How to Fix Error Code 0xc00007b in Windows 10

If you are trying to upgrade your computer but encounter the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003 instead, then read on as this post will guide you in fixing this Windows Update error. This kind of error is commonly encountered when upgrading your copy of Windows 10 and is caused by errors with various developer-related settings that are being enabled in the system. When you encounter Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003, you will see either of these error messages:

“We couldn’t install Windows 10. The installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during INSTALL_UPDATES operation: Error 0x800F081F”  “The installation failed in the Safe_OS phase with an error during apply_image operation: Error: 0x800f081f – 0x20003”

To fix this kind of Windows Update error, you need not use external programs but you can try to disable the Developer Mode, run the Windows Update troubleshooter or restart all the Windows Update-related services and components. For more details, refer to the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to disable Developer Mode

You might have to disable Developer Mode to fix the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003. How? Refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
• Next, go to Update & Security > For Developers.
• From there, select the toggle for Sideload apps or Microsoft Store apps located on the right-side panel.
• If you get any prompt, just click on Yes.
• After that, navigate to Apps > Apps & features and then click on Optional features on the right-side panel.
• Then scroll down to locate the Windows Developer Mode entry and select it and click on Uninstall.
• Once you’re done uninstalling the Windows Developer Mode component, close the Settings app and restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You should also try to run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter as it could help you resolve the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 3 – Try restarting various Windows Update-related services and components

• Tap the Win + X key combination and select Command Prompt (Admin) to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, copy and paste each one of the commands listed below one by one and tap Enter right after you enter each command.
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop bits
  • net stop appidsvc
  • ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
  • ren %systemroot%system32catroot2 catroot2.bak
• Once you’ve entered all the commands given above, they will stop all the Windows Update services that are running on your computer as well as clear the SoftwareDistribution folder, and reset the Catroot2 folder. Now you have to start all these Windows Update services you’ve just stopped by executing the following commands:
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start bits
  • net start appidsvc
  • net start cryptsvc
• After that, restart your computer and try to run the setup again, and see if the error is now fixed.

The GameStream is an NVIDIA service that allows users to stream games from their Windows 10 computers to other supported devices which includes the NVIDIA SHIELD devices. However, a number of users reported that the NVIDIA GameStream is not working on their Windows 10 computers. This kind of issue is most likely caused by improper installation, some glitches with the network, and many more. To fix this issue in the NVIDIA GameStream, there are several options you need to check out to fix the problem. You can try to lo logout of GameStream and try logging back in again. You could also try to update or uninstall and reinstall the drivers related to NVIDIA or fix some network glitches or update the NVIDIA SHIELD device. For more details, you can refer to each one of the given potential fixes below.

Option 1 – Try to logout and log back into NVIDIA GameStream

The first thing you can do is to log out and then log back into NVIDIA GameStream. Some users claimed that by doing this simple task, they were able to resolve the problem. This is probably because with the re-login, the entire cache of the system and service is rebuilt and any bad sectors of that data will be replaced with the fresh one so this should resolve the problem with the NVIDIA GameStream, if not, refer to the other given options below.

Option 2 – Try updating the drivers from the official site of NVIDIA

If both the first and second given options didn’t work, you can also try updating the drivers from the official NVIDIA website. And in case you don’t know the type of Nvidia graphics card that your computer is on, follow the steps below:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next type in “dxdiag” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.
• From there, you can see what type of Nvidia graphics card that your system is on.
• Take note of your graphics card information and then look for the best drivers for your operating system. Once you’ve downloaded and installed the file, restart your PC.

Option 3 – Try to roll back the driver to the previous version

If updating the NVIDIA display drivers didn’t work for you, then it’s time to roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “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 NVIDIA Drivers and expand it.
• Next, select the driver entries that are labeled appropriately.
• Then select each one of them and double click to open a new mini window.
• After that, make sure that you’re on the Driver tab and if you are not, just navigate to it then click the Roll Back Driver button to switch back to the previous version of the NVIDIA Drivers.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 4 – Try fixing your network

The next thing you can do to fix the problem with the NVIDIA GameStream is to fix the glitches in your network. Make sure that you connect both of your devices to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network and you also have to ensure that the Wi-Fi connection you’re connected to is strong enough for both the devices for the latency to go down. Once you’ve covered all of these things with your network, restart your computer and change the Wi-Fi channel both devices are connected to. This should resolve the problem.

Option 5 – Try to update the NVIDIA SHIELD device

You might also want to update the NVIDIA SHIELD device. There are times when an outdated NVIDIA SHIELD device can result to several issues like the problem with the NVIDIA GameStream. Thus, you need to update NVIDIA SHIELD and check if it fixes the problem or not.

