FIX: Microsoft Word has stopped working in Windows 10

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Probably one of the most popular Office applications is Microsoft Word. The text editor has millions of users, despite the fact that the application also has a few issues.

A common, and at the same time very vague error message, is, for instance, Microsoft Word has stopped working.

Today we’re going to focus on it and show you how to fix this problem on Windows 10.

What can I do if Word stops working on Windows 10?

How do I fix Microsoft Word (Office suite)?

1. Repair the Office installation

  1. Press Windows Key + S and enter programs and features. Select Programs and Features from the list of results.
  2. Locate your Office installation on the list and select it.
  3. In the top menu click the Change button.
  4. Select the Repair option and click Continue. Bear in mind that newer versions of Office might have Online Repair or Quick Repair options instead.
  5. Follow the instructions to repair your Office installation.

This solution should work for all versions of Office. After repairing your Office installation, check if the error appears again. This also helps when you are faced with the msosync.exe error.

2. Install the latest updates

Outdated versions of Word and Office might have a few bugs or incompatibility issues, so it’s recommended that you always update them.

To download Office updates, do the following:

  1. Open any Office application and click File in the top left corner.
  2. Navigate to Account / Product Information / Update Options.
  3. Select Update Options.
  4. Choose to Enable Updates option. If this option isn’t available, it means that automatic updates are enabled.
  5. Select Update Options again and choose Update Now from the menu. Wait for Office to download and install the necessary updates.

If you have Office 2010 or older, you can check for updates by following these steps:

  1. Start any Office application.
  2. Go to File / Help.
  3. Select Check for Updates or Install Updates option.

Windows 10 performs updates automatically, but you can also check manually for updates. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Go to the Update & security section.
  3. Go to the Windows Update tab and click Check for updates.

Update drivers

After updating the apps, make sure to also check your drivers. Windows usually update drivers in the background or with certain updates, however, glitches are possible.

So we recommend updating the drivers using reliable third-party tools to automatically install the newest one.

Downloading and installing drivers manually is a process that carries the risk of getting the wrong driver installed, which may lead to serious malfunctions of your system.

That being said, if you are not sure what kind of software to choose for driver administration, discover here the best driver update software on Windows 10. Otherwise we recommend using Fortect Driver Updater.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

3. Reinstall Office completely

Reinstalling Office will get you a new, updated copy of the program, with no glitches, cache, or temporary files that might have affected the program’s functionality before.

To uninstall Office 2013, 2016, or Office 365 from your PC, you’ll need to download Microsoft’s Office removal tool. It will remove all files and registry entries associated with Office.

After downloading the tool, start it and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the uninstall. Now you just need to restart your PC and install the same version of Office.

If you have Microsoft Office 2010 or older, we recommend that you download the appropriate removal tool from Microsoft’s website.

More so, to efficiently uninstall Office apps from your computer, without letting file leftovers behind, it’s advised to use the best uninstaller software today.

4. Disable Add-ins

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog. Enter winword.exe /a and press Enter or click OK. (In addition to winword.exe /a command, you can also use winword /safe to start Word in Safe Mode).
  2. Microsoft Word should now start. Click on the Office button and select Word Options.
  3. Select the Add-Ins tab and then disable all add-ins.
  4. After doing that, try to start Word again and check if the problem is resolved.

In order to enhance their functionality, Word and many other Office tools support add-ins. These little applications allow you to expand the functionality of Word or any other Office tool with new features.

Unfortunately, not all add-ins are compatible with Windows 10 or with your version of Office and that can lead to the issue discussed here.

To find a problematic add-in you’ll need to repeat previous steps and enable add-ins one by one. Keep in mind that after enabling an add-in you have to restart Word again. Repeat this process until you find the add-in that is causing this problem.

It’s worth mentioning that some users reported that ABBYY FineReader 9.0 Sprint add-in was problematic for them on Word 2016.

However, it appears that updating ABBYY FineReader can resolve the issue for good.

Besides, Microsoft reported that KingSoft’s PowerWord and Dragon Naturally Speaking add-ins also have problems with Office 2013 and 2016. The Bluetooth add-in also caused some trouble.

In all instances, disabling the ad-ins restored access to Word.

5. Modify your registry

  1. Press Windows Key + R and enter regedit. Press Enter or click OK.
  2. Once Registry Editor opens, go to the following location (your key might be different depending on the version of Office that you have): HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice15.0Word
  3. Locate Data subkey. Right-click it and choose Delete from the menu.
  4. After deleting the key, close Registry Editor and try to start Word again.

Word will automatically recreate the deleted key, and the problem should be resolved. We have to mention that this solution should work with almost any version of Word, so be sure to try it out.

6. Remove the old printer driver

  1. Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu. Choose the Device Manager from the list.
  2. Locate your printer, right-click it, and choose Uninstall.
  3. Click OK to confirm that you want to remove the driver.

After deleting the driver, restart your PC and check if the issue is resolved. If removing the driver solves the problem, download and install the latest driver for your printer from the manufacturer’s website.

7. Remove any recently installed software

Third-party applications can interfere with Word and cause errors. To fix this problem, you’ll need to uninstall any recently installed software.

If you added any new hardware to your PC, such as a printer or scanner, you might want to try removing its driver and software and check if that solves the issue.

Or you might want to remove any tools that you installed in the past few weeks.

8. Insert your document into another file

  1. Open the File menu and then select New / Blank Document.
  2. Go to the Insert tab and click on Object in the Text group. Now select Text from File.
  3. Select the desired file and click Insert.

The Microsoft Word has stopped working error can sometimes appear while trying to open previously saved documents. If that’s the case, this step might help.

9. Delete the Word Options registry key

Keys in your registry can get corrupted, and if that happens, you’ll need to remove them manually. Removing keys from the registry can lead to instability issues, therefore we advise you to create a backup of your registry, just in case.

To delete this key from the registry, do the following:

  1. Open Registry Editor. (For detailed instructions on how to do that be sure to check the forth solution above.)
  2. In the left pane navigate to the following key (it might look different on your device, depending on the Office version): HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0WordOptions
  3. Right-click the key and choose Export from the menu.
  4. Save the file as Wddata.reg and save it on your Desktop.
  5. Now go back to the Registry Editor, right-click the Options key, and choose Delete from the menu.
  6. Close Registry Editor.

After doing that, try to start Word again and check if the problem is resolved. If the problem still persists, run Wddata.reg on your Desktop to restore the deleted key.

10. Replace the Normal.dot global template file

  1. Make sure that all Office programs are closed.
  2. Press Windows Key + X and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  3. When Command Prompt starts, enter the command below and press Enter to run it: ren %userprofile%AppDataRoamingMicrosoftTemplatesOldNormal.dotm Normal.dotm
  4. Wait for the command to finish and then close Command Prompt.
  5. After that, try to start Word again.

Word stores formatting and macros in a global template file, and if your global template file is corrupted you’ll get this error message. So renaming the Normal.dot file should work.

Note that by altering this file you can lose your customization options such as styles, macros, etc. If you want to preserve those settings, we highly recommend that you copy the customization from one global template to another by using the Organizer.

11. Disable Startup folder add-ins

  1. Locate the Office installation directory on your PC. By default, it should be something like this (depending on your Office version): C:Program FilesMicrosoft Officeoffice16
  2. Navigate to the Startup folder.
  3. A list of files should appear. Rename one file by adding .old at the end. Be sure to remember the original file name because you’ll need to revert the changes later.
  4. Try to start Word again. If the issue appears again, repeat Step 3. Rename a different file this time. After that, try to start Word again. Repeat this step until you rename all files in the Startup directory.
  5. If you manage to start Word after renaming one of the files, it means that the last renamed file was causing this error.
  6. Rename all files except the problematic one to their original names and check if Word still works. If so, you’ll need to update the problematic add-in or remove it.

If the problem still persists, you need to do the following:

  1. Press Windows Key + R and enter the following command and press Enter: %userprofile%AppDataRoamingMicrosoftWordStartup.
  2. After the folder opens, repeat steps 3-5 from above.

12. Delete COM add-ins registry keys

  1. Close all Office programs and start the Registry Editor.
  2. In the left pane navigate to this key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOfficeWordAddins
  3. Right-click on Addins and choose Export. Save the file to the desired location.
  4. Right-click Addins key again and choose Delete from the menu.
  5. In the left pane navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftOfficeWordAddins 
  6. Export the key as we showed you in Step 3.
  7. Delete the Addins key.
  8. Close Registry Editor and start Word again.

If the problem is resolved, it means that COM add-ins are causing this issue. To fix the problem, you need to find and disable the problematic COM add-in. First, you need to restore the deleted keys by running the exported .reg files. After that, follow these steps:

  1. Click the File menu and choose Options.
  2. Click Add-Ins.
  3. In the Manage list click COM Add-Ins and then click on Go.
  4. If a certain add-in is listed in the COM Add-Ins dialog box, clear the checkbox next to its name. (If you have multiple COM Add-Ins available, repeat this step and disable a single add-in at a time in order to find the problematic one.)
  5. Click OK.
  6. Now select File / Exit.
  7. Start Word and check if the problem is resolved. If the issue still persists, repeat the steps until you find the problematic add-in. After finding it, disable it or try to download the latest version.

13. Change the default printer

  1. Press Windows Key + S and enter devices and printers. Select Devices and Printers from the list of results.
  2. In the next window, Go to the Printers section.
  3. Right-click Microsoft XPS Document Writer. Select Set as a default printer option.
  4. Close Devices and Printers window and try to start Word again.

If the error message doesn’t appear, it means that your printer was causing this problem.

To fix the problem, we advise that you update your printer drivers using Fortect Driver Updater, as mentioned in the first solution, and check if that solves the issue.

14. Create a new Windows profile

  1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Go to Accounts > Family & other people.
  3. In the Other people section click the Add someone else to this PC button.
  4. Select I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
  5. Now select Add a user without a Microsoft account.
  6. Enter the username and password for the new user account and click on Next.

After making a new user account, switch to it and check if the problem is resolved.

If Word is working properly, you might have to continue using the new user account if you don’t manage to find another working solution.

How do I fix Microsoft Word 2013 issues?

1. Set Word to Power Saving mode

Users reported Word 2013 being set to High-Performance mode surely causes functionality issues.

So go to your switchable graphics control panel and set Word 2013 to work in Power Savings mode. After doing that, try to run Word and check if the problem is resolved.

2. Check your graphics card driver

This issue can sometimes appear due to problems with your graphics card driver. Users reported that they had problems with Nvidia drivers, and they fixed them by renaming the NVWGF2UM.DLL to NVWGF2UM.old.

Renaming the driver files isn’t the best solution, especially since it’s hard to find the problematic driver file.

So we advise you to update your graphics card driver and check if that solves the issue. If the problem still persists, you might want to remove your driver and use the default driver from Microsoft.

Solution 3 – Disable your dedicated graphics card

Many laptops and some desktop computers have both integrated and dedicated graphics cards. According to users, they experienced Microsoft Word has stopped working error because Word 2013 wasn’t compatible with their AMD graphics card.

To fix this problem, you need to temporarily disable the dedicated graphics card from the switchable graphics menu. After doing that, try to start Word 2013 and check if the problem is resolved. If the issue is fixed, you’ll need to download the latest drivers for your dedicated graphics card and check if that solves the problem.

4. Disable Hardware Acceleration

  1. Open any Office application.
  2. Select File / Options / Advanced.
  3. Locate the Hardware Acceleration option and disable it.
  4. After doing that, try to start Word 2013 again.

If you can’t open Word 2013 at all, you can disable hardware acceleration using Registry Editor. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Open Registry Editor.
  2. In the left pane navigate to this key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice15.0Common
  3. Right-click the Common key and choose New > Key from the menu.
  4. Enter Graphics as the name of the new key.
  5. Now right click Graphics key and select New / DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new value DisableHardwareAcceleration.
  6. Double click DisableHardwareAcceleration value and set its Value data to 1. Click OK to save changes.
  7. Close the Registry Editor and check if the problem is resolved.

We have to mention that modifying the registry comes with certain risks, so we strongly advise you to create a backup of your registry before making any changes.

Hardware acceleration can be useful to achieve maximum performance with certain apps, but it seems that with Word 2013, there’s an opposite effect.

5. Delete any add-in leftover files

Sometimes when you delete a certain add-in, its files might remain in the Office Startup folder.

Users reported that this is what happened with the Mendeley add-in after they removed it.

Keep in mind that almost any leftover file from add-ins can cause this problem to appear, so be sure to check the Office Startup folder.

We already explained how to enter the Office Startup folder in one of our previous solutions, so be sure to check that solution for detailed instructions.

How do I fix  Microsoft Word 2010 issues?

Users reported issues with the Bluetooth add-in in Office 2013 and Office 2010. If you can’t disable the Bluetooth add-in, you might have to uninstall the Bluetooth driver or update it.

If you use Bluetooth frequently and you don’t want to uninstall the driver, you might be able to fix the problem by renaming two files.

On this note, users suggested renaming btmoffice.dll and btmofficea.dll. You can simply add .bak and the end of the file name to safely rename your files.

To find the files easier, use the search bar in File Explorer.

So these were our solutions to get Work running again. If you need to further investigate how to repair a Word document, we’ve got a dedicated article specifically on this topic.

If any of our recommendations worked for you, we’d like to hear that, so please use the comments sections below.

Terraria packet loss: fix it with these easy steps

Posted on by Vlad Constantinescu

Terraria is an excellent PC game that many strongly believe it’s a 2D version of the famous Minecraft. In fact, the two games aren’t that similar, as the building part is probably the only thing that may make you think otherwise.

In Terraria, you can build houses, populate them with various citizens, and explore the vast world that this game has to offer.

This game drops you in a procedurally generated world, so there’s no way of knowing what you’ll get before doing any exploring yourself.

The best part is that you can play solo, or share the experience with other players. You can either play with or against others, as Terraria also features PVP modes.

Now for some bad news: if you prefer the multiplayer experience of Terraria, you might experience connectivity issues occasionally. These include high ping, jitter, and even packet loss.

What is packet loss in Terraria?

No matter where you encounter it, packet loss is no fun. It occurs whenever data packets that travel through your connection never make it to their destination.

This is definitely not the same situation as with high latency. With high latency, the data packets may take a little longer to arrive, but with packet loss, they just get dropped along the way.

The symptoms are somewhat similar, as you’ll notice sluggish menus, slow movement, reduced framerate, unresponsive commands, and even sudden disconnections from the Terraria game server.

Although Terraria is not exactly fast-paced, it definitely has some moments where packet loss could ruin everything. For instance, discovering a mob-ridden cavern, entering a dungeon, summoning a boss, or engaging in PVP battle.

What causes packet loss in Terraria?

Truth be told, packet loss can be triggered by a whole lot of things, from using old Ethernet cables to host server network congestion. The severity of the packet loss can be affected by the complexity of the cause.

For instance, if the problem is caused by a cached data build-up, you may solve it by simply restarting your PC.

However, the list of possible causes is rather large and varied. Here are a few examples of obvious factors that may trigger packet loss:

  • Network congestion (arguably one of the most frequent causes)
  • Low-quality Ethernet cables
  • Using Wi-Fi instead of Ethernet
  • Outdated drivers on your system (especially network adapter drivers)
  • Cache data build-up on your system
  • Outdated router firmware version
  • Terraria server-side issues
  • Bandwidth throttling (ISP-related)
  • Improper traffic routing (ISP-related)

As you can see, the packet loss issue can take place anywhere on the connection, whether it’s on your side, on the server host’s side, or on your ISP’s infrastructure.

How to detect packet loss in Terraria?

  1. Locate the IP address of the game server
  2. Open a CMD instance on your computer
  3. Type pathping x.x.x.x (replace x.x.x.x with IP address you collected earlier)CMD pathping
  4. Wait for the pathping test to come to an end
  5. Check each hop for packet loss value

First and foremost, Terraria has no official servers, so it’s up to players to create their own servers. You can find certain communities that rely on hosting companies to create dedicated servers that are always online.

By default, user-created servers shut down whenever the host exits the game.

Public dedicated servers have connection details, and you can also use the host address (without the port number) instead of the IP address while running the pathping test.

As a rule of thumb, the first hop is always your PC (the device you’re running the test from) and the last one belongs to the game server.

How to fix Terraria packet loss?

1. Try a VPN

  1. Buy a subscription plan from Private Internet AccessTerraria PIA VPN
  2. Download the VPN installer on your PC
  3. Install PIA on your computer
  4. Launch the VPN client
  5. Log into your account
  6. Connect to a fast server of your choice (servers that are closer are generally faster)
  7. Launch Terraria
  8. Connect to the server of your choice
  9. Check if you still have packet loss issues

Kape Technologies’ Private Internet Access is an excellent VPN service that can help you curb packet loss without significant efforts. You just install the app, connect to a suitable server and the issue should diminish, if not vanish altogether.

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However, there’s a catch: the packet loss must be triggered by your ISP for this VPN fix to work. For instance, if your ISP throttles your bandwidth or routes traffic in a poorly fashion, using a VPN will circumvent these limitations.

2. Flush your DNS

  1. Launch an elevated CMD instance on your PC
  2. Run these following commands, one by one, in this order:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset
exit

Make sure you restart your PC right after you run the last command successfully. Sometimes, your PC builds up on cached DNS data, which might trigger various connectivity issues, such as packet loss.

