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Changing Taskbar location in your Windows 10 is an easy task but lately, Microsoft has removed the option to just drag it to one side of the screen and place it there, now in order to change location we need to do a little more work but do not worry it is not difficult at all. Right-click on the taskbar to open its properties menu in the menu, on the bottom choose taskbar settings. Once the settings dialog opens, on the right side locate the taskbar location on screen. Click on the dropdown menu and choose the desired location for the taskbar.

Hello everyone, last time we were talking about disk cleanup and its benefits, but as you need to keep your System clean you should also clean and keep your hardware clean as well. Many system issues could be traced and could happen due to dirty PC. In this article, we will give you tips on how to perform safely cleaning on your computer and hopefully point good sides to it so you can develop a healthy habit of regularly cleaning it and keeping it tidy. Keeping your PC clean is not rocket science and you can do it with things you already and probably have in your house. One thing that I would recommend tho to purchase is antistatic gloves since they could prevent any kind of electrostatic discharges thus protecting your electric components. If you have the option to disconnect your PC and get it outdoors, I would highly recommend this approach since all the dust will be dusted outside and not in the room where your computer is. If you can not it is still ok, but since some portion of dust will be set in the room, you might need to dust your room after cleaning your computer.

Cleaning outside case & redusting inside

The first thing after disconnecting your computer is to dust it from outside, here you will need a vacuum cleaner and a brush, gently brush outside dust from your casing and vacuum it with your vacuum cleaner. You can use dustcloth for larger parts but use the brush for fans and connectors. After you have done cleaning the outside part, open the side of your computer casing, put on your antistatic gloves, and get a fine and soft brush, repeat dusting and vacuuming of the inner parts of your computer. If your computer is not regularly been cleaned this part will take a little longer since there would be excess dust inside and it will take a longer time to vacuum it all but keep going until you are left with no dirt.

Cleaning it inside

Fans are troublesome to clean since they will rotate when brushed and that could make you miss certain sports, in order to battle this get a tape and stick the fan into one position, brush areas that you can reach, then unstick it, rotate the head, stick it again in another position and dust off remaining areas which you could not reach before. If your computer is very dirty and some hard dirt is at bottom of the connectors, disconnect desired component and clean the connection properly. plug it back in immediately after cleaning to avoid connecting it somewhere else. Harder stains that could not be dusted could be cleaned with little alcohol. Get your dustcloth just a little wet with alcohol, just a corner, and gently wipe out sticky dust or spills if they are present. Leave it 10 minutes for alcohol to evaporate before plugging it back into an electric socket.

Thermal paste and cable management

If you have money and expertise, every 2 years would be a good idea to change the thermal paste on your processor, all you need to do is buy it from your local computer store online, remove the CPU fan clean the CPU and bottom of the fan and apply new thermal paste, place fan back and lock it. If you do not have expertise in this area, call someone who has to show you how it is done. When cleaning it would be a good idea if you do not have any cable management to do it now, nice and tidy cables not only look good, they also improve your air circulation inside your casing making your computer cooling better. once you are done with it, close back the casing side and plug it back in the wall.

Peripherals

When you are cleaning your computer, do yourself a favor and clean your keyboard, mouse, and screen as well. the keyboard can be quickly cleaned with compressed air in the can and screen and mouse with dustcloth. That's it, remember, keep your PC clean and tidy and enjoy the benefits of non-hardware malfunctions caused by dirt and dust.

DiscoverAncestry is a Browser Extension for Google Chrome developed by Mindspark Inc that presents itself as a web tool to discover the origins or meanings of particular family names. When installed this extension changes your default new tab page to search by MyWay, as well as your default search engine to Search.MyWay.com

While active, DiscoverAncestry logs user browsing information, recording clicked links, visited websites and viewed products. This information is later used to better target personal ads. Browsing the internet with this extension active will result in injection of additional ads, sponsored content and even pop-up ads throughout the browsing sessions.