Corefoundation.dll Error - What is it?

Corefoundation.dll error is a DLL error code associated with Apple software such as iTunes, MobileMe, QuickTime and etc. To understand this error better, first you need to understand what corefoundation.dll file is. Corefoundation.dll is a Dynamic Link Library file that is used by Apple software products. This file is created by Apple computer Inc and is designed to help open up some of the media files that you might have on your PC. DLLs help promote modularization of code, efficient memory usage, code reuse and reduced disk space allowing the operating system and the programs to load and run faster and take less disk space on the computer.

Error Messages

This error pops on the screen when there is an issue related to Apple software products on your system. Corefoundation.dll error is displayed on the computer screen in any one of the following formats:

“The program can not start because corefoundation.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem”. "This application has failed to start because CoreFoundation.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem." “The procedure entry point_CFBundleCopyFileTypeForFileData could not be located in the dynamic link library corefoundation.dll.” "MobileMe Control Panel cannot continue as Apple Application Support is missing or outdated. Please uninstall and reinstall the latest version of iTunes and MobileMe Control Panel to fix this issue.”

Though this error code is not fatal but if it is not fixed immediately it will hamper your ability to load and run Apple programs on your system.

Solution

Error Causes

Corefoundation.dll error can be triggered due to several reasons. Here are some of the most common corefoundation.dll error causes:

• Outdated PC drivers
• Viral infection
• Damaged Windows registry files
• Corrupted corefoundation.dll file
• Missing corefoundation.dll file
• Incorrectly installed third-party software

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix this issue on your computer here are some of the best, easy and quick do it yourself methods that you can try:

Method 1: Download the Original Corefoundation.dll File

If the underlying reason for corefoundation.dll error is file corruption or it goes missing, then the best way to resolve is to download the original corefoundation.dll file. Once you download it, paste it to its exact location. DLL files are normally located in the following location C:\Windows\System32. Once you paste it, register the file by typing ‘regsvr corefoundation.dll’ at the command prompt. When the process is complete, restart your PC to activate changes. Alternatively, you can uninstall and re-install any Apple Software you may have on your Windows Computer. To do that, Open the Control Panel, navigate to "Install/Uninstall a Program", search for Apple software, and uninstall them.

Method 2: Update Window Drivers

If the error code is related to outdated drivers, then it is recommended that you update them promptly to resolve the corefoundation.dll error on your PC. This can be done by using a driver update wizard from within Device Manager. The driver update wizard walks you through the entire drive update process, making updating a hassle-free process.

Method 3: Download Restoro

If the error still persists, then try method 3. Sometimes the cause of corefoundation.dll can be viral infection or registry issues.  Viruses may enter your PC unknowingly through phishing emails and downloads which can corrupt and damage your dll files. Also, if you don’t clean your registry frequently, unnecessary and obsolete files may accumulate in the registry like cookies, junk files, internet history and temporary files. These files take up a lot of disk space corrupt DLL files and lead to disk fragmentation. Regardless of what the issue is, Restoro is your one-stop PC Fixer. It is a multi-functional and user-friendly repair tool embedded with 6 different scanners including a registry cleaner and an antivirus. It scans and removes all types of viruses and cleans and restores the registry too. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the corefoundation.dll error today!

iLivid is a video download manager for YouTube and other third-party video-hosted websites. iLivid download manager has powerful features that make it the fastest and easiest way to download hosted files. iLivid includes XBMC plug-ins that let you play almost all popular audio and video formats, in any available protocol and in any media type: streaming, CDs, DVDs, and RAR and archived files from your hard drive.

Livid is a program developed by Bandoo Media Inc. Upon installation, it defines an auto-start registry entry which allows the program to run on each boot for the user who installed it. A scheduled task is added to Windows Task Scheduler in order to launch the program at various scheduled times. The software is designed to connect to the Internet and adds a Windows Firewall exception in order to do so without being interfered with.

Multiple Anti-Virus scanners have detected iLivid as a possible Malware and are therefore not recommended.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

Have you ever discovered an unwanted program running on your computer system and wondered how the heck it got there? These unwanted programs, which are referred to as Potentially Unwanted Programs, or PUP briefly, typically tag along as a software package when downloading the program and could cause serious problems for computer users. The term PUP was actually coined to identify this downloadable crapware as something other than malicious software. The primary reason for this is the fact that the majority of PUPs get into users’ computers not because they exploit security weaknesses, for instance, but mainly because the users grant consent to install it – unwittingly in many instances. However, it is obvious that PUPs continue to be bad news for PC users as they could be really detrimental to your computer in numerous ways.

