MS Store keeps updating the same apps

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.

Error Code 48 – What is it?

Error Code 48 is a device driver error code that users can encounter on any Windows 2000 operating system and later versions.

It occurs when the connected peripheral device cannot be run as the Windows operating system’s driver required to install the programs for peripheral devices has either been corrupted or is incompatible with the system.

It prompts the user with the following message on the screen:

The software for this device has been blocked from starting because it is known to have problems with Windows. Contact the hardware vendor for a new driver. (Code 48)

Solution

Error Causes

Like most other Windows error codes, error code 48 is triggered by the following factors.

• Corrupted system registry files
• Presence of viruses in the device
• The device driver is out-of-date

If this error code is not rectified, it could give birth to other driver device errors such as error code 52.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Method 1 – Run a complete scan for malware and spyware

Identifying and removing the viruses in the system registry and in the connected devices is the easiest method to fix the corrupted registry files.

Viruses such as spyware and malware infect the registry entries and eat up the files that lead to incomplete or missing data. This creates problems for installing external devices as the driver required to install them is not complete.

Method 2 – Use System Restore

You can also use system restore to eliminate the problem. Here is how you can use it:

• Log in using an Administrator account
• Click ‘Start’ button and select All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore
• Click ‘Restore my computer to an earlier time’ and click ‘Next’
• Select the last Windows to restore point from the ‘On this list, click a restore point’ list, and click ‘Next’
• Click ‘Next’ on the confirmation window to proceed
• Restart your PC after restoration is complete

By restoring the system via the last saved system checkpoint, you can obtain undamaged Windows system registry files that can help resolve the error code.

Method 3 – Manually uninstall and reinstall the device driver

Since Error Code 48 is due to a missing or an out-of-date device driver, uninstalling and then reinstalling the device driver can help solve the error.

You can do this by firstly logging in as Administrator and opening Device Manager. Select the device that is causing the problem and double click it; make sure that the peripheral is connected properly to the PC.

Upon opening, click on the ‘Driver’ tab and then select ‘Update Driver’. Make sure to refer to the system documentation that you received with your PC or computer to check for the motherboard details and driver specifics.

Method 4 – Use software to automatically download the driver

Manually uninstalling and reinstalling the driver will do the trick; however, it may be time-consuming especially when you would have to resort to your hardware user manual. Therefore, using a program such as DriverFIX can save you a lot of time and frustration in having your device work properly on your computer. DriverFIX, with its user-friendly approach to help you fix your PC issues, comes with an integrated database that detects which drivers you need to reconfigure within just a few seconds and downloads it automatically. It further ensures that your drivers are installed in their entirety leaving no room for any incomplete files to remain that create Error Code 48. It also has the added advantage of being able to backup and restores your files should there be the slightest possibility of system file damage. DriverFIX is the answer to fixing your PC error codes accurately and quickly. Click here to download DriverFIX to fix Error Code 48 quickly and effectively!

If your Microsoft Edge browser encountered a Stop Error that says, “INVALID_POINTER_READ_c0000005 (atidxx64.dll)” in your Windows 10 computer, then this indicates that your Graphics card driver is outdated. According to security experts, Microsoft has already acknowledged the problem and stated that this issue exists with Windows 10 v1809, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server version 1809. Although there is no direct way to resolve the problem, there are still some workarounds you can try. If you are using a RadeonHD2000 or HD4000 series video card, the update will be blocked for you. Some users also claim to experience performance issues with the lock screen or the ShellExperienceHost. However, if you are using AMD, the problem is that it no longer supports Radeon HD2000 and HD4000 series graphics processing units or GPUs. Even though Microsoft is already working for a way to resolve the problem, here are some alternative solutions you can check out:

Option 1 – Update your Graphics card drivers

• 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 the Display Adapters and click on them.
• After that, right-click on each entry under the Display Adapters 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 have the option to go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA, Intel or AMD and go to the section called Drivers then check if there’s a new available update – if there is, download and install it.

