Media Creation Tool Error 0x80072f76 – 0x20016

Hello and welcome everyone, just a few years ago we had FLASH video content on the internet, we had FLASH games, full FLASH website experiences, and more, but then flash was shut down mostly due to security reasons meaning that in just a few months we have lost most of FLASH web content. However, there is still FLASH content on the internet even today, there are still FLASH videos and flash games, but we can not play any of that content since browsers do not support FLASH and you can not get the FLASH plugin for browsers. So what might be the solution for this situation?

Ruffle and FLASH emulation

Emulation of course. We will not be able to get the flash player working, well at least not the original and official one, but we can make flash content playable again inside our browsers. The first thing is first, we need to get an emulator package from the internet in order for this trick to work, one we will be using is RUFFLE. It is lightweight, it is free, it is open source and it is reliable, everything we need. Download RUFFLE from its official website here. For Chrome and Edge download the ZIP package, for Firefox, go to the Firefox section of the tutorial. There is also a desktop version of RUFFLE there so if you are keen on playing your flash content on your desktop computer you might well grab that as well, but for the sake of this tutorial where we are enabling flash in our browsers, we will not focus on that part since it is pretty straightforward. Now once you have downloaded the RUFFLE emulator, please extract it to the desired folder somewhere on your computer. Once it is extracted, start your browser of choice and follow instructions.

FOR CHROME:

1. Navigate to: chrome://extensions/
2. Turn ON developer mode in the top right corner
3. Click on Load unpacked
4. Navigate to the folder where you have extracted RUFFLE

FOR EDGE:

1. Navigate to: edge://extensions/
2. Turn ON developer mode on the bottom left corner
3. Navigate to the folder where you have extracted RUFFLE
4. Turn RUFFLE ON

FOR FIREFOX:

1. Go to the RUFFLE download page, we can not use the zip package we were using for Chrome and Edge
2. Right-click on the Firefox download link
3. Save link by clicking on Save link as...
4. Navigate to about: debugging
5. Click on this Firefox
6. Click Load Temporary Add-on
7. Select the .xpi that you have downloaded

BONUS:

If you want to enable FLASH content live on your website use:  <script src="path_to_ruffle/ruffle.js"></script>

If you receive an error message saying, “Windows Update cannot currently check for updates because updates on this computer are controlled”, while trying to change the Windows Update preferences or manually update, then read on as this post will guide you in fixing it. You can mostly encounter this error in managed systems where an Administrator controls the permission on the operating system. The reason why you are not able to modify the Windows Update preferences or manually update your system is that a group policy prevents you from doing so and that the only user who can do these things is none other than the administrator of the system. Troubleshooting this kind of problem is the same as when you troubleshoot an error message that says, “Some settings are managed by your organization”. In such cases, you need to check both the Windows Update Group Policy and Registry settings. If you’re just a standard user, you have to contact your system administrator regarding this issue and if you are the administrator, you can make adjustments to the system settings via the Registry Editor and the Group Policy Editor. Refer to the instructions given below for detailed instructions.

Option 1 – via the Registry Editor

If you are using the Home edition of Windows 10 and you want to change the policy for non-admin users on your local computer, then you can use the Registry Editor for that. Here’s how you can do it:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows

• From there, look for the key named “WindowsUpdate” in the Windows folder and if it does not exist, you can just right-click on the Windows folder and select New > Key.
• Now name the new key “WindowsUpdate” and create a new sub-key under the newly created key and input “AU” as its name.
• Keep AU selected and then right-click anywhere in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Then name the Value as “AUOptions” and right-click on AUOptions and select Modify.
• Next, change the value of the Value data to “5” and click OK to save the changes made to the settings. Note that the Value Data of 5 refers to the policy to allow the local admin to choose the setting.
• Now restart your computer once you’re done and check if non-admin users can now modify the Windows Update settings or update Windows.

Option 2 – via Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “gpedit.msc” and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this folder: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update.
• Now look for the “Configure Automatic Updates” policy on the right pane and double click on it to open its Properties.
• After that, shift the Radio button to “Enabled” and from the drop-down menu for Configure automatic updating, select option 5: Allow local admin to choose the setting.
• Then click on Apply and OK to save the changes made to the settings.
• Restart your computer and check if the problem’s fixed or not.

