How to remove Homework Simplified from your Computer
HomeworkSimplified is a Browser Hijacking extension for Google Chrome developed by Mindspark. This extension will set your home page and new tab to MyWay.com.
From the Terms of Use: As part of the download process for the Toolbar, you may be given the option to reset your Internet browser’s homepage to an Ask homepage product and/or reset your new tab page to an Ask new tab product. If you do not wish to reset your homepage and/or new tab page to the Ask homepage and/or Ask new tab product(s), you can decline/opt-out of these features by checking or unchecking the appropriate box(es) during the download process for the Toolbar.
While installing this extension monitors user browsing activity and sends it back to Mindspark servers, where they are later used/sold to better target and inject unwanted ads and sponsored content into your browsing sessions.
About Browser Hijackers
Browser hijacking is regarded as the web’s constant danger that targets web browsers. It is a kind of malware program that redirects the web browser requests to some other suspicious websites. Browser hijacker malware is developed for numerous reasons. Typically, browser hijacking is used for earning advertising revenue that comes from forced ad clicks and website visits. It may appear harmless, but the majority of such websites are not legitimate and will pose a major threat to your online safety. Additionally, hijackers will make the whole infected system vulnerable – other harmful malware and viruses will take hold of these opportunities to get into your computer effortlessly.
Indications of browser hijack
The typical signs that signify having this malicious software on your computer are: 1. your homepage is reset to some mysterious website 2. you observe new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, usually directed to advertisement-filled or pornography sites 3. the default search engine is changed and the web browser security settings have been brought down without your knowledge 4. you’re getting new toolbars you have never seen before 5. you may notice numerous pop-up adverts on your computer screen 6. your browser has instability problems or exhibits frequent errors 7. you’ve prohibited entry to certain web pages, including the website of an anti-malware software developer like SafeBytes.
How they get into your computer or laptop
There are several ways your computer can become infected by a browser hijacker. They usually arrive through spam e-mail, via file-sharing networks, or by a drive-by download. They are generally included with toolbars, add-ons, BHO, plug-ins, or browser extensions. Browser hijackers sneak into your pc along with free software application downloads also that you unwittingly install alongside the original. Typical examples of browser hijackers include CoolWebSearch, Conduit, OneWebSearch, Coupon Server, RocketTab, Snap.do, Delta Search, and Searchult.com.
Browser hijacking may lead to serious privacy issues and also identity theft, disrupt your browsing experience by taking control of outbound traffic, considerably slows down your computer or laptop by depleting a lot of system resources and result in system instability as well.
How you can get rid of a browser hijacker
Some kinds of browser hijackers can be removed from the computer by uninstalling malicious software programs or any other recently added shareware. But, certain hijackers are very hard to identify or remove since they might get themselves connected with certain crucial system files which allow it to operate as a necessary operating system process. You should think about undertaking manual repairs only if you happen to be a tech-savvy individual, as potential risks are associated with tinkering with the system registry and HOSTS file.
You might opt for automatic browser hijacker removal by just installing and running an efficient anti-malware application. To eradicate any browser hijacker from your computer, you should download this certified malware removal application – SafeBytes Anti-Malware. Employ a system optimizer (like Total System Care) together with your anti-malware software to correct various computer registry issues, eliminate system vulnerabilities, and boost your computer overall performance
How To Get Eliminate Virus That Is Preventing Anti-Malware Downloads?
All malware is inherently harmful, but certain kinds of malware do a lot more damage to your computer than others. Some malware variants modify web browser settings by adding a proxy server or change the PC’s DNS configurations. In these instances, you will be unable to visit some or all of the websites, and thus not able to download or install the necessary security software to remove the malware. If you’re reading this article, you may have got affected by malware that prevents you from downloading a security application like Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. Do as instructed below to eliminate malware in alternate ways.
Get rid of viruses in Safe Mode
The Windows-based PC includes a special mode known as “Safe Mode” where only the bare minimum required applications and services are loaded. In the event the malware is blocking access to the internet and affecting your PC, launching it in Safe Mode enables you to download anti-virus and run a diagnostic scan whilst limiting possible damage. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the system is booting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you are in Safe Mode, you can attempt to install your antivirus application without the hindrance of the malware. At this point, you can run the antivirus scan to remove viruses and malware without any hindrance from another application.
Switch over to an alternative browser
Certain viruses might target vulnerabilities of a particular web browser that obstruct the downloading process. If you are not able to download the security application using Internet Explorer, this means the virus may be targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you must switch over to another browser such as Chrome or Firefox to download the Safebytes Anti-malware program.
