How summer is slowly slipping away and winter is coming people will spend more time indoors, and on top of that delta variant of Covid-19 is rampaging through the world. Being the gamer is now maybe the best time to be, sitting in the comfort of your home, safely isolated from viruses and people, just pushing buttons and emerging yourself in a vast world and new adventures. But games cost money, and sometimes being a gamer can be expensive, also the COVID situation makes it even more difficult to spend some time with friends. Do not worry, we are here to help. I am presenting you the list of MMO games that you should try or play during this COVID Winter, and since they are MMO games, you can play them with your friends and hang out in the virtual world. Some of them are also free to play so they will not cost you any money to enjoy them. The following list is not set in any particular order and remember that this is not a ranked list. There is no best MMO and I will not try to place any of these titles as one dominant, I will just point their style and who they might be for, it is up to you to decide which one you will pick and enjoy.

Best MMO’s in no particular order

EVE Online

EVE Online is one of the earliest MMO games out there but since its release, it is still actively developed and is receiving updates. This science-fiction Sandbox will offer space lovers everything they need and more. Large scale PvP, mining, pirating, etc. It can be daunting and complex for beginners but take your time to get familiar with its systems and you will be rewarded greatly with an immersive and complex game worth the time. Open PvP in some zones might not be everyone’s cup of tea and seeing only your ship might be a turn-off for some players, but if you do not mind these things give it a go. It is free to play with an item shop.

Final Fantasy XIV

FF14 had a tough start, so tough that it was scrapped and destroyed and has been remade again and that idea was great. The game now is better than ever and at this time it is experiencing large players from other games surging into it. This on the rails fantasy MMO will offer you a great story and great leveling experience. It has a free trial where you can play the whole original game for free but if you wish to continue playing you will have to buy the expansion and pay a monthly subscription but the content is well worth the money.

World of Warcraft

Let’s be honest, not a single list of MMO games cannot be without a once greatest and most successful MMO ever made, World of Warcraft. But instead of me praising the game why it was the greatest and why you should play it and how great it is I am going to take a little different approach. I am going to recommend you World of Warcraft classic, yup, you read it correctly, classic. Now World of Warcraft is a retail game with a subscription service but with that one subscription you will be able to access three games in the World of Warcraft universe: World of Warcraft retail (standard game), World of Warcraft Classic (vanilla WOW without expansions offering you experience as it once was when it was released) and World of Warcraft the Burning Crusade classic (same as WOW classic but with the first expansion the Burning Crusade). Among all solutions, I would really urge you to play either WOW classic or WOW TBC classic simply for reason that they are far superior games in comparison to typical retail ones, but if you like easier game go for retail, it is included in the sub anyway.

Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 1 was one of my favorite games and I sank a lot of times in it and once Guild Wars 2 came I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with it and I would recommend it highly. The base game is completely free to play with only expansion to be purchased and it is buy to play model without monthly fees. It has specific mechanics different from other games and interesting classes to try. The living world is a great feature of the game and it is still very strong with its player base.

Star Wars: old republic

This game is made for people who enjoy, love, and like Star Wars. Mechanically besides being able to have henchmen with you and space battles (which I do not really like how they are done) game itself does not offer anything special. Where it shines is in the story and overall Star Wars experience. If you look at this game as a single-player game with multiplayer dungeons you will have a great time, since the story is really good but sadly end game lacks in comparison.

Elder Scrolls Online

I am going to admit something here, I was not fond of the idea to make the beloved Elder Scrolls series into MMO, but in time I gave it a go and I am really glad I did. This game is great and it is getting better and better as time progresses. It is buy to play without monthly fees and basic game free, same as FF14 but without fees. It has a decent community and offers a really good Elder Scrolls experience and now it is packing Morrowind expansions and other great areas. Highly recommended for any Elder Scrolls fan.

