Shift Key is not working in Windows

Error Code 0xc004f034 – What is it?

Error code 0xc004f034 occurs when Windows users are unable to activate their operating system. It affects Windows 8 and Windows 10 users and features common symptoms which include the following:

• Inability to activate Windows
• Message box with error code 0xc004f034

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 0xc004f034 often occurs due to an issue with the Windows product key. This may occur when users enter an invalid product key or use one that is appropriate for use on a different version of Windows. To correct the issue, users will need to use the correct product key for their system or contact an IT professional if their device is connected to a Key Management Service (KMS).  Windows users affected by this error code may also need to check their system for viruses or missing system files since these issues can result in error codes on Windows devices.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Manual repair methods enable users to fix problems related to error codes. Though some manual repair methods require the use of Command Prompt and utility tools like the System File Checker, even non-technical Windows users can find success simply by following the instructions provided below.

However, note that some issues can be complex, thus requiring the use of an automated tool or help from a Windows repair technician. Consider these options if the manual repair methods below do not resolve error code 0xc004f034 on your Windows 8 device.

Method One: Enter Valid Windows Product Key

Microsoft currently offers several ways for customers to activate their Windows operating system, the most common of which is the product key. This 25-character code verifies that users have access to an authorized version of Windows.

You may get a valid product key from an authorized dealer, a new PC with Windows, or access a digital copy from a Windows website when you purchase your Windows operating system online. Once you have a valid product key, use it to activate Windows and resolve error code 0xc004f034 in Windows 8. Follow the steps below to access the Product Activation Wizard.

• Step one: Click or tab Start button then select Settings
• Step two: Tap or click PC Settings, then select Activate Windows
• Step three: Type invalid product key

Once a valid product key is used, the Product Activation Wizard should complete the activation process. If you are unable to complete the process, however, and error code 0xc004f034 remains unresolved, click the link or instructions the Product Activation Wizard provides regarding activation via phone or customer support.

Method Two: Run System File Checker

Another option available to Windows 8 users is System File Checker (SFC). This tool enables Windows users to scan and repair corrupted or missing system files. Follow the steps below to access SFC.

• Step one: Go to Start and type Command Prompt or CMD.
• Step two: Run as Administrator
• Step three: Type sfc /scannow ensuring a space is between “sfc” and “/scannow”.

System File Checker will repair any corruptions found on system files within your machine once you successfully follow the instructions provided. The tool will also replace missing files which will lead to better performance on your PC.

When the process is complete, restart your device then check if you are able to activate Windows. If error code 0xc004f034 is still present, you will need to find another solution via repair method three.

Method Three: Scan for Viruses and other Malware

Viruses and other forms of malware are one of the main issues resulting in poor PC performance and Windows error codes. To fix this issue on your PC, scan your machine for signs of these malicious programs. If you do not have anti-malware software and would like to download one from the Internet, ensure the software you choose is effective before attempting to download it.

Once you have powerful antimalware software on your PC, begin a scan for viruses, Trojan horses, and other forms of malware. If the Windows error code occurred due to issues related to malicious programs, you will be able to resolve the issue. If, however, this manual repair method proves ineffective in resolving error code 0xc004f034, download a powerful automated tool or contact a Windows repair technician to assist you.

Method Four: Use an Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 8 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

Recently, a lot of users reported having an issue with Windows Update. According to these users, they got an error message saying, “Windows Update components must be repaired” after they run the Windows Update troubleshooter. So if you are also facing this issue then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing this problem. There are various suggestions you can check out to fix this problem – you can try running the Windows Update troubleshooter again but this time, in a Clean Boot State or you could also run System File Checker or the DISM tool to repair corrupted Windows Update files or reset the Windows Update components. For more information, refer to the given options below.

Option 1 – Run the Windows Update troubleshooter in a Clean Boot State

Repairing the “Windows Update components must be repaired” error is not that complicated. One of the things you can try is to run the Windows Update troubleshooter again but this time, in a Clean Boot State. Refer to the steps below to get started.

• 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.)
• Now try to run the Windows Update troubleshooter again and see if the error is fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try to run System File Checker

If the Windows Update troubleshooter still failed to fix the problem, you can run System File Checker instead. 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.

Option 3 – 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. 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.

