Fix Update Error 0x800705B3 in Windows

The new widget's menu inside Windows 11 is generally met with a positive attitude but there are still users which prefer not to have it. Luckily for them, Microsoft included a very easy way to turn the widgets menu on or off. Follow this easy guide to see how. Right-click on the widget button in the taskbar and click on Hide from Taskbar and that’s it Alternatively, you can also turn it off via the setting app. Go to the settings app and navigate to Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Items and flipping the switch beside Widgets to Off. Please note that both methods will only hide the button to toggle widgets menu, at the current state there is no really a way to actually turn it off, only hide it and make it not available to bring it up.

Windows PowerShell is a powerful tool inside the Windows environment often overlooked by typical users which is a great mistake since it can offer a large array of functionality and usability and if used well can offer a unique working experience. Today we will be using PowerShell to turn the WEB camera off so it can not be accessed, completely disabling it for use. You might want to do this for security reasons or just want to learn few new things. Whatever your reason might be, I am welcoming you to this tutorial and please do keep reading.

Finding device ID

In order to disable the WEB camera first thing we need to do is to find a matching device ID. We will find this value inside the device manager, so press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu. In the menu choose device manager and click on it. When the device manager opens, expand the Imaging devices or Cameras section. Right-click Integrated Camera or the primary webcam, and click Properties. Go to the Details tab. Under the Property section, click to select Matching device ID from the drop-down. Right-click the value and select Copy The next step is to download and install Windows Driver Kit (WDK)

PowerShell script

Create and run a PowerShell script with the following parameters/values to disable the camera. Substitute the <FOLDER> placeholder with the actual name of the folder where your copy of Devcon is residing

$id = (Get-CimInstance Win32_PnPEntity |

where caption -match '<PRIMARY CAMERA>').pnpDeviceID

$ppid = "{0}{1}" -f '@',$id

Set-Location c:\<FOLDER>

Devcon status $ppid

Devcon disable $ppid

Devcon status $ppid

To enable the camera device, run the command below in PowerShell:

devcon enable $ppid

If you are trying to copy a folder or a file but encountered an error that says, “An unexpected error is keeping you from copying the folder. If you continue to receive this error, you can use the error code to search for help with this problem”, read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix this error. This kind of error is a CHKDSK error. It is the “Volume is dirty” error message with error code 0x80071AC3 which indicates that the CHKDSK operation on your computer did not go through due to some corrupted sector of your hard drive, data corruption, corrupted system files, malware infection, as well as improper installation of an application that left some residual folders and files and many more. To fix the Error 0x80071AC3, here are some potential fixes you can check out to resolve it:

Option 1 – Run the Check Disk utility

You can also run the Check Disk utility to fix the error when you connect your USB or external device.

• In the Windows Search box, type “command prompt” and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening Command Prompt, type this command and tap Enter: chkdsk /r /f <PARTITION LETTER>
• The command you entered will start to check for errors and fix them automatically. Else, it will throw an error message saying, “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like the schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”.
• Tap the Y key to schedule Disk Check the next time your computer restarts.

Option 2 – Try to check if a particular volume is dirty and exclude it

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to check if the particular volume is dirty and exclude it. To do so, follow these steps:

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” in the field and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results, and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt with admin privileges, execute this command: fsutil dirty query <PARTITION LETTER>
• After that, you will see either of the following results of the command you just executed:
  • “Volume <PARTITION LETTER> is dirty”
  • “Volume <PARTITION LETTER> is not dirty”
• If you see the “Volume <PARTITION LETTER> is dirty” message, then you can just skip checking the drive for errors by executing this command: CHKNTFS /X <PARTITION LETTER>

Option 3 – Try to format the destination drive

If the first two options above didn’t work, then you might want to try formatting the drive can also help you resolve the error. To format it, follow these steps:

• To get started formatting your drive, tap the Win + E keys and then go to the access page of the drive.
• Next, right-click on the drive and select Format.
• After that, uncheck the “Quick Format” option and then format your drive properly.
• Now once the formatting process is finished, unplug the drive and plug it back in afterward.
• Check if the error is already fixed. If the drive is not initialized, tap the Win + R keys and hit Enter.
• After opening the Run dialog box, type “diskmgmt.msc” and hit Enter to open Disk Management.
• From there, right-click on the drive volume and select initialize disk.
• Next, select the correct partition type and proceed.

