How to Fix Sysdata.xml Error Code on Your PC

Sysdata.xml Error Code - What is it?

To develop a good understanding of the Sysdata.xml error code, it is first important to learn what is sysdata.xml file and its function. Sysdata.xml is a type of XML file. The .XML file extension is an Extensible Markup Language file. XML-based formats have now become the default for many office productivity tools including Microsoft Office and LibreOffice. Furthermore, it has also come into common use for the interchange of data over the internet. Sysdata.xml error code usually pops up when .XML based applications are unable to run and crash while loading. This is a type of BSoD (Blue Screen of Death) error code. Common symptoms include:

• System freeze
• The screen turns blue
• Sudden system shut down

Solution

Error Causes

The Sysdata.xml error code is triggered due to multiple reasons such as:

• Faulty hardware
• Malware or viral infection
• Registry issues

No matter what the reason may be, it is advisable to fix this error code right away without any delays. This is a fatal error and can result in a system crash and loss of data. And recovering valuable lost data is the hardest.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the effective and easy do it yourself methods to resolve this error on your system:

Method 1: Fix Faulty Hardware

Hardware issues may arise due to many reasons like manufacturing issues or voltage fluctuations. Electrical storms can cause power surges which may affect the hardware causing it to fail. The best way to resolve this is to download the latest drivers for the problematic devices or alter the device configuration in the BIOS setup program.

• To reconfigure the BIOS simply restart your PC and before Windows starts, press Del Key to access your BIOS.
• Now find the factory reset option.
• Select the option and press the button to load your factory defaults.
• After that save changes and confirm your selection.
• Reboot your PC to activate the changes.

Method 2: Scan for Viruses

Sometimes viruses and malware can disguise themselves in the .XML files which can cause them to get corrupted. To resolve the issue, it is advisable to download a powerful antivirus and scan your entire PC for viruses. Remove the detected viruses to resolve the Sysdata.xml error on your system.

Method 3: Repair the Registry

If the registry is not cleaned frequently, it loads with unnecessary and obsolete files like the junk files and cookies. These files clutter and damage the registry and eventually corrupt it and the important files like .XML files stored in it. To resolve the issue it is recommended to download Restoro. It is a user-friendly and powerful PC Fixer embedded with a registry cleaner. It scans your entire PC for registry-related errors and removes them immediately. It cleans the cluttered registry and restores the damaged files thereby repairing the issue right away. Click here to download Restoro.

What is PyLocky ransomware? And how does it execute its attack?

PyLocky ransomware is a file-locking malware created in order to lock important files and demand ransom from victims in exchange for data recovery. This new ransomware uses the .lockymap extension in marking the files it encrypts. It starts to execute its attack by dropping the following malicious payload in the system:

Name: facture_4739149_08.26.2018.exe SHA256:8655f8599b0892d55efc13fea404b520858d01812251b1d25dcf0afb4684dce9 Size: 5.3 MB

After dropping its malicious payload, this crypto-malware connects the infected computer to a remote server where it downloads more malicious files and places them on system folders. It then applies a data gathering module used to gather data about the user and the computer. The malicious files that were downloaded earlier along with the data obtained are used for another module called stealth protection. This allows PyLocky ransomware to execute its attack without detection from any security or antivirus programs installed in the system. It also modifies some registry keys and entries in the Windows Registry such as:

• HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop
• HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTControl PanelDesktop
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
• HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce
• HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce

Once all the modifications are carried out, PyLocky ransomware will begin encrypting its targeted files using a sophisticated encryption cipher. Following the encryption, it adds the .lockymap extension to each one of the encrypted files and releases a ransom note named “LOCKY-README.txt” which contains the following content:

“Please be advised: All your files, pictures document and data has been encrypted with Military Grade Encryption RSA ABS-256. Your information is not lost. But Encrypted. In order for you to restore your files, you have to purchase a Decrypter. Follow these steps to restore your files. 1* Download the Tor Browser. ( Just type in google “Download Tor“ 2‘ Browse to URL: http://4wcgqlckaazungm.onion/index.php 3* Purchase the Decryptor to restore your files. It is very simple. If you don’t believe that we can restore your files, then you can restore 1 file of image format for free. Be aware the time is ticking. Price will be doubled every 96 hours so use it wisely. Your unique ID : CAUTION: Please do not try to modify or delete any encrypted file as it will be hard to restore it. SUPPORT: You can contact support to help decrypt your files for you. Click on support at http://4wcgqlckaazungm.onion/index.php”

How does PyLocky ransomware spread over the web?

