Logo

Applications you should remove from Windows

ApplicationsOver time Applications change, some for the better some for worse. Some of them even stop receiving updates and are old and vulnerable. Sometimes standards change and some file types are not used anymore. Software evolves along with technology and that is good.

Keeping old and useless applications inside your Windows is not so good. From various exploits to simply taking up space, maybe even slowing down OS it is always wise and good to clean your Windows from unwanted old applications.

In this article, we will be mentioning some relics of old and providing you with an explanation of why you should remove them from your system if by any chance you still have them on it.

Silverlight

Silverlight was meant to be a competitor for Adobe Flash, it is a WEB framework that enables rich media content inside your WEB browser. The issue is that it is not developed anymore and today's browsers do not support it.

The only browser that actually can support it is internet explorer which itself is not supported and how there is practically 0 content on today's modern WEB that will require Silverlight, it is safe and recommended to remove it.

Adobe Flash

Speaking of Adobe Flash, you should remove it as well. Flash has stopped receiving support as of January 2021 and browsers have dropped support for it and even blocked it due to security issues.

However, there still might be some local installation of Flash itself inside Windows along with the old Shockwave player that stopped receiving support in 2019. You should remove them both.

JAVA

Now this one is tricky, by itself JAVA does not present any security issues since browsers do not support it anymore and the desktop version is not really slowing down your computer. This one has simply put just another media runtime that is not used and simply takes up space and resources.

However if you have some applications that you do use that rely on it (I can really just think of JAVA Minecraft at this point) leave it of course but in any other case, it is just purely not needed.

Quicktime

While we are at media runtime and stuff that just simply is not needed, Quicktime is one of them. Now this Apple Video player and codec is still pretty developed and active in Apple’s iOS environment, Windows version has not been updated since 2016 and it was discovered that it contains some critical vulnerabilities.

Uninstall it and if you need a player that could play MOV files, just use a VLC player that can play them without any separately installed codec.

uTorrent

This one, the same as CCleaner was once a good application, as a matter of fact, it was the best torrenting application. Sadly it has fallen from its grace very low, from getting tons of ads in its interface to findings in 2015 that code of torrent client was packed with a crypto miner that used system resources of an installed computer to mine crypto without user’s awareness.

You should uninstall this torrent client if you would like to get your PC back and not provide it for cryptocurrency mining for the company that developed it. Use qBittorrent or TIxati, open-source and free ones that have everything needed for any torrenting needs.

Toolbars and Browser extensions

There are a lot of toolbars for browsers and extensions that are malicious in nature or simply not updated providing security issues. It is very advisable to remove this as soon as possible.

WinRAR

WinRAR has gained its large popularity solely for the reason that you could download it from the official site like shareware and use it forever. The license never expired and you could use it indefinitely. Sadly not much has been improved in the application itself and it is slowly falling out in its range of what it can do.

There are better open source and free options today like 7zip, PeaZip, ZIPvare, and more that are working the same as WinRAR if not even better.

Windows and manufacturers Bloatware

Yes, applications that come bundled with Windows and with some laptops that include manufacturers made software for different tasks like its own specific media players, calculators, etc.

It is known that these applications are not better than their open-source rivals and there are too many of them including some that you will probably never use. It is the same as buying a new phone bundled with tons of applications that you do not need, did not ask for, and do not use. Delete all of them.

Considering Windows there are also some Store application like Candy Crush Saga demo and other are safe to remove if not needed.

That’s it, our advice for old and not needed applications so you can keep your PC safe and fast.

Do You Need Help with Your Device?

Our Team of Experts May Help
Troubleshoot.Tech Experts are There for You!
Replace damaged files
Restore performance
Free disk space
Remove Malware
Protects WEB browser
Remove Viruses
Stop PC freezing
GET HELP
Troubleshoot.Tech experts work with all versions of Microsoft Windows including Windows 11, with Android, Mac, and more.

Share this article:

You might also like

How to Fix Media disconnected error message on Windows 10
A computer with no internet connection is like a mobile phone that can’t call nor text though you can still use it for other things. So if you are having problems with your computer’s internet connection, worry not as there are some basic things you can try before you go over the actual troubleshooting. Just make sure that you really have working internet. To verify it, try connecting your other devices. Aside from that, you must also make sure that your computer is connected properly over cable or connected to the router over the Wi-Fi. Once you have all these things covered, now’s the time to start troubleshooting the problem with the help of the instructions prepared below. To be more specific, this guide will walk you through what you can do when you encounter a particular internet connection problem where you get the Media State Media disconnected error message on your Windows 10 computer.

