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Removing Linkey From Windows Tutorial

Linkey is a potentially unwanted web browser search extension for the top browsers, designed to modify the user’s search and home pages in order to direct advertising. This extension changes your default search provider, redirects new tabs, and distributes information & statistics to the server. This extension will display unwanted ads, redirect you through unwanted search engines, and send your browsing information (potentially private information) back to its ad network.

From the publisher: Linkey is compatible with all the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox. Linkey is a simple browser extension that allows you to get the best sites in one click in visualized & friendly interface.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a type of unwanted software, often a browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in the browser’s settings. Browser hijackers could do many different things on your PC. Usually, hijackers will force hits to websites of their preference either to increase traffic producing higher advertisement revenue, or to obtain a commission for each and every user visiting there. Nonetheless, it’s not that harmless. Your online safety is compromised and it is also extremely annoying. Browser hijackers could also allow other malicious programs without your knowledge to further damage your computer.

How to know whether the web browser is hijacked?

The typical symptoms that suggest having this malicious software on your PC are:
1. your homepage has been reset to some unfamiliar site
2. your browser is constantly being redirected to adult sites
3. the essential web browser settings are modified and undesirable or insecure resources are put into the trusted sites listing
4. unsolicited new toolbars are added to your browser
5. you may notice endless pop-up ads on your screen
6. your web browser starts running sluggishly or exhibits frequent errors
7. You simply can’t access particular sites, particularly anti-malware websites.

How it infects your computer

Browser hijackers attack computers through malicious e-mail attachments, downloaded infected computer files, or by checking out infected internet sites. They could be included with toolbars, BHO, add-ons, plug-ins, or browser extensions. Also, certain freeware and shareware can put the hijacker in your PC through the “bundling” technique. Examples of well-known browser hijackers are Fireball, GoSave, Ask Toolbar, CoolWebSearch, Babylon Toolbar, and RocketTab.

Browser hijackers could interrupt the user’s browsing experience severely, keep track of the websites visited by users and steal financial information, cause problems in connecting to the internet, and ultimately create stability issues, making applications and computers crash.

How you can get rid of a browser hijacker

Some hijackers can be simply removed by deleting the free software they came with or by removing any extension you have recently added to your computer. Unluckily, the majority of the software products used to hijack a browser are deliberately built to be difficult to eliminate or detect. Moreover, manual removals demand in-depth system knowledge and therefore can be an extremely difficult job for novices.

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

All malware is bad and the magnitude of the damage may vary greatly in accordance with the type of infection. Certain malware variants modify internet browser settings by including a proxy server or modify the computer’s DNS configurations. When this happens, you will be unable to visit some or all of the websites, and therefore unable to download or install the necessary security software to remove the malware. If you’re reading this, you may have infected by a virus that prevents you from downloading computer security software like Safebytes Anti-Malware. There are a few options you can attempt to get around with this obstacle.

Install in Safe Mode

The Windows-based PC has a special mode called “Safe Mode” in which just the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded. If the malware is blocking internet access and affecting your PC, running it in Safe Mode will let you download antivirus and run a diagnostic scan while limiting potential damage. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the system is starting up or run MSConfig and look for the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. After you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, as well as update anti-malware software from there. After installation, run the malware scanner to remove most standard infections.

Use an alternate browser to download an antivirus application

Certain viruses might target vulnerabilities of a specific web browser that obstruct the downloading process. If you appear to have a virus attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to an alternate internet browser with built-in safety features, such as Chrome or Firefox, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Install security software on a thumb drive

Here’s another solution which is creating a portable USB anti-malware software that can check your system for malicious software without needing installation. Do these simple actions to clean up your affected PC using portable anti-malware.
1) Download the anti-malware program on a virus-free computer.
2) Plug the Flash drive into the clean computer.
3) Double-click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard.
4) Choose the USB flash drive as the destination for saving the software file. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation.
5) Unplug the USB drive. You may now utilize this portable anti-malware on the infected computer system.
6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the flash drive to run the software.
7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the infected computer for malware.

A Look at the Best AntiMalware Program

Want to download the very best anti-malware software for your laptop? There are several applications in the market that come in paid and free versions for Microsoft Windows systems. Some of them are excellent, some are ok types, while some will destroy your PC themselves! When searching for an anti-malware tool, choose one which provides dependable, efficient, and complete protection against all known computer viruses and malware. On the list of highly recommended software programs is SafeBytes AntiMalware. SafeBytes carries a good track record of top-quality service, and customers are very happy with it.

Safebytes is one of the well-established computer solutions companies, which offer this all-inclusive anti-malware software. Using its cutting-edge technology, this application will allow you to eradicate multiples types of malware such as computer viruses, trojans, PUPs, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes has got a variety of wonderful features that can help you protect your PC from malware attacks and damage. Below are some typical features present in this tool:

Live Protection: SafeBytes offers a totally hands-free active protection that is set to observe, prevent and remove all threats at its very first encounter. This utility will always monitor your computer for any suspicious activity and updates itself regularly to keep current with the newest threats.

