HDMI Port not working properly in a Windows PC

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

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

Technical Details of CCleaner Malware Injection

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

Restore Your PC (If Possible)

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

Update CCleaner to the Latest Version

While CCleaner has told users to update to the latest version of the program. Prior to doing so, we recommend fully uninstall CCleaner, ensuring you check its program files folders and registry keys, manually deleting any remnants, and then re-downloading the latest version from the official site and reinstalling clean.

Hello and welcome everyone, today we will be talking about dreaded keyloggers, why they are dangerous, and how to know if you might have one in your system. Keylogger is a malicious application placed in your system and hidden with only one goal in mind, to get information about what are you typing and by that means for a person who infected you to get information about your credit card information or other sensitive data. They can be introduced into your systems in various ways and often can not be detected easily. Modern antivirus applications have ways of detecting them and removing but this tutorial aims to teach you how to spot them all by yourself since new keyloggers are produced daily and sometimes relying on antivirus alone is not enough. Unlike viruses and trojans, keyloggers are not heavy on system resources and you will not feel slow down on your computer if you have one which makes them harder to sport with regular work. Some of them can be even tracking you on the website and not even be physically present on your computer. Generally, we could categorize keylogger into 4 categories:

1. Web browser-based keylogger. Some websites would have CSS scripts, input web forms, or so-called man in the middle keylogger. Lucky for us even Windows defenders with the latest update can detect this type of keylogger and successfully deal with it and how keylogger itself is not present on our system we are safe.
2. General spyware keylogger. This keylogger is present in your system, usually, it infected it via email attachment, social media download, torrent download, some malicious so-called fixer application, etc. Most antivirus applications and windows defenders can detect these types as well and remove them successfully.
3. Kernel-level keylogger. This keylogger is a more dangerous type they tend to operate underneath Windows as a rootkit and can go undetected by antivirus and windows defenders.
4. Hypervisor-based keylogger. This is the most dangerous keylogger, they use virtualization techniques to hide and mask themselves as a replica of the operating system and they scan all keystrokes by the user. These are very rare keyloggers but they do exist.

If you suspect that you have a keylogger or just want to check your system for precaution reasons follow these tips and guides and luckily you will solve your issue in no time and your data will be safe.

1. Use Task Manager to find suspicious entries.

   Task manager is a great application implemented in Windows that is constantly monitoring and showing all services, applications, and processes currently running on your system and thus a great tool to monitor your system if you know how to use it. First, open task manager by pressing CTRL + SHIFT + ESC Then take a good look into it, try to find suspicious names, probably duplicate of running application, something like Windows logon application, or keylog or anything similar which seems out of ordinary. If you manage to find a suspicious running application right-click on it and close it. Also while you are in task manager jump into the startup tab and check to see are there some unusual applications starting with your Windows, if you find anything, disable it right away. This is the most simple and quickest way to get some information right away if you suspect to have some simpler keylogger in your system.

2. Use the command prompt to monitor your network.

   In order to check connections to your computer and find potential suspicious ones start the command prompt in administrator mode, press ⊞ Win + X, and choose command prompt (administrator). type in netstat -b and press ENTER. All website and application connections to your computer are now visible. ignore svchost, edge browser, windows store, etc ad check the IP of the remaining ones using the internet.

3. Use keystroke encryption.

   Install encrypting software and even if you have a keylogger, the application will encrypt each stroke and all that attacker will get is gibberish

Please remember to always download files from trusted sources, do not open unknown emails, and do not share your information publicly. Take common protection steps in order to protect yourself in the digital world.

Microsoft Edge may be about to win a lot of fans by introducing a new feature that it says could prevent one of the most annoying things about being online. A new update to the browser suggests it is looking at a way to block auto-playing videos by default when a user navigates to a website. People spotted a new entry to the Microsoft Edge Canary browser where the company tries out its in-progress updates, that suggests auto-playing videos may have had their day at last. The new addition, for Mac, Windows, and Linux systems, is called “Autoplay Limit Default Setting”, with the description suggesting that Microsoft Edge would set the media autoplay setting to "Limit" as a default - stopping videos from starting up when a user lands on a website. Currently, Edge offers two options for users to control media autoplay - "Allow" (the current default setting), where all videos on a website will play automatically with sound, and "Limit", where media won’t be autoplayed on sites that a user has previously visited. It appears that Microsoft is looking to test the feature in Canary before rolling it out to a wider user base - as blocking autoplaying videos can cause issues for some websites. The same Canary entry also hints at a future "Block" option, which would presumably stop any videos or media from playing when a user lands on a website. However, this feature, which is also listed as being available for Mac, Windows, and Linux systems, doesn't appear to be enabled as yet. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

If your internet suddenly stops working on your Windows 10 computer and you get an error message saying, “Windows is still setting up the class configuration for this device (Code 56)”, then read on as this post will show you what you can do to resolve it. This kind of issue has something to do with the Network Adapter and you can see this error message in the Properties menu of the corresponding Network Adapter under the Device Manager. This kind of issue could be caused by many things. For one, it could be caused by your VPN connection if you are using one or it could also be due to an outdated driver. Whatever the cause may be, here are some suggestions you have to check out to fix the error.

