How to Fix Windows 8 Error Code 0x8007007e

This post will guide you in fixing yet another annoying Blue Screen of Death error, “BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER”. This particular BSOD error occurs due to some issue with usbhub.sys, winusb.sys, or usbport.sys system driver file. When you encounter this kind of Stop error on your Windows 10 PC, it indicates that an error has occurred in the Universal Serial Bus or USB driver. The USB driver is issued by Microsoft themselves and it comes along with the Windows 10 system which is why it is difficult to download its latest version using a web browser. Thus, you need to take some basic steps to resolve the problem. Carefully follow the given fixes below to fix the BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER Blue Screen error and before you proceed, you need to create a System Restore Point, this way you have some backup in case something goes out of hand.

Option 1 – Update the USB Controller Drivers

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.
• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

You also have the option to update the motherboard and the USB driver from the manufacturer’s official website.

Option 2 – Check for any available Windows Updates

Another you can try is to check if there are any Windows Updates available to make sure that your Windows 10 PC has all the latest updates installed. All you have to do is go to Settings > Update &security. From there, just click on the Check for updates button.

Option 3 – Uninstall conflicting programs and services

There are certain programs like VMWare, Virtual Box, Hyper-V Virtualization services that might be in conflict with the USB port drivers on the parent operating system. Thus, you can try uninstalling the aforementioned programs and other similar ones to see if it fixes the BSOD error.

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

Note: If you have downloaded the app from the Windows Store, you can simply right-click on it from the application list and then uninstall it. If uninstalling the programs mentioned above didn’t help, you might want to try putting your PC in a Clean Boot State to help you find the faulty program.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)

Option 4 – Modify the Power Settings

• In the Cortana Search box, type “power options” and then select Power Options from the search results.
• After opening Power Options, click on Change plan settings for your selected power plan.
• Next, click on Change advanced power settings.
• Then look for USB Settings and click on it to expand it.
• Now expand the USB selective suspend setting and then disable it.
• After that, click on the Apply and then OK buttons to save the changes made.

Option 5 – Check for any hard disk errors

• On your desktop, right-click on the “This PC” or computer icon and then select Manage to open the Disk Management. Here you get to check your drive’s health.
• Next, click on Disk Management on the left side panel.
• From there, check the state of your drives. If it shows that all your partitions are healthy then it means all is good and that the problem may have something to do with some physical issues with your hard drive.

You might also want to run the CHKDSK utility to help you fix any issues with your hard disk. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the CHKDSK utility comes in. The CHKDSK utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /f /r

• Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.

0X0000007B (0xF78d2524) - What is it?

If you are a laptop or a notebook user and you are trying to install Windows XP on it, you might come across 0x0000007B (0xF78524) error message. This error is a popular blue screen of death error and very similar to the error 0x0000007B.

Solution

Error Causes

The common causes of 0x0000007B (0xF78524) error code on your laptop might be:

• File Corruption
• Device Configuration Issues
• Adware/spyware invasion
• Incomplete Installations
• Problem with your computer’s hard drive controller

Further Information and Manual Repair

Many people panic when they experience 0x0000007B (0xF78524) error on their laptops and notebooks simply because it is a blue screen of death error. The BSoD has this whole persona of being deadly computer errors that can almost cripple systems. If you have also experienced this error on your laptop, remain calm and follow the solutions given below to ensure you fix the error quickly without any hassle. Here are various ways to fix and resolve the BSOD error code 0x0000007B (0xF78524):