How does unwanted software affect you?

PUPs come in various forms; having said that, many are classified as adware, which always displays irritating ads and advertising banners on internet pages that you’re exploring. Additionally, they come in the form of web browser extension add-ons and toolbars. Not only they entirely fill up space on your computer screen, but toolbars could also manipulate search engine results, monitor your web browsing activities, decrease your web browser’s efficiency, and slow down your web connection to a crawl. PUPs load up a nasty bite if left unchecked. Some PUPs carry keyloggers, dialers, and other software to gather your personal details which might lead to identity theft. Often, such software will turn off security protections and settings to take control over your computer, making that computer susceptible to online hackers and data thieves. At a minimum, PUPs slow your PC down with every added program.

Preventing unwanted programs

• When installing anything on your desktop, always study the fine print, including the EULA. Don’t accept terms of use that are for bundled programs. • Choose the “custom” install whenever installing an application. In particular, focus on those tiny boxes that have been checked as default, where you may ‘agree’ to get advertisements or install software bundlers. • Use an advert blocker/pop-up blocker; Deploy anti-malware products such as Safebytes Anti-malware. These software programs will establish a wall between your computer and cybercriminals. • Avoid installing applications you don’t really need. Do not ever install software programs that appear suspicious or malicious. • Don’t download programs from popups, internet advertising, file sharing sites, and also other unreliable sources; be cautious about any preset, unwanted options when downloading software. Avoid going to weblogs and sites that promote pirated software.

Can't Install Safebytes Anti-malware because of a Virus? Do This!

Malware could potentially cause a lot of damage to your personal computer. Some malware is designed to interfere with or prevent things that you wish to do on your computer. It may not allow you to download anything from the net or it will stop you from accessing some or all of the internet sites, particularly the anti-virus websites. If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you to download and/or install the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your computer system. There are a few solutions you could try to get around with this issue.

Download the software in Safe Mode with Networking

If the malware is set to load automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, getting into Safe Mode may block the attempt. Since just the bare minimum programs and services launch in safe mode, there are hardly any reasons for conflicts to take place. Below are the steps you have to follow to boot into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (visit Microsoft site for directions on Windows 8 and 10 PCs). 1) After switching on the computer, hit the F8 key while the Windows splash screen begins to load. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and press Enter. 3) Once this mode loads, you will have the internet. Now, make use of your web browser to download and install Safebytes Anti-malware. 4) Immediately after installation, run a full scan and allow the software program to get rid of the threats it finds.

Switch to an alternate browser

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

Run anti-virus from your USB drive

Another option is to save and run an anti-malware software tool entirely from a Pen drive. Follow these steps to use a USB drive to fix your corrupted computer. 1) On a virus-free computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Put the USB drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware software package to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Select the drive letter of the flash drive as the place when the wizard asks you where you want to install the antivirus. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. 5) Unplug the USB drive. Now you can use this portable anti-malware on the infected computer system. 6) Double-click the antivirus program EXE file on the pen drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to identify and clean-up up all kinds of malware.

Let's Talk About SafeBytes Security Suite!

If you’re looking to download an anti-malware application for your computer, there are various tools in the market to consider nonetheless, you should not trust blindly anyone, no matter whether it is a free or paid program. Some of them are excellent, some are decent, while some will ruin your computer themselves! You have to select a company that creates industry-best anti-malware and has earned a reputation as reliable. Among few good programs, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended tool for the security-conscious individual. Safebytes is one of the well-established PC solutions companies, which offer this complete anti-malware application. This software program could easily identify, eliminate, and protect your PC from the most advanced malware attacks such as spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, worms, PUPs, and other possibly damaging software applications. There are lots of amazing features you will get with this security product. Here are some popular features present in this software: Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes gives complete and real-time security for your personal machine. It will check your personal computer for suspicious activity at all times and safeguards your personal computer from unauthorized access. Anti-Malware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware application goes much deeper than most anti-virus tools to clean your computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine detects and disables hard-to-remove malware that conceals deep inside your PC. Web Security: Through its unique safety score, 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 net. High-Speed Malware Scanning Engine: Safebytes Anti-Malware, with its advanced scanning engine, offers super-fast scanning that can promptly target any active online threat. Lowest CPU/Memory Usage: SafeBytes gives you complete protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load due to its enhanced detection engine and algorithms. 24/7 Online Technical Support: You will get 24/7 technical support to quickly resolve any problem with your security application.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually get rid of iLivid without using an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by deleting the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browser’s AddOn/Extension manager and uninstalling it. It is also recommended to factory reset your browser to its default condition to fix corrupt settings. If you decide to manually remove the system files and registry entries, utilize the following list to ensure that you know exactly what files to remove before executing any actions. However, editing the registry is really a complicated job that only advanced computer users and professionals should try to fix the problem. Moreover, certain malicious programs are capable to defend against its deletion. It is recommended that you do the removal process in Windows Safe Mode.

