How to Fix The Rtl70.bpl Error on Your System

Libvlc.dll Error Code - What is it?

Libvlc.dll error is a type of DLL file error. Libvlc.dll is a type of Dynamic Link Library file associated with 3rd party software developed by the Videolan Team for the Windows OS. Libvlc.dll file contains small programs similar to EXE executable files which allow multiple software programs to share the same functionality. It helps load and run certain programs developed by Videolan Team on your system. The Libvlc.dll error pops up when the file fails to load and run your desired program. This error is usually triggered during program installation while a Libvlc.dll related software is running on the PC or during Windows start-up or shut down. Libvlc.dll error code may appear on your Windows computer in any of the following formats:

"Libvlc.dll not found." "The file libvlc.dll is missing." "Cannot register libvlc.dll." "Cannot find C:WindowsSystem32\libvlc.dll." "Libvlc.dll Access Violation." "Cannot start Third-Party Software. A required component is missing: libvlc.dll. Please install Third-Party Software again." "This application failed to start because libvlc.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."

Though Libvlc.dll error is not a fatal error code but nonetheless it is advisable to resolve it immediately to avoid any inconvenience.

Solution

Error Causes

Libvlc.dll error code may occur due to several reasons including but not limited to:

• Corrupt Libvlc.dll registry entry
• Malware infection
• Hardware failure
• Deleted or missing Libvlc.dll file
• Another program overwrote the required version of Libvlc.dll

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the best and easy-to-work-around methods that you can try to resolve Libvlc DLL error on your system in minutes. Let’s get started:

Method 1: Re-install the Deleted Libvlc.dll file

Since DLL are shared files, sometimes the error code may pop up if it is deleted accidentally while uninstalling a program that is also run by the same file. In such a situation, to resolve the Libvlc.dll error all you have to do is re-install the deleted file by going into the recycle bin. If you find it reinstall, but if you don’t then simply download Libvlc.dll file from a reliable DLL file website and install. Hopefully this will resolve the issue. Alternatively, you can re-install VLC which should come with a complete copy of the libvlc.dll. However, if the error code still persists, then try other methods given below.

Method 2: Restore Points - Undo the Recent Changes

Another way to resolve Libvlc dll error is to restore your Windows system to an earlier point. System Restore can return your PC system files and programs back to a time when everything was working absolutely fine. This can help you avoid hours of troubleshooting headaches. This can be easily done by going to the start menu. In the search box type System Restore and press enter. Now click System Restore and enter administrator password if prompted. Follow the steps in the Wizard to choose a restore point and then reboot to activate changes.

Method 3: Repair the Registry

The Libvlc dll error can be triggered by invalid registry entries. To resolve, simply download Restoro. This is a user-friendly and multi-functional PC Fixer embedded with a powerful registry cleaner. It removes all the invalid files, repairs the damaged DLL files, and cleans the registry in seconds. Click here to download Restoro and resolve Libvlc dll error today!

RelevantKnowledge is a potentially unwanted program. It is typically bundled by 3rd-party installers and download managers that include other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). In most cases, the installer will present the user with an RK survey at the end of the setup in order to relate the user’s future behavior to various questions.

From the published: RelevantKnowledge is an online market research community consisting of over 2 million members worldwide, which provides insight into how its members interact with the Internet. In exchange for an agreement to have their Internet behavior monitored, computer users who join RelevantKnowledge are offered various value propositions, including the ability to download screensavers or other software offerings, entry into sweepstakes, and a host of other benefits.

Multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in RelevantKnowledge.

About Browser Hijackers

If you’ve ever downloaded software via the internet (shareware, freeware, etc,), it’s quite possible you’ve unintentionally installed unwanted programs on your PC. Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), also referred to as Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA), are applications that you never wanted in the first place and often come bundled with freeware. Once installed, the majority of these applications can be tough to get rid of and become much more of an annoyance rather than a necessity. It is clear by its name – unwanted applications – but did not really constitute “malware” in the traditional sense. This is because, the majority of PUPs get into a computer not because they slip through the security holes, for instance, but because the users have got installed them themselves – 100 % unknowingly needless to say. A PUP might not be regarded as malicious or dangerous but nevertheless, it is a common reason for clunky OSs; some PUPs are a lot more aggressive by deliberately slowing down your PC.

