Have you been feeling anxious in the digital space? Feeling like you have a million eyes on you each time you visit a website? It can definitely make you uneasy. Luckily there’s an easy fix, and it’s called a VPN.
In this article we’ll take you through the basics of what a VPN does and some of the biggest benefits you can reap from buying one.
VPN: definition and how it works
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, so its name already says a lot about what it does.
A VPN is specialized software that keeps your browsing private and secure. Essentially it hides your identity, preventing possible cyberattacks and data theft. This is especially important in cases of public network use, where you’re highly exposed to potential threats.
To be more specific, this software encrypts your Internet Protocol (IP) address by filtering it through a server hosted by the VPN provider first. That way, it prevents your Internet service provider, third parties and lurking online thieves from tracking the actual you.
Credit: FLY:D on Unsplash
Some providers, such as Surfshark VPN with its IP Rotator feature, even make it a habit to frequently change your IP address to further protect your identity. With most VPN providers, you can also appear to be in a completely different country, adding to your disguise.
There are tons of advantages you can look forward to if you decide to use a VPN. Take a look at some of the crucial ones.
Benefits of using a VPN
When choosing a VPN, you can find both free and paid options. We recommend you go with the paid ones, since they have stronger security, encryption and data protection, as well as more advanced features. Free VPNs come with limitations and risk of malicious attacks on the software itself.
You can choose to buy a singular VPN service or opt for antivirus software that has a VPN built in, for example Bitdefender’s Ultimate Security plan. That depends on what you use your computer for and how much.
When you pick one, here’s what it can do for you.
1. Access region-specific content
When we said you could change your location, we meant it. Say you’re using a streaming service and a show you desperately want to watch isn’t available in your country. You can use your VPN to make it look like you’re browsing from a country where it’s unlocked.
This option is also convenient for gamers who want to access maps, skins and other in-game items unavailable in their location.
In addition, you can use this powerful feature when you’re traveling to a region where some of your favorite content may not be accessible.
Do keep in mind that you need to read the Terms and Conditions (yeah, we know - who does that?) of your games and services before doing this, since you could end up getting a penalty. It’s also important to remember that there are entire countries that have strict regulations or even bans on VPNs, for example Belarus, Russia and China. So make sure to be very cautious with your VPN use, friends.
2. Browse like no one’s watching
VPNs shield your browsing habits from prying eyes on the web. Those can be malicious hackers or just third-party cookies tracking your every move to later bombard you with targeted ads. For example, Surfshark VPN features a Cookie blocker that blocks all cookie-related pop-ups and lets you browse in peace (and secret). It works even when the VPN is turned off, which is also pretty neat.
In addition, their CleanWeb 2.0 technology makes sure ads and especially malware don’t stand a chance at all, since they’re blocked before they can even load.
The inability of sites to track your browsing means they can’t collect and analyze any of your data. So, your personal information - or your company’s information in case that’s what you’re using your computer for - is entirely hidden and secure.
3. Save money
It’s well-known that the prices of certain items and services vary based on your location, browsing time, age and many other factors. This most commonly goes for airline tickets and hotel stays.
You can use your VPN to avoid high prices and surcharges. Clear all cookies, turn on your VPN and visit an online shopping site to check out their prices. Then compare your findings with the offers you see when your VPN is off, when you spend a long time on the site or have an active account with the company.
Sometimes this can really help you find the best deals and avoid breaking the bank. But again, check the Terms and Conditions before you purchase something using a VPN.
4. Secure your smart home
The more smart devices you have connected to your network, the more exposed you are to potential cyberattacks. Phones and computers are generally designed to be decently secure even without a VPN or antivirus, but smart home devices leave a lot to be desired in that regard.
Protecting your home network with a VPN software means all devices connected to it are secure, be it an air purifier or Alexa.
Credit Bence Boros on Unsplash
5. Prevent connection slowdown
Your ISP can intentionally slow down your internet speed based on how much data you’ve consumed (data throttling) or your activities online (bandwidth throttling).
But with a VPN, what kind of data you send and receive and how much is entirely hidden. Therefore, if your ISP can’t see you, they can’t control you and they can’t throttle down your speed.
The bottom line
You can never be too safe online. So definitely think about getting yourself a solid VPN to pump up your privacy and security as much as you can. And if you have any questions or need help choosing the perfect software for you, feel free to reach out to us.
