Microsoft announces newest sustainable data center, coming to Arizona in 2021

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has recently announced its plans to build a new data center region in Arizona, which will be called the West US 3 region. The sustainable data center is expected to open in 2021, and it will create over 100 permanent jobs across various functions in this region.

The announcement builds on Microsoft’s long term goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030. It shows the company’s new focus on water conservation and the power of its HoloLens 2 device in combination with Azure. With this new data center, the company aims to deliver enterprise-grade cloud services such as Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Microsoft Azure. It will also include “Availability Zones” to support customer needs for resiliency and high-availability in their applications. Availability Zones are basically unique physical locations of data centres that will have an independent network, power, and cooling mechanism.

“Our datacenter design and operations will contribute to the sustainability of our Arizona facilities. In Arizona, we’re pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, which will help conserve additional resources including energy and water, generate less waste and support human health. We’re also committed to zero waste-certified operations for this new region, which means a minimum of 90 percent of waste will be diverted away from landfills through reduction, reuse and recycling efforts,” the company explained.

Microsoft  has also committed to invest in solar energy generation and water conservation project in Arizona. Moreover, the software gaint has entered into a partnership with Nox Innovations to build sustainable data centers in the region. Nox Innovations will leverage the power of Microsoft HoloLens 2, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Remote Assist and Microsoft mixed reality partner solution VisualLive to achieve this goal.

After “record-breaking demand” for Xbox Series X and S, Microsoft promises more units on November 10

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft finally opened pre-orders for its next-gen Xbox Series X and S consoles yesterday, and as excepted, both models sold out pretty quickly. Yesterday, the Xbox Twitter account celebrated “record-breaking demand for Xbox Series X and S,” and warned Xbox enthusiasts who haven’t been able to pre-order either console to wait for more units on November 10.

Interestingly, all the excitement for the Xbox Series X and S also gave the now deprecated Xbox One X a boost on Amazon. Indeed, the console’s sale rank (not to be confused with actual sales) on the digital retailer was up 747% yesterday, leading some to believe that some enthusiasts looking for the Xbox Series X may have bought the Xbox One X by mistake.

Others like Senior Video Games Analyst Daniel Ahmad suggested that this increase in Xbox One X sales could be the result of by misconfigured bots. Anyway, as Microsoft discontinued the Xbox One X back in July, stocks for the current-gen console should now be very low.

Three years ago, Microsoft announced that the Xbox One X was the fastest-selling Xbox pre-order ever. This was five days after the company opened pre-orders for a special Project Scorpio Edition of the console at Gamescom 2017. At the time, the software giant didn’t share any hard-data about console pre-orders, and the Xbox team will likely do the same for Xbox Series X and S pre-orders.

We don’t know how many next-gen Xbox units were available for pre-order yesterday, but retailers’ websites including Microsoft’s own digital Store have been struggling with the increased traffic. Ironically, yesterday was also the day when Microsoft’s kicked off its Ignite conference for IT Pros, with the company’s Azure cloud being a main topic.

We hope that the Xbox team will soon share an update about Xbox Series X and S pre-orders. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if you’ve been able to pre-order your console of choice yesterday.

Digital pre-orders open for Tetris Effect: Connected video game on Xbox One and Xbox Series X

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Tetris Effect: Connected is a now available to pre-order and pre-download on Microsoft’s Xbox One consoles. This pre-order is essentially a pre-order for the Xbox Series X version of the game as well as it supports Smart Delivery, a system that automatically unlocks the next gen version for free for those that own the Xbox One version.

While there have been various Tetris video games on Xbox consoles over the years, this is the first Tetris Effect title to appear on the platform. Tetris Effect: Connected is a re-release of the PS4 and PC Tetris Effect video game which reimagined the classic puzzle title with a surreal design aesthetic that changes in response to how the player is playing.

Connected differs from the original Tetris Effect game by including new multiplayer and single-player modes. Tetris Effect: Connected will support 4K HDR when played on an Xbox One X, Xbox Series S, or Xbox Series X console.

Here’s the official game description:

Tetris Effect: Connected adds an all-new robust multiplayer expansion to the huge variety of addictive and innovative single-player modes that Tetris Effect is known for with all-new co-op and competitive online and local multiplayer modes!

Tetris Effect is Tetris like you’ve never seen it, or heard it, or felt it before—an incredibly addictive, unique, and breathtakingly gorgeous reinvention of one of the most popular puzzle games of all time, from the people who brought you the award-winning Rez Infinite and legendary puzzle game Lumines.

Music, backgrounds, sounds, special effects—everything, down to the Tetris pieces themselves, pulse, dance, shimmer, and explode in perfect sync with how you’re playing, making any of the game’s 30+ stages and 10+ modes something you’ll want to experience over and over again.

A challenge for the mind and a feast for all the senses, TETRIS EFFECT is the perfect excuse to play Tetris again… and again…and again, and again, and again and again and again and again and again and again and…

Game leverages Smart Delivery allowing access to both the Xbox One title and the Xbox Series X|S title when available.

Tetris Effect: Connected is set to launch on Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles on November 10th. This is the same release date as the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles which makes Tetris Effect: Connected a launch title for Microsoft’s next gen consoles.

The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles are also now up for pre-order but they’re selling out VERY fast.

Are you hyped for Tetris Effect: Connected? Let us know why or why not in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest and Twitter for more Xbox gaming news.

Tetris® Effect: Connected
Tetris® Effect: Connected
Download
QR-Code

Tetris® Effect: Connected
Developer:
Enhance
Price:
$39.99

How to access WeChat after ban and keep using it anywhere

Posted on by Vlad Constantinescu
It’s not exactly a secret that the US Administration has decided to ban TikTok and WeChat on US territory starting with the 20th of September 2020. Although the situation might’ve slightly changed, the decision hasn’t changed. For occasional users, WeChat’s ban might not seem like a big deal. However, for certain people who may use this app to communicate with their families in China, sell products, or even process payments, the ban can have a huge impact. We’ll tell you all there is to know about WeChat, what this ban actually implies, and how to keep on using it, even when (if) the banhammer finally drops.

What is WeChat?

WeChat is a multi-purpose app developed and released by the Chinese company Tencent. You can use this app to stay in touch with your peers, read the news, text/audio/video chat, and even make payments. Furthermore, WeChat encompasses a public accounts feature, which lets users and even organizations create public accounts that other users can subscribe to. Public accounts can be used for subscriber interaction, delivering content to subscribers, and even providing them with various services. Chinese companies can register official accounts, which can be used for various purposes such as the renewal of your visa, health care, and even credit card services. With that in mind, it’s not hard to see why banning WeChat from US soil can be really troublesome for many.

What does WeChat’s ban mean?

We’ve already mentioned (albeit briefly) WeChat’s ban situation in the US. But what does it mean? Well, to bust this myth, WeChat’s ban doesn’t mean that starting with the effective date, the app won’t work any longer. If you’re a regular WeChat user and you have the app on your phone, you can still use it to some extent. However, the app will be most likely removed from both Google’s and Apple’s app stores. Thus, you won’t be able to download and install them after the ban sets in place. Additionally, receiving any future updates will also become impossible, which is likely to affect the stability and well-functioning of the app. More importantly, if you were using WeChat as a payment method, you won’t be able to do that any longer. But the most important part of this ban is perhaps also the grimmest one. If the ban will coerce ISPs into blocking access to the app, merely sending a message could become impossible. Not to mention all the other features, of course. To put it shortly, after WeChat’s ban becomes effective, you won’t be able to:
  • Download the app from official sources (Google & Apple app stores)
  • Receive any updates and/or critical security patches
  • Make any more payments
  • Use some of the app‘s key features, which could gradually become scarce

How to access WeChat after ban?

Use a VPN

  1. Buy a premium VPN subscription plan (we recommend using Private Internet Access)WeChat PIA
  2. Download and install the VPN on your device
  3. Launch PIA and log into your account
  4. Select a non-US server from the VPN’s dedicated menu

After connecting to a non-US server, you should be able to use WeChat without restriction. Keep in mind that India has also banned this app, so choosing an Indian VPN server might not work.

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

Do you want to unblock WeChat in your country? PIA can definitely help.
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It’s worth mentioning that, reportedly, Indian users also swap SIM cards to access WeChat. We doubt that US mobile network providers will attempt to block WeChat usage, but the truth is that anything could happen.

Private Internet Access has a huge network of servers (more than 11,000), so if one server doesn’t seem to work with WeChat, just choose another one and try again.

Download WeChat from third-parties (sideloading)

After the ban sets in place, you won’t be able to download and install WeChat from Google’s or Apple’s app stores. On the other hand, you can use non-app-store sources to download the app.

There are several websites that host app files (APK, IPA) but sideloading involves certain security risks. Granted, you can do it easier on Androids, but there’s still the risk of downloading and deploying malware to your phone.

Bottom line, we wouldn’t recommend sideloading WeChat or any other potentially unsafe app to your phone.

Use a SmartDNS service

Usually, SmartDNS tools can help you unblock geo-restricted streaming websites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. However, a less-known fact is that SmartDNS services can also unblock social media websites.

Thus, it’s possible that it could also be used to unblock WeChat.

However, note that, as opposed to using a VPN, a SmartDNS service won’t encrypt your connection. Therefore, your traffic will still be pretty much visible to your ISP, which might put your privacy at risk.

More so, a SmartDNS service won’t change your IP. Thus, if your ISP decides to restrict WeChat usage based on your IP address, a SmartDNS might not be useful at all.

Final thoughts on accessing WeChat after the ban

To sum things up, despite it being banned in the US, WeChat can still be accessed, even on US soil. You just need a tool to circumvent geoblocking, such as a VPN.

Other tools such as SmartDNS might also work in this situation, but they’re way less secure than a VPN, and don’t change your IP address.

Last, but not least, if you’re not a fan of either VPNs or SmartDNS services, you can try downloading apps on your PC and sideloading them to your phone, although we don’t recommend this practice due to security concerns.

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How to Improve Headphone Sound Quality in Windows 10

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Headphones are a great way to fully enjoy music, but there are several methods that you can use to improve your headphone sound quality.

Improving the sound quality on your headphones doesn’t have to be hard, and today we’re going to show you a couple of methods that you can use.

How to enhance headphone sound quality?

1. Use a specialized tool

One of the fastest ways to improve your headphone sound quality is by using Boom 3D software. The software offers virtual 3D surround technology that works with any headphone model.

31-band equalizer is also available, so you can easily fine-tune your sound just the way you want. Of course, there are presets available for many music genres.

Boom 3D can also work as a volume booster, and it increases your sound volume over its default limit without any distortions.

Regarding the compatibility, the device works with all kinds of audio devices, including headphones, earphones, speakers, and built-in laptop speakers.

Boom 3D also has its own audio effects, and with a wide array of features, it’s one of the best ways to improve your headphone sound quality.

Boom3D

Use Boom 3D to boost your headphone volume and improve the sound quality.
Free Trial Visit website

2. Use high-quality audio

  1. Use uncompressed audio files such as WAV, AIFF, and PCM.
  2. Use lossless file formats such as FLAC, WMA, and ALAC.
  3. Use high bitrate and high sample rate audio. 320Kbps and higher and 44.1kHz are recommended.
  4. If you’re using services such as Spotify, make sure to set the sound quality to the highest possible.

Keep in mind that streaming services optimize the audio quality, so the sound quality will certainly drop while using them. To avoid that, it’s always better to download music in a lossless audio format.

3. Upgrade your audio equipment

  1. Purchase a USB sound card.
  2. Consider purchasing a quality pair of headphones.
  3. Use a headphone amplifier.

Good headphones can make all the difference, and you’ll immediately notice a difference between budget and high-quality headphones.

The same goes for a USB sound card. Your built-in sound card is good enough for basic needs, but if you want to enhance your audio, it’s always a good idea to use a dedicated sound card.

If you really want to get the best possible sound, then a headphone amplifier might come in handy since it will boost your sound volume and give the sound more depth.

Improving the headphone sound quality doesn’t have to be an expensive process, and you can make a large difference simply by following the instructions from this article.

What are your tricks for improving headphone sound quality? Let us know in the comments below.

Boom 3D vs Boom 2: Should you Upgrade? [Volume booster tips]

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

GlobalDelight’s Boom 3D is the latest version of its premium volume booster and equalizer app. It comes with a system-wide volume booster, readymade equalizer presets, 3D surround sound, application volume control, and offers access to 30+ radio stations.

However, if you already own the previous version, Boom 2, should you upgrade to Boom 3D?

In this article, we compare the latest Boom 3D with Boom 2 to see if it’s worth upgrading by paying a premium. So, let’s begin this quick Boom 3D vs. Boom 2 comparison.

Boom 3D vs. Boom 2 – Should you upgrade?

Boom 2 Overview

boom 3d vs boom 2

Boom 2 is a feature-rich, equalizer, and volume booster app for Mac that depending on the music system you have can significantly improve the overall audio output quality of your MacBook.

It comes with a clean and user-friendly interface and offers features a personalized and calibrated system-wide volume booster. You also have multiple readymade equalizer presets to play with.

In addition, you get 10-band & 31-band advanced equalizer, uniquely tailored audio free download on the iTunes app, file audio boosting, and one-click audio effects.

Boom 3D Overview

boom 3d vs boom 2

Boom 3D is the latest and updated version of the Boom 2 app.  At first, you may see the app with a little skepticism, but as you use it, you will realize the app really makes a difference when watching movies and listening to audio.

The newest and biggest addition to Boom 3D is the new 3D surround sound feature. You can access the 3D surround sound feature from the menu. The control panel offers bass and intensity control for Surround Sound. You can also control the immersion by enabling or disabling the 3D effects.

The built-in media player is also a new addition and comes with decent controls. To fine-tune the experience, you can tinker with settings like Ambience, Fidelity, Night Mode, and Spatial.

Boom3D

Explore the full range of features with this incredible sound equalizer software, and never experience bad sound quality.
Check price Visit website

Features

boom 3d vs boom 2

It is not surprising that Boom 3D being the newer version comes with the most features among the two.

Apart from the features mentioned above, Boom 3D comes with features like application volume controller, advanced audio player, internet radio stations, intensity slider, bass control, and an option to manage multiple devices.

To make the most, you can select the type of device you are using. Click the Headphone icon on the top right corner and select Home Speaker, Over Hear, In Canal, or In-Ear. Boom 3D will adjust the tuning accordingly.

