Fix THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER 0x000000EA

One of the most critical processes in the Windows 10 operating system is the Explorer.exe. And there are times when you might encounter an error that says, “System call failed”. You can encounter this error when you try to launch File Explorer, and in such case when the File Explorer does not work, it could cause issues in accessing folders and files on your computer. This kind of error pops up when the explorer.exe system file has become corrupted or if there is some process that interferes with its smooth functioning. To fix this error, you can try to restart the explorer.exe process, run both the System File Checker scan and DISM tool. You could also put your computer in a Clean Boot State or uninstall any programs you’ve installed recently. For more details, follow each one of the given suggestions below.

Option 1 – Try to restart the Explorer.exe process

The first thing you can do is try to restart the Explorer.exe process. To do so, refer to these steps:

• First, right-click on the Taskbar and select the Task Manager.
• Next, expand the Task Manager window to see all the active processes.
• From there, look for the Windows Explorer process, right-click on it and select Restart.
• After that, check if the error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Run System File Checker scan

If restarting the explorer.exe process didn’t work, you can also try running the System File Checker or SFC scan to fix the error. System File Checker is a command utility built into your computer that helps restore corrupted files and missing files. Refer to the following steps to run it:

• Hit the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in this command: sfc /SCANFILE=c:windowsexplorer.exe

Note: If you are using a 64-bit Windows operating system, enter the “sfc /SCANFILE=C:WindowsSysWow64explorer.exe” command instead.

• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.

Option 3 – Run the DISM tool

You might also want to run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like the “System call failed” error. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 4 – Try running the Check Disk utility

• In the Windows Search box, type “command prompt” and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening Command Prompt, type this command and tap Enter: chkdsk c: /f /r
• The command you entered will start to check for errors and fix them automatically. Else, it will throw an error message saying, “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like the schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”.
• Tap the Y key to schedule Disk Check the next time your computer restarts.

Option 5 – Put your computer in a Clean Boot State

As pointed out, there are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that triggers the “System call failed” error to appear when you try to open File Explorer. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” 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.)
• Once your computer has restarted in a Clean Boot State, perform your scan again and see if it now works, and then start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

Option 6 – Try to uninstall the programs you’ve installed recently

In case you don’t know, freeware software packages aren’t always free as some of them could contain malicious software that can cause serious damage to your computer. Thus, if you have installed a program recently prior to getting the “System call failed” error, then you have to uninstall that program.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “appwiz.cpl” in the field and tap Enter to open the Programs and Features in Control Panel.
• Next, arrange the list of installed programs in the order of the installation date.
• After that, look for the problematic program and right-click on it, and then select Uninstall.
• Once the process is done, restart your computer and see if the error is fixed.

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.

If you receive an error that says, “An unspecified error occurred during System Restore (0x800700b7)” when you tried to restore your Windows 10 PC, worry not, for this post will help you resolve the problem. This kind of error typically occurs when System Restore was not completed successfully and fails instead with this error. Before you start, you must not abruptly shut down your computer and wait for the error to occur. You may receive this error due to many possible reasons. It could be caused by your antivirus program that’s not letting the process complete or corrupted system files which causes the failure or it could also be caused by an unsuccessful installation of a Windows Update. Here are some fixes you can check out if you can still boot into your computer:

Option 1 – Try to disable your antivirus program

Disabling the antivirus program or any security software installed in your computer is always a good idea you can try when the System Restore process does not go smoothly. So before you try updating your computer again, make sure to disable the antivirus or security program and then run System Restore again, don’t forget to enable the antivirus program back again.

Option 2 – Run the DISM tool

The next thing you can do is run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like the blank dialog boxes. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 3 – Run the System File Checker

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 cause why you’re getting the errors 0x8024a11a and 0x8024a112. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• 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.

• Now restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 4 – Try to run the System Restore in a Clean Boot State

If the first three given options didn’t work and the service still keeps on failing even though the service is running, you can try putting your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try to run System Restore 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 run System Restore again and see if the process goes smoothly.

