Fix Windows Activation error code 0xC004F078

As you know, Windows 10 has a complicated mechanism for Activation which helps in the verification of a genuine copy of Windows 10. However, there are times when you might encounter some errors during the activation process. One of these errors is the error code 0xc000f074. This kind of error could be due to the Key Management Service or KMS which is unreachable by the client computer or if the key used in the SLSetAuthenticationData function call is incorrect.

This kind of error mostly affects surfaces on computers that are upgraded from either Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. In such cases, you may encounter any of the following error messages:

“Windows is unable to reach your company’s activation service. Please connect to your corporate network. If you are connected and continue to see the error, contact your system administrator. You can also click on the error detail to find the exact error. Error code: 0xC004F074.”

“Activating Windows(R),

(Key hash)…

Error: 0xC004F074 The Software Licensing Service reported that the computer could not be activated. No Key Management Service (KMS) could be contacted.

Please see the Application Event Log for additional information.”

“Error 0xC004F074, SL_E_AUTHN_MISMATCHED_KEY, The Software Licensing Service reported that the key is mismatched.”

To fix the Windows 10 Activation error 0xC004F078, you have to use the correct key for your type of Windows copy or use Command Prompt to reinstall the key or you could also try running the Activation troubleshooter.

Option 1 – Try running the Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter

The first thing you can do to resolve the Activation error code 0xc000f074 is to run the Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter. To do so, follow these steps:

Go to Settings and then select Activation.
After that, click on the Windows Activation and then troubleshoot. This will help you address most of the commonly found activation issues in Windows devices.

The Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter will determine if your license key is a valid Windows 10 digital license for an edition that is not currently installed. If it turns out that it’s not, then the troubleshooter will show you how to install the correct edition.

Option 2 – Try to use the correct key for the type of Windows version you have

If the Windows Activation troubleshooter wasn’t able to resolve the error, then you can try using the correct key for your type of Windows version. All you have to do so is check the type of your Windows copy if it’s OEM, retail, or volume. And make sure that you have the correct, valid product key for your operating system.

Option 3 – Try to use Command Prompt to reinstall the key

In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results, and then select “Run as administrator”.
After that, execute this command to uninstall the existing key: vbs /upk
Next, you need to install the KMS product key by executing this command: vbs /ipk <The KMS Product Key>
Once you’re done, you will see a prompt that’ll tell you whether the operation was either successful or not.
To active, the KMS product key online, use this command: vbs /ato
Use this command to activate the key using the telephone: exe 4
After you’ve activated the KMS product key, restart the Software Protection Service. You can also verify the Activation Status to check if your fix was successful or not.

Option 4 – Contact Microsoft Support for assistance

If you’re at your wits’ end in trying to upgrade your computer, you should consider contacting Microsoft Support for help as they can offer you various options that would make fixing Windows Activation error code 0xc000f074 a lot easier and faster.

Option 1 – Try checking Services Dependencies

Dependencies of a Windows Service in Windows 10 are when windows services depend on other services. Such is the case with the Windows Update service – it also depends on three different services such as the Remote Procedure Call or RPC service, DCOM Server Process Launcher, and the RPC Endpoint Mapper. Meaning to say, if two of these services are not working as expected, then the dependant service will also be affected. This could be the reason why the Windows Update service could not start.

Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
From the list of Services, look for the following services:
- Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service
- DCOM Server Process Launcher
- RPC Endpoint Mapper
After you find these services, double click on each one of them and check whether the Startup type for all is set to Automatic and the Service status is set to Running or not.
If the service status is not running, then click the Start button. Afterward, check if you can now run the Windows Update service.

Option 2 – Check the Background Intelligent Service and the Cryptographic Service

Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
From the list of Services, look for the following services and make sure that their Startup type is as follows:
- Background Intelligent Transfer Service – Manual
- Cryptographic Service – Automatic
After that, check if the Service status of the listed services above is set to Running. If they’re not, click on the Start button to start these services and then check if you can now enable the Windows Update service or not.