Install anti-malware on a USB drive
Another option is to store and run an anti-malware software program entirely from a Pen drive. Adopt these measures to use a USB drive to fix your infected computer system. 1) Make use of another virus-free computer to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the pen drive on the same computer. 3) Double click on the exe file to run the installation wizard. 4) Select the flash drive as the destination for saving the file. Follow the activation instructions. 5) Now, transfer the pen drive to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the EXE file to open the Safebytes tool right from the thumb drive. 7) Click on the “Scan” button to run a full system scan and remove malware automatically.
SafeBytes Anti-Malware - More Protection For You Personally
If you’re looking to install anti-malware software for your PC, there are plenty of tools on the market to consider but you cannot trust blindly anyone, regardless of whether it is free or paid software. A few of them are good, some are ok types, while some will harm your computer themselves! You need to be careful not to select the wrong product, particularly if you purchase a premium application. While considering the dependable programs, Safebytes AntiMalware is certainly the strongly recommended one.
SafeBytes anti-malware is a highly effective and user-friendly protection tool that is made for end-users of all levels of computer literacy. With its outstanding protection system, this software will easily detect and remove most of the security threats, including adware, viruses, browser hijackers, ransomware, PUPs, and trojans.
SafeBytes possesses a plethora of wonderful features that can help you protect your PC from malware attack and damage. Listed below are some of the best ones:
Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes provides an entirely hands-free live protection and is set to check, prevent and remove all computer threats at its first encounter. It’ll regularly monitor your computer for hacker activity and also provides users with superior firewall protection.
Anti-Malware Protection: This deep-cleaning antimalware application goes much deeper than most anti-virus tools to clean out your PC. Its critically acclaimed virus engine detects and disables hard-to-remove malware that conceals deep inside your PC.
Website Filtering: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating to the web pages you are going to visit, automatically blocking harmful sites and ensuring that you’re certain of your safety while browsing the world wide web.
Light-weight: SafeBytes is a lightweight and easy-to-use antivirus and antimalware solution. Since it utilizes low computer resources, this application leaves the computer’s power exactly where it belongs to: with you actually.
Premium Support: You will get 24/7 technical support to quickly resolve any issue with your security application.
On the whole, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program since it has lots of features and can identify and eliminate any potential threats. You can be sure that your PC will be protected in real-time once you put this tool to use. For the best protection and the best value for your money, you can’t get better than SafeBytes Anti-Malware.
Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)
If you’d like to manually get rid of Homework Simplified without using an automated tool, it might be possible to do so by removing the application from the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of web browser extensions, going to the browser’s AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You’ll likely also want to reset your web browser.
To ensure the complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your computer and eliminate them or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for experienced users only and could be difficult, with wrong file removal causing additional PC errors. Furthermore, some malware keeps replicating which makes it tough to eliminate. Carrying out this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is suggested.
GoodShopLanding is a browser extension for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. This extension offers the latest coupons from a range of variety stores. While this may seem useful, this extension only offers coupons from sponsored stores, not all coupons available, so the only coupons that you will get are from the Extensions Ad network. You may see additional new tabs opening randomly while browsing the internet, these tabs are opened by GoodShopLanding and usually contain last-minute store deals.
As it is often distributed via potentially unwanted advertising, and impacts browser performance in a way that many users do not want, it is classified as a Browser Hijacker and thus flagged for optional removal.
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About Browser Hijackers
Browser hijackers (sometimes called hijackware) are a kind of malicious software that alters internet browser configurations without the computer owner’s knowledge or consent. These hijacks appear to be increasing at an astonishing rate around the globe, and it could be truly nefarious and sometimes harmful too. There are numerous reasons why you may have a browser hijack; but commercial, marketing, and advertising are definitely the primary purposes for their creation. Often, hijackers will force hits to sites of their choice either to increase traffic generating higher advertisement revenue, or to gain a commission for every user visiting there. However, it isn’t that harmless. Your web safety is jeopardized and it is extremely irritating. They not only mess up your web browsers, but browser hijackers can also modify the system registry, leaving your computer vulnerable to various other attacks.
Indications of browser hijack
There are many symptoms that indicate the browser is highjacked: your homepage is reset to some mysterious site; bookmark and the new tab are likewise changed; The default search page of web browser is changed; unwanted new toolbars are added to your web browser; you may see never-ending pop-up ads on your computer screen; web pages load very slowly and sometimes incomplete; you’re disallowed access to certain webpages, such as the site of an antimalware software developer like SafeBytes.
