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What to do if the Windows 10 Control Panel is not opening

The Control Panel is one of the most important tools in Windows which allows users to control and change various settings. However, there are cases when it experiences some problems like when users aren’t able to open it. Recently, a lot of users complained about not being able to open the Control Panel. To be more specific, users were able to open it but only lasted for a second, and then it’s gone. This is not just some issue you can ignore as this will prevent you from accessing some major settings in your computer and you won’t be able to perform some important task without it.

According to security experts, this issue is most likely caused by a bug in the Windows Update. If you have installed an update recently, then it’s most likely the culprit. Aside from the Windows Update, there are also other things that can cause this issue. Some of them are the IDT audio panel and a control panel file that causes conflicting issues with the control panel that leads to this problem. Aside from these aforementioned cases, the Windows Error reporting services could also be one of the causes of this issue. As you can see, since there are a lot of possible causes for this problem, this post prepared a lot of options as well which you have to check out. Follow each one of them and see which one worked best for you.

Option 1 – Try updating your Windows 10 PC

If you haven’t updated your PC to the latest version of Windows 10, then you should. A lot of users found that the issue with the Control Panel was fixed right after they updated their Windows 10 PCs. This is probably because Microsoft has probably released a fix on one of the latest updates.

Option 2 – Try uninstalling the IDT Audio Panel

For some users, uninstalling the IDT Audio Panel from their PCs did the trick. You can also try doing the same thing to fix the vanishing Control Panel. According to these users. The IDT audio panel was the one that’s causing the issue. To uninstall the IDT audio panel, here’s what you have to do:

  • Tap the Win + R keys at the same time to open the Run dialog box.
  • Then type in “appwiz.cpl” in the field and tap Enter to open the “Uninstall or change a program” screen of the Control Panel.
  • From there, look for the IDT audio panel, select it and then select the Uninstall option and follow the next on-screen instructions that appear.

Note: If you are unable to locate the IDT audio panel or you simply can’t access the Uninstall or change program screen or you can’t keep Control Panel open for a long time, here’s what you can do:

  • Tap the Win + R keys at the same time once again to open the Run dialog box.
  • And in the field, type in “devmgmt.msc” and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.
  • After opening the Device Manager, look for the “Sound, video and game controllers” option and double-click on it.
  • From there, locate the IDT audio panel or “IDT High Definition CODEC” and select Uninstall and follow the next instructions that appear.

Option 3 – Try deleting or renaming IDTNC64.cpl

IDTNC64.cpl is a control file in the control panel. However, it might be the one that’s causing the problem as it could be conflicting with the control panel. As a result, the control panel crashes after a second or more. Many users have fixed the problem by either renaming or deleting this file – the safer option would be is renaming it.

  • Tap the Win + E keys to open File Explorer.
  • In the address bar located at the top, type in “C:\Windows\System32” and tap Enter to open this folder.
  • From there, look for the IDTNC64.cpl file, right-click on it and select the Rename option.
  • You can name the file anything you want but it’s better if you rename it to “oldcpl”.
  • After you rename the file, try opening the Control Panel again. It should work fine now.

Option 4 – Try to disable the Windows Error Reporting Service

As mentioned earlier, the Windows Error Reporting Service is also known to cause the issue so some users disable it and got the issue fixed.

  • Tap the Win + R keys.
  • In the field, type in “MSConfig” and hit Enter to open System Configuration.
  • After opening System Configuration, go to the Services tab and look for the Windows Error Reporting Service and uncheck its checkbox.
  • Click the Apply button and click OK. You should now see a date in the Disable Date column. Then check if the Control Panel is now working properly if not, restart your computer and check once more. That should fix the problem.

Option 5 – Try opening Control Panel via Run

This option is more of a workaround than a solution as it does not really fix the issue with the Control Panel but rather helps you in accessing the controls at the very least.

