Fix Windows Update error code 0x80d02002

If your IP address expires, you will most likely experience interruptions when browsing the web. In such cases, you have to release and renew the IP address by executing the following commands:

• ipconfig /release
• ipconfig /renew

So if you are trying to renew the IP address of your Windows 10 computer using the commands given above but you encounter an error message instead that says, “Unable to contact your DHCP Server”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing this error. This kind of error indicates that the NIC can’t communicate with the DHCP server which is why it’s not able to release new IP addresses. It could be due to many reasons. To fix this error, you can try to roll back, update or reinstall the Network Adapter drivers. You could also run the built-in Network Adapter troubleshooter, as well as start or restart the DHCP client service.

Option 1 – Try to rollback your Network driver

If you have updated the driver software as of late and you suddenly got this error, you might have to roll back the device driver – in other words, switch back to the previous working version. To do that, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.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 Network Adapters and expand it.
• Next, select the driver entries that are labeled appropriately other than anything in the context of the WAN Miniport.
• 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 your Network adapters.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Try to update the Network drivers

If rolling back to the previous version of the Network adapter drivers didn’t help, then you need to update them instead. To do so, here’s what you have to do:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.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 Network Adapters and expand them.
• Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and update them all.
• Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the BSOD error.

Note: If updating the network drivers didn’t help in fixing the problem, you can also try to uninstall the very same drivers and restart your Windows 10 PC. After that, the system itself will reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled. Alternatively, you can also download and install the drivers from the manufacturer’s website directly.

Option 3 – Run the Network Adapter troubleshooter

Running the built-in Network Adapter troubleshooter can also help in fixing the “Unable to contact your DHCP Server” error. To run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter, refer to these steps:

• 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.
• Restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try disabling the IPv6 in the Network Center

• Tap the Win + X key combination and click on Network Connections.
• This will open the Settings app on a specific page. Now on the right-side panel, click on the Network and Sharing Center link.
• After that, it will open the Control Panel and from there, click on the network that your computer is connected to and then click on Properties.
• Next, uncheck the entry that says, “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” in the list that populates.
• Now click on OK and close all other windows.
• Restart your computer and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 5 – Start or restart the DHCP client service

If the DHCP client service is either inactive or stopped, you can try to start or restart it to resolve the error. You can do this via the Services Manager.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility.
• Then type “services.msc” in the field and tap Enter or click OK to open the Services Manager.
• After that, look for the DHCP client service from the list of services displayed.
• Once you found it, right-click on it and select the Start or Restart option.

As you know, USB is now being widely used in all devices with USB A as the leading type with most devices based on it. Peripheral devices such as Pen Drives, External Hard disks, and many more also use a USB port. On the other hand, USB C is also coming up to be the next big standard in the computing world because of its high transfer speeds, wider compatibility as well as support for external Graphics Processing Units. However, just recently, USB 3.0 ports have been reported to cause the following error to pop up on Windows 10 computers every time a USB device is plugged in.

“Not enough USB controller resources. The controller does not have enough resources for this device.”

To fix this error, here are some guidelines you can check out. Make sure to follow them carefully.

Option 1 – Try to use a lower generation USB port

The first thing you can do is to try using a lower generation USB port as this issue mostly occurs when a device is connected to a USB 3,0 port. This means that you have to plug in your device to a USB 2.0 port and then see if it fixes the error or not. You can easily decipher a USB 3.0 port from a USB 2.0 port as the former is in blue.

Option 2 – Try to use a dock

You could also try to use a dock to resolve the error. Note that when too much power on laptops and notebooks are drawn from the USB ports and as a USB 3.0 port draws more power compared to a USB 2.0 port. Thus, if you plug in your USB storage device into a USB 2.0 port with the help of a dock, it should fix the problem.

Option 3 – Try disabling the xHCI Mode option in the BIOS

• First, boot your computer into the BIOS.
• Once your computer has booted, go to the Advanced tab.
• Next, make sure that the entry for “xHCI Pre-boot mode” is set to Disabled under the USB Configuration section.
• Now save the changes you’ve made and then restart your computer to Windows 10 and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 4 – Update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller driver

Since it could be a driver issue, you can try to update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers using the Device Manager. Refer to the following steps:

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right click on each one of the USB drivers, especially the Generic USB Hub driver, and then select the Update Driver from the menu.
• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

Note: If updating the USB Controller drivers didn’t work, you can try to reinstall them instead.

