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USB Kill, a USB device is able to fry and damage your computer, mobile phone, router, etc. This device is quite dangerous and can kill electronics the moment it is inserted into an available port. By now people should know that they should not put unknown USB sticks into their devices because of potential virus and malware threats but this raises using unknown sticks to a whole new level.

Kill kits are not really new to the market, they have existed before but lately, technology really progressed and the latest USB sticks are really good, their success rate is around 95% which is pretty high and should not be taken lightly.

The second thing that you really should not play with strange USB sticks is that they dropped in price really hard, although top Kill kits will still go as high as around 300 USD, there are really cheap ones lurking in Ali Express that are just 6 USD!!! that makes them affordable devices for the mass market.

The device is made to take energy and current from the port it is plugged in, multiply it and release its charge back into the device, successfully frying some components immediately. Some more professional Kill sticks can even fry devices even when the device itself is not powered and can be even started remotely.

The point of this article is to make you aware that you should not in any kind of circumstances use and plug-in USB sticks into your devices that you do not know where they come from, especially from the mail!!

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

Option 1 – Disable or remove any unwanted extensions in Chrome

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

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

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

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

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

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

Option 3 – Try to disable the Proxy

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

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

Option 4 – Flush DNS and reset TCP/IP

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

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

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

Option 5 – Delete the WLAN Profiles

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

Error Code 3 - What is it?

Error code 3 is a type of PC windows error that can occur on any Windows version including Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, or 8. This error code means that the system cannot find the path specified. The error 3 messages are displayed in the following format: “Error_ Path_Not_Found” or it may sometimes be displayed with the value 3 in this format:  (0x80070003: Error_Path_Not_Found)

Solution

Error Causes

The error code 3 indicates poor PC maintenance. It is a critical sign of an unstable system. The causes of this error code are:

• Missing or broken system files
• Registry issues

This error code poses serious system threats and should be resolved immediately before the damage is done. If you don’t address this error timely, your PC may be exposed to risks like system failure and crash. And this may lead to valuable data loss.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve this error on your system, you don’t have to hire a technician or be technically sound yourself. What you simply need to do is clean the registry. Here are 2 ways to clean the registry:

1. Manually by Launching Registry Editor

First, launch the Windows registry editor by clicking the start button and selecting run. In the text box type, 'Regedit' and press enter and click OK. Before you make changes to the registry, make sure you create a backup of your existing registry. This is advisable because if you accidentally lose important data during the cleaning process you can also recover the lost data. Once you create a backup, now get started with the cleaning process. Expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER" key, then click on the software key and look for applications that you think could have corrupted the registry. Now delete them. After that, remove the unwanted start-up items, by accessing this link:  My Computer HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows Current Version. Now click on the run tab and delete invalid entries/ values. This process may be time-consuming and for some, it may be slightly technical to identify unwanted start-up items.

2. Download Restoro Registry Cleaner

Another way to clean and repair the registry is to download Restoro. This is an innovative and a highly-functional registry cleaner. It is embedded with an intuitive algorithm that detects all the registry issues instantly and removes them right away in just a few simple clicks. It removes all the unnecessary and obsolete files, repairs the registry, and fixes the damaged dll and system files. It has a user-friendly interface and simple navigation which makes it easy for all levels of users to work around it. This software is compatible with all Windows versions. Besides functioning as a registry cleaner, Restoro also functions as an antivirus and a system optimizer. It scans and removes all kinds of malicious software and simultaneously boosts the speed of your PC. Click here to download Restoro and resolve error 3 “Entry_Path_Not_Found” on your PC now!

Realtek sound device not playing sound is a common Windows issue.  It happens occasionally and luckily it can be solved with a little effort and in a short time period. Today in this article we will explore the most common reasons and solutions for driver malfunction for Realtek inside Windows 10. If you have this particular problem, go from step 1 to the last step since all steps are meant to go from simplest to the most complex. All of that being said let us fix your Realtek driver issue.

1. Check Speakers or/and Headphones first

   The first thing would in any troubleshooting be to check are your speakers turned on or are your headphones connected and the volume or switch on them is set properly. Nothing more embarrassing than spending an hour or so troubleshooting only to find out that issue was in a malfunction of speakers or them not being turned on.

2. Check the Volume control in Windows

   Same as the previous step where you have checked hardware, now it is time to check to see if the volume control is set properly and not by any chance muted or volume is brought all the way down.

3. Check if the Device Manager is reporting an error and update the driver

   If both hardware is functioning properly and volume control in Windows is set correctly then the issue might be in Windows not detecting device or driver malfunction. In any case, the Device Manager will be the one who will report this problem. In order to check to see if the driver is properly working press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden start menu. Once it opens, click on Device Manager to open it, If you have a driver device error inside Windows, you should see it immediately when entering the Device Manager, it will have a yellow exclamation mark beside it. Right-click on it and choose update driver.

