Software review series: Adobe Photoshop

Microsoft just released Windows 11 Insider build 22000.71. Let’s dive in and see what it brings with you.

Changes and features

New entertainment widget. The entertainment widget allows you to see new and featured movie titles available in the Microsoft Store. Selecting a movie will direct you to the Microsoft Store to see more information about that title. Just open widgets and click or tap on the “Add widgets” button and choose the entertainment widget. For now, the entertainment widget is available for Insiders in the following countries: US, UK, CA, DE, FR, AU, JP. The new context menus and other right-click menus have been updated to use acrylic material. We are testing the usability of a SplitButton for making new folders and files in the File Explorer command bar. The Taskbar previews (when you mouse-over open apps on the Taskbar) have been updated to reflect the new visual design of Windows 11.

Fixes

Taskbar:

• We fixed an issue where if you drag app icons on the Taskbar to rearrange them, it was making the apps launch or minimize when you released the icon.
• Using a long press with a touch on an app icon in the Taskbar to open the jump list should now work.
• After right-clicking the Start icon in the Taskbar, clicking somewhere else should now dismiss the menu more reliably.
• Shift + Right-click on an app icon in the Taskbar will now bring up the window menu like it used to and not the jump list.
• We’ve addressed an issue that was making your mouse move slowly when hovering over the Taskbar previews.
• We’ve included the fix for an issue when using multiple Desktops where an app icon in the taskbar might give the appearance of multiple windows being open when that wasn’t the case on that Desktop.
• When using the Amharic IME you should no longer see an unexpected X next to the IME icon in the taskbar.
• The issue where if you click on the input indicator on the Taskbar and it would unexpectedly highlight Quick Settings has been fixed.
• When you hover over Task View, the preview flyout for your Desktops will no longer pop back up after using Esc to dismiss them.
• We made a fix to address an issue where explorer.exe might crash after hovering over the Task View icon in the Taskbar.
• We fixed an issue where the selected date in the calendar flyout was out of sync with the date in the Taskbar.
• We made an update to address a scenario resulting in some Insiders not seeing the lunar calendar text in the calendar flyout when enabled in Settings.
• This flight addressed an issue that could unexpectedly make the Taskbar background transparent.
• Right-clicking the focus assist icon in the taskbar should now show a context menu.
• The issue from the previous flight where icons in the taskbar corner were getting crushed against the top of the Taskbar has been addressed.
• The tooltip for the location in use icon in the Taskbar should no longer appear blank sometimes.

Settings:

• We fixed an issue making Settings crash on launch periodically.
• Using the volume mixer sliders in Sound Settings should be more responsive now, as well as the page responsiveness as a whole.
• We fixed an issue resulting in Disk and Volumes Settings’ change size option being clipped.
• There was a non-functional verify link under Backup Settings – this has been fixed.
• The Power and Battery Settings page should no longer be reporting that the battery saver is engaged if it’s not.
• The Power and Battery Settings page should also now not crash when launched from Quick Settings.
• We fixed a grammatical error in the Sign-in Settings text.
• The “I forgot my PIN” link was unexpectedly missing in Sign-in Settings when a PIN was set up and has now been returned.
• The issue where the Move option under Apps & Features in Settings wasn’t working reliably should be addressed in this build.
• We’ve mitigated a problem where some of the colors in Settings weren’t updating after switching between dark and light mode, leaving the unreadable text.
• We’ve done some work to help improve the performance of Settings when switching between light and dark mode.
• We addressed an issue where some of the elements of the Themes page in Settings would end up crowded together when the window size was small.
• We resolved an issue where the Pen menu toggle under Taskbar Settings was not in sync with the actual state of the feature.
• Changes made to “Dismiss notification after this amount of time” in Accessibility Settings should now persist.
• Some of the icons you could enable in Taskbar Settings were erroneously labeled Windows Explorer even though that’s not what they were – this should now be fixed.
• The Connect text in Quick Settings has been updated to say Cast.

File Explorer:

• Clicking the command bar button twice should now close any dropdown that appeared.
• The new command bar should now appear when “Open folders in a separate process” is enabled under File Explorer Options > View.
• This build addresses an issue where right-clicking a file and selecting Open With > Choose another app might launch the file in the default app rather than opening the Open With dialog.
• Fixed an issue the desktop and File Explorer context menu would stop launching.

Search:

• We fixed an issue where the option to verify your account in Search wasn’t working.
• Hovering over the Search icon on a secondary monitor will now show the flyout on the correct monitor.
• Search should now work if you open Start and start typing after having gone to the apps list and back.

Widgets:

• When using the Outlook client with a Microsoft account, Calendar, and To-Do updates should sync faster down to the widgets.
• We addressed an issue where if you added multiple widgets quickly from the widget's settings, it could result in some of the widgets not being visible on the board.
• We fixed a bug where widgets could all become stuck in a loading state (blank squares in the window).
• The traffic widget should now follow the Windows mode (light or dark).
• The title of the sports widget should no longer mismatch with the content of the widget.

