Cleaning your PC for better performance

BigTech platforms Google and Facebook were hit with a series of antitrust lawsuits by the US federal government and states on charges they are operating monopolies and abusing their power. Below is the status of the cases, as well as government probes of Apple and Amazon in their current states

Two lawsuits against Facebook

In a defeat, Judge James Boasberg said the Federal Trade Commission, which had sued Facebook in December asking that Facebook be forced to sell WhatsApp and Instagram, failed to show that Facebook had monopoly power in the social-networking market, among other problems. However, the FTC could file a new complaint by July 29. He threw out a related state lawsuit entirely, saying that the attorney's general had waited too long. They are looking at their options.

Four lawsuits against Google

The US Justice Department sued Google in October, accusing the $1 trillion company of illegally using its market muscle to hobble rivals. A trial date was set for September 12, 2023. A lawsuit by 38 US states and territories accuses Google of abusing its market power to try to make its search engine as dominant inside cars, TVs, and speakers as it is in phones. This was consolidated with the federal lawsuit for purposes of discovery. Texas, backed by other states, filed a separate lawsuit against Google, accusing it of breaking antitrust law in how it runs its online advertising business. Dozens of state attorneys general sued Google on July 7, alleging that it bought off competitors and used restrictive contracts to unlawfully maintain a monopoly for its app store on Android phones.

Justice Department investigates Apple

This probe, revealed in June 2019, appears to focus on Apple's app store. Some app developers have accused Apple of introducing new products very similar to existing apps created by other developers and sold in the Apple Store, and then trying to banish the older apps from the store because they compete with Apple's new product. Apple says it seeks to have only the highest-quality apps in the app store.

Justice Department probing Facebook and Amazon

In July 2019, the Justice Department said it was expanding its Big Tech probes to include "search, social media, and some retail services online", an apparent reference to Facebook and Amazon.

Federal Trade Commission on Amazon

In its investigation of Amazon, the FTC is likely looking at the inherent conflict of interest of Amazon competing with small sellers on its marketplace platform, including allegations that it used information from sellers on its platform to decide what products it would introduce.

As you know, any software needs sufficient CPU power when it downloads, updates and installs so if you encounter an error code 0x80200070 when you tried to install or update the Microsoft Edge browser on your Windows 10 computer, then read on as this post will guide you on how to fix it. This kind of error occurs when the Edge browser installation does not get enough CPU power to update or install and the only way to fix it is to kill programs that are consuming a lot of PC resources as well as stop or remove any unnecessary programs that are running in the background. This kind of error can also be encountered in the new Microsoft Edge Chromium. For more details, follow each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to kill applications that consume high resources

• Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open the Task Manager.
• Go to the Performance tab and sort by CPU usage.
• Next, close a few additional programs that are consuming maximum CPU power.
• After that, try to update or install Microsoft Edge again and check if the error is fixed. If not, try to restart your computer and then start the installation or update again.

Option 2 – Try to remove or stop unnecessary programs and services

If the applications or processes that are consuming a lot of CPU resources reappear even after you kill them or end their processes, then you can try the following suggestions to remove or stop these unnecessary programs and processes.

• The first thing you can do is to stop the Service. If the program happens to be a service, then you have the option to disable the Windows Service. All you have to do is open the Services Manager and stop the service. How? Refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Services Manager.

• After that, identify which service is consuming a lot of power and then stop it temporarily.
• The next thing you can do is to uninstall the problematic program. If the one that consumes a lot of resources is not a service but a program, then you can try to uninstall the program for the meantime until you’ve updated or installed the Edge browser. Once you’ve uninstalled the program, try to update or install Edge again.
• You can also try booting your computer into Safe Mode and then update or install Microsoft Edge. This will make sure that all the unnecessary programs and services won’t consume a lot of CPU resources as well as memory.

A recent update in Windows 10 has caused a couple of glitches. One of these glitches is having trouble signing into Windows 10. Some users reported that they were not able to sign in to their computers using a PIN and they weren’t also able to reset it either. If you are one of these users, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you resolve issues that you are having in signing in to your computer using your PIN or fingerprint with Windows Hello. When you encounter this issue, you will get an error message on your screen stating:

“Your PIN is no longer available due to a change in the security setting on this device on this device.”

To resolve this problem, you need to follow the steps laid out below carefully.

