Software review series: BitWarden

There are times when you see a message in Windows Defender saying, “The Threat Services has stopped, Restart it now” when you try to use it. This kind of error is usually fixed by simply clicking on the Restart now button. However, if the error still appears even after you restart your computer and you see another message that says, “Unexpected error, Sorry, we ran into a problem”, then continue reading as this post will guide you in resolving this issue in Windows Defender. Before you proceed with the given fixes below, you have to create a System Restore point first. This way, you can always undo any changes you’ve made in case something goes wrong.

Option 1 – Make sure that the Windows Defender Services are started

The Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection service is the one that protects your computer from advanced threats by monitoring and reporting security events that happen on your computer. This is why you have to make sure that this, as well as other required services in Windows Defender, are set to their default values and are started. To do so, follow these steps:

• In the Cortana search box, type “services” and click on the Services icon to open the Services Manager. Alternatively, you can also tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run prompt and then type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager
• After opening the Services Manager, look for the following services and make sure that their Startup type is set to their default values:
  • Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection Service – Manual
  • Windows Defender Antivirus Network Inspection Service – Manual
  • Windows Defender Antivirus Service – Manual
  • Windows Defender Firewall Service – Automatic
• You can right-click on each one of the listed services and then select Start to start them.
• And if some of the services don’t have their default values, just double-click on the Services to change the Startup types and select the correct option from the drop-down menu of the Startup type under the Properties box.
• Next, set up the Startup type of these services to Automatic and then click on the Start button if the services are not running yet.
• Now click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made and then see if it fixed the problem or not.

Option 2 – Try modifying some entries in the Windows Registry

If the first option didn’t work in fixing the problem, you can try to alter some entries in the Windows Registry using the Registry Editor.

• First, tap Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKLMSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender
• From there, look for the “DisabledAntivirus” and “DisableAntiSpyware” DWORDS from the right pane and change each one of their values to “0”. On the other hand, if you don’t see any of these DWORDS, you can create them instead and give each one of them a 0 value.
• To create a DWORD, simply right-click on any empty space and select New > DWORD. Then name them both as “DisabledAntivirus” and “DisableAntiSpyware”.
• Afterward, set the value of the newly-created DWORDS to 0.
• Now exit the Registry Editor and reboot your PC to apply the changes made and then check if it has fixed the error in Windows Defender or not.

As previously announced by Google feature to quickly delete the last 15min of browsing history via one button is rolling out now. For now, only Apple users will be available to use this feature but the Android update is scheduled for later this year, a strange move by Google but it is what it is. For anyone who is unfamiliar with this feature, basically, Google wants a quick way to remove the last 15min of browsing history as a supposedly stated request to make deleting browsing history much easier. Google came up with this idea so you can keep the previous history intact but remove just 15min time frame, no additional explanation was given on why 15 but I presume it is some round number that came up as the middle one with research, read telemetry info. Using quick delete requires being signed into Search with a Google account. Users can access the option by simply tapping on the avatar icon to access the settings then choosing "Delete last 15 minutes."

What is Active History? A new feature has been introduced in Windows 10 that allows users to stay connected to their tasks across their devices. This new feature is called “Windows Timeline” and using this feature, users could continue their tasks all over their Windows 10 computers as well as on devices that run Android and iOS as well. This new feature was included in Microsoft Launcher and Microsoft Edge on Android devices as well as in Microsoft Edge for iOS devices. In order for the feature to work, you have to send either Basic or Full data and diagnostics of your computer to Microsoft which would sync it all over your devices with the help of the cloud. And now since all your data is stored on your Windows 10 computer and with Microsoft under your account, it is easier for you to access the back and start where you left off. This kind of option is called Active History. In this post, you will be guided on how you can permanently disable Active History using either the Windows Registry or Group Policy. Before you go on further, it is recommended that you create a System Restore Point first in case anything goes wrong. This is a precautionary measure you must take so that you can easily undo the changes you’ve made. After creating a System Restore Point, proceed to the given instructions below.

Option 1 – Disable Active History via Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type in “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsSystem
• From there, check if you can find a DWORD named “PublishUserActivities”. If you can’t find this DWORD, just create one with the same name and make sure that the base is selected to Hexadecimal.
• After that, double-click on the DWORD and change its value from 1 to 0 to disable Active History.
• Restart your computer to apply the changes you’ve made successfully.

