Disable Taskbar on the second display

As you probably know, Windows 10 does not offer lots of choices for its Regional settings depending on where you are and what locale you work with or belong to. The standard region settings for Windows 10 allow users to select one set of formats for the calendar and more. However, this has somewhat changed in the Windows 10 v1809. If you don’t want such a change, you can just override the default regional format settings in the Windows 10 Improved local experience. So in this post, you will be guided on how you can do such a thing. Follow the given instructions below to override the default Regional Format settings in Windows 10. Step 1: Go to Settings > Time and Language > Region. Step 2: From there, the default region is what Windows and apps might use to provide you with local content. However, this won’t be much of use if you work for a different locale and need to have different format settings like Calendar, Dates, Times, Currency, and First day of the week, all of which you can modify under the Regional format. Step 3: You need not reboot your Windows 10 computer after changing. On the other hand, some of the apps will have to close and launch again in order to apply the new format. Thus, if you need to use apps that are of different locales, you will only see the changes after you re-launch the app. Note: You can also select a different language that makes more sense to you. In other words, if you prefer more common words to standard words for your Windows 10 computer, then this is definitely the way to do it. This local format will be used for messages, menus, navigation, settings, and other topics. Step 4: Look for a link that says “Add a Windows display language with local experience packs” under Languages. In case you don’t know, Local Experience Packs are Microsoft Store apps that deliver Windows display language quality improvements. So once you click the link, it will download the packs from the Microsoft Store. In addition, Windows has already begun using AI or Artificial Intelligence as well as neural network-based Machine Learning for Windows localization. And as the number increase, the Machine language improvements and feedback from users will help in making the translations a lot better and make them available to even more languages. All in all, it’s pretty much an interesting and a good move for Microsoft as the demands for topics and machines to be available in local languages have been increasing for the past couple of years.

Resource hogging is a term when one single application or few of them are taking all system resources for themself causing extreme slow down in the computer and nonresponsiveness. It can be a very frustrating and time-consuming experience and it can cost you money if you can not finish work on time due to this effect. I believe that everyone has experienced at least one slowdown in their IT carrier because of resource-hogging applications and most users do not know how to deal with this. We are here to help you with this issue. Just to be aware that this method shown here is not a method to miraculously speed up your PC or anything similar, this is to be able to detect and recover from extreme slowdowns. Hardware components are still very important and if you can upgrade your computer if it is outdated, please do it because new applications will require a more modern system, and not any kind of tips and tricks will save you from outdated hardware.

Identifying resource hogging app

Now when we got that out of the way let's talk about slowdowns, it is no secret that sometimes an application has bugs and memory leaks that can cause this kind of behavior, and sometimes the application simply takes up too much memory for any other application to work normally. The most simple and straightforward way is to bring up a Windows task manager and inspect running applications and services. You can bring task manager by the key combination of CTRL + SHIFT + ESC If the system is in deep memory deficit you will have to wait for the task manager to open and show itself on-screen. Once opened, click on more details if that view is not opened by default. Once the view expands you will see all running applications with how much RAM memory have they taken and how much CPU they are using.

What to do with app?

Now you are presented with a choice on what to do with the problematic application. If you press the end task button on the bottom right, Windows will kill the application and its processes but any unsaved work inside the application will be lost and unrecoverable in most cases. Or you can try to remove smaller applications running to free up more memory and CPU in order for the computer to catch up. Any choice you make is up to you, but be very careful not to kill Windows essential service by mistake, that will cause immediate system instability with high chances of a system crash.

Due to its hybrid core technology, the Alder Lake line of processors had some DRM issues with some game titles where DRM protection software detected hybrid core design switching via manager as a hack attempt and prevented the game from working properly. Over 50 titles were affected by this issue, now only 3 remain still affected but it is being worked on them so that can be also resolved. Intel says that the remedy to the issue for these games is the scroll lock fix which can be done so by enabling Legacy Game Compatibility mode from the BIOS of your motherboard. When running the said games, you can press scroll lock to park the E-cores on Intel's Alder Lake Desktop CPUs to get rid of DRM issues. Certain motherboard manufacturers such as MSI and Gigabyte have made this even easier through software tools with which you don't have to access the BIOS. All you need to do is select a button in the tool which works on both Windows 11 and Windows 10 operating systems and you will enable compatibility mode.

