One of the selling points of Windows 11 was the ability to run Android apps natively in it without the need for any third-party software. It is not a big surprise that even after its release Microsoft is evolving and expanding Windows 11 and its features.
Microsoft is now rolling out an update for the Windows Subsystem for Android on the Dev Channel of the Windows Insiders program. The new version upgrades the core operating system from Android 11 to Android 12.1 (also known as Android 12L), which means the new system and app features in Android 12 and 12.1 are now available on Windows for the first time. However, not the new features in those updates apply to the modified version that runs on top of Windows. For example, one of the main improvements in 12.1 was a dual-pane notification panel for larger screens, but Android app notifications on Windows just show up in the Windows notification panel.
The upgrade also improves how Android apps integrate into Windows. The Windows taskbar will now show which Android apps are currently using the microphone, location, and other system services — similar to many native Windows applications. Toasts messages (the small popups that some apps use for temporary messages) are now displayed as Windows notifications, and the titlebar on Android apps will use the current activity name for the title.
Full changelog
Windows Subsystem for Android updated to Android 12.1
Advanced networking on by default for newer x64 Windows builds
Updated Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app: redesigned UX and diagnostics data viewer added
Simpleperf CPU profiler recording now works with Windows Subsystem for Android
Windows taskbar now shows which Android apps are using microphone and location
Improvements to Android app notifications appearing as Windows notifications
Reduced flicker when apps are restored from minimized state
Apps are not restarted when devices come out of connected standby on recent Windows builds
New video hardware decoding (VP8 and VP9)
Fixes for on-screen keyboard in apps
Fixes for full-screen Android apps and auto-hidden Windows taskbar
Windows Subsystem for Android updated with Chromium WebView 100
Added support for Android NetworkLocationProvider in addition to GpsLocationProvider
Improved general stability, performance, and reliability
The new update is limited to Windows Insiders for now, but once Microsoft fixes all the bugs, it should start rolling out to everyone on Windows 11 that has the Android Subsystem enabled.
If you encounter an error message saying, “The ordinal xxx could not be located in the dynamic link library C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft VS Code Insiderscode – insiders.exe“ and you see a reference of a missing DLL file, then this indicates that the software is trying to locate the related DLL file, however, it is missing, hence the error.
The error mentioned “Ordinal” which refers to the order of a number mathematically, e.g. 1st, 2nd, etc. And in this error message, the ordinal is referring to an Xth file of an XX.DLL file which is missing which is why you’re getting this kind of error.
When you get this particular error, it means that your computer is missing the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable program. As per the error message, XXX is a number that in turn is the Ordinal. There is also another common error related to Ordinal which says, “The ordinal 12404 could not be located in the dynamic link library mfc90u.dl”.
The error message could be referring to any DLL in the message. And since all these DLL files are part of the package, the error changes quite a bit as the Visual Studio looks for that DLL file. To fix this error, here are some suggestions that might be of help.
Option 1 – Try installing Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable
As pointed out earlier, the error pops up when the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable program is missing on your computer. Thus, you need to download it from the official website of Microsoft. Once you’ve downloaded the Microsoft Visual C++ Feature Pack Redistributable Package, install it and then check if the error is now fixed.
Option 2 – Try to install OpenSSL
If you encounter the same error message but it points out that the LIBEAY32.DLL file is missing, then you have to install OpenSSL. In such a case, you will see the following error message:
“Ordinal not found. The Ordinal [Xxxx] could not be located in the Dynamic Link Library Libeay32.dll.”
Make sure that when you install OpenSSL, you do it into the Windows system directory since the Libeay32.dll file is related to security.
Option 3 – Try to check Windows Updates
There are instances when Microsoft rolls out the framework and related updates via Windows Updates. It could be that an update related to DLL is still pending which is why you need to check Windows Updates. To do so, go to Settings > Update and Security and from there check if there is any pending update. If there is, you need to install that update and then restart your computer if needed.
Valve has officially announced that Steam Deck will be compatible with Windows 11 despite TPM 2.0 Microsoft requirements.
From the beginning, Deck was announced like a mini handheld PC device. Powered with new Steam OS 3.0 based on Linux. However, besides out-of-the-box OS it was also stated that Deck will be a personal device meaning that other PC-based operating systems could be installed on it and even run your typical applications in it.