1. Whether you have Lenovo IdeaPad Y550 or Dell Latitude E4300 or any other laptop for that matter, if device driver configuration is the cause of the error 0x0000007B (0xF78524), then all you need to do is start up your laptop and press F2 to enter BIOS. Now expand the ‘Drives’ section. After doing so, go to ‘SATA Operation’. SATA is the abbreviation for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment which enables mass storage devices like hard drives and optical drives to communicate with the motherboard by using a high-speed serial cable. For successful communication between devices, you need to configure SATA controller mode. Once you go to the ‘SATA Operation’ mode, change this from RAID AHCI to RAID ATA. Save changes and exit BIOS. This helps resolve the error 0x0000007B (0xF78524) in no time.
2. Another way to fix this error is to download and install the 0x0000007B (0xF78524) repair tool. Once this tool is installed on your laptop, click the scan button. Once the scan is complete, you will see a list of errors; click the ‘Repair’ button to fix the errors found and then restart.
3. The 0x0000007B (0xF78524) error may also occur due to the boot volume corruption. In such an event, it is advisable to run chkdsk command on the hard drive. This is recovery console command is used to check the hard drive, repair and recover data on the drive successfully.

WeatherBlink is an extension for google chrome, Mozilla, and internet explorer. It allows users to check out the weather anywhere in the world at any time. This might seem like a convenient feature, however, this toolbar also displays unwanted ads, hijacks your browser home page, collects personal data about your web surfing habits, visits, and clicks. From the author: Access local weather forecasts, weather radar, allergy, and pollen reports, and worldwide weather news – all in one convenient spot! This extension configures your New Tab page to WeatherBlink™ to provide these features.

Be prepared with instant weather forecasts. Access FREE and accurate weather forecasts with one click!

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijack is a very common type of online fraud where your web browser settings are modified to make it do things you do not intend. Browser hijackers can do more than simply modifying home pages. It redirects you to the sponsored internet sites and inserts ads on the internet browser that helps its creator generate ad revenue. A lot of people assume that these kinds of websites are legitimate and harmless but that is not true. Nearly every browser hijacker poses an actual threat to your online safety and it is necessary to classify them under privacy dangers. In a worst-case scenario, your internet browser could be hi-jacked to open up your computer to a host of additional computer infections.

Indications of browser hijack

Below are some symptoms that indicate you’ve been hijacked: 1. the browser’s home page is changed 2. bookmark and the new tab are also modified 3. default online search engine is modified 4. you see unwanted new toolbars added 5. you notice a lot of pop-ups on your computer screen 6. web pages load very slowly and often incomplete 7. you’ve disallowed entry to particular web pages, for example, the website of an antimalware software firm like SafeBytes.

So how exactly does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

A browser hijacker could be installed on your PC when you go to an infected website, click an email attachment, or download something from a file-sharing website. They also come from add-on applications, also referred to as browser helper objects (BHO), browser extensions, or toolbars. Sometimes you may have mistakenly accepted a browser hijacker as part of a software program bundle (usually freeware or shareware). Typical examples of browser hijackers include CoolWebSearch, Conduit, RocketTab, OneWebSearch, Coupon Server, Searchult.com, Snap.do, and Delta Search.

Tips on how to remove browser hijackers

Certain browser hijacking can be easily stopped by discovering and eliminating the corresponding malware application from your control panel. However, certain hijackers are more difficult to find or eliminate as they might get themselves associated with certain crucial system files that enable it to work as a necessary operating-system process. You should think about carrying out manual repairs only if you’re a tech-savvy person because there are possible risks associated with fiddling around with the system registry and HOSTS file.

How One Can Eliminate Malware that is Blocking Websites or Preventing Downloads

Malware could potentially cause several different types of damage to PCs, networks, and data. Certain malware goes to great lengths to prevent you from downloading or installing anything on your PC, especially anti-malware applications. If you’re reading this, you probably have got infected by a virus that prevents you from downloading security software like Safebytes Anti-Malware. There are a few fixes you could try to get around with this issue.

Start Windows in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is actually a unique, basic version of Windows where just essential services are loaded to counteract malware as well as other problematic programs from loading. In the event the malware is blocking access to the internet and affecting your PC, launching it in Safe Mode enables you to download anti-virus and run a diagnostic scan while limiting possible damage. To start the computer into Safe Mode, hit the “F8” key on your keyboard right before the Windows logo screen comes up; Or after normal Windows boot up, run MSCONFIG, check Safe Boot under Boot tab, and click Apply. Once you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you may download, install, as well as update anti-malware software from there. At this point, you could run the anti-malware scan to eliminate computer viruses and malware without any interference from another application.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Some malware may target vulnerabilities of a specific browser that block the downloading process. The most effective solution to avoid this problem is to pick a browser that is renowned for its security features. Firefox has built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to help keep you secure online.

