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Fix Origin Error when loading the webpage

If you encounter a blank page with an error message saying, “Origin Error” when you try to load a webpage, then this post will surely help you resolve this error. As you can see, this error is a very uncommon one and it is not about the popular game known as Origin where all you have to do is reinstall the client.

Although this error message is a very uncommon one, you will see a blank page with a message saying, “Origin Error” when you attempt to load a webpage. To fix this error, this post will provide you some potential fixes that might help. Follow the fixes given below carefully and see which one fixes the problem.

Option 1 – Use Ctrl + F5 keys to clear browser cache

The first thing you can try is to “Hard Refresh” to clear the cache of your browsers. You can do that by using the Ctrl + F5 keys on your keyboard. On the other hand, you can also clear the cache manually for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

Option 2 – Remove the Proxy

You might also want to try removing the Proxy as it could also help you in fixing the Origin error. Here’s how you can do it:

  • 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 3 – Try to flush the DNS, reset Winsock and the TCP/IP

You might also want to flush the DNS and reset Winsock as well as reset TCP/IP as it could help in fixing the Origin error. To do so, refer to these steps:

  • Click the Start button and type in “command prompt” in the field.
  • From the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
  • After opening Command Prompt, you have to type each one of the commands listed below. Just make sure that after you type each command, you hit Enter
    • ipconfig /release
    • ipconfig /all
    • ipconfig /flushdns
    • ipconfig /renew
    • netsh int ip set dns
    • netsh winsock reset

After you key in the commands listed above, the DNS cache will be flushed and the Winsock, as well as the TCP/IP, will reset.

  • Now restart your computer and open Google Chrome then try opening the website you were trying to open earlier.

Option 4 – Try using Google Public DNS

You might want to try changing your current DNS to the Google Public DNS. All you have to do is change the DNS settings explicitly on your operating system by using the DNS IP addresses. Here’s are the steps to do that:

  • The first thing you have to do is right-click on the network icon in the Taskbar and select Network and Sharing Center.
  • Next, click on the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
  • After that, search for the network connection that you are using to connect to the internet. Note that the option might be “Wireless Connection” or “Local Area Connection”.
  • Right-click on your network connection and click on Properties.
  • Then select the new window to choose the “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
  • After that, click on the Properties button and click the checkbox in the new window for the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
  • Type in “8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

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The device is not ready trying to connect USB
External hard drives have become essentials as they store data. However, they are also prone to issues and one of them is the “The device is not ready”. You could encounter this error when you try to access your connected hard drive. This error won’t allow you to access the contents of your hard drive so unless you fix it, you won’t be able to access any of the files on your hard drive. One of the most likely causes of this error is a hardware defect. Aside from that, it could also be due to loose connections, obsolete device drivers, as well as compatibility issues between the operating system and the hard drive. Before you start troubleshooting the problem, you need to determine if you were able to access your hard drive before you encountered the error or not. If not, you need to check the compatibility of the device with your operating system as it could be the reason why you’re getting the error. There are several potential fixes you can check out to fix this error. You can try to check the hardware connections, run the built-in Hardware and Devices troubleshooter, as well as the USB troubleshooter. You could also run the CHKDSK utility or update the drivers of the device or the USB drivers.

Option 1 – Try checking the hardware connections

The first thing you have to do before you further troubleshoot the problem is to check the hardware connections of your computer and see if there are damaged ones, just like with USB ports, it would also affect the overall connectivity of the device with the computer. So if you notice some irregularities in the connecting cable physically, you might have to buy another one and replace it and then see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 2 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooters

  • The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
  • After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
  • From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
  • Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
  • After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.
Note: You could also try to run the USB troubleshooter as it could also resolve the problem.

Option 3 – Run the CHKDSK utility

As you know, the CHKDSK utility can help you in identifying the bad sectors in a drive and fix them automatically. Thus, you can run it to fix the “The device is not ready” error when you connect your USB drive to your computer.
  • Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
  • Next, type and enter this command to execute it: chkdsk /f <drive>
  • Now, wait until the process is completed and exit Command Prompt.
  • Restart your computer and try connecting the USB drive again and see if the error is fixed.

Option 4 – Try to update the drivers of the device

Although you can always update the device drivers using the Device Manager, you might want to try downloading the latest set of drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website. Once you’ve downloaded them, install them right away and then correct the external hard drive.

Option 5 – Update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller driver

If updating the drivers of the device did not fix the “The device is not ready” error, you can try to update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers instead of using the Device Manager. Refer to the following steps:
  • First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
  • Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
  • From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.
Note: If it is a regular USB drive, then it will be listed as a USB Mass Storage Device but if you have a USB 3.0 device, then look for a USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller.
  • Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.
Note: If updating the USB Controller drivers didn’t work, you can try to reinstall them instead.