Option 2 – Try removing AMD Radeon HD2000 and HD4000 drivers

Although this is not exactly a perfect solution, removing AMD drivers will make the operating system fall back to the default GPU available on your motherboard. You also have the option to completely disable the hardware.

• Tap the Win + X + M keys to open the Device Manager.
• Next, look for your Graphics card drive, and under Display Adapters, right click on them and click Uninstall device or Disable device.
• After that, restart your computer. This will disable the AMD drivers so you won’t be able to find them. It will also release the Windows 10 v1809 update on your computer and in case your operating system tries to prompt you with the “New Device found” message, simply ignore it.

Option 3 – Try to use another browser

You might want to use another browser especially when you already updated your computer and Microsoft Edge still keeps on crashing. You can use Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and other browsers as alternatives until you sort out the problem.

Option 4 – Try to remove the Graphics card physically

You might also want to try removing both AMD Radeon HD2000 and HD4000 as they are very old graphics cards. And since AMD is not going to roll out anything, at least on its own if your motherboard has an onboard GPU, it would be best to get rid of the cards. After that, install the Windows v1809 update and then put them back in. You also have the option to install the driver but just don’t use Microsoft Edge.

As you know, the Taskbar is one of the integral parts of the Windows desktop and it has been there since the release of Windows 1.0 and up until now with Windows 10. Since then, Microsoft has been modifying the Taskbar with a new design which makes it a home for new features such as Windows Search, Task View, and many more. However, there are times when you may that the Taskbar has disappeared or has stopped responding. If you experience either one of these scenarios, read on as this post will walk you through what you can do to resolve the problem. Here are some suggestions you can check out to resolve the issue with the Taskbar in Windows 10 but before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point first. To do that, follow these steps:

• In the Start search, type in “create a restore point” and click the entry “System Properties”.
• Next, select the main system drive under Protection Settings and click on the Configure button.
• After that, select the “Turn on system protection” option and then click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.

Once you’ve created a System Restore point, refer to the troubleshooting steps below to fix the Taskbar in Windows 10.

Option 1 – Try to restart the Explorer process

This may sound really basic but it actually is a proven method to fix the Taskbar issue. So if anything gets stuck on the system tray or the Taskbar, you can always fix it by restarting the explorer.exe. How? Refer to these steps:

• First, right-click on the Taskbar and select the Task Manager.
• After opening the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the process named “Windows Explorer”.
• Then right-click on that process and select the option to Restart. Afterward, you should now be seeing the Taskbar as this will reload the whole Windows Shell.

Option 2 – Unhide the Taskbar using the Settings app

It is possible that the Taskbar could be hidden so you can try to unhide it using the Settings app.

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• After that, go to Personalization > Taskbar.
• From the main section, make sure that the “Automatically hide the task in desktop mode” is toggled to the off position. However, if it’s already off then proceed to the next options below.

Option 3 – Make sure that you are not in Tablet Mode

Since Windows 10 is designed to work on both desktop and mobile devices, it could be that your computer has slipped into Tablet Mode which explains why you’re not seeing the Taskbar. To check if your computer is really in Tablet Mode, follow these steps:

• Go to the Start menu and select Settings.
• Next, select the System setting and from the left pane select the Tablet Mode.
• From there, make sure that the buttons next to the options given below are set to the off position:
  • Hide app icons on the taskbar in tablet mode
  • Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode

Option 4 – Try to check the Projection Settings

You might also want to check the Projection settings as it could be the reason why Taskbar has disappeared.

• Tap the Win + P keys to open the Windows Projection settings.
• Next, make sure that you select the “PC screen only” option and then check if your Taskbar has now appeared or not.

Error 451 - What is it?

This is a typical SMTP error code. SMTP is the abbreviation for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It is an internet standard for email transmission. In other words, SMTP is a text-based protocol in which the sender communicates with the mail receiver by issuing commands and receiving a response code. The SMTP error 451 is displayed in the following format:

‘451 Requested action aborted: local error in processing’

This error message indicates that the program cannot send more messages and the server has hit the limit. This is because some mail servers have limits. The sever stops the task of sending and receiving emails when this limit is achieved.

