How to Fix Fatal Error c000021a

What is Babylon?

Babylon is a self-published computer dictionary and translation program. Babylon is a tool used for translation and conversion of currencies, measurements, and time, and for obtaining other contextual information. The program also uses a text-to-speech agent so users hear the proper pronunciation of words and text. Babylon’s translation software adds the Babylon toolbar identified as a browser hijacker. This toolbar may modify the homepage of the browser. It adds a Scheduled Task, Startup file, and Registry Keys that allow it to run at any time. A Windows Firewall exception is also added for the software, allowing it to connect to the internet without content.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a type of unwanted software program, commonly a browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in browser settings. Browser hijackers will do a number of things on your computer. Often, hijackers will force hits to internet sites of their choice either to increase targeted traffic generating higher ad revenue, or to obtain a commission for each and every user visiting there. It could seem harmless, but the majority of these websites aren’t legitimate and can present a significant risk to your online safety. Additionally, hijackers can make the entire infected system fragile – other harmful malware and viruses will take hold of these opportunities to get into your PC effortlessly.

Signs of browser hijacker malware

There are several symptoms of browser hijacking. Here are a few of them: the home page of your browser is changed all of a sudden; new bookmarks pointing to porn websites are added to your favorite pages; the default browser settings have been modified and/or your default search engine is altered; unsolicited new toolbars are added to your internet browser; you notice a lot of pop-ups on your computer screen; your web browser gets sluggish, buggy, crashes frequently; you cannot go to certain sites such as homepages of anti-malware software.

How it infects your computer

Browser hijackers may use drive-by downloads or file-sharing networks or perhaps an email attachment in order to reach a targeted computer system. They may also originate from any BHO, browser extension, toolbar, add-on, or plug-in with malicious intent. Sometimes you might have accidentally accepted a browser hijacker as part of a software bundle (usually freeware or shareware). Examples of well-known browser hijackers include Fireball, GoSave, Ask Toolbar, CoolWebSearch, Babylon Toolbar, and RocketTab. The existence of any browser hijacker on your system will considerably diminish the browsing experience, monitor your online activities that lead to troublesome privacy issues, produce system stability issues and finally cause your PC to slow down or to a nearly unusable state.

Browser hijacker removal tips

Some hijackers can be easily removed by deleting the free software they were included with or by eliminating any add-ons you’ve recently added to your computer system. Sadly, most of the software packages used to hijack a web browser are intentionally designed to be hard to eliminate or detect. And there’s no denying the fact that manual fixes and removal can be quite a difficult task for an inexperienced PC user. Besides, there are numerous risks associated with fiddling around with the pc registry files. Anti-malware application is extremely efficient when it comes to picking up and eliminating browser hijackers that regular anti-virus program has overlooked. To get rid of any kind of browser hijacker from your PC, you could download this top-notch malware removal tool – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

What To Do If You Cannot Install Safebytes Anti-Malware?

Practically all malware is inherently unsafe, but certain types of malicious software do much more damage to your computer than others. Certain malware types alter browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the PC’s DNS configurations. In such cases, you will be unable to visit some or all websites, and thus unable to download or install the required security software to clear out the infection. So what you should do if malware prevents you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? Even though this sort of problem can be tougher to get around, there are some actions you can take.

Boot Windows in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to run at Windows start-up, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Just the minimum required applications and services are loaded when you start your laptop or computer into Safe Mode. To launch your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, follow the instructions below. 1) After switching on the computer, hit the F8 key before the Windows splash screen begins to load. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) Once this mode loads, you should have the internet. Now, make use of your internet browser normally and navigate to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) Immediately after installation, do a full scan and allow the software to delete the threats it detects.

Obtain the antivirus software using a different browser

Certain malware may target vulnerabilities of a particular browser that obstruct the downloading process. The best way to overcome this problem is to opt for a web browser that is well known for its security measures. Firefox comprises built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to help keep you secure online.

Install security software on a flash drive

Another option is to store and run an antivirus program completely from a Thumb drive. Try these simple actions to clear up your affected computer using a portable antivirus. 1) Use another virus-free computer to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the USB drive onto the same PC. 3) Double-click the exe file to run the installation wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the pen drive as the place in which you would like to store the software files. Do as instructed on the screen to finish up the installation process. 5) Remove the flash drive. You may now utilize this portable anti-malware on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the pen drive. 7) Press the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan. If all the previously mentioned methods are not able to help you in downloading and installing the anti-malware, then you have no option but to reinstall the computer’s operating system to wipe out all of the data, including the harmful programs which are obstructing the anti-malware installation. If you are unclear regarding which method works best for you, simply call 1-844-377-4107 to speak to our computer professionals who can walk you through the process to fix your infected computer system.

