How to Fix Windows 10 Error 0x80248014

If you got encounter an error message saying, “Error opening file for writing” while running a setup file to install some program on your computer, read on as this post will give you some suggestions on how you can fix it. You can encounter this error when running a setup file for installing a program like GlassWire, Notepad++, VLC, Steam, OBS, Mod Organizer, WinpCap, NSIS, FileZilla, BSPlayer, Kodi, Wireshark, rtcore64, qt5core.dll, MSI Afterburner, GWCtlSrv.exe, npf.sys, vcredist_86 and many more. And so when this error pops up while you run a setup file, refer to the steps given below which might help resolve the problem. Step 1: First, you have to make sure that there is no other installation in progress as multiple installations can most likely cause this error to show up. You can restart your computer and try to run the setup file again. Step 2: If you still got the error even after your restart your computer, click on Retry to try again and if it does nothing, click Abort to terminate the installation. After that, go to the folder where you’ve placed the setup file and then delete it. Step 3: Make sure that you have enough disk space on your computer. You can use the Windows 10 Storage Sense feature which can clean all the temporary files from your computer and help you save storage space. To use Storage Sense, follow the steps below.

• Open Setting > System > Storage from the WinX Menu.
• From there, you will see a list of all the local and connected storage devices along with the details on the free space.
• Now make sure that the Storage Sense feature is turned On then go find a link that says “Free Up Space” and click it to open.
• After that, a screen which is the built-in program in Windows 10 will appear and will scan your computer for the following junk files so you can free up disk space:
• Windows Upgrade Log Files
• The system created Windows Error Reporting Files
• Thumbnails
• Temporary Internet Files
• Previous Windows Installation Files
• Delivery Optimisation Files
• DirectX Shader Cache

Note: Once you’re done freeing up space on your drive, try to run the setup file again. Step 4: If freeing up space didn’t help, you can just delete the setup file and download another one from the official homepage of the program. From there download the setup file and place it in a different location. After that, run the setup file once again. Step 5: Make sure that you have downloaded the correct setup file according to your operating system, i.e. x64 or x86. Step 6: Restart your computer once more and make sure that you sign in as administrator. After that, right-click on the setup file and click “Run as administrator”. If it still didn’t help, you might want to take ownership of the folder where you saved the setup file. How? Follow the steps below but before you do that, you have to create a System Restore Point first, once that’s done, proceed.

• First, locate the concerned folder and right-click on it then select Properties.
• Next, click on the Edit button in the Properties window and click OK to confirm if you got a User Account Control elevation request.
• After that, select user/group from the permission windows or click on the Add button to add another user or group. It would be best if you add “Everyone” to give permission.
• Then check “Full Control” under the “Allow” column to assign full access rights control permissions.
• Now edit the permission to Full Control for “Everyone”.
• Click OK to save the changes made and then exit.

When you try to open your Google Chrome browser and it starts to connect to the internet but suddenly, your Windows 10 computer crashes along with a Blue Screen error that says, “MEMORY_MANAGEMENT”, then read on as this post will guide you in fixing the problem. This kind of BSOD error occurs when Google Chrome requests more memory or when it tries to access the network and demand is raised for more memory, the memory management program fails. To fix the problem, here are some possible solutions you might want to try. Follow them thoroughly.

Option 1 – Use the Driver Verifier Manager

The Driver Verifier Manager is another tool in Windows that could help you fix driver-related issues. And since the MEMORY_MANAGEMENT Blue Screen error concerns Google Chrome and an internet connection, the root cause of the problem might have something to do with the Network driver and to verify that, you can use the Driver Verifier Manager:

• Type in the keyword “Verifier” in the Cortana search box to search for Verifier in Windows 10.
• After that, select the option “Create custom settings”.
• Make sure that you have checked everything except the options “DDI compliance checking” and “Randomized low resources simulation”.
• Next, select the option “Select driver names from a list” option.
• Afterward, you have to select all the drivers from any unofficial or third-party provider. To simply put it, you have to select all the drivers that are not supplied by Microsoft.
• Then click on the Finish button.
• Open Command Prompt as administrator and execute this command – verifier /querysettings
• The command you just executed will display the Driver Verifier settings so if you see any of the flags enabled boot your Windows 10 PC into Safe Mode.
• Open the Command Prompt as admin again and run this command – verifier /reset
• The command will reset the Driver Verifier. Once the process is done, restart your PC and check.

