Fix microphone not working in Windows 10

The dialog boxes that you see on your Windows computer exist to send you a message or to notify you. However, you can also encounter issues with them. Recently, some users reported that they’re getting empty or blank dialog boxes. It’s definitely hard to choose between Yes or No or to click OK when you don’t know the context of the dialog box. If the same thing happened to you, worry not for there are some possible solutions that can help you fix the problem. This kind of problem usually happens when there are some issues with the graphics driver or when there is some corrupted software. Whichever the case is, here are some fixes you can check out to fix the empty or blank dialog boxes on your Windows 10 computer.

Option 1 – Run the System File Checker

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the errors 0x8024a11a and 0x8024a112. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

 Now restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try to update or rollback the Graphics driver

You can try to update your Graphics card driver using the Device Manager in your computer to resolve the blank dialog boxes problem or you can also go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD and go to the section called Drivers then check if there’s a new available update – if there is, download and install it. To update your Graphics driver via Device Manager, refer to these steps:

• First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
• After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for the Display Adapters and click on them.
• After that, right-click on each entry under the Display Adapters and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
• Now restart your computer.
• After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.

Note: If updating the Graphics driver didn’t fix the problem, you can also try to roll back to its previous version and see if that helps.

Option 3 – Run the DISM tool

The next thing you can do is run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like the blank dialog boxes. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 4 – Try to repair or reinstall the software

If the issue with the empty dialog boxes only occurs in a specific program, you can either try to repair the program or reinstall it. You can find the Repair option in the Add/Remove program section when you select the concerned program. If repairing the program didn’t work, you might have to uninstall it and then reinstall it.

Option 5 – Try troubleshooting the problem in a Clean Boot State

You might also want to troubleshoot the problem in a Clean Boot State. Doing so will help you isolate the problem. Refer to the steps below to do so:

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)

Hello all the wonderful people and welcome to our new article where we take a little different turn than usual and discuss why keeping old electronics around the house is not such a good idea. We all have some drawer or in some bag around the house and in the end of the day if that electronic has battery inside it is probably not the smart thing to keep it.

So naturally, the question comes why it is a bad idea to have old electronics with batteries in them? Well unlike a battery failure with, say, some AA batteries jammed in the back of an old toy, the risk with a lithium-ion battery failing isn’t just some leaking and corrosion in the battery compartment, it’s a potential fire as the battery swells up and the gases (combined with the stored energy) turn the battery into a potential fire hazard.

Good thing is that the battery will not explode just like that, it will swallow over time and get bigger and bigger until the breaking point is reached and all the fire breaks lose. So if by any chance you have some old gadgets lying around you can check up on them and see if has swelling process started, if yes, dispose properly of that piece of the old device immediately.

How to keep old electronics

If you’re not ready to get rid of the gadget then it’s best to charge it properly for storage. Proper charging keeps the battery cells and circuits in optimum health.

While recommendations vary by manufacturer and application, the general consensus is that lithium-ion batteries should be charged to approximately 40%. (Some manufacturers recommend charging 50% or 60% instead.)

Really, the important part here isn’t the exact percentage. What’s important is ensuring that the battery is charged to roughly half capacity and not stored with a completely discharged or completely full battery.

Discharge rates on lithium-ion batteries in completely powered-off devices are very slow, but you should still plan to top off the charge every 12-18 months or so to keep it around 50%.

If you wanted to go above and beyond, a metal storage container with a snug lid on a basement shelf with a desiccant pack inside to control the moisture would offer optimum conditions.

As you know, all computer mouse devices are designed ergonomically for users who are right-handed. Although that’s mostly the case, there are also other mouse devices that are designed specifically for left-handed users or the ones that can be used by either the right or left hand. But before you look for these kinds of mouse devices, there is actually an option you can try so that your mouse device can work with either the left or right hand. All you have to do is configure your mouse device. Aside from setting the device to work on either hand, you can also switch mouse buttons, from left to right, using only a couple of simple steps. As mentioned earlier, most mouse devices are created for right-handed users. Meaning to say, these mouse devices are configured to be right-handed with their primary button on the left and the second one on the right. The primary button is used for certain functions such as selecting and dragging. Now you can configure your mouse to be left-handed by swapping its predefined functionality. How? Refer to each one of the given instructions below.

