Fix Error 0x80244018 when Installing Apps

When you upgrade your Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 system to Windows 10, you’ll undergo a phase called Out of Box Experience, or simply OOBE. This phase is intended to allow users to customize their Windows 10 experience, which includes defining personal settings, creating user accounts, and more. Some users reported having issues when creating their user account during the Out of Box Experience (OOBE) on Windows 10 upgrade. Some also reported issues about non-responsive behavior (Welcome Back) page.

Solution

Error Causes

Unfortunately, there’s no known cause for this error. However, some users reported that this occurs when:

• There’s a problem with the ISO or CD used to install Windows 10
• There’s hardware malfunctioning on the computer

Further Information and Manual Repair

Your Windows 10 upgrade will not be successful if you’re not able to create a user account or finish the Out of the Box (OOBE) phase of the installation. Here are some methods that will help you fix this manually.

Method 1 – Wait and retry

Some users reported that waiting for about an hour and retrying the process again will solve this problem. It’s also recommended that you keep your computer in a ventilated place while you wait to retry the process.

Method 2 – Load default user manually

This method has 2 requirements in order to work.

1. You need to be upgrading from a previous Windows version, and
2. Your Windows was originally configured to automatically boot to desktop

If you meet these two requirements, you can solve the error by following the steps below:

1. Hold CTRL+ESC keys. Windows should load the default user after doing this step.
2. Press the Windows key + X. Then, click the Computer Management icon
3. Choose “Local Users and Groups”
4. Double click on Users
5. Right-click on the right pane, and then choose “New User”
6. Create a new user account and password

Method 3 – Power down your laptop

This method only applies if you’re a laptop user.

1. Power down your laptop
2. Remove the battery of your laptop
3. Wait for about 10 minutes
4. Connect your laptop using direct current
5. Turn on your laptop again
6. Create a new user account and log in

Method 4 – Create a local account if you’re trying to set up a Microsoft account

Instead of connecting to a Microsoft Account after the set-up, you might want to try creating a local account. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Power down your computer if you are to set up a Local Account.
2. Disconnect your computer from the Internet, either Wired or Wireless
3. Unplug your computer, and wait for about 10 minutes.
4. Reconnect your computer and start Windows. Do NOT connect to the Internet and make sure you’re disconnected to any devices you don’t need.
5. Try creating a user account again

 If the steps above don’t work, you might want to try Startup repair.

Method 5 – Boot your computer from Windows 10 media

In order to do this step, you need to have official Windows 10 ISO files.

1. Go to the “Install Now” screen
2. Choose Repair your computer
3. Click Advanced Options
4. Click Safe Mode

After doing the steps above, there’s a chance you get an error message that says “installation cannot be completed in safe mode”. When you see this, just press Shift+F10. This will execute and open the command prompt of your computer.

 From the command prompt, you can try and create a new user account.

 For example, net user Username Password /add

 The username here should be replaced with the account name you want to add, and the Password here should be replaced with the password you want to use for the account.

 After replacing the username and password on the text, press the Enter button on your keyboard. You’ll know if the command is successful once you see the message, “The command completed successfully.”

You can now close the command prompt. Restart your computer and try to log in using the account you just created.

Method 6 – Use a powerful automated software

If all the above methods still don’t work, it might be best to try automated software to help you fix this problem.

What exactly is the 2GB filesize Error?

The PST file could be around 2 gigabytes if you are using MS Outlook 2002 or any earlier versions for your own personal Folders. The 2GB filesize malfunction occurs when your PST memory both reaches or exceeds this limit. The 2GB size problem code is, in addition, referred to as an outsize PST file error. When this error happens you may be unable to deliver or receive e-mails via your Outlook account. Moreover, you'll likewise not be able to add any new data or even view your important calendar items, notes, and saved drafts. MS-Outlook shows several types of problem codes which indicate the 2GB file size dilemma. Listed below are some of the messages that can be displayed on your monitor:-

• The file could not be added to the folder. The action could not be completed.
• Task 'Microsoft Exchange Server - Receiving' reported error (0x8004060C): 'Unknown Error 0x8004060C'
• Can't copy the item
• Errors have been detected in the file xxxx.pst. Quit all mail-enabled applications.
• Task 'Microsoft Exchange Server' reported error (0x00040820):'Errors in background synchronization. In most cases, further information is available in a synchronization log in the Deleted Items folder.'
• xxxx.pst cannot be accessed - 0x80040116

Solution

Error Causes

The simple explanation for this malfunction is that you have maxed out the two gigabytes account limit. This happens in case you continue downloading fresh data and saving files and the old emails in your Outlook account. Over time, the space becomes limited and along with it the 2 GB file limit error. This error also presents a critical danger of data loss which is a possibility in your Outlook account, which hinders you as well from fully utilizing your email account. For regular Outlook customers, who utilize this program for practically all email communication within as well as outside the office, this error is annoying and frustrating as it causes a great deal of annoyance as well as decreases their performance and productivity.

