USB Keeps Connecting and Disconnecting

Today most users have an SSD drive, times have changed and SSD has become your typical computer equipment. A lot of time has passed from the first SSD hard drives up to today and technology has evolved and improved but still, there are some cool tricks and tips to speed up and extend the lifespan of your SSD hard drive. That being said let us dive right into what I would like to call the essentials of having an SSD hard drive.

1. Keep your SSD firmware up to date.

   This one really is a no-brainer, keeping your firmware updated at all times will ensure longer life and SSD stability. The trick here is that each SSD manufacturer has its own ways of updating firmware so this is not something universal, you will have to go to the official website of your SSD manufacturer and get firmware updates and instructions from them directly.

2. Enable ACHI.

   Advanced controller host interface or short ACHI is a feature that will ensure that your Windows will support all of the features that come with running SSD on your computer. It controls the TRIM feature which is crucial in helping Windows itself in its garbage collection on your hard drive. In order to enable ACHI, you will have to do it from your BIOS and it would be very good if the feature is enabled before Windows itself is installed so it can take full advantage of it.

3. Enable TRIM.

   TRIM feature is vital in extending your SSD lifespan and it should be enabled by default in Windows but you can never be too cautious and double-check and enable if needed. To make sure it is enabled, open your command prompt and type in: fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 0

4. Make sure your system restore is enabled.

   In the first SSD days, system restore was really a feature that you wanted to be disabled in order to prevent and extend the life span of your SSD drive, but we came a long way from there and today there is no reason to keep this feature turned off since it can be helping many ways with both your system and SSD.

5. Disable Indexing in Windows.

   A large portion of the speed of your SSD drive is used for indexing files in Windows. Of course, the indexing feature is great if you store everything on your SSD drive but if by any chance you have another drive for your backup, pictures, music, etc. it would be highly beneficial for you to turn it off on your SSD. To turn indexing off click on your start menu, click on the computer. Right-click on your SSD and then click on properties. De-select box that says: Allow files to have contents indexed in addition to file properties and click OK. Once you do this the operating system will apply this to all the files and folders on the drive. If you see a dialog telling you that it couldn’t remove a file from the index, click Ignore All.

6. Keep Windows defrag ON.

   This also was the option in early SSD days which was better to be OFF, but as said before since technology has been making progress and Windows has been improved and made aware of SSD drives, defrag has evolved as well, and now it is more of optimization tool then defragmenter which was once.

7. Disable Prefetch and Superfetch.

   Windows is placing information in both physical and virtual memory for applications that you are not currently using but they are used often in order to speed their response time. If you are running low on space or having struggles with virtual memory it would be best to turn them both off. Go to registry manager and find: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters, there you have 2 values: EnablePrefetcher and EnableSuperfetch, set both values to 0.

8. Disable Search and Superfetch services.

   Disabling Superfetch in the registry is not all work, Press WINDOWS + R to bring run dialog, type in it services.msc, Find both Search and Superfetch and disable them.

9. Configure Write Caching.

   Write caching can be enabled and disabled in the device manager by expanding disk drives, right-clicking on SSD, then click properties, select the policies tab. In the tab, there is the option to Enable write caching on the device. Now trick in this is that you will need to try and benchmark your SSD with both options turned ON and OFF since different manufacturers have different performances with this option being ON or OFF.

10. Disable CleanPageFileAtShutdown and LargeSystemCache.

    Page file and a large cache of page files are not something that we longer need, since SSD writes with great speed in its flash memory both of these options can be disabled and you will both speed up shut down the process of your system and save some SSD life since page files will not be written. Find both options in the registry under the key: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management set both to 0

11. Set high performance in Power options.

    This option in power management will prevent your SSD from constantly shutting down and bringing it up increasing speed without sacrificing its life span.

These are tips and tricks for having great and longer life as well as speed for your SSD drive. We hope that you have found them useful and that you will come again to check new articles published daily for easier IT life.

Over time Applications change, some for the better some for worse. Some of them even stop receiving updates and are old and vulnerable. Sometimes standards change and some file types are not used anymore. Software evolves along with technology and that is good. Keeping old and useless applications inside your Windows is not so good. From various exploits to simply taking up space, maybe even slowing down OS it is always wise and good to clean your Windows from unwanted old applications. In this article, we will be mentioning some relics of old and providing you with an explanation of why you should remove them from your system if by any chance you still have them on it.

Silverlight

Silverlight was meant to be a competitor for Adobe Flash, it is a WEB framework that enables rich media content inside your WEB browser. The issue is that it is not developed anymore and today's browsers do not support it. The only browser that actually can support it is internet explorer which itself is not supported and how there is practically 0 content on today's modern WEB that will require Silverlight, it is safe and recommended to remove it.

Adobe Flash

Speaking of Adobe Flash, you should remove it as well. Flash has stopped receiving support as of January 2021 and browsers have dropped support for it and even blocked it due to security issues. However, there still might be some local installation of Flash itself inside Windows along with the old Shockwave player that stopped receiving support in 2019. You should remove them both.

JAVA

Now this one is tricky, by itself JAVA does not present any security issues since browsers do not support it anymore and the desktop version is not really slowing down your computer. This one has simply put just another media runtime that is not used and simply takes up space and resources. However if you have some applications that you do use that rely on it (I can really just think of JAVA Minecraft at this point) leave it of course but in any other case, it is just purely not needed.

