Custom widgets in Windows 11 later

One of the important processes in the Windows operating system is the Setting Synchronization or SettingSyncHost.exe. This process is the one responsible for synchronizing the settings of your computer with other devices. It is the one that replicates settings like OneDrive, Internet Explorer, wallpapers, and so on, to other systems. However, it has been known to cause high CPU usage in Windows 10 and there are times when it causes the system to freeze or system lags. So if you notice that the SettingSyncHost.exe process is causing high CPU usage in your computer, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing them. You have to be cautious when you notice high CPU usages caused by system processes since cybercriminals mostly set the names of viruses in a way that the system or the user won’t be able to identify them. Cyber crooks could name the virus and malware the same as one of the system processes like SettingSyncHost.exe to make it seem like it’s a legitimate process. Thus, you need to keep in mind that original system processes like the SettingSyncHost.exe file are located in the System32 folder. The original SettingSyncHost.exe file is located in the System32 folder. To check for the same, right-click on the troublesome process in the Task Manager and select Open file location. If the place is any other than the System32 folder, run a full system anti-virus scan on the system. The SettingSyncHost.exe causes high CPU usage when it gets stuck in the sync process and is not able to come out of the loop. To fix this problem, you need to follow the solutions offered below but before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point first.

Option 1 – Apply some registry tweak

The first thing you can do is to apply some tweaks to the Windows Registry. To get started, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInputPersonalizationTrainedDataStore
• From there, right-click on the key and select Permissions.
• After that, check the box next to “Allow” for Full Permission for every user group.
• Now click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Then restart your computer.

Option 2 – Close the Host process for setting synchronization

If the registry tweak didn’t work, you can try to close the host process for setting synchronization, especially if this process continues to hog resources. You can terminate this process by opening the Task Manager. From there, end the process or task of the host process. On the other hand, you can also turn off the Host process for synchronization by opening Settings > Accounts > Sync settings located in the left pane. After that, turn off the Sync setting.

Option 3 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter or the Performance Troubleshooter

Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter:

• The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
• After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
• From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
• Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
• After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.

Performance Troubleshooter:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Type “exe /id PerformanceDiagnostic” in the field and hit Enter to open the Performance troubleshooter.
• Then click on Next to get started. Wait until the process is completed.

Option 4 – Try scanning your computer using Windows Defender

As mentioned, it is possible that the SettingSyncHost.exe could be infected with a virus or malware. To eliminate it, you have to scan your computer using security programs like Windows Defender.

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Update & Security.
• Then click on the Windows Security option and open Windows Defender Security Center.
• Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Run a new advanced scan.
• Now make sure that Full Scan is selected from the menu and then click the Scan Now button to get started.

EliteUnzip is a program developed by Mindspark Interactive. This program lets you compress and extract all the popular archive types.

From the Author:

Elite Unzip is a program for creating and extracting archive files; it has support for over 20 file formats. This application downloads onto your computer in two parts: one for your desktop, and one for your browser. They both work together to make packing and unpacking archive files easy.

While EliteUnzip itself is not a threat, it comes bundled with other software that might cause a problem to your computer.

Due to its bundled nature, several anti-virus scanners have marked EliteUznip as a Potentially Unwanted Program and is therefore not recommended to keep on y our computer, especially because there are other free programs that do the same functions without the additional bundled software.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

Precisely what is a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)?

Have you ever found out an unwanted program running on your computer and wondered how the heck it got there? These unwanted programs, which are known as Potentially Unwanted Programs, or PUPs in short, often tag along as a software bundle when downloading the program and can result in major problems for computer users. It’s clear by the name – unwanted programs – but did not really constitute “malware” in the traditional sense. The reason for this is that the majority of PUPs enter into users’ computers not because they exploit security weaknesses, for instance, but mainly because the users give consent to download it – unknowingly in many instances. No matter whether it is regarded as malware or otherwise, PUPs are almost always bad for a computer owner as they might bring on adware, spyware, keystroke logging, and other nasty “crapware” features on your PC.

What do PUPs do on your computer, precisely?