Solution

Error Causes

The causes of error 451 include:

• Server limit reached
• Email rejection due to a remote anti-spam filter
• Request denied by the server
• Viral infection

If you heavily rely on email communication with your business partners and colleagues, then it is advisable to immediately resolve this issue without any delays. Though this error is not fatal, you should repair it right away to avoid inconvenience. SMTP error code 451 can hamper your ability to communicate via email.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the best, easy, and effective DIY methods that you can try to repair error code 451 on your PC.

Method 1

To fix this error, simply follow these steps:

• login to Linux SSH
• Open the file /etc/localdomains
• Nano/etc/localdomains and then add the domain name that is triggering email sending error
• Now reboot your PC

This will hopefully resolve the issue. Nonetheless, if the error code still persists, then try other methods given below.

Method 2 - Configure List Settings to change the server limit.

This can be done by accessing the List Settings then Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) and then the Limit Feature. By accessing the limit feature, you can easily adjust the program to any limit of your choice. Configure the limit and save changes. Reboot PC to activate the changes made.

Method 3 - Scan and Remove Viruses.

This error code can also be triggered due to viral infection. If this is the cause, then simply download an anti-virus on your PC. Scan the entire system and remove all detected malicious programs like Trojans, malware, adware, viruses, and spyware. This will repair the error 451 on your system.

Method 4

If the error still persists, then contact your SMTP provider to check the situation and resolve it. There is a possibility the error is generated from the SMTP provider’s end.

InboxAce is a browser extension for Google Chrome developed by Mindspark and gives users easy access to the most popular email clients with just 1 click away. This extension changes your default search engine, as well as your home page to MyWay.com. Several anti-virus scanners have marked this extension as a Browser Hijacker due to its information mining nature.

While installing this extension monitors user browsing activities. It logs the website you visit, the links you click, the products you buy, basically everything that you do in a browser. This information is later used to display unwanted targeted ads that are injected into your search results.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means that a malicious code has power over and modified the settings of your internet browser, without your consent. Browser hijacker malware is designed for many different reasons. Typically, it will drive users to particular websites which are looking to increase their advertising campaign revenue. Many people believe that these kinds of sites are legitimate and harmless but that is incorrect. Almost every browser hijacker poses an actual threat to your online safety and it is vital to classify them under privacy risks. Browser hijackers can also permit other malicious programs without your knowledge to further damage the computer.

How to determine if your browser has been hijacked

Signs that an internet browser is hijacked include: the home page of your respective browser is changed unexpectedly; you observe new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, usually directed to ad-filled or pornography sites; default online search engine is modified; find new toolbars which you did not add; unstoppable flurries of popup advertisements show up on your computer screen; your browser gets slow, buggy, crashes very often; Inability to navigate to particular sites, especially anti-malware and also other security software sites.

How it infects your PC

Browser hijackers might use drive-by downloads or file-sharing websites or an e-mail attachment in order to reach a targeted computer. They also come from add-on applications, also known as browser helper objects (BHO), browser extensions, or toolbars. Other times you may have unintentionally accepted a browser hijacker as part of a software bundle (usually freeware or shareware). A good example of some notorious browser hijackers includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, DefaultTab, SweetPage, Delta Search, and RocketTab, but the names are continually changing. Browser hijackers can disrupt the user’s web surfing experience greatly, record the websites frequented by users and steal private information, cause problems in connecting to the internet, and then finally create stability problems, making applications and systems crash.

