Rapid Media Converter Removal from Windows

In case you don’t know, the Windows Registry contains a System Hive which is a core part of Windows. The Windows operating system store various settings, options, and configurations. And if you encounter a Device Manager Error 49 for a device then it means that the system hive has exceeded its size limit. Worry not for this post will provide you with possible solutions that can help you in fixing error code 49. You will see the following error message when you encounter error code 49:

“Windows cannot start new hardware devices because the system hive is too large (exceeds the Registry Size Limit), (Code 49)”

There are instances when it may so happen that the device or devices are no longer attached to the computer but they are still listed in the system hive of the registry. For instance, if you were removing hardware and application for years but they weren’t removed from the registry then the size of the system hive keeps on growing until it hits the maximum limit. As you know, making changes in the registry manually, no matter how knowledgeable you are on such things is not sage since the registry is not only important but also complex. In addition, the System Hive is also a permanent part of the Registry associated with a set of files that contain information related to the configuration of the computer on which the OS is installed. To resolve this error, you must remove or uninstall any hardware devices that are no longer in the system. In fact, the Device Manager hides them by default so you need to enable hidden or non-present devices. Follow the instructions given below to set the Devices Manager to display devices that are no longer connected to the computer. Step 1: Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box. Step 2: After that type in “cmd” and hit Enter to open the Command Prompt. Step 3: Type “set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1” in the Command Prompt and hit Enter to enable the hidden devices option. Step 4: After that, exit Command Prompt and tap Win + X + M to open the Devices Manager. Step 5: After opening the Devices Manager, click on View and then select the “Show hidden devices” option. This will show you all the devices that are not connected to the computer but are still mentioned. Step 6: Next, select a non-present device and click Uninstall from the Driver tab. Step 7: After that, repeat what you’ve done on step 5 for any other device that you no longer use. Step 8: Restart your computer. You can check the device Properties dialog box in the Device Manager after you’re done removing all the useless devices, to check if the error is now fixed or not. Moreover, you can also try running the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter as it can also help resolve hardware-related problems. To use it, refer to the steps below.

• The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
• After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
• From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
• Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
• After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.

Getting a few errors here and there when updating your Windows 10 computer is not uncommon. Some of these errors won’t allow the Windows Update service to initiate while the other ones will halt the process while it’s running. So in this post, we’ll show you what you can do to fix the Windows Update error 0x80070020. The Windows Update error 0x80070020 is most likely caused by some programs installed in the system which interferes with the Windows Update process. It might be an antivirus program, an incompatible program, a potentially unwanted program, or worse, malware. In addition, corrupted or missing files might also be the culprit. Whichever the cause may be, here are some suggestions you need to check out to resolve the problem.

Option 1 – Try to reset the Windows Update components manually

• To manually reset the Windows Update components, first, you need to stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, Windows Update, and the Cryptographic Services. To do so, run the following command in Command Prompt and make sure to press Enter after you enter each one of them:
  • net stop bits
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop cryptsvc
• Next, delete the “qmgr*.dat” file in order to reset the Windows Update components. To do delete this file, run the following command in Command Prompt:
  • Del “%ALLUSERSPROFILE%Application DataMicrosoftNetworkDownloaderqmgr*.dat
• Now you have to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders by entering the following command in Command Prompt:
  • Ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistributionSoftwareDistribution.bak
  • Ren %systemroot%system32catroot2catroot2.bak
• Reset BITS and Windows Update service by entering the following commands in Command Prompt:

• • sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
  • sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
• Now enter the following command:

• cd /d %windir%system32

• RE-register BITS and other Windows Update related files by typing each one of the following commands:

• • regsvr32.exe atl.dll
  • regsvr32.exe urlmon.dll
  • regsvr32.exe mshtml.dll
  • regsvr32.exe shdocvw.dll
  • regsvr32.exe browseui.dll
  • regsvr32.exe jscript.dll
  • regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll
  • regsvr32.exe scrrun.dll
  • regsvr32.exe msxml.dll
  • regsvr32.exe msxml3.dll
  • regsvr32.exe msxml6.dll
  • regsvr32.exe actxprxy.dll
  • regsvr32.exe softpub.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wintrust.dll
  • regsvr32.exe dssenh.dll
  • regsvr32.exe rsaenh.dll
  • regsvr32.exe gpkcsp.dll
  • regsvr32.exe sccbase.dll
  • regsvr32.exe slbcsp.dll
  • regsvr32.exe cryptdlg.dll
  • regsvr32.exe oleaut32.dll
  • regsvr32.exe ole32.dll
  • regsvr32.exe shell32.dll
  • regsvr32.exe initpki.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wuapi.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wuaueng1.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wucltui.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wups.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wups2.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wuweb.dll
  • regsvr32.exe qmgr.dll
  • regsvr32.exe qmgrprxy.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wucltux.dll
  • regsvr32.exe muweb.dll
  • regsvr32.exe wuwebv.dll
• Now type each one of those commands below.
  • net start bits
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start cryptsvc

