What Is Phishing And How Can You Protect Yourself From It?
Ever gotten an e-mail offer that seemed just a little bit too good to be true? Might’ve been a phishing attempt! These are everywhere and can come in many different forms.
So what’s phishing exactly, how can you detect it and how can you keep safe?
What is phishing?
Phishing (pronounced like fishing) is a type of cyberattack that tricks the user into trusting the source and revealing sensitive information. Fishing being the perfect analogy, the bait is a legitimate-looking site, e-mail or file and when you take a bite, your identity, banking information and much more can be revealed and stolen.
Credit Anne Nygård on Unsplash
Some phishing attempts are incredibly obvious, others are super elaborate. Like with most types of malware, cybercriminals have become extremely well-versed in phishing and anyone can fall for it. To help you recognize and avoid it, we’ll take you through a couple of phishing types and give you tips on what to do if faced with them.
Phishing techniques
E-mail phishing
This is actually the most common type of phishing. A cybercriminal creates an e-mail containing stuff like attractive offers, legitimate-looking attachments or links and makes it appear as though it’s coming from a trusted source.
Credit Justin Morgan on Unsplash
For example, it looks like it’s coming from your bank or your favorite retailer. The logo looks legit and the structure of the e-mail seems familiar, so you might get tricked into clicking on whatever clickable content is in it.
Unfortunately this exposes your device to malware that hands your data off to the hacker, who can decide what to do with it further.
SMS and social media phishing
Like the above example, you could be approached with lucrative offers or links via text messages or social media messages. Typically, the messages seem relevant to the user as they will be made to look like they’re related to apps or services you’re using.
Voice phishing
Voice phishing attacks are schemes that appear as though they’re coming from a credible number. Normally, you’ll get a call about something related to credit cards or taxes to get you into a state of worry, leading you to disclose personal information on the phone.
Spear phishing, whaling and BEC
Spear phishing normally targets specific individuals within a company who are likely to have access to sensitive data. Spear phishers spend time collecting information they can use to reach out to the individual looking as trustworthy as possible. They’ll typically lead with something relevant, for example mentioning an upcoming company event, and make a seemingly legitimate request.
Whaling is a more elaborate form of spear phishing, which targets people in even stronger positions such as executives or high-value individuals. The ultimate goal is to get them to transfer financial or other sensitive information that can be used to compromise the entire business.
Credit Azamat E on Unsplash
BEC, or Business e-mail compromise, is a specific spear phishing technique carried out via e-mail. While there are many ways this is done, most commonly you’ll see instances where the phisher poses as a CEO or similar executive, or as a lower-level employee in specific positions (e.g. sales managers or financial controllers).
In the first situation, the impersonator reaches out to employees requesting them to transfer certain files or pay invoices. In the second situation, the phisher takes control of the employee’s e-mail account and sends false instructions to other employees in order to obtain data and information from them.
What can you do?
There are many ways you can be aware and spot a phishing attempt. Here are some tips:
Always check the sender’s address in your e-mails, even when they seem to come from a familiar source.
In any instance where payment information is requested, be very, very careful.
If you are receiving attachments you never asked for and definitely didn’t expect, better not click on them.
Beware of content that transmits a sense of urgency (sales deals, urgent updates to login credentials, etc.).
Bad spelling and grammar are usually a telltale sign of phishing.
Links that look shortened (e.g. Bit.ly) or just suspicious in general - if you have a bad feeling, do not click on them.
If you are receiving threats, you probably shouldn’t be clicking on anything in that message.
Always examine first-time senders in detail.
Block suspicious e-mail addresses, numbers and social media accounts.
If you are receiving a coupon for free stuff… You aren’t.
If you’re being asked to update your payment details by a service you use, such as Netflix, chances are it’s an impersonator.
Those are some of the ways to identify and prevent phishing attacks. However, sometimes phishers disguise themselves a little too well or a misclick happens and there you go - you’ve been exposed to malware.
Credit FLYD on Unsplash
This won’t happen if you invest in powerful protection software from the get-go, though. A good antivirus program like Bitdefender will keep you safe from becoming a victim of phishing scams. In fact, it will protect you from malicious attacks overall.
Be it your household or your business you’re concerned about, there are a bunch of different packages and options available, providing different kinds of cybersecurity services. That’s the only way you can ever really be sure you aren’t at risk of a digital attack.