Most Potentially Unwanted Programs comes in the form of adware, which generally aims to exhibit lots of annoying pop-up ads, banners, coupons, and deals on websites you explore. PUPs that come in the form of browser add-ons and toolbars are widely identifiable. They may track your online activities, redirect your search results to risky sites where adware and spyware can be downloaded, hijack your home page, and slow your browser down to a crawl. PUPs carry a dangerous bite if left behind unchecked. The worst part of setting up a PUP is the spyware, adware, and keystroke loggers that could hide inside. These are programs that don’t do anything good for you; in addition to taking over space on the hard disk, they will also slow down your PC, often change settings without your permission, and the list of bothersome features goes on and on.

Protect yourself from unwanted programs

• When installing anything on your desktop, always read the fine print, like the license agreement. Don’t accept terms of use that are for bundled applications. • Normally, when installing a software program you get two options, ‘Standard Installation’ and ‘Custom Installation’. Don’t opt for ‘Standard’ as unwanted programs might automatically be installed that way! • Use good anti-malware software. Try Safebytes Anti-malware which can spot PUPs and treat them as malware by flagging them for deletion. • Be alert when you download and install freeware, open-source programs, or shareware. Nowadays ‘freeware’ isn’t actually freeware – but crapware bundling nonsense. • Only use official product sites for downloading applications. Steer clear of download websites altogether since most websites compel users to download the program with their own download manager, which is often bundled up with some kind of PUPs.

Virus Blocking Access To Safebytes Site And Preventing Anti-Malware Downloads – What You Should Do?

All malware is inherently unsafe, but certain kinds of malicious software do a lot more damage to your computer or laptop than others. Some malware variants alter browser settings by adding a proxy server or change the computer’s DNS configuration settings. When this happens, you will be unable to visit some or all of the sites, and therefore unable to download or install the necessary security software to eliminate the malware. If you are reading this, chances are you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware software on your computer. There are some actions you can take to circumvent this issue.

Install in Safe Mode

In the event the malware is set to run at Windows start-up, then booting in safe mode should avoid it. Since only the minimal applications and services start-up in safe mode, there are hardly any reasons for conflicts to happen. The following are the steps you should follow to start your computer into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (go to Microsoft site for directions on Windows 8 and 10 computers). 1) Tap the F8 key continuously as soon as your computer boots, however, before the large windows logo comes up. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Make use of the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) Once you get into this mode, you should have internet access once again. Now, obtain the malware removal software you need by using the web browser. To install the program, follow the guidelines in the setup wizard. 4) Following installation, run a full scan and let the program eliminate the threats it finds.

Download the antivirus software in a different internet browser

Some malware mainly targets particular browsers. If this sounds like your case, make use of another internet browser as it may circumvent the virus. If you appear to have malware attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to a different browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite anti-malware program – Safebytes.

Install antivirus on a thumb drive

Here’s yet another solution which is utilizing a portable USB anti-malware software package that can check your system for malware without needing installation. Adopt these measures to use a flash drive to clean your infected system. 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free computer. 2) Plug the pen drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double click on the exe file to open the installation wizard. 4) When asked, select the location of the pen drive as the place where you want to store the software files. 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 anti-malware software EXE file on the thumb drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a scan on the affected computer for viruses.

Benefits and Features of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you are looking to purchase anti-malware for your PC, there are various brands and applications for you to consider. A few of them are great and some are scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware software waiting to wreak havoc on your computer. You need to pick a tool that has gained a good reputation and detects not only computer viruses but other types of malware as well. When considering commercial application options, many people opt for popular brands, such as SafeBytes, and are very happy with them. SafeBytes anti-malware is really a powerful, highly effective protection application intended to help users of all levels of IT literacy in finding and removing harmful threats out of their computer. This application could easily identify, remove, and protect your computer from the most advanced malware intrusions such as adware, spyware, trojan horses, ransomware, worms, PUPs, as well as other possibly damaging software applications.

