Task Manager is blank & not showing processes

DOTA2 involves teams of five players each, where each player chooses a “hero” character. Each game has two teams pitted against each other, on opposite sides of a map. Once you start, you and your teammates try to level up by fighting and defeating heroes from other teams as well as non-player characters who exist within the game universe. Once you have a strong enough team, you would then try to attack an opposing team’s base. If you destroy their “ancient,” your team wins. The teamwork and interactivity required to play the game are some of its biggest attractions. You can text and voice chat as part of the Dota 2 gameplay, enabling you and your team to come up with strategies to take over your opponents’ base and fortifications. For this reason, a properly working microphone and headset are important if you are to get the most out of this exciting online game. However, there are many times when you find that there are audio dropouts when you try to speak into your microphone. The question “How do I get my mic to work on Dota 2?” is one of the most commonly asked on gaming forums related to this game. Here are solutions for why this can happen:

1. You are logged in to another computer that is running the STEAM client

   While entirely rare, there are cases where the microphone in Steam is disabled because the same account is active and in use on a different computer. It may not notify you that your account is in use elsewhere. If this is the error, try to log out on other devices and then test it on only one system. If you cannot access the other computer that has access to your account, then change your password. This will automatically disconnect your Steam account from the other computer and let you enjoy voice chat in Dota 2 and other Steam games.

2. Your microphone is not properly set up in Dota 2

   From the main Dota 2 menu, before you start a match, you can set up your microphone for voice chat. At the top, left-hand corner, click the gear icon to open Settings Select the AUDIO tab and ensure that the Sound Device and Speaker Configuration are set to default. On the same tab, activate Voice (Party) and set your Push to Talk shortcut key for your team. Select the appropriate Open Mic Threshold using the slider at the bottom of this tab to get your microphone recorded at a comfortable level.

3. The Windows Audio Enhancements setting is turned on

   If you still cannot get your microphone to work properly, then your problem could be Windows Audio Enhancement. It is possible to get your microphone to work with Dota 2 by disabling these features. Right-click your volume icon on the system tray and select Recording Devices. Choose your active microphone then click its Properties button. On the Microphone Enhancements tab, make sure the checkboxes marked Voice enhancements and Acoustic Echo cancellation is unchecked Reboot your PC and retry using your microphone to chat.

4. Your audio drivers need to be updated

   If you try all of the steps above and still have Dota 2 not recognizing your mic input update mic drivers by going in device manager and choosing update driver.

As you know, the Windows Update process takes compatibility seriously. The Windows Updates need to be compatible with the hardware as well as all the installed applications in the computer else the Windows Updates will only get stuck in the process. Two of the Windows 10 errors that shows up during this case is the error 0xC1900208, 0x4000C. These error codes are caused by incompatible applications which means that there might be an incompatible app installed in your computer that’s blocking the upgrade process and prevents it from finishing. That’s why you need to make sure that all the applications on your computer are updated to their latest versions and then check the compatibility. So if there are any incompatible apps, be sure to uninstall them and then try doing the upgrade once again. Take note that these error codes are just among many compatibility issues that the Windows Update throws up. Since the error is caused by a compatibility issue, you have three options – first, you can update the incompatible application to the latest version, second, uninstall the application or trick Windows and make it seem like it’s compatible.

Option 1 – Try updating the application or software

As mentioned, you can try updating the concerned application or software to its latest version to resolve the compatibility issue and in turn, fix the errors 0xC1900208 – 0x4000C. Note that depending on where you had installed the application, your steps will change. So if you have it installed directly from the website, refer to these steps:

• Look for the built-in option to check the updates since the most application has this option.
• You also have the option to go to the website of the application and check if there is a new version available. If there is, download and update the app.

On the other hand, if you have downloaded the app from the Microsoft Store, here’s what you have to do:

• Open the Store and click on the three dots located at the top-right of the window.
• Next, click the Download and Updates option.
• From there, check if there is an update available for the store. If there is, update it.

