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How to Fix Error Code 0xC004C020

Error Code 0xC004C020 (Code 0xC004C020) – What is it?

Error code 0xC004C020 (Code 0xC004C020) is an error that occurs when you attempt to activate a copy of Windows 7 with a key, but the key has already been activated multiple times. When receiving this error code, it means that you are trying to exceed the number of times that the Windows 7 key is allowed to be activated.

Common symptoms include:

  • Attempting to install Windows 7 with a key and a dialog box with the code 0xC004C020 is displayed.
  • The computer is unable to install Windows 7 with the key.
  • Certain features will refrain from working until the correct key has been entered.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

Error Code 0xC004C020 occurs when you are not able to install Windows 7 using a previously purchased key code that has been installed numerous times previously on the same computer.

  • You are not able to use your previously used key to install Windows 7.
  • You have used the Windows 7 key the maximum number of times allowed.

Error code 0xC004C020 simply means that the Windows 7 code that you are trying to use to install Windows 7 has already been used the maximum number of times allowed, even when installing it on the same computer that it was previously used on. This would indicate that the key is what is known as a volume key- meaning that there is a cap on the number of uses.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Many people encounter this problem when they are doing software development or testing and need to reinstall Windows 7. Some people might also encounter this error code when installing Windows 7 with a key that was used too many times previously. It should be noted that there are several ways to fix this problem, but if nothing is working, you should contact a computer repair technician.

Method One

Activate by phone- the long method.

  1. Click the start button, right-click Computer, click Properties, and then click Activate Windows.  This will open Windows Activation.
  2. Click on “Show me other ways to activate”.
  3. Find and enter the Windows 7 key, then click Next.
  4. Click on “Use the automated phone system”. If you are prompted for an administrator password or a confirmation, confirm or type the password now.
  5. Select the location nearest to you and then click the Next button.
  6. There will be a list of available phone numbers, choose one and call it. There will be an automated system that will guide the activation process.
  7. Enter the installation ID when prompted, it will be listed on your computer screen.
  8. The phone system will give you a confirmation ID, write this down.
  9. Type this confirmation ID into the space that is provided by step 3. This will be in the activation dialogue. Then, click NEXT and follow the instruction.
  10. If this is not successful, stay on the line and be transferred to a customer service representative that will assist you.

Method Two

Activate by phone- this is a much simpler method.

  1. Click on Start, type: slui.exe 4 into the Search box
  2. Press Enter on the keyboard.
  3. Pick your country.
  4. Choose the Phone Activation option; stay on hold to speak with a customer service representative.

Method Three

Error code 0xC004C020 occurs if you have used your Windows 7 activation key on multiple computers, or multiple times on the same computer. You are not allowed to exceed the uses of the key—you should consider purchasing a new key if this is the case. A Windows 7 key is available for purchase online through the Microsoft website, in the shop section. The new product key must then be activated within 30 days, or it becomes no longer valid. It can be activated online or through the telephone.

If it is not activated on time, features will stop working until the new key has been activated. This should be the last resort method, as you should not have to purchase a new Windows 7 key code if it is not necessary. If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

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PrintNightmare returns Microsoft states
PrintNightmareA few days ago we celebrated fixing of months-long PrintNightmare vulnerability by Microsoft, sadly a new bug and issue have been found. Firstly discovered Microsoft stated:
A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
A few days ago, Microsoft officially released a patch that was supposed to finally fix it. As you might recall this vulnerability was present for quite some time, Microsoft's solution after a long struggle was to elevate certain privileges to administrator account only and remove user accounts from managing printers. It complicated things a little bit but it was stated payoff was worth it. The new issue now is that on a system that already had accounts created and set, old accounts still can hijack the system, patch issues address only accounts that are created after the fix is administrated, old ones can still do whatever they want. Once again of course Microsoft has stated that until it is again resolved you should again disable the Print Spooler service as a temporary workaround.
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How to Fix Fatal Error c000021a

Fatal Error c000021a - What is it?

