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SafeSearch is an ad-supported, cross web browser plugin for Internet Explorer and Firefox/Chrome. The browser extension will modify the default or custom settings of the browser including the home page, search settings, and in some cases will modify Internet Explorer’s load time threshold, place a lock file within Firefox to prevent changing settings as well as disable the browser’s Content Security Policy in order to allow for cross-site scripting of the plugin. For these reasons, it has been classified as a browser hijacker.

From the publisher: SafeSearch created by AVSoftware is the unique search engine that filters malicious sites or sites with bad reputations. Every website is weighted on several critical factors – vendor reliability, child safety, privacy issues, user opinions, and ratings.

SafeSearch has been found to be bundled with 3rd party software and malware and therefore is not recommended to keep on your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is amongst the internet’s constant problems that target browsers. It’s a kind of malware program that directs web browser requests to some other malicious sites. They’re created to disrupt browser functions for several purposes. Typically, the idea is to force users to visit certain websites that are trying to improve their visitor traffic and produce higher ad revenue. Even though it might seem naive, all browser hijackers are damaging and therefore always regarded as security risks. Furthermore, hijackers can make the entire infected system vulnerable – other dangerous malware and viruses will take hold of these opportunities to intrude into your PC effortlessly. Browser hijacking symptoms There are several signs of web browser hijacking: home-page is changed; you see new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, usually directed to advertisement-filled or pornography websites; the main web browser settings are altered and undesirable or insecure sites are added to the trusted websites list; you notice many toolbars on your internet browser; unstoppable flurries of pop-up advertisements show up on your PC screen; web pages load very slowly and at times incomplete; you cannot visit specific sites like homepages of security software.

So how does a PC get infected with a browser hijacker?

Browser hijackers infect computers in numerous ways, including via a drive-by download, a file-share, or an infected e-mail. They could be included with toolbars, add-ons, BHO, plugins, or browser extensions. Also, some shareware and freeware can put the hijacker within your computer through “bundling”. An example of some notorious browser hijacker includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, SweetPage, DefaultTab, Delta Search, and RocketTab, but the names are continually changing.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

Certain hijackers could be removed simply by uninstalling the related freeware or add-ons through the Add or Remove Programs in the Microsoft Windows control panel. However, the majority of hijacking codes are certainly not simple to remove manually, as they go much deeper into the operating system. Moreover, manual removal expects you to perform several time-consuming and intricate procedures that are tough to conduct for novice computer users.

What you can do if Virus Stops You From Downloading Anything?

Malware can cause all kinds of damage once they invade your PC, from stealing your personal information to erasing data files on your PC. Certain malware variants alter internet browser settings by adding a proxy server or modify the computer’s DNS settings. In these instances, you will be unable to visit certain or all of the websites, and thus not able to download or install the necessary security software to eliminate the malware. If you are reading this, you may have got infected by malware that stops you from downloading a computer security program like Safebytes Anti-Malware. Even though this type of issue will be tougher to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Install antivirus in Safe Mode with Networking

Safe Mode is actually a unique, basic version of Windows where only minimal services are loaded to counteract malware and other troublesome applications from loading. In case the malware is set to load automatically when PC boots, switching into this particular mode may well prevent it from doing so. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the system is booting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. Once you reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, as well as update anti-malware software from there. At this point, you could run the antivirus scan to remove computer viruses and malware without hindrance from another application.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Malicious program code might exploit vulnerabilities in a particular browser and block access to all anti-malware software websites. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a computer virus or otherwise compromised by hackers, the most effective approach is to switch over to an alternate web browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari to download your favorite security program – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install security software on a flash drive

To successfully eliminate the malware, you might want to approach the issue of installing an antivirus software program on the affected PC from a different perspective. Do these simple measures to clean up your infected computer using a portable antivirus. 1) Use another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the pen-drive onto the same system. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, which has a .exe file extension. 4) Select the USB drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the application. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation. 5) Transfer the flash drive from the uninfected PC to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the thumb drive. 7) Click on the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