Since Microsoft announced Windows 11 hardware requirements, specifically the TPM 2.0 requirement many users voiced concern that Steam Deck will not be able to connect to Windows 11
TPM 2.0 is something that Microsoft requires for every internal and hardware component that is to connect on a Windows 11 device. This is to ensure that only trusted devices would be included in the array of a PC setup and avoid any problems like malicious hardware injecting software into a system.
This would also minimize the compromise Windows would have, as unverified or untrusted devices connect to a Windows PC.
However, Valve and AMD are ensuring us that Deck will not have any issue connecting to a PC running Windows 11 or even if you wish to transform Deck itself into a Device running Windows 11.
Disk partitioning is a concept that’s been around for so long, but is still only familiar to few. If done right, it can help get your computer in perfect order.
Today we bring you a simple definition of disk partitioning, its pros and cons, and a quick tip on how to do it properly to reap its full benefit!
Definition and purpose
The simplest way to define disk partitioning would be: it’s exactly what it sounds like. It means taking a hard disk drive and separating it into different segments. These segments are called partitions. You can visualize it as cutting a cake into smaller pieces - not necessarily of the same size, though.
So what is the purpose of these pieces?
Well, when you first get a hard drive, it’s basically just a bunch of unallocated storage space. Until there’s at least one partition, this space is unusable to your operating system. Once you create a partition, your OS will recognize it as usable storage space.
You can choose to create a single partition and use it for all your files, from program files to personal data. A lot of off-the-shelf computers come with one primary partition like this and a small secondary one reserved for recovery purposes.
Whether or not you want to split your disk into more than one segment is up to you. We would generally recommend it, though. The whole point of partitioning is for each segment to have its own purpose.
So treating all your storage space as a single unit containing different file types would be like constructing an office building with only one massive room for everything - day-to-day work, conferences, interviews, etc. And all of this for different departments of the company. You can see how this might get a little messy.
Creating multiple partitions eliminates the task of running several different types of files from the same place. This takes a heavy load off the entire process of accessing data.
Disk partitioning also brings a ton of other benefits to the table. An important disclaimer, though: there are disadvantages too. We will walk you through both sides to help you get an objective idea and make an informed decision.
Source: Kina on Unsplash
What are the benefits of disk partitioning?
1. Better file organization
This is the most obvious and perhaps the biggest advantage of partitioning your hard drive.
As we already mentioned, partitioning allows you to create separate segments for different file and data types. You wouldn’t want to use the same partition for your system files and for games, would you?
If organization and time management are important to you, then multiple partitions are the right solution. Searching for specific files will be much easier overall. Say you have one hard drive, but three partitions: C for the system files alone, D for multimedia files and documents, and E for games and apps. Your computer loads the system from C without interference from the other two, and you know exactly where to look when searching for a file.
2. Easy reinstallation
File management isn’t the only thing made faster and simpler thanks to partitioning. If you opt for creating multiple segments on your drive, reinstalling Windows will be easy peasy.
That’s because all you need to do is format the partition your system is on. Then you reinstall the OS on it, and there you go. Now you have a clean installation, with all your files saved on other partitions intact. You can even make a copy of your system partition, so you can revisit the exact same installation in the future if you want. And the whole time your pictures, music, documents stay exactly where you left them.
Source: Andrew M on Unsplash
3. Possibility of using multiple file systems
By now you’ve understood that partitions function completely separately. This means that, if for some reason you need multiple file system capabilities, partitioning will allow that.
One segment could be used for, say, an NTFS file system, while another could run ext or APFS.
4. Running different OSes
You’re an avid Windows user but need to use Linux on the side? No problem. You don’t need to buy a separate computer or anything. The possibility of running different file systems also means you can use partitioning to run multiple operating systems.
Doesn’t that sound enticing? One machine for multiple totally different uses!
5. Backup and recovery made simple
Data loss can happen on any disk, partitioned or not. However, it’s much easier to get it back on a partitioned one. You know where you stored what, and each partition can be backed up exactly as it is. It’s also a lot faster to back up single partitions than entire hard drives.
Ultimately this also means a faster path to recovery. If you lose or accidentally delete important files and data, you might want to use a recovery tool like Recuva to scan for them and get them back. Recuva is even powerful enough to recover data from damaged hard drives. But no matter how powerful, scanning a whole drive is strenuous for any recovery tool. Scanning independent partitions is a lot more convenient than that, and will get you to your goal more efficiently.