The harm unwanted programs could do

PUPs come in various forms. Typically, they could be seen in adware bundlers that are known to use aggressive and misleading advertising. The majority of bundlers install many adware programs from a number of vendors, each of which features its own EULA policy. Safebytes Anti-Malware totally eradicates this threat and safeguards your computer against PUP or adware infection. Additionally, the majority of free programs nowadays come with a few unwanted add-ons; in most cases a web browser toolbar or browser modification such as a homepage hijacker. They can modify browser settings, change the default search engine, replace the default home page with their own websites, slow down internet speed, and also will damage your system as well. PUPs carry a dangerous bite if left unchecked. The most detrimental part of installing a PUP is the spyware, adware, and keystroke loggers that might hide inside. These are programs that don’t really do anything good for you; in addition to taking up space on your hard disk drive, they also slow down your PC, often modify settings without your authorization, the list of frustrating features goes on and on.

Tips on how to avoid getting a PUP

• When installing anything on your personal computer, always study the fine print, including the license agreement. Do not accept terms of use that are for bundled programs. • Use ONLY custom or manual install method – and never thoughtlessly click Next, Next, Next. • Use good antimalware software, such as Safebytes Anti-Malware which offers real-time protection against PUPs. • Think carefully before you download any kind of shareware or freeware. Turn off or get rid of toolbars and browser extensions you don’t actually need. • Always download applications from the original website. The majority of PUPs find their way onto your laptop or computer is via download portals, so steer clear of it entirely.

What To Do If You Cannot Install Safebytes Anti-Malware?

Viruses may cause a lot of damage to your personal computer. Some malware is meant to interfere with or block things that you want to do on your computer system. It may well not allow you to download anything from the net or stop you from accessing some or all websites, particularly the anti-malware sites. If you are reading this article now, you’ve probably realized that virus infection is the real cause of your blocked internet connectivity. So how to proceed if you need to download and install an anti-malware program like Safebytes? Although this kind of problem can be harder to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Download the application in Safe Mode with Networking

In Safe Mode, you may change Windows settings, un-install or install some applications, and remove hard-to-delete viruses. If the malware is set to load automatically when the computer starts, shifting to this mode can prevent it from doing so. To start the computer into Safe Mode, press the “F8” key on your keyboard just before the Windows boot screen appears; Or right after normal Windows boot up, run MSCONFIG, look over “Safe Boot” under Boot tab, and then click Apply. As soon as you reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, and update anti-malware software from there. Right after installation, run the malware scanner to eliminate standard infections.

Use an alternate web browser to download antivirus software

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a specific internet browser or attacking specific versions of the browser. The most effective solution to overcome this problem is to go with a browser that is well known for its security measures. Firefox has built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to keep you secure online.

Install anti-malware on a USB drive

Another option is to save and operate an antivirus software tool entirely from a Flash drive. Do these simple actions to clean up your infected PC using a portable antivirus. 1) On a virus-free computer, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the USB drive into the clean PC. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Select the drive letter of the flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the antivirus. Follow the directions to complete the installation process. 5) Transfer the thumb drive from the uninfected computer to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the pen drive to run the application. 7) Simply click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for malware.