Option 5 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing the problem with System Restore. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go. On the other hand, if you can’t boot into your Windows 10 computer, here are some fixes you can try instead:

Option 6 – Try running System Restore in Advanced Startup Options

If you cannot boot into your Windows 10 computer, you can try to run System Restore again in the Advanced Startup Options.

• Boot your computer into the Advanced Startup Options screen.
• From there, you will see some options to troubleshoot when you can’t log in to Windows in the usual way.
• Now select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
• After that, type “rstrui” and hit Enter to execute the command which will start the System Restore process.

Option 7 – Run the SFC scan and DISM via Advanced Startup Options

Like what you did in the first given option, you can use the Advanced Startup Options to run both System File Checker and DISM. All you have to do is boot into the Advanced Startup Options and from there select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt. After accessing Command Prompt, you can run the System File Checker scan first by entering the “sfc /scannow”. As for DISM, you can run the “Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” command.

Option 8 – Try to run the Automatic Repair Utility

You might also want to use Automatic Repair in fixing the error. To do so, follow the steps below.

• You can start by creating and booting from a bootable Windows 10 USB Stick.
• After that, click on Repair your computer located in the bottom left corner when you are on the initial Windows Startup screen.
• Next, click on Troubleshoot, and then on the other screen, click the Startup Repair option.
• Now select the operating system you want to repair. Once you do that, it will start to repair your operating system. Wait until the process is completed and then check if the problem’s now fixed.

What software are you using to keep your information and all your files and memories safe? 

None? Yikes. Let’s hope no damage has been done to your data yet then. Because with how the digital world has evolved, your data might be getting leaked and you have no idea.

Why do you need to invest in security software?

There’s really no good excuse not to purchase a quality platform for PC protection. Especially since top security solutions are available at such affordable prices nowadays, your wallet would barely even notice it.

At this point, only people who barely use their PCs and have zero sensitive information on them can get away with simply using the built-in Windows 10/11 security software. But we guarantee that those people are extremely hard to find and that you’re not one of them, and here’s why.

Even if you don’t use your computer for things that are very obviously sensitive, such as internet banking, you still have some personal data at risk of being stolen. How so? Well, think about the data you enter into your social media profiles, for example. How devastating would it be if somebody got a hold of any of it? Yep, that’s what we thought.

In the hands of a skilled cybercriminal, your phone number alone could put you at risk of scams, ransomware, identity theft and more. Also think about the stuff you share in texts and social media chats. Think about the websites you visit and how many times you may have accidentally clicked on an ad, which could very well contain malicious software. Those all seem harmless until someone’s actually used them against you. 

Now imagine the dangers involved when you actually store truly confidential data on your PC and browsers. Sends shivers down your spine, doesn’t it?

In the case of a successful cyberattack of whatever type (virus, phishing, worms, etc.), there’s so much that is at stake. Businesses/legal persons will suffer from financial loss and damaged reputation, at the very least. Natural persons may be threatened or exploited, get their banking or medical information and even their identity stolen, etc. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

These are our biggest reasons for investing in Windows PC protection software:

• Cyberthreats are constantly evolving to the point where built-in or free software won’t cut it anymore.

• Those working remotely can have peace of mind knowing both personal and business data is completely secure.

• Businesses using top security solutions ensure their customers trust them. 

• Data breaches are a pain in the you-know-what to handle. Fighting a cyberattack and going back to normal is a demanding process, and not to mention the stress it’ll cause. We’d rather prevent all that by using trustworthy security products!

• It helps parents worry a little less about their children’s safety in the online world. 

• Added bonus: with most products, you get an ad-free browsing experience!

Obviously, there are a lot more reasons to get your PC secured. But we think you get it. So let’s cut to the chase and take a look at our 6 favorite protection solutions and the wonders they can do for you.

*Note that in this article we’re looking at products primarily suited for households and home offices, some for small businesses. No enterprise solutions will make the list today, but stay tuned for a future article on those.

