Change position of Taskbar in Windows 10

New Apple's upscaling technology called MetalFX will place iOS and macOS devices back into the gaming world. Apple had great games back in the old days and some all-time hits like the prince of Persia have been made first for apple but along the way, it just lost it.

Same as NVIDIA's DLSS and Intel's XeSS systems, Apple MetalFX also uses AI algorithms to upscale the resolution of output game frames. So, for example, the GPU inside your MAC might render the game at 1080p, but through MetalFX and AI upscaling it will look like a 4K image but have a good frame rate since it is rendered in base resolution.

The ability to make AI strike a good balance between performance and image quality is a key to technology in today's modern gaming and having this technology will help developers a ton to be able to achieve great results on Apple hardware.

The First MetalFX Games

So far three official games that will use this technology and be released natively for Appl hardware are Resident Evil 8 Village, GRID legends, and No Man's Sky. All three games have been confirmed and Resident Evil 8 Village is already sent for review people are impressed since the game can run smoothly on all Apple devices, even ones with an M1 CPU.

Apple is back into gaming

When you say Apple gaming is probably the last thing that comes to your mind but truth be told Apple makes more money from games than Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony combined. Also, Apple itself was a big player once regarding computer games as well, Myst and Prince of Persia are games that were made and have been released for Apple first. Bungie was also founded by Apple developers and Halo was originally announced as a Mac game.

Apple has been trying and pushing gaming on its platform since it kind of died down. Today all Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft controllers work without any issues with all Apple products. Apple also has its own gaming subscription service, Apple Arcade, and its Apple TV is packed with GPU that can rival Xbox ones.

MetalFX API ties and brings it all together, it is designed to get the most performance from the hardware by minimizing overhead.

Now, computers and laptops do not hold any large numbers if we look at the user base, and that could deter developers but if we look at iPad and iPhone things are different there, much different. How same CPU power these devices and how MetalFX is available across all products it is clear that there is a market for games there. No Man's Sky is coming to iPad using these technologies and bringing full computer experience to tablets.

Regular and gaming headphones have many differences between them and not knowing what they are can lead you to get yourself the wrong one. In this article, our goal is to analyze the differences between them so you can choose the right one for you.

Price

One thing that goes in both worlds is that the cheapest models on both sides are not really worth the purchase since both the quality and longevity will be very low. If we compare high-end models, regular headphones are far far more expensive than gaming ones. Hi-end gaming models can go as far as 400$, perhaps a little more but hi-end audio regular headphones are going even for over 2000$.

If we compare same-price headphones generally regular ones will offer you a little better sound quality but gaming headphones will offer some features such as positional audio that regular ones do not have.

Surround sound and positional audio

One of the main advantages of gaming headsets is positional audio and true surround sound. this technology is built-in so you can hear more clearly where your enemy is coming from that is a big help in competitive games. This is achieved by positioning multiple speakers in various positions and angles inside them. Each speaker has a different sound channel that is mixed with another speaker in order to provide you with a full surround experience.

Regular headphones have typically one or two speakers on both sides aimed at the same angle and can not offer precise surround or positional audio.

Noise cancellation

Both gaming and hi-fi headphones offer some sort of noise cancelation to minimize outside noise but if you really want to focus and have good noise cancelation you will have to look out for headphones with active noise cancelation or ANC.

Microphone quality

Let us say this right at the start, most middle and quality regular audio headphones do not have a microphone at all, and ones that might pack one usually have it at a lower quality than gaming ones. This of course makes perfect sense since regular headphones will focus on audio, and gaming ones will focus on playing games where having a good microphone is essential in order to game properly.

Speaker and sound quality

Speaker quality will reflect directly on the sound quality and fidelity. This is where audio regular headphones have an advantage over gaming ones. Since they do not have many small speakers positioned at various angled and instead have just a few, usually 2 or 1 large one, that one is of much better quality and range for audio than a pack of small ones. If you are searching for clarity and quality of the audio itself, especially if you are listening to some FLAC uncompressed music, then regular HiFi ones are a much better choice.

Longevity and durability

Another area where regular ones have an advantage but that is no surprise since their price goes far up compared to gaming ones. Most of the time everything in hi-end audio headphones is made from quality materials and designed to last a long time and therefore advantage. Most of the time gaming headphones will come in plastic versions whereas higher quality audio ones pack a lot of durable metal in frames and in buds making them much more durable. Of course, we are talking here about proper headphone use, not extreme cases of throwing, etc.