Most Reliable AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware software program goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean your computer system. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard-to-remove malware that conceals deep inside your PC.

Internet Security: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes notifies you whether a site is safe or not to access it. This will make sure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the net.

Lightweight Utility: The program is lightweight and can run silently in the background, and that does not have an effect on your PC efficiency.

24/7 Live Professional Support: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and upgrades for the best user experience.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove Linkey without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser.

To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by Linkey

Files:
C:Users%USER%AppDataLocalTempis33084504mysearchdial.dll
C:Users%USER$AppDataLocalTempis357113909833170_stpsetup.exe
c:Users%USER$AppDataLocalTempMega Browsemegabrowse_setup.exe
C:Program Files (x86)Linkeylog.log
C:Program Files (x86)LinkeyHelper.dll
C:Program Files (x86)LinkeyChromeExtensionChromeExtension.crx
C:Program Files (x86)Linkey
C:Program Files (x86)LinkeyChromeExtension
C:Program Files (x86)LinkeyIEExtension
C:Users%USER$AppDataRoamingDigitalSitesUpdateProc

Registry:
HKLMSOFTWARECLASSESAPPID6A7CD9EC-D8BD-4340-BCD0-77C09A282921
HKLMSOFTWAREWOW6432NODECLASSESAPPID6A7CD9EC-D8BD-4340-BCD0-77C09A282921
HKLMSOFTWARECLASSESCLSID181F2C09-56DD-4F98-86D7-59BA2BC59B5A
HKLMSOFTWARECLASSESCLSID4D9101D6-5BA0-4048-BDDE-7E2DF54C8C47
HKLMSOFTWAREMICROSOFTWINDOWSCURRENTVERSIONEXPLORERBROWSER HELPER OBJECTS
HKLMSOFTWARELINKEY
HKLMSOFTWAREWOW6432NODELINKEY
HKLMSOFTWAREWOW6432NODESYSTEMKGeneral
HKUS-1-5-18-ED1FC765-E35E-4C3D-BF15-2C2B11260CE4-0SOFTWARECONDUITValueApps
HKLMSOFTWAREWOW6432NODEMICROSOFTWINDOWSCURRENTVERSIONEXPLORERBROWSER HELPER OBJECTSEF5625A3-37AB-4BDB-9875-2A3D91CD0DFD
HKLMSOFTWARELINKEY|ie_jsurl, http://app.linkeyproject.com/popup/IE/background.js
HKLMSOFTWAREWOW6432NODELINKEY|ie_jsurl, http://app.linkeyproject.com/popup/IE/background.js

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HolidayPhotoEdit Removal Guide for Windows

Holiday Photo Edit is a Browser Extension for Google Chrome developed by Mindspark Inc. and offers users a basic photo editing tool alongside links to some popular editing websites.

When installed this extension changes your default search engine to MyWay and hijacks your New Tab page, changing it to HolidayPhotoEdit. It monitors user browsing activity recording visited websites and clicked links in order to learn more about the user, this data is later used/sold to better target Injected Ads.

While browsing the internet with the HolidayPhotoEdit extension enabled, users will experience more ads throughout their search results, additional sponsored links to partner products, and sometimes even pop-up ads with special giveaways designed to lure users to buy something.

Popular anti-virus scanners have marked HolidayPhotoEdit as a Browser Hijacker, and it is recommended to remove it from your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes called hijackware) are a type of malware that changes internet browser configuration settings without the computer owner’s knowledge or approval. These hijacks appear to be increasing at an alarming rate across the world, and they could be actually nefarious and often dangerous too. Practically all browser hijackers are made for advertising or marketing purposes. In most cases, it will drive users to particular sites which are trying to boost their advertising campaign revenue. Though it might appear naive, all browser hijackers are harmful and therefore always regarded as security risks. Browser hijackers can even permit other vicious programs without your knowledge to further damage your PC.

Find out how to identify a browser hijack

The typical signs that signify having this malicious software on your PC are: 1. the home page of the web browser is changed suddenly 2. you observe new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, usually directed to advertisement-filled or pornography websites 3. the essential web browser settings are modified and unwanted or unsafe resources are put into the trusted sites list 4. unwanted new toolbars are added to your browser 5. many pop-up ads appear and/or your web browser pop-up blocker is disabled 6. your web browser has become unstable or starts running sluggishly 7. you have prohibited entry to particular websites, for example, the website of an anti-malware software developer like SafeBytes.

How does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

Browser hijackers can get into a PC by some means or other, including via file sharing, downloads, and email also. They also come from add-on software, also called browser helper objects (BHO), web browser plug-ins, or toolbars. Some internet browser hijackers spread in user’s PC using a deceptive software distribution method called “bundling” (generally through freeware and shareware). A good example of some well-known browser hijackers includes Anyprotect, Conduit, Babylon, SweetPage, DefaultTab, Delta Search, and RocketTab, but the names are constantly changing.