There are lots of great features you’ll get with this security product. Below are a few of the best ones:

Real-Time Protection: SafeBytes provides real-time active monitoring service and protection against all known computer viruses and malware. It will monitor your personal computer for suspicious activity regularly and shields your personal computer from unauthorized access. Best AntiMalware Protection: Safebytes is built on the very best virus engine in the industry. These engines will find and remove threats even during the early phases of a malware outbreak. Fast Multi-threaded Scanning: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is one of the quickest and most efficient in the industry. It's targeted scanning substantially increases the catch rate for viruses that are embedded in various PC files. Web Protection: SafeBytes inspects the links present on a webpage for possible threats and tells you whether the website is safe to view or not, through its unique safety rating system. Light-weight: SafeBytes is well known for its minimal impact on computer resources and great detection rate of numerous threats. It operates quietly and efficiently in the background so you’re free to make use of your PC at full power all of the time. Premium Support: SafeBytes gives you 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and upgrades for the best user experience. SafeBytes has created a wonderful anti-malware solution to help you conquer the latest malware threats and virus attacks. Once you have downloaded and installed SafeBytes Anti-Malware, you will no longer have to bother about malware or other security concerns. So if you want sophisticated forms of protection features & threat detections, purchasing SafeBytes Anti-Malware will be worth the money!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To remove EliteUnzip manually, go to the Add/Remove programs list in the Control Panel and choose the program you want to get rid of. For internet browser plug-ins, go to your browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the plug-in you want to remove or disable. You will additionally also want to totally reset your internet browser to its default settings. To make sure of complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your system and remove it or reset the values appropriately. However, this is often a tricky task and only computer professionals could perform it safely. Also, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing its deletion. Carrying out this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is suggested.

There are instances when you have to connect to another Windows 10 PC via remote connection from another Windows 10 PC. However, when you encountered an error saying, “Your password may have expired or the remote pc might not accept blank passwords” while doing so then read on as this post will walk you through how you can fix it. Here is the full content of the error message:

“Your password may have expired, or the remote PC might not accept blank passwords. Try connecting again. If this keeps happening, ask your admin or tech support for help.”

It is unknown what the exact cause of the error message is as it could involve several factors. Even so, there are still various potential fixes you can try to fix this kind of error. You can try to check if your password has expired or troubleshoot any issues with the network. You could also use a remote desktop application or configure the settings of firewall or restart the remote desktop service. For more details, refer to each one of the given options below. But before you proceed, make sure that you have someone to help assist you on the other side to help you troubleshoot the issue.

Option 1 – Try to check if the password has expired

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to check if the password has expired as it could be the reason why you’re experiencing this problem. You have to make sure that you are using a user account that is on the remote computer and then check if the user account password has not expired yet. And if your PC is not within your access, then you can just ask someone to verify the password for you.

Option 2 – Try to troubleshoot network issues

To troubleshoot network-related issues that might be the one that triggers the error, you need to run the Network Troubleshooter. To get started, refer to these steps:

• Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
• Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
• Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
• After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.
• Restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to use a remote desktop software

A number of users reported that the issue occurred when they used the universal app for Remote Desktop and they were able to fix it by switching to the Remote Desktop application. Thus, you can try to switch to the remote desktop software and see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 4 – Try to configure Firewall settings

You might also want to configure the settings of the Firewall as it could also help in fixing the problem. It is possible that the firewall is blocking the incoming connection on the remote computer. To check if whether the firewall is the culprit or not, follow the steps below.

• Go to Windows Security and then go to Firewall and network application.
• Next, click on the Advanced Settings link. This will open the classic Windows Defender Firewall and Advanced Security application.
• From there, look for the rule named “Remote Desktop – User Mode (TCP-In)” under inbound rules and check if it has been disabled or not.
• If the rule is disabled, you have to enable it.
• Once done, check if the error is now fixed or not.

Option 5 – Try to restart the Remote Desktop service

If none of the four given options given above worked, you might want to restart the Remote Desktop service as it can help you in fixing the problem. To do so, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• Next, from the list of services, look for the Remote Desktop Service and right-click on it, and then click on the Restart option.
• Once done, check it was able to fix the “Your password may have expired or the remote pc might not accept blank passwords” error or not.