Install antivirus on a thumb drive

To effectively remove the malware, you have to approach the problem of running an anti-malware software program on the affected computer from a different angle. Adopt these measures to run the anti-virus on the affected computer. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free computer system. 2) Plug the USB drive into the clean PC. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware program to run the Installation Wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the USB drive as the place in which you would like to store the software files. Follow activation instructions. 5) Unplug the flash drive. You may now utilize this portable anti-virus on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the flash drive to run the program. 7) Press the “Scan Now” button to begin the virus scan.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware: Lightweight Malware Protection for Windows Computer

Do you want to install the best anti-malware software for your computer system? There are plenty of applications available in the market which comes in paid and free versions for Microsoft Windows computers. A few of them are good, some are ok types, while some will damage your computer themselves! You need to be careful not to select the wrong application, particularly if you purchase a paid application. On the list of recommended software programs is SafeBytes AntiMalware. SafeBytes has a very good track record of top-quality service, and customers seem to be very happy with it. SafeBytes can be described as a powerful, real-time anti-spyware application that is made to assist the common computer end user in safeguarding their PC from malicious internet threats. Using its cutting-edge technology, this application can assist you to get rid of multiples types of malware which include computer viruses, PUPs, trojans, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers. SafeBytes has a variety of features that can help you protect your PC from malware attacks and damage. Below are a few of the great ones: Antimalware Protection: With a critically acclaimed anti-malware engine, SafeBytes gives multi-layered protection which is intended to find and eliminate viruses and malware that are concealed deep in your computer’s operating system. Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes provides round-the-clock protection for your PC restricting malware intrusions in real-time. It’ll regularly monitor your laptop or computer for hacker activity and also gives users sophisticated firewall protection. Quick Multi-threaded Scanning: SafeBytes’s high-speed malware scanning engine lessens scan times and extends the life of the battery. At the same time, it’ll effectively detect and get rid of infected computer files or any internet threat. Internet Security: Safebytes allots all sites a unique safety score that helps you to get an idea of whether the website you’re just about to visit is safe to browse or known to be a phishing site. Low CPU/Memory Usage: SafeBytes is well known for its minimal influence on computer resources and great detection rate of numerous threats. It works quietly and efficiently in the background so you are free to utilize your computer or laptop at full power all the time. 24/7 Customer Support: You will get 24/7 technical support to promptly resolve any problem with your security tool.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To remove WeatherBlink manually, go to the Add or Remove programs list in the Control Panel and select the program you want to get rid of. For internet browser plug-ins, go to your browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the plug-in you want to remove or disable. You will probably also want to reset your internet browser. Finally, examine your hard drive for all of the following and clean your registry manually to remove leftover application entries after uninstallation. Please remember that only experienced users should try to manually edit the registry because incorrect file deletion results in a major problem or perhaps a PC crash. Furthermore, certain malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion.

Carrying out this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is recommended.

If you have just updated your Mozilla Firefox browser as of late and you noticed that it’s showing wrong or no bookmark favicon at all, then read on as this post will provide you with potential solutions that can help you resolve the problem. The basic thing you can do to fix it is to either refresh or reset the cache for favicon and then force restart the favicon service. However, if you’ve already tried this and it didn’t work, then there are still other options you can try. You can try to rebuild the configuration file for the favicon or restart the favicon service. You could also try disabling all the add-ons on your browser or scan your computer for adware. For more details, refer to each one of the options laid out below.