PyLocky ransomware spreads using malicious spam email campaigns. Creators of this threat embed an infected attachment to spam emails and send them using a spambot. Crooks may even use deceptive tactics to trick you into opening the malware-laden immediately which is something you must not do. Thus, before opening any emails, make sure that you’ve thoroughly checked them. To successfully obliterate PyLocky ransomware from your computer, refer to the removal guide laid out below.

• Step 1: Launch the Task Manager by simply tapping Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys on your keyboard.
• Step 2: Under the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the process named facture_4739149_08.26.2018.exe and any suspicious-looking process which takes up most of your CPU’s resources and is most likely related to PyLocky ransomware.
• Step 3: After that, close the Task Manager.
• Step 4: Tap Win + R, type in appwiz.cpl and click OK or tap Enter to open Control Panel’s list of installed programs.
• Step 5: Under the list of installed programs, look for PyLocky ransomware or anything similar, and then uninstall it.
• Step 6: Next, close the Control Panel and tap Win + E keys to launch File Explorer.
• Step 7: Navigate to the following locations below and look for PyLocky ransomware’s malicious components such as facture_4739149_08.26.2018.exe and LOCKY-README.txt as well as other suspicious files, then delete all of them.

%TEMP% %WINDIR%System32Tasks %APPDATA%MicrosoftWindowsTemplates %USERPROFILE%Downloads %USERPROFILE%Desktop

• Step 8: Close the File Explorer.
• Step 9: Tap Win + R to open Run and then type in Regedit in the field and tap enter to pull up Windows Registry.
• Step 10: Navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTControl PanelDesktop HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce

• Step 11: Delete the registry keys and sub-keys created by PyLocky ransomware.
• Step 12: Close the Registry Editor and empty the Recycle Bin.

Try to recover your encrypted files using the Shadow Volume copies Restoring your encrypted files using Windows Previous Versions feature will only be effective if PyLocky ransomware hasn’t deleted the shadow copies of your files. But still, this is one of the best and free methods there is, so it’s definitely worth a shot. To restore the encrypted file, right-click on it and select Properties, a new window will pop up, then proceed to Previous Versions. It will load the file’s previous version before it was modified. After it loads, select any of the previous versions displayed on the list like the one in the illustration below. And then click the Restore button.

If you encounter the CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT Blue Screen of Death error while using your Windows 10 computer then it is most likely caused by a specified processor which is not processing interrupts. This occurs when the processor is deadlocked or nonresponsive. Specifically, this kind of Stop error occurs when the processor is having a hard time with the cooperation of its threads and cores. The threads are the tasks performed by cores and some cores can have many threads at the same time. And this is where the problem begins – one thread is waiting for an adequate response from another thread or one kernel is waiting for a response from another kernel and those responses are not coming. In other words, when the processor is unable to continue the processing of tasks since its resources are occupied and are interdependent to get free, such a state is called Deadlock. The CLOCK WATCHDOG TIMEOUT bug check has a value of 0x00000101 which means that an expected clock interrupt on a secondary processor, in a multiprocessor system, was not received within the allocated interval. To troubleshoot the problem, you can check out the possible fixes provided below but before you proceed, make sure that you boot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking only.

Option 1 – Undo or disable overclocking if you have overclocked your system

• Go to the Start Menu and open Settings.
• Next, select Update and Security and go to the Recover tab.
• From there, click on Restart now in Advanced startup. This will restart your computer.
• Once you’re in the Advanced startup, go to Troubleshoot and then select the Advanced Options.
• From there, select the UEFU Firmware Settings.
• Now click on Restart. Once your computer has restarted, it will automatically open BIOS.
• From the BIOS, go to the Advanced tab and navigate to Performance and then look for Overclocking.
• Once you’ve found Overclocking, make sure that it is disabled. If it’s not, then disable it and then save the changes made by tapping the F10 key.
• Start your computer normally and check if the CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT 0x00000101 error is now fixed.