Other:

• This build addresses an issue where ALT + Tab was getting stuck open sometimes after you released the keys and had to be manually dismissed.
• We made a fix for an issue where Narrator's focus wasn’t ending up on the emoji panel after using the keyboard shortcut to open it.
• Magnifier’s lens view has been updated so the lens now has rounded corners.
• We found an issue that was noticeably impacting Start launch reliability for some Insiders, and have addressed it with this flight.
• We’ve updated the “Most Used” text in the Start menu’s app list so it should no longer be getting clipped.
• Using the semantic zoom in Start’s app list should no longer result in the list being pushed down and to the right off the edge of the window.
• We fixed an issue where if you pressed ⊞ WIN + Z you would need to press Tab before you could use the arrow key to navigate through the snap layouts.
• We addressed an issue where an acrylic area could get left on the screen after repeatedly snapping and unsnapping a window with touch.
• We’ve done some work to mitigate an unexpected flash when moving a snapped window with touch.
• We made a change to help window borders have a little more contrast when “Show accent color on title bars and windows borders” was turned off.

Known issues in Windows 11 repaired

Start:

• In some cases, you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the Taskbar. If you experience the issue, press ⊞ WIN + R on the keyboard to launch the Run dialog box, then close it.
• Based on feedback, we are working on adding access keys to ⊞ WIN + X so that you can do things like “⊞ WIN + X M” to launch Device Manager. Insiders may see this functionality in this build, however, we are currently investigating an issue in which sometimes the option is unexpectedly unavailable.

Taskbar:

• There is an issue in this build where Explorer.exe will crash when the date and time button on the Taskbar is clicked to access new notifications with Focus Assist turned off. The workaround for this is to enable Focus assist to priority or alarms mode. Note that when focus assist is turned on, notification popups won’t appear, but they will be in the notification center when opened.
• The Taskbar will sometimes flicker when switching input methods.
• Taskbar previews may draw partially offscreen.

Settings:

• When launching the Settings app, a brief green flash may appear.
• When using Quick Settings to modify Accessibility settings, the settings UI may not save the selected state.
• The button to rename your PC doesn’t work in this build. If needed, this can be done using sysdm.cpl.
• Settings will crash when clicking “Facial recognition (Windows Hello)” under Sign-in Settings if Windows Hello is already set up.
• Reset this PC and Go back buttons in Settings > System > Recovery does not function. Reset and rollback can be accessed from the Windows Recovery Environment by selecting System > Recovery > Advanced startup, and pressing Restart now. Once in Windows Recovery, choose Troubleshoot.
• Choose Reset this PC to perform a reset.
• Choose Advanced options > Uninstall Updates > Uninstall latest feature update to perform a rollback.

File Explorer:

• exe crashes in a loop for Insiders using the Turkish display language when the battery charge is at 100%.
• When right-clicking the desktop or File Explorer, the resulting context menu and submenus may appear partially off-screen.
• Clicking a desktop icon or context menu entry may result in the wrong item being selected.

Search:

• After clicking the Search icon on the Taskbar, the Search panel may not open. If this occurs, restart the “Windows Explorer” process, and open the search panel again.
• When you hover your mouse over the Search icon on the Taskbar, recent searches may not be displayed. To work around the issue, restart your PC.
• The search panel might appear black and not display any content below the search box.

Widgets:

• Widgets board may appear empty. To work around the issue, you can sign out and then sign back in again.
• Launching links from the widgets board may not invoke apps to the foreground.
• Widgets may be displayed in the wrong size on external monitors. If you encounter this, you can launch the widgets via touch or WIN + W shortcut on your actual PC display first and then launch on your secondary monitors.

Store:

• The install button might not be functional yet in some limited scenarios.
• Rating and reviews are not available for some apps.

Windows Security:

• Device Security is unexpectedly saying “Standard hardware security not supported” for Insiders with supported hardware.
• “Automatic sample submission” is unexpectedly turned off when you restart your PC.

Localization:

• There is an issue where some Insiders may be missing some translations from their user experience for a small subset of languages running the latest Insider Preview builds. To confirm if you have been impacted, please visit this Answers forum post and follow the steps for remediation.

That's is so far, the latest update information on Windows 11 insider build. Stay tuned for more information when it comes as it comes.

What is Stop Error 7B?

Stop error 7B is a blue screen of death error code that occurs during Windows XP setup or after installation. The error message is displayed in either of the following formats:

• STOP: 0x0000007B (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4)
• INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
• ‘A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damages’
• Setup has encountered a fatal error that prevents it from continuing.
• Setup cannot continue. Power down or reboot your computer now.

Solution

Error Causes

There is no one particular cause for this error. The Stop error 7B may be triggered due to multiple reasons. These include:

• Boot Sector Viruses
• Device Driver Issues
• Poor Windows XP installation
• Registry Corruption

If you come across this error code on your PC, it is advisable to fix it right away particularly because it is a blue screen of death error that can cause severe damages to your system. It can lead to system failure, crash, and valuable data loss.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here we’ve listed for you the best PC repair solutions to resolve and fix stop error 7B.