Boom 2 has none of the features above. However, it does have the file audio boosting feature that is missing on Boom 3D.

User Interface

boom 3d vs boom 2

Both Boom 3D and Boom 2 offer a clean user interface. Despite the sheer number of features available on Boom 3D, getting around the settings is easy.

Both the version also come with readymade equalizer presets so that you can set the right preset for the track you are listening to.

Performance

why upgrade to boom 3d

While Boom 2 was excellent for the time, Boom 3D has only improved the performance.

Boom 3D offers the best experience when used with a headphone while boosting the quality of the audio.

If you own an old headphone with not so good volume, Boom 3D’s volume booster can help you with the volume level as well.

Why upgrade to Boom 3D?

If you already have Boom 2, upgrading to Boom 3D does offer some excellent features that are worth upgrading to if you can make the most out of it.

If you are still skeptical, you can now try Boom 3D for a 30 days free trial, so don’t hesitate to explore the full option now.

5 best Linux compatible printers [HP, Canon, Brother]

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic
Sometimes you need to print something, and in order to do that, you need a high-quality printer. However, not all printers are compatible with all operating systems. Many printers aren’t fully compatible with Linux, and in today’s article, we’re going to show you the best Linux compatible printers that you can buy.          

What printers are compatible with Linux?

Pantum P2502W

Pantum P2502W linux compatible printers

If you’re looking for a Linux compatible printer, you should consider Pantum P2502W. This is a monochrome printer, and it can print up to 22ppm in A4/letter format.

Regarding the size, the device measures 13.27” x 8.66” x 7.01”, so it should fit in any workspace. The printer has a metal frame structure, so it can sustain prolonged use with ease.

Pantum P2502W connects to your PC via USB 2.0 port, but there’s also Wi-Fi available, so you can print documents from iOS or Android systems.

The device is compatible with Windows as well as Linux, and since it’s so easy to install, you won’t have any problems with it.

Overall, Pantum P2502W is a solid printer, and if you’re looking for a monochrome laser printer that works with Linux, this model might be perfect for you.

  • Monochrome laser printer
  • Can print 22/23 pages per minute in A4/letter format
  • 13.27'' x 8.66'' x 7.01'' in size
  • USB 2.0 and Wi-Fi
  • Works with Android and iOS
  • Some users had issues with Linux drivers
Check price

Brother HL-L8260CDW

Brother HL-L8260CDW linux compatible printers

Brother HL-L8260CDW is a multipurpose laser printer that can print up to 33 pages per minute. Regarding the capacity, it can store 50 sheets in the input tray and 150 in the output tray.

The printer supports duplex printing, so you can easily print on both sides, and thanks to the high-yield toner cartridges, you can print up to 4500 black and white and up to 4000 color prints.

Speaking of the toner, there’s a dash replacement feature that can measure the toner level and automatically order a new toner once your current one is low.

It’s important to mention that this printer has both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can easily print remotely or from your phone.

Brother HL-L8260CDW is a great printer, and with its Windows, Mac, and Linux support, it’s a perfect choice regardless of the platform you’re using.

  • Can print up to 33 pages per minute
  • Input capacity 50 sheets, output capacity 150 sheets
  • Measures 16.1 x 19.1 x 12.3 inches
  • Duplex printing
  • Ethernet and Wi-Fi support
  • Inability to reset toner cartridges
Check price

Lexmark B3340dw

Lexmark B3340dw linux compatible printers

Another great Linux compatible printer is Lexmark B3340dw. This device is a monochrome laser printer, and it can print up to 40 pages per minute. In addition, the device offers duplex printing support.

The device comes with a 1GHz dual-core processor and 256MB of memory, and as for the connectivity, it supports USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi.

Lexmark B3340dw uses a high yield toner, that can provide you with up to 3000 printed pages, which will be enough for most users.

The device measures 8. 7 x 14. 5 x 14. 3, so it shouldn’t take too much space, and it offers full compatibility with Windows, Linux, and Mac computers.

Overall, Lexmark B3340dw is a great monochrome printer, and you should definitely consider it.

  • Monochrome laser printer
  • Can print up to 40 pages per minute
  • Duplex printing support
  • Measures 8.7 x 14.5 x 14.3 inches
  • Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux
  • Connecting to Wi-Fi might be a bit complicated
Check price

Xerox Phaser 6510/DN

Xerox Phaser 6510/DN linux compatible printers

This is a laser color printer, and it can print up to 30 pages per minute in color and in black and white. As for the resolution, the printer has 1200×2400 dpi resolution.

When it comes to the printing speed, the first color print is outputted after 8.8 seconds, while the first black and white print is outputted after 7.5 seconds.

Regarding the printing, the device can easily print up to 50,000 pages per month. In addition, the printer fully supports two-sided printing, which will surely come in handy.

The printer has Ethernet and USB 3.0 connection, and it should work with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers with ease.

Xerox Phaser 6510/DN is a solid device, and it will be a perfect choice for all if you’re looking for a laser printer that is Linux compatible.

  • Color laser printer
  • Can print up to 30 pages per minute
  • 1200x2400 DPI resolution
  • Two-sided printing
  • Ethernet and USB 3.0 connectivity
  • Replacement toners can be expensive
Check price

Brother HL-L5200DW

Brother HL-L5200DW linux compatible printers

If you’re looking for a Linux compatible printer, then Brother HL-L5200DW might be just what you need. This is a monochrome laser printer, and it can output up to 42 pages per minute.

The printer can store up to 250 sheets, and the output tray can hold up to 50 sheets. It’s important to mention that the printer supports both Ethernet and wireless connectivity, so you can print documents remotely.

Speaking of printing, the device comes with high yield toner that can print up to 8000 pages, which should be enough for most users.

Regarding security, the printer has a built-in device, document, and network security features, so you can prevent unauthorized access.

Brother HL-L5200DW is a solid printer, and with Windows, Mac, and Linux compatibility, it’s a great printer overall.

  • Monochrome laser printer
  • Can print up to 42 pages per minute
  • Can hold up to 250 sheets in the input tray, and up to 50 sheets in the output tray
  • Comes with high yield toner that can print up to 8000 pages
  • Ethernet and wireless connectivity
  • Minor issues with the Deep Sleep mode
Check price

Finding a proper printer isn’t an easy task, especially if you’re looking for a printer that is fully compatible with Linux.

In this article, we showed you some of the best Linux compatible printers, and we hope that we managed to help you find the right printer for your needs.

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FIX: Just Cause 3 crashes on PC with 10 quick solutions

Posted on by Aleksandar Ognjanovic

Just Cause 3, the sequel to the highly-successful Just Cause 2, adds another layer of fun and improves on the amazing in-game mechanics with the superb graphics.

However, since this game, like so many others, is a port from the Xbox One, the developer failed to optimize the game for the Windows platform and Just Cause 3 is plagued by crashes.

In addition, Just Cause 3 for PC has a lot of issues, including lags, stutters, FPS drops. We made sure to provide you with the in-depth list of all the common solutions we run into. Make sure to give them a try.

How can I fix Just Cause 3 if it crashes in Windows 10?

1. Check drivers

The game works badly on numerous Nvidia graphics cards for some reason. Now, there’s only so much you can do when the game port is far from perfect.

On the other hand, making sure that you have the latest GPU drivers and associated software installed might help the cause (pun not intended).

The GPU driver provided by Windows Update doesn’t work as intended a lot of times.

The best way to ensure that the GPU software is proper is to download and install drivers from the official support website.

Here are 3 websites of major OEM’s where you should be able to find everything you need:

If you don’t want to manually search for drivers, you can always use a third-party tool such as Fortect Driver Updater.

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

The safer and easier way to update drivers on a Windows computer is by using an automatic software.

We strongly recommend the FortectDriver Updater tool to update your drivers in order to avoid the damage to your PC by manually downloading the wrong driver versions.

This great tool was developed so that you do not have to worry about manually downloading and installing your drivers yourself.

Already installed drivers can also be stored in an archive and used, for example, when the system is restored.

Fortect Driver Updater

With this tool you won’t spend any effort to keep your drivers up to date.
Check Price Visit Website

2. Check the system requirements

The optimal solution for the majority of issues is quite common for badly optimized console-to-PC ports. When in trouble, add more RAM.

The majority of problems in Just Cause 3 for PC appear due to memory leakage, where the game eats up all your physical memory which results in lags, stutters, and eventually crashes.

Some suggest at least 16 GB of RAM, which is seemingly an overkill, based on the official system requirements.

Here are the minimum and recommended system requirements for Just Cause 3:

Minimum:

  • OS: Vista SP2 / Windows 7.1 SP1 / Windows 8.1 (64-bit Operating System Required)
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-2500k, 3.3GHz / AMD Phenom II X6 1075T 3GHz
  • RAM: 8 GB RAM
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 (2GB) / AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2GB)
  • HDD: 54 GB available space

Recommended:

  • OS: Vista SP2 / Windows 7.1 SP1 / Windows 8.1 (64-bit Operating System Required)
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-3770, 3.4 GHz / AMD FX-8350, 4.0 GHz
  • RAM: 8 GB RAM
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 (3GB) / AMD R9 290 (4GB)
  • HDD: 54 GB available space

3. Install the latest patch

This game port for PC is quite poorly optimized. A lot of users with Nvidia GPUs have had a hard time enjoying the game.

But the number of affected users substantially dropped after a few patches. That’s why we suggest updating the game and, hopefully, the problems will be sorted out.

The first major patch (1.02) hasn’t fixed a thing, but a few coming afterward have dealt with the game performance and reduced crashes.

The game updates automatically through the Steam desktop client, so make sure to start the game from there. Once you’ve acquired the latest update, give Just Cause 3 another try.

4. Disable Superfetch service

  1. In the Windows Search bar, type services, and open Services.just cause 3 crashes
  2. Find Superfetch, right-click on it and open Properties.just cause 3 crashes
  3. Under the General tab so to Startup type, and select Disabled.
  4. Confirm changes and restart your PC.

The Superfetch technology is there to predict your actions and speed up the loading of applications in the Windows shell.

However, this technology works great with the standard HDD, and fast RAID arrays or SSDs don’t need it.

That’s why we suggest disabling Superfetch’s dedicated service, especially if you have an SSD.

You can always manage your startup apps so that you remove programs from the Startup and only keep those you need.

5. Disable NDU

  1. Create a system restore point.
  2. In the Windows Search bar, type Regedit and open the Registry Editor ss admin.just cause 3 crashes
  3. Navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMControlSet001ServicesNdu
  4. Right-click on Start and choose Modify.just cause 3 crashes
  5. Change its value to 4 instead of 2 and confirm changes.just cause 3 crashes
  6. Restart your PC.

NDU (Network Diagnostic Usage tends) to affect the Non-paged pool, which will lead to abnormal RAM usage.

You’ll barely notice this on some undemanding applications, but since Just Cause 3 already takes a massive portion of RAM, we suggest disabling it.

We strongly advise to act cautiously and follow the instructions closely. Misuse of the Registry might lead to critical system issues.

Can’t access the Registry Editor? Check out this guide and solve the issue quickly.

6. Disable background processes

  1. In the Windows Search bar, type msconfig and open System Configuration.
  2. Under the Services tab, check the Hide all Microsoft services box.
  3. Click Disable all.just cause 3 crashes
  4. Select the Startup tab and go to Task Manager.
  5. Prevent all programs from starting with the system and confirm changes.
  6. Restart your PC.

Besides the system features we enlisted, you can try disabling or limiting the background processes. So, when you start the game, make sure that nothing which comes hard on system resources works in the background.

You can regulate programs that start with the system in System Configuration settings.

Most users have no idea how to deal with a slow Task Manager. Don’t be one of them and read this quick guide to learn how to make it faster!

7. Start the game with the unplugged controller

Some users suggested that the controller was the one causing Just Cause 3 crashes on Windows 10.

They managed to resolve this by simply starting the game while the controller was disconnected.

Afterward, they plugged it in and configured button mapping in the game. And, believe it or not – no more crashes.

If your PC is performing poorly while running one of your favorite games, then you may want to consider investing in one of these game booster software for Windows 10.

8. Disable VSync/graphics extras and use lower graphics settings

Even if you have a gaming rig fully capable of running Just Cause 3, the fact that the game is badly optimized for the Windows platform suggest disabling all unnecessary graphics extras. Including the VSync and shadows.

Also, lowering graphics settings a notch might save you as well, or at least to some extent, reduce game crashes.

If you’re unable to do so in the in-game settings, you can navigate to the Configuration Settings file and change them there.

9. Check the game integrity via the Steam client

  1. Open Steam’s Library.
  2. Right-click on Just Cause 3 and open Properties.
  3. Choose the Local files tab.
  4. Click on the Verify the integrity of game files option.just cause 3 crashes
  5. Restart your PC and start the game from the Steam desktop client.

10. Reinstall the game

Finally, if none of the previous steps helped you resolve the issue at hand, we can only suggest going for a reinstallation.

This, of course, won’t do miracles, but a fresh start is the last one you can do on your own. The rest lies in the hands of the developers of Just Cause 3.

Reinstalling the game via Steam is as simple as possible, but we also suggest deleting the Setting file from the Saves. That way, you’ll start with a clean slate state of the game.

Hopefully, you were able to at least reduce Just Cause 3 crashes by following the enlisted steps.

If you have any alternative solutions or questions concerning Just Cause 3 crashes on the Windows platform, feel free to tell us in the comments section below.

[wl_navigator]

FIX: Poor sound quality after Windows 10/11 update

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

Big updates should bring new features, bug fixes, and overall better performance.

However, they sometimes leave an issue that can’t be ignored.

In some instances, you get poor sound quality after Windows 10 update, and this affects games, videos, and all audios while playing videos, audios, and using certain apps.

Follow the instructions below to troubleshoot and solve your poor sound quality after Windows 10 update. Apply the solutions serially.

How can I fix the sound not working after Windows 10 update?

1. Check basic audio features

  1. Click the Speaker icon from the taskbar
  2. Select the arrow facing up.
  3. Confirm if audios are playing through the audio device you prefer.
  4. Also, check if all external audio devices are correctly connected.
  5. Check all volume sliders and make sure it isn’t low or muted.

