Android security: 9 apps stealing your data!

It has been some time since the release of Diablo 2 resurrected and overall reception was pretty good. People are enjoying the old classic game in hi-def. resolution and with new and improved visuals. Sadly some server issues are present still until this day and somewhat spoil the experience for players. The greatest lag and server crashes are pinpointed to game-creating events. When a player creates a new online game, the server needs to pull a lot of details from the database and make a game, due to some legacy code present this process takes some time and it is demanding a bit on the server-side, and although code was optimized to cater to more modern approach some legacy code still remains. Another thing that was spotted to affect performance itself is player behavior, to be more specific, modern gamer behavior. Where players find good builds and runs on the internet and then go to farm-specific areas or bosses for loot or experience points, which in return boils down to making plenty and short runs that are made by creating games and after run eliminating them. Now pair that with the previous statement about legacy server and database code and you can add 1 and 1 and see how this might be an issue. A lot of short games over legacy code are placing games in a state it was not designed for back in 2001 and therefore we have issues. Sadly solutions without completely rewriting the whole code are not very promising and they include rate limiting, which will prevent players to create many games in succession in a short period of time and maybe even login queues to drop a load on servers. Blizzard reached to people in the whole company, even old diablo 2 developers to ask for advice and they say that they are working on solutions so they could lift limitations and have everything running fine.

Finally upgraded to Microsoft’s newest OS, but the performance is a bit sluggish? Here are a few useful tips you may not have thought about that could significantly transform your experience!

How to speed up Windows 11?

1. Disable startup programs

There are many programs that launch right on startup that really aren’t essential. This, in turn, causes your PC to launch and run more slowly.

To check which programs are enabled on startup, go into the Task Manager and select the Startup tab. Find every program that doesn’t need to launch immediately, right-click on it and press ‘Disable’.

This will not shut down the program in that instant. It’ll just prevent it from running automatically as you turn on your PC. You can always launch it manually when you need it.

2. Expand your memory and storage

If you want your PC to run super smoothly, you need to have enough memory to support that. This is especially significant for those of you who love to multitask. Upgrading your RAM gives your PC more space to store the temporary data it needs to complete processing tasks. In other words, processing takes a lot less time.

Your long-term storage is equally important. Hopefully at this point you’re already using SSD over HDD, since this type of storage offers a faster boot time.

In any case, we recommend expanding your storage capacity. The more files and data you store, the more there is to load, significantly influencing your PC’s speed. Larger storage capacity means new data and essential updates can be stored comfortably, preventing any strain on your PC’s performance.

3. Clean up disk space

If you aren’t willing to upgrade your storage just yet, the least you can do is clean up your storage right now. 

Aside from manually deleting stuff you no longer need, you can also get rid of temporary files that clutter up your storage and eat up performance for no reason. To get to them, click Windows + X and select ‘Run’ (or just type it in the search bar).

A small window will pop up, where you need to type %temp%. This will take you to a whole folder full of all the temporary files you can remove without thinking twice. 

For those who upgraded from Windows 10, there’s a neat trick to get rid of potential leftover files you don’t need on your brand new iteration. Only do this if you’re 100% sticking with Windows 11, though. Go to System > Storage > Temporary files. Make sure to only leave ‘Previous Windows Installation’ and ‘Windows Update Clean-up’ checked and click on ‘Remove files’.

Lastly, make use of Windows 11’s fantastic Storage Sense feature. Turning it on will enable your PC to constantly watch out for junk or unused files to optimize your PC’s performance to the maximum.

4. Install pending updates

This one should go without saying, but pending updates can be detrimental to your Windows 11 performance. The longer you leave them untouched, the more bugs the outdated programs and patches can cause. So, make sure to regularly check for updates and install them as soon as they’re available.

5. Disable visual effects

As cool as visual effects, animations, shadows and transparency are, they can also put quite a toll on your computer’s speed. On a newer setup this generally shouldn’t be a problem, but if you do notice a drop in performance, definitely consider turning off some of these settings.