Fatal Error c000021a is a type of Windows stop error also known as the blue screen of death (BSoD) error. When this error occurs, it causes the computer screen to go blue and locks the user out of the current activity. This error code is fatal and can lead to serious issues like system crashes and freeze. The error code is usually displayed in the following format:
STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error} The Windows Logon Process system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000034 (0x00000000 0x0000000)

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

Fatal Error c000021a occurs when the Windows kernel detects that either Winlogon.exe or Csrss.exe service processes have stopped responding or failed to load.  When this happens the error code pops up on the screen. Nonetheless, this is not the only reason for the occurrence of this error. There are plenty more reasons why Fatal Error c000021a may pop on your computer screen. These include:
  • Missing or corrupt hardware drivers
  • Faulty hardware
  • Windows System Restore failed during the rollback process
  • Malware or viral infection
  • Registry issues
No matter what the reason may be, it is advisable to fix the error right away without any delays. Remember it is a fatal error and can cause a great deal of damage to your PC.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Fatal Error c000021a is a serious PC issue but this does not mean you have to hire an expert to get it fixed. The good news is that this error is actually quite easy to resolve. You don’t have to be a technical whiz or a computer programmer to fix Fatal Error c000021a on your PC. Here are some do it yourself methods to fix this error code right away without any hassle: Let’s get started:

Method 1: Update Your PC Drivers

As we mentioned about corrupt or missing drivers can be one of the many reasons for the occurrence of this error. So, check the drivers first. Perform a driver scan and make sure all your drivers are updated.

Method 2: Perform a Windows System Restore

To do this, first launch Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC on your keyboard. Now click on the application tab and then click ‘New Task’ then browse. After that, go to C:\Windows\System32\Restore  folder and then double click the rstrui.exe file. This will help start system restoration. Your computer will reboot during the process and hopefully, the error will be resolved. Nonetheless, if the error still persists then try methods 3 and 4.

Method 3: Scan for Viruses

Sometimes Fatal Error c000021a may also occur due to malware infection. Your PC may be affected by viruses hidden in different locations without you knowing about it. Therefore to resolve this error, it is recommended to run an antivirus and scan for viruses. If detected, remove them right away to fix the error code.

Method 4: Repair the Registry

Another method to resolve Fatal Error c000021a code on your system is to repair the registry. The registry stores all the information and activities performed on the system. If it is not cleaned frequently, it gets loaded with too many files unnecessary and obsolete files like the junk files, cookies, internet history and temporary files which corrupts and damages the registry thereby generating blue screen of death error codes like Fatal Error c000021a. Though you can repair the registry manually it can be both time-consuming and slightly difficult especially if you are not a computer programmer. Therefore it is advisable to download a registry cleaner to fix it right away.

Automatic Repair with Restoro.

Whether the Fatal Error c000021a code occurs due to viral infection or registry issues, download Restoro. This is a next-generation, advanced, and multi-functional PC Fixer. This software is deployed with multiple utilities such as a powerful registry cleaner, an antivirus, a system optimizer, and more. The registry cleaner scans the entire PC and detects all types of registry issues at once. It cleans the registry, wipes out all the unnecessary files, and restores the registry back to normal. Simultaneously, the antivirus embedded in this software detects all types of viruses including malware, adware, spyware and Trojans and removes them in seconds. The system optimizer feature ensures the speed and performance of your PC are not compromised during the repairing process. It ensures your PC works at its optimal speed. Restoro is a one-stop solution for all your PC needs. It has a user-friendly interface making it easy for all levels of users to work around. It is compatible with all Windows versions Click here to download Restoro and resolve the Fatal Error c000021a code on your PC today!
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Cortana can’t connect to the Internet
One of the most sophisticated Artificial Intelligence or AI assistants there is in the market is Cortana. However, no matter how sophisticated this AI assistant may be, there are still times when you encounter issues with it. So if your Cortana is not connecting to the internet, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing the problem. This connection issue in Cortana might have something to do with the settings, network connectivity, or your Microsoft account. In addition, it could also be that the Firewall or antivirus program interferes with its connection. Whichever the case is, here are some possible solutions that could help you resolve the problem.