Flushing your DNS proved to be a worth-trying fix many times. Optionally, you can also try using alternative DNS addresses, other than the ones your ISP assigned you. Two such examples of free public DNS are Google’s and Cloudflare’s.

3. Perform manual troubleshooting

  • Carefully check your entire connection for any malfunctioning component
  • Replace any old/worn out/broken component you may find (especially old cables)
  • Use Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi whenever possible (Wi-Fi packet loss occurs more frequently)
  • Update drivers on your system to their latest version
  • Make sure your router’s firmware is up-to-date
  • Call your ISP if there’s something wrong on their side of the network
  • Switch servers (Terraria lets you use your characters on different servers)
  • Try to avoid peak hours if possible (or use a VPN to dodge network congestion)
  • Restart your PC, router, modem

Final thoughts on fixing Terraria packet loss

All things considered, it’s worth mentioning that even in Terraria packet loss is likely to be intermittent. In fact, many packet loss episodes pass before players even notice them.

However, if you experience packet loss on a regular basis, try narrowing down the list of potential causes. Once you establish the cause, try using an appropriate fix to alleviate the issue.

You may try to use a VPN, but note that it will only work if your ISP triggers the packet loss by either limiting your connection or routing traffic improperly.

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Beats Studio3 vs Solo3: The difference and which one to buy?

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

The premium headphone brand Beats offer Studio3 and Solo3 headphones with a hefty price difference, where the Solo3 is a more affordable choice.

So, what’s those extra $$$ getting you over Solo3?

Well, to begin with, it offers better comfort, ANC (Active Noise Cancelling), and overall better build quality.

So, should you pay the premium or save it by taking home the almost identical Solo3 headphone? We answer all the questions in this quick comparison guide.

In this article, we compare the Beats Studio3 with its younger sibling Solo3 to find the differences and help you buy the best of the two.

Beats Solo3 vs Studio3 – Which headphone should I buy?

Beats Solo3 and Studio3 both are excellent headphones from the company. However, there are some key features that set them apart and it can be substantial for some users.

In this article, we take a look at the build quality, battery life, and sound signature to find the best of the two.

Quick Overview

Beats Studio3

Beats Studio3 vs Solo3

Pros

  • Excellent battery life with ANC.
  • Fast Fuel support for quick charging
  • The over-ear design offers more comfort and better isolation

Cons

  • Build-quality not the best for the price
  • Micro USB charging port

⇒ Get Beats Studio3

Beats Solo3

Beats Studio3 vs Solo3

Pros

  • Excellent battery life up to 40 hours
  • Fast Fuel charging support
  • Better color options

Cons:

  • Flat sound signature
  • Sub-par build quality
  • High clamp force

⇒ Get Beats Solo3

Build Quality

Beats Studio3 vs Solo3

Studio3 definitely has an edge over Solo3 when it comes to the overall build quality of the device, even if it not the best in the segment. The headphone feels good in-hand and is made out of soft matte plastic.

Solo3 on the other hand features a hard-plastic shell which is also a fingerprint magnet depending on the color you opt for. While the plastic construction seems durable for the most part, you might want to be gentle with hinges and the headband flexibility.

The clamping force on both the headphones seems to be on equal footing with not so great headband comfort. Both headphones can also be easily folded when you travel.

Sound Quality

Beats Studio3 vs Solo3

Studio3 is heavy on bass and is made for bass heads. However, it certainly does not perform very well when it has to differentiate between a main and secondary melody in some songs.

With an added advantage of Active Noise Cancelling, Studio3 seems to take an edge even in the sound quality department as well. This pair can offer a more balanced audio profile which is also helped by the fact it is an over-ear design that’s more comfortable.

Solo3 features an on-ear design which is not the best when it comes to isolation and comfort. The headset supports AAC for high-quality streaming on iOS devices.

On the audio front, Solo3 Wireless has a fewer emphatic bass response. However, this can be easily overshadowed by the fact that the dynamic driver struggles to differentiate between the different instrumental sounds. That said, if you are a hip-pop head, you will most certainly like the sound signature.

Connectivity

Beats headphone comparison

Both headphones feature Apple’s last-gen W1 chip with Bluetooth connectivity for wireless connectivity. The last-gen chip still offers up to 100 feet coverage while allowing to pair the headphone with a simple tap.

On the connectivity front, both the headphones feature identical technology yielding identical results.

Battery Life

Beats headphone comparison

Apple says both the headphones can last up to 48 hours depending on the use. However, the Studio3 can only last 22 hours with the ANC turned on.

In real life testing, Studio3 could keep the lights on for just over 10 hours with 100% volume and ANC turned on. So, you could easily push it over 18 hours with moderate usage.

The Solo3 on the other hand offers an incredible 40+ hours of battery life. However, it is important to consider the fact that Solo3 does not feature ANC (Active Noise Cancelling), hence lasts longer.

On the bright side, both the headphone features the fast fuel technology that gives up to 3 hours of playback time charge with 10 minutes of charging. So, battery life shouldn’t be a problem.

Which One Should I buy?

Both the headphones offer excellent battery life and connectivity features. However, Studio3 is arguably a better choice with its over-ear design for comfort, better sound signature, and ANC support.

If you are someone who takes calls on the go and listens to music while traveling, ANC will help a great deal by preventing the noises from creeping in.

If you are on a budget and can look over ANC and flat sound signature, Solo3 will make more sense due to its long battery life.

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5 Best VPNs to fix Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Lag

Posted on by Elena Constantinescu

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is a platformer battle royale game that has taken the world by storm. Available for Windows and PlayStation 4, it’s praised for its colorful theme, chaotic gameplay, and incredible entertainment value.

You can join up to 60 other players to compete in various crazy contests, in which you must run, jump, grab, and intelligently plan your moves to cross the finish line and advance to new levels. It’s also available on Steam.

Unfortunately, a lot of users experience Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout lag, which could be fatal to their gameplay. Since every move and action counts in this platformer battle royale, it’s crucial to eliminate any lag spikes, high ping, and FPS issues.

In addition to minimizing graphic settings, you can use a VPN to improve your gameplay if the Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout lag issue persists. By rerouting your gaming traffic through VPN servers, you can significantly reduce ping and enhance your Internet connection quality.

You can also use a VPN to fix packet loss, protect your router from DDoS attacks, bypass ISP throttling, eliminate Internet restrictions, and more.

However, not all VPNs are fit for this role, so it’s essential to examine your options to determine the best VPN for gaming. You can also use a virtual private network solution for streaming, torrenting, secure browsing, and website unblocking.

What’s the best VPN for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout?

Private Internet Access – Best VPN for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

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Developed by Kape Technologies, Private Internet Access (PIA) is the best VPN to fix Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout lag and reduce high ping, thanks to its numerous servers optimized for gaming: more than 3,300 in 48 countries.

Depending on your preferences, PIA encrypts your network traffic using OpenVPN or WireGuard. It can also connect to a second VPN location through Shadowsocks. The tool has a kill switch, split-tunneling mode, and exclusive DNS servers.

Plus, PIA is the only VPN on this list with native port forwarding support, which is ideal for hosting game servers for you and your friends. It’s compatible with all major platforms and allows 10 simultaneous device connections.

More about PIA:

  • A no-logging privacy policy
  • No IP or DNS leaks
  • 24/7 live chat support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

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NordVPN – A zero-logging policy

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NordVPN is ideal for users who want to enhance their gaming experience and take advantage of online security features. It’s made by Tefincom & Co., providing access to more than 5,100 VPN servers in 59 countries.

The app supports Double VPN, Onion-over-VPN, and obfuscated servers to maximize your security level when browsing the web, torrenting, or gaming. It protects your data using OpenVPN, private DNS servers, a kill switch, and an anti-malware feature called CyberSec.

You can set up NordVPN for Windows, PlayStation 4, and other platforms if you’re using it on up to 5 devices. Plus, the tool can be used to fix packet loss.

More about NordVPN:

  • A zero-logging policy
  • No IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks
  • 24/7 live chat support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

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Surfshark – No identifying logs

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Surfshark is a budget-friendly solution that can help you improve ping in Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, access blocked websites, defeat government censorship, and more. It was created by Surfshark LTD and covers more than 1,700 VPN servers in over 63 countries.

The VPN service supports OpenVPN with up to 256-bit military-grade encryption, multi-hop VPN connections, and obfuscation mode to help you bypass VPN blocks. It’s one of the safest VPNs for your laptop, mobile, and gaming console.

You should also know that Surfshark can protect any number of devices since there’s no limit to the number of simultaneous VPN connections, which makes it great for sharing your VPN account with all household devices.

More about Surfshark:

  • No identifying logs
  • No IP or DNS leaks
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 7-day free trial for Android and iOS

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CyberGhost VPN – Up to 7 devices at the same time

use CyberGhost VPN for Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout

CyberGhost VPN is the best free VPN for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. That’s because you get a 1-day free trial on Windows to try it out, without using your credit card. Kape Technologies makes it and offers more than 6,500 VPN servers in 89 countries.

You can easily connect to the Best Location provided by CyberGhost VPN to use the nearest and fastest VPN server. The app has OpenVPN, split tunneling, private DNS servers, and trusted Wi-Fi networks. It’s great for fixing network congestion, too.

You can set up CyberGhost VPN on all popular devices, including routers, if you want to use the VPN on PlayStation 4 to play Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. The tool can protect up to 7 devices at the same time.

More about CyberGhost VPN:

  • No logs or leaks
  • 24/7 live chat support
  • Up to 45-day money-back guarantee
  • 1-day free trial for Windows and macOS
  • 7-day free trial for Android and iOS

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ExpressVPN – Fastest VPN for PlayStation 4

use ExpressVPN for Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout

ExpressVPN is a virtual private network service that we can’t overlook, given its popularity in the VPN industry. And it dramatically reduces high ping and fixes latency issues in Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. Published by Express VPN International LTD, it provides over 3,000 VPN servers in 94 countries.

Unlike the other VPNs on this list, ExpressVPN has a cool feature called Speed Tester, which you can use to determine the latency of all VPN servers. You must pick the one with the lowest latency to improve your Internet connection quality.

Additionally, ExpressVPN supports OpenVPN, split tunneling, a Network Lock, and zero-knowledge DNS servers. You can set it up for all popular devices, including Windows and PlayStation 4.

More about ExpressVPN:

  • No traffic logs
  • No IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks
  • 24/7 live chat and email support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 7-day free trial for Android and iOS

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How to use a VPN for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

  • Get a VPN subscription plan (we recommend PIA).
  • Download and set up the VPN client on Windows.
  • Open the app and connect to a VPN server*.
  • Launch Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.

*You can connect to the server recommended by the VPN provider since it’s the closest one to your location. However, if that doesn’t fix in-game lag, experiment with multiple VPN servers from various countries until you fight the right one.

In conclusion, you can fix Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout lag spikes and lower your ping by getting equipped with a trustworthy VPN. It can also protect you from DDoS attacks.

If you are facing issues like Fall Guys error code 200_2147483647, it could be due to server issues or weak network connection; check this guide to learn more.

How to connect Surface Pro to TV?

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

The ultra-light Surface Pro is a 2-in-1 device, highly praised for its versatility, since one can use it both as a laptop or as a tablet.

Among its amazing features is the stunning PixelSense Display that supports Surface Pen and touch, its long battery life of up to 13.5 hours, plus razor-sharp and brilliant color resolution.

But even with all these exciting features, there are still moments when you’ll experience technical issues, like when the Surface Pro won’t connect to a TV.

If you’ve been in this situation, try the solutions below to pinpoint and resolve the issue.

What can I do if Surface Pro won’t connect to TV?

  1. Preliminary checks
  2. Uninstall and reinstall the Surface Wi-Fi driver
  3. Check video input settings
  4. Remove and reinsert video adapter
  5. Check video cables
  6. Extend/Duplicate the display to your TV
  7. Change TV screen resolution settings
  8. Try the TV adapter
  9. Troubleshoot wireless display connection
  10. Update the adapter’s firmware and restart the adapter
  11. Reset the adapter
  12. Allow adapter to communicate through the firewall
  13. Reinstall graphics driver

1. Preliminary checks

Ensure your TV is plugged into a working power outlet and turned on. if you use a power strip, ensure it is plugged in and turned on as well.

Make sure that the USB-C, HDMI and DisplayPort connections can transmit audio and video signals, so if you use these to connect to a TV, you can play audio from your Surface over the TV speakers.

VGA connections only transmit video, so if you use a VGA adapter to connect to your TV, the audio won’t play on the Surface speakers unless connected to external ones or to a headset.

If your Surface is waking from sleep, it may have issues reconnecting to an external display like your TV. To resolve this, unplug the video cable from the USB-C or Mini DisplayPort and plug it back in again.

You can also install the latest updates. In most cases, this helps when Surface Pro won’t connect to a TV.

2. Uninstall and reinstall the Surface WiFi driver

  1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
  2. Select the arrow to the left of Network adapters and press and hold (or right-click) Marvell AVASTAR Wireless Network Controller.Surface Pro won't connect to TV
  3. Select Uninstall.
  4. Go to Start, and select Power / Restart.
  5. After your Surface restarts, go to Start, and select Settings.
  6. Select Devices / Connected devices.
  7. Select Add a device to connect your Surface and the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter.

If the default W-iFi drivers don’t work after manually downloading and installing them, you can also try updating your drivers automatically and check if that helps.

To help you with this process, we strongly recommend using a third-party driver updating tool such as Fortect Driver Updater. It’s the safest and quickest way to automatically update your drivers, while also making sure that you download the right software.

Driver updating can be a bit of a fuss, sometimes, since it involves looking around for compatible software.

However, a dedicated tool like Fortect Driver Updater includes a massive database of software and will recommend just what it’s best for your device.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

3. Check video input settings

If you’re trying to connect to your TV and cannot see the video output from your Surface Pro, the issue may be with the video input settings on the TV.

If you’re using a VGA connection to your TV, the screen must be set to recognize VGA as the video input signal. So check and change the video input settings in the instructions’ manual or on the manufacturer’s website.

Note: Common video input settings include VGA, DVI, HDMI, Line In, Input, AUX, and Source.

If this doesn’t work, try the next solution.

4. Remove and reinsert video adapter

If you’re using a video adapter like the Surface video adapter, USB-C to HDMI adapter or USB-C to VGA adapter check to confirm that it is securely connected to your Surface Pro.

Remove it and reinsert firmly to confirm this. Avoid using a Y or dual-link adapter as this splits the signal between two or more screens.

If you’re using a Mini DisplayPort adapter, plug it in correctly so that it works, with the connector’s flat side aligned with the flat side of the Mini DisplayPort.

If Surface Pro won’t connect to the TV even after reinserting the video adapter, go to the next solution.

5. Check video cables

A video cable of maximum 6 feet is good enough as anything longer affects video quality.

Check that all the video connections are secure, from the USB-C port, Mini DisplayPort on your Surface Pro, or your docking station, and any video adapter you are using, as well as the connection on the TV’s video port.

Use the cable that came with your TV or check that the cable supports video. This is recommended for Surface Pro devices with USB-C ports. If the cable isn’t responding, use a different one to connect and see if the cable is the issue.

If you’re using a video extension cable or video converter, remove it from your setup and see if it is causing the problem. If the video adapter is from a different company, check with the manufacturer for further assistance.

6. Extend/Duplicate the display to your TV

On your keyboard, press Windows Key + P, or select the Action center icon on the taskbar and select Project, then choose one of the options below:

  • If you want to see the same things on your Surface Pro and TV, choose Duplicate;
  • If you want to move what is on the Surface Pro screen display to your TV, choose Extend. This also lets you drag and move items between the screens and select a different resolution for your TV;
  • If you only want to see everything on your TV, select Second Screen only.

7. Change TV screen resolution settings

  1. Click Start and select Settings.Surface Pro won't connect to TV
  2. Select SystemSurface Pro won't connect to TV
  3. Select Display.Surface Pro won't connect to TV
  4. Under Scale and layout, check the setting under Change the size of text, apps, and other items. Use the recommended percentage.Surface Pro won't connect to TV
  5. If that doesn’t solve your problem, under Resolution, select a new value. It is advisable to stick to the recommended value.Surface Pro won't connect to TV

When you connect your Surface Pro to your TV, the Surface always tries to set the best resolution based on the connector and your TV’s resolution. However, tweaking the settings manually might work some miracles.

If the resolution was fine and recently changed, you need to update your graphics driver.

To do this, run Windows update and get the latest driver or use Outbyte Driver Updater, as suggested in the second solution above. If it is only the size of text and other things on your desktop that changed, press CTRL+0 to return the zoom level to 100 percent.

8. Try the TV adapter

If you want to check whether your video adapter is working, connect your Surface Pro to a different TV.

If you cannot get the display on your Surface Pro to show on a different screen, you may have to replace your adapter.

9. Troubleshoot wireless display connection

Surface Pro can connect wirelessly to compatible displays via Miracast, or to an HDMI-compatible display via a Microsoft Wireless Display adapter.

If you are using one of these and you have issues wirelessly connecting your Surface Pro to the TV display, try the following solutions.

  • Ensure the display supports Miracast. You can check your TV manufacturer’s website to see if it is compatible.
  • Restart your Surface and TV to resolve the issue.
  • Install the latest updates for Windows and your Surface.
  • Turn off Bluetooth on your Surface as this can interfere with Miracast.
  • Keep your Surface within 23 feet of the TV for best performance.
  • Before pairing your Surface with the adapter, connect your Surface to a wireless network.