6. Optimized performance
Now, let’s keep in mind that computer performance is influenced by a number of factors. Partitioning alone isn’t what makes it better or worse. However, it can contribute to optimization. It’s easier for your computer to scan, say, a 40 GB partition to fetch the system file it needs than scanning the entire capacity of your drive.
7. Improved security (possibly*)
Separate partitions can help make your system more secure. Firstly, they minimize file corruption. If one partition gets corrupted, the others should remain unaffected. And keeping in mind the previous point about backup and recovery, ‘fixing’ the damaged partition would be much easier than fixing the entire hard drive.
Partitioning also improves security in terms of malware protection. A malicious attack on one partition is easier to deal with than malware on the whole drive. If your system partition gets infected, you can simply reinstall your OS and that should do the trick.
*Do keep in mind that partitioning can’t defend you against more advanced attacks. So make sure not to give in to a false sense of security.
What are the disadvantages of partitioning?
1. Data is still vulnerable
Yes, it’s easier to back up and recover data from independent partitions. And yes, partitioning may help protect separated files and data to a higher degree. But remember: everything is still on a single physical drive. So while digital errors and issues may be easier to deal with on partitioned drives, physical damage obviously won’t be.
If your hard drive is destroyed in some way, all data on it will be gone. That’s why, if you have crucial files on your PC, it’s important to give them the proper backup treatment before it’s too late.
2. Disbalance of space
Allocating storage space on separate partitions may be a little more tricky than you think. You may fill up one partition a lot faster than another. So on one side you’re struggling with space, and on another you have too much of it to spare. Imagine nearly filling up your system partition and then it turns out you need a lot more space for its updates than you thought.
That’s why you really have to be sure you actually have enough files of different types that you need help managing efficiently. Otherwise you’ll just create a struggle and disbalance in terms of storage.
3. Increased risk of error
If done incorrectly, partitioning can lead to more harm than good. Aside from space disbalance, there is an increased risk of incorrect partition sizes and formatting. Plus, human error is also a factor: in a moment of distraction, you may erase one partition when you meant another. Undoing such mistakes will definitely be tedious and time-consuming.
4. SSDs eliminate the need of partitioning
SSDs (solid-state drives) don’t function in the same way that HDDs do. They have faster read times and can organize files on their own. This quite literally eliminates the need for organization on your part.
Partitioning: yes or no?
The bottom line is that multiple partitions might not be necessary for the average user. But if you’re planning on storing many file types or different file and operating systems on the same PC, then you should give it a shot. It’s also an excellent solution for businesses, of course.
And if our pros and cons list isn’t enough to help you decide, you can always send us a message and we’ll help you make the right choice.
Decided to partition your hard drive?
If you’ve decided to give it a go, you definitely should make sure to do it right.
The two most effective and reliable ways to partition are using the built-in options on Windows or investing in a dedicated partitioning tool, like the EaseUS Partition Master. Which one you'll opt for depends on your specific needs.
Option 1 may be more suitable for users with at least some level of experience. In this case, you’d have to know exactly which steps to take without making errors. This is done in Disk Management on Windows 10/11. From there, you can select the partitions you’d like to split into different volumes of selected sizes.
If this is your first time partitioning, we highly suggest you either consult professionals for this or move on to option 2. The EaseUS partitioning software is specifically designed for beginners, with an intuitive interface helping you succeed in the process. All you need to do is pick the Partition Master package tailored to your needs and follow their guide.
Each package offers technical support as well, and even free upgrades (to varying degrees based on your subscription). Plus, all of this is valid for not one, but two PCs.
It’s the perfect solution for a smooth and error-free partitioning process. If you want to organize your hard drives efficiently and make the most of all your space without doing irreparable damage, it’s definitely worth the investment.
Update and Shutdown/Restart is not working. As you have probably noticed, every time a new update is released and is downloaded on your Windows 10 computer, the operating system replaces the Restart and Shut down button with “Update and Restart” as well as “Update and Shut down”. This is most likely done so that you won’t miss the update. However, some users noticed that there are times when these buttons still continue to display the same message even if they’ve already performed the required operations such as shutting down or restarting their PCs. Cases like this happen when an update wasn’t installed properly or has failed which is why your computer keeps on prompting you to Update and Shutdown every time. To fix this dilemma, follow the options laid out below.
Option 1 – Try restarting the File Explorer
Restarting the File Explorer can definitely help you fix lots of issues especially when there is some issue with the user interface including this one.
