How to Allow or deny Apps permissions

In this post, we will discuss what the “ bootres.dll ” file is in the Windows 10 operating system and where it’s also located. In addition, you will also be guided on how you can replace or fix a corrupt bootres.dll file which may prevent you from booting to your Windows desktop and will display an error message instead saying, “Boot critical file resourcescustombootres.dll is corrupt”. There are times when this error might also boot your PC to the Automatic Repair screen. DLL files, also known as Dynamic Link Libraries are external parts of applications that run on Windows as well as other operating systems. Almost all applications are not complete in themselves and store code in different files so if there is a need for the code, the related file being called by a certain application is loaded into memory and used. If the software or the operating system is unable to find the concerned DLL file or if the DLL file ends up getting corrupted, you will most likely get an error message. In case you don’t know, the bootres.dll file is a critical system OS file, size 90KB, and can be found in the Windows folder. It is a part of the Boot Resource Library and portrays an important role in making sure that your PC boots properly. So if it ends up getting corrupted, your PC may fail to boot correctly and you’ll get an error message instead. To resolve this problem, here are some suggestions that might help. If your PC automatically boots to the Automatic Repair screen, you need to click on that option to run the Automatic Repair. If it doesn’t work, you have to boot into the Advanced Startup options to manually access and run the Automatic Repair. Once you’re in the Advanced Options, you will be able to:

• Run Automatic Repair
• Use System Restore
• Start Windows from an external device
• Access Command Prompt
• And use the System Image Recovery to restore Windows from a Factory image.

If the Automatic Repair fails to fix the problem, you may have to use System Restore or the Command Prompt to carry out further troubleshooting steps. Refer to the guide below to use these tools.

Option 1 – Try running the System File Checker in Safe Mode

Running the System File Checker is the safest way to fix DLL file missing or corrupted errors are thrown up by the Windows operating system as it could give you better results. System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files that might be causing the Machine Check Exception BSOD error. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Boot your PC into Safe Mode.
• 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 running the DISM tool to repair the System Image

To repair the System Image, you need to use the DISM or Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management tool. The DISM tool is another command-line tool in the Windows operating system that could help users fix various corrupted system files. To use it, follow these steps:

• 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.

Note: The command you executed will check for Windows component store corruption and will restore its good health. The scan might take up to 15 minutes. Once it is done, you have to restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to repair the MBR and rebuild BCD

To repair the MBR and rebuild BCD, follow these steps: The problem might boil down to the Master Boot Records since the previous case has already been isolated. There are times when the Master Boot Records can get corrupted and even though it is a serious issue, it can still be rectified by repairing the Master Boot Record.

• Tao the F8 key while booting the system to go into the Windows Recovery Menu.
• Next, click on Troubleshoot.
• Then click on the Advanced options to get into the Automatic Repair menu.
• After that, you have to use the bootrex.exe tool, so click on the command prompt and type in the following commands, one after the other:
• bootrec /RebuildBcd
• bootrec /fixMbr
• bootrec /fixboot
• Exit and then go ahead and restart your PC.

Option 4 – Try running the ChkDsk utility

One of the best options you must try is running chkdsk as it will check the disk for any errors and repair them automatically. To use it, follow these steps:

• Boot your PC to the Advanced Options menu and click on Command Prompt.
• Once you’ve opened an elevated Command Prompt, type in the following command and tap Enter to execute it:

chkdsk C: /f /x /r

Note: “C” is the drive root drive so it could be changed if you’re using a different one.

Option 5 – Try resetting your PC

Go to the Advanced Options > Troubleshoot > and select the Reset This PC option from the menu and then select Keep my files.

STOP 0x00000000 Error Code - What is it?

Stop 0x00000000 error code is a type of a Stop error popularly known as a blue screen of death error code. This is a critical error. It can pop up while loading or using the Windows program on your PC. When this error occurs, the computer screen turns blue and you, the user, get locked out of the program. Furthermore, it can also result in sudden system shut down or system freeze. If not fixed timely, the error may start to pop up more and more frequently which then may lead to complete system corruption and system crash.

