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Fixing Folder Size Issue in Windows 10

Recently, several Windows 10 users have reported an issue with the Windows folder sizes in their PCs. If you are one of these affected users, read on as this post will walk you through fixing this issue.

For instance, if you have a folder with 100 GB worth of data and when checking its size using its properties, you see the wrong size instead of 100GB. The size displayed will most likely be a random number which can either be bigger or smaller than the real size of the folder. This incorrect folder size issue does not happen to any specific drive or certain kinds of folders as any folder can be affected by this incorrect folder size issue. When you try to rename the affected folder, the size will change but its size still remains to be incorrect.

The root cause of this particular issue is in Windows 10 itself. It is a known bug that came along with one of the latest Windows Updates which prevents the File Explorer to accurately read the metadata of a certain folder or file and leads to displaying incorrect and unexpected file sizes and the reason why you might also notice that your drive is also not correct. Since this is brought upon by one of the recent or latest Windows Updates the good thing is that Microsoft will most likely release a fix on its next upcoming updates but until then, you will be left with no choice but to deal with an incorrect folder or file size. To remedy that, here are some suggestions you can try that might fix the problem.

Option 1 – Try using the System File Checker

The 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 to good system files that might be causing the incorrect folder or file size in Windows 10. 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.

Option 2 – Try resetting Windows 10

To fix the folder and file size issue, you can try resetting Windows 10. Doing so won’t get rid of any file in your system – instead of erasing all your media files and documents, this reset option resets all the system settings and files. That way, you won’t have to deal with inaccurate folders or file sizes as you browse and use your files.

Option 3 – Wait for the Windows Update

As mentioned, this is already a known issue and a lot of Windows 10 users have already complained about it to Microsoft so a bug fix will be soon released in the latest Windows Updates.

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Add app shortcut on the context menu

Sometimes, some applications after they are installed will put their shortcut in the context menu (right-click on desktop) for easy access, most of the time these are some system tied applications like AMD and Nvidia control panels or archives like WinRAR or 7ZIP but it can happen even for some usual application to do this.

Windows contex menu

There are some applications that you use frequently and they could be worth putting in the context menu, if you want to avoid clutter on the desktop or in the taskbar this is the third place that you should consider placing shortcuts.

Doing this will require some playing and tweaking in the Windows registry editor so be careful when editing the registry since bad entries can lead to system crash or instability. Follow step-by-step instructions.

Adding apps to the context menu in the registry

Creating entry

Open the registry editor by searching Regedit and pressing enter than inside of the registry editor search for the next key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell

Select shell and right-click on it, hover over New and in the submenu click on Key. In the next step, you need to name a key, this name will be the thing that will be shown in the context menu when you right-click on a desktop so type in the name that you would like or the name of the application that you wish to add to the menu.

If you wish you can even add a keyboard shortcut to launch this specific application. To do this select entry that you have created and edit the default value, inside the edit string in the Value data field type first & and after that key that you would like as a shortcut. Now after right click if you hit your shortcut key app will be launched right away.

Adding command

The next task is to create a command key that will actually hold the command to launch the application. Right-click on the entry that you have created, hover over New, and click on Key.

Next, you’ll need to create the command key that will actually hold the command used to launch the application. Right-click on the new Notepad key, and then choose New \ Key from the menu. Name this key 'command', all in lower case and without hyphens.

Now in order to finish setting the launcher, you need the full path of the file that you would like to run. Locate your file in file explorer or in another tool and copy its path by SHIFT + right-clicking on the file itself and choosing copy as path option.

Now click on the command key and double click on the default key on right to edit it, inside the field value data paste your path to executable. close and save the registry and you are done.

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Disk Cleanup is stuck on Update Cleanup
There is a built-in tool in Windows 10 the Disk Cleanup Utility which can help you restore hard disk space by removing temporary files, Thumbnails, old Windows files, Windows Upgrade logs, Delivery optimization files, and many more. However, from time to time, this built-in tool also experiences some issues. One of these issues is when it gets stuck on Windows Update Cleanup. Read on to find out what you can do in such a case. When the Disk Cleanup Utility is stuck on the Windows Update Cleanup, the process could be slow and take a long time to complete when purging the files. If this happens, click on Cancel to close the dialog box. After that, try running the Disk Cleanup Tool again as administrator and check if the files that you want to clean is still there or not. If it isn’t there, then this means that the cleanup has been done, otherwise, you need to refer to the options given below.