Option 1 – Try to power cycle the modem, router, and computer

  • Connect the modem, router, and the PC hard-wired and then switch all of these three devices off.
  • Turn on the modem and wait for 30 seconds.
  • Turn on the router and wait for 30 seconds as well.
  • Finally, turn on the computer and check if you can now successfully connect to the internet.

Option 2 – Check if your router or ISP is properly working

Since the basis for this issue is that Cortana is not connecting to the internet even though you are able to access websites using your browser, you might want to check your router or ISP (Internet Service Provider) and see if they’re functioning properly.

Option 3 – Try changing your internet connection

You can also try changing your internet connection and see if it fixes the problem. If you are using Ethernet, you can try connecting to a Wi-Fi connection and see if Cortana is able to connect or not.

Option 4 – Try to run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter in Windows 10 as it checks whether the settings for Cortana are in place and automatically corrects any issues if the update or software installation has changed the settings. To run it just click on the Start button and select Settings > Updates and Security > Troubleshoot. From there, select the Search and Indexing Troubleshooter. Note: You can also run the Network Troubleshooter as it can also help in resolving the issue especially if the problem is in the network.

Option 5 – Try to remove Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the connection issue in Cortana. 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 6 – Verify your Microsoft account

In some cases, Cortana might not be able to connect to the internet because your Microsoft account is no longer verified. This usually happens when you use a two-step authentication system with your Microsoft account. To verify it, just open Settings and click on Accounts. After that, check if you have a Verify hyperlink under your Microsoft account or not then click on Verify. Afterward, follow the next on-screen prompts to verify your Microsoft account. Once your account is verified, restart your computer.

Option 7 – Try resetting Cortana

  • Open Cortana and go to the Settings section where you’ll see the “Turning off Cortana clears what Cortana knows on this device, but won’t delete anything from the Notebook. After Cortana is off, you can decide what you’d like to do with anything still stored in the cloud” option. Turn this option off.
  • Restart your PC.
  • After your computer boots, launch Cortana again and check.

Option 8 – Try to reinstall Cortana

If none of the options given above works, you must consider reinstalling Cortana.
  • First, right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows Powershell (Admin) option from the list.
  • Next, type the following command and hit Enter to execute it:
Get-AppXPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.Cortana | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"}
  • Restart your computer and check if Cortana is now able to connect.
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Enable or Disable Optional Windows Features
As you know, Windows operating system comes with tons of features. Some of which are not intended to be used by normal customers or users directly which means that only a small percentage of the huge user base of the operating system leverages the use of such features. However, they’ve added some major value to the feature list of the operating system. You can find these features under the “Turn Windows Features on and off” option. This indicates that if you want to, you can just type in “Turn Windows Features on and off” in the search box and then enable any feature that you want to enable. Aside from that, there are other ways you can disable or enable the optional Windows Features in your Windows 10 computer.

Option 1 – via Control Panel

  • Open Control Panel and select Uninstall a Program.
  • After that, select the “Turn Windows features On or Off” option on the left side.

Option 2 – via Command Prompt

  • Tap the Win + X combination on your keyboard or right-click on the Start button and then click on Command Prompt (Admin). Alternatively, you can also type “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on the Command Prompt icon, and select the “Run as administrator” option.
  • If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, click on Yes.
  • Next, type in the following command to see the list of the available features.
DISM /online /get-features /format:table | more
  • Now all you have to do is copy the name of the feature that you want to enable and for you to do that, you need to execute the following command:
DISM /online /enable-feature /featurename:[Enter the name of the feature here] –All
Note: Now if you want to disable a feature that’s already enabled in your computer, refer to these sub-steps:
  • First, you need to check what features are enabled, and for you to find out, enter this command: DISM /online /get-features /format:table | find “Enabled" | more
  • And if you want to check the detailed information about a particular feature, you can enter this command: DISM /online /get-featureinfo/featurename:[Enter the name of the feature here]