As you know, one of the basic apps in the Windows 10 operating system is the calculator and it can even be extended to a scientific calculator which makes it really useful for users. However, there are instances when you might encounter some issues while using this app. One of the issues about the Calculator app that’s been reported recently is that the Calculator app is not working. If you encounter the same problem, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on what you can do to fix the problem. Based on the reports, users claimed that the issue with the Calculator app occurred right after they’ve installed a feature update, while other users claimed that the Calculator app never really worked on their computers and there are also cases where the app opens but it either freezes or crashes. According to researchers, the main causes of the problem include a feature update that could’ve altered the settings. It could also be due to problems with the login account or corrupted and missing files, or the problem could also with the calculate app itself. To resolve this problem, here are some suggestions you can follow.

Option 1 – 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 that might be the reason why the calculator app is not working properly. 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.

• Reboot your computer.

Option 2 – 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” that could help in fixing the Calculator app.

• 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
  • Dism (.)exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.

Option 3 – Try logging into your computer using a different User Account

You might want to try logging into a different User Account since it is possible that the issue could have something to do with your log-in account. Thus, you can isolate this possibility by logging into a different user account. If you don’t have any other user account, simply create a new one by clicking on the Start icon and then go to Settings > Account > Family & other users. From there, go to the Other user's section and click on the Add someone else to this PC option, and then inputs all the needed information and restarts your computer. Once your computer has restarted, log into your computer using the newly created user account.

Option 4 – Try to reset or reinstall the Calculator app

If the first three given options didn’t work, you might want to reset or reinstall the Calculator app. To do that, follow these steps:

• Click on the Start button and go to Settings > Apps > Apps and features.
• Next, look for the Calculator app from the app list and click on it to see its other options.
• After that, select the Advanced options and go to the Reset section and then click on the Reset button to reset the Calculator app.

Note: You also have the option to reinstall the Calculator app. All you have the option to visit Microsoft Store and from there, uninstall the Calculator app.

What is Chkdsk Error?

Chkdsk (Check Disk) is a built-in Microsoft Windows O/S utility tool.

This tool is designed to verify the integrity of data stored on the hard drive. In addition to this, it resolves and finds errors that may corrupt and damage stored data on your system and affect your PC’s performance.

This tool is intended to keep your PC’s Windows database clean.

However, this tool has certain limitations. It prevents the hard disk from getting damaged but if it gets damaged and corrupt then this tool is no good. It fails to disk check and repair. As a result, you may come across Chkdsk error pop-ups.

In such an event, it is not advisable to run the malfunctioned Chkdsk utility on your PC as it may damage your system beyond repair making you lose all your valuable data saved on your system.

Solution

Error Causes

Chkdsk errors are triggered by multiple reasons:

• Viruses
• Hard Drive failure
• Registry Corruption Due to Data Overload
• Poor PC Maintenance

Chkdsk errors may cause PC to freeze and lag and also result in data loss as we discussed above.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To avoid serious damages that the Chkdsk error code can cause to your system, it is advisable to fix it. You can either hire a professional or install Restoro. The latter is not just the best way but also a time and money-saving option. It is fast, user-friendly and you can download it for free thus saving hundreds of dollars that you would be paying for professional services.

Why Use Restoro?

Restoro is an advanced PC repair tool embedded with multiple features such as a registry cleaner, anti-virus, system optimizer, and Active X and Class error scanner. It helps resolve practically all types and kinds of PC-related errors including the most notorious ones like the Chkdsk errors.

It has an automated and intuitive interface smoothly integrated with the latest technology that enables this software to scan your entire PC and detect errors in seconds.

With the help of its super functional registry cleaner, Restoro detects errors registry issues triggering Chkdsk errors on your system. It cleans all the unnecessary files like junk files, bad and invalid registry entries, and internet files that are stored in your hard disk and taking a lot of space. It removes the clutter and frees up your disk space and repairs the damaged registry.

