Have you ever gotten the "Something went wrong 1200" error on your computer and had no idea how to fix it? We've all been there. One minute you're happily working away and the next - bam! - you get that annoying error message popping up out of nowhere. Don't worry, we have your back. In this article, we'll walk you through some easy troubleshooting steps to get rid of that pesky "Something went wrong 1200" error for good.
We'll cover common causes and solutions, from system file corruption to registry issues. Just follow our simple, step-by-step instructions to diagnose the problem and get your PC running smoothly again. With a little time and effort, you can kiss that error goodbye and get back to computing happily. So grab a cup of coffee and let's figure out how to squash this bug!
What Is the "Something Went Wrong 1200" Error?
Have you ever received an error message on your PC saying "Something went wrong 1200"? This error means that a Microsoft Store app you were trying to open failed to start properly. It's typically caused by a compatibility issue between the app and your PC's hardware or software.
A few things that can trigger this error include:
Outdated device drivers: If your graphics card, Wi-Fi, or other hardware drivers are out of date, it can sometimes interfere with apps. Update all your device drivers to the latest versions to fix this.
Incompatible apps: The app you're trying to open may not work with your version of Windows. Check the app details to make sure your PC meets the minimum requirements. You may need to uninstall the app or update Windows.
Corrupted system files: Important Windows system files could have become damaged or corrupted. Run the System File Checker tool to scan for and repair corrupted system files.
Full storage: If your PC's storage drive is nearly full, it can sometimes cause errors with apps. Free up storage space by deleting temporary files and uninstalling unused apps.
Incorrect permissions: The app may not have proper permissions to run. You can try reinstalling the app to reset its permissions, or run a repair on the app to fix any issues.
As you can see, several common issues could trigger the "Something went wrong 1200" error. The good news is there are a few things you can try to resolve it. Start with the simplest solutions like updating drivers and freeing up storage space. If that doesn't work, try repairing or reinstalling the app, or running a system file check. With some patience and troubleshooting, you'll have that pesky error resolved in no time!
Common Causes of the 1200 Error Code
If you're encountering the "Something went wrong (1200)" error, chances are it's related to your network connection or hardware issues.### Network connectivity problems The most common reason for this error is problems with your network connection. Your Wi-Fi signal could be weak or unstable, your Ethernet cable may be damaged, or your router settings need an update. Try restarting your router and modem, ensure cables are properly connected, and move closer to your Wi-Fi access point.
Outdated network adapter drivers
Network adapter drivers are the software that allows your PC to communicate with networks. Outdated or incompatible drivers can sometimes trigger the 1200 error. Head to your network adapter manufacturer's website, enter your adapter model number, and download the latest driver. After installing it, reboot your PC.
Windows update issues
Windows updates frequently require a reboot to install properly. If you've recently updated Windows but haven't restarted yet, that could be the culprit. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click "Restart now." This will finish installing any pending updates and likely resolve the 1200 error.
Hardware problems
In rare cases, the 1200 error can indicate a hardware issue with your network adapter, modem, or router. If the above steps don't help and you continue seeing the error, it's best to contact your Internet service provider or a computer technician to test and potentially replace any faulty hardware.
With some troubleshooting, you should be able to get your PC back online and banish that annoying "Something went wrong (1200)" message for good. Let me know if any of these solutions help get you connected again!
Fix 1: Run the Troubleshooter
Have you tried turning it off and on again? Running the built-in Windows Troubleshooter is the equivalent of that classic tech support suggestion. The Troubleshooter scans your system for common issues and automatically fixes them. It’s an easy first step to try and may resolve the “Something went wrong” error on your PC.
To run the Troubleshooter, open the Start menu and select the gear-shaped “Settings” icon. Click “Update & Security”, then select “Troubleshoot” from the left menu. Under “Find and fix other problems”, click “Run the troubleshooter”. This will search for recent system changes that could be causing issues.
The Troubleshooter may find corrupted system files or other software problems and repair or replace them automatically. It can also undo recent driver updates or Windows updates if needed. The process only takes a few minutes and requires no technical skills. You’ll see a progress bar as it scans and makes fixes.
Once it’s done, restart your PC and see if the error message has disappeared. If it’s still popping up, try running the Troubleshooter a second time in case it needs another pass to resolve the problem. The majority of common Windows issues can be fixed by the Troubleshooter, so there’s a good chance this simple step will get you back up and running.
However, the Troubleshooter may not always be able to resolve more complex software or hardware problems. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work—there are additional steps we can try to diagnose and fix the “Something went wrong” error. The Troubleshooter should at least rule out basic issues so we can focus our efforts on other potential solutions. Keep reading for more ways to get your PC in working order again.