Summary
Have you ever been targeted by phishers and didn’t know that’s what it was until you read this article? Many can relate. Protect yourself before it’s too late!
There are times when you upgrade or install Windows 10 on an old computer and the Aspect Ratio of the screen is in a mess. This issue occurs when a new Windows version does not support the GPU or the driver does not work in Windows 10. And in such cases, Windows uses a generic driver which does not support all the resolution as well as the correct aspect ratio. So in this post, you will be guided on how you can fix the issues with the screen aspect ratio in Windows 10.
It could be that your screen has an aspect ratio of 16:9 but after the upgrade, you changed to screen resolution, and is now set to 16:!0. And later on, you found that you are unable to go back to the previous aspect ratio. Thus, you will notice that everything on the screen might look stretched. You might be wondering if it’s possible to change the aspect ratio in Windows 10 directly even if the GPU does not have the compatible driver, well it really isn’t. However there is another way to resolve the problem. Refer to the options given below to get started.
Option 1 – Try using the Compatibility Mode
The first thing you can do is to run the driver in a Compatibility Mode. Follow the steps below to do so:
You need to download the driver and place it on your desktop.
After that, right-click on it and select Properties.
Next, switch to the Compatibility tab where you should see two options:
Compatibility troubleshooter, and let Windows figure out what works best for you. If it fails, follow the next.
Manually choose the version of Windows it was correctly working.
You also have the option to change the DPI settings and see if that helps. Then click the Apply and OK buttons.
Now right-click on the file and select the “Run as administrator” option to install. After that, you should now be able to change your screen aspect ratio to what you were using early on.
Note: If you have other programs that won’t work on the existing version of Windows, then make sure to run the program in a Compatibility mode.
Option 2 – Try to run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
You might also want to run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. This built-in troubleshooter is available in the Windows Update & Security section. From there, select Troubleshoot. This will find a list of programs for you and since you have already downloaded the driver files, just click on Not Listed located at the top of the program list. After that, browse and select the driver files and then let the program do its job.
Option 3 – Update or rollback your device drivers
If the first option didn’t work for you, then it’s time to either update or roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.
Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.
Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.
If you are familiar with the Dynamic Lock feature in Windows 10, then it has probably made it easier for you to lock your computer the instant you move away from it. This interesting feature does not need any special software like IR Cameras to use this feature as long as your Windows 10 computer supports Bluetooth which it most likely does. However there are times when the Dynamic lock feature is either missing or not working. When that happens, here are some suggestions that could help you. But before anything else, you need to create a System Restore point first since you will be modifying some critical system settings as well as registry files. After you’ve created a System Restore point, refer to the following options below to fix the issue with Dynamic Lock.
Option 1 – Try using the Settings app
Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings app and then navigate to Accounts > Sing-in options.
After that, scroll down until you see the Dynamic Lock section.
Next, make sure that the checkbox for “Allow Windows to automatically lock your device when you are away” is checked.
Now that you’re all set, exit the Settings app.
Note: If for some reason the above-given solution didn’t work, you can try the next options below.
Option 2 – Try to pair your Bluetooth Device
If you get a message saying, “Allow Windows to automatically lock your device when you are away” in the Notifications Center or in the Settings app, then you need to pair your Bluetooth device. To do so, follow the steps below.
Go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices.
From there, make sure that Bluetooth is turned On and then pair your Bluetooth device.
And if you open the Windows Defender Security Center, you will see the following message as well.
Simply click on the Add Bluetooth device button and it will open the Bluetooth settings where you can also pair the device.
Option 3 – Try to reinstall or update the Bluetooth driver
The issue might have something to do with the Bluetooth drivers. It could be that it is outdated and needs to be updated or that you recently updated it and since then you have trouble removing the Bluetooth device and so to fix the issue, you can update, roll back or uninstall the Bluetooth drivers. How? Follow the steps below.
Tap the Win + X keys to open the Device Manager.
Next, look for the Bluetooth device and right-click on it.
Select the option “Update driver”.
After that, a new popup window will appear. In there, select the option, “Search automatically for updated driver software”.
Note: Checking the update may take a few minutes so you’ll have to wait until it finishes. If it is able to find an update, you must install it. And if you want to reinstall the Bluetooth driver, just select the “Uninstall driver” option and follow the next on-screen instructions that follow.