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open Run.
  • Type in “appwiz.cpl” in the field and tap Enter to open the Uninstall or change program screen of the Control Panel.
  • Next, copy and paste “Control panel all control panel items” on the address bar located at the top-mid part of your screen. You must not type the given address and simply copy and paste it. After that, you will see a list of control panel controls you can use.

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Completely Remove SafeSearch Guide

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

Files: C:Program FilesPrimesoftSafeSearchsafesearch.dll C:Program FilesPrimesoftSafeSearch_safesearch.dll C:Program FilesPrimesoftSafeSearchaanyvkcf.exe C:Program FilesPrimesoftSafeSearchsafesearch.exe C:Program FilesPrimesoftSafeSearchrgzcdhtn.exe Registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunaanyvkcf HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunSafeSearch HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunrgzcdhtn HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePrimeSoft HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareSafeSearch HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.QSCH HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTQSCH File HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTSafeSearch.SafeSearchBHO HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTSafeSearch.SafeSearchBHO.1 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTInterface28E6CCE2-3F2C-4B3D-9CB4-2FC8715A3ECE HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTTypelib82E9DE01-D860-40E4-B9C1-91F0E8272962 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTTypelibCB5006EE-F57D-4116-B7B6-48EB564FE0F0 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTmimedatabasecontent typeapplication/x-QSCH HKEY_USERS.defaultSoftwareNetscapeNetscape NavigatorTrusted External Applications%System%aanyvkcf.exe=yes HKEY_USERS.defaultSoftwareNetscapeNetscape NavigatorSuffixesApplication/x-QSCH HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerToolbar00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstallaanyvkcf HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstallrgzcdhtn
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Scammers have decided to target Windows’s 10 App installer process in order to infect your computer and steal your data. windows 10 mail exploitAs in most usual online scams, everything starts with a strange email containing threats and other poorly written and composed speech. At the end of the given email, there would be a link claiming that you, of course, need to read it and follow instructions about the threat, if you click the link it will open a web page where you will have an innocent-looking PDF file with more information about the threat itself. If you click on a seemingly innocent PDF file it will summon Windows 10's AppInstaller.exe tool, kickstarting a download-and-run process that'll put you in a bad place very quickly. From there, you'll have to deal with the dangers of malware BazarBackdoor, including data and credential theft. This kind of scam is nothing new but the interesting thing here is that it uses App installer and by clicking on a link you are opening and giving permission for a malicious crook to use it. So, stay safe and do not click on any links from unknown emails no matter what.
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How to Repair Windows 10 Upgrade Error Code 0x80070070 – 0x50011

Code 0x80070070 – 0x50011 – What is it?

If you’ve recently tried installing Windows 10, you might have encountered error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011 or its alternatives (error code 0x80070070 – 0x50012 and 0x80070070 – 0x60000). Whatever formats this error code presents itself in, it's usually accompanied by a barrage of other errors, as underscored on Microsoft’s official site. If you’ve encountered this error code, it simply means that your computer system might not have the required or required space to install the upgrade.

Likely, if you’ve experienced error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011, it’ll likely appear in the formats highlighted below:

  • 0x80070070 – 0x50011
  • 0x80070070 – 0x50012
  • 0x80070070 – 0x60000

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

At present, this Windows 10 upgrade error is triggered or caused by various factors:

  • Lack of computer resources or space
  • Virus/malware infestation
  • A clogged registry

Further Information and Manual Repair

Whilst new, not much information has been propagated regarding this error. However, there are some manual / practical steps you can take to have your Windows 10 upgrade up and running. Since the primary aspect of solving this problem is to make space on your computer system, here are some ways in which you can do so manually.

Method 1: Get more space

  • Check the current space on your computer  

Before making attempts to create space on your computer, it’s vital that you check to decipher how much free space you have available.

  • Make use of Disk Clean-up 

Since there’s a free service available on your computer to create space, why not use it and save time? If the Disk Cleanup tool is employed regularly, this will free up hard drive space and optimize your computer to work better.