Error Code 46 – What is it?

Error Code 46 is a device driver error that occurs when Windows fails to access the connected peripheral device to the computer as Windows is in a process of shutting down.

Users experience this error on any Windows 2000 and later operating system versions and usually see a pop-up with the following message:

“Windows cannot gain access to this hardware device because the operating system is in the process of shutting down. (Code 46)”

Solution

Error Causes

Error Code 46 is caused when there is a temporary problem with windows system files which prompts that the system is undergoing a shut down when in fact is it not.

This prevents access to the connected devices. This error may also be caused by a registry issue in which case it has either become corrupted or damaged.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Unlike all other Windows error codes, code 46 is relatively easy to fix with the right knowledge and does not pose any serious threat to the well-being of your PC. Here is how you can do it.

Method 1 – Restart your PC

The simplest method to resolve Error Code 46 is to run a restart of your computer.

The error is most commonly a temporary registry glitch that prevents you from accessing the device connected to your computer. Upon restarting your computer, it will resume working properly as before.

There is no need to run a troubleshooting wizard, use system restore, or run anti-virus software to scan and remove malware or spyware. A simple restart is all that is needed.

Method 2 – Install DriverFIX

Although the error code can be resolved upon restarting the computer, there’s a possibility of damaged or corrupted Windows registry files. This can be fixed by using a program like DriverFIX.

DriverFIX, with its user-friendly approach to help you fix your PC issues, comes with an integrated database that detects which drivers you need to reconfigure within just a few seconds and downloads it automatically.

It further ensures that your drivers are installed in their entirety leaving no room for any corrupted or damaged registry.

Error Code 46 may not be much of an issue, however, to prevent any risk of a Windows system corruption can be disastrous for your computer.

DriverFIX helps you fix your PC registry and device driver problems with user-friendly software and an integrated database. The database which consists of detailed information on what device driver needs to be installed will automatically download the required device driver without you need to refer to your hardware instruction manual.

Registry problems resulting from incomplete program installations and viruses such as malware and spyware damaged registry files. This affects your PC in serious ways.

DriverFIX further has an automatic backup and restoration system that helps create system ‘checkpoints’ which allow you to roll back to a healthier state and resume operations. This can help you avert any Windows error codes in the future.

Click here to download DriverFIX now!

We have often talked about the security of your computer, we have been giving you tips and tried to explain how to best protect your computer from various attacks and malicious software. Today we will be talking about antivirus applications. Antivirus software has become the kind of a must-have in every computer in this day and age. When you think about it, our systems are connected to the internet most of the time if not always, and therefore kind placed in from the line of various cyber-attacks. Here antivirus software comes into focus, especially because it has evolved long from just a simple virus removal tool to full security suites. We will be going through the best of these applications in order to present both their good and bad sides and hope that we will help you in picking the right one for you. Remember, picking either one of the presented solutions is way better than not having one at all. The list is made from best down in our opinion so number one is highly recommended.

List of Best antivirus applications of 2021

1. BitDefender

   In our opinion the best overall security protection suite for this age and time. Bitdefender has cemented itself as number one a few years back and it holds that status even today. It has top-of-the-game virus protection, an incredible amount of features, safepay banking online protection and it is amazingly cheap. Its downside we could say is that it can be annoying sometimes, especially if you set it to maximum protection and paranoid mode. In this case, it will often ask what to do and how to behave leading to minor annoyances.

2. Norton antivirus

   Norton antivirus is well known to older computer users, this package has been around a long time and it is our pick for closest one to challenge top place because of its packed features. The number of features it has are really stunning and it comes also with great and maybe best-browsing protection of all candidates. It also has a backup tool bundled with it but the reason why it is in the second place is that it is taxing to the system and can have a real impact on computer performance. Great protection is important, but so it is working on it without slowdowns.

3. Kaspersky

   Another one of the old antivirus software on the list. Kaspersky Lab was once top tier antivirus software but it dropped down due to its high prices, later they have changed their pricing to be more in trend with other rival companies but many have switched to something else. Today it still packs one of the best antivirus engines with fast and configurable scans. It also has very impressive anti-ransomware features but sadly most of the things it just simply does for you leaving you to fully trust it since you cannot really configure much. It is not in step with new technologies and it is lacking some features like support for the Chrome browser that places it lower in our ranking.

