How To Speed Up PC Startup

MSASCui.exe is a digitally signed file from Microsoft located in folder C:\Program Files\Windows Defender. It is a component of Microsoft Windows Defender Antispyware. This file is responsible for performing spyware scans. It is already installed in Windows Vista operating system. MSASCui.exe becomes an error code when it is found in another path. It is categorized as a Windows runtime error.

Solution

Error Causes

The cause of MSASCui.exe error is triggered by:

• Corrupt or damaged registry entries
• Virus Infection

The potential risks of MSASCui.exe error are:

• Slow PC performance
• Data loss

When this file becomes an error, it will display messages like:

“This application has failed to start to run on Windows because MSASCUI.exe cannot be found.” “Windows Defender cannot work properly and protect the Windows system effectively”

The message will keep popping up on your computer screen time and again.

Further Information and Manual Repair

When you experience an MSASCui.exe error on your PC, it is advisable to fix and repair it immediately before it causes serious damages to your system. Here are some DIY quick solutions to repair MSASCui.exe error:

Solution 1:

If the speed of your PC reduces significantly and you also see MSASCui.exe error message pop on your screen, then in this case it is advisable to uninstall the Windows Defender program from your PC. To do so, follow these instructions:

• First, open the Windows Task Manager by pressing the “Ctrl, “Alt” and “Delete” keys on the keyboard.
• Now click the ‘Processes’ tab. This will show the currently running processes on your system.
• Scroll down and click on “MSASCui.exe” and then end the process. This will stop the program from running on your PC.
• After this go to the start menu and double click on ‘My Computer’ and click on the C drive.
• Choose the option ‘Program Files’ and then click on the ‘Windows Defender’ folder.
• Now to delete this folder, right-click and select ‘delete’. This will uninstall the program, fix the MSASCui.exe error, and also improve the performance of your PC.

Solution 2:

If you find the MSASCui.exe file located in some other path, then this is an indication of a virus. In this case, it is recommended to run an antivirus program on your PC to scan and delete all viruses. If you don’t have an antivirus program already installed on your system, then you should download it. Once antivirus software is downloaded, simply run it to scan viruses and then click on delete to remove all the viruses on your system. This will help you resolve the MSASCui.exe error caused by malware on your PC right away.

If you are trying to update your Windows 10 computer using Windows Update but encounter an error code 0x80242006, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing this particular Windows Update error. This kind of error might be due to mishandling by the operating system. It could also be caused by the antivirus program or security software installed in your computer. When you encounter this error, you will see the following error message on your screen as you try to run Windows Update:

“0x80242006, WU_E_UH_INVALIDMETADATA. A handler operation could not be completed because the update contains invalid metadata.”

Here are some troubleshooting tips you can try to fix Windows Update Error 0x80242006.

Option 1 – Try to 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 command 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.
  • ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
• 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 2 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

If resetting the Windows Update components didn’t work, you could also try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing any issues related to Windows Update including this one. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 3 – Try to disable your antivirus program

Disabling the antivirus program or any security software installed in your computer is always a good idea you can try when the Windows Update process does not go smoothly. So before you try updating your computer again, make sure to disable the antivirus or security program and once the Windows Update is done, don’t forget to enable the antivirus program back again.

Option 4 – Check the Background Intelligent Service and the Cryptographic Service

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the following services and make sure that their Startup type is as follows:
  • Background Intelligent Transfer Service – Manual
  • Cryptographic Service ­– Automatic
• After that, check if the Service status of the listed services above are set to Running. If they’re not, click on the Start button to start these services and then check if you can now enable the Windows Update service or not.

Option 5 – Run the System File Checker Scan

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few while before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

• Restart your computer.

Option 6 – Try running the DISM tool

You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the Windows Update error 0x80242006. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.

• Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• After that, wait until the process is finished and do not close the window as the process will probably take a couple of minutes.
• Once it’s done, restart your computer.

Error Code0x80070426 - What is it?

