Fix Windows Update Error 0x8007042B

What is Error 1722?

Error 1722 is a type of Windows Installer error. Developed by Microsoft, Windows Installer is a software component used for the installation, maintenance, and removal of software on Windows systems. This is basically an .MSI file that contains explicit instructions about installing and removing specific applications that are supported by this file for example JAVA and ArcGIS. The error 1722 occurs when there is a problem with the Windows Installer package. And because of this the program supported by Windows Installer Package fails to set up and install. This error message is displayed in the following format:

“Error 1722. There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program required for this install to complete could not be run. Contact your support or package vendor.”

Solution

Error Causes

You may encounter error 1722 due to multiple reasons such as:

• Windows Installer Package corruption
• Improper Windows Installer Package installation
• Windows Script Hosting permission issues
• Viral Infection

It is advisable to fix error 1722 to ensure the application supported by the Windows Installer Package that you are trying to set up on your PC, installs successfully.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve Windows Installer Package error 1722 on your PC, try the methods given below:

Method 1

Sometimes the error 1722 may pop up if the Windows Installer Package is not installed properly. In such an event, it is advisable to uninstall Windows Installer Package and then reinstall it. To do so, click on start, then control panel, program, and features and then choose the Add/Remove Program option to uninstall the Windows Installer Package on your system. Once it is removed, click OK to save changes. Then reboot your PC. Now download the Installer package and reinstall. After the installation is complete, now try installing the application supported by the Installer package you wished to install. However, first, it is suggested that you remove any traces of the failed application first. For example, if you previously received the error while installing Java, then remove all traces of failed Java installation.

Method 2

The alternative method is to change Window Script Hosting settings. To do this, go to the start menu, open Run and then type ‘Regedit’ in the command line and then press OK to continue. Check for either or both of the following registry keys HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindows Script HostSettingsEnabled HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindows Script HostSettingsEnabled If either of these has a DWORD value of ‘0’, then scripting is disabled. Change the values to ‘1’ will enable scripting and resolve the issue.

Method 3

There can be two reasons for Windows Installer Package corruption, viruses or registry overloaded with bad entries and obsolete files. If the error is triggered by viruses, then run an antivirus program to remove viruses and restore your PC. However, if the error is related to registry issues, then download Restoro. This is an easy-to-use PC Fixer with a powerful registry cleaner. The registry cleaner wipes out all the obsolete files cluttering the registry and repairs the damaged and the corrupt important files thereby repairing all errors including error 1722 on your system. Click here to download Restoro.

The Windows Defender program can both scan and monitor almost the entire folder on a Windows 10 computer. So if you have a folder that may have files that could trigger an alarm to Windows Security, then it would be better if you add an exclusion to Windows Security. Note that it is okay to do this as long as you’re certain that the contents of the folder you want to exclude are safe and that Windows Defender is only throwing out warnings for nothing. This way, Windows Defender won’t scan those folders in the future. And besides, there are also some Windows folders and files that you may exclude from the Antivirus scans, especially if you want to save your scan time. This kind of feature also comes in handy when you trust a file type or folder or any process that you believe is safe but the Windows Security considers as malicious. To exclude a folder or a file or process or a file type from the Windows Security scan, here are some steps you can follow. Make sure to do them carefully. Step 1: Search for “Windows Security” in the Search box and then click on it from the search results to open it. Step 2: Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Manage settings > Add or remove exclusions. Step 3: After that, on the next screen, click on Add an exclusion > Folder. It will show you a list that includes File, Folder, File Type, and Process. Step 4: Now click on “+Add and exclusion” on the next window and then select a folder you want to exclude and click OK to add it in the Exclusions list. Step 5: Click on the down arrow button to remove it and then click on the Remove button. Note: If you want to only ignore a few file types, it’s better if you configure your antivirus program to ignore these files with a specific extension. This way, it will ignore all of them no matter what their location is. Also keep in mind that when you select a folder, all the subfolders in it will also be excluded from the scan. Thus, you need to understand what you’re about to do. Once you’re done excluding the folder, it is recommended that you protect the folder using the Controlled Folder Access since this folder is not monitored for threat. The Controlled Folder Access will ensure that an external program does not alter it. This way, you can be sure that even though this folder is not included in the scan, it is still secure.

