Windows installation stuck on Set up a Pin

New malware with extensive spyware capabilities steals data from infected Android devices and is designed to automatically trigger whenever new info is read to be exfiltrated. The spyware can only be installed as a 'System Update' app available via third-party Android app stores as it was never available on Google's Play Store. This drastically limits the number of devices it can infect, given that most experienced users will most likely avoid installing it in the first place. The malware also lacks a method to infect other Android devices on its own, adding to its limited spreading capabilities. However, when it comes to stealing your data, this remote access trojan (RAT) can collect and exfiltrate an extensive array of information to its command-and-control server. Zimperium researchers who spotted it observed it while "stealing data, messages, images and taking control of Android phones."

What happens when malicious software is installed

"Once in control, hackers can record audio and phone calls, take photos, review browser history, access WhatsApp messages, and more," they added. Zimperium said its extensive range of data theft capabilities includes:

• Stealing instant messenger messages;
• Stealing instant messenger database files (if the root is available);
• Inspecting the default browser's bookmarks and searches;
• Inspecting the bookmark and search history from Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Samsung Internet Browser;
• Searching for files with specific extensions (including .pdf, .doc, .docx, and .xls, .xlsx);
• Inspecting the clipboard data;
• Inspecting the content of the notifications;
• Recording audio;
• Recording phone calls;
• Periodically take pictures (either through the front or back cameras);
• Listing of the installed applications;
• Stealing images and videos;
• Monitoring the GPS location;
• Stealing SMS messages;
• Stealing phone contacts;
• Stealing call logs;
• Exfiltrating device information (e.g., installed applications, device name, storage stats).

How does it work?

Once installed on an Android device, the malware will send several pieces of info to its Firebase command-and-control (C2) server, including storage stats, the internet connection type, and the presence of various apps such as WhatsApp. The spyware harvests data directly if it has root access or will use Accessibility Services after tricking the victims into enabling the feature on the compromised device. It will also scan the external storage for any stored or cached data, harvest it, and deliver it to the C2 servers when the user connects to a Wi-Fi network. Unlike other malware designed to steal data, this one will get triggered using Android's contentObserver and Broadcast receivers only when some conditions are met, like the addition of a new contact, new text messages, or new apps being installed. "Commands received through the Firebase messaging service initiate actions such as recording of audio from the microphone and exfiltration of data such as SMS messages," Zimperium said. "The Firebase communication is only used to issue the commands, and a dedicated C&C server is used to collect the stolen data by using a POST request."

Camouflage

The malware will also display fake "Searching for the update.." system update notifications when it receives new commands from its masters to camouflage its malicious activity. The spyware also conceals its presence on infected Android devices by hiding the icon from the drawer/menu. To further evade detection, it will only steal thumbnails of videos and images it finds, thus reducing the victims' bandwidth consumption to avoid drawing their attention to the background data exfiltration activity. Unlike other malware that harvests data in bulk, this one will also make sure that it exfiltrates only the most recent data, collecting location data created and photos taken within the last few minutes. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

Running the Windows Setup does not always go smoothly as you could encounter some errors along the way. One of these errors is the “Something happened, Setup has failed to determine supported install choices” error. The only given option in such cases is to click the Close button and exit the setup. This kind of error in Windows setup can occur when you try to downgrade to the previous version of Windows using the built-in mechanism. This error could be caused by a corrupted image or it is also possible that the set of files are incomplete. Aside from that, it could also be due to compatibility issues or that the module used to downgrade the Windows operating system is not configured properly. To fix this error, you have to run the Windows Setup program in compatibility mode so that you can downgrade Windows. You could also use the image for the lower version of Windows that’s available on the official site of Microsoft. But before you do any of these, make sure that you’re logged in as an administrator. To fix the “Something happened, Setup has failed to determine supported install choices” error, follow the given options below sequentially.

Option 1 – Try to run the Installer of the downgraded version in Compatibility Mode

This is the first thing you can try to resolve the issue instead of going right ahead on making a bootable device. So if you are downgrading Windows, you can try to run the installer in the compatibility mode for that specific Windows version.

• Look for the setup file.
• Once you find it, right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu.
• After that, go to the Compatibility tab and mark the checkbox for “Run this program in compatibility mode for:” and from the drop-down list, select either Windows 7 or Windows 8.
• You also have to check the “Run as administrator” option.
• Now click the Apply button and then click OK to save the changes made and check if it has resolved the issue or not.

