Logo

Disabling File Grouping in Explorer in Windows

Browsing your files on a computer seamlessly is made possible by the File Explorer in Windows 10 as it provides users with a great sense of customization for both listing and performing operations on a file. You have the option to arrange the folders and files being browsed by their name, type, date, size, and so on. Moreover, files that share a common attribute can be also be grouped accordingly using the grouping feature. However, there are times when instead of helping, it causes some problems for some users. This is why in this post, you will be guided on how you can disable the File Grouping feature in the File Explorer in Windows 10.

There are two methods you need to consider in disabling the File Grouping feature in Windows 10. First, you can disable it for only one folder or you can disable it for all the folders on your computer. For more details, follow the instructions given below.

Option 1 – Disable File Grouping in only one folder

This first option is relatively straightforward and simple which will work if you only want to disable File Grouping in one folder.

  • First, open File Explorer, and go to the folder you want to disable File Grouping.
  • Next, right-click anywhere on that folder.
  • And then select Group by > None. This will disable File Grouping for only that particular folder.

Option 2 – Disable File Grouping in all the folders

If you wish to disable File Grouping in all the folders on your computer, then you need to follow this option. If you have already tried the first one, then continue with the given steps below.

  • Tap the Alt + V key combination.
  • Then tap the Alt + Y keys and then tap Alt + O keys.
  • After that, navigate to the View tab, and under the Folder views section, select Apply to Folders.
  • Now click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made. This will disable File Grouping in all the folders listed in the File Explorer.

Do You Need Help with Your Device?

Our Team of Experts May Help
Troubleshoot.Tech Experts are There for You!
Replace damaged files
Restore performance
Free disk space
Remove Malware
Protects WEB browser
Remove Viruses
Stop PC freezing
GET HELP
Troubleshoot.Tech experts work with all versions of Microsoft Windows including Windows 11, with Android, Mac, and more.

Share this article:

You might also like

How to Fix Windows Update Error 0x80070103

What is error code 0x80070103?

When visiting the Windows Update Website or the Microsoft Update Website to download the latest update for hardware drives, you could possibly receive Error Code 0x80070103 when clicking on the update driver. This error code occurs when Windows tries to download a piece of identical hardware for a second time. It could also occur when Windows tries to update a currently installed driver to an unsuitable version of that driver.

Solution

Restoro box imageFurther Information and Manual Repair

There aren’t many ways to handle this issue. Below are two methods of fixing Error Code 0x80070103.

Method 1:

  • Visit the Microsoft Update Website
  • After the "scan for updates" is complete, click the Welcome or Custom page.
  • Next, click Hardware, in the navigation panel, and then on the tab for "optional hardware Updates", the Update client will display the available updates.
  • For the graphics card, scan the second update after which you'll click to select the option that says "do not show this update again".
  • Hit the "Review and install updates" button.
  • Confirm that the second update for the graphics card is not present, then move on the installing the updates.
  • Click on the start button, go to All Programs, and then click on Windows Update.
  • Hit the "Check for updates" tab.
  • After the "scan for updates" is over, click the"Optional updates" link.
  • In the "Select the updates you want to install" section, right-click the update that is not needed and hide them.
  • Hit the OK button.
  • To install any additional updates that are selected, click "Install Updates". Close Windows Update if no other updates are selected,
  • For touch screens, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Search (or point to the upper-right corner of the screen if you're using a mouse, moving the pointer down, before clicking Search). Enter "Windows Updates" in the search box, click Settings, and then click "Check for updates".
  • After the scan is complete, click the"Optional updates are available" link.
  • Right-click or Tap and hold the update you want to hide, select"Hide update", and then select OK.
  • If any other updates are available, save all work in "other programs", then restart the computer to the install updates; otherwise, opt out of the Windows Update window.
Open the search window and type “Windows Update” in the search box.