Removing browser hijackers

Certain hijackers can be removed by just uninstalling the related free software or add-ons from the Add or Remove Programs in the Microsoft Windows Control Panel. However, many hijackers are quite tenacious and require specialized tools to get rid of them. And there is no denying the very fact that the manual fixes and removal methods could be a difficult job for an amateur computer user. Furthermore, there are various risks associated with tinkering around with the pc registry files. Browser hijackers can be effectively removed by installing and running anti-malware software on the affected PC. To eradicate any kind of browser hijacker from your PC, you could download this particular professional malware removal program – SafeBytes Anti-Malware. Together with the antivirus tool, a system optimizer, such as SafeBytes’s Total System Care, could help you in deleting all related files and modifications in the registry automatically.

Can't Install Safebytes Anti-malware because of Malware? Try This!

Malware could potentially cause many different types of damage to PCs, networks, and data. Some malware variants modify internet browser settings by adding a proxy server or change the PC’s DNS configuration settings. When this happens, you’ll be unable to visit certain or all internet sites, and thus not able to download or install the required security software to clear out the computer virus. If you’re reading this right now, you may have probably realized that a malware infection is the cause of your blocked internet traffic. So how to proceed if you need to download and install an anti-malware program such as Safebytes? Even though this kind of issue will be difficult to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Install the antivirus in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to load at Windows startup, then booting in safe mode should prevent it. Only the bare minimum required applications and services are loaded whenever you start your computer in Safe Mode. You will have to do the following to eliminate malware in Safe mode. 1) At power-on/startup, hit the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This would invoke the “Advanced Boot Options” menu. 2) Select Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you should have internet access. Now, use your web browser normally and go to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) After installation, run a full scan and allow the program to delete the threats it discovers.

Utilize an alternate internet browser to download anti-malware software

Malicious program code may exploit vulnerabilities on a particular internet browser and block access to all anti-virus software websites. The ideal way to overcome this issue is to select an internet browser that is renowned for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to help keep you secure online.

Create a bootable USB antivirus drive

Another way is to download and transfer an anti-malware program from a clean PC to run a scan on the infected computer. Adopt these measures to employ a flash drive to clean your corrupted PC. 1) On a clean computer, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the Thumb drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware program to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Choose the drive letter of the flash drive as the place when the wizard asks you where you would like to install the antivirus. Follow the instructions on the computer screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, insert the pen drive into the corrupted PC. 6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the flash drive to run the software. 7) Click on the “Scan” button to run a full computer scan and remove viruses automatically.

Protect Your PC and Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

To protect your PC from various internet-based threats, it’s very important to install an anti-malware application on your PC. However, with countless numbers anti-malware companies in the marketplace, nowadays it’s hard to decide which one you should purchase for your personal computer. Some of them are great and some are scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware software waiting around to wreak havoc on your PC. You have to look for a product that has got a good reputation and detects not just computer viruses but other types of malware too. One of the recommended software is SafeBytes AntiMalware. SafeBytes has a superb reputation for top-quality service, and clients are very happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a highly effective and easy-to-use protection tool that is made for end-users of all levels of computer literacy. After you have installed this software program, SafeBytes advanced protection system will ensure that no viruses or malicious software can seep through your computer.

SafeBytes anti-malware offers an array of enhanced features that sets it aside from all others. Some of them are given as below:

Live Protection: SafeBytes provides complete and real-time security for your personal machine. It’ll continuously monitor your computer for hacker activity and also gives end-users sophisticated firewall protection. World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built upon a highly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can identify and get rid of many obstinate malware threats like browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other typical antivirus programs will miss. Safe Browsing: SafeBytes checks and gives a unique safety ranking to each and every website you visit and block access to web pages known to be phishing sites, thus safeguarding you from identity theft, or known to contain malicious software. Lightweight Application: SafeBytes is a lightweight and user-friendly anti-virus and antimalware solution. As it utilizes minimal computer resources, this tool leaves the computer’s power exactly where it belongs: with you. Fantastic Tech Support Team: You could get high levels of support 24/7 if you’re using their paid software. SafeBytes has developed a wonderful anti-malware solution to help you conquer the latest computer threats and virus attacks. There is no doubt that your computer system will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this software program to use. You will get the very best all-around protection for the money you pay on SafeBytes anti-malware subscription, there’s no question about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not want to use malware removal software and prefer to get rid of HolidayPhotoEdit manually, you may accomplish this by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and removing the offending software; in cases of web browser plug-ins, you could uninstall it by visiting the browsers Add-on/Extension manager. You’ll probably also want to totally reset your internet browser to its default configuration settings. Lastly, examine your hard disk for all of the following and clean your computer registry manually to remove leftover application entries following an uninstallation. But bear in mind, this is often a challenging task and only computer experts could accomplish it safely. Furthermore, some malware keeps replicating which makes it difficult to remove. Completing this task in Safe Mode is recommended.
Files: %LOCALAPPDATA%\HolidayPhotoEditTooltab %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ompcmhnafgchjgmdcdopfhlebohkgall %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ompcmhnafgchjgmdcdopfhlebohkgall %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ompcmhnafgchjgmdcdopfhlebohkgall %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ompcmhnafgchjgmdcdopfhlebohkgall Registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\www.holidayphotoedit.com HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings, value: ompcmhnafgchjgmdcdopfhlebohkgall HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\holidayphotoedit.dl.myway.com HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\holidayphotoedit.dl.tb.ask.com HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\HolidayPhotoEdit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\HolidayPhotoEdit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall..Uninstaller HolidayPhotoEditTooltab Uninstall Internet Explorer
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System32 Folder Keeps Popping up at Startup
The System32 folder contains vital configuration and information that are essential to the operating system. It is located inside the “Windows” folder and it consists of important DLL files as well as executable files. You probably have noticed some errors that have the “System32” word in them but that does not necessarily mean that the System32 folder is the one that triggers them as these kinds of errors have only occurred when some important files are corrupted or missing. Some users recently reported that each time they start their computers, the System32 folder will automatically open up in the File Explorer. If you encounter the same problem, read on as this post will guide you on what to do to fix it. This kind of issue is most likely caused by service or application interference – it is possible that there is a third-party application installed in your computer or a Windows service that triggers the System32 to pop up during startup. It is also possible that this is a result of system modification. Thus, you need to identify the third-party program or restore your computer to its previous state.