Option 5 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

You could also run the Hardware and device Troubleshooter to try and fix the “Not enough USB controller resources” error.

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

In the latest news, Microsoft has reached a deal to purchase Activision Blizzard for 67.8 billion. Now franchises like Warcraft, Starcraft, Overwatch, Call of duty, Diablo are now the property of Microsoft and I am sure that some of these games we can expect to be included in the Xbox game pass. This is the second large game company acquisition by Microsoft, Acquiring Bethesda first and a big hit to Sony since Xbox will now have more games in its catalog and as exclusives. Of course, the sale has to go through the standard closing conditions and completion of regulatory review and Activision Blizzard’s shareholder approval before it’s finalized. Assuming that all goes well, the deal is slated to be completed during the fiscal year 2023, which is July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.

Virtual Reality or VR for short has come a long way from its infant stage and as 2022 is in half period we are looking at the VR market and reflecting on what has changed in one year. For starters, games have increased in quality and quantity while the hardware price has decreased making the whole VR experience a little closer to a wider audience.

Many companies have tried to get on the VR bandwagon but also many have failed. What remained are staples in VR hardware from large companies that have started with VR early and kept improving their headsets.

So with great pleasure, we are presenting the remaining best 3 virtual headsets so far of 2022 brought to you from Sony, Valve, and Meta.

SONY PLAYSTATION VR

If you want VR on consoles then there is really one option, and that is SONY VR. Premium Virtual Reality solution from SONY, sadly you can do this only on Playstation 4 and Playstation 5. Sony managed to pull off great quality hardware and packed with its exclusives on playstore at a very affordable price that is still cheaper than other products.

While waiting for the Sony PlayStation VR2 headset this one is still a great option and quality is still among the top of the game. From the time of its release until today, many AAA titles have been released for it as exclusives that you can not play any other way and some of them are really worth it.

VALVE Index

Altho there are headsets like HTC Vive Cosmos Elite that have some features that place it as a better solution than Valve Index, Index is still an overall better VR headset as a whole product but its price is something that is keeping it still way out of reach of your standard user. The price, however, is really an illusion since it applies only when buying the system first time, you see Valve has created this headset as a modular design system making it upgradable meaning that you can, for example, buy newer controllers only and they will work perfectly with rest of hardware.

The modular design will save you money when you want to upgrade your VR system but as said entry price is steep. Besides its somewhat higher price than competitors, it is also notable that Index is a positional tracking VR set which means that it relies on a base station in order to locate the user. This means that once set, it is not so easy to change its location of use.

However, its quality and steam use are unmatched, high-quality games and compatibility that no other headset with steam will even pull off probably make Index one of the 3 best headsets out there. Half-life Alyx, arguably and currently one of the best VR games ever made so far was specifically designed for Valve Index and other games are behaving also incredibly nice with this headset, so if you want a great powerhouse for PC VR gaming, you will no go wrong in purchasing Valve Index.

META QUEST 2

Cheapest of the three and coming in various iterations, Meta has established itself from the beginning as a leading player in VR technology with its oculus line of products. Quest 2 is the next product in their line and it comes with 128GB and 256GB versions.

Meta has removed the need for the Facebook account for its VR systems and now you can use them without the need to send any kind of data to meta. Priced fairly for its entry 128 models this standalone VR set improves in any way possible from its previous iteration and sets the bar for what will come in VR's future.

Offering both wired and wi-fi connection with its standalone battery Quest 2 also is packed with a large library of games and it is user friendly as your typical game console but still allows some under-the-hood tinkering if you wish so.

Also, Meta's Vr solution since it uses inside-out tracking makes it incredibly easy to just pick it up and carry it with you wherever you go.

SysPlayer is a potentially unwanted ad-supported media application from Goobzo.com. It can display targeted ads, hijack browser search results, and can display pop-up ads. This player gathers information about your visited websites, the number of clicks on each website, and cookie information containing sensitive data, that it occasionally sends back to the server.