Protect Your Computer & Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Want to download the best anti-malware software program for your laptop? There are lots of applications on the market that comes in free and paid versions for Windows systems. A few are really worth your money, but many aren’t. You need to pick a tool that has got a good reputation and detects not only computer viruses but other types of malware also. Among few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended program for the security-conscious individual. SafeBytes antimalware is a highly effective and user-friendly protection tool that is suitable for end-users of all levels of IT literacy. After you have installed this application, SafeByte's sophisticated protection system will make sure that no viruses or malware can seep through your PC. SafeBytes has excellent features when compared to other anti-malware programs. Here are some popular features present in this tool: World-class AntiMalware Protection: Safebytes is made on the best virus engine within the industry. These engines will detect and remove threats even during the early stages of a malware outbreak. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes delivers complete and real-time security for your laptop or computer. They’re highly efficient in screening and getting rid of numerous threats because they’re constantly revised with the latest updates and safety measures. Internet Security: Through its unique safety score, SafeBytes informs you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will ensure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the net. Very Low CPU and Memory Usage: This program is not “heavy” on the computer’s resources, so you will not notice any overall performance difficulties when SafeBytes is operating in the background. 24/7 Online Technical Support: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and upgrades for the best user experience.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove RelevantKnowledge 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 RelevantKnowledge

Many Windows 10 users often change the IP addresses of their computers’ network adapter in order to connect to the internet or network they belong to in times when there is no automatic connection for their computers. In most cases, access to modifying this setting is restricted for some odd reason even if you are an administrator. So if you are one of the users whose Windows 10 VPN IPv4 Properties are not working, this post can help you remedy that so that you can open and edit the IPv4 Properties on your Windows 10 PC. The common way to change IP settings is by going to Settings > Network and then to Internet > Change adapter options > Select Network adapter > right click and open Properties. From there, you can select TCP/IP 4 and modify it. If you aren’t able to do this, refer to the instructions laid out below to troubleshoot the problem in accessing the IPv4 Properties.

Option 1 – Try using PowerShell to manually set the IPv4 properties

As you are not able to set it using the interface, you can do so using PowerShell instead. Note that this option will only work for you if you run PowerShell with administrator privileges. After opening PowerShell, according to many users, you have to run the this command – set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias “Ethernet” -ServerAddresses xxx.xx.xxx.xxx,x.x.x.x,xxx.xx.xxx.xxx,x.x.x.x Usually, Ethernet is the name of your network adapter which is set by default. If you want to see the actual name of your network adapter, you can just type this command and tap Enter after doing so – Get-NetAdapter -physical | where status -eq 'up' After entering the given command, you will see a list of active Ethernet adapter in your computer as you can see on the image above. Note that the 4 sets of X like the one on the image below should match with the sequence:

Option 2 – Try editing the rasphone.pbk files

The rasphone.pbk files stores property for the connections and since you are not able to access the IPv4 properties, it is most likely that it has been disabled here. The good thing is that you can open these files and edit them using Notepad. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• Open the Windows Explorer and then enable the show hidden files option.
• After that, look for the files at this location – C:Users <username>AppDataRoamingMicrosoftNetworkConnectionsPbk_hiddenPbkrasphone.pbk
• Then right-click on it and select the “Open with” option and choose the Notepad app.
• After opening the file, look for “IpPrioritizeRemote” from the long list.
• Once you found it, set its value from “1” to “0”.
• After that, look for “IPInterfaceMetric” and set its value to “1” and tap Ctrl + S to save the changes you’ve made, and then exit and try accessing the IPv4 properties again. It should work, but if you’re still unable to access it, try the next option below.

Option 3 – Enable the Split Tunneling if you use VPN

All data goes back and forth when you are using a VPN service on your computer. And since you are using VPN, it could be that it disables the IPv4 interface. If that’s the case, you need to stay connected with both the local network and VPN and to do so, you have to enable Split Tunneling. How? Follow these steps:

• Open PowerShell with administrator privileges.
• Next, type in “Get-VpnConnection” and tap Enter. After doing so, it will give you the exact name of your VPN.
• After that, type in “Set-VpnConnection -Name “yourVPNName” -SplitTunneling $True” and tap Enter. Once you enter the command, it will free your IPv5 settings so that you can change it to connect with your local network if you prefer it to.

