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ChatZum is a Potentially Unwanted Program that installs a Toolbar into your browser. This program allegedly allows users to zoom in on photos without clicking on them, however, upon further research, it was discovered that this function does not work on the latest version of browsers.

From the Author: ChatZum is a Browser add-on (toolbar) that enables its users to hover over images in Major Social network's websites and view a larger version of an image.

While installing this toolbar will track user web browsing sessions and will record website visits, clicks, and sometimes even personal information. This information is later used to display targeted ads to the user. To allow easier user tracking, the program changes the browser home page and default search engine to Nation Search Advanced, which injects additional advertisements and tracks user activity.

Several anti-virus applications have marked this program as Potentially Unwanted, and it is not recommended to keep it on your computer, especially considering the fact it will most likely not work on your browser.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

If you have ever installed a free application or shareware, chances are high that the computer will get installed with a bunch of unwanted applications. A Potentially Unwanted Program, also called PUP, in short, is actually software that contains adware, installs toolbars, or has got other hidden objectives. These types of programs are generally bundled up with a free application that you download from the internet or may also be bundled inside the custom installers of many download websites. PUPs aren’t always viewed as “pure” malware in the strictest sense. A fundamental difference between PUP and malware is distribution. Malware is normally dropped by silent installation vectors like drive-by downloads while PUP gets installed with the consent of the computer user, who knowingly or unknowingly approves the PUP installation on their computer system. But, there is no doubt that PUPs remain bad news for PC users as it could be quite dangerous to your computer in many ways.

The damage PUPs can do

The unwanted programs after installation display numerous annoying pop-up ads, trigger fake alerts, and sometimes even forces a computer owner to pay for the software. PUPs that come as browser add-ons and toolbars are commonly recognizable. These toolbars alter your homepage and your search engine in the installed web browser, track your web activities, modify your search results with redirects and sponsored links, and eventually slow down your browser and diminish your browsing experience. Potentially unwanted programs use aggressive distribution methods to get onto your computer. The worst part of setting up a PUP is the adware, spyware, and keystroke loggers that could lurk inside. Even if the PUPs really aren’t inherently malicious, these applications still do practically nothing good on your PC – they’ll take valuable system resources, slow down your PC, weaken your computer security, making your PC more vulnerable to malware.

How to avoid ‘crapware’

• Read the EULA thoroughly. Look for clauses that state that you have to accept advertising and pop-ups or bundled applications from the company. • Always opt for the custom if you’re offered an option between “Custom” and “Recommended” Installations – never ever click Next, Next, Next thoughtlessly. • Use a good anti-malware application. Try Safebytes Anti-malware which can find PUPs and treat them as malware by flagging them for deletion. • Be alert if you download and install freeware, open-source applications, or shareware. Do not ever install software applications that seem shady or malicious. • Always download applications from the original website. The majority of PUPs find their way onto your laptop or computer is via download portals, so steer clear of it altogether. Remember the fact that even though PUPs could potentially cause damage and hinder the proper functioning of the PC, they can’t enter into your system without your consent, so be alert not to provide them with it.

How One Can Get rid of Malware that is Blocking Websites or Preventing Downloads

Malware could potentially cause many kinds of damage to PCs, networks, and data. Some malware goes to great lengths to stop you from downloading or installing anything on your computer, especially antivirus software. If you’re reading this article, odds are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download or install the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your PC. Even though this sort of problem can be tougher to circumvent, there are some steps you can take.

Make use of Safe Mode to resolve the issue

If the malware is set to run automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, stepping into safe mode could block the attempt. Just minimal required programs and services are loaded when you boot your computer in Safe Mode. To launch your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, do as instructed below. 1) Tap the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your PC boots, however, before the big Windows logo or black screen with white texts come up. This would invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you should have the internet. Now, obtain the malware removal program you want by utilizing the web browser. To install the program, follow the guidelines in the installation wizard. 4) Right after installation, do a full scan and allow the software program to get rid of the threats it detects.

