Reversing Mouse & Touchpad scrolling direction

If you suddenly encounter an error saying, “Something happened and this app couldn't be installed. Error Code: 0x80244018”, when trying to install apps on your Windows 10 computer, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you in resolving the problem. It’s not just you that’s experiencing this problem right now as several users also reported getting this error they try to apply a Windows update or download and install the application from Microsoft Store. There could are several reasons why you’re getting this error. It could be caused by a third-party application, or it could be that the update is blocked by your VPN or proxy server, or that the BITS service is disabled. In addition, the error could also be due to some glitch in the component services or it could be that the system files are corrupted. Whatever the cause is, you can fix the error by following any of the given options below.

Option 1 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the Windows Update Troubleshooter can help in fixing Error Code 0x80244018. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 2 – Put your PC in a Clean Boot State

It could be that some third-party application is the one that’s causing the problem so it’s best if you put your computer in a Clean Boot state. 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” 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.)
• After that, try to install the Windows app again.

Note: If you are able to install the app without any trouble at all then it means that the error is caused by some third-party application on your computer. You need to look for the culprit and uninstall it once you found it.

Option 3 – Restart BITS

The Background Intelligent Transfer Service or BITS is a part of the Windows Update service and is the one that manages the background download of Windows Update, as well as scans for new updates and so on. And if Windows Update is experiencing some problems, you can try restarting BITS but make sure that you have admin privileges to do so.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and double-click on it to open Properties.
• After that, you need to set the Startup type to “Automatic (Delayed Start) and click on Apply.
• Now click the Stop button to stop BITS and then click the Start button to restart the service.
• Click OK to save the changes made and then restart your PC.

Option 4 – Disable the Proxy server

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
• After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
• From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
• Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
• Restart your PC.

Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 5 – Try disabling the VPN

As mentioned, if you are using VPN, this could be the reason why you’re getting Error Code 0x80244018 so the most obvious thing to do is for you to turn off the VPN and try to run the Windows Update once more. And if you use a VPN software that works using their software, you can just completely exit or log-off from its account. On the other hand, if you are using a built-in Windows 10 VPN, you can simply turn it off or delete all the settings you have created there. Although it’s understandable that you might have to use a VPN connection to connect to the work network, you really have to disable it at least after you’ve successfully installed the app.

Option 6 – Reset Windows Update components

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

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

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

Option 7 – Run the System File Checker 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 with good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the Error Code 0x80244018. 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.

• Restart your PC.

Option 8 – Run the DISM tool

You can also run the DISM Tool as it helps in repairing the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth” which could help in fixing the Error Code 0x80244018.

• Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.

If you are currently facing the “A required device isn’t connected or cannot be accessed” error with codes 0xc0000185, 0xc0000225, 0xc0000001, 0xc00000f, and 0xc000000e on your Windows 10 computer, worry not for this post will help you resolve this problem. All these error codes point out the same thing – your computer needs to be repaired. Some of these error codes are related to the “winload.efi” file which means that you are using the UEFI system. This file also loads up important drivers in order to start the Windows Kernel. And if you got a remark from any of these error codes indicating that there is a hardware failure or that the driver configuration is incorrect, then you must physically check if the wires are connected properly. This kind of error occurs mostly when your computer wasn’t able to locate the system files that are needed to boot up your computer. Thus, the only way to fix this problem is to correct the boot record. It is recommended that you utilize the “/RebuildBCD” option in order to rebuild the BCD files. To do so, follow these steps:

• You can start by booting into the installation environment for Windows 10 from an installation media.
• After that, click on Repair your computer and on the blue screen, select Troubleshoot and then select the Advanced options menu.
• From there, select Command Prompt and once you open it, enter each one of the commands given below by sequence.
  • bootrec /FixMbr
  • bootrec /FixBoot
  • bootrec /ScanOS
  • bootrec /RebuildBcd
• Once you’re done executing the commands given above, type “exit” to close the Command Prompt window and then restart your computer and see if it fixed error code 0xc000014c.

On the other hand, if rebuilding the BCD using the /RebuildBCD option didn’t help, you can try a crude way to rebuild the boot record from scratch. You can do that by following the given steps below which will export and delete/backup the BCD available in the system.

• Go to the Advanced Recovery Mode.
• From there, go to Command Prompt and execute the commands given below and make sure to enter them one after the other.
  • bcdedit /export C:BCD_Backup
  • c:
  • cd boot
  • attrib bcd -s -h –r
  • ren c:bootbcd bcd.old
  • bootrec /RebuildBcd

If it still didn’t help, then troubleshoot the problem further with the help of the following instructions.

