How to Fix win32kfull.sys BSOD Error in Windows 10

The printer can stop working for many various reasons, some of them are however tied to the printer driver itself. In this guide, we will address issues and provide you with advice on how to get your printer back in working order in no time. All of that being said let us fix your Printer driver issue.

1. Check to see if the printer is plugged and that it has toner or colors and paper in the tray

   The simplest solutions are the best ones, and most of the time simplest issues are overlooked. To eliminate any basic issues check the printer cable does it has paper in the tray and check the status of toner or colors in it.

2. Check if Windows troubleshooter will resolve the issue

   Bring up settings and choose devices, under devices click on printers and scanners. On the far right top, you have a link to start the troubleshooter, click on it. Windows built-in tools could resolve issues and fix them for you. If by any chance Windows is not able to find or resolve issues move to the next step.

3. Check if the Device Manager is reporting an error and update the driver

   If the hardware is functioning properly then the issue might be in Windows not detecting device or driver malfunction. In any case, the Device Manager will be the one who will report this problem. In order to check to see if the driver is properly working press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden start menu. Once it opens, click on Device Manager to open it, If you have a driver device error inside Windows, you should see it immediately when entering the Device Manager, it will have a yellow exclamation mark beside it. Right-click on it and choose update driver.

4. Reinstall driver

   If driver update failed or you already have the latest drivers, reinstalling them could fix the issue since drivers might have corrupted during installation of some update or application. Follow steps from point 3 to get to the driver in Device Manager, then right-click on it but instead of update choose to uninstall. Reboot Windows once the driver is uninstalled and Windows will install a new one automatically. If you do not want to update drivers automatically install the latest driver for your device, then reboot.

5. Check Windows update

   Check to see if the latest Windows update is installed, update your Windows if needed

6. Fix driver issue with DRIVERFIX

   If everything else fails, get DRIVERFIX, a premium solution for your PC issues, and fix driver errors.

If you suddenly find your Windows 10 computer stuck on the “Preparing to configure” screen for quite a long time now after you run Windows Update, read on as you will be guided on how you can fix that issue in this post. During an update process, there’s a lot of things that go on in the background which is why Windows Updates take quite a while before it finishes. It can be at 25%, 50%, or even 100% but the only message you’re going to see on your screen is the “Preparing to configure Windows, Don’t turn off your computer”. However, if you notice that the Windows Update is taking a longer time than it’s supposed to, the first option is to wait some more but if it’s still the same, then there’s definitely something wrong. This kind of issue occurs when Windows Update fails to configure in short correctly download and install the update. When this happens, it will revert all the changes which are why you were advised to wait for a couple of hours. There are two possibilities why your computer is stuck on the “Preparing to configure Windows, Don’t turn off your computer” screen. The first one is that the Windows 10 operating system is installing any updates. The second one is when the user profile takes time to load or encounters an error. There are several options you can try to fix the problem. You can try running System Restore or boot your computer in Safe Mode or repair the corrupted profile via Registry Editor. You might also want to try using installation media to boot and repair your computer if the other options didn’t work.

Option 1 – Perform System Restore

• 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.

Note: If you can’t boot into the desktop of your computer, you can run System Restore in the Advanced Startup Options by following these steps:

• 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.
• Once it’s done, restart your computer.

Option 2 – Boot your computer in Safe Mode

You can try to tap the F8 key if you have it enabled in your Windows 10 computer, as you start your system to boot into Safe Mode. Once your computer is in Safe Mode, you can access the Start Menu and the Mouse and Keyboard. Aside from that, you can also access your files and other built-in tools in Windows such as Command Prompt, PowerShell, Computer Manager, Device Manager, Event Log Viewer, and many more. On the other hand, if you haven’t enabled the F8 key, you can just go to the Advanced Startup options to boot your computer into Safe Mode. Once you’re there, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart > Tap the number 4 key. After that, your computer will restart in Safe Mode. If you want to reboot into Safe Mode with Networking instead, you can tap the number 5 key and for Safe Mode with Command Prompt, tap the number 6 key. Once your computer is in Safe Mode, you can use any of the built-in tools to restore your computer or troubleshoot the problem that’s causing your computer to get stuck at the “Preparing to configure” screen.

