Software review series:CodeTwo QR Code Desktop

If you were trying to print some documents but encounter the HIDCLASS.SYS Blue Screen error instead, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing any Blue Screen errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS file. HIDCLASS.SYS is a Windows operating system driver file. HID or Human Interface Device includes Keyboards, mice, and other input devices. HIDCLASS.SYS is a critical system driver file that is responsible for connecting different kinds of devices all over the system, including the functionality where a Word Processor can access the printer to print documents. This file comes under the category of kernel-mode device drivers and if the driver fails, it can result in a Stop Error. There are a lot of Stop errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS file, such as:

• KMODE EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED
• SYSTEM SERVICE EXCEPTION
• DRIVER POWER STATE FAILURE
• PAGE FAULT IN A NONPAGED AREA
• SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED
• DRIVER VERIFIER IOMANAGER VIOLATION
• IRQL NOT LESS EQUAL

The fixes for the Blue Screen errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS files are pretty simple but before you troubleshoot the problem using these fixes, make sure that you boot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking first. After that, get started on these tips:

Option 1 – Update or rollback or disable concerned device drivers

To fix the HIDCLASS.SYS error, you can also try to roll back, or update, or disable the concerned device drivers.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers particularly the ones that are under the sections of Keyboard, Mouse, USB, and HID Drivers.
• Next, 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. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions or disable them.

Option 2 – Check for any incompatible devices

The next thing you can do to troubleshoot the HIDCLASS.SYS Stop error is to plug in and out each one of the different hardware that is connected to your computer. Doing so will help you determine which one of the hardware is the one that’s triggering the error to pop up. You will also know what hardware drivers or anything else that could be causing this error which includes external devices like mouse, keyboard, printer, as well as internally attached components like the Graphics card and so on.

Option 3 – Try running the ChkDsk utility

Running the ChkDsk utility can also help you resolve any Blue Screen errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS file. To run this tool, refer to these steps:

• First, open This PC and right-click on your operating system partition for Windows.
• Next, click on Properties and navigate to the Tools tab.
• Then click on Check under the Error Checking section.
• After that, a new mini window will be opened and from there click on Scan drive and let it scan your disk drive partition for any errors and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try checking the Memory for any errors

• 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.

Option 5 – Run the System File Checker

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.

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• 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.

• Now restart your computer and see if the Blue Screen error is fixed or not.

As you know, the Windows Update process takes compatibility seriously. The Windows Updates need to be compatible with the hardware as well as all the installed applications in the computer else the Windows Updates will only get stuck in the process. Two of the Windows 10 errors that shows up during this case is the error 0xC1900208, 0x4000C. These error codes are caused by incompatible applications which means that there might be an incompatible app installed in your computer that’s blocking the upgrade process and prevents it from finishing. That’s why you need to make sure that all the applications on your computer are updated to their latest versions and then check the compatibility. So if there are any incompatible apps, be sure to uninstall them and then try doing the upgrade once again. Take note that these error codes are just among many compatibility issues that the Windows Update throws up. Since the error is caused by a compatibility issue, you have three options – first, you can update the incompatible application to the latest version, second, uninstall the application or trick Windows and make it seem like it’s compatible.

Option 1 – Try updating the application or software

As mentioned, you can try updating the concerned application or software to its latest version to resolve the compatibility issue and in turn, fix the errors 0xC1900208 – 0x4000C. Note that depending on where you had installed the application, your steps will change. So if you have it installed directly from the website, refer to these steps:

• Look for the built-in option to check the updates since the most application has this option.
• You also have the option to go to the website of the application and check if there is a new version available. If there is, download and update the app.

On the other hand, if you have downloaded the app from the Microsoft Store, here’s what you have to do:

• Open the Store and click on the three dots located at the top-right of the window.
• Next, click the Download and Updates option.
• From there, check if there is an update available for the store. If there is, update it.

Option 2 – Try to uninstall the application or software

If updating the app or software to its latest version didn’t help and you’re still getting the error 0xC1900208 – 0x4000C every time you attempt to install the Windows Updates, you may have to uninstall it. You will need to use the usual Program and Features to uninstall it if you have downloaded it from the website.

