Fake Windows 11 installers come with malware

The Photos app in Windows 10 is the default photo viewer. However, there are times when it might encounter some problems while you use it. One of these problems in the Photos app reported recently is where users try to export or share the images and videos from the app but weren’t successful in doing so. This can be really quite a hassle in opening images on your computer, especially since the Photos app is the default photo viewer in Windows 10 and if you don’t have any other photo viewer app installed. This kind of problem in the Photos app can be noticed when you try to use the “Remix” function for both photos and videos. In other words, this problem can occur with just pictures, videos, as well as a combination of both. So if you are trying to watch a video using this app, then you wouldn’t be able to play it. In such a case, the only thing you can hear is the audio but you wouldn’t see anything except for a hazy purple screen that has not export or share option. There are several possible causes for this problem and it could be fixed by updating the display driver/graphics driver or disabling the hardware-accelerated video encoding. You could also try updating or resetting or reinstalling the Photos app. For more details, follow each one of the suggestions provided below.

Option 1 – Try to update the Graphics driver

You can try to update your Graphics card driver using the Device Manager in your computer to resolve the blank dialog boxes problem or you can also go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD and go to the section called Drivers then check if there’s a new available update – if there is, download and install it. To update your Graphics driver via Device Manager, refer to these steps:

• First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
• After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for the Display Adapters and click on them.
• After that, right-click on each entry under the Display Adapters and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
• Now restart your computer.
• After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.

Option 2 – Try disabling the hardware-accelerated video encoding

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to disable the hardware-accelerated video encoding in your computer. To do that, follow these steps:

• Open the Photos app and click on the visible three dots located in the upper right corner of the app and then select Settings.
• From there, you should see the version number of the app in the “About this app” section. So if your app is version 2018.18071.****0.0 or greater, you should see the Video section which has a toggle button.
• Turn that toggle button off to disable hardware-accelerated video encoding in the Photos app. This should fix the problem, if not, simply follow the next given options below.

Option 3 – Try to update the Microsoft Photos app

• Open the Microsoft Store and click on the three horizontal dots for the menu located on the top right portion of the window to see the options.
• Next, select Downloads and updates and then click the Get updates button in the top right. This will install any pending updates for all the apps including the Microsoft Photos app using the Microsoft Store.

Option 4 – Try resetting the Photos app

• To get started in resetting the Photos app, open the Windows 10 Settings.
• Then go to Apps > Apps & features.
• After that, scroll down until you see the Photos app option – click on it and open its Advanced options.
• From there, you will see the Reset button, click on it and click and then click on it once more to confirm.

Note: The process may take a couple of minutes to complete. Once it’s done, open the pictures again using the Photos app.

Option 5 – Try reinstalling the Photos app

If none of the options given above worked, then you might want to consider reinstalling the Photos app. Unlike what most users think, it isn’t really that hard reinstalling preinstalled apps as you have the Windows PowerShell for that. To use this program in reinstalling the Photos app, follow these steps:

• Open the Windows PowerShell program with admin privileges and key in the following command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

• After that, execute this second command to re-register and reinstall the Microsoft Photos app.

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"}

Note: In the command given, do not forget to replace the “PackageFullName” with the actual package name for the Photos app. After executing the command, it will uninstall the Photos app from your computer so you need to install it again from the Windows Store by simply looking for it. Once you found it, just click on install to start the installation process.

Steam Deck release is almost upon us and more news comes to light. The Latest officially confirmed technical detail is that the user will have access to device's BIOS and that dual booting will be officially supported. This, of course, means that you will be able to have both Proton and Windows on your device letting you play anything that you wish if the hardware is strong enough. Valve also said that you can launch OS from an SD card! This of course will save space available for games themselves, especially for entry models with less than one available. All of this information really pushes Deck into the territory of a handheld PC and not just another console and I must admit that this announcement left a smile on my face.