 2. Run the Windows audio troubleshooter

poor-sound-quality-after-windows-10-update-troubleshooter
  1. Open the Windows Start menu and search for the audio troubleshooter.
  2. Select Fix and find problems with playing sound and click Next.
  3. Pick a device to troubleshoot then follow all on-screen instructions.

 3. Automatically update audio drivers

automatic-poor-sound-quality-after-windows-10-update
  1. Type Device Manager in the search box and select it.
  2. Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers section.
  3. Right-click and select Update driver on your specific sound card or audio device.
  4. Select Search automatically for updated driver software and follow all on-screen instructions.

 4. Uninstall audio drivers

  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers section.
  3. Right-click and select the Uninstall device on your sound card or audio device.
  4. Check the Delete the driver software for this device checkbox, then Uninstall.
  5. Restart your PC and confirm that the audio is fixed.

5. Fix sound issues using Boom 3D

The quality of sound on Windows may not be up to par.

However, with an audio enhancement tool like Boom 3D, you will get excellent audio.

This incredible tool creates a 3D surround sound effect giving excellent audio, with absolutely no experience required to achieve amazing results.

The best thing about Boom 3D is the amazing array of custom presets available for you to try out, and beyond this, also offers full access to a local music player that ensures high-quality output at all times.

To fix the aforementioned issue, we recommend you check out Boom 3D for an easy fix.

  • 3D sound environment.
  • Offers equalizers and presets
  • Works on different headphone types
  • Boost all music types and genres

6. Use Windows default audio driver

default-device-poor-sound-quality-after-windows-10-update
  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Expand Sound, video, and game controllers.
  3. Right-click on your sound card or audio device.
  4. Select Update, then Browse my computer for driver software.
  5. Click on Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
  6. Choose an audio device, click on Next, and follow all on-screen instructions.

7. Update audio driver from the manufacturer’s website

hp-support-poor-sound-quality-after-windows-10-update
  1. Visit your computer or audio manufacturer’s website.
  2. If it doesn’t auto-detect your PC, fill in its details and check for a new audio driver update.
  3. Download and install.

8. Disable audio enhancement

disable-enhancements-poor-sound-quality-after-windows-10-update
  1. Open the Start menu and search for Control Panel then select it.
  2. Click on Hardware and Sound, then select Sound.
  3. Go to the Playback tab, right-click your Default Device, then choose Properties.
  4. Go to the Enhancement tab, select either Disable all sound effects or the Disable all Enhancement checkbox (depending on the option you find), click on Ok and try to play audio.
  5. If the problem persists, go back to the Playback tab, pick another device, disable any of the options above, select Ok, and check the audio.

A ton of reasons could cause poor sound quality after Windows 10 update. With these solutions here, you should solve that error.

Before applying other methods, ensure you check basic audio features. You can then update your audio drivers automatically or from your manufacturer’s website.

Fix Deus Ex: Mankind Divided display driver problems

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

Deus Ex Mankind Divided is a popular action role-playing game with first-person shooter mechanics. At times, when launching or playing the game, you may encounter a display driver problem.

The full error reads Deus Ex Mankind Divided a problem has occurred with your display driver. As the message indicates, the issue usually occurs due to a glitch in the driver.

If you are also experiencing this error, here is how to fix the Deus Ex Mankind Divided a problem has occurred with your display driver error in Windows 10.

How do I fix the Deus Ex Mankind Divided driver problem?

1. Update drivers with Fortect Driver Updater

Fortect Driver Updater is a simple, fast, and secure driver updater utility for Windows computers. With the tool, you can easily update all your drivers with one click for better system performance.

  1. Download Fortect Driver Updater and run the installer.
  2. Once installed, launch the utility.
  3. It will scan the system for outdated drivers, wait till it is finished.
  4. Next, scroll down and check if any update is pending for the Intel Display driver or any other processor you are using.
  5. Also, check for GPU updates for NVIDIA or AMD GPUs.
  6. Click on Update All to download and install the updates.

Once installed, reboot the computer. After the restart, launch Deus Ex Mankind Divided and check if the error is resolved.

<img class="rmudcb__image" src="https://windowsreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Fortect-CTA.png" alt="<strong>Fortect Driver Updater

<strong>Fortect Driver Updater</strong>

Download all the required drivers to make your DeusEx Mankind Divided run optimally on your system.
Check Price Visit Website

Update driver for Device Manager

Note: Even though you can also use the Device Manager on your PC to update the drivers, it is highly recommended that you use the software mentioned above. Using Outbyte Driver Updater will ensure that you’re not installing a faulty or corrupted driver on your system, thus causing system crashes and other problems.

Deus Ex Mankind Divided a problem has occurred with your display driver

  1. Press the Windows Key + R.
  2. Type debmgmt.msc and click OK.
  3. Expand the Display Adapters
  4. Right-click on your display adapter and select Update Driver.
  5. Next, select Search automatically for updated driver software.
  6. Depending on the driver’s size, the update may take some time to install.
  7. Repeat the steps to update your dedicated GPU.

2. Disable DirectX 12

Deus Ex Mankind Divided a problem has occurred with your display driver

  1. Launch Deus Ex Mankind Divided.
  2. Go to Settings and then Advanced settings. Or go to Options > Display Options.
  3. Disable DX12 if available.
  4. Restart the game and check for any improvements.

If you are unable to launch the game or can’t find the DX12 option in advanced settings, reinstall DirectX11 to see if that helps.

DirectX12 is known to cause an issue with older NVIDIA graphic cards. However, if you are running anything newer than the 1000 series, it should not cause any issues.

If the issue persists, try increasing the virtual memory to see if that helps fix the error.

3. Increase virtual memory

GPU driver error

  1. Click on Start and select Settings.
  2. Open System.
  3. Click the About tab from the left pane.
  4. From the right pane, click the System Info link.
  5. Click the Advanced system settings option from the left pane.
  6. Open the Advanced tab in the System Properties window.
  7. Under the Performance section, click on Settings.
  8. Open the Advanced tab again.
  9. Click the Change button under Virtual Memory.
  10. Uncheck the ‘Automatically manage paging file size for all drivers’ option.
  11. Select the Custom Size option.
  12. Increase the Maximum size to 10000. The minimum size can be 8000.
  13. Click Set.
  14. Click OK to save the changes.
  15. Select OK again to apply the changes.

Relaunch Deus Ex Mankind Divided and check if the display driver problem is resolved.

4. Update Windows 10

DirectX12 error

  1. Click on Start and select Settings.
  2. Go to Update & Security.
  3. Click on Windows updates.
  4. Proceed to download and install all the pending updates.

After installing the updates, restart your computer and check if the game works without crashing. Windows updates do bring necessary patches to fix the widespread crashing issue caused by DirectX 12.

The Deus Ex Mankind Divided, a problem has occurred with your display driver, can be resolved by disabling DirectX 12 in the game settings. You can also try to increase the virtual memory to fix the error.

[wl_navigator]

FIX: Skype not showing my face in corner

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Skype is a great messaging application, and as such, it allows you to make both video and audio calls.

Speaking of video calls, many users reported that Skype won’t let them show their faces in the corner. This is an annoying issue, and in today’s article, we’ll show you how to fix it.

How to get Skype to show my face?

  1. Update your drivers
  2. Sign out of Skype and log back in
  3. Try an older version of Skype
  4. Make sure that Outlook isn’t running
  5. End all Skype processes
  6. Reinstall your webcam driver
  7. Check your configuration
  8. Check your webcam
  9. Install the latest version Skype

1. Update your drivers

In case Skype won’t show your face in the corner, it’s possible that there’s an issue with your webcam driver. This problem can occur if the driver is out of date or corrupted.

Well, the only way to fix this issue is to update the driver. You can do that by downloading the driver directly from the manufacturer and installing it on your own.

If you want a more straightforward solution, you might want to try using Fortect Driver Updater. This tool will automatically download the missing drivers with just a couple of clicks.

It works with all versions of Windows and makes upgrading drivers a joy. Fortect Driver Updater may be set to detect outdated drivers automatically. However, this type of program does more than just download and install drivers; it also helps you manage drivers by troubleshooting, backing up, and restoring them.

All you have to do is choose whether to update all of the drivers at once or one by one if you have reasons not to install specific drivers.

Therefore, it’s perfect if you don’t want to manually search and install drivers. After you update them using Fortect Driver Updater, the issue should be completely resolved.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

2. Sign out of Skype and log back in

  1. On Skype, go to Skype > Sign Out.
    skype won't show my face
  2. Now log back into Skype using your credentials.

If Skype won’t show your face in the corner during the video call, the problem might be a temporary glitch with Skype.

These are small issues, but they can occur once in a while, and in order to fix them, it’s usually enough just to sign out and sign back into Skype. To do that, follow the above steps.

Once you log back in, check if the problem is still there. In most cases you can fix this issue by using this workaround, so be sure to try it out.

3. Try an older version of Skype

Newer versions of Skype often bring new features, and sometimes these new features can cause certain issues. To fix this problem, users are suggesting to switch back to the older version of Skype.

To do that, you’ll first need to uninstall your version of Skype. If you want to back up your conversations, we strongly advise you to check a guide and see how to do that.

There are several methods that you can use to remove Skype, but the most effective one is to use professional uninstaller software.

These specialized safe removal tools can easily remove any application from your PC, but in addition to removing the application, they can also erase all files associated with it.

As a result, the application will be completely removed from your PC. This will prevent any leftover files or registry entries from interfering with your system.

Once you remove Skype, you need to download and install the older version and check if that solves the issue.

Keep in mind that the older version will keep asking you to upgrade, so feel free to decline the updates manually.

4. Make sure that Outlook isn’t running

This is a peculiar solution, but some users reported that it works, so you might want to try it out.

According to them, it seems that Outlook can interfere with Skype and cause you not to see your face in the corner during video calls.

Apparently, you can fix this issue simply by closing Outlook and any Outlook tabs. We don’t know how effective this solution is, but several users claim that it works, so you can try it out if you want.

5. End all Skype processes

  1. Open Task Manager. You can do that quickly by using Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut.
  2. Locate Skype on the list, right-click it, and choose End Task from the menu. Repeat this step for all Skype instances on the list.
    skype won't show my face

Sometimes Skype won’t show your face because there are other Skype processes running in the background.

Other Skype processes can interfere with your video calls, and cause this issue to occur, so the best way to fix it is to end all other Skype processes.

This is quite simple to do, and you can do it by following the above procedure.

Once you end all Skype processes, start Skype again and check if the issue is still there. Keep in mind that this is just a workaround, so it’s possible that the issue might reoccur.

6. Reinstall your webcam driver

  1. Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu. Now choose Device Manager from the list.
    skype won't show my face
  2. Locate your webcam driver, right-click it, and choose Uninstall device from the menu.
    skype won't show my face
  3. When the confirmation window appears, check Remove driver software for this device, if available. Now click Uninstall.
    skype won't show my face
  4. After you remove the driver, click the Scan for hardware changes icon.
    skype won't show my face

If Skype won’t show your face during video calls, it’s possible that your webcam isn’t installed properly.

This can occur for various reasons, but the best way to deal with this issue is to reinstall the webcam driver again. This is quite simple, and you can do it as described above.

After doing that, your webcam driver will be reinstalled and the issue should be completely resolved.

7. Check your configuration

  1. In Skype, go to Tools > Options.
    skype won't show my face
  2. Choose Video settings from the menu on the left. Now make sure that a proper webcam is selected. Click the Webcam settings button.
  3. Go to the Camera Control tab and check Low Light Compensation.

If Skype won’t show your face in the corner, it’s possible that the webcam isn’t detected. This can occur due to various issues, and you can check your webcam configuration by doing as described above.

After doing that, the issues with your camera should be resolved and everything will start working again.

8. Check your webcam

If you’re having problems with Skype and video calls, the issue might be your webcam. Sometimes your webcam might not work properly, and that can lead to this issue.

To fix the problem, make sure that the camera works in other applications.

In addition, check your USB cable and connect the camera to a different USB port or to a different PC.

If the camera works with other applications or on another PC, the issue is most likely caused by your system.

9. Install the latest version Skype

  1. Start Skype.
  2. Now go to Help > Check for Updates.
    skype won't show my face

If you keep having this error, the issue might be your version of Skype. If your Skype installation is out of date, that can cause this and other problems to appear.

However, you can fix the issue simply by updating Skype to the latest version. Skype usually checks for updates once it starts, but you can always check for updates manually if you want.

Skype will now check for updates and download them in the background. Once Skype is updated, check if the issue is still there.

If Skype isn’t able to show your face in the corner, that can be a minor problem, but we hope that you managed to solve it after reading this article.

Windows Terminal Preview 1.4 is now available with Jumplist support and hyperlinks improvements

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has released today a new preview version of Windows Terminal, the company’s new command line tool for Windows 10. The preview version 1.4 introduces Jump list support, making it easy to launch the app with a specific profile right from the Start Menu or Task Bar.

This new release also adds hyperlink support for embedded hyperlinks in apps. The team is still working on hyperlink detection, and said that this feature would come “very soon.” There are also a couple of bug fixes in this new preview build, and more details can be found on the project’s GitHub page.

Image terminal jump list blog

In addition to this new preview release, the team also announced that Windows Terminal version 1.3 is now generally available. This version has been in preview since late August, and it brings an advanced tab switcher, tab colours, and more.

Windows Terminal Preview 1.4 and Windows Terminal 1.3 can both be downloaded from the Microsoft Store and the project’s GitHub page. The team is still welcoming contributions from users, so make sure to visit the GitHub page if you want to help out.

Windows Terminal
Windows Terminal
Download
QR-Code

Windows Terminal
Developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Price:
Free


Windows Terminal Preview
Windows Terminal Preview
Download
QR-Code

Windows Terminal Preview
Developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Price:
Free

 

How to restore Steam games without backup [Quick Guide]

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

Usually, many users restore Steam games by using its Backup/Restore tool. However, this tool is buggy, archaic, and slow.

Also, using the Steam Backup/Restore tool to change location or move steam games between two hard drives or computers is difficult if you don’t have the backup.

Users with no backup often subscribe to take the pain to reinstall the game in the new location.

Going about this method often leads to huge is not recommended, as Steam game data is usually large.

Nevertheless, you can restore steam games without backup by following the instructions in this article.

How do I restore Steam games without backup?