When Windows evolved into Windows 10, the program known as Windows Security Essentials is no longer. It is now the program known as Windows Defender. When a computer is upgraded from a previous version of Windows up to Windows 10, the Windows Defender takes over and will replace the Security Essentials. In a small percentage of Windows 10 upgrades, something will go wrong and the new program will fail to replace Security Essentials. The result will be that the operating system has both of the programs installed. In this case, Windows Defender will not offer any protection and Security Essentials will not be able to defend either. This error code will also present itself when the Windows Mail App in Windows 10 fail to retrieve and sync email from the user's account.

Common symptoms include:

• There will be an error message that says: “An error has occurred in the program initialization. If this problem does continue, contact your System Admin. Error code 0x80070426.”
• The computer will be left completely vulnerable to spyware and viruses.
• The Windows Mail App will not be able to retrieve mail and will not sync with the PC user's mail.
• The user can be doing anything on their computer and the error code will show up unprompted.
• The computer will lock up, become slow, crash, or even freeze when dealing with error code 0x80070426.
• The programs from an older version of Windows do not replace the newer version from Windows 10.

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0x80070426 will present itself when a PC user has upgraded their OS from a previous version of Windows to the new Windows 10 version. When this happens, a small portion of users will experience the disconnect between older versions of specific programs, namely the virus protection. When the previous version of the program under a different name is not completely removed and the new virus protection program is installed, the programs will cancel each other out and collectively offer no protection.

This error code may also be found when Windows 10 tries to sync the user's email with the Windows Mail App.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are a few methods to repair this problem. It should be noted that should anyone feel that the instructions are too complicated, they should contact a Windows repair technician to ensure that the error is fixed properly.

Method One: Uninstall Microsoft Essentials

Hold down the Windows Key and press R. Type in taskmgr into the run dialogue. You should locate the Windows Defender Service (this may show up as Windefend). Right-click on it and then choose Stop.

This will stop the program, but the program will start back up automatically when the computer restarts. While this program is stopped, uninstall Essentials.

To do this: go to Control Panel, Programs, and Features, Uninstall a Program. Alternately, you may hold down the Windows Key and press R, type in appwiz.cpl, click OK, and then locate Microsoft Essentials. Uninstall it, and then restart your computer.

After this is done, go to Settings, Update, and Security. Choose Windows Defender and ensure that Real-time protection is on. Refer back to the Task Manager, Services. Make sure that Defender service is on and running.

Method Two: If the problem occurs in the Windows Mail App

When error code 0x80070426 presents itself in the form of an error with the Mail app, it may be necessary to run an SFC scan.

Right-click on the Start menu or Windows icon, and select Command prompt. The command prompt may be navigated by using shortcut keys Win and X and then select it.

Run the command prompt and then type in sfc /scannow and then press enter. The SFC scan will be run, and be careful not to abort the process before it has finished. This will scan for any files that are lost or corrupt on the PC.

If the scan has found any corrupt files, type in this code and then hit Enter: findstr /c:”[SR]” %windir%LogsCBSCBS.log >”%userprofile%Desktopsfcdetails.txt.

To skip the repair of corrupt or missing files, type in: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. The details of the scan can be found on the sfcdetails.txt file that will be on the desktop.

Method Three: Use An Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

What is error code 0x80070103?

When visiting the Windows Update Website or the Microsoft Update Website to download the latest update for hardware drives, you could possibly receive Error Code 0x80070103 when clicking on the update driver. This error code occurs when Windows tries to download a piece of identical hardware for a second time. It could also occur when Windows tries to update a currently installed driver to an unsuitable version of that driver.

Solution

Further Information and Manual Repair

There aren’t many ways to handle this issue. Below are two methods of fixing Error Code 0x80070103.