Option 2 – Try updating the Network drivers

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
• Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and update them all.
• Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the MEMORY_MANAGEMENT BSOD error.

Option 3 – Try disabling Hardware Acceleration

You might want to disable Hardware Acceleration system-wide or for a particular program like Google Chrome and see if it resolves the MEMORY_MANAGEMENT error

Option 4 – Run the Memory Diagnostic Tool to check for Memory leaks

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type exe and hit Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
• After that, it will give two options such as:
  • Restart now and check for problems (Recommended)
  • Check for problems the next time I start my computer
• Once your computer has restarted, perform a basic scan or you could also go for the “Advanced” options such as “Test mix” or “Pass count”. Simply tap the F10 key to start the test.

Note: After you select the option, your PC will restart and check for memory-based issues. If it finds any issues, it will automatically fix them and if there’s no issue found, then it’s most likely not a memory-based issue so you should try the other options given below.

Option 5 – Perform a System Restore

Performing System Restore might help you in fixing the SYNTP.SYS Blue Screen error. You can do this option either by booting into Safe Mode or in System Restore. If you are already in the Advanced Startup Options, just directly select System Restore and proceed with the next steps. And if you have just booted your PC into Safe Mode, refer to the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 6 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like MEMORY_MANAGEMENT. It can be found in the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

Software Updater is an ad-supported browser extension hijacker that claims to update your PC programs and drivers. In addition to managing the installation of your selected software, this install manager will make recommendations for additional free software that you may be interested in. Additional software may include toolbars, browser add-ons, game applications, anti-virus applications, and other types of applications. The hijacked homepage, softwareupdater.com, did not have valid legal privacy and disclaimer policies on its website as of publication date.

This software adds a Windows Task Scheduler in order to launch the program at various times, including system startup. The software has access to all installed applications on your PC and can install bundled products with unwanted malware. It is also commonly distributed in bundles with unwanted software. Several anti-virus programs have classified this software as malware and are therefore not recommended.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means that a malicious code has control over and modified the settings of your internet browser, without your consent. They’re made to interfere with browser programs for several purposes. The idea is to force users to visit specific sites that are trying to increase their visitor traffic and produce higher ad revenue. It may appear harmless, but most of these sites are not legitimate and could present a severe threat to your online safety. Browser hijackers can even allow other malicious programs without your knowledge to further damage your computer.

How to determine if your web browser is hijacked

The common symptoms that indicate having this malicious software on your computer are: 1. home page is changed 2. you find new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, typically directed to advertisement-filled or pornography websites 3. the default search engine has been changed and your browser security settings have been lowered without your knowledge 4. you find unwanted new toolbars added 5. you may find many pop-up ads on your computer screen 6. your internet browser has become unstable or starts running sluggishly 7. you can’t go to specific websites such as home pages of anti-malware software.

Exactly how browser hijacker infects computers

Browser hijackers infect PCs in numerous ways, including via a drive-by download, a file-share, or an infected email. Many web browser hijackings come from add-on software, i.e., browser helper objects (BHO), toolbars, or extensions added to web browsers to provide them additional functionality. Also, certain freeware and shareware can put the hijacker in your PC through the “bundling” technique. Some of the well-known hijackers are SoftwareUpdater, Conduit Search, Babylon Toolbar, OneWebSearch, Sweet Page, and CoolWebSearch. Browser hijackers may record user keystrokes to collect potentially valuable information leading to privacy issues, cause instability on systems, drastically disrupt user’s browsing experience, and eventually slow down the computer to a point where it will become unusable.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

Certain hijackers could be removed by just uninstalling the related free software or add-ons through the Add or Remove Programs in the Windows Control Panel. In some cases, it can be a tough task to identify and get rid of the malicious piece because the associated file could be running as part of the operating system process. Besides, browser hijackers might modify the Computer registry so it can be extremely tough to fix manually, especially when you are not a very tech-savvy person.

How To Get Rid Of Malware That Is Preventing Anti-Malware Installation?

Malware can cause many different types of damage to PCs, networks, and data. Some malware is meant to restrict or prevent things that you want to do on your computer system. It may not permit you to download anything from the net or stop you from accessing some or all of the internet sites, especially the anti-virus websites. If you’re reading this now, you’ve perhaps recognized that a malware infection is a reason for your blocked internet traffic. So how to proceed if you need to install an anti-virus software like Safebytes? Even though this type of problem can be difficult to circumvent, there are a few actions you can take.