Option 2 – Disable Active History via Group Policy Editor

Note that this second option won’t work if you are using the Home edition of Windows 10. This is because the Group Policy Editor does not come with Windows 10 Home. So if you are not using Windows 10 Home, follow the given steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run box.
• Then type in “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this path: Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemOS Policies
• After that, double click on the configuration listing named “Allow publishing of User Activities” to open the configuration page which has the following description:

“This policy setting determines whether User Activities can be published. If you enable this policy setting, activities of type User Activity are allowed to be published. If you disable this policy setting, activities of type User Activity are not allowed to be published. Policy change takes effect immediately.”

• Now you have to select Disabled or Not Configured if you want to disable Publishing of User Activities or Enabled to Enable Publishing of User Activities depending on your preferences.
• Next, click OK and exit the Group Policy Editor and then restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

CinematicFanatic (by MyWay) is a browser extension for Google Chrome that may come bundled with other free software that you download off of the Internet. When installed CinematicFanatic will set the homepage and search engine for your web browser to http://search.myway.com

While browsing the internet with this extension installed, you will see additional ads, sponsored content, and even pop-up ads throughout your browsing sessions. While CinematicFanatic is active, it will log user information, visited websites, product categories. This information is later used/sold to better display targeted ads through your web pages as sponsored content and banner ads.

CinematicFanatic has been marked as a Browser Extension by several popular anti-malware scanners, and due to its information-gathering behavior, it is recommended to remove it from your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijack is a very common type of internet fraud where your web browser configurations are modified to allow it to do things you never intend. Browser hijacker malware is developed for many different reasons. These are typically used to force visitors to predetermined sites, manipulating web traffic to generate ad revenue. Even though it may seem naive, all browser hijackers are dangerous and thus always regarded as security risks. They not only screw up your web browsers, but browser hijackers can even modify the computer registry to make your PC susceptible to other forms of hacking.

How to know if your internet browser is hijacked

There are several symptoms of browser hijacking. Here are a few of them: 1. home-page is modified 2. bookmark and the new tab are likewise changed 3. The default search page of your browser is altered 4. you’ll see multiple toolbars in your internet browser 5. you will find random pop-ups start showing regularly 6. websites load slowly and often incomplete 7. You simply can’t access particular sites, particularly anti-malware websites.

How they get into your computer or laptop

Browser hijackers could use drive-by downloads or file-sharing websites or perhaps an e-mail attachment in order to reach a targeted computer. Many web browser hijackings originate from add-on programs, i.e., browser helper objects (BHO), toolbars, or plug-ins added to browsers to provide them additional functionality. A browser hijacker could also come bundled up with some freeware which you unintentionally download to your PC, compromising your internet security. Some of the well-known hijackers are CinematicFanatic, Babylon Toolbar, Conduit Search, Sweet Page, OneWebSearch, and CoolWebSearch. Browser hijackers could disrupt the user’s web surfing experience greatly, keep track of the websites visited by users and steal financial information, cause difficulty in connecting to the net, and ultimately create stability issues, making applications and systems crash.

Browser hijacker removal

Certain browser hijacking could be easily reversed by discovering and removing the corresponding malware software through your control panel. Having said that, many hijackers are really tenacious and need specialized tools to eliminate them. Additionally, manual removals demand deep system understanding and thus can be a very difficult job for inexperienced computer users. You might opt for automatic browser hijacker removal by simply installing and running an efficient anti-malware program. One of the top tools for fixing browser hijacker infections is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. It assists you to get rid of any pre-existing malware on your system and gives you real-time monitoring and protection from new threats. Together with the antivirus tool, a system optimizer, such as SafeBytes’s Total System Care, will help you in removing all related files and modifications in the computer registry automatically.

What To Do When You Cannot Download Safebytes Anti-Malware?

Viruses could cause a lot of damage to your PC. Some malware is designed to interfere with or block things that you’d like to do on your personal computer. It may not allow you to download anything from the net or it will stop you from accessing a few or all of the sites, especially the antivirus sites. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download and/or install the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your PC. Refer to the instructions below to remove malware in alternate ways.

