How to get rid of My Maps Wizard

My Maps Wizard is a browser extension for Google Chrome Developed by Mindspark Inc. This extension offers users access to different websites that offer route planning, map views, and other traveling tools.

While all this might sound interesting and useful, this extension has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by several popular anti-virus applications.

When installed this extension changes your default home page and new tab page to MyWay.com or Ask.com depending on the extension version. It also monitors and records user browsing activity that it later uses to display sponsored / unwanted ads throughout your browsing sessions. While browsing the internet with this extension active and installed you will see additional pop-up ads, sponsored links, and injected ads into search results.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a form of unwanted software, often a browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in the browser’s settings. There are lots of reasons why you may experience a browser hijack; however commercial, advertising, and marketing are the primary reasons for their creation. It redirects you to the sponsored websites and injects ads on your internet browser that assists its creator to generate earnings. Although it may seem naive, these tools were created by malicious people who always attempt to take full advantage of you, so that hackers can easily earn money from your naive and distraction. Browser hijackers could also allow other harmful programs without your knowledge to further damage your personal computer.

How you can know whether the web browser is hijacked?

There are numerous symptoms of web browser hijacking:
1. you notice unauthorized modifications to your web browser’s homepage
2. you find new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, usually directed to ad-filled or pornography sites
3. the default search engine and the default web browser settings are altered
4. you find many toolbars on the internet browser
5. never-ending pop-up ads appear and/or your browser pop-up blocker is disabled
6. your browser has instability problems or exhibits frequent errors
7. you can’t visit specific websites such as homepages of anti-malware software.

So how does a PC get infected with a browser hijacker?

There are a number of ways your PC can get infected by a browser hijacker. They generally arrive by way of spam email, via file-sharing websites, or by a drive-by download. They may also originate from any BHO, browser extension, toolbar, add-on, or plug-in with malicious intent. A browser hijacker may also come bundled up with some freeware that you unwittingly download to your PC, compromising your internet security. An example of some infamous browser hijacker includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, SweetPage, DefaultTab, RocketTab, and Delta Search, however, the names are often changing.

Browser hijacking can lead to severe privacy problems and even identity theft, affect your web browsing experience by taking control of outgoing traffic, drastically slows down your personal computer by consuming lots of system resources, and cause system instability as well.

Learn how to remove a browser hijacker

Certain browser hijacking can be quite easily stopped by finding and eliminating the corresponding malware software through your control panel. Having said that, the majority of hijackers are quite tenacious and need specialized tools to remove them. Furthermore, manual removals require in-depth system knowledge and therefore could be a very difficult task for novice computer users.

Industry experts always suggest users eliminate any malicious software including browser hijacker by using an automatic removal tool, which is simpler, safer, and quicker than the manual removal solution. One of the best tools for correcting browser hijacker infections is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. It will help you remove any pre-existing malicious software on your system and provides you real-time monitoring and protection against new internet threats. Employ a system optimizer (such as Total System Care) along with your antivirus software to correct various registry issues, eliminate computer vulnerabilities, and boost your computer performance.

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

All malware is bad, but certain types of malware do much more damage to your computer or laptop than others. Certain malware variants modify web browser settings by adding a proxy server or change the PC’s DNS configuration settings. In these instances, you’ll be unable to visit certain or all of the sites, and thus not able to download or install the required security software to eliminate the computer virus. So what to do if malicious software keeps you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? There are a few actions you can take to get around this issue.

Install the anti-malware in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is actually a unique, basic version of Microsoft Windows in which just bare minimum services are loaded to stop viruses as well as other troublesome applications from loading. If the virus is set to load automatically when PC boots, shifting to this mode may prevent it from doing so. To get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the system is starting up or run MSConfig and find the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you are in safe mode, you can try to install your antivirus application without the hindrance of malicious software. Now, you are able to run the antivirus scan to remove computer viruses and malware without hindrance from another malicious application.

Download the security software in an alternate browser

Malicious code may exploit vulnerabilities in a particular internet browser and block access to all anti-malware software sites. The best solution to avoid this issue is to go with a browser that is well known for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you secure online.