Option 4 – Try to use the Registry Editor
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed.
After that, navigate to the following registry key:
Next, look for a DWORD named “EnableGoodbye” located on the right-side panel and then make sure that its value is set to 1 which means that it is enabled while 0 indicates disabled.
Now close the Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the changes made successfully.
Option 5 – Try checking the Group Policy setting
If your Windows 10 version has the Group Policy Editor, you can use it to fix the Dynamic Lock issue as well. Simply follow the steps below to use it.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
Next, navigate to the following path:
Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsWindows Hello for Business
After that, look for an entry named “Configure dynamic lock factors” and double click on it to open a new window.
Once you enable this Group Policy setting, the signal rules will be evaluated to detect the absence of a user and will lock the device automatically. On the other hand, if you disable or don’t configure this setting, you can continue locking your computer with existing locking options. Take note that it may be Not configured or Enabled but shouldn’t be set to Disabled.
Now select the radio button for Enabled and set the Signal rules then click OK.
Then exit the Group Policy Editor and restart your computer.
Dsound.dll is a type of Dynamic Link Library. This is one of the many files that are associated with DirectX software. And DirectX software is used by most Windows-based games.
Dsound.dll contains small programs that help run and load Windows-based games on your system.
The Dsound.dll error pops when Windows-based games are unable to load and run on the computer.
The error code appears on the screen in one of the following formats:
"The file dsound.dll is missing"
"File dsound.dll not found"
"Dsound.dll not found. Reinstalling might help fix this."
"Dsound.DLL Not Found"
Solution
Error Causes
Dsound.dll error is generated due to multiple reasons. These include:
Corrupt, damaged, or missing Dsound.dll file
Malware infection
Outdated drivers
To play the games on your computer, it is important to fix the Dsound.dll error immediately.
Further Information and Manual Repair
To resolve Dsound.dll error at home on your own without hiring a professional and spending hundreds of dollars in repair, here are some methods you can try:
Method 1 - Restart Your PC to Resolve
Sometimes the error may be a fluke and can be resolved by simply restarting your PC. So, before you try other methods, it is recommended that you restart your system first.
If it resolves the issue, then that’s great. If it doesn’t, then try other methods given below!
Method 2 - Reinstall the Deleted Dsound.dll File
Since DLL files are shared files, there is a possibility that while uninstalling a game on your PC, you might have accidentally deleted this file too.
If so, check your recycle bin and search for the deleted file. If you locate it, simply restore it. But if you can’t, then download the Dsound.dll file from a reliable DLL website. Make sure that the site is authentic because the last thing you want is to download malware instead of a DLL file.
Method 3 - Update Driver for Your Video Card
If Dsound.dll error occurs because of outdated drivers, then update them to resolve. You can do this by using a driver update wizard from within Device Manager. The wizard will guide you through the process, making updates simple.
Method 4 - Remove Malware
Download a powerful antivirus to scan and remove malware from your system. A malware infection can trigger a Dsound.dll error too.
Method 5 - Uninstall the Game and then reinstall it again
Try uninstalling the game during which you experienced this error. Sometimes the error may pop because of improper game installation. Uninstall it and then reinstall it. Once you’ve reinstalled it, try accessing it again. If it is accessible, the error is resolved.
Method 6 - Repair the Registry
DLL errors are also related to the registry. These files can get damaged if the registry gets loaded with junk files and cookies. In such as situation clean and repair the registry. You can do this manually but it can be time-consuming and tricky if you are not technically sound.
Therefore download Restoro. It is a powerful and user-friendly PC Fixer embedded with a registry cleaner. The registry cleaner scans and removes all junk files clean the registry and repairs damaged DLL files immediately.
Click here to download Restoro and resolve error Dsound.dll today!
Microsoft has implemented a number of small features in Windows 10 to enhance user productivity. These features make a difference in the overall experience and productivity of users. However, there are times that instead of helping users, these small feature causes some issues instead which causes the computer to function in an unusual way. One of the issues caused by these features is where the Mouse automatically scrolls up or down even without any user intervention. This can get really annoying especially when you’re doing an important task on your computer. So if this bug takes place repeatedly, it can make your computer unusable. If you are currently facing this problem, worry not for this post will guide you on what to do to fix the mouse auto-scrolling issue in your Windows 10 computer.