Install in Safe Mode

In Safe Mode, you can change Windows settings, uninstall or install some applications, and get rid of hard-to-delete viruses and malware. In case the malicious software is set to load automatically when the PC starts, shifting into this particular mode may prevent it from doing so. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the computer is starting up or run MSCONFIG and look for the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you’re in safe mode, you can try to install your anti-malware software program without the hindrance of the virus. Now, you can run the anti-malware scan to remove viruses and malware without hindrance from another application.

Switch to an alternate browser

Web-based malware could be environment-specific, targeting a particular browser or attacking specific versions of the browser. If you appear to have a virus attached to Internet Explorer, then switch to a different browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your preferred antivirus program – Safebytes.

Install and run anti-virus from the USB drive

Another solution is to store and operate an antivirus software program entirely from a Thumb drive. Adopt these measures to use a USB drive to clean your corrupted PC. 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free PC. 2) Plug the Flash drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware software to run the Installation Wizard. 4) When asked, select the location of the pen drive as the place where you would like to put the software files. Follow the instructions on the computer screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Transfer the USB drive from the uninfected computer to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the EXE file to run the Safebytes program right from the pen drive. 7) Hit the “Scan Now” button to start the malware scan.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware - More Protection For You

If you’re looking to purchase anti-malware for your computer, there are various brands and utilities for you to consider. A few of them are excellent, some are ok types, and some will damage your computer themselves! While looking for antivirus software, choose one that provides reliable, efficient, and complete protection against all known viruses and malware. Amongst few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended software for the security-conscious user. SafeBytes can be described as a highly effective, real-time antivirus application that is created to assist the regular computer end user in protecting their computer from malicious threats. This tool can easily identify, remove, and protect your PC from the most advanced malware intrusions including spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, worms, PUPs, parasites along other potentially harmful software applications.

SafeBytes carries a variety of features that can help you protect your PC from malware attacks and damage. A few of them are given as below:

Best AntiMalware Protection: By using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection that is designed to catch and remove viruses and malware that are concealed deep inside your computer system. Real-Time Protection: SafeBytes gives round-the-clock protection for your computer limiting malware attacks instantly. This utility will always monitor your PC for suspicious activity and updates itself regularly to keep abreast of the latest threats. Safe Browsing: Safebytes allots all websites a unique safety score that helps you to get an idea of whether the website you’re about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Fast Multi-threaded Scanning: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is one of the fastest and most efficient within the industry. It's targeted scanning tremendously increases the catch rate for viruses that are embedded in various computer files. Light-weight Tool: SafeBytes is a lightweight and easy-of-use antivirus and anti-malware solution. As it uses minimal computer resources, this application leaves the computer’s power exactly where it belongs to: with you. Premium Support: You will get 24/7 technical support to quickly resolve any issue with your security tool. SafeBytes will keep your computer safe from most advanced malware threats automatically with hardly any input needed from you again. Now you may understand that this software does more than just scan and remove threats on your PC. If you’re trying to find a comprehensive anti-malware program that’s still simple enough to use, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is exactly what you will need!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you don’t want to use a malware removal software and prefer to get rid of CinematicFanatic manually, you may do so by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the Control Panel and delete the offending program; in cases of web browser plug-ins, you could remove it by going to the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. It is also recommended to factory reset your web browser settings to their default state. Lastly, check your hard drive for all of the following and clean your registry manually to get rid of leftover application entries after uninstallation. Please note that only professional users should try to manually edit the registry because removing any single critical system file leads to a serious problem or even a system crash. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing its deletion. It is advised that you do the removal process in Windows Safe Mode.

Error Code 0xc004c008 - What is it?

This specific Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 error code has to do with the number of times you can use your license number to install windows programs on computers. All windows activation codes are licensed to be used one time for a device, to control piracy, but what happens when your PC crashes, or you have to change a hard drive component and are forced to re-install Windows Operating System. Luckily, there is an easy fix for this issue.

