Protestware, what it is, and why it is a bad thing

If your Microsoft Edge browser encountered a Stop Error that says, “INVALID_POINTER_READ_c0000005 (atidxx64.dll)” in your Windows 10 computer, then this indicates that your Graphics card driver is outdated. According to security experts, Microsoft has already acknowledged the problem and stated that this issue exists with Windows 10 v1809, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server version 1809. Although there is no direct way to resolve the problem, there are still some workarounds you can try. If you are using a RadeonHD2000 or HD4000 series video card, the update will be blocked for you. Some users also claim to experience performance issues with the lock screen or the ShellExperienceHost. However, if you are using AMD, the problem is that it no longer supports Radeon HD2000 and HD4000 series graphics processing units or GPUs. Even though Microsoft is already working for a way to resolve the problem, here are some alternative solutions you can check out:

Option 1 – Update your Graphics card drivers

• 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 2 – Try removing AMD Radeon HD2000 and HD4000 drivers

Although this is not exactly a perfect solution, removing AMD drivers will make the operating system fall back to the default GPU available on your motherboard. You also have the option to completely disable the hardware.

• Tap the Win + X + M keys to open the Device Manager.
• Next, look for your Graphics card drive, and under Display Adapters, right click on them and click Uninstall device or Disable device.
• After that, restart your computer. This will disable the AMD drivers so you won’t be able to find them. It will also release the Windows 10 v1809 update on your computer and in case your operating system tries to prompt you with the “New Device found” message, simply ignore it.

Option 3 – Try to use another browser

You might want to use another browser especially when you already updated your computer and Microsoft Edge still keeps on crashing. You can use Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and other browsers as alternatives until you sort out the problem.

Option 4 – Try to remove the Graphics card physically

You might also want to try removing both AMD Radeon HD2000 and HD4000 as they are very old graphics cards. And since AMD is not going to roll out anything, at least on its own if your motherboard has an onboard GPU, it would be best to get rid of the cards. After that, install the Windows v1809 update and then put them back in. You also have the option to install the driver but just don’t use Microsoft Edge.

Error Code 0x800704c7 – What is it?

Error code 0x800704c7 occurs when Windows users attempt to update their system. It affects various Windows users including those using Windows 7, Windows 8, and 8.1 and Windows 10. It usually occurs due to poor maintenance of the system and includes common symptoms such as the following:

• Inability to upgrade your Windows operating system
• Message box with error code 0x800704c7

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0x800704c7 in Windows 10 can occur due to several reasons. For instance, it may be due to corrupted or missing system files. It may also result from malicious programs affecting your system or occur when a program or several programs are running in the background of one’s system while the user attempts to run the update.

To correct this issue, Windows users will need to select one or a few methods, depending on the issues affecting their PC.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Some of the best solutions for error code 0x800704c7 available to Windows users including using tools to scan for missing systems files or correct other issues inherent within your system.

These methods may include the use of Command Prompt and the performance of technical repair procedures. If you are uncertain of your skills, avoid compounding the issue or causing further damage to your PC by contacting a skilled Windows repair technician. This IT professional will be best equipped to use Windows tools and other methods to resolve error code 0x800704c7.

Method One: Scan Your System for Missing or Corrupt System Files

Using System File Checker Tool (SFC), Windows users can check their system for missing o corrupt system files. These utility tools within your Windows device will be able to replace missing files and repair corrupted ones, resulting in a more efficient system.  Run this tool by following the steps below:

• Step One: Go to Start and type Command Prompt or CMD.
• Step Two: Run as Administrator
• Step Three: Type sfc /scannow. (Be sure to place a space between “sfc” and “/scannow”).

After running these procedures, check if the error code has been resolved. Go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update. Update your Windows operating system. If error code 0x800704c7 reoccurs, you will need to try the next method below.

Method Two: Restore your System

System Restore is one of the best manual repair solutions Windows users can apply when they come across error codes like error code 0x800704c7. That’s because this method requires no technical or advanced knowledge and therefore can be performed by anyone. Simply follow the steps below to restore your system to a period of time in the past where the error was not present on your system. If done correctly, this could enable you to resolve the issue with little frustration on your part.

