Software review series: RocketDock

We tend to move and copy tons of files on our PCs and mostly, the process of copying or moving files, especially if the file has the size of 1GB or up, tends to take quite long. This may be caused by some issues which is why you face slow copy or move speed. So if you are experiencing this issue on your Windows 10 computer, then read on as this post will give you a couple of solutions you can try to increase the speed in copying or moving files. Follow the given instructions below.

Option 1 – Try to change the USB port

You might want to change the USB port since modern computers have a variety of USB ports. So if your USB drive supports USB 3.0 or 3.1, make sure that you plug it inside a USB 3.0 or 3.1 ports. If you’re not sure which port, just keep in mind that the USB 3 port is usually blue or you can also use your computer’s documentation or manual as a reference to locate it. It may sound nothing but changing the USB port can actually improve the copying or moving speeds drastically so this should be the first thing you can try to speed up the process of copying or moving files.

Option 2 – Update the USB Controller Drivers

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

You also have the option to update the motherboard and the USB driver from the manufacturer’s official website.

Option 3 – Check for any hard disk errors

• On your desktop, right-click on the “This PC” or computer icon and then select Manage to open the Disk Management. Here you get to check your drive’s health.
• Next, click on Disk Management on the left side panel.
• From there, check the state of your drives. If it shows that all your partitions are healthy then it means all is good and that the problem may have something to do with some physical issues with your hard drive.

You might also want to run the CHKDSK utility to help you fix any issues with your hard disk. If your hard drive has issues with integrity, the update will really fail as the system will think that it’s not healthy and that’s where the CHKDSK utility comes in. The CHKDSK utility repairs hard drive errors that might be causing the problem.

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /f /r

• Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try to disable Windows Auto Tuning

Disabling Windows Auto-Tuning can also help in increasing the copying or moving of files in your computer. It is said that this feature improves the performance of programs that receive TCP data over a network by adjusting the receive buffer size dynamically throughput and latency of the link. Thus, if you are trying to copy some data over the network, then the Auto Tuning feature is playing a role here. And in some cases, disabling this feature completely resulted in a lot faster copy speeds over the network.

Option 5 – Try changing the USB Removal Policy

• First, plug your USB drive or external device into your PC and then open This PC.
• Next, right-click on your device and select Properties.
• After that, go to the hardware tab and select the storage media that you want to enhance and then click on the Properties button.
• From there, you can select the Better performance option if you wish for your device to have a better performance. Once you select this option, it will enable write caching in your Windows 10 computer but you need to use the “Safely Remove Hardware” option from the notification area to safely disconnect the device otherwise it may result in data corruption.

Option 6 – Format your drive

• To get started formatting your drive, tap the Win + E keys and then go to the access page of the drive.
• Next, right-click on the drive and select Format.
• After that, uncheck the “Quick Format” option and then format your drive properly.
• Now once the formatting process is finished, unplug the drive and plug it back in afterward.
• Check if the error is already fixed. If the drive is not initialized, tap the Win + R keys and hit Enter.
• After opening the Run dialog box, type “diskmgmt.msc” and hit Enter to open Disk Management.
• From there, right-click on the drive volume and select initialize disk.
• Next, select the correct partition type and proceed.

If you suddenly encounter the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE – 0x000000DA Blue Screen error while using your Windows 10 computer, read on as this post will provide you some potential fixes to resolve this kind of Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error. There are many potential causes for the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE – 0x000000DA BSOD error. However, incompatible hardware detection and hardware recognition failure are some of the topmost culprits. Another thing that could trigger this kind of BSOD error is system file corruption which means that if a system driver for particular hardware ends up getting corrupted, it won’t be able to recognize the external device and will eventually crash the system with the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE – 0x000000DA Blue Screen error. The SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE bug check has a value of 0x000000DA which indicates that a page table entry or PTE routine has been improperly used. To fix this error, here are some suggestions that might help but before you get started troubleshooting the problem, make sure that you create a System Restore Point first.

Option 1 – Try to disable PIT Security in the BIOS

If you are using a Dell computer and it throws up this kind of Blue Screen error, you need to go to the BIOS and uncheck the PIT Security and see if it helps in fixing the problem.