If you suddenly encountered an error saying, “The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000005)” when you are using an application on your Windows 10 computer, read on as this post will provide you some potential fixes that could help you fix the error.
You can encounter the “The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000005)” error on many applications such as VLC, Chrome, Word, and any other executable files and even the operating system files. When you get this kind of error, you will see the following error message:
“The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000005). Click on OK to close the application.”
This kind of application error can occur due to several reasons which include damaged installation of the application or system files may have gotten corrupted or damaged. It could also be caused by a malware infection. There are a couple of suggestions provided in this post to help you resolve the error. You can try to run both a System File Checker scan and the DISM tool or reinstall the problematic application or repair-install Windows 10 as well as run a malware scan. Note that the options provided below do not have to be followed in sequence.
Option 1 – Try to run a System File Checker scan
As mentioned, the error could be due to corrupted or damaged system files and one of the ways you can fix that is by running a System File Checker or SFC scan on your computer. To do so, follow these steps:
In the Windows Start Search, type “command prompt” and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results, and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
After opening Command Prompt with admin privileges, type the “sfc /scannow” and tap Enter to execute it.
Once the scan is finished, restart your computer and see if the “The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000005)” error is fixed or not.
Option 2 – Run the DISM tool
You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the application error. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.
Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.
Option 3 – Try reinstalling the application
You might also want to uninstall the application and download its latest working version and then install it back again. Note that when you do this, you will lose all your app data.
Option 4 – Try to repair install Windows 10
First, you have to click this link and then click the Download Tool Now button.
Next, click the “Use the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file)…” option and follow the next given instructions on the screen.
Now select the ISO file option in step 5.
After that, you should now have an ISO file.
Next, go to the location where you’ve downloaded the ISO file.
Then right-click on the Windows 10 ISO file and select the Open with option and then select File Explorer.
Now click on “setup.exe” and follow the next instructions that appear on the screen. When asked, you have to select either Nothing (clean install) or Keep personal files only option. Take note that you must not select the “Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings”.
Option 5 – Try scanning your computer using Windows Defender
It is possible that your computer is infected with malware which could be why you’re getting the “The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000005)” error. Thus, you need to scan your computer using Windows Defender.
Tap the Win + I keys to open Update & Security.
Then click on the Windows Security option and open Windows Defender Security Center.
Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Run a new advanced scan.
Now make sure that Full Scan is selected from the menu and then click the Scan Now button to get started.
To understand Kernel32.dll error properly, here’s what you need to know first: in the Windows operating system, the system32 directory plays a vital role. Inside this directory, there is an element called Kernel32.dll.
A DLL (dynamic link library) is a library that contains codes and data that are used by more than one program at the same time.
The role of the Kernel32.dll file is to handle memory management and I/O (input and output) operations.
Malfunctioning of this file results in a Kernel32.dll error message which leads to program or application failure.
Error Causes
Kernel32.dll files can be attributed to several reasons like:
Missing or damaged Kernel32.dll files
Registry corruption
.Dll files misconfiguration if programs are installed or uninstalled.
Viral infection or malware attack
It is advisable to repair the Kernel32.dll error immediately to avoid inconvenience and serious computer damages like program lockouts, system failure, freeze, and crash.
Further Information and Manual Repair
All causes for the Kernel32.dll error are linked with the registry.
The registry is the major database of your system that stores all the activities you perform on your system.
It saves both important data and unnecessary files in the RAM (Random Access Memory) including the junk files, temporary internet files, and obsolete files such as files of the deleted/uninstalled programs.
These files accumulate a lot of memory space. It leads to disk fragmentation, data overload, missing and damaged DLL files, and eventually registry corruption.
Other reasons for registry issues that trigger Kernel32.dll errors on your system could be malicious software like viruses, adware, and malware. These also corrupt the registry and damaged DLL files.
Kernel32.dll Error Solutions
There are two ways to resolve the Kernel32.dll error on your PC, one is to install two separate tools registry cleaner and an antivirus and run them individually to scan your system and repair it.
This option is time-consuming and besides if antivirus software is notorious for slowing down systems. So by downloading a separate antivirus you may have to sacrifice your system’s speed.
