How to game on a low budget

Error Code 0x80248014 - What is it?

Error Code 0x80248014 is an error that is particularly associated with the Windows 10 operating system. It generally appears during the Windows Update process and can interrupt the update installation, causing it to fail.

Common symptoms include:

• Inability to download, install, or run updates on the Windows 10 operating system
• The vague message that appears when the error occurs
• Inability to finalize purchases made from the Windows Store
• Inability to run a check to see if updates need to be installed

The resolutions available for Error Code 0x80248014 include the use of the command prompt and delving into the settings for Windows. While most users should be able to navigate the resolution methods on their own if you do not feel comfortable undertaking these steps on your own or if you aren’t able to resolve the error fully using these methods, get in touch with a qualified Windows repair technician who is familiar with issues in Windows updates.

Solution

Error Causes

There are several common culprits that can make Error Code 0x80248014 appear on your Windows device. The most common ones include problems with your connections, interference on the server, or problems in the settings for the Windows Store itself from which the updates are downloaded.

If you believe that your error relates most specifically to the Windows Store, you may want to jump directly to method two in order to attempt to resolve the issue.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are a number of ways that you can try to resolve Error Code 0x80248014 on your Windows 10 operating system. The first will attempt to reset the issue using the command prompt, while the second attempts to address the issues that are associated directly with the Windows Store.

If you do not feel comfortable taking the steps below, be sure to get in touch with a qualified Windows repair technician to assist you.

Here are the top two methods to resolve Error Code 0x80248014 on the Windows 10 operating system:

Method One:  Attempt to Resolve the Error Using the Command Prompt

To use this method, employ the following steps in order:

• Step One: To begin, open up the Start menu and select the option for the Command Prompt, choosing to run it in Admin mode.
• Step Two: Put in the commands below, hitting the Enter key after each one:
  • net stop WuAuServ
  • %windir%
• Step Three: Open up the Windows folder on your local hard drive. Look for the folder labeled “SoftwareDistribution” and change the name to “SDold”.
• Step Four: Go back into the Command Prompt as an administrator and enter this command:  “net start WuAuServ”.
• Step Five: Attempt to run your check for Updates again.

You may want to reboot your computer after running the steps above to ensure that the changes that you’ve made are fully applied to your device.

Method Two:  Reset Your Windows Store Settings

In some cases, Error Code 0x80248014 can appear on a device when the settings for the Windows Store have been altered or cannot be successfully read by the machine in question. If you believe that this is the case on your machine, you can run a simple command to renew your Windows Store settings.

To attempt to reset your Windows Store settings, open up your search bar and type in the following phrase “wsreset.exe,” then hitting Enter. Running this command will reset your Windows Store settings to their defaults.

After you reset your Windows Store settings, it may be a good idea to reboot your computer to ensure that all changes have fully taken effect on your device. Once this has been done, you can open the Windows Store back up and try to download or install the programs that you were attempting to purchase when the error code occurred.

If you are still experiencing the effects on your Windows 10 operating system or if you have not been able to follow the steps above to completion, it may be time to get in touch with a qualified Windows repair technician to assist you with the error resolution process.

Method Three: Use An Automated Tool

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

Nectar Toolbar is a Browser addon for Internet Explorer developed by AIMIA Coalition Loyalty. This addon changed your default search provider to Yahoo UK. While installed, you might see additional unwanted ads and sponsored links injected in the search results.

From the Author: We all search the web every day for information from handy how-to’s, must know news about shopping. So wouldn’t it be great if you could collect extra Nectar points just for doing something you do already? Like to shop online? Nectar Search will also tell you when you’re on a shopping website (like Argos, Debenhams, Next, Play.com, and Apple) where you can collect points too.

Several anti-virus scanners have marked this addon as a Browser Hijacker and are therefore not recommended to keep on your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means a malicious program code has power over and modified the settings of your browser, without your permission. Browser hijackers could do more than just changing home pages. In general, hijackers are developed for the benefit of online hackers often through income generation that comes from forced ad mouse clicks and website visits. Nonetheless, it isn’t that harmless. Your web safety is compromised and it is also really annoying. In a much worst case, your browser could be hijacked to download malicious software that will do a great deal of damage to your computer.

Key symptoms that your browser has been hijacked

When your browser is hi-jacked, the following can happen: you notice unauthorized changes to your internet browser’s homepage; you observe new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, usually directed to advertisement-filled or porn websites; the default browser configurations have been changed and/or your default web engine is altered; unwanted new toolbars are added to your internet browser; you might notice numerous pop-up adverts on your computer screen; your browser has instability issues or exhibits frequent errors; You can’t access particular websites, especially anti-malware websites.

