Logo

How to Turn On or Off Tailored Experiences

In this post, you will be guided on how you can turn on or turn off the Tailored Experiences feature in Windows 10 using three methods – via Settings, Registry Editor, and Group Policy Editor.

The Tailored Experiences feature in Windows 10 helps Microsoft in delivering recommendations about Microsoft Products. The diagnostic data that comes with it allows Microsoft to know about its consumers’ experiences as well as collect feedback. To simply put it, tailored experiences are personalized tips, ads, and recommendations that enhance Microsoft products and services for consumer needs. And when you enable this feature, Windows will collect information from your browser, apps, features, and many more.

After collecting information, it will offer contents that are tailored based on the data gathered on the lock screen of your computer, Windows tips, and other related functions. On the other hand, the diagnostic data is the one that allows Microsoft to get feedback from the customer. So if you’ve noticed some prompts when you use Windows that ask you about the experience, that’s actually a part of the diagnostic data.

A lot of users find this feature useful. However, there are also skeptical ones that don’t share the same sentiments. If you are one of the skeptical ones, you actually have the option to turn this feature off if you do not want Microsoft to show ads, recommendations, and so on. It is also recommended that you enable the Diagnostic Data collection as you can choose to delete any collected data, as well as control the feedback frequency from Automatic to Once a day, or once a week, or to never.

As mentioned, there are three methods you can choose from to either turn on or turn off Tailored Experiences. You can do it via Settings, Registry Editor, and the Group Policy Editor. To get started, follow the options provided below.

Option 1 – via Settings

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences using Settings, refer to these steps:

  • Go to Settings and here, click on Privacy.
  • Next, go to Diagnostic and Feedback.
  • From there, toggle off the control under the Tailored experiences option to turn it off or toggle it on, if you want to turn it on.

Option 2 – via Registry Editor

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences via Registry Editor, follow the steps below.

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPrivacy
  • After that, look for the DWORD named “TailoredExperiencesWithDiagnosticDataEnabled” and change its value to 0 if you want to turn it off or 1 if you want to turn it on.

Option 3 – via Group Policy Editor

To turn on or off Tailored Experiences using the Group Policy Editor, here’s what you have to do:

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
  • Next, navigate to this policy setting: User ConfigurationAdminstrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsCloud Content
  • Here, double click on the “Do not use diagnostic data for tailored experiences” option and select Enabled. Once you do that, you will see the following description:

“This policy setting lets you prevent Windows from using diagnostic data to provide tailored experiences to the user. If you enable this policy setting, Windows will not use diagnostic data from this device (this data may include browser, app, and feature usage, depending on the “diagnostic data” setting value) to customize the content shown on the lock screen, Windows tips, Microsoft consumer features, and other related features. If these features are enabled, users will still see recommendations, tips, and offers, but they may be less relevant. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Microsoft will use diagnostic data to provide personalized recommendations, tips, and offers to tailor Windows for the user’s needs and make it work better for them. This setting does not control Cortana tailored experiences, since there are separate policies to configure it.”

Do You Need Help with Your Device?

Our Team of Experts May Help
Troubleshoot.Tech Experts are There for You!
Replace damaged files
Restore performance
Free disk space
Remove Malware
Protects WEB browser
Remove Viruses
Stop PC freezing
GET HELP
Troubleshoot.Tech experts work with all versions of Microsoft Windows including Windows 11, with Android, Mac, and more.

Share this article:

You might also like

Fix SPECIAL POOL DETECTED MEMORY CORRUPTION
If you suddenly encounter the SPECIAL POOL DETECTED MEMORY CORRUPTION Blue Screen error with a bug check value of “0x000000C1” while you are using your computer then it might be due to some problem with the hardware of your Windows 10 computer. According to security experts, it is most likely caused by the physical RAM which could be due to some error in the Realtek driver for Wireless USB 2.0 as well as corruption of the files inside the RAM, and so on. This kind of problem indicates that the driver wrote to an invalid section of the special pool. On the other hand, system files like the rtwlanu.sys or nvlddmkm.sys can also trigger the SPECIAL_POOL_DETECTED_MEMORY_CORRUPTION Blue Screen error. To resolve this Blue Screen error, you can use the options provided below as reference but before you do that, make sure to create a System Restore point first. After you have that covered, proceed to the given options below.

Option 1 – Delete the settings of the Driver Verifier Manager

  • Open the Driver Verifier Manager using the Start search.
  • After that, select or click on the “Delete existing settings” option and then click on Finish.
  • Reboot your computer and see if it fixes the Blue Screen error or not.

