Fix Windows Activation Error Code 0xc004f050

Error Code 0xc004f050 – What is it?

Error code 0xc004f050 refers to a problem with activating the Windows key. The problem appears when you try to activate a copy of Windows by using Windows Activation wizard. This happens when the system becomes unstable and critical system files start missing. Though Windows 10 is a free upgrade for Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1 users, the activation error is still an issue. If you already had Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1 activated and did an upgrade successfully, then there should be no problem. This Problem Occurs only when you do a clean install.

Symptoms

When you try to activate a copy of Windows Vista or Windows 7 by using the Windows Activation wizard, you receive an error similar to the one below:

An error has occurred Code: 0xC004F050 Description: The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is invalid

Solution

Error Causes

• This causes due to an invalid product key.
• This problem may occur if the license validity interval has expired, or if the license is not signed correctly.
• Error Code 0xc004f050 occurs when the system becomes unstable and critical system files start missing.
• Improper way of installing, deletion of some very important system files, misconfigured system files, etc. may also cause this error.
• When you do a clean install, it wipes everything from the Primary Drive and after the install, windows can't find the Hardware ID which is used to verify your license.
• For Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Vista-based computers, this error may occur if you have entered the key for a beta version of the operating system while using the released version of the operating system.

Further Information and Manual Repair

This error is not something that can be fixed in seconds but will require some time and technical knowledge.

Method 1:

Re-insert the product key by using the Change Product Key tool:

1. Click Start, click Computer, and then click System properties on the toolbar.
2. In the Windows activation section, click Change product key.
3. If you are prompted for an administrator password, type the password or click Continue.
4. In the Product key box, type the product key, and then click Next.
5. Follow the steps in the Windows Activation Wizard to complete the activation process.

Method 2:

Activate Windows by using the automated telephone system:

1. Click Start, and then click Computer.
2. Click System properties on the toolbar, and then click Click here to activate Windows now in the Windows activation
3. If you are prompted for an administrative password, type it and click Continue.
4. Click Show me other ways to Activate.
5. Click Use the automated phone system and follow the instructions.

Method 3:

1. Clean install Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1 using the installation disk and activate your copy.
2. Now, download all the updates to see the Windows 10 Upgrade notification or download Windows Media Creation Tool and use the option Upgrade this PC to get Windows 10 right away.
3. Once the upgrade is done, check the Activation Status. It will be fully activated as it should be. The Error code 0xc004f050 should not appear anymore.

If you want to get rid of the old Windows installation folder, then use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a Flash Drive. Clean Install Windows 10. Now, every time when it asks for a product key, skip it. After installation is complete, Windows will automatically identify and activate your Copy. NOTE: Clean Install will make Sure you cannot roll back to your previous Windows 7 or Windows 8. So do it only if you are confident of using Windows 10 from here on. To verify the Windows activation status, follow these steps:

• Click the Start button, and then click Computer.
• Click System properties on the toolbar, and then view the activation status in the Windows activation section.

What is the error code 0x800ccc90?

The 0x800ccc90 is a common Outlook Express error. This error occurs when Outlook Express fails to connect to the mail server that handles incoming and outgoing emails.

The error is usually displayed as:

“There was a problem logging onto your mail server. Your User Name was rejected.”

Though this error does not pose any security threats to your PC if it is not fixed immediately, it may limit your ability to send and receive emails on your Outlook email address.

Error Causes

The error 0x800ccc90 is usually triggered by the following causes:

1. Authentication problem- This happens when your account details are not authenticated by the server. In this case, you will see a pop up message displaying ‘Server:’pop3.example.com’, or ‘Secure (SSL): No, Server Error: 0x800ccc90’.
2. Failure of POP3 server

Further Information and Manual Repair

If you come across the error 0x800ccc90, then don’t you worry! You don’t have to hire a professional to resolve this issue. In fact, you can fix it all by yourself. Here are some DIY solutions to repair this problem.