It boosts the speed of your system and ensures that programs run smoothly on your PC and there are no hang-ups or system freezes.

The privacy error detector functions as a powerful anti-virus. With the help of this feature, Restoro identifies and scans for viruses and malware infecting your system. These are removed right away.

Restoro is 100% safe and efficient. It has a backup feature that enables users to create backup copies. This is carried for safety purposes. In case you lose your data during the repair of the Chkdsk error, you can always recover and restore the lost files without any hassle.

With some registry cleaners and repair tools you may often have to struggle with compatibility issues but not with this PC Fixer.

Restoro is compatible with all Windows versions. It is simple and very easy to use. From beginners, intermediate to experienced, all levels of users can use it with ease.

Here are the steps to get started:

1. Click here to install Restoro on your computer
2. Once the installation is complete, run the fixer for a scan. You have the option to either scan some portions of the PC or the entire PC.
3. Scanning will take a few seconds
4. Once the scanning is complete, Restoro will display the scan results. This is presented in a comprehensive report showing you errors found including the Chkdsk error and errors related to it.
5. After that, all you need to do is press the repair button to resolve the error(s) promptly.
6. Once the error is resolved, try running the Chkdsk utility again.

What is the error code 0x800ccc90?

The 0x800ccc90 is a common Outlook Express error. This error occurs when Outlook Express fails to connect to the mail server that handles incoming and outgoing emails.

The error is usually displayed as:

“There was a problem logging onto your mail server. Your User Name was rejected.”

Though this error does not pose any security threats to your PC if it is not fixed immediately, it may limit your ability to send and receive emails on your Outlook email address.

Error Causes

The error 0x800ccc90 is usually triggered by the following causes:

1. Authentication problem- This happens when your account details are not authenticated by the server. In this case, you will see a pop up message displaying ‘Server:’pop3.example.com’, or ‘Secure (SSL): No, Server Error: 0x800ccc90’.
2. Failure of POP3 server

Further Information and Manual Repair

If you come across the error 0x800ccc90, then don’t you worry! You don’t have to hire a professional to resolve this issue. In fact, you can fix it all by yourself. Here are some DIY solutions to repair this problem.

Solution 1:

• Go to the ‘Tools’ tab and select ‘Accounts’
• As you click on the accounts tab, an internet accounts box will appear on the screen
• Now double click on the account property box.
• After that go to the server tab and click it.
• Now check on the box that says ‘My Server Requires Authentication.’
• Once you check on this option now click on apply to accept changes and then close the window.
• To bring the changes into effect, restart Outlook and then try to send emails again. Hopefully, this will work.

Solution 2:

However, if you are still unable to resolve the problem, then this means the PST files are corrupt and damaged and there is no problem from the server's end. When this happens, then the best way to resolve this problem is to download a PST repair tool.

We suggest downloading the PST repair tool from a trusted website.

After downloading it, run and scan it on your PC to detect errors. You will have to be patient because scanning may take a couple of minutes. Once the scanning is complete, click on repair to resolve the problem.

So, next time when you are unable to send or receive emails on your Outlook Express and you see the 0x800ccc90 error message, then try using the solutions given above to resolve the error right away.

The Google Chrome browser checks the SSL Security Certificate of the website that you are trying to open. However, if Chrome is not able to check the certificate then you might encounter an error related to the SSL Certificates which you might face when browsing the web. This particular error is the ERR BAD SSL CLIENT AUTH CERT error which is caused by many factors such as the computer’s Time, Cached Data is corrupt, Date is out of sync, as well as third party software installed in your computer is the one that’s blocking the site and many more. The ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error might also be coming from the website’s end. It could be that the server is rejecting the certificate the client website is sending. The certificate might have already expired or the server may not trust its issuer – whichever the case may be, here are some options you can check out to fix the error.

