Software review series: RocketDock

Error Code 0x80070017- What is it?

Error Code 0x80070017 is an error code that is most often associated with Windows 10 installations, although it has also been encountered by users on previous versions of the Windows operating systems. It is usually encountered as users attempt to install a new version of the software on their machine.

Common symptoms include:

• A vague error message regarding the inability of the system to copy over the necessary files pops up as users attempt to install a new version of the Windows operating system on their computer

While it can be hard to tell what the exact cause of Error Code 0x80070017 is on your specific device, the good news is that there are two primary methods that can be used to fix the problem and to allow you to proceed with your installation. These two methods do require some degree of technical knowledge and/or skill, so if you don’t feel like you have the ability to undertake them on your own, be sure to get in touch with a trusted computer repair professional to assist you.

Solution

Error Causes

The most basic cause of Error Code 0x80070017 is that some of the files that are needed by the system to complete the installation are either not being found by the computer or are believed to be corrupted by the system. When this happens, security features within the software prevent it from completing the installation process, so as to avoid damage to the computer. Error Code 0x80070017 can be disruptive to your installation process, but there are two basic methods that can be employed to resolve it.

Further Information and Manual Repair

While it can be frustrating to encounter Error Code 0x80070017 on your Windows machine, there are two methods that can be used to try to resolve the problem. One of these methods is extremely simple, even for the most basic users, while the second method takes a little bit more skill and technical knowledge. If you aren’t able to complete these methods on your own, be sure to get in touch with a qualified computer repair technician that can assist you. Here are the best ways to attempt to resolve Error Code 0x80070017 on your device:

Method One:  Clean Your Physical Disk

If you purchased a physical disk version of the installation files for your Windows operating system, remove the disk from your drive and clean it using a microfiber or other lint-free cleaning cloth. As you wipe down the disk, do not use any chemicals, and be sure to wipe gently from the center towards the outside edge rather than the other direction, as failure to do so can damage the disk irreparably.

In some cases, you may need to contact Windows support if you believe that there is an error on the disk itself, such as a scratch, that would prevent the disk from being used as needed in the installation process. They may be able to offer you a replacement disk or you may be able to download a digital copy of the version that you are attempting to install on your machine.

Method Two:  Use the Chkdsk Utility

To determine if there may be an error within the disk drive itself, place the installation disk into the drive and restart the system. Go through the prompts until you see the option to “repair your computer.” Choose the operating system that you are using, go into the menu for System Recovery, and type in the words “Chkdsk/r” to begin to use the tool.

Whenever you run a tool like Chkdsk on your computer, it is important to restart your machine afterward to ensure that any changes that have been made are able to be fully applied and accepted by the operating system that you are running.

Method Three: Use An Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

You left your computer to go to the bathroom or to fetch something to eat, maybe you have to answer the phone or open door to a friend and after some time you get back to your computer see the black screen, you move the mouse and it starts to come from sleep slowly. I am the kind of person who gets annoyed by this kind of behavior, I like my PC to be ON all time when I want it to be ON and my power plan on best performance so naturally, I have turned this sleep feature OFF. If you are interested to see how you to can turn off your screen sleeping follow this easy guide.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS to open the start menu and click on the settings
2. On settings, screen click on system
3. When the system dialog opens go to Power & Sleep and on the right side change all values to never.

Please note that after each update Windows tend to reset these settings so you will sadly have to return to this after each major update.

Linkey is a potentially unwanted web browser search extension for the top browsers, designed to modify the user’s search and home pages in order to direct advertising. This extension changes your default search provider, redirects new tabs, and distributes information & statistics to the server. This extension will display unwanted ads, redirect you through unwanted search engines, and send your browsing information (potentially private information) back to its ad network.

From the publisher: Linkey is compatible with all the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox. Linkey is a simple browser extension that allows you to get the best sites in one click in visualized & friendly interface.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a type of unwanted software, often a browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in the browser’s settings. Browser hijackers could do many different things on your PC. Usually, hijackers will force hits to websites of their preference either to increase traffic producing higher advertisement revenue, or to obtain a commission for each and every user visiting there. Nonetheless, it’s not that harmless. Your online safety is compromised and it is also extremely annoying. Browser hijackers could also allow other malicious programs without your knowledge to further damage your computer.

How to know whether the web browser is hijacked?