• Tap the F2 key during the boot phase to enter the BIOS.
• Once you’re in the BIOS, go to the Security tab and to the PIT Security section.
• From there, uncheck the “PIT On” box to disable PIT Security.
• Now restart your computer and check if the Blue Screen error is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Check for any incompatible devices

The next thing you can do to troubleshoot the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE Stop error is to plug in and out each one of the different hardware that is connected to your computer. Doing so will help you determine which one of the hardware is the one that’s triggering the error to pop up. You will also know what hardware drivers or anything else that could be causing this error which includes external devices like mouse, keyboard, printer, as well as internally attached components like the Graphics card and so on.

Option 3 – Try to update, rollback or disable device drivers

To fix the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE Stop error, you can also try to roll back, or update, or disable device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

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

Option 4 – Run the System File Checker Scan

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. Thus, you can try running it to resolve the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE Blue Screen error. To do so, follow the steps given below.

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

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

 Restart your computer.

Option 5 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE – 0x000000DA. It can be found in the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

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

Error Code 0x800704c7 – What is it?

Error code 0x800704c7 occurs when Windows users attempt but fail to update their system. It affects various Windows users including those using Windows 8 and 8.1. This error code has common symptoms such as the following:

• Inability to upgrade your Windows operating system
• Message box that includes error code 0x800704c7 message

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0x800704c7 in Windows 8 often occurs due to a poorly maintained system. It can occur when system files become corrupted or missing. It may also occur when malware infects your system. To resolve this error code, Windows users will need to select at least one of the manual repair methods listed below and follow the instructions given.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Manual repair methods enable users to address the underlying issues causing error code 0x800704c7. These repair methods are not very technical. However, you may need to get help from an IT professional if you find them to be difficult or if your attempts to implement these instructions fail to fix the error code.

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

The System File Checker Tool (SFC) enables Windows users to check their system for missing or corrupt system files. This utility tool is present on all Windows 8 systems and even other versions of the Windows operating system. Run this tool by following the steps below:

• Step one: Go to Start and type Command Prompt or CMD.
• Step two: Run as Administrator
• Step three: Type sfc /scannow.

After running these procedures, check if the error code has been resolved by reattempting to update your system. If you are unable to complete the process and the error message reoccurs, try the next manual repair method below.

Method two: Use Powerful Antimalware Tool

Various forms of malware, including viruses, can infect your system, causing error codes to occur or even more serious problems. That’s why you’ll need to ensure you have a powerful antimalware program installed on your device. Once this is present on your system, start scanning for viruses, worms, and Trojan horses so as to resolve error code 0x800704c7 in Windows 8.

If the issue causing error code 0x800704c7 on your device is a virus or worm, cleaning your system with a powerful antimalware program will successfully resolve the error code. However, if the error code remains unresolved after completing this manual repair method, proceed to the next method below.

Method three: Restore your System

System Restore is a simple method that users can implement to resolve error code 0x800704c7. This enables users to restore their system to a period of time in which their device was not affected by the error code. If done correctly, it can enable users to successfully complete the update process. Follow the steps below.

• Step one: Click the Start button and type Control Panel in the search box
• Step two: Select Control Panel, then Recovery
• Step three: Select System Restore, then Next
• Step four: Select a restore point before appeared on your Windows8 system
• Step five: Select Next, then Finish

Method Four: Use an Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 8 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

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

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

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

About Browser Hijackers

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

How to determine if your internet browser has been hijacked

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

Exactly how browser hijacker finds its way onto your PC

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

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

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

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

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

Get rid of malware in Safe Mode

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

Switch over to an alternate browser

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

Create a portable antivirus for removing malware

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

SafeBytes Security Suite Benefits

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

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

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

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

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

USB storage devices are used to store small and even big files, depending on their sizes. Usually, the sizes of the USB vary from 2GB up to 16GB. And as time passes, they have advanced quite a bit and now it’s common to find USB sticks with a capacity of 32GB, 64GB, or even 128GB. And since they now have large capacities, USB storage devices are often used for storing backups of system data as well as creating an image. However, there are times when you might encounter an error message while trying to create a backup or image on your USB device. The error message states:

“The drive is not a valid backup location.”

One of the causes of this problem is that Windows was not able to recognize the USB drives as a valid backup location since USB storage devices weren’t previously large enough to store system images. To fix this error, here are some possible solutions that might help.

