When you connect your TV via HDMI cable Windows will recognize it as another monitor and will control the display settings for your HDMI connection. In most cases using it as the extended desktop will work fine, issues will arise when you play video on it. Video playing applications can override Windows settings which can lead to strange results on the screen. Here in this guide, we will tackle with reasons and solutions to this particular issue. Solutions provided are not meant to be followed in the way they are presented but as a silent rule, they go from most common one to most rare so it is advisable to try them in the order presented.

FIXING RESOLUTION ISSUES

The first thing when experiencing resolution issues on your TV connected to a PC is to check TV settings. There is very likely a chance that you will need to manually adjust picture settings on the TV itself using TV controls. On older models of TV, there is an overscan option which can lead to different resolutions and screen sizes. Overscan is a technology that was used in order to help content creators to deliver consistent pictures on different screen sizes and aspect ratios but how technology has advanced and everything including aspect ratio was standardized overscan itself has become a relic of the past. If you are unable to access or see edges of your desktop on the TV screen it is very likely that overscan is the issue. In order to fix this be sure to select HDTV's aspect ratio to fit the screen setting in the picture setting. Sadly finding this option on your TV will be different from manufacturer to manufacturer and even from model to model of the same manufacturer so we can not cover all models but in most cases option is located under picture settings or advanced options. Sometimes you will face even different overscan settings instead of classic ft to screen options, in this case, experiment with the setting until you find one which will work. If you have it, find settings in the user manual of your TV. Luckily you have managed to find the proper option on your TV set and have chosen the right aspect ratio for display. If everything works ok there is no need for the next step but if you experience a different resolution than desired on your TV follow this next guide on how to change the resolution of the TV on your PC.

1. Press the ⊞ Windows and type Change Display Settings. Click on the top result.
2. Once the Display Settings App opens, you’ll see two screens (or more if you’ve got multiple HDMI outputs connected). Make sure you select the right display for the HDMI TV before making any changes. You can do this by clicking on Identify.
3. You’ll see the number from the screenshot above displayed on the monitors for a brief period. Depending on which screen is set to your primary display, make sure you change the settings for the HDMI monitor.
4. Select the HDMI monitor from the available displays.
5. Scroll down until you see the current resolution settings for your HDMI monitor.
6. You can change the resolution settings and test different values that match your HDMI TV’s configuration.
7. Once you change the setting, Windows will apply the new resolution for a limited time and revert if you don’t accept the new setting.
8. Once you’ve found the best resolution for your TV, select Keep Changes to keep the new resolution.

You are all set now, make sure that you have the latest drivers on your system and enjoy using your TV as a second monitor.

REevil is one of the most active and successful hacking groups connected to Russia and operating all over the world. The group recently demanded a huge bitcoin ransom for an attack targeting IT firm Kaseya in the USA. Since Tuesday blog and payment site run by REvil group cannot be longer reached without any kind of explanation or why. The reason behind the disappearance is unknown but has sparked speculation that the group may have been targeted deliberately by authorities. US President Joe Biden said he raised the issue with Vladimir Putin during a phone call on Friday, after discussing the subject during a summit with the Russian president in Geneva last month. Mr. Biden told reporters that he had "made it very clear to him...we expect them to act" on information and also hinted the US could take direct digital retaliation on servers used for intrusions. The timing of Tuesday's outage has sparked speculation that either the US or Russian officials may have taken action against REvil - though officials have so far declined to comment and cyber experts say sudden disappearances of groups are not necessarily uncommon. The development comes after a series of high-profile ransomware attacks which have hit major US businesses this year. The FBI accused REvil - also known as Sodinokibi - of being behind a ransomware attack on the world's largest meat processing company JBS last month.

This post will guide you in fixing the (1058) ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED error you can encounter when trying to launch various games. Usually, this error pops up during startup and prevents you from running the game. In fact, this error has become quite a headache for many users. Some of the games it affects are Smite, Paladins, Far Cry, and many more. In most cases, this error is caused by missing or corrupted game files. It could also be caused by the anti-cheat utility you might have installed along with your games. Whichever the cause is, you can try to check out the possible fixes given below to resolve the (1058) ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED error.

Option 1 – Verify the Integrity of the Game files

This is the first option you can try no matter what kind of issues you are having with Steam games.

• Double click on the game’s icon located on your Desktop and then go to the Library tab in the Steam window.
• From there, look for GTA V from the list of games installed in your library.
• Next, right-click on its entry and select Properties.
• After that, navigate to the Local Files tab and click the “Verify Integrity of Game Files” button.
• Now, wait for the tool to complete checking the game’s integrity. You should see that some of the files may have been downloaded.
• Reopen the game and see if it now runs properly without crashing.