Method 1:

• Visit the Microsoft Update Website
• After the "scan for updates" is complete, click the Welcome or Custom page.
• Next, click Hardware, in the navigation panel, and then on the tab for "optional hardware Updates", the Update client will display the available updates.
• For the graphics card, scan the second update after which you'll click to select the option that says "do not show this update again".
• Hit the "Review and install updates" button.
• Confirm that the second update for the graphics card is not present, then move on the installing the updates.
• Click on the start button, go to All Programs, and then click on Windows Update.
• Hit the "Check for updates" tab.
• After the "scan for updates" is over, click the"Optional updates" link.
• In the "Select the updates you want to install" section, right-click the update that is not needed and hide them.
• Hit the OK button.
• To install any additional updates that are selected, click "Install Updates". Close Windows Update if no other updates are selected,
• For touch screens, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Search (or point to the upper-right corner of the screen if you're using a mouse, moving the pointer down, before clicking Search). Enter "Windows Updates" in the search box, click Settings, and then click "Check for updates".
• After the scan is complete, click the"Optional updates are available" link.
• Right-click or Tap and hold the update you want to hide, select"Hide update", and then select OK.
• If any other updates are available, save all work in "other programs", then restart the computer to the install updates; otherwise, opt out of the Windows Update window.

Open the search window and type “Windows Update” in the search box.

Method 2:

When trying to repair error code 0x80070103, if you find method one hard to follow, can contact Microsoft directly. Call up the help center number listed on their website, and a technician will be able to walk you through the process of ensuring the updater is not attempting to download multiple copies of hardware or trying to install unusable updates on your computer. Because the Windows Updater is set to a generic method of searching for updates, it may not be set to optimize the personal computer's settings. This is why you must select all of the optional update options and why this process is so long. It may be made easier by having a computer repairs technician walk you through it. However, if you want to automate the process of getting that problem solved, you can use a powerful tool to get the job done.

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

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

About Browser Hijackers

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

How one can know if your browser is hijacked

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

Exactly how they infect computer systems

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

How you can get rid of a browser hijacker

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

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

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

Download the application in Safe Mode with Networking

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

Use an alternate web browser to download an antivirus application

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

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

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

Protect your PC against Malware With SafeBytes Security Suite

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

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

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

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

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

The dxgmms2.sys file is a system driver file in Windows that is associated with the Graphics Rendering capabilities of a computer. However, this file is known to cause various Blue Screen of Death errors. Some of the culprits for these errors include issues with RAM, hard disk issues, corrupted drivers, and incompatible firmware. Despite its many causes, fixing this issue is quite straightforward so it should be easier for you to fix it. Here are some of the Blue Screen errors related to the dxgmms2.sys file:

• SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
• SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
• KMODE EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED
• PAGE FAULT IN A NONPAGED AREA
• IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL

If you have recently created a System Restore point prior to getting the dxgmms2.sys Blue Screen error, then you need to perform System Restore first before you further troubleshoot the problem as it might help in resolving the Blue Screen error. Refer to the steps below to perform System Restore.

• First, press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

If System Restore didn’t help in fixing the Blue Screen error, now’s the time for you to resort to the troubleshooting tips provided below but before you get started, make sure that you create a System Restore point first.

Option 1 – Reinstall the Graphics Card drivers

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for the Graphics Card drivers listed under Display Adapters.
• Right-click on each one of the Graphics Card drivers and select Uninstall device and then follow the next on-screen instructions given to uninstall the driver.
• Now reboot your computer. During this time, your system will automatically reinstall the Graphics card drivers.

Note: You also have the option to go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturer and check if there’s a new update – if there is, download it. After that, you could also check if there’s a new update of the game you’re getting the issue of the black bar.

Option 2 – Try running the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Since the dxgmms2.sys Stop error has something to do with the DirectX Graphics APIs, you can run the DirectX Diagnostic tool to resolve the problem.

Option 3 – Try updating or re-installing DirectX

If the DirectX Diagnostic tool didn’t work, you can try to update or reinstall DirectX instead. This can help in fixing the problem because when you reinstall or update DirectX, it will replace the incompatible or corrupted components of DirectX from your computer.

Option 4 – Try to update the BIOS

Updating the BIOS can help you fix the Blue Screen error related to the dxgmms2.sys file but as you know, BIOS is a sensitive part of a computer. Even though it is a software component, the functioning of the hardware depends on it largely. Thus, you must be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
• From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
• After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
• If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
• Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version on your computer.
• Now restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 5 – Use some registry tweaks

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlGraphicsDrivers
• From there, right-click on the right-side panel and click on New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Then set the name of the new DWORD to “TdrDelay”.
• After that, use the next set of instructions and select the one for the Windows version you are using.