Option 1 – Disable the Secure Boot in the BIOS

Disabling the Secure Boot in the BIOS settings is definitely recommended to resolve the error. To disable Secure Boot, here’s what you have to do:

• First, boot your computer into Windows 10.
• Next, go to Settings > Windows Update. From there, check if there is anything that you have to download and install if you see any available updates. Usually, OEMs send and update the list of trusted hardware, drivers, and operating systems for your computer.
• After that, go to the BIOS of your computer.
• Then go to Settings > Update & Security > Advanced Startup options. If you click on Restart Now, it will restart your computer and give you all the advanced options.
• Next, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options. As you can see, this screen offers you further options including System restore, Startup repair, Go back to the previous version, Command Prompt, System Image Recovery, and UEFI Firmware Settings.
• Select the UEFI Firmware Settings which will take you to the BIOS.
• From there, go to the Security > Boot > Authentication tab where you should see Secure Boot. Note that every OEM has its own way of implementing the options so it varies.
• Next, set Secure Boot to Disabled and set Legacy Support to On or Enabled.
• Save the changes made and exit. Afterward, your computer will reboot.

Option 2 – Run System File Checker

You could also run a System File Checker or SFC scan. All you have to do is select Command Prompt from the Advanced Options. Once you’ve opened Command Prompt, type the “sfc /scannow” command and tap Enter to execute it.

Option 3 – Disable the Early Launch Anti-Malware Protection

• You need to restart your computer in the Start Menu first while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard.
• After that, it will restart your computer to Startup Settings.
• Now ensure that the 8^th option is labeled as “Disable early launch anti-malware protection.
• Then tap the F8 key since the aforementioned option above is listed at number 8. This should launch and load Windows on your PC with the Early Anti-malware protection disabled for that session only when you try to carry out the same task and then check if the error related to the Winload.efi file is now fixed.

Option 4 – Try to run Automatic Startup Repair

In this option, you need to boot your computer into the Advanced Startup Options and from there, run the Automatic Startup Repair and then wait until the process is completed.

Option 5 – Try to reset the BIOS or the UEFI Settings

If updating the BIOS didn’t help in fixing the error, you can try to reset the BIOS instead.

• Start your computer and tap the F10 key during the booting process to enter the BIOS. If it does not work, you can try tapping the F1 or F2 key as well as the Del key.
• Once you’re already in the BIOS, tap the F9 key to get the prompt to RestoreLoad default configuration now for the BIOS.
• Next, click on Yes and then follow the next on-screen instructions that appear to set the BIOS back to its default settings.
• Once you’re done restoring the default settings of the BIOS, restart your computer and then check if it now boots properly.

Option 6 – Try to physically check the hardware

You should also check the physical status of the hardware in your computer. You can clean the dust off the hardware components like the Network Card of the computer. You might want to use a small blower or you could also use a soft cloth and run the components gently. Make sure that you don’t damage any parts with moisture or cause harm to any circuits while you carry out this task.

A newfound bug in Google docs is causing it to crush and upon reopening it will crush again making it very difficult to re-access your document. The bug is manifested when a series of the same word is typed into a document and Show grammar suggestion is turned on.

How was it found

A Google Docs user, Pat Needham brought up the issue on Google Docs Editors Help forum.

"I've only tried in Google Chrome, with documents from three separate Google accounts (personal, G Suite Basic, and work one which might be enterprise). All three experience this same issue".

"It's case-sensitive. So trying with 'and. and. And. and. And.' doesn't cause it to crash."

While Needham publicly reported the bug, it appears that the issue was discovered by Eliza Callahan who was writing a poem novel for her novel using Google Docs.

Needham's findings have also been confirmed by other users running Firefox 99.0.1

Another user, Sergii Dymchenko, said strings like "But. But. But. But. But." triggered the same response. Some also noticed putting any of the terms like "Also, Therefore, And, Anyway, But, Who, Why, Besides, However," in the same format achieved the outcome.

A YCombinator HackerNews reader suspected the cause to be the "Show grammar suggestion" option in Google Docs.

A Google spokesperson confirmed the presence of the issue adding, "we're aware of this issue and the team is working on a fix."

How to recover your document

First thing first, turn off Show grammar suggestions so you do not run into issue by accident. In order to turn it off go to Tools and then into Spelling and grammar and untick Show grammar suggestions.

Now, if you already have a document that has been crushed, fear not because there is a workaround to access it. For some strange reason this bug does not manifest on Google Docs mobile app, so you can open the crushed document in the mobile app, delete words that have caused the bug and reopen the document on your desktop.

Until Google comes up with the solution this is currently the only way to address the issue.

If your Windows PC encounters an error, it will display a Blue Screen of Death or BSOD error which usually comes up for a fraction of second and creates some logs or Dumps Files as what other user prefers to call it and then boots your PC suddenly. This process usually takes place quickly that most users find it hard to get the error code and won’t probably be able to check what really went wrong with their PCs. This is where the dump files come in. They are stored internally in your computer and can only be accessed by an administrator. They are classified into 4 main types and in Windows 10 they are either:

1. Complete Memory Dump
2. Kernel Memory Dump
3. Small Memory Dump (256 KB)
4. Active Memory Dumps

Dump Files are useful as they could help you in resolving the problem and so you need to configure your Windows 10 PC to create them but first, you need to make a system restore point. This is essential as you are about to modify some system files as well as critical Windows 10 settings. There are two ways you can create Dump files – first is by modifying the settings in the Startup and Recovery and lastly is via the WMIC command line. Refer to the instructions prepared below to be guided on how you can create Dump files after any BSOD error using these options.