Each time you execute a command on your computer, it takes into account a number of files and space for the code in the background for the command to be executed. Thus, executing the command is not that easy which is why you could encounter some errors along the way due to various limitations or poor allocation of memory, and so on. One of the errors you might encounter when executing a command on Windows 10 and Windows Server is the “Not enough storage is available to process this command”. There are several potential fixes you can check out to fix this error. To fix this error, you can try to delete the temporary files in your computer, run the DISM tool or apply some registry tweaks. For more details, refer to each one of the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to delete the temporary files

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

• Open Setting > System > Storage from the WinX Menu.
• From there, you will see a list of all the local and connected storage devices along with the details on the free space. Make sure that Storage Sense is on.
• Next, find a link that says “Free Up Space” and click it to open.
• After that, a screen which is the built-in program in Windows 10 will appear and will scan your computer for the following junk files so you can free up disk space:
  • Windows Upgrade Log Files
  • System created Windows Error Reporting Files
  • Thumbnails
  • Temporary Internet Files
  • Previous Windows Installation Files
  • Delivery Optimisation Files
  • DirectX Shader Cache
• Choose the files you want to get rid of and then click on the remove files option. Note that you’ll have an idea of the total size as you select any of the junk files listed above.
• Now go to the “Free Up Space Now” section and click the Clean now button. This will get rid of all the temporary or junk files in your computer and should hopefully fix Error 1310.

Option 2 – Run the DISM tool

You can also run the DISM Tool as it could also help in fixing the “Not enough storage is available to process this command” error in Windows 10. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth” that could help in fixing error 0x80246019.

• You can run the DISM tool via Advanced Startup Options or you could boot your computer into a Clean Boot State and then select Command Prompt.
• 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. Once it’s done, restart your computer and try again. If it didn’t work, you can try to use the “/StartComponentCleanup” parameter: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Option 3 – Try to use the Registry Editor

The memory range allocated for the tasks and commands to be executed is associated with the IRPStackSize DWORD. Thus, to fix the error, you need to extend the range by applying some registry tweak. Before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point first. Once you’re done, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesLanmanServerParameters
• From there, look for the DWORD named “IRPStackSize” and right-click on it. If you can’t find this DWORD, just right-click on any empty space and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Input “IRPStackSize” as the DWORD name and double click on it and set its Value data to be greater than its default value. Note that the maximum value allowed is “0xc” and the range starts from “0x1”.
• Now click on OK and exit the Registry Editor and then restart your computer and see if the error is fixed.

If you suddenly receive an error saying, “Error 105 (net:: ERR NAME NOT RESOLVED): Unable to resolve the server’s DNS address” when browsing the web, then this means that the DNS lookup has failed. This kind of error is one of the most commons ones you can encounter while using the Chrome browser. And since it’s a pretty common error, the solutions for this one are pretty easy as well.

Option 1 – Disable both the Antivirus and Firewall temporarily

There are times when antivirus programs and the firewall blocks a website that they consider to be malicious or even because of false-positive effects. Thus, you need to disable these programs temporarily as it might be the reason why you’re getting the “Error 105 (net:: ERR NAME NOT RESOLVED): Unable to resolve the server’s DNS address” error in Chrome.

Option 2 – Check the Network Cables and restart the router then reconnect

Of course, the next thing you have to do is to check if the network cables connected to your computer or router are properly connected. And if your computer is connected via Wi-Fi, you need to make sure to restart your router once. In addition, you can also forget the Wi-Fi your computer is currently connected to and then try reconnecting again to see if it would work.

Option 3 – Try running the Chrome Cleanup tool

You might want to run Google Chrome’s built-in Malware Scanner & Cleanup tool as it could also help in getting rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and anything else that might overtake the network and could affect the performance of the browser.

Option 4 – Try removing the Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error in Chrome. Here’s how you can do it:

• 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 – Disable Prefetch in Chrome

In case you don’t know, Google makes use of a prediction service that helps users in completing searches and typing URLs in the address bar. This prediction service uses the already resolve IP address to connect to the website you’ve already visited. Thus, it would be better if you disable it in cases like this one.