It is no secret that Microsoft is trying to keep Windows relevant and that it is trying to make it as good as possible. A new Windows update will bring some interesting stuff in it which well some like it, some not so much. Among various technical and security updates Microsoft will bring some directly visible to each user.

First

of these features will be File explorer compact mode. This feature is a sort of spacing content in file explorer giving it easier access if you are using a touch screen device. Now, this feature is somewhat strange, and altho I can understand and get behind the logic of this move I am not sure I like it. Lucky for me and others who feel the same this option can be turned off for now.

Second

feature is something I can get behind, improvements for virtual desktops. There is an article on errortools about virtual desktops feature and I really hope you are using it since it is a great feature. Anyway, new update will bring us separate desktop wallpapers for each desktop and we will be able to arrange them in order we like.

Third

thing that I would like to address is animation features. We will have windows slowly fade and resize when opened, minimized, maximized, etc. So far we are unable to tell how this can and will it affect overall system performance. I am sure it will have some impact but hopes are that it will be kept to a minimum. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

If you got an error message saying, “Windows could not start the Windows Update service on Local Computer, Error 87. The parameter is incorrect” while you were trying to start the Windows update service on your computer, then this post could help you resolve the problem. Along with this error, you might also get any of these error codes such as 0x80240034, 0x80244019, 0x80070643, and so on. Aside from these error codes, you will also notice that the Windows Update service has been stopped. To fix this issue, here are a couple of suggestions that might help but before you go on, you need to create a System Restore point first.

Option 1 – Try checking Services Dependencies

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

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

Option 2 – Check the Background Intelligent Service and the Cryptographic Service

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the following services and make sure that their Startup type is as follows:
  • Background Intelligent Transfer Service – Manual
  • Cryptographic Service ­– Automatic
• After that, check if the Service status of the listed services above is set to Running. If they’re not, click on the Start button to start these services and then check if you can now enable the Windows Update service or not.

Option 3 – Reset Windows Update components

If the first two options did not work then you might want to reset the Windows Update components manually. Follow the steps below to reset them.

• 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.

Option 4 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

If resetting the Windows Update components didn’t work, you could also try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing any issues related to Windows Update including this one. 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 5 – Try removing a value from the Windows Registry

If running the Windows Update troubleshooter didn’t help and you receive a message instead saying, “Service Registration is Missing or Corrupt”, you can try to remove a value from the Windows Registry.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Registry.
• Next, navigate to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsSelfHostApplicability
• From this path, look for a value named “ThresholdOptedIn” and if you find it, delete it.
• Exit the Registry Editor and see if you can now enable the Windows Update service.

All malware is detrimental and the magnitude of the damage will vary greatly depending on the type of infection. Some malware variants modify internet browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the PC's DNS settings. When this happens, you'll be unable to visit certain or all the sites, and therefore not able to download or install the required security software to clear out the computer malware. If you’re reading this article, chances are, you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you from downloading and/or installing the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your computer. Refer to the instructions below to remove malware through alternate methods.

Method 1: Install Anti-Malware in Safe Mode with Networking

If the malware is set to load automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, entering safe mode may block the attempt. Since only the minimal applications and services start-up in safe mode, there are rarely any reasons for conflicts to happen. You will need to do the following to remove malware in Safe mode.

• 1) Tap the F8 key continuously as soon as your computer boots, however, before the large Windows logo or black screen with white texts come up. This would invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu.
• 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and press Enter.
• 3) When you are into this mode, you will have access to the internet once again. Now, utilize your web browser normally and download Safebytes Anti-Malware.
• 4) After installation, do a complete scan and allow the software to get rid of the threats it detects.

Method 2: Utilize An Alternate Internet Browser to Download Anti-Malware Software

Malicious program code may exploit vulnerabilities in a specific web browser and block access to all antivirus software sites. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by computer malware or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the most effective plan of action is to switch to an alternate web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your chosen security program - Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Download SafeBytes Anti-Malware for Malware Removal

Method 3: Install and Run Anti-Malware From a USB Drive

To effectively remove the malware, you might want to approach the problem of installing an antivirus software program on the affected computer from a different angle. Adopt these measures to employ a flash drive to fix your infected computer.

• 1) Use another malware-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware.
• 2) Plug the thumb drive into the uninfected computer.
• 3) Double click on the executable file to open the installation wizard.
• 4) Choose the drive letter of the USB drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the anti-virus. Follow activation instructions.
• 5) Now, transfer the thumb drive to the infected computer.
• 6) Double-click the antivirus program EXE file on the USB flash drive.
• 7) Click on the “Scan Now” button to start the malware scan.

