Windows 10: Notification: "We need your help to finish adding a feature"

I keep getting this notification:
"We need your help to finish adding a feature."

When I click it, it opens the "Manage optional features" settings page with a list of 8 features under the "Add a feature" button. The listed features are mostly English(GB) things, but Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player are also listed.

Clicking on any of the English(GB) items, e.g. "English(GB) handwriting" brings up a "Manage" button. Clicking the Manage button opens the "Region & Language" settings page, but no clue as to what it wants me to do next.

Clicking on "Internet Explorer 11" or "Windows Media Player" brings up an Uninstall button.

Nowhere is there any clue why the notification has been displayed or what I am supposed to do to get rid of it. Does anyone have any ideas why this notification is appearing?

:)

 

" Can't find maps on your phone " . Please help

@markus8814



Upon N97 Mini map data could be stored upon either mass memory or memory card with choice available within Nokia Maps application > Settings. Don't want you removing map data unnecessarily but you may possibly need to delete both E:\cities and F:\cities
+ .qf file and re-start Nokia Maps application to re-define necessary folder structure; it may help to set Nokia Maps "Online" and download a few kb's of map data via WLAN access point by zooming in to your current location and start again downloading maps
to chosen destination.

 

" Can't find maps on your phone " . Please help

Almost certainly as not enough free phone memory to store maps.

 

Hi, could you possibly post a screenshot of your Update History?
To post a screenshot please use the icon above your post to the left of the video icon. Thanks.

Also a screenshot showing this:

When did this start happening?

Have you made any changes to the Language settings- installed any language packs recently?

Do you have any relevant System Restore points available? (Note- if you've just upgraded to 1709 there probably won't be any).

Also a screenshot like this (note IE and WMP are shown).




Please also - from an admin command prompt- run
chkdsk c: /scan
and
SFC /SCANNOW
and advise the results.

Also download and run HDD Sentinel (trial) and post a screenshot of its GUI.

I don't recall seeing such a combination of things being reported, but someone else may have.

Thanks.

 

Hi dalchina, here are the screenshots:





I see the cumulative update KB4054517 done at least a few days ago says it needs a restart, which it has had more than one of, as it has at least one restart every day. Maybe this is significant?





In "Manage Optional Features", I tried clicking Uninstall for Internet Explorer and for Windows Media Player, but nothing seemed to happen - they certainly did not uninstall.

The problem only started a few days ago and I have been googling it for a few days but found nothing relevant.

I have not changed any language settings recently, but I do have Spanish keyboard installed as well as UK keyboard.

I have no system restore points.







chkdsk and sfc both completed without errors.





One of the HDDs in my system is dodgy, (it has had end to end errors for a long time, but doesn't seem to get any worse), but it is not in use and is not mapped to a drive letter in Windows. Now I am getting notifications from Hard Disk Sentinel predicting failure of my rubbish HDD - I suppose I should remove it and put it in the fire.

 

Hi, yes, best remove that HDD. Maybe not the fire though...! Good your disks are otherwise ok.

I also see IE and WMP in Manage Optional Features- I wouldn't worry about that. Recall MS's policy is to slowly move control panel features into Settings.

Cumulative Update KB4054517 Windows 10 v1709 Build 16299.125 - Windows 10 Forums
There's a thread per update per build in the News section. Not the comment towards the bottom of the grey box. Nothing to worry about.

As to your original problem, you could try uninstalling that update, and checking for updates.

If you then still get the message, it must be related to sthg else.

I note I've two occurrences of that installed on two separate dates. That may be MS updating the update, I suppose. It has happened with at least one other previously.

Returning to the language features, does Cortana work (Windows key + S) and can you use 'Hey Cortana' successfully?

Also have a look here and see if anything stands out:








(Yours will look slightly different)

Please consider:
a. scheduling a daily system restore point (see the Tutorial section)
b. Noting that System Restore does not protect you from bigger disasters like your disk failing or ransomware e.g. and is not 100% reliable, then if you've not yet started using disk imaging routinely, which we strongly recommend- can save clean installs- consider doing so e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) + external storage.

 

Hi, thanks for your comments. There is a clue in the actual notification. I hadn't spotted that the symbol is clearly a language thing as it is the same symbol seen in Manage Optional Features with all the English(GB) items.