Option 2 – Apply some tweaks in the Service’s startup settings

As pointed out earlier, the error can also occur due to the anti-cheat tools that were installed alongside the game. These tools are usually used by games to check if you are running something which might give you an unfair advantage over other players. These anti-cheat tools include but are not limited to BattlEye, EasyAntiCheat, and PunkBuster. The error might occur if the service’s startup settings are not correctly configured which is why you can apply some tweaks in order to resolve the problem.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
• From the list of Services, look for any of the services mentioned above such as BattlEye, EasyAntiCheat Service, or PunkBuster Service. Then right-click on the service and select Properties from the context menu.
• After that, check if the service is started by checking the Service status. If it is started, click on the Stop button to stop the service and if it is already stopped, leave it as it is, at least for now.
• Next, make sure that the Startup type menu in the Service’s properties is set to Automatic before you go on.
• Now confirm any dialog boxes that may appear as you set the Startup type and then click on the Start button located in the middle before you exit Properties.

Note: You might get the following error message when you click on the Start button:

“Windows could not start the service on Local Computer. Error 1079: The account specified for this service differs from the account specified for other services running in the same process.”

If you got the error message above, then here’s how you can fix it:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
• From the list of Services, look for any of the services mentioned above such as BattlEye, EasyAntiCheat Service, or PunkBuster Service. Then right-click on the service and select Properties from the context menu.
• Now go to the Log On tab and click on the “Browse…” button.
• After that, type in your account’s name under the “Enter the object name to select” box and click on Check Names then wait for the name to be recognized.
• Then click OK once you’re done and type in the password in the Password field when you are prompted to do so. This should resolve the issue.

Option 3 – Try reinstalling the Anti-cheat program

If the first two options did not work out, you can try reinstalling the anti-cheat program.

• Open Steam from your Desktop or by searching for it in the Start menu.
• After opening the Steam client, go to the Library tab in the Steam window and then look for the Rust entry from the list.
• Next, right-click on the game’s icon in the library and select Properties.
• Now go to the Local Files tab under Properties and click the Browse Local Files button.
• From there, look for BattlEye, EasyAntiCheat, or PunkBuster folder depending on the game, and then double click on it to open the folder.
• Then right-click on EasyAntiCheat_setup.exe or the BattlEye installed file in the folder or PunkBuster and select the Run as administrator option.
• Exit the Steam client by clicking Steam > Exit from the menu located at the top.

If you encounter Error Code 0x80090016 while trying to create a PIN or when you are using Microsoft Store, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in how you can fix this problem. Recently some users reported that they were unable to sign in or set up the Windows 10 Login PIN. Note that the potential fixes for this issue are totally different in both scenarios. Here’s the error message you get when you encounter the PIN related error:

“Something went wrong, We weren’t able to set up your PIN. Sometimes it helps to try again or you can skip for now and do this later.”

On the other hand, here’s the error message you get for the Microsoft Store-related error:

“Try that again, Something happened on our end and we couldn’t sign you in.”

Here are some potential fixes you can try to fix the Error Code 0x80090016 in the Microsoft Store:

Option 1 – Try to sync the Date and Time

The first thing you can try is to sync the Date and Time of your computer as the wrong Date and Time settings are one of the most common causes of connection problems like the Error Code 0x80090016. This is because of the incompatibility between the SSL Certificate validation date and the System Clock. Thus, you have to sync your System Clock. Refer to the steps below to do so.

• Start by tapping the Win + I keys to open the Windows Settings.
• Next, go to Time & Language > Date & time.
• From there, turn the toggle on for the “Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically” option on the right-side panel.
• After that, click on Region & language located on the left side panel and make sure that the Country or region on the right-side panel is set to the country you live in.
• Now close the Settings app and restart your computer and see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 2 – Try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via PowerShell

• Tap the Win + X key combination or right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option.
• If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed and open the Windows PowerShell window.
• Next, type in or copy-paste the following command to re-register the Microsoft Store app and tap Enter:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $Env:SystemRootWinStoreAppxManifest.xml

• Wait for the process to be completed and then restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache

Just like browsers, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
• Next, type in the command, “exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
• Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again and then see if Error Code 0x80090016 is resolved or not.

Option 4 – Try to run the Windows Store Troubleshooter

The Windows 10 Store Apps Troubleshooter will help you in fixing the Error Code 0x80090016. This is a great built-in tool from Microsoft that helps users fix any app installation issues. So this is worth a try to solve the problem. This built-in tool also helps you fix the Windows 10 Store if it isn’t working. To use the Windows Store Troubleshooter, follow the steps below.