1. Copy and paste the Games folder

  1. Press on the Windows key, type Steam, and open the app.
  2. Go to the Steam Store.
  3. Note the game’s URL, especially the number attached to it.
  4. Locate the original steamapps directory; it has the number you noted above.
  5. Copy and paste the appmanifest file in the new steamapps
  6. Restart your machine.

 2. Manually restore the games

  1. Copy and paste the Steam game you intend to restore to: C:/Program Files(x86)/Steam/steamapps/common
  2. Launch Steam on your machine.
  3. Select the game and click Install.

At this point, Steam attempts to download the game, hence, it will then run a check. After finding the game files in the above directory, it will be installed directly instead of downloading.

Note: Ensure the install location and location where you pasted the game matches. If not, Steam will start downloading it. 

 3. Move the game and direct your Game Manager

  1. Create a folder in the preferred new location of the game.
    1. Hit the Windows key, type Steam, then open the first result.
    2. From the top-left corner of the window, click on Steam.
    3. Go to Settings.
    4. Click on Downloads.
    5. Select the Steam Library Folders.
    6. Click on Add Library Folder.
  2. Go to the new Steam library folder.
  3. Create a folder named steamapps.
  4. Make another folder called common in the new steamapps folder.
  5. Go to the old steam folder.
  6. Locate the game’s folder, usually in steamapps/common.
  7. Copy and paste the folder in the new common folder.
  8. Launch Steam.
  9. Right-click and Delete Local Content; this will uninstall the game from its original location.
  10. Click on Install.
  11. Choose Location and select the new Steam folder.
  12. Steam then scans for the existing files.

4. Use a data recovery software

You can also recover game data with the help of data recovery software. Such tools can perform a full device scan and recover lost data.

They are typically very easy to use, you just have to select whether you want a full PC scan or want to find lost files within a specific directory/disk.

When a recovery tool finds lost, damaged, and corrupt files, it generates a report and lets you know which of them is recoverable. Then you select what you want to recover and wait for the process to complete.

We hope that this guide has covered all your questions and worries and that you managed to restore your Steam games without any issue.

To get into contact with our team, don’t hesitate to use the comment section below.

How to use Microsoft Access to create a customer service database for your small business

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

As part of any small business operation, you’d likely need to keep track of your customers. Usually, that means paying for a customer service client database system like Streak CRM, or Monday.com. These services are indeed great as they’re often user friendly and feature a nice graphical user interface. However, did you know you can create your own database with Microsoft Access? In today’s Microsoft 365 guide, we’ll show you how.

Why create a database with Access?

Access

Before getting started, we’ll explain why you might want to create a customer service database with Access. The answer is quite simple. It’s easy to do in just a few steps, and everything will be pre-formatted with you. For small businesses that just keep things simple, you can use it to track assignments, priority, status, customers, and resolutions. If your needs are more complex, Access might not do the job for you, but for more basic needs, it’ll work great as it is already included as part of your Microsoft 365 subscription.

Creating the customer service database

Access 2

To get started with creating the customer service database, you’ll need to open Access, and then click New. You’ll see a variety of templates, but we’re looking for a customer service database. Scroll down to find it, and then click it. Access will create the database.

Once created, you’ll want to click Enable Content at the top of the screen. Then, you can begin entering your data for the cases and your customers. You can add a new case by clicking New Case, and then fill out the resulting form. There are spots for case title, assignees, customer, priority, categories, status, and more. As you fill out the forms, you’ll get pop-up prompts to also fill out customer information, and employee information, too.  Fill these out to make things simple.

If you’re just looking to manage a list of customers or employees with this database, you’ll want to click the Customer List or Employee List buttons. This will open them up in a new tab.

Report Center

Report Center

As you fill out more and more data into the customer service database, you might end up having to want to filter or generate reports. You can do this really easily. There are filter buttons for category, assigned to, and status. If you choose these fields, they will give you the opportunity to filter the exact data you might be looking for. You also can use the Open Charts function to produce useful reports such as Open Cases by Assigned To and Overdue Cases.

Access has so much more!

Although we’ve just touched on the customer service database in Access, there’s a lot more that can be used and created. You’ll be able to create a Call tracker,  bug tracker, inventory tracker, event manager, and a lot more. There are lots of templates to explore in Access, so check it out now and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Full Fix: Printer has no IP address on Windows 10, 7

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

The Printer has no IP address error message can appear if you’re trying to use a network printer. This IP-related problem can prevent you from printing remotely.

That’s indeed unpleasant, but there are a few ways to fix this printer issue on Windows 10 and prior versions alike. Check them out below.

What can I do if the printer has no IP address?

  1. Check your printer’s manual
  2. Update your drivers
  3. Print a test page
  4. Make sure that your printer is using DHCP
  5. Set the IP address manually
  6. Make sure that your configuration is correct
  7. Check the address from the Control Panel

1. Check your printer’s manual

If your printer has no IP address, the problem might occur because you’re not setting up the printer properly. To fix that, be sure to check the printer manual and follow all the instructions carefully.

Sometimes your wireless printer might not support the encryption method that your Wi-Fi network is using, so be sure to check that first.

After doing that, check if your SSID and password are properly set in the printer configuration page. After making sure that your settings are correct, the printer should work again.

2. Update your drivers

Printer problems are usually caused by outdated drivers, and if your printer has no IP address, the issue might be your drivers.

According to users, they managed to fix this problem by downloading the latest drivers for their printer.

Usually, printer drivers come with dedicated software that will automatically configure your printer, so be sure to download it. Once you download the latest drivers, check if the problem is still there.

Downloading drivers manually can be a tedious task, especially since you need to know the model of your printer and how to find the proper drivers for it.

If you want to automatically update your drivers, we suggest you try Fortect Driver Updater. When we say drivers, we do mean all your drivers at once, to make sure that no time is wasted.

Besides that, Fortect Driver Updater discovers all missing or faulty drivers in seconds, so there’s literally nothing stopping you from installing it.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

3. Print a test page

If you’re using a wireless printer, you need to know your IP configuration. If your printer has no IP address, you might be able to see its IP configuration simply by printing a test page.

This method differs for all printers, but in most cases, you need to press and hold a certain button for a couple of seconds and your printer will print the test page.

On that test page, you’ll see all the relevant IP configurations that should allow you to access your printer.

4. Make sure that your printer is using DHCP

If your printer has no IP address, the problem might be your configuration.

Routers and other network devices are using the DHCP network protocol in order to automatically assign an IP address to a network device.

If you’ve assigned a static IP address to your printer, be sure to remove it, and enable DHCP on your printer.

Now restart your printer a couple of times and an IP address should be assigned to it automatically.

5. Set the IP address manually

  1. Use physical buttons on your printer to select the Network option.
  2. Now choose WLAN or Wired LAN > TCP/IP > IP Address.
  3. Now set the desired IP address.

Setting an IP address on your printer is relatively simple, and in most cases, you can do it right from the printer itself. This is quite simple to do, and you can do it by following the above procedure.

If you want, you can also set the IP address from your browser. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Enter the IP address of your printer in the browser.
  2. Go to the Network > Wired or Wireless section.
  3. Now enter the desired IP address and the required information.

After doing that, your printer should be recognized by your network. Keep in mind that these are just general instructions, and the process will most likely be a bit different on your printer.

6. Make sure that your configuration is correct

  1. Press Windows Key + X to open the Win + X menu. Select Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
    printer has no ip address
  2. Now enter ipconfing command and press Enter.
  3. Locate your network connection and pay attention to Subnet Mask and Default Gateway values.
    printer has no ip address

Configuring a network device such as a wireless printer isn’t always simple, especially if you don’t know your network parameters.

If you don’t know your network parameters, you can obtain them by following the above steps.

If this method seems too complicated for you, you can also check your network configuration by doing the following:

  1. Click the network icon on your Taskbar and select your network from the list.
    printer has no ip address
  2. Now select Change adapter options.
  3. Locate your current network connection and double-click it.
    printer has no ip address
  4. When the Properties window opens, click Details.
    printer has no ip address
  5. Now you should be able to see Subnet Mask and Default Gateway values.
    printer has no ip address

Both methods will give you the same information, and you can use either one.

When you’re configuring your wireless printer, be sure to enter the Subnet Mask and Default Gateway values that you obtained in previous steps.

As for IP Address, you can use 192.168.1.X. Just replace X with any value that’s currently not in use by your network.

As a rule of thumb, you can use values higher than 10 or 20 without any problems. Once you properly configure your printer, the issue should be resolved.

7. Check the address from the Control Panel

  1. Press Windows Key + S and enter control panel. Now choose <str from the list of results.
    printer has no ip address
  2. Go to the Devices and Printers section.
    printer has no ip address
  3. Locate your printer, right-click it, and choose Properties from the menu.
  4. Once you open the Properties window, you should be able to see the IP address of the printer under the Location section.

If your printer has no IP address, you might be able to see it manually from Control Panel. This is a simple task, and you can do it by following the above steps.

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

If your printer has no IP address or you’re getting a message saying that the HP printer IP address is not connected – that can be a big problem.

We hope that you managed to fix this issue by using one of our solutions.

[wl_navigator]

FIX: Visual Studio Location Simulation Sensor Driver Problem

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

A good number of users have complained about the Microsoft visual studio location simulator sensor driver problem, especially Visual Studio 2015 users.

The full error says:

This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)

{Operation Failed}

The requested operation was unsuccessful.

Visual Studio developers claim to have removed the sensor from the 2017 version of the program.

Hence, if you are getting this issue, you would think the best way to resolve this driver issue is to upgrade to a later edition.

However, VS2017 users have also complained about this issue. Thankfully, there are solutions that have worked for other users.

In this guide, you’ll learn the different ways to clear the Microsoft visual studio location simulator sensor has a driver problem error in both VS 2015 and VS 2017.

What is it?

Microsoft Visual Studio 12 – 15 provides a location simulator that works with a location simulator driver that you create.

The visual Studio simulator is a desktop application that simulates a Windows Store app.

It gives a window for developers to run applications and simulate common touch and rotation events on a single machine.

How can I fix the Microsoft Visual Studio Location Simulator Sensor has a driver problem?

1. Try the compatibility troubleshooter

compatibility troubleshooter microsoft-visual-studio-location-simulator-sensor-has-a-driver-problem
  1. Type in Microsoft Visual studio in the search
  2. Right-click on it and select Open file location.
  3. Right-click and select Properties, click on the Compatability
  4. Click on Run compatibility troubleshooter and follow the on-screen instructions.

 2. Uninstall and the Visual Studio Location Simulator driver

  1. Go to the Start menu and search for Device Manager then select it.
  2. Expand the Sensors item on the list.
  3. Right-click on Visual Studio Location Simulator Sensor and Uninstall. 
    uninstall driver microsoft-visual-studio-location-simulator-sensor-has-a-driver-problem
  4. Follow the on-screen steps to complete the uninstall.
  5. Restart your compu

 3. Use a dedicated program

A dedicated program will scan your PC after installation and give a detailed report of missing and out-of-date device drivers.

Instead of fiddling with your computer’s drivers and registry, simply install this useful tool and use it to fix this and any future issues you encounter with your drivers.

By doing so, you have all chances to fix the Visual Studio Location Simulator driver using reliable software that will entirely scan your PC and find problematic drivers.

This driver managing software called DiverFix is the most suitable way to automatically repair driver issues, no matter how tricky may be.

Plus, with the extensive database of over 18 million driver files, you will certainly find the drivers’ problems and fix them with ease from a user-friendly platform.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

 4. Reinstall the Visual Studio Location Simulator driver

  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Expand the Sensors category on the list.
  3. Right-click on Visual Studio Location then click Update Driver.reinstall-driver-microsoft-visual-studio-location-simulator-sensor-has-a-driver-problem
  4. Select Browse my computer for driver software.browse-for-driver-microsoft-visual-studio-location-simulator-sensor-has-a-driver-problem
  5. Then click on Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
  6. Click on Have Disk…, then Browse.
  7. Navigate to the following directory: C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\Windows Simulator\14.0
  8. Select SensorsSimulatorDriver.inf and hit Open.
  9. Click Ok then Next.

The Microsoft visual studio location simulation sensor problem on Windows 10 isn’t an issue with the application but the drivers.

Here, we’ve shown you how to fix the issue by troubleshooting the relevant drivers. The solutions presented here are delicate. So, ensure that you follow them carefully.

When in doubt, you can simply use the recommended tool to get it done quickly.

Ignite 2020: Microsoft Teams is getting Breakout rooms, new Together mode scenes, and more

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

At Ignite 2020, Microsoft is announcing a slew of updates for its Teams collaboration service. The popular collaboration platform is picking up new features that should help make Teams meetings more engaging, inclusive, and dynamic than before.

First of all, the company is introducing a bunch of new Together mode scenes which will be available in the coming months. The list includes auditoriums, conference rooms, and a coffee shop, and more. Once the change rolls out, presenters will get the ability to choose a Together mode scene from the gallery and set it as the default background for all meeting participants. Notably, the company is also bringing new machine learning capabilities in Together mode. This should automatically scale and center participants in their virtual seats regardless of their distance from the camera. 

Next, Microsoft has announced custom layouts to improve the dynamic viewing experience in Teams. The feature will deliver the ability for presenters to customize how participants see the content during Teams meetings. It should allow presenters to use hand gestures and facial cues for directing the attention of their audience. 

Additionally, Microsoft is also launching the highly anticipated Breakout rooms functionality that would be available in October to Teams users. Breakout rooms will let meeting organizers split a group video or audio call into divergent sessions for workgroup discussions. After creating breakout rooms, the meeting organizer will be able to make important announcements to engage participants. Once the discussion is complete, the organizer will call back all meeting participants to the main meeting by closing the rooms. 

In addition to the new live captions with speaker attribution capabilities that are now generally available, Microsoft also announced a new recap feature coming in Teams meeting. After a meeting is over, participants will be able to access the recap with the meeting recording, transcript, chat, shared files, and more directly from the meeting Chat tab. The recap will also be accessible in the Outlook calendar. The feature has been designed for both meeting participants and people who missed the meeting to stay on track. 

Last but not least, Microsoft also announced today that it’s increasing the participant limit in interactive meetings to 1,000. Furthermore, Microsoft Teams will soon grow to support up to 20,000 participants in a view-only meeting experience. The company says these new capabilities will be enabled with a new Advanced Communications Plan for Teams. 