Option 6 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

If the first three given options didn’t work and you still see the error when you connect external devices, you can try putting your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try connecting them again.
  • 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.)
  • Now try to connect the external devices and check if the error is now gone.
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Signs that someone is spying on you via your phone

Spying via some malicious app on the target phone is not a new thing but it can be very uncomfortable and even against the law in some countries.

Infecting the target phone can be done in various ways, another person can intentionally download and install applications on it, and you can install them via some phishing attacks or by an online scam. Once installed this piece of software presents a very serious invasion of privacy since it can track text messages, track phone location in real-time, record calls in real-time, eavesdrop on calls, take control of the camera and microphone, and many other applications.

spy phone

Here are some common symptoms of mobile phones infected with spyware.

Symptoms of spyware

Random reboots
Slow performance
Strange text messages
Overheating
Unusual high data usage
Non-familiar apps in the app list
The fast drain of the battery
Long shutdown time
Strange interference and sounds during calls
Signs of activity during standby mode

If your phone exhibits any of these symptoms you might have a spyware app installed and running on it.

Common spy apps

There are many apps that have been designed to spy on people that can be downloaded in the app store or on Google Play today. Most of these spyware apps are aimed at parents wanting to keep an eye on and protect their children. However, these can be used by anyone in order to spy on a target person via their phone.

Below is a list of common apps that can be used to spy on you. Many spyware apps require a phone to be ‘jailbroken’ or ‘rooted’ before being installed, this is when the phone’s operating system is changed to allow the phone to become unlocked and customizable.

mSpy : An undetectable spying app for iOS devices. It can be used to read your chats, see your location, view your email, check your call history, record your keystrokes, and more.

Spyera : This app requires rooted and jail-broken iPhones to work. It can go undetected and monitors phone calls and your call history. It even allows call recording and eavesdropping on live calls.

Flexispy : Flexispy prides itself as the #1 phone monitor for parents and can monitor everything from calls to social texts.

Umobix : This powerful spyware app has a dashboard that allows users to easily monitor someone’s location, calls, texts, keystrokes, all major social media, and more. You can detect Umobix because it heats up the infected phone and greatly affects the battery life of the infected device.

Ikey Monitor : Although it requires the device to be rooted for Android or jailbroken for iPhones, this spy app captures keystrokes, passwords, and screenshots, allows for call recording and supports multiple languages.

Clevguard : Available for both iOS and Android, Clevguard allows users to track GPS and Wi-Fi locations, capture screenshots remotely, and more. Due to a recent update, the spy app drains the target phone’s battery significantly.

Remove spyware from your phone

If any of the beforementioned apps are present on your phone you need to remove them right away.

Go to your phone settings and remove the malicious applications, then download some protection suite and scan the whole phone for any other trace of software remains or other malware apps.

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How to get rid of My Maps Wizard

My Maps Wizard is a browser extension for Google Chrome Developed by Mindspark Inc. This extension offers users access to different websites that offer route planning, map views, and other traveling tools.

While all this might sound interesting and useful, this extension has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by several popular anti-virus applications.

When installed this extension changes your default home page and new tab page to MyWay.com or Ask.com depending on the extension version. It also monitors and records user browsing activity that it later uses to display sponsored / unwanted ads throughout your browsing sessions. While browsing the internet with this extension active and installed you will see additional pop-up ads, sponsored links, and injected ads into search results.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a form of unwanted software, often a browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in the browser’s settings. There are lots of reasons why you may experience a browser hijack; however commercial, advertising, and marketing are the primary reasons for their creation. It redirects you to the sponsored websites and injects ads on your internet browser that assists its creator to generate earnings. Although it may seem naive, these tools were created by malicious people who always attempt to take full advantage of you, so that hackers can easily earn money from your naive and distraction. Browser hijackers could also allow other harmful programs without your knowledge to further damage your personal computer.

How you can know whether the web browser is hijacked?

There are numerous symptoms of web browser hijacking: 1. you notice unauthorized modifications to your web browser’s homepage 2. you find new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, usually directed to ad-filled or pornography sites 3. the default search engine and the default web browser settings are altered 4. you find many toolbars on the internet browser 5. never-ending pop-up ads appear and/or your browser pop-up blocker is disabled 6. your browser has instability problems or exhibits frequent errors 7. you can’t visit specific websites such as homepages of anti-malware software.

So how does a PC get infected with a browser hijacker?