• Open Chrome’s Settings.
• Next, go to Privacy and Security then look for “Prefetch”.
• After finding Prefetch, toggle off the “Use a prediction service to help complete searches and URLs typed in the address bar” setting and then restart Chrome.

Option 6 – Flush the DNS, reset Winsock and then reset TCP/IP

• Click the Start button and type in “command prompt” in the field.
• From the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt, you have to type each one of the commands listed below. Just make sure that after you type each command, you hit Enter
  • ipconfig /release
  • ipconfig /all
  • ipconfig /flushdns
  • ipconfig /renew
  • netsh int ip set dns
  • netsh winsock reset

After you key in the commands listed above, the DNS cache will be flushed and the Winsock, as well as the TCP/IP, will reset.

Option 7 – Try using the Google Public DNS

• The first thing you have to do is right-click on the network icon in the Taskbar and select Network and Sharing Center.
• Next, click on the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
• After that, search for the network connection that you are using to connect to the internet. Note that the option might be “Wireless Connection” or “Local Area Connection”.
• Right-click on your network connection and click on Properties.
• Then select the new window to choose the “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
• After that, click on the Properties button and click the checkbox in the new window for the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
• Type in “8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

Option 8 – Reset Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you fix the error. Resetting Chrome means restoring its default settings, disabling all the extensions, add-ons, and themes. Aside from that, the content settings will be reset as well and the cookies, cache, and site data will also be deleted. To reset Chrome, here’s what you have to do:

• Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
• After that, click on Settings.
• Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
• After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up the option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
• Now restart Google Chrome.

If you encounter Windows Update error 0x80092004 while trying to update your Windows 10 computer, then this post is for you. This kind of Windows Update error could be due to many reasons but none of them includes your hardware or installed driver software. Microsoft releases updates that are either not supposed to go out, or you install them when you click on the Check for Update button which can install updates that have not finished testing yet. As a result, you may encounter the Windows Update error 0x80092004 To resolve the Windows Update error 0x80092004, here are some fixes you can try.

Option 1 – Try removing recent updates and packages

When a Windows Update fails, it mostly rolls back and cleans up all its residues. However, there are times when it doesn’t and you can clean that package manually. To remove recent updates and packages, you can go to the Update History and find out what KB updates were installed and once you’ve figured it out, you can execute the DISM tool to remove it manually.

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, execute the “Dism /online /Get-Packages”. This will give you a list of packages that were recently installed.
• Now run the Remove Package program to remove the concerned update and package.

dism.exe /online /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix_Wrapper~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.248.1.17 /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.125.1.6 /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix_Wrapper~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.192.1.9 /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.192.1.9 /norestart

• Now restart your computer and log back in.
• After that, run the following command:

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

• Then scan for updates.

Note: Keep in mind that the remove package command is made for AMD 64-bit machines specifically.

Option 2 – Try deleting the files from the SoftwareDistribution folder and resetting the Catroot2 folder

The downloaded Windows Updates are placed in a folder called “SoftwareDistribution”. The files downloaded in this folder are automatically deleted once the installation is completed. However, if the files are not clean up or if the installation is still pending, you can delete all the files in this folder after you pause the Windows Update service. For complete instructions, refer to the steps below.

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the “We couldn’t install some updates because the PC was turned off” error. 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 4 – Try to manually install the Windows Updates

Windows Update Error 0x80092004 might be due to a Windows Update that has failed. So if it is not a feature update and only a cumulative update, you can download the Windows Update and install it manually. But first, you need to find out which update has failed, and to do so, refer to the following steps:

• Go to Settings and from there go to Update and Security > View Update History.
• Next, check which particular update has failed. Note that Updates that have failed to install will be displayed under the Status column which has a label of “Failed”.
• After that, go to the Microsoft Download Center and look for that update using its KB number and once you find it, download and then install it manually.