• Step one: Type Control Panel in the search bar near the Start button
• Step two: Select Control Panel, then Recovery
• Step three: Select System Restore then click Next
• Step four: Select a restore point before appeared on your Windows 10 system
• Step five: Select Next then Finish

Note that once System Restore is enabled it will remove drivers, apps, and even updates installed after the restore point. For this reason, be careful to choose the most appropriate restore point. Also once you’ve completed this task, check to see if you are able to update your system. If the update stops before the process is complete and a message box occurs with the error code 0x800704c7, proceed to the next manual repair option below.

Method Three: Check for and Remove Malware

Viruses or other forms of malware can adversely affect your system, causing error codes and other issues to take place. To resolve error code 0x800704c7 in Windows 10, check for and remove malware using a reputable anti-malware program.

If no anti-virus software is present on your system or if you scan your device but fail to spot an issue, proceed to method four.

Method Four: Use an Automated Tool

This method involves the use of a powerful automated tool. But why is this important you might ask? A third-party tool is often the best solution when all manual repair efforts fail. Automated tools come equipped to tackle the most serious PC problems including error codes which can cause frustration and result in reduces PC performance.

ExpressFiles is a program developed by Express Solutions. A number of Anti-Virus programs have flagged this program as a Potentially Unwanted Application. In many instances, it is bundled with additional programs on installation.

The program claims it offers users easy to search for various currently popular search terms. During our testing, the software never displays any search results, no matter the search words. Upon installation and setup, it defines an auto-start registry entry which makes this program run on each Windows boot for all user logins. A scheduled task is added to Windows Task Scheduler in order to launch the program at various scheduled times. The program defines an exception rule in Windows Firewall, allowing it to connect to the internet without limitations and auto-update itself.

About Browser Hijackers

Precisely what is a PUP?

If you’ve ever downloaded a free application or shareware, chances are high that the computer can get installed with a bunch of unwanted applications. A PUA / PUP (potentially unwanted application / potentially unwanted program) is a software program that comes bundled with free software and you consent to install it on your PC. These are programs you almost certainly don’t want on your computer simply because it doesn’t give any valuable service. Despite being regarded as very detrimental, PUPs aren’t always viruses or malware One simple 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 purposefully or unknowingly approves the PUP installation on its PC. Having said that, there is no doubt that PUPs remain bad news for PC users as they can be incredibly damaging to the computer in numerous ways.

Exactly how do unwanted programs look like?

Potentially Unwanted Programs appear in different forms and varieties, however, in the majority of instances, they are adware programs that exhibit irritating pop-up ads and advertisements on websites you explore. In addition, the majority of free programs these days come with some unwanted add-ons; in most cases an internet browser toolbar or browser modification like a homepage hijacker. They’ll keep track of your online routines, redirect your search results to risky websites where viruses can be downloaded and installed, hijack your home page, and slow your browser down to a crawl. Potentially Unwanted Programs occasionally act quite much like computer viruses or spyware. They might carry keyloggers, dialers, browser hijackers, and tracking components that gather system details, or tracks customer habits and relays this information to third-party firms. Even if the PUPs really aren’t basically malicious, these software programs still do absolutely nothing good on your personal computer – they will take valuable system resources, slow down your PC, weaken your computer security, and make your system more susceptible to trojans.

How do you avoid PUPs?

• Read cautiously before accepting the license agreement as it may have a clause about PUPs. • Always opt for the custom if you’re presented an option between “Custom” and “Recommended” Installations – never click Next, Next, Next blindly. • Have a top-notch antivirus program like Safebytes Anti-Malware which can protect your computer from PUPs. As soon as you install this software, protection from malware and PUPs is already switched on. • Think carefully before you download any kind of shareware or freeware. Disable or get rid of toolbars and browser extensions you don’t really need. • Only use official product websites for downloading programs. Stay away from download portals altogether as most websites compel users to download the software using their own download manager, which is often bundled up with some sort of PUPs.