Option 2 – Try to update or rollback your Network driver

If you have updated the driver software as of late and you suddenly got this BSOD 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 “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.
  • From the list of Network Drivers, look for “Realtek <Model> Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC” and then right-click on it and select Update Driver.
  • Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the BSOD error.
Note: If you see any of the following entries under the Network drivers, you might want to download their latest available versions from each one of their manufacturer’s websites.
  • Realtek High-Definition (HD) Audio Driver
  • Realtek Card Reader Driver
  • Realtek Local Area Network (LAN) Driver
On the other hand, if updating the Network driver didn’t help, you can also try to roll back to its previous version.
  • Open the Device Manager again and then look for Network Drivers.
  • Next, select Realtek <Model> Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC from the list of Network Drivers and then 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 Realtek driver.
  • Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try running the ChkDsk utility

You can also run the ChkDsk utility to fix the SPECIAL_POOL_DETECTED_MEMORY_CORRUPTION Blue Screen error.
  • First, open This PC and right-click on your operating system partition for Windows.
  • Next, click on Properties and navigate to the Tools tab.
  • Then click on Check under the Error Checking section.
  • After that, a new mini window will be opened and from there click on Scan drive and let it scan your disk drive partition for any errors and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Use the Windows Memory Diagnostics

Since the problem has something to do with the physical RAM, you need to use Windows Memory Diagnostics. To run it, refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type exe and hit Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
  • After that, it will give two options such as:
    • Restart now and check for problems (Recommended)
    • Check for problems the next time I start my computer
  • Once your computer has restarted, perform a basic scan or you could also go for the “Advanced” options such as “Test mix” or “Pass count”. Simply tap the F10 key to start the test.
Note: After you select the option, your PC will restart and check for memory-based issues. If it finds any issues, it will automatically fix them.

Option 5 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like SPECIAL_POOL_DETECTED_MEMORY_CORRUPTION. It can be found in the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
  • Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
  • From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.
Read More
How to get rid of Gardening Enthusiast Toolbar

The Gardening Enthusiast toolbar is another product that is advertised as a helpful addition to your browsing experience when it is really nothing more than the software you should remove as soon as possible. It is touted as a toolbar that will provide you with a lot of useful gardening tips. That is the hook to get you to install it. But, in truth, the only thing that it does is provide you with links to popular gardening websites that you can easily find on any search engine.

When installed the extension will change your default search engine and home page to MyWay.com

While browsing the internet with this extension you will see additional sponsored ads and links throughout your browsing session.

Anti-virus applications have marked this extension as a Browser Hijacker and are therefore marked for removal. While not considered malware, the fact that many users find it to hinder browser performance has led to its detection and flag for optional removal.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means a malicious program code has control over and modified the settings of your browser, without your permission. Practically all browser hijackers are made for marketing or advertising purposes. Usually, hijackers will force hits to internet sites of their preference either to increase web traffic producing higher ad earnings, or to obtain a commission for every user visiting there. Nevertheless, it isn’t that harmless. Your internet safety is jeopardized and it is extremely annoying. Once the malware attacks your laptop or computer, it starts to mess things up a whole that slows your PC down to a crawl. In the worse case, you will be forced to tackle serious malware threats too.

Browser hijacking symptoms

The typical symptoms that suggest having this malware on your PC are: your home page has been reset to some unfamiliar website; you see new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, usually directed to ad-filled or pornography sites; the default online search engine has been changed and the web browser security settings have been lowered without your knowledge; find new toolbars that you didn’t add; you notice lots of pop-up ads on your screen; your web browser gets sluggish, buggy, crashes quite often; Inability to navigate to certain sites, especially anti-malware and also other security software webpages.

Exactly how browser hijacker finds its way to your PC

A browser hijacker can be installed on your computer when you go to an infected site, click an e-mail attachment, or download something from a file-sharing website. They could be included with toolbars, BHO, add-ons, plug-ins, or browser extensions. Other times you might have accidentally accepted a browser hijacker as part of a software program package (generally freeware or shareware). Examples of popular browser hijackers are Fireball, Ask Toolbar, GoSave, CoolWebSearch, Babylon Toolbar, and RocketTab. Browser hijackers can record user keystrokes to gather potentially invaluable information that leads to privacy issues, cause instability on computers, significantly disrupt user’s browsing experience, and ultimately slow down the PC to a point where it will become unusable.

Removing browser hijackers

Certain browser hijacking could be easily reversed by identifying and eliminating the corresponding malware application from your control panel. Unfortunately, many of the software products used to hijack an internet browser are deliberately designed to be hard to detect or get rid of. You should think of undertaking manual fixes only if you are a tech-savvy person, as risks are associated with tinkering with the computer registry and HOSTS file. Browser hijackers can be effectively removed by installing anti-malware software on the affected PC. If you need to remove persistent hijackers effectively, install the award-winning anti-malware tool Safebytes Anti-Malware. And employ a system optimizer, like Total System Care, to eliminate all related files in the registry and fix browser issues.

How To Get Eliminate Malware That Is Preventing Anti-Malware Installation?

All malware is inherently harmful, but certain kinds of malicious software do more damage to your computer or laptop than others. Certain malware types alter internet browser settings by including a proxy server or change the computer’s DNS configuration settings. When this happens, you’ll be unable to visit certain or all of the sites, and thus unable to download or install the necessary security software to get rid of the computer virus. If you are reading this, chances are you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you to download and/or install Safebytes Anti-Malware software on your computer. Even though this sort of problem can be harder to get around, there are some steps you can take.

Remove viruses in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a special, basic version of Microsoft Windows where only the bare minimum services are loaded to prevent viruses as well as other problematic applications from loading. In the event, the malware is set to load immediately when PC boots, shifting to this particular mode can prevent it from doing so. To enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the PC is starting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, as well as update anti-malware software from there. At this point, you can run the antivirus scan to eliminate viruses and malware without any interference from another application.