What Does 0x8007045D Error Code Mean?

The 0x8007045D error code is an I/O (input and output) error that is associated with the registry. It indicates that the Windows operating system has become overloaded with invalid system references in the registry. This may prevent you from executing reading and writing to and from devices successfully.

Error Causes

Registry is the main database of your PC. This portion of your computer saves all the activities that you perform on your PC including the junk files, temporary internet files, invalid entries, bad registry keys, and more. This clutters the hard disk. If the unnecessary files are not removed from the registry, it may lead to I/O errors like 0x8007045D. On the hard drive, some parts of the drive may fail to function. If this is not fixed on the time it may lead to serious disk damage and registry corruption eventually resulting in system failure. System failure can make you lose all the valuable data saved on your system for good.

How to Fix the Error Code 0x8007045D?

Error codes on your PC are like warnings. These codes indicate that your PC has some issue. Therefore ignoring it is not wise. To spare yourself from such serious PC damages, it is advisable to take correct measures timely instead of prolonging and making the situation go from bad to worse.

Windows 10 is has a lot of features that help a user in optimizing a computer. So when the operating system encounters a problem, it is able to provide users with proper resources to get the problem fixed. There are even times when a user is not notified and an issue is either being repaired or dodged in the background. This kind of feature is known as the Diagnosis of the Automatic Repair feature that starts when your computer is booting. In such times, you will either see the “Diagnosing your PC” or “Preparing Automatic Repair” message on your screen. Although this feature is useful and has proven to be effective, some users reported that the process gets stuck. If you experience the same problem, read on as this post will guide you on what to do to fix it but before you start troubleshooting the problem, you might want to perform a Hard Boot first. All you have to do is to power down your computer, remove the battery and the AC adapter and then reconnect them. After that, tap and hold the power button for about 20 seconds and see if your computer boots up properly. If it doesn’t, follow the given fixes below.

Option 1 – Try disabling the automatic Startup Repair

The Automatic Startup Repair window will automatically open during boot when you have some system driver-related problem. So if you think that this is where the problem lies, you can try to disable the automatic Startup Repair.

• Click on Troubleshoot and go to the Advanced options.
• After that, select Command Prompt and execute the following command:

bcdedit /set recoveryenabled NO

• Restart your computer after that and then check.

Option 2 – Run the System File Checker

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files that might be the cause why you’re facing this problem. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• 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.

• Now restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 3 – Run CHKDSK to check your disk for errors

When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. This error check utility can help with several issues in the system.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
• Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:

chkdsk /r /f

• Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your computer, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
• If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
• After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.
• Once your computer has restarted, try accessing the file and check if the error persists.

Option 4 – Run the DISM tool

The next thing you can do is run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like your computer getting stuck in the “Diagnosing your PC” or “Preparing Automatic Repair” screen.

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 5 – Try to use installation media to boot and repair your computer

Another thing you can try to resolve the issue is to use the Windows installation bootable media so you can boot and repair the operating system. To use it, follow these steps:

• You need to first create an installation media which has the dame version of the operating system installed in your computer.
• After that, once you reach the Install Windows screen, click on the “Repair your computer” link.
• Wait until the repair is completed and then shut down your computer
• Now once your computer has restarted, check if it can now boot properly.

The holiday season is almost upon us and buying gifts for loved ones can sometimes present some headaches, especially if that loved one is a Gamer or PC enthusiast. We have all been there and how almost every household today has a console or PC struggles are infecting more and more people. But do not despair, we have made a nice list of potential gifts for you. The list contains some nice essential and good things but we gave our best not to break the bank so you will not find any large screens or 300$ keyboards here. Of course, you can always get expensive gifts and if you have money for it do it, it is just we want to have affordable stuff here.

A Steam gift card

For gamers, a good game is a great gift but most of the time when we are buying a game we can miss what the person wants. That is why a Steam gift card is a great gift for gamers. He can use it and buy whatever he or she wants for its value.