Option 2 – Try to troubleshoot compatibility

This option is almost the same as the first one except it is an alternative way of fixing the “Setup has failed to determine supported install choices” error in case the first one didn’t work. In this option, you will troubleshoot the compatibility issue.

• Look for the setup file.
• Then right-click on it and select the “Troubleshoot compatibility” from the context menu.
• After that, click on the “Try recommended setting” option. Once the process is done, the error message should be gone.

Option 3 – Run the DISM tool

You can run the DISM tool as well to help fix the error code 0x80244022 during Windows Update. 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 using the image from the official site of Microsoft

If none of the options given above worked, you can try to use the image from Microsoft’s official site. This would help, especially if the error is caused by a corrupted image or image folder with incomplete files.

Same as in previous Windows versions, Windows 11 will also use certain applications as default ones for opening certain file types and file extensions. And yes, same as in previous versions it will come preconfigured for certain file types and associated applications like for example photos for pictures. Of course, users usually have their own favorite applications for certain file types and much more prefer to open them inside the application of their choice instead of the default one. We can change the default application like in previous Windows versions but this time there are two ways and overall more control of this process. Windows 11 has settings for choosing default file type applications and default file extension applications giving you more control of this process.

The opening setting for apps

Whatever you wish to change default application or default extension application you will need to open settings for default application. Follow steps to quickly go into it.

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open settings
2. Select Apps on left
3. On the right part select Default Apps

Now you are in settings for choosing default applications

Choosing default application by file type extension

This is considering by Microsoft as a typical way to set default applications inside Windows 11. Once you are inside the settings app there is a box labeled Enter a file type or link type. Inside the search box, type in file extension that you wish to associate the application with like .JPG, .TXT, or other. If the file extension is not associated with any application you will be presented with a Choose a Default button, if however, the file extension is already associated with the app, you will need to click on the app box itself. In any case, a pop-up will appear and ask How do you want to open YOUR FILE EXTENSION files from now on? Choose Application from the list of presented ones and click on OK.

Choosing default file type

Another method is to select the default application by file type selecting application for it. In the settings screen, under the search box, you will have a list of installed applications. Choose the application that you would like to associate a file type with and click on it. On the next details screen scroll down and select the file type that you want to associate with the selected application and click on OK.

Other/third method

There is also the third method for choosing the default application for file type but it includes some surfing on your hard drive and it can be more time-consuming for first-time settings. But it is fairly quick when you need to only use it once on some new file type (for example you have a new application installed and want to switch just one file type extension to that application). Locate the file that you want to associate with the application and right-click on it. Select Open With from the menu and then Choose Another App. Pop up will appear, select the application that you would like to use, and check the box beside Always use this app to open CHOOSEN EXTENSION files followed by clicking on the OK button.

Brave browser has gained popularity very rapidly and many websites have gone into the territory of recommending it. Sadly although the browser kind of offered better performance, it seems that so much advertised privacy and security was a lie. Several months ago, Brave was involved in a “scandal”. Unfortunately, this incident did not get much media attention, and it’s hard to search for and discover as of today. There is an article on the Android police website explaining this issue in detail, you can check it here: https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/07/brave-browser-caught-adding-its-own-referral-codes-to-some-cryptcurrency-trading-sites/ But to sum things up and keep them short if you do not want to go through the full article, Brave had been injecting their affiliate codes into popular crypto-currency websites. This means that they had been intercepting your traffic, which they promised was secure by the way, and modifying it. This means Brave Software has access to all of your information on those crypto-currency sites as well. They can see your payments/purchases, and your activity on the websites (through affiliate statistics). Now some people might point out that they are not interested in crypto or have been visiting some of the sites but the issue still remains and that is they did all of this, without telling the user. They intentionally didn’t tell the user because they knew it would cause backlash and disruption. They knew one hundred percent what they were doing, and they knew it was unethical. And the point remains if something like this was already done, who knows what will come up in the future. Personal recommendation is to avoid Brave and go back to other browsers.

Code 0x800F0923 – What is it?

