Signs of a dying graphic card

Error 126 - What is it?

Error 126 is a Windows PC error that mostly occurs either during program installation or removal. It is commonly experienced by Vista, XP and Windows 7 users. When the error 126 is generated, it usually terminates the program installation process, immediately. It is advisable to take corrective error repair measures immediately to ensure that you are easily able to install your desired program and you don’t encounter the error again.

Solution

Error Causes

There are multiple reasons for the occurrence of the error code 126 including. The reasons are listed below:

Dll file corruption
Missing or damaged dll files
Corrupt and misconfigured system files
Improper program installation
Viral infection
Corrupt registry
Improper hardware

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve the error 126 on your PC, you don’t always have to hire a technician or be a computer programmer yourself. Though this error is critical the good news is that it is very easy to resolve. You can fix the error even if you are not technically sound. Try the solutions that we have listed below to help you resolve error 126 immediately:

Solution 1: Disable Firewall Protection

Sometimes Firewall protection may stop you from installing new programs on your PC successfully and this may display the error 126 on your PC. In such a scenario, disable Firewall protection and then try installing the desired program again. See if it works.

Solution 2: Restore Points

Sometimes dll files can go missing due to program removals and you may come across the error 126. To resolve it, restore points. This will help you restore your PC back to the way it was functioning before you removed a program and will also help you recover the lost and missing dll files.

This can be done, by clicking the start menu.
Now go to all programs, then accessories, and then system tools.
Here you will see the ‘System Restore’ option. Simply click on it.
This will help you open a new window. Here select the option ‘Restore My Computer to an Earlier Time’ point.
As you select it, it will show you a list of restore points.
Choose the latest restore point you see in the list and click ‘Next’ to continue. Now confirm to finish restoration.
Restart your PC to activate the changes.

Solution 3: Scan for Viruses

The underlying cause for the error could also be related to viruses on your PC. To remove the viruses, you will have to download a powerful antivirus and scan your entire PC. Please note, anti-viruses are notorious for slowing down system performance, so you might have to compromise on the speed of your PC.

Solution 4: Run a Hardware Diagnostic

To find out which hardware is causing the error message to pop up, you will have to run a hardware diagnostic. For this, simply go to the start menu, type Memory Diagnostic in the search bar. Now access this tool and click on Diagnose your Memory problems. As you click on it, it will ask you to perform the check by either restarting the PC immediately or on the next restart. Select the immediate one to get going. The system will carry a scan on the memory and show you the list of problematic errors detected during the scan. To resolve this error then all you have to do is replace the piece of faulty hardware. Nonetheless, if no faulty hardware is detected, this means the error is related to the registry.

Solution 5: Clean and Restore the Registry

The error 126 is also sometimes generated due to poor PC maintenance which leads to registry issues. The registry basically saves and stores all the data and activities performed on the PC. This also includes junk files, invalid registry entries, bad keys, temporary files, internet history, and cookies. This accumulates a lot of disk space. If not removed, they damage the registry and corrupt other important files like system and dll files, thereby generating PC-related error codes like error 126. The best way to resolve this error on your PC in seconds is to download Restoro on your PC. This is an advanced and multi-functional PC repair tool embedded with multiple powerful utilities including an intuitive registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer. The registry cleaning feature detects all registry issues and errors. It wipes out all the unnecessary and obsolete files cluttering the system, fixes the damaged dll files, and restores the registry back to normal. Simultaneously, the antivirus utility scans for all privacy errors and malicious software infecting your system. This includes malware, adware, spyware, and Trojans. The system optimizer feature ensures your PC performance does not slow down. It boosts the speed of your PC to its optimum level. This PC fixer is safe, user-friendly, and efficient. It can be downloaded on any Windows version. Click here to download Restoro on your system and resolve error 126 right away!

Fix Device requires further installation Error

If you are trying to connect an external device to your computer but you suddenly encounter an error that says, “Device requires further installation”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how exactly you can fix this error. In most cases, USB sticks, headphones, speakers, and other external devices, install drivers automatically once you connect them to your computer which means that the drivers are downloaded and installed in the system as soon as the external device is plugged in. However, if the driver has become corrupted or outdated, you might encounter an error like the

“Device requires further installation”

Aside from corrupted or outdated drivers, the error could also be caused by pending updates, an incorrect version of the Intel PROSet Wireless driver, or checking the wrong event. Whatever the cause is, this post will provide you with some potential fixes that can help you resolve the problem. But before you troubleshoot the problem, ensure that your Windows 10 computer is updated to its latest version and you must also not forget to check that you’re checking the correct event on the Event Viewer. Once you have these things covered, proceed to the instructions below.