If you suddenly encounter the DRIVER_PAGE_FAULT_IN_FREED_SPECIAL_POOL Blue Screen error on your Windows 10 computer along with the error codes, 0x000000D5, 0xb10BBD9E, 0x0D82DA24, 0Xfecd479D, 0x779827CB then read on as this post will provide you some troubleshooting tips that could help you resolve the BSOD error. Getting this kind of BSOD error means that a driver has referenced memory that was freed earlier and it could also mean that the Driver Verifier Special Pool option has caught the driver accessing memory which was freed earlier. Follow the given options below to fix the DRIVER_PAGE_FAULT_IN_FREED_SPECIAL_POOL BSOD error.

Option 1 – Use the Driver Verifier Manager

The Driver Verifier Manager is another tool in Windows that could help you fix driver-related issues.

• Type in the keyword “Verifier” in the Cortana search box to search for Verifier in Windows 10.
• After that, select the option “Create custom settings”.
• Make sure that you have checked everything except the options “DDI compliance checking” and “Randomized low resources simulation”.
• Next, select the option “Select driver names from a list” option.
• Afterward, you have to select all the drivers from any unofficial or third-party provider. To simply put it, you have to select all the drivers that are not supplied by Microsoft.
• Then click on the Finish button.
• Open Command Prompt as administrator and execute this command – verifier /querysettings
• The command you just executed will display the Driver Verifier settings so if you see any of the flags enabled boot your Windows 10 PC into Safe Mode.
• Open the Command Prompt as admin again and run this command – verifier /reset
• The command will reset the Driver Verifier. Once the process is done, restart your PC and check.

Option 2 – Try updating SSD firmware

If you have installed SSD on your computer recently and you have started getting the DRIVER_PAGE_FAULT_IN_FREED_SPECIAL_POOL Blue Screen error since then you may have to update the SSD firmware. To fix this, you can download the Intel Solid-State Drive Toolbox from the official website. This toolbox is compatible with Windows 10 and Windows 7 and later versions.

Option 3 – 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 DRIVER_PAGE_FAULT_IN_FREED_SPECIAL_POOL. 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.

Option 4 – Try running Microsoft’s online Blue Screen Troubleshooter

If running the built-in Blue Screen Troubleshooter didn’t work, you can also try running Microsoft’s online Blue Screen Troubleshooter. All you have to do is go to Microsoft’s website and from there, you will see a simple wizard that will walk you through the troubleshooting process.

Option 5 – Try to reinstall or update device drivers of recently installed hardware

If the first few options 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 6 – Try disabling Hardware Acceleration

You might want to disable Hardware Acceleration system-wide or for a particular program like Google Chrome and see if it resolves the DRIVER_PAGE_FAULT_IN_FREED_SPECIAL_POOL BSOD error

Coming in October for insiders and in November for all in the update, Microsoft has prepared a series of updates which they call an "additional set of experiences"

These updates are looked upon by Panos Panay, a vice executive president at Microsoft & chief product officer for Windows and devices as sort of makeup tests. They will consist of new additions with the biggest one being a tabbed version of File Explorer.

File Explorer received a UI makeover in the last update but the tabbed interface was missing which was expected by many users so it will come in following the next update.

The rest of the features that we will receive are an updated Photos application, Suggested Actions in the Windows Shell, Overflow menu for the taskbar, and improved Nearby Share.

The tabbed File Explorer interface is essentially File Explorer’s version of Sets, the tabbed window interface that Microsoft tested out several years ago. In testing, the tabbed interface proved handy for moving and copying files, and we’d expect the same once the feature formally goes live. The difference between Sets and the tabbed File Explorer interface is Sets allowed for multiple applications to be clustered together via tabs.

Photos app will include a “new photos-managing experience that brings a gorgeous gallery, simplifying browsing, finding, management and consumption of your collection of photos.” It will allow “easy backup to OneDrive” and a “delightful Memories experience.”

As for other features, nothing specifically was said except giving just some tips on what will they bring, it is obvious that File Explorer and the photos app were the main focus for MS in this upcoming update.