Option 1 – Try to manually delete the contents in the SoftwareDistribution folder

  • Open the WinX Menu.
  • From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
  • Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.
net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver
  • After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
  • Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.
After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:
  • Type each one of the following commands.
net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver
  • After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer and then try to run Windows Update once more.

Option 2 – Try to manually delete the contents of the Windows.old folder

The Windows.old folder is the one that holds the older version of Windows when you upgrade. It comes really useful when you want to revert to the previous version of Windows 10. Thus, you can delete the Windows.old files in case the cleanup tool is stuck.

Option 3 – Try running Disk Cleanup in a Clean Boot State or Safe Mode

Another thing you can try is to restart your computer in a Clean Boot State or Safe Mode. Chances are, there are some programs that are preventing the Disk Cleanup Utility tool to run properly. After you restart your computer in a Clean Boot State or Safe Mode, try to run the Disk Cleanup tool again and then see if it now works or not.

Option 4 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing this issue. 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 5 – Run the DISM tool to fix the corruption in the Component Store

You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the Wdf01000.sys Blue Screen error. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.
  • 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.
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Diagnosing your PC/Preparing Automatic Repair
Windows 10 is has a lot of features that help a user in optimizing a computer. So when the operating system encounters a problem, it is able to provide users with proper resources to get the problem fixed. There are even times when a user is not notified and an issue is either being repaired or dodged in the background. This kind of feature is known as the Diagnosis of the Automatic Repair feature that starts when your computer is booting. In such times, you will either see the “Diagnosing your PC” or “Preparing Automatic Repair” message on your screen. Although this feature is useful and has proven to be effective, some users reported that the process gets stuck. If you experience the same problem, read on as this post will guide you on what to do to fix it but before you start troubleshooting the problem, you might want to perform a Hard Boot first. All you have to do is to power down your computer, remove the battery and the AC adapter and then reconnect them. After that, tap and hold the power button for about 20 seconds and see if your computer boots up properly. If it doesn’t, follow the given fixes below.

Option 1 – Try disabling the automatic Startup Repair

The Automatic Startup Repair window will automatically open during boot when you have some system driver-related problem. So if you think that this is where the problem lies, you can try to disable the automatic Startup Repair.
  • Click on Troubleshoot and go to the Advanced options.
  • After that, select Command Prompt and execute the following command:
bcdedit /set recoveryenabled NO
  • Restart your computer after that and then check.

Option 2 – Run the System File Checker

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files that might be the cause why you’re facing this problem. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.
  • Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
  • Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
  • After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow
The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:
  1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
  2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
  3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
  • Now restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 3 – Run CHKDSK to check your disk for errors

When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. This error check utility can help with several issues in the system.
  • Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
  • Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
  • After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:
chkdsk /r /f
  • Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your computer, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
  • If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
  • After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
  • Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.
  • Once your computer has restarted, try accessing the file and check if the error persists.

Option 4 – Run the DISM tool

The next thing you can do is run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like your computer getting stuck in the “Diagnosing your PC” or “Preparing Automatic Repair” screen.
  • Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
  • After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
    • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
    • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
    • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  • Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 5 – Try to use installation media to boot and repair your computer

Another thing you can try to resolve the issue is to use the Windows installation bootable media so you can boot and repair the operating system. To use it, follow these steps:
  • You need to first create an installation media which has the dame version of the operating system installed in your computer.
  • After that, once you reach the Install Windows screen, click on the “Repair your computer” link.
  • Wait until the repair is completed and then shut down your computer
  • Now once your computer has restarted, check if it can now boot properly.
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Software review series: Visual studio code
Visual Studio codeVisual studio code is a code editor available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. It is a completely free tool offering you to code in any language without the need to switch to another editor. Visual Studio Code is part of Microsoft Visual Studio which is a complete integrated development environment (IDE). Take notice that Visual studio itself has more advanced tools for developing and testing, it has 24/7 support, training, and Azure for WEB apps. Visual Studio Code is an editor lacking in some advanced features Visual Studio offers.