Option 1 – Put your computer in a Clean Boot State

As pointed out, it is possible that some third-party program or service is the one that’s behind the problem. To isolate this possibility and to identify the culprit, you have to put your computer into a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.
  • Log onto your PC as an administrator.
  • Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
  • From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
  • Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
  • Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
  • Click Disable all.
  • Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
After putting your PC in a Clean Boot State, try creating a system restore point and see if the problem still occurs. Clean Boot troubleshooting is designed to help you isolate the problem. For you to execute a clean boot troubleshooting, you must do a couple of actions (the steps given above) and then restart your PC after every action. You might have to disable one third-party app after the other to really isolate the issue. And once you’ve narrowed down the problem, you can either disable the third-party app that’s causing the problem or remove it. Note that you must switch your PC back into the Normal Startup mode after you’re done troubleshooting the problem. Here’s how you can do it:
  • From the “Start” menu, go to System Configuration.
  • After that, switch to the General tab and click the option for “Normal Startup”.
  • Next, go to the Services tab and clear the checkbox for “Hide all Microsoft services”.
  • Then find and click “Enable all” and if prompted, you have to confirm.
  • Afterward, go to the Task Manager and enable all the Startup programs and confirm the action.
  • Restart your PC when prompted.

Option 2 – Perform System Restore

  • First, press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
  • Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
  • After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 3 – Run System File Checker scan

You might also try running the System File Checker or SFC scan to fix the issue. System File Checker is a command utility built into your computer that helps restore corrupted files and missing files. Refer to the following steps to run it:
  • Hit the Win + R keys to launch Run.
  • Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
  • After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow
The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:
  1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
  2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
  3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
 Restart your computer and see if the System32 folder still pops up at startup or not.
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ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH
If you encounter an error message saying, “ERR SSL VERSION OR CIPHER MISMATCH” while visiting a website, then it is not primarily your fault as an end-user. In fact, it can happen on any website like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and even Internet Explorer. Getting this error means that the website you are visiting is using an SSL certificate which your browser seems to be rejected because there is some issue with the certificate. It is also possible that the certificate that’s downloaded on your computer is corrupted or that your computer configuration for TSL/SSL is misconfigured. Here are the complete details of the error message:
“A secure connection cannot be established because this site uses an unsupported protocol, Error code ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH”
To resolve the ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH error, refer to the options given below and see which one works for you.

Option 1 – Try to access the website with the only HTTP

The first thing you can do is to try accessing the website using HTTP instead of HTTPS. If you can open the website using HTTP then it means that the problem is in the website itself. And if you are the website owner, you can check the following:
  • Check if your website’s SSL certificate name is mismatched. Here you need to ensure that the name and alias of the websites match with the actual website URL where the certificate is installed.
  • Second, check if your server is using the RC4 Cipher. If it is, then you need to fix that.
On the other hand, you may also check if your CDN also supports SSL since most of the CDN nowadays supports SSL. All you have to do is configure it correctly and it should be good to go.

Option 2 – Try enabling SSL 3 / TLS and disable QUIC Protocol

If you were using Google Chrome when you got the ERR SSL VERSION OR CIPHER MISMATCH error, then you need to follow the protocol fixes for SSL3/TLS and QUIC which are usually some of the reasons that cause the SSL version / Cipher Mismatch. It also has a few fixes for Windows 10 computer where you can clear the certificates and make sure that your computer date and time is in sync with your time zone and so on. If you were using Edge or Internet Explorer when you got the error, then you have to follow the steps below.
  • Type “Internet” in the search box of your browser. After that, you should see the Internet Options from the search results.
  • Next, open the Internet Properties window and switch to the Advanced tab and then scroll down to the Security section.
  • From there, check the “Use TLS 1.1” checkbox as well as the “Use TLS 1.2” checkbox and then click OK to save the changes made.
  • Restart the browser.
On the other hand, if you were using Firefox when you go the error, here’s what you have to do.
  • Open Firefox and in the address bar, type “about:config” and hit Enter.
  • If a warning appears, just click on the “I accept the risk!” button to proceed.
  • Next, type in “TLS” in the search field and hit Enter.
  • Then look for “security.tls.version.min” and double click on it and set its integer value to 3 to force the protocol of TLS 1.3.
  • Now click OK and restart Firefox and do the same thing with SSL.
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How to get rid of PuzzleGamesDaily

PuzzleGamesDaily is a Browser extension developed by Mindspark. This extension monitors user activity such as website visits, clicked links and other web-related tasks that It later uses to display targeted ads.