Solution

Error Causes

The two most common causes for the STOP 0x00000000 error code are:

• Malware infection
• Registry corruption

This is a fatal system error and must be resolved immediately. Delay may lead to system crashes and data loss. And recovering lost data is not easy.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Though this is a fatal error the good news is that it is easy to resolve. To repair the STOP 0x00000000 error on your system, here are some methods that you can try:

Method 1 - Use System Restore to Bring Your Computer Back to its Previous State

To resolve this error on your system, try using the System Restore tool. Use this tool to bring your computer back to its previous state. The Windows System Restore utility is one of the most valuable recovery tools. To use it, simply type System Restore in the search box. Once you find it, click on it and select a restore point to bring your PC back to its normal state. To activate changes, reboot the PC.

Method 2 - Scan for Viruses

If the underlying cause of the Stop 0x00000000 error code is related to malware infection, then you must download a powerful antivirus to resolve it. Run it to scan your entire PC. Make sure you remove all types of malware including adware, spyware, viruses, and Trojan. Once your PC is malware-free, the error will be fixed in no time.

Method 3 - Clean and Repair the Registry

The registry is an important part of the PC. It stores practically all the activities you perform on your system. It saves all the files including both important and unnecessary files such as junk files, cookies, internet history, bad and invalid entries. If these obsolete and unnecessary files are not deleted frequently and keep on accumulating it takes up all the registry space and corrupts it. This results in registry errors like runtime and BSoD errors and sometimes may also lead to disk fragmentation. To resolve it is advisable to repair the registry. This can be done manually but that will take too much time and also require technical expertise. However, another way to resolve it is to download Restoro. This is a user-friendly PC Fixer with a powerful registry cleaner. It removes all obsolete and unnecessary files, cleans the registry and repairs the damaged files, thereby removing the error right away. Click here to download Restoro and resolve Stop 0x00000000 today!

If you are trying to open a program or a game but you suddenly see a dialog box with a message stating that the application was unable to start correctly along with the Error Code 0xC000007B , STATUS INVALID IMAGE FORMAT then this indicates that the application is not compatible with the architecture of your Windows 10 computer or is missing dependencies. Although error code 0xC000007B can also occur with other various programs, the STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_FORMAT error code also means that when you try to run an application that’s designed to run on a 64-bit system and hence gets into a termination state. In addition, if you are also pointed to the NTStatus.h file then it means that the error might be caused by some file corruption. Here’s the full context of the error message:

“0xC000007B | STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_FORMAT | {Bad Image} %hs is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.”

When you see this error message, the first thing you can do is to click on OK to close the application and then try installing the media again to see if it fixes the issue. If not, then you can check out the suggestions given below.

Option 1 – Try installing the application with admin privileges

The first thing you can do to fix the error is to restart your Windows 10 computer and then try installing the application again and this time with admin privileges. Just right-click on the application and select the “Run as Administrator” option. And if your account is a regular one, you need to make sure to ask an admin to help you in installing the application by entering the password when you are prompted to do so.

Option 2 – Install and update Dependencies

There are times when programs and applications need to have drivers and supporting software installed for them to properly work. Although the installation usually takes care of it, it’s time for you to do some manual checks especially if you are getting this issue of abnormal program termination.

1. Install some qualified drivers

A number of high-end games and applications need to have correct and valid drivers for them to work. They just don’t work with general drivers though. Microsoft has this Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing also known as WHQL testing which makes sure that drivers meet the correct experience and pass through the proper testing before certification. Thus, when installing drivers, you need to ensure that they are qualified drivers for your Windows 10 PC.

2. Download and install or update DirectX

As you know, Microsoft DirectX is a suite of technologies developed by Microsoft to provide hardware acceleration for heavy multimedia applications like HD videos and 3D games. Since you are using Windows 10, you have the DirectX 12 version while the earlier Windows versions use the DirectX 11 version.

3. Install the Microsoft DirectX End-user runtime

The Microsoft DirectX end-user runtime gives updates to version 9.0c as well as previous versions of DirectX. To install it, click on this link and download it.

4. Update or install the .NET framework

The .NET framework is used by games and applications during development which means that without the runtime files that are installed in your computer, it definitely won’t work. Thus, you need to install or update this framework. You can also use the .NET setup verification tool to verify it.

Option 3 – Try running the System File Checker Scan

The SFC or System File Checker scan could detect and automatically repair damaged system files that could be causing the Error Code 0xC000007B , STATUS INVALID IMAGE FORMAT error. SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files. 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.