I must admit that I am a big Western Digital fan, I have been using their hard drives really long time and I must admit that I am very happy with their products. Sometimes they could be a little more expensive than other drives on market but security and performance are on their side. If you ever wanted to purchase Western Digital or WD hard drives or you are considering getting one, no doubt that you have come across their color cryptic line of products. 1TB Hard drive can come in 6 different colors in your search products query and if you are not familiar with the WD color coding of hard drives you might be a little lost as to which one is right for you and what are the differences. This article is made to explain exactly that, what are WD colors representing so you can choose the right one for your needs. Western Digital has decided to use color codes in order to mark their series of disks which means that each color represents different hard drive series and it is made and aimed for different use, we are going to explore in detail each series below:

WD BLUE

Blue series is all around typical hard drive made and meant for daily use in desktop computers for all kinds of tasks. You can use it in casual gaming or for storage, its purpose is tailored for all-around casual daily users.

WD RED

WD Red HDD is designed for NAS and RAID systems. Its purpose is to be turned 24/7 who ever need access to it. Get this series if you need to have constant access to files or if you need a reliable RAID hard drive.

WD GREEN

Green series of the hard drive is manufactured for low power consumption and for storage, they are meant to be used for storage and not accessed regularly.

WD PURPLE

Purple line of hard drive products is designed solely for video surveillance systems. Instead of having a preference on reading data like WD RED, the PURPLE series is given preference on writing, constant writing to be more precise.

WD BLACK

The black series is made for an external storage medium with high performance. Due to the high performance, WD Black hard drives are much popular among photo editors and high-end gamers.

WD GOLD

WD Gold HDD provides a long-term cold storage medium. Therefore, this series of Western Digital hard drives are suitable for data centers. These hard drives can handle many sophisticated systems simultaneously and work well with different servers That's it, I hope that you have now a more clear understanding of the WD color-coding of its hard drive series. As always thank you for reading and I hope you will have a great day. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

If you have been stuck on allocating disk space on steam you know how annoying this error could be. Here you are, with your new game eager to play it and relax a little and all of the sudden steam gets stuck on allocating disc space. Luckily this error is fixable, follow provided guide to fix the error and continue with installing the game.

1. Restart computer

   An old age solution of turning it off and turning it back on but in this case, it works 90% of the time.

2. Run Steam as administrator

   Allocating disk space when done by a third-party application can be a task that requires privileges higher than the normal user. Find the steam executable file in the installation folder, right-click on it and run it as an administrator

3. Clear Steam cache

   Launch Steam in admin mode. Once in the client, click on Steam at the top left corner of the screen. From the drop-down box, click on Settings. Once in the Settings, navigate to the Downloads tab. Click the Clear Download Cache option. Click OK on the prompt to confirm your action. Wait for the process to complete. When done, save changes and exit the client.

4. Change download server

   Launch Steam client in admin mode. Once in the client, click on Steam at the top left corner of the screen. From the drop-down box, click on Settings. Once in the Settings, navigate to the Downloads tab. Click the drop-down menu under the Download Region. Choose a different server to download from. Exit the Steam client.

5. Refresh installation files

   • Kill a Steam process in Task Manager.
   • Navigate to your Steam folder
   • Inside the Steam folder, select everything except the steamapps folder and the Steam.exe executable file.
   • Tap the Delete key on your keyboard.

6. Turn off firewall

   Firewall can prevent steam and cut access to system operations, disable firewall to fix this issue.

7. Stop overclocking

   If you have overclocked your PC, you can simply reverse the change. The steps you will need to take depends on the overclocking software. Launch the software and look for the option to stop the overclocking. Once done, restart your computer, rerun the game installation.

FindGoFind is a browser extension for Google Chrome.Developers present findgofind.com as an improved Internet search engine that supposedly enhances the Internet browsing experience by generating better search results. These claims often trick users into believing that findgofind.com is legitimate and useful. In fact, developers promote this site using deceptive software download/installation set-ups that hijack web browsers and modify various options without permission. Furthermore, findgofind.co continually records various data relating to users’ Internet browsing activity.