Lord of the Rings Online

This one is troublesome to recommend, on one side you have free to play games deeply inside Tolkien Lord of the Rings lore, on the other side, you have outdated graphics and some stupid item shop decisions like buys specific classes. But if you look past stupid item shop decisions and can live with playing free class in the game you will be pleasantly surprised. The game itself is surprisingly good, the story is great as expected from the game infused with lore taken from one of the best books series ever written, and the feeling when visiting iconic landscape is epic. But if I need to be real as I should, I would recommend this one to people appreciate good story and lore and ones that are fans of Lord of the Rings itself.

Neverwinter

Neverwinter is a premium and licensed D&D MMO game and it is well strange. The free-to-play model of the game will let you enjoy it until you hit the end game, then you will have to shell real money if you want to be competitive but the journey until then is great. I would recommend it to D&D lovers and people that love to try other people's maps, yup you read it correctly. Neverwinter has a map editor making it one of a kind MMO game where you can create your own dungeons and post them for other players to play, this user-generated content makes it a very specific beast in this list, and for that feature alone it has my recommendation.

Tera

Another one of the older titles, Tera will offer you nor depth nor anything new in terms of leveling, quests, or end game except… the COMBAT. This is maybe the greatest MMO Combat game ever created and it is quite fascinating that even after so many years no other game has managed to create a better combat system than one of Tera. If you enjoy action combat and like some specific aesthetics Tera is a game for you.

Albion

Albion is a sandbox game with open-world PvP and building mechanics where you can build your own forest, house, etc. You know, sandbox stuff, including a lot of crafting and well, other sandbox stuff. If you want great quests and some occasional play then skip Albion, this game is made for a more hardcore player base not being afraid to die and spend some time crafting and going through the economy. The best comparison might be with EVE but in fantasy settings.

Black Desert

Black Desert is also a sandbox game but different from Albion, here you can organize and hire a workforce and send them to different nodes on a map to harvest resources and build an economy while you are on some epic adventure. Housing is also included but you can buy already made houses instead of making your own in the world. Combat is a game that comes very close to Tera combat and it is very enjoyable. The end game is money sink and PvP based so be careful when choosing this one.

Secret World Legends

If you like occult and supernatural with new world order themes and conspiracy theories, Secret World Legends is the game for you. Somewhat little clunky its setting and story really set it apart in many many ways. It has semi-action combat and it is free to play with item shop but all the content can be experienced for free. Recommended for fans of deeper gameplay and horror lore.

Runescape

When I said no MMO list can be without World of Warcraft, it also cannot be without Runescape, one of the oldest games it was revamped with newer mechanics and graphics, free to play all the way and you can also pick old school Runescape if you really want to go all the way on a nostalgia trip. I would recommend a newer one for newer players, the game offers a great story and unusual quests infused with puzzles and interesting storylines. If you like really good quest design without fetch and grind quests along with interesting story this is a game for you.

AION

Last on my list would be AION, a very interesting game made also a long way back, but the fact that is completely free with the cosmetic shop will make it as one to recommend since you can experience the whole game for free. It has some limited flying mechanics in it and later game zone are open PvP zones, story is interesting and leveling process is enjoyable. Also game itself is not really easy and if not careful you can get yourself in danger quite quickly. Recommended for old-school feeling.

Conclusion

That's it, there are many more MMO games out there but some are on verge of closing down and some are plainly bad. I hope that I have made your choice easier and that you will find one or a few from this list to spend your time in it. Remember, stay safe and take care of yourself.

If you were trying to print some documents but encounter the HIDCLASS.SYS Blue Screen error instead, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing any Blue Screen errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS file. HIDCLASS.SYS is a Windows operating system driver file. HID or Human Interface Device includes Keyboards, mice, and other input devices. HIDCLASS.SYS is a critical system driver file that is responsible for connecting different kinds of devices all over the system, including the functionality where a Word Processor can access the printer to print documents. This file comes under the category of kernel-mode device drivers and if the driver fails, it can result in a Stop Error. There are a lot of Stop errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS file, such as:

• KMODE EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED
• SYSTEM SERVICE EXCEPTION
• DRIVER POWER STATE FAILURE
• PAGE FAULT IN A NONPAGED AREA
• SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED
• DRIVER VERIFIER IOMANAGER VIOLATION
• IRQL NOT LESS EQUAL

The fixes for the Blue Screen errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS files are pretty simple but before you troubleshoot the problem using these fixes, make sure that you boot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking first. After that, get started on these tips:

Option 1 – Update or rollback or disable concerned device drivers

To fix the HIDCLASS.SYS error, you can also try to roll back, or update, or disable the concerned device drivers.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers particularly the ones that are under the sections of Keyboard, Mouse, USB, and HID Drivers.
• Next, right-click on them to open the Properties.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions or disable them.