Will try uninstalling the update later and see if it fixes this.

Cortana does not work at all because I have it turned off. Like I did with the old paperclip helper. I also have all the games uninstalled, although this time they seem to have come back again - not really a big deal, but I don't play games on my desktop PC. I do a daily backup of files that I need, but do not often save images of the OS and apps any more. I do use Macrium Reflect after a clean install, but generally the OS has moved on by the time I need these, so I just do another clean install from the latest iso. I run Windows Defender and do a scan with Malwarebytes whenever anything suspicious happens. Pretty paranoid really and have most (maybe all) privacy options turned off.

Here is my Settings | Region & Language page:





For Spanish, it says Language Pack available, and clicking on it gives ma an Options button.
Clicking the Options button, opens another page:





This is a bit strange, because it says it is downloading "Basic typing" (I will have to look up what that is), but nothing is happening on the network (according to Netmeter), so it isn't actually downloading anything. Now, clicking "View progress" dumps me back into the "Manage optional features" page, which is disappointing as I have seen that before.

I shall try removing Spanish as I don't need it today and see what happens. I only need the keyboard anyway. Oh, I clicked "Remove" and it went, instantly, without seeming to do anything. except delete the icon off the notification bar. I'll give it 24 hours before trying to reinstall the Spanish keyboard - let's hope it hasn't gone forever.

 

I think you've probably identified the problem- the Spanish language pack.

Cortana is sensitive to language configurations- but to the one in use. I.e. if you install another language pack then a couple more things need to be configured to keep C happy.

I agree C's not much use, but the most you gain by turning her off- and only if you're really determined- is about 40Mb of RAM. But then you'd miss MS's humour.. like..
'Do you have a favourite singer?'
'I thought you'd never ask. So I've never thought about it.'
Hmm.

 

This is frustrating, but not the end of the world!

When the Spanish language pack is uninstalled, there are no warnings.

When I try to install the Spanish keyboard, it seems I now have to install a complete 'language pack', which will not install properly and results in these persistent warnings. It used to be a simple matter to install alternative keyboards, but something has changed...

When I look at 'Manage Optional Features', there are no Spanish items listed, just the English ones.

When I look at 'See optional feature history', it is really odd, with lots of recurring entries. The latest batch of installs seem to have all succeeded, but look at the date: '01/01/1601'. Right in the middle of the Spanish Inquisition if I remember correctly - let's hope it has nothing to do with that.

Strangely, the only 2 entries with the correct date are the installations that are reported as failed. The list carries on beyond that with lots more entries with the date '01/01/1601', including the uninstalls of Internet Explorer 11 and Media Player which I did a few days ago.





Despite everything apparently installing, I still get the warning notifications. But at least the Spanish keyboard works, which is the main thing.

 

Yes, to add a keyboard it seems you have to add a language pack. (I think it used to be the case that wasn't so, but can't be sure now).

Language packs can be fiddly; direct download links available e.g. here:
Windows 10 Version 1709 Language Packs Direct Download Links

I made use of one of these when having a similar problem.

 

Downloaded the language pack as you suggested. Uninstalled it first, and then re-installed using the cab file. Still get the notification and it still thinks it was done hundreds of years ago.

 

Finally found it again- how to add a keyboard.
Suggest you eliminate anything Spanish, then go here and click Options



then here, Add a keyboard. Lists many language options.




Though still begs the question as to all your odd problems.

 

Dalchina, you're a star.

 

Have same problem and not sure entirely how you sorted it.

Please how do I make: Notification: "We need your help to finish adding a feature" go away? Have English UK language and keyboard installed but not handwriting, speech etc. on my dell Venue * win 10 tablet with 64GM drive and 2 GB memory. Non sure if connected to the continual non installation of KB4088776. All other machines here fine. This one new to me and presumably wiped prior to shipping.

Thanks for your help.

Mike.

 

Hi, your problem may have a slightly different cause. What's the base language of your Windows installation?
See Default System Language of Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

Note that it would attract more attention as a new thread, rather than on the end of a solved one, although I appreciate your done some research, which is good.

Please post a screenshot of your Update History.
To post a screenshot please use the icon above your post to the left of the video icon.

Also one like that at the top of post #5, and anything else that may help like those in #5 & #7.