Fix MS Store error code 0x80073d12 in Windows

If you are trying to run a Windows Service like the Diagnostic Policy Service and encounter an error instead that says, “Windows could not start the Diagnostic Policy Service”, worry not for this post will guide you on what you can do of the Diagnostic Policy Service is not running in your Windows 10 computer. As you know, the Diagnostic Policy Service enables problem detection, troubleshooting, and resolution for Windows components on your Windows operating system. When you encounter this kind of problem, you will also see the “Access is denied” error message. This occurs when the “MpsSvc” process does not have the permissions needed for the Registry keys. This kind of problem happens when the TrustedInstaller account is missing the permissions for a Registry key and so to fix this issue, you need to take full control and ownership of the Registry keys. You need to create a System Restore point first before you get started. This way, you can always undo the changes you’re about to make in case anything goes wrong. Once you’re done creating a System Restore point, refer to the following instructions to fix the “Windows could not start the Diagnostic Policy Service” error. Step 1: Tap the Win + R key combination to open the Run utility. Step 2: Type in “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor. Step 3: After opening the Registry Editor, navigate to this registry path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesDPSParameters

Step 4: After that, look for the “Parameters” registry key and select Permissions. Step 5: Now select your account under Group or user names. Step 6: Next, make sure that the “Full Control” and “Read” boxes are both checked, and then click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes. Step 7: Afterwards, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlWDIConfig Step 8: From there, look for the Config key and right-click on it and select Permissions and then click on Add and type “NT Service/DPS in the box and click OK. Step 9: Now select “DPS” and check the Full control box, click OK and exit the Registry Editor. Step 10: Reboot your computer and check if the error is now fixed.

In today’s world and age, there are some essential IT skills that basically everyone should know. No matter in what field you are working some skills are just needed in order to function properly in the work. So, without further ado let's dive into what are these essential IT skills everyone, even your grandmother should know.

5 Essential IT skills everybody should know

1. Word processing

   No matter are you creating or editing business documents or just trying to help a friend or relative, word processing skill is an essential asset and requirement in today’s age. Writing anything on a bunch of paper is time-consuming, papers can get lost, and searching for a particular item inside a bunch of papers is not a really enjoyable experience. A much easier solution is to write, format, and keep everything on the computer and almost all employers are asking for this skill.

2. Send and using emails

   Today we live in the digital age and most communication is done in real-time via messaging apps and file sharing is done via file-sharing services. Despite mentioned technology, many files are shared and sent through emails. When a message is too long or complex when it needs to have some attachment or to be kept in archive emails are the way to go and therefore using email is a must-have essential skill.

3. Using search engines

   When talking about using search engines we really do not think about firing up your favorite browser, going into the search engine,s and typing cat pictures. What we think is that a person should know how to use a search engine properly, tweak its search options, and phrase words and sentences to find everything he or she needs.

4. Doing data work

   Data entry and data calculations have been made easier than ever thanks to today's technology. Microsoft excel, libre office calc, google sheets, etc. are all capable of performing a great variety of calculations and keeping track of plenty of required data. This skill is often asked by employers as an essential one.

5. Cyber security

   Each employee or person, in general, should be quite aware of various scams and best practices to keep itself safe in this digital world. We have several articles on this topic and there are a great variety of articles on the internet as well.

Conclusion

No matter are you young or old, employed or looking for a job, these skills are a must-have in today’s world.  There are a lot of great tutorials online on these various topics and I am sure that your knowledgeable friend or cousin would be happy to help and show you how to do all of these things.

Error Code 0x80240001- What is it?

Error Code 0x80240001 usually occurs in Windows 10 and is specific to the process of updating your system. It is similar to an error code found in previous versions of the software during the update process. There are a number of steps that can be taken to solve this error code, most of which are fairly easy for the average user to undertake.

Common symptoms for this particular error code include:

• Inability to complete the updating process of your Windows 10 system
• A notice that the Windows Update Agent is not able to provide appropriate services through the update module.

While it can be frustrating to have this message appear during the update process, users can resolve the error in a number of ways. However, if you are not confident in your ability to follow the steps below or if the methods listed fail to resolve the problem, contact a certified Windows 10 repair technician to assist you in the process.

Solution

Error Causes

Error Code 0x80240001 occurs when the Windows Update tool is unable to complete its service successfully. This error occurs most often when users attempt to update to Windows 10 from older versions of the software, including Windows 7, 8, or 8.1.