If no other method of downloading and installing the antivirus software works, then you've no other option than to hit the last resort: a full Windows reinstallation, the only approach known to have a 100% rate of success at virus removal.

0x800ccc92 - What is it?

Do you come across this error message “Receiving’ reported error (0x800ccc92): “Your e-mail server rejected your login”? Verify your user name and password in your account properties. The server responded: - ERR invalid user names and password” when you try to send or open emails using your Outlook account? If yes, then this article is a must-read for you as we explain why this error occurs and how you can resolve it. To begin with, 0x800ccc92 is a common Microsoft Outlook error. This error restricts your ability to send and receive emails on your Outlook email address. In other words, it locks you out and hampers your ability to use your account successfully causing a great deal of inconvenience especially if you use your Outlook account for communication in and across your office.

Solution

Error Causes

The 0x800ccc92 error message may occur due to numerous reasons so narrowing it down to one particular reason for occurrence is not easy. However, here we have listed down some of the most common causes of this error code:

• Incorrect Outlook configuration settings
• Invalid password or username
• PST file crosses its fixed file size limit
• Failure of POP3 and Protocol STMP in database server connection
• Improper synchronization between Outlook and the server
• Virus Infection
• Invalid registry entries

Further Information and Manual Repair?

To fix the error code 0x800ccc92 on your system, here are some quick, effective, and easy DIY solutions that you can try:

Solution 1:

Sometimes the error code may occur due to an invalid password and usernames entry. Therefore, first, cross-check user ID and password. If you’ve entered the wrong password, try inserting the correct password to access your account.

Solution 2:

If the error still persists, then try installing the latest available Server Service Pack for Exchange. This solution works best if compatibility is the issue and the underlying reason for the error is improper synchronization between Outlook and the server.

Solution 3:

The presence of malware and viruses can also lead to such errors. Therefore, it is advisable to scan your entire PC for malware and viruses using a powerful antivirus.

Solution 4:

If the issue occurs due to bad and invalid registry entries, then it is important that you remove them right away. Due to such entries, you may experience the 0x800ccc92 error on your PC. To remove them, you need to download a registry cleaner. Downloading two programs an antivirus and a registry cleaner separately may slow down the speed of your PC. Therefore, to ensure this does not happen it is recommended you install Restoro Restoro is an advanced and multi-functional PC Fixer. This software is deployed with an intuitive algorithm and multiple powerful PC repair utilities including a registry cleaner, anti-virus, and a system optimizer. It is a one-stop solution for all PC-related issues. Using this tool, you can scan your entire PC and remove all types of malicious software including malware, viruses, spyware, and Trojans corrupting your PC in seconds. Simultaneously, it also removes all bad registry keys and entries and files the damaged system file, thereby restoring the registry back to normal. The system optimizer utility ensures your PC speed is not compromised due to the repair process. This software is safe, bug-free, efficient, and user-friendly. It is compatible with all Windows versions. Click here to download Restoro on your PC to instantly remove viruses and invalid registry entries to resolve the 0x800ccc92 error message on your system now!

Error Code 0xc004f034 – What is it?

Error code 0xc004f034 occurs when Windows 10 users fail to activate their operating system. This activation error code affects not only Windows 10 but those using other versions of the Windows operating system including Windows 8.1. Users experiencing this problem will notice the following common symptoms which occur:

• Inability to activate Windows 10 operating system
• Message box with error code 0xc004f034

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0xc004f034 usually results from issues related to activation servers. In such cases when servers are busy, users will not be able to complete the activation process which would result in access to their Windows 10 edition of choice. The error code may also result from issues related to your product key. For this reason, be sure to use the correct product key when you attempt to activate Windows 10.

Further Information and Manual Repair

The completion of manual repair methods can be an effective way to correct issues like error codes in Windows 10. To begin, however, ensure you follow the instructions as given as making even a slight mistake will result in unfavorable results. If, for whatever reason, you have trouble completing the steps suggested below, feel free to contact a Windows repair technician. This type of IT professional is usually equipped with knowledge and expertise to access your particular situation. Otherwise, see the manual repair methods listed below and complete at least one method to fix error code 0xc004f034.

Method One: Ensure You Enter a Valid Product Key

If there is a problem with your product key, you will need to ensure you fix it before you can resolve error code 0xc004f034. Follow the instructions below after ensuring you have a valid product key.