DiscoverAncestry is usually found bundled with other potentially unwanted software, this combined alongside its aggressive ad injection is why DiscoverAncestry has been marked as a Browser Hijacker, and it is recommended to remove it from your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is regarded as the web’s constant risks that target web browsers. It’s a type of malware program that redirects web browser requests to other suspicious websites. Basically, most browser hijackers are made for advertising or marketing purposes. It redirects you to the sponsored websites and inserts adverts on your internet browser which helps its developer generate income. It might seem naive, but the majority of such websites aren’t legitimate and can pose a significant risk to your on-line safety. In a much worst case, your internet browser could be hi-jacked to download malware that will do a lot of damage to your computer.

Browser hijacking signs and symptoms

There are several symptoms that could indicate a browser hijacking: 1. your homepage is reset to some unknown site 2. bookmark and the new tab are also changed 3. default online search engine is modified 4. you’re getting browser toolbars you haven’t witnessed before 5. you will find random pop-ups start showing regularly 6. your internet browser has instability issues or exhibits frequent errors 7. you are blocked to access the websites of antivirus solution providers.

How does a computer get infected with a browser hijacker?

Browser hijackers can get into a computer by some means or other, for instance via file sharing, downloads, and email also. Many web browser hijackings originate from add-on applications, i.e., toolbars, browser helper objects (BHO), or extensions added to web browsers to give them extra features. A browser hijacker may also come bundled-up with some free application that you inadvertently download and install, compromising your PC security. Common examples of browser hijackers include CoolWebSearch, Conduit, Coupon Server, OneWebSearch, RocketTab, Snap.do, Delta Search, and Searchult.com. Browser hijackers may record user keystrokes to gather potentially valuable information leading to privacy issues, cause instability on systems, drastically disrupt user’s browsing experience, and eventually slow down the computer to a stage where it becomes unusable.

Removal

Some browser hijacking can be simply reversed by discovering and eliminating the corresponding malware software through your control panel. However, many hijackers are really tenacious and need specialized applications to remove them. Also, manual removals demand deep system understanding and thus can be quite a difficult task for novices. Professionals always suggest users eliminate any malicious software including browser hijackers by using an automatic malware removal tool, which is easier, safer, and faster than the manual removal procedure. To remove any kind of browser hijacker from your laptop or computer, you should download the following certified malware removal tool – SafeBytes Anti-Malware. Along with anti-virus software, a system optimizer tool, similar to Total System Care, will help you repair Windows registry errors, get rid of unwanted toolbars, secure your online privacy, and stabilize programs installed on your computer.

Learn How to Get rid of Malware that is Blocking Websites or Preventing Downloads

Viruses may cause a lot of damage to your computer. Some malware sits in between your PC and the internet connection and blocks some or all internet sites that you really want to visit. It will also prevent you from adding anything to your PC, particularly antivirus applications. If you’re reading this article, you probably have affected by a virus that prevents you from downloading a security program like Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. There are some actions you can take to circumvent this issue.

Install anti-malware in Safe Mode with Networking

In the event the malware is set to run at Windows start-up, then booting in safe mode should avoid it. Just bare minimum required programs and services are loaded when you boot your PC in Safe Mode. Here are the steps you need to follow to start into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (check out the Microsoft website for instructions on Windows 8 and 10 computers). 1) At power on, press the F8 key while the Windows splash screen begins to load. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and hit Enter. 3) Once you get into this mode, you will have an internet connection again. Now, obtain the malware removal program you need by utilizing the web browser. To install the program, follow the directions within the setup wizard. 4) Right after installation, do a complete scan and allow the software eliminate the threats it finds.