Top 6 best PC protection solutions

1. Bitdefender Total & Internet Security\

One of the biggest security product vendors out there, Bitdefender offers several awesome solutions. We want to introduce two of our favorites, Bitdefender Total Security and Bitdefender Internet Security.

Bitdefender Total Security is great for both households and smaller offices. You can choose to protect 5 or 10 devices, and not necessarily just Windows devices. It also works for macOS, Android and iOS. It offers a range of powerful features, such as:

• Real-time data protection
• Webcam and microphone protection
• Device optimization options
• Anti-phishing/-fraud/-spam technology
• Ransomware protection
• Anti-loss and anti-theft tools
• VPN and privacy firewall 
• Anti-tracking technology
• Parental controls
• 24/7 support

Bitdefender Internet Security shares almost all of these features, but there are a few important differences to note. Unlike Total Security, Internet Security has more options in terms of the number of protected devices: 1, 3, 5 or 10. However it’s only compatible with the Windows platform and it doesn’t offer device optimization tools or anti-theft options. Whether or not this is a deal-breaker depends on your needs alone - we still find it a great security tool.

2. ESET Internet Security

An award-winning Windows security product, ESET Internet Security is essential on this list. It has an outstanding protection rate of 99.9% and a range of amazing options you’ll definitely want to make use of. It can be installed on up to 10 devices, making it an awesome tool for your household, home office or a small business. It’s also compatible with macOS and Android.

These are ESET Internet Security’s best features:

• Protection against ransomware and spyware
• Protection against malware specifically designed to avoid detection
• In-depth scans when the computer is not in use
• Firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your PC
• Anti-spam tool
• Anti-phishing and botnet protection technologies
• Tool to scan your router and smart devices for vulnerabilities
• Special browser for secure internet banking 
• Parental controls
• Prevention of unauthorized webcam access 

If you ask us, ESET has it all!

3. Kaspersky Total & Internet Security

Having a deja vu? Didn’t you just read Total Security and Internet Security somewhere? Oh, that’s right - the first entry on our list! But here we’re talking about Kaspersky, a vendor you’ve also definitely heard about before.

Just like Bitdefender, Kaspersky is another one of those renowned names in the cybersecurity world that always make it to every ‘best of’ list. And for good reason - its products really fulfill their purpose. So let’s take a closer look at the two we chose.

These are the features both Kaspersky Total Security and Kaspersky Internet Security have in common:

• Real-time virus and spyware blocking
• Webcam protection
• Wi-Fi security notifications
• Advanced identity theft protection
• Free technical support on several channels
• Remote security management
• Multiple devices (up to 10)

The main difference between Kaspersky Total Security and Internet Security is that the former offers more capabilities. These are the features KTS offers that KIS does not:

• System cleanup
• File shredding
• Password management
• Data backup and encryption

Both are excellent security tools, though we do prefer KTS a little more because of these additional options.

4. Norton 360 Deluxe

Of course one of the industry-leading solutions makes the list. Norton 360 Deluxe can protect up to 5 devices, be it Windows, iOS, macOS or Android. It’s worth noting that its features are best developed for Windows. Here’s what you get with Norton 360 Deluxe:

• Protection against viruses, hackers, malware
• 100% virus protection promise
• VPN included for all devices
• Unlimited VPN on Windows
• Password manager
• Parental controls

So is there anything aside from these standard protection features that makes it such a favorite among us techies? Let us tell you! Norton added a little bit of spice here with two really powerful capabilities. The Deluxe product offers 50GB of cloud backup and dark web monitoring. The latter means the software notifies you if any of your personal information is found on the dark web, which helps protect you against identity theft.

5. McAfee Antivirus

Don’t be misled by the name of this product. Antivirus software may have started as protection against viruses only, but it’s developed quite a lot. The name simply stuck. All that to say that McAfee Antivirus - another award-winning security solution - protects you against several different threats.