What exactly are the Symptoms?

Below are a few signs that will help you recognize the 2GB file-size error:

• Inability to fill and open the OST and PST files
• Error messages pop-ups
• Failure to send emails
• Failure to make or edit new contacts
• Inability to synchronize the file

Further Information and Manual Repair

It is desirable to fix this error code right away especially if this is the preferred strategy to carry out communication in your office. Fix it immediately or else you might not receive e-mails that are important from your colleagues. There are 3 ways to solve this issue.

Method 1

One is to remove the old e-mails and connections and replace them with new ones. This may not be the best option for you in case you don't wish to lose emails and your old contacts.

Method 2

The second alternative would be to install a fresh version of MS-Outlook like 2010. The file-size limits of OST and PST files in these editions are larger than in ms-outlook 2002. On the other hand, this is a good idea for the long run but may not be the best idea for today as you will not have the ability to recover your previous e-mails and contacts that are outdated.

Method 3

The third and maybe the method that is best to resolve the 2GB file size limit error while ensuring the restoration of your old e-mails and contacts as well as increasing the limit to 4GB, is Restoro program's installation. Here may be the best recovery program on the market. It is really easy to use, safe, exceptionally functional, secure, and especially can resolve this issue. Technical expertise isn't needed by you to perform your way around this device.

All you should do is:

Click here to download and install the Restoro repair tool on your computer. In your MS Outlook account, you can restore all your data in just a couple of clicks. Talking of data recovery, this software can also help you recover all those other e-mails before the PST malfunction happened, or that you may have deleted. So, if you have deleted any significant email that you want to recover, this will undoubtedly be of use for you. By installing it on your system you can double your Outlook account's quality to twice as much as the standard size.

As you know, Windows Hello offers you quick access to computers since you can log in to your Windows devices three times faster compared to passwords with the help of the camera via Face recognition and fingerprint reader. This way, Windows Hello will recognize you right away. However, there are also times when you might encounter some problems when using Windows Hello. For one, if you are trying to add the PIN method to Windows Hello on your Windows 10 computer but you suddenly encountered an error code of 0x801c004d or if you are trying to use your existing pin and you encounter an error code of 0x80070490 along with an error message that says, “Not recognized”, then read on as this post will guide you on how you can fix both of these errors. Here is the complete content for both errors:

• “0x801c004d – Unable to enroll a device to use a PIN for login”
• “0x80070490 - Not recognized, Pin and fingerprint are no longer options for signing in”

If you got any of these two errors, there are several potential fixes you can check out to resolve them. You can try to check for any Windows Updates or create the PIN again or check the CNG Key Isolation Service. You could also try to reset the TPM or create a new User Account. For more information, follow the instructions provided below.

Option 1 – Try checking for any available Windows Updates

The first thing you can do is to check for any available Windows Updates. It is possible that your computer may be outdated and is the reason why you’re having troubles with Windows Hello. To check for Windows Updates, just go to Settings and from there, head over to the Update and Security section and click on Windows Updates located on the left pane, and then click on the Check for Updates option. Wait until the process of checking updates is completed and if it finds new updates, install it. After you install the new Windows Updates, check if you can now add the PIN on Windows Hello or not.

Option 2 – Try creating the PIN again

The next thing you can do is to create the PIN again by signing out and signing in again and then try creating the PIN once more. If this does not work, you can try restarting your computer and creating the PIN again. You could also try removing the PIN and then change it.

• Remove the PIN by going to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
• From there, go to the PIN section and click on the Remove button.
• You will be asked to verify your account to proceed in removing the PIN, enter your credentials.
• Restart your computer and then set up a new PIN.
• Once you’re done, restart your computer and check if the error is gone now.