Option 2 – Install the updates in a Clean Boot State

You might want to try putting your computer in a Clean Boot state and then install Windows Updates again without any trouble. During this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in msconfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” 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 that, try to install the Windows Updates or upgrade again.

Option 3 – Clear the contents of both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders

• 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 wuauserv net stop bits

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
• 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.
• Once all the contents in the Software Distribution folder are deleted, restart your PC and then go back to Command Prompt and input the following commands again.

net start wuauserv net start bits

 Since the folder has already been flushed, it will be populated afresh the instant your restart your computer and open Windows Update.

Option 4 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the Windows Update error 0x80070020. 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 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)

As in previous Windows 10, inside Windows 11 also when you press the ALT + TAB key combination you will get a preview of all running applications along with all Browser tabs so you can go through them and pick the one you want to switch to. Alto, I personally am a big fan of alt-tabbing, I must admit that I am not a big fan of having multiple browsers tabs on screen when I do press key combo. Luckily there is a very easy way to turn this feature off. Turning browsers tabs thumbnails off

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open settings
2. Click on System in the sidebar
3. Scroll down and select Multitasking
4. Find Alt + Tab section and click on the drop-down menu
5. Pick Open Windows Only
6. Close settings

Now when you press the ALT + TAB key combination you will still see your browser but only an active tab in it instead of all tabs as different preview thumbnails.

NVIDIA is undeniably the market leader as a Graphics Card manufacturer. Recently, NVIDIA came about a feature known as NVIDIA Share. This feature allows users to carry out a number of tasks such as streaming, recording, and sharing their gameplay with other users. NVIDIA Share allows users to take multiple snapshots of the gameplay which brings in capabilities to get the memories of the moments that happen during an awesome game. However, as of late, there were reports that NVIDIA Share is not working or responding. So if you are one of the users who are currently facing this issue, then read on as this post will guide you in resolving it. Make sure to follow the options given below carefully for a successful result.

Option 1 – Try to update the drivers from the official site of NVIDIA

The first thing you can do is to update the drivers from the official site of NVIDIA. And in case you don’t know the type of Nvidia graphics card that your computer is on, follow the steps below:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next type in “dxdiag” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.
• From there, you can see what type of Nvidia graphics card that your system is on.
• Take note of your graphics card information and then look for the best drivers for your operating system. Once you’ve downloaded and installed the file, restart your PC.

Option 2 – Try to roll back the driver to the previous version

If the first option didn’t work for you, then it’s time to roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the NVIDIA Drivers and expand them.
• Next, select the driver entries that are labeled appropriately.
• Then select each one of them and double click to open a new mini window.
• After that, make sure that you’re on the Driver tab and if you are not, just navigate to it then click the Roll Back Driver button to switch back to the previous version of the NVIDIA Drivers.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try disabling NVIDIA Share

If the first two options given above didn’t work then you might want to try disabling NVIDIA Share. In case you didn’t make any modifications to the driver, chances are either your driver is out of date or there are some issues with the installation of the drivers. For you to find out, you need to first check if your NVIDIA drivers are really up to date. Once you’ve confirmed it, you can now disable the NVIDIA Share feature. Just refer to the steps below to do that.

• Search for the NVIDIA GeForce Experience in the search box and then click on the appropriate result to open it.
• After you open the NVIDIA GeForce Experience, go to the General tab.
• Next, scroll down to the NVIDIA Share section and then select the toggle to turn off this feature.
• Now restart your computer and try to check if there are any updates available for the NVIDIA Graphics card and install them again if there are any.

Error Code 0x800704c7 – What is it?

Error code 0x800704c7 occurs when Windows users attempt to update their system. It affects various Windows users including those using Windows 7, Windows 8, and 8.1 and Windows 10. It usually occurs due to poor maintenance of the system and includes common symptoms such as the following:

• Inability to upgrade your Windows operating system
• Message box with error code 0x800704c7

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0x800704c7 in Windows 10 can occur due to several reasons. For instance, it may be due to corrupted or missing system files. It may also result from malicious programs affecting your system or occur when a program or several programs are running in the background of one’s system while the user attempts to run the update.