I do not know about you, but I prefer to set my Windows to be more to my liking and not how Microsoft thinks it should be. Let’s face it, not all users feel comfortable whit Microsoft settings and idea how things should be. One of the things I particularly did not like even in Windows 10 is icons that come by default on my taskbar, now so far, well until the latest Windows 11 update you could remove default taskbar icons the same way as in Windows 10, just right-click on them and unpin, sadly with latest update build on Windows 11 this option has been removed. In order to remove default icons from the taskbar, one must go now to Windows 11 settings and choose from there which one you would like to be placed on it. Of course, this is nothing game-breaking but it still feels strange why the standard option has been removed, it just makes no sense but lately not many things that come from Microsoft do. I do not know about you, but I prefer to set my Windows to be more to my liking and not how Microsoft thinks it should be. Let’s face it, not all users feel comfortable whit Microsoft settings and idea how things should be. One of the things I particularly did not like even in Windows 10 is icons that come by default on my taskbar, now so far, well until the latest Windows 11 update you could remove default taskbar icons the same way as in Windows 10, just right-click on them and unpin, sadly with latest update build on Windows 11 this option has been removed. In order to remove default icons from the taskbar, one must go now to Windows 11 settings and choose from there which one you would like to be placed on it. Of course, this is nothing game-breaking but it still feels strange why the standard option has been removed, it just makes no sense but lately not many things that come from Microsoft do.

It is no longer a secret that websites, social media, and other various places on WEB are tracking you and your messages and emails for keywords that they will later use to promote and serve your specific ads linked to those keywords. Altho the process is fully automated it does feel a little forced and uneasy. That is why we are bringing you this article in which we will show you how to stop website tracking in the most popular and used browsers.

SAFARI

Apple’s Safari browser gives you the option to block cross-site tracking. It also has a Privacy Report that displays all the sites and agencies that are gathering information about you. Before blocking these trackers, you may want to review exactly which sites are tracking you online and gathering information about you. Armed with this information, you may decide that cross-site tracking isn’t a huge issue for your particular browsing habits, or you may decide to avoid certain websites entirely. To access Safari’s Privacy Report:

1. Launch the Safari web browser.
2. In the toolbar, select Safari > Privacy Report.
3. Select the Websites tab. This will display information about all the websites that are profiling you.
4. Select the Trackers tab. This displays a list of all the trackers that are gathering information about you. This includes the companies that created these trackers and the number of times Safari detected these trackers during your browsing sessions.

You can also check how intrusive a particular website is by navigating to the website in question and then selecting the shield icon that appears alongside Safari’s address bar. You can then select Trackers on This Web Page, and Safari will display a list of all the trackers that are active on this particular webpage. Once you’ve seen all the websites and agencies who are tracking you, if you want to block these trackers:

1. In the Safari toolbar, select Safari > Preferences …
2. Select the Privacy tab.
3. Select the following checkbox: Prevent Cross-Site Tracking.

Safari will now prevent these trackers from following you across the World Wide Web.

CHROME

As you’re browsing the web, Chrome can send a request for websites not to collect or track your browsing data. It’s important to note that this is a request, so there’s no guarantee that every website will honor the request. Frustratingly, Chrome doesn’t provide information about the websites that are tracking you online. However, we still recommend enabling this feature, as it can help minimize the number of websites that are tracking your online movements:

1. In Chrome’s upper-right corner, select the three-dot menu icon, then Settings.
2. In the menu on the left, select Privacy and security.
3. Click Cookies and other site data.
4. Find the Do not track slider and push it into the On position.

Now Chrome will send a Do Not Track request to every website you visit. Since this is only a request, you may want to take additional steps to protect your online privacy. Ghostery is a Chrome extension that enables you to view and block online trackers. After installing Ghostery, you can view all the trackers that are active on a particular website:

1. Head to the site in question.
2. Click the Extensions icon in the Chrome toolbar.
3. Select Ghostery to see a list of all the trackers this extension has detected.
4. You can block all of these trackers by selecting the Detailed tab and then clicking Restrict site.

Repeat this process for every site you visit.

MOZILLA FIREFOX

Firefox has an Enhanced Tracking Protection feature that can block all the cross-site trackers identified by Disconnect. This feature can also preserve your online privacy by blocking social media trackers, fingerprints, and crypto miners, making this a great all-arounder for the security-conscious Internet user. Enhanced Tracking Protection should be enabled by default. However, you can verify whether it’s active for your particular Firefox installation by navigating to any website. Next, click the little shield icon that appears alongside Firefox’s address bar and you should see a message confirming that Enhanced Tracking Protection is enabled. If Enhanced Tracking Protection isn’t enabled, we recommend activating it:

1. In Firefox’s upper-right corner, select the three-line icon, then Preferences.
2. In the menu on the left, select Privacy & Security.
3. You can now select either Standard or Strict. Note that Strict may affect the functionality of certain websites, so it’s recommended you opt for Standard unless you specifically require a greater level of protection.

Similar to Chrome, Firefox can send a Do Not Track request. While you’re in the Privacy & Security menu, you may want to consider activating Mozilla’s Do Not Track feature.