Option 1 – Try to update the device drivers to the latest version

One of the most likely root causes of the “Device requires further installation” error is either outdated or corrupted drivers in your computer. This kind of problem is more common on several devices like scanners and printers for which the drivers are provided with them.

First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for any outdated device drivers and click on each one of them.
After that, right-click on each entry of the device drivers and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
Now restart your computer.
After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.

Note: You also opt to download the latest versions of the device drivers directly from the website of the manufacturer. Once you’ve downloaded them, you can install them into your computer right away and then try connecting the external device again. On the other hand, you can also try to reinstall the device drivers.

Option 2 – Try to install the latest version of the Intel PROSet Wireless driver

A lot of users who experience the problem reported that their wireless driver wasn’t also working properly and it was then found that it was caused by the outdated Intel PROSet wireless driver. Thus, to fix the problem, you need to install the latest version of this driver from the intel.com website and install it on your computer. When you download the driver, make sure that your computer is running an Intel system and then download the correct driver depending on whether your computer is a 64-bit system or a 32-bit one.

Fix ERR_CACHE_MISS error in Google Chrome

One of the most popular and most used web browsers commonly used by Windows users is Google Chrome. This well-known web browser has been introducing various features recently in order to stay at the top. However, it makes the web browser a lot more complex and thus prone to errors. Although this may not be a big deal, it can be quite annoying as it can interrupt your web browsing. There are various errors that can come up with this level of complexity of the web browser. One of these errors is the “This site can’t be loaded from the cache, ERR_CACHE_MISS” error message that can suddenly appear while you browse the web using your Google Chrome browser on your Windows 10 PC. Take note that when you encounter this particular error, there really is no direct fault in the Chrome browser as there are also issues with caching the website data locally in the computer. Moreover, this error can also occur when a website is coded in an incorrect manner or if there are some browser extensions or toolbars that are in conflict with the proper functioning of the website. To fix the ERR_CACHE_MISS error in Google Chrome, refer to the possible solutions laid out below.

Option 1 – Try clearing browser data

There are times when some data in the browser is conflicting with the loading of the website and triggers errors like ERR_CACHE_MISS. And so you can try to clear your browser’s data. This might be a very basic solution but oftentimes it works in fixing this kind of error in Google Chrome. Follow the steps below to clear the data in your browser.

Open your Google Chrome browser.
After that, tap the Ctrl + H keys. Doing so will open a new panel that allows you to delete the browsing history and other data in your browser.
Now select every checkbox that you see and click on the Clear browsing data button.
Then restart your Chrome browser and check if you can now open any website or not.

Option 2 – Try using the Developer Tools

You can also try using the Developer tools in Google Chrome to help you fix the ERR_CACHE_MISS error. Refer to the steps below to do so.

Open Google Chrome.
Tap the Ctrl + Shift + I keys on your keyboard and then tap the F1 key to open the Settings tab inside the Chrome Developer Tools.
Next, select the Disable cache option while DevTools is open and apply those settings.
After that, refresh your browser and check if the entries you’ve seen previously in the Network tab are gone.
Now try to load the same webpage again and see if the problem is resolved.

Option 3 – Reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS

Resetting Winsock, TCP/IP, and flushing DNS might help you resolve the ERR_CACHE_MISS error. To do so, follow these steps:

Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator) so you can pull up an elevated Command Prompt.
After that, execute each one of the commands listed below. And after you typed in one after the other, you have to hit Enter.

netsh winsock reset – type in this command to reset Winsock
netsh int ip reset resettcpip.txt – type in this command to reset TCP/IP
ipconfig /flushdns – type in this command to flush the DNS cache

Next, restart your PC and check if the problem’s fixed.

Option 4 – Get rid of any conflicting browser extensions

Open Chrome and press Alt + F keys.
Go to More tools and click Extensions to look for any suspicious browser extensions or toolbars.
Click the Recycle bin and select Remove.
Restart Chrome and press Alt + F keys again.
Proceed to On Startup and mark Open a specific page or set of pages.
To check if the browser hijacker is still active, click Set pages, if it is active, overwrite the URL.