How they get into the computer
A browser hijacker can be installed on your computer if you go to an infected website, click an e-mail attachment, or download something from a file-sharing website. They can also be deployed via the installation of an internet browser toolbar, add-on, or extension. Browser hijackers sneak into your pc along with free software application downloads that you unknowingly install along with the original. A good example of some well-known browser hijackers includes Babylon, Anyprotect, Conduit, DefaultTab, SweetPage, RocketTab, and Delta Search, but the names are often changing.
Browser hijackers may record user keystrokes to collect potentially invaluable information that leads to privacy issues, cause instability on computers, significantly disrupt user’s browsing experience, and finally slow down the computer to a stage where it will become unusable.
How you can get rid of browser hijackers
Certain browser hijacking can be simply corrected by identifying and removing the corresponding malware program from your control panel. Unfortunately, most of the software programs utilized to hijack a web browser are intentionally designed to be hard to remove or detect. Moreover, manual removal requires you to carry out many time-consuming and intricate steps which are tough to conduct for new computer users.
Installing and running anti-malware software on the affected computer can automatically delete browser hijackers as well as other malicious applications. If you want to remove persistent browser hijackers quickly and effectively, install the top-rated Anti-Malware program Safebytes Anti-Malware. Along with anti-virus software, a system optimizer program can help you fix registry errors, get rid of unwanted toolbars, secure internet privacy, and enhance overall computer performance.
What you can do if Malware Stops You From Downloading Anti-virus?
Malware could cause all kinds of damage when they invade your system, from stealing your private information to deleting data files on your computer. Some malware sits in between the computer and the internet connection and blocks some or all sites that you really want to visit. It could also block you from adding anything to your machine, especially antivirus applications. If you are reading this, you may have got infected by malware that stops you from installing a computer security application like Safebytes Anti-Malware. Do as instructed below to get rid of the malware in alternate ways.
Download the application in Safe Mode with Networking
If the malware is set to load immediately when Microsoft Windows starts, entering Safe Mode could very well block the attempt. Since only the bare minimum applications and services start-up in safe mode, there are seldom any reasons for issues to take place. Here are the steps you should follow to boot into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (go to Microsoft site for instructions on Windows 8 and 10 computers).
1) At power-on/startup, press the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This will conjure up the “Advanced Boot Options” menu.2) Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking and hit ENTER.3) When this mode loads, you should have internet access. Now, use your internet browser normally and navigate to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download Safebytes Anti-Malware.4) Immediately after installation, do a full scan and allow the program to delete the threats it discovers.
Switch over to an alternate browser
Malicious program code could exploit vulnerabilities in a particular internet browser and block access to all anti-virus software sites. If you seem to have a virus attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to an alternate web browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.
Create a portable antivirus for removing malware
Another solution is to make a portable antivirus program on your USB stick. Adopt these measures to use a USB flash drive to fix your corrupted computer system.
1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or MS Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free computer system.2) Plug the USB drive into the clean PC.3) Double-click the Setup icon of the antivirus software package to run the Installation Wizard.4) Pick a USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you intend to install the software. Follow the directions to complete the installation process.5) Remove the USB drive. You may now utilize this portable antivirus on the infected computer system.6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the thumb drive to run the program.7) Click the “Scan Now” button to begin the virus scan.
Let's Talk About SafeBytes Anti-Malware!
If you’re looking to download anti-malware software for your PC, there are numerous tools in the market to consider nonetheless, you cannot trust blindly anyone, regardless of whether it is paid or free program. Some of them are good but there are several scamware applications that pretend as legit anti-malware programs waiting to wreak havoc on your personal computer. When looking for antimalware software, pick one that provides solid, efficient, and total protection against all known computer viruses and malware. When thinking about reliable software programs, Safebytes AntiMalware is undoubtedly the highly recommended one.
SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, highly effective protection tool made to help users of all levels of IT literacy in identifying and eliminating harmful threats from their personal computers. Once you’ve got installed this tool, SafeBytes superior protection system will ensure that no viruses or malicious software can seep through your PC.
SafeBytes carries a variety of amazing features which can help you protect your PC from malware attack and damage. Listed below are some of the good ones:
Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes delivers complete and real-time security for your PC. It’ll monitor your personal computer for suspicious activity at all times and safeguards your PC from unauthorized access.
Robust, Anti-malware Protection: With a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes gives multilayered protection which is made to catch and eliminate viruses and malware that are hidden deep inside your computer’s operating system.
Fast Scan: Safebytes Anti-Malware, using its enhanced scanning engine, offers extremely fast scanning which can promptly target any active online threat.
Safe Browsing: SafeBytes inspects the links present on a webpage for possible threats and alerts you if the site is safe to visit or not, through its unique safety rating system.