Option 1 – Try to rebuild the favicon configuration file

Mozilla Firefox actually creates a file each time you bookmark a webpage and this is called “favicons.SQLite”. This file is located on your computer and for you to fix the issue in Firefox, you need to rebuild this file and in order to do that, follow these steps:

• First, you need to unhide the hidden files in your computer by enabling the “Show hidden files” option so that you’ll be able to see the hidden files in your computer.
• After that, navigate to this path: C:Usersyour_usernameAppDataLocalMozillaFirefoxProfilesyour_profile_name
• From there, you need to find the “favicons.SQLite” file and once you found it, delete it.
• Next, you have to open the Firefox browser and create the same favicon configuration file which should be automatically created.
• Now check if you can now see bookmark favicons on your Firefox browser or not.

Option 2 – Try to restart the favicon service

If the first option didn’t work, you can try to restart the favicon service instead. Restarting the favicon service can help if you do not see the correct bookmark favicon on your Firefox browser. To restart this service, follow the steps below.

• You need to first open the Firefox browser and in the address bar, type “about:config” and tap Enter.
• After that, you will see a page that displays a warning message. On that page, you need to click the “I accept the risk!” button to proceed.
• Next, using the search box on the page, look for the “devtools.chrome.enabled” option. The value for this option should be set to “False” by default.
• Double click on this option to set its value to “True”.
• Once done, go to Menu > Web Developer > Browser Console or you could also tap the Ctrl + Shift + J keys, alternatively.
• Afterwards, paste this command in the pop-up window that appears and then tap the Enter button: var fS = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/browser/favicon-service;1"] .getService(Components.interfaces.nsIFaviconService); fS.expireAllFavicons();
• Once you’re done, restart your Firefox browser to check if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 3 – Try to disable all the add-ons in Firefox

The next option you can try to fix the problem is to disable all the installed add-ons in Firefox. More often than not, add-ons can cause issues in the browser so it is possible that one of the add-ons in Firefox is causing it to show incorrect or no bookmark favicon. To resolve this problem, you have to disable all the add-ons by opening Firefox and then going to Menu > Add-ons or you could also tap the Ctrl + Shift + A keys. After that, go to the Extensions section and click on the respective Disable buttons for each one of the add-ons. Once done, restart your computer and check if you can now see the bookmark favicons or not.

Option 4 – Try scanning your computer using Windows Defender

It is possible that the bookmark favicon problem is caused by some adware in the Firefox browser so you have to scan your computer to check by using security programs like Windows Defender.

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Update & Security.
• Then click on the Windows Security option and open Windows Defender Security Center.
• Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Run a new advanced scan.
• Now make sure that Full Scan is selected from the menu and then click the Scan Now button to get started.

Error Code 0x8007007b – What is it?

This error code occurs when users fail to activate their Windows operating system. It is one of the more popular Windows error codes since it affects many versions of Windows including Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. Error code 0x8007007b has common symptoms which include the following:

• Inability to activate a Windows installation
• Message box highlighting error code 0x8007007b

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0x8007007b in Windows 8.1 usually results due to one or more main clauses. Windows 8.1 users may experience this error due to the use of volume-licensed media. The error code may also arise if the activation wizard is unable to connect to Key Management Service (KMS) host computer or if corrupted system files are present on your computer.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Windows error codes such as Error code 0x8007007b can be a complicated issue, requiring the use of technical knowledge and skills. For this reason, we have listed instructions in the simplest of forms to enable even average users to successfully complete manual repair methods that will resolve error code 0x8007007b.

The same approach has been applied to all our error code solutions. See also Error Code 0x00000024 and Error Code 0x80004005.

Below are the two main methods for correcting this issue.

Method One: Use Multiple Activation Key (MAK) to Activate Windows

This method involves the use of a Multiple Activation Key (MAK) instead of the Key Management Service (KMS) to activate the Windows operating system you intend to use on your PC. This manual repair method requires the use of Command Prompt so ensure you follow the instructions provided carefully so as to avoid the risks of causing harm to your system.

• Step one: Select Windows log key + X.
• Step two: Click Command Prompt, then Admin
• Step three: Type in admin password if Command Prompt requests it
• Step four: Type slmgr -ipk followed by the MAK product key. Note that the product key should have 25 characters with dashes between them like this xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

Attempt to activate your Windows installation once you’ve completed the exact instructions above. If you are unable to complete this process, consider getting help from a Windows repair technician or simply move to the next manual repair method listed below.

