Signs that someone is spying on you via your phone

Windows 11 has brought some bad reviews for its inability to change the taskbar location to the screen. Luckily we can still hide it if needed. In order to hide the taskbar from the screen follow these simple instructions:

1. Right-click the taskbar itself and select “Taskbar Settings” in the tiny menu that pops up or open Windows Settings and navigate to Personalization > Taskbar
2. Click on Taskbar Behaviors
3. Check the box next to Automatically hide the Taskbar
4. Close settings

As soon as you click on the box to hide the taskbar Windows 11 will apply your settings and hide the taskbar, you will get one line at the very bottom of the screen indicating that the taskbar is still present, just hidden. When you reach the bottom of your screen with the mouse it will pop up and be visible again, just like in all Windows so far.

Steam Deck release is almost upon us and more news comes to light. The Latest officially confirmed technical detail is that the user will have access to device's BIOS and that dual booting will be officially supported. This, of course, means that you will be able to have both Proton and Windows on your device letting you play anything that you wish if the hardware is strong enough. Valve also said that you can launch OS from an SD card! This of course will save space available for games themselves, especially for entry models with less than one available. All of this information really pushes Deck into the territory of a handheld PC and not just another console and I must admit that this announcement left a smile on my face.

Hello and welcome to our Reasons to Defrag Hard Drive. You ought to defrag your hard drive, in case your PC is slow. This could enhance the efficiency and pace of your PC too as its hardware longevity. It places them where there is space, whenever your PC saves files. Often files are separated into bits. For example, whenever you remember a file and focus on it, it frequently doesn't fit back in exactly the same physical place. Where it can your PC divides up the file, occasionally into several parts, and saves it.

Why defrag?

Fragmentation causes difficulties that doing a defrag can correct. Fragmented files because it requires more resources and time to locate and remember these files slow down your pc. Applications may also take longer to load. Defragging can prolong the life span of the components. A defragged hard disk too can raise your likelihood of recovering lost information. Once fragmentation starts, it can propagate fast -- demanding defragging. It's like the pages of a publication are divided and hidden in several locations around a house, if a file is fragmented. It's like the pages of the book being brought back together, should you defrag. Defragging discovers all the bits of the file and places them in contiguous, actual places.

How will you defrag?

To defrag your hard drive, you must utilize software or utility. There are lots of defragging tools available. SpeedyPC Pro, a whole package of cleaning and optimization tools, can defragment your PC. Before you defrag, it's best to assess your hard drive. This evaluation finds if a defrag is needed and how much of the disc is fragmented. You simply allow the application do the work if it's determined that you must defrag your PC to enhance performance. To be able to defrag a drive, free disk space will be required by your PC. Defragging can take a while. How long depends on several variables, such as the system resources accessible, the disc volume, the number of files, and how fragmented the files are. It's a great idea to defrag when you don't have to use your pc or it isn't doing other jobs. For example, the night could become a great time to defrag. Be certain to close out of resource-intensive applications, like your antivirus scanner, before you defrag.

Blue Yeti has gained popularity among streamers and users that want a high-quality mic for their setup. Without going into details of the hardware itself I will say it is a pretty good mic. Now the issues that have been reported with it are that Windows 11 can have issues with it resulting in the microphone not being recognized by the operating system. If you are one of the unfortunate Blue Yeti users and have this issue, do not despair because we have a solution for you, several to be more precise so you can easily fix the issue and get back to talking.

Check cables

Sometimes it is not a software problem at all. First thing is to check if by any chance cable of the mic is disconnected, damaged, or similar. If the cable seems fine next step is to plug in the mic into another port in order to eliminate faulty jack on the computer. If nothing happened the last thing to try is to connect the mic to another computer so we can be sure that the mic itself is in working order so we can focus on software. If by any chance mic is not working on another computer that some hardware inspection of it will be required.

Set Blue Yeti as a default device

There is a chance that Windows 11 has not set Blue Yeti as a default audio device for recording and therefore you can not use it. In order to eliminate and fix this issue, right-click on the speaker icon on the taskbar in the far-right part of it and choose sound settings. Go down to the input section and pick Blue Yeti beside Choose device for speaking or recording.

