FreeMaps Removal Tutorial

Installing a Windows 10 upgrade is definitely not an easy task since the process is not always smooth sailing and you could encounter some errors when doing so. This isn’t unusual since there are various software configurations and hardware configurations as well as services it depends on in order to properly work. So if any of them malfunctions or becomes corrupted, it will affect the process which will result in errors like the error code 0x80300002. When you encounter this kind of Windows Update error, you will see the following error message on your screen:

“We couldn’t install Windows in the location you choose. Please check your media drive. Here’s more info about what happened: 0x80300002”

You can encounter this kind of error if there is corruption in the partition table of the drive where the installation is in progress. In addition, corruption on the Media device could also cause this problem. So if you encounter this error when running Windows Setup, read on as this post will guide you in fixing it. There are several ways to resolve this issue. The first thing you can do is to verify the compatibility between the BIOS and the installation media. You could also try recreating all the partitions as well as recreating the bootable USB drive. For more detailed information, follow the given options below.

Option 1 – Check if the BIOS is compatible with the installation media

The first thing you can do to fix the error is to check if there are any compatibility issues between the BIOS and the installation media you’re using. This is actually one of the most likely reasons why you’re getting the error since this is a complicated point for the Windows installation process. If the installation media is based on GPT, then your BIOS must be based on UEFI. So if you have your bootable media with the MBR partitioning, you need to set your BIOS to Legacy.

• In the Windows Search box, type “command prompt” and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After that, execute this command: exe /convert /allowfullOS
• Now, wait until the process is completed since you can track its process on your screen.
• Once it’s done, go to Settings > Update & Security > Advanced Startup options and from there, click on Restart Now. This will restart your computer and give you advanced options.
• Next, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options where you will see further options including System Restore, Startup Repair, Go back to the previous version, Command Prompt, System Image Recovery, and UEFI Firmware Settings.
• Now select the “Legacy” option. This will take you to the BIOS. Boot Mode is typically available under Boot > Boot Configuration. Once you’re there, set it to Legacy and then save the changes you’ve made. After that, your computer will restart.

Option 2 – Try recreating a new bootable drive

• Insert your USB drive into your PC.
• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type in “cmd” and tap Enter to open the Command Prompt. Alternatively, you can also search for “cmd” in the Cortana search box to open Command Prompt.
• Once you’ve opened CMD, type in this command to open the DISPART utility – diskpart
• After that, you should see a new black and white window that would say, “DISKPART>”.
• Next, type in “list disk” in the command line and tap Enter to see the list of all the Storage devices as well as your hard disk connected to your PC. Here, you have to identify your disk’s number.
• Type in this command where “X” is the disk number you have identified and then tap Enter – disk X
• Type in this command and hit Enter to clear the table records and all the visible data on the drive – clean
• Now you have to recreate a new primary partition of the drive so you’ll have to type in this command and tap Enter right after – create part pri
• A new primary partition has been created so you have to select it by typing this command and tapping Enter – select part 1
• Now you have to format it to make it visible to normal users by typing – format fs=ntfs quick

Note: If your platform supports the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface or UEFI, replace the “NTFS” with “FAT32” in the command on Step 10.

• After that, type in this command and tap Enter after – active
• Finally, type this command and hit Enter to exit the utility – exit
• After you prepare the image for the operating system, save it to the root of your USB Storage device.

Option 3 – Try to recreate all the partitions

If none of the first two options given above worked, then you can try to recreate all the partitions instead. All you have to do is restart the Windows installation process and wait until you get to the part that says, “Where do you want to install Windows?”. From there, you will see options like delete, format, extend, create new partitions, and many more. Now you have to select the Delete all the partitions options and then use the “New” button to create new partitions. Just make sure that you have one primary partition at least where you can install Windows 10. After that, continue the installation of Windows on the new partition. Keep in mind that when you create a new partition, it also recreates the partition table configuration which means that the chances of getting an error are very unlikely.

Premiere Download Manager is a Browser Extension that comes bundled with Premiere Download Manager Potentially unwanted program, and other unwanted applications and extensions. This program was developed by Mindspark Interactive and offers users the ability to download files off the internet through the Download Manager provided. It also changes the home page and defaults the search engine to Myway.com.