OPERA

When you first installed Opera, it gave you the option to block trackers. If you didn’t take Opera up on the offer then, you can start blocking trackers now:

1. Along the left side of the Opera browser, click the cog icon. This opens Opera’s settings.
2. In the menu on the left, select Basic.
3. Find the Block Trackers slider and push it into the On position.
4. Blocking trackers can impact the functionality of certain websites. If you start noticing strange behavior on a particular website, you may want to add that site to your Exceptions list. By allowing this site to use trackers, you should be able to resolve any issues you’re experiencing.

To make an exception for one or more websites:

1. Launch Opera’s settings by clicking the little cog icon.
2. Navigate to Basic > Manage Exceptions.
3. Click Add and then type the address of the site where you want to permit trackers.

Repeat for all the sites that you want to add to your exceptions list.

In the latest news, Microsoft has reached a deal to purchase Activision Blizzard for 67.8 billion. Now franchises like Warcraft, Starcraft, Overwatch, Call of duty, Diablo are now the property of Microsoft and I am sure that some of these games we can expect to be included in the Xbox game pass. This is the second large game company acquisition by Microsoft, Acquiring Bethesda first and a big hit to Sony since Xbox will now have more games in its catalog and as exclusives. Of course, the sale has to go through the standard closing conditions and completion of regulatory review and Activision Blizzard’s shareholder approval before it’s finalized. Assuming that all goes well, the deal is slated to be completed during the fiscal year 2023, which is July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.

What Is Error 106?

Error 106 is a common error experienced by Windows 7 users. Generating as a result of Misconfigured, damaged or corrupt system files on the computer, this is not a critical error. However, troubleshooting this error is important to keep any undesired inconvenience at bay. Essentially, error 106 is one of the error codes employed by Windows and other compatible driver and software vendors. The 106 in this error is essentially the memory address or location where the instructions reside when the error was generated.

Solution

Error Causes

Primarily, error 106 is caused by the damaged, Misconfigured or corrupt system files. The error may appear harmless at first. However, if allowed to persist, it can lead to grave consequences. Allowing an error to thrive on your system is synonymous with putting the well-being of your system at risk. As far as the events, conditions, or scenarios are concerned that lead to the generation of error 106, they are listed below as follows. It is important to understand that these conditions lead to the corruption of system files in most cases.

• An improper or incomplete installation or uninstallations
• Improper or incomplete deletion of hardware or applications
• Improper, unintentional or sudden system shutdown
• Existence of adware, spyware, malware, or virus on your computer

It is worth mentioning that any of the conditions listed above can lead to the corruption of system files or registry entries in the system. Since the system needs correct and complete files for proper functioning which the system will be unable to find, it will result in unexplained behavior. This also happens because the system will be lead to wrongly linked or missing information.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are different ways to rectify this error but two of the most useful ones are briefly listed below as follows.

• This solution is for the advanced user. First and foremost, turn on your system. Log on to it as the Administrator. Now click on the start button and follow this sequence: All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore.A new window will appear in front of you. On this window, choose the option, ‘Restore my computer to an earlier time’. Now click Next.A list of restore points will appear in front of you. From this list, choose the most recent Restore Point and click Next. Click Next on the confirmation windows. Restart the computer when the restoration is complete.
• This solution for the novice user. Download an error 106 windows repair utility. Now install this program on your computer and use it to scan your computer. Try to locate the option for fixing errors as soon as the scan complete. Make use of this option. Once all the errors have been fixed, restart your computer once again. You will now realize that the error has vanished and your computer is now free of error 106.

Use any of the solutions listed above according to your skill level.

Computer viruses are malicious applications that have the ability to self replicate and spread over the system and various devices, just like viruses in organisms. We all know that computer viruses are bad and that you should avoid them however you can. So in this spirit, we are taking a deeper dive into what kind of viruses exist and how they function.

1. File-infecting Virus

A virus that attached itself to an executable program. It is also called a parasitic virus which typically infects files with .exe or .com extensions. Some file infectors can overwrite host files and others can damage your hard drive’s formatting.

2. Macro Virus

This type of virus is commonly found in programs such as Microsoft Word or Excel. These viruses are usually stored as part of a document and can spread when the files are transmitted to other computers, often through email attachments.

3. Browser Hijacker

This virus targets and alters your browser setting. It is often called a browser redirect virus because it redirects your browser to other malicious websites that you don’t have any intention of visiting. This virus can pose other threats such as changing the default home page of your browser.

4. Web Scripting Virus

A very sneaky virus that targets popular websites. What this virus does is overwrite code on a website and insert links that can install malicious software on your device. Web scripting viruses can steal your cookies and use the information to post on your behalf on the infected website.

5. Boot Sector Virus

These viruses are once common back when computers are booted from floppy disks. Today, these viruses are found distributed in forms of physical media such as external hard drives or USB. If the computer is infected with a boot sector virus, it automatically loads into the memory enabling control of your computer.