Note: If it happens that the Windows Update client is broken, you need to run the following command to repair it then restart your PC and click on Update once again.

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccess

Option 4 – Delete the contents in the Software Distribution folder and Catroot2 folder

You can also delete the contents in both the Software Distribution and Catroot2 folders as it could potentially fix the “Windows Update components must be repaired” error.

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

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

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

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

• Type each one of the following commands.

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

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer, and then try to run Windows Update once more.

EverydayLookup is a browser extension for Google Chrome developed by Mindspark Inc. This extension allows users to find what mobile network a certain number belongs to, to find out an area code of a country/town, or locate a town by zip code. While these features look promising and interesting, this extension comes with a downside.

When installed, this extension will change your default search engine, the home page, and new tab to search from MyWay.com, it will monitor user browsing activity, log searches, visited links, opened websites, and other information. This information is forwarded to Mindspark ad servers, then later sold/used to better target ads.

While browsing the internet with this extension you will see additional injected ads and sponsored content throughout your browsing sessions (even if the ads do not match your search queries). It can inject banners to websites, and sometimes even put an ad above website content making it extremely annoying to deal with.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means that a malicious code has taken power over and modified the settings of your web browser, without your permission. Browser hijackers are capable of doing many different things on your computer. Typically, browser hijacking is used for earning ad revenue that comes from forced advert mouse clicks and site visits. Even though it might seem naive, all browser hijackers are damaging and thus always classified as security threats. Browser hijackers can also permit other destructive programs without your knowledge to further damage the computer. How one can determine if your browser is hijacked Signs that a browser is a hi-jacked include: 1. your home page is reset to some unknown webpage 2. new bookmarks pointing to pornographic websites have been added to your favorite pages 3. the essential web browser settings are modified and unwanted or unsafe resources are added to the trusted sites list 4. find new toolbars that you simply did not add 5. you find lots of pop-ups on your screen 6. your web browser starts running slowly or presents frequent errors 7. Inability to navigate to certain websites, particularly antivirus and other security software webpages.

Exactly how browser hijacker finds its way to your computer

Browser hijackers can get into a computer in some way or other, for instance via file sharing, downloads, and e-mail too. Many web browser hijackings come from add-on programs, i.e., browser helper objects (BHO), toolbars, or extensions added to browsers to give them additional features. Sometimes you may have mistakenly accepted a browser hijacker as part of a software bundle (generally freeware or shareware). A good example of some well-known browser hijackers includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, DefaultTab, SweetPage, Delta Search, and RocketTab, but the names are continually changing. Browser hijackers can record user keystrokes to gather potentially invaluable information leading to privacy concerns, cause instability on computers, severely disrupt user’s browsing experience, and eventually slow down the computer to a stage where it becomes unusable.

How to get rid of a browser hijacker

Certain browser hijacking could be simply stopped by discovering and removing the corresponding malware application through your control panel. Many times, it could be a tough job to find and delete the malicious program because the associated file will be running as part of the operating system process. Moreover, manual removal requires you to perform many time-consuming and tricky procedures that are very hard to conduct for new computer users. Industry experts always suggest users eliminate any malware including browser hijacker by using an automatic removal tool, which is easier, safer, and faster than the manual removal solution. If you’d like to eliminate persistent hijackers effectively, install the award-winning anti-malware software Safebytes Anti-Malware. And employ a system optimizer, such as Total System Care, to erase all related files from the registry and fix browser issues.

Can't Install Safebytes Anti-malware because of a Virus? Try This!

Practically all malware is inherently harmful, but certain types of malware do a lot more damage to your computer than others. Some malware types modify browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the computer’s DNS configuration settings. In such cases, you will be unable to visit some or all sites, and thus unable to download or install the required security software to remove the infection. So what to do if malicious software prevents you from downloading or installing Anti-Malware? There are some fixes you could try to get around with this problem.

Install in Safe Mode with Networking

In the event the malware is set to load at Windows startup, then booting in safe mode should avoid it. Since only the bare minimum applications and services launch in “Safe Mode”, there are rarely any reasons for issues to take place. To start your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, do as instructed below. 1) At power on, press the F8 key while the Windows splash screen starts to load. This will conjure up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and hit Enter. 3) Once you get into this mode, you should have an internet connection once again. Now, utilize your browser to download and install Safebytes Anti-malware. 4) After installation, run a full scan and let the program delete the threats it discovers.

