The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says it needs congressional authority in order to obtain the information needed to regulate cryptocurrency. “We get challenged frequently and to have a clear dictate from Congress on the authority for us to collect that information is critical,” IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said. IRS Says It Needs More Authority to Collect Crypto Data IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said Tuesday during a Senate Finance Committee hearing that the IRS needs more authority to do its job in regulating cryptocurrency. He said: I think we need congressional authority. We get challenged frequently and to have a clear dictate from Congress on the authority for us to collect that information is critical. The commissioner noted that the cryptocurrency market is growing and its value is now approximately $2 trillion, with more than 8,600 exchanges worldwide. The Biden administration has proposed requiring businesses to report information on cryptocurrency transactions valued at more than $10,000 to the IRS. This is part of the administration’s broader efforts to crack down on tax evasion. “Cryptocurrency already poses a significant detection problem by facilitating illegal activity broadly including tax evasion,” the U.S. Treasury Department stated. Rettig opined: Most crypto, virtual currencies are designed to stay off the radar screen. The IRS recently issued John Doe summonses to cryptocurrency exchanges Circle, including Poloniex, and Kraken to obtain records of their cryptocurrency users. The tax agency seeks “information about U.S. taxpayers who conducted at least the equivalent of $20,000 in transactions in cryptocurrency during the years 2016 to 2020” on these exchanges. The summonses direct the exchanges to “produce records identifying the U.S. taxpayers described above, along with other documents relating to their cryptocurrency transactions.” Robert Wearing, IRS’ deputy associate chief counsel for Procedure & Administration, said last month that the agency will seize cryptocurrencies and sell them to satisfy tax collection if taxpayers fail to meet their tax obligations. In March, the IRS launched Operation Hidden Treasure to target unreported crypto income.

U.K.-based crypto payments provider Bottlepay has started offering services in other European countries. Users on the Old Continent will be able to send and receive even small amounts of euro and also buy, store and spend bitcoin with merchants accepting cryptocurrency. Bottlepay Promises Low-Cost Transactions in Euro and Bitcoin The Bottlepay app will allow Europeans to make instant cross-border payments using the Eurozone’s common fiat currency, the euro, as well as bitcoin (BTC). The startup, which launched its service in the U.K. earlier this year, promises to process these transactions at a low cost. It announced its upcoming European expansion on social media before the weekend. The app can be downloaded via a link sent to mobile devices. Starting Tuesday, European residents will be able to top it up with euros to buy bitcoin or make payments. U.K. users can send and receive British pounds and BTC, and also set the app to convert funds sent to Europe into euro or cryptocurrency. Bottlepay Founder Pete Cheyne was quoted by Yahoo Finance saying: Bottlepay is attempting to rewrite the rules when it comes to cross-border transactions. Half a billion people across the U.K. and Europe can now make cost-effective, instant payments to each other with a payments app that’s built on top of the Bitcoin network. Users Can Buy Crypto, Send Money via Twitter The platform supports orders via Twitter. Funds can be transferred with a simple command such as “@bottlepay send @recipient €10.” Buying bitcoin with the bot is also simple. Tweeting “@bottlepay buy €10 of BTC” will immediately convert the fiat amount to crypto within your account. The company plans to offer the service on Reddit, Telegram, Discord, and Twitch as well. Both Brits and other Europeans can use the application to make BTC payments at stores and online merchants accepting the cryptocurrency. Bottlepay facilitates Lightning Network transactions. Crypto users can also withdraw money from Bitcoin ATMs around the world. As a participant in the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority’s Innovation Hub, Bottlepay managed to sign up more than 20,000 users for a beta version of its mobile application. The British crypto payments startup is backed by billionaire Alan Howard, co-founder of the Brevan Howard hedge fund. This year, Bottlepay raised 11 million pounds (around $15.5 million) in seed funding from Howard and other investors including “present and former” Goldman Sachs partners. The startup was founded in 2019 but December of that year saw the company announce it was ceasing operations due to new, stricter EU anti-money laundering regulations at the time