What To Do If You Cannot Install Any Anti-Malware?

All malware is bad, but certain types of malicious software do a lot more damage to your computer than others. Some malware types modify browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the PC’s DNS settings. In these instances, you will be unable to visit some or all of the websites, and therefore not able to download or install the required security software to remove the infection. If you are reading this right now, you have perhaps recognized that a malware infection is a reason for your blocked web connectivity. So how to proceed when you want to install an anti-malware application like Safebytes? Follow the instructions below to eliminate malware by alternative methods.

Install in Safe Mode

The Windows-based PC comes with a special mode called “Safe Mode” where just the bare minimum required applications and services are loaded. If the malware is set to load immediately when the computer starts, shifting to this mode may well prevent it from doing so. In order to enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the PC is starting up or run MSConfig and locate the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. As soon as you restart the PC into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, and update anti-malware software from there. Right after installation, run the malware scanner to get rid of standard infections.

Utilize an alternate internet browser to download antivirus software

Web-based malware could be environment-specific, targeting a specific web browser or attacking particular versions of the web browser. If you’re not able to download the anti-virus application using Internet Explorer, this means the virus is targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you need to switch to a different web browser such as Chrome or Firefox to download the Safebytes Anti-malware program.

Install and run antivirus from a Thumb drive

Here’s yet another solution which is creating a portable USB anti-virus software that can scan your computer for malware without the need for installation. Try these simple actions to clean up your infected computer using portable anti-malware. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Microsoft Windows Defender Offline onto a clean PC. 2) Mount the pen drive on the same PC. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, which has a .exe file extension. 4) Select the drive letter of the USB drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the anti-malware. Follow activation instructions. 5) Now, insert the thumb drive into the corrupted PC. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the pen drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Click the “Scan” button to run a full computer scan and remove viruses automatically.

Overview of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you are looking to download the anti-malware program for your computer, there are lots of tools in the market to consider nonetheless, you just cannot trust blindly anyone, irrespective of whether it is free or paid software. A few of them do a great job in removing threats while some will ruin your PC by themselves. You need to pick a company that develops industry-best antimalware and has achieved a reputation as trustworthy. When considering commercial tool options, most people opt for well-known brands, such as SafeBytes, and they are quite happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is really a powerful, very effective protection software made to help users of all levels of computer literacy in detecting and removing malicious threats out of their computer. Using its outstanding protection system, this utility will quickly detect and get rid of the majority of the security threats, which include adware, viruses, browser hijackers, ransomware, PUPs, and trojans. SafeBytes anti-malware takes computer protection to a totally new level with its advanced features. Here are a few typical features present in this software: Live Protection: SafeBytes offers complete and real-time security for your laptop or computer. It’ll regularly monitor your computer for hacker activity and also gives end-users superior firewall protection. Most Reliable AntiMalware Protection: With its enhanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware elimination tool can find and eliminate the malware threats hiding in your PC effectively. “Fast Scan” Features: SafeBytes’s high-speed malware scanning engine minimizes scanning times and extends battery life. Simultaneously, it will effectively identify and remove infected computer files or any online threat. Web Protection: SafeBytes checks and gives a unique safety ranking to each and every website you visit and block access to webpages considered to be phishing sites, thus safeguarding you from identity theft, or known to contain malicious software. Low CPU/Memory Usage: SafeBytes is well known for its low effect on computer resources and great detection rate of diverse threats. It runs quietly and efficiently in the background so you’re free to use your PC at full power all of the time. 24/7 Premium Support: SafeBytes gives you 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and upgrades for the best user experience.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove ExpressFiles without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by ExpressFiles

FunPopularGames is a browser extension developed by Mindspark Inc. that lets you play popular, best-rated, and other games via popular websites, it also allows you to bookmark your favorite games for faster and easier access.

When installed it changes your default new tab page and default search engine to Search by MyWay. While browsing the internet with this extension enabled you will see additional injected ads, sponsored content, and pop-up ads throughout your browsing sessions.