If you encountered an error message saying, “We couldn’t find any drives, To get a storage driver, click Load driver” when you try to install Windows in a VirtualBox machine, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing this error. This error message is displayed on the screen where you have to choose a partition to install the guest operating system. This error is most likely due to the lack of correct settings as well as a corrupted virtual disk. To fix this error, you have to remove existing storage devices, create a new storage device and select the correct ISO file.

For complete instructions, follow the given steps below.

Step_1: The first thing you have to do is remove all the existing Storage devices and since this option is already available in VirtualBox by default, there is no need for you to install any third-party software. Step_2: After that, open VirtualBox and select the virtual machine and then click the Settings button. Step_3: Next, switch to the Storage section and on your right-hand side, you will see “Controller: SATA” and two other sub-labels. From there, select Controller: SATA and then click on the red cross button that says, “Remove selected storage controller”. Step_4: Now click on the Add new storage controller icon and select the “Add SATA Controller” option from the given list. Step_5: Afterwards, click the “Add hard disk” button and select the “Create new disk” option, and then you have to create a new virtual disk for your virtual machine. Step_6: Verify if you have selected Dynamically allocated while you create the virtual hard disk. Once the process is completed, you will get a “.vdi” file in the list. Step_7: Next, click on the “Add optical drive” button and select the “Choose disk” option. Here, you have to select the ISO file and if you can find an ISO file in the given list, select it from there, else, you have to click the Add button and navigate to the folder where the ISO file is located. Step_8: Once you’re done, click the OK button and boot your virtual machine. You should see options instead of the “We couldn’t find any drives, To get a storage driver, click Load driver” error message. If you see the options, you can now create a new partition and start the installation process of the Windows operating system in the VirtualBox machine without any problem.

Have you been feeling anxious in the digital space? Feeling like you have a million eyes on you each time you visit a website? It can definitely make you uneasy. Luckily there’s an easy fix, and it’s called a VPN.

In this article we’ll take you through the basics of what a VPN does and some of the biggest benefits you can reap from buying one.

VPN: definition and how it works

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, so its name already says a lot about what it does. 

A VPN is specialized software that keeps your browsing private and secure. Essentially it hides your identity, preventing possible cyberattacks and data theft. This is especially important in cases of public network use, where you’re highly exposed to potential threats.

To be more specific, this software encrypts your Internet Protocol (IP) address by filtering it through a server hosted by the VPN provider first. That way, it prevents your Internet service provider, third parties and lurking online thieves from tracking the actual you.

Credit: FLY:D on Unsplash

Some providers, such as Surfshark VPN with its IP Rotator feature, even make it a habit to frequently change your IP address to further protect your identity. With most VPN providers, you can also appear to be in a completely different country, adding to your disguise.

There are tons of advantages you can look forward to if you decide to use a VPN. Take a look at some of the crucial ones.

Benefits of using a VPN

When choosing a VPN, you can find both free and paid options. We recommend you go with the paid ones, since they have stronger security, encryption and data protection, as well as more advanced features. Free VPNs come with limitations and risk of malicious attacks on the software itself.

You can choose to buy a singular VPN service or opt for antivirus software that has a VPN built in, for example Bitdefender’s Ultimate Security plan. That depends on what you use your computer for and how much. 

When you pick one, here’s what it can do for you.

1. Access region-specific content

When we said you could change your location, we meant it. Say you’re using a streaming service and a show you desperately want to watch isn’t available in your country. You can use your VPN to make it look like you’re browsing from a country where it’s unlocked.

This option is also convenient for gamers who want to access maps, skins and other in-game items unavailable in their location.

Surfshark VPN (Credit: Dan Nelson on Unsplash)

In addition, you can use this powerful feature when you’re traveling to a region where some of your favorite content may not be accessible.

Do keep in mind that you need to read the Terms and Conditions (yeah, we know - who does that?) of your games and services before doing this, since you could end up getting a penalty. It’s also important to remember that there are entire countries that have strict regulations or even bans on VPNs, for example Belarus, Russia and China. So make sure to be very cautious with your VPN use, friends.

2. Browse like no one’s watching

VPNs shield your browsing habits from prying eyes on the web. Those can be malicious hackers or just third-party cookies tracking your every move to later bombard you with targeted ads. For example, Surfshark VPN features a Cookie blocker that blocks all cookie-related pop-ups and lets you browse in peace (and secret). It works even when the VPN is turned off, which is also pretty neat.