While this extension is installed, users will see additional unwanted ads throughout their browsing sessions. Furthermore, this extension changed the default search engine to FindGoFind to easier display Sponsored content.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (also known as hijackware) are a type of malicious software that modifies web browser configuration settings without the computer owner’s knowledge or approval. These hijacks are raising at an astonishing rate across the world, and they can be truly nefarious and sometimes harmful too. Browser hijackers can do a variety of things on your computer. These are typically used to force hits to a specific site, manipulating web traffic to earn ad revenue. Many people believe that the browser hijacker is just a harmless website but that is incorrect. Almost every browser hijacker poses an actual threat to your online safety and it’s vital to categorize them under privacy risks. When the malware attacks your computer, it begins to mess things up a whole lot that slows your PC down to a crawl. In the worse case, you will be pushed to tackle serious malware threats too.

How one can know if your browser is hijacked

The typical signs that signify having this malicious software on your PC are: 1. the home page of the browser is changed all of a sudden 2. you see new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, usually directed to advertisement-filled or porn websites 3. the default browser configurations are changed and/or your default web engine is altered 4. you’ll see multiple toolbars in your internet browser 5. you see lots of pop-ups on your screen 6. your internet browser has become unstable or starts running slowly 7. you can’t navigate to certain websites, like security software-related sites.

Exactly how they infect computer systems

Browser hijackers may use drive-by downloads or file-sharing websites or even an e-mail attachment to reach a targeted computer. They also come from add-on programs, also known as browser helper objects (BHO), web browser plug-ins, or toolbars. Also, certain freeware and shareware can put the hijacker in your PC through “bundling”. Some of the most well-known hijackers are FindGoFind, Babylon Toolbar, Conduit Search, Sweet Page, OneWebSearch, and CoolWebSearch.

How you can get rid of a browser hijacker

Some hijackers can be simply removed by uninstalling the free software they came with or by deleting any add-ons you have recently added to your system. In some cases, it can be a difficult job to find and delete the malicious program because the associated file might be running as part of the operating system process. Apart from that, manual removal expects you to perform several time-consuming and complicated actions that are tough to do for new computer users. Industry experts always recommend users to eliminate any malware including browser hijacker with an automatic malware removal tool, which is easier, safer and faster than the manual removal method. SafeBytes Anti-Malware can counter relentless hijackers and provide you with proactive PC protection against all kinds of malware.

What you can do if Virus Prevents You From Downloading Anti-virus?

Malware may cause several kinds of damage to computers, networks, and data. Some malware sits in between the computer and your net connection and blocks a few or all internet sites that you want to visit. It will also block you from adding anything to your system, particularly the anti-virus program. So what to do if malicious software keeps you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? There are a few actions you can take to get around this issue.

Download the application in Safe Mode with Networking

If the malware is set to load at Windows startup, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Just the minimum required programs and services are loaded when you start your computer in Safe Mode. To start your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, do as instructed below. 1) At power on/start-up, hit the F8 key in one-second intervals. This will conjure up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Select Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and press Enter. 3) When this mode loads, you will have the internet. Now, use your browser to download and install Safebytes Anti-malware. 4) Following installation, run a complete scan and let the software delete the threats it detects.

Use an alternate web browser to download an antivirus application

Some malware may target vulnerabilities of a particular browser that obstruct the downloading process. If you’re not able to download the anti-malware software program using Internet Explorer, it means the virus is targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you need to switch over to a different browser like Firefox or Chrome to download Safebytes Anti-malware software.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

Another option would be to make a portable antivirus program onto your USB thumb drive. Adopt these measures to use a flash drive to fix your infected computer system. 1) Download the anti-malware program on a virus-free PC. 2) Connect the USB flash drive to a USB port on the uninfected computer. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to run the installation wizard. 4) Pick a USB flash drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you intend to install the application. Follow the activation instructions. 5) Transfer the pen drive from the clean PC to the infected PC. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the pen drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Hit the “Scan” button to run a full computer scan and remove viruses automatically.