Before you troubleshoot the problem, you need to first check the internet connection status on your computer. To do that, follow these steps:

  • Type in “cmd” in the Cortana search box.
  • From the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator” from the context menu.
  • After opening Command Prompt with administrator privileges, type in the ipconfig /all command and hit Enter.
  • After you enter the command, you will see a list of all the connected media like the Ethernet, Wi-Fi along with its status, and more. From there, you need to check everything closely. I notice a message that says, “Media State . . . . . Media disconnected”, then your internet connection is indeed having issues.
Refer to the options below to fix the Media State Media disconnected error message on your Windows 10 PC.

Option 1 – Try resetting WINSOCK and IP Stack

  • Type in “cmd” in the Cortana search box.
  • From the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator” from the context menu.
  • After opening Command Prompt, type in each one of the commands listed below
    • netsh winsock reset catalog – This command will reset the WINSOCK entries.
    • netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log – This command will reset the IPv4 TCP/IP stack.
    • netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log – This command will reset the IPv6 TCP/IP stack
  • Once you’ve executed the commands listed above, restart your PC to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Check if your Network Adapter is disabled

If you’ve disabled the network adapters on your computer, then it’s most likely the reason why you’re getting the Media State Media disconnected error message. Thus, you need to enable it back.
  • Open Settings and go to Network and Internet > Select Ethernet > Change adapter options.
  • From there, right-click on the adapter and enable it.

Option 3 – Check the Wi-Fi Properties

Though this case is not common, Wi-Fi sharing has actually caused issues for some users. That’s why you need to check the Wi-Fi properties. Go to Network Connections and right-click on Wi-Fi and select Properties. From Properties, go to the Sharing tab and select the first option and click OK.

Option 4 – Try updating the Network driver

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type in devmgmt.msc and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
  • Expand the section for the outdated device drivers.
  • And then select the Network driver or any other outdated driver(s) and right-click on it/them.
  • From the drop-down menu, select the Update Driver option and follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest version of the driver.
  • Then also click on the option, “Search automatically for updated driver software.
  • Restart your PC after the installation.
Note: If updating the Network driver didn’t work, you can go to the website of your PC manufacturer and look for the support section where you can download the drivers for your computer. You just need to take note of your PC’s correct model and model number so you can find the appropriate driver.
Read More
Edge and Store apps are not connecting
If your Microsoft Edge browser and Windows Store apps are now unable to connect to the internet after you have just installed the newly released Windows 10 v1809 October 2018 update, then this post might help. As you know, Microsoft has made a change recently and because of this, some users are getting the “Hmm, we can’t reach this page” error when they try to open Microsoft Edge as well as other pre-installed apps like News, Mail, and so on. Aside from that, you also won’t be able to connect the Microsoft Store apps to the internet. What’s strange is that you can connect to the internet using other programs like Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and many more. Apart from checking your internet connection, there are other things you can to resolve the problem. If your Windows Store apps are not able to connect to the internet and you’re only getting the Error 80072EFD, then you might have to enable IPv6 as the new Windows 10 v1809 requires IPv6 to be enabled so that you can use the UWP apps. And so you have to enable IPv6 in the network card along with IPv4. To do so, follow the steps below. Step 1: Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box. Step 2: After that, type “ncpa.cpl” and hit Enter or click OK to open Network Connections. From there, you will see your currently connected network profile. Step 3: Right-click on your network profile and select Properties and then go to the Networking tab and look for the “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” and select its corresponding checkbox. Step 4: Now click the OK button to save the changes made and restart your computer.
Read More
Error 0x00000024 – A Quick Fix

What is Error 0x00000024?

Error 0x00000024 can be seen when you start up and a screen comes up asking which mode you would startup in. Regardless of the mode you select, it leads up to the Windows screen with the loading bar and your computer crashes from there onwards. When you press F8 in order to select the “Disable Automatic Restart On System Failure” option, that is when this error shows up:
ST0P 0X00000024 (x00190203, 0x82700550, 0xc000012, 0x00000000)
Due to this error, both Safe and Normal modes become inaccessible.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

If you’re having this error then it is the indication of an issue with the file NTFS.sys. Further, there might also be problems with the IRP (Interrupt Request Packet) or the disk may have been corrupted. There are multiple other causes of this error, including heavy fragmentation of your hard drive or problems caused by your antivirus software.

