Parallels Desktop 17 brings Windows 11 to MAC

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.

The third time is charm saying goes but not when we are talking about Microsoft. Print spooler is again in focus, in a bad way. This is the third print spooler vulnerability to emerge in just five weeks. While a critical flaw was originally identified and patched in June, a similar flaw came to light shortly after and was subsequently patched (with mixed success). Microsoft is once again advising its customers to disable Windows print spooler after a new vulnerability that allows hackers to execute malicious code on machines has emerged. While a patch fixing the flaw will be released in due course, the most effective workaround currently on the table is to stop and disable the print spooler service entirely.

"An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights."

Stop this service right away or you are risking a potential attack.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu
2. Click on Power Shell (admin)
3. In Power Shell type in the following command to check if spool service is running: Get-Service -Name Spooler followed by ENTER
4. If spooler service is running type in the next command to stop it: Stop-Service -Name Spooler –Force and press ENTER
5. Then follow with this command to disable it at startup: Set-Service -Name Spooler -StartupType Disabled followed with ENTER

That’s it, we hope a patch will come soon for all the people that are using network printing and indeed need this service running in order to do work.

Due to the latest android malware security analyst, there are alarmingly 5.8 million downloads of applications that will steal your Facebook data, your Facebook login credentials! Russian anti-malware company Dr.Web has found Trojan apps that steal your Facebook login credentials by tricking users into entering their private information in order to eliminate in-app ads. All of the applications have been removed from the play store and cannot be installed anymore but please do check your phone in order to remove them from your phone as well.

List of malware applications:

If by any chance you have any application from this list, consider uninstalling it from your phone for security reasons.

• PIP Photo
• Processing Photo
• Rubbish Cleaner
• Inwell Fitness
• Horoscope Daily
• App Lock Keep
• Lockit Master
• Horoscope Pi
• App Lock Manager

During the investigation, Dr.Web analysts found an additional Trojan app that had previously made its way onto the Google Play Store. Image editing software app EditorPhotoPip had already been removed but could be downloaded through aggregator websites.

If you suddenly noticed that your Onscreen keyboard in Windows 10 has become completely white or transparent for some reason, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on what you can do to resolve this kind of issue in your computer. As you know, the on-screen keyboard is included in Windows 10 and has an executable file named “osk.exe”. The on-screen keyboard is a part of the Ease of Access feature in Windows 10 which allows users to navigate the computer with the help of the mouse instead of the physical keyboard. However, there are times when you might encounter some issues when using the on-screen keyboard. One of the issues reported recently is that the on-screen keyboard becomes transparent or it only displays the borders but there is no way for you to access it. You also won’t be able to move it from the view completely. To fix this problem, there are several suggestions you can check out. You can try to check the Fade button or run the Windows Touch Keyboard troubleshooter. You can also restart its process in the Task Manager. For more details, refer to each one of the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to check the Fade button

The first thing you can do is to check the Fade button on the on-screen keyboard. You can find it at the bottom right corner of the keyboard. If it is enabled, then it’s probably the reason why your on-screen keyboard is transparent as it lets it fade in the background. Thus, you have to disable it to resolve the problem.

Option 2 – Try to run the Windows Touch Keyboard troubleshooter

The next option you can check out is running the Windows Touch Keyboard troubleshooter. This troubleshooter will help you identify the problem and would fix them automatically.

Option 3 – Try to restart the process of the on-screen keyboard via Task Manager

The next thing you can do is to restart the on-screen keyboard’s process in the Task Manager. Just follow the steps below.

• First, tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open the Task Manager.
• Next, go to the Processes tab and look for the option that says, “Accessibility On-screen Keyboard”.
• Once you found it, click on the drop-down arrow next to it and right click on the “On-screen Keyboard” option, and select End task to end its process.
• After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “osk.exe” in the field, and then hit Enter to open the on-screen keyboard.