Option 2 – Try to uninstall the application or software

If updating the app or software to its latest version didn’t help and you’re still getting the error 0xC1900208 – 0x4000C every time you attempt to install the Windows Updates, you may have to uninstall it. You will need to use the usual Program and Features to uninstall it if you have downloaded it from the website.

• In the search box, type in “control” and then click on Control Panel (desktop app) among the search results.
• After that, select Programs and Features from the list which will give you a list of all the programs installed on your computer.
• From there, look for the concerned program and select it and then uninstall it.

Note: If you have downloaded the app from the Windows Store, you can simply right-click on it from the application list and then uninstall it.

Option 3 – Try bypassing the Upgrade Advisor

There are times when a software developer fails to pass the compatibility test for their apps. It could be that they work on Windows 10 upgraded version but just didn’t pass the compatibility check. So if you are pretty certain that the app really works on Windows 10, you can just bypass the Upgrade Advisor.

If you receive an error that says, “An unspecified error occurred during System Restore (0x800700b7)” when you tried to restore your Windows 10 PC, worry not, for this post will help you resolve the problem. This kind of error typically occurs when System Restore was not completed successfully and fails instead with this error. Before you start, you must not abruptly shut down your computer and wait for the error to occur. You may receive this error due to many possible reasons. It could be caused by your antivirus program that’s not letting the process complete or corrupted system files which causes the failure or it could also be caused by an unsuccessful installation of a Windows Update. Here are some fixes you can check out if you can still boot into your computer:

Option 1 – Try to disable your antivirus program

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

Option 2 – Run the DISM tool

The next thing you can do is run the DISM tool. This tool is known to repair potentially corrupted files in your system as having them could also system issues like the blank dialog boxes. To repair these corrupted system files, you can run the DISM commands:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer and check if the problem is now fixed.

Option 3 – Run the System File Checker

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files to good system files that might be the cause why you’re getting the errors 0x8024a11a and 0x8024a112. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• 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.

• Now restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 4 – Try to run the System Restore in a Clean Boot State

If the first three given options didn’t work and the service still keeps on failing even though the service is running, you can try putting your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try to run System Restore again.

• 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 System Restore again and see if the process goes smoothly.

Option 5 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing the problem with System Restore. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go. On the other hand, if you can’t boot into your Windows 10 computer, here are some fixes you can try instead:

Option 6 – Try running System Restore in Advanced Startup Options

If you cannot boot into your Windows 10 computer, you can try to run System Restore again in the Advanced Startup Options.

• Boot your computer into the Advanced Startup Options screen.
• From there, you will see some options to troubleshoot when you can’t log in to Windows in the usual way.
• Now select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
• After that, type “rstrui” and hit Enter to execute the command which will start the System Restore process.

Option 7 – Run the SFC scan and DISM via Advanced Startup Options

Like what you did in the first given option, you can use the Advanced Startup Options to run both System File Checker and DISM. All you have to do is boot into the Advanced Startup Options and from there select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt. After accessing Command Prompt, you can run the System File Checker scan first by entering the “sfc /scannow”. As for DISM, you can run the “Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” command.

Option 8 – Try to run the Automatic Repair Utility

You might also want to use Automatic Repair in fixing the error. To do so, follow the steps below.

• You can start by creating and booting from a bootable Windows 10 USB Stick.
• After that, click on Repair your computer located in the bottom left corner when you are on the initial Windows Startup screen.
• Next, click on Troubleshoot, and then on the other screen, click the Startup Repair option.
• Now select the operating system you want to repair. Once you do that, it will start to repair your operating system. Wait until the process is completed and then check if the problem’s now fixed.

Each time when you press WINDOWS + PrtScn key on your keyboard a screenshot is taken and saved on your Hard drive, to be more precise, it is saved in a specific folder which is in c:\Users\Your user name\Pictures\Screenshots. Now, this specific location is not anything that's bad but it is a little deep and not so user-friendly for quick access.

Luckily this default location can be changed into any folder that you like.