4. Reinstall driver

   If driver update failed or you already have the latest drivers, reinstalling them could fix the issue since drivers might have corrupted during installation of some update or application. Follow steps from point 3 to get to the driver in Device Manager, then right-click on it but instead of update choose to uninstall. Reboot Windows once the driver is uninstalled and Windows will install a new one.

5. Check Windows update

   Check to see if the latest Windows update is installed, update your Windows if needed

6. Fix driver issue with DRIVERFIX

   If everything else fails, get DRIVERFIX, a premium solution for your PC issues, and fix driver errors.

Error 1321 - What is it?

Error 1321 is a Windows PC error. This occurs when you try to install a Microsoft Office suite or program on your PC. The set-up program stops responding and the error message is displayed on the computer screen in the following format:

‘Error 1321. Setup cannot modify the file file_name. Verify that the file exists in your system and that you have sufficient permissions to update it.’

When this error occurs you cannot roll back the installation of the Office Suite or use the Add/Remove program option to remove the installed program.

Solution

Error Causes

Common causes of the occurrence of error 1321 are:

• Encrypt contents to secure data settings are enabled on the folder in which you are trying to install the Office suite/ program.
• PC infected by viruses
• Bad Registry Entries

Further Information and Manual Repair

The good news is that this error code is not fatal and besides it is also easy to resolve. Here are some easy do it yourself methods for you to repair this error on your system in a few minutes:

Method 1: Disable Encrypt Contents to Secure Data

To resolve this error code, make sure the encrypted contents to secure data settings are not enabled. To do so, simply right-click the folder in which you want to install the MS Office Suite or program. Now click properties and then the General tab. Now go to the Advanced option. In the Advanced Attributes dialog box, make sure that the Encrypt contents to secure data check box under Compress or Encrypt Attributes is disabled. If it is not then un-check to disable.

Method 2: Remove Viruses

Viral infection can also trigger error 1321. If this is the reason, then simply install and run a powerful antivirus on your system. An antivirus detects all types of malicious viruses such as malware, adware, spyware, and Trojans. Remove them to resolve the issue.

Method 3: Download Restoro.

If the issue is related to bad registry entries, then it is advisable to download Restoro on your PC. This is a user-friendly and powerful PC Fixer deployed with a registry cleaner. The registry cleaner scans your entire PC and wipes away all the bad entries cluttering and damaging the registry in seconds. Click here to download Restoro and resolve error code 1321 today.

Task View feature inside Windows 11 is actually a great feature, letting you quickly view open windows and virtual desktops. How Task view itself could be reached with keyboard shortcut combination of ⊞ WINDOWS + TAB some users will prefer this way of using it and thus button on the taskbar is something you do not want or need. There is a very easy way to remove mentioned button and I will show you how to do it. Right-click the taskbar button itself and click on Hide From Taskbar. That’s it, you have done it. Now in order for you to bring it back if you change your mind, you will have to do some extra steps but it is nothing difficult. Right-click on the taskbar and click on Taskbar settings, you will be lead to Personalization > Taskbar. Inside locate Taskbar Items and switch Task View to ON, you will see the Task View button right away showing itself again.

There are times when you may find it hard to kill a particular process in the Windows Task Manager and every time you try to do so, you will only get an error message saying, “Unable to terminate the process, The operation could not be completed, Access is denied”. If you are one of the users who is constantly getting this error, read on as this post will provide you with a couple of options you can try to resolve the problem. Refer to the given instructions below if you are unable to terminate a process in the Task Manager but before you proceed you need to restart your PC and then try killing the process again, if you’re still not able to do it, you need to follow the options laid out below.

Option 1 – Try using Taskkill

• Open the Command Prompt as admin from the WinX Menu.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in the following command and tap Enter to execute it:

taskkill /IM "processname" /T /F processname – it is the name of the process which you can see on the Details tab of the Windows Task Manager. /IM – it is the one that specifies the image name of the process, which follows, that is to be terminated. /T – it is the one that kills not just the main process but also the child process. /F – it is the one that terminates the process forcefully.

Option 2 – Try using the WMIC

• Open Command Prompt as admin from the WinX Menu.
• From the Command Prompt window that opens, type in the following command and hit Enter to execute it:

wmic process where name='processname.exe' delete

Note: In the given command, you need to replace “processname.exe” with the name of the particular process you want to terminate which is found in the Details tab of the Windows Task Manager.