Option 3 – Try to repair your corrupted profile via Registry

In this third option, you can try to repair the corrupted profile using the Registry but before you proceed, take note that you can only try this if you can boot into your desktop and if you can, make sure to create a System Restore Point and then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, go to this registry key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList
• Once you’ve opened the registry key, you should see a list of all the user profiles on your computer. Now click on each S-1-5 folder and look for the “ProfileImagePath” entry and double click on it to check which user account it is related to. You will see a path like “CUsersACK” where “ACK” is the username.
• You should know which of the user account is corrupted. Just look for a key named “RefCount” and change its Value data to “0” and click OK. And if it isn’t available, simply right-click on the right pane and create it.
• After that, double click on the key named “State” and make sure that the Value data is “0” and click OK.
• Exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 4 – Try to use installation media to boot and repair your computer

Another thing you can try to resolve the issue is to use the Windows installation bootable media so you can boot and repair the operating system. To use it, follow these steps:

• You need to first create an installation media which has the dame version of the operating system installed in your computer.
• After that, once you reach the Install Windows screen, click on the “Repair your computer” link.
• Wait until the repair is completed and then shut down your computer
• Now once your computer has restarted, check if it can now boot properly.

Chedot is a Chromium-based Browser that replaces your default System Internet Browser. This browser offers users tools for downloading videos, faster browsing, and custom searches. From the publisher: A feature of our browser is a high speed on slow computers, high speed download on a poor internet, support resuming file download when connection is broken and the download in multiple threads, the ability to go on blocked websites and downloading videos from video sites.

While this may seem interesting and good at start, this browser has been marked as a Potentially Unwanted Program. It monitors user activity, collects web traffic data, and user information. While using Chedot you may see additional ads throughout your browsing sessions.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

Exactly what is a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)?

People have encountered it – you download a free software, you then discover some unwanted applications on your computer system or discover a strange toolbar has been included with your browser. You didn’t have them installed, so how did they appear? These unwanted applications, which are called Potentially Unwanted Programs, or PUP in short, usually tag along as a software bundle when downloading the application and could cause serious problems for computer users. PUP does not involve malware in the traditional sense. What normally makes a PUP different from malicious software is the fact that when you download one, you’re doing it with your consent – although in most cases unintentionally and reluctantly. But, there is no doubt that PUPs remain bad news for computer users as it can be incredibly damaging to the PC in many ways.

How do unwanted programs affect you?

Unwanted programs come in many forms. More commonly, they will be found in adware bundlers which are known to utilize aggressive and misleading advertising. The majority of bundlers install many adware applications from a number of vendors, each of which features its own EULA policy. Safebytes Anti-malware completely removes this threat and safeguards your PC against PUP or malware infection. PUPS also appear in the form of undesirable toolbars or internet browser plug-ins. Not just they needlessly use up space on your screen, toolbars can also manipulate search results, track your web browsing activities, decrease your internet browser’s performance, and slow down your web connection to a crawl. They could seem harmless but PUPs are generally spyware. They may include dialers, keyloggers, and also other software built inside them that could monitor you or send out your sensitive information to 3rd parties. Because of this unwanted program, your application may freeze, your security protections can get disabled that could leave your computer susceptible, your system could get ruined, and this list goes on and on.

Tips for preventing PUPs

• Study cautiously prior to agreeing to the license agreement as it could have a clause about PUPs. • Always opt for the custom if you are given an option between Recommended and Custom Installations – never click Next, Next, Next thoughtlessly. • Install an advert blocker/pop-up blocker; Deploy anti-malware products such as Safebytes Anti-malware. These software programs will establish a wall between the computer and online criminals. • Be alert when you download and install freeware, open-source software, or shareware. Avoid downloading and installing browser extensions and applications you are not knowledgeable about. • Always download software from reliable sources like official sites as opposed to untrustworthy sharing space. Avoid torrents and peer-to-peer clients.

What To Do If You Cannot Download Safebytes Anti-Malware?

All malware is bad, but certain types of malware do much more damage to your PC than others. Some malware sits in between your computer and the net connection and blocks some or all internet sites that you really want to check out. It will also block you from installing anything on your PC, especially anti-malware applications. So what to do when malicious software keeps you from downloading or installing Safebytes Anti-Malware? Although this type of issue will be tougher to get around, there are some actions you can take.