Can graphic cards wear out over a longer period of time? Recent studies and experience from crypto miners say no but they can die due to different reasons like improper use, low cleaning habits, factory mistakes, etc. Many gamers and people who use GPU intense applications tend to think that some glitches and hiccups in the software are a sign that graphic card is dying out and that it is time to be replaced. Altho this could be true in many cases these kinds of behavior are mostly due to old drivers and software issues. Older cards can produce these kinds of results due to their old age and new software is often more demanding than these cards can handle. So in order to diagnose and be sure that your GPU is indeed dying out lookout for these signs.

The Main Signs of a Dying GPU:

The Computer Crashes and Won’t Reboot

If your computer shutdown while working in the graphic application or while playing the game and the monitor loses signal there is a high chance the graphic card is soon going to be gone. Some motherboards have hardware detection failure and can signal immediate fail. If when turning your computer ON you are greeted with a blue screen with the message that the signal can not be found or you do not have picture at all it is most likely that GPU has failed.

Graphic Glitches While Playing Games

If you are playing the game and all of sudden you get off-color pixels, screen flickering, strange graphic behaviors, random artifacts, or similar and that keeps repeating in multiple games it is likely that GPU days are coming to an end.

Abnormal Fan Noise or Performance

Fans are an essential part of cooling the GPU and over time if they are intensively used they could wear out and need replacing. If however you have not noticed and have not replaced the fans card can sustain overheating damage. Many cards have cooling fans that are designed to spin at a higher RPM only when the GPU is under load. It prevents bearings in the fans from dying prematurely, so don’t worry if one of your fans is inactive while you are browsing the web. However, when you play games that utilize software that your card isn’t built to support, the bearings in the fans wear out faster. Once the fans stop working under load, the graphics card can quickly die.

How to Diagnose a Dying Graphics Card

Presented next are essential steps in order to recognize a dying graphic card.

Check Motherboard Error Codes

Many motherboards today completely shut down a component that is no longer working. If your graphics card has died completely, this may be one of the easiest ways to tell. If your motherboard doesn’t have display codes, you can try testing the card in a new system.

• Open the computer case: Use your screwdriver to remove screws on the side panel and gently slide it back.
• Locate the error code display on your motherboard: If you have a motherboard with error codes, they should appear near an outer corner.
• Try to reboot your computer: Record each error number you see after you boot your computer.
• Consult the motherboard manufacturer manual for error codes: Open the manual and locate the list for your error codes. If the code matches a graphics processing unit error, your video card could have died.

Check Hardware for Damage or Debris

A graphics card that has damage or debris on the physical parts might quickly overheat and kill the card.

• Remove the screws holding the GPU in place: There are typically one or two screws holding the card to a bracket on the case.
• Unhook the power cords from the GPU and pull the release tab: Remove the power cords from your GPU by pushing in their tabs and gently rocking them out. Once you remove each cord, gently push or pull up on the release tab near the motherboard.
• Inspect the GPU for damage/debris: Check the card for any dirt or debris buildup and clean it out with a Q-tip. You can replace broken fan pieces from the manufacturer.

Test Your GPU Under Load

Download GPU stress-testing and heat-monitoring software.

• With the card installed, run a stress test.
• As you are running the stress test, run heat-monitoring software: With the stress test running, check your heat-monitoring software for GPU overheating. Any reading over 80 degrees Celsius is too hot.
• Check device manager for outdated drivers: If your GPU is clean, but still running too hot, your software drivers are not installed correctly. To check, type in “device manager” at the bottom of your desktop and click on Device Manager. Find your display adapter and right-click on it to see if it’s working. If your drivers are not working correctly, it is indicated here usually. However, the driver may appear to be functioning even if it says otherwise in the properties.

Keep your graphic card drivers updated

When you don’t have the right driver installed, graphics cards can quickly burn up, and their cooling components may fail faster. That’s why you should always keep drivers updated for each new game you install or play. Older games may also release new software patches, so your GPU drivers should be updated accordingly.