Method Two: Run System File Checker

System File Checker (SFC) enables Windows users to scan and repair errors or corruption on system files. Since such errors within your system files can cause error code 0x8007007b to occur, follow the steps below to fix this error code.

• Step One: Go to Start and type Command Prompt or CMD.
• Step Two: Run as Administrator
• Step Three: Type sfc /scannow with a space between “sfc” and “/scannow”.

The System File Checker tool will begin scanning your machine for corrupted or missing files in need of repair. If these files are found on your system, the tool will repair and replace them. Once this is done, restart your computer then check to see if you can now activate your Windows operating system.

Method Three: Use an Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 8 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

One of the smoother things that Microsoft did with the Windows 10 operating system is to separate Cortana from Search. This means that Cortana is strictly now a voice assistant and many users have seen it coming since not everyone uses Cortana. In addition, it also paved the way for other virtual assistants like Alexa to get on board with Windows 10. And now in the newly released Windows 10 v1903, Windows has brought the Voice Activation under Privacy. In this post, you will be guided on how to perform the Voice Activation troubleshooting on your Windows 10 computer. To use Voice Activation in Windows 10, follow, in the Start Search, type “voice activation” and click on “Voice activation privacy settings” listed in the search results. And from there, you can choose to allow apps to use Microphone, like listen in the background as well as select which app can access it. Each time enabled voice assistants continue to listen via microphone for the voice keyword, the app will activate itself for the keyword and will react depending on what you ask it. So if you are using a voice assistant and it didn’t respond when you speak the keyword, just go to Settings > Privacy > Voice Activation and follow these steps:

Option 1: Check the App permission to use the voice activation feature.

You have to make sure that the toggle button for the Voice activation feature is turned on globally. It can be found under the “Allow apps to use voice activation” section. You also have to ensure that the microphone is available for apps that use this feature.

Option 2: Voice activation is not working under the lock screen.

If you tend to use the voice assistant even when your computer is locked, Microsoft has a specific setting that you have to turn on. You need to make sure that the toggle button for the “Allow apps to use voice activation when this device is locked” option is turned on. However, keep in mind that the voice assistants are not locked to only recognize your voice as they also answer to anyone who will use the voice keyword.

Option 3: Check the individual permissions of apps.

If the voice assistant is not working, you have to check each one of the apps’ permissions for voice keyword, and the option to work under locked condition works.

Option 4: Run the Microphone troubleshooter.

If you’ve verified that the settings are in place, then you have to run the Microphone troubleshooter by simply going to Settings > Privacy > Microphone. From there, make sure that the toggle button for the following options is turned on:

• Allow apps to access your microphone
• Enable microphone access for the voice assistant

And if it’s a desktop app, you have to enable the toggle on at the end.

Code 0x80070070 – 0x50011 – What is it?

If you’ve recently tried installing Windows 10, you might have encountered error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011 or its alternatives (error code 0x80070070 – 0x50012 and 0x80070070 – 0x60000). Whatever formats this error code presents itself in, it's usually accompanied by a barrage of other errors, as underscored on Microsoft’s official site. If you’ve encountered this error code, it simply means that your computer system might not have the required or required space to install the upgrade.

Likely, if you’ve experienced error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011, it’ll likely appear in the formats highlighted below:

• 0x80070070 – 0x50011
• 0x80070070 – 0x50012
• 0x80070070 – 0x60000

Solution

Error Causes

At present, this Windows 10 upgrade error is triggered or caused by various factors:

• Lack of computer resources or space
• Virus/malware infestation
• A clogged registry

Further Information and Manual Repair

Whilst new, not much information has been propagated regarding this error. However, there are some manual / practical steps you can take to have your Windows 10 upgrade up and running. Since the primary aspect of solving this problem is to make space on your computer system, here are some ways in which you can do so manually.

