Are gaming mousepads worth their price?

There are some new generation motherboards for laptops and PCs that bring in support for both the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface or UEFI as well as the Basic Input Output System or BIOS. The main advantage of UEFI over the traditional BIOS is the fact that UEFI supports a hard drive that has a capacity of more than 2 terabytes. However, the disadvantage of UEFI is that it only supports the x64 Windows operating system versions and that the hard drive is supposed to use the GPT structure. So if your PC is compatible with and supports UEFI and you want to change from Legacy to UEFI, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can exactly do that without having to reinstall it. There are two ways to change Legacy to UEFI. You can convert MBR to GPT using either the built-in utilities in Windows or using the Recovery Environment. Before you proceed, make sure that your computer fulfills the following prerequisites:

• Your PC’s motherboard should support both Legacy and UEFI.
• Your PC should be running at least the 1703 Windows 10 version or newer on an MBR partition.

Once you’ve made sure that your computer covers the aforementioned prerequisites, refer to the given options below.

Option 1 – Convert MBR to GPT via Windows built-in utilities

• In the Windows Search box, type “command prompt” and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After that, execute this command: exe /convert /allowfullOS
• Now, wait until the process is completed since you can track its process on your screen.
• Once it’s done, go to Settings > Update & Security > Advanced Startup options and from there, click on Restart Now. This will restart your computer and give you advanced options.
• Next, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options where you will see further options including System Restore, Startup Repair, Go back to the previous version, Command Prompt, System Image Recovery, and UEFI Firmware Settings.
• Now select the UEFI Firmware Settings. This will take you to the BIOS. Boot Mode is typically available under Boot > Boot Configuration. Once you’re there, set it to UEFI and then save the changes you’ve made. After that, your computer will restart.

Option 2 – Convert MBR to GPT via the Recovery Environment

• When the message appears on your screen while running Windows Setup, you need to tap the Shift + F10 keys to open Command Prompt.
• Make sure to run Command Prompt as admin and then execute this command: exe /convert
• After that, wait until the process is completed. When it’s done, you have to go to the BIOS just like in the first given option above.
• As mentioned, you can usually find the Boot Mode under Boot > Boot Configuration. Once you’re there, set it to UEFI.
• Now save the changes made and exit as your computer will restart.

Both the DISKPART utility and the Disk Management are useful tools in Windows 10 that manage the disk space allocation, and so on. But these tools are not without errors as you could also encounter some when you run them. Recently, some users reported getting an error that says, “The selected disk is not a fixed MBR disk when trying to use the DISKPART utility”. Here’s the exact message of the error:

“The selected disk is not a fixed MBR disk. The ACTIVE command can only be used on fixed MBR disks.”

This kind of error only occurs when you try to activate a disk partition on a UEFI system partition. However, the command works only if your computer is based on BIOS/MBR. The UEFI method has no concept of the active partition and since you have a UEFI system, the disk type is GPT instead of MBR. To simply put it, your BIOS needs the MBR disk type while the UEFI needs the GPT disk type. To fix the “The selected disk is not a fixed MBR disk when trying to use the DISKPART utility” error, there are various potential fixes you can try. You might have to disable Secure Boot, convert the disk to MBR or fix the Boot Manager. For more instructions, follow the options provided below.

Option 1 – Disable the Secure Boot in the BIOS

Disabling the Secure Boot in the BIOS settings is definitely recommended to resolve the issue. To disable Secure Boot, here’s what you have to do:

• First, boot your computer into Windows 10.
• Next, go to Settings > Windows Update. From there, check if there is anything that you have to download and install if you see any available updates. Usually, OEMs send and update the list of trusted hardware, drivers, and operating systems for your computer.
• After that, go to the BIOS of your computer.
• Then go to Settings > Update & Security > Advanced Startup options. If you click on Restart Now, it will restart your computer and give you all the advanced options.
• Next, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options. As you can see, this screen offers you further options including System restore, Startup repair, Go back to the previous version, Command Prompt, System Image Recovery, and UEFI Firmware Settings.
• Select the UEFI Firmware Settings which will take you to the BIOS.
• From there, go to the Security > Boot > Authentication tab where you should see Secure Boot. Note that every OEM has its own way of implementing the options so it varies.
• Next, set Secure Boot to Disabled and set Legacy Support to On or Enabled.
• Save the changes made and exit. Afterward, your computer will reboot.

