Free Quake upgrade comes to Steam and more

Typical use of file explorer will probably not need any kind of elevated privileges, but from time to time you might encounter some tasks that will require administrator rights in order to perform them. If this is the case you will need to run file explorer with these rights but inside Windows 11 that is somewhat hidden and not 1 click away. How this is the case we have decided to put a little tutorial on how to accomplish this very task and run file explorer with administrator privileges.

Open File Explorer via EXE file

1. Open File Explorer typically
2. Navigate to This PC > Windows (C:) > Windows
3. Locate file explorer application
4. Right-click on it and select Run as Administrator
5. Run File Explorer

A new instance of file explorer will pop with elevated administrator privileges.

Run it as an administrator using the Task Manager

1. Open the Task Manager ( CTRL + SHIFT + ESC )
2. Click on More details (at the bottom)
3. After the task manager expands click on the File tab
4. Click on Run New Task
5. Type in explorer.exe and check the box next to it that says Create this task with administrative privileges
6. Click on OK

File Explorer will now run as administrator.

What Is 0x80004005 Outlook Error?

0x80004005 Outlook is an error that users commonly encounter while attempting to send or receive emails on Outlook.

The message that appears usually states “This message could not be sent. Try sending the message again or contact your network administrator."

The client operation failed. Error is [OX80004005- 0X0004B9-OXOO501].

Error Causes

This error is usually caused by a problem in the Local Area Network or LAN. What actually happens is that signals with the wireless LAN are lost or a connection problem occurs within the network cable.

As a result, the 0x80004005 Outlook error is triggered while sending or receiving an email. Sometimes the problem goes away on its own. However, if it recurs after a few hours, it shows that some problem exists within the network.

Also, it is important to understand that different factors can affect the quality of wireless connections in a network.

For instance, garage door openers, microwave ovens, and Bluetooth devices can easily become obstacles, disrupting the connection and causing the quality to degrade. Other causes are listed below as follows.

• Missing, corrupt, or damaged registry keys
• Existence of viruses
• Outdated drivers

It is a must to fix this error otherwise potential risks associate with this error such as permanent damage and blue screens.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are two ways to fix this error and both are listed below as follows.

• One solution is to disable script blocking in Norton Antivirus. Most users encountering this problem have Norton Antivirus installed on their PCs. To correct this problem, simply turn off the ‘Enable Script Blocking’ feature. However, there is a downside associated with this solution. Enabling script blocking will make your network or computer vulnerable to viruses and malware. That’s why it is not advised to implement this solution.
• The alternative solution is to simply disable the new-mail notification feature offered in Outlook. To disable notifications of any new emails, the steps go as follows. Open Outlook and go to the Tools menu. Here you will come across ‘Options’.Click on it and then select the ‘Preferences’ tab. Here you will find the ‘Email Options’. Click on it and then uncheck the checkbox against the option, ‘Display a notification message when new mail arrives’. Click Ok two times.

Both these workarounds will work. Therefore, it is advised that you employ any one of them as per your needs.

SmartScreen is a cloud-based anti-phishing and anti-malware component that’s come packed in all Windows 8 (8.1) and Windows 10 versions. This security component is also used in several browsers and programs like Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge and Outlook.com. Although this program is quite useful, there’ve been reports that SmartScreen is apparently blocking Microsoft’s own apps from opening. According to some users, they only get the “Windows SmartScreen can’t be reached right now” error message every time they try to open apps from the built-in Windows suite like Photos, Mail, Alarms, Maps, etc. Whenever Windows SmartScreen is either down or unreachable on an end-user PC, your computer won’t be able to download anything in both official and unofficial channels. This error might be due to a corrupted Windows account, or it could be that SmartScreen is disabled from the Windows Defender Security Center or it might be down due to an MS issue. In addition, the error might also be caused by a proxy entry.

