How to fix Mount and Blade runtime error

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Mount and Blade is an open-world action/role-playing series of games available on Steam with both historical and fictional settings and featuring strategic and tactical medieval combat.

One of the most common crash errors that people stumble upon is the Runtime error. Most people think that this error is caused by the installation of the mod, but this is a common error that can occur for a variety of reasons. Because of this, the specific solution to this error will vary.

The most common reason for this error appearing is if you own a pirated version of the Mount and Blade game. The steps described in this guide will resolve this problem as well. Read on to find out more.

How do I fix the Mount and Blade runtime error?

1. Create a Steam account

  1. Create a new Steam account by downloading and installing the Steam application.
  2. Click the Create a New Account… button from the Steam login page and follow the on-screen instructions.Create Steam account
  3. Make sure to use a valid email to able to confirm the account and finish the setup.
  4. After completing these steps (or logging in if you already had an account), follow the next step.

2. Purchase Mount and Blade from Steam

  1. Open Steam, and search for your Mount and Blade game.
  2. Click on the purchase button of the game.
  3. Choose from the several available payment options (Credit Card, Paypal, Steam Wallet).
    purchase steam options
  4. Insert your credentials to go through with the purchasing process.
  5. You can now go to your library to start downloading your game.

3. Modify the game launcher’s settings

Runtime mount and blade error

  1. Launch the game.
  2. Click Configure to enter the settings.
  3. Go the Video tab and either disable or enable Load Textures on Demand.
  4. Head into the Advanced tab and enable or disable Force Single Threading.

This is the easiest way to fix the Runtime error. By enabling both Load Textures on Demand and Force Single Threading you will most likely resolve the Runtime error, and get back to playing your game without issues.

If you found this guide helpful, don’t hesitate to contact us by leaving a comment in the section found below this article.

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How to contact Dropbox customer service by phone and chat

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

The Dropbox application is available for mobiles and a multitude of operating systems and is one of the best cloud storage services on the market. Easy and intuitive to use, but sometimes can create issues like any other software app.

Most issues are easy to address via community forums and FAQ section on the Dropbox site. However, sometimes you might want an urgent response or the issue that you encounter is not covered on any forums. In this case, you would want to contact Dropbox support via phone or chat service.

In this article, we will give the steps on how to reach Dropbox customer service by phone and chat.

Note: Before contacting customer support, Dropbox is recommending to search in the Dropbox Help Center or the Community forums for an answer to your question.

How do I contact Dropbox customer service by phone or chat?

1. Chat support

Depending on what your account type is (Basic, Plus, Professional, or Business), you will have different support options. To see the support options for your account, log in and go to Dropbox Support.

Basic, Plus, and Professional will get directed to chat or community support once they log in.

2. Phone support

Phone support for DropBox

  • If you’re a Dropbox Business team admin, log in to your admin account and visit Dropbox Support to find out how to contact phone support
  • If you’re part of a Dropbox Business team, but you’re not an admin, ask your team admin to visit Dropbox Support.
    • Admins can also add additional admins to the team, so they have access to phone support

Note: Phone support is only available to Dropbox Business users during local business hours.

Here is some more information that could be of use in your case

Available languages

different languages on notes

Generally, support is available in English to all users.

Based on your account type and location, support may be available in German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Japanese. Log in and visit Dropbox Support to check your available options.

If you don’t see your language listed as an option on the support page send an email or chat in your language, and it will be routed to the appropriate team.

Support response times and available hours

Support on table

Plus, Professional and Business users can usually expect a reply from email support within 1 business day.

Business users on the Enterprise plan can expect a response from email support within 1 hour any day of the week.

Note: If phone and chat support are listed as options when you visit the support page, they will be available during your local business hours.

In today’s guide, we explored the best methods to get into contact with Dropbox Support.

If this article has managed to answer your question, feel free to let us know by leaving a comment in the section below.

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Leaked screenshots show how Cortana could end up looking in Microsoft Teams

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Decoupled from Windows as its own app and rebranded to more of a personal productivity assistant, Cortana hasn’t really been in the spotlight, even at Microsoft’s Build conference. Some leaked screenshots, though, are showing that the digital assistant might soon be making a new journey over to Microsoft’s Teams app on iOS.

As noted by @wbpluto on Twitter, it looks as though Cortana might become a business digital assistant for the Microsoft 365 services, which includes Teams and Outlook. From her Tweet, we get a peek at how Cortana might be integrated into Teams on Apple’s iPhones. The assistant is still referred to as “Cortana” by name, and can apparently be used to “make call and join meetings on the go with your voice.” The screenshot also shows how Cortana can be used in a scenario to share documents, too.

This would fall in line with previous rumors from Microsoft reporter Brad Sams, who suggested a Microsoft has recently been referring to Cortana as the “Microsoft 365 assistant” internally. After all, Cortana already has a place in Outlook on iOS and can be used to read aloud emails.

The news is still quite interesting, nonetheless, as in an interview with PC World, Andrew Shuman, corporate vice president of Cortana, detailed a bit more of the digital assistant’s productivity shift. Apparently, Microsoft seems to want to put Cortana where people use it for their personal productivity, especially on Windows. According to Shuman:

“And you know, Windows has its flaws. But it’ll be great at launching apps. It’ll be great at simple calculations. It will soon be great at launching web sites—we don’t have that in there yet. That’s what people do on Windows all day. So we need to meet them there. And kind of earn the right to go farther”

Shuman also tells PC World that the Coronavirus has held up some progress on Cortana and caused it to not show up at Build. Additionally, he says that the “Windows 10 May 2020 release itself was in flux” as a reason for Cortana not being at the conference. There were also other issues with the company’s testing labs being shut down, but Microsoft is still shifting the focus to developers while it can. The “end-user” stories where Cortana can show off future skills, will still come later, per Shuman.

6 best Connectify alternatives to create a WiFi Hotspot

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef
Connectify needs no introduction, and if you are reading this article, you are most likely to have used it before. Apart from the core virtual hotspot functionality, Connectify also offers file sharing, bridge, dispatch, and ad-blocking features on the client device. Connectify is a premium virtual hotspot software that means to be able to use all the goodies offered by the software; you must purchase the license. While there is a free lite version of the same, it is severely limited in terms of features. Some people may simply want software that allows them to create a virtual hotspot and share the internet with other devices without the complexity of navigating through a cluttered interface for an affordable price tag or free if that is possible. This is where the Connectify alternative to create a WiFi hotspot comes into play. These alternatives offer a much cleaner user interface with limited features for a reasonable price. In this article, we have listed the best Connectify alternatives that will help you replace Connectify without making any major compromises.

Top Connectify alternatives to create a WiFi Hotspot

MyPublicWiFi

Connectify alternatives

MyPublicWiFi is a light-weight Windows utility that allows you to turn your computer into a WiFI access point or hotspot. It comes with additional features like firewall, URL tracking, and ad-blocker to protect the user.

MyPublicWiFi supports both the Hosted Network and WiFi Director for Windows 10, making it compatible with even older systems. The tool can be used for Internet Connection Sharing, in Router Mode with DHCP and NAT server protocol, Network Bridging Mode, and WLAN Repeater Mode. You can also configure the tool to disable internet sharing.

As discussed earlier, MyPublicWiFi comes with a built-in firewall that can be used to restrict user access to a specific server. In addition, it also features an Ad-blocker that turns your PC into an AdBlock router to save internet bandwidth as well as help you restrict user access to social media.

MyPublicWiFi is an excellent freeware for creating a WiFi hotspot on your Windows system as long as you don’t mind the legacy UI.

⇒Get MyPublicWiFi

Maryfi

Connectify alternatives

With Maryfi, you can share the internet with your family and friends and even co-workers, extend the range of your home router, and even share files without an active internet connection. Maryfi is a freeware that allows you to create a quick hotspot and share the internet from your windows computer.

Maryfi supports devices like your wireless printers and even Eye-Fi cards that are bound to a specific network without any issues and additional configuration required. Similar to MyPublicWiFi, Maryfi can also be used as a range extender or repeater for your wireless router to extend the range.

Maryfi is developed for Windows 7; however, the tool works completely fine on other versions of Windows, including Windows 10.

⇒Get Maryfi

mHotspot

Connectify alternatives

mHotspot is yet another free WiFi hotspot utility that can be installed on Windows 7, 8, and 10 running systems and turn these computers into a virtual WiFi router. The app allows the user to share the internet from LAN, Ethernet,  Data-Card, 3G/4G, and even WiFi connection.

mHotspot is lighter than Maryfi at just 400KB, but be careful of the optional bloatware that comes with the software. Make sure to select custom installation and decline the optional offer and uncheck the installation of third-party security software that the tool recommends you to install.

Using the software is easy. After the installation, you can access it from the system tray. To create a hotspot, enter a name and a password and click on Start Hotspot. You can select the internet source to share if you have multiple sources. The tool doesn’t offer any advanced features and is ideal for anyone looking for just a hotspot utility to replace Connectify.

⇒Get mHotspot

Virtual Router Plus

Connectify alternatives

Virtual Router Plus allows you to wirelessly share internet connection from multiple sources with your other WiFi-enabled devices. The devices are connected to a virtual router similar to any other access point with WPA2 security protocol.

The tool is easy to use and works with all the newer versions of Windows OS. After the installation, enter a network name (SSID) and the password. Select the shared internet connection source and click on Start Virtual Router Pulse.

⇒Get Virtual Router Plus

Thinix WiFi Hotspot

Connectify alternatives

If you are looking for an alternative that is as good as Connectify but without the hefty price tag, check out Thinix WiFi Hotspot. Thinix WiFi Hotspot makes it possible to share a computer’s internet connection with other devices by turning your system into a hotspot.

Thinix WiFi Hotspot comes with features like Auto-Start Hotspot, multi-language support, WPA2 encryption, sharing via multiple internet sources, and the ability to save multiple profiles.

While the Thinix WiFi Hotspot comes with loads of features, it is a premium utility that starts at $12.95 US for 1 PC license. However, you can try the software for 30 days before making a purchase to see if it meets your requirement.

⇒Get Thinix WiFi Hotspot

Windows 10 Mobile Hotspot

Connectify alternatives

If you don’t want to install a third-party hotspot software, your Windows 10 system comes with a built-in mobile hotspot feature as well.  While the native mobile hotspot does not offer advanced features like file sharing and creating shared libraries, it allows you to create a functional WiFi hotspot quickly.

  1. Click on Start and go to Settings.
  2. Select Network and Internet.
  3. From the left pane, open the Mobile Hotspot tab.
  4. Toggle the switch to Turn On/Off the hotspot.
  5. You can edit the network name and password by clicking the Edit button.

What is a better alternative to Connectify?

Connectify is undoubtedly one of the best WiFi hotspot utility available, and the price tag can be justified if you can make use of all the features provided by Connectify. That said, not everyone wants a WiFi hotspot tool with advanced features.

The Connectify alternatives listed in this article offer the WiFi hotspot feature along with some advanced features for less or even free most of the time.

Go through all the WiFi hotspot utilities and choose the one that meets your requirements. Do let us know which one is your favorite in the comments below.

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Fix: Windows Hello for Business will not be launched

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Windows Hello for Business gives some users an alternative biometric way to log in.

However, some users have posted on Microsoft’s support forum about a Windows Hello for Business provisioning will not be launched error message that Event Viewer logs.

Some users have also reported that their PCs freeze when that issue arises.

How do I fix the Windows Hello for Business provisioning error?

1. Disable Windows Hello with Group Policy Editor

Users with Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise editions can fix the Windows Hello for Business error with Group Policy Editor.

  1. First, press the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut, which will open Run.
  2. Enter gpedit.msc in the Open box, and click the OK option. Then the Group Policy Editor window will open.
    Local Group Policy Editor windows hello for business provisioning will not be launched
  3. Expand the Computer Configuration category on the left of the window.
  4. Next, click Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Windows Hello for Business (or Microsoft Passport) on the left of the window.
    The Windows Hello for Business folder hello for business provisioning will not be launched
  5. Double-click Windows Hello for Business on the right side of Group Policy Editor to open the window shown directly below. Some users might need to double-click a Microsoft Passport policy instead.
    Windows Hello for Business setting windows hello for business provisioning will not be launched
  6. Click the Disabled radio button.
  7. Press the Apply button.
  8. Press the OK button to exit the policy window.
  9. Close the Group Policy Editor.

2. Edit the Microsoft registry key

  1. If you don’t have Group Policy Editor, try editing the registry instead. Open the Run accessory.
  2. Then type regedit and click OK to open the Registry Editor window.
  3. Next, open this registry key path: Computer/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Policies/Microsoft.Microsoft key windows hello for business provisioning will not be launched
  4. Right-click an empty space on the right of the window and select the New > DWORD (32-bit) value options.
  5. Then enter PassportForWork as the title for the DWORD.
  6. Double-click the PassportForWork DWORD to open the window shown directly below.
    The Edit DWORD window windows hello for business provisioning will not be launched
  7. Input 0 in the Value data box.
  8. Click the OK option.
  9. Restart Windows after closing the Registry Editor.