Multiple Anti-virus programs detect SysPlayer as malicious or potentially unwanted as of the time of publication of this video. It has been associated in bundles with iWebar, which is also flagged by many AVs.

From the publisher:

SysPlayer is an extremely lightweight free Media Player with built-in codecs, which supports the most popular video and audio formats, as well as DVD, audio CD, Webcams, and other devices. It lets you play your video files, and watch images.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

People have experienced it – you download and install a piece of free software, next you see some unwanted programs on your computer system, find a strange toolbar on your web browser, or find your default search engine has been changed. You did not set them up, so how did they appear? A Potentially Unwanted Program, also known as PUP, in short, is actually software that contains adware, installs toolbars, or has other hidden goals. These types of programs are almost always bundled up with free software which you download via the internet or may also be bundled inside the custom installers of many download sites. Despite being considered very destructive, PUPs aren’t necessarily computer viruses or malware The main reason for this is the fact that the majority of PUPs get into users’ PC’s not because they exploit security weaknesses, for example, but because the users give consent to download and install it – unknowingly in general. On the other hand, there is no doubt that PUPs are still bad news for PC users as they can be incredibly dangerous to the computer in many ways.

What do PUPs do on your computer, really?

Unwanted programs can be found in many forms. More often, they can be found in adware bundlers which are known to use aggressive and misleading advertising. The majority of bundlers install many adware applications from several companies, each of which possesses its own EULA policy. Total System Care entirely eliminates this threat and protects your computer against unwanted programs or malware infection. PUPs that come as browser add-ons and toolbars are readily recognizable. They’ll modify web browser settings, change default search provider, substitute the default home page with their very own websites, decelerate internet speed, and can ruin your system also. They may look innocent but PUPs are usually spyware. They could include things like information gathering code which could gather and send your private information to organizations. Even if the PUPs really aren’t inherently malicious, these programs still do practically nothing good on your computer – they’ll take valuable system resources, slow down your computer, weaken your computer security, and make your system more vulnerable to trojans.

Protect yourself from PUPs

• Read the terms and conditions so that the end-user license agreement (EULA) you’re accepting is only for the program you actually intend to download. • Pick the “custom” install whenever installing a software program. Particularly, pay attention to those tiny boxes that have been checked by default, where you might ‘agree’ to receive advertising or install software bundlers. • Have a top-notch anti-virus program like Total System Care which will protect your personal machine from PUPs. Once you install this software, protection from viruses and PUPs is already switched on. • Avoid installing a freeware program you will not use. Prior to adding a toolbar or browser extension, think of whether it is really needed. • Always download programs from the original website. The majority of PUPs find their way to your computer system is through download portals, so stay away from it entirely.

What To Do If You Cannot Install Any Anti-virus?

Practically all malware is bad, but certain kinds of malicious software do a lot more damage to your computer or laptop than others. Some malware variants modify web browser settings by including a proxy server or modify the PC’s DNS configuration settings. In these instances, you’ll be unable to visit certain or all of the sites, and therefore not able to download or install the necessary security software to eliminate the malware. If you are reading this article, you probably have got affected by malware that stops you from installing security software such as Safebytes Anti-Malware. Even though this sort of issue will be harder to get around, there are some steps you can take.

Eliminate viruses in Safe Mode

The Windows operating system includes a special mode known as “Safe Mode” in which just the bare minimum required applications and services are loaded. If the malware is obstructing access to the internet and affecting your computer, launching it in Safe Mode allows you to download anti-virus and run a diagnostic scan while limiting possible damage. In order to enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the computer is starting up or run MSCONFIG and look for the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. Once you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, and update the anti-malware program from there. At this point, you are able to run the antivirus scan to get rid of computer viruses and malware without hindrance from another application.

Use an alternate web browser to download an anti-malware program

Some malware only targets certain internet browsers. If this is your case, employ another web browser as it can circumvent the computer virus. If you’re not able to download the anti-virus application using Internet Explorer, this means the virus may be targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you should switch over to a different internet browser like Firefox or Chrome to download the Safebytes Anti-malware program.