32-bit Windows:

• Choose the DWORD (32-bit) value.
• Then type in “TdrDelay” as the name and hit Enter.
• After that, double click on TdrDelay and add “10” as its value and click OK. This will set the response time for your GPU to be 10 seconds.

64-bit Windows:

• Select the QWORD (64-bit) value.
• Next, type in “TdrDelay” as the name and hit Enter.
• Double click on TdrDelay and type in “10” as its value data and click OK.
• Restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 6 – Disable the Sleep Functionality

You might also want to disable the Sleep Functionality as it could be the reason why you’re getting the Blue Screen error. There are times when the graphics card’s drivers are being used in the background and if the display goes to sleep and is awakened, it may cause a Blue Screen error. To fix it, you can prevent your computer from going into Sleep mode.

Option 7 – Try to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that might help you fix any Blue Screen errors related to the dxgmms2.sys file. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

Still sitting on the fence about upgrading to Windows 11 because you don’t know what to expect? Interestingly, the new edition somehow manages to be both a total revamp and still very similar to its predecessor in many ways. It’s really something to experience for yourself.

We do want to give you a sneak peek, though. So here’s an overview of the biggest changes Windows 11 brings to the table.

What’s different in Windows 11?

1. Visual changes

The first thing anyone will notice after switching to Windows 11 is the striking visual difference. The entire interface is smoother, cleaner and more minimalistic than on Windows 10, even resembling the macOS in some instances.
Perhaps the most obvious change in appearance is the Start menu and Taskbar location, which is now at the bottom center. It’s actually very neat, but if you’re someone who loves familiarity, don’t worry, you can move it back to the left.

Moreover, you’ll notice that the Taskbar includes a Microsoft Teams icon by default (which you can, of course, remove) and that Live Tiles are gone. The News and Interests section has also been removed - or, shall we say, replaced. As opposed to Windows 10, news, weather forecasts and other information are now displayed as widgets.

To add to the cleanliness of the UI, Microsoft also enhanced the ‘Snap Layouts’ feature to help you better organize your windows and maximize screen real estate. It’s similar to app grouping on your smartphone. In Windows 10 this feature is slightly restricted, as it requires some manual resizing and dragging. In Windows 11, you can just hover over the minimize/maximize option on a window, select a layout and throw the windows in there. 

2. New accessibility features

Microsoft has certainly paid attention to accessibility with Windows 10, but Windows 11 takes this to a whole new level.

One of the ways Windows 11 has taken things up a notch is by adding the long-awaited ‘Live Captions’ feature and advanced Narrator options.

Live Captions apply both to media played on your PC as well as your own speech when you’re using the microphone. Keep in mind that, as with almost all kinds of subtitles, you have to be prepared for a potential delay. However, it’s barely noticeable and doesn’t take away from the usefulness of this awesome new feature whatsoever.

As for the Narrator, there are three new voice packs to choose from. Microsoft has tried to put emphasis on a more natural voice than we are used to. So, now you can choose between Aria, Jenny and Guy, who will read pretty much anything off your screen out loud. Aside from this, Microsoft has also expanded the list of braille displays supported by the Narrator feature. 
For users with anxiety or trouble concentrating, a welcomed addition is the Focus app, which is no longer part of the Clock app. It’s now separate and called ‘Focus Sessions’, automatically triggering the Do Not Disturb mode when activated. It blocks all pop-ups and flashes and lets you work in peace until you’re ready to switch it off.

3. Android apps

Android users may rejoice! Windows 11 supports the use of your favorite applications now. 

Microsoft has done this by integrating the Amazon Appstore to the Windows 11 Microsoft Store. From there, you can download your favorite Android apps and use them on your PC in a smartphone-like window.

Unfortunately not too many apps are supported at this time, but Microsoft is working on making the emulation possible for many more. Also, the option is only available in specific regions at this moment - check out if you’re one of the lucky ones.

4. Improved gaming performance

Avid gamers will be happy to hear that Microsoft has put some effort into streamlining Windows 11 for their gaming needs.