• In the search box, type in “control” and then click on Control Panel (desktop app) among the search results.
• After that, select Programs and Features from the list which will give you a list of all the programs installed on your computer.
• From there, look for the concerned program and select it and then uninstall it.

Note: If you have downloaded the app from the Windows Store, you can simply right-click on it from the application list and then uninstall it.

Option 3 – Try bypassing the Upgrade Advisor

There are times when a software developer fails to pass the compatibility test for their apps. It could be that they work on Windows 10 upgraded version but just didn’t pass the compatibility check. So if you are pretty certain that the app really works on Windows 10, you can just bypass the Upgrade Advisor.

TotalRecipeSearch is a browser extension for Google Chrome developed by Mindspark. This extension allows access to popular cooking websites. From the Author: Discover 1000s of tasty recipes – for FREE! Find creative, new meal ideas all in one convenient place!

When installed, this extension changes your default search engine and home page to MyWebSearch.com. While active it will monitor user activity, recording browsing data, visited websites and clicked links. This data is later used to display targeted ads throughout your browsing sessions.

While browsing the internet you will see additional unwanted ads, sponsored links, and even pop-up ads injected into your search results and websites. This extension has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by several anti-virus programs and it is targeted for removal.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means a malicious code has taken power over and modified the settings of your web browser, without your consent. Practically most browser hijackers are made for advertising or marketing purposes. Typically, it will drive users to particular sites which are aiming to boost their ad income. Though it might appear naive, all browser hijackers are damaging and thus always classified as security risks. They not only mess up your web browsers, but browser hijackers could also modify the computer registry, making your computer susceptible to other malicious programs.

How to determine if your browser is hijacked

The typical signs that indicate having this malware on your computer are: 1. you see unauthorized changes to your web browser’s homepage 2. when you key in a URL, you find yourself regularly directed to some other web page than the one you meant 3. the default web browser settings have been changed and/or your default web engine is altered 4. you are finding browser toolbars you have never witnessed before 5. your web browser will display constant pop-up ads 6. websites load slowly and at times incomplete 7. you are blocked to access those sites of security solution providers.

How does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

Browser hijackers can enter a computer in some way or other, for example via downloads, file sharing, and email as well. They also come from add-on applications, also called browser helper objects (BHO), web browser plug-ins, or toolbars. Browser hijackers sneak into your computer in addition to free software downloads also that you unwittingly install alongside the original. Popular examples of browser hijackers include CoolWebSearch, Conduit, RocketTab, OneWebSearch, Coupon Server, Snap.do, Delta Search, and Searchult.com. The existence of any browser hijacker malware on your system might significantly diminish the browsing experience, monitor your internet activities that lead to critical privacy concerns, develop system stability problems and ultimately cause your PC to slow down or to an almost unusable condition.

How you can fix a browser hijack

Certain hijackers could be removed by simply uninstalling the corresponding free software or add-ons from the Add or Remove Programs in the Windows Control Panel. But, the majority of hijackers are very tenacious and need specialized tools to remove them. Novice PC users should not try for the manual form of removal, as it calls for comprehensive computer knowledge to carry out repairs on the computer registry and HOSTS file. Professionals always recommend users to get rid of any malware including browser hijacker by using an automatic removal tool, which is better, safer, and quicker than the manual removal technique. SafeBytes Anti-Malware discovers all types of hijackers – including TotalRecipeSearch – and eliminates every trace quickly and efficiently. Along with the anti-malware tool, a system optimizer, like SafeBytes’s Total System Care, will help you in deleting all linked files and modifications in the computer registry automatically.

Help! Malware Preventing Anti-Malware Installation And Access To The Internet

Malware could potentially cause plenty of damage to your PC. Certain malware variants alter browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the PC’s DNS settings. In these instances, you will be unable to visit some or all of the internet sites, and thus unable to download or install the necessary security software to clear out the computer virus. So what you should do if malware prevents you from downloading or installing Safebytes Anti-Malware? Refer to the instructions below to get rid of malware through alternate methods.