SafeBytes AntiMalware Overview

Today an anti-malware program can protect your PC from different kinds of internet threats. But how to decide on the best one among countless malware protection application that is available in the market? You may be aware, there are several anti-malware companies and products for you to consider. A few of them do a good job in eradicating malware threats while many will harm your computer themselves. While looking for an anti-malware program, pick one which provides dependable, efficient, and total protection against all known computer viruses and malware. With regards to commercial application options, many people select popular brands, like SafeBytes, and they are quite happy with it. Safebytes is among the well-established computer solutions firms, which offer this all-inclusive anti-malware program. When you have installed this software, SafeBytes' sophisticated protection system will make sure that no viruses or malware can seep through your PC. SafeBytes anti-malware provides a myriad of enhanced features which set it apart from all others. The following are some of the great features included in the tool. Optimum AntiMalware Protection: With its enhanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware removal tool can detect and remove the malware threats hiding within your computer system effectively. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes offers entirely hands-free real-time protection and is set to monitor, block, and destroy all computer threats at its very first encounter. They’re highly efficient in screening and getting rid of numerous threats because they’re regularly revised with new updates and safety measures. Web Filtering: Through its unique safety score, SafeBytes notifies you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will ensure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the world wide web. Light-weight: This program is not “heavy” on the computer’s resources, so you’ll not notice any performance difficulties when SafeBytes is operating in the background. 24/7 Guidance: You can obtain totally free 24/7 technical assistance from their IT experts on any product queries or PC security concerns. SafeBytes has put together an excellent anti-malware solution to help you conquer the latest computer threats and virus attacks. There is no doubt that your computer system will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this software to use. So if you’re trying to find a comprehensive antivirus program that’s still easy to use, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is exactly what you need!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove Babylon without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised. The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by Babylon

What software are you using to keep your information and all your files and memories safe? 

None? Yikes. Let’s hope no damage has been done to your data yet then. Because with how the digital world has evolved, your data might be getting leaked and you have no idea.

Why do you need to invest in security software?

There’s really no good excuse not to purchase a quality platform for PC protection. Especially since top security solutions are available at such affordable prices nowadays, your wallet would barely even notice it.

At this point, only people who barely use their PCs and have zero sensitive information on them can get away with simply using the built-in Windows 10/11 security software. But we guarantee that those people are extremely hard to find and that you’re not one of them, and here’s why.

Even if you don’t use your computer for things that are very obviously sensitive, such as internet banking, you still have some personal data at risk of being stolen. How so? Well, think about the data you enter into your social media profiles, for example. How devastating would it be if somebody got a hold of any of it? Yep, that’s what we thought.

In the hands of a skilled cybercriminal, your phone number alone could put you at risk of scams, ransomware, identity theft and more. Also think about the stuff you share in texts and social media chats. Think about the websites you visit and how many times you may have accidentally clicked on an ad, which could very well contain malicious software. Those all seem harmless until someone’s actually used them against you. 

Now imagine the dangers involved when you actually store truly confidential data on your PC and browsers. Sends shivers down your spine, doesn’t it?

In the case of a successful cyberattack of whatever type (virus, phishing, worms, etc.), there’s so much that is at stake. Businesses/legal persons will suffer from financial loss and damaged reputation, at the very least. Natural persons may be threatened or exploited, get their banking or medical information and even their identity stolen, etc. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

These are our biggest reasons for investing in Windows PC protection software:

• Cyberthreats are constantly evolving to the point where built-in or free software won’t cut it anymore.

• Those working remotely can have peace of mind knowing both personal and business data is completely secure.

• Businesses using top security solutions ensure their customers trust them. 

• Data breaches are a pain in the you-know-what to handle. Fighting a cyberattack and going back to normal is a demanding process, and not to mention the stress it’ll cause. We’d rather prevent all that by using trustworthy security products!

• It helps parents worry a little less about their children’s safety in the online world. 

• Added bonus: with most products, you get an ad-free browsing experience!

Obviously, there are a lot more reasons to get your PC secured. But we think you get it. So let’s cut to the chase and take a look at our 6 favorite protection solutions and the wonders they can do for you.

*Note that in this article we’re looking at products primarily suited for households and home offices, some for small businesses. No enterprise solutions will make the list today, but stay tuned for a future article on those.

Top 6 best PC protection solutions

1. Bitdefender Total & Internet Security\

One of the biggest security product vendors out there, Bitdefender offers several awesome solutions. We want to introduce two of our favorites, Bitdefender Total Security and Bitdefender Internet Security.