The crypto trading platform Coinseed is shutting down operations according to a written statement from the company’s CEO Delgerdalai Davaasambuu. A court order secured by New York Attorney General Letitia James told Coinseed to halt all of its operations. Following the announcement of the shutdown, Coinseed’s CEO said he created an ERC20 token called “FLJ” that’s dedicated to Attorney James “and her cronies.” New York Attorney General Letitia James Obtains Court Order, Agency Claims 170 Complaints Filed Coinseed is calling it quits after the firm was served with a court order to continue “a mandated pause” on operations. Bitcoin.com News reported during the first week of May when James announced that the attorney general took “legal action” against Coinseed. The platform was also instructed by the U.S. government to “immediately halt” all operations. The court order obtained by the New York Attorney General (NYAG) and the press release that followed, said that the shutdown is meant to ensure the “protection of investors’ money going forward.” Moreover, the NYAG claimed it obtained more than 170 complaints from investors involved with Coinseed operations. “When platforms operating illegally in New York seek to trade on investors’ money, we will use every tool at our disposal to stop their unlawful actions,” said Attorney General James. “This order appoints a court-appointed receiver before any other investments are squandered by Coinseed and its CEO. We will not allow rogue operators to hold innocent investors’ funds hostage,” the NYAG added. Coinseed CEO Tells NY Crypto Operators To Run Away, FLJ Token Created for ‘NYAG and Her Cronies’ The company’s CEO Delgerdalai Davaasambuu wrote on the website coinseed.co that the company’s “fatal mistake” was its association with the state of New York. In 2017, Coinseed conducted an initial coin offering (ICO) and the CEO claims it was raised from “non-US investors (mostly European) to support Coinseed’s future development.” “Immediately upon our ICO, they subpoenaed us over the ICO and they have been constantly harassing us for the last 3 years,” the Coinseed executive stressed. He added: Run away from NY if you are running a crypto business there. The Coinseed CEO also detailed that he created a token for “NYAG Letitia James and her cronies” and it’s called FLJ (F*** Letita James). Davaasambuu left the FLJ contract address and told people to check it out. It will be listed on a myriad of decentralized finance (defi) platforms soon and “will be available for trading,” Davaasambuu concluded. “I’ll also donate some FLJ token to the NYAG office to support their other causes,” the Coinseed CEO said at the end of his letter.

The bill to make bitcoin legal tender in El Salvador has been approved by a supermajority in the Salvadoran Congress. “The purpose of this law is to regulate bitcoin as unrestricted legal tender with liberating power, unlimited in any transaction, and to any title that public or private natural or legal persons require carrying out,” the bill describes. Bill to Make Bitcoin Legal Tender Approved by Congress in El Salvador The bill to make bitcoin legal tender has passed Congress in El Salvador. President Nayib Bukele announced via Twitter early Wednesday morning: “The Bitcoin Law has been approved by a supermajority in the Salvadoran Congress. 62 out of 84 votes. History.” The bill was sent to Congress late Tuesday night; it contains 16 articles. Article 1 states: The purpose of this law is to regulate bitcoin as unrestricted legal tender with liberating power, unlimited in any transaction, and to any title that public or private natural or legal persons require carrying out. The bill details that the exchange rate between bitcoin and the U.S. dollar “will be freely established by the market” and the “prices may be expressed in bitcoin.” Furthermore, “tax contributions can be paid in bitcoin,” the bill adds, noting: “Exchanges in bitcoin will not be subject to capital gains tax, just like any legal tender.” In addition, bitcoin must be accepted as payment by anyone offering goods and services. Article 12 notes that those who “do not have access to the technologies that allow to carry out transactions in bitcoin are excluded from the obligation” to accept bitcoin as payments. “The State will promote the necessary training and mechanisms so that the population can access bitcoin transactions.” Article 14 explains: Before the entry into force of this law, the State will guarantee, through the creation of a trust at the Banco de Desarrollo de EI Salvador (BANDESAL), the automatic and instantaneous convertibility of bitcoin to USD necessary for the alternatives provided by the State. According to the bill: “This decree will take effect ninety days after its publication in the Official Gazette.” The full bill can be found here.