Quicktime

While we are at media runtime and stuff that just simply is not needed, Quicktime is one of them. Now this Apple Video player and codec is still pretty developed and active in Apple’s iOS environment, Windows version has not been updated since 2016 and it was discovered that it contains some critical vulnerabilities. Uninstall it and if you need a player that could play MOV files, just use a VLC player that can play them without any separately installed codec.

uTorrent

This one, the same as CCleaner was once a good application, as a matter of fact, it was the best torrenting application. Sadly it has fallen from its grace very low, from getting tons of ads in its interface to findings in 2015 that code of torrent client was packed with a crypto miner that used system resources of an installed computer to mine crypto without user’s awareness. You should uninstall this torrent client if you would like to get your PC back and not provide it for cryptocurrency mining for the company that developed it. Use qBittorrent or TIxati, open-source and free ones that have everything needed for any torrenting needs.

Toolbars and Browser extensions

There are a lot of toolbars for browsers and extensions that are malicious in nature or simply not updated providing security issues. It is very advisable to remove this as soon as possible.

WinRAR

WinRAR has gained its large popularity solely for the reason that you could download it from the official site like shareware and use it forever. The license never expired and you could use it indefinitely. Sadly not much has been improved in the application itself and it is slowly falling out in its range of what it can do. There are better open source and free options today like 7zip, PeaZip, ZIPvare, and more that are working the same as WinRAR if not even better.

Windows and manufacturers Bloatware

Yes, applications that come bundled with Windows and with some laptops that include manufacturers made software for different tasks like its own specific media players, calculators, etc. It is known that these applications are not better than their open-source rivals and there are too many of them including some that you will probably never use. It is the same as buying a new phone bundled with tons of applications that you do not need, did not ask for, and do not use. Delete all of them. Considering Windows there are also some Store application like Candy Crush Saga demo and other are safe to remove if not needed. That’s it, our advice for old and not needed applications so you can keep your PC safe and fast.

Internal Error 2324 - What is it?

Internal Error 2324 occurs when you try to upgrade Firefox on your Windows 7 PC. The program fails to install and run successfully. The following error message is displayed:

‘The installer encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2324.’

Solution

Error Causes

This error may occur due to different reasons. These include:

• Viral infection
• Bad registry entries (cookies or traces of old version of Firefox program)
• Other programs running on your PC during Firefox program installation
• Installation was not performed from the Administrator account

To use the Firefox web browser successfully on your PC, you first need to resolve error 2324 on your system.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To repair error 2324, try the following methods:

Method 1 - Perform a Clean Reinstall.

This means to remove the Firefox program completely from your PC and then reinstall it. To do this, remove the Firefox installation folder saved in one of the locations by default: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox Now download the latest Firefox version on your PC and save the setup file on your computer. After that double click, the downloaded installation file and follow the steps illustrated in the wizard to install Firefox on your PC.

Method 2

Sometimes Firefox installation may fail because of the interference from other programs running on your PC. Therefore, it is advisable to close all programs running in the background when upgrading the Firefox program. You can also disable programs like Logitech QuickCam and Spybot Tea Timer.  These are some of the many programs that are notorious for interfering with Firefox updates.

Method 3 - Scan for viruses to resolve.

Viruses are malicious programs that often enter computers through files downloads from unreliable websites and phishing emails. These programs then hide in your PC and infect it. You may often experience problems during program installation if your PC is infected by viruses. To fix the issue and ensure smooth Firefox program installation on your system, simply run an antivirus. Antivirus scans and detects all viruses in a few minutes. Upon detection, remove them right away to ensure your PC is free from such malicious programs. Now try updating Firefox on your system again. If it is updated smoothly, then the error is resolved.

Method 4

The registry of your system stores all the activities performed on your PC. You may have uninstalled the old Firefox version from the Control Panel but the traces of the uninstalled program may still remain in the registry as bad entries. These bad entries may be causing error 2324 to pop up on your PC. To resolve, you need to remove these entries from the registry. For quick removal, download Restoro. It is a user-friendly PC Fixer with a registry cleaner that scans and removes all obsolete files stored in the registry such as incorrect registry keys, bad entries, cookies, and junk files. Click here to download Restoro.

FoxTab Toolbar is a browser hijacking toolbar add-on for IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Opera browsers that claims that it allows you to access your favorite sites faster, and improving your overall search and browsing experience. 1-click access to search results, most popular websites, and web services directly from our Foxtab browser toolbar.

Fox tab will integrate itself into your browser, modifying the search engine, welcome page, and new tab. This toolbar may change some browser settings, display unwanted ads, and sometimes displays additional ads from its ad sponsor. Some of the settings that this toolbar changes can lower the security of your browser.

Upon installation the toolbar ads scheduled tasks in Windows, allowing it to run with your browser every time, and to automatically update itself. Several anti-virus programs have flagged this software as Malware and therefore it is classified as a browser hijacker and recommended for optional removal.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes called hijackware) are a type of malicious software that modifies internet browser settings without the user’s knowledge or approval. These types of hijacks are rising at an astonishing rate across the world, and they can be actually nefarious and sometimes dangerous too. They are created to interfere with web browser programs for many different reasons. Often, hijackers will force hits to internet sites of their choice either to increase targeted traffic generating higher ad revenue, or to gain a commission for every user visiting there. Although it might appear harmless, these tools are made by malicious people who always try to take full advantage of you, so that hackers can earn money from your naivety and distraction. What’s more, hijackers can make the whole infected system fragile – other destructive malware and viruses will take hold of these opportunities to get into your computer system effortlessly.