Bitdefender Total Security is great for both households and smaller offices. You can choose to protect 5 or 10 devices, and not necessarily just Windows devices. It also works for macOS, Android and iOS. It offers a range of powerful features, such as:

• Real-time data protection
• Webcam and microphone protection
• Device optimization options
• Anti-phishing/-fraud/-spam technology
• Ransomware protection
• Anti-loss and anti-theft tools
• VPN and privacy firewall 
• Anti-tracking technology
• Parental controls
• 24/7 support

Bitdefender Internet Security shares almost all of these features, but there are a few important differences to note. Unlike Total Security, Internet Security has more options in terms of the number of protected devices: 1, 3, 5 or 10. However it’s only compatible with the Windows platform and it doesn’t offer device optimization tools or anti-theft options. Whether or not this is a deal-breaker depends on your needs alone - we still find it a great security tool.

2. ESET Internet Security

An award-winning Windows security product, ESET Internet Security is essential on this list. It has an outstanding protection rate of 99.9% and a range of amazing options you’ll definitely want to make use of. It can be installed on up to 10 devices, making it an awesome tool for your household, home office or a small business. It’s also compatible with macOS and Android.

These are ESET Internet Security’s best features:

• Protection against ransomware and spyware
• Protection against malware specifically designed to avoid detection
• In-depth scans when the computer is not in use
• Firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your PC
• Anti-spam tool
• Anti-phishing and botnet protection technologies
• Tool to scan your router and smart devices for vulnerabilities
• Special browser for secure internet banking 
• Parental controls
• Prevention of unauthorized webcam access 

If you ask us, ESET has it all!

3. Kaspersky Total & Internet Security

Having a deja vu? Didn’t you just read Total Security and Internet Security somewhere? Oh, that’s right - the first entry on our list! But here we’re talking about Kaspersky, a vendor you’ve also definitely heard about before.

Just like Bitdefender, Kaspersky is another one of those renowned names in the cybersecurity world that always make it to every ‘best of’ list. And for good reason - its products really fulfill their purpose. So let’s take a closer look at the two we chose.

These are the features both Kaspersky Total Security and Kaspersky Internet Security have in common:

• Real-time virus and spyware blocking
• Webcam protection
• Wi-Fi security notifications
• Advanced identity theft protection
• Free technical support on several channels
• Remote security management
• Multiple devices (up to 10)

The main difference between Kaspersky Total Security and Internet Security is that the former offers more capabilities. These are the features KTS offers that KIS does not:

• System cleanup
• File shredding
• Password management
• Data backup and encryption

Both are excellent security tools, though we do prefer KTS a little more because of these additional options.

4. Norton 360 Deluxe

Of course one of the industry-leading solutions makes the list. Norton 360 Deluxe can protect up to 5 devices, be it Windows, iOS, macOS or Android. It’s worth noting that its features are best developed for Windows. Here’s what you get with Norton 360 Deluxe:

• Protection against viruses, hackers, malware
• 100% virus protection promise
• VPN included for all devices
• Unlimited VPN on Windows
• Password manager
• Parental controls

So is there anything aside from these standard protection features that makes it such a favorite among us techies? Let us tell you! Norton added a little bit of spice here with two really powerful capabilities. The Deluxe product offers 50GB of cloud backup and dark web monitoring. The latter means the software notifies you if any of your personal information is found on the dark web, which helps protect you against identity theft.

5. McAfee Antivirus

Don’t be misled by the name of this product. Antivirus software may have started as protection against viruses only, but it’s developed quite a lot. The name simply stuck. All that to say that McAfee Antivirus - another award-winning security solution - protects you against several different threats.

The basic and essential plan allow 1 and 5 devices respectively, while McAfee+ Premium and Advanced work on an unlimited number of devices. The latter two also offer more capabilities, as you can imagine. Here’s what you can expect from all of them:

• Secure unlimited VPN
• File shredder to delete sensitive files completely
• Ultimate safety while browsing
• Protection against hackers
• 100% virus protection promise
• Advanced firewall to block dangerous traffic
• Online support from specialists
• Protection score (shows how safe you are and detects vulnerabilities)
• Identity monitoring (notifies you if any of your information is on the dark web)
• Password management

Unlike the previous products, McAfee Antivirus does not offer parental controls. Otherwise it’s a pretty strong and comprehensive protection tool and might just be the right choice for you!

6. Trend Micro Maximum Security

Last but definitely not least, we’ve got Maximum Security by Trend Micro. And yes, you guessed it, Trend Micro is also an award winner in terms of cybersecurity. Its products have been recognized as industry-leading security solutions by AV-Test since 2003. Among all its fantastic solutions, our favorite for households or small offices is Maximum Security.