Ensure the Safety of Your Computer by Installing SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you’re looking to install an anti-malware application for your computer, there are numerous tools in the market to consider but you just cannot trust blindly anyone, irrespective of whether it is a free or paid program. Some of them are good but there are several scamware applications that pretend as authentic anti-malware software waiting to wreak havoc on the computer. When searching for an anti-malware program, choose one that provides solid, efficient, and full protection against all known computer viruses and malware. When considering the dependable software programs, Safebytes AntiMalware is certainly the strongly recommended one. SafeBytes can be described as a powerful, real-time anti-spyware application that is made to assist regular computer users in safeguarding their PC from malicious threats. This tool can easily identify, remove, and protect your computer from the latest malware intrusions such as spyware, adware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, along with other potentially harmful software applications. SafeBytes anti-malware comes with a myriad of enhanced features that sets it aside from all others. Here are a few popular features present in this software: Anti-Malware Protection: By using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes gives multi-layered protection which is designed to catch and eliminate threats that are hidden deep inside your computer system. Real-time Active Protection: Malware programs trying to get into the computer are identified and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes active protection shields. They’re highly efficient in screening and getting rid of various threats because they are continuously revised with the latest updates and safety measures. Safe Web Browsing: SafeBytes provides an instant safety rating on the web pages you are about to visit, automatically blocking risky sites and ensure that you’re certain of your safety while browsing the net. Low CPU and Memory Usage: This software is lightweight and will work quietly in the background, and will not have an effect on your computer efficiency. 24/7 Customer Service: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and updates for the best user experience.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove SafeSearch without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by SafeSearch

There are times when it is really inevitable to delete your hard drive partitions especially if you are already running low on disk space in your Windows 10 computer. Users typically delete the volume which is not being used in such cases in order to free up some space for the volume that’s running low on disk space. To resolve the problem, users tend to use the Disk Management utility to delete hard drive partitions. However, some users reported that the “Delete volume” option is not available as it is grayed out. Thus, users aren’t able to delete hard drive partitions and aren’t able to free up disk space. This kind of problem usually occurs when there is a Page file on the volume that you are trying to delete and so on. Oftentimes, this issue is mistaken for the problem where you are unable to delete an EFI-protected partition. However, in this case, not only you are unable to delete EFI-protected partition but also NTFS file systems. This is really hard to deal with but worries not for there are some potential fixes you can check out to resolve this problem.

Option 1 – Try to manage the Page file in the Partition

As mentioned earlier, if a Page file exists in a partition, you won’t be able to delete it. The page file is what stores your data when the system’s random access memory fills up. To resolve this, follow these steps:

• Go to the Start menu and type “View advanced system settings” in the field and open it from the search results.
• Next, click on Settings in the Advanced tab.
• On the new window that pops up, go to the Advanced tab and select Change.
• Next, uncheck the checkbox of “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” and highlight the drive you want to delete.
• Then select “No paging file” and click on Set.
• Now click on the Apply and OK buttons on all the windows and restart your computer.

Option 2 – Delete storage partition via Command Prompt

• Tap the Win + X keys or right-click on the Start button and select Command Prompt (Admin) or you could also type in “cmd” in the Cortana search box and right-click on the Command Prompt icon and then select the “Run as Administrator” option from the context menu.
• Once you have Command Prompt pulled up as admin, type in and enter this command – diskpart
• After entering this command, the Diskpart Utility will start. Diskpart Utility is a command-line-based utility just like Command Prompt but it will get a UAC Prompt after you invoke it so you have to click Yes for the UAC Prompt.
• After that, type in list volume and tap Enter to see the list of all the partitions created on your PC. This includes both types of partitions that are visible to the normal users in the File Explorer as well as the ones that are created by Windows 10 by default which helps it in storing the boot files and other essential system files.
• You should see a list of all the partitions made on your computer. Select the partition you want to delete by its Unique Identification number as Volume X where X denotes the Unique Identification Number.
• Next, type in the select volume number command and hit Enter to select the desired volume.
• Then delete the volume you’ve selected and type in the delete volume command and hit Enter to delete the volume you just selected and convert it into unallocated space.