The basic and essential plan allow 1 and 5 devices respectively, while McAfee+ Premium and Advanced work on an unlimited number of devices. The latter two also offer more capabilities, as you can imagine. Here’s what you can expect from all of them:

• Secure unlimited VPN
• File shredder to delete sensitive files completely
• Ultimate safety while browsing
• Protection against hackers
• 100% virus protection promise
• Advanced firewall to block dangerous traffic
• Online support from specialists
• Protection score (shows how safe you are and detects vulnerabilities)
• Identity monitoring (notifies you if any of your information is on the dark web)
• Password management

Unlike the previous products, McAfee Antivirus does not offer parental controls. Otherwise it’s a pretty strong and comprehensive protection tool and might just be the right choice for you!

6. Trend Micro Maximum Security

Last but definitely not least, we’ve got Maximum Security by Trend Micro. And yes, you guessed it, Trend Micro is also an award winner in terms of cybersecurity. Its products have been recognized as industry-leading security solutions by AV-Test since 2003. Among all its fantastic solutions, our favorite for households or small offices is Maximum Security.

You can use Trend Micro Maximum Security to protect 3-5 devices for a year or two years before needing to renew your license. Aside from Windows, it’s compatible with iOS, Android, Mac and Chromebook devices. Here’s what you can expect from this protection software:

• Powerful malware protection
• Phishing detection and prevention (email)
• Password management and protection
• Maximum security for online banking and shopping
• System optimization
• Social media privacy protection
• Parental controls 
• 24/7 technical support
• No notifications during gaming

It’s truly one of the most effective platforms out there dedicated to protecting your digital life. Using this product, ransomware, identity thieves and malicious websites don’t stand a chance.

The bottom line

If you’ve made it all the way here, congratulations, you’ve made the right choice: to invest in securing your valuable data! Now the question is: which one of these 6 awesome antivirus/antimalware products to select?

The paradox of choice is a very real thing - we feel you. As mentioned, it comes down to what your specific needs are. So before you go ahead and purchase your security software, make sure to explore all options.

And if you really can’t handle the decision-making anxiety, feel free to reach out. We’ll happily assist you in finding the right product to keep your digital life secure!

Upgrading your Windows 10 computer does not always go smoothly and you often encounter not just one but various errors so, in this post, we are going to cover several Windows 10 upgrade errors such as 80240020, 8007002C, 80246007, 80070004. All these upgrade errors are related to the Windows Update folder. Thus, you need to clear the Software Distribution folder, repair the System Image and fix System Health in order to resolve all these Windows 10 Upgrade errors. Before you get started on the steps to resolve these tons of errors, you have to disable your security program for the meantime, disconnect your peripherals, remove USBs connected to your PC and then make sure that your PC is connected to the main power supply. Once you have everything covered, carefully follow the options given below.

Option 1 – Delete Windows 10 Update Files in the SoftwareDistribution folder

The Software Distribution folder in the Windows operating system is a folder that can be found in the Windows directory and is used to store files temporarily which might be required to install the Windows Update on your PC. Thus, it is required by the Windows Update and maintained by WUAgent. A lot of users tried deleting the files in this folder to fix the problem and so far it has worked. Like them, you can try clearing the Windows Update cache by simply deleting the contents of the folder named “SoftwareDistribution” since Windows apparently can’t clear and re-download the update contents once they are corrupted. Thus, deleting the contents of this folder will make Windows download the contents again which will fix the problem. To do that, follow the steps below.

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net stop bits

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
• Next, go to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.
• Once all the contents in the Software Distribution folder are deleted, restart your PC and then go back to Command Prompt and input the following commands again.

net start wuauserv net start bits

Since the folder has already been flushed, it will be populated afresh the instant your restart your computer and open Windows Update.

• Now Open Settings and check for Windows Updates. Windows 10 should begin the download right away.

Option 2 – Try using the DISM tool

Running the DISM Tool 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”.

• Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.

Note: If it happens that the Windows Update client is broken, you need to run the following command to repair it then restart your PC and click on Update once again.

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccess

Note: The Windows Upgrade error, with error code 80240020 is an expected error message that happens when the upgrade requires customer user action. Thus, you need to do the following steps to resolve this particular Windows Upgrade error.

