When we get ourselves a new USB stick, new hard drive, or any storage device not including optical drives they are usually preformatted and ready to be used out of the box. However, reformating them has several benefits and while we are reformatting we can choose in which file system format we want the memory to be formatted. In this article, we will compare and explore 3 typical and standard format options you can get while formating a new media in Windows 10.

FAT32

The oldest one on the list, coming all the way from DOS days. Great for devices that need to be plugged in different operating systems and for USB flash drives. Its advantages are compatibility with all major operating systems and little memory usage comparing to other ones. However, the file system is limited to file sizes of the maximum capacity of 4GB and partitions can not exceed more than 32GB.

NTFS

First introduced in Windows NT this file system offered slower performance than FAT32 and somewhat limited usability but the main advantages were more stability and fewer errors. Its main advantages are support for files larger than 4GB and partitions larger than 32GB along with the ability for on the file encryption, main disadvantage would be limited operating system usage, NTFS can not be used on systems that work on FAT32 like MS-DOS for example or older versions of Windows. The best usage for this file system is in internal hard disk drives and system drives.

exFAT

New kid on the block, well at least from the perspective of the previous 2. exFAT offers unlimited file sizes and unlimited partition sizes but at a price that is even more limiting than NTFS. Some Linux distributions will require a driver to be installed in order to see the exFAT partition. The best use is in storage, in external hard drives. That's it, 3 major file systems, we hope that you have managed to learn something new today, and remember to drop by tomorrow for more articles about advice, tips, tricks, and troubleshooting.

Microsoft's anniversary update has come with many new features and improvements. One of these features is that Microsoft's Cortana can now be installed on your Android phone and as long as you are logged in to your Microsoft account on different devices, she can pass information between devices. You can not see battery life on your desktop PC, notifications, etc. There are some prerequisites in order to get this going, first is to have a Windows version 1607 or newer. The second is to have the last Android version

Installing Cortana on Android

1. Download and install the Cortana app from the Google Play store.
2. Open the app and accept the license terms.
3. Enter the credentials for the Microsoft account you use to sign in to your PC.
4. After a few seconds, Cortana will open.
5. Click the settings button and select Sync Notifications.
6. By default, missed calls, incoming messages, and low battery notifications will be turned on. You can turn this on\off from here. The only option off by default is for App notifications. Any non-system apps such as Facebook and Instagram can also send alerts to your Windows box. You can choose to enable the App notification sync option or leave it off.
7. If you enable “App notification sync,” you will need to give Cortana permissions to read and control notifications on your phone.
8. You can then select exactly which applications will be synched to your PC.
9. Once done you can exit out of Cortana.

Configuring Cortana on PC

1. Click the Windows button and type Cortana. Click the icon for Cortana and Search Settings.
2. Scroll through the settings list and look for Send notifications between devices
3. Click the switch to turn it on.
4. Sign in to the same Microsoft account you used in the previous section
5. Navigate back to the Cortana & Search settings tool.
6. Click Edit Sync Settings. Make sure that your phone shows up on the list. You can also determine if you want PC notifications are sent to your phone.

With those settings in place, you should now start getting alerts for the items you enabled in your Action Center. As notices come in, you will see them pop up in a small bubble on the lower right of your screen. You can dismiss the notification or use the link to find a compatible app in the Windows store.

What is a QR Code

QR code or if you want to be more technical Quick Response code is a two-dimensional code made of square dots creating a pattern that can be scanned via QR scanner and then interpreted. Usually, they are present on product packaging, on business cards, websites, etc. When you decode a QR code you can get a link to a website or link to a file or whatever, you can get text, image, email, contact information, etc.

QR Code Desktop Reader & Generator sample code

How to decode a QR Code? You can scan it with your mobile devices like iPhone, iPad, Android or Blackberry equipped with additional software for scanning QR Codes. You might want to check out tools like Barcode Scanner or Red Laser. If you don’t have a mobile device or you need to scan a barcode on your PC, simply use CodeTwo QR Code Desktop Reader & Generator.