Install the anti-virus in Safe Mode

In Safe Mode, you can change Windows settings, un-install or install some software, and eliminate hard-to-delete viruses and malware. In the event, the virus is set to load immediately when PC boots, shifting into this particular mode can prevent it from doing so. To start the computer into Safe Mode, hit the “F8” key on your keyboard right before the Windows boot screen comes up; Or after normal Windows boot up, run MSCONFIG, check “Safe Boot” under Boot tab, and click Apply. As soon as you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, as well as update the anti-malware program from there. At this point, you could run the antivirus scan to remove viruses and malware without hindrance from another malicious application.

Switch to an alternate browser

Some malware only targets certain internet browsers. If this sounds like your situation, utilize another browser as it might circumvent the virus. The best solution to avoid this problem is to select a web browser that is well known for its security measures. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to help keep you secure online.

Install and run anti-malware from your flash drive

To effectively remove the malware, you might want to approach the issue of running anti-virus software on the affected computer system from a different perspective. Adopt these measures to run the antivirus on the affected PC. 1) Download the anti-malware program on a virus-free PC. 2) Mount the USB drive onto the same computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, which has a .exe file extension. 4) Pick a thumb drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you want to install the program. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. 5) Disconnect the pen drive. You can now use this portable anti-malware on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the anti-malware program EXE file on the flash drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and get rid of all types of malware.

Features of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Want to install the best anti-malware software for your computer system? You can find many applications available that come in paid and free versions for Windows systems. Some of them do a great job in getting rid of threats while some will affect your PC themselves. You must be careful not to choose the wrong application, especially if you purchase a paid software. Among few good programs, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the strongly recommended software for the security-conscious individual. SafeBytes anti-malware is really a powerful, highly effective protection application made to assist users of all levels of IT literacy in identifying and eliminating harmful threats from their computers. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software protects your PC against infections brought on by different types of malware and similar threats, including spyware, adware, computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs). SafeBytes possesses a plethora of great features that can help you protect your laptop or computer from malware attack and damage. The following are some of the best ones: Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes delivers complete and real-time security for your laptop or computer. They are very efficient in screening and getting rid of different threats because they are constantly revised with new updates and safety measures. Best AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware application goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard to remove malware that conceals deep inside your computer. Safe Browsing: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating about the web pages you’re about to check out, automatically blocking unsafe sites and make sure that you’re certain of your online safety while browsing the net. Lightweight Tool: SafeBytes is a lightweight and easy-to-use antivirus and antimalware solution. As it uses minimal computer resources, this application leaves the computer’s power exactly where it belongs: with you actually. Premium Support: You may get absolutely free 24/7 technical support from their computer experts on any product queries or computer security issues.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove SoftwareUpdater 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 SoftwareUpdater

As you know, any software needs sufficient CPU power when it downloads, updates and installs so if you encounter an error code 0x80200070 when you tried to install or update the Microsoft Edge browser on your Windows 10 computer, then read on as this post will guide you on how to fix it. This kind of error occurs when the Edge browser installation does not get enough CPU power to update or install and the only way to fix it is to kill programs that are consuming a lot of PC resources as well as stop or remove any unnecessary programs that are running in the background. This kind of error can also be encountered in the new Microsoft Edge Chromium. For more details, follow each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to kill applications that consume high resources

• Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open the Task Manager.
• Go to the Performance tab and sort by CPU usage.
• Next, close a few additional programs that are consuming maximum CPU power.
• After that, try to update or install Microsoft Edge again and check if the error is fixed. If not, try to restart your computer and then start the installation or update again.

Option 2 – Try to remove or stop unnecessary programs and services

If the applications or processes that are consuming a lot of CPU resources reappear even after you kill them or end their processes, then you can try the following suggestions to remove or stop these unnecessary programs and processes.

• The first thing you can do is to stop the Service. If the program happens to be a service, then you have the option to disable the Windows Service. All you have to do is open the Services Manager and stop the service. How? Refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Services Manager.

• After that, identify which service is consuming a lot of power and then stop it temporarily.
• The next thing you can do is to uninstall the problematic program. If the one that consumes a lot of resources is not a service but a program, then you can try to uninstall the program for the meantime until you’ve updated or installed the Edge browser. Once you’ve uninstalled the program, try to update or install Edge again.
• You can also try booting your computer into Safe Mode and then update or install Microsoft Edge. This will make sure that all the unnecessary programs and services won’t consume a lot of CPU resources as well as memory.