Option 1 – Make sure that SmartScreen is enabled

Before anything else, the first thing you must do is to check if SmartScreen is even enabled as it might be the reason why you’re getting the error. You can verify this by simply going to the Windows Defender Security Center. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “ms-settings:windowsdefender” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Defender Security Center.
• After that, click on the Open Windows Defender Security Center button located under Windows Security.
• Then click on App & browser control.
• From there, make sure that the Check apps and files toggle is set to Warn and then check the same thing for Microsoft Edge and SmartScreen for Microsoft Store apps.
• If it turns out that SmartScreen is indeed disabled, you have to restart your computer after making some changes and then check if the issue is fixed upon the next startup.

Option 2 – Check if SmartScreen is down for maintenance

Another possible reason why SmartScreen is not working is that it might be scheduled for maintenance. When SmartScreen is scheduled for maintenance, it will become unreachable for a lot of users at the same time and so before you go over unnecessary troubleshooting steps, you need to verify if SmartScreen is down for maintenance or not.

Option 3 – Try to disable the proxy server

If applicable, you can try to disable the proxy server to fix SmartScreen. There are some users who reported that they’ve fixed the problem after they’ve disabled the use of a proxy server using the built-in way. In some instances, certain proxy servers can interfere with the SmartScreen component and cause it to become unusable. However, if you are not using a proxy server, just skip this option and proceed to the next one, otherwise, follow the steps below to disable the proxy server.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “ms-settings:network-proxy” in the field and hit Enter to open the Proxy tab under Settings.
• After that, scroll down to the Manual proxy setup and make sure that the toggle button of the “Use a proxy server” option is turned off.
• Now restart your PC and check if the problem is fixed upon the next startup.

Option 4 – Try to create a new Windows user account

There are some users who were able to fix the problem by simply creating a new Windows user account. Although this solution will make you lose a couple of settings enforced through your user account, it’s actually effective in circumventing the “Windows SmartScreen can’t be reached right now” error. To create a new Windows user account, here’s what you have to do:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• And then type “ms-settings:otherusers” in the field and hit Enter to open the Family & other people tab under the Accounts menu.
• After that, click on the “Add someone else to this PC” option and then click on “I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
• Next, insert the user credentials like emails, password, birth date, etc., and then click Next. Take note that if you want to create a new local user account, just click on Add a user without a Microsoft account.
• After you’re done creating the new Windows user account, click the start icon and then click the account icon and choose to Sign out.
• After you’re logged in, check if SmartScreen now works properly or not.

Crash Dump is a type of malfunction that can happen when a few portions of the processor's data or RAM memory are erroneously copied to one or more files. It is common among Windows PCs. It used to be most prominent on the Windows 95 edition but subsequent versions have mostly remedied the situation. Even with the remedies over time though, this error still occurs.

Error Causes

A Crash Dump usually points to some serious and critical errors with your Computer. Below are some of the possible causes for this error:-

• Corrupt memory
• Incorrect configurations on hardware
• Programming errors.
• Incompatible drivers
• Faulty Operating system

Despite the listed causes for Crash Dumps. Nobody is ever ready for them. A crash dump is classified as an unexpected error simply because it can happen anytime.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Most PC users get scared and anxious when a crash dump happens. Which need not be the case. You can easily repair a Crash Dump without necessarily requiring a computer technician. Follow these simple steps and the malfunction will soon dissipate:

a) Re-Install the Operating System

Put the setup CD into the computer disk drive. Once you've completed this, reboot the pc.

b) Push F8

Push the F8 function key on your keyboard while the pc is re-booting. This takes you to a menu where you should choose “Advanced Boot Options”

c) Click "Repair My Computer"

As soon as you push the F8 option, and do what's suggested in the last measure above, you must click on "Repair My Computer" and press the "Return/Enter" key.

d) Click on the "Startup Repair"

Search for the start-up repair option, and choose it. Subsequently, move to Next. Using this method, the cause of the Crash dump will undoubtedly be recognized and ended after a thorough scan of your system. Additionally, it is smart to take note of the whole Crash Dump information that appears on your screen. Windows supplies you with detailed error messages. Write down each of the error codes in hexadecimal values as well as capital characters as displayed on the screen.