Solution

Error Causes

Basically, when you need to re-install the Windows operating system that you have previously bought and installed on another computer an error code will be displayed with a message telling you that the activation server determined that the specific key could not be used for activation. This occurs because the key has already been used on that computer, or a different one, to install operating systems. There are a few easy fixes for this issue, and most of them should be easily completed on your own.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There aren’t many explanatory ways to repair Error Code 0xc004c008. Below are two methods to go about addressing this issue.

Methods 1:

1. The first step is to open the “Run” Window. You can do this in two ways. First, press the “Window” key and press the “R” key simultaneously. This will open the “Run” menu. Or you can start the “run” window by going to the Start menu and selecting Run.
2. In the Run window type “SLUI 4” and click enter.
3. A Phone Activation window will open up, after which you'll need to select a few options.
4. First chose the country in which you registered the product for the first time.
5. Choose your country and a phone number will be displayed specific to your choice. You will now need to call the number provided.
6. After you’ve dialed you will be prompted to write your “Installation ID”. Type your “Installation ID” on the phone.
7. After that step, you will be asked how many copies of Windows have been installed using this license. Choose “1”, should anything else be chosen but “1”, this will not work.
8. After the process is completed, you will be given a confirmation ID and should be able to proceed as normal with installation. You will have a workable product key again.
9. Install whatever copy of the Windows Operating System you are attempting to with the new product key.

Method 2:

If the first method did not work, the only other option is to call Microsoft and walk through the process with a technician. To do this, dial “1-800-936-5700”. Explain the error that you received and the steps in the update process during which it was displayed. The technician will be able to walk through the steps from getting a new product key to finishing the installation.

If you're not a tech-savvy individual but would like to solve this problem without the aid of a technician, download a powerful automated tool to fix error code 0xc004c008.

When you update or upgrade your computer to Windows 10, the setup will look for the compatibility of both the hardware and software. And in this process, if suddenly got an error message saying, “Some apps need to be uninstalled” or “You need to uninstall a program in order to continue”, you have to look for the program(s) that might be causing the compatibility issues. But worry not as this post will help you resolve the issue. Simply follow the given suggestions below.

Option 1 – Look for the incompatible programs

There are times when Windows 10 will point out the programs that are incompatible with Windows 10. In this situation, just click on the Uninstall and continue button and then wait for the process to be completed. For more information, you can check out the official site Ready for Windows by Microsoft. This site can help you determine which software versions are compatible with Windows 10 and which ones are not. All you have to do is select the Windows 10 version and type your App name, after that, you will see the results about its compatibility. Thus, it’s now easier for you to figure out which software is causing an issue and if there is a new updated version available that you can install instead.

Option 2 – Try to install the Windows Update in a Clean Boot State

Putting your PC in a Clean Boot state can also help you install Windows Updates or Upgrades without any trouble because, during this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• 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” checkbox 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.)
• After that, try to install the Windows Updates or upgrade again.

Option 3 – Try creating a new user account

Creating a new user account can resolve the “Some apps need to be uninstalled” error when upgrading or updating your Windows 10 PC. All you have to do is create a new admin account and initiate the setup. And this is a new user account, there will be no third-party applications installed on your computer. Thus, the installation should go through without any trouble. And in case you’ve already installed programs for that user, you just have to uninstall them all and then re-run the setup.

Option 4 – Perform a clean install

If none of the options worked, you can try to clean install Windows 10. Just make sure that you have the ISO from the official Microsoft Website and then a bootable USB drive to install Windows 10 again. Take note that this will delete all the data from your drive where Windows 10 was installed previously.

As you know, a Virtual Private Network or VPN is used to access a particular network from another network which is why it is also referred to as a mini-internet. Moreover, you can use it in two ways. One, you can use it to get you access to a closed server which means that you would not be getting access to the internet. Second, you can also use it to access a set of resources while at the same time get access to the internet. However, what if you want to access your resources at home even when you’re away? And what if you want to use the private server at home or at your office even when you’re away? This is where the callout for a VPN server for yourself comes in. And so in this post, you will be guided in how you can create a public VPN server on your Windows 10 computer. Follow each one of the given steps below to get started. Step 1: Find your IP address. This step is rather simple since all you have to do is open Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center. From there, click on “Local Area Connection” and then click on Details where you’ll see your IP address next to “Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address”. Step 2: Next, set up port forwarding on your router. In this step, you will have to configure port forwarding in your router so that you would be able to connect to the VPN server through a public network like the internet.