Option 3 – via Windows Powershell

As you know, the Windows Powershell is a very important tool in Windows 10, and a powerful one at that since you can do a lot of things using this command line. So while you use this tool you need to populate the list of available features first and then you have to download the feature your desired feature.
  • Search for PowerShell in the Cortana search box and then run it with administrator privileges.
  • Next, type in the following command to populate the list of available features:
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature –Online
  • After that, enter the following command to install any feature you want to enable from the list of available features:
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName *Type feature name*
  • Now enter the following command to enable your desired feature:
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName “Type feature name” –all
  • And if you want to disable any enabled feature, just enter the following command:
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName “Type feature name”

Option 4 – via an external installation source

You also have the option to fetch the latest features from an updated offline source. The source could be an ISO any other type of image or just a folder. So you need to decide if you want to use Windows Powershell or Command Prompt.
  • If you want to use Command Prompt, just enter this command: exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:< /All /Source:<Enter the path of the feature here>
  • If you want to use Windows Powershell, use this command: Install-WindowsFeature –Source “<Enter the path of the feature here>”
Note: If you want to get the latest features, you need to get the latest version of the image of the operating system that you are trying to install the feature from.
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The quick demise of the BRAVE browser
Brave browser has gained popularity very rapidly and many websites have gone into the territory of recommending it. Sadly although the browser kind of offered better performance, it seems that so much advertised privacy and security was a lie. Several months ago, Brave was involved in a “scandal”. Unfortunately, this incident did not get much media attention, and it’s hard to search for and discover as of today. There is an article on the Android police website explaining this issue in detail, you can check it here: https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/07/brave-browser-caught-adding-its-own-referral-codes-to-some-cryptcurrency-trading-sites/ But to sum things up and keep them short if you do not want to go through the full article, Brave had been injecting their affiliate codes into popular crypto-currency websites. This means that they had been intercepting your traffic, which they promised was secure by the way, and modifying it. This means Brave Software has access to all of your information on those crypto-currency sites as well. They can see your payments/purchases, and your activity on the websites (through affiliate statistics). Now some people might point out that they are not interested in crypto or have been visiting some of the sites but the issue still remains and that is they did all of this, without telling the user. They intentionally didn’t tell the user because they knew it would cause backlash and disruption. They knew one hundred percent what they were doing, and they knew it was unethical. And the point remains if something like this was already done, who knows what will come up in the future. Personal recommendation is to avoid Brave and go back to other browsers.
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Should you buy used GPU in current market?
Things have stirred lately with Chinas ban on crypto mining and many used GPUs will flow the market probably. But should you buy a used GPU? Short answer: NO, long answer: keep on reading to find out why.

GPU 1080tiGPU shortage and its cause

As you all know by now, we live sadly in a world struck by a global Pandemic. Due to this awful disease and measures taken against it, many people are either working from home or are at home making the manufacturing of new chips problematic while demand on the market has raised. Throw into that mix crypto mining which has raised in popularity and you have, well today's market where we have GPU shortage. Now with the latest news that China has banned the mining of cryptocurrency, there is to be expected that at some point in time mining cards used there will fit the market in the whole world. Sadly even with a large quantity of GPUs that will become available, the overall price of cards will not be much lowered I am afraid since demand is still very high and many people would not want to purchase used mining cards and neither should you.

Be prepared for the worst scenario

Although this sounds very pessimistic and in most cases, it will not turn out to be true, you should always prepare yourself mentally that you might be in that lower percentage that will end up with a really bad GPU. What has come up to be absolutely true when considering GPU that were mining is that if anything at all can be done to GPU in order to increase performance, it has been done. Miners want to optimize and almost every GPU if could be overclocked, it was overclocked. Extensive mining also means that thermal paste has been dried and it is pretty useless at this point and there is a very high chance that fans and heat sinks will need much cleaning or even replacement raising the price of the card itself for mentioned paste, fans, and heat sinks. There's no way to tell what the previous owner might have done with a graphics card when you're shopping online, so our advice is to assume the worst. Don't trust the seller to give truthful information. Any listing that says it was "never used for mining" at this point is probably a lie.

