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Windows 11 has arrived and it is being adopted all around the globe as we are writing this article. People are adapting it daily and today we will take a look at some advanced security features of the new Windows and do you really need an antivirus in it. It is not a secret that Windows 11 is the most secure Windows ever created, well at least up until now. It is packed with advanced security features like S-mode, Secure Boot, and Trusted Platform Module (TMP 2.0). All these new security features that Microsoft has advertised made people question are enough for security or do you still need third-party Antivirus software. In order to get an answer to this question, let us first take a detailed look at what each one of them does, and then we will give you our opinion on a given subject.

Windows S mode

For everyday home use, Windows 11 S mode is the most secure feature to have on your PC. This is a safety protocol where only apps from Microsoft Store are allowed to be installed. This eliminates the risk of installing third-party apps that may contain viruses or malware. Furthermore, S-mode protects your web browsing activity through the Microsoft Edge browser. S-mode does not allow you to use other browsers for security reasons. If you are using Windows 11 in S-mode, your PC and data will be secure in most parts. You need not buy antivirus when using Windows 11 in S-mode.

Windows Defender

The inbuilt security suite, Windows Defender was launched for the first time in 2006. Earlier to that it had existed and was known as Microsoft AntiSpyWare. Windows Defender has undergone significant improvements over the years. In its latest version available with Windows 11, Windows Defender offers a comprehensive range of security features. It is available under the Windows Security system. Some key security features include real-time virus and threat protection, account protection, firewall & network protection, app and browser control, parental controls, and device (hardware) security. This is comparable to security features offered by third-party antivirus programs.

Microsoft Account

In Windows 11, it is necessary to use a Microsoft account that will be linked to your device. This ensures the security of your data in case your device is lost or stolen. You just need to make sure that you have set a strong password for your device. Windows 11 also has Bitlocker that keeps your data in encrypted form.

Ransomware protection

In view of rising cases of ransomware, Microsoft has introduced dedicated ransomware protection in Windows 11. It works by stopping apps from carrying out unauthorized changes to files and folders. Users can choose their important files and folders that they want to be protected from ransomware.

Conclusion

As we went through Windows 11 security features, we can clearly see that it is packed heavily with many security features that aim to protect your data and your identity. Looking at them, one can clearly come to the conclusion that you do not really need any third-party software and that Windows itself can catch and protect most of the issues, and they would be right. If you use Windows 11 carefully, meaning that you go only to trusted websites, do not open suspicious emails, and click on suspicious links, if you do not use extensively external USB devices or mass media you really do not need any kind of third party protection, Windows built-in tools will do well and keep you protected. However, if you do come in contact with other people's USB devices if you surf over the net, and overall if you really want to be at peace of mind that you are protected you will still need a well-established third-party software protection solution. Windows 11 has great security features, best so far in any Windows but it is still far from being a solution that does not require dedicated protection solution. So do yourself a favor and grab one. We recently had a top antivirus software review, find the article here and pick one that is best for you. https://errortools.com/viruses/the-best-antivirus-software-of-2021/

You will notice the blurred background on the login screen right away when you start your Windows 10 computer that’s running the v1903 and up. This kind of blurred background is known as “Acrylic Blur Effect on Sign-in Screen”. This new feature delivers a beautiful experience to users by adding more focus to the login screen. However, no matter how nice this feature is and even if it only stays for less than a minute, not all users like it and if you’re one of these users, read on as this post will guide you in disabling the blurred background login screen in your Windows 10 computer. Disabling the blurred background in the login screen can be done in two methods. The first one is via the Registry Editor and the second one is via the Group Policy Editor. Before you proceed, make sure that you are using an admin account and you must create a System Restore point first. Once you have that covered, follow the options provided below.

Option 1 – Disable the Blurred background in the login screen via Registry Editor

• First, 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.
• After that, navigate to this registry path: KEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsSystem
• Next, right-click on any empty space in the right pane and create a new DWORD (32 bit) and name it as “DisableAcrylicBackgroundOnLogon”.
• Once you’ve created the DWORD, double click on it and set its value to 1 to disable it and 0 to enable it.
• After you make the necessary changes, restart your computer. You won’t now see the blurred background on the login screen.