Switch over to an alternate internet browser

Malicious code might exploit vulnerabilities on a specific browser and block access to all antivirus software websites. In the event you suspect that your Internet Explorer happens to be hijacked by a virus or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the most effective thing to do would be to switch over to a different browser like Firefox, Chrome, or Safari to download your chosen computer security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install security software on a flash drive

To successfully get rid of the malware, you need to approach the problem of installing the anti-malware program on the affected computer system from a different perspective. To run antivirus from a USB drive, follow these simple measures: 1) Make use of another virus-free computer to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the USB drive into the clean computer. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) When asked, select the location of the pen drive as the place in which you want to store the software files. Follow the activation instructions. 5) Unplug the pen drive. You may now use this portable antivirus on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the anti-malware program EXE file on the pen drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for viruses.

Benefits and Features of SafeBytes Security Suite

If you’re planning to purchase anti-malware for your desktop, there are numerous brands and utilities for you to consider. Some are well worth your money, but most aren’t. You must select a company that creates industry-best anti-malware and has earned a reputation as trustworthy. Among few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended software program for security-conscious people. SafeBytes anti-malware is a very effective and easy-to-use protection tool that is designed for end-users of all levels of IT literacy. Using its cutting-edge technology, this application will help you get rid of several types of malware like viruses, worms, PUPs, trojans, adware, ransomware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes anti-malware takes PC protection to a totally new level with its enhanced features. Here are some of the features you will like in SafeBytes.

Anti-Malware Protection: Built upon a highly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal tool can detect and remove several stubborn malware threats such as browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other typical antivirus programs will miss. Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes offers real-time active supervision and protection from all known viruses and malware. It will constantly monitor your computer for hacker activity and also gives end-users sophisticated firewall protection. Safe Browsing: Safebytes allots all sites a unique safety ranking that helps you to have an idea of whether the website you’re about to visit is safe to browse or known to be a phishing site. Lightweight: SafeBytes is renowned for its low impact on processing power and great detection rate of countless threats. It works silently and efficiently in the background so you are free to make use of your personal computer at full power all the time. 24/7 Premium Support: You will get 24/7 technical support to quickly resolve any issue with your security software. SafeBytes will keep your personal computer safe from the latest malware threats automatically with hardly any input needed from you again. Malware problems will become a thing of the past once you put this software to use. You’ll get the best all-around protection for the money you spend on SafeBytes Anti-Malware subscription, there is no doubt about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not wish to use malware removal software and like to remove Gardening Enthusiast manually, you could do so by going to the Add/Remove Programs menu in the Control Panel and deleting the offending program; in cases of browser add-ons, you may uninstall it by visiting the browsers Add-on/Extension manager. You might also want to reset your home page and search engine providers, and also delete browsing history, temporary files, and internet cookies. To make sure of complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your computer and remove them or reset the values appropriately. However, editing the Windows registry is really a difficult job that only experienced computer users and professionals should attempt to fix the problem. In addition, certain malware keeps replicating which makes it difficult to eliminate. Completing this task in Safe Mode is advised.
Folders: C:\Program Files\GardeningEnthusiast_7j Files: Search and Delete: 7jbar.dll 7jhighin.exe 7jmedint.exe 7jregfft.dll 7jregiet.dll 7jhkstub.dll 7jreghk.dll 7jSrcAs.dll 7jSrchMn.exe NP7jStub.dll 7jPlugin.dll 7jauxstb.dll 7jbprtct.dll 7jdlghk.dll 7jradio.dll 7jieovr.dll INSTALL.RDF
Read More
How to Fix Windows 10 Error 0x80072ee7

Error Code 0x80072ee7 - What is it?

Error Code 0x80072ee7 is an error code that is most commonly associated with Windows 10 and the use of the Windows Store. Several things can cause this error, which has been present as an error message in Windows 10 and all the way back through Windows 8.

Common symptoms include:

  • An error message when you attempt to connect to the Windows Store.
  • Inability to download or install purchases from the Windows Store.

Fortunately, there are several simple methods that can be used to attempt to resolve Error Code 0x80072ee7 on your Windows machine. These methods don’t require advanced computer knowledge or familiarity with high-level tools, so the average user should be able to complete them without help. However, if you feel like you need assistance in resolving Error Code 0x80072ee7, always contact a qualified Windows repair technician who can assist you.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

There are four basic things that can cause Error Code 0x80072ee7 to appear on a Windows device. The first is that the connection to the Internet is limited in some manner, either due to a system or equipment error. Secondly, some parts of the update components could be missing. Next, an error within the DNS can be a cause. Finally, having any kind of compatibility errors on the machine (for example, between the antivirus software that you run and the Windows Update tool) can lead to the appearance of Error Code 0x80072ee7.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There are a few different methods that you can try in order to resolve the appearance of Error Code 0x80072ee7 on your Windows machine. These are fairly simple to complete, but if you do not feel confident in your ability to carry them out successfully, you may want to get in touch with a qualified computer repair technician to help you.

Here are the best methods to employ as you seek to resolve Error Code 0x80072ee7 on your Windows device:

Method One: Check Your Connection

Make sure that you are able to connect to the Internet by visiting several common sites like Google in order to ensure that your issue is not related to your Internet service provider or the equipment that you are using to access the Internet.