Obtain the security software using an alternate browser

Malicious program code may exploit vulnerabilities on a specific browser and block access to all anti-malware software sites. In the event you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a computer virus or otherwise compromised by online hackers, the ideal approach would be to switch to a different internet browser like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Apple Safari to download your chosen security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install and run anti-virus from your Thumb drive

Another way is to download and transfer anti-malware software from a clean PC to run a scan on the affected computer. Abide by these steps to run the anti-malware on the infected computer. 1) On a clean computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the USB drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the executable file to open the installation wizard. 4) Pick the USB drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you want to install the application. Follow the directions to complete the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the pen drive to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the EXE file to open the Safebytes software right from the pen drive. 7) Hit the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

A Look at the Best AntiMalware Program

Today an anti-malware tool can protect your computer or laptop from different types of internet threats. But how to choose the right one amongst various malware protection application that’s available on the market? Perhaps you might be aware, there are numerous anti-malware companies and tools for you to consider. A few are well worth your money, but most aren’t. You need to be careful not to select the wrong application, particularly if you purchase a premium program. One of the highly recommended tools by industry leaders is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, the most dependable program for Windows computers. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trustworthy tool that not only secures your computer permanently but is also quite easy to use for people of all ability levels. This program can easily identify, remove, and protect your personal computer from the latest malware attacks such as spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, PUPs, worms, parasites along other potentially harmful software programs.

SafeBytes has excellent features when compared to various other anti-malware programs. Listed here are some of the great ones:

Anti-Malware Protection: Using its advanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware elimination tool can detect and eliminate the malware threats hiding in your computer system effectively. Active Protection: SafeBytes provides round-the-clock protection for your computer limiting malware attacks instantly. This software will constantly keep track of your computer for suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep current with the latest threats. Web Protection: Through its unique safety rating, SafeBytes alerts you whether a website is safe or not to access it. This will assure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the internet. High-Speed Malware Scanning Engine: SafeBytes’s high-speed malware scanning engine lessens scan times and extends battery life. At the same time, it’ll effectively find and eradicate infected computer files or any internet threat. Low Memory/CPU Usage: SafeBytes is renowned for its minimal influence on computer resources and great detection rate of diverse threats. It runs quietly and efficiently in the background so you’re free to use your computer or laptop at full power all of the time. Premium Support: For any technical inquiries or product guidance, you can obtain 24/7 professional assistance via chat and e-mail. To conclude, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is really great for securing your computer against all sorts of malware threats. Malware trouble will become a thing of the past once you put this software program to use. If you’re looking for the very best malware removal application out there, and when you don’t mind shelling out some dollars for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to manually get rid of EverydayLookup without using an automated tool, it might be possible to do so by removing the application from the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser plug-ins, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and uninstalling it. You will likely also want to reset your internet browser. To be certain of complete removal, find the following registry entries on your computer and delete them or reset the values appropriately. However, this is a complicated task and only computer experts can perform it safely. Furthermore, certain malware is capable of replicating or preventing removal. It is recommended that you carry out the removal procedure in Windows Safe Mode.

Thorconnwndclass error is an Outlook error that has recently reared its head. Known to create several problems in the proper functioning of the Outlook application, this error is essentially a constituent of the Norton Antivirus Crash Guard Symantec component. That’s why those using the Norton Antivirus program are most likely to encounter this error.

Solution

Error Causes

When the Thorconnwndclass error occurs, the Outlook closes unexpectedly, users encounter problems while sending or receiving emails and, performance of Outlook is degraded and this happens because issues arise while accessing the PST file. Because of this damaged PST file, stored data is unavailable for access. Other factors that trigger the Thorconnwndclass error are listed below.

• Corrupt or damaged Outlook Add-ins
• Corrupt or damaged Outlook bar
• Unfinished Outlook installation
• Faulty settings
• Thorconnwndclass Norton is being used with Outlook

Regardless of the underlying factors that lead up to the occurrence of this error, it's of paramount importance that workarounds are implemented to ensure desired performance of Outlook in the long run.

Further Information and Manual Repair

While there are several ways to rectify this error, some of the most common ones are listed below as follows.