Switch to an alternate internet browser

Some malware mainly targets certain browsers. If this is your situation, employ another internet browser as it might circumvent the computer virus. When you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a trojan or otherwise compromised by online hackers, the best thing to do is to switch over to an alternate internet browser such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Apple Safari to download your chosen security program – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Create a portable USB antivirus for eliminating viruses

Another technique is to download and transfer an antivirus application from a clean computer to run a scan on the infected computer. Follow these steps to run the anti-malware on the affected computer. 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free PC. 2) Connect the flash drive to a USB slot on the clean computer. 3) Double click on the exe file to run the installation wizard. 4) Choose the USB stick as the location for saving the file. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the flash drive to the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the USB drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Click the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

Protect your PC from Malware With SafeBytes Security Suite

If you are looking to install an anti-malware program for your PC, there are lots of tools in the market to consider nonetheless, you just cannot trust blindly anyone, regardless of whether it is a paid or free program. A few of them are great but there are several scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware programs waiting around to wreak havoc on your PC. You have to pick a company that develops industry-best anti-malware and it has earned a reputation as reliable. One of the highly recommended applications by industry analysts is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, the safest program for Microsoft Windows. SafeBytes can be described as a highly effective, real-time antivirus application that is made to assist the average computer user in protecting their PC from malicious internet threats. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software will help you protect your computer against infections brought on by various kinds of malware and other internet threats, including spyware, adware, trojans, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs).

There are many wonderful features you’ll get with this particular security product. Listed below are some of the features you will like in SafeBytes.

Active Protection: SafeBytes offers a completely hands-free active protection and is set to observe, block, and kill all computer threats at its very first encounter. It will check your PC for suspicious activity at all times and its unrivaled firewall shields your computer from illegal entry by the outside world. Robust, Anti-malware Protection: Using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection which is made to catch and remove threats that are concealed deep inside your PC. Web Security: Safebytes allots all sites a unique safety ranking that helps you to get an idea of whether the webpage you’re just about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Extremely Speed Scanning: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is among the fastest and most efficient in the industry. It's targeted scanning significantly increases the catch rate for viruses which is embedded in various computer files. Lightweight: SafeBytes is really lightweight software. It consumes an extremely small amount of processing power as it runs in the background which means you will not observe any computer performance difficulties. 24/7 Support: For any technical concerns or product assistance, you may get 24/7 expert assistance via chat and email. To sum it up, SafeBytes Anti-Malware offers outstanding protection combined with an acceptable low system resources usage with both great malware detection and prevention. You now may realize that this particular tool does more than just scan and remove threats from your computer. You will get the best all-around protection for the money you pay on SafeBytes AntiMalware subscription, there’s no question about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to do the removal of ChatZum manually rather than using an automated software tool, you can follow these simple steps: Navigate to the Windows Control Panel, click the “Add/Remove Programs” and there, choose the offending application to remove. In case of suspicious versions of web browser plug-ins, you can easily get rid of it through your web browser’s extension manager. You might also want to reset your home page and search providers, as well as delete browsing history, temporary files, and cookies. If you choose to manually remove the system files and Windows registry entries, use the following list to make sure you know exactly what files to remove before undertaking any actions. Please note that only advanced users should try to manually edit the system files mainly because removing any single vital registry entry results in a serious problem or even a PC crash. In addition, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing its removal. Doing this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is recommended.

What exactly is no audio device malfunction?

No audio device error is among the malfunctions that many Computer consumers run into. No sound or audio can be heard from the computer when the error occurs.

Solution

Error Causes

There are numerous elements that may be the basis of this malfunction. Corrupted or broken sound card drivers, incorrect Device Manager Options for example, or even incorrect BIOS configurations.

