Protect Your PC With These 6 Reliable Security Products
What software are you using to keep your information and all your files and memories safe?
None? Yikes. Let’s hope no damage has been done to your data yet then. Because with how the digital world has evolved, your data might be getting leaked and you have no idea.
Why do you need to invest in security software?
There’s really no good excuse not to purchase a quality platform for PC protection. Especially since top security solutions are available at such affordable prices nowadays, your wallet would barely even notice it.
At this point, only people who barely use their PCs and have zero sensitive information on them can get away with simply using the built-in Windows 10/11 security software. But we guarantee that those people are extremely hard to find and that you’re not one of them, and here’s why.
Even if you don’t use your computer for things that are very obviously sensitive, such as internet banking, you still have some personal data at risk of being stolen. How so? Well, think about the data you enter into your social media profiles, for example. How devastating would it be if somebody got a hold of any of it? Yep, that’s what we thought.
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In the hands of a skilled cybercriminal, your phone number alone could put you at risk of scams, ransomware, identity theft and more. Also think about the stuff you share in texts and social media chats. Think about the websites you visit and how many times you may have accidentally clicked on an ad, which could very well contain malicious software. Those all seem harmless until someone’s actually used them against you.
Now imagine the dangers involved when you actually store truly confidential data on your PC and browsers. Sends shivers down your spine, doesn’t it?
In the case of a successful cyberattack of whatever type (virus, phishing, worms, etc.), there’s so much that is at stake. Businesses/legal persons will suffer from financial loss and damaged reputation, at the very least. Natural persons may be threatened or exploited, get their banking or medical information and even their identity stolen, etc. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
These are our biggest reasons for investing in Windows PC protection software:
Cyberthreats are constantly evolving to the point where built-in or free software won’t cut it anymore.
Those working remotely can have peace of mind knowing both personal and business data is completely secure.
Businesses using top security solutions ensure their customers trust them.
Data breaches are a pain in the you-know-what to handle. Fighting a cyberattack and going back to normal is a demanding process, and not to mention the stress it’ll cause. We’d rather prevent all that by using trustworthy security products!
It helps parents worry a little less about their children’s safety in the online world.
Added bonus: with most products, you get an ad-free browsing experience!
Obviously, there are a lot more reasons to get your PC secured. But we think you get it. So let’s cut to the chase and take a look at our 6 favorite protection solutions and the wonders they can do for you.
*Note that in this article we’re looking at products primarily suited for households and home offices, some for small businesses. No enterprise solutions will make the list today, but stay tuned for a future article on those.
Top 6 best PC protection solutions
1. Bitdefender Total & Internet Security\
One of the biggest security product vendors out there, Bitdefender offers several awesome solutions. We want to introduce two of our favorites, Bitdefender Total Security and Bitdefender Internet Security.
Bitdefender Total Security is great for both households and smaller offices. You can choose to protect 5 or 10 devices, and not necessarily just Windows devices. It also works for macOS, Android and iOS. It offers a range of powerful features, such as:
Real-time data protection
Webcam and microphone protection
Device optimization options
Anti-phishing/-fraud/-spam technology
Ransomware protection
Anti-loss and anti-theft tools
VPN and privacy firewall
Anti-tracking technology
Parental controls
24/7 support
Bitdefender Internet Security shares almost all of these features, but there are a few important differences to note. Unlike Total Security, Internet Security has more options in terms of the number of protected devices: 1, 3, 5 or 10. However it’s only compatible with the Windows platform and it doesn’t offer device optimization tools or anti-theft options. Whether or not this is a deal-breaker depends on your needs alone - we still find it a great security tool.
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2. ESET Internet Security
An award-winning Windows security product, ESET Internet Security is essential on this list. It has an outstanding protection rate of 99.9% and a range of amazing options you’ll definitely want to make use of. It can be installed on up to 10 devices, making it an awesome tool for your household, home office or a small business. It’s also compatible with macOS and Android.
These are ESET Internet Security’s best features:
Protection against ransomware and spyware
Protection against malware specifically designed to avoid detection
In-depth scans when the computer is not in use
Firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your PC
Anti-spam tool
Anti-phishing and botnet protection technologies
Tool to scan your router and smart devices for vulnerabilities
Special browser for secure internet banking
Parental controls
Prevention of unauthorized webcam access
If you ask us, ESET has it all!
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3. Kaspersky Total & Internet Security
Having a deja vu? Didn’t you just read Total Security and Internet Security somewhere? Oh, that’s right - the first entry on our list! But here we’re talking about Kaspersky, a vendor you’ve also definitely heard about before.