The typical symptoms that suggest having this malicious software on your PC are: 1. your homepage has been reset to some unfamiliar site 2. your browser is constantly being redirected to adult sites 3. the essential web browser settings are modified and undesirable or insecure resources are put into the trusted sites listing 4. unsolicited new toolbars are added to your browser 5. you may notice endless pop-up ads on your screen 6. your web browser starts running sluggishly or exhibits frequent errors 7. You simply can’t access particular sites, particularly anti-malware websites.

How it infects your computer

Browser hijackers attack computers through malicious e-mail attachments, downloaded infected computer files, or by checking out infected internet sites. They could be included with toolbars, BHO, add-ons, plug-ins, or browser extensions. Also, certain freeware and shareware can put the hijacker in your PC through the “bundling” technique. Examples of well-known browser hijackers are Fireball, GoSave, Ask Toolbar, CoolWebSearch, Babylon Toolbar, and RocketTab. Browser hijackers could interrupt the user’s browsing experience severely, keep track of the websites visited by users and steal financial information, cause problems in connecting to the internet, and ultimately create stability issues, making applications and computers crash.

How you can get rid of a browser hijacker

Some hijackers can be simply removed by deleting the free software they came with or by removing any extension you have recently added to your computer. Unluckily, the majority of the software products used to hijack a browser are deliberately built to be difficult to eliminate or detect. Moreover, manual removals demand in-depth system knowledge and therefore can be an extremely difficult job for novices.

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

All malware is bad and the magnitude of the damage may vary greatly in accordance with the type of infection. Certain malware variants modify internet browser settings by including a proxy server or modify the computer’s DNS configurations. When this happens, you will be unable to visit some or all of the websites, and therefore unable to download or install the necessary security software to remove the malware. If you’re reading this, you may have infected by a virus that prevents you from downloading computer security software like Safebytes Anti-Malware. There are a few options you can attempt to get around with this obstacle.

Install in Safe Mode

The Windows-based PC has a special mode called “Safe Mode” in which just the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded. If the malware is blocking internet access and affecting your PC, running it in Safe Mode will let you download antivirus and run a diagnostic scan while limiting potential damage. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the system is starting up or run MSConfig and look for the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. After you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, as well as update anti-malware software from there. After installation, run the malware scanner to remove most standard infections.

Use an alternate browser to download an antivirus application

Certain viruses might target vulnerabilities of a specific web browser that obstruct the downloading process. If you appear to have a virus attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to an alternate internet browser with built-in safety features, such as Chrome or Firefox, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Install security software on a thumb drive

Here’s another solution which is creating a portable USB anti-malware software that can check your system for malicious software without needing installation. Do these simple actions to clean up your affected PC using portable anti-malware. 1) Download the anti-malware program on a virus-free computer. 2) Plug the Flash drive into the clean computer. 3) Double-click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Choose the USB flash drive as the destination for saving the software file. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation. 5) Unplug the USB drive. You may now utilize this portable anti-malware on the infected computer system. 6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the flash drive to run the software. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the infected computer for malware.

A Look at the Best AntiMalware Program

Want to download the very best anti-malware software for your laptop? There are several applications in the market that come in paid and free versions for Microsoft Windows systems. Some of them are excellent, some are ok types, while some will destroy your PC themselves! When searching for an anti-malware tool, choose one which provides dependable, efficient, and complete protection against all known computer viruses and malware. On the list of highly recommended software programs is SafeBytes AntiMalware. SafeBytes carries a good track record of top-quality service, and customers are very happy with it. Safebytes is one of the well-established computer solutions companies, which offer this all-inclusive anti-malware software. Using its cutting-edge technology, this application will allow you to eradicate multiples types of malware such as computer viruses, trojans, PUPs, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers. SafeBytes has got a variety of wonderful features that can help you protect your PC from malware attacks and damage. Below are some typical features present in this tool: Live Protection: SafeBytes offers a totally hands-free active protection that is set to observe, prevent and remove all threats at its very first encounter. This utility will always monitor your computer for any suspicious activity and updates itself regularly to keep current with the newest threats. Most Reliable AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware software program goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean your computer system. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard-to-remove malware that conceals deep inside your PC. Internet Security: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes notifies you whether a site is safe or not to access it. This will make sure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the net. Lightweight Utility: The program is lightweight and can run silently in the background, and that does not have an effect on your PC efficiency. 24/7 Live Professional Support: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and upgrades for the best user experience.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