To correct this issue, Windows users will need to select one or a few methods, depending on the issues affecting their PC.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Some of the best solutions for error code 0x800704c7 available to Windows users including using tools to scan for missing systems files or correct other issues inherent within your system.

These methods may include the use of Command Prompt and the performance of technical repair procedures. If you are uncertain of your skills, avoid compounding the issue or causing further damage to your PC by contacting a skilled Windows repair technician. This IT professional will be best equipped to use Windows tools and other methods to resolve error code 0x800704c7.

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

Using System File Checker Tool (SFC), Windows users can check their system for missing o corrupt system files. These utility tools within your Windows device will be able to replace missing files and repair corrupted ones, resulting in a more efficient 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. (Be sure to place a space between “sfc” and “/scannow”).

After running these procedures, check if the error code has been resolved. Go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update. Update your Windows operating system. If error code 0x800704c7 reoccurs, you will need to try the next method below.

Method Two: Restore your System

System Restore is one of the best manual repair solutions Windows users can apply when they come across error codes like error code 0x800704c7. That’s because this method requires no technical or advanced knowledge and therefore can be performed by anyone. Simply follow the steps below to restore your system to a period of time in the past where the error was not present on your system. If done correctly, this could enable you to resolve the issue with little frustration on your part.

• Step one: Type Control Panel in the search bar near the Start button
• Step two: Select Control Panel, then Recovery
• Step three: Select System Restore then click Next
• Step four: Select a restore point before appeared on your Windows 10 system
• Step five: Select Next then Finish

Note that once System Restore is enabled it will remove drivers, apps, and even updates installed after the restore point. For this reason, be careful to choose the most appropriate restore point. Also once you’ve completed this task, check to see if you are able to update your system. If the update stops before the process is complete and a message box occurs with the error code 0x800704c7, proceed to the next manual repair option below.

Method Three: Check for and Remove Malware

Viruses or other forms of malware can adversely affect your system, causing error codes and other issues to take place. To resolve error code 0x800704c7 in Windows 10, check for and remove malware using a reputable anti-malware program.

If no anti-virus software is present on your system or if you scan your device but fail to spot an issue, proceed to method four.

Method Four: Use an Automated Tool

This method involves the use of a powerful automated tool. But why is this important you might ask? A third-party tool is often the best solution when all manual repair efforts fail. Automated tools come equipped to tackle the most serious PC problems including error codes which can cause frustration and result in reduces PC performance.

The program can’t start because MSVCR71.dll is missing from your computer, Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

If by any chance you have encountered this error know that you are not alone and that this is a solvable error. In this guide, we will show you how to fix this error. Usually, the MSVCR71.dll missing error is met when a new application is installed. So let us dive right into it and solve it.

1. Reinstall application

   If only a certain application is reporting this error, try reinstalling it, there is a high possibility that by some mistake application was not properly installed and corrupted or removed the MSVCR71.dll file. If this is the case, reinstallation will help.

2. Check recycle bin

   like mentioned above, if the application has by mistake deleted the file, open recycle bin and try to locate it there. If this is the case, restore it from recycle bin and everything should be back in normal working conditions.

3. Download a new version of the file

   If the previous 2 methods failed and you still get the missing error, try downloading the file from Microsoft and placing it in C:\Windows\SysWOW64

4. Reinstall C++ redistributable

   Having an incorrect C++ redistributable package can be an issue of the problem, get the latest version from Microsoft and reinstall it.

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.

What software are you using to keep your information and all your files and memories safe? 

None? Yikes. Let’s hope no damage has been done to your data yet then. Because with how the digital world has evolved, your data might be getting leaked and you have no idea.

Why do you need to invest in security software?

There’s really no good excuse not to purchase a quality platform for PC protection. Especially since top security solutions are available at such affordable prices nowadays, your wallet would barely even notice it.

At this point, only people who barely use their PCs and have zero sensitive information on them can get away with simply using the built-in Windows 10/11 security software. But we guarantee that those people are extremely hard to find and that you’re not one of them, and here’s why.

Even if you don’t use your computer for things that are very obviously sensitive, such as internet banking, you still have some personal data at risk of being stolen. How so? Well, think about the data you enter into your social media profiles, for example. How devastating would it be if somebody got a hold of any of it? Yep, that’s what we thought.