Option 2 – Check for any incompatible devices

The next thing you can do to troubleshoot the HIDCLASS.SYS Stop error is to plug in and out each one of the different hardware that is connected to your computer. Doing so will help you determine which one of the hardware is the one that’s triggering the error to pop up. You will also know what hardware drivers or anything else that could be causing this error which includes external devices like mouse, keyboard, printer, as well as internally attached components like the Graphics card and so on.

Option 3 – Try running the ChkDsk utility

Running the ChkDsk utility can also help you resolve any Blue Screen errors related to the HIDCLASS.SYS file. To run this tool, refer to these steps:

• First, open This PC and right-click on your operating system partition for Windows.
• Next, click on Properties and navigate to the Tools tab.
• Then click on Check under the Error Checking section.
• After that, a new mini window will be opened and from there click on Scan drive and let it scan your disk drive partition for any errors and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try checking the Memory for any errors

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type exe and hit Enter to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
• After that, it will give two options such as:
  • Restart now and check for problems (Recommended)
  • Check for problems the next time I start my computer
• Once your computer has restarted, perform a basic scan or you could also go for the “Advanced” options such as “Test mix” or “Pass count”. Simply tap the F10 key to start the test.

Note: After you select the option, your PC will restart and check for memory-based issues. If it finds any issues, it will automatically fix them.

Option 5 – Run the System File Checker

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

• Type “cmd” in the Start search and then right-click on the appropriate search result.
• Next, select “Run as administrator” to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow

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

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

• Now restart your computer and see if the Blue Screen error is fixed or not.

Libmysql.dll is missing or not found error appears in Windows when the user is trying to open and run the application. In this guide, we will offer you solutions on how to fix and remove this annoying error.

1. Check recycle bin

   Some applications or purely by accident itself libmysql.dll gets deleted. If you have not turned recycle bin off go to it and check to see if the file is by any chance there. If you find it, right-click on it, choose restore, the error will be gone.

2. Update drivers

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the Windows menu and click on Device manager In device manager locate device which has alert mark next to it Right-click on it and choose update driver Reboot your computer

3. Run SFC scan

   Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X and choose command prompt (admin) In command prompt type in sfc /scannow and press ENTER wait for the operation to complete and Reboot your system

4. Reinstall application

   if you are getting an error only on one application or an error has started to appear after the installation of a particular application go to Windows applications, uninstall it and then install it again. There is a chance that the file has been corrupted during the installation process.

The Clear Linux Project creates an operating system and software stack that offers highly optimized performance, security, versatility, and manageability. Clearly optimized for Intel CPUs and based on GNOME it will offer you incredible speeds if you are on Intel CPU. The big news, though, is that Clear Linux sports the shiny new Gnome 40. This is a fresher Gnome than you'll find even on Ubuntu's more experimental 21.04 release. The only big names that let you test drive Gnome 40 are Fedora and Arch Linux.

Packages only when you need them

Installation of packages is used by Swupd, a Clear Linux* package management tool. It is easy to use and pretty straightforward.

• "bundle-list" for showing what's installed
• "bundle-info" for details on installed bundles (such as owned files via the "‑‑files" flag)
• "search" for repository searching
• "bundle-add" for installation
• "bundle-remove" for uninstallation

The only problem here is the packages themselves. Clean Linux* has been imagined as a developer distro focusing mostly on well-development tolls. In intel’s words: “A Linux OS built for Linux developers”, so some things will be left out. Strangely enough some things as FFmpeg which if you want to have and blast some youtube videos while you work will have to complete manually by yourself.