DownSpeedTest is a Browser Toolbar Extension for Google Chrome that allows users to test their internet speed and convert files, however this speed test does not show proper values, nor even close.

Upon installation DownSpeedTest will replace your default New Tab page with its own Search Engine “MyWay.com” or “Search.MyWay.com”. This Search Engine camouflages itself as a “Enhanced Google Search Engine”, but all it does is allow more room for easier ad injection. In the background, this extension monitors user browsing behavior and records visited links, viewed products, clicked links and time spend on websites. This information is later used for Ad targeting.

While browsing the internet with this extension enabled you will experience additional ads, sponsored content, and even pop-up ads on some occasions. Due to its information mining behavior and aggressive ad placement, DownSpeedTest had been marked as a Browser Hijacker and it is recommended for removal.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a type of unwanted program, commonly a web browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in the browser’s settings. There are lots of reasons why you may experience a browser hijack; but commercial, advertising and marketing are the major reasons for their creation. These are typically used to force hits to a specific site, manipulating web-traffic to generate ad-revenue. Even though it might appear naive, these tools are made by malicious people who always try to take full advantage of you, so that hackers could earn money from your naive and distraction. In a worst-case scenario, your browser could be hi-jacked to download malicious software that can do a lot of damage to your laptop or computer.

How one can know whether the browser is hijacked?

When your web browser is hijacked, the following might happen: your browser’s homepage has been reset to some unknown webpage; new bookmarks pointing to porn websites have been added to your bookmarks; the default browser configurations are modified and/or your default web engine is altered; you see unwanted new toolbars added; unstoppable flurries of pop-up ads show up on your computer screen; your browser gets slow, buggy, crashes regularly; you can’t navigate to specific internet pages, such as security software related websites.

How does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

Browser hijackers infect computers via malicious e-mail attachments, downloaded infected documents or by visiting infected internet sites. They can be included with toolbars, add-ons, BHO, plugins or browser extensions. Also, some freeware and shareware can put the hijacker in your PC through “bundling”. Browser hijackers could record user keystrokes to collect potentially important information leading to privacy concerns, cause instability on computers, significantly disrupt user’s browsing experience, and ultimately slow down the system to a point where it becomes unusable.

How you can fix a browser hijack

One thing you could try to eradicate a browser hijacker is to find the malware in the “Add or Remove Programs” list of the Microsoft Windows Control Panel. It might or might not be there. When it is, uninstall it. However, most browser hijackers are difficult to eliminate manually. Regardless of how much you attempt to get rid of it, it might come back over and over. Amateur PC users should never try for the manual form of removal methods, since it demands in-depth system knowledge to perform fixes on the system registry and HOSTS file. Anti-malware software is really effective when it comes to picking up and eliminating browser hijackers that regular anti-virus application has overlooked. If you’d like to get rid of persistent hijackers effectively, install the top-rated Anti-Malware software Safebytes Anti-Malware. Use a system optimizer (like Total System Care) along with your anti-malware software to fix various registry issues, remove system vulnerabilities, and improve your computer performance.

What To Do If You Cannot Install Any Anti-Malware?

Practically all malware is bad and the consequences of the damage could differ according to the specific kind of malicious software. Some malware is created to interfere with or block things that you’d like to do on your PC. It may not permit you to download anything from the web or prevent you from accessing a few or all of the internet sites, especially the anti-malware websites. So what you should do if malware prevents you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? There are a few actions you can take to circumvent this problem.

Install the anti-virus in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a unique, simplified version of Microsoft Windows in which only essential services are loaded to counteract viruses and also other problematic applications from loading. If the malware is set to load immediately when computer starts, switching into this mode may prevent it from doing so. To start the computer into Safe Mode, press the “F8” key on the keyboard just before the Windows logo screen shows up; Or after normal Windows boot up, run MSConfig, look over “Safe Boot” under the Boot tab, and then click Apply. Once you are in Safe Mode, you can try to install your antivirus application without the hindrance of the malicious software. Following installation, run the malware scanner to get rid of most standard infections.

Download the anti-malware program using a different browser

Web-based malware could be environment-specific, aiming for a particular web browser or attacking particular versions of the browser. If you’re not able to download the security program using Internet Explorer, it means virus is targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you should switch over to an alternative web browser such as Chrome or Firefox to download Safebytes Anti-malware software.