Option 1 – via Control Panel

• First, go to the Start Menu and search for “control panel” in the Start search.
• Once you see it from the search results, click on it to open it and then go to the Hardware and Sound section.
• From there, click on Mouse under the Device and Printers section. This will open the window for Mouse Properties.
• Now you have to check the Switch primary and secondary buttons box.
• Then click on OK to save the changes made. After that, your primary select button on your mouse device is your right button while the secondary button, also known as right-click, is now the left button.

Option 2 – via Windows 10 Settings

This is the second option you can check out to change the configuration of your mouse from being right-handed to being left-handed.

• First, right-click on the Windows icon and select Search.
• Next, type “mouse” and from the search results that appear, click on Mouse Settings.
• After that, select “Right” from the “Select your primary button” drop-down menu. This should set the mouse device from being right-handed to being left-handed.

If you don’t have the required drivers installed in your computer, the hardware that you try to connect to your computer will most likely fail. In order to keep the operating system running on your computer, manufacturers develop drivers that can work harmoniously with your devices and applications. However, internet Wi-Fi connections can fail if suitable drivers are not installed. Worry not though for this post will guide you in installing Wi-Fi drivers on your Windows 10 computer. As you know, a driver is an essential piece of software designed for a specific operating system like Windows 10, Linux, and many more. The operating system uses it to communicate with other hardware devices such as printers and mice. Most hardware manufacturers feature a support page of their own product where you can look for the necessary drivers available for download. You will see that the Windows operating system has a set of drivers that are already installed and you do not have to do anything except plug in the device. So if the driver is not locally available, it will pull it down from its web server and automatically install it for you after you connect the device. However, there are instances when you might encounter some issues while using your Wi-Fi and during these times, you might have to reinstall your Wi-Fi drivers so read on as this post will provide you guidelines in installing Wi-Fi drivers in Windows 10. Refer to the steps below to do so. Step 1: First, go to your manufacturer’s website and look for the right driver you want to install to download your Wi-Fi driver. Step 2: After that, you have to download the correct Wi-Fi driver if it’s available. You have to know the exact name and version of the driver so that you can download it and this information can be found from the Device Manager. Just make sure that you have the right wireless adapter driver downloaded. Step 3: Once done, open the setup of the new driver that you’ve downloaded earlier and run the file and then follow the next on-screen instructions that appear right after. Step 4: You’re not done yet as you need to verify if you have downloaded and installed the correct Wi-Fi driver. Refer to the sub-steps below to do so:

• First, right-click on the Start button and select the Device Manager to open it.
• From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand its category to make all the network adapters visible including the wireless adapter.
• You can easily spot the wireless adapter as it has the “wireless” term in its entry.
• Next, right-click on the wireless driver entry in the Device Manager and select Network adapters, and then click on Properties to check the version number of the driver.
• Now select the Driver tab and view the details. If it looks well then it means that you have the right version of the driver installed.

Step 5: Restart your computer.

What Is 0x80004005 Outlook Error?

0x80004005 Outlook is an error that users commonly encounter while attempting to send or receive emails on Outlook.

The message that appears usually states “This message could not be sent. Try sending the message again or contact your network administrator."

The client operation failed. Error is [OX80004005- 0X0004B9-OXOO501].

Error Causes

This error is usually caused by a problem in the Local Area Network or LAN. What actually happens is that signals with the wireless LAN are lost or a connection problem occurs within the network cable.

As a result, the 0x80004005 Outlook error is triggered while sending or receiving an email. Sometimes the problem goes away on its own. However, if it recurs after a few hours, it shows that some problem exists within the network.

Also, it is important to understand that different factors can affect the quality of wireless connections in a network.

For instance, garage door openers, microwave ovens, and Bluetooth devices can easily become obstacles, disrupting the connection and causing the quality to degrade. Other causes are listed below as follows.

• Missing, corrupt, or damaged registry keys
• Existence of viruses
• Outdated drivers

It is a must to fix this error otherwise potential risks associate with this error such as permanent damage and blue screens.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are two ways to fix this error and both are listed below as follows.

• One solution is to disable script blocking in Norton Antivirus. Most users encountering this problem have Norton Antivirus installed on their PCs. To correct this problem, simply turn off the ‘Enable Script Blocking’ feature. However, there is a downside associated with this solution. Enabling script blocking will make your network or computer vulnerable to viruses and malware. That’s why it is not advised to implement this solution.
• The alternative solution is to simply disable the new-mail notification feature offered in Outlook. To disable notifications of any new emails, the steps go as follows. Open Outlook and go to the Tools menu. Here you will come across ‘Options’.Click on it and then select the ‘Preferences’ tab. Here you will find the ‘Email Options’. Click on it and then uncheck the checkbox against the option, ‘Display a notification message when new mail arrives’. Click Ok two times.