Note: The adapter can only connect to one TV at a time

10. Update the adapter’s firmware and restart the adapter

If Surface Pro won’t connect to TV, the adapter’s firmware may be out of date. Check the settings and firmware updates for the adapter, or install the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter app and check for updates.

Restart the adapter by disconnecting from your TV, then restart the Surface Pro and reconnect the adapter.

11. Reset the adapter

This helps especially if you forgot your password. To reset the adapter, do this:

  • On the adapter next to the wired connection, press and hold the reset button for 10 seconds. The LED light on the adapter will blink.
  • When the message Ready to connect appears on your second screen, swipe in from the right edge of your Surface screen or select Action Center in the taskbar.
  • Select Connect, and in the list of displays, select the name of the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter.

12. Allow the adapter to communicate through firewall

  1. In the search box in the taskbar, enter allow firewall.
  2. From the search results, select Allow an app through Windows Firewall.Surface Pro won't connect to TV
  3. Under Name, find Wireless Display and make sure Private and Public are selected.Surface Pro won't connect to TV
  4. Select OK. If you can’t select anything in the Allowed apps and features box, you’re not signed in as an administrator.
  5. Select Change Settings, enter your administrator password and select Yes. Your administrator password should be the same as the password you used to set up your Surface.
  6. Then, make sure Private and Public are selected and select OK.

13. Reinstall the graphics driver

  1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.Surface Pro won't connect to TV
  2. Select the arrow to the left of Display adapters and press and click the Intel HD Graphics driver.
  3. Select Uninstall.
  4. Go to Start, and select Power / Restart.
  5. After your Surface restarts, go to Start, and select Settings
  6. Select Devices / Bluetooth & other devices.
  7. Select Add Bluetooth or other devices.
  8. Click Wireless display or dock to reconnect your Surface and the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter.

In conclusion, these were our solutions. Did any of them help? Share with us in the comments section below.

DIRT 5, a next-gen Xbox launch title, gets new gameplay video running on Xbox Series S

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

DIRT 5, a new racing game that will launch on November 10 alongside Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox consoles has a new gameplay video showing recorded on Xbox Series S. Microsoft made its second next-gen console official last week, and the $299 Xbox Series S will target 1440p at 60FPS.

This new gameplay video only last a little more than a minute, and we recommend to watch it in 1080p60. Unfortunately, the footage isn’t long enough to really see what the Xbox Series S is capable of, but the game’s performance look really good with a smooth 60FPS.

“PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of DIRT 5 include a 120 frames per second option for even more immersive gameplay,” the YouTube video description reads. Microsoft announced that the Xbox Series S will also support 120FPS gameplay, but DIRT 5 apparently won’t be able to run at 120FPS on the Series S.

DIRT 5 will support Smart Delivery on Xbox consoles, meaning that Xbox gamers will only need to buy it once to automatically install the version that’s optimized for their console. The game will be released on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X on November 10, and you can already pre-order it on the Microsoft Store.

DIRT 5 Pre-Order
DIRT 5 Pre-Order
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QR-Code

DIRT 5 Pre-Order
Developer:
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Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel get dark theme search results, bug fixes with preview build 20215

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has just released the Windows 10 preview build 20215 for Insiders in the Dev channel, which includes a couple of bug fixes but no new features. The Windows Insider team also announced that all Dev Channel Insiders using the system-wide dark theme will now see dark theme search results in Windows Search.

“This change will make the transition between Start and search results easier on the eyes now that both support dark theme,” the team said. Again, this is a server-side change and you won’t need to install the latest Dev Channel build to see it.

Showing Windows Search in dark theme.

As for today’s flight, it includes a couple of fixes for minor issues affecting the Start Menu, Voice Typing, and the Windows Security app. You can find all details about quality fixes and known issues in the build 20215 below:

Fixes

  • We fixed an issue that could result in the Windows Security app hanging.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in the Windows Security app crashing when navigating to the Exclusions page when there were a large number of exclusions.
  • We fixed an issue where using a restore point that had been created prior to a Microsoft Edge update to do a system restore could result in Microsoft Edge not launching after the restore was finished.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in the text cursor unexpectedly moving to the beginning of a text field when typing with the Korean IME in certain apps.
  • We fixed an issue impacting Voice Typing reliability.
  • We’ve fixed an issue where on a small subset of devices the Start menu did not reflect when an update was pending restart and scheduled restarts are cancelled.

Known issues

  • We’re looking into reports of the update process hanging for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build.
  • We’re working on a fix to enable live preview for pinned site tabs.
  • We’re working on enabling the new taskbar experience for existing pinned sites. In the meantime, you can unpin the site from the taskbar, remove it from the edge://apps page, and then re-pin the site.
  • We’re investigating reports of some Office applications crashing or missing after updating to a new build.
  • We’re working on a fix for an issue resulting in Settings crashing for some Insiders when opening Manage Disks and Volumes.
  • We’re investigating reports of some devices experiencing a KMODE_EXCEPTION bugcheck when using certain virtualization technologies.
  • We’re working on a fix for the Linux kernel not being installed when using the `wsl –install` command in the Windows Subsystem for Linux. For an immediate workaround run `wsl –update` to get the latest kernel version.
  • We are investigating an issue affecting Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 distros where users can receive the error: “The remote procedure call failed” on startup.
  • We’re investigating a bug where the vEthernet adapter in Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 distros becomes disconnected after a period of use. For full details please follow this Github thread.
  • We’re working on a fix for seeing generic errors when using `wsl –install` in the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

If today’s build brings no new features, the Dev Channel build 20211 released last week brought the ability to search the Default Apps pages in Settings, as well as a Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 update allowing Insiders to attach and mount a physical disk inside of a WSL2 distro. We invite you to check our previous post for more details.

Top five tips for getting the most out of Your Phone in Windows 10

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

If you have an Android phone, did you know that your phone can pair up nicely with your Windows 10 PC in the same way that iPhones pair up with Apple products? Thanks to the Your Phone app, first introduced back in 2018, you can get your Android phone’s texts, photos, notifications, and a lot more right on your Windows 10 PC. While we’ve already spent a lot of time talking about individual Your Phone features as Microsoft adds them, today, we’ll gather up a look at some of our favorite tips and tricks for the Your Phone app on Windows.

Tip 1: Have a newer Android phone? You might not need to download the Your Phone app on Android

Link To Windows Settings

To use Your Phone with any Android device running Android 7 or higher, it is required to download the Your Phone app in the Google Play Store. Then, from there, follow the on-screen setup instructions to pair your Android device with your Windows 10 PC. However, if you have a newer Android phone from Samsung, (which is any device on this list,) or the Surface Duo, this step isn’t actually required. Instead, you need to use Link to Windows.

If your Android device supports Link to Windows, Your Phone integration is actually built right into it. You just need to pull down from the notification shade, click Link to Windows, and then sign in with a Microsoft Account, then open Your Phone on Windows 10 to finish the setup. This integration is seamless, allowing you to skip out on downloading an extra app. And, each time you want to connect to your PC, you have manual control from the notification shade. You also can allow Your Phone to sync over your mobile data, too, when you’re away from WiFi.

Tip 2: Own multiple phones? Choose a default device

Link To Windows Default Your Phone

If you own multiple Android phones, you can technically connect them all to Your Phone in Windows 10, as long as you’re using the same Microsoft Account. Currently, you only can use one device with Your Phone at a time, but you’ll actually be able to see all your Android phones in the app if you swap out to a different default phone in Your Phone settings. Just click the Settings icon, and then under Device choose one from the list and then click Apply. When finished, you can restart the app.

Your Phone will start using the phone you choose as the default phone. This is quite useful if you’ve got multiple phone numbers or multiple devices. You only can use one at a time with Your Phone, but the choice of a default phone means you can switch between them if you want to.

Tip 3: Turn on cross-device copy and paste

Clipboard History

Third on our list is a cool feature known as cross-device copy and paste. Again, not all Android phones will support this (only the newer ones from Samsung, and the Surface Duo) but it’s still a pretty cool feature. With it, you can share the clipboard from your Android phone with your Windows 10 PC. This allows you to share URLs images, and more between devices.

To set this up, there’s a couple of things you need to do. First off, visit the Your Phone app. Click Settings and then Cross-device copy and paste and then toggle the switch to On. You’ll also have to make sure you can share your clipboard on your PC, too. To do this, head into Windows 10 Settings and search for Clipboard. Toggle the switches for Clipboard history and Sync across devices to On, and you’ll be able to see your clipboard history from your phone. Just hit the Windows Key and V.

Tip 4: Personalize the Your Phone app to your liking, and Pin the app for quick access

Link To Windows Your Phone Music.

Next up are some personalization settings. There are more than a couple of settings available which can change the way that your Your Phone experience feels. We suggest turning on the option to make the app background the same as the one on your Phone. We also suggest turning on the toggle switch for showing audio on your phone, too. This allows you to control your phone’s audio right from your PC (Say, if you’re listening to a song on Spotify).

Some of the other toggle switches in the personalization section of the Windows 10 Your Phone app are critical to its functions. You’ll be able to control toggles for text messages, MMS messages, notification banners, and more. As another suggestion, it’s best to pin Your Phone to the Taskbar. This gives you quick access to it and will let you see a peek at how many notifications you have, too.

Tip 5: Try Calls, Your Phone Apps, or your Phone screen

Windows 10 Your Phone Phone Screen Surface Duo

Final on our list are some suggestions related to the other core functions of Your Phone. While it is true that you can send and receive texts and also see your photos and notifications on your PC, the app goes well beyond that. You also can use it to stream your phone’s screen to your PC (if it’s supported) as well as place phone calls (if paired to your PC via Bluetooth.) You can set this up easily, by clicking that section of the Your Phone app. It’ll guide you through the process.

The Phone Screen and the Calling features are one of the best things about Your Phone. You’re able to keep your phone in your pocket and control it from your PC. Very handy if your phone is charging and you’re unable to touch it. But, if you own a newer Samsung Phone, then the Phone Screen feature goes one step further for you. You’ll be able to stream your apps over to your PC and run them in Windows 10 as if they were native.

Do you like Your Phone? Let us know

We’ve just given you a quick look at some of our tips and tricks for Your Phone in Windows 10. A little while ago, we compared Your Phone to Dell Mobile Connect, and the two are very similar. Do you like Your Phone? Or, do you have tips of your own? Let us know in the comments below.

FIX: No Sound from Cortana in Windows 10/11

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Cortana is definitely one of the most useful features of Windows 10, but various problems with this handy virtual assistant could occasionally occur.

This time, we’re going to show you what to do if you can’t hear any sound from Cortana in Windows 10.

How can I fix the No Sound Cortana problem in Windows 10?

1. Update your drivers

  1. Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu. Now select Device Manager from the list.
    Cortana doesn't speak
  2. When Device Manager opens, locate your audio driver, right-click it, and choose Update driver from the menu.
    Cortana doesn’t have sound
  3. Choose Search automatically for updated driver software and wait while Windows updates the driver.
    Cortana voice not working Windows 10

If there’s no sound from Cortana on your Windows 10 PC, the problem might be your drivers. Outdated drivers can cause this problem to appear, but you can easily update them right from Device Manager.

In that regard, you can choose to follow the steps detailed above. After updating your driver, check if the problem is resolved.

We also recommend updating your speaker drivers, so if you’re using USB speakers you might want to try that.

If Device Manager can’t update your drivers, you might want to try downloading them manually from your sound card’s manufacturer.

Do keep in mind that all drivers must be updated for your system to work properly.

1.1 Update drivers automatically

Therefore, in order to prevent PC damage by installing the wrong driver versions,  we suggest doing it automatically by using the Fortect Driver Updater tool.

That’s a solution that requires minimum effort on your part. Long story short, you just need to install Outbyte Driver Updater and complete this quick procedure:

  1. Download Fortect Driver Updater and install it into your PC.
  2. Once installed, Fortect Driver Updater will start scanning your computer for outdated and faulty drivers. Just wait for the scan to complete.
  3. Upon scan completion, you can see a detailed list of all driver-related problems found on your PC. Select which of these issues you want to solve – a single one or all at once. Outbyte Driver Updater will download and install them.
  4. Finally, restart your PC for the changes to take place.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

2. Disable Digital Output

  1. Right-click on the sound icon on the right side of your taskbar and go to Playback devices.
    Cortana makes no sound
  2. Disable the Digital output that you’re not using.
    Cortana speaker not working
  3. Restart your computer.

Another simple solution for sound problems with Cortana is disabling the digital output in your sound settings.

This is a problem that usually occurs when you have two playback devices enabled on your computer, and one conflicts with Cortana.

This doesn’t have to be the case, but sometimes the second output device just blocks Cortana.

Most people reported that this workaround actually solved their sound problems with Cortana, but if you still can’t hear anything from your virtual assistant, maybe you can try one of the solutions below.

3. Remove IDT High Definition audio

As we previously mentioned, third-party audio managers can interfere with your system and cause problems with Cortana. Users reported that IDT High Definition Audio is often responsible for this problem.

In order to fix the issue, you just need to remove it. There are several ways to remove an application, but the best way to do it is to use a dedicated PC cleaning utility.

More specifically, we talk about CCleaner. This software has an easy-to-use uninstaller feature where you can find and remove your apps in just one click. When you are done with that, head to the registry cleaner and remove any trace of the app.

4. Reset Cortana

  1. Open Cortana and go to Settings.
  2. The first button allows you to disable Cortana, so just disable Cortana with that button. It says: Turning off Cortana clears what Cortana knows on this device, but won’t delete anything from the Notebook. After Cortana is off, you can decide what you’d like to do with anything still stored in the cloud. Cortana speaker not working
  3. Restart your computer and enable Cortana again.

Maybe resetting Cortana to its default settings can solve the problem. Use the above steps to completely reset Cortana in Windows 10.

This will make Cortana completely forget about all your settings, so it would act like you just installed Windows, so maybe the solution for the sound problem with Cortana lies in this method.

If you also use Google Assistant on your phone and run into similar issues, follow our Hey Google not working guide for quick fixes.

5. Make sure that you don’t have Quiet hours turned on

  1. Open Action Center. You can do that quickly by pressing Windows Key + A shortcut.
  2. Look for the Quiet hours option. If it’s not available, click Expand.
    Cortana speaker not working
  3. Now click on Quiet hours to disable it.
    Cortana makes no sound

Windows 10 comes with a useful feature that will prevent notifications from appearing.

The feature is called Quiet hours and if you turn it on, you might not be able to hear Cortana. However, you can easily disable this feature by doing as described above.

After doing that, your notifications will start appearing and you’ll be able to hear Cortana again.

If the Action Center fails to open in Windows 10, use the steps in this quick guide to easily solve the issue.

6. Uninstall all hidden sound drivers

  1. Start Command Prompt as administrator. To do that, press Windows Key + X and choose Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu. If Command Prompt isn’t available, you can use PowerShell (Admin) instead.
    Cortana has no voice
  2. When Command Prompt starts, run the following commands:
    • set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
    • cd %SystemRoot% System32
    • start devmgmt.msc
  3. When Device Manager opens, go to the View tab and click on Show hidden devices.
    Cortana doesn't speak
  4. Expand Sound, video, and game controllers, right-click the grayed out driver , and choose Uninstall device from the menu.
    Cortana doesn’t have sound
  5. The confirmation menu will now appear. Click Uninstall to confirm that you want to remove the driver.
    Cortana voice not working Windows 10
  6. Repeat the last two steps for all hidden sound devices.

If you can’t hear Cortana, the issue might be related to hidden sound drivers. This isn’t a big problem, and you can fix it simply by removing the hidden sound drivers.

This is relatively simple, and you can do it by following the above steps. After doing that, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.

If you’re having trouble accessing Command Prompt as an admin, then you better take a closer look at this handy guide.

7. Disable HD Audio Background Process and Realtek HD Audio Manager

  1. Start Task Manager. You can do that by using Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut.
  2. When Task Manager starts, go to the Startup tab. Now look for HD Audio Background Process and Realtek HD Audio Manager. Right-click these applications and choose Disable from the menu.
    Cortana has no voice

Your Windows starts with many third-party applications, and sometimes these applications can interfere with Windows and cause issues with Cortana.

If you’re getting no sound from Cortana, the problem might be your startup applications. However, you can easily fix this problem by disabling these applications. To do that, just follow the above procedure.

After disabling these applications, restart your PC and check if the problem still appears.

Several users reported that these two applications caused the problem, so if you have either of them, be sure to disable them.

8. Configure audio in your audio manager

According to users, you might be able to fix this problem simply by configuring audio properly in your audio manager.

If you’ve downloaded and installed audio drivers from your sound card manufacturer, it’s possible that you installed a new audio manager.

If that’s so, the default audio manager and third-party manager can come into conflict. To fix the issue, you need to configure your audio properly in the third-party audio manager.

After doing that, the problems with Cortana should be resolved.

Since this is a sound problem, maybe something else from your system prevents Cortana from playing sound.

Therefore, you should check our article about other sound problems in Windows 10, and maybe you’ll find the solution (if none of the above worked, of course).

Many users use Cortana on daily basis, however, some users reported sound issues with Cortana.

