Windows 11 launch date set for October 5th

If your Windows 10 computer is downloading or installing updates but suddenly an error pops up saying, “GWXUX has stopped working”, read on as this post will show you what you can do to resolve the problem. GWXUX is a process responsible for downloading and installing Windows updates and is installed on your computer via Windows Updates. That particular update is known as “KB3035583”. Through this process, the “Get Windows 10” pop-ups are installed and initiated by Microsoft. This process is also capable of checking the compatibility of your PC to run Windows 10 as well as preparing it for installation. However, this process might also result in excessive usage of Disk and sometimes, CPU. So in this post, you will be guided on how you can fix the issue with the GWXUX. Follow the instructions given below carefully.

Option 1 – Disable GWXUX in the Task Scheduler

You will have to disable the gwxux.exe process to run from the Task Scheduler. Thus, you need to follow the steps below to do so.

• Open the Cortana Search box and then type “task scheduler” in the field.
• Then click on Task Scheduler from the related search results that appear to open it.
• After opening the Task Scheduler, navigate to Microsoft > Windows > Setup > gwx on the left panel from the Task Scheduler Library.
• Once you select the GWX folder, you will see two tasks that are listed under that folder. Select both of these tasks and permanently disable them.
• Restart your computer to apply the changes made and check if the issue is now fixed or not.

Option 2 – Uninstall the KB3035583 Windows Update

• To uninstall the KB3035583 Windows Update, you need to go to Control Panel, and for you to do that, type “control panel” in the Cortana Search box.
• After that, click on Control Panel from the related search results given.
• Once Control Panel is pulled up, search for “View Installed Updates” in the search field from the top right part of the window.
• Next, click on a link labeled, “View Installed Updates” under the Programs and Features menu.
• After clicking the link, you will see the list of all the installed updates in your computer from the Windows Updates.
• Now look for an update named “KB3035583” and select it.
• You should notice the Uninstall button located at the top portion of the sub-menu ribbon as you can see on the snippet below. Click on that button to uninstall the KB3035583 Windows Update.
• After uninstalling the update, make sure to restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try using the System File Checker

System File Checker or SFC is a built-in command utility that helps in restoring corrupted files as well as missing files. It replaces bad and corrupted system files with good system files that might be causing the error 0x80200056. To run the SFC command, follow the steps given below.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

After running the System File Checker, restart your computer and check if the error with the GWXUX.exe file is now fixed or not.

Stop 0x00000050 is an error code that is popularly known as the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) error. This error occurs when Windows crashes on your system. Stop 0x00000050 error is displayed in a blue screen which is why it is called the BSoD error.

The error message appears in the following form:

Stop 0X00000050 (parameter1, 0, parameter3, parameter4)

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA”

However, the parameters within the Stop 0x0000005 error message sometimes vary depending on your PC configuration.

Solution

Error Causes

The most common causes of the Stop 0x0000005 error are:

• Hardware malfunctioning
• Overheating of the components
• Installation of a faulty device driver
• Incompatible DLL files
• Corrupt Registry
• Spyware and Virus Infection

Whatever the cause may be, the Stop 0x00000050 error message is alarming and should be fixed at the earliest as it indicates major system stability problems that can often lead to data loss and system corruption.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To fix and repair the Stop 0x0000005 error you don’t always have to hire an IT professional. In fact, fixing this error is quite easy and you can do it yourself regardless of whether you have a good know-how of computers or not.

So, let’s get started! Here are some the easy DIY solutions to fix the Stop 0x0000005 error:

Sometimes this error may occur due to a temporary issue like overheating of the computer components. When this happens all you need to do is switch off the computer and allow the components to cool down. Try starting up your computer after a couple of hours. If the blue screen of death does not occur again, then this means there is nothing to worry about and the problem is resolved.

However, if the error appears again on your screen, then you need to try something else to solve and fix this error on your PC. If the cause of the error is a faulty device driver, then it is advisable to disable and remove it. Try updating the latest version of the faulty device driver. Using updated software helps ensure your PC keeps running smoothly.

If the cause of the Stop 0x0000005 error code is your system's exposure to viruses and spyware, then you must immediately download a powerful antivirus program. After you download it, scan for viruses on your system. Once the scanning is complete, you will see a scan report showing viruses on your PC. Delete all of them and click on repair.