You can use Trend Micro Maximum Security to protect 3-5 devices for a year or two years before needing to renew your license. Aside from Windows, it’s compatible with iOS, Android, Mac and Chromebook devices. Here’s what you can expect from this protection software:

• Powerful malware protection
• Phishing detection and prevention (email)
• Password management and protection
• Maximum security for online banking and shopping
• System optimization
• Social media privacy protection
• Parental controls 
• 24/7 technical support
• No notifications during gaming

It’s truly one of the most effective platforms out there dedicated to protecting your digital life. Using this product, ransomware, identity thieves and malicious websites don’t stand a chance.

The bottom line

If you’ve made it all the way here, congratulations, you’ve made the right choice: to invest in securing your valuable data! Now the question is: which one of these 6 awesome antivirus/antimalware products to select?

The paradox of choice is a very real thing - we feel you. As mentioned, it comes down to what your specific needs are. So before you go ahead and purchase your security software, make sure to explore all options.

And if you really can’t handle the decision-making anxiety, feel free to reach out. We’ll happily assist you in finding the right product to keep your digital life secure!

If you encounter the “Diskpart failed to clear disk attributes” error when you try to change the read-only state of a storage device using the Diskpart application and the request is denied, worry not for this post will give you a couple of fixes to resolve the problem. As you know, Diskpart is used for resolving read-only storage devices by changing their attribute via the command line. So if it is not able to change the attribute of the storage device, then you will most likely encounter an error such as this one. This kind of error is not uncommon and as long as there are no damaged physical attributes, you can resolve it right away. There are tons of reasons why you’re getting this error while using Diskpart, it could be that the storage device has a physical write-protected switch or the disk is hidden or has bad sectors. It could also be because the storage drive might be in RAW format or that you are running the Diskpart application without admin privileges. Whatever the cause may be, here are some options you can try to fix the problem but before you proceed, make sure that you log on to your PC as an administrator.

Option 1 – Check if there is a physical switch on the storage device

There are some USB devices and SD card readers that have a write-protected physical switch that disables all the writable options on the storage device and so if it is turned on, Diskpart won’t be able to change the disk attribute to writable. To check, simply look for the physical switch on both sides of the device and once you found it, make sure that it is toggled off and then plug the storage device back in then try running Diskpart once again.

Option 2 – Modify the WriteProtected key in the Registry Editor

Before you proceed, you have to create a System Restore Point first.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies

• After that, look for the “WriteProtect” registry entry which is located on the left side of the window, and then double click on it.
• Change its value to “0” and click OK to save the changes made and exit the Registry Editor.

Option 3 – Run CHKDSK to check the drive for errors

When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. This error check utility can help with several issues in the system including the “Diskpart failed to clear disk attributes” error.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
• Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:

CHKDSK [volume [[path] filename]] [/F] [/V] [/R] [/X] [/C] [: size]]

Note: In the command given above, “[/F]” will try to fix the system errors while “[/R]” will be the one to fix the bad sectors.

• Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your PC, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
• If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
• After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Clear the attributes on RAW

• Tap the Win + S keys then type “diskpart” in the field.
• Click the Diskpart application and if a User Account Control dialog box pops up, click Yes to proceed.
• After opening an elevated Command Prompt, type in the commands listed below and make sure to tap Enter right after you key in one command after the other.
  • list volume
  • select volume ‘n’ (In this command, you have to replace ‘n’ with the volume number of the drive)
  • format fs=fat32 quick (In this command you also have the flexibility to change the format to ‘ntfs’ or ‘exfat’)
• After executing the commands given, unplug the removable storage device and wait for a couple of seconds and then plug it back in.
• Now try any normal write operations and see if the error no longer appears.

Option 5 – Try checking the hardware components

On the other hand, it is also possible that the issue has something to do with a hardware problem and so you need to check the hardware components on your computer to determine that.

If the display of your Windows 10 computer turns on all of a sudden no matter how put it to sleep over and over again, it always wakes up, read on as this post will guide you in resolving this peculiar issue. In case you don’t know, the Windows 10 computer Sleep state is made in such a way that if it’s really important, it wakes up. You may have configured this kind of behavior or there could be some hardware component that’s interrupting its Sleep state. Thus, this post will give you some troubleshooting tips to fix the Sleep state issue caused by the Legacy Kernel Caller. The Legacy Kernel Caller points to the external hardware that’s causing your Windows 10 to wake up even when it’s in a Sleep state. Step 1: Find out what’s keeping your computer from going to sleep. To figure out what really is keeping your computer from going to sleep, you can execute the “powercfg –requests” command instead of checking the power configuration of your computer. This command will look for requests from applications and drivers that prevent the computer from turning off the display or from going to sleep. To execute the command, simply open Command Prompt and type “powercfg –requests” and hit Enter. After that, you will see part of the result that looks like this:

“SYSTEM [DRIVER] USB AUDIO DEVICE An audio stream is currently in use [DRIVER] Legacy Kernel Caller.”