Option 3 – Reset Windows Update components

If the first two options did not work then you might want to reset the Windows Update components manually. Follow the steps below to reset them.

Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
After that, type each one of the following commands and hit Enter after you key in one after the other.
- net stop wuauserv
- net stop cryptsvc
- net stop bits
- net stop msiserver

Note: The commands you entered will stop the Windows Update components such as Windows Update service, Cryptographic services, BITS, and MSI Installer.

After disabling WU components, you need to rename both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do that, type each one of the following commands below, and don’t forget to hit Enter after you type one command after the other.
- ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
- ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
Next, restart the services you’ve stopped by entering another series of commands. Don’t forget to hit Enter after you key in one command after the other.
- net start wuauserv
- net start cryptsvc
- net start bits
- net start msiserver
Close Command Prompt and reboot your PC.

Option 4 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

If resetting the Windows Update components didn’t work, you could also try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing any issues related to Windows Update including this one. 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.

Option 5 – Try removing a value from the Windows Registry

If running the Windows Update troubleshooter didn’t help and you receive a message instead saying, “Service Registration is Missing or Corrupt”, you can try to remove a value from the Windows Registry.

Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Registry.
Next, navigate to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsSelfHostApplicability
From this path, look for a value named “ThresholdOptedIn” and if you find it, delete it.
Exit the Registry Editor and see if you can now enable the Windows Update service.

How to Use and Configure Active Hours

The issue with the abrupt system reboots to force Windows 10 updates on a computer has been lessened with Active Hours. This feature keeps a record of the hours during which a system remains active and prevents the installation of updates during such hours. For example, when a system restart is needed to complete the installation of an update, Active Hours delays the update and allows you to finish what you’re doing on your computer. Thus, if you haven’t heard of this feature, then now is the time you do, read this post to configure and use Active Hours in your Windows 10 computer. There are three ways you can configure Active Hours. The first one is for general users, whereas the rest of the two methods are for users who knows their way about the Windows Registry and Group Policy. To get started, refer to every given option below.

Option 1 – Configure Active Hours via Windows 10 Settings

Go to Settings > Update & Security. From there, click on the “Change active hours” option under the Windows Update section.
Next, you can select a time (“Start time” and “End time”) during which the restart can occur.
After that, click on the Save button and exit.

Note: Keep in mind that the values you’ve entered indicate the hours during which your system is in use, namely, ACTIVE. It is important for your active hour’s interval period and it can be anything between 1 and 18 hours since you can’t go beyond 18 hours. In addition, there is no option to configure different active hours on different days and you can’t specify different active hours for weekends and weekdays as well. On the other hand, Windows 10 also offer users an option to override Active Hours. All you have to do is go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Restart Options. From there, you can choose a custom restart time when your computer will restart to install the updates but this is only a one-time setting.

Option 2 – Configure Active Hours via Registry Editor

Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter or click OK to open the Registry Editor.
Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsUpdateUXSettings
In the given registry path, you can choose to change “ActiveHoursStart” and “ActiveHoursEnd”.

Note: There are no extra settings available in the Registry Editor but you can change the remote computer’s Active hours settings using the Registry Editor.

Option 3 – Configure Active Hours via Group Policy

Note that this option is available for the Windows 10 Pro and Educational or Enterprise versions. It is mostly used by computers in Business or through remote access. To get started, follow these steps:

Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and tap Enter or click OK to open the Group Policy Editor.
Next, navigate to this group policy setting: Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Updates.
From there, look for a policy labeled “Turn off auto-restart for updates during active hours” and double click on it. This will open a new window.
Click on the Enabled radio button to enable Active Hours. You also have the option to choose active hours just like in the first given option above. It works just fine except when the following policies don’t override:
- No Auto-restart with logged-on users for scheduled automatic updates installations.
- Always automatically restart at the scheduled time.

Since Group Policy allows you to reduce the range of active hours, you can configure it if you want it to be less than 18 hours. Just find the policy setting labeled “Specify Active hours range for auto -restarts. The minimum is 8 hours”.
After you set the Active Hours, click the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.