Option 1 – Try creating a sub-folder in the USB drive and backup all the images there

The first thing you can try to do is to create a sub-folder on your USB device. This is one good way you can bypass the USB drive limitation. How? Refer to the steps below.

• First, right-click on the USB storage device and select Format.
• Next, select NTFS as the File System and check the box next to Quick Format.
• After that, click on Start to initiate the formatting process.
• Once the formatting process is completed, open the USB drive and right-click anywhere inside its main drive window, and then select New > Folder.
• Then name the folder to be created as “Image (or anything you please)”.
• Afterward, right-click on the folder and select Properties.
• From there, go to the Sharing tab and click on Share.
• Now check if the Permission level on the System owner which should be your username is labeled as “Owner”.
• Then try to back up your files again using your USB drive while keeping the sub-folder as the backup location.

Option 2 – Update the USB Controller Drivers

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

You also have the option to update the motherboard and the USB driver from the manufacturer’s official website.

Option 3 – Run CHKDSK utility to check the drive for errors

When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. To use it, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
• Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:

CHKDSK [volume [[path] filename]] [/F] [/V] [/R] [/X] [/C] [: size]]

Note: In the command given above, “[/F]” will try to fix the system errors while “[/R]” will be the one to fix the bad sectors.

• Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your PC, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
• If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
• After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.

Error 10013 - What is it?

Error 10013 is a type of Socket Windows PC error. Socket error 10013 occurs when the attempt to access the server is denied. This indicates that the needed socket connection is denied which further implies that a port is blocked or unreachable.

Solution

Error Causes

The socket error 10013 can occur due to multiple reasons:

• Antivirus or firewall software
• Incompatible drivers
• Registry corruption
• Misconfigured files

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve the socket error 10013 on your PC, here are some methods that you can try:

1. Disable Firewall

To resolve this issue on your PC, you may have to temporarily disable Firewall. Sometimes Firewall can stop you from connecting to the server. Try doing this; it is most likely to resolve the error. If the Firewall is the reason for the denied access, turning it off will surely help.

2. Disable your Antivirus Software

If disabling the Firewall doesn’t resolve the issue, try disabling your antivirus software temporarily. If the error still persists, then try other solutions listed below.

3. Upgrade Drivers

Incompatible drivers could be a reason too for denied server access. Your server may no longer be using the drivers that you have on your PC which is why you may not be getting permission to access it. If this is the cause, then the best way to resolve it is to upgrade drivers. To find out about new drivers, visit the software manufacturer’s website for new drivers and then download them to your PC.

4. Registry Issues

Sometimes the underlying cause of the error could be registry issues and misconfigured files. If you don’t wipe out unnecessary and obsolete files from your systems like junk files, cookies, internet history, temporary files, and other files from your PC, it can damage and corrupt the registry and misconfigured files thereby causing socket error 10013 on your system. To resolve registry issues and repair your PC, download Restoro. It is an advanced, easy to use, and highly functional PC fixer embedded with multiple utilities including a powerful registry cleaner. It is deployed with an intuitive algorithm that scans and detects all registry issues in seconds. It removes all the unnecessary and obsolete files stored in your PC overloading your registry. This registry cleaner repairs the damaged and misconfigured files and restores the registry, thereby resolving socket error 10013 on your system right away. It has simple navigations and a user-friendly interface which makes it very easy for all levels of users to work around and use it to its maximum advantage.  Furthermore, it can be installed on all Windows PC. Restoro is compatible with all Windows versions. In addition to this, it also includes several other value-added features such as an antivirus, a system optimizer, and an Active X controls and class scanner. These utilities can be used to resolve numerous other PC-related errors. Click here to download Restoro today and resolve socket error 10013 on your PC right away.

Internal Error 2324 - What is it?

Internal Error 2324 occurs when you try to upgrade Firefox on your Windows 7 PC. The program fails to install and run successfully. The following error message is displayed:

‘The installer encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2324.’

Solution

Error Causes

This error may occur due to different reasons. These include:

• Viral infection
• Bad registry entries (cookies or traces of old version of Firefox program)
• Other programs running on your PC during Firefox program installation
• Installation was not performed from the Administrator account

To use the Firefox web browser successfully on your PC, you first need to resolve error 2324 on your system.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To repair error 2324, try the following methods:

Method 1 - Perform a Clean Reinstall.