Xbox Game pass

This is another for those Gamers type. Xbox game pass is a great gift even if you do not own Xbox since all games will work on PC as well. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes the PC version, which will unlock somewhere between 300 and 350 games automatically. It’s a subscription service, so your PC gamer will have to keep up with it. The monthly price is worth it, though.

Pack of cable ties

Almost every PC user has tons of cables lying around, and most of the time they are not really tidy. Cable ties come to the rescue!!! Let us be honest, no one likes cables that are scattered all over the place, even the computer users so if they do not have this essential piece of equipment, we are sure they will like it.

Compressed air duster

Dust is enemy no.1 for computer users, it gets into the keyboard, into small spaces, etc. It is very difficult to get it out so an air duster for compressed air is a great cleaning gift for any kind of computer enthusiast. You can get it with a can of compressed air as well so everything is ready for cleaning.

New Headset

A headset is always a great gift. Over time earbuds can deteriorate and get damaged simply just by using them and when enough time passes even cables can start losing contact and overall sound quality may drop. Usually, computer users change headsets like keyboards so if your loved one has some old headsets showing their age, a new one is a perfect present.

New SSD drive

More hard disk space is always a welcome sight for any PC user and new SSD drives fueled with new technology are faster than ones of the same size in past years making them a perfect gift.

Large mouse pad

A good mouse pad can mean a lot to a gamer. Over time mouse pad deteriorates simply with its use so a new and fancy large pad is a great gift for any user. If you want a great gift, make it with RGB light.

Installing programs on your Windows 10 computer does not go smoothly as you could encounter some issues along the way that could prevent you from successfully installing the program. One of the common errors you can encounter during the installation of programs is Error 2753. There are times when the packages are corrupted or those packages are not working properly or it wasn’t able to create files and paths. When you encounter this kind of error, you will get the following error message:

“Error 2753, The File is not marked for installation.”

Note that this kind of error is not bound to only some specific files but it can also happen with any file, be it an executable file or an MSI file. To fix this error, here are some possible solutions that you could try.

Option 1 – Fresh download the setup file

The first thing you can do is to fresh download the setup file from the official homepage and then place it in a different location. Just make sure that you download the correct setup file that’s compatible with your operating system. Then restart your computer and sign in as administrator. After that, right-click on the setup file and select the Run as administrator to proceed with the installation.

Option 2 – Try removing all the previous versions of the software

If there is a previous version of the program that’s still installed on your computer, you need to uninstall that program since it might be the reason why you’re getting Error 2753.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box
• Then type “appwiz.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to open the Programs and Features in Control Panel.
• From there, look for the previous version of the program you are trying to install, select it and then click on Uninstall to remove it.
• After that, restart your computer and try to install the latest version of the program again. It should work now. If not, proceed to the next available option below.

Option 3 – Run the setup file as administrator

The setup file may need more permission in order to execute properly and so you need to run it as an administrator. To do so, you need to give it more privileges for it to work as intended by its developer.

• Right-click on the setup file and select the Run as administrator option.
• Afterward, a User Account Control or UAC prompt will appear and from there, click on Yes and then check if the file runs or not.

Note: If the setup file does not run, you may have to take ownership of the folder where the setup file is located. To take ownership of the folder, refer to these steps:

• First, locate the concerned folder and right-click on it then select Properties.
• Next, click on the Edit button in the Properties window and click OK to confirm if you got a User Account Control elevation request.
• After that, select user/group from the permission windows or click on the Add button to add another user or group. It would be best if you add “Everyone” to give permission.
• Then check “Full Control” under the “Allow” column to assign full access rights control permissions.
• Now edit the permission to Full Control for “Everyone”.
• Click OK to save the changes made and then exit.

Option 4 – Try running the setup file in Compatibility Mode

You may be getting Error 2753 if the setup file is not intended to run on the Windows 10 version you are using which is why you have to run it in Compatibility Mode. This will allow the setup file to think that it is running in a compatible environment as it is intended to.

Option 5 – Try to re-register the vbscript.dll file

You may have to re-register the vbscript.dll file using the regsvr32.exe before you can successfully install the program and fix Error 2753. The Regsvr32 tool is a command-line utility that can be used to register and un-register the OLE controls like DLL and ActiveX (OCX) control in the Windows operating system. Follow the steps below to use it.

