Things that are killing your WI-FI signal

Computer crashes are one of the most annoying things that can happen to users. It often loses your data and work, you must spend extra time if you were in the middle of something and can even break Windows itself. Before we move to the article I just want to say that technically there are no random crashes, there is always a reason why the system hangs up, why you received blue screen, annoying restarts out of nowhere and many more PC crashes. In this article, we will explore many possible reasons why something may occur and offer you straight forward solution on how to escape the situation and prevent it from happening again. Without further delay, let's begin:

1. Check switch connectors and power outlets

   Yes, sometimes the most basic approach provides the best results, check to see if your power outlet is stable and providing you with constant voltage, if not, maybe you want to invest in a UPS system so you do not face random shutdowns and restarts during work, also while you are at it, check to see if that reset and power switch are connected properly and that they are not dirty or loose.

2. Clean your PC and check connectors

   Dirt can cause many issues with computers, from overheating to shutdowns to blue screens and memory dumps, check to see if your computer is clean enough and that all connectors are connected tight into their respective sockets.

3. Check the temperature of your CPU

   CPU overheating can cause so-called random freezes and blue screens, the computer might shut down or restart also without any visible reason. Check to see if your fan on the CPU is working properly and change the thermal paste if needed.

4. Check the health of your hard drive

   If your hard drive is beginning to go down the path of dying out, many issues can come from this condition. There are many tools on the internet and in Windows itself to check if your hard drive is working properly.

5. Run antivirus and firewall

   Random lock-ups or similar issues can also occur if by any chance you have some malware on your system, run protection software, and keep it updated to make sure the issue does not come from the computer being infected with malicious applications.

6. Keep system clean

   Have a habit to clean regularly system files and registries, keep removing unnecessary files from your computer and regularly update your Windows and applications along with drivers.

7. Run memory test

   Bad RAM bank can cause many issues during the work, check it out to be sure the problem is not RAM itself.

8. Do not run applications that are too demanding for your system

   Some applications require stronger hardware, and some require the latest hardware, if your computer is a little outdated, running a demanding application can cause issues like freezing, restarts, etc.

9. Remove applications you do not use

   This does not seem like anything important but if you are not using a specific application just remove it from the system, why? Sometimes an application has some ties to certain services and if it is outdated can cause issues for newer ones.

10. Stop installing everything you find on the internet

    Yes, that extension for chrome looks cool, yes, that fancy new player seems sick but if it is from an unverified source and from the unknown publisher without any reviews maybe you are better off with it. You can never tell what you might be placing into your system from the internet.

And that's it, 10 reasons and solutions on what to do on random computer freezes, crashes, etc.

Dism.exe error 1392 is usually displayed whenever a file or directory is corrupted, and unreadable. The location specified in the error message states that some temporary files are corrupt. Since the files are only temporary, you could delete the mentioned file in the error message and check if the issue persists. The error is caused by missing system files or broken corrupt data, which should be fixed as soon as possible. Taking action should prevent further hardware and app damage, as this can lead to system crashes, data loss, or hardware failure in most cases.

1. Temporarily disable the antivirus program

   Antivirus applications are well known that they can detect certain things as false positives and quarantine them or cut their system access, to make sure that this is not the case in this situation, disable your antivirus and try the operation again.

2. Perform an SFC scan

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the windows menu Click on Command prompt (admin) In the command prompt window type: sfc /scannnow and press ENTER Wait for the operation to complete Reboot

3. Run Check disk to check and fix disk errors

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the windows menu Click on Command prompt (admin) In the command prompt window type: chkdsk /f c: where c: is hard drive with issue and press ENTER

4. Scan your computer for malware

   Malware and other malicious software can be a problem for this type of behavior, run your security's software scan on the whole system and remove any found malware.

5. Perform a system restore

   If anything else failed run system restore and bring Windows back to a date when everything was working fine.

Error Code 17 - What is it?

Code 17 is a typical Spotify error code. Spotify is a music streaming service. Through this software, PC users can browse songs and search by artist, album, and playlist. Simply put, it is an audio player available for BlackBerry, iOS, and Microsoft Windows desktop. You may experience error code 17 if the process fails when downloading Spotify from the internet. The error message is displayed in any one of the following formats:

Error 17: Spotify has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Spotify could not be started (Error code 17)

Some of the symptoms of this error code are program crash, slow Windows performance, and periodic system freeze.

