dxgkrnl.sys Blue Screen Error in Windows

If you suddenly encounter an error saying, “Something happened and this app couldn't be installed. Error Code: 0x80244018”, when trying to install apps on your Windows 10 computer, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you in resolving the problem. It’s not just you that’s experiencing this problem right now as several users also reported getting this error they try to apply a Windows update or download and install the application from Microsoft Store. There could are several reasons why you’re getting this error. It could be caused by a third-party application, or it could be that the update is blocked by your VPN or proxy server, or that the BITS service is disabled. In addition, the error could also be due to some glitch in the component services or it could be that the system files are corrupted. Whatever the cause is, you can fix the error by following any of the given options below.

Option 1 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the Windows Update Troubleshooter can help in fixing Error Code 0x80244018. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 2 – Put your PC in a Clean Boot State

It could be that some third-party application is the one that’s causing the problem so it’s best if you put your computer in a Clean Boot state. During this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” 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.)
• After that, try to install the Windows app again.

Note: If you are able to install the app without any trouble at all then it means that the error is caused by some third-party application on your computer. You need to look for the culprit and uninstall it once you found it.

Option 3 – Restart BITS

The Background Intelligent Transfer Service or BITS is a part of the Windows Update service and is the one that manages the background download of Windows Update, as well as scans for new updates and so on. And if Windows Update is experiencing some problems, you can try restarting BITS but make sure that you have admin privileges to do so.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and double-click on it to open Properties.
• After that, you need to set the Startup type to “Automatic (Delayed Start) and click on Apply.
• Now click the Stop button to stop BITS and then click the Start button to restart the service.
• Click OK to save the changes made and then restart your PC.

Option 4 – Disable the Proxy server

• 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 – Try disabling the VPN

As mentioned, if you are using VPN, this could be the reason why you’re getting Error Code 0x80244018 so the most obvious thing to do is for you to turn off the VPN and try to run the Windows Update once more. 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. Although it’s understandable that you might have to use a VPN connection to connect to the work network, you really have to disable it at least after you’ve successfully installed the app.

Option 6 – Reset Windows Update components

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
  • net stop wuauserv
  • net stop cryptsvc
  • net stop bits
  • net stop msiserver

Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS, and MSI Installer.

• After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below, and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
  • ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  • ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
• Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
  • net start wuauserv
  • net start cryptsvc
  • net start bits
  • net start msiserver
• Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.

Option 7 – Run the System File Checker Scan

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 the cause why you’re getting the Error Code 0x80244018. 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.

• Restart your PC.

Option 8 – Run the DISM tool

You can also run the DISM Tool as it helps in repairing the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth” which could help in fixing the Error Code 0x80244018.

• 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.

Linkury Smartbar Engine is a Brower Toolbar for Internet Explorer. Upon investigation, we discovered that this toolbar does not work with the latest versions of Internet Explorer.

From the Author:

What the Smartbar does: – Changes the default search engine in your web browser’s built-in search box. – Changes the default home page of your web browser. – Adds alternative “page not found” functionality. – Enable search from the address bar of your web browser. – Allows software updates of the application once a new version is released. – Adds, removes, or modifies components interacting with search input fields.

While installed, users may see additional unwanted ads throughout their browsing sessions.

Several anti-virus applications have marked this toolbar as a Browser Hijacker, and it is not recommended to keep it on your computer, especially if you are using a newer version of internet explorer that renders this toolbar useless.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means a malicious program code has taken control over and modified the settings of your browser, without your permission. Browser hijackers will do a number of things on a computer. These are typically used to force visitors to a particular site, manipulating web traffic to earn ad revenue. It may appear naive, but the majority of these sites are not legitimate and may pose a serious threat to your online safety. They did not just screw up your web browsers, but browser hijackers can also modify the system registry, leaving your computer susceptible to other attacks.

How you can determine if your browser is hijacked

When your browser is hijacked, the following could happen: home-page is changed; you see new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, usually directed to advertisement-filled or pornography sites; the default browser settings are changed and/or your default web engine is altered; you find unsolicited new toolbars added; never-ending pop-up adverts appear and/or your web browser pop-up blocker is disabled; your web browser starts running slowly or exhibits frequent errors; you can’t visit specific websites like home pages of security software.