Download the application in Safe Mode with Networking

In the event the malware is set to load at Windows start-up, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Only minimal required applications and services are loaded when you start your PC into Safe Mode. To launch your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 PCs in Safe Mode with Networking, please do as instructed below. 1) At power-on/startup, hit the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Use the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and hit ENTER. 3) Once you get into this mode, you should have an internet connection again. Now, use your web browser normally and navigate to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) Following installation, do a full scan and allow the software program to remove the threats it detects.

Obtain the antivirus software in a different web browser

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, targeting a particular browser or attacking particular versions of the web browser. The best way to overcome this problem is to choose a browser that is well known for its security features. Firefox comprises built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you safe online.

Install and run anti-malware from your flash drive

To effectively get rid of the malware, you need to approach the issue of installing anti-virus software on the infected computer system from a different angle. Adopt these measures to employ a flash drive to fix your corrupted PC. 1) Use another virus-free computer system to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the Flash drive into the clean computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, with a .exe file format. 4) Select the flash drive as the location for saving the software file. Follow the directions to finish the installation process. 5) Transfer the thumb drive from the clean PC to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the EXE file to open the Safebytes software from the pen drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a scan on the affected computer for viruses.

Features and Benefits of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you are looking to download anti-malware software for your computer, there are various tools in the market to consider however, you cannot trust blindly anyone, regardless of whether it is a paid or free software. A few are good ones, some are decent, while some are simply just fake anti-malware programs that can damage your personal computer themselves! You need to be careful not to pick the wrong application, especially if you buy a paid software. When thinking about the highly regarded applications, Safebytes AntiMalware is certainly the highly recommended one. SafeBytes can be described as a highly effective, real-time anti-spyware application that is designed to assist everyday computer users in protecting their computers from malicious threats. This program can easily identify, remove, and protect your PC from the most advanced malware threats such as adware, spyware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, and other possibly damaging software programs.

SafeBytes anti-malware comes with a myriad of advanced features that sets it apart from all others. Listed below are some of the features you might like in SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes provides an entirely hands-free real-time protection and is set to check, prevent and destroy all computer threats at its very first encounter. They’re highly effective in screening and getting rid of different threats since they’re regularly improved with the latest updates and alerts. Anti-Malware Protection: Built on a highly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can detect and get rid of many stubborn malware threats like browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other typical anti-virus software will miss. Fast Scan: This software program has one of the fastest and most effective virus scanning engines in the industry. The scans are highly accurate and take a little time to complete. Internet Security: SafeBytes inspects the hyperlinks present on a web page for possible threats and notifies you whether the site is safe to browse or not, through its unique safety rating system. Very Low CPU and RAM Usage: SafeBytes provides complete protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load because of its advanced detection engine and algorithms. Fantastic Technical Support: Skilled technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will immediately fix any technical issues you may be experiencing with your security software. Put simply, SafeBytes has formulated a meaningful anti-malware solution that is aimed to protect your computer against various malware. Now you may realize that this software does more than just scan and eliminate threats from your computer. So when you want sophisticated forms of protection features & threat detections, buying SafeBytes Anti-Malware could be worth the dollars!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To remove TotalRecipeSearch manually, navigate to the Add or Remove programs list in the Control Panel and choose the offending program you want to get rid of. For web browser plug-ins, go to your web browser’s Addon/Extension manager and choose the plug-in you want to remove or disable. It’s also advised to factory reset your web browser to its default condition to fix corrupt settings. If you opt to manually delete the system files and Windows registry entries, utilize the following checklist to ensure that you know exactly what files to remove before carrying out any actions. Please keep in mind that only experienced computer users should try to manually edit the system files simply because removing any single critical registry entry results in a major problem or even a system crash. Also, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing deletion. Doing this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is suggested.

if you were following our articles you are aware that Windows 10 has a build-in-game mode that you can summon by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + G. But did you know that you can use this to capture and record your screen? Hello and welcome to another great tutorial about how to get the maximum out of your Windows 10, today our topic will be recording your screen using Windows 10 game mode.