Install anti-malware on a thumb drive

Another solution is to save and operate antivirus software tool completely from a Pen drive. Follow these steps to use a USB flash drive to clean your infected PC. 1) Make use of another virus-free computer to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the USB drive on the same system. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to run the installation wizard. 4) Choose the USB flash drive as the location for saving the software file. Follow the instructions to complete the installation process. 5) Now, plug the USB drive into the corrupted computer. 6) Double-click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the pen drive to run the application. 7) Run Full System Scan to identify and clean-up of all types of malware.

Protect Your Computer & Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you’re planning to purchase anti-malware for your computer, there are lots of brands and utilities for you to consider. A few of them do a good job in getting rid of threats while many will harm your PC by themselves. You need to select one that is trustworthy, practical and has a good reputation for its malware source protection. While thinking about the dependable programs, Safebytes Anti-Malware is certainly the strongly recommended one. SafeBytes anti-malware is a reliable software that not only secures your system permanently but is also very user friendly for people of all skill levels. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software will help you protect your PC against infections brought on by different kinds of malware and other threats, including spyware, adware, viruses, worms, trojans, keyloggers, potentially unwanted program (PUPs), and ransomware.

SafeBytes has great features when compared with other anti-malware programs. The following are some of the features you might like in SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Live Protection: SafeBytes provides complete and real-time security for your computer system. This tool will continuously monitor your PC for any suspicious activity and updates itself regularly to keep abreast of the latest threats. World-class AntiMalware Protection: With a critically acclaimed anti-malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection which is made to find and remove threats which are hidden deep in your computer’s operating system. Safe Browsing: Safebytes assigns all sites a unique safety ranking that helps you to have an idea of whether the webpage you’re just about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Lightweight: This program is light-weight and will work quietly in the background, and will not affect your computer efficiency. 24/7 Online Technical Support: Support service is available for 24 x 7 x 365 days via email and chats to answer your queries. SafeBytes can keep your PC safe from latest malware threats automatically with very little input needed from you again. Once you have installed this software, you no longer have to worry about malware or any other security worries. 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)

To get rid of DownSpeedTest manually, go to the Add or Remove programs list in the Control Panel and select the offending program you want to get rid of. For internet browser extensions, go to your browser’s Addon/Extension manager and choose the plug-in you intend to disable or remove. You’ll likely also want to reset your web browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard disk and computer registry for all the following and remove or reset the values as needed. Please be aware that this is for skilled users only and might be challenging, with incorrect file removal causing additional system errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing deletion. You’re suggested to do this procedure in Safe Mode.

Error Code 0xc004fc03 – What is it?

Error code 0xc004fc03 occurs when Windows users fail to activate their Windows operating system due to a networking problem. The error code’s common symptoms include the following:

• Inability to activate Windows 10 operating system
• Message box with error code 0xc004fc03

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0xc004fc03 in Windows 10 usually occurs due to issues related to a Windows user’s network. Your computer may be having problems connecting to the Internet or your firewall may be blocking or interrupting your device’s ability to activate Windows 10. In some cases, users may simply need to wait a day or two to reattempt to activate their system using a valid product key, as there may be an issue with the Windows activation servers.  Failure to promptly fix this error code might result in other Windows 10 error messages, such as error code 0xc004f034.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To rectify the error code, Windows 10 users will need to perform manual repair procedures that fix the underlying problems causing error code 0xc004fc03. These procedures may include reconnecting to one’s network, checking your firewall settings, or activating your Windows operating system via phone. The manual repair methods are simple and do not require technical knowledge of the Windows operating system. If your attempts at manually repairing this error code fail, however, you may need to try a few other procedures.

Method One: Verify Internet Connection

To check your Internet connection, you’ll need to access the Network & Internet tab in Windows 10. Follow the instructions below to access this tab and fix Internet connectivity issues if they are preventing you from activating Windows on your machine.

• Step one: Click the Start button and select Settings
• Step two: Select Network & Internet
• Step three: Click the Status section of the Network & Internet tab

If your status shows that you are not connected to a network, you will need to fix your connection. Simply use the Network Troubleshooter to troubleshoot your connection. You will be able to activate your copy of Windows once your connectivity issues are resolved.

If, however, the problem persists and error code 0xc004fc03 occurs during the activation process, this simply means that the existence of the error code is not due to connectivity or networking problems. In such a case, move to the next manual repair method listed below and follow the exact instructions given.