Method 2:

When trying to repair error code 0x80070103, if you find method one hard to follow, can contact Microsoft directly. Call up the help center number listed on their website, and a technician will be able to walk you through the process of ensuring the updater is not attempting to download multiple copies of hardware or trying to install unusable updates on your computer. Because the Windows Updater is set to a generic method of searching for updates, it may not be set to optimize the personal computer's settings. This is why you must select all of the optional update options and why this process is so long. It may be made easier by having a computer repairs technician walk you through it. However, if you want to automate the process of getting that problem solved, you can use a powerful tool to get the job done.
Read More
Fixing errors, manually vs automatic

Encountering errors is never a pleasant experience and fixing errors can sometimes take a large amount of time. Also depending on your expertise and knowledge about computers and the operating systems themselves could be determining factor would you try to wrestle with error.

error fixing on computer

We will explore and analyze the advantages of both methods so you can choose and know when to apply one and when to reach for the other.

Advantages of manual method

Full control is the main advantage of manually solving errors, when you go deep dive into manually fixing problematic issues you are one that has control. Complete freedom is also another, sometimes fixing things can be done in several different ways and when you are the man behind the wheel, you are the one that can choose how to approach and what solution to apply in order to solve the issue.

Disadvantages of using manual method

The main disadvantage that some users might encounter is that they will need to know ins and outs of computer and operating systems' workings. Of course, the more complicated errors, the more knowledge it will require in order to apply the proper fix. There is also a risk to break something else if the person that is doing the fixing is not fully competent so this is also something to think about.

Another thing that goes against manual fixing is the time it will require in order to actually fix it, some more complex stuff will probably depend on searching for some external resources like searching for compatible drivers for example, or navigating complex registry keys inside Windows.

Advantages of automatic solutions

If you are a user that has no knowledge about how the operating system works, if you do not know what is a registry or how to properly navigate through the Windows folder then the automated solution is for you. The main advantage of automated systems is that you can easily fix errors without any kind of technical knowledge and usually with just one click of a button.

Saving time is also one of the advantages of fully automated solutions because they will work much faster than manually locating the problem and then fixing it. Also, most of these systems will have in place active monitoring that will check always if your system is in top form and alert you when something is not right.

Disadvantages of one-click solutions

Automated solutions are great, they can solve various issues and errors without any knowledge from the user, but they are not perfect. Like security suites sometimes an automated system can misinterpret something as an error when in fact it is not and fixing it could mean some apps not working anymore, luckily you can choose would you like to apply the suggested solution. So if you are using one do not just click fix without looking at what it is trying to fix and maintain.

Another problem with this is the price it is carrying, manually solving your computer error will cost you your time and knowledge but good automated software will come with a price tag. Some people might not be too happy to pay for this kind of application but at the end of the day, it will still be cheaper than a professional technician. The last thing that you should be aware of is that in order for the app to do its work properly it will need to be active all the time, now for modern computers, this is not the issue but for some older ones with a small amount of memory might lead to some slowing them down. This is a price to be paid in order to have your system always errors free.

Should you use an automated solution at all?

This depends on your knowledge and time available, professional IT technicians will not need this type of solution nor will power users but for most common people this will offer computers free of errors for an affordable price.