Moreover, a bunch of enhancements are coming later this year for the Calling experience within Microsoft Teams, including a new collaborative calling experience, Microsoft Teams display, as well as a new line of affordable Microsoft Teams phones. Other changes coming to Teams include some popular meeting features for 1:1 calls such as transcription, live captions, and more. We invite you to check out the official blog post for more details.

Ignite 2020: Microsoft Stream video streaming service makes sharing simpler

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

Despite Skype taking up most of the air in a room regarding Microsoft’s video streaming solutions, the company’s other, more corporate alternative is gaining a host of new features that may eventually overshadow Skype’s overall efficacy.

Microsoft’s “intelligent” video streaming app Stream is offered as part of the Microsoft 365 bundle and enables users to “create, share, and discover videos as easily as Office documents.”

Announced at Ignite 2020, a rollout of new features to Stream is planned for the fourth quarter of the 2020 calendar year that include external and anonymous sharing, Microsoft Search integration, enhanced analytics, improved transcript quality and updated controls for security and compliance request.

Microsoft assures that folks making use of the “classic” Stream app, that there will be a transitional period where new features will be phased into Microsoft 365 while still supporting the older version.

With the self-imposed Q4 deadline quickly upon the company, users should expect to see previews of the new Stream features beginning in the coming weeks.

Ignite 2020: Microsoft Edge is coming to Linux in public preview next month

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has kicked off its Ignite digital conference this morning with lots of news about Azure, Microsoft 365, as well as Windows, macOS, and even Linux. That’s right, the company’s new Chromium-based Edge browser is finally coming to Linux in public preview starting next month. Linux users will be able to download the Microsoft Edge Dev channel for Linux from the Microsoft Edge Insider website or from the native package manager.

The new Microsoft Edge is currently available on Windows 10, Windows 7 and 8, macOS, as well as iOS and Android. A Linux version has been a top request from developers and IT Pros looking to test their websites on the new browser, and it’s good to see that Microsoft has been listening. If the legacy Microsoft Edge was only available on Windows 10, choosing the leverage the Chromium open-source project allowed Microsoft to quickly bring its new Edge browser to more platforms.

In addition to this new Linux version, Microsoft also announced some upcoming PDF updates for Microsoft Edge. Users will soon be able to view and validate certificate-based digital signatures on PDF files, and add notes to PDF for future recall. Additionally, the Microsoft Edge PDF viewer will get support for interactive tables of content, allowing users to quickly navigate PDF files. All these PDF improvements features will start rolling out to Edge users in October.

Ignite 2020: Microsoft’s Surface Hub 2S digital whiteboard is getting a new 85-inch variant next year

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has announced a new 85-inch variant of its Surface Hub 2S digital whiteboard today, which will join the existing 50” version that the company unveiled two years ago. This new 85-inch model will be priced at $21,999.99, and it will support the same features already present in the 50-inch version, including a Microsoft Teams meeting integration, multi-user sign in, Microsoft Whiteboard, as well as a growing ecosystem of third-party apps available on the Microsoft Store.

Commercial customers in the US can pre-order this new 85-inch Surface Hub 2S starting today, with shipments to begin in January 2021. In the meantime, Microsoft plans to release the Windows 10 Team 2020 Update for all Surface Hub devices next month. This free update will improve improves IT integration, device deployment and management capabilities, the Teams meeting experience, and also bring the new Microsoft Edge browser to all Surface Hub devices.

As we reported earlier this month, Microsoft is also allowing Surface Hub 2S owners to run Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise on the digital whiteboard instead of the Windows 10 Team OS. Doing so will allow enterprise customers to install any app they want on a Surface Hub 2S and use any Windows 10 compatible accessory. As the 50-inch Surface Hub 2S can be configured with a Roam Stand and a mobile battery, enterprise users can now transform the device into a massive Windows 10 PCs that can be used completely unplugged.

Ignite 2020: New Windows enhancements for developers coming

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

Azure is without a doubt Microsoft’s future, but it doesn’t operate in a vacuum and at Ignite 2020 the company paid recognition to its former flagship platform Windows by announcing a plethora of developer-friendly features at its enterprise cloud conference.

For starters, the latest version of React Native for Windows is now generally available for use as version 0.63 and now includes automatic linking of native modules and better debugging.

Next up are new features for Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) include fast file performance speeds and full system call capability through distribution support for version 2 to Windows 10 version 1903 of higher for x64-based systems.

Microsoft claims that Windows Terminal Preview now has hyperlink support for default browsers as well as the addition of jump list into the Start Menu and Taks Bar search. Windows Terminal also gained a new command palette but only in Preview for now.

A new CsWinRT Tool update will be rolling out allowing to more C# .NET5 developers to build Runtime components soon. As of now, it’s been in public preview starting at the beginning of the month and enabled developers to run components that can be used by developer languages that include C++, Rust, JavaScript and Python.

New capabilities for MSIX will also be made available for developers to share and update apps and integrate workflows for app development.

The MSIX team is also releasing an Azure DevOps extension that will automate and simplify building, packaging, signing and deployment of MSIX packages. Integrating build and deployment workflows for apps that need to be packaged as MSIX into Azure Pipelines can be time-consuming; the new extension, available later this year, streamlines that process and is simple and intuitive to use.

Lastly, the Windows SDK team will be releasing later this year NuGet packages for C++, and SDK build tools to enable building of Windows apps in (CI/CD) pipelines.

Ignite 2020: Microsoft Search is coming to Windows Search, Graph Connectors now generally available

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft announced this morning some important updates for Microsoft Search, the company’s new cohesive search experience that delivers personalized search results across Office 365, Windows, and Bing. First of all, the Windows Search experience will soon integrate Microsoft Search to provide the same search experience currently available on Bing, Microsoft Edge Office.com or SharePoint.

Microsoft Teams, the company’s team collaboration hub that has been growing very fast since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic will also get a new search experience later this year. Thanks to Microsoft Search, the app will be able to help users find answers, people, files, and messages in the context of a specific chat or Teams channel.

The software giant also announced the general availability of Microsoft Graph Connectors today, including a new connector from Microsoft for Salesforce. The purpose of Graph Connectors is to allow users search external services beyond Microsoft 365, and Microsoft Search already supports over 100 unique connectors from partners.

Lastly, Microsoft Search now benefits from a new AI-enriched image search, as well as an integration with Azure Cognitive Search. You can learn more about all these Microsoft Search updates on this post.

Ignite 2020: Welcome to the Azure Show

Posted on by Kip Kniskern

If you watch today’s keynotes and sessions, one word you’re almost for sure going to get tired of hearing is Azure. Azure Azure Azure. Azure This, Azure That, Servers and Services and IoT and Zones and Even More Azure. Not that it’s a bad thing. Microsoft has built its cloud into a behemoth, good enough to convince (well maybe) the US Department of Defense to use it over Amazon, and certainly good enough to focus most of Ignite on all things Azure.

If you’re an IT pro, we strongly urge you to pay attention to today’s announcements, there’s a lot of good stuff here, from cognitive search to Cosmos DB, Microsoft is making improvements and making announcements all across the board. While it’s a little hard for the non-professional to digest, we’ve picked out a few key items being featured in this week’s virtual Ignite.

First up is Azure Communication Services, announced today. Microsoft is calling it “the first fully managed communication platform offering from a major cloud provider.” What’s interesting about Azure Communication Services is that Microsoft is basically taking its Teams low latency global communications network, all built on Azure, and releasing it to the world. That is, with Azure Communications Services, you can build your own version of Teams, adding high quality audio and video, and real time chat to your apps and platforms “with just a few lines of code.” Microsoft provides the services backend and “developer friendly” APIs and SDKs to “make it easy to create personalized communication experiences in a matter of minutes. Microsoft has a hit on its hands with Teams, partly because it’s built on a solid foundation built on Azure.

Way back in 1988, Microsoft developed a new enterprise level database for IBM’s new operating system, OS/2, called SQL Server. The database came to Windows NT in 1993, and Microsoft has been expanding on its enterprise level database play ever since. Now, over 30 years later, Microsoft continues to develop new ways to work with SQL, and is announcing the general availability of Azure SQL Edge. Microsoft describes SQL Edge, optimized for the Internet of Things running on the Edge (no, not the browser, rather small smart devices like sensors and modules connected via the internet) as “a small footprint container – less than 500mb – running on ARM- and x64-based devices in connected, disconnected, or semi connected environments.” These Edge devices can now run their own tiny versions of SQL server, performing database functions even as they’re disconnected from the internet.

If this all seems above your head, then maybe Azure Orbital Services is for you. The new managed service provides access to satellite communication capabilities and is now available to select customers in private preview.

As companies become more and more used to hosting their businesses in the cloud, those businesses are finding greater needs to evolve their cloud presence, moving up or across in the Azure world. Azure Resource Mover, now in public preview, allows them to do just that, helping to move multiple Azure resources between regions, something that in the past would be difficult or near impossible.

Azure App Services, Microsoft’s solution for building and scaling web services, is getting a number of new updates, including the general availability of Windows Containers, and GitHub Actions integration.

Visual Studio 2019 is also getting GitHub Codespaces support, now in beta. This new integration allows developers to be more productive working remotely, managing the GitHub Codespaces from within VS 2019, bringing these capabilities up the chain from Visual Studio Code.

Azure Backup Center, now in public preview, brings a single unified experience to backing up Azure based resources across subscriptions, locations, and tenants. Azure Backup is also getting Cross Region Restore and an Azure Resource Mover solution to move managed disks and more across regions.

The Azure Sphere cellular guardian device is an AT&T powered product that can allow customers to connect to the cell service without relying on WiFi. Enterprise customers in 200 countries across 500 AT&T managed carrier services can connect devices, with the secure cellular network extending the secure architecture of Azure Sphere.

While it’s a lot to absorb, these are only a few of the announcements across the breadth of Azure’s influence in the cloud. To learn more, we encourage you to take advantage of Ignite 2020’s free online sessions.

Best Windows Equalizer Settings for Music

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

Best Equalizer Settings for Music

Dialing in the right EQ can make your tracks feel wider, clearer, and more dynamic. You can get excellent results on Windows using the built-in tools, then go further with a dedicated equalizer if you want fine-grained control.

Optimize Music EQ With Built-In Windows Tools

Table of contents

Windows exposes basic EQ controls through the sound device properties or your audio driver utility. Use these steps to access and tune your music profile:

  1. Open Sound settings
    Right-click the speaker icon on the taskbar and select Sounds.
  2. Select your playback device
    In the Playback tab, choose your headphones or speakers and click Properties.
  3. Enable the Equalizer
    Open the Enhancements tab, check Equalizer, and load a starting preset such as Pop or Rock.
  4. Fine-tune frequency bands for music
    Open Settings for the EQ and adjust sliders while a familiar song plays:
    • Sub‑bass (30–60 Hz): +1 to +3 dB for weight without rumble.
    • Bass (60–250 Hz): +2 to +4 dB for punch and groove.
    • Low mids (250–500 Hz): −1 to −3 dB to reduce muddiness.
    • Mids (500–2 kHz): 0 to +2 dB to keep vocals present.
    • Upper mids (2–4 kHz): +1 to +3 dB for guitar and vocal clarity.
    • Treble (4–8 kHz): +1 to +2 dB for detail and air.
    • Brilliance (8–12 kHz): 0 to +2 dB for sparkle without hiss.
  5. A/B test and save
    Toggle the EQ on and off at the same volume to confirm improvements, then save your profile.

Streaming services may apply their own EQ or normalization. If you listen on Spotify, match your system profile with these best equalizer settings for Spotify for consistency across devices.

Quick Music Presets You Can Try

  • Balanced hi‑fi: +2 dB at 60–120 Hz, −2 dB at 300–400 Hz, +2 dB at 2–4 kHz, +1 dB at 8–10 kHz.
  • Bass boost: +3 to +5 dB at 60–120 Hz, −2 dB at 300–400 Hz, +1 dB at 2–3 kHz.
  • Vocal clarity: −2 dB at 120–200 Hz, +2 to +3 dB at 1–3 kHz, +1 dB at 6–8 kHz.
  • EDM/Pop V‑shape: +4 dB at 60–120 Hz, −2 dB at 500–800 Hz, +3 dB at 6–10 kHz.
  • Acoustic/Jazz: +1 dB at 80 Hz, 0 dB at 250–500 Hz, +2 dB at 2–4 kHz, +1 dB at 8–10 kHz.

If your system includes Realtek or another vendor panel, you may get extra bands and presets. For broader choices and advanced controls, see this roundup of audio equalizer software for Windows.

Use a Dedicated Equalizer for More Music Control

Boom3D is a system‑wide equalizer and enhancer that gives you precise music shaping beyond the basic Windows panel:

  • 31‑band EQ to sculpt bass, mids, and treble with fine steps.
  • Music‑focused presets you can tweak per genre and taste.
  • 3D surround for a wider stereo image and perceived detail.
  • Per‑app control and safe volume boosting for quiet masters.

With Boom3D, you can preserve vocal clarity while adding controlled low‑end and airy treble, then save profiles for headphones and speakers separately.

Boom 3D

Boom 3D

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Conclusion

Start with Windows’ EQ to build a clean, balanced music profile, then refine by genre using the quick presets above. When you want surgical control and richer soundstage, a dedicated tool like Boom3D helps you lock in the exact tone you prefer and keep it consistent across your library.

Ignite 2020: Microsoft Defender and Application Guard get updates

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

As with most things announced at Ignite 2020, Microsoft is making some sweeping changes to its protection portfolio as well.

Coming soon are some new features to help prevent, detect, and respond to threats across identities, endpoints, and applications in both Microsoft 365 and Azure platforms.

One of the first updates to Microsoft Threat Protection is its name. Microsoft Threat Protection will now be referred to as Microsoft 365 Defender and the branding expands to both Endpoint and Office 365 as well as Azure Security Center morphing into Azure Defender.

Aside from the new branding experiment, Microsoft 365 Defender will be “protecting every major OS.”

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and is extending protection for the rapidly evolving world of mobile threats. For Android, it provides protection against phishing, offers proactive scanning of malicious applications and files, blocks access to corporate resources to mitigate the impact of breaches, and gives security teams visibility into mobile threats and alerts via the security center. For iOS, customers will also get phishing and web protection and the same unified SecOps experience. Support for macOS has been expanded with the public preview of threat and vulnerability management. (Learn more about cross-platform endpoint protection.)