Solution

Error Causes

Error 17 may be triggered by several reasons such as:

• Viral infection
• Incomplete installation of Spotify software
• Corrupt download
• Registry corruption
• Windows Installer service terminated

To use the audio player Spotify successfully on your PC, it is advisable to fix error 17 right away on your system. Delay may cause inconvenience and limit your access to your desired program.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To repair this error code on your PC, you don’t have to hire a professional or be a technical whiz yourself. The good news is that this error is quite easy to fix. You don’t need to be technically sound to resolve it. Here are some proven methods for you to fix error code 17 on your system. So let’s get started:

Method 1 - Make sure that the Windows Installer is running

Sometimes Spotify error 17 may occur if the Windows Installer service is terminated. Therefore before you download, make sure the Windows Installer is running. This is a good way to ensure the error code 17 messages don’t pop up on your PC again. For this here’s what you need to do, first quit all programs. Now go to the start menu and in the search box type RUN, and press enter. In the Open Box, type msiexec /unregister and then press OK to confirm. After that, perform the same steps again, and now in the Open Box type msiexec /regserver and press OK to save. Reboot your PC and try downloading Spotify again. If the program successfully downloads on your system, then this means error 17 is resolved. However, if the error code still persists, then try other methods given below.

Method 2 - Use System Restore to Undo Recent Changes

Another reason for the cause of error 17 is the improper or incomplete installation of Spotify. Improper installations can configure settings and also leave bad entries in the registries. To resolve, use System Restore utility built-in Windows. By using this system tool, you can undo recent changes and resume your computer to its previous condition as it was before the proper installation was attempted. To do this, go to the start menu, then in the search box type System Restore and press enter. Go to System Restore and choose a restore point. Once you’ve selected the point, reboot your PC to activate changes.

Method 3 - Remove Viruses

Viruses can enter and damage your PC if you download software programs from unknown websites. These not only damage your PC but also hinder your ability to install desired programs successfully in this case audio player Spotify. In such an event, simply use an antivirus to remove all viruses infecting your system. After they are removed, make sure you download and install Spotify software from a trusted website.

Method 4 - Repair the Registry

Another cause of error 17 is registry corruption. This occurs due to bad entries, invalid and junk files saved in the registry. To fix the corrupt registry simply download Restoro. This is a user-friendly PC Fixer embedded with a powerful registry cleaner. This software is compatible with all Windows versions. The registry cleaner detects all registry issues, removes all file corrupting the registry, and cleans it immediately in just a few clicks. Click here to download Restoro on your PC and resolve Error 17.

Socket Error 10060 - What is it?

Socket Error 10060 is a typical Outlook Express error. This error often occurs when the connection to the server fails. It specifically refers to a timeout while communicating with the email providers servers. The vast majority of all emails use SMTP for outgoing mail. Socket error 10060 in most instances is related to the SMTP settings for the user’s email. The error message is sometimes displayed in the following format:

Outlook Express Socket Error10060 - The connection to the server failed Account:’ your account’

Another thing you must know about this error is that it only stops the user from sending emails. This means that you can only receive emails, not send them.

Solution

Error Causes

The cause of this error code is hard to narrow down typically because there are many causes that can trigger the socket error code 10060. Some of the most common causes of this error code are:

• Issues in email settings
• Authentication settings
• Firewall settings
• Malware

Though this is not a critical error code it is advisable to fix it immediately without any delays. This error can hamper your communication via email and slow down your work productivity especially if you use Outlook for communication across the organization.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the many methods to fix and resolve this error code. To help you resolve this issue, we have selected and listed down the best, quick, and easy do-it-yourself methods. Try them and repair Socket error code 10060 all by yourself without any professional assistance.

Method 1 - Check the Names of POP3 and SMTP Servers

To begin with, first check the names of the POP3 and SMTP servers to ensure that they are correct. Then check the outgoing SMTP port. Contact your email provider to determine the correct settings. Sometimes email providers change this value more than any other in their individual settings. Get it verified. Change the settings if needed.

Method 2 - Outgoing SMTP Server Requires Authentication

Sometimes the error code may occur due to authentication issues. If this is the reason then, don’t worry it is easy to fix. Simply go to the settings options and check the box ‘My server requires authentication’. Once you check the box, try sending the email again. This is most likely to resolve the socket error 10060 on your PC.