This means to remove the Firefox program completely from your PC and then reinstall it. To do this, remove the Firefox installation folder saved in one of the locations by default: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox Now download the latest Firefox version on your PC and save the setup file on your computer. After that double click, the downloaded installation file and follow the steps illustrated in the wizard to install Firefox on your PC.

Method 2

Sometimes Firefox installation may fail because of the interference from other programs running on your PC. Therefore, it is advisable to close all programs running in the background when upgrading the Firefox program. You can also disable programs like Logitech QuickCam and Spybot Tea Timer.  These are some of the many programs that are notorious for interfering with Firefox updates.

Method 3 - Scan for viruses to resolve.

Viruses are malicious programs that often enter computers through files downloads from unreliable websites and phishing emails. These programs then hide in your PC and infect it. You may often experience problems during program installation if your PC is infected by viruses. To fix the issue and ensure smooth Firefox program installation on your system, simply run an antivirus. Antivirus scans and detects all viruses in a few minutes. Upon detection, remove them right away to ensure your PC is free from such malicious programs. Now try updating Firefox on your system again. If it is updated smoothly, then the error is resolved.

Method 4

The registry of your system stores all the activities performed on your PC. You may have uninstalled the old Firefox version from the Control Panel but the traces of the uninstalled program may still remain in the registry as bad entries. These bad entries may be causing error 2324 to pop up on your PC. To resolve, you need to remove these entries from the registry. For quick removal, download Restoro. It is a user-friendly PC Fixer with a registry cleaner that scans and removes all obsolete files stored in the registry such as incorrect registry keys, bad entries, cookies, and junk files. Click here to download Restoro.

Oh, gamers rejoice, the Steam autumn sale is just around the corner!!!

The sale starts on November 22nd and lasts until November 29th. A great deal for any gamer, especially for ones that have plenty on their wishlist. Speaking of wishlists now would be a good time to place some interesting titles on them so you can be notified about discounts on them.

If you by any chance are unavailable to participate in the Autumn sale, do not worry, Steam winter sale is coming on December 22nd and it will last until January the 5th so you can save for it.

The best tactic for sale is not to jump on the train right away, it is best to wait until a few days, maybe even until the last 2 days since some games can go even lower on discount in the last days of the sale. Also, there might be also some packages that include games you wish to buy but are packed with other ones in a bundle and even with a higher discount.

So get prepared for the upcoming sale and treat yourself to something nice!

ChatZum is a Potentially Unwanted Program that installs a Toolbar into your browser. This program allegedly allows users to zoom in on photos without clicking on them, however, upon further research, it was discovered that this function does not work on the latest version of browsers.

From the Author: ChatZum is a Browser add-on (toolbar) that enables its users to hover over images in Major Social network's websites and view a larger version of an image.

While installing this toolbar will track user web browsing sessions and will record website visits, clicks, and sometimes even personal information. This information is later used to display targeted ads to the user. To allow easier user tracking, the program changes the browser home page and default search engine to Nation Search Advanced, which injects additional advertisements and tracks user activity.

Several anti-virus applications have marked this program as Potentially Unwanted, and it is not recommended to keep it on your computer, especially considering the fact it will most likely not work on your browser.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

If you have ever installed a free application or shareware, chances are high that the computer will get installed with a bunch of unwanted applications. A Potentially Unwanted Program, also called PUP, in short, is actually software that contains adware, installs toolbars, or has got other hidden objectives. These types of programs are generally bundled up with a free application that you download from the internet or may also be bundled inside the custom installers of many download websites. PUPs aren’t always viewed as “pure” malware in the strictest sense. A fundamental difference between PUP and malware is distribution. Malware is normally dropped by silent installation vectors like drive-by downloads while PUP gets installed with the consent of the computer user, who knowingly or unknowingly approves the PUP installation on their computer system. But, there is no doubt that PUPs remain bad news for PC users as it could be quite dangerous to your computer in many ways.

The damage PUPs can do

The unwanted programs after installation display numerous annoying pop-up ads, trigger fake alerts, and sometimes even forces a computer owner to pay for the software. PUPs that come as browser add-ons and toolbars are commonly recognizable. These toolbars alter your homepage and your search engine in the installed web browser, track your web activities, modify your search results with redirects and sponsored links, and eventually slow down your browser and diminish your browsing experience. Potentially unwanted programs use aggressive distribution methods to get onto your computer. The worst part of setting up a PUP is the adware, spyware, and keystroke loggers that could lurk inside. Even if the PUPs really aren’t inherently malicious, these applications still do practically nothing good on your PC – they’ll take valuable system resources, slow down your PC, weaken your computer security, making your PC more vulnerable to malware.