Tips on how to get rid of browser hijackers

Some types of browser hijackers can be effortlessly removed from your PC by deleting malicious software or any other recently installed freeware. But, most hijackers are extremely tenacious and need specialized applications to eliminate them. And there’s no denying the very fact that the manual repairs and removal methods could be a difficult job for a novice PC user. On top of that, there are many risks connected with tinkering around with the system registry files. Anti-malware software is very effective with regards to picking up and eliminating browser hijackers that normal anti-virus application has overlooked. SafeBytes Anti-Malware will counter persistent browser hijackers and provide you real-time computer protection against all types of malware. In addition to anti-malware, a system optimizer program, similar to Total System Care, could help you fix Windows registry errors, get rid of unwanted toolbars, secure your online privacy, and increase overall computer performance.

Find Out How To Install Safebytes Anti-Malware On An Infected PC

Malware can cause all sorts of damage once they invade your computer, starting from stealing your personal details to deleting files on your computer system. Some malware goes to great lengths to stop you from installing anything on your computer system, particularly antivirus programs. If you’re reading this, odds are you’re stuck with a malware infection that is preventing you to download or install the Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your PC. There are a few fixes you could try to get around with this particular problem.

Remove viruses in Safe Mode

If any virus is set to run automatically when Windows starts, entering Safe Mode could very well block this attempt. Just the minimum required programs and services are loaded when you start your PC into Safe Mode. The following are the steps you have to follow to boot into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (visit Microsoft website for instructions on Windows 8 and 10 computers). 1) At power-on/startup, tap the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Use the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) When you are into this mode, you should have online access once again. Now, make use of your browser normally and navigate to https://safebytes.com/products/anti-malware/ to download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 4) After installation, do a full scan and let the program eliminate the threats it finds.

Switch over to an alternate web browser

Some viruses may target vulnerabilities of a particular web browser that block the downloading process. If you’re not able to download the security software using Internet Explorer, this means malware could be targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you must switch to another browser such as Firefox or Chrome to download Safebytes software.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

Another option is to save and operate an anti-malware program completely from a Thumb drive. Adopt these measures to run the antivirus on the affected computer. 1) On a clean computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the Thumb drive into the clean computer. 3) Double click on the exe file to open the installation wizard. 4) When asked, select the location of the USB drive as the place where you would like to put the software files. Follow activation instructions. 5) Unplug the pen drive. You may now utilize this portable anti-virus on the affected computer system. 6) Double click the EXE file to open the Safebytes tool right from the pen drive. 7) Simply click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for viruses.

A Look at the Best AntiMalware Program

If you are looking to download the anti-malware program for your PC, there are various tools in the market to consider but you just cannot trust blindly anyone, irrespective of whether it is paid or free program. Some are very good ones, some are ok types, and some are just bogus anti-malware programs that could ruin your computer themselves! You should select one that is dependable, practical, and has a strong reputation for its malware source protection. When considering commercial antimalware tool options, many people select well-known brands, such as SafeBytes, and they are quite happy with it. SafeBytes is a powerful, real-time anti-malware application that is designed to assist the typical computer end user in safeguarding their computer from malicious internet threats. When you have installed this software, SafeByte's state-of-the-art protection system will make sure that no viruses or malware can seep through your personal computer.

SafeBytes anti-malware takes PC protection to a totally new level with its enhanced features. Here are some of the features you will like in SafeBytes.

World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built on a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can detect and remove numerous obstinate malware threats like browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other typical antivirus programs will miss. Active Protection: SafeBytes gives you round-the-clock protection for your computer limiting malware intrusions instantly. This software will constantly keep track of your computer for suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep abreast of the constantly changing threat landscape. Extremely Speed Scanning: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is one of the fastest and most efficient in the industry. Its targeted scanning highly increases the catch rate for malware that is embedded in various computer files. Safe Web Browsing: SafeBytes checks and gives a unique safety rating to each and every website you visit and block access to web pages known to be phishing sites, thus protecting you from identity theft, or known to contain malicious software. Light-weight: SafeBytes gives total protection from online threats at a fraction of the CPU load because of its advanced detection engine and algorithms. Premium Support: Skilled technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will promptly resolve any technical issues you might be experiencing with your security software. On the whole, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program as it has lots of features and could detect and remove any potential threats. You can rest assured that your PC will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this tool to use. You will get the very best all-around protection for the money you spend on SafeBytes anti-malware subscription, there is no doubt about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to manually get rid of InboxAce without the use of an automated tool, it may be actually possible to do so by removing the program from the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of web browser plug-ins, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. It is also highly recommended to factory reset your browser settings to their default state. If you choose to manually delete the system files and registry entries, utilize the following list to ensure that you know precisely what files to remove before executing any actions. But bear in mind, this can be a tricky task and only computer professionals could accomplish it safely. Also, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing deletion. You’re urged to do this process in Safe Mode.