Method 3 - Disable Firewall

Your Firewall security may sometimes be the reason for socket error 10060 too. Therefore if after trying method 1 and 2, the error still persists, then it is advisable to disable firewall. Once you disable it, try sending an email using your Outlook account. If it works, the error is resolved.

Method 4 - Scan for Malware

There is a possibility that the Socket error 10060 is popping on your PC due to malware infection. If so, then it is advisable to download Restoro. This is a highly functional and a user-friendly PC fixer deployed with a powerful antivirus and several other scanners. Run it on your PC to scan for malware. It detects and removes all types of malware including Trojans, viruses, adware, spyware, and more in seconds. Click here to download Restoro to resolve socket error 10060 on your system today.

The new upgraded Surface Laptop Go 2 is the new iteration of the affordable original Surface Laptop Go aimed to offer good performance at a lower price of under $1000. The new version is not anything vastly different from the original but it comes with much-needed upgrades.

The biggest and main upgrade is the CPU, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is packing now Intel Core i5 1135G7, an Intels 11th generation CPU that should increase battery life. The laptop is also coming with an improved WEB camera and the cheapest one comes now with 128GB of storage instead of 64GB. Price went up from $550 to $599 which is not a big increase considering what was upgraded.

The bad news of new models is that sadly they are still packing only 4GB of RAM, that's really not enough for most applications released in 2022 and the screen is having a relatively low resolution of 1536 X 1024.

Microsoft is still offering all the color variations as in its first offering but added as well a new Sage color that is muted green in tint.

When we look at hardware it seems a little weak but for this price, there is not much competition in the field, and after all this line of models is aimed to provide good performance for an affordable price. If you really need something better you will go with a standard Surface or MAC book instead.

The new laptops are available to pre-order at Best Buy and Microsoft’s online store, and they’ll start shipping on June 7.

Code 21 - What is it?

Code 21 is a Device Manager error code that appears when you try to use a hardware device attached to your computer and the Windows prohibits you from using it.

This is due to the Windows experiences problems loading the device driver. This error message is displayed in the following format:

“Windows is removing this device. (Code 21)”

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 21 means that Windows is in the device removal process and the device has not been completely removed. It occurs when you set a device to be removed and then select the same device to run on your system.

Upon your instructions, Windows start to remove that device and when you on the other hand try to use/access the same device that you selected for removal, it kicks up Code 21.

Further Information and Manual Repair

If you are experiencing error code 21 on your PC, it is advisable to resolve it immediately.

Though this error will not damage your system, but will significantly lower the performance of your PC which is definitely something you don’t want especially if you work on your computer daily and use it to perform important time-sensitive errands.

To repair and resolve, try the methods given below:

Method 1 - Wait for a Few Seconds and Then Press F5

This is one of the best and easiest ways to resolve code 15 on your system. Wait for a few seconds, and then press the F5 key. This will update the Device Manager view and the error will most probably go away.

Method 2 - Restart Your PC

Sometimes error codes may pop up due to temporary glitches. To resolve such errors, a simple reboot of your PC is enough. Shut down Windows and then restart your system.

This is most likely to resolve Code 21. However, if the error still persists then this means the underlying problem for code 21 is deeper than you think. Try method 3 to resolve.

Method 3 - Install DriverFIX

As mentioned earlier, the error code 21 may occur if you have selected a device to remove and then you try to reuse it.

To resolve, you may have to install the device again and the driver for that the reinstalled device. To reinstall the driver without any hassle, simply download DriverFIX.

It is a smart, user-friendly, and intuitive software program designed to resolve driver problems. The program is embedded with intelligent device identification technology which:

• Automatically detects all the appropriate system drivers
• Matches them with the latest available versions
• And then updates drivers according to their compatible versions on a regular basis

Furthermore, it enables accurate installation and ensures that your system is running at its optimal speed.

Other features that this program boasts are full backup and restoration, safe USB management, and ejection.

If nothing works, you can try the full backup and restoration feature and restore your PC to its previous state when it was functioning properly before the error occurred.

DriverFIX creates a backup of all your files and data hedging keeps you from disasters like data loss. It restores the system to the time when it was working properly.

Click here to download DriverFIX on your system and resolve error code 21 today.