Option 1 – via Startup and Recovery

• Type in “control panel” in the Cortana Search box and then click on Control Panel from the search results to open it.
• After opening Control Panel, you need to make sure that you view the contents by their Category then click on the header link which is labeled “System and Security” or you could also right-click on the This PC icon and then click on Properties.
• Next, select the Advanced system settings from the left panel. Once you do, a new and small window will pop up.
• Under the newly opened window, look for the section called Startup and Recovery and then click on the Settings button.
• And from the System Failure section, you can choose any option from the drop-down for Write debugging information such as:
  • None – this means that there is no dump file created by Windows
  • Small Memory Dump – this means that Windows will create a Minidump file on BSOD
  • Complete Memory Dump – this means that Windows will create a Complete Memory Dump file on BSOD
  • Automatic Memory Dump – this means that Windows will create an Automatic Memory Dump file on BSOD
  • Active Memory Dump – this means that Windows will create an Active Memory Dump file on BSOD

Note: The complete dump needs a page file that is allowed to be the size of the physical memory installed in your PC with a dedicated 1 MB of space for just the page header.

• Now once you have selected the most suitable option for you, just click on OK/Apply and then exit.
• Restart your PC to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 2 – via the WMIC command line

• The first thing you need to do to create Dump files via the WMIC command line is to tap the Win + X keys combination or simply right-click on the Start button and then select the Command Prompt (Admin) option. You could also type in “cmd” in the Cortana search box and then right-click on Command Prompt from the results and select Run as administrator.
• After that, type in any of the commands given below depending on your preferences so that your Windows 10 PC will be configured to create Dump Files:
  • No dump file: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 0
  • Small Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 3
  • Kernel Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 2
  • Complete Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 1
  • Automatic Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 7
  • Active Memory Dump: wmic RECOVEROS set DebugInfoType = 1

Note: A complete dump has to have a Page file which is allowed to be the size of the physical memory installed on your PC accompanied by a 1 MB space for just the page header.

• Now type in “exit” in the Command Prompt to exit it.
• Restart your PC to apply the changes made successfully.

How summer is slowly slipping away and winter is coming people will spend more time indoors, and on top of that delta variant of Covid-19 is rampaging through the world. Being the gamer is now maybe the best time to be, sitting in the comfort of your home, safely isolated from viruses and people, just pushing buttons and emerging yourself in a vast world and new adventures. But games cost money, and sometimes being a gamer can be expensive, also the COVID situation makes it even more difficult to spend some time with friends. Do not worry, we are here to help. I am presenting you the list of MMO games that you should try or play during this COVID Winter, and since they are MMO games, you can play them with your friends and hang out in the virtual world. Some of them are also free to play so they will not cost you any money to enjoy them. The following list is not set in any particular order and remember that this is not a ranked list. There is no best MMO and I will not try to place any of these titles as one dominant, I will just point their style and who they might be for, it is up to you to decide which one you will pick and enjoy.

Best MMO’s in no particular order

EVE Online

EVE Online is one of the earliest MMO games out there but since its release, it is still actively developed and is receiving updates. This science-fiction Sandbox will offer space lovers everything they need and more. Large scale PvP, mining, pirating, etc. It can be daunting and complex for beginners but take your time to get familiar with its systems and you will be rewarded greatly with an immersive and complex game worth the time. Open PvP in some zones might not be everyone’s cup of tea and seeing only your ship might be a turn-off for some players, but if you do not mind these things give it a go. It is free to play with an item shop.

Final Fantasy XIV

FF14 had a tough start, so tough that it was scrapped and destroyed and has been remade again and that idea was great. The game now is better than ever and at this time it is experiencing large players from other games surging into it. This on the rails fantasy MMO will offer you a great story and great leveling experience. It has a free trial where you can play the whole original game for free but if you wish to continue playing you will have to buy the expansion and pay a monthly subscription but the content is well worth the money.

World of Warcraft

Let’s be honest, not a single list of MMO games cannot be without a once greatest and most successful MMO ever made, World of Warcraft. But instead of me praising the game why it was the greatest and why you should play it and how great it is I am going to take a little different approach. I am going to recommend you World of Warcraft classic, yup, you read it correctly, classic. Now World of Warcraft is a retail game with a subscription service but with that one subscription you will be able to access three games in the World of Warcraft universe: World of Warcraft retail (standard game), World of Warcraft Classic (vanilla WOW without expansions offering you experience as it once was when it was released) and World of Warcraft the Burning Crusade classic (same as WOW classic but with the first expansion the Burning Crusade). Among all solutions, I would really urge you to play either WOW classic or WOW TBC classic simply for reason that they are far superior games in comparison to typical retail ones, but if you like easier game go for retail, it is included in the sub anyway.

Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 1 was one of my favorite games and I sank a lot of times in it and once Guild Wars 2 came I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with it and I would recommend it highly. The base game is completely free to play with only expansion to be purchased and it is buy to play model without monthly fees. It has specific mechanics different from other games and interesting classes to try. The living world is a great feature of the game and it is still very strong with its player base.

Star Wars: old republic

This game is made for people who enjoy, love, and like Star Wars. Mechanically besides being able to have henchmen with you and space battles (which I do not really like how they are done) game itself does not offer anything special. Where it shines is in the story and overall Star Wars experience. If you look at this game as a single-player game with multiplayer dungeons you will have a great time, since the story is really good but sadly end game lacks in comparison.

Elder Scrolls Online

I am going to admit something here, I was not fond of the idea to make the beloved Elder Scrolls series into MMO, but in time I gave it a go and I am really glad I did. This game is great and it is getting better and better as time progresses. It is buy to play without monthly fees and basic game free, same as FF14 but without fees. It has a decent community and offers a really good Elder Scrolls experience and now it is packing Morrowind expansions and other great areas. Highly recommended for any Elder Scrolls fan.

Lord of the Rings Online

This one is troublesome to recommend, on one side you have free to play games deeply inside Tolkien Lord of the Rings lore, on the other side, you have outdated graphics and some stupid item shop decisions like buys specific classes. But if you look past stupid item shop decisions and can live with playing free class in the game you will be pleasantly surprised. The game itself is surprisingly good, the story is great as expected from the game infused with lore taken from one of the best books series ever written, and the feeling when visiting iconic landscape is epic. But if I need to be real as I should, I would recommend this one to people appreciate good story and lore and ones that are fans of Lord of the Rings itself.

Neverwinter

Neverwinter is a premium and licensed D&D MMO game and it is well strange. The free-to-play model of the game will let you enjoy it until you hit the end game, then you will have to shell real money if you want to be competitive but the journey until then is great. I would recommend it to D&D lovers and people that love to try other people's maps, yup you read it correctly. Neverwinter has a map editor making it one of a kind MMO game where you can create your own dungeons and post them for other players to play, this user-generated content makes it a very specific beast in this list, and for that feature alone it has my recommendation.

Tera

Another one of the older titles, Tera will offer you nor depth nor anything new in terms of leveling, quests, or end game except… the COMBAT. This is maybe the greatest MMO Combat game ever created and it is quite fascinating that even after so many years no other game has managed to create a better combat system than one of Tera. If you enjoy action combat and like some specific aesthetics Tera is a game for you.

Albion

Albion is a sandbox game with open-world PvP and building mechanics where you can build your own forest, house, etc. You know, sandbox stuff, including a lot of crafting and well, other sandbox stuff. If you want great quests and some occasional play then skip Albion, this game is made for a more hardcore player base not being afraid to die and spend some time crafting and going through the economy. The best comparison might be with EVE but in fantasy settings.

Black Desert

Black Desert is also a sandbox game but different from Albion, here you can organize and hire a workforce and send them to different nodes on a map to harvest resources and build an economy while you are on some epic adventure. Housing is also included but you can buy already made houses instead of making your own in the world. Combat is a game that comes very close to Tera combat and it is very enjoyable. The end game is money sink and PvP based so be careful when choosing this one.

Secret World Legends

If you like occult and supernatural with new world order themes and conspiracy theories, Secret World Legends is the game for you. Somewhat little clunky its setting and story really set it apart in many many ways. It has semi-action combat and it is free to play with item shop but all the content can be experienced for free. Recommended for fans of deeper gameplay and horror lore.

Runescape

When I said no MMO list can be without World of Warcraft, it also cannot be without Runescape, one of the oldest games it was revamped with newer mechanics and graphics, free to play all the way and you can also pick old school Runescape if you really want to go all the way on a nostalgia trip. I would recommend a newer one for newer players, the game offers a great story and unusual quests infused with puzzles and interesting storylines. If you like really good quest design without fetch and grind quests along with interesting story this is a game for you.

AION

Last on my list would be AION, a very interesting game made also a long way back, but the fact that is completely free with the cosmetic shop will make it as one to recommend since you can experience the whole game for free. It has some limited flying mechanics in it and later game zone are open PvP zones, story is interesting and leveling process is enjoyable. Also game itself is not really easy and if not careful you can get yourself in danger quite quickly. Recommended for old-school feeling.

Conclusion

That's it, there are many more MMO games out there but some are on verge of closing down and some are plainly bad. I hope that I have made your choice easier and that you will find one or a few from this list to spend your time in it. Remember, stay safe and take care of yourself.

Some Windows users are encountering the 0x800705b3 error code after failing to install a pending update on Windows 10. Most commonly this particular issue is reported to occur with Integrated webcam drivers updates and Bluetooth adapter driver updates. Follow the guide below in order to fix the issue and update your Windows successfully

Running the Windows Update Troubleshooter

The majority of users that were dealing with this issue reported that the issue was fixed after they ran the Windows Update Troubleshooter and applied the recommended fix.