Read More
Enable or disable Console Mode Sign-in
Microsoft has been bringing new lock-screen features with every iterative feature release of Windows 10 in order to improve user experience. However, Windows 10 users have different opinions regarding it. Some users are pleased with it while some users simply do not like it. So if you are one of the users who seem to not approve of this feature, read on as this post will be about enabling or disabling the Console Mode sign-in feature in Windows 10. Before you proceed, take note that you will not be able to use your mouse pointer in this Consol Mode login screen and you can only use your keyboard to navigate around various options. You might also want to create a System Restore point just in case. To enable or disable the Console Mode sign-in in your Windows 10 computer, refer to the given steps below. Step 1: Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box. Step 2: Then type in “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor. Step 3: Next, navigate to the following registry path:
ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionAuthenticationLogonUITestHooks
Step 4: From there, look for a DWORD named “ConsoleMode”. If you don’t see this DWORD, you can just create a new DWORD and name it as “ConsoleMode” and make sure that its base is set to Hexadecimal. Step 5: After that, double click on ConsoleMode and change its value to “0” to disable it and “1” to enable it. Step 6: Now restart your computer to apply the changes made. Like pointed out, you can only use your keyboard when you’re in the Console Mode login window or screen. You can just use the ESC button to go back to the menu while you can utilize the arrow keys so you can go through the options that are mostly vertically arranged and the Enter key to select an option. In the Console Mode, sign-in using the Passwords and PINs worked efficiently.
Read More
The device is not ready trying to connect USB
External hard drives have become essentials as they store data. However, they are also prone to issues and one of them is the “The device is not ready”. You could encounter this error when you try to access your connected hard drive. This error won’t allow you to access the contents of your hard drive so unless you fix it, you won’t be able to access any of the files on your hard drive. One of the most likely causes of this error is a hardware defect. Aside from that, it could also be due to loose connections, obsolete device drivers, as well as compatibility issues between the operating system and the hard drive. Before you start troubleshooting the problem, you need to determine if you were able to access your hard drive before you encountered the error or not. If not, you need to check the compatibility of the device with your operating system as it could be the reason why you’re getting the error. There are several potential fixes you can check out to fix this error. You can try to check the hardware connections, run the built-in Hardware and Devices troubleshooter, as well as the USB troubleshooter. You could also run the CHKDSK utility or update the drivers of the device or the USB drivers.

Option 1 – Try checking the hardware connections

The first thing you have to do before you further troubleshoot the problem is to check the hardware connections of your computer and see if there are damaged ones, just like with USB ports, it would also affect the overall connectivity of the device with the computer. So if you notice some irregularities in the connecting cable physically, you might have to buy another one and replace it and then see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 2 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooters

  • 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.
Note: You could also try to run the USB troubleshooter as it could also resolve the problem.

Option 3 – Run the CHKDSK utility

As you know, the CHKDSK utility can help you in identifying the bad sectors in a drive and fix them automatically. Thus, you can run it to fix the “The device is not ready” error when you connect your USB drive to your computer.
  • Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
  • Next, type and enter this command to execute it: chkdsk /f <drive>
  • Now, wait until the process is completed and exit Command Prompt.
  • Restart your computer and try connecting the USB drive again and see if the error is fixed.

Option 4 – Try to update the drivers of the device

Although you can always update the device drivers using the Device Manager, you might want to try downloading the latest set of drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website. Once you’ve downloaded them, install them right away and then correct the external hard drive.

Option 5 – Update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller driver

If updating the drivers of the device did not fix the “The device is not ready” error, you can try to update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers instead of using the Device Manager. Refer to the following steps:
  • First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
  • Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
  • From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.
Note: If it is a regular USB drive, then it will be listed as a USB Mass Storage Device but if you have a USB 3.0 device, then look for a USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller.
  • Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.
Note: If updating the USB Controller drivers didn’t work, you can try to reinstall them instead.

Option 6 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

If the first three given options didn’t work and you still see the error when you connect external devices, you can try putting your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try connecting them again.
  • Log onto your PC as an administrator.
  • Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
  • From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
  • Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
  • Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
  • Click Disable all.
  • Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
  • Now try to connect the external devices and check if the error is now gone.
Read More
Applications you should remove from Windows
ApplicationsOver time Applications change, some for the better some for worse. Some of them even stop receiving updates and are old and vulnerable. Sometimes standards change and some file types are not used anymore. Software evolves along with technology and that is good. Keeping old and useless applications inside your Windows is not so good. From various exploits to simply taking up space, maybe even slowing down OS it is always wise and good to clean your Windows from unwanted old applications. In this article, we will be mentioning some relics of old and providing you with an explanation of why you should remove them from your system if by any chance you still have them on it.

