How to Fix Drwtsn32.exe Application Error

One of the primary packages that install the Windows Media Player is the Media Feature Pack among other related files that are needed by the associated software products. And one of the essential DLL files in that package is the mfplat.dll file which is needed by various games and streaming services. So if this DLL file goes missing, you will most likely encounter any of the following error messages:

• “mfplat.dll missing”
• “The application failed to start because mfplat.dll was not found.”
• “The program can’t start because mfplat.dll is missing from your computer.”

In other circumstances, the Media Feature Package does not come pre-installed with the main Windows package especially for those who use Windows N, thereby causing the error to pop up. The main cause of this problem is that users who use Windows 10 N do not have the Media Feature pack pre-installed with the installation package. Aside from that, the installation package could go missing after a few Windows Updates or if you have uninstalled it by accident. To resolve this problem, you need to check out each one of the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to enable Media Playback via Command Prompt

If you encounter the mfplat.dll missing error when you attempt to run PLEX or other similar streaming service and you’ve already verified that the Media Feature Pack is indeed installed, you might want to try enabling it using an elevated Command Prompt. There are cases when a particular Windows Update ends up disabling the feature and creates the grounds which results in the mfplat.dll missing error. Thus, you can have to enable the feature via Command Prompt.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “cmd” in the field and hit Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
• Next, click on Yes if a User Account Control prompt pops up.
• After opening Command Prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter to execute it:

dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:MediaPlayback

• Close Command Prompt and then open the app once again to check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 2 – Try installing the Media Feature Pack for Windows 10 N version

As mentioned, the Windows 10 N version does not come with Windows Media Player. Meaning to say, the Media Feature Pack is also not installed by default or won’t be updated by the Windows Update component. So if you are not quite sure what Windows 10 version you currently have installed, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Windows key + S and then type “about” in the search box.
• From the search results, click on the “About your PC” to open the About tab of the Settings app.
• Afterward, scroll down to the Windows specifications and check your Windows version under Edition.

Note: If you have verified that your PC is using the Windows 10 N version, you need to install the appropriate Media Feature Pack for your computer. How? Refer to the steps below:

• Click this link to download and install the Media Feature Pack from Microsoft’s official website.
• Upon installation, select the edition you want to install using the drop-down menu and then click on Confirm. Take note that there are few reasons why you’d want to install the older version since most streaming services like PLEX and most games usually require version 1803.
• After that, wait until the request is validated. The download should begin in a few minutes automatically.
• Once the download is completed, open the installation executable file and follow the next on-screen instructions to install the Media Feature Pack on your computer.
• Restart your computer. After your computer has rebooted, open the application where you’re getting the mfplat.dll missing error and then check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 3 – Try to extract a copy of the mfplat.dll file from the windows.old directory

If you encounter the error shortly after you just upgraded to Windows 10 from an older version, the best thing you can do to resolve the problem is to use windows.old directory to fetch an old copy of the mfplat.dll file. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Go to the Windows drive and then look for the windows.old directory where it preserves a copy of your old operating system as well as associated files in case something goes out of hand during the upgrade process.
• After that, open the windows.old folder and then go to the syswow64 folder.
• Next, from the syswow64 folder, copy the mfplat.dll file and paste it to C:/windows/syswow64.
• Restart your computer and check if the error is now resolved or not.

Computers viruses, worms, ransomware, etc. are kinds of malicious software that no user should take lightly. On several occasions, we have touched upon security steps that each user should take in order to protect its identity and data. Sadly sometimes even when all precautions are taken some malware can still slip through and wreak havoc. Today we are looking at some of the worst or the best, depending on your view that has indeed wreaked plenty of havoc.

10 worst computer viruses in history

In the list of the 10 most famous computer viruses below, we show the costs, dates, reach, and other key facts. First a note about terms: we use the words “virus” and “worm” interchangeably because most readers search for them that way. But there’s a subtle difference that we explain after the list.

1. Mydoom – $38 billion

The worst computer virus outbreak in history, Mydoom caused estimated damage of $38 billion in 2004, but its inflation-adjusted cost is actually $52.2 billion. Also known as Novarg, this malware is technically a “worm,” spread by mass emailing. At one point, the Mydoom virus was responsible for 25% of all emails sent. Mydoom scraped addresses from infected machines, then sent copies of itself to those addresses. It also roped those infected machines into a web of computers called a botnet that performed distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks were intended to shut down a target website or server. Mydoom is still around today, generating 1% of all phishing emails. That’s no small feat considering the 3.4 billion phishing emails sent each day. By that figure, Mydoom has taken on a life of its own, infecting enough poorly-protected machines to send 1.2 billion copies of itself per year, 16 years after its creation. Though a $250,000 reward was offered, the developer of this dangerous computer worm was never caught. Wondering what makes the world’s most secure computers so safe? See the Tech@Work guide: Upgrade to the World's Most Secure and Manageable PC

2. Sobig – $30 billion

The 2003 Sobig computer virus is actually another worm. It is second only to the Mydoom virus in its scope. The $30 billion figure is a worldwide total, including Canada, the U.K., the U.S., mainland Europe, and Asia. Several versions of the worm were released in quick succession, named Sobig.A through Sobig.F, with Sobig.F being the most damaging. This cybercriminal program masqueraded as legitimate computer software attached to emails. It disrupted ticketing at Air Canada and interfered with countless other businesses. Despite its widespread damage, the creator of the successful bug was never caught.

