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What is USB Kill Kit

USB Kill, a USB device is able to fry and damage your computer, mobile phone, router, etc. This device is quite dangerous and can kill electronics the moment it is inserted into an available port. By now people should know that they should not put unknown USB sticks into their devices because of potential virus and malware threats but this raises using unknown sticks to a whole new level.

usb kill kit

Kill kits are not really new to the market, they have existed before but lately, technology really progressed and the latest USB sticks are really good, their success rate is around 95% which is pretty high and should not be taken lightly.

The second thing that you really should not play with strange USB sticks is that they dropped in price really hard, although top Kill kits will still go as high as around 300 USD, there are really cheap ones lurking in Ali Express that are just 6 USD!!! that makes them affordable devices for the mass market.

The device is made to take energy and current from the port it is plugged in, multiply it and release its charge back into the device, successfully frying some components immediately. Some more professional Kill sticks can even fry devices even when the device itself is not powered and can be even started remotely.

The point of this article is to make you aware that you should not in any kind of circumstances use and plug-in USB sticks into your devices that you do not know where they come from, especially from the mail!!

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Fix Windows is not starting
Hello everyone and welcome to how to fix Windows when it is not starting tutorial. Here we will tackle some common problems and solutions in order to help you to get back both your computer and Windows in working order. Windows not booting and loading is an annoying issue that can even result in complete loss of your data and can also consume a lot of time if no other solution than clean install remains. Also if you are not tech-savvy, this issue can cost you as well since you will have to hire a professional to solve this problem for you. Here at Error Tools, we aim to help so you can overcome your PC issues yourself by providing you daily with tutorials, tips, and tricks and helping you with all of your Windows issues. All of that being said, let's see what are issues that can prevent your computer or Windows from booting up and get around them so everything is back in working order.
  1. Use repair tool

    Windows 10 comes with a startup repair tool that has the goal to repair and fix errors preventing Windows from booting up. To use this tool however you will need Windows 10 bootable USB stick. You can create a bootable USB directly on the Microsoft site. Once you have it ready, plug it in and reboot your computer, choose to boot from USB. When you are on the Windows setup screen, click on next and then on Repair your computer. Go to troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup repair. When Startup repair is clicked, Windows will boot, scan files for issues, and if they are found he will automatically fix them.
  2. “Windows Failed to Start” 0xc00000f error

    If you get this error on your boot of Windows, then you have corrupted boot configuration data. In order to fix this error, you will also need a bootable USB with Windows 10 on it. Make one on the Microsoft site if you don't have it and reboot your computer, boot from USB, on the setup screen click on next and then on Repair your computer. Click on Troubleshoot and then on the command prompt. In the command prompt type the following: bootrec /FixMbr bootrec /FixBoot bootrec /ScanOs bootrec /RebuildBcd exit Reboot your PC without a USB
  3. Boot into safe mode

    Safe mode for Windows loads only its core without drivers and with minimal services. If you can boot into safe mode then the issue is with some application or driver causing the problem. Try the selective boot option to eliminate what is causing the error.
  4. Make sure your hardware is connected

    Some RAM or hard drive out of socket can cause Windows not to be able to boot, check all connections just in case.
If everything else fails, perform a clean Windows installation. The reason for Windows not booting up can be caused by various viruses and malware also if that case it would be best to format and perform a clean install.
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DISM Error 14098, component store corrupted
As you know, one of the useful and efficient utilities in Windows 10 is the DISM tool. It can be used with the Command Prompt command line which allows users to carry out various tasks. However, there are instances when the DISM tool could encounter some errors when you try to execute a command. One of these errors is the one that states, “The component store has been corrupted”. This kind of DISM error is due to an error in the image file. When you encounter the DISM Error 14098 when running the DISM tool, you will see the following content in the command line:
“C:>Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:c:testmountwindows /LimitAccess Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 10.0.10586.0 Image Version: 10.0.10586.0 [==========================100.0% Error: 14098 The component store has been corrupted. The DISM log file can be found at C:WINDOWSLogsDISMdism.log C:>”
There are several fixes you can check out to fix the DISM Error 14098, “The component store has been corrupted”. You can try to run the Restore Health command or reset the Windows Update components, or whitelist the dism.exe in your antivirus program, as well as try to uninstall any recently installed updates. Follow the options provided below for more details.