  • Remove unwanted desktop apps 

There are several apps lying around on your computer that you simply don’t use, uninstall those and make space to elude error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011 or its alternatives (Code 0x80070070 – 0x50012, Code 0x80070070 – 0x60000)

  • Remove or archive files  

If you have lots of photos, media, documents (files), videos, etc, that you don’t use or will only need in the future, try cloud storage. You’ll still have those files within your possession but just not in a physical location. However, they’re still accessible. Another suggestion: If you use programs such as One Drive or Google Drive for desktop, limit your use to only the online application.

  • Add more storage

If you’re not able to implement the above steps to clear some space to accommodate your Windows 10 upgrade due to error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011, acquire more storage. This can be expanded by incorporating storage devices such as USB flash drives, CDs, cloud storage, and SD Cards.

Method 2: Scan your computer for virus/malware

If you regularly download stuff, especially software on the Internet from ‘not so secured’ sites, you might have picked up something. You might have downloaded malware or virus (along with other legit programs).

To resolve this issue, it’s advised and very important that you download a powerful antivirus and perform a complete scan of your computer system. After you’ve detected and removed the suspected malware/virus, you’ll then be able to eliminate error code 0x80070070 – 0x50011 and resume with your Windows 10 upgrade.

Method 3: Clean up your computer’s registry

If you do not clean your computer’s registry often, it could become congested or clogged by .XML files, junk files, and cookies. To resolve this problem, clean your registry by using a powerful and user-friendly tool to clean up the problem.

Click here to download Restoro.

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Fix 0xc000014C Boot Configuration Data error
If you receive the error code 0xc000014C while you boot up your computer, then this post might be of help. This kind of error usually points to the Registry of your computer that might be corrupted. As a result, the operating system was not able to read the BCD file and throws the 0xc000014C error. The error code 0xc000014C is triggered when your computer encounters an error in the first booting sector. You might receive any of these error messages:
“Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data.” with File: as “BootBCD” “File: Windowssystem32configsystem Info: Windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or is corrupt” “Info: The Boot Configuration Data for your PC is missing or contains errors.”
To fix the error code 0xc000014C when booting your computer, you can check out the suggestions provided below.

Option 1 – Try running System Restore in Advanced Startup Options

Since you probably can’t 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 2 – Try to rebuild the BCD files

You can also try rebuilding the BCD files to resolve error 0xc000014C for corrupted Boot Configuration Data
  • You can start by booting into the installation environment for Windows 10 from an installation media.
  • After that, click on Repair your computer and on the blue screen, select Troubleshoot and then select the Advanced options menu.
  • From there, select Command Prompt and once you open it, enter each one of the commands given below by sequence.
    • bootrec /FixMbr
    • bootrec /FixBoot
    • bootrec /ScanOS
    • bootrec /RebuildBcd
  • Once you’re done executing the commands given above, type “exit” to close the Command Prompt window and then restart your computer and see if it fixed error code 0xc000014c.

Option 3 – Try restoring the default and uncorrupt Registry Values

This option is a bit tricky as you have to be sure about what you are doing here. However, if you are not sure, you might want to seek out a technician to fix the problem for you. But if you can handle it, then carefully follow the steps below.
  • You have to first physically remove the hard drive of the computer that’s not booting up. You can refer to it as Hard drive 1 and Computer 1, respectively.
  • After that, you need to have another computer which you can refer to as Computer 2, and refer to its hard drive as Hard drive 2. Make sure that this second computer is working properly.
  • Next, you have to attach Hard drive 1 to Computer 2 with the Hard drive 2 attached as well.
  • After that, boot Computer 2 from Hard drive 2 where Hard drive 1 will act as the second storage unit.
  • Then navigate to the following location in the System Partition of the Hard drive 2.
C:/Windows/System32/config/RegBack
  • From there, you have to replace all the files. Once you’re done, shut down your computer and then take out the Hard drive 1 from Computer 2 and put it back to Computer 1 as the only hard drive.
  • Now boot your computer normally and check if the problem is fixed.
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Intel's open-source Clear Linux* Project
clear linux projectThe Clear Linux Project creates an operating system and software stack that offers highly optimized performance, security, versatility, and manageability. Clearly optimized for Intel CPUs and based on GNOME it will offer you incredible speeds if you are on Intel CPU. The big news, though, is that Clear Linux sports the shiny new Gnome 40. This is a fresher Gnome than you'll find even on Ubuntu's more experimental 21.04 release. The only big names that let you test drive Gnome 40 are Fedora and Arch Linux.

