How to use Control Panel in Windows 11

100sOfRecepies is a Browser Extension developed by MindSpark Inc. that provides users with hundreds of recopies for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. This extension may appear very handy at the start, however, it may monitor your browser activity, and send it back to the developer to better serve ads. This extension injects itself into the System Registry allowing it to run each time your computer is restarted.

While browsing the internet with this extension installed you may see additional ads, sponsored links, and pop-up ads displayed in your browser. Many anti-virus scanners have detected this extension as a Browser Hijacker and are therefore not recommended to keep on your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a form of an unwanted program, often a web browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in browser settings. They are made to disrupt web browser programs for various reasons. Usually, it’ll force users to predetermined sites which are aiming to increase their advertisement income. Nevertheless, it’s not that harmless. Your internet safety is compromised and it is also very annoying. In a much worst case, your browser could be hi-jacked to download malware that may do a great deal of damage to your laptop or computer.

Major symptoms that your web browser has been highjacked

The typical symptoms that indicate having this malware on your computer are: 1. the browser’s home page is changed 2. bookmark and the new tab are also modified 3. the default search engine is changed and the browser security settings have been lowered without your knowledge 4. find new toolbars which you did not add 5. unstoppable flurries of pop-up ads show up on your personal computer screen 6. your web browser gets slow, buggy crashes often 7. Inability to navigate to certain websites, particularly anti-malware and also other security software webpages.

How does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

There are several ways your computer can become infected with a browser hijacker. They generally arrive by way of spam e-mail, via file sharing websites, or by a drive-by-download. They could also come from add-on software, also known as browser helper objects (BHO), web browser plug-ins, or toolbars. Some browser hijackers spread in user’s computer systems using a deceptive software distribution technique known as “bundling” (generally through freeware and shareware). An example of some well-known browser hijacker includes Babylon, Anyprotect, Conduit, DefaultTab, SweetPage, RocketTab, and Delta Search, but the names are continually changing. Browser hijackers could record user keystrokes to gather potentially valuable information that leads to privacy issues, cause instability on computers, drastically disrupt the user experience, and eventually slow down the PC to a point where it will become unusable.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

Some browser hijacking could be quite easily stopped by discovering and eliminating the corresponding malware program from your control panel. But, most hijackers are hard to get rid of manually. No matter how much you try to remove it, it can come back over and over. Moreover, browser hijackers could modify the Computer registry so that it could be very tough to restore all of the values manually, particularly when you are not a very tech-savvy person.

Can't Install Safebytes Anti-malware due to the presence of Malware? Try This!

All malware is bad, but certain kinds of malicious software do a lot more damage to your PC than others. Some malware sits in between your computer and the internet connection and blocks some or all sites which you want to check out. It would also block you from adding anything to your machine, especially anti-virus programs. So what to do when malicious software keeps you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? Do as instructed below to eliminate malware through alternate ways.

Eliminate malware in Safe Mode

In the event the malware is set to load at Windows start-up, then booting in safe mode should avoid it. Just the minimum required applications and services are loaded when you boot your computer in Safe Mode. Listed below are the steps you need to follow to start your computer into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (go to Microsoft website for instructions on Windows 8 and 10 computers). 1) At power-on/startup, press the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This will invoke the “Advanced Boot Options” menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit Enter. 3) When this mode loads, you should have an internet connection. Now, use your internet browser to download and install Safebytes. 4) As soon as the software program is installed, allow the scan run to remove viruses and other threats automatically.

Switch over to an alternate web browser

Malicious program code could exploit vulnerabilities on a particular web browser and block access to all anti-virus software sites. The best way to overcome this problem is to choose a browser that is known for its security measures. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you secure online.

Install and run anti-malware from the Thumb drive

To effectively get rid of the malware, you might want to approach the issue of running an anti-virus program on the affected PC from a different perspective. Do these simple measures to clear up your infected computer by using a portable antivirus. 1) On a virus-free PC, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the pen drive on the same PC. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, with a .exe file format. 4) When asked, select the location of the USB drive as the place where you want to put the software files. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the USB drive to the infected computer system. 6) Double-click the EXE file to open the Safebytes program right from the thumb drive. 7) Simply click “Scan Now” to run a scan on the affected computer for viruses.