Cause: Boot Sector Viruses

Solution: Stop error 7B can occur when infected with a boot sector virus. If this is the cause, then first download a powerful antivirus on your system. After downloading it, run it to scan your PC for viral infection. Immediately delete the viruses if found. However, if the virus is too powerful, the antivirus may fail to remove it. In such an event, you will have to repartition and format your hard disk and then later reinstall Windows XP.

Cause: Device Driver Issues

Solution: If the boot controller is not properly configured or the driver is not updated, Stop error 7B can occur.  When this happens, simply restart your system and press F8 to go to the advanced boot options. Here choose the Last Known Good Configuration option. After that boot into Windows and then perform a system restore. Now go to the start menu and type Device Manager in the search box. To access the Device Manager window it may prompt you to enter an administrator password, insert it to proceed. Now go to Device Manager and perform a driver rollback to reinstall the drivers generating this stop error. By following these simple steps you can easily resolve device driver and configuration issues.

Cause: Poor Windows XP Installation

Solution:  In this case, you will have to perform a Windows start-up repair. This can be done by booting Windows XP from CD. Simply press enter at setup Windows Screen when prompted. Then press R to repair Windows XP installation. This procedure copies the original Windows files over the bad ones.

Cause: Registry Corruption

Solution: Sometimes the stop error 7B is also triggered by the registry corruption. When this happens, it is advisable to download and run Restoro software for PC scan and repair. Restoro is a powerful, advanced, and highly functional registry cleaner. It is deployed with intuitive algorithms that detect registry issues and errors like Stop error 7B on your system in seconds.  It wipes out clutter from your hard disk, repairs damaged files and the corrupted registry. It is safe, efficient, and bug-free. It is also compatible with all Windows versions. In addition to this, it is also embedded with other utilities like an antivirus, a system optimizer, and Active X controls, and a class ID scanner. Click here to download Restoro and resolve to stop error 7B on your PC immediately!

MyWebFace is a browser extension developed by Mindspark. This extension claims to allow users to easily access websites that allow them to make a cartoon portrait of themselves. While this may seem interesting in the beginning, all this extension does is to add links to already popular websites that are easy to find.

When installed MyWebFace changes your default search engine and your home page to MyWay.com.

While the extension is running it gathers user browsing information, allowing it to mine data and better server unwanted ads throughout your browsing sessions. MyWebFace has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by many anti-virus programs, and while not considered malware, it is not recommended to keep it on your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes referred to as hijackware) are a type of malicious software that alters web-browser configurations without the user’s knowledge or consent. These hijacks happen to be rising at a worrying rate worldwide, and it could be really nefarious and sometimes harmful too. Browser hijackers are capable of doing a variety of things on your PC. In general, hijackers are made for the benefit of online hackers often through revenue generation that comes from forced ad clicks and website visits. Although it may seem naive, all browser hijackers are harmful and thus always classified as security risks. Browser hijackers could also let other destructive programs without your knowledge further damage the computer.

Indications of browser hijack

There are numerous signs that indicate the browser is highjacked: 1. the browser’s home page is changed 2. if you enter a URL, you find yourself constantly directed to a different web page than the one you intended 3. the default web engine has been changed and your web browser security settings have been lowered without your knowledge 4. unsolicited new toolbars are added to your web browser 5. you observe numerous ads pop up on the web browsers or computer screen 6. your browser gets sluggish, buggy crashes often 7. you can’t go to certain websites like home pages of anti-malware software.

How does a browser hijacker infect a PC

Browser hijackers can get into a PC in some way or other, for instance via downloads, file sharing, and e-mail also. They also come from add-on applications, also known as browser helper objects (BHO), web browser extensions, or toolbars. Also, some shareware and freeware can put the hijacker within your computer through “bundling”. Typical examples of browser hijackers include Conduit, CoolWebSearch, OneWebSearch, Coupon Server, RocketTab, Snap.do, Delta Search, and Searchult.com. Browser hijacking can cause severe privacy problems and even identity theft, disrupt your browsing experience by taking control over outgoing traffic, substantially slows down your PC by deleting lots of system resources, and lead to system instability at the same time.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

Certain hijackers can be removed simply by uninstalling the corresponding freeware or add-ons from the Add or Remove Programs in the Windows control panel. In some cases, it can be a difficult task to discover and get rid of the malicious piece because the associated file will be running as part of the operating system process. Moreover, manual removal requires you to execute several time-consuming and complex procedures that are tough to conduct for inexperienced computer users. Browser hijackers could be effectively removed by installing the anti-malware application on the affected system. To get rid of any type of browser hijacker from your computer, you could download this particular top-notch malware removal program – SafeBytes Anti-Malware. And use a system optimizer, such as Total System Care, to eliminate all related files from the registry and repair browser issues.