4. Trend Micro antivirus

   The biggest sell point for this antivirus application is probably its ease of use and user-friendliness. It also packs a great antivirus engine and impressive anti-ransomware performance but sadly it comes with very limited configurability and somewhat lack of features comparing it with the top three entries. Never the less a very user-friendly application that you can configure without knowing any kind of tech talk, everything is laid out in simple English.

5. Avira

   Perhaps best known for its free version, Avira has a premium one that is well better worth than the free version. Strong suites of this software are mostly aimed at the internet with its great anti-phishing and web protection along with a low price for all of its features. Sadly in the domain of virus protection, there are some reports from independent websites that its antivirus engine is not so great, it will offer you moderate protection but not the best.

6. Webroot Secure Anywhere

   If you are on the lookout for software that has a great virus database and plenty of features but is also incredibly light weighted and fast then look no further, Webroot Secure Anywhere is an application for you, incredibly fast and incredibly small is a great solution for older machines. It keeps all of its databases up in the cloud and this feature among its great advantages is also its greatest disadvantage since if you are out of the internet you will not be able to have the latest virus definitions available to you making this tool very situational.

7. Avast

   Avast has many great protection features and it is very highly configurable. The firewall comes also in its premium edition and it offers great virus protection including a file shredder and awesome WI-FI inspector for an extra layer of security. This package would be higher on the list if it was not for its lack of WEB protection and its tool on the system resources.

8. Sophos home antivirus

   Lack of features and somewhat strange user interface are downsides of this software but on its positive side it has good antivirus engine and its user interface is very friendly. Where it shines though is in its price, for one affordable price you get protection for 10 devices making this option a great choice for anyone wanting to protect more devices or just use a single license for the whole family.

9. ESET antivirus

   Greatly configurable antivirus software with tons of options and very light on system resources makes ESET one of the best out there. Virus engine and database is also top tier but some testing labs have reported that protection offering is not really what it is advertised and if we talk about its strong suite of a great many options and configurations it is at the same moment its downside since it is not very friendly to novice and beginner users.

10. McAfee antivirus

    McAfee antivirus comes in its package with unlimited VPN service and if we take look at the top tier pricing plan it is a great investment. Sadly for its entry-level price, it covers only a single device and it was reported that it packs little outdated virus engine if we compare it with its rivals. Nevertheless, it still offers good virus protection and if you take into account the VPN that comes with it, it can find its users.

Conclusion

No matter which antivirus you choose you will not go wrong, after all any protection is way better than none.

Still sitting on the fence about upgrading to Windows 11 because you don’t know what to expect? Interestingly, the new edition somehow manages to be both a total revamp and still very similar to its predecessor in many ways. It’s really something to experience for yourself.

We do want to give you a sneak peek, though. So here’s an overview of the biggest changes Windows 11 brings to the table.

What’s different in Windows 11?

1. Visual changes

The first thing anyone will notice after switching to Windows 11 is the striking visual difference. The entire interface is smoother, cleaner and more minimalistic than on Windows 10, even resembling the macOS in some instances.
Perhaps the most obvious change in appearance is the Start menu and Taskbar location, which is now at the bottom center. It’s actually very neat, but if you’re someone who loves familiarity, don’t worry, you can move it back to the left.

Moreover, you’ll notice that the Taskbar includes a Microsoft Teams icon by default (which you can, of course, remove) and that Live Tiles are gone. The News and Interests section has also been removed - or, shall we say, replaced. As opposed to Windows 10, news, weather forecasts and other information are now displayed as widgets.

To add to the cleanliness of the UI, Microsoft also enhanced the ‘Snap Layouts’ feature to help you better organize your windows and maximize screen real estate. It’s similar to app grouping on your smartphone. In Windows 10 this feature is slightly restricted, as it requires some manual resizing and dragging. In Windows 11, you can just hover over the minimize/maximize option on a window, select a layout and throw the windows in there. 

2. New accessibility features

Microsoft has certainly paid attention to accessibility with Windows 10, but Windows 11 takes this to a whole new level.

One of the ways Windows 11 has taken things up a notch is by adding the long-awaited ‘Live Captions’ feature and advanced Narrator options.

Live Captions apply both to media played on your PC as well as your own speech when you’re using the microphone. Keep in mind that, as with almost all kinds of subtitles, you have to be prepared for a potential delay. However, it’s barely noticeable and doesn’t take away from the usefulness of this awesome new feature whatsoever.