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

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

Option 2 – Try to reset the Windows Update components

If by any chance that the second option didn’t work, resetting the Windows Update components could also help you resolve the problem. How? Refer to the following steps:
  • Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
  • After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
    • net stop wuauserv
    • net stop cryptsvc
    • net stop bits
    • net stop msiserver
Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS, and MSI Installer.
  • After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below, and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
    • ren C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution/SoftwareDistribution.old
    • ren C:/Windows/System32/catroot2/Catroot2.old
  • Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
    • net start wuauserv
    • net start cryptsvc
    • net start bits
    • net start msiserver
  • Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.

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

The DISM error 14098 might also be caused by your antivirus program which could be interfering it from running. To fix this, you have to whitelist dism.exe. How? Refer to these steps:
  • Open the Windows Defender Security Center from the system tray area.
  • Next, click the “Virus & threat protection” option and then open the “Virus and threat protection settings”.
  • After that, scroll down until you find the “Exclusions” and click on the “Add or remove exclusions” option.
  • Then click the plus button and select the type of exclusion you want to add and from the drop-down list, select Folder.
  • Next, navigate to this path and select the WinSxS folder: C:/Windows/WinSxS
  • When a User Account Control or UAC prompt, just click on Yes to proceed.

Option 4 – Try to uninstall recently installed updates

There are times when some Windows Updates affect some mechanism internally when you update your Windows 10 computer. As a result, it causes issues with other components of the operating system which could be the reason why you’re getting the DISM error 14098.
  • Go to Settings and select Update and Security > Windows Update.
  • From there, click on the “View update history” option and then click on the “Uninstall Updates” option.
  • This will open a new window that contains the list of installed Windows Updates.
  • Now right click on the Windows Update you wish to uninstall and click Uninstall.
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Enable Touch Keyboard in Windows 11
Touch KeyboardIf by any chance you are working on a touchscreen PC, tablet, or any similar device and have no access to a hardware keyboard there is a way to place Touch Keyboard on your screen for easy typing, and you can enable icon on the taskbar for easy access.

Enabling the Touch Keyboard

  1. Right-click on the Taskbar
  2. Select Taskbar Settings
  3. Go to Personalization > Taskbar
  4. Click on Taskbar Corner Icons to expand it
  5. Click on the switch next to Touch Keyboard to turn it ON
  6. Close settings
The icon will immediately appear on the Taskbar in the lower right corner. Clicking the icon virtual keyboard will appear on the lower part of the screen. You can use this keyboard to type in applications the same as you were typing on hardware one. By taping on X in the upper right corner, you will hide the keyboard. Tap on the icon in Taskbar to bring it up again.