Just like Bitdefender, Kaspersky is another one of those renowned names in the cybersecurity world that always make it to every ‘best of’ list. And for good reason - its products really fulfill their purpose. So let’s take a closer look at the two we chose.
These are the features both Kaspersky Total Security and Kaspersky Internet Security have in common:
Real-time virus and spyware blocking
Webcam protection
Wi-Fi security notifications
Advanced identity theft protection
Free technical support on several channels
Remote security management
Multiple devices (up to 10)
The main difference between Kaspersky Total Security and Internet Security is that the former offers more capabilities. These are the features KTS offers that KIS does not:
System cleanup
File shredding
Password management
Data backup and encryption
Both are excellent security tools, though we do prefer KTS a little more because of these additional options.
4. Norton 360 Deluxe
Of course one of the industry-leading solutions makes the list. Norton 360 Deluxe can protect up to 5 devices, be it Windows, iOS, macOS or Android. It’s worth noting that its features are best developed for Windows. Here’s what you get with Norton 360 Deluxe:
Protection against viruses, hackers, malware
100% virus protection promise
VPN included for all devices
Unlimited VPN on Windows
Password manager
Parental controls
So is there anything aside from these standard protection features that makes it such a favorite among us techies? Let us tell you! Norton added a little bit of spice here with two really powerful capabilities. The Deluxe product offers 50GB of cloud backup and dark web monitoring. The latter means the software notifies you if any of your personal information is found on the dark web, which helps protect you against identity theft.
Credit Luke Peters on Unsplash
5. McAfee Antivirus
Don’t be misled by the name of this product. Antivirus software may have started as protection against viruses only, but it’s developed quite a lot. The name simply stuck. All that to say that McAfee Antivirus - another award-winning security solution - protects you against several different threats.
The basic and essential plan allow 1 and 5 devices respectively, while McAfee+ Premium and Advanced work on an unlimited number of devices. The latter two also offer more capabilities, as you can imagine. Here’s what you can expect from all of them:
Secure unlimited VPN
File shredder to delete sensitive files completely
Ultimate safety while browsing
Protection against hackers
100% virus protection promise
Advanced firewall to block dangerous traffic
Online support from specialists
Protection score (shows how safe you are and detects vulnerabilities)
Identity monitoring (notifies you if any of your information is on the dark web)
Password management
Unlike the previous products, McAfee Antivirus does not offer parental controls. Otherwise it’s a pretty strong and comprehensive protection tool and might just be the right choice for you!
6. Trend Micro Maximum Security
Last but definitely not least, we’ve got Maximum Security by Trend Micro. And yes, you guessed it, Trend Micro is also an award winner in terms of cybersecurity. Its products have been recognized as industry-leading security solutions by AV-Test since 2003. Among all its fantastic solutions, our favorite for households or small offices is Maximum Security.
You can use Trend Micro Maximum Security to protect 3-5 devices for a year or two years before needing to renew your license. Aside from Windows, it’s compatible with iOS, Android, Mac and Chromebook devices. Here’s what you can expect from this protection software:
Powerful malware protection
Phishing detection and prevention (email)
Password management and protection
Maximum security for online banking and shopping
System optimization
Social media privacy protection
Parental controls
24/7 technical support
No notifications during gaming
It’s truly one of the most effective platforms out there dedicated to protecting your digital life. Using this product, ransomware, identity thieves and malicious websites don’t stand a chance.
The bottom line
If you’ve made it all the way here, congratulations, you’ve made the right choice: to invest in securing your valuable data! Now the question is: which one of these 6 awesome antivirus/antimalware products to select?
The paradox of choice is a very real thing - we feel you. As mentioned, it comes down to what your specific needs are. So before you go ahead and purchase your security software, make sure to explore all options.
And if you really can’t handle the decision-making anxiety, feel free to reach out. We’ll happily assist you in finding the right product to keep your digital life secure!
This post will guide you on how you can fix the Error 0x80070079. This kind of error mostly occurs during the transfer of files across the networks. It could be caused by several factors which include the incorrect configuration of drivers or the network, as well as deadlock state or the server is loaded with a lot of tasks and if any location is not available. This error could also appear when you try to create a System Image or copy or move files on your computer. Here’s the full context of the error message:
“Error 0x80070079: The semaphore timeout period has expired.”
To fix this error, you can try to run the three built-in Network-related troubleshooters or update or reinstall the network adapter drivers or perform a network reset. For more details, follow the options laid out below.