This particular error code can also occur when your system has not been updated in a regular fashion. Stacked updates make it more likely for Error Code 0x80240001 to occur.

In most cases, when Error Code 0x80240001 appears on your screen, the update process will be halted. Sometimes, the screen may display a single color background, removing the appearance of all other windows and applications.

Fortunately, there are several methods that you can use to attempt to circumvent the problem and see the update process through to completion.

Further Information and Manual Repair

While it can be frustrating to deal with an error when you attempt to update your Windows software, there are several ways that you can seek to resolve the issue that causes Error Code 0x80240001. These steps are relatively simple to complete and do not require advanced techniques to be used. However, if you are not confident in your ability to complete the steps listed below, enlist the aid of a qualified Windows technician to help you.

Here are the most common ways that Error Code 0x80240001 can be resolved for Windows 10:

Method One:  Download and Use the Windows Repair Tool

From the Windows website, you can download the Windows Repair tool, if it is not already installed on your computer. While there are other tools available through outside sites that claim that they can resolve this error, in many cases, they can be a carrier for viruses and other kinds of malware, so it is inadvisable to use non-Windows tools to fix this particular error code.

Once you have successfully added the Windows Repair tool to your computer, open it up and look for the option to run “Repair Windows Update.” Using this process, your system can search for and resolve the error, allowing you to successfully run the update tool through to completion.

Method Two:  Uninstall Recently Added Software

In some cases, software that has been recently added to a non-updated computer can cause the update process to experience issues. If you believe that this may have occurred in your case, simply uninstall the software in question, then attempt to run the Windows 10 Update process again.

The best way to prevent this error from reoccurring when you seek to update your Windows 10 system is to apply updates within a short period of time from their release date. It is recommended that users update regularly, which can allow them to avoid a number of issues that are common to the update process.

If you have any difficulty in resolving Error Code 0x80240001 after you have attempted these steps, you may need to enlist the help of a qualified technician who is familiar with the specific errors related to the Windows 10 Update process. This can especially be helpful if you have recently installed a number of new kinds of software and are unsure of whether or not any specific one may be causing your issues. 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.

If your Windows computer is not booting up and displays Secure Boot Violation – The system found unauthorized changes on the firmware, operating system, or UEFI drivers error message on the screen, then you can follow this tutorial to troubleshoot the problem. When you encounter this kind of problem on your computer, you will get the following error message on your screen:

“Secure Boot Violation The system found unauthorized changes on the firmware, operating system, or UEFI drivers. Press [OK] to run the next boot device or enter directly to BIOS Setup if there are no other boot devices installed. Go to BIOS Setup > Advanced > Boot and change the current boot device into other secured boot devices.”

This kind of error message pops up due to the Secure Boot that protects your computer from running any non-OEM signed boot software during startup. In other words, the Secure Boot firmware is the one that scans for non-signed boot software each time your computer boots up and if it detects anything strange, it will block the boot and will display the error message. To fix this error, there are two things you can try. You can try to disable the Secure Boot or try using a System Restore Point. For more detailed instructions, refer to each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Disable the Secure Boot in the BIOS

Disabling the Secure Boot in the BIOS settings is definitely recommended to resolve the issue. To disable Secure Boot, here’s what you have to do:

• First, boot your computer into Windows 10.
• Next, go to Settings > Windows Update. From there, check if there is anything that you have to download and install if you see any available updates. Usually, OEMs send and update the list of trusted hardware, drivers, and operating systems for your computer.
• After that, go to the BIOS of your computer.
• Then go to Settings > Update & Security > Advanced Startup options. If you click on Restart Now, it will restart your computer and give you all the advanced options.
• Next, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options. As you can see, this screen offers you further options including System restore, Startup repair, Go back to the previous version, Command Prompt, System Image Recovery, and UEFI Firmware Settings.
• Select the UEFI Firmware Settings which will take you to the BIOS.
• From there, go to the Security > Boot > Authentication tab where you should see Secure Boot. Note that every OEM has its own way of implementing the options so it varies.
• Next, set Secure Boot to Disabled and set Legacy Support to On or Enabled.
• Save the changes made and exit. Afterward, your computer will reboot.

Option 2 – Try running System Restore in Advanced Startup Options

Since you probably can’t boot into your Windows 10 computer, you can try to run System Restore again in the Advanced Startup Options.

