The microphone has become from exclusive niche hardware to everyday requirements. In today's world when we live in a pandemic most of the work has shifted from office to home where people need working computers with microphones, working microphones.
So what do we do when the microphone stops working? Keep reading on to find out and hopefully, we will fix this as fast as possible.
Check Microphone Privacy Settings
In 2019, Microsoft introduced new privacy features to Windows that give you more granular control over which apps are accessing your microphone. The side effect of this is that certain apps may be blocked from using your microphone without you even knowing.
To find out if this is the issue, go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone.
Click Change and make sure the slider is set to On. This will broadly mean that the mic is now enabled on your PC.
Next, make sure the slider under Allow apps to access your microphone is set to On, then look through the list of Microsoft Store apps to make sure the apps you want to use are selected.
You’re likely to be using many apps, not from the Microsoft Store, so to make sure these are enabled, scroll down even further and set the Allow desktop apps … slider to On.
Check Microphone Driver
The outdated or corrupted driver could be the issue for the microphone not working in Windows 10.
To check the driver status, follow these steps:
In your Start menu search for Device Manager
In the device manager window search for sound and expand it.
Once expanded, you should see your audio drivers. Note that the names of these will vary depending on the manufacturer.
On Audio, right-click, and select properties. On the General tab, check to see if the device is working properly.
If it is not working properly, click on the driver tab and select the update option.
Repeat for the other audio drivers.
Restart the computer.
Check the Sounds setting
In the taskbar, right-click on the speaker icon at the far-right corner and select the sound option.
On the Recording tab, click on the microphone and select the Properties option.
Select the levels tabs and increase the volume for both microphone and microphone boost.
Go to the Enhancement tab of the same pop-up and make sure that the immediate mode checkbox is checked.
Click Ok and restart the computer.
The sound troubleshooter
Right-click on the sound icon at the far-right corner of the taskbar and select troubleshoot sound problems.
The computer will detect any fault that exists with your audio and recommend fixes for you. You just need to read through the prompts and click the options that you think will work for you.
Try microphone on another computer
If previous steps have not produced results, try the microphone on another computer, if it is not working there then it is a hardware malfunction
If by any chance you are working on a touchscreen PC, tablet, or any similar device and have no access to a hardware keyboard there is a way to place Touch Keyboard on your screen for easy typing, and you can enable icon on the taskbar for easy access.
Enabling the Touch Keyboard
Right-click on the Taskbar
Select Taskbar Settings
Go to Personalization > Taskbar
Click on Taskbar Corner Icons to expand it
Click on the switch next to Touch Keyboard to turn it ON
Close settings
The icon will immediately appear on the Taskbar in the lower right corner. Clicking the icon virtual keyboard will appear on the lower part of the screen.
You can use this keyboard to type in applications the same as you were typing on hardware one.
By taping on X in the upper right corner, you will hide the keyboard. Tap on the icon in Taskbar to bring it up again.
Hide the Taskbar icon
If you do not want to use Touch Keyboard anymore you can easily hide the icon:
Right-click on the Taskbar
Select Taskbar Settings
Go to Personalization > Taskbar
Click on Taskbar Corner Icons to expand it
Click on the switch next to Touch Keyboard to turn it OFF
The Microsoft Photos app is a useful tool that allows users to view, edit, as well as create videos on their Windows 10 computers. Although it works just fine most of the time, there are some instances when you might encounter some issues when using it. One of these issues is when you cannot save media from the Photos app after you’ve edited an image. This is most likely related to a permission issue. However, according to some users, they got the error where the edited media file can’t be saved. When you encounter this kind of error, you will see the following error in your Photos app:
“It looks like you don’t have permission to save changes to this file.Try saving a copy instead.”
There are several options you can explore to resolve this error. You can try updating the Microsoft Photos app or verify the ownership of the destination folder. You can also re-register and reinstall the app. For more detailed instructions, make use of the options provided below.