Furthermore, you can also add more RAM to prevent and fix the Stop 0x0000005 error message on your computer. This solution is suitable when you try to run a program on your PC and you get this error message.

What is DISM Error 1726? Every time you encounter some issues in your Windows 10 computer, especially when it comes to corrupted system files, you can always use the SFC scan and if the SFC can isn’t able to resolve the issue, there is also the DISM tool you can use which usually resolve the vast majority of system file corruption sufficiently. However, there are times when even the DISM commands experience issues as well. Such is the case with the 1726 error: “The remote procedure call failed”.

Some users reported that this DISM problem happens right before the process is supposed to end. According to experts, this error in DISM occurs due to any of the following reasons:

1. A third-party program might have interrupted the DISM operation and is the one that triggered the 1726 error: “The remote procedure call failed”.
2. The error could also pop up when there is a pending corruption repair. This usually happens when you tried to run a DISM command previously that was terminated manually or was halted because of some malfunction.
3. Lastly, the error could also occur because the process that’s responsible for the procedure is disabled or was prevented from running.

Whichever the case is, here are some suggestions that might help you in resolving the 1726 error: “The remote procedure call failed”.

Option 1 – Try updating your PC to the latest Windows build available

Since the problem is specific to certain builds in Windows 10, you need to make sure that your computer is updated before you try other troubleshooting steps. Thus, follow the steps below to update your Windows 10 PC.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “ms-settings:windowsupdate” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Update screen.
• After that, click on Check for Updates and then follow the next on-screen instructions to apply the latest Windows update.
• Once the update has been installed, restart your PC and run the DISM command again and see if the problem is fixed.

Option 2 – Try to change the Startup Type of the Remote Procedure Call service

As stated early on, the error might also be caused by a disabled Remote Procedure Call service or RPC or that it might be prevented from running for some reason. In case you don’t know, RPC is the service control manager for both COM and DCOM servers and it’s responsible for performing object variation requests, exporting resolution as well as distributing collection for the servers. And so if the server is disabled, all programs that are using COM and DCOM including the DISM commands, will not function correctly. Thus, you need to make sure that the RPC service is scheduled to enable itself on every system boot. To do so, here’s what you have to do:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Services.
• From there, scroll down until you see the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service and then right-click on it and select Properties.
• Then go to the General tab and change the drop-down menu next to Startup type to Automatic.
• After that, click the Apply button and then OK to apply the changes made.
• Restart your PC and run the DISM command once again at the next startup.

Option 3 – Try to modify the RpcSs registry key value

If the option didn’t work, you can also try enabling the RPC service using the Registry Editor. Before you proceed, make sure to create a System Restore point first and then follow the steps below afterward.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Registry Editor. And if a User Account Control prompt appears, just click on Yes.
• After that, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SYSTEM CurrentControlSet Services RpcSs
• After selecting the aforementioned registry key, go to the right pane and double-click on the Start value.
• Next, change the Value data of start to 2 and click OK to save the changes made.
• Exit the Registry Editor and restart your PC and check if the 1726 error in DISM has already been resolved or not.

Option 4 – Try to disable the Windows Search service temporarily

Some users also recommended disabling the Windows Search service for the meantime as it could be the one that’s interrupting the DISM process.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• In the field, type “services.msc” to open the Services window again and hit Enter to open it.
• Next, scroll down over the services list and double-click on the Windows Update service.
• Afterward, go to Windows Search properties and click the General tab and then click the Stop button to stop the service from running temporarily.
• Now try running the DISM commands again and see if the problem’s fixed or not.
• Restart the Windows Search service and then restart your PC as well.

Recently, a lot of users reported getting several error messages when they upgraded their Windows 10 computers. One of these error messages users encountered during a Windows 10 upgrade is the Error 0x8007002C-0x4001E. if you are one of the users who is facing this error, read on as this post will help you fix it. When you encounter this error, you will see the following error message on your screen:

“We couldn’t install Windows 10 We’ve set your PC back to the way it was before you started installing Windows 10 0x8007002C-0x4001E, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during PRE_OOBE operation.”

To resolve the 0x8007002C-0x4001E, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase error, here are some suggestions that might help.