Option 2 – Try running the Memory Diagnostic Tool

The Memory Diagnostic tool in windows can help resolve the CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT 0x00000101 Blue Screen error by checking and automatically fixing any memory-based issues. To run it, refer to these steps:

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

Option 3 – Try to rollback, update or disable drivers

The next thing you can do to fix the CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT 0x00000101 Stop error is to roll back, or update, or disable device drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated your device drivers then you need to roll back the drivers to their previous versions. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.

Option 4 – Try running the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT 0x00000101. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:

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

Option 5 – Try to disconnect or disable newly installed hardware

In this option, you will have to disable or remove the hardware you’ve just installed recently since external devices could be the one that’s causing the Blue Screen of Death error to appear. To do that, just disconnect any external device that’s connected to your computer physically and then check if it fixes the CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT Blue Screen error.

Option 6 – Troubleshoot the BSOD error in Clean Boot State

You can also troubleshoot the Blue Screen error in a Clean Boot state. There are times when third-party applications cause BSOD errors. Putting your computer in this state can help you identify which program is the culprit and thus isolates the problem. In a Clean Boot state, your computer will start using only the pre-selected minimal set of drivers and startup programs. Note that you have to disable and enable one process at a time.

• 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 to configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• From there, start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.

Option 7 – Try to update the BIOS

Updating the BIOS can help you fix the CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT BSOD error but as you know, BIOS is a sensitive part of a computer. Even though it is a software component, the functioning of the hardware depends on it largely. Thus, you must be careful when modifying something in the BIOS. So if you don’t know much about it, it’s best if you skip on this option and try the other ones instead. However, if you are well-versed in navigating the BIOS, then follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “msinfo32” in the field and press Enter to open System Information.
• From there, you should find a search field on the bottom where you have to search for the BIOS version and then press Enter.
• After that, you should see the developer and version of the BIOS installed on your PC.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website and then download the latest version of BIOS on your computer.
• If you are using a laptop, make sure that you keep it plugged in until you have updated the BIOS.
• Now double click on the downloaded file and install the new BIOS version on your computer.
• Now restart your computer to apply the changes made.

Something we are used to doing in a certain way inside Windows 10 is slightly changed in Windows 11. One of those things is how you open task manager, well kind of. Option to right-click on the taskbar and launch task manager is gone but do not worry there are other same and simple ways you can launch it.

1. Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC or CTRL + ALT + DEL
2. Right-click on the START button
3. Type task manager in start search on top in the start menu
4. Type taskmgr in command prompt
5. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open run dialog and type in taskmgr

And that’s it, now depending on your situation, you might use different methods to evoke task manager.

Having a youtube channel nowadays is quite an easy task, you just need to create a free google account and there you go, you can start uploading videos to your YouTube channel. All you need in today's world is some applications for manipulating video material, creation of titles and graphics, some charisma and ideas for content and you could be a well-known YouTuber. For some guidance on software needed for this kind of creativity, we urge you to check our article about open source free software alternatives to paying ones here. So now that we have technicality out of way there is one more prerequisite that is needed in order for you to have your unique custom URL for your channel.

• The channel must be at least 30 days old.
• The channel must have a profile picture and a banner image.
• The channel must have at least 100 subscribers.

You need to fulfill all three prerequisites in order to change your typical URL to something nicer and personal like youtube.com/myGREATchannel So if you have everything needed let's get that custom URL for your channel.

1. Sign in to your YouTube channel
2. On the top-right corner of the YouTube window, click on your profile picture.
3. From the drop-down menu, select YouTube Studio.
4. From the list on the right side of the YouTube Studio page, select Customization.
5. Under Channel customization, select Basic info.
6. Under Channel URL, click on Set a custom URL for your channel.
7. Your custom URL will appear in the box below. You can change it as you desire.
8. Click on the Publish button on the top-right corner of the window to set your custom URL.

WORD OF WARNING:

Once the custom URL is set, it can neither be changed nor transferred to someone else so make sure that channel name is really something that you want for the long run.

How to Fix Windows 10 Error 0x80070490

Error Code 0x80070490 - What is it?

When downloading a Windows update, it is important to remember that these updates are what keeps your computer safe. Some users have reported seeing error code 0x80070490 when allowing updates for their Windows PC. This error code may appear when the user is trying to connect to the update site for Windows and maybe a result of a corrupted CBS manifest. Having this error code will not only stop the update of the system, but it will also certainly halt any work being done with the computer. Quite a few Windows users have written in complaints about this error while updating from any prior Windows update to Windows 10.