Update driver

More often than not device not working is tied to malfunctioning or a bad driver. In order to eliminate and resolve this issue right click on the Start icon and choose device manager. Inside device manager expand the Sound, video and game controllers section. Right-click on each device in the section and choose update driver. Wait for the update to complete and restart your system.

Run the troubleshooter

Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open Windows settings. Go to System in the left pane and click on it. In the right panel choose and click on troubleshoot. Inside troubleshoot click on Other. Scroll down and locate the Recording Audio troubleshooter and then click on Run next to it. Wait for the troubleshooter to finish and follow on-screen instructions to resolve the issue.

Check Blue Yeti microphone privacy setting

Not very often, but sometimes privacy settings can be the issue even when everything else is working perfectly. In order to check privacy settings press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open Windows settings and go to Privacy & Security on the left panel and click on it. On the right panel click on the microphone. Make sure that toggle next to Let apps access your microphone is ON.

There are times when you may find it hard to kill a particular process in the Windows Task Manager and every time you try to do so, you will only get an error message saying, “Unable to terminate the process, The operation could not be completed, Access is denied”. If you are one of the users who is constantly getting this error, read on as this post will provide you with a couple of options you can try to resolve the problem. Refer to the given instructions below if you are unable to terminate a process in the Task Manager but before you proceed you need to restart your PC and then try killing the process again, if you’re still not able to do it, you need to follow the options laid out below.

Option 1 – Try using Taskkill

• Open the Command Prompt as admin from the WinX Menu.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in the following command and tap Enter to execute it:

taskkill /IM "processname" /T /F processname – it is the name of the process which you can see on the Details tab of the Windows Task Manager. /IM – it is the one that specifies the image name of the process, which follows, that is to be terminated. /T – it is the one that kills not just the main process but also the child process. /F – it is the one that terminates the process forcefully.

Option 2 – Try using the WMIC

• Open Command Prompt as admin from the WinX Menu.
• From the Command Prompt window that opens, type in the following command and hit Enter to execute it:

wmic process where name='processname.exe' delete

Note: In the given command, you need to replace “processname.exe” with the name of the particular process you want to terminate which is found in the Details tab of the Windows Task Manager.

Option 3 – Try using PowerShell

• The first thing you have to do is open an elevated PowerShell prompt.
• From there, type in the following command and hit Enter to execute it:

kill -id pid

Note: In the given command above, “pid” is the Process ID number of the process you want to terminate. And for you to identify this number, you need to open the Details tab of the Windows Task Manager once again and take note of the number against the process you want to get rid of. Alternatively, you can also run the following command in the PowerShell prompt that you’ve pulled up to get the process ID number:

Get-Process

For example, “5364” is the process ID number for the DimScreen.exe process which is the process you want to terminate. In order for you to kill this process, you need to type in this command:

kill -id 5364

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.

Error Code 0x8007267C – What is it?

Error code 0x8007267C is specific to Windows 10. This error is triggered when no DNS server is currently configured in your network settings during the Activation process. If you are fairly confident in your ability to address command-line tools and networking issues, you can follow the steps below to try to remedy the error code on your own. If not, you may need to contact a qualified technician in order to resolve the error successfully.

Solution

Error Causes

The cause of Error Code 0X8007267C within the Window 10 system is fairly straightforward. Windows Activation requires a valid DNS server to be configured in order to complete the Activation process; if one is not available or properly configured, then you may see this error code and Activation will fail.

Further Information and Manual Repair

The following methods may help you to resolve this error, but you’ll need to have some familiarity with command-line tools to complete the steps successfully. If these methods do not work or if you are uncomfortable in using the command prompt, you may need to consult a technician to fully resolve this particular error code on the Windows 10 system.

Method 1: Register a DNS server within your network properties and test the connection.