Option 1 – Sync Date and Time

The first thing you can try is to sync the Date and Time of your computer as the wrong Date and Time settings are one of the most common causes of connection problems like the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error. This is because of the incompatibility between the SSL Certificate validation date and the System Clock. Thus, you have to sync your System Clock. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• Right-click on the Taskbar and click on the Adjust Date and Time option.
• Next, click on the Sync Now button to synchronize the Date and Time with the Microsoft Servers.
• Now make sure that the Time Zone that’s set on the same page is correct.

Option 2 – Try clearing the browser data

There are times when some data in the browser is conflicting with the loading of the website and triggers errors like ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT. 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 3 – Try to check and fix any possible conflicts with third-party programs

Third-party programs like internet protection software could be interrupting the connection and causing the error. For some unknown reason, your antivirus program or firewall might be detecting the webpage you are trying to open as malicious or with less credibility which is why it is blocking the browser from opening the website. To fix that, if you have third-party programs installed like VPN, security software, or any add-on, or firewall, you can disable them temporarily and see if it fixes the problem and you’re able to pull up the website. After a while, you have to enable them back and configure their settings so that the website won’t get blocked again.

Option 4 – Try enabling SSL 3 / TLS and disable QUIC Protocol

If you were using Google Chrome when you got the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error, then you need to follow the protocol fixes for SSL3/TLS and QUIC which are usually some of the reasons that cause the SSL version / Cipher Mismatch. It also has a few fixes for Windows 10 computer where you can clear the certificates and make sure that your computer date and time is in sync with your time zone and so on. If you were using Edge or Internet Explorer when you got the error, then you have to follow the steps below.

• Type “Internet” in the search box of your browser. After that, you should see the Internet Options from the search results.
• Next, open the Internet Properties window and switch to the Advanced tab and then scroll down to the Security section.
• From there, check the “Use TLS 1.1” checkbox as well as the “Use TLS 1.2” checkbox and then click OK to save the changes made.
• Restart the browser.

On the other hand, if you were using Firefox when you go the error, here’s what you have to do.

• Open Firefox and in the address bar, type “about:config” and hit Enter.
• If a warning appears, just click on the “I accept the risk!” button to proceed.
• Next, type in “TLS” in the search field and hit Enter.
• Then look for “security.tls.version.min” and double click on it and set its integer value to 3 to force the protocol of TLS 1.3.
• Now click OK and restart Firefox and do the same thing with SSL.

Option 5 – Try to update Google Chrome

You might also want to try updating your browser to its latest version and have it installed in your computer. After you install the update, check if you can now open the website you were trying to open earlier.

Option 6 – 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.

Fatal Error c000021a - What is it?

Fatal Error c000021a is a type of Windows stop error also known as the blue screen of death (BSoD) error. When this error occurs, it causes the computer screen to go blue and locks the user out of the current activity. This error code is fatal and can lead to serious issues like system crashes and freeze. The error code is usually displayed in the following format:

STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error} The Windows Logon Process system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000034 (0x00000000 0x0000000)

Solution

Error Causes

Fatal Error c000021a occurs when the Windows kernel detects that either Winlogon.exe or Csrss.exe service processes have stopped responding or failed to load.  When this happens the error code pops up on the screen. Nonetheless, this is not the only reason for the occurrence of this error. There are plenty more reasons why Fatal Error c000021a may pop on your computer screen. These include:

• Missing or corrupt hardware drivers
• Faulty hardware
• Windows System Restore failed during the rollback process
• Malware or viral infection
• Registry issues

No matter what the reason may be, it is advisable to fix the error right away without any delays. Remember it is a fatal error and can cause a great deal of damage to your PC.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Fatal Error c000021a is a serious PC issue but this does not mean you have to hire an expert to get it fixed. The good news is that this error is actually quite easy to resolve. You don’t have to be a technical whiz or a computer programmer to fix Fatal Error c000021a on your PC. Here are some do it yourself methods to fix this error code right away without any hassle: Let’s get started:

Method 1: Update Your PC Drivers

As we mentioned about corrupt or missing drivers can be one of the many reasons for the occurrence of this error. So, check the drivers first. Perform a driver scan and make sure all your drivers are updated.