Packages only when you need them

Installation of packages is used by Swupd, a Clear Linux* package management tool. It is easy to use and pretty straightforward.
  • "bundle-list" for showing what's installed
  • "bundle-info" for details on installed bundles (such as owned files via the "‑‑files" flag)
  • "search" for repository searching
  • "bundle-add" for installation
  • "bundle-remove" for uninstallation
The only problem here is the packages themselves. Clean Linux* has been imagined as a developer distro focusing mostly on well-development tolls. In intel’s words: “A Linux OS built for Linux developers”, so some things will be left out. Strangely enough some things as FFmpeg which if you want to have and blast some youtube videos while you work will have to complete manually by yourself.

Clear Linux* modular philosophy

Everything in Clear Linux* is based on a modular philosophy approach. There is no /etc/fstab file, the /boot directory is totally empty. Every partition to be mounted is enabled as a systemd "mount unit." Intel reaping the benefits of systemd's modular philosophy, where everything is a unit. If you know your way around systemd, intermediate-level configuration tasks should be straightforward. Any advanced configuration likely demands deep systemd knowledge.

Clear Linux* performance

As stated earlier this is Intel’s distro, optimized for Intel hardware meaning that Intel as the developer has every possible tool at its disposal to make use of hardware to its maximum potential and it shows. Distro almost leaves other ones two times in speed performance. So if you are looking for a distribution that will deliver you speed and it is aimed for developer Clear Linux* is for you.

Conclusion

Clear Linux* is a really interesting distro and seeing how Intel is adding new software packages on its official website it might have a bright future. But as always, be the judge for yourself and see if it can fit your needs. Go get it at: https://clearlinux.org/
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How to Fix Media disconnected error message on Windows 10
A computer with no internet connection is like a mobile phone that can’t call nor text though you can still use it for other things. So if you are having problems with your computer’s internet connection, worry not as there are some basic things you can try before you go over the actual troubleshooting. Just make sure that you really have working internet. To verify it, try connecting your other devices. Aside from that, you must also make sure that your computer is connected properly over cable or connected to the router over the Wi-Fi. Once you have all these things covered, now’s the time to start troubleshooting the problem with the help of the instructions prepared below. To be more specific, this guide will walk you through what you can do when you encounter a particular internet connection problem where you get the Media State Media disconnected error message on your Windows 10 computer.

Before you troubleshoot the problem, you need to first check the internet connection status on your computer. To do that, follow these steps:

  • Type in “cmd” in the Cortana search box.
  • From the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator” from the context menu.
  • After opening Command Prompt with administrator privileges, type in the ipconfig /all command and hit Enter.
  • After you enter the command, you will see a list of all the connected media like the Ethernet, Wi-Fi along with its status, and more. From there, you need to check everything closely. I notice a message that says, “Media State . . . . . Media disconnected”, then your internet connection is indeed having issues.
Refer to the options below to fix the Media State Media disconnected error message on your Windows 10 PC.