Changing location

First thing is to open File Explorer and then navigate to your PC. Once you go to your PC, go to Pictures, and inside right-click on the Screenshots folder. If there is no screenshots folder inside, this means that since Windows was installed no screenshots were taken with WINDOWS + PrtScn key combination. Please note that just by pressing PrtScn you will create a screenshot but you will place it inside the clipboard ready to be pasted somewhere, with WINDOWS + PrtScn you are saving the screenshot directly in a file on your hard drive.

So once you clicked on the Screenshots folder, go to the bottom and click on properties. Inside properties go to the Location tab. In the location, tab clicks on MOVE and browse to your new location where you would like screenshots to be saved. Once you select the folder for screenshots, click on the Select Folder button and confirm with OK. After this, Windows will ask you would you like to move existing screenshots into the chosen folder. Click YES or NO, depending on your preference.

After this easy setup, all of your new screenshots will be placed now inside the chosen folder.

Thank you for reading and I hope to see you tomorrow. Take care.

Error Code 22 - What is it?

Code 22 is a type of Device Manager Error code. Device manager errors are reported by the drivers causing the problem. It indicates that the devices are disabled in the Device Manager. This error code is displayed in the following format:

This device is disabled. (Code 22)

It looks like a very simple matter to enable a device from the Device Manager interface but if the device fails to load then there are likely greater underlying problems with the drivers. Drivers allow hardware devices to communicate with other hardware devices and the operating system. Drivers contain instructions and operating procedures for devices. Without a driver, a hardware device will not function and may not even appear in the Device Manager.

Solution

Error Causes

Common causes of error code 22 are:

• Device is disabled
• Driver is outdated
• The driver is missing or corrupt
• The previous attempt to update the driver failed
• Device is damaged
• The device is not configured as the default device

This means that though the error code 22 typically indicates that the device reporting the error is disabled but other causes can also be associated with the error occurrence.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the best and easy do-it-yourself methods to resolve error 22 on your PC. Try these methods to repair the issue.

Method 1

If the error code 22 is triggered due to a disabled device, then all you need to do to resolve the issue is enable the device. To enable the disabled device, follow these steps. Simply go to the start menu and type Device Manager in the search bar. Now click on the Device Manager and then click Actions. After you Click Actions, double click Enable Device. The Enable Device Wizard will pop up. Follow all the prompts from the Enable Device Wizard. This will hopefully resolve the issue.

Method 2

If method 1 doesn’t work then this means the problem is deeper than you think.  The problem can be triggered by the missing, corrupted, or outdated driver for the device reporting the error. In such a situation it is advisable to reinstall the driver for the device. To do this first uninstall the driver for the device reporting error code 22 then reinstall the driver.

• For this simply click the Start menu, go to the control panel and then click Performance and Maintenance, and then System.
• In the new window, you will then see a tab called Hardware and the Device Manager.
• Double click on the device whose driver you need to uninstall.
• Click on the properties window with a tab marked driver. Then click on the driver you want to uninstall.

To activate changes reboot your PC. Now reinstall the latest and updated version of the driver uninstalled using the Plug and Play feature.

Method 3

Sometimes devices can also get damaged due to registry issues. In such an event, install Restoro. It is a PC Fixer deployed with a registry cleaner. The registry cleaner wipes out all the unnecessary and obsolete files damaging the registry and repairs them in a few minutes. Click here to download Restoro.

Error Code 0x8024002e - What is it?

Windows 10 error code 0x8024002e is related to the Windows update service. When you see the error code displayed on your screen, it means that the Windows update service has been blocked or not working. As a result of this error code, your computer might lag and the system may freeze while performing normal operations. The error may read as follows:

“There were some problems installing updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information this may help: (0x8024002e)”.

Common symptoms include:

• Slow computer performance
• System freezes while performing normal operations or freezes while multitasking
• BSOD error is showing
• Some unwanted files get opened automatically
• Updating is not possible

Solution

Error Causes

This error code appears because of the following reasons:

• Incomplete installation of the Windows operating system
• Incorrect registry entry
• Corrupt or damaged system files
• The computer has come under a virus attack
• Miscommunication between the computer and the Windows Automatic Update service

The decline in RAM or outdated Hard Disk Drive

Further Information and Manual Repair

Method 1:

• Remove any external media connected to the computer
• Crash reboot your PC 2 to 3 times.
• Now check if you are still having the problem.