Protect Your Computer and Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

To help protect your computer or laptop from a variety of internet-based threats, it’s important to install an anti-malware application on your personal computer. However, with countless numbers of antimalware companies in the marketplace, nowadays it’s tough to decide which one you should buy for your laptop. Some of them are excellent, some are ok types, while some will affect your PC themselves! You need to be careful not to pick the wrong product, particularly if you purchase a premium application. Amongst few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the strongly recommended software for security-conscious people. Safebytes is one of the well-established computer solutions firms, which provide this complete anti-malware software program. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software protects your personal computer against infections caused by different types of malware and similar internet threats, including adware, spyware, trojans horses, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), and ransomware. SafeBytes carries a plethora of wonderful features which can help you protect your computer from malware attack and damage. Here are some of the good ones: Robust Anti-malware Protection: By using a critically acclaimed anti-malware engine, SafeBytes provides multi-layered protection which is made to catch and remove threats that are concealed deep in your PC. Active Protection: SafeBytes offers complete and real-time security for your PC. It’ll check your PC for suspicious activity at all times and shields your PC from unauthorized access. Website Filtering: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes informs you whether a website is safe or not to visit it. This will assure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the online world. Lightweight Utility: SafeBytes is really a lightweight application. It consumes an extremely small amount of processing power as it runs in the background therefore you will not observe any computer performance issues. 24/7 Premium Support: Skilled technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will immediately fix any technical issues you may be experiencing with your security software.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to carry out the removal of 100sOfRecepies manually rather than using an automated software tool, you may follow these simple steps: Navigate to the Windows Control Panel, click on the “Add or Remove Programs” and there, select the offending program to uninstall. In cases of suspicious versions of web browser extensions, you can easily remove them through your browser’s extension manager. You may also want to reset your web browser settings, as well as delete browsing history, temporary files, and internet cookies. To ensure the complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your system and delete them or reset the values appropriately. Please keep in mind that only advanced users should try to manually edit the registry because incorrect file removal leads to a major problem or even a PC crash. In addition, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing deletion. It is recommended that you carry out the removal procedure in Safe Mode.

PC Fix Speed is a Potentially Unwanted Program designed to improve the speed of your computer. This program usually comes bundled with other software, and when installs automatically scan your PC and displays exaggerated messages on the status of the PC’s performance, to get users to pay for the PRO version of the software. It also adds registry entities that allow it to run each time the computer is started, and the application itself will constantly keep reminding users that they have errors by putting the application windows on top.

From the Author: The Service is provided by PCRx through Crawler, LLC. Clean and repair your PC’s registry, optimize PC performance and free up disk and memory space. With everything you do on your PC, including adding on devices, a new entry is created in your Windows® registry, and seldom are any removed after they’re no longer needed. As a result, your PC gets bogged down with unnecessary entries, slowing your PC speed, the start-up, and your Internet browser. PC Fix Speed cleans up registry entries and puts your PC back on track for optimal performance. PC Fix Speed is an essential application that should be a part of every computer. PC Fix Speed especially helps computers that are unusually slow, freeze up often or show error messages, by cleaning the system registry and improving overall performance.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

If you have ever downloaded software from the internet (shareware, freeware, etc,), it’s quite possible you’ve unconsciously installed unwanted programs on your computer system. A Potentially Unwanted Program, often known as PUP, in short, is software that contains adware, installs toolbars, or has other hidden goals. These kinds of programs are usually bundled up with free applications that you download from the internet or will also be bundled inside the custom installers on many download sites. It’s clear by its name – unwanted programs – but did not actually constitute “malware” in the traditional sense. An important difference between malware and PUP is distribution. Malware is normally dropped through vulnerability exploitation while PUP gets installed with the consent of the user, who intentionally or unwittingly approves the PUP installation on their computer. PUP developers can argue their programs aren’t malicious software however, it can nevertheless be unsafe software and put your PC at risk much the same way malware does.

Exactly how do PUPs look like?

Unwanted programs come in various forms. More often, they can be found in adware bundlers which are known to utilize aggressive and misleading advertising. Most bundlers install many adware programs from a number of vendors, each of which possesses its own EULA policy. Safebytes Anti-malware entirely eliminates this threat and safeguards your computer against unwanted programs or adware infection. Several PUPs also show up as toolbars or add-ons, mounted on your preferred web browser. These toolbars change your homepage and your search engine in the installed browser, track your web activities, control your search results with redirects and sponsored links, and eventually slow down your browser and diminish your web browsing experience. Potentially Unwanted Programs occasionally act very much like viruses or spyware. Some PUPs carry keyloggers, dialers, and other software to collect your personal details that can cause identity theft. Because of this unwanted program, your application may freeze, your security protections can get disabled which could leave your computer susceptible, your system may get ruined, and the list goes on and on.