• In order to start recording first, we need to bring game mode by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + G
• In the Game Bar overlay screen, look for the “Capture” window.
• If you don’t see it, click the Widget menu icon on the left. It looks like several lines with bullet points to their left.
• A drop-down list will appear; click “Capture.” The “Capture” shortcut may also be in the Game Bar toolbar.
• Look for the “Capture” widget window in the overlay. There are four buttons on the Capture widget (from left to right):
  • Screenshot: Takes a screenshot of the active window.
  • Record last 30 seconds: Creates a recording of the previous 30 seconds.
  • Start recording: Starts recording your active window.
  • Turn on the mic while recording: If this option is enabled, Windows 10 will capture audio from your computer’s microphone and include it in the recording.
• You’ll notice text underneath the buttons. This is how you’ll know what the active window is, aka what will be recorded. For example, if you’re browsing the web, it will show the title of the open tab.
• To start recording your screen, you must first decide whether you want to use your mic, which is useful if you’re trying to explain something on the screen.
• Next, simply click the Start Recording button.
• The screen recording will begin, and you’ll see a little toolbar appear in the corner of the screen. It will show the running time of the recording, and it also has buttons to stop recording and toggle the microphone.
• When you’re finished, click the Stop icon to end the recording.
• From the Capture widget, click “Show All Captures” to see your recording.
• Your recording will be at the top of the list. Click the folder icon to see all recordings and screenshots in File Explorer.
• These recordings are stored under your Windows user folder at C:\Users\NAME\Videos\Captures by default.

Downloading Windows Updates does not always go smoothly as you can encounter several issues like the “Some updates did not finish downloading, We will keep trying, Error code 0x80246007” error. In fact, this error can also occur on other Windows applications like OneNote. According to security experts, this error happens for many reasons. For one, it could be that the Windows Update database is corrupted. It could also be that there is another process that’s in conflict with the Windows Update components or there might be some issue with the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS). Whichever the cause may be, you can fix it by following the solutions given below.

Option 1 – Delete the contents in the Temporary folder

You can also try deleting the contents in the Temporary folder – all the downloaded, pending, or failed Windows 10 updates. You can do that using the simple and easy steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “%temp%” in the field and press Enter to open the Temporary folder.
• After that, select all the folders and files within the Temp folder and delete all of them.

Option 2 – Try running 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 0x80246007. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 3 – Try renaming or removing the pending .xml file

The problem might be due to some pending .xml file so you need to rename or remove it. To do so, just go to C:/Windows/WinSxS folder. From there, look for a pending .xml file – you can either rename it or delete it. This will allow the Windows Update to delete any pending tasks and build a new and fresh update check.

Option 4 – Restart the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

The Background Intelligent Transfer Service or BITS is a part of the Windows Update service that manages the background download of Windows Update, as well as scans for new updates and so on. Thus, if your Windows Update fails a couple of times, you might want to restart BITS. For you to do that, make sure that you have admin privileges.

• Press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Services.
• After opening Services, look for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service from the list of services and then double click on it to open Properties.
• Next, set the Startup type to Manual and click on the Start button. If it doesn’t help, you can try setting it to Automatic (Delayed) and then reboot your PC.

Option 5 – Run the DISM tool

Running the DISM Tool helps in repairing the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.

• Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.

Option 6 – Delete the files from the Software Distribution folder

The downloaded Windows Updates are placed in a folder called “SoftwareDistribution”. The files downloaded in this folder are automatically deleted once the installation is completed. However, if the files are not clean up or if the installation is still pending, you can delete all the files in this folder after you pause the Windows Update service. For complete instructions, refer to the steps below.

• 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.

Option 7 – Reset the Catroot2 folder

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.

There is a lot of software on the market today, but from time to time we discover something extraordinary and unique worth sharing and today we have a threat for you. Ventoy is a tool that will help you with system reinstallations and system maintenance once and for all.

If you are a computer user that has multiple operating systems or you are installing and maintaining different hardware via different OS there is a high chance that you have multiple USB sticks with different operating systems on them.