• Step 1: The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you are using an administrator account. After signing in as admin, tap the Win + E keys to open the File Explorer.
• Step 2: After that, under the View menu, enable Hidden items.
• Step 3: Next, navigate to the following path:

C:\Windows\Service\Profiles\Local\Service\AppData\Local\Microsoft

Note: From there, you should see a folder named “Ngc”. This folder might be the one that’s causing the problem so you are going to fix it by making some changes. This folder contains all the files responsible for any PIN-related settings. So if you are not able to access the Ngc folder, or it has gotten corrupted for some reason during an update here’s how to fix it.

• Step 4: Try opening the Ngc folder. If you are able to open it, just skip to step 11 but if you can’t open it and you got the “Permission Denied” error message, proceed to the next few steps.
• Step 5: Right-click on the Ngc folder and select Properties.
• Step 6: Under Properties, go to the Security tab and click on the Advanced button.
• Step 7: Next, click on the Change link which corresponds to the Owner field.
• Step 8: Then click on Object Types and ensure that everything is selected.
• Step 9: After that, enter your username in the field. You can just use the email that corresponds to your Microsoft account or you can also use the Check Names button to verify it. Now click OK.
• Step 10: You should now see a change in the owner's name. Just make sure that you enable the checkbox below it which is labeled, “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects” and then click Apply and close everything.
• Step 11: Next, try opening the Ngc folder again. You should now be able to access it. After opening the folder, delete all of its contents and make sure that it’s empty.
• Step 12: Restart your PC. After your computer has booted, go to the Account Settings and try setting up a new PIN. You should now be able to set up a new PIN and use it to sign in to your PC.

This post will walk you through fixing the rtwlane.sys Blue Screen error. This kind of BSOD error belongs under the category of the “DRIVER IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL” Stop errors. If you encounter this kind of Stop error then it means that a kernel-mode driver tried to access pageable memory at a process IRQL that was too high. The main issue with the rtwlane.sys Blue Screen error has something to do with the Realtek PCI-E Wireless LAN PCI-E NIC driver. In other words, it has some issues with the wireless card of your computer which is built by Realtek. And since it this error concerns your wireless card, you might also experience some connectivity problems with your computer as the wireless card refuses to find any network connections and even randomly disconnects. To resolve this problem, you need to refer to the given options below.

Option 1 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like rtwlane.sys Blue Screen error. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

Option 2 – Try to update or rollback your Network driver

If you have updated the driver software as of late and you suddenly got this BSOD error, you might have to roll back the device driver – in other words, switch back to the previous working version. To do that, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “MSC” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
• From the list of Network Drivers, look for “Realtek <Model> Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC” and then right-click on it and select Update Driver.
• Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the BSOD error.

Note: If you see any of the following entries under the Network drivers, you might want to download their latest available versions from each one of their manufacturer’s websites.

• Realtek High-Definition (HD) Audio Driver
• Realtek Card Reader Driver
• Realtek Local Area Network (LAN) Driver

On the other hand, if updating the Network driver didn’t help, you can also try to roll back to its previous version.

• Open the Device Manager again and then look for Network Drivers.
• Next, select Realtek <Model> Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC from the list of Network Drivers and then double click to open a new mini window.
• After that, make sure that you’re on the Driver tab and if you are not, just navigate to it then click the Roll Back Driver button to switch back to the previous version of the Realtek driver.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try running the System File Checker Scan

The SFC or System File Checker scan could detect and automatically repair damaged system files that could be causing the Netwtw04.sys failed BSOD error. SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

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.

Error 1713 - What is it?

If you use Microsoft-developed programs, then you might experience this error code on your PC. It indicates programming limitations. This error, Error 1713 may pop up during the installation of 2007 or 2010 Microsoft Office Suite. The error message appears in the format stated below:

“Error 1713: Microsoft Office has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.”

Common symptoms for error 1713 include system crashes, system freeze and sometimes you may feel your Windows running sluggishly.