Clear Linux* modular philosophy

Everything in Clear Linux* is based on a modular philosophy approach. There is no /etc/fstab file, the /boot directory is totally empty. Every partition to be mounted is enabled as a systemd "mount unit." Intel reaping the benefits of systemd's modular philosophy, where everything is a unit. If you know your way around systemd, intermediate-level configuration tasks should be straightforward. Any advanced configuration likely demands deep systemd knowledge.

Clear Linux* performance

As stated earlier this is Intel’s distro, optimized for Intel hardware meaning that Intel as the developer has every possible tool at its disposal to make use of hardware to its maximum potential and it shows. Distro almost leaves other ones two times in speed performance. So if you are looking for a distribution that will deliver you speed and it is aimed for developer Clear Linux* is for you.

Conclusion

Clear Linux* is a really interesting distro and seeing how Intel is adding new software packages on its official website it might have a bright future. But as always, be the judge for yourself and see if it can fit your needs. Go get it at: https://clearlinux.org/

In today's world setting up a LAN network or internet connection is no longer a daunting task that will require having a bachelor's degree in computer science nor a specialized technician. But even in the present-day environment issues and problems can occur. One of these problems is detecting or running a network at a slower 100MB speed instead of 1GB. Troubleshooting of this nature is somewhat more complex than your typical troubleshooting issue because several things including hardware could be involved in this particular problem but do not worry, we are here to back you up and guide you Setting up a home or small office network no longer requires a specialist technician to constantly monitor and optimize the LAN routers and connected PCs. As Windows networking has improved and new features have become available on the hardware, configuring a 1GB network should be as simple as connecting the LAN to a router that came with this capability. If however the network’s rated speed only gives 100MB, troubleshooting the issue is more complex. To find the problem, you’ll need to check the hardware devices, cable connections, and the software you are using to connect and manage the network.

Hardware checks

1. Check both connection jacks to see if it has any loose or frayed wires. If any of the wires are loose, it can be the cause of the performance issue. You should replace the cable if you discover damage to the connectors.
2. Inspect the entire length of the cable and check if the harness shows any clear signs of damage. A bent or damaged cable can reduce the amount of information it’s capable of transferring between the PC and LAN router. If you find any damage to the cable, replace it to restore your network speed.
3. Is the cable capable of transferring 1GB speeds? Different network cables support different network speeds. A Cat-5 cable will only provide 100MB transfers, while a Cat-5e or Cat-6 can support up to 10GB transfers. Check the cable’s labels to make sure you are using a Cat-5e or higher-rated data cable.

Now when the hardware issue is out of the way we can focus a little more on the software part.

Let's try the first easy solution, run Windows built-in troubleshooter

1. Click the Windows button and type Control Panel. Then select the top result.
2. If your Control Panel shows the Category View, change it to display Small Icons instead.
3. From the list of available applications, select Network and Sharing Center.
4. In your Network and Sharing Center, you can see the active network, set up a new network connection, troubleshoot problems, or change your adapter settings. Before making changes to your device properties, you can let Windows run a troubleshooter on your adapters to see if it can automatically fix your connection issues.
5. Click on Troubleshoot Problems from the Change Your Network Settings section.
6. In the Troubleshooter Application, scroll down and find the Network Adapter option.
7. Click on Run Troubleshooter to let Windows check your network adapter’s configuration for any issues.
8. Select the Ethernet Adapter you’re currently using from the list and click Next to proceed.
9. Wait for the process to complete and check the results. If Windows detects any issues, it will recommend a fix. However, if the configuration of your network adapters does not have any problems, you’ll see a message that Windows couldn’t detect any problems.
10. If there are any issues with the cable, the troubleshooter will detect the connection issue and request you replace the cable and connect it to your PC.
11. It can occur that even after inspecting the cable and you didn’t find any visible damage on the housing or connectors, it could still be faulty. Replace the cable with a new one and rerun the troubleshooter to see if the cable is working as required.