In addition, their CleanWeb 2.0 technology makes sure ads and especially malware don’t stand a chance at all, since they’re blocked before they can even load.

The inability of sites to track your browsing means they can’t collect and analyze any of your data. So, your personal information - or your company’s information in case that’s what you’re using your computer for - is entirely hidden and secure.

3. Save money

It’s well-known that the prices of certain items and services vary based on your location, browsing time, age and many other factors. This most commonly goes for airline tickets and hotel stays.

You can use your VPN to avoid high prices and surcharges. Clear all cookies, turn on your VPN and visit an online shopping site to check out their prices. Then compare your findings with the offers you see when your VPN is off, when you spend a long time on the site or have an active account with the company. 

Sometimes this can really help you find the best deals and avoid breaking the bank. But again, check the Terms and Conditions before you purchase something using a VPN.

4. Secure your smart home

The more smart devices you have connected to your network, the more exposed you are to potential cyberattacks. Phones and computers are generally designed to be decently secure even without a VPN or antivirus, but smart home devices leave a lot to be desired in that regard. 

Protecting your home network with a VPN software means all devices connected to it are secure, be it an air purifier or Alexa.

5. Prevent connection slowdown

Your ISP can intentionally slow down your internet speed based on how much data you’ve consumed (data throttling) or your activities online (bandwidth throttling).

But with a VPN, what kind of data you send and receive and how much is entirely hidden. Therefore, if your ISP can’t see you, they can’t control you and they can’t throttle down your speed.   

The bottom line

You can never be too safe online. So definitely think about getting yourself a solid VPN to pump up your privacy and security as much as you can. And if you have any questions or need help choosing the perfect software for you, feel free to reach out to us.

Error 451 - What is it?

This is a typical SMTP error code. SMTP is the abbreviation for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It is an internet standard for email transmission. In other words, SMTP is a text-based protocol in which the sender communicates with the mail receiver by issuing commands and receiving a response code. The SMTP error 451 is displayed in the following format:

‘451 Requested action aborted: local error in processing’

This error message indicates that the program cannot send more messages and the server has hit the limit. This is because some mail servers have limits. The sever stops the task of sending and receiving emails when this limit is achieved.

Solution

Error Causes

The causes of error 451 include:

• Server limit reached
• Email rejection due to a remote anti-spam filter
• Request denied by the server
• Viral infection

If you heavily rely on email communication with your business partners and colleagues, then it is advisable to immediately resolve this issue without any delays. Though this error is not fatal, you should repair it right away to avoid inconvenience. SMTP error code 451 can hamper your ability to communicate via email.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the best, easy, and effective DIY methods that you can try to repair error code 451 on your PC.

Method 1

To fix this error, simply follow these steps:

• login to Linux SSH
• Open the file /etc/localdomains
• Nano/etc/localdomains and then add the domain name that is triggering email sending error
• Now reboot your PC

This will hopefully resolve the issue. Nonetheless, if the error code still persists, then try other methods given below.

Method 2 - Configure List Settings to change the server limit.

This can be done by accessing the List Settings then Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) and then the Limit Feature. By accessing the limit feature, you can easily adjust the program to any limit of your choice. Configure the limit and save changes. Reboot PC to activate the changes made.

Method 3 - Scan and Remove Viruses.

This error code can also be triggered due to viral infection. If this is the cause, then simply download an anti-virus on your PC. Scan the entire system and remove all detected malicious programs like Trojans, malware, adware, viruses, and spyware. This will repair the error 451 on your system.

Method 4

If the error still persists, then contact your SMTP provider to check the situation and resolve it. There is a possibility the error is generated from the SMTP provider’s end.

Corefoundation.dll Error - What is it?

Corefoundation.dll error is a DLL error code associated with Apple software such as iTunes, MobileMe, QuickTime and etc. To understand this error better, first you need to understand what corefoundation.dll file is. Corefoundation.dll is a Dynamic Link Library file that is used by Apple software products. This file is created by Apple computer Inc and is designed to help open up some of the media files that you might have on your PC. DLLs help promote modularization of code, efficient memory usage, code reuse and reduced disk space allowing the operating system and the programs to load and run faster and take less disk space on the computer.