Some tips on protecting yourself from PUPs

• Read meticulously before you install anything. Don’t click accept until you have read the fine print. There could be a clause about PUPs. • Use ONLY custom or manual install method – and don’t blindly click Next, Next, Next. • Use good anti-malware software. Try Safebytes Anti-malware which can spot PUPs and handle them as malware by flagging them for removal. • Be alert if you install freeware, open-source programs, or shareware. Disable or eliminate toolbars and browser extensions you don’t really need. • Only download applications from the original providers’ websites. Avoid download portals since they use their very own download manager to pack additional programs together with the initial download. Remember the fact that although PUPs could cause damage and hinder the proper function of the computer, they can’t get into your system without your consent, so be watchful not to provide them with it.

What To Do If You Cannot Install Any Antivirus?

Malware could cause a great deal of damage to your PC. Some malware sits in between your PC and your net connection and blocks some or all internet sites that you would like to check out. It could also prevent you from adding anything to your PC, especially the antivirus program. So what should you do when malware prevents you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? Although this kind of issue will be tougher to get around, there are some steps you can take.

Start your computer in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to load at Windows start-up, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Only the bare minimum required applications and services are loaded whenever you start your laptop or computer into Safe Mode. Listed below are the steps you should follow to boot into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (check out the Microsoft website for instructions on Windows 8 and 10 PCs). 1) At power-on/startup, tap the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Make use of the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) When you are into this mode, you will have an internet connection again. Now, use your web browser to download and install an anti-malware program. 4) After the application is installed, allow the diagnostic scan run to eliminate trojans and other threats automatically.

Switch to an alternate web browser

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a particular internet browser or attacking specific versions of the web browser. The ideal way to avoid this problem is to select an internet browser that is well known for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you safe online.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

Here’s yet another solution which is using a portable USB anti-malware software package that can check your computer for malware without needing installation. To run anti-virus from a USB drive, follow these simple steps: 1) Make use of another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug in the pen drive to a USB port on the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the executable file to run the installation wizard. 4) Choose a USB drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you want to install the application. Follow the instructions on the computer screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, insert the USB drive into the corrupted PC. 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 system scan and remove viruses automatically.

SafeBytes AntiMalware Overview

Want to download the best anti-malware software program for your system? There are various applications available that come in free and paid versions for Microsoft Windows systems. A few are good ones, some are decent, while some are merely bogus anti-malware programs that can damage your personal computer themselves! When searching for an anti-malware tool, select one which gives dependable, efficient, and complete protection against all known viruses and malware. On the list of highly recommended software is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes carries a superb track record of excellent service, and customers appear to be happy with it. SafeBytes can be described as a powerful, real-time antivirus application that is created to assist the typical computer end user in protecting their PC from malicious threats. This tool can easily detect, remove, and protect your computer from the most advanced malware intrusions including adware, spyware, trojan horses, ransomware, worms, PUPs, parasites, and other potentially harmful software programs.

There are plenty of amazing features you will get with this particular security product. Here are some of the features you will like in SafeBytes.

Active Protection: SafeBytes provides a totally hands-free active protection that is set to observe, block, and remove all computer threats at its first encounter. This utility will always keep track of your PC for suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep abreast of the constantly changing threat landscape. Anti-Malware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware 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 PC. Web protection: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes informs you whether a site is safe or not to access it. This will make sure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the web. Low Memory/CPU Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight and easy-of-use anti-virus and antimalware solution. As it uses very little computer resources, this application leaves the computer’s power exactly where it belongs: with you. 24/7 Premium Support: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and updates for the best user experience. SafeBytes has developed a wonderful anti-malware solution that can help you conquer the latest malware threats and virus attacks. You can rest assured that your computer system will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this software to use. So if you need sophisticated forms of protection features and threat detections, purchasing SafeBytes Anti-Malware will be well worth the dollars!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you do not want to use malware removal software and prefer to get rid of PC Fix Speed manually, you might do so by going to the Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and removing the offending software; in cases of web browser plug-ins, you could un-install it by going to the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. You will definitely also want to reset your browser. Finally, examine your hard drive for all of the following and clean your computer registry manually to remove leftover application entries after uninstalls. However, this is a tough task and only computer professionals can perform it safely. Moreover, some malware keeps replicating which makes it tough to get rid of. It is advised that you carry out the removal procedure in Windows Safe Mode.