Further Information and Manual Repair

First and foremost, you are suggested to run Chkdsk. In order to do this, you have to enter your BIOS and select CDROM as your primary booting device. Now follow the below-mentioned steps:
  1. Insert your Windows XP installation CD into the CDROM and reboot your PC.
  2. Press any key to proceed with the boot from CD when you are prompted to do so.
  3. When the Windows XP setup menu shows up, hit the “R” key to proceed with repairing Windows.
  4. If there is only one Windows installed on your computer then hit the “1” key and proceed by pressing enter. If there are more than two Windows then hit the number which is associated (according to the screen you are viewing) to the Windows you want to repair. Usually, this is C:/Windows and associated with “1” but if that is not the case then you should simply press the number that corresponds with the windows you want to repair and proceed.
  5. Now, you will see a screen that prompts you to enter your administrator password. Most people don’t have an admin password and in that case, you should simply hit enter and you’d be good to go. If you do have an administrator password, however, then you should type it in, hit enter, and proceed.
  6. When the DOS prompt shows up, type in chkdsk/f and hit return.
If you see no improvement in solving Error 0x00000024, and the problem keeps persisting, then you should start over. But this time you should type sfc/scannow instead of chkdsk/f and hit return. There are a few other complex methods that you can try as well but this is the most recommended procedure as it is easier, quicker, and most likely to fix the error.
Read More
Upcoming comic book movies with release dates
upcoming comic moviesThe World of Superhero movies has gone through some interesting variations, from good ones to bad ones, from big-budget ones to small ventures, even from large well-known characters to niche ones. No matter what you think of some of them no one would disagree that since the release of Iron Man and starting Marvel cinematic universe superheroes movies exploded in popularity. Following the Superhero craze, let’s see what is coming up in comic books transferred to big screens with their release dates.

List of upcoming movies

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Sept. 3, 2021 Trailer Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Oct. 15, 2021 Trailer Eternals, Nov. 5, 2021 Trailer Spider-Man: No Way Home, Dec. 17, 2021 Trailer Morbius, Jan. 28, 2022 Trailer The Batman, March 4, 2022 Trailer Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, March 25, 2022 Thor: Love and Thunder, May 6, 2022 DC League of Super-Pets, May 22, 2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, July 8, 2022 Black Adam, July 29, 2022 Trailer Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2, Oct. 7, 2022 The Flash, Nov. 4, 2022 The Marvels, Nov. 11, 2022 Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Dec. 16, 2022
Read More
How to paste just plain text anywhere

Taking information from the internet or from other sources usually involves selecting the text, copying it into the clipboard, and then pasting it into your file. In today's modern applications pasting text will most of the time take its formating with it.

keyboard shortcut paste

By formatting what I am talking about are parameters like font size, line breaks, hyperlinks, font styles, etc. and sometimes you do not want any of these in your file, you would like and prefer to have just plain text so you can format it as you wish.

In order to paste just plain text instead of using the CTRL + V keyboard shortcut, press CTRL + SHIFT + V instead. This shortcut will paste the only text into your file.

Shortcut and Microsoft Word

Leave it to Microsoft to make its shortcut not work in their application. In Microsoft Word, you can only use the standard CTRL + V shortcut, if you press CTRL + SHIFT + V nothing will happen. So in order to paste the only text into a word document, choose to paste special > text only

Other applications

I have tried CTRL + SHIFT + V in various applications like photoshop, illustrator, InDesign, visual studio code, slack, discord, WordPress installations, etc and only one that has not worked for me was Word and office in general so you are safe to use this trick and have desired results.

Read More
Easy Guide to Resolving Error Code 16

Error Code 16 - What is it?

Code 16 is a type of Device Manager error code. Windows XP users are most likely to encounter it. This error pops on XP systems that are running legacy or not plug-and-play hardware.

Error code 16 is displayed in the following format:

‘Windows cannot identify all the resources this device uses. (Code 16)’

Solution

driverfix boxError Causes

Error code 16 occurs when you use a peripheral device such as an external drive or a printer and that device is not properly or completely configured. Though the device may have been recognized before Windows fails to verify its configuration. Simply put, error code 16 appears when devices are partially configured.