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he “pretty much” agrees with Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin about a collaboration between Dogecoin and Ethereum. Buterin said: “if we can have a secure Doge-to-Ethereum bridge. That would be amazing.” Vitalik Buterin Talks About Dogecoin and Ethereum Bridge, Elon Musk Agrees Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin talked about a potential collaboration between Ethereum and Dogecoin in an interview with AI researcher Lex Fridman last week. Referring to the Tesla and Spacex CEO repeatedly tweeting about dogecoin, Fridman said, “There’s a power behind someone like Elon Musk pushing the development of a cryptocurrency.” He then asked Buterin, “is there a way to leverage that power and momentum to improve Ethereum?” Buterin said: If DOGE wants to somehow bridge to Ethereum, and then people can trade DOGE thousands of times a second inside of loopring, then that would be amazing. “I definitely don’t think Ethereum is opposed to dog coins,” the co-founder emphasized. “I kind of want the fans to feel like Ethereum is, at least a little bit, in spirit itself a dog coin.” He elaborated: “I think if we can have a secure Doge-to-Ethereum bridge. That would be amazing, and then when Ethereum gets any scalability that works for Ethereum assets, you would be able to trade wrapped DOGE with very low transaction fees and very high speed as well.” Commenting on Musk’s action to support dogecoin, Buterin said: “You would make a mistake if you were to ascribe too much sophisticated malevolence or any deep intentionality to the whole process. He’s just a human being, and he likes dogs just like I like dogs.” Musk then commented on the interview, tweeting: I pretty much agree with Vitalik. Ethereum is currently undergoing an upgrade transitioning from a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus model to a proof-of-stake (PoS) model. Buterin recently explained why the upgrade is taking longer than expected. “One of the biggest problems I’ve found with our project is not the technical problems, it’s problems related with people … Ethereum is now in a better economic position, but it took us five years to get to where we are now. We have a lot of internal team conflicts in these five years. If you are building a team, it is important to know who you are working with,” the Ethereum co-founder described. Last month, Musk proposed some improvements for Dogecoin, claiming to have met with DOGE developers. Musk wrote: “Ideally, Doge speeds up block time 10X, increases block size 10X & drops fee 100X. Then it wins hands down.”

If you have or are continuously experiencing a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) with a stopcode stating “IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL” then this post is for you. Windows 10 is having increasing BSoDs by the day, but we are here to guide you on how to fix them. IRQL stands for Interrupt Request Level which is a means for Windows to prioritize the interrupts that come from the processor. For instance, if an interrupt is generated by the processor with a greater priority than the processes already executing, the IRQL will put the running processes on hold while executing the process with higher priority. Quick Summary [hide] 1 Fix IRQL Not Less Or Equal BSoD In Windows 10 1.1 Determine faulty drivers 1.2 Update/reinstall faulty driver 1.3 Disable/uninstall third-party antivirus software 1.4 Scan for corrupted system files 1.5 Update your operating system 1.6 Uninstall the Windows update 2 Closing words 2.1 Also Read: The “IRQL not less or equal” BSoD usually comes with the name of the source file causing the error. These could be any one of the following, but not limited to: kbdclass.sys ntoskrnl.exe usbxhci.sys ql2300.sys epfwwfp.sys e1c62x64.sys rdbss.sys rdyboost.sys rtkhdaud.sys rtwlane.sys tcpip.sys tap0901.sys tdx.sys usbport.sys usbhub.sys igdkmd64.sys netio.sys As you may find upon further investigation, the majority