How to know whether the browser is hijacked?

Symptoms that your internet browser is hijacked include: 1. your home page has been reset to some unknown webpage 2. bookmark and the new tab are also changed 3. default web engine is changed 4. you see unwanted new toolbars added 5. you’ll notice random pop-ups start showing regularly 6. your web browser starts running sluggishly or exhibits frequent glitches 7. Inability to navigate to particular sites, particularly anti-malware as well as other computer security software webpages.

How it infects your PC

Browser hijackers infect PCs in numerous ways, including via a file-share, a drive-by download, or an infected email. They can also be deployed via the installation of an internet browser toolbar, extension, or add-on. Also, certain shareware and freeware can put the hijacker in your PC through “bundling”. Browser hijackers can record user keystrokes to collect potentially invaluable information that leads to privacy issues, cause instability on systems, drastically disrupt the user experience, and ultimately slow down the PC to a point where it becomes unusable.

Tips on how to get rid of browser hijackers

Certain kinds of browser hijackers can be removed from your computer by deleting malicious applications or any other recently added freeware. Often, it can be a tough task to find and eliminate the malicious component because the associated file might be running as part of the operating system process. Also, manual removals require in-depth system understanding and thus can be a very difficult task for beginner computer users. Professionals always suggest users remove any malicious software including browser hijacker by using an automatic removal tool, which is easier, safer, and quicker than the manual removal process. Safebytes Anti-Malware detects all kinds of hijackers – including FoxTab – and eliminates every trace efficiently and quickly. Employ a pc optimizer along with your antivirus software to solve various computer registry problems, eliminate system vulnerabilities, and boost your computer performance.

Malware Blocking Access To Safebytes Website And Anti-Malware Downloads - What You Should Do?

Malware may cause many different types of damage to computer systems, networks, and data. Some malware is meant to interfere with or prevent things that you wish to do on your PC. It may well not permit you to download anything from the internet or prevent you from accessing some or all of the sites, particularly the anti-malware sites. If you’re reading this, you may have affected by a virus that stops you from downloading a computer security program like Safebytes Anti-Malware. There are a few steps you can take to get around this problem.

Download the software in Safe Mode with Networking

If any virus is set to load automatically when Microsoft Windows starts, getting into Safe Mode could very well block the attempt. Just the minimum required programs and services are loaded when you start your PC in Safe Mode. To start your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, please do as instructed below. 1) Tap the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your system boots, but before the large windows logo comes up. This would conjure up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking using arrow keys and hit ENTER. 3) When this mode loads, you will have the internet. Now, get the virus removal software you want by utilizing the internet browser. To install the software, follow the guidelines within the setup wizard. 4) Immediately after installation, do a complete scan and let the program remove the threats it finds.

Download the antivirus program in a different web browser

Some malware mainly targets particular browsers. If this is your situation, employ another web browser as it could circumvent the computer virus. In the event you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by malware or otherwise compromised by online hackers, the ideal course of action would be to switch over to a different browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your favorite computer security application – Safebytes Anti-Malware. Create a bootable USB anti-virus drive Another option is to make a portable anti-malware program onto your USB flash drive. Try these simple measures to clean up your infected PC using a portable antivirus. 1) Make use of another virus-free computer to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the pen drive into the clean PC. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the antivirus software to run the Installation Wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the USB drive as the place in which you would like to store the software files. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation. 5) Disconnect the USB drive. You may now utilize this portable anti-virus on the affected computer system. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the thumb drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Hit the “Scan Now” button to start the malware scan.

Protect Your PC and Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Do you want to install the best anti-malware software for your computer? There are plenty of applications on the market that comes in free and paid versions for Windows computers. Some are very good ones, some are decent, and some are simply just bogus anti-malware software that will damage your PC themselves! You need to be very careful not to pick the wrong product, particularly if you buy a paid application. On the list of recommended software programs is SafeBytes AntiMalware. SafeBytes has a very good reputation for excellent service, and clients seem to be happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trusted tool that not only protects your computer system permanently but is also quite easy to use for people of all skill levels. After you have installed this application, SafeBytes' superior protection system will make sure that absolutely no viruses or malware can seep through your computer. SafeBytes has great features when compared with other anti-malware programs. Below are some of the great features included in the application. Active Protection: SafeBytes offers real-time active monitoring service and protection against all known viruses and malware. It’ll monitor your computer system for suspicious activity regularly and its unparalleled firewall guards your PC against illegal access by the outside world. World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built on a highly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal tool is able to detect and remove numerous obstinate malware threats such as browser hijackers, potentially unwanted programs, and ransomware that other common antivirus software will miss. Safe Browsing: SafeBytes checks and provides a unique safety rating to every single site you visit and block access to web pages known to be phishing sites, thus protecting you from identity theft, or known to contain malicious software. Low Memory/CPU Usage: This software is lightweight and will run quietly in the background, and that does not have an effect on your PC efficiency. 24/7 Online Technical Support: SafeBytes provides you with 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and updates for the best user experience. Overall, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program since it has plenty of features and can detect and remove any potential threats. There is no doubt that your computer will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this software program to use. If you’re looking for the absolute best malware removal tool out there, and if you don’t mind shelling out some money for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove FoxTab 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 FoxTab