How this program works

QR Code reading

CodeTwo QR Code Desktop Reader & Generator is a free tool that will let you quickly scan any QR Code from your screen – be it a part of the website, email, banner, or document. Simply run the program and hit From the screen on the top menu. Your standard mouse cursor will change into a cross to help you make a selection on your screen. Simply select an area with a QR Code and the program will automatically scan it. You can scan QR codes from websites, documents, movie files – you name it. You can also select an image file that contains a QR Code and the program will locate it automatically and decode it. To do that, simply click From file on the top menu of the program and select the desired image from your hard drive. If you have a file copied to your clipboard, or if you make a screenshot of a QR Code, QR Code Desktop Reader & Generator will let you decode those QR codes in one click. Just click From clipboard and the program will automatically locate and decode the QR code for you. That is not all, you can also use your camera to scan QR codes. If you have more than one camera, the program will let you choose which one to use. To use this option, simply click From webcam, and you will be able to scan QR codes with your recording device.

QR Code generation

• CodeTwo QR Code Desktop Reader & Generator also acts as a QR code generator. Creating QR codes is as easy as reading them. Here is how to generate a QR code:
• In the top menu, click Generate mode on and enter the text you want to translate into QR Code
• Choose if you want to copy it to the clipboard or save it in a file. The QR Code will be scaled automatically, but you can resize it in the Size settings tab.
• The resulting QR code can be used however you like. To name just a few options, you can:
• Upload it to your blog/website which is especially useful for mobile users.
• Print it on a poster, providing easily accessible links with more information on your event.
• Send it in newsletters, or include it in your email signature.

QR Codes in email signatures

Inserting QR codes in email signatures lets mobile users quickly grab your contact details, or provides them with links so that they can get more information on your company or topic you were discussing. You can also provide your recipients with a link to QR Code Desktop Reader & Generator. This will help them easily decode QR codes when they open your email on a PC.

QR code

If you want to include a QR code automatically in email signatures throughout a whole organization, try CodeTwo central email signature management solution. It is a very useful tool, which enables you to unify email signatures on Exchange Server and Office 365 (Microsoft 365).

How to Fix Windows 10 Error Code 0x8024001b

Error Code 0x8024001b- What is it?

At its most basic level, Error Code 0x8024001b is an error that can cause problems with the installation and updates of software and operating system updates. The most common version of this error appears in Windows 10, but a similar error with a matching code number has been present in previous versions of the operating system, back through Windows 7.

Common symptoms include:

• Programs freezing or locking up during use
• The appearance of an error message regarding installation difficulties
• Computer shutting down or freezing during operation
• Difficulty in running multiple programs at the same time

Solution

Error Causes

There are two main causes for Error Code 0x8024001b, both of which are fairly simple:  Updates needed for the Windows Update tool itself and software that causes Windows Update to fail during installations through conflicts in system files. While these may seem like technical issues, these problems are actually easily resolved with a few simple steps. The average user can use the methods listed below to fix the problems on their own.

Further Information and Manual Repair

For users who want to address Error Code 0x8024001b for themselves, the steps below can be followed to address the two primary causes for the error. If you have difficulty in completing these steps or are not confident in your computing skills and ability to follow the listed steps, contact a Windows repair technician.

Here are the top methods to resolve Error Code 0x8024001b on your own:

Method One:  Check for Updates to Windows Update

In some cases, the Windows Update tool may need an update for itself. When you attempt to run updates or install wizards for other software, it can cause conflicts with the Windows Update process, slowing down your computer or causing it to freeze.

If you are attempting to run multiple installations or updates at the same time, it may also cause Error Code 0x8024001b to arise on your computer.

To resolve this issue, close out all programs, with the exception of the Windows Update tool. Within the tool, select “Check for Updates” and install any updates that are needed. When finished, you should restart your computer to ensure that all updates have been fully applied before attempting any other installations or updates.

Method Two:  Uninstall Conflicting Software

Another problem that can cause Error Code 0x8024001b is the presence of conflicting software. If Error Code 0x8024001b has only recently appeared on your computer, consider removing any software that has been added to your computer, running the Windows Update process, and restarting your computer before attempting to reinstall the problem software.

With any method that you use, it is important to remember to keep your Windows Updates current at all times. This is the best way to avoid the appearance of Error Code 0x8024001b and similar errors in the future, as stacked up updates are more likely to cause issues and conflicts with your other installed software and operating system.