Note: If removing the browser extensions or toolbars didn’t work, you can also try to reset your Google Chrome browser.

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 option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
Now restart Google Chrome.

Fix ERR_CONNECTION_RESET in Chrome

This post will help you fix the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error in Google Chrome. This error indicates that the Chrome browser wasn’t able to establish a stable connection or that there really is no connection at all with the website you are trying to open. This error does not occur on all websites though. When you encounter this kind of error message you will see the following message on your Google Chrome browser:

“This website is not available, The connection to example.com was interrupted, Error 101 (net:: ERR_CONNECTION_RESET): The Connection was reset.”

Note: You need to follow the options given below to fix the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error and make sure to reload the webpage each time you complete following each one of the fixes.

Option 1 – Check the Network Cables and restart the router then reconnect

Of course, the first thing you can try 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 2 – Try removing the Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET 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 3 – Try to increase the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)

You can also try increasing the Maximum Transmission Unit to fix the error. To do so, follow these steps:

Open Settings and go to Network & Internet > Ethernet.
From there, take off the Active Wireless / Wired Network Connection.
Next, open Command Prompt as admin.
Then type the “netsh interface IPv4 set subinterface “Ethernet 4” mtu=1472 store=persistent” command and hit Enter to execute it.

Option 4 – Flush the DNS and reset TCP/IP

Flushing the DNS and reset TCP/IP could also help in fixing the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error in Chrome. To do so, refer to these steps:

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 5 – Disable the AppEx Networks Accelerator feature

The AppEx Networks Accelerator is known to slow down network connections. Some users reported that it slows down the network speed by 70% up to 80% which is why you need to disable it. Here’s how you can do it:

Go to Settings and select Network & Internet and from there select Ethernet > Change adapter options.
Next, right-click on the network connection and select Properties.
Then look for AppEx Networks Accelerator and uncheck its checkbox.
Now click the OK button to save the changes and then check if the error is now fixed.

Option 6 – Delete the WLAN Profiles

Deleting the WLAN Profiles might be a good idea if you are not able to connect to the internet on your computer and if you’re using Wi-Fi. It could be that the networks that were connected previously have gone rogue which is why it is not connecting properly. And so deleting the WLAN profiles might help you in fixing the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error.

Option 7 – Reinstall the Network Adapter Drivers

Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and select “Uninstall device”.
Restart your PC.

Option 8 – Try to disable the Wi-Fi Miniport

In the Cortana Search box, type “command prompt” then right-click on the search result and select “Run as administrator”.
After opening Command Prompt with admin privileges, type the commands listed below and hit Enter right after you key in each one of them.
- netsh wlan stop hostednetwork
- netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow
Now exit Command Prompt and tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Type “cpl” in the field and hit Enter to open Network Connections.
From there, look for Microsoft Virtual Wi-Fi Miniport and right-click on it, and then select Disable.

Option 9 – Start Chrome in Safe Mode

The same with Windows Safe Mode, starting Chrome in Sage mode will open the browser but without all the user settings and extensions. And then try opening the website you were trying to open earlier.

Option 10 – Reset Google Chrome

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.

Fixing corrupted bootres.dll file in Windows 10

In this post, we will discuss what the “ bootres.dll ” file is in the Windows 10 operating system and where it’s also located. In addition, you will also be guided on how you can replace or fix a corrupt bootres.dll file which may prevent you from booting to your Windows desktop and will display an error message instead saying, “Boot critical file resourcescustombootres.dll is corrupt”. There are times when this error might also boot your PC to the Automatic Repair screen. DLL files, also known as Dynamic Link Libraries are external parts of applications that run on Windows as well as other operating systems. Almost all applications are not complete in themselves and store code in different files so if there is a need for the code, the related file being called by a certain application is loaded into memory and used. If the software or the operating system is unable to find the concerned DLL file or if the DLL file ends up getting corrupted, you will most likely get an error message. In case you don’t know, the bootres.dll file is a critical system OS file, size 90KB, and can be found in the Windows folder. It is a part of the Boot Resource Library and portrays an important role in making sure that your PC boots properly. So if it ends up getting corrupted, your PC may fail to boot correctly and you’ll get an error message instead. To resolve this problem, here are some suggestions that might help. If your PC automatically boots to the Automatic Repair screen, you need to click on that option to run the Automatic Repair. If it doesn’t work, you have to boot into the Advanced Startup options to manually access and run the Automatic Repair. Once you’re in the Advanced Options, you will be able to:

Run Automatic Repair
Use System Restore
Start Windows from an external device
Access Command Prompt
And use the System Image Recovery to restore Windows from a Factory image.