There are a number of ways your PC can get infected by a browser hijacker. They generally arrive by way of spam email, via file-sharing websites, or by a drive-by download. They may also originate from any BHO, browser extension, toolbar, add-on, or plug-in with malicious intent. A browser hijacker may also come bundled up with some freeware that you unwittingly download to your PC, compromising your internet security. An example of some infamous browser hijacker includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, SweetPage, DefaultTab, RocketTab, and Delta Search, however, the names are often changing. Browser hijacking can lead to severe privacy problems and even identity theft, affect your web browsing experience by taking control of outgoing traffic, drastically slows down your personal computer by consuming lots of system resources, and cause system instability as well.

Learn how to remove a browser hijacker

Certain browser hijacking can be quite easily stopped by finding and eliminating the corresponding malware software through your control panel. Having said that, the majority of hijackers are quite tenacious and need specialized tools to remove them. Furthermore, manual removals require in-depth system knowledge and therefore could be a very difficult task for novice computer users. Industry experts always suggest users eliminate any malicious software including browser hijacker by using an automatic removal tool, which is simpler, safer, and quicker than the manual removal solution. One of the best tools for correcting browser hijacker infections is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. It will help you remove any pre-existing malicious software on your system and provides you real-time monitoring and protection against new internet threats. Employ a system optimizer (such as Total System Care) along with your antivirus software to correct various registry issues, eliminate computer vulnerabilities, and boost your computer performance.

What To Do When You Cannot Install Safebytes Anti-Malware?

All malware is bad, but certain types of malware do much more damage to your computer or laptop than others. Certain malware variants modify web browser settings by adding a proxy server or change the PC’s DNS configuration settings. In these instances, you’ll be unable to visit certain or all of the sites, and thus not able to download or install the required security software to eliminate the computer virus. So what to do if malicious software keeps you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? There are a few actions you can take to get around this issue.

Install the anti-malware in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is actually a unique, basic version of Microsoft Windows in which just bare minimum services are loaded to stop viruses as well as other troublesome applications from loading. If the virus is set to load automatically when PC boots, shifting to this mode may prevent it from doing so. To get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the system is starting up or run MSConfig and find the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you are in safe mode, you can try to install your antivirus application without the hindrance of malicious software. Now, you are able to run the antivirus scan to remove computer viruses and malware without hindrance from another malicious application.

Download the security software in an alternate browser

Malicious code may exploit vulnerabilities in a particular internet browser and block access to all anti-malware software sites. The best solution to avoid this issue is to go with a browser that is well known for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you secure online.

Run antivirus from a pen drive

Another way is to download and transfer anti-malware software from a clean PC to run a virus scan on the affected computer. Try these simple measures to clean up your infected computer by using portable anti-malware. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free computer system. 2) Mount the USB drive onto the same computer. 3) Double-click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) When asked, select the location of the pen drive as the place where you want to store the software files. Follow activation instructions. 5) Remove the pen drive. You can now utilize this portable antivirus on the infected computer. 6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the flash drive to run the application. 7) Press the “Scan Now” button to begin the malware scan.

Let's Talk About SafeBytes Anti-Malware!

If you’re looking to download an anti-malware application for your PC, there are lots of tools out there to consider however, you cannot trust blindly to anyone, regardless of whether it is paid or free software. A few are very good ones, some are decent, and some are merely fake anti-malware applications that will harm your PC themselves! You must pick one that is efficient, practical and has a good reputation for its malware protection. One of the recommended software programs is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes has a superb history of excellent service, and customers are very happy with it. Safebytes is among the well-established computer solutions firms, which provide this complete anti-malware software. Using its cutting-edge technology, this software will help you remove multiples types of malware like viruses, PUPs, trojans, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes anti-malware provides a plethora of advanced features which sets it aside from all others. The following are some of the features you may like in SafeBytes.

World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built upon a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can identify and get rid of numerous obstinate malware threats such as browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other typical anti-virus programs will miss. Live Protection: SafeBytes offers complete and real-time security for your PC. It’ll constantly monitor your pc for hacker activity and also provides users with superior firewall protection. Safe Browsing: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes informs you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will make sure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the web. Light-weight Utility: SafeBytes is a lightweight and user-friendly anti-virus and anti-malware solution. As it uses minimum computer resources, this application leaves the computer power exactly where it belongs to: with you. Fantastic Tech Support Team: You can get high levels of support 24/7 if you’re using their paid version. SafeBytes can keep your personal computer safe from the latest malware threats automatically, thus keeping your internet experience secure and safe. You can be sure that your computer system will be protected in real-time once you put this tool to use. If 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)