On the right side of the Taskbar, right-click on any open spot.
Then click on Task Manager.
Next, scroll down until you see Windows Explorer.
After that, right-click on it and select Restart.
If you are able to kill its process, you have to tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “explorer.exe” in the field, and hit Enter to launch the Windows Explorer.
Option 2 – Try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter
As you know, Windows 10 has various auto-repair built-in tools to help users fix small issues which used to get fixed manually. And in this case, you will need the Windows Update Troubleshooter to fix the issue.
Go to Settings and click on Update and Security.
From there, click Troubleshoot and click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” option.
After that, it will try to detect and automatically fix common issues in the Windows Updates which can be resolved by Windows itself. Note that the process may take several minutes before it completes so you need to wait until it’s done. Once it’s done, in case you have some pending update that wasn’t realized by the system early on, it will apply the fix right away and restart the Windows Update service.
Option 3 – Try setting the Power button to Shut down
In case the first two options didn’t work out, you can try changing what the power button does. To do that, refer to these steps:
Go to Control Panel > Power Options.
From there, select the “Choose what the power buttons do” option from the left side.
Then set the Power button setting the “When I press the power button” option to “Shut down”. After that, it will shut your computer down without installing the updates but obviously, this is only a temporary fix.
Option 4 – Turn off your PC instantly without updating it
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Type in “shutdown -s -f -t 0” in the field and hit Enter if you really want to turn off your computer without any delay.
You could also tap the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys and select Shut down from the bottom right menu.
Just like the third option, this is also only a temporary fix.
Option 5 – Try running the Windows Module Installer
The Windows Module Installer is a built-in service in Windows 10 that allows you to fix the stuck Windows Updates in your computer. To use it, follow these steps:
In the Cortana search box, type in “cmd” and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option from the context menu.
Once you’ve opened Command Prompt as admin, type the SC config trustedinstaller start=auto command and tap Enter.
After the command is executed, you will see the “[SC] ChangeServiceConfig SUCCESS” message displayed on the Command Prompt console.
Now exit Command Prompt and then check if the buttons are now back to normal.
Option 6 – Put your PC in a Clean Boot State
Log onto your PC as an administrator.
Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
Clear the “Load Startup items” checkbox and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
Click Disable all.
Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
After putting your PC in a Clean Boot State, try creating a system restore point and see if the problem still occurs. Clean Boot troubleshooting is designed to help you isolate the problem. For you to execute a clean boot troubleshooting, you must do a couple of actions (the steps are given above) and then restart your PC after every action. You might have to disable one third-party app after the other to really isolate the issue. And once you’ve narrowed down the problem, you can either disable the third-party app that’s causing the problem or remove it. Note that you must switch your PC back into the Normal Startup mode after you’re done troubleshooting the problem. Here’s how you can do it:
From the “Start” menu, go to System Configuration.
After that, switch to the General tab and click the option for “Normal Startup”.
Next, go to the Services tab and clear the checkbox for “Hide all Microsoft services”.
Then find and click “Enable all” and if prompted, you have to confirm.
Afterward, go to the Task Manager and enable all the Startup programs and confirm the action.
File Transfer Protocol Server, also known as FTP Server, is a private or public service that can host files that can be accessed both locally and globally. It is a quick, flexible and seamless service that allows you to store any kind of files depending on the total size of the server. If you’ve always found an FTP server useful, then the good thing is you can now create your FTP server since Windows 10 now allows it. You can host this server locally and later on make it globally available via the internet. So if you are planning to set up an FTP server on your Windows 10 computer, read on as this post will guide you on how to do so.
To set up the FTP server, you need to configure it first and then configure the Windows Firewall for the connections to go through. For more details, refer to the following steps:
Step 1: You need to configure the FTP server on Windows 10.
In the Search box, type in “Turn Windows Features On or Off” to search for it.
Then click on the appropriate result which will open a mini window.
From this mini window, scroll down to the list and expand “Internet Information Services where you have to expand the FTP Server section.
Next, select all the checkboxes to enable all the entries under FTP Server and then click the OK button to apply the changes made.
And now, since your computer is now allowed to host an FTP server, you need to configure it. To do so, type “Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager” in the Search box and click on the appropriate entry.
Next, right-click on Sites under the navigation bar of Connections and select Add FTP Site. This will open a new window where you have to input some information about your FTP hosting.
Now enter the details and click on Next.