Install the antivirus in Safe Mode

In Safe Mode, you can adjust Windows settings, un-install or install some software, and get rid of hard-to-delete viruses. In the event the virus is set to load immediately when PC starts, shifting into this mode may well prevent it from doing so. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the PC is booting up or run MSConfig and look for the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you’re in Safe Mode, you can try to install your antivirus program without the hindrance of the virus. Now, you can run the anti-malware scan to eliminate computer viruses and malware without any hindrance from another malicious application.

Download the antivirus software using a different browser

Some viruses might target vulnerabilities of a specific browser that block the downloading process. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer happens to be hijacked by a virus or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the best approach is to switch over to an alternate web browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your chosen security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

Here’s another solution which is creating a portable USB anti-virus software that can scan your system for malware without the need for installation. Follow these steps to run the anti-virus on the affected PC. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Windows Defender Offline onto a clean computer. 2) Plug the USB drive into the uninfected PC. 3) Double-click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Choose the drive letter of the flash drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the anti-virus. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the pen drive to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the EXE file to run the Safebytes tool from the flash drive. 7) Press the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware - More Protection For You

These days, an anti-malware tool can protect the computer from different forms of online threats. But wait, how to choose the right one amongst various malware protection software that is available on the market? Perhaps you might be aware, there are lots of anti-malware companies and products for you to consider. Some of them are good, some are decent, while some will affect your computer themselves! You must be careful not to pick the wrong product, especially if you purchase premium software. When it comes to commercial anti-malware software options, many people opt for popular brands, like SafeBytes, and they are very happy with it. Safebytes is among the well-established computer solutions firms, which provide this all-inclusive anti-malware software. Using its cutting edge technology, this application can help you eradicate multiples types of malware which includes computer viruses, worms, PUPs, trojans, adware, ransomware and browser hijackers. SafeBytes has outstanding features when compared with various other anti-malware programs. Below are a few of the great ones: Real-time Protection: Malware programs aiming to enter the computer are discovered and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes active protection shields. It’ll examine your computer system for suspicious activity regularly and shields your personal computer from unauthorized access. Optimum AntiMalware Protection: Safebytes is built on the best virus engine within the industry. These engines can find and remove threats even during the initial stages of a malware outbreak. “Fast Scan” Features: SafeBytes’s high speed malware scanning engine lessens scan times and extends battery life. Simultaneously, it’ll effectively identify and remove infected files or any online threat. Web Filtering: SafeBytes provides instant safety rating to the webpages you are about to check out, automatically blocking harmful sites and to ensure that you’re certain of your online safety while browsing the internet. Lightweight: SafeBytes is really a lightweight tool. It use up an extremely small amount of processing power as it operates in the background therefore you will not observe any system performance difficulties. Premium Support: For any technical concerns or product support, you can obtain 24/7 professional assistance via chat and e-mail.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you don’t wish to use malware removal software and prefer to get rid of Chedot manually, you could possibly do so by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the Control Panel and deleting the offending program; in cases of browser extensions, you may uninstall it by visiting the browsers Add-on/Extension manager. It’s also highly recommended to factory reset your browser to its default state to fix corrupt settings. To make sure of complete removal, find the following registry entries on your computer and delete it or reset the values accordingly. Please keep in mind that only advanced users should try to manually edit the system files mainly because deleting any single critical registry entry results in a major problem or even a system crash. Furthermore, certain malware keeps replicating which makes it tough to get rid of. You’re encouraged to do this procedure in Safe Mode.

Booting Windows 10 in safe mode can solve many issues with your computer since Windows will boot just in its basic core and you can safely maintain it, find a solution for issues, etc. Before, entering safe mode was easy and pretty straightforward, during Windows evolution, entering safe mode was somewhat complicated and not being made so directly like once it was but do not worry. Starting Windows in safe mode today is even maybe easier than it was before, it is just not so obvious as it once was. In this article, we will go through several ways how you can boot up Windows in safe mode in order to solve whatever issue is troubling you.