Run antivirus from a pen drive

Another way is to download and transfer anti-malware software from a clean PC to run a virus scan on the affected computer. Try these simple measures to clean up your infected computer by using portable anti-malware.
1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free computer system.
2) Mount the USB drive onto the same computer.
3) Double-click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard.
4) When asked, select the location of the pen drive as the place where you want to store the software files. Follow activation instructions.
5) Remove the pen drive. You can now utilize this portable antivirus on the infected computer.
6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the flash drive to run the application.
7) Press the “Scan Now” button to begin the malware scan.

Let's Talk About SafeBytes Anti-Malware!

If you’re looking to download an anti-malware application for your PC, there are lots of tools out there to consider however, you cannot trust blindly to anyone, regardless of whether it is paid or free software. A few are very good ones, some are decent, and some are merely fake anti-malware applications that will harm your PC themselves! You must pick one that is efficient, practical and has a good reputation for its malware protection. One of the recommended software programs is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes has a superb history of excellent service, and customers are very happy with it.

Safebytes is among the well-established computer solutions firms, which provide this complete anti-malware software. Using its cutting-edge technology, this software will help you remove multiples types of malware like viruses, PUPs, trojans, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes anti-malware provides a plethora of advanced features which sets it aside from all others. The following are some of the features you may like in SafeBytes.

World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built upon a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can identify and get rid of numerous obstinate malware threats such as browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other typical anti-virus programs will miss.

Live Protection: SafeBytes offers complete and real-time security for your PC. It’ll constantly monitor your pc for hacker activity and also provides users with superior firewall protection.

Safe Browsing: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes informs you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will make sure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the web.

Light-weight Utility: SafeBytes is a lightweight and user-friendly anti-virus and anti-malware solution. As it uses minimum computer resources, this application leaves the computer power exactly where it belongs to: with you.

Fantastic Tech Support Team: You can get high levels of support 24/7 if you’re using their paid version.

SafeBytes can keep your personal computer safe from the latest malware threats automatically, thus keeping your internet experience secure and safe. You can be sure that your computer system will be protected in real-time once you put this tool to use. If you want advanced forms of protection features & threat detections, buying SafeBytes Anti-Malware could be worth the money!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To remove My Maps Wizard manually, go to the Add/Remove programs list in the Windows Control Panel and select the offending program you want to get rid of. For internet browser extensions, go to your browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the add-on you would like to remove or disable. You will additionally also want to totally reset your web browser to its default configuration settings.

To ensure complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your computer and remove them or reset the values appropriately. But bear in mind, this can be a tricky task and only computer professionals could carry it out safely. In addition, some malicious programs are capable to defend against its removal. You’re advised to do this process in Safe Mode.

Registry:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Folders] Common Startup = C:\windows\start menu\programs\startup
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\User Shell Folders] Common Startup = C:\windows\start menu\programs\startup
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices] Whatever = c:\runfolder\program.exe

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Activision Blizzard Sued by California
blizzard hqFollowing a two-year investigation by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the state has filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard for fostering a "frat boy" culture in which female employees are allegedly subjected to unequal pay and sexual harassment. As reported by Bloomberg, Activision Blizzard is being accused by the state of California of discriminating against female employees at nearly all levels of employment, including in regards to compensation, promotion, assignments, and termination. The state alleges Activision Blizzard’s leadership has failed to address any of these outstanding issues or prevent them from occurring within the workplace. You can read the full details of the lawsuit here. The suit, filed Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, says Activision Blizzard, which is made up of about 20 percent women, assigns women, and women of color, to "lower paid and lower opportunity levels" with lower starting pay for similar work as their male counterparts. The documents also accuse Activision Blizzard of fostering a "pervasive 'frat boy' workplace culture in the office. Male employees are said to drink "copious amounts of alcohol" as they make their way through cubicles and "often engage in inappropriate behavior toward female employees." Male employees are said to come to work hungover, play video games during work "while delegating their responsibilities to female employees, engage in banter about their sexual encounters, talk openly about female bodies, and joke about rape." The lawsuit also cites one particular incident where a female employee, who was already subjected to intense sexual harassment at the company, committed suicide during a work trip with a male supervisor who allegedly brought inappropriate, sexual items with him on the trip. The lawsuit is asking for an injunction that will force Activision Blizzard to comply with workplace protections, as well as deliver unpaid wages, pay adjustments, back pay, and lost wages and benefits for female employees.