Use the options provided below to fix the mouse auto-scrolling issue.
Option 1 – Try to toggle the appropriate Mouse 10 setting
Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings app.
After that, navigate to Devices > Mouse.
From there, toggle the “Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them” setting to off.
Now restart your computer and see if the issue is resolved.
Option 2 – Try to uninstall the installed Windows Updates recently
The mouse issue might have something to do with a recent update you have installed on your computer. It is possible that there are some recently installed updates that have messed up some settings in your computer. Thus, you can try to uninstall this recent Windows Update to try and fix the problem. Not that the best way to do this is in Safe Mode.
Boot your computer into Safe Mode first.
Once your computer has restarted, tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings app.
Next, click on Update and Security, and from the left side menu column, select Windows Update.
After that, select the “View installed update history” option on the right-side column.
Then click on Uninstall Updates. This will open a window where you’ll see the list of all the installed updates on your computer.
Select the update you want to uninstall and click on the Uninstall button located in the lower-right corner of the window.
Option 3 – Try to run System Restore
You might have made some adjustments in your computer’s settings that caused the issue with the mouse. You can undo those changes using System Restore.
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 then check if your mouse is now back to its normal state.
Over the years, the Windows 10 updates have smoothened but that does not mean that it no longer encounter some issues. One of these issues is when it gets stuck. As you know, Windows automatically checking for updates regularly or when you click the “Check for updates” button. However, if the Windows 10 update is taking forever and seems to be stuck, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on what you can do to resolve the problem.
This kind of scenario in Windows Updates can be quite confusing especially since there is no response or any indication of what is really happening since you don’t know if the update is still downloading or if it’s already getting installed. To resolve this problem, there are several options you can check out. You can try to exit settings and restart your computer. You could also try to restart the services related to Windows Update or clear both the Software Distribution and Catroot2 folders, as well as run a System File Checker scan. For more details follow each one of the given steps below.
Option 1 – Restart your computer
The most basic thing you can do to fix the problem is to restart your computer. It usually works in fixing common issues like the Windows Update getting stuck at the “Checking for updates” screen. However, if it didn’t work, proceed to the next given options below.
Option 2 – Reset Windows Update components
If the first two options did not work then you might want to reset the Windows Update components manually. Follow the steps below to reset them.
Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptsvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS, and MSI Installer.
After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below, and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
net start wuauserv
net start cryptsvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.
Option 3 – Try checking Services Dependencies
Dependencies of a Windows Service in Windows 10 are when windows services depend on other services. Such is the case with the Windows Update service – it also depends on three different services such as the Remote Procedure Call or RPC service, DCOM Server Process Launcher, and the RPC Endpoint Mapper. Meaning to say, if two of these services are not working as expected, then the dependent service will also be affected. This could be the reason why the Windows Update service could not start.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
From the list of Services, look for the following services:
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service
DCOM Server Process Launcher
RPC Endpoint Mapper
After you find these services, double click on each one of them and check whether the Startup type for all is set to Automatic and the Service status is set to Running or not.
If the service status is not running, then click the Start button. Afterward, check if you can now run the Windows Update service.
Option 4 – Check the Background Intelligent Service and the Cryptographic Service
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
From the list of Services, look for the following services and make sure that their Startup type is as follows:
Background Intelligent Transfer Service – Manual
Cryptographic Service – Automatic
After that, check if the Service status of the listed services above is set to Running. If they’re not, click on the Start button to start these services and then check if you can now enable the Windows Update service or not.
Option 5 – Try running 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 to good system files that might be the cause why your screen is stuck at “Checking for updates”. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.
Tap Win + R to launch Run.
Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow
The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
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.
This post will guide you on what to do if your keyboard shortcuts or hotkeys are not working on your Windows 10 computer. A lot of users use hotkeys as they make things easier for them as they use their computer. However, there are instances when these hotkeys suddenly stop working. It’s actually one of the most common problems with keyboards. And so to resolve this problem, you can try out some suggestions prepared on this post.
Option 1 – Clean the keyboard keys physically
Your keyboard might not be working properly due to some dirt or other corrosion. First, you need to shut down your computer and then unplug the keyboard if you are using a desktop computer and then prepare it for cleaning. After that, use a small cotton ear cleaning tool to get between the creases and clean them. You can dip it slightly in alcohol to make it more efficient in cleaning dust and dirt. And if you can, you have the option to pull apart the keyboard completely and then wipe away all the corrosion from the inside. Once you’re done, put the keyboard back together and then plug it back into your PC. Now turn your PC on and check if the hotkeys are now working.