of the files associated with the “IRQL not less or equal” BSoD are associated with drivers or devices that have a corrupted driver. This BSoD occurs when Windows or a kernel-mode driver tries to access a pagefile memory at a process IRQL that was too high and invalid. Under such circumstances, a stopcode is thrown and the blue screen appears while shutting down the computer so that it does not damage any other software or hardware. The “IRQL not less or equal” BSoD can occur while the computer is attempting to boot or performing a task that involves an invalid driver installation. It is also possible that CPU overclocking may have something to do with the error, or a third-party antivirus is blocking a driver from performing its function properly. More or less, this error is mostly associated with a faulty piece of software, which is usually a driver, or a configuration which the device cannot handle. Let us continue to see how we can fix this issue to have a smooth Windows experience. Fix IRQL Not Less Or Equal BSoD In Windows 10 Determine faulty drivers The first order of business should be to investigate the file that is said to be the source of the error when the BSoD occurred. Note down the file name and search for the associated driver on the internet. Here is a list of the most commonly corrupted files and their associated drivers: kbdclass.sys – Associated with a keyboard driver. Users have reported that the “IRQL no less or equal” error almost instantaneously occurs as soon as they plug in the keyboard. Updating the driver is said to resolve the error. ntoskrnl.exe – This executable is responsible for various kernel services like hardware virtualization, etc. It can be associated with a number of different drivers, but users have reported that it is mostly caused by Realtek audio drivers. usbxhci.sys – Associated with USB port driver. ql2300.sys – Associated with QLogic Fibre Channel Stor Miniport Driver. epfwwfp.sys – Associated with ESET Personal Firewall software. e1c62x64.sys – Associated with Intel’s network port driver. rdbss.sys – This file is associated with Windows OS. Updating your system or fixing the corrupted file is said to have fixed the issue. rdyboost.sys – This file is associated with Windows OS. Updating your system or fixing the corrupted file is said to have fixed the issue. rtkhdaud.sys – Associated with Realtek HD audio chipset driver. rtwlane.sys – Associated with Realtek Wireless LAN driver. tcpip.sys – This file is responsible for running the TCP/IP protocol on your device. Resetting the TCP/IP stack or updating your OS has reportedly fixed the issue. tap0901.sys – This file is associated with AP-Win32 Adapter V9 or OpenVPN driver or Comodo VPN. It is recommended that you re-install the software to fix the issue. tdx.sys – Associated with Broadcom network adapter. usbport.sys – Associated with a USB port. usbhub.sys – Associated with a USB port. igdkmd64.sys – Associated with Intel’s graphics driver. netio.sys – Associated with network driver. If you come across a file other than these, then we suggest you look it up on the internet for further elaboration. Update/reinstall faulty driver Once you figure out which driver is causing the “IRQL not less or equal” BSoD, we suggest that you either update it or reinstall it immediately. To update a malfunctioning driver, open the Device Manager by typing in devmgmt.msc in Run. Now, look for the device with a faulty driver and then right-click it. From the context menu, click Update Driver. In the pop-up window, click Search automatically for drivers. The wizard will now search online for any updated drivers available. Once installed, restart the computer. However, if the driver update fails, we suggest that you go to the manufacturer’s website and manually download and install the driver package. Or you can also search for and install device drivers automatically. If the driver cannot be updated, we suggest that you uninstall the device and then reinstall the driver. To do so, open the Device Manager again, right-click the device with the faulty driver and click Uninstall device from the context menu. You will then be asked if you want to remove the driver as well. Check the box and click Uninstall. Once removed, reinstall the driver using the manufacturer’s website and you will have a fresh version of the file causing the problem. Disable/uninstall third-party antivirus software Antivirus often causes hindrance in the normal functionality of the OS by blocking certain files and items that may seem malicious, but in fact, are not. Therefore, we suggest