To remove My Maps Wizard manually, go to the Add/Remove programs list in the Windows Control Panel and select the offending program you want to get rid of. For internet browser extensions, go to your browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the add-on you would like to remove or disable. You will additionally also want to totally reset your web browser to its default configuration settings. To ensure complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your computer and remove them or reset the values appropriately. But bear in mind, this can be a tricky task and only computer professionals could carry it out safely. In addition, some malicious programs are capable to defend against its removal. You’re advised to do this process in Safe Mode.
Registry: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Folders] Common Startup = C:\windows\start menu\programs\startup [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\User Shell Folders] Common Startup = C:\windows\start menu\programs\startup [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices] Whatever = c:\runfolder\program.exe
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Disabling File Grouping in Explorer in Windows
Browsing your files on a computer seamlessly is made possible by the File Explorer in Windows 10 as it provides users with a great sense of customization for both listing and performing operations on a file. You have the option to arrange the folders and files being browsed by their name, type, date, size, and so on. Moreover, files that share a common attribute can be also be grouped accordingly using the grouping feature. However, there are times when instead of helping, it causes some problems for some users. This is why in this post, you will be guided on how you can disable the File Grouping feature in the File Explorer in Windows 10. There are two methods you need to consider in disabling the File Grouping feature in Windows 10. First, you can disable it for only one folder or you can disable it for all the folders on your computer. For more details, follow the instructions given below.

Option 1 – Disable File Grouping in only one folder

This first option is relatively straightforward and simple which will work if you only want to disable File Grouping in one folder.
  • First, open File Explorer, and go to the folder you want to disable File Grouping.
  • Next, right-click anywhere on that folder.
  • And then select Group by > None. This will disable File Grouping for only that particular folder.

Option 2 – Disable File Grouping in all the folders

If you wish to disable File Grouping in all the folders on your computer, then you need to follow this option. If you have already tried the first one, then continue with the given steps below.
  • Tap the Alt + V key combination.
  • Then tap the Alt + Y keys and then tap Alt + O keys.
  • After that, navigate to the View tab, and under the Folder views section, select Apply to Folders.
  • Now click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made. This will disable File Grouping in all the folders listed in the File Explorer.
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Yellow triangle with exclamation on Battery
Seeing a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark on the battery symbol on the System Tray of your Windows 10 laptop is not really uncommon especially if your battery is about to run out of power. However, if you just purchased your laptop recently and the first thing you’ve noticed when you first opened it is the yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in the battery, read on as this post will help you resolve this issue. Seeing this kind of icon on your computer does not necessarily mean that you have to replace your battery as there are still several potential fixes you can try to resolve the problem. So if you notice this icon, you can try running the Power troubleshooter as it will help you resolve any potential issues with the battery. Aside from that, you can also restore the default settings of the power plan manually or uninstall and reinstall the battery driver. For more information, refer to the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to run the Power troubleshooter

As pointed out, the Power troubleshooter can help you resolve any issues your battery might have automatically. It plans and detects system settings that can affect power usages like timeout and sleep settings, display settings, and screensavers and restores them to their default settings. To run this troubleshooter, follow these steps:
  • Open the Windows Settings and go to the Update and Security option.
  • Next, click on the Troubleshoot option under Update and Security and then scroll down until you see the “Power” option.
  • Under Power, click on the “Run the troubleshooter” button to start running the Power troubleshooter.
  • Wait for a couple of seconds until the Power troubleshooter is done scanning your computer for issues. Once it’s done, follow the next on-screen instructions that appear on the screen.
  • If needed, restart your computer and see if it has fixed the problem.

Option 2 – Restore the default settings of the Power plan manually

  • Open the Windows Settings again and select System.
  • Next, scroll down until you see the “Power & sleep” option.
  • After that, click on the “Additional power settings” option located in the right pane to open the Power Options.
  • Now click on the link that says, “Change Plan Settings” and select the “Restore default settings for this plan” option.

Option 3 – Try to uninstall or reinstall the Battery driver

You might also want to uninstall or reinstall the battery driver as it can also resolve the problem. But before you start, you have to shut down your computer and remove the power chord as well as the battery. Once you’re done, follow these steps:
  • Plug the power chord and restart your computer.
  • Once your computer has restarted, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Device Manager.
  • After that, look for the “Batteries” driver from the list of drivers and expand it.
  • Then right-click on the “Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System” driver and click on the “Uninstall device” option.
  • Once it’s done, restart shut down your computer and remove the power chord and then attach the battery.
  • Now attach the power chord again and restart your computer to automatically install the driver.
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Videos folder missing from File Explorer
As you know, the Videos folder can be found under “This PC” by default on your Windows 10 computer. However, as per the reports of some users, there are a few occasions where it somehow gets replaced by the Documents folder. In other words, the Videos folders are replaced by a duplicated copy of the Documents folder. Out of the two Documents folder, one Document folder will contain all the usual files and subfolders while the second one is empty. Although when you click the Documents icon on your Desktop (if you have a shortcut), it will still take you to the right Documents folder. To fix this particular issue and get the Videos folder back in the File Explorer, here are some potential fixes that should help.