3. Alternative registry fix

Some users have also said they’ve fixed the Windows Hello for Business provisioning will not be launched error with an alternative registry edit.

  1. Open this registry path:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control WMI/Autologger/EventLog-Application/{23b8d46b-67dd-40a3-b636-d43e50552c6d}.Enabled DWORD windows hello for business provisioning will not be launched
  2. Double-click the Enabled keyword to open its Edit window.
  3. Erase 1 from the Value data box.
  4. Input 0 as the replacement value.
  5. Select the OK option.
  6. Thereafter, close the Registry Editor.
  7. Restart Windows after editing the registry.

There aren’t many potential fixes for the Windows Hello for Business provisioning will not be launched error. However, the above resolutions are confirmed fixes for the error.

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It’s not all Xbox vs PlayStation – Sony partners with Microsoft on smart camera technologies

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Sony and Microsoft announced earlier today that they would be working together to produce significant advancements in the field of smart cameras and related video analytics.

The partnership will allow for Sony to implement Microsoft’s Azure AI tools in its IMX500 intelligent vision sensor which is used to analyse images for objects and information. A smart camera app powered by Microsoft’s Azure IoT and Cognitive Services will also be produced by Sony which will support the sensor and will allow businesses to create their own custom video analytics and computer vision solutions.

“Video analytics and smart cameras can drive better business insights and outcomes across a wide range of scenarios for businesses,” Microsoft’s corporate vice president and commercial chief marketing officer, Takeshi Numoto, said of the agreement. “Through this partnership, we’re combining Microsoft’s expertise in providing trusted, enterprise-grade AI and analytics solutions with Sony’s established leadership in the imaging sensors market to help uncover new opportunities for our mutual customers and partners.”

Sony and Microsoft are also expected to begin working with partners and businesses on projects relating to computer vision and video analytics later this year as part of Microsoft’s AI & IoT Insider Labs program.

While many consider the two companies to be rivals due to their competing PlayStation and Xbox video game consoles, this isn’t the first time that Microsoft and Sony have collaborated or shared technology.

Just last year, it was revealed that Sony’s game and content-streaming services would begin using Microsoft’s Azure datacenter-based solutions. In fact, it seems that this initial agreement laid the groundwork for today’s announcement which now adds context to some of the ambiguous mentions of future AI projects between the two companies.

Fix connection errors in Power BI with 6 easy solutions

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

A crucial part of Power BI is an internet connection. This way, you can share data and communicate with others about the project. However, Power BI has many connection issues.

In this article, we will describe them and we will show you how to fix the connection errors in Power BI.

Many people can’t save modifications on the server and they’re getting an error message. One user reported the following on the official forum:

I had no problem loading the entities, or creating the conections. The report seems to be fully functional as well, but when trying to refresh from Power BI Desktop, the following error message pops up.

power bi cannot save to server
So, the problem appeared when the user tried to refresh from Power BI Desktop because there’s not enough memory to complete the operation.

Another issue refers to a firewall error, as one user reported on the forum:

when I try to refresh it I get the following error: Formula.Firewall: Query Est Review Effort (step Merged Queries1) references other queries or steps, so it may not directly access a data source. Please rebuild this data combination.

So, the problems are with the data combination selected, and with accessing a data source.

Quite a few users encountered an issue in Power BI Report. Simply put, the service is not available, as one user reported on the official forum:

When I run either report I see Service Unavailable. HTTP Error 503. The service is unavailable. with the loading data image.

power bi service unavailable
Also, the restart didn’t fix the error.

The invalid connection credentials is another severe issue of Power BI, as one user said on the forum:

The following occurs when I referesh the data: Something went wrong Invalid connection credentials. Please try again later or contact support.

So, the problem appears when the user refreshed the data.

Sometimes, errors can be unexpected. A user described the following issue:

Trying to save a Power BI file and getting Unexpected Network Error. Have tried doing a save as and that has failed as well. Tried to local drive as well as to the network. I can save/export to Power BI template, but that is not much use.

Therefore, trying to save a Power BI file was unsuccessful because of an unexpected network error.

Probably the most severe issue is that the program was unable to start, as a user described:

I downloaded PBI on 24th June 2018. I am unable to start the application. My system information is following listed. OS – Windows 7 Ultimate (64 Bit). RAM – 8 GB

power bi unable to start
So, the Power BI Desktop won’t start, because the program wasn’t able to connect to the model. Today we will show you how to fix these connection problems in Power BI.

How can I fix network issues in Power BI?

1. Failed to save modifications to the server error

For this, there is a very simple solution. Remove the report and publish it again. After that, you can schedule a refresh without any issue.

2. Firewall error

You can solve the problem with a few changes in Power BI.

  1. Click on File, select Options and Settings, then click on Options.power bi options
  2. Go to Global, then Privacy, and then check Always Ignore Privacy Level Settings.power bi global privacy

Alternatively, you can solve the error by following the steps below.

Open the Options menu like in the solution above.

  1. Go to Current File and select Privacy.
  2. Check Ignore the Privacy levels and potentially improve performance.power bi current file

3. The service is unavailable

This issue appears when Power BI Desktop is on one computer and the client connects to Power BI Report on another server. You should keep everything on the same server if you want to avoid this problem.

4. Invalid connection credentials

You can test the network connectivity with this PowerShell script: Test-NetConnection -ComputerName watchdog.servicebus.windows.net -Port 9350

5. Unexpected network error occurred

This problem appeared to an older version of Power BI. Remember to update your program to avoid errors such as this.

Your Power BI is outdated? Install the latest version from here!

6. We weren’t able to connect to the model error

To solve the issue, try the 32-bit version of Power BI Desktop, as the 64-bit version can cause problems for some users.

Conclusion

As you can see, the problems are not as severe as they seem. Connection errors are usually caused by some faulty option or an outdated program. Set your Power BI properly and keep the program updated for maximum performance.

Did our solutions work for you? Let us know in the comments section below!

  • Why is power bi used?
Power BI can help create charts or graphs, connect data sets from different sources, transform and clean the data into a model, and more.
  • Is Power BI better than Excel?
Power BI is a more powerful and complex tool in comparison to Microsoft Excel. However, they are pretty different. Power BI is used more for sharing data visualizations and dashboards to a large number of users. 

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How to Install Unsigned Drivers [Windows Guide]

Posted on by Andrew Wafer

Microsoft developed the Windows 10 OS in order to provide a more user-friendly interface and also for ensuring that each user can operate on a safe and secure platform.

That’s why, among other security features, you won’t be able to install unsigned drivers. However, if you want or have to install a driver without a digital signature, there are solutions (as always).

unsigned driver windows 8


But first, you should know that you must be an advanced Windows user, or else you might end up damaging your laptop, computer, or tablet.

Microsoft pre-installed the digital signature feature in order to prevent users from installing malicious or just badly programmed drivers which could cause crashes and open gaping security holes.

Applying an unsigned driver is usually required when you want to flash an old or outdated driver or when you try to develop your own software.

So, be careful when dealing with these processes, and before doing anything else save all your data, programs, or processes as the computer will reboot several times while completing the steps from below.

How do I install drivers on Windows 10 without digital signature?

Long story short, the only way to install unsigned drivers on your Windows computer is by disabling driver signature enforcement.

There are two ways to do this: one allows you to temporarily turn off driver signature, while the second one permanently disables this feature.

  1. On your computer open Settings charm by getting your mouse on the bottom right side of your display.pc settings windows 8
  2. From there select PC Settings and then pick the General category; finally, select restart now (press and hold Shift keyboard key while pressing on the Restart now button).advanced restart
  3. The Advanced Startup Options will be then displayed.
  4. From the Choose an Option screen appears tap on Troubleshoot.
  5. Select Advanced Options from the next window and pick Startup Settings.
  6. From there once more select the Restart option.
  7. Up next, within Startup Settings window press F7 or 7 keyboard key in order to select Disable driver signature enforcement option.startup settings
  8. Windows 10 will immediately boot to its typical lock screen. Sign in to Windows 10 as you normally would.
  9. Do note that you will have to make these changes after each reboot as the digital signature feature will be reapplied by default when you restart your device.

Another option is to use a specialized tool that can automatically install the drivers you need safe and in just a few seconds.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

For more information on how to permanently disable driver signature enforcement, check out this step-by-step guide.

Once again, keep in mind that turning off driver signature enforcement makes your computer vulnerable to threats and malware attacks, so proceed at your own risk.

So that’s how you can install unsigned drivers on your Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 based laptop, tablet, or desktop.

In case you have other questions related to this topic, don’t hesitate to share with us by using the comments field below.

Bootable Backup Software: 6 Best to Use in 2026

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the best bootable backup software for Windows 10 but before we begin, let’s remind ourselves of what this software is.

We need bootable backup software when things go so spectacularly wrong that we have to start everything from the beginning.

Why you need a good bootable backup software?

At the risk of stating the obvious, the biggest reason to have bootable backup software is to backup everything you value.

Remarkably, many businesses have poor backup practices or none at all. Recent surveys show that 50% (or about 4 million UK businesses) had little to no backup protection. That means there is a 50/50 chance that your company is one of them.

If you are still sitting on the fence about whether bootable backup software is necessary, here are a few reasons to start thinking about it.

No Backup Software = Data Loss

At the risk of stating the obvious again, the clearest reason to have bootable backup software is it protects you from losing everything on your computer. The main causes of lost data are generally everyday occurrences that can happen to the best of us. They include:

  • Deleting files accidentally. Yes, this can happen to anyone.
  • Hard drive failure
  • Power failure
  • Losing computers
  • Fire and accidents
  • Malware and Viruses. Does ransomware ring a bell for you?

Prevention is better than cure in this scenario and having good bootable backup software is not just about keeping data safe. It’s also about putting in the best practices to secure your data in the first place.

Scheduling Backups

In the old days, the only way to schedule backups was to put it on your agenda and hope you remembered to do it. Now, even the most basic software solution gives you the option to schedule backups whenever you want.

This means that all you need to do is set a recurring time of day to schedule a backup and let the software do the rest. And since most computers aren’t even turned off these days, a backup can be scheduled during a lunch break or after work, lessening any impact on your work.

Saving Time and Money

With automated backups in place, companies don’t have to pay people to do the process for them. This is a huge advantage for companies that are trying to avoid the cost of a dedicated IT support department.

Additionally, if the worst happens, the process for recovering lost data has become so simple that if you can turn on a computer and click a mouse, it is likely that you will be able to reinstall everything to exactly the same specs as before the data loss.

Reduced Costs

Many companies worry that the cost of the software will be prohibitive. The main argument to that is that the cost to the company in lost data, plus the days, weeks, or even months of work to retrieve it, far outweighs the cost of the software itself.

Additionally, if your company thinks that backup software is expensive, it needs to update its research. Not only is software far cheaper than it used to be, but it can even be free.

Read on to find out about six of the best bootable backup software on the market today and which one suits your needs best.

Bootable backup tools for Windows 10 computers

Acronis True Image

Acronis True Image

Acronis True Image provides set and forget protection, which is great as the easier it is to use backup software, the more likely people are to use it.

One of the more serious features of Acronis True Image is the use of Blockchain technology to avoid unauthorized encryption. This is particularly relevant concerning the recent issues of ransomware.

Another feature is Survival Kit, which you can use it to make a bootable backup of your startup partition.

What most people will like about this software is the automation of it all. It really is a set-and-forget system. You choose what you want to backup and when, and the software does it all for you.

There is also an option to backup everything in the cloud and Acronis has its own cloud system, which is very reasonably priced.

Acronis True Image has many other options.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Supported systems: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
  • Backup types: Full image, File and folder, Incremental, Disk cloning
  • Recovery capabilities: Restore to same or dissimilar hardware, All-in-one survival kit
  • Backup management: Online management dashboard, Visual display of activities/statistics
  • Security measures: AES-256 encryption, AI-based anti-ransomware protection (PC/Mac/external drives), Blockchain-based file certification, Electronic signatures

Acronis True Image

Back-up your data with the most efficient recovery tool and get a taste of peace of mind!
Check price Visit website

Paragon Backup & Recovery

Paragon

Paragon Backup & Recovery is certainly one of the most comprehensive tools on the market at the moment.

One thing that many fewer techie users will like is that it is not necessary to restore everything you have backed up. A very nice trick is the ability to restore a single file or folder, even if that file or folder is part of a complete hard drive image.

Backup files can be saved onto a local, external or remote drive. They can also be uploaded to a server using FTP access, or burned to disc for those who like the old-school approach.

Another useful feature is a scheduler, which is handy when you want backups to be done when the computer user is not around.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Hard drive master boot record
  • First track backup
  • Backup of Individual partitions
  • Complete drive backup
  • Backing up of files and folders
  • Documents, music, videos, music or other media files backup
  • Email backup
Paragon Backup & Recovery

Paragon Backup & Recovery

More than a backup solution, Paragon takes it to the next level with partition management, drive migration, and disk wiping.
Check priceVisit website

Stellar Data Recovery Professional

Stellar Data

This is a professional data recovery software specifically designed for the Windows infrastructure.