To do this you can go to the Control Panel, System Properties and click the ‘Advanced’ tab. In the Performance section, choose Settings. If you’d like a quicker way to get to the dialog (Performance Options) with Visual Effects, you can also type sysdm.cpl in the search bar.

Once there, you can either have your PC choose what’s best, choose the best appearance or the best performance. The other option is to manually toggle the effects off and on. The biggest obstacles to speed are taskbar animations, window shadows, control/element animations and animations upon minimizing/maximizing.

In the same vein, you should go to Settings > Personalization > Colors and disable Transparency, to prevent your computer from doing overtime just to hit the aesthetic appeal.

6. Get rid of bloatware

Bloatware is one of the biggest culprits of slow computer speed. 

Pre-installed software that’s pretty much useless but takes up valuable system resources has been around since day one. No matter which device or platform you’re talking about. Luckily, a lot of it is removable, making it easy to lighten the load on your device.

To boost your Windows 11 computer, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. You’ll probably see a bunch of apps you don’t want or need. Click on the three dots next to each one you want to remove and press ‘Uninstall’. 

Aside from helping optimize performance, removing bloatware has another great benefit. Unfortunately, often this pre-installed software is quite vulnerable, exposing you to great risk of cyberattacks. So, removing it definitely improves your device’s security and gives you at least some peace of mind.

Summary

These are a few of our fastest tips for boosting performance. There are other, more complex and time-consuming ways, of course. If you’ve tried these quick ones and still need advice on how to improve your PC’s speed, feel free to reach out!

If you suddenly encountered the PDC WATCHDOG TIMEOUT BSOD Blue Screen stop error with a bug check value of 0x0000014F, then it’s probably due to a system component that has failed to respond with the allocated period which prevents the system from exiting connected standby. This kind of Blue Screen error could be caused by both hardware and software components. To fix this Stop error, here are some possible fixes you can try that might help but before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point first and boot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking.

Option 1 – Try to rollback, update or disable drivers

The next thing you can do to fix the PDC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT Stop error is to roll back, or update, or disable 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.
• After opening the Device Manager, look for the device driver named “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers” and expand it.
• Then look for the SATA AHCI Controller entry and right-click on it. If you haven’t updated this driver in a while, select the “Update Driver” option. On the other hand, if you’ve just updated this driver, then select the Uninstall Device option.
• Next, follow the screen option to update or uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically if you have chosen to uninstall them.

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 2 – Try to disconnect or disable newly installed hardware

In this option, you will have to disable or remove the hardware you’ve just installed recently since external devices could be the one that’s causing the Blue Screen of Death error to appear. To do that, just disconnect any external device that’s connected to your computer physically and then check if it fixes the PDC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT Blue Screen error.

Option 3 – Try running the Memory Diagnostic Tool

The Memory Diagnostic tool in windows can help resolve the PDC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT Blue Screen error by checking and automatically fixing any memory-based issues. To run it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type mdsched.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.

Option 4 – Try to update the BIOS

Updating the BIOS can help you fix the PDC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT BSOD error but as you know, BIOS is a sensitive part of a computer. Even though it is a software component, the functioning of the hardware depends on it largely. Thus, you must be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
• From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
• After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
• If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
• Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version on your computer.
• Now restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 5 – Try running the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like PDC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT. It can be found in 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.

FormFetcherPro.com is a Browser Extension for Google Chrome developed by Mindspark Inc. This extension offers users quick and easy access to various forms required for visas and other documents. While this may seem appealing, all this extension does is point you to the most popular websites online that can easily be found by searching. When installed it hijacks your new tab page and changes it to search.myway.com, enabling it to better target ads.

While browsing the internet with this extension enabled you will see additional sponsored content, additional ads, and sometimes even pop-up ads displaying throughout your browsing sessions. Several anti-virus programs have marked this extension as Potentially Unwanted and as a Browser Hijacker and are therefore recommended to remove it from your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means a malicious code has taken control over and altered the settings of your web browser, without your permission. Browser hijackers are capable of doing more than just changing home pages. Usually, hijackers will force hits to internet sites of their preference either to increase targeted traffic generating higher ad earnings, or to obtain a commission for every user visiting there. Many people believe that these types of sites are legitimate and harmless but that is incorrect. Nearly all browser hijackers pose an actual threat to your online safety and it is necessary to classify them under privacy dangers. Browser hijackers can even let other destructive programs without your knowledge further damage your computer.