• Step one: Click the Start button then select Settings
• Step two: Select Update & security then Activation
• Step three: Click the Change product key
• Step four: Type in your valid product key with its 25 characters in the correct order

Your system will activate Windows 10 if the issue was related to the use of an invalid product key. However, attempt manual method two if error code 0xc004f034 reappears and you are unable to complete the activation process.

Method Two: Reattempt Windows 10 Activation Until Process Completes

In many cases, error code 0xc004f034 occurs simply due to a busy server. This was the case in 2015 in particular when Windows users first received access to editions of Windows 10 like Windows 10 Pro. To complete this process, you will need to follow the instructions below, repeating the last step until the activation occurs.

• Step one: Click the Start button then select Settings
• Step two: After selecting Settings, click Update & Security
• Step three: Select Windows Update then the Check for updates tab
• Step four: Click Activate Windows 10 update

If this method is successful, you will finally be able to update your system to the Windows 10 edition of your choice. This process may take just a few minutes – and several attempts – before you resolve the issue. Remember to be patient. However, contact a Windows repair technician to evaluate your system if the issue persists for more than a few days.

Method Three: Use an Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 8 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

Windows 11 has brought us a new and revamped settings application that will cover most personalization and overall settings for your operating system. But as much as the new settings app is tweaked and modified there are still some things that can be modified only inside Control Panel. Since the Control Panel icon itself is somewhat not right away once clicked on the start button we are presenting you a couple of ways to open it so you can change each detail you want.

Via Start menu

The most straightforward and easiest way to reach and open the control panel is via the Start menu. In order to do it just click on the Start menu and type in the control panel. Then click on Control Panel Icon in the results.

Pin Control panel icon to the taskbar

In order to actually pin the control panel to Taskbar, you will need to open it first. Use the previous simple and fast steps in order to quickly open it then in the taskbar right-click on its icon. Choose Pin to Taskbar and close control panel. Now you can open the control panel quickly just by clicking it on its icon in the Taskbar.

Add Desktop icon

If you liked the idea to have an icon that you can click in order to fast open the control panel but you are not very fond of the icon being located in your Taskbar then let's place it on Desktop instead. In order to place a special control panel icon on the desktop, we will use Windows setting app. Open settings app with ⊞ WINDOWS + I and go to Personalization tab. Inside the personalization tab, go to Themes and click on Desktop Icon Settings. Check the box beside Control Panel and click on OK. The Control Panel icon will appear now on your Desktop and you can double click on it to launch it.

Run Control Panel from the Run dialog box

Same as in the previous version of Windows you can also open the Control Panel via Windows built-in run menu. This is mostly the preferred way to gain access to it by system administrators. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog. Inside dialog type in control and press ENTER. Control Panel will open right away.

If you are visiting a single folder many times during the day it might be beneficial to place its shortcut on the desktop for easy access. But did you know that you can also set a keyboard shortcut for that same folder shortcut making it available simply by clicking desired key combination? In order to make a keyboard shortcut for the desired folder know that it is available only when you have a shortcut of the desired folder, it cannot be done on the folder itself, only on its shortcut. Now folder shortcut does not need to reside on desktop, you can place it anywhere you like, but it must be a shortcut. So the first step is of course to make a shortcut of the folder that you wish to have access via keyboard key combination and place it where you wish. Once you have done this step, right-click on it and choose properties. Inside properties at the top click on the Shortcut tab and then inside Shortcut Key, press the key combination that you wish to associate with this folder. Confirm with OK and start using fast folder access with your desired key combination.

Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a Driver is a software driver used in WI FI communication between OS and device itself. When this driver stops working usually it means loss of connection and no internet available. This error knows to comes frequently and repeat itself over long periods of time which makes it quite annoying. If you are one of the unlucky users of Windows who get this error please keep reading in order to eliminate it and continue working on your computer normally.

1. Disable & Enable the Qualcomm Adapter Driver

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu, click on the device manager. In device manager expand network adapters. Right-click on Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a wireless network adapter and click on disable Right-click on Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a wireless network adapter and click on enable

2. Rollback the Qualcomm Adapter driver

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu, click on the device manager. In device manager expand network adapters. Right-click on Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a wireless network adapter and click on properties Under properties, window click on Driver tab and left-click on Roll Back driver (if the option is greyed there is no previous driver, follow next step) Choose your reason and click on OK

3. Update Qualcomm Atheros driver to the latest version

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu, click on the device manager. In device manager expand network adapters. Right-click on Qualcomm Atheros Qca61x4a wireless network adapter and click on Update Driver

4. Install the new driver in compatibility mode

   Right-click on the installer package and choose properties Go to the compatibility tab Choose compatibility settings and install.