• Tap Win + I keys again to open the Windows Settings panel.
• Go to Update & Security and then go to Troubleshoot.
• On your right-hand side, scroll down to find the Windows Store Apps and then click on Run the troubleshooter option and see if it fixes the problem.

On the other hand, you can use the options below if you encounter Error Code 0x80090016 while setting up your PIN.

Option 5 – Try to manage the NGC Folder

• You need to boot your computer into Safe Mode first.
• Next, delete all the contents of the NGC folder and you can do that by taking ownership of the folder first. To do so, refer to these sub-steps:
  • First, locate the concerned folder and right-click on it then select Properties.
  • Next, click on the Edit button in the Properties window and click OK to confirm if you got a User Account Control elevation request.
  • After that, select user/group from the permission windows or click on the Add button to add another user or group. It would be best if you add “Everyone” to give permission.
  • Then check “Full Control” under the “Allow” column to assign full access rights control permissions.
  • Now edit the permission to Full Control for “Everyone”.
  • Click OK to save the changes made and then exit.
• After you take ownership of the folder, you can now delete all of its contents.
• Once you’re done, restart your computer and see if the problem is fixed.

Option 6 – Try to use the Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box
• Then type “gpedit.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Group Policy Editor.
• Next, navigate to this setting: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Logon
• After that, double click on “Turn on convenience PIN Sign-in” and set its radio button to Enable. This policy setting has the following description:

“This policy setting allows you to control whether a domain user can sign in using a convenience PIN. If you enable this policy setting, a domain user can set up and sign in with a convenience PIN. If you disable or don’t configure this policy setting, a domain user can’t set up and use a convenience PIN. Note: The user’s domain password will be cached in the system vault when using this feature. To configure Windows Hello for Business, use the Administrative Template policies under Windows Hello for Business.”

• After you set the radio button to Enable, it will turn on the Logins using the PIN. Note that setting the radio button to Disabled or Not Configured will turn off the Logins using the PIN.
• Now exit the Group Policy Editor and restart your PC so that the changes can take effect.

If you open any program in your Windows 10 PC such as Outlook and suddenly get an error message saying, “Failed to register a VB Script dll. Reinstall or run Regsvr32.exe Vbscript.dll to self-register”, read on, as this post will guide you on what you can do to fix it. The obvious solution to this problem is by re-registering the “vbscript.dll” file on your computer. Refer to the instructions given below to re-register the VB Script DLL file and to fix the error.

• Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator from the WinX Menu.
• Step 2: After opening Command Prompt, type in the following command and tap Enter on your keyboard.

regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll

• Step 3: Once you enter the command, it will re-register the VB Script DLL file using the Windows OS tool called Regsvr32 or regsvr32.exe. This tool is a command-line utility used to register and unregister OLE controls such as DLL and ActiveX (OCX) controls in the Windows environment. After the execution of the command, you should see the following pop-up on your screen which means the re-registering of the concerned DLL file has succeeded.

On the other hand, if re-registering the DLL file didn’t work, then you can try logging in using an administrator account and then register the DLL file again or you could also use the System File Checker to figure out what the problem really is and automatically fix it. 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.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• 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.

A number of users reported that they encountered an error that says, “Windows doesn’t have a network profile for this device” while they tried to connect Network devices such as printers and speakers to their Windows 10 computers. On the other hand, this kind of issue is reported for non-network devices as well. This kind of error might be due to incompatibility between the device and your operating system or it could be that the network drivers in your computer need to be updated in order to recognize the new device. Whatever the cause is here are a couple of suggestions you can try to resolve the “Windows doesn’t have a network profile for this device” error.

Option 1 – Check if the network device is compatible with your operating system

As mentioned, the error could be due to incompatibility between the device and the system. To verify, just go to the website of the device’s manufacturer since you can find all the information about the device there.

Option 2 – Make sure that your computer is discoverable

• Click on the Start button.
• Then click on the gear-like icon to open Settings.
• After that, select Network & Internet >> Wi-Fi.
• Next, change the Network Profile to Private.
• Now restart your computer and then connect the device again and see if the error is gone or not.

Option 3 – Try to update or rollback or uninstall the Network drivers

You might also want to update or roll back or disable your Network drivers to fix the “This operation failed as no adapter is in the state permissible for this operation” error.

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
• Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and depending on your preference, you can either select “Update driver”, “Disable device” or “Uninstall device”.
• After that, restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the “Windows doesn’t have a network profile for this device” error.