that you completely remove any third-party antiviruses, restart the computer, and check if the issue has been resolved. If you do not encounter Blue Screen of Death again, we suggest you do not use the same antivirus again, but go for better, paid software. Alternatively, you can also keep using the Windows Defender Antivirus as well that comes built-in with Windows 10. Scan for corrupted system files Windows 10 comes with a built-in tool to fix system files that may have been corrupted. This tool is the System File Checker (SFC) which automatically repairs corrupted system files that may be redundantly available on your PC, or have just gone missing. What it does is replace any damaged or missing files. Perform the following to run the tool: Launch Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges and then enter the following command: sfc /scannow Now allow some time for the command to fully run and scan your PC, and make any fixes if possible along the way. Restart the computer. Once done, recheck if the issue persists. Update your operating system If you think that the file causing the error is a critical system file, you should also try updating your OS. Often, the update includes a fresh copy of the files and can replace the corrupted ones. To check for any pending Windows updates, open the Windows Update page in the Settings app and click Check for updates. Windows will now automatically download and install any outstanding updates. Please ensure that they are installed successfully and then restart the computer. Uninstall the Windows update A Windows update can often seem to be the problem causing the BSoDs. It can be because of a known issue with the update or an irregular installation as well. A simple solution for this is to uninstall the update altogether. You can remove a Windows update using the following method: Open Command Prompt (Run –> cmd) Run the following command: wmic qfe list brief /format:table This will show all the updates installed on the computer. Make sure the relevant updates are on the list. To uninstall the update, run the following command wusa /uninstall /kb:5000842 Replace the KB number in the command above and restart your computer once the update is uninstalled. Another method to uninstall a troubling update is through the Control Panel. Open the Programs & Features page in the Control Panel and then click View installed updates on the left. Double-click on the update you want to remove and then click Uninstall when prompted for a confirmation. Closing words Don’t panic when you experience a bluescreen of death; there is most likely a solution out there without having to reinstall your OS entirely. IRQL not less or equal error could have many originating reasons, as you may have learned from this post. However, it is not impossible to solve the issue.

You may have experienced a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) on your Windows PC stating “System thread exception not handled (Dxgmms2.sys).” This is usually experienced while gaming or performing tasks that require heavy graphics rendering. There is no one reason why this exception may be thrown, but there are a few workarounds for it. In this article, we discuss various ways through which you can prevent experiencing the same Blue Screen of Death error again on the hardware that you are currently using. Fix Dxgmms2 sys BSOD Windows 10 Quick Summary [hide] 1 What is Dxgmms2.sys 2 How to fix Dxgmms2.sys BSoD 2.1 Troubleshoot hardware 2.2 Update drivers 2.3 Run DirectX diagnostics tool 2.4 Reset complete BIOS settings 2.5 Increase tdrdelay time 2.6 Disable sleep mode 2.7 Disable hardware acceleration 3 Closing words 3.1 Also Read: What is Dxgmms2.sys Dxgmms2.sys is a critical file in Windows that is responsible for the graphics rendering capabilities of your computer. If it cannot handle the rendering process it will throw exception which results in a blue screen of death. Therefore the entire computer will need to be restarted to repair the problem. There are several possible causes for the dxgmms2.sys error: Faulty RAM modules/Hard disk. Incompatible firmware. Outdated/corrupted drivers. Unable to cope with hardware acceleration. Corrupted BIOS. How to fix Dxgmms2.sys BSoD There are several ways you can troubleshoot your PC to overcome the Dxgmms2.sys BSoD. The following steps should be performed sequentially until your problem is resolved, since any one of‌ ‌them‌ ‌ could‌ ‌be‌ ‌affecting‌ ‌your‌ ‌computer’s‌ ‌rendering‌ ‌capabilities. Troubleshoot hardware We suggest that you start by making sure that your hardware, such as