Note: You can also use the Microsoft Update Catalog, a service from Microsoft that provides a list of software updates that can be distributed over a corporate network. With the help of this service, it can be easier for you to find Microsoft software updates, drivers as well as fixes.

We are all waiting for the release of Intel’s Alder Lake series of processors and real-world results on its performance. Sadly lately it came to our attention that some games might have issues with the processor. Now before you go on the bandwagon on bashing Intel itself take note that it is not Intel’s fault at all. The issue that arises is mostly due to DRM software and how it works. As you might know or not, Alder Lake has two sets of cores, standard performance cores, and power cores, and with Intel’s Thread Director on-chip right cores will be used for the right tasks, and here lies the issue. DRM software might detect Thread Director as something suspicious and malicious, and then cut access to the game because of this. Intel, of course, has reached DRM manufacturers and places documentation about how software should be developed with this hybrid technology in mind. Of course, newer games will be updated if needed and everything will work fine, also games on GOG will work fine because of GOG’s policy of no DRM store but some older ones might be left in limbo. They could work fine but DRM might be triggered and prevent them from loading, usually, game developer itself removes DRM protection after some time but that is not really always the case and there is a chance that some games might simply just not work on Alder Lake CPU only because of DRM protection.

Conclusion

I will admit that I have not been a great fan of DRM in general, I understand that game developer want to protect themselves from piracy but how it looks they were not really successful with it. Even today single-player games get pirated on the day they are released and legally bought ones always make trouble for people that actually paid for them. I remember times when DRM was awful and you could install a game a limited number of times, luckily this was removed but it seems that many old habits still remain sadly and DRM is present even today in various forms. GOG is proof that people will buy DRM-free games and that they will support this kind of model. Maybe it is time to forget about fighting against piracy, you will not make it go away and people who do not want to buy games will not buy them, on other hand many users that do buy games, if they cannot use them they will rest to pirated version since that one will work. It is sad to see that pirated software can work better than a legal one and offer a more pleasant experience.

Hello and welcome everyone, today we will be talking about power toys, a great, completely free, open-source, Microsoft-supported Windows project which aims to provide Windows itself with powerful features not found natively in it. We will explore power toys completely here and explain each module and its features. The first thing is of course to download power toys themselves. You can find them here. After you download them, double click on the downloaded file and install. Start power toys, you will find them at the bottom of the taskbar, note that power toys need to be active in order to use their features. When opened you will be greeted with general settings window. These are settings for power toys themselves, Here you can check for updates, change the looks of power toys, run it on system startup and run them as administrator. Set them up so they best suit your needs.

Color Picker

Moving down next tab we have is Color picker. The color picker will let you as the name suggests pick colors, it will sample colors from running applications and windows, snap their values, and place them in the clipboard. A useful application if you are working as a graphic designer, want to create some cool word document, or just want to compare the difference between colors. After the Color Picker is activated, hover your mouse cursor over the color you would like to copy and left-click the mouse button to select a color. If you want to see the area around your cursor in more detail, scroll up to zoom in. The copied color will be stored in your clipboard in the format that is configured in the settings (HEX by default). The editor lets you see the history of picked colors (up to 20) and copy their representation in any predefined string format. You can configure what color formats are visible in the editor, along with the order that they appear. This configuration can be found in PowerToys settings. The editor also allows you to fine-tune any picked color or get a new similar color. Editor previews different shades of currently selected color - 2 lighter and 2 darker ones. Clicking on any of those alternative color shades will add the selection to the history of picked colors (appears on the top of the colors history list). Color in the middle represents your currently selected color from the history of the colors. By clicking on it, the fine-tuning configuration control will appear, which will let you change the HUE or RGB values of the current color. Pressing OK will add newly configured color into the history of the colors.