Option 4 – Try to check the SNMP status

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field and tap Enter to open the Service Manager window.
• After opening the Service Manager, look for the SNMP Service from the list of services.
• Once you’ve found the SNMP Service, make sure that its Service Status is set to “Running”. If the service is not running, just right-click on it and select Properties.
• From there, change the Service Status to Automatic and then click on the Apply and OK buttons.
• After that, click on the Start button again and check if the error is now fixed.

Note: If your printer is the one that triggers the error, refer to these steps:

• You have to go to Control Panel > Devices & Printers.
• From there, right-click on the printer which is the one that causes the error, and then select Printer Properties.
• Next, click the Configure Port button under the Ports tab and select SNMP Status Enabled.
• Now click the OK button and check if it fixes the error or not.

Option 5 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooters

You could also run this troubleshooter to fix the “Windows doesn’t have a network profile for this device” error.

• The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
• After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
• From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
• Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
• After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the advanced guide given below.

AudioToAudio is a browser extension for Google Chrome developed by Mindspark Inc. This extension allows users easy access to popular audio converting websites.

When installed, it changes the default search engine, home page, and new tab to MyWay.com. While active AudioToAudio gathers user browsing activities such as, but not limited to: visited websites, clicked links, search queries. This data is later used/sold by the Mindspark ad network to better target ads. While browsing the internet with this extension enabled, you will see additional injected ads, sponsored content (such as links to web pages, banner ads, affiliate shop links, etc), and even pop-up ads from time to time if the regular ads are blocked. AudioToAudio has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by several anti-virus applications and is marked for removal by most of them.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a form of unwanted software, commonly a web browser add-on or extension, which causes modifications in web browser’s settings. They are created to interfere with browser functions for various purposes. Typically, hijackers are developed for the benefit of cyber hackers often through revenue generation from forced ad clicks and website visits. However, it isn’t that innocent. Your online safety is compromised and it is also extremely annoying. Some browser hijackers are programmed to make particular modifications beyond the browsers, like changing entries in the computer registry and letting other malware further damage your computer.

How to determine if your browser has been hijacked

When your web browser is hijacked, the following might happen: 1. your web browser’s homepage is suddenly different 2. you get re-directed to sites you never meant to visit 3. The default search page of the web browser is changed 4. discover new toolbars that you simply did not add 5. you see numerous ads pop up on the web browsers or computer screen 6. webpages load slowly and often incomplete 7. Inability to navigate to certain websites, especially antivirus and also other computer security software sites.

How they infect computers

There are many ways your computer or laptop can become infected with a browser hijacker. They usually arrive by way of spam email, via file-sharing networks, or by a drive-by-download. They can also be deployed via the installation of an internet browser toolbar, extension, or add-on. A browser hijacker could also come bundled up with some free software that you unknowingly download and install the browser hijack, compromising your PC security. Some of the most well-known hijackers are AudioToAudio, Babylon Toolbar, Conduit Search, OneWebSearch, Sweet Page, and CoolWebSearch.

Removing browser hijackers

Some hijackers could be removed by just uninstalling the related freeware or add-ons through the Add or Remove Programs in the Microsoft Windows Control Panel. But, the majority of hijackers are quite tenacious and require specialized applications to eliminate them. Novice computer users shouldn’t ever attempt the manual form of removal, as it requires thorough computer knowledge to carry out repairs on the computer registry and HOSTS file. Browser hijackers can be effectively removed by installing and running anti-malware software on the affected PC. Safebytes Anti-Malware has a sophisticated anti-malware engine to help you prevent browser hijacking in the first place, and mop up any existing issues. In addition to anti-malware, a system optimizer tool, similar to Total System Care, could help you resolve Windows registry errors, eliminate unwanted toolbars, secure online privacy, and increase overall computer performance.

How To Get Rid Of Malware That Is Preventing Anti-Malware Installation?

All malware is bad, but certain types of malware do more damage to your computer than others. Some malware types alter internet browser settings by including a proxy server or change the PC’s DNS settings. In these cases, you will be unable to visit some or all internet sites, and thus not able to download or install the required security software to remove the malware. If you are reading this article, you probably have got affected by malware that prevents you from installing a computer security program like Safebytes Anti-Malware. There are a few actions you can take to get around this problem.

Install in Safe Mode

In Safe Mode, you are able to modify Windows settings, un-install or install some applications, and remove hard-to-delete viruses and malware. In the event the malware is blocking access to the internet and affecting your PC, running it in Safe Mode allows you to download anti-malware and run a diagnostic scan whilst limiting possible damage. In order to enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the PC is starting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. Once you are in Safe Mode, you can attempt to download and install your anti-malware software without the hindrance of the malicious software. Now, you can actually run the antivirus scan to remove computer viruses and malware without any interference from another application.