Option 1 – Run System Restore

The first thing you can try to do to resolve the problem is to run System Restore. This can help you go back to the previous state of your computer before the issue with the Videos and Documents folder.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
  • Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
  • After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try to restore Defaults

The next thing you can do is to restore Defaults. How? Refer to these steps:
  • Open File Explorer and then right-click on any of the two Documents folders.
  • After that, select the Properties option from the context menu and switch to the Location tab and click on Find target.
  • Next, copy the address and paste it in the field above the “Find target” option, and then click the “Restore Default” button.

Option 3 – Try to change the Registry Path

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Then type “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerUser Shell Folders
  • After that, edit the path for {35286A68-3C57-41A1-BBB1-0EAE73d76C95} under the “User Shell Folders” key to match the path shown for My Videos: %USERPROFILE%Videos.
  • Once you’re done, open the folder under “This PC” that has the Documents icon and tap Shift + right-click in the folder background, and then select the “Open PowerShell window here” option to fix the naming of the Documents folder. The path should read: “C:users<UserName>Documents.
  • Next, execute this command: ri desktop.ini –force
  • The command you entered will delete the files and folders and so when added for Documents, it will get rid of the empty Documents folder.
  • Now all you that’s left to do is to find where the target location is going to be for both folders and check if anyone foes to the user name location.
  • Then delete the one which goes to the incorrect location.
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CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access
One of the most useful built-in tools in Windows 10 is the Check Disk or CHKDSK utility. It is the one that maintains the integrity of the disk that’s connected to a computer which can be launched using the GUI or graphical user interface and using the command line. There are a lot of things that warrant the running of this built-in utility and one of these things is the readability of the disk. Recently, a number of users reported that they encountered an error when they tried to run the CHKDSK utility – the error states, “Cannot open volume for direct access”. This kind of error in CHKDSK appears each time the command line is launched according to the affected users. As per the users who encountered this issue, they receive the following error messages when they tried running a ChkDsk command:
“C:WINDOWSsystem32>chkdsk /f g: Cannot open volume for direct access. C:WINDOWSsystem32>chkdsk /f f: The type of the file system is NTFS. Volume label is 0529357401.”
To fix the “Cannot open volume for direct user access” error, here are some suggestions that might help. Follow them carefully.

Option 1 – Try running the CHKDSK utility on Boot

On the other hand, you can also try to run the CHKDSK utility on Boot so you can fix the error and recover any damaged segments of the drive.
  • Open an elevated Command Prompt and enter this command: chkdsk /x /f /r
  • After that, you will a message that says, “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”
  • Type Y and tap Enter to schedule a CHKDSK scan once your computer reboots next time.

Option 2 – Try to run the Primary Hard Disk Self Test

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to run the Primary Hard Disk Self Test by following the steps below.
  • You need to boot your computer into the BIOS first.
  • After that, go to the Diagnostics tab and select the “Primary Hard Disk Self Test” option. Note that it may be different depending on the motherboard with different manufacturers but they should imply the same thing.
  • Now, wait until the test is completed, and then boot your computer normally.

Option 3 – Try to check the hard drive’s health

The next thing you can do to resolve the issue is to check the health of your hard drive using the WMIC utility in the Windows Command Prompt. This utility will check if your hard drive has any problems which resulted in the “Cannot open volume for direct user access” error.

Option 4 – Try to disable various restrictions on your hard drive

You might also want to disable the various restrictions on your hard drive since it is possible that it is encrypted or restricted which explains why you are unable to perform any operations in it and throws the “Cannot open volume for direct user access” error instead. For instance, if you have BitLocker, you can try to disable it and see if it fixes the error or not.

Option 5 – Try to uninstall or disable the Drive Locking feature on your hard drive

You could also look for any Drive Locking feature on your hard drive that tricks disk changes as it might be the root cause of the problem. Thus, if you find one, you need to either uninstall or disable it and then execute a check disk command to resolve the problem.

Option 6 – Try to disable the application service

Disabling the application service can also help you fix the problem. How? Refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and then hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
  • Next, scroll down among the list of services and look for the service related to the security software or disk checker software.
  • Once you find it, right-click on that service and select Properties.
  • After that, change its Startup type to Disabled and click on the OK and Apply buttons to save the changes made.
  • Now restart your computer and don’t forget to enable the service back once the disk check is completed.