• Boot your computer into the Advanced Startup Options screen.
• From there, you will see some options to troubleshoot when you can’t log in to Windows in the usual way.
• Now select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
• After that, type “rstrui” and hit Enter to execute the command which will start the System Restore process.

Option 3 – Make a proper bootable USB Drive/Stick

To make a proper bootable USB drive, you need to use the Windows Media Creation tool. The Media Creation tool in Windows allows you to use the ISO installation file to make a bootable device that you can use to install Windows on your PC. Note that this is kind of different from the usual installation process as it could erase your computer’s current settings and data on the primary drive. Thus, before you proceed, you need to backup all your data into some removable drive and then use the Media Creation Tool to make a bootable drive.

• After making the bootable drive, you need to plug it into your computer and then reboot.
• Next, tap the F10 or Esc key to open the boot options.
• Now set the boot priority of the removable drive the highest. Once the setup comes forth, follow the next onscreen instructions and install Windows without any problems.

Wallpapers by MyWay is a browser hijacker, also known as Wallpaper Homepage adware. It was developed by Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc and it is widely promoted on the Internet as a genuine search engine powered by Google with an ability to customize homepage background and add some quick access links. This hijacker can be found in the most popular web browsers including Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and IE. Generally Wallpaper by MyWay hijacker appears on the user’s computer without the user being fully aware of its modification.

While installed users will experience additional ads showing up in their search results, as well as sponsored content and pop-up ads. This extension has been flagged by several anti-virus scanners and it is recommended to remove it from your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijack is a very common type of online fraud where your web browser settings are altered to allow it to do things you never intend. Browser hijacker malware is designed for many different reasons. These are generally used to force visitors to predetermined sites, manipulating web traffic to generate ad revenue. Nevertheless, it’s not that harmless. Your internet safety is jeopardized and it is also really irritating. Additionally, hijackers can make the entire infected system fragile – other harmful malware and viruses would take hold of these opportunities to get into your system very easily.

Signs of browser hijacker infection

Symptoms that your browser is hi-jacked include: 1. you see unauthorized modifications to your web browser’s home-page 2. you find yourself regularly directed to a different site than the one you meant 3. the default web engine and the default browser settings is modified 4. find new toolbars which you did not add 5. you notice lots of pop-up ads on your computer screen 6. your internet browser has instability issues or displays frequent errors 7. you’re blocked to access those sites of anti-malware solution providers.

Exactly how browser hijacker finds its way onto your computer

Browser hijackers can enter a computer by some means or other, for instance via file sharing, downloads, and e-mail also. Many internet browser hijackings come from add-on programs, i.e., browser helper objects (BHO), toolbars, or plug-ins added to web browsers to provide them additional functionality. A browser hijacker can be installed as a part of freeware, shareware, demoware and fake programs. An example of some popular browser hijackers includes Babylon, Anyprotect, Conduit, DefaultTab, SweetPage, RocketTab, and Delta Search, however, the names are often changing. Browser hijackers could record user keystrokes to collect potentially valuable information that leads to privacy issues, cause instability on systems, significantly disrupt user’s browsing experience, and finally slow down the system to a point where it will become unusable.

Browser hijacker removal methods

Certain types of browser hijackers can be quickly removed from your computer by deleting malicious programs or any other recently installed shareware. However, the majority of hijacking codes are certainly not easy to get rid of manually, as they go deeper into the operating system. Furthermore, manual removals require in-depth system knowledge and therefore can be a very difficult job for novices. Installing and running anti-malware programs on the affected computer can automatically delete browser hijackers and other malicious programs. One of the top tools for repairing browser hijacker infections is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. It helps you get rid of any pre-existing malicious software on your computer and gives you real-time monitoring and protection against new threats. Use a system optimizer (such as Total System Care) along with your anti-malware to fix various registry issues, remove computer vulnerabilities, and improve your computer overall performance.

How To Get Remove Malware That Is Preventing Antivirus Installation?

All malware is detrimental and the consequences of the damage will vary according to the specific type of malicious software. Some malware goes to great lengths to stop you from downloading or installing anything on your computer, especially anti-virus software programs. If you are reading this article, you may have infected by a virus that stops you from downloading a security software such as Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. Refer to the instructions below to remove malware in alternative ways.