Exactly how they invade computers

A browser hijacker can be installed on your computer or laptop when you go to an infected site, click on an e-mail attachment, or download something from a file-sharing site. Many internet browser hijackings originate from add-on programs, i.e., browser helper objects (BHO), toolbars, or plug-ins added to browsers to provide them additional features. Other times you might have accidentally accepted a browser hijacker as part of a software bundle (generally freeware or shareware). Popular examples of browser hijackers include CoolWebSearch, Conduit, OneWebSearch, Coupon Server, RocketTab, Delta Search, Searchult.com, and Snap.do. Browser hijacking can bring about serious privacy problems and even identity theft, affect your web browsing experience by taking control over outgoing traffic, drastically slows down your computer or laptop by depleting lots of resources, and lead to system instability also.

Browser hijacker removal methods

Some browser hijacking can be easily stopped by identifying and eliminating the corresponding malware software from your control panel. However, most hijackers are quite tenacious and require specialized applications to get rid of them. Moreover, browser hijackers could modify the Windows registry so it can be extremely tough to fix manually, particularly when you are not a tech-savvy person. Browser hijackers can be effectively removed by installing and running an anti-malware application on the affected computer. To get rid of any browser hijacker out of your computer, you could download this particular top-notch malware removal application – SafeBytes Anti-Malware. Together with anti-malware, a PC optimizer software, similar to Total System Care, could help you correct Windows registry errors, remove unwanted toolbars, secure your internet privacy, and stabilize programs installed on your computer.

Find Out How To Install Safebytes Anti-Malware On An Infected Computer system

All malware is bad and the consequences of the damage will vary based on the specific type of malicious software. Certain malware goes to great lengths to stop you from downloading or installing anything on your computer system, particularly anti-virus programs. If you are reading this, you probably have infected by a virus that stops you from installing a security program like Safebytes Anti-Malware. Follow the instructions below to remove malware through alternative methods.

Install in Safe Mode with Networking

Safe Mode is a unique, simplified version of Windows where just essential services are loaded to counteract malware and other problematic programs from loading. In case the malicious software is set to load immediately when the PC boots, switching to this mode could prevent it from doing so. To boot into Safe Mode, hit “F8” key on the keyboard right before Windows logo screen appears; Or right after normal Windows boot up, run MSCONFIG, look over Safe Boot under Boot tab, and then click Apply. Once you are in Safe Mode, you can try to install your anti-malware application without the hindrance of the malware. After installation, run the malware scanner to eliminate standard infections.

Download the anti-malware program in a different internet browser

Some malware only targets particular internet browsers. If this is your case, employ another browser as it might circumvent the computer virus. In case you suspect that your Internet Explorer happens to be hijacked by a computer virus or otherwise compromised by online hackers, the most effective course of action is to switch over to a different web browser such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Apple Safari to download your favorite security application – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

Another solution is to save and run an anti-malware software program entirely from a Thumb drive. To run antivirus from a thumb drive, follow these simple steps: 1) On a clean computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the USB drive into the clean computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware software to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Select the drive letter of the pen drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you would like to install the anti-virus. Follow the onscreen instructions to finish the installation. 5) Now, insert the USB drive into the corrupted PC. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the pen drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Simply click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for malware.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware Features

To protect your laptop or computer from various internet-based threats, it’s important to install anti-malware software on your personal computer. However, with countless numbers antimalware companies out there, these days it is hard to decide which one you should buy for your laptop. Some of them do a great job in eliminating malware threats while some will damage your PC by themselves. You must be careful not to pick the wrong product, especially if you buy a paid application. On the list of strongly recommended software by industry leaders is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, the most dependable program for Microsoft Windows. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trustworthy tool that not only secures your PC permanently but is also quite user-friendly for people of all skill levels. Once you’ve got installed this application, SafeByte's sophisticated protection system will ensure that no viruses or malware can seep through your PC.

SafeBytes anti-malware provides an array of enhanced features that sets it aside from all others. Some of them are listed as below:

Real-Time Protection: SafeBytes gives you round-the-clock protection for your PC limiting malware intrusions in real-time. This utility will constantly monitor your computer for suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep abreast of the constantly changing threat landscape. Most effective AntiMalware Protection: Built on a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can find and get rid of numerous stubborn malware threats such as browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other common anti-virus applications will miss. Website Filtering: Safebytes allots all websites a unique safety score that helps you to have an idea of whether the webpage you’re just about to visit is safe to browse or known to be a phishing site. Fast Multi-threaded Scanning: Safebytes Anti-Malware, with its advanced scanning engine, offers extremely fast scanning which can promptly target any active online threat. Low CPU/Memory Usage: SafeBytes is well known for its low influence on processing power and great detection rate of various threats. It operates silently and efficiently in the background so you’re free to utilize your PC at full power all of the time. 24/7 Customer Service: For any technical concerns or product assistance, you could get 24/7 professional assistance through chat and email. Put simply, SafeBytes has created a meaningful anti-malware solution that is aimed to protect you against all manner of malware. You now may understand that this particular software does more than just scan and eliminate threats from your PC. So if you’re searching for the absolute best malware removal application out there, and when you don’t mind shelling out a few bucks for it, opt for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To eliminate Nectar Toolbar manually, go to the Add or Remove programs list in the Windows Control Panel and choose the program you want to remove. For browser extensions, go to your web browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the add-on you want to remove or disable. You’ll probably also want to reset your internet browser to its default settings. Finally, check your hard disk for all of the following and clean your computer registry manually to get rid of leftover application entries after uninstallation. But bear in mind, this can be a tough task and only computer professionals can perform safely. In addition, certain malicious programs have the capability to defend against its removal. Completing this task in Safe Mode is suggested.

Each time you execute a command on your computer, it takes into account a number of files and space for the code in the background for the command to be executed. Thus, executing the command is not that easy which is why you could encounter some errors along the way due to various limitations or poor allocation of memory, and so on. One of the errors you might encounter when executing a command on Windows 10 and Windows Server is the “Not enough storage is available to process this command”. There are several potential fixes you can check out to fix this error. To fix this error, you can try to delete the temporary files in your computer, run the DISM tool or apply some registry tweaks. For more details, refer to each one of the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to delete the temporary files

The error could be caused by some temporary or junk files in your computer and so you need to clear them up to fix the problem. You can achieve that using the Storage Sense feature.

• Open Setting > System > Storage from the WinX Menu.
• From there, you will see a list of all the local and connected storage devices along with the details on the free space. Make sure that Storage Sense is on.
• Next, find a link that says “Free Up Space” and click it to open.
• After that, a screen which is the built-in program in Windows 10 will appear and will scan your computer for the following junk files so you can free up disk space:
  • Windows Upgrade Log Files
  • System created Windows Error Reporting Files
  • Thumbnails
  • Temporary Internet Files
  • Previous Windows Installation Files
  • Delivery Optimisation Files
  • DirectX Shader Cache
• Choose the files you want to get rid of and then click on the remove files option. Note that you’ll have an idea of the total size as you select any of the junk files listed above.
• Now go to the “Free Up Space Now” section and click the Clean now button. This will get rid of all the temporary or junk files in your computer and should hopefully fix Error 1310.

Option 2 – Run the DISM tool

You can also run the DISM Tool as it could also help in fixing the “Not enough storage is available to process this command” error in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth” that could help in fixing error 0x80246019.

• You can run the DISM tool via Advanced Startup Options or you could boot your computer into a Clean Boot State and then select Command Prompt.
• Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish. Once it’s done, restart your computer and try again. If it didn’t work, you can try to use the “/StartComponentCleanup” parameter: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Option 3 – Try to use the Registry Editor

The memory range allocated for the tasks and commands to be executed is associated with the IRPStackSize DWORD. Thus, to fix the error, you need to extend the range by applying some registry tweak. Before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point first. Once you’re done, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesLanmanServerParameters
• From there, look for the DWORD named “IRPStackSize” and right-click on it. If you can’t find this DWORD, just right-click on any empty space and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Input “IRPStackSize” as the DWORD name and double click on it and set its Value data to be greater than its default value. Note that the maximum value allowed is “0xc” and the range starts from “0x1”.
• Now click on OK and exit the Registry Editor and then restart your computer and see if the error is fixed.

Error 115 - What is it?

Error 115 is a type of GameGuard redundant execution error.  If you have GameGuard installed on your PC, then you will most likely experience this error code. GameGuard is basically an anti-cheating robot toolkit developed by INCA Internet. It is installed to block possibly malicious applications and common methods of cheating on multiplayer online role-playing games. But at the same time, this software is infamous for error pop-ups. Error 115 is displayed on the Windows screen when a game has been executed multiple times or you have left the game running without logging out. Error 115 is displayed in the following format:

GameGuard Execute Error: 115 ‘There are multiple events of game execution or GameGuard is already running. Close the game then try again.’

Solution

Error Causes

The error 115 may appear on your Windows screen due to multiple reasons. These include:

• Multiple executions of the game
• Antivirus Conflict
• Firewall Conflict
• Registry Overloaded with Bad and Invalid Entries

This error may cause a great deal of inconvenience to you if you love to play multi-player role-playing games over the web like Blood Feud, 9Dragons, Phantasy Star Universe, and Alliance of Valiant Arms. To avoid such inconvenience, it is advisable to fix this error immediately.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some easy do-it-yourself methods to resolve the error 115 on your PC. These methods require no technical expertise.