To give gamers a supreme visual experience, Windows 11 offers the ‘Auto HDR’ feature. As long as your monitor is HDR-compatible, this feature will automatically adjust the colors, brightness and contrast of games without any input from you. 

Another update is DirectStorage, which we were introduced to in Windows 10 already. In Windows 11, it’s been improved to tweak loading times and overall gaming performance efficiency even better. The predisposition for it to work optimally is that your device has an NVMe SSD. 

The Xbox Game Bar also helps gamers towards a smoother experience. It allows in-game screenshots, viewing processes that are running (similar to the Task Manager), monitoring the CPU and GPU performance and frame rate, integrating the Xbox App and more. There’s also a number of widgets you can now use with the Game Bar, for example the Spotify widget.

Another cool addition is the Xbox Game Pass, which unlocks hundreds of games to play on your Xbox App, with new additions coming in every month.

5. Smart App Control

Aside from a sleek new look and better accessibility for all users, Windows 11 also comes with a security power-up. Bear in mind that this feature is only available on clean Windows 11 installs. 

Smart App Control (SAC) is an AI-powered new feature designed to protect your PC from potential threats. It blocks untrustworthy apps and adware and helps detect potentially unwanted apps, maintaining your PC’s performance and keeping your system safe.

It comes with an ‘Evaluation’ mode, which you should definitely select when running SAC for the first time. That way, the app monitors your usage and assesses whether you’re a candidate for SAC. Some users need it to be on all the time, for others it might be too distracting. Evaluation mode will turn SAC on or off based on your usage.

Don’t disable SAC again unless you’re absolutely sure you don’t need it, since reenabling it will require a fresh install. We recommend you don’t turn it off, as it is a neat feature protecting your data and files from malware at all times.

Summary

Have we piqued your interest in trying Microsoft’s latest OS? It’s a pretty exciting new iteration, but we’ll let you find out for yourself. We hope you like it!

GoodShopLanding is a browser extension for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. This extension offers the latest coupons from a range of variety stores. While this may seem useful, this extension only offers coupons from sponsored stores, not all coupons available, so the only coupons that you will get are from the Extensions Ad network. You may see additional new tabs opening randomly while browsing the internet, these tabs are opened by GoodShopLanding and usually contain last-minute store deals.

As it is often distributed via potentially unwanted advertising, and impacts browser performance in a way that many users do not want, it is classified as a Browser Hijacker and thus flagged for optional removal. From the Author:

Shop online? Here’s your free automatic coupon finder, Gumdrop. Never miss a coupon again Gumdrop automatically applies the best coupons for you at checkout. Get the best deals anywhere With over 500,000 coupons, Gumdrop finds deals for thousands of stores, including Amazon, Expedia, and Papa John’s.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes called hijackware) are a kind of malicious software that alters internet browser configurations without the computer owner’s knowledge or consent. These hijacks appear to be increasing at an astonishing rate around the globe, and it could be truly nefarious and sometimes harmful too. There are numerous reasons why you may have a browser hijack; but commercial, marketing, and advertising are definitely the primary purposes for their creation. Often, hijackers will force hits to sites of their choice either to increase traffic generating higher advertisement revenue, or to gain a commission for every user visiting there. However, it isn’t that harmless. Your web safety is jeopardized and it is extremely irritating. They not only mess up your web browsers, but browser hijackers can also modify the system registry, leaving your computer vulnerable to various other attacks.

Indications of browser hijack

There are many symptoms that indicate the browser is highjacked: your homepage is reset to some mysterious site; bookmark and the new tab are likewise changed; The default search page of web browser is changed; unwanted new toolbars are added to your web browser; you may see never-ending pop-up ads on your computer screen; web pages load very slowly and sometimes incomplete; you’re disallowed access to certain webpages, such as the site of an antimalware software developer like SafeBytes.

How they get into the computer

A browser hijacker can be installed on your computer if you go to an infected website, click an e-mail attachment, or download something from a file-sharing website. They can also be deployed via the installation of an internet browser toolbar, add-on, or extension. Browser hijackers sneak into your pc along with free software application downloads that you unknowingly install along with the original. A good example of some well-known browser hijackers includes Babylon, Anyprotect, Conduit, DefaultTab, SweetPage, RocketTab, and Delta Search, but the names are often changing. Browser hijackers may record user keystrokes to collect potentially invaluable information that leads to privacy issues, cause instability on computers, significantly disrupt user’s browsing experience, and finally slow down the computer to a stage where it will become unusable.