Method 2: Perform a Windows System Restore

To do this, first launch Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC on your keyboard. Now click on the application tab and then click ‘New Task’ then browse. After that, go to C:\Windows\System32\Restore  folder and then double click the rstrui.exe file. This will help start system restoration. Your computer will reboot during the process and hopefully, the error will be resolved. Nonetheless, if the error still persists then try methods 3 and 4.

Method 3: Scan for Viruses

Sometimes Fatal Error c000021a may also occur due to malware infection. Your PC may be affected by viruses hidden in different locations without you knowing about it. Therefore to resolve this error, it is recommended to run an antivirus and scan for viruses. If detected, remove them right away to fix the error code.

Method 4: Repair the Registry

Another method to resolve Fatal Error c000021a code on your system is to repair the registry. The registry stores all the information and activities performed on the system. If it is not cleaned frequently, it gets loaded with too many files unnecessary and obsolete files like the junk files, cookies, internet history and temporary files which corrupts and damages the registry thereby generating blue screen of death error codes like Fatal Error c000021a. Though you can repair the registry manually it can be both time-consuming and slightly difficult especially if you are not a computer programmer. Therefore it is advisable to download a registry cleaner to fix it right away.

Automatic Repair with Restoro.

Whether the Fatal Error c000021a code occurs due to viral infection or registry issues, download Restoro. This is a next-generation, advanced, and multi-functional PC Fixer. This software is deployed with multiple utilities such as a powerful registry cleaner, an antivirus, a system optimizer, and more. The registry cleaner scans the entire PC and detects all types of registry issues at once. It cleans the registry, wipes out all the unnecessary files, and restores the registry back to normal. Simultaneously, the antivirus embedded in this software detects all types of viruses including malware, adware, spyware and Trojans and removes them in seconds. The system optimizer feature ensures the speed and performance of your PC are not compromised during the repairing process. It ensures your PC works at its optimal speed. Restoro is a one-stop solution for all your PC needs. It has a user-friendly interface making it easy for all levels of users to work around. It is compatible with all Windows versions Click here to download Restoro and resolve the Fatal Error c000021a code on your PC today!

If you have set a static IP address manually in your Windows 10 computer and you encounter an error saying, “This operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for this operation”, then you won’t be able to connect to any network. Many users have reported that they were unable to connect to any network after they set their IP addresses manually and all they see is a red cross symbol on the network icon located at the left-hand side of the taskbar. And upon trying to release the IP configuration and renew the address using Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell, they are getting the error instead. Users also noted that their internet connection is fine since they were able to connect to their Wi-Fi connection on their mobile devices. However, they find it hard to connect to the internet using their PCs. To fix this issue, here are some possible fixes you can check out. Make sure to follow each one of the instructions carefully.

Option 1 – Try to run the Internet Connections troubleshooter

As you were not able to connect to your internet connection using your PC, you can try to run the Internet Connections troubleshooter as it might resolve the problem. Refer to the following steps to run this troubleshooter:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• After opening Settings, go to Update and Security.
• Next, navigate to the Troubleshoot pane and select the Internet Connections section and click the Run Troubleshooter button to get started.
• Wait until the troubleshooter is finished doing its job and then try connecting to your network again.

Option 2 – Try to perform Network Reset

As pointed out, the “This operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for this operation” error occurs due to the static IP you’ve set. Thus, to fix it, you can try to perform a Network Reset. This will reset the entire network configuration including your IP address. To perform Network Reset, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• From there, go to the Network and Internet section.
• Next, scroll down and look for “Network Reset” under the status pane.
• After that, click on Network Reset and then on Reset now to start resetting the network configuration. Once done, check if it is able to fix the error or not.

Option 3 – Try to update or rollback or uninstall the Network drivers

You might also want to update, roll back, or disable your Network drivers to fix the “This operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for this operation” error.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “MSC” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
• Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and depending on your preference, you can either select “Update driver”, “Disable device” or “Uninstall device”.
• After that, restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the netio.sys Blue Screen error.

Option 4 – Try to reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS

You might also want to try resetting Winsock, TCP/IP, and flushing DNS might help you resolve errors. 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 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.