This bundle monitors the user’s activity, and while the extension has access to your browsing activity, clicked links, visited pages, etc. the application itself has access to all the files that you downloaded, and have on your computer. This gathered data is later sent back to Mindspark’s servers where it is used to better target ads for users.

While installed, you will run into additional, sponsored links, and even pop-up ads while browsing the internet. Though it is not considered malware, it contains many behaviors disliked by users and is labeled as potentially unwanted. This bundle has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by several anti-virus applications and is therefore recommended to remove from your PC.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a form of unwanted software program, commonly a browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in web browser’s settings. Browser hijacker malware is designed for many different reasons. Often, hijackers will force hits to sites of their preference either to increase web traffic producing higher ad revenue, or to obtain a commission for each and every user visiting there. Although it may seem naive, these tools are made by malicious people who always attempt to take full advantage of you, so that they can earn money from your naivety and distraction. Some browser hijackers are designed to make particular modifications beyond the web browsers, like changing entries in the computer registry and permitting other types of malware to further damage your computer.

Key symptoms that your internet browser has been hijacked

There are numerous symptoms that indicate your web browser is highjacked: the home page of the browser is changed all of a sudden; your browser is constantly being redirected to pornography sites; the default web engine has been changed and the browser security settings have been lowered without your knowledge; you’re getting browser toolbars you have never noticed before; you find lots of pop-up ads on your screen; your browser gets slow, buggy, crashes very often; You can’t access certain sites, in particular anti-virus websites.

Exactly how they get into your computer or laptop

There are several ways your computer or laptop can become infected by a browser hijacker. They generally arrive through spam email, via file-sharing networks, or by a drive-by download. They may also originate from any BHO, extension, toolbar, add-on, or plug-in with malicious purpose. Sometimes you may have mistakenly accepted a browser hijacker as part of an application bundle (usually freeware or shareware). Browser hijackers could affect the user’s web browsing experience significantly, monitor the websites frequented by users and steal financial information, cause difficulty in connecting to the net, and then finally create stability issues, making applications and computers freeze.

Removing browser hijackers

Certain browser hijacking can be quite easily reversed by finding and removing the corresponding malware application through your control panel. However, many hijackers are extremely tenacious and require specialized applications to eradicate them. Also, browser hijackers might modify the Computer registry therefore it could be very hard to restore all of the values manually, especially when you are not a very tech-savvy person. Installing and running antivirus applications on the affected system could automatically delete browser hijackers and also other unwanted applications. SafeBytes Anti-Malware discovers all types of hijackers – including Premier Download Manager – and removes every trace efficiently and quickly.

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

All malware is bad and the degree of the damage will differ greatly with regards to the type of malware. Certain malware variants modify internet browser settings by including a proxy server or modify the computer’s DNS configurations. When this happens, you’ll be unable to visit certain or all of the internet sites, and thus unable to download or install the required security software to get rid of the infection. If you are reading this article now, you have probably realized that virus infection is the cause of your blocked internet connectivity. So what to do when you want to download and install an anti-virus program such as Safebytes? There are some options you could try to get around with this particular issue.

Make use of Safe Mode to resolve the issue

In Safe Mode, you may change Windows settings, uninstall or install some applications, and get rid of hard-to-delete viruses and malware. In case the malware is set to load automatically when the computer starts, shifting into this mode could prevent it from doing so. To boot into Safe Mode, hit the “F8” key on the keyboard right before the Windows boot screen comes up; Or right after normal Windows boot up, run MSConfig, check the Safe Boot under the Boot tab, and click Apply. Once you are in Safe Mode, you can try to install your antivirus program without the hindrance of the malware. At this point, you can actually run the anti-malware scan to get rid of viruses and malware without interference from another application.