How you can get rid of browser hijackers

Certain browser hijacking can be simply corrected by identifying and removing the corresponding malware program from your control panel. Unfortunately, most of the software programs utilized to hijack a web browser are intentionally designed to be hard to remove or detect. Moreover, manual removal requires you to carry out many time-consuming and intricate steps which are tough to conduct for new computer users. Installing and running anti-malware software on the affected computer can automatically delete browser hijackers as well as other malicious applications. If you want to remove persistent browser hijackers quickly and effectively, install the top-rated Anti-Malware program Safebytes Anti-Malware. Along with anti-virus software, a system optimizer program can help you fix registry errors, get rid of unwanted toolbars, secure internet privacy, and enhance overall computer performance.

What you can do if Malware Stops You From Downloading Anti-virus?

Malware could cause all kinds of damage when they invade your system, from stealing your private information to deleting data files on your computer. Some malware sits in between the computer and the internet connection and blocks some or all sites that you really want to visit. It could also block you from adding anything to your machine, especially antivirus applications. If you are reading this, you may have got infected by malware that stops you from installing a computer security application like Safebytes Anti-Malware. Do as instructed below to get rid of the malware in alternate ways.

Download the application in Safe Mode with Networking

If the malware is set to load immediately when Microsoft Windows starts, entering Safe Mode could very well block the attempt. Since only the bare minimum applications and services start-up in safe mode, there are seldom any reasons for issues to take place. Here are the steps you should follow to boot into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (go to Microsoft site for instructions on Windows 8 and 10 computers). 1) At power-on/startup, press the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This will conjure up the “Advanced Boot Options” menu. 2) Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking and hit ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you should have internet access. Now, use your internet browser normally and navigate to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) Immediately after installation, do a full scan and allow the program to delete the threats it discovers.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Malicious program code could exploit vulnerabilities in a particular internet browser and block access to all anti-virus software sites. If you seem to have a virus attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to an alternate web browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Create a portable antivirus for removing malware

Another solution is to make a portable antivirus program on your USB stick. Adopt these measures to use a USB flash drive to fix your corrupted computer system. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or MS 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 antivirus software package to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Pick a USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you intend to install the software. Follow the directions to complete the installation process. 5) Remove the USB drive. You may now utilize this portable antivirus on the infected computer system. 6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the thumb drive to run the program. 7) Click the “Scan Now” button to begin the virus scan.

Let's Talk About SafeBytes Anti-Malware!

If you’re looking to download anti-malware software for your PC, there are numerous tools in the market to consider nonetheless, you cannot trust blindly anyone, regardless of whether it is paid or free program. Some of them are good but there are several scamware applications that pretend as legit anti-malware programs waiting to wreak havoc on your personal computer. When looking for antimalware software, pick one that provides solid, efficient, and total protection against all known computer viruses and malware. When thinking about reliable software programs, Safebytes AntiMalware is undoubtedly the highly recommended one. SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, highly effective protection tool made to help users of all levels of IT literacy in identifying and eliminating harmful threats from their personal computers. Once you’ve got installed this tool, SafeBytes superior protection system will ensure that no viruses or malicious software can seep through your PC. SafeBytes carries a variety of amazing features which can help you protect your PC from malware attack and damage. Listed below are some of the good ones: Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes delivers complete and real-time security for your PC. It’ll monitor your personal computer for suspicious activity at all times and safeguards your PC from unauthorized access. Robust, Anti-malware Protection: With a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes gives multilayered protection which is made to catch and eliminate viruses and malware that are hidden deep inside your computer’s operating system. Fast Scan: Safebytes Anti-Malware, using its enhanced scanning engine, offers extremely fast scanning which can promptly target any active online threat. Safe Browsing: SafeBytes inspects the links present on a webpage for possible threats and alerts you if the site is safe to visit or not, through its unique safety rating system. Light-weight Tool: This software program is not “heavy” on the computer’s resources, so you’ll not see any performance troubles when SafeBytes is working in the background. 24/7 Online Technical Support: For any technical issues or product guidance, you could get 24/7 professional assistance through chat and email. To sum it up, SafeBytes Anti-Malware provides excellent protection combined with very low system resource usage with both great malware detection and prevention. You can be sure that your computer system will be protected in real-time once you put this software program to use. So if you’re searching for the absolute best malware removal application out there, and when you don’t mind shelling out some money for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to do the removal of GoodShop Landing manually instead of employing an automated tool, you can follow these measures: Navigate to the Windows Control Panel, click the “Add or Remove Programs” and there, select the offending program to remove. In cases of suspicious versions of browser extensions, you can actually get rid of it through your browser’s extension manager. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To be certain of complete removal, find the following registry entries on your computer and remove them or reset the values appropriately. Please note that this is for professional users only and might be difficult, with wrong file removal leading to additional system errors. Additionally, certain malicious programs are capable to defend against its deletion. Doing this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is suggested.