Option 1 – Check your VPN

When you install a virtual machine or VPN software on your computer, a new setup will be added in the Network Connection settings and helps your computer in using that adapter setting each time the VPN is turned on. Assuming that you are using an Ethernet connection but your system is trying to use another adapter or settings, that’s when issues occur and one of them is the “Windows is still setting up the class configuration for this device” error. To fix it, you can try to disable your VPN temporarily and see if the error is resolved or not and if turns out that your VPN is the culprit, you have to uninstall it and install a new one or its latest version. To uninstall it, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box
• Then type “appwiz.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to open the Programs and Features in Control Panel.
• From there, look for the VPN service you are using, select it and then click on Uninstall to remove it.
• After that, restart your computer and try to install the latest version of the program again. It should work now. If not, proceed to the next available option below.

Option 2 – Try to update or rollback or uninstall the Network Adapter drivers

You might also want to update, roll back or disable your Network drivers to fix the “This operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for this operation” error.

• 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 depending on your preference, you can either select “Update driver”, “Disable device” or “Uninstall device”.
• After that, restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the netio.sys Blue Screen error.

Option 3 – Try to run the Network Adapter troubleshooter

To run the Network Troubleshooter, refer to these steps:

• Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
• Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
• Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
• After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.
• Restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try to reset the Network

You might perform a Network Reset to resolve the problem if none of the three given options above worked. This will reset the entire network configuration including your IP address. To perform Network Reset, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• From there, go to the Network and Internet section.
• Next, scroll down and look for “Network Reset” under the status pane.
• After that, click on Network Reset and then on Reset now to start resetting the network configuration. Once done, check if it is able to fix the error or not.

Same as in Windows 10, Windows 11 also features a lock screen. IN this lock screen by default, you will see a clock and date above the standard Windows 11 background. Not all users will be happy with this choice but do not worry, you can choose and customize your lock screen to better suit your idea of it.

To personalize the lock screen do:

1. Right-click on Desktop and select Personalize
2. Click on the lock screen
3. Choose one of three options and customize it

   • Personalize Your Lock Screen

     this option will let you set a custom image or slideshow for your lock screen. Choose either one that best suits you. Under selecting picture or pictures for the slide show you can uncheck the option to see tips, tricks, and facts on your lock screen.

   • Lock screen status

     when clicking on this option you can select the application widget that you wish to be shown on the lock screen like weather, mail, calendar, etc. Choose if you would like one by clicking on it.

   • Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen

     as self-explanatory this switch will enable or disable chosen lock screen wallpaper on your login credentials screen.
4. Close settings

All settings will be automatically saved and applied and when you wish to lock the screen easiest way is to press ⊞ WINDOWS + L shortcut on your keyboard.

If you are trying to install a Windows 10 upgrade but was interrupted with an error saying, “0x80070003 – 0x2000D, The installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during MIGRATE_DATA operation”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will help you sort this problem out. When you get this kind of error while trying to upgrade your computer, although there could be various reasons for this, the primary one is that when you upgrade from one update to another, something stopped the upgrade process to migrate the user data. To fix this error, you can try to run both the DISM tool and the System File Checker to automatically repair any corrupted system files. You could also try checking the free storage space of your primary drive and if you have any file lock apps like BitLocker, consider disabling them for they could also be the reason why you’re getting the error.

Option 1 – Run the DISM tool

Running the DISM Tool helps in repairing the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in Windows 10 which might be the reason behind the Windows Upgrade error 0x80070003 – 0x2000D. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.

• Open the Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in this command: 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 then check if the issue is resolved or not on the next startup.

Option 2 – Run the SFC scan

The SFC or System File Checker scan could detect and automatically repair damaged system files that could be causing the Windows Upgrade error to appear. SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

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

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

• Reboot your PC.

Option 3 – Try checking the free storage space on your primary drive

The next option you can try to resolve the error is to see if you have enough free storage space on the primary drive because if you don’t then it’s probably the reason why you’re getting this error. To fix it, you need to free up some storage space by following these steps:

• 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.
• Now make sure that the Storage Sense feature is turned On then go 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

Note: Once you’re done freeing up space on your drive, try to run the setup file again.