Create a portable USB antivirus for removing malware

Another option would be to make a portable antivirus program on your USB thumb drive. Follow these steps to employ a USB drive to clean your corrupted system. 1) On a virus-free PC, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the USB drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Pick thumb drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the software. Follow the activation instructions. 5) Transfer the USB drive from the uninfected PC to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the EXE file to run the Safebytes tool right from the thumb drive. 7) Click the “Scan” button to run a full computer scan and remove malware automatically.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware: Light-weight Malware Protection for Windows Computer

If you’re looking to buy anti-malware for your computer system, there are many brands and applications for you to consider. A few of them do a good job in eliminating threats while many will harm your computer themselves. It is important to opt for a company that creates industry-best antimalware and has achieved a reputation as reliable. When considering trustworthy applications, Safebytes AntiMalware is certainly the highly recommended one. SafeBytes can be described as a powerful, real-time antivirus application that is created to assist the everyday computer end user in safeguarding their PC from malicious threats. Once you have installed this software program, SafeBytes superior protection system will make sure that absolutely no viruses or malicious software can seep through your PC. SafeBytes anti-malware takes computer protection to a whole new level with its advanced features. The following are some of the great features included in the product. World-class AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning antimalware program goes much deeper than most anti-virus tools to clean out your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard-to-remove malware that hides deep within your computer. Active Protection: SafeBytes gives real-time active supervision and protection from all of known viruses and malware. They’re extremely effective in screening and getting rid of numerous threats because they’re regularly improved with new updates and alerts. Quick Multi-threaded Scanning: Safebytes Anti-Malware, with its advanced scanning engine, provides extremely fast scanning which will quickly target any active online threat. Web Protection: SafeBytes checks and provides a unique safety ranking to every single site you visit and block access to web pages known to be phishing sites, thus safeguarding you from identity theft, or known to contain malware. Light-weight Utility: SafeBytes provides complete protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load due to its enhanced detection engine and algorithms. 24/7 Premium Support: Support service is accessible 24 x 7 x 365 days through chat and email to answer your concerns.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove SysPlayer 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 SysPlayer

Error Code 0xC1900101, 0x30018? - What is it?

Users, when upgrading to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, or when upgrading to a new version, build, service pack, or major update of Windows 10, can encounter error code 0xC1900101, 0x30018. Windows 10 installation fails and stops or hangs. During the installation process, it will reach a certain maximum limit (normally at 6% or 32%) then reverts back to the previous version of the operating system and displays the following message:

We couldn’t install Windows 10. We’ve set your PC back to the way it was right before you started installing Windows 10.

0xC1900101 – 0x30018 The installation failed in the FIRST_BOOT phase with the error during the SYSPREP operation.

Solution

Error Causes

In attempting to fix Error Code 0xC1900101-0x30018, it is vital to know what causes this issue. The most probable causes of this error are:

• Incompatible hardware or driver
• Incompatible security programs or antivirus or incompatible utility software
• A device driver possibly stopped responding to setup.exe while on the installation process.

In some cases, you might be opened to other error messages when attempting to update to Windows 10, including error code 8007002c.

Further Information and Manual Repair

In fixing issues related to error codes, it is best to employ manual repair methods. Using these methods helps users pinpoint the root causes of the issue and apply solutions permanently to fix the issues. While most manual repair methods can be done by every Windows user, even those without technical abilities, there are certain cases where help from a Windows professional is needed. If you’re not up to facing risks in implementing manual methods yourself, consider getting help from a professional Windows technician or you can use a powerful automated tool. In fixing Error Code 0xC1900101-0x30018, you can repeat the same steps used for 0xc000021a (Method One) or you can try doing the following:

• Disable or uninstall your Antivirus program before proceeding to upgrade the system
• Ensure that the machine name is simple (having at least 8 characters) with no special characters like hyphens or dashes.
• Restart the device a few times then try again.
• Disable General USB Devices such as the Smart Card Reader.
• If you use an SCSI hard disk, ensure that you have available drivers you can use for your storage such as a thumb drive and make sure that it is connected. During the Windows 10 setup, select the Custom Advanced Option and use the Load Driver command to be able to load the suitable driver for the SCSI drive. If this fails, try switching to an IDE-based hard disk.
• You can now perform a clean boot. Restart your device then try again.
• If you are using the .ISO file for upgrading the system, you need to disconnect from the Internet first before proceeding to the setup. If you are connected to Wi-Fi or by Ethernet (LAN), make sure to disable both connections then you can proceed to set up again.
• If you’re performing the update through Windows Update, once the download reaches 100%, disconnect from the Internet, and then proceed with the installation.