Method Two: Check Firewall Settings

Windows Firewall protects your PC from hackers, worms, and other malicious programs. However, in some cases, it may result in error codes like error code 0xc004fc03. If your firewall is interfering with the Windows 10 activation, you’ll be able to rectify the problem by simply adjusting your settings. Follow the steps below to check – and adjust if necessary – your Windows Firewall settings.

• Step one: Click search bar and type firewall
• Step two: Select Windows Firewall
• Step three: Select Turn Windows Firewall on or off

In some cases, Windows users may not be able to adjust settings within the Windows Firewall tab, as your firewall settings may be controlled by a third party antivirus software. If this is the case, open the antivirus software and turn off the firewall if the software does not prevent you from making such changes to its settings.

Note, however, that you will need to readjust the settings as soon as you activate your version of Windows 10. This is due to the fact that turning off your firewall settings permanently may lead to exposure to worms and other malicious programs.

Method Three: Activate Windows by Phone

Activation of Windows via phone is another option for individuals experiencing error code 0xc004fc03. The activate by phone option in the Update & Security tab will be available once you fail to activate Windows 10. To complete this manual repair method, follow the steps below.

• Step one: Select Settings
• Step two: Click Update & security
• Step three: Select Activate by phone
• Step four: Follow the instructions provided thereafter.

This is one of the most effective ways to fix error code 0xc004fc03. If the issue persists, however, you can proceed to the last resort.

Method Four: Download an Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 8 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

There are times when you suddenly encounter a Blue Screen error like DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error when resuming from Sleep or right after you shut down or restart as well as switch from Hibernate mode. This kind of Blue Screen error is due to some issue with the driver state. Moreover, the bug check “0x0000009F” in the error also indicates that a driver is in an inconsistent or invalid power state. The DRIVER POWER STATE FAILURE Blue Screen error usually occurs during events that involve power state transitions like shutting down, moving in or out of standby mode, or hibernate mode. To resolve this error, you can check out the suggestions given below.

Option 1 – Update the Device drivers

The device driver installed in your computer might be incompatible with your operating system which is the reason why the DRIVER POWER STATE FAILURE Blue Screen error occurs. To fix that, you have to update your device drivers.

• Reboot your computer into Safe Mode with networking support.
• Tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type “msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After opening the Device Manager, update all the outdated Device drivers on your computer.
• Next, right-click on all the driver entries that are appropriately labeled, and then click the Update driver option.
• Now restart your PC and check if the BSOD error is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Uninstall any faulty device drivers

• Tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type “msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• From there, look for any device driver which has a yellow exclamation mark which indicates that something is wrong with them.
• And then right-click on each one of them and click on Uninstall.
• Once you’re done uninstalling the faulty drivers, restart your computer and allow your computer to reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled.

Option 3 – 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 rtwlane.sys Blue Screen error. It can be found on 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.

Option 4 – Try to remove external hardware

If there is any external hardware plugged into your computer especially the new ones, you can try removing it and then check if the Blue Screen error persists. If the problem gets solved, you might want to update the driver of that particular hardware. On the other hand, if you’re still getting the error, then proceed to the next given options below.

Option 5 – Try resetting Windows 10

To fix this BSOD error, 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.

Option 6 – Try running the System File Checker Scan

The SFC or System File Checker scan could detect and automatically repair damaged system files that could be causing the DRIVER POWER STATE FAILURE Blue Screen error. 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. 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.

A black screen error inside Windows 11 is a typical screen turning to solid black without any error message. This can be very annoying since it can randomly appear out of nowhere and it will appear while you are using the computer. Worry not, this is not a serious error and we have several solutions for it, so please keep reading and try them as presented in order.

Restart graphic driver

This is the first thing to check if the issue is due to software or driver malfunctioning, there is a shortcut for rebooting graphic driver inside Windows 11. Press WINDOWS + CTRL + SHIFT + B to reboot the graphic driver and see if this fixes the issue. A beep sound should be heard during this process and the screen should turn back to normal.

Check connections

Sometimes the screen can go black due to a faulty connection or cable. If you have it at your hand try a different cable or slightly and gently nudge the existing one to see will screen flicker. If you are on a laptop try gently moving the lid from back to front and pay attention to the screen. If screen flickers or picture returns with this method, cable or connector needs to be replaced.