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

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

How summer is slowly slipping away and winter is coming people will spend more time indoors, and on top of that delta variant of Covid-19 is rampaging through the world. Being the gamer is now maybe the best time to be, sitting in the comfort of your home, safely isolated from viruses and people, just pushing buttons and emerging yourself in a vast world and new adventures. But games cost money, and sometimes being a gamer can be expensive, also the COVID situation makes it even more difficult to spend some time with friends. Do not worry, we are here to help. I am presenting you the list of MMO games that you should try or play during this COVID Winter, and since they are MMO games, you can play them with your friends and hang out in the virtual world. Some of them are also free to play so they will not cost you any money to enjoy them. The following list is not set in any particular order and remember that this is not a ranked list. There is no best MMO and I will not try to place any of these titles as one dominant, I will just point their style and who they might be for, it is up to you to decide which one you will pick and enjoy.

Best MMO’s in no particular order

EVE Online

EVE Online is one of the earliest MMO games out there but since its release, it is still actively developed and is receiving updates. This science-fiction Sandbox will offer space lovers everything they need and more. Large scale PvP, mining, pirating, etc. It can be daunting and complex for beginners but take your time to get familiar with its systems and you will be rewarded greatly with an immersive and complex game worth the time. Open PvP in some zones might not be everyone’s cup of tea and seeing only your ship might be a turn-off for some players, but if you do not mind these things give it a go. It is free to play with an item shop.

Final Fantasy XIV

FF14 had a tough start, so tough that it was scrapped and destroyed and has been remade again and that idea was great. The game now is better than ever and at this time it is experiencing large players from other games surging into it. This on the rails fantasy MMO will offer you a great story and great leveling experience. It has a free trial where you can play the whole original game for free but if you wish to continue playing you will have to buy the expansion and pay a monthly subscription but the content is well worth the money.

World of Warcraft

Let’s be honest, not a single list of MMO games cannot be without a once greatest and most successful MMO ever made, World of Warcraft. But instead of me praising the game why it was the greatest and why you should play it and how great it is I am going to take a little different approach. I am going to recommend you World of Warcraft classic, yup, you read it correctly, classic. Now World of Warcraft is a retail game with a subscription service but with that one subscription you will be able to access three games in the World of Warcraft universe: World of Warcraft retail (standard game), World of Warcraft Classic (vanilla WOW without expansions offering you experience as it once was when it was released) and World of Warcraft the Burning Crusade classic (same as WOW classic but with the first expansion the Burning Crusade). Among all solutions, I would really urge you to play either WOW classic or WOW TBC classic simply for reason that they are far superior games in comparison to typical retail ones, but if you like easier game go for retail, it is included in the sub anyway.

Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 1 was one of my favorite games and I sank a lot of times in it and once Guild Wars 2 came I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with it and I would recommend it highly. The base game is completely free to play with only expansion to be purchased and it is buy to play model without monthly fees. It has specific mechanics different from other games and interesting classes to try. The living world is a great feature of the game and it is still very strong with its player base.

Star Wars: old republic

This game is made for people who enjoy, love, and like Star Wars. Mechanically besides being able to have henchmen with you and space battles (which I do not really like how they are done) game itself does not offer anything special. Where it shines is in the story and overall Star Wars experience. If you look at this game as a single-player game with multiplayer dungeons you will have a great time, since the story is really good but sadly end game lacks in comparison.

Elder Scrolls Online

I am going to admit something here, I was not fond of the idea to make the beloved Elder Scrolls series into MMO, but in time I gave it a go and I am really glad I did. This game is great and it is getting better and better as time progresses. It is buy to play without monthly fees and basic game free, same as FF14 but without fees. It has a decent community and offers a really good Elder Scrolls experience and now it is packing Morrowind expansions and other great areas. Highly recommended for any Elder Scrolls fan.

Lord of the Rings Online

This one is troublesome to recommend, on one side you have free to play games deeply inside Tolkien Lord of the Rings lore, on the other side, you have outdated graphics and some stupid item shop decisions like buys specific classes. But if you look past stupid item shop decisions and can live with playing free class in the game you will be pleasantly surprised. The game itself is surprisingly good, the story is great as expected from the game infused with lore taken from one of the best books series ever written, and the feeling when visiting iconic landscape is epic. But if I need to be real as I should, I would recommend this one to people appreciate good story and lore and ones that are fans of Lord of the Rings itself.