Upon clicking Next, you will be prompted to give some authentication details. Enter the following details in the screenshot below.
Now click on Finish. After that, you will get an FTP Server being hosted on your Windows 10 PC.
And now that you’ve successfully configured the FTP Server, the next thing you have to do is to allow connections from and to the FTP server. Refer to the next step below.
Step 2: Configure the Windows Firewall for FTP connections to pass-through
In the Start Search, type “Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall” and click on the related search result which will open a window with all the settings.
From there, click on the Change Settings button. This will display a list where you have to mark all the checkboxes for the FTP server to enable them in both the Private and Public configurations.
After that, click OK. This will allow you access to the FTP server on your local network.
If you are experiencing a Low Wi-Fi signal strength on your Windows 10 PC after you’ve updated or reinstalled it, read on as this post will guide you on what you can do to fix the problem.
The way devices connect these days has evolved with our cognitive revolution. Various devices use some or other wireless technology to connect with other devices. However, all wireless technology has some kind of limitation when it comes to range and signal strength. From time to time, you might have faced several Wi-Fi issues. Low Wi-Fi signal strength usually happens after you update or reinstall your Windows 10 system. This issue can be identified easily by looking at the signal bars in the Wi-Fi icon or by measuring its strength. Since this problem is wide scope, there are tons of possibilities which is why this post covers the most generic situations that could help most users. Refer to the options given below to fix the low Wi-Fi signal strength of your Windows 10 PC.
Option 1 – Try running the Network Adapter Troubleshooter
If a few days ago the range and signal of the Wi-Fi was perfectly fine before you did an update or reinstall, it is possible that there were some changes made in the configuration as well. In most cases, the latest configuration that came with the update has not aligned the config in your computer or laptop. The easiest and simplest way to fix this is by using the Network Adapter Troubleshooter. How? Follow the steps below.
Right-click on the Wi-Fi icon from the system tray to start troubleshooting.
After that, select Troubleshoot problems. Note that it might take a while to run it but once it’s finished, it will show you all the problems with the network adapter.
Note: The Network Adapter Troubleshooter will also fix the issues in the background but there might be some issues that will require manual action. And if the troubleshooter wasn’t able to identify and fix the problem for you, proceed to the next given option below.
Option 2 – Try using the Device Manager
If the problem is related to hardware, you need to seek out the help of the Device Manager. To do so, follow the steps below.
Pull up the Device Manager.
Next, look for your Wi-Fi adapter under the Network Adapters.
Once you found it, right-click on it and open Properties.
After that, you will see all the actions related to drivers under the driver tab.
You can either update or roll back the selected driver or you could also disable and re-enable it to see if the problem’s fixed.
Note: If updating the driver didn’t help, you might have to dig into the advanced settings. From this post on, it can get a bit complicated as there are terms that you might not understand as well as some configuration. To make it easier for you, you can search for your Wi-Fi adapter online and try following the instructions from there. And before you make any further changes to your computer’s settings, make sure that you create a system restore point first.
Option 3 – Try changing the Wi-Fi Roaming Sensitivity
If you want to enhance the Wi-Fi reception as well as the performance on your Windows 10 PC, you might want to change the Wi-Fi Roaming Sensitivity or Aggressiveness. Roaming Sensitivity is the rate at which your computer chooses and switches to the nearest available point of access which offers a better signal. It is based on the strength and quality of the Wi-Fi and not on the distance to the Wi-Fi point.
Option 4 – Try adjusting the Wi-Fi range
The issue could also be caused by the position of your computer with respect to the Wi-Fi router instead of your hardware or drivers. It could be that your physical location might be a factor for the low signal strength of your Wi-Fi so you might want to adjust the Wi-Fi range to fix the problem.
0x800ccc79 error is an error message that you may come across when sending emails through Outlook Express from Microsoft. This error message is accompanied by a notification that is displayed as ‘email was not delivered’ or ‘the server doesn’t support SSL connection’.
Solution
Download Available to Recover all Lost Outlook data
Error Causes
This error code 0x900ccc79 is triggered due to the following causes:
Problems related to email servers
Changes in the configuration settings
Corrupted Windows Registry
Further Information and Manual Repair
When you receive the error 0x800ccc79 it may hamper your ability to send emails. Therefore it is advisable to fix it to ensure your emails are sent and received without any difficulty.