In case you don’t know, there is a built-in tool in Windows 10, known as Reliability Monitor that provides a day-to-day snapshot of the health of your system. It warns users of any looming issues or disasters before your computer breaks down finally. So obviously, Reliability Monitor is useful, however, there are times when it could behave incorrectly. For instance, it might fail to show you any updates even when they are installed. Thus, if you experience any malfunctions with the Reliability Monitor tool in Windows 10, read on as this post will guide you in updating or working in Windows 10. To fix the problem with the Reliability Monitor, there are several fixes you can check out. You can try to enable the data collection for Reliability Monitor or reset it, as well as put your computer in a Clean Boot State. For more information, refer to each one of the options given below.

Option 1 – Try to enable the Data Collection for Reliability Monitor

The Reliability Monitor tool uses data provided by the RAC Agent scheduled task and it will start to display a Stability Index rating and specific event information 24 hours after the system installation. The RACAgent scheduled task, by default, runs after the operating system is installed. And if it is disabled, it must be manually enabled from the Task Scheduler snap-in for MMC or Microsoft Management Console. Thus, you need to enable the Data Collection for Reliability Monitor to fix the problem.

Option 2 – Try to reset the Reliability Monitor

The next thing you can do to fix the issue with the Reliability Monitor might want to reset it to resolve the problem. If the Reliability Monitor is already open, you have to close it and open it again. After the reset is done, it may take up to 24 hours for the Reliability Monitor to display results again. This should fix the problem.

Option 3 – Troubleshot the problem in a Clean Boot State

There are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that’s causing the Black border issue. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• From there, start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

Most Common Microsoft Outlook errors

When you have a program, you know before you even start to use it or even know how that you are going to have problems with it. There are always going to be error messages and things that don’t work on any program you buy or download; guaranteed. Even some of the most famous program developers in the world make mistakes from time to time and it is a small price to pay for the programs you get and that is a fact. Microsoft Outlook is like any other program; it has its errors. Here are some of the most common errors for Microsoft Outlook on your computer.

1. Problem receiving emails

Sometimes you can be waiting on really important emails. It is really infuriating when you know that they have been sent, however every time you check your email box, there is nothing there! Your inbox is empty and your patience is wearing thin, so could it possibly be an error with Microsoft Outlook? There is a high probability that this is the problem. The program can be a bit slow on receiving emails sometimes, often even by days. This can be caused by any number of things, from having too many emails coming through or having too many emails in your inbox. If you click ‘send and receive’ at the top, it should speed up your emails coming through, however, so give that a try if you’re waiting on anything to come through. If this doesn’t work, however, your inbox may be full. Try permanently deleting some useless messages and then click ‘send and receive’ again. All your emails should come through then!

2. General slow performance

Outlook, while it has its advantages, can often be very slow. It is probably slower than some other email programs that require a browser but it is quicker to access, which may make up for this fact. However, sometimes sluggish performance can be really irritating, so it may be wise to try and fix it if you can. One of the reasons it may be acting slow is if you have too many other Windows applications open. Applications that may interfere with your Outlook’s speed could be anything from Microsoft Word to Windows Live Messenger. If any of these are open, try closing them and see if that helps with the speed problem.