Neverwinter

Neverwinter is a premium and licensed D&D MMO game and it is well strange. The free-to-play model of the game will let you enjoy it until you hit the end game, then you will have to shell real money if you want to be competitive but the journey until then is great. I would recommend it to D&D lovers and people that love to try other people's maps, yup you read it correctly. Neverwinter has a map editor making it one of a kind MMO game where you can create your own dungeons and post them for other players to play, this user-generated content makes it a very specific beast in this list, and for that feature alone it has my recommendation.

Tera

Another one of the older titles, Tera will offer you nor depth nor anything new in terms of leveling, quests, or end game except… the COMBAT. This is maybe the greatest MMO Combat game ever created and it is quite fascinating that even after so many years no other game has managed to create a better combat system than one of Tera. If you enjoy action combat and like some specific aesthetics Tera is a game for you.

Albion

Albion is a sandbox game with open-world PvP and building mechanics where you can build your own forest, house, etc. You know, sandbox stuff, including a lot of crafting and well, other sandbox stuff. If you want great quests and some occasional play then skip Albion, this game is made for a more hardcore player base not being afraid to die and spend some time crafting and going through the economy. The best comparison might be with EVE but in fantasy settings.

Black Desert

Black Desert is also a sandbox game but different from Albion, here you can organize and hire a workforce and send them to different nodes on a map to harvest resources and build an economy while you are on some epic adventure. Housing is also included but you can buy already made houses instead of making your own in the world. Combat is a game that comes very close to Tera combat and it is very enjoyable. The end game is money sink and PvP based so be careful when choosing this one.

Secret World Legends

If you like occult and supernatural with new world order themes and conspiracy theories, Secret World Legends is the game for you. Somewhat little clunky its setting and story really set it apart in many many ways. It has semi-action combat and it is free to play with item shop but all the content can be experienced for free. Recommended for fans of deeper gameplay and horror lore.

Runescape

When I said no MMO list can be without World of Warcraft, it also cannot be without Runescape, one of the oldest games it was revamped with newer mechanics and graphics, free to play all the way and you can also pick old school Runescape if you really want to go all the way on a nostalgia trip. I would recommend a newer one for newer players, the game offers a great story and unusual quests infused with puzzles and interesting storylines. If you like really good quest design without fetch and grind quests along with interesting story this is a game for you.

AION

Last on my list would be AION, a very interesting game made also a long way back, but the fact that is completely free with the cosmetic shop will make it as one to recommend since you can experience the whole game for free. It has some limited flying mechanics in it and later game zone are open PvP zones, story is interesting and leveling process is enjoyable. Also game itself is not really easy and if not careful you can get yourself in danger quite quickly. Recommended for old-school feeling.

Conclusion

That's it, there are many more MMO games out there but some are on verge of closing down and some are plainly bad. I hope that I have made your choice easier and that you will find one or a few from this list to spend your time in it. Remember, stay safe and take care of yourself.

If you suddenly encountered an error when you try to run the Windows Sandbox that says, “Windows Sandbox failed to start, Error 0xc030106, The virtual machine or container exited unexpectedly”, read on as this post will guide you on what you can do to resolve the problem. According to security experts, this kind of error in Windows Sandbox is due to some issues with the supporting virtualization component. It could also be caused by other factors and to fix it, there are several potential fixes you need to check out. You can try running the Windows Sandbox as an administrator. You should also make sure that all the supporting processes are running properly, as well as try to install any pending Windows Updates.

Option 1– Try to run Windows Sandbox as an admin

• In the Start Menu, scroll down until you see the entry for the Windows Sandbox.
• Then right-click on it and select More and then select the “Run as administrator” option to open it with admin privileges.
• Next, if a User Account Control or UAC prompt pops up, just click on Yes to proceed.
• You should now be able to open the Windows Sandbox without the error. However, if the error persists, proceed to the next given options below.

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

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

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

Option 3 – Try to install any pending Windows Updates

If the second option still didn’t work, then you might want to check Windows Updates on your computer and see if there are any pending Windows Updates you have to install. All you have to do is go to the Windows 10 Settings app and then go to the Windows Updates section and click on the “Check for updates” button to check if there are any pending updates that are needed to be installed. This could fix the Windows Sandbox error.