Light-weight Tool: This software program is not “heavy” on the computer’s resources, so you’ll not see any performance troubles when SafeBytes is working in the background.
24/7 Online Technical Support: For any technical issues or product guidance, you could get 24/7 professional assistance through chat and email.
To sum it up, SafeBytes Anti-Malware provides excellent protection combined with very low system resource usage with both great malware detection and prevention. You can be sure that your computer system will be protected in real-time once you put this software program to use. So if you’re searching for the absolute best malware removal application out there, and when you don’t mind shelling out some money for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.
Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)
If you wish to do the removal of GoodShop Landing manually instead of employing an automated tool, you can follow these measures: Navigate 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 browser extensions, you can actually get rid of it through your browser’s extension manager. You will likely also want to reset your browser.
To be certain of complete removal, find the following registry entries on your computer and remove them or reset the values appropriately. Please note that this is for professional users only and might be difficult, with wrong file removal leading to additional system errors. Additionally, certain malicious programs are capable to defend against its deletion. Doing this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is suggested.
To understand this error, first, it is important to understand what Flash.ocx actually is. Flash.ocx is basically a flash plug-in or ActiveX file that is responsible for the adobe flash player to work on the system.
The Flash.ocx error triggers due to issues in the Adobe flash player.
Solution
Error Causes
The error Flash.ocx may occur due to many reasons. These include:
Flash player corruption
Corrupted and broken Active X components
To this error code is not fatal but nonetheless it is still advisable to fix it right away to avoid inconvenience when using Flash player.
The inability to run the Flash Player smoothly will hinder you from watching videos on your PC and playing exciting web-based games.
Further Information and Manual Repair
To resolve this error on your system, you don’t have to hire a professional and spend hundreds of dollars. This error code is quite easy to fix. You don’t need to be technically sound to resolve this error code.
Simply follow the methods give below to fix the Flash.ocx error code in a few minutes.
Method 1: Reinstall the Flash Player
If the error occurs due to the corruption of the Flash Player, then it is advisable to reinstall the player on your PC. However, before you do that first remove the previous versions of Adobe Flash Player on your system.
If the previous corrupted version is not removed properly, then you will be unable to re-install it properly on your PC again.
Go to the Add/Remove Programs and find the Flash Player and uninstall it. Make sure the files are also removed from the registry.
Once you have successfully uninstalled the corrupted version, now go to the official website of Adobe Flash Player and download the utility from the website. Install it and run it on your system.
If it works, then this means the error is resolved. However, if the error still persists, then try method 2.
Method 2: Download Restoro to Fix Active X components
Another reason for Flash.ocx error code can be broken or corrupted Active X components.
If this is the issue, then the best way to resolve it is to download Restoro. This is a multi Reimagefunctional and advanced PC Fixer deployed with multiple high-performance scanners including Active X and Class scanner.
The Active X and Class scanner perform an entire PC scans for corrupt and broken Active X entries along with missing software paths and invalid combinations. After the scanning process is complete, it repairs and restores the components back to normal.
Thereby resolving the Flash.ocx error right away and ensuring smooth video browsing over the web.
Restoro is an efficient and a safe program. It has a user-friendly interface and easy navigations. It can be used by all level of users.
Besides the Active X scanner, it includes 5 more value-added utilities like a registry scanner and an antivirus to name a few. It is compatible with all Windows versions
Click here to download Restoro on your PC and resolve Flash.ocx error code now!
Error 0x80070057 is a typical Windows 7 error code.
It may occur when you try to back up files by using Windows Backup on Windows 7 and the backup fails. The error message is often displayed as the following:
“An internal error has occurred: The parameter is incorrect: (0x80070057)”
Besides this, you may also experience this error message when you format a hard disk drive to install Windows 7.
Solution
Error Causes
The error 0x8007005 occurs due to multiple reasons. However, the most common causes for this error code include:
The partition that is reserved for the system is damaged
Misconfigured registry keys
Misconfigured decimal symbol settings
Further Information and Manual Repair
Here are some of the best and easy DIY methods to resolve the error 0x80070057 on your PC.
Solution 1: Change the Decimal Symbol Setting
As mentioned above the error 0x80070057 sometimes can be triggered by misconfigured decimal symbol settings. Therefore, try changing the settings to fix the problem. The error is likely to occur if the decimal symbol is not set to ‘.’ (dot).
This is common in languages and locales other than English such as German.
Here’s what you need to do to change the decimal symbol setting:
First, open the Control Panel, click the clock, then language, and then region.
Now click the formats tab and go to the additional settings menu.
Here you will find the decimal symbol field, now type "." (dot) and then click OK twice.