Fancy Zones

Moving down, we have fancy zones. FancyZones is a window manager utility for arranging and snapping windows into efficient layouts to improve the speed of your workflow and restore layouts quickly. FancyZones allows the user to define a set of window locations for a desktop that are drag targets for windows. When the user drags a window into a zone, the window is resized and repositioned to fill that zone. When first launched, the zones editor presents a list of layouts that can be adjusted by how many windows are on the monitor. Choosing a layout shows a preview of that layout on the monitor. The selected layout is applied automatically.

File Explorer

Next, File Explorer. Only 3 options here but maybe some are important to you. This extension lets you enable SVG file preview in File Explorer, enable Markdown preview, and enable SVG thumbnails. Turn on each one you might need.

Image Resize

Next down the line, we have Image resize. Image Resizer is a Windows shell extension for bulk image-resizing. After installing PowerToys, right-click on one or more selected image files in File Explorer, and then select Resize pictures from the menu. You can specify your own sizes if you want, you can resize when dragging files, you can overwrite files or make new copies of new sizes, and many more options. A very useful tool I am sure plenty of users can use since this eliminates the need for pictures or any other image application for common resizing tasks.

Keyboard Manager

The keyboard manager is the next tab in power toys. The PowerToys Keyboard Manager enables you to redefine keys on your keyboard. For example, you can exchange the letter A for the letter D on your keyboard. When you select the A key, a D will display. You can also exchange shortcut key combinations. For example, the shortcut key, Ctrl+C, will copy the text in Microsoft Word. With the PowerToys Keyboard Manager utility, you can exchange that shortcut for ⊞ Win+C). Now, ⊞ Win+C) will copy text. If you do not specify a targeted application in PowerToys Keyboard Manager, the shortcut exchange will be applied globally across Windows. PowerToys Keyboard Manager must be enabled (with PowerToys running in the background) for remapped keys and shortcuts to be applied. If PowerToys is not running, key remapping will no longer be applied.

Power Rename

Nex we have a very cool and powerful Power Rename PowerRename is a bulk renaming tool that enables you to:

• Modify the file names of a large number of files (without renaming all of the files with the same name).
• Perform a search and replace on a targeted section of file names.
• Perform a regular expression rename on multiple files.
• Check expected rename results in a preview window before finalizing a bulk rename.
• Undo a rename operation after it is completed.

Run Utility

Power Toys Run utility follows next. PowerToys Run is a quick launcher for power users that contains some additional features without sacrificing performance. PowerToys Run features include:

• Search for applications, folders, or files
• Search for running processes (previously known as WindowWalker)
• Clickable buttons with keyboard shortcuts (such as Open as the administrator or Open containing folder)
• Invoke Shell Plugin using > (for example, > Shell:startup will open the Windows startup folder)
• Do a simple calculation using the calculator

Shortcut Guide

Last but not least we have a Shortcut guide. This guide uses PowerToys to display common keyboard shortcuts that use the Windows ⊞ key. Windows key keyboard shortcuts can be used while the guide is being shown and the result of those shortcuts (active window moved, arrow shortcut behavior changes, etc) will be displayed in the guide. Releasing the Windows ⊞ key will make the overlay disappear. Tapping the Windows ⊞ key will display the Windows Start menu. Hey, you made it till the end, thank you for reading and I hope to see you soon.

Keyboard shortcuts are undeniably one of the most utilized ways and are helpful in maximizing productivity through the various applications at top speed in Windows 10. It offers the option to create custom keyboard shortcuts that allow users to launch apps, and even websites, instantly. There are already tons of keyboard shortcuts that are built-in in Windows 10 but in case you don’t know, you can actually create new ones. Doing so is not a difficult task and in this post, you will be guided on how you can exactly create custom keyboard shortcuts in your Windows 10 computer. Most users would create desktop shortcuts or pin the apps in the taskbar to speed up the process of working on their computers. It is an easy task to do since you can easily do it by dragging an app from the Start Menu to the desktop or by simply right-clicking on the executable app and selecting the “Create Shortcut” option. However, doing so would take physical effort and there are times when you have to minimize all the apps to get to the desktop so you can click the shortcut and this is where the Custom Keyboard Shortcuts come in handy. You can create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 10 for various programs – from the traditional desktop apps to the new universal apps – you can fling in a shortcut so that you can instantly open them faster compared to when doing it manually and besides this also wouldn’t affect any of the ongoing system activity. To get started, you need to follow the steps provided below carefully.