• Disconnect Hardware  and Un-Install all Drivers

Disconnect and remove any new hardware that is causing your PC to crash dump. Uninstall any drivers you used to install the hardware. If this solves the problem, contact the hardware manufacturer and request the latest and updated device drivers. At length, prior to starting panicking, see the error information that appears on your own display. Browse to see whether it includes info on a certain driver that you ought to search for and install. Bottom line, remain calm when your computer crash dumps and use the mentioned steps to repair it.

Error 400 - What is it?

Error 400 is a bad request error that displays in the internet browser like a web page. It pops up when the web page you’ve requested cannot be found. Error 400 may be displayed in one of the following formats on the computer screen:

• ‘400 Bad Request’
• Bad Request - Invalid URL"
• "HTTP Error 400 - Bad Request"
• "Bad Request. Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.”
• "HTTP Error 400. The request hostname is invalid."
• "400 - Bad request. The request could not be understood by the server due to malformed syntax. The client should not repeat the request without modifications."

Solution

Error Causes

Error 400 can be generated due to multiple reasons. These include:

• Wrong URL
• Browser cookies
• Outdated DNS cache

Though this error code is not fatal like the blue screen of death and runtime errors nonetheless it is still advisable to fix it to access your desired website without any inconvenience.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the best ways to fix error 400 on your PC without any professional help. Try these methods to resolve error 400:

Method 1

This might come to you by surprise that the most common cause for a 400 Bad Request error is because the URL of the website was typed wrong. So, first things first make sure the URL you’ve inserted is correct. If the URL typed is correct, then try other methods illustrated below.

Method 2

Sometimes error 400 may pop up due to outdated DNS records. DNS cache stores the location (IP addresses) of web servers that contain pages that you’ve viewed recently. You are unable to access the site if the location of the webserver changes before the entry in your DNS cache updates. If this is the error cause then simply clear your DNS cache to resolve. Follow these steps to clear the DNS cache on Windows 8.

• Press Win+X to open the WinX menu.
• Now ‘right click’ on command prompt and select RUN as Administrator. Enter the following command:
• ipconfig /flushdns

If the command was successful, you will see the following message: Windows IP configuration successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache. This method will hopefully repair error 400 on your computer screen.

Method 3

Another reason for error 400 can be browser cookies. Many sites report error 400 when a cookie it reads is corrupt or too old. In such a situation it is advisable to clear your browser cookies. You can do it manually but it can be time-consuming virtually because the steps involved in deleting cookies differ considerably depending on what web browser you’re using. So, to avoid the hassle it is advisable to download Reimage to remove browser cookies immediately. This is a user-friendly PC Fixer deployed with a powerful registry cleaner. It removes all obsolete and unnecessary files from your PC including junk files, internet history, and cookies in seconds. Click here to download Restoro.

Error Code 0x80072F8F - What is it?

Error Code 0x80072F8F manifests in one main way. It is known to appear as early as Windows 7, and mainly deals with an error that occurs in the update process, or when the computer is trying to connect to the online activation service. It can appear when the activation fails to verify the product key. The error code will present itself when the system realizes that the PC's date and time are incorrect. Error Code 0x80072F8F will also appear if the computer has determined that the time zone settings on the computer are not accurate.

When Windows is going through the installation process and is verifying all of the information associated with the computer, Error Code 0x80072F8F will arise, indicating that the information in the computer's settings is not valid. Correct times and dates are necessary when using serial validation keys to install Windows. When these settings are outside of the tolerated window, the problem will arise.

Error Causes

There is only one main symptom to look out for, and it will manifest during a Windows installation. In the midst of the installation, the computer will not be able to proceed with the installation if Error Code 0x80072F8F has popped up. Because the information cannot be verified, Windows will not be able to continue the installation process when the time settings are not accurate. This interrupts the process, causing the need to edit the settings, restart the computer, and try again. It is imperative to be sure that the date and time on the computer are inside of the tolerated window for the serial key.