In addition, protections will be extended to email accounts as well as offering hybrid identity threat protection.

As for cloud securities, Azure Defender will now protect SQL servers on-premises and multicloud environments. The new Azure defender will also bring enhanced protection for containers, specifically Kubernetes-level policy management and workloads that include continuous scanning of container images to minimize the exploitation of running containers.

Microsoft will also be adding some protections for IoT by leveraging some recent company acquisitions that involve the inclusion of Cyber X. Now Azure Defender will offer agentless security for IoT devices in operations across safety, health, food, water, energy, transportation, and national defense.

Lastly, Microsoft is integrating Application Guard with office and connecting the whole plot to Safe Documents. Customers can now edit, print, and save changes to Office documents from outside their organizations while still being protected with hardware-backed security.

Despite the announcement at Ignite 2020, the integration of Application Guard into Office has been under way for a little bit of time. Microsoft 365 E5 customers can now test out new features in a public preview currently.

Xbox Game Pass welcomes Halo 3: ODST on PC and Destiny 2: Shadowkeep & Forsaken on Console and Android

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which recently crossed 15 million subscribers three years after its launch is welcoming some new big games today. On Console and Android devices, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can now play Destiny 2’s Shadowkeep and Forsaken expansions.

Beyond Light, Destiny’s fifth expansion, will also join Xbox Game Pass on November 10, right for the launch of Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S consoles. The base Destiny 2 remains free-to-play on Xbox One and other platforms, but Xbox Game Pass members can get the best experience with free access to the game’s latest expansions.

Halo 3: ODST is also available on Xbox Game Pass for PC starting today, in addition to the Windows 10 Microsoft Store and Steam. This Halo 3 spinoff released back in 2008 on the Xbox 360 didn’t get the same level of critical acclaim as previous Halo games, but its campaign which features a team of human soldiers known as “Orbital Drop Shock Troopers” (ODST) instead of the usual Master Chief hero remains quite memorable.

Microsoft has also released a new update for Halo: MCC on PC and Console today, and we invite you to check out the full patch notes on this page. Now that Halo 3: ODST is out on PC, Halo 4 is next in line and we hope to see it released on PC before the end of the year. 343 Industries is still working on additional improvements for Halo: MCC on Console and PC, including support for cross-play multiplayer and mouse and keyboard input on Xbox One.

As a reminder, gamers who have yet to try Xbox Game Pass can get their first month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for just $1. The Ultimate tier now includes Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass for PC, Xbox Live Gold, plus access to over 150 Xbox One games on Android thanks to Microsoft’s new Cloud Gaming (Project xCloud) technology.

FIX: Alarm sound not working in Windows 10/11

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

As time goes by personal computers evolve more and eliminate the need for other equipment like TVs, a home theatre setup, audio stations, and even alarm clocks.

But PCs aren’t always that reliable and when you’re trusting it with your daily schedule and job you want to make sure it works as expected.

If your alarm sound is not working properly in Windows 10, that can be a big problem, and speaking of problems, here are some similar issues that users reported:

  • Windows 10 timer not working – In most cases you can fix it simply by installing the latest updates.
  • Windows 10 alarms not going off – To fix this problem, make sure that all your notifications are enabled and working properly.
  • Alarm sound not working Windows 10 ASUS, Dell, HP, Vaio – This problem can occur on almost any PC brand, and if you encounter this issue, be sure to try some of our solutions.
  • Windows 10 Alarms and Clock not working – You can simply reinstall Alarms and Clock app to fix them.

In this article, we’ll show you how to troubleshoot problems with the Alarm & Clock application in Windows 10.

How can I fix the Alarm sound not working on Windows 10?

1. Check sound card driver


To ensure that audio issues don’t appear on your system, it’s highly advised to update your audio drivers.

You can do that manually by searching for the audio drivers for your sound card.

However, this can be a bit tedious, so a faster solution would be to use a third-party software such as Fortect Driver Updater.

This software is portable and extremely easy to use. Once installed, it will automatically download all the missing drivers with just a single click.

It will also keep you safe from downloading and installing the wrong driver versions, thus potentially damaging your system.

Moreover, Fortect Driver Updater will compare the existing drivers on your system with the ones from its built-in library, to make sure it has identified and fixed all broken or missing drivers.

Fortect Driver Updater

Keep all your drivers updated with this amazing tool and fix all your alarm issues.
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2. Check the volume and speakers


The sound volume is something we fiddle with all the time, turning it up when listening to a song and turning it down when we want to concentrate on work.

It is always a good thing to check that it is at the correct level before setting up the alarm.

If you’re using external speakers you might also want to check their volume status and that they are turned on.

It’s easy to forget them turned off when you don’t use them. Also, check that headphones aren’t connected to the computer as the alarm sound might play on them and will be hard to hear.

3. Activate the alarm

Windows 10 timer not working


Alarms need to be activated in order for them to work and even though this seems like a logical step you might forget about it if you’re in a rush or very tired.

The status of each alarm is displayed on the right side of the Alarm & Clock application as you can see in the image below.

4. Prevent your PC from hibernating or going to sleep

  1. In the Settings window select System.
  2. Next, select Power & Sleep.
  3. Make sure that the computer is set to Never go to sleep.
Alarm sound not working Windows 10 HP


If you’re using a laptop and you usually keep the lid down, make sure it doesn’t go to sleep when you close it.

  1. Click on Additional power settings
  2. Next, select Choose what closing the lid does from the left pane.Windows 10 Alarms and Clock not working
  3. Check that Do nothing is selected as an action for When I close the lid.
Windows 10 timer not working


If you’re using a laptop or a tablet also make sure that it is plugged in so it won’t shutdown when the battery level gets too low.

Alarms won’t work if your computer isn’t turned on. Also, they won’t work if you put it in sleep mode or to hibernate.

You could activate a timer inside your BIOS to wake up your computer at the correct time but not all computers support this feature and you might also need to login to Windows before alarms can be processed.

You can check your power options by clicking on the Start menu button and selecting Settings.

5. Make sure that your notifications are enabled

  1. Open the Settings app. The fastest way to do that is to use Windows Key + I shortcut.
  2. Now navigate to the System section.
    Windows 10 timer not working
  3. From the menu on the left, pick Notifications & actions.
  4. Enable all options like on the screenshot below.
    Windows 10 alarms not going off
  5. Now scroll down to Get notifications from these senders section and make sure that notifications for Alarms & Clock are enabled.
    Alarm sound not working Windows 10 Dell

After doing that, the notifications should be completely enabled and the problem will be resolved entirely.

6. Reinstall Alarm and Clock app

  1. Open PowerShell as an administrator. Press Windows Key + S, type powershell, right-click Windows PowerShell from the list
  2. Next, choose Run as administrator.
    Windows 10 Alarms and Clock not working
  3. When PowerShell starts, run the get-appxpackage *Microsoft.WindowsAlarms* | remove-appxpackage command to remove the Alarm and Clock app from your PC.
  4. After the app is removed, head over to the Microsoft Store and download it again.

7. Install Media Feature pack

Windows 10 Alarms and Clock not working


There are several versions of Windows 10 available, and the versions for the European and Korean markets lack certain features.

Sometimes due to the lack of these features, the alarm sound might not work properly on your PC.

However, these features are available for download in form of Media Feature Pack. To fix this issue, you just have to download Media Feature Pack from Microsoft’s website and the problem should be resolved.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to download the media feature pack that matches your system architecture or else you won’t be able to install it.

After you install the Media Feature pack, the problem should be resolved. Some users are suggesting to reinstall the Alarm and Clock app after installing the Media Feature pack, so you might want to try that as well.

8. Try changing the alarm sound


According to users, sometimes certain alarm sounds won’t work with the Alarm and Clock app. If that the case, you won’t hear any alarm sound when your alarm rings.

This can be an annoying issue, but simply change your alarm sound and check if that helps.

According to users, only the default alarm sound works for them, so be sure to try using it as your alarm sound.

9. Make sure that Focus Assist is turned off

  1. Right-click the Action Center icon in the bottom right corner.
  2. When the context menu appears, choose Focus assist and make sure that it’s set to Off.
    Alarm sound not working Windows 10 ASUS

After doing that, this feature should be disabled and you’ll be able to hear your alarm without any problems.

If you want to keep using this feature, you can select Alarms only option and you’ll be able to hear your alarms without any problems.

10. Install the latest updates

  1. Open the Settings app and go to the Update & Security section.
    Windows 10 alarms not going off
  2. In the right pane, click the Check for updates button.
  3. If any updates are available, they’ll be downloaded automatically in the background.
    C:UsersmetalPicturesWork picturesFix Alarm sound not working in Windows 10

After you download the updates, restart your PC to install them.

Once your system is up to date, check if the problem with the alarm sound is still there.

11. Try a different application


If all else fails you could also try using a different application. If you’re connected to the Microsoft Store you can download the Alarm Clock HD app.

Its a nice little application with great feedback and it can even be installed on ARM devices running Windows RT.

If you want to go the old fashioned way then you can use an application called Windows Alarms & Clock, the application is free of charge and can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store.

If you’re still facing problems with alarms in Windows 10 please use the comment section below to give us more details so we can help you fix them.

How to Back Up ESXi Host Configuration [Easy Guide] 

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

It is essential to take a periodic backup of any system, especially a server, to maintain a functional operation of your IT infrastructure.

Servers that are run as virtual machines (VMs) on an ESXi host give a major advantage when taking a VM data backup. Therefore, having a healthy ESXi host is essential to run a virtual machine successfully.

To guard against any future disaster, taking an ESXi configuration backup is vital because one can quickly restore the system to its initial ESXi configuration.

In this post, we’ll show you the best ways to make a backup for ESXi host configuration.

How do I back up my ESXi Virtual Machine?

1. Back up ESXi using VMWare

VMWare is the number one virtualization and computing software that reduces server workloads by distributing a server’s work across the different physical hosts.

VMWare is primarily used by developers as well as regular system administrators to test programs in a sandbox before applying them to physical computers.

Further, you can easily carry out an ESXi host configuration backup using this application. Below are some reasons why you may want to back up ESXi host configuration using VMWare.

  • It is fast and reliable
  • Offers speed when taking backups
  • Allows users to run multiple virtual server instances.
  • You are assured of good networking and security.
  • VMWare has a vast ecosystem.

VMware Workstation 17

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2. Back up ESXi host configuration with the ESXi Command Line

  1. Connect to your ESXi host via SSH.
  2. Since ESXi configuration is automatically saved to /bootblank/state.tgz file, ensure your current ESXi configuration is written to the ESXi configuration files, run this command; vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/sync_config
  3. Run this command: vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/backup_config
  4. It then sends a link to download the tgz archive from the ESXi host.

Note: You should replace the asterisk with your ESXi host’s IP address in the download link. Get it from ESXi direct console or by inputting the command. 

  1. Quickly locate the ESXi configuration backup in /scratch/downloads directory as it won’t stay there for long.

3. Back up ESXi host configuration using PowerCLI

back up ESXi host configuration powercli
  1. Download and install PowerCLI here. Launch it as an administrator.
  2. Establish a connection to the host with the following command: Connect-VIServer 168.32.11 -user root -password <ZxAzbd>
  3. Run the Get-VMHostFirmware cmdlet with c:\esxi_backups folder as the destination:Get-VMHostFirmware -vmhost 192.168.28.10 -BackupConfiguration -DestinationPath c:\esxi_backups
  4. Input is the c:\esxi_backups folder.
  5. Locate the host configuration file in the folder above; it is a TGZ file format.

Note: Replace 192.168.32.11 with your host user/IP and ZxAzbd with your password in Step 2/3.

4. Back up ESXi host configuration with vSphere CLI

  1. Download both vSphere CLI here and Perl interpreter here or here.
  2. Open your Command Prompt as an administrator
  3. Run this command: cd \Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin
  4. Run: vicfg-cfgbackup.pl –server=<host IP address> –username=root -s <backup filename>
  5. Input your ESXi‘s root password when requested.

Note: Find out how to avoid DLL issues with your version of the Perl interpreter. 

The above methods for backing up ESXi host configuration will all work.

Hence, you can try out anyone that it’s most straightforward for you.

In case you are facing the No coredump target has been configured. Host core dumps cannot be saved error; read this guide to get the detailed solutions.

If you have any questions regarding backups for ESXi host configuration, kindly let https://windowsreport.com/no-coredump-target-has-been-configured-host-core-dumps-cannot-be-saved/(opens in a new tab)us know in the comments below.

Microsoft Surface Go 2 review : Nailing the convergence

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

There appears to be a convergence of mobile technology that’s been gradually happening right before our eyes. Large technology things becoming smaller, and smaller technology things becoming larger, all in an attempt to hit a moving target that is mobile personal computing.

Some of the highlights of this more modern convergence include the introduction, ridicule, and eventual market acceptance of Samsung’s Galaxy Note series, where the South Korean multinational conglomerate made headwinds in advancing the screen size and productivity output of the smartphone industry. Another is Apple’s iPad which, for all intents and purposes, blew up the highly regarded iPhone experience to 9 and 10-inches, so people could explore their previously pocketable smartphone experiences in a more casual environment.

Ipad Vs Tablet

Next was Microsoft’s Surface Pro experiment that shrunk a potential dual 27-inch monitor workstation or 13-14-inch laptop experience down to a more backpack-friendly 10 and 12-inch affair. Google had its moment with its Nexus 7 tablet that allowed Android users to have a taste of the iPad life and free their android app experience from its previous 6-inch constraints. In the last decade, almost every hardware manufacturer with a software leg has thrown a different sized screen at consumers hoping that it can capture that elusive mobile computing sweet spot.

Enter the Microsoft Surface Go 2.

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Microsoft’s second attempt at further shrinking the traditional Windows experience down to a more pocketable and mobile device has produced the Surface Go 2.