Precisely how browser hijacker infects computer systems

Browser hijackers could use drive-by downloads or file-sharing websites or perhaps an e-mail attachment in order to reach a targeted computer. They may also come from any BHO, browser extension, add-on, toolbar, or plug-in with malicious intent. A browser hijacker can be installed as a part of freeware, shareware, demoware, and fake programs. A good example of a well-known browser hijacker is the latest Chinese malware called “Fireball”, which has infected 250 million PCs across the world. It works as a hijacker but can be turned into a fully functioning malware downloader afterward. The existence of any browser hijacker malware on your system could substantially diminish the web browsing experience, monitor your internet activities that lead to serious privacy concerns, create system stability problems and ultimately cause your PC to slow down or to a nearly unusable state.

Removing browser hijackers

Some kinds of browser hijackers can be removed from your computer by deleting malicious software applications or any other recently added freeware. At times, it could be a tough job to find and eliminate the malicious program since the associated file could be running as part of the operating system process. Also, manual removals require in-depth system understanding and thus can be a very difficult job for novice computer users. Browser hijackers could be effectively removed by installing and running an anti-malware program on the affected PC. To eradicate any kind of browser hijacker from your laptop or computer, you could download this certified malware removal application – SafeBytes Anti-Malware. Utilize a system optimizer together with your anti-malware software to fix various computer registry problems, eliminate computer vulnerabilities, and enhance your computer's overall performance.

Help! Malware Blocking Anti-virus Installation And Access To The Web

Practically all malware is bad, but certain kinds of malware do a lot more damage to your computer than others. Some malware sits in between the computer and your net connection and blocks some or all websites that you really want to check out. It would also block you from installing anything on your machine, especially anti-virus software. If you are reading this now, you have probably recognized that a malware infection is the real cause of your blocked web traffic. So how to proceed if you need to download and install an anti-malware application such as Safebytes? There are some steps you can take to circumvent this issue.

Eliminate viruses in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to load at Windows start-up, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Only the minimum required applications and services are loaded whenever you start your laptop or computer in Safe Mode. You need to do the following to remove malware in Safe mode. 1) After switching on the computer, hit the F8 key before the Windows splash screen starts to load. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Select Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) As soon as this mode loads, you will have an internet connection. Now, utilize your web browser normally and navigate to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) Right after installation, run a complete scan and let the program get rid of the threats it detects.

Switch over to some other browser

Web-based malware can be environment-specific, aiming for a particular web browser or attacking particular versions of the web browser. The best solution to overcome this issue is to choose a browser that is well known for its security features. Firefox has built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to help keep you safe online.

Install antivirus on a USB drive

To successfully remove the malware, you will need to approach the issue of installing an antivirus program on the infected computer system from a different angle. To run antivirus using a thumb drive, follow these simple measures: 1) On a virus-free computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the Thumb drive into the clean computer. 3) Double click on the exe file to run the installation wizard. 4) Choose a USB drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you wish to install the software. Follow activation instructions. 5) Transfer the pen drive from the clean PC to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Simply click “Scan Now” to run a scan on the affected computer for malware.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware Features

In order to protect your personal computer from many different internet-based threats, it’s important to install anti-malware software on your PC. But with so many anti-malware companies in the market, these days it’s challenging to decide which one you should purchase for your laptop. Some are really worth your money, but most aren’t. You must choose one that is efficient, practical, and has a strong reputation for its malware protection. While considering the trustworthy applications, Safebytes Anti-Malware is undoubtedly the strongly recommended one. SafeBytes anti-malware is really a powerful, highly effective protection application created to assist users of all levels of IT literacy in identifying and eliminating harmful threats from their PC. With its most advanced virus detection and repair technology, this software protects your PC against infections caused by different kinds of malware and similar internet threats, including adware, spyware, viruses, worms, trojans, keyloggers, potentially unwanted program (PUPs), and ransomware.