Option 2 – Try running the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
The first thing you can do to fix the problem is by running the Hardware Troubleshooter. Although it won’t make much of a difference, there’s still a possibility that it could automatically fix the problem with these function keys. To use it, refer to these steps:
The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.
Option 3 – Try connecting the keyboard to a different USB port
The problem might have something to do with the USB port that’s currently in use by your keyboard. It could be that it’s not working so it makes sense to unplug it and attach it to another USB port. You can also clean the USB port on both ends to ensure that they are not affected by corrosion.
If you have been previously using another keyboard, it might be better if you make sure that the software for the old device has been removed since there are instances when multiple software can cause problems due to similarities in actions.
Option 5 – Update the keyboard driver
You can also update the keyboard driver to fix the problem. There are cases when an outdated or corrupted driver can fix the problem. To do so, follow the steps below.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.
From there, look for the keyboard driver and click on it.
Next, right-click on the keyboard driver and select the Update driver option.
After that, click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option to proceed.
Option 6 – Reinstall the keyboard driver
If updating the keyboard driver didn’t help, then you might want to reinstall it. How? Follow the steps below.
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. Look for keyboard driver, right-click on it and then select “Uninstall device”.
After that, unplug the device and restart your PC.
Then plug your device back in. Assuming your device is connected to your PC, open the Device Manager again.
Next, click on the Action button and click the Scan for hardware changes button. That should fix the problem.
Note: You could also completely uninstall the driver and go directly to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver for your hardware and then install it.
Option 7 – Enable Human Interface Device (HID) Service
Another thing to consider is the Human Interface Device Service. If this service is disabled, then no wonder why your hotkeys are not working. Thus, you need to enable this service. Refer to the following steps to do that:
Tap the Win + R key to launch the Run dialog box.
Then type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Services.
After opening Services, scroll down until you see the Human Interface Device service.
Double click on HID and make sure that its Startup Type is set to “Automatic” and then click OK.
Restart your PC and check if the hotkeys are now working or not.
Option 8 – Try resetting the keyboard
You might also want to try resetting the keyboard as it can also help in fixing the problem. Setting it back to its default state will surely help.
If a program tried and failed to use the Graphics rendering capabilities of a computer, Windows 10 will most likely throw a Blue Screen error that says, “ THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER ”. 0x000000EA is the Stop code for this particular Blue Screen error and could be caused by a bad display driver or bad video card. Whatever the cause is, here are some suggestions you need to check out to resolve this Blue Screen error.
Option 1 – Try to rollback, update, or disable the Graphics card drivers
Since the THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER Blue Screen error has something to do with Graphics card drivers, you can either roll back, update or disable them depending on your preference in order to resolve the error.
First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
Type in devmgmt.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.
Note: You also have the option to 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.
Option 2 – Try removing hardware or drivers that you’ve installed recently
If you have recently installed some hardware or drivers, you might want to disable or remove them since external devices are proven to be one of the factors that trigger Blue Screen errors like THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER. All you have to do is physically disconnect any external devices that are connected to your computer and then check if it fixes the BSOD error or not.
Option 3 – Run System File Checker at boot time
Once you get to the Welcome Screen part, click on Next.
Afterward, click on the Repair your computer option located on the bottom-left part of the window.
Then click on Troubleshoot.
Next, select the Advanced Options and then Command Prompt.
After opening Command Prompt, type the “sfc /scannow” command and hit Enter to run the System File Checker scan.
Wait until the process is completed and type “exit” to close Command Prompt and then restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.
Option 4 – Try to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter
As you know, the Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like the THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER error. 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.
After that, 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 5 – Try to manually check the Graphics Card hardware
You might also want to check the physical status of your Graphics card and you can do this by disconnecting the Graphics card or any other external device connected to your computer. Once you’ve removed the external device, check it for any damages. If there’s none, connect it back to your computer and check if the THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER Blue Screen error is fixed or not.
Option 6 – Uninstall any faulty drivers
You can also uninstall any faulty drivers via Device Manager. How? Refer to these steps:
Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run dialog box.
Then type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Device Manager.