Option 3 – Delete storage partition via Windows PowerShell

• Start by tapping the Win + X keys or simply right click on the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or you could also type in “Windows PowerShell” in the Cortana search box and right-click on the Windows PowerShell icon and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• Once you’ve opened the Windows PowerShell, type in the Get-Volume command and hit Enter to get a list of all the partitions on your PC.
• Next, select the drive letter you want to delete and then type in the Remove-Partition –DriveLetter command and hit Enter to delete the selected partition. Note that you need to replace the drive letter with the letter of the partition you want to get rid of.
• After that, it will ask you for confirmation. Just hit the Y key for Yes or hit the A key to say Yes to All. This will delete all the partition you’ve selected and will move them in as unallocated space.

There are several kinds of errors you could encounter when you are running Windows 10 on a virtual machine. The Windows OS knows the difference between booting up in a standalone computer or in a virtual machine. This is why some specific drivers and system capabilities are used while emulating the Windows OS on software and during this phase, there are times when the System Preparation may throw up an error that says, “A fatal error occurred while trying to sysprep the machine”. This kind of error arises due to a race condition wherein the Sysprep command tries to stop the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator or MSDTC service and the VMware tool tries to start the MSDTC service. You may also see the following messages logged in the Setuperr.log file:

• [0x0f0082] SYSPRP LaunchDll:Failure occurred while executing ‘C:Windowssystem32msdtcprx.dll,SysPrepDtcCleanup’, returned error code -2146434815[gle=0x000000b7]
• [0x0f0070] SYSPRP RunExternalDlls:An error occurred while running registry sysprep DLLs, halting sysprep execution. dwRet = -2146434815[gle=0x000000b7]
• [0x0f00a8] SYSPRP WinMain:Hit failure while processing sysprep cleanup providers; hr = 0x80100101[gle=0x000000b7]

To fix the 0x0f0082, 0x0f0070, 0x0f00a8 Sysprep errors, you can check out two potential fixes. First, you have to check the status of the MSDTC service and the second one is to check the settings in the Windows Registry. Note that these fixes are proven to be effective on many users and apply to several versions of Windows, including Windows 10.

Option 1 – Check the status of the MSDTC service via Command Prompt

As mentioned, the error could be caused by the malfunctioning of the MSDTC service or it. Thus, you have to uninstall and reinstall the MSDTC service to resolve the problem and you can do that using Command Prompt. Follow the steps below.

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and from the results, right-click on Command Prompt and then select the “Run as administrator” option to open it with admin privileges.
• If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed.
• Once you’ve opened Command Prompt, execute this command: msdtc –uninstall
• The command you just entered will uninstall the MSDTC service. After that, you need to execute this second command to reinstall the service: msdtc –install
• Now exit Command Prompt and check if the error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Check the Registry settings

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “Regedit” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After opening the Registry Editor, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionSoftwareProtectionPlatform
• From there, look for a DWORD value that’s named “SkipRearm” and double click on it.
• Then change its value data to “1”.
• Restart your computer to apply successfully apply the changes made and check if it was able to fix the error.

Hal.dll Error - What is it?

Hal.dll error is a type of dynamic link library error that is common in Windows. Hal.dll is the critical file in all Windows installations and the error occurs when this file cannot be correctly loaded. Hal is the abbreviation for ‘Hardware Abstraction Layer’. Communication between Windows and different PC hardware is facilitated with this file. The error causes inconvenience and hampers your ability to use the hardware. The error message is displayed in either one of the following formats:

• "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: C:Windowssystem32hal.dll. Please re-install a copy of the above file."
• "Cannot find WindowsSystem32hal.dll"
• "C:WindowsSystem32Hal.dll missing or corrupt: Please re-install a copy of the above file."

Solution

Error Causes

Hal.dll error occurs due to multiple reasons. These include:

• BIOS are not configured properly
• Damaged hard drive
• Hal.dll file is missing, damaged, or corrupt
• Viral Infection

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix and resolve the Hal.dll error code on your system, you don’t always have to hire a professional technician for the job. Though Hal.dll error is critical but easy to resolve, here are some solutions that you can try to fix it right away even if you don’t have any technical expertise.