While active this extension monitors user activity and browsing sessions, enabling it to track visited websites, clicked links, and other useful information that it later forwards to Mindspark to be used/sold for better ad placement.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is amongst the internet’s constant risks that target internet browsers. It’s a kind of malicious software that alters your web browser’s configuration settings so that you are redirected to sites or web pages you had no intention of visiting. Browser hijackers could do a variety of things on your PC. These are generally used to force hits to predetermined sites, manipulating web traffic to generate ad revenue. Although it may seem naive, all browser hijackers are harmful and therefore always classified as security threats. Browser hijackers could also allow other destructive programs without your knowledge to further damage your PC.

How to determine if your internet browser has been hijacked

The following are some signs and symptoms that indicate you’ve been hijacked: 1. the home page of your browser is changed suddenly 2. you find new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, usually directed to ad-filled or porn sites 3. the default online search engine and the default browser settings are altered 4. you see unsolicited new toolbars added 5. unstoppable flurries of popup ads show up on your computer screen 6. your browser has become unstable or starts running sluggishly 7. you can’t navigate to certain web pages, such as security software-related sites.

Exactly how browser hijacker finds its way onto your PC

There are several ways your computer or laptop can become infected with a browser hijacker. They typically arrive by way of spam email, via file sharing websites, or by a drive-by download. They can also originate from any BHO, extension, add-on, toolbar, or plug-in with malicious intent. Sometimes you might have accidentally accepted a browser hijacker as part of an application bundle (usually freeware or shareware). Browser hijacking can cause serious privacy problems and also identity theft, disrupt your browsing experience by taking control of outbound traffic, drastically slows down your computer by consuming lots of resources, and lead to system instability at the same time.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

Certain browser hijacking can be simply reversed by discovering and removing the corresponding malware application from your control panel. But, the majority of hijacking codes are not easy to get rid of manually, since they go deeper into the operating system. Moreover, manual removals require in-depth system understanding and therefore could be a very difficult job for beginner computer users. Anti-malware software is really effective with regards to discovering and removing browser hijackers that standard anti-virus program has overlooked. To eradicate any type of browser hijacker from your personal computer, you should download this certified malware removal application – SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

What To Do When You Cannot Install Any Anti-virus?

Malware can cause all sorts of damage if they invade your PC, ranging from stealing your private information to deleting data files on your computer. Some malware is created to interfere with or prevent things that you want to do on your computer system. It may not allow you to download anything from the web or it will stop you from accessing a few or all internet sites, especially the anti-malware websites. If you’re reading this, you may have got affected by malware that stops you from downloading a security program such as Safebytes Anti-Malware. Although this type of issue will be difficult to circumvent, there are a few steps you can take.

Get rid of malware in Safe Mode

In Safe Mode, you are able to modify Windows settings, un-install or install some software, and eradicate hard-to-delete viruses. In the event the malware is obstructing internet access and affecting your PC, launching it in Safe Mode allows you to download antivirus and run a scan while limiting potential damage. To start the computer into Safe Mode, press the “F8” key on the keyboard just before the Windows logo screen comes up; Or right after normal Windows boot up, run MSConfig, look over “Safe Boot” under the Boot tab, and then click Apply. As soon as you reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, as well as update the anti-malware program from there. At this point, you can run the anti-malware scan to get rid of computer viruses and malware without any hindrance from another application.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Malicious program code may exploit vulnerabilities in a particular web browser and block access to all anti-malware software sites. If you are not able to download the security program using Internet Explorer, this means malware is targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you must switch to a different web browser like Chrome or Firefox to download the Safebytes application.

Create a portable antivirus for removing malware

Another method is to download and transfer anti-malware software from a clean PC to run a scan on the affected computer. Follow these steps to employ a flash drive to clean your corrupted system. 1) On a clean PC, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the Thumb drive into the clean computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware software to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Choose the flash drive as the location for saving the file. Follow the directions to finish the installation process. 5) Remove the USB drive. You can now use this portable antivirus on the infected computer system. 6) Double-click the antivirus program EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to identify and clean-up up all kinds of malware.