From there, look for any faulty drivers. You can identify them easily as they will be marked with a yellow exclamation point. And then check which entries would not affect the normal functioning of your PC.
Now click on the entries of every faulty driver and click on the Uninstall option.
Once you’ve uninstalled them, restart your computer to allow your computer to reinstall the faulty drivers you’ve just removed.
This specific Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 error code has to do with the number of times you can use your license number to install windows programs on computers. All windows activation codes are licensed to be used one time for a device, to control piracy, but what happens when your PC crashes, or you have to change a hard drive component and are forced to re-install Windows Operating System. Luckily, there is an easy fix for this issue.
Solution
Error Causes
Basically, when you need to re-install the Windows operating system that you have previously bought and installed on another computer an error code will be displayed with a message telling you that the activation server determined that the specific key could not be used for activation. This occurs because the key has already been used on that computer, or a different one, to install operating systems. There are a few easy fixes for this issue, and most of them should be easily completed on your own.
Further Information and Manual Repair
There aren’t many explanatory ways to repair Error Code 0xc004c008. Below are two methods to go about addressing this issue.
Methods 1:
The first step is to open the “Run” Window. You can do this in two ways. First, press the “Window” key and press the “R” key simultaneously. This will open the “Run” menu. Or you can start the “run” window by going to the Start menu and selecting Run.
In the Run window type “SLUI 4” and click enter.
A Phone Activation window will open up, after which you'll need to select a few options.
First chose the country in which you registered the product for the first time.
Choose your country and a phone number will be displayed specific to your choice. You will now need to call the number provided.
After you’ve dialed you will be prompted to write your “Installation ID”. Type your “Installation ID” on the phone.
After that step, you will be asked how many copies of Windows have been installed using this license. Choose “1”, should anything else be chosen but “1”, this will not work.
After the process is completed, you will be given a confirmation ID and should be able to proceed as normal with installation. You will have a workable product key again.
Install whatever copy of the Windows Operating System you are attempting to with the new product key.
Method 2:
If the first method did not work, the only other option is to call Microsoft and walk through the process with a technician. To do this, dial “1-800-936-5700”. Explain the error that you received and the steps in the update process during which it was displayed. The technician will be able to walk through the steps from getting a new product key to finishing the installation.
If you're not a tech-savvy individual but would like to solve this problem without the aid of a technician, download a powerful automated tool to fix error code 0xc004c008.
If you are trying to upgrade your computer but encounter the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003 instead, then read on as this post will guide you in fixing this Windows Update error. This kind of error is commonly encountered when upgrading your copy of Windows 10 and is caused by errors with various developer-related settings that are being enabled in the system.
When you encounter Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003, you will see either of these error messages:
“We couldn’t install Windows 10. The installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during INSTALL_UPDATES operation: Error 0x800F081F”“The installation failed in the Safe_OS phase with an error during apply_image operation: Error: 0x800f081f – 0x20003”
To fix this kind of Windows Update error, you need not use external programs but you can try to disable the Developer Mode, run the Windows Update troubleshooter or restart all the Windows Update-related services and components. For more details, refer to the options provided below.
Option 1 – Try to disable Developer Mode
You might have to disable Developer Mode to fix the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003. How? Refer to these steps:
Tap the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
Next, go to Update & Security > For Developers.
From there, select the toggle for Sideload apps or Microsoft Store apps located on the right-side panel.
If you get any prompt, just click on Yes.
After that, navigate to Apps > Apps & features and then click on Optional features on the right-side panel.
Then scroll down to locate the Windows Developer Mode entry and select it and click on Uninstall.
Once you’re done uninstalling the Windows Developer Mode component, close the Settings app and restart your computer to apply the changes made.
Option 2 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
You should also try to run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter as it could help you resolve the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003. 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 restarting various Windows Update-related services and components
Tap the Win + X key combination and select Command Prompt (Admin) to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
After opening Command Prompt, copy and paste each one of the commands listed below one by one and tap Enter right after you enter each command.
Once you’ve entered all the commands given above, they will stop all the Windows Update services that are running on your computer as well as clear the SoftwareDistribution folder, and reset the Catroot2 folder. Now you have to start all these Windows Update services you’ve just stopped by executing the following commands:
net start wuauserv
net start bits
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc
After that, restart your computer and try to run the setup again, and see if the error is now fixed.