Hide the Taskbar icon

If you do not want to use Touch Keyboard anymore you can easily hide the icon:
  1. Right-click on the Taskbar
  2. Select Taskbar Settings
  3. Go to Personalization > Taskbar
  4. Click on Taskbar Corner Icons to expand it
  5. Click on the switch next to Touch Keyboard to turn it OFF
  6. Close settings
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Enable Windows Sandbox on Windows
One of the most common ways cybercriminals use to inject suspicious code into devices is by tricking users into installing a malicious program on a targeted device. Oblivious users are vulnerable to such tricks, which is why Microsoft has been working hard in the background to address this issue. Recently, Microsoft announced the availability of a sandboxed version of Windows 10 that runs inside Windows 10 in order to isolate suspected software to run inside it and protect the system from potential threats. This Windows Sandbox feature is a new feature that keeps your computer secure. It is a virtual disposable environment that you can enable. So if suspect any software of being malicious, you can run this software in an environment and ensure that it won’t interfere with any normal processes and would not jeopardize files on your computer. To simply put it, “Windows Sandbox is a new lightweight desktop environment tailored for safely running applications in isolation”. So if the Sandbox is closed, all the residual files, software, and other data are deleted permanently. To enable Windows Sandbox, refer to the instructions provided below. Step 1: You have to make sure that you are running either Windows 10 Enterprise Editions or Windows 10 Pro and that your computer is running build 18305 or newer. Step 2: After that, you have to enable Virtualization to let another instance of Windows 10 running in Sandbox mode. Step 3: Next, search for Windows Features on and off in the search box and then select the appropriate entry. Step 4: From the list, go to the mini window and check the Windows Sandbox and then click on OK. Step 5: Afterwards, in the Cortana Search box, search for “Windows Sandbox” and select the related entry to run it in an elevated window. Step 6: Then from your main computer (host), copy the executable file and paste it inside the Windows Sandbox environment. Step 7: Now run the executable file in the Sandbox environment and use it as you normally do. Step 8: Once you’re done, close the Windows Sandbox application and as mentioned, every data regarding the executable file and the temporary environment will be deleted. Step 9: And for the sake of safety, ensure that there are no modifications made to the host because of the executions in the Sandbox environment. You have the option to contact Microsoft for feedback related to Windows Sandbox. You can use the traditional Feedback Hub if you have any suggestions or any issues. Just fill in the appropriate details and select Windows Sandbox for the feature category under the Security and Privacy section. And if you have any issues related to the execution of and within Windows Sandbox, simply choose “Recreate my problem” then select Start capture to reproduce the issue, and once you’re done, select Stop capture.
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Removing Search.schooldozer.com hijacker

What is Search.schooldozer.com? And how does it function?

Search.schooldozer.com is a browser extension that functions as a search engine. It is developed and maintained by “Schooldozer”. It claims to improve users’ browsing experience by providing them with improved search results. However, it does not really do the things it claims to do. In fact, they’re quite the opposite ones – instead of improving the browsing experience, it makes users’ browsing experience unsafe and full of sponsored content. This is in contrast to what it states in its Privacy Policy:
“Install applications the easy way and without the hassle, using the Schooldozer downloader. The Schooldozer platform stems from years of experience with installing applications, resulting in a highly optimized process, yielding faster downloads, better user experience, and more successful installations.”
In addition, once installed Search.schooldozer.com is installed, it will change the default settings of a browser such as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab page. This is why security experts regard this browser extension as a browser hijacker and a potentially unwanted program. The modification of the browser's settings allows it to control users’ browsing by redirecting them to sponsored sites as well as deliver sponsored content from its affiliated sites in order to gain profit via pay-per-click marketing. And if you think that the ads it displays are harmless, think again for some of these ads can redirect you to suspicious websites that might contain harmful content. What’s more is that this browser hijacker can also keep track and monitor all your browsing activities in order to obtain your browsing data like search queries, what sites you always visit, browsing history, browser type, OS version, and so on. The information collected is then used and may even be shared with its affiliated third parties to deliver more customized and personalized advertisements.

How is Search.schooldozer.com distributed over the web?

Like a typical browser hijacker, Search.schooldozer.com is distributed using the software bundling method where several unknown and unwanted programs are bundled in a software package. Thus when you install any software bundle, make sure to always opt for the Custom or Advanced installation setup rather than the quick setup to avoid installing unwanted programs like Search.schooldozer.com. To remove Search.schooldozer.com from your computer, follow the removal guide below carefully. Step 1: Start the removal process by closing all the browsers infected with Search.schooldozer.com. If you’re having a hard time closing them, you can close them using the Task Manager just tap on Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Step 2: After you open the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the infected browser’s process and end it. Step 3: Then close the Task Manager and tap the Win + R keys to open Run and then type in appwiz.cpl to open Programs & Features in Control Panel. Step 4: From there, look for Search.schooldozer.com or any unfamiliar program that could be related to it under the list of installed programs and once you’ve found it, uninstall it. Step 5: Edit your Hosts File.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open then type in %WinDir% and then click OK.
  • Go to System32/drivers/etc.
  • Open the host file using Notepad.
  • Delete all the entries that contain Search.schooldozer.com.
  • After that, save the changes you’ve made and close the file.
Step 6: Reset all your browsers to default to their default state.