Common symptoms include:

• While a user is performing the updates, the Windows computer will stop running the updates, and it will show the error code 0x80070490.
• Windows updates will not install any new features and will not install security patches.
• The computer will not continue with the Windows update, and it may revert back to the previous state that the computer was in, prior to attempting the updates.

Error Causes

There is not a lot known about what exactly causes the error code 0x80070490, but it is something critical that makes Windows abruptly stop its updates. It could be caused by a simple glitch in the computer system, or it could be caused by a larger problem. One thought is that the CBS (Component-Based Servicing) manifest can be corrupt. Another thought is that the computer's anti-virus software may be interfering with the computer's ability to perform the necessary updates.

Further Information and Manual Repair

There is very little information known about error code 0x80070490 and why it exists, but there are a few methods in which to correct it. Users should be careful when trying to fix this error themselves. If the user feels that the methods are too complicated or they are uncomfortable taking it on themselves, they should contact a Windows repair technician to fix the problem. Not all methods listed will suit the user's needs, but it is dependent upon the problem at hand as to which method will be the best fit to fix the error code. If these steps are taken and the error is not corrected, it is vital to contact the Windows repair technician.

Method One: Creating a new local account

Create a new local account on the computer, and allow administrator privileges on it. Next, move all of your documents and personal files to the new account. Delete the old account (you will no longer be using this) and switch over to the new one. After switching to the new local account, add the Microsoft account to it.

Method Two: Delete user ID, Store cache from the registry

• You will need to open the Registry Editor. Do this by pressing the Windows Key and R, then typing in “Regedit”. After this is typed in, press Enter or click the OK button to start the registry editor.
• When this starts, you will need to navigate all the way to the following key on the left pane:
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionAppxAppxAllUserStore After this, find the key that is similar to this: S-1-5-21-1505978256-3813739684-4272618129-1016
• NOTE: this is just an example. The keys will be in a similar format but will not look exactly like this.
• Select all the keys that look like this, and then delete them. After these keys are deleted, close the Registry Editor and restart the computer.

Method Three: Check to see if BITS, MSI Installer, Cryptographic, and Windows Update Services are running

Press the Windows key and R. Then, type in services.msc. After the Services window starts up, find the following services:  BITS, MSI Installer, Cryptographic, and Windows Update Services. When these services are found, make sure that they are up and running. If one or more of these services is not running, make sure that they are started. To do this, select the service and then click on Start the Service.

Method Four: Windows Update Troubleshooting

Press the Windows key plus W and then type in “troubleshooting”.  Select Troubleshooting. On the top left corner, select View All. Click on Windows Update troubleshooter. After this, follow the on-screen instructions in order to run the troubleshooter. After the troubleshooter has run, the issue should be fixed.

Congratulations, you have just fixed Error Code 0x80070490 in Windows 10 all by yourself. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily. Now that’s how you fix Error Code 0x80070490 in Windows 10 on a computer. On the other hand, if your computer is going through some system-related issues that have to get fixed, there is a one-click solution known as Restoro you could check out to resolve them. This program is a useful tool that could repair corrupted registries and optimize your PC’s overall performance. Aside from that, it also cleans out your computer for any junk or corrupted files that help you eliminate any unwanted files from your system. This is basically a solution that’s within your grasp with just a click. It’s easy to use as it is user-friendly. For a complete set of instructions in downloading and using it, refer to the steps below Perform a full system scan using Restoro. To do so, follow the instructions below.

1. 1. 1. Download and install Restoro from the official site.
      2. Once the installation process is completed, run Restoro to perform a full system scan.
      3. After the scan is completed click the “Start Repair” button.

Computer viruses are malicious applications that have the ability to self replicate and spread over the system and various devices, just like viruses in organisms. We all know that computer viruses are bad and that you should avoid them however you can. So in this spirit, we are taking a deeper dive into what kind of viruses exist and how they function.

1. File-infecting Virus

A virus that attached itself to an executable program. It is also called a parasitic virus which typically infects files with .exe or .com extensions. Some file infectors can overwrite host files and others can damage your hard drive’s formatting.