If the Automatic Repair fails to fix the problem, you may have to use System Restore or the Command Prompt to carry out further troubleshooting steps. Refer to the guide below to use these tools.

Option 1 – Try running the System File Checker in Safe Mode

Running the System File Checker is the safest way to fix DLL file missing or corrupted errors are thrown up by the Windows operating system as it could give you better results. 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 causing the Machine Check Exception BSOD error. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

Boot your PC into Safe Mode.
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:

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

Option 2 – Try running the DISM tool to repair the System Image

To repair the System Image, you need to use the DISM or Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management tool. The DISM tool is another command-line tool in the Windows operating system that could help users fix various corrupted system files. To use it, follow these steps:

Open the Command Prompt as admin.
Then type in this command: Dism /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.

Note: The command you executed will check for Windows component store corruption and will restore its good health. The scan might take up to 15 minutes. Once it is done, you have to restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to repair the MBR and rebuild BCD

To repair the MBR and rebuild BCD, follow these steps: The problem might boil down to the Master Boot Records since the previous case has already been isolated. There are times when the Master Boot Records can get corrupted and even though it is a serious issue, it can still be rectified by repairing the Master Boot Record.

Tao the F8 key while booting the system to go into the Windows Recovery Menu.
Next, click on Troubleshoot.
Then click on the Advanced options to get into the Automatic Repair menu.
After that, you have to use the bootrex.exe tool, so click on the command prompt and type in the following commands, one after the other:
bootrec /RebuildBcd
bootrec /fixMbr
bootrec /fixboot
Exit and then go ahead and restart your PC.

Option 4 – Try running the ChkDsk utility

One of the best options you must try is running chkdsk as it will check the disk for any errors and repair them automatically. To use it, follow these steps:

Boot your PC to the Advanced Options menu and click on Command Prompt.
Once you’ve opened an elevated Command Prompt, type in the following command and tap Enter to execute it:

chkdsk C: /f /x /r

Note: “C” is the drive root drive so it could be changed if you’re using a different one.

Option 5 – Try resetting your PC

Go to the Advanced Options > Troubleshoot > and select the Reset This PC option from the menu and then select Keep my files.

Signs of a dying graphic card

Can graphic cards wear out over a longer period of time? Recent studies and experience from crypto miners say no but they can die due to different reasons like improper use, low cleaning habits, factory mistakes, etc. Many gamers and people who use GPU intense applications tend to think that some glitches and hiccups in the software are a sign that graphic card is dying out and that it is time to be replaced. Altho this could be true in many cases these kinds of behavior are mostly due to old drivers and software issues. Older cards can produce these kinds of results due to their old age and new software is often more demanding than these cards can handle. So in order to diagnose and be sure that your GPU is indeed dying out lookout for these signs.

The Main Signs of a Dying GPU:

The Computer Crashes and Won’t Reboot

If your computer shutdown while working in the graphic application or while playing the game and the monitor loses signal there is a high chance the graphic card is soon going to be gone. Some motherboards have hardware detection failure and can signal immediate fail. If when turning your computer ON you are greeted with a blue screen with the message that the signal can not be found or you do not have picture at all it is most likely that GPU has failed.

Graphic Glitches While Playing Games

If you are playing the game and all of sudden you get off-color pixels, screen flickering, strange graphic behaviors, random artifacts, or similar and that keeps repeating in multiple games it is likely that GPU days are coming to an end.

Abnormal Fan Noise or Performance

Fans are an essential part of cooling the GPU and over time if they are intensively used they could wear out and need replacing. If however you have not noticed and have not replaced the fans card can sustain overheating damage. Many cards have cooling fans that are designed to spin at a higher RPM only when the GPU is under load. It prevents bearings in the fans from dying prematurely, so don’t worry if one of your fans is inactive while you are browsing the web. However, when you play games that utilize software that your card isn’t built to support, the bearings in the fans wear out faster. Once the fans stop working under load, the graphics card can quickly die.

How to Diagnose a Dying Graphics Card

Presented next are essential steps in order to recognize a dying graphic card.

Check Motherboard Error Codes

Many motherboards today completely shut down a component that is no longer working. If your graphics card has died completely, this may be one of the easiest ways to tell. If your motherboard doesn’t have display codes, you can try testing the card in a new system.