The Error Code 0x800F0923 is one that appears only when attempting to update from older versions of Microsoft Windows to Microsoft Windows 10. This error does not occur with every install and is believed to be the result of a driver incompatibility issue. It is unclear which specific drivers are having the compatibility issues, though it is widely believed that DuplexSecure's SPTD drivers are the ones at fault. When operating correctly, without errors, the update process should not take longer than 30 minutes. Common symptoms include:

• Error message window/pop-up during the install process, giving the Error Code 0x800F0923
• Inability to install and update from older versions of Microsoft Windows to version 10

Solution

Error Causes

There are various relevant factors associated with the error code 0x800F0923 incompatibility issue in Windows 10 installation/upgrade. These factors include but are not limited to:

• The Operating System (OS) upgrading does not support older hardware.
• Your computer’s specs did not meet the minimum requirements.
• Not enough hard disk space.
• The new software might lack software drivers for older hardware

Further Information and Manual Repair

Microsoft has recently released its Windows 10 operating system. While there are still a few kinks to be worked out, overall the reviews have been positive. As with any new Microsoft update, compatibility issues can arise. If you are unsure whether your current PC will be able to handle the new Windows 10, here is an easy way to check your system.

Method 1: Check if your computer is compatible

• Locate the “Get Windows 10” application icon in your notification tray (bottom right corner of your screen, white Windows logo).
• Right-click on this icon, then select the “check your upgrade status” option.
• Be prepared for the menu to take a few minutes to open.
• Click on the menu on the upper left-hand corner of this new dialog box. (It looks like three blue horizontal lines)
• Select “check your PC”
• After the system checks for compatibility, it will let you know whether or not your PC has the appropriate drivers, etc. (Keep in mind that this is not a foolproof method for checking compatibility status).

Method 2: Download or upgrade your drivers/software

If you have already attempted to update to Windows 10, and have received the Error Code 0x800F0923, this is the simplest way to solve the issue yourself.

1. Open the “Get Windows 10” application. 2. Open the menu in the upper left corner, looks like three blue lines. 3. Select “Check your PC”. 4. The system will tell you which drivers are incompatible. 5. Go to the Microsoft Support website to install and/or update the drivers that proved to be an issue. 6. Once the driver issue is corrected, retry the Windows 10 update.

Method 3: Create space on your computer

If your computer does not have sufficient space to accept the upgrade, you might want to clear up some space on your computer. Here’s how to do it. If you have not attempted to install Microsoft Windows 10 yet, it is a good idea to check your system's compatibility prior to installing. While it is not absolutely necessary, it will save time and frustration. Microsoft Support suggests contacting them directly if you are unable to solve your driver compatibility issues, or if the above do-it-yourself method is unsuccessful. To resolve this compatibility issue and get your upgrade going use a powerful and user-friendly tool to clean up the problem. Click here to download Restoro. Users should also be aware that those who choose to upgrade to Windows 10 have 30 days in which they may decide that they would rather use their old system. However, reverting back to the older system may not be a smooth process, and some data could be lost.

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.

Windows update issue may come up when the configuration for windows update service is not properly configured or this error can also come up when there is corrupt windows installation. Before trying any of the given solutions to this error try first to clean boot your Windows and turn off any 3rd party utility application. If this method fails move to the provided solutions.

1. Change startup type of UOS service to automatic

   UOS or The Update Orchestrator Service is essential for proper Windows updates. If this service is by any means turned on manual it could be the reason for error since it can create incompatibility between OS modules, if this is the case, setting it to automatic will solve the issue. Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC on your keyboard to bring the task manager up and click on the services tab. In the services find orchestrator service, right-click on it, and from the list of startup types choose automatic. Click on APPLY and reboot your computer.

2. Try to fix it in the command prompt

   If the above method failed, try fixing the issue via command prompt. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to bring up the secret menu and start command prompt (administrator) In the command prompt write these lines one after another as they are finished: net stop bits net stop wuauserv net stop appidsvc net stop cryptsvc Ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak Ren %systemroot%system32catroot2 catroot2.bak Net Start bits Net Start wuauserv Net Start appidsvc Net Start cryptsvc After all this, reboot your system and check if updates are working properly.

3. Try to fix it via registry editor

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to bring run and type in it RegEdit, press ENTER find Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsoSvc in the right part, find key START and change its value to 2 Reboot your system

4. Try with a new user account

   If by any chance user account data is corrupted this may be the reason why we have this error. Create a new administrator user account Shut down your computer Turn in back ON and log in with the new account

5. Perform SFC scan

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X and choose command prompt (administrator) type in: sfc /scannow This may take a while, sit back, let it finish, and try again windows update

That is all considering this particular error, we certainly hope that you have managed to fix it using any of provided solutions!