SafeBytes Security Suite Benefits

In order to protect your laptop or computer from a variety of internet-based threats, it’s very important to install an anti-malware program on your PC. But with so many anti-malware companies out there, nowadays it’s difficult to decide which one you should obtain for your computer. A few of them do a good job in removing malware threats while some will ruin your computer by themselves. You have to pick one that is dependable, practical, and has a good reputation for its malware protection. Among few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the strongly recommended software program for the security-conscious end user. SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, highly effective protection tool designed to help end-users of all levels of IT literacy in finding and removing harmful threats out of their personal computers. With its cutting-edge technology, this application will allow you to eradicate several types of malware which include viruses, PUPs, trojans, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes has got a plethora of wonderful features that can help you protect your computer from malware attacks and damage. A few of them are listed as below:

World-class AntiMalware Protection: With its advanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware elimination tool can detect and remove the malware threats hiding in the computer effectively. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes offers an entirely hands-free active protection that is set to check, block and destroy all computer threats at its first encounter. They’re very efficient in screening and removing various threats since they’re continuously revised with new updates and safety measures. Internet Security: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating to the pages you’re about to visit, automatically blocking dangerous sites and ensuring that you are certain of your online safety while browsing the web. Lowest CPU and Memory Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight and easy-of-use anti-virus and antimalware solution. Since it utilizes minimum computer resources, this software leaves the computer’s power exactly where it belongs: with you. 24/7 Online Support: For any technical concerns or product assistance, you could get 24/7 professional assistance via chat and email. SafeBytes has come up with an excellent anti-malware solution that can help you conquer the latest malware threats and virus attacks. Malware trouble can become a thing of the past when you put this software program to use. You will get the very best all-around protection for the money you pay on SafeBytes Anti-Malware subscription, there isn’t any doubt about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not wish to use an automated tool and like to get rid of FunPopularGames manually, you could possibly do so by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the Control Panel and delete the offending program; in cases of browser extensions, you may remove it by going to the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. You will probably also want to reset your web browser to its default configuration settings. To be certain of complete removal, find the following registry entries on your computer and remove them or reset the values accordingly. However, editing the registry is usually a hard task that only advanced users and professionals should try to fix the problem. Moreover, some malicious programs have the capability to defend against its removal. Completing this task in Safe Mode is advised.

Error Code 40 – What is it?

Error Code 40 is a device driver error that users encounter on any Windows 2000 and later operating systems. It occurs when the peripheral device that you connect to your PC cannot be accessed due to a change in the system registry.

This is due to the presence of invalid sub-keys of the device driver in the system registry. It is a common error that users come across and appears on your PC with either of the following messages:

“Information in the registry entry for this driver is invalid”

OR

"Windows cannot access this hardware because its service key information in the registry is missing or recorded incorrectly. (Code 40)"

Solution

Error Causes

As mentioned above, the error code is triggered when the device driver’s invalid sub-keys appear in the registry, effectively changing it. This happens when the windows system files get damaged due to the following factors:

• An incomplete program uninstallation
• An incomplete program installation
• Hardware is not removed properly
• System recovery from viruses
• An improper system shut down

Factors such as incomplete installations or uninstallations or an improper system shut down can cause files to become damaged that threaten the health of your computer.

Removing viruses from the computer is also another factor as it removes the entries in the Windows system files which contain the viruses including spyware or malware

Further Information and Manual Repair

Fixing Error Code 40 is similar to fixing other device manager error codes. Here are a few methods you can try.

Method 1 – Use System Restore

You can use system restore to eliminate the problem. Here is how you can use it:

• Log in using an Administrator account
• Click ‘Start’ button and select All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore
• Click ‘Restore my computer to an earlier time’ and click ‘Next’
• Select the last Windows restore point from the ‘On this list, click a restore point’ list, and click ‘Next’
• Click ‘Next’ on the confirmation window to proceed
• Restart your PC after restoration is complete

By restoring the system via a last saved system checkpoint, you can obtain undamaged Windows system registry files that can help avert the error code.