Both these workarounds will work. Therefore, it is advised that you employ any one of them as per your needs.

Hal.dll Error - What is it?

Hal.dll error is a type of dynamic link library error that is common in Windows. Hal.dll is the critical file in all Windows installations and the error occurs when this file cannot be correctly loaded. Hal is the abbreviation for ‘Hardware Abstraction Layer’. Communication between Windows and different PC hardware is facilitated with this file. The error causes inconvenience and hampers your ability to use the hardware. The error message is displayed in either one of the following formats:

• "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: C:Windowssystem32hal.dll. Please re-install a copy of the above file."
• "Cannot find WindowsSystem32hal.dll"
• "C:WindowsSystem32Hal.dll missing or corrupt: Please re-install a copy of the above file."

Solution

Error Causes

Hal.dll error occurs due to multiple reasons. These include:

• BIOS are not configured properly
• Damaged hard drive
• Hal.dll file is missing, damaged, or corrupt
• Viral Infection

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix and resolve the Hal.dll error code on your system, you don’t always have to hire a professional technician for the job. Though Hal.dll error is critical but easy to resolve, here are some solutions that you can try to fix it right away even if you don’t have any technical expertise.

1) Restart Your PC

Sometimes this can be a temporary error, so try restarting your PC. If the error is resolved then that’s great. However, if it still persists, then try other solutions.

2) Change the Boot Order

The underlying cause for the Hal.dll error is often not properly configured BIOS; if this is the cause, simply change the boot order of the bootable devices like your hard drive. The BIOS setup utility is used to change boot order settings. This can be done by restarting your PC. Once you restart, press F2 to enter the setup. Now go to SATA operation and change RAID AHCI to RAID ATA. Save changes and then exit. By doing so, you will be able to re-configure the BIOS and resolve the error.

3) Use BOOTMGR

Another way to resolve is to update the volume boot code to use BOOTMGR. To do this, access advanced startup options, open the command prompt and type bootsect command and then press Enter. Run the command and then you’ll get the following message: C: (\?Volume{37a450c8-2331-11e0-9019-806e6f6e6963}) Successfully updated NTFS filesystem bootcode. Bootcode was successfully updated on all targeted volumes. After that close the command prompt. This is most likely to resolve the error.

4) Repair Registry With Restoro.

In case the error is still not fixed, then this means that the problem is bigger than you thought. It may be due to hard drive failure, viral infection, or sometimes because of hal.dll file corruption. In the event of these error causes, it is recommended to download Restoro. Restoro is an advanced, next-generation, and multi-functional PC repair tool embedded with numerous utilities like a registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer. The registry cleaner utility:

• Scans for all registry issues
• Wipes out the unnecessary files saved in the hard drive like the junk files, cookies, internet history, and temporary files
• Cleans the disk
• Repairs damaged and corrupt files
• Restores the registry

The antivirus utility scans and removes all malicious software from your PC including viruses, Trojans, malware, adware, and spyware. Simultaneously, it also boosts the speed of your system. It is safe and efficient PC repair software. It has simple navigation and a user-friendly interface. Whether you are using Windows 7, 8 or Vista, it is compatible with all. It can also be used on Windows XP. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the Hal.dll error today!

In this post, you will be guided on what to do if the Recent Items are no longer visible in the Taskbar icons in Windows 10. This can be quite inconvenient especially if you work simultaneously on many files and documents together and would require you to visit them regularly to incorporate changes. Thus, if you find that the Recent items are not visible in the Windows Taskbar, read on. In order for the Recent Items to appear on the taskbar icons in Windows 10 again, there are four potential fixes you can check out. You can try to show the recently opened items via Settings or clear the cache of the recent items. You could also make some changes in the Windows Registry or use the Group Policy Editor. But before you proceed with these potential fixes, it’s best if you create a System Restore Point first just in case something goes wrong after you made changes in the system. The System Restore Point allows you to undo these changes and bring back the previous state of your computer. Thus, you need to create one and then carefully follow the given options below.

Option 1 – Show the recently opened items via Settings

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to show the recently opened items through the Settings app.

• Open the Settings app and select Personalization.
• From there, select the Start option and scroll down until you see the “Show recently opened items in Jump Lists on Start or the taskbar” option.
• Make sure that its toggle button is turned on.

