Expand right-click menu in Windows 11

Computer upgrades are the most common and most efficient ones. RAM upgrade is one of the easiest ones you can do and the most common ones but even as simple an upgrade as this one can cause certain issues. If you are experiencing error 0164, memory size decreased after RAM upgrade we are offering you solutions on how to fix this particular error and get your computer back in working order.

1. Change BIOS settings

   Enter your motherboard BIOS (usually by pressing the del key on startup) Load BIOS defaults Save changes and exit If the Error 0164: Memory size decreased issue persists even after loading setup defaults, then it must be configured manually inside the BIOS.

2. Clear CMOS

   Follow the instructions precisely:
   • Turn off all peripheral devices connected to the computer.
   • Disconnect the power cord from the AC power source.
   • Remove the computer cover.
   • Find the battery on the board. The battery may be in a horizontal or vertical battery holder or connected to an onboard header with a wire.
   If the battery is in a holder, note the orientation of the + and – on the battery. With a medium flat-blade screwdriver, gently pry the battery-free from its connector. If the battery is connected to an onboard header with a wire, disconnect the wire from the onboard header.
   • Wait one hour, then reconnect the battery.
   • Put the computer cover back on.
   • Plug the computer and all devices back in.
   • Power on the computer.

As of late, a number of users reported experiencing a problem where their Windows 10 computers get stuck on Airplane mode for some unknown reason. According to the affected users, they were unable to turn off the Airplane mode which means that their computers are also not able to connect to the internet. One of the possible reasons why this kind of issue occurs is that there could be a bug with the airplane mode or it could also be the doing of faulty network drivers or physical switch that’s turned on, and so on. If you are one of the few users who experience the same issue, then read on as this post will guide you on what to do if your Windows 10 computer gets stuck on Airplane mode. There are a couple of suggestions you can check out to resolve the problem. You can try to check the status of the Radio Management service, flush the DNS cache or you could turn off the airplane mode via system settings. You could also update the network drivers or turn off the physical switch for airplane mode or make some adjustments in the Windows Registry. For more details, refer to each one of the suggestions provided below.

Option 1 – Try to check the Radio Management Service status

• First, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field, and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• Next, look for the Radio Management service and select Properties.
• From there, change its Startup type to Disabled and click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
• Once done, restart your computer and check if you can now turn off the airplane mode.

Option 2 – Flush the DNS cache

You could also try to flush the DNS cache to fix the “ERR_ICAN_NAME_COLLISION” error. All you have to do is open Command Prompt as an administrator and then execute each one of the following commands sequentially to flush the DNS cache:

• ipconfig/release
• ipconfig/renew
• ipconfig/flushdns

Option 3 – Try turning off the airplane mode via System settings

If flushing the DNS cache did not help in fixing the problem, then you might want to turn off airplane mode via system settings.

• In the Windows Search bar, type “airplane mode”.
• From the search results that appear, click on Airplane mode.
• After that, a window will appear where you have to turn off the toggle button for Airplane mode.

Option 4 – Try to update, rollback or reinstall the Network adapter drivers

The next thing you can do to resolve the problem is to update the Network Adapter drivers by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand them.
• Look for the Broadcom Network Adapter and right-click on it, as well as other network adapters that have an exclamation icon, and update them all.
• Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the problem.

Note: If updating the network drivers didn’t help in fixing the problem, you can also try to roll back the very same drivers from their previous versions and restart your Windows 10 PC. After that, the system itself will reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled. Alternatively, you can also download and install the drivers from the manufacturer’s website directly. To reinstall the network adapter drivers, refer to these steps:

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

Option 5 – Try to turn off the physical switch for Airplane mode

If your computer has a physical switch to turn on or off the airplane mode, then you might want to check that switch if you have one. Chances are, it could be the reason why you’re unable to turn off Airplane mode on your computer.

Option 6 – Try to make some adjustments in the Registry

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetControlClass
• From there, edit the registry value of “RadioEnable” to “1”.
• Exit the Registry Editor once done, and restart your computer.

This is not the first time that Intel is trying to enter the GPU field but its adventures so far were, well let us agree not so good. All of that is hoping to be changed with the upcoming ARC GPU. The first generation of Arc graphics, code-named Alchemist and previously known as DG2, will support desktop PCs and laptops and is set to arrive in the first quarter of 2022. Alchemist will have hardware-based Ray tracing and AI-driven supersampling. This indicates that GPU is aimed to compete in the Hi-end spectrum and battle side by side with Nvidia and AMD on the market. Alchemist will also pack full DirectX 12 Ultimate support. Intel also released names for the next upcoming future generations of ARC GPUs: Battlemage, Celestial & Druid. More information about ARC products will be released later this year. “Today marks a key moment in the graphics journey we started just a few years ago. The launch of the Intel Arc brand and the reveal of future hardware generations signifies Intel’s deep and continued commitment to gamers and creators everywhere,” Roger Chandler, Intel vice president, and general manager of client graphics products and solutions.

In today's IT world, if you want a computer for typical day-to-day actions and gaming, there are 3 primary ways you can go. An Apple computer with its proprietary hardware and operating system or a typical machine with Windows or Linux operating system.

Each system has both advantages and disadvantages and picking the right one might be difficult for some users. From hardware differences to specific software and operating system, each system is aimed at a different type of work, and in this article, we will explore each one and help you in choosing the right one for you.

Apple ecosystem

Apple has managed to create a unique ecosystem of its own devices, from its iMac desktop computers to more professional MAC studio and power MAC and all the way to tablet iPad and iPhone are powered by Apple's own operating system that connects all of these devices into one large system. So if you really need one singular ecosystem this is a huge advantage.

The ecosystem on the side, MAC computer systems are great, some would argue best for coding, design, video work, and sound editing. MAC M2 chip is optimized for all of these tasks and a specially tailored operating system is just the icing on the cake. Specific Apple-made software like a logic pro or final cut also helps a lot to position MAC systems on top of the line.

Reading all of this you might think hey this is the computer for me, it does everything! Sadly the truth is not like that. The first thing that is difficult on MAC systems and a maybe big reason that it is not so adopted outside professional working environment is lack of games. If you are a gamer or plan on using MAC for gaming, well I have some bad news. The second big turn-off is that MAC systems tend to be more expensive than PC systems, yes components are of higher quality but rest assured that you will pay for also for branding.

Get MAC as your workstation for serious work and for good tech support, if you need a plain home computer keep reading.

Windows PC machine

There is no better feeling than assembling your own computer, tweaking hardware to make a monster and despite haters hating, Windows is the best all-around operating system on the market. It is supporting the largest variety of hardware and the largest variety of software.

The best platform for serious gaming and streaming Windows machine has cemented itself as a multimedia powerhouse. But, this kind of computer is not alien to being also a professional machine, you can practically do everything that you can do on Apple or Linux machine inside Windows, yes some things might require extra steps or will be slightly slower but in the end, being able to do anything is the greatest strength of Windows machine.

Of course, every system has its flaws and Windows is not immune to that. One of the biggest is being the operating system for every hardware ever made and every software as well while keeping legacy support for old software and hardware, basically, its biggest strength is in the same time its biggest weakness leading to sometimes stability issues. Also being able to place any kind of hardware can also lead to the same stability issues. Executing something a little slower than other systems and having some extra steps can also be looked upon as weaknesses.

Linux system

First and perhaps for some people, the biggest advantage of the Linux operating system is its price, it is completely free! Other advantages include the great server and networking included in the OS itself, the large amount of customization, and unmatched stability. The ability to write scripts inside the OS terminal is also a great thing and coding is much more streamlined and friendlier than on other machines.

The power of Linux is the ability to change anything, even on the system layer, no other operating system will let you change the basic functionality of the OS itself while Linux will let you do this. It is also the only operating system you can fully use by booting it up from a USB stick and having the same experience as it was installed on a local hard drive. Among other OS mentioned earlier, Linux is by far the lightest one, taking the smallest amount of memory among the three.

The bad side of the Linux machine is the steep learning curve, among the three mentioned operating systems rest assured Linux is the most difficult to learn and be comfortable in it. The operating system will require you to know the hardware and how computers work in order to fully use its potential. Other things that place it behind are not so wide hardware support compared to Windows and the somewhat confusing distro model.

Linux versions come in form of different distro packages and first-time users will face many of them being left in awe of which one to choose. Also installing drivers and software via a package system can also be a tedious task as well, often being that some version of the driver will not work on the newer version of the Linux distro.

Get a Linux machine if you are well versed in computer technology, if you want great customization of the OS itself or if you do not want to spend money on OS and software since almost entire Linux software is open source.

Error 12031 - What is it?

Error 12031 indicates that the connection with the server has been reset or is not properly connected. In other words, it signifies that the File Transfer Protocol which is the standard network protocol that is used to transfer files from one host to another over the internet is either reset or not working properly. For example, if you are using a wireless adapter, then you may experience this error code when the adapter loses its association with the access point. The error code is often displayed in the following format:

• "ERROR_INTERNET_CONNECTION_RESET"
• "Cannot Connect to the FTP Server"

Solution

Error Causes

Though the error 12031 is largely caused by poor internet connection and failure to obtain files from the FTP server, however, sometimes the error may be caused by invalid registry entries and outdated drivers. Furthermore, it may also be a Firewall issue.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve this issue on your system, we have listed down the best and easy DIY solutions. These solutions are simple to perform and do not require any kind of technical expertise or knowledge. Just follow the steps and you will be able to resolve it in a couple of minutes.

Solution 1: Disable Firewall

If you are unable to connect to the server and you encounter the error code 12031 on your system, then to resolve this issue, disable the Firewall on your PC.

Solution 2: Reset IE (Internet Explorer) Settings

This error is typically experienced by IE7 users.  If you can’t access some websites in Internet Explorer and you come across a 12031 error code, then try resetting your IE settings. To do this, open Internet Explorer, click on tools, and then click on Internet Options. Now go to the advanced tab and select Use Passive FTP. After checking the box, exit and then try accessing those sites that were not accessible before. If after modifying IE settings you are able to access the sites without any error message display, then this means the error is resolved. Nonetheless, if the error still persists, then the error could be generated due to invalid registry entries.

Solution3: Download and Run Restoro

To remove invalid registry entries from your system and resolve the 12031 error immediately, it is advisable to download and run Restoro. This is a new, cutting-edge, and multi-functional PC repair tool integrated with multiple utilities like a powerful registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer. The registry cleaning utility scans your PC for all registry errors. It wipes out unnecessary files, bad and invalid registry entries, repairs damaged files, and restores the registry thereby resolving the 12031 error on your PC. This error tool has a user-friendly interface and simple navigations. It is easy to use and compatible with all Windows versions. In addition to this, you can also use it to scan for malicious software and remove malware. It also functions as a system optimizer and boosts your computer’s speed dramatically. Click here to download Restoro on your PC and resolve error 12031 right away!

When you get the error information, "The Software Can Not Begin Because MSVCR100.Dll Is Missing", what this implies is that the Computer will be lacking the  MS Visual C++ 2010 libraries. The malfunction is rather frequent throughout installations. It doesn't matter the number of times you try to reinstall the program. The malfunction can happen whether you've been utilizing your pc for many years, or it's really a recent one.

Solution

Error Causes

a) Missing MSVCR100.DLL: As the problem message indicates, you get this information mainly because MSVCR100.DLL is completely missing. b) Broken MSVCR100.DLL: When the msvcr100.dll is broken, you will also get the same error, suggesting the software won't start. The thing you need to understand is the fact that MSVCR100.DLL is playing an important role in the application referred to as MS Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package. Without the MS Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package, any software that you simply make an effort to install won't start. You could possibly complete installing it by pursuing proper installation procedures, and then end up getting the "The Software Can Not Begin Because MSVCR100.Dll Is Missing" error.

Further Information and Manual Repair

If you get the "The Software Can Not Begin Because MSVCR100.Dll Is Missing" error information on an effective setup of any software, you shouldn't worry. You can really repair the issue and commence your recently installed software without any more hassle. Start by checking whether you presently use 64-bit or 32-bit Windows. Visit the start button, in case you use Winxp. Type winver. On the window that appears, click Run, subsequently push enter. Head to Start, in case you use both Win7 or Vista. Subsequently, click on the search box and type “Computer”. Right-click windows and subsequently click on Properties. Under Windows Edition, you'll find whether your Windows is 64-bit or 32-bit. Search for the correct variation of MS Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package, as soon as you discover whether your Windows is 64-bit or 32-bit. Down load the x86 variant of MS Visual C++ Redistributable Package if your version is 32-bit and you must obtain the x64 variant of MS Visual C++, for those who own a-64-bit version of Windows Operating System. You must never obtain MS Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package from third-party websites. This is because Microsoft doesn't charge a cent for the files. The files are openly and easily available on Microsoft. These files come in many different variants. Consequently, select what's suitable for your own Computer with regards to the version of Windows which you operate.

• Never pick the edition of MS Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package that's not compatible or appropriate to your Windows Operating System.

Make use of the release date, when installing MS Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package. You might also look out for Service Pack 1 and obtain it for your Windows. Service Pack 1 only ensures that you simply obtain the latest edition. As soon as you end installing the most up-to-date version of MS Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package as demonstrated above, reboot your computer and you'll not have to worry about getting the annoying"The Software Can Not Begin Because MSVCR100.Dll Is Missing" error message anymore.

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

A Steam gift card

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

Xbox Game pass

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

Pack of cable ties

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

Compressed air duster

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

New Headset

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

New SSD drive

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

Large mouse pad

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

If you are tried encrypting or decrypting a file using the default EFS engine but you receive an error message instead saying, “Error Applying Attributes, An error occurred applying attributes to the file: The specified file could not be decrypted”, read on as this post will help you sort out the problem. If you encounter this error you can use the error code in it. You will most likely get error code 0x80071771. This kind of error occurs when the File Explorer’s copy and paste feature was not able to read the source file being encrypted or decrypted. It could also occur if you try to access a file that has been on another computer previously.

To fix error code 0x80071771 when decrypting or encrypting a file, refer to the instructions provided below.

Step 1: You need to check first if you can decrypt the files encrypted by EFS. However, if you can’t, just proceed and then take full control of the file. Step 2: To take control of the file, open File Explorer and right-click on the partition, and then click on Properties. Step 3: After that, click on the Edit button under the Security tab. Step 4: Next, make sure that “Everyone” is selected under the Group or user names section. Step 5: Afterwards, the Permissions for Everyone section will be activated. Just make sure that all the checkboxes for Allow are checked and then click on the Apply button. Step 6: Once you’re done, click on the Advanced button. This will open a new window labeled Advanced Security Settings. From there, click on the Change link under the Owner section. Step 7: Now type your account name in the field and click on Check Names to verify the account name and click OK. Step 8: After that, select the “Replace owner on sub-containers and objects” option and then click OK. Step 9: Next, select Administrators in the Group or User names list and select Full Control in the Permissions for Administrators panel and click OK.

A number of users reported lately that their Windows 10 PCs automatically boots into the BIOS whenever they start their computers. And when they tried to exit the BIOS and restart their computers, it still boots into the BIOS. If you are one of the users who experience the same problem, worry not for this post will walk you through what you can do to resolve the problem. Each time a Windows 10 computer boots, it goes through a lot of processes and one of them is where it checks the computer for any hardware issue such as hard drives, peripherals, as well as external devices. So if it finds some issue, the computer will halt the boot process and will boot into the BIOS. To fix this, there are several suggestions you can try. You have to check if you’ve pressed any key, especially the F2 or F12, or Del keys. You also have to check the peripherals and external devices in your computer or update the BIOS or reset it. For more information, make sure to follow each one of the options laid out below.

Option 1 – Try to check for any pressed key

The first thing you can do is to check for any pressed key. This might not make any sense but a pressed key can actually cause this problem. So you have to check if you have the F2 or F12 or Del buttons pressed since these are hardware keys that are usually set by the OEM to boot into the BIOS.

Option 2 – Try checking the physical device connections

You might also want to try checking if there are other devices that are connected to your PC. This is because the configuration of the BIOS or UEFI might be configured in a way that any external device connected to the computer has a higher boot priority compared to the hard disk.  And if it’s really the case, the externally attached disk might be the drive your computer is trying to boot into and not the hard disk. In such cases, Pen Drives, USB storage devices, CDs, DVDs, and so on, are included in this category of physical device connections.

Option 3 – Try to set a proper boot device

If the Boot Manager wasn’t able to locate a proper boot device, then it could be the reason why your computer boots into the BIOS when you turn it on. Thus, you have to check if there is an available proper boot device. You can usually find it under the Boot priority section. However, if you’re unable to locate your hard drive or SSD under the Boot device, then you have to change the hard drive but you have to check first if it is properly plugged in and that it works on other computers. If it works on other PCs, then the problem lies in the motherboard of your computer, and in that case, you have to consult its manufacturer.

Option 4 – Try to update the BIOS

Updating the BIOS can help you fix the issue but as you know, BIOS is a sensitive part of a computer. Even though it is a software component, the functioning of the hardware depends on it largely. Thus, you must be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
• From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
• After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
• If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
• Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version on your computer.
• Now restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Note: If updating the BIOS didn’t help, you might want to consider resetting it instead.

Option 5 – Try resetting the BIOS/UEFI configuration

You might also want to reset the BIOS configuration which will lead to arranging the boot configuration since it is intended by the manufacturer. Note that this will get rid of any blockage in the boot process. All you have to do is take out the CMOS battery for a couple of seconds and then put it back again. After that restart, your computer and will be booted directly into Windows. Resetting the BIOS would also get rid of any password set for BIOS and you need to change your CMOS battery in case it didn’t work.

Error Code 0x80072efe - What is it?

Error Code 0x80072efe is a fairly common error code that generally occurs in Windows 10. It is most often associated with the process of performing updates using the Windows Update tool.

Common symptoms include:

• Inability to install or complete updates on your Windows machine
• Computer freezing as programs are run or started
• Inability to perform installations of downloaded programs
• Programs crashing or failing to work properly

While Error Code 0x80072efe can cause a number of frustrating issues on your device, the good news is that there are several methods that can be used to fix this error. The two most common methods are actually fairly easy to perform and do not require advanced tools or knowledge. However, if you don’t feel like you will be able to perform the necessary steps on your own, be sure to get in touch with a qualified computer repair technician to help you in the resolution of this particular error.

Solution

Error Causes

Two things are generally behind the appearance of Error Code 0x80072efe on a Windows device. The first is that one or more of your registry keys are not available, have been corrupted, or are not installed properly. The second is that necessary DLL files aren’t working properly within your machine.

However, other things can mimic these causes, which is why the two methods listed below will resolve the issue in most cases.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Fortunately, there are two resolution methods that can be used quickly and easily when Error Code 0x80072efe arises on your Windows computer. Neither of these requires advanced knowledge or skill, but if you don’t feel comfortable with performing these steps on your own, it is recommended that you contact a qualified computer repair technician in order to get assistance.

Here are the best ways to resolve Error Code 0x80072efe on your computer:

Method One:  Check Your Time and Date Settings for Accuracy

If your time or date has been set incorrectly, it can make your system logs appear to have incorrect information, which can lead to the appearance of Error Code 0x80072efe. Because this is the easiest thing to fix if it is indeed the problem that is making the error code appear, this should always be the first thing that you try when this error code arises.

In order to check your time and date settings, follow these simple steps:

• Step One: Make sure that you are logged into your computer as an administrator.
• Step Two: Click on the time and date listed on the lower right edge of your screen. If the settings are not correct, choose the option to change the time and date.

If method one has not successfully resolved Error Code 0x80072efe, you may need to attempt method two.

Method Two:  Check Your Firewall Settings During Updates

In some cases, your firewall can prevent your machine from accessing the information that it needs in order for the installation or update to go through correctly. If that is the case, you can follow a few simple steps to turn off your firewall, just while you install the update, and then turn it back on.

In order to do so, follow these steps:

• Step One: In the Start menu, choose the option to open the Control Panel.
• Step Two: Select the option for System and Security, looking for and clicking on Windows Firewall.
• Step Three: Turn off any private network firewalls.
• Step Four: Reboot your computer to apply the changes that you have made.
• Step Five: Re-attempt to run your Windows Update.

Note that if this method allows you to successfully bypass the error code, you’ll need to make sure to turn the firewall back on when you are finished. Even though it can interfere with the Update process, your firewall is still very important to your computer.

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.