1. Open a Run dialog box by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + R. Inside the text box, type ‘ms-settings:troubleshoot’ and press ENTER to open up the Troubleshooting menu. Opening the Troubleshooting tab on Windows 10
2. Once you’re inside the Troubleshooting tab, move over to the right-hand section of the screen and click on Windows Update (under Get up and Running). Next, from the context menu that just appeared, click on Run the Troubleshooter.
3. Once you’re inside the Windows Update troubleshooter, wait until the initial scan is complete and see if a viable repair strategy is found.
4. If the scan has identified a strategy with the potential to fix your ongoing issue, click on Apply this fix and wait until the procedure is complete. Applying the fix Note: Depending on the type of fix that was recommended, you might need to follow an additional set of instructions before the fix will be properly imposed.
5. After you’ve done this, reboot your computer and wait for the next startup to complete.
6. Open Windows Update once again and see if the installation of this pending update is now successful.

Installing the pending Update Manually

Whether you’re experiencing this issue with an integrated webcam driver or with anything else, chances are you’ll be able to circumvent the apparition of the 0x800705b3 error by using the Microsoft Update Catalog to find, download and install the pending update manually.

1. Open your default browser and navigate to the root web page of the Microsoft Update Catalog.
2. Once you’re inside the Microsoft Update Catalog, use the search function (top-right corner of the screen) to search for the update that is failing.
3. After the search is completed and you get the list of results, look for an updated driver version that is compatible with your Windows version and CPU architecture.
4. Once you manage to identify the correct Windows Update, click on the hyperlink associated with the update that you want to install, then click the Download button and wait for the process to complete.
5. After the download is complete, use File Explorer to navigate to the location where you previously downloaded the update.
6. When you get to the correct location, right-click on the .inf file and choose Install from the context menu that just appeared. Note: If you have multiple failing updates with the same 0x800705b3, repeat the instructions above with every Windows Update that you’re having trouble installing.
7. At the end of this operation, reboot your computer and see if the problem is fixed at the next computer startup.

Enabling the Windows Installer Service

The Windows installer service is responsible for installing pending updates that get downloaded by the Windows Update component. If this service is disabled on your configuration, none of the updates waiting to get installed will get completed.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open up a Run dialog box. Inside the text box, type ‘services.msc’ and press ENTER to open up the Services utility.
2. Once you’re inside the Services screen, move over to the right-hand tab of the screen, scroll down through the list of services and locate the Windows Installer service. When you find it, right-click on it and choose Properties from the context menu that just appeared.
3. Once you are inside the Properties screen of the Windows Installer services, access the General tab, click on the Start button to force-start the service. Note: If you can, also change the Startup type to Automatic via the associated drop-down menu. However, depending on your administrator settings, this might not be possible.
4. Restart your computer and wait for the next startup to complete. Once your PC boots back up, attempt to reinstall the driver that was previously triggering the 0x800705b3 error and see if the issue is now fixed.

Performing a Winsock Reset

In case the 0x800705b3 error is related to some kind of network inconsistency (TCP or IP related), you might see Windows Updates failing due to bad data that forces the Windows to abort the installation of new pending updates. In this case, you should proceed by doing a complete Winsock reset procedure to fix the majority of the socket and temporary data-related issues that might cause this behavior. Several affected users have confirmed that this method was the only thing that allowed them to finally fix the Windows Update issue and install pending updates normally. Here are some step-by-step instructions that will walk you through the process of performing Winsock Reset:

1. Open up a Run dialog box by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + R. Inside the text box, type ‘cmd’, then press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER to open up an elevated Command Prompt. Accessing an elevated CMD prompt Note: When prompted by the UAC (User Account Control) prompt, click Yes to grant admin access.
2. Inside the elevated CMD prompt, type and taste the following commands in order and press ENTER after each one to effectively reset the TCP and IP data that might be responsible for the apparition of the 0x800705b3 error code:

   nbtstat -R
   nbtstat -RR
   netsh int reset all
   netsh int ip reset
   netsh winsock reset

3. Once every command above is processed successfully, you can go ahead and close the elevated Command Prompt and reboot your computer.
4. After the next startup is complete, repeat the installation of the Windows Update that was previously failing and see if the issue is now fixed.

Performing SFC and DISM Scans

If none of the ‘superficial’ causes have worked in your case, you should start considering some type of system corruption that might affect your computer’s ability to complete pending updates that are currently waiting to be installed. In case you find yourself in this particular scenario, you should run a couple of built-in utilities capable of fixing corrupted instances that might be currently affecting the Windows Update component. Our recommendation is to start with a simple System File Checker scan. An SFC scan will cross-check every Windows File against a local archive that maintains healthy copies. In case corrupted instances are found, this utility will swap the corrupted instance with the healthy equivalent.