1) Restart Your PC

Sometimes this can be a temporary error, so try restarting your PC. If the error is resolved then that’s great. However, if it still persists, then try other solutions.

2) Change the Boot Order

The underlying cause for the Hal.dll error is often not properly configured BIOS; if this is the cause, simply change the boot order of the bootable devices like your hard drive. The BIOS setup utility is used to change boot order settings. This can be done by restarting your PC. Once you restart, press F2 to enter the setup. Now go to SATA operation and change RAID AHCI to RAID ATA. Save changes and then exit. By doing so, you will be able to re-configure the BIOS and resolve the error.

3) Use BOOTMGR

Another way to resolve is to update the volume boot code to use BOOTMGR. To do this, access advanced startup options, open the command prompt and type bootsect command and then press Enter. Run the command and then you’ll get the following message: C: (\?Volume{37a450c8-2331-11e0-9019-806e6f6e6963}) Successfully updated NTFS filesystem bootcode. Bootcode was successfully updated on all targeted volumes. After that close the command prompt. This is most likely to resolve the error.

4) Repair Registry With Restoro.

In case the error is still not fixed, then this means that the problem is bigger than you thought. It may be due to hard drive failure, viral infection, or sometimes because of hal.dll file corruption. In the event of these error causes, it is recommended to download Restoro. Restoro is an advanced, next-generation, and multi-functional PC repair tool embedded with numerous utilities like a registry cleaner, an antivirus, and a system optimizer. The registry cleaner utility:

• Scans for all registry issues
• Wipes out the unnecessary files saved in the hard drive like the junk files, cookies, internet history, and temporary files
• Cleans the disk
• Repairs damaged and corrupt files
• Restores the registry

The antivirus utility scans and removes all malicious software from your PC including viruses, Trojans, malware, adware, and spyware. Simultaneously, it also boosts the speed of your system. It is safe and efficient PC repair software. It has simple navigation and a user-friendly interface. Whether you are using Windows 7, 8 or Vista, it is compatible with all. It can also be used on Windows XP. Click here to download Restoro and resolve the Hal.dll error today!

Error Code 0x80070057 – What is it?

Error code 0x80070057 occurs when Windows users are having problems installing updates on their machines. The error code may result due to issues affecting Windows Update, for instance, problems with system files or settings that can be accessed or modified using the registry in Windows. Error code 0x80070057 affects multiple versions of the Windows operating system including Windows 10. Common symptoms manifested when this error code and other update error codes occur include the following:

• Inability to complete the installation of updates via Windows Update
• Presence of error code message box

Error Causes

Update error codes like error code 0x80070057 occur when there are issues related to system files, programs or malicious software is present on one’s machine. To combat these issues, users may need to implement manual repair procedures, depending on the specific error code present on their device.

Solution

Further Information and Manual Repair

Windows users can fix error code 0x80070057 by manually repairing or deleting subkeys and values within the Windows registry. This enables Windows Update to function as the proper modification of settings and other information present in the registry can fix problems associated with certain error codes.

The manual repair procedures also enable users to address specific problems on the devices that may not be fixed through the use of other methods.

Method One: Back-Up Registry in Windows

The Windows registry contains information regarding applications installed on the version of Windows you use on your device. This information as well as settings related to hardware are all accessible to users and can be useful when combating problems like error code 0x80070057.

However, users will need to be very careful when making modifications within the registry in Windows. This is due to the fact that errors made while accessing the registry can lead to serious issues on your PC. Backing up your registry before you modify it is crucial since it will provide protection against any problems that may arise if you make an error. This is the first step in resolving error code 0x80070057. Follow the steps below to back up your registry properly.

• Step one: Type regedit.exe in the search box near the Start button.
• Step two: Type the appropriate password or provide confirmation if you are prompted to do so
• Step three:  Locate Registry Editor
• Step four: Select registry key or subkey that you want to back up
• Step five: Click File > Export
• Step six:  In the Export Registry File dialog box, choose a location where you will save the backup copy
• Step seven: Name the backup file then select Save.