In addition to this, another cause of error 16 is outdated or corrupt device drivers. Devices often fail to run successfully because of driver problems.

Device drivers are programs that provide instructions to control different devices attached to the computer system such as audio devices and printers to name a few.

Though error code 16 is not fatal like other PC error codes such as BSoD; however, it may hamper your ability to use certain devices installed on your system and lower your work productivity.

To avoid inconvenience, it is advisable to resolve the error immediately to avoid inconvenience.

Further Information and Manual Repair

PC error codes are often considered technical and difficult to resolve which is why many prefer to hire a professional for the repair job rather than doing it themselves.

Small repair jobs like fixing error code 16 by a professional computer programmer may cost you hundreds of dollars.

So, why incur so much cost when you can repair it easily by yourself even if you are not a technical whiz.

Error code 16 is easy to repair.

Here are some effective DIY methods that you can use for resolving error code 16 on your PC. These methods require no technical background, knowledge or expertise for that matter. Just simply follow the instructions and resolve the error code 16 issue.

Let’s get started…

Method 1 - Setup from the Disk that Came with the Hardware Device

Run setup from the disk that came with the hardware device, or you can simply copy the setup software file to your hard drive/flash drive. Refer to the vendor’s direction to set up.

If for any reason you’re unable to find the directions, simply uninstall the device. Then go to the start menu, Control Panel, and select ‘Add New Hardware’.

Now pick the appropriate hardware and follow the steps that the Wizard suggests. This is most likely to resolve the error code.

Nonetheless, if the error code still persists, then try method 2.

Method 2 - Allocate More PC Resources

Another alternative method to resolve error code 16 is to allocate more PC resources to the device. To specify additional resources:

  • Go to the start menu
  • Type Device Manager
  • Then go to the Device properties and click the resources
  • Here specify the device in the Device Manager
  • If you see a resource with a question mark, assign that resource to the device
  • However, if for any reason the resource is unable to change, then simply click ‘Change Setting’.
  • If Change Settings is not available, then click the box to the ‘Use Automatic Settings’ box. This will make the option available.

Method 3 - Install DriverFIX

As previously stated above, device manager error codes like error code 16 may also occur due to driver problems. If this is the underlying reason for error code 16 on your system, then the best way to resolve it is to install DriverFIX.

DriverFIX is user-friendly, advanced, and feature-filled software deployed with an intelligent programming system, which detects all problematic device drivers automatically in seconds.

It matches these drivers with their latest versions and updates them smoothly without any hassle, resolving error code 16 right away.

And furthermore, once you install this software on your PC, you don’t have to worry about driver problems anymore typically because it updates drivers on a regular basis with compatible and new versions, ensuring that your computer functions properly. It is easy to install and is compatible with all Windows versions.

Click here to download DriverFIX to repair error code 16

Read More
Firefox shows wrong or no bookmark favicon
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.
Read More
Open Source Software Alternatives
Open Source Software is developed, tested, or improved through public collaboration and distributed with the idea that the must be shared with others, ensuring an open future collaboration. In other words, it is free software developed and maintained by public contribution. Many open-source projects have reached performance and usability like their paid alternatives, some have even surpassed them. Here we will explore open source alternatives to paid applications, you will find alternatives to paid ones that aim to do the same task.
  1. LINUX - alternative to Windows or macOS

    When it comes to the operating system, Windows and macOS mostly dominate the home market, but if you go a little deeper into the OS world you will hear this talk about LINUX and its distributions. LINUX is an open-source operating system, it has many various distributions aimed at different types of users and they are also open source as well. Its security and account privileges, as well as complete control over it, make it one of the best-operating systems in the world, many servers that run websites today use LINUX as their choice of operating system mostly due to its superior security features. If LINUX is good enough for big web companies, I am sure it will be at least satisfactory to you as well. Get your LINUX distribution here. open source os linux
  2. Thunderbird - alternative to outlook

    A great alternative to any mail client actually, connect all of your emails into thunderbird and use it as the centralized email client for all of your email needs. Thunderbird does not lack any features that its paid counterparts have and overall it is a great application worth installing. Grab it from here. open source email client thunderbird
  3. VLC media player - media player able to play almost anything

    Are you looking for a great media player alternative to Windows media player or iTunes? Look no further, VLC is a lightweight media player that can play almost any file type, it is customizable and packed with features even its paid counterparts would envy. Its playback features are unmatched by other applications and once you try it, I am sure you will hardly go back from it. Give it a go and grab it from here. open source media player vlc
  4. KeePass - password manager