As for the Narrator, there are three new voice packs to choose from. Microsoft has tried to put emphasis on a more natural voice than we are used to. So, now you can choose between Aria, Jenny and Guy, who will read pretty much anything off your screen out loud. Aside from this, Microsoft has also expanded the list of braille displays supported by the Narrator feature. 
For users with anxiety or trouble concentrating, a welcomed addition is the Focus app, which is no longer part of the Clock app. It’s now separate and called ‘Focus Sessions’, automatically triggering the Do Not Disturb mode when activated. It blocks all pop-ups and flashes and lets you work in peace until you’re ready to switch it off.

3. Android apps

Android users may rejoice! Windows 11 supports the use of your favorite applications now. 

Microsoft has done this by integrating the Amazon Appstore to the Windows 11 Microsoft Store. From there, you can download your favorite Android apps and use them on your PC in a smartphone-like window.

Unfortunately not too many apps are supported at this time, but Microsoft is working on making the emulation possible for many more. Also, the option is only available in specific regions at this moment - check out if you’re one of the lucky ones.

4. Improved gaming performance

Avid gamers will be happy to hear that Microsoft has put some effort into streamlining Windows 11 for their gaming needs.

To give gamers a supreme visual experience, Windows 11 offers the ‘Auto HDR’ feature. As long as your monitor is HDR-compatible, this feature will automatically adjust the colors, brightness and contrast of games without any input from you. 

Another update is DirectStorage, which we were introduced to in Windows 10 already. In Windows 11, it’s been improved to tweak loading times and overall gaming performance efficiency even better. The predisposition for it to work optimally is that your device has an NVMe SSD. 

The Xbox Game Bar also helps gamers towards a smoother experience. It allows in-game screenshots, viewing processes that are running (similar to the Task Manager), monitoring the CPU and GPU performance and frame rate, integrating the Xbox App and more. There’s also a number of widgets you can now use with the Game Bar, for example the Spotify widget.

Another cool addition is the Xbox Game Pass, which unlocks hundreds of games to play on your Xbox App, with new additions coming in every month.

5. Smart App Control

Aside from a sleek new look and better accessibility for all users, Windows 11 also comes with a security power-up. Bear in mind that this feature is only available on clean Windows 11 installs. 

Smart App Control (SAC) is an AI-powered new feature designed to protect your PC from potential threats. It blocks untrustworthy apps and adware and helps detect potentially unwanted apps, maintaining your PC’s performance and keeping your system safe.

It comes with an ‘Evaluation’ mode, which you should definitely select when running SAC for the first time. That way, the app monitors your usage and assesses whether you’re a candidate for SAC. Some users need it to be on all the time, for others it might be too distracting. Evaluation mode will turn SAC on or off based on your usage.

Don’t disable SAC again unless you’re absolutely sure you don’t need it, since reenabling it will require a fresh install. We recommend you don’t turn it off, as it is a neat feature protecting your data and files from malware at all times.

Summary

Have we piqued your interest in trying Microsoft’s latest OS? It’s a pretty exciting new iteration, but we’ll let you find out for yourself. We hope you like it!

Some Windows users are encountering the 0x800705b3 error code after failing to install a pending update on Windows 10. Most commonly this particular issue is reported to occur with Integrated webcam drivers updates and Bluetooth adapter driver updates. Follow the guide below in order to fix the issue and update your Windows successfully

Running the Windows Update Troubleshooter

The majority of users that were dealing with this issue reported that the issue was fixed after they ran the Windows Update Troubleshooter and applied the recommended fix.

1. Open a Run dialog box by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + R. Inside the text box, type ‘ms-settings:troubleshoot’ and press ENTER to open up the Troubleshooting menu. Opening the Troubleshooting tab on Windows 10
2. Once you’re inside the Troubleshooting tab, move over to the right-hand section of the screen and click on Windows Update (under Get up and Running). Next, from the context menu that just appeared, click on Run the Troubleshooter.
3. Once you’re inside the Windows Update troubleshooter, wait until the initial scan is complete and see if a viable repair strategy is found.
4. If the scan has identified a strategy with the potential to fix your ongoing issue, click on Apply this fix and wait until the procedure is complete. Applying the fix Note: Depending on the type of fix that was recommended, you might need to follow an additional set of instructions before the fix will be properly imposed.
5. After you’ve done this, reboot your computer and wait for the next startup to complete.
6. Open Windows Update once again and see if the installation of this pending update is now successful.

Installing the pending Update Manually

Whether you’re experiencing this issue with an integrated webcam driver or with anything else, chances are you’ll be able to circumvent the apparition of the 0x800705b3 error by using the Microsoft Update Catalog to find, download and install the pending update manually.