RAM, GPU, and the hard drive is functioning normally. You can start by removing your RAM modules, cleaning them as well as the bay, and plugging them back in one-by-one to check if any of the modules are faulty. Also, remove your GPU and clean it as well as its bay. For the hard drive, we recommend that you use any third-party tools to check and monitor its health. Update drivers An outdated or corrupted driver can also throw in an exception as it is unable to perform at its optimized configurations. We suggest that you make sure that you have the latest driver for your GPU installed. You can download the latest drivers for your GPUs on the manufacturer’s website. Download and install the latest drivers for NVIDIA GPUs using this guide, and refer to our GPU section for the latest drivers for Intel GPUs. For AMD drivers, refer to their website. Run DirectX diagnostics tool DirectX is a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that enhances your multimedia experience on a computer. It has a built-in diagnostics tool in Windows 10 that displays all the current information about the graphics hardware as well as the associated software. To run the tool, type in dxdiag in Run. Once the tool launches, switch to the Display tab and check if the 3 features under DirectX Features are enabled. If not, then there might be a compatibility problem with the driver and the GPU. If you cannot get the feature to run, then you may have to re-install DirectX on your PC. You can download all versions of DirectX from this post. Reset complete BIOS settings A misconfigured BIOS can also lead to BSODs on your PC. Therefore, if your issue has not yet been resolved, we recommend that you reset your BIOS settings entirely. The process to reset BIOS settings is almost the same on any computer, regardless of the manufacturer. Enter your system BIOS using the respective method given in this post. Then, scroll through different pages and look for “Reset BIOS” or “Restore to default settings.” Usually, this can be found on the Save & Exit page or on the Security page. Press Enter and then select Yes to reset the settings. Increase tdrdelay time TdrDelay is the time delay the GPU takes before preempting the GPU scheduler. This value is set in seconds, and by default, its value is 2. This can be changed through the Registry Editor, which we are going to show you how. First, we recommend that you create a system restore point for your operating system, as any mistake in setting up the system registry could be fatal to your system’s functionality. Now launch the Registry Editor by typing in regedit in Run. Once open, paste the following in the address bar at the top and hit Enter. This will automatically open the destination location: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers Now right-click GraphicsDrivers in the left pane, expand New, and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value. When created, name this new DWORD as TdrDelay. Double-click TdrDelay and set its Value Data to 10. This will ensure that the GPU preempts the Scheduler after 10 seconds, rather than 2. Of course, a system restart will be required before the changes take effect. Disable sleep mode This does not happen often, but the displays of the computers sometimes go into sleep mode, even when the GPU is being used. When the display attempts to return to wake mode, the computer encounters a Dxgmms2.sys exception. Therefore, you need to disable your computer’s sleep mode. Here are 4 ways to prevent your computer from going to sleep. Disable hardware acceleration The purpose of hardware acceleration is to give the best performance while eating up more power. However, it is of no use if it becomes the reason for BSODs. Hardware acceleration may occasionally throw the Dxgmms2.sys exception. Therefore, you need to disable it and check if the problem is resolved. To disable hardware acceleration system-wide, launch the Registry Editor by typing in regedit in Run. Then, paste the following path in the address bar at the top: Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Avalon.Graphics Now create a new DWORD (as in the previous section) and name it DisableHWAcceleration. When created, set its Value Data to 1. As per routine, your system will require a reboot so that the changes take effect. Closing words It is very frustrating to be in the middle of a game and suddenly everything stops working. Thus, do not wait for the next BSoD to appear and utilize‌ ‌the‌ ‌troubleshooting‌ ‌steps‌ ‌given‌ ‌in‌ ‌this‌ ‌post‌ ‌to‌ ‌rectify‌ ‌the‌ ‌issue‌ ‌ before‌ ‌it‌ ‌occurs‌ ‌again.