SafeBytes anti-malware offers a myriad of advanced features that sets it aside from all others. Here are some of the best ones:

Most Reliable AntiMalware Protection: Built upon a highly acclaimed antivirus engine, this malware removal application can detect and get rid of the most stubborn malware threats like browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other common anti-virus programs will miss. Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes provides totally hands-free live protection and is set to check, block, and get rid of all computer threats at its very first encounter. They’re extremely efficient in screening and getting rid of numerous threats since they’re constantly revised with the latest updates and alerts. Web Protection: SafeBytes checks the links present on a web page for possible threats and notifies you whether the site is safe to browse or not, through its unique safety rating system. “Fast Scan” Features: Safebytes AntiMalware, using its enhanced scanning engine, gives super-fast scanning that can quickly target any active internet threat. Light-weight: This program is lightweight and can work silently in the background, and will not have an effect on your PC efficiency. 24/7 Online Support: Support service is accessible 24 x 7 x 365 days via email and chats to answer your concerns. To sum it up, SafeBytes has developed a meaningful anti-malware solution that is aimed to protect you against various malware. You can be sure that your PC will be protected in real-time once you put this software to use. So when you want advanced forms of protection features & threat detections, buying SafeBytes Anti-Malware could be worth the money!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not wish to use an automated tool and prefer to eliminate Linkury Smartbar Engine manually, you might do so by going to the Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and removing the offending program; in cases of web browser plug-ins, you may uninstall it by visiting the browsers Add-on/Extension manager. You’ll likely also want to reset your web browser. To be certain of complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your system and eliminate them or reset the values appropriately. Please note that this is for advanced users only and might be difficult, with wrong file removal leading to additional system errors. Furthermore, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing deletion. Carrying out this in Safe Mode is suggested.

What is error code 0x80070103?

When visiting the Windows Update Website or the Microsoft Update Website to download the latest update for hardware drives, you could possibly receive Error Code 0x80070103 when clicking on the update driver. This error code occurs when Windows tries to download a piece of identical hardware for a second time. It could also occur when Windows tries to update a currently installed driver to an unsuitable version of that driver.

Solution

Further Information and Manual Repair

There aren’t many ways to handle this issue. Below are two methods of fixing Error Code 0x80070103.

Method 1:

• Visit the Microsoft Update Website
• After the "scan for updates" is complete, click the Welcome or Custom page.
• Next, click Hardware, in the navigation panel, and then on the tab for "optional hardware Updates", the Update client will display the available updates.
• For the graphics card, scan the second update after which you'll click to select the option that says "do not show this update again".
• Hit the "Review and install updates" button.
• Confirm that the second update for the graphics card is not present, then move on the installing the updates.
• Click on the start button, go to All Programs, and then click on Windows Update.
• Hit the "Check for updates" tab.
• After the "scan for updates" is over, click the"Optional updates" link.
• In the "Select the updates you want to install" section, right-click the update that is not needed and hide them.
• Hit the OK button.
• To install any additional updates that are selected, click "Install Updates". Close Windows Update if no other updates are selected,
• For touch screens, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Search (or point to the upper-right corner of the screen if you're using a mouse, moving the pointer down, before clicking Search). Enter "Windows Updates" in the search box, click Settings, and then click "Check for updates".
• After the scan is complete, click the"Optional updates are available" link.
• Right-click or Tap and hold the update you want to hide, select"Hide update", and then select OK.
• If any other updates are available, save all work in "other programs", then restart the computer to the install updates; otherwise, opt out of the Windows Update window.

Open the search window and type “Windows Update” in the search box.

Method 2:

When trying to repair error code 0x80070103, if you find method one hard to follow, can contact Microsoft directly. Call up the help center number listed on their website, and a technician will be able to walk you through the process of ensuring the updater is not attempting to download multiple copies of hardware or trying to install unusable updates on your computer. Because the Windows Updater is set to a generic method of searching for updates, it may not be set to optimize the personal computer's settings. This is why you must select all of the optional update options and why this process is so long. It may be made easier by having a computer repairs technician walk you through it. However, if you want to automate the process of getting that problem solved, you can use a powerful tool to get the job done.

Error code 0x8007007b - What is it?

Error code 0x8007007b will present itself when Windows users are trying to activate Windows. You may try to activate it through the update and security option, but it is likely that you will receive the same error code. Error code 0x8007007b may be presented when Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users try to upgrade and activate Windows 10 on their computer.

Common symptoms include:

• An error message will display that says Windows cannot be activated. The KMS host cannot be located in the DNS, please have the system administrator verify that the KMS is published correctly in DNS.
• Error 0x8007007b will be displayed, stating that the file or directory name or the volume label syntax is not correct.