Key signs that your web browser has been highjacked

When your web browser is hijacked, the following could happen: you find unauthorized changes to your web browser’s home page; your internet browser is constantly being redirected to adult sites; the default browser configurations have been changed, and/or your default search engine is altered; you see many toolbars on your internet browser; you’ll find random pop-ups start showing regularly; your web browser starts running slowly or exhibits frequent errors; Inability to navigate to certain sites, especially antivirus and other security software websites.

How it infects the computer

Browser hijackers can enter a PC in some way or other, for example via file sharing, downloads, and email as well. They sometimes are included with toolbars, add-ons, BHO, plugins, or browser extensions. Browser hijackers sneak into your pc in addition to free software application downloads also that you unwittingly install alongside the original. Common examples of browser hijackers include CoolWebSearch, Conduit, RocketTab, OneWebSearch, Coupon Server, Delta Search, Searchult.com, and Snap.do.

How you can fix a browser hijack

Some types of browser hijackers can be removed from the computer by uninstalling malicious software or any other recently added shareware. Having said that, the majority of hijackers are really tenacious and require specialized applications to eliminate them. Also, browser hijackers might modify the Windows registry so that it can be very tough to restore all the values manually, particularly when you are not a very tech-savvy individual. Anti-malware software is very efficient when it comes to catching and removing browser hijackers that regular anti-virus software has missed. SafeBytes Anti-Malware will counter relentless browser hijackers and provide you active PC protection against all types of malware. Utilize a pc optimizer (such as Total System Care) together with your anti-malware to repair various registry issues, eliminate system vulnerabilities, and improve your computer performance.

How To Install Safebytes Anti-Malware On An Infected Computer system

Practically all malware is bad, but certain kinds of malware do more damage to your computer or laptop than others. Some malware sits in between your PC and your internet connection and blocks some or all sites that you would like to check out. It would also prevent you from the installation of anything on your PC, especially antivirus software. If you are reading this article right now, you’ve perhaps realized that a malware infection is a reason for your blocked internet traffic. So what to do if you want to install an anti-virus program like Safebytes? There are a few actions you can take to get around this issue.

Use Safe Mode to resolve the issue

In Safe Mode, you can modify Windows settings, un-install or install some software, and eradicate hard-to-delete malware. In case the malicious software is set to load automatically when the PC starts, shifting to this particular mode can 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 in the “Boot” tab. Once you restart the PC into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, and update anti-malware software from there. Now, you are able to run the anti-virus scan to remove viruses and malware without interference from another malicious application.

Switch to a different internet browser

Some malware mainly targets certain web browsers. If this is your case, utilize another browser as it could circumvent the malware. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a trojan or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the best course of action would be to switch over to a different internet browser like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari to download your chosen security program – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

Another approach is to download and transfer an anti-malware application from a clean computer to run a scan on the affected computer. To run anti-virus from a USB pen drive, follow these simple steps: 1) Use another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the pen drive on the same computer. 3) Double-click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) When asked, select 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 off the installation process. 5) Unplug the flash drive. Now you can use this portable anti-virus on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the EXE file to open the Safebytes tool right from the thumb drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for viruses.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware Overview

If you are planning to buy anti-malware for your PC, there are many brands and utilities for you to consider. Some are very good ones, some are ok types, while some are simply just fake anti-malware software that can harm your personal computer themselves! When looking for anti-malware software, select one that gives reliable, efficient, and comprehensive protection against all known computer viruses and malware. On the list of strongly recommended software by industry, analysts are SafeBytes Anti-Malware, popular security software for Microsoft Windows. SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, highly effective protection software designed to help end-users of all levels of computer literacy in finding and removing harmful threats out of their computer. When you have installed this program, SafeByte's state-of-the-art protection system will ensure that no viruses or malware can seep through your PC.