Option 1 – Try to update the Microsoft Photos app
The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to update the Microsoft Photos app.
Open the Microsoft Store and click on the three horizontal dots for the menu located on the top right portion of the window to see the options.
Next, select Downloads and updates and then click the Get updates button in the top right. This will install any pending updates for all the apps including the Microsoft Photos app using the Microsoft Store.
Option 2 – Try to verify the ownership of the destination folder
The next thing you can do to fix the error is to verify the ownership of the folder because chances are, the location where you’re trying to save the file might not have enough permissions to read and write the file to the disk. Thus, you need to take ownership of the folder by following these steps:
Type “command prompt” in the Windows Search bar and then right-click on the relevant search result and select “Run as administrator”.
After that, if a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed.
Next, type and enter this command: TAKEOWN /F <path>
Note that the <path> is the location of the folder or file in File Explorer.
Now type and enter this second command: ICACLS <path> /grant administrators:F
Finally, once the command has been executed, restart your computer and then see if you can now access the folder or file.
Option 3 – Try resetting the Photos app
If the first option of restarting the background process of the Photos app didn’t work for you, you can try to reset the Photos app so that it will use the default factory settings. Note that this option works when you are experiencing this issue after making a couple of changes in the Photos app.
To get started in resetting the Photos app, open the Windows 10 Settings.
Then go to Apps > Apps & features.
After that, scroll down until you see the Photos app option – click on it and open its Advanced options.
From there, you will see the Reset button, click on it and click and then click on it once more to confirm.
Note: The process may take a couple of minutes to complete. Once it’s done, open the pictures again using the Photos app.
Option 4 – Try reinstalling the Photos app
If none of the first two options given above worked, then you might want to consider reinstalling the Photos app. Unlike what most users think, it isn’t really that hard reinstalling preinstalled apps as you have the Windows PowerShell for that. To use this program in reinstalling the Photos app, follow these steps:
Open the Windows PowerShell program with admin privileges and key in the following command:
Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted
After that, execute this second command to re-register and reinstall the Microsoft Photos app.
Note: In the command given, do not forget to replace the “PackageFullName” with the actual package name for the Photos app. After executing the command, it will uninstall the Photos app from your computer so you need to install it again from the Windows Store by simply looking for it. Once you found it, just click on install to start the installation process.
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 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.
Error Code 44 is a device driver error that users encounter when using Windows 2000 operating system and later versions.
It is when the peripheral device that is connected to the computer, such as a printer or a fax machine, cannot be accessed as the programs required for operation interfere with other software on the computer. The error code will pop up with the following message:
“An application or service has shut down this hardware device. (Code 44)”
Solution
Error Causes
Error Code 44 is caused when the program that you are using shuts down the peripheral device installed on your system. It is triggered by the following:
Corrupted system registry entries
Device driver files are outdated
Device driver files are missing
It is critical to fix the Error Code 44 as it can pose serious risks to the wellbeing of your PC.
Further Information and Manual Repair
While bothersome, like other error codes, error code 44 to is relatively easy to fix. Here are ways to help resolve the error.
Method 1 – Restart your PC
The easiest method you can use to solve your PC error code is to simply run a restart of your Windows system. It may be that the error prompted upon connecting the device you have connected is merely a temporary problem, and upon restart, will resume functioning smoothly.
Method 2 – Run the Troubleshooting Wizard
If restarting your PC does not help, you will have to find the exact nature of the problem by running the troubleshooting wizard for the device and address the problem accordingly. To do this, proceed with the following steps:
Run Device Manager on your PC
Click on the program under the installed programs that are creating problems for you
Click on the ‘General’ Tab
Click ‘Troubleshoot’
Upon opening, the Troubleshooting Wizard will ask a series of questions regarding the error. Answer the questions and follow its directions for solving the error code.
After following the directions of the Troubleshooting wizard, make sure to restart your PC for the changes to take effect. Then check if your device is still causing problems.