Option 1 – Try resetting WINSOCK and IP Stack

  • Type in “cmd” in the Cortana search box.
  • From the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator” from the context menu.
  • After opening Command Prompt, type in each one of the commands listed below
    • netsh winsock reset catalog – This command will reset the WINSOCK entries.
    • netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log – This command will reset the IPv4 TCP/IP stack.
    • netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log – This command will reset the IPv6 TCP/IP stack
  • Once you’ve executed the commands listed above, restart your PC to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Check if your Network Adapter is disabled

If you’ve disabled the network adapters on your computer, then it’s most likely the reason why you’re getting the Media State Media disconnected error message. Thus, you need to enable it back.
  • Open Settings and go to Network and Internet > Select Ethernet > Change adapter options.
  • From there, right-click on the adapter and enable it.

Option 3 – Check the Wi-Fi Properties

Though this case is not common, Wi-Fi sharing has actually caused issues for some users. That’s why you need to check the Wi-Fi properties. Go to Network Connections and right-click on Wi-Fi and select Properties. From Properties, go to the Sharing tab and select the first option and click OK.

Option 4 – Try updating the Network driver

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type in devmgmt.msc and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
  • Expand the section for the outdated device drivers.
  • And then select the Network driver or any other outdated driver(s) and right-click on it/them.
  • From the drop-down menu, select the Update Driver option and follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest version of the driver.
  • Then also click on the option, “Search automatically for updated driver software.
  • Restart your PC after the installation.
Note: If updating the Network driver didn’t work, you can go to the website of your PC manufacturer and look for the support section where you can download the drivers for your computer. You just need to take note of your PC’s correct model and model number so you can find the appropriate driver.
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How to Resolve HP Printer Spooler Not Running Error

HP Printer Spooler Not Running - What is it?

If you have the HP printer, then you may come across this error. HP Printer Spooler not running errors does not mean there is anything wrong with your printer. It indicates printer driver issues.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

There can be multiple causes behind the HP printer Spooler not running error code such as:
  • The poor or unsuccessful printer driver installation
  • Invalid registry entries
Though this is not a critical error code as it does not pose serious damage threats to your PC, however, it is advisable to resolve it as it can cause you a great deal of inconvenience especially if you want to take out printouts every now and then.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some ways you can try to resolve HP Printer Spooler Not Running Error on your system: 1. Reinstall the HP Printer driver on Your System
  • Simply go to the control panel and then click on the Device Manager option
  • Once you click it you will see details pane with a list of devices. Now simply click on the printer, to reinstall the driver software.
  • Double click on it to open the properties dialog box
  • After that click on the driver tab and then click update driver
Once you update the driver, try using the Printer to see if it works. Sometimes you may come across a pop-up displaying the following message: ‘Driver installed correctly, Device is ready to use however, you may not see the printer under the printer’s pane. This triggers registry issues. 2. To resolve registry issues, install Restoro on your system. This is a highly functional registry cleaner integrated with a powerful antivirus. It helps resolve registry issues, malware, and guarantees system optimization. This feature-filled tool is the answer to all your PC-related issues. Restoro is a next-generation PC repair software that extends outstanding usability and helps PC users resolve errors efficiently. Its simple navigation and user-friendly interface make it so easy to use that even novice users can also work around it and repair issues without any hassle or difficulty. It’s a smart and intuitive in-built registry cleaner that wipes out all the unnecessary and obsolete files on your hard disk. This includes junk files, internet history, invalid registry keys, and files from the uninstalled old program versions. Sometimes the files from the uninstalled programs hamper your ability to update new program versions thus leading to unsuccessful driver installation. Nonetheless, all such files are removed in seconds with this helper and you are then ready to reinstall the driver. This registry cleaner cleans the clutter from your hard disk and optimizes your system's speed, lowering your PC boot time significantly. Total System Care can be used on all Windows versions To fix the HP printer spooler not running error on your computer, simply click here to install Restoro. Run it to scan for the error and fix it in seconds. Once the issue is resolved, update the printer driver. You’ll see the driver will be updated successfully and the HP printer will also appear in the printer’s panel. By installing Restoro on your system, you can also resolve several other issues like privacy errors triggered by malware and virus infections. With this tool, you will not have to download and run a separate anti-virus on your system.
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Change Font Size in Sticky Notes in Windows
Sticky Notes is one of the useful programs and in the early days, the option is available for users to change the font size of the text a lot easier. However, for some unknown reason, Microsoft decided to get rid of this feature in the latest Windows Update. One would expect that the feature will be replaced by an even more useful feature but it’s not which makes the Sticky Notes app worse than before. Worry not though for it doesn’t have to stay that way as there is another thing you can try to change the font size in your Sticky Notes app and that’s what we’re going to cover in this post. As mentioned, Microsoft removing this font feature is quite strange and in the past, users asked for this feature and since it’s no longer available, you can try following the steps given below to bring it back. And for that, you need to go to the Ease of Access section in the Settings app. Refer to the steps given below for more instructions. Step 1: First, tap the Win + I keys to open Settings and then go to the Ease of Access section. Step 2: After going to the Ease of Access menu and select Display from the list of options. Step 3: From there, you should see an option that says “Make text bigger”. And then use your mouse to navigate to the slider to change the size of the font. Note: Take note that after doing all the steps above, it will change not just the Sticky Notes app but also everything in Windows 10. This method is actually the best since it only changes the size of the apps rather than a wholesale change in your Windows 10 computer. Step 4: Next, scroll under Display until you see the “Change the size of apps and text on the main display” option where you’ll see that the option is 100% but you’ll want to change that to 125%. Step 5: After that, click on the drop-down menu and select 125% and then restart your Windows 10 computer. Step 6: Now open the Sticky Notes app and check if you can now change the font size in the Sticky Notes app.
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PUP - Driver Pro complete removal guide