NOTE: If this fails, if possible, you can try using the .ISO file in upgrading.

• Switch to a local account if the device is connected to a domain.
• Disconnect all external devices attached to the computer such as gaming controllers, printers, or USB keys.

If you’re using Windows Update in installing Windows 10, you can implement the following:

1. Open the Command Prompt window by pressing Windows Key + X. Select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.
2. Stop the BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer, and the Windows Update Services. In order to do this, Type or Copy and Paste the following commands one at a time:

NOTE: Don’t forget to hit Enter after every command.

net stop wuauserv

net stop cryptSvc

net stop bits

net stop msiserver

3. Rename the Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution In order to do this, Type or Copy and Paste the following commands one at a time:

NOTE: Don’t forget to hit Enter after every command.

                        ren

C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

                          ren

C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old

4. Restart the BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer, and the Windows Update Services. In order to do this, Type or Copy and Paste the following commands one at a time:

NOTE: Don’t forget to hit Enter after every command.

net start wuauserv

net start cryptSvc

net start bits

net start msiserver

5. Type Exit in the Command Prompt then close the Command Prompt window then restart the computer.

Can’t seem to put up with the long and technical manual repair process? You can still fix this error by downloading and installing a powerful automated tool that will surely get the job done in a jiffy!

In every task carried out in the Windows 10 operating system, some of them don’t go smoothly and it could encounter a couple of errors along the way. One of these errors you could encounter is the Windows Update error code 0x8007000e. This particular error was reported to occur a lot when downloading and installing a Feature update via Windows Updates. And recently, it has been reported to occur a couple of times for the Windows 10 1903 May 2019 update. According to security experts, this error could be caused by a lack of memory or disk space as well as issues in the Windows Update mechanism. Whatever the cause is, troubleshooting this problem shouldn’t be hard as this post will give you some potential fixes you can check out. To fix this error, here are some options you need to consider:

Option 1 – Clear up temporary or junk files

The error could be caused by some temporary or junk files in your computer and so you need to clear them up to fix the problem. You can achieve that using the Storage Sense feature.

• Open Setting > System > Storage from the WinX Menu.
• From there, you will see a list of all the local and connected storage devices along with the details on the free space. Make sure that Storage Sense is on.
• Next, find a link that says “Free Up Space” and click it to open.
• After that, a screen which is the built-in program in Windows 10 will appear and will scan your computer for the following junk files so you can free up disk space:
  • Windows Upgrade Log Files
  • System created Windows Error Reporting Files
  • Thumbnails
  • Temporary Internet Files
  • Previous Windows Installation Files
  • Delivery Optimisation Files
  • DirectX Shader Cache
• Choose the files you want to get rid of and then click on the remove files option. Note that you’ll have an idea of the total size as you select any of the junk files listed above.
• Now go to the “Free Up Space Now” section and click the Clear Now button. This will get rid of all the temporary or junk files in your computer and should hopefully fix the Windows Update error 0x8007000e.

Option 2 – Reset the Windows Update components

If by any chance that the second option didn’t work, resetting the Windows Update components could also help you resolve the problem. How? Refer to the following steps:

• 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:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution/SoftwareDistribution.old
  • ren C:/Windows/System32/catroot2/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 3 – Try configuring the Windows Update-related Services

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “cmd” in the field and tap Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
• Next, execute the following commands. Note that you have to type and enter each the command one after the other.
  • SC config wuauserv start= auto
  • SC config bits start= auto
  • SC config cryptsvc start= auto
  • SC config trustedinstaller start= auto
• The commands you executed will make sure that the Windows Update-related services are available. Once it’s done, restart your computer and see if the Windows Update error is now fixed.