Option 7 – Try to use Repair Volume via Windows PowerShell

You could also try to use the Repair Volume using Windows PowerShell. All you have to do is open PowerShell as admin and type the “repair-volume -drive letter <DRIVE LETTER>” command and then tap Enter to run Repair Volume. This should resolve the error.
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Installing Wi-Fi drivers in Windows
If you don’t have the required drivers installed in your computer, the hardware that you try to connect to your computer will most likely fail. In order to keep the operating system running on your computer, manufacturers develop drivers that can work harmoniously with your devices and applications. However, internet Wi-Fi connections can fail if suitable drivers are not installed. Worry not though for this post will guide you in installing Wi-Fi drivers on your Windows 10 computer. As you know, a driver is an essential piece of software designed for a specific operating system like Windows 10, Linux, and many more. The operating system uses it to communicate with other hardware devices such as printers and mice. Most hardware manufacturers feature a support page of their own product where you can look for the necessary drivers available for download. You will see that the Windows operating system has a set of drivers that are already installed and you do not have to do anything except plug in the device. So if the driver is not locally available, it will pull it down from its web server and automatically install it for you after you connect the device. However, there are instances when you might encounter some issues while using your Wi-Fi and during these times, you might have to reinstall your Wi-Fi drivers so read on as this post will provide you guidelines in installing Wi-Fi drivers in Windows 10. Refer to the steps below to do so. Step 1: First, go to your manufacturer’s website and look for the right driver you want to install to download your Wi-Fi driver. Step 2: After that, you have to download the correct Wi-Fi driver if it’s available. You have to know the exact name and version of the driver so that you can download it and this information can be found from the Device Manager. Just make sure that you have the right wireless adapter driver downloaded. Step 3: Once done, open the setup of the new driver that you’ve downloaded earlier and run the file and then follow the next on-screen instructions that appear right after. Step 4: You’re not done yet as you need to verify if you have downloaded and installed the correct Wi-Fi driver. Refer to the sub-steps below to do so:
  • First, right-click on the Start button and select the Device Manager to open it.
  • From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand its category to make all the network adapters visible including the wireless adapter.
  • You can easily spot the wireless adapter as it has the “wireless” term in its entry.
  • Next, right-click on the wireless driver entry in the Device Manager and select Network adapters, and then click on Properties to check the version number of the driver.
  • Now select the Driver tab and view the details. If it looks well then it means that you have the right version of the driver installed.
Step 5: Restart your computer.
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Configuring Groove Music Equalizer in Windows
In case you don’t know, Groove Music is due to retire its OneDrive streaming service this month. Despite that being the case, there is actually a workaround you can try to still continue enjoying music streaming. The app also allows you to play your own local files and if required, you can also modify or tailor the experience with new features – for instance, Groove Music brings an Equalizer to the settings of the app. As the name suggests, the equalizer allows you to tweak frequency responses to your liking. On top of being able to tweak individual bands, the equalizer supports few pre-set settings to enable quick changes. This post will guide you on the process of accessing and using the equalizer in the Groove Music app. To get started, refer to the instructions provided below. Step 1: You need to make sure that you are running the latest version of the Groove Music app or version 10.18011.1211.0 or higher in order to use the equalizer in Groove Music. If needed, you can check the version number from Windows Store. Step 2: Open Windows Store and then click on the ellipses icon and select the Downloads and Updates option. Step 3: Next, search for Groove Music and check its version number. Step 4: Now that you’ve verified the version number of Groove Music, you need to open the equalizer setting. It is enabled by default and to access it, click on the gear icon for Settings and select equalizer under the Playback settings. Step 5: After that, the Equalizer window will pop up. It is where you can configure the equalizer settings using the drop-down menu. Here are the following presets you can choose from:
  • Flat
  • Treble Boost
  • Bass Boost
  • Headphones
  • Laptop
  • Portable speakers
  • Home Stereo
  • TV
  • Car
  • Custom
Step 6: Drag the dots upwards or downwards to set your own preferences, as needed. Note: The only downside to this setting is that there is no shortcut available for quick access as you have to navigate through the Settings section manually to access it and change the preset configurations. In addition, the Groove Music app also works on the mobile version of Windows 10.
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RebateInformer Hijacker removal guide for windows

RebateInformer is a browser extension for Google Chrome. This extension monitors the web pages the user is visiting and checks against an affiliate database for various rebates and coupons related to the context of the products being shown in the browser.

This extension analyzes websites your browser visits and attempts to find deals associated with the merchant’s product offerings. If an offer is found, it is injected into the deals page even if it's sold by a different merchant at a higher price. Several anti-virus scanners have marked this extension as Potentially Unwanted, and due to its data mining behavior, it is not recommended to keep it on your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is regarded as the web’s constant problem that targets web browsers. It is a type of malicious software that alters your web browser’s settings and redirects you to sites or webpages that you had no intention of visiting. Browser hijacker malware is created for numerous reasons. It redirects you to the sponsored sites and injects adverts on your internet browser that helps its creator generate ad revenue. It could seem naive, but the majority of these websites are not legitimate and may pose a serious threat to your online safety. Additionally, hijackers can make the whole infected system fragile – other dangerous malware and viruses will use these opportunities to intrude into your computer system effortlessly.