Step 2: The next thing you have to do is remove all the external hardware connected to your computer. In this step, you have to disconnect external hardware from your computer. Based on reports from users who experienced the same issue, the “TV card” is the culprit so make sure you remove that one. Once you’ve removed it, open Command Prompt and run the “powercfg –requests” command again and you’ll see that the “Legacy Kernel Caller” will no longer be on the list. In addition, your computer will get into its regular sleep mode once the hardware is removed. Once you do that, the driver gets hung and won’t release the power request despite being used. Step 3: Try using the request override option The powercfg command also offers a request override option which allows users to disable the requests from applications and services to wake the computer from sleep mode. To run this command, simply open Command Prompt with admin privileges. After you open Command Prompt, type the following command and hit Enter to disable requests from applications and services that causes the computer to wake from sleep state.

Powercfg -requestsoverride Driver "Legacy Kernel Caller" System

Step 4: Check the streaming and media applications You also have to check if your computer is running an audio or video service in the background. In such cases, your computer won’t be able to go to sleep mode if these services are running in the background. You might have noticed that when you play a video or audio, your computer never goes to sleep. And if you have put it to sleep in between watching the video, then it’s probably why your computer is waking up. Thus, you have to stop these services. Step 5: Check the devices that can wake your computer If you didn’t see the Legacy Kernel Caller in the result after you execute the ”powercfg –requests” command, then you can try to execute the following command instead.

powercfg –devicequery wake_armed

After you enter this command, it will give you a list of all the devices that can wake your computer. So if there is anything other than the mouse, keyboard, touchpad, you have to check the power configuration of that device. To do that, go to the Device Manager and disable the device’s “Allow this device to wake the computer” option in its Properties Step 6: Check the Sleep Advanced Settings

• Click on the Windows key and type “control panel” in the field and select the related search result.
• Next, select the Security and Maintenance option and click on the Power Options.
• After that, you have to select the Change Plan Settings but keep in mind that this option is barely readable so you need to read each option carefully.
• Now click on the Change advanced power settings button and a new window will appear.
• Then look for the “Sleep” option and expand it. Make sure that the “Allow hybrid sleep” option is on.
• Reboot your computer and check if your computer now functions properly. If it still didn’t work, you may have to reverse the changes you’ve made.

On the other hand, you could also run the Power Troubleshooter to resolve the Sleep state issue. This built-in troubleshooter will automatically fix any power-related issues in your computer.

SafeSearch is an ad-supported, cross web browser plugin for Internet Explorer and Firefox/Chrome. The browser extension will modify the default or custom settings of the browser including the home page, search settings, and in some cases will modify Internet Explorer’s load time threshold, place a lock file within Firefox to prevent changing settings as well as disable the browser’s Content Security Policy in order to allow for cross-site scripting of the plugin. For these reasons, it has been classified as a browser hijacker.

From the publisher: SafeSearch created by AVSoftware is the unique search engine that filters malicious sites or sites with bad reputations. Every website is weighted on several critical factors – vendor reliability, child safety, privacy issues, user opinions, and ratings.

SafeSearch has been found to be bundled with 3rd party software and malware and therefore is not recommended to keep on your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is amongst the internet’s constant problems that target browsers. It’s a kind of malware program that directs web browser requests to some other malicious sites. They’re created to disrupt browser functions for several purposes. Typically, the idea is to force users to visit certain websites that are trying to improve their visitor traffic and produce higher ad revenue. Even though it might seem naive, all browser hijackers are damaging and therefore always regarded as security risks. Furthermore, hijackers can make the entire infected system vulnerable – other dangerous malware and viruses will take hold of these opportunities to intrude into your PC effortlessly. Browser hijacking symptoms There are several signs of web browser hijacking: home-page is changed; you see new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, usually directed to advertisement-filled or pornography websites; the main web browser settings are altered and undesirable or insecure sites are added to the trusted websites list; you notice many toolbars on your internet browser; unstoppable flurries of pop-up advertisements show up on your PC screen; web pages load very slowly and at times incomplete; you cannot visit specific sites like homepages of security software.

So how does a PC get infected with a browser hijacker?

Browser hijackers infect computers in numerous ways, including via a drive-by download, a file-share, or an infected e-mail. They could be included with toolbars, add-ons, BHO, plugins, or browser extensions. Also, some shareware and freeware can put the hijacker within your computer through “bundling”. An example of some notorious browser hijacker includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, SweetPage, DefaultTab, Delta Search, and RocketTab, but the names are continually changing.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

Certain hijackers could be removed simply by uninstalling the related freeware or add-ons through the Add or Remove Programs in the Microsoft Windows control panel. However, the majority of hijacking codes are certainly not simple to remove manually, as they go much deeper into the operating system. Moreover, manual removal expects you to perform several time-consuming and intricate procedures that are tough to conduct for novice computer users.