2. Macro Virus

This type of virus is commonly found in programs such as Microsoft Word or Excel. These viruses are usually stored as part of a document and can spread when the files are transmitted to other computers, often through email attachments.

3. Browser Hijacker

This virus targets and alters your browser setting. It is often called a browser redirect virus because it redirects your browser to other malicious websites that you don’t have any intention of visiting. This virus can pose other threats such as changing the default home page of your browser.

4. Web Scripting Virus

A very sneaky virus that targets popular websites. What this virus does is overwrite code on a website and insert links that can install malicious software on your device. Web scripting viruses can steal your cookies and use the information to post on your behalf on the infected website.

5. Boot Sector Virus

These viruses are once common back when computers are booted from floppy disks. Today, these viruses are found distributed in forms of physical media such as external hard drives or USB. If the computer is infected with a boot sector virus, it automatically loads into the memory enabling control of your computer.

6. Polymorphic Virus

This virus has the capability to evade anti-virus programs since it can change codes every time an infected file is performed.

7. Resident Virus

A resident virus stores itself on your computer’s memory which allows it to infect files on your computer. This virus can interfere with your operating system leading to file and program corruption.

8. Multipartite Virus

A type of virus that is very infectious and can easily spread on your computer system. It can infect multiple parts of a system including memory, files, and boot sector which makes it difficult to contain.

As you know, Windows 10 has a complicated mechanism for Activation which helps in the verification of a genuine copy of Windows 10. However, there are times when you might encounter some errors during the activation process. One of these errors is the error code 0xc000f074. This kind of error could be due to the Key Management Service or KMS which is unreachable by the client computer or if the key used in the SLSetAuthenticationData function call is incorrect. This kind of error mostly affects surfaces on computers that are upgraded from either Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. In such cases, you may encounter any of the following error messages:

“Windows is unable to reach your company’s activation service. Please connect to your corporate network. If you are connected and continue to see the error, contact your system administrator. You can also click on the error detail to find the exact error. Error code: 0xC004F074.” “Activating Windows(R), (Key hash)… Error: 0xC004F074 The Software Licensing Service reported that the computer could not be activated. No Key Management Service (KMS) could be contacted. Please see the Application Event Log for additional information.” “Error 0xC004F074, SL_E_AUTHN_MISMATCHED_KEY, The Software Licensing Service reported that the key is mismatched.”

To fix the Windows 10 Activation error 0xC004F078, you have to use the correct key for your type of Windows copy or use Command Prompt to reinstall the key or you could also try running the Activation troubleshooter.

Option 1 – Try running the Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter

The first thing you can do to resolve the Activation error code 0xc000f074 is to run the Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter. To do so, follow these steps:

• Go to Settings and then select Activation.
• After that, click on the Windows Activation and then troubleshoot. This will help you address most of the commonly found activation issues in Windows devices.

The Windows 10 Activation Troubleshooter will determine if your license key is a valid Windows 10 digital license for an edition that is not currently installed. If it turns out that it’s not, then the troubleshooter will show you how to install the correct edition.

Option 2 – Try to use the correct key for the type of Windows version you have

If the Windows Activation troubleshooter wasn’t able to resolve the error, then you can try using the correct key for your type of Windows version. All you have to do so is check the type of your Windows copy if it’s OEM, retail, or volume. And make sure that you have the correct, valid product key for your operating system.

Option 3 – Try to use Command Prompt to reinstall the key

• In the Start Search, type “command prompt” and right-click on Command Prompt from the search results, and then select “Run as administrator”.
• After that, execute this command to uninstall the existing key: vbs /upk
• Next, you need to install the KMS product key by executing this command: vbs /ipk <The KMS Product Key>
• Once you’re done, you will see a prompt that’ll tell you whether the operation was either successful or not.
• To active, the KMS product key online, use this command: vbs /ato
• Use this command to activate the key using the telephone: exe 4
• After you’ve activated the KMS product key, restart the Software Protection Service. You can also verify the Activation Status to check if your fix was successful or not.

Option 4 – Contact Microsoft Support for assistance

If you’re at your wits’ end in trying to upgrade your computer, you should consider contacting Microsoft Support for help as they can offer you various options that would make fixing Windows Activation error code 0xc000f074 a lot easier and faster.