Silverlight

Silverlight was meant to be a competitor for Adobe Flash, it is a WEB framework that enables rich media content inside your WEB browser. The issue is that it is not developed anymore and today's browsers do not support it. The only browser that actually can support it is internet explorer which itself is not supported and how there is practically 0 content on today's modern WEB that will require Silverlight, it is safe and recommended to remove it.

Adobe Flash

Speaking of Adobe Flash, you should remove it as well. Flash has stopped receiving support as of January 2021 and browsers have dropped support for it and even blocked it due to security issues. However, there still might be some local installation of Flash itself inside Windows along with the old Shockwave player that stopped receiving support in 2019. You should remove them both.

JAVA

Now this one is tricky, by itself JAVA does not present any security issues since browsers do not support it anymore and the desktop version is not really slowing down your computer. This one has simply put just another media runtime that is not used and simply takes up space and resources. However if you have some applications that you do use that rely on it (I can really just think of JAVA Minecraft at this point) leave it of course but in any other case, it is just purely not needed.

Quicktime

While we are at media runtime and stuff that just simply is not needed, Quicktime is one of them. Now this Apple Video player and codec is still pretty developed and active in Apple’s iOS environment, Windows version has not been updated since 2016 and it was discovered that it contains some critical vulnerabilities. Uninstall it and if you need a player that could play MOV files, just use a VLC player that can play them without any separately installed codec.

uTorrent

This one, the same as CCleaner was once a good application, as a matter of fact, it was the best torrenting application. Sadly it has fallen from its grace very low, from getting tons of ads in its interface to findings in 2015 that code of torrent client was packed with a crypto miner that used system resources of an installed computer to mine crypto without user’s awareness. You should uninstall this torrent client if you would like to get your PC back and not provide it for cryptocurrency mining for the company that developed it. Use qBittorrent or TIxati, open-source and free ones that have everything needed for any torrenting needs.

Toolbars and Browser extensions

There are a lot of toolbars for browsers and extensions that are malicious in nature or simply not updated providing security issues. It is very advisable to remove this as soon as possible.

WinRAR

WinRAR has gained its large popularity solely for the reason that you could download it from the official site like shareware and use it forever. The license never expired and you could use it indefinitely. Sadly not much has been improved in the application itself and it is slowly falling out in its range of what it can do. There are better open source and free options today like 7zip, PeaZip, ZIPvare, and more that are working the same as WinRAR if not even better.

Windows and manufacturers Bloatware

Yes, applications that come bundled with Windows and with some laptops that include manufacturers made software for different tasks like its own specific media players, calculators, etc. It is known that these applications are not better than their open-source rivals and there are too many of them including some that you will probably never use. It is the same as buying a new phone bundled with tons of applications that you do not need, did not ask for, and do not use. Delete all of them. Considering Windows there are also some Store application like Candy Crush Saga demo and other are safe to remove if not needed. That’s it, our advice for old and not needed applications so you can keep your PC safe and fast.
Read More
Operation did not complete successfully
It is common knowledge that when you open a file that contains viruses, it will automatically infect the operating system. This is why most antivirus programs like Windows Defender won’t allow the opening of a file or execution of any associated program if they detected that the file or program could potentially harm the computer. In situations like this, you may get an error stating, “Operation did not complete successfully because the file contains a virus”. In addition, it is also possible that this error message can pop up even for known programs. To open the program or file that triggered the error, you will be given a couple of options in this post but make sure that the program or file is really safe to open and does not contain any virus. You can open the file or execute the program by disabling the Windows Defender or any antivirus program temporarily. You could also try to add an exclusion in your antivirus program or repair File Explorer or run the Disk Cleanup tool. For more details, refer to each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to temporarily disable the Windows Defender program

Although you could encounter this error with any antivirus program, it is more common in Windows Defender. Thus, you can try to disable it for a while when you open the file or execute the program. To do so, follow these steps:
  • First, click on the Start button and go to Settings > Update and Security > Windows Security.
  • Here, select the “Open Windows Security” option located in the right pane.
  • After that, click on the “Virus and threat protection” option.
  • Next, click on Manage settings under the Virus and threat protection settings.
  • Then turn off the switch for both Real-time protection and Cloud-delivered protection.
  • Now restart your computer and try to open the file or execute the program again and see if it works.
  • Note: Do not forget to enable the Real-time protection and Cloud-delivered protection back in Windows Defender.