Program and features are Control panel section where once accessed contains all programs installed on the operating system. From these windows, any logged-in user can modify applications, uninstall them, etc. If for whatever reason you want to limit this access to users and remove this group from the control panel please do keep reading as we show you how you can achieve this desired result using two methods: via policy editor or registry editor. Feel free to use any provided method as both works (except on Windows 10 Home edition) and achieve the same thing, it all comes down to preferred preference on how you wish to do things.

Local group policy editor method

This method is more straightforward and easier perhaps than its counterpart but it has one significant drawback, it will not work on Windows 10 Home edition which does not have in itself a policy editor included. If you are using Windows 10 Home edition then feel free to skip this method and do it via registry editor. That being said let's start:

• Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
• Inside run dialog type in gpedit.msc followed by ENTER to open Group policy editor
• Go to User Configuration\ Administrative Templates\ Control Panel\ Programs\
• Double-click on the setting named Hide Programs and Features page
• Change the toggle option from Not Configured to Enabled
• Click on the Apply button and then the Ok button to save the changes
• at this point, everything is supposed to be applied and your changes should take effect immediately. However, it has come to our attention that sometimes this is not the case. If you are one of these users which for whatever reason have not experienced applying to set momentarily do not despair and follow this quick guide on how to refresh settings and apply them right away.
• Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu
• Click on command prompt (admin)
• In command prompt type in gpupdate /force and press ENTER in order to force update and set setting right away

Registry editor method

The registry editor method is a more complex one but it will be your only way of doing it if as mentioned you are running Windows 10 Home edition. As always it is highly recommended to make a backup of the Windows registry before tempering with it.

• Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
• Inside run dialog type in regedit and press ENTER to open the registry editor
• If you would like to make a backup of the Windows registry go to File > Export and save the backup on a secure location naming it as you wish
• Locate the following key inside the registry editor HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Programs
• Right-click on the right pane of the Programs key and choose the New > DWORD (32-bit) Value option
• Name the value as NoProgramsAndFeatures
• Double-click on the NoProgramsAndFeatures value to open it
• Change the value data to 1
• Save the changes
• Reboot the computer in order for changes to take effect.

note: you can always change values back in order to show again panel by changing the value to 0 in registry editor or choosing Not Configured or Disabled in the local group policy editor

The third time is charm saying goes but not when we are talking about Microsoft. Print spooler is again in focus, in a bad way. This is the third print spooler vulnerability to emerge in just five weeks. While a critical flaw was originally identified and patched in June, a similar flaw came to light shortly after and was subsequently patched (with mixed success). Microsoft is once again advising its customers to disable Windows print spooler after a new vulnerability that allows hackers to execute malicious code on machines has emerged. While a patch fixing the flaw will be released in due course, the most effective workaround currently on the table is to stop and disable the print spooler service entirely.

"An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights."

Stop this service right away or you are risking a potential attack.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden menu
2. Click on Power Shell (admin)
3. In Power Shell type in the following command to check if spool service is running: Get-Service -Name Spooler followed by ENTER
4. If spooler service is running type in the next command to stop it: Stop-Service -Name Spooler –Force and press ENTER
5. Then follow with this command to disable it at startup: Set-Service -Name Spooler -StartupType Disabled followed with ENTER

That’s it, we hope a patch will come soon for all the people that are using network printing and indeed need this service running in order to do work.

Valve has officially announced that Steam Deck will be compatible with Windows 11 despite TPM 2.0 Microsoft requirements. From the beginning, Deck was announced like a mini handheld PC device. Powered with new Steam OS 3.0 based on Linux. However, besides out-of-the-box OS it was also stated that Deck will be a personal device meaning that other PC-based operating systems could be installed on it and even run your typical applications in it. Since Microsoft announced Windows 11 hardware requirements, specifically the TPM 2.0 requirement many users voiced concern that Steam Deck will not be able to connect to Windows 11 TPM 2.0 is something that Microsoft requires for every internal and hardware component that is to connect on a Windows 11 device. This is to ensure that only trusted devices would be included in the array of a PC setup and avoid any problems like malicious hardware injecting software into a system. This would also minimize the compromise Windows would have, as unverified or untrusted devices connect to a Windows PC. However, Valve and AMD are ensuring us that Deck will not have any issue connecting to a PC running Windows 11 or even if you wish to transform Deck itself into a Device running Windows 11.