Solution 1:

• Go to the ‘Tools’ tab and select ‘Accounts’
• As you click on the accounts tab, an internet accounts box will appear on the screen
• Now double click on the account property box.
• After that go to the server tab and click it.
• Now check on the box that says ‘My Server Requires Authentication.’
• Once you check on this option now click on apply to accept changes and then close the window.
• To bring the changes into effect, restart Outlook and then try to send emails again. Hopefully, this will work.

Solution 2:

However, if you are still unable to resolve the problem, then this means the PST files are corrupt and damaged and there is no problem from the server's end. When this happens, then the best way to resolve this problem is to download a PST repair tool.

We suggest downloading the PST repair tool from a trusted website.

After downloading it, run and scan it on your PC to detect errors. You will have to be patient because scanning may take a couple of minutes. Once the scanning is complete, click on repair to resolve the problem.

So, next time when you are unable to send or receive emails on your Outlook Express and you see the 0x800ccc90 error message, then try using the solutions given above to resolve the error right away.

Windows 10 supports various devices to get connected to which makes it quite a flexible operating system. The connection varies on the fact that the device can be connected either with Bluetooth or other wireless and wired connection. However, no matter how great the features are, there a few times when they bring in some bugs too. One of these bugs won’t allow you to either remove or reinstall the Bluetooth mouse and keyboard device from your Windows 10 computer. So if you are currently experiencing this problem, read on as this post will guide you in fixing it. Before you go over the suggestions laid out below, you need to create a System Restore Point first since, in one of the options, you will be making some changes with the registry files as well as some critical Windows settings. Once you have that covered, refer to the following options.

Option 1 – Configure the Bluetooth Services

The first thing you can do is configure Bluetooth Services.

• Tap the Win + R key combination to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Services Manager.
• You will then see a list of services and from there, look for the following services and make sure that their default values are set as follows:
  • Bluetooth Audio Gateway Service – Manual (Triggered)
  • Bluetooth Support Service – Manual (Triggered)
  • Bluetooth User Support Service – Manual (Triggered)
• Now click on the Start button to start all the aforementioned services and then check if you can now remove or reinstall the Bluetooth mouse and keyboard device.

Option 2 – Try running the Bluetooth Troubleshooter

As you know, Windows 10 has various troubleshooters with user-friendly interfaces where you can utilize them to fix issues in your PC. And since you’re dealing with some Bluetooth problem, you have to run the Bluetooth Troubleshooter.

• Open the Windows 10 Settings.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• You should find the option for Bluetooth on your right-hand side – click on it then click on the “Run the troubleshooter” option.
• Now follow the next screen options.

Option 3 – Try to reinstall or update the Bluetooth driver

The issue might have something to do with the Bluetooth drivers. It could be that it is outdated and needs to be updated or that you recently updated it and since then you have trouble removing the Bluetooth device and so to fix the issue, you can update, roll back or uninstall the Bluetooth drivers. How? Follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + X keys to open the Device Manager.
• Next, look for the Bluetooth device and right-click on it.
• Select the option “Update driver”.
• After that, a new popup window will appear. In there, select the option, “Search automatically for updated driver software”.

Note: Checking the update may take a few minutes so you’ll have to wait until it finishes. If it is able to find an update, you must install it.

Option 4 – Get rid of any interference

If you have several wireless devices in the same room as your PC then it might have caused interference with the current connection in your PC which is why you have to switch off all the other devices and then try removing reinstalling the Bluetooth mouse and keyboard devices again.

Option 5 – Remove or reinstall the Bluetooth devices in a Clean Boot State

You might want to uninstall or remove the Bluetooth Devices while your computer is in a Clean Boot State. Putting your computer in this state will surely help especially if there are some processes that prevent the Bluetooth devices from being removed or reinstalled.

• 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.)
• After that, try to reinstall or remove the Bluetooth mouse and keyboard devices again.

Location services is a built-in tool in Windows 10 is a useful tool that offers users location information even when your laptop or desktop computer does not have a GPS since it uses Wi-Fi positioning as well as your device’s IP address. However, there are instances when you might encounter some problems when using this service. One instance is when you suddenly find the toggle button for Location service greyed out. This kind of program could be due to some glitch in the system or some third-party application on your computer. Because of this problem, you won’t be able to toggle the Location service on or off and you won’t be able to make any changes in its settings. Worry not, for this post will guide you on what you can do to fix the greyed-out toggle button of Location services in Windows 10. Before you perform some troubleshooting steps, you might want to restart your computer and see if it fixes the problem. If it didn’t, then this problem is not just some minor glitch. Thus, you have to follow the potential fixes provided below to fix the problem but before you do that, make sure that you create a System Restore point first. After that, follow each one of the following options.