SafeBytes has outstanding features when compared with other anti-malware programs. Listed below are some of the features you will like in SafeBytes.

Most effective AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning antimalware program goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine detects and disables hard to remove malware that hides deep inside your PC. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes provides complete and real-time security for your personal machine. This tool will continuously keep track of your computer for any suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep current with the constantly changing threat scenarios. Internet Security: Through its unique safety score, SafeBytes tells you whether a website is safe or not to visit it. This will ensure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the internet. Minimal CPU and RAM Usage: This application is not “heavy” on your computer’s resources, so you’ll not find any performance troubles when SafeBytes is working in the background. Premium Support: For any technical inquiries or product guidance, you may get 24/7 professional assistance through chat and email. SafeBytes can keep your computer protected from the latest malware threats automatically, thereby keeping your web experience safe and secure. Malware trouble can become a thing of the past once you put this tool to use. So if you’re searching for the best malware removal tool out there, and when you don’t mind spending some money for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To get rid of FormFetcherPro manually, go to the Add/Remove programs list in the Control Panel and select the program you want to get rid of. For browser plug-ins, go to your browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the add-on you intend to disable or remove. You will most probably also want to reset your web browser to its default settings. To make sure of complete removal, find the following registry entries on your computer and delete it or reset the values accordingly. However, this is a tough task and only computer professionals can carry it out safely. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing removal. Carrying out this in Safe Mode is recommended.

In case you don’t know, Windows 10 actually allows users to set the Keyboard Repeat Rate and Repeat Delay. Both of these terms are interrelated and when you make active, any text field or an editor and then press and hold a single character key, it will quickly type the character for the first time and will show delay until the second and later characters appear. This is what you call the Keyboard Repeat Delay. On the other hand, the rate at which the later character appears is known as Keyboard Repeat Rate. There are two ways you can set the Keyboard Repeat Rate and the Keyboard Repeat Delay on Windows 10. The first one is using the Keyboard Properties while the second one is using the Registry Editor.

Option 1 – Set up Keyboard Repeat Rate and Repeat Delay via Keyboard Properties

• First, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type in “control keyboard” in the field, and hit Enter to open the Keyboard Properties.
• From there, you can use the slider to make the respective options for both Keyboard Repeat Delay and Repeat Rate shorter or whatever you prefer them to be.
• You should also see a text field in the mini window where you can test out your preferences. Once done, click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.

Option 2 – Keyboard Repeat Rate and Repeat Delay via Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelAccessibilityKeyboard Response
• From there, you can set your own value for both the AutoRepeatDelay and AutoRepeatRate registry keys so that you can set the Keyboard Repeat Rate and Repeat Delay in Windows 10.
• Once you’re done, exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer to save the changes made.

It is common to run multiple programs and applications at the same time and it’s important to be able to switch between them using their Taskbar icons or using the usual Alt + Tab shortcut. However, there are times when you might suddenly find that neither of the aforementioned methods worked and you will no longer be able to switch between programs in the Windows Taskbar. To fix this issue, refer to the options given in this post. For instance, when you have multiple instances of Microsoft Edge running and every time you press the Alt + Tab combo nothing happens so you are left with no choice but to minimize everything and then hover your mouse on the icon and switch between the instances of Edge. You will also notice that the right-click on the taskbar won’t respond back and will only keep on showing the loading circle icon. Here are a few tips you can follow to fix the issue with the Windows 10 Taskbar.

Option 1 – Try to restart the Windows Explorer

This is one of the basic things you can try as restarting Windows Explorer helps in refreshing the user interface and makes most of the things work in relation to the user interface.

• To get started, tap the Alt + Ctrl + Del keys to pull up the Windows Task Manager.
• After opening Task Manager, look for “explorer.exe” under the list of programs.
• Once you find the explorer.exe, right-click on it and click Restart.