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The GameStream is an NVIDIA service that allows users to stream games from their Windows 10 computers to other supported devices which includes the NVIDIA SHIELD devices. However, a number of users reported that the NVIDIA GameStream is not working on their Windows 10 computers. This kind of issue is most likely caused by improper installation, some glitches with the network, and many more. To fix this issue in the NVIDIA GameStream, there are several options you need to check out to fix the problem. You can try to lo logout of GameStream and try logging back in again. You could also try to update or uninstall and reinstall the drivers related to NVIDIA or fix some network glitches or update the NVIDIA SHIELD device. For more details, you can refer to each one of the given potential fixes below.

Option 1 – Try to logout and log back into NVIDIA GameStream

The first thing you can do is to log out and then log back into NVIDIA GameStream. Some users claimed that by doing this simple task, they were able to resolve the problem. This is probably because with the re-login, the entire cache of the system and service is rebuilt and any bad sectors of that data will be replaced with the fresh one so this should resolve the problem with the NVIDIA GameStream, if not, refer to the other given options below.

Option 2 – Try updating the drivers from the official site of NVIDIA

If both the first and second given options didn’t work, you can also try updating the drivers from the official NVIDIA website. And in case you don’t know the type of Nvidia graphics card that your computer is on, follow the steps below:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next type in “dxdiag” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.
• From there, you can see what type of Nvidia graphics card that your system is on.
• Take note of your graphics card information and then look for the best drivers for your operating system. Once you’ve downloaded and installed the file, restart your PC.

Option 3 – Try to roll back the driver to the previous version

If updating the NVIDIA display drivers didn’t work for you, then it’s time to roll back the device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “MSC” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the NVIDIA Drivers and expand it.
• Next, select the driver entries that are labeled appropriately.
• Then select each one of them and double click to open a new mini window.
• After that, make sure that you’re on the Driver tab and if you are not, just navigate to it then click the Roll Back Driver button to switch back to the previous version of the NVIDIA Drivers.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 4 – Try fixing your network

The next thing you can do to fix the problem with the NVIDIA GameStream is to fix the glitches in your network. Make sure that you connect both of your devices to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network and you also have to ensure that the Wi-Fi connection you’re connected to is strong enough for both the devices for the latency to go down. Once you’ve covered all of these things with your network, restart your computer and change the Wi-Fi channel both devices are connected to. This should resolve the problem.

Option 5 – Try to update the NVIDIA SHIELD device

You might also want to update the NVIDIA SHIELD device. There are times when an outdated NVIDIA SHIELD device can result to several issues like the problem with the NVIDIA GameStream. Thus, you need to update NVIDIA SHIELD and check if it fixes the problem or not.

Gaming has come a long way since its infant days and grown from spending some free time between coding to full e-sport events watched worldwide. As have some basic peripherals been upgraded like gaming keyboards and gaming mouse so have headsets been receiving similar treatments. In today's article, we are presenting you with some of the best headsets specifically designed and made for gaming purposes. If you are looking for headphones for music listening look elsewhere, these bad boys are all made for replicating precise audio positioning and similar technology specifically tailored for games.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P/7X

The best gaming headset overall for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, Android The SteelSeries Arctis 7P/7X is the best gaming headset overall, offering great sound, consistent wireless performance, and a comfy, attractive design at a reasonable price. The headset’s 2.4-GHz wireless connectivity keeps you glued to your game without any lag or interference. Even better: Thanks to its USB-C dongle and USB-A adapter, you can enjoy wireless performance with any system, from a PS5 to a Nintendo Switch in handheld mode, to an Android phone.

Razer Blackshark V2

Razer's best headset yet for PC, PS5, PS4, Switch, Xbox One The Razer Blackshark V2 is probably the best headset that Razer has ever made. This mid-range wired headset provides fantastic sound for both games and music, particularly thanks to its innovative THX profiles. The famous film audio company has lent its expertise to make the Blackshark V2's surround sound realistic and nuanced, especially for a handful of games like Apex Legends and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which have their own optimized profiles.

Logitech G Pro X

Built for tournament play for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Switch The Logitech G Pro X delivers tournament-grade performance for a reasonable price. The headset's distinguished black design sets itself apart from the competition, in no small part thanks to its flexible headband and supremely comfortable foam and leatherette earcup options. The Go Pro X delivers rich, direction-accurate sound out of the box whether you're playing on PC or console. It's also the first gaming headset to sport a built-in Blue microphone, allowing for extra-crisp voice chat whether you're practicing with your Apex Legends squad or streaming to your online fans

SteelSeries Arctis Pro

Audiophile sound for gamers made for PS4, PC (with GameDAC), Xbox One, Switch, mobile (analog) SteelSeries’ Arctis Pro + GameDAC brings audiophile-grade features to the already excellent Arctis design. This headset includes a DAC (digital-to-analog converter), which allows it to deliver high-resolution 96-kHz/24-bit audio. The GameDAC also allows for a wealth of customization options, whether you want to fine-tune sound via an equalizer or customize the headset’s subtle RGB lighting.