Clean your computer

The black screen can be because the computer is overheating. If this is the case either fan inside is not working properly or there is a lot of dirt and dust that needs to be removed so airflow can be established again for proper cooling. We have an article on errortools.com on how to properly clean your PC but if you are not technical enough maybe the best solution would be to call someone who is or to take the PC to service for cleaning.

Change The Projection Settings

Press WINDOWS + P to open projection settings, check to see if PC is set to PC screen only. If any other option is selected change it to PC screen only since this can cause random black screen issues.

Uninstall latest updates

If this problem has started to manifest itself during the latest update, go to setting and roll back from the latest update to fix this issue.

Scan system for malware

The black screen can also be caused by various viruses and malware. IF you have anti-virus software, run a full system scan to check it for malware. If you do not have one, download a free one and run a system scan, we recommend Bitdefender.

One of the most critical processes in the Windows 10 operating system is the Explorer.exe. And there are times when you might encounter an error that says, “System call failed”. You can encounter this error when you try to launch File Explorer, and in such case when the File Explorer does not work, it could cause issues in accessing folders and files on your computer. This kind of error pops up when the explorer.exe system file has become corrupted or if there is some process that interferes with its smooth functioning. To fix this error, you can try to restart the explorer.exe process, run both the System File Checker scan and DISM tool. You could also put your computer in a Clean Boot State or uninstall any programs you’ve installed recently. For more details, follow each one of the given suggestions below.

Option 1 – Try to restart the Explorer.exe process

The first thing you can do is try to restart the Explorer.exe process. To do so, refer to these steps:

• First, right-click on the Taskbar and select the Task Manager.
• Next, expand the Task Manager window to see all the active processes.
• From there, look for the Windows Explorer process, right-click on it and select Restart.
• After that, check if the error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Run System File Checker scan

If restarting the explorer.exe process didn’t work, you can also try running the System File Checker or SFC scan to fix the error. System File Checker is a command utility built into your computer that helps restore corrupted files and missing files. Refer to the following steps to run it:

• Hit the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in this command: sfc /SCANFILE=c:windowsexplorer.exe

Note: If you are using a 64-bit Windows operating system, enter the “sfc /SCANFILE=C:WindowsSysWow64explorer.exe” command instead.

• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.

Option 3 – Run the DISM tool

You might also want to run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like the “System call failed” error. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• 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 4 – Try running the Check Disk utility

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

Option 5 – Put your computer in a Clean Boot State

As pointed out, there are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that triggers the “System call failed” error to appear when you try to open File Explorer. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.

• 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.)
• Once your computer has restarted in a Clean Boot State, perform your scan again and see if it now works, and then start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

Option 6 – Try to uninstall the programs you’ve installed recently

In case you don’t know, freeware software packages aren’t always free as some of them could contain malicious software that can cause serious damage to your computer. Thus, if you have installed a program recently prior to getting the “System call failed” error, then you have to uninstall that program.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “appwiz.cpl” in the field and tap Enter to open the Programs and Features in Control Panel.
• Next, arrange the list of installed programs in the order of the installation date.
• After that, look for the problematic program and right-click on it, and then select Uninstall.
• Once the process is done, restart your computer and see if the error is fixed.

If you are using your Google Chrome browser and suddenly notice a constant flickering after you’ve upgraded your Windows 10 computer, read on as this post will help you sort out the issue. A lot of users have reported this screen flickering issue in Chrome after having upgraded their devices to a recent Windows 10 build. The bizarre thing about this problem is that it only affects the Google Chrome browser and when it occurs, the Chrome browser will start to flash or flicker. According to users who experience the problem in Chrome, it seems to get worse when they try to play videos on YouTube or other streaming sites. To resolve this problem, many users tried to use Chrome in Incognito Mode, cleared the browser cache as well as cookies. They even tried resetting the browser settings and reinstall Chrome but nothing seems to work. Worry not though as there are still other options you can try to fix the problem and they’re easy ones so you’ll have no problem following them. The screen flickering problem in Chrome appears to be related to the Windows background and color settings as well as incompatible display drivers. This is why it is advised that you have both the video card drivers and Chrome browser updated to prevent the same problem from happening again. To get started troubleshooting the screen flickering issue in Chrome, refer to the following options.