Option 2 – Try converting the disk to MBR

You can try to change the File System of the drive from GPT to MBR but before you do so, make sure that you create a backup copy of your data to an external drive. Once you have that covered, follow the steps below.

• Create a bootable Windows 10 media and boot your computer from it.
• Next, click on the “Repair your computer” option on the first Windows 10 installation setup window.
• Afterward, select the operating system partition from the given options and click on Next.
• Now select Command Prompt within the System Recovery options box and execute this command to initiate the Diskpart utility: diskpart
• Then type either one of these commands to view the list of all the Disk connects or the partitions on those disks formed: list disk or list volume
• After that, execute another one of these commands depending on the command you previously entered to select the disk or partition you want to select: select disk # or select volume #
• Now execute this command to clean your drive: clean
• Finally, execute this last command to convert the selected disk or partition as MBR: Convert MBR
• Restart your computer and check if the error is fixed.

Option 3 – Try to fix the Boot Manager

• You can start by booting into the installation environment for Windows 10 from an installation media.
• After that, click on Repair your computer and on the blue screen, select Troubleshoot and then select the Advanced options menu.
• From there, select Command Prompt and once you open it, enter each one of the commands given below by sequence.
  • bootrec /FixMbr
  • bootrec /FixBoot
  • bootrec /RebuildBcd
• Once you’re done executing the commands given above, type “exit” to close the Command Prompt window and then restart your computer and see if it fixed error code 0xc000014c.

Runtime Error 217 can be a big problem if you use your computer for business purposes and you have confidential data/documents stored on your system. This runtime error is quite dangerous. It can slow down your PC performance, lead to system failure and crash, make your system vulnerable to hacker’s attack, and also corrupt important files on your system.

Solution

Error Causes

There is no one particular cause behind the Runtime Error 217. This error can be attributed to several factors such as:

• Corrupt, missing, or faulty register DLLs of programs. This is usually the cause for Runtime Error 217 when installation is unsuccessful and the crucial system files fail to be registered within the registry.
• Exposure to Viruses like malware, adware, and spyware. Once a virus (es) gain access to your PC, you may experience Runtime Error 217. These malicious programs can damage your hard drive, boot sectors, memory banks, and registries.
• Outdated Msvcrt.dll (a Microsoft Visual C++ file) file called.
• Incorrect Regional settings

Further Information and Manual Repair

If you see Runtime Error 217 message pop up on your computer screen, you must fix and repair it right away before it becomes a big threat to you and your PC. Though Runtime Error 217 is alarming this does not mean that you need to panic. Keep calm and follow the recommended solutions to fix Runtime Error 217 given below.

• If the error occurs because you called the outdated Msvcrt.dll file, then you must update the file. This can be easily done by clicking the start menu, accessing the control panel, and then hitting the Windows update tab.
• When you experience Runtime Error 217 due to incorrect regional settings on your PC, then to resolve this issue simply go to the start menu and select Control Panel. Now in the control panel, you’ll find the option clock, click on it and go to the language and region settings. Choose your specific regional settings and save.
• If the cause of the Runtime Error 217 is incorrect registry entries and DLL files corruption, then to fix the error, you need to download a Runtime Error 217 fixer. After you download this repair tool, run it on your PC. It scans and detects corrupted files and repairs the error swiftly.
• Nonetheless, if the cause of this problem is a virus, then you need to install a powerful antivirus program. When you run it, the antivirus scans your PC for viruses. Once the scanning is complete the results are displayed on the screen. The results show exactly how many viruses you have on your PC. Once the scan is complete, delete all the files and click repair.