Solution

Error Causes

There are multiple causes for the user to see this error code, including if a user is using volume-licensed media while installing a number of various Windows operating systems. This error may also be caused because the activation wizard cannot connect to a KMS host computer. It is likely that if the user has a volume-licensed form of media, they were likely given a MAK (multiple activation keys).

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are several ways to go about repairing error code 0x8007007b. It is important to try all of the methods, but if it is too difficult or you do not know what you are doing, please do contact a Windows repair technician. They will likely be able to fix the problem with ease.

Method One: Instead of KMS activation, use a Multiple Key Activation

When KMS activation is not used, and when there is not a KMS server, the product key type should then be changed to a MAK. For MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) or TechNet, the SKUs that are listed on the media are generally volume-licensed media, and that means that the product key that is supplied is a Multiple Activation Key.

To change the KMS to a MAK, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, and then right-click on Command Prompt. Click Run as Administrator. If prompted for a password or confirmation, enter it now.

When the command prompt opens, type in the following command, and press enter after:

slmgr -ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx (these x's are representative of the MAK product key).

Method Two

While on the desktop, press the Windows key and R. The Run window should appear, and then you should enter the following command: Slui 3. Press Enter and then wait for the window to appear. This window will ask for the operating system activation product key. Enter the product key and then press the Activate button. Reboot the computer. Now the Error Code 0x8007007b should be gone.

Method Three

Open the Command Prompt with access as administrator as mentioned previously. Enter the following command: sfc /scannow. The command will then complete its task. This will take a good bit of time, so leave the computer to do its work. The sfc must finish the scan. When the scan has finished, reboot the computer. Now you can check for activation. The error code should be gone.

Method Four: When the client can't locate a KMS host on the network to complete activation

This method for correction should be used when the network does have a KMS host computer setup, and the client is not able to locate the KMS host on the network to complete activation.

To verify that the computer does in fact have the KMS host installed. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, and then right-click on Command Prompt. Run as administrator. If you are now prompted to enter a password or confirmation, do so. When the command prompt box comes up, type in the following command, and then press Enter: nxlookup -type=all_vlmcs._tcp>kms.txt

The command will generate a file, open this KMS file. The file will contain one or more entries. As a default, the KMS host server will dynamically register a DNS SRV server evidence once every 24 hours. In order to check the registry to ensure that this is happening, follow these steps:

• Click Start, type in regedit, and then press Enter.
• Locate the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionSL and then click on it.
• The DisableDnsPublishing subkey should be present and have a value of 1. If it is missing, create a DWORD value by right clicking DisableDnsPublishing, click Modify, in the Value Data box type in 0, and then click Okay.

Method Five: Use An Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

If you are using a Windows 10 PC that has different processors clubbed together, chances are you might encounter an error saying, “MULTIPROCESSOR CONFIGURATION NOT SUPPORTED” during a Windows upgrade or software installation. This error is actually caused by a bug check with a value of 0x0000003E. This error also indicates that the processors in your computer are asymmetric in relation to one another. So if you want to upgrade you need to have all the processors of the same type and level. But worry not for this guide will help you in fixing this error. The MULTIPROCESSOR_CONFIGURATION_NOT_SUPPORTED error can occur in several cases such as during an installation of Windows 10, or when the driver is loaded, or when Windows Start or Shutdown and the chances of you getting a blue screen is very much high. To fix this error, refer to the options given below and make sure to follow them carefully.

Option 1 – Try to disable the Hyper-Threading in your BIOS

Hyper-Threading in the BIOS lets a processor (multi-threaded) run various tasks in a simultaneous manner. To disable this, here’s what you have to do:

• Restart your computer and boot into it right after. To do that, tap the F2 key.
• Once you’re in the BIOS, locate the Hyper-Threading option which should be located under the Performance section along with other options like Multi-core support, Rapid Start technology, and many more.
• Disable Hyper-Threading and then make sure to save the changes and exit BIOS.

Note: Although Hyper-Threading is only used when necessary, there are some OEMS that don’t have the option to disable it and if that’s the case, you need to try other options given below.

Option 2 – Try to disable the Virtualization in the BIOS

Virtualization in the BIOS allows users to run a single physical resource such as the server or storage device to appear that it is running as multiple logical resources. It is also properly termed as “HYPER-V”.  To disable it, refer to these steps:

• Boot into the BIOS as you did earlier.
• Then look for the Security options.
• After that, from Security options, look for Virtualization Technology or VTX among the options given.
• Then turn it off and restart your computer.