Method 1 - Terminate the Game Already Running on Your System

To resolve the issue, hit ‘Ctrl+Shift+Esc’ to launch Task Manager. Here you will find a list of applications running on your system, terminate the gaming application to resolve error 115.  If this doesn’t work, then restart your PC.

Method 2 - Disable Antivirus Programs or Firewall Temporarily

Sometimes this error may appear on your computer screen because of antivirus or Firewall security conflict. These programs often block gaming applications and software like GameGuard and because of that, you are unable to play online games on your system. To fix the issue, try disabling these programs on your PC temporarily.

Method 3 - Clean and Repair the Registry

The error 115 may also occur because of the registry issue with Symantec. Follow these steps to enable the game to run:

• Go to your start menu then find Run then write Regedit.
• Find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. To proceed, go to SYSTEM then CurrentControlSet, and then Services.
• Look in the list for SysPlant and click it. Then look for the word 'Start', right-click on Start, and select rename.
• Rename 'start' to 'DWORD: 00000004’ then close Regedit and reboot your PC to activate changes.

Method 4 - Download and Run Total System Care.

This process can be slightly tricky and a bit time-consuming. Therefore it is advisable to download Restoro. This is a cutting-edge, easy-to-use PC Fixer deployed with a powerful registry cleaner. It removes all the unnecessary files cluttering the registry like bad and invalid registry entries. It fixes the damaged registry and enables it to resume back to its normal functioning. Click here to download Restoro.

The Google Chrome browser checks the SSL Security Certificate of the website that you are trying to open. However, if Chrome is not able to check the certificate then you might encounter an error related to the SSL Certificates which you might face when browsing the web. This particular error is the ERR BAD SSL CLIENT AUTH CERT error which is caused by many factors such as the computer’s Time, Cached Data is corrupt, Date is out of sync, as well as third party software installed in your computer is the one that’s blocking the site and many more. The ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error might also be coming from the website’s end. It could be that the server is rejecting the certificate the client website is sending. The certificate might have already expired or the server may not trust its issuer – whichever the case may be, here are some options you can check out to fix the error.

Option 1 – Sync Date and Time

The first thing you can try is to sync the Date and Time of your computer as the wrong Date and Time settings are one of the most common causes of connection problems like the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error. This is because of the incompatibility between the SSL Certificate validation date and the System Clock. Thus, you have to sync your System Clock. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• Right-click on the Taskbar and click on the Adjust Date and Time option.
• Next, click on the Sync Now button to synchronize the Date and Time with the Microsoft Servers.
• Now make sure that the Time Zone that’s set on the same page is correct.

Option 2 – Try clearing the browser data

There are times when some data in the browser is conflicting with the loading of the website and triggers errors like ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT. And so you can try to clear your browser’s data. This might be a very basic solution but oftentimes it works in fixing this kind of error in Google Chrome. Follow the steps below to clear the data in your browser.

• Open your Google Chrome browser.
• After that, tap the Ctrl + H keys. Doing so will open a new panel that allows you to delete the browsing history and other data in your browser.
• Now select every checkbox that you see and click on the Clear browsing data button.
• Then restart your Chrome browser and check if you can now open any website or not.

Option 3 – Try to check and fix any possible conflicts with third-party programs

Third-party programs like internet protection software could be interrupting the connection and causing the error. For some unknown reason, your antivirus program or firewall might be detecting the webpage you are trying to open as malicious or with less credibility which is why it is blocking the browser from opening the website. To fix that, if you have third-party programs installed like VPN, security software, or any add-on, or firewall, you can disable them temporarily and see if it fixes the problem and you’re able to pull up the website. After a while, you have to enable them back and configure their settings so that the website won’t get blocked again.

Option 4 – Try enabling SSL 3 / TLS and disable QUIC Protocol

If you were using Google Chrome when you got the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error, then you need to follow the protocol fixes for SSL3/TLS and QUIC which are usually some of the reasons that cause the SSL version / Cipher Mismatch. It also has a few fixes for Windows 10 computer where you can clear the certificates and make sure that your computer date and time is in sync with your time zone and so on. If you were using Edge or Internet Explorer when you got the error, then you have to follow the steps below.

• Type “Internet” in the search box of your browser. After that, you should see the Internet Options from the search results.
• Next, open the Internet Properties window and switch to the Advanced tab and then scroll down to the Security section.
• From there, check the “Use TLS 1.1” checkbox as well as the “Use TLS 1.2” checkbox and then click OK to save the changes made.
• Restart the browser.

On the other hand, if you were using Firefox when you go the error, here’s what you have to do.

• Open Firefox and in the address bar, type “about:config” and hit Enter.
• If a warning appears, just click on the “I accept the risk!” button to proceed.
• Next, type in “TLS” in the search field and hit Enter.
• Then look for “security.tls.version.min” and double click on it and set its integer value to 3 to force the protocol of TLS 1.3.
• Now click OK and restart Firefox and do the same thing with SSL.