Performing an SFC scan

Once the SFC scan is complete, reboot your computer and wait for the next startup to complete. After your computer boots back up, initiate a DISM scan. This utility works differently in the sense that it relies on a sub-component of Windows Update to download healthy copies for the corrupted Windows files that need to be replaced. Because of this, it’s important to make sure that you have a reliable Internet connection before initiating this operation.

Doing a DISM scan

After the DISM scan is complete, reboot your computer one final time and see if the issue is fixed once the next startup is complete.

Update and Shutdown/Restart is not working. As you have probably noticed, every time a new update is released and is downloaded on your Windows 10 computer, the operating system replaces the Restart and Shut down button with “Update and Restart” as well as “Update and Shut down”. This is most likely done so that you won’t miss the update. However, some users noticed that there are times when these buttons still continue to display the same message even if they’ve already performed the required operations such as shutting down or restarting their PCs. Cases like this happen when an update wasn’t installed properly or has failed which is why your computer keeps on prompting you to Update and Shutdown every time. To fix this dilemma, follow the options laid out below.

Option 1 – Try restarting the File Explorer

Restarting the File Explorer can definitely help you fix lots of issues especially when there is some issue with the user interface including this one.

• On the right side of the Taskbar, right-click on any open spot.
• Then click on Task Manager.
• Next, scroll down until you see Windows Explorer.
• After that, right-click on it and select Restart.
• If you are able to kill its process, you have to tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “explorer.exe” in the field, and hit Enter to launch the Windows Explorer.

Option 2 – Try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter

As you know, Windows 10 has various auto-repair built-in tools to help users fix small issues which used to get fixed manually. And in this case, you will need the Windows Update Troubleshooter to fix the issue.

• Go to Settings and click on Update and Security.
• From there, click Troubleshoot and click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” option.
• After that, it will try to detect and automatically fix common issues in the Windows Updates which can be resolved by Windows itself. Note that the process may take several minutes before it completes so you need to wait until it’s done. Once it’s done, in case you have some pending update that wasn’t realized by the system early on, it will apply the fix right away and restart the Windows Update service.

Option 3 – Try setting the Power button to Shut down

In case the first two options didn’t work out, you can try changing what the power button does. To do that, refer to these steps:

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options.
• From there, select the “Choose what the power buttons do” option from the left side.
• Then set the Power button setting the “When I press the power button” option to “Shut down”. After that, it will shut your computer down without installing the updates but obviously, this is only a temporary fix.

Option 4 – Turn off your PC instantly without updating it

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Type in “shutdown -s -f -t 0” in the field and hit Enter if you really want to turn off your computer without any delay.
• You could also tap the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys and select Shut down from the bottom right menu.

Just like the third option, this is also only a temporary fix.

Option 5 – Try running the Windows Module Installer

The Windows Module Installer is a built-in service in Windows 10 that allows you to fix the stuck Windows Updates in your computer. To use it, follow these steps:

• In the Cortana search box, type in “cmd” and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option from the context menu.
• Once you’ve opened Command Prompt as admin, type the SC config trustedinstaller start=auto command and tap Enter.
• After the command is executed, you will see the “[SC] ChangeServiceConfig SUCCESS” message displayed on the Command Prompt console.
• Now exit Command Prompt and then check if the buttons are now back to normal.

Option 6 – Put your PC in a Clean Boot State

• 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 putting your PC in a Clean Boot State, try creating a system restore point and see if the problem still occurs. Clean Boot troubleshooting is designed to help you isolate the problem. For you to execute a clean boot troubleshooting, you must do a couple of actions (the steps are given above) and then restart your PC after every action. You might have to disable one third-party app after the other to really isolate the issue. And once you’ve narrowed down the problem, you can either disable the third-party app that’s causing the problem or remove it. Note that you must switch your PC back into the Normal Startup mode after you’re done troubleshooting the problem. Here’s how you can do it:

• From the “Start” menu, go to System Configuration.
• After that, switch to the General tab and click the option for “Normal Startup”.
• Next, go to the Services tab and clear the checkbox for “Hide all Microsoft services”.
• Then find and click “Enable all” and if prompted, you have to confirm.
• Afterward, go to the Task Manager and enable all the Startup programs and confirm the action.
• Restart your PC when prompted.

FoxTab Toolbar is a browser hijacking toolbar add-on for IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Opera browsers that claims that it allows you to access your favorite sites faster, and improving your overall search and browsing experience. 1-click access to search results, most popular websites, and web services directly from our Foxtab browser toolbar.

Fox tab will integrate itself into your browser, modifying the search engine, welcome page, and new tab. This toolbar may change some browser settings, display unwanted ads, and sometimes displays additional ads from its ad sponsor. Some of the settings that this toolbar changes can lower the security of your browser.