Option 4 – Try disabling BitLocker and other file lock apps

If you are using BitLocker or other file lock apps, then it could be the reason why you’re getting the error. Usually, file lock apps don’t cause any kind of issue, however, if you have something that works on file level like BitLocker, you can try to disable it. Once you’ve disabled it, try to install the Windows 10 Upgrade again and after you do, enable BitLocker again. This should fix the problem.

Many Linux users if not all of them can run their distros from a USB drive but did you know you can run Windows 10 from a USB drive as well? Microsoft has introduced all the way back to Windows 8 one feature called Windows To Go and it kept it in Windows 8.1 and in Windows 10 as well. This feature is intended as a convenient way for workers to carry their corporate environments with them, but having your own copy of Windows on a thumb drive could be handy for backup purposes, too, or if you frequently use public machines that lack your preferences/applications or that have a restricted OS.

What you will need?

In order to actually make Windows 10 run from a USB drive you will need the following things:

1. USB drive with a minimum size of 20GB
2. Working computer with Windows 10 running on it
3. Rufus or another ISO to UBS tool, get Rufus here: https://rufus.ie/en_US/
4. Windows 10 ISO file

Making Windows 10 UBS drive

Install Rufus on your Windows 10 and run it. Stick USB in PC and open Rufus. On the screen that follows choose your Windows 10 ISO image and under Image options choose Windows To Go. Click on ready and you are finished, that’s it. After Rufus finishes you have now fully working Windows 10 bootable drive which you can use on another PC for whatever reason.

Error Code 80240020 – What is it?

Users who receive Error Code 80240020 when attempting to install and/or upgrade to Microsoft Windows 10, are receiving the error because the Windows 10 installation folder is either corrupted or unfinished. As a result of this error code, your download and the subsequent update will not process correctly. Users who receive this code do not have to do anything specific, as it might mean that they are attempting to update before their system is ready. These users can simply wait for their computer to prompt them for the update, and then follow the on-screen instructions for the update. However, if a user is seriously wanting to update to Microsoft Windows 10 prior to the prompt, there are ways around error code 80240020. Common symptoms include:

• A dialog box appears with the Error Code 80240020
• Microsoft Windows 10 upgrade is unsuccessful or freezes in the process of updating and displays the error code message.

Solution

Error Causes

This error is only caused by one type of issue, and that is unfinished or corrupted files being present in the Windows 10 installation folder.

• Files that are unfinished in the Windows 10 installation folder are a result of the download not processing correctly, therefore the update is not successful because your computer does not have the files that it needs.
• Files that are corrupted in the Windows 10 installation folder are a result of either a faulty download or preexisting corrupted files that need to be purged.

Until your system is ready to download the new Microsoft Windows 10 upgrade, you will be unable to install the upgrade. As stated, you have the option of waiting for your system to prompt you to download (which means that your system has made the necessary changes to its own files and is ready for the upgrade), or you can use the following steps to correct the issue yourself.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Users and Microsoft Tech Support personnel have discovered three methods to correct error code 80240020. Each of these methods should be attempted by someone who is comfortable with computer software and programs. Anyone who is not comfortable with software should either contact Microsoft Support or wait for their computer to prompt them for the Microsoft Windows 10 upgrade.

Method 1:

1. Back up the Registry of your operating system.
2. Find the Registry Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionWindowsUpdateOSUpgrade]
3. Note: this Registry Key should already exist, if it does not exist, create it.
4. Create a brand new DWORD Value that is named AllowOsUpdate
5. Set the Value to 0x00000001.
6. Close and reopen your Control Panel.
7. Restart the Microsoft Windows 10 upgrade.

Method 2:

1. Download the Microsoft Windows 10 ISO (installation device) from the following website: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
2. Users must select the appropriate ISO, either 32 bit or 64 bit, depending upon their individual computer.
3. Extract the ISO file to a separate USB device or burn the program to a compact disc.
4. Run the Microsoft Windows 10 upgrade directly from the software that you have thus created.

Method 3:

1. Access the files on your computer via MY COMPUTER
2. Under the C: drive, access the WINDOWS folder
3. Select the SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION folder, followed by the DOWNLOAD folder.
4. Delete any files within this download folder.
5. If you are unable to delete these files, open the command prompt (CMD) as the administrator, and type “net stop wuauserv” into the CMD prompt window. Press ENTER. This should allow you to delete the files from step 4.
6. Once the files are deleted, open and run the CMD as the administrator and type “wuauclt.exe /updatenow”. Press ENTER.
7. Access the WINDOWS UPDATE folder from your control panel, the update and download should resume without further interference from the user.

As with any other error codes, if the above methods do not rectify the issue, it may be necessary to download and install a powerful automated tool to rectify error code 80240020.