With a powerful toolkit, Stellar Data Recovery Ecan can easily recover files, folders, documents, photos, videos, and audio from any Windows device or storage media regardless of its condition.

Even unbootable or totally damaged systems are not beyond reach. You can match this software with pretty match anything from partitions to HDDs, SSDs, external USB drives, and optical media.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Best file recovery tools (files, emails, pictures, videos, drive formatting, disk corruption, lost or deleted partition, crashed systems, etc.)
  • Deep Scan utility to recover data from missing partitions
  • Supports file recovery from NTFS, exFAT, and FAT (FAT16/FAT32) formatted drives
  • Recovers data from hard drives, SSDs and USB drives
  • Recovers data from crashed and unbootable system (Windows PC that fails to boot, or crashes due to BSODs, boot sector corruption, etc.)
  • Preview the Files before Recovery displays a preview of all the lost or deleted files while scanning a storage media for easy categorization
  • Drive Monitor utility (track key attributes like temperature, drive health, and performance of a hard drive to help avoid any data loss due to impending disk failure.
  • Clone Disk option (to create a replica of the drive)

Stellar Data Recovery Professional

Unbootable or even totally damaged systems are no match for this stellar recovery tool.
Check price Visit website

Aomei Backupper

best backup software

Aomei Backupper is a bootable backup software that can create system backups, backup disks, schedule backups, and disk clones. It can be used to recover lost data and migrate entire operating systems and hard drives to another machine if desired.

What makes Aomei Backupper stand out from the rest of the platforms is its free Standard software. Being completely honest here, for the vast majority of regular users, whose computers are for everyday type activities, this is probably the best option.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Files and Folders Backup
  • System and Disk Backup
  • Partition and Schedule Backup
  • Incremental & Differential Backups
  • Backup Dynamic Disk Volumes
  • Backup to NAS
  • Files and Folders Restore
  • System Restore
  • Partition and Disk Restore

⇒ Get Aomei Backupper

Novastor

bootable backup software

NovaBACKUP was developed for IT people and small businesses in mind. As with most other backup software, its primary use is to do away with the hassles of backing up data.

The software comes in three different versions. The version you need will depend largely on the sort of business you are running.

NovaBACKUP PC for individual Windows system, NovaBACKUP Server for Windows servers, and NovaBACKUP Business Essentials for physical and virtual servers.

One notable feature is that with the software, you’re also entitled to free installation and setup assistance, and local technical support.

This is a pretty good extra if you feel you are going to need help setting everything up. However, expect the extra service to be reflected in the price.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • PC, Server, and Virtual Machine Backups
  • Protection for SQL and Exchange
  • Full, Incremental, and Differential Backups
  • Disaster Recovery Image Backups
  • VM Replication
  • Single File Restore
  • Dissimilar Hardware Restore
  • 100% HIPAA Compliant
  • Backup Locally, Online & to File Sharing Sites

⇒ Get Novastor

CloudBerry

bootable backup software

Finally, let’s take a look at CloudBerry, which offers bootable backup software for online private, public, or hybrid cloud platforms to small and midsize businesses.

One stand out feature is the wizard that takes you through the steps. You don’t need any technical skills.

All you need to do is choose where in the cloud you want to store your backup, choose the options for compression and encryption, decide whether you want to schedule backups manually or automatically, and set notifications for post backups.

The main benefit for most businesses will be CloudBerry’s ease of use. When setting up using the wizard, it takes minutes to get everything up and running.

Included in the subscription are automatic updates, which will give you peace of mind that your data is being well protected.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • CloudBerry Managed Backup
  • Remote management and monitoring and deployment
  • White-labeling and reporting
  • API and CLI integrations
  • Add and Manage Users
  • Manage and Monitor Backup Jobs
  • Manage Packages and Plans
  • End-to-End Encryption

⇒ Get CloudBerry

So these are the best bootable backup software tools for your Windows 10 computer. Which solution will you pick? Let us know in the comments section below.

Moreover, if you need trustworthy Time Machine alternatives for backup on Windows, we can help you out.

Microsoft announces availability of Surface Hub 2S in India

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has launched the Surface Hub 2S in India, first unveiled in the US in April last year.

Surface Hub 2S is an all-in-one collaboration device that offers a digital whiteboard and a meeting platform for the modern workplace. It is the second generation of the interactive whiteboard developed and marketed by Microsoft, as part of the Microsoft Surface family

The Surface Hub 2S runs a variant of Windows 10 Enterprise, dubbed as Windows 10 Team and packs in the power of Windows 10, Microsoft Teams, Office 365, Microsoft Whiteboard, and the intelligent cloud for shared, collaborative interface in a team huddle or a staff meeting.

The Hub’s welcome screen has three buttons – Call (Microsoft Teams), Whiteboard (Microsoft Whiteboard), and Connect (Miracast) to get started immediately and seamlessly.

Surface Hub 2S Specifications

  • Dimensions: 29.2×43.2×3.0 inches (741×1097×76 mm)
  • Weight: 61.6 lbs (28 kg)
  • Display: PixelSense Display | 3840 x 2560 | 3:2 aspect ratio | IPS LCD
  • Processor: Quad-core 8th Generation Intel Core i5
  • Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
  • Memory: 8GB RAM
  • Storage: 128GB SSD
  • Connections: USB-A | Mini-DisplayPort Video Output | RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet | HDMI Video Input | USB-C with DisplayPort Input | 4 x USB-C

It has the flexibility to be mounted on a wall or it can be put on a roller stand. Microsoft has worked with Steelcase to design Steelcase Roam, a mobile stand and easy-to-hang wall mounting system. It can be moved easily with one hand, and its small footprint fits in all kinds of spaces. There’s also the APC Charge Mobile Battery that can be housed on the Steelcase Roam allowing the Hub 2S to work unplugged and on battery power for roughly two hours. The mobile battery will be available at a later date though.

The Surface Hub 2S is priced at ₹11,89,999 ($15,708) in India and is available via authorized sellers. It includes a Surface Hub 2 Camera and a Surface Hub 2 Pen. Additionally, the Steelcase Roam mobile stand is priced at ₹1,17,500.

How to Open VOB Files [Windows 10 & Mac]

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Ever wondered what a VOB file format is, and how to open it? If the answer is yes, you’ve come to the right place – our post highlights ways to open and modify this file format.

A VOB file is a media data file usually stored in the Video_Ts folder in the root folder of the DVD disc. VOB files usually contain most of the information stored in the disc such as audio, subtitles, menus, and video.

Without further ado, let’s review some programs that can open the VOB file format and some manual ways to access this file extension.

How to play VOB files on Windows 10?

Adobe Audition (Editor’s choice) – Diagnostics panel

Adobe Audition is more than a media player, it’s a comprehensive toolset that includes multitrack, waveform, and spectral display for creating, mixing, editing, and restoring audio content.

Perfectly suited to support a plethora of file formats, including .wav, .raw, .avi, .mov, and of course, VOB files, this powerful workstation does more than just open files.

You can use it to edit, clean up, and restore, but also convert, import, and export practically any type of file extension from the most common to the rather unusual ones.

Highly compatible with the Windows 10 infrastructure, the Audition will allow you to maneuver VOB files effortlessly.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Cleanup, restoration, and precision editing tools for video and audio content
  • Step-by-step, interactive in-app tutorial guides
  • Seamless integration with Adobe Creative Cloud Suite and other third-party apps
  • Essential Sound panel and Diagnostics panel included
  • Extensive support for multiple video and audio formats

Adobe Audition

Handle VOB files more effortlessly with this omnipotent DAW.
Check price Visit Website

File Viewer Plus – User-friendly program

File Viewer Plus is a universal file viewer for Windows that can open and display over 300 different file types.

Besides .vob file types, this tool will also open dozens of other video files that regular players can have problems with.

In some rare cases, if FileViewer cannot display the native view of the file, you can use the Text and Hex views to inspect the file contents.

These views let you see inside the file, providing valuable information, especially for unknown file types. You can do this very fast as well with this user-friendly program.

Moreover, you should consider this tool if you want an uncluttered PC without too much stuffing on your desktop and system. So instead of downloading new software every time to see certain files, you only need this one.

With that being said, you can forget about complicated file viewing tools because it’s likely to manage your files easily with this particular software.

File Viewer Plus

View and convert over 300 formats in no time at all, including .VOB.
Check price Visit Website

CyberLink Power DVD – Highly rated by critics

Power DVD is a giant in the media player industry.

Used by millions and highly rated by both critics and fans, Power DVD provides a complete package of advanced tools such as search, browsing, and online sharing of media files.

The program gives a wonderful experience and allows you to upgrade files and convert them from one format to another. Power DVD is compatible with many formats which include MP4, MP3, JPEG, and VOB.

You can have a good viewing experience of VOB as the program allows you to upscale your video to better quality.

In addition, Power DVD also supports 4K DVD format which means you get the full 4K experience on your system, even though you’ll need a computer with 4K capabilities to enjoy the full benefits.

Power DVD is an excellent media player with many features and supports numerous formats while giving you a cinematic experience with the inbuilt True Theatre Stabilizer.

CyberLink PowerDVD

Open all types of video files and have a top-quality watching experience with this robust tool.
Free trial Visit Website

Gretech GOM Player – Nice interface

Gretech GOM Player is one of the most popular media players used in Asia, particularly in South Korea and Japan.

GOM player has a nice interface that can be customized to your preference with the easily downloadable from the program website GOM player skin.

In addition, the GOM player has a unique inbuilt codec finder that gives information about unsupported formats by scanning through the codec.

The media program then leads you to websites where you can download the missing codec.

Also, the Gretech GOM player supports many media formats such as the AVI, MP4, MP3, WMV, and most especially VOB formats as well as varieties of subtitles like SRT and VOBsub.

Gretech GOM Player

Open .VOB files with this powerful and handy media player.
Free Visit Website

VideoLAN VLC Media Player – Very popular app

VLC Player is a very popular app used by over 100 million people worldwide. The open-source media player has a huge customer base due to its unique features that allow you to play numerous media formats.

In addition, VLC consists of a simple interface that uses the drag-and-drop mechanism to organize and play your media files.

The VLC media player supports over 70 audio and video media file formats which include MP4, 3GP, WAV, FLV, AVI, and most especially VOB files.

The media player can play VOB files directly from the disc or in a standalone file format. Plus, you can even subscribe to podcasts and streaming websites directly from the program.

⇒ Get VLC Media Player

Microsoft Windows Media Player – Largest library of plugins

Microsoft’s Windows Media Player is the default app that comes with your Windows operating system. The program is widely used as it has many features that have been the crux of other media players.

Windows Media player supports many media formats as you can play WMV, MPEG, MPV, and most notably VOB file formats.

You can stream your music directly from your system using the Windows media player software.

Furthermore, this media player also has the largest library of plugins that can be downloaded to improve the performance of the media player.

⇒ Get Windows Media Player

Media Player Classic – Compatible with older PCs

This open-source media player is quite popular among users as it shares similar features with Windows Media Player.

Media Player Classic, on the other hand, enables you to customize the interface and offers advanced playback tools that add to your viewing experience.

Media Player Classic also has a Home Cinema feature which enables the software to create a unique cinematic experience when viewing video files.

This media player supports a wide range of media formats such as OGG, MP4, MPEG, and most notably VOB files. The program uses little system memory and is small in size and is compatible with older PCs as well.

⇒ Get Media Player Classic

All the programs we mentioned in the post can be used to open VOB files on Windows 10 computers. However, while some of the programs are free such as the VLC media player, others represent good value for money.

If you also need to find out more about different types of files and how to open them, you can check out more solutions about file extension openers

Want a streamlined guide for newer codecs as well? Learn how to play AV1 files on Windows using trusted players and the right codecs.

Have you used any of these tools to play VOB files in Windows 10? Feel free to share your experience with us by commenting below.

6 best data breach detection software [Home & Business]

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic
Today’s world faces highly sophisticated data breaches, threats, attacks, as well as intrusions because hackers and cybercriminals are always devising new ways of gaining access to your home or business networks. This makes it an urgent necessity to have a multi-tiered approach to network security. The best privacy and data breach detection software, also known as intrusion detection systems (IDS), or sometimes called data loss prevention (DLP) software, are deployed to defend your network against high-tech attacks and threats that emerge on a daily basis. As network security tools, these privacy breach detection software detect any vulnerability exploits meant to attack your apps or PC and help monitor your network or system. The common privacy breach detection software can be:
  • based on your network (monitor inbound and outbound traffic in the network)
  • host-based (safeguard the overall network)
  • signature-based (monitor packets and compare against the database of signatures)
  • anomaly-based (monitor network traffic compared against an established baseline)
  • reactive (detect malicious activity and respond accordingly)
  • passive (detection and alerting)
The best data breach detection software uses both host and network-based strategies for stronger protection, and below are some of the top tools you can use to stay updated, and protected against any threats.

Best data breach detection software to pair with your PC

AVG Business Security

AVG_best data breach detection software

AVG delivers a top-rated data breach detection solution that is designed for business covering every single one of your protection needs from instant email alerts to remote admin tools.