InternetSpeedTracker Removal Guide

InternetSpeedTracker is a browser extension developed by MindSpark Inc. This browser add-on offer uses tips on how to boost their “bad” internet connection speed. It displays false internet speed in order to get you to open the sponsored links listed in the toolbar.

This extension also hijacks your browser home page and replaces your default search engine with MyWay. While browsing the internet you will see additional unwanted sponsored ads and links throughout your search results, and sometimes even pop-up ads might appear. While active this extension gathers personal information, website visits, links, and clicks and uses this data to serve ads.

InternetSpeedTracker has been flagged as a Browser Hijacker by several anti-virus scanners, and due to its data mining behavior, it is not recommended to keep it on your computer, especially because it gives false data about your internet speed.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijack is a very common type of online fraud where your internet browser settings are modified to allow it to carry out things you don’t intend. They’re created to disrupt browser functions for several purposes. It redirects you to the sponsored sites and inserts ads on the web browser which helps its developer generate earnings. Nevertheless, it’s not that naive. Your web safety is jeopardized and it is also extremely irritating. They don’t just ruin your web browsers, but browser hijackers could also modify the computer registry, making your PC vulnerable to other attacks.

How one can know if your web browser is hijacked

Signs that an internet browser is a hi-jacked include: the browser’s home-page is modified; you find yourself regularly directed to a different site than the one you meant; the default search engine is changed; unwanted new toolbars are added to your web browser; never-ending pop-up ads show up and/or your browser pop-up blocker is disabled; your web browser starts running sluggishly or displays frequent glitches; You simply can’t access specific sites, particularly anti-virus sites.

How they infect PCs

A browser hijacker can be installed on your computer when you check out an infected website, click an e-mail attachment, or download something from a file-sharing website. They are usually included with toolbars, BHO, add-ons, plugins, or browser extensions. A browser hijacker could also be installed as a part of freeware, shareware, demoware, and fake programs. A good example of a notorious browser hijacker is the most recent Chinese malware known as “Fireball”, which has attacked 250 million computer systems worldwide. It acts as a hijacker but can be turned into a fully functioning malware downloader afterward. Browser hijackers could affect the user’s browsing experience greatly, keep track of the websites visited by users and steal private information, cause difficulty in connecting to the internet, and ultimately create stability issues, making software programs and systems freeze.

How to repair a browser hijack

Some hijackers could be removed by uninstalling the freeware they came with or by eliminating any extension you have recently added to your system. But, many hijackers are hard to get rid of manually. No matter how much you attempt to eliminate it, it can keep coming back over and over again. And there’s no denying the fact that the manual fixes and removal methods can be quite a complicated job for a rookie PC user. Furthermore, there are several risks connected with fiddling around with the system registry files.

What you can do if Virus Stops You From Downloading Anything?

Malware could cause all kinds of damage after they invade your system, ranging from stealing your private information to deleting data files on your computer system. Certain malware variants modify web browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the computer’s DNS configuration settings. In such cases, you’ll be unable to visit some or all of the websites, and thus not able to download or install the necessary security software to remove the infection. If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you to download or install the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your PC. There are some fixes you can try to get around with this issue.

Install antivirus in Safe Mode with Networking

If the malware is set to load at Windows startup, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Since only the minimal programs and services start-up in safe mode, there are rarely any reasons for issues to take place. Listed below are the steps you should follow to start your computer into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (visit Microsoft site for instructions on Windows 8 and 10 PCs). 1) At power on/start-up, tap the F8 key in one-second intervals. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Select Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit Enter. 3) As soon as this mode loads, you will have an internet connection. Now, utilize your web browser normally and navigate to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) Right after the software program is installed, let the diagnostic scan run to remove trojans and other malware automatically.