Option 1 – Try modifying the background and colors settings

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings app.
• From Settings, go to Personalization to load the Background Preferences and if this window does not appear, just select the Background option from the left side panel.
• Next, select a Solid Color as the new background from the drop-down menu.
• After that, check if the problem is fixed. This should be fixed especially if the one that’s causing screen flickering is the Windows automatic background switching.
• Once you’ve selected the Solid color as the background preference, go to the Colors tab under Personalization. This will open a new window and from there, check the box of the “Automatically pick an accent color from my background” option.
• Now close the Settings app and open Chrome again.

Option 2 – Try to update or rollback the Graphics driver

You can try to update your Graphics card driver using the Device Manager in your computer to resolve the blank dialog boxes problem or you can also go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD and go to the section called Drivers then check if there’s a new available update – if there is, download and install it. To update your Graphics driver via Device Manager, refer to these steps:

• First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
• After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for the Display Adapters and click on them.
• After that, right-click on each entry under the Display Adapters and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
• Now restart your computer.
• After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.

Note: If updating the Graphics driver didn’t fix the problem, you can also try to roll back to its previous version and see if that helps.

Option 3 – Try to disable the Hardware Acceleration

For better performance, Google Chrome uses the Hardware Acceleration by default. Unfortunately, there are just some cases when your hardware, GPU to be specific, might not be able to cope with the requirements, resulting in the black screen issue. And if this is your case, you should try to disable the hardware acceleration from your Google Chrome browser settings panel. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Open the Google Chrome settings page.
• Click on the Advanced button to get more options.
• Look for the option called “Use hardware acceleration when available” and then disable it by toggling the button to the left.
• After that, check if the screen flickering issue in Chrome is fixed.

Option 4 – Try to disable “Smooth Scrolling” in Chrome

Disabling “Smooth Scrolling” in Chrome might also help you fix the issue. To do so, follow these steps:

• Open Chrome and type “chrome://flags” and hit Enter.
• Next, look for a flag named “Smooth Scrolling”. You can scroll down until you find it or search it in the Search Flag bar. Note that Smooth Scrolling is enabled by default in the newer versions of Chrome.
• After that, select the drop-down menu and select Disabled.
• Then click on the “Relaunch Now” button.

A lot of Windows 10 users prefer the black theme on their computers and when you see anything but black it can get quite annoying. Such as is the case of the Taskbar which, as you know, is usually dark, however, when you take a look at the Cortana search bar, instead of seeing black, you’ll see that it has turned white. To fix this issue, read on as we will provide you some options you can try to set the Cortana search bar back to black. Before you proceed, take note that the options provided below will change all white search boxes to black and that one of these options needs administrative privileges.

Option 1 – Try changing the default App mode

As you know, Windows 10 has two modes, namely the Light and the Dark. Thus, you can switch to the Dark mode so that your Cortana search bar will be black as well. However, remember that it will completely change everything into dark mode so there will be no more Light mode elsewhere.

• First, you need to click on the Start button and then click on the cog icon to open the Windows 10 Settings.
• Next, from the Settings Menu, select Personalization and then select Colours from the left pane.
• Then scroll down until you see the “Choose your default app mode” option and select “Dark”.

After you apply the changes, it will change the Cortana search bar into black instantly. Aside from that, you will also see the User Interface changing into dark mode.

Option 2 – Try changing the Registry value

If you are well-versed in editing registry keys, then you need to try this option. But before you go over the steps below, make sure that you create a System Restore point first so that if anything goes wrong, you can always go back to how it was before the changes were applied.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt.
• Then in the field, type in “regedit” and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. If a User Account Control prompt appears, just click Yes.
• Now that you’ve opened the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSearchFlightingWhiteSearchBox

• After that, double-click on the “Value” key located on the right pane and set the value to “0” instead of “1” and then click Ok to save the changes made. You should now see a black or grey text box color instead of white.

Option 3 – Try changing the Region

In some forums, a lot of users stated that changing the Region also worked out for them in changing the white Cortana search bar to white. Thus, you need to change the region settings of your computer temporarily. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Type in “Regional Settings” in the box and then click it as soon as it appears from the search results.
• Next, make sure to select a region where Cortana is not available.
• Then select apply to that region. After that, it will change the Cortana search bar color to black.
• Now sign out and sign back in and revert to the original settings. But the changes you made earlier in Cortana will still remain.