Further Information and Manual Repair

How could you recover the standard production of audio by your personal computer and solve this malfunction? Like a number of additional malfunctions, the method of the repair depends on its trigger. To properly solve this dilemma, you are required to run through an evaluation of the pc system so that you can pinpoint the cause. This is because there are numerous variables, which alone, or concurrently may trigger this dilemma. These measures will allow you to work out the no sound device error in your personal computer programs, identify the trigger and fix it. Follow the directions in step 1 if your computer has an onboard audio device installed in it and assess the BIOS settings. You can jump step 1 and move to step two if you utilize a separate sound card.

STEP #1 - Assess the BIOS options.

No sound device error can be caused by incorrect BIOS configurations in your Personal Computer. By fixing these settings if they are the cause of the malfunction, you can easily solve it. Make Sure you restart the pc and immediately access the BIOS options. By locating the Sound card, which is usually known as the AC97 Audio, you should subsequently open the Integrated Peripherals. As soon as you locate it, set it to Allow or Auto. Finally, you should access the On-Board Audio AC97 Control and set it to Allow or Auto as well. If it doesn't solve the situation, proceed to Step Two.

STEP #2 - Analyze the Device Manager

No sound device malfunction can be additionally caused by malfunctions with the Device Manager. To solve this issue, go to My Computer, right-click it, select properties, click on the Hardware tab, then click on Device Manager. At this windowpane, analyze the movie, audio, and game controllers. If you learn that there is a cross on any of the sub things, right-click it subsequently and set it to Enable. The sound card driver may have not been correctly installed or may be damaged if there is Exclamatory Mark or Question Mark on the device manager menu. This does not mean that the sound card driver is ok. It may have malfunctioned even though you do not locate anything unusual. This is because the Device Manager doesn't always recognize errors in audio hardware. After this, you can proceed to step 3.

STEP #3 - Upgrade or reinstall the Sound Card Driver.

About 80% of "no sound system discovered/installed" malfunctions come from broken and/ or out-of-date card drivers. The sound card will not be detected by the Windows Operating System, when the audio card driver is corrupted, damaged, or out-of-date and therefore no sound will be produced by your computer. If this is the cause of the no sound device malfunction, you should reinstall the Audio Card Driver on your computer. Still, you can utilize driver upgrade applications on the web that will help you upgrade out-of-date drivers.

What is Error 0x00000024?

Error 0x00000024 can be seen when you start up and a screen comes up asking which mode you would startup in. Regardless of the mode you select, it leads up to the Windows screen with the loading bar and your computer crashes from there onwards. When you press F8 in order to select the “Disable Automatic Restart On System Failure” option, that is when this error shows up:

ST0P 0X00000024 (x00190203, 0x82700550, 0xc000012, 0x00000000)

Due to this error, both Safe and Normal modes become inaccessible.

Solution

Error Causes

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

Further Information and Manual Repair

First and foremost, you are suggested to run Chkdsk. In order to do this, you have to enter your BIOS and select CDROM as your primary booting device. Now follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Insert your Windows XP installation CD into the CDROM and reboot your PC.
2. Press any key to proceed with the boot from CD when you are prompted to do so.
3. When the Windows XP setup menu shows up, hit the “R” key to proceed with repairing Windows.
4. If there is only one Windows installed on your computer then hit the “1” key and proceed by pressing enter. If there are more than two Windows then hit the number which is associated (according to the screen you are viewing) to the Windows you want to repair. Usually, this is C:/Windows and associated with “1” but if that is not the case then you should simply press the number that corresponds with the windows you want to repair and proceed.
5. Now, you will see a screen that prompts you to enter your administrator password. Most people don’t have an admin password and in that case, you should simply hit enter and you’d be good to go. If you do have an administrator password, however, then you should type it in, hit enter, and proceed.
6. When the DOS prompt shows up, type in chkdsk/f and hit return.

If you see no improvement in solving Error 0x00000024, and the problem keeps persisting, then you should start over. But this time you should type sfc/scannow instead of chkdsk/f and hit return. There are a few other complex methods that you can try as well but this is the most recommended procedure as it is easier, quicker, and most likely to fix the error.