Option 1 – Try flushing the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders

You have to stop a couple of services such as BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer, and Windows Update Services. And to do that, you need to flush the contents in the SoftwareDistribution folder. The Software Distribution folder in the Windows operating system is a folder that can be found in the Windows directory and is used to store files temporarily which might be required to install the Windows Update on your PC. Thus, it is required by the Windows Update and maintained by WUAgent. Aside from that, it also contains all the Windows Update History files and once you delete them, you will most likely lose the Update history. As a result, the next time you run the Windows Update, it may result in a longer detection time.

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After flushing the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer, and then try to run Windows Update once more.

Option 2 – Select the Keep your files option

You can also select the option to perform an in-place upgrade and opt for the “Keep my files” option during an installation as it might make the process a lot smoother and if you need to perform a clean install, you can do so once the setup is completed.

Option 3 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the 0x8007002C-0x4001E, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase error. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button.

Option 4 – Try to run Microsoft’s online troubleshooter

Aside from the Windows Update Troubleshooter, you can also run the online troubleshooter of Microsoft as it can help you with Windows 10 upgrade errors.

Option 5 – Perform a clean install

If none of the options worked, you can try to clean install Windows 10. Just make sure that you have the ISO from the official Microsoft Website and then a bootable USB drive to install Windows 10 again. Take note that this will delete all the data from your drive where Windows 10 was installed previously.

Originally Microsoft has imagined its widgets menu as Microsoft-only widgets but it seems that they have changed their mind. Due to the latest leak, it seems that Microsoft will open the widgets menu to 3^rd party developers as well but at launch, it will be only official widgets. It was hinted that later widgets menu will be open to developers who want to bring their own stuff into it. Distribution, date, and technology that will need to be used in order to create your widget have not been discussed nor leaked at a given time but in some way, I am very glad that at least some customization will be in Windows 11. It is funny and amusing how some things that were in Windows Vista are getting back like glass design, round corners, and widgets. Let’s just hope Windows 11 will be a better Windows than Vista was.

In an operating system, it is ideal for an administrator to have permission to access all the folders and files. However, there are times when you try to access the security settings or attempt to view the properties of a file, you could encounter an error saying, “You do not have permission to view this object’s security properties, even as an administrative user”. This kind of error may be caused by several reasons. For one, if your computer is infected with a virus or malware which might have caused some changes to the concerned folder or file. It could also occur if a program or service is using the folder or file simultaneously which explains why you’re not able to access the system. It could also be that the folder or file might have been owned by a user account that no longer exists or you might not have the permissions to view the targeted folder or file even though you’re logged in as administrator. To fix the “You do not have permission to view this object’s security properties, even as an administrative user” error, here are some options that might help.

Option 1 – Put your computer in a Clean Boot State

You can also troubleshoot the problem in a Clean Boot state. It could be that there are some third-party applications in your computer that’re preventing you from accessing security settings or properties of a file and to isolate this possibility, you need to boot your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try installing the program again. Putting your computer in this state can help you identify which program is the culprit and thus isolates the problem. In a Clean Boot state, your computer will start using only the pre-selected minimal set of drivers and startup programs. Note that you have to disable and enable one process at a time.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• After you’ve set your computer into a Clean Boot State, try to check if the error is now fixed and that you can now view the Properties.

Option 2 – Try booting your computer into Safe Mode and delete inactive users

Aside from the Clean Boot State, you can also reboot your computer in Safe Mode and then delete all the inactive users. There are instances when the folder was created or owned by a user account that’s either deleted or inactive now and so you need to get rid of these inactive user accounts to resolve the error.

• First, boot your computer in Safe Mode.
• Then right-click on the concerned folder or file and select Properties.
• Next, select Advanced in the Security tab and click on Add.
• A new window will appear and from there, click on “Select a principal”.
• And then type the name of the user to who you wish to give permissions in the “Enter the object name to select” box.
• Now select Check Names and this would resolve the user name.
• After that, click OK to save the settings. This will close the window and take you back to the previous one.
• Next, from the drop-down menu, change the Type to Allow and select the Full Control checkbox.
• Click OK to save the changes made and then restart your computer in a normal mode.

Option 3 – Try to take ownership of the folder or file

Another thing you can do to fix the problem is to take ownership and force the system into giving permissions to the Administrator. How? Refer to these steps:

• Type “command prompt” in the Windows Search bar and then right-click on the relevant search result and select “Run as administrator”.
• After that, if a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed.
• Next, type and enter this command: TAKEOWN /F <path>
• Note that the <path> is the location of the folder or file in File Explorer.
• Now type and enter this second command: ICACLS <path> /grant administrators:F
• Finally, once the command has been executed, restart your computer and then see if you can now access the folder or file.