One of the most important User Interface elements in a Windows 10 operating system is the Start Menu. Not too long ago, Microsoft has added some new features and redesigned the Start Menu a couple of times as well. Thus, it is not uncommon for Windows 10 users to use several monitors. That’s why in this post, you will be guided on how you can move the Start Menu to your second monitor in Windows 10.
There are a lot of advantages in using more than one monitor like a better and widescreen as well as help in improving and increasing productivity. Usually, the Start Menu and the taskbar is present in the original monitor only. In most cases, it helps users in moving the Start Menu to the second monitor and helps users in segregating tasks, and uses separate monitors for each kind of task.
There are two simple steps to move the Start Menu to the second monitor. You have the option to unlock and drag the taskbar, as well as make adjustments in the settings. To get started, refer to each one of the following options to move the Start Menu to the second monitor.
Option 1 – Move the second monitor by unlocking and dragging the taskbar
The first option you can try to move the Start Menu to the second display is to simply unlock and then drag the taskbar. To do so, follow these steps:
First, click on the Taskbar and unlock it.
Next, uncheck the Lock the taskbar feature in the menu of the Taskbar Settings. This will free the taskbar so you can move or drag it around.
After that, push the Start Menu to the furthermost corner of the screen and then transfer it to the second monitor.
Option 2 – Move the second monitor using the keyboard
The first thing you have to do is to tap the Windows key to open the Start Menu.
Next, close the Start Menu by tapping the Esc key.
After that, the controls will shift back to the taskbar.
Now open the context menu of the taskbar by tapping the Alt + space bar together. This will move the Start Menu to the second monitor.
Option 3 – Move the Start Menu to the second monitor via Settings
If you find that the Taskbar is moving to the wrong monitor automatically or if the program does not start on the same monitor as the taskbar, then you can try this option.
Click on Start first and click Run.
Then type “desk.cpl” in the field and click OK.
Alternatively, you could also right-click on the desktop and select the Screen Resolution option from the drop-down menu.
After that, click on the monitor that you want to use as the primary monitor and select the checkbox labeled “Make this my main display”.
Once done, you have to choose the “Show desktop” on only 1 from the drop-down menu of Multiple displays.
Now click the Keep Changes option and select the Extend these displays from the Multiple displays drop-down menu and then click on the Apply button to save the changes made.
Afterward, click the Keep changes option once the dialog box pops up.
If you encounter an error while trying to burn files to a CD or disk on your Windows 10 computer, stating, “Windows Media Player cannot burn some of the files”, read on as this post will guide you in fixing the error.
Here’s the complete error message:
“Windows Media Player cannot burn some of the files. To investigate the problem, click the icon next to the files in the burn list.”
As you know, the Windows Media Player helps you burn songs or audio files to CD or disk but it does not always end up successfully as you could encounter some setbacks such as this particular error. Usually, this kind of issue occurs if an audio file does not comply with some restrictions so the Windows Media Player pops up this error instead. You can encounter this error message if:
You include a file that’s not an audio file.
If the total time limit exceeds 80 minutes (even though a CD has 700 MB storage capacity, you can’t burn audio of more than 80 minutes long)
To resolve the error, you have to remove the unsupported files from the burning list, change the burning speed or execute some tweaks in the Privacy settings. For more details, refer to the instructions provided below.
Option 1 – Get rid of the unsupported files from the burning list
You must get rid of the unsupported files from the list of files to burn. This list can be found on the right-hand side of the Windows Media Player. One of the indications that a file is causing problems is when there is a white cross in a red circle next to the file. You can simply click on that icon to remove the file from the burning list. Once you’ve gotten rid of all the unsupported files, try to burn your files to the CD or disk once more.
Option 2 – Try to modify the Privacy settings
In case you don’t know, the Windows Media Player comes with privacy settings that help you in various situations. However, on rare occasions, those settings could also trigger errors and this might be the one that’s causing the “Windows Media Player cannot burn some of the files” to pop up. Thus, you can try disabling these options to resolve the error. How? Refer to these steps:
Open the Windows Media Player.
Then go to Tools > Options. If you aren’t able to find the Tools menu, just tap the Ctrl + M keys. On the other hand, you can also tap the Alt key to display the menu options.
Once you’ve opened the Options window, go to the Privacy tab where you can the “Enhanced Playback and Device Experience” section.