If your internet suddenly stops working on your Windows 10 computer and you get an error message saying, “Windows is still setting up the class configuration for this device (Code 56)”, then read on as this post will show you what you can do to resolve it. This kind of issue has something to do with the Network Adapter and you can see this error message in the Properties menu of the corresponding Network Adapter under the Device Manager. This kind of issue could be caused by many things. For one, it could be caused by your VPN connection if you are using one or it could also be due to an outdated driver. Whatever the cause may be, here are some suggestions you have to check out to fix the error.

Option 1 – Check your VPN

When you install a virtual machine or VPN software on your computer, a new setup will be added in the Network Connection settings and helps your computer in using that adapter setting each time the VPN is turned on. Assuming that you are using an Ethernet connection but your system is trying to use another adapter or settings, that’s when issues occur and one of them is the “Windows is still setting up the class configuration for this device” error. To fix it, you can try to disable your VPN temporarily and see if the error is resolved or not and if turns out that your VPN is the culprit, you have to uninstall it and install a new one or its latest version. To uninstall it, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box
• Then type “appwiz.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to open the Programs and Features in Control Panel.
• From there, look for the VPN service you are using, select it and then click on Uninstall to remove it.
• After that, restart your computer and try to install the latest version of the program again. It should work now. If not, proceed to the next available option below.

Option 2 – Try to update or rollback or uninstall the Network Adapter drivers

You might also want to update, roll back or disable your Network drivers to fix the “This operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for this operation” error.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
• Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and depending on your preference, you can either select “Update driver”, “Disable device” or “Uninstall device”.
• After that, restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the netio.sys Blue Screen error.

Option 3 – Try to run the Network Adapter troubleshooter

To run the Network Troubleshooter, refer to these steps:

• Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
• Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
• Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
• After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.
• Restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try to reset the Network

You might perform a Network Reset to resolve the problem if none of the three given options above worked. This will reset the entire network configuration including your IP address. To perform Network Reset, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• From there, go to the Network and Internet section.
• Next, scroll down and look for “Network Reset” under the status pane.
• After that, click on Network Reset and then on Reset now to start resetting the network configuration. Once done, check if it is able to fix the error or not.

In case you don’t know, when you visit a website that uses HTTPS, it also offers an SSL certificate to the browser in order to verify the website’s identity. Although it may contain lots of things inside it, one of them is the URL of the website. So if the certificate does not match the URL to what you entered, you will most likely get the “Server’s certificate does not match, ERR CERT COMMON NAME INVALID” error which indicates that the connection is not private and the site may try to steal your data but worry not, as this post will guide you in resolving this issue. To fix the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error, here are some suggestions that might help.

Option 1 – Check the website’s certificate

If you own the website where you’re getting the error, then you might have to check if the website’s certificate is installed properly and configured on the server as it could be the reason why you’re suddenly getting the error.

Option 2 – Check the Windows Host file

You can also try to cross-check the Windows Hosts file to find out if the website you are trying to open has been blocked, because if it is, then it’s no wonder why you’re getting the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error. There are instances when some third-party application modifies the file and adds some websites to the blocklists. So if the website is indeed blocked, you need to remove it from the list.

Option 3 – Use the Google Public DNS

You might want to change your DNS to Google Public DNS as it could also help you in fixing the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error in Chrome. To do so, follow the steps below.

• The first thing you have to do is right-click on the network icon in the Taskbar and select Network and Sharing Center.
• Next, click on the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
• After that, search for the network connection that you are using to connect to the internet. Note that the option might be “Wireless Connection” or “Local Area Connection”.
• Right-click on your network connection and click on Properties.
• Then select the new window to choose the “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
• After that, click on the Properties button and click the checkbox in the new window for the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
• Type in “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

Option 4 – Run the built-in Malware Scanner and Cleanup Tool in Chrome

In case you don’t know, there is actually a built-in malware scanner and cleanup tool in Chrome that helps you get rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and other things that could affect the performance of the browser. In addition, this built-in tool in Chrome might also help in fixing the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error.