Option 4 – Try running the Windows Update troubleshooter

Windows 10 have various troubleshooters that can help you resolve many system issues. So if you’re dealing with Windows Update errors like Error 0x8007000e, you can run the Windows Update troubleshooter to resolve it. 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 to use the Media Creation tool

The Media Creation tool in Windows allows you to use the ISO installation file to make a bootable device that you can use to install Windows on your PC. Note that this is kind of different from the usual installation process as it could erase your computer’s current settings and data on the primary drive. Thus, before you proceed, you need to backup all your data into some removable drive and then use the Media Creation tool to make a bootable drive.

• After making the bootable drive, you need to plug it in your computer and then reboot.
• Next, tap the F10 or Esc key to open the boot options.
• Now set the boot priority of the removable drive the highest. Once the setup comes forth, follow the next onscreen instructions and install Windows without any problems.

Microsoft has started to use group along with every open window in the Taskbar ever since the release of Windows 10. Early on, they used to show an individual entry for each one of the windows after grouping them which makes the taskbar look cleaner and organized. However, the main issue lies in the fact that you have to hover on your desired window to get on to them. At the time of writing, you need to tap the Ctrl key and click on the taskbar icon to open the last active window but you have to only click on the program’s taskbar icon after you apply the tweak given in this post for the last active window to open. Take note that the “Last Active” windows feature will only work if the taskbar buttons are combined. Before you get started doing the instructions given below, you need to create a System Restore Point first since you will be dealing with registry files and modifying some of the critical settings in Windows 10. Once you’ve done this, proceed to the given steps below. Step 1: Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. Step 2: If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed to open the Registry Editor. Step 3: Next, navigate to the following registry path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced

Step 4: From there, right-click on the right side of the panel and select New > DWORD (32-bit) and then name it “LastActiveClick”. Step 5: After that, double click on the newly created DWORd to modify its value. Put “1” as its value data. Step 6: Then click OK and close the Registry Editor. Step 7: Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made. Note: In case you want to revert back to the default configuration, all you have to do is set the value data of LastActiveClick to “0” or simply delete that DWORD and restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Error Code 0x80073afc - What is it?

Error code 0x80073afc deals with an antivirus program first built into Windows 8/8.1 This error occurs when Windows Defender, the built-in anti-virus software in Windows 8/8.1 and higher, does not start automatically and users attempt to manually start the program. During the initialization period of the program start-up, something goes wrong and users get a 0x80073afc Error message. The error message states there was a problem with the initialization of the program. Windows Defender provides protection of your computer and it is advised by the Microsoft Corporation that you ensure it starts up automatically on every start-up.

Solution

Further Information and Manual Repair

Users have found several manual repairs that have fixed the problem without needing to contact technicians for extra help. While the methods below should solve your problem easily, if this is the first time you have encountered the issue you may want to do a simple restart. This has fixed the problem for some users and is the easiest first troubleshooting move. If it doesn’t work move on to the methods listed below, which are easily completed without extra help.

Before trying any of these methods, please make sure that you are logged into a profile that is listed as the administrator of the computer of his administrative powers enabled. If this is not the case you will not be able to complete the following methods. Please log out and log back in on the administrator profile.

Method 1:

First, check to see if you have a third-party anti-virus program installed on your computer. Some users believe that the built-in Windows Defender program is not powerful enough to handle the safety of their computer so they usually download a third-party program. However, that program may have caused a conflict with Windows Defender and may not allow it to open. If you do have a third-party program installed, try uninstalling it then manually starting Windows Defender.

Method 2:

If method one does not work, you may be infected by malware or a virus that has tampered with the settings on your computer and will not allow Windows Defender to start automatically or manually.

First, open Run by holding the “Win” key and pressing the “R” key. Then type “Regedit”. The program will ask for permission to follow through with this action. Click on “Yes” and the Open Registry Editor will open.

