that you may need to reverse.

Using System Restore

When system protection is enabled and restore points are created, you can use these to restore the system to a previous state. Typically, this is done to solve problems with a device, an app, or Windows itself (after an update).

Search for control panel in the Start menu search box.
Click the Control Panel App in the search results.
In the Control Panel window, click the Recovery option.
Next, click the option Open System Restore.
To use the most recent restore point, leave the Recommended restore option selected and click Next.
To manually select a restore point, select the option Choose a different restore point and click Next.
In the manual restore point selection, select the checkbox Show more restore points (1) if you do not see the restore point you want to use. After that, select the restore point in the list (2) based on date, time, and description, and then click Next (3).
Click the Finish button to confirm using the selected restore point for System Restore.
Note: If you are unsure of the impact of the System Restore using the selected restore point, click the Scan for affected programs This will show programs and drivers affected by the operation.

Manually Creating a Restore Point

Creating a restore point in Windows can be done at any time. To manually create a restore point in Windows use these steps.

Type control panel in the search box on the Start menu and press Enter.
In the search results, click the Control Panel App.
In the Control Panel window, locate and click the Recovery option.
Next, click the option Configure System Restore. The System Properties window will open with the System Protection tab selected.
Click the Create button at the bottom of the dialog box.
Type a description for the restore point and then click the Create button.
Wait for the restore point to be created. Click the Close button when complete.
Close the System Properties window and the Control Panel window.

Free up disk space used by restore points

Windows will only create restore points on the drivers for which system protection is enabled. The maximum configured size determines how many restore points can be created. Once the configured maximum space is used up, the next creation of a restore point will result in older restore points being removed.

It is also possible to manually delete restore points for a drive. The only valid reason for this is if you know that a restore point results in a problematic configuration. So, using the restore point is not desired and removal is the best option.

Open the System Protection dialog box using the steps in the Enable System Restore
Select the drive and click the Configure button.
Next, click the Delete button.
Click the Continue button to confirm the removal of all system restore points on the drive.
Click the Close button when done.
Close the drive system protection window, and then close the System Properties window.

After this, all system restore points on the driver are deleted and the disk space is freed up.

It is important to realize that these steps will remove ALL restore points on the drive. It is not possible to select individual restore points for removal. The only other option available is to use Disk Cleanup and remove all restore points apart from the last one.

Type disk cleanup in the search box on the Start menu and press Enter.
In the search results, click the Disk Cleanup
Select the drive for clean up and click OK.
Select the More Options tab (1).
Under System Restore and Shadow Copies, click the Clean up button (2).
Click the Delete button to confirm.

How to run a Windows Troubleshooter

The latest Windows versions have the ability to analyze and fix common problems. Microsoft has named this feature the Windows Troubleshooter. In earlier versions of Windows, Microsoft Fix It was available, which is a similar feature. But the Troubleshooter functions in Windows 10 and Windows 11 are more elaborate than this earlier solution.

In many cases, Windows will suggest running a Troubleshooter if a problem is encountered. The Troubleshooter can then be invoked automatically, or by clicking a link or button to confirm executing the problem analysis. The Troubleshooters in Windows can be executed for different categories, either device (hardware) or software related.

But it is good to know that you can also manually execute a Troubleshooter in case it is needed. Be prepared that not all problems can be fixed using a Windows Troubleshooter. Only common problems, known errors, and configuration problems can sometimes be solved. Typical steps executed by the troubleshooters are resetting configuration data and restarting services.

Windows 10

Open the Settings window from the Start menu.
In the Settings window, click the option Update & Security.
In the left-hand panel, click Troubleshoot (1).
In the right-hand panel, scroll down until you see the option Additional troubleshooters (2) and click the link.
In the list of Additional troubleshooters, find the type of problem you are trying to fix and click it.
Next, click the Run the troubleshooter button that appears.
A new window will appear that will show Windows is detecting problems. Follow any instructions that appear and click Next each time.
Note: The instructions and steps will vary for each type of problem and troubleshooter.
When done, click the Close button.
Close the Settings window.

Windows 11

Open the Settings window by pressing the Windows + I keys or from the Start menu.
In the left-hand panel, select System.
In the right-hand panel, scroll down until you see Troubleshoot and click it.
Next click Other troubleshooters in the right-hand panel.
Scroll down to the Other section and then locate the Troubleshooter you want to execute.
Click the Run button in the selected Troubleshooter.
A new window will show with Windows showing “Detecting problems”.
Follow the instructions in the window to complete the Troubleshooter. Click the Next button after each required step and click the Close button when done.

Exmple of running the trooubleshooter for Playing Audio.
Close the Settings window.

In addition to the incorporated troubleshooters in Windows, a separate troubleshooter can be downloaded for problems related to program installation (and removal). This download is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. So, if your problem relates to the installation or removal of a program, try downloading and running this tool.

Tip to Fix Audio Issues

There are some problems the audio troubleshooter may not fix. A common audio problem is dealing with crackling sound, audio stutter, or popping sounds. Often unexplainable, and it can sound like there is a bad connection.

A solution that help solve such issues in Windows is the disabling of the hibernation feature. Of course this is not recommended by Microsoft as it can lead to data loss when a power problem occurs. But if you are not concerned with that and just want the best quality audio, give it a try.