Option 5 – Reset Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you get rid of the error. Resetting Chrome means restoring its default settings, disabling all the extensions, add-ons, and themes. Aside from that, the content settings will be reset as well and the cookies, cache, and site data will also be deleted. To reset Chrome, here’s what you have to do:

• 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.

Hello and welcome to errortools another tutorial which aims to make your computer life easier and more relaxed. This time we will be talking about how to switch sound output devices in Windows 10 in a matter of seconds between Headphones and external speakers, Between 2 different speakers, or any other audio output device in general. Windows 10 with its updates has really gone from OK to one of the greats, little hacks and shortcuts which every update has introduced have really made life easier. Now, your typical switching from one audio output device to another can be accomplished with your standard go to settings, go to devices, choose audio, pick one which you prefer and click on OK. This way altho nothing wrong with it is a little slow and if you need to switch your output devices several times in a single day often it can be time-consuming as well. Lucky for you we have a quick solution for you.

Switching guide

All right, now in order to be able to actually switch between your audio output devices make sure that all of them are working and that they are plugged in. For example, make sure that both of your headphones and speakers are turned ON and plugged in. Once you have confirmed that everything is in working order:

1. Click with a left mouse button on a speaker icon located on the right part of your taskbar next to the clock
2. Click on the small up arrow on the right next to your current audio output device.
3. The list will open, choose, and left click with the mouse button on your choice.

And that's it, you have changed your default audio output device in a matter of seconds. The good thing about this method is that Windows will remember output audio levels for each device.

Potential issue

If by any chance when switching your audio devices this way freezes volume control just go to the task manager and restart Windows Explorer. To restart Windows explorer:

1. Press CTRL + ESC to open task manager
2. Right-click on Windows Explorer
3. Left-click on restart

Windows 11 will bring some old applications in new looks and some will get additional features as well. One of the old apps that will get new stuff is a calculator. The calculator was always a way to go application for quick calculations but Microsoft aims to expand on that and make the calculator a little more useful. The first thing that you will notice is the calculator look, the calculator has now an application theme setting that allows you to change the look of the application. It comes in standard and professional mode as usual but this time calculator will come with features that will enable it to handle some programming and engineering tasks. The new calculator features a full graphing mode that lets you visually analyze a graph to identify key features. It also packs a deep converter that can switch between more than 100 units and currencies.

Other Windows 11 apps

A new snipping tool will be delivered with this latest update as well packed with new functionality. We have covered new features of the snipping tool in another article, if you are interested you can find the article here: https://errortools.com/windows/new-snipping-tool-redesigned-in-windows-11/ Mail and Calendar apps will also get a redesign, sadly all redesign that they will include will be of visual nature to fit in the overall Windows 11 theme, functionality will remain the same.

Error Code 0x803f7001 – What is it?

Error code 0x803f7001 results when users fail to update their Windows operating system. This often occurs when they seek to update from Windows 8 or 8.1 to Windows 10. Users will be able to identify error code 0x803f7001 because of the following common symptoms which occur:

• Inability to upgrade your Windows operating system to Windows 10
• Message box with error code 0x803f7001

Solution

Error Causes

The causes for error code 0x803f7001 are usually associated with the use of an unlicensed version of Windows 8 when upgrading to Windows 10. In such cases, the error code occurs when there is no valid Windows license or product key on your device.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix error code 0x803f7001, users may not necessarily need technical knowledge or the help of a Windows repair technician. Usually, the process is simple and can be resolved with the use of a valid product key. However, if users have trouble implementing the instructions found in the manual repair methods listed below, contact a Windows repair specialist for help or use an automated tool that provides the best solutions for problems like error code 0x803f7001.