6. Polymorphic Virus

This virus has the capability to evade anti-virus programs since it can change codes every time an infected file is performed.

7. Resident Virus

A resident virus stores itself on your computer’s memory which allows it to infect files on your computer. This virus can interfere with your operating system leading to file and program corruption.

8. Multipartite Virus

A type of virus that is very infectious and can easily spread on your computer system. It can infect multiple parts of a system including memory, files, and boot sector which makes it difficult to contain.

All malware is detrimental and the magnitude of the damage will vary greatly depending on the type of infection. Some malware variants modify internet browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the PC's DNS settings. When this happens, you'll be unable to visit certain or all the sites, and therefore not able to download or install the required security software to clear out the computer malware. If you’re reading this article, chances are, you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you from downloading and/or installing the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your computer. Refer to the instructions below to remove malware through alternate methods.

Method 1: Install Anti-Malware in Safe Mode with Networking

If the malware is set to load automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, entering safe mode may block the attempt. Since only the minimal applications and services start-up in safe mode, there are rarely any reasons for conflicts to happen. You will need to do the following to remove malware in Safe mode.

• 1) Tap the F8 key continuously as soon as your computer boots, however, before the large Windows logo or black screen with white texts come up. This would invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu.
• 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and press Enter.
• 3) When you are into this mode, you will have access to the internet once again. Now, utilize your web browser normally and download Safebytes Anti-Malware.
• 4) After installation, do a complete scan and allow the software to get rid of the threats it detects.

Method 2: Utilize An Alternate Internet Browser to Download Anti-Malware Software

Malicious program code may exploit vulnerabilities in a specific web browser and block access to all antivirus software sites. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by computer malware or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the most effective plan of action is to switch to an alternate web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your chosen security program - Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Download SafeBytes Anti-Malware for Malware Removal

Method 3: Install and Run Anti-Malware From a USB Drive

To effectively remove the malware, you might want to approach the problem of installing an antivirus software program on the affected computer from a different angle. Adopt these measures to employ a flash drive to fix your infected computer.

• 1) Use another malware-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware.
• 2) Plug the thumb drive into the uninfected computer.
• 3) Double click on the executable file to open the installation wizard.
• 4) Choose the drive letter of the USB drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the anti-virus. Follow activation instructions.
• 5) Now, transfer the thumb drive to the infected computer.
• 6) Double-click the antivirus program EXE file on the USB flash drive.
• 7) Click on the “Scan Now” button to start the malware scan.

If no other method of downloading and installing the antivirus software works, then you've no other option than to hit the last resort: a full Windows reinstallation, the only approach known to have a 100% rate of success at virus removal.

What is Active History? A new feature has been introduced in Windows 10 that allows users to stay connected to their tasks across their devices. This new feature is called “Windows Timeline” and using this feature, users could continue their tasks all over their Windows 10 computers as well as on devices that run Android and iOS as well. This new feature was included in Microsoft Launcher and Microsoft Edge on Android devices as well as in Microsoft Edge for iOS devices. In order for the feature to work, you have to send either Basic or Full data and diagnostics of your computer to Microsoft which would sync it all over your devices with the help of the cloud. And now since all your data is stored on your Windows 10 computer and with Microsoft under your account, it is easier for you to access the back and start where you left off. This kind of option is called Active History. In this post, you will be guided on how you can permanently disable Active History using either the Windows Registry or Group Policy. Before you go on further, it is recommended that you create a System Restore Point first in case anything goes wrong. This is a precautionary measure you must take so that you can easily undo the changes you’ve made. After creating a System Restore Point, proceed to the given instructions below.

Option 1 – Disable Active History via Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type in “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsSystem
• From there, check if you can find a DWORD named “PublishUserActivities”. If you can’t find this DWORD, just create one with the same name and make sure that the base is selected to Hexadecimal.
• After that, double-click on the DWORD and change its value from 1 to 0 to disable Active History.
• Restart your computer to apply the changes you’ve made successfully.

Option 2 – Disable Active History via Group Policy Editor

Note that this second option won’t work if you are using the Home edition of Windows 10. This is because the Group Policy Editor does not come with Windows 10 Home. So if you are not using Windows 10 Home, follow the given steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run box.
• Then type in “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this path: Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemOS Policies
• After that, double click on the configuration listing named “Allow publishing of User Activities” to open the configuration page which has the following description:

“This policy setting determines whether User Activities can be published. If you enable this policy setting, activities of type User Activity are allowed to be published. If you disable this policy setting, activities of type User Activity are not allowed to be published. Policy change takes effect immediately.”

• Now you have to select Disabled or Not Configured if you want to disable Publishing of User Activities or Enabled to Enable Publishing of User Activities depending on your preferences.
• Next, click OK and exit the Group Policy Editor and then restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.