Regardless of whether you have experienced the Runtime Error 217 on your PC or not, it is advisable to install a powerful antivirus and run it every time you use your PC. By running it regularly, you can make sure that you are not exposed to viruses, malware, and spyware programs. Even if your PC gets infected by them, you can delete and remove them timely before the damage is done.

As you know, the functioning of the Windows Sandbox feature is supported by various components in the background of the Windows operating system. And the only way for you to enable the Windows Sandbox feature in your computer is through the Turn Windows features on or off utility. This feature will work directly on the basis of Virtualization which is also supported by Hyper-V. However, there are some reports claiming that some computers have the Windows 10 Sandbox item greyed out in the Turn Windows features on or off utility. Thus, in this post, you will be guided on what you can do to resolve such a problem in your Windows 10 computer. In this kind of problem, you should know that this has something to do with the Second Level Address Translation which is one of the important pillars of how the Windows 10 Sandbox feature functions. Thus, if the Second Level Address Translation or SLAT feature in Windows Sandbox is not supported by the CPU of your computer, there is no way for you to use Windows Sandbox on your computer. On the other hand, if SLAT is supported, then there is definitely something you can do to resolve the greyed-out Sandbox item in Windows 10.

To get started, follow the steps provided below.

Step 1: First, you have to boot into the BIOS of your PC. Step 2: After that, make sure that the following options are set to their respective configurations:

• Hyper-V – Enabled
• VM Monitor Mode – Yes
• Virtualization – Enabled
• Second Level Address Translation (VT-d or RVI) – Enabled
• Data Execution Prevention – Enabled

Step 3: Once you’re done, save the configuration and then restart your Windows 10 computer as usual. Step 4: Once your computer has restarted, you should see the same option in the Turn Windows features on or off utility and it should no longer be greyed out. Then you can now enable the feature and follow the onscreen instructions need to use the feature as best as you can.

In previous versions of Windows changing the system, the font was a pretty straightforward process, but it seems Microsoft did not want this feature to keep for whatever reason and there is no option as of the time of the writing of this article to do it in standard options in Windows 10. But do not worry, you are still able to customize your Windows and choose which font would you like to see inside it in all of its dialogs. You can choose whichever font you desire, the only prerequisite is it to be installed on your system. This guide will require you to change values in the registry of Windows itself so please follow step-by-step instructions and always make a backup of the registry before changing it in order to prevent some permanent Windows issues. All of that being said, let's start.

Setting new font

First thing is to open notepad, in the notepad paste the next block of code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts] "Segoe UI (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Symbol (TrueType)"="" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes] "Segoe UI"="NEW_FONT"

Where in "Segoe UI"="NEW_FONT" instead of NEW_FONT you need to write the exact name of the font that you wish to use as a system font. Once you have replaced the default system font with your desired one, go to File and save as, from file type drop-down menu, choose all files and save this file as .REG type giving it whatever name you wish. When the file is saved, close notepad, right-click on the saved file and choose the merge option. Confirm with YES and click on OK. Reboot your system and your Windows will now use the font of your choice as its default system font.

Restoring default font

If you wish to return the old default system font as it was, follow the same steps but in your notepad paste this code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts] "Segoe UI (TrueType)"="segoeui.ttf" "Segoe UI Black (TrueType)"="seguibl.ttf" "Segoe UI Black Italic (TrueType)"="seguibli.ttf" "Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"="segoeuib.ttf" "Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuiz.ttf" "Segoe UI Emoji (TrueType)"="seguiemj.ttf" "Segoe UI Historic (TrueType)"="seguihis.ttf" "Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuii.ttf" "Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"="segoeuil.ttf" "Segoe UI Light Italic (TrueType)"="seguili.ttf" "Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"="seguisb.ttf" "Segoe UI Semibold Italic (TrueType)"="seguisbi.ttf" "Segoe UI Semilight (TrueType)"="segoeuisl.ttf" "Segoe UI Semilight Italic (TrueType)"="seguisli.ttf" "Segoe UI Symbol (TrueType)"="seguisym.ttf" "Segoe MDL2 Assets (TrueType)"="segmdl2.ttf" "Segoe Print (TrueType)"="segoepr.ttf" "Segoe Print Bold (TrueType)"="segoeprb.ttf" "Segoe Script (TrueType)"="segoesc.ttf" "Segoe Script Bold (TrueType)"="segoescb.ttf" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes] "Segoe UI"=-