This Outlook error 0x800ccc79 is quite easy to repair. By following the quick fix 0x800ccc79 error code solutions given below you can resolve this error in just a couple of minutes.
Here’s what you need to do to fix this error right away:
Cause: Configuration issues
Solution: If the error occurs due to Outlook Express being configured to use the SSL protocol while sending and receiving emails via the web, then to resolve it, you need to allow Outlook Express to bypass the Secure Socket Layer settings.
To do so, click on ‘tools’ and then on ‘Accounts’. Now select the email account that you want to modify.
Now select the ‘Properties’ tab and then click on ‘Advanced Settings’.
Here search for the following text message ‘This server requires a secure connection’. Once you locate it, uncheck all the checkboxes given next to this option. After that save the changes and restart Outlook Express to see bring the changes into effect.
Cause: Missing or Corrupt Registry Entries
Solution: If the error 0x800ccc79 occurs due to missing or corrupt registry entries, then the best way to fix this error is to download and install a good registry cleaner on your PC.
The registry cleaner will help you clean your corrupt and damaged Windows registry entries and get rid of this error right away. It is suggested you download the registry cleaner tool from a reliable website to avoid any malware or virus downloads simultaneously.
Once you download the registry cleaner on your system, click on scan. The cleaner will scan your computer completely for registry errors and show you the results in a list form.
After the scanning is complete, click on repair to fix the errors.
So, next time, if you or anyone at your office comes across the Outlook Express error 0x800ccc79, you can try these solutions and fix the error immediately without waiting for the network personnel to come and resolve it.
Recently, a number of users reported an error in Google Chrome that says, “ERR_SOCKET_NOT_CONNECTED”. If you are one of these users, read on as this post will guide you in resolving this error. This kind of error in Chrome is kind of vague so it could be caused by a couple of factors like DNS server issues, Socket Pools, third-party plugins or extensions, and many more.
Whatever the cause may be, there are several options you can check out to resolve the problem. You can try to flush the Socket Pool or change the DNS address or remove unwanted extensions or reset your Google Chrome browser.
Option 1 – Try to flush the Socket Pool
Open Google Chrome and in the address bar, type “chrome://net-internals/”.
After that, select Sockets on the left side panel.
Next, select Flush socket pools from the right-side panel.
And once it’s done, restart your Chrome browser and check if the “ERR_SOCKET_NOT_CONNECTED” is fixed or not.
Option 2 – Try to change the DNS Server
In this option, you can try changing your current DNS settings to the Google Public DNS as it could also help in fixing the “ERR_SOCKET_NOT_CONNECTED” error. To do so, follow the steps below.
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 “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.
Option 3 – Get rid of any conflicting browser extensions
Open Chrome and press Alt + F keys.
Go to More tools and click Extensions to look for any suspicious browser extensions or toolbars.
Click the Recycle bin and select Remove.
Restart Chrome and press Alt + F keys again.
Proceed to On Startup and mark Open a specific page or set of pages.
To check if the browser hijacker is still active, click Set pages, if it is active, overwrite the URL.
Option 4 – Try to reset Google Chrome
Before you proceed, make sure that the Chrome browser is not running anywhere in the background via Task Manager. Once you’ve made sure that it’s no longer running, refer to these steps:
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalGoogleChromeUser Data” in the field and tap Enter to open this location.
From there, look for the Default folder and then tap the Shift + Delete button and if a confirmation prompt appears, click on Yes.
After deleting the Default folder, open Google Chrome and click on the three vertical dots icon located in the top-right corner to open the menu.
Next, click on Settings and scroll down and then click on Advanced to open the Advanced Settings.
Then scroll down until you see the “Reset and clean up” section and click the “Restore Settings to their original defaults” option.
After that, you will see a confirmation box and from there, click on the Reset settings button to reset your Google Chrome browser.
Recently, some users reported not being able to boot up their Windows 10 computers. And during the startup phase, at some time, the bootup sequence is halted with a Recovery error along with an error message saying, “Your PC/Device needs to be repaired” with an error code of 0x0000605.
This kind of error message indicates that Windows was not able to verify the digital signature for the file as the signing certificate or it could be that it has expired. To resolve this error, you can follow the potential fixes given below and see if you stumble upon a fix that might work out for you.
Option 1 – Change the Date & Time settings in the BIOS
Some users reported that they were able to fix the error by changing the Date & Time settings in the BIOS. Upon checking, they saw that in their BIOS settings, the date was off several years. As a result, the incorrect date and time settings end up ticking the system into believing that the Windows build has expired long before the actual expiration date.