Open the computer case: Use your screwdriver to remove screws on the side panel and gently slide it back.
Locate the error code display on your motherboard: If you have a motherboard with error codes, they should appear near an outer corner.
Try to reboot your computer: Record each error number you see after you boot your computer.
Consult the motherboard manufacturer manual for error codes: Open the manual and locate the list for your error codes. If the code matches a graphics processing unit error, your video card could have died.

Check Hardware for Damage or Debris

A graphics card that has damage or debris on the physical parts might quickly overheat and kill the card.

Remove the screws holding the GPU in place: There are typically one or two screws holding the card to a bracket on the case.
Unhook the power cords from the GPU and pull the release tab: Remove the power cords from your GPU by pushing in their tabs and gently rocking them out. Once you remove each cord, gently push or pull up on the release tab near the motherboard.
Inspect the GPU for damage/debris: Check the card for any dirt or debris buildup and clean it out with a Q-tip. You can replace broken fan pieces from the manufacturer.

Test Your GPU Under Load

Download GPU stress-testing and heat-monitoring software.

With the card installed, run a stress test.
As you are running the stress test, run heat-monitoring software: With the stress test running, check your heat-monitoring software for GPU overheating. Any reading over 80 degrees Celsius is too hot.
Check device manager for outdated drivers: If your GPU is clean, but still running too hot, your software drivers are not installed correctly. To check, type in “device manager” at the bottom of your desktop and click on Device Manager. Find your display adapter and right-click on it to see if it’s working. If your drivers are not working correctly, it is indicated here usually. However, the driver may appear to be functioning even if it says otherwise in the properties.

Keep your graphic card drivers updated

When you don’t have the right driver installed, graphics cards can quickly burn up, and their cooling components may fail faster. That’s why you should always keep drivers updated for each new game you install or play. Older games may also release new software patches, so your GPU drivers should be updated accordingly.

Protect Your PC With These 6 Reliable Security Products

What software are you using to keep your information and all your files and memories safe?

None? Yikes. Let’s hope no damage has been done to your data yet then. Because with how the digital world has evolved, your data might be getting leaked and you have no idea.

Why do you need to invest in security software?

There’s really no good excuse not to purchase a quality platform for PC protection. Especially since top security solutions are available at such affordable prices nowadays, your wallet would barely even notice it.

At this point, only people who barely use their PCs and have zero sensitive information on them can get away with simply using the built-in Windows 10/11 security software. But we guarantee that those people are extremely hard to find and that you’re not one of them, and here’s why.

Even if you don’t use your computer for things that are very obviously sensitive, such as internet banking, you still have some personal data at risk of being stolen. How so? Well, think about the data you enter into your social media profiles, for example. How devastating would it be if somebody got a hold of any of it? Yep, that’s what we thought.

A chain with a padlock on a laptop — Credit: FLY:D on Unsplash

In the hands of a skilled cybercriminal, your phone number alone could put you at risk of scams, ransomware, identity theft and more. Also think about the stuff you share in texts and social media chats. Think about the websites you visit and how many times you may have accidentally clicked on an ad, which could very well contain malicious software. Those all seem harmless until someone’s actually used them against you.

Now imagine the dangers involved when you actually store truly confidential data on your PC and browsers. Sends shivers down your spine, doesn’t it?

In the case of a successful cyberattack of whatever type (virus, phishing, worms, etc.), there’s so much that is at stake. Businesses/legal persons will suffer from financial loss and damaged reputation, at the very least. Natural persons may be threatened or exploited, get their banking or medical information and even their identity stolen, etc. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

These are our biggest reasons for investing in Windows PC protection software:

Cyberthreats are constantly evolving to the point where built-in or free software won’t cut it anymore.

Those working remotely can have peace of mind knowing both personal and business data is completely secure.

Businesses using top security solutions ensure their customers trust them.

Data breaches are a pain in the you-know-what to handle. Fighting a cyberattack and going back to normal is a demanding process, and not to mention the stress it’ll cause. We’d rather prevent all that by using trustworthy security products!

It helps parents worry a little less about their children’s safety in the online world.

Added bonus: with most products, you get an ad-free browsing experience!

Obviously, there are a lot more reasons to get your PC secured. But we think you get it. So let’s cut to the chase and take a look at our 6 favorite protection solutions and the wonders they can do for you.