Option 2 – Try changing the Foreground Lock Time

Aside from restarting Windows Explorer, you could also try changing the Foreground Lock Time to fix the issue with the Taskbar.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type in regedit in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, go to this registry key – HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop
• Next, change the ForegroundLockTimeout value from200000 to 0. After that, it will make sure that no other application will take away the focus from your current program or application. It could be that some other application has taken away the focus and even when you try to actually switch, the focus gets back to the old one. Anyhow, since you already changed the value of ForegroundLockTimeout, it will ensure that the focus is not switched.

Note: If you are running some Full-Screen applications there are some devices especially the gaming ones, disable the Windows key to make sure that you won’t be able to switch. If this is the case, you need to make some modifications to the Full-Screen games.

If you encounter errors 1603 and 0x00000643 on your Windows 10 computer while trying to install or update your Google Chrome browser. Although most errors can be fixed by some simple troubleshooting steps, that is not the case for these two errors since they have pretty specific solutions. To resolve errors 1603 and 0x00000643 on your Chrome browser, here are some solutions you need to check out.

Option 1 – Try to run Microsoft Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter

Running the Microsoft Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter could help you fix errors 1603 and 0x00000643 in Chrome as well as the following issue in your Windows 10 computer:

• Corrupted registry keys on 64-bit operating systems.
• Corrupted registry keys that control the updated data.
• Problems that:
  • Prevent new programs from being installed.
  • Prevent new programs from being installed.
  • Problems that block you from uninstalling a program through Add or Remove Programs (or Programs and Features) in Control Panel.

To use the Microsoft Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter, refer to the given steps below.

• First, right-click on the downloaded MicrosoftProgram_Install_and_Uninstall.meta.diagcab file and run it with administrative privileges.
• Next, it will offer you two scenarios to troubleshoot namely, “Installing” or “Uninstalling” and you have to select Installing to resolve the current errors.
• After that, it will show you a list of available programs on your computer. From there, select Google Update Helper and then click Next.
• It will then start to troubleshoot the problem and will automatically apply the fixes for you. It will offer you to uninstall Chrome if it turns out that it’s the root cause of the problem.
• After that, you need to download Google Chrome again and then reinstall it.

Option 2 – Try to clean reinstall Chrome

There are instances when programs leave files behind after you’ve uninstalled them and the same thing can happen to Chrome so before you reinstall Chrome, you have to make sure that you have deleted the User Data folder. To do so, refer to the following steps:

• Hit the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser Data” in the field and hit Enter to open the User Data folder.
• From there, rename the default folder and name it something else, e.g. “Default.old”.
• After that, install Google Chrome again and check if the issue is now fixed.

Option 3 – Try running the Chrome Cleanup tool

You might want to run Google Chrome’s built-in Malware Scanner & Cleanup tool as it could also help in getting rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and anything else that might overtake the network and could affect the performance of the browser.

Option 4 – Try to run the Network Troubleshooter

• Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
• Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
• Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
• After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.

Option 5 – Reset Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you fix the error. This means that you will be restoring its default settings, disabling all the extensions, add-ons, and themes. Aside from that, the content settings will be reset as well and the cookies, cache, and site data will also be deleted. To reset Chrome, here’s what you have to do:

• Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
• After that, click on Settings.
• Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
• After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
• Now restart Google Chrome.

A lot of users complain about low storage space each time a Windows Feature update is released as well as to complain about not being able to download the updates, slow update experience, and many other complaints. The main issue is that many users do not have enough storage space available on their PCs. And now to make sure that none of the updates gets stuck because of low storage space, Microsoft presented the Reserved Storage feature which comes preinstalled with v1903 or those where v1903 was clean installed. This guide will be showing you how you can enable or disable the Reserved Storage in your Windows 10 computer. As you know, the Windows Update process should have enough space so that it can download, extract and apply the update on the computer. Usually, the size of the Reserved Storage is around 7GB which gives enough space for the update, temporary files, system caches, apps, and many more. And according to Microsoft, the size of the Reserved Storage space will vary from time to time and will depend on how you use your computer.