Note: Although Windows 10 offers features such as the Device Security for Core Isolation and Memory Integrity, if you turn them off at the software level, it will not help at all. If you’re able to resolve the error, you can do some further research and see what software or hardware you can use to further help you.

Option 3 – Try checking if there are any BIOS updates available for your PC

Updating the BIOS may help you resolve the MULTIPROCESSOR CONFIGURATION NOT SUPPORTED error. You can just go to the OEM’s website as they offer utility software that can download BIOS firmware and update it without any problem. BIOS updates usually offer enhancements and fixes to some issues like this one.

There are cases when you encounter some issues while updating your Windows 10 computer. One of these issues is the error 0x80240034. This particular error is a Windows Update Error that appears on the Windows Update pane every time an update fails to install. When this happens, your Windows Update will only get stuck at 1% and nothing happens afterward and eventually fails. If you click on the View Installed Update History, you will see the error code 0x80240034 for the failed updates. You will see this error each time you try to update your Windows PC. Take note that this issue doesn’t only happen to a specific version of the Windows Update but on various different Windows builds based on many users. What’s more, is that some users are also seeing a different error code when their Windows Update fails but they still end up seeing the error code 0x80240034 when they check the Windows Update history. At the time of writing, it isn’t determined yet what really causes this error but it’s most likely due to some corrupted files in the computer which is why the most common solution you can try is resetting the Windows Update cache. On the other hand, other users also resolved the issue by using the ISO and selecting the “Do not keep previous settings” option during the Windows Update so it might be something to do with transferring the previous settings through the update client. For clear instructions in fixing this issue, refer to the two options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to clear the Windows Update Cache/Distribution Folder

As mentioned earlier, a lot of users tried clearing the Windows Update cache to fix the problem and so far it has worked. Like them, you can try clearing the Windows Update cache by simply deleting the contents of the folder named “SoftwareDistribution” since Windows apparently can’t clear and re-download the update contents once they are corrupted. Thus, deleting the contents of this folder will make Windows download the contents again which will fix the problem. To do that, follow the steps below.

• Step 1: Tap the Windows key once.
• Step 2: Next, type in “command prompt” in the Windows Start Search, and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option from the context menu.
• Step 3: After opening Command Prompt, type in “net start wuauserv” and hit Enter.
• Step 4: Then type in “rmdir %windir%SoftwareDistribution /S /Q” and hit Enter.
• Step 5: Now type in “net start wuauserv” and hit Enter. Once it’s done, try updating your Windows PC again, it should now work just fine.

Option 2 – Update Windows via ISO file

If option 1 didn’t work for you, you can try this second option of updating your Windows 10 computer using an ISO file which means that you will have to create a Windows 10 bootable media and use it to install the latest Windows 10 version. The most user reported that this option works and the reason why it does have something to do with the Windows Update client since the Windows Updates downloaded from the regular Windows Update client seems to create issues such as the error 0x80240034. However, issues like this one don’t occur when the very same Windows Updates are downloaded and installed via an ISO file. Take note that when using a Windows ISO file, you will be asked to choose what you want to do with the previous settings and apps. A lot of users opted for the “Not to keep the old Windows settings” option which has resolved the issue. So if you want to keep the previous settings then you must try to update Windows first while keeping the old settings. However, if it doesn’t work, you have to try installing the latest version of Windows without keeping the previous settings.

• Step 1: Click this link and then click the Download Tool Now button.
• Step 2: Next, click the “Use the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file)…” option and follow the next given instructions on the screen.
• Step 3: Now select the ISO file option in step 5.
• Step 4: After that, you should now have an ISO file.
• Step 5: Next, go to the location where you’ve downloaded the ISO file.
• Step 6: Then right-click on the Windows 10 ISO file and select the Open with an option and then select File Explorer.
• Step 7: Now click on “setup.exe” and follow the next instructions that appear on the screen. When asked, you have to select either: Nothing (clean install) or Keep personal files only option. Take note that you must not select the “Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings since it doesn’t really work.

The GifsGalore Toolbar from Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc. is proposed to active Web users who like to embed GIFs into their emails and share entertaining GIFs with friends via social media services. The GifsGalore software can be added to your Internet client for free but you need to be using Google Chrome, Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox for the GifsGalore Toolbar to be activated.