Switch to some other web browser

Some malware only targets certain internet browsers. If this sounds like your situation, employ another web browser as it can circumvent the computer virus. If you’re not able to download the anti-malware program using Internet Explorer, it means malware is targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you should switch over to a different internet browser like Chrome or Firefox to download Safebytes software.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

Another option is to create a portable antivirus program onto your USB stick. To run anti-malware using a pen drive, follow these simple steps: 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free computer. 2) Plug the pen drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to run the installation wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the pen drive as the place where you want to store the software files. Do as instructed on the computer screen to finish up the installation process. 5) Transfer the USB drive from the clean computer to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Hit the “Scan Now” button to start the malware scan.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware: Lightweight Malware Protection for Windows PC

In order to protect your PC from many different internet-based threats, it is important to install anti-malware software on your computer system. But with countless numbers of anti-malware companies out there, nowadays it is hard to decide which one you should buy for your personal computer. Some of them are good and some are scamware applications that pretend as legit anti-malware software waiting around to wreak havoc on your computer. You have to be careful not to pick the wrong application, particularly if you buy a premium application. While considering the highly regarded applications, Safebytes AntiMalware is certainly the highly recommended one. SafeBytes anti-malware is a very effective and user-friendly protection tool that is suitable for end-users of all levels of computer literacy. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software will help you protect your personal computer against infections caused by different types of malware and similar threats, including adware, spyware, trojans, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs).

SafeBytes has great features when compared to other anti-malware programs. The following are a few of the great ones:

Active Protection: SafeBytes gives you round-the-clock protection for your personal computer limiting malware intrusions in real-time. It will regularly monitor your pc for hacker activity and also gives users sophisticated firewall protection. Antimalware Protection: With its advanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware elimination tool can detect and get rid of the malware threats hiding in your computer system effectively. High-Speed Malware Scanning Engine: Safebytes AntiMalware, with its enhanced scanning engine, offers extremely fast scanning which can immediately target any active internet threat. Website Filtering: SafeBytes checks and gives a unique safety ranking to every website you visit and block access to webpages known to be phishing sites, thus protecting you from identity theft, or known to contain malicious software. Low CPU Usage: SafeBytes gives you complete protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load due to its advanced detection engine and algorithms. 24/7 Support: You could get high levels of support around the clock if you’re using their paid version. SafeBytes will keep your computer safe from the latest malware threats automatically, thus keeping your online experience safe and secure. Once you’ve downloaded and installed SafeBytes Anti-Malware, you will no longer have to bother about malware or other security concerns. So if you’re looking for the best anti-malware subscription for your Windows-based PC, we highly recommend SafeBytes Anti-Malware software.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to carry out the removal of Premier Download Manager manually instead of employing an automated tool, you may follow these simple steps: Go to the Windows Control Panel, click the “Add or Remove Programs” and there, select the offending program to remove. In cases of suspicious versions of web browser plug-ins, you can easily get rid of it through your web browser’s extension manager. It is also suggested to reset your web browser to its default state to fix corrupt settings. Lastly, examine your hard drive for all of the following and clean your computer registry manually to remove leftover application entries following an uninstallation. Having said that, editing the registry is usually a difficult task that only experienced computer users and professionals should attempt to fix it. Also, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing its deletion. It is advised that you do the removal process in Safe Mode.

A lot of Windows 10 users prefer the black theme on their computers and when you see anything but black it can get quite annoying. Such as is the case of the Taskbar which, as you know, is usually dark, however, when you take a look at the Cortana search bar, instead of seeing black, you’ll see that it has turned white. To fix this issue, read on as we will provide you some options you can try to set the Cortana search bar back to black. Before you proceed, take note that the options provided below will change all white search boxes to black and that one of these options needs administrative privileges.

Option 1 – Try changing the default App mode

As you know, Windows 10 has two modes, namely the Light and the Dark. Thus, you can switch to the Dark mode so that your Cortana search bar will be black as well. However, remember that it will completely change everything into dark mode so there will be no more Light mode elsewhere.

• First, you need to click on the Start button and then click on the cog icon to open the Windows 10 Settings.
• Next, from the Settings Menu, select Personalization and then select Colours from the left pane.
• Then scroll down until you see the “Choose your default app mode” option and select “Dark”.

After you apply the changes, it will change the Cortana search bar into black instantly. Aside from that, you will also see the User Interface changing into dark mode.