After that, you must restart your PC to activate the changes.
Solution 2: Create a New Partition and Reinstall Windows 7
If the error 0x80070057 is linked to partition damage, then this method is the best way to resolve it. Here’s what you need to do:
Insert the Windows 7 DVD and start the installation.
Select your language preference to install. Here you will see a screen of the Microsoft License Agreement. Click on the I accept option to proceed with the installation process.
Then click next.
Choose a custom advance option and select the Disk O partition 1 option.
Once selected, click delete. When you do this you will be prompted if you want to confirm the deletion, click OK to continue.
Now repeat the same however now select Disk O partition 2.
Delete this partition as well. Now click New to create a new partition. Here define the disk size and then click apply. Please note, the size of the default value is the maximum size of the disk.
After doing so, select disk 0 partition 2 and then click the formatting tab. Once the formatting is complete, click next to continue Now you will be able to complete the installation of Windows 7 on your PC without any problem.
Solution 3: Add a Registry Key Value
If the underlying cause of the error 0x80070057 is a registry issue, then it is serious as such issues can put your PC at serious risks like system failure, crash, and data loss.
To resolve this error and add a registry key value here’s what you need to do:
Go to the start menu and type Regedit.exe in the search bar and then press enter. Locate and click the following registry sub-key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftSystem. Once you locate it, now go to the edit menu and point to new, and then click DWORD Value. After that, type CopyFileBufferedSynchronousIo and press enter again. Right-click now on the text you just typed and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type 1 and then click ok and exit the registry editor.
This will fix the error on a temporary basis but not permanently. However, a long-term solution is to clean and repair the registry.
Solution 4: Restoro
The registry gets cluttered with unnecessary and redundant files like junk files, cookies, internet history, and bad registry keys. If these are not removed timely, they can damage the registry and corrupt DLL files. It often leads to disk fragmentation (disk partition) too.
To remove these files immediately, clean and restore the registry and repair the corrupt files, it is advisable to download Restoro.
Why Restoro
This is an advanced and highly functional Registry Cleaner. It is deployed with a cutting-edge and intuitive algorithm that scans your entire PC to detect all registry issues in seconds. It cleans the cluttered disk and restores the registry back to normal.
It is safe, bug-free, and efficient. This software is easy to use and compatible with all Windows versions.
In addition to this, it is also deployed with several other powerful utilities like an antivirus that detects all malicious software and removes them right away. It also functions as a system optimizer and boosts the speed of your PC significantly.
Click here to download Restoro and resolve error 0x80070057 now!
As you know, Windows 10 supports a variety of peripherals which includes a long list of printers. However, a number of users reported that they encountered a glitch on their Windows 10 computers where they receive Can’t print a file and a prompt to save the Word, PDF file, and so on each time they try to print the file. This kind of issue is not common and could be due to various reasons like the malfunctioning of device drivers, misconfiguration of the printer’s settings, and so on.
There are several options you can check out to resolve the problem. You can try to run the built-in troubleshooter or check the configuration of the printer, as well as update or reinstall the driver for printers or reset the printer. For more details, refer to each one of the options provided below and make sure to follow them carefully.
Option 1 – Run the Printer Troubleshooter
One of the first basic troubleshooting you can perform to resolve the printer issue is running the Printer Troubleshooter. This built-in troubleshooter can detect and automatically fix the problem for you. To use it, follow these steps:
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Next, type “exe /id PrinterDiagnostic” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the Printer Troubleshooter.
Then click the Next button and follow the next on-screen instructions to fix the issue with the printer.
Option 2 – Try checking the printer’s configuration
The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to check the configuration of the printer since there are instances when there could be some misconfiguration with the settings of the printer that may result in several issues like this one.
First, you need to open Control Panel and from there, look for the option Devices and printers and open it.
After that, right-click on the entry of your printer that you want to use in printing documents and select the Set as a default printer option.
You could also try to open PDF and then go to the Print dialog box and uncheck the Print to file option.
Option 3 – Try to update or reinstall the printer driver
The problem with your printer might also be caused by corrupted or outdated drivers. Thus, you can try to either update or reinstall it. How? Follow the steps below.
First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
From there, look for the USB Composite Device option and right-click on it, and select the Update Driver from the options.
Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.
Now uninstall and remove the printer driver software and reinstall it then refresh.
Option 4 – Try to reset the settings of the Printer or reinstall it
If none of the three options given above worked, you can try to either reset the printer settings or reinstall the printer so that it can go back to its default state. However, if it doesn’t work, you can try to uninstall the printer as well as its related drivers. To do so, follow these steps:
First, go to Settings > Devices > Printer and Scanners.