Method 3 – Manually uninstall and reinstall the device driver
If troubleshooting does not work, you may have to resort to manually uninstalling and then reinstalling the device driver causing the problem.
This would be necessary since the remaining incomplete files due to a partial removal or installation of programs is what contributes to the error code. A fresh install, after uninstallation of the previous drivers, would lead to the completion of the files.
You can do this by firstly logging in as Administrator and opening Device Manager. Select the device that is causing the problem and double click it and make sure that the peripheral is connected properly to the PC.
Upon opening, click on the ‘Driver’ tab and then select ‘Update Driver’. Make sure to refer to the system documentation that you received with your PC or computer to check for the motherboard details and driver specifics.
Method 4 – Use software to automatically download the driver
Manually uninstalling and reinstalling the driver will do the trick, however, it may be time-consuming especially when you would have to resort to your hardware user manual.
Therefore, using a program such as DriverFIX can save you a lot of time and frustration in having your device work properly on your computer.
Driver Assist, 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 incomplete files to remain that create Error Code 38.
It also has the added advantage of being able to backup and restores your files should there be the slightest possibility of system file damage. DriverFIX is the answer to fixing your PC error codes accurately and quickly.
Click here to download DriverFIX to fix Error Code 44 quickly and effectively!
Anxiety from all these digital threats lurking everywhere? An antivirus program can help put your mind at ease.
What can a virus do to your device?
A virus is malicious software that can affect pretty much any device and does so in a variety of ways. Be it your computer, your phone or your smart lightbulb - as long as there’s access to the internet, malware can get to it.
How exactly does this kind of attack manifest itself? Well, there’s a wide variety of effects ranging from mild to severe. Among other things, they depend on which type of malware attacks your device - a virus, spyware, ransomware, adware or something else.
These are some of the things you can expect to happen:
Slow performance
System crashes
Theft of data and sensitive information
Connectivity issues
Constant browser redirects
Strange messages sent to your contacts
Interference with files
It really can be the stuff of nightmares. So, if you want to sleep peacefully knowing that your devices are completely safe, you should definitely consider getting an antivirus.
P.S. don’t let its name fool you - an antivirus does indeed protect your devices against more than just viruses.
What is antivirus software exactly?
Antivirus software is designed to help you battle and ward off malware. Basically, it scans your device to detect any suspicious activity and offers tools to get rid of the culprit.
At first, antiviruses were developed to fight against viruses only, but nowadays they cover a lot more ground. Here are some of the biggest benefits of getting yourself a powerful defender.
Advantages of antivirus software
1. It fights those pesky ads
Look, constant ads that pop up everywhere aren’t the absolute worst thing that can happen on your computer. If anything, they are annoying, like when you’re trying to sleep but that one fly in your room just won’t stop buzzing.
Now, there’s a free, well-established solution for that - installing an ad blocker. And we’re about a hundred and ten percent sure you’ve already done that on each and every browser you use.
However, “if I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist” isn’t the most ideal approach for your online safety. Ad blockers can’t block everything and they won’t protect you from potential adware. An antivirus on the other hand offers that layer of protection against malware snuck into pop-ups and spammy websites.
2. It protects you from hackers
Hackers don’t target government institutions only. They’ll target regular people too if they have something to gain.
Credit: Clint Patteron (Unsplash)
There are different types of hacking, such as phishing e-mails, transmission of malicious programs, credential reuse, denial of service and more. In any case, they take control of your device and hijack your data.
The good thing is that, as threats evolve, antiviruses evolve too and there are tons of quality programs on the market that can keep you secure for an affordable price.
3. It keeps your files and data safe
When malware enters your device, it can target pretty much any file and get access to any and all data.
Installing an antivirus program will make sure that every single file, new or old, is monitored at all times, warning you against threats immediately. That way, you can make sure to react before your other files become infected and data is lost or stolen.
Another great thing for data protection is that the best antivirus software normally comes with a password manager, so no one can use malware to steal your passwords.