Switch to an alternate web browser

Web-based viruses can be environment-specific, aiming for a particular internet browser or attacking specific versions of the browser. The best solution to avoid this issue is to opt for a browser that is known for its security features. Firefox comprises built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to keep you safe online.

Run anti-virus from a pen drive

Another technique is to download and transfer an anti-malware application from a clean PC to run a scan on the affected computer. Follow these steps to use a flash drive to clean your infected system. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Microsoft Windows Defender Offline onto a clean PC. 2) Insert the pen drive on the same system. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware software package to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Pick a USB flash drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the application. Follow the instructions on the computer screen to complete the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the pen drive to the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the thumb drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Click the “Scan” button to run a full system scan and remove malware automatically.

Let's Talk About SafeBytes Anti-Malware!

Want to install the best anti-malware application for your laptop or computer? There are many applications available in the market which comes in free and paid versions for Windows computers. Some of them are great and some are scamware applications that pretend as legitimate anti-malware programs waiting to wreak havoc on your PC. When looking for an antimalware program, pick one which gives reliable, efficient, and total protection against all known viruses and malware. One of the recommended tools by industry leaders is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, the most dependable program for Windows computers. SafeBytes anti-malware is a reliable tool that not only secures your system permanently but is also quite user-friendly for people of all ability levels. This application could easily identify, remove, and protect your personal computer from the most advanced malware attacks such as spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, worms, PUPs, and other possibly damaging software applications. SafeBytes has excellent features when compared to other anti-malware programs. Below are a few of the great ones: World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built upon a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can identify and remove numerous obstinate malware threats such as browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other common antivirus applications will miss. Live Protection: SafeBytes gives real-time active supervision and protection from all known viruses and malware. They’re very effective in screening and eliminating different threats because they are regularly improved with new updates and alerts. Web Security: SafeBytes provides an instant safety rating on the web pages you are going to visit, automatically blocking risky sites and making sure that you are certain of your safety while browsing the internet. Very Low CPU and Memory Usage: SafeBytes provides complete protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load due to its enhanced detection engine and algorithms. Premium Support: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and updates for the best user experience.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove InternetSpeedTracker without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by InternetSpeedTracker

Files: C:DOCUME1USER1LOCALS1Tempnsk1.tmp C:b418207fbd4b466002312b66521c390947518e9a0d787e4e059af0505f607f3e C:DOCUME1USER1LOCALS1Tempnsk2.tmp C:DOCUME1USER1LOCALS1Tempnsk2.tmpnsDialogs.dll C:DOCUME1USER1LOCALS1Tempnsk2.tmpSystem.dll C:DOCUME1USER1LOCALS1Tempnsk2.tmpnsDialogs.dll C:DOCUME1USER1LOCALS1Tempnsk2.tmpSystem.dll C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.binNP9tEISb.dl_ C:PROGRA1INTERN2Installr.binNP9tEISb.dl_ C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.binNP9tEISb.dll C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.bintEIPlug.dl_ C:PROGRA1INTERN2Installr.bintEIPlug.dl_ C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.bintEIPlug.dll C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.bintEZSETP.dl_ C:PROGRA1INTERN2Installr.bintEZSETP.dl_ C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.bintEZSETP.dll C:WINDOWSsystem32rundll32.exe C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.binNP9tEISb.dl_ C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.binNP9tEISb.dll C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.bintEIPlug.dl_ C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.bintEIPlug.dll C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.bintEZSETP.dl_ C:Program FilesInternetSpeedTracker_9tEIInstallr.bintEZSETP.dll Registry: HKLMSOFTWAREClassesInternetSpeedTracker_9t.HTMLMenu HKLMSOFTWAREClassesInternetSpeedTracker_9t.HTMLPanel HKLMSOFTWAREClassesInternetSpeedTracker_9t.SettingsPlugin HKLMSOFTWAREClassesInternetSpeedTracker_9t.ToolbarProtector HKLMSOFTWAREWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionexplorerBrowser Helper Objects9e28b297-11d4-4293-aa6f-558658ee66ae HKLMSOFTWAREWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionexplorerBrowser Helper Objectscc28794a-99d4-4b1b-bccf-b065ce5f9feb HKLMSOFTWAREWow6432NodeInternetSpeedTracker_9t HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001servicesInternetSpeedTracker_9tService HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetservicesInternetSpeedTracker_9tService HKUS-1-5-21-1633355155-4214755471-2067616181-1000SoftwareAppDataLowSoftwareInternetSpeedTracker_9t HKLMSOFTWAREWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunInternet Speed Tracker EPM Support