Option 2 – Try changing the Registry value

If you are well-versed in editing registry keys, then you need to try this option. But before you go over the steps below, make sure that you create a System Restore point first so that if anything goes wrong, you can always go back to how it was before the changes were applied.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt.
• Then in the field, type in “regedit” and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. If a User Account Control prompt appears, just click Yes.
• Now that you’ve opened the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSearchFlightingWhiteSearchBox

• After that, double-click on the “Value” key located on the right pane and set the value to “0” instead of “1” and then click Ok to save the changes made. You should now see a black or grey text box color instead of white.

Option 3 – Try changing the Region

In some forums, a lot of users stated that changing the Region also worked out for them in changing the white Cortana search bar to white. Thus, you need to change the region settings of your computer temporarily. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Type in “Regional Settings” in the box and then click it as soon as it appears from the search results.
• Next, make sure to select a region where Cortana is not available.
• Then select apply to that region. After that, it will change the Cortana search bar color to black.
• Now sign out and sign back in and revert to the original settings. But the changes you made earlier in Cortana will still remain.

If you have encountered the “YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO ACCESS THIS WEB PAGE AS PER THE DOT COMPLIANCE” error while trying to visit a website using either Firefox or Chrome browser, then read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix this error. Apart from this error message, you might also see an alternative message that says, “Web Page Blocked! The page you have requested has been blocked because the URL is banned as per the Government Rules”. When you get any of the aforementioned error messages when visiting a website, this means that it has been marked. It is mostly recommended to not access the site as it might be blocked for some illegal reason. However, if you are certain that the website is legitimate and safe and you believe that it has been blocked by accident, then you can check out the given methods in this post to unblock and access the blocked or restricted website. There isn’t actually a straightforward way to remove the restriction on the website or the DOT compliance. And it won’t matter what browser you use as you will still get the same error. Thus, the best way to go about this issue is for you to bypass the ISP restriction. But before you proceed, keep in mind that the ISPs (Internet Service Providers) can block any website when a request goes through their servers.

Option 1 – Try changing the DNS

If the request to access the website does not go through the ISP’s DNS server, you might have a chance in accessing it by changing your DNS settings. You can try using the Google Public DNS.

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

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

Option 2 – Try to install a Proxy Extension

You could also try installing a Proxy extension or Proxy software as it could also help you access the website you are trying to open as it allows you to access the blocked websites by routing the request through their server. Aside from that, it can also hide it from ISPs to make them look like the content is coming from the proxy servers.

Option 3 – Try using a VPN connection

There are instances when the network that your computer is logged on might have blocked your access to the website you are trying to open and so to fix it, you can try to use a VPN connection. There is a lot of free VPN software out there but just make sure that you install a trusted one. Once you’ve connected using VPN, try to open the website again and see if you can now access it.

Option 4 – Check the Windows Host file

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

Option 5 – Try to contact your ISP

If none of the options given above worked, then you can try to contact your ISP as there are times when DOT clears a website, the ISPs are still blocking it. Thus, it’s probably better if you reach out to them and ask them to unblock the website from their end.

0x80042109 - What is it?

0x80042109 is a Microsoft Outlook error. The 0x80042109 error code occurs mostly while sending emails. The error message is often displayed in the following format:

“Sending reported error (0×80042109): Outlook cannot connect to your outgoing (SMTP) e-mail server.”

Solution

Error Causes

It is not easy to narrow down the cause for the error code 0x80042109. This error can occur due to many reasons. This includes:

• Corrupt emails and PST files
• Incorrect Outlook account settings
• Unavailability of the mail server
• Incomplete Outlook installation
• Spyware or viral infection

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve the 0x80042109 error code on your PC, here are some easy and effective DIY solutions you can try:

Method 1 - Check Mail Settings

Check your mail settings to see if your outgoing server SMTP is selected or not. If it is not, then it could be the reason for the issue. To check mail settings and select the option, here’s what you need to do:

1. Click Tools, select Account Settings, and then POP 3 account and click change.
2. Now check your name field and email address.
3. Check the incoming and outgoing mail server fields and make sure that it is correct.
4. Now click on the outgoing server and make sure that the option ‘My Outgoing Server (SMTP) requires Authentication is selected.
5. After that, click Advanced and tick the option that says ‘This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL).
6. Now click OK to confirm settings.