When installed it changed the default home page, search engine and new tab page to MyWay.com, and while browsing the internet with this extension active you will see additional pop-up ads, injected (unwanted) ads, and sponsored links during your browsing sessions.

From the Terms of Use: You hereby acknowledge and agree that by using an MS Product you may be exposed to Content that may be offensive, indecent or objectionable in your community […] MS Products are exposed to various security issues, and should be regarded as insecure. By accepting this Agreement, you acknowledge and accept that the MS Products and any information you download or offer to share by means of an MS Product, may be exposed to unauthorized access, interception, corruption, damage, or misuse, and should be regarded as insecure. You accept all responsibility for such security risks and any damage resulting therefrom.

This extension has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by several anti-virus scanners and has been flagged for optional removal. It is not considered malicious but many users wish to remove it due to the above reasons.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is regarded as the internet’s constant danger that targets internet browsers. It’s a type of malware program that directs the web browser requests to some other suspicious internet sites. Browser hijacker malware is created for many different reasons. Often, it will force users to particular sites which are aiming to boost their advertising campaign income. Many people believe that these websites are legitimate and harmless but that is not true. Nearly every browser hijacker pose an existent threat to your online safety and it’s vital to categorize them under privacy risks. Browser hijackers could also permit other destructive programs without your knowledge to further damage your computer.

Major signs that your internet browser has been hijacked

There are many signs that indicate your web browser is highjacked: the browser’s home-page is modified; bookmark and new tab are likewise modified; the main web browser settings is modified and unwanted or insecure sites is put into the trusted sites listing; you are getting browser toolbars you have never found before; you observe numerous ads show up on your web browsers or display screen; your browser has instability problems or displays frequent errors; Inability to navigate to certain sites, especially anti-malware and also other computer security software webpages.

So how exactly does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

Browser hijackers attack computers through malicious e-mail attachments, downloaded infected documents or by checking out infected sites. They can be included with toolbars, BHO, add-ons, plugins, or browser extensions. Browser hijackers sneak to your computer in addition to free software application downloads that you unwittingly install along with the original. An example of some infamous browser hijacker includes Babylon, Anyprotect, Conduit, SweetPage, DefaultTab, RocketTab, and Delta Search, but the names are regularly changing. Browser hijackers could record user keystrokes to gather potentially important information leading to privacy concerns, cause instability on systems, significantly disrupt the user experience, and eventually slow down the computer to a stage where it will become unusable.

Removal

Some hijackers can be easily removed by uninstalling the free software they were included with or by deleting any extension you’ve recently added to your PC. Yet, certain hijackers are far more difficult to discover or get rid of since it could get itself associated with certain crucial computer files that enable it to operate as a necessary operating system process. Inexperienced PC users shouldn’t ever attempt for the manual form of removal, since it needs detailed computer knowledge to carry out fixes on the system registry and HOSTS file. Anti-malware application is very effective with regards to catching and removing browser hijackers that regular anti-virus software has overlooked. Among the best tools for fixing browser hijacker malware is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. It assists you eliminate any pre-existing malicious software on your system and provides you real-time monitoring and protection from new threats.[/section][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][section header="How One Can Eliminate Malware that is Blocking Websites or Preventing Downloads"]Malware could cause several different types of damage to PCs, networks, and data. Some malware sits in between your computer and the net connection and blocks some or all websites that you would like to visit. It might also prevent you from adding anything on your computer, particularly anti-malware applications. If you’re reading this article, you may have infected by malware that prevents you from downloading a computer security program such as Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. Refer to the instructions below to eliminate malware through alternative ways.

Install the antivirus in Safe Mode

The Windows OS has a special mode known as “Safe Mode” in which just the minimum required programs and services are loaded. If the malicious software is set to load automatically when PC boots, switching into this mode could prevent it from doing so. To enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the PC is starting up or run MSCONFIG and look for the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. After you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you may download, install, as well as update anti-malware program from there. After installation, run the malware scanner to remove most standard infections.

Switch to a different web browser

Certain malware may target vulnerabilities of a particular web browser that block the downloading process. If you are not able to download the security program using Internet Explorer, it means virus could be targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you need to switch over to another web browser like Chrome or Firefox to download Safebytes Anti-malware software. Create a portable antivirus for eliminating viruses Another option is to store and run an antivirus program entirely from a Flash drive. To run anti-malware using a flash drive, follow these simple steps: 1) On a clean computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the pen-drive onto the same computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the antivirus software package to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Pick thumb drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you wish to install the application. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the thumb drive to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the anti-malware program EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Simply click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the infected computer for viruses.