Method One: Use a Valid Product Key

A product key is a 25-character code that enables users to activate their Windows operating system. To successfully activate your operating system and resolve error code 0x803f7001, enter the product key in the correct order. Once you have a valid product key in your possession, begin to resolve the error code by following the instructions below:

• Step one: Click the Start button then select Settings
• Step two: Select Update & security then Activation
• Step three: Click the Change product key
• Step four: Type in your valid product key. (Ensure you include the 25 characters of your product key in the correct order.)

Once you type in the valid product key, you should be able to successfully upgrade to the latest version of Windows. However, this method is only effective if the error code 0x803f7001 on your device is caused by issues related to the product key.

If the error code reappears after attempting manual repair method one, move to the next manual method suggested below.

Method Two: Reinstall Genuine Version of Windows 8

This method is crucial for you to perform if method one was not successful. Begin the reinstallation process by ensuring you have a genuine version of Windows 8. After reinstalling this version of your Windows operating system, attempt to upgrade to Windows 10 by following the instructions below:

• Step one: Type Settings in the search box near the Start button or click the Start button and select Settings
• Step two: After clicking Settings, select Update & Security
• Step three: Select Windows Update then the Check for updates tab
• Step four: Activate Windows 10 update

If this method is successful, you will no longer see error code 0x803f7001 pop up in a message box. You will also be able to access Windows 10, and all the benefits it provides users, on your device.

Method Three: Install an Automated Tool

Automated tools help PC users eliminate common issues such as Windows error codes. To address or rectify error codes like error code 0x803f7001 download a powerful automated tool on your machine. This tool enables users to access quick solutions. It also scans for and corrects issues that may result in error codes or poor PC performance.

It is no secret that Fortnite is one of the most played games in the world. Epic has done a great job offering it to plenty of other platforms with cross-play feature meaning that you can play with your friends no matter on what platform they are on. But how Fortnite is a piece of software which is constantly updated and maintained it is pretty normal to have some bugs or issues from time to time. One of the before-mentioned issues is a connection issue or unable to connect to game servers. In our article, we will go through common fixes and solutions in order to get you back in-game as fast as possible. Keep on reading.

Check the Epic Games Status page

Check the Epic Games Server Status page to make sure all systems are operational. If the issue you’re experiencing is related to an outage or system-wide issue, you won’t be able to connect to the Epic Games Launcher or Fortnite until it's resolved.

Use a wired connection

Wireless connections are not as stable as wired connections. This means that the signal can be unreliable and result in packet loss, connection problems, or higher latency or ping. Connect directly to your modem or router with an Ethernet cable to eliminate this possibility and have the fastest connection possible.

Disable your firewalls

Often the quickest way to fix connection problems due to firewalls is to temporarily uninstall and/or disable it.

Windows Firewall disable guide:

1. Click on Start.
2. Click on Control Panel.
3. Click on System and Security.
4. Click on Windows Firewall.
5. Click on Turn Windows Firewall on or off (You might need to provide the Administrator password at this step)
6. Under each Network location, select the Turn off Windows Firewall option

Uninstall any other firewalls

Using a third-party firewall may prevent you from being able to connect to the Epic Games Launcher, Fortnite, or another Epic Games product. We recommend removing any third party firewalls temporarily to see if this resolves your issue. If it does resolve the problem, make sure to add the following executables as exceptions to your firewall:

Epic Games Launcher

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games\Launcher\Engine\Binaries\Win64\EpicGamesLauncher.exe
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games\Launcher\Engine\Binaries\Win32\EpicGamesLauncher.exe

Fortnite

• C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\FortniteGame\Binaries\Win64\FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe
• C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\FortniteGame\Binaries\Win64\FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping_BE.exe
• C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\FortniteGame\Binaries\Win64\FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping_EAC.exe
• C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\FortniteGame\Binaries\Win64\FortniteLauncher.exe

Contact your firewall manufacturer for instructions on how to add these as exceptions to it as this varies between them.