Option 5 – Try to update Google Chrome

You might also want to try updating your browser to its latest version and have it installed in your computer. After you install the update, check if you can now open the website you were trying to open earlier.

Option 6 – Get rid of any conflicting browser extensions

• Open Chrome and press Alt + F keys.
• Go to More tools and click Extensions to look for any suspicious browser extensions or toolbars.
• Click the Recycle bin and select Remove.
• Restart Chrome and press Alt + F keys again.
• Proceed to On Startup and mark Open a specific page or set of pages.
• To check if the browser hijacker is still active, click Set pages, if it is active, overwrite the URL.

Note: If removing the browser extensions or toolbars didn’t work, you can also try to reset your Google Chrome browser.

• Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
• After that, click on Settings.
• Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
• After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
• Now restart Google Chrome.

Web Shield is a free application that allows you to view insightful analyses about the websites that you visit and specifically how they’re tracking you online. Web Shield cannot determine exactly who is tracking your computer usage. Instead, Web Shield allows a user to see which websites have placed tracking code onto their computer.

This software is ad-supported and displays advertisements in the form of injected banner ads, popups, and context hyperlinks in the user’s web browser. It adds Windows Background services, displays unwanted advertisements, and can modify the browser’s home page.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (also called hijackware) are a type of malicious software that modifies web browser settings without the user’s knowledge or permission. These hijacks appear to be increasing at a worrying rate across the world, and it could be really nefarious and sometimes dangerous too. There are lots of reasons why you may experience a browser hijack; but commercial, marketing, and advertising are the main reasons for their creation. The idea is to force users to visit specific sites that are looking to increase their site visitor traffic and generate higher ad income. Nevertheless, it is not that harmless. Your web safety is jeopardized and it is also very irritating. Furthermore, hijackers will make the entire infected system fragile – other destructive malware and viruses would seize these opportunities to intrude into your system very easily.

Browser hijacking signs

Here are some symptoms that indicate you have been hijacked: home-page is modified; you see new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, typically directed to ad-filled or pornography sites; the default search engine has been changed and the web browser security settings have been cut down without your knowledge; you notice many toolbars on the internet browser; you see lots of pop-up ads on your computer screen; your internet browser has become unstable or starts running slowly; you can’t visit certain websites like home pages of anti-malware software.

How does a PC get infected with a browser hijacker?

Browser hijackers might use drive-by downloads or file-sharing networks or even an email attachment to reach a targeted computer system. They may also originate from any BHO, browser extension, add-on, toolbar, or plug-in with the malicious objectives. Some browser hijackers spread in user’s PC by using a deceptive software distribution strategy called “bundling” (usually through shareware and freeware). A good example of a popular browser hijacker is the most recent Chinese malware named “Fireball”, which has attacked 250 million computers across the world. It acts as a hijacker but could be changed into a fully functioning malware downloader later on. Browser hijackers will affect the user’s web surfing experience severely, record the websites frequented by users and steal personal information, cause problems in connecting to the net, and eventually create stability issues, causing applications and systems to crash.

Browser hijacker removal

Some browser hijacking could be quite easily reversed by finding and removing the corresponding malware software from your control panel. But, most browser hijackers are difficult to get rid of manually. No matter how much you try to remove it, it can come back over and over. Moreover, manual removal requires you to carry out several time-consuming and intricate actions that are hard to do for novice computer users.

Malware Blocking Access To Safebytes Website And Anti-Malware Downloads - What To Do?

Every malware is bad and the effects of the damage can vary based on the specific type of malicious software. Some malware types alter browser settings by including a proxy server or change the computer’s DNS settings. In these cases, you’ll be unable to visit some or all internet sites, and therefore unable to download or install the required security software to get rid of the malware. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download and/or install Safebytes Anti-Malware software on your PC. Even though this type of problem can be tougher to circumvent, there are some steps you can take.

Start your system in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to load at Windows start-up, then booting in Safe Mode should avoid it. Since just the bare minimum programs and services start-up in Safe Mode, there are rarely any reasons for issues to occur. The following are the steps you need to follow to start your computer into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (go to Microsoft website for directions on Windows 8 and 10 computers). 1) Tap the F8 key continuously as soon as your computer boots, but before the large Windows logo or black screen with white texts appears. This would conjure up the “Advanced Boot Options” menu. 2) Make use of the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) Once this mode loads, you should have internet access. Now, get the malware removal program you need by using the browser. To install the program, follow the guidelines within the setup wizard. 4) Right after installation, run a complete scan and allow the program to delete the threats it detects.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Some malware only targets particular browsers. If this is your situation, make use of another internet browser as it might circumvent the malware. If you appear to have a trojan attached to Internet Explorer, then switch to a different web browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Install and run anti-virus from your Thumb drive

Here’s yet another solution which is utilizing a portable USB antivirus software that can scan your system for malware without the need for installation. Follow these steps to use a thumb drive to clean your infected computer system. 1) Make use of another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug in the USB flash drive to a USB port on the uninfected computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, which has a .exe file extension. 4) When asked, choose the location of the pen drive as the place where you want to put the software files. Follow the directions to complete the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the pen drive to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the anti-malware software EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a scan on the affected computer for malware.