What you can do if Virus Stops You From Downloading Anything?

Malware can cause all kinds of damage once they invade your PC, from stealing your personal information to erasing data files on your PC. Certain malware variants alter internet browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the computer’s DNS settings. In these instances, you will be unable to visit certain or all of the websites, and thus not able to download or install the necessary security software to eliminate the malware. If you are reading this, you may have got infected by malware that stops you from downloading a computer security program like Safebytes Anti-Malware. Even though this type of issue will be tougher to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Install antivirus in Safe Mode with Networking

Safe Mode is actually a unique, basic version of Windows where only minimal services are loaded to counteract malware and other troublesome applications from loading. In case the malware is set to load automatically when PC boots, switching into this particular mode may well prevent it from doing so. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the system is booting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, as well as update anti-malware software from there. At this point, you could run the antivirus scan to remove computer viruses and malware without hindrance from another application.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Malicious program code might exploit vulnerabilities in a particular browser and block access to all anti-malware software websites. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a computer virus or otherwise compromised by hackers, the most effective approach is to switch over to an alternate web browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari to download your favorite security program – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install security software on a flash drive

To successfully eliminate the malware, you might want to approach the issue of installing an antivirus software program on the affected PC from a different perspective. Do these simple measures to clean up your infected computer using a portable antivirus. 1) Use another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the pen-drive onto the same system. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, which has a .exe file extension. 4) Select the USB drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the application. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation. 5) Transfer the flash drive from the uninfected PC to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the thumb drive. 7) Click on the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

Ensure the Safety of Your Computer by Installing SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you’re looking to install an anti-malware application for your computer, there are numerous tools in the market to consider but you just cannot trust blindly anyone, irrespective of whether it is a free or paid program. Some of them are good but there are several scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware software waiting to wreak havoc on the computer. When searching for an anti-malware program, choose one that provides solid, efficient, and full protection against all known computer viruses and malware. When considering the dependable software programs, Safebytes AntiMalware is certainly the strongly recommended one. SafeBytes can be described as a powerful, real-time anti-spyware application that is made to assist regular computer users in safeguarding their PC from malicious threats. This tool can easily identify, remove, and protect your computer from the latest malware intrusions such as spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, along with other potentially harmful software applications. SafeBytes anti-malware comes with a myriad of enhanced features that sets it aside from all others. Here are a few popular features present in this software: Anti-Malware Protection: By using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes gives multi-layered protection which is designed to catch and eliminate threats that are hidden deep inside your computer system. Real-time Active Protection: Malware programs trying to get into the computer are identified and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes active protection shields. They’re highly efficient in screening and getting rid of various threats because they are continuously revised with the latest updates and safety measures. Safe Web Browsing: SafeBytes provides an instant safety rating on the web pages you are about to visit, automatically blocking risky sites and ensure that you’re certain of your safety while browsing the net. Low CPU and Memory Usage: This software is lightweight and will work quietly in the background, and will not have an effect on your computer efficiency. 24/7 Customer Service: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and updates for the best user experience.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove SafeSearch without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by SafeSearch

Windows 11 has come a long way from its infant stage. Today it is incredibly good and stable operating system that also looks good and modern. Unfortunately, fancy animations and good graphics come with a price, in this case, slower performance on some little older and weaker computers.

Animations itself which include also fading effects can sometimes feel slugging and laggy and have a general overall feeling of delay. For a more old-school instant experience, you can turn off animations.

In order to turn animations inside Windows 11 follow this simple guide:

First thing is to open Settings by pressing Windows + i key combination or you could open Start and in the search box type in Settings and then click on its icon.

Once inside settings on the left side find Accessibility and click on it to select it. Once it is selected on the right side choose Visual effects. Inside the visual effects section click on the switch next to Animation effects to OFF. You can also turn off transparency effects in this section if you wish if you have an older GPU in order to speed it up a little.

That is all you need to do, settings will be automatically saved and all animations will be turned off for a quicker and more responsive feeling when working inside W11

Recently, a lot of users reported to Microsoft about getting an error code 0x80096004 while trying to update their Windows 10 computers. This kind of Windows Update error occurs during the initial download and verification process. It also affects the Windows features (FODs) and when you encounter this error, you will also see this error code, “TRUST_E_CERT_SIGNATURE”. This error code indicates that the signature of the certificate could not be confirmed. This is caused by a broken certificate store or a corrupt copy of the Windows operating system is installed. Here’s the complete error message:

“There were some problems installing updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help: (0x80096004).”

To fix Windows Update error 0x80096004, you can check out the options provided below.

Option 1 – Delete the contents in the Software Distribution folder and Catroot2 folder

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer, and then try to run Windows Update once more.