Dune, arguably one of the best science fiction novels ever written was brought to a big screen first time by David Linch. Sadly movie itself went through development hell and a lot of troubles and the end result was somewhat strange. The audience was divided on it, some hated it, some loved it but for sure it left a mark in cinema history. Years have passed and just when people forgot about ever receiving another try on a book adaptation Denis Villeneuve has brought his vision of Frank Herbert's novel into its full glory on a big screen. The interesting thing about this new Dune movie was that from the start Denis envisioned it as a two-movie part openly saying that book itself is too complex to be done in a single movie. But, the issue arises when information about Dune part two was hanging on a thread on how well Dune part one will be received and performed in the box office. This naturally brought all kinds of speculation and worry among fans of the franchise, especially because the movie itself was really good and well made. Well for all of you fans and people who wanted to see a continuation of the story can rest at peace now since the Legendary picture has officially announced and green-lighted Dune part two. The budget was given and we can expect part two at the beginning of 2023.

As you know, Windows 10 is equipped with a Mobile Hotspot feature that allows users to share the existing internet connections to other devices over Wi-Fi. However, one of the downsides to this feature is that it does not stay on if there are no devices connected to it for over five minutes. In other words, if there are no devices connected to the mobile hotspot for five minutes, it will turn off automatically. Thus, if you want the mobile hotspot to stay turned on, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will walk you through how to stop the Mobile Hotspot from turning off in Windows 10. There are two scenarios tackled in this post wherein the Mobile Hotspot feature turns off automatically and where the hotspot disables when there is no internet connection. To remedy these scenarios, you can try turning off the power saving feature or use a PowerShell command to change the “PeerlessTimeoutEnabled” settings or increase the Mobile Hotspot idle timeout settings. You could also increase the timeout period when a cellular connection is not available or disable the Wi-Fi and network adapter power management options. For detailed instructions, refer to each one of the given options below.

Option 1 – Try turning off the power saving feature

The first solution you can check out is to turn off the power-saving feature. To do so, follow these steps:

• Open the Settings app and go to Network & Internet and from there, click on the Mobile Hotspot option.
• Next, toggle the “Share my Internet connection with other devices” option.
• After that, toggle the “When no devices are connected, automatically turn off mobile hotspot” option.

Option 2 – Execute a command in PowerShell

The next option you can try to keep the mobile hotspot turned on is through a command in PowerShell. To get started, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + X keys and select the “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” option.
• Next, execute the following command to make sure that the Mobile Hotspot stays on even when no devices are connected to it:

powershell -windowstyle hidden -command "Start-Process cmd -ArgumentList '/s,/c,net stop "icssvc" & REG ADD "HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesicssvcSettings" /V PeerlessTimeoutEnabled /T REG_DWORD /D 0 /F & net start "icssvc"' -Verb runAs"

• After the command is executed, here is what the script is doing in the background:
  • It stops the Mobile Hotspot service (icssvc).
  • It navigates to this registry path (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesicssvcSettings) and creates a DWORD key named “PeerlessTimeoutEnabled” which has a value of 0.

• It then restarts the Mobile Hotspot Service (icssvc).

Option 3 – Try increasing the Mobile Hotspot idle timeout settings

Another option you can try is to increase the idle timeout settings of the mobile hotspot. In case you don’t know, the default timeout when there’s no active connection is about five minutes. So if you don’t want to keep it on always but want to keep it on longer than five minutes, then this option is for you. All you have to do is change the same key (PeerlessTimeout) as mentioned above, at a different location. In fact, you can change it to a maximum of 120 minutes. To give this a try, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKLMSystemControlSet001ServicesICSSVCSettingsPeerlessTimeout
• From there, change its value to anywhere between 1 up to 120.
• Once done, exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try increasing the timeout period when a cellular connection is not available

There are many times when you want to connect devices so it becomes part of the network. And as pointed out, the Mobile Hotspot turns off automatically when there is no internet or mobile data but when you use a registry setting, you can change any value between 1 and 60 inclusive.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKLMSystemControlSet001ServicesICSSVCSettingsPublicConnectionTimeout
• From there, set the value of the “Timeout” key between 1 and 60.
• After that, close the Registry Editor and restart your PC.