Switch over to a different web browser

Malicious code could exploit vulnerabilities in a particular internet browser and block access to all anti-virus software websites. If you suspect that your Internet Explorer happens to be hijacked by a computer virus or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the best plan of action would be to switch to an alternate browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your favorite computer security program – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Install and run antivirus from your Thumb drive

Here’s another solution which is creating a portable USB anti-virus software package that can scan your computer for malicious software without needing installation. Adopt these measures to use a USB drive to fix your infected computer system. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or MS Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free computer system. 2) Mount the USB drive on the same computer. 3) Double-click the executable file to run the installation wizard. 4) Choose the USB flash drive as the destination for saving the file. Do as instructed on the screen to finish up the installation process. 5) Transfer the USB drive from the uninfected PC to the infected computer. 6) Double-click the EXE file to open the Safebytes tool from the thumb drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and clean-up up all types of malware.

Protect Your PC and Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you’re looking to install an anti-malware application for your computer, there are several tools in the market to consider but you should not trust blindly anyone, irrespective of whether it is paid or free software. A few of them do a good job in removing malware threats while many will damage your computer by themselves. When searching for an antivirus tool, purchase one that offers reliable, efficient, and complete protection against all known viruses and malware. When considering commercial anti-malware software options, most people choose popular brands, like SafeBytes, and are very happy with them. Safebytes is among the well-established computer solutions companies, which provide this all-inclusive anti-malware application. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software will help you protect your PC against infections brought on by various kinds of malware and other threats, including spyware, adware, computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, keyloggers, potentially unwanted program (PUPs), and ransomware.

SafeBytes anti-malware takes computer protection to a whole new level with its advanced features. Here are a few of the good ones:

Robust, Anti-malware Protection: Safebytes is built on the very best virus engine within the industry. These engines can find and eliminate threats even during the early phases of a malware outbreak. Real-Time Protection: Malware programs trying to enter the computer are identified and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes real-time protection shields. This software will constantly monitor your PC for any suspicious activity and updates itself regularly to keep abreast of the constantly changing threat scenarios. Internet Security: Safebytes assigns all websites a unique safety rating that helps you to get an idea of whether the webpage you’re going to visit is safe to browse or known to be a phishing site. Lightweight: SafeBytes is a lightweight application. It uses up a really small amount of processing power as it works in the background so you’re free to use your Windows-based computer the way you want. Premium Support: For any technical problems or product guidance, you may get 24/7 professional assistance via chat and e-mail. Overall, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program since it has loads of features and could detect and eliminate any potential threats. You now may realize that this tool does more than just scan and eliminate threats from your computer. So when you want advanced forms of protection features & threat detections, purchasing SafeBytes Anti-Malware will be well worth the money!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to carry out the removal of AudioToAudio manually rather than utilizing an automated software tool, you can follow these simple steps: Go to the Windows Control Panel, click on the “Add/Remove Programs” and there, select the offending application to uninstall. In case of suspicious versions of web browser plugins, you can easily get rid of them through your browser’s extension manager. You may also want to reset your home page and search engine providers, as well as clear your browser cache and cookies. If you decide to manually delete the system files and registry entries, utilize the following checklist to ensure that you know exactly what files to remove before undertaking any actions. However, this can be a tricky task and only computer professionals could carry it out safely. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. It is recommended that you do the removal procedure in Safe Mode. For more information and manual removal instructions visit www.ErrorTools.com Download Safebytes Anti-Malware: https://errortools.com/download/safebytes-anti-malware/ AudioToAudio is a browser extension for Google Chrome developed by Mindspark Inc. This extension allows users easy access to popular audio converting websites. When installed, it changes the default search engine, home page, and new tab to MyWay.com. While active AudioToAudio gathers user browsing activities such as, but not limited to: visited websites, clicked links, search queries. This data is later used/sold by the Mindspark ad network to better target ads. While browsing the internet with this extension enabled, you will see additional injected ads, sponsored content (such as links to web pages, banner ads, affiliate shop links, etc), and even pop-up ads from time to time if the regular ads are blocked. AudioToAudio has been marked as a Browser Hijacker by several anti-virus applications and is marked for removal by most of them.

DigiSmirkz is a Browser Extension by Mindspark Inc. This extension offers users the ability to enrich their emails or chats with tons of new emojis. When installed it will replace your default new tab page with a variety of search.myway.com, hosted at hp.myway.com. This search engine uses information about you, collected by the extension to display unwanted targeted ads by Mindspark Partners and Ad Networks.

While surfing the internet with this extension installed and enabled, you will see additional pop-up ads, inserted ads into search results and sponsored content on web pages.