Method 2 - Reinstall Outlook on your PC

The error may also occur due to incorrect Outlook installation. Therefore reinstall it on your PC. To do this first you will have to uninstall the software and then re-install it. Once the software is reinstalled try sending the email again. If it is sent successfully, then this means the error is related to incomplete installation. However, if the error still persists then it is advisable to restore the points by going to the System Restore option and choosing the option ‘Restore My Computer to an Earlier Time’ point. This will revert the changes.

Method 3 - Try Disabling Firewall

If you have firewall program installed on your PC, then try disabling it and then send an email through your Outlook account.

Method 4 - Scan for Viruses

Another way to resolve the error code is to scan for viruses. Viral infection and spyware and also affect your Outlook account and activities. However, installing an antivirus on your PC may slow down its performance as such programs are notorious for doing that. Therefore, it is advisable to download Restoro. Restoro is a next generation and a highly advanced PC Fixer embedded with powerful and multiple utilities including an antivirus and a system optimizer. Its intuitive algorithm enables it to scan your entire PC and remove all kinds of malicious software affecting your system including malware, adware, spyware, viruses and Trojans. The system optimizer utility works simultaneously and ensures your PC performs at its optimum speed. It is safe, bug-free, and efficient. It has a user-friendly interface which makes it simple and very easy to operate. You can download it on all Windows versions. Click here to download Restoro to resolve error 0x80042109 today!

As you know, the Videos folder can be found under “This PC” by default on your Windows 10 computer. However, as per the reports of some users, there are a few occasions where it somehow gets replaced by the Documents folder. In other words, the Videos folders are replaced by a duplicated copy of the Documents folder. Out of the two Documents folder, one Document folder will contain all the usual files and subfolders while the second one is empty. Although when you click the Documents icon on your Desktop (if you have a shortcut), it will still take you to the right Documents folder. To fix this particular issue and get the Videos folder back in the File Explorer, here are some potential fixes that should help.

Option 1 – Run System Restore

The first thing you can try to do to resolve the problem is to run System Restore. This can help you go back to the previous state of your computer before the issue with the Videos and Documents folder.

• 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.

Option 2 – Try to restore Defaults

The next thing you can do is to restore Defaults. How? Refer to these steps:

• Open File Explorer and then right-click on any of the two Documents folders.
• After that, select the Properties option from the context menu and switch to the Location tab and click on Find target.
• Next, copy the address and paste it in the field above the “Find target” option, and then click the “Restore Default” button.

Option 3 – Try to change the Registry Path

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerUser Shell Folders
• After that, edit the path for {35286A68-3C57-41A1-BBB1-0EAE73d76C95} under the “User Shell Folders” key to match the path shown for My Videos: %USERPROFILE%Videos.
• Once you’re done, open the folder under “This PC” that has the Documents icon and tap Shift + right-click in the folder background, and then select the “Open PowerShell window here” option to fix the naming of the Documents folder. The path should read: “C:users<UserName>Documents.
• Next, execute this command: ri desktop.ini –force
• The command you entered will delete the files and folders and so when added for Documents, it will get rid of the empty Documents folder.
• Now all you that’s left to do is to find where the target location is going to be for both folders and check if anyone foes to the user name location.
• Then delete the one which goes to the incorrect location.

Error 101 - What is it?

Error 101 is a Google Chrome error. You may experience this error if you browse the internet using Google Chrome. This error results when the existing HTTP connection between Chrome and the website is broken. The error is displayed in the following format: “Error 101 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_RESET): The connection was reset.”

Solution

Error Causes

The cause of Google Chrome error 101 cannot be narrowed down. This error can be triggered on your PC due to multiple reasons. These include:

• The inability of the Google Chrome installer to create a temporary directory on your PC during the installation process
• Enabled DNS Prefetching
• Firewall
• Viral Infection
• Bad Registry Entries
• Poor Internet Connection

Though this error code is not fatal, nonetheless it is advisable to fix it to ensure you are able to browse the internet using Google Chrome.