Solution

Error Causes

Error 1713 may be triggered due to many reasons. However, common causes for this error occurrence include:

• Corrupt Microsoft Office Software
• Corrupt Windows Registry
• Malware
• Deleted Microsoft Office Related Files

Further Information and Manual Repair

No matter, what the cause of this error is, it is advisable to resolve it immediately without any delays. This error may pose serious threats to your PC is not repaired timely and also cause you a great deal of inconvenience limiting you from using Microsoft software programs. Here are some of the best and easy DIY methods that you can try to resolve this issue. To work around these methods you don’t have to be a technical whiz or a computer programmer. Let’s get started:

Method 1 - Use System Restore to Undo Changes Made Recently

During any program deletion, you may have accidentally deleted Microsoft related files because of which you may be experiencing error 1713 on your PC. In such an event, the best way to resolve is to undo recent system changes. To do this, use Windows System Restore Utility. This is inbuilt in Windows. To access System Restore Utility, simply press start and type System Restore in the search box and press enter. Now follow the steps in the Wizard to choose a restore point. Once you select, reboot your PC to activate changes.

Method 2 - Update Drivers

One of the many causes of error 1713 is hardware failure. Hardware failure indicates driver issues. To resolve the problem it is advisable to delete the outdated drivers and update new versions on your PC.

Method 3 - Scan for Malware

Malware can also trigger such error codes on your system and corrupt important files. Therefore remove malware immediately from your PC by running an antivirus. Antivirus will detect and delete all malicious programs in no time.

Method 4 - Repair the Registry

Broken entries, junk files, and invalid registry keys corrupt the registry thereby generating error codes. To resolve you first need to clean the registry and repair it. For this download Restoro. It is a PC Fixer deployed with a registry cleaner. The registry cleaner removes all bad entries stored in the registry, cleans it and repairs the damaged files in just a few clicks. Click here to download Restoro.

HP Printer Spooler Not Running - What is it?

If you have the HP printer, then you may come across this error. HP Printer Spooler not running errors does not mean there is anything wrong with your printer. It indicates printer driver issues.

Solution

Error Causes

There can be multiple causes behind the HP printer Spooler not running error code such as:

• The poor or unsuccessful printer driver installation
• Invalid registry entries

Though this is not a critical error code as it does not pose serious damage threats to your PC, however, it is advisable to resolve it as it can cause you a great deal of inconvenience especially if you want to take out printouts every now and then.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some ways you can try to resolve HP Printer Spooler Not Running Error on your system: 1. Reinstall the HP Printer driver on Your System

• Simply go to the control panel and then click on the Device Manager option
• Once you click it you will see details pane with a list of devices. Now simply click on the printer, to reinstall the driver software.
• Double click on it to open the properties dialog box
• After that click on the driver tab and then click update driver

Once you update the driver, try using the Printer to see if it works. Sometimes you may come across a pop-up displaying the following message: ‘Driver installed correctly, Device is ready to use however, you may not see the printer under the printer’s pane. This triggers registry issues. 2. To resolve registry issues, install Restoro on your system. This is a highly functional registry cleaner integrated with a powerful antivirus. It helps resolve registry issues, malware, and guarantees system optimization. This feature-filled tool is the answer to all your PC-related issues. Restoro is a next-generation PC repair software that extends outstanding usability and helps PC users resolve errors efficiently. Its simple navigation and user-friendly interface make it so easy to use that even novice users can also work around it and repair issues without any hassle or difficulty. It’s a smart and intuitive in-built registry cleaner that wipes out all the unnecessary and obsolete files on your hard disk. This includes junk files, internet history, invalid registry keys, and files from the uninstalled old program versions. Sometimes the files from the uninstalled programs hamper your ability to update new program versions thus leading to unsuccessful driver installation. Nonetheless, all such files are removed in seconds with this helper and you are then ready to reinstall the driver. This registry cleaner cleans the clutter from your hard disk and optimizes your system's speed, lowering your PC boot time significantly. Total System Care can be used on all Windows versions To fix the HP printer spooler not running error on your computer, simply click here to install Restoro. Run it to scan for the error and fix it in seconds. Once the issue is resolved, update the printer driver. You’ll see the driver will be updated successfully and the HP printer will also appear in the printer’s panel. By installing Restoro on your system, you can also resolve several other issues like privacy errors triggered by malware and virus infections. With this tool, you will not have to download and run a separate anti-virus on your system.

MovieMode is a Potentially Unwanted Program developed by GenTechnologies Apps that allegedly ads a “Lights Off” function to video streaming websites like Youtube. This feature allows a user to dim the entire background around the video, allowing for better video focus. Although this sounds interesting and useful, upon further inspection it was discovered that this program does not work with modern browsers.