After that, select the printer and select the Remove Device option.
Once done, restart your computer and check again and see if the error is now fixed.
Installation Error 1628 is, as the name suggests, an installation error. When it occurs, a generic 1628 message is displayed to the user. When this message appears, it is either a problem with the install files or an issue with the InstallShield.
Solution
Error Causes
Installation Error 1628 is caused because every Windows-based program or application has been designed that such that it has to be installed on the computer for use.
This installation process is important because it not only moves files to the appropriate location on one’s hard drive but also because the process creates registry entries in Windows System files.
A vast majority of these programs and applications have a built-in tool that’s responsible for aptly performing this installation. This built-in tool is the InstallShield.
This establishes that when this error occurs, it is either because of some unforeseen issue that occurred during the installation process or because of some problem with the InstallShield.
Further Information and Manual Repair
In order to keep this error from occurring in the future, some recommendations are outlined below.
Check the installation disc and determine if there are any smudges, scratches, or fingerprints on it. If the system is unable to read data from the disc, Installation Error 1628 will be generated. In order to ensure that the Installation Disc is clean, use a microfiber cloth. Dampen it lightly with water and clean the disc. Wipe the inside of the disc lightly in an outward direction, making sure that it is not wiped in a circular pattern. Try to reinstall the application or program after cleaning the disc. The issue should be resolved. However, if it persists, some problems may be with the InstallShield.
The alternative solution is to repair the InstallShield and the procedure goes as follows.
Stop InstallShield’s running process. It may have been crashed and simply needs to be restarted. Now access task manager. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and the task manager will open. Now go to the processes tab and disable ‘idriver.exe’ and ‘msiexec.exe’ from here.
Now go to ‘C: Program Files/Common Files’. Here you will find the ‘InstallShield’ folder. Select ‘rename’ and modify the folder name to ‘InstallShield1’. Confirm rename and start the installation process again. Now Windows will try to re-install any InstallShield files one needs.
If the error persists after renaming the InstallShield folder, download the Windows Installer from Microsoft’s website. This file will determine whether or not your version is valid. Old versions often have bugs that cause problems. Your system is now ready to be used.
Operating systems now give users a feature that allows them to create separate partitions out of HDD or SSD-based storage in order to store data in an organized manner. This small yet powerful feature has always been supported by Microsoft. However, there are times when users might fill up on some particular very soon. This may result in the lack of space for that partition which makes the entire process of using PCs slower since there is a large chunk of files that has to be indexed in a smaller partition. If you are one of the users experiencing this dilemma, you need to either delete the other partitions to allocate their storage to the partition that is short on storage or simply recreate the partition so that all the useless data will be deleted and you can start afresh with the overflowing partition.
In this post, you will be guided on how you can delete any storage partition from your Windows 10 PC via Disk Management, Command Prompt as well as Windows PowerShell.
Option 1 – Delete storage partition via Disk Management
This is one of the simplest ways you can use to delete a storage partition. Go to the WinX Menu and from there, open Disk Management and then select the Drive you want to get rid of, right-click on it and then select Delete Volume.
Option 2 – Delete storage partition via Command Prompt
Tap the Win + X keys or right-click on the Start button and select Command Prompt (Admin) or you could also type in “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on the Command Prompt icon and then select the “Run as Administrator” option from the context menu.
Once you have Command Prompt pulled up as admin, type in and enter this command – diskpart
After entering this command, the Diskpart Utility will start. Diskpart Utility is a command line-based utility just like Command Prompt but it will get a UAC Prompt after you invoke it so you have to click Yes for the UAC Prompt.
After that, type in list volume and tap Enter to see the list of all the partitions created on your PC. This includes both types of partitions that are visible to a normal user in the File Explorer as well as the ones that are created by Windows 10 by default which helps it in storing the boot files and other essential system files.
You should see a list of all the partitions made on your computer. Select the partition you want to delete by its Unique Identification number as Volume X where X denotes the Unique Identification Number.
Next, type in the select volume number command and hit Enter to select the desired volume.
Then delete the volume you’ve selected and type in the delete volume command and hit Enter to delete the volume you just selected and convert it into unallocated space.
Option 3 – Delete storage partition via Windows PowerShell
Start by tapping the Win + X keys or simply right click on the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or you could also type in “windows powershell” in the Cortana search box and right-click on the Windows PowerShell icon and select the “Run as administrator” option.
Once you’ve opened the Windows PowerShell, type in the Get-Volume command and hit Enter to get a list of all the partitions on your PC.