Visual Studio code Price and royalty

As mentioned Visual Studio code is completely free licensed under the MIT license agreement giving you the tool free to use and sell your product. How it supports Linux, Windows, and macOS, all you need it to go to its official page https://code.visualstudio.com/, download it and start using it. How this is free project backside is that there is no official support, you will have to rely on various articles and community in order to get needed information or problem solution.

Features

Syntax highlighting has become standard and norm for any editor but besides this function VS code offers us also IntelliSense option which goes a step further with code completion, code hinting, and parameter info. This means that VS code is aware of many things going on inside your code and will offer you as you type a menu with options for autocomplete along with variables referenced, function names, etc. VS code offers extensions inside its extensions marketplace where you can add extensions in order to implement new languages, add debuggers, change the layout, etc. This is one of the great features it allows you to easily switch from one project to another, one language to another not leaving your code editor. Working with version control systems like Git is easy with VS Code. You’ll be able to stage files and make commits, then push and pull changes to your remote code repository of choice, right from the editor.

Conclusion about Visual Studio code

Visual Studio Code is one of if not the most flexible and extensible code editors currently on the market that I have ever tried and used. IT has become my code editor of choice simply for reasons that there is really not much it cannot do and it is constantly updated and taken care of. You can really tune it to look and feels how you want with extensions and you really cannot beat the free price tag. I would highly recommend this editor for daily use especially since its biggest competitors like Atom and sublime text have not seen many updates lately.
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Fix Windows 0x8007002C – 0x400D Error
In Installing or upgrading your Windows 10, there really is no guarantee that everything will go smoothly as there are times you encounter errors like the “ We couldn’t install Windows 10, 0x8007002C - 0x400D ” error message among other Windows update/upgrade errors. When you encounter this particular error message you will the following message on your screen:
 “We’ve set your PC back to the way it was right before you started installing Windows 10. 0x8007002C-0x400D The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during MIGRATE-DATA operation”
This kind of Windows upgrade error indicates that some of the files needed for the installation are locked out for some reason and that Windows was not able to migrate them to a new version. It could be that your computer does not have sufficient space for those files. Thus, no matter how many times you try to upgrade your computer, you always end up going back to the previous version of Windows. To fix the “0x8007002C – 0x400D, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during MIGRATE-DATA operation” error, here are some suggestions that might help:

Option 1 – Disable your antivirus program

There are times when the antivirus program installed in your computer blocks file access and even disk access. Thus, disabling the antivirus program or any security software installed in your computer is always a good idea you can try when the Windows Update process does not go smoothly. So before you try updating your computer again, make sure to disable the antivirus or security program and once the Windows Update is done, don’t forget to enable the antivirus program back again.

Option 2 – Perform a Disk Cleanup to free up disk space

Chances are, some unnecessary files in your computer might be interrupting the installation process which explains why you’re getting the “0x8007002C – 0x400D, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during MIGRATE-DATA operation” error instead so you need to perform a Disk Cleanup in order to fix the problem.
  • In the Cortana Search box, type “disk cleanup” and click on the related search result.
  • Then select the disk you want to clean and click OK.
  • Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your PC and try to install the Windows upgrade again.

Option 3 – Get rid of any file protection software

The Windows setup migrates the folder from one version to another during the upgrade. However, if some of your folders, if not all, are protected using some file protection software, then Windows won’t succeed in moving the folder and you will encounter this Windows upgrade error instead. Thus, you need to unlock all those protected files or better yet uninstall the file protection software after you remove the locked files. After that, try installing the upgrade again.

Option 4 – Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder

The Software Distribution folder in the Windows operating system is a folder that can be found in the Windows directory and is used to store files temporarily which might be required to install the Windows Update on your PC. Thus, it is required by the Windows Update and maintained by WUAgent. Aside from that, it also contains all the Windows Update History files and once you delete them, you will most likely lose the Update history. As a result, the next time you run the Windows Update, it may result in a longer detection time.
  • Open the WinX Menu.
  • From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
  • Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.
net stop wuauserv net stop bits rename c:windowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
  • After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, and rename the SoftwareDistribution folder.
  • Next, got to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.
  • Once all the contents in the Software Distribution folder are deleted, restart your PC and then go back to Command Prompt and input the following commands again.
net start wuauserv net start bits
Since the folder has already been flushed, it will be populated afresh the instant your restart your computer and open Windows Update.