How to avoid ‘crapware’

• Read the EULA thoroughly. Look for clauses that state that you have to accept advertising and pop-ups or bundled applications from the company. • Always opt for the custom if you’re offered an option between “Custom” and “Recommended” Installations – never ever click Next, Next, Next thoughtlessly. • Use a good anti-malware application. Try Safebytes Anti-malware which can find PUPs and treat them as malware by flagging them for deletion. • Be alert if you download and install freeware, open-source applications, or shareware. Do not ever install software applications that seem shady or malicious. • Always download applications from the original website. The majority of PUPs find their way onto your laptop or computer is via download portals, so steer clear of it altogether. Remember the fact that even though PUPs could potentially cause damage and hinder the proper functioning of the PC, they can’t enter into your system without your consent, so be alert not to provide them with it.

How One Can Get rid of Malware that is Blocking Websites or Preventing Downloads

Malware could potentially cause many kinds of damage to PCs, networks, and data. Some malware goes to great lengths to stop you from downloading or installing anything on your computer, especially antivirus software. If you’re reading this article, odds are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download or install the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your PC. Even though this sort of problem can be tougher to circumvent, there are some steps you can take.

Make use of Safe Mode to resolve the issue

If the malware is set to run automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, stepping into safe mode could block the attempt. Just minimal required programs and services are loaded when you boot your computer in Safe Mode. To launch your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, do as instructed below. 1) Tap the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your PC boots, however, before the big Windows logo or black screen with white texts come up. This would invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you should have the internet. Now, obtain the malware removal program you want by utilizing the web browser. To install the program, follow the guidelines in the installation wizard. 4) Right after installation, do a full scan and allow the software program to get rid of the threats it detects.

Switch to an alternate internet browser

Some malware mainly targets certain browsers. If this is your situation, employ another internet browser as it might circumvent the computer virus. When you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a trojan or otherwise compromised by online hackers, the best thing to do is to switch over to an alternate internet browser such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Apple Safari to download your chosen security program – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Create a portable USB antivirus for eliminating viruses

Another technique is to download and transfer an antivirus application from a clean computer to run a scan on the infected computer. Follow these steps to run the anti-malware on the affected computer. 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free PC. 2) Connect the flash drive to a USB slot on the clean computer. 3) Double click on the exe file to run the installation wizard. 4) Choose the USB stick as the location for saving the file. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the flash drive to the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the USB drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Click the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

Protect your PC from Malware With SafeBytes Security Suite

If you are looking to install an anti-malware program for your PC, there are lots of tools in the market to consider nonetheless, you just cannot trust blindly anyone, regardless of whether it is a paid or free program. A few of them are great but there are several scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware programs waiting around to wreak havoc on your PC. You have to pick a company that develops industry-best anti-malware and it has earned a reputation as reliable. One of the highly recommended applications by industry analysts is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, the safest program for Microsoft Windows. SafeBytes can be described as a highly effective, real-time antivirus application that is made to assist the average computer user in protecting their PC from malicious internet threats. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software will help you protect your computer against infections brought on by various kinds of malware and other internet threats, including spyware, adware, trojans, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs).

There are many wonderful features you’ll get with this particular security product. Listed below are some of the features you will like in SafeBytes.