DuckDuckGo has risen in the public eye as a private search engine offering searches without tracking. A less known fact about DuckDuckGo is that they have their own browser, well they have it for the Android platform and it was stated that it is coming for desktops soon.

People were excited for this new browser for a few reasons, one of them being privacy and another that it is built from scratch, not using existing chromium runtime that assured users that privacy is the main focus. Still, lately, things got a little out of control. Duckduckgo is under fire from users since a security researcher has discovered that there is an exception for Microsoft trackers inside Browser.

The main feature of their browser is that it blocks tracking scripts and most online advertising with the goal of preventing servers from collecting data about your online behavior. Of course, tracking protection is never 100% effective since it requires a lot of manual labor from people to add sites and links to blocklists but it was discovered that DuckDuckGo has a defined exception in the browser for Microsoft owned ad networks and tracking scripts giving them free pass even when they are related to privacy compromisation.

Zach Edwards first pointed out the exception in a series of tweets, after noticing DuckDuckGo on iPhone and Android wasn’t blocking LinkedIn and Bing advertisements on Facebook’s Workplace site.

You can capture data within the DuckDuckGo so-called private browser on a website like Facebook's https://t.co/u8W44qvsqF and you'll see that DDG does NOT stop data flows to Microsoft's Linkedin domains or their Bing advertising domains.

iOS + Android proof:
👀🫥😮‍💨🤡⛈️⚖️💸💸💸 pic.twitter.com/u3Q30KIs7e

— ℨ𝔞𝔠𝔥 𝔈𝔡𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔰 (@thezedwards) May 23, 2022

DuckDuckGo’s CEO and founder, Gabriel Weinberg, replied with his own series of tweets.

Most of our other protections also apply to MSFT-owned properties as well. This is just about non-DuckDuckGo and non-Microsoft sites, where our search syndication agreement prevents us from stopping Microsoft-owned scripts from loading, though we can still apply protections post-load (like 3rd party cookie blocking). We are also working to change that.

DuckDuckGo says it uses over 400 sources for search engine results, including the company’s own web crawler, but typical link results are sourced most commonly from Bing. According to Weinberg, DuckDuckGo’s ability to use Bing search results depends on a carved-out exception for Microsoft’s ads in the mobile browser. A representative from DuckDuckGo told that third-party cookies from Microsoft services are still blocked.

Of course, the main aim and campaign of DUckDuckGo's rise was private search and private browsing so this kind of news did not go well among long supporters. The latest statement from them is as follows:

We have always been extremely careful to never promise anonymity when browsing, because that frankly isn’t possible given how quickly trackers change how they work to evade protections and the tools we currently offer. When most other browsers on the market talk about tracking protection, they are usually referring to 3rd-party cookie protection and fingerprinting protection, and our browsers for iOS, Android, and our new Mac beta, impose these restrictions on third-party tracking scripts, including those from Microsoft.

What we’re talking about here is an above-and-beyond protection that most browsers don’t even attempt to do — that is, blocking third-party tracking scripts before they load on 3rd party websites. Because we’re doing this where we can, users are still getting significantly more privacy protection with DuckDuckGo than they would using Safari, Firefox and other browsers. This blog post we published gets into the real benefits users enjoy from this approach, like faster load times (46% average decrease) and less data transferred (34% average decrease). Our goal has always been to provide the most privacy we can in one download, by default without any complicated settings.

You can prevent starting of app installations files if they have not come from the MS store inside Windows 11. This can make your PC more secure because all apps in the store will have to be digitally signed and overall it can provide you with more control over what will be installed. Follow the guide below to find out how can you easily turn this feature ON.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open Windows settings
2. Select Apps and then choose Apps & Features
3. Click on Choose where to get apps to bring a drop-down menu
4. Select The Microsoft Store only (Recommended)
5. Close settings

Settings will apply changes immediately and you continue using Windows right away. With these settings turned ON if you want to install a downloaded application or run the installer you will not be able to, and message The app you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft-verified app will show on your screen. You can always reverse this setting by choosing Anywhere in settings instead of Microsoft store only.