Fix 2: Update or Reinstall Drivers
Drivers are pieces of software that allow your operating system to communicate with the hardware components in your computer like the graphics card, wireless network adapter, and Bluetooth module. If your drivers become outdated or corrupted, it can sometimes lead to errors like “Something went wrong” in Windows. Updating or reinstalling your drivers is an easy fix you can try.
Update Drivers Automatically
The easiest way to update your drivers is to use the Driver Update tool built into Windows. Open the Start menu and select “Update & Security”. Click “Check for Updates” and Windows will automatically search for available driver updates and install them for you. This can often resolve driver-related errors and get your PC working properly again.
Update Drivers Manually
If the automatic update doesn’t find anything, you may need to update drivers manually. You’ll need to visit the website for each of your hardware component manufacturers like Intel, NVIDIA, Dell, etc. Look for the “Support” or “Drivers” section and enter your specific model number to find the latest compatible drivers. Download and install the latest driver for each component.
Reinstall Drivers As A Last Resort
If updating the drivers doesn’t work, you may need to uninstall your current drivers and reinstall fresh copies. Use the “Device Manager” to uninstall the driver for the component, then reboot your PC. Visit the manufacturer’s website again to download the latest driver installation file. Double-click to install the driver and reboot again. Rinse and repeat for each component. Reinstalling drivers should refresh the software and fix any corrupted files that could be causing issues.
Updating or reinstalling your drivers is an easy step you can take to potentially resolve the “Something went wrong” error on Windows. Start with the automatic update, then move on to manually updating drivers for each component. As a last resort, uninstalling and reinstalling fresh driver copies can refresh the software and get your PC running normally again. If the error continues, you may need to try some of the other fixes or contact technical support.
Fix 3: Check for Malware and Viruses
Malware like viruses, spyware or ransomware could also be the culprit behind the “Something went wrong 1200” error. Run a full system scan using Windows Defender or your preferred antivirus software to check for any infections. If anything is detected, quarantine or delete the malware. You should also update your antivirus to the latest version to protect against the newest threats.
Update Windows
Make sure your Windows 10 is up to date with the latest patches. Outdated system software can sometimes trigger errors like this. Open the Start menu and select the gear icon to open Update & Security. Click "Check for Updates" and install any available patches. Restart your PC if prompted. Updating Windows fixes security risks and other bugs that can interfere with system stability.
Check installed software
Corrupted or incompatible software on your system can also trigger system errors. Open Control Panel and select "Uninstall a program". Review the list of installed apps and see if there are any you no longer use or recognize. Uninstall any suspicious or unnecessary programs. You can also run the System File Checker tool to scan for and repair corrupted system files.
Reset Windows Update Components
If the previous steps don't work, you may need to reset the Windows Update components to repair any corruption. Open an elevated Command Prompt as an admin and run the following commands:
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptsvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
Ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptsvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
Restart your PC and check for Windows updates again. This should resolve any issues with the update service and hopefully fix the "Something went wrong" error. If problems continue, you may need to reset or repair your Windows installation to address any deep-seated system errors. But try the simpler solutions first before taking more drastic measures.
Fix 4: Reset Winsock and TCP/IP
If the previous fixes didn’t work, it’s time to reset your Winsock catalog and TCP/IP settings. Winsock helps Windows communicate over networks, and resetting it will refresh your network configurations. TCP/IP controls your network connectivity, so resetting it will renew your network address and clear your DNS cache.
To reset Winsock:
Open the Command Prompt as an administrator. You can search for “Command Prompt” in the taskbar search box, then right-click it and select “Run as administrator.”
Type “netsh winsock reset” and press Enter.
Restart your PC. This will reset Winsock and refresh your network settings.
To reset TCP/IP:
Again open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
Type “netsh int ip reset reset.log” and press Enter.
Type “ipconfig /release” and press Enter. This will release your current IP address.
Type “ipconfig /renew” and press Enter. This will request a new IP address from your router.
Type “ipconfig /flushdns” and press Enter. This clears your DNS cache.
Restart your PC. Your TCP/IP stack and network address will now be reset.
With any luck, resetting these network components will resolve the “Something went wrong” error and get you connected again. If the issue continues, you may need to contact your internet service provider or network administrator for further help. But for most home network issues, resetting Winsock and TCP/IP does the trick to refresh your settings and fix connectivity problems.
Fix 5: Repair System Files
Has your PC been showing the “Something went wrong 1200” error recently? There’s a good chance some of your critical system files have become corrupted or damaged. The good news is, Windows has a built-in tool to repair them.
To get started, open the Command Prompt with admin privileges. You can do this by searching for “Command Prompt” in the search bar, right-clicking the result, and choosing “Run as administrator.”