While installed, MovieMode may modify your browser settings, changing your home page, displaying additional ads, and other suspicious behavior. From the Terms Of Use: “Applications may be automatically enabled on your web browsers following installation. Applications or advertisements may require changing your web browser’s default home page, default page, or set of pages on startup, default search provider, and other browser settings. So that Applications can function most efficiently and with the least annoyance, Applications may modify or disable certain web browser or operating system features including, but limited to load time alerts, accelerator features, and Content Security Policy functionality. Applications may also include features to notify you when you are launching an application or visiting a web domain that may interfere with your installed Applications. “

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

What is a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)?

Have you ever detected an unwanted program running on your computer and wondered how the heck it got there? These unwanted programs, which are referred to as Potentially Unwanted Programs, or PUPs in short, usually tag along as a software bundle when downloading the program and could cause significant problems for users. From the technical perspective, a PUP is not true “malware”. A basic difference between PUP and malware is distribution. Malware is normally dropped via vulnerability exploitation while PUP gets installed with the consent of the end-user, who knowingly or unintentionally approves the PUP installation on their computer system. On the other hand, it is obvious that PUPs are still bad news for computer users as they could be quite dangerous to the computer in lots of ways.

How do unwanted programs impact you?

Unwanted programs can be found in many forms. Typically, they will be found in adware bundlers that are known to use aggressive and deceptive advertising. Most bundlers install numerous adware applications from various vendors, each of which has its own EULA policy. Safebytes Anti-malware completely eradicates this threat and safeguards your PC against unwanted programs or malware infection. Additionally, most free software programs these days include a few unwanted add-ons; in many instances an internet browser toolbar or browser modification like a homepage hijacker. Not only they needlessly use up space on your screen, but toolbars may also manipulate search results, track your browsing activities, decrease your web browser’s overall performance, and slow down your web connection to a crawl. They could seem innocent but PUPs are sometimes spyware. The worst part of setting up a PUP is the spyware, adware, and keystroke loggers that may hide inside. Most PUPs don’t have any significant value or advantages. As soon as they are installed, they could waste your valuable system resources and also drastically slow down computer performance. Many of these programs are harmful to computer systems and put your private information and perhaps your identity at stake.

The best ways to stop PUPs

• Always study the license agreement and privacy statement. Don’t agree unless you understand exactly what you’re agreeing to. • Always pick the custom if you’re provided a choice between Recommended and Custom Installations – never ever click Next, Next, Next blindly. • Use an ad blocker/pop-up blocker; Install anti-malware products such as Safebytes Anti-malware. These kinds of programs can establish a wall between your computer and online criminals. • Avoid adding freeware software you simply won’t utilize. Avoid downloading and installing browser extensions and applications you aren’t familiar with. • Always download applications from the original site. The majority of PUPs find their way to your computer is through download portals, so stay away from it entirely.

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

Malware could cause all sorts of damage after they invade your computer, from stealing your private details to deleting files on your PC. Some malware goes to great lengths to prevent you from downloading or installing anything on your computer system, especially antivirus software programs. If you’re reading this, you probably have infected by malware that prevents you from installing a computer security program like Safebytes Anti-Malware. There are a few fixes you can attempt to get around with this particular problem.

Download the software in Safe Mode with Networking

In the event the malware is set to load at Windows startup, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Just bare minimum required applications and services are loaded whenever you boot your computer or laptop into Safe Mode. You will need to do the following to get rid of malware in Safe mode. 1) At power on/start-up, press the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This will invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Use the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) Once you get into this mode, you should have internet access again. Now, utilize your web browser normally and go to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) Immediately after installation, do a complete scan and let the program get rid of the threats it detects.

Obtain the anti-malware program using an alternate browser

Some malware only targets certain internet browsers. If this is your situation, utilize another web browser as it might circumvent the malware. If you are not able to download the security software using Internet Explorer, this means the virus could be targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you must switch to an alternate internet browser such as Firefox or Chrome to download Safebytes Anti-malware software.