Option 1 – Put your PC in a Clean Boot State

The first thing you can do to resolve the problem is to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. It could be that there is a third-party program that’s preventing the toggle button from functioning. To isolate this possibility, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State.

• 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 check if you can now use the toggle button of the Location service or not.

Option 2 – Try to use the Registry Editor

If putting your computer in a Clean Boot state didn’t fix the problem, you might want to make some adjustments in the Windows Registry via Registry Editor.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “regedit” in the field and then tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• After that, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServiceslfsvcTriggerInfo
• From there, select the Key (folder) named as “3” and right-click on it, and then delete it.
• Once done, exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Option 3 – Try to use the Windows Services Manager

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
• Next, look for the “Geolocation Service” entry from the list of services.
• Once you find it, right-click on it and select Properties. This will open a new mini window.
• From there, make sure that it is “Running” and its Startup Type is set to “Automatic”.
• After that, close the Services Manager and check if the problem is now resolved.

Option 4 – Try to use the Group Policy Editor

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and click OK to open the Group Policy Editor.
• After that, navigate to this path: Administrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsLocation and Sensors
• Next, double click on each one of the following settings and select the “Not configured” or “Disabled” option.
  • Turn off location scripting
  • Turn off location
  • Turn off sensors

• Once done, navigate to this path: Administrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsLocation and SensorsWindows Location Provider
• From there, double click on the “Turn off Windows Location Provider” policy setting and set its configuration to either “Disabled” or “Not configured”. You should see the following description of the policy setting in the window:

“This policy setting turns off the Windows Location Provider feature for this computer. If you enable this policy setting, the Windows Location Provider feature will be turned off, and all programs on this computer will not be able to use the Windows Location Provider feature. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, all programs on this computer can use the Windows Location Provider feature.”

• Now restart your computer.

Krita Desktop is a free and open-source painting application. Krita is a full-featured free digital painting studio for artists who want to create professional work from start to end. Krita is used by comic book artists, illustrators, concept artists, matte and texture painters, and in the digital VFX industry. Krita has been in development for over 10 years and has had an explosion in growth recently. It offers many common and innovative features to help the amateur and professional alike. Krita has a user-friendly interface. The dockers and panels can be moved and customized for your specific workflow. Once you have your setup, you can save it as your own workspace. You can also create your own shortcuts for commonly used tools. In addition to painting, Krita comes with vector, filter, group, and file layers. Combine, order, and flatten layers to help your artwork stay organized. There are also three different views on how to see the layers. Krita supports full color management through LCMS for ICC and OpenColor IO for EXR, allowing you to incorporate Krita into your existing color management pipeline. Open PSD files that even Photoshop cannot open. Load and save to PSD when you need to take your artwork across different programs. Krita is the only dedicated painting application that lets you open, save, edit and author HDR and scene-referred images. Furthermore, with OCIO and OpenEXR support, you can manipulate the view to examine HDR images, and use it in the most cutting-edge workflows from the film and visual effects industries.

What is RTX

Nvidia GeForce RTX is a high-end professional visual computing platform created by Nvidia, primarily used for designing complex large-scale models in architecture and product design, scientific visualization, energy exploration, and film and video production. Nvidia RTX enables real-time ray tracing. Historically, ray tracing had been reserved for non-real-time applications (like CGI in visual effects for movies and in photorealistic renderings), with video games having to rely on direct lighting and precalculated indirect contribution for their rendering. RTX facilitates a new development in computer graphics of generating interactive images that react to lighting, shadows, and reflections. RTX runs on Nvidia Volta-, Turing- and Ampere-based GPUs, specifically utilizing the Tensor cores (and new RT cores on Turing and successors) on the architectures for ray-tracing acceleration.