Method Two: Use an Alternative DNS

If you believe that your DNS connection may be the problem, you can change the specific DNS that you are using to one that is provided by Google. This can resolve any conflicts that may occur because of the IP address detected on your device. In order to do this, simply follow these steps:

  • Step One: Go into your control panel and click on the option for “Network and Internet,” then select “Network and Sharing Center.” You’ll want to find the option to “change adapter settings,” which is normally located on the left bar of the navigation panel.
  • Step Two: Find the connection method that you are employing (i.e. Wi-Fi network).
  • Step Three: Right-click and find the connection properties menu. Under the TCP/IPV4 menu, click on the option to change your DNS numbers to manual entry and set your preferred DNS server to “8.8.8.8” and your alternate server to “8.8.4.4”.

Once these steps are complete, you can reattempt to connect to the Windows Store. You may need to restart your computer before connecting.

Method Three: Run the Fix It Tool from Windows

Microsoft has created a great tool that can automatically scan your computer for a number of common errors and attempt to fix them as they are encountered. This can be downloaded directly from the Windows site and can be used to try to fix not only Error Code 0x80072ee7 but also many other error messages that may pop up on your computer.

After you have run the Fix It tool, it is always a good idea to restart your computer to allow any changes that have been made to fully take effect.

Method Four: Use An Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

Read More
How to remove Search Donkey

Search Donkey is a Potentially Unwanted Program for Windows developed by Western Web Applications, LLC. This program may inject ads into your browsing sessions, giving you false search results and advertisements.

As described by Western Web Applications: “Search Donkey is entirely free to use. To keep Search Donkey free, we’ve partnered with high-quality ad providers and you may see additional ads when Search Donkey is installed.

While installed, Search Donkey will keep track of your web search queries, allowing it to let you know what pages you already visited, however, this data is also used to better target personal unwanted ads.

Search Donkey has been flagged as a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) by several anti-virus scanners, and their website is blacklisted by Google, giving warning to whoever visits it, and due to the nature of this application, it is not recommended to keep on your computer.

About Adware

Exactly what is Adware? If you have ever owned a computer, then you’ve probably heard the word numerous times, but it is still beneficial to define it. The term “adware” is actually a short form of advertising-supported software and it includes programs that are solely designed to display ads on a computer. A kind of malware, it will come bundled right in with the software package that a user either installs or accesses. Shareware or freeware programs are often times packaged with adware. If adware penetrates your system without you knowing and sends information about you or your PC to 3rd parties, then it is spyware. Quite often, adware changes your web browser settings to open pop-up adverts or modifies browser homepage and default internet search engine to some unwanted website. Adware is a common problem that affects a large number of PCs around the globe. If your computer doesn’t have any anti-malware software then it’s very likely it could get infected with adware as well as other malware.

Adware and its effects on your PC:

Adware could generate and display plenty of ads of all sorts which in turn disrupt the functions of your personal computer while browsing the net. Pop-ups might also show up on your computer’s desktop even when you’re not online. Adware results in a reduction of available memory and processing power, or resources. It also causes a slow net connection because adware consumes bandwidth whenever it retrieves adverts from the internet. Adware was originally created to support companies to generate income when they offer the software away free of charge. However, adware nowadays displays hundreds of adverts which will cause your PC to slow down and even crash.

Adware prevention:

As we discussed, adware could potentially be harmful to your computer, generally not by itself, but by bringing other problems to you. A top-quality antivirus program has the capability of permanently removing adware. We recommend Safebytes Anti-Malware, one of the top-rated anti-malware programs by world-renowned industry experts. It will act either as a preventative tool stopping websites or software installations that contain adware or as a removal tool for an already infected computer. To prevent adware, download software from websites that you trust. Never download from websites that you have never been aware of or tried before; Always study the end-user license agreement (EULA) of any application you want to install; You need to avoid freeware and shareware where possible; Lastly, watch out for ActiveX, since many adware and spyware companies make use of the technology to install their wares onto your computer system

Malware Blocking Internet And All Anti-Malware Software? Do This!

All malware is bad and the consequences of the damage will vary based on the specific type of malware. Some malware variants alter browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the PC’s DNS settings. In these instances, you will be unable to visit some or all internet sites, and thus not able to download or install the required security software to eliminate the malware. So what to do when malicious software prevents you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? There are a few options you could try to get around with this problem.