Speaking of sound issues, these are some of the most common problems that users reported:

  • Cortana has no voice – This is a relatively common problem with Cortana. This issue occurs if you have Quiet hours turned on, so be sure to disable this feature.
  • Cortana doesn’t speak – Many users reported that Cortana doesn’t speak on their PC. It’s worth mentioning that Cortana will only speak to you if you use your microphone to send voice commands.
  • Cortana doesn’t have sound – This issue can occur due to problems with your drivers. If your audio drivers are outdated, you might experience this problem, so be sure to update them.
  • Cortana voice not working Windows 10 – Several users reported that Cortana’s voice isn’t working in Windows 10. This problem can be caused by the third-party application, so remove them from startup or uninstall them.
  • Cortana speaker not working – Several users claim that the Cortana speaker isn’t working. This can be a problem, but you should be able to fix it using one of our solutions.
  • Cortana makes no sound – According to users, sometimes you might encounter sound issues with Cortana. However, you should be able to fix that problem by removing hidden audio devices.

Let us know which Cortana tip worked in your case. Feel free to use the comments area below in that regard.

Microsoft Teams will soon let users pin posts and replies in channels

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft Teams is about to get a new feature, which will give users the ability to pin chat messages and replies to the top of a channel. According to a Microsoft representative on the Teams UserVoice forum, the company is actively working to bring pinning support to Teams channels.

Right now, there is no option for Team owners to highlight important announcements that are usually pushed out of view by newer messages. With this new pinning experience, Microsoft aims to keep vital information easy to access, even weeks after a message has been sent. Team owners will be able to pin a message on top of the channel window when there’s an important message in a conversation that Team members have to lookup. Clicking the pinned message should point users to the specific message in the channel.

For now, we don’t have an ETA as to when the new option is supposed to go live, but we should expect Microsoft to roll out an official announcement in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you are looking for something specific, Teams has a powerful search function. We invite you to check out our explainer post for more information.

Digital pre-orders open on Xbox One for the first proper sequel to the hit CastleStorm video game

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Digital pre-orders are now live for CastleStorm II on Microsoft’s family of Xbox One consoles ahead of its September 23rd release later this month.

CastleStorm II is the first proper sequel to the original CastleStorm video game which first launched way back in 2013 on the Xbox 360. Like the first game, CastleStorm II is kind of a blend of classic platforming and tower defense video games wrapped up in a cartoony medieval setting.

Here’s the official game description:

Aim your catapults! Command your troops! Bloody the battlefield! CastleStorm II levels up gaming’s greatest genre mishmash with ruthless destruction powered by Unreal 4, plus a whole new metagame of strategic, tactical conquest. The heroes of the Kingdom confront the vile forces of the Undead, and you’ll plot your path to triumph for both sides in two epic story-driven campaigns. But not without some hands-on chaotic carnage and delightful devastation!

CastleStorm II returns to a classic fantasy land of medieval madness, rife with heroic knights, enchanting sorceresses, glorious griffins…and sheep. But a new threat rises – literally…as in, from the grave. Walking corpses. Headless horsemen. ZOMBIE sheep. All-around nasty necromancy. You get the picture. Build an entire empire through gameplay that engages your inner hardcore strategist…then command – even CONTROL – your soldiers en route to triumph!

Are you a fan of the original CastleStorm title and will you be picking up its sequel? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest and Twitter for more Xbox gaming news.

CastleStorm II
CastleStorm II
Download
QR-Code

CastleStorm II
Developer:
Zen Studios
Price:
$19.99

FIX: The directory name is invalid in Windows 10

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

System errors such as ERROR_DIRECTORY can occur on any PC and they can prevent you from opening certain directories or files.

This error usually comes with The directory name is invalid message and today we’re going to show you how to fix it on Windows 10.

How do I fix the ERROR_DIRECTORY issue?

Fix – ERROR_DIRECTORY

1. Reinstall the audio driver

  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Locate your DVD drive on the list, right click it and choose Uninstall device.
  3. Confirmation dialog will now appear.
  4. Click on Uninstall to remove the driver.
  5. After removing the driver, click on Scan for hardware changes icon.
  6. Windows will now scan your system and install the missing drivers.

If you’re having this problem while trying to play optical discs you might be able to fix it by reinstalling your DVD drive drivers. Once the default drivers are installed, check if the issue still persists.

Update drivers automatically (suggested)

Downloading and installing drivers manually is a process that carries the risk of getting the wrong driver installed, which may lead to serious malfunctions of your system. We strongly recommend Fortect Driver Updater.

It automatically identifies each device on your computer and matches it with the latest driver versions from an extensive online database.

The program is almost fully automated to do the entire job for you, and with a stable Internet connection you know you’ll always have the latest drivers as soon as they appear.

More so, the UI is made to be extremely easy to understand by users of all levels, making it very accessible.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

2. Check your antivirus

An antivirus tool is a necessity, but certain antivirus applications can cause this error to appear and prevent you from running certain apps. If you’re having this problem, we advise you to check your antivirus settings.

Sometimes certain settings can interfere with your apps and cause this and other errors to appear. To fix the problem, you need to check your antivirus settings and try disabling certain features.

If you’re not familiar with PC security, you might have some issues finding the problematic setting.

On the other hand, you might be able to solve the problem by disabling your antivirus entirely. After you disable your antivirus, check if the issue still appears. If disabling the antivirus fixes the problem, you might want to use that as a temporary workaround.

If the problem still appears, you should try uninstalling your antivirus software.

On the other hand, this would leave you exposed to malware threats, so you should try installing a better antivirus tool.

You can find very powerful antivirus software with low resource/CPU usage that will certainly not interfere with other processes or apps on your system.

3. Disable your DVD drive

  1. Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu.
  2. Choose Device Manager from the list.
  3. Once Device Manager opens, locate your DVD drive, right click it and choose Disable device from the menu.
  4. A warning dialog will appear.
  5. Click on Yes to confirm.
  6. Locate your DVD drive once again, right click it and choose Enable device.

Alternatively, you can re-enable your DVD drive by doing the following:

  1. Locate your DVD drive in the Device Manager and double click it.
  2. Go to Driver tab and click on Disable Device.
  3. When the warning message appears, click on Yes.
  4. Now click on Enable Device to enable your DVD drive again.
  5. Optional: Navigate to DVD Region tab and select your region from the list on the bottom.
  6. Now click on OK to save changes.

According to users, this problem usually appears when trying to play a DVD disc on your PC. To fix the problem, you need to disable your DVD drive from Device Manager and enable it again.

After enabling your device again check if the issue still persists. According to users, this is a useful solution, but unfortunately, it’s just a temporary workaround so you’ll have to repeat it every time this error occurs.

4. Connect your DVD drive to a different port

If you’re getting The directory name is invalid message while trying to play a DVD disc, you might be able to fix the problem by connecting your DVD drive to a different port. To do that you need to open your computer case and connect the DVD drive to a different SATA port on your motherboard.

After doing that, the problem should be completely resolved. Keep in mind that this solution requires you to open your computer case, so if your PC is still under warranty you might want to skip this solution.

5. Repair / remove Windows Essentials

  1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Once the Settings app opens, go to Apps section. List of installed applications will appear.
  3. Select Windows Essentials on the list and click the Repair or Uninstall button.
  4. Follow the instructions on the screen to repair or uninstall the application.

According to users, this error can be caused by Windows Essentials. This is a useful set of tools but it has compatibility issues with Windows 10 that can cause this problem to appear.

To fix it, users are suggesting to remove or to repair Windows Essentials.  Alternatively, you can remove or repair Windows Essentials installation by doing the following:

  1. Press Windows Key + S and enter control panel.
  2. Select Control Panel from the list.
  3. When Control Panel opens, click on Programs and Features.
  4. List of installed applications will now appear.
  5. Select Windows Essentials from the list and choose the desired option from the menu on the top.
  6. Follow instructions on the screen to remove or repair the application.

Even though Windows Essentials can cause this problem to appear, you should know that other apps can cause it as well.

If you still have this problem on your PC, try removing any recently installed or updated applications and check if that solves the issue.

6. Copy the problematic file to the root directory

If you can’t run a certain application due to The directory name is invalid message, you might be able to fix the problem simply by copying the problematic file.

To do that, move the file to the root directory such as C: and try to run it from there. In some cases you might not have the necessary privileges to run files from specific locations causing this error to appear.

To fix the issue, simply move the problematic file to any root directory and the error should be fixed.

Several users also reported this problem while installing software from DVD discs.

According to them, they were unable to install the software and copying the installation files to the hard drive didn’t solve the problem.

However, after moving all files to the Program Files directory they were able to start the setup without any problems.

7. Install the latest updates

  1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Go to Update & security section and click on Check for updates button.

Windows 10 is a great operating system, but certain bugs can cause this and other errors to occur. To fix the error, it’s advised to download the latest Windows updates.

By default, Windows 10 automatically downloads the necessary updates in the background. However, sometimes you might miss an important update by accident.

Windows will now check for any new updates. If updates are available they will be installed automatically in the background. After installing the necessary updates check if the problem still appears.

8. Remove Adobe Reader

Sometimes this problem can occur with Adobe Reader. According to users, if you have two different versions of Adobe Reader installed that can lead to certain problems including this one.

Users reported The directory name is invalid message, and according to them, you can fix the problem by removing all versions of Adobe Reader from your PC.

After doing that, you need to reinstall Adobe Reader once again and check if that solves the issue.

9. Change the drive letter

  1. Open Disk Management tool.
  2. Locate your DVD drive, right-click it, and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths.
  3. Select the drive letter and click on Change.
  4. Select the desired drive letter and click OK.

According to users, sometimes this problem can occur with your DVD drive. This error message will prevent you from burning discs, but you can fix it by changing the drive letter.

Save changes and check if the problem still persists.

10. Disable User Account Control

  1. Open Control Panel and select User Accounts.
  2. Click on Change User Account Control settings.
  3. When the User Account Control Settings window opens, move the slider all the way down.
  4. Now click the OK button to save changes.
  5. Restart your PC to apply the changes.

User Account Control is a useful security feature of Windows, but sometimes it can prevent you from installing certain applications.

This feature will prevent users and apps from making changes to the system that require administrator privileges. Thanks to it, you’ll be sure that all your applications aren’t using administrative privileges to make any system-wide changes.

Even though this feature is rather useful, in many cases User Account Control can interfere with Windows and cause The directory name is invalid message to appear while installing certain applications.

To fix the problem, it’s advised to completely disable User Account Control. After doing that, User Account Control will be disabled and you should be able to install the desired application without any problems.

Keep in mind that disabling this feature will slightly reduce your security. If you’re worried about your security, go back to User Account Control Settings and move the slider to the default position to turn this feature back on.

11. Create a Temp folder

Many applications move the necessary files during the installation to the Temp folder. This folder stores the temporary files and deletes them once you install the application.

Temp folder is necessary when installing certain apps, and if this folder is missing you might encounter this error.

According to users, they are experiencing this problem because Temp folders are missing from their PC. By default, there are two Temp folders on every computer.

The first one is located in this directory:

C:Windows

The second one is located in this directory:

C:Usersyour_usernameAppDataLocal

If any of these Temp folders are missing, you need to recreate them and check if that solves the problem. If that doesn’t help, you can try creating new Temp folders in different locations.

Before you start you need to create two folders that will work as Temp folders. After doing that you need to set environment variables by doing the following:

  1. Press Windows Key + S and enter environment.
  2. Select Edit the system environment variables.
  3. System Properties window will appear.
  4. Click on the Environment Variables button.
  5. Environment Variables window will now appear.
  6. In the User variables section select the TEMP variable and double click it to edit it.
  7. Set Variable value to the desired folder that you want to use as a Temp folder.
  8. Once you’re done, click OK to save changes.
  9. Repeat the same steps for the TMP variable and be sure to use the same folder as in the previous step.
  10. In the System variables section select the TEMP variable and double click it.
  11. Choose the desired folder that you want to use for storing temporary files.
  12. Repeat the same steps for the TMP variable and be sure to choose the same folder.
  13. Once you’re done, click OK to save changes. Restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.

Setting up new temporary folders is an advanced procedure, so use extra caution while doing that.

12. Enter Safe Mode

  1. Open the Start Menu and click on Power button.
  2. Press and hold the Shift key and choose Restart from the menu.
  3. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings. Click the Restart button.
  4. After your PC restarts, you’ll see a list of options.
  5. Select any version of Safe Mode by pressing the appropriate keyboard key.

This problem can sometimes be caused by your drivers or third-party applications, and the best way to fix it is to enter Safe Mode.

Safe Mode is a segment of Windows that runs with default drivers and applications, so it’s perfect for troubleshooting. To enter Safe Mode, do the following:

Once you enter Safe Mode, check if the problem still appears. If the problem doesn’t appear in Safe Mode, it’s possible that a third-party application or a bad driver is causing this error.

To fix the problem, you need to find and remove the problematic software or driver.

13. Use System Restore

  1. Press Windows Key + S and enter system restore.
  2. Choose to Create a restore point from the menu.
  3. System Properties window will now appear.
  4. Click on System Restore button.
  5. When the System Restore window opens, click on Next. A list of all restore points will appear.
  6. Check Show more restore points option if available. Select the desired restore point and click on Next.
  7. Follow the instructions on the screen to restore your PC.

If this error started appearing recently, you might be able to fix it by performing System Restore. This is a useful feature that allows you to restore your PC and fix any problems.

After restoring your PC, check if the problem still persists.

Fix – The directory name is invalid USB

1. Create a new simple drive

  1. Press Windows Key + X and click on Disk Management.
  2. Locate Unallocated space, right-click it, and choose New Simple Volume.
  3. A new window will now appear.
  4. Click on Next.
  5. Select the desired size of the volume. In most cases, it’s best to use the maximum size.
  6. After setting the volume size, click on Next.
  7. Set the desired letter for the new drive and click on Next.
  8. Choose the desired formatting options and click on Next.
  9. If you have important files on your flash drive, you might want to choose Do not format this volume option.

Sometimes this type of error can occur while trying to access a USB flash drive. According to users, you can fix this problem simply by creating a new simple drive.

After doing that, you should be able to access your flash drive without any issues.

2. Use a third party software

Several users reported this problem while trying to remove directories from their USB flash drives. According to them, it seems that directories on your USB flash drive can get corrupted and that will cause The directory name is invalid message to appear.

To fix the issue, users are recommending using IObit Unlocker application to unlock the folder and delete it, so be sure to try it out.

⇒ Get IObit Unlocker

3. Modify your registry

  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Locate the problematic device and double click it to open its properties.
  3. Navigate to Details tab, set Property to Class Guid.
  4. Write down the value for this device because you’ll need it for future steps.
    • In our example, the value was {4d36e965-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}, but it can differ depending on the problematic device.

According to users, you might be able to fix this issue simply by changing a few values in your registry. Before you can use this solution, you need to find the ID of the problematic device.

After you find out your device’s ID, you need to find it in Registry Editor. To do that, you need to do the following:

  1. Press Windows Key + R and enter regedit.
  2. Press Enter or click OK.
  3. Optional: Before making any changes to your registry it’s advised to create a backup.
  4. To do that, simply click on File > Export. Select All as Export range, enter the desired name, and choose a safe location for the file.
  5. Now click the Save button to save it.
  6. Once Registry Editor opens, in the left pane navigate to this key and expand it:
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass
  7. You’ll see a list of subkeys. Navigate to the key that represents the problematic device.
    • In our example it’s {4d36e965-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}, but it should be different on your PC.
  8. In the left pane, locate and delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters values.
    • To do that, simply select the problematic value, right-click it and choose Delete from the menu.

After removing the problematic values, restart your PC and check if the problem still persists. If UpperFilters or LowerFilters aren’t available, you can skip this solution since it doesn’t apply to your PC.

Fix – The directory name is invalid SD card

1. Remove your SD card

If this error message appears while using an SD card, you might want to try removing it. This is a temporary workaround, but few users reported that removing and reinserting the SD card fixed the problem for them, so be sure to try that.

2. Reinstall your drivers

According to users, this issue appears due to problems with your drivers. Sometimes issues with SD card reader drivers can occur and to fix the problem you need to reinstall the drivers.

To do that, simply navigate to Device Manager and remove your drivers. After doing that, scan for hardware changes and Windows 10 should automatically install the missing drivers.

We already showed you how to do this in one of our previous solutions, so be sure to check it out for detailed instructions.

Fix – The directory name is invalid Task Scheduler

Remove the quotes from the folder path

If you’re having this problem with Task Scheduler, it might be due to your file path. According to users, Start in (optional) field doesn’t support quotes, so if you have quotes in your file path be sure to remove them and save changes.

After doing that, the problem should be resolved and everything will start working properly.

ERROR_DIRECTORY and The directory name is invalid message usually appear while trying to install certain applications or while trying to play optical media.

This error can cause some problems on your PC, but you should be able to solve it by using one of our solutions.

Windows 10 Twitter app gets new Quote Tweet labelling and improved emoji picking

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The official list of changes that have been made to the Twitter web app, and thus the official Windows 10 Twitter app, over the past month or so has been published.

Many would have noticed by now the long overdue rebranding of “Retweets with comments” as “Quote Tweets” that’s happened during the past few weeks on all platforms. “Quote Tweets” has been a phrase used by Twitter users for many years now to refer to a retweet that has a comment above it.

For some reason, Twitter has been resistant to using the phrase in an official capacity but, after the social network recently started displaying “Retweets with comments” as a separate retweet stat on tweets and the majority of users having no idea what that meant, the company finally began using “Quote Tweets” and the service is all the better for it.