1. Open your default browser and navigate to the root web page of the Microsoft Update Catalog.
2. Once you’re inside the Microsoft Update Catalog, use the search function (top-right corner of the screen) to search for the update that is failing.
3. After the search is completed and you get the list of results, look for an updated driver version that is compatible with your Windows version and CPU architecture.
4. Once you manage to identify the correct Windows Update, click on the hyperlink associated with the update that you want to install, then click the Download button and wait for the process to complete.
5. After the download is complete, use File Explorer to navigate to the location where you previously downloaded the update.
6. When you get to the correct location, right-click on the .inf file and choose Install from the context menu that just appeared. Note: If you have multiple failing updates with the same 0x800705b3, repeat the instructions above with every Windows Update that you’re having trouble installing.
7. At the end of this operation, reboot your computer and see if the problem is fixed at the next computer startup.

Enabling the Windows Installer Service

The Windows installer service is responsible for installing pending updates that get downloaded by the Windows Update component. If this service is disabled on your configuration, none of the updates waiting to get installed will get completed.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open up a Run dialog box. Inside the text box, type ‘services.msc’ and press ENTER to open up the Services utility.
2. Once you’re inside the Services screen, move over to the right-hand tab of the screen, scroll down through the list of services and locate the Windows Installer service. When you find it, right-click on it and choose Properties from the context menu that just appeared.
3. Once you are inside the Properties screen of the Windows Installer services, access the General tab, click on the Start button to force-start the service. Note: If you can, also change the Startup type to Automatic via the associated drop-down menu. However, depending on your administrator settings, this might not be possible.
4. Restart your computer and wait for the next startup to complete. Once your PC boots back up, attempt to reinstall the driver that was previously triggering the 0x800705b3 error and see if the issue is now fixed.

Performing a Winsock Reset

In case the 0x800705b3 error is related to some kind of network inconsistency (TCP or IP related), you might see Windows Updates failing due to bad data that forces the Windows to abort the installation of new pending updates. In this case, you should proceed by doing a complete Winsock reset procedure to fix the majority of the socket and temporary data-related issues that might cause this behavior. Several affected users have confirmed that this method was the only thing that allowed them to finally fix the Windows Update issue and install pending updates normally. Here are some step-by-step instructions that will walk you through the process of performing Winsock Reset:

1. Open up a Run dialog box by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + R. Inside the text box, type ‘cmd’, then press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER to open up an elevated Command Prompt. Accessing an elevated CMD prompt Note: When prompted by the UAC (User Account Control) prompt, click Yes to grant admin access.
2. Inside the elevated CMD prompt, type and taste the following commands in order and press ENTER after each one to effectively reset the TCP and IP data that might be responsible for the apparition of the 0x800705b3 error code:

   nbtstat -R
   nbtstat -RR
   netsh int reset all
   netsh int ip reset
   netsh winsock reset

3. Once every command above is processed successfully, you can go ahead and close the elevated Command Prompt and reboot your computer.
4. After the next startup is complete, repeat the installation of the Windows Update that was previously failing and see if the issue is now fixed.

Performing SFC and DISM Scans

If none of the ‘superficial’ causes have worked in your case, you should start considering some type of system corruption that might affect your computer’s ability to complete pending updates that are currently waiting to be installed. In case you find yourself in this particular scenario, you should run a couple of built-in utilities capable of fixing corrupted instances that might be currently affecting the Windows Update component. Our recommendation is to start with a simple System File Checker scan. An SFC scan will cross-check every Windows File against a local archive that maintains healthy copies. In case corrupted instances are found, this utility will swap the corrupted instance with the healthy equivalent.

Performing an SFC scan

Once the SFC scan is complete, reboot your computer and wait for the next startup to complete. After your computer boots back up, initiate a DISM scan. This utility works differently in the sense that it relies on a sub-component of Windows Update to download healthy copies for the corrupted Windows files that need to be replaced. Because of this, it’s important to make sure that you have a reliable Internet connection before initiating this operation.

Doing a DISM scan

After the DISM scan is complete, reboot your computer one final time and see if the issue is fixed once the next startup is complete.