Option 2 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the things you can first check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update errors like error code 0x80096004. To run it, Refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• From there, click Update and Security and go to the Troubleshoot section.
• Next, select Windows Update and click the “Run the troubleshooter” button and wait until it’s finished, and then try to run Windows Update again.

Option 3 – Try to temporarily disable anti-virus and Windows Defender Firewall

As mentioned, the error could be due to the antivirus program or the Windows Defender Firewall installed on your computer. Thus, disabling them or any security software installed in your computer is always a good idea you can try when you’re not able to access the shared drive on your computer. There are times when you encounter problems like Error Code 0x80096004 due to interference of antivirus or security programs. Thus, you have to disable both your antivirus program and Windows Defender Firewall for the meantime and check if it fixes the error or not.

Option 4 – Try to replace the DLL file with a trusted source

You can also try to replace the crypt32.dll file as it could help in fixing the Windows Update error. Just make sure that you get one from a trusted source.

• First, you need to get the new DLL file from another computer with preferably the same file version number.
• After that, you need to boot your PC into Safe Mode and navigate to the paths listed below and then replace the file using a USB drive or other external storage devices.
  • x86: This PC > C:/Windows/System32
  • x64: This PC > C:/Windows/SysWOW64
• Next, type “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on Command Prompt, and select “Run as administrator” to open it with administrator privileges.
• Now type the “regsvr32 crypt32.dll” command and hit Enter.
• Restart your PC and check if the error is now fixed.

Option 5 – Try downloading and installing the Windows Updates manually

Error Code 0x80096004 might be due to a Windows Update that has failed. So if it is not a feature update and only a cumulative update, you can download the Windows Update and install it manually. But first, you need to find out which update has failed, and to do so, refer to the following steps:

• Go to Settings and from there go to Update and Security > View Update History.
• Next, check which particular update has failed. Note that Updates that have failed to install will be displayed under the Status column which has a label of “Failed”.
• After that, go to the Microsoft Download Center and look for that update using its KB number and once you find it, download and then install it manually.

Note: You can also use the Microsoft Update Catalog, a service from Microsoft that provides a list of software updates that can be distributed over a corporate network. With the help of this service, it can be easier for you to find Microsoft software updates, drivers as well as fixes.

Option 6– Run System File Checker or SFC scan

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

 Reboot your PC.

Option 7 – Try to run the Windows Update Service in a Clean Boot State

There are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that’s causing Windows Update error. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now try to run the Windows Update Service again and see if Windows Update error 0x80096004 is now gone.

Hello and welcome everyone. In today's article, you will learn how to lock folder and content in it. Please be aware of few things:

1. The method is shown here works, but you need to be careful and follow step by step or you will damage your files permanently,
2. If you forget your password, you can not access your files anymore
3. Your files altho protected can still show up in recent files of some applications

All of that being said, let us start with locking the local folder on the computer with the password. Go to the folder where you have files that you would like to hide and lock with a password. Enter the folder and create the new text file inside it. Skip the name for now and go inside it. Copy and paste the following code inside the file:

---

cls @ECHO OFF title Folder Locker if EXIST "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" goto UNLOCK if NOT EXIST Locker goto MDLOCKER :CONFIRM echo Are you sure u want to Lock the folder(Y/N) set/p "cho=>" if %cho%==Y goto LOCK if %cho%==y goto LOCK if %cho%==n goto END if %cho%==N goto END echo Invalid choice. goto CONFIRM :LOCK ren Locker "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" attrib +h +s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" echo Folder locked goto End :UNLOCK echo Enter password to Unlock folder set/p "pass=>" if NOT %pass%==Your-Password-Here goto FAIL attrib -h -s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" ren "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" Locker echo Folder Unlocked successfully goto End :FAIL echo Invalid password goto end :MDLOCKER md Locker echo Locker created successfully goto End :End

---

Now locate this line of code in the document: if NOT %pass%==Your-Password-Here goto FAIL and replace Your-Password-Here with your password. !!! Write down somewhere your password, if you lose it you will lock the folder even for you !!! Save the file as FolderLocker.bat and double-click on it to execute it. If everything was done correctly, a new folder with the name: Locker Move files that you want to hide and protect inside that folder. Double click again on FolderLocker.bat The command prompt will appear with the question do you want to lock the folder, press Y, and press ENTER. The command prompt will close and the Locker folder will disappear. In order to unhide and access the folder, you will need to double click on FolderLocker.bat again but this time command prompt with ENTER your password will appear. Type in your chosen password and the folder is back. If you wish to hide and lock it again just double click on FolderLocker.bat again, confirm with Y and it is hidden again.