Other changes mentioned include improvements to the media upload button on the DM screen, conversation card previews, and improvements to the native emoji picker box.

Here’s the full notes:

New

  • DMs: The media upload buttons in the DM composer will now dynamically show and hide on smaller screens to give you more space for composing messages.
  • Quote Tweets: “Retweets with comments” are now known as Quote Tweets! This change has been rolled out globally for Web. Look for Quote Tweets between Retweets and Likes on the Tweet detail screen, and the Quote Tweet option in the Retweet dropdown menu.

Updated

  • Composer: Clicking a conversation card will now show a preview of the card within the composer after opening.
  • DM Drawer: Opening a link for a Tweet or Event from a DM on the Messages screen will now navigate you to the correct page, and open the DM Drawer to the conversation you opened the link from.
  • Emoji Picker: The Emoji Picker’s performance should now be a lot smoother and snappier when opening and scrolling through categories.
  • Tweet Detail: All timestamps on the Tweet Detail screen will now link to the Tweet’s URL location.

Fixed

  • Accessibility: Improved carousel accessibility. Tab focus and keyboard shortcuts should no longer cause the carousel layout to break on Safari. Voiceover will now properly announce the current carousel position.
  • Accessibility: The Tweet Detail should now be properly accessible via keyboard shortcuts on Safari.
  • Composer: The Tweet composer should now properly focus when opened from menus such as the Retweet dropdown.
  • Conversations: Muting a user on the conversation screen will now hide their Tweets.
  • DMs: When blocking a user in the message requests inbox, you will now still have access to the conversation for historical purposes.
  • DMs: When blocked by another user through DMs, navigating to the user’s profile page will no longer display an error state.
  • Events: When sharing an Event, the title will now properly populate in the Tweet composer.
  • Notifications Screen: Navigating to twitter.com/mentions will now take you to your Mentions tab on the Notifications Screen instead of displaying an empty profile page.
  • User Picker: Selecting a user with a long display name should no longer cause the selection pill to extend beyond the picker container when tagging users in media, or adding them to DMs.
  • Video: The docked video player will now accurately show elapsed time.
  • Video: The video preview image will no longer display under the “Watch again” overlay.
  • Who to Follow: Fixed an issue where the Who to follow module on the sidebar wouldn’t display.

Being a web app, changes are made to Twitter on a continuous basis rather than with a single app update that must be pushed out to devices. Many changes, such as the new use of “Quote Tweets,” are quickly spotted by users while others remain unnoticed until they’re announced via release notes like the ones above.

Are you happy with the recent changes to the Twitter app? Let us know in the comments below and then follow us on Twitter for more Windows app news.

Twitter
Twitter
Download
QR-Code

Twitter
Developer:
Twitter Inc.
Price:
Free

5 best FTP backup server software

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Backing up your files is important, and many users choose to back up their files online. There are many tools that can do that, but the most convenient ones are the ones with FTP support.

FTP protocol is widely used, and this is why today we’re going to cover the best FTP server backup software, so let’s get started.

What is the best FTP server backup software?

Handy Backup

handy backup backup for FTP

If you’re looking for a simple FTP server backup software, then you should consider Handy Backup. The software can back up all sorts of files, and it even has support for e-mail backup.

Using this software you can back up files to a local hard drive, external hard drives, and cloud storage. There’s even support for FTP backup, backup to NAS, and support for WebDAV protocol.

Handy Backup allows scheduling, and it can create full, incremental, or differential backups. Of course, you can compress data in ZIP archives and there’s also support for strong encryption.

It’s worth mentioning that the software has an activity log, so you can monitor your backups, and there’s also support for email notifications.

Handy Backup offers great features, and it’s a perfect tool if you need to back up your computer over FTP, so be sure to consider it.

Handy Backup features:

  • Support for FTP and cloud backups
  • Support for local, external, and NAS backups
  • WebDAV protocol support
  • Full, incremental, and differential backups
  • Backup compression and encryption
Handy Backup

Handy Backup

Handy Backup is a versatile backup software that offers full support for cloud and FTP backups.
Check priceVisit website

Iperius Backup

iperius backup backup for FTP

Iperius Backup is a could backup software, and it also allows you to perform backups to SFTP servers, Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure Storage, Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.

The software supports Incremental FTP backup and synchronization, and it offers full compatibility with any FTP/FTPS/SFTP server.

Iperius Backup offers great protection, and thanks to the SSL and AES 256-bit client-side encryption you can rest assured that your files are safe at all times.

The software also allows you to copy files that are in use or locked, and there’s even an FTP backup to NAS available.

Overall, Iperius Backup offers great features, and it will be perfect if you’re looking for FTP server backup software.

Iperius Backup features:

  • Support for FTP backup and synchronization
  • Compatible with any FTP/FTPS/SFTP server
  • Support for Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure Storage, Google Drive, DropBox, and OneDrive backup
  • SSL and AES 256-bit encryption
  • FTP to NAS

⇒ Get Iperius Backup

AceBackup

AceBackup backup for FTP

Another great backup software with FTP support is AceBackup. The software offers backup to FTP servers, which can be extremely useful.

It’s worth mentioning that the application supports encryption, so all your data will remain safe. As for supported standards, it supports Rijndael 128/192/256, Blowfish 128, and Triple-DES 128.

The software supports scheduling, and you can back up your data in specific intervals in order to ensure that all your files are safely backed up.

It’s important to mention that the software supports ZIP compression, and by using it you’ll ensure that you save precious storage space.

AceBackup is a simple to use backup software, and if you need a simple software with FTP support, this might be the right tool for you.

AceBackup features:

  • Completely free
  • FTP backup
  • Rijndael 128/192/256, Blowfish 128, and Triple-DES 128 encryption
  • Support for backup scheduling
  • Built-in ZIP compression

⇒ Get AceBackup

Leo Backup

Leo Backup backup for FTP

If you need backup software with FTP backup support, then Leo Backup might be just what you need. The software supports backup to local drives, local networks, and via FTP.

Regarding backup, there’s support for Amazon S3, Google Drive, and One Drive. It’s worth mentioning that your files will remain safe at all times thanks to the AES-256 encryption.

There’s also built-in support for Zip64 compression, so your backups won’t take too much space. To ensure that your data is safely backed up, there’s full support for backup scheduling.

As for advanced features, there’s SQL database backup, as well as registry backup, but keep in mind that some of these features are available only in Pro and Enterprise versions.

Leo Backup features:

  • FTP backup
  • E-mail notifications
  • Backup scheduling
  • 256-bit encryption and compression
  • Cloud storage backup
  • Database backup (in Enterprise version)

⇒ Get Leo Backup

Duplicati 2.0

Duplicati 2.0 backup for FTP

Another great FTP backup software for your PC is Duplicati 2.0. The software has AES-256 encryption, so your files and folders will be protected at all times. If you don’t prefer AES, you can also use GPG encryption.

The software is designed to save space, so it fully supports incremental backups and data deduplication. Duplicati 2.0 has a web interface, so it can run in any web browser, and you can access it from anywhere.

The application supports FTP, SSH, and WebDAV, and it can work with popular services such as Backblaze B2, Tardigrade, Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon S3, Google Drive, BOC, Mega, and others.

The software is optimized for online backups, and even if the backup process is interrupted, it can be resumed easily at any time.

Duplicati 2.0 is completely optimized for online backup, and with FTP, SSH, and WebDAV support, it will be a perfect tool for professionals.

Duplicati 2.0 features:

  • Completely free and open source
  • Supports FTP, SSH, and WebDAV protocols
  • Compatible with Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon S3, Google Drive, and many other services
  • AES-256 and GPG encryption
  • Web interface

⇒ Get Duplicati 2.0

There are many great FTP backup server applications, and we hope that you found what you’re looking for on our list.

Sea of Thieves packet loss explained: How to fix it?

Posted on by Vlad Constantinescu

Sea of Thieves is an awesome game where you can live your childhood fantasies of becoming a pirate without actually harming anyone. Unless you’re that type of gamer.

If you’re a sociable gamer, you’ll love to hear that Sea of Thieves is online-exclusive. Even if you don’t enjoy teaming up and shipping around the world in a crew, you’ll still encounter other players along the way.

However unlikely, there’s a downside to this whole multiplayer-only situation. Like any other online service, Sea of Thieves can experience connectivity issues from time to time.

Among the most severe ones, we remind of high ping, jitter, and the dreaded packet loss.

What is packet loss in Sea of Thieves?

Let’s put it this way: you’d rather have another player loot your ship than face heavy packet loss. Just kidding, getting looted is not fun. But neither is packet loss, and you’ll soon understand why.

This phenomenon occurs whenever packets that are transmitted through your connection never reach their targets. As a result, the server might panic and throw a delay your way, or a desync, which is way worse.

If you ever experienced lag so bad that you started teleporting randomly across the map (rubberbanding), the culprit might’ve actually been packet loss. And if you’re unfortunate enough to get it during an encounter, well…

Other symptoms include:

  • Sea of Thieves constant connection loss
  • Frame rate loss on Sea of Thieves
  • Sluggish menus
  • Inability to communicate with your crew in real-time
  • Sudden random disconnections

What can cause packet loss in Sea of Thieves?

Anything awry with your connection can be a potential trigger for packet loss. For instance, if you use Wi-Fi instead of Ethernet, you might as well point signs your way reading Packet loss welcome.

The same goes for not using high-quality Ethernet cables or logging into the game during peak hours when the network is close to being overloaded. Therefore, it’s not exactly easy to identify a surefire cause.

Here’s a list of potential reasons for experiencing packet loss in Sea of Thieves:

  • Network congestion (without a doubt the most common one)
  • Improper network routing (your ISP’s fault, you have nothing to be blamed for)
  • Bandwidth throttling (still your ISP’s fault)
  • Subpar Ethernet cables (using CAT 5 instead of CAT 6, for instance)
  • Using Wi-Fi instead of Ethernet (Wi-Fi packet loss happens more frequently)
  • Outdated network adapter drivers
  • Using high-quality game settings that your connection can’t back
  • Running other bandwidth-heavy programs such as VoIP (TeamSpeak, Skype)
  • Poor Internet subscription plan (capped at low bandwidth usage or speed)
  • Problems with the game server (which again, you can’t be blamed for)

As you can see, the list is quite varied. We can safely conclude that packet loss can occur anywhere on the connection: on your side, on your ISP’s side, or even on the game server host’s side.

This is why it’s so difficult to troubleshoot leaking packets most of the time.

How to fix packet loss in Sea of Thieves?

1. Try using a reliable VPN service

  1. Buy a Private Internet Access subscription plan
  2. Download the VPN client and install it on your PC
  3. Launch PIA and log into your account
  4. Connect to a suitable, fast server (closer ones are faster)
  5. Launch Sea of Thieves
  6. Check if you still experience packet loss

More often than not, a VPN such as Kape Technologies’ Private Internet Access will fix your packet loss problem. However, in order for this fix to work, the issue should be caused by your ISP (bandwidth throttling, improper routing).

Private Internet Access

Experiencing packet loss in Sea of Thieves? PIA can fix it for you.
Free Trial Visit Website

Therefore, if you or the game server host are what’s causing the packet loss, this method won’t work.

2. Flush your DNS

  1. Open an elevated CMD instance on your PC
  2. Type the following commands:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset
exit

Now all you have to do is restart your PC, launch Sea of Thieves and see if there’s any improvement. Alternatively, you could switch your ISP-assigned DNS addresses to free, public ones.

  • Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
  • Cloudflare Public DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
  • OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

Just look up alternative public free DNS and you’ll probably find one that suits you better. Just make sure to back up the ISP-assigned DNS in case they’re not set to be obtained automatically.

3. Manually troubleshoot your connection

  • Check and replace any outdated/broken component on your network (such as cables)
  • Update your router’s firmware to the latest version
  • Make sure your drivers are up-to-date (especially network drivers)
  • Always use Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi when possible
  • Call your ISP and ask them if they can look into it
  • Run a pathping test and check where the packet loss occurs (if it’s your, your ISP’s or the game server’s fault)
  • Contact Sea of Thieves’ customer support if there’s something wrong on their side
  • Close any bandwidth-heavy apps on your computer
  • Try lowering the quality settings and see if there’s any improvement
  • Avoid peak hours whenever possible if your network faces network congestion on the regular

Final thoughts on Sea of Thieves packet loss

All things considered, fixing packet loss in Sea of Thieves can be a hassle. However, most of the time this issue is kind enough to fix itself without us even noticing.

In the unfortunate event that you experience packet loss regularly, then you must dig deeper and isolate the cause of this event.

If your ISP is what’s causing it, then the fix is quite straightforward: either talk to your ISP or use a VPN to circumvent their limited connection.

On the other hand, if the underlying issue is on your side, you might want to buckle up and start troubleshooting, because it’s not likely to go away by itself.

Dying Light packet loss: what is it and how to fix it?

Posted on by Vlad Constantinescu

If you’re not new to the gaming scene, you might’ve heard about Dying Light at least once before. It’s your classic FPS survival game where you have to avoid dying at all costs by defending against flesh-eating zombies.

Yes, you’ve heard it all before, but the game is quite awesome, to be honest. Especially if you choose to play it in LAN or online co-op mode. You’ll have to synchronize and work as a team if you want to stand a chance against the mindless hordes.

However, Dying Light can quickly take a turn to the bad at times. As if running from horrific creatures who want to devour you wasn’t bad enough, playing with others also means you’ll experience connectivity issues, such as packet loss or jitter.

What is packet loss in Dying Light?

Sometimes, data packets that are transmitted through the connection can’t reach their destination. In turn, the remote server might artificially delay the connection, waiting for packets that will never arrive.

Most modern servers are configured in such a way that they won’t delay the connection indefinitely, which almost always ends in the server crashing. Instead, they skip the lost packets and receive the next incoming ones.

In more than just one way, packet loss resembles in-game lag, as the symptoms are quite similar. However, there’s a huge difference between the two.

High latency means that the packets need more time to reach their destination. Packet loss means that some packets simply don’t make it.

What can cause packet loss?

Truth be told, anything from an old Ethernet cable to server-side problems could cause packet loss. That’s why this issue is so hard to deal with because it has a lot of possible causes.

This, in turn, means that there’s more than one possible fix, which is also hard to pinpoint since it depends on what caused packet loss in the first place.

We’ve collected a few possible causes for packet loss:

  • Network congestion (most common cause)
  • Poor-quality Ethernet cable
  • Using Wi-Fi instead of Ethernet
  • ISP bandwidth throttling
  • Improper ISP network routing
  • Game server difficulties
  • Outdated drivers on your system
  • Not using the latest firmware version for your router
  • Subpar Internet subscription plan
  • Outdated cached data on your PC

And trust us, these ones are the most obvious ones that we could think of. In reality, the list of potential causes is far greater.

How to fix packet loss in Dying Light?

1. Use a VPN

  1. Buy a Private Internet Access subscription plan
  2. Download the VPN client on your PC
  3. Install PIA and launch it
  4. Use your credentials to log into your account
  5. Connect to a fast server (the closer it is to you, the better)
  6. Launch Dying Light
  7. Check if you’re still experiencing packet loss

Kape Technologies’ Private Internet Access is one of the best VPNs that can help you reduce packet loss in Dying Light. It also offers 24/7 customer chat support in case you experience any difficulties while using it.

However, note that using a VPN won’t improve your packet loss if the issue lies on your side, or if it’s the server host’s fault. VPN can only decrease packet loss if it’s caused by your ISP (e.g. bandwidth throttling, or improper routing).

Private Internet Access

Experiencing packet loss in Dying Light? PIA can help you fix this issue.
Free Trial Visit Website

2. Flush your DNS

  1. Hit the Win key on your keyboard
  2. Type CMD
  3. Right-click the Command Prompt
  4. Select Run as Administrator
  5. In the CMD window, type the following commands:
    1. ipconfig /flushdns
    2. ipconfig /registerdns
    3. ipconfig /release
    4. ipconfig /renew
    5. netsh winsock reset
    6. exit
  6. Restart your PC
  7. Relaunch Dying Light
  8. Check if you’re still leaking packets

3. Troubleshoot your connection

  • Check and replace broken/worn off network components (cables, for instance)
  • Use wired connections instead of Wi-Fi whenever possible (Wi-Fi packet loss happens more often)
  • Update drivers on your system
  • Restart your PC/router/modem
  • Avoid peak hours if your network is prone to congestion (or use a VPN)
  • Contact your ISP and ask them if they can fix the situation
  • Close any background apps or services that are heavy on bandwidth usage
  • Try lowering the quality settings in the game
  • Make sure your router’s firmware is up-to-date

Final thoughts on fixing Dying Light packet loss

All things considered, like any online service out there, Dying Light can also be affected by packet loss. Fortunately, this situation often fixes itself without any assistance on your side whatsoever.

However, at times you might notice a pattern when it comes to packet loss occurrence. This means that the problem has an underlying cause and until that cause gets dealt with, you’ll keep experiencing packet loss.

Using a VPN proves to be quite an efficient solution, but unfortunately, it only works if your ISP triggers the packet loss events by limiting your bandwidth or managing the network poorly.

Does Windscribe work with Netflix? [Streaming Guide]

Posted on by Elena Constantinescu

Windscribe is a VPN service created by Windscribe Limited, a Canadian company. It provides both a free and premium VPN service so that you can fully take advantage of Internet freedom.