Option 2 – Try adding an exclusion in the Windows Defender program

  • Open the Windows Defender Security Center from the system tray area.
  • Next, click the “Virus & threat protection” option and then open the “Virus and threat protection settings”.
  • After that, scroll down until you find the “Exclusions” and click on the “Add or remove exclusions” option.
  • Then click the plus button and select the type of exclusion you want to add and from the drop-down list, select Folder.
  • Next, navigate to the path where the file or program is located.
  • When a User Account Control or UAC prompt, just click on Yes to proceed.
  • Now try to run the program or file again and see if it worked. If it did, then make sure to turn on your antivirus. However, if it didn’t work, proceed to the next given options below.

Option 3 – Try to run a System File Checker scan

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 with good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the errors 0x8024a11a and 0x8024a112. 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 4 – Run the Disk Cleanup tool

You can also try using the Disk Cleanup tool. To use it, refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “cleanmgr” in the field and hit Enter to open the Disk Cleanup window.
  • After that, select the drive you want to clean.
  • Now click OK to clean the disk and restart your computer.
Read More
Disable WEB camera with PowerShell in Windows
Windows PowerShell is a powerful tool inside the Windows environment often overlooked by typical users which is a great mistake since it can offer a large array of functionality and usability and if used well can offer a unique working experience. Today we will be using PowerShell to turn the WEB camera off so it can not be accessed, completely disabling it for use. You might want to do this for security reasons or just want to learn few new things. Whatever your reason might be, I am welcoming you to this tutorial and please do keep reading.

Finding device ID

In order to disable the WEB camera first thing we need to do is to find a matching device ID. We will find this value inside the device manager, so press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu. keyboard with windows and x markedIn the menu choose device manager and click on it. Windows menu device managerWhen the device manager opens, expand the Imaging devices or Cameras section. Right-click Integrated Camera or the primary webcam, and click Properties. Go to the Details tab. Under the Property section, click to select Matching device ID from the drop-down. Right-click the value and select Copy camera device managerThe next step is to download and install Windows Driver Kit (WDK)

PowerShell script

Create and run a PowerShell script with the following parameters/values to disable the camera. Substitute the <FOLDER> placeholder with the actual name of the folder where your copy of Devcon is residing
$id = (Get-CimInstance Win32_PnPEntity |

where caption -match '<PRIMARY CAMERA>').pnpDeviceID

$ppid = "{0}{1}" -f '@',$id

Set-Location c:\<FOLDER>

Devcon status $ppid

Devcon disable $ppid

Devcon status $ppid
To enable the camera device, run the command below in PowerShell:
devcon enable $ppid
Read More
Fix Err_Connection_Closed in Windows
If you suddenly encounter an error message that says, “This webpage is not available, Err_Connection_Closed” while browsing the internet or visiting a website and the website fails to load, then it means that there is some problem with your network connection. Similarly, you may also get other error messages like “Err_Network_Changed”, “Err_Connection_Reset” and “Err_Internet_Disconnected” errors in different browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. The problem lies in your Windows 10 computer and your internet connection since this is a network issue. So before you troubleshoot the problem using the suggestions given below, you need to refresh your browser first or you could also tap Ctrl + F5 on your keyboard to hard reload the webpage. If you’re still getting the same error message, then proceed to the guide below.