In the hands of a skilled cybercriminal, your phone number alone could put you at risk of scams, ransomware, identity theft and more. Also think about the stuff you share in texts and social media chats. Think about the websites you visit and how many times you may have accidentally clicked on an ad, which could very well contain malicious software. Those all seem harmless until someone’s actually used them against you. 

Now imagine the dangers involved when you actually store truly confidential data on your PC and browsers. Sends shivers down your spine, doesn’t it?

In the case of a successful cyberattack of whatever type (virus, phishing, worms, etc.), there’s so much that is at stake. Businesses/legal persons will suffer from financial loss and damaged reputation, at the very least. Natural persons may be threatened or exploited, get their banking or medical information and even their identity stolen, etc. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

These are our biggest reasons for investing in Windows PC protection software:

• Cyberthreats are constantly evolving to the point where built-in or free software won’t cut it anymore.

• Those working remotely can have peace of mind knowing both personal and business data is completely secure.

• Businesses using top security solutions ensure their customers trust them. 

• Data breaches are a pain in the you-know-what to handle. Fighting a cyberattack and going back to normal is a demanding process, and not to mention the stress it’ll cause. We’d rather prevent all that by using trustworthy security products!

• It helps parents worry a little less about their children’s safety in the online world. 

• Added bonus: with most products, you get an ad-free browsing experience!

Obviously, there are a lot more reasons to get your PC secured. But we think you get it. So let’s cut to the chase and take a look at our 6 favorite protection solutions and the wonders they can do for you.

*Note that in this article we’re looking at products primarily suited for households and home offices, some for small businesses. No enterprise solutions will make the list today, but stay tuned for a future article on those.

Top 6 best PC protection solutions

1. Bitdefender Total & Internet Security\

One of the biggest security product vendors out there, Bitdefender offers several awesome solutions. We want to introduce two of our favorites, Bitdefender Total Security and Bitdefender Internet Security.

Bitdefender Total Security is great for both households and smaller offices. You can choose to protect 5 or 10 devices, and not necessarily just Windows devices. It also works for macOS, Android and iOS. It offers a range of powerful features, such as:

• Real-time data protection
• Webcam and microphone protection
• Device optimization options
• Anti-phishing/-fraud/-spam technology
• Ransomware protection
• Anti-loss and anti-theft tools
• VPN and privacy firewall 
• Anti-tracking technology
• Parental controls
• 24/7 support

Bitdefender Internet Security shares almost all of these features, but there are a few important differences to note. Unlike Total Security, Internet Security has more options in terms of the number of protected devices: 1, 3, 5 or 10. However it’s only compatible with the Windows platform and it doesn’t offer device optimization tools or anti-theft options. Whether or not this is a deal-breaker depends on your needs alone - we still find it a great security tool.

2. ESET Internet Security

An award-winning Windows security product, ESET Internet Security is essential on this list. It has an outstanding protection rate of 99.9% and a range of amazing options you’ll definitely want to make use of. It can be installed on up to 10 devices, making it an awesome tool for your household, home office or a small business. It’s also compatible with macOS and Android.

These are ESET Internet Security’s best features:

• Protection against ransomware and spyware
• Protection against malware specifically designed to avoid detection
• In-depth scans when the computer is not in use
• Firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your PC
• Anti-spam tool
• Anti-phishing and botnet protection technologies
• Tool to scan your router and smart devices for vulnerabilities
• Special browser for secure internet banking 
• Parental controls
• Prevention of unauthorized webcam access 

If you ask us, ESET has it all!

3. Kaspersky Total & Internet Security

Having a deja vu? Didn’t you just read Total Security and Internet Security somewhere? Oh, that’s right - the first entry on our list! But here we’re talking about Kaspersky, a vendor you’ve also definitely heard about before.

Just like Bitdefender, Kaspersky is another one of those renowned names in the cybersecurity world that always make it to every ‘best of’ list. And for good reason - its products really fulfill their purpose. So let’s take a closer look at the two we chose.

These are the features both Kaspersky Total Security and Kaspersky Internet Security have in common:

• Real-time virus and spyware blocking
• Webcam protection
• Wi-Fi security notifications
• Advanced identity theft protection
• Free technical support on several channels
• Remote security management
• Multiple devices (up to 10)

The main difference between Kaspersky Total Security and Internet Security is that the former offers more capabilities. These are the features KTS offers that KIS does not:

• System cleanup
• File shredding
• Password management
• Data backup and encryption

Both are excellent security tools, though we do prefer KTS a little more because of these additional options.