If the problem still persists, try the following methods if you are able to boot to the desktop and check for the problem.

Method 2:

Changing Windows Update property to automatic: You might see this error if your Windows update property is set to manual. Follow the steps below to change it to automatic. Open Task Manager.

1. Click on the Services tab. Find “Open Services” at the bottom of the window.
2. A new window will pop up. Scroll down and find “Windows Update” from the list. Double click on the Windows Update. It will open its properties.
3. Select Automatic for ‘Startup Type.’ Click Apply, Start, and OK.

Now, try the Windows Update and check if you are still getting the error message. If the problem isn’t resolved, reboot your PC for the changes to take effect and then try again.

Method 3:

Disable Antivirus program: If you have any antivirus installed on your PC, you might need to disable it first and see if that helps. Although, most of the antivirus makers have made changes to work smoothly with Windows 10, it is a new Operating System and some antivirus may cause conflict. Disable the antivirus and check for updates to see if it is preventing you from updating your system and displaying the error code 0x8024002e.

Method 4:

Run inbuilt Windows update troubleshooter. Follow the steps given below:

1. Press Windows + W keys on your keyboard to enable the search option.
2. In the Search box type Troubleshooting.
3. Click on View all
4. Click on Windows update and follow the prompts to run the troubleshooter.

If the issue persists, try Method 5

Method 5:

Run the System File Checker tool (sfc.exe):

1. Open Command prompt.
2. Type sfc /scannow and hit Enter.
3. The sfc /scannow will scan all protected system files and replace corrupted files with a cached copy that is located in a compressed folder at %WinDir%System32dllcache. The %WinDir% has the Windows Operating System folder. For example, C:\Windows.

Do not close the Command prompt window until the verification is 100% complete. The command prompt will show the scan results when it is done. After it is done, you may receive one of the following messages:

“Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.” This means you do not have any missing or damaged system files.

OR you may receive a message saying:

“Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation.”

To resolve this problem, run the System File Checker in safe mode and make sure that the PendingDeletes and PendingRenames folders exist under %WinDir%WinSxSTemp.

OR you may also receive a message saying, “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. Details are included in the CBS.Log%WinDir%LogsCBSCBS.log.” OR you may receive a message saying, “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log%WinDir%LogsCBSCBS.log.”

Have you been feeling anxious in the digital space? Feeling like you have a million eyes on you each time you visit a website? It can definitely make you uneasy. Luckily there’s an easy fix, and it’s called a VPN.

In this article we’ll take you through the basics of what a VPN does and some of the biggest benefits you can reap from buying one.

VPN: definition and how it works

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, so its name already says a lot about what it does. 

A VPN is specialized software that keeps your browsing private and secure. Essentially it hides your identity, preventing possible cyberattacks and data theft. This is especially important in cases of public network use, where you’re highly exposed to potential threats.

To be more specific, this software encrypts your Internet Protocol (IP) address by filtering it through a server hosted by the VPN provider first. That way, it prevents your Internet service provider, third parties and lurking online thieves from tracking the actual you.

Credit: FLY:D on Unsplash

Some providers, such as Surfshark VPN with its IP Rotator feature, even make it a habit to frequently change your IP address to further protect your identity. With most VPN providers, you can also appear to be in a completely different country, adding to your disguise.

There are tons of advantages you can look forward to if you decide to use a VPN. Take a look at some of the crucial ones.

Benefits of using a VPN

When choosing a VPN, you can find both free and paid options. We recommend you go with the paid ones, since they have stronger security, encryption and data protection, as well as more advanced features. Free VPNs come with limitations and risk of malicious attacks on the software itself.

You can choose to buy a singular VPN service or opt for antivirus software that has a VPN built in, for example Bitdefender’s Ultimate Security plan. That depends on what you use your computer for and how much. 

When you pick one, here’s what it can do for you.

1. Access region-specific content

When we said you could change your location, we meant it. Say you’re using a streaming service and a show you desperately want to watch isn’t available in your country. You can use your VPN to make it look like you’re browsing from a country where it’s unlocked.