Speaking about remote administration, you can install, update, and configure AVG across your PC devices from anywhere and benefit from real-time monitoring and notifications of threats.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Cloud Management Console (quick deployment on multiple endpoints, manage policies, monitor threats, schedule updates, and protect devices and network from a single location)
  • File, Email, Behaviour and Web Shield (multi-tiered protection against malware, viruses, spam, harmful downloads, and dangerous websites)
  • Link Scanner and integrated Firewall (to filter network traffic and prevent suspicious connections)
  • File Shredder (permanently delete files that you don’t want to be recovered)
  • SharePoint Protection
AVG Business Security

AVG Business Security

Protect your business with the ultimate data breach detection software powered by AVG!
$61.41 Buy it now

Varonis

best privacy breach detection software

This privacy breach detection software is the innovation of Varonis Systems, an American software company, and it lets organizations track, visualize, analyze, and protect their data.

Varonis performs user behavior analytics so as to detect and identify abnormal behavior and defend from cyberattacks, by extracting metadata from your IT infrastructure.

It then uses this information to map relationships among data objects, your employees, content, and usage, so you can get more visibility into your data, and protect it.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Non-intrusive Varonis framework implementation
  • DatAdvantage data governance software and IDU analytics engine-level (statistical analysis)
  • Monitor file servers, analyze file systems and access patterns deeply (recommendations on changes)
  • Address privacy breach detection (fast and straightforward setup)
  • Solve a number of challenges, and determine data ownership based on access frequency
  • Performs usage auditing
Varonis

Varonis

Combine visibility and context to spot and respond to cyberattacks like a pro!
Demo Try now

Stealthbits

best privacy breach detection software

This is the first data access governance solution provider that supports unstructured and structured data repositories, protecting your credentials against your most vulnerable targets.

Stealthbits is a cybersecurity software company that protects sensitive data and credentials attackers use to steal the data itself.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Stealth Intercept (detects, prevents and alerts you in real time allowing you to block threats before they turn into disasters)
  • Machine learning-based Stealth Defend (real-time threat analytics and alerting tool to defend your organization against advanced threats and attempts to exfiltrate and destroy your data)
  • Stealth Recover (allows you to roll back and recover active directory changes to maintain a secure and optimized directory and restore domains without downtime)
  • Stealthbits File activity monitor (store file access and permission changes for Windows file servers, and NAS devices without needing native logging)
Stealthbits

Stealthbits

Don't just limit access to your data. Take it to the next level by securing the Active Directory.
Demo Try now

Suricata

 

Suricata_data breach detection software

This is a fast, highly robust, open-source privacy breach detection software developed by the Open Information Security Foundation.

Suricata is capable of performing intrusion detection in real-time, plus it prevents inline intrusion and monitors your network’s security.

It features modules such as capturing, collection, decoding, detection, and output, following the process in that order. It first captures the traffic, then decodes it, and specifies how the flow separates in between its processors.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Multi-threaded solution (uses rules, signature language, plus Lua scripting to detect complex threats)
  • Compatible with all major operating systems including Windows
  • Network traffic processing on the seventh OSI model layer (enhanced malware detection capabilities)
  • Automatic detection and parsing of protocols and GPU acceleration

⇒ Get Suricata

OSSEC

OSSEC

OSSEC is a multi-platform, open-source host-based intrusion detection system. The tool has a powerful correlation and analysis engine, integrating log analysis, and file integrity checking.

In addition, there’s a Windows registry monitoring feature, so you’ll be able to see any unauthorized changes to the registry with ease.

There’s also centralized policy enforcement, rootkit detection, real-time alerting, and active response. As for availability, you should know that this is a multi-platform solution, and it works on Linux, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, macOS, Solaris, and Windows.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Completely free
  • Available on almost all desktop platforms
  • Correlation and analysis engine
  • Log analysis, integrity checking
  • Registry monitoring, file integrity checking
  • Rootkit detection, real-time alerts

⇒ Get OSSEC

Snort

best privacy breach detection software

This is another free and open-source privacy breach detection software created in 1998, whose main advantage is its ability to perform real-time traffic analysis and packet logging on the network.

Features include protocol analysis, content searching, and pre-processors, which make this tool widely accepted for detecting malware of all types, exploits, scanning ports, and many other security issues.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Sniffer, packet logger, and network intrusion detection modes (Sniffer mode reads packets and displays the information, Packet logger logs the packets on the disk, while the network intrusion detection mode monitors real-time traffic comparing it with the user-defined rules)
  • Detect stealth port scans, CGI attacks, SMB probes, buffer overflow, and OS fingerprinting attempts
  • Compatible with various hardware platforms and operating systems including Windows
  • Flexible and dynamic for deployment
  • Easy to write intrusion detection rules
  • Good community support base for troubleshooting

⇒ Get Snort

Is there a privacy breach detection software you use that you’d like everyone to know about? Share with us by leaving a comment in the section below.

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Laptop locking software: Best tools for theft protection

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic
Keeping your laptop safe from unauthorized access is quite important. There are several ways to do that, but one of the best ways is to use a laptop locker software. There are many applications that can lock your laptop and keep it safe from unauthorized access, and today we’re going to show you the very best options currently available on the market.

What is the best laptop locker software for your PC?

Windows Shutdown Assistant

Windows Shutdown Assistant Apowersoft

Windows Shutdown Assistant is not your ordinary laptop security lock software. Of course, it can shut down your PC when it enters idle mode or when you set it to, but it can also turn it off in case of excessive CPU usage or low battery.

Besides, this tool is highly versatile and seamlessly works with all Windows OS from Vista or XP (a rare commodity these days!) to the latest v2004 of Windows 10.

You can use Windows Shutdown Assistant to schedule tasks, perform specified actions like opening files and URLs, and even launch programs automatically.

Speaking about tasks, you can use this robust software for more than just scheduling Windows shutdown time.

You can also set it to log off, restart, power on, or hibernate your computer and it even notifies you via a pop-up countdown window before carrying out the tasks.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Password-lock your PC to secure files and data
  • Break Reminder software (edit prompting words and sentences, use images with colors or sounds)
  • Automatically turns off your PC in different scenarios
  • Lock, restart, hibernate and log off computer at a specific time
  • Run and stop programs on schedule
  • Set reminders et generate notes
  • Full compatibility with Windows running devices, all versions
Windows Shutdown Assistant

Windows Shutdown Assistant

The Apowersoft-powered Shutdown Assistant is your trusted Windows guardian.
$19.95 Buy now

Chris PC-Lock

laptop locker software

This simple application will lock your desktop, prevent unauthorized users from accessing your PC, block all keyboard shortcuts, Task Manager, and even the Windows Key, so there’s no way to close the login screen.

The application has a built-in timer that you can configure and set your PC to lock itself after a certain time period. Of course, you can assign a keyboard shortcut and use it to instantly lock your PC if you want.

Chris PC-Lock will create an icon in your tray bar allowing you to easily lock your PC with just a couple of clicks. You can even hide the tray icon and make your PC lockable only by using the keyboard shortcut.

As for the lock screen, you can customize it with various wallpapers or slideshows, and you can even use your own pictures or make the screen wallpaper transparent.

Chris PC-Lock is a simple application, with humble features and a humble user interface. Unfortunately, the application isn’t free, but it comes with a trial period of 21 days.

Chris PC-Lock

Chris PC-Lock

Block fast the access to your PC and secure your work with Chris PC-Lock!
Trial Try now

Keep your protection on 24/7 – Here’s how to password lock .exe files.

Lock My PC 4

 

Lock My PC 4

Another solid laptop locker software that we want to show you is Lock My PC 4. This application is available in two versions, Free and Business, and the two share many features.

The first feature is the keyboard lock that will prevent unauthorized users from using your PC. The application also allows you to lock your PC with a hotkey, or by clicking the lock icon.

Of course, the auto-lock feature is also available if your PC has been idle for some time. The app can also lock your PC right after user login or after startup.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Lock your DVD drive (prevent users to insert any discs and try to unlock the PC)
  •  Works with multiple monitors
  • App self-protected by a password so users won’t be able to change settings or quit
  • Supports command line settings (useful to advanced users)
  • Customization options (custom lock screens, screen saving effects, slideshows, and transparency)

Overall, Lock My PC 4 is solid laptop locker software. The Free version is solid if you want to protect your PC from less tech-savvy users, but if you want full protection, you’ll have to purchase the Business version.

Lock My PC 4

Lock My PC 4

Lock your PC and unlock peace of mind with Lock My PC 4!
Free Try now

Predator

 

windows boot error 0xc000000f

If you’re looking for a laptop locker software that offers additional protection, then Predator might be just what you need.

Unlike previous entries on our list, this application requires a USB flash drive in order to work, and as long as the USB device is connected to your PC, your PC will be unlocked.

As soon as you remove your flash drive, the screen will go dark and your keyboard and mouse will become disabled. There are two versions available: Home and Professional.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Protects several PCs with the same USB flash drive and works with multiple user accounts
  • Detailed logs plus an alarm feature that will activate after an unsuccessful login attempt
  • Can even disable CD/DVD autorun
  • Integrated scheduler feature (to limit computer usage easily)
  • Safe Mode protection feature (to prevent users from accessing your PC in Safe Mode)

Predator is a great laptop locker software and all you need to use it is a spare USB flash drive.

The application is available for a free trial, but since the price difference between Home and Professional versions is almost negligible, we recommend you to go pro for maximum protection.

⇒ Download Predator Professional Edition

Desktop Lock

laptop locker software

Another laptop locker software that we want to show you is Desktop Lock. This application will completely lock your system and block your keyboard and mouse making unauthorized users unable to use your PC at all.

It’s worth mentioning that this application can’t be stopped in Task Manager, so there’s no way to disable it, except for entering the correct password or keyboard shortcut.

The tool allows you to lock your PC while keeping a single application open. For example, you can lock your PC with your media player open, and users won’t be able to use any other application except the media player.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Open programs and documents in read-only mode
  • Lock screen customization options (show your screensaver, your desktop, picture, or even a video or audio file)
  • Scheduling feature that allows you to lock your PC at a specific time automatically
  • Unlock your PC using a password/keyboard shortcut/sequence of mouse clicks/USB flash drive

⇒ Download Desktop Lock

Check out these best email privacy software to keep your correspondence confidential.

Laptop locker software can easily protect your PC from unauthorized access, but additional features might also help you make up your mind in one direction or another.

Which tool on this list works best for you? Do share your thoughts via the comments section below.

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What is port forwarding: is it safe? How to forward ports?

Posted on by Vlad Constantinescu

Port forwarding can be a great tool in the right hands, as it can unblock your private home network in a broad variety of ways. Using this technique, you can enable external access to your network devices.

However, it can be risky if you don’t know what you’re doing. Therefore, you’ll need to understand three things: what is port forwarding, is it safe, and how to perform this operation without jeopardizing your network. We’ll tell you all about it.

What is port forwarding?

The explanation is quite technical, but we’ll try to simplify it. If you access the Internet through a router on your network, you will need to forward ports so that external traffic could access your network.

For instance, if you want to host a public game server, you will need to open some ports on your network, so that other players (clients) that are not on your LAN (Local Area Network) can connect to it.

Since your router is configured by default not to allow any external connections, you will need to perform these operations manually. Your router acts as a firewall and only permits access to a few services.

Essentially, port forwarding is enabling external devices to connect to a certain device or service within a private LAN.

Is port forwarding safe?

The short answer is yes; port forwarding is not inherently unsafe. The safety of this procedure depends on a variety of factors. For instance, if you run a service that’s out of support and has a lot of unpatched vulnerabilities, then you’re putting your PC and network at risk.

On the other hand, if you just want to host a public game server, you should be fine. However, you should make sure that there’s no other software/service that acquires the ports you previously assigned whenever the game server is not up and running.

You can increase your security by setting up restrictions. For example, you can limit traffic by country or even by IP address (whitelisting). Additionally, it would be good practice to limit bandwidth, so that you don’t receive DDoS attacks.

The bottom line is that port forwarding is not inherently unsafe as long as you’re careful about what you run through those ports. Last, but not least, one of the safest practices would be closing the port whenever you’re not using it.

Assuming that you know what you’re doing and the risks involved, let’s see how to open ports on your router. Performing this operation is different from one router to another.

For obvious reasons, we won’t show you how to do this on every router. Instead, we’ll give you the know-how, so you can manage in any given situation, with any router.

It’s worth mentioning that we’ll be using a TP-Link router in our demonstration.

How to port forward?

  1. Log into your router by using your default gateway address
  2. Type your credentials (usually located at the bottom of your router)Login TP-Link router
  3. Click the Advanced tabAdvanced tab TP-Link router
  4. Access the Virtual Servers option from the NAT Forwarding menuVirtual servers menu TP-Link
  5. Click the Add button
  6. Customize the Service Type field (choose a name for the service)
  7. Enter the port you want to open in the External Port field
  8. Type the Internal IP and Port in the fields (for the device or service you want to access externally)
  9. Select the protocol (TCP/UDP) from the combo menu or choose ALL if you’re unsure
  10. Click the Save buttonHow to port forward TP-Link

Can’t forward ports because of a double NAT situation? Our extensive guide will teach you how to fix it quickly.