Method 1: Get more space

• Check the current space on your computer  

Before making attempts to create space on your computer, it’s vital that you check to decipher how much free space you have available.

• Make use of Disk Clean-up 

Since there’s a free service available on your computer to create space, why not use it and save time? If the Disk Cleanup tool is employed regularly, this will free up hard drive space and optimize your computer to work better.

• Remove unwanted desktop apps 

There are several apps lying around on your computer that you simply don’t use, uninstall those and make space to elude error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011 or its alternatives (Code 0x80070070 – 0x50012, Code 0x80070070 – 0x60000)

• Remove or archive files  

If you have lots of photos, media, documents (files), videos, etc, that you don’t use or will only need in the future, try cloud storage. You’ll still have those files within your possession but just not in a physical location. However, they’re still accessible. Another suggestion: If you use programs such as One Drive or Google Drive for desktop, limit your use to only the online application.

• Add more storage

If you’re not able to implement the above steps to clear some space to accommodate your Windows 10 upgrade due to error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011, acquire more storage. This can be expanded by incorporating storage devices such as USB flash drives, CDs, cloud storage, and SD Cards.

Method 2: Scan your computer for virus/malware

If you regularly download stuff, especially software on the Internet from ‘not so secured’ sites, you might have picked up something. You might have downloaded malware or virus (along with other legit programs).

To resolve this issue, it’s advised and very important that you download a powerful antivirus and perform a complete scan of your computer system. After you’ve detected and removed the suspected malware/virus, you’ll then be able to eliminate error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011 and resume with your Windows 10 upgrade.

Method 3: Clean up your computer’s registry

If you do not clean your computer’s registry often, it could become congested or clogged by .XML files, junk files, and cookies. To resolve this problem, clean your registry by using a powerful and user-friendly tool to clean up the problem.

Click here to download Restoro.

Have you been feeling anxious in the digital space? Feeling like you have a million eyes on you each time you visit a website? It can definitely make you uneasy. Luckily there’s an easy fix, and it’s called a VPN.

In this article we’ll take you through the basics of what a VPN does and some of the biggest benefits you can reap from buying one.

VPN: definition and how it works

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, so its name already says a lot about what it does. 

A VPN is specialized software that keeps your browsing private and secure. Essentially it hides your identity, preventing possible cyberattacks and data theft. This is especially important in cases of public network use, where you’re highly exposed to potential threats.

To be more specific, this software encrypts your Internet Protocol (IP) address by filtering it through a server hosted by the VPN provider first. That way, it prevents your Internet service provider, third parties and lurking online thieves from tracking the actual you.

Credit: FLY:D on Unsplash

Some providers, such as Surfshark VPN with its IP Rotator feature, even make it a habit to frequently change your IP address to further protect your identity. With most VPN providers, you can also appear to be in a completely different country, adding to your disguise.

There are tons of advantages you can look forward to if you decide to use a VPN. Take a look at some of the crucial ones.

Benefits of using a VPN

When choosing a VPN, you can find both free and paid options. We recommend you go with the paid ones, since they have stronger security, encryption and data protection, as well as more advanced features. Free VPNs come with limitations and risk of malicious attacks on the software itself.

You can choose to buy a singular VPN service or opt for antivirus software that has a VPN built in, for example Bitdefender’s Ultimate Security plan. That depends on what you use your computer for and how much. 

When you pick one, here’s what it can do for you.

1. Access region-specific content

When we said you could change your location, we meant it. Say you’re using a streaming service and a show you desperately want to watch isn’t available in your country. You can use your VPN to make it look like you’re browsing from a country where it’s unlocked.

This option is also convenient for gamers who want to access maps, skins and other in-game items unavailable in their location.

Surfshark VPN (Credit: Dan Nelson on Unsplash)

In addition, you can use this powerful feature when you’re traveling to a region where some of your favorite content may not be accessible.

Do keep in mind that you need to read the Terms and Conditions (yeah, we know - who does that?) of your games and services before doing this, since you could end up getting a penalty. It’s also important to remember that there are entire countries that have strict regulations or even bans on VPNs, for example Belarus, Russia and China. So make sure to be very cautious with your VPN use, friends.