Option 4 – Try scanning your computer using Windows Defender

As mentioned, the error when accessing the security settings or properties of a folder or file might be due to a virus or malware. It could be that it had made some modifications that prevents you from accessing security settings or properties. To eliminate it, you have to scan your computer using security programs like Windows Defender.

• Tap the Win + I keys to open Update & Security.
• Then click on the Windows Security option and open Windows Defender Security Center.
• Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Run a new advanced scan.
• Now make sure that Full Scan is selected from the menu and then click the Scan Now button to get started.

jZip is a software utility published by Bandoo Media and is classified as a Potentially Unwanted Program. The software is an archive tool that used to compress and extract files in the rar, zip, and other formats. The program is typically bundled upon installation with other unwanted applications and is itself often installed in co-bundles. As of publication time, over 40 AntiViruses have flagged jZip as malicious or potentially unwanted.

It injects itself in Windows shell, providing quick access to the program by right-clicking on any file. jZip displays it's advertising in your browser, instead of the default search results, to better do this, it collects information about your browsing history and your current browsing session, so it can better target ads. This software, upon install, defines an auto-start registry key in your system, this allows the software to launch every time your computer is rebooted, no matter what Windows account you log in to, it also adds Windows Tasks, to allow it to launch by itself at random times, even when closed.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

If you have ever downloaded software programs from the internet (shareware, freeware, etc,), odds are high you’ve unintentionally installed unwanted programs on your personal computer. Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), also referred to as Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA), are applications that you never wanted in the first place and quite often come bundled with freeware software. Once installed, most of these applications can be hard to remove and become more of a nuisance rather than a necessity. The idea of PUP was actually coined to define this crapware as something other than malware. The primary reason for this is that most PUPs get into users’ computers not because they exploit security vulnerabilities, for instance, but because the users grant consent to install it – unwittingly in many instances. Nevertheless, there isn’t any doubt that PUPs are still bad news for PC users as they could be incredibly damaging to the computer in lots of ways.

What do PUPs do on your computer, precisely?

The unwanted programs after installation display a lot of annoying pop-up advertisements create fake alerts, and quite often it even pushes the end-user to buy the software. PUPs which come as browser add-ons and toolbars are widely identifiable. Not just they needlessly take up space on your computer screen, toolbars could also manipulate search results, monitor your browsing activities, decrease your internet browser’s overall performance, and slow your net connection to a crawl. They might seem innocent but PUPs tend to be spyware. The worst part of setting up a PUP is the spyware, adware, and keystroke loggers that might lurk inside. Even if the PUPs aren’t inherently malicious, these programs still do absolutely nothing good on your PC – they will take valuable system resources, slow down your computer or laptop, weaken your device’s security, and make your PC more susceptible to trojans.

Some tips on protecting yourself from unwanted software

• Read the EULA meticulously. Look for clauses that say that you have to accept advertisements and pop-ups or bundled programs from the company. • Typically, when setting up a program you will get two options, ‘Standard Installation (recommended)’ and ‘Custom Installation’. Don’t pick ‘Standard’ as unwanted programs will automatically be installed that way! • Have a solid anti-virus program such as Safebytes Anti-Malware that will protect your personal machine from PUPs. Once you install this software, the defense against viruses and PUPs is already switched on. • Avoid installing freeware software you will not utilize. Turn off or get rid of toolbars and internet browser extensions you don’t really need. • Only download programs from the original providers’ websites. Avoid download portals since they use their own download manager to bundle extra programs along with the initial download.

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

Malware may cause several kinds of damage to computers, networks, and data. Some malware types alter browser settings by including a proxy server or change the computer’s DNS configuration settings. In such cases, you will be unable to visit some or all of the websites, and therefore unable to download or install the required security software to clear out the infection. So what to do if malicious software keeps you from downloading or installing Safebytes Anti-Malware? Follow the instructions below to eliminate malware in alternate ways.

Make use of Safe Mode to fix the issue

In Safe Mode, you are able to modify Windows settings, un-install or install some software, and eliminate hard-to-delete viruses. In case the virus is set to load immediately when the computer starts, switching to this particular mode may well prevent it from doing so. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the system is booting up or run MSConfig and find the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. After you restart the PC into Safe Mode with Networking, you may download, install, and update the anti-malware program from there. After installation, run the malware scanner to remove most standard infections.