4. It blocks all kinds of malware
As we already stated, malicious attacks can be performed in many ways and malware comes in in different shapes an sizes, such as:
Trojan horse
Spyware
Ransomware
Adware
Rootkit
RAT (remote access Trojan)
Keyloggers
Worms
Botnets
Credit: Growtika (Unsplash)
Nowadays, antivirus software is designed to fight against all of these types. That’s why more often than not we hear the term 'antivirus' used interchangeably with 'anti-malware,' like in this article.
5. It keeps your children protected
You can’t keep your eyes on your kid every second of the day and you can’t protect them from everything. But at least you can limit their exposure to the threats they can encounter at every corner of the digital world.
An antivirus program will block harmful or suspicious websites and ads, which is great both for you and your children. To take it a step further, though, many such programs come with special parental controls and offer monitoring as well. It’s a great solution for keeping your kids safe online without sounding like the irritating, overbearing, controlling parent who “just doesn’t get it!”
How to pick one
There are definitely lots of different antivirus programs out there, both free and paid. We recommend you look for a paid option, since free ones are unfortunately a lot more susceptible to being compromised through malicious attacks.
Now, there are a few factors to consider when choosing the right software. If you use your PC for basic things then a basic antivirus will suffice. However, the more complex your use and the more sensitive the data you deal with, the stronger it needs to be.
It’s also crucial that you take into account the features it includes. As we already mentioned, some programs have additional security options. For example, depending on the package you select, Bitdefender provides:
Some are included in plans and some are separate products, so make sure to check out all the offers.
And don’t worry if you have multiple PCs or you’re looking for protection for your smartphone or tablet as well; Bitdefender has suitable solutions for your needs. Of course, you can also just pick their classic antivirus software if you’re not in need of advanced protection.
Another important point is how regularly the software is updated and enhanced. The more frequent the updates the better, as bugs can make the program more vulnerable. Other things we advise you consider are user-friendliness, impact on performance, reputation (user reviews especially) and, of course, price.
The bottom line
Fact is: anyone can be a malware victim. Don’t let it be you.
You can’t put a price on peace and security, so don’t be reluctant to pay for yours - especially since a lot of options out there are extremely affordable. Is $159.00 a year really too much to pay for cross-platform protection for up to 10 devices? We don’t think so.
Explore your options and protect your files and data before it’s too late.
Error code 80073712 is one of the dozens of error codes affecting Windows 10 users. It occurs when users attempt to upgrade their operating system but experience a failure. The error code usually results from problems associated with missing or damaged files within Windows Update. Common symptoms of this error code include the following:
The inability of Windows Update to successfully complete the upgrade process
Message box highlighting the presence of error code
Solution
Error Causes
In the case of error code 80073712, the issues preventing Windows Update from completing the upgrade process are most likely due to problems with files within Windows Update. For instance, there may be corruption within the Component-Based Servicing (CBS) manifest.
Further Information and Manual Repair
Manual repair methods offer solutions to Microsoft users who are experiencing Windows error codes like the upgrade error code 80073712 in Windows 10. The manual repair methods in this article are not guaranteed to fix problems unrelated to this error code. Thus, be certain you are experiencing error code 80073712 before you attempt to implement the solutions provided below.
Method One: Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
Since issues related to Windows Update may be causing error code 80073712 to occur, one of the best solutions you can consider is to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. This troubleshooter will be able to detect and fix corruptions within Windows Update files or any other issues directly related to Windows Update. To implement this manual repair method, follow the steps listed below:
Step one: Open your Internet browser
Step two: Type www.microsoft.com/downloads
Step three: Type Windows Update Troubleshooter in the search bar at the top-right corner of the Microsoft website.
Step four: Select Windows Update Troubleshooter then wait for the webpage to load.