Note: No matter what option you select to change the background, it will stay blurred when you click on the login button. At the time of writing, there is no way to disable this feature in the Personalization section so the Registry Editor will have to suffice for now.

Option 2 – Disable the Blurred background in the login screen via Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• After that, navigate to this policy setting: Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemLogon
• From there, double click on the “Show clear logon background settings” and since its default value is “Not configured”, set it to “Disabled”. You will see the following description under this setting:
  • “This policy setting disables the acrylic blur effect on the logon background image.”
  • “If you enable this policy, the logon background image shows without blur.”

• Now click on OK and then check the login screen.

Note: If you don’t configure or if you disable this policy, the logon background image adopts the acrylic blur effect. However, if it didn’t work, you have to restart your computer and then check.

The Motitags toolbar browser add-on was created by Mindspark Inc. and is compatible with Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. It claims to enhance users’ Internet browsing experience by enabling smileys within popular email clients such as Gmail, Yahoo!, AOL, and Outlook Live. While such added functionality may seem useful, Internet users should be aware that this browser plugin is categorized as a Browser Hijacker due to its behavior.

When installed this extension changes your default search engine, the home page, and new tab to MyWay.com, and while installed it gathers user browsing data and sends it back to Mindspark servers. This data is later used to inject additional unwanted ads into the user’s browser search results.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a type of unwanted software program, often a web browser add-on or extension, which then causes modifications in the web browser’s settings. Browser hijacker malware is developed for a number of reasons. These are generally used to force hits to a specific website, manipulating web traffic to generate ad revenue. It could seem harmless, but the majority of these websites aren’t legitimate and could pose a serious threat to your online safety. In a much worst case, your internet browser could be hi-jacked to open up your computer to a host of additional computer infections.

How one can identify a browser hijack

There are several signs of browser hijacking. Here are a few of them: the home page of your browser is changed unexpectedly; you get re-directed to websites you never intended to visit; the essential web browser settings are altered and unwanted or unsafe resources are added to the trusted websites list; discover new toolbars that you didn’t add; endless pop-up adverts show up and/or your web browser popup blocker is disabled; your browser gets sluggish, buggy, crashes frequently; you can’t navigate to certain internet pages, for example, security software related websites.

So how does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

Browser hijackers infect computers via malicious email attachments, downloaded infected files, or by going to infected sites. Many internet browser hijackings come from add-on software, i.e., toolbars, browser helper objects (BHO), or plug-ins added to browsers to provide them extra capabilities. Browser hijackers sneak into your pc in addition to free software application downloads that you unwittingly install along with the original. An example of some infamous browser hijacker includes Babylon, Anyprotect, Conduit, SweetPage, DefaultTab, RocketTab, and Delta Search, but the names are often changing. Browser hijacking can bring about severe privacy problems and also identity theft, affect your browsing experience by taking control over outgoing traffic, drastically slows down your PC by consuming lots of resources, and result in system instability also.

Getting rid of browser hijackers

Some browser hijacking could be easily stopped by discovering and eliminating the corresponding malware program through your control panel. But, most browser hijackers are difficult to eliminate manually. No matter how much you try to eliminate it, it can return over and over. Rookie PC users should not try for the manual form of removal, since it needs thorough computer knowledge to perform fixes on the system registry and HOSTS file. Professionals always recommend users to remove any malware including browser hijacker with an automatic removal tool, which is easier, safer, and quicker than the manual removal technique. Safebytes Anti-Malware has a state-of-the-art anti-malware engine that will help you stop browser hijacking in the first place, and clean up any existing issues.

What To Do If You Cannot Download Safebytes Anti-Malware?

Malware could potentially cause all sorts of damage once they invade your computer, starting from stealing your private details to erasing data files on your computer system. Some malware sits in between your computer and your internet connection and blocks some or all sites that you would like to visit. It might also prevent you from installing anything on your PC, particularly anti-virus programs. If you’re reading this, you probably have infected by malware that prevents you from downloading a computer security program such as Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. There are a few options you could try to get around with this particular obstacle.