Several anti-virus applications have marked this extension as a Browser Hijacker and is therefore recommended to be removed from the Computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes referred to as hijackware) are a kind of malicious software that modifies web browser settings without the computer owner’s knowledge or consent. These hijacks appear to be rising at an alarming rate worldwide, and it could be really nefarious and often harmful too. Browser hijacker malware is created for a variety of reasons. Typically, hijackers will force hits to sites of their choice either to get more traffic generating higher ad earnings or to obtain a commission for every user visiting there. Although it may seem harmless, these tools were created by vicious people who always look to take advantage of you, so that they can easily make money from your naive and distraction. They not only ruin your internet browsers, but browser hijackers can even modify the computer registry, making your PC vulnerable to other types of attacks.

Major signs that an internet browser has been hijacked

There are many symptoms that indicate your browser is highjacked: 1. your homepage is reset to some unfamiliar webpage 2. your internet browser is constantly being redirected to porn websites 3. the default web engine and/or the default browser settings are modified 4. unsolicited new toolbars are added to your web browser 5. your internet browser will display constant pop-up windows 6. your web browser starts running slowly or presents frequent errors 7. you can’t navigate to particular webpages, like security software-related websites.

How they get into your PC

Browser hijackers can enter a PC by some means or other, for example via file sharing, downloads, and e-mail too. They may also come from any BHO, extension, add-on, toolbar or plug-in with malicious purpose. A browser hijacker could also be installed as a part of freeware, shareware, demoware and fake programs. Some of the most popular hijackers are DigiSmirkz, Conduit Search, Babylon Toolbar, Sweet Page, OneWebSearch, and CoolWebSearch. Browser hijackers can interrupt the user’s web surfing experience severely, track the websites frequented by users and steal private information, cause difficulty in connecting to the web, and eventually create stability issues, causing applications and system to crash.

How you can fix a browser hijack

Certain hijackers could be removed simply by uninstalling the related freeware or add-ons through the Add or Remove Programs in the Windows control panel. But, many browser hijackers are hard to get rid of manually. Irrespective of how much you attempt to get rid of it, it may keep returning over and over again. You should think of undertaking manual repairs only if you are a tech-savvy person, as there are possible risks associated with tinkering around with the computer registry and HOSTS file. Industry experts always suggest users remove any malicious software including browser hijacker by using an automatic malware removal tool, which is better, safer, and faster than the manual removal method. To remove any type of browser hijacker from your system, you can download this particular top-notch malware removal software – SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Virus Blocking Internet And All Antivirus Software? Do This!

Practically all malware is bad and the degree of the damage will vary greatly with regards to the type of infection. Certain malware types alter internet browser settings by adding a proxy server or change the PC’s DNS configurations. When this happens, you will be unable to visit some or all sites, and thus not able to download or install the necessary security software to clear out the computer virus. If you are reading this article, chances are you’re stuck with a malware infection which is preventing you to download and/or install Safebytes Anti-Malware program on your system. Follow the instructions below to get rid of malware by alternate ways.

Make use of Safe Mode to resolve the issue

If any malware is set to load immediately when Windows starts, stepping into safe mode may block this attempt. Since only the bare minimum programs and services start-up in Safe Mode, there are rarely any reasons for issues to happen. Below are the steps you should follow to take out viruses in Safemode. 1) Tap the F8 key repeatedly as soon as your system boots, however, before the big Windows logo or black screen with white texts appears. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Use the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Networking and press ENTER. 3) When you are into this mode, you will have an internet connection once again. Now, get the malware removal software you want by utilizing the browser. To install the software, follow the guidelines in the installation wizard. 4) Once the software is installed, let the scan run to eliminate viruses and other malware automatically.

Switch to an alternative browser

Malicious program code might exploit vulnerabilities in a specific internet browser and block access to all anti-virus software sites. The most effective solution to avoid this problem is to choose a web browser that is renowned for their security measures. Firefox has built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you safe online.

Run anti-virus from a pen drive

Another solution is to create a portable anti-malware program on your USB stick. Adopt these measures to run the anti-malware on the affected computer. 1) Use another virus-free PC to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Mount the USB drive on the same system. 3) Run the setup program by double-clicking the executable file of the downloaded software, which has an .exe file format. 4) Select USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you want to install the application. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. 5) Transfer the USB drive from the clean PC to the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the USB drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Click the “Scan” button to run a full system scan and remove viruses automatically.