This option is also convenient for gamers who want to access maps, skins and other in-game items unavailable in their location.

Surfshark VPN (Credit: Dan Nelson on Unsplash)

In addition, you can use this powerful feature when you’re traveling to a region where some of your favorite content may not be accessible.

Do keep in mind that you need to read the Terms and Conditions (yeah, we know - who does that?) of your games and services before doing this, since you could end up getting a penalty. It’s also important to remember that there are entire countries that have strict regulations or even bans on VPNs, for example Belarus, Russia and China. So make sure to be very cautious with your VPN use, friends.

2. Browse like no one’s watching

VPNs shield your browsing habits from prying eyes on the web. Those can be malicious hackers or just third-party cookies tracking your every move to later bombard you with targeted ads. For example, Surfshark VPN features a Cookie blocker that blocks all cookie-related pop-ups and lets you browse in peace (and secret). It works even when the VPN is turned off, which is also pretty neat.

In addition, their CleanWeb 2.0 technology makes sure ads and especially malware don’t stand a chance at all, since they’re blocked before they can even load.

The inability of sites to track your browsing means they can’t collect and analyze any of your data. So, your personal information - or your company’s information in case that’s what you’re using your computer for - is entirely hidden and secure.

3. Save money

It’s well-known that the prices of certain items and services vary based on your location, browsing time, age and many other factors. This most commonly goes for airline tickets and hotel stays.

You can use your VPN to avoid high prices and surcharges. Clear all cookies, turn on your VPN and visit an online shopping site to check out their prices. Then compare your findings with the offers you see when your VPN is off, when you spend a long time on the site or have an active account with the company. 

Sometimes this can really help you find the best deals and avoid breaking the bank. But again, check the Terms and Conditions before you purchase something using a VPN.

4. Secure your smart home

The more smart devices you have connected to your network, the more exposed you are to potential cyberattacks. Phones and computers are generally designed to be decently secure even without a VPN or antivirus, but smart home devices leave a lot to be desired in that regard. 

Protecting your home network with a VPN software means all devices connected to it are secure, be it an air purifier or Alexa.

5. Prevent connection slowdown

Your ISP can intentionally slow down your internet speed based on how much data you’ve consumed (data throttling) or your activities online (bandwidth throttling).

But with a VPN, what kind of data you send and receive and how much is entirely hidden. Therefore, if your ISP can’t see you, they can’t control you and they can’t throttle down your speed.   

The bottom line

You can never be too safe online. So definitely think about getting yourself a solid VPN to pump up your privacy and security as much as you can. And if you have any questions or need help choosing the perfect software for you, feel free to reach out to us.

Anxiety from all these digital threats lurking everywhere? An antivirus program can help put your mind at ease.

What can a virus do to your device?

A virus is malicious software that can affect pretty much any device and does so in a variety of ways. Be it your computer, your phone or your smart lightbulb - as long as there’s access to the internet, malware can get to it.

How exactly does this kind of attack manifest itself? Well, there’s a wide variety of effects ranging from mild to severe. Among other things, they depend on which type of malware attacks your device - a virus, spyware, ransomware, adware or something else.

These are some of the things you can expect to happen:

• Slow performance
• System crashes
• Theft of data and sensitive information
• Connectivity issues
• Constant browser redirects
• Strange messages sent to your contacts 
• Interference with files

It really can be the stuff of nightmares. So, if you want to sleep peacefully knowing that your devices are completely safe, you should definitely consider getting an antivirus.

P.S. don’t let its name fool you - an antivirus does indeed protect your devices against more than just viruses.

What is antivirus software exactly?

Antivirus software is designed to help you battle and ward off malware. Basically, it scans your device to detect any suspicious activity and offers tools to get rid of the culprit. 

At first, antiviruses were developed to fight against viruses only, but nowadays they cover a lot more ground. Here are some of the biggest benefits of getting yourself a powerful defender.