Install in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to load automatically when Windows starts, entering Safe Mode could block this attempt. Only minimal required programs and services are loaded whenever you start your personal computer in Safe Mode. To start your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, please do as instructed below. 1) At power on/start-up, press the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This would conjure up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and press Enter. 3) When you are into this mode, you will have online access again. Now, get the virus removal application you want by using the web browser. To install the program, follow the directions within the setup wizard. 4) Right after the software is installed, allow the scan run to eliminate viruses and other threats automatically.

Use an alternate web browser to download security software

Malicious code could exploit vulnerabilities on a particular internet browser and block access to all anti-virus software sites. The most effective way to avoid this issue is to choose a web browser that is renowned for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you safe online.

Install security software on a USB drive

To effectively eliminate the malware, you need to approach the problem of installing an anti-virus software program on the infected PC from a different angle. Follow these steps to run the antivirus on the affected computer. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Microsoft Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free computer system. 2) Plug the pen drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Choose the USB stick as the destination for saving the software file. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish up the installation process. 5) Disconnect the flash drive. You may now use this portable anti-malware on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the anti-malware program EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and get rid of all sorts of malware.

Benefits and Features of SafeBytes Security Suite

To protect your laptop or computer from many different internet-based threats, it is very important to install an anti-malware program on your PC. However, with so many anti-malware companies in the marketplace, nowadays it’s difficult to decide which one you should obtain for your laptop. A few are very good ones, some are ok types, and some are simply just fake anti-malware applications that could damage your computer themselves! When looking for an anti-malware program, pick one which gives reliable, efficient, and total protection against all known viruses and malware. One of the highly recommended software by industry analysts is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, a popular security application for Microsoft Windows. Safebytes is one of the well-established computer solutions companies, which provide this complete anti-malware software. Using its cutting-edge technology, this application can assist you to eliminate multiples types of malware such as viruses, PUPs, trojans, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes possesses a variety of wonderful features that can help you protect your laptop or computer from malware attack and damage. Below are some typical features found in this application:

World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built upon a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can find and remove numerous stubborn malware threats like browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other typical anti-virus applications will miss. Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes gives complete and real-time security for your computer. They’re extremely effective in screening and getting rid of numerous threats since they’re regularly improved with the latest updates and alerts. “Fast Scan” Features: Safebytes Anti-Malware, using its enhanced scanning engine, provides ultra-fast scanning which can quickly target any active online threat. Website Filtering: Through its unique safety ranking, SafeBytes notifies you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will ensure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the internet. Light-weight: The program is lightweight and can run silently in the background, and will not have an effect on your PC efficiency. 24/7 Premium Support: SafeBytes provides you with 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and software upgrades for the best user experience. Simply put, SafeBytes has developed a meaningful anti-malware solution that is aimed to protect you against various malware. Malware issues can become a thing of the past when you put this tool to use. So if you’re seeking the very best malware removal application out there, and when you don’t mind shelling out a few bucks for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove Motitags without using an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the application from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. Additionally, it is advised to factory reset your web browser to its default state to fix corrupt settings. Finally, check your hard drive for all of the following and clean your computer registry manually to get rid of leftover application entries after uninstalls. Please remember that only advanced users should try to manually edit the system files simply because removing any single vital registry entry leads to a serious issue or even a PC crash. Moreover, certain malicious programs have the capability to defend against its removal. Carrying out this in Safe Mode is recommended.

Flash.ocx Error - What is it?

To understand this error, first, it is important to understand what Flash.ocx actually is. Flash.ocx is basically a flash plug-in or ActiveX file that is responsible for the adobe flash player to work on the system. The Flash.ocx error triggers due to issues in the Adobe flash player.

Solution

Error Causes

The error Flash.ocx may occur due to many reasons. These include:

• Flash player corruption
• Corrupted and broken Active X components

To this error code is not fatal but nonetheless it is still advisable to fix it right away to avoid inconvenience when using Flash player. The inability to run the Flash Player smoothly will hinder you from watching videos on your PC and playing exciting web-based games.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve this error on your system, you don’t have to hire a professional and spend hundreds of dollars. This error code is quite easy to fix. You don’t need to be technically sound to resolve this error code. Simply follow the methods give below to fix the Flash.ocx error code in a few minutes.