HyperX Cloud Stinger

Big sound on a budget for PS, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, mobile The Stinger’s sturdy, feather-light frame and soft, faux-leather earcups make for one of the best gaming headsets on a budget, and its handy on-ear controls and solid microphone certainly don’t hurt either. Finding a comfortable fit is arguably the most important thing you can look for in a gaming headset, and the Cloud Stinger doesn’t disappoint on that front. The Stinger also offers very solid audio quality for the price, though things can get a bit blown out at max volume

Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT

The best gaming headset with Bluetooth for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch (handheld), mobile The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is one of the best gaming headsets that Corsair has ever made. Not only is this headset extremely comfortable, but it also provides excellent sound quality. It works wirelessly with PCs and PlayStation consoles via USB, as well as mobile devices, streaming players, and smart TVs via Bluetooth. You can connect it to a Switch, Xbox controller, or older system via a 3.5 mm audio cable. There's very little that the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT can't do.

Xbox Wireless Headset

The best Xbox affordable headset for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, mobile The Xbox Wireless Headset is exactly what the name suggests: a wireless headset that works particularly well with Xbox consoles. Whether you have an Xbox Series X, an Xbox Series S, an Xbox One, or a Windows 10 PC with an Xbox controller adapter, this headset can provide fantastic sound with a simple pairing procedure. Not only that: the Xbox Wireless Headset supports Bluetooth as well, meaning that you can listen to music or take calls on your phone while you game.

Razer Kaira Pro

The best Xbox Series X wireless headset for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, mobile Debuting alongside the Xbox Series X, the Razer Kaira Pro is arguably one of the best gaming headsets for Microsoft's next-gen console. This sleek, lightweight wireless headset pairs with Xbox consoles right out of the box. But you can also use it with PCs and mobile devices, thanks to built-in Bluetooth capabilities. The Kaira Pro is not terribly expensive, and the sound quality is excellent, particularly for video games.

SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless

Affordable wireless for PC, PS5, PS4, Switch, Mobile (USB-C wireless), Xbox One (wired) Getting good wireless performance has never been this seamless, or affordable. Thanks to its high-speed, discrete USB-C dongle, the SteelSeries 1 Arctis Wireless allows you to instantly enjoy wireless game audio from your Nintendo Switch, Android phone, PS4, or gaming PC, with none of the convoluted pairing or interference that comes with Bluetooth-based headsets. It’s worth mentioning the Nintendo Switch functionality again, as it’s hard to get a wireless headset for Nintendo’s handheld hybrid.

Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero

Absolute best in wireless for PC, PS4 (Wireless); Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mobile (Wired) The highly customizable high-end headset that's especially ideal for PC, the new Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero is one of the best gaming headsets out there. This premium headset packs an incredibly comfortable pair of gel-infused ear cushions, which are also designed to play well with glasses. The Aero's 50mm speakers sound great out of the box, and it comes with a solid noise-canceling microphone to boot.

HyperX Cloud Alpha

Superior style, sound, and value for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Switch, mobile Thanks to a sturdy metal frame, a slick red-and-black paint job, and some of the most comfortable leatherette earcups this headset is really a steal for its price. This is a headset that you can transport with you anywhere and connect to almost any system, without ever having to worry about it breaking.

Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2

Console-centric wireless sound with Bluetooth for PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, mobile The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is one of the best console headsets on the market, particularly if you want a wireless model. This peripheral boasts great sound, plush earcups, and two kinds of wireless functionality. The PS4 version can connect to either PS4 or PC via a USB dongle; the Xbox One version can connect to the Xbox One right out of the box. Both versions can connect to mobile devices and PCs via Bluetooth. It's an extremely convenient feature, especially since very few gaming headsets offer Bluetooth functionality.

Astro A20 Gaming Headset Gen 2

Wireless headset for both PS5 and Xbox Series X and PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile The Astro A20 Gaming Headset Gen 2 is an ambitious and full-featured headset from one of the most trusted manufacturers on the market. This wireless peripheral offers excellent sound quality and a comfortable fit. More than that, though, the Astro A20 can also connect wirelessly to both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X, which is a rare feat, even among the best gaming headsets.

Razer Barracuda X

The best wireless Switch headset also for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, mobile The Razer Barracuda X is a wireless gaming headset that's ideal for the Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms. Thanks to its small USB-C dongle, it can connect wirelessly o the Switch in handheld mode, a rarity among gaming headsets. However, it also comes with a USB-A adapter, which means you can connect it to just about any other system you like, from PC to PS4, to Switch in docked mode. The USB-C dongle also fits neatly into a PS5.

SweetIM Toolbar for Internet Explorer is a browser add-on which adds various shortcuts to your browsers for easy access. This toolbar also changes your homepage to home.sweetim.com. The toolbar is typically bundled with the free Sweet Instant Messenger program and does not necessarily get uninstalled when Instant Messenger is removed from the user’s PC. Additionally, if the home page and search settings were modified by this toolbar, they need to be manually reverted back by the user.