• Open Command Prompt as admin from the WinX menu.
• Next, type exe vbscript.dll in the elevated Command Prompt and hit Enter to execute the command. This will re-register the affected DLL file using the Windows operating system tool, regsvr32.exe.
• You should see a message saying, “DllRegisterServer in vbscript.dll succeeded” if the Regsvr32 tool was able to run successfully. After that, try to install the program again and see if it now works.

SafeSearch is an ad-supported, cross web browser plugin for Internet Explorer and Firefox/Chrome. The browser extension will modify the default or custom settings of the browser including the home page, search settings, and in some cases will modify Internet Explorer’s load time threshold, place a lock file within Firefox to prevent changing settings as well as disable the browser’s Content Security Policy in order to allow for cross-site scripting of the plugin. For these reasons, it has been classified as a browser hijacker.

From the publisher: SafeSearch created by AVSoftware is the unique search engine that filters malicious sites or sites with bad reputations. Every website is weighted on several critical factors – vendor reliability, child safety, privacy issues, user opinions, and ratings.

SafeSearch has been found to be bundled with 3rd party software and malware and therefore is not recommended to keep on your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is amongst the internet’s constant problems that target browsers. It’s a kind of malware program that directs web browser requests to some other malicious sites. They’re created to disrupt browser functions for several purposes. Typically, the idea is to force users to visit certain websites that are trying to improve their visitor traffic and produce higher ad revenue. Even though it might seem naive, all browser hijackers are damaging and therefore always regarded as security risks. Furthermore, hijackers can make the entire infected system vulnerable – other dangerous malware and viruses will take hold of these opportunities to intrude into your PC effortlessly. Browser hijacking symptoms There are several signs of web browser hijacking: home-page is changed; you see new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, usually directed to advertisement-filled or pornography websites; the main web browser settings are altered and undesirable or insecure sites are added to the trusted websites list; you notice many toolbars on your internet browser; unstoppable flurries of pop-up advertisements show up on your PC screen; web pages load very slowly and at times incomplete; you cannot visit specific sites like homepages of security software.

So how does a PC get infected with a browser hijacker?

Browser hijackers infect computers in numerous ways, including via a drive-by download, a file-share, or an infected e-mail. They could be included with toolbars, add-ons, BHO, plugins, or browser extensions. Also, some shareware and freeware can put the hijacker within your computer through “bundling”. An example of some notorious browser hijacker includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, SweetPage, DefaultTab, Delta Search, and RocketTab, but the names are continually changing.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

Certain hijackers could be removed simply by uninstalling the related freeware or add-ons through the Add or Remove Programs in the Microsoft Windows control panel. However, the majority of hijacking codes are certainly not simple to remove manually, as they go much deeper into the operating system. Moreover, manual removal expects you to perform several time-consuming and intricate procedures that are tough to conduct for novice computer users.

What you can do if Virus Stops You From Downloading Anything?

Malware can cause all kinds of damage once they invade your PC, from stealing your personal information to erasing data files on your PC. Certain malware variants alter internet browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the computer’s DNS settings. In these instances, you will be unable to visit certain or all of the websites, and thus not able to download or install the necessary security software to eliminate the malware. If you are reading this, you may have got infected by malware that stops you from downloading a computer security program like Safebytes Anti-Malware. Even though this type of issue will be tougher to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Install antivirus in Safe Mode with Networking

Safe Mode is actually a unique, basic version of Windows where only minimal services are loaded to counteract malware and other troublesome applications from loading. In case the malware is set to load automatically when PC boots, switching into this particular mode may well prevent it from doing so. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the system is booting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, as well as update anti-malware software from there. At this point, you could run the antivirus scan to remove computer viruses and malware without hindrance from another application.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Malicious program code might exploit vulnerabilities in a particular browser and block access to all anti-malware software websites. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a computer virus or otherwise compromised by hackers, the most effective approach is to switch over to an alternate web browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari to download your favorite security program – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install security software on a flash drive