In case you don’t know, there is a feature in Windows 10 computers that allows them to function a lot better. This feature is called Full-Screen optimization and it is enabled by default for several applications such as games and video players. If enabled, the Full-Screen optimization feature enhances the video playback and gaming by simply putting the CPU and GPU process as a priority. However, there are times when it can also result to a drop in the frame rate or FPS while in full-screen mode. And of course, the obvious solution to this dilemma is by disabling the Full-Screen optimization feature which is why Microsoft took action and removed this feature themselves in the recent Windows 10 Update releases. However, there is another way for you to enable it back or disable it yourself if you haven’t installed the recent updates yet and there are plenty of ways you can do both. All you have to do is follow the options given below carefully.

Option 1 – Try using Windows 10 Settings

If you haven’t installed the recent updates yet and all you have are the earlier releases, then this method would suit you.

• Open the Windows 10 Settings app.
• Next, navigate to System > Display > Graphics Settings or Advanced graphics settings.
• From there, uncheck the “Enable Fullscreen optimization” option if you want to disable the feature, else just keep it checked.

Option 2 – Try using the Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Afterward, if a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, click on Yes.
• Once the Registry Editor is pulled up, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSystemGameConfigStore
• Next, right-click on Explorer and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and then name it to “GameDVR_DSEBehavior and tap Enter to save it.
• Now double click on the newly created GameDVR_DSEBehavior DWORD and set its value to “2” if you want to disable it, or “0” if you want to enable it.
• Once you entered the value, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try running the application in Compatibility Mode

If the first two options didn’t work, the next thing you can do is to run the application in a Compatibility Mode. Follow the steps below to do so:

• Go to the location of the application or game on which you need to disable or enable the Full-Screen optimization feature.
• After that, right-click on it and select Properties.
• Next, switch to the Compatibility tab where you can see the “Disable fullscreen optimization” option to disable the feature and vice versa.
• Now click on the Apply and OK buttons to apply the changes made in the application’s settings.

There are various components that take part during a Windows Upgrade process such as the CPU, Disk, Network, and many more. This is why the process of upgrading your Windows 10 computer can be quite complex and due to its complexity, there are times when you might encounter some errors like the Windows Upgrade error 0x800701E3. If you encounter this kind of error then it has something to do with the “disk” part of the whole upgrade process which could be due to a conflict with the storage of your Windows 10 computer. When you receive this error, you will see the following error message on your screen:

“Windows cannot install required files. Make sure all files required for installation are available and restart the installation. Error code: 0x800701e3.”

To fix this Windows Upgrade error, here are some suggestions that might help.

Option 1 – Delete Files from Software Distribution Folder & Catroot2 folders

The downloaded Windows Updates are placed in a folder called “SoftwareDistribution”. The files downloaded in this folder are automatically deleted once the installation is completed. However, if the files are not clean up or if the installation is still pending, you can delete all the files in this folder after you pause the Windows Update service. For complete instructions, refer to the steps below.

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer, and then try to run Windows Update once more.

Option 2 – Try running the DISM tool

You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the Windows Upgrade problem. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.

• 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.

Option 3 – Run the System File Checker Scan

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

• Restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try running the ChkDsk utility

You can also run the ChkDsk utility to fix the Windows Upgrade error 0x800701E3.

• First, open This PC and right-click on your operating system partition for Windows.
• Next, click on Properties and navigate to the Tools tab.
• Then click on Check under the Error Checking section.
• After that, a new mini window will be opened and from there click on Scan drive and let it scan your disk drive partition for any errors and then restart your computer.

Option 5 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the things you can first check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update or upgrade errors like error code 0x800701E3. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 6 – Run Microsoft’s online troubleshooter

Running Microsoft’s online troubleshooter might also help you fix the Windows Upgrade error code 0x800701E3. This online troubleshooter is known to help in fixing Windows Update errors, it scans your computer for issues that might be causing the problem and then fixes them automatically.