• This error code will not give any information on how to correct it.
• Windows Error 0x80072F8F is displayed on the screen.
• The error code appears when typing the Windows serial key and proceeding.

Further Information and Manual Repair

When experiencing Error Code 0x80072F8F, the date and time need to be corrected in the computer settings menu, and then verify the correct time zone settings.  There are a few different ways to edit the time and date settings, and one may need to even edit the time zone settings. After this, restarting the computer may be needed. When booting into Windows, the validation code should be activated within 30 days of obtaining the serial number.

• Method One

Check the time and date settings.

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Select Settings, then Time and Language, then Date and Time.
3. Check and make sure that the PC is operating at the correct time and date.

• Method Two

Ensure that the computer is connected to the internet.

1. Enter “network troubleshooter” into the search box located on the taskbar.
2. Select “Identify and Repair Network Problems”.
3. Follow the instructions that are given on-screen. This will fix any problems that the network is experiencing.

• Method Three

Review the timezone.

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Select Settings, then Time and Language, then Date and Time.
3. Check to make sure that the correct timezone is selected from the drop-down menu.

• Method Four

Reboot the PC and check if that fixes the problem. This may help in the event that the network troubleshooter does not detect a problem.

After completing these steps to edit the time, date, and time zone settings, it may be necessary to restart the computer. This is to ensure that the computer will save and recognize the new settings. After restarting, continue the process as intended and enter the product key. The computer will now be able to verify the product key since the time and date will be recognizable. The Windows installation should proceed as normal and complete successfully when the time, date, and time zone are inside of the parameters for the Windows product key.

In short, if it is not, the computer will not be able to recognize the product key, thus will not be able to install the Windows product. Generally, the fix is quite simple and does not take much time at all, but it is very important.

Error Code 0xc1900106  – What is it?

One of the most common errors encountered by Microsoft users upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to Windows 10 is the Error Code 0xc1900106. Microsoft users experience a failure in the installation process. Either they will be notified that the installation process was ended but failed or that Windows is not able to install the update.

Solution

Error Causes

More and more Windows users are having trouble upgrading their operating system to Windows 10. There are a lot of errors being encountered by users and one of them is the Error Code 0xc1900106. This error is normally due to the misconfigured system files. If a Windows user encounters this error, most likely their device has some registry problems.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Fixing error code-related issues could be best resolved to do manual repair methods. Applying repair methods manually can help Windows users address the root causes of the errors they encounter, as well as apply definite solutions to rectify the issue.

Most Windows users can be able to implement manual repair methods themselves but there are some cases where help from a Windows professional is needed. If you’re not a very tech-savvy person and not confident performing the manual repair methods yourself, it would be advisable to seek help from a professional Windows technician who is knowledgeable enough to address the errors or problems you are encountering. However, if you don’t want to resort to seeking help from a professional, you can also consider using a powerful automated tool.

In trying to fix Error Code 0xc1900106, here are the following manual repair methods you can take:

Method One: Custom Installation

1. Make a backup of your personal files
2. Users of Windows 8/8.1 should Refresh first then proceed to upgrade.
3. If the Refresh process does not work, reset your device then try again.
4. If resetting your device still does not work, you can proceed with a custom installation.
5. When your Windows installation media is ready, you need to choose to boot from CD, DVD, or USB drive to begin setup. (For example purposes, this article will discuss booting from DVD).
6. When your device is all set to boot from DVD, you will be prompted to Press any key to boot from CD or DVD…
7. Once you’ve pressed any key, the screen will show the Windows logo which might take a while. No need to worry though, as long as you can see the indicator, you’re good.
8. Choose your Language, Time, and Keyboard method from the drop-down menu then hit Next.
9. Click on the Install Now button then wait until Setup begins.
10. Tick on the I accept the license terms check box then select Next.
11. Choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)
12. Choose the Primary partition then select Next. You will be prompted by the following warning: The partition you selected might contain files from a previous Windows Installation. If it does, these files and folders will be moved to a folder named Windows.old. You will be able to access the information in Windows.old, but you will be able to use your previous version of Windows. Just click the OK button then wait as the Windows continue to install. Windows will restart once this phase of the setup completes and will reboot into setup once again.
13. At this point, Windows will detect and install your hardware. Once this finishes, Windows will restart again.