Step five: Select Run troubleshooter
Once you run the troubleshooter, you should be able to verify and fix any errors within Windows Update files. Restart your machine after the troubleshooting process is complete them proceed by checking Windows Update to see if you are able to complete the upgrade. If Windows Update downloads the upgrade and the installation of the upgrade occurs, the problem has been resolved. Otherwise, error code 80073712 will reoccur, in which case you will need to move to manual repair method two.
Method Two: Run DISM Tool
Another option available to Windows users experiencing error code 80073712 is to download and run the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool. This tool checks for inconsistencies or corruptions that may be preventing Windows Update services from functioning correctly. To download and run the tool, follow the instructions below:
Step one: Type Command Prompt in the search box near the Start button
Step two: Right-click Command Prompt, then click Run as administrator, providing administrator password or confirmation where necessary.
Step three: Select Allow
Step four: Press Enter after typing the following command:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Wait a few minutes to ensure that the process is complete. Once you’ve run the DISM tool, it will detect errors, for instance within registry data, and correct or replace them. Restart your machine after running this tool then check Windows Update. Attempt to download the upgrade to see if you have successfully resolved error code 80073712. If you experience an upgrade failure, move to the next manual repair method mentioned below.
Method Three: Perform a Clean Install of Windows 10
The issues related to error code 80073712 may also be resolved by performing a clean install of Windows 10. This manual repair method ensures that any previous versions of your Windows operating system are removed before you attempt to access an upgrade. This can prove effective as it helps users avoid issues that would otherwise cause error codes or poor PC performance in cases where errors are present on one’s system.
To successfully perform a clean installation of Windows 10, be prepared to follow step-by-step procedures that include the following:
Step two: Click Run, then select Create installation media for another PC
Step three: Select changes to the installation options, then select Next
Step four: Choose USB flash drive or ISO file, then click Next
Step five: Select drive, then Next
Step six: Select Finish, then restart your computer, ensuring that the media option you choose, whether USB flash drive or DVD, is in your machine before you choose to reboot.
Step seven: Press any key then follow the prompts provided to set up Windows 10.
Method Four: Download an Automated Tool
If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 8 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.
Free Ride Games is a desktop casual game program and potentially unwanted application. It sets its player to run in startup boot with Windows and installs additional files outside of its designated installation folders. The software reads PC information to display targeted advertising and runs a background process that cannot be shut down even by exiting the FreeRide Player. The player runs in full screen with no visible window controls to exit or minimize, and contains unskippable advertising in its function. While not malicious, the FreeRide Player possesses many traits that as of publication time have caused some AntiVirus programs to designate it as potentially unwanted adware. It has also been associated with adware distribution toolbars such as GameVance.
About Browser Hijackers
Browser hijacking means a malicious code has power over and modified the settings of your browser, without your consent. Browser hijacker malware is created for a variety of reasons. Typically, hijackers will force hits to websites of their preference either to increase web traffic generating higher ad earnings, or to gain a commission for each and every user visiting there. Many people think that such websites are legitimate and harmless but that is incorrect. Nearly every browser hijacker poses an actual threat to your online safety and it is vital to categorize them under privacy risks. When the malware attacks your computer or laptop, it begins to mess things up a whole that slows your system down to a crawl. In the worse case, you will be pushed to deal with serious malware threats as well.
Browser hijacking signs
There are numerous signs that could indicate a browser hijacking:
1. you find unauthorized modifications to your Internet browser’s home-page2. when you enter a URL, you find yourself regularly directed to some other website than the one you actually intended3. the default web engine and the default browser settings are modified4. discover new toolbars that you didn’t add5. you might find numerous pop-up adverts on your computer screen6. your internet browser has become unstable or starts running sluggishly7. you are blocked to access those sites of security solution providers.
How it infects your computer
Browser hijackers could use drive-by downloads or file-sharing websites or even an email attachment to reach a targeted computer. They can also come from any BHO, extension, toolbar, add-on, or plug-in with malicious objectives. Also, certain freeware and shareware can put the hijacker in your computer through the “bundling” technique. An example of some notorious browser hijacker includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, DefaultTab, SweetPage, Delta Search, and RocketTab, but the names are constantly changing.