Find the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionImage File Execution Option and check to see if there are any files similar to MSASCui.exe or MpCmdRun.exe. If there are any file entries that resemble that, you will want to right-click on them before selecting the “Delete” option. If you do not see any entries that match, this is not the issue with your Windows Defender and you will want to try another method.

The Registry on your computer is very important. It helps tell your computer what programs are safe to run, what programs should be run, and what programs should not be run. If it is tampered with by a virus or Malware, multiple system operations can be affected.

However, if you did find similar file names, and you deleted them, try to start Windows Defender manually. If it does not work again, move on to the next method. 

Method 3:

If the first two methods do not work for your issue, and you are still receiving error code 0x80073afc when attempting to start Windows Defender, this step should solve the problem if you have Restore Point installed on your computer, which you most likely do.

For this method, we will be restoring your computer to a previous Restore Point. First, just like in method two, hold the “Win” key and press the “R” key. This will open run. Next type “Rstrui.exe” and click “ok”. After some time, you will see System Restore Windows. Click “Next” and select the restore point that you would like to go back to. After your computer has restored to the point you selected, check to ensure that Windows Defender has started correctly.

If the above methods aren't able to rectify the issue, you might have to download and install a powerful automated tool to get the job done.

The DailyProductivityTools Toolbar is packed as a browser extension that claims to increase your productivity with access to free online tools and developed by Mindspark Inc. This extension may seem handy at first, however, while browsing the internet with it active you will experience additional ads, sponsored content, and pop-up ads throughout your browsing sessions and search results.

When installed DailyProductivityTools changed your default new tab page to Search.MyWay.com disguising as a ‘Enhanced Google Search Engine’. This extension monitors your browsing activity, visited websites and links, then uses this information to better target Ads.

DailyProductivityTools has been marked as a Potentially Unwanted Program, and is recommended for removal by many anti-virus applications.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a type of unwanted software, often a web browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in the browser’s settings. Browser hijacker malware is designed for a variety of reasons. Generally, the idea is to force users visit certain sites that are aiming to increase their site visitor traffic and produce higher ad revenue. Many people believe that the browser hijacker is only a harmless website but that is incorrect. Almost every browser hijacker pose an actual threat to your on-line safety and it is important to classify them under privacy risks. What’s more, hijackers can make the entire infected system vulnerable – other harmful malware and viruses will grab these opportunities to intrude into your computer system very easily.

How one can identify a browser hijack

The following are some symptoms that suggest you have been hijacked: you find unauthorized modifications to your internet browser’s homepage; your internet browser is constantly being redirected to adult sites; the default web browser configurations have been modified and/or your default search engine is altered; you find many toolbars on the web browser; you see lots of pop-ups on your computer screen; your browser has become unstable or starts running slowly; you’re blocked to access those sites of antivirus solution providers.

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

A browser hijacker can be installed on your computer if you check out an infected site, click on an email attachment, or download something from a file-sharing site. They could also come from add-on programs, also known as browser helper objects (BHO), browser plug-ins, or toolbars. Browser hijackers sneak into your pc along with free software downloads also that you unwittingly install alongside the original. Examples of popular browser hijackers are Fireball, Ask Toolbar, GoSave, CoolWebSearch, RocketTab and Babylon Toolbar. Browser hijacking can lead to severe privacy problems and even identity theft, disrupt your browsing experience by taking control of outbound traffic, considerably slows down your PC by consuming lots of resources, and lead to system instability also.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

Certain browser hijacking can be easily corrected by finding and removing the corresponding malware program through your control panel. But, many hijackers will be more difficult to locate or remove since it might get itself connected with certain important computer files that enable it to operate as a necessary operating system process. Novice PC users shouldn’t ever attempt for the manual form of removal, as it demands comprehensive system knowledge to do repairs on the system registry and HOSTS file. Professionals always recommend 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. Among the best tools for repairing browser hijacker malware is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. It can help you eliminate any pre-existing malware on your computer and provides you real-time monitoring and protection against new internet threats. Along with anti-virus software, a system optimizer program, similar to Total System Care, can help you repair Windows registry errors, eliminate unwanted toolbars, secure your internet privacy, and stabilize software programs installed on your computer.