Driver Pro Description

DriverPro is a program developed by PC Utilities Pro. This program is often found bundled in other installations.

From the author: PC Utilities Pro is a leading software development company founded in 2009. As a group of young enthusiastic programmers, we constantly strive in creating powerful, yet easy-to-use solutions that would enable even the most basic computer users to keep their PCs running like new.

When installed, DriverPro will add registry entries for the current user that allow it to run each time to computer is started. It will also add a scheduled task in Windows, that allows it to run at various times. The optimizing nature of the application allows it to access any file and information on your computer without your knowledge.

Multiple anti-virus programs have marked this application as a Potentially Unwanted Program, and it is not recommended to keep it on your computer.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

Have you ever discovered an unwanted program running on your PC and wondered exactly how the heck it got there? A PUA / PUP (potentially unwanted application / potentially unwanted program) is a software program that comes bundled with freeware/shareware and you agree to install on your computer. These are programs you certainly don’t want on your computer since it doesn’t provide any useful service. Despite being regarded very dangerous, PUPs aren’t necessarily computer viruses or malware What makes a PUP different from malware is the fact that whenever you download one, you are doing it with your consent – though in most instances unwittingly and unwillingly. PUPs might not be malware but still, they’re harmful programs to your computer. At best, these unwanted applications provide hardly any benefit, and at worst, they could be quite damaging to your computer.

What do PUPs do on your computer, really?

Most Potentially Unwanted Programs will come in the form of adware, which typically aims to exhibit numerous irritating pop-up ads, banners, coupons, and bargains on websites you go to. PUPs that come as browser add-ons and toolbars are readily identifiable. They’ll track your online activities, redirect your search results to unsafe websites where spyware and adware can be downloaded, hijack your home page, and slow your internet browser down to a crawl. PUPs load up a dangerous bite if kept unchecked. They will often include things like information gathering program code which could gather and send your sensitive information back to 3rd parties. These are programs that don’t really do anything good for you; in addition to occupying space on the hard drive, they also slow down your PC, often alter settings without your authorization, the list of annoying features goes on and on.