Review of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Do you want to download the very best anti-malware software program for your desktop? You can find many applications available that come in free and paid versions for Windows systems. A few of them are great, some are ok types, and some will harm your computer themselves! You need to pick one that is reliable, practical, and has a good reputation for its malware protection. When considering the reliable software programs, Safebytes Anti-Malware is undoubtedly the highly recommended one. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trusted software that not only secures your PC completely but is also quite user-friendly for people of all ability levels. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software protects your computer against infections caused by different types of malware and other threats, including spyware, adware, trojans horses, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs). SafeBytes anti-malware comes with a plethora of enhanced features that sets it apart from all others. Here are a few popular features present in this program: World-class AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware software program goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean out your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine locates and disables hard to remove malware that hides deep within your PC. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes offers complete and real-time security for your computer system. It’ll regularly monitor your laptop or computer for hacker activity and also provides users with advanced firewall protection. Web protection: SafeBytes checks and provides a unique safety rating to every website you visit and block access to web pages considered to be phishing sites, thus protecting you from identity theft, or known to contain malware. Low CPU Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight and simple-to-use anti-virus and anti-malware solution. Since it uses very little computer resources, this software leaves the computer power exactly where it belongs to: with you actually. 24/7 Guidance: You could get high levels of support 24/7 if you’re using their paid version.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to manually get rid of WebShield without the use of an automated tool, it may be actually possible to do so by deleting the program from the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of web browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You’ll probably also want to totally reset your browser to its default settings. If you choose to manually delete the system files and registry entries, make use of the following list to make sure you know precisely what files to remove before undertaking any actions. Please keep in mind that this is for advanced users only and might be challenging, with incorrect file removal leading to additional system errors. In addition to that, certain malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. It is recommended that you do the removal procedure in Safe Mode.

There are cases when you want to undo some changes you’ve made to your computer and to do that you have to perform the System Restore task. However, if you encounter an error that states “To use System Restore you must specify which Windows installation to restore”, when doing so, read on as this post will help you fix the problem. This kind of error in System Restore could be due to corrupted files in the system. There are also situations where you are not able to boot up once you encounter this error which could be a big problem. On the other hand, this error might have something to do with corrupted BCD files. Whatever the cause is, here are some potential fixes you have to try.

Option 1 – Try to run System File Checker offline

Like pointed out, since the error might be due to corrupted system files, you can try to run System File Checker offline. How? Refer to these steps:

• You need to go to the Advanced Startup Options and from there select Troubleshoot.
• Next, select the Advanced Options and then Command Prompt.
• After opening Command Prompt, type the commands given below and tap Enter right after you type each one of them.
  • Cd /
  • Dir

• If you can see the “Users” folder, that is your system’s drive. However, if you can’t see it, you can just change the drive-by assigning “D” as its alphabet volume.
• Then execute this command where “C” is the system drive: sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C: /offwindir=C:Windows
• Now repeat the given steps sequentially.

Option 2 – Try to run DISM tool

You can also run the DISM tool to repair the potentially corrupted system image. First, you have to check the health of the system like checking the integrity of the system files and Windows services. To run DISM, follow the given steps below sequentially.

• Open Command Prompt from the Advanced Startup options.
• After that, execute this command where “C:” is the system volume: DISM /Image:C:Windows /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:WindowsWinSxS
• If you encounter an error after executing the given command, insert the Windows USB or DVD and then execute this next command where “E:” is the USB or DVD drive: DISM /Image:C:Windows /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:esd:E:SourcesInstall.esd:1 /limitaccess
• In some cases, “install.esd” would be “install.wim” and in such case, you have to modify and execute this command: DISM /Image:C:Windows /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:E:SourcesInstall.wim /limitaccess

Option 3 – Try to repair corrupted BCD

As mentioned, the error could also be due to corruption in BCD, and to fix it, you can use Bootrec.exe – a built-in command-line tool used to troubleshot issues related to boot up and Windows Startup. Before you run this tool, make sure that you have inserted a bootable USB or DVD into your computer. Once you have that covered, follow these steps:

• You need to go to the Advanced Startup Options.
• Then click on Troubleshoot.
• Next, select the Advanced Options and then Command Prompt.
• Once Command Prompt has been pulled up, enter each one of the following commands and in the sequence that they are given to rebuild BCD files and repair MBR files:
  • Bootrec /Fixmbr
  • Bootrec /FixBoot
• After you execute the commands given above, you should see a confirmation message that says, “The operation completed successfully”.
• Now type the “Bootrec /RebuildBCD” command to rebuild BCD.
• Finally, close Command Prompt and then restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 4 – Try to run the Automatic Repair Utility

You might also want to use Automatic Repair in fixing the error. To do so, follow the steps below.