Malware Blocking Access To Safebytes Site And Anti-Malware Downloads - What To Do?

Malware can cause many kinds of damage to computer systems, networks, and data. Some malware types modify internet browser settings by including a proxy server or modify the PC’s DNS settings. In such cases, you’ll be unable to visit certain or all of the websites, and therefore unable to download or install the necessary security software to eliminate the malware. If you are reading this article, chances are you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your PC. Although this kind of issue will be tougher to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Install in Safe Mode

In the event the malware is set to run at Windows start-up, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Since only the minimum applications and services start-up in safe mode, there are hardly any reasons for conflicts to take place. The following are the steps you should follow to remove viruses in Safemode. 1) After switching on the computer, hit the F8 key while the Windows splash screen begins to load. This would invoke the “Advanced Boot Options” menu. 2) Select Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and press ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you should have the internet. Now, utilize your internet browser normally and go to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) Immediately after installation, run a full scan and allow the software to get rid of the threats it detects.

Switch over to an alternate internet browser

Certain viruses may target vulnerabilities of a specific browser that block the downloading process. In case you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a virus or otherwise compromised by online hackers, the best course of action is to switch over to a different web browser like Firefox, Chrome, or Safari to download your favorite security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Run anti-malware from your USB drive

Here’s yet another solution which is using a portable USB antivirus software that can scan your system for malicious software without needing installation. Follow these steps to run the anti-malware on the infected computer. 1) On a clean computer, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug in the USB flash drive to a USB slot on the clean computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, with an .exe file extension. 4) When asked, choose the location of the USB drive as the place where you would like to store the software files. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the flash drive to the infected PC. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the pen drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and clean-up up all kinds of malware.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware: Light-weight Malware Protection for Windows Computer

Nowadays, anti-malware software can protect your computer from different types of online threats. But how to select the best one amongst many malware protection application that’s available in the market? Perhaps you might be aware, there are many anti-malware companies and tools for you to consider. Some of them are good, some are ok types, while some will affect your PC themselves! It is important to choose a company that creates industry-best anti-malware and it has attained a reputation as reliable. On the list of highly recommended software programs is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes carries a superb reputation for quality service, and clients seem to be happy with it. SafeBytes antimalware is a highly effective and user-friendly protection tool which is suitable for users of all levels of computer literacy. Using its cutting-edge technology, this software will help you eradicate several types of malware including computer viruses, PUPs, trojans, worms, adware, ransomware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes has got a variety of wonderful features that can help you protect your PC from malware attack and damage. Some of them are listed as below:

Antimalware Protection: This deep-cleaning antimalware software goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean your computer system. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard to remove malware that hides deep inside your personal computer. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes gives round the clock protection for your computer restricting the malware attacks instantly. This software will continuously monitor your PC for suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep current with the latest threats. Web Filtering: SafeBytes gives instant safety rating about the pages you’re going to check out, automatically blocking harmful sites and make sure that you’re certain of your online safety while browsing the internet. Low CPU Usage: SafeBytes is well known for its low influence on computer resources and great detection rate of diverse threats. It runs silently and efficiently in the background so you are free to use your computer at full power all the time. 24/7 Customer Support: SafeBytes provides you with 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance and updates for best user experience. SafeBytes has come up with a wonderful anti-malware solution that can help you conquer the latest computer threats and virus attacks. There is no doubt that your computer system will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this software to use. So if you’re searching for the very best malware removal application out there, and if you don’t mind paying out some dollars for it, opt for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to carry out the removal of DailyProductivityTools manually instead of using an automated tool, you may follow these simple steps: Navigate to the Windows Control Panel, click the “Add/Remove Programs” and there, choose the offending program to uninstall. In case of suspicious versions of web browser plug-ins, you can actually get rid of it through your web browser’s extension manager. You will likely also want to reset your internet browser. If you opt to manually delete the system files and Windows registry entries, utilize the following checklist to make sure you know exactly what files to remove before carrying out any actions. But bear in mind, this can be a difficult task and only computer experts can perform it safely. Furthermore, certain malicious programs have the capability to defend against its removal. It is advisable that you carry out the removal procedure in Safe Mode.