Lately on EA forums question has appeared on what to do when Origin client does not load library. It seems that the latest update for the Origin client has brought some issues as not properly showing one library which appears empty. Do not worry, we have a solution for you, several to be precise and it will fix the issue guaranteed. It is advisable to try solutions in order how they are presented since they go from the most simple and fastest and most common ones.

1. Delete the cache

   Close origin client completely Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to bring the run dialog In the run dialog type in %ProgramData%/Origin and press ENTER Go into the Origin folder Delete all files and folders except the LocalContent folder Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to bring the run dialog In the run dialog type in %AppData% and press ENTER Delete the Origin folder In the address bar click on AppData Go into the local folder Delete Origin folder Reboot your PC

2. Clear the temporary files

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to bring the run dialog In the run dialog type in %AppData% and press ENTER Go into the roaming folder Delete Origin folder Go to the AppData folder and delete the Origin folder from there also Reboot system

3. Try Windows built-in tools to check compatibility

   Locate where Origin is installed and right-click on the executable file Click on properties Go to the compatibility tab Click on Run the compatibility troubleshooter and follow on-screen instructions

4. Update Origin

   Rarely this is the case but check manually to see if you can update your Origin client. Sometimes due to network issues client does not update automatically and can cause this strange behavior.

5. Add origin as an exception to antivirus and firewall

   Not rarely game clients can be detected as some form of malicious software and antivirus along with firewall can automatically block it. Go to your security software settings and add it as the exception.

6. Reinstall Origin

   If everything else fails, reinstall the Origin client

Scammers have decided to target Windows’s 10 App installer process in order to infect your computer and steal your data. As in most usual online scams, everything starts with a strange email containing threats and other poorly written and composed speech. At the end of the given email, there would be a link claiming that you, of course, need to read it and follow instructions about the threat, if you click the link it will open a web page where you will have an innocent-looking PDF file with more information about the threat itself. If you click on a seemingly innocent PDF file it will summon Windows 10's AppInstaller.exe tool, kickstarting a download-and-run process that'll put you in a bad place very quickly. From there, you'll have to deal with the dangers of malware BazarBackdoor, including data and credential theft. This kind of scam is nothing new but the interesting thing here is that it uses App installer and by clicking on a link you are opening and giving permission for a malicious crook to use it. So, stay safe and do not click on any links from unknown emails no matter what.

Since Windows 10 introduced the concept of notifications, almost any application installed on your computer sends you one. However, there are times when too many notifications can be quite annoying. Although some of them are important, most of them are not and are only getting in the way of your tasks. So if you don’t like to be flooded with tons of notifications on your Windows 10 computer, say no more as this post will help you out in disabling notifications for any apps installed. And now with the new feature in Windows 10 called Focus Assist, you will be able to manage the level of notifications that you receive. This new feature also allows you to disable all notifications except for the ones from important or priority apps. You will just have to maintain a list of priority applications or you could also disable all the notifications except for the important ones like alarms. In addition, you could also set up some automatic rules such as the Focus Assist timings which means that you can make Focus Assist enabled for a certain period of time during the day or when you are duplicating your display or playing a game and whatnot. So if there is an application that keeps on spamming you with notifications, you can just disable the notifications for that application.

To get started on disabling notifications, refer to the steps given below.

• Step 1: Go to Settings > System.
• Step 2: From there, open Notifications and actions and then scroll down to the “Get notifications from these apps” section.
• Step 3: After that, look for the application that you want to disable notifications for and click on the toggle button that corresponds to disabling notifications for that application. You could also click open to explore additional settings for that particular application.

Note: You can disable notifications or just the notification banners, your choice. Aside from that, you can also control the notification sound as well as its behavior when the computer screen is locked. What’s more, is that you can also adjust the number of notifications displayed in the Action Center or select the priority applications. As stated earlier, Windows 10 gives you control that allows you to customize every nook and cranny of the notification on your Windows 10 computer. Apart from applications, there are also other notifications-related settings that you can control including disabling notifications about tips, tricks, and suggestions as well as summary notifications from Windows Defender that you get every time you use or scan your computer.

Same as in previous Windows versions, Windows 11 will also use certain applications as default ones for opening certain file types and file extensions. And yes, same as in previous versions it will come preconfigured for certain file types and associated applications like for example photos for pictures. Of course, users usually have their own favorite applications for certain file types and much more prefer to open them inside the application of their choice instead of the default one. We can change the default application like in previous Windows versions but this time there are two ways and overall more control of this process. Windows 11 has settings for choosing default file type applications and default file extension applications giving you more control of this process.