In order to resolve this error code, client connectivity to a DNS server must first be established. The following steps may help you to determine the root problem with your connectivity status:

1. Open a command prompt, after which you'll run IPCONFIG /all
2. Verify the following values: The IP address that has been assigned, the DNS server, the subnet mask, and the default gateway. Compare each to ensure that all are set with the values that correspond to your specific environment
3. Check for basic IP connectivity to the DNS server using the PING command. In using the PING command, utilize the address of the DNS server found in Step 1

ping <DNS Server IP address>

If basic connectivity to the DNS server in question is failing, then you will need to resolve that issue before going further in the process.

After troubleshooting the above basic connectivity issues to the DNS server, you can reattempt Windows Activation by using the command below from within an Elevated Command selection:

cscript windowssystem32slmgr.vbs -ato

If the steps above did not work for you, you may want to try the steps found in method 2.

Method 2: Use phone-based authentication with a MAK (multiple activation key).

If a DNS server is not connected to your network, you can use an alternative method to complete the Windows Activation process. Bypass Method 1 by using a MAK product key instead to activate the volume license installation. Certain MAK product key providers have a variation on the specific key numbers that you will need to use. If you are using TechNet media or MSDN media, you will have to change the product key listed to the product key provided. The product keys provided by either TechNet media or MSDN media for Windows Server 2008 or for Windows Vista Enterprise will be the MAK product key that you will enter in a later step.

Like the previous method, you will need to have some familiarity or confidence in your ability to operate Command Line tools before proceeding. Once you have found your MAK product key, you’ll need to open a command prompt and use the following command to change the product key to match the MAK product key, which should look something like the example below:

            slmgr –ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

After completing the product key change, use the following command to initiate the phone activation wizard, thereby completing the activation of the system:

            slui 04

The activation wizard should be able to walk you through the remainder of the process in a step-by-step manner. In addition to appearing as an error code in Windows 10, this particular error may apply to multiple versions of Windows, including:

• Windows 7 Enterprise
• Windows 7 Enterprise E
• Windows 7 Enterprise N
• Windows 7 Professional
• Windows 7 Professional E
• Windows 7 Professional N

Steps to address the error code may be different in any of these other versions of Windows. If you have difficulty in resolving the error effectively, seek professional technical help.

If you suddenly encounter the PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Blue Screen error then it means that your computer is under a heavy load. And if you look closely, you’ll see that it has a bug check value of 0x00000050. This kind of Blue Screen error also indicates that invalid system memory has been referenced. It could be that the memory address is wrong, or that it is pointing at freed memory. The PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Blue Screen error occurs when the requested data is not found in the memory. As a result, the system generates a fault which normally indicates that the system is looking for data in the paging file. However, in this case, the missing data is identified as being located within an area of memory that cannot be paged out to the disk. This Stop error might be caused by a buggy system service, antivirus program, a corrupted NTFS volume, or faulty hardware. So if you’ve recently added hardware, you can try removing it and then check. If the problem still persists, refer to the suggestions given below to fix the problem.

Option 1 – Run Memory Check to test your memory

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type exe and hit Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
• After that, it will give two options such as:
  • Restart now and check for problems (Recommended)
  • Check for problems the next time I start my computer
• Select the option you prefer and afterward, check if the Blue Screen error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Run a System File Checker scan

You can also try to run a System File Checker or SFC scan in order to scan your computer for corrupted files that might be the cause behind the PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Blue Screen error. Once it finds any corrupted system files, it will automatically fix them. To run System File Checker, here’s what you have to do:

• 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 after the scan is completed.

Option 3 – Disable Automatic Paging File Size Management

• Right-click on This PC located on your desktop.
• Next, click on Properties and then click on the Advanced System Settings.
• Go to the Advanced tab and then click on the Settings button under the Performance section.
• Afterward, a new mini window will appear and from there, go to the Advanced tab.
• Then click the Change button under the Virtual Memory section. Once you do, another mini window will appear.
• Now uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” option.
• After that, you have to increase the Page File size by doubling the amount of memory allocated by default in the text field. For instance, the paging size given is a minimum of 16MB and so you have to change it to 32MB. And since the recommended value is 1907MB, you can make its maximum size around 4000MB. By doing so, it will allocate more space for paging into individual drivers.
• Now click OK, close all the open windows and then restart your PC.