Google Chrome

  1. Launch Google Chrome, press Alt + F, move to More tools, and click Extensions.
  2. Look for Search.schooldozer.com or any other unwanted add-ons, click the Recycle Bin button, and choose Remove.
  3. Restart Google Chrome, then tap Alt + F, and select Settings.
  4. Navigate to the On Startup section at the bottom.
  5. Select “Open a specific page or set of pages”.
  6. Click the More actions button next to the hijacker and click Remove.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Open the browser and tap Ctrl + Shift + A to access the Add-ons Manager.
  2. In the Extensions, menu Remove the unwanted extension.
  3. Restart the browser and tap keys Alt + T.
  4. Select Options and then move to the General menu.
  5. Overwrite the URL in the Home Page section and then restart the browser.

Internet Explorer

  1. Launch Internet Explorer.
  2. Tap Alt + T and select Internet options.
  3. Click the General tab and then overwrite the URL under the homepage section.
  4. Click OK to save the changes.
Step 7: Hold down Windows + E keys simultaneously to open File Explorer. Step 8: Navigate to the following directories and look for suspicious files associated to the browser hijacker such as the software bundle it came with and delete it/them.
  • %USERPROFILE%Downloads
  • %USERPROFILE%Desktop
  • %TEMP%
Step 9: Close the File Explorer. Step 10: Empty the contents of Recycle Bin.
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Intel Arc A770 GPU

intel's first gaming card that will hit the market soon has been shown in its innovation event, the Intel Arc A770. In its core ticks ACM-G10, coming with 32 Xe-cores and all the way up to 16GB of GDDR6 memory (the basic entry-level version will have 8GB of GDDR6). The card will support ray tracing and supersampling with Intel's XeSS.

intel arc a770

This is Intel's first gaming desktop GPU and after testing with some YouTube channels it turned out that the card itself sits somewhere between nVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti and an RTX 3070 so it will still be low in performance compared with the new RTX 4090 or AMD's new RDNA3 upcoming lineup. But as stated this is Intel's first gaming graphics card and having this kind of performance is no small feat for the first-time product.

One thing that is really great tho and that is going for Arc A770 GPU is its price! The Limited Edition card will cost $329 which is at this moment most cheapest GPU currently on the market in that performance range. nVIDIA is between $500 and $700 for comparison and if Intel can hold on to its performance with almost half the price card could be a great hit among gamers. GPU itself will launch on October 12th.

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How to Fix Chrome error 1603 & 0x00000643
If you encounter errors 1603 and 0x00000643 on your Windows 10 computer while trying to install or update your Google Chrome browser. Although most errors can be fixed by some simple troubleshooting steps, that is not the case for these two errors since they have pretty specific solutions. To resolve errors 1603 and 0x00000643 on your Chrome browser, here are some solutions you need to check out.

Option 1 – Try to run Microsoft Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter

Running the Microsoft Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter could help you fix errors 1603 and 0x00000643 in Chrome as well as the following issue in your Windows 10 computer:
  • Corrupted registry keys on 64-bit operating systems.
  • Corrupted registry keys that control the updated data.
  • Problems that:
    • Prevent new programs from being installed.
    • Prevent new programs from being installed.
    • Problems that block you from uninstalling a program through Add or Remove Programs (or Programs and Features) in Control Panel.
To use the Microsoft Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter, refer to the given steps below.
  • First, right-click on the downloaded MicrosoftProgram_Install_and_Uninstall.meta.diagcab file and run it with administrative privileges.
  • Next, it will offer you two scenarios to troubleshoot namely, “Installing” or “Uninstalling” and you have to select Installing to resolve the current errors.
  • After that, it will show you a list of available programs on your computer. From there, select Google Update Helper and then click Next.
  • It will then start to troubleshoot the problem and will automatically apply the fixes for you. It will offer you to uninstall Chrome if it turns out that it’s the root cause of the problem.
  • After that, you need to download Google Chrome again and then reinstall it.