Advantages of antivirus software

1. It fights those pesky ads

Look, constant ads that pop up everywhere aren’t the absolute worst thing that can happen on your computer. If anything, they are annoying, like when you’re trying to sleep but that one fly in your room just won’t stop buzzing.

Now, there’s a free, well-established solution for that - installing an ad blocker. And we’re about a hundred and ten percent sure you’ve already done that on each and every browser you use.

However, “if I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist” isn’t the most ideal approach for your online safety. Ad blockers can’t block everything and they won’t protect you from potential adware. An antivirus on the other hand offers that layer of protection against malware snuck into pop-ups and spammy websites.

2. It protects you from hackers

Hackers don’t target government institutions only. They’ll target regular people too if they have something to gain.

There are different types of hacking, such as phishing e-mails, transmission of malicious programs, credential reuse, denial of service and more. In any case, they take control of your device and hijack your data.

The good thing is that, as threats evolve, antiviruses evolve too and there are tons of quality programs on the market that can keep you secure for an affordable price.

3. It keeps your files and data safe

When malware enters your device, it can target pretty much any file and get access to any and all data.

Installing an antivirus program will make sure that every single file, new or old, is monitored at all times, warning you against threats immediately. That way, you can make sure to react before your other files become infected and data is lost or stolen.

Another great thing for data protection is that the best antivirus software normally comes with a password manager, so no one can use malware to steal your passwords.

4. It blocks all kinds of malware

As we already stated, malicious attacks can be performed in many ways and malware comes in in different shapes an sizes, such as:

• Trojan horse
• Spyware
• Ransomware
• Adware
• Rootkit
• RAT (remote access Trojan)
• Keyloggers
• Worms
• Botnets

Nowadays, antivirus software is designed to fight against all of these types. That’s why more often than not we hear the term 'antivirus' used interchangeably with 'anti-malware,' like in this article.

5. It keeps your children protected

You can’t keep your eyes on your kid every second of the day and you can’t protect them from everything. But at least you can limit their exposure to the threats they can encounter at every corner of the digital world.

An antivirus program will block harmful or suspicious websites and ads, which is great both for you and your children. To take it a step further, though, many such programs come with special parental controls and offer monitoring as well. It’s a great solution for keeping your kids safe online without sounding like the irritating, overbearing, controlling parent who “just doesn’t get it!”

How to pick one

There are definitely lots of different antivirus programs out there, both free and paid. We recommend you look for a paid option, since free ones are unfortunately a lot more susceptible to being compromised through malicious attacks.

Now, there are a few factors to consider when choosing the right software. If you use your PC for basic things then a basic antivirus will suffice. However, the more complex your use and the more sensitive the data you deal with, the stronger it needs to be.

It’s also crucial that you take into account the features it includes. As we already mentioned, some programs have additional security options. For example, depending on the package you select, Bitdefender provides:

• Webcam and mic monitoring
• Parental control
• Firewall
• VPN
• Password management
• Identity theft protection

Some are included in plans and some are separate products, so make sure to check out all the offers.

And don’t worry if you have multiple PCs or you’re looking for protection for your smartphone or tablet as well; Bitdefender has suitable solutions for your needs. Of course, you can also just pick their classic antivirus software if you’re not in need of advanced protection.

Another important point is how regularly the software is updated and enhanced. The more frequent the updates the better, as bugs can make the program more vulnerable. Other things we advise you consider are user-friendliness, impact on performance, reputation (user reviews especially) and, of course, price.

The bottom line

Fact is: anyone can be a malware victim. Don’t let it be you.

You can’t put a price on peace and security, so don’t be reluctant to pay for yours - especially since a lot of options out there are extremely affordable. Is $159.00 a year really too much to pay for cross-platform protection for up to 10 devices? We don’t think so.

Explore your options and protect your files and data before it’s too late.