1. Start safe mode from settings

   Open Settings by pressing the ⊞ WINDOWS + I or by just clicking on the Start button and clicking Settings. Go to Update & Security, then Recovery. In Advanced startup, click Restart now. Once your PC reboots, click Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. Select Startup Settings then Restart.

2. Go to safe screen from Sign-in screen

   Click the Shift on your keyboard while clicking on the Power button on the bottom right corner of the screen. Once your PC restarts, click on Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. Select Startup Settings then Restart. After the reboot, select 4 or the F4 on your keyboard to run in Safe Mode. If you choose to use Safe Mode with Networking, select 5 or F5.

3. Start Windows recovery Environment

   Go to the Windows Recovery Environment by doing the following steps: Press on the power button to turn off your device. Press on the button again to turn it on. Once Windows starts, press the power button again for 10 seconds to turn it off. Then press it on again. Upon the reboot, hold on to the power button for 10 seconds to turn it off, then turn it on again. Because you've repeatedly turned on and off your PC, you will be redirected to Windows Recovery Environment. On the pop-up window, click on Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. Select Startup Settings, then Restart. After the reboot, select 4 or the F4 on your keyboard to run in Safe Mode. If you choose to use Safe Mode with Networking, select 5 or F5.

4. Hold SHIFT while pressing RESTART on the start menu

   On the Windows 10 sign-in screen, hold on the SHIFT on your keyboard. While pressing on the key, click on the Power button, then choose Restart on the pop-up menu. Once your PC restarts, click on Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. Select Startup Settings then Restart. After the reboot, select 4 or the F4 on your keyboard to run in Safe Mode. If you choose to use Safe Mode with Networking, select 5 or F5

5. Boot from installation media and choose it in the command prompt

   Create a Windows 10 bootable installation media on any external storage media. Once you do this step, wait for the installation to load. Select your preferred language and click on Next. Click on Repair your computer at the bottom left of the menu. Click on Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. Select Command Prompt - Use the Command Prompt for advanced troubleshooting options. Type in the following command on the prompt: bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal Hit Enter and wait for it to tell you that "The operation completed successfully". Exit Command Prompt and click on Continue.

6. Use system configuration tool

   In the Search bar, type in msconfig. Select the Boot tab and under the Boot options, put a check beside Safe boot. Click OK. Reboot PC

7. Press SHIFT + F8

   Press SHIFT + F8 when turning on Windows. This redirects you to Advanced Boot Options Window, then choose to run Windows on Safe Mode

There you have it, 7 different ways to enter safe mode in Windows 10, we hope that any of these tips proved helpful and that you managed to enter the safe mode and fix your Windows issues.

Today most users have an SSD drive, times have changed and SSD has become your typical computer equipment. A lot of time has passed from the first SSD hard drives up to today and technology has evolved and improved but still, there are some cool tricks and tips to speed up and extend the lifespan of your SSD hard drive. That being said let us dive right into what I would like to call the essentials of having an SSD hard drive.

1. Keep your SSD firmware up to date.

   This one really is a no-brainer, keeping your firmware updated at all times will ensure longer life and SSD stability. The trick here is that each SSD manufacturer has its own ways of updating firmware so this is not something universal, you will have to go to the official website of your SSD manufacturer and get firmware updates and instructions from them directly.

2. Enable ACHI.

   Advanced controller host interface or short ACHI is a feature that will ensure that your Windows will support all of the features that come with running SSD on your computer. It controls the TRIM feature which is crucial in helping Windows itself in its garbage collection on your hard drive. In order to enable ACHI, you will have to do it from your BIOS and it would be very good if the feature is enabled before Windows itself is installed so it can take full advantage of it.

3. Enable TRIM.

   TRIM feature is vital in extending your SSD lifespan and it should be enabled by default in Windows but you can never be too cautious and double-check and enable if needed. To make sure it is enabled, open your command prompt and type in: fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 0

4. Make sure your system restore is enabled.

   In the first SSD days, system restore was really a feature that you wanted to be disabled in order to prevent and extend the life span of your SSD drive, but we came a long way from there and today there is no reason to keep this feature turned off since it can be helping many ways with both your system and SSD.