• You can start by creating and booting from a bootable Windows 10 USB Stick.
• After that, click on Repair your computer located in the bottom left corner when you are on the initial Windows Startup screen.
• Next, click on Troubleshoot, and then on the other screen, click the Startup Repair option.
• Now select the operating system you want to repair. Once you do that, it will start to repair your operating system. Wait until the process is completed and then check if the problem’s now fixed.

Option 5 – Try to use the Windows Recovery Environment

If the four options given above didn’t help fix the problem, you could try running Windows Repair and a Windows bootable USB or DVD.

• First, insert the bootable USB or DVD and boot into it, and select the “Repair your computer” option.
• Next, once you see the manufacturer logo on your computer, tap the key to enter into Windows Recovery Environment.
• After that, change the Boot sequence to DVD drive under the UEFI Firmware settings and restart your computer.
• Once your computer has restarted, select the boot order and make changes accordingly as displayed in the BIOS.

Option 6 – Try running System Restore in Advanced Startup Options

Since you probably can’t boot into your Windows 10 computer, you can try to run System Restore again in the Advanced Startup Options.

• Boot your computer into the Advanced Startup Options screen.
• From there, you will see some options to troubleshoot when you can’t log in to Windows in the usual way.
• Now select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
• After that, type “exe /OFFLINE:C:Windows” and hit Enter to execute the command which will start the System Restore process.

Note: You need to replace “C” with the drive where Windows Installation is located.

In this post, you will be guided on how to import and export the WSL distros in your Windows 10 computer. WSL, also known as Windows Subsystem for Linux, is a compatibility layer needed to run Linux binary executable in Windows 10, as well as the Windows Server 2019. In case you don’t know, when you reinstall or reset Windows 10, all of its configuration data stored with the WSL distros gets deleted. Going back or restoring the configuration can be quite challenging but worry not for Microsoft has already got this covered as you can now import and export the WSL or Windows Subsystem for Linux distros. There are three aspects that you have to deal with when you import or export WSL distros in your Windows 10 computer, such as importing WSL distro, exporting WSL distro, and uninstalling the imported WSL distros. Before you proceed to the instructions provided below, make sure that all your installed distros are updated via Microsoft Store. Once you have this covered, follow the options below.

Option 1 – Import the WSL distro

• Type “command prompt” in the Start Search and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt as admin, execute this command: wsl --list –all
• The command you entered will list all the installed WSL distros on your computer. And now it’s time for you to import a WSL distro by executing this command: wsl --import <Name of the distro> <Fill path to save the backup .tar file>

Note: In the given command above, replace “<Name of the distro>” with the name of the distro you want to import and replace “<Fill the path to save the backup .tar file>” with the location where you want to save the .tar file.

Option 2 – Export the WSL distro

• Type “command prompt” in the Start Search and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt as admin, execute this command to see the list of all the installed WSL distros in your computer: wsl --list –all
• After that, execute this command to export a WSL distro: wsl --export <Name of the distro> <Fill path to save the backup .tar file>

Option 3 – Uninstall the imported WSL distro

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Next, execute this command to view the list of all the installed WSL distros: wsl --list –all
• After that, execute this command to uninstall an imported WSL distro: wsl --unregister <Name of the distro>
• Once it’s done, close Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Dxgkrnl.sys is a file related to the Microsoft DirectX driver – a suite of technologies developed by Microsoft to provide hardware acceleration for heavy multimedia applications like 3D games as well as HD videos. However, there are times when you encounter Blue Screen errors for this system file which is quite a lot. So when you encounter a Blue Screen error that’s related to this file, then it could be that the dxgkrnl.sys file is infected with some virus or malware and this might go unnoticed since antivirus programs regard dxgkrnl.sys as a system file. Here are some Blue Screen errors related to the dxgkrnl.sys file:

• SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION .
• BAD_POOL_HEADER
• STOP 0x0000000A: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL.
• STOP 0x0000001E:

KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

• STOP 0x00000050:

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

To fix the dxgkrnl.sys Blue Screen error, here are some suggestions you have to check out.