    Keepass is a simple, user-friendly lightweight password generator and manager, it uses industry-standard AES encryption and two-factor authentication to keep the details of your accounts safe and secure. you can store him and the database on a USB stick for safekeeping making it a great one to use on a go, wherever you need it. Get it from this link. open source password manager keypass
  5. FileZilla - FTP client

    A lightweight and future-rich FTP solution. It supports remote file editing and resuming of lost transfers, overall great application which anyone who needs this type of software should not overlook. Download it from its official website. open source FTP client FileZilla
  6. Audacity - alternative to Audition, Fl, apple logic pro,...

    Digital audio editor and recording computer software with some great features like recording audio from multiple sources, post-processing of all types of audio, including podcasts by adding effects such as normalization, trimming, and fading in and out. Audacity has a great following and it is well documented, easy to learn and use. Grab it from here. open source sound editor audacity
  7. Shortcut - alternative to adobe premiere, avid media composer, DaVinci resolve

    The shortcut is a video editor application that demonstrates how long an open-source project can go if enough dedication and work are put into it, started as not so great and not so feature-packed in beginning, today it can easily contend with its paid counterparts with its non-destructive editing, color gradation, keyframing, etc. It is running and using FFmpeg, an open-source video framework that lets it open and works with virtually any video or audio format. Download it from here. open source video editor shotcut
  8. Gimp - alternative to adobe photoshop

    This one has been around since 1996 and it is one of the best maintained open source applications. With its features like built-in support for layers, filters, and automatic photo enhancement. It also makes it easy to create new graphic design elements and you can really take things to the next level by downloading plug-ins created by the broader GIMP open source community. Gimp is the best pixel manipulation-free tool on the market and with the right skills, it can go side by side with adobe's flagship product. Check it out here. open source photo editor gimp
  9. Inkscape - alternative to adobe illustrator, Corel draw

    What is Gimp for photoshop that is Inkscape for illustrator. This free open-source vector graphic tool does not fall behind with its tools in comparison to its paid counterparts and I would highly recommend it for anyone. Features like alpha blending, cloning on-point path manipulations can assure that you can create anything you want inside it. get your copy from here. open source vector tool inkscape
  10. Libre office - alternative to MS office

    Libre office is one of the most quality office suite there, it has spreadsheets, word processor, presentation app, calculation applications, database application, and diagrams. All these applications create and make one great suite that can open Microsoft Office files and even work with them naturally. Completely free and active in development there is no reason, not t use it in your daily routine. Go to its official website and download it for a test run. open source office suite libre office
  11. Amarok - alternative to iTunes

    Amarok is an audio player with a broad range of features like integration with multiple Web audio services, dynamic playlists, bookmarks, scripting, context view, and more. get it from here. open source music player amarok
  12. PDF Creator - alternative to adobe acrobat

    As its paid counterpart PDF Creator lets you make PDF files from any application that could print. It works the same way as adobe acrobat and supports encryption and digital signature, it lacks in PDF forms a little but if that is not something that you need, it is a great alternative to acrobat and completely free. Download it from here. open source PDF maker PDFCreator
  13. Blender - Alternative to Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3dmax, foundry Modo, cinema4d,...

    3D modeling and animation software is very expensive. From the point of home user long it has been lost dream to have industry quality 3D modeling, animation, and rendering application for an affordable price. Blender has made that dream a possibility, completely free and open-source this package offers everything that its paid counterparts offer, some could even argue that since its open-source nature and availability of full code it offers even more. Why you are still here? Go get it here. open source 3d application blender
  14. Bluefish - alternative to Adobe Dreamweaver

    When it comes to web editing and code editing applications, notepad ++ seems like a person go-to application, but if you prefer a more professional suited IDE for web development check out Bluefish, auto-filling, code syntax, and constant development make sure that this application will not go away soon and it is worth investing your time in it. Get it from here. open source wed editor bluefish
  15. ClamWin - alternative to Kaspersky, BItdefender, Norton

    This antivirus has over 600000 users and active database updates also feature a full email scanner, scanning scheduler, and File Explorer integration. It is far better than other freeware alternatives and if you are looking for a free antivirus option look no further, ClamWin is here to stay. Grab it from here. open source anti virus ClamWin
  16. Natron - alternative to adobe aftereffects, foundry nuke