Option 1 – Try to run the three built-in Network-related troubleshooters
The first thing you could do to fix the problem is to run any of the three built-in troubleshooters related to Networks such as Incoming Connections, Network Adapter, and Shared Folders troubleshooters. To access them, just open the Windows Settings app, and go to Update & security > Troubleshoot. From there, run any or each one of the aforementioned troubleshooters.
Option 2 – Update the Network Adapter drivers
You might also want to update the Network Adapter drivers by following these steps:
Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “MSC” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand them.
Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and update them all.
Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the BSOD error.
Note: If updating the network drivers didn’t help in fixing the “Windows could not find a driver for your network adapter” error, you can also try to uninstall the very same drivers and restart your Windows 10 PC. After that, the system itself will reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled. Alternatively, you can also download and install the drivers from the manufacturer’s website directly.
To reinstall the network adapter driver, refer to these steps:
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.
Option 3 – Perform a Network Reset
Network Reset is a feature in Windows 10 that will help you reinstall the Network adapters as well as reset the Networking Components back to their original settings.
Open the Start Menu and click on the Settings icon.
Next, click on the Status link on the left side where you should see the status of your Network. Aside from that, you should also see a link that will let you open the Network Troubleshooter – click on that link to expand Network Troubleshooter.
Under Network Troubleshooter, select the link for “Network reset”.
After you click on Network reset, it should redirect you to the following page. From there, click on the Reset now button.
Recent Windows updates have been slowly but surely moved a lot of control panel features into settings. This indicates that in the long term goal is probably to get rid of the control panel altogether. No matter how the setting app is easy to use and good there are still things in the control panel that we need and we will still need until they are all moved in the setting application.
There are several ways to open and get to the control panel from run dialog to shortcut keys but one perhaps more convenient and easiest way is to just simply have in file explorer right beside hard drives double click away.
In order to place the control panel icon inside file explorer, we will need the help of our old friend: the registry editor. As always playing with the registry editor can cause some instability and it is always a smart thing to back up it first before attempting any kind of edits.
Registry editor adding a key
To open registry editor press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog and inside type in REGEDIT followed by ENTER
Once the registry editor is opened locate the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer
Right-click on the NameSpace folder on the left navigation pane and then select New > Key
Rename the key with {21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} (This CLSID code will add access to the Category view of the Windows 10 Control Panel) or with {26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683} (This CLSID code will add access to the large icons view of the Windows 10 Control Panel)
Save and exit the registry editor
Now when opened, file explorer will show a control panel icon for easy access.
If this unfortunate COVID-19 worldwide pandemic has managed to teach us, I would argue it is that our health is the most important thing. So in that spirit, we will continue in this article reviewing some of the best fitness trackers that can be found in the time of writing this article in 2021.
Now the market for fitness trackers is not small by any means and offerings are also not small, from no-name manufacturers costing only a few bucks to more serious one’s going slightly over 100 USD there is a fitness tracker for everyone.
In this particular article, we will not focus on cheap few dollars no-name ones, instead, we will be offering top ones in the field among some in the middle range simply because we can stand behind them considering quality and precision.
Fitbit Charge 4 fitness and activity tracker
Fitbit is not a pioneer company in the world of fitness trackers and it shows. Charge 4 model offers maybe the best quality, performance, and features for its price. It stands out with implemented GPS meaning that you will need your phone for tracking workouts. It also offers step tracking, sleep tracking, automatic workout-tracking, active zone minutes, etc.
It weighs 30g and has 1 inch grayscale OLED. Battery life is said to hold up to 4 days if you use built-in GPS regularly, if you decide to use GPS constantly device will last only 5 hours. Without GPS it can last up to 7 days and it is water-resistant and waterproof up to 50 meters.
Amazfit Band 5
Amazon’s offering of fitness tracker is aimed at beginners and as such, it is lacking some advanced features including an automated working tracker or GPS, also the model does not have replaceable bands so customization is not an option.
It does however offer activity and sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring and it is the only model that integrates with Alexa. The manufacturer states that the battery can last up to 15 days depending on usage which places Amazfit Band 5 as a device that has a longer life of use.
The device itself is packed with a 1.1-inch color OLED and it weights 12g. It is splash-resistant, not water-resistant.
Xiaomi Mi Band 6
Xiaomi tracker is the best budget version on this list including in it 30 sport modes like running, cycling, yoga, swimming, and more. Battery life is not bad also packing up to 14 days of life but only if the device is not used constantly.
It has activity and sleep tracking, a heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, customizable replicable bands and it is water-resistant up to 50m.