If the troubleshooter finished and you received a Windows Couldn’t Detect Any Issues result, you’ll need to verify your adapter’s speed settings.

1. In your Network and Sharing Center, select the Change Adapter Settings option from the left menu.
2. On the list of adapters, choose the one you’re using and click the Right Mouse Button to open the context menu.
3. Select Properties from the Context Menu to access your adapter’s settings.
4. On the Ethernet Properties window, you can enable or disable different features and install additional protocols. To change the device settings, click on Configure to continue.
5. This will open the Device Controller Properties window where you can check the status, make changes to the settings, find out information about the driver, or check historical events on the device. Select the Advanced tab to access the device settings.
6. On the Advanced tab, locate the Speed and Duplex setting.
7. The Auto-Negotiation option may cause network performance issues on certain Ethernet adapters and routers. The setting allows your adapter to change the speed settings according to the LAN configuration you connect to your PC. If you connect to different LAN networks regularly with different speeds, it can occur that the setting doesn’t update from 100MB to 1GB while switching.
8. Change the Value to match the network speed of the LAN you’re connecting to your PC and use the manual speed setting.
9. Click OK to apply the setting and test your network performance. If your adapter doesn’t have the 1GB setting available but you know the rating should go up to that speed, it could indicate that you aren’t using the right driver for the device.

If you don’t have the setting available or the device still only provides 100MB speeds after changing the Speed setting to a manual value, you may have to update the driver for the device.

1. On the Ethernet Properties Window, once again click on Configure to access the Device Properties Window. Then select the Driver Tab to access your driver details.
2. Select Update Driver from the available options.
3. On the Update Driver window, select the option to let Windows Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software.
4. Windows will connect to the internet and search for the latest drivers online. If a newer driver exists, Windows will download and install the driver for you. If you’re using the latest driver, Windows will inform you that no updated drivers are available.

One of the most basic and commonly used features in the Windows operating system is the copy and paste feature that helps users accomplish tasks in a faster and easier way. However, if you notice that it’s not working properly for some reason, then this post might be of help as it will provide you with options you can check out to resolve the problem. You can encounter this kind of problem with the copy and paste feature if some system files are corrupted or if there’s some third-party application or process that interferes with this function. Worry not though for there are some options you can check out to fix this. You can try to restart the rdpclip.exe process or the explorer.exe process. You could also try to reinstall the program where you encountered the issue with the Copy and Paste function. In addition, you could try clearing the clipboard history or run the built-in tools like the DISM tool and SFC scan. You could also troubleshoot the problem in a Clean Boot State or use the Refresh Windows tool. For more information, refer to each one of the options below.

Option 1 – Try to restart the rdpclip.exe and the explorer.exe processes

The first thing you can do to resolve the problem is to restart certain processes namely, the rdpclip.exe process and the explorer.exe process via Task Manager.

• First, right-click on your Taskbar and select the Task Manager.
• Next, look for the rdpclip.exe process and right-click on it, and select the End process option.
• After that, click on the File tab > Run new task and then type “rdpclip.exe” and tap Enter.
• This should help fix the problem. If not, you could also try to restart the explorer.exe process – just look for the explorer.exe process in the Task Manager and right-click on it, and then select the Restart option.

Option 2 – Try reinstalling the concerned program

If you only experience this issue on a particular program, you might want to uninstall this program and install it back again, and then see if it fixed the problem or not.

Option 3 – Try to clear the clipboard history

You could also try clearing the clipboard history as it has been known to help in fixing this kind of issue. You can clear the clipboard history using the command line.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run dialog box and type “cmd” in the field and hit Enter to open Command Prompt.
• Next, execute this command: echo off | clip
• After that, check if the Copy and Paste function is now working properly or not.

Option 4 – Try running the DISM tool

You can run the DISM tool as well to help fix the “Tile Database is corrupt” error. Using this built-in tool, you have various options such as the “/ScanHealth”, “/CheckHealth”, and “/RestoreHealth”.