Method 1: Reinstall the Flash Player

If the error occurs due to the corruption of the Flash Player, then it is advisable to reinstall the player on your PC. However, before you do that first remove the previous versions of Adobe Flash Player on your system. If the previous corrupted version is not removed properly, then you will be unable to re-install it properly on your PC again. Go to the Add/Remove Programs and find the Flash Player and uninstall it. Make sure the files are also removed from the registry. Once you have successfully uninstalled the corrupted version, now go to the official website of Adobe Flash Player and download the utility from the website. Install it and run it on your system. If it works, then this means the error is resolved. However, if the error still persists, then try method 2.

Method 2: Download Restoro to Fix Active X components

Another reason for Flash.ocx error code can be broken or corrupted Active X components. If this is the issue, then the best way to resolve it is to download Restoro. This is a multi Reimagefunctional and advanced PC Fixer deployed with multiple high-performance scanners including Active X and Class scanner. The Active X and Class scanner perform an entire PC scans for corrupt and broken Active X entries along with missing software paths and invalid combinations. After the scanning process is complete, it repairs and restores the components back to normal. Thereby resolving the Flash.ocx error right away and ensuring smooth video browsing over the web. Restoro is an efficient and a safe program. It has a user-friendly interface and easy navigations. It can be used by all level of users. Besides the Active X scanner, it includes 5 more value-added utilities like a registry scanner and an antivirus to name a few. It is compatible with all Windows versions Click here to download Restoro on your PC and resolve Flash.ocx error code now!

Hello and welcome to our user account notifications in Windows 10 tutorial where we will dive a little more into how you can control notification and behavior settings for your or someone else's user account in your Windows 10. If you are annoyed with confirmation windows each time you start a new application or install one please keep reading and I am sure you will find just the right setting for you. User account options are a little hidden and not so obvious, well at least not in Windows 10 compared to previous Windows versions. Since we will not be able to find them under typical and standard settings we will need to do few tricks in order to get to them.

Opening control panel

First thing is to press ⊞ WINDOWS + R on your keyboard so the run dialog window pops up on your desktop. Once run dialog is shown type in it control panel as shown in the picture and press OK If you have followed the steps precisely, you should be now in the control panel of Windows 10. Click on the top-right view and choose large icons. The Control panel will switch to a grid-like view, in the current view go to the far-right and almost bottom icon where it says User Accounts and click on it.

User account settings

Once the user account opens click on the bottom link which says Change User Account Control settings. Please note that you will need to be logged in as an administrator or have administrator privileges in order to change this setting. Once you click on the link you will be presented with a User account control slider on the left and a brief explanation on the right Here in the picture, we see Windows default setting and an explanation of when and how he will notify you. If you wish to turn all notifications linked to programs changing computer or you making windows changes, click on the left slider and bring it all the way to the bottom where it says never notify me. If you prefer some notifications try to find which of the remaining 3 settings best suit your needs. Once you are done and satisfied with your choice click on OK.

If you encounter a blank page with an error message saying, “Origin Error” when you try to load a webpage, then this post will surely help you resolve this error. As you can see, this error is a very uncommon one and it is not about the popular game known as Origin where all you have to do is reinstall the client. Although this error message is a very uncommon one, you will see a blank page with a message saying, “Origin Error” when you attempt to load a webpage. To fix this error, this post will provide you some potential fixes that might help. Follow the fixes given below carefully and see which one fixes the problem.

Option 1 – Use Ctrl + F5 keys to clear browser cache

The first thing you can try is to “Hard Refresh” to clear the cache of your browsers. You can do that by using the Ctrl + F5 keys on your keyboard. On the other hand, you can also clear the cache manually for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

Option 2 – Remove the Proxy

You might also want to try removing the Proxy as it could also help you in fixing the Origin error. Here’s how you can do it:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
• After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
• From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
• Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
• Restart your PC.

Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 3 – Try to flush the DNS, reset Winsock and the TCP/IP

You might also want to flush the DNS and reset Winsock as well as reset TCP/IP as it could help in fixing the Origin error. To do so, refer to these steps:

• Click the Start button and type in “command prompt” in the field.
• From the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt, you have to type each one of the commands listed below. Just make sure that after you type each command, you hit Enter
  • ipconfig /release
  • ipconfig /all
  • ipconfig /flushdns
  • ipconfig /renew
  • netsh int ip set dns
  • netsh winsock reset

After you key in the commands listed above, the DNS cache will be flushed and the Winsock, as well as the TCP/IP, will reset.