In the case of fixing error code 0x80070057, the registry file or subkey you will need to back up relates to this: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. This contains configuration details or information related to your machine regardless of the user. Also note that the registry, once you have created a backup file, will be protected, thus enabling you to move to the manual method mentioned below.

Method Two: Make Changes to the Windows Registry

The execution of modifications to the registry can be a complex procedure, especially if you are an average Windows 10 user who lacks technical knowledge. Thankfully, even non-technical users can access the solutions they need by simply following the instructions provided in this article.

You may also contact a Windows repair technician as well, in case you have trouble implementing the steps mentioned for modifying your Windows registry or if other problems arise while you are proceeding with these instructions.

Step one: Access the Windows Registry Editor by typing regedit.exe in the search box near the Start button.

Step two: Type the appropriate password or provide confirmation if you are prompted to do so

Step three:  Locate Registry Editor

Step four: Enter the following:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsUpdateUX] "IsConvergedUpdateStackEnabled"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsUpdateUXSettings] "UxOption"=dword:00000000

After making these modifications in the Windows registry, restart your machine. You can then check Windows Update to see if the problem has been resolved. If the modifications to the registry have proven successful, you will no longer see the error code 0x80070057 message box. You will also be able to complete all updates via Windows Update.

Method Three: Download 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.

As you know, the Windows 10 operating system has support for a dedicated high-end graphics processor that brings in capabilities inside to support Graphics Cards from NVIDIA or AMD. This helps the operating system to function in a much better way by segregating the graphics-intensive operations from the CPU to a dedicated processor. However, there are times when it also experiences some issues that lead to some errors like the “Failed to create a graphics device” error. It is possible that your computer has more than one screen or graphics card which is why you’re getting this error. To fix it, you need to try reinstalling DirectX or reinstall the Graphics Card driver. You could also try to manually check the hardware or power cycle of your computer. To start troubleshooting the “Failed to create a graphics device” error, follow the given suggestions below.

Option 1 – Try running the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Since the error has something to do with the DirectX Graphics APIs, you can run the DirectX Diagnostic tool to resolve the problem.

Option 2 – Try updating or re-installing DirectX

If the DirectX Diagnostic tool didn’t work, you can try to update or reinstall DirectX instead. This can help in fixing the problem because when you reinstall or update DirectX, it will replace the incompatible or corrupted components of DirectX from your computer.

Option 3 – Update or reinstall the Graphics card drivers

• First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
• After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
• Type in 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 4 – Try to physically check the hardware of your computer

You might also want to check the physical status of the hardware in your computer. You can clean the dust off the hardware components like the Graphics Card of the computer. In doing so, you have to use a small blower or you could also use a soft cloth and run the components gently. Make sure that you don’t damage any parts with moisture or cause harm to any circuits while you carry out this task.

Option 5 – Try to power cycle your computer

You could also try to power cycle your computer to fix the error. To do that, you have to turn off your computer in a way that the power is completely cut off and all the fresh configurations of files are loaded when your computer is booted up. The first thing you have to do is to shut down your computer and if you are using a laptop with a removable battery, you must remove the battery for a couple of minutes before you plug it back in and boot your laptop. On the other hand, if you are using a desktop computer, press and hold the power button until the CPU goes off and take out the power cable for a minute or so and then plug it back in. Boot your computer and see if the error has been resolved.

You might be trying to play music files using the Windows Media Player, but were unable to do so since you encountered an error saying, “Windows Media Player Error – Server Execution Failed” error. If you encountered this error, worry not for this post will guide you on how to fix it using some potential fixes. In the error message, the “Server execution failed” indicates that the “wmplayer.exe” is still running or shutting down at that point and it is possible that it is stuck which is not able to close properly. To fix this error, there are several potential fixes you can try. The first one is to run the Video Playback troubleshooter. While you could also try to disable the WMP Network Sharing Service or register both the jscript.dll and vbscript.dll files. For more information, refer to the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to run the Video Playback troubleshooter

The first thing you can do to fix the problem, you can try to run the Video Playback troubleshooter instead. To run it, simply go to Settings > Update & security > Troubleshoot. From there, scroll down until you see the Video Playback option and then click on the “Run the troubleshooter” button to get started. This troubleshooter will detect and automatically fix any problems related to video playback so it should help fix the error.