Protect your PC against Malware With SafeBytes Security Suite

If you are looking to download an anti-malware application for your PC, there are several tools out there to consider nonetheless, you should not trust blindly anyone, no matter whether it is free or paid software. A few are good ones, some are decent, and some are merely fake anti-malware software that will harm your PC themselves! You need to be very careful not to select the wrong product, particularly if you buy a paid application. When considering commercial application options, the majority of people select well-known brands, like SafeBytes, and are very happy with them. SafeBytes anti-malware is trustworthy software that not only secures your PC permanently but is also very easy to use for people of all ability levels. Once you have installed this software, SafeByte's sophisticated protection system will ensure that no viruses or malicious software can seep through your personal computer.

SafeBytes has excellent features when compared to other anti-malware programs. Listed below are some of the features you may like in SafeBytes.

Robust Anti-malware Protection: With a critically acclaimed anti-malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection which is made to find and get rid of viruses and malware that are hidden deep in your computer’s operating system. Real-Time Protection: SafeBytes gives complete and real-time security for your PC. It’ll inspect your personal computer for suspicious activity at all times and its unparalleled firewall protects your PC from illegal access by the outside world. High-Speed Malware Scanning Engine: SafeBytes Anti-Malware has got a multi-thread scan algorithm that works up to 5 times faster than any other antivirus software. Safe Web Browsing: SafeBytes provides an instant safety rating on the web pages you are going to check out, automatically blocking unsafe sites and making sure that you’re certain of your online safety while browsing the web. Lightweight: The program is lightweight and can run silently in the background, and that does not impact your PC efficiency. Premium Support: For any technical queries or product guidance, you can obtain 24/7 professional assistance through chat and e-mail. To sum it up, SafeBytes has created a meaningful anti-malware solution that is aimed to protect your computer against all manner of malware. There is no doubt that your PC will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this software program to use. You’ll get the best all-around protection for the money you pay on SafeBytes Anti-Malware subscription, there’s no question about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to carry out the removal of FindGoFind manually instead of employing an automated tool, you may follow these simple steps: Navigate to the Windows Control Panel, click the “Add or Remove Programs” and there, select the offending program to remove. In case of suspicious versions of browser plug-ins, you can actually remove it via your browser’s extension manager. You’ll likely also want to reset your browser. If you opt to manually delete the system files and Windows registry entries, use the following list to make sure you know precisely what files to remove before performing any actions. Please remember that this is for experienced users only and might be challenging, with wrong file removal resulting in additional system errors. In addition, some malicious programs have the capability to defend against its deletion. Doing this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is recommended.

If you suddenly encounter an error message that says, “This webpage is not available, Err_Connection_Closed” while browsing the internet or visiting a website and the website fails to load, then it means that there is some problem with your network connection. Similarly, you may also get other error messages like “Err_Network_Changed”, “Err_Connection_Reset” and “Err_Internet_Disconnected” errors in different browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. The problem lies in your Windows 10 computer and your internet connection since this is a network issue. So before you troubleshoot the problem using the suggestions given below, you need to refresh your browser first or you could also tap Ctrl + F5 on your keyboard to hard reload the webpage. If you’re still getting the same error message, then proceed to the guide below.

Option 1 – Try removing the Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the “This webpage is not available, Err_Connection_Closed” error. Here’s how you can do it:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
• After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
• From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
• Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
• Restart your PC.

Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 2 – Try using Google Public DNS

If the first option didn’t resolve the issue, you can try to use the Public DNS by Google and see if it can help fix the problem. You have to modify the DNS settings in your system explicitly and use the DNS IP addresses.