5. Disable Indexing in Windows.

   A large portion of the speed of your SSD drive is used for indexing files in Windows. Of course, the indexing feature is great if you store everything on your SSD drive but if by any chance you have another drive for your backup, pictures, music, etc. it would be highly beneficial for you to turn it off on your SSD. To turn indexing off click on your start menu, click on the computer. Right-click on your SSD and then click on properties. De-select box that says: Allow files to have contents indexed in addition to file properties and click OK. Once you do this the operating system will apply this to all the files and folders on the drive. If you see a dialog telling you that it couldn’t remove a file from the index, click Ignore All.

6. Keep Windows defrag ON.

   This also was the option in early SSD days which was better to be OFF, but as said before since technology has been making progress and Windows has been improved and made aware of SSD drives, defrag has evolved as well, and now it is more of optimization tool then defragmenter which was once.

7. Disable Prefetch and Superfetch.

   Windows is placing information in both physical and virtual memory for applications that you are not currently using but they are used often in order to speed their response time. If you are running low on space or having struggles with virtual memory it would be best to turn them both off. Go to registry manager and find: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters, there you have 2 values: EnablePrefetcher and EnableSuperfetch, set both values to 0.

8. Disable Search and Superfetch services.

   Disabling Superfetch in the registry is not all work, Press WINDOWS + R to bring run dialog, type in it services.msc, Find both Search and Superfetch and disable them.

9. Configure Write Caching.

   Write caching can be enabled and disabled in the device manager by expanding disk drives, right-clicking on SSD, then click properties, select the policies tab. In the tab, there is the option to Enable write caching on the device. Now trick in this is that you will need to try and benchmark your SSD with both options turned ON and OFF since different manufacturers have different performances with this option being ON or OFF.

10. Disable CleanPageFileAtShutdown and LargeSystemCache.

    Page file and a large cache of page files are not something that we longer need, since SSD writes with great speed in its flash memory both of these options can be disabled and you will both speed up shut down the process of your system and save some SSD life since page files will not be written. Find both options in the registry under the key: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management set both to 0

11. Set high performance in Power options.

    This option in power management will prevent your SSD from constantly shutting down and bringing it up increasing speed without sacrificing its life span.

These are tips and tricks for having great and longer life as well as speed for your SSD drive. We hope that you have found them useful and that you will come again to check new articles published daily for easier IT life.

What Is Error 103?

Error 103 is an error that is usually encountered by those who use Google Chrome. This error is usually generated because of a conflict arising between Google Chrome and the antivirus program running on the user’s computer. Primarily, error 103 is an incompatibility issue. It is not critical in nature. However, since it will disrupt the smooth functioning of the browser, it is strongly advised to rectify this error that is generated due to any temporary conflicts between the logic of the two programs namely Google Chrome and antivirus. In layman's terms, it would be only justified to say that this error has a lot to do with the way programs react to each other in real-time.

Solution

Error Causes

When the error is displayed to the user, it usually states something like ‘chrome error 103 connection aborted’, ‘chrome error 103 err_connection_aborted’ or ‘Error 103 (net: ERR_CONNECTION_ABORTED): Unknown error. This begs the question, what triggers this error? Here it is important to understand that Google Chrome constantly applies to upgrade. In most instances, the upgrades almost go unnoticed. In the meanwhile, there are other programs running on any system such as firewall, Antispyware, or antivirus programs. All such programs govern the functionality of the web browser. Now, when the web browser attempts to update and any programs on the system view the update as a threat, the connection to the internet will be terminated. It is also important to understand that these programs will keep you from upgrading or from doing anything with your browser.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Before we move on to the discussion of fixing the underlying causes for error 103, it is important to understand all those programs that are most likely to generate this error. A list of all such programs is outlined below as follows.

• Kaspersky Pure 3.0
• Kaspersky ONE
• Kaspersky small office security 2013
• Kaspersky internet security 2013
• Kaspersky antivirus 2013

A downside associated with error 103 is that it won’t disappear on its own. That’s why it is important to make some manual changes as there are no tools available online to rectify this error automatically. Follow the steps listed below to easily fix the problem.