Great tips on protecting yourself from unwanted software

• When setting up anything on your computer system, always study the fine print, like the license agreement. Don’t accept terms of use that are for bundled programs. • Only Use the “custom” or “manual” install method – and never blindly click Next, Next, Next. • Use an advert blocker/pop-up blocker; Install anti-malware products such as Safebytes Anti-malware. These software programs could establish a wall between the computer and cybercriminals. • Think twice before you decide to download any type of freeware or shareware. Just before adding a plug-in or web browser extension, think about whether it is really necessary. • Only download programs from the original providers’ websites. Avoid download portals because they use their very own download manager to pack extra programs along with the initial download.

Help! Malware Blocking Anti-virus Installation And Access To The Web

All malware is bad, but certain kinds of malicious software do a lot more damage to your computer than others. Some malware is meant to hinder or block things that you wish to do on your computer. It may well not allow you to download anything from the net or it will stop you from accessing some or all websites, particularly the anti-malware sites. So what you should do if malware prevents you from downloading or installing Safebytes Anti-Malware? Do as instructed below to get rid of the malware in alternate ways.

Get rid of malware in Safe Mode

The Windows operating system has a special mode known as “Safe Mode” where just the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded. In the event, the virus is set to load automatically when the PC starts, shifting to this mode may well prevent it from doing so. To start the computer into Safe Mode, press the “F8” key on the keyboard just before the Windows boot screen appears; Or right after normal Windows boot up, run MSConfig, check the Safe Boot under the Boot tab, and click Apply. After you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you could download, install, and update the anti-malware program from there. Now, you are able to run the anti-virus scan to eliminate computer viruses and malware without any interference from another malicious application.

Switch to some other internet browser

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a particular internet browser or attacking particular versions of the browser. If you appear to have malware attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to a different internet browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Run anti-virus from your USB drive

Another way is to download and transfer an anti-malware program from a clean computer to run a scan on the affected system. Adopt these measures to run the anti-malware on the infected computer system. 1) On a clean computer, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the pen drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded application, which has a .exe file format. 4) Select the USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you intend to install the software. Follow the activation instructions. 5) Remove the flash drive. You may now utilize this portable antivirus on the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the flash drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Press the “Scan” button to run a full system scan and remove viruses automatically.

Detect And Remove Viruses With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Want to download the very best anti-malware software for your laptop or computer? There are many applications available that come in paid and free versions for Microsoft Windows computers. A few are worth your money, but many aren’t. You need to pick a company that creates industry-best antimalware and has earned a reputation as reliable. Among few good programs, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the strongly recommended software for the security-conscious end user. Safebytes is one of the well-established PC solutions firms, which provide this complete anti-malware software program. This software program can easily detect, remove, and protect your computer from the most advanced malware intrusions such as adware, spyware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, along with other potentially harmful software applications. SafeBytes anti-malware offers a plethora of advanced features that set it apart from all others. The following are some of the good ones: Real-time Protection: SafeBytes provides complete and real-time security for your personal machine. It will regularly monitor your computer for hacker activity and also gives users superior firewall protection. Best AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware program goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean out your computer system. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard to remove malware that hides deep within your PC. Web Protection: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating about the web pages you are about to check out, automatically blocking unsafe sites and ensuring that you are certain of your safety while browsing the world wide web. Fast Scan: SafeBytes Anti-Malware has a multi-thread scan algorithm that works up to 5x faster than any other antivirus software. Very Low CPU and RAM Usage: This software program is not “heavy” on your computer’s resources, so you’ll not notice any overall performance problems when SafeBytes is operating in the background. Fantastic Tech Support Team: You will get 24/7 technical assistance to promptly resolve any issue with your security application.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