Remove viruses in Safe Mode

In Safe Mode, you can actually change Windows settings, un-install or install some program, and eliminate hard-to-delete viruses and malware. If the malware is blocking access to the internet and affecting the computer, launching it in Safe Mode will let you download antivirus and run a diagnostic scan while limiting possible damage. To enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the PC is starting up or run MSConfig and look for the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you’re in safe mode, you can attempt to install your anti-malware program without the hindrance of the malicious software. At this point, you could run the anti-malware scan to eliminate viruses and malware without hindrance from another application.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Some malware only targets certain browsers. If this sounds like your case, use another web browser as it could circumvent the malware. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by malware or otherwise compromised by hackers, the ideal approach is to switch over to a different internet browser like Firefox, Chrome, or Safari to download your chosen computer security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Create a portable USB antivirus for eliminating malware

Another solution is to make a portable antivirus program on your USB flash drive. Adopt these measures to run the anti-malware on the affected computer system. 1) Download the anti-malware program on a virus-free PC. 2) Connect the flash drive to a USB slot on the clean computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, which has a .exe file format. 4) Select the flash drive as the destination for saving the software file. Follow the directions to complete the installation process. 5) Transfer the pen drive from the clean computer to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the thumb drive to run the software. 7) Hit the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

Detect And Remove Viruses With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Today an anti-malware tool can protect the computer from different types of online threats. But wait, how to decide on the best one amongst countless malware protection application that’s available out there? As you might be aware, there are many anti-malware companies and products for you to consider. A few are well worth your money, but many aren’t. You need to choose one that is reliable, practical, and has a strong reputation for its malware source protection. Amongst few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the strongly recommended software for the security-conscious individual. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trustworthy tool that not only secures your PC permanently but is also very easy to use for people of all ability levels. With its outstanding protection system, this tool will easily detect and remove most of the security threats, including adware, viruses, browser hijackers, ransomware, trojans, worms, and PUPs.

SafeBytes has outstanding features when compared to other anti-malware programs. Below are some of the great ones:

Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes provides 100 % hands-free real-time protection and is set to check, block, and eliminate all threats at its very first encounter. They’re very effective in screening and getting rid of different threats because they’re constantly revised with new updates and safety measures. Robust, Anti-malware Protection: With its enhanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware removal tool can identify and get rid of the malware threats hiding in the PC effectively. Internet Security: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating about the pages you’re about to visit, automatically blocking harmful sites and ensure that you’re certain of your safety while browsing the world wide web. “Fast Scan” Abilities: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is one of the fastest and most efficient within the industry. It's targeted scanning seriously increases the catch rate for viruses which is embedded in various computer files. Low CPU and Memory Usage: This program is not “heavy” on your computer’s resources, so you’ll not see any overall performance issues when SafeBytes is working in the background. 24/7 Customer Support: You can obtain totally free 24/7 technical support from their computer experts on any product queries or computer security concerns. Overall, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program as it has lots of features and could identify and remove any potential threats. Malware problems will become a thing of the past once you put this software to use. So if you’re searching for the best malware removal application out there, and if you don’t mind paying out some money for it, opt for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you don’t want to use malware removal software and prefer to get rid of Search Donkey manually, you could do so by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and deleting the offending program; in cases of web browser plug-ins, you may remove it by visiting the browsers Add-on/Extension manager. You’ll probably also want to reset your internet browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually examine your hard disk and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. But bear in mind, editing the Windows registry can be a complicated job that only experienced users and professionals should attempt to fix it. Furthermore, some malware keeps replicating which makes it tough to eliminate. It is advised that you do the removal procedure in Windows Safe Mode.
Files: % Program Files% \Search Donkey.exe %UserProfile%\Desktop\ Search Donkey.lnk %UserProfile%\Start Menu \ Search Donkey C:\Users\%CurrentUserName%\AppData\Local\Temp\nst2A8A.tmp\nsDialogs.dll (21 bytes) C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Firefox\chrome\content\overlay.xul (391 bytes) C:\Users\%CurrentUserName%\AppData\Local\Temp\nst2A8A.tmp\System.dll (23 bytes) C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\IE\common.dll (11359 bytes) C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Chrome\common.crx (5843 bytes) C:\Users\%CurrentUserName%\AppData\Local\Temp\nst2A8A.tmp\modern-wizard.bmp (4232 bytes) C:\Users\%CurrentUserName%\AppData\Local\Temp\nst2A8A.tmp\util_ex.dll (21609 bytes) C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Firefox\chrome\content\main.js (17 bytes) C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\app.dat (172455 bytes) C:\Users\%CurrentUserName%\AppData\Local\Temp\nst2A8A.tmp\Helper.dll (27542 bytes) C:\Users\%CurrentUserName%\AppData\Local\Temp\nst2A8A.tmp\version.dll (14 bytes) C:\Users\%CurrentUserName%\AppData\Local\Temp\nst2A8A.tmp\Processes.dll (1772 bytes) C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Firefox\chrome.manifest (196 bytes) C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Uninstall.exe (12729 bytes) C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Firefox\install.rdf (955 bytes) C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\SearchDonkey.ico C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Chrome\common.crx C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Firefox\chrome.manifest C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Firefox\chrome\content\main.js C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Firefox\chrome\content\overlay.xul C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Firefox\install.rdf C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\IE\common.dll C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\SearchDonkey.ico C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\Uninstall.exe C:\ProgramData\SearchDonkey\app.dat Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SearchDonkey \DisplayIcon %AppData%\%RANDOM CHARACTERS%\%RANDOM CHARACTERS%.exe,0 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SearchDonkey HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SearchDonkey\UninstallString %AppData%%RANDOMCHARACTERS%\%RANDOM CHARACTERS%.exe
Read More
Malware in Popular CCleaner

On September 18th, 2017, Cisco’s Talos announced that CCleaner, a popular utility with billions of worldwide users, had been compromised by hackers, and was used to unwittingly distribute hidden malware in its installer. Later in the day, Piriform, the publisher of CCleaner, confirmed the problem.