In this section, you can find the following options. Make sure to disable them all.
Display media information from the Internet
Update music files by retrieving media info from the Internet
Download usage rights automatically when I play or sync a file
Automatically check if protected files need to be refreshed
Set clock on devices automatically
After you disable the options listed above, click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made and then try to burn the files again.
Option 3 – Try to change the burning speed
Since the burning speed is set to fastest by default, you can try to change the burning speed to resolve the problem. All you have to do is open the Options window and then go to the Burn tab. From there, select either Medium or Slow burning speed and save the changes made. Now try to burn your files to the CD or disk once again.
Booting the Windows computer system includes loading it from the various boot devices such as drivers, network as well as USB drives when the computer is turned on. The instant the startup sequence is done loading the operating system the system hardware will be ready to perform some complex operations – in this process, the Boot Log in Windows 10 is a record that maintains the list of success or failure of many pieces of Windows 10 system during the booting process. In other words, the Boot Log is the one that keeps a record of all that has happened while loading from the computer storage system to the memory during the boot process. It is available for several devices like network, hardware devices, and the operating system which assist in detecting issues during the boot process and other issues with regards to troubleshooting. Through Boot Log, you’ll know which drivers were unloaded and loaded from the start of the system during the boot process. You have the option to either disable or enable this feature on your Windows 10 PC.
Named as “ntbtlog.txt”, the log file lists all the successfully loaded processes and the unsuccessful ones during the boot process. It is saved to the drive C:Windowsntbtlog.txt. As mentioned, you can enable or disable this feature in two ways – the first one is by using the System Configuration or MSConfig while the second one is using the Command Prompt. In this post, we’ll show you how you can enable or disable Boot Log in Windows 10 either way.
Option 1 – Enable or Disable Boot Log using System Configuration
Enable Boot Log:
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type in “msconfig” and click OK to open System Configuration.
After that, go to the boot tab and check the checkbox labeled “Boot Log” under the Boot options so that you can enable the Boot Log feature.
Then click on OK to save the changes made.
Next, click on the Restart button in the prompt window to get started with the Boot Log process.
After restarting your PC, go to C:Windowsntbtlog.txt to open the boot log.
Note: As pointed out earlier, the log file contains a list of all the successfully loaded drivers and also the list of drivers that failed to load during the boot process and every time you restart the system, the boot log file will keep on updating and will eventually increase the list of entries. For you to locate the drivers and make your troubleshooting a lot easier, I advised disabling the boot log after troubleshooting. To disable the boot log using System Configuration, refer to the steps below.
Disable Boot Log:
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type in “msconfig” and click OK to open System Configuration.
After that, go to the boot tab and unmark or uncheck the checkbox labeled “Boot Log” under the Boot options so that you can disable the Boot Log feature.
Then click on OK to save the changes made.
Option 2 – Enable or Disable Boot Log using Command Prompt
Enable Boot Log:
Go to the Start Menu and then type in “command prompt” in the search bar.
After that, right-click on the Command Prompt option and select the “Run as administrator” option.
After opening Command Prompt, type in “bcdedit” and tap Enter.
Note: You have to find the Identifier of the current operating system first to enable the Boot log. You can find it under the Windows Boot Loader section in the “Description” field and in this case, it’s Windows 10. You can also find the operating system identifier under the Windows Boot Loader section next to the field name identifier.
To check if the boot log entry is disabled or enabled, go check the “Bootlog” field under the Windows Boot Loader. And if it turns out that the “bootlog” entry is enabled, the entry will be “Yes”. Otherwise, the entry will be “No”.
Next, type in the following command with the operating system identifier to enable the boot log.
bcdedit /set {identifier} bootlog Yes
Note: In the command given above, make sure that you replace the given system identifier with your computer’s system identifier. For instance:
In this example, the identifier was replaced with the actual operating system identifier as current.
bcdedit /set {current} bootlog Yes
Afterward, restart the system to start the Boot log process.
After the restart, go to C:Windowsntbtlog.txt to open the boot log.
Note: Every time you restart your computer, the boot log file will keep on updating which will increase the size of the log eventually. So if you want seamless and easier troubleshooting, it is advised to disable the Boot log after you troubleshoot. To disable it using the Command Prompt, here’s what you have to do.