That’s it. If you want to test if you’ve done everything correctly, you can use the PortCheckTool website. Type your desired port in the field and hit the check button.

VPN port forwarding

Many users rely on VPNs to maintain their network security and online privacy. In time, users wanted a way to perform port forwarding while using a VPN, so a few providers have implemented this feature in their services.

For instance, PIA is one of the best VPN providers that has native support for dynamic port forwarding. It has passed all of our security, speed and flexibility tests with flying colors.

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

Your VPN doesn't allow you to forward ports? PIA supports dynamic port forwarding and is easy to set up.
$2.85/mo. Buy it now

Performing this operation through VPNs can come in very handy in some cases. For instance, it can help increase torrent download/upload speed values and multimedia streaming speeds.

Additionally, you can use it to access your PC remotely when you’re not physically around it.

Default router credentials

Router brandDefault router IP addressDefault router usernameDefault router password
3Comhttps://192.168.1.1adminAdmin
Belkinhttps://192.168.2.1admin admin
D-Linkhttps://192.168.0.1adminAdmin
Linksyshttps://192.168.1.1adminAdmin
Netgearhttps://192.168.0.1adminpassword
Netstarhttps://192.168.0.1adminpassword
Asushttps://192.168.1.1adminadmin
Synologyhttps://192.168.1.1adminAdmin
TP-Linkhttps://192.168.0.1adminadmin
TENDAhttps://192.168.0.1adminadmin

Safe and useful operation if done right

To sum it up, if you want to make a local service/device accessible from outside your network, port forwarding is usually the answer. It’s not risky as long as the service you run on that port is safe.

How to forward ports highly depends on the model and brand of your router. Some devices might use different names for this operation. For instance, TP-Link uses Virtual Servers.

You can even forward ports while using a VPN, but for that, you’ll need a port-forwarding-friendly VPN.

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Windows 10/11 64-bit closer to ARM

Posted on by Claudiu Andone
Originally, Windows 10 (not the mobile version) could run only on PCs that were powered by x86 and x64 processors. From 2018, Windows 10 desktop could run on machines that are powered by ARM64 processors with the Fall Creators Update or newer.

Microsoft will bring 64-bit code to ARM devices

Well, now it seems like Windows 10 is going to take another step in the ARM lore. Recently, we have been provided with evidence to suggest that Microsoft is close to enabling the execution of Windows 10 64-bit code on ARM laptops.
Right now, ARM laptops use the WoW emulator for running Win32 code on x64 computers to run Win32 code on ARM64 code. It’s a way to go around the fact that 64bit Windows applications are not supported on Windows 10 ARM laptops.

ARM64EC will emulate on ARM64 machines

M_ARM64EC

The evidence explicitly mentions support for x64 code emulation on ARM64 from a recent GitHub commit.

It seems like the architecture will be named ARM64EC, for x64_64 on ARM64 machine types. The commit was made by Kenny Kerr, Engineer on the Windows team at Microsoft.

Although the name can be changed ten times before release and we don’t have even an approximate launch date, this is great news for ARM computers, low voltage computing in general, and, why not, Windows 10 to be adopted in full swing even on low powered devices.

Drop us a line in the comments if you have any significant insights.

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Raspberry Pi audio jack not working? Try these fixes

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

Raspberry Pi users all over the world complain about the same problem. They cannot get the sound to come out of their device.

To be more precise, the Raspberry Pi audio jack is simply not working. Some of them run Ubuntu MATE and tried to listen to online radio stations.

The proper sound items are installed, but no sound ever comes out of the phone jack. Others have upgraded their Raspberry Pi and they can no longer play audio either.

One case or another, we’ll show you how to bypass this issue in no time.

What can I do if Raspberry Pi audio jack is not working?

1. Try out some other jack plugs

try out other jack plugs

First of all, don’t hesitate to try enjoying Raspberry Pi audio with some other jack plugs. Many users describe theirs as being a bit shorter.

Therefore, the contact isn’t always closed perfectly at the right point. After a couple of tries, they’ve managed to find one that works with no issues.

2. Run a helpful test code

Raspberry Pi audio jack is not working test code

You’ll definitely like this part if you’re tech-savvy. Plenty of Raspberry Pi users claim that they were able to solve the problem by running this quick test code:

$ cd /opt/vc/src/hello_pi/
$ ./rebuild.sh 
$ cd hello_audio
$ ./hello_audio.bin

There’s though a major downside to consider. This helps you get audio out of the 3.5mm jack, but you cannot play any WAV files from your Raspberry Pi.

3. Overwrite dtoverlay

try to overwrite dtoverlay

The Raspberry Pi audio driver most likely changed when upgrading to a different OS and that prevents playing audio through the headphone jack.

However, if you use the resin dashboard, there’s a quick tip you may apply. For that, go to the section called Device Configuration.

While there, modify the existing RESIN_HOST_CONFIG_dtoverlay variable to vc4-fkms-v3d. This should make the audio work again.

4. Update your Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi

Chances are the software you are running on your device contains more bugs that affect the desired functionality.

That’s why you shouldn’t postpone the inevitable. Upgrade all your Raspberry Pi installed packages to their latest versions and correct the audio jack error with ease.

Have you successfully applied the above solutions for the Raspberry Pi audio jack not working? Let us know which one worked for you in the comments area below.

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Driver updates will no longer cause compatibility issues

Posted on by Claudiu Andone

Unfortunately, drivers are one of the top causes of problems, even if you installed them through a Windows Update. Some number of driver issues interfered with the installation of major feature updates in 2019 but that can be expected as Microsoft needs to work with so many manufacturers and devices.

No more drivers compatibility issues in Windows 10

However, this isn’t an implacable issue, and Microsoft has been working on changes to avoid situations when a driver update causes compatibility issues.

The Optional Updates screen from to Windows Update was a big step and another idea was that hardware manufacturers would able to block updates when incompatible drivers when you try to install incompatible updates.

Analyzing cohorts might be a solution

For those who are not familiar with the term, cohorts are basically insiders and everyone who offers feedback.

Well, Microsoft says that they will evaluate better the quality and reliability of a Windows 10 driver update by analyzing the data coming from cohorts. In this case, the cohorts refer to a set of systems and devices that share the same targeting attributes including HWID, CHID, and OS version.

This way, Microsoft will be able to identify any driver that fails to meet the requirements.

In the reverse method, if a driver causes problems, they will be able to find out which are the affected devices. The final measure will be to block the problematic driver update only for the affected devices, judging by their hardware ID, revisions, and OS version of Windows 10.

Looking forward, during that period, Windows 10 will not offer the drivers to any PC with the known incompatibility, thus protecting them.

Other data sources for measures

Microsoft says that the measures will incorporate data from machines running in two distinct customer groups: Windows Insider Program (WIP) and Retail.

The reasons are somehow obvious. The WIP data comes from users who willingly want to provide this data with increased levels of detail and the retail data is collected from the general Windows ecosystem and allows Microsoft to monitor the quality issues on released drivers right away.

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FIX: Arduino was not declared in this scope error

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

Arduino users often face the same error – was not declared in this scope – when trying a code they’ve made.

Let us help you out if you happen to be new to Arduino coding as well. When you get this annoying error while compiling your code, there are a few quick fixes to apply.

How can I fix Arduino error was not declared in this scope?

1. Always declare a variable before assigning a value to it

remember to declare a variable

Are you seeing the number was not declared in this scope error? Then, the problem most likely resides in not declaring the number variable to begin with.

A variable in Arduino is a place to store a piece of data, with a name, a value, and a type. Most people tend to use the variable number in their loop function.

However, they need to define a variable before they use it elsewhere.

2. Make sure the loop is not missing its closing brace

was not declared in this scope

If the same error keeps coming up even after creating a variable and giving it a value, pay more attention to the little things.

Even without a simple accolade, the compiler gets mixed signals since the loop is not closed and may give you these errors in return.

Things are no different for extra semicolons or functions that are not defined properly.

3. Comment the Serial1 if you use Arduino Uno

using Arduino Uno

In case of getting the Serial1 was not declared in this scope error, chances are your Arduino has no Serial1.

Assuming that you use Arduino Uno, you need to comment the Serial1 and un-comment the SoftwareSerial part in order to solve the problem.

Have you tried to apply the above tricks? Let us know if they proved to be helpful in solving the Arduino error was not declared in this scope.

If you know any other working solutions, feel free to share them by using the comments area below.

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Hackers can now grab your personal info through PNG files

Posted on by Claudiu Andone

If you’re more than a vampire and you avoid even the excessive light coming from your computer screen, you’re probably using a dark theme.

The Dark Reader extension is a pretty popular dark theme extension for your browser. However, extensions can sometimes be more than you bargained for.

How can I avoid malware extensions?

The latest period was all about keeping yourself safe from a pouring onslaught of malware attacks.

In this rush storm, the developer of Dark Reader recently found out that copycat extensions made their appearance on the Microsoft Store and Mozilla AMO.

He took the matter seriously and analyzed the extensions that proved to be infected with malware.

The wrongdoers included malicious code that was hidden inside a png file. According to his own blog post:

A malicious code was hidden and encoded in a *.png file. In 5 days it downloaded and executed another code, that was collecting data from web pages using fake forms, and later sent this data to a remote server.

Of course, he solved the problem by contacting Microsoft who took down the extensions from its Extensions Store.

If you have the new Edge browser and you installed the extension prior to this fix, you should see it flagged when you try to open the list of installed extensions in the Microsoft browser.

this extension contains malware

You’re going to see a warning saying that This extension contains malware.

How can I stay away from potentially harmful extensions?

The developer also includes a list of things you should do to stay safe from malware extensions.

Using extensions made by Trusted Companies or using recommended Extensions for Firefox are among his top recommendations.

Other solutions to stay safe also include using open-source extensions or paid ones.

Of course, if you want to make sure that your personal data remains untouched, you can always check the extension’s name manually, read the reviews for each of them, and always protect your accounts.

However, to add another layer of security to your PC you can always count on anti-malware tools. Check out this handy list to find the best ones on the market right now.

If you have any questions or suggestions, make sure you write us a line in the comments section below.

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Microsoft Teams is getting suggested replies and contextual search features

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft is working on suggested replies and contextual search for Microsoft Teams, two new features that should help you save a little bit of time and effort. According to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap document, the contextual search is timed for roll out beginning in June, and suggested replies to follow late in the fourth quarter.

With contextual search, Microsoft Teams will be able to anticipate what you really want to search on a channel or chat, which should eliminate the need to go through multiple pages of search results as people currently do. “Users will now have the ability to search for content in a specific channel or chat by pressing CTRL + F,” the company explained on the Microsoft 365 roadmap.

Suggested replies is the other new feature coming to Microsoft Teams later this year. With this feature, Microsoft Teams will provide three related options for select messages that can be addressed with a short response. Users will be able to quickly respond to a particular message simply by tapping on a suggested reply. In case you missed it, we remind you that Outlook on the web is also getting a similar “Suggested replies” feature, so it’s nice to see Microsoft finally adding it to its Teams collaboration app too.

Do you think that contextual search and suggested replies can be pretty handy to improve your productivity? Let us know in the comments down below.

FedEx partners with Microsoft to bring FedEx Surround shipment tracking to businesses

Posted on by davew

FedEx is partnering with Microsoft to share FedEx Surround shipment tracking with other organizations with the help of Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365. FedEx Surround was the product of the collaboration between FedEx and Microsoft.

As noted in a press release, FedEx Surround is a new platform designed for any enterprise organization to visualize their supply chain digitally. Organizations can utilize FedEx Surround by leveraging its own inventory data to provide real-time inventory tracking and logistics management.

In this video, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and FedEx Chairman and CEO Frederick W. Smith explain how Microsoft and FedEx worked together to create FedEx Surround.


Microsoft and FedEx hope to be able to offer Dynamics 365 subscribers early access in the next few months and the general availability of FedEx Surround rolling out in Summer 2020. Microsoft and FedEx plan to announce additional products as part of their collaboration to help organizations offer customers more integrated ways to shop. Stay tuned.

How to get iMessage on Windows 10

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

Apple fans out there know by heart what iMessage is. For those that have been die-hard Windows users from the dawn of time, suffice it to know that it is an instant messaging service developed by Apple Inc.

The service has been available for years now, and it is supported by the Messages application in iOS 5 and later and OS X Mountain Lion and later.

Many users love the design of the product and the way it handles messaging, so it goes without saying that many have attempted to bring it to Windows 10 as well.

These attempts come in the form of browser extensions that access web services or using emulators. However, these came with their own share of limitations.

Zen, the iMessage client for Windows 10

Zen is the first cross-platform, amnesic-secure iMessage client and server for Windows 10 will soon be available for Windows 10 users.