Method 2 – Manually uninstall then reinstall the device driver

If using system restore also does not work in removing the error code, you may have to resort to manually uninstalling and then reinstalling the device driver causing the problem.

This would be necessary since the remaining incomplete files due to a partial removal or installation of programs is what contributes to the error code. By uninstall and reinstalling the device driver program, it would lead to the completion of the files.

You can do this by firstly logging in as Administrator and open Device Manager. Select the device that is causing the problem and double click it and make sure that the peripheral is connected properly to the PC. Upon opening, click on the ‘Driver’ tab and then select ‘Update Driver’.

Make sure to refer to the system documentation that you received with your PC or computer to check for the motherboard details and driver specifics.

Method 3 – Use software to automatically download the driver

Manually uninstalling and reinstalling the driver will do the trick, however, it may be time-consuming especially when you would have to resort to your hardware user manual.

Therefore, using a program such as DriverFIX can save you a lot of time and frustration in having your device work properly on your computer.

DriverFIX, with its user-friendly approach to help you fix your PC issues, comes with an integrated database that detects which drivers you need to reconfigure within just a few seconds and downloads it automatically.

It further ensures that your drivers are installed in their entirety leaving no room for any incomplete files to remain that create Error Code 40.

It also has the added advantage of being able to backup and restores your files should there be the slightest possibility of system file damage.

Thus, registry damage can be averted by letting the software roll back the system files to an earlier healthy checkpoint. Driver Assist is the answer to fixing your PC error codes accurately and quickly.

Click here to download DriverFIX to fix Error Code 40 quickly and effectively!

The error code 0X8019019A is shown when a user fails to add his Yahoo account to the Mail app due to the outdated or corrupt installation of the Mail app. Not using an App-specific but a normal Yahoo account password may also result in the error at hand. In this guide, we will show you how to effectively fix this error so you can set up Yahoo mail.

1. Reboot PC

   Perform a restart of your system to rule out a temporary glitch in the system. Also, check if you can successfully access your email through a web browser using the same credentials as you are using with the Mail app. Additionally, make sure that no VPN or proxy server is being used to access the internet (VPN/proxy may work fine with the web version of Yahoo mail but may hinder the access through a mail client).

2. Update Windows and the Mail App to the Latest Build

   If your system is not updated to the latest build it can create incompatibility between the OS modules. Updating the Windows and Mail app of your system to the latest build may solve the problem.

3. Re-add the Yahoo Account to the Mail App

   The Yahoo account issue could be a result of a temporary glitch in the communication modules of the system. The glitch may get cleared if you remove and then re-add the Yahoo account to the Mail app.

4. Reset the Mail App to the Defaults

   You may fail to add the Yahoo account to the Mail app if the installation of Mail itself is corrupt. In this scenario, resetting the Mail app to the defaults may solve the problem.

5. Generate an App Password and Use it to Add the Yahoo Account to the Mail App

   Yahoo has implemented tons of security features to its accounts. One such feature is the use of app-specific passwords for less secure apps like the Mail app. If your Yahoo username or password is not working with the Mail app, then using the App-specific password may solve the problem.

FLoC is Google’s alternative to third-party cookies and is based on machine learning. This will allow the browser, any browser, to anonymously study how users are browsing and then group them into ‘cohorts’. Following this, you will be served ads based on your cohort and not on your individual data. So, you are still going to be targeted with ads but in a more anonymous manner. Google claims that this will improve user privacy since this “federated learning” happens on the user’s device and artificial intelligence-based learning involves sharing lesser users than what happens with third-party cookies. If something like this gets widely adopted by ad companies and services, it should “protect users” from tracking methods that are more intrusive than third-party cookies, like browser fingerprinting.

Who is against it?