Hello and welcome to our Reasons to Defrag Hard Drive. You ought to defrag your hard drive, in case your PC is slow. This could enhance the efficiency and pace of your PC too as its hardware longevity. It places them where there is space, whenever your PC saves files. Often files are separated into bits. For example, whenever you remember a file and focus on it, it frequently doesn't fit back in exactly the same physical place. Where it can your PC divides up the file, occasionally into several parts, and saves it.

Why defrag?

Fragmentation causes difficulties that doing a defrag can correct. Fragmented files because it requires more resources and time to locate and remember these files slow down your pc. Applications may also take longer to load. Defragging can prolong the life span of the components. A defragged hard disk too can raise your likelihood of recovering lost information. Once fragmentation starts, it can propagate fast -- demanding defragging. It's like the pages of a publication are divided and hidden in several locations around a house, if a file is fragmented. It's like the pages of the book being brought back together, should you defrag. Defragging discovers all the bits of the file and places them in contiguous, actual places.

How will you defrag?

To defrag your hard drive, you must utilize software or utility. There are lots of defragging tools available. SpeedyPC Pro, a whole package of cleaning and optimization tools, can defragment your PC. Before you defrag, it's best to assess your hard drive. This evaluation finds if a defrag is needed and how much of the disc is fragmented. You simply allow the application do the work if it's determined that you must defrag your PC to enhance performance. To be able to defrag a drive, free disk space will be required by your PC. Defragging can take a while. How long depends on several variables, such as the system resources accessible, the disc volume, the number of files, and how fragmented the files are. It's a great idea to defrag when you don't have to use your pc or it isn't doing other jobs. For example, the night could become a great time to defrag. Be certain to close out of resource-intensive applications, like your antivirus scanner, before you defrag.

This post will guide you in what to do if you are trying to share the internet connection from your Android smartphone to your Windows 10 computer but USB tethering is not working. Although you can always connect your Android phone to your computer using a USB cable, you still won’t be able to access the internet. However, if you’ve already enabled the USB tethering option in your smartphone, you should be able to access the internet but if you still can’t then you can fix this issue by reading this post. There are several potential fixes you can check out to fix the USB tethering issue. You can try running both the Internet Connections and Network Adapter troubleshooters or try installing the USB RNDIS adapter or disable any unnecessary network adapters.

Option 1 – Try to run the Internet Connections and Network Adapter troubleshooter

There are various built-in troubleshooters in Windows 10 that can help fix system issues. Since you are dealing with an internet connection problem, you can try running both the Internet Connections and the Network Adapter troubleshooters. To run them, follow these steps:

• Go to Settings > Update & security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, you can select the Internet Connections troubleshooter.
• Click on the Run troubleshooter button to troubleshoot the problem.
• Wait until the troubleshooter is done identifying and fixing the problem automatically.
• Then follow the next on-screen instructions that may appear.
• Once it’s done, check if the USB tethering issue is now fixed.

Note: You can also try to run the Network Adapter troubleshooter. It is also located under the Troubleshoot section. Just scroll down until you see it and then run it.

Option 2 – Try installing or updating the USB RNDIS adapter

RNDIS or Remote Network Driver Interface Specification can also help you resolve the USB tethering problem. If the pre-installed driver does not help you in connecting to the internet, then you can try installing the USB RNDIS driver that is, if it’s not installed yet. If it is already installed, you can try to update it instead.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.
• Next, expand the Network adapters section and look for the Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device. But if you are using a Samsung smartphone, you might see “Samsung” instead of under Network adapters.
• Right-click on it and then select the “Update driver” option.
• Then select the “Browse my computer for driver software” option.
• After that, select the “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer” option.
• Now uncheck the checkbox for “Show compatible hardware”.
• From the given list on your left-hand side, look for Microsoft and then select the Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device on your right-hand side.
• Click on Next. A new popup will appear where you have to click on Yes. This will install the driver.
• Now click on the Close button and restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try disabling any unnecessary network adapters/connections

Assuming that your Ethernet connection is showing ping loss which indicates that the internet is not stable. In such time, if you use the USB tethering functionality, you won’t be able to access the internet connection from your smartphone. The internet connection will be frequently disconnected since your computer gives priority to the Ethernet connection. Thus, you have to disable the Ethernet connection temporarily.

• Right-click the network icon on your Taskbar and select the option “Network and Sharing Center”.
• After that, click the network connection. And then click the Disable button from the status box that opens.
• After that, check if you can now connect to the internet or not.