Option 2 – Try to disable the WMP Network Sharing Service

If the Video Playback troubleshooter didn’t work in fixing the problem, the next thing you need to do is disable the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service. The WMP Network Sharing Service is used to share the libraries of the Windows Media Player to other users on the network as well as media devices using the Universal Plug and Play. And since you are not using any network here, then you can disable this service to fix the problem. How? Refer to the given steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Services Manager.
• Next, look for the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service from the list of Services and right-click on it.
• After that, click on the Stop option and see if it fixes the Windows Media Player error.

Option 3 – Try to register the jscript.dll and vbscript.dll files

• Tap the Win + X keys and from the menu select the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option to open an elevated Command Prompt.
• Next, type this command to register the jscript.dll file and click on the confirmation box: regsvr32 jscript.dll
• After that, execute the regsvr32 vbscript.dll command to register the vbscript.dll file.
• Once you’re done, these DLL files will be re-registered and should fix the Windows Media Player error.

Although the Google Chrome browser is one of the most used browsers, a lot of things could still go wrong when browsing the web using it. One of the errors you might encounter is the “ NETWORK_FAILED ” error. This kind of error in Chrome indicates that Chrome wasn’t able to send your request through the network connection. It could be that your computer has trouble connecting to a stable internet connection or there is some plugin in your Chrome browser that is causing the issue. The worst-case would be malware. But worry not for this post will guide you on what you can do when you encounter the NETWORK_FAILED error in Google Chrome. Make sure to follow each one of the options given below and see which one of them worked best for you.

Option 1 – Disable or remove any unwanted extensions in Chrome

As you know, browser extensions help in enhancing the browsing experience but there are also times when it does exactly the opposite, and such is the case with the NETWORK_FAILED error in Chrome. It could be that one of the extensions in your browser is the one that’s causing the trouble. To disable or remove these unwanted extensions, here’s what you have to do:

• Launch Google Chrome, press Alt + F, move to More tools, and click Extensions.
• Look for Search.tb.ask.com or any other unwanted add-ons, click the Recycle Bin button, and choose Remove.
• Restart Google Chrome, then tap Alt + F, and select Settings.
• Navigate to the On Startup section at the bottom.
• Select “Open a specific page or set of pages”.
• Click the More actions button next to the hijacker and click Remove.

Option 2 – Run the Malware Scanner and Cleanup tool in Chrome

If removing or disabling the unwanted extension didn’t help in fixing the error, you can try using the built-in malware scanner and cleanup tool in Google Chrome. These tools help you get rid of any unwanted pop-ups, ads, unusual Startup pages, toolbars, and even malware.

Option 2 – Run the Malware Scanner and Cleanup tool in Chrome

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

Option 3 – Try to disable the Proxy

If you are using a proxy, you might want to consider disabling it as it could have something to do with the NETWORK_FAILED error.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “cpl” and hit Enter or click OK to open the Internet Properties.
• After that, go to the Connections tab where you should see the LAN settings. Click on it.
• Next, uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server for your LAN” and ensure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked as well.
• Then click Ok and then Apply to save the changes made.
• Restart your PC.

Option 4 – Flush DNS and reset TCP/IP

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

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

• Now restart your computer and open Google Chrome then try opening the website you were trying to open earlier.

Option 5 – Delete the WLAN Profiles

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

High Dynamic Range or HDR is a technique that’s used to create lifelike videos which have improved and better dynamic range, especially when it comes to details. And as you know, Windows 10 supports the steaming of HDR videos as long as the display supports it and it comes with the option to enable the HDR Playback for Windows 10 Video Streaming apps. However, before you can get the best viewing experience, you need to calibrate the display further for HDR video on your Windows 10 PC. Take note that even when you have the HDR Playback feature enabled on your computer, you still need a display that supports it. To make sure that your display supports this feature, you can use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to have the display correctly wired and have the latest WDDM 2.4 drivers installed as well as set the other settings properly. Once you’ve made sure that your computer’s display really supports HDR and you’ve already enabled the HDR Playback feature, now it’s time for you to calibrate. Remember that when you calibrate the display, you should make an external monitor your primary display if you are using it for HDR and then adjust the settings to your liking. And if you are calibrating for primary display, you need to disconnect all other displays.