Utilize an alternate browser to download antivirus software

Some malware only targets certain browsers. If this sounds like your situation, utilize another internet browser as it can circumvent the malware. The ideal way to avoid this problem is to opt for a internet browser that is known for their security features. Firefox contains built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to keep you safe online. Create a portable USB antivirus for removing viruses Another method is to download and transfer an anti-malware application from a clean PC to run a virus scan on the infected computer. To run antivirus using a USB drive, follow these simple measures: 1) Make use of another virus-free computer system to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the USB drive into the clean computer. 3) Double-click the executable file to open the installation wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the USB drive as the place where you want to store the software files. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation. 5) Transfer the flash drive from the clean computer to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the anti-malware software EXE file on the pen drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to identify and clean-up up all sorts of malware.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware: Lightweight Malware Protection for Windows Computer

If you are looking to purchase anti-malware for your desktop, there are numerous brands and packages for you to consider. A few are well worth your money, but most aren’t. When looking for an antivirus tool, select one which provides dependable, efficient, and comprehensive protection against all known computer viruses and malware. On the list of highly recommended applications by industry leaders is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, well-known security software for Windows computers. SafeBytes is a powerful, real-time anti-spyware application that is made to assist everyday computer users in safeguarding their computers from malicious threats. Once you’ve got installed this software, SafeBytes advanced protection system will make sure that absolutely no viruses or malicious software can seep through your PC.

There are lots of amazing features you’ll get with this security product. The following are some typical features present in this software program:

Active Protection: Malware programs aiming to get into the system are discovered and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes real-time protection shields. This utility will always keep track of your computer for any suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep current with the latest threats. World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built upon a highly acclaimed antivirus engine, this malware removal tool can find and get rid of various obstinate malware threats such as browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other typical anti-virus applications will miss. Fast Multi-threaded Scanning: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is one of the fastest and most efficient within the industry. It's targeted scanning tremendously increases the catch rate for viruses which is embedded in various computer files. Web Protection: SafeBytes provides instant safety rating about the webpages you’re about to visit, automatically blocking dangerous sites and to make sure that you’re certain of your online safety while browsing the net. Lightweight Utility: This software is lightweight and will work silently in the background, and will not impact your PC efficiency. 24/7 Customer Service: You can obtain totally free 24/7 technical support from their IT experts on any product queries or computer security issues. SafeBytes has created a wonderful anti-malware solution to help you conquer the latest computer threats and virus attacks. Now you may realize that this particular software does more than just scan and eliminate threats from your computer. So if you are searching for the best anti-malware subscription for your Windows-based computer, we strongly recommend SafeBytes Anti-Malware software.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you don’t want to use an automated tool and prefer to eliminate DiscoverAncestry manually, you might do so by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and deleting the offending software; in cases of web browser plug-ins, you can remove it by visiting the browsers Add-on/Extension manager. You might even want to reset your web browser settings, and also delete temporary files, browsing history, and cookies. To ensure complete removal, manually check your hard disk and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please remember that this is for skilled users only and may be challenging, with wrong file removal leading to additional system errors. Furthermore, certain malware keeps replicating which makes it tough to eliminate. You are suggested to do this process in Windows Safe Mode.

The Boot Configuration Data or BCD files have the instructions required by the Windows operating system in order to properly boot the computer. So if you experience any trouble when you boot your computer, then it is possible that it is due to some misconfiguration or even corrupted Boot Configuration Data files. And if you also encounter an error saying,

“The boot configuration data store could not be opened”

while you try to carry out any command on the bcedit.exe, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can fix this error in Windows 10. This kind of error could pop up if the system is not able to locate the specified file. It is also possible that the requested system device can’t be found or that the boot configuration data store could not be opened. In addition, when you open the System Configuration or MSConfig, you might notice that there is no Boot data, and according to the reports, is that when you try to dual boot the computer, the installer will replace the default bootloader.

Explanation

In case you don’t know, Windows’ earlier versions were stored in the “Boot.ini” file. You can find the entry in the EFI firmware boot manager of the EFI-based operating system which is located at EFIMicrosoftBootBootmgfw.efi. Whatever the cause of the error is, there are several suggestions you can check out to resolve the problem. You can try to set an entry option value in BCD or enable the Advanced options menu, as well as rebuild the BCD. Before you proceed with the troubleshooting options provided below, make sure that you boot your computer into the Advanced Recovery Mode first since that’s where you can find Command Prompt under the Advanced Options. In addition, you also have to suspend or disable BitLocker and Secure Boot on your PC.