KFConsole enters the console competition

Yes, you read that right, KFC is making a console partnered with Cooler Master. Bizzare at it sounds, it is even more bizarre that the console is designed to keep your food warm!!! You can pull out the drawer from the console out on its top and place some food there in order to keep it warm. kfconsole drawer

The console itself is coming in cylindrical shape powered by Intel CPU and ASUS GPU of the unknown chipset. It has Seagate Baraccuda 1TB SSD and it is VR-ready. The console will have raytracing and will be 4K ready.

My thoughts

Well, my thoughts are somewhat strange, on one side I am not really sold on food heating gimmicks and without specific hardware specifications, it is difficult to say how much power the console will have. Price is also not leaked so that is also a stumbling stone for making an informed opinion. I am a little puzzled and concerned about this whole heating food thing because personally, I can see 2 issues: Console overheating and fat dripping on inside hardware, I am sure they have somehow eliminated this but I would be very interested to see how.

Folder shortcuts in Windows 11 on Start menu

Special folders like music, pictures, download, videos, etc, can be placed as shortcuts in the start menu inside Windows 11 for easy access. Shortcuts will appear in the start menu on the bottom as simple glyphs. They are not present in the start menu by default so it needs to be turned ON first. Folder shortcuts

If you want to place these icons in your Star menu follow this step-by-step guide and you will have them in no time.

Open Windows settings
In settings go to Personalization > Start
In Start click on Folders
On the given list of Settings, File Explorer, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, Network, and Personal folder click on the switch beside them if you want them as shortcuts in the Start menu. You can choose whichever you want.
Close settings

You can revisit the settings menu to add more icons or remove some of them later if you wish so.

How to Fix Windows Update Error 0x800706be

Error 0x800706be is a Windows error code that pops up when a particular system file is having some issue. This error pops up on other Windows-compatible software as well as driver vendors. This error signifies a misconfigured or corrupted system file so you might encounter this error in different instances. For instance, this error might pop up when you click the audio icon from the system tray or when the Windows Upgrade or Update has failed. Needless to say, this error can be caused by different factors. Anyhow, this post will show you what you can do to fix the problem when the error pops up during a Windows Update or Upgrade. If you are seeing this error when you try to install the latest Windows updates, it will show a Windows Update failed message and you obviously won’t be able to update your Windows 10 PC until you fix this error. You will keep seeing this error even when you try to reboot or update it a couple of times. As mentioned, the error code 0x800706be appears when there is something wrong with your system files – they are either corrupted or misconfigured. This error is most likely caused by the corrupted Windows Update Components. Corruption of these files is not unusual and it could happen anytime. So since the Windows Update files or components are corrupted, you won’t be able to successfully install the latest Windows Updates. Here are some options you can try to fix the problem.

Option 1 – Try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the basic things to do when facing any kind of issue with Windows Updates. As long as it can it will detect the issue and automatically solve them so that there will be no need for you to do more technical steps to resolve the issue.

Tap the Windows and R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Then type in “control.exe /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting” in the field and tap Enter to open the Windows Update Troubleshooter.
After that, click Windows Update and follow the next on-screen instructions.

Option 2 – Try resetting the Windows Update Components

This is another basic thing to do in fixing the error 0x800706be. It is also one of the solutions that mostly worked for users who also got this error when trying to install Windows updates. And since the problem is caused by corrupted Windows update components, the most logical thing to do is to delete old files and reset components. To reset the Windows Update components, follow the given instructions below carefully.