Now the problem with that is that there are probably too many unlabeled sticks around or you do not have enough so you keep making system USBs depending on which one you might need.

Ventoy solves all of these problems by letting you have as many operating systems images as your USB has capacity. The only thing you need to do is get the software here: https://www.ventoy.net/en/index.html and make a USB with it, then you can freely just copy your ISO images onto the USB and once it is inserted into the computer you will be given a menu to choose which one you would like to start with, simple as that.

Features

• 100% open source (license)
• Very simple to use (Get started)
• Fast (limited only by the speed of copying the iso file)
• Can be installed in USB/Local Disk/SSD/NVMe/SD Card
• Directly boot from ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files, no extraction needed
• Support to browse and boot ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files in local disk Notes
• No need to be continuous in disk for ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files
• Both MBR and GPT partition styles are supported
• x86 Legacy BIOS, IA32 UEFI, x86_64 UEFI, ARM64 UEFI, MIPS64EL UEFI supported
• IA32/x86_64 UEFI Secure Boot supported Notes
• Linux Persistence supported Notes
• Windows auto installation supported Notes
• Linux auto installation supported Notes
• Variables Expansion supported for Windows/Linux auto-installation script Notes
• FAT32/exFAT/NTFS/UDF/XFS/Ext2(3)(4) supported for main partition
• ISO files larger than 4GB supported

• Menu alias, Menu tip message supported
• Password protect supported
• Native boot menu style for Legacy & UEFI
• Most types of OS supported, 1000+ iso files tested
• Linux vDisk(vhd/vdi/raw...) boot solution Notes
• Not only boot but also complete the installation process
• Menu dynamically switchable between ListView and TreeView mode Notes
• "Ventoy Compatible" concept
• Plugin Framework and GUI plugin configurator
• Injection of files into runtime environment
• Boot configuration file dynamically replacement
• Highly customizable theme and menu style
• USB drive write-protected support
• USB normal use unaffected
• Data nondestructive during a version upgrade
• No need to update Ventoy when a new distro is released

What is Error 2200?

Error 2200 is an error code that you are likely to experience if you have Dell Photo All in One Printer 926. Dell Photo Printer 926 is an inkjet multifunction device. It offers features like print, copy, scan, and fax.

Error 2200 may stop you from scanning and printing documents on your Dell Photo All in One Printer 926.

Solution

Error Causes

Error 2200 may occur due to several reasons. However, the most common causes include:

• Registry issues
• Broken or missing system files
• Corrupted driver
• Malware

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve error 2200 on your system try the methods listed below. These DIY methods are easy and effective and can repair this error in no time. These solutions require zero technical expertise and knowledge.

This means if you are not technically sound or you are not a computer programmer, you can try these solutions and repair error 2200 on your system easily.

Method 1

When the underlying cause of error 2200 is related to a corrupted driver then follow these steps to resolve the issue. Go to the Start menu, click Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance tab, System and Device Manager.

Navigate the device, click properties, driver, and then uninstall. Now reboot your PC to activate changes.  Now download the latest version of the Dell Photo All in One Printer 926 drivers from a reliable website and save install it on your PC.

Method 2

Malware can also damage and corrupt drivers and system files. If the reason for error 2200 on your PC is malware then download a powerful antivirus and scan your entire PC. Remove all malware and viruses infecting your system to resolve the error.

Method 3

The Windows registry is that part of the computer that stores much of the information and settings for software programs, operating system configurations, and hardware devices.

It also saves unnecessary and obsolete files like junk files, cookies, internet history, bad registry entries, and invalid files. If these files are not removed from the registry frequently, they accumulate in the registry and corrupt it thereby triggering different error codes.

These files damage the registry and other important system files.

To repair the registry and error codes triggered due to registry issues, it is suggested you download Restoro. This is a cutting-edge and user-friendly PC Fixer deployed with a powerful and intuitive registry cleaner.

The registry cleaner scans your entire PC, removes all the bad entries and obsolete files. It cleans the registry, repairs the damaged and corrupt system files thereby resolving registry issues instantly.

Click here to download Restoro and repair error 2200.