Option 5 – Try to disable the Wi-Fi and Network adapter in Power Management options

As you know, the Wi-Fi adapter and the network devices have properties that will turn off when on battery and when it’s not used for a long time so you can try to disable these options.

• Tap the Win + X + M keys to open the Device Manager.
• Next, expand the list of Network devices and select the Wi-Fi adapter.
• After that, go to the Power Management tab and make sure that anything related to power saving should be turned off. This will ensure that none of the network devices will turn off the Mobile Hotspot or trigger anything that will do that.

If you encounter the “Setup has failed to determine supported install choices” error when trying to downgrade or upgrade your Windows 10 computer, this signifies that there are some compatibility issues with the installation process and that Windows was not able to either downgrade or upgrade to another version. Usually, this error occurs when you are using the built-in options in Windows 10 upgrade or downgrade to another version of Windows. This option is mostly used as it keeps the user settings as well as data intact. Thus, you need to keep in mind a lot of parameters before you proceed with the installation because if there is any conflict in the process, you certainly won’t be able to downgrade or upgrade your Windows computer. To resolve the issue, here are some suggestions that might help.

Option 1 – Try running in Compatibility mode

This is the first thing you can try to resolve the issue instead of going right ahead on making a bootable device. So if you are downgrading Windows, you can try to run the installer in the compatibility mode for that specific Windows version.

• 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 either Windows 7 or Windows 8.
• 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 – Option 2 – Try troubleshooting compatibility

This option is almost the same as the first one except it is an alternative way of fixing the “Setup has failed to determine supported install choices” error 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 use the setup file instead of an image

If you are running the Windows ISO image for the installation, you can try running the setup file instead. This is because when you try to install Windows from an image file directly, it has to be loaded into a virtual CD drive first, and then from there, further operations are carried out. And so, you can just bypass this mechanism to avoid getting the “Setup has failed to determine supported install choices” error.

• First, you need to extract the disk file to an accessible location.
• After that, go to Sources > Setup.exe.
• Now run the setup file to upgrade or downgrade the Windows version. Just make sure that you do run the setup file as an administrator.

Option 4 – Try to do the upgrade or downgrade in a Clean Boot state

Putting your PC in a Clean Boot state can also help when you want to upgrade or downgrade your version of Windows without any trouble because, 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” checkbox 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” checkbox.
• 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 Updates or upgrade again.

Option 5 – Try to use the 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.

As you know, storage devices are an important part of the computer system for porting, saving, and extracting data files. And for you to differentiate between storage devices on your computer system, each one of the storage devices is labeled with a unique number referred to as Disk Signature for identification. The unique disk identifier is stored as a part of the MBR or Master Boot Record. Disk signature is used by operating systems in order to identify and set apart different data storage devices and hard disk drives in the computer for data access. These days, Disk cloning has become a regular practice in upgrading to larger hard disk drives. Drives are cloned in order to produce a similar copy to use both the original drive and cloned copy together. Moreover, lots of virtualization tools are being used to virtualize the physical hard disk drives to create virtual hard disk drives and several virtual machine clones that are created with the existing virtual hard disk drives. And since these are identical copies, chances these copies may have identical disk signatures. As a result, when you use both disks that have identical signatures at the same time you run into the Disk Signature Collision problem. This kind of problem does not often occur as the Windows system does not really allow two disks to function simultaneously when they have the same disk signature. When you encounter a Disk Collision problem in your Windows 10 computer, you may see the following error messages:

• The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible
• The disk is offline because it has a signature collision
• This disk is offline because it has a signature collision with another disk that is online

You can fix the disk collision problem by changing the disk signature which you can achieve using the command line utility diskpart in Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt or using Windows Disk Management utility. To fix the disk collision problem, you can make use of the command-line utility called diskpart in Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt to view and change the signature, or can make use of Master Boot record in the Windows Registry. You can also make use of Windows Disk Management Utility to change the signature. Simply follow the given options below to change the disk signature either way.

Option 1 – Change Disk Signature via Diskpart

• Type “command prompt” in the Windows Search bar and then right-click on the related search result and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After that, type the “diskpart” command and hit Enter to open Diskpart.
• Next, type the “list disk” command to display all the disks available in the system.
• Next, take note of the problematic disk number with the status Offline from the list and then type the “Select disk x” command where x is the offline disk to select the offline disk. For instance, if you type “select disk 1”, it will display the “Disk 1 is now the selected disk” message.
• Now type the “Uniqueid disk” command to display the disk signature and to change the disk’s signature and set the disk online, type the “unique disk ID= (New signature)” where (New signature) is the new ID in hexadecimal. For instance, you can set the new id as “unique disk ID= 1456ACBD”.