To remove Driver Pro manually, navigate to the Add/Remove programs list in the Control Panel and choose the offending program you want to get rid of. For web browser plug-ins, go to your web browser’s Addon/Extension manager and select the add-on you want to remove or disable. You may also want to reset your web browser settings, as well as clear your web browser cache and cookies. Lastly, check your hard disk for all of the following and clean your registry manually to remove leftover application entries after uninstalls. Please note that only professional computer users should try to manually edit the system files mainly because removing any single vital registry entry leads to a major problem or even a computer crash. Also, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing its removal. Carrying out this in Safe Mode is suggested.
Files: %Program Files%\Driver Pro\Driver Pro.exe %UserProfile%\Desktop\Driver Pro.lnk %UserProfile%\Start Menu\Driver Pro\Driver Pro.lnk %UserProfile%\Start Menu\Driver Pro\Help.lnk %UserProfile%\Start Menu\Driver Pro\Registration.Lnk Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software376694984709702142491016734454 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run 13376694984709702142491016734454
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Fix NTOSKRNL.exe high CPU, Memory & Disk usage
This post will guide you in fixing high CPU, Memory, and Disk usage problems caused by NTOSKRNL.exe. NTOSKRNL stands for “NT Operating System Kernel. This file is a kernel image that is responsible for a lot of systems-based processes such as Hardware Virtualization, Process, and Memory. Aside from that, it is also the one that compresses the old pages of memory that reduces the overall amount of memory being used. If you notice that your computer is running slowly and you find that the NTOSKRNL.exe file is hogging your resources such as disk usage, CPU usage as well as memory usage, then read on as this post will guide you in fixing the problem caused by NTOSKRNL.exe. Make use of the options given below to resolve the issues caused by NTOSKRNL.exe. 1] Scan your computer for potential malware There might be a good chance that your computer might be infected with malware. And this malware might be associated with the NTOSKRNL.exe file and hence making it consume a lot of system resources. So, I would really recommend you to make sure that your Antivirus is up to date and then scan your computer with it specifically the C:/Windows/System32 folder because this is the location where the NTOSKRNL.exe file is located.

Option 1 – Put your computer in a Clean Boot State

The first thing you have to do is to put your computer in a Clean Boot State as this can help you in finding any incompatible programs that are causing the problem.
  • Log onto your PC as an administrator.
  • Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
  • From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
  • Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
  • Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
  • Click Disable all.
  • Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
  • From there, start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.
Once you’ve found any incompatible programs, you need to uninstall them. Refer to the steps below to do so.
  • 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 2 – Update or rollback drivers

If the first option didn’t work for you, then it’s time to either update or roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.
  • Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
  • Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
  • After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
  • Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
  • Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.
Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.

Option 3 – Try to run the DISM tool

If the first two options didn’t work, then running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management might. 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.

Option 4 – Try to stop the Runtime Broker process

The RuntimeBroker.exe or the Runtime Broker process is the one that monitors access to Windows APIs to make sure that the apps do not violate the core security of Windows. This process usually leaves a very small footprint. However, there are times when it consumes more resources than it’s supposed to and does not release memory after the work is done that results in a memory leak. As a result, it affects NTOSKRNL.exe which is why you have to stop the Runtime Broker process. To do so, refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
  • After opening Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the Runtime Broker process.
  • Once you find it, check if it is using more than 15% of your memory. If it is, then you most likely have an issue with an app installed on your computer.
  • Select the Runtime Broker process and right-click on it and then click on the End Task option to end its process.

Option 5 – Try to run the Performance Troubleshooter

  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Type “msdt.exe /id PerformanceDiagnostic” in the field and hit Enter to open the Performance troubleshooter.
  • Then click on Next to get started. Wait until the process is completed.

Option 6 – Try using the Windows Performance Toolkit

You can also use the Windows Performance Toolkit in finding the root cause of the problem. Just refer to the following steps to use this toolkit.
  • Search for “cmd” in the Cortana Search box and click on Command Prompt from the search results to open it.
  • Next, type in the command given below or copy and paste it and then hit Enter:
xperf -on latency -stackwalk profile -buffersize 1024 -MaxFile 256 -FileMode Circular && timeout -1 && xperf -d cpuusage.etl
  • After executing the command, wait for at least 60 seconds and then check the logs of the Windows Performance toolkit which is stored in a file named cpuusage.etl in the folder located at C:/Windows/System32. From there, you should see a list of all the causes of the System Resources being hogged.
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