An Activision Blizzard spokesperson sent the following statement in response to the allegations:

We value diversity and strive to foster a workplace that offers inclusivity for everyone. There is no place in our company or industry, or any industry, for sexual misconduct or harassment of any kind. We take every allegation seriously and investigate all claims. In cases related to misconduct, the action was taken to address the issue. The DFEH includes distorted, and in many cases false, descriptions of Blizzard’s past. We have been extremely cooperative with the DFEH throughout their investigation, including providing them with extensive data and ample documentation, but they refused to inform us what issues they perceived. They were required by law to adequately investigate and to have good faith discussions with us to better understand and to resolve any claims or concerns before going to litigation, but they failed to do so. Instead, they rushed to file an inaccurate complaint, as we will demonstrate in court. We are sickened by the reprehensible conduct of the DFEH to drag into the complaint the tragic suicide of an employee whose passing has no bearing whatsoever on this case and with no regard for her grieving family. While we find this behavior to be disgraceful and unprofessional, it is, unfortunately, an example of how they have conducted themselves throughout the course of their investigation. It is this type of irresponsible behavior from unaccountable State bureaucrats that are driving many of the State’s best businesses out of California. The picture the DFEH paints is not the Blizzard workplace of today. Over the past several years and continuing since the initial investigation started, we’ve made significant changes to address company culture and reflect more diversity within our leadership teams. We’ve updated our Code of Conduct to emphasize a strict non-retaliation focus, amplified internal programs and channels for employees to report violations, including the “ASK List” with a confidential integrity hotline, and introduced an Employee Relations team dedicated to investigating employee concerns. We have strengthened our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and combined our Employee Networks at a global level, to provide additional support. Employees must also undergo regular anti-harassment training and have done so for many years. We put tremendous effort into creating fair and rewarding compensation packages and policies that reflect our culture and business, and we strive to pay all employees fairly for equal or substantially similar work. We take a variety of proactive steps to ensure that pay is driven by non-discriminatory factors. For example, we reward and compensate employees based on their performance, and we conduct extensive anti-discrimination training including for those who are part of the compensation process. We are confident in our ability to demonstrate our practices as an equal opportunity employer that fosters a supportive, diverse, and inclusive workplace for our people, and we are committed to continuing this effort in the years to come. It is a shame that the DFEH did not want to engage with us on what they thought they were seeing in their investigation.

Conclusion

We will see how things work out, but I am not too optimistic for Activision Blizzard, truth to be told these reports are really bringing up some disturbing news on the sunlight. I just hope that all responsible will be brought to justice.
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Fixing the No such interface supported
If you are using File Explorer but suddenly encountered an error saying, “No such interface supported”, read on as this post will guide you on how to fix the problem. This kind of error occurs due to the corruption in the system files which supports several tasks in the system that works with the Windows File Explorer process or File Explorer. This kind of error can give you a hard time in browsing the files on your computer, or when you open important utilities like the Control Panel, or when you copy files and other inconveniences. Needless to say, it won’t bring you any productivity at all and can only leave you frustrated. To fix this problem, there are several options you can try. You can try to run the System File Checker scan or the DISM tool. You could also try to re-register the potentially corrupted DLL files or fix the User Profile. For more details, refer to each one of the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to run System File Checker

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the errors 0x8024a11a and 0x8024a112. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.
  • Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
  • Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
  • 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 and see if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try to fix the User Profile

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to fix the User Profile. All you have to do is migrate to a new User Profile in Windows 10 by creating a new User Account and migrating all your personal files from the current user profile folder in the C:/Users location to the new user profile folder which is also located in the same folder.

Option 3 – Run the DISM tool

You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the “No such interface supported” error. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.
  • Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
  • Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
    • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
    • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
    • exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
  • Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish. Once it’s done, restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try to re-register the problematic DLL file