Option 1 – Try to set an entry option value in BCD

• Once you’re in the Advanced Options, select Command Prompt.
• Next, execute this command to set an entry point: bcdedit /set {current} Description "TheNameYouWant"
• After the command has been executed, it will enable the system to trust a version of Windows that is not trusted by default. This should fix the problem, if not, follow the next given options below.

Option 2 – Try to specify the BCD file

• In the elevated Command Prompt, execute this command: bcdedit /store c:BootBCD
• Once done, the command will give you a list of options and then execute this next command: bcdedit /store c:BootBCD /set bootmenupolicy legacy
• After that, restart your computer and select your Windows and then tap the F8 key right away.

Note: When you select the legacy option, the Advanced Options menu will be available during the computer boot up and then you can select into which operating system you can boot your computer into.

Option 3 – Try to rebuild the BCD files

The first thing you can do to resolve the issue is to Rebuild Boot Configuration Data or BCD files.

• You can start by booting into the installation environment for Windows 10 from an installation media.
• After that, click on Repair your computer and on the blue screen, select Troubleshoot and then select the Advanced options menu.
• From there, select Command Prompt and once you open it, enter each one of the commands given below by sequence.
  • bootrec /FixMbr
  • bootrec /FixBoot
  • bootrec /ScanOS
  • bootrec /RebuildBcd
• Once you’re done executing the commands given above, type “exit” to close the Command Prompt window and then restart your computer and see if it fixed error code 0xc000014c.

Interesting information has come out from Microsoft, Windows 11 dark theme will include a different sound theme from its standard light one. When in dark mode on Windows 11, the system sounds generally become softer, and they echo a bit, creating a more soothing experience that matches the overall look and feel of the dark mode. Flipping back to light mode brings the system sounds back to their normal level. However, even though the light model has slightly louder sounds than the dark mode, Microsoft has taken great care to make sure the audio is more soothing, according to a report from CNBC. The designers of Windows 11 took inspiration from an approach called calm technology. Microsoft’s Christian Koehn and Diego Baca wrote about calm technology in a post on Medium. In it, they said, “Windows 11 facilitates this through foundational experiences that feel familiar, soften formerly intimidating UI, and increase emotional connection.” According to a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to CNBC, “The new sounds have a much rounder wavelength, making them softer so that they can still alert/notify you, but without being overwhelming.”

Microsoft’s initial Windows 11 hardware requirements were not really well received by users and they were not really clearly represented from the start making a lot of potential customers slowly drift away from the hype. It seems that Microsoft has acknowledged this since they have changed their tune about system hardware requirements for the upcoming Windows 11. It seems that Windows 11 will be able to be officially installed on unsupported computers but with a little inconvenience.

What is a catch?

Windows 11 will still have the same hardware requirements and if the PC meets them, that computer will be officially supported, other ones (any that can run Windows 10) that do not meet system requirements can still run Windows 11 but the system will have to be clean installed. So no upgrade option for old computer users, just a clean install. This means of course that you will need to download the ISO image and make a bootable USB in order to install it. Also since you will be doing a clean install do a backup of the hard drive since it will need to be formatted. Also, Microsoft has stated that with unofficially supported PC some driver updates might not be delivered leaving you with either older driver versions or relying on your hardware manufacturer on them. This is still not confirmed by Microsoft, just stated as an option. We will see how it goes.

Conclusion

It is very good that Microsoft has reconsidered its system requirements and will not stubbornly push its initiatives over the top requirements allowing even older computers to install new OS. I am sure over time lot of users will upgrade their hardware and drive into officially supported waters, but it is good that they will be able to use new OS on their current hardware.

Error Code 0x8007041d - What is It?

Error Code 0x8007041d is an error that arises during the Windows 10 Update process. In some cases, this error code can also arise during the Windows 10 Activation process. It is an error code that has been present in multiple versions of the software but usually arises when antivirus or registry issues interfere with the Windows Update or Activation software.