*Note that in this article we’re looking at products primarily suited for households and home offices, some for small businesses. No enterprise solutions will make the list today, but stay tuned for a future article on those.

The bottom line

If you’ve made it all the way here, congratulations, you’ve made the right choice: to invest in securing your valuable data! Now the question is: which one of these 6 awesome antivirus/antimalware products to select?

The paradox of choice is a very real thing - we feel you. As mentioned, it comes down to what your specific needs are. So before you go ahead and purchase your security software, make sure to explore all options.

And if you really can’t handle the decision-making anxiety, feel free to reach out. We’ll happily assist you in finding the right product to keep your digital life secure!

Fix Windows Update error 0x80244022

Installing Windows Updates in your Windows 10 computer does not always go smoothly as there are instances when you could encounter some errors along the way. One of these errors is error code 0x80244022 –WU_E_PT_HTTP_STATUS_SERVICE_UNAVAIL HTTP 503. This kind of error can be encountered when you check, download or install any updates. At the time of writing, it isn’t known yet what the exact cause of this error is. However, there are some potential fixes you can check out to fix it. When this error occurs, you will see the following error message on your screen:

“There were some problems installing updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help: (0x80244022).”

To fix error code 0x80244022, refer to the potential fixes provided below.

Option 1 – Disable the Proxy server

The first thing you can do is to try disabling the Proxy server as it might be the reason why you’re getting error 0x80244022 for Windows Updates. To disable the proxy server, refer to the steps below.

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. In addition, if you are also using a VPN, you can try to disable it as well.

Option 2 – Run the DISM tool

You can run the DISM tool as well to help fix the error code 0x80244022 during Windows Update. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.

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.

Option 3 – Perform a System File Checker scan

The SFC or System File Checker scan could detect and automatically repair damaged system files that could be causing error code 0x80244022 to appear when you try to update your Windows 10 computer. 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. 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 and hit Enter.

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:

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

Once done, restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try disabling the Firewall or antivirus program

Disabling the antivirus program or Firewall or any other security software installed in your computer is always a good idea you can try when the Windows Update process does not go smoothly. So before you try updating your computer again, make sure to disable the antivirus or security program and once the Windows Update is done, don’t forget to enable the antivirus program back again.

Option 5 – Try resetting the 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:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution/SoftwareDistribution.old
- ren C:/Windows/System32/catroot2/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 6 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing Windows Update 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.

Chrome does not save passwords

Recently, a number of users reported that their Google Chrome browser does not remember any accounts, login sessions, as well as passwords. So if you are one of the users who experience the same problem, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on what you can do your Chrome browser does not save passwords, remember accounts and login sessions in Windows 10. This issue in Chrome could be caused by a lot of factors. It is possible that there is a setting in Chrome that prevents the browser from saving any data. It is also possible that the Google Chrome profile or the Cache folder for Chrome has become corrupted. Moreover, a third-party antivirus program could also be blocking the browser’s functionality in saving data. Whatever the cause is here are some suggestions you could follow that will help you fix the problem but before you do that, you can try to update your Chrome browser to its latest version first. If it didn’t work, then proceed to the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to clear browser cache

Open your Google Chrome browser.
After that, tap the Ctrl + H keys. Doing so will open a new panel that allows you to delete the browsing history and other data in your browser.
Now select every checkbox that you see and click on the Clear data button.
Then restart your Chrome browser and check if you can now complete the download again.

Option 2 – Try to delete the cache files for Google Chrome

The next thing you can do is to delete Chrome’s cache files or its store information which helps it in loading cached webpages faster when you pull them up. However, if it turns out that the cache files are corrupted, then it’s no wonder why Chrome is unable to save passwords. To fix this, you can try to delete the cache files for Google Chrome webpages and you can do it by following these steps:

First, open Google Chrome.
Next, open this address in Chrome – chrome://settings/clearBrowserData
After that, go to the Advanced tab and select all time as well as the first four options.
Now click on the Clear data option and then restart the Chrome browser once the cache has been cleared.

Option 3 – Try allowing Google Chrome to keep local data

If the option to keep local data is disabled in Google Chrome’s settings, it won’t be able to store local data in the browser. Thus, you need to enable it by following these steps:

Open Chrome and enter this address – chrome://settings/clearBrowserData
After that, drag the toggle button off for the “Keep local data only until you quit your browser” option.
Once done, restart Google Chrome and check it fixed the problem or not.