• Now restart your computer and open Google Chrome then try opening the website you were trying to open earlier.

Option 4 – Try using Google Public DNS

You might want to try changing your current DNS to the Google Public DNS. All you have to do is change the DNS settings explicitly on your operating system by using the DNS IP addresses. Here’s are the steps to do that:

• The first thing you have to do is right-click on the network icon in the Taskbar and select Network and Sharing Center.
• Next, click on the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
• After that, search for the network connection that you are using to connect to the internet. Note that the option might be “Wireless Connection” or “Local Area Connection”.
• Right-click on your network connection and click on Properties.
• Then select the new window to choose the “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
• After that, click on the Properties button and click the checkbox in the new window for the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
• Type in “8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

This post will guide you in fixing high CPU, Memory, and Disk usage problems caused by NTOSKRNL.exe. NTOSKRNL stands for “NT Operating System Kernel. This file is a kernel image that is responsible for a lot of systems-based processes such as Hardware Virtualization, Process, and Memory. Aside from that, it is also the one that compresses the old pages of memory that reduces the overall amount of memory being used. If you notice that your computer is running slowly and you find that the NTOSKRNL.exe file is hogging your resources such as disk usage, CPU usage as well as memory usage, then read on as this post will guide you in fixing the problem caused by NTOSKRNL.exe. Make use of the options given below to resolve the issues caused by NTOSKRNL.exe. 1] Scan your computer for potential malware There might be a good chance that your computer might be infected with malware. And this malware might be associated with the NTOSKRNL.exe file and hence making it consume a lot of system resources. So, I would really recommend you to make sure that your Antivirus is up to date and then scan your computer with it specifically the C:/Windows/System32 folder because this is the location where the NTOSKRNL.exe file is located.

Option 1 – Put your computer in a Clean Boot State

The first thing you have to do is to put your computer in a Clean Boot State as this can help you in finding any incompatible programs that are causing the problem.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• From there, start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

Once you’ve found any incompatible programs, you need to uninstall them. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• In the search box, type in “control” and then click on Control Panel (desktop app) among the search results.
• After that, select Programs and Features from the list which will give you a list of all the programs installed on your computer.
• From there, look for the concerned program and select it and then uninstall it.

Note: If you have downloaded the app from the Windows Store, you can simply right-click on it from the application list and then uninstall it.

Option 2 – Update or rollback drivers

If the first option didn’t work for you, then it’s time to either update or roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.

Option 3 – Try to run the DISM tool

If the first two options didn’t work, then running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management might. 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.

Option 4 – Try to stop the Runtime Broker process

The RuntimeBroker.exe or the Runtime Broker process is the one that monitors access to Windows APIs to make sure that the apps do not violate the core security of Windows. This process usually leaves a very small footprint. However, there are times when it consumes more resources than it’s supposed to and does not release memory after the work is done that results in a memory leak. As a result, it affects NTOSKRNL.exe which is why you have to stop the Runtime Broker process. To do so, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
• After opening Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the Runtime Broker process.
• Once you find it, check if it is using more than 15% of your memory. If it is, then you most likely have an issue with an app installed on your computer.
• Select the Runtime Broker process and right-click on it and then click on the End Task option to end its process.

Option 5 – Try to run the Performance Troubleshooter

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Type “msdt.exe /id PerformanceDiagnostic” in the field and hit Enter to open the Performance troubleshooter.
• Then click on Next to get started. Wait until the process is completed.

Option 6 – Try using the Windows Performance Toolkit

You can also use the Windows Performance Toolkit in finding the root cause of the problem. Just refer to the following steps to use this toolkit.

• Search for “cmd” in the Cortana Search box and click on Command Prompt from the search results to open it.
• Next, type in the command given below or copy and paste it and then hit Enter:

xperf -on latency -stackwalk profile -buffersize 1024 -MaxFile 256 -FileMode Circular && timeout -1 && xperf -d cpuusage.etl

• After executing the command, wait for at least 60 seconds and then check the logs of the Windows Performance toolkit which is stored in a file named cpuusage.etl in the folder located at C:/Windows/System32. From there, you should see a list of all the causes of the System Resources being hogged.