Use Safe Mode to fix the issue

If the malware is set to run at Windows start-up, then booting in safe mode should avoid it. Only the minimum required applications and services are loaded when you boot your laptop or computer into Safe Mode. To launch your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, follow the instructions below. 1) After switching on the computer, press the F8 key before the Windows splash screen starts to load. This would conjure up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Select Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you should have an internet connection. Now, make use of your web browser normally and navigate to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) After installation, do a complete scan and allow the program to remove the threats it discovers.

Switch to some other internet browser

Malicious code might exploit vulnerabilities in a specific internet browser and block access to all anti-malware software websites. When you suspect that your Internet Explorer happens to be hijacked by a trojan or otherwise compromised by online hackers, the most effective course of action would be to switch over to a different internet browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari to download your chosen computer security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install anti-malware on a flash drive

Here’s another solution which is creating a portable USB anti-malware software package that can scan your computer for malware without needing installation. Adopt these measures to employ a flash drive to fix your corrupted PC. 1) On a clean PC, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug in the pen drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, with a .exe file format. 4) Choose the flash drive as the destination for saving the software file. Follow the activation instructions. 5) Now, transfer the thumb drive to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the thumb drive. 7) Click on the “Scan Now” button to start the malware scan.

How SafeBytes Anti-Malware Keep your Machine Virus Free

If you are looking to download an anti-malware application for your computer, there are plenty of tools on the market to consider but you just cannot trust blindly anyone, no matter whether it is a free or paid program. A few of them do a good job in eliminating threats while many will ruin your computer themselves. You must select one that is dependable, practical, and has a good reputation for its malware source protection. When considering commercial anti-malware application options, many people select well-known brands, like SafeBytes, and they are quite happy with it. SafeBytes is a powerful, real-time antivirus application that is designed to assist everyday computer user in safeguarding their PC from malicious threats. With its most advanced virus detection and repair technology, this software will help you protect your personal computer against infections caused by different types of malware and other internet threats, including adware, spyware, viruses, worms, trojans, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs).

There are lots of wonderful features you’ll get with this security product. Some of them are listed as below:

Robust Anti-malware Protection: Using its advanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware elimination tool can detect and remove the malware threats hiding within your computer system effectively. Active Protection: SafeBytes gives you round-the-clock protection for your PC limiting malware attacks in real-time. It will check your personal computer for suspicious activity at all times and safeguards your PC from unauthorized access. Fast Scan: This computer software has one of the fastest and most efficient virus scanning engines in the industry. The scans are very accurate and take a short amount of time to complete. Web Protection: Safebytes allots all sites a unique safety score that helps you to have an idea of whether the website you’re about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Light-weight: SafeBytes gives complete protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load due to its enhanced detection engine and algorithms. 24/7 Customer Service: Expert technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will quickly resolve any technical issues you may be experiencing with your security software. To conclude, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is really great for securing your PC against all kinds of malware threats. Malware problems will become a thing of the past once you put this software program to use. So if you’re looking for the best anti-malware subscription for your Windows-based PC, we highly recommend SafeBytes Anti-Malware software

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to manually remove Wallpapers by MyWay without using an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the application from the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of web browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will probably also want to reset your internet browser to its default configuration settings. If you opt to manually delete the system files and registry entries, use the following checklist to make sure you know exactly what files to remove before performing any actions. Please keep in mind that this is for professional users only and might be difficult, with wrong file removal leading to additional system errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Carrying out this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is recommended.

Why combining hard drives with storage spaces? Ok, I will admit it, I am a modern digital hamster when it comes to digital goods. I like to collect stuff and more than anything else I like to have all of that at the tip of my fingers. And how digital goods grow in size themselves (movies on Blu-ray are like 50GB each) and the collection grows in size single hard drive is starting to be completely obsolete when it comes to storage. Sometimes we will need large storage for these kinds of personal collections, sometimes we will need it for work reasons. Whatever your reason might be Windows 10 is offering us a solution via Storage spaces. Storage spaces is an integral part of Windows and it is meant as a tool to provide you with a RAID environment without a RAID controller. Of course, combining multiple hard drives via storage paces instead of RAID will not be so fast or stable but for home use of storing a large quantity of data is perfectly enough. With Storage Spaces you will also have an option to reduce some space for increased security of data loss if by any chance one of your HDD fails.