Common symptoms include:

• Inability to download the needed Windows 10 updates
• Inability to complete the Windows 10 Update process

If you are experiencing the Error Code 0x8007041d on your machine, there are several methods that you can use to attempt to resolve the problem. Several of the steps that are most successful for the resolution of this error require familiarity with registry and antivirus tools, so if you are unsure of your ability to complete these steps on your own, contact a qualified computer repair technician to assist you.

Solution

Error Causes

In most cases, Error Code 0x8007041d arises when there is a conflict between multiple antivirus or malware tools on the computer, if there is an issue in the Windows registry, or if your Windows Defender software is out of date. During the Windows Update process, the system checks to ensure that there are not any factors that are present that could introduce viruses to the system, so if there are any indicators that could present issues to the software, Error Code 0x8007041d will often arise.

Further Information and Manual Repair

For users who experience Error Code 0x8007041d, there are several steps that can be taken to resolve the issue. If the following methods are not successful for you or if you are unsure of your ability to undertake them on your own, contact a qualified Windows 10 computer technician.

Here are the best ways to attempt to fix Error Code 0x8007041d on your computer:

Method 1:  Remove Additional Security Software Apart from Windows Defender

In some cases, having multiple versions of malware or antivirus software installed on your computer can cause the Windows system to create conflicts between them, which can interfere with your ability to update. During the update process, the system may attempt to determine if there is any malware present, and having multiple kinds of antivirus software present on the same machine may return mixed results.

If you currently are running antivirus software that is separate from Windows Defender, consider removing it from your computer prior to running the update software. This may allow you to successfully complete your update process without conflict. Additional software can be reinstalled after the update is complete, but make sure to keep both sets of software up to date in order to lessen the chances of encountering this error code again during future updates.

Method 2:  Update Your Windows Defender Software

If you currently have Windows Defender as your primary antivirus software, check to see whether it is fully up to date. Out of date antivirus software can cause conflicts with the Windows Update process since the update to Windows 10 will not be able to be completed unless the system is free from viruses or malware.

If you are unsure of whether or not your Windows Defender is up to date, open it and run the process to check for updates, then re-attempt to run Windows Update. In some cases, you may want to restart your computer before running the Windows 10 Update process a second time.

Method 3:  Run the Registry Repair Tool

Another issue that could cause Error Code 0x8007041d is a problem in the system registry. If you believe that this may be the case, run the Windows Registry Repair Tool on your machine to check for and resolve any issues. This is a fairly simple and straightforward tool to use, but it can help you to resolve any number of problems that may interfere with your ability to update your Windows 10 software.

If you have taken the steps listed above, restart your computer before attempting to proceed with the Windows Update process. If the three methods listed above are not successful in completely resolving Error Code 0x8007041d on your machine or if you are not comfortable in your ability to implement these steps on your own, contact a qualified Windows repair technician who is familiar with the Windows Update process to assist you.

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

If you 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.

Default Taskbar inside Windows 11 is pretty good if we are talking about its height. Sitting at 48 pixels it is a pretty decent size considering functionality and size ratio but if you want to make it a little larger or smaller know that you can do that as well in order to customize it for your personal needs. Sadly in order to actually change height size, you will have to do it inside the registry editor, but worry not, we are here with you to guide you all the way, one step at a time. Also, note that you can only change Taskbar from normal size of 48px to either small of 32px or large gapping at 72px. Icons will also be scaled proportionally with the taskbar.

Guide

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
2. Inside run dialog type in RegEdit and press ENTER
3. In registry editor locate and find HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
4. Right Click on it to select it and create a new DWORD (32-bit) value
5. Name the value TaskbarSi
6. Inside TaskbarSi double click in order to set the value to 0 if you want a small size Taskbar, 1 is if you want to revert back to medium (standard one), or type in 2 if you want a large Taskbar.
7. Save and close the Registry editor
8. Reboot PC

And there you go, you have successfully changed Taskbar size inside Windows 11. If you want to revert back to standard size just repeat steps and place 1 as a value in point 6.