3. Corrupt files

.dbx files are not accessible by Microsoft Outlook. Therefore, they can cause problems with your emails if you have them within them. To solve this problem, you may have to delete all of your attached email accounts and then reattach them before you can open your emails again. These corrupt files can also cause you to be unable to delete emails. You will need to transfer these deleted corrupt files into a separate deletion folder as this is usually caused by the folder being corrupt. Of all the other most frequent problems with Microsoft Outlook, however, this is probably the least likely to happen, which shows how few problems there actually are with this application after all that!

Conclusion

So there are the most common problems with Microsoft Outlook! Not much wrong at all, is there?

Could not connect to the System Event explanation: Although logging into a Windows 10 computer may seem like a simple process, it’s actually not since the Windows operating system has built a mechanism in a way that any third party or malware intervention would not compromise access to the system. This mechanism is supported by numerous services, functions, and DLL files. And Microsoft has been taking this security to a whole new level with the introduction of Windows Hello. Recently, a number of users reported getting the “Windows could not connect to the System Event Notification Service service. Please consult your system administrator” error when logging into their computers. While some users also reported that although they can log in, they encounter the same error message from the Notification area. There are several options you can check out to resolve the error. You have to check the status of several Windows Services and make sure that they are running. You also have to reset Winsock as well as run the System File Checker scan.

Option 1 – Check for certain Windows Services

• First, you need to tap the Win + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and click OK or tap Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• After that, you will see a list of services and from there, look for the following Windows Services:
  • DHCP Client
  • System Event Notification Service
  • Windows Font Cache Service
• Now make sure that the Startup Type of each service is started and running.

Option 2 – Try resetting the Winsock drivers

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results, and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt, execute this command: netsh winsock reset

Note: If you are using IPv4, execute the “netsh int ipv4 reset” instead. On the other hand, if you are using IPv6, execute the “netsh int ipv6 reset”

• Now exit Command Prompt and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 3 – Try running System File Checker or SFC scan

You could also run System File Checker or SFC scan to fix the BSOD error. It 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

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.

The store is not downloading Apps: As you know, the Windows Store is one of the places where you can download Windows apps. However, there are times when you might not be able to do so for some reason. For instance, if you search for an app and click on the get it now button, instead of downloading the app, nothing happens and there are also cases when the download will start but the page will refresh after half a second. When this issue happens, you won’t be seeing any error message or warning at all. So you’ll just have to look at the download get started where the page will refresh and you’ll be back at the Get button. This issue in the Windows 10 Store only happens for a few apps so even though you are able to download some apps, you might be able to do on other ones. Note that the apps affected are random and there is no specific set of apps that cause this issue while downloading and that this problem will repeat again each time you click on the Get it now button. This issue is definitely caused by Windows itself and has something to do with a bug in the Windows store which was brought by the latest Windows Update. It’s already a known issue among other Windows 10 users who are also suffering the same dilemma. So until Microsoft releases another update to fix this bug, you will have no choice but to deal with it in the meantime. On the other hand, you can also try a couple of suggestions laid out in this post. Follow the steps in every option given below to fix the issue with the Windows 10 Store.

Option 1 – Try signing out from the Microsoft Store

A lot of Windows 10 users were able to resolve the problem by simply signing out and signing back into the Microsoft Store. How? Follow these steps:

• Go to the Microsoft Store.
• Next, go to the Get page of the app you were trying to download.
• And then click on your account picture located in the top right corner of the window and select your account.
• Sign out from your account and after that, click the Get button to download the app.
• After that, a new window will appear where you’ll have to select your account and click on Continue.
• Now enter your credentials. Once you do, the app should be downloaded automatically after you’re signed in. And that’s about it.

Note: Keep in mind that this option is merely a temporary solution to the problem and once you close the Microsoft Store and open it back again, you will be back to square one.

Option 2 – Wait for the Windows Update

As mentioned, this is already a known issue and a lot of Windows 10 users have already complained about it to Microsoft so a bug fix will be soon released in the latest Windows Updates.