Error Messages

This error pops on the screen when there is an issue related to Apple software products on your system. Corefoundation.dll error is displayed on the computer screen in any one of the following formats:

“The program can not start because corefoundation.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem”. "This application has failed to start because CoreFoundation.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem." “The procedure entry point_CFBundleCopyFileTypeForFileData could not be located in the dynamic link library corefoundation.dll.” "MobileMe Control Panel cannot continue as Apple Application Support is missing or outdated. Please uninstall and reinstall the latest version of iTunes and MobileMe Control Panel to fix this issue.”

Though this error code is not fatal but if it is not fixed immediately it will hamper your ability to load and run Apple programs on your system.

Solution

Error Causes

Corefoundation.dll error can be triggered due to several reasons. Here are some of the most common corefoundation.dll error causes:

• Outdated PC drivers
• Viral infection
• Damaged Windows registry files
• Corrupted corefoundation.dll file
• Missing corefoundation.dll file
• Incorrectly installed third-party software

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix this issue on your computer here are some of the best, easy and quick do it yourself methods that you can try:

Method 1: Download the Original Corefoundation.dll File

If the underlying reason for corefoundation.dll error is file corruption or it goes missing, then the best way to resolve is to download the original corefoundation.dll file. Once you download it, paste it to its exact location. DLL files are normally located in the following location C:\Windows\System32. Once you paste it, register the file by typing ‘regsvr corefoundation.dll’ at the command prompt. When the process is complete, restart your PC to activate changes. Alternatively, you can uninstall and re-install any Apple Software you may have on your Windows Computer. To do that, Open the Control Panel, navigate to "Install/Uninstall a Program", search for Apple software, and uninstall them.

Method 2: Update Window Drivers

If the error code is related to outdated drivers, then it is recommended that you update them promptly to resolve the corefoundation.dll error on your PC. This can be done by using a driver update wizard from within Device Manager. The driver update wizard walks you through the entire drive update process, making updating a hassle-free process.

Method 3: Download Restoro

If the error still persists, then try method 3. Sometimes the cause of corefoundation.dll can be viral infection or registry issues.  Viruses may enter your PC unknowingly through phishing emails and downloads which can corrupt and damage your dll files. Also, if you don’t clean your registry frequently, unnecessary and obsolete files may accumulate in the registry like cookies, junk files, internet history and temporary files. These files take up a lot of disk space corrupt DLL files and lead to disk fragmentation. Regardless of what the issue is, Restoro is your one-stop PC Fixer. It is a multi-functional and user-friendly repair tool embedded with 6 different scanners including a registry cleaner and an antivirus. It scans and removes all types of viruses and cleans and restores the registry too. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the corefoundation.dll error today!

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

If when hovering over the upgrade icon on the taskbar you get:

Your version of Windows 10 would reach the end of service soon, Click to download a newer version of Windows 10 to stay supported. or An unsupported version of Windows will no longer receive software updates from Windows Update. These updates include security updates that can help protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software which can steal your personal information. Windows Update also installs the latest software updates to improve the reliability of Windows—such as new drivers for your hardware.

and you are unable to perform updates then this guide is for you. There are several things you can do to fix this issue presented here, it is advisable to follow them in a way how they are presented for best performance and system safety.

1. Run setupdiag

   Download and run Setupdiag from the official MICROSOFT website. SetupDiag is a standalone diagnostic tool that can be used to obtain details about why a Windows 10 upgrade was unsuccessful. It works by examining Windows Setup log files to determine the root cause of a failure to update or upgrade the computer. Once the scan is completed, check the generated log files. The SetupDiagResults.log will be generated and saved in the same folder where you downloaded Setupdiag. Open SetupDiagResults.log using Notepad. You may need to take a look at these folders:
   • \Windows\Panther
   • \$Windows.~bt\sources\panther
   • \$Windows.~bt\Sources\Rollback
   • \Windows\Panther\NewOS
   If there are any issues or conditions that are blocking the upgrade, they will be listed here.