It comes in a 1.56 inch AMOLED color display and it weighs 63g. The device also has menstrual health tracking making it a great device for women.
Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 fitness tracker
Now we are getting into serious and little more expensive ones. Galaxy Fit 2 is among the top-notch trackers currently on the market. It of course can work along with Samsung’s smartwatches and mobile phones. Packed in the military-grade 1.1-inch casing with color AMOLED and weighing 91g with battery life up to 21 days and water resistance up to 50m this bracelet is an absolute beast.
It comes packed with features from standard sleep tracking to automated workout-tracking but it also has a connection to Samsung’s Health mobile app to choose from over 90 workouts, it monitors heart rate and stress levels making it really one of the complete solutions for serious fitness enthusiasts.
Garmin Vivosmart 4 fitness tracker
Last on our list is Garmin vivosmart 4. The device itself is not very impressive, 7 days battery life with 0.7 inch OLED display and 17g weight packed with 50m water resistance is nothing spectacular, Samsung’s model is packing better hardware and way more battery life but all of the mentioned devices fall flat if we compare software to Garvin.
Garvin’s Vivosmart 4 software is best on the list, it keeps track of your steps, sleep, calories burned, floors climbed, various exercises, and heart rate as standard features but you'll have advanced sleep tracking with REM sleep. It can also gauge blood oxygen saturation levels during the night with its wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor. In addition, a relaxation breathing timer complements the all-day stress tracking feature. Lastly, the "Body Battery" monitor helps optimize your daily activities based on your energy levels making it truly the only complete tracking solution on this list.
That's it for our review of fitness trackers of today, be sure to come back each day to find more interesting articles and tips for your everyday digital life.
Symptoms of a blue screen of death problem are easy to identify: if you have a blue screen error, then your computer will display a blue screen.
Also known as the infamous “Blue Screen of Death”, this screen will pop up when something goes horribly wrong with your computer. The screen displays cryptic information about the problem before automatically restarting the system.
Bluescreen Of Death Errors Solution
Download Available To Completely Repair Blue Screen of Death Errors
Recommended: Download the Automatic Repair Utility to correct this and other PC performance issues.
Bluescreen Error Causes
This one can be a bit more complex: blue screens are caused by hundreds of different things. In fact, any miscommunication between the hardware and software of the computer can lead to the dreaded Blue Screen of Death, blue screens reference a communication problem between the Windows operating system and the hardware in your PC.
Why do computer blue screens of death errors occur?
Most computer users have experienced a blue screen of death at least once in their life. But have you ever stopped to wonder why they occur?
Blue screens of death can occur for a number of different reasons, but the most common reason is that your PC’s hardware failed to properly communicate with its software, resulting in a fatal error.
If your video card, processor, hard drive, or any other vital system component encountered a serious communication error with your operating system, then your PC may automatically display the blue screen and shut down for its own safety.
Blue screens can also occur as a self-protection mechanism if the PC is overheated.
Further Information and Manual Repair
Where do Windows blue screen errors come from?
Blue screen errors come from many different sources on your computer. However, the majority of blue screen errors seem to come from the Windows Registry, which contains important configuration information about the programs, data, and personal files on your PC.
Windows constantly rely on the registry in order to operate normally, but since the registry is incredibly complex (it holds hundreds of thousands of files), errors naturally develop over time.
Fortunately, registry errors are fixable. They can be repaired using special registry cleaning software. During a scan, registry cleaning software looks for any registry entries that have errors. Once these entries are found, the software automatically repairs each entry.
In many cases, this can permanently repair the blue screen error and prevent blue screens from ever appearing again.
Blue screen Windows 7
Windows 7, despite being Microsoft’s most popular operating system to date, is not immune to blue screen errors. It’s more stable than previous versions of Windows, although many users will inevitably encounter blue screen errors in Windows 7.
No matter which version of Windows you’re currently using, the error remains the same: the hardware on your computer has trouble communicating with the software, forcing the system to display the blue error message we all love to hate.
“Blue Screen of Death”
There’s a reason this error message is famously called the “blue screen of death.” Immediately after displaying a blue screen, the Windows computer will ‘die’, which means that it restarts itself.
Another reason why the error could be called the blue screen of death is that it is often displayed at the end of a PC’s life cycle. As PCs get older and their hardware starts to fail, blue screen errors become more and more common.
In real life, death isn’t reversible. In the computer world, blue screens of death certainly are. With the right software support – like Restoro – even the most novice computer technician can fix their blue screen errors and restore their PC to healthy working conditions.