3. Klez – $19.8 billion

Klez is a close third on the list of the worst computer viruses ever created. With nearly $20 billion in estimated damages, it infected about 7.2% of all computers in 2001, or 7 million PCs. The Klez worm sent fake emails, spoofed recognized senders and, among other things, attempted to deactivate other viruses. As with other viruses and worms, Klez was released in several variants. It infected files, copied itself, and spread throughout each victim’s network. It hung around for years, with each version more destructive than the last. Windows has come a long way since most of the computer viruses on this list hit the web. Thankfully, built-in protection with Microsoft Defender is always on the watch.

4. ILOVEYOU – $15 billion

The year 2000’s ILOVEYOU virus worked by sending a bogus “love letter” that looked like a harmless text file. Like Mydoom, this attacker sent copies of itself to every email address in the infected machine’s contact list. Shortly after its May 4 release, it had spread to more than 10 million PCs. The virus was created by a college student in the Philippines named Onel de Guzman. Lacking funds, he wrote the virus to steal passwords so he could log into online services he wanted to use for free. He reportedly had no idea how far his creation would spread. This virus is also known as Loveletter. Need to up your remote work security game before there’s another entry on the list of most deadly computer viruses? See our guide: How to Work Remotely and Securely

5. WannaCry – $4 billion

The 2017 WannaCry computer virus is ransomware, a virus that takes over your computer (or cloud files) and holds them hostage. The WannaCry ransomware ripped through computers in 150 countries, causing massive productivity losses as businesses, hospitals, and government organizations that didn’t pay were forced to rebuild systems from scratch. The malware raged like wildfire through 200,000 computers worldwide. It stopped when a 22-year-old security researcher in the U.K. found a way to turn it off. Computers with out-of-date operating systems were hit especially hard. That’s why security experts always recommend updating your systems frequently.

Ransomware strikes again

In September 2020, one of the potentially largest computer virus attacks in medical history hit Universal Health Services. The U.S. hospital chain, which has more than 400 locations, was reportedly struck by damaging ransomware. The attack forced the cancellation of surgeries and made healthcare workers switch to paper records.

6. Zeus – $3 billion

The Zeus computer virus is an online theft tool that hit the web in 2007. A whitepaper by Unisys three years later estimated that it was behind 44% of all banking malware attacks. By then, it had breached 88% of all Fortune 500 companies, 2,500 organizations total, and 76,000 computers in 196 countries. The Zeus botnet was a group of programs that worked together to take over machines for a remote “bot master.” It originated in Eastern Europe and was used to transfer money to secret bank accounts. More than 100 members of the crime ring behind the virus, mostly in the U.S., were arrested in 2010. It’s not as prominent today, but some of the virus’ source code lives on in newer botnet viruses and worms. Zeus caused documented damage of $100 million. But the real cost in terms of lost productivity, removal, and undocumented theft is undoubtedly much higher. A $3 billion estimate, adjusted for inflation, puts this virus at a cost of $3.7 billion in today’s dollars.

7. Code Red – $2.4 billion

First observed in 2001, the Code Red computer virus was yet another worm that penetrated 975,000 hosts. It displayed the words “Hacked by Chinese!” across infected web pages, and it ran entirely in each machine’s memory. In most cases it left no trace in hard drives or other storage. Financial costs are pegged at $2.4 billion. The virus attacked websites of infected computers and delivered a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack on the U.S. White House’s website, www.whitehouse.gov. In fact, the White House had to change its IP address to defend against Cod Red. Can your printer get a virus? See our cool infographic: The State of Printer Security

8. Slammer – $1.2 billion

The SQL Slammer worm cost an estimated $750 million across 200,000 computer users in 2003. This computer virus randomly selected IP addresses, exploiting vulnerabilities and sending itself on to other machines. It used these victim machines to launch a DDoS attack on several internet hosts, significantly slowing internet traffic. The Slammer worm hit banks in the U.S. and Canada especially hard, taking ATMs offline in many locations. Customers of Toronto’s Imperial Bank of Commerce found themselves unable to access funds. The attack reared its ugly head again in 2016, launching from IP addresses in Ukraine, China, and Mexico.

9. CryptoLocker – $665 million

Thankfully, ransomware attacks like the 2013 CryptoLocker virus have dipped since their 2017 peak. This malware attacked upwards of 250,000 machines by encrypting their files. It displayed a red ransom note informing users that “your important files encryption produced on this computer.” A payment window accompanied the note. The virus’ creators used a worm called the Gameover Zeus botnet to make and send copies of the CryptoLocker virus. According to a report by security firm Sophos, the average ransomware attack costs a business $133,000. If we estimate that CryptoLocker hit 5,000 companies, that would put its total cost at $665 million. Where will cybersecurity go next? See our guide: The Future of Cybersecurity

10. Sasser – $500 million

The Sasser worm was written by a 17-year-old German computer science student named Sven Jaschan. He was arrested at the age of 18 in 2004 after a $250,000 bounty was posted for the computer virus’ creator. A friend of Jaschan’s tipped authorities that the youth had penned not only the Sasser worm but also the damaging Netsky.AC attack. Jaschan was given a suspended sentence after it was found he was a minor when he wrote the malware. The Sasser worm crashed millions of PCs, and though some reports put damages at $18 billion, the relatively low infection rate suggests a more likely cost of $500 million. Other notable viruses The top 10 worst computer viruses above are just the ugly tip of a gargantuan digital iceberg. With a million new malware programs popping up every 3 years, we may miss the forest for a few outstanding trees. Here are just a few more viruses that have wreaked havoc over the years: Mimail: This worm tried to harvest data from infected machines to launch a string of DDoS attacks, but was relatively easy to remove. Yaha: Yet another worm with several variants, thought to be the result of a cyber-war between Pakistan and India. Swen: Written in C++, the Swen computer worm disguised itself to look like a 2003 OS update. Its financial cost has been pegged at $10.4 billion, but not reliably. Storm Worm: This worm showed up in 2007 and attacked millions of computers with an email about approaching bad weather. Tanatos/Bugbear: A 2002 keylogger virus that targeted financial institutions and spread to 150 countries. Sircam: A computer worm from 2001 that used counterfeit emails with the subject line, “I send you this file in order to have your advice.” Explorezip: This worm used fake emails to spread to every machine on thousands of local networks. Melissa: The most dangerous computer virus in 1999, Melissa sent copies of itself that looked like NSFW pics. The U.S. FBI estimated cleanup and repair costs at $80 million. Flashback: A Mac-only virus, Flashback infected over 600,000 Macs in 2012 and even infected Apple’s home base in Cupertino, Calif. In 2020, there’s now more malware on Macs than on PCs. Conficker: This 2009 virus still infects many legacy systems and could do significant damage if it ever activates. Stuxnet: This worm is reported to have destroyed Iranian nuclear centrifuges by sending damaging instructions.

Web Shield is a free application that allows you to view insightful analyses about the websites that you visit and specifically how they’re tracking you online. Web Shield cannot determine exactly who is tracking your computer usage. Instead, Web Shield allows a user to see which websites have placed tracking code onto their computer.

This software is ad-supported and displays advertisements in the form of injected banner ads, popups, and context hyperlinks in the user’s web browser. It adds Windows Background services, displays unwanted advertisements, and can modify the browser’s home page.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (also called hijackware) are a type of malicious software that modifies web browser settings without the user’s knowledge or permission. These hijacks appear to be increasing at a worrying rate across the world, and it could be really nefarious and sometimes dangerous too. There are lots of reasons why you may experience a browser hijack; but commercial, marketing, and advertising are the main reasons for their creation. The idea is to force users to visit specific sites that are looking to increase their site visitor traffic and generate higher ad income. Nevertheless, it is not that harmless. Your web safety is jeopardized and it is also very irritating. Furthermore, hijackers will make the entire infected system fragile – other destructive malware and viruses would seize these opportunities to intrude into your system very easily.

Browser hijacking signs

Here are some symptoms that indicate you have been hijacked: home-page is modified; you see new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, typically directed to ad-filled or pornography sites; the default search engine has been changed and the web browser security settings have been cut down without your knowledge; you notice many toolbars on the internet browser; you see lots of pop-up ads on your computer screen; your internet browser has become unstable or starts running slowly; you can’t visit certain websites like home pages of anti-malware software.

How does a PC get infected with a browser hijacker?

Browser hijackers might use drive-by downloads or file-sharing networks or even an email attachment to reach a targeted computer system. They may also originate from any BHO, browser extension, add-on, toolbar, or plug-in with the malicious objectives. Some browser hijackers spread in user’s PC by using a deceptive software distribution strategy called “bundling” (usually through shareware and freeware). A good example of a popular browser hijacker is the most recent Chinese malware named “Fireball”, which has attacked 250 million computers across the world. It acts as a hijacker but could be changed into a fully functioning malware downloader later on. Browser hijackers will affect the user’s web surfing experience severely, record the websites frequented by users and steal personal information, cause problems in connecting to the net, and eventually create stability issues, causing applications and systems to crash.

Browser hijacker removal

Some browser hijacking could be quite easily reversed by finding and removing the corresponding malware software from your control panel. But, most browser hijackers are difficult to get rid of manually. No matter how much you try to remove it, it can come back over and over. Moreover, manual removal requires you to carry out several time-consuming and intricate actions that are hard to do for novice computer users.

Malware Blocking Access To Safebytes Website And Anti-Malware Downloads - What To Do?

Every malware is bad and the effects of the damage can vary based on the specific type of malicious software. Some malware types alter browser settings by including a proxy server or change the computer’s DNS settings. In these cases, you’ll be unable to visit some or all internet sites, and therefore unable to download or install the required security software to get rid of the malware. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download and/or install Safebytes Anti-Malware software on your PC. Even though this type of problem can be tougher to circumvent, there are some steps you can take.

Start your system in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to load at Windows start-up, then booting in Safe Mode should avoid it. Since just the bare minimum programs and services start-up in Safe Mode, there are rarely any reasons for issues to occur. The following are the steps you need to follow to start your computer into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (go to Microsoft website for directions on Windows 8 and 10 computers). 1) Tap the F8 key continuously as soon as your computer boots, but before the large Windows logo or black screen with white texts appears. This would conjure up the “Advanced Boot Options” menu. 2) Make use of the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) Once this mode loads, you should have internet access. Now, get the malware removal program you need by using the browser. To install the program, follow the guidelines within the setup wizard. 4) Right after installation, run a complete scan and allow the program to delete the threats it detects.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Some malware only targets particular browsers. If this is your situation, make use of another internet browser as it might circumvent the malware. If you appear to have a trojan attached to Internet Explorer, then switch to a different web browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Install and run anti-virus from your Thumb drive

Here’s yet another solution which is utilizing a portable USB antivirus software that can scan your system for malware without the need for installation. Follow these steps to use a thumb drive to clean your infected computer system. 1) Make use of another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug in the USB flash drive to a USB port on the uninfected computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, which has a .exe file extension. 4) When asked, choose the location of the pen drive as the place where you want to put the software files. Follow the directions to complete the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the pen drive to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the anti-malware software EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a scan on the affected computer for malware.

Review of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Do you want to download the very best anti-malware software program for your desktop? You can find many applications available that come in free and paid versions for Windows systems. A few of them are great, some are ok types, and some will harm your computer themselves! You need to pick one that is reliable, practical, and has a good reputation for its malware protection. When considering the reliable software programs, Safebytes Anti-Malware is undoubtedly the highly recommended one. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trusted software that not only secures your PC completely but is also quite user-friendly for people of all ability levels. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software protects your computer against infections caused by different types of malware and other threats, including spyware, adware, trojans horses, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs). SafeBytes anti-malware comes with a plethora of enhanced features that sets it apart from all others. Here are a few popular features present in this program: World-class AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware software program goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean out your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine locates and disables hard to remove malware that hides deep within your PC. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes offers complete and real-time security for your computer system. It’ll regularly monitor your laptop or computer for hacker activity and also provides users with advanced firewall protection. Web protection: SafeBytes checks and provides a unique safety rating to every website you visit and block access to web pages considered to be phishing sites, thus protecting you from identity theft, or known to contain malware. Low CPU Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight and simple-to-use anti-virus and anti-malware solution. Since it uses very little computer resources, this software leaves the computer power exactly where it belongs to: with you actually. 24/7 Guidance: You could get high levels of support 24/7 if you’re using their paid version.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to manually get rid of WebShield without the use of an automated tool, it may be actually possible to do so by deleting the program from the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of web browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You’ll probably also want to totally reset your browser to its default settings. If you choose to manually delete the system files and registry entries, make use of the following list to make sure you know precisely what files to remove before undertaking any actions. Please keep in mind that this is for advanced users only and might be challenging, with incorrect file removal leading to additional system errors. In addition to that, certain malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. It is recommended that you do the removal procedure in Safe Mode.

Error Code 0x80248014 - What is it?

Error Code 0x80248014 is an error that is particularly associated with the Windows 10 operating system. It generally appears during the Windows Update process and can interrupt the update installation, causing it to fail.

Common symptoms include:

• Inability to download, install, or run updates on the Windows 10 operating system
• The vague message that appears when the error occurs
• Inability to finalize purchases made from the Windows Store
• Inability to run a check to see if updates need to be installed

The resolutions available for Error Code 0x80248014 include the use of the command prompt and delving into the settings for Windows. While most users should be able to navigate the resolution methods on their own if you do not feel comfortable undertaking these steps on your own or if you aren’t able to resolve the error fully using these methods, get in touch with a qualified Windows repair technician who is familiar with issues in Windows updates.

Solution

Error Causes

There are several common culprits that can make Error Code 0x80248014 appear on your Windows device. The most common ones include problems with your connections, interference on the server, or problems in the settings for the Windows Store itself from which the updates are downloaded.

If you believe that your error relates most specifically to the Windows Store, you may want to jump directly to method two in order to attempt to resolve the issue.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are a number of ways that you can try to resolve Error Code 0x80248014 on your Windows 10 operating system. The first will attempt to reset the issue using the command prompt, while the second attempts to address the issues that are associated directly with the Windows Store.

If you do not feel comfortable taking the steps below, be sure to get in touch with a qualified Windows repair technician to assist you.

Here are the top two methods to resolve Error Code 0x80248014 on the Windows 10 operating system:

Method One:  Attempt to Resolve the Error Using the Command Prompt

To use this method, employ the following steps in order:

• Step One: To begin, open up the Start menu and select the option for the Command Prompt, choosing to run it in Admin mode.
• Step Two: Put in the commands below, hitting the Enter key after each one:
  • net stop WuAuServ
  • %windir%
• Step Three: Open up the Windows folder on your local hard drive. Look for the folder labeled “SoftwareDistribution” and change the name to “SDold”.
• Step Four: Go back into the Command Prompt as an administrator and enter this command:  “net start WuAuServ”.
• Step Five: Attempt to run your check for Updates again.

You may want to reboot your computer after running the steps above to ensure that the changes that you’ve made are fully applied to your device.

Method Two:  Reset Your Windows Store Settings

In some cases, Error Code 0x80248014 can appear on a device when the settings for the Windows Store have been altered or cannot be successfully read by the machine in question. If you believe that this is the case on your machine, you can run a simple command to renew your Windows Store settings.

To attempt to reset your Windows Store settings, open up your search bar and type in the following phrase “wsreset.exe,” then hitting Enter. Running this command will reset your Windows Store settings to their defaults.

After you reset your Windows Store settings, it may be a good idea to reboot your computer to ensure that all changes have fully taken effect on your device. Once this has been done, you can open the Windows Store back up and try to download or install the programs that you were attempting to purchase when the error code occurred.

If you are still experiencing the effects on your Windows 10 operating system or if you have not been able to follow the steps above to completion, it may be time to get in touch with a qualified Windows repair technician to assist you with the error resolution process.

Method Three: Use An Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

If you like to travel but you do not have a navigation device and a place where you are traveling does not have internet coverage do not worry, Windows offline maps are here to help. Traveling in today's world often requires that we have some sort of navigation system, wherever that be a dedicated navigation device, maps on your mobile phone, or something similar. Maps on mobile-phone are nice but they drain the battery of the phone fast and being on a road might require that we have access to our phone, just in case of an emergency call, and dedicated navigation devices often cost a lot of money. Lucky for us Windows comes with a maps feature where you can check local maps and orientate with their help and even if you are in an area where you do not have internet coverage you can still use maps via offline mas mode in Windows. This feature will require that you sacrifice little HDD space because you will need to download maps that you will need and some time preparing in order to find and download maps that you will need but in the end, it is worth it, you have a full map system completely offline and independent of the internet. So in order to prepare all maps that you will need, follow this guide step by step and enjoy your trip.

1. Select Settings from the Start menu.
2. Click System.
3. Select Offline maps.
4. Click the + button next to "Download maps".
5. Select the continent where your desired country is located.
6. Select the region you want to download. Depending on the area, you can download a whole country or you'll have to drill down to a smaller region (for example, with Canada and the USA).
7. Repeat for any additional regions you want to have as offline maps. You can download more maps while other maps are currently downloading.
8. Pack your bags
9. GO!

The number of Hertz is the number of how many images your screen draws in one second. So monitor with a refresh rate of 60Hz will draw 60 images each second on your screen. To most users, this will look fine and enough but actually, if you would place them in front of a 120Hz screen difference will be visible right away.

Benefits of higher refresh rates

In most simple words just looking at a screen that has a higher refresh rate will produce a more natural feel of things, although some people would argue that flickering can not be seen on 60Hz monitors and that should be enough, I would argue that they never watched the movie, played the game or used high refresh rate screen when they can state something like that.

Yes, 60Hz might be enough to look at the web page or read some documents but long exposure to 60Hz can have a tiring effect on the eyes in the long run. 120Hz and above just feel more relaxed and it is far less demanding on the eyes. Watching movies also is much better on a higher refresh screen, with way much less motion blur in fast scenes giving the overall experience a greater natural feel.

Gaming is perhaps an area where a refresh rate of 120Hz and above will show its best. Having a higher refresh rate will be easier on your eyes and can even give you a competitive edge. When for example you have twice more images per second on your screen than your opponent his movement will be more fluid and predictable because of that and overall precision will be much higher when moving the cursor in the game since more frames per second means more precision and smoother movement.

The dark side of high refresh rates

After all the positive things that were said about the advantages of high refresh rates, it is just fair to look at some negatives or in this case only negative one and that is Computer power. As said in the previous section having a 120Hz refresh rate means having 120 frames displayed on the screen per single second. Having even higher monitors like 360Hz means even more frames per second and in order to actually see all of that frames you will need to have enough computer power to back it up. Having for example screen with a refresh rate of 240Hz means nothing if your GPU and rest of the computer are able only to push 150 frames per second, in this case, you will still have 150 frames in one second despite the monitor being able to go to 240.

Conclusion

Generally and with all of my heart I would recommend moving away from 60Hz monitors, yes they are cheaper and more affordable but at the end of the day if you are someone like me who spends most of his daily time in front of the computer you would be grateful to have higher refresh rate screen and save your eyes, and after all, why not enjoy some smoother and better movie and game experience as well as saving your eyesight.

QuickLook app is one of the best options to preview files without opening them in Windows 10. It works similar to the Quick Look feature of macOS. This Microsoft Store app has some really interesting features. It lets you preview images, documents, and media files. Also, just a hotkey is needed to preview the content of a file. There is no interface for the app. Only a preview window is visible. You can also expand the preview window to full size. Apart from that, it lets you keep the preview window on top of the other opened applications. For image files, it also provides the EXIF data. After installing this app, just select some file that you want to preview, and press the Spacebar key. That’s it! The preview window will open immediately to view the file content. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

ChatZum is a Potentially Unwanted Program that installs a Toolbar into your browser. This program allegedly allows users to zoom in on photos without clicking on them, however, upon further research, it was discovered that this function does not work on the latest version of browsers.

From the Author: ChatZum is a Browser add-on (toolbar) that enables its users to hover over images in Major Social network's websites and view a larger version of an image.

While installing this toolbar will track user web browsing sessions and will record website visits, clicks, and sometimes even personal information. This information is later used to display targeted ads to the user. To allow easier user tracking, the program changes the browser home page and default search engine to Nation Search Advanced, which injects additional advertisements and tracks user activity.

Several anti-virus applications have marked this program as Potentially Unwanted, and it is not recommended to keep it on your computer, especially considering the fact it will most likely not work on your browser.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

If you have ever installed a free application or shareware, chances are high that the computer will get installed with a bunch of unwanted applications. A Potentially Unwanted Program, also called PUP, in short, is actually software that contains adware, installs toolbars, or has got other hidden objectives. These types of programs are generally bundled up with a free application that you download from the internet or may also be bundled inside the custom installers of many download websites. PUPs aren’t always viewed as “pure” malware in the strictest sense. A fundamental difference between PUP and malware is distribution. Malware is normally dropped by silent installation vectors like drive-by downloads while PUP gets installed with the consent of the computer user, who knowingly or unknowingly approves the PUP installation on their computer system. But, there is no doubt that PUPs remain bad news for PC users as it could be quite dangerous to your computer in many ways.

The damage PUPs can do

The unwanted programs after installation display numerous annoying pop-up ads, trigger fake alerts, and sometimes even forces a computer owner to pay for the software. PUPs that come as browser add-ons and toolbars are commonly recognizable. These toolbars alter your homepage and your search engine in the installed web browser, track your web activities, modify your search results with redirects and sponsored links, and eventually slow down your browser and diminish your browsing experience. Potentially unwanted programs use aggressive distribution methods to get onto your computer. The worst part of setting up a PUP is the adware, spyware, and keystroke loggers that could lurk inside. Even if the PUPs really aren’t inherently malicious, these applications still do practically nothing good on your PC – they’ll take valuable system resources, slow down your PC, weaken your computer security, making your PC more vulnerable to malware.

How to avoid ‘crapware’

• Read the EULA thoroughly. Look for clauses that state that you have to accept advertising and pop-ups or bundled applications from the company. • Always opt for the custom if you’re offered an option between “Custom” and “Recommended” Installations – never ever click Next, Next, Next thoughtlessly. • Use a good anti-malware application. Try Safebytes Anti-malware which can find PUPs and treat them as malware by flagging them for deletion. • Be alert if you download and install freeware, open-source applications, or shareware. Do not ever install software applications that seem shady or malicious. • Always download applications from the original website. The majority of PUPs find their way onto your laptop or computer is via download portals, so steer clear of it altogether. Remember the fact that even though PUPs could potentially cause damage and hinder the proper functioning of the PC, they can’t enter into your system without your consent, so be alert not to provide them with it.

How One Can Get rid of Malware that is Blocking Websites or Preventing Downloads

Malware could potentially cause many kinds of damage to PCs, networks, and data. Some malware goes to great lengths to stop you from downloading or installing anything on your computer, especially antivirus software. If you’re reading this article, odds are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download or install the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your PC. Even though this sort of problem can be tougher to circumvent, there are some steps you can take.