As you know, you can encounter Blue Screen errors at any given point after your computer boots up and can just reboot it randomly which results in loss of unsaved work. One of these Blue Screen errors is the “REGISTRY_ERROR”. This kind of Stop error has a bug check value of 0x00000051 which indicates your computer’s registry has encountered a severe error. There could be a number of causes for this error but at the time of writing, it is quite difficult to narrow them down to one component. If you face this kind of Blue Screen error, worry not as this post will guide you in fixing it. As mentioned, this error indicates that there is something wrong with the registry, particularly an I/O error while it tried to read one of its files. This may be caused by hardware issues or file system corruption. It could also be due to failure in a refresh operation which is only used by the security system and only when resource limits are encountered. To fix the Registry_Error Blue Screen, you can try to use the CHKDSK utility or the System File Checker, or the DISM tool or run the Blue Screen troubleshooter. You may also try to reset your computer or repair Windows by using installation media.

Option 1 – Run the Check Disk utility

The first thing you can do to fix the REGISTRY_ERROR Blue Screen error is to run the Check Disk utility. How? Follow these steps:

• In the Windows Search box, type “command prompt” and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening Command Prompt, type this command and tap Enter: chkdsk <Drive Letter>: /f /r /x /b
• The command you entered will start to check for errors and fix them automatically. Else, it will throw an error message saying, “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like the schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)”.
• Tap the Y key to schedule Disk Check the next time your computer restarts.

Option 2 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like REGISTRY_ERROR. It can be found in 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 3 – Run System File Checker

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After that, execute this command: sfc /scannow
• Once the scan is completed, restart your computer and then check if the REGISTRY_ERROR is now fixed.

Option 4 – Run the DISM tool

You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the REGISTRY_ERROR 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. Once it’s done, restart your computer.

Option 5 – Reset your computer

• Tap the Win key or click on the Start button located in the Taskbar.
• Then click on the Power button at the bottom right portion of the screen.
• Next, press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard and then click on Restart. This will restart your Pc into the Advanced Startup options.

Note: Once you have access to the Advanced Startup options, you have to go to the setting which allows you to Reset your Windows 10 PC. All you have to do is select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC to reach the following screen Afterward, select either the “Keep my files” option and then proceed to the next on-screen instructions that follow to reset your Windows 10 computer without losing your files.

Option 6 – Try to perform repair install by creating a Windows 10 installation media

• Click this link and then click the Download Tool Now button.
• Next, click the “Use the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file)…” option and follow the next given instructions on the screen.
• Now select the ISO file option in step 5.
• After that, you should now have an ISO file.
• Next, go to the location where you’ve downloaded the ISO file.
• Then right-click on the Windows 10 ISO file and select the Open with option and then select File Explorer.
• Now click on “setup.exe” and follow the next instructions that appear on the screen. When asked, you have to select either Nothing (clean install) or Keep personal files only option. Take note that you must not select the “Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings”.

The first major update for Windows 11, 22000.65 has brought some bug fixes and some new features. The previous update was just a bunch of small fixes but this time Microsoft has brought much more with this one.

Bug and security fixes:

• Patch for the PrintNightmare vulnerability.
• Taskbar icons not displaying after you rotate the screen back and forth.
• Date and time not following format settings.
• Contrast issues with File Explorer title bar
• Search dropping the first keystroke when you press the Windows key and type
• Blurry windows in ALT + Tab

Besides bug and security fixed newest update has also brought us some functional changes:

• The start menu can no longer be moved from center
• A search box appears at the top of the Start menu.
• Taskbar appears on secondary monitors.
• The refresh option appears on the jump list when you right-click the desktop. It was on the "Show more options" list before.
• New look for certain dialog boxes such as "battery low" or "display change"
• New snap layouts for portrait mode screens.
• Option to troubleshoot sound problems when you right-click the volume icon.
• Power mode settings on Power & battery settings menu.
• Right-clicking .ps1 files offers a "Run with PowerShell" option.
• New GIFs in the emoji panel in China

Honestly, I really like a search box on top of the start menu but really dislike the option to move it to left, I am sure that there are a lot of users who would feel more like at home if they could still move and set Windows to function and work how they want. It is very strange to me that Windows 10 was made to be so user-focused and been able to be user specific and Windows 1 takes most of these things away. I am not sure why Microsoft is going this way but I cannot really see how moving the taskbar on left is a programming issue or why it is wrong for example.