Browser hijacking symptoms

There are many different symptoms that indicate the web browser has been highjacked: your browser’s home page is suddenly different; new bookmarks pointing to porn websites are added to your bookmarks; the default internet search engine and the default browser settings are modified; unsolicited new toolbars are added to your browser; numerous pop-up adverts show up and/or your browser pop-up blocker is disabled; your web browser starts running slowly or displays frequent errors; you’re blocked to access the websites of computer security solution providers.

How browser hijacker infects computers

There are several ways your PC could become infected with a browser hijacker. They usually arrive through spam e-mail, via file-sharing networks, or by a drive-by-download. They also come from add-on applications, also called browser helper objects (BHO), browser extensions or toolbars. Sometimes you may have inadvertently accepted a browser hijacker as part of an application package (generally freeware or shareware). An example of some notorious browser hijacker includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, DefaultTab, SweetPage, Delta Search, and RocketTab, however, the names are continually changing. Browser hijackers could record user keystrokes to collect potentially valuable information that leads to privacy concerns, cause instability on systems, drastically disrupt the user experience, and eventually slow down the computer to a point where it becomes unusable.

Browser hijacker removal

Some browser hijacking can be simply stopped by finding and removing the corresponding malware software through your control panel. Unfortunately, many of the software packages utilized to hijack a web browser are deliberately built to be hard to detect or remove. Furthermore, manual removals require in-depth system knowledge and thus could be a very difficult job for novice computer users. Professionals always suggest users remove any malicious software including browser hijacker by using an automatic malware removal tool, which is better, safer, and quicker than the manual removal technique. Safebytes Anti-Malware features a state-of-the-art anti-malware engine to help you prevent browser hijacker infection in the first place, and mop up any existing problems. And employ a PC optimizer to erase all associated files in the registry and fix browser problems.

Can’t Install Safebytes Anti-malware due to the presence of a Virus? Try This!

Malware can cause all sorts of damage once they invade your system, from stealing your personal information to deleting data files on your computer. Some malware sits in between the computer and the net connection and blocks a few or all internet sites that you would like to visit. It could also block you from the installation of anything on your system, especially the anti-malware program. If you’re reading this right now, you’ve perhaps recognized that a malware infection is the real cause of your blocked web traffic. So how to proceed when you want to install an anti-virus application such as Safebytes? Refer to the instructions below to eliminate malware by alternate methods.

Download the software in Safe Mode with Networking

In Safe Mode, you can actually modify Windows settings, uninstall or install some applications, and get rid of hard-to-delete viruses. If the malware is set to load automatically when the computer boots, shifting into this mode may prevent it from doing so. In order to enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the computer is booting up or run MSConfig and find the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. As soon as you reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, and update the anti-malware program from there. After installation, run the malware scanner to remove standard infections.

Obtain the anti-malware software using an alternate web browser

Web-based malware can be environment-specific, targeting a particular web browser or attacking specific versions of the web browser. The ideal solution to avoid this issue is to choose a browser that is renowned for its security measures. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you secure online.

Install anti-malware on a thumb drive

Here’s another solution which is using a portable USB antivirus software that can check your system for malicious software without needing installation. Do these simple steps to clean up your infected PC by using a portable antivirus. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or MS Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free computer. 2) Connect the USB flash drive to a USB port on the clean computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware program to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Choose the drive letter of the flash drive as the place when the wizard asks you where you want to install the antivirus. Follow activation instructions. 5) Transfer the USB drive from the uninfected computer to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the anti-malware program EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Hit the “Scan Now” button to begin the virus scan.