Once the Command Prompt window opens, type in “sfc /scannow” and hit Enter. This will initiate the System File Checker, which scans all your protected system files and repairs any issues it detects. Let the scan run—it can take 10-15 minutes to complete.
If the scan reports that some files couldn’t be repaired, don’t panic. This can happen occasionally and usually isn’t a major issue. You have a couple of options here:
Run DISM
The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool can also repair system files. In the admin Command Prompt, enter “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth”. This will scan your Windows installation and repair any corrupted system files. After it finishes, run “sfc /scannow” again to double check.
Reinstall Windows (if needed)
As a last resort, you may need to reset or reinstall Windows to fix any remaining system file errors. This should only be done if multiple sfc and DISM scans are unable to repair all issues. Reinstalling Windows will replace all system files and reset your PC to a clean state, fixing any errors in the process.
Running regular system file scans and repairs is a great way to keep your Windows PC in good working order and prevent issues like the “Something went wrong 1200” error from popping up. Be sure to run sfc and DISM scans once a month or if you notice any strange behavior on your PC. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes!
Fix 6: Uninstall Recent Updates
One of the easiest fixes you can try for the “Something went wrong 1200” error is uninstalling any recent Windows or driver updates. Sometimes an update can cause compatibility issues and crashes on your PC.
To uninstall recent updates, open the Control Panel on your PC and select “Programs and Features.” Click “View installed updates” on the left side. This will show you a list of all the recent updates installed on your system. Look for any updates installed around the time the error started happening. These are the likely suspects!
Select the update you want to uninstall and click “Uninstall.” Your PC will prompt you to confirm the uninstall. Click “Yes” to proceed. Restart your PC after the uninstall is complete. See if the error message goes away. If not, repeat the process to uninstall other recent updates.
You may need to uninstall multiple updates to resolve the issue. Don’t worry, uninstalling an update will not damage your system or delete any important files. The update will simply be uninstalled, reversing any changes it made. Your Windows installation will go back to the state before that update was installed.
Once you’ve uninstalled the problematic updates and resolved the error, it’s a good idea to check for new Windows and driver updates to make sure your system is up to date. But this time, install the updates one by one and restart after each install. That way if the error returns, you’ll know exactly which update caused the problem.
Uninstalling recent system changes is one of the most effective ways to fix unknown or strange errors on Windows PCs. Give this method a shot—with some patience, you’ll likely get your PC back up and running in no time. Let me know if you have any other questions!
FAQs: How to Quickly Fix Microsoft "Something Went Wrong 1200" Error
Have you ever encountered the "Something went wrong (Error Code: 1200)" message on your PC? Don't worry, this error is typically easy to resolve. Here are some of the most common solutions:
To start, make sure your system date and time are correct. An incorrect system time can sometimes trigger this error. Open the Date and Time settings on your PC and double check that the date and time are right. If not, update it and restart your PC.
Next, check for any pending Windows or Microsoft Store updates. Outdated system files or software can also lead to the Error 1200 message. Open the Settings app, select "Update & Security" and click "Check for Updates". Install any available updates and restart when prompted.
You should also scan for malware on your PC. Malicious software is known to interfere with Windows and cause various error messages. Use Windows Defender or your preferred antivirus tool to scan for threats. Remove anything suspicious found.
Another fix is to reset the Microsoft Store cache. The Store cache can become corrupted over time and display the Error 1200 message. Open the Run dialog by pressing Win+R, enter "WSReset.exe" and click OK. This will reset the Microsoft Store cache. Try opening the Store again after.
Finally, you may need to reset your PC if the other steps don't work. Resetting will restore your PC to factory default settings without deleting your personal files. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and select "Reset this PC". Choose to keep your files and follow the prompts to reset your PC. After it restarts, the Error 1200 should be resolved.
If problems continue after trying the solutions here, it may indicate an issue with your Microsoft account or hardware. Contact Microsoft support for additional help in resolving the "Something went wrong (Error Code: 1200)" error. They can investigate further and recommend next steps to get you back up and running.
Conclusion
So there you have it! A few simple steps to get rid of that pesky "Something went wrong 1200" error for good. First, update Windows and your drivers. Next, run the troubleshooter. Still seeing the error? Try resetting Winsock and flushing your DNS. And if all else fails, repair or reset Windows. Hopefully with this advice you'll be back up and running smoothly in no time. We all know errors like these can be frustrating, but a little patience and persistence goes a long way. Don't let the tech gremlins get you down! Just follow these tips and you'll have this fixed faster than you can say "Something went wrong!" Now get out there and start enjoying a glitch-free Windows experience.