A Look at the Best AntiMalware Program

If you’re looking to install anti-malware software for your computer, there are plenty of tools on the market to consider nonetheless, you cannot trust blindly anyone, regardless of whether it is a free or paid program. Some of them are great, some are decent, and some will destroy your computer themselves! When looking for an anti-malware program, purchase one that offers dependable, efficient, and complete protection against all known viruses and malware. When considering the trustworthy software programs, Safebytes Anti-Malware is certainly the highly recommended one. SafeBytes is a powerful, real-time antivirus application that is designed to assist the average computer end user in safeguarding their PC from malicious threats. Using its cutting-edge technology, this software can help you eliminate several types of malware which includes computer viruses, trojans, PUPs, worms, ransomware, adware and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes anti-malware takes PC protection to a totally new level with its advanced features. Here are some of the good ones:

Active Protection: SafeBytes provides real-time active monitoring and protection against all of known viruses and malware. They are extremely efficient in screening and removing numerous threats because they’re continuously improved with latest updates and alerts. Best AntiMalware Protection: Using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection that is intended to catch and eliminate threats that are hidden deep in your computer’s operating-system. Fast Multi-threaded Scanning: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is among the quickest and most efficient in the industry. Its targeted scanning vastly increases the catch rate for viruses that is embedded in various computer files. Website Filtering: Safebytes assigns all sites a unique safety ranking that helps you to get an idea of whether the website you’re about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Lightweight Tool: SafeBytes gives complete protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load because of its enhanced detection engine and algorithms. 24/7 Online Support: Support service is available for 24 x 7 x 365 days via email and chat to answer your concerns. To sum it up, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is pretty great for securing your computer against all kinds of malware threats. There is no doubt that your computer system will be protected in real-time once you put this tool to use. You will get the very best all-around protection for the money you spend on SafeBytes Anti-Malware subscription, there is no doubt about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you would like to perform the removal of PuzzleGamesDaily manually rather than utilizing an automated software tool, you can follow these measures: Go to the Windows Control Panel, click the “Add or Remove Programs” and there, select the offending program to uninstall. In case of suspicious versions of browser plugins, you can actually remove it via your web browser’s extension manager. You may even want to reset your web browser settings, and also clear your browser cache and cookies. To make sure of complete removal, find the following registry entries on your computer and remove it or reset the values appropriately. However, this can be a difficult task and only computer professionals can carry out safely. Furthermore, certain malware is capable of replicating or preventing removal. It is advisable that you carry out the removal process in Safe Mode.
Files: %Documents and Settings%\%UserName%\Application Data\%random% %AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\.dll Registry: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\KB8456137 = %LocalAppData%\KB8456137\KB8456137.exe HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\28949824-6737-0594-0930-223283753445\InProcServer32 (Default) = \.dll
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Easily repair Server is not accessible
There are a lot of users who use their Windows 10 PCs to create and access data on their servers using their network. However, some of them reported getting an error saying that the server is not accessible. Here’s the full content of the error message:
“\server is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions. Logon Failure: The target account name is incorrect.”
If you are among the users who experience the same issue, read on as this post will help you resolve this error when accessing your server. But before you start troubleshooting the problem, you might want to perform System Restore, especially if tend to create one. To use System Restore, here’s what you have to do:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
  • Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
  • After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.
If System Restore didn’t help in fixing the ACPI.sys Blue Screen error now’s the time for you to make use of the potential fixes laid out below.

Option 1 – Try rebooting your router

The first thing you can try to do to fix the error is to simply restart your router. All you need to do is reboot the router from its Admin panel or you can also turn it off manually and turn it back on after a couple of seconds so that it can completely reboot. Once you’re done, try accessing your server again and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Try checking the status of the Workstation Service

You might want to check the status of the Workstation Service as the error might have something to do with it.
  • Tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard to launch the Run utility.
  • Then type “services.msc” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
  • After opening the Services Manager, you will see a list of all the services on your computer and from there, locate the Workstation Service.
  • Double click on the Workstation Service to open its Properties.
  • Next, Stop the Service and Start it again or you can also right-click on it and select Restart and then make sure that its Startup type is set to Automatic.
  • Now restart your computer and check if the error is fixed.

Option 3 – Try to change the File Sharing Connections setting

You can also try to change the File Sharing connections setting. All you have to do is go to Control Panel > Network and sharing center > Advanced sharing settings > File sharing connections. From there, you need to select “Enable file sharing for devices that use 40 or 56-bit encryption and check if it helps in fixing the problem. If not, undo the changes you’ve made and proceed to the next given option.

Option 4 – Try checking the Network Configuration

Checking the Network Configuration can also help you fix the error. Refer to the steps below to do so:
  • Right-click on the Wi-Fi connection or on the Ethernet connection icon located in the system tray.
  • Then select open Network and Internet Settings and then click on the “Change Adapter Options”.
  • After that, a new window will appear and from there, select the network connection that connects your computer to your network – this can either be a Wi-Fi connection or Ethernet connection.
  • Right-click on that connection and select Properties where you will see a list of items.
  • Select the Internet Protocol Version 4 or Internet Protocol Version 6 from those items according to your system requirement.
  • Then click on the Properties button.
  • Check if everything is now configured as to how it is supposed to be and then check if the error is resolved.