Method 4: Locate and Install the Driver As was pointed out, you might need to reinstall the printer driver again. Using DriverFIX, you’ll be able to automatically update your computer system and install the drivers your computer needs to operate smoothly.

Originally Microsoft has imagined its widgets menu as Microsoft-only widgets but it seems that they have changed their mind. Due to the latest leak, it seems that Microsoft will open the widgets menu to 3^rd party developers as well but at launch, it will be only official widgets. It was hinted that later widgets menu will be open to developers who want to bring their own stuff into it. Distribution, date, and technology that will need to be used in order to create your widget have not been discussed nor leaked at a given time but in some way, I am very glad that at least some customization will be in Windows 11. It is funny and amusing how some things that were in Windows Vista are getting back like glass design, round corners, and widgets. Let’s just hope Windows 11 will be a better Windows than Vista was.

Special folders like music, pictures, download, videos, etc, can be placed as shortcuts in the start menu inside Windows 11 for easy access. Shortcuts will appear in the start menu on the bottom as simple glyphs. They are not present in the start menu by default so it needs to be turned ON first. If you want to place these icons in your Star menu follow this step-by-step guide and you will have them in no time.

1. Open Windows settings
2. In settings go to Personalization > Start
3. In Start click on Folders
4. On the given list of Settings, File Explorer, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, Network, and Personal folder click on the switch beside them if you want them as shortcuts in the Start menu. You can choose whichever you want.
5. Close settings

You can revisit the settings menu to add more icons or remove some of them later if you wish so.

If you recently made some changes in your Windows 10 computer using the Group Policy Editor but they were not reflected and you got errors instead, it could be that your Windows computer wasn’t able to read the Group Policy file (registry.pol). To resolve this kind of issue, you have to repair the potentially corrupted Group Policy using the options given in this post. .As you know, Group Policy is a feature in the Microsoft Windows Active Directory which allows an admin to make changes in the features on Windows PCs that are on the network. So if the modifications you just made weren’t successfully applied, then there could be something wrong with the registry.pol file on the client or it could also be that the Group Policy folder is missing. To fix this issue in the Group Policy, you need to refer to the given suggestions below and make sure that you have admin privileges as you execute them.

Option 1 – Try to delete or recreate the missing registry.pol file

The entire settings of the Group Policy are stored in the registry.pol file so if it went missing, all the changes you make will not be reflected. The good thing is that you can recreate it but if the file exists and is corrupted, you need to delete it first before you recreate it.

• First, go to the C:/Windows/System32/GroupPolicy/Machine location.
• And from there, check if the registry.pol file exists or not. If it’s there, just delete it permanently by tapping the Shift + Delete keys.
• Now it’s time to recreate the file. Just open Windows PowerShell with admin privileges by tapping Win + X + A keys.
• After opening PowerShell, type this command: gpupdate /force
• The command you entered will recreate the registry.pol file and will refresh the Group Policy. Restart your computer.

Option 2 – Try recreating the secedit.sdb file

The security settings of Group Policy are stored in the secedit.sdb file so if you made some changes to security and they weren’t reflected, you can try to delete and recreate the secedit.sdb file instead of deleting the Group Policy file. All you have to do is navigate to the C:/WINDOWS/security/Database folder and look for the secedit.sdb file and rename it or move it to another folder. After that, restart your computer. Once your computer has restarted, the secedit.sdb file will be created again.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Group Policy to default

You can also try to reset the Group Policy back to its default state. There are several ways you can do that. You can either use the gpupdate or the secedit command in the Windows PowerShell to do that. Resetting the Group Policy will resolve any issues that could be caused by its current settings.

Option 4 – Try to perform System Restore

System Restore can also help resolve the Group Policy issue. It could be that prior to the issue, you’ve made some changes in the system that might have affected the Group Policy. To undo these changes, perform System Restore.

• First, 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.

Option 5 – Use the DISM tool

You can also try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool. This tool will repair the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in your Windows 10 computer. So if there are any missing or corrupted folders and files, the DISM tool can restore and repair them. As a result, any system consistencies and corruptions will be fixed. To run this tool, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer.