How to Fix Error 12031

Hello and welcome everyone, today we will be talking about power toys, a great, completely free, open-source, Microsoft-supported Windows project which aims to provide Windows itself with powerful features not found natively in it. We will explore power toys completely here and explain each module and its features. The first thing is of course to download power toys themselves. You can find them here. After you download them, double click on the downloaded file and install. Start power toys, you will find them at the bottom of the taskbar, note that power toys need to be active in order to use their features. When opened you will be greeted with general settings window. These are settings for power toys themselves, Here you can check for updates, change the looks of power toys, run it on system startup and run them as administrator. Set them up so they best suit your needs.

Color Picker

Moving down next tab we have is Color picker. The color picker will let you as the name suggests pick colors, it will sample colors from running applications and windows, snap their values, and place them in the clipboard. A useful application if you are working as a graphic designer, want to create some cool word document, or just want to compare the difference between colors. After the Color Picker is activated, hover your mouse cursor over the color you would like to copy and left-click the mouse button to select a color. If you want to see the area around your cursor in more detail, scroll up to zoom in. The copied color will be stored in your clipboard in the format that is configured in the settings (HEX by default). The editor lets you see the history of picked colors (up to 20) and copy their representation in any predefined string format. You can configure what color formats are visible in the editor, along with the order that they appear. This configuration can be found in PowerToys settings. The editor also allows you to fine-tune any picked color or get a new similar color. Editor previews different shades of currently selected color - 2 lighter and 2 darker ones. Clicking on any of those alternative color shades will add the selection to the history of picked colors (appears on the top of the colors history list). Color in the middle represents your currently selected color from the history of the colors. By clicking on it, the fine-tuning configuration control will appear, which will let you change the HUE or RGB values of the current color. Pressing OK will add newly configured color into the history of the colors.

Fancy Zones

Moving down, we have fancy zones. FancyZones is a window manager utility for arranging and snapping windows into efficient layouts to improve the speed of your workflow and restore layouts quickly. FancyZones allows the user to define a set of window locations for a desktop that are drag targets for windows. When the user drags a window into a zone, the window is resized and repositioned to fill that zone. When first launched, the zones editor presents a list of layouts that can be adjusted by how many windows are on the monitor. Choosing a layout shows a preview of that layout on the monitor. The selected layout is applied automatically.

File Explorer

Next, File Explorer. Only 3 options here but maybe some are important to you. This extension lets you enable SVG file preview in File Explorer, enable Markdown preview, and enable SVG thumbnails. Turn on each one you might need.

Image Resize

Next down the line, we have Image resize. Image Resizer is a Windows shell extension for bulk image-resizing. After installing PowerToys, right-click on one or more selected image files in File Explorer, and then select Resize pictures from the menu. You can specify your own sizes if you want, you can resize when dragging files, you can overwrite files or make new copies of new sizes, and many more options. A very useful tool I am sure plenty of users can use since this eliminates the need for pictures or any other image application for common resizing tasks.

Keyboard Manager

The keyboard manager is the next tab in power toys. The PowerToys Keyboard Manager enables you to redefine keys on your keyboard. For example, you can exchange the letter A for the letter D on your keyboard. When you select the A key, a D will display. You can also exchange shortcut key combinations. For example, the shortcut key, Ctrl+C, will copy the text in Microsoft Word. With the PowerToys Keyboard Manager utility, you can exchange that shortcut for ⊞ Win+C). Now, ⊞ Win+C) will copy text. If you do not specify a targeted application in PowerToys Keyboard Manager, the shortcut exchange will be applied globally across Windows. PowerToys Keyboard Manager must be enabled (with PowerToys running in the background) for remapped keys and shortcuts to be applied. If PowerToys is not running, key remapping will no longer be applied.

Power Rename

Nex we have a very cool and powerful Power Rename PowerRename is a bulk renaming tool that enables you to:

• Modify the file names of a large number of files (without renaming all of the files with the same name).
• Perform a search and replace on a targeted section of file names.
• Perform a regular expression rename on multiple files.
• Check expected rename results in a preview window before finalizing a bulk rename.
• Undo a rename operation after it is completed.

Run Utility

Power Toys Run utility follows next. PowerToys Run is a quick launcher for power users that contains some additional features without sacrificing performance. PowerToys Run features include:

• Search for applications, folders, or files
• Search for running processes (previously known as WindowWalker)
• Clickable buttons with keyboard shortcuts (such as Open as the administrator or Open containing folder)
• Invoke Shell Plugin using > (for example, > Shell:startup will open the Windows startup folder)
• Do a simple calculation using the calculator

Shortcut Guide

Last but not least we have a Shortcut guide. This guide uses PowerToys to display common keyboard shortcuts that use the Windows ⊞ key. Windows key keyboard shortcuts can be used while the guide is being shown and the result of those shortcuts (active window moved, arrow shortcut behavior changes, etc) will be displayed in the guide. Releasing the Windows ⊞ key will make the overlay disappear. Tapping the Windows ⊞ key will display the Windows Start menu. Hey, you made it till the end, thank you for reading and I hope to see you soon.

File Transfer Protocol Server, also known as FTP Server, is a private or public service that can host files that can be accessed both locally and globally. It is a quick, flexible and seamless service that allows you to store any kind of files depending on the total size of the server. If you’ve always found an FTP server useful, then the good thing is you can now create your FTP server since Windows 10 now allows it. You can host this server locally and later on make it globally available via the internet. So if you are planning to set up an FTP server on your Windows 10 computer, read on as this post will guide you on how to do so.

To set up the FTP server, you need to configure it first and then configure the Windows Firewall for the connections to go through. For more details, refer to the following steps:

Step 1: You need to configure the FTP server on Windows 10.

• In the Search box, type in “Turn Windows Features On or Off” to search for it.
• Then click on the appropriate result which will open a mini window.
• From this mini window, scroll down to the list and expand “Internet Information Services where you have to expand the FTP Server section.
• Next, select all the checkboxes to enable all the entries under FTP Server and then click the OK button to apply the changes made.
• And now, since your computer is now allowed to host an FTP server, you need to configure it. To do so, type “Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager” in the Search box and click on the appropriate entry.
• Next, right-click on Sites under the navigation bar of Connections and select Add FTP Site. This will open a new window where you have to input some information about your FTP hosting.
• Now enter the details and click on Next.
• Upon clicking Next, you will be prompted to give some authentication details. Enter the following details in the screenshot below.
• Now click on Finish. After that, you will get an FTP Server being hosted on your Windows 10 PC.

And now that you’ve successfully configured the FTP Server, the next thing you have to do is to allow connections from and to the FTP server. Refer to the next step below. Step 2: Configure the Windows Firewall for FTP connections to pass-through

• In the Start Search, type “Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall” and click on the related search result which will open a window with all the settings.
• From there, click on the Change Settings button. This will display a list where you have to mark all the checkboxes for the FTP server to enable them in both the Private and Public configurations.
• After that, click OK. This will allow you access to the FTP server on your local network.

Strangely enough, Windows 11 does not feature any typical icon on its desktop when installed. No My PC, no Recycle Bin, nothing, just plain and clean wallpaper. Personally, I like this clean look and feel but of course, there are a lot of users that are used to have some system-related icons on their desktop for easy access. Do not sweat, we will turn them back on with ease. The best part is that you can choose which one would you like. So let’s dive right into it and get the icons back for the old Windows feel and look.

Showing selected Icons desktop

1. Right-click on Desktop and select Personalize
2. Select Themes from the list of personalization items
3. Inside themes scroll down and click on Desktop Icon Settings
4. Desktop Icon Settings will open and inside it, place checkmarks beside icons that you would like to appear on the desktop and click OK
5. Close settings

As always settings and choices will be automatically applied and icons will appear right away on the desktop.

EasyDocMerge Toolbar is a Browser Hijacker for Google Chrome. Usually, such browser extensions are installed without your knowledge. These types of Browser Hijackers are often the cause of many problems while surfing the Internet. The most common problems are unwanted pop-ups, underlined words, additional ads, sponsored links, to generate web traffic and earn revenue of the advertising networks by gathering the users browsing data and sending it back to the Mindspark ads network.

When installed this extension will hijack your home page setting it to MyWay.com, it will also change your new tab page to EasyDocMerge (Powered by MyWay.com Search).

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a form of an unwanted program, commonly a web browser add-on or extension, which then causes modifications in the browser’s settings. Browser hijacker malware is developed for a variety of reasons. It redirects you to the sponsored internet sites and inserts adverts on your browser that assist its creator to generate earnings. A lot of people think that the browser hijacker is only a harmless website but that is not the case. Nearly every browser hijacker poses an existent threat to your online safety and it’s important to classify them under privacy dangers. They don’t just mess up your browsers, but browser hijackers can even modify the computer registry, leaving your computer susceptible to various other types of attacks.

Key symptoms that your web browser has been hijacked

There are various signs of web browser hijacking: the home page of the web browser is changed unexpectedly; new bookmarks pointing to porn websites are added to your favorite pages; the essential web browser settings are modified and unwanted or insecure resources are added to the trusted sites list; you’ll see many toolbars on your web browser; you see a lot of pop-up ads on your computer screen; your web browser has become unstable or starts running sluggishly; Inability to navigate to particular sites, particularly anti-malware and other computer security software sites.

How they infect computers

Browser hijackers infect computer systems by numerous means, including via a file-share, a drive-by download, or an infected e-mail attachment. They can also originate from any BHO, extension, add-on, toolbar, or plug-in with malicious intent. A browser hijacker may also come bundled up with some free software that you unintentionally download to your computer, compromising your internet security. Typical examples of browser hijackers include CoolWebSearch, Conduit, Coupon Server, OneWebSearch, RocketTab, Searchult.com, Snap.do, and Delta Search. Browser hijackers may record user keystrokes to gather potentially important information that leads to privacy issues, cause instability on computers, drastically disrupt user’s browsing experience, and finally slow down the system to a point where it will become unusable.

Removal

Certain browser hijacking could be simply reversed by discovering and eliminating the corresponding malware software from your control panel. In some cases, it can be a difficult job to identify and eliminate the malicious component because the associated file might be running as part of the operating system process. You should consider carrying out manual fixes only if you are a tech-savvy person, as potential risks are associated with tinkering with the system registry and HOSTS file. Installing and running antivirus programs on the affected computer could automatically erase browser hijackers and other malicious applications. Safebytes Anti-Malware contains a state-of-the-art anti-malware engine to help you prevent browser hijacking in the first place, and clean up any pre-existing issues

What you can do if Virus Prevents You From Downloading Or Installing Anything?

Practically all malware is bad, but certain kinds of malware do a lot more damage to your computer than others. Some malware sits in between your computer and the internet connection and blocks a few or all internet sites that you would like to visit. It will also prevent you from adding anything to your PC, especially antivirus software. If you’re reading this now, you might have probably recognized that a malware infection is the real cause of your blocked web connectivity. So how to proceed if you need to install an antivirus application such as Safebytes? Although this kind of problem can be difficult to get around, there are a few steps you can take.

Eliminate viruses in Safe Mode

If any virus is set to run automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, stepping into Safe Mode could block this attempt. Only minimal required programs and services are loaded when you boot your laptop or computer in Safe Mode. You will need to do the following to eliminate malware in Safe mode. 1) At power on/start-up, hit the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Select Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and press ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you should have the internet. Now, utilize your browser normally and navigate to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) Once the software is installed, allow the diagnostic scan to run to eliminate viruses and other threats automatically.

Obtain the security program using an alternate web browser

Some malware might target vulnerabilities of a specific web browser that obstruct the downloading process. The best way to avoid this problem is to pick a web browser that is renowned for its security features. Firefox has built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to help keep you secure online.

Run anti-malware from your USB drive

To effectively get rid of the malware, you need to approach the problem of running antivirus software on the infected computer from a different angle. Abide by these steps to run the anti-virus on the affected computer. 1) On a virus-free PC, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the Flash drive into the clean computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the antivirus program to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Choose the flash drive as the destination for saving the file. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation process. 5) Remove the pen drive. You can now utilize this portable anti-virus on the infected computer system. 6) Double-click the antivirus program EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Simply click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for viruses.

Protect Your Computer Against Viruses and Malware With SafeBytes Security Suite

Today an anti-malware program can protect your laptop or computer from different types of internet threats. But how to select the best one amongst countless malware protection software that is available out there? As you might be aware, there are several anti-malware companies and tools for you to consider. A few are really worth your money, but many aren’t. You need to choose one that is dependable, practical, and has a strong reputation for its malware source protection. Among few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the strongly recommended software program for the security-conscious user. SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, highly effective protection application made to help end-users of all levels of computer literacy in detecting and removing harmful threats from their computer. After you have installed this software, SafeByte's sophisticated protection system will ensure that no viruses or malicious software can seep through your personal computer.

SafeBytes has fantastic features when compared to various other anti-malware programs. Listed below are some of the great features included in the software.

Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes gives you round-the-clock protection for your personal computer limiting malware intrusions instantly. It will examine your PC for suspicious activity at all times and safeguards your PC from illegal access. Antimalware Protection: Safebytes is made on the best virus engine in the industry. These engines can identify and get rid of threats even during the initial phases of a malware outbreak. “Fast Scan” Features: SafeBytes’s high-speed malware scanning engine minimizes scanning times and extends the life of the battery. Simultaneously, it will effectively find and get rid of infected files or any internet threat. Web Protection: SafeBytes checks and gives a unique safety rating to every website you visit and block access to webpages known to be phishing sites, thus protecting you against identity theft, or known to contain malicious software. Low CPU Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight application. It consumes an extremely small amount of processing power as it runs in the background so you are free to use your Windows-based computer the way you want. 24/7 Premium Support: Professional technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will immediately fix any technical issues you may be encountering with your security software. Simply put, SafeBytes has formulated a meaningful anti-malware solution that is aimed to protect your computer against various malware. Malware trouble will become a thing of the past once you put this software to use. For top protection and the best value for money, you can’t get better than SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you want to manually remove EasyDocMerge without using an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the application from the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser plug-ins, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You’ll likely also want to totally reset your browser to its default configuration settings. To be certain of complete removal, find the following registry entries on your computer and remove them or reset the values appropriately. However, this is a tricky task and only computer experts can perform it safely. Moreover, some malicious programs are capable to defend against its removal. It is highly recommended that you do the removal process in Windows Safe Mode.

When Windows 10 was introduced as an upgrade to Windows 7 and 8, a lot were thrilled because of its new features. One of the most interesting features that this has is the Microsoft Store. Just like in our tablets and smartphones, we can now download our favorite apps from a trusted source. Without the Microsoft store app, you can’t download any applications that you can use on your computer. But what happens if you can’t open your Microsoft Store or you accidentally uninstalled it? The most common error that users encounter when accessing Microsoft Store is the error code 0x80072efd. This error code appears when there is a problem with the internet connection. To resolve this, troubleshoot your modem by doing a simple power cycle. Turn off your modem and wait for a couple of minutes and turn it back on. It should refresh your internet. This works if there is really no problem on the Service provider’s side. Disable your Proxy server, if you are using one to access the internet. To do this, press Windows + R keys on your keyboard. Type “inetcpl.cpl” in the box and go to Connection. Next, click on LAN settings then tick on the box next to Automatically detect settings. Uncheck the box below Proxy Server Among the useful apps that came with the Windows 10 upgrade is PowerShell. It allows you to install and uninstall individual and all apps by using a series of commands. So you don’t have to worry if you can’t find your Microsoft Store or if you accidentally delete it. To access PowerShell, type in the word PowerShell into the search box found beside your Window Icon. Look for PowerShell from the results and right-click on it and hit Run as Administrator.

When you are in the PowerShell window, enter the command below:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"

Another option is to download a Windows Update Troubleshooter. After you download it, open the troubleshooter tool and follow the steps. If you saved the file instead of directly opening it, go to the folder where the troubleshooter was saved and double click on the wu.diagcab file to rub the troubleshooter. One of the most interesting error codes that you might encounter when accessing the Microsoft store is error code 1. This particular error code is resolved by changing your PC’s region to the United States. To do this, go to Settings and look for Time & Language. Then go to region and language. Under the Country or region, choose the United States from the dropdown menu then restart your computer. The troubleshooting procedures above are the most common solution to resolve the problem on Microsoft Store issues but there are times that these procedures won’t work. If you are not confident to resolve this through the procedures mentioned in this article, there are so many tools online that you can download to help you out. It also helps to contact Microsoft or consult a technician to ensure that you are doing the correct procedure.

You will notice the blurred background on the login screen right away when you start your Windows 10 computer that’s running the v1903 and up. This kind of blurred background is known as “Acrylic Blur Effect on Sign-in Screen”. This new feature delivers a beautiful experience to users by adding more focus to the login screen. However, no matter how nice this feature is and even if it only stays for less than a minute, not all users like it and if you’re one of these users, read on as this post will guide you in disabling the blurred background login screen in your Windows 10 computer. Disabling the blurred background in the login screen can be done in two methods. The first one is via the Registry Editor and the second one is via the Group Policy Editor. Before you proceed, make sure that you are using an admin account and you must create a System Restore point first. Once you have that covered, follow the options provided below.

Option 1 – Disable the Blurred background in the login screen via Registry Editor

• First, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field, and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, navigate to this registry path: KEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsSystem
• Next, right-click on any empty space in the right pane and create a new DWORD (32 bit) and name it as “DisableAcrylicBackgroundOnLogon”.
• Once you’ve created the DWORD, double click on it and set its value to 1 to disable it and 0 to enable it.
• After you make the necessary changes, restart your computer. You won’t now see the blurred background on the login screen.

Note: No matter what option you select to change the background, it will stay blurred when you click on the login button. At the time of writing, there is no way to disable this feature in the Personalization section so the Registry Editor will have to suffice for now.

Option 2 – Disable the Blurred background in the login screen via Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• After that, navigate to this policy setting: Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemLogon
• From there, double click on the “Show clear logon background settings” and since its default value is “Not configured”, set it to “Disabled”. You will see the following description under this setting:
  • “This policy setting disables the acrylic blur effect on the logon background image.”
  • “If you enable this policy, the logon background image shows without blur.”

• Now click on OK and then check the login screen.

Note: If you don’t configure or if you disable this policy, the logon background image adopts the acrylic blur effect. However, if it didn’t work, you have to restart your computer and then check.

If you always use Google Chrome when browsing the internet, then you might have come across an error saying, “This webpage is not available, DNS PROBE FINISHED BAD CONFIG”. If you do, then this problem certainly has something to do with the DNS since any error code which has “DNS” in it points out a network issue in the computer. Getting the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_BAD_CONFIG error indicates that your computer is not able to connect the website because the Domain Name Server or DNS wasn’t able to resolve the website name into IP address or it is not available at all. So in this guide, we’ll help you sort out this issue in Chrome on your Windows 10 PC.

Option 1 – Check the Network Cables and restart your router then reconnect

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 the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_BAD_CONFIG error in Chrome. And if your computer is connected via Wi-Fi, you need to make sure to restart your router once. In addition, you can also forget the Wi-Fi your computer is currently connected to and then try reconnecting again to see if it would work.

Option 2 – Flush the DNS and reset TCP/IP

Flushing the DNS and reset TCP/IP could also help in fixing the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_BAD_CONFIG error in Chrome. To do so, refer to these steps:

• Click the Start button and type in “command prompt” in the field.
• From the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt, you have to type each one of the commands listed below. Just make sure that after you type each command, you hit Enter
  • ipconfig /release
  • ipconfig /all
  • ipconfig /flushdns
  • ipconfig /renew
  • netsh int ip set dns
  • netsh winsock reset

After you key in the commands listed above, the DNS cache will be flushed and the Winsock, as well as the TCP/IP, will reset.

Option 3 – Try to remove the Proxy

You can also try to remove the Proxy as it might also help you in fixing the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_BAD_CONFIG 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 4 – Change the DNS

Try to use the Google Public DNS If the first option didn’t work, you can try to use the Public DNS by Google and see if it can help fix the DNS error. 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” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

Option 5 – Clear Chrome’s browsing data

If your browsing data in Chrome hasn’t been cleared for some time now then that might be the reason why you’re suddenly getting the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_BAD_CONFIG error when you browse the web. To fix this error, you need to clear your web browsing data. Refer to the following steps to do so.

• Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Delete buttons to go to the Clear browsing data section in Chrome.
• Next, set the time range to “All time” and tick all the boxes and then click on the Clear data button.
• After that, restart the Chrome browser and try to open the website you were trying to open earlier.

Option 6 – Try running the Chrome Cleanup tool

In case you don’t know, there is actually a built-in malware scanner and cleanup tool in Chrome that helps you get rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and other things that could affect the performance of the browser.

Location services is a built-in tool in Windows 10 is a useful tool that offers users location information even when your laptop or desktop computer does not have a GPS since it uses Wi-Fi positioning as well as your device’s IP address. However, there are instances when you might encounter some problems when using this service. One instance is when you suddenly find the toggle button for Location service greyed out. This kind of program could be due to some glitch in the system or some third-party application on your computer. Because of this problem, you won’t be able to toggle the Location service on or off and you won’t be able to make any changes in its settings. Worry not, for this post will guide you on what you can do to fix the greyed-out toggle button of Location services in Windows 10. Before you perform some troubleshooting steps, you might want to restart your computer and see if it fixes the problem. If it didn’t, then this problem is not just some minor glitch. Thus, you have to follow the potential fixes provided below to fix the problem but before you do that, make sure that you create a System Restore point first. After that, follow each one of the following options.

Option 1 – Put your PC in a Clean Boot State

The first thing you can do to resolve the problem is to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. It could be that there is a third-party program that’s preventing the toggle button from functioning. To isolate this possibility, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State.

• 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 check if you can now use the toggle button of the Location service or not.

Option 2 – Try to use the Registry Editor

If putting your computer in a Clean Boot state didn’t fix the problem, you might want to make some adjustments in the Windows Registry via Registry Editor.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServiceslfsvcTriggerInfo
• From there, select the Key (folder) named as “3” and right-click on it, and then delete it.
• Once done, exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to use the Windows Services Manager

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
• Next, look for the “Geolocation Service” entry from the list of services.
• Once you find it, right-click on it and select Properties. This will open a new mini window.
• From there, make sure that it is “Running” and its Startup Type is set to “Automatic”.
• After that, close the Services Manager and check if the problem is now resolved.

Option 4 – Try to use the Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and click OK to open the Group Policy Editor.
• After that, navigate to this path: Administrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsLocation and Sensors
• Next, double click on each one of the following settings and select the “Not configured” or “Disabled” option.
  • Turn off location scripting
  • Turn off location
  • Turn off sensors

• Once done, navigate to this path: Administrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsLocation and SensorsWindows Location Provider
• From there, double click on the “Turn off Windows Location Provider” policy setting and set its configuration to either “Disabled” or “Not configured”. You should see the following description of the policy setting in the window:

“This policy setting turns off the Windows Location Provider feature for this computer. If you enable this policy setting, the Windows Location Provider feature will be turned off, and all programs on this computer will not be able to use the Windows Location Provider feature. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, all programs on this computer can use the Windows Location Provider feature.”

• Now restart your computer.

Microsoft has started to use group along with every open window in the Taskbar ever since the release of Windows 10. Early on, they used to show an individual entry for each one of the windows after grouping them which makes the taskbar look cleaner and organized. However, the main issue lies in the fact that you have to hover on your desired window to get on to them. At the time of writing, you need to tap the Ctrl key and click on the taskbar icon to open the last active window but you have to only click on the program’s taskbar icon after you apply the tweak given in this post for the last active window to open. Take note that the “Last Active” windows feature will only work if the taskbar buttons are combined. Before you get started doing the instructions given below, you need to create a System Restore Point first since you will be dealing with registry files and modifying some of the critical settings in Windows 10. Once you’ve done this, proceed to the given steps below. Step 1: Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. Step 2: If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed to open the Registry Editor. Step 3: Next, navigate to the following registry path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced

Step 4: From there, right-click on the right side of the panel and select New > DWORD (32-bit) and then name it “LastActiveClick”. Step 5: After that, double click on the newly created DWORd to modify its value. Put “1” as its value data. Step 6: Then click OK and close the Registry Editor. Step 7: Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made. Note: In case you want to revert back to the default configuration, all you have to do is set the value data of LastActiveClick to “0” or simply delete that DWORD and restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

PC Fix Speed is a Potentially Unwanted Program designed to improve the speed of your computer. This program usually comes bundled with other software, and when installs automatically scan your PC and displays exaggerated messages on the status of the PC’s performance, to get users to pay for the PRO version of the software. It also adds registry entities that allow it to run each time the computer is started, and the application itself will constantly keep reminding users that they have errors by putting the application windows on top.

From the Author: The Service is provided by PCRx through Crawler, LLC. Clean and repair your PC’s registry, optimize PC performance and free up disk and memory space. With everything you do on your PC, including adding on devices, a new entry is created in your Windows® registry, and seldom are any removed after they’re no longer needed. As a result, your PC gets bogged down with unnecessary entries, slowing your PC speed, the start-up, and your Internet browser. PC Fix Speed cleans up registry entries and puts your PC back on track for optimal performance. PC Fix Speed is an essential application that should be a part of every computer. PC Fix Speed especially helps computers that are unusually slow, freeze up often or show error messages, by cleaning the system registry and improving overall performance.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

If you have ever downloaded software from the internet (shareware, freeware, etc,), it’s quite possible you’ve unconsciously installed unwanted programs on your computer system. A Potentially Unwanted Program, often known as PUP, in short, is software that contains adware, installs toolbars, or has other hidden goals. These kinds of programs are usually bundled up with free applications that you download from the internet or will also be bundled inside the custom installers on many download sites. It’s clear by its name – unwanted programs – but did not actually constitute “malware” in the traditional sense. An important difference between malware and PUP is distribution. Malware is normally dropped through vulnerability exploitation while PUP gets installed with the consent of the user, who intentionally or unwittingly approves the PUP installation on their computer. PUP developers can argue their programs aren’t malicious software however, it can nevertheless be unsafe software and put your PC at risk much the same way malware does.

Exactly how do PUPs look like?

Unwanted programs come in various forms. More often, they can be found in adware bundlers which are known to utilize aggressive and misleading advertising. Most bundlers install many adware programs from a number of vendors, each of which possesses its own EULA policy. Safebytes Anti-malware entirely eliminates this threat and safeguards your computer against unwanted programs or adware infection. Several PUPs also show up as toolbars or add-ons, mounted on your preferred web browser. These toolbars change your homepage and your search engine in the installed browser, track your web activities, control your search results with redirects and sponsored links, and eventually slow down your browser and diminish your web browsing experience. Potentially Unwanted Programs occasionally act very much like viruses or spyware. Some PUPs carry keyloggers, dialers, and other software to collect your personal details that can cause identity theft. Because of this unwanted program, your application may freeze, your security protections can get disabled which could leave your computer susceptible, your system may get ruined, and the list goes on and on.

Some tips on protecting yourself from PUPs

• Read meticulously before you install anything. Don’t click accept until you have read the fine print. There could be a clause about PUPs. • Use ONLY custom or manual install method – and don’t blindly click Next, Next, Next. • Use good anti-malware software. Try Safebytes Anti-malware which can spot PUPs and handle them as malware by flagging them for removal. • Be alert if you install freeware, open-source programs, or shareware. Disable or eliminate toolbars and browser extensions you don’t really need. • Only download applications from the original providers’ websites. Avoid download portals since they use their very own download manager to pack additional programs together with the initial download. Remember the fact that although PUPs could cause damage and hinder the proper function of the computer, they can’t get into your system without your consent, so be watchful not to provide them with it.