While there are some tools out there that claim to be able to fix Error Code 0x8024001b for you, it is important to always thoroughly investigate the publisher and distributor of such software, as some of the tools available on the Internet will actually introduce malware and adware on your computer in the name of “protecting” your computer or resolving an error.

If you have tried to use both methods above and have not fully resolved Error Code 0x8024001b, get in touch with someone who is a qualified computer repair professional and is familiar with your particular version of the Windows operating system to assist you in finalizing your resolution.

Method Three: Use An Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

Once a tedious and unfriendly task of installing fonts has been severely made easier and more user-friendly. As technology advances daily so do some tasks. One of these tasks which today look unnecessarily complicated is fonts installation in Windows. What was once complicated navigation to control panel with an administrative account, today is two-click with the mouse anywhere, well anywhere on your hard drive, but still a great improvement nonetheless. Ok, so you have found cool new font which you like very much and you are eager to try it out, but how do you install it in Windows so your other software can find it and use it? The task is incredibly easy, let's presume that you have downloaded desired font or fonts to your hard drive from the internet, they are nicely placed in a folder, all you have to do is select which one you would like to install, right-click on any one selected and click on install. That's it, that is all that you need to do. Now in order to remove fonts first, you will have to go to the folder which has all fonts installed in the system. The location of this folder is conveniently enough c:\Windows\Fonts. In there select all fonts that you would like to uninstall from the system and simply delete them, that's it.

There is a central location in Windows 10 that allows users to view all the notifications from its Action Center. Aside from viewing notifications, users can also manage them and take necessary actions in just one single place. Notifications in Windows 10 look similar to a message icon but can be at variance in function. However, recently, a number of users reported that even though they receive notifications about new actions but when opening them, they see nothing. In other words, the notification is false, and to fix this, read on as this post will provide you a couple of workarounds. The Windows 10 Notifications and Action Center notification messages might show a mismatch. For instance, Windows 10 may say that you have some notifications but when you open Action Center, you find it empty and there are actually no notifications there. Take the case of the following screenshot, the Windows 10 Notification says that there are 6 new notifications available for viewing but the Action Center says otherwise. Before you troubleshoot the problem, you might want to run System Restore especially if you’ve made some changes in your computer prior to this issue which might have messed with the Windows 10 Notifications and Action Center. To perform System Restore, refer to these steps:

• First, press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

If the problem wasn’t fixed and you’re still getting false notifications, you might want to troubleshoot the problem further using the options given below.

Option 1 – via Windows PowerShell

• In the Start search, type “PowerShell” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Windows PowerShell window.
• Next, copy and paste this command and hit Enter to execute it: Get-AppxPackage | % { Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppxManifest.xml” -verbose }
• After that, reboot your computer and check if the false notifications are now gone.

Option 2 – Try renaming the Usrclass.dat file

DAT errors like the ones that are associated with the Usrclass.dat file, most likely occur during computer startup, program startup, or while you try to use a specific function in your program. Even so, it can easily be fixed. How? Refer to the given steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type %localappdata%MicrosoftWindows and hit Enter to get to the location of the UsrClass.dat file.
• After that, look for a file named UsrClass.dat and once you’ve found it, right-click on it and select the Rename option.
• Now rename the file to UsrClass.old.dat and then restart your computer and see if the problem is now fixed or not.

On September 18th, 2017, Cisco’s Talos announced that CCleaner, a popular utility with billions of worldwide users, had been compromised by hackers, and was used to unwittingly distribute hidden malware in its installer. Later in the day, Piriform, the publisher of CCleaner, confirmed the problem.

Undetected by all but 1 major antivirus including CCleaner’s own parent company, this occurred for over a month and impacted over 2.7 million users. Users of CCleaner v5.33.6162 and CCleaner Cloud v1.07.3191 for 32-bit Windows are affected. These downloads were live on CCleaner’s official site from August 15th to September 12th, 2017. Anyone who downloaded the program during this time could be affected. The company claims that while the hackers set up the backdoor and many users were impacted, that the perpetrators have been arrested and that the malware never successfully performed its full task and compromised user’s PCs or sent out their data; in the wake of recent security breaches such as Equifax, users are understandably worried. Given the severity of the threat of hacking and data theft, users should take action immediately if they have CCleaner.