Option 3 – Try checking the CNG Key Isolation Service

The CNG Key Isolation Service is the one that stores and uses long-lived keys in a secure process complying with the common criteria requirements and it is possible that the error could be related to this service. This service is hosted in the LSA processes and provides key process isolation to private keys and associated cryptographic operations as required by the common criteria. Thus, you need to check this service to see if it’s the one that’s causing the error.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• Next, locate the “CNG Key Isolation Service” and once you find it, double click on it to open its Properties box.
• After opening its Properties, check its Startup type and select Manual. This is the default setting and if it is Disabled, then it’s no wonder why you’re getting errors with Windows Hello, thus, you need to enable it.
• Once done, restart your computer and check if you can now add the PIN to Windows Hello. If you still get the error, then you might want to try setting the CNG Key Isolation Service from Manual to Automatic and then click on the Start button and see if it fixes the error or not.

Option 4 – Try to reset the Trusted Platform Module or TPM

You might also want to try resetting the Trusted Platform Module or TPM to fix the error. You can do this by opening Windows PowerShell and then executing the “Clear-Tpm” command. After that, check if the error is now resolved.

Option 5 – Try to create a new User Account

You could also try to create a new User Account on your Windows 10 computer to fix the Windows Hello error. Once you have created a new local user or administrator account in Windows 10, check if you are now able to add the PIN from this newly created user account.

If your WIFI signal is strong but you can not connect to the internet then keep reading in order to find out why this happens and what can you do to fix it. One very important thing to know and understand is that WIFI and the internet are two different things and that they altho connected and working together are basically 2 things. WIFI is a name for a group of technologies that are using radio vawes to connect to the router in order to access the internet. The Internet itself is series of computers all connected in LAN. Think of WIFI like some invisible cable that connects your computer to the router. When we put things into perspective this way it becomes clear that we can indeed have a strong WIFI signal and that we are connected to the router but the router itself is not connected to the internet. So basically troubleshooting an internet connection is troubleshooting the router itself. The most common approach is to reset the router, turn it off, then back on, check cables, etc. But be sure that if your WIFI signal is strong and you can not access the internet it is a router issue.

As you know, Windows programs depend on several operations to get executed and at the same time, there are also numerous parameters that have to be fulfilled for a program to get executed. However, based on some reports, there was an error when some users tried to run a program. This error says, “The application was unable to start correctly (0xc00007b)”. There could be various reasons why this error occurs but the main one is most likely due to an x86 application that is not compatible with the x64-based operating system. To fix this problem, you can run the Check Disk utility or reinstall the application or the Microsoft .NET Framework. You can also try reinstalling DirectX or replace the corrupted DLL file(s). For more details, refer to the given options below.

Option 1 – 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 <Partition Letter>: /f
• 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 2 – Re-enable the Microsoft .NET Framework

You could also try to disable the Microsoft .NET Framework then enable the latest version of the .NET Framework on your PC and check if the error is fixed

Option 3 – Try to reinstall the program

There are times when some supporting module for your application under the hood could have messed up the application where you get the error. To fix this, you have to uninstall the program and then download its latest version from its official site and then install it again. Once you’re done, run the application and see if the error is fixed.

Option 4 – Run System File Checker scan

If reinstalling the program 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 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.

• Reboot your computer.

Option 5 – Try running the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Since the error has something to do with the DirectX Graphics APIs, you can run the DirectX Diagnostic tool to resolve the problem.

Option 6 – Try updating or re-installing DirectX

If the DirectX Diagnostic tool didn’t work, you can try to update or reinstall DirectX instead. This can help in fixing the problem because when you reinstall or update DirectX, it will replace the incompatible or corrupted components of DirectX from your computer.

If you suddenly encounter the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE – 0x000000DA Blue Screen error while using your Windows 10 computer, read on as this post will provide you some potential fixes to resolve this kind of Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error. There are many potential causes for the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE – 0x000000DA BSOD error. However, incompatible hardware detection and hardware recognition failure are some of the topmost culprits. Another thing that could trigger this kind of BSOD error is system file corruption which means that if a system driver for particular hardware ends up getting corrupted, it won’t be able to recognize the external device and will eventually crash the system with the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE – 0x000000DA Blue Screen error. The SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE bug check has a value of 0x000000DA which indicates that a page table entry or PTE routine has been improperly used. To fix this error, here are some suggestions that might help but before you get started troubleshooting the problem, make sure that you create a System Restore Point first.

Option 1 – Try to disable PIT Security in the BIOS

If you are using a Dell computer and it throws up this kind of Blue Screen error, you need to go to the BIOS and uncheck the PIT Security and see if it helps in fixing the problem.