Benefits Of Using Restoro, BSOD Error Codes
Restoro is one of the world’s most popular PC optimization programs. Used by professional PC technicians around the world, Restoro is a feature-rich software suite that has helped many PC users breathe new life into an old PC.
Restoro optimizes computer performance in hundreds of different ways. It looks through the registry and repairs any erroneous entries it finds. It also hunts down and eliminates malware and goes to work with the press of a button. And most importantly for you – it’s also amazingly effective at repairing blue screen errors.
Ready to experience the Restoro difference? Here are a few more advantages of our favorite software program:
Easy for anyone to use: A few years ago, only the most tech-savvy individuals could optimize their computer’s performance. Everybody else had to pay for expensive tech support or simply buy a new computer. Thankfully, the software development community has come up with innovations like Restoro which are easy for anyone to use. Just click a button and your computer will be clean within minutes. The process could not be easier.
Surprisingly fast: There are hundreds of thousands of files in the Windows Registry. In spite of that fact, Restoro goes to work incredibly quickly. It scans the depths of your PC in an effort to uncover whatever is causing your blue screen errors. The entire scan is complete within just a few minutes, making it easy for anyone to scan their computer on a regular basis.
Free trial: It’s good to be skeptical. And if you don’t think Restoro will fix any of the errors your computer is experiencing, then that’s okay. However, when you download the free Restoro, you can instantly scan your computer for errors. If any errors are found during this scan, then you can repair these problems with the click of a button.
Fixes frustrating errors: Blue screen errors are incredibly frustrating. You can’t get any work done on your computer when experiencing a blue screen problem. For that reason, Restoro helps alleviate some of the most frustrating PC problems in the world today.
More than just blue screen repairs: Sure, blue screens are annoying. But they’re only one of many different errors that a PC can develop over time. Fortunately, Restoro does more than just fix blue screen errors. The software also identifies and repairs other problem areas on your PC, making it easy to optimize performance.
Ready to get rid of your blue screen errors – permanently? Restoro today!
Windows has a built-in Backup and Restore system so if the Windows Backup or Restore fails and you receive any of the errors 0x80070001, 0x81000037, 0x80070003, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing the problem. You might not be able to browse to the folders and files that you want to restore in the File Restore Wizard.
The cause of the error could vary depending on what error code you receive:
0x80070001 – If you got this particular error code when trying to back up a specific library or when you accept the default settings in Windows Backup and Restore.
0x81000037 – If you got this kind of error code when you try to read from the shadow copy on one of the volumes being backed up.
0x80070003 – If you got this error code when trying to restore the folders or files in a library by using the Windows Backup and Restore.
On the other hand, you cannot use the Browse for files or the Browse for folders functionality.
Note that the Windows Backup or Restore failed, Errors 0x80070001, 0x81000037, 0x80070003 Error code 0x80070001, 0x81000037 occurs during backup while Error code 0x80070003 and “Browse for Files” issue occurs when you try to restore files. Whichever error codes you got, here are some possible fixes that might help.
Option 1 – Fix Windows Backup error codes 0x80070001, 0x81000037
The reason for the Windows Backup error codes 0x80070001, 0x81000037, as mentioned above, is when there is a volume that uses a FAT file system (0x80070001) and when a volume contains compressed files (0x81000037). To fix these errors, you need to remove the “reparse point” also known as SYMBOLIC LINK, and select the absolute path of this location in the Windows Backup configuration user interface. Refer to these steps to remove the reparse point.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “cmd” in the field and hit Enter to open Command Prompt.
Next, type the following command and hit Enter:
DIR /AL /S
After you enter the command, it will display the JUNCTION list.
Now to delete the mounted volume reparse point, you have to locate the reparse point you found and right-click on the reparse point icon, and click on Properties.
Confirm that the folder Type is Mounted Volume in the General tab and then delete this folder.
Option 2 – Fix the Windows Restore Error 0x81000037
When you try to restore a deleted backed-up directory, it fails and the Error code 0x81000037 pops up. You can also encounter this error when you select to restore the files to their original subfolders check box in the File Restore Wizard and you try to restore folders or files to an alternative location, then you will encounter error code 0x81000037 which will be displayed in an error message as shown below:
To fix this error, you need to re-create the missing directory using the following steps:
Take note of the path for which the error occurs.
Then create the corresponding folder.
Now perform the restore operation again.
And since you might have subfolders in the deleted folder, click to clear the “Restore the files to their original subfolders” checkbox when you run the File Restore Wizard.