Browser hijacking can lead to serious privacy issues and also identity theft, affect your web browsing experience by taking control of outbound traffic, substantially slows down your personal computer by depleting a lot of resources and lead to system instability as well.
How to remove a browser hijacker
Some hijackers could be removed by just uninstalling the related freeware or add-ons through the Add or Remove Programs in the Windows Control Panel. However, most hijackers are difficult to eliminate manually. Regardless of how much you attempt to get rid of it, it might keep returning again and again. Furthermore, manual removals demand in-depth system knowledge and therefore can be an extremely difficult task for beginner computer users.
Can't Install Safebytes Anti-malware due to the presence of Malware? Try This!
Malware can cause all kinds of damage when they invade your system, from stealing your personal details to erasing files on your computer system. Some malware sits in between the computer and your net connection and blocks a few or all internet sites that you really want to check out. It might also prevent you from adding anything on your PC, particularly anti-malware applications. If you are reading this, chances are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download and/or install the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your system. Even though this sort of problem can be harder to get around, there are a few actions you can take.
Install the anti-virus in Safe Mode
If the virus is set to load automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, entering Safe Mode could block the attempt. Only minimal required applications and services are loaded when you boot your computer or laptop into Safe Mode. To launch your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 PCs in Safe Mode with Networking, please do as instructed below.
1) At power on, hit the F8 key while the Windows splash screen begins to load. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu.2) Select Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit ENTER.3) When you are into this mode, you should have online access once again. Now, get the malware removal application you want by using the browser. To install the software, follow the directions in the setup wizard.4) Following installation, run a complete scan and let the program delete the threats it discovers.
Download the antivirus program in an alternate browser
Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a specific web browser or attacking specific versions of the browser. If you appear to have malware attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to a different web browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.
Make a bootable USB antivirus drive
Another option is to save and operate an anti-malware software program entirely from a USB drive. To run anti-malware from a USB drive, follow these simple steps:
1) Download the anti-malware program on a virus-free PC.2) Plug in the pen drive into the clean computer.3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, which has a .exe file extension.4) Select flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you wish to install the application. Follow the directions to complete the installation process.5) Remove the flash drive. Now you can use this portable antivirus on the infected computer.6) Double-click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the thumb drive to run the software.7) Click on the “Scan” button to run a full computer scan and remove viruses automatically.
How SafeBytes Anti-Malware Keep your Machine Virus Free"]If you are planning to buy anti-malware for your desktop, there are numerous brands and applications for you to consider. Some are very good ones, some are decent, while some are merely bogus anti-malware applications that will damage your computer themselves! You have to look for a tool that has gained a strong reputation and detects not just viruses but other types of malware also. Among few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended program for the security-conscious end user.
SafeBytes anti-malware is really a powerful, highly effective protection tool made to assist end-users of all levels of computer literacy in detecting and removing malicious threats from their PC. After you have installed this tool, SafeBytes sophisticated protection system will make sure that no viruses or malicious software can seep through your PC.
SafeBytes has excellent features when compared to other anti-malware programs. The following are some typical features found in this software:
Active Protection: SafeBytes provides complete and real-time security for your personal machine. It will check your computer system for suspicious activity continuously and its unrivaled firewall protects your PC from unauthorized access by the outside world.
Most effective AntiMalware Protection: Using its enhanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware removal tool can detect and eliminate the malware threats hiding in your computer system effectively.
Web Protection: SafeBytes checks and gives a unique safety rating to each and every website you visit and block access to webpages considered to be phishing sites, thus safeguarding you from identity theft, or known to contain malicious software.
Faster Scanning: Safebytes Anti-Malware, using its advanced scanning engine, provides extremely fast scanning which can quickly target any active online threat.
Light-weight: This software is lightweight and will work silently in the background, and that does not have an effect on your computer efficiency.