You may have to re-register the ntdll.dll file using the regsvr32.exe before you can successfully install the program and fix the error. The Regsvr32 tool is a command-line utility that can be used to register and unregister OLE controls like DLL and ActiveX (OCX) controls in the Windows operating system. Follow the steps below to use it.
  • Open Command Prompt as admin from the WinX menu.
  • Next, type the following command in the elevated Command Prompt and hit Enter to execute it. This will re-register the affected DLL file using the Windows operating system tool, regsvr32.exe.
regsvr32 c:windowssystem32actxprxy.dll
  • After you execute the given command, you should see a message saying, “DllRegisterServer in vbscript.dll succeeded” if the Regsvr32 tool was able to run successfully. If it didn’t work, you can try to execute this command instead: FOR /R C: %G IN (*.dll) DO "%systemroot%system32regsvr32.exe" /s "%G"
  • Once it’s done, restart your computer.
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Onscreen keyboard becomes transparent
If you suddenly noticed that your Onscreen keyboard in Windows 10 has become completely white or transparent for some reason, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on what you can do to resolve this kind of issue in your computer. As you know, the on-screen keyboard is included in Windows 10 and has an executable file named “osk.exe”. The on-screen keyboard is a part of the Ease of Access feature in Windows 10 which allows users to navigate the computer with the help of the mouse instead of the physical keyboard. However, there are times when you might encounter some issues when using the on-screen keyboard. One of the issues reported recently is that the on-screen keyboard becomes transparent or it only displays the borders but there is no way for you to access it. You also won’t be able to move it from the view completely. To fix this problem, there are several suggestions you can check out. You can try to check the Fade button or run the Windows Touch Keyboard troubleshooter. You can also restart its process in the Task Manager. For more details, refer to each one of the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to check the Fade button

The first thing you can do is to check the Fade button on the on-screen keyboard. You can find it at the bottom right corner of the keyboard. If it is enabled, then it’s probably the reason why your on-screen keyboard is transparent as it lets it fade in the background. Thus, you have to disable it to resolve the problem.

Option 2 – Try to run the Windows Touch Keyboard troubleshooter

The next option you can check out is running the Windows Touch Keyboard troubleshooter. This troubleshooter will help you identify the problem and would fix them automatically.

Option 3 – Try to restart the process of the on-screen keyboard via Task Manager

The next thing you can do is to restart the on-screen keyboard’s process in the Task Manager. Just follow the steps below.
  • First, tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open the Task Manager.
  • Next, go to the Processes tab and look for the option that says, “Accessibility On-screen Keyboard”.
  • Once you found it, click on the drop-down arrow next to it and right click on the “On-screen Keyboard” option, and select End task to end its process.
  • After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “osk.exe” in the field, and then hit Enter to open the on-screen keyboard.
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How to enable God mode inside Windows 11
God mode windows 11Like in Windows 10, Windows 11 will also support God mode to be enabled and used. For those readers that do know what God mode is, let me explain it in simple terms. God mode is the icon on the desktop that once clicked will open and let you adjust every option in the control panel and some hidden features for Windows inside one application. There are a lot of advantages to having this one-click fast access to features, especially if you are a power user. Luckily creating such an awesome icon and enabling God mode is very easy to accomplish, all you have to do is:
  1. Create a new folder where you want to have the God mode icon
  2. Rename folder exactly: {ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
  3. Enjoy God mode
As you can see creating and accessing all settings at your fingertips is much easier than most people think. Enjoy your ultimate access to Windows 11 features and if you wish you can drag and drop sections from it into the desktop or anywhere for easy access to that specific topic.
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Fix Chrome is Waiting for cache in Windows
There are times when you may encounter some glitches on your Google Chrome browser in your Windows 10 computer. One of these glitches is when the connection status of Chrome keeps on saying “Waiting for cache” which is displayed at the bottom-left side of the browser in the Status bar. At the time of writing, it isn’t clear yet what could be causing this problem. Although it is possible that it’s caused by browser cache, some extensions in the browser. On the other hand, it could also be caused by the browser profile or due to some fragmented files or that the SSD is occupied. Whatever the cause is, you can check out each one of the given options below to fix the problem.

Option 1 – Try clearing browser cache

There are times when some data in the browser is conflicting with the loading of the website and triggers some problems like “Waiting for cache”. And so you can try to clear your browser’s data. This might be a very basic solution but oftentimes it works in fixing this kind of error in Google Chrome. Follow the steps below to clear the data in your browser.
  • Open your Google Chrome browser.
  • After that, tap the Ctrl + H keys. Doing so will open a new panel that allows you to delete the browsing history and other data in your browser.
  • Now select every checkbox that you see and click on the Clear browsing data button.
  • Then restart your Chrome browser and check if you can now open any website or not.