Tap the Windows key once.
Then in the Windows Start Search, type in “command prompt”.
From the search results displayed, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
After that, type in “net stop wuauserv” and tap Enter.
Next, type in “net stop cryptSvc” and tap Enter.
Then type in “net stop bits” and tap Enter.
Type in “ren C:\Windows\Software\Distribution Software\Distribution.old” and then tap Enter.
Afterward, type in “C:\Windows\System32\catroot2\Catroot2.old” and tap Enter.
Next, type “net start cryptSvc” and tap Enter.
Then type “net start bits” and tap Enter.
Finally, type in “net start msiserver” and tap Enter.
Now close Command Prompt and then try updating Windows once more.

Best TV streaming services 2021

We live in a world that is in a pandemic, our lives, both social and work are turned upside down. Most of our free time is spent indoors now, maybe with some close relatives or friends, no large gathering, no party. In this world keeping yourself busy and entertained is very important so we do not lose our minds and try to function as well as we can. Keep up the positive spirit, the pandemic will be over soon but in meantime, let's see some premium streaming services for tv and film so we can kill time faster with some quality entertainment.

Netflix
If you're a connoisseur of movies and/or TV, there's only one must-have player in town and that's Netflix. It is, unequivocally, the biggest and best streaming service, despite not always stocking its digital shelves with must-have new movies and TV; that said, this is the staple streamer you need to own if you ever plan on cutting the cord and surviving without it. These days, most smart TVs have Netflix apps, and finding a streaming box without it is the equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack. The quality of the movies and TV we tried – mostly streamed in Ultra HD – on both TV and on tablets is exquisite.
Amazon Prime Video
Like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video has its own set of original series The Expanse, Hunters, and The Boys among others – but, generally speaking, they don't receive the same fanfare as their Netflix-bred brethren. Although Netflix is as guilty for dud programming as the rest of them, it's worth mentioning Amazon Prime does get some pretty terrible new additions from time to time. So always check out the guide to the best Amazon Prime TV shows before you dive in head-first. The two big differentiators between the services are the fact that access to Amazon's streaming service comes standard with a subscription to Amazon Prime – meaning access to Amazon Music and premium delivery services.
Hulu
Video streaming service Hulu offers big-name titles like The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live, and South Park alongside a huge number of titles from NBC, FOX, and Comedy Central. It's also the only streaming service app on the Nintendo Switch. Hulu comes in two flavors: the standard on-demand streaming service you've always known and loved, and the new Hulu with Live TV
Disney Plus
Disney Plus doesn't feel like it's trying to be the main TV streaming offering in your life. Instead, it's a family-friendly option that feels like it lives alongside a Netflix or Amazon Prime Video subscription. It has a very specific selection of content: Disney animated movies, Star Wars, Pixar, Marvel, and National Geographic. Essentially, if Disney owns it and kids can watch it, it's on here, and often streaming in 4K for no additional price. The real reason to sign up are big originals across those different subject areas – WandaVision, The Mandalorian, and Pixar's Soul, for example, all demonstrate an intention to invest big in blockbuster content for the platform.
YouTube TV
Ask someone what they think was the biggest internet revolution of the 21st century and they'll probably say it was YouTube. And with good reason – the user-generated video-blogging site has changed the online landscape forever. It lets anyone, however well known they are (or not), whatever the quality of their content and wherever they hail from, upload their weird and wonderful videos for anyone around the world to watch at their convenience. The beauty of YouTube is that in the blink of an eye it's taken the broadcasting power from the bigwigs and placed it right in our hands. OK, so it might not have stopped people wanting to watch a high-quality, professionally made production in their living room TVs, but it's an insight into how TV might be produced in the future. After all, with YouTube you don't need a big budget or indeed any budget at all to produce your own TV series and establish a massive following. While the free portion of YouTube will always remain the most popular (the latest statistic says that a whopping eight years' worth of content is uploaded each and every day to the site), but if you're looking for quality content, YouTube TV is also an excellent option worth considering.