Option 5 – Run the DISM tool

As mentioned, the “0x8007002C – 0x400D, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during MIGRATE-DATA operation” error might also be caused by corrupted files in the computer. Thus, you can try using the DISM tool to repair them. Running the DISM tool can repair the Windows System Image and Windows Component Store in Windows 10.
  • Open the Command Prompt as admin.
  • Then type in this command: DISM /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.

Option 6 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve this particular Windows upgrade error. 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.

Option 7 – Try running Microsoft’s online troubleshooter

You also have the option to run Microsoft’s online troubleshooter which could help you fix Windows Update errors including the “0x8007002C – 0x400D, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during MIGRATE-DATA operation” error.
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What to do if CPU is not running at full speed
The speed at which the CPU runs varies depending on any Windows laptop or desktop. And in case you don’t know, the CPU does not run at full speed all the time as it depends on how the operating system distributes the load so it works accordingly. However, there are instances when it runs at full speed especially if your Windows 10 computer is on a heavy workload. But if you find that even when your computer is already on a heavy workload and the CPU is still not running at full speed, then you need to look into this situation. To verify that your CPU’s speed, you can use any CPU stress test tool. This kind of issue is common on laptops compared to desktop computers since laptop runs on battery. The Intel Processor on laptops uses the Speed Stepping Technology which means that when you are doing some small tasks on your laptop, the processor’s speed is reduced. On the other hand, if this happens when you are using a heavy application, it can be due to a low charge on the laptop’s battery. Thus, Windows will try its best to keep the computer running for as long as possible by reducing the CPU speed or processor. But there are times when you are ready to sacrifice battery to make sure that the work gets done on time. To achieve that, here are some options you can check out.

Option 1 – Try setting the processor state to the maximum in Power Options

  • Type “control” in the search box to view the classic Control Panel as well as the popular options.
  • Next, click on Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings.
  • Then navigate to Processor power management > Maximum processor state.
  • Now select 100% when it is on Battery and Plugged in.
  • After that, expand the System cooling policy option and make sure to set it as Active to make sure that the battery won’t overheat.
  • Finally, apply the changes made to all the profiles of the power management and restart your computer. This will ensure that your CPU will run at maximum power at all times.

Option 2 – Try to update or disable the Intel Power Management driver

The next option you can try is to update or disable the Intel Power Management driver. The Intel-powered computers have dedicated software that controls CPU speed and Fan speed when it needs to save battery. You can try disabling it temporarily and check if there are any changes with the CPU fan speed.
  • First, restart your computer by holding the Shift key to boot your computer into Troubleshooting or Advanced mode.
  • Next, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
  • Then change the directory to C:/Windows/System32/driver and then rename the file named “Intelppm” by entering the “ren intelppm.sys intelppm.sys.bak”.
  • Now restart your computer.
Note: If you were not able to find the drivers in C:/Windows/System32/driver, check if they are available under C:/Drivers/IntelPPM. After that, the CPU speed should change now with the Intel driver missing from the system. And in case you want to enable it, simply follow the same steps given above and rename the file again.

Option 3 – Try disabling the IPPM using the Command Line or Registry Editor

  • Command Prompt:
    • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “cmd” and tap Enter to open Command Prompt.
    • Next, type this command and hit Enter: sc config intelppm start= disabled
    • The “sc config” command you entered modifies the value of a service’s entries in the registry as well as in the Service Control Manager database.
  • Registry Editor:
    • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
    • Next, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesintelppm.
    • From there, double click on the intelppm and change the Start key value to
    • Now close the Registry Editor and reboot your computer.
Note: The steps given will make sure that the CPU will run at maximum power at all times.
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A command is not recognized Error in Windows
A command is not recognized Error, what it is? If you are constantly using programs like CMD or DISM directly from the Run prompt, you might have wondered how they launched instantly and how is it that the Windows operating system is able to find them right away. For instance, when you create a shortcut of a program, the shortcut knows where exactly the program is located and launches it quickly. The Windows operating system keeps a list of paths where the most common system programs are located so when you use the Run prompt, it opens easily. The list kept by Windows is called the Windows Environment Variables. If something goes wrong with this list, the programs won’t work. So in this guide, you will be guided on how you can troubleshoot the problem where any command you use is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file. Before you start troubleshooting the problem, you need to make sure that the program you are trying to run really exists. In fact, this can also happen to the Run program which is pulled up using the Win + R shortcut. To check, go to C:\Windows\System32 and there, check if the program exists or not or you can also try searching for the EXE in the System 32 folder. After making sure that the program exists, refer to the instructions given below.