Option 2 – Try to disable writing of Cache files to the SSD

You can also disable the writing of Cache files to the SSD to stop Google Chrome’s dependency on the SSD to gather all the cache files.

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:
  • You need to first end every single process of Google Chrome. To do so, 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.
  • Next, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialogue 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 – 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.

Option 5 – 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.
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One or more Network Protocols are missing
Windows 10 users a set of rules or standards called Network Protocols in communicating over the internet. These protocols are the ones that made sure that the data is correctly sent between computers. However, if any of the Network Protocol is missing in your Windows 10 computer, then you will most likely encounter a problem like not being able to browse the internet, or share files. For this, you can try to run the Incoming Connections troubleshooter: As you were not able to connect to your internet connection using your PC, you can try to run the Incoming Connections troubleshooter as it might resolve the problem. Refer to the following steps to run this troubleshooter:
  • Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
  • After opening Settings, go to Update and Security.
  • Next, navigate to the Troubleshoot pane and select the Incoming Connections section and click the Run Troubleshooter button to get started.
  • Wait until the troubleshooter is finished doing its job and then try connecting to your network again.
If after running the Incoming Connections troubleshooter you receive an error message instead that says, “Network Protocol is missing”, then here are some suggestions you need to check out to fix it. Take note that you must have admin privileges before you start troubleshooting the problem.

Option 1 – Try to update or rollback or uninstall the Network drivers

You might also want to update, roll back, or disable your Network drivers to fix the “This operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for this operation” error.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.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 Network Adapters and expand it.
  • Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and depending on your preference, you can either select “Update driver”, “Disable device” or “Uninstall device”.
  • After that, restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the netio.sys Blue Screen error.

Option 2 – Try to reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS

You might also want to try resetting Winsock, TCP/IP, and flushing DNS might help you resolve errors. To do so, follow these steps:
  • Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator) so you can pull up an elevated Command Prompt.
  • After that, execute each one of the commands listed below. And after you typed in one after the other, you have to hit Enter.
  1. netsh winsock reset – type in this command to reset Winsock
  2. netsh int ip reset resettcpip.txt – type in this command to reset TCP/IP
  3. ipconfig /flushdns – type in this command to flush the DNS cache
  • Next, restart your PC and check if the problem’s fixed.

Option 3 – Diagnose the Network Adapter

To diagnose the Network Adapter, go to Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Network Connections, and from there, look for the network adapter that could be causing the error. Note that if you are using a Wi-Fi connection, then it’s probably your Wi-Fi adapter, otherwise it has something to do with your Ethernet adapter. Just right-click on the problematic network adapter and select diagnose to troubleshoot.

Option 4 – Try to perform Network Reset

You can also try to perform a Network Reset to resolve the problem. This will reset the entire network configuration including your IP address. To perform Network Reset, follow these steps:
  • Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
  • From there, go to the Network and Internet section.
  • Next, scroll down and look for “Network Reset” under the status pane.
  • After that, click on Network Reset and then on Reset now to start resetting the network configuration. Once done, check if it is able to fix the error or not.

Option 5 – Try importing Winsock settings from another computer

If resetting Winsock or the Network didn’t fix the problem, then you can try to import settings from a computer that’s in good condition. You need to have access to the registry to get this done and then export and import a couple of settings. Refer to these steps to get started:
  • 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, go to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServices
  • Next, look for two registry keys named “Winsock” and “Winsock2” and then right-click on each one of them and select the Export option.
  • Now copy the registry keys to a USB drive and then copy the keys on the PC in excellent condition.
  • Then double click on each one of them and it will install the WINSOCK keys.
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MS Store keeps updating the same apps
As you know, the Microsoft store is a built-in tool in Windows 10 where you can find a variety of applications. It helps users in downloading or updating apps in the system. However, there are instances when you could encounter issues while using it. One of the issues that you could face when using the Microsoft Store app is when it keeps on offering apps you have just updated or when you are not able to update any apps at all. This kind of issue in the Microsoft Store app might be caused by other issues like a damaged Windows Store cache. There are several options you can check out to resolve the problem. You can try to check the registry setting or run the Windows Store apps troubleshooter or clear the Windows Store cache manually or reset its settings. You could also try to re-register the Microsoft Store app. For more details, refer to each one of the options provided below but before you troubleshoot the problem, make sure that you create a System Restore point.