Note: If you have given the wrong format ID, the command prompt will display the following error:

“The specified identifier is not in the correct format. Type the identifier in the correct format: in hexadecimal form for an MBR disk or as a GUID for a GPT disk.”

• After you’re done, the disk will be online, and then restart your computer.

Option 2 – Change Disk Signature via Disk Management Utility

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “diskmgmt.msc” and hit Enter or click OK to open Disk Management.
• Next, right-click on the disk that is marked as Missing or Offline.
• After that, select the Online command from the drop-down menu.
• Then from the selecting option Online, Windows will generate a new disk signature.

From their infant stages to modern days, computer viruses were always kind of here. From simple ones that were annoying with playing speaker sounds and throwing messages on screen to more malicious ones capable of deleting and encrypting files. In today's modern world it is very important to protect yourself, modern viruses are not a joke anymore and they are aimed to create serious damage to computer systems. They can encrypt files in order to make you pay for a decrypter, they can straight up delete files or even cause some hardware damage. Like mentioned before protecting yourself is important, but protecting does not mean only having antivirus software installed, information, where are common places in which they lurk and could be picked up, is also very important. That is why we are exploring in this article the most common place where you can pick viruses or other malware.

Downloading Programs

Programs that contain the downloadable files are the commonest source of malware such as freeware, worms, and other executable files. Whether you download an image editing software, a music file, or an e-book, it is important to ensure the reliability of the source of the media. Unknown, new, or less popular sources should be avoided.

Pirated or Cracked Software

Are you aware of software cracking? Well, every time you open cracked software, your antivirus software might flag it as malware as the cracks consist of malicious scripts. Always say “No” to cracks as they can inject malicious script into your PC.

Email Attachments

Anyone can send you an email attachment whether you know them or not. Clicking on unknown links or attachments can harm your device. Think twice before clicking anything and make sure that file type is not ‘.exe’.

Internet

One of the easiest ways to get a virus on your device is through the Internet. Make sure to check the URL before accessing any website. For a secured URL always look for ‘HTTPS in it. For example, when you click videos published on social media websites, they may require you to install a particular type of plug-in to watch that video. But in reality, these plug-ins might be malicious software that can steal your sensitive information.

Booting Data from Unknown CDs

Malicious software can get into your device through an unknown CD. A good practice to be safe from malicious infection is to remove CD when your device is not working at all. Your system could reboot the CD if it is not removed before switching off the computer.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth transfers can also infect your system, so it is crucial to know what type of media file is being sent to your computer whenever a transfer takes place. An effective armor would be to allow Bluetooth connectivity with only known devices and activate it only when required.

Unpatched Software

Often overlooked, unpatched software is also a leading source of virus infection. Security holes in software are exploited by attackers and are unknown to software makers until the attackers release them in the form of zero-day attacks. It is therefore recommended to install software updates as soon as they are available on your PC.

Windows users need to be on high alert. Microsoft has confirmed a critical vulnerability has been found in all versions of Windows which presents an immediate threat, and you need to act now. A critical new zero-day hack has been found which affects all Windows versions. Tracked as CVE-2021-34484, the “zero-day” flaw enables hackers to breach all versions of Windows (including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2022) and take control of your computer. Microsoft mistakenly thought it had patched the vulnerability (which was first found in August) when it was publicly disclosed in October. But the fix itself was found to be flawed, something the company admitted, and this drew even more attention to the vulnerability. Microsoft subsequently promised to “take appropriate action to keep customers protected” but two weeks later, a new fix has still not arrived. Luckily the third-party security specialist 0patch has beaten Microsoft to the punch with a ‘micropatch that it has now made available for all Windows users “Micropatches for this vulnerability will be free until Microsoft has issued an official fix," 0patch confirmed. You will need to register for a 0patch account and install its download agent before the fix can be applied, but with 0patch fast becoming a go-to destination for hot fixes which beat software companies to the punch this is a no brainer. Hopes will be high that Microsoft can release an effective patch sooner rather than later but, until then, all Windows users must act now if they want to be safe. Download 0patch here: https://blog.0patch.com/2021/11/micropatching-incompletely-patched.html