The opening setting for apps

Whatever you wish to change default application or default extension application you will need to open settings for default application. Follow steps to quickly go into it.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open settings
2. Select Apps on left
3. On the right part select Default Apps

Now you are in settings for choosing default applications

Choosing default application by file type extension

This is considering by Microsoft as a typical way to set default applications inside Windows 11. Once you are inside the settings app there is a box labeled Enter a file type or link type. Inside the search box, type in file extension that you wish to associate the application with like .JPG, .TXT, or other. If the file extension is not associated with any application you will be presented with a Choose a Default button, if however, the file extension is already associated with the app, you will need to click on the app box itself. In any case, a pop-up will appear and ask How do you want to open YOUR FILE EXTENSION files from now on? Choose Application from the list of presented ones and click on OK.

Choosing default file type

Another method is to select the default application by file type selecting application for it. In the settings screen, under the search box, you will have a list of installed applications. Choose the application that you would like to associate a file type with and click on it. On the next details screen scroll down and select the file type that you want to associate with the selected application and click on OK.

Other/third method

There is also the third method for choosing the default application for file type but it includes some surfing on your hard drive and it can be more time-consuming for first-time settings. But it is fairly quick when you need to only use it once on some new file type (for example you have a new application installed and want to switch just one file type extension to that application). Locate the file that you want to associate with the application and right-click on it. Select Open With from the menu and then Choose Another App. Pop up will appear, select the application that you would like to use, and check the box beside Always use this app to open CHOOSEN EXTENSION files followed by clicking on the OK button.

If you are trying to copy or move files to and from your external storage device but you suddenly encounter the error 0x800703EE, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can fix this error in your Windows 10 computer. This kind of error when copying files may be accompanied by an error message that says, “The volume for a file has been externally altered so that the opened file is no longer valid”. This error prevents you from copying or moving the files to and from the external storage device. This kind of issue might be caused by a service that belongs to a backup program that could be blocking the operation or a conflict with your third-party antivirus program. In addition, the error could also be due to corrupted or outdated USB drivers or it could be caused by a disabled Windows Backup and Volume Shadow copy service. It is also possible that some system files are corrupted or that the drivers for the external device are also corrupted. Whatever the cause is, here are some options you need to check out to fix the error. Before you troubleshoot the error, you might want to try moving the files to another location on your local drive and remove the USB drive and insert it back again. After that, try to move or copy the file to the USB drive and see if it still throws an error. If it does, then you need to troubleshoot the problem further by following each one of the suggestions given below.

Option 1 – Update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller driver

Since it could be a driver issue, you can try to update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers using the Device Manager. Refer to the following steps:

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.

Note: If it is a regular USB drive, then it will be listed as a USB Mass Storage Device but if you have a USB 3.0 device, then look for a USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller.

• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

Note: If updating the USB Controller drivers didn’t work, you can try to reinstall them instead.

Option 2 – Try checking the Volume Shadow Copy and Windows Backup services

The next thing you can do to fix error 0x800703EE is to check the Volume Shadow Copy and Windows Backup service.

• First, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field, and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
• From there, look for the Volume Shadow Copy service and right-click on it, and then select Properties.
• After that, make sure that its Startup type is set to Manual and that its status is “Started” so if it isn’t, you need to click on the Start button and then on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Once done, look for the Windows Backup Service and repeat the same process you did with the Volume Shadow Copy service.
• After you complete the steps, restart your computer and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 3 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

If a third party program like antivirus is the one that’s causing the problem, you can try to put your computer in a Clean Boot State to isolate the issue by following these steps:

• 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” 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 try to copy the files to your external storage device again and check if the error is now gone.

Option 4 – Try to run System File Checker or SFC scan

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

Option 5 – Try to delete the Filter drivers

Note that this option is only applicable if you see the error 0x800703EE accompanied with the “The volume for a file has been externally altered so that the opened file is no longer valid” error message. Before you start, create a System Restore Point first.

• Open the Registry Editor and navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
• After that, select the “{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}” key and check if you can find the “Upperfilters” and “Lowerfilters” value in the right pane. If you can find them, right-click on them and select Delete.
• Once done, exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.