What To Do If You Cannot Install Any Antivirus?

Malware could cause a great deal of damage to your PC. Some malware sits in between your PC and your net connection and blocks some or all internet sites that you would like to check out. It could also prevent you from adding anything to your PC, especially the antivirus program. So what should you do when malware prevents you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? Although this kind of issue will be tougher to get around, there are some steps you can take.

Start your computer in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to load at Windows start-up, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Only the bare minimum required applications and services are loaded whenever you start your laptop or computer into Safe Mode. Listed below are the steps you should follow to boot into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (check out the Microsoft website for instructions on Windows 8 and 10 PCs). 1) At power-on/startup, tap the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Make use of the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) When you are into this mode, you will have an internet connection again. Now, use your web browser to download and install an anti-malware program. 4) After the application is installed, allow the diagnostic scan run to eliminate trojans and other threats automatically.

Switch to an alternate web browser

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a particular internet browser or attacking specific versions of the web browser. The ideal way to avoid this problem is to select an internet browser that is well known for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you safe online.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

Here’s yet another solution which is using a portable USB anti-malware software package that can check your computer for malware without needing installation. To run anti-virus from a USB drive, follow these simple steps: 1) Make use of another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug in the pen drive to a USB port on the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the executable file to run the installation wizard. 4) Choose a USB drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you want to install the application. Follow the instructions on the computer screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, insert the USB drive into the corrupted PC. 6) Double-click the EXE file to run the Safebytes tool right from the thumb drive. 7) Click the “Scan” button to run a full system scan and remove viruses automatically.

SafeBytes AntiMalware Overview

Want to download the best anti-malware software program for your system? There are various applications available that come in free and paid versions for Microsoft Windows systems. A few are good ones, some are decent, while some are merely bogus anti-malware programs that can damage your personal computer themselves! When searching for an anti-malware tool, select one which gives dependable, efficient, and complete protection against all known viruses and malware. On the list of highly recommended software is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes carries a superb track record of excellent service, and customers appear to be happy with it. SafeBytes can be described as a powerful, real-time antivirus application that is created to assist the typical computer end user in protecting their PC from malicious threats. This tool can easily detect, remove, and protect your computer from the most advanced malware intrusions including adware, spyware, trojan horses, ransomware, worms, PUPs, parasites, and other potentially harmful software programs.

There are plenty of amazing features you will get with this particular security product. Here are some of the features you will like in SafeBytes.

Active Protection: SafeBytes provides a totally hands-free active protection that is set to observe, block, and remove all computer threats at its first encounter. This utility will always keep track of your PC for suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep abreast of the constantly changing threat landscape. Anti-Malware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware software goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean your computer system. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard-to-remove malware that hides deep inside your PC. Web protection: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes informs you whether a site is safe or not to access it. This will make sure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the web. Low Memory/CPU Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight and easy-of-use anti-virus and antimalware solution. As it uses very little computer resources, this application leaves the computer’s power exactly where it belongs: with you. 24/7 Premium Support: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and updates for the best user experience. SafeBytes has developed a wonderful anti-malware solution that can help you conquer the latest malware threats and virus attacks. You can rest assured that your computer system will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this software to use. So if you need sophisticated forms of protection features and threat detections, purchasing SafeBytes Anti-Malware will be well worth the dollars!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not want to use malware removal software and prefer to get rid of PC Fix Speed manually, you might do so by going to the Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and removing the offending software; in cases of web browser plug-ins, you could un-install it by going to the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. You will definitely also want to reset your browser. Finally, examine your hard drive for all of the following and clean your computer registry manually to remove leftover application entries after uninstalls. However, this is a tough task and only computer professionals can perform it safely. Moreover, some malware keeps replicating which makes it tough to get rid of. It is advised that you carry out the removal procedure in Windows Safe Mode.