One of the cool and interesting features in Windows is the Screensaver which allows users to display animation or change the wallpaper automatically when the computer is not being used. This feature can also time out and lock your computer when it remains idle for quite some time. However, if you notice that the screensaver of your computer turns on a lot earlier, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can change the timeout settings of the screensaver of your Windows 10 computer. Usually, the screensaver in Windows 10 is turned off by default, however, if some other user has turned it on or if you have turned it on, you can actually change the timeout settings of the screensaver using several methods. You can do it through the Personalization settings, Registry Editor, as well as the Group Policy Editor. Before you proceed with the instructions provided below, make sure that you create a System Restore point first. Once done, follow each one of the suggestions carefully to successfully change the Screensaver timeout settings in Windows 10.

Option 1 – Modify the timeout settings of Screensaver via Personalization settings

• Open the Start menu and type “screen saver” in the field.
• On the search results that appear, click on the “Change Screen Saver” option.
• From there, you have the option to change the screen saver type, preview, open settings, change the wait time, as well as choose to display lock screen on your resume.
• Now to change the timeout settings of your screensaver, you have to increase the wait time from 1 to 15 or anything that works for you.
• Once done, click OK and exit to save the changes made.

Option 2 – Try to change the screensaver time via Registry Editor

The next option you can try to change the timeout settings in the screensaver is using the Registry Editor. To get started, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: ComputerHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindows
• From there, right-click on Windows located in the right pane and select New > Key.
• Name the key as “Control Panel” and right-click on it and select New > Key and then name it as “Desktop”.
• Once done, click on the newly created Desktop key to highlight it.
• After that, right-click on any empty space in the right pane and select New > String Value and then type “ScreenSaveTimeOut” and hit Enter to save it.
• Now right-click on ScreenSaveTimeOut and select Modify and then set its value data in seconds.
• Click on OK and exit the Registry Editor to save the changes made.

Option 3 – Change Screensaver timeout settings via Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization.
• Then look for a policy setting named “Screen saver timeout” and double click on it and then click on the Enabled option to enable it.
• Add the screen timeout in seconds and click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes.
• Restart your computer.

Note: If you want to disable the screensaver feature in your computer, you can always do so by disabling a policy setting named “Enable Screen Saver”.

The Windows 10 system allows users to change the default location of the User folders to another drive. This is probably to make sure that the files stay safe in case the system suddenly crashes. However, in some cases, while changing the path to another drive, for instance, the D drive or any folder, the Windows system recognized it as a hard drive as well so even though the files will be saved on that folder, it will appear as a hard drive in the Windows Explorer or look merged with another folder. It could also be that you had dragged and dropped a user folder to another user folder by accident. So if you’re wondering how you can unmerge the User folders, read on as this post will guide you on how exactly you can do that. Take note that even if you try to use the File History to restore the User folders, it still won’t work and you won’t be able to move them back to their previous locations nor restore the folders back to their previous versions and it would only state that they are not available. In the instructions given below, we are using the Downloads folder as an example.

• Step 1: Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Step 2: Next, type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Step 3: After opening the Registry Editor, navigate to the following registry key:

ComputerHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerUser Shell Folders

• Step 4: Then double-click on the multi-string value {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B} located in the right hand pane. And in the Value Data, copy and paste the following value:

%USERPROFILE%Downloads

• Step 5: Now click OK and close the Registry Editor.

Note: Look close enough and you’ll see that the multi-string values belong to each one of the folders. From there, you have a Desktop, Favorites, Skydrive, Music, Pictures, and many more.

• Step 6: Restart your computer. After that, the operating system will pick up the new folder location during the startup. Here are the values for the other folders:

Music – {1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE} Pictures – {3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA} Videos – {A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C} Documents – {A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0} Desktop – {B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}

• Step 7: Now all you have to do is to change the location correctly. Start by tapping the Win + E keys to open the Windows File Explorer.
• Step 8: After that, right-click on the Downloads folder located in the right-hand pane.
• Step 9: Then click on Properties and go to the Location tab then type “D:\Downloads” in the location box.
• Step 10: Click the Apply button and then the OK button to save the changes made. Doing so would ensure that not only the Downloads folder is restored but also that it does not stay merged to another folder or appear as a drive.