• The first thing you have to do is right-click on the network icon in the Taskbar and select Network and Sharing Center.
• Next, click on the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
• After that, search for the network connection that you are using to connect to the internet. Note that the option might be “Wireless Connection” or “Local Area Connection”.
• Right-click on your network connection and click on Properties.
• Then select the new window to choose the “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
• After that, click on the Properties button and click the checkbox in the new window for the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
• Type in “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

Option 3 – Reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS

Resetting Winsock, TCP/IP, and flushing DNS might help you resolve the Err_Connection_Closed error. To do so, follow these steps:

• Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator) so you can pull up an elevated Command Prompt.
• After that, execute each one of the commands listed below. And after you typed in one after the other, you have to hit Enter.

1. netsh winsock reset – type in this command to reset Winsock
2. netsh int ip reset resettcpip.txt – type in this command to reset TCP/IP
3. ipconfig /flushdns – type in this command to flush the DNS cache

• Next, restart your PC and check if the problem’s fixed.

Option 4 – Disable both the Antivirus program and Firewall temporarily

There are times when antivirus programs and the firewall blocks a website that they consider to be malicious or even because of false-positive effects which is why you have to disable these programs temporarily as it might be the reason why you’re getting the “This webpage is not available, Err_Connection_Closed” error when trying to browse the internet.

Option 5 – Try to check the network cables and then restart your router

The most obvious thing you can do first is to try checking if the network cables connected to your computer or router are properly connected or not. If it turns out that some network cables are not connected properly, then it’s probably why you’re getting this error.

Option 6 –Try a Network Reset

When all else fails, you might have to consider resetting your entire network settings. Simply follow the steps below to do so.

• Click on the Start button and then click on the gear-like icon for Settings to open it.
• Next, select Network and Internet.
• Then scroll down and look for “Network Reset” – click on it and then click on the Reset now button.

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.

Hello everyone and welcome to our new Windows 10 tips and tricks article. Today we will be focusing on small Windows tricks that could prove very useful in everyday workflow and hopefully make your life easier by implementing them in your daily routine. I am very excited to share this with you all and I hope that you will use them from now on. That being said let us begin.

Tip 1: Minimize all open windows except one.

Daily to the daily routine can involve many opened windows on a desktop and sometimes things can get messy, if you want to minimize all windows to the taskbar except one do this: Click on one window thus selecting him, click and hold the left mouse button on that windows title bar, now shake it up and down and all other windows will escape down to taskbar leaving only one you are shaking on the desktop.

Tip 2: Open the Secret Windows menu.

Through our tutorials on various errors and fixes, we have used this method already but here it is again since it is worth mentioning. If you want to open the command prompt easy and fast, or device manager, event viewer, shut down, etc. In order to open this secret menu all you need to do is press ⊞ WINDOWS + X.

Tip 3: Create an Event without opening the calendar application.

You can easily create an event without opening a calendar application, all you have to do is left-click on the clock in the taskbar, click once on a date for the event, and under calendar in event field type event description. The event will show in the calendar application like it was entered there.

Tip 4: Taking a screenshot.

This one is my favorite and it speeds up workflow very very much. Typically you take screenshots by pressing the PrntScr button on your keyboard. Now, the problem with this approach is that the screen is placed in computer memory, in the clipboard and you will need another picture processing application in order to save it. Now if you would press ⊞ WINDOWS + PrntScr, the picture would be automatically saved in your pictures/screenshots folder. And if that is not enough, you can press ⊞ WINDOWS + S + SHIFT to start Snip & Sketch tool and select the area which you would like to screen capture, this method will also place pictures in the clipboard.

Tip 5: Open pinned applications in your taskbar with your keyboard.

We have covered this one in our Windows keyboard shortcuts tips and tricks here, but if you missed that article here is the tip again. By pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + number 1,2,3...0 you will start the application from your taskbar counted from left to right.

Tip 6: Check how much Hard drive space installed applications are taking.

Applications and temporary files grow over time and can slow the system and cause some other unpleasant experiences. Go to Settings > System > Storage, click on the Hard drive on which you have installed applications, and see how much each one is taking, you can remove it from this screen also freeing some space.