The developers described the program as:

[…] the server, Zen Bridge, runs perfectly on old, outdated Apple laptops and Mac Minis collecting dust. For a more ‘cloud’ approach, we’ve also had success with visualized Macs running on genuine Apple servers (which would not break Apple’s TOS, your iCloud will happily sign into it). Some VPS providers offer this for as low as $12 a month

As you can see for yourself, the selling point of this new client and the server support that comes with it is the extremely low cost. This comes from both low-maintenance costs and the fact that you can even run it on otherwise dated hardware.

Developers were kind enough to share some screenshots of the app, and it looks extremely lean and minimalist, in keeping with iMessage’s traditional design.

zen imessage

Additionally, everyone is free to visit their website and test out the product, as well as see it developed.

Some users expect a backlash from Apple

Unfortunately, not everyone is as enthusiastic, as some Reddit users believe that Apple will soon shut down the product:

Sadly, probably going to be shut down by Apple, just like every product of similar nature.

This is mostly because Apple has a history of shutting down any project that seems derivative of Apple’s own work. Whichever the case, the idea is bold.

More so, the fact that it is available to users of all major OSes gives it great potential and availability.

If you want to know more about Zen and would like us to cover its development, leave us a message in the comments section below.

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Need background images for your Microsoft Teams meeting? Try this Nintendo collection featuring Animal Crossing and more

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Nintendo has recently released a bunch of background options on its official site. The video game company is trying to add fun to your personal or professional video calls with virtual backgrounds from its iconic game series like Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, Fire Emblem, Super Mario, Pokemon, Splatoon, Super Smash Bros, Xenoblade Chronicles, Fire Emblem and more. Thanks to this collection of backgrounds, you can enjoy an eternal vibe of Nintendo games even during Microsoft Teams meetings.

If your organization uses Microsoft Teams as a go-to tool for daily meetings or remote work, download these virtual backdrops to bring these popular Nintendo games to your next meeting:

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal crossing Microsoft Teams backgrounds

These Animal Crossing backgrounds allow you to enjoy your favorite game even when you are chatting with colleagues. The Animal Crossing: New Horizons fans would be pretty much excited to see you delivering your weekly presentations each morning from the town square and Resident Services tent. Then there are more backdrops where some characters in Timmy and Tommy or Nook costumes will welcome your team.

ARMS

ARMS Microsoft Teams backgrounds

Similarly, the ARMS collection released by Nintendo contains both location-based and character-focused options. A character-focused background features Mechanica, Master Mummy, Ninjara, Ribbon Girl, and Spring Man. Whereas, the locations based options include two scenes from Spring Man’s Spring Stadium.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Fire Emblem Microsoft Teams backgrounds

With this collection of Microsoft Teams backgrounds, Nintendo has focused on the Garreg Mach along with some major characters from the game. For those unfamiliar, Garreg Mach is basically the monastery that is used as the headquarter of players. First, we have a virtual background that features Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude, along with both Byleth’s versions. There is another one with Sothis appearing on the title screen of the game.

Kirby Star Allies

Kirb Microsoft Teams

The Kirby Star Allies backdrops will likely take you to the world of his potential allies such as Taranza, Marx, and Magolor. Some other background images tend to show off the group attacking Whispy Woods.

Luigi’s Mansion 3

Luigi mansion Microsoft Teams backgrounds

The Luigi’s Mansion 3 virtual backgrounds make you land on The Last Resort during Teams meetings. The collection contains the cover art image featuring Gooigi and Luigi. In addition, you will find more showing Luigi in its lobby, Polterpup in the portable laboratory of E. Gadd, and the outside of the hotel.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legends of Zelda Super Microsoft Teams backgrounds

This virtual Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild background will definitely force your colleagues to think that you just found Master Sword. Moreover, the three other options touch official art.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario kart Microsoft Teams backgrounds

You can find different iconic tracks including Mario Kart Stadium, Mario Circuit, Rainbow Road from these Mario Kart 8 Deluxe backgrounds. Moreover, people will see you getting your self prepared before the final race in the garage area image.

Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Eevee

Pokémon Microsoft Teams backgrounds

Nintendo has released an array of Pokemon images that can be used when talking to your friends and colleagues online. Two of these images are specifically inspired by title characters from the Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Eevee! game. While others bring a glimpse of the stadium and the Wild Area.

Splatoon 2

Splatoon Microsoft Teams backgrounds

Nintendo has got a little creative with the Splatoon 2 background options. You can see an array of in-universe logos, cover art inspired image, and Off the Hook’s studio. With the last one, you can appear in your Microsoft Teams meetings right from the DJ Octavio’s booth.

Super Mario Maker 2

Super Mario Maker 2 Microsoft Teams backgrounds

The selection of Super Mario Maker 2 background images will take you and your coworkers to the world of Super Mario. Give your colleagues an announcement from the Super Mario world with this set of official wallpapers.

Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Microsoft Teams backgrounds

Use these Super Mario Odyssey if you want to make people think like you are visiting various kingdoms. They would love to have a conversation with someone virtually appearing from the Luncheon Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, or the Sand Kingdom.

Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition & Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Xenoblade 2 Microsoft Teams backgrounds

For those who are missing the landscape, there are four unique backdrops from both Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This collection of Microsoft Teams background images offers the scenic landscapes to bring a fresh coat of paint on the plain wall behind you.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros Microsoft Teams backgrounds

Finally, the collection for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is comparatively subtle than other options on our listing. Two of them feature the Smash logo, while the rest of the backgrounds will take you to the Battlefield stage and Final Destination.

To use these virtual backgrounds in Microsoft Teams, we invite you to check out our official guides on how to upload custom Teams backgrounds on Windows and macOS.  To spice things up a bit. consider mixing things up with virtual backdrops from Michael Gillett’s Wallpaper.hub, Xbox video game backgrounds, or these from Star Wars, the Simpsons, and more.

Windows 10/11 installation error 0x800700d [Easy Solutions]

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Although upgrading to Windows 10 might not seem like a hard task to complete, many users reported issues through the process.

Windows 10 error 0x800700d is the cause of users not being able to use their OS. The error occurs while upgrading Windows, or when trying to activate the OS.

To fix this issue, we’ll offer you a series of fixes that you can try out. These fixes that should allow you to use the upgraded Windows version without any problems.

How can I fix Windows 10 error 0x800700d?

  1. Run Windows Update troubleshooter
  2. Run System File Checker
  3. Try the DISM tool
  4. Change the language settings
  5. Clear the SoftwareDistribution folder
  6. Use Group Policy Editor

1. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

The first thing that we recommend is trying to run the Windows Update troubleshooter. This simple task is performed by doing the following steps:

  • Press the Start button, type troubleshoot in the search bar and hit the Enter button on the keyboard
  • Look for Windows Update and click Run the troubleshooterwindows update troubleshooter

After completing this task, try updating Windows again.

2. Run System File Checker

Running the System File Checker requires you to do the following steps:

  • Open Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Windows search bar and hit Enter
  • Right click on the first result and choose Run as administrator 
  • Next, you will need to input the following command and then hit Enter:
    • sfc /scannowsfc scannow
  • Restart your computer after finishing this process

3. Try the DISM tool

Open the Command Prompt, as described earlier, using the administrator rights.

Enter the commands listed below, hitting Enter after each one:

  • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth
  • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

4. Change the language settings

The OS language and the keyboard language need to be in sync. To make sure that this is the case, you need to go to the Control Panel and click Language.add language keyboard layout windows 10

If the languages do not match, make sure to adjust them accordingly and apply the new changes.

5. Clear the SoftwareDistribution folder

Clearing the SoftwareDistribution folder requires you to do the following:

  • Open the Command Prompt
  • Type in services.msc and press Enter
  • Next you have to right-click the Windows Update Service and then press Stop
  • Delete all the files and folders in the WindowsSoftwareDistribution directorywindows 10 SoftwareDistribution folder
  • After completing all these steps you can start the Windows Service Update and try to update again

6. Use Group Policy Editor

Using the Group Policy Editor requires you to open the Run box, by pressing the Windows button + R on the keyboard

  • Type in gpedit.msc and hit Enter
  • Select Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates and then select SystemGroup Policy Editor administrative templates system
  • Next you have to double click Specify settings for optional component installation and component repair
  • Then select Enabled and Contact Windows Update directly…
  • Click OK and then restart the update

Be very careful when typing the commands in the Command Prompt. A simple mistake can bring a whole different outcome.

We hope our solutions helped you out. If you have any suggestions or ideas, leave them in the comment section below.

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Windows Network Discovery not Showing all Computers

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

In the Windows operating system, Network Discovery is a network setting that lets you set the communication between connected devices and systems on your network – so you decide whether or not this is allowed.

When enabled, it becomes easier to share files and printers and connect through a private network. In this article, we will show you how to fix Network Discovery if it’s not showing all the computers.

Why can’t I see all the computers in Network Discovery?

If your computer cannot view other devices on your network, it could be caused by a few issues listed below:

  • Network Discovery is turned off – This feature must be activated if you want to see another computer on the network.
  • Incorrect network profile – If the computer doesn’t set up the necessary network profile, you will stumble across this issue in Network Discovery.
  • The computer is not active – If you are looking for a computer that is not turned on or not accessible, you won’t be able to see it within the network.

To resolve the problem, try the solutions listed below.

What can I do if Network Discovery is turned off in Windows 10?

1. Enable Network discovery

  1. Click Start and select Settings
  2. Click Network and Internet.
  3. Click Wi-Fi or Ethernet from the left panel, depending on the connection you’re using.
  4. Find the Change Advanced Sharing option.
  5. Click to expand Private (Current Profile) network.
  6. Go to Network Discovery section and select Turn on network discovery.
  7. Check the Turn on automatic setup of network connected devices box.
  8. Click Save Changes and exit the window.

2. Activate the dependency services

  1. Press the Windows + R key combination to start the Run console.
  2. Type services.msc and press Enter to open Services Manager.
  3. Check if each of the four services is started, and set them to automatic

Check that dependency services such as DNS Client, Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery, and UPnP Device Host are started.

3. Configure the firewall settings

  1. Click Start, type control panel, and select Control Panel from the results.
  2. Select System and Security.
  3. Click Windows Firewall.
  4. Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall on the left panel (or Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall).
  5. Click Change settings and give required admin permissions if requested to.
  6. Click Network Discovery then OK.
  7. Configure any other firewalls on your Windows 10 computer to allow Network Discovery.
  8. Turn on Network Discovery from the Network and Sharing Center.

You can’t open Control Panel? Take a look at this step-by-step guide to find a solution.

4. Use Command Prompt to turn Network Discovery on

  1. Click Start and type cmd in the search bar and open Command Prompt as an administrator.
  2. In the elevated command prompt, type the following command and press Enter to run it: netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Network Discovery" new enable=Yes
  3. To turn off Network Discovery for all your network profiles, go back to the elevated command prompt, type the following command, and press Enter: netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Network Discovery" new enable=No

Did any of these solutions help? Let us know in the comments section below.

Also, leave any other questions or suggestions, and we will surely check them out.

An error occurred while partitioning the disk in Boot Camp [SAFE FIX]

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Many Mac OS users try to install Windows 10 on their computer by using a tool called Boot Camp. Although running Windows 10 with Boot Camp is relatively simple, sometimes certain errors can occur.

One error that users reported is An error occurred while partitioning the disk, and today we’re going to show you how to fix it.

But first, here are some more issues you can resolve with the same solutions as presented below:

  • Boot Camp an error occurred while partitioning the disk High Sierra – Users have reported that this issue usually occurs in Mac OS High Sierra.
  • Your disk could not be partitioned an error occurred while partitioning the disk – This is another partitioning disk error message you may encounter.
  • Boot Camp partition error – You can resolve most Boot Camp partitioning errors with the following solutions.

We’ve written extensively about Boot Camp issues before. Bookmark this page in case you need it later.

Steps to fix disk partitioning errors on PC

Table of contents:

  1. Turn off FileVault
  2. Repair your disk
  3. Restore your Mac from a backup
  4. Perform a complete reinstall

Fix – An error occurred while partitioning the disk

Solution 1 – Turn off FileVault

FileVault is a useful feature that encrypts your hard drive and protects your data, but this feature can sometimes interfere with Boot Camp and cause this error to appear.

To see if the FileVault is turned on, you need to go to Disk Utility and click on Macintosh HD. In the Properties, you should see Format: Encrypted Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

To disable FileVault go to System Preferences > Security and Privacy > FileVault.

Click the padlock and then disable FileVault. After disabling FileVault, you should be able to install Windows 10 by using Boot Camp without any problems.

Few users reported that FileVault was paused on their system and unable to resume for some unknown reason, therefore the only solution was to reinstall Mac OS.

FileVault not working as expected? See this quick guide to get FileVault back up and running again.

Solution 2 – Repair your disk

Users reported that this error was caused by directory problems, but you should be able to fix these problems simply by repairing your disk.

Before repairing your disk, we advise you to create a backup just in case anything goes wrong. After creating a backup, follow these steps:

  1. Launch Disk Utility by going to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
  2. In the left-hand panel select your hard drive and click Verify Disk.
  3. Disk scan will start and check your disk. Wait for the scan to complete.
  4. If there are any reported errors, click the Repair Disk button.
  5. After repairing the disk, try to start Boot Camp again.