Technical Details of CCleaner Malware Injection

First reported by Talos, the malware, which was hidden in the CCleaner installer without the publisher noticing (despite them being owned by Avast, a massive Anti-virus company), modified a core program DLL file to evade detection, and creates several registry keys. Not only were these files not flagged by any major Anti-Virus, but they were also even digitally signed by Piriform via their Symantec certificate, meaning your PC and security program would likely whitelist and trust the malicious installer. The malware gathers personal information on a user’s PC, including IP address and running programs, and sends it to a remote server. In our testing, the program sent data to IP 216.126.225.148.

Restore Your PC (If Possible)

As of the publication of this article, there have been no assurances given that updating or even uninstalling CCleaner will remove the malware is installed. The only action thus far has been shutting down the remote server where user data was being sent has been shut down by authorities. For this reason, it is best to remove the underlying malware separately, as its presence represents a serious security threat. Unfortunately, as this could have been installed as far back as August 15th, 2017, your System Restore points may not go back that far, or even if they do, restoring to such an outdated point may cause unintended problems with other programs you use and potentially lost files and data. Manually backing up files and doing a full format or clean Windows installation would likely be successful in fully removing the malware, but is extremely time-consuming and can be difficult for many PC users. Unfortunately, this makes a PC Restore or format an unattainable option for many.

Update CCleaner to the Latest Version

While CCleaner has told users to update to the latest version of the program. Prior to doing so, we recommend fully uninstall CCleaner, ensuring you check its program files folders and registry keys, manually deleting any remnants, and then re-downloading the latest version from the official site and reinstalling clean.

Both the Windows 10 and Windows Server operating systems have a number of common system files that vary from the ones that support the installation, boot process, and other operations or tasks in the system. However, if any of these files get corrupted, it might cause some errors during the setup of the Windows 10 operating system. One of these errors is the “Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms” error.

“Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms. Make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation.”

The only option given when you encounter this error is to click on the OK button and nothing else and then the setup gets interrupted and won’t push through. To fix this error and proceed with the installation, you can try to get a new installation image or switch ports, or fix the CFG file. For more details, follow each one of the potential fixes provided below.

Option 1 – Try to get a new installation image

It is possible that there might be some issues with the installation image. It could be corrupted or was modified illegally. Or it could be that the bootable storage device created might have damaged sectors or installation. To resolve this problem, you need to download a fresh copy of the Windows 10 installation image using the Windows Media Creation tool or simply use the ISO image separately and then build a bootable USB.

Option 2 – Try to switch Ports

The error might be caused by the connection to the USB port. It could be that the port is unstable due to a number of factors that resulted in the interruption of the installation process. To fix this problem, you can try switching the USB port or if you are using an optical drive, you can get an external USB optical drive or connect it to another port internally and see if it fixes the problem.

Option 3 – Try to fix the CFG file

If none of the first two options worked, then you might want to fix the CFG file. This file is a configuration file format used for storing settings. All you have to do is download the CFG file. Once you’ve downloaded this file, copy this file to the root of your bootable drive and then check if it fixes the error. If not, then try to copy the same file inside the “/sources/” folder inside the root of the drive. This should fix the error.

If you suddenly encounter a Blue Screen error that points out to either the mfewfpk.sys and epfwwfp.sys files, then this post might help. Both of these files are created by third-party software. The mfewfpk.sys file is created by the McAfee security software while the epfwwfp.sys is created by the ESET Antivirus. These files are residual files and sometimes it blocks upgrading Windows 10. Aside from blocking Windows 10 upgrade/update, these files can also cause a Blue Screen error after an upgrade which leaves your Windows 10 computer useless. When you get a Blue Screen error caused by any of these files, you will see an accompanying error message that states, “DRIVER IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL”. To fix this Blue Screen error, you can check out the suggestions laid out below but before you do that, you need to create a System Restore point first as it can help you undo any unwanted changes. In addition, make sure to also boot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking before you troubleshoot.

Option 1 – Try to remove the epfwwfp.sys file

You can try to remove the epfwwfp.sys file using Command Prompt. To do so, refer to the following steps:

• Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Next, type the following command and hit Enter to delete the epfwwfp.sys file:

DEL /F /S /Q /A “%systemroot%System32driversepfwwfp.sys”

• After the scan is completed, restart your computer and see if it fixed the Blue Screen error.