How to Create a Storage Space

To create storage space in Windows, press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog. In the run box type in Control Panel and press ENTER In Control Panel find Storage Spaces and left-click on it. Once storage spaces open, left-click on Create a new pool and storage space Once you click on create new, you will be greeted with a list of hard drives you can use for this operation. Please note that all hard drives you choose will be completely erased and formatted and then assign a single drive letter. Click on Create pool. You will find yourself in new storage options where you can assign a drive letter, give storage space a name, etc.

Storage spaces types

One thing I would like to focus on here is resiliency type, when you expand the resiliency type drop-down menu you will see 4 options inside. Simple, Two-way mirror, Three-way mirrors, and Parity. Simple: If you choose Simple as an option, you will have maximum hard drive space but no resiliency at all, meaning that if by any chance any of your hard drives malfunction, you are losing your data from that drive completely. Two-way mirror: This option will save your data if one of your drives fails but you need at least 2 drives and storage space will be limited since some of it will be a safe backup option for the case of a drive failure. However if one of your drives fails, you can replace it in a second and keep on working as nothing happened. Three-way mirror: This option similar to the previous one will offer you safe data-keeping from a hard drive failure. this option will save your data even if 2 hard drives malfunction but it will require having 5 of them connected in order to be able to choose this option. Parity: Maybe the most popular option among people who want to have 2 or 3 drives merged but do not want to lose too much space of the two-way mirror option. It offers some protection and it does not take so much space as two-way does, let us say it is a kind of win-win situation.

Conclusion

I personally go for simple and have an important backup on optical drives but only for reason I could use more space, know that this way is requiring from me to always have a backup in optical media and that I will need to restore all of it back if even one HDD fails which could take time. But if this way is ok with you, go for it, you will have more space to use.

What is Error 0x80010108?

Error 0x80010108 is a Windows Live Photo Gallery error. This error prevents the Windows PC user from viewing photos. The error code is often displayed in the following format:

‘An error is preventing the photo or video from being displayed’ Error code 0x80010108

Solution

Error Causes

The error 0x80010108 occurs due to multiple reasons including:

• The issue in Windows Live Essential Settings

This error occurs while using Windows Photo Gallery but it is actually related to the Windows Live Photo Viewer within the Windows Live Essentials software.

• Viral Infection
• Registry Issues

To view the photos on your Windows PC, it is advisable to fix the problem right away. Furthermore, you should also not delay in fixing this problem especially if the underlying causes are related to the registry or viral infection. These can pose serious system and security threats including system failure, crash and data breaches.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve this error on your system, you don’t always have to hire a technical expert or be a technical whiz yourself. Here are some easy and effective methods to resolve error 0x80010108 on your PC immediately:

Method #1

To repair Windows Live Essential Software Settings, go to the start menu and then click the control panel. Now in the control panel go the option Programs. In the programs click the tab programs and features and then select Windows Live Essentials and click repair tab. Once the settings are repaired, restart your PC to activate changes.

Method #2

Go to the start menu and type regedit.exe and then press enter. Type the following key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.bmp.15.4 shell open DropTarget then right-click DropTarget and then Rename. Prefix a hyphen so that it becomes “-DropTarget”. Now type the following for each GIF/ICO/JPG/PNG/TIF file types: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTWindowsLive.PhotoGallery.gif.15.4 shellopen DropTarget HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.ico.15.4 shell open DropTarget HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.jpg.15.4 shell open DropTarget HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.png.15.4 shell open DropTarget HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT WindowsLive.PhotoGallery.tif.15.4 shell open DropTarget

Method #3

Download Restoro on your PC to scan for both registry issues and malware. Restoro is a multi-functional PC Fixer embedded with utilities like a powerful registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer to name a few. The registry cleaner scans and detects all registry-related issues. It removes all unnecessary files damaging the registry and corrupting the registry settings. Simultaneously, the antivirus removes all kinds of malicious software affecting your PC including spyware, viruses, and Trojans. The system optimizer feature ensures that your PC works at the optimal level and does not slow down during and after the cleaning process. Restoro is efficient and safe. It has a user-friendly interface and simple navigations which makes it quite easy to operate. It can be downloaded on all Windows versions including. Click here to download Restoro to resolve error 0x80010108.