Upon installation the toolbar ads scheduled tasks in Windows, allowing it to run with your browser every time, and to automatically update itself. Several anti-virus programs have flagged this software as Malware and therefore it is classified as a browser hijacker and recommended for optional removal.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes called hijackware) are a type of malicious software that modifies internet browser settings without the user’s knowledge or approval. These types of hijacks are rising at an astonishing rate across the world, and they can be actually nefarious and sometimes dangerous too. They are created to interfere with web browser programs for many different reasons. Often, hijackers will force hits to internet sites of their choice either to increase targeted traffic generating higher ad revenue, or to gain a commission for every user visiting there. Although it might appear harmless, these tools are made by malicious people who always try to take full advantage of you, so that hackers can earn money from your naivety and distraction. What’s more, hijackers can make the whole infected system fragile – other destructive malware and viruses will take hold of these opportunities to get into your computer system effortlessly.

How to know whether the browser is hijacked?

Symptoms that your internet browser is hijacked include: 1. your home page has been reset to some unknown webpage 2. bookmark and the new tab are also changed 3. default web engine is changed 4. you see unwanted new toolbars added 5. you’ll notice random pop-ups start showing regularly 6. your web browser starts running sluggishly or exhibits frequent glitches 7. Inability to navigate to particular sites, particularly anti-malware as well as other computer security software webpages.

How it infects your PC

Browser hijackers infect PCs in numerous ways, including via a file-share, a drive-by download, or an infected email. They can also be deployed via the installation of an internet browser toolbar, extension, or add-on. Also, certain shareware and freeware can put the hijacker in your PC through “bundling”. Browser hijackers can record user keystrokes to collect potentially invaluable information that leads to privacy issues, cause instability on systems, drastically disrupt the user experience, and ultimately slow down the PC to a point where it becomes unusable.

Tips on how to get rid of browser hijackers

Certain kinds of browser hijackers can be removed from your computer by deleting malicious applications or any other recently added freeware. Often, it can be a tough task to find and eliminate the malicious component because the associated file might be running as part of the operating system process. Also, manual removals require in-depth system understanding and thus can be a very difficult task for beginner computer users. Professionals always suggest users remove any malicious software including browser hijacker by using an automatic removal tool, which is easier, safer, and quicker than the manual removal process. Safebytes Anti-Malware detects all kinds of hijackers – including FoxTab – and eliminates every trace efficiently and quickly. Employ a pc optimizer along with your antivirus software to solve various computer registry problems, eliminate system vulnerabilities, and boost your computer performance.

Malware Blocking Access To Safebytes Website And Anti-Malware Downloads - What You Should Do?

Malware may cause many different types of damage to computer systems, networks, and data. Some malware is meant to interfere with or prevent things that you wish to do on your PC. It may well not permit you to download anything from the internet or prevent you from accessing some or all of the sites, particularly the anti-malware sites. If you’re reading this, you may have affected by a virus that stops you from downloading a computer security program like Safebytes Anti-Malware. There are a few steps you can take to get around this problem.

Download the software in Safe Mode with Networking

If any virus is set to load automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, getting into Safe Mode could very well block the attempt. Just the minimum required programs and services are loaded when you start your PC in Safe Mode. To start your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, please do as instructed below. 1) Tap the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your system boots, but before the large windows logo comes up. This would conjure up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you will have the internet. Now, get the virus removal software you want by utilizing the internet browser. To install the software, follow the guidelines within the setup wizard. 4) Immediately after installation, do a complete scan and let the program remove the threats it finds.

Download the antivirus program in a different web browser

Some malware mainly targets particular browsers. If this is your situation, employ another web browser as it could circumvent the computer virus. In the event you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by malware or otherwise compromised by online hackers, the ideal course of action would be to switch over to a different browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your favorite computer security application – Safebytes Anti-Malware. Create a bootable USB anti-virus drive Another option is to make a portable anti-malware program onto your USB flash drive. Try these simple measures to clean up your infected PC using a portable antivirus. 1) Make use of another virus-free computer to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the pen drive into the clean PC. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the antivirus software to run the Installation Wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the USB drive as the place in which you would like to store the software files. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation. 5) Disconnect the USB drive. You may now utilize this portable anti-virus on the affected computer system. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the thumb drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Hit the “Scan Now” button to start the malware scan.