Make use of Safe Mode to resolve the issue

If the malware is set to run automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, stepping into safe mode could block the attempt. Just minimal required programs and services are loaded when you boot your computer in Safe Mode. To launch your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, do as instructed below. 1) Tap the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your PC boots, however, before the big Windows logo or black screen with white texts come up. This would invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you should have the internet. Now, obtain the malware removal program you want by utilizing the web browser. To install the program, follow the guidelines in the installation wizard. 4) Right after installation, do a full scan and allow the software program to get rid of the threats it detects.

Switch to an alternate internet browser

Some malware mainly targets certain browsers. If this is your situation, employ another internet browser as it might circumvent the computer virus. When you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a trojan or otherwise compromised by online hackers, the best thing to do is to switch over to an alternate internet browser such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Apple Safari to download your chosen security program – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Create a portable USB antivirus for eliminating viruses

Another technique is to download and transfer an antivirus application from a clean computer to run a scan on the infected computer. Follow these steps to run the anti-malware on the affected computer. 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free PC. 2) Connect the flash drive to a USB slot on the clean computer. 3) Double click on the exe file to run the installation wizard. 4) Choose the USB stick as the location for saving the file. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the flash drive to the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the USB drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Click the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

Protect your PC from Malware With SafeBytes Security Suite

If you are looking to install an anti-malware program for your PC, there are lots of tools in the market to consider nonetheless, you just cannot trust blindly anyone, regardless of whether it is a paid or free program. A few of them are great but there are several scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware programs waiting around to wreak havoc on your PC. You have to pick a company that develops industry-best anti-malware and it has earned a reputation as reliable. One of the highly recommended applications by industry analysts is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, the safest program for Microsoft Windows. SafeBytes can be described as a highly effective, real-time antivirus application that is made to assist the average computer user in protecting their PC from malicious internet threats. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software will help you protect your computer against infections brought on by various kinds of malware and other internet threats, including spyware, adware, trojans, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs).

There are many wonderful features you’ll get with this particular security product. Listed below are some of the features you will like in SafeBytes.

Active Protection: SafeBytes offers a completely hands-free active protection and is set to observe, block, and kill all computer threats at its very first encounter. It will check your PC for suspicious activity at all times and its unrivaled firewall shields your computer from illegal entry by the outside world. Robust, Anti-malware Protection: Using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection which is made to catch and remove threats that are concealed deep inside your PC. Web Security: Safebytes allots all sites a unique safety ranking that helps you to get an idea of whether the webpage you’re just about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Extremely Speed Scanning: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is among the fastest and most efficient in the industry. It's targeted scanning significantly increases the catch rate for viruses which is embedded in various computer files. Lightweight: SafeBytes is really lightweight software. It consumes an extremely small amount of processing power as it runs in the background which means you will not observe any computer performance difficulties. 24/7 Support: For any technical concerns or product assistance, you may get 24/7 expert assistance via chat and email. To sum it up, SafeBytes Anti-Malware offers outstanding protection combined with an acceptable low system resources usage with both great malware detection and prevention. You now may realize that this particular tool does more than just scan and remove threats from your computer. You will get the best all-around protection for the money you pay on SafeBytes AntiMalware subscription, there’s no question about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to do the removal of ChatZum manually rather than using an automated software tool, you can follow these simple steps: Navigate to the Windows Control Panel, click the “Add/Remove Programs” and there, choose the offending application to remove. In case of suspicious versions of web browser plug-ins, you can easily get rid of it through your web browser’s extension manager. You might also want to reset your home page and search providers, as well as delete browsing history, temporary files, and cookies. If you choose to manually remove the system files and Windows registry entries, use the following list to make sure you know exactly what files to remove before undertaking any actions. Please note that only advanced users should try to manually edit the system files mainly because removing any single vital registry entry results in a serious problem or even a PC crash. In addition, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing its removal. Doing this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is recommended.

Mingwm10.dll Error Code - What is it?

Mingwm10.dll is a dynamic link library file. This file is associated with the gaming program called the Adventures of Tintin developed for Windows OS by Ubisoft. Like all other DLL files, Mingwm10.dll file also contains small programs that are used to load and run this gaming program on your PC and several other programs developed by Ubisoft. Mingwm10.dll error code may occur when this file fails to run and load the Adventures of Tintin, the game on your PC. This error may appear on your PC in different formats such as:

• "Mingwm10.dll not found."
• "The file mingwm10.dll is missing."
• "Cannot register mingwm10.dll."
• "Cannot find C:\Windows\System32\mingwm10.dll."
• "Mingwm10.dll Access Violation."
• "Cannot start The Adventures of Tintin The Game. A required component is missing: mingwm10.dll.Please install The Adventures of Tintin The Game again."
• "This application failed to start because mingwm10.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."