However, many VPN users are only interested in unblocking Netflix. If you’re one of them, you probably want to know if Windscribe works with Netflix.

Can I use Windscribe VPN with Netflix?

Yes, you can definitely use Windscribe VPN with Netflix if you’re living or traveling to a foreign country and can’t watch your favorite movies and TV series. The VPN service supports Netflix US, UK, Canada, and Japan. However, there’s a catch.

Although you can use Windscribe for free, it comes with some limitations. And some of them are that you can’t use the VPN servers dedicated to unblocking Netflix, called Windflix US, UK, CA, and JP.

How can I watch Netflix with Windscribe VPN

use Windscribe

  • Get a premium Windscribe subscription plan.
  • Download and set up the VPN client on your device.
  • Open Windscribe and log in with your credentials.
  • Connect to a Windflix VPN server*.
  • Start watching Netflix.

*Make sure to connect to a Windflix VPN server in the same location as the Netflix library you’re trying to unblock. For instance, if you want to watch Netflix US, connect to Windflix US.

Windscribe has servers in more than 63 countries and 110 cities, giving you unrestricted access to the best Netflix catalogs. It uses OpenVPN with up to 256-bit AES military-grade encryption to keep you safe on the Internet.

You can even change your GPS location with this VPN. Furthermore, Windscribe comes with split tunneling, port forwarding, a kill switch, double-hop VPN connections, and obfuscation mode.

It also protects your browsing sessions from ads and malware using R.O.B.E.R.T. And, if you need to turn your PC into a secure Wi-Fi hotspot, you can use a built-in feature.

More about Windscribe:

  • No identifying logs
  • ScribeForce for team accounts
  • Works with Mac, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, iPhone, Linux
  • 3-day money-back guarantee

Windscribe

Windscribe

Unblock Netflix US, UK, Canada, and Japan and watch unrestricted streaming with this VPN.
$4.08/mo. Buy now

Windscribe not working with Netflix

  • Update the Windscribe app to the latest version, but don’t use beta editions.
  • Connect to a different Windflix server.
  • Use the Stealth protocol with port 443 to hide VPN traffic.
  • Make sure your system’s date and time settings are correct.
  • Add an exception for Windscribe in the Windows firewall.
  • Get the newest Windows updates and security patches.
  • Reset Internet settings by flushing DNS and resetting Winsock.
  • Clear browser cache if you’re not using a Netflix app.
  • Use Windscribe’s customer support to ask for help.

Switch to a better VPN for Netflix

use CyberGhost VPN to unblock Netflix

If you can’t get Windscribe to work with Netflix or if it often fails to unblock it, consider dropping this VPN service and switching to a more suitable tool for Netflix, such as CyberGhost VPN.

Made by Kape Technologies, CyberGhost VPN can unblock more Netflix catalogs than Windscribe, including Netflix US, UK, Canada, India, France, and Germany. It has a special category of VPN servers dedicated to streaming, which you can quickly access.

The app supports exclusive DNS servers and DNS leak protection, OpenVPN with 256-bit encryption, split tunneling, a kill switch, along with an ad and malware blocker. It has an impressive network of over 6,500 servers spread across 89 countries.

More about CyberGhost VPN:

  • No traffic logs
  • Works with Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox
  • Up to 45-day money-back guarantee
  • 1-day free trial for Windows and Mac
  • 7-day free trial for iOS and Android

CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN

Use a more reliable VPN to unblock the best Netflix catalogs and enjoy unlimited streaming.
$2.75/mo. Buy it now

To summarize, you can use Windscribe to unblock Netflix but only if you get the premium version of the VPN app. If you encounter connection issues with Netflix, there are ways to troubleshoot them.

However, if you don’t feel that Windscribe is good enough for the popular streaming service, consider using a better VPN for Netflix, such as CyberGhost VPN.

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Catalyst Control Center Won’t Open: 6 Ways to Force It

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

A few users have complained that the AMD Catalyst Control Center is not opening. We focus on it in this guide and give you some quick resolutions.

Advanced users mainly use this app for all sorts of things, such as color adjustment or display management, but when this great program bugs in Windows 10, it becomes frustrating.

Before we talk about fixes, let us explore some common triggers.

Why is my Catalyst Control Centre not opening?

When the control center is no longer opening, our interactions with users show that it could be because of any of the following:

  • Driver-related issues – These could be corrupt or outdated, especially your graphics card driver.
  • Software conflicts – Conflicts with third-party tools or drivers on your PC is a huge factor that triggers this problem among users.
  • Bad system files – Users have encountered problems when system files are missing or damaged.
  • Compatibility issues – While third-party apps may be an issue with some users, the main problem is often compatibility with the operating system.
  • Virus – Malware or virus infections on your device also trigger a few programs not to launch, which often affects the AMD Catalyst Control Center.

So, if the Catalyst Control Center won’t open, we recommend you take the steps we list in the section below.

What can I do if AMD Catalyst Control Center is not opening?

1. Start Catalyst Control Center from the installation directory

  1. Navigate to the path below:
    C:\Program Files (x86)
    amd catalyst control center not opening
  2. Open the ATI Technologies folder, select ATI.ACE, then Core-Static and choose amd64.
  3. Double-click on CLIStart.exe to run.

In addition, you can create a shortcut on your desktop so you won’t have to navigate through folders each time you want to run CCC.

2. Close all Catalyst tasks

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
  2. Go to the Processes tab.
    amd catalyst control center not opening
  3. Search for any task related to Catalyst, and click End task.
    amd catalyst control center not opening
  4. Return to your desktop and launch AMD Catalyst Control Center.

3. Update your display drivers

Specialized driver updating software will show precisely what drivers need updating. You can update several drivers at once or select just the one you need.

Plus, these tools are designed to do the whole driver downloading and installing job instead of you. The best way to avoid permanent damage to your PC is by getting the right driver versions.

4. Run an SFC scan

  1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, and hit Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
    amd catalyst control center not opening
  2. Input the command below and hit Enter.
    sfc /scannow
    amd catalyst control center not opening
  3. Wait until the scanning process finishes and restart your computer.
  4. Launch AMD Catalyst Control Center again.

5. Update your computer

  1. Press Windows + I to go to Settings.
  2. Open Update & Security.
    amd catalyst control center not opening
  3. Click on Windows Update and check for updates.
    amd catalyst control center not opening

Ensure you’re running the latest Windows 10 updates on your machine. This means installing all the available critical, recommended, and optional patches.

6. Run a scan

  1. Type Windows Security in the Search bar, and click on the relevant search result.
    amd catalyst control center not opening
  2. Now, click on Virus & threat protection.
    amd catalyst control center not opening
  3. Click on Scan options.
    amd catalyst control center not opening
  4. Now, select Full scan and click on the Scan now button at the bottom.

That’s it; if the AMD Catalyst Control Center is not opening, you should find success using any of the solutions in this guide.

Let us know what worked for you using the comments section below.

Rocket League is becoming free to play on Xbox One and other platforms on September 23

Posted on by davew

Starting September 23, 2020, Rocket League will be free-to-play on Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, Nintendo Switch, and PS4. As noted on Xbox Wire, Rocket League will also receive a new update to get the game ready for its free-to-play debut.

In Rocket League, you play a fast-paced game of soccer with a super-sized ball and rocket-powered cars. Rocket League supports cross-platform play, so Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC players can play in matches head-to-head. Starting tomorrow, Rocket League will also enable cross-platform progression and provide Legacy Status items for current game owners, and also introduce revamped Tournaments, game-wide Challenges, as well as streamlined Seasons and new Ranks.

Rocket League will also be available for free in the Epic Games Store for PC starting on September 23, 2020. If you add Rocket League using your Epic Games Store library between September 23, 2020, and October 23, 2020, you will get an Epic Games Store coupon for $10 off any game or add-on $14.99 or higher.

Rocket League®
Rocket League®
Download
QR-Code

Rocket League®
Developer:
PSYONIX LLC
Price:
Free

[Solved] Fortinet VPN Locks Out User After 1 Failed Attempt

Posted on by Elena Constantinescu

Fortinet offers a VPN called FortiClient, which companies can set up to provide remote access to their work-from-home and traveling employees. This way, they can access office network shares just as if they were physically at work.

Unfortunately, many system admins receive complaints from users that the Fortinet VPN locks them out after 1 failed attempt. If you’re looking for a quick fix to this problem, we’re here to help.

How do I fix Fortinet VPN user lockout after 1 failed attempt?

Enter the next command lines:

config user setting
set auth-lockout-duration <seconds>
set auth-lockout-threshold <failed_attempts>
end

For example, if you want to allow 5 login attempts and keep users locked out for 10 minutes, use:

config user setting
set auth-lockout-duration 600
set auth-lockout-threshold 5
end

However, you should keep in mind that too many failed login could indicate that someone with unauthorized access is trying to access your company’s network through the Fortinet VPN, like a former employee whose credentials you didn’t revoke.

To prevent this security breach, make sure to set a low number of login attempts and a lengthier lockout duration. Also, you should have email notifications enabled so that you get alerted as soon as a user account gets locked out.

Choose a more reliable VPN solution for your business

use Perimeter 81

If you regularly have to fix Fortinet VPN issues like user lockout after 1 failed attempt, consider switching to a better VPN service for your organization, like Perimeter 81. It offers cloud management, easy network deployment, and user-friendly tools for your employees.

Perimeter 81 supports dedicated global gateways, two-factor authentication, and always-on VPN. It also comes with shared gateways in 35 locations, site-to-site interconnectivity, policy-based segmentation, and activity audits and reports.

What else you must know about Perimeter 81:

  • 3 subscription plans for all-sized businesses
  • Integrates with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce, and others
  • 24/7 chat support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Perimeter 81

Don’t let errors affect your business with this robust VPN solution.
Free Trial Visit Website

To sum up, you can easily fix the Fortinet VPN locks out user after 1 failed attempt issue. You just have to enter a few lines of code in the command-line panel for FortiClient VPN. Similarly, with the CLI, you can fix the all FortiGuard servers failed to respond error.

However, if you’re looking for an alternative VPN solution for your company, keep Perimeter 81 in mind since it’s superior in every way.

Your account privacy settings are being applied [Excel Help]

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

Microsoft has promised to give users more control over the data that is processed when they are using Microsoft Office.

Therefore, they already adjusted the privacy settings around Microsoft Office apps several times and made them more transparent.

But still, many users have complained that when are trying to open a Microsoft Excel document, a yellow bar occurs stating the following error message:

Privacy settings applied. Your account privacy settings are being applied to this device.

Down below, you will find quick solutions to solve this annoying Microsoft Excel problem.

How can I fix Your account privacy settings are being applied?

1. Turn off some Privacy Options

How to fix Your account privacy settings are being applied

  1. Open the Microsoft Excel app, and click on the File tab.
  2. Select Options, and click on Trust Center.
  3. Go to Trust Center Settings, and scroll to the bottom to Privacy Options.
  4. Uncheck the Get designs, information, recommendations, and services by allowing Office to access and make product improvements based on Office content on my device box.
  5. Click OK and exit the Microsoft Excel document.
  6. Restart the app.

Microsoft analyses user behavior within the Office applications and displays tips, advertisements or product recommendations based on this user behavior.

If you don’t want to receive any other error messages because of this option, then you can always turn it off.

2. Repair Microsoft Excel

Hot to Repair Excel your account privacy settings are being applied to this device excel

  1. Open Control Panel, and click Uninstall Program.
  2. Select Microsoft Office Suite and double-click it.
  3. Choose Change from the pop-up menu, and click Repair.

Can’t open Control Panel on your Windows 10 PC? Follow the steps in this guide to fix the issue quickly

3. Update Microsoft Excel

How to update Excel your account privacy settings are being applied to this device excel

  1. Open Microsoft Excel, and click on the File tab.
  2. Go to Product Information, and select Update Options.
  3. Click the Update Now button.

Microsoft Office is normally updated automatically. However, if this doesn’t work, you can also update it manually. Otherwise, errors may occur when you are opening Excel documents, for instance.

You can always use the built-in Repair tool, by opening Control Panel to repair Microsoft Excel if any other error messages are encountered.

Microsoft Excel is probably the most widely used spreadsheet application on Windows computers and is part of Microsoft Office.

Excel‘s extensive calculations with formulas and functions, including commercial, statistical and date functions make the program irreplaceable in today’s office.

If you have any more questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know by using the comments section below.

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Unlicensed Product & activation errors [Outlook, Office 365]

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

You want to start your Outlook or Office as usual, but as soon as you open the software the error message Unlicensed product appears at the top of the screen.

This message in Outlook or Office 365 usually indicates a problem with the activation of the software. To restore all Office features, you must solve the issue that caused the activation to fail.

Usually, Outlook and Office activation errors are pretty common. Users have encountered these problems even if they had their product activated for a long time.

The most likely reason for this error may be due to new regulations and security measures that are constantly being implemented.

These can cause the servers that deal with subscriptions to be reset, thus creating a chain reaction when it comes to the activation of your product.

Following the solutions below will enable you to solve the Unlicensed product error quickly, so make sure to follow the steps described here closely, and test your product after each of them.

How can I fix Unlicensed Product activation errors?

1. Sign in with the correct account

Try signing in with all your private email addresses, in case you purchased Office under a different email address.

If you’re at work or school, you might need to sign in with your business, school, or college account instead of your private email account.

To verify that your Microsoft account is associated with Office, sign in the services and subscriptions.

Your Office product or Office 365 subscription should be listed there. If it’s not, your email address will not work for Office sign in.

2. Check if multiple copies of Office are installedHow to uninstall Office unlicensed product error

  1. Open Control Panel, and then select Programs and Features.
  2. Search for Office, select it, and click Uninstall.
  3. Restart your PC.
  4. Open Outlook and log in when prompted.

Can’t open Control Panel in Windows 10? Follow the steps from this handy guide to resolve it

3. Check the status of your subscription

services and subscription office unlicensed product error

  1. Close all the Office apps.
  2. Go to your Services and Subscriptions page.
  3. Select Sign in, and enter the email address and password of the Microsoft account.
  4. Check the details under the Subscriptions or Cancelled subscriptions heading. If your subscription has expired, you can renew it, and restart Outlook if necessary.

As you can see, dealing with activation errors in Outlook and Office 365 is not that hard. Keep in mind that using the correct account and making sure that you have a valid subscription can easily solve your problem.

To ensure a speedy and effective recovery from the issue described in this guide, please make sure to follow the steps presented here exactly.

If you have more questions or suggestions, leave them in the comments section below, and we’ll be sure to check them out.

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There is no email program associated to perform the action

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

When you open Outlook, sometimes you receive the following error message:

No email program is assigned to perform the desired action. Install an appropriate e-mail program, or create an assignment in the Control Panel under Default Programs if a program is already installed.

When this error occurs, it is also no longer possible to transfer files to the Outlook system. And that can be pretty annoying especially if you have something urgent to send.

If you’re also having this problem with Outlook on your Windows 10 PC, you can try the steps mentioned below and resolve it by yourself.

How do I fix no email program associated to perform the action?

1. Set an email program as default

set default email there is no email program associated to perform the requested action

  1. Press the Windows key + I, and select Apps.
  2. Choose the Default Apps, and select the application under the Email section.
  3. Select Mail (Or an application of your choice) from the newly appeared list.
  4. Restart your PC.

If you don’t have an email program, then you can download any email program of your choice and then follow the above steps to set it as default.

By default, Windows 10 comes with a simple Mail client. Keep in mind that this application is a very down basic version compared to Outlook, and the automatic insertion of BCC email addresses can not possible with it.

2. Delete the Outlook registry keys

Delete registry keys there is no email program associated to perform the requested action

  1. Press the Windows key + R.
  2. Type regedit to open Registry Editor.
  3. In the left pane navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareClientsMailMicrosoft Outlook
  4. Right-click over Microsoft Outlook.
  5. Select Delete and confirm any additional prompts.
  6. Close Registry Editor.
  7. Press the Windows key + I.
  8. Open the Settings app, go to System, and select Default apps.
  9. Choose the application under the Email section.
  10. Select Mail as the default email client.

One of the possible reasons for the already mentioned Outlook error message is the corrupted registry keys. This can lead to several problems whenever a program tries to connect to the Outlook Simple MAPI interface.

Therefore, you will have to first delete the corrupted Outlook registry keys and then you can repair the Outlook.

If you bump into any errors while trying to access Registry Editor, fix them quickly with this guide

3. Repair the Outlook system

Windows settings apps button - Sedlauncher.exe fix high cpu usage

  1. Right-click on the Windows symbol.
  2. Select Settings, and go to Apps.
  3. Choose Office, and press on Change.
  4. Select the Repair function.

The longer you use Outlook, the more emails, and appointments you manage with it, and so increases the possibility that problems like the error message No email program is assigned to perform the desired action will occur.

Under certain circumstances, Outlook may even crash regularly while you are working, or your profile may no longer open at all. In such cases, you have to repair the Outlook system with the solutions above.

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Microsoft releases new firmware updates for Surface Go and Surface Go LTE

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has just released new firmware updates for the Surface Go and its LTE variant. In addition to the stability enhancements, the new bits should improve the Smart Charging reliability, a feature that helps reduce battery deterioration.