From their infant stages to modern days, computer viruses were always kind of here. From simple ones that were annoying with playing speaker sounds and throwing messages on screen to more malicious ones capable of deleting and encrypting files. In today's modern world it is very important to protect yourself, modern viruses are not a joke anymore and they are aimed to create serious damage to computer systems. They can encrypt files in order to make you pay for a decrypter, they can straight up delete files or even cause some hardware damage. Like mentioned before protecting yourself is important, but protecting does not mean only having antivirus software installed, information, where are common places in which they lurk and could be picked up, is also very important. That is why we are exploring in this article the most common place where you can pick viruses or other malware.

Downloading Programs

Programs that contain the downloadable files are the commonest source of malware such as freeware, worms, and other executable files. Whether you download an image editing software, a music file, or an e-book, it is important to ensure the reliability of the source of the media. Unknown, new, or less popular sources should be avoided.

Pirated or Cracked Software

Are you aware of software cracking? Well, every time you open cracked software, your antivirus software might flag it as malware as the cracks consist of malicious scripts. Always say “No” to cracks as they can inject malicious script into your PC.

Email Attachments

Anyone can send you an email attachment whether you know them or not. Clicking on unknown links or attachments can harm your device. Think twice before clicking anything and make sure that file type is not ‘.exe’.

Internet

One of the easiest ways to get a virus on your device is through the Internet. Make sure to check the URL before accessing any website. For a secured URL always look for ‘HTTPS in it. For example, when you click videos published on social media websites, they may require you to install a particular type of plug-in to watch that video. But in reality, these plug-ins might be malicious software that can steal your sensitive information.

Booting Data from Unknown CDs

Malicious software can get into your device through an unknown CD. A good practice to be safe from malicious infection is to remove CD when your device is not working at all. Your system could reboot the CD if it is not removed before switching off the computer.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth transfers can also infect your system, so it is crucial to know what type of media file is being sent to your computer whenever a transfer takes place. An effective armor would be to allow Bluetooth connectivity with only known devices and activate it only when required.

Unpatched Software

Often overlooked, unpatched software is also a leading source of virus infection. Security holes in software are exploited by attackers and are unknown to software makers until the attackers release them in the form of zero-day attacks. It is therefore recommended to install software updates as soon as they are available on your PC.

If you own an iPhone, iPad, or iPod you might be aware of the phenomenon of connecting and disconnecting your device. In one moment device is connected and then it somehow loses connection and you have to plug in back again to be recognized. In this troubleshooting guide, we will address ways to eliminate this issue and to connect and have your devices working properly. We will go from the most common ones to the most uncommon so it is advisable to try solutions in order to how they are presented.

1. Check cable

   The most common issue with this kind of behavior comes from a broken cable if you have the opportunity try another working cable to see if the device will behave differently. If everything is working fine with another cable, the issue is in the previous cable.

2. Check USB ports and Cable Jack

   Usually, it is a cable issue, but it can also be a USB jack on cable or even a USB port on a PC, try putting the jack into another port to see if this will solve the issue.

3. Check device settings

   From updates on your device comes a change of setting about privacy which can reflect on connection with the computer. In order to eliminate this, you will need to reset your device. Go to device settings and go to general Scroll down until you find the reset section and go into it In the reset, section click on reset location and privacy You will have to authenticate using your pin/passcode in order to complete the reset function Enter your passcode (or use any other authentication method you have chosen) and you can now reset the Location and Privacy settings. Click on reset Connect the device to PC and choose trust this device

4. Update iTunes

   Outdated iTunes can also be a problem with this particular issue. Go to the apple website and download the latest version of iTunes or updating it via apple updater.

A number of users reported lately that their Windows 10 PCs automatically boots into the BIOS whenever they start their computers. And when they tried to exit the BIOS and restart their computers, it still boots into the BIOS. If you are one of the users who experience the same problem, worry not for this post will walk you through what you can do to resolve the problem. Each time a Windows 10 computer boots, it goes through a lot of processes and one of them is where it checks the computer for any hardware issue such as hard drives, peripherals, as well as external devices. So if it finds some issue, the computer will halt the boot process and will boot into the BIOS. To fix this, there are several suggestions you can try. You have to check if you’ve pressed any key, especially the F2 or F12, or Del keys. You also have to check the peripherals and external devices in your computer or update the BIOS or reset it. For more information, make sure to follow each one of the options laid out below.