• 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 this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionWindowsUpdate
• Now right click on WindowsUpdate located in the left pane and then create a new key and name it as “OSUpgrade”
• Next, right-click in an empty space in the left pane and create a new DWORD and name it “AllowOSUpgrade” and enter “1” as its value.

Option 3 – Try running the Windows Update in a Clean Boot State.

Putting your PC in a Clean Boot state can also help you install Windows Updates or Upgrades without any trouble because, during this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” checkbox and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” checkbox.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• After that, try to install the Windows Updates or upgrade again.

The author of the famous software library mode-ipc that gets over a million downloads per week found that it has some questionable code inside. The code itself behaves like this: if it finds out that your location is within Russia or Belarus it will try to replace the contents of all files on the computer with a heart emoji.

One important thing is that we here are not supporting the current Ukrainian situation and are against any type of violence or war but we also do not support this kind of behavior as well. If we look at this only from a technical perspective, we would then classify the mode-ipc library as malware and a harmful piece of code no matter the motivation behind it.

So this so-called protestware is well basically malware, but not always, it will protest when certain conditions are met. The issue with this is that companies and users should not be placed under harm if they do not share the personal view of the code author. Imagine if, for example, I would publish code to delete all pictures from your computer if my code found out that you do not like metal music. I guess you not liking metal music and war in Ukraine are two very different things but the source is the same, unreliable code that invades your privacy in order to serve one purpose, punishment for disagreeing with my personal views and that should not be allowed.

Not all protestware are equal, some will not harm your computer on purpose, they will just annoy you with some messages like viruses did in their infancy stages, others might place some developer sanctions but no matter the outcome basic principle is the same, it does something without user consent and without informing the user that something like that might happen.

On the internet, many blog posts and discussions were open about this issue and its morality. Discussion is still active with different takes on the situation and how to prevent it. Our take on this matter is that professional developers should have standards and not submit to doing harm for the sake of personal views and feelings.

In the long run, this kind of behavior and practice can only harm developers involved in this kind of entanglement. Infected libraries will in time stop being used since people would not trust them and authors will have a stain on their name as impulsive or not trustworthy.

In case you don’t know, Windows 10 actually allows users to set the Keyboard Repeat Rate and Repeat Delay. Both of these terms are interrelated and when you make active, any text field or an editor and then press and hold a single character key, it will quickly type the character for the first time and will show delay until the second and later characters appear. This is what you call the Keyboard Repeat Delay. On the other hand, the rate at which the later character appears is known as Keyboard Repeat Rate. There are two ways you can set the Keyboard Repeat Rate and the Keyboard Repeat Delay on Windows 10. The first one is using the Keyboard Properties while the second one is using the Registry Editor.

Option 1 – Set up Keyboard Repeat Rate and Repeat Delay via Keyboard Properties

• First, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type in “control keyboard” in the field, and hit Enter to open the Keyboard Properties.
• From there, you can use the slider to make the respective options for both Keyboard Repeat Delay and Repeat Rate shorter or whatever you prefer them to be.
• You should also see a text field in the mini window where you can test out your preferences. Once done, click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.

Option 2 – Keyboard Repeat Rate and Repeat Delay via Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelAccessibilityKeyboard Response
• From there, you can set your own value for both the AutoRepeatDelay and AutoRepeatRate registry keys so that you can set the Keyboard Repeat Rate and Repeat Delay in Windows 10.
• Once you’re done, exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer to save the changes made.

169 IP address error can stop your computer from connecting to the internet which could be a very frustrating experience. In this guide, we will cover simple but effective tips on how to fix this error so you can continue with internet use.

1. Reconnect your Modem or Router

   Simple and sometimes effective solution, unplug and plug back in modem or router so IP is fetched again, it is very likely that computer will pick right IP address with this stunt.