• Open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Then type in the following commands and make sure to hit Enter right after you type each one of them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• Do not close the window if the process takes a while as it will probably take a few minutes to finish.
• Once it’s done, check if it was able to fix the corrupted Start Menu or not.

Option 5 – Try to run System File Checker or SFC scan

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

Option 6 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

If a third party program like antivirus is the one that’s causing the problem, you can try to put your computer in a Clean Boot State to isolate the issue by following these steps:

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in msconfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now try to connect your device or copy the files to your external device again and check if the problem with the Copy and Paste function is fixed.

As of the time of writing this article you no longer need or are required to have a password if you plan to log in to your Microsoft account. Microsoft explored various options for account security and came to the conclusion that passwords are obsolete. Microsoft is letting you access your account through the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key, SMS verification, or email verification code. All of these methods are way better in terms of security than passwords.

How to turn these features on?

To get rid of your Microsoft password, the process is simple. You simply need to go to your Microsoft account, click “advanced security options,” then “enable passwordless accounts” under the Additional security section.

Microsoft has been bringing new lock-screen features with every iterative feature release of Windows 10 in order to improve user experience. However, Windows 10 users have different opinions regarding it. Some users are pleased with it while some users simply do not like it. So if you are one of the users who seem to not approve of this feature, read on as this post will be about enabling or disabling the Console Mode sign-in feature in Windows 10. Before you proceed, take note that you will not be able to use your mouse pointer in this Consol Mode login screen and you can only use your keyboard to navigate around various options. You might also want to create a System Restore point just in case. To enable or disable the Console Mode sign-in in your Windows 10 computer, refer to the given steps below. Step 1: Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box. Step 2: Then type in “Regedit” in the field and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor. Step 3: Next, navigate to the following registry path:

ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionAuthenticationLogonUITestHooks

Step 4: From there, look for a DWORD named “ConsoleMode”. If you don’t see this DWORD, you can just create a new DWORD and name it as “ConsoleMode” and make sure that its base is set to Hexadecimal. Step 5: After that, double click on ConsoleMode and change its value to “0” to disable it and “1” to enable it. Step 6: Now restart your computer to apply the changes made. Like pointed out, you can only use your keyboard when you’re in the Console Mode login window or screen. You can just use the ESC button to go back to the menu while you can utilize the arrow keys so you can go through the options that are mostly vertically arranged and the Enter key to select an option. In the Console Mode, sign-in using the Passwords and PINs worked efficiently.

FreeMaps is a google chrome extension by Mindspark powered by Ask or MyWay. This extension offers users a quick and easy way to find the routes or locations that they desire. While all of this may seem appealing, this extension was classified as a Browser Hijacker by many anti-virus applications and was marked for removal.

When installed FreeMaps will change your home page, new tab and default search engine to MyWay.com, it will monitor your browsing activity and send it back to Mindspark ad servers. This data is later used/sold to better display targeted ads depending on your search queries.

While browsing the internet with this extension active you will see additional pop-up ads, sponsored links, and injected ads displaying throughout your browsing sessions, and even injected into websites that should be ad-free. Due to poor code optimization, these ads can sometimes cover a part of the page, making it unreadable or inaccessible.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a form of unwanted software, commonly a browser add-on or extension, which then causes modifications in the web browser’s settings. Browser hijackers are capable of doing more than simply changing home pages. These are typically used to force hits to a specific site, manipulating web traffic to earn ad revenue. It could seem naive, but most of such websites aren’t legitimate and could present a major threat to your online safety. As soon as the malware attacks your laptop or computer, it begins to mess things up a whole that slows your computer down to a crawl. In the worse case, you will be forced to tackle serious malware threats too.

How you can know whether the browser is hijacked?

Signs that your web browser is hi-jacked include: your browser’s homepage is suddenly different; bookmark and the new tab are likewise modified; default web engine is modified; find new toolbars which you didn’t add; unstoppable flurries of popup adverts show up on your computer screen; your browser has instability issues or exhibits frequent errors; you cannot visit specific websites such as home pages of anti-malware software.