Download the security program using an alternate internet browser

Web-based viruses can be environment-specific, aiming for a particular web browser or attacking particular versions of the browser. The most effective solution to avoid this issue is to opt for an internet browser that is known for its security measures. Firefox contains built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to help keep you safe online.

Create a portable USB antivirus for eliminating viruses

Another solution is to save and run an anti-malware software tool completely from a USB drive. Adopt these measures to employ a USB drive to clean your corrupted system. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or MS Windows Defender Offline onto a clean computer. 2) Plug the Flash drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the exe file to open the installation wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the USB drive as the place in which you want to store the software files. Follow the activation instructions. 5) Now, plug the thumb drive into the corrupted PC. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the pen drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and clean-up up all kinds of malware.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware Features

These days, anti-malware software can protect your laptop or computer from different kinds of internet threats. But how to select the right one among several malware protection application that is available in the market? Perhaps you might be aware, there are many anti-malware companies and tools for you to consider. Some of them are good, some are decent, while some will ruin your computer themselves! You must pick one that is dependable, practical, and has a good reputation for its malware source protection. On the list of recommended software programs is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes carries a superb track record of top-quality service, and customers seem to be happy with it. Safebytes is one of the well-established PC solutions companies, which offer this comprehensive anti-malware program. Once you’ve got installed this software program, SafeByte's state-of-the-art protection system will ensure that absolutely no viruses or malicious software can seep through your computer. SafeBytes anti-malware comes with a myriad of enhanced features which sets it aside from all others. Here are a few typical features found in this application: Active Protection: SafeBytes provides real-time active monitoring service and protection against all known computer viruses and malware. This software will constantly monitor your PC for any suspicious activity and updates itself continuously to keep current with the newest threats. Most effective AntiMalware Protection: By using a critically acclaimed malware engine, SafeBytes offers multilayered protection that is designed to catch and remove viruses and malware which are concealed deep in your computer system. Safe Browsing: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating about the web pages you are about to check out, automatically blocking harmful sites and make sure that you’re certain of your safety while browsing the world wide web. Fast Multithreaded Scanning: Safebytes Anti-Malware, using its enhanced scanning engine, gives super-fast scanning which can promptly target any active internet threat. Minimal CPU Usage: SafeBytes is a lightweight tool. It consumes a really small amount of processing power as it works in the background which means you won’t observe any computer performance issues. 24/7 Customer Support: You will get 24/7 technical support to quickly resolve any issue with your security application.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove Jzip without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by Jzip

A very serious data breach has happened to the unfortunate GoDaddy hosting service placing a little over 1.2 million accounts affected. Security breaches sadly are not a rare occurrence but this time it is a little different. Each time when the company is breached data is stolen and that places the company in a bad light usually because its user database has been compromised and people are concerned about their data being misused. This is very rational fear and concern but this time things are a little bit different than usual, why is that, you might ask? Well, as before mentioned GoDaddy is a hosting company and the vector of attack was aimed at the part where it is hosting WordPress. Attackers were able to get their hands on the sFTP credentials of customers on that server meaning that all of the websites are also been relieved of their user base as well. This potentially means that there is a high chance that all of the hosted web site's content is also compromised, meaning that your data could also be compromised even if you were not a GoDaddy customer, all you needed to do is to be a member of any site hosted on their platform. GoDaddy has reset WordPress passwords and private keys, so it’s already taken the steps required to stock the attacker from exploiting anything with the passwords obtained. The company is in the process of generating new SSL certificates for customers. Bad thing is that the attack used a compromised password to get into systems all the way back around September 6^th, 2021, the breach was discovered on November 17^th, 2021, which is more than a 2-month active time where the attacker could harvest tons of data. The outcome of this attack will be seen in the upcoming time, until then be safe, and Just in case change your passwords.

From their infant stages to modern days, computer viruses were always kind of here. From simple ones that were annoying with playing speaker sounds and throwing messages on screen to more malicious ones capable of deleting and encrypting files. In today's modern world it is very important to protect yourself, modern viruses are not a joke anymore and they are aimed to create serious damage to computer systems. They can encrypt files in order to make you pay for a decrypter, they can straight up delete files or even cause some hardware damage. Like mentioned before protecting yourself is important, but protecting does not mean only having antivirus software installed, information, where are common places in which they lurk and could be picked up, is also very important. That is why we are exploring in this article the most common place where you can pick viruses or other malware.