Protect Your Computer Against Malware and Viruses With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

If you are looking to purchase anti-malware for your computer system, there are lots of brands and packages for you to consider. Some of them are great while some are scamware applications that pretend as legitimate anti-malware software waiting around to wreak havoc on the computer. You need to select a company that creates industry-best anti-malware and it has got a reputation as reliable. On the list of highly recommended software programs is SafeBytes Anti-Malware. SafeBytes has a good track record of excellent service, and clients are very happy with it. SafeBytes anti-malware is a trustworthy software that not only secures your computer system completely but is also very user-friendly for people of all ability levels. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software protects your PC against infections brought on by various kinds of malware and similar internet threats, including spyware, adware, trojans, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, potentially unwanted program (PUPs), and ransomware.

There are many wonderful features you will get with this particular security product. These are some of the highlighted features included in the product.

World-class AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning antimalware application goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean out your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine detects and disables hard to remove malware that conceals deep inside your personal computer. Live Protection: SafeBytes provides real-time active checking and protection against all of known viruses and malware. This utility will always monitor your PC for any suspicious activity and updates itself regularly to keep current with the latest threats. Web Protection: Safebytes allots all sites a unique safety rating that helps you to have an idea of whether the webpage you are going to visit is safe to view or known to be a phishing site. Faster Scanning: SafeBytes’s very fast malware scanning engine reduces scan times and extends battery life. Simultaneously, it will effectively detect and remove infected files or any online threat. Low CPU and RAM Usage: SafeBytes gives you total protection from internet threats at a fraction of the CPU load because of its advanced detection engine and algorithms. Fantastic Tech Support Team: You can obtain absolutely free 24/7 technical assistance from their computer experts on any product queries or PC security issues. SafeBytes will keep your computer safe from latest malware threats automatically with hardly any input needed from you again. You now may realize that this particular tool does more than just scan and eliminate threats from your PC. You will get the very best all-around protection for the money you spend on SafeBytes Anti-Malware subscription, there is no doubt about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you want to do the removal of DigiSmirkz manually rather than employing an automated software tool, you can follow these simple steps: Go to the Windows Control Panel, click on the “Add or Remove Programs” and there, select the offending program to remove. In case of suspicious versions of web browser extensions, you can actually remove it through your browser’s extension manager. You may also want to reset your home page and search engine providers, and also clear your web browser cache and cookies. In order to ensure complete removal, manually examine your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that only advanced computer users should try to manually edit the registry because removing any single critical system file leads to a serious problem or perhaps a computer crash. Moreover, certain malware keeps replicating which makes it tough to remove. Doing this malware-removal process in Safe Mode is suggested.

Stop 0x0000000A Error Code Repair

Stop 0x0000000A - What is it?

Stop 0x000000A is a type of blue screen of death error associated with Windows XP. It occurs either during or after the installation of Windows XP. In other cases, the stop 0x000000A error may occur when the device driver uses an incorrect memory address, causing an IRQ conflict. The Stop 0x000000A error message means that a process or a driver attempted to access a memory section without permission.  The stop error message is displayed in the following format:

Stop: 0x0000000A (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4) IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL *** Address x has base at x - filename

Solution

Error Causes

The stop 0x000000A error is triggered due to multiple reasons. These include:

• Faulty hardware
• The poor device driver installation
• Incompatible device driver
• Viruses and malware attack
• Disk fragmentation

Blue screen of death errors like the stop 0x000000A error code is critical. These errors may pose serious PC threats. When this error occurs the computer screen turns blue, the program running on the system stops and if the error is not fixed in time it may also result in a system crash and failure.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve the Stop 0x000000A error on your PC, here are some solutions that you can try:

1. Roll Back Drivers

To do this, click on the start button and go to the control panel. Then double click the system icon and locate the ‘System Properties’ window. After that click on the ‘hardware’ tab and then click the ‘Device Manager’ button. Here locate the device that you recently updated which could be causing the IRQ conflict. Now double click the device recently updated and click the driver tab. Then click on the ‘Roll Back Driver' button. Wait for the process to finish and then simply reboot your system.

2. Specify the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)

Another method to resolve the Stop 0x000000A error on your system is to specify the hardware abstraction layer (HAL). This can be done during Windows XP installation startup. Simply press the F5 button on your keyboard while the “Setup is inspecting your computer’s hardware configuration’. When prompted, make sure that you specify the correct computer type and HAL (the Hardware Abstraction Layer). Most computers use a single processor, if your computer also has a single processor then simply select ‘Standard PC HAL’ computer type from the menu. Now reboot your PC and then reinstall the Windows XP operating system. If the error is still not resolved then try turning off features in CMOS settings

3. Turn off Features in CMOS Settings

Turn off all the following features in the CMOS settings:

• All caching, including L2, BIOS, internal/external, and write back caching on disk controllers
• Plug and Play
• All shadowing
• Any BIOS-based virus protection feature

After turning off these features, try reinstalling Windows XP again. If this works, then that’s great! However, if it doesn’t, then try method 4; maybe the cause of the stop 0x000000A is associated with incompatible drivers.