Advantage in games

With incredible lighting and shadows, reflection, better smoke, and water effects, and more, RTX has managed to place awesome real-time effects on your desktop all that’s to Nvidia technology behind it. Of course, in order to harvest this kind of technology and features game itself needs to support and have RTX in it, you can not turn RTX in just any game, the game itself must have technology build in it. Therefore we are bringing you the list of all RTX games you can find currently on the market so you can enjoy at the moment best graphics a PC can offer

List of games supporting the technology

• Amid Evil
• The Ascent
• Battlefield V
• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
• Control
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Deliver Us the Moon
• Doom Eternal
• Dirt 5
• Fortnite
• Ghostrunner
• Justice Online
• Weibo
• JX3
• Lego Builder’s Journey
• Mechwarrior 5: Mercenaries
• The Medium
• Metro Exodus (and The Two Colonels DLC)
• Minecraft
• Moonlight Blade
• Mortal Shell
• Observer: System Redux
• Pumpkin Jack
• Quake II RTX
• Ring of Elysium
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Stay in the Light
• Watch Dogs: Legion
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood
• World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
• Xuan-Yuan Sword VII

Upcoming games that will support RTX

• Atomic Heart
• Boundary
• Bright Memory: Infinite
• Convallaria
• Dying Light 2
• F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch
• Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach
• Grimmstar
• Maneater
• Project X
• Sword and Fairy 7
• Synced: Off Planet
• Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2
• The Witcher 3: Complete Edition

If you suddenly encountered a Windows Error Code 0x80070017 during an Update, Installation or System Restore then it’s probably due to some missing or corrupted system files. This kind of error code can occur during an update, installation, or system restore and the only way out of it is to download the file once again and re-run the installation from the top. Before you start to troubleshoot the problem, you need to create a System Restore Point first. After you create a System Restore point, you can follow the troubleshooting options laid out below to fix the Windows Error Code 0x80070017. You just have to follow the troubleshooting option that applies to your situation and whether you got the error during an update, installation, or during System Restore. Whether you got the error 0x80070017 while updating Windows 10 or installing it or during a system restore, the first thing you must do is run the System File Checker. As pointed out early on, the Windows Error Code 0x80070017 might be caused by corrupted or missing system files so the first thing you can try is to run the System File Checker 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.

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.

If you have encountered Windows Error Code 0x80070017 during an Update, then here are some options you need to try:

Option 1 – Delete the files/contents in the SoftwareDistribution Folder

The Software Distribution folder in the Windows operating system is a folder that can be found in the Windows directory and is used to store files temporarily which might be required to install the Windows Update on your PC. Thus, it is required by the Windows Update and maintained by WUAgent. A lot of users tried deleting the files in this folder to fix the problem and so far it has worked. Like them, you can try clearing the Windows Update cache by simply deleting the contents of the folder named “SoftwareDistribution” since Windows apparently can’t clear and re-download the update contents once they are corrupted. Thus, deleting the contents of this folder will make Windows download the contents again which will fix the problem. To do that, follow the steps below.

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net stop bits

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.
• Once all the contents in the Software Distribution folder are deleted, restart your PC and then go back to Command Prompt and input the following commands again.

net start wuauserv net start bits

Since the folder has already been flushed, it will be populated afresh the instant your restart your computer and open Windows Update.

Option 2 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the Windows Update Error Code 0x80070017. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go. On the other hand, if you got the error code 0x80070017 during a Windows 10 installation, then it’s because of bad media or corruption in ISO. Here are some troubleshooting steps for this kind of situation:

Option a – Try to create Windows 10 ISO media again

In this option, you will have to create a Windows 10 bootable media and use it to install the latest Windows 10 version. Most users reported that this option works and the reason why it does have something to do with the Windows Update client since the Windows Updates downloaded from the regular Windows Update client seem to create issues such as the error 0x80070017. However, issues like this one don’t occur when the very same Windows Updates are downloaded and installed via an ISO file. Take note that when using a Windows ISO file, you will be asked to choose what you want to do with the previous settings and apps. A lot of users opted for the “Not to keep the old Windows settings” option which has resolved the issue. So if you want to keep the previous settings then you must try to update Windows first while keeping the old settings. However, if it doesn’t work, you have to try installing the latest version of Windows without keeping the previous settings.