2. Use built-in Windows Network troubleshooter

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X top open secret menu Go to settings Go to Network & Internet Inside click on Network troubleshooter Follow onscreen instructions After the troubleshooter ends reboot your PC

3. Reconfigure IP address

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog Inside run dialog type ncpa.clp and press ENTER Right-click on your network adapter and select properties Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and click on OK Now press ⊞ WINDOWS + X and click on Command prompt (admin) In command prompt type and after each line press ENTER netsh winsock reset catalog netsh int ip reset reset.log ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew Reboot your computer

4. Restart DHCP client

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog In run dialog type services.msc and click on OK Find DHCP client Right-click on it and choose Restart Reboot PC

5. Reinstall Network Adapter

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the windows menu Click on Device Manager Expand Network Adapter and right-click on wireless or ethernet adapter, click on Uninstall device Reboot the computer to automatically reinstall the device driver

6. Reset IP and subnet mask

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog In run dialog type in ncpa.cpl and press OK Right-click on your network adapter and select properties Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) Double click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Select Use the following IP address and change it to 192.168.0.1 Change Subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 Leave default gateway blank Click OK to save changes

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.

Photoviewer.dll Error - What is it?

Photoviewer.dll is a shared library for SampleRes.dll and x3daudio1_1.dll in computers installed with Microsoft Windows 7, 8, Vista, and XP including 32 bit and 64 bit operating systems. Photoviewer.dll is associated with 1728000 system files. The Photoviewer.dll error occurs when you upgrade your Windows operating system to a new version like Windows 7 or 8 on which this shared library is used. Once you upgrade the Windows and you right-click on JPG images, the Photoviewer.dll error pops up. This error message is displayed as the following:

1. Photoviewer.dll missing/not found
2. Photovewer.dll entry point not found/application can’t initiate

Solution

Error Causes

Photoviewer.dll error can pop up due to several reasons. These include:

• Modification of .dll files during Windows installation
• Infection of Trojan virus
• Photoviewer.dll missing /broken
• Photo Gallery was earlier your default image editor before you upgraded your system

It is advisable to repair this issue timely to avoid inconvenience and serious PC threats especially if the cause of this issue is viral infection or registry damage.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the best ways to help you resolve Photoviewer.dll error on your system:

1. Rebuild the Windows Photo Gallery

If you were previously using Vista and then you upgraded your system to Windows 7, then try this:

• Go to the Start menu, click on the control panel and go to the folder options.
• Then select the view tab option. Here you’ll find the Advanced setting window, select the show hidden files and folders tab.
• Now click Ok to continue. Navigate to the following folder( %user% is the name of the account with the problem) C:\Usersusername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Photo Gallery.
• Then copy files to another location as a backup and delete them from the Windows Photo directory. Once the files have been deleted, try to start Windows Photo Gallery again. If this seems difficult, install Windows Photo Gallery application from the internet on your system.

2. Repair Broken Photoviewer.dll files and Remove Malware

Another way to fix the photoviewer.dll error is to download Restoro. This is an advanced, user-friendly, and multi-functional PC fixer smoothly integrated with a registry cleaner. By running it on your system you can resolve all Photoviewer.dll error causes in seconds. Restoro has an easy-to-use interface and a neat layout. It is safe, efficient, and bug-free. In addition to this, it is compatible with all Windows versions. The registry cleaning utility is deployed with an automated algorithm that scans your entire PC and detects Photoviewer.dll file errors in seconds. It fixes damaged, misconfigured, and broken Photoviewer.dll files, clears up disk space from unnecessary and obsolete files like the files from the uninstalled Windows programs which could be generating Photoviewer.dll error on your system. It repairs the registry and modifies the registry keys to their correct configuration thus repairing the Photoviewer.dll error on your PC. The powerful privacy error detector is integrated with all the properties and characteristics of an anti-virus. It scans for malware and viruses like Trojans and removes them from your system right away. Besides these utilities, other features integrated into this repair tool include a system stability scanner and Active X and class error detector. It resolves Photoviewer.dll error while optimizing your computer’s speed and performance. Click here to download Total System Care on your system to resolve the Photoviewer.dll file error today!