Disable Boot Log:
Go to the Start Menu and then type in “command prompt” in the search bar.
After that, right-click on the Command Prompt option and select the “Run as administrator” option.
Once the Command Prompt is opened, type in the following command and then tap Enter to disable the boot log feature.
bcdedit/ set {identifier} bootlog No
Note: In the command given above, you need to replace the given system identifier with your computer’s system identifier. For instance:
In this example, the {identifier} was replaced with the actual operating system identifier as {current}.
Microsoft has implemented a number of small features in Windows 10 to enhance user productivity. These features make a difference in the overall experience and productivity of users. However, there are times that instead of helping users, these small feature causes some issues instead which causes the computer to function in an unusual way. One of the issues caused by these features is where the Mouse automatically scrolls up or down even without any user intervention. This can get really annoying especially when you’re doing an important task on your computer. So if this bug takes place repeatedly, it can make your computer unusable. If you are currently facing this problem, worry not for this post will guide you on what to do to fix the mouse auto-scrolling issue in your Windows 10 computer.
Use the options provided below to fix the mouse auto-scrolling issue.
Option 1 – Try to toggle the appropriate Mouse 10 setting
Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings app.
After that, navigate to Devices > Mouse.
From there, toggle the “Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them” setting to off.
Now restart your computer and see if the issue is resolved.
Option 2 – Try to uninstall the installed Windows Updates recently
The mouse issue might have something to do with a recent update you have installed on your computer. It is possible that there are some recently installed updates that have messed up some settings in your computer. Thus, you can try to uninstall this recent Windows Update to try and fix the problem. Not that the best way to do this is in Safe Mode.
Boot your computer into Safe Mode first.
Once your computer has restarted, tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings app.
Next, click on Update and Security, and from the left side menu column, select Windows Update.
After that, select the “View installed update history” option on the right-side column.
Then click on Uninstall Updates. This will open a window where you’ll see the list of all the installed updates on your computer.
Select the update you want to uninstall and click on the Uninstall button located in the lower-right corner of the window.
Option 3 – Try to run System Restore
You might have made some adjustments in your computer’s settings that caused the issue with the mouse. You can undo those changes using System Restore.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and then check if your mouse is now back to its normal state.
Rstrui.exe is a service assigned to controlling system restore, it is considered an essential part of the Windows system and without it working you will not be able to perform a system restore operation.
Without system restore working you will not be able to "rewind" Windows into a working state if needed which can create in itself many new complications. Luckily we have working solutions for this specific problem, so get ready, and let's start.
SFC scan
Sfc scan is a built-in Windows tool that scans and repairs system corrupted and missing files. To run it open up the command prompt in administrator mode and type in it:
SFC /SCANNOW
then, let the whole process finish, do not interrupt it, and reboot after it is done.
DISM scan
Similar to SFC scan, DISM is also a built-in tool for fixing files linked to Windows essential working. Start a command prompt in administrator mode and type in:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Again let the process completely finish and then reboot your system.
Scan for viruses and other malware
Viruses and other malware can seriously damage the system and with it rstrui.exe along with it. Scan your system with Windows defender or even better with some other dedicated security suite to eliminate malicious threats if they exist.
Update Windows
Keeping Windows updated can bring you more good than harm, it is very advisable to keep it up to date all the time so all security leaks and bugs are repaired and that you have your OS in top-notch working order. Updating can also fix corrupted system files or replace them with newer versions so if your Windows is not updated go to update central and do it.
Congratulations, you have just Fixed the Rstrui.exe error in Windows 10 all by yourself. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.
Your Rstrui.exe error in Windows 10 should have been fixed now.
If you encounter the “We couldn’t install some updates because the PC was turned off” while trying to run Windows Update on your Windows 10 computer, then read on as this post will give you a couple of suggestions you can use as a reference to fix this error. Make sure to follow the options given below carefully.
Option 1 – Perform basic computer troubleshooting
If you get the “We couldn’t install some updates because the PC was turned off” error on your laptop, then it’s recommended that you connect your laptop to a power source and then try clicking the Update button again. In addition, you also have to make sure that your computer stays awake until the Windows Update process is completed. This will ensure that your computer does not go into an idle state and interfere with the process.