Reboot your system and your Windows will now revert the font of your choice as its default system font.

Hal.dll Error - What is it?

Hal.dll error is a type of dynamic link library error that is common in Windows. Hal.dll is the critical file in all Windows installations and the error occurs when this file cannot be correctly loaded. Hal is the abbreviation for ‘Hardware Abstraction Layer’. Communication between Windows and different PC hardware is facilitated with this file. The error causes inconvenience and hampers your ability to use the hardware. The error message is displayed in either one of the following formats:

• "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: C:Windowssystem32hal.dll. Please re-install a copy of the above file."
• "Cannot find WindowsSystem32hal.dll"
• "C:WindowsSystem32Hal.dll missing or corrupt: Please re-install a copy of the above file."

Solution

Error Causes

Hal.dll error occurs due to multiple reasons. These include:

• BIOS are not configured properly
• Damaged hard drive
• Hal.dll file is missing, damaged, or corrupt
• Viral Infection

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix and resolve the Hal.dll error code on your system, you don’t always have to hire a professional technician for the job. Though Hal.dll error is critical but easy to resolve, here are some solutions that you can try to fix it right away even if you don’t have any technical expertise.

1) Restart Your PC

Sometimes this can be a temporary error, so try restarting your PC. If the error is resolved then that’s great. However, if it still persists, then try other solutions.

2) Change the Boot Order

The underlying cause for the Hal.dll error is often not properly configured BIOS; if this is the cause, simply change the boot order of the bootable devices like your hard drive. The BIOS setup utility is used to change boot order settings. This can be done by restarting your PC. Once you restart, press F2 to enter the setup. Now go to SATA operation and change RAID AHCI to RAID ATA. Save changes and then exit. By doing so, you will be able to re-configure the BIOS and resolve the error.

3) Use BOOTMGR

Another way to resolve is to update the volume boot code to use BOOTMGR. To do this, access advanced startup options, open the command prompt and type bootsect command and then press Enter. Run the command and then you’ll get the following message: C: (\?Volume{37a450c8-2331-11e0-9019-806e6f6e6963}) Successfully updated NTFS filesystem bootcode. Bootcode was successfully updated on all targeted volumes. After that close the command prompt. This is most likely to resolve the error.

4) Repair Registry With Restoro.

In case the error is still not fixed, then this means that the problem is bigger than you thought. It may be due to hard drive failure, viral infection, or sometimes because of hal.dll file corruption. In the event of these error causes, it is recommended to download Restoro. Restoro is an advanced, next-generation, and multi-functional PC repair tool embedded with numerous utilities like a registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer. The registry cleaner utility:

• Scans for all registry issues
• Wipes out the unnecessary files saved in the hard drive like the junk files, cookies, internet history, and temporary files
• Cleans the disk
• Repairs damaged and corrupt files
• Restores the registry

The antivirus utility scans and removes all malicious software from your PC including viruses, Trojans, malware, adware, and spyware. Simultaneously, it also boosts the speed of your system. It is safe and efficient PC repair software. It has simple navigation and a user-friendly interface. Whether you are using Windows 7, 8 or Vista, it is compatible with all. It can also be used on Windows XP. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the Hal.dll error today!