Parallels is an application developer for MAC OS mostly known for its PC virtualization software Parallels Desktop, a PC virtualization software running on Macs enabling running Windows and Linux with respective software on your MAC. With its latest Desktop 17 version, the software can run natively on both Intel-based and M1-based MACs. Thanks to this feature MAC users will be able to benefit from various speed improvements while running both Windows 10 or Windows 11 preview. On both Intel and M1 setups, Parallels resumes Windows and Linux up to 38% faster, provides an up to 25% bump in 2D graphics and a six-time increase in OpenGL graphics processing. M1-centric stats include 33% faster Windows start-up times, up to 28% faster DirectX 11 performance, and up to 20% better disk performance on Windows 10 Insider Preview. Parallels Desktop 17 delivers a set of fresh features including a new video driver that enhances video and game playback and boosts Windows UI responsiveness. An improved Coherence mode lets users run Windows apps within the Mac environment, cutting down on distracting changes in appearance during Windows sign-in, shut down, and software updates. Drag-and-drop operations are also improved, with support for text and graphics between Mac and Windows applications. This function works well with MAC OS Monterey's Quick Note feature, which can accept content from any Windows app. USB support, disk management, copy and paste unformatted text, and automatic virtual machine optimization also receive upgrades.

External hard drives have become essential these days as they tend to be very useful to many users. They are usually used for storing system images like system backups, Windows installation media, or for personal use. However, if you are not able to utilize your external drivers for some reason then that could be a huge problem. One of the common issues with hard drives is when your USB device or external hard drive just keeps connecting and disconnecting. This kind of issue could be caused by a faulty USB port, some issues with the USB drivers, your computer’s Power Options, corrupted or damaged system files, and many other factors. The connecting and disconnecting issue with USB devices and external hard drives isn’t really new and has been experienced by many users for years now. Although this issue has somewhat decreased in Windows 10, there are still some users who encounter it every now and then. Worry not though for there are fixes that you can try to resolve the problem. Refer to the following straightforward solutions to resolve the issue with your USB device or external hard drive.

Option 1 – Plug your external device on a different port

If your USB device keeps on connecting and disconnecting then the first thing you can do is to try connecting it to a different port. This will help you isolate the problem. In some cases, the port where the USB is connected can be malfunctioning or obsolete so you need to check that possibility by plugging your USB device into a different USB port.

Option 2 – Update or reinstall your USB drivers

As mentioned earlier, the problem could be due to some issues with the USB drivers. It could be that it has to be updated or you need to reinstall it. To do that, follow these 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 and select the Update Driver from the menu.
• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

You also have the option to update the motherboard and the USB driver from the manufacturer’s official website.

Option 3 – Try turning on the USB External drive

There are times when your system turns off some drives in order to conserve your computer’s power, etc. as a result, the driver that’s required to run your external hard drive properly ends up getting disabled. To fix this, you can prevent your system from turning off your external USB drive by following these steps:

• You need to make sure that the external drive is connected to your system first.
• Next, go to the Start Menu and type “device manager” in the field, and click on the appropriate result to open the Device Manager.
• After opening the Device Manager, expand the category of the Universal Serial Bus controllers.
• Then double click on your USB Mass Storage device and take note that the name might be different on your system.
• Now go to the Power Management tab and uncheck the checkbox for the “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” option and click OK to save the changes made.

Option 4 – Turn off USB Selective Suspend

Another thing you can try is to turn off USB Selective Suspend especially when the issue has something to do with the Power Options. There are certain systems that are configured to disable USB devices after some time which could be the root cause of the problem. Thus, you need to turn off USB Selective Suspend. Here’s how you can do it:

• In the Start Menu, search for “control panel” and open the related search result.
• Then go to Power Options and click on the “Change plan settings” option.
• Next, select “Change advanced power settings” and look for the USB settings and then expand it.
• From there, you will see the USB Selective Suspend setting. Disable it and click OK.
• Now restart your computer and check if it resolves the problem or not.

Option 5 – Format your drive

• To get started formatting your drive, tap the Win + E keys and then go to the access page of the drive.
• Next, right-click on the drive and select Format.
• After that, uncheck the “Quick Format” option and then format your drive properly.
• Now once the formatting process is finished, unplug the drive and plug it back in afterward.
• Check if the error is already fixed. If the drive is not initialized, tap the Win + R keys and hit Enter.
• After opening the Run dialog box, type “diskmgmt.msc” and hit Enter to open Disk Management.
• From there, right-click on the drive volume and select initialize disk.
• Next, select the correct partition type and proceed.