• Click on the Start button.
• In the search box, enter ‘expand.exe’.
• Right-click on the file that appears and select the option ‘Open Folder Location’.
• Now, copy the file and paste it at the destination ‘C:\Windows\System32’.
• If you are not able to find the file, it is advised you copy it from Windows Installation Disk.
• Now, click on the ‘Start’ button again.
• Find and select ‘Run’.
• Now enter ‘C: ’ in the search box and press Ok.
• Now right-click anywhere on the screen, select new, and then select folder.
• Rename this folder. Change the name from ‘New Folder’ to ‘Temp’.
• Now go to the Start button again.
• Select ‘Run’ once again.
• Type ‘cmd.exe’ in the command prompt and press Ok.
• Now type Command. Press enter.
• Now type this code as it is: ‘set TMP=C:temp’ and press enter.
• Now restart the browser.
• If it fails, install Google Chrome once again.
• Just make sure everything is in sync to avoid any data loss.

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

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

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

If you encounter errors 1603 and 0x00000643 on your Windows 10 computer while trying to install or update your Google Chrome browser. Although most errors can be fixed by some simple troubleshooting steps, that is not the case for these two errors since they have pretty specific solutions. To resolve errors 1603 and 0x00000643 on your Chrome browser, here are some solutions you need to check out.

Option 1 – Try to run Microsoft Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter

Running the Microsoft Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter could help you fix errors 1603 and 0x00000643 in Chrome as well as the following issue in your Windows 10 computer:

• Corrupted registry keys on 64-bit operating systems.
• Corrupted registry keys that control the updated data.
• Problems that:
  • Prevent new programs from being installed.
  • Prevent new programs from being installed.
  • Problems that block you from uninstalling a program through Add or Remove Programs (or Programs and Features) in Control Panel.

To use the Microsoft Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter, refer to the given steps below.

• First, right-click on the downloaded MicrosoftProgram_Install_and_Uninstall.meta.diagcab file and run it with administrative privileges.
• Next, it will offer you two scenarios to troubleshoot namely, “Installing” or “Uninstalling” and you have to select Installing to resolve the current errors.
• After that, it will show you a list of available programs on your computer. From there, select Google Update Helper and then click Next.
• It will then start to troubleshoot the problem and will automatically apply the fixes for you. It will offer you to uninstall Chrome if it turns out that it’s the root cause of the problem.
• After that, you need to download Google Chrome again and then reinstall it.

Option 2 – Try to clean reinstall Chrome

There are instances when programs leave files behind after you’ve uninstalled them and the same thing can happen to Chrome so before you reinstall Chrome, you have to make sure that you have deleted the User Data folder. To do so, refer to the following steps:

• Hit the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser Data” in the field and hit Enter to open the User Data folder.
• From there, rename the default folder and name it something else, e.g. “Default.old”.
• After that, install Google Chrome again and check if the issue is now fixed.

Option 3 – Try running the Chrome Cleanup tool

You might want to run Google Chrome’s built-in Malware Scanner & Cleanup tool as it could also help in getting rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and anything else that might overtake the network and could affect the performance of the browser.

Option 4 – Try to run the Network Troubleshooter

• Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
• Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
• Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
• After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.

Option 5 – Reset Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you fix the error. This means that you will be restoring its default settings, disabling all the extensions, add-ons, and themes. Aside from that, the content settings will be reset as well and the cookies, cache, and site data will also be deleted. To reset Chrome, here’s what you have to do:

• Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
• After that, click on Settings.
• Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
• After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
• Now restart Google Chrome.

DigiSmirkz is a Browser Extension by Mindspark Inc. This extension offers users the ability to enrich their emails or chats with tons of new emojis. When installed it will replace your default new tab page with a variety of search.myway.com, hosted at hp.myway.com. This search engine uses information about you, collected by the extension to display unwanted targeted ads by Mindspark Partners and Ad Networks.

While surfing the internet with this extension installed and enabled, you will see additional pop-up ads, inserted ads into search results and sponsored content on web pages.

Several anti-virus applications have marked this extension as a Browser Hijacker and is therefore recommended to be removed from the Computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes referred to as hijackware) are a kind of malicious software that modifies web browser settings without the computer owner’s knowledge or consent. These hijacks appear to be rising at an alarming rate worldwide, and it could be really nefarious and often harmful too. Browser hijacker malware is created for a variety of reasons. Typically, hijackers will force hits to sites of their choice either to get more traffic generating higher ad earnings or to obtain a commission for every user visiting there. Although it may seem harmless, these tools were created by vicious people who always look to take advantage of you, so that they can easily make money from your naive and distraction. They not only ruin your internet browsers, but browser hijackers can even modify the computer registry, making your PC vulnerable to other types of attacks.