2. Browse like no one’s watching

VPNs shield your browsing habits from prying eyes on the web. Those can be malicious hackers or just third-party cookies tracking your every move to later bombard you with targeted ads. For example, Surfshark VPN features a Cookie blocker that blocks all cookie-related pop-ups and lets you browse in peace (and secret). It works even when the VPN is turned off, which is also pretty neat.

In addition, their CleanWeb 2.0 technology makes sure ads and especially malware don’t stand a chance at all, since they’re blocked before they can even load.

The inability of sites to track your browsing means they can’t collect and analyze any of your data. So, your personal information - or your company’s information in case that’s what you’re using your computer for - is entirely hidden and secure.

3. Save money

It’s well-known that the prices of certain items and services vary based on your location, browsing time, age and many other factors. This most commonly goes for airline tickets and hotel stays.

You can use your VPN to avoid high prices and surcharges. Clear all cookies, turn on your VPN and visit an online shopping site to check out their prices. Then compare your findings with the offers you see when your VPN is off, when you spend a long time on the site or have an active account with the company. 

Sometimes this can really help you find the best deals and avoid breaking the bank. But again, check the Terms and Conditions before you purchase something using a VPN.

4. Secure your smart home

The more smart devices you have connected to your network, the more exposed you are to potential cyberattacks. Phones and computers are generally designed to be decently secure even without a VPN or antivirus, but smart home devices leave a lot to be desired in that regard. 

Protecting your home network with a VPN software means all devices connected to it are secure, be it an air purifier or Alexa.

5. Prevent connection slowdown

Your ISP can intentionally slow down your internet speed based on how much data you’ve consumed (data throttling) or your activities online (bandwidth throttling).

But with a VPN, what kind of data you send and receive and how much is entirely hidden. Therefore, if your ISP can’t see you, they can’t control you and they can’t throttle down your speed.   

The bottom line

You can never be too safe online. So definitely think about getting yourself a solid VPN to pump up your privacy and security as much as you can. And if you have any questions or need help choosing the perfect software for you, feel free to reach out to us.

So, you have finished with work, game, movie, music, email, or whatever on your PC, you look at the clock, it is late, you decide to go to sleep or outside, you click on the power button and choose shutdown. Now when a PC is shut down you feel good and go with your business but the next time you power it up you get the same error like the computer never really shut down in the first place. You wonder why and reboot it, just in case and all of the sudden error is gone.

If something similar has happened to you or you had the feeling that after shutting down your computer has not really felt like shutting it down, do not seek professional help, everything is OK with you because when you click on shut down, your computer does not really shut down!

Truth is that Microsoft has changed how to shut down works and how rebooting works in Windows with an update but has not publicly said anything about it so some users may experience this feeling of not shutdown phenomenon and might even think there is something wrong with their PC.

Why this change?

A few years ago shutdown button and option in Windows were really shutting down OS, but things changed when Microsoft wanted to increase boot-up speed. Now when that decision was made shutdown option was changed. So, what was changed? Well in order to increase Windows booting time, the shutdown will now turn off power to PC components and it will look like everything is indeed shutdown but the Windows kernel will actually be saved to a hard drive with all settings and just awaken once the PC is turned back ON. This will result in all errors and other stuff being just still present same as they were once the system was instructed to be turned off.

Rebooting your PC will now clear kernel and file from the hard drive and you will get a clean system startup without any issues tied with the kernel itself.

Workaround

Now that we know why and what change has been made to Windows logical question is can we shut down our PC at all properly? Luckily for us, the answer is yes and we will not need any external application to do it, we can still do it inside Windows itself and it is quite quick and easy.

Bringing back the old shutdown

In order to bring the old shutdown functionality of your PC please follow the instructions but be aware that by doing this your PC will boot a little bit slower since it will have to load the kernel from scratch each time computer is turned ON.