One of the worst Blue Screen of Death errors you can encounter is the UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME BSOD on Windows 10. In this BSOD error, your computer won’t be able to properly boot. Meaning to say, even if you want to reinstall Windows, you won’t be able to back up your important files. Thus, it wouldn’t be really feasible to fix the system files, and besides, reinstalling Windows 10 would take a lot of time, not to mention resources. The UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error is the kind of BSOD error that occurs if Windows is not able to access the volume that contains the boot files. Resolving this BSOD error won’t be easy but you will surely manage by following the suggestions laid out below but before you go on, make sure to create a System Restore Point.

Option 1 – Try checking the hardware

If you got the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME BSOD error while trying to update your computer to a higher version of Windows, then you need to check if you have the compatible drivers for the disk controller as well as re-check the drive cabling and make sure that it is properly configured. And if you’re reusing either ATA-100 or ATA-66 drivers, ensure that you have an 80-connector cable and not the standard 40-connector IDE cable.

Option 2 – Try using Automatic Repair

You might also want to use Automatic Repair in fixing the BSOD 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 3 – Try fixing the Master Boot Record or MBR

The MBR or Master Boot Record is the location and is where the architecture of the operating system is installed. Thus, if either the location or the architecture has tampered with, it can cause lots of BSOD errors like the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error.

• Boot your computer into Safe mode with Networking using the Advanced startup options which you can access by tapping the F2 or F8 key. Once you’ve accessed the Advanced startup options.
• After you access the Advanced Startup options, select Command Prompt by using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

bootrec /fixboot

• After entering the command, wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer to apply the changes made successfully.

Option 4 – Run the CHKDSK command to repair hard disk errors

Running the Chkdsk utility could help you fix the UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME error. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the Chkdsk utility comes in. The Chkdsk utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.

• After you access the Advanced Startup options, select Command Prompt by using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /f /r

• The command you entered will scan the hard disk for any errors and will automatically fix it if it finds some issues. Wait for the process to be completed and then reboot your PC.

As you already know, the Windows Sandbox is one of the new features in Windows 10. However, just like other new features, it also throws up errors and one of them is the error that states,

“Windows Sandbox failed to start, Error 0x80070057, The parameter is incorrect”.

This particular error in Windows Sandbox occurs due to its dependence on numerous components of Windows 10 that are related to Hyper-V and Virtualization mainly. To fix this error, there are several options you can check out. You can try to install any pending updates on your Windows 10 computer, as well as make sure that all the services related to Windows Sandbox are enabled.

Option 1 – Try to run the Windows Updates to install pending updates

The first thing you can do to resolve the “Windows Sandbox failed to start, Error 0x80070057” is to check Windows Updates in your computer and see if there are any pending Windows Updates you have to install. All you have to do is go to the Windows 10 Settings app and then go to the Windows Updates section and click on the “Check for updates” button to check if there are any pending updates that are needed to be installed. This could fix the Windows Sandbox error.

Option 2 – Ensure that all the supporting processes and services are running properly

If running Windows Sandbox as an administrator didn’t fix the error, you have to ensure that all related processes for Windows Sandbox are running properly. To do that, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• Next, from the list of services, look for the following services in the given order:
  • Network Virtualization Service
  • Virtual Disk
  • Hyper – V Virtual Machine
  • Hyper – V Host Computer Service
  • Container Manager Services
• After you find the aforementioned services, make sure to check if they are enabled or not and then restart each one of them.
• Once done, try to open the Windows Sandbox again and see if the error is fixed or not.

1. Open the Steam app and select Add a Game.
2. Click Add a Non-Steam Game and choose Browse.
3. Access: C:\Windows\
4. Then, scroll down, open explorer.exe, and click Add Selected Programs.
5. Hold Windows + R keyboard shortcut, type shell:AppsFolder, then press Enter.
6. Select the game you want to add, right-click on it, and choose Create Shortcut.
7. Right-click on the desktop shortcut, go to Properties, type in Target Type or Target, delete the shortcut.
8. Go to Steam, access Library, select Games, right-click on the game explorer, choose Properties, choose the name of the game you want to add.
9. Choose Select Launch Options, write: shell:AppsFolder\<Target Type or Target Here>
10. Click OK, then Close.

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