Moreover, there are several refinements for the camera experience, as Microsoft has included new updates in this batch to resolve various issues. If you are using a Surface Go/LTE device with Windows 10 version 1903 or newer, you will see the following updates:

  • Surface UEFI – Firmware: 1.1.18.0 *Improves battery Smart Charging reliability, and addresses security updates.
  • Intel AVStream Camera 2500 – System devices: 30.18305.6.12414 Improves camera experience and resolves associated system bugcheck.
  • Intel Microsoft Camera Front -System devices: 30.18305.6.12414 Improves camera experience and resolves associated system bugcheck.
  • Intel Microsoft Camera IR – System devices: 30.18305.6.12414 Improves camera experience and resolves associated system bugcheck.
  • Intel Microsoft Camera Rear – System devices: 30.18305.6.12414 Improves camera experience and resolves associated system bugcheck.
  • Intel Camera – Control Logic -System devices: 30.18305.6.12414 Improves camera experience and resolves associated system bugcheck.
  • Intel Camera – CSI2 Host Controller Driver – System devices: 30.18305.6.12414 Improves camera experience and resolves associated system bugcheck.
  • Intel Camera – Imaging Signal Processor 2500 -System devices: 30.18305.6.12414 Improves camera experience and resolves associated system bugcheck.
  • Intel® iCLS Client – Software components: 1.60.155.0 Addresses security updates and improves system stability.
  • Intel® Management Engine Interface -System devices: 1952.14.0.1470 Addresses security updates and improves system stability.
  • (Firmware update extension) – no Device Manager notes: 5.5.0.0 Improves Surface Dock 2 reliability and addresses system bugcheck.
  • Surface System Telemetry Driver -System devices: 1.29.137.0 Facilitates power and thermal related data analysis.
  • Surface Dock Firmware Update – Firmware: 2.49.139.0 Improves Surface Dock 2 reliability and addresses system bugcheck.
  • Surface ME – Firmware: 11.8.77.3664 Addresses security updates and improves system stability.

Just as a reminder, firmware updates for Surface devices are released in stages, which means that not everyone gets them on day one. It could take a while until it shows up on your PC, so don’t worry if you’re not getting these updates on your Surface Go yet.

Microsoft Teams will let users turn off message previews in desktop notifications next month

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

In July, we first heard that Microsoft is working on a new privacy feature that will allow users to turn off message previews in toast notifications in Microsoft Teams. Now, the company has announced via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center that the change will begin rolling out in early October. 

With this new functionality, users will get better control over privacy by changing their settings to disable chat notification previews during Teams meetings. When the feature rolls out, users will be able to access the new setting “Show message preview” under the Notifications section. Keep in mind that it will be an optional feature, and the users’ setting will be respected across all notifications on Teams clients.

Teams notification settings

Moreover, Microsoft Teams users will be able to configure native OS notifications on Windows and macOS next month. According to a new message in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, the company has postponed the release date for the new notification experience from the end of September to mid-October 2020. Microsoft has quietly updated the Microsoft 365 Roadmap item earlier this month to reflect the updated timeline. In case you missed, it the feature is currently in preview, and you can check out our separate post for more details. 

FIX: Showbox server connection error [Explained & Fixed]

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

Showbox was initially created exclusively for Android and is a beloved online streaming application by users. The interface is user-friendly and it does not require a login account.

But, as expected, this application has endured various errors over time. Thereby, many people have encountered this server connection error while trying to watch a movie.

If you want to watch your favorite shows and movies on PC with Showbox, then you should know that you need an Android emulator for Windows 10.
In the following lines, you will find an explanation and sure ways to solve this annoying server connection problem for Android devices.

How can I fix the Showbox connection error while connecting to the server?

1. Check if your Showbox application is outdated

outdated version on Showbox server connection error

  1. Go to Google Play.
  2. Search for Showbox App.
  3. Click on Install.

If you have an old version of the application, then you will definitely run into this connection error.

You need to make sure that you download the latest Showbox version, and thus you can have access to the latest movies.

2. Clear the App Data and Cache

  1. Go to Settings on your PC, and open the Apps.Showbox server connection error clear data and caches
  2. Find Showbox App and open it.
  3. Under Storage, you will find the space you used. Now you can Clear Data and Cache.clear app data and cache on Showbox server connection error

By deleting App Data and Cache all previously downloaded series or movies won’t be automatically deleted.

The advantage is that the application will work as if it had been installed again. However, the movies remain on your device’s internal Storage.

3. Make sure that your Internet connection is stable

stable Internet connection on Showbox server connection error

If the application fails to establish an Internet connection, you will not be able to stream your favorite movie or series. Therefore, the application becomes useless for you.

You can try to use a Virtual Private Network to protect your Internet connection. In this way, you will be able to use Showbox despite any problems that you may encounter with your ISP.

The server issue while trying to connect on Showbox is a common matter for most users. With an upgraded version of the application and a stable Internet connection, you will be able to enjoy your favorite movies and shows anytime.

If you have more questions or suggestions, leave them in the comments section below, and we’ll be sure to check them out.

Fix HP driver error 9996 on Windows PCs

Posted on by Andrew Wafer

If an update from HP cannot be installed on your Windows 10 computer, you are most likely receiving the system error 9996.

This alert is displayed by default and indicates a general problem that occurred during the update process.

So, based only on this error code is quite complicated to isolate the actual problem and find the right troubleshooting solutions.

That’s why we are here to assist you. In this article, we will try to find the best methods that you can use to address the HP driver error 9996 issue.

How can I fix the HP Driver error 9996 on Windows 10?

  1. Make sure you have the right software installed on your computer
  2. Your computer might not meet certain system requirements
  3. Update drivers on your computer
  4. Uninstall and reinstall outdated drivers
  5. Apply Windows 10 system updates that might be waiting for your approval
  6. Remove a recently installed Windows 10 system update

1. Make sure you have the right software installed on your computer

You can receive the HP Driver error 9996 while an update is being installed if certain hardware or software is not set up on your Windows 10 machine.

For example, if Microsoft .NET is missing, you will get the 9996 error code.

The same will happen if an update for an HP keyboard will be initiated on a system that uses a non-HP keyboard (you replaced the original HP keyboard – or any other HP manufactured hardware component – with a new one).

Thus, you should first verify if the required programs for the actual HP update are installed on your computer.

Also, if a hardware component is missing, then most likely you won’t have to install the particular update package.

That’s a situation during which the HP Driver error 9996 problem is not really an actual problem at all – the update is not needed on your computer.

2. Your computer might not meet certain system requirements

The same error code can occur if your computer is running low on memory – for example, if the update has 2 GB in size but on your computer, you have only 1 GB free disk space.

That’s why, at this point, you need to make sure that these system requirements are not the reason why you experience the HTC Driver error 9996.

Do note that system requirements might include software aspects such as the latest version of a certain program.

For example, if Microsoft .Net v2.0 is required but your PC is running on Microsoft .Net v1.0.

3. Update drivers on your computer

  1. On your computer right-click on the Start icon.
  2. From the list that shows up, click on the Device Manager entry.update graphic drivers from device manager
  3. In the Device Manager window find the driver that must be updated.
  4. Right-click on this driver and select Update.
  5. Wait while the flashing process is automatically completed and when done reboot your PC.

If your issue is tied to HP accessories, such as docking stations, you may also need to manually install specific drivers. For example, check out this HP USB-C Dock 5G drivers guide to download and install the correct package for stable performance.

If you are getting the HP error code 9996 while trying to install an update, that’s most likely related to a certain HP driver.

Therefore, you should update all drivers that run on your computer. This process can be completed with the help of the above steps, yet it isn’t the only way.

If it sounds a bit too tricky for you, don’t hesitate to install a dedicated driver updater tool and let it handle this job. The tool is best known for keeping your drivers updated automatically.

There’s a huge database updated daily, not to mention that it will prevent file loss and avoid permanent damage to your PC.

More than that, you can repair corrupted drivers that may become dangerous for the system due to malfunctions like BSoD errors.

This tool can actually cover everything related to driver functionality, installing up-to-date drivers, or finding missing drivers from Windows PCs.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

4. Uninstall and reinstall outdated drivers

  1. Access Device Manager as explained above.
  2. Then, find the driver that must be updated.
  3. Right-click on this driver and instead of Update choose Uninstall.
  4. Then, access your manufacturer website and download the driver package.
  5. Install this software by running the executable file and by following on-screen prompts.
  6. That should be all.

Sometimes it is better to reinstall the drivers that are not running properly. So, you need to follow the above steps or simply use Outbyte Driver Updater, the tool detailed in the first solution.

5. Install pending Windows 10 system updates.

  1. Press the Win+I keyboard hotkeys.
  2. From System Settings click on Update & Security.
  3. Switch to the Update tab.access windows update options
  4. If a firmware patch is available, install it – just follow on-screen prompts as the update will be then automatically flashed.
  5. In the end, reboot your computer.

In some situations, if your Windows 10 system is not properly updated you might receive different system errors, including the HP error code 9996 issue.

That’s why you need to make sure that there isn’t any system update that’s waiting for your approval

6. Remove a recently installed Windows 10 system update

  1. Press Win+I keyboard keys and select Update & Security.
  2. Switch to Windows Update Tab.
  3. From there click on the View installed update history link.
  4. A list of recently installed patches will be now displayed.remove windows updates
  5. Click on Uninstall updates and choose the firmware package you want to remove from your PC.
  6. Reboot your computer in the end.

If you received the HP Driver error 9996 after installing a new Windows 10 update, a good idea might be to revert the update process.

You can uninstall certain Windows patches by following the above procedure.

The methods explained above should help you fix the HP Driver error 9996. When this error pops on the screen, you shouldn’t panic.

Probably the actual HP update is not really needed on your computer, so you can just ignore the error code.

If you have questions or if you want to learn other related stuff, contact our team. You can do it without hassle through the comments field from below.

Microsoft Edge Canary lets select Insiders easily translate text on a web page

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft Edge is getting a new feature that should make it possible for users to translate selected parts of the text on a webpage (via Deskmodder). The feature is currently under a controlled rollout, and it’s available for select Insiders in the Canary channel.

By default, Microsoft Edge comes with a built-in translation capability that lets users automatically translate web pages in a language that is different than the default language of the browser. The enhancements to the translation feature will bring the ability to translate certain sections of the page and then display the content in English while browsing a website.

If you’re running the latest Canary version of Edge on your PC, you can find this new option in the context menu. Simply open a webpage in the browser, and select a section of its text you want to translate. Then right-click on the selection and select the “Translate selection to English” option. Once done, the selected text should be translated into the default language configured by the user. If you want to revert this change, click on the translation symbol in the address bar and select “show original” to see the original text.

The updated functionality has been borrowed from legacy Edge, and it’s not available in Chrome natively yet. Considering that it’s a minor feature, the change could be made available to the Dev channel, and eventually, the stable version, sooner rather than later.

How to make transparent background in Paint.NET [Full Guide]

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Paint.NET is a free image editing program, much better suited for image processing than the other free programs on the market.

Of course, this simple tool does not have the same variety of functions as Photoshop. But the free image editor also offers numerous editing options and is therefore a real hit: it has already been downloaded millions of times.

When editing, you can divide different layers, have freely positionable tool palettes and a multitude of different filters at your disposal.

Paint.NET also offers you the much-loved transparency function which leads you to add transparent background to your images or make individual areas transparent.

In the following lines, you will find a complete guide on how you can use this beloved transparency function.

How can I add transparency to an image?

1. Make the background of an image transparent

Add transparency to an image How to make transparent background in Paint.NET

  1. Start Paint.NET, and select File.
  2. Click Open to open the image in which you want to insert a transparent area or a transparent background.
  3. Select the Magic Wand icon from the Toolbox.
  4. Click in the background.
  5. If parts of the background have not been selected, adjust this under Tolerance.
  6. To make the area transparent, press the Delete key on your PC keyboard.
  7. Save the image as a PNG file.

2. Tips for transparency in Paint.NET

Add tips for transparency to an image How to make transparent background in Paint.NET

  1. When you click on the Magic Wand, an additional settings bar appears.
  2. Under Tolerance, you can set how strictly the wand should differentiate the colors. This will help you definitely if the wand removes more than just the background.
  3. The background and the foreground should be in different colors.
  4. If there are gaps in the image so that the background shines through (like the angled arms), make these gaps transparent.
  5. Select Global from the menu, and everything with the same color will be removed.
  6. Be sure to save the image as a PNG file in order to save it as an image with a transparent background.
  7. Please do not use any other image format (such as JPEG) as the transparent area will not be saved as such.

3. Change Background in Paint.NET

Add lasso background how to make transparent background in Paint.NET

  1. Start Paint.NET, and select File.
  2. Click Open to open the image in which you want to give a new background.
  3. Select the Eraser icon from the Toolbox, and erase the background.
  4. Leave only the object you want to put in front of the new background.
  5. Click on the Color Pot from the Toolbox, and select a color for the new background.
  6. To recolor the background, simply click in the erased area of the image.
  7. If you want the area to remain transparent, save the file in PNG format.

Note: If small areas have not taken on the new color, zoom into the image a little, and fill the background with color again.

Paint.NET can make images transparent and thus hide backgrounds, for example. This works particularly easily with the free Paint.NET, as it does not have any complicated functions.

The best way to make the background of an image transparent is to give it a uniform color and to make it stand out clearly from the object in the foreground.

If you have any more questions or suggestions, feel free to let them in the comments section below, and we will check them out.

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Atibtmon.exe Runtime Error: 6 Methods you can use to Fix it

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

A runtime error on Windows 10 can be frustrating, and Atibtmon.exe is one of the more common ones.

Atibtmon.exe is designed to switch to a power-saving mode when you unplug your laptop and to work with ATI graphic cards. As for its power-saving features, this application does it by dimming the brightness of your laptop display.

Many users have reported getting a runtime error that says that atibtmon.exe has requested Runtime to terminate it unusually. According to users, this issue happens when they disconnect their AC power cord.

Why does the Runtime error atibtmon.exe appear?

We have investigated this error and have concluded that the following are the primary triggers.

  • Outdated drivers – If you run on outdated drivers, especially the graphics card, you may run into this runtime error.
  • Malware – Malware is a common trigger for many computer issues, including the atibtmon.exe runtime error.
  • Conflicting software – Some users have observed that a particular set of third-party applications may result in this error.

Atibtmon.exe Runtime Error can be an annoying problem, and many users reported it on their PC. Speaking of Atibtmon.exe, users said the following issues:

  • Atibtmon.exe runtime error Toshiba – This error can appear on almost any device, and many Toshiba owners reported it. We advise you to try some of our solutions to see how to fix this problem.
  • Vari Bright Windows 10 – Many users claim that this problem is related to Vari Bright feature in Catalyst Control Center. However, you can fix the problem simply by disabling this feature.
  • Runtime error atibtmon.exe AMD – This error is related to your AMD graphics card, and to fix it, it’s advised to install an older graphics card driver.
  • Atibtmon.exe runtime error on startup – This error can sometimes appear as soon as Windows 10 starts. However, you can fix the problem by disabling startup applications and services.
  • Atibtmon.exe application error – This is just a variation of the original error, and you should be able to fix it using the same solutions.
  • Atibtmon.exe stopped working – If you get a message saying that Atibtmon.exe stopped working, the problem might be your power settings. To fix the problem, change your power settings and check if that helps.

Let’s explore the best resolutions to this error on a Windows 10 device without much ado.

How can I fix the atibtmon.exe runtime error?

1. Get the older version of the display driver

  1. Press Windows Key + X and choose Device Manager from the list.
    atibtmon.exe runtime error
  2. Locate your display adapter on the list, right-click it, and choose Uninstall device from the menu.
    atibtmon.exe runtime error
  3. Check Attempt to remove the driver for this device and click on Uninstall.
    atibtmon.exe runtime error

Atibtmon.exe Runtime Error can appear due to problems with your display driver; however, you can fix the problem simply by installing an older AMD driver.

Before installing the older driver, you need to remove the current one. Once you remove the driver, restart your PC, and the default version should be installed automatically.

It’s worth mentioning that you can altogether remove your display driver using a Display Driver Uninstaller. This is a freeware tool that will remove your display driver along with all files associated with it.

To learn more about this tool, we advise you to check our article on how to use Display Driver Uninstaller.

Once the default driver is installed, check if the problem still appears. If not, you might want to consider updating the driver to a newer version, but be sure not to install the same version that gave you this problem in the first place.

If you choose not to update your driver manually, you might want to prevent Windows from updating the driver.

Windows 10 updates outdated drivers automatically, which can sometimes cause various issues, so you need to prevent Windows 10 from updating specific drivers. Follow this handy guide to learn how to do that.

2. Automatically update drivers

While installing the drivers manually is a reliable option, specialized software can save you time and effort and get the latest updates.

This kind of tool can automatically update your drivers safely and preferentially by scanning your PC and giving you a list of outdated drivers.

3. Disable Vari-Bright in Catalyst Control Center

  1. Launch the AMD Radeon Software.
  2. Click the Settings icon, and select the Display tab.
  3. Under Display Options, toggle off the switch for Vari-Bright.

4. Disable Powerplay in Catalyst Control Center

  1. Press Windows Key + S and enter power settings. Now select Power & sleep settings from the list of results.
    Atibtmon.exe application error
  2. Select Additional power settings in the left pane.
    Atibtmon.exe stopped working
  3. Locate your currently selected power plan and click Change plan settings next to it.
    Atibtmon.exe runtime error Toshiba
  4. Now click on Change advanced power settings.
    Atibtmon.exe runtime error Toshiba
  5. Locate ATI Graphics Power Settings on the list and expand it.
  6. Now set both ATI Powerplay Settings to Maximum Performance and save changes.