When installed it hijacks your New tab page and default search engine changing them to search.myway.com. This extension also monitors user browsing activity recording information such as: visited websites, clicked links, viewed products, etc. This information is later used to better target ads. While browsing the internet with this extension enabled you will see additional pop-up ads, as well as sponsored links and injected ads throughout your browsing session, especially in search results.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a form of unwanted software program, often a browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in web browser’s settings. There are various reasons why you may experience an internet browser hijack; however commercial, advertising, and marketing are definitely the main reasons for their creation. The idea would be to force users to visit specific sites that are aiming to improve their site visitor traffic and generate higher ad earnings. It could seem naive, but most of these sites are not legitimate and could present a serious risk to your online safety. Browser hijackers can even let other vicious programs without your knowledge further damage the computer.

Find out how to identify a browser hijack

When your web browser is hijacked, the following can happen: the browser’s homepage is modified; bookmark and the new tab are also changed; the default search engine has been changed and your browser security settings have been lowered without your knowledge; you see unwanted new toolbars added; unstoppable flurries of popup ads appear on your computer screen; your web browser gets sluggish, buggy, crashes very often; you are prohibited access to particular web pages, including the site of an anti-malware software developer like SafeBytes.

How browser hijacker finds its way onto your computer system

Browser hijackers might use drive-by downloads or file-sharing networks or perhaps an email attachment to reach a targeted computer. They may also come from any BHO, browser extension, toolbar, add-on, or plug-in with malicious purpose. Other times you might have unintentionally accepted a browser hijacker as part of an application package (usually freeware or shareware). Examples of well-known browser hijackers are Fireball, CoolWebSearch. save, Ask Toolbar, RocketTab, and Babylon Toolbar.

Removal

Some browser hijacking could be quite easily reversed by discovering and removing the corresponding malware software from your control panel. Yet, certain hijackers are far harder to find or eliminate since they might get themselves associated with some crucial computer files that enable them to operate as a necessary operating system process. Additionally, manual removals demand deep system knowledge and therefore can be a very difficult job for novices. Installing and running an anti-malware program on the affected computer could automatically erase browser hijackers and other malicious applications. Safebytes Anti-Malware has a sophisticated anti-malware engine to help you prevent browser hijacking in the first place, and mop up any pre-existing problems. And use a PC optimizer, like Total System Care, to get rid of all related files in the registry and repair browser issues.

What you can do if Malware Stops You From Downloading Or Installing Anything?

All malware is bad, but certain types of malware do a lot more damage to your computer than others. Some malware is created to restrict or prevent things that you want to do on your PC. It may well not let you download anything from the internet or stop you from accessing some or all websites, particularly the antivirus websites. If you’re reading this article, you may have infected by a virus that stops you from installing security software such as Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. There are some actions you can take to circumvent this problem.

Remove malware in Safe Mode

The Windows OS includes a special mode known as “Safe Mode” in which just the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded. If the malware is obstructing internet access and affecting the computer, launching it in Safe Mode allows you to download anti-virus and run a scan whilst limiting possible damage. To enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the computer is starting up or run MSConfig and find the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. After you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, as well as update the anti-malware program from there. At this point, you could run the antivirus scan to remove computer viruses and malware without any interference from another application.

Download the security software using an alternate web browser

Web-based viruses can be environment-specific, aiming for a particular browser or attacking specific versions of the browser. If you are not able to download the anti-malware software program using Internet Explorer, it means the virus could be targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you should switch over to a different browser like Firefox or Chrome to download the Safebytes Anti-malware program.

Install and run antivirus from your USB drive

Another solution is to create a portable anti-malware program onto your USB stick. Adopt these measures to run the antivirus on the affected computer system. 1) Make use of another virus-free computer to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the Thumb drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double click on the executable file to run the installation wizard. 4) Select flash drive as the place when the wizard asks you where you wish to install the software. Do as instructed on the screen to finish up the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the USB drive to the infected computer system. 6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the thumb drive to run the software. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for malware.