First thing is to go to settings and go to System

Then once you are inside the system, navigate to the power and sleep and click on it to select it. Once you have it selected to all the way to the right and click on additional power settings.

When you click on advanced power settings you should be led to the control panel's power options. Inside this panel click on top left link where it says Choose what the power button does.

Inside options, you will need to untick the box next to Turn on fast startup (recommended), this option has been ticked ON by the Windows update and probably without notifying you. Option means exactly what was described, it will save kernel state on the hard drive for faster boot time but sadly it can cause some issues since it will never be reloaded from 0.

If you are unable to uncheck the box click on the text beside the shield icon that says: Change settings that are currently unavailable (you will have to be logged in as administrator).

Conclusion

Altho turning off fast startup and shutting down the PC completely will for sure extend your bootup time I still believe that it is the right choice since sometimes a lot of clutter and bad things accumulate over time inside the OS and can cause a vast variety of problems in a long run. So stay safe and shut down that PC as it used to be in the past.

What is the Error Code 652?

Error code 652 is a runtime error. It hampers you from accessing and running your program on your system. If not resolved, it can also lead to program corruption.

Solution

Error Causes

Runtime Error 652 can occur due to several causes. These include:

• Conflict of color depth within icons, the desktop, or a particular application in the Visual Basic environment.  This happens when the Image
• List control consists of more colors than the depth of what Windows can support.

Other causes include:

• Malicious software and malware attack
• Conflict with Terminate
• Invalid or corrupt registry

Further Information and Manual Repair

If you are not a computer programmer and don’t have any sound technical expertise, then you might think of hiring a professional to resolve the error on your PC. But this can be costly as you may have to pay hundreds of dollars to the technician. However, an alternative way to resolve the error code 652 is to download the Total System Care. This PC repair tool is integrated with an intuitive registry cleaner and a powerful anti-virus. It is safe, efficient, user-friendly, and available for free. Restoro is a multi-functional error tool and a one-stop solution to resolve practically all kinds of PC-related problems. By running this repair tool, you can fix runtime error code 652 on your system in seconds.

Restoro

What makes Restoro a hot favorite among PC users is that it is simple and easy to use. To operate this PC fixer, you don’t need to have the sound technical knowledge or be adept at computer programming. It can be used by all levels of PC users including beginners and intermediates. It has a neat and clean layout with simple instructions and navigation making it easy for users to resolve even the mightiest errors in just a few clicks.

Restoro features

Whether the underlying reason for the error code 652 is malicious software or registry corruption, Restoro takes care of all. Registry corruption occurs due to unnecessary files and data overload in the hard disk. This includes junk files, internet history, invalid registry entries, and bad registry keys. The registry cleaner embedded in Restoro intuitively detects and scans all registry issues. It wipes and clears the hard disk from all the unnecessary and obsolete files and thus cleans up your disk space. It repairs the corrupt registry and also boosts your PC’s performance. Thus it not only repairs the error code 652 but also resolves system slowdown issues by optimizing your system’s speed. With the help of its in-built anti-virus, it removes all the malicious software on your system that could be triggering the error code 652. Data security threats such as malicious software are detected and scanned and listed under the privacy error utility. It is compatible with all Windows versions including both the latest and old versions. You can run it to scan error code 652 on any Windows version you have installed on your computer.

Restoro for error Code 652

Furthermore, as mentioned above Error Code 652 is safe to use. It is bug-free and besides, it offers users outstanding data safety. It has a backup file feature that helps you save and create backup copies of all the data you have on your system. This is carried for safety purposes. It enables users to retrieve and recover data in case the data and files are lost during the repair thus sparing you from a big loss. The error code 652 may be critical but it can be resolved in seconds with Restoro. Here’s how:

1. To get started click here to download and install Restoro on your system
2. Once installed, run it to scan for errors. It will take only a few seconds to scan your entire PC.
3. Then simply create a backup and click on repair to resolve and resume your desired program.

For best results, it is advised to run Restoro on the computer often. This will help you detect PC errors and repair them timely. It will help you ensure proper PC maintenance, health, and performance.