Error code 0x800ccc0f - What is it?

Error code 0x800ccc0f is an error that occurs when users attempt to send/receive emails in Outlook or Outlook Express. Though information regarding the error is limited and sometimes difficult to decipher to those unfamiliar with error code issues, the following are possible symptoms users can expect when this error occurs:

• Unexpected termination of the connection
• Inability to access email messages sent to one’s account
• Inability to send email messages

Solution

Error Causes

Errors in Outlook or Outlook Express may occur due to a multiplicity of reasons. It may be due to a problem with your network connection or the server. You may also encounter this problem after an extended period of inactivity.

Since the error could be due to one of many issues, several solutions are recommended. However, note that these suggestions require you to make changes that come with various risks. Be sure to implement these instructions correctly to avoid causing more problems to occur.

If you are not confident that you will be able to successfully implement the solutions below, get help from a certified Windows technician or IT professional.

Further Information and Manual Repair

As with other error codes, manual procedures are available which users can take to correct the problem. To implement manual repair, follow the methods suggested below:

Method one: Troubleshoot your Internet Connection

Since error code 0x800ccc0f may manifest itself due to an issue with your network, you can seek to rectify the problem by first checking your connection. To do this, open an Internet browser. Type a valid web address in the address bar and click Enter.

If you are unable to access the website, you may then seek to fix the Internet connectivity issue by using Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services. These free tools are available for download on Microsoft’s website.

Not only can these tools fix your Windows Firewall – if this is the cause of your connectivity issues. These automated troubleshooting tools can also resolve other issues related to your Internet browser or network.

However, if after downloading and running these tools error code 0x800ccc0f still persists in Outlook or Outlook Express, implement the solution below.

Method two: Verify your Network Connection

Verifying your network connection is another way you can resolve your Outlook issues, i.e. once the issue is in fact a network-based problem.

To verify your network connection, make sure your computer’s network devices are turned on and fully functioning. Also ensure that the cables that connect your computer to a network are secure. You may also contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to verify your connection.

If there is no issue with your network and error code 0x800ccc0f persists, you will need to implement method three.

Method three: Check your Firewall or Router Settings

Problems with sending or receiving email messages based on the 0x800ccc0f error code could also be due to configuration issues for individuals who connect using a router. If this is a misconfiguration issue, you may be able to resolve the problem by bypassing the router and connecting through your modem.

Before doing this, however, be sure to check if your firewall is turned on as connecting directly can leave your machine vulnerable. Prevent attacks by checking your Windows Firewall setting. After making adjustments where necessary to ensure the firewall is turned on, test your connectivity to ensure you can access a connection. Also, check Outlook to see whether the error message has been resolved. If the error persists, consider the next solution.

Method four: Disable Third-party Security Apps

Third-party apps like anti-virus software can sometimes cause interference, leading to errors. For this reason, check if the antivirus on your device is the source of the issue. Start by disabling the antivirus software. You may also turn off the software’s email scanning feature to verify whether or not that is the cause of the error.

Note that disabling your antivirus is only a temporary solution as it is not recommended that you use your computer without such protection in place. Consider replacing your antivirus or uninstalling and reinstalling for a permanent fix if indeed your issue with error code 0x800ccc0f was caused by interference from third-party apps.

Method five: Automated Tool

Also, consider downloading a powerful automated tool to protect your machine from possible errors in the future.

If we are to believe news from Intel, new series of processors based on Alder Lake architecture are about to be released somewhere in October. Alder Lake is the 12^th Generation Core of Intel processors and it is meant to have all advantages of the current CPU structure. I9 is aimed to pack a punch against its competitors with technology including eight high-performance Golden Cove cores (P-cores) with Hyper-Threading and eight energy-efficient Goldmont (E-cores) equipped with a 30MB L3 cache and operating at high clock speeds. During the benchmark test, the new CPU outperformed all of Intel’s previous Rocket Lake structure processors which is logically expected but the big surprise came from results that indicate better performance than Apple’s new M1 processor even in single-threaded performance which is supposed to be best in that field. Another surprise was really beating AMD Ryzen 9 in each field. If we take into account that i9 has 16 cores in total and can process 24 threads against Ryzen 9 with 16 Cores and 32 threads this is an impressive feature. Now truth to be told Alder lake has massive L3 cache and microarchitectural advantages and consumes much more power but the results of performance are high. Also, note that this early CPU is not really a mass production one and maybe some things will still change but early results are very satisfactory. We will see what will price tag be since in this age of shortage and competition that will also play a big role in its overall success. Speaking of competition I eagerly await AMD’s response to this, in any way it seems that the CPU market is for some turbulence which is always a good thing for the final customer and I welcome it.