Create a portable USB antivirus for eliminating viruses

Another option is to create a portable anti-malware program on your USB stick. Follow these steps to use a thumb drive to clean your infected computer. 1) On a clean computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the pen drive on the same system. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, which has a .exe file extension. 4) Pick a USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you want to install the software. Follow activation instructions. 5) Disconnect the USB drive. Now you can use this portable anti-malware on the infected computer system. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the pen drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for malware.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware Features

Are you looking to download the best anti-malware software for your system? There are plenty of applications in the market that comes in paid and free versions for Microsoft Windows systems. Some of them are good, some are ok types, and some will ruin your computer themselves! While looking for antimalware software, pick one which gives dependable, efficient, and total protection against all known viruses and malware. On the list of recommended software is SafeBytes AntiMalware. SafeBytes carries a really good reputation for excellent service, and customers are happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a highly effective and user-friendly protection tool that is designed for users of all levels of IT literacy. With its most advanced virus detection and repair technology, this software protects your personal computer against infections caused by various kinds of malware and similar threats, including adware, spyware, trojans horses, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs). SafeBytes has outstanding features when compared to other anti-malware programs. Here are some of the features you might like in SafeBytes Anti-Malware. Real-time Protection: SafeBytes gives complete and real-time security for your personal machine. It’ll monitor your computer for suspicious activity regularly and safeguards your computer from illegal access. Most Reliable AntiMalware Protection: Built on a greatly acclaimed antivirus engine, this malware removal tool has the capacity to find and remove several obstinate malware threats like browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other typical antivirus software will miss. Safe Browsing: Safebytes assigns all sites a unique safety rating that helps you to have an idea of whether the webpage you are going to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Lightweight: SafeBytes provides total protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load due to its advanced detection engine and algorithms. Premium Support: You can get 24/7 technical assistance to quickly resolve any concern with your security application. Overall, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program since it has loads of features and can identify and remove any potential threats. Malware problems can become a thing of the past once you put this application to use. If you need advanced forms of protection features and threat detections, purchasing SafeBytes Anti-Malware could be well worth the dollars!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you don’t wish to use malware removal software and like to get rid of Movie Mode manually, you could possibly accomplish this by going to the Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and removing the offending program; in cases of browser add-ons, you can remove it by visiting the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. You may even want to reset your browser settings, and also clear your web browser cache and cookies. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and computer registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values as needed. Having said that, editing the Windows registry is often a hard task that only advanced computer users and professionals should attempt to fix it. Moreover, some malware keeps replicating which makes it difficult to get rid of. It is advisable that you carry out the removal process in Safe Mode.

Disk Write Error in Steam is thrown at you while you try to download or update the game in your library. If you are an unfortunate user of Steam that has encountered this error do not sweat, the error is usually tied to permission in windows or file corruption and not to hardware issues and can be easily resolved.

In this guide, we will go through solutions for this specific error and it is advisable to go through solutions as they are presented since they go from the easiest and most common issues.

Restart PC and Steam

The easiest and quickest way of resolving this issue is just a simple restart of the Steam client. Just completely quit Steam and they run it again, if this has not solved the issue try rebooting your PC. In most cases, this can solve the issue since this error is known to be introduced with some communication issues with OS (Windows)

Set Write permissions

Disk write permissions could also cause this error because if by any chance the Steam library folder has been set or changed to the read-only client would be unable to write anything in it. To easily solve this issue completely exit the Steam client and rerun it as administrator. Just right-click on it and select Run as Administrator. If this has solved your issue run Steam always as an administrator.

To run always as an administrator right click on the steam executable, go to properties, and inside properties go to the compatibility tab. In the compatibility tab check run as administrator and click on OK.

Clear download cache

If for any reason cache has become corrupted there is a big chance that this might be an issue why there is a disk drive error in Steam. To clear download, cache goes into your client, and on top drow down menu click on steam. Find and open settings and inside go to the downloads tab. Locate a clear download cache and immediately you will be prompted to restart Steam. After restart, you will be asked to login into steam and the issue with disk write should be gone.

Repair library folder

Library folder issues can also be the source of disk write annoyance so let's repair them. Click steam in the top left and go to the settings. Locate and click on Downloads and then go to Steam library folders. You will be here shown all disk drivers you are using for steam games and all of the games that are downloaded.

Select the game you are getting errors with and click on three dots on the far right. From the menu choose the repair folder option. Take note that the more games you have installed, the more time the repair process will need.

Change download server

Sometimes the issue is not at your end at all, servers can experience problems and outrages and this can directly reflect at your end with a disk write error. If any of the previous solutions have not resolved the issue this is the next logical step to try. If the server is facing issues then changing the download server will resolve the issue at your end.