24/7 Online Tech Support: You can get 24/7 technical support to promptly resolve any concern with your security tool.
Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)
If you wish to manually remove FreeRideGames without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser.
To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.
The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by FreeRideGames.
If you are using a Windows Update Standalone Installer to install Windows Updates in your Windows 10 computer but you suddenly encounter an error saying, “Installer encountered an error: 0x80096002, The certificate for the signer of the message is invalid or not found”, read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix it.
This kind of error could be due to the vendor’s certificate that might have become invalid, compromised, or pulled. Aside from that, it is also possible that the update is not targeted at your OS version. You could get this error when you try to install an incompatible update or software on your computer. This error can also appear due to misconfigured system files or when you try to install BitLocker To Go Drive Encryption or BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool. To fix this error, you can try to run the standalone installer in Compatibility mode or enable the Windows Identity Foundation or run the Windows Update troubleshooter.
Make sure to check if the error was resolved after every suggestion. It will help you learn what fixed the problem.
Option 1 – Try to run the installer in Compatibility mode
Look for the setup file.
Once you find it, right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu.
After that, go to the Compatibility tab and mark the checkbox for “Run this program in compatibility mode for:” and from the drop-down list, select the Windows OS version you want the installer to run on.
You also have to check the “Run as administrator” option.
Now click the Apply button and then click OK to save the changes made and check if it has resolved the issue or not.
Option 2 – Try to troubleshoot compatibility
This option is almost the same as the first one except it is an alternative way of fixing the error 0x80096002 in case the first one didn’t work. In this option, you will troubleshoot the compatibility issue.
Look for the setup file.
Then right-click on it and select the “Troubleshoot compatibility” from the context menu.
After that, click on the “Try recommended setting” option. Once the process is done, the error message should be gone.
Option 3 – Try to enable the Windows Identity Foundation
You might also want to enable the Windows Identity Foundation as some users reported that it helped in resolving the error for them. To do so, follow these steps:
In the Windows Start Search, type “Turn Windows features on or off” and click on the matching result.
This will open a list of Windows Features and from there, look for the Windows Identity Foundation.
Once you found it, click on its checkbox and click OK to enable it and save the changes made.
Now see if it has fixed the error or not. If not, you have to disable the feature.
Option 4 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the things you can first check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update errors like error 0x80096002. 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.
SD memory cards have surfaced as standard cards for digital cameras and microSD as phone standard memory cards. Most people have and use at least one daily, so naturally copying files and even formatting SD cards is a natural thing to do, but what if you cannot copy files or format SD cards?
Fear not because we had this issue and tried several things in order to overcome the problem and after some time here is a list of what can you do if you are facing this exact issue. The list is written from most simple solutions to more complex ones and it is advisable to follow it as presented. That being said, let's dive into solving the problem.
1. Remove Write Protection on SD card
First and in my experience the most usual thing preventing deleting, copying files, and formating SD card is due to write protection. Take an SD card out of the laptop, camera, or card reader and visually inspect it. On side of almost every SD card, there is a hardware lock switch and mark where it needs to be positioned in order to be locked. Even if the switch is positioned on unlocked state, switch it to locked and then back to unlocked. Sometimes this easy moving of switch can resolve some contact issues and the card will start working normally.
Another type of lock that could be turned ON is a software one. If for any kind of reason data protection has been turned ON, you will need to turn it off in order to be able to format an SD card. In order to do this follow this guide:
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the Run dialog
In run dialog type in diskpart and press ENTER
Once diskpart is opened in command prompt type in: list disk and press ENTER
Locate your SD card and type in select disk x, where x is disk number followed by ENTER
After the SD card is selected type in: attributes disk clear read-only and press ENTER
This process will clear the software lock on the SD card, after following this method try to format the card again, if the problem still exists go to the next solution.
2. Format SD card using Command prompt
Command prompt is a great tool and can perform some commands that are not been able to be completed using file explorer or another tool inside Windows.