Windows defender error 0x800700AA, service can not be started comes when the user is trying to run Windows defender scan on their system. This kind of behavior happens for two reasons mostly, third-party application conflict or corrupted system files. In this article, we will tackle both scenarios and provide you with solutions in both cases.

Third-party application conflict

In this rare scenario when Windows defender can not start scan due to conflict with installed service or application in the system solution is quite simple. Restart your PC into safe mode and run the scan from there. In a safe mode environment, minimum drivers and services are only loaded eliminating any conflicts that might occur when everything is booted. If Windows defender can not run the scan in safe mode and you get the same 0x800700AA error then you can eliminate application conflict as a reason and move to the next solution which will tackle corrupted system files. If you, however, managed to run a scan then you have a rare third-party application conflict, you can boot normally into windows and try to eliminate one by one to see which one is causing the issue. The safest bet would be to start with security software because most of the time that is what causes conflicts in running services and applications.

Corrupted system files

If the previous solution has not provided you with results then you have system file corruption that needs to be fixed. Move from one solution to another as presented below:

1. Run SFC scan

   SFC scan is a built-in Windows tool for solving corrupted system files issues, it is fully automated and does not require from the user any kind of knowledge or information. To run it and scan the system do the following: Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu Left-click on the command prompt (admin) In command prompt type SFC /SCANNOW and press ENTER Wait for the process to finish, do not interrupt it and once it is done, restart your computer

2. Run DISM scan

   DISM scan is similar to SFC scan but it tackles different types of system file corruption and it is recommended to run it also after SFC has been completed. Please note that for DISM scan to be successful you will need a stable internet connection since DISM will replace corrupted files with new ones downloaded from Microsoft. To run it do the following: Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu Left-click on the command prompt (admin) inside command prompt type: exe /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth followed by ENTER, then type: Dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth also followed with ENTER. Leave scan to finish and reboot your PC

RocketDock is one of the most popular app launchers as it has been used excessively back in several windows versions. This was modeled based on the Mac OS X launch bar and offers an animated response when you hover the mouse over the apps gathered on the Dock. This is perched at the top of your screen, and you can easily drag your favorite app icons to have them in one place. The dock keeps all your most favorite shortcuts intact for faster and easy access. Like other apps, you can easily customize the dock with skins and other add-ons. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

A lot of Windows 10 users prefer the black theme on their computers and when you see anything but black it can get quite annoying. Such as is the case of the Taskbar which, as you know, is usually dark, however, when you take a look at the Cortana search bar, instead of seeing black, you’ll see that it has turned white. To fix this issue, read on as we will provide you some options you can try to set the Cortana search bar back to black. Before you proceed, take note that the options provided below will change all white search boxes to black and that one of these options needs administrative privileges.

Option 1 – Try changing the default App mode

As you know, Windows 10 has two modes, namely the Light and the Dark. Thus, you can switch to the Dark mode so that your Cortana search bar will be black as well. However, remember that it will completely change everything into dark mode so there will be no more Light mode elsewhere.

• First, you need to click on the Start button and then click on the cog icon to open the Windows 10 Settings.
• Next, from the Settings Menu, select Personalization and then select Colours from the left pane.
• Then scroll down until you see the “Choose your default app mode” option and select “Dark”.

After you apply the changes, it will change the Cortana search bar into black instantly. Aside from that, you will also see the User Interface changing into dark mode.

Option 2 – Try changing the Registry value

If you are well-versed in editing registry keys, then you need to try this option. But before you go over the steps below, make sure that you create a System Restore point first so that if anything goes wrong, you can always go back to how it was before the changes were applied.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt.
• Then in the field, type in “regedit” and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. If a User Account Control prompt appears, just click Yes.
• Now that you’ve opened the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSearchFlightingWhiteSearchBox

• After that, double-click on the “Value” key located on the right pane and set the value to “0” instead of “1” and then click Ok to save the changes made. You should now see a black or grey text box color instead of white.

Option 3 – Try changing the Region

In some forums, a lot of users stated that changing the Region also worked out for them in changing the white Cortana search bar to white. Thus, you need to change the region settings of your computer temporarily. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Type in “Regional Settings” in the box and then click it as soon as it appears from the search results.
• Next, make sure to select a region where Cortana is not available.
• Then select apply to that region. After that, it will change the Cortana search bar color to black.
• Now sign out and sign back in and revert to the original settings. But the changes you made earlier in Cortana will still remain.