Tips on How to Eliminate a Virus that is Blocking Websites or Preventing Downloads

Malware may cause several different types of damage to PCs, networks, and data. Some malware is meant to restrict or block things that you wish to do on your personal computer. It may well not permit you to download anything from the internet or stop you from accessing some or all sites, in particular the anti-virus sites. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download or install the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your system. Even though this type of problem can be tougher to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Start Windows in Safe Mode

The Windows OS includes a special mode known as “Safe Mode” where just the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded. In case the virus is set to load immediately when the PC starts, switching to this mode may prevent it from doing so. To start the computer into Safe Mode, press the “F8” key on the keyboard right before the Windows boot screen appears; Or after normal Windows boot up, run MSCONFIG, look over “Safe Boot” under the Boot tab, and click Apply. Once you’re in safe mode, you can attempt to install your antivirus software application without the hindrance of the malicious software. Following installation, run the malware scanner to eliminate standard infections.

Switch over to an alternate internet browser

Some malware only targets certain internet browsers. If this is your case, utilize another web browser as it might circumvent the computer virus. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by malware or otherwise compromised by hackers, the best course of action is to switch to an alternate browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your favorite computer security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install and run anti-virus from a USB drive

To effectively get rid of the malware, you should approach the problem of running an anti-malware software program on the affected computer from a different angle. To run anti-virus using a USB flash drive, follow these simple steps: 1) Use another virus-free computer system to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the USB drive into the uninfected PC. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware software package to run the Installation Wizard. 4) When asked, select the location of the USB drive as the place in which you would like to store the software files. Do as instructed on the screen to complete the installation process. 5) Transfer the thumb drive from the clean computer to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the anti-malware software EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Click the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

Highlights of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you are looking to install an anti-malware program for your PC, there are numerous tools on the market to consider nonetheless, you just cannot trust blindly anyone, irrespective of whether it is a free or paid program. A few of them do a good job in removing threats while some will harm your computer by themselves. You should choose one that is efficient, practical, and has a strong reputation for its malware source protection. On the list of strongly recommended software is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes has a superb history of top-quality service, and customers appear to be very happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a reliable tool that not only secures your PC permanently but is also quite easy to use for people of all ability levels. With its outstanding protection system, this utility will quickly detect and remove the majority of the security threats, including browser hijackers, viruses, adware, ransomware, trojans, worms, and PUPs.

There are many amazing features you will get with this particular security product. Listed below are a few of the great ones:

Antimalware Protection: Using its enhanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware elimination tool can identify and remove the malware threats hiding in your PC effectively. Real-time Threat Response: Malware programs looking to enter the computer are discovered and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes real-time protection shields. This tool will continuously monitor your PC for any suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep abreast of the constantly changing threat scenarios. Faster Scanning: This software has one of the fastest and most powerful virus scanning engines in the industry. The scans are extremely accurate and take a little time to complete. Safe Web Browsing: Through its unique safety ranking, SafeBytes notifies you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will assure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the net. Minimal CPU Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight and user-friendly anti-virus and anti-malware solution. As it uses very low computer resources, this program leaves the computer’s power exactly where it belongs: with you actually. 24/7 Guidance: You can obtain absolutely free 24/7 technical assistance from their computer experts on any product queries or PC security issues. To conclude, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is really great for securing your computer against all kinds of malware threats. You now may understand that this particular software does more than just scan and eliminate threats in your PC. You will get the best all-around protection for the money you spend on SafeBytes Anti-Malware subscription, there isn’t any doubt about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove MyWebFace without the use of an automated tool, it might be actually possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser plug-ins, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. Lastly, check your hard disk for all of the following and clean your computer registry manually to remove leftover application entries after uninstallation. However, editing the registry can be a difficult job that only advanced users and professionals should try to fix it. Moreover, certain malicious programs are capable to defend against its deletion. You’re advised to do this process in Safe Mode.

Random freezing in a Windows in the middle of work can be a very frustrating experience and can even cost us the loss of work. From time delays to sometimes complete crashes this behavior is something that every PC user wants to avoid or at least have very little of. In this article, we will cover solutions on what to do and how to fix the random freezing of computers.

1. Run a virus scan on your computer.

   Viruses and other malware can cause freezes and other issues in your computer, run a complete system scan for any kind of viruses and malware and if needed remove them.

2. Uninstall applications that you are not using

   Besides taking your hard drive space some applications can have and require to have some services always running on your computer which can cause some issues, if an application is not needed and it is not used, removing it might solve freezing issues.

3. Increase RAM memory

   Sometimes the problem with freezing is not a software issue, having less RAM memory than the application requires can cause the application not to work properly and it can cause freezing of the entire system since precious RAM can not be allocated to the required application.

4. Run system checker

   Corrupted Windows system files can cause freezing of the entire system, to fix this, start the command prompt in administrator mode and type sfc /scannow

5. Keep running applications to a minimum

   Having too many applications running in the background can drain system resources and can cause system freezes because of lack of memory. Close applications that are running in the background and keep them minimal.

6. Delete files and folders which you are not using

   Having many files and/or folders on the hard drive can cause a lot of system resources to be wasted, from indexing size to less free space for caching. If you have files that you no longer need, removing them will free up space and can increase performance and introduce the stability.