Age of the GPU matters

Date when GPU itself has manufactured really matters. Newer cards even if used extensively have been used for a much shorter period of time and are not so damaged were ones produced a few years ago have seen a lot of action. Let’s say that you get RTX 3060, In the worst-case scenario it has been mining since late February of 2021 and basically, it is still under warranty so it should behave OK and put some good work in gaming even in that state. On another hand, if we take for example GTX 1080Ti which is 4 years old GPU things start to change drastically. 4 years GPU could be worn out even if it was used just for extensive gaming sessions let alone for mining.

No return policy and seller rating

Most of the time you will run into a product that cannot be returned or no refunds policy. This should bring a red flag right away and deter you from purchase. Sellers with the highest ratings are more trustworthy since many of them will not want to destroy their reputation but these will probably not even have these kinds of merchandise in their store. Buying with a poor rating seller and no return policy on a product is just asking for trouble. And although some stores do have arbitration and will stand on the customer side there is no guarantee for that and it will take too much time to process.

If you really must buy a second-hand GPU

Of course in these troubled times sometimes due to malfunction or any other reason, there would not be another choice than to buy a second-hand GPU. In this case, if there is no other option consider sellers with many positive ratings. If you can buy locally that would even be better or the best-case scenario would be if you could visually see and inspect GPU itself in order to see in what state it is. Look for warranty stickers to see if they are thorn and the card has been tampered with. Also take a good look at screws, if they have scratches card has been opened, probably to replace fan or heating sinks which means that it has worked a lot.

Conclusion

It is very difficult to give the best possible advice on this situation since of GPU shortage, but I would much prefer a new GPU with lower performance than a hi-performance one which was mining.
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Chrome update failed error 3, 4, 7, 10, etc
If you find it hard to update Google Chrome to its latest version and each time you try to do so it keeps on failing, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing a list of Google Chrome Update errors. Even though there are a lot of error codes around Chrome, these are only caused by issues with the update. Here are some of the errors you can encounter when updating Google Chrome:
  • Update failed: You can encounter this error when the Updates are disabled by the administrator.
  • Update failed with
    • Error 3 or 11: When Chrome’s inbuilt updater fails to find the Update server to download the latest version.
    • Error 4 or 10: This happens while checking for updates with the message “Update check failed to start”
    • Error 7 or 12: This occurs when the download fails while checking for updates.
  • Windows OS version is not supported.
  • Google Chrome may not be able to keep itself updated.
  • Any other errors that mention that “Update failed”
Since these aforementioned error codes are related to “Update Failure”, then they have common solutions and here they are:

Option 1 – Restart your computer

You need to restart your computer first and then try updating Chrome again. There are times when it’s only a temporary issue that can be fixed by simply restarting your computer.

Option 2 – Try checking antivirus programs, firewall, and parental control settings

If you have antivirus programs, a firewall installed in your computer, as well as parental controls, then any of these could be blocking you to download anything, including the update for Chrome. This is why you have to double-check and make sure that software updates aren’t being blocked by these programs. On the other hand, you can also try running the Network Troubleshooter as it can help you resolve any DNS or connectivity issues. To use it, follow the steps below.
  • Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
  • Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
  • Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
  • After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.

Option 3 – Try to remove Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the Chrome Update errors. 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 – Try to reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS cache

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

Option 5 – Try to run the Chrome Cleanup tool

You might want to run Google Chrome’s built-in Malware Scanner & Cleanup tool as it could also help in getting rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and anything else that might overtake the network and could affect the performance of the browser.

Option 6 – Get rid of any conflicting browser extensions

  • Open Chrome and press Alt + F keys.
  • Go to More tools and click Extensions to look for any suspicious browser extensions or toolbars.
  • Click the Recycle bin and select Remove.
  • Restart Chrome and press Alt + F keys again.
  • Proceed to On Startup and mark Open a specific page or set of pages.
  • To check if the browser hijacker is still active, click Set pages, if it is active, overwrite the URL.