Explanation

The Reserved Storage space feature is enabled by default on devices that come preinstalled with the May 2019 update or after performing a clean installation of the Windows 10 OS. To check if your computer has this feature, you need to go to Settings > System > Storage and from there click on the “Show more categories” link and then click on the “System & reserved” option. However, if you can’t find the Reserved Storage from the list, then it’s probably because your computer has limited space on the hard disk or it is not a fresh or new install. On the other hand, if you have this feature but have no use for it and want to disable it instead, then read on as this post will also show you how it’s done.

Solution

Keep in mind that when you disable the Reserved Storage feature, chances are, you might be unable to enable it back so you need to make sure that it’s really what you want to do before you disable it permanently. So if you really want to disable Reserved Storage, you can do so using the Registry Editor. Before you proceed, you have to create a System Restore point first and then carry out the following steps.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionReserveManager
• From there, double click on the DWORD named “ShippedWithReserves” and set its value to “1”.
• Once you’re done, restart your computer and see if the Reserved Storage feature is now gone.

On the other hand, if you want to reduce the Reserved Storage space, there are two ways you can do that. First, you can go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Manage optional features and from there, uninstall the optional features that you do not use. The second one is you have to go to Settings > Time & Language > Language and then uninstall the languages and their add-on which you don’t use. Note: The Reserved Storage feature is also used by system processes and apps to create temporary files and once the Reserved Storage space fills up, Windows 10 will delete them automatically. It is undeniable a useful feature so disabling it is not recommended but if you are running on low storage space and don’t have much choice, then you may disable it at your own risk.

FindWide is a browser add-on for Internet Explorer. This addon Hijacks your home page and internet search provider changing it to search.findwide.com. Alternate versions change the homepage to search.us.com.

This addon monitors your user activity while you are surfing the web. It collects user and browsing data, that it uses to better display targeted ads. While browsing with this addon enabled you will see additional ads, sponsored links, and even sometimes pop-up ads displaying throughout your browsing sessions.

Several anti-virus programs have marked this addon as a Browser Hijacker and is therefore not recommended to keep on your computer.

From the Author: Each search engine has its own method of searching and each will return different results. Findwide.com looks at all of them, decides which are most relevant to your search, eliminates duplicates, and reveals them to you. In the end, you get a list of results more complete than using any one search engine alone.

Help! Malware Blocking Antivirus Installation And Access To The Internet

Viruses could cause plenty of damage to your computer. Some malware is meant to restrict or block things that you wish to do on your personal computer. It may well not permit you to download anything from the net or it will stop you from accessing some or all websites, especially the anti-malware websites. If you’re reading this, you probably have got infected by a virus that prevents you from installing a computer security program like Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. Even though this kind of problem can be tougher to get around, there are some steps you can take.

Download the application in Safe Mode with Networking

If any virus is set to run automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, entering Safe Mode could block the attempt. Since only the bare minimum applications and services launch in safe mode, there are seldom any reasons for conflicts to take place. To launch your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 PCs in Safe Mode with Networking, follow the instructions below. 1) Press the F8 key continuously as soon as your computer boots, but before the big Windows logo comes up. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and press ENTER. 3) When you are into this mode, you will have online access again. Now, utilize your browser to download and install Safebytes. 4) Following installation, do a full scan and let the software get rid of the threats it discovers.

Switch over to an alternate web browser

Certain malware might target vulnerabilities of a specific web browser that obstruct the downloading process. In the event you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by malware or otherwise compromised by hackers, the best course of action is to switch over to an alternate internet browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your chosen computer security application – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install antivirus on a USB drive

Here’s another solution which is using portable USB anti-malware software that can scan your computer for malicious software without needing installation. Follow these steps to run the anti-malware on the affected computer system. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or MS Windows Defender Offline onto a clean computer. 2) Plug the Flash drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the exe file to open the installation wizard. 4) When asked, select the location of the pen drive as the place in which you want to put the software files. Follow the directions to complete the installation process. 5) Transfer the USB drive from the clean PC to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the anti-malware software EXE file on the thumb drive. 7) Press the “Scan” button to run a full computer scan and remove malware automatically.