• The most effective solution is the PST file repair tools available online. These tools use a complex algorithm and thoroughly scan the PST file and repair it as needed. This resolves the Thorconnwndclass error that one encounters in Outlook. Usually such software have an easy to use interface and can easily be used, without the need for the user to have a strong technical background. Another advantage of using these software available online is that they not only repair the file, but they often play a pivotal role in retrieving inaccessible or lost data.

Some other tips for manually resolving this problem are listed below as follows.

• First and foremost, disable your Norton Antivirus program if it’s installed on your system. Now, open the Outlook application in Safe Mode. Since this problem may also be triggered by damaged or corrupt Outlook add-ins, it is strongly advised that you disable or uninstall them. Now, you will come across some .dat files. Rename them by changing the existing .dat files to new .dat.
• Another useful approach is to employ the Inbox Repair tool offered by Outlook.
• Finally, one can also use the scanpst.exe file to fix any problem or error that resides within the  Outlook application.

If you encounter an error while trying to burn files to a CD or disk on your Windows 10 computer, stating, “Windows Media Player cannot burn some of the files”, read on as this post will guide you in fixing the error. Here’s the complete error message:

“Windows Media Player cannot burn some of the files. To investigate the problem, click the icon next to the files in the burn list.”

As you know, the Windows Media Player helps you burn songs or audio files to CD or disk but it does not always end up successfully as you could encounter some setbacks such as this particular error. Usually, this kind of issue occurs if an audio file does not comply with some restrictions so the Windows Media Player pops up this error instead. You can encounter this error message if:

• You include a file that’s not an audio file.
• If the total time limit exceeds 80 minutes (even though a CD has 700 MB storage capacity, you can’t burn audio of more than 80 minutes long)

To resolve the error, you have to remove the unsupported files from the burning list, change the burning speed or execute some tweaks in the Privacy settings. For more details, refer to the instructions provided below.

Option 1 – Get rid of the unsupported files from the burning list

You must get rid of the unsupported files from the list of files to burn. This list can be found on the right-hand side of the Windows Media Player. One of the indications that a file is causing problems is when there is a white cross in a red circle next to the file. You can simply click on that icon to remove the file from the burning list. Once you’ve gotten rid of all the unsupported files, try to burn your files to the CD or disk once more.

Option 2 – Try to modify the Privacy settings

In case you don’t know, the Windows Media Player comes with privacy settings that help you in various situations. However, on rare occasions, those settings could also trigger errors and this might be the one that’s causing the “Windows Media Player cannot burn some of the files” to pop up. Thus, you can try disabling these options to resolve the error. How? Refer to these steps:

• Open the Windows Media Player.
• Then go to Tools > Options. If you aren’t able to find the Tools menu, just tap the Ctrl + M keys. On the other hand, you can also tap the Alt key to display the menu options.
• Once you’ve opened the Options window, go to the Privacy tab where you can the “Enhanced Playback and Device Experience” section.
• In this section, you can find the following options. Make sure to disable them all.
  • Display media information from the Internet
  • Update music files by retrieving media info from the Internet
  • Download usage rights automatically when I play or sync a file
  • Automatically check if protected files need to be refreshed
  • Set clock on devices automatically

• After you disable the options listed above, click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made and then try to burn the files again.

Option 3 – Try to change the burning speed

Since the burning speed is set to fastest by default, you can try to change the burning speed to resolve the problem. All you have to do is open the Options window and then go to the Burn tab. From there, select either Medium or Slow burning speed and save the changes made. Now try to burn your files to the CD or disk once again.

Many of us are taking the google search engine for granted and it is no true that it has crawled in almost every spore of our digital lives but if we wanted a little more privacy? Do we have options or we are destined to use google and send our information to this company. What if we really wanted that our searches are well safe, secure, and private? We could try other search engines like BING but since BING belongs to Microsoft we would exchange only one company for another without making any progress in the privacy battle. Enter DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine that’s been online since 2008. Find websites, maps, videos, news, and more without tracking your searches and serving you targetted ads. It took DUckDuckGo as you can tell sometimes to gain ground and to be recognized but finally, it got the attention it deserves. Its big breakthrough happened in September of 2014 when Apple offered it as a default search engine in Safari and since it has gained more and more ground. It seems people care about their privacy after all. Since then DuckDuckGo has been gaining ground and all the major browsers have integrated it as an option for a default search engine. In this article, we will show you how to switch to DuckDuckGo and set it as your preferred search engine in all major browsers.