You can check if the error pops up due to the same reasons by accessing the BIOS settings. To do so, you have to tap the Boot key that’s associated with your motherboard manufacturer during the initial startup phase. After that, you can search for a particular boot key online or you can also tap keys like F2, F4, F8, F10, F12, and the Delete key.
Once you’re able to access the BIOS settings, locate the Date & time or anything similar, and then check if the date is correct or not. If not, you need to change the date to the actual date and then save the changes made and restart your computer and then check if the issue is now fixed or not.
Just remember that if the actual date is past the expiration date of the build you have, you need to change it to an older date. If your Windows 10 PC is able to boot back up, you have to update it to a stable Windows build and then go back to the BIOS settings and change the date to the current one else you will definitely encounter Windows update errors in the future as well as security alerts.
Option 2 – Perform a clean install of a stable Windows 10 build
If every system boot fails accompanied by a BSOD error with error code 0x0000605 “A component of the operating system has expired” and you’ve already followed every instruction on option 1, then it’s most likely that your current Windows build has already expired. Remember that almost all the Windows 10 Insider Preview builds (98xx) are created along with an expiration date and when your computer reaches the expiration date, you won’t be able to boot your computer up.
Note that the exact expiration date varies based on the build number. And prior to the expiration date, the operating system will start to display some error warnings telling you that the build will expire and urge you to update the most recent build available. And so once the computer reaches its expiration date, it will begin to reboot every three hours until it no longer boots up which is about 2 weeks approximately after the license has expired.
Once the expiration date is up and your computer no longer boots up, you need to perform a clean install and then install the latest Windows 10 build to resolve the issue once and for all.
Pinned Windows 10 Taskbar Items. One of the most used interfaces in the Windows environment is the Taskbar. It is where users like to pin their most-used programs as well as shortcuts with extra privileges and automated tasks. In fact, it’s a lot better than the Start Menu. So if any Windows Update messes up with your computer, or if you’ve just switched to a different computer, setting up the Taskbar with the very same set of programs you used to have is definitely not an easy task. But worry not as this post will guide you on how you can backup and restore the items on your Taskbar either manually or automatically.
Manual Backup:
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt.
Then type “%AppData%MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser PinnedTaskBar” in the field and hit Enter to open the folder where you can see all the shortcuts or pinned items in the Taskbar.
After that, copy all the files in the folder and paste them somewhere else as a backup. For instance, E:\Pinned Items Backuppinnedshortcuts.
Next, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt once more, and then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. When the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Yes.
After opening the Registry Editor, navigate to this key – HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerTaskband
Then right-click on the Taskbar folder and select Export.
Now save the file with the .reg extension to another location like the E:\Pinned Items Backup folder and then name it.
Close the Registry Editor.
Manual Restore:
Make sure to copy all the files to one of the drives if you are using another computer and then refer to the following steps.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt.
Then type “%AppData%MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser PinnedTaskBar” in the field and hit Enter to open the same folder where you just copied all the shortcuts. Make sure to keep it open.
Then open the backup folder where you saved all the pinned items and copy all the files there.
Next, go to the Taskbar folder (%AppData%MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser PinnedTaskBar) and then paste your files in there. If you encounter a problem while doing so, just replace it with your own set of files.
After that, go to E:\Pinned Items Backuppinnedshortcuts and then double click on tb-pinned-items.reg. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes. This will add the registry file into the main registry hub. You will also get a dialog box that will confirm that data has been added to the registry successfully. Click OK.
You should now see the items on the Taskbar. You have to restart Windows Explorer. To do so, end its process in the Task Manager.
Automatic Backup:
Backing up and restoring the pinned Taskbar items in your Windows 10 computer can be done automatically as well. But before you get started on the process, you need to understand what’s going on behind the hood first. First, you need to create two bat files and name them “Backup Pinned Taskbar Items” and “Restore Pinned Taskbar Items”. After you have that covered, refer to the following steps:
Open the Notepad app and paste the following details and save it as “Backup Pinned Taskbar Items.bat.
After that, run the bat file with admin privileges.
Note: Just so you know, there is a drawback to this process as we’ve noticed that any pinned apps that were downloaded from the Windows Store don’t appear in these places and any items downloaded and installed separately from the internet and then pinned.