Option 1 – Try removing the Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the “This webpage is not available, Err_Connection_Closed” error. Here’s how you can do it:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
  • After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
  • From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
  • Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
  • Restart your PC.
Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 2 – Try using Google Public DNS

If the first option didn’t resolve the issue, you can try to use the Public DNS by Google and see if it can help fix the problem. You have to modify the DNS settings in your system explicitly and use the DNS IP addresses.
  • The first thing you have to do is right-click on the network icon in the Taskbar and select Network and Sharing Center.
  • Next, click on the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
  • After that, search for the network connection that you are using to connect to the internet. Note that the option might be “Wireless Connection” or “Local Area Connection”.
  • Right-click on your network connection and click on Properties.
  • Then select the new window to choose the “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
  • After that, click on the Properties button and click the checkbox in the new window for the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
  • Type in “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

Option 3 – Reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS

Resetting Winsock, TCP/IP, and flushing DNS might help you resolve the Err_Connection_Closed error. To do so, follow these steps:
  • Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator) so you can pull up an elevated Command Prompt.
  • After that, execute each one of the commands listed below. And after you typed in one after the other, you have to hit Enter.
  1. netsh winsock reset – type in this command to reset Winsock
  2. netsh int ip reset resettcpip.txt – type in this command to reset TCP/IP
  3. ipconfig /flushdns – type in this command to flush the DNS cache
  • Next, restart your PC and check if the problem’s fixed.

Option 4 – Disable both the Antivirus program and Firewall temporarily

There are times when antivirus programs and the firewall blocks a website that they consider to be malicious or even because of false-positive effects which is why you have to disable these programs temporarily as it might be the reason why you’re getting the “This webpage is not available, Err_Connection_Closed” error when trying to browse the internet.

Option 5 – Try to check the network cables and then restart your router

The most obvious thing you can do first is to try checking if the network cables connected to your computer or router are properly connected or not. If it turns out that some network cables are not connected properly, then it’s probably why you’re getting this error.

Option 6 –Try a Network Reset

When all else fails, you might have to consider resetting your entire network settings. Simply follow the steps below to do so.
  • Click on the Start button and then click on the gear-like icon for Settings to open it.
  • Next, select Network and Internet.
  • Then scroll down and look for “Network Reset” – click on it and then click on the Reset now button.
Read More
Easy Directions Finder Removal Guide for Windows PC

Easy Directions Finder is a browser extension developed by Mindspark Inc. for Google Chrome. This extension offers users quick access to popular websites for navigation and evens. While at first glance this might look useful, keep in mind that this extension has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by several anti-virus applications.

When installed EasyDirectionsFinder will record your browsing history, visited links, clicked URL-s, and viewed products. This data is later forwarded/sold to Mindspark's ad network and used to better target ads to users.

While browsing the internet with this extension installed (it does not have to be enabled) you will see additional injected ads, sponsored links, and pop-up ads throughout your browsing sessions. Due to its information mining behavior and aggressive ad injections, it is recommended to remove this extension from your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a type of unwanted software, often a web browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in web browser’s settings. Browser hijackers are capable of doing more than just modifying homepages. In general, browser hijacking is utilized for earning advertising revenue from forced ad mouse clicks and site visits. While it may seem naive, all browser hijackers are dangerous and thus always classified as security risks. When the malware attacks your laptop or computer, it starts to mess things up a whole that slows your system down to a crawl. In the worse case, you may be pushed to deal with serious malware threats as well.

How one can know whether the web browser is hijacked?

The common symptoms that suggest having this malicious software on your computer are: the browser’s home page is modified; you find yourself regularly directed to some other webpage than the one you actually intended; the default web browser settings have been modified and/or your default search engine is altered; unsolicited new toolbars are added to your web browser; your internet browser displays endless pop-up ads; web pages load slowly and often incomplete; you can’t navigate to certain webpages, like computer security software related sites.