Review of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

These days, an anti-malware program can protect your computer or laptop from different types of internet threats. But how to select the right one amongst various malware protection application that’s available in the market? You may be aware, there are numerous anti-malware companies and tools for you to consider. A few are very good ones, some are ok types, and some are simply just bogus anti-malware programs that can damage your PC themselves! You need to be very careful not to pick the wrong application, particularly if you purchase a premium application. With regards to commercial antimalware tool options, many people go with popular brands, such as SafeBytes, and are quite happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a reliable tool that not only protects your PC permanently but is also quite user-friendly for people of all skill levels. With its most advanced virus detection and repair technology, this software will help you protect your personal computer against infections brought on by different types of malware and other internet threats, including spyware, adware, trojans, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, potentially unwanted program (PUPs), and ransomware. SafeBytes has got a plethora of features that can help you protect your computer from malware attacks and damage. Here are some typical features found in this application: Real-time Protection: SafeBytes provides round-the-clock protection for your computer restricting malware intrusions instantly. It will check your PC for suspicious activity regularly and its unparalleled firewall guards your PC against illegal entry by the outside world. Robust, Anti-malware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware software goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine detects and disables hard-to-remove malware that conceals deep inside your PC. Safe Web Browsing: Safebytes assigns all sites a unique safety rating that helps you to get an idea of whether the webpage you’re just about to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Low CPU Usage: SafeBytes is really a lightweight tool. It consumes a very small amount of processing power as it runs in the background so you won’t notice any system performance issues. 24/7 Online Support: Expert technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will quickly fix any technical issues you may be experiencing with your security software. To sum it up, SafeBytes Anti-Malware offers superb protection combined with an acceptable low system resources usage with great malware detection and prevention. You now may know that this particular tool does more than just scan and delete threats on your computer. So if you are looking for the best anti-malware subscription for your Windows-based PC, we strongly recommend the SafeBytes Anti-Malware tool.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not wish to use malware removal software and prefer to get rid of RebateInformer manually, you may do so by going to the Add/Remove Programs menu in the Control Panel and removing the offending software; in cases of browser plug-ins, you can uninstall it by visiting the browsers Add-on/Extension manager. You will definitely also want to reset your browser. Lastly, check your hard drive for all of the following and clean your registry manually to get rid of leftover application entries following an uninstallation. However, this can be a difficult task and only computer professionals could perform it safely. Also, some malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing deletion. It is highly recommended that you carry out the removal process in Windows Safe Mode.
Files: Search and Delete: baddomaindb.dat domaindb.dat chrRebateInformerSetup.exe RebateBlast.com.url RebateInformer.lnk Help.url RebateBlast.com.url RebateInformer.lnk Settings.lnk Uninstall RebateInformer.lnk npUniPlugin.dll RebateI.dll RebateInf.exe unins000.dat unins000.exe Folders: %APPDATA%\RebateInformer\ %PROGRAMS%\Inbox.com Toolbar\ %PROGRAMS%\RebateInformer\ %PROGRAMFILES%\Inbox.com\ %PROGRAMFILES%\RebateInformer\ Registry: key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CToolbar\PlugIns\REBATEINF key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Rebate Informer key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\CToolbar\PlugIns\REBATEINF key HKCU\Software\CToolbar key HKLM\SOFTWARE\CToolbar key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.crdownload key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\4EF645BD-65B0-4F98-AD56-D0437B7045F6_is1 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\CToolbar_UNINSTALL key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\Crawler key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\CCB69577-088B-4004-9ED8-FF5BCC83A039 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\RebateInf.RebateInfObj key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\RebateI.RebateInformImageGen key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\RebateI.Rebate Informer BHO key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CToolbar.TB4Server key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CToolbar.TB4Script key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\ctbcommon.Buttons key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CToolbar.TB4Client key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CShared.TB4Server2 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CShared.TB4Server key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CShared.TB4Script key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CShared.TB4Client key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\E79BB61D-7F1A-41DF-8AD0-402795E3B566 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\506F578A-91E1-46CE-830F-E2F4268E9966 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\438B047C-C041-4D15-98CF-A97C6B366C28 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\PROTOCOLS\Handler\rebinfo key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\E9BBD270-4B87-4EE2-912F-6635674986C0 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\B3BA5582-79A9-464D-A7FA-711C5888C6E9 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\604EA016-1EDE-41E6-A23E-76CF8F2A4808 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\41349826-5C7F-4BF0-8279-5DAF1DE6E9AE key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\01C78433-6FDF-4E5A-A82D-B535C32E03DF key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\EFB46ED3-8FD8-4051-8FD6-DD9CE7E63BEF key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\DB35C569-5624-4CFC-8043-E5139F55A073 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\CCB69577-088B-4004-9ED8-FF5BCC83A039 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\AF808758-C780-404C-A4EE-4526323FD9B6 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\8736C681-37A0-40C6-A0F0-4C083409151C key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\54ECA872-DB2A-4C6B-BBB2-F3777C6786CC key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\4EF645BD-65B0-4F98-AD56-D0437B7045F6 key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\1DDA201E-5B42-4352-933E-21A92B297E3B key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\183643C8-EE67-4574-9A38-927852E34163 Value [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions][email protected]=[%PROGRAM_FILES%]\REBATE~1\Firefox\ Value [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]RebateInformer=[%PROGRAM_FILES%]\REBATE~1\REBATE~1.EXE /STARTUP Value [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions][email protected]=[%PROGRAM_FILES%]\RebateInformer\Firefox\ Value [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]RebateInformer=[%PROGRAM_FILES%]\RebateInformer\RebateInf.exe /STARTUP
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