• Click this link and then click the Download Tool Now button.
• Next, click the “Use the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file)…” option and follow the next given instructions on the screen.
• Now select the ISO file option in step 5.
• After that, you should now have an ISO file.
• Next, go to the location where you’ve downloaded the ISO file.
• Then right-click on the Windows 10 ISO file and select the Open with the option and then select File Explorer.
• Now click on “setup.exe” and follow the next instructions that appear on the screen. When asked, you have to select either Nothing (clean install) or Keep personal files only option. Take note that you must not select the “Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings since it doesn’t really work.

Option b – Run Microsoft’s online troubleshooter

Running Microsoft’s online troubleshooter might also help you fix the Windows update error 0x80070017. This online troubleshooter is known to help in fixing Windows Update errors, it scans your computer for issues that might be causing the problem and then fixes them automatically. If you got the error during System Restore then this means that the files that are being copied from the disk are not making it to the hard drive. To resolve it, here’s what you can do:

Option 1 – Run System Restore in Safe Mode

You might want to run System Restore in Safe Mode and see if it works. Just reboot your PC into Safe Mode and then run System Restore.

Option 2 – Reset Repository

• Boot your PC into Safe Mode.
• Then open Command Prompt as admin.
• Next, type the “net stop winmgmt” command and hit Enter to stop the Windows Management Instrumentation Service.
• After that, go to C:/Windows/System32/wbem. From there, rename the repository folder to “repository-old”.
• Restart your computer.
• After your computer has restarted, open Command Prompt as admin again and then type the “net stop winmgmt” command and hit Enter.
• Next, type the “winmgmt /resetRepository” and hit Enter to reset Repository.
• Restart PC and check if System Restore now works.

Option 3 – Try resetting Windows 10

To fix the error 0x80070017, you can try resetting Windows 10. Doing so won’t get rid of any file in your system – instead of erasing all your media files and documents, it only resets all the system settings and files. Simply go to Settings > Recovery. From there click the Get started button under the Reset This PC section.

There is a built-in tool in Windows 10 the Disk Cleanup Utility which can help you restore hard disk space by removing temporary files, Thumbnails, old Windows files, Windows Upgrade logs, Delivery optimization files, and many more. However, from time to time, this built-in tool also experiences some issues. One of these issues is when it gets stuck on Windows Update Cleanup. Read on to find out what you can do in such a case. When the Disk Cleanup Utility is stuck on the Windows Update Cleanup, the process could be slow and take a long time to complete when purging the files. If this happens, click on Cancel to close the dialog box. After that, try running the Disk Cleanup Tool again as administrator and check if the files that you want to clean is still there or not. If it isn’t there, then this means that the cleanup has been done, otherwise, you need to refer to the options given below.

Option 1 – Try to manually delete the contents in the SoftwareDistribution folder

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer and then try to run Windows Update once more.

Option 2 – Try to manually delete the contents of the Windows.old folder

The Windows.old folder is the one that holds the older version of Windows when you upgrade. It comes really useful when you want to revert to the previous version of Windows 10. Thus, you can delete the Windows.old files in case the cleanup tool is stuck.

Option 3 – Try running Disk Cleanup in a Clean Boot State or Safe Mode

Another thing you can try is to restart your computer in a Clean Boot State or Safe Mode. Chances are, there are some programs that are preventing the Disk Cleanup Utility tool to run properly. After you restart your computer in a Clean Boot State or Safe Mode, try to run the Disk Cleanup tool again and then see if it now works or not.

Option 4 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing this issue. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 5 – Run the DISM tool to fix the corruption in the Component Store

You can try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool to fix the Wdf01000.sys 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.

RelevantKnowledge is a potentially unwanted program. It is typically bundled by 3rd-party installers and download managers that include other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). In most cases, the installer will present the user with an RK survey at the end of the setup in order to relate the user’s future behavior to various questions.