7. Run memory check

   Memory issues could lead to system freezing. When an application needs to write or read to a corrupted memory cluster, freezing will occur since it can not. To check memory bring up run dialog and type in ti mdsched.exe, click on restart now and let the memory test finish.

8. Update all drivers

   Hardware issues can cause freezing of applications and having the latest drivers can make a world of difference. Make sure that you have all device drivers to the latest versions.

9. Optimize Disk drives and check for errors

   Windows 10 has built-in tools to check hard drives for errors and to optimize them, use them in order to see if this issue is causing freezes.

10. Clean your registry

    A Clean registry is a happy registry and Windows is appreciating it. Make sure that you do not have any keys which you do not need in the registry and that long-forgotten application trails are deleted for good.

11. Upgrade SSD firmware

    Like updating drivers, updating firmware is also important, and having the latest firmware for your SSD can help a lot, newer firmware can eliminate freezing if the issue was in Windows not using SSD properly.

12. Update BIOS

    Like updating SSD firmware can help so it can update Firmware on your BIOS. Make sure that you have the latest firmware version and freezing can go away if that was the issue.

In case you don’t know, Windows 10 comes with a native ability to project to another screen, be it wireless or wired. All it takes to do that is by tapping the Win + P key combination to display options to manage the extended display. However, there are times when you might encounter errors when you do that like the “Your PC can’t project to another screen” error. This kind of error stops you from projecting your computer to the other screen. Here’s the full content of the error message:

“Your PC can’t project to another screen, Try reinstalling the driver or using a different video card.”

This error could be due to loosely connected hardware or the display adapter. It is also possible that a recent Windows Update has messed up its settings. To resolve this issue, you can try several suggestions that will be given in this post. You can try to check the hardware cable connections or run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter. You could also update or reinstall the display adapters or replace the graphics card.

Option 1 – Try checking the hardware connections

The first thing you have to do before you further troubleshoot the problem is to check the hardware connections of your computer and see if there are damaged ones, just like with the ports as it would also affect the overall connectivity of the device with the computer. You also have to make sure that no pin is missing from the ports. So if you notice some irregularities in the connecting cable physically, you might have to buy another one and replace it and then see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 2 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooters

• The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
• After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
• From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
• Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
• After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.

Option 3 – Try to update or reinstall the display adapters

You might also want to update the drivers for Display adapters and Monitors or you might also have to update or reinstall your NVIDIA driver if you’re using one. To update or reinstall the display adapters, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type in MSC and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• Expand the section for Display Adapters.
• And then select the Display Driver and right-click on it.
• From the drop-down menu, select the Update Driver option and follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest version of the Display Driver.
• Restart your PC after the installation.

If you find that updating the drivers does not help, you can try to reinstall them. How? Simply follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + X keys and select the Device Manager.
• After that, look for the affected driver in the Device Manager window. And if you see a yellow exclamation mark beside it, right-click on it and select the option “Rollback” to roll back the driver.
• And if the Rollback option is not available, just select Uninstall and then restart your PC.
• Finally, open the Devices Manager once again and select the option “Scan for hardware changes” to install the driver.

Option 4 – Consider replacing the graphics card

You might also want to consider replacing the graphics card of your computer to resolve the problem if the options provided above didn’t work.

As you know, one of the useful and efficient utilities in Windows 10 is the DISM tool. It can be used with the Command Prompt command line which allows users to carry out various tasks. However, there are instances when the DISM tool could encounter some errors when you try to execute a command. One of these errors is the one that states, “The component store has been corrupted”. This kind of DISM error is due to an error in the image file. When you encounter the DISM Error 14098 when running the DISM tool, you will see the following content in the command line:

“C:>Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:c:testmountwindows /LimitAccess Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 10.0.10586.0 Image Version: 10.0.10586.0 [==========================100.0% Error: 14098 The component store has been corrupted. The DISM log file can be found at C:WINDOWSLogsDISMdism.log C:>”

There are several fixes you can check out to fix the DISM Error 14098, “The component store has been corrupted”. You can try to run the Restore Health command or reset the Windows Update components, or whitelist the dism.exe in your antivirus program, as well as try to uninstall any recently installed updates. Follow the options provided below for more details.

Option 1 – Run the Restore Health command in a Clean Boot State

• First, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type and enter this command to execute it: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• Wait until the process is completed and restart your computer.

Note: If the Restore Health command fails, you can use the “/StartComponentCleanup parameter” by executing this command: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Option 2 – Try to reset the Windows Update components

If by any chance that the second option didn’t work, resetting the Windows Update components could also help you resolve the problem. How? Refer to the following steps:

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop cryptsvc
  • net stop bits
  • net stop msiserver

Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS, and MSI Installer.

• After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below, and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
  • ren C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution/SoftwareDistribution.old
  • ren C:/Windows/System32/catroot2/Catroot2.old
• Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start cryptsvc
  • net start bits
  • net start msiserver
• Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.