Privacy-focused browsers DuckDuckGo, Brave, and Vivaldi have all warned users against FLoC and have said that they are going to block it on their end. Brave says that Google FLoC has a design that does not respect the customer’s privacy and consent. It has been designed to provide browsing behavior and interest data with any website that users may interact with, and this process does not involve fully informed consent. Vivaldi, another popular Chromium-based web browser, has also made its stance clear regarding the status of FLoC. The company said in a Reddit thread that the FLoC experiment does not work in Vivaldi. It happens because for FLoC to work, some features need to be enabled under the hood, but Vivaldi does not provide those options. The company also added that it plans to stop the entire FLoC component from being a part of the browser, regardless of how Google may implement it. Considering that Brave and Vivaldi have been privacy-focused browsers since their beginnings, the decision to stay away from FLoC is not surprising.

If you are using the Camera app on your Windows 10 computer but encountered an error code 0xa00f429f with an error message that says, “Can’t start your camera”, read on as this post will guide you in fixing this problem. This kind of error in the Camera app could be due to a recent update gone wrong or it could also be due to a corrupted driver. If you are certain that the camera is connected and is properly installed, you can try to check for updated drivers. The error code signifies that the drivers have to be updated. However, that isn’t always the case sometimes as the problem could also have something to do with corruption in the driver. The effective ways to troubleshoot this problem would be trying to reinstall or reset the Windows Camera app, or update, rollback or uninstall some device drivers as well as use the Registry Editor. Before you proceed with the instructions provided below, make sure that you have admin privileges and don’t forget to create a System Restore point.

Option 1 – Try to reset or reinstall the Windows Camera app

As pointed out earlier, you can also reset the Camera app to fix the error. To do so, follow the steps below.

• The first thing you have to do is go to the My Pictures folder under the C: drive of the File Explorer and then delete the Camera Roll folder.
• Once you’re done, right-click on an empty area on your screen and create a new folder and name it “Camera Roll”.
• Then from the Start menu open the Settings app and select System.
• From there, navigate to the Apps and features section.
• Now go to Camera and click on the Advanced Options and click the Reset button.

Option 2 – Try to reinstall the Camera app

If resetting the Camera app didn’t help, you might want to reinstall it by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + X keys and select the “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” option from the menu to open Windows PowerShell as admin.
• Next, type this command to uninstall the Camera app: Get-AppxPackage *camera* | Remove-AppxPackage
• Once done, exit the Windows PowerShell and restart your computer and then try to install the latest version of the Camera app from Microsoft Store.

Option 3 – Try to rollback, update or disable drivers

The next thing you can do to fix the error code 0xa00f429f in the Camera app is to roll back, or update, or disable device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• After opening the Device Manager, look for the device drivers which have a yellow exclamation mark.
• Then right-click on each one of them. If you haven’t updated this driver in a while, select the “Update Driver” option. On the other hand, if you’ve just updated this driver, then select the Uninstall Device option.
• Next, follow the screen option to update or uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically if you have chosen to uninstall them.

Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.

Option 4 – Try to use the Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWOW6432NodeMicrosoftWindows Media FoundationPlatform
• From there, right-click on any empty space on the right side part of the window and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Then name it as “EnableFrameServerMode” and double click on it.
• Now set its value data to “0” and its base value as Hexadecimal and then click on OK.
• After that, restart your computer and see if it helped in fixing the problem or not.

If you are running the Windows Update service but decided to stop it but you encountered an error message instead that says, “The Windows Update service could not be stopped”, read on as this post will help you fix the problem. This kind of error appears when you use the Command Prompt to stop the Windows Update service, especially if you are using cmd without admin privileges. A lot of users reported that they were not able to disable the automatic Windows Update in Windows 10 using Command Prompt. The command used to stop the Windows Update service is the “net stop wuauserv” command. However, when some users executed this command, they got the error message. So if you are one of these users that can’t stop the Windows Update Service via Command Prompt, you can try to fix that using PID as well as checking the Service dependencies. For more details, follow the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to stop the Windows Update service via PID

In case you don’t know, each running service or process has its own unique ID or PID and you can find it in the Task Manager. You can use it to stop the Windows Update service. How? Refer to these steps:

• Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open the Task Manager.
• Next, go to the Services tab and look for the service named “wuauserv” and get its PID.
• After that, type “cmd” in the Windows Start search and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt with admin privileges, execute this command: taskkill /f /pid <PID>

Note: You need to replace “<PID>” with the PID of the “wuauserv” service. For instance, the PID is 6676, then this is how the command should be “taskkill /f /pid 6676”.