Option 4 – Try to enable the setting that offers to save password

As you know, a lot of websites offers users a choice to save a password and you can also do the same with the Chrome browser. You just have to enable this particular setting by going to the address, chrome://settings/passwords. From there, drag the toggle button for the setting Offer to save passwords, off.

Option 5 – Try to create a new profile for Chrome

If your user profile in Google Chrome ends up getting corrupted, it is most likely the reason why Chrome is unable to save passwords. Thus, you need to create a new user profile. How? Follow the steps below.

First, click on the account icon located at the top-right corner of the profile.
Next, go to the Manage People section and select Add Person > Add.
After that, enter the details to add the new account and then restart Chrome.

Option 6 – Reset Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you fix the problem. This means that you will be 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 option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
Now restart Google Chrome.

Option 7 – Try to clean reinstall Chrome

There are instances when programs leave files behind after you’ve uninstalled them and the same thing can happen to Chrome so before you reinstall Chrome, you have to make sure that you have deleted the User Data folder. To do so, refer to the following steps:

Hit the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Next, type “%LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser Data” in the field and hit Enter to open the User Data folder.
From there, rename the default folder and name it something else, e.g. “Default.old”.
After that, install Google Chrome again and check if the issue is now fixed.

Removal guide for Movie Mode Potentially Unwanted Program

MovieMode is a Potentially Unwanted Program developed by GenTechnologies Apps that allegedly ads a “Lights Off” function to video streaming websites like Youtube. This feature allows a user to dim the entire background around the video, allowing for better video focus. Although this sounds interesting and useful, upon further inspection it was discovered that this program does not work with modern browsers.

While installed, MovieMode may modify your browser settings, changing your home page, displaying additional ads, and other suspicious behavior. From the Terms Of Use: “Applications may be automatically enabled on your web browsers following installation. Applications or advertisements may require changing your web browser’s default home page, default page, or set of pages on startup, default search provider, and other browser settings. So that Applications can function most efficiently and with the least annoyance, Applications may modify or disable certain web browser or operating system features including, but limited to load time alerts, accelerator features, and Content Security Policy functionality. Applications may also include features to notify you when you are launching an application or visiting a web domain that may interfere with your installed Applications. “

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

What is a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)?

Have you ever detected an unwanted program running on your computer and wondered how the heck it got there? These unwanted programs, which are referred to as Potentially Unwanted Programs, or PUPs in short, usually tag along as a software bundle when downloading the program and could cause significant problems for users. From the technical perspective, a PUP is not true “malware”. A basic difference between PUP and malware is distribution. Malware is normally dropped via vulnerability exploitation while PUP gets installed with the consent of the end-user, who knowingly or unintentionally approves the PUP installation on their computer system. On the other hand, it is obvious that PUPs are still bad news for computer users as they could be quite dangerous to the computer in lots of ways.

How do unwanted programs impact you?

Unwanted programs can be found in many forms. Typically, they will be found in adware bundlers that are known to use aggressive and deceptive advertising. Most bundlers install numerous adware applications from various vendors, each of which has its own EULA policy. Safebytes Anti-malware completely eradicates this threat and safeguards your PC against unwanted programs or malware infection. Additionally, most free software programs these days include a few unwanted add-ons; in many instances an internet browser toolbar or browser modification like a homepage hijacker. Not only they needlessly use up space on your screen, but toolbars may also manipulate search results, track your browsing activities, decrease your web browser’s overall performance, and slow down your web connection to a crawl. They could seem innocent but PUPs are sometimes spyware. The worst part of setting up a PUP is the spyware, adware, and keystroke loggers that may hide inside. Most PUPs don’t have any significant value or advantages. As soon as they are installed, they could waste your valuable system resources and also drastically slow down computer performance. Many of these programs are harmful to computer systems and put your private information and perhaps your identity at stake.

The best ways to stop PUPs

• Always study the license agreement and privacy statement. Don’t agree unless you understand exactly what you’re agreeing to. • Always pick the custom if you’re provided a choice between Recommended and Custom Installations – never ever click Next, Next, Next blindly. • Use an ad blocker/pop-up blocker; Install anti-malware products such as Safebytes Anti-malware. These kinds of programs can establish a wall between your computer and online criminals. • Avoid adding freeware software you simply won’t utilize. Avoid downloading and installing browser extensions and applications you aren’t familiar with. • Always download applications from the original site. The majority of PUPs find their way to your computer is through download portals, so stay away from it entirely.