Option 3 – Whitelist the “dism.exe” in your antivirus program

The DISM error 14098 might also be caused by your antivirus program which could be interfering it from running. To fix this, you have to whitelist dism.exe. How? Refer to these steps:

• Open the Windows Defender Security Center from the system tray area.
• Next, click the “Virus & threat protection” option and then open the “Virus and threat protection settings”.
• After that, scroll down until you find the “Exclusions” and click on the “Add or remove exclusions” option.
• Then click the plus button and select the type of exclusion you want to add and from the drop-down list, select Folder.
• Next, navigate to this path and select the WinSxS folder: C:/Windows/WinSxS
• When a User Account Control or UAC prompt, just click on Yes to proceed.

Option 4 – Try to uninstall recently installed updates

There are times when some Windows Updates affect some mechanism internally when you update your Windows 10 computer. As a result, it causes issues with other components of the operating system which could be the reason why you’re getting the DISM error 14098.

• Go to Settings and select Update and Security > Windows Update.
• From there, click on the “View update history” option and then click on the “Uninstall Updates” option.
• This will open a new window that contains the list of installed Windows Updates.
• Now right click on the Windows Update you wish to uninstall and click Uninstall.

Disk partitioning is a concept that’s been around for so long, but is still only familiar to few. If done right, it can help get your computer in perfect order. 

Today we bring you a simple definition of disk partitioning, its pros and cons, and a quick tip on how to do it properly to reap its full benefit!

Definition and purpose

The simplest way to define disk partitioning would be: it’s exactly what it sounds like. It means taking a hard disk drive and separating it into different segments. These segments are called partitions. You can visualize it as cutting a cake into smaller pieces - not necessarily of the same size, though. 

So what is the purpose of these pieces?

Well, when you first get a hard drive, it’s basically just a bunch of unallocated storage space. Until there’s at least one partition, this space is unusable to your operating system. Once you create a partition, your OS will recognize it as usable storage space. 

You can choose to create a single partition and use it for all your files, from program files to personal data. A lot of off-the-shelf computers come with one primary partition like this and a small secondary one reserved for recovery purposes. 

Whether or not you want to split your disk into more than one segment is up to you. We would generally recommend it, though. The whole point of partitioning is for each segment to have its own purpose.

So treating all your storage space as a single unit containing different file types would be like constructing an office building with only one massive room for everything - day-to-day work, conferences, interviews, etc. And all of this for different departments of the company. You can see how this might get a little messy.

Creating multiple partitions eliminates the task of running several different types of files from the same place. This takes a heavy load off the entire process of accessing data.

Disk partitioning also brings a ton of other benefits to the table. An important disclaimer, though: there are disadvantages too. We will walk you through both sides to help you get an objective idea and make an informed decision.

What are the benefits of disk partitioning?

1. Better file organization

This is the most obvious and perhaps the biggest advantage of partitioning your hard drive. 

As we already mentioned, partitioning allows you to create separate segments for different file and data types. You wouldn’t want to use the same partition for your system files and for games, would you? 

If organization and time management are important to you, then multiple partitions are the right solution. Searching for specific files will be much easier overall. Say you have one hard drive, but three partitions: C for the system files alone, D for multimedia files and documents, and E for games and apps. Your computer loads the system from C without interference from the other two, and you know exactly where to look when searching for a file.

2. Easy reinstallation

File management isn’t the only thing made faster and simpler thanks to partitioning. If you opt for creating multiple segments on your drive, reinstalling Windows will be easy peasy. 

That’s because all you need to do is format the partition your system is on. Then you reinstall the OS on it, and there you go. Now you have a clean installation, with all your files saved on other partitions intact. You can even make a copy of your system partition, so you can revisit the exact same installation in the future if you want. And the whole time your pictures, music, documents stay exactly where you left them. 

3. Possibility of using multiple file systems

By now you’ve understood that partitions function completely separately. This means that, if for some reason you need multiple file system capabilities, partitioning will allow that.

One segment could be used for, say, an NTFS file system, while another could run ext or APFS.

4. Running different OSes

You’re an avid Windows user but need to use Linux on the side? No problem. You don’t need to buy a separate computer or anything. The possibility of running different file systems also means you can use partitioning to run multiple operating systems.

Doesn’t that sound enticing? One machine for multiple totally different uses!

5. Backup and recovery made simple

Data loss can happen on any disk, partitioned or not. However, it’s much easier to get it back on a partitioned one. You know where you stored what, and each partition can be backed up exactly as it is. It’s also a lot faster to back up single partitions than entire hard drives.

Ultimately this also means a faster path to recovery. If you lose or accidentally delete important files and data, you might want to use a recovery tool like Recuva to scan for them and get them back. Recuva is even powerful enough to recover data from damaged hard drives. But no matter how powerful, scanning a whole drive is strenuous for any recovery tool. Scanning independent partitions is a lot more convenient than that, and will get you to your goal more efficiently.

6. Optimized performance

Now, let’s keep in mind that computer performance is influenced by a number of factors. Partitioning alone isn’t what makes it better or worse. However, it can contribute to optimization. It’s easier for your computer to scan, say, a 40 GB partition to fetch the system file it needs than scanning the entire capacity of your drive.