4. Norton 360 Deluxe

Of course one of the industry-leading solutions makes the list. Norton 360 Deluxe can protect up to 5 devices, be it Windows, iOS, macOS or Android. It’s worth noting that its features are best developed for Windows. Here’s what you get with Norton 360 Deluxe:

• Protection against viruses, hackers, malware
• 100% virus protection promise
• VPN included for all devices
• Unlimited VPN on Windows
• Password manager
• Parental controls

So is there anything aside from these standard protection features that makes it such a favorite among us techies? Let us tell you! Norton added a little bit of spice here with two really powerful capabilities. The Deluxe product offers 50GB of cloud backup and dark web monitoring. The latter means the software notifies you if any of your personal information is found on the dark web, which helps protect you against identity theft.

5. McAfee Antivirus

Don’t be misled by the name of this product. Antivirus software may have started as protection against viruses only, but it’s developed quite a lot. The name simply stuck. All that to say that McAfee Antivirus - another award-winning security solution - protects you against several different threats.

The basic and essential plan allow 1 and 5 devices respectively, while McAfee+ Premium and Advanced work on an unlimited number of devices. The latter two also offer more capabilities, as you can imagine. Here’s what you can expect from all of them:

• Secure unlimited VPN
• File shredder to delete sensitive files completely
• Ultimate safety while browsing
• Protection against hackers
• 100% virus protection promise
• Advanced firewall to block dangerous traffic
• Online support from specialists
• Protection score (shows how safe you are and detects vulnerabilities)
• Identity monitoring (notifies you if any of your information is on the dark web)
• Password management

Unlike the previous products, McAfee Antivirus does not offer parental controls. Otherwise it’s a pretty strong and comprehensive protection tool and might just be the right choice for you!

6. Trend Micro Maximum Security

Last but definitely not least, we’ve got Maximum Security by Trend Micro. And yes, you guessed it, Trend Micro is also an award winner in terms of cybersecurity. Its products have been recognized as industry-leading security solutions by AV-Test since 2003. Among all its fantastic solutions, our favorite for households or small offices is Maximum Security.

You can use Trend Micro Maximum Security to protect 3-5 devices for a year or two years before needing to renew your license. Aside from Windows, it’s compatible with iOS, Android, Mac and Chromebook devices. Here’s what you can expect from this protection software:

• Powerful malware protection
• Phishing detection and prevention (email)
• Password management and protection
• Maximum security for online banking and shopping
• System optimization
• Social media privacy protection
• Parental controls 
• 24/7 technical support
• No notifications during gaming

It’s truly one of the most effective platforms out there dedicated to protecting your digital life. Using this product, ransomware, identity thieves and malicious websites don’t stand a chance.

The bottom line

If you’ve made it all the way here, congratulations, you’ve made the right choice: to invest in securing your valuable data! Now the question is: which one of these 6 awesome antivirus/antimalware products to select?

The paradox of choice is a very real thing - we feel you. As mentioned, it comes down to what your specific needs are. So before you go ahead and purchase your security software, make sure to explore all options.

And if you really can’t handle the decision-making anxiety, feel free to reach out. We’ll happily assist you in finding the right product to keep your digital life secure!

Windows 10 has a pre-installed Weather app that offers the local weather information, forecast, temperature gradient, historical data, multiple locations, and many more. It can be handy especially if you tend to check on the weather. However, if you are one of those users who barely use this app, you have the option to uninstall it from your computer and that’s exactly what we’re going to do in this post. There are several methods to uninstall the Weather app in Windows 10. You can uninstall it via Settings or Start Menu or even using a command in Windows PowerShell. Note that uninstalling the Weather app does not affect the functionality of your Windows 10 computer by any means so you shouldn’t worry about uninstalling it. To get started, follow the instructions provided below.

Option 1 – Uninstall the Weather app through Settings

The first option you can try to uninstall the Weather app is through Settings. It’s a very simple process so you wouldn’t have any trouble following it.

• First, click on the Start menu and go to Settings.
• From there, select System > Apps & Features.
• After that, wait until the list of apps is opened, and then look for the Weather app and click on it.
• Next, click on Uninstall in the given menu to uninstall the Weather app from your computer.