Option 4 – Update the Device Drivers

Updating the Device drivers can also help you fix the PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Blue Screen error. To do so, follow the steps below.

• 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. If you see a red or yellow sign that shows up against the driver, right-click on the driver and select “Update Driver Software”.
• Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
• Restart your PC and then check if the Blue Screen error is now fixed or not.

Option 5 – Perform a System Restore

Performing System Restore might help you in fixing the PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA error. You can do this option either by booting into Safe Mode or in System Restore. If you are already in the Advanced Startup Options, just directly select System Restore and proceed with the next steps. And if you have just booted your PC into Safe Mode, refer to the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 6 – Try disabling your antivirus programs

There are instances when antivirus programs trigger Stop errors like PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA. Thus, you can try disabling your antivirus programs like Windows Defender or other third-party programs if you’re using one.

Option 7 – Use the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

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

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

Option 8 – Disable Memory caching in the BIOS

You can also disable memory caching in the BIOS to fix the PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA error.

• Open the BIOS Setup screen.
• Next, go to Advanced > Cache Memory and then disable it.
• Tap the F10 key to save the changes made and restart your computer.

Error Code 0xC004C020 (Code 0xC004C020) – What is it?

Error code 0xC004C020 (Code 0xC004C020) is an error that occurs when you attempt to activate a copy of Windows 7 with a key, but the key has already been activated multiple times. When receiving this error code, it means that you are trying to exceed the number of times that the Windows 7 key is allowed to be activated. Common symptoms include:

• Attempting to install Windows 7 with a key and a dialog box with the code 0xC004C020 is displayed.
• The computer is unable to install Windows 7 with the key.
• Certain features will refrain from working until the correct key has been entered.

Solution

Error Causes

Error Code 0xC004C020 occurs when you are not able to install Windows 7 using a previously purchased key code that has been installed numerous times previously on the same computer.

• You are not able to use your previously used key to install Windows 7.
• You have used the Windows 7 key the maximum number of times allowed.

Error code 0xC004C020 simply means that the Windows 7 code that you are trying to use to install Windows 7 has already been used the maximum number of times allowed, even when installing it on the same computer that it was previously used on. This would indicate that the key is what is known as a volume key- meaning that there is a cap on the number of uses.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Many people encounter this problem when they are doing software development or testing and need to reinstall Windows 7. Some people might also encounter this error code when installing Windows 7 with a key that was used too many times previously. It should be noted that there are several ways to fix this problem, but if nothing is working, you should contact a computer repair technician.

Method One

Activate by phone- the long method.

1. Click the start button, right-click Computer, click Properties, and then click Activate Windows.  This will open Windows Activation.
2. Click on “Show me other ways to activate”.
3. Find and enter the Windows 7 key, then click Next.
4. Click on “Use the automated phone system”. If you are prompted for an administrator password or a confirmation, confirm or type the password now.
5. Select the location nearest to you and then click the Next button.
6. There will be a list of available phone numbers, choose one and call it. There will be an automated system that will guide the activation process.
7. Enter the installation ID when prompted, it will be listed on your computer screen.
8. The phone system will give you a confirmation ID, write this down.
9. Type this confirmation ID into the space that is provided by step 3. This will be in the activation dialogue. Then, click NEXT and follow the instruction.
10. If this is not successful, stay on the line and be transferred to a customer service representative that will assist you.

Method Two

Activate by phone- this is a much simpler method.

1. Click on Start, type: slui.exe 4 into the Search box
2. Press Enter on the keyboard.
3. Pick your country.
4. Choose the Phone Activation option; stay on hold to speak with a customer service representative.

Method Three

Error code 0xC004C020 occurs if you have used your Windows 7 activation key on multiple computers, or multiple times on the same computer. You are not allowed to exceed the uses of the key—you should consider purchasing a new key if this is the case. A Windows 7 key is available for purchase online through the Microsoft website, in the shop section. The new product key must then be activated within 30 days, or it becomes no longer valid. It can be activated online or through the telephone. If it is not activated on time, features will stop working until the new key has been activated. This should be the last resort method, as you should not have to purchase a new Windows 7 key code if it is not necessary. If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

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