7. Improved security (possibly*)

Separate partitions can help make your system more secure. Firstly, they minimize file corruption. If one partition gets corrupted, the others should remain unaffected. And keeping in mind the previous point about backup and recovery, ‘fixing’ the damaged partition would be much easier than fixing the entire hard drive. 

Partitioning also improves security in terms of malware protection. A malicious attack on one partition is easier to deal with than malware on the whole drive. If your system partition gets infected, you can simply reinstall your OS and that should do the trick.

*Do keep in mind that partitioning can’t defend you against more advanced attacks. So make sure not to give in to a false sense of security.

What are the disadvantages of partitioning?

1. Data is still vulnerable

Yes, it’s easier to back up and recover data from independent partitions. And yes, partitioning may help protect separated files and data to a higher degree. But remember: everything is still on a single physical drive. So while digital errors and issues may be easier to deal with on partitioned drives, physical damage obviously won’t be.

If your hard drive is destroyed in some way, all data on it will be gone. That’s why, if you have crucial files on your PC, it’s important to give them the proper backup treatment before it’s too late.

2. Disbalance of space

Allocating storage space on separate partitions may be a little more tricky than you think. You may fill up one partition a lot faster than another. So on one side you’re struggling with space, and on another you have too much of it to spare. Imagine nearly filling up your system partition and then it turns out you need a lot more space for its updates than you thought.

That’s why you really have to be sure you actually have enough files of different types that you need help managing efficiently. Otherwise you’ll just create a struggle and disbalance in terms of storage.

3. Increased risk of error

If done incorrectly, partitioning can lead to more harm than good. Aside from space disbalance, there is an increased risk of incorrect partition sizes and formatting. Plus, human error is also a factor: in a moment of distraction, you may erase one partition when you meant another. Undoing such mistakes will definitely be tedious and time-consuming.

4. SSDs eliminate the need of partitioning

SSDs (solid-state drives) don’t function in the same way that HDDs do. They have faster read times and can organize files on their own. This quite literally eliminates the need for organization on your part.

Partitioning: yes or no?

The bottom line is that multiple partitions might not be necessary for the average user. But if you’re planning on storing many file types or different file and operating systems on the same PC, then you should give it a shot. It’s also an excellent solution for businesses, of course.

And if our pros and cons list isn’t enough to help you decide, you can always send us a message and we’ll help you make the right choice.

Decided to partition your hard drive?

If you’ve decided to give it a go, you definitely should make sure to do it right. 

The two most effective and reliable ways to partition are using the built-in options on Windows or investing in a dedicated partitioning tool, like the EaseUS Partition Master. Which one you'll opt for depends on your specific needs. 

Option 1 may be more suitable for users with at least some level of experience. In this case, you’d have to know exactly which steps to take without making errors. This is done in Disk Management on Windows 10/11. From there, you can select the partitions you’d like to split into different volumes of selected sizes.

If this is your first time partitioning, we highly suggest you either consult professionals for this or move on to option 2. The EaseUS partitioning software is specifically designed for beginners, with an intuitive interface helping you succeed in the process. All you need to do is pick the Partition Master package tailored to your needs and follow their guide. 

Each package offers technical support as well, and even free upgrades (to varying degrees based on your subscription). Plus, all of this is valid for not one, but two PCs.

It’s the perfect solution for a smooth and error-free partitioning process. If you want to organize your hard drives efficiently and make the most of all your space without doing irreparable damage, it’s definitely worth the investment.

In their search for making Windows, a better operating system Microsoft has come up with an insider program that will collect telemetry and send it to Microsoft in order to provide enough information to make a better OS. Being in an insider program is per choice basis and it is not forced to anyone. This guide will cover how to turn off the insider program since its constant updates and telemetry can slow down the internet. So if you decided that you no longer want to be part of this program here is how to turn it off.

• Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
• Type in dialog gpedit.msc and press ENTER
• You will find yourself in the Local Group Policy Editor Window. Inside windows find: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Component > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business
• Move to the right pane and double-click on the Manage Preview Builds option
• Inside the Manage Preview Builds window, check the Enabled radio button
• Go to the Options section, and using the drop-down menu, set the preferred release channel
• Select Apply and then OK

Error Code 0x80070490 - What is it?

When downloading a Windows update, it is important to remember that these updates are what keeps your computer safe. Some users have reported seeing error code 0x80070490 when allowing updates for their Windows PC. This error code may appear when the user is trying to connect to the update site for Windows and maybe a result of a corrupted CBS manifest. Having this error code will not only stop the update of the system, but it will also certainly halt any work being done with the computer. Quite a few Windows users have written in complaints about this error while updating from any prior Windows update to Windows 10.

Common symptoms include:

• While a user is performing the updates, the Windows computer will stop running the updates, and it will show the error code 0x80070490.
• Windows updates will not install any new features and will not install security patches.
• The computer will not continue with the Windows update, and it may revert back to the previous state that the computer was in, prior to attempting the updates.