Option 1 – Try to check for any pressed key

The first thing you can do is to check for any pressed key. This might not make any sense but a pressed key can actually cause this problem. So you have to check if you have the F2 or F12 or Del buttons pressed since these are hardware keys that are usually set by the OEM to boot into the BIOS.

Option 2 – Try checking the physical device connections

You might also want to try checking if there are other devices that are connected to your PC. This is because the configuration of the BIOS or UEFI might be configured in a way that any external device connected to the computer has a higher boot priority compared to the hard disk.  And if it’s really the case, the externally attached disk might be the drive your computer is trying to boot into and not the hard disk. In such cases, Pen Drives, USB storage devices, CDs, DVDs, and so on, are included in this category of physical device connections.

Option 3 – Try to set a proper boot device

If the Boot Manager wasn’t able to locate a proper boot device, then it could be the reason why your computer boots into the BIOS when you turn it on. Thus, you have to check if there is an available proper boot device. You can usually find it under the Boot priority section. However, if you’re unable to locate your hard drive or SSD under the Boot device, then you have to change the hard drive but you have to check first if it is properly plugged in and that it works on other computers. If it works on other PCs, then the problem lies in the motherboard of your computer, and in that case, you have to consult its manufacturer.

Option 4 – Try to update the BIOS

Updating the BIOS can help you fix the issue but as you know, BIOS is a sensitive part of a computer. Even though it is a software component, the functioning of the hardware depends on it largely. Thus, you must be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
• From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
• After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
• If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
• Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version on your computer.
• Now restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Note: If updating the BIOS didn’t help, you might want to consider resetting it instead.

Option 5 – Try resetting the BIOS/UEFI configuration

You might also want to reset the BIOS configuration which will lead to arranging the boot configuration since it is intended by the manufacturer. Note that this will get rid of any blockage in the boot process. All you have to do is take out the CMOS battery for a couple of seconds and then put it back again. After that restart, your computer and will be booted directly into Windows. Resetting the BIOS would also get rid of any password set for BIOS and you need to change your CMOS battery in case it didn’t work.

Every now and then, the Windows Installer can also encounter some problems or glitches. One of these problems is where the Windows Update Standalone Installer, Windows Defender as well as Windows Firewall throws an error message that says, “The specified service does not exist as an installed service, 0x80070424”. This type of error can actually affect various applications on your computer so you have to fix it as soon as you can. Although there is no clear reason for what really causes this error, there are various suggestions you can try to fix it.

Option 1 – Try to run the Windows Update troubleshooter

Windows 10 have various troubleshooters that can help you resolve many system issues. So if you’re dealing with errors “The specified service does not exist as an installed service, 0x80070424”, you can run the Windows Update troubleshooter to resolve it. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 2 – Try to reconfigure the Windows Time Service

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results.
• Then click on the “Run as administrator” option to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Now execute each one of the given commands sequentially and hit Enter right after you type each one of them.
  • net stop W32time
  • exe /unregister
  • exe /register
  • net start W32time
• After executing the given commands above, wait until it says, “W32Time successfully registered”.

Option 3 – Try to restart related Windows services

• First, type “command prompt” in the Start Search and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results.
• Then click on the “Run as administrator” option to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Now execute each one of the given commands sequentially and hit Enter right after you type each one of them.
  • SC config wuauserv start= auto
  • SC config bits start= auto
  • SC config cryptsvc start= auto
  • SC config trustedinstaller start= auto

Note: The commands you’ve just executed will make sure that the required Windows services are available.

Option 4 – Try to download and install the Windows Update Agent

You might also want to download and install the latest Windows Update Agent as it could also help you resolve the “The specified service does not exist as an installed service, 0x80070424” error.

Option 5 – Try to reset the Windows Update components

If by any chance that the second option didn’t work, resetting the Windows Update components could also help you resolve the problem. How? Refer to the following steps:

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop cryptsvc
  • net stop bits
  • net stop msiserver

Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS, and MSI Installer.

• After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below, and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
  • ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
• Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start cryptsvc
  • net start bits
  • net start msiserver
• Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC and then check for updates on your computer and see if the error is resolved.

Option 6 – Try running the Windows Firewall troubleshooter

You could also try to run the Windows Firewall troubleshooter as it might also help you fix the problem. This could help in repairing and fixing Windows Firewall issues automatically. Check if it’s available for your Windows.