Option 2 – Try to clear the Recent Items cache

• Tap the Win + E keys to open File Explorer.
• Next, copy and paste this link on the address bar: %AppData%Microsoftwindowsrecentautomaticdestinations
• Once you’re in the given location, you should see multiple files. Now select all these files and completely delete them.

Note: These files are automatically recreated when you interact with the system like performing tasks such as opening apps or accessing files.

• After that, go to this next location: %AppData%Microsoftwindowsrecentcustomdestinations
• Once there, delete all of its files and restart your computer. This should resolve the problem.

Option 3 – Try making changes via Registry Editor

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to apply some tweaks in the Registry by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry sub-path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersion
• From there, select the Policies Explorer folder located in the left pane.
• Then move to the right pane and look for the “NoRecentDocsHistory” entry and right-click on it.
• Now delete this entry.

Note: This entry is the one that stores the Group Policy setting for “Do not keep the history of recently opened documents. The Group Policy adds this entry to the registry with a value of 1 if you enable the “Do not keep the history of recently opened documents” policy. On the other hand, if you disable the policy by setting it to “Not configured” or deleting it, the Group Policy will delete the entry from the registry, and the system will act as though the value is 0 – for instance, it keeps the history of the recently opened files in your computer.

Option 4 – Try to use the Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and tap Enter to launch the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar.
• Afterward, double click on the “Do not keep a history of recently opened documents” policy located on the right panel. This is the policy that lets you enable or disable recent items and frequent places.
• Now to enable the recent items, as well as the frequent places, feature, click on the “Disabled” or the “Not Configured” option.
• Once you’re done, close the Group Policy Editor and restart your PC.

Note: If you choose to enable this setting, the system and Windows programs will not create shortcuts to documents opened while the setting is in effect. Aside from that, they also stay but won’t display the existing document shortcuts and the system will empty the Recent Items menu on the Start menu and the Windows programs won’t also display shortcuts in the Start Menu. In addition, the Taskbar won’t also show the recently opened or frequently used folders, files, or websites.

What is the Blue Screen Locale ID 1033 Error?

Blue screen locale id 1033 error as the name suggests, is a type of BSoD error. This error may occur during Windows startup, program load, or while the program is running. The error indicates poor PC maintenance and occurs without any warning. The error message is prompted in the following format:

Problem signature: Problem Event Name: BlueScreen OS Version: 6.0.6002.2.2.0.16.7 Locale ID: 1033

When the error occurs, the computer screen turns blue and the user is unable to view or access the program. It is advisable to fix the error right away, virtually because BSoD is a critical PC error, it can pose serious threats to your system.

Error Causes

The two most common causes of the occurrence of the Blue Screen Locale ID1033 error code are:

• Registry issues
• Viral infection

Further Information and Manual Repair

You don’t need to hire a technician or be a computer whiz to resolve Blue Screen Locale ID1033 error code. Here are some methods that you can try to resolve this error on your PC. These methods are easy to perform and result-driven.

Method 1: Perform a PC Scan by Downloading an Anti-Virus

Since this error is indicative of a viral infection, it is suggested you perform a PC scan by installing an antivirus on your system. Make sure you download an antivirus that is powerful and has the ability to scan all kinds of viruses.

Method 2: Clean and Repair the Registry

Another alternative method is to clean and repair the registry. The Registry is a component of the PC that stores all information and activities performed on the PC. This includes both important and unnecessary files like junk files, cookies, internet history, temporary files, invalid entries, bad registry keys, and more. These files not only accumulate in the registry but also damage and corrupt it thereby generating error codes like the Blue Screen Locale ID1033 error code.

On April 7th Microsoft has released Windows build 21354 for their flagship OS and updates are rolling. Alongside the new update builds Microsoft has decided to create and release Windows 21354 build as an installable ISO image for anyone who wishes to do a clean installation of Windows without the need to update it after the installation. We have not seen this move by Microsoft in a long time and honestly, we are welcoming it, it is always great to have updated ISO Windows build than to install the old version and sit through an hour or more of updates. If you are interested in getting this ISO image and you are part of the insider program you can download it from here. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

What is Solimba?