Option 2 – Try deleting the files from the SoftwareDistribution folder and resetting the Catroot2 folder
The downloaded Windows Updates are placed in a folder called “SoftwareDistribution”. The files downloaded in this folder are automatically deleted once the installation is completed. However, if the files are not clean up or if the installation is still pending, you can delete all the files in this folder after you pause the Windows Update service. For complete instructions, refer to the steps below.
Open the WinX Menu.
From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.
net stop wuauservnet start cryptSvcnet start bitsnet start msiserver
After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic and the MSI Installer
Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.
After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:
Type each one of the following commands.
net start wuauservnet start cryptSvcnet start bitsnet start msiserver
After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer and then try to run Windows Update once more.
Option 3 – Try restarting the Windows Update Services
Open the Services Manager.
From there, make sure that you set the following services and Startup types:
Background Intelligent Transfer Service: Manual
Cryptographic Service: Automatic
Windows Update Service: Manual (Triggered)
Option 4 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the “We couldn’t install some updates because the PC was turned off” error. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.
Option 5 – Try to install the Windows Updates manually
As mentioned, the error might be because Windows missed installing a particular update which is why you are not able to proceed with the current update. So to resolve the issue, you need to install the update that wasn’t installed by downloading it from the Microsoft Update Catalog website. You also have to make sure that you didn’t turn off the Windows update or have it delayed.
Option 6 – Run Microsoft’s online troubleshooter
Running Microsoft’s online troubleshooter might also help you fix the Windows update error. This online troubleshooter is known to help in fixing Windows Update errors, it scans your computer for issues that might be causing the problem and then fixes them automatically.
As you know, DLL files in the Windows environment contain all the code needed by programs in order to properly function. And like with most other software, the functions in the DLL file have to be compatible with Windows especially if they are using any built-in service. So if you encounter an error that says, “DLL is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error”, when you try to launch a program, then this could be due to a compatibility issue. To fix this error, read on as this post will walk you through doing that.
Based on the reports of users who encountered this error, the error pointed to a DLL file that was either designed to run on a different version of Windows. It is also possible that the DLL file itself is the problem. Here’s the complete error message:
“Bad Image – DLL file is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.”
According to security experts, the DLL files that are known to trigger this kind of error message are msvcr100.dll, msvcr110.dll, msvcp140.dll, lmirfsclientnp.dll, and so on. To fix this problem, you can try to update or reinstall the program that’s throwing the error to its latest version. You could also ask the vendor for the latest version of the DLL as well as run a System File Checker scan.
Option 1 – Try to update or reinstall the program to its latest version
The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to update or reinstall the program that’s throwing the error. It is possible that the version of DLL might be using a system call that is deprecated. So if you had updated your Windows 10 computer recently, you might want to check for an update of the software or you could also try to reinstall its latest version.
Option 2 – Try asking the vendor for the latest version of the DLL
The next thing you can do to fix the error is to ask for the latest version of DLL from the vendor. There are times when the software uses an open-source version of DLL so it is better if you ask the vendor if there is a DLL file that has to be updated. If there is, then you need to make sure to register the DLL once you have it.
Option 3 – Try to re-register the problematic DLL file
You can also try to re-register the DLL to resolve the problem. The Regsvr32 tool is a command-line utility that can be used to register and unregister OLE controls like DLL and ActiveX (OCX) controls in the Windows operating system. Follow the steps below to use it.
Open Command Prompt as admin from the WinX menu.
Next, type the following commands in the elevated Command Prompt and hit Enter to execute the command. This will re-register the affected DLL file using the Windows operating system tool, regsvr32.exe.
exe /[DLL file]
exe [DLL file]
Note: Replace “[DLL file]” with the name of the DLL file that was pointed out in the error.
After you execute the given commands, you should see a message saying, “DllRegisterServer in vbscript.dll succeeded” if the Regsvr32 tool was able to run successfully. After that, try to install the program again and see if it now works.
Option 4 – Try to replace the DLL file from a trusted source
First, you need to get the new DLL file from another computer with preferably the same file version number.
After that, you need to boot your PC into Safe Mode and navigate to the paths listed below and then replace the file using a USB drive or other external storage devices.
x86: This PC > C:/Windows/System32
x64: This PC > C:/Windows/SysWOW64
Next, type “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on Command Prompt, and select “Run as administrator” to open it with administrator privileges.