Looking for the best backup software for Windows 10? Here are our top picks.

There’s one more way to do this. The following process is a bit more advanced, but you should be able to do it by following these steps:

  1. Start your Mac in Single User Mode. You can do that by holding Command + S during the boot process. When command line shows, enter /sbin/fsck -fy.
  2. Wait while the scan repairs your disk.
  3. After the process is completed, enter exit or reboot.
  4. After your Mac boots, go to Boot Camp and try to install Windows 10 again.

As you can see, repairing your disk is simple, but before you do it, be sure to create a backup just in case.

Users reported that the second method fixed this issue for them, but if you’re not an advanced user, use the second method only if the first one doesn’t fix your problem.

Some users are also suggesting to boot to Recovery disk by holding Command + R during the boot. Now just select Disk Utility, select your hard drive and click on Repair Disk.

After your disk is repaired, you should be able to install Windows 10 using Boot Camp.

Solution 3 – Restore your Mac from a backup

Several users are suggesting to restore your Mac from a backup and check if that fixes the problem.

To do that, boot to the Recovery partition by pressing Command + R during the boot. After entering the Recovery partition, restore your Mac and check if the problem is resolved.

Solution 4 – Perform a complete reinstall

According to users, this problem can occur if your Apple_HFS partition is transformed into Logical Volume Group. If that’s the case, you’ll have to perform a complete reinstall.

Before doing that, back up all your data and disconnect all external hard drives. After you did all that, follow these steps:

  1. Restart into Internet Recovery Mode by pressing Alt + Cmd + R. You can also access this mode by using a bootable thumb drive.
  2. After entering Internet Recovery Mode start the Terminal.
  3. Enter diskutil cs list.
  4. Look for Logical Volume Group UUID. It should be represented by an array of numbers and letters that looks like this: 832B0A5F-2C8E-4AF1-81CF-6EDFDD326105. Keep in mind that this is just an example that we used, so be sure to use Logical Volume Group UUID from your Mac and not the one that we used in our example.
  5. Enter diskutil cs delete UUID. Be sure to replace UUID with the UUID that you got in Step 4. In our example, the command would look like this: diskutil cs delete 312C0A5B-AC3E-4008-895F-6EDFDD386825. This command will delete your CoreStorage volume and Recovery HD and reformat it as HFS+ volume.
  6. Close Terminal.
  7. Choose Disk Utility and partition the internal drive. Choose 1 Partition, Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and GUID partition table. Close Disk Utility.
  8. Choose the option to Reinstall Mac OS.
  9. Download the necessary updates and upgrade your system.
  10. Now start Boot Camp and try to install Windows 10 again.

This is a drastic solution that can take a while to complete, and you should use it only if other solutions are unable to fix this problem.

Use Windows Refresh Tool to clean install Windows 10 safely!

An error occurred while partitioning the disk is one of the common errors while installing Windows 10 using Boot Camp, but in most cases, you should be able to fix it by starting your computer in Single User Mode and running /sbin/fsck -fy command.

If that solution doesn’t work, feel free to try any other solution from this article.

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Posted in Mac

5 Best VPN Router To Buy [2026 Guide]

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

In order to protect your privacy online, VPN is the best choice, but what if you want to protect your entire network? If that’s the case, the best choice would be a router that supports VPN.

There are many great routers on the market, so we compiled a list of the best routers with VPN support that you should check out.

Note icon NOTE
Deals are subject to change. Keep in mind that the price tag often varies. We recommend going to the vendor’s website to check the price. Some of the products may be out of stock by the time you’ve made your purchasing decision. So, hurry up and hit the buy button.

What are the best VPN router deals?

TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router

TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router best vpn router

This is a dual-band router, and it supports speed up to 450Mbps on 2.4GHz networks and up to 1300Mbps on 5GHz networks. The router comes with 3 external antennas and four Gigabit Ethernet ports.

Additional features include a dedicated app that is used for network setup and management.  Regarding the range, this device covers up to 2500 square feet. The device supports PPTP, L2TP, and IPSec protocols, so you’ll have no problems using it with your VPN.

Pros:

  • Dual-band device
  • Support for PPTP, L2TP, and IPSec
  • 450Mbps on 2.4GHz and 1300Mbps on 5GHz

Cons:

  • Some setup issues with multiple devices

⇒ Check price

NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router (R6700)

NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router (R6700) best vpn router

NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router (R6700) has a range of up to 1500 feet. This is a dual-band device and it offers speeds up to 450/1300 Mbps.

The device has 3 amplified antennas, and it supports Dynamic QoS, Smart Connect, Firewall, Guest Wi-Fi, and VPN.

Pros:

  • 1500 range and speeds up to 450/1300 Mbps
  • WPA2, Guest Wi-Fi access, Firewall
  • VPN
  • Easy to set up with a dedicated app

Cons:

  • Few users reported that third-party is firmware is required in order to use VPN properly

⇒ Check price

ASUS AC1900 Dual Band

ASUS AC1900 Dual Band best vpn router

ASUS AC1900 Dual Band is a dual-band router, and it offers combined speeds up to 1900Mbps. The device uses the ASUSWRT web interface, so it’s rather simple to set up and configure.

The device has four Gigabit Ethernet ports and there’s support for a VPN server with MPPE encryption.

Pros:

  • Up to 1300Mbps on 5GHz band and up to 600Mbps on 2.4GHz band
  • AirProtection feature that gives you parental control
  • VPN support

Cons:

  • Connection drops on larger networks

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Linksys WRT AC3200

Linksys WRT AC3200 best vpn router

This router comes with open-source firmware so it offers advanced features to all its users. This is a dual-band device and it supports speeds up to 600Mbps on 2.4GHz and up to 2600Mbps on 5GHz networks.

WRT AC3200 has Tri-Stream 160 technology that delivers extreme Wi-Fi speed without lag. As previously mentioned, the router uses open-source software so you can easily set up a VPN, manage hotspots, and change advanced features.

Pros:

  • Open-source software that gives access to advanced features
  • 600Mbps on 2.4GHz band and up to 2600Mbps on 5GHz band

Cons:

  • Intended for advanced users

⇒ Check price

Synology RT2600ac

Synology RT2600ac best vpn

Synology RT2600ac is a great router you should consider if you’re an advanced user. This device has a range of up to 3000 square feet and it can deliver speeds of up to 2.53Gbps. VPN support is also available, with all the required protocols.

In addition, there’s a parental control feature that allows you to easily filter content.

Pros:

  • 4×4 MIMO Omni-directional high-gain dipole antenna
  • Up to 800Mbps on 2.4GHz and up to 1.73Gbps on 5GHz
  • MU-MIMO, VPN support

Cons:

  • Minor firmware issues

⇒ Check price

Protecting your privacy online is crucial, and if you want to protect all your network devices with a VPN, these are the best routers to buy.

These tools will allow you to configure a VPN in just a few simple steps. Additionally, you can use them to create a passthrough to install VPN on routers like Eero that don’t have native support.

Windows Error Message Generator to display fake error alerts

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Windows error messages (or dialog boxes) usually tell you about system errors. However, you can also set up fake error messages with and without additional software. This is how you can set up a fake error message to pull a prank in Windows.

Fake Windows 10 error message generators

1. Set up a Fake Error Dialog Box With Error Message Generator

Error Message Generator is a program that generates customized error dialog boxes. You can save the program’s ZIP file to Windows by clicking Download Error Message Generator on this page. Open the ZIP file in File Explorer, and press the Extract all button to open the window shown directly below. Then enter a path to extract the ZIP to, and press the Extract button.

Thereafter, click ErrorGen.exe in the software’s extracted folder to open the Error Message Generator window shown directly below. You can enter text for the error message in the text box on the Basics tab. The Basics tab also includes numerous icons for you to choose from. Enter button text in the Button 1, 2 and 3 text boxes.

When you’ve set up the error message, you can select Go to display the error message alongside the software’s window. Alternatively, click Hide Main Window & Go to close the program’s window and display the error message as below. However, the Error Message Generator icon remains on the taskbar.

— RELATED: Microsoft’s SetupDiag finds and fixes Windows 10 upgrade errors

2. Set up a Fake Error Message With Notepad

As the Error Message Generator icon stays on the taskbar, its fake error message might not be especially convincing. You can set up a more convincing fake error message that opens when a user clicks a disguised program shortcut without any third-party software. This is how you can set up a fake error dialog box by entering VBS script in Notepad.

  • Open Run by pressing the Windows key + R.
  • Enter Notepad in Run and click OK to open Notepad.

  • Press the Ctrl + C hotkey to copy this script: x=msgbox(“A fatal error has occurred. Please restart your computer.”,0+16,”Fatal Error”).
  • Press Ctrl + V to paste the VBS script into Notepad as below.

  • Now click File > Save as to open the window in the snapshot directly below.

  • Select All Files from the Save as type drop-down menu.
  • Enter a title for the file with .vbs at the end. You can enter any file title, but it must have the .vbs extension at the end of it.

  • Select to save the file to the Windows desktop.
  • Press the Save button.
  • Now click the VBS file on your desktop to open its fake error dialog box as in the snapshot below.

  • To adjust the error message‘s text, you can right-click the VBS and select Edit. Then you can delete the text within the quote marks and enter some alternative lines.
  • You can now turn that VBS file into a fake software shortcut by right-clicking the desktop and selecting New > Shortcut.

  • Press the Browse button, and select the VBS fake error message file.
  • Then click the Next button, and enter a genuine software package installed on your desktop or laptop as the shortcut’s title. For example, you could enter Google Chrome as the shortcut title.
  • Press the Finish button to add the new shortcut to the desktop.
  • Delete the original VBS file by right-clicking it and selecting Delete.

  • Now you’ll need to add a program icon to the VBS fake error message file to fully disguise it as a software shortcut. Open the IconArchive website shown in the snapshot directly below.

  • You can download a software icon from IconArchive by selecting it and clicking ICO.
  • Right-click the VBS file on the desktop and select Properties to open the window below.

  • Press the Change icon button on the Shortcut tab to open the window below.

  • You can select a system icon from the default System32 folder. To select a downloaded program icon, press the Browse button.
  • Select the new icon from the folder you saved it to, and click Open to add it to the VBS shortcut as shown directly below.

Now the fake error message VBS file will be fully disguised as a Windows software shortcut. The fake error dialog box will still pop up when you click the shortcut. That might fool anybody who clicks the shortcut that there’s a genuine error with the program you’ve disguised the VBS file as.

If you want to take it to the next level you can generate some BSoDs as well. Check out the guide to create a fake blue screen of death error.

So that’s how you can have a few laughs with fake error messages. All joking aside, fake error dialog boxes might also come in handy for anyone who needs to include error messages in screenshots.

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NewsGuard and Microsoft team up to make NewsGuard free for Microsoft Edge users, Bing integration

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

NewsGuard, a service that rates journalism to separate reliable journalism from those who publish false or misleading content, has announced that it has reached a new partnership with Microsoft.

As part of the new partnership, Microsoft has agreed to continue to sponsor NewsGuard’s news literacy program, which allows more than 700 libraries to provide NewsGuard to their patrons across multiple countries around the world.

This partnership benefits Microsoft Edge users. The partnership will mean that users of Microsoft’s web browser, Microsoft Edge, will be able to access NewsGuard’s ratings for free from within Microsoft Edge on mobile and desktop, avoiding the normal $2.95 per month fee that applies to other web browsers.

Microsoft’s search engine, Bing, will now receive a “real-time feed of NewsGuard data”.

Finally, departments across Microsoft will now be able to make use of and implement NewsGuard in their products and services. Some examples of projects that are underway include Microsoft’s Defending Democracy Program, and those who work in Microsoft Research to fight misinformation.

New Lenovo ThinkCentre desktops and laptops with 10th Gen processors unveiled as more people work from home

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

Despite several states beginning to roll out phase one of reopening areas amid an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses are allowing its employees to choose their safest work environment and for some, that means continuing to work-from-home, fortunately, Lenovo is rolling out new ThinkPad devices to help build-out home offices or help update reopening ones.

Unveiled late last week, was the ThinkPad P-14 and P-15 laptops and updates to the ThinkCentre desktop portfolio with 10th Gen Intel Core vPro Processors.

Today, Lenovo announced the latest ThinkCentre desktop portfolio featuring a blend of powerful technologies including high-performance 10th Gen Intel® Core™ processors with optional 10th Gen Intel® Core™ vPro® processors available in selected models. Offering businesses full flexibility for their desktop needs with Tower, Small Form Factor (SFF), All-in-One (AIO), and Tiny form factors, the updated ThinkCentre M70, M80, and M90 series are designed to meet the complex computing and business continuity needs in today’s changing world. Lenovo is also updating the Tiny-in-One solution (TIO) with the 4th generation TIO22 and TIO24. These solutions offer innovative display plus optional Tiny desktop models for a versatile modular all-in-one PC.

The new ThinkCentre’s are designed for modulation, allowing customers to buy either a PC tower or a “Tiny” desktop that can be attached to the back of a 21.5-inch monitor for a minimalistic workspace.