Further Information and Manual Repair

The good news is that this error is quite easy to resolve. Even if you are not a technical whiz you can still manage to fix it by trying these easy and effective DIY methods we have listed below:

Method 1: Reload the Website link on Chrome or Check Your Internet Connection

Sometimes refreshing the webpage can resolve the issue easily. Try doing it. Reload the link by pressing Ctrl +R. This will refresh the webpage. If it starts working then that’s great but if it doesn’t then it is advisable to check your internet connection. Disable and Enable the connection and then try browsing on Chrome again. If websites are accessible then the problem is resolved. If the error persists then try other methods.

Method 2: Disable DNS Pre-fetching

Sometimes this error may occur due to enabled DNS pre-fetching. To resolve the issue, open Chrome, then click on the wrench key. Go to setting and under the bonnet and Privacy section, look for the DNS perfecting option. If it is enabled, then uncheck it to disable DNS Pre-fetching. Save the changes and then close the browser. Now open it again and try browsing on Chrome. If error 101 does not appear and you are able to access websites then the issue is fixed.

Method 3: Scan for Viruses

Another way to fix this is to download and run a powerful antivirus. Scan and remove viruses to fix the problem.

Method 4: Check the permission for your temporary folder

As mentioned above, another underlying reason for error 101 can be Google Chrome installer was unable to create a temporary directory on your system during the installation process. To resolve it, check the permission for your temporary folder. Here’s how to do it: First go to the start menu and type Run. Now enter one of the following directories in the text fields 1. Windows XP: %USERPROFILE%Local Settings 2. Windows Vista: %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocal After that press OK. This will open a new window. In the Window that opens, right-click the temp folder. Now select properties and press the security tab to continue. In the group and user names section, select your user profile name. In the permissions, section verify that the checkboxes for READ, WRITE, and READ  & EXECUTE permissions in the DENY column are not selected. After you have verified, click apply and then ok. Now try reinstalling the Google Chrome browser again on your system.

Method 5: Remove Bad Entries by Cleaning the Registry

Bad entries and cookies saved in the registry can also lead to error 101. You can remove them manually but that will take a great deal of time and can be slightly difficult if you are not technically sound. Therefore, it is advisable to download Restoro. This is a user-friendly PC Fixer integrated with a registry cleaner that scans and removes all registry issues in a few clicks. It removes all the bad entries and junk files cluttering the registry and repairs it instantly. Click here to download Restoro.

Error 126 - What is it?

Error 126 is a Windows PC error that mostly occurs either during program installation or removal. It is commonly experienced by Vista, XP and Windows 7 users. When the error 126 is generated, it usually terminates the program installation process, immediately. It is advisable to take corrective error repair measures immediately to ensure that you are easily able to install your desired program and you don’t encounter the error again.

Solution

Error Causes

There are multiple reasons for the occurrence of the error code 126 including. The reasons are listed below:

• Dll file corruption
• Missing or damaged dll files
• Corrupt and misconfigured system files
• Improper program installation
• Viral infection
• Corrupt registry
• Improper hardware

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve the error 126 on your PC, you don’t always have to hire a technician or be a computer programmer yourself. Though this error is critical the good news is that it is very easy to resolve. You can fix the error even if you are not technically sound. Try the solutions that we have listed below to help you resolve error 126 immediately:

Solution 1: Disable Firewall Protection

Sometimes Firewall protection may stop you from installing new programs on your PC successfully and this may display the error 126 on your PC. In such a scenario, disable Firewall protection and then try installing the desired program again. See if it works.

Solution 2: Restore Points

Sometimes dll files can go missing due to program removals and you may come across the error 126. To resolve it, restore points. This will help you restore your PC back to the way it was functioning before you removed a program and will also help you recover the lost and missing dll files.

• This can be done, by clicking the start menu.
• Now go to all programs, then accessories, and then system tools.
• Here you will see the ‘System Restore’ option. Simply click on it.
• This will help you open a new window. Here select the option ‘Restore My Computer to an Earlier Time’ point.
• As you select it, it will show you a list of restore points.
• Choose the latest restore point you see in the list and click ‘Next’ to continue. Now confirm to finish restoration.
• Restart your PC to activate the changes.