Click on settings in the top drop-down menu and then click on the Steam library folder. Find the downloads page and then click on download region, Choose another server than one nearest to your location since that's what will Steam choose by default.

RelevantKnowledge is a potentially unwanted program. It is typically bundled by 3rd-party installers and download managers that include other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). In most cases, the installer will present the user with an RK survey at the end of the setup in order to relate the user’s future behavior to various questions.

From the published: RelevantKnowledge is an online market research community consisting of over 2 million members worldwide, which provides insight into how its members interact with the Internet. In exchange for an agreement to have their Internet behavior monitored, computer users who join RelevantKnowledge are offered various value propositions, including the ability to download screensavers or other software offerings, entry into sweepstakes, and a host of other benefits.

Multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in RelevantKnowledge.

About Browser Hijackers

If you’ve ever downloaded software via the internet (shareware, freeware, etc,), it’s quite possible you’ve unintentionally installed unwanted programs on your PC. Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), also referred to as Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA), are applications that you never wanted in the first place and often come bundled with freeware. Once installed, the majority of these applications can be tough to get rid of and become much more of an annoyance rather than a necessity. It is clear by its name – unwanted applications – but did not really constitute “malware” in the traditional sense. This is because, the majority of PUPs get into a computer not because they slip through the security holes, for instance, but because the users have got installed them themselves – 100 % unknowingly needless to say. A PUP might not be regarded as malicious or dangerous but nevertheless, it is a common reason for clunky OSs; some PUPs are a lot more aggressive by deliberately slowing down your PC.

The harm unwanted programs could do

PUPs come in various forms. Typically, they could be seen in adware bundlers that are known to use aggressive and misleading advertising. The majority of bundlers install many adware programs from a number of vendors, each of which features its own EULA policy. Safebytes Anti-Malware totally eradicates this threat and safeguards your computer against PUP or adware infection. Additionally, the majority of free programs nowadays come with a few unwanted add-ons; in most cases a web browser toolbar or browser modification such as a homepage hijacker. They can modify browser settings, change the default search engine, replace the default home page with their own websites, slow down internet speed, and also will damage your system as well. PUPs carry a dangerous bite if left unchecked. The most detrimental part of installing a PUP is the spyware, adware, and keystroke loggers that might hide inside. These are programs that don’t really do anything good for you; in addition to taking up space on your hard disk drive, they also slow down your PC, often modify settings without your authorization, the list of frustrating features goes on and on.

Tips on how to avoid getting a PUP

• When installing anything on your personal computer, always study the fine print, including the license agreement. Do not accept terms of use that are for bundled programs. • Use ONLY custom or manual install method – and never thoughtlessly click Next, Next, Next. • Use good antimalware software, such as Safebytes Anti-Malware which offers real-time protection against PUPs. • Think carefully before you download any kind of shareware or freeware. Turn off or get rid of toolbars and browser extensions you don’t actually need. • Always download applications from the original website. The majority of PUPs find their way onto your laptop or computer is via download portals, so steer clear of it entirely.

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

Viruses may cause a lot of damage to your personal computer. Some malware is meant to interfere with or block things that you want to do on your computer system. It may well not allow you to download anything from the net or stop you from accessing some or all websites, particularly the anti-malware sites. If you are reading this article now, you’ve probably realized that virus infection is the real cause of your blocked internet connectivity. So how to proceed if you need to download and install an anti-malware program like Safebytes? Although this kind of problem can be harder to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Download the application in Safe Mode with Networking

In Safe Mode, you may change Windows settings, un-install or install some applications, and remove hard-to-delete viruses. If the malware is set to load automatically when the computer starts, shifting to this mode can prevent it from doing so. To start the computer into Safe Mode, press the “F8” key on your keyboard just before the Windows boot screen appears; Or right after normal Windows boot up, run MSCONFIG, look over “Safe Boot” under Boot tab, and then click Apply. As soon as you reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, and update anti-malware software from there. Right after installation, run the malware scanner to eliminate standard infections.

Use an alternate web browser to download antivirus software

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a specific internet browser or attacking specific versions of the browser. The most effective solution to overcome this problem is to go with a browser that is well known for its security measures. Firefox has built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to keep you secure online.