Major signs that an internet browser has been hijacked

There are many symptoms that indicate your browser is highjacked: 1. your homepage is reset to some unfamiliar webpage 2. your internet browser is constantly being redirected to porn websites 3. the default web engine and/or the default browser settings are modified 4. unsolicited new toolbars are added to your web browser 5. your internet browser will display constant pop-up windows 6. your web browser starts running slowly or presents frequent errors 7. you can’t navigate to particular webpages, like security software-related websites.

How they get into your PC

Browser hijackers can enter a PC by some means or other, for example via file sharing, downloads, and e-mail too. They may also come from any BHO, extension, add-on, toolbar or plug-in with malicious purpose. A browser hijacker could also be installed as a part of freeware, shareware, demoware and fake programs. Some of the most popular hijackers are DigiSmirkz, Conduit Search, Babylon Toolbar, Sweet Page, OneWebSearch, and CoolWebSearch. Browser hijackers can interrupt the user’s web surfing experience severely, track the websites frequented by users and steal private information, cause difficulty in connecting to the web, and eventually create stability issues, causing applications and system to crash.

How you can fix a browser hijack

Certain hijackers could be removed simply by uninstalling the related freeware or add-ons through the Add or Remove Programs in the Windows control panel. But, many browser hijackers are hard to get rid of manually. Irrespective of how much you attempt to get rid of it, it may keep returning over and over again. You should think of undertaking manual repairs only if you are a tech-savvy person, as there are possible risks associated with tinkering around with the computer registry and HOSTS file. Industry experts always suggest users remove any malicious software including browser hijacker by using an automatic malware removal tool, which is better, safer, and faster than the manual removal method. To remove any type of browser hijacker from your system, you can download this particular top-notch malware removal software – SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Virus Blocking Internet And All Antivirus Software? Do This!

Practically all malware is bad and the degree of the damage will vary greatly with regards to the type of infection. Certain malware types alter internet browser settings by adding a proxy server or change the PC’s DNS configurations. When this happens, you will be unable to visit some or all sites, and thus not able to download or install the necessary security software to clear out the computer virus. If you are reading this article, chances are you’re stuck with a malware infection which is preventing you to download and/or install Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your system. Follow the instructions below to get rid of malware by alternate ways.

Make use of Safe Mode to resolve the issue

If any malware is set to load immediately when Windows starts, stepping into safe mode may block this attempt. Since only the bare minimum programs and services start-up in Safe Mode, there are rarely any reasons for issues to happen. Below are the steps you should follow to take out viruses in Safemode. 1) Tap the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your system boots, however, before the big Windows logo or black screen with white texts appears. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Use the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) When you are into this mode, you will have an internet connection once again. Now, get the malware removal software you want by utilizing the browser. To install the software, follow the guidelines in the installation wizard. 4) Once the software is installed, let the scan run to eliminate viruses and other malware automatically.

Switch to an alternative browser

Malicious program code might exploit vulnerabilities in a specific internet browser and block access to all anti-virus software sites. The most effective solution to avoid this problem is to choose a web browser that is renowned for their security measures. Firefox has built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you safe online.

Run anti-virus from a pen drive

Another solution is to create a portable anti-malware program on your USB stick. Adopt these measures to run the anti-malware on the affected computer. 1) Use another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the USB drive on the same system. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, which has an .exe file format. 4) Select USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you want to install the application. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. 5) Transfer the USB drive from the clean PC to the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the USB drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Click the “Scan” button to run a full system scan and remove viruses automatically.

Protect Your Computer Against Malware and Viruses With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you are looking to purchase anti-malware for your computer system, there are lots of brands and packages for you to consider. Some of them are great while some are scamware applications that pretend as legitimate anti-malware software waiting around to wreak havoc on the computer. You need to select a company that creates industry-best anti-malware and it has got a reputation as reliable. On the list of highly recommended software programs is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes has a good track record of excellent service, and clients are very happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trustworthy software that not only secures your computer system completely but is also very user-friendly for people of all ability levels. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software protects your PC against infections brought on by various kinds of malware and similar internet threats, including spyware, adware, trojans, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, potentially unwanted program (PUPs), and ransomware.