Option 1 – Run the Windows Store App troubleshooter

The Windows 10 Store Apps Troubleshooter will help you in fixing the problem in Microsoft Store. This is a great built-in tool from Microsoft that helps users fix any app issues. To use the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter, follow the steps below.
  • Tap Win + I keys again to open the Windows Settings panel.
  • Go to Update & Security and then go to Troubleshoot.
  • Under the Troubleshoot section, on your left-hand side, scroll down to find Window Store Apps.
  • Then click on the Run the troubleshooter option and follow the on-screen instructions and then see if it fixes the problem.

Option 2 – Try checking the settings in the Windows Registry

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to check the Registry settings for the Windows Store.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionCurrentVersion
  • From there, look for the DWORD named “CurrentVersion” and make sure that its value data is set to 6.3, but if it’s not then change its value data to 6.3
  • Exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer and then see if it fixed the problem with the Microsoft Store app.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache

Just like browsers, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.
  • Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
  • Next, type in the command, “exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
  • Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again and then try to install your app or update your computer again.

Option 4 – Try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via Windows PowerShell

  • Tap the Win + X key combination or right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option.
  • If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed and open the Windows PowerShell window.
  • Next, type in or copy-paste the following command to re-register the Microsoft Store app and tap Enter:
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $Env:SystemRootWinStoreAppxManifest.xml
  • Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.
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Change the Taskbar Size in Windows 11
Default Taskbar inside Windows 11 is pretty good if we are talking about its height. Sitting at 48 pixels it is a pretty decent size considering functionality and size ratio but if you want to make it a little larger or smaller know that you can do that as well in order to customize it for your personal needs. Sadly in order to actually change height size, you will have to do it inside the registry editor, but worry not, we are here with you to guide you all the way, one step at a time. Also, note that you can only change Taskbar from normal size of 48px to either small of 32px or large gapping at 72px. Icons will also be scaled proportionally with the taskbar.

windows 11 TaskbarGuide

  1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
  2. Inside run dialog type in RegEdit and press ENTER
  3. In registry editor locate and find HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
  4. Right Click on it to select it and create a new DWORD (32-bit) value
  5. Name the value TaskbarSi
  6. Inside TaskbarSi double click in order to set the value to 0 if you want a small size Taskbar, 1 is if you want to revert back to medium (standard one), or type in 2 if you want a large Taskbar.
  7. Save and close the Registry editor
  8. Reboot PC
And there you go, you have successfully changed Taskbar size inside Windows 11. If you want to revert back to standard size just repeat steps and place 1 as a value in point 6.
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Fix fatal error C0000034 applying update
Fatal error C0000034 happens during the installation of the Windows update and if you are one of the unlucky users who sadly run into this, keep reading as we will provide solutions to this error and how to get around it. Start from point 1 to the bottom and hopefully you will have your PC back into working order in no time.
  1. Run Windows Update troubleshooter

    Usually, a built-in Windows troubleshooter can solve issues painlessly and fast, my advice is to try this as the first option, it is a simple and clean solution worth trying and in 90% it solves the issue all by itself.
  2. Do a clean boot

    Using task manager, remove all nonessential applications and services from starting up, reboot your computer, and once it is cleanly booted try re-running the update process again, if the issue was running the application this time everything will work since the problematic application is not running.
  3. Reset Windows update components to the default

    This solution requires you to use the Reset Windows Update Agent Tool to reset Windows Update components to default or use this PowerShell script to reset Windows Update Client. You can also manually reset each Windows Update component to default and then re-run the update.
  4. Disable firewall and antivirus

    Altho not likely it is still a possibility that some firewalls and antivirus can detect windows updates as malicious software and cut them off. If everything else failed, disable the firewall and your PC protection and when it is fully disabled try updating.
  5. Do automatic startup repair

    This should be the last thing to do but if everything else failed, do it. Perform Windows 10 Startup Repair. Once the startup repair completes successfully, you can re-run the update. The update should install without errors.
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Antivirus software review 2022

As we near the end of 2022 we look at the current best antivirus software for popular platforms, why they are the best, and why you should get them.