Option 2 – Uninstall the Weather app through the Start Menu

Another simple way to uninstall the Weather app is through the Start Menu. It only takes a right click and there are actually two ways to go about this – one is new with the recent feature update of Windows. How? Refer to these steps:

• Click on the Start button and type in “weather” and right-click on the Weather app which appears in the list.
• Next, click on the Uninstall option. This will uninstall the Weather app.
• You can also use the other uninstall option which you can find on the right side of the list that also shows other quick action for the app.

Option 3 – Uninstall the Weather app through a command in Windows PowerShell

• Tap the Win + X key combination and click on the “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” option to open PowerShell with admin privileges.
• After that, execute the following Remove App package command for the Weather app to uninstall it.

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.BingWeather | Remove-AppxPackage

• Once done, it will remove the Weather app from your computer.

If you encounter Error 0xc0000005 when you try to launch a program on your Windows 10 computer then this means that Windows was unable to process the files and the configuration correctly needed in order to run the program properly. You can encounter this kind of error with an installed program and even as the installer for a particular program. To fix this error, this post will provide you with some potential fixes that might help. Error 0xc0000005 occurs due to Access Violation which happens when a user tries to open a program and this error code may be accompanied by any of the following three error messages:

• The application was unable to start correctly
• Access violation Exception Error
• Windows Installation Error

To fix this error, you need to follow the given options below carefully but before you do that, you can try to use System Restore Point first to put your computer back to its previously known stable state.

• 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 check if the problem is fixed or not.

After performing System Restore check if Error 0xc0000005 is now fixed or not. If not, then make sure to use the options given below to resolve the problem.

Option 1 – Update or rollback drivers

If the System Restore didn’t work, then it’s time 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.
• 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 2 – 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 Error 0xc0000005. SFC is a built-in command utility which helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to 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:

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

 Now restart your computer.

Option 3 – Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool

Since this error could be caused by some issues in the memory, you can try running the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool and see if it helps.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type exe and hit Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
• After that, it will give two options such as:
  • Restart now and check for problems (Recommended)
  • Check for problems the next time I start my computer
• Once your computer has restarted, perform a basic scan or you could also go for the “Advanced” options such as “Test mix” or “Pass count”. Simply tap the F10 key to start the test.

Note: After you select the option, your PC will restart and check for memory-based issues. If it finds any issues, it will automatically fix them and if there’s no issue found, then it’s most likely not a memory-based issue so you should try the other options given below.

Option 4 – Try recreating the Boot records

If your system files are infected and modified by some malware, then it’s no wonder why you’re getting Error 0xc0000005 since this error can also be due to malware. To fix this, you can try to recreate the boot records on your computer. How? Follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “cmd” in the field and hit Enter to open Command Prompt.
• After that, type in each one of the following commands below and hit Enter right after you input each one of them.
  • Del D:WindowsSystem32xOsload.exe
  • Del D:WindowsSystem32xNtKrnl.exe
  • Del D:WindowsSystem32Driversoem-drv64.sys
  • attrib c:bootbcd -h -r –s
  • ren c:bootbcd bcd.old
  • bootrec /rebuildbcd
• After you input the listed commands above, it will recreate all the files needed inside the boot record.

Option 5 – Try turning off Data Execution Prevention or DEP

You might want to turn off Data Execution Prevention or DEP if it could be the one that’s blocking your process to run a particular program. To disable DEP, refer to the steps below.

• Type “cmd” in the Start Search and then right-click on Command Prompt from the results and select Run as Administrator.
• After that, type the following command and hit Enter to disable DEP:

bcedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff

• Restart your computer.

Option 6 – Try to fix Registry

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, go to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWindows
• From there, double click on LoadAppInit_DLLs located at the right side of the panel and change its value from “0” to “1”.
• Now restart your computer.

Option 7 – Try checking RAM

You can also check RAM physically and see if it is in an operable condition. You might want to consider replacing it and see if it fixes the error.

Option 8 – Try to disable your antivirus program temporarily

Disabling the antivirus program or any security software installed in your computer might help in resolving the error since there is a good chance that it’s blocking the program from execution due to suspicious behavior. Just don’t forget to enable the antivirus program back again.

Option 9 – Troubleshot the problem in a Clean Boot State

There are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that’s causing Error 0xc0000005. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.

• 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.)
• From there, start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

Option 10 – Try resetting Windows 10

To fix this error, you can try resetting Windows 10. Doing so won’t get rid of any file in your system – instead of erasing all your media files and documents, this reset option resets all the system settings and files.