Modify the Windows Environment Variables:

  • Step 1: Tap the Win + X keys and then select System. After that, it will open the section where you can see all the properties on your computer.
  • Step 2: Next, select the Advanced system setting located on the left pane and click on the Environment Variables.
  • Step 3: After that, locate Path under the System Variables and select EDIT.
  • Step 4: Before you edit, you need to copy the entire string and paste it into the Notepad app so that in case something went wrong, you can paste it back.
  • Step 5: Next, look for the directory path, “C:\Windows\System32”. If you can’t find it, try adding a semi-colon at the end.
  • Step 6: Afterwards, click OK to save the changes made and then exit.
  • Step 7: Now restart your computer as all the paths are picked up when your computer restarts.
Note: Now all you have to do is to try executing the programs once again – the ones where you got the error, “ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file” every time you open them and then see if you can now open these programs or not.
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How to remove Easy Home Decorating (easyhomedecorating.com) toolbar

Easy Home Decorating is a Browser Extension for Google Chrome. It offers users tips and tricks on how to manage your home decoration, you can find ideas for certain rooms, combine and plan. This might seem useful at the start, however, all this extension does is add a toolbar that links you to the most popular Home Decor Websites that you can find on any Search engine within seconds.

When installed it changes your default search engine and new tab page to MyWay.com or Ask.com (depending on the extension version). It monitors user browsing activity in the background, allowing it to gather visited websites, clicked links, search queries, and other user information. This data is later sent/sold to better target ads.

While using this extension you will see additional ads and sponsored content displaying throughout your browsing sessions. Several anti-virus applications have marked this extension as a Browser Hijacker and a potential security flaw and are therefore not recommended to keep on your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes referred to as hijackware) are a type of malware that modifies web browser configurations without the user’s knowledge or approval. These hijacks happen to be increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, and it could be actually nefarious and sometimes harmful too. Browser hijacker malware is developed for many different reasons. These are generally used to force visitors to a particular website, manipulating web traffic to earn ad revenue. It might seem naive, but the majority of these websites are not legitimate and can present a serious risk to your online safety. Moreover, hijackers could make the whole infected system vulnerable – other destructive malware and viruses would use these opportunities to get into your computer effortlessly.

How one can know if your browser has been hijacked

Here are some signs and symptoms that suggest you’ve been hijacked: your web browser’s home page is suddenly different; if you enter a URL, you find yourself regularly directed to a different site than the one you meant; the default online search engine is modified; unsolicited new toolbars are added to your web browser; you see a lot of pop-up ads on your computer screen; your web browser gets slow, buggy, crashes frequently; you can’t visit specific websites like home pages of security software.

How does a computer get infected with a browser hijacker?

Browser hijackers infect computer systems in numerous ways, including through a drive-by download, a file-share, or an infected email. They can also come from any BHO, extension, add-on, toolbar, or plug-in with malicious purpose. Other times you might have inadvertently accepted a browser hijacker as part of a software bundle (generally freeware or shareware). Examples of well-known browser hijackers are Fireball, GoSave, Ask Toolbar, CoolWebSearch, Babylon Toolbar, and RocketTab. Browser hijackers could affect the user’s web browsing experience significantly, monitor the websites visited by users and steal private information, cause difficulty in connecting to the web, and finally create stability problems, causing programs and systems to freeze.

How you can fix a browser hijack

Certain kinds of browser hijackers can be effortlessly removed from your PC by deleting malicious software applications or any other recently installed shareware. But, many hijackers are very hard to identify or eliminate as they might get themselves associated with some important computer files which allow it to operate as a necessary operating system process. Rookie computer users should never try the manual form of removal methods since it requires comprehensive computer knowledge to carry out repairs on the computer registry and HOSTS file. Anti-malware application is really efficient with regards to picking up and removing browser hijackers that normal anti-virus application has overlooked. To eradicate any kind of browser hijacker from your PC, you can download this certified malware removal program – SafeBytes Anti-Malware. Employ a system optimizer (like Total System Care) together with your antivirus software to solve various registry issues, remove system vulnerabilities, and improve your computer's overall performance.