• Tap the F2 key during the boot phase to enter the BIOS.
• Once you’re in the BIOS, go to the Security tab and to the PIT Security section.
• From there, uncheck the “PIT On” box to disable PIT Security.
• Now restart your computer and check if the Blue Screen error is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Check for any incompatible devices

The next thing you can do to troubleshoot the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE Stop error is to plug in and out each one of the different hardware that is connected to your computer. Doing so will help you determine which one of the hardware is the one that’s triggering the error to pop up. You will also know what hardware drivers or anything else that could be causing this error which includes external devices like mouse, keyboard, printer, as well as internally attached components like the Graphics card and so on.

Option 3 – Try to update, rollback or disable device drivers

To fix the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE Stop error, you can also try to roll back, or update, or disable device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.

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

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

Option 4 – 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 to good system files. Thus, you can try running it to resolve the SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE Blue Screen error. To do so, 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 computer.

Option 5 – 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 SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE – 0x000000DA. It can be found in 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.

A recent update in Windows 10 has caused a couple of glitches. One of these glitches is having trouble signing into Windows 10. Some users reported that they were not able to sign in to their computers using a PIN and they weren’t also able to reset it either. If you are one of these users, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you resolve issues that you are having in signing in to your computer using your PIN or fingerprint with Windows Hello. When you encounter this issue, you will get an error message on your screen stating:

“Your PIN is no longer available due to a change in the security setting on this device on this device.”

To resolve this problem, you need to follow the steps laid out below carefully.

• Step 1: The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you are using an administrator account. After signing in as admin, tap the Win + E keys to open the File Explorer.
• Step 2: After that, under the View menu, enable Hidden items.
• Step 3: Next, navigate to the following path:

C:\Windows\Service\Profiles\Local\Service\AppData\Local\Microsoft

Note: From there, you should see a folder named “Ngc”. This folder might be the one that’s causing the problem so you are going to fix it by making some changes. This folder contains all the files responsible for any PIN-related settings. So if you are not able to access the Ngc folder, or it has gotten corrupted for some reason during an update here’s how to fix it.

• Step 4: Try opening the Ngc folder. If you are able to open it, just skip to step 11 but if you can’t open it and you got the “Permission Denied” error message, proceed to the next few steps.
• Step 5: Right-click on the Ngc folder and select Properties.
• Step 6: Under Properties, go to the Security tab and click on the Advanced button.
• Step 7: Next, click on the Change link which corresponds to the Owner field.
• Step 8: Then click on Object Types and ensure that everything is selected.
• Step 9: After that, enter your username in the field. You can just use the email that corresponds to your Microsoft account or you can also use the Check Names button to verify it. Now click OK.
• Step 10: You should now see a change in the owner's name. Just make sure that you enable the checkbox below it which is labeled, “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects” and then click Apply and close everything.
• Step 11: Next, try opening the Ngc folder again. You should now be able to access it. After opening the folder, delete all of its contents and make sure that it’s empty.
• Step 12: Restart your PC. After your computer has booted, go to the Account Settings and try setting up a new PIN. You should now be able to set up a new PIN and use it to sign in to your PC.

In case you don’t know, Windows contains a feedback mechanism that generates error reports from hardware and software problems. These reports are temporarily stored in the system and send them back to Microsoft so that it can find solutions to the reported problems and fix them in the upcoming updates.  However, as time goes by, these reports actually take a lot of space in your computer which is why end-users like you are free to delete them with the help of the new Free Up Space feature in Windows 10. As useful the Free Up Space feature may be, there are times when you won’t be able to use it for some reason which is why in this post, you will be guided on how to use alternative ways in deleting very large System queued Windows Error Reporting file, some of which may run in Gigabytes. Every time the Windows Error Reporting or WER sends out an error file and looks for a solution, the WER server at Microsoft sends out a solution instantly. And if the solution is under investigation or is unknown, then you will be notified about it right away and will be asked for more details. As mentioned, even though the Free Up Space feature in Settings will be able to clear the error reporting files, there are instances when it won’t be able to delete very large System queued Windows Error Reporting files. Alternatively, there is an option to delete these files using the Disk Cleanup Utility. Feel free to select which option you’d like to use to get rid of Windows Error Reporting Files.