If you suddenly encounter an error saying, “Something happened and this app couldn't be installed. Error Code: 0x80244018”, when trying to install apps on your Windows 10 computer, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you in resolving the problem. It’s not just you that’s experiencing this problem right now as several users also reported getting this error they try to apply a Windows update or download and install the application from Microsoft Store. There could are several reasons why you’re getting this error. It could be caused by a third-party application, or it could be that the update is blocked by your VPN or proxy server, or that the BITS service is disabled. In addition, the error could also be due to some glitch in the component services or it could be that the system files are corrupted. Whatever the cause is, you can fix the error by following any of the given options below.

Option 1 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the Windows Update Troubleshooter can help in fixing Error Code 0x80244018. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 2 – Put your PC in a Clean Boot State

It could be that some third-party application is the one that’s causing the problem so it’s best if you put your computer in a Clean Boot state. During this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.

• 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.)
• After that, try to install the Windows app again.

Note: If you are able to install the app without any trouble at all then it means that the error is caused by some third-party application on your computer. You need to look for the culprit and uninstall it once you found it.

Option 3 – Restart BITS

The Background Intelligent Transfer Service or BITS is a part of the Windows Update service and is the one that manages the background download of Windows Update, as well as scans for new updates and so on. And if Windows Update is experiencing some problems, you can try restarting BITS but make sure that you have admin privileges to do so.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and double-click on it to open Properties.
• After that, you need to set the Startup type to “Automatic (Delayed Start) and click on Apply.
• Now click the Stop button to stop BITS and then click the Start button to restart the service.
• Click OK to save the changes made and then restart your PC.

Option 4 – Disable the Proxy server

• 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 5 – Try disabling the VPN

As mentioned, if you are using VPN, this could be the reason why you’re getting Error Code 0x80244018 so the most obvious thing to do is for you to turn off the VPN and try to run the Windows Update once more. And if you use a VPN software that works using their software, you can just completely exit or log-off from its account. On the other hand, if you are using a built-in Windows 10 VPN, you can simply turn it off or delete all the settings you have created there. Although it’s understandable that you might have to use a VPN connection to connect to the work network, you really have to disable it at least after you’ve successfully installed the app.

Option 6 – Reset Windows Update components

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop cryptsvc
  • net stop bits
  • net stop msiserver

Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS, and MSI Installer.

• After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below, and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
  • ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
• Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start cryptsvc
  • net start bits
  • net start msiserver
• Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.

Option 7 – Run the System File Checker Scan

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 Error Code 0x80244018. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• 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.

• Restart your PC.

Option 8 – Run the DISM tool

You can also run the DISM Tool as it helps in repairing the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth” which could help in fixing the Error Code 0x80244018.

• Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.

What is OpenCandy?

OpenCandy is an application that downloads and installs software, including other Internet Browsers to a computer system. Used as a bundle, this application installs additional programs that you may knowingly or unknowingly agree to install. Since most users don’t accept the challenge of reading the EULA in its entirety, they tend to download bundled applications unknowingly.

Assessment of OpenCandy PUP

During the initial assessment of OpenCandy, I was a little skeptical about what to look out for or expect. In fact, I had to install the OpenCandy.exe file twice to discern its behavior. I’m not sure how this application got its name but I do believe it has something to do with the fact that it supposedly helps Internet users open a new world of Internet browsing. That conclusion was arrived at after realizing that OpenCandy.exe installed mostly Internet browsers along with a tune-up tool on the test computer. However, as a result of the system requirements, there was a pop-up message indicating that Internet Explorer 8 was not compatible with the computer system in question. In comparison to the malware I’ve encountered since I started researching malware, OpenCandy is everything but malicious. In fact, this application is only categorized as malware because of its’ subtle covert nature of installing bundled programs unsolicited by the user. Additionally, OpenCandy coerces users into changing their Internet Browsers by installing those unrequested by the user. In fact, it’s no shock that OpenCandy chose to install the Internet Browser ‘Opera’ as a part of this bundle since it’s one of the least used browsers according to the Federal Government. Clearly, this was a smoothly disguised advertisement or promotion to force users into using the Opera Browser, along with Internet Explorer 8.0. While these aforementioned browsers in themselves aren’t malicious and are in no way considered malware, they were installed as a promotional tool and without the request of the user. Despite being mentioned within the EULA, advertisers are capitalizing on this since most users do not bother to read the agreements when installing a program. Furthermore, OpenCandy, like most other bundled applications I’ve dealt with, threw in a tune-up tool as a part of the promotion. I found this tune-up application annoying since I had to hassle my way into getting it to close from the computer screen. I can only imagine the hassle users would go through trying to remove this software. Image 7: Depiction of a scan performed by Tuneup Utilities. The scan detected that several areas on the test PC could be optimized/tuned up. Image 8: After a scan was completed using the Tuneup utility program, I was given an option to buy the full version. Nothing is wrong with this marketing strategy. In fact, most utility tools if not all will scan your computer to detect threats or loopholes, but they won't exactly allow you to fix those problems unless you buy the full version. It's not unfair, it's just business. Programs installed during the installation of OpenCandy include:

• Web Companion: Developed by Lavasoft, Web Companion is said to be an application that serves as a security defense for your Internet browsers by preventing unauthorized changes (see image below)
• Tuneup Utilities: Tuneup Utilities does exactly as it says. It cleans up a computer system, whereby preventing unused programs from slowing it down.
• Opera Stable 30.01.1835.88: Opera is a fast, simple, and effective Internet browser that allows users to get around on the web.

All in all, the intent of installing an application such as OpenCandy is to unleash a world of promotion or advertisements on your computer. They are pretty annoying and in some cases difficult to remove. Furthermore, as a user, you want to control what gets installed on your computer without being dictated to or coerced in some EULA that you probably overlook. To completely remove OpenCandy PUP from your computer, click here to download and install Spyhunter.

The Adaptive Brightness setting in Windows 10 is a useful setting you can use in adjusting your computer’s brightness. It helps you get the brightness automatically based on the light around your computer. However, there are times when it does not work or it doesn’t turn off when you want it to. If this issue happened right after you update or install Windows 10, then read on as this post will give you a couple of options you can try to resolve the problem.

Option 1 – Try to run the Power Troubleshooter

The first thing you can do to resolve the issue with Adaptive Brightness is to run the Power Troubleshooter as the problem could occur due to some conflicted power settings. To use it, refer to the following steps:

• Open the Windows 10 Settings panel and go to Update & Security and then to Troubleshoot.
• After that, scroll down to your left-hand side and click the Power option.
• From there, you should see the “Run the troubleshooter” button. Click on it to fix the problem.
• Afterward, follow the next on-screen instructions that follow.

Option 2 – Try disabling or turning off the corresponding options in GPU settings

The problem might be due to the Graphics card settings. If you are using either an AMD graphics card or the HD graphics of Intel, you may have to disable the power-related options in the GPU settings. To be specific, you have to disable the Vari-Bright in AMD graphics card settings or the Display Power Saving Technology under Intel’s Graphics panel.

• AMD users:
  • Open the AMD Radeon settings panel.
  • Then go to Preferences. From there, select Radeon Additional Settings.
  • Next, go to the Power tab and click the PowerPlay option.
  • You should find an option called “Enable Vari-Bright” located on your right-hand side. Remove the mark from its checkbox and then save the changes you’ve made.
• Intel users:
  • Open the Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel from your Desktop.
  • Then select the Basic mode and go to the Power tab.
  • From there, select “On battery” as Power Source and then you’ll get the Display Power Saving Technology option. It should be set to enabled by default.
  • Now remove the mark from the checkbox and then save the changes you’ve made.

Option 3 – Try resetting the Power Plan defaults

You might also want to use a command-line tool to resolve the problem. This command-line tool is known as PowerCfg. It is a command utility tool that will scan your computer for 60 seconds to know its power. This tool gives detailed results in the form of an HTML report that will help you in evaluating the real cause of the battery drain issues. You can also use this tool to reset the Power Plan defaults of your computer. To use it, follow the steps below.

• Open the Command Prompt as administrator.
• Then type in the following command and tap Enter to execute it:

powercfg –restoredefaultschemes

• After the command has been executed, restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try updating your Graphics drivers

• 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: You also have the option to 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.

Option 5 – Try disabling adaptive brightness via Registry Editor

Since you will be dealing with Registry files in this post, you need to create a System Restore point first. Once you have that covered, proceed to the following steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, navigate to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREIntelDisplayigfxcuiprofilesMediaBrighten Movie
• Now double click on the “ProcAmpBrightness” and set its value to “0”.
• Now go to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREIntelDisplayigfxcuiprofilesMediaDarken Movie
• From there, double click on “ProcAmpBrightness” and set the value to “0”.
• Then close the Registry Editor and restart your PC and then see if the problem’s fixed or not.