Avira, a great free Antivirus

Avira has been around a long time with its free antivirus version of the larger protection suite. It had its ups and downs but the latest versions are really great. With high-speed scans and low system impact, Avira antivirus is really one of the best free antivirus software currently on the market.

Avira screen

The software itself has also received UI & UX updates making it straightforward and easy to use. The virus scanning engine is the same as in paid version that ranks among the top engines in the world for this type of work. The package also gives you some great browser protection and a good firewall as well, there is really no excuse to skip on this if you want a free solution.

The only thing that we would say is not so great in Avira is reporting some false positives, sometimes even for MS updates, it is rare but it can happen.

Malwarebytes, a powerful Windows antivirus

Malwarebytes Premium is easy to use, simple antivirus solution that shies away from complicated UI, and simply put, it just works. Its scanning engine is well-known and places among the top and best in the world often finding some malware that other can miss.

malwarebytes screen

Another great thing is its integration with Windows itself, it is one of the rare applications that can and will work incredibly well beside your typical Windows protection tools so you can have both of them running at the same time.

Installation and running are really simple and every typical PC user will find it as easy as walking in the park. On the other hand, sadly system impact is a little high and it will have issues running on lower-end systems due to its memory requirements.

Intego MAC Internet Security X9, the best Mac antivirus

Gone are the days when MAC had no virus issues, since MAC rose in popularity among the users, also rose the number of viruses and malware. The system itself has some great protection built it inside but for more security and better control of it, you will need a third-party dedicated solution.

Intego was made by Mac antivirus experts who have been building this kind of software last 25 years. The interface is easy to use and premade presets are really helpful, but the security suite can also be customized to fit your needs and desires.

intego screen

Since this is only available as a security suite, you are getting a firewall and some other security tools along with your antivirus that will run as a part of it.

The bad side is that scans can sometimes run slow, most of the time they are OK in terms of speed but occasionally they can switch to slower speeds and impact scanning time to some annoying times. Also, there is no webcam protection nor VPN service included where others on this list have them.

Bitdefender mobile security: best Android protection

While protection is not only needed for your gaming or workstation, software suites that are dealing with mobile and tablet security exist. The best of them is the Bitdefender antivirus mobile suite. Low on system resources and low on performance impact with the really great virus detection rate Bitdefender is at the top of suites for your phone.

bitdefender mobile

Consistent high virus detection packed with low battery impact is great but the suite comes with tons of other tools as well like browser security tools, email protection, and real-time link and notification protection.

The application will always scan each file and newly installed application in the background and alert and cut off any found threat. App itself is easy to install and use and most of the time it will do everything in the background for you but offer you customization if you need it.

The package also includes VPN and application lock that will let you protect the critical applications from being accessed as well as an online account scanner. Anti-theft and anti-loss tools, which allow you to find, remotely lock or wipe a stolen or lost device, add yet another layer of protection.

One thing that is missing from this great package is fraudulent call protection. Newer Android phones have this feature inside but it would be nice if Bitdefender had it as well.

Bitdefender, the best antivirus software

Now that we have covered specific cases of each platform, there is one player that has all of them covered and with a quality product, that player is BitDefender and it is great. Personally, this is my protection suite of choice and as I type this it is running in the background.

Bitdefender has it all, low system impact, as a matter of fact, it is one, if not, the lowest performance impact engine on the market currently and that is packed with a great and highly consistent virus & malware detection suite. Along with real-time malware protection, browser security, and anti-spam tools, you also get anti-phishing defenses, ransomware protection, and a strong firewall.

bitdefender screen

Bitdefender scores are very high in both the zero-day threat and real-world protection tests at AV-Test, an established organization that tests antivirus software. Despite being tested against tens of thousands of well-known and widespread malware threats, the software consistently achieves a 100% blocking rate.

The suite also comes with a restricted free VPN and with parental controls as well. Webcam and microphone protection are also included in the suite and on top of all, it has great pricing plans and constant discounts.

BitDefender is really a great package and it might sound too good, but after years and years of personally using it I have not had single malware or virus issue, the only thing that I would put as a negative is that system is severely slowed down when system scans are performed so be sure to run or schedule them when you are not using your computer. This, of course, can put some people off and I will admit it is a serious drawback but for me, the security of my workstation is more important than leaving the computer for 20 or so minutes in order to perform a full scan of the system.

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