New malware with extensive spyware capabilities steals data from infected Android devices and is designed to automatically trigger whenever new info is read to be exfiltrated. The spyware can only be installed as a 'System Update' app available via third-party Android app stores as it was never available on Google's Play Store. This drastically limits the number of devices it can infect, given that most experienced users will most likely avoid installing it in the first place. The malware also lacks a method to infect other Android devices on its own, adding to its limited spreading capabilities. However, when it comes to stealing your data, this remote access trojan (RAT) can collect and exfiltrate an extensive array of information to its command-and-control server. Zimperium researchers who spotted it observed it while "stealing data, messages, images and taking control of Android phones."

What happens when malicious software is installed

"Once in control, hackers can record audio and phone calls, take photos, review browser history, access WhatsApp messages, and more," they added. Zimperium said its extensive range of data theft capabilities includes:

• Stealing instant messenger messages;
• Stealing instant messenger database files (if the root is available);
• Inspecting the default browser's bookmarks and searches;
• Inspecting the bookmark and search history from Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Samsung Internet Browser;
• Searching for files with specific extensions (including .pdf, .doc, .docx, and .xls, .xlsx);
• Inspecting the clipboard data;
• Inspecting the content of the notifications;
• Recording audio;
• Recording phone calls;
• Periodically take pictures (either through the front or back cameras);
• Listing of the installed applications;
• Stealing images and videos;
• Monitoring the GPS location;
• Stealing SMS messages;
• Stealing phone contacts;
• Stealing call logs;
• Exfiltrating device information (e.g., installed applications, device name, storage stats).

How does it work?

Once installed on an Android device, the malware will send several pieces of info to its Firebase command-and-control (C2) server, including storage stats, the internet connection type, and the presence of various apps such as WhatsApp. The spyware harvests data directly if it has root access or will use Accessibility Services after tricking the victims into enabling the feature on the compromised device. It will also scan the external storage for any stored or cached data, harvest it, and deliver it to the C2 servers when the user connects to a Wi-Fi network. Unlike other malware designed to steal data, this one will get triggered using Android's contentObserver and Broadcast receivers only when some conditions are met, like the addition of a new contact, new text messages, or new apps being installed. "Commands received through the Firebase messaging service initiate actions such as recording of audio from the microphone and exfiltration of data such as SMS messages," Zimperium said. "The Firebase communication is only used to issue the commands, and a dedicated C&C server is used to collect the stolen data by using a POST request."

Camouflage

The malware will also display fake "Searching for the update.." system update notifications when it receives new commands from its masters to camouflage its malicious activity. The spyware also conceals its presence on infected Android devices by hiding the icon from the drawer/menu. To further evade detection, it will only steal thumbnails of videos and images it finds, thus reducing the victims' bandwidth consumption to avoid drawing their attention to the background data exfiltration activity. Unlike other malware that harvests data in bulk, this one will also make sure that it exfiltrates only the most recent data, collecting location data created and photos taken within the last few minutes. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

Blinking or Flashing Desktop After login - What does it mean?

Upon updating to Windows 10, some users might encounter a blinking or flashing desktop after logging in. This will result in a repetitive restarting of explorer or you won’t be able to make the start menu and shortcut keys work. In addition, the network icon might not appear in your taskbar as well. Other Windows 10 error messages include error code 0xc000021a.

Solution

Error Causes

Your blinking or flashing desktop after logging in might be the result of problems with the bushell.dll shell extension, which is a part of the Norton Security Suite. Another possible cause for this annoying problem is an issue with your display driver since not all systems will use the same display driver and will depend on what graphics card you use.

Further Information and Manual Repair

In fixing the bothersome blinking or flashing desktop after logging in problem, you can do a manual repair method to address the root problem. You need to be familiar with the Windows command line to successfully go through the process. However, if you are not knowledgeable or confident enough to do this on your own, it would be best to seek help from a professional. Or, you might want to consider using an automated tool to solve the issue.

You need to identify first what’s causing the blinking or flashing of your desktop after login to properly address the issue. The following methods can be done if your issue is caused by bushell.dll shell extension issue:

Method One: Forcefully Terminate Process

1. Press on Ctrl+Alt+Del then select Task manager
2. Start a Command Prompt as an administrator by choosing the File menu then Run New Task.
3. Type exe. Make sure to tick the checkbox “Create this task with administrative privileges.”

NOTE: Text input is most probably affected by the explorer restarts so you might need to repeatedly type some letters or to carefully input texts.