• After you execute the command, you will this message on your screen, “SUCCESS: The process with PID 6676 has been terminated” which indicates that you have stopped the Windows Update service successfully.

Option 2 – Try to check the Service dependencies

Dependencies of a Windows Service in Windows 10 are when windows services depend on other services. Such is the case with the Windows Update service – it also depends on three different services such as the Remote Procedure Call or RPC service, DCOM Server Process Launcher, and the RPC Endpoint Mapper. Meaning to say, if two of these services are not working as expected, then the dependant service will also be affected. This could be the reason why the Windows Update service could not start.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the following services:
  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service
  • DCOM Server Process Launcher
  • RPC Endpoint Mapper
• After you find these services, double click on each one of them and check whether the Startup type for all is set to Automatic and the Service status is set to Running or not.
• If the service status is not running, then click the Start button. Afterward, check if you can now run the Windows Update service.

Uncdms.dll Error Code - What is it?

Uncdms.dll is a Dynamic Link Library file and a crucial part of the Windows Desktop Search Software. It is used to search emails, documents, photos, videos, and folders instantly. However, the Uncdms.dll error pops on the screen, when the Windows Desktop Search Software fails to start. The error message is displayed in one of the following formats:

• “Uncdms.dll cannot be found.”
• “Windowssearch.exe – cannot find the component. This application has failed to start because uncdms.dll was not found. Reinstalling the application may fix the problem.”
• “The file uncdms.dll is missing.”

Solution

Error Causes

Uncdms.dll error code may pop on your screen due to multiple reasons. These usually include but are not limited to:

• Viral infection
• Issues with Windows Desktop Search
• Registry corruption
• Uncdms.dll accidentally deleted during program un-installation

Further Information and Manual Repair

If you experience an Uncdms.dll error code on your system, fix it right away. This error is easy to resolve. You don’t have to be technically sound to resolve the uncdms.dll error code. Try the methods listed below to resolve without any hassle:

Method 1 - Check Your Recycle Bin and Restore the Deleted Uncdms.dll File

Since DLL files are shared files, there is a possibility that you accidentally deleted them while uninstalling some other program. To fix the issue, simply go to the recycle bin and look for the file. If you locate it, reinstall it. If you can’t, then it is advisable to download the Uncdms.dll file from a trusted DLL file website.

Method 2 - Uninstall and Then Re-install Windows Desktop Search

If the error code is related to issues with the Window Desktop Search application, then simply uninstall this software and re-install to resolve. To do this, click the start button, go to the control panel and then add/ remove programs. Now choose Windows Desktop Search from the list of programs and click Remove. After that, reboot your PC to activate changes. Now download the software and follow the same process and reinstall the Windows Desktop Search program on your PC. To activate changes, reboot. This will hopefully resolve the issue.

Method 3 - Update Windows

As this file is included in the service pack, try updating the Windows Utility to resolve the Uncdms.dll error code. To get started, click start and then go to the control panel, now choose Windows update. Follow the instructions to install Active X and then click install to update Windows Utility. Restart your system to bring the changes into effect.

Method 4 - Scan for Viruses and Repair the Registry

Whether the underlying cause of the Uncdms.dll error code is viral infection or registry corruption, it is advisable to download Restoro. It is an advanced and multi-functional PC Repair Tool integrated with 6 powerful utilities including antivirus and a registry cleaner. It scans and removes all types of viruses. The registry cleaning utility works simultaneously and removes all the unnecessary files corrupting the registry including cookies, temporary files, internet history, and junk files, and repairs it in seconds, thereby resolving the Uncdms.dll error immediately. Click here to download Restoro - PC Fixer