Follow the given steps below to calibrate the display of your PC.

• Step 1: You need to open the Video Playback first. To do so, navigate to Settings > Apps > Video Playback.
• Step 2: Under the Video Playback settings, uncheck the “Don’t increase display brightness when watching HDR video on battery” checkbox or plug in your PC.
• Step 3: Next, click the “Change calibration settings for HDR video on my built-in display” link located on the right side.
• Step 4: After that, click on the Play button located on the left side to play the video. Then move the sliders to the left or right so you can start to calibrate. Once you see that the quality of the image is to your preference, stop.

Note: Just a tip when calibrating – you just have to find the right balance between the details in the darker parts of a scene. For instance, you have Mountains in the background and buildings in the front – you need to drag the slider to the right to add more details to the snow on the mountain or drag the slider to the left to add more details to the buildings. After that, you can pause the video and exit the full-screen mode. Keep in mind that the quality of HDR depends on you as it is a personal choice. Some users might like a brighter shade while other ones want the darker shade so it really depends on your taste. If you are not satisfied with how your HDR turned out, you can just try calibrating the display again. Simply go back to the default HDR video calibration and click or tap the Reset calibration button. Another thing to remember. First, you can only see HDR content on the full screen and if you’re using a laptop, you need to make sure to watch videos when plugged in and check that the battery settings won't’ lower the brightness.

If you suddenly encounter a Blue Screen error that points out to either the mfewfpk.sys and epfwwfp.sys files, then this post might help. Both of these files are created by third-party software. The mfewfpk.sys file is created by the McAfee security software while the epfwwfp.sys is created by the ESET Antivirus. These files are residual files and sometimes it blocks upgrading Windows 10. Aside from blocking Windows 10 upgrade/update, these files can also cause a Blue Screen error after an upgrade which leaves your Windows 10 computer useless. When you get a Blue Screen error caused by any of these files, you will see an accompanying error message that states, “DRIVER IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL”. To fix this Blue Screen error, you can check out the suggestions laid out below but before you do that, you need to create a System Restore point first as it can help you undo any unwanted changes. In addition, make sure to also boot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking before you troubleshoot.

Option 1 – Try to remove the epfwwfp.sys file

You can try to remove the epfwwfp.sys file using Command Prompt. To do so, refer to the following steps:

• Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Next, type the following command and hit Enter to delete the epfwwfp.sys file:

DEL /F /S /Q /A “%systemroot%System32driversepfwwfp.sys”

• After the scan is completed, restart your computer and see if it fixed the Blue Screen error.

Note: You can also use the ESET AV Remover tool to uninstall Eset security software to remove the epfwwfp.sys file.

Option 2 – Try to remove the mfewfpk.sys file

The same with the first option, you can remove the mfewfpk.sys file using CMD.

• First, right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After, type the following command and hit Enter to delete the epfwwfp.sys file:

DEL /F /S /Q /A “%systemroot%System32driversmfewfpk.sys”

• Once the scan is completed, restart your computer and see if it fixed the Stop error.

Note: You also have the option to remove the mfewfpk.sys file using McAfee Product Removal tool to uninstall the McAfee security software. All you have to do is download the McAfee Product Removal tool and run it and then follow the onscreen instructions to install it. Once it is installed, click on Next. After you select the radio button to agree to the terms of use, click on Next once again. Finally, restart your computer and check if it is able to resolve the problem or not.

Option 3 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

Troubleshooting Blue Screen of Death errors wouldn’t be complete without the Blue Screen troubleshooter. As you know, it is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

Option 4 – Try running the DISM tool

You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the Blue Screen error. 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.