So how does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

Browser hijackers may use drive-by downloads or file-sharing networks or an e-mail attachment in order to reach a targeted PC. They could also be deployed via the installation of an internet browser toolbar, add-on, or extension. A browser hijacker could also come bundled up with some freeware that you unintentionally download to your PC, compromising your internet security. Some of the most popular hijackers are EasyDirectionsFinder, Babylon Toolbar, Conduit Search, Sweet Page, OneWebSearch, and CoolWebSearch.

Browser hijacker removal tips

Some browser hijacking could be easily reversed by discovering and eliminating the corresponding malware software through your control panel. Sometimes, it can be a tough task to discover and eliminate the malicious component since the associated file will be running as part of the operating system process. Moreover, browser hijackers could modify the Computer registry therefore it can be quite tough to restore all the values manually, especially when you’re not a very tech-savvy individual. Industry experts always suggest users eliminate any malware including browser hijacker with an automatic removal tool, which is better, safer, and quicker than the manual removal solution. SafeBytes Anti-Malware could counter persistent browser hijackers and give you active PC protection against all types of malware. Together with the antivirus tool, a PC optimizer, such as SafeBytes Total System Care, can help you in deleting all related files and modifications in the computer registry automatically.

How To Get Eliminate Malware That Is Preventing Antivirus Downloads?

Malware could cause many different types of damage to computers, networks, and data. Some malware sits in between the computer and the internet connection and blocks a few or all sites that you really want to visit. It will also prevent you from adding anything to your PC, particularly anti-virus applications. So what to do when malicious software prevents you from downloading or installing Safebytes Anti-Malware? There are a few actions you can take to get around this issue.

Boot your computer in Safe Mode

If any malware is set to load immediately when Microsoft Windows starts, getting into Safe Mode could very well block the attempt. Since only the minimal programs and services launch in Safe Mode, there are hardly any reasons for conflicts to happen. Below are the steps you should follow to start into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (check out Microsoft site for directions on Windows 8 and 10 computers). 1) At power on, press the F8 key while the Windows splash screen starts to load. This will conjure up the “Advanced Boot Options” menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) Once you get into this mode, you should have an internet connection again. Now, utilize your internet browser normally and go to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) After the software program is installed, let the diagnostic scan run to remove trojans and other malware automatically.

Switch over to an alternative web browser

Web-based malware can be environment-specific, targeting a specific web browser or attacking particular versions of the browser. If you seem to have malware attached to Internet Explorer, then switch to an alternate browser with built-in security features, such as Chrome or Firefox, to download your preferred antivirus program – Safebytes.

Install security software on a flash drive

Another option is to create a portable antivirus program onto your USB flash drive. Abide by these steps to run the anti-malware on the infected PC. 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free computer. 2) Plug the pen drive into the clean PC. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, with a .exe file format. 4) Select the USB stick as the location for saving the software file. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. 5) Now, insert the USB drive into the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the pen drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and clean-up up all sorts of malware.

SafeBytes AntiMalware Overview

If you’re looking to purchase anti-malware for your laptop or computer, there are plenty of brands and packages for you to consider. A few are very good ones, some are ok types, while some are just fake anti-malware applications that will damage your computer themselves! You need to purchase a product that has obtained a good reputation and detects not just viruses but other sorts of malware too. While thinking about reliable applications, Safebytes AntiMalware is certainly the strongly recommended one. Safebytes is among the well-established computer solutions companies, which provide this complete anti-malware tool. Using its outstanding protection system, this tool will quickly detect and remove most of the security threats, including adware, viruses, browser hijackers, ransomware, PUPs, and trojans.