Copy of Surface Go 2 Tech Specs

Scenarios Improved speed for everyday tasks, streaming movies, music and shows, shopping, browsing, emails, and homework Network Nano SIM Tray 4G LTE Advanced3 (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66) GPS/GLONASS: Standalone and assisted GNSS, accuracy up to 3 meters
Dimensions 9.65” x 6.9” x 0.33” (245 mm x 175 mm x 8.3 mm) Storage4 eMMC drive: 64GB, or
Solid-state drive (SSD): 128GB
Display Screen: 10.5” PixelSense™ Display
Resolution: 1920 x 1280 (220 PPI) resolution
Aspect ratio: 3:2
Contrast ratio: 1500:1
Touch: 10 point multi-touch
Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3		 Battery life WiFi: Up to 10 hours of typical device usage
LTE Advanced:³ Up to 10 hours of typical device usage
Memory 4GB or 8GB RAM Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics 615
Processor Intel® Pentium® Gold Processor 4425Y
8th Gen Intel® Core™ m3 Processor		 Connections 1 x USB-C®
3.5 mm headphone jack
1 x Surface Connect port
Surface Type Cover Port⁶
MicroSDXC Card Reader
Compatible with Surface Dial*
Security Firmware TPM
Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in		 Cameras, video and audio Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing)
5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p Skype HD video
8.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p HD video
Dual Studio Mics
2W stereo speakers with Dolby® Audio™
Software Ambient light sensor
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Magnetometer		 Exterior Casing: Magnesium
Color: Platinum
Physical buttons: Volume, Power
What’s in the box Surface Go 2
Power Supply
Quick Start Guide
Safety and warranty documents		 Warranty 1-year limited hardware warranty
Weight Wi-Fi: Starting at 1.2 lbs (544 g), not including Type Cover*
LTE Advanced³: Starting at 1.22 lbs (553 g), not including Type Cover*		 Best-in-class support from Microsoft Store 30-day return policy
90 days of free technical phone support
12 months in-store support and technical assistance
1 free training session to transfer data and optimize performance.

The Surface Go 2 is the refinement of a concept Microsoft seemingly shied away from when dumping its supposed 7″ Surface Mini project. Shrinking the bezels and adding a more capable processor goes a long way in addressing some of the issues from the release of the first Microsoft Go, just a year prior.

It should be noted, the model I’m using isn’t the budget-friendly deal Microsoft will publicly market, but it is a good marker for the experience customers could receive if they spring for the arguably more capable device.

Overview

With everything included, the actual price tag for the experience Microsoft is marketing will run $750 including additional Type Cover. Admittedly, the $750 price tag is steeper than your low-budget laptops, but the actual software and mobility experience from the Surface Go 2 will be hard to match.

With that said, the Intel Core M3 powered Surface Go 2 with 128GB SSD and 8GB’s of RAM allowed me to leave my laptop in different rooms for hours without worrying about switching devices when I needed to be on a conference call, draft up long-winded emails, plug-in to power a dual monitor experience or mark up some marketing ads for work.

Microsoft claims the new m3 processor is up to 64% faster than the previous Pentium Gold processor Intel grabbed from its budget bin for the original Surface Go and in real-world use, there is a noticeable performance boost.

Hardware-wise, the Surface Go 2 retains an almost identical exterior make up as the original Surface Go with its FHD 5MP camera, dual far-field studio microphone array, signature 165-degree kickstand, Surface Type Cover pogo pins, USB-C port, and proprietary charging port.

00000img 00000 Burst20200603132423919 Cover

In a crude weight test looking beyond the back of the box claims, the Surface Go 2 feels identical to last year’s model, no lighter or heavier than before, however, with the increased screen real estate, there is a bit of cognitive dissonance that happens when handling in tablet mode. The device figuratively “feels” lighter because you are handling more screen, but its actuality, just about the same.

Speaking of the screen, customers now get a 10.5-inch PixelSense experience that pushes out a 1920 x 1280 (220 PPI) resolution at the sweet 3:2 aspect ratio with the same 10 point multi-touch support and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 as last year’s model.

Img 20200603 132144

The Convergent Device

I spoke earlier of device makers looking for the mobile sweet spot for portability vs. productivity and I feel the Surface Go 2 might be just that and I say this in the shadow of the Surface Duo release.

The 10.5-inch screen is small enough to toss anywhere while also being big enough to address the dreaded lapability concerns review journalists seem keen or rehashing over and over. Furthermore, since it’s a Windows 10 powered device, you get a full desktop experience (albeit Windows 10S out of the box).

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In May, I took the Surface Go 2 and my Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon on a road trip from Florida to New Hampshire to escape the growing Floridian COVID-19 increase in cases. I used my device in an almost 70/30 split with the Surface Go 2 being the go-to device I would tote up and down stairs, plugin for conference meetings, and power my makeshift dual monitor setup at my in-laws. Using the Surface Go 2 in Windows 10S mode was a pleasure. Obviously, anyone operating in Windows 10S mode should be made aware of the Microsoft Store and the ability to pin Edge web apps to the Start Menu and Taskbar. Perhaps, a tutorial at the start of the Surface Go 2 experience detailing the web app and Microsoft Store experience my go a long way to expanding its viability as ChromeOS alternative.

Venturing out of Windows 10 S into regular Windows 10 was a little bit choppier of an experience but only as choppy as a normal Windows 10 OS experience can be. I also dabbled in Insider builds which affects my review of the Surface Go 2 as a “regular” device, but all-in-all, the Surface Go 2 handled 90 percent of what I threw at it. As for the other 10 percent, well, that was an admitted slow and laggy affair with some apps taking up to 45 seconds to open. That’s right, 45 seconds.

However, Microsoft’s account sync paired with the new chromium-based Edge browse’s sync makes shifting your desktop to the device fairly hands-off. As files are transferring, customers may want to keep an eye on storage, because it is limited, but tossing in a microSD helps alleviate any of that related anxiety.

Screenshot 2020 09 20 220214

The extra screen real estate offered by the Surface Go 2 over a typical sized smartphone aided in me using it for more than work. Instead of doom scrolling Twitter on my phone, I would open an instance of Twitter and HBO Max to distract myself with the new Harley Quinn show when COVID-19 news became too overwhelming. I would also pair up my favorite CBZ reader (Cover) with Netflix as I referenced the source material for Netflix’s The Old Guard.

Pxl 20200921 015506481.portrait 01.cover

On breaks, I would use the built-in LTE to take the Surface Go 2 on hikes with me where I could get a little bit of work or leisure accomplished without being tied to my in-law’s lake house, because after two straight weeks indoors, for this lazy reporter, going on a hike felt like its own mini-vacation. In addition, using the LTE option buttresses the idea that while folding phones help the transition from a 6-inch slap to a tablet, a tablet with telephony ability may be the invertible destination. Pairing my Pixel 4XL with the Your Phone app to make and receive calls from the Surface Go 2 while out on a hike or even a boat ride was transformative.

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In Conclusion

While Microsoft continues to iterate on its Surface Laptop with varying screen sizes, the Surface Book, Surface Pro, Surface Pro X and now Surface Duo, looking to nail the coveted convergent mobile productivity device, I think they may have stumbled across it already with the Surface Go 2. Perhaps, tossing in an upgrade M3 or AMD’s latest in next year’s model might make it the powerhouse replacement that could be the best of both portability and mobility for the average consumer.

Img 20200603 132334

The Surface Go 2 is a very capable laptop and workstation replacement, tablet alternative (if you know which Store and web apps to use), and phone substitute in a pinch.

The convergence of a single, do-it-all mobility workstation is still around the corner, but the Surface Go 2 puts it that much closer into reach.

5 Best Audio Volume Booster Software for Windows 10

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Enjoying in high-quality sound is important for some users, and you can get more out of your sound card with good software.

Speaking of audio software, in today’s article we’re going to show you the best audio/sound volume booster software that will improve your sound quality.

Here are the best PC volume booster software

Boom 3D

Boom 3D sound volume booster

Boom 3D is a PC volume booster software that can easily increase the volume beyond its limits and give you a better sound quality.

The software also supports virtual 3D surround sound technology, and using it you can easily enhance your entire multimedia experience with this feature.

For fine-tuning, there’s a 31-band equalizer, so you can adjust the sound as you like. The software also comes with various presets, so you can quickly choose a preset that matches your selected genre.

It’s important to mention that the software comes with various audio effects, its own music player, and the ability to control the sound volume of all open applications.

Overall, Boom 3D is a great sound volume booster with a wide array of features, so be sure to try it out.

Boom 3D features:

  • Volume booster
  • Virtual 3D surround sound
  • 31-band equalizer
  • Various effects
  • Built-in audio player
Boom 3D

Boom 3D

Boom 3D is a volume booster software that will increase the sound volume and sound quality on your PC.
Check priceVisit website

DeskFX Audio Enhancer

DeskFX Audio Enhancer Software audio volume booster

DeskFX Audio Enhancer is an audio enhancer software, and it will enhance all sound on your computer before it gets played on the speakers.

The software supports various effects, such as equalize, amplify, reverb, chorus, vibrato, and many more.

To enhance your audio, there’s a 20-band equalizer available, and you can switch between visual, graphic, or parametric equalizer modes.

If needed, you can lower the unwanted noise with low and high pass filters. It’s important to mention that you can combine the effects in order to achieve some amazing results.

DeskFX Audio Enhancer offers great features, and it will be a great choice if you’re looking for an mp3 audio volume booster software.

DeskFX Audio Enhancer features:

  • Support for various effects
  • 20-band equalizer
  • Ability to remove unwanted noise
  • Can combine multiple effects
  • Works with all music playing apps
DeskFX Audio Enhancer

DeskFX Audio Enhancer

DeskFX Audio Enhancer is a simple to use tool that lets you boost your sound volume and optimize your sound.
Check priceVisit website

FxSound

FxSound sound volume booster

Another MP3 audio volume booster that you should consider is FxSound. The application has an incredibly simple interface, so even the first-time users won’t have any issues with it.

Just select the genre of music that you’re currently listening to, your type of audio device and that’s it, the software will do the rest.

It’s important to mention that FxSound will automatically boost your sound, volume, as well as bass. The software works with all types of multimedia, including music, video games, TV, and movies.

Regarding the hardware, you don’t need any special hardware, and the software should work with all types of speakers and headphones on your PC.

FxSound is incredibly simple to use, and it’s a perfect solution if you need a simple volume booster for your PC.

FxSound features:

  • Incredibly simple to use
  • Supports all audio devices
  • Works with all types of multimedia
  • Can boost your sound quality, volume, and bass
  • Requires zero configuration

⇒ Get FxSound

Letasoft Sound Booster

Letasoft Sound Booster sound volume booster

If you’re looking for a simple sound volume booster application, Letasoft Sound Booster might be what you need.

The software is simple and it can raise the volume before it gets to your speakers up to 500%. The software also has distortion detection, so it should minimize distortions.

Regarding the compatibility, the software should work with all applications, so you can raise the volume of your web browser, audio player, or instant messaging software.

The application is easy to use, and you can control the volume level using the pop-up slider in the system tray. Of course, support for global hotkeys is also available.

Letasoft Sound Booster is an incredibly simple but useful tool that should boost your PC volume with ease, so you might want to try it out.

Letasoft Sound Booster features:

  • Ability to increase volume up to 500%
  • Incredibly simple to use
  • No sound distortion
  • Automatically starts with Windows
  • Two different methods for sound boosting

⇒ Get Letasoft Sound Booster

Equalizer APO

Equalizer APO sound volume booster

Another great software that can work as a sound volume booster is Equalizer APO. The application is completely free, so you can use it without any restrictions.

The software works on any number of channels, and thanks to the low CPU usage, you won’t even notice that it’s running in the background.

Filter support is also available, and you can have an unlimited number of filters. Regarding the customization, the software has VST plugin support, so you can further enhance the sound.

The modular graphical interface is simple to use, so you should be able to customize your sound with ease. In addition, the software can be integrated with Voicemeeter, which can come in handy.

Equalizer APO is a great software that can boost your audio volume, and since it’s completely free, there’s no reason not to try it out.

Equalizer APO features:

  • Completely free
  • Supports any number of channels
  • Support for unlimited filters
  • VST plugin support
  • Integration with Voicemeeter

⇒ Get Equalizer APO

Audio volume booster software can help you get a better sound from your speakers without having to upgrade your sound card, and this is why many users tend to use it.

If you’re looking for such software, be sure to try Boom 3D, DeskFX Audio Enhancer, or any other software from this article.

Fix: Realtek RTL8188EE 802.11 bgn Wi-Fi Adapter Problems

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Wireless connections are great, especially if you don’t want to deal with wires, but many users reported that the Realtek RTL8188ee 802.11bgn WiFi adapter is experiencing driver or hardware related problems.

This can be a problem, and in today’s article, we’re going to show you how to fix this issue once and for all.

What can I do if the Realtek RTL8188ee 802.11bgn adapter is having driver or hardware problems?

1. Use Fortect Driver Updater

One way to fix all your driver-related issues is by using Fortect Driver Updater software. To install the application, make sure that you’re using an Ethernet connection to connect to the Internet.

The software will automatically scan your system for any missing drivers and give you a detailed report, allowing you to easily see all outdated drivers on your PC.

Once the scan is completed, you can download the outdated drivers from the Fortect Driver Updater database and install them automatically.

The database consists of million of drivers, so you should be able to find all the drivers that you need. If needed, you can also back up your drivers, or schedule a scan to check for driver issues.

Fortect Driver Updater is incredibly simple to use, and with its friendly user interface, you should be able to fix all your driver issues in a matter of moments.

Fortect Driver Updater

Fix Wi-Fi adapter problems easily with this powerful software!
Check Price Visit Website

2. Download driver manually

  1. Connect to the Internet using an Ethernet connection.
  2. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and download the latest drivers for your Wi-Fi adapter.
  3. Install the drivers and check if the issue is resolved.

Alternatively, you can install the drivers like this:

  1. Connect your device to the Internet using the Ethernet connection.
  2. Press Windows Key + X and choose Device Manager from the list.
    device manager realtek rtl8188ee 802.11bgn wifi adapter driver hardware problems
  3. Locate your network adapter on the list, right-click it, and choose Update driver.
    update driver realtek rtl8188ee 802.11bgn wifi adapter driver problems
  4. Now select Search automatically for drivers and let Windows download the appropriate driver.
    search automatically for updated driver software realtek rtl8188ee 802.11bgn wifi adapter hardware related problems

3. Change adapter settings

  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Locate your Wi-Fi adapter and double click it to open its properties.
  3. Navigate to the Advanced tab.
    advanced settings realtek rtl8188ee 802.11bgn wifi adapter driver or hardware problems
  4. Select 802.11n channel width for 2.4GHz and set it 20MHz Only.
  5. Click OK to save changes.