There are many wonderful features you will get with this particular security product. These are some of the highlighted features included in the product.

World-class AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning antimalware application goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean out your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine detects and disables hard to remove malware that conceals deep inside your personal computer. Live Protection: SafeBytes provides real-time active checking and protection against all of known viruses and malware. This utility will always monitor your PC for any suspicious activity and updates itself regularly to keep current with the latest threats. Web Protection: Safebytes allots all sites a unique safety rating that helps you to have an idea of whether the webpage you are going to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Faster Scanning: SafeBytes’s very fast malware scanning engine reduces scan times and extends battery life. Simultaneously, it will effectively detect and remove infected files or any online threat. Low CPU and RAM Usage: SafeBytes gives you total protection from internet threats at a fraction of the CPU load because of its advanced detection engine and algorithms. Fantastic Tech Support Team: You can obtain absolutely free 24/7 technical assistance from their computer experts on any product queries or PC security issues. SafeBytes will keep your computer safe from latest malware threats automatically with hardly any input needed from you again. You now may realize that this particular tool does more than just scan and eliminate threats from your PC. You will get the very best all-around protection for the money you spend on SafeBytes Anti-Malware subscription, there is no doubt about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you want to do the removal of DigiSmirkz manually rather than employing an automated software tool, you can follow these simple steps: Go to the Windows Control Panel, click on the “Add or Remove Programs” and there, select the offending program to remove. In case of suspicious versions of web browser extensions, you can actually remove it through your browser’s extension manager. You may also want to reset your home page and search engine providers, and also clear your web browser cache and cookies. In order to ensure complete removal, manually examine your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that only advanced computer users should try to manually edit the registry because removing any single critical system file leads to a serious problem or perhaps a computer crash. Moreover, certain malware keeps replicating which makes it tough to remove. Doing this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is suggested.

A lot of users prefer to use Microsoft OneDrive when it comes down to cloud storage as it does not only come with the seal of approval from Microsoft but it’s also primarily good and better compared to other cloud storage services. However, that doesn’t mean that OneDrive isn’t without any issues. For one, you might encounter an issue where the OneDrive thumbnails do not show in File Explorer in Windows 10. If you are currently experiencing this problem, read on as this post will help you fix it. As you know, you can add OneDrive to your Windows 10 computer and have all the files locally synchronize to the cloud and so on. This means that whatever is available in the cloud will be seen on your computer. It is smooth and definitely saves you a lot of time which is why a lot of users prefer to use it. So if you suddenly not see any thumbnails in OneDrive, then that would be a problem. You are actually not the only one having this problem as there are other users who reported getting the same issue recently about the picture thumbnails that no longer show up in the OneDrive folders in the File Explorer. At the time of writing, it isn’t clear yet what the cause of the issue really is. Even so, there are still potential fixes you can check out to resolve it, and the sooner you do it, the better as this can be a major problem. To get started, refer to the instructions given below.

Option 1 – Try to disable Files on Demand

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to disable the Files on Demand. This is what you have to do to get things under control.

• First, right-click on the OneDrive icon located in the taskbar and go-to of OneDrive.
• After that, click on More and Settings. This will open a new window where you have to click on the Settings tab and uncheck the “Files on Demand” service.
• Once done, restart your computer and check if you can now see the thumbnails in the OneDrive folder. However, if it didn’t work, then proceed to the next given option below.

Option 2 – Try to change the icon view

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to change the icon view. It is possible that the problem might have something to do with the size of the icons than anything else. So you have to change the icon view and to do that, follow these steps:

• First, open Control Panel in Windows 10.
• Next, in the search box, type “folder” and then click on the File Explorer Options.
• From there, click on the View tab and uncheck the “Always show icons” option, and make sure that showing thumbnails is active.
• Now go back to Control Panel and type “system” in the search box. This will open a new window where you have to select the “View advanced system settings” option.
• Then under the Performance section, click on Settings and click on the option that allows you to show the thumbnails instead of icons.