Note: You can also use the ESET AV Remover tool to uninstall Eset security software to remove the epfwwfp.sys file.

Option 2 – Try to remove the mfewfpk.sys file

The same with the first option, you can remove the mfewfpk.sys file using CMD.

• First, right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• After, type the following command and hit Enter to delete the epfwwfp.sys file:

DEL /F /S /Q /A “%systemroot%System32driversmfewfpk.sys”

• Once the scan is completed, restart your computer and see if it fixed the Stop error.

Note: You also have the option to remove the mfewfpk.sys file using McAfee Product Removal tool to uninstall the McAfee security software. All you have to do is download the McAfee Product Removal tool and run it and then follow the onscreen instructions to install it. Once it is installed, click on Next. After you select the radio button to agree to the terms of use, click on Next once again. Finally, restart your computer and check if it is able to resolve the problem or not.

Option 3 – Run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

Troubleshooting Blue Screen of Death errors wouldn’t be complete without the Blue Screen troubleshooter. As you know, it is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

• Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

Option 4 – Try running the DISM tool

You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the Blue Screen 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
  • 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.

Many Windows 10 users often change the IP addresses of their computers’ network adapter in order to connect to the internet or network they belong to in times when there is no automatic connection for their computers. In most cases, access to modifying this setting is restricted for some odd reason even if you are an administrator. So if you are one of the users whose Windows 10 VPN IPv4 Properties are not working, this post can help you remedy that so that you can open and edit the IPv4 Properties on your Windows 10 PC. The common way to change IP settings is by going to Settings > Network and then to Internet > Change adapter options > Select Network adapter > right click and open Properties. From there, you can select TCP/IP 4 and modify it. If you aren’t able to do this, refer to the instructions laid out below to troubleshoot the problem in accessing the IPv4 Properties.

Option 1 – Try using PowerShell to manually set the IPv4 properties

As you are not able to set it using the interface, you can do so using PowerShell instead. Note that this option will only work for you if you run PowerShell with administrator privileges. After opening PowerShell, according to many users, you have to run the this command – set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias “Ethernet” -ServerAddresses xxx.xx.xxx.xxx,x.x.x.x,xxx.xx.xxx.xxx,x.x.x.x Usually, Ethernet is the name of your network adapter which is set by default. If you want to see the actual name of your network adapter, you can just type this command and tap Enter after doing so – Get-NetAdapter -physical | where status -eq 'up' After entering the given command, you will see a list of active Ethernet adapter in your computer as you can see on the image above. Note that the 4 sets of X like the one on the image below should match with the sequence:

Option 2 – Try editing the rasphone.pbk files

The rasphone.pbk files stores property for the connections and since you are not able to access the IPv4 properties, it is most likely that it has been disabled here. The good thing is that you can open these files and edit them using Notepad. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• Open the Windows Explorer and then enable the show hidden files option.
• After that, look for the files at this location – C:Users <username>AppDataRoamingMicrosoftNetworkConnectionsPbk_hiddenPbkrasphone.pbk
• Then right-click on it and select the “Open with” option and choose the Notepad app.
• After opening the file, look for “IpPrioritizeRemote” from the long list.
• Once you found it, set its value from “1” to “0”.
• After that, look for “IPInterfaceMetric” and set its value to “1” and tap Ctrl + S to save the changes you’ve made, and then exit and try accessing the IPv4 properties again. It should work, but if you’re still unable to access it, try the next option below.

Option 3 – Enable the Split Tunneling if you use VPN

All data goes back and forth when you are using a VPN service on your computer. And since you are using VPN, it could be that it disables the IPv4 interface. If that’s the case, you need to stay connected with both the local network and VPN and to do so, you have to enable Split Tunneling. How? Follow these steps:

• Open PowerShell with administrator privileges.
• Next, type in “Get-VpnConnection” and tap Enter. After doing so, it will give you the exact name of your VPN.
• After that, type in “Set-VpnConnection -Name “yourVPNName” -SplitTunneling $True” and tap Enter. Once you enter the command, it will free your IPv5 settings so that you can change it to connect with your local network if you prefer it to.