How To Install Safebytes Anti-Malware On An Infected PC

All malware is bad, but certain kinds of malware do much more damage to your PC than others. Some malware is designed to restrict or prevent things that you wish to do on your personal computer. It may well not permit you to download anything from the net or prevent you from accessing some or all of the websites, especially the anti-virus sites. If you’re reading this article, you probably have got infected by a virus that prevents you from downloading a computer security program such as Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. There are some steps you can take to get around this issue.

Install in Safe Mode

The Windows OS has got a special mode known as “Safe Mode” in which just the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded. If the malware is blocking access to the internet and affecting your PC, running it in Safe Mode allows you to download antivirus and run a scan while limiting possible damage. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the computer is starting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. Once you are in Safe Mode, you can attempt to download and install your antivirus program without the hindrance of the malicious software. Now, you can run the antivirus scan to eliminate viruses and malware without any interference from another application.

Switch to an alternate internet browser

Web-based malware could be environment-specific, aiming for a particular web browser or attacking specific versions of the browser. In case you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a computer virus or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the most effective course of action is to switch to a different internet browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your favorite computer security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Run anti-virus from a USB drive

Another solution is to save and operate an antivirus software program entirely from a Thumb drive. To run antivirus using a thumb drive, follow these simple steps: 1) On a clean PC, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Put the USB drive into the uninfected PC. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware program to run the Installation Wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the USB drive as the place in which you would like to store the software files. Follow the instructions to finish the installation process. 5) Now, insert the pen drive into the infected PC. 6) Double-click the EXE file to open the Safebytes program right from the flash drive. 7) Click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for viruses.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware Overview

To help protect your laptop or computer from various internet-based threats, it’s very important to install an anti-malware program on your PC. But with countless numbers of antimalware companies out there, these days it’s challenging to decide which one you should buy for your PC. Some of them are good, some are ok types, while some will harm your PC themselves! You must pick a company that builds industry-best anti-malware and has gained a reputation as reliable. Amongst few good programs, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended software program for the security-conscious user. SafeBytes is a powerful, real-time anti-spyware application that is designed to assist the everyday computer end user in safeguarding their computer from malicious internet threats. With its cutting-edge technology, this application will allow you to remove several types of malware including viruses, trojans, PUPs, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

There are plenty of great features you’ll get with this particular security product. Listed here are a few of the great ones:

Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes offers real-time active checking and protection from all known viruses and malware. It’ll monitor your PC for suspicious activity continuously and its unparalleled firewall shields your PC from illegal access by the outside world. Antimalware Protection: Built upon a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal tool can find and get rid of many obstinate malware threats such as browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other typical anti-virus software will miss. Website Filtering: SafeBytes checks and gives a unique safety rating to every website you visit and block access to webpages known to be phishing sites, thus protecting you against identity theft, or known to contain malicious software. Lowest CPU and RAM Usage: SafeBytes provides complete protection from internet threats at a fraction of the CPU load due to its advanced detection engine and algorithms. Premium Support: For any technical questions or product support, you could get 24/7 expert assistance through chat and email. Overall, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program as it has lots of features and could detect and remove any potential threats. You can be sure that your PC will be protected in real-time once you put this software program to use. You will get the very best all-around protection for the money you pay on SafeBytes Anti-Malware subscription, there’s no question about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you don’t wish to use an automated tool and prefer to get rid of Easy Home Decorating manually, you might accomplish this by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and removing the offending software; in cases of web browser add-ons, you could remove it by visiting the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. Additionally, it is suggested to factory reset your web browser settings to their default state. To make sure of complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your computer and delete it or reset the values appropriately. Please remember that this is for experienced users only and might be challenging, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. Also, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing deletion. Completing this task in Safe Mode is suggested.
Files: Search and Delete: 73Bar.dll 73bar.dll 73highin.exe 73medint.exe 73regfft.dll 73regiet.dll 73hkstub.dll 73reghk.dll 73barsvc.exe 73bprtct.dll 73datact.dll 73dlghk.dll 73dlghk64.dll 73feedmg.dll 73htmlmu.dll 73httpct.dll 73idle.dll 73mlbtn.dll 73Plugin.dll 73script.dll 73skin.dll 73skplay.exe 73SrcAs.dll APPINTEGRATOR.EXE AppIntegrator64.exe APPINTEGRATORSTUB.DLL AppIntegratorStub64.dll ASSISTMONITOR.DLL ASSISTMONITOR64.DLL CREXT.DLL CrExtP73.exe DPNMNGR.DLL HKFXMGR.DLL HKFXMGR64.DLL HPG.DLL Hpg64.dll T8EPMSUP.DLL T8EXTEX.DLL T8EXTPEX.DLL T8HTML.DLL 73SrchMn.exe 73srchmr.dll NP73Stub.dll 73auxstb.dll 73auxstb64.dll 73ieovr.dll 73radio.dll 73brmon.exe 73brstub.dll
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Windows Clock is missing, invisible or black
Although the Windows Updates do bring in new features and improvements, there are times when they also introduce issues as well. The main cause for these arising bugs is the incompatibility between the old and new software components. One of the issues brought in by such bugs is Clock is missing, invisible or black This problem was experienced by users after they recently installed a feature update. This particular bug can make the Windows clock in the taskbar appear to be black or invisible which makes it hard for users to read the time on their computers. According to experts, this bug has something to do with the Windows Themes and Aero styling. To fix this issue, here are some suggestions that could help but before you get started, you have to restart Explorer first and see if it can help in resolving the problem – if it didn’t, follow the options given below carefully.