What is Mapi32.dll Outlook Error?

Mapi32.dll is a Windows Messaging Application Programming Interface that enables Windows to perform various email functions and launch messaging programs like Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office. The inability of the interface to execute email functions properly results in the Mapi32.dll Outlook Error. This error occurs mostly when you are attempting to upgrade the operating system to a new version.

Solution

Error Causes

The common causes of the Mapi32.dll Outlook Error during the OS upgrade are:

• Damaged or Corrupt Outlook user profile
• The software is overwritten by some other program
• Outlook PST file corruption

The Mapi32.dll Outlook Error message is displayed in either of the following forms:

• Mapi32.dll is missing
• Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. Mapi32.dll is corrupt or the wrong version.
• Mapi32.dll was not found
• Mail is not installed

Further Information and Manual Repair

So, what if you experience this issue and how do you fix it? Well, first there is no need to panic as Microsoft has recognized this issue and provided adequate solutions to fix this problem in no time. However, to ensure the Mapi32.dll Outlook error is a quick fix, you must first understand the cause of the issue and the message displayed on the screen.

1. Let’s say the errors occur because your Outlook profile is corrupt. In this scenario, the best solution is to create a new Outlook profile. Regardless of whether you have Windows Vista or XP, to create your new Outlook profile, first, you will have to click on the Control Panel, then User Account, and then Mail. Once you click on the Mail tab, the mail set up dialog box will open. In this dialog box there will be a ‘Show Profiles’ tab, click and then click the Add tab that appears next. Now type the name for your new Outlook profile and then click ‘OK’. After that, add an email account to go with the profile.
2. If Mapi32.dll is missing or corrupt, you will have to run ‘Fixmapi.exe’ to resolve the problem. It is located in the System32 folder inside the Windows directory in Windows Explorer.

• Therefore, first start Windows Explorer and then locate the following folder on your computer: C: /Program Files/Common Files/System/Msmapi1033
• Now find Fixmapi.exe and double click it
• After that locate the Mapi32.dll file and rename it to MSmapi32.old and press enter.
• Restart your computer when finished.

A word of advice for computer users is to scan for viruses with an antivirus program or a registry cleaner regularly to prevent the Mapi32.dll Outlook error from occurring in the first place. Viruses often latch onto .dll files and corrupt them. It’s always best to have a forward-looking approach.

What is Webguard?

Developed by Interesting Solutions, Webguard is a tool supposedly used for tracking those online who’ve developed a habit of tracking you. The application would provide logical analysis into a user’s website history, providing insight on what websites you’ve visited and also how persons are able to track your every move while browsing. While Webguard is unable to dispose of who specifically is tracking your computer usage, they’re able to determine what computer installed tracking codes or cookies on your computer system. In this case, it’s then left up to the user’s discretion to determine who they want to allow or block from tracking their online use.  Overall, this application allows the user some measure of freedom and control over their online experience. Like any other application, however, which has landed themselves a spot on Virus Total, Web guard has hidden agendas. At a distance, Webguard installs a service for Windows but later distributes advertisements. Technical details about Webguard include:

Product Version: 1.0.0.0 Original File Name: crss.exe Entry Point:  0x000C5AAE

Assessment of Webguard Potentially Unwanted Program

While Webguard claims to track your computer usage, information reported by the application isn’t sufficient for the common computer user. This brings us back to the ulterior motive or principal objective of developing Webguard – to advertise and generate revenue from clicks made by users on Ads displayed on Internet Browsers – namely Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox. Why should a computer user remove Webguard? Simply, it compromises one's Internet privacy and security and it keeps abreast of your Internet history. If you’re online for an extended period, you’ll see what Webguard does. While the publishers behind the application did not alert users to the use of web beacons, cookies for tracking, and other related tracking technology, that’s not why Webguard is considered unwanted. The program is potentially unwanted because of the unpredictable advertisements it displays. Not all sites are trusted and so it’s difficult to determine, in some cases, what websites are legit for business.