From the published: RelevantKnowledge is an online market research community consisting of over 2 million members worldwide, which provides insight into how its members interact with the Internet. In exchange for an agreement to have their Internet behavior monitored, computer users who join RelevantKnowledge are offered various value propositions, including the ability to download screensavers or other software offerings, entry into sweepstakes, and a host of other benefits.

Multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in RelevantKnowledge.

About Browser Hijackers

If you’ve ever downloaded software via the internet (shareware, freeware, etc,), it’s quite possible you’ve unintentionally installed unwanted programs on your PC. Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), also referred to as Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA), are applications that you never wanted in the first place and often come bundled with freeware. Once installed, the majority of these applications can be tough to get rid of and become much more of an annoyance rather than a necessity. It is clear by its name – unwanted applications – but did not really constitute “malware” in the traditional sense. This is because, the majority of PUPs get into a computer not because they slip through the security holes, for instance, but because the users have got installed them themselves – 100 % unknowingly needless to say. A PUP might not be regarded as malicious or dangerous but nevertheless, it is a common reason for clunky OSs; some PUPs are a lot more aggressive by deliberately slowing down your PC.

The harm unwanted programs could do

PUPs come in various forms. Typically, they could be seen in adware bundlers that are known to use aggressive and misleading advertising. The majority of bundlers install many adware programs from a number of vendors, each of which features its own EULA policy. Safebytes Anti-Malware totally eradicates this threat and safeguards your computer against PUP or adware infection. Additionally, the majority of free programs nowadays come with a few unwanted add-ons; in most cases a web browser toolbar or browser modification such as a homepage hijacker. They can modify browser settings, change the default search engine, replace the default home page with their own websites, slow down internet speed, and also will damage your system as well. PUPs carry a dangerous bite if left unchecked. The most detrimental part of installing a PUP is the spyware, adware, and keystroke loggers that might hide inside. These are programs that don’t really do anything good for you; in addition to taking up space on your hard disk drive, they also slow down your PC, often modify settings without your authorization, the list of frustrating features goes on and on.

Tips on how to avoid getting a PUP

• When installing anything on your personal computer, always study the fine print, including the license agreement. Do not accept terms of use that are for bundled programs. • Use ONLY custom or manual install method – and never thoughtlessly click Next, Next, Next. • Use good antimalware software, such as Safebytes Anti-Malware which offers real-time protection against PUPs. • Think carefully before you download any kind of shareware or freeware. Turn off or get rid of toolbars and browser extensions you don’t actually need. • Always download applications from the original website. The majority of PUPs find their way onto your laptop or computer is via download portals, so steer clear of it entirely.

What To Do If You Cannot Install Safebytes Anti-Malware?

Viruses may cause a lot of damage to your personal computer. Some malware is meant to interfere with or block things that you want to do on your computer system. It may well not allow you to download anything from the net or stop you from accessing some or all websites, particularly the anti-malware sites. If you are reading this article now, you’ve probably realized that virus infection is the real cause of your blocked internet connectivity. So how to proceed if you need to download and install an anti-malware program like Safebytes? Although this kind of problem can be harder to get around, there are a few actions you can take.

Download the application in Safe Mode with Networking

In Safe Mode, you may change Windows settings, un-install or install some applications, and remove hard-to-delete viruses. If the malware is set to load automatically when the computer starts, shifting to this mode can prevent it from doing so. To start the computer into Safe Mode, press the “F8” key on your keyboard just before the Windows boot screen appears; Or right after normal Windows boot up, run MSCONFIG, look over “Safe Boot” under Boot tab, and then click Apply. As soon as you reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, and update anti-malware software from there. Right after installation, run the malware scanner to eliminate standard infections.

Use an alternate web browser to download antivirus software

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a specific internet browser or attacking specific versions of the browser. The most effective solution to overcome this problem is to go with a browser that is well known for its security measures. Firefox has built-in Phishing and Malware Protection to keep you secure online.

Install anti-malware on a USB drive

Another option is to save and operate an antivirus software tool entirely from a Flash drive. Do these simple actions to clean up your infected PC using a portable antivirus. 1) On a virus-free computer, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Insert the USB drive into the clean PC. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Select the drive letter of the flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the antivirus. Follow the directions to complete the installation process. 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 application. 7) Simply click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for malware.