Tip 7: Remove ads from the START menu.

Windows has so-called suggestions in the START menu, no matter how Microsoft is calling them, let's face it, they are ads and in my opinion, they do not belong in my START menu. To turn them off, go to Settings > Personalization > Start. Toggle the setting called Show suggestions occasionally in Start to the off position.

Tip 8: Shut down background applications.

Some applications are running in the back and are taking system resources and can send telemetry information, if you want to turn them all off go to Settings > Privacy > Background apps. To stop all apps from running in the background, toggle Let apps run in the background to off. You can choose which apps to run in the background individually by going down the list on the same page.

Tip 9: Use Background scrolling.

Did you know that you can scroll on inactive windows? To do this, just hover over the inactive background window and roll your mouse when the content of the window should be scrolling even if it's not one you are working on. If by any chance this is not happening, go to Settings > Devices > Mouse, and toggle Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them to On.

Tip 10: Show file extensions in File Explorer.

By default extensions of files are hidden, so let's say that for example, you are in a folder with pictures, you have plenty of pictures there but you do not know are they JPG or JPEG for example, do not worry there is an easy fix to bring showing extensions back. Start File Explorer, click on view top menu item, click on options, Uncheck the box that says Hide extensions for known file types. Click Apply, and OK.

Tip 11: Use focus assist.

Set it up by going to Settings > System > Focus assist. Choose from three options: Off (get all notifications from your apps and contacts), Priority (see only selected notifications from a priority list that you customize, and send the rest to your action center), and Alarms only (hide all notifications, except for alarms). You can also choose to automatically turn this feature on during certain hours, or when you're playing a game.

Tip 12: Rotate your screen.

If you have multiple screens set up or you have the rotatable screen press and hold CTRL + ALT together, then use a directional arrow to flip the screen. The right and left arrows turn the screen 90 degrees, while the down arrow will flip it upside down. Use the up arrow to bring the screen back to its normal position.

Tip 13: Enable GOD mode.

Have you always felt limited with Windows settings? Don't be, Right-click on the desktop and select New > Folder. Re-name the new folder with this bit of code: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} To enter the "God Mode" window, double-click the folder.

Tip 14: Use Virtual Desktops.

Click on Task View (the icon next to the search box). This will separate all your open windows and apps into icons. You can then drag any of them over to where it says "New desktop," which creates a new virtual desktop. Once you click out of Task View, you can toggle between virtual desktops by pressing the ⊞ WINDOWS + CTRL + right/left arrows. To remove the virtual desktops, just go back into task view and delete the individual virtual desktops, this will not close out the apps contained within that desktop, but rather just send them to the next lower desktop.

Tip 15: Customize the command prompt.

Yes, you can customize the command prompt, in order to do so, open it and right-click on its title bar, choose properties and go wild. Special badge if you make it look like commodore 64 BASIC.

Tip 16: Dictate, not type.

If you have speech recognition ON, pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + H will bring up a voice recorder, just speak and see how you can easily "write" emails, etc.

Tip 17: Use sandbox.

In Windows you have a sandbox option, which will open another Windows instance inside Windows, what do you need this? Well once the sandbox is closed everything in it is closed and if you catch the virus or other dangerous software, closing the sandbox will destroy it not affecting your actual Windows. Use it for safety testing and enjoy an easy life. Enable Windows Sandbox inside the Control Panel.

Tip 18: Use a hidden game bar.

Press the ⊞ WINDOWS + G, you can pull up the new-and-improved Game Bar. This lets you switch your Windows PC into gaming mode, which pools system resources to the game, turns off notifications, and lets you record and broadcast your gaming, along with added panels for controlling your audio, monitoring FPS, and tracking achievements. And that's it, Our 18 tips and trick to make your Windows 10 life easier, more productive, and overall more enjoyable. I certainly hope you have enjoyed reading this article same as I was writing it. Until next time if I do not see you, good afternoon, good evening, and good night.