How SafeBytes Anti-Malware Keep your Computer Virus Free

If you’re planning to purchase anti-malware for your desktop, there are plenty of brands and utilities for you to consider. A few of them are good but there are lots of scamware applications that pretend as legit anti-malware programs waiting around to wreak havoc on your computer. You need to go with a tool that has obtained a strong reputation and detects not only viruses but other kinds of malware as well. Amongst few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the strongly recommended software program for the security-conscious individual. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trusted tool that not only protects your PC completely but is also extremely user-friendly for people of all ability levels. With its cutting-edge technology, this application can help you remove multiples types of malware which include viruses, trojans, PUPs, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes anti-malware provides a myriad of enhanced features that sets it aside from all others. Below are a few of the good ones:

Robust, Anti-malware Protection: Built upon a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal tool can identify and remove several stubborn malware threats like browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other common antivirus software will miss. Live Protection: SafeBytes gives you round-the-clock protection for your personal computer restricting malware intrusions instantly. They’re extremely effective in screening and removing numerous threats because they are regularly improved with new updates and alerts. Web Filtering: SafeBytes inspects the links present on a web page for possible threats and alerts you whether the website is safe to browse or not, through its unique safety ranking system. Fast Scan: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is one of the quickest and most efficient in the industry. It's targeted scanning greatly increases the catch rate for viruses which is embedded in various computer files. Very Low CPU and RAM Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight and easy-of-use anti-virus and anti-malware solution. Since it uses low computer resources, this application leaves the computer power exactly where it belongs to: with you. 24/7 Premium Support: You will get 24/7 technical support to quickly resolve any issue with your security tool. To sum it up all, SafeBytes Anti-Malware offers superb protection combined with very low system resource usage with both great malware detection and prevention. You now may realize that this particular software does more than just scan and eliminate threats from your computer. You’ll get the best all-around protection for the money you spend on SafeBytes AntiMalware subscription, there isn’t any doubt about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To remove GifsGalore manually, go to the Add or Remove programs list in the Windows Control Panel and select the program you want to get rid of. For internet browser extensions, go to your web browser’s Addon/Extension manager and choose the add-on you would like to remove or disable. You’ll probably also want to reset your web browser. If you choose to manually delete the system files and registry entries, use the following list to make sure you know precisely what files to remove before undertaking any actions. However, editing the registry is usually a difficult task that only experienced users and professionals should try to fix it. Moreover, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Carrying out this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is recommended.

Apple introduced the Live Photo feature way with iPhone 6S in their iOS9. Live Photo idea was that each time you take a photo, your phone will capture a few seconds of video along with sound and all of that is sent when you share your photo. This of course can sometimes be really bad when some not wanted audio gets recorded in the background.

Since the feature was introduced it has been set as the default option when taking pictures so each time you snap one you just capture a small amount of video and audio along. Good thing is that this feature can be turned off and the even better news is that you can edit your old photos to remove back video and audio.

How to share only photo

You can keep your Live Photos but share only a single still typical photo if you wish. Go to the photos app on your phone and select the photo you wish to share. Press the Share button on the bottom left part of the screen and once the Share menu appears tap on the Live button in the upper left corner of the selected photo. The button should turn grey and become slashed and now you can share only still photo. This is only temporary for this one specific share so next time you want to do this you will have to go through the process again.

How to disable Live Photo

If you are not happy with the previous solution and really do not want to turn off the Live feature each time you want to share a photo or you just simply do not want the feature at all there is way to turn if off for good. Take note that you can temporarily not use this feature just by opening the camera, switching to photo mode, and then tapping on the Live photo button on the toolbar that looks like three circles one inside another. This will temporarily turn the Live Photo feature for this session but next time when you open the camera by default it will be turned on again. This is a good approach if you want the feature but sometimes you just want not to use it.

In order to turn it off completely go to the settings of your phone and go to Camera and then preserve settings. inside the preserve setting turn the switch Live Photo to ON position, now go-to camera and again click on the live photo button to turn it off but this time setting will be saved and next time you open the camera it will not be ON.

Editing old Live Photos

As stated before you can edit your old pictures in order to make them stills. You can edit them to remove audio only but keep the video part, or you can completely remove everything and convert them into typical still images.

In order to only remove audio from your Live Photos go to pictures and select one that you wish to change, click on edit, and inside edit tap on the Live Photo icon (three circles). Next tap on the audio icon located in the top left corner of your screen and it will change into the mute icon. Click on done and you are finished.