Downloading Programs

Programs that contain the downloadable files are the commonest source of malware such as freeware, worms, and other executable files. Whether you download an image editing software, a music file, or an e-book, it is important to ensure the reliability of the source of the media. Unknown, new, or less popular sources should be avoided.

Pirated or Cracked Software

Are you aware of software cracking? Well, every time you open cracked software, your antivirus software might flag it as malware as the cracks consist of malicious scripts. Always say “No” to cracks as they can inject malicious script into your PC.

Email Attachments

Anyone can send you an email attachment whether you know them or not. Clicking on unknown links or attachments can harm your device. Think twice before clicking anything and make sure that file type is not ‘.exe’.

Internet

One of the easiest ways to get a virus on your device is through the Internet. Make sure to check the URL before accessing any website. For a secured URL always look for ‘HTTPS in it. For example, when you click videos published on social media websites, they may require you to install a particular type of plug-in to watch that video. But in reality, these plug-ins might be malicious software that can steal your sensitive information.

Booting Data from Unknown CDs

Malicious software can get into your device through an unknown CD. A good practice to be safe from malicious infection is to remove CD when your device is not working at all. Your system could reboot the CD if it is not removed before switching off the computer.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth transfers can also infect your system, so it is crucial to know what type of media file is being sent to your computer whenever a transfer takes place. An effective armor would be to allow Bluetooth connectivity with only known devices and activate it only when required.

Unpatched Software

Often overlooked, unpatched software is also a leading source of virus infection. Security holes in software are exploited by attackers and are unknown to software makers until the attackers release them in the form of zero-day attacks. It is therefore recommended to install software updates as soon as they are available on your PC.

During Windows 10 installation, you will see all the beautiful user interfaces, however, what’s more, important are the drivers, your processor, and free storage disk in order for the installation to be successfully completed. So if you are getting the CompareExchange128 error during the installation of Windows 10, this means that the CPU lacks a very important instruction known as “CMPXCHG16B”. Thus, if you don’t have CMPXCHG16B, then it will result in the CompareExchange128 error when you install Windows 10. In fact, CMPXCHG16B, PrefetchW as well as LAHF/SAHF is a criterion for you to be able to use Windows 10 64-bit version when upgrading from an earlier version of Windows. So what exactly is the CMPXCHG16B instruction? The CMPXCHG16B instruction is the one that performs an atomic compare-and-exchange on 16-byte values. This instruction can also be referred to as “CompareExchange128”. The atomic compare-and-exchange means that the CPU compares the contents of a memory location with a given value. So if the values are the same, it modifies the contents of that memory location to a new given value. Note that this kind of issue only happens to the 64-bit Windows 10 version and the only way to resolve it is by getting an update on the hardware level from the OEM. On the other hand, if nothing really works, it’s maybe time for you to get a new CPU but before you resort to that, in the meantime, you can try following the options given below to fix the CompareExchange128 error during the installation of Windows 10.

Option 1 – Try to update the BIOS and Chipset Drivers

One of the best things you can do to fix the CompareExchange128 error is by updating the BIOS and chipset drivers which is why you need to check if your OEM has an update available for your computer’s BIOS as well as the related chipset drivers. But before that, you need to first check the BIOS version. To do so, follow these steps:

• Type “msinfo32” in the search bar and hit Enter to open the System Information Tools.
• After opening the System Information Tools, check the BIOS version.
• Then take note of that BIOS version. You also need to use the BIOS utility that came with your computer and use it for the upgrade. Note that it is different for every computer and if you don’t have it, you can just go to the OEM website and see if there is an option to download it there.

Option 2 – Try to downgrade to the 32-bit Windows 10 version

If option 1 didn’t work as the BIOS update is not available, you can also try downgrading to the 32-bit version of Windows 10. Keep in mind that this will bring restrictions on the amount of RAM installed and other places but that won’t be a problem as you can still switch.

Option 3 – Try buying a new hardware

If none of the first two options didn’t work for some reason then maybe it’s time for you to purchase new hardware especially if your computer is way too old. In such cases, it’s better to buy new hardware or better yet, a new computer that can keep up for the next couple of years.