2. Edit TargetReleaseVersionInfo Registry key

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog In run dialog type Regedit and press ENTER Locate: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate Locate two DWORD files, if they do not exist, create them as: TargetReleaseVersion TargetReleaseVersionInfo Set the value of TargetReleaseVersion to 1 If you are stuck on Windows 10 1909 and want to upgrade to Windows 10 20H2 now, you need to set the value for TargetReleaseVersionInfo to 20H2 Reboot the computer

3. Use Windows 10 update assistant

   Visit Microsoft.com and hit the ‘Update now’ button visible on the page Download tool and run it Click on Update now to start the upgrade process

If you are trying to connect to the internet using the Microsoft Edge browser but encountered an error message instead that says, “Can’t connect to the proxy server”, read on as this post will show you how you can fix this error. This kind of error in Microsoft Edge could be caused by incorrect proxy settings or worse, malware. To fix this error, here are some suggestions you need to check out:

Option 1 – Try to check your internet connection

The first thing you can do to resolve the “Can’t connect to the proxy server” error in Microsoft Edge is to check your internet connection. There are times when your internet connection or Wi-Fi router can cause such problems. In such cases, you have to ensure that you have a valid internet source and if you are using a Wi-Fi router, you can try to use another connection and then see if the error is gone or not.

Option 2 – Try to disable the manual proxy set up from the Settings

In case you miss it, there is actually an option in the Settings panel that you can use to set up proxy in your Windows 10 computer. So if you encounter the “Can’t connect to the proxy server” error, you should disable manual proxy for the meantime and check if it fixed the error or not.

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Windows Settings.
• Then go to Network & Internet > Proxy.
• And on your right-hand side, ensure that the Automatically detect settings are enabled and that the Use a proxy server option under the Manual proxy setup is disabled.
• Now try to open any website again and see if the problem’s fixed.

Option 3 – Try disabling the VPN

Like pointed out earlier, if you are using VPN, this could be the reason why you’re getting the “Can’t connect to the proxy server” error so the most obvious thing to do is for you to turn off the VPN and try to load a website in Edge again. And if you use a VPN software that works using their software, you can just completely exit or log-off from its account. On the other hand, if you are using a built-in Windows 10 VPN, you can simply turn it off or delete all the settings you have created there.

Option 4 – Disable the proxy server for your LAN

If your PC was just attacked by some adware or malware as of late, it is possible that it has changed the network settings in the system and might display spam advertisements. Thus, you have to disable the proxy server for your LAN. To do that, refer to these steps:

• 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 5 – Temporarily disable Firewall and third-party antivirus

Firewall and antivirus programs are known to block files the instant it detects a threat to the system. However, there are some cases when it can also block a file even when it’s a safe one. Thus, your antivirus or firewall programs might be the reason why you can’t download anything on your Windows 10 computer. To isolate the issue, you need to temporarily disable both the Firewall and antivirus programs and then check if you can now download anything from the internet. Do not forget to enable them again as disabling them can leave your computer vulnerable to cyber threats.

Option 6 – Clear the browsing data of Microsoft Edge

• Open Microsoft Edge.
• Then click on the three horizontal dots to open the menu.
• From there, click on Settings. And under Settings, click the “Choose what to clear” button under the Clear browsing data section.
• Next, check all the checkboxes and then click the Clear button to clear the browsing data in the Edge browser.
• Restart Edge.

Option 7 – Try to reset, repair or reinstall Edge via Settings

You can reset, repair or reinstall the Edge browser through Settings. If none of it helped, you can try the following:

• Open File Explorer and then go to this path – C:/Users/YourUsername/AppData/Local/Packages

Note: Before you type in the path in the Address bar, make sure that you put your user account name in place with the “YourUsername”.

• Tap Enter to proceed.
• Next, look for the folder named “MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe” then right-click on it.
• Click on Properties and uncheck the option “Read-only” under the General tab in the Properties window.
• Click on Apply and then OK to save the changes made.
• After that, look for the MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder again and delete it. And if a prompt stating “Folder Access Denied” appears on your screen, just click on the Continue button to proceed – doing so will delete most of the content inside the folder except for the folder named “AC”.
• Restart your PC.
• Now all you have to do is to re-register Microsoft Edge using PowerShell. In the Start Menu, search “Windows PowerShell”.
• Right-click on Windows PowerShell from the search results and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• Type in this command in the PowerShell windows and tap Enter – Cd C:/Users/YourUsername

Note: Once again, make sure that you key in your user account name in place of “YourUsername.

• After that, type in this command and tap Enter – Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml" -Verbose}
• Restart your PC.

Option 8 – Scan your computer for malware using Windows Defender

Your computer could be infected with malware which might have triggered the “Can’t connect to the proxy server” error. To fix this, you need to scan your computer using a reliable program like Windows Defender.

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Update & Security.
• Then click on the Windows Security option and open Windows Defender Security Center.
• Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Run a new advanced scan.
• Now make sure that Full Scan is selected from the menu and then click the Scan Now button to get started.