Exactly how browser hijacker finds its way onto your computer

A browser hijacker could be installed on your PC if you check out an infected website, click an e-mail attachment, or download something from a file-sharing website. They can also be deployed via the installation of a web browser toolbar, extension, or add-on. Some browser hijackers spread in user’s computer systems by using a deceptive software distribution method known as “bundling” (usually through freeware and shareware). Typical examples of browser hijackers include Conduit, CoolWebSearch, OneWebSearch, Coupon Server, RocketTab, Searchult.com, Snap.do, and Delta Search. Browser hijackers can record user keystrokes to gather potentially invaluable information that leads to privacy issues, cause instability on systems, drastically disrupt user’s browsing experience, and eventually slow down the system to a point where it becomes unusable.

Tips on how to remove browser hijackers

Some types of browser hijackers can be removed from your PC by deleting malicious software applications or any other recently installed shareware. Having said that, many hijackers are very tenacious and require specialized tools to eliminate them. You should think of carrying out manual repairs only if you are a tech-savvy person since there are dangers associated with messing around with the computer registry and HOSTS file. Professionals always suggest users to remove any malicious software including browser hijacker with an automatic malware removal tool, which is better, safer and faster than the manual removal procedure. One of the best tools for repairing browser hijacker malware is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. It will help you remove any pre-existing malicious software in your pc and provides you real-time monitoring and protection against the latest threats.

How To Install Safebytes Anti-Malware On An Infected Computer

All malware is inherently harmful, but certain kinds of malware do a lot more damage to your computer or laptop than others. Certain malware goes to great lengths to prevent you from downloading or installing anything on your PC, especially antivirus applications. So what should you do if malware prevents you from downloading or installing Safebytes Anti-Malware? Follow the instructions below to get rid of the malware in alternate ways.

Start Windows in Safe Mode

In the event the malware is set to run at Windows start-up, then booting in safe mode should avoid it. Only the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded when you start your PC in Safe Mode. Here are the steps you should follow to start your computer into the Safe Mode of your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers (visit Microsoft website for directions on Windows 8 and 10 computers). 1) Hit the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your PC boots, however, before the big Windows logo or black screen with white texts comes up. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Use the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) As soon as this mode loads, you will have an internet connection. Now, obtain the malware removal software you want by utilizing the internet browser. To install the program, follow the directions within the setup wizard. 4) After installation, run a full scan and let the program get rid of the threats it discovers.

Obtain the anti-malware software in a different internet browser

Some malware mainly targets specific browsers. If this sounds like your case, employ another web browser as it could circumvent the virus. If you appear to have malware attached to Internet Explorer, then switch to an alternate internet browser with built-in safety features, such as Chrome or Firefox, to download your preferred antivirus program – Safebytes.

Install antivirus on a flash drive

Here’s yet another solution which is using portable USB anti-malware software that can scan your system for viruses without the need for installation. Abide by these steps to run the anti-virus on the affected computer system. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Microsoft Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free PC. 2) Insert the USB drive into the clean PC. 3) Double click on the exe file to open the installation wizard. 4) Select the flash drive as the location for saving the software file. Follow activation instructions. 5) Transfer the thumb drive from the uninfected computer to the infected PC. 6) Double-click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the pen drive to run the program. 7) Press the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scan.

Protect your PC from Malware With SafeBytes Security Suite

In order to protect your computer from many different internet-based threats, it is important to install an anti-malware application on your laptop. However, with so many anti-malware companies out there, these days it’s tough to decide which one you should purchase for your PC. Some of them are great while some are scamware applications that pretend as legit anti-malware programs waiting around to wreak havoc on your PC. You have to be very careful not to pick the wrong product, especially if you purchase a premium application. When it comes to commercial anti-malware software options, the majority of people go with popular brands, like SafeBytes, and they are very happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a highly effective and user-friendly protection tool that is designed for end-users of all levels of computer literacy. This program could easily detect, remove, and protect your PC from the latest malware intrusions including adware, spyware, trojan horses, ransomware, parasites, worms, PUPs, along with other potentially harmful software applications.