This extension injects various ads into your browser search results and changes your default search engine. While you are browsing the internet, this software records your website surfing data, clicks, and possibly private information. Several Anti-virus programs have classified SweetIM Toolbar as a potentially unwanted application and are not recommended to keep.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking means that a malicious program code has power over and modified the settings of your web browser, without your approval. They are made to disrupt browser functions for many different reasons. Generally, the idea would be to force users to visit particular sites that are looking to increase their visitor traffic and produce higher ad revenue. Most people assume that such websites are legitimate and harmless but that is incorrect. Nearly every browser hijacker poses an actual threat to your online safety and it is vital to categorize them under privacy dangers. On top of that, hijackers can make the whole infected system vulnerable – other harmful malware and viruses would grab these opportunities to intrude into your system effortlessly.

Major signs that an internet browser has been highjacked

The common signs that indicate having this malicious software on your PC are: the home page of your respective browser is changed unexpectedly; bookmark and the new tab are also modified; the default search engine and the default web browser settings are altered; discover new toolbars that you didn’t add; you find lots of pop-up ads on your computer screen; web pages load very slowly and sometimes incomplete; Inability to navigate to particular sites, particularly antivirus and also other computer security software websites.

Exactly how they get into your computer or laptop

There are several ways your computer can get infected with a browser hijacker. They usually arrive by way of spam e-mail, via file sharing websites, or by a drive-by download. Many browser hijackings originate from add-on software, i.e., toolbars, browser helper objects (BHO), or extensions added to browsers to give them additional features. A browser hijacker may also come bundled up with some freeware that you unwittingly download to your computer system, compromising your internet security. A good example of some notorious browser hijackers includes Anyprotect, Conduit, Babylon, SweetPage, DefaultTab, RocketTab, and Delta Search, but the names are continually changing. Browser hijackers can record user keystrokes to gather potentially invaluable information that leads to privacy concerns, cause instability on systems, severely disrupt the user experience, and eventually slow down the PC to a stage where it becomes unusable.

Removal

Some browser hijacking could be quite easily corrected by identifying and removing the corresponding malware application through your control panel. But, many browser hijackers are hard to eliminate manually. Regardless of how much you attempt to remove it, it may keep returning over and over. You should consider doing manual repairs only if you are a tech-savvy person, as there are risks associated with tinkering around with the computer registry and HOSTS file. Browser hijackers could be effectively removed by installing the anti-malware application on the affected computer. One of the finest tools for repairing browser hijacker malware is Safebytes Anti-Malware. It will help you get rid of any pre-existing malware on your computer and gives you real-time monitoring and protection from new internet threats. Along with the antivirus tool, a PC optimizer will help you in getting rid of all related files and modifications in the registry automatically.

Can't Install Safebytes Anti-malware because of Malware? Do This!

Viruses could potentially cause a great deal of damage to your personal computer. Certain malware variants alter browser settings by including a proxy server or change the computer’s DNS settings. In such cases, you will be unable to visit certain or all internet sites, and thus unable to download or install the necessary security software to remove the infection. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re stuck with a virus infection that is preventing you to download or install Safebytes Anti-Malware software on your system. Although this kind of issue will be difficult to get around, there are some actions you can take.

Eliminate malware in Safe Mode

The Windows-based PC has got a special mode referred to as “Safe Mode” in which only the minimum required programs and services are loaded. If the malware is blocking access to the internet and affecting your computer, launching it in Safe Mode enables you to download anti-virus and run a diagnostic scan while limiting potential damage. To boot into Safe Mode, hit the “F8” key on the keyboard just before the Windows logo screen shows up; Or after normal Windows boot up, run MSCONFIG, check the Safe Boot under the Boot tab, and then click Apply. As soon as you restart the PC into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, and update the anti-malware program from there. At this point, you can actually run the anti-virus scan to remove computer viruses and malware without any hindrance from another malicious application.

Switch over to an alternate browser

Malicious code could exploit vulnerabilities on a specific internet browser and block access to all antivirus software sites. If you appear to have malware attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to an alternate internet browser with built-in safety features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your preferred antivirus program – Safebytes.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

Another solution is to create a portable antivirus program onto your USB thumb drive. Follow these steps to run the anti-virus on the affected PC. 1) On a clean computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the USB drive onto the same computer. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware software to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Pick a USB flash drive as the place when the wizard asks you exactly where you want to install the application. Follow activation instructions. 5) Disconnect the USB drive. You may now utilize this portable antivirus on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the EXE file to open the Safebytes program from the thumb drive. 7) Click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the infected computer for viruses.

Overview of SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Nowadays, an anti-malware program can protect your laptop or computer from different forms of online threats. But wait, how do choose the best one amongst plenty of malware protection applications that’s available on the market? You may be aware, there are numerous anti-malware companies and tools for you to consider. A few of them are good, some are ok types, and some will affect your computer themselves! You should go with a product that has gained a strong reputation and detects not just viruses but other kinds of malware as well. On the list of highly recommended applications by industry, analysts are SafeBytes Anti-Malware, a well-known security application for Windows computers. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trusted software that not only protects your system completely but is also very user-friendly for people of all ability levels. Once you’ve got installed this application, SafeBytes advanced protection system will ensure that absolutely no viruses or malicious software can seep through your PC. There are many great features you’ll get with this security product. Listed below are some of the great ones: Active Protection: SafeBytes offers complete and real-time security for your laptop or computer. This tool will constantly monitor your PC for suspicious activity and updates itself regularly to keep current with the latest threats. Antimalware Protection: With its advanced and sophisticated algorithm, this malware elimination tool can identify and remove the malware threats hiding within your computer system effectively. Web protection: Through its unique safety score, SafeBytes informs you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will make sure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the net. Lightweight Tool: This program is not “heavy” on the computer’s resources, so you’ll not see any overall performance difficulties when SafeBytes is operating in the background. 24/7 Live Expert Support: Support service is available 24 x 7 x 365 days via chat and email to answer your concerns.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove SweetIM 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 SweetIM