As you know, storage devices are an important part of the computer system for porting, saving, and extracting data files. And for you to differentiate between storage devices on your computer system, each one of the storage devices is labeled with a unique number referred to as Disk Signature for identification. The unique disk identifier is stored as a part of the MBR or Master Boot Record. Disk signature is used by operating systems in order to identify and set apart different data storage devices and hard disk drives in the computer for data access. These days, Disk cloning has become a regular practice in upgrading to larger hard disk drives. Drives are cloned in order to produce a similar copy to use both the original drive and cloned copy together. Moreover, lots of virtualization tools are being used to virtualize the physical hard disk drives to create virtual hard disk drives and several virtual machine clones that are created with the existing virtual hard disk drives. And since these are identical copies, chances these copies may have identical disk signatures. As a result, when you use both disks that have identical signatures at the same time you run into the Disk Signature Collision problem. This kind of problem does not often occur as the Windows system does not really allow two disks to function simultaneously when they have the same disk signature. When you encounter a Disk Collision problem in your Windows 10 computer, you may see the following error messages:

• The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible
• The disk is offline because it has a signature collision
• This disk is offline because it has a signature collision with another disk that is online

You can fix the disk collision problem by changing the disk signature which you can achieve using the command line utility diskpart in Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt or using Windows Disk Management utility. To fix the disk collision problem, you can make use of the command-line utility called diskpart in Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt to view and change the signature, or can make use of Master Boot record in the Windows Registry. You can also make use of Windows Disk Management Utility to change the signature. Simply follow the given options below to change the disk signature either way.

Option 1 – Change Disk Signature via Diskpart

• Type “command prompt” in the Windows Search bar and then right-click on the related search result and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After that, type the “diskpart” command and hit Enter to open Diskpart.
• Next, type the “list disk” command to display all the disks available in the system.
• Next, take note of the problematic disk number with the status Offline from the list and then type the “Select disk x” command where x is the offline disk to select the offline disk. For instance, if you type “select disk 1”, it will display the “Disk 1 is now the selected disk” message.
• Now type the “Uniqueid disk” command to display the disk signature and to change the disk’s signature and set the disk online, type the “unique disk ID= (New signature)” where (New signature) is the new ID in hexadecimal. For instance, you can set the new id as “unique disk ID= 1456ACBD”.

Note: If you have given the wrong format ID, the command prompt will display the following error:

“The specified identifier is not in the correct format. Type the identifier in the correct format: in hexadecimal form for an MBR disk or as a GUID for a GPT disk.”

• After you’re done, the disk will be online, and then restart your computer.

Option 2 – Change Disk Signature via Disk Management Utility

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “diskmgmt.msc” and hit Enter or click OK to open Disk Management.
• Next, right-click on the disk that is marked as Missing or Offline.
• After that, select the Online command from the drop-down menu.
• Then from the selecting option Online, Windows will generate a new disk signature.

One of the cool and interesting features in Windows is the Screensaver which allows users to display animation or change the wallpaper automatically when the computer is not being used. This feature can also time out and lock your computer when it remains idle for quite some time. However, if you notice that the screensaver of your computer turns on a lot earlier, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can change the timeout settings of the screensaver of your Windows 10 computer. Usually, the screensaver in Windows 10 is turned off by default, however, if some other user has turned it on or if you have turned it on, you can actually change the timeout settings of the screensaver using several methods. You can do it through the Personalization settings, Registry Editor, as well as the Group Policy Editor. Before you proceed with the instructions provided below, make sure that you create a System Restore point first. Once done, follow each one of the suggestions carefully to successfully change the Screensaver timeout settings in Windows 10.

Option 1 – Modify the timeout settings of Screensaver via Personalization settings

• Open the Start menu and type “screen saver” in the field.
• On the search results that appear, click on the “Change Screen Saver” option.
• From there, you have the option to change the screen saver type, preview, open settings, change the wait time, as well as choose to display lock screen on your resume.
• Now to change the timeout settings of your screensaver, you have to increase the wait time from 1 to 15 or anything that works for you.
• Once done, click OK and exit to save the changes made.

Option 2 – Try to change the screensaver time via Registry Editor

The next option you can try to change the timeout settings in the screensaver is using the Registry Editor. To get started, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: ComputerHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindows
• From there, right-click on Windows located in the right pane and select New > Key.
• Name the key as “Control Panel” and right-click on it and select New > Key and then name it as “Desktop”.
• Once done, click on the newly created Desktop key to highlight it.
• After that, right-click on any empty space in the right pane and select New > String Value and then type “ScreenSaveTimeOut” and hit Enter to save it.
• Now right-click on ScreenSaveTimeOut and select Modify and then set its value data in seconds.
• Click on OK and exit the Registry Editor to save the changes made.

Option 3 – Change Screensaver timeout settings via Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization.
• Then look for a policy setting named “Screen saver timeout” and double click on it and then click on the Enabled option to enable it.
• Add the screen timeout in seconds and click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes.
• Restart your computer.

Note: If you want to disable the screensaver feature in your computer, you can always do so by disabling a policy setting named “Enable Screen Saver”.