Option 3 – Cannot use the Browse for files or the Browse for folders functionality
There is no proper fix for this particular error but if you remember the name of the files, you can just search for them. Click on the Search button when using the File Restore functionality and then type the name of the file and when that file appears, select and click on it to restore it.
If you get an Error Code 15 or Error Code 16 while you are browsing the web and you notice that your access is blocked to a particular website, then read on as this post will guide you in resolving this problem. Both Error Code 15 and Error Code 16 have the same message that states, “Access Denied: This request was blocked by the security rules”.
Note that the error depends on what kind of browser you are using, as well as the operating system and network that you are using. On the other hand, the fixes for this error are the same and there is a handful of them that you can check out just make sure to follow each one of them carefully.
Option 1 – Sync Date and Time
The first thing you can try is to sync the Date and Time of your computer as the wrong Date and Time settings are one of the most common causes of connection problems like Error code 15 or Error code 16. This is because of the incompatibility between the SSL Certificate validation date and the System Clock. Thus, you have to sync your System Clock. Refer to the steps below to do so.
Right-click on the Taskbar and click on the Adjust Date and Time option.
Next, click on the Sync Now button to synchronize the Date and Time with the Microsoft Servers.
Now make sure that the Time Zone that’s set on the same page is correct.
Option 2 – Try to reset the affected browser
Resetting the affected browser might help in fixing Error Code 15 or Error Code 16.
Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the icon that looks like three stacked lines located at the top-right section of the browser.
Next, select the question mark icon from the drop-down menu.
Then select “Troubleshooting information” from the slide-out menu.
After that, click on the “Reset Firefox” button located at the top-right section of the newly opened web page.
Now select “Reset Firefox” in the confirmation pop-up window that appears.
Google Chrome
Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
After that, click on Settings.
Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
Now restart Google Chrome.
Internet Explorer
Launch Internet Explorer.
Next, click the wrench icon for Settings.
Then click Internet Options.
After that, go to the Advanced tab.
From there, click the Reset button. This will reset Internet Explorer’s settings to their default condition.
Now click OK to save the changes made.
Option 3 – Temporarily disable Firewall and third-party antivirus
Firewall and antivirus programs are known to block files the instant it detects a threat to the system. However, there are some cases when it can also block a file even when it’s a safe one. Thus, your antivirus or firewall programs might be the reason why you can’t download anything on your Windows 10 computer. To isolate the issue, you need to temporarily disable both the Firewall and antivirus programs and then check if you can now download anything from the internet. Do not forget to enable them again as disabling them can leave your computer vulnerable to cyber threats.
Option 4 – Disable the Proxy server
You can also try to disable the Proxy server for your LAN to fix Error code 15 or Error code 16 especially if your computer was attacked by some malware or adware recently. In such cases, there is a chance that the malware or adware has changed your network settings in order to generate intrusive advertisements. Thus, you have to disable the proxy server and you can do that by following these steps:
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 5 – Check your VPN
If you are using a VPN application, there are times when it causes some issues like this error. If that’s the case, you can try to disable your VPN temporarily and see if the error is resolved or not and if turns out that your VPN is the culprit, you have to uninstall it and install a new one or its latest version. To uninstall it, follow the steps below.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box
Then type “appwiz.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to open the Programs and Features in Control Panel.
From there, look for the VPN service you are using, select it and then click on Uninstall to remove it.
After that, restart your computer and try to install the latest version of the program again. It should work now. If not, proceed to the next available option below.
In every task carried out in the Windows 10 operating system, some of them don’t go smoothly and it could encounter a couple of errors along the way. One of these errors you could encounter is the Windows Update error code 0x8007000e. This particular error was reported to occur a lot when downloading and installing a Feature update via Windows Updates. And recently, it has been reported to occur a couple of times for the Windows 10 1903 May 2019 update. According to security experts, this error could be caused by a lack of memory or disk space as well as issues in the Windows Update mechanism. Whatever the cause is, troubleshooting this problem shouldn’t be hard as this post will give you some potential fixes you can check out.
To fix this error, here are some options you need to consider:
Option 1 – Clear up temporary or junk files
The error could be caused by some temporary or junk files in your computer and so you need to clear them up to fix the problem. You can achieve that using the Storage Sense feature.
Open Setting > System > Storage from the WinX Menu.
From there, you will see a list of all the local and connected storage devices along with the details on the free space. Make sure that Storage Sense is on.
Next, find a link that says “Free Up Space” and click it to open.