Remove Webguard with Spyhunter

In most cases, at least from what I’ve seen, Webguard is installed as a single application. After it was installed for this assessment, it could be found in ‘All Programs”. This meant that one could manually delete the application from their computer system (see manual steps below). However, is that really sufficient to completely rid your PC of Webguard’s blueprints? While you might opt to remove Webguard manually – maybe because it’s more economical – an automated process is able to completely eradicate hidden threats from Webguard. In comparison to manually removing Webguard, Spyhunter penetrates your computer system for all infections. In most cases, nasty threats are unable to be removed manually. Additionally, Spyhunter not only removes installed threats, but it detects incoming ones – hence, acting as a preventative tool. Furthermore, Spyhunter detects cookies placed on your computer by Webguard. These are all undetectable threats and so an automated tool, as Spyhunter, should be used to remove Spyhunter effectively from your computer.

Manual Steps for Removal of Webguard

I found this removal pretty simple. Depending on your Operating System, there will be slight discrepancies in the manual removal steps. Using the Windows 8 (8.1) OS on your computer:

• Step 1: Locate the CONTROL PANEL on your computer using the SEARCH option.
• Step 2: Once the search box appears , input 'CONTROL PANEL'.
• Step 3: The Control Panel option will then appear. From the menu, choose the "Programs" option.
• Step 4: Another menu will appear. Select "All Programs and Features".
• Step 5: From the 'Programs list', search for the Webguard application.
• Step 6: Right-click on Webguard when it's found.
• Step 7:  Choose the "Uninstall" option.
• Step 8:  Follow the uninstall wizard instructions until the Webguard application is fully removed.

To completely remove Bandoo from your computer, click here to download and install Spyhunter

If you recently upgraded your computer or if you’ve just switched to a new Windows 10 PC, the most common errors you might encounter are the Windows Activation errors. This issue boils down to the Windows Activation server which has either failed to validate or recognize the license tied to the digital account. In this post, you will be guided on how to fix an activation error in an organization with an error code 0x8007007B. It contains this exact error message: “We can’t activate Windows on this device as we can’t connect to your organization’s activation server. Make sure that you’re connected to your organization’s network and try again. If you continue having problems with activation, contact your organization’s support person. Error code 0x8007007B.” Various computers are activated via the KMS licensing (Key Management Server) in organizations. Computers that are activated using this process do not get a permanent activation and have to stay connected to the organization instead of for at least 7 months or 180 days. It is common in Pro and Enterprise versions that are deployed in bulk for at least hundreds or thousands of computers. So imagine a user with a personal computer in the office who decided to leave the organization but will still have an activated Windows key. And so to prevent that from happening, organizations use the KMS licensing. Another possible cause of the error is in case some user used an organization key and later on, the PC just got upgraded or downgraded to a version that is not compatible with that copy of Windows. To fix this Windows Activation error, here are some suggestions that might help.

Option 1 – You can try connecting to the organization’s network and activate the computer. But before that, you need to first check if the computer actually belongs to an organization or not.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Type “cmd” and hit Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
• After that type the vbs /dlv command and hit Enter to execute it.
• Next, check if the Product Key Channel says “GVLK”. If it does, then it means that your computer was activated using volume licensing.

Option 2 – Change Licence Key

If you’ve recently left an organization then it’s best if you buy another copy of Windows 10 and then change the license key. This time, make sure that the license key is for the same version of Windows. However, if it’s different, you need to format your computer.

Option 3 – You can try activating Windows 10 using a mobile phone

Activating Windows 10 can also be done using your phone. Just note that you have to call Microsoft to do so.

• In the Start Search box, type in “Slui 4” and tap Enter.
• Next, select your country and click on Next.
• Keep the window open and call the toll-free number of the country you’re from.
• Afterward, a confirmation ID should be given by the automated system which you must take a note of.
• Finally, in the box on the window, type in the confirmation ID and click on the Activate button. That should do it.

Option 4 – If you think that the issue is caused by some hardware changes, you can try using the Activation Troubleshooter.

There are times when users already have the license keys and were able to activate Windows. However, it doesn’t last long and only works for a while and it’s suddenly throwing up an activation error like this one. To use the Windows Activation Troubleshooter, just go to Settings and to Activation and then run the troubleshooter from there. If you've made some modifications to your hardware, you have to click the “I changed hardware on this device recently” option for further suggestions.