Undetected by all but 1 major antivirus including CCleaner’s own parent company, this occurred for over a month and impacted over 2.7 million users. Users of CCleaner v5.33.6162 and CCleaner Cloud v1.07.3191 for 32-bit Windows are affected. These downloads were live on CCleaner’s official site from August 15th to September 12th, 2017. Anyone who downloaded the program during this time could be affected. The company claims that while the hackers set up the backdoor and many users were impacted, that the perpetrators have been arrested and that the malware never successfully performed its full task and compromised user’s PCs or sent out their data; in the wake of recent security breaches such as Equifax, users are understandably worried. Given the severity of the threat of hacking and data theft, users should take action immediately if they have CCleaner.

Technical Details of CCleaner Malware Injection

First reported by Talos, the malware, which was hidden in the CCleaner installer without the publisher noticing (despite them being owned by Avast, a massive Anti-virus company), modified a core program DLL file to evade detection, and creates several registry keys. Not only were these files not flagged by any major Anti-Virus, but they were also even digitally signed by Piriform via their Symantec certificate, meaning your PC and security program would likely whitelist and trust the malicious installer. The malware gathers personal information on a user’s PC, including IP address and running programs, and sends it to a remote server. In our testing, the program sent data to IP 216.126.225.148.

Restore Your PC (If Possible)

As of the publication of this article, there have been no assurances given that updating or even uninstalling CCleaner will remove the malware is installed. The only action thus far has been shutting down the remote server where user data was being sent has been shut down by authorities. For this reason, it is best to remove the underlying malware separately, as its presence represents a serious security threat. Unfortunately, as this could have been installed as far back as August 15th, 2017, your System Restore points may not go back that far, or even if they do, restoring to such an outdated point may cause unintended problems with other programs you use and potentially lost files and data. Manually backing up files and doing a full format or clean Windows installation would likely be successful in fully removing the malware, but is extremely time-consuming and can be difficult for many PC users. Unfortunately, this makes a PC Restore or format an unattainable option for many.

Update CCleaner to the Latest Version

While CCleaner has told users to update to the latest version of the program. Prior to doing so, we recommend fully uninstall CCleaner, ensuring you check its program files folders and registry keys, manually deleting any remnants, and then re-downloading the latest version from the official site and reinstalling clean.
Read More
How to use Control Panel in Windows 11
Windows 11 has brought us a new and revamped settings application that will cover most personalization and overall settings for your operating system. But as much as the new settings app is tweaked and modified there are still some things that can be modified only inside Control Panel. windows 11 control panelSince the Control Panel icon itself is somewhat not right away once clicked on the start button we are presenting you a couple of ways to open it so you can change each detail you want.

Via Start menu

The most straightforward and easiest way to reach and open the control panel is via the Start menu. In order to do it just click on the Start menu and type in the control panel. Then click on Control Panel Icon in the results.

Pin Control panel icon to the taskbar

In order to actually pin the control panel to Taskbar, you will need to open it first. Use the previous simple and fast steps in order to quickly open it then in the taskbar right-click on its icon. Choose Pin to Taskbar and close control panel. Now you can open the control panel quickly just by clicking it on its icon in the Taskbar.

Add Desktop icon

If you liked the idea to have an icon that you can click in order to fast open the control panel but you are not very fond of the icon being located in your Taskbar then let's place it on Desktop instead. In order to place a special control panel icon on the desktop, we will use Windows setting app. Open settings app with ⊞ WINDOWS + I and go to Personalization tab. Inside the personalization tab, go to Themes and click on Desktop Icon Settings. Check the box beside Control Panel and click on OK. The Control Panel icon will appear now on your Desktop and you can double click on it to launch it.

Run Control Panel from the Run dialog box

Same as in the previous version of Windows you can also open the Control Panel via Windows built-in run menu. This is mostly the preferred way to gain access to it by system administrators. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog. Inside dialog type in control and press ENTER. Control Panel will open right away.
Read More
Radeon Settings are currently not available
One of the most common brands of GPUs that comes in a large number of computers is AMD’s Radeon Graphics processing units. AMD included the Radeon Settings panel so that users can control how the hardware functions. However, as of late, a lot of users reported that the Radeon Settings panel throws an error that says, “Radeon Settings are currently not available. Please try again after connecting AMD graphics” when they try to use it. This kind of error in the Radeon Settings panel is most likely caused by either corrupted drivers or incompatible drivers. If you are one of the users who are facing this problem, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing this error. You can either use the Device Driver Uninstaller or change the driver version. For more details, make use of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to use the Device Driver Uninstaller

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to uninstall the AMD Radeon drivers by using the Device Driver Uninstaller software. After you’ve uninstalled the AMD Radeon drivers using this software, go to the official website of AMD to download the AMD Radeon drivers. Once you’ve downloaded them, you can install them by simply running the executable file. Once the installation of the new AMD Radeon drivers is done, try to open the Radeon Settings panel and see if the error is now fixed or not. If not, refer to the next given option below.