To add Custom Keyboard hotkeys to a program and website desktop shortcuts, here’s what you have to do:

Step 1: First, you have to right-click on the app or website and select Properties. Step 2: After that, go to the Shortcut tab and from there, you will see the “Shortcut key” textbox which allows you to enter a new or custom keyboard shortcut for the app or website. Step 3: In the textbox field, input your preferred letters to set up the new hotkey. Keep in mind that this custom shortcut has to be combined with the Ctrl + Alt keys which means that if you want to select “N”, you have to tap the Ctrl + Alt + N keys. Step 4: Once done, click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made and then close the window. Step 5: After that, tap the newly created keyboard shortcut, Ctrl + Alt + N keys again to open the app or website you’ve set up earlier.

To add Custom Keyboard hotkeys to a desktop app or an independent program that can be installed using direct download, here’s what you have to do:

Step 1: First, open the Start Menu and look for the icon/tile of the required app in the menu. However, if you are not able to find the desired app, then just click on the All Apps option to navigate through all the apps that are installed on your PC. Step 2: Once you find the app, just right-click on it and select More and then click on the “Open file location” option. Step 3: This will open a new window with the shortcut icon. Right-click on the app’s shortcut icon and select Properties. Step 4: This will open the Properties window where you can add the shortcut combination. Keep in mind that just like the previous method, the custom shortcut has to be combined with the Ctrl + Alt keys. For instance, if you select E, then you also have to set a keyboard shortcut that includes Ctrl + Alt, so it will be, Ctrl + Alt + E. Step 5: Once you’re done, click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made. You should now be able to use the custom shortcut key you’ve set.

The Windows 10 operating system utilizes a variety of measures in order to track your app launches so that it can boost both your start and search results. It can personalize the start menu based on the apps that you use the most on the Start menu as well as the search results. This way, the App Launch Tracking is definitely useful especially when you want to access your favorite and frequently used apps quickly in the Start menu and search results on your Windows 10 computer. On the other hand, Windows 10 provides users with the ability to control their privacy settings in order to protect the privacy of users. Windows 10 users can either opt to enable the app launch tracking to improve the start menu and search menu or opt to disable the app launch tracking in order to prevent the Windows operating system from tracking that you open if you really value your privacy that much. Whichever setting you prefer, you need to change the privacy control settings as well as make some tweaks in the Windows Registry in order to turn on or turn off the app launch tracking feature.

Option 1 – Turn off or turn on app launch tracking via Settings

• Go to Settings and click on Privacy.
• After that, toggle On the “Let Windows track app launches to improve Start and search results” option on the right side of the page under the General Settings to enable the app launch tracking feature.
• And of course, if you wish to disable the app launch tracking feature, simply toggle Off the “Let Windows track app launches to improve Start and search results” option on the very same page under General Settings.
• After that, close the Settings window.

Note: Keep in mind that when you disable the app launch tracking feature, the “Show most used app” setting will either be grayed out or labeled as “Disable” on your Windows 10 computer. Thus, if you want to keep viewing the most used apps, just re-enable the app launch tracking feature if you have disabled it.

Option 2 – Turn off or turn on app launch tracking via Windows Registry

Before you proceed, make sure to create a System Restore point

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced

• After that, right-click on the Advanced folder and then click on New to create a new 32-bit DWORD value.
• Name the newly created DWORD as “Start TrackProgs” and set its value to “1” to enable the app launch tracking feature.
• If you want to disable the app launch feature, set “0” as the value instead of 1.
• Now click OK and restart your computer.

Take note that you still have to create a 32-bit DWORD value even if you are using a 64-bit Windows computer.