4. In the Command Prompt, type taskkill /f /im explorer.exe. This will stop the blinking or flashing.
5. Type cd “Program Files” afterward, type dir /s bushell.dll to locate where the dll is. (For example, purposes, use c:\program files\Norton Security Suite\Engine6422.5.2.15 as the location)
6. If the dll file is not found, you can try repeating step 5 but this time, use “Program Files (x86)” However, you can proceed with the next step if you already located where the bushell.dll is.
7. Type cd ”c:\program files\Norton Security Suite\Engine 6422.5.2.15” to change the name of the directory you found the dll in.
8. Type ren bushell.dll bushell-crash.dll
9. Restart now the system by typing shutdown /r /f /t o in the command line.

Method Two: Uninstall Programs

1. Log out then go to the sign in screen
2. Press the Shift key as you simultaneously click on the Power button on the screen.
3. Continue pressing on the Shift key as you click
4. Continue pressing on the Shift key as you wait for the Advanced Recovery Options menu to appear.
5. Once the Advance Recovery Options menu appears, click on Troubleshoot then select Advanced options.
6. Click on the Startup Settings then select
7. Boot on Safe Mode by pressing 4 on your keyboard.
8. Log in then press Windows key + X.
9. Select the Device Manager then expand Display Adapter.
10. On your Display Adapter, right-click then select
11. Exit Device Manager
12. If in case you also have an older Antivirus utility, you should uninstall it as well.
13. Restart

NOTE: You might need to download the latest Video Driver on a working computer. Save it in a thumb drive then copy and install it on your computer. If in case there is no native Windows 10 driver, you can also download the latest Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 video driver. Afterward, install it in compatibility mode.

Method Three: Use Microsoft System Configuration Utility

1. Log out then go to the sign in screen
2. Press the Shift key as you simultaneously click on the Power button on the screen.
3. Continue pressing on the Shift key as you click
4. Continue pressing on the Shift key as you wait for the Advanced Recovery Options menu to appear.
5. Once the Advance Recovery Options menu appears, click on Troubleshoot then select Advanced options.
6. Click on the Startup Settings then select
7. Boot on Safe Mode but this time, choose 5 to start in Safe Mode with networking.
8. Check if your problem is present or not in Safe Mode. If not, then you are on the right track.
9. Press on the Windows key + R then type msconfig to start up your exe file.
10. Click on the Services tab then choose Disable All. Afterward, click on
11. Once you’re prompted to reboot your computer, go ahead and reboot in Normal Mode. Check if the issue is still present.
12. If the blinking or flashing desktop after login is gone, then you can just do a process of elimination.
13. Start-up on your exe again then begin bringing up services a few at a time.
14. You can turn on all other services except for the following which causes the blinking or flashing desktop after login problem: Problem Reports and Solutions Control Panel Support •Windows Error Reporting Service.

There are instances when there are multiple accounts which is the result when there are a lot of users who use the computer. Some may use it more often, while others may seldom use it. Having multiple accounts can be quite confusing and inconvenient especially if it takes a lot of space. Thus, in this post, you will be guided on how you can delete a User Account on your Windows 10 computer, as well as how you can create a backup of the existing profile data and files. All the data of user accounts can be found at C:/Users, where its folder name will be exactly the same as the name of the user. You can check the exact user’s name by simply using the “net user” command either via Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell. Once you delete a user account, its folder, along with its files, will also be deleted. You can also create a backup for user files and the best way to do that is by copying the folder to other partitions or to an external drive. Here are two methods you can check out to delete a user account in Windows 10 – you can do it via Windows Account settings or via the command line. For more details, follow each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Delete the user account using Windows Account settings

• First, go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
• Next, select the account you want to delete and click on the Remove button. This will open a confirmation window along with a warning message and two buttons that say, “Delete account & data” and “Cancel”.
• Click on the Delete account & data button to delete the user account.

Note: Once you remove a user account, it will also remove all its corresponding data such as items like Documents, Photos, Music, Desktop, and other related folders. Thus, if you have not created a backup, then you won’t be able to recover those files.

Option 2 – Delete the user account using the command line

If you want to delete several user accounts, then doing it via Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell is a lot quicker. To get started, follow these steps:

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• Next, type the “net user” command and hit Enter to execute it. This will show you the exact usernames on the computer.
• After that, type the “net user <username> /delete” command and hit Enter to execute it. This will delete the account and all of its data without any warning. You have to replace “<username>” with the name of the user account.