To successfully eliminate the malware, you might want to approach the issue of installing an antivirus software program on the affected PC from a different perspective. Do these simple measures to clean up your infected computer using a portable antivirus. 1) Use another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the pen-drive onto the same system. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, which has a .exe file extension. 4) Select the USB drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the application. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation. 5) Transfer the flash drive from the uninfected PC to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the thumb drive. 7) Click on the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

Ensure the Safety of Your Computer by Installing SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you’re looking to install an anti-malware application for your computer, there are numerous tools in the market to consider but you just cannot trust blindly anyone, irrespective of whether it is a free or paid program. Some of them are good but there are several scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware software waiting to wreak havoc on the computer. When searching for an anti-malware program, choose one that provides solid, efficient, and full protection against all known computer viruses and malware. When considering the dependable software programs, Safebytes AntiMalware is certainly the strongly recommended one. SafeBytes can be described as a powerful, real-time anti-spyware application that is made to assist regular computer users in safeguarding their PC from malicious threats. This tool can easily identify, remove, and protect your computer from the latest malware intrusions such as spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, along with other potentially harmful software applications. SafeBytes anti-malware comes with a myriad of enhanced features that sets it aside from all others. Here are a few popular features present in this software: Anti-Malware Protection: By using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes gives multi-layered protection which is designed to catch and eliminate threats that are hidden deep inside your computer system. Real-time Active Protection: Malware programs trying to get into the computer are identified and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes active protection shields. They’re highly efficient in screening and getting rid of various threats because they are continuously revised with the latest updates and safety measures. Safe Web Browsing: SafeBytes provides an instant safety rating on the web pages you are about to visit, automatically blocking risky sites and ensure that you’re certain of your safety while browsing the net. Low CPU and Memory Usage: This software is lightweight and will work quietly in the background, and will not have an effect on your computer efficiency. 24/7 Customer Service: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and updates for the best user experience.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove SafeSearch 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 SafeSearch

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.

As you probably know, uTorrent is one of the best software you can use to download torrents over the web. It has been around for many years now and is trusted by lots of users despite having competition here and there. Over the years, uTorrent has changed as it is now packed with tons of features. What’s more, is that this program is no longer the smallest client when it comes to file size. However, just like other software, it is not always working smoothly as there are instances when it’s not responding even when it’s already running. The first thing you can do is to close all the processes of uTorrent and then try opening it again. There are various reasons why your uTorrent program fails to respond. However, it is most likely caused by some virus that was brought on by the file you’ve just downloaded. On the other hand, it could also be caused by other factors as well but whichever the case is, here are some fixes you can check out to resolve the uTorrent issue.

Option 1 – Delete the file you’ve downloaded

As pointed out earlier, uTorrent might have failed to respond due to some file you’ve just downloaded which is why you have to delete it since there really is no point in keeping a file that’s causing this kind of issue. After deleting the file, try opening uTorrent again and see if it now works or not.

Option 2 – Allow uTorrent to run via Windows Defender Firewall

• Click on the Cortana or the Start button and type “firewall” in the field.
• From the search results that appear, click on the “Allow an app through Windows firewall”.
• After that, a new window will pop up and from there, you will see a list of apps that can be allowed or disallowed using a Windows firewall. From this list, you have to search for uTorrent and once you find it, set it to Publick if you are on a public network or Private if you’re in a private network.

Option 3 – Uninstall or reinstall uTorrent software

You can also try to completely uninstall uTorrent from your computer and then reinstall it right back. to do so, follow the steps below.

• In the search box, type in “control” and then click on Control Panel (desktop app) among the search results.
• After that, select Programs and Features from the list which will give you a list of all the programs installed on your computer.
• From there, look for uTorrent and select it and then uninstall it.
• Once uTorrent is uninstalled, go to uTorrent’s official website and download its latest version.

Option 4 – Try scanning your computer using Windows Defender

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Update & Security.
• Then click on the Windows Security option and open Windows Defender Security Center.
• Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Run a new advanced scan.
• Now make sure that Full Scan is selected from the menu and then click the Scan Now button to get started.