Error Causes

There is not a lot known about what exactly causes the error code 0x80070490, but it is something critical that makes Windows abruptly stop its updates. It could be caused by a simple glitch in the computer system, or it could be caused by a larger problem. One thought is that the CBS (Component-Based Servicing) manifest can be corrupt. Another thought is that the computer's anti-virus software may be interfering with the computer's ability to perform the necessary updates.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There is very little information known about error code 0x80070490 and why it exists, but there are a few methods in which to correct it. Users should be careful when trying to fix this error themselves. If the user feels that the methods are too complicated or they are uncomfortable taking it on themselves, they should contact a Windows repair technician to fix the problem. Not all methods listed will suit the user's needs, but it is dependent upon the problem at hand as to which method will be the best fit to fix the error code. If these steps are taken and the error is not corrected, it is vital to contact the Windows repair technician.

Method One: Creating a new local account

Create a new local account on the computer, and allow administrator privileges on it. Next, move all of your documents and personal files to the new account. Delete the old account (you will no longer be using this) and switch over to the new one. After switching to the new local account, add the Microsoft account to it.

Method Two: Delete user ID, Store cache from the registry

• You will need to open the Registry Editor. Do this by pressing the Windows Key and R, then typing in “Regedit”. After this is typed in, press Enter or click the OK button to start the registry editor.
• When this starts, you will need to navigate all the way to the following key on the left pane:
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionAppxAppxAllUserStore After this, find the key that is similar to this: S-1-5-21-1505978256-3813739684-4272618129-1016
• NOTE: this is just an example. The keys will be in a similar format but will not look exactly like this.
• Select all the keys that look like this, and then delete them. After these keys are deleted, close the Registry Editor and restart the computer.

Method Three: Check to see if BITS, MSI Installer, Cryptographic, and Windows Update Services are running

Press the Windows key and R. Then, type in services.msc. After the Services window starts up, find the following services:  BITS, MSI Installer, Cryptographic, and Windows Update Services. When these services are found, make sure that they are up and running. If one or more of these services is not running, make sure that they are started. To do this, select the service and then click on Start the Service.

Method Four: Windows Update Troubleshooting

Press the Windows key plus W and then type in “troubleshooting”.  Select Troubleshooting. On the top left corner, select View All. Click on Windows Update troubleshooter. After this, follow the on-screen instructions in order to run the troubleshooter. After the troubleshooter has run, the issue should be fixed.

Code 0x800488AB – What is it?

The Error Code 0x800488AB will appear when a user is in the Windows 10 Mail app and has provided an Outlook.com e-mail address. The mail app will give a message that the “account information is out of date” and it does provide an option to fix the issue. After clicking the Fix button, this error code will show up to the user. Common symptoms include:

• A dialog box will appear with the Error Code 0x800488AB
• Microsoft Windows 10 Mail App will not retrieve (or subsequently send) mail
• User cannot delete and re-add the Outlook email account in the Windows 10 Mail app
• User can still access and log in to various Microsoft websites, including logging into the Outlook Mail website

Solution

Error Causes

This error can be caused by a few different actions of the user when they have changed a password or a PIN number to access their Outlook mail. This error does have a relatively easy fix after the cause is determined and where the break-in information has occurred. A few of the causes may be:

• If the user changes their password on the Microsoft website and uses the alternative PIN login method to access the Mail App.
• The log-in information on the Microsoft website does not match the login information on the Windows 10 App.
• The login information was changed on the Microsoft website and was not updated to reflect on the Windows 10 Mail app.

The Microsoft website and Microsoft Mail app do not share the knowledge of the change in login credentials, therefore the log-in credentials appear to be incorrect when trying to access the Microsoft Mail app. It should be noted that a user may bypass the password option if they log in to the Microsoft Mail app while using the alternative PIN log-in method, thus still leaving the password undetected.

Further Information and Manual Repair

As is the case with all new technology and having a few wrinkles, the release of Microsoft Windows 10 is not left out. There have been a few discussions of errors and bugs, including Error Code 0x800488AB. As of right now, there are three different methods that can be utilized by any at-home user. These methods are rather simple and make sense when the problem has been identified.

Method 1:

Run the built-in Windows Store Apps troubleshooter:

1. Press the Windows Key and then type ‘troubleshoot’ and hit Enter
2. Select “View all” on the left panel and run the “Windows Store Apps” troubleshooter from the list displayed and see if it works.

Method 2:

Use the System File Checker tool to repair corrupted or missing system files:

1. Click Start.
2. Type cmd, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to open the elevated command prompt (I.e. Command prompt with administrative rights).
3. The User Account Control window should appear, be sure that the action it exhibits is correct, and then press the Continue button.
4. Type or copy-paste the below command line into it without quotes:

“Sfc /scannow”

Method 3:

1. Press the Windows Key
2. Search for "Credentials Manager"
3. Click on Windows Credentials
4. Look for any reference to your windows account (generally your @outlook.com is listed)
5. Delete them.
6. Then select your account at the top of the start menu and select Log Out.
7. If using a Pin Code, switch to type input and put your password into the box.

When you go to Mail, and select "Fix Issues" it will detect your password and your account should sync with new emails. In some cases, depending on why this particular error code was caused, you may have to use a powerful automated tool to have it resolved.