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a new streaming service built on top of an old one. The next evolution of HBO Go and HBO Now, it takes the basis of HBO's content – which includes many phenomenal shows, like The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Barry, The Leftovers, and Succession – and adds a heap more content to make it into more of a Netflix competitor. That's why a lot of the original fare we're seeing on the service so far is a bit broader in targeting different audiences, with Anna Kendrick's Love Life kicking us off, and Kaley Cuoco's dark comedy The Flight Attendant also feeling a little different to the usual heavy HBO dramas. You'll find original movies on the service, as well as series previously available on the DC Universe app, like Titans and Harley Quinn. There's a big archive of existing shows to enjoy on there, too, like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, South Park, and Rick and Morty. The content channels on HBO Max are great, with Studio Ghibli, Adult Swim, and Cartoon Network among those in the mix.
Sling TV
Sling TV is a kind of cure-all for the cord-cutting generation, something that we knew we needed but no company stepped up to make. That said, it's everything cable's not. It's affordable. It's no-obligation. And there are absolutely zero sales reps trying to stop you from canceling your contract. Best of all, you won't have to give up some of the perks cable provided in the last few years like the ability to pause live TV or watch something that aired up to 72 hours ago.
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the best streaming service any anime, manga, or East-Asian cinema fan in your life has always wanted and never knew about. Founded by Berkeley graduates back in 2006, Crunchyroll started as a bootleg website of sorts where users uploaded their favorite shows without the permission of the original owners. Not the humblest of beginnings. But now it's an essential offering for anime fans. While you won't find genre staples like Dragon Ball Z, Digimon or Pokémon around, most of the site's 200-plus series are available to watch for free in SD
Apple TV Plus
Apple's newest streaming service has money bags and talent on its side. Launching back in 2019 with The Morning Show, an expensive drama starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carrell, as well as See with Jason Momoa, Apple is flexing its muscles to get the best talent. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a deep content library, which is what the platform would need to be the best streaming service in 2021
Peacock
NBC Universal's attempt to enter the streaming market is buoyed by one big benefit: it's free to sign up and use, with an ad-supported tier letting you enjoy a healthy helping of its content for absolutely nothing. That said, a lot of the better stuff is behind a paywall – $4.99 per month if you want to access all of it with ads, and $9.99 if you want to enjoy without ads.
Twitch
For a certain crowd, Twitch (formerly known as Justin.tv) is about the best invention since sliced bread. Essentially it's a live-streaming platform that focuses primarily on videogames where you can find everything from world tournament coverage to someone muddling their way through that indie darling you had your eye on buying. It's not traditional by any means, but you'll find plenty to see and do on Twitch. Best of all the app is free on almost any platform you can think of: iOS, Android, Xbox One, PS4, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV … you name it, it probably has a Twitch app.

If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

NVIDIA GameStream is not working

The GameStream is an NVIDIA service that allows users to stream games from their Windows 10 computers to other supported devices which includes the NVIDIA SHIELD devices. However, a number of users reported that the NVIDIA GameStream is not working on their Windows 10 computers. This kind of issue is most likely caused by improper installation, some glitches with the network, and many more. To fix this issue in the NVIDIA GameStream, there are several options you need to check out to fix the problem. You can try to lo logout of GameStream and try logging back in again. You could also try to update or uninstall and reinstall the drivers related to NVIDIA or fix some network glitches or update the NVIDIA SHIELD device. For more details, you can refer to each one of the given potential fixes below.

Option 1 – Try to logout and log back into NVIDIA GameStream

The first thing you can do is to log out and then log back into NVIDIA GameStream. Some users claimed that by doing this simple task, they were able to resolve the problem. This is probably because with the re-login, the entire cache of the system and service is rebuilt and any bad sectors of that data will be replaced with the fresh one so this should resolve the problem with the NVIDIA GameStream, if not, refer to the other given options below.