Method Two: Reset Windows Update Components

1. From your device’s desktop, hit Windows key + X to open the command prompt as admin.
2. Once the command prompt window appears, you can type or copy and paste the following commands (all at once):

net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 catroot2.old net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver pause

3. Exit the command prompt.
4. After you reset the Windows Update components, see if you receive Windows Updates which includes the firmware updates for your computer.

Method Three: Ensure Windows is Updated

1. If you have an antivirus, make sure to disable it during the upgrade process.
2. Run Windows Update to check if the system is updated.
3. Ensure that the latest firmware and drivers are installed. To be able to do this, go to the computer manufacturer’s website or you can also try contacting company support.

Error Code C0000135- What is it?

C0000135 is a blue screen of death error code (BSoD) also referred to as the ‘Stop’ error. This error code usually pops up on the screen at startup. The system stops and displays the error code:

Stop: c0000135 {Unable to Locate DLL} The dynamic link library FILE_NAME could not be found in the specified path Default Load Path

Solution

Error Causes

There are multiple reasons behind the error code C0000135 BSoD such as:

• Missing and damaged .DLL files which is linked to registry corruption
• Malware attack
• Viral infection

When this error code pops, the computer screen turns blue and hampers your ability to use Windows successfully. Nonetheless, if the error C0000135 is not repaired timely this error can cause a great deal of damage to your PC. It puts you at risk of:

• Data Loss with possibly no chances of recovery
• System Failure and crash
• Cybercrime if malware is the underlying cause of the occurrence of the error code C0000135

To avoid serious PC damages and inconvenience it is advisable to repair this error immediately.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are two ways to fix the error code C0000135:

1. Hire a Professional
2. Download Error Tools PC Repair

Hire a Technician

Hiring a professional can be costly. You may have to pay hundreds of dollars to the technician to resolve this issue. However, the latter option is not only money-saving but also time-saving, convenient, and simple. In fact, it is so easy that even if you have no technical knowledge you can still work your way around it and repair the error in seconds.

Download Restoro

Restoro is a top-quality, efficient, and multi-functional PC fixer. It is integrated with cutting-edge technology. It has a comprehensive suite of advanced utilities like an intuitive registry cleaner, powerful anti-virus, and a smart system stability detector. All of these exciting and highly functional features are combined together in one. With this helper, you don’t need to search for the underlying cause of the error. When you experience the BSoD error code C0000135 on your system all you have to do is run it for a scan and its intuitive in-built technology will detect the issues and causes in no time and display them to you in the form of a comprehensive scan report. Once the scan is complete, you just have to hit the repair tab to resolve it. It’s that easy and fast! Restoro is powered by a highly functional registry cleaner. This cleaner helps detect all the errors related to the registry. It cleans the unnecessary files cluttering and damaging the hard disk including the junk files, invalid registry entries, internet history, and the files from the programs that you have uninstalled on your PC. These files acquire a lot of disk space and damage .dll files as well. Overloaded registry also slows down the system and the CPU and RAM then require more power to start and function. The registry cleaner embedded in the Restoro removes and wipes out all this unnecessary clutter, clears up the disk space and repairs the damaged files, and corrupted registry, and thus resolves the error code C0000135 on your system. Restoro also serves as a system optimizer. And when you repair issues on your PC with this helper, you’ll see a massive difference in the speed and performance of your computer. It will run smoothly and boot efficiently. Restoro is safe to use. It is bug-free and used widely by PC users experiencing different types of PC-related issues including the error code C0000135. It has easy navigation and a user-friendly interface. You can download and run Restoro on all Windows versions. Click here to download Restoro today!