After that, a screen which is the built-in program in Windows 10 will appear and will scan your computer for the following junk files so you can free up disk space:
Windows Upgrade Log Files
System created Windows Error Reporting Files
Thumbnails
Temporary Internet Files
Previous Windows Installation Files
Delivery Optimisation Files
DirectX Shader Cache
Choose the files you want to get rid of and then click on the remove files option. Note that you’ll have an idea of the total size as you select any of the junk files listed above.
Now go to the “Free Up Space Now” section and click the Clear Now button. This will get rid of all the temporary or junk files in your computer and should hopefully fix the Windows Update error 0x8007000e.
Option 2 – Reset the Windows Update components
If by any chance that the second option didn’t work, resetting the Windows Update components could also help you resolve the problem. How? Refer to the following steps:
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 configuring the Windows Update-related Services
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “cmd” in the field and tap Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
Next, execute the following commands. Note that you have to type and enter each the command one after the other.
SC config wuauserv start= auto
SC config bits start= auto
SC config cryptsvc start= auto
SC config trustedinstaller start= auto
The commands you executed will make sure that the Windows Update-related services are available. Once it’s done, restart your computer and see if the Windows Update error is now fixed.
Option 4 – Try running the Windows Update troubleshooter
Windows 10 have various troubleshooters that can help you resolve many system issues. So if you’re dealing with Windows Update errors like Error 0x8007000e, you can run the Windows Update troubleshooter to resolve it.
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 5 – Try to use the Media Creation tool
The Media Creation tool in Windows allows you to use the ISO installation file to make a bootable device that you can use to install Windows on your PC. Note that this is kind of different from the usual installation process as it could erase your computer’s current settings and data on the primary drive. Thus, before you proceed, you need to backup all your data into some removable drive and then use the Media Creation tool to make a bootable drive.
After making the bootable drive, you need to plug it in your computer and then reboot.
Next, tap the F10 or Esc key to open the boot options.
Now set the boot priority of the removable drive the highest. Once the setup comes forth, follow the next onscreen instructions and install Windows without any problems.
Installation Error 1628 is, as the name suggests, an installation error. When it occurs, a generic 1628 message is displayed to the user. When this message appears, it is either a problem with the install files or an issue with the InstallShield.
Solution
Error Causes
Installation Error 1628 is caused because every Windows-based program or application has been designed that such that it has to be installed on the computer for use.
This installation process is important because it not only moves files to the appropriate location on one’s hard drive but also because the process creates registry entries in Windows System files.
A vast majority of these programs and applications have a built-in tool that’s responsible for aptly performing this installation. This built-in tool is the InstallShield.
This establishes that when this error occurs, it is either because of some unforeseen issue that occurred during the installation process or because of some problem with the InstallShield.
Further Information and Manual Repair
In order to keep this error from occurring in the future, some recommendations are outlined below.
Check the installation disc and determine if there are any smudges, scratches, or fingerprints on it. If the system is unable to read data from the disc, Installation Error 1628 will be generated. In order to ensure that the Installation Disc is clean, use a microfiber cloth. Dampen it lightly with water and clean the disc. Wipe the inside of the disc lightly in an outward direction, making sure that it is not wiped in a circular pattern. Try to reinstall the application or program after cleaning the disc. The issue should be resolved. However, if it persists, some problems may be with the InstallShield.
The alternative solution is to repair the InstallShield and the procedure goes as follows.
Stop InstallShield’s running process. It may have been crashed and simply needs to be restarted. Now access task manager. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and the task manager will open. Now go to the processes tab and disable ‘idriver.exe’ and ‘msiexec.exe’ from here.
Now go to ‘C: Program Files/Common Files’. Here you will find the ‘InstallShield’ folder. Select ‘rename’ and modify the folder name to ‘InstallShield1’. Confirm rename and start the installation process again. Now Windows will try to re-install any InstallShield files one needs.
If the error persists after renaming the InstallShield folder, download the Windows Installer from Microsoft’s website. This file will determine whether or not your version is valid. Old versions often have bugs that cause problems. Your system is now ready to be used.
We have talked about gaming on old computers and have covered new and upcoming Steam deck handheld console. Today we are combining old gaming with a handheld console and our target of talk is Retroid pocket 2. This product is packed with really high-quality plastic and with some great features in it.
So let's dive into this cool handheld in more detail and find out why we like it so much.