1. Google Chrome

   Launch Chrome and click on the three dots in the upper right. Choose settings. Choose Search engine in the list on the left of the screen. Click on the drop-down box next to Search engine used in the address bar and choose DuckDuckGo.

2. Mozilla Firefox

   Launch Firefox, click on the three lines hamburger menu icon in the top-right corner of the window. Click on Preferences. Click on Search in the menu to the left of the screen. Under Default Search Engine, click the drop-down box and choose DuckDuckGo.

3. Microsoft Edge

   Click on the three dots menu button in the top-right corner of the window Then select Settings. Click on Privacy, Search and Services in the menu that appears on the left Scroll down to the Services menu and choose Address bar and search. Click the dropdown menu next to Search engine used in the address bar and choose DuckDuckGo.

4. Apple Safari

   Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen Then click Preferences. You can also use the Command+, shortcut to quickly bring up Safari’s Preferences. Click on the Search tab, then choose DuckDuckGo under the Search engine drop-down box.

5. Opera

   Click on the Settings cog button in the sidebar on the left of the screen. Under Basic settings scroll down until you see Search engine and a drop-down box. Select DuckDuckGo from the list.

If you are a person which spends a lot of time in front of the computer doing work, then you are aware of the importance of having a proper backup of your archive so if anything bad happens you will lose almost none of the work. We can never tell when we might experience HDD failures or when we might be a victim of cyber attacks, natural disasters,s and other unpredictable circumstances where we could lose all of our data in a matter of minutes. Having a backup of our data is very important but sometimes we are too busy or not around and we miss that data backup we wanted to do, and if in this case disaster strikes we are out of luck and data is lost. To avoid such circumstances, you can set up automatic Windows Backups at a scheduled time. This way it will help to have the loss of important files and documents from unexpected hazards. in order to create automatic backups of your files, you have several options, and below we will explore each one in hopes that you will find one that best suits your needs.

1. Create automatic file backup with OneDrive

   This is probably the best way to do it because each time when you sign in OneDrive files get backed up right away, files are stored in the cloud and can be accessed on any device via a Microsoft account. To get started, open the Settings app first. Click on the Update & Security category Select the Backup tab from the left pane. Move to the right page and click on the Back up files button that is available under Back up files to OneDrive. Select the folders you want to backup in the cloud, and remove those ones you don’t want to backup. On the next page, click the Start backup button to start the procedure.

2. Create a backup using File History

   File History is an inbuilt feature that allows users to create automatic file backup on Windows 10. File History allows the users to back up their files in an external or cloud drive at different intervals of time. To create automatic file backup using File History: Press the ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open the Settings app. Click on the Update & Security category and then select the Backup tab from the left pane. Under the Back up using File History section, click on Add a drive button. Now choose the drive to store the backup files. Windows will use this drive for File History. Then turn on the toggle button under Automatically back up my files. This will back up your data to the drive automatically whenever you connect it to the system. Below the toggle button, click on the “More options” link to set how frequently File History will back up. Use the Keep my backups drop-down menu to get the option to configure the time for how long you want to keep your backups. By default, it will keep your backups forever. Under the section Back up these folders, tap on the Add a folder button in order to add one more folder to the backup. Then click on the Add a folder button, under Exclude these folders. This will exclude the files that you don’t want to back up. You can stop the drive from storing backup files to change the backup storage location. To do this, click the Stop using drive option under the Back up to a different drive category.

3. Backup using Windows backup & restore tool

   Open Control Panel Click on the System and Security option Scroll down and select the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) button Next click on the Set up backup button, available under the Back up or restore your files section Under the Save backup on section, select the Backup Destination where you want your backup files to get stored On the “Set up backup” page, Windows will ask you to choose the way to backup, check Let me choose checkbox, and then hit the Next button Under the section Computer, select the files and folders you want to backup. Then uncheck the box next to the Include a system image of drives option, and then hit the Next button Now click on the Change schedule link. Set the time and check the box beside Run backup on a schedule button Click OK then select the Save settings and run backup option

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced

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

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

As you know, the Windows 10 operating system, as well as other Windows versions, comes with the Windows Firewall. In Windows 10, the firewall allows users to install and run a third-party firewall. This kind of firewall works independently to block any suspicious activity on your computer. However, recently, some users reported that they are getting a notification on the Startup saying,

“Windows Firewall and <Third party firewall name> Firewall are both turned off; tap or click to see available options”.