Option 2 – Try to clean reinstall Chrome

There are instances when programs leave files behind after you’ve uninstalled them and the same thing can happen to Chrome so before you reinstall Chrome, you have to make sure that you have deleted the User Data folder. To do so, refer to the following steps:
  • Hit the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Next, type “%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser Data” in the field and hit Enter to open the User Data folder.
  • From there, rename the default folder and name it something else, e.g. “Default.old”.
  • After that, install Google Chrome again and check if the issue is now fixed.

Option 3 – Try running the Chrome Cleanup tool

You might want to run Google Chrome’s built-in Malware Scanner & Cleanup tool as it could also help in getting rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and anything else that might overtake the network and could affect the performance of the browser.

Option 4 – Try to run the Network Troubleshooter

  • Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
  • Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
  • Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
  • After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.

Option 5 – Reset Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you fix the error. This means that you will be 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 option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
  • Now restart Google Chrome.
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Chrome won’t open or launch on Windows
If you’re suddenly unable to launch or open Google Chrome or unable to load web pages, then it’s most likely that the files in Chrome have been corrupted or some plugin is taking up a lot of resources which is why you encounter an error message saying, “Google Chrome has stopped working”. And when you try to check the Task Manager, you’ll see that Chrome is really taking up lots of resources, however, when you check the Taskbar, strangely, you will see nothing. If you are currently facing this issue in Chrome on your Windows 10 PC, follow the given options below.

Option 1 – Kill Google Chrome’s process in the Task Manager

If you aren’t able to open Chrome, then maybe its process is running in the background and you don’t see the browser windows. If that’s the case, you may have to force quit the browser and then try to open it again.
  • First, right-click on the Taskbar then select the Task Manager. And if the Task Manager is not responding, you can just use the Alt + Ctrl + Del keys and then select the Task Manager.
  • After opening the Task Manager, under Processes, look for Google Chrome’s process which would most likely be named “chrome.exe”.
  • Right-click on Google Chrome’s process and then select the End task option.
  • Now try to open Google Chrome again.

Option 2 – Try checking if your antivirus program is blocking Google Chrome

There are instances when due to false-positive, a security or antivirus program might block Chrome which is why it failed to open properly. Thus, you can just disable the security program temporarily and then check if you can now open Chrome or not.

Option 3 – Delete the User Profile in Chrome

You can also try deleting the User Profile folder in Chrome. To do so, follow these steps:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Then copy and paste “%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalGoogleChromeUser Data” and hit Enter.
  • From there, look for a folder named “Default folder” and then copy the folder to another drive as a backup.
  • After creating a copy of the folder, delete the Default folder.
  • Next, open Google Chrome again and go to Settings > Advanced > Reset.

Option 4 – Disable the Extensions in Chrome

There are instances when issues on a browser are triggered or caused by some problematic extension. To find out which one of your extensions is causing the problem, disable them all first and then enable them back one by one.
  • Click on the three-dotted icon for the menu located at the top-right corner of your screen.
  • Then click on the More tools option and go to Extensions.
  • From there, you will see a list of all the installed extensions in Chrome.
  • Disable all these extensions and restart the browser.
  • Now enable them back one by one to figure out which one of them is the culprit. You could also remove extensions that you no longer use.

Option 5 – Run the Chrome Cleanup tool

You might also want to try running the Malware Scanner & Cleanup tool in Chrome. This is a built-in tool that can help you get rid of any unwanted pop-ups, banners, ads, unusual startup pages, toolbars, and malware. Thus, it can help you to resolve the issue in Chrome.