Good manufacturing quality
Plastic and overall manufacturing quality are really, really good. The battery is great, packing 4000mAh that can hold over 3 hours of nonstop gaming, and all buttons and joysticks are great. The screen is a 640 x 480 60Hz 3.5″ IPS screen (4:3 aspect ratio) that performs really great for its purpose, retro gaming. There is a Digital D-Pad and dual analog joysticks. The right joystick is the lower profile to avoid being accidentally moved when pressing the four gaming buttons. There are three buttons at the bottom which are Home, Start, and Select. On either side are good-quality stereo speakers. On the bottom of the device are a Micro SD Card slot and a 3.5mm headphone port. On the top of the device are Left and Right shoulder and trigger buttons. There are the power button and volume adjustments. There are a USB Type-C OTG port and a Micro HDMI output for connection to a TV.
Good technical statistics
Good, not great but then again since this is retro handheld you cannot really expect some crazy stuff like alder lake inside. So the console is punching ARM Cortex A7 CPU with 2 cores and a clock of 1.5GHz paired with ARM Mali 400-MP2 500MHz GPU. The console has 1GB LPDDR3 RAM memory and 8GB eMMC Storage where 5GB is freely available, the rest is taken for OS. As mentioned before the display is 640x480 resolution with a size of 3.5″. The battery is Lithium-Ion with a power of 4000mAh and on the handheld, there is a USB Type-C connector, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Micro-HDMI. It also has Wifi/Bluetooth 4.0
Retroid Pocket 2 OS and support
Pocket 2 comes with Android 6 but you can update its firmware to the 8.1 version on the official site that I would highly recommend. New versions of the handheld will come with 8.1 on it from the box. Having Android as OS opens many possibilities like you can download Android apps such as Steam Link, allowing you to play actual PC games on your Retroid Pocket 2. Not just that, if it does get a newer version of Android it could even have the ability to use xCloud, Xbox’s cloud gaming service. Of course, hardware will not be able to handle modern games but the option is still there and for some old PC titles available on steam like Commander Keen, for example, this is a great option.
The console can emulate basically everything up to Dreamcast, including N64, PSP, and Playstation 1. It can emulate Nintendo DS also, but it can only do so with one screen. The only problem with this console is you will need to install and update Apps. You’ll need to learn about RetroArch, an app that lets you download emulators or cores to play games.
Retroid price
The last thing on the list is the price of the console itself. Going just under the 100$ mark this really makes it an affordable option for plenty of people that would like to experience retro handheld gaming or for ones like me, nostalgic gamers wanting to relive some era of playing games on the road.
Conclusion
Among Chinese handheld devices for retro gaming, Retroid Pocket 2 is really on top of what the market can offer. If you are looking for a great handheld retro console and are not afraid of little dive-ins into the OS and various configurations, Pocket 2 will reward you with plenty and wide emulation support.
In case you don’t know, there is a feature in Windows 10 computers that allows them to function a lot better. This feature is called Full-Screen optimization and it is enabled by default for several applications such as games and video players. If enabled, the Full-Screen optimization feature enhances the video playback and gaming by simply putting the CPU and GPU process as a priority. However, there are times when it can also result to a drop in the frame rate or FPS while in full-screen mode. And of course, the obvious solution to this dilemma is by disabling the Full-Screen optimization feature which is why Microsoft took action and removed this feature themselves in the recent Windows 10 Update releases. However, there is another way for you to enable it back or disable it yourself if you haven’t installed the recent updates yet and there are plenty of ways you can do both. All you have to do is follow the options given below carefully.
Option 1 – Try using Windows 10 Settings
If you haven’t installed the recent updates yet and all you have are the earlier releases, then this method would suit you.
Open the Windows 10 Settings app.
Next, navigate to System > Display > Graphics Settings or Advanced graphics settings.
From there, uncheck the “Enable Fullscreen optimization” option if you want to disable the feature, else just keep it checked.
Option 2 – Try using 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.
Afterward, if a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, click on Yes.
Once the Registry Editor is pulled up, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSystemGameConfigStore
Next, right-click on Explorer and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and then name it to “GameDVR_DSEBehavior and tap Enter to save it.
Now double click on the newly created GameDVR_DSEBehavior DWORD and set its value to “2” if you want to disable it, or “0” if you want to enable it.
Once you entered the value, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.
Option 3 – Try running the application in Compatibility Mode
If the first two options didn’t work, the next thing you can do is to run the application in a Compatibility Mode. Follow the steps below to do so:
Go to the location of the application or game on which you need to disable or enable the Full-Screen optimization feature.
After that, right-click on it and select Properties.
Next, switch to the Compatibility tab where you can see the “Disable fullscreen optimization” option to disable the feature and vice versa.
Now click on the Apply and OK buttons to apply the changes made in the application’s settings.