In the taskbar search box, search for cmd and select the Command prompt
On the right part select run as administrator
If needed click on YES on UAC prompt
Inside command prompt type in diskpart and press ENTER
type in list disk followed by ENTER
Select your SD card by locating its number in the list and typing select disk X, where is X SD cards number in list and press ENTER
Once SD card is selected type in format fs=ntfs quick and press ENTER
This should format SD card but if for reason even this step is provided as unproductive, go to the next solution.
3. Format your card with the Disk Management tool
Go into the taskbar and search for Disk Management and open it
Select SD card partition that you wish to format
Right-click on the partition and select format
After the format is done, enter the volume label, file system, and allocation unit size. Confirm with OK
Press OK again to confirm the formatting process.
If you have not managed to format your SD card even with this method go to the next solution.
4. Repartition card with Disk part
If all previous solutions have failed there is a chance that the SD card has bad sectors on it. If this is the case that we will need to partition cards in order to isolate bad sectors and use healthy ones.
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the Run dialog
In run dialog type in diskpart and press ENTER
Once diskpart is opened in command prompt type in: list disk and press ENTER
Locate your SD card and type in select disk x, where x is disk number followed by ENTER
Type in Clean and press ENTER
Type in Create partition primary and press ENTER
To select a new partition type select partition 1 followed by ENTER
Make partition active by typing active and pressing ENTER
Format the drive by typing format fs=ntfs label=SDCard quick followed with ENTER
Assign a letter to drive by typing assign letter=h followed with ENTER
Type exit to close Command prompt followed again by ENTER and open File Explorer to check if the drive is active
5. Try a dedicated SD card formating fool
If anything failed so far, one last thing you could do is to download and try a dedicated SD card formatting tool. One that I would recommend is SD Memory Card Formatter, which is free software make specifically for formatting SD memory cards.
Error 2032 is a Windows stream error. The error is generated when running applications like Flash. It shows that the application is unable to request ads from server.
Error Causes
The error 2032 is triggered due to multiple reasons including:
The URL cannot be located or is blocked
HTTP Service is not found
Incorrect proxy settings
Automatic cookies handling
Corrupt Flash Player
Viral infection
Registry issues
Further Information and Manual Repair
Here are some easy and best do it yourself methods to resolve the error 2032 on your system:
Fix the Proxy Settings
To do this, first, go to the start menu and press RUN, type regedit in the RUN box and press enter. Now from the left-hand panel of the registry path open: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionInternet Settings. Now double click the proxyenable string and replace its value with 0.
After that, right-click on proxy server and select delete option. Then exit Regedit and restart your PC to activate changes.
Verify the URL
Sometimes the error 2032 may be generated due to wrong or incorrect URL in the HTTP Service URL property. So, verify your URL and look for typos. Specifying the correct URL can fix the error right away.
Check Cookies Handling
Automatic cookies handling can also trigger this error code. Therefore, to resolve the error, it is advisable to disable automatic cookies handling. This can be done by launching your web browser.
Go to tools and then press the privacy tab. Now click on the advance tab from settings and un-check override automatic cookie handling. To confirm changes press OK.
Uninstall and then Reinstall the Flash Player
It is possible your Flash Player is corrupt. Therefore, another way to fix error 2032 is to uninstall the Flash Player and then reinstall it on your system.
Scan for Viruses
Programs usually get corrupted due to two reasons, viruses or registry issues. Therefore, to remove viruses on your PC, download and run an antivirus program.
If by any chance you are working on a touchscreen PC, tablet, or any similar device and have no access to a hardware keyboard there is a way to place Touch Keyboard on your screen for easy typing, and you can enable icon on the taskbar for easy access.
GPU shortage and its cause
Fear not because we had this issue and tried several things in order to overcome the problem and after some time here is a list of what can you do if you are facing this exact issue. The list is written from most simple solutions to more complex ones and it is advisable to follow it as presented. That being said, let's dive into solving the problem.