Option 1 – Delete Windows Error Reporting Files via Settings

• Go to Settings.
• From there, go to System > Storage > Free Up Space and then click on it to launch it.
• Afterward, give it some time to populate all the files and folders. Once it’s done, select “System created Windows Error Reporting files” to mark its checkbox while leaving the other options unchecked.
• Next, click on the Remove files button to delete all the Windows Error Reporting files from your computer.

Option 2 – Manually delete the Windows Error Reporting Files

• Tap the Win + E keys to open File Explorer.
• Next, enable the Hidden Files view from the menu.
• Then go to C:/ProgramData/MicrosoftWindowsWER.
• From there, you will see various folders like LocalReportArchive, ReportArchive, ReportQueue, and Temp.
• Open each one of the aforementioned folders and delete the archive files. Note that these files will have names similar to “00c58c1f-b836-4703-9bcf-c699ca24d285”.

Note: If you are not able to delete any of these files, you have to take ownership of the folder. To do so, refer to these steps:

• Right-click on the folder and then select Properties.
• Next, click on the Edit button in the Properties window and click OK to confirm if you got a User Account Control elevation request.
• After that, select user/group from the permission windows or click on the Add button to add another user or group. It would be best if you add “Everyone” to give permission.
• Then check “Full Control” under the “Allow” column to assign full access rights control permissions.
• Now edit the permission to Full Control for “Everyone”.
• Click OK to save the changes made and then exit.

On the other hand, if you do not want to go through all these troubles in deleting the Windows Error Reporting files, you can just disable it especially if it already becomes a daily annoyance as the files generate every day and their sizes are mostly gigabytes. And besides, there are times when these files do not make it to the Microsoft WER server and end up only occupying a lot of space for nothing.

Why Can’t drag and drop files or folders happens? In case you don’t know, there is a feature in Windows 10 called drag and drop that can help you move or copy files or even folders from one location to another. This feature is useful and can help you move or copy folders and files easier and quicker. However, if you encounter some problem while using this feature, worry not for this post will guide you on what you can do to resolve the problem. There are several suggestions you can check out to fix the problem. You can try to simply tap the Esc key or you could also troubleshoot the problem in a Clean Boot State. Aside from that, changing the drag height and width or disabling the User Account Control via Registry Editor might also help. For more details, refer to the instructions laid out below.

Option 1 – Try to tap the Esc key

According to some users who experienced the same dilemma, by simply tapping the Esc key, they were able to resolve the problem. All they did was tap the Esc key before they drag and drop the folder or files. Thus, you can try doing the same thing as it might also work for you. After you tap the Esc key, you have to check all the background applications and if you see some that could be related to the hotkeys or keyboard, you might have to disable or remove them. Once done, check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try troubleshooting the problem in a Clean Boot State

There are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the reason why you’re having trouble using the drag and drop feature in Windows 10. 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” checkbox 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 to configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• From there, start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

Option 3 – Try changing the drag height and width

The next thing you can do to resolve the issue is to try changing drag height and width by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop
• From there, choose to modify both the “DragHeight” and “DragWidth” located on the right pane.
• After that, change the value to a very high number. Note that these values are nothing but pixel size to drag and drop folders or files.

Option 4 – Try disabling the User Account Control or UAC via Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem
• From this path, modify the value of “EnableLUA” from 1 to 0. This should disable the UAC in your Windows 10 computer.

Being in the Microsoft Windows insider program will let you get a hands-on new Windows 11, but some people just want Windows 11 without being in the insider program. Well, people beware! It was detected that some groups have been releasing fake Windows 11 installers with malware into them. There’s one malicious file called 86307_windows 11 builds 21996.1 x64 + activator.exe. Based on the filename, one might guess that it includes Windows 11 build 21996.1, and on top of that, there’s something in it that will automatically activate Windows for you. It comes in at 1.75GB, so for some people, that might seem reasonable. It starts out looking like a normal installer, and then there’s a second installer that calls itself a download manager. If you accept the nonsense agreement that’s included, you get a bunch of malware. This is just one example of malicious installers running amok internet, but there are more of them with different software placed inside. Malware can be anything from adware to a Trojan virus. The adware usually isn’t super dangerous. It’s just malware that’s meant to inject your PC with advertisements. Viruses can be more of an issue, and they can be harder to get rid of if your machine is infected. Windows Defender does a good job of getting rid of this stuff. The only problem is that if you’re downloading Windows 11 from shady sources, you’re probably already set to click through the dozen or so warnings that pop up telling you not to install it. The solution will be to get Windows from a trusted source of roll inside the insider program and get it from Microsoft directly.