Option 1 – Try to disable Custom Theme

It could be that the reason behind the black or invisible Windows Clock can be an old or an incompatible theme. You might have a custom theme in place and it became incompatible after an update. Thus, you can try switching to one of the default themes and then recreate your custom theme afterward. To do so, follow the steps below.
  • Right-click on your desktop and select Personalize.
  • Next, select Themes from the left menu and then select Windows 10 as your theme.
  • After that, you can delete all the other custom themes and create them again from scratch. This should fix the black or invisible Windows 10 Clock.

Option 2 – Try to edit your existing themes

If you don’t want to get rid of your existing themes, there is an alternative solution you can try to fix the missing Windows 10 Clock albeit it’s a bit of a complex one. Follow the given steps below to modify the existing themes and fix the missing or black Windows Clock.
  • First, you need to save your existing theme. Just simply right-click on your desktop and select Personalize and select Themes from the left menu.
  • Next, click on the Save Theme button below your custom theme to save it. You can name the theme anything.
  • After that, you can now modify the saved theme by going to C:/Users/UserName/AppData/Local/MicrosoftWindowsThemes.
  • From there, look for the file with the theme name you just saved, and then right-click on the file and open it with notepad or any other text editing app.
  • Now you have to look for the line that says, “Path=%SystemRoot%resourcesthemesAeroAeroLite.msstyles” and change it to “Path=%SystemRoot%resourcesthemesAeroAero.msstyles” and then save the file and rename it with some other name.
  • Afterward, go back to themes and select the new theme you’ve created. This should resolve the Windows Clock issue as well as other Themes and Taskbar issues.

Option 3 – Try disabling the small icons in Taskbar

This option should help you fix any Windows Clock cases. So if your Windows Clock is nowhere to be found, you can try to disable small taskbar icons on your Windows 10 PC.
  • Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
  • From there turn off the toggle button for the “Use small taskbar buttons” option. Note that this solution is only a temporary one and it may or may not work in some cases.
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Disable Windows 11 animations for fast work
windows 11 animationsWindows 11 has some cool animations including fading effects which make working in it feels nice and futuristic but the cost of this is that there is a slight delay to certain actions performed. If you want the snap fast feature in Windows 11 and do not care about this eye candy there is an easy way to turn animations off inside it.
  • First, open Windows Settings by pressing ⊞ Windows + I on your keyboard
  • Alternatively, click on Start, search for Settings, and then click its icon.
  • When Settings appears, look in the sidebar and select Accessibility.
  • In Accessibility settings, click on Visual Effects.
  • In Visual Effects, switch Animation Effects to Off.
That’s it, changes will be applied automatically, you can close settings and continue working inside Windows 11 without animations and fades. You can always switch animations back On via settings if you change your mind.
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