• Log in to the Admin Panel of your router. You have to do this since your router will be the gateway for your access to the network.
• After you’re logged in, look for the “Port Forwarding” or “Applications and Gaming” or “NAT/QoS” menu tab and other similar names.
• Now you need to set the port number to 1723 for connections based on Point to Point Tunneling Protocol.
• Then save the configuration and reboot your router.

Step 3: Set up a VPN server on Windows 10.

• In the Cortana search box, type “ncpa.cpl” and click on the related entry from the search results.
• After that, tap the Alt + F keys to bring down the File Menu and then select New Incoming Connection which will open a mini window where you can allow the user accounts on the particular machine to access the VPN connection.
• On the other hand, you can also click the “Add someone” button so that you can add someone else to the whitelist that can access the connection.
• Now click on Next and you’ll see an option to select how people will connect to the network. Check the checkbox for the “Through the Internet” option.
• After that, you will see a page where you have to configure the network. Just select IPv4 and then click on Properties.
• From there, you will be asked to continue some additional settings like letting users access your Local Area Network or how IP addresses will be allocated to these users. Click on OK to save the changes you’ve made.
• Click on Allow Access after you configure the network. And if you want to, you have the option to print this information for future reference or for the client machine.
• Now click on Close to exit the configuration process.

Step 4: Allow the VPN Connections through the firewall In this step, you will have to allow the VPN connections through the firewall.

• In the Cortana search box, type “Allow an app through Windows Firewall” and click on the related search result to open the intended Windows Firewall settings.
• Next, click on Change Settings.
• Then scroll down to check if Routing and Remote Access is Enabled for both the Public and Private networks and click on OK.

Step 5: Set up a VPN connection on Windows 10 Now all that’s left for you to do is to set up a VPN connection on Windows 10.

• Go to Settings > Network and Internet.
• From the list of options given, click on VPN located on the left pane to see the related settings.
• After that, click on the “+” icon to add a VPN connection.
• Next, select Windows Default under VPN Provider and under the Connection Name, input your VPN’s name, and then enter the IP address you got from the VPN service provider under the Server name or address section.
• Now select PPTP under VPN type since it is the most commonly used protocol for VPNs.

Error Fmod.dll - What is it?

This is a type of DLL error code. DLL is the abbreviation of Dynamic Link Library. DLL files contain small programs which are similar to executable files. One DLL file may be used to load and run several programs. Fmod.dll is created by Electronic Arts Inc. and associated with Crysis. This file is developed for the Windows OS. This error code occurs when you are unable to access, run and load programs supported by Crysis on your PC. Fmod.dll error code message is displayed in different formats such as:

• "Fmod_event.dll not found."
• "The file fmod_event.dll is missing."
• "This application failed to start because fmod_event.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."
• "Cannot start Crysis. A required component is missing: fmod_event.dll. Please install Crysis again."
• "Fmod_event.dll Access Violation."
• "Cannot register fmod_event.dll."
• "Cannot find C:\Windows\System32\fmod_event.dll."

Error Fmod.dll may pop up when you start-up or shut down the PC or even during the installation of a program.

Solution

Error Causes

Narrowing down to one cause for Fmod.dll error code is impossible virtually because this error may result due to different reasons on your system. Some of the common causes associated with this error code are:

• Viral Infection
• Hardware failure
• Missing, Corrupt, or Deleted Fmod.dll file
• Improper program installation
• Registry issues

No matter what the underlying cause of the reason may be, it is recommended to resolve the issue immediately to avoid serious PC threats.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve this error on your system, try the methods discussed below:

Method 1 - Check the Recycle Bin

As mentioned above, Fmod.dll is a DLL file that is used to run and load a variety of programs on your system. There is a possibility that you uninstalled a program that was supported by the Fmod.dll file and accidentally deleted it. In such a scenario, the easiest way to resolve the Fmod.dll error code is to re-install the deleted file from the recycle bin. For this, go to the recycle bin and search for the file. If you find it reinstall if you can’t then simply download the Fmod.dll file from a reliable website.