In today's world setting up a LAN network or internet connection is no longer a daunting task that will require having a bachelor's degree in computer science nor a specialized technician. But even in the present-day environment issues and problems can occur. One of these problems is detecting or running a network at a slower 100MB speed instead of 1GB. Troubleshooting of this nature is somewhat more complex than your typical troubleshooting issue because several things including hardware could be involved in this particular problem but do not worry, we are here to back you up and guide you Setting up a home or small office network no longer requires a specialist technician to constantly monitor and optimize the LAN routers and connected PCs. As Windows networking has improved and new features have become available on the hardware, configuring a 1GB network should be as simple as connecting the LAN to a router that came with this capability. If however the network’s rated speed only gives 100MB, troubleshooting the issue is more complex. To find the problem, you’ll need to check the hardware devices, cable connections, and the software you are using to connect and manage the network.

Hardware checks

1. Check both connection jacks to see if it has any loose or frayed wires. If any of the wires are loose, it can be the cause of the performance issue. You should replace the cable if you discover damage to the connectors.
2. Inspect the entire length of the cable and check if the harness shows any clear signs of damage. A bent or damaged cable can reduce the amount of information it’s capable of transferring between the PC and LAN router. If you find any damage to the cable, replace it to restore your network speed.
3. Is the cable capable of transferring 1GB speeds? Different network cables support different network speeds. A Cat-5 cable will only provide 100MB transfers, while a Cat-5e or Cat-6 can support up to 10GB transfers. Check the cable’s labels to make sure you are using a Cat-5e or higher-rated data cable.

Now when the hardware issue is out of the way we can focus a little more on the software part.

Let's try the first easy solution, run Windows built-in troubleshooter

1. Click the Windows button and type Control Panel. Then select the top result.
2. If your Control Panel shows the Category View, change it to display Small Icons instead.
3. From the list of available applications, select Network and Sharing Center.
4. In your Network and Sharing Center, you can see the active network, set up a new network connection, troubleshoot problems, or change your adapter settings. Before making changes to your device properties, you can let Windows run a troubleshooter on your adapters to see if it can automatically fix your connection issues.
5. Click on Troubleshoot Problems from the Change Your Network Settings section.
6. In the Troubleshooter Application, scroll down and find the Network Adapter option.
7. Click on Run Troubleshooter to let Windows check your network adapter’s configuration for any issues.
8. Select the Ethernet Adapter you’re currently using from the list and click Next to proceed.
9. Wait for the process to complete and check the results. If Windows detects any issues, it will recommend a fix. However, if the configuration of your network adapters does not have any problems, you’ll see a message that Windows couldn’t detect any problems.
10. If there are any issues with the cable, the troubleshooter will detect the connection issue and request you replace the cable and connect it to your PC.
11. It can occur that even after inspecting the cable and you didn’t find any visible damage on the housing or connectors, it could still be faulty. Replace the cable with a new one and rerun the troubleshooter to see if the cable is working as required.

If the troubleshooter finished and you received a Windows Couldn’t Detect Any Issues result, you’ll need to verify your adapter’s speed settings.