Option 2 – Try changing the Driver version

If you have followed the instructions in the first option then you can proceed to the next given steps below.
  • Now that you’ve completely uninstalled the AMD Radeon drivers and reinstalled their latest working versions, check if the drivers are still updating. If they are, you need to stop them.
  • To disable the drivers being automatically updated, you need to go to the Group Policy Editor by tapping the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and then type “gpedit.msc” in the field and tap Enter or click OK.
  • After opening the Group Policy Editor, navigate to this policy setting: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation > Device Installation Restrictions
  • From there, double click on the “Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device IDs” policy setting to open a new window, and from this window, you will see the following description of the setting:
“This policy setting allows you to specify a list of Plug and Play hardware IDs and compatible IDs for devices that Windows is prevented from installing. This policy setting takes precedence over any other policy setting that allows Windows to install a device. If you enable this policy setting Windows is prevented from installing a device whose hardware ID or compatible ID appears in the list you create. If you enable this policy setting on a remote desktop server the policy setting affects the redirection of the specified devices from a remote desktop client to the remote desktop server. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting devices can be installed and updated as allowed or prevented by other policy settings.”
  • Now set the radio button of the policy setting to “Enabled”. This will turn off the delete confirmation prompt. Note that setting the radio button to either Not Configured or Disabled will turn off the driver being automatically updated.
  • Next, click on the Show button under the Options section. And in the field that pops up, type in the Hardware ID of your GPU and click OK. You can find the GPU’s Hardware ID under this location: Device Manager > <DEVICE NAME> Properties > Details > Hardware IDs
  • Once you’re done, click the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
  • Close the Group Policy Editor and restart your PC and see if the “Radeon Settings are currently not available. Please try again after connecting AMD graphics” error is now fixed.
Read More
How to choose default applications in Windows
Hello everyone and welcome to another tutorial on errortools.com, Windows itself when it is installed has a general idea about certain file types and how to open them, for example, image files would be opened with application photos, web links with the edge, etc. So when we double click on the known file type, Windows will start the default application for that type and open the file in it. But what if we do not want to open files in applications Microsoft thinks we should? What if we want to open the website in firefox or images in photoshop, or whatever. Luckily we can easily change which application Windows uses for which file type. Click on ⊞ WINDOWS to open the start menu and choose settings. Windows 10 Star menu with marked settings iconOn the settings screen, choose Apps. Windows settings apps section markedWhen the Apps screen opens on the left click on Default apps. Windows settings default apps markedOn right, you will get a list of Windows default applications for certain types of files. Click on any application you would like to change and choose from the drop-down list a new one. Click on it and you are done.
Read More
Best Browsers in 2021 with browser description
In today's digital life, when we access the internet daily, browsers are essential almost as our operating system, after all, we do access all of the internet data via them, and having a good, reliable, and personal browser tailored for our needs can make all the difference in the world. In today's article, we will introduce you to the five greatest browsers of today, we will point their advantages and disadvantages and why should you pick one or another. As with each piece of software, there is not an ultimate browser, better than anything else and we will not favor anyone on this list, the decision which you should use is solely up to you, we are here to provide you with an objective opinion on each one. All of this being said, let's begin with the countdown in no particular order.
  1. Mozilla firefox.

    firefox browser If you consider yourself a power user or you value your privacy then firefox is the browser for you. It is open source and is packed with great features like reporting when your email has been used for a known data breach, it stops annoying pop-up notifications, stops browser fingerprinting, and many more. Firefox is also a cross-platform browser making it a great choice if you want to transfer and use your data across multiple devices with one account. The downside of firefox however is its speed, this browser is the slowest on this list, I guess features and advantages took their tool in the speed department, but if that is not a concern for you and you feel like the positives outweigh some slower speed, grab it here.
  2. Google Chrome

    chrome browser Chrome browser has been a game-changer when it was released and even today some of its features are still great and needed. It is packed with some great features like tab freezing, for example, it is cross-platform meaning that also as firefox you can change data between browsers on different devices. it is a very expandable browser with tons of extensions and its speed performance is very very good. The downside of Chrome are two things sadly, one of them is its hunger for RAM, the browser takes a big chunk of RAM once it is active and on some older computer with limited RAM it performs slowly, another is telemetry which its sending, in other words, other browsers don’t come with the lingering fear that Google’s just a little bit too involved in all of our lives. But if downsides do not trouble you and you have a decent amount of RAM in your system chrome might be the best solution for you, grab it here and check it out.
  3. Microsoft Edge

    edge browser Or should I say Microsoft edge 2.0 since this new Edge is completely recoded and rethought, a completely new browser based on chromium. The first version of the edge was an inhouse attempt from Microsoft and it was a disaster, I guess the lesson was learned, and this new edge we have today is a great Browser, it is lightning fast and packed with some great features with one among them standing out I just love, that is the ability to save web pages as applications and truth to be told you have to try this in order to see al great advantages it offers. A very interesting feature is that edge itself wins the speed race from all of the 5 contestants here which is a great surprise. Of course, the downside of annoying Microsoft pushing it to be your default is, well it's Microsoft, as chrome is tied to Google so is edge tied to Microsoft, and the same dreaded feeling that big MS is watching you. If however, you do not concern yourself with these kinds of things, since it is already part of Windows 10, give it a spin and try it, I am sure you will at least love its blazing speed.
  4. Vivaldi