Option 3 – Try using PowerShell

• The first thing you have to do is open an elevated PowerShell prompt.
• From there, type in the following command and hit Enter to execute it:

kill -id pid

Note: In the given command above, “pid” is the Process ID number of the process you want to terminate. And for you to identify this number, you need to open the Details tab of the Windows Task Manager once again and take note of the number against the process you want to get rid of. Alternatively, you can also run the following command in the PowerShell prompt that you’ve pulled up to get the process ID number:

Get-Process

For example, “5364” is the process ID number for the DimScreen.exe process which is the process you want to terminate. In order for you to kill this process, you need to type in this command:

kill -id 5364

Booting the Windows computer system includes loading it from the various boot devices such as drivers, network as well as USB drives when the computer is turned on. The instant the startup sequence is done loading the operating system the system hardware will be ready to perform some complex operations – in this process, the Boot Log in Windows 10 is a record that maintains the list of success or failure of many pieces of Windows 10 system during the booting process. In other words, the Boot Log is the one that keeps a record of all that has happened while loading from the computer storage system to the memory during the boot process. It is available for several devices like network, hardware devices, and the operating system which assist in detecting issues during the boot process and other issues with regards to troubleshooting. Through Boot Log, you’ll know which drivers were unloaded and loaded from the start of the system during the boot process. You have the option to either disable or enable this feature on your Windows 10 PC. Named as “ntbtlog.txt”, the log file lists all the successfully loaded processes and the unsuccessful ones during the boot process. It is saved to the drive C:Windowsntbtlog.txt. As mentioned, you can enable or disable this feature in two ways – the first one is by using the System Configuration or MSConfig while the second one is using the Command Prompt. In this post, we’ll show you how you can enable or disable Boot Log in Windows 10 either way.

Option 1 – Enable or Disable Boot Log using System Configuration

Enable Boot Log:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type in “msconfig” and click OK to open System Configuration.
• After that, go to the boot tab and check the checkbox labeled “Boot Log” under the Boot options so that you can enable the Boot Log feature.
• Then click on OK to save the changes made.
• Next, click on the Restart button in the prompt window to get started with the Boot Log process.
• After restarting your PC, go to C:Windowsntbtlog.txt to open the boot log.

Note: As pointed out earlier, the log file contains a list of all the successfully loaded drivers and also the list of drivers that failed to load during the boot process and every time you restart the system, the boot log file will keep on updating and will eventually increase the list of entries. For you to locate the drivers and make your troubleshooting a lot easier, I advised disabling the boot log after troubleshooting. To disable the boot log using System Configuration, refer to the steps below. Disable Boot Log:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type in “msconfig” and click OK to open System Configuration.
• After that, go to the boot tab and unmark or uncheck the checkbox labeled “Boot Log” under the Boot options so that you can disable the Boot Log feature.
• Then click on OK to save the changes made.

Option 2 – Enable or Disable Boot Log using Command Prompt

Enable Boot Log:

• Go to the Start Menu and then type in “command prompt” in the search bar.
• After that, right-click on the Command Prompt option and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in “bcdedit” and tap Enter.

Note: You have to find the Identifier of the current operating system first to enable the Boot log. You can find it under the Windows Boot Loader section in the “Description” field and in this case, it’s Windows 10. You can also find the operating system identifier under the Windows Boot Loader section next to the field name identifier.

• To check if the boot log entry is disabled or enabled, go check the “Bootlog” field under the Windows Boot Loader. And if it turns out that the “bootlog” entry is enabled, the entry will be “Yes”. Otherwise, the entry will be “No”.
• Next, type in the following command with the operating system identifier to enable the boot log.

bcdedit /set {identifier} bootlog Yes

Note: In the command given above, make sure that you replace the given system identifier with your computer’s system identifier. For instance: In this example, the identifier was replaced with the actual operating system identifier as current.

bcdedit /set {current} bootlog Yes

• Afterward, restart the system to start the Boot log process.
• After the restart, go to C:Windowsntbtlog.txt to open the boot log.

Note: Every time you restart your computer, the boot log file will keep on updating which will increase the size of the log eventually. So if you want seamless and easier troubleshooting, it is advised to disable the Boot log after you troubleshoot. To disable it using the Command Prompt, here’s what you have to do. Disable Boot Log:

• Go to the Start Menu and then type in “command prompt” in the search bar.
• After that, right-click on the Command Prompt option and select the “Run as administrator” option.
• Once the Command Prompt is opened, type in the following command and then tap Enter to disable the boot log feature.

bcdedit/ set {identifier} bootlog No

Note: In the command given above, you need to replace the given system identifier with your computer’s system identifier. For instance: In this example, the {identifier} was replaced with the actual operating system identifier as {current}.

bcdedit /set {current} bootlog No

• Now close the Command Prompt.