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

Malware could cause all sorts of damage after they invade your computer, from stealing your private details to deleting files on your PC. Some malware goes to great lengths to prevent you from downloading or installing anything on your computer system, especially antivirus software programs. If you’re reading this, you probably have infected by malware that prevents you from installing a computer security program like Safebytes Anti-Malware. There are a few fixes you can attempt to get around with this particular problem.

Download the software in Safe Mode with Networking

In the event the malware is set to load at Windows startup, then booting in Safe Mode should prevent it. Just bare minimum required applications and services are loaded whenever you boot your computer or laptop into Safe Mode. You will need to do the following to get rid of malware in Safe mode. 1) At power on/start-up, press the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This will invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Use the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) Once you get into this mode, you should have internet access again. Now, utilize your web browser normally and go to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) Immediately after installation, do a complete scan and let the program get rid of the threats it detects.

Obtain the anti-malware program using an alternate browser

Some malware only targets certain internet browsers. If this is your situation, utilize another web browser as it might circumvent the malware. If you are not able to download the security software using Internet Explorer, this means the virus could be targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you must switch to an alternate internet browser such as Firefox or Chrome to download Safebytes Anti-malware software.

Create a portable USB antivirus for eliminating viruses

Another option is to create a portable anti-malware program on your USB stick. Follow these steps to use a thumb drive to clean your infected computer. 1) On a clean computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the pen drive on the same system. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, which has a .exe file extension. 4) Pick a USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you want to install the software. Follow activation instructions. 5) Disconnect the USB drive. Now you can use this portable anti-malware on the infected computer system. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the pen drive. 7) Click on “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for malware.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware Features

Are you looking to download the best anti-malware software for your system? There are plenty of applications in the market that comes in paid and free versions for Microsoft Windows systems. Some of them are good, some are ok types, and some will ruin your computer themselves! While looking for antimalware software, pick one which gives dependable, efficient, and total protection against all known viruses and malware. On the list of recommended software is SafeBytes AntiMalware. SafeBytes carries a really good reputation for excellent service, and customers are happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a highly effective and user-friendly protection tool that is designed for users of all levels of IT literacy. With its most advanced virus detection and repair technology, this software protects your personal computer against infections caused by various kinds of malware and similar threats, including adware, spyware, trojans horses, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, ransomware, and potentially unwanted program (PUPs). SafeBytes has outstanding features when compared to other anti-malware programs. Here are some of the features you might like in SafeBytes Anti-Malware. Real-time Protection: SafeBytes gives complete and real-time security for your personal machine. It’ll monitor your computer for suspicious activity regularly and safeguards your computer from illegal access. Most Reliable AntiMalware Protection: Built on a greatly acclaimed antivirus engine, this malware removal tool has the capacity to find and remove several obstinate malware threats like browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other typical antivirus software will miss. Safe Browsing: Safebytes assigns all sites a unique safety rating that helps you to have an idea of whether the webpage you are going to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Lightweight: SafeBytes provides total protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load due to its advanced detection engine and algorithms. Premium Support: You can get 24/7 technical assistance to quickly resolve any concern with your security application. Overall, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program since it has loads of features and can identify and remove any potential threats. Malware problems can become a thing of the past once you put this application to use. If you need advanced forms of protection features and threat detections, purchasing SafeBytes Anti-Malware could be well worth the dollars!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you don’t wish to use malware removal software and like to get rid of Movie Mode manually, you could possibly accomplish this by going to the Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and removing the offending program; in cases of browser add-ons, you can remove it by visiting the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. You may even want to reset your browser settings, and also clear your web browser cache and cookies. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and computer registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values as needed. Having said that, editing the Windows registry is often a hard task that only advanced computer users and professionals should attempt to fix it. Moreover, some malware keeps replicating which makes it difficult to get rid of. It is advisable that you carry out the removal process in Safe Mode.

Files: C:\ProgramData\MovieMode\MovieMode.exe C:\ProgramData\MovieMode\MovieModeService.exe C:\ProgramData\MovieMode\Uninstall.exe C:\Users\All Users\MovieMode\MovieMode.exe C:\Users\All Users\MovieMode\MovieModeService.exe C:\Users\All Users\MovieMode\Uninstall.exe C:\ProgramData\MovieMode C:\Users\All Users\MovieMode

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