Steam has cemented itself as the largest digital game shop in the World. First, release all the way back on September 12^th, 2003, it was meant to be a standalone software client aimed to deliver updates to Valve’s games. It was soon expanded to include titles from third parties. The greatest Steam expansion and its popularity started in 2004 with the release of Half-life 2. Steam allowed prepurchased editions to be downloaded before the official release of the game making it available for play the moment it was officially out. Very soon after Steam gained its popularity, Valve has opened doors to other developers and offered them to use Steam as means for a digital distribution platform. Today it hosts over 30000 different game titles, not including DLC or applications. And how soon Valve’s steam deck is coming out soon we would like to share some great tips and tricks about Steam itself for easy everyday gaming.

Steam guard account security

Security of any of your accounts should be something that you really take seriously. So as always use a strong password for Steam but if you want an extra layer of security for it, and you should, use the Steam built-in feature: Guard Account Security. In order to activate Security Guard go to Steam>Settings>Account>Manage Steam Guard Account Security. Once enabled you will be able to use the Steam mobile application for special code when opening Steam or your email address.

Use Steam beta feature

Once a Steam account is created by default you will download and install the client. In the client, you will have the latest features available but there are more Steam features than default ones, beta features that can offer some improved and new functionality, and do not worry, they are stable and bug-free. I have been in Steam beta for years and not even once have I had any issues with the client itself but I have always had the latest features that will come to regular users later. To enable beta participation to go to Steam>Settings>Account, open the drop-down Beta participation menu, and choose Steam Beta Update. Confirm on OK and restart the Steam client. You will now get all the latest features first.

Manage your library via Collections

The collection is a neat idea for organizing your large game library into different collections or sections easily expanded and contracted for easier navigation and organization. To add the game to a collection just right-click on it and select Add To>New Collection, make a name for a collection like action, RPG, or whatever rocks your boat, and you are done. Once the collection is created other games can be added to it simply just by dragging it into the desired collection.

Make shelves

Shelves are ways to see your collections in the larger areas of the Steam clients. By clicking Add Shelf>Choose a Shelf, you can now add your collection to a shelf on the larger part of the client as a horizontal scrolling container with your chosen games. There are also some predefined shelves like All Games, Recent friend activity, and more.

Hide Game from Library

By right-clicking on a game and selecting Manage>Hide This Game you will remove the game from the active view of your Steam library. Note that the game will still be owned and a part of your library, you will just not be able to see it. This is a great feature when for example you have some things that came as a part of the game pack you are not really interested in when you have 2 different versions of the same game as for example standard and deluxe edition or just by simply not wanting to have game visible in the library. You can find a hidden game by typing its name in the search box and from there you can unhide it.

Play game soundtracks inside Steam

Some games offer you to purchase their soundtracks if you like music from them and some even include OST with a regular purchase. Steam lets you play these soundtracks and even lets you import your own music library folder into it in order to play all of your music inside the client itself. It has even options to automatically stop music playing once the game is run and you can make playlists as well. Your purchased game soundtracks are automatically included, the rest you will need to add by pointing Steam to the folder where you keep music in.

Configure gamepad

Inside Steam, you can configure your gamepad’s general settings, big picture settings, desktop settings, etc. Steam embraced the idea that many OC users these days own and play with gamepads so it has implemented configuration options inside it. To configure your pad go to Steam>Settings>Controller.

Use big picture Steam mode

Big picture mode is Steam's idea of making Steam an entertainment center. Once it is activated it switches from the application into full-screen mode aimed at large TV screens or monitors. You can easily navigate through it via gamepad, mouse, keyboard, or other devices. You have access to the store, your game library, etc. Same as your typical steam app but a little different. You can easily activate it via View> Big Picture Mode and see for yourself is this something you prefer over a standard application layout.

Enable Steam Cloud

Steam Cloud is a great feature that uses cloud storage to save your game progress meaning that you can easily switch to another PC, install games there and continue where you have left off. Many games support this feature instead of keeping saves locally and it is a great feature worth turning it ON. To turn and use Steam Cloud service go to Steam>Settings>Cloud>Enable Steam Cloud Synchronization. Just remember to check does game you are playing supports this option.