One of the most important User Interface elements in a Windows 10 operating system is the Start Menu. Not too long ago, Microsoft has added some new features and redesigned the Start Menu a couple of times as well. Thus, it is not uncommon for Windows 10 users to use several monitors. That’s why in this post, you will be guided on how you can move the Start Menu to your second monitor in Windows 10. There are a lot of advantages in using more than one monitor like a better and widescreen as well as help in improving and increasing productivity. Usually, the Start Menu and the taskbar is present in the original monitor only. In most cases, it helps users in moving the Start Menu to the second monitor and helps users in segregating tasks, and uses separate monitors for each kind of task. There are two simple steps to move the Start Menu to the second monitor. You have the option to unlock and drag the taskbar, as well as make adjustments in the settings. To get started, refer to each one of the following options to move the Start Menu to the second monitor.

Option 1 – Move the second monitor by unlocking and dragging the taskbar

The first option you can try to move the Start Menu to the second display is to simply unlock and then drag the taskbar. To do so, follow these steps:

• First, click on the Taskbar and unlock it.
• Next, uncheck the Lock the taskbar feature in the menu of the Taskbar Settings. This will free the taskbar so you can move or drag it around.
• After that, push the Start Menu to the furthermost corner of the screen and then transfer it to the second monitor.

Option 2 – Move the second monitor using the keyboard

• The first thing you have to do is to tap the Windows key to open the Start Menu.
• Next, close the Start Menu by tapping the Esc key.
• After that, the controls will shift back to the taskbar.
• Now open the context menu of the taskbar by tapping the Alt + space bar together. This will move the Start Menu to the second monitor.

Option 3 – Move the Start Menu to the second monitor via Settings

If you find that the Taskbar is moving to the wrong monitor automatically or if the program does not start on the same monitor as the taskbar, then you can try this option.

• Click on Start first and click Run.
• Then type “desk.cpl” in the field and click OK.
• Alternatively, you could also right-click on the desktop and select the Screen Resolution option from the drop-down menu.
• After that, click on the monitor that you want to use as the primary monitor and select the checkbox labeled “Make this my main display”.
• Once done, you have to choose the “Show desktop” on only 1 from the drop-down menu of Multiple displays.
• Now click the Keep Changes option and select the Extend these displays from the Multiple displays drop-down menu and then click on the Apply button to save the changes made.
• Afterward, click the Keep changes option once the dialog box pops up.

Seeing a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark on the battery symbol on the System Tray of your Windows 10 laptop is not really uncommon especially if your battery is about to run out of power. However, if you just purchased your laptop recently and the first thing you’ve noticed when you first opened it is the yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in the battery, read on as this post will help you resolve this issue. Seeing this kind of icon on your computer does not necessarily mean that you have to replace your battery as there are still several potential fixes you can try to resolve the problem. So if you notice this icon, you can try running the Power troubleshooter as it will help you resolve any potential issues with the battery. Aside from that, you can also restore the default settings of the power plan manually or uninstall and reinstall the battery driver. For more information, refer to the given options below.

Option 1 – Try to run the Power troubleshooter

As pointed out, the Power troubleshooter can help you resolve any issues your battery might have automatically. It plans and detects system settings that can affect power usages like timeout and sleep settings, display settings, and screensavers and restores them to their default settings. To run this troubleshooter, follow these steps:

• Open the Windows Settings and go to the Update and Security option.
• Next, click on the Troubleshoot option under Update and Security and then scroll down until you see the “Power” option.
• Under Power, click on the “Run the troubleshooter” button to start running the Power troubleshooter.
• Wait for a couple of seconds until the Power troubleshooter is done scanning your computer for issues. Once it’s done, follow the next on-screen instructions that appear on the screen.
• If needed, restart your computer and see if it has fixed the problem.

Option 2 – Restore the default settings of the Power plan manually

• Open the Windows Settings again and select System.
• Next, scroll down until you see the “Power & sleep” option.
• After that, click on the “Additional power settings” option located in the right pane to open the Power Options.
• Now click on the link that says, “Change Plan Settings” and select the “Restore default settings for this plan” option.

Option 3 – Try to uninstall or reinstall the Battery driver

You might also want to uninstall or reinstall the battery driver as it can also resolve the problem. But before you start, you have to shut down your computer and remove the power chord as well as the battery. Once you’re done, follow these steps:

• Plug the power chord and restart your computer.
• Once your computer has restarted, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “devmgmt.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Device Manager.
• After that, look for the “Batteries” driver from the list of drivers and expand it.
• Then right-click on the “Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System” driver and click on the “Uninstall device” option.
• Once it’s done, restart shut down your computer and remove the power chord and then attach the battery.
• Now attach the power chord again and restart your computer to automatically install the driver.