When you update or upgrade your computer to Windows 10, the setup will look for the compatibility of both the hardware and software. And in this process, if suddenly got an error message saying, “Some apps need to be uninstalled” or “You need to uninstall a program in order to continue”, you have to look for the program(s) that might be causing the compatibility issues. But worry not as this post will help you resolve the issue. Simply follow the given suggestions below.

Option 1 – Look for the incompatible programs

There are times when Windows 10 will point out the programs that are incompatible with Windows 10. In this situation, just click on the Uninstall and continue button and then wait for the process to be completed. For more information, you can check out the official site Ready for Windows by Microsoft. This site can help you determine which software versions are compatible with Windows 10 and which ones are not. All you have to do is select the Windows 10 version and type your App name, after that, you will see the results about its compatibility. Thus, it’s now easier for you to figure out which software is causing an issue and if there is a new updated version available that you can install instead.

Option 2 – Try to install the Windows Update in a Clean Boot State

Putting your PC in a Clean Boot state can also help you install Windows Updates or Upgrades without any trouble because, during this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.

• 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” checkbox 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.)
• After that, try to install the Windows Updates or upgrade again.

Option 3 – Try creating a new user account

Creating a new user account can resolve the “Some apps need to be uninstalled” error when upgrading or updating your Windows 10 PC. All you have to do is create a new admin account and initiate the setup. And this is a new user account, there will be no third-party applications installed on your computer. Thus, the installation should go through without any trouble. And in case you’ve already installed programs for that user, you just have to uninstall them all and then re-run the setup.

Option 4 – Perform a clean install

If none of the options worked, you can try to clean install Windows 10. Just make sure that you have the ISO from the official Microsoft Website and then a bootable USB drive to install Windows 10 again. Take note that this will delete all the data from your drive where Windows 10 was installed previously.

Many of us are taking the google search engine for granted and it is no true that it has crawled in almost every spore of our digital lives but if we wanted a little more privacy? Do we have options or we are destined to use google and send our information to this company. What if we really wanted that our searches are well safe, secure, and private? We could try other search engines like BING but since BING belongs to Microsoft we would exchange only one company for another without making any progress in the privacy battle. Enter DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine that’s been online since 2008. Find websites, maps, videos, news, and more without tracking your searches and serving you targetted ads. It took DUckDuckGo as you can tell sometimes to gain ground and to be recognized but finally, it got the attention it deserves. Its big breakthrough happened in September of 2014 when Apple offered it as a default search engine in Safari and since it has gained more and more ground. It seems people care about their privacy after all. Since then DuckDuckGo has been gaining ground and all the major browsers have integrated it as an option for a default search engine. In this article, we will show you how to switch to DuckDuckGo and set it as your preferred search engine in all major browsers.

1. Google Chrome

   Launch Chrome and click on the three dots in the upper right. Choose settings. Choose Search engine in the list on the left of the screen. Click on the drop-down box next to Search engine used in the address bar and choose DuckDuckGo.

2. Mozilla Firefox

   Launch Firefox, click on the three lines hamburger menu icon in the top-right corner of the window. Click on Preferences. Click on Search in the menu to the left of the screen. Under Default Search Engine, click the drop-down box and choose DuckDuckGo.

3. Microsoft Edge

   Click on the three dots menu button in the top-right corner of the window Then select Settings. Click on Privacy, Search and Services in the menu that appears on the left Scroll down to the Services menu and choose Address bar and search. Click the dropdown menu next to Search engine used in the address bar and choose DuckDuckGo.

4. Apple Safari

   Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen Then click Preferences. You can also use the Command+, shortcut to quickly bring up Safari’s Preferences. Click on the Search tab, then choose DuckDuckGo under the Search engine drop-down box.

5. Opera

   Click on the Settings cog button in the sidebar on the left of the screen. Under Basic settings scroll down until you see Search engine and a drop-down box. Select DuckDuckGo from the list.