Each form factor comes with the updated 10th Gen Intel Core vPro processor, refined standby technology, USB Type-C, HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA port options. Beyond the hardware, the ThinkCentre’s will also sport Lenovo’s ThinkShield compliance software to offer state-of-the-art digital security solutions that run alongside any proprietary business options your company may want to apply.

For those, a bit more mobile or pressed for space at home, the ThinkPad P14 and P15 (updates to the P43 and P53 lineup) will also usher in 10th gen processors and configurations up to Core i7-10810u chips for boosted clock speed work of up to 4.9GHz. The P14 and P15, like its predecessors, offer performance suited best for designers using AEC or CAD applications which is why Lenovo is also stuffing an NVIDIA Quadro graphics card in them as well as up to 2TB of onboard storage to quickly access medium to large renders for clients or managers.

Projects, workbooks, presentations, and demonstrations built with the P14 and P15 can all be viewed on their 4K UHD displays calibrated with X-Rite Pantone Factory color calibration and enhanced with Dolby Vision HDR.

For those interested, some of last week’s updates will be available for purchase as early as later this month.

  • ThinkCentre M70 series is expected to be available from June 2020, starting at $649 for M70t Tower, $629 for M70s SFF and $499 for M70q Tiny
  • ThinkCentre M70a AIO is expected to be available from June 2020, starting at $749.
  • ThinkCentre M80 series is expected to be available from June 2020, starting at $759 for M80t Tower, $739 for M80s SFF and $879 for M80q Tiny.
  • ThinkCentre M90 series is expected to be available from June 2020, starting at $839 for M90t Tower, $819 for M90s SFF and $909 for M90q Tiny.
  • ThinkCentre M90a AIO is expected to be available from June 2020, starting at $1029.
  • ThinkPad P14s is expected to be available from May 2020, starting at $1599.
  • ThinkPad P15s is expected to be available from May 2020, starting at $1579.

While Lenovo isn’t sharing the details just yet, the company is priming its customer audience with a hint at X1 Carbon Gen 8, X1 Yoga Gen 5, and new T, X, and L-Series laptops updates planned for later in the year.

Windows 10 news recap: 32-bit Windows 10 will no longer ship to OEMs, firmware updates galore, and more

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Welcome back to our Windows 10 news recap, where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.

Microsoft will no longer ship 32-bit versions of Windows 10 to PC OEMs starting with the May 2020 Update

Starting with the May 2020 Update for Windows 10, Microsoft will no longer be shipping 32-bit versions of Windows 10 to OEMs.

Surface Pro 4 gets new firmware updates to improve system stability

A new firmware update is available for the Surface Pro 4 to improve system stability.

Surface Book 2 and Surface Go/LTE devices get new firmware updates

On the back of the Surface Pro 4 firmware update, the Surface Book 2 and Surface Go have also received new firmware updates.

That’s it for this week. We will be back next week with more Windows 10 news.

Microsoft news recap: Swiftkey gets rebranded, Outlook getting suggested replies, and more

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft news recap is a weekly feature highlighting the top Microsoft news stories of the past week. Sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the read!

New report shows all game streaming platforms except Microsoft’s Mixer saw massive growth in April

In April, all game streaming platforms except Microsoft’s Mixer saw a large jump in growth, according to a new report. Whilst the majority of game streaming platforms saw growth during the pandemic, Mixer is lagging behind with the smallest level of growth.

Microsoft's Mixer website
Microsoft’s Mixer website

Swiftkey rebrands to Microsoft Swiftkey keyboard on Android and gets Emoji 12.0 support

Microsoft’s Android keyboard app, Swiftkey, has been rebranded as Microsoft Swiftkey keyboard. At the same time, it has also received an update to add support for Emoji 12.0.

SwiftKey keyboard on Android
SwiftKey keyboard on Android

Outlook on the web is getting suggested replies and text predictions features

Following in the footsteps of Google’s Gmail suggested replies to emails, Microsoft is now adding suggested replies and text predictions to Outlook on the web, helping you compose emails quickly.

Microsoft publishes full Build 2020 session catalog

The full schedule for Build 2020 has now been published. This year, Build 2020 will be digital and is free to attend.

That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with more Microsoft news.

What is NativeDropBoxAgent and what does it do?

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

NativeDropBoxAgent is a preinstalled app on Motorola devices running on Android. It has no practical function or use.

Since it comes with the main software, it can’t be uninstalled or deactivated. 

Note that there is no connection between NativeDropBoxAgent and the well-know cloud storage app Dropbox.

Actually, issues with NativeDropBoxAgent occur even when the users don’t have Dropbox installed and are not using it on a regular basis.

Commonly reported problems with NativeDropBoxAgent are short battery life, general slowdown, and reduced memory space.  

Also, if you have an antivirus installed, it oftentimes finds NativeDropBoxAgent as potentially harmful, marking it as an unwanted application.

How can I stop NativeDropBoxAgent from running?

Force-stop the application

motorola phone with android

  1. Open the Settings menu.
  2. In the Apps menu, find NativeDropBoxAgent and open it.
  3. Click on Force Stop.

The system will warn you that it might misbehave or the action might affect other apps. Reactivation is possible, nevertheless.

Additionally, after performing this step, users mentioned visible improvement in their devices’ system performance as well as a positive adjustment in the device memory space.

It seems that there are no negative consequences of not actually using this app.

We hope that this article has answered your question about what is NativeDropBoxAgent and what it does on your system.

If you have any suggestions, don’t hesitate to contact us by using the comment section below.

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How to install Dropbox using the offline installer

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

The Dropbox desktop application is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems, and allows you to use cloud storage space to either share files, or store backups. That being said, many users have reported issues when installing it.

You don’t have to worry about any issues as in this article we provide the steps for an easy offline installation.

How do I download and install the Dropbox desktop app?

1. Actions needed to install Dropbox with admin rights

dropbox features

The Dropbox desktop app requires admin privileges to run with full functionality on your computer. This enables multiple different core features of Dropbox, including:

  • Sync icons that show the sync status of files and folders.
  • Right-click context menus for taking quick actions in Dropbox.
  • Access to Smart Sync.

For the vast majority of users, the desktop app is automatically installed with admin privileges. However, if you didn’t install with admin privileges you can follow the instructions below to do so.

2. Install the Dropbox desktop app with admin privileges

dropbox install

  1. Download the Dropbox application.
  2. Open the installer.
  3. Follow the instructions in the install wizard.
    • If you’re asked for an administrative username and password, enter them or contact your administrator to sign in.
    • If you’re not asked for an administrative username and password, you’re already an admin on your computer.
  4. Complete the installation and sign in to Dropbox.

3. Smart Sync and admin privileges

smart sync

Some Dropbox users will have access to Smart Sync. If you have access to this feature, check that Dropbox is installed with admin privileges on each computer where the feature will be used.

If you’re the admin on a Dropbox Business team, you can see which team members installed Dropbox with admin privileges. However, you can only do this before you enable Smart Sync.

Depending on the policies at your company, your team members may be able to install Dropbox with admin privileges on their own. If not, they may need the assistance of your IT team.

In today’s article, we compiled the simplest installation method with some other useful information that will enable you to use Dropbox without any issues in the future.

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FIX: Nexus Mod Manager is not set up to work with Skyrim

Posted on by Vladimir Popescu

The Nexus Mod Manager (NMM), as the name suggests, is a software that allows you to effectively manage your Nexus game mods from a user-friendly hub.

A large number of users have reported encountering the error Nexus mod manager is not set up to work with Skyrim. This issue can cause a lot of frustration, especially for die-hard fans of the game series.

Here is what one user had to say about this issue on the Nexus Mods forum:

I want to strangle someone because the error message Nexus Mod Manager is not set up to work with Skyrim. If Skyrim is installed, rescan for installed games from the change games toolbar item. keeps popping up whenever I try to download a mod from Nexus with the Mod Manager. Whenever I try to download mods the damned error keeps popping up. Please help.

This issue seems to have appeared on a variety of system configurations, so a problem with the capability of your PC is out of the question. That being said, we took the time to find the most probable causes, and the best methods to apply in this case.

Read on to find out more details.

What can I do if the Nexus Mod Manager doesn’t work with Skyrim?

1. Rescan for installed games

  1. Open the Nexus Mod Manager app.
  2. Click on the Change Game toolbar.
  3. Select Skyrim from the list.
  4. Press Ok to rescan the caches from your installed Skyrim game.Nexus game rescan - nexus mod manager is not set up to work with skyrim

2. Make sure you’re using the right mods for your version of Skyrim

Skyrim versions - nexus mod manager is not set up to work with skyrim

Even though it might seem to be an obvious step, some users have simply solved their problem by using the appropriate mods for the version of Skyrim they have installed.

If you installed the older version of the game, download the mods from this Skyrim webpage.

In case you are using the newer version of the game, try downloading the mods you want from the official Skyrim Special Edition webpage.

Note: Skyrim and Skyrim Legendary Edition are the same game, while the latter comes bundled with all three DLC’s available for the classic release.

3. Remove the Nexus Mod Manager user configurations

Nexus mods screenshot - nexus mod manager is not set up to work with skyrim

  1. Open the Windows Explorer.
  2. Navigate to the following location on your hard drive: C:Users -> your username ->appdata -> local -> Black Tree Gaming ->somefolder ->mod ->version number
  3. In this folder, you will be able to find either one or multiple files.
  4. Delete all of them.
  5. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
  6. Open the Nexus Mod Manager app, and re-create your user based on personal preferences.
  7. Check to see if the mods work.

Is your Windows File Explorer crashing in Windows 10? Try these fixes

4. Make sure your firewall is not blocking Nexus Mod Manager

Allow application through Windows Defender Firewall:

  1. Press the Win+X keys on your keyboard and select Settings.
  2. Click the Update and Security button.Update and security - nexus mod manager is not set up to work with skyrim
  3. Select the Windows Security option from the menu to the left of your screen.
  4. Click the Firewall and network security option.
  5. Choose the option Allow an app through the firewall.
  6. Search for the Nexus Mod Manager in the list and allow both incoming and outgoing connections.
  7. Restart your PC and try running the mods again.

If you can’t access the Windows Firewall settings, it means you don’t have administrator rights. To find out how you can enable your Administrator account, have a look at this simple guide.

5. Reinstall the Nexus Mod Manager

To remove:

  1. Press the Win+X keys and choose Apps and features.
  2. Select the Nexus Mod Manager from the list.
  3. Press the Uninstall button.Uninstall Nexus Mod Manager - nexus mod manager is not set up to work with skyrim
  4. Click the Uninstall button again to confirm.
  5. Wait for the process to complete.

To reinstall:

  1. Download the Nexus Mod Manager by clicking the Manual button on the website.Download Nexus mode manager - nexus mod manager is not set up to work with skyrim
  2. Wait for the download process to complete.
  3. Open the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.

6. Use the Vortex app to manage your Nexus game mods

Vortex download page - nexus mod manager is not set up to work with skyrim

  1. Download the Vortex application.
  2. Install it by following the on-screen instructions.
  3. Try to manage your faulty Skyrim mods and check to see if the issue is resolved.

In today’s guide, we had a look at the most efficient methods to try out if you see the Nexus Mod Manager is not set up to work with Skyrim error message.

Don’t hesitate to share your experience with us, and also give us any suggestions as to how you managed to solve this problem.

To contact us, you can simply use the comment section found below this article.

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VS Code 1.45 brings UI accessibility updates and more

Posted on by Don Sharpe

VS Code 1.45 comes with a host of feature enhancements that make life for programmers a lot easier. It includes GitHub integration, remote coding, and UI accessibility updates.

Some of the latest changes to one of the most popular code editors are a reflection of feedback that Microsoft has been gathering from users on GitHub.

VS Code 1.45 key highlights

UI accessibility and code readability

A few of the updates, such as better accessibility, are a quality of life boost.

The platform’s user interface is now a little easier to navigate. Partly, that is due to the ability to switch between tabs by simply scrolling the mouse wheel.

When you use the mouse wheel to scroll over editor tabs, you currently cannot switch tabs, only reveal tabs that are out of view. Now with a new setting workbench.editor.scrollToSwitchTabs, you can change the behavior to switch the active editor tab.

Also, coders can move across the workbench by pressing F6 to invoke the Focus Next Part command. The Shift+F6 command calls the Focus Previous Part function.

There is also some good news for fans of semantic code highlighting. They can now personalize the semantic colorization of codes in the latest version of VS Code editor. This feature enhances code readability.

GitHub authentication

VS Code 1.45 comes with automatic GitHub authentication.

Usually, GitHub Pull Requests and Issues make it possible for programmers to work  with the software development platform in VS Code.

With the update, it is now easier for them to share their source code to both private and public GitHub repositories. They do not need to set up credential management to get started.

Remote code development

VS Code remote development extensions are still a work in progress. Their purpose is to enable programmers to access all VS Code features in any container.

The feature is particularly useful when you are building an application in the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) or on a remote device.

Feel free to leave any suggestions or questions in the comments section below.

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