Option 6 – Try to reinstall Chrome

If running the Malware Scanner & Cleanup tool in Chrome didn’t work out for you, you can try reinstalling it. To do so, follow these steps:
  • Open the Settings app and go to System > Apps & features.
  • From there, look for Chrome and uninstall it from your PC.
  • Then go to the official website of Google Chrome and download its latest version and install it.
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Quick Fix Guide for Stop Code 0x0000008e

What Is STOP Code 0x0000008e

The STOP Code 0x0000008E is essentially an error code that is displayed on the STOP message. This STOP message is also commonly known as Blue Screen of Death or BSOD for short. When this error occurs, usually messages like, “STOP: 0x0000008E” or “KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED” are displayed to the user.

Solution

Download Available to Completely Repair Error 0x0000008e

Restoro box imageError Causes

These errors are commonly caused by failures of memory hardware. However, viruses, hardware failures or issues with the device drivers may also trigger them. If this error code appears but Windows is successfully able to recover from it, then the message ‘Windows has recovered from an unexpected shutdown’ is displayed to the users. Regardless of what causes these errors, it is of paramount importance that counteractive measures are taken as soon as the error appears.

Further Information and Manual Repair

While this error can be removed in many ways, the most effective ones are listed below as follows.
  • The screen might be a fluke. Restart your system; the blue screen that appears to you may not be what it seems.
  • Have you just modified or installed new hardware or driver? If yes, it is highly likely that the change you have made has triggered the error. If this is the case, it is strongly recommended that you revert back to the original settings and check whether the blue screen appears again or not. If it does, you can fix it by reconfiguring or removing the hardware you have recently installed. You can perform System Restore or you can go back to the previous versions if you have installed a new driver.
  • To keep this error from occurring in the future, it is strongly advised that you test your RAM. Damaged memory or one that’s unable to perform in the usual manner is often the reason this error occurs.
  • Ensure appropriate installation of your system memory. If you have installed memory in a way other than advised by your memory manufacturer that it may lead to STOP 0x0000008E error or other problems.
  • Misconfigured or over-clocked memory settings can cause STOP 0x0000008E errors as well. To remedy this situation, it is best advised to return the BIOS settings to their default level.
  • If you haven’t updated your Windows, apply all the updates you come across. Patches and service packs specifically address such issues.
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CD/DVD icon is not showing in File Explorer
In the past, CDs, DVDs, and floppy drivers used to be the primary sources of external storage for many users – that is until the USB storage devices took over. These days, a lot of devices no longer have a built-in CD or DVD writer or reader as it contributes to the thickness of the device. On the other hand, there are still various devices that still come with a built-in CD or DVD writer or reader. However, recently, users who still use CD or DVD on their devices reported a problem where the CD or DVD icon is not visible in the File Explorer as well as in “This PC” or the My Computer page. The cause of this issue is still unknown at the time of writing, but there are still some potential fixes you can try to fix it. You can try to update or roll back the device drivers or apply some tweaks in the Registry Editor. For more details, refer to the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to update or rollback device drivers

The first thing you can try to fix the missing CD or DVD icon is to either update or roll back the 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. Note that the concerned drivers will be listed under the DVD/CD-ROM drives section as well as the IDE/ATAPI Controllers section.
  • From there, look for the following drivers:
    • ATA Channel 0.
    • ATA Channel 1.
    • Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller.
  • Now, right-click on each one of the listed drivers and update them all. You could also try to roll them back to their previous versions.
Note: You can also directly download the relevant drivers of your computer from the manufacturers’ website. So if you have an SSD, the issue might be due to an old storage driver.

Option 2 – Try to use the Registry Editor

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Next, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
  • After that, look for the DWORD values named “UpperFilters” and “LowerFilters”.
  • Right-click on each one of these DWORD values and select Delete.
  • Now restart your computer and see if it fixes the problem.

Option 3 – Try creating a new Registry entry

There is another option you can try in the Windows Registry to fix the missing icon of the CD/DVD. You can try adding a new entry. How? Refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win ­+ R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • After that, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesatapi
  • From there, right-click on “ATAPI” and select New > Key.
  • After that, name it is “Controller0” and right-click on the sub-key and then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  • Now name it as “EnumDevice1” and double click on it and then set its value data to “1”.
  • Click OK and restart your computer to apply the changes made successfully.
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