Install anti-malware on a USB drive

Another option is to save and operate an antivirus software tool entirely from a Flash drive. Do these simple actions to clean up your infected PC using a portable antivirus. 1) On a virus-free computer, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the USB drive into the clean PC. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Select the drive letter of the flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the antivirus. Follow the directions to complete the installation process. 5) Transfer the thumb drive from the uninfected computer to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the pen drive to run the application. 7) Simply click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for malware.

Protect Your Computer & Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Want to download the best anti-malware software program for your laptop? There are lots of applications on the market that comes in free and paid versions for Windows systems. A few are really worth your money, but many aren’t. You need to pick a tool that has got a good reputation and detects not only computer viruses but other types of malware also. Among few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended program for the security-conscious individual. SafeBytes antimalware is a highly effective and user-friendly protection tool that is suitable for end-users of all levels of IT literacy. After you have installed this application, SafeByte's sophisticated protection system will make sure that no viruses or malware can seep through your PC. SafeBytes has excellent features when compared to other anti-malware programs. Here are some popular features present in this tool: World-class AntiMalware Protection: Safebytes is made on the best virus engine within the industry. These engines will detect and remove threats even during the early stages of a malware outbreak. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes delivers complete and real-time security for your laptop or computer. They’re highly efficient in screening and getting rid of numerous threats because they’re constantly revised with the latest updates and safety measures. Internet Security: Through its unique safety score, SafeBytes informs you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will ensure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the net. Very Low CPU and Memory Usage: This program is not “heavy” on the computer’s resources, so you will not notice any overall performance difficulties when SafeBytes is operating in the background. 24/7 Online Technical 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 RelevantKnowledge 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 RelevantKnowledge

Polimva is a Browser Extension for Google Chrome. This extension offers users the ability to search for any recipe on the web.

From the Author:

Polimva will help you discover new content! You will be exposed to cool and fun content every day! You can search and find new articles, videos, and reviews on daily basis.

-Amazing search experience. -Access to new interesting articles and videos every hour. -Polimva Changes the default search. -Updated content every day. -Follow any channel and topic that you like. -Choose the interface and the design of the results you get every time.

This extension changes your default search engine to Yahoo, and while active it changes the displayed ads on your browser, allowing it to make revenue on every ad you click. While this is not malicious, the extension redirects your search to its servers first before forwarding it to yahoo and displaying search results. The information that is sent back to the servers contains your browsing data & visited web pages. As a result, Polimva is considered a potentially unwanted browser hijacker and if flagged for optional removal.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (also known as hijackware) are a kind of malware that modifies internet browser settings without the computer owner’s knowledge or approval. These kinds of hijacks appear to be rising at an astonishing rate worldwide, and they could be truly nefarious and often harmful too. They are designed to disrupt browser functions for many different reasons. It redirects you to the sponsored websites and injects adverts on the browser which helps its developer generate ad revenue. Even though it might seem naive, all browser hijackers are damaging and therefore always regarded as security threats. What’s more, hijackers could make the entire infected system vulnerable – other destructive malware and viruses will grab these opportunities to get into your computer system effortlessly.

Indications of browser hijack

Here are some signs that suggest you’ve been hijacked: 1. your browser’s home page is reset to some unfamiliar webpage 2. bookmark and the new tab are also modified 3. the default web browser configurations have been changed and/or your default web engine is altered 4. you see multiple toolbars on your web browser 5. your internet browser displays endless pop-up windows 6. your internet browser starts running slowly or displays frequent errors 7. you’re disallowed access to certain websites, for example, the website of an antimalware software manufacturer like SafeBytes.

Exactly how browser hijacker infects PCs

Browser hijackers can enter a PC in some way or other, including via downloads, file sharing, and email also. They can also come from any BHO, extension, add-on, toolbar, or plug-in with malicious purpose. Some internet browser hijackers spread in user’s PC by using a deceptive software distribution method called “bundling” (generally through freeware and shareware). Some of the popular hijackers are Polimva, Conduit Search, Babylon Toolbar, OneWebSearch, Sweet Page, and CoolWebSearch.