There is a lot of high resource utilization by any process that slows down a Windows operating system and one of the services that could cause such a thing is the utcsvc.exe process. This particular process at times can cause high CPU and disk usage. So if you are currently facing this problem, read on as this post will guide you on how you can resolve the problem. UTC which stands for Universal Telemetry Client is a software that runs a service named Diagnostic Tracking Service or DiagTrak. This service is used by Microsoft to collect customer feedback, analyze customer’s problems, and push resolution via updates in order to make the Windows 10 operating system better. This service is an executable file that could be translated to Service Host and even though the process does not usually cause problems, there are actually times when it does especially if it results in high resource utilization. In such cases, you might want to consider disabling it to fix its high CPU and disk usage.

According to Microsoft:

“We collect information about you, your devices, applications and networks, and your use of those devices, applications, and networks. Examples of data we collect include your name, email address, preferences, and interests; browsing, search and file history; phone call and SMS data; device configuration and sensor data; and application usage.”

There are several ways you can disable the utcsvc.exe process. You can disable it using the Service Manager, Registry Editor, and Group Policy Editor. For more details, refer to the instructions laid out below.

Option 1 – Disable the Connected User Experience & Telemetry Service via Service Manager

Note that this option is for standalone systems, so if you’re not using one, refer to the next given options below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “services.msc” in the field and tap Enter or click OK to open the Services Manager.
• From the given list of services, look for the Connected User Experience service. Once you found it, click on it and you’ll see its description which states:

“The Connected User Experiences and Telemetry service enables features that support in-application and connected user experiences. Additionally, this service manages the event-driven collection and transmission of diagnostic and usage information (used to improve the experience and quality of the Windows Platform) when the diagnostics and usage privacy option settings are enabled under Feedback and Diagnostics.”

• Next, right-click on it and select Properties.
• Now, change its Startup Type to Disabled and click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.

Option 2 – Disable the Connected User Experience & Telemetry Service via Registry Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsDataCollection
• After that, right-click on the folder named “DataCollection” and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Now name the new value “AllowTelemetry” and make sure that its Value data is “0” and then click on OK to save the changes made.
• Restart your computer.

Option 3 – Disable the Connected User Experience & Telemetry Service via Group Policy Editor

If you have to disable the service related to the Universal Telemetry Client for company-managed systems, then you can do that using the Group Policy Editor.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components> Data Collection and Preview Build
• After that, double-click on Data Collection and Preview Build to open its settings.
• From there, look for the “Allow Telemetry” item and double click on it to open its Properties.
• Next, set the radio button to Disabled and then click on the Apply button to save the changes made.
• Restart your computer.

Option 4 – 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.

If you have encountered the NO_USER_MODE_CONTEXT Blue Screen error when using your computer, read on as this post will walk you through a couple of suggestions you can try to resolve this Stop error. This kind of Blue Screen error can occur when a program is trying to leverage the use of a system driver but fails to do so. Some of the common causes of this BSOD error are incompatible or corrupted drivers, incorrect configuration of entries in the Registry, damaged memory locations, malware infection, and many more. In addition, this Stop error does not often occur and indicates that an attempt to enter user mode with no context was made. If this is the first time you’ve restarted your computer after you’ve installed additional hardware, you have to remove the hardware and then restart your computer once again and then check the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List to confirm that the hardware and its drivers are compatible with your operating system. If it doesn’t help, you can check out the given suggestions below to fix the NO_USER_MODE_CONTEXT Blue Screen error in Windows 10.

Option 1 – Try to update or rollback your device drivers

The first thing you can try to fix the NO_USER_MODE_CONTEXT Blue Screen error is to either update or roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties. Note that the main drivers that might be the cause behind the NO_USER_MODE_CONTEXT Blue Screen error will be listed under the “ID ATA/ATAPI controllers” section as well as the “Storage controllers” section.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

Note: You can also directly download the relevant drivers of your computer from the manufacturers’ website. So if you have an SSD, the issue might be due to an old storage driver.

Option 2 – Try running System File Checker or SFC scan

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

 Reboot your PC.

Option 3 – Try running the Memory Diagnostic Tool

The Memory Diagnostic tool in windows can help resolve the NO_USER_MODE_CONTEXT Blue Screen error by checking and automatically fixing any memory-based issues. 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 your preferred option, your computer will restart and check for memory-based issues. If it finds any issues, it will automatically fix them.

Option 4 – Perform System Restore

• First, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 5 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

Troubleshooting Blue Screen of Death errors wouldn’t be complete without the Blue Screen troubleshooter. As you know, it is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like NO_USER_MODE_CONTEXT. It can be found on 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.