    vivaldi browser A new kid on the block, relatively unknown Browser Vivaldi offers some great customizable features no other one on this list offers, a very unique and down to each detail customization option, you can literally tweak each and every aspect of this browser making it best customizable and personal browser ever. How it is also based o chromium, every chrome extension works in it naturally. It is very good in speed and constantly updated and developed. The downside, well if you are anything like me, you could spend ages trying to customize it, ages, it has tons of features, and making it really feel and tick as you want can consume a really lot of time. If this thing does not bother you at all, grab Vivaldi here.
  5. Opera

    opera browser Last but not least, we have another relic of the old browser age, the Opera browser. Packed with great security and great in-house features like a built-in VPN, built-in ad blocker, built-in crypto wallet, etc this browser seems like a swiss army knife. Opera is full of features and it shows once you start using it. The downside of opera is that its look and feel are specifically tailored to a certain type of user and not everyone will find that appealing or attractive, add some great but hidden and hard to come by features and it may go unnoticed. However, I think you should really give it a go since it definitely deserves more attention than it gets. Grab it here and check it out.
That's it, 5 great browsers to look up, I hope that you have enjoyed the read and I hope to see you again here for more articles. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.
Read More
Fix System Interrupts high CPU usage
System Interrupts are operating system processes that function as an alert system for the CPU. So whenever a scenario needs the attention of the CPU, it alerts the CPU about it. In turn, the CPU suspends what it is doing, saves it, and then takes care of that important job and once that job is completed, it resumes back to what it was doing. This indicates that although System Interrupts appears as a process, it’s actually not. As a matter of fact, it is like a manager that reports to the CPU about all interrupts that happen on a hardware level, e.g. hardware interrupts. And if there are lots of interrupts, this means that there might be various errors occurring on a hardware level. As a result, it may take a lot of system resources. And if you consider disabling System Interrupts, stop right there as your computer will almost become useless without it. So if you see System Interrupts consuming high CPU usage in your Windows 10 computer, you can fix it without having to disable it and cause more problems. If System Interrupts takes up more than 5 to 10% of CPU, then you definitely have a problem. This could be happening due to some hardware or driver issue. The first thing you can do is to try rebooting your computer once and see if the issue comes back or not. High CPU usage of System Interrupts is a huge backlog for the CPU and it stays in the loop. If a simple system restart didn’t fix this issue, here are some suggestions you can try.

Option 1 – Try to update the hardware drivers

As stated, the problem might have something to do with hardware drivers so you can try to update these drivers and see if it works.
  • Reboot your computer into Safe Mode with networking support.
  • Tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
  • After that, type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
  • After opening the Device Manager, update all the outdated Hardware drivers on your computer.
  • Next, right-click on all the driver entries that are appropriately labeled, and then click the Update driver option.
  • Now restart your PC and check if the BSOD error is fixed or not.
Note: On the other hand, if a recent update has caused the System Interrupts high CPU usage, then you might want to roll back your hardware drivers to their previous versions. You can check with the Windows Update History to check out any recent updates as well as the previous ones.

Option 2 – Try to disconnect and reconnect all hardware and cables

A lot of users reported that they were able to fix the problem by disconnecting and reconnecting cables and hardware like scanners, printers, cameras can help in fixing the problem. In addition, you can also boot your computer in a Clean Boot State so that you can find the problematic hardware by hit and trial method. Refer to the steps below to do so:
  • Log onto your PC as an administrator.
  • Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
  • From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
  • Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
  • Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
  • Click Disable all.
  • Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)

Option 3 – Try to enable or disable Hardware

If you do not want to remove hardware, you can just disable them using the Device Manager. Note that this can also be applied to the internal hardware.
  • Tap the Win + X + M keys to open the Device Manager.
  • Next, navigate to the device you want to disable.
  • Then right-click on it and choose to disable the device.
Note: Make sure that you disable one device at a time and then give it a couple of minutes and check if there are any changes in the CPU usage to pinpoint the hardware. And if there is no change, you need to enable the device you’ve just disabled and then proceed to disable the next hardware device. If there are changes, then it’s probably the culprit. Just keep in mind that you must no disable any device that is needed to keep your system up and running.

Option 4 – Try to update the BIOS/UEFI

Updating the BIOS/UEFI can help you fix the high CPU usage of System Interrupts but as you know, BIOS is a sensitive part of a computer. Even though it is a software component, the functioning of the hardware depends on it largely. Thus, you must be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
  • From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
  • After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
  • Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
  • If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
  • Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version on your computer.
  • Restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 5 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter or the Performance Troubleshooter

Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter:
  • 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.
Performance Troubleshooter:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Type “exe /id PerformanceDiagnostic” in the field and hit Enter to open the Performance troubleshooter.
  • Then click on Next to get started. Wait until the process is completed.
Read More
1 2 3 171
Logo
Copyright © 2023, ErrorTools. All Rights Reserved
Trademark: Microsoft Windows logos are registered trademarks of Microsoft. Disclaimer: ErrorTools.com is not affiliated with Microsoft, nor claims direct affiliation.
The information on this page is provided for information purposes only.
DMCA.com Protection Status