Protect Your PC and Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Do you want to install the best anti-malware software for your computer? There are plenty of applications on the market that comes in free and paid versions for Windows computers. Some are very good ones, some are decent, and some are simply just bogus anti-malware software that will damage your PC themselves! You need to be very careful not to pick the wrong product, particularly if you buy a paid application. On the list of recommended software programs is SafeBytes AntiMalware. SafeBytes has a very good reputation for excellent service, and clients seem to be happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trusted tool that not only protects your computer system permanently but is also quite easy to use for people of all skill levels. After you have installed this application, SafeBytes' superior protection system will make sure that absolutely no viruses or malware can seep through your computer. SafeBytes has great features when compared with other anti-malware programs. Below are some of the great features included in the application. Active Protection: SafeBytes offers real-time active monitoring service and protection against all known viruses and malware. It’ll monitor your computer system for suspicious activity regularly and its unparalleled firewall guards your PC against illegal access by the outside world. World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built on a highly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal tool is able to detect and remove numerous obstinate malware threats such as browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other common antivirus software will miss. Safe Browsing: SafeBytes checks and provides a unique safety rating to every single site you visit and block access to web pages known to be phishing sites, thus protecting you from identity theft, or known to contain malicious software. Low Memory/CPU Usage: This software is lightweight and will run quietly in the background, and that does not have an effect on your PC efficiency. 24/7 Online Technical Support: SafeBytes provides you with 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and updates for the best user experience. Overall, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program since it has plenty of features and can detect and remove any potential threats. There is no doubt that your computer will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this software program to use. If you’re looking for the absolute best malware removal tool out there, and if you don’t mind shelling out some money for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

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

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

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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”.

If you encounter Error Code 0x80090016 while trying to create a PIN or when you are using Microsoft Store, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in how you can fix this problem. Recently some users reported that they were unable to sign in or set up the Windows 10 Login PIN. Note that the potential fixes for this issue are totally different in both scenarios. Here’s the error message you get when you encounter the PIN related error:

“Something went wrong, We weren’t able to set up your PIN. Sometimes it helps to try again or you can skip for now and do this later.”

On the other hand, here’s the error message you get for the Microsoft Store-related error:

“Try that again, Something happened on our end and we couldn’t sign you in.”

Here are some potential fixes you can try to fix the Error Code 0x80090016 in the Microsoft Store:

Option 1 – Try to sync the Date and Time

The first thing you can try is to sync the Date and Time of your computer as the wrong Date and Time settings are one of the most common causes of connection problems like the Error Code 0x80090016. This is because of the incompatibility between the SSL Certificate validation date and the System Clock. Thus, you have to sync your System Clock. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• Start by tapping the Win + I keys to open the Windows Settings.
• Next, go to Time & Language > Date & time.
• From there, turn the toggle on for the “Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically” option on the right-side panel.
• After that, click on Region & language located on the left side panel and make sure that the Country or region on the right-side panel is set to the country you live in.
• Now close the Settings app and restart your computer and see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 2 – Try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via PowerShell

• Tap the Win + X key combination or right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option.
• If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed and open the Windows PowerShell window.
• Next, type in or copy-paste the following command to re-register the Microsoft Store app and tap Enter:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $Env:SystemRootWinStoreAppxManifest.xml

• Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache

Just like browsers, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
• Next, type in the command, “exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
• Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again and then see if Error Code 0x80090016 is resolved or not.

Option 4 – Try to run the Windows Store Troubleshooter

The Windows 10 Store Apps Troubleshooter will help you in fixing the Error Code 0x80090016. This is a great built-in tool from Microsoft that helps users fix any app installation issues. So this is worth a try to solve the problem. This built-in tool also helps you fix the Windows 10 Store if it isn’t working. To use the Windows Store Troubleshooter, follow the steps below.

• Tap Win + I keys again to open the Windows Settings panel.
• Go to Update & Security and then go to Troubleshoot.
• On your right-hand side, scroll down to find the Windows Store Apps and then click on Run the troubleshooter option and see if it fixes the problem.

On the other hand, you can use the options below if you encounter Error Code 0x80090016 while setting up your PIN.

Option 5 – Try to manage the NGC Folder

• You need to boot your computer into Safe Mode first.
• Next, delete all the contents of the NGC folder and you can do that by taking ownership of the folder first. To do so, refer to these sub-steps:
  • First, locate the concerned folder and right-click on it then select Properties.
  • Next, click on the Edit button in the Properties window and click OK to confirm if you got a User Account Control elevation request.
  • After that, select user/group from the permission windows or click on the Add button to add another user or group. It would be best if you add “Everyone” to give permission.
  • Then check “Full Control” under the “Allow” column to assign full access rights control permissions.
  • Now edit the permission to Full Control for “Everyone”.
  • Click OK to save the changes made and then exit.
• After you take ownership of the folder, you can now delete all of its contents.
• Once you’re done, restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed.

Option 6 – Try to use the Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box
• Then type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this setting: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Logon
• After that, double click on “Turn on convenience PIN Sign-in” and set its radio button to Enable. This policy setting has the following description:

“This policy setting allows you to control whether a domain user can sign in using a convenience PIN. If you enable this policy setting, a domain user can set up and sign in with a convenience PIN. If you disable or don’t configure this policy setting, a domain user can’t set up and use a convenience PIN. Note: The user’s domain password will be cached in the system vault when using this feature. To configure Windows Hello for Business, use the Administrative Template policies under Windows Hello for Business.”

• After you set the radio button to Enable, it will turn on the Logins using the PIN. Note that setting the radio button to Disabled or Not Configured will turn off the Logins using the PIN.
• Now exit the Group Policy Editor and restart your PC so that the changes can take effect.