Now type the “regsvr32 ntdll.dll” command and hit Enter.
Restart your PC and check if the error is now fixed.
Option 5 – Run System File Checker scan
If reinstalling the program didn’t work, you can also try running the System File Checker or SFC scan to fix the error. System File Checker is a command utility built into your computer that helps restore corrupted files and missing files. Refer to the following steps to run it:
Hit the Win + R keys 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:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
Reboot your computer.
Option 6 – Troubleshoot the isDone.dll error in a Clean Boot State
You can also troubleshoot the “DLL is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error” in a Clean Boot state. It could be that there are some third-party applications in your computer that are preventing the application from getting installed and to isolate this possibility, you need to boot your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try installing the program again. Putting your computer in this state can help you identify which program is the culprit and thus isolates the problem. In a Clean Boot state, your computer will start using only the pre-selected minimal set of drivers and startup programs. Note that you have to disable and enable one process at a time.
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.)
After you’ve set your computer into a Clean Boot State, make sure that you’re signed in as administrator and then try to install the application again.
Option 7 – Try scanning your computer using Windows Defender
The DLL file might also be infected with malware or virus and to eliminate it which could explain why you’re getting the “DLL is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error”. Thus, you have to scan your computer using security programs like Windows Defender.
Tap the Win + I keys to open Update & Security.
Then click on the Windows Security option and open Windows Defender Security Center.
Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Run a new advanced scan.
Now make sure that Full Scan is selected from the menu and then click the Scan Now button to get started.
If you are trying to open a program or a game but you suddenly see a dialog box with a message stating that the application was unable to start correctly along with the Error Code 0xC000007B , STATUS INVALID IMAGE FORMAT then this indicates that the application is not compatible with the architecture of your Windows 10 computer or is missing dependencies.
Although error code 0xC000007B can also occur with other various programs, the STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_FORMAT error code also means that when you try to run an application that’s designed to run on a 64-bit system and hence gets into a termination state. In addition, if you are also pointed to the NTStatus.h file then it means that the error might be caused by some file corruption. Here’s the full context of the error message:
“0xC000007B | STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_FORMAT | {Bad Image} %hs is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.”
When you see this error message, the first thing you can do is to click on OK to close the application and then try installing the media again to see if it fixes the issue. If not, then you can check out the suggestions given below.
Option 1 – Try installing the application with admin privileges
The first thing you can do to fix the error is to restart your Windows 10 computer and then try installing the application again and this time with admin privileges. Just right-click on the application and select the “Run as Administrator” option. And if your account is a regular one, you need to make sure to ask an admin to help you in installing the application by entering the password when you are prompted to do so.
Option 2 – Install and update Dependencies
There are times when programs and applications need to have drivers and supporting software installed for them to properly work. Although the installation usually takes care of it, it’s time for you to do some manual checks especially if you are getting this issue of abnormal program termination.
1. Install some qualified drivers
A number of high-end games and applications need to have correct and valid drivers for them to work. They just don’t work with general drivers though. Microsoft has this Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing also known as WHQL testing which makes sure that drivers meet the correct experience and pass through the proper testing before certification. Thus, when installing drivers, you need to ensure that they are qualified drivers for your Windows 10 PC.
2. Download and install or update DirectX
As you know, Microsoft DirectX is a suite of technologies developed by Microsoft to provide hardware acceleration for heavy multimedia applications like HD videos and 3D games. Since you are using Windows 10, you have the DirectX 12 version while the earlier Windows versions use the DirectX 11 version.
3. Install the Microsoft DirectX End-user runtime
The Microsoft DirectX end-user runtime gives updates to version 9.0c as well as previous versions of DirectX. To install it, click on this link and download it.
4. Update or install the .NET framework
The .NET framework is used by games and applications during development which means that without the runtime files that are installed in your computer, it definitely won’t work. Thus, you need to install or update this framework. You can also use the .NET setup verification tool to verify it.
Option 3 – Try running the System File Checker Scan
The SFC or System File Checker scan could detect and automatically repair damaged system files that could be causing the Error Code 0xC000007B , STATUS INVALID IMAGE FORMAT error. 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 with good system files. To run the SFC command, 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:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