Option 1 – Try running the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

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

Option 2 – Try updating or re-installing DirectX

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

Option 3 – Try to run the DISM commands

You might want to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also trigger the dxgkrnl.sys Blue Screen error. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the dxgkrnl.sys Blue Screen error is now fixed.

Option 4 – Try updating or reinstalling your Graphics drivers

Updating or reinstalling the Graphics drivers in your computer can also help in resolving compatibility issues between the operating system and the driver that also cause this kind of BSOD error.

• First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
• After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for the Display Adapters and click on them.
• After that, right-click on each entry under the Display Adapters and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
• Now restart your computer.
• After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.

Note: You also have the option to go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD and go to the section called Drivers then check if there’s a new available update – if there is, download and install it.

Option 5 – Try to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

As you know, the Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like dxgkrnl.sys. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

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

Option 6 – Try disabling the SLI Technology in NVIDIA Control Panel

In case you don’t know, there is a technology called SLI that comes with the NVIDIA graphics cards. With the help of this technology, the usage of various GPUs is allowed on a computer and hence helps in triggering the Alternate Frame Rendering and boosts the Graphics Performance directly. This is why this option to disable the SLI technology is suitable in fixing the problem if you are using an NVIDIA Graphics card.

• Search for NVIDIA Control Panel in the Cortana Search box and then click on the related search result or you can also right-click on the NIVIA icon located in the system tray and then select the NVIDIA Control Panel to open it.
• After that, navigate to the 3D settings section.
• Then select the “Set SLI Configuration” option and click on the “Do Not Use SLI Technology” option.
• Now click on Apply located at the bottom-right corner of the window to save the changes made.
• Restart your computer.

Option 7 – Try turning off NVIDIA Surround

Note that this option is only applicable if your computer is using the NVIDIA Graphics card.

• In the Cortana Search box, search for NVIDIA Control Panel and click on the related search result.
• After opening the NVIDIA Control Panel, go to 3D Settings > Configure Surround, PhysX.
• Now uncheck the “Span displays with Surround” option and then click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Restart your computer.

Recently, a number of Windows 10 users reported that they were not able to use Cortana properly because it wasn’t able to connect to the internet. According to these users, Cortana won’t connect to the internet even when their internet connection is stable. According to security experts, this issue is confirmed to occur only with Microsoft accounts. This problem might have something to do with a proxy server that interferes with Cortana. There were reports that this issue was caused by a proxy that was filtering the network connection which also happens to interfere with Cortana’s ability to adapt search results and queries based on the user’s location. It could also be caused by some glitch in the home network or your Microsoft account information is inconsistent or your Microsoft account has to be verified. Here are some suggestions that could help fix the connection issue in Cortana, just start with the first one and work your way down until you encounter an option that fixes the problem.

Option 1 – Restart or reset your modem or router

The first thing you can try is restarting or resetting your modem or router. All you have to do is unplug the power cable of the modem and then plug it back in after a few seconds. You could also use the reset button of the modem at the back if it is one. But before you press the reset button, keep in mind that it will erase all the connection credentials and it will be set back to its default settings. After rebooting the network, you can restart your computer to force your modem or router to reassign an IP address to your computer.

Option 2 – Restart Cortana

Restarting Cortana can help you resolve the issue.

• To restart Cortana, open the Task Manager, right-click on Cortana and select the “End process” option.
• Then go to the File tab and select “Run new task”.
• After that, type in “cortana.exe” and press Enter to restart the process.

Option 3 – Try to remove Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the connection issue in Cortana. Here’s how you can do it:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
• After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
• From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
• Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
• Restart your PC.

Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 4 – Open another app that uses a Microsoft account

This might seem like an odd fix, however, a couple of users tried doing this and it worked for them as it allowed Cortana to connect to the internet again. In this option, you just have to launch another app that uses your Microsoft account information in the same way as Cortana, for instance, the Store app. Once you open the app, a prompt should appear along with a dialog box that allows you to update your Microsoft account with the information required. After that, restart your computer and check if Cortana is now able to connect to the internet or not.

Option 5 – Verify your Microsoft account

In some cases, Cortana might not be able to connect to the internet because your Microsoft account is no longer verified. This usually happens when you use a two-step authentication system with your Microsoft account. To verify it, just open Settings and click on Accounts. After that, check if you have a Verify hyperlink under your Microsoft account or not then click on Verify. Afterward, follow the next on-screen prompts to verify your Microsoft account. Once your account is verified, restart your computer.

Option 6 – Reset Cortana settings

• Open Cortana and go to the Settings section where you’ll see the “Turning off Cortana clears what Cortana knows on this device, but won’t delete anything from the Notebook. After Cortana is off, you can decide what you’d like to do with anything still stored in the cloud” option. Turn this option off.
• Restart your PC.
• After your computer boots, launch Cortana again and check.