1. In your Network and Sharing Center, select the Change Adapter Settings option from the left menu.
2. On the list of adapters, choose the one you’re using and click the Right Mouse Button to open the context menu.
3. Select Properties from the Context Menu to access your adapter’s settings.
4. On the Ethernet Properties window, you can enable or disable different features and install additional protocols. To change the device settings, click on Configure to continue.
5. This will open the Device Controller Properties window where you can check the status, make changes to the settings, find out information about the driver, or check historical events on the device. Select the Advanced tab to access the device settings.
6. On the Advanced tab, locate the Speed and Duplex setting.
7. The Auto-Negotiation option may cause network performance issues on certain Ethernet adapters and routers. The setting allows your adapter to change the speed settings according to the LAN configuration you connect to your PC. If you connect to different LAN networks regularly with different speeds, it can occur that the setting doesn’t update from 100MB to 1GB while switching.
8. Change the Value to match the network speed of the LAN you’re connecting to your PC and use the manual speed setting.
9. Click OK to apply the setting and test your network performance. If your adapter doesn’t have the 1GB setting available but you know the rating should go up to that speed, it could indicate that you aren’t using the right driver for the device.

If you don’t have the setting available or the device still only provides 100MB speeds after changing the Speed setting to a manual value, you may have to update the driver for the device.

1. On the Ethernet Properties Window, once again click on Configure to access the Device Properties Window. Then select the Driver Tab to access your driver details.
2. Select Update Driver from the available options.
3. On the Update Driver window, select the option to let Windows Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software.
4. Windows will connect to the internet and search for the latest drivers online. If a newer driver exists, Windows will download and install the driver for you. If you’re using the latest driver, Windows will inform you that no updated drivers are available.

Windows updates have become a regular occurrence in our digital lives. They are frequent and have become quite necessary. Most of the time they bring us quality content like fixed security, resolved bugs, and even new features but from time to time update itself can be not downloaded properly or it can have some issues when installing. Windows Update Error 0x800F0825 is one of these update errors that will be reported seemingly after applying the update. Altho annoying error it is nothing system breaking and can be easily resolved. Hello and welcome everyone, today we will provide you with solutions on how to resolve error 0x800F0825 when trying to complete a Windows update.

Run Windows troubleshooter

Built-in Windows troubleshooter can help a lot in resolving these issues and we will try it as a first solution because of its simplicity and ease of use.

• Click on START
• Click on settings
• Navigate to Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional Troubleshooter > Windows Update
• Click on Run the troubleshooter
• Follow onscreen instructions and let the troubleshooter try to solve the issue

Clear contents of SoftwareDistribution & Catroot2 folders

Altho SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders are essential for the update process it can happen that badly downloaded updates or similar corruption can be stored there and thus producing this error.

• Open file explorer and locate these two folders, go inside and delete content inside them
• Try updating again to see if corruption inside folders was the issue.

Update manually

If the previous two solutions have not produced a result and the error is still present then go to the official Microsoft Update Catalog and download the update manually The catalog is here. Search for updates from the Windows Update Catalog In the Search box, type your search terms. You can carry out a full-text search, using a keyword, KB article, MSRC bulletin, driver manufacturer, driver model, driver version, product, and a classification. Select the appropriate version of Windows. Search or click on Advanced Search if you want to refine your search. A list will be displayed. Select the updates that you want to download. Click Add for each selection to add it to the download basket.

• Download the updates. You may be asked to install an Active-X download control to be able to download files from this site
• Double-click on the downloaded updates to install them

Administrators can download updates from the Microsoft Download Center or the Windows Update Catalog to deploy to multiple computers If you are running Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0, System Center Essentials (SCE), or System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) you can import updates directly into these applications. Security updates, critical updates, service packs, update rollups, definition updates, and critical drivers can be configured to synchronize with your server automatically. You can still import these updates into your application by using Microsoft Update Catalog; however, depending on how you configure WSUS, SCE, and SCCM, you may not need to import the updates.

Disable system protection

In some rare cases, antivirus or firewall could interfere with both downloads and execution of certain files. If each previous solution failed disable temporarily your security software and try executing the update again.