Option 7 – Reset Google Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you get rid of the error. Resetting Chrome will restore its default settings, disabling all the extensions, add-ons, and themes. Aside from that, the content settings will be reset as well and the cookies, cache, and site data will also be deleted. To reset Chrome, here’s what you have to do:
  • Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
  • After that, click on Settings.
  • Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
  • After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
  • Now restart Google Chrome.
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What driver to use inside Windows
When clean Windows is installed or when you place new hardware in your computer usually Windows itself detects the device and installs its driver. The question that comes now is, do you keep that driver or do you install the manufacturer's one. In order to answer this question let's analyze what is difference between the two drivers and other factors which could influence your decision.

Difference between drivers

First of all, know that drivers Windows installs are also drivers from the device manufacturer which have gone through Microsoft quality control in order to be included in Windows itself. Now naturally question which occurs, what is the difference, well answer to that would be this: in Windows, you have stripped down driver, just a driver in order for Windows to know what device is plugged and how to use it, meaning that for example if you install printer device, you will be able to print documents and Windows will know it is a printer but ... You will not get the control panel for that printer where you can adjust the printer itself and all of its features like let's say paperweight, etc. So if you need these kinds of features in that case it would be better to install a complete driver suite from the manufacturer and get the whole package. Windows will recognize the RAZER mouse for example but you will not be able to change its colors of program custom buttons on it until you install RAZER drivers. One more important thing to note is that drivers which are in Windows are less updated than drivers from the manufacturer's site. That being said, if you prefer and want to have the latest drivers you will prefer to get them again from the manufacturer.

Conclusion

So it seems that manufacturer's drivers are always in some form of advantage and that you will always want them and most of the time this is true, as a matter of fact, the only time I could think that you could use bare down Windows drivers is when new drivers update breaks something in Windows and device start behaving improperly. in this particular case, it is better to roll back to the previous Windows driver which has passed Microsoft quality control and is working for sure. In any other case, you are better off with the latest manufacturers drivers If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.
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How to Fix Error 118

Error 118 - What is it?

Error 118 is a typical Google Chrome error. It pops up when Google Chrome fails to load websites like Facebook. It is usually displayed in the following format:
‘Error Message: Error 118 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT): The operation timed out.’

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

Error 118 may be triggered due to several reasons. This includes:
  • Problems with DNS setting
  • IP Address is filtering websites
  • Cookies and invalid registry entries

Further Information and Manual Repair

To ensure smooth internet browsing on Google Chrome, it is advisable to repair the error 118. If error 118 is not resolved you will be unable to load and access your desired websites. To avoid inconvenience and resolve the issue immediately, try the methods suggested below. These are easy and effective do-it-yourself methods that require no technical skills.

Method 1 - Change Proxy Settings

If your IP address is filtering websites, then you might experience error 118 while using Google Chrome. When this is the error cause, then it is advisable to add a proxy for your PC. To change proxy settings and add a new proxy, simply click on Customize and Control Google Chrome menu. Now click the options button. Under the Google Chrome Options window select the Under the Hood tab. After that in the Network, section click the change proxy settings button. Check Show Suggestions for navigation errors and Use DNS pre-fetching to improve page load performance boxes. Now under Internet Properties, click LAN Settings. Under LAN settings you will see the Proxy Server box, check it, and enter your new proxy settings. Click OK to confirm and save settings. This will hopefully resolve the issue.

Method 2 - Change to Google DNS

When the error is related to DNS settings then try this method to resolve it. Simply set DNS to use Google DNS. Here’s how it’s done:
  1. Go to the start menu, click Windows Control Panel, Network and Internet, and change adapter settings. Here you will see Local Area Connection.
  2. Right click to select properties at the bottom.
  3. Check Internet Protocol Version 4 and click properties.
  4. Now check the ‘Obtain an IP address automatically’ box and also select the option that says ‘Use the following DNS server addresses’.
  5. Change Preferred DNS to 8.8.4.4 and Alternate DNS server to 8.8.8.8 now click OK to confirm.