One of the preferred ways to upgrade Windows 10 is by creating a bootable USB drive. However, you might change your mind when you encounter an error during the Windows 10 Setup that says, “We can’t find a USB flash drive”. Worry not for this error can be fixed using some suggestions that will be provided in this post. The funning thing about this error in Windows setup is that the computer says it’s not there when it’s clearly there. To fix this problem, you need to check if the USB device is accessible on your computer or you can also try a different USB device. In addition, you could check if there are any issues with both the USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports as it could be the reason why you’re getting the error or fix the bad sectors in the USB drive as well as see if the USB drive is set as the primary drive.

Option 1 – Try to check if the USB is accessible on your PC

The first thing you can do to resolve the problem is to check if you can access your USB device from your computer. All you have to do is open File Explorer and check if the USB device is listed there or not.

Option 2 – Try to connect a different USB device

The next thing you can do to fix the error is to try connecting a different USB device, specifically the one that has more significant storage space. You also have to make sure that it’s working on a different PC.

Option 3 – Fix any issues with the USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports

Although the USB 3.0 ports are compatible with the USB 2.0 ports, it does not necessarily mean that there wouldn’t be any problem when you use them which is why it’s best to fix any issues in them or better yet, use a compatible drive.

Option 4 – Try to fix the bad sectors in the USB drive via CHKDSK

When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. To use it, follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
• Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:

CHKDSK [volume [[path] filename]] [/F] [/V] [/R] [/X] [/C] [: size]]

Note: In the command given above, “[/F]” will try to fix the system errors while “[/R]” will be the one to fix the bad sectors.

• Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your PC, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
• If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
• After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.

Option 5 – Try checking if the USB is set as the primary drive

You might also want to check if the USB drive is set as the primary drive because if it is, then it won’t appear on the list. It could also be that the USB drive has a primary disk in it. To undo it, you need to use the DISKPART utility.

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results, and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
• Next, execute the “diskpart” command to initiate the DISKPART utility.
• After that, type the “list disk” command and tap Enter to display the list of disks on the computer. You have to take note of the drive number or letter of the concerned USB drive.
• Once done, type the “select disk <X>” command where X is the drive letter or number and tap Enter.
• Then execute the “list partition” command to see the list of all the partitions in your computer. It should be listed as 0, 1, or 2. 0 is the primary partition.
• Now type the “select partition 0” command and tap Enter and then type “delete partition” to delete the selected partition.
• You can do the same to the other partitions as well and when you’re done, execute the format command to turn the USB drive into a standard one.

If you suddenly receive an error saying, “Error 105 (net:: ERR NAME NOT RESOLVED): Unable to resolve the server’s DNS address” when browsing the web, then this means that the DNS lookup has failed. This kind of error is one of the most commons ones you can encounter while using the Chrome browser. And since it’s a pretty common error, the solutions for this one are pretty easy as well.

Option 1 – Disable both the Antivirus and Firewall temporarily

There are times when antivirus programs and the firewall blocks a website that they consider to be malicious or even because of false-positive effects. Thus, you need to disable these programs temporarily as it might be the reason why you’re getting the “Error 105 (net:: ERR NAME NOT RESOLVED): Unable to resolve the server’s DNS address” error in Chrome.

Option 2 – Check the Network Cables and restart the router then reconnect

Of course, the next thing you have to do is to check if the network cables connected to your computer or router are properly connected. And if your computer is connected via Wi-Fi, you need to make sure to restart your router once. In addition, you can also forget the Wi-Fi your computer is currently connected to and then try reconnecting again to see if it would work.

Option 3 – Try running the Chrome Cleanup tool

You might want to run Google Chrome’s built-in Malware Scanner & Cleanup tool as it could also help in getting rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and anything else that might overtake the network and could affect the performance of the browser.

Option 4 – Try removing the Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error in Chrome. Here’s how you can do it:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
• After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
• From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
• Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
• Restart your PC.

Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 5 – Disable Prefetch in Chrome

In case you don’t know, Google makes use of a prediction service that helps users in completing searches and typing URLs in the address bar. This prediction service uses the already resolve IP address to connect to the website you’ve already visited. Thus, it would be better if you disable it in cases like this one.

• Open Chrome’s Settings.
• Next, go to Privacy and Security then look for “Prefetch”.
• After finding Prefetch, toggle off the “Use a prediction service to help complete searches and URLs typed in the address bar” setting and then restart Chrome.