Share your Games via Family sharing

Family sharing is a Steam feature allowing you to share your game library with up to 5 accounts on up to 10 different devices. This is a great way to let other members of your family or even close friends enjoy some games you have or vice versa. They will get as well their own save games so you can sleep safe knowing that your progress can not be changed or hindered. Family sharing can be turned ON by logging into PC Steam client where you would like to share your library and navigate to Steam>Settings>Family and then clicking on Authorize Library Sharing On This Computer.

Refund a game

Sometimes the game is not the same as advertised, sometimes it will not work on your PC, sometimes hardware specifications are too high making the game unplayable, etc. For whatever reason, you might have Steam offers you a full game price refund if you wish to do so, you only need to meet 2 criteria, the game must have been purchased within 2 weeks period, older purchases cannot be refunded, and your game playtime must not be over 2 hours of game time. If you fit into this category all you need to do in order to get the full money back is going to Help>Steam Support, pick a recent game from the eligible list, and ask for a refund.

Gift a game

As you can buy gifts for your friends or loved ones in real life, Valve made sure you can do it in digital as well. Gifting game via Steam is simple and straightforward. Choose a game you wish to gift, go to your shopping cart and instead of clicking Purchase for myself, click on Purchase As a Gift, from there you will be taken to your friend list to choose to whom you would like to gift a game along with the option to write a little note to the receiver like happy birthday, enjoy or whatever.

Stream games in Steam itself

Although Steam is not there yet in streaming as Twitch or Facebook gaming is, there is an option to stream your game sessions on it. Click on Steam>Settings>Broadcast to make all adjustments and start streaming. You can also watch streams from your friend list and Steam is now broadcasting popular streams directly to its client if you want to watch it.

Take a game screenshot

By pressing F12, you can take a screenshot from any game and save it inside your Steam cloud library. You can change of course this default screenshot key via Settings>In-Game and if you would like to see your screenshots you can always do it under View Screenshot Library on a game’s page. That’s it, our Steam tips and tricks for easy and good gaming life, I hope to see you soon on errortools.com for your daily articles, tips, and tricks.

If your USB keeps disconnecting and reconnecting after you connect your USB device on its own randomly, then the problem might have something to do with a hardware or driver issue. The first thing you have to do in such a case is to make sure that the device is working on another computer. This will help you isolate the problem and if it turns out that it works, then the problem lies in your computer and not your USB device. To fix this connection problem between your USB device and Windows 10 computer, you can use the options given below as a reference.

Option 1 – Update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller driver

Since it could be a driver issue, you can try to update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers using the Device Manager. Refer to the following steps:

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.

Note: If it is a regular USB drive, then it will be listed as a USB Mass Storage Device but if you have a USB 3.0 device, then look for a USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller.

• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

Note: If updating the USB Controller drivers didn’t work, you can try to reinstall them instead.

Option 2 – Try to change the USB port

You might want to change the USB port since modern computers have a variety of USB ports. So if your USB drive supports USB 3.0 or 3.1, make sure that you plug it inside a USB 3.0 or 3.1 ports. If you’re not sure which port, just keep in mind that the USB 3 port is usually blue or you can also use your computer’s documentation or manual as a reference to locate it.

Option 3 – Try to turn off the Power Saving option

You could also try to turn off the Power Saving option to resolve the problem. All you have to do is switch to Power Management after you select the Properties of the USB device and from there, uncheck the “Allow the computer to turn off the device to save power” option. On the other hand, if you are using a laptop and did not use the USB device for a long time, then it could be powered off. This will ensure that the system does not turn off the USB device.

Option 4 – Try to reinstall the latest Universal Serial Bus controller drivers in Compatibility Mode

If you were unable to install the Universal Serial Bus controller drivers you’ve downloaded, you can try installing them again but this time using Compatibility mode. Follow the steps below to do so:

• You need to download the driver and place it on your desktop.
• After that, right-click on it and select Properties.
• Next, switch to the Compatibility tab where you should see two options:
  • Compatibility troubleshooter, and let Windows figure out what works best for you. If it fails, follow the next.
  • Manually choose the version of Windows it was correctly working.
• Now right-click on the file and select the “Run as administrator” option to install. After that, you should now be able to change your screen aspect ratio to what you were using early on.

Note: If you have other programs that won’t work on the existing version of Windows, then make sure to run the program in a Compatibility mode.

Option 5 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooters

• 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 next option given below.