The new Windows 10 update has brought some fixes, improvements, and little things to personalize our computer more. One of these personalization updates we have received is that we can now finally change the color of our START menu and taskbar and it is easy as 1,2,3. In order to change and personalize your START menu and/or title bars all you have to do is click on your windows icon to bring the start menu up and then click on settings. Once you are in setting windows go to personalization settings. When the personalization setting opens go-to color tab on left and scroll down until you find 2 checkboxes under "show accent color on the following surfaces:" check ones you wish to apply the effect to and you are done. Now your START menu and/or title bars are using the color scheme of your choice.

What is OpenCandy?

OpenCandy is an application that downloads and installs software, including other Internet Browsers to a computer system. Used as a bundle, this application installs additional programs that you may knowingly or unknowingly agree to install. Since most users don’t accept the challenge of reading the EULA in its entirety, they tend to download bundled applications unknowingly.

Assessment of OpenCandy PUP

During the initial assessment of OpenCandy, I was a little skeptical about what to look out for or expect. In fact, I had to install the OpenCandy.exe file twice to discern its behavior. I’m not sure how this application got its name but I do believe it has something to do with the fact that it supposedly helps Internet users open a new world of Internet browsing. That conclusion was arrived at after realizing that OpenCandy.exe installed mostly Internet browsers along with a tune-up tool on the test computer. However, as a result of the system requirements, there was a pop-up message indicating that Internet Explorer 8 was not compatible with the computer system in question. In comparison to the malware I’ve encountered since I started researching malware, OpenCandy is everything but malicious. In fact, this application is only categorized as malware because of its’ subtle covert nature of installing bundled programs unsolicited by the user. Additionally, OpenCandy coerces users into changing their Internet Browsers by installing those unrequested by the user. In fact, it’s no shock that OpenCandy chose to install the Internet Browser ‘Opera’ as a part of this bundle since it’s one of the least used browsers according to the Federal Government. Clearly, this was a smoothly disguised advertisement or promotion to force users into using the Opera Browser, along with Internet Explorer 8.0. While these aforementioned browsers in themselves aren’t malicious and are in no way considered malware, they were installed as a promotional tool and without the request of the user. Despite being mentioned within the EULA, advertisers are capitalizing on this since most users do not bother to read the agreements when installing a program. Furthermore, OpenCandy, like most other bundled applications I’ve dealt with, threw in a tune-up tool as a part of the promotion. I found this tune-up application annoying since I had to hassle my way into getting it to close from the computer screen. I can only imagine the hassle users would go through trying to remove this software. Image 7: Depiction of a scan performed by Tuneup Utilities. The scan detected that several areas on the test PC could be optimized/tuned up. Image 8: After a scan was completed using the Tuneup utility program, I was given an option to buy the full version. Nothing is wrong with this marketing strategy. In fact, most utility tools if not all will scan your computer to detect threats or loopholes, but they won't exactly allow you to fix those problems unless you buy the full version. It's not unfair, it's just business. Programs installed during the installation of OpenCandy include:

• Web Companion: Developed by Lavasoft, Web Companion is said to be an application that serves as a security defense for your Internet browsers by preventing unauthorized changes (see image below)
• Tuneup Utilities: Tuneup Utilities does exactly as it says. It cleans up a computer system, whereby preventing unused programs from slowing it down.
• Opera Stable 30.01.1835.88: Opera is a fast, simple, and effective Internet browser that allows users to get around on the web.

All in all, the intent of installing an application such as OpenCandy is to unleash a world of promotion or advertisements on your computer. They are pretty annoying and in some cases difficult to remove. Furthermore, as a user, you want to control what gets installed on your computer without being dictated to or coerced in some EULA that you probably overlook. To completely remove OpenCandy PUP from your computer, click here to download and install Spyhunter.