To completely remove the Live photo go to Photos, select picture, click on edit and select the live photo button again. This time tap and hold the Live button next to the sound until it turns gray with a strike through it. Click on done and you are finished.

One of the errors you can encounter while browsing the web using your Google Chrome browser is the ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED error. If you happen to encounter this error, then this post could help you resolve it. This kind of error in Chrome can occur due to incorrect website domain configuration, conflicting browser data, incorrect proxy settings, and DNS connection issues. To resolve the ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED error in Chrome, here are some suggestions you can check out.

Option 1 – Try disabling 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 2 – Try to reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS

Resetting Winsock, TCP/IP, and flushing DNS might help you resolve the ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED error. To do so, follow these steps:

• Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator) so you can pull up an elevated Command Prompt.
• After that, execute each one of the commands listed below. And after you typed in one after the other, you have to hit Enter.

1. netsh winsock reset – type in this command to reset Winsock
2. netsh int ip reset resettcpip.txt – type in this command to reset TCP/IP
3. ipconfig /flushdns – type in this command to flush the DNS cache

• Next, restart your PC and check if the problem’s fixed.

Option 3 – Try using a VPN connection

There are instances when the network that your computer is logged on might have blocked your access to the website you are trying to open and so to fix it, you can try to use a VPN connection. Once you’ve connected using VPN, try to open the website again and see if you can now access it.

Option 4 – Try clearing browser data

There are times when some data in the browser is conflicting with the loading of the website and triggers errors like ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED. And so you can try to clear your browser’s data. This might be a very basic solution but oftentimes it works in fixing this kind of error in Google Chrome. Follow the steps below to clear the data in your browser.

• Open your Google Chrome browser.
• After that, tap the Ctrl + H keys. Doing so will open a new panel that allows you to delete the browsing history and other data in your browser.
• Now select every checkbox that you see and click on the Clear browsing data button.
• Then restart your Chrome browser and check if you can now open any website or not.

Option 5 – Get rid of any conflicting browser extensions

• Open Chrome and press Alt + F keys.
• Go to More tools and click Extensions to look for any suspicious browser extensions or toolbars.
• Click the Recycle bin and select Remove.
• Restart Chrome and press Alt + F keys again.
• Proceed to On Startup and mark Open a specific page or set of pages.
• To check if the browser hijacker is still active, click Set pages, if it is active, overwrite the URL.

Note: If removing the browser extensions or toolbars didn’t work, you can also try to reset your Google Chrome browser.

• Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
• After that, click on Settings.
• Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
• After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
• Now restart Google Chrome.

If you have been stuck on allocating disk space on steam you know how annoying this error could be. Here you are, with your new game eager to play it and relax a little and all of the sudden steam gets stuck on allocating disc space. Luckily this error is fixable, follow provided guide to fix the error and continue with installing the game.

1. Restart computer

   An old age solution of turning it off and turning it back on but in this case, it works 90% of the time.

2. Run Steam as administrator

   Allocating disk space when done by a third-party application can be a task that requires privileges higher than the normal user. Find the steam executable file in the installation folder, right-click on it and run it as an administrator

3. Clear Steam cache

   Launch Steam in admin mode. Once in the client, click on Steam at the top left corner of the screen. From the drop-down box, click on Settings. Once in the Settings, navigate to the Downloads tab. Click the Clear Download Cache option. Click OK on the prompt to confirm your action. Wait for the process to complete. When done, save changes and exit the client.

4. Change download server

   Launch Steam client in admin mode. Once in the client, click on Steam at the top left corner of the screen. From the drop-down box, click on Settings. Once in the Settings, navigate to the Downloads tab. Click the drop-down menu under the Download Region. Choose a different server to download from. Exit the Steam client.

5. Refresh installation files

   • Kill a Steam process in Task Manager.
   • Navigate to your Steam folder
   • Inside the Steam folder, select everything except the steamapps folder and the Steam.exe executable file.
   • Tap the Delete key on your keyboard.

6. Turn off firewall

   Firewall can prevent steam and cut access to system operations, disable firewall to fix this issue.

7. Stop overclocking

   If you have overclocked your PC, you can simply reverse the change. The steps you will need to take depends on the overclocking software. Launch the software and look for the option to stop the overclocking. Once done, restart your computer, rerun the game installation.