There are numerous wonderful features you’ll get with this security product. Here are some of the good ones:

Best AntiMalware Protection: With its enhanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware elimination tool can detect and eliminate the malware threats hiding in the computer system effectively. Live Protection: SafeBytes offers totally hands-free real-time protection and is set to observe, prevent and eliminate all threats at its very first encounter. It’ll regularly monitor your pc for hacker activity and also gives end-users superior firewall protection. SuperSpeed Scanning: Safebytes Anti-Malware, with its enhanced scanning engine, provides extremely fast scanning that can promptly target any active internet threat. Website Filtering: SafeBytes provides an instant safety rating about the pages you’re going to check out, automatically blocking dangerous sites and making sure that you are certain of your online safety while browsing the net. Low CPU Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight and easy-of-use antivirus and antimalware solution. As it uses low computer resources, this program leaves the computer power exactly where it belongs: with you. 24/7 Live Professional Support: You may get high levels of support 24/7 if you are using their paid version. Overall, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program since it has plenty of features and can detect and eliminate any potential threats. You can be sure that your computer will be protected in real-time once you put this software to use. So if you’re searching for the absolute best malware removal tool out there, and if you don’t mind paying out a few bucks for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not wish to use a malware removal software and like to remove EasyDirectionsFinder manually, you could possibly accomplish this by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the Control Panel and delete the offending program; in cases of browser plug-ins, you may uninstall it by going to the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. You’ll likely also want to reset your browser. Finally, examine your hard drive for all of the following and clean your Windows registry manually to remove leftover application entries after uninstallation. But bear in mind, editing the registry is often a hard task that only advanced computer users and professionals should attempt to fix the problem. Moreover, some malicious programs have the capability to defend against its deletion. Completing this task in Safe Mode is advised.
Files: %LOCALAPPDATA%\EasyDirectionsFinderTooltab %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\EasyDirectionsFinderTooltab %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\pjclebnjamlmkpgapopafeniobfnlllf %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\pjclebnjamlmkpgapopafeniobfnlllf %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\pjclebnjamlmkpgapopafeniobfnlllf %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\pjclebnjamlmkpgapopafeniobfnlllf Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\EasyDirectionsFinder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\EasyDirectionsFinder HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\easydirectionsfinder.com HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings, value: pjclebnjamlmkpgapopafeniobfnlllf HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\easydirectionsfinder.dl.myway.com HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\easydirectionsfinder.dl.tb.ask.com HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall..Uninstaller EasyDirectionsFinderTooltab Uninstall Internet Explorer
Read More
Hide game activity and set privacy on Steam
Steam is a game store behemoth that offers more titles than any other game store online, take that along with the fact that steam was one of the first online dedicated stores for games and you can guess that many people have a steam account, buy and play games on it. It is a platform where you can meet new people in games and add them as friends on steam so you can spend some time together. But happens if you want to have friends on Steam but you would like to hide your game activity? Or even if you want to go fully private on Steam so no one can find you so you can play whatever you want without paying and judging eyes? Luckily Valve appreciates your privacy and offers ways to do exactly this. Keep on reading on how to set up your privacy settings in Steam.

Hiding Steam game activity

  • Launch Steam on your PC.
  • Go to the top bar of Steam and click on your name.
  • Select Profile from the context menu.
  • Click on the Edit Profile button present at the right section of the window.
  • Next, click on the My Privacy Settings button.
  • Now, the Privacy Settings page will be opened.
  • Scroll down and go to the My Profile section.
  • Open the drop-down list given next to the Game Details and select the Private option.
  • Now, check if this process is working or not. For this, right-click anywhere on the blank space in the Steam screen > choose the Copy Page URL option.
  • Then, open a browser and paste the copied page URL in the address bar and check whether your Steam game activity is hidden or not.

Making profile private

  • Launch Steam > click on your name > select Profile from the menu list.
  • Click on the Edit Profile > My Privacy Settings button.
  • Go to the My Profile and open the dropdown menu.
  • Click on the Private option.
  • Now, the changes will be saved automatically.
If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.
Read More
1 2 3 171
Logo
Copyright © 2023, ErrorTools. All Rights Reserved
Trademark: Microsoft Windows logos are registered trademarks of Microsoft. Disclaimer: ErrorTools.com is not affiliated with Microsoft, nor claims direct affiliation.
The information on this page is provided for information purposes only.
DMCA.com Protection Status