The best ways to remove a browser hijacker

Some browser hijacking could be simply corrected by finding and removing the corresponding malware software from your control panel. Unluckily, many of the software applications used to hijack an internet browser are deliberately built to be difficult to remove or detect. You should think of doing manual fixes only if you’re a tech-savvy person since there are possible risks associated with tinkering around with the computer registry and HOSTS file. You can opt for automatic browser hijacker removal methods by simply installing and running an efficient anti-malware program. If you need to get rid of persistent hijackers effectively, install the top-rated, award-winning anti-malware software Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Malware Blocking Internet And All Anti-Malware Software? Do This!

Malware could cause many different types of damage to computer systems, networks, and data. Some malware variants alter browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the PC’s DNS settings. In such cases, you will be unable to visit certain or all of the websites, and thus unable to download or install the required security software to eliminate the malware. So what to do when malicious software prevents you from downloading or installing Safebytes Anti-Malware? There are a few steps you can take to circumvent this issue.

Use Safe Mode to fix the issue

Safe Mode is a special, simplified version of Microsoft Windows where just bare minimum services are loaded to counteract viruses and also other troublesome applications from loading. In case the malware is set to load immediately when the computer starts, shifting into this mode may well prevent it from doing so. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the computer is starting up or run MSConfig and find the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. Once you are in safe mode, you can attempt to install your anti-malware software application without the hindrance of the malicious software. Now, you could run the anti-virus scan to eliminate viruses and malware without any interference from another application.

Switch over to a different browser

Certain malware might target vulnerabilities of a specific web browser that block the downloading process. In case you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a trojan or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the ideal thing to do would be to switch to an alternate browser such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Apple Safari to download your chosen computer security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install security software on a thumb drive

To successfully eliminate the malware, you might want to approach the issue of running an anti-malware software program on the affected computer system from a different angle. Follow these steps to run the anti-malware on the infected computer. 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free PC. 2) Plug in the pen drive to a USB slot on the clean computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, with a .exe file format. 4) Choose a USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you want to install the program. Follow the instructions on the computer screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, plug the pen drive into the corrupted computer. 6) Double-click the EXE file to run the Safebytes software from the thumb drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a scan on the infected computer for viruses.

A Look at the Best Anti-Malware Program

Want to install the very best anti-malware software for your desktop? There are numerous applications on the market that comes in free and paid versions for Microsoft Windows computers. Some of them are good, some are ok types, and some will destroy your computer themselves! You must be very careful not to choose the wrong product, particularly if you purchase a paid program. On the list of recommended software by industry experts is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, well-known security software for Windows computers. SafeBytes anti-malware is really a powerful, highly effective protection application created to assist end-users of all levels of IT literacy in identifying and removing malicious threats out of their PC. With its outstanding protection system, this software will automatically detect and eliminate most of the security threats, including adware, viruses, browser hijackers, ransomware, trojans, worms, and PUPs. There are plenty of wonderful features you will get with this particular security product. Listed below are a few of the great ones: Robust, Anti-malware Protection: By using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes gives multilayered protection that is made to catch and remove viruses and malware that are hidden deep inside your PC. Live Protection: SafeBytes gives you round-the-clock protection for your personal computer limiting malware intrusions instantly. This software will constantly monitor your computer for suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep current with the constantly changing threat scenarios. Safe Web Browsing: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes tells you whether a website is safe or not to visit it. This will assure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the internet. Lightweight Tool: SafeBytes is a lightweight and easy-of-use anti-virus and anti-malware solution. As it utilizes very little computer resources, this application leaves the computer power exactly where it belongs to: with you. 24/7 Support: Expert technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will quickly fix any technical issues you may be experiencing with your security software. Put simply, SafeBytes has formulated a meaningful anti-malware solution that is aimed to protect your computer against various malware. Malware problems can become a thing of the past when you put this application to use. So if you’re searching for the very best malware removal application out there, and when you don’t mind shelling out a few bucks for it, opt for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To get rid of Polimva manually, navigate to the Add or Remove programs list in the Control Panel and choose the program you want to get rid of. For browser plug-ins, go to your browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the plug-in you intend to disable or remove. You might even want to reset your home page and search engine providers, and also delete browsing history, temporary files, and internet cookies. If you choose to manually delete the system files and Windows registry entries, use the following checklist to make sure you know exactly what files to remove before undertaking any actions. However, this can be a complicated task and only computer experts can accomplish it safely. Furthermore, certain malware keeps replicating which makes it tough to eliminate. You are advised to do this process in Windows Safe Mode.