After doing that, the problem with the Realtek RTL8188ee 802.11bgn Wi-Fi adapter should be fixed.

4. Use a USB Wi-Fi adapter

  1. Get a USB Wi-Fi adapter.
  2. Connect it to your PC.
  3. Check if the problem is resolved.

This is a workaround, but many users reported that this was the only option for them, so you might want to consider it.

If your device is still under warranty, you can also send it to the official repair center.

Realtek RTL8188ee 802.11bgn WiFi adapter is experiencing driver or hardware related problems error can be problematic, but you should be able to fix this issue by updating your drivers.

[wl_navigator]

Watch: Check out the Xbox Series X controller’s new Share button for capturing clips and screenshots

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has released a new video showcasing the new Xbox Wireless Controller model that will replace the existing version when it releases alongside the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles in November.

The main focus of the video is the new Share button which allows gamers to take a screenshot with a quick tap or record video with a longer press.

The function is identical to the existing method which can be activated by voice commands or via the tapping of the X and Y buttons after opening up the system menu, it simply gives people a quicker physical option.

Here’s the video:

The new Xbox Wireless Controller will release in a black, blue, and white option and will support Windows 10 computers, smartphones, and both Xbox One and Xbox Series X console generations. The Share button will also work on both gens as long as the latest operating system update is installed.

Are you excited for the new Xbox Wireless Controller and do you like the new Share button? Make sure to let us know in the comments below. Interested in pre-ordering this new controller? It’s now available here.

Age of Mythology Black Screen Error in Windows 10

Posted on by Aleksandar Ognjanovic

Even though we got into a phase where the latest games are like cinematic interactive stories, some people like to embark on the nostalgia train and play some beloved classics.

Age of Mythology is an amazing game, a revolutionary RTS from the beginning of this century. Arguably, one of the best games in the genre, as it stands the challenge of time quite well and it’s still very much playable.

However, Age of Mythology does have some issues on Windows 10, and one which is quite common is the black screen. This occurs during the game‘s initialization.

If you’re stuck with this error, feel free to check the solutions we provided below. Hopefully, we’ll be able to help you resolve it.

Table of contents

  1. Check the GPU drivers
  2. Run the game with the non-CD executable
  3. Run the game as Administrator and in a compatibility mode
  4. Install DirectX and Redistributables
  5. Disable the intro cinematics
  6. Reinstall the game
  7. Consider acquiring the Extended Edition

How can I fix Age of Mythology black screen issues?

1. Check the GPU drivers

A possible reason for the black screen in Age of Mythology might be due to a failing graphics card. Now, drivers are a common reason for this occurrence, even if you’re positive that the latest supporting software is installed.

Generic drivers which Windows Update provides automatically are not always the best suited for the job. Especially if you’re an avid gamer.

For that reason, we suggest navigating to the official OEM’s website and getting the latest supporting software, including drivers. Avoid downloading drivers from third-party websites, and stick with the official ones.

Here’s the list of 3 major graphics cards manufacturers you might want to check:

It might happen that on the official sites you won’t find the right driver version, especially if you have an older GPU.

In this case, downloading and installing the drivers you are not sure are the good ones, might damage your system. We recommend you to try to check for the right drivers with dedicated software.

A driver updater software is able to scan your PC for outdated and damaged drivers. Then, it will search for the latest driver version that is compatible with your hardware, download and install it.

Such tools can save you plenty of time and hassle. They are typically very easy to use and lightweight. You can set them up to regularly update and repair your drivers so you won’t face this type of issue in the future.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

2. Run the game with the non-CD executable

This game, like so many others from that era, requires a CD to run. Now, this hardly leads to any issues, but just for the sake of precaution, we suggest installing a third-party virtual drive emulator.

That way, you can create an ISO copy of your physical CD and run it directly. By doing so, you’ll avoid a halt caused by damaged CD.

Here’s how to create an emulation of the installation disk and run it virtually:

  1. Download and install PowerISO.
  2. Open the tool and make sure your Age of Mythology disk is in the drive.
  3. Choose to copy the disk and select the ISO as the output format.
  4. Now, once you’ve copied the CD, open This PC.
  5. Right-click on the newly created Virtual Drive device and mount the ISO file.
  6. Start the game and look for changes.

3. Run the game as Administrator and in a compatibility mode

  1. Right-click on the Age of Mythology shortcut and open Properties.
  2. Choose the Compatibility tab.
  3. Check the Run this program in compatibility mode for box and select Windows XP SP2 from the drop-down menu.
  4. Now, check the Run this program as an administrator box and confirm the changes.age of mythology windows 10 black screen
  5. Try starting the game and look for improvements.

4. Install DirectX and Redistributables

Now, it’s obvious that you need to install a game in order to play it on a Windows platform. However,  a lot of people neglect the importance of DirectX and Redistributables.

In some cases, you’ll need additional software, like launchers, to get the game up and running. Not in this case. You’ve already met the system requirements, so that’s out of the picture.

However, installing DirectX and Microsoft Visual C++ redistributables is a must.

So, make sure to install even the oldest redistributable and update your version of DirectX. You might have the latest version of DirectX 12, but Age of Mythology will run on 9.0 either way.

5. Disable the intro cinematics

  1. Right-click on the Age of Mythology desktop shortcut and open Properties.
  2. Under the Shortcut tab, look for the Target line.
  3. What you’ll need to do is copy-paste the following line at the end of the current entry: xres=640 noSound noIntroCinematics bpp=16 window lowend terrainHalfDensity lowPoly waterbump skipMipMapLevels=1 graphicDetail=2age of mythology windows 10 black screen
  4. Confirm changes and start the game.

6. Reinstall the game

  1. Backup the saved games.
  2. Open Start, right-click on the Age of Mythology, and choose Uninstall.
  3. This will take you to the Uninstall a program section in Control Panel. Remove the Age of Mythology and delete saved files.
  4. Restart your PC.
  5. Right-click on the installer and run it in compatibility mode for Windows XP (if available).age of mythology windows 10 black screen
  6. Wait until the game installs and give it another shot.

7. Consider acquiring the Extended Edition

In the end, if the outdated version won’t work on your Windows 10 PC, the only remaining thing we can suggest is giving Extended Edition a try. This is basically a revamped version of the classic game optimized for the latest Windows version.

And, on that note, we can conclude this article. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments section below. We look forward to hearing from you.

Twitter’s image algorithm prefers Microsoft’s Windows phone and Xbox Series X over iPhone and PS5

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The Twitter social network made headlines this past week after numerous users began discovering that its algorithm for determining what part of an image would be shown in a thumbnail preferred White faces over Black ones.

This isn’t the first time users have noticed such algorithmic quirks as it’s been well-known for a while now that a Twitter thumbnail will zoom in on any text or faces in an image compared to other parts no matter what the actual subject is. This is the first time, at least for the majority of the userbase, that the topic of preferred ethnicity has been discussed at large however.

Twitter racial bias example.

Twitter has since confirmed that they’re taking this very seriously and are looking to remove this unintentional bias from the platform.

While the topic of racial bias in tech is very much a serious one, the discussion has given way to some admittedly amusing viral experiments on the platform involving users comparing various subjects in a post to see what the algorithm decides is more important.

One of the more entertaining posts has been this one below (screencapped due to the upcoming algorithm change that may alter its appearance) which shows Twitter preferring Microsoft’s discontinued Windows phone over Apple’s iPhone.

Windows phone on Twitter.

While Windows 10 Mobile may be no more, at least fans of the platform have this tweet.

Curious, I decided to make a comparison tweet myself using images of Sony’s PlayStation 5 console and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X. The results should please all OnMSFT readers.

Xbox Series X on Twitter.

Have you experimented with the Twitter image algorithm? Have you experienced any bias when uploading images yourself? Let us know what you’ve encountered in the comments below and then follow us on Twitter for more Microsoft content.

How to unblock TikTok anywhere & bypass country bans

Posted on by Vlad Constantinescu

Recently TikTok has faced the threat of being banned in the US. The app is quite popular, so it’s no surprise that a lot of people have started protesting online against the unpopular decision.

And we get it, truly. Imagine waking up to a world where YouTube is no longer available. Or Spotify, or Netflix, or any other popular service, for that matter. Wouldn’t be too pleasant, now would it?

Right now, things aren’t exactly certain, as the US administration hinted at reaching an agreement with TikTok. But don’t worry, we’ve got just the trick for you to help you bypass country bans and unblock TikTok in no time.

 

How can I unblock TikTok anywhere?

Use a VPN

  1. Purchase a premium VPN subscription plan (we recommend Private Internet Access)TikTok PIA
  2. Download the PIA VPN client
  3. Install the VPN on your devices
  4. Log into your PIA account
  5. Connect to a suitable server
  6. Enjoy using TikTok without restrictions

Kape Technologies’ Private Internet Access is an excellent VPN service that can help you stay private and secure your connection in no time.

It features 24/7 customer chat support and is actually one of the few VPNs that offer this kind of service.

Note that, depending on the device you want to access TikTok from, you’ll need to adapt your PIA usage/installation.

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

Wondering how to unblock TikTok? PIA can quickly do it for you.
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For instance, if you plan on using TikTok on your phone, it goes without saying that you must deploy the VPN on that very device.

Or, to simplify matters, you can configure the VPN on your router. Therefore, all devices you’ve connected to the router will benefit from the VPN‘s privacy, security, and geoblock-bypassing features in no time.

Choose a non-US server

It’s worth mentioning that we’re talking about TikTok being banned in the United States. Therefore, it goes without saying that using a US VPN server will probably not work.

For that reason, try choosing any non-US VPN server if you want to unblock TikTok and bypass its US ban. Note that the closer a server is to your physical location, the faster it will be.

PIA comes with one of the largest server networks (more than 11,000 servers in almost 100 locations). Therefore, even if TikTok doesn’t seem to work with the server you chose, just pick another one.

Bonus: this method can help you unblock other region-restricted services, as well.

Use a Smart DNS service

If you’re not totally on board with installing and using a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions, you might want to use a Smart DNS service. From a geoblock-bypassing standpoint, it might work even better than a VPN.

However, it’s very important that you understand that Smart DNS services have no encryption. Therefore, you’ll have a faster connection but all your traffic will be visible to your ISP.

Final thoughts on unblocking TikTok

All things considered, if you’re not ready to give TikTok up, you don’t need to anymore. Even if TikTok’s US ban remains in place, there are ways to circumvent this unfortunate restriction.

You can use a VPN to unblock TikTok, no matter where you are. However, make sure to select an appropriate server, depending on your location. For instance, if you’re in the US (and TikTok is still banned when you’re reading this), try using a non-US server.

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5 Best Photo Location Finder Tools

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

We take photos frequently, but sometimes, you need to find out the location where a photo was taken. Luckily for you, specialized tools can help you with that.

Various tools can be used for this purpose, and in today’s article, we will show you the best photo location finder tools you can use.

What are the best photo location finders?

Pic2Map

Pic2Map photo location finder

Pic2Map is a simple service that lets you upload your images and see the location where the picture was taken. This is done by analyzing EXIF and GPS data from the image.

The service analyzes EXIF data, and it shows you the exact location on the map where the image was taken. You can also use Pic2Map to view EXIF information, such as the camera model, shutter speed, etc.

Regarding the location, you can see the name of the city or town where the image was taken, as well as the name of the state/country.

Remember that the service makes all your images public, so you need to check the privacy option when uploading them to keep them away from search engines.

Pic2Map is a simple but powerful service, so you should try it out.

Pic2Map features:

  • Simple to use
  • Can determine the location of the image based on EXIF and GPS data
  • Can show you EXIF data of an image
  • Will show you the exact coordinates and location on the map

=> Visit Pic2Map

GeoImgr

GeoImgr photo location finder

Another great photo location finder service is GeoImg. The service uses your uploaded images to read their EXIF data. After reading the data, you should see a location on the map where the photo was taken.

The service also allows you to add geotags to your images by selecting the location on the map where the image was taken.

The service is incredibly simple, but the free version allows you to upload only 5 images per day, which may be a problem for some users.

GeoImgr features:

  • Simple to use
  • Ability to find image location from the EXIF data
  • You can add geotags for images without them
  • Support for bulk uploads

=> Visit GeoImgr

Photo Location

Photo Location photo location finder

If you need to discover the location of a certain picture, you can always use the Photo Location service. The service will read the EXIF data and GPS coordinates and try to determine the location of the picture.

If your pictures don’t have geotags, you can use Photo Location to add geotags to your images so you don’t forget where the picture was taken.

On the other hand, if you want to protect your privacy, you can remove geotags with this tool or change them. This is important if you plan to share your pictures with the public.

Photo Location is a simple but powerful service, and if you want to find the location of a certain image, you should try it out.

Photo Location features:

  • Ability to view saved geotagging information
  • Can add geotags to images without them
  • Can be used to remove or change geotags of images

=> Visit Photo Location

Metapicz

Metapicz photo location finder

Another great service that works as a photo location finder is Metapicz. The service allows you to upload your own images, or you can paste the URL to the image.

After uploading your image, you can view all EXIF data such as the camera model, exposure, focal length, aperture, ISO speed, etc.

In addition, if geotag was enabled, you’ll be able to see the GPS coordinates where the image was taken along with the exact location on the map.

Metapicz is an incredibly simple tool, but it will get the job done, so be sure to consider it.

Metapicz features:

  • Incredibly simple to use
  • Supports image upload and image URLs
  • Can show you EXIF and geotag data

=> Visit Metapicz

Whereisthepicture

whereisthepicture photo location finder

Whereisthepicture is another photo location finder service that can easily find the location where the picture was taken.

The service is pretty simple to use and to find the location where the image was taken, you just need to upload the image and the service will do the rest.

Whereisthepicture will analyze geotag and EXIF data and show you the exact location where the image was created on the map.

Overall, the service doesn’t offer any extensive features, but it does its job well, so you might want to try it out.

Whereisthepicture features:

  • Straightforward to use
  • Will read geotagging information from your pictures
  • Will show you the location of the picture on a map

=> Visit Whereisthepicture

Finding the location of a picture is pretty simple as long as you have a photo location finder tool available. We covered some of the best tools for this task in this article, so be sure to consider them.

Should you encounter other GPS-related issues where the AT&T family map is not working, don’t hesitate to check out our expert article for solutions.