Athwbx.sys or the Qualcomm Atheros driver file is known to trigger several Blue Screen of Death errors. This occurs when the driver gets corrupted or when the operating system is unable to access or find it. In addition, bad sectors in the hard disk or RAM can also cause BSOD errors. The athwbx.sys file is known to cause the following BSOD errors listed below:

• SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (athwbx.sys)
• STOP 0x0000000A: IRQL_NOT_LESS_EQUAL (athwbx.sys)
• STOP 0x0000001E: KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (athwbx.sys)
• STOP 0×00000050: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA (athwbx.sys)
• Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. You can search online later for this error: athwbx.sys

Before you proceed with the troubleshooting tips given below, you might want to try performing System Restore as it could resolve Blue Screen errors caused by the athwbx.sys file. To run System Restore, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

If System Restore didn’t help in fixing the Blue Screen error, now’s the time for you to resort to the troubleshooting tips provided below but before you get started, make sure that you create a System Restore point first.

Option 1 – Try recreating the athwbx.sys file

The first thing you can try is to recreate the athwbx.sys file. Every time your Windows 10 PC boots up, it looks for all the system drivers in place and if it is unable to find them, it tries to create them. This is why if you remove your corrupt driver file, chances are, you might get a fixed file recreated just for you. How? Refer to the steps below.

• Boot your Windows 10 PC in Safe Mode.
• Then open File Explorer and navigate to this location: C:/Windows/System32/drivers
• From there, look for the file named sys and rename it to athwbx.old.

Note: As you can see, the file’s extension has changed from .sys to .old.

• Now restart your computer and check if the athwbx.sys Blue Screen error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Try to update or rollback your device drivers

If the first option didn’t work for you, then it’s time to either update or roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.

Option 3 – Run the System File Checker Scan

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

• Restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try to run the CHKDSK utility

Running the CHKDSK utility might also help you resolve the athwbx.sys Blue Screen error. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the CHKDSK utility comes in. The CHKDSK utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /f /r

• Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.

Option 5 – Run the Memory Diagnostic Tool

Running the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool in Windows 10 might also help you in fixing the athwbx.sys Blue Screen error. Refer to the steps below on how to run this tool:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type exe and hit Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
• After that, it will give two options such as:
  • Restart now and check for problems (Recommended)
  • Check for problems the next time I start my computer
• Once your computer has restarted, perform a basic scan or you could also go for the “Advanced” options such as “Test mix” or “Pass count”. Simply tap the F10 key to start the test.

Note: After you select the option, your PC will restart and check for memory-based issues. If it finds any issues, it will automatically fix them and if there’s no issue found, then it’s most likely not a memory-based issue so you should try the other options given below.

Option 6 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like athwbx.sys. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

NVIDIA is undeniably the market leader as a Graphics Card manufacturer. Recently, NVIDIA came about a feature known as NVIDIA Share. This feature allows users to carry out a number of tasks such as streaming, recording, and sharing their gameplay with other users. NVIDIA Share allows users to take multiple snapshots of the gameplay which brings in capabilities to get the memories of the moments that happen during an awesome game. However, as of late, there were reports that NVIDIA Share is not working or responding. So if you are one of the users who are currently facing this issue, then read on as this post will guide you in resolving it. Make sure to follow the options given below carefully for a successful result.

Option 1 – Try to update the drivers from the official site of NVIDIA

The first thing you can do is to update the drivers from the official site of NVIDIA. And in case you don’t know the type of Nvidia graphics card that your computer is on, follow the steps below:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next type in “dxdiag” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.
• From there, you can see what type of Nvidia graphics card that your system is on.
• Take note of your graphics card information and then look for the best drivers for your operating system. Once you’ve downloaded and installed the file, restart your PC.

Option 2 – Try to roll back the driver to the previous version

If the first option didn’t work for you, then it’s time to roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the NVIDIA Drivers and expand them.
• Next, select the driver entries that are labeled appropriately.
• Then select each one of them and double click to open a new mini window.
• After that, make sure that you’re on the Driver tab and if you are not, just navigate to it then click the Roll Back Driver button to switch back to the previous version of the NVIDIA Drivers.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try disabling NVIDIA Share

If the first two options given above didn’t work then you might want to try disabling NVIDIA Share. In case you didn’t make any modifications to the driver, chances are either your driver is out of date or there are some issues with the installation of the drivers. For you to find out, you need to first check if your NVIDIA drivers are really up to date. Once you’ve confirmed it, you can now disable the NVIDIA Share feature. Just refer to the steps below to do that.

• Search for the NVIDIA GeForce Experience in the search box and then click on the appropriate result to open it.
• After you open the NVIDIA GeForce Experience, go to the General tab.
• Next, scroll down to the NVIDIA Share section and then select the toggle to turn off this feature.
• Now restart your computer and try to check if there are any updates available for the NVIDIA Graphics card and install them again if there are any.