According to users, Atibtmon.exe Runtime Error can sometimes appear due to the Catalyst Control Center Powerplay feature. This feature can conflict with your power settings, causing this error.

However, you can fix the problem by disabling Powerplay in Catalyst Control Center. After disabling this feature, you also have to change your power settings.

After doing that, the conflict with the Powerplay feature should be entirely resolved, and you won’t see this error message anymore.

5. Disable AMD External Events service

  1. Press Windows Key + R and enter services.msc. Press Enter or click OK.
    Vari Bright Windows 10
  2. A list of services will now appear. Double-click the AMD External Events service to open its properties.
  3. Set the Startup type to Disabled and click the Stop button to stop the service. Now click on Apply and OK to save changes.
    Vari Bright Windows 10

To work correctly, Windows and other applications require specific services. However, sometimes services can cause Atibtmon.exe Runtime Error to appear on your PC.

Several users reported that AMD External Events service caused this problem; you must disable it to fix it.

After disabling this service, check if the problem persists.

6. Perform a Clean boot

  1. Press Windows Key + R and enter msconfig. Now press Enter or click OK.
    Runtime error atibtmon.exe AMD
  2. Navigate to the Services tab and check Hide all Microsoft services; click the Disable all button to disable the services.
    Atibtmon.exe runtime error on startup
  3. Navigate to the Startup tab and click on Open Task Manager.
    Atibtmon.exe application error
  4. A list of startup applications will now appear. Locate the first item on the list, right-click it, and choose Disable from the menu.
    • Repeat this step for all startup applications on the list.
      Atibtmon.exe stopped working
  5. Now go back to the System Configuration window and click on Apply and OK.
    Atibtmon.exe runtime error Toshiba
  6. Restart your PC.

As mentioned, third-party applications can interfere with Windows and cause Atibtmon.exe Runtime Error to appear. In addition, sometimes, these applications can automatically start with Windows and cause this error on startup.

Once your PC restarts, check if the problem still appears. If not, it means that one of the disabled applications or services is causing the issue.

We hope these solutions helped you with solving this runtime error. If you have any comments or questions, or you maybe know some other solutions for this problem, reach for our comment section below.

Also, if you have any other problem related to Windows 10, you can search for the solution in our Windows 10 Fix section. We also have a guide on atiumdag.dll errors, so don’t miss it.

If you’re having runtime issues with Microsoft Visual C in Windows 10, here’s how to fix that, or in case your issues are related to RuntimeBroker.exe Error in Windows 10, we have a fix for that, as well.

FIX: The VPN client failed to establish a connection

Posted on by Vlad Constantinescu

If you’re using Cisco AnyConnect, you may have encountered the infamous VPN client failed to establish a connection error. More often than not, this issue solves itself, but sometimes it may take a bit of elbow grease to put the wheels in motion.

Although a VPN client, Cisco AnyConnect isn’t your regular privacy-protection security tool. In fact, this service was developed to help remote workers access the enterprise network and share company resources in a safe, secure manner.

How to fix Cisco AnyConnect’s connection error?

1. Restart your PC

Restarting not only your PC, but also the app itself, your router, and possibly your modem too can have quite the effect in this situation. It’s well-known that your PC builds upon on cached data, but so does your router.

Thus, giving them a chance to refresh their internal configuration, discard old, outdated data, and acquire new one might work wonders. There’s a good reason why restarting is the first suggestion of most customer support agents.

Furthermore, you could try uninstalling the AnyConnect VPN client and perform a fresh install. It’s not exactly uncommon for updates to render perfectly functional features unusable.

2. Flush your DNS

    1. Press the Win key on your keyboard
    2. Type CMD
    3. Right-click the Command Prompt icon
    4. Select Run as administratorflush DNS servers in Windows 10
    5. Type the following commands, in this precise order, one by one:
      • ipconfig /flushdns
        ipconfig /registerdns
        ipconfig /release
        ipconfig /renew
        netsh winsock reset
        exit
    6. Restart your computer
    7. Launch Cisco AnyConnect
    8. Check if the connection problem still persists

 

If restarting your PC and router didn’t do the trick, manually forcing your PC to discard old cached DNS and acquire a new set of DNS servers might just be enough to put things back in order.

3. Disable Wi-Fi hotspot

If you have a Wi-Fi hotspot up and running on your PC, it would be wise to turn it off and checking if the problem still persists.

Reportedly, this issue occurs more frequently for Windows 7 PC users, but it might’ve slipped on later versions of this operating system, as well.

4. Disable ICS

  1. Hit the Win key
  2. Type Services
  3. Select the Services app from the resultsServices Start menu
  4. Scroll down to Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
  5. Right-click it and select Properties
  6. Click the Startup type combo menu
  7. Select Disabled from the menuDisable ICS
  8. Click Apply and OK
  9. Restart your PC
  10. Check if the issue still persists

5. Change adapter settings

  1. Press the Win key on your keyboard
  2. Type Ethernet settingsEthernet settings in start menu
  3. Access the Ethernet settings section
  4. Click the Change adapter options buttonThe change adapter options button
  5. Right-click your active connection and select Properties
  6. Go to the Sharing tab
  7. Make sure the sharing option is not checked (uncheck it if necessary)Disable Internet Sharing
  8. Restart your PC
  9. Check if the VPN client failed to establish a connection error still persists

6. Check your firewall/antivirus settings

  1. Press the Win key
  2. Type Firewall
  3. Select the Firewall & Network protection option
  4. Click the Allow an app through firewall button
  5. Press the Change settings button
  6. Look for Cisco AnyConnect in the list
  7. If you can’t find it, use the Allow another app button
  8. Make sure the Private and Public boxes are both checked
  9. Click OK
  10. Check your antivirus for any signs of blocking Cisco AnyConnect
  11. Add Cisco AnyConnect to your antivirus’ exception list
  12. Restart your computer
  13. Check if the VPN connection error is still there

Some users reported that certain antivirus software solutions block some programs by default. Therefore, it’s not enough to leave the program (Cisco AnyConnect) as it is.

What you’ll need to do is open the antivirus program and add the VPN to a trusted list.

Final thoughts on fixing VPNs failing to establish connections

All things considered, if you’re having a difficult time getting your VPN to establish a connection, you might want to try troubleshooting the issue manually.

More often than not, the situation fixes itself. However, sometimes you might need to step into action and perform certain steps such as restarting your PC, clearing your cache, flushing your DNS, or even disabling Windows services temporarily.

[wl_navigator]

How to fix SonicWall SSL VPN failed to login [Easy Guide]

Posted on by Elena Constantinescu

SonicWall Global VPN Client is a business VPN solution you can set up on your organization to provide remote access for work-at-home or traveling employees. It’s an excellent alternative to Cisco VPN.

Unfortunately, many system admins have trouble with the user configuration and can’t find a way to fix the SonicWall SSL VPN failed to login error.

It occurs when attempting to use NetExtender to create a user login sequence over SSL-VPN, resulting in the E-mail address may be configured wrong error message.

The problem is that the administrator activated a one-time password on the group associated with the user but didn’t also enable the user’s email address. Our guide below shows you how to quickly fix it in just a few steps.

How do I fix SonicWall SSL VPN failed to login?

require one-time password in SonicWall

  1. Using the SonicWall Global VPN Client, go to Users > Local Groups.
  2. Locate the group associated with the user and click the Edit button.
  3. Make sure to enable Require one-time passwords.
  4. Head over to Users > Local Users.
  5. Find the user’s group and click Edit.
  6. Switch to the Setting tab and specify the user’s email address.
  7. Click OK.
  8. To test the fix, reconnect to the SSL-VPN.
  9. Check the email account for a temporary password.
  10. You should now be able to enter the password and log in successfully.

If SonicWall SSL VPN failed to login and displayed the User is not authorized to use NetExtender error message, make sure to upgrade SMB SSL-VPN 2000/4000 and SRA 4200 appliance’s firmware version to 3.5.0.11 or newer.

Once you successfully log in, you should gain access to the company’s shared resources in the intranet. However, if SonicWall VPN stops working or doesn’t connect, you have to determine and solve the problem.

Switch to a better VPN solution for your business

use Perimeter 81

If you got tired of fixing SonicWall VPN errors, consider dropping it and replacing it with a more powerful VPN solution, such as Perimeter 81. It’s an elaborate business VPN with a cloud management platform, seamless network deployment, and user-friendly client tools.

When using Perimeter 81, you can take advantage of automatic Wi-Fi security, single sign-on, activity audits and reports, custom DNS and DNS filtering, SIEM integration, and other awesome features.

What else you should know about Perimeter 81:

  • Made for 5 or more team members
  • Integrates with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce, and others
  • 24/7 chat support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Perimeter 81

Perimeter 81

Drop SonicWall VPN and replace it with a more powerful VPN solution for your company.
$12/mo. Buy now

In conclusion, you should be able to quickly fix the SonicWall SSL VPN failed to login issue by following the simple workaround we provided above. But if you’re interested in a better corporate VPN solution, pick Perimeter 81 instead.

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AT&T Fixed Wireless running with VPN [Easy Guide]

Posted on by Vlad Constantinescu

AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet has the potential to connect numerous remote households to the Internet, but can it support VPN usage?

A lot of Internet users have relocated and are pursuing a work-from-home lifestyle. This highly depends on two things: Internet availability and connection speed.

When VPNs are involved, speed can take a serious hit. And it’s not exactly a secret that a wireless connection is not as capable as its wired counterpart.

What is Fixed Wireless Internet?

Fixed Wireless Internet (FWI) is a nifty service that’s mainly designed for rural households or regions where wired Internet is unfortunately not an option.

It comprises an exterior antenna, which picks up radio signals from nearby cell towers. The signal is then carried to your a router in your home, which you connect to for Internet access.

As its name suggests, Fixed Wireless Internet is not dependant on wires. Except for the wire that’s between the antenna and your router, of course

How fast is AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet?

Currently, AT&T has a single offer of FWI for personal use, and another one for business. Both are capped at 10 Mbps, although the consumer-grade one boasts download speeds of even 25 Mbps (under certain circumstances).

In a world where Gigabit Ethernet is no longer a myth, having a 10 Mbps connection is like still using floppy disks to move data around. To put it shortly, having a 10 Mbps connection is 100 times slower than a Gigabit connection.

Not to mention that AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet has upload speeds capped at 1 Mbps, which is extremely low. Furthermore, data is capped at 250 GBs per month, which is a whole nother story, but relevant to our situation.

Can AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet support VPN?

1. Consumer-grade VPN

  1. Purchase a Private Internet Access subscription
  2. Download Private Internet Access to your PC
  3. Install the VPN client
  4. Launch PIA and connect to your account
  5. Select a fast server (the closer it is to you, the better)

Although AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet’s speed is nothing to write home about, using it with a fast VPN service such as Kape Technologies’ PIA shouldn’t increase latency too much.

The fact that Private Internet Access has an impressive network of servers makes it even more suitable for home use with AT&T’s FWI. If a server seems to be kind of slow, just switch to another one and you should be set.

However, you shouldn’t expect to be able to stream HD Netflix content, for instance. If things were slow by default on FWI, using a VPN will definitely make them even slower.

Note: To make the most out of your AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet + VPN combo, make sure you’re using Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi.

2. Business VPN

If you have other needs from your VPN aside from privacy, such as accessing company resources remotely, you’ll most likely use a business VPN.

Several companies set their own VPN server, which their employees connect to using Windows’ built-in VPN feature. Some of them, anyway.

Well, things are quite the same as with consumer-grade VPNs. You’ll definitely notice some slowdowns, depending on the capacity of the VPN server and its current load (e.g. how many users are currently connected to it).

The only drawback is that such a VPN doesn’t allow you to switch servers. This means that if the speed is extremely low, you’ll have to soldier on, as there’s nothing you can do about it.

Final thoughts on using a VPN with AT&T FWI

If you’re considering signing up for AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet and plan on using a VPN with it, you may want to reconsider. This connection type’s speed is capped at 10-25 Mbps, which is not entirely awful considering the lack of wires.

Although it’s obvious that adding a VPN to your FWI connection will slow it down, using a service such as Private Internet Access (fast and has a lot of servers) might just do the trick.

Microsoft adds more AI security protection for Azure clients

Posted on by Claudiu Andone

Azure is the top cloud platform for businesses right now so keeping it secure to protect its clients is a priority for Microsoft.

To top that up, the Redmont giant will test a satellite base connection to download satellite data to the Azure Cloud for immediate processing.

Now, Microsoft is trying a different approach to improve on Azure client’s data security: a partnership with a security company.

The partnership with Abnormal Security brings AI security to Azure

Microsoft signed a partnership with Abnormal Security to deliver a security solution for enterprises that can be purchased directly from Microsoft’s Azure Marketplace.

Microsoft for Startups is committed to helping B2B startups use the Microsoft platform to scale their business quickly and deliver innovative AI-powered solutions to enterprise customers.

Abnormal has hit the ground running, seeing success with Fortune 1000 companies in a short time, and we’re looking forward to joining forces to further accelerate their security solution to our global customers

, said Jeffrey Ma, VP Microsoft for Startups.

The great advantage of the Abnormal Security platform is that it integrates directly into the enterprise’s environment immediately and doesn’t require configuration or setup.

The solution also offers a 90 days overview with the detection activity of the attacks just to have a report about it’s effectiveness.

If you have any thoughts about Microsoft’s new deal, please leave your insights in the Comments section below.

[wl_navigator]

FIX: Lenovo N700 driver error on Windows 10/11

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

When you are having difficulty connecting your Lenovo N700 to a PC, it usually has to do with its Bluetooth drivers.

So naturally, solving Lenovo Bluetooth driver issues will help you get your Lenovo N700 working again.

Below are 3 methods that you can use to get things working again. It is important to note that these instructions are designed for Windows 10 users.

How can I fix Lenovo N700 driver issues on Windows 10?

1. Update drivers

  1. Press the Windows Key + S and type in Check for updates into the search bar.
  2. This should lead you to a window that will allow you to manually check for updates again.

Manually search for an updated driver on the Lenovo official website. You might have to do a little digging, but it is usually not very difficult to find the latest updates for your mouse.

Keep in mind that updating your drivers is an advanced procedure. If you’re not careful you can cause permanent damage to your system by downloading the wrong driver versions.

We strongly recommend a dedicated driver updater program to automatically download all the outdated drivers on your PC.

2. Ensure Bluetooth hardware is enabled

  1. Press the Windows key + X key and select Device Manager.
  2. Locate the Bluetooth or Bluetooth Radio section.
  3. Expand that section and find your N700 Bluetooth driver.
  4. Right-click on it and press Enable. 

3. Enable Discovery Mode

  1. First make sure your N700 mouse Bluetooth is on and in range of your PC.
  2. Open Start, type Settings and double-click on the first result.
  3. Go to Devices section.
  4. Select the Add Bluetooth or other device option.
  5. It should help you find your Lenovo N700 mouse.

Typically, a Lenovo N700 driver error has to do with an out of date computer. Your discovery settings on your PC might not be properly set either.

Therefore, the solutions above should help you connect your mouse to the computer again without any trouble.

For any more questions or suggestions, don’t hesitate to reach for the comments section below.

Microsoft will end support for many products in October

Posted on by Claudiu Andone

When Microsoft ended the support for Windows 7 the moment marked the entering into a new era. At least that’s what we thought because many users remained very attached to the old OS.

But Windows 7 is still in the extended support period and the software company released security updates for Windows 7 and 8.1.

In October, Microsoft will make a new step in sending some of the old apps and even a Windows version to the unsupported list.

What is the Windows end-support list?

According to Microsoft’s end-support document, the most important software that will go on the unsupported list will be Windows 10, version 1709 (Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise).

But if you also have Windows 10 versions 1803 (Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise), 1809 (Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstation, IoT Core) or Windows Server version 1809 (Datacenter Core, Standard Core), they will expire on November 10th.

You should also start preparing to upgrade if you have Windows 10, version 1903 (Enterprise, Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations, IoT Enterprise) or Windows Server, version 1903 (Datacenter, Standard) because they will be retired on December 8th.

What is the software end-support list for October 13th?

Regarding Microsoft software, the list is a lot longer, and all the tools listed below will be retired on October 13th.

Access 2010
Dynamics GP 2010
Excel 2010
Excel Mobile 2010
Exchange Server 2010 (all editions)
FAST Search Server 2010 (all editions)
Groove Server 2010
Office 2010 (all editions)
OneNote 2010
PowerPoint 2010
Project 2010
Publisher 2010
Search Server 2010
System Center Data Protection Manager 2010
System Center Essentials 2010
Visio 2010 (all editions)
Word 2010
Windows Embedded Standard 7
Office 2016 for Mac (all editions)
Excel 2016 for Mac
Outlook 2016 for Mac
PowerPoint 2016 for Mac
Word 2016 for Mac

We also have to mention that most of these products will switch to an extended support regime but to stay safe you will need to purchase Extended Security for them.

If you are using any of these OS versions or software, you should consider alternatives or upgrades. Also, make sure you have the latest security updates installed.

Are you prepared to upgrade to the next versions? Please tell us your opinion in the Comments section below. And don’t forget that Incase just announced that we’ll be offering Incase Designed by Microsoft starting in 2024, so all those accessory projects we thought were abandoned have a chance.