Option 6 – Flush the DNS, reset Winsock and then reset TCP/IP

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

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

Option 7 – Try using the Google Public DNS

• The first thing you have to do is right-click on the network icon in the Taskbar and select Network and Sharing Center.
• Next, click on the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
• After that, search for the network connection that you are using to connect to the internet. Note that the option might be “Wireless Connection” or “Local Area Connection”.
• Right-click on your network connection and click on Properties.
• Then select the new window to choose the “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
• After that, click on the Properties button and click the checkbox in the new window for the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
• Type in “8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

Option 8 – Reset Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you fix the error. Resetting Chrome means restoring its default settings, disabling all the extensions, add-ons, and themes. Aside from that, the content settings will be reset as well and the cookies, cache, and site data will also be deleted. To reset Chrome, here’s what you have to do:

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

Hello and welcome everyone, today we will be talking about power toys, a great, completely free, open-source, Microsoft-supported Windows project which aims to provide Windows itself with powerful features not found natively in it. We will explore power toys completely here and explain each module and its features. The first thing is of course to download power toys themselves. You can find them here. After you download them, double click on the downloaded file and install. Start power toys, you will find them at the bottom of the taskbar, note that power toys need to be active in order to use their features. When opened you will be greeted with general settings window. These are settings for power toys themselves, Here you can check for updates, change the looks of power toys, run it on system startup and run them as administrator. Set them up so they best suit your needs.

Color Picker

Moving down next tab we have is Color picker. The color picker will let you as the name suggests pick colors, it will sample colors from running applications and windows, snap their values, and place them in the clipboard. A useful application if you are working as a graphic designer, want to create some cool word document, or just want to compare the difference between colors. After the Color Picker is activated, hover your mouse cursor over the color you would like to copy and left-click the mouse button to select a color. If you want to see the area around your cursor in more detail, scroll up to zoom in. The copied color will be stored in your clipboard in the format that is configured in the settings (HEX by default). The editor lets you see the history of picked colors (up to 20) and copy their representation in any predefined string format. You can configure what color formats are visible in the editor, along with the order that they appear. This configuration can be found in PowerToys settings. The editor also allows you to fine-tune any picked color or get a new similar color. Editor previews different shades of currently selected color - 2 lighter and 2 darker ones. Clicking on any of those alternative color shades will add the selection to the history of picked colors (appears on the top of the colors history list). Color in the middle represents your currently selected color from the history of the colors. By clicking on it, the fine-tuning configuration control will appear, which will let you change the HUE or RGB values of the current color. Pressing OK will add newly configured color into the history of the colors.

Fancy Zones

Moving down, we have fancy zones. FancyZones is a window manager utility for arranging and snapping windows into efficient layouts to improve the speed of your workflow and restore layouts quickly. FancyZones allows the user to define a set of window locations for a desktop that are drag targets for windows. When the user drags a window into a zone, the window is resized and repositioned to fill that zone. When first launched, the zones editor presents a list of layouts that can be adjusted by how many windows are on the monitor. Choosing a layout shows a preview of that layout on the monitor. The selected layout is applied automatically.

File Explorer

Next, File Explorer. Only 3 options here but maybe some are important to you. This extension lets you enable SVG file preview in File Explorer, enable Markdown preview, and enable SVG thumbnails. Turn on each one you might need.

Image Resize

Next down the line, we have Image resize. Image Resizer is a Windows shell extension for bulk image-resizing. After installing PowerToys, right-click on one or more selected image files in File Explorer, and then select Resize pictures from the menu. You can specify your own sizes if you want, you can resize when dragging files, you can overwrite files or make new copies of new sizes, and many more options. A very useful tool I am sure plenty of users can use since this eliminates the need for pictures or any other image application for common resizing tasks.

Keyboard Manager

The keyboard manager is the next tab in power toys. The PowerToys Keyboard Manager enables you to redefine keys on your keyboard. For example, you can exchange the letter A for the letter D on your keyboard. When you select the A key, a D will display. You can also exchange shortcut key combinations. For example, the shortcut key, Ctrl+C, will copy the text in Microsoft Word. With the PowerToys Keyboard Manager utility, you can exchange that shortcut for ⊞ Win+C). Now, ⊞ Win+C) will copy text. If you do not specify a targeted application in PowerToys Keyboard Manager, the shortcut exchange will be applied globally across Windows. PowerToys Keyboard Manager must be enabled (with PowerToys running in the background) for remapped keys and shortcuts to be applied. If PowerToys is not running, key remapping will no longer be applied.

Power Rename

Nex we have a very cool and powerful Power Rename PowerRename is a bulk renaming tool that enables you to:

• Modify the file names of a large number of files (without renaming all of the files with the same name).
• Perform a search and replace on a targeted section of file names.
• Perform a regular expression rename on multiple files.
• Check expected rename results in a preview window before finalizing a bulk rename.
• Undo a rename operation after it is completed.

Run Utility

Power Toys Run utility follows next. PowerToys Run is a quick launcher for power users that contains some additional features without sacrificing performance. PowerToys Run features include:

• Search for applications, folders, or files
• Search for running processes (previously known as WindowWalker)
• Clickable buttons with keyboard shortcuts (such as Open as the administrator or Open containing folder)
• Invoke Shell Plugin using > (for example, > Shell:startup will open the Windows startup folder)
• Do a simple calculation using the calculator

Shortcut Guide

Last but not least we have a Shortcut guide. This guide uses PowerToys to display common keyboard shortcuts that use the Windows ⊞ key. Windows key keyboard shortcuts can be used while the guide is being shown and the result of those shortcuts (active window moved, arrow shortcut behavior changes, etc) will be displayed in the guide. Releasing the Windows ⊞ key will make the overlay disappear. Tapping the Windows ⊞ key will display the Windows Start menu. Hey, you made it till the end, thank you for reading and I hope to see you soon.