    Full-featured node-based composition and effects suite. Natron is a powerful Digital Compositor that can handle all of your 2D/2.5D needs. Its robust OIIO file formats and OpenFX architecture is what makes Natron the most flexible open-source compositor for the visual effects community. Its interface and functionally are the same across all platforms such as macOS, Linux, and Windows. Natron has a powerful keying, roto/roto paint, 2D tracking tools that are staple for all current film production project that requires visual effects. Get natron from here. open source composition and effect application natron
  17. Clonezilla - alternative to Norton Ghost

    When it comes to cloning hard drives usually there is only one application, Norton ghost. Clonezilla tends to change that by offering the same usability as the ghost. Grab your copy from here. open source HD clone clonezilla
  18. FreeCAD - alternative to Autodesk AutoCAD

    Autodesk AutoCAD has years of development and dedication of its team behind it to keep it as the best CAD application on the market and it shows. However, if you are not really a hardcore professional who needs all of AutoCAD features and can live without some automation inside it FreeCAD is one of the best free open source options, it will certainly get the job done and with its dynamic simulation and analysis, it is guaranteed that you can achieve same results as in AutoCAD with little more time investment. Get if here. open source CAD freecad
  19. Octave - alternative to MATLAB

    Octave is the best open-source educational tool used for numerical computation with an interactive environment. The tool features powerful mathematics-oriented syntax with built-in plotting and visualization tools and also Octave syntax is largely compatible with Matlab. Get your copy from here. open source math tool octave
  20. Godot - alternative to Unity3D, Unreal

    Godot is a lightweight feature-packed node-based game development engine, completely open-source and free to use for commercial projects. The engine has reached 3.2 version and it is more and more adopted by various independent game makers across the globe, recently there are to of video tutorials and documentation to get you up and running and its open-source nature lets you modify the engine itself in any way that suits and benefits you. Also, any project made with Godot is completely yours, there are no hidden fees or anything similar. Download it from here. open source game engine godot

Conclusion

That's it, my pick for 20 open source alternatives which I believe you should at least try and if you end up with at least one, you have saved some hard-earned money. And always remember:
  1. Open-source programs give you complete freedom without any shady terms and conditions.
  2. Open-source software code is readily available for anyone who wants it, so anyone can use it, share it, modify it for their own needs, and study it.
  3. No spying eyes, no tracking, and no telemetry
  4. In some cases, open-source tools offer features or performance benefits that surpass their commercial counterparts.
  5. No hidden charges, completely free.
If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.
Read More
Backup and Restore pinned Taskbar Items
Pinned Windows 10 Taskbar Items. One of the most used interfaces in the Windows environment is the Taskbar. It is where users like to pin their most-used programs as well as shortcuts with extra privileges and automated tasks. In fact, it’s a lot better than the Start Menu. So if any Windows Update messes up with your computer, or if you’ve just switched to a different computer, setting up the Taskbar with the very same set of programs you used to have is definitely not an easy task. But worry not as this post will guide you on how you can backup and restore the items on your Taskbar either manually or automatically.

Manual Backup:

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt.
  • Then type “%AppData%MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser PinnedTaskBar” in the field and hit Enter to open the folder where you can see all the shortcuts or pinned items in the Taskbar.
  • After that, copy all the files in the folder and paste them somewhere else as a backup. For instance, E:\Pinned Items Backuppinnedshortcuts.
  • Next, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt once more, and then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. When the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Yes.
  • After opening the Registry Editor, navigate to this key – HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerTaskband
  • Then right-click on the Taskbar folder and select Export.
  • Now save the file with the .reg extension to another location like the E:\Pinned Items Backup folder and then name it.
  • Close the Registry Editor.

Manual Restore:

Make sure to copy all the files to one of the drives if you are using another computer and then refer to the following steps.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt.
  • Then type “%AppData%MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser PinnedTaskBar” in the field and hit Enter to open the same folder where you just copied all the shortcuts. Make sure to keep it open.
  • Then open the backup folder where you saved all the pinned items and copy all the files there.
  • Next, go to the Taskbar folder (%AppData%MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser PinnedTaskBar) and then paste your files in there. If you encounter a problem while doing so, just replace it with your own set of files.
  • After that, go to E:\Pinned Items Backuppinnedshortcuts and then double click on tb-pinned-items.reg. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes. This will add the registry file into the main registry hub. You will also get a dialog box that will confirm that data has been added to the registry successfully. Click OK.
  • You should now see the items on the Taskbar. You have to restart Windows Explorer. To do so, end its process in the Task Manager.