Active Protection: SafeBytes offers a completely hands-free active protection and is set to observe, block, and kill all computer threats at its very first encounter. It will check your PC for suspicious activity at all times and its unrivaled firewall shields your computer from illegal entry by the outside world. Robust, Anti-malware Protection: Using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection which is made to catch and remove threats that are concealed deep inside your PC. Web Security: Safebytes allots all sites a unique safety ranking that helps you to get an idea of whether the webpage you’re just about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Extremely Speed Scanning: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is among the fastest and most efficient in the industry. It's targeted scanning significantly increases the catch rate for viruses which is embedded in various computer files. Lightweight: SafeBytes is really lightweight software. It consumes an extremely small amount of processing power as it runs in the background which means you will not observe any computer performance difficulties. 24/7 Support: For any technical concerns or product assistance, you may get 24/7 expert assistance via chat and email. To sum it up, SafeBytes Anti-Malware offers outstanding protection combined with an acceptable low system resources usage with both great malware detection and prevention. You now may realize that this particular tool does more than just scan and remove threats from your computer. You will get the best all-around protection for the money you pay on SafeBytes AntiMalware subscription, there’s no question about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to do the removal of ChatZum manually rather than using an automated software tool, you can follow these simple steps: Navigate to the Windows Control Panel, click the “Add/Remove Programs” and there, choose the offending application to remove. In case of suspicious versions of web browser plug-ins, you can easily get rid of it through your web browser’s extension manager. You might also want to reset your home page and search providers, as well as delete browsing history, temporary files, and cookies. If you choose to manually remove the system files and Windows registry entries, use the following list to make sure you know exactly what files to remove before undertaking any actions. Please note that only advanced users should try to manually edit the system files mainly because removing any single vital registry entry results in a serious problem or even a PC crash. In addition, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing its removal. Doing this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is recommended.

If you are using Google Chrome browser in surfing the web, you might have experienced a situation where you’re trying to connect to a website but were unable to since Chrome failed to fetch the website to the browser and throws an error that says, This webpage is not available – Err Connection Timed Out. Aside from an issue with the network connection, there are also other reasons why this error suddenly shows up, read on to fix it. There are times when the Windows computer is responsible for this kind of issue. And it can happen not just to Google Chrome but to other browsers as well. To resolve this issue, here are some suggestions that might be of help.

Option 1 – Try checking the network cables and then restart your router and reconnect

The first thing you can do is to check if all the network cables are properly connected be it to your computer or to the router. And if your computer is connected via Wi-Fi, you need to restart your router once. And of course, you can always opt to forget the Wi-Fi details and then reconnect again just make sure that you know the password.

Option 2 – Check the Windows Host file

You can also try to cross-check the Windows Hosts file to find out if the website you are trying to open has been blocked because if it is, then it’s no wonder why you’re getting the ERR CONNECTION TIMED OUT error in Chrome. There are instances when some third-party application modifies the file and adds some websites to the blocklists. So if the website is indeed blocked, you need to remove it from the list.

Option 3 – Try removing Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the ERR CONNECTION TIMED OUT error. Here’s how you can do it:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
• After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
• From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
• Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
• Restart your PC.

Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 4 – Try to clear the browsing data of Google Chrome

If your browsing data in Chrome hasn’t been cleared for some time now then that might be the reason why you’re suddenly getting the ERR CONNECTION TIMED OUT error when you browse the web. To fix this error, you need to clear your web browsing data. Refer to the following steps to do so.

• Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Delete buttons to go to the Clear browsing data section in Chrome.
• Next, set the time range to “All time” and tick all the boxes and then click on the Clear data button.
• After that, restart the Chrome browser and try to open the website you were trying to open earlier.

Option 5 – Flush the DNS and reset TCP/IP

You might also want to flush the DNS and reset TCP/IP as it could help in fixing the ERR CONNECTION TIMED OUT error. To do so, refer to these steps:

• Click the Start button and type in “command prompt” in the field.
• From the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt, you have to type each one of the commands listed below. Just make sure that after you type each command, you hit Enter
  • ipconfig /release
  • ipconfig /all
  • ipconfig /flushdns
  • ipconfig /renew
  • netsh int ip set dns
  • netsh winsock reset

After you key in the commands listed above, the DNS cache will be flushed and the Winsock, as well as the TCP/IP, will reset.

• Now restart your computer and open Google Chrome then try opening the website you were trying to open earlier.

Option 6 – Run the built-in Malware Scanner and Cleanup Tool in Chrome

In case you don’t know, there is actually a built-in malware scanner and cleanup tool in Chrome that helps you get rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and other things that could affect the performance of the browser.

Option 7 – Reset Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you get rid of the ERR CONNECTION TIMED OUT error. Resetting Chrome means restoring its default settings, disabling all the extensions, add-ons, and themes. Aside from that, the content settings will be reset as well and the cookies, cache, and site data will also be deleted. To reset Chrome, here’s what you have to do:

• Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
• After that, click on Settings.
• Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
• After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up the option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
• Now restart Google Chrome.