Solution

Error Causes

Mingwm10.dll error code is triggered due to a plethora of reasons. These include causes like:

• Registry damage or corruption
• Viral infection
• Hardware failure
• Corrupt or missing Mingwm10.dll file

Though this error is not fatal nonetheless it is advisable to fix it promptly to ensure you are able to access your desired program successfully without any restriction. Please note, this error can become a major PC threat as the underlying causes are registry corruption or viral infection.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Listed below are some of the best, proven, and easy DIY methods to help you resolve the Mingwm10.dll error code on your system. These are simple methods and require no technical expertise or know-how.

Method 1 - Restore the Missing File

As mentioned above DLL are shared files, there is a possibility that you accidentally deleted the Mingwm10.dll file on your system while uninstalling a program developed by Ubisoft. In such an event, the best and the easiest way to fix the error is to check your recycle bin and restore the deleted Mingwm10.dll file on your system.

Method 2 - Download Mingwm10.dll File from a Reliable Website

If you are unable to locate the missing Mingwm10.dll file in the recycle bin, then another method to fix the issue can be to download the Mingwm10.dll file from a trusted website. The reason why we say trusted is that viruses often enter computer systems when users download files from unreliable websites. So, to avoid bigger problems first make sure the site you select to download the Mingwm10.dll file is authorized and trusted.

Method 3 - Update Outdated Drivers

Hardware failure is related to outdated drivers. If the cause of the Mingwm10.dll error code is hardware failure, simply update the outdated drivers to resolve. Since the Mingwm10.dll file is used to run and load Adventures of Tintin, a gaming software program, then most probably the error is caused because of the outdated video card driver. Therefore update it to fix the issue. For this, go to the start menu, type Device Manager in the search bar. Once it opens use the driver update wizard to make updates. The wizard will walk you through the entire process, making the driver update task easy.

Method 4 - Repair the Corrupt Registry

The registry is the part that stores all the information and activities performed on your system. From important files to obsolete files it saves everything. If the obsolete files like the junk files, bad entries, invalid registry keys, and cookies are not removed from the registry frequently, these files accumulate in the registry and corrupt important system files like DLL files, popping error codes like Mingwm10.dll error. To resolve, download Restoro. It is a PC Fixer embedded with a  registry cleaner. The registry cleaner scans and removes all the obsolete files. It cleans the registry and the corrupted system files in just a few clicks, thereby fixing the problem. Click here to download Restoro to resolve the Mingwm10.dll error code on your PC

The euphoria around Windows 11 is not dying and reveal that Android apps will work natively inside Windows 11 has raised many emotions and questions. So, Microsoft has announced that Android apps will run natively inside Windows 11 OS and that they will reside alongside your other installed ones as icons, etc. It is no secret that many users have been using emulation software to run Android apps inside Windows so far, so what is the difference?

It is still emulation

Whatever you would like to believe it is still emulation and Android apps are at the end of the day still Android apps running inside emulated environment. This time we will not need third-party emulation software running inside Windows, we will have third-party emulation services running inside Windows. Intel has teamed up with Microsoft in order to integrate Intel bridge algorithms in order to run Android apps, meaning that yea, pretty much we have emulation services running in order to run the application. The problem with this kind of approach is that well emulation software is running and consuming system resources only when we start it, this kind of service is always running and always consuming resources and for someone who really does not care about Android apps at all, this is just a waste of resources.

Android store

The store is another issue here, instead of the Google play store we will have the Amazon app store integrated inside the new Microsoft store. This means that any kind of for example game progress or login information from Google store cannot be transferred into Windows 11, add to that information that in the Amazon app store there are tons of missing applications like SLACK, TRELLO, BitWarden, etc and we might have a serious question here about the use of this feature.

Android apps that do not use Android services

If you even look past that it is still emulation and that it is available on the Amazon app store there is still concern about applications not using Google services for their running. Many Android apps are relying on Google services like location or optimize their use of on-device resources, handle in-app purchases, etc. that cannot be found on this system. Uber is a prime example that uses Google location service to determine your location and for its mapping data, with that application, is useless. Other like Guardian will even pop up message that says Google play service is required in order to even work.

Android apps without Eero system

Amazon Eero system for enhanced internet access is not even yet available in its own app store which brings us to missing some key players like Bank of America, Chase mobile, Bueller, etc. And across the board, the apps that are present in the Amazon Appstore are often as good as abandoned. Lots of titles are numerous versions behind their up-to-date Play Store counterparts, and plenty of programs you encounter in the Amazon environment clearly haven't been touched in years.

Conclusion

Many new Windows 11 features are quality features that I personally consider good but although this one seems innovative and good I simply cannot stand back it up. Android apps were already inside Windows with emulation software which used google services and was working just fine, this was not needed in my opinion.