Automatic Backup:

Backing up and restoring the pinned Taskbar items in your Windows 10 computer can be done automatically as well. But before you get started on the process, you need to understand what’s going on behind the hood first. First, you need to create two bat files and name them “Backup Pinned Taskbar Items” and “Restore Pinned Taskbar Items”. After you have that covered, refer to the following steps:
  • Open the Notepad app and paste the following details and save it as “Backup Pinned Taskbar Items.bat.
REG EXPORT HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerTaskband “E:\Pinned Items Backuptb-pinned-items.reg” xcopy “%AppData%MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser PinnedTaskBar” “E:\Pinned Items Backuppinnedshortcuts” /E /C /H /R /K /Y
  • After that, run the newly created bat file with admin privileges.

Automatic Restore:

  • Open the Notepad app and paste the following details and save it as “Restore Pinned Taskbar Items.bat”.
REGEDIT /S “E:Pinned Items Backuptb-pinned-items.reg” xcopy “E:Pinned Items Backuppinnedshortcuts” “%AppData%MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser PinnedTaskBar” /E /C /H /R /K /Y
  • After that, run the bat file with admin privileges.
Note: Just so you know, there is a drawback to this process as we’ve noticed that any pinned apps that were downloaded from the Windows Store don’t appear in these places and any items downloaded and installed separately from the internet and then pinned.
Read More
How to Fix Sysdata.xml Error Code on Your PC

Sysdata.xml Error Code - What is it?

To develop a good understanding of the Sysdata.xml error code, it is first important to learn what is sysdata.xml file and its function. Sysdata.xml is a type of XML file. The .XML file extension is an Extensible Markup Language file. XML-based formats have now become the default for many office productivity tools including Microsoft Office and LibreOffice. Furthermore, it has also come into common use for the interchange of data over the internet. Sysdata.xml error code usually pops up when .XML based applications are unable to run and crash while loading. This is a type of BSoD (Blue Screen of Death) error code. Common symptoms include:
  • System freeze
  • The screen turns blue
  • Sudden system shut down

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

The Sysdata.xml error code is triggered due to multiple reasons such as:
  • Faulty hardware
  • Malware or viral infection
  • Registry issues
No matter what the reason may be, it is advisable to fix this error code right away without any delays. This is a fatal error and can result in a system crash and loss of data. And recovering valuable lost data is the hardest.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the effective and easy do it yourself methods to resolve this error on your system:

Method 1: Fix Faulty Hardware

Hardware issues may arise due to many reasons like manufacturing issues or voltage fluctuations. Electrical storms can cause power surges which may affect the hardware causing it to fail. The best way to resolve this is to download the latest drivers for the problematic devices or alter the device configuration in the BIOS setup program.
  • To reconfigure the BIOS simply restart your PC and before Windows starts, press Del Key to access your BIOS.
  • Now find the factory reset option.
  • Select the option and press the button to load your factory defaults.
  • After that save changes and confirm your selection.
  • Reboot your PC to activate the changes.

Method 2: Scan for Viruses

Sometimes viruses and malware can disguise themselves in the .XML files which can cause them to get corrupted. To resolve the issue, it is advisable to download a powerful antivirus and scan your entire PC for viruses. Remove the detected viruses to resolve the Sysdata.xml error on your system.

Method 3: Repair the Registry

If the registry is not cleaned frequently, it loads with unnecessary and obsolete files like the junk files and cookies. These files clutter and damage the registry and eventually corrupt it and the important files like .XML files stored in it. To resolve the issue it is recommended to download Restoro. It is a user-friendly and powerful PC Fixer embedded with a registry cleaner. It scans your entire PC for registry-related errors and removes them immediately. It cleans the cluttered registry and restores the damaged files thereby repairing the issue right away. Click here to download Restoro.
Read More
1 2 3 171
Logo
Copyright © 2023, ErrorTools. All Rights Reserved
Trademark: Microsoft Windows logos are registered trademarks of Microsoft. Disclaimer: ErrorTools.com is not affiliated with Microsoft, nor claims direct affiliation.
The information on this page is provided for information purposes only.
DMCA.com Protection Status