Method 3 - Remove the Bad Entries and Cookies Damaging the Registry

Bad entries and cookies saved in the registry can also trigger error 118. To fix the issue immediately download Restoro. This is PC Fixer with multiple utilities including a registry cleaner. The registry cleaner removes all bad entries and cookies in seconds and repairs the damaged registry. Click here to download Restoro and resolve error 118.
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A Quick Guide to Resolving IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Error

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL - What is it?

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error is a type of blue screen of death (BSoD) error. It is a typical Windows PC error that occurs even in the latest Windows versions. The IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error occurs on the computer screen when a memory address triggers unauthorized access. This leads to the suspension of your login session. The computer screen turns blue.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error occurs due to several reasons. However, the most common causes for this error code include:
  • Incompatible device drivers
  • The poor device driver installation
  • Faulty hardware
  • Disk fragmentation
  • Registry issues
  • Viruses and malware attack
Blue screen of death error codes like IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is critical. If not resolved timely, this error code can pose serious threats to your PC. It can lead to system crash and failure, due to which you can also lose your valuable data stored in your system. How to Fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Error Code?

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the best and easy DIY methods to resolve this error code on your PC:

1. Roll Back Drivers

If the underlying cause of IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error is poor driver installation, then try this method to resolve the issue. This can be done by simply clicking the start menu. Once you click on it, go to the control panel, then double click the system icon and locate the System Properties window. After that, click the hardware tab and then the device manager button. Now locate the device you recently installed. Double click on the recently installed device driver, click the driver tab, and then the rollback driver button. This will take a while, so wait for the process to finish.  After that, reboot the system.

2. Run Hardware Diagnostic

The IRQL error may also be triggered by faulty hardware. To identify which hardware is causing the error to pop up, you will have to run a hardware diagnostic.
  • For this, go to the start menu, type Memory Diagnostic in the search bar.
  • Now access this tool and click on Diagnose your memory problems. As you click it, it will ask you to perform the check by either restarting the PC immediately or on the next restart.
  • Select the immediate one to get going. The system will carry a scan on the memory and show you the list of problematic errors detected during the scan. To resolve this error then all you have to do is replace the piece of faulty hardware.
Nonetheless, if no faulty hardware is detected, this means the error is related to memory. If so, try method 3 to resolve.

3. Disable Memory Caching

To fix the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error, try disabling the memory caching option. This is called BIOS memory caching. This can be done by restarting your PC and pressing the BIOS setup keys to enter the settings screen. Mostly it is an F2 key, however, it may be different in some computers as the motherboards of different makes have their own respective keys. Once you enter the BIOS settings look for options stating memory settings. Access these options and disable the memory caching feature.

4. Scan your PC for Malware

As mentioned above this error message can also result due to the intrusion of malicious software like malware, viruses, and spyware. To detect and remove them from your PC, download an antivirus and perform a system scan. Remove the detected viruses and malware to resolve. Please note, antivirus installation may lower the speed of your PC.

5.  Repair Registry and Fragmented Disk

Due to poor PC maintenance, you may experience registry issues. The registry stores all the activities performed on the PC including the unnecessary pieces of information like junk files, internet history, temporary files, cookies, and other flies. Such files take up a lot of disk space. When there is not much space on the storage device, the new data is saved in fragments. This is called disk fragmentation. When this file becomes fragmented it takes time to rearrange the data and reunite it to run the fragmented file on your PC. If not resolved, this leads to registry issues and thereby generating various PC error codes including IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL errors. The best way to clean the registry and repair the fragmented disk is to download Restoro. This is an advanced and multi-functional PC Fixer. It is embedded with multiple system repair utilities including a powerful registry cleaner that detects all registry issues in seconds, removes and wipes out unnecessary files cluttering the registry, cleans and repairs the registry and the damaged files. Other utilities include an antivirus that detects privacy errors and all types of malicious software infecting your system. It also functions as a system optimizer which means by running this software on your PC you won’t be compromising on your system’s performance. The system optimizer utility boosts the speed of your PC. This tool is safe and efficient. It has a user-friendly interface and is compatible with all Windows versions. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error code right away.
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