Method 2 - Scan for Malware

Malware usually enters through phishing emails and downloads. These malicious programs then hide in your system disguising as either DLL or EXE files. The occurrence of fmod.dll file error may be due to malicious programs hiding in your system. Therefore scan your entire PC with a powerful anti-virus. An antivirus detects and removes all malicious software programs such as viruses, malware, Trojans, spyware, and adware. Try this, to resolve error code Fmod.dll and see the results.

Method 3 - Fix Hardware Problems

Fmod.dll file error may also pop on your screen due to hardware failure. If this is the reason, then we advise you to use the Device Manager an in-built tool in Windows 7 and 8 to fix hardware failures. For this go to the start menu then control panel. Now click on the ‘hardware and sound link’ and then click on the Device Manager. If you find any devices in red exclamation point, then this means this device is problematic. Uninstall the driver for that hardware device and then update the driver. Install the latest version to resolve. Remember, hardware problems are mostly related to outdated drivers.

Method 4 - Restore Points

Use System Restore, an in-built utility also known as the recovery tool, to restore points and ensure your PC is back to its previous working condition before the error code occurred. Simply put, it helps undo recent changes. You can find the System Restore tool in the System Tools folder.

Method 5 - Clean and Repair the Registry

The registry is that part of your PC that stores all the information, activities performed, and files including the junk files, invalid keys, bad entries, and cookies. When these files accumulate on your PC, they take up all the registry space and corrupt the important system and DLL files also stored in the registry, thereby generating such errors. Now you can clean the registry manually. But this process can be time-consuming and slightly technical, hence we advise you to download Restoro. This is a PC Fixer integrated with a registry cleaner. It is easy to use deployed with an intuitive interface. The registry cleaner scans the entire PC and removes all registry errors. It wipes out all the obsolete files and repairs the damaged DLL and system files. Click here to download Restoro.

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.

Recently, a number of Windows 10 users getting an error on their computers that state, “Windows can’t find one of the files in this theme”. According to the affected users, this error occurs at random times even when they didn’t make any changes to their computer’s theme prior to getting the error. If you are one of these users, read on as this post will help you resolve this problem. If you click on the Yes button of the dialog box where the error is displayed, it won’t fix the problem as you will still get the same error from time to time. This kind of error could be caused by the executable file named “SettingSyncHost.exe”. It is possible that this executable file is unable to sync your theme all over your computer. On the other hand, it could also be due to some problems with the active theme. To resolve this issue, you can try to change the active theme, or disable the custom screensaver or disable theme syncing on your computer, as well as run a System File Checker or run the DISM tool. For more instructions, follow the options given below.

Option 1 – Try to change the active theme

The first thing you can do to fix the error is to change the active theme of your computer since the SettingSyncHost.exe file might not be able to properly sync the theme on the computer.

• Go to Settings and click on Personalization.
• Next, click on Themes and scroll down to apply a theme, and change the theme of the operating system.
• After that, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “%windir%ResourcesThemes” in the field, and then tap Enter to open the folder where the theme files are located.
• Once you’re done, right-click and select delete for the active theme to remove the theme and its resources. This should fix the root cause of the problem. If not you can try to create a new Windows 10 theme and save it.

Option 2 – Try to disable the custom screensaver

The custom screensaver is a part of the mechanism of the lock screen. Although they were needed in the earlier Windows versions to prevent the discoloration of CRT monitor screens, they are no longer needed in the current version of Windows. Thus, you can try to disable it as it could be the one that’s causing the problem.

• Click on the Start button and go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
• Here, scroll down and click on the Screen Saver settings.
• After that, select the “Screen saver to (None)” option from the drop-down menu. This will disable the custom screensaver.

Option 3 – Try to disable theme syncing on your computer

You could also try to disable the theme sync feature to fix the problem. This has worked out for some users. To do so, follow these steps:

• Click on the Start button and go to Settings > Account > Sync your settings.
• From there, toggle off Themes in the individual sync settings column. This will disable the Theme syncing.
• Restart your computer and see if the problem is now fixed.

Option 4 – Run the DISM tool

The next thing you can do is run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like the “Windows can’t find one of the files in this theme” error. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 5 – Run the System File Checker

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the “Windows can’t find one of the files in this theme” error. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• 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.

• Now restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed or not.