Next, select the drive letter you want to delete and then type in the Remove-Partition –DriveLetter command and hit Enter to delete the selected partition. Note that you need to replace the drive letter with the letter of the partition you want to get rid of.
After that, it will ask you for confirmation. Just hit the Y key for Yes or hit the A key to say Yes to All. This will delete all the partition you’ve selected and will move them in as unallocated space.
And that’s how you delete a Drive Partition or Volume in Windows 10. Note that you should only follow the last two options given in case the Disk Management is not able to fulfill the user requirements.
If you are typing inside the Search bar, Cortana, Taskbar, Windows 10 apps, etc., and then everything seems invisible then read on as this post will guide you in fixing this issue. At first, you might think that something is wrong with your keyboard but it really has nothing to do with it. The problem actually lies with the apps from Microsoft Store. Thus, if you can’t type anything in any of the apps from Microsoft Store in Windows 10, refer to the options given below to fix them.
Option 1 – Ensure that ctfmon.exe is running
Ctfmon.exe is a Microsoft process in Windows 10 that controls the Alternative User Input as well as the Office Language bar. In other words, it enables end-users to control the computer using on-screen keyboard inputs, speech, and even pen for various languages. It would be better if you launch the program once by going to the C:/Windows/system32 folder. Doing so will ensure that whatever API is needed for the keyboard typing to work properly again. You also have to make sure that its startup status is not disabled. In addition, you can also try the following steps, alternatively.
Open the Task Scheduler.
Then go to Microsoft > Windows > TextServicesFramework.
And on the MsCtfMonitor, right-click and enable the task.
Now restart your computer.
This will ensure that all the text boxes will start to work again. And if the task MsCtfMonitor is missing from the list of tasks, you can import it with the XML file from basics.net. Then download and create a task to run it each time you log in to your PC.
Option 2 – Use the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter
You might also try running the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter as it can help in resolving issues with the Windows Store apps. This built-in tool can resolve most of the app-related problems. To use it, go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshooting > Windows Store Apps and from there, click the start the troubleshooter button. The Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter will scan the computer for any issues with the Windows store apps and will automatically fix them if it finds any.
Option 3 – Re-register all the Windows 10 UWP apps using PowerShell
First, make sure to close all the running applications on your computer.
Next, in the Start search, type in PowerShell and right click on the result, and select the “Run as administrator” option.
After that, type the following commands to re-register the Windows 10 apps. Make sure to hit Enter on each line:
You can also run the DISM Tool as it helps in repairing the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth” which could help in fixing the problem.
Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.
Option 5 – Run the System File Checker Scan
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. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.
Tap Win + R to launch Run.
Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow
The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
If you are trying to access a particular file on your Windows 10 computer either to open, rename or delete it, and you suddenly encounter an error stating, “Could not find this item. This is no longer located in [Path]. Verify the item’s location and try again”, read on for this post will help you out in resolving this issue.
If you are able to find and view a file on your computer, you should have clear access to it. And since you are seeing an error message when you try to do something about this file, you are not able to do anything with the file. There are times when this error pops up with the files created by third-party services and that the file’s extension is not defined properly. On the other hand, there are also other obscure causes for this error. To fix it, here are some suggestions you can try.
Option 1 – Delete the file using Command Prompt
If you wish to delete the problematic file and weren’t to, you can use Command Prompt.
In the Start menu, type in “Command Prompt” to search for it or you could also click the search button right next to the Start menu and then right-click on the related result and select the option “Run as administrator”.
Once you’ve opened Command Prompt, copy and paste the command given below and tap Entre after you do so. You also have to make sure that you key in the correct path where the file is located as well as its name.
rd /s \?X:badfolderpath
Note: In the command above, “X” is the placeholder letter so you must input the letter that corresponds to the drive’s letter where the file is located.
After that, you will see the “Operation completed successfully” message on your screen. If you don’t, check if you’ve really inputted the correct location of the file or its name.
Option 2 – Use a Command Prompt tweak to rename the file
If you don’t want to delete the file and only want to rename it, you can apply some tweaks using the Command Prompt. Make sure to follow the steps carefully.
In the Start menu, type in “Command Prompt” to search for it or you could also click the search button right next to the Start menu and then right-click on the related result and select the option “Run as administrator”.
After opening Command Prompt, type in “cd” followed by the path where the file is located with this format – “C:\Folder1\Folder2\Folder3”. However, you have to omit the problematic file this time. To put it simply, the last folder in the command must be the folder where the file is located.
After inputting the command, tap Enter on your keyboard and then use the set of commands given below. Note that each command is a new line so you need to tap Enter after copying each line.