Solimba is a bundled executable program. It was created to be launched as a promotional tool to get advertisements loaded on a user’s system, upon installation. As a bundle, Solimba offers installation of various programs, with the objective of promoting various products and services. It utilizes unethical techniques, as in the case with adware tactics to influence or for want of a better word, hijack an Internet Browser to affect a website’s result on a search results page. In this assessment, Solimba distributed ads on Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Mozilla browsers, by hijacking various Internet Browsers to change the user's experience. (Images are shown below) Technical details about Solimba PUP include:

Digital Signature:  POPELER SYSTEM, S.L. Entry Point:   0x0000C1DC

Assessment of Solimba Potentially Unwanted Program

Solimba PUP is all about the ads. Once this executable is installed, it penetrates your computer system and sends ads all over your Internet Browser – Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and the likes. For this assessment of Solimba.exe PUP, two installations were carried through. In layman's terms, I actually installed Solimba on two occasions to decipher the true nature of the PUP. It was shocking to find that both installations revealed different bundled programs and advertisements. In the first instance (as shown below), Solimba proved more aggressive in featuring ads for revenue advancements.

 Solimba employed aggressive advertising techniques

It’s important to note that hijacked results resulting from the installation of Solimba. This affected the results of the website on the Internet browser to boost its ranking, even without the use of a search engine. The advertisement displayed on the Internet Explorer search page routes the user to a software installation website. The utility tool in question was a “Windows 8.1 PC Repair” tool used to identify threats present on the Windows 8.1 OS. The advertisement displayed on the Chrome Browser search page routes the user to a health and beauty magazine website. This site advocates health and beauty, especially issues concerning weight loss. Several ads were visible on-site, displaying products to assist people in losing weight. During my installation of Solimba, the installation wizard underscored that four programs would be downloaded. These programs included N8Fanclub.com_KinoniRemoteDesktop, Lolliscan, PaceItUp, and SearchProtect. Interestingly, only two programs from the list were apparent or obvious. An N8Fanclub.com_KinoniRemoteDesktop file was made on the Desktop and SearchProtect was seen in “All Programs”, along with files stored on the computer’s Local Drive. The other programs that were “supposedly” installed remained concealed. A test was done to determine whether these were counted as extensions or add-ons to the varying web browsers but nothing was found on any of the tested browsers – Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox.

Description of 4 Installed Files

N8Fanclub.com_KinoniRemoteDesktop

When this file was initially found on the Desktop, a rootkit came to mind. A rootkit was used as a means to an end. Whoever was on the receiving end of this unwanted file would be able to connect to an infiltrated system without the knowledge of the user. After running the file to determine its behavior, nothing much happened. A message appeared indicating that the software couldn’t execute on the computer. That was pretty tricky since, to begin with, I didn’t place that specific file on the desktop but it came along with the territory and so I had to accept it. Further research online into N8Fanclub.com_KinoniRemoteDesktop proved very rewarding. A search of the entire file name was not able to do the trick so I had to do research on both terms separately. After landing on N8Fanclub.com, I was nicely asked to disable my adblocker. There seemed nothing harmful about the site. However, due to the fact that it was not what I initially installed, the program was an unwanted program. That’s exactly what Solimba does. It installs several other programs that were not requested by the user in an attempt to make money from advertising. The mere fact that this program got installed meant that it was to promote an online service.

KinoniRemoteDesktop

was a separate program. It was combined with N8Fanclub as a way to allow users to use their PC computer “as if they were sitting in front of it.” A user would be able to make use of a full web browser, watch Flash videos, play games, and even use office applications. This would be done from the user’s Nokia device. This is an advertisement at its best.

Lolliscan

This program did not allow me to see much since it didn’t leave a physical trace behind. However, during the installation, Lolliscan was listed as one of the four programs that would be installed. Overall, Lolliscan supposedly should be able to save people money since this form of the ad focuses on showing coupons when visiting sites such as Amazon. While this seems like a good deal, this ad will invade your personal space and distribute pop-ups at the most inopportune times.

PaceItUp

As the name states, PaceItUp is software added to a browser with the intent to speed your computer. Quite the contrary, PaceItUp does the total opposite since it installs bundled programs that slow down a computer system. PaceItUp is also known for displaying ads and tracking what the user does on his/her computer system.

SearchProtect

It’s known for hijacking your computer’s homepage. In fact, this addition is very stubborn and often possesses a challenge when a request to uninstall is made.

Further Information on Solimba

The second installation of Solimba also had its own dose of bundles to display. In comparison to the first installation, two programs from the bundle were different while two remained the same. two additional programs were installed along with the second installation of this bundle. These were dubbed Optimizer Pro and GamesDesktop. SearchProtect and N8Fanclub.com_KinoniRemoteDesktop remained triumphant and unbeatable. They were repeated within the installation. To completely remove Solimba from your computer, click here to download and install Spyhunter.