Option 5 – 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 6 – Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter

  • Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
  • Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
  • Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
  • After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.
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CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode
As you know, the CHKDSK utility is proven to be one of the useful tools to fix any issues that concerns file system, storage, and disk. However, as useful as it may be, it is still not immune to issues as you could encounter errors when running it. One of these errors is the “One such error is the CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode” error. If you receive such an error message while running CHKDSK, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you sort the problem out. It is possible that the drive is read-only or that the Write Protection is enabled. It could also be that the drive is already being used and scanned by a different program or utility. To get rid of this error, there are a couple of suggestions you need to check out. You can try to run the CHKDSK utility from Recovery or run it on Boot. You could also try to disable Write Protection. For more detailed steps, follow the given instructions below.

Option 1 – Try to run the CHKDSK utility from Recovery

The first thing you can do to resolve the error in CHKDSK is to run the CHKDSK utility from Recovery. How? Follow these steps:
  • First, boot into the installation environment for Windows 10 from a Windows installation media.
  • Next, click on the “Repair your computer” option.
  • After that, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
  • After opening Command Prompt, type this command and tap Enter: chkdsk <Partition Letter>: /r /f
  • Wait until the disk error checking process is completed.
  • Once it’s done, exit the Command Prompt window and restart your computer and then see if the error is fixed.

Option 2 – Try running the CHKDSK utility on Boot

On the other hand, you can also try to run the CHKDSK utility on Boot so you can fix the error and recover any damaged segments of the drive.
  • Open an elevated Command Prompt and enter this command: chkdsk /r
  • After that, you will a message that says, “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”
  • Type Y and tap Enter to schedule a CHKDSK scan once your computer reboots next time.

Option 3 – Try to remove the Write Protection from the drive

As mentioned, removing the Write-Protection on the concerned drive could also help you fix the problem and there are two ways to get rid of the write protection – you can either use the Diskpart utility or the Registry Editor. How? Refer to the following steps.

Via Diskpart utility:

  • Open Command Prompt with admin privileges and then type the “diskpart” command and tap Enter to execute it.
  • Next, type “list disk” and tap Enter to get the list of all the Disk connects or all the partitions that are formed on those disks.
  • After that, you need to choose one command depending on the list of commands you entered. Type “select disk #” and tap Enter to select the disk or partition you want to select.
  • Then type “attribute disk clear readonly” and tap Enter to Disable the Write Protection on the selected disk or partition.

Via Registry Editor:

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Next, navigate to the following registry key:
ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies
  • After that, look for the DWORD named “WriteProtect” and double click on it, and then set its Value Data to “0”.
  • Now restart your computer and see if the problem is now fixed or not.
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Diablo 2 Resurrected facing server issues
It has been some time since the release of Diablo 2 resurrected and overall reception was pretty good. People are enjoying the old classic game in hi-def. resolution and with new and improved visuals. Sadly some server issues are present still until this day and somewhat spoil the experience for players. diablo 2 server statusThe greatest lag and server crashes are pinpointed to game-creating events. When a player creates a new online game, the server needs to pull a lot of details from the database and make a game, due to some legacy code present this process takes some time and it is demanding a bit on the server-side, and although code was optimized to cater to more modern approach some legacy code still remains. Another thing that was spotted to affect performance itself is player behavior, to be more specific, modern gamer behavior. Where players find good builds and runs on the internet and then go to farm-specific areas or bosses for loot or experience points, which in return boils down to making plenty and short runs that are made by creating games and after run eliminating them. Now pair that with the previous statement about legacy server and database code and you can add 1 and 1 and see how this might be an issue. A lot of short games over legacy code are placing games in a state it was not designed for back in 2001 and therefore we have issues. Sadly solutions without completely rewriting the whole code are not very promising and they include rate limiting, which will prevent players to create many games in succession in a short period of time and maybe even login queues to drop a load on servers. Blizzard reached to people in the whole company, even old diablo 2 developers to ask for advice and they say that they are working on solutions so they could lift limitations and have everything running fine.
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Easy Methods of Fixing Error 1706

What is Error 1706?

Error 1706 is a Windows PC error. It occurs when you insert a Microsoft CD-ROM either to repair an Office or to install a feature set to Installed on First Use. The error message is displayed in the following format: Error 1706. Setup cannot find the required files. Check your connection to the network, or CD-ROM drive. For other potential solutions to this problem, see C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office101033\Setup.hlp.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

Error 1706 may occur due to several reasons. These include:
  • You originally installed MS Office from a network administrative installation
  • You are trying to use Office CD-ROM when the error is prompted by the Windows Installer for an Office source location
  • Viral Infection

Further Information and Manual Repair

The good news is that this error code is not fatal. However, to avoid inconvenience, it is recommended to resolve the error right away. To fix the problem you don’t have to be a computer programmer or hire one. In fact, this error code can be resolved quite easily. Here are some of the best and easiest do it yourself methods to resolve error 1706 on your PC:

Method 1

To resolve this issue find a different administrative installation for the Office source file location. To do this, go to the start menu and then click run. In the open box, simply type this command line new network pathSetup.exe /fvm package name.msi and press OK to continue and update changes. Once the update is complete and finished press OK to save and proceed. Please note after you follow these steps, the Windows Installer uses this new server location whenever it needs to reinstall, repair, or add a feature to your Office Installation.