DIR /A /X /P
RENAME (the current name of the problematic file) (a non-problematic name)
EXIT
Note: Make sure that you only input the current name and the new name separated by a space. You must not write the brackets in the command. If everything goes well, you will now be able to operate the file like you used to before.
Option 3 – Use Command Prompt to delete the file without any extension
This option applies to cases where the affected file does not have any viable extension which means that Windows does not really know what to do with it and it only displays the “Could not find this item. This is no longer located in [Path]. Verify the item’s location and try again” error message. It usually occurs with the files created by browser plugins that are mostly from Mozilla Firefox. To delete these kinds of files, here’s what you have to do:
Follow the first two steps from the previous option above so you can navigate to the location of the file accurately just be careful in inputting the folders.
Don’t forget to tap Enter right after each command and then use the next command below so you can delete the affected file which has no extension:
del *.*
After you’re done, open the File Explorer and then check if the file is now deleted or not.
Option 4 – Try using another workaround without using Command Prompt
This option is a lot like a workaround but it definitely gets the job done for you. It’s ideal for you if you do not want to deal with Command Prompt and only want to do everything in a graphical environment. To get started, follow the steps below.
Look for the affected file or folder on your PC using File Explorer. Once you found it, right-click on it and select the “Add to archive” option from the context menu.
Once the archiving options window pops up, look for the“Delete files after archiving” option and make sure that you select it then click OK to start archiving the folder or file. After that, you should now notice the file no longer exists.
Error Code 0x80072ee7 is an error code that is most commonly associated with Windows 10 and the use of the Windows Store. Several things can cause this error, which has been present as an error message in Windows 10 and all the way back through Windows 8.
Common symptoms include:
An error message when you attempt to connect to the Windows Store.
Inability to download or install purchases from the Windows Store.
Fortunately, there are several simple methods that can be used to attempt to resolve Error Code 0x80072ee7 on your Windows machine. These methods don’t require advanced computer knowledge or familiarity with high-level tools, so the average user should be able to complete them without help. However, if you feel like you need assistance in resolving Error Code 0x80072ee7, always contact a qualified Windows repair technician who can assist you.
Solution
Error Causes
There are four basic things that can cause Error Code 0x80072ee7 to appear on a Windows device. The first is that the connection to the Internet is limited in some manner, either due to a system or equipment error. Secondly, some parts of the update components could be missing. Next, an error within the DNS can be a cause. Finally, having any kind of compatibility errors on the machine (for example, between the antivirus software that you run and the Windows Update tool) can lead to the appearance of Error Code 0x80072ee7.
Further Information and Manual Repair
There are a few different methods that you can try in order to resolve the appearance of Error Code 0x80072ee7 on your Windows machine. These are fairly simple to complete, but if you do not feel confident in your ability to carry them out successfully, you may want to get in touch with a qualified computer repair technician to help you.
Here are the best methods to employ as you seek to resolve Error Code 0x80072ee7 on your Windows device:
Method One: Check Your Connection
Make sure that you are able to connect to the Internet by visiting several common sites like Google in order to ensure that your issue is not related to your Internet service provider or the equipment that you are using to access the Internet.
Method Two: Use an Alternative DNS
If you believe that your DNS connection may be the problem, you can change the specific DNS that you are using to one that is provided by Google. This can resolve any conflicts that may occur because of the IP address detected on your device. In order to do this, simply follow these steps:
Step One: Go into your control panel and click on the option for “Network and Internet,” then select “Network and Sharing Center.” You’ll want to find the option to “change adapter settings,” which is normally located on the left bar of the navigation panel.
Step Two: Find the connection method that you are employing (i.e. Wi-Fi network).
Step Three: Right-click and find the connection properties menu. Under the TCP/IPV4 menu, click on the option to change your DNS numbers to manual entry and set your preferred DNS server to “8.8.8.8” and your alternate server to “8.8.4.4”.
Once these steps are complete, you can reattempt to connect to the Windows Store. You may need to restart your computer before connecting.
Method Three: Run the Fix It Tool from Windows
Microsoft has created a great tool that can automatically scan your computer for a number of common errors and attempt to fix them as they are encountered. This can be downloaded directly from the Windows site and can be used to try to fix not only Error Code 0x80072ee7 but also many other error messages that may pop up on your computer.
After you have run the Fix It tool, it is always a good idea to restart your computer to allow any changes that have been made to fully take effect.
Method Four: Use An Automated Tool
If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.
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.
Credit: FLY:D on Unsplash
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.
Credit: Firmbee.com on Unsplash
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!
Credit: rupixen.com on Unsplash
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.
Credit: Luke Peters on Unsplash
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!