Protect Your Computer & Privacy With SafeBytes Anti-Malware

Want to download the best anti-malware software program for your laptop? There are lots of applications on the market that comes in free and paid versions for Windows systems. A few are really worth your money, but many aren’t. You need to pick a tool that has got a good reputation and detects not only computer viruses but other types of malware also. Among few good applications, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended program for the security-conscious individual. SafeBytes antimalware is a highly effective and user-friendly protection tool that is suitable for end-users of all levels of IT literacy. After you have installed this application, SafeByte's sophisticated protection system will make sure that no viruses or malware can seep through your PC. SafeBytes has excellent features when compared to other anti-malware programs. Here are some popular features present in this tool: World-class AntiMalware Protection: Safebytes is made on the best virus engine within the industry. These engines will detect and remove threats even during the early stages of a malware outbreak. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes delivers complete and real-time security for your laptop or computer. They’re highly efficient in screening and getting rid of numerous threats because they’re constantly revised with the latest updates and safety measures. Internet Security: Through its unique safety score, SafeBytes informs you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will ensure that you’re always certain of your safety when browsing the net. Very Low CPU and Memory Usage: This program is not “heavy” on the computer’s resources, so you will not notice any overall performance difficulties when SafeBytes is operating in the background. 24/7 Online Technical Support: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and upgrades for the best user experience.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove RelevantKnowledge without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by RelevantKnowledge

As you know, one of the most highlighted features of Windows 10 is Windows Updates. It was offered to the customers as a service rather than a product with the release of Windows 10 under the scenario of Software as a Service which led to Windows Updates being set by default on Windows 10 and without an option for any users to disable it. Although not all users are happy with what Microsoft did, this is an ultimate step towards the greater good of all its customers since Windows Updates helps users in keeping their computers secured against all kinds of threats as well as provide them with the greatest and latest updates from Microsoft. So if you are one of those users who approved of the Windows Updates service, then read on as this post will guide you in running Windows Updates from Command Line either via Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell. For the complete set of instructions, refer to the options given below.

Option 1 – Run Windows Update via Command Prompt

Command Prompt in the Windows operating system exists for a very long time now compared to the comparatively new Windows PowerShell. That’s why it has similar capabilities to run Windows Updates. However, the highlighting point here is that you don’t have to download any module for Windows Updates. To get started running Windows Updates using Command Prompt, refer to the steps below.

• First, type “cmd” in the Cortana search box, and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select the Run as Administrator option to open it with Administrator privileges.
• If a User Account or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed.
• Next, type in the commands listed below, and don’t forget to tap Enter right after you type each one of them.
  • UsoClient StartScan – use this command to start checking for updates.
  • UsoClient StartDownload – use this command to start downloading updates.
  • UsoClient StartInstall – use this command to start installing the downloaded updates.
  • UsoClient RestartDevice – use this command to restart your computer after you install.
  • UsoClient ScanInstallWait – use this command to check, download and install updates.

Note: Keep in mind that the commands in Command Prompt listed above are only meant for Windows 10. On the other hand, if you are using an older Windows version, you can try using the following commands instead:

• wuauclt /detectnow – use this command to start checking for updates.
• wuauclt /updatenow – use this command to start installing the updates detected.
• wuauclt /detectnow /updatenow – use this command to check, download and install updates.

Option 2 – Run Windows Updates via Windows PowerShell

If you run Windows Updates in the Windows PowerShell, it will require you to install the Windows Update module manually. Hence, you have to get the Windows Updates downloaded and install Windows Updates.

• Search for PowerShell in the Cortana search box and then run it with administrator privileges.
• Once you’ve opened the Windows PowerShell, type the following command and hit Enter.
  • Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate – use this command to install the Windows Update module for Windows PowerShell.
  • Get-WindowsUpdate – use this command to connect to the servers of Windows Update and download the updates if found.
  • Install-WindowsUpdate – use this command to install the Windows Updates you’ve downloaded to your computer.