Method 2

Another alternative method to resolve this method is to use CD-ROM for the Office Source Location. To do this you will have to remove Office and then re-install Office from the CD-ROM. Here are the steps to remove the Office program. First, quit all Office programs.
  1. Go to the Control Panel then click on the Program and Features option.
  2. Now double click the Add/Remove programs and remove the entry for the Microsoft Office 2003 or Microsoft Office XP product installed on your PC.
  3. After that, click on the Maintenance Mode Options dialog box, select Uninstall Office, and then click Next to proceed.
  4. Click Yes to confirm changes.
  5. Now insert Office 2003 or Office XP CD-ROM and follow the setup dialog boxes to reinstall the program on your system from CD-ROM.

Download Restoro to Correct Registry Errors

However, to ensure the installation is successful this time around, it is advisable to clean the registry and ensure the uninstalled program is not located in the registry. To do this, download Restoro and run it on your computer. This is a powerful PC Fixer integrated with a registry cleaner. The registry cleaner wipes out all the unnecessary files and uninstalled program files saved in the registry. Once the registry is cleaned, try reinstalling MS Office again. This will resolve the error 1706. Click here to download Restoro and repair error 1706.
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Software review series: KRITA
Krita Desktop is a free and open-source painting application. Krita is a full-featured free digital painting studio for artists who want to create professional work from start to end. Krita is used by comic book artists, illustrators, concept artists, matte and texture painters, and in the digital VFX industry. Krita has been in development for over 10 years and has had an explosion in growth recently. It offers many common and innovative features to help the amateur and professional alike. Krita has a user-friendly interface. The dockers and panels can be moved and customized for your specific workflow. Once you have your setup, you can save it as your own workspace. You can also create your own shortcuts for commonly used tools. In addition to painting, Krita comes with vector, filter, group, and file layers. Combine, order, and flatten layers to help your artwork stay organized. There are also three different views on how to see the layers. Krita supports full color management through LCMS for ICC and OpenColor IO for EXR, allowing you to incorporate Krita into your existing color management pipeline. Open PSD files that even Photoshop cannot open. Load and save to PSD when you need to take your artwork across different programs. Krita is the only dedicated painting application that lets you open, save, edit and author HDR and scene-referred images. Furthermore, with OCIO and OpenEXR support, you can manipulate the view to examine HDR images, and use it in the most cutting-edge workflows from the film and visual effects industries.
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Enabling Enhanced Mode in the Windows Search
In case you don’t know, Microsoft has included an Enhanced Search Mode in the new Windows 10 v1903. This new Enhanced Search mode, compared to the Classic Mode, indexes everything on your Windows 10 computer, and in this post you will be guided on how you can disable this new feature as well as discuss how it is different from the Classic Search mode. Over the years, the Windows 10 Start Search has changed. When you tap the Start button and when you type, the results that appear are categorized into Apps, Documents, Email, Web, Folders, Music, People, Photos, Settings, Videos, and many more. This is the reason why the Enhanced Mode was brought into the picture. So unless everything is indexed, this new feature wouldn’t be of much use. A Classic Search is the term used for the old search technique in Windows 10. The Classic Search mode is restricted to Libraries and Desktop and end-users can only select to customize the search location by adding them manually to the indexer. To simply put it, it would only index files and folders which you want to get indexed and if the search term is not in the index, it would initiate the regular search which would take quite a while and this is where the Enhanced Windows Search comes in. It indexes everything as it is its default nature which is the exact opposite of the Classic Search mode. This feature allows you to exclude folders where the Search will not look and index anything that could be personal to you. In addition, it can also impact the life of the battery of laptops, if you are using one. The initial crawl of your data will take place only when connected to power and during that time, both the CPU usage and battery will take a bit of a hit.

To enable the Enhanced Search Mode in your Windows 10 computer, here’s what you have to do:

Step 1: Go to Settings > Search > Searching Windows. Step 2: Next, click on the radio button for Enhanced. Step 3: After that, select the folders which the Windows Indexer should exclude from the Enhanced Search mode. And that’s about it. The next time you search anything on your computer, Windows will be looking at all the locations except for the ones you excluded and the results will be a lot faster compared to the Classic Search. Now that you’ve enabled the Enhanced Search mode, there are two settings you need to check out.
  • Advanced Search Indexer Settings – this setting allows you to configure how or where Windows will search or what file types it will search in your computer. It will also open the same setting that’s available in the Classic Search.
  • Run the Indexing Troubleshooter – when you click on the Indexing Troubleshooter, it will start to troubleshoot any Search and Indexing issues on your Windows 10 computer and fix them automatically.
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