4. Install Windows XP compatible Drivers

Sometimes device driver compatibility can also shoot up the stop 0x000000A error message. First, remove the drivers that are incompatible with Windows XP. Now obtain and install new Windows XP compatible drivers. To do this, go to the start menu and the control panel. Now double click on Add or Remove Programs icon. Select the drivers that are incompatible with Windows XP and click on the remove button. After that restart PC and install Windows XP, compatible drivers, for the hardware devices on your system.

5. Scan for Viruses and Repair the Registry

If all the methods discussed above do not resolve the stop 0x000000A error on your PC, then it means either your computer is affected by an infection virus or the problem is associated with the registry like disk fragmentation and invalid entries. To scan for both viruses and registry issues simultaneously in seconds, it is advisable to download Restoro. Restoro is an advanced and multi-functional PC repair tool integrated with powerful utilities including a registry cleaner, antivirus, and a system optimizer. It also scans for Active X controls and class ID errors. The registry cleaning utility scans your entire PC for all possible registry issues triggering different error codes including the stop 0x000000A error. It wipes out all the unnecessary files cluttering and damaging the registry including cookies, temporary files, junk files, and invalid entries. It repairs the fragmented disk and the registry thereby resolving the stop 0x000000A error on your system. The privacy error utility functions like an antivirus. It detects all kinds of malicious software on your system including malware, adware, spyware, and viruses. These are removed immediately thus making your PC error-free. Restoro is safe, efficient, and user-friendly. It is compatible with all Windows versions including XP.  It has a sophisticated interface and a neat layout which makes it quite easy to operate and workaround. Click here to download Restoro and repair your PC and resolve the stop 0x000000A error code now!

If you encounter the “Diskpart failed to clear disk attributes” error when you try to change the read-only state of a storage device using the Diskpart application and the request is denied, worry not for this post will give you a couple of fixes to resolve the problem. As you know, Diskpart is used for resolving read-only storage devices by changing their attribute via the command line. So if it is not able to change the attribute of the storage device, then you will most likely encounter an error such as this one. This kind of error is not uncommon and as long as there are no damaged physical attributes, you can resolve it right away. There are tons of reasons why you’re getting this error while using Diskpart, it could be that the storage device has a physical write-protected switch or the disk is hidden or has bad sectors. It could also be because the storage drive might be in RAW format or that you are running the Diskpart application without admin privileges. Whatever the cause may be, here are some options you can try to fix the problem but before you proceed, make sure that you log on to your PC as an administrator.

Option 1 – Check if there is a physical switch on the storage device

There are some USB devices and SD card readers that have a write-protected physical switch that disables all the writable options on the storage device and so if it is turned on, Diskpart won’t be able to change the disk attribute to writable. To check, simply look for the physical switch on both sides of the device and once you found it, make sure that it is toggled off and then plug the storage device back in then try running Diskpart once again.

Option 2 – Modify the WriteProtected key in the Registry Editor

Before you proceed, you have to create a System Restore Point first.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies

• After that, look for the “WriteProtect” registry entry which is located on the left side of the window, and then double click on it.
• Change its value to “0” and click OK to save the changes made and exit the Registry Editor.

Option 3 – Run CHKDSK to check the drive for errors

When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. This error check utility can help with several issues in the system including the “Diskpart failed to clear disk attributes” error.

• Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
• Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
• After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:

CHKDSK [volume [[path] filename]] [/F] [/V] [/R] [/X] [/C] [: size]]

Note: In the command given above, “[/F]” will try to fix the system errors while “[/R]” will be the one to fix the bad sectors.

• Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your PC, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
• If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
• After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
• Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.

Option 4 – Clear the attributes on RAW

• Tap the Win + S keys then type “diskpart” in the field.
• Click the Diskpart application and if a User Account Control dialog box pops up, click Yes to proceed.
• After opening an elevated Command Prompt, type in the commands listed below and make sure to tap Enter right after you key in one command after the other.
  • list volume
  • select volume ‘n’ (In this command, you have to replace ‘n’ with the volume number of the drive)
  • format fs=fat32 quick (In this command you also have the flexibility to change the format to ‘ntfs’ or ‘exfat’)
• After executing the commands given, unplug the removable storage device and wait for a couple of seconds and then plug it back in.
• Now try any normal write operations and see if the error no longer appears.

Option 5 – Try checking the hardware components

On the other hand, it is also possible that the issue has something to do with a hardware problem and so you need to check the hardware components on your computer to determine that.