This particular error could be caused by a lot of factors but when you manually check the firewall, you’ll find that there really is nothing wrong with both the Windows Firewall and the third party firewall. So if both the Windows Firewall and third-party firewalls like McAfee, Comodo, and many others are both turned off in Windows 10, then you need to do several things to resolve the problem – you need to check the supporting services that are required and uninstall and then reinstall the third party firewall on your computer. For more instructions, refer to the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try enabling all the supporting services for the firewall

The first thing you can do to resolve the error with the firewall is to check all of its supporting services by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and then hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• Next, look for the Windows Defender Firewall service among the given list of services.
• Once you found it, make sure that its Startup Type is set to Automatic and that the status of the service is Running. So if it’s not running, just click on the Start button.
• In addition, you also have to make sure that the following services’ status is set as follows:
  • Xbox Live Networking Service: Manual
  • Base Filtering Engine: Automatic
• Once done, start the firewall again and check if the error is now fixed or not.

Option 2 – Try to uninstall and reinstall the third-party firewall

It is possible that the firewall error might be due to an error with the compatibility of the installation in Windows 10 and the third-party firewall. Thus, the next thing you can do is to uninstall the third-party firewall and then reinstall it again. Once you have uninstalled the third-party firewall, you can download its latest version from its official website and install it again. This should fix the error with the firewall.

Microsoft has presented its next version of their flagship product, Windows 11, and feelings are divided among users. Some users like it very much and eager to upgrade, some do not like the graphic overhaul it went through, but overall I think Microsoft has done a good job with it. Here in this article, we will discuss some of the new features which Windows brings to the table, well at least ones that were showed, I am sure there are plenty more which we will see once OS has been released.

New Start menu

One of the first things that everyone saw when Microsoft has unveiled Windows 11 is its Start menu. Funny enough this is what has caused most of the divide among users, some find it interesting, and some do not like it. Truth is, it is different, and it is centered in the middle instead of the lower left part of the screen. It has been confirmed however that the Start menu can be moved to any part of the screen so if you want, you could place it on the lower left as it has always been. Live tiles do not longer exist in the Start menu, instead, we have styled simple icons.

Windows 11 Snap controls are great

If you have used the cascade option in previous Windows versions then it is most likely that you will like the new Snap controls. You can quickly snap windows side by side, or arrange them in sections on your desktop just by hovering over maximize button on the title bar.

Windows 11 File Explorer

File explorer has gone through some visual and design changes, the ribbon on top has been completely removed and replaced with a header-like feature with a slick and clean design. The header contains a nice organized and designed single row of icons like cut, paste, copy, rename, delete, and new folder icons.

Settings app ovberhaul

The settings app also has gone through visual and design changes. It has a new design that is very visually appealing and navigation has been simplified and more organized. Finding the right and desired setting is much faster and clearer now.

Widget tab makes comeback in Windows 11

Yes, widgets are back but not like you remember them. Instead of being all-time present at your desktop like once they used to be, now there is a button on the taskbar which brings the widget bar up that contains desired widgets. This way they are easily accessible and do not clutter desktops. So far we have weather, news, calendar, and stocks widget but we will see how development on these goes. I expect to have community-made widgets like in old days for all of our needs.

XBOX app

The new Xbox app is now integrated into Windows 11, offering quick access to Xbox Game Pass games, the social parts of the Xbox network, and the Xbox store.

Security and TPM 2.0 in Windows 11

As widely known by now Windows 11 will require you to have a TPM 2.0 module capable CPU in order to install it. This system requirement has caused a lot of controversies but essentially it seems that MS's goal is to protect your personal data by using this module. The upside of course is that your data will be protected much more than in previous Windows versions, the downside, of course, will be that you will need newer hardware to run OS on it. and that is essentially it, keep on tuned on more Windows 11 information and overall articles tied to PC and technology here at errortools.com