SafeBytes has fantastic features when compared with other anti-malware programs. The following are some of the great features included in the software.

Live Protection: SafeBytes gives real-time active supervision and protection from all known viruses and malware. It’ll continuously monitor your pc for hacker activity and also provides end-users with advanced firewall protection. World-class AntiMalware Protection: Safebytes is built on the best virus engine in the industry. These engines will detect and remove threats even during the initial stages of a malware outbreak. Safe Browsing: SafeBytes inspects the hyperlinks present on a web page for possible threats and tells you whether the website is safe to explore or not, through its unique safety rating system. “Fast Scan” Features: Safebytes AntiMalware, using its advanced scanning engine, gives ultra fast scanning which can quickly target any active online threat. Lowest CPU/Memory Usage: This software is lightweight and can work quietly in the background, and will not impact your computer efficiency. Premium Support: You can get 24/7 technical assistance to immediately resolve any issue with your security application. To conclude, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is really great for securing your laptop or computer against all kinds of malware threats. Now you may realize that this particular software does more than just scan and eliminate threats in your PC. If you’re searching for the best malware removal application out there, and if you don’t mind spending some dollars for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to manually get rid of FreeMaps without the use of an automated tool, it may be actually possible to do so by removing the program from the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browser’s AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. It’s also suggested to factory reset your browser settings to their default state. If you opt to manually remove the system files and registry entries, use the following list to ensure that you know precisely what files to remove before executing any actions. Please remember that this is for professional users only and may be challenging, with incorrect file removal resulting in additional PC errors. In addition, certain malware is capable of replicating or preventing removal. Completing this task in Safe Mode is advised.

If you are trying to install or upgrade your Windows 10 computer but suddenly encountered an error message saying, “Windows Could not configure one or more system components”, read on as this post will show you how you can fix the problem. You are not alone in experiencing this problem as other users also reported having the same scenario. Some of them reported getting the following error message:

“Windows could not configure one or more system components. To install Windows restart the computer with error code 0xc1900101-0x30018.”

When you check on the Windows 10 rollback log, you will see a part with the “iisetup.exe” that’s related to the abort. Usually, the upgrade process completes over 50% and gets stuck and then rolls back later on and generates the error logs. This kind of error, in most cases, appears during the upgrade of Windows 10 and is related to the Internet Information Services or IIS in Windows 10. For some unknown reason, it restricts the installation or the upgrade which causes the error to appear. To fix the “Windows could not configure one or more system components” error, you can try to remove the IIS from the Windows Features or rename the “inetsrv” folder. You could also move all the folders related to IIS to another drive. For more details, refer to the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to remove the IIS from Windows Features

The IIS is installed from the Windows Features and you can find it at Control Panel > Programs. From there, uncheck the checkbox for the Internet Information Services. Once done, click on the OK button to save the changes. Note that this process will get rid of all the related programs, services, and folders from Windows 10. So if you want to, you can just install them later on or use an offline installer from the official site of Microsoft.

Option 2 – Try renaming the inetsrv folder

The next option you can check out to resolve the problem is to rename the “inetsrv” folder. If you have uninstalled IIS from the Windows Features, this should remove the folders as well, however, it didn’t remove the folder then you have to delete the folders that are related to the IIS by following these steps:

• First, you have to boot into the Advanced Recovery Mode and from there, open Command Prompt.
• Next, execute this command to rename the folder from this location, C:Windowssystem32inetsrv: rename C:/Windows/system32/inetsrv/inetsrv.old
• Once done, boot into your computer normally and try to upgrade Windows 10 again, and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 3 – Try to move the folders related to IIS to a different drive

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• Next, look for the Application Host Helper Service from the list of services and stop it.
• Once done, take ownership of the “WinSxS” folder and then move the *windows-iis*.*” folders to another drive. You can just search using the “*windows-iis*.*” keyword in the Start Search.
• Next, tap the Ctrl + X keys and paste the folders to another drive.
• After that, start the update process for Windows 10 again.