Unblock your network ports

Network ports allow certain types of data to be successfully sent over a network that is used by our services. If you have any of these blocked, it may result in you being unable to connect to our games or use our services properly. To unblock your ports on your router do the following:

Windows

First, you will need to get your default gateway and internal IP address:

1. Click on Start.
2. Type cmd and press Enter.
3. Type ipconfig and press Enter.
4. Take note of your Default Gateway and IPv4.

Configuring your router to unblock the ports

1. Open your web browser.
2. Type your Default Gateway into the address bar and press Enter. (A common Default Gateway is 192.168.1.1)
3. You may be asked for a username and password. This varies for each router. Before entering anything, try just hitting OK. If that doesn't work, try the common default username and password below: Username: admin Password: password If these don't work, you can check this website for a list of usernames and passwords based on your router model.
4. Locate the Port Forwarding page in the administration tool and click on it.
5. Make sure you have Port Forwarding selected and not Port Triggering as this is completely different.
6. On this screen, you will need to enter the ports and port ranges below with the correct protocol and local IP of which you took note of above: 80 (TCP/UDP), 433 (TCP), 443 (TCP), 3478 (TCP/UDP), 3479 (TCP/UDP), 5060 (TCP/UDP), 5062 (TCP/UDP), 5222 (TCP), 6250 (TCP/UDP), and12000-65000 (TCP/UDP).

If you have any trouble doing the above on your router, make sure to check out the router manufacturer's support site for additional instructions as these will vary from router to router.

VPN and Proxy Servers

Do NOT use VPN or Proxy Servers. These cause issues that can't be resolved by us without having you disable them. Check out this article for information on how to disable your proxy server.

Switch Domain Name Systems (DNS)

Switching your DNS can result in better connectivity and performance for your internet connection. There are two different DNS services we recommend to have you try if you are having issues with your connection. Below are the followings links with instructions on how to change your DNS:

• GoogleDNS
• CloudflareDNS

Epic Games Launcher: Edit your Engine.ini file (Windows only)

Editing these settings can result in better download speeds using the Epic Games Launcher:

1. Click on Start.
2. Type %localappdata% and press Enter.
3. Open the EpicGamesLauncher
4. Open the Saved
5. Open the Config
6. Open the Windows
7. Open ini and add the following lines to it: [HTTP] HttpTimeout=10 HttpConnectionTimeout=10 HttpReceiveTimeout=10 HttpSendTimeout=10[Portal.BuildPatch] ChunkDownloads=3 ChunkRetries=20 RetryTime=0.5
8. Save the file and open the Epic Games Launcher.

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL will cause your computer to go to the blue screen of death but do not worry there are solutions around this and we are here to instruct you on how to solve this.

1.  Uninstall and install network drivers

   DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is most commonly tied to bad network drivers, whatever that be a corruption of the driver files or their incompatibility. So first thing is to check if this is the case. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu in Windows and click on Device Manager. In the Device Manager expand Network adapters, choose adapter, right-click on it and choose Uninstall. Install latest driver or reboot so Windows will install the driver automatically

2. Update driver

   If you do not want to reinstall the driver or you are unable to for whatever reason updating the driver might do the trick. To update driver: Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu in Windows and click on Device Manager. In the Device Manager expand Network adapters, choose adapter, right-click on it and choose Update Driver.

3. Fix via Command prompt

   If both of the beforementioned solutions fail, try running the command prompt and fix the issue from there. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu in Windows and click on Command Prompt (administrator) In command prompt type next line and press ENTERDEL /F /S /Q /A “C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mfewfpk.sys Reboot the system

4. Scan your PC for malware

   Sometimes corruption in the system is caused by malware, Scan your system for malware, viruses, etc.

5. Check connections or other hardware issues

   If all methods fail, open your PC case and check to see if connections everywhere are properly connected and tight. Clean your PC and turn it back ON

6. Use system restore

   If anything fails, use Windows system restore and bring back computer into a state where everything was working fine.