As you know, the Windows Media Creation Tool is a great utility in Windows that helps lots of users in installing Windows on their PCs. However, just like any other program in Windows, it also experiences a couple of issues every now and then. So in this post, you will be guided on how you can resolve a particular issue in the Media Creation Tool which is the error 0x80042405-0xA001A. You can encounter this error while creating a USB installation media used in installing Windows 10. When getting this kind of error in the Windows Media Creation Tool, you will see the following error message on your screen:

“We’re not sure what happened, but we’re unable to run this tool on your PC, Error code 0x80042405 – 0xA001A”

The error 0x80042405 – 0xA001A occurs while creating a bootable USB installation drive. This is a common error faced by many users and it has something to do with the USB hardware. To get this issue fixed, here are some suggestions you could check out.

Option 1 – Try to reformat the USB drive

Reformatting your USB drive might help in fixing error 0x80042405 – 0xA001A.

• Open This PC and right-click your USB drive from there then select Format.
• Next, select FAT32 as the drive type and uncheck the “Quick Format” option.
• After that, try to run the Windows Media Creation Tool again and check if the error is fixed or not. But hopefully, it should work since formatting the drive as FAT32 will give the driver a proper type and would resolve any minor issues in the drive.

Option 2 – Copy the Windows Media Creation Tool to the USB drive

If the first option didn’t work, you might want to copy the latest version of the Media Creation Tool to the USB drive. After you do that, you can run it from inside the drive. This is actually a working fix and can definitely get the USB drive to run with Windows inside it so it should resolve the error 0x80042405 – 0xA001A on the Windows Media Creation Tool.

Option 3 – Run CHKDSK to check the drive for errors

When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. This error check utility can help with several issues in the system including the “Diskpart failed to clear disk attributes” error.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
• Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:

CHKDSK [volume [[path] filename]] [/F] [/V] [/R] [/X] [/C] [: size]]

Note: In the command given above, “[/F]” will try to fix the system errors while “[/R]” will be the one to fix the bad sectors.

• Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your PC, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
• If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
• After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try checking the hardware components

On the other hand, it is also possible that the issue has something to do with a hardware problem and so you need to check the hardware components on your computer to determine that.

The docking station was promised upon release of the Deck but it was pushed back and now the official statement is that it is delayed again.

Valve said in an announcement on June 1:

“Due to parts shortages and COVID closures at our manufacturing facilities, the official Steam Deck Docking Station is delayed. We’re working on improving the situation and will share more info when we have it.”

Valve

The docking station was presented at the same time as Deck itself and the whole idea was to make Steam Deck work like a laptop docking station. It has ports for USB devices, displays, and network connections that became functional the moment Deck is placed on it. Docking supports a mouse, keyboard, and external display making it an almost full PC station if needed.

Valve confirmed that its official dock station will not improve performance so while you wait for its release you can use another docking station with a USB Type-C connector.

Valve has released a big update to its online store and distribution platform Steam. Among typical bugs fixing and making the user experience a little more fluid, we have received some major updates as well. Please take note that you need to update Steam itself to the latest version in order to get new features.

Storage management Page update

The storage management page has received a complete redesign and UX overhaul and it is now much easier to manage your game libraries and create new ones. The page itself looks and feels a little console more like but thanks to that it offers a much easier and clearer look and feel. Another thing with the Steam store management page is the ability to move installation files from one location to another. Let’s say that you have two or more hard disk drivers in your machine and that you have SSD that you use for running stuff since it is fast and larger and slower one for storage. Now you can easily and quickly move one installation from one to another in order to take advantage of your faster SSD for quicker LOAD game times without making a new installation.

Steam Download page improvements

The download page has also received some love from Valve by enabling us to now see the installation progress. So far on the download page of Steam, you would only get download progress but it has been updated to show installation progress after download as well now making it more straightforward and giving you a general idea of how much more time there is to wait in order to start gaming. Also, you can now drag and drop items in the download bracket to reorder download orders or place them as active downloads to start downloading right away.