Solution 3: Scan for Viruses

The underlying cause for the error could also be related to viruses on your PC. To remove the viruses, you will have to download a powerful antivirus and scan your entire PC. Please note, anti-viruses are notorious for slowing down system performance, so you might have to compromise on the speed of your PC.

Solution 4: Run a Hardware Diagnostic

To find out which hardware is causing the error message to pop up, you will have to run a hardware diagnostic. For this, simply go to the start menu, type Memory Diagnostic in the search bar. Now access this tool and click on Diagnose your Memory problems. As you click on it, it will ask you to perform the check by either restarting the PC immediately or on the next restart. Select the immediate one to get going. The system will carry a scan on the memory and show you the list of problematic errors detected during the scan. To resolve this error then all you have to do is replace the piece of faulty hardware. Nonetheless, if no faulty hardware is detected, this means the error is related to the registry.

Solution 5: Clean and Restore the Registry

The error 126 is also sometimes generated due to poor PC maintenance which leads to registry issues. The registry basically saves and stores all the data and activities performed on the PC. This also includes junk files, invalid registry entries, bad keys, temporary files, internet history, and cookies. This accumulates a lot of disk space. If not removed, they damage the registry and corrupt other important files like system and dll files, thereby generating PC-related error codes like error 126. The best way to resolve this error on your PC in seconds is to download Restoro on your PC. This is an advanced and multi-functional PC repair tool embedded with multiple powerful utilities including an intuitive registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer. The registry cleaning feature detects all registry issues and errors. It wipes out all the unnecessary and obsolete files cluttering the system, fixes the damaged dll files, and restores the registry back to normal. Simultaneously, the antivirus utility scans for all privacy errors and malicious software infecting your system. This includes malware, adware, spyware, and Trojans. The system optimizer feature ensures your PC performance does not slow down. It boosts the speed of your PC to its optimum level. This PC fixer is safe, user-friendly, and efficient. It can be downloaded on any Windows version. Click here to download Restoro on your system and resolve error 126 right away!

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:

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.

If you are running the Windows Update service but decided to stop it but you encountered an error message instead that says, “The Windows Update service could not be stopped”, read on as this post will help you fix the problem. This kind of error appears when you use the Command Prompt to stop the Windows Update service, especially if you are using cmd without admin privileges. A lot of users reported that they were not able to disable the automatic Windows Update in Windows 10 using Command Prompt. The command used to stop the Windows Update service is the “net stop wuauserv” command. However, when some users executed this command, they got the error message. So if you are one of these users that can’t stop the Windows Update Service via Command Prompt, you can try to fix that using PID as well as checking the Service dependencies. For more details, follow the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to stop the Windows Update service via PID

In case you don’t know, each running service or process has its own unique ID or PID and you can find it in the Task Manager. You can use it to stop the Windows Update service. How? Refer to these steps:

• Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open the Task Manager.
• Next, go to the Services tab and look for the service named “wuauserv” and get its PID.
• After that, type “cmd” in the Windows Start search 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, execute this command: taskkill /f /pid <PID>

Note: You need to replace “<PID>” with the PID of the “wuauserv” service. For instance, the PID is 6676, then this is how the command should be “taskkill /f /pid 6676”.

• After you execute the command, you will this message on your screen, “SUCCESS: The process with PID 6676 has been terminated” which indicates that you have stopped the Windows Update service successfully.

Option 2 – Try to check the Service dependencies

Dependencies of a Windows Service in Windows 10 are when windows services depend on other services. Such is the case with the Windows Update service – it also depends on three different services such as the Remote Procedure Call or RPC service, DCOM Server Process Launcher, and the RPC Endpoint Mapper. Meaning to say, if two of these services are not working as expected, then the dependant service will also be affected. This could be the reason why the Windows Update service could not start.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the following services:
  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service
  • DCOM Server Process Launcher
  • RPC Endpoint Mapper
• After you find these services, double click on each one of them and check whether the Startup type for all is set to Automatic and the Service status is set to Running or not.
• If the service status is not running, then click the Start button. Afterward, check if you can now run the Windows Update service.