Protect Your PC & Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

To help protect your computer or laptop from various internet-based threats, it is very important to install anti-malware software on your computer system. However, with countless numbers of antimalware companies in the marketplace, nowadays it is actually challenging to decide which one you should obtain for your laptop. A few are good ones, some are decent, while some are simply just fake anti-malware software that will harm your PC themselves! You must be careful not to choose the wrong product, especially if you buy a premium program. Among few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended program for security-conscious people. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trustworthy tool that not only protects your PC completely but is also very easy to use for people of all skill levels. With its cutting-edge technology, this application can help you eliminate multiples types of malware like computer viruses, trojans, PUPs, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers. SafeBytes anti-malware offers an array of advanced features which sets it apart from all others. The following are some typical features present in this computer software: Real-time Threat Response: Malware programs attempting to enter the system are discovered and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes active protection shields. This tool will always monitor your PC for any suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep current with the latest threats. Robust Anti-malware Protection: By using a critically acclaimed anti-malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection that is made to catch and eliminate threats that are concealed deep inside your computer. Web Filtering: Through its unique safety score, SafeBytes alerts you whether a website is safe or not to visit it. This will assure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the net. Lowest CPU/Memory Usage: SafeBytes is well-known for its low effect on computer resources and great detection rate of countless threats. It runs quietly and efficiently in the background so you are free to use your computer at full power all the time. Fantastic Technical Support: Support service is accessible 24 x 7 x 365 days via chat and email to answer your queries. To conclude, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is really great for securing your computer against all sorts of malware threats. Once you’ve installed SafeBytes Anti-Malware, you will no longer have to bother about malware or other security concerns. If you’re searching for a comprehensive antivirus program that’s still easy to use, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is just what you need!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not wish to use an automated tool and like to eliminate FindWide manually, you could possibly do so by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the Control Panel and deleting the offending program; in cases of browser plug-ins, you can uninstall it by visiting the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. You might also want to reset your home page and search engine providers and also clear your browser cache and cookies. Finally, examine your hard disk for all of the following and clean your Windows registry manually to remove leftover application entries following uninstalls. But bear in mind, this is often a complicated task and only computer professionals could perform it safely. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing removal. Carrying out this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is suggested.

Microsoft's anniversary update has come with many new features and improvements. One of these features is that Microsoft's Cortana can now be installed on your Android phone and as long as you are logged in to your Microsoft account on different devices, she can pass information between devices. You can not see battery life on your desktop PC, notifications, etc. There are some prerequisites in order to get this going, first is to have a Windows version 1607 or newer. The second is to have the last Android version

Installing Cortana on Android

1. Download and install the Cortana app from the Google Play store.
2. Open the app and accept the license terms.
3. Enter the credentials for the Microsoft account you use to sign in to your PC.
4. After a few seconds, Cortana will open.
5. Click the settings button and select Sync Notifications.
6. By default, missed calls, incoming messages, and low battery notifications will be turned on. You can turn this on\off from here. The only option off by default is for App notifications. Any non-system apps such as Facebook and Instagram can also send alerts to your Windows box. You can choose to enable the App notification sync option or leave it off.
7. If you enable “App notification sync,” you will need to give Cortana permissions to read and control notifications on your phone.
8. You can then select exactly which applications will be synched to your PC.
9. Once done you can exit out of Cortana.

Configuring Cortana on PC

1. Click the Windows button and type Cortana. Click the icon for Cortana and Search Settings.
2. Scroll through the settings list and look for Send notifications between devices
3. Click the switch to turn it on.
4. Sign in to the same Microsoft account you used in the previous section
5. Navigate back to the Cortana & Search settings tool.
6. Click Edit Sync Settings. Make sure that your phone shows up on the list. You can also determine if you want PC notifications are sent to your phone.

With those settings in place, you should now start getting alerts for the items you enabled in your Action Center. As notices come in, you will see them pop up in a small bubble on the lower right of your screen. You can dismiss the notification or use the link to find a compatible app in the Windows store.