Option 2 – Try updating the drivers from the official site of NVIDIA

If both the first and second given options didn’t work, you can also try updating the drivers from the official NVIDIA website. And in case you don’t know the type of Nvidia graphics card that your computer is on, follow the steps below:

Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Next type in “dxdiag” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.
From there, you can see what type of Nvidia graphics card that your system is on.
Take note of your graphics card information and then look for the best drivers for your operating system. Once you’ve downloaded and installed the file, restart your PC.

Option 3 – Try to roll back the driver to the previous version

If updating the NVIDIA display drivers didn’t work for you, then it’s time to roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh.

Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “MSC” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the NVIDIA Drivers and expand it.
Next, select the driver entries that are labeled appropriately.
Then select each one of them and double click to open a new mini window.
After that, make sure that you’re on the Driver tab and if you are not, just navigate to it then click the Roll Back Driver button to switch back to the previous version of the NVIDIA Drivers.
Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 4 – Try fixing your network

The next thing you can do to fix the problem with the NVIDIA GameStream is to fix the glitches in your network. Make sure that you connect both of your devices to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network and you also have to ensure that the Wi-Fi connection you’re connected to is strong enough for both the devices for the latency to go down. Once you’ve covered all of these things with your network, restart your computer and change the Wi-Fi channel both devices are connected to. This should resolve the problem.

Option 5 – Try to update the NVIDIA SHIELD device

You might also want to update the NVIDIA SHIELD device. There are times when an outdated NVIDIA SHIELD device can result to several issues like the problem with the NVIDIA GameStream. Thus, you need to update NVIDIA SHIELD and check if it fixes the problem or not.

Microsoft blocking Office users

Microsoft starting as of today will block its Office 365 users if they are using Internet Explorer or early versions of Edge browsers. So if you are using older non Chromium Edge versions of Microsoft browsers you can no longer access Office services until you switch. Now normally I would fully support this kind of decision since Internet explorer is a slow and vulnerable browser and the edge is similar in that regard. The new edge browser is great and it should be used but the issue I have is that Office 365 is not free, it is a premium feature and I am wondering how Microsoft plans to deal with people that have already paid for service but suddenly cannot access it anymore.

Razer Huntsman V2 mechanical keyboard

When it comes to computer peripherals first thing that comes to people's minds is probably Mouse and Keyboard. Also when discussing peripherals brands, Razer is not a stranger and over the years it has built its name and cult following. Razer’s mechanical keyboards have been always in the upper field of quality and trust from users and Huntsman is no different.

Tech specifics of Huntsman keyboard

Mechanical optical switches Razer has introduced their new optical technology switch with this keyboard. These switches are faster and more accurate than typical mechanical switches and if tests are to be believed this is the fastest keyboard currently on the market.
Multi-functional digital dial A multi-function digital dial with three tactile media keys gives you instant access to everything from brightness to volume in seconds. All programmable and customizable through Synapse 3, so you can set your preferred configurations right at your fingertips.
10-key rollover Anti-ghosting technology that enables 10-key simultaneous presses at the same time
4-side underglow with Razer chroma Go crazy and personalize lighting effects any way you want with a full 4-side underglow and 38 customization zones. Powered by Razer Chroma

Feel and noise

In the department of noise, well it is the mechanical keyboard so naturally, it will be louder than membrane ones but in terms of comparing it to other mechanical keyboards it is within the same noise range, maybe just a tiny bit silenced. The keyboard comes with 2 different types of switches, purple clicky ones that are louder and have that *click* sound for sound feedback, and red ones, that are not equipped with clicky sound but are linear providing slightly faster performance. If you choose the Huntsman elite model of the keyboard it will come with a nice hand resting mat that is very comfortable and feels right. Using a keyboard feels like using a Razer keyboard, it is responsive and gives that superior mechanical feeling.

Conclusion

Razer Huntsman mechanical keyboard is not the cheapest nor the best on the market but it is the fastest one out. It is in the top tier of keyboards and worth the investment.

1 2 3 … 171 Next »