Are you experiencing Blue Screen of Death with the error message, APC Index mismatch? Continue reading for a solution. The Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) is pushed off as the computer shuts down abruptly. This is because your operating system no longer knows how to handle the process causing the error and shuts down the computer in order to prevent it from damaging anything. The Asynchronous Procedure Call (APC) is a function that is explicitly designed to run outside the main function. The APC Index Mismatch indicates an inconsistency between the number of processes entering an area of operation and the number of processes leaving it. When such a thing happens, no other process can run, resulting in a system crash. The APC Index Mismatch usually points towards a file causing an error with a bugcheck code as well. Another common issue is because of an outdated or corrupted video or audio driver. The most common files that cause this error are: ntoskrnl.exe fltmgr.sys wdf01000.sys win32k.sys win32kfull.sys vhdmp.sys rtkvhd64.sys The bugcheck code could be any of the following: 0x0000001 0xC6869B62 0x97503177 0x02A7DA8A If you have encountered such an error, continue reading down the thread to rectify the problem. Fix APC Index Mismatch BSoD In Windows 10 Uninstall Windows 10 Cumulative Update KB5000802 Microsoft had recently released a Cumulative Update KB5000802 for Windows 10 versions 2004 and 20H2. However, this update has caused an APC Index Mismatch BSoD on the majority of devices that have installed this update. Microsoft is also aware of the problem and has also mentioned it as a “Known issue” on the update’s page. Although Microsoft has already recalled the update and is currently working on fixing the issue, if you still have it installed on your PC, follow the guide below. If you are facing BSoD upon startup, you can resort to uninstalling the update without booting into the computer at all. Otherwise, follow the guide below to remove the update from within the OS. Since the update is mostly installed using Windows Update, it will not be listed in the list of updates in the Control Panel, but you should be able to see it in the command line: Open Command Prompt (Run –> cmd) Run the following command: wmic qfe list brief /format:table This will show all the updates installed on the computer. Make sure the relevant updates are on the list. To uninstall the update, run the following command wusa /uninstall /kb:5000802 Restart your computer once the update is uninstalled. Install other pending Windows updates Although a Windows update is causing the APC Index Mismatch BSoD, others can fix the problem. It is reported that certain users often encounter the prompt while using a camera on Skype and other communication platforms. This is occasionally because an updated driver is incompatible with an outdated OS. To update your Windows OS, open the Windows Update page within the Settings app and click Check for updates. The system will then automatically scan, download and install any pending updates. If the KB5000802 is already installed, we suggest that you remove it immediately. Reinstall Realtek High Definition driver The APC Index Mismatch BSoD can also be caused by a corrupted Realtek audio driver. Reinstalling the driver can often fix the issue. Note that this is only applicable if your computer has the associated hardware. Go to the Realtek download page and download the driver that is right for your OS bit architecture. Once downloaded, execute the package and follow the instructions given by the installation wizard. Restart your computer for a successful installation and then check if your problem has been resolved. Ensure all drivers are up to date A single, small driver can turn out to be the root cause of a problem. Therefore, you must ensure that all drivers are properly installed and updated. Drivers experiencing problems are automatically highlighted with a yellow exclamation mark in the Device Manager. To update a malfunctioning driver, open the Device Manager by typing in devmgmt.msc in Run. Now, look for the faulty driver with an exclamation mark next to its icon and right-click it. From the context menu, click Update Driver. In the pop-up window, click Search automatically for drivers. The wizard will now search online for any updated drivers available. When it installed, restart the computer. However, if it failed to update the driver, we suggest that you go to the manufacturer’s website and manually download and install the driver package. Uninstall Display Link driver if installed Display Link is a third-party vendor that manufactures various IT-related devices, including monitors, as well as their drivers. Many users reportedly fixed their APC Index Mismatch issue after they removed the Display Link driver from their computers. To remove this driver, open the Programs and Features page in the Control Panel by typing in appwiz.cpl in Run. Now double-click “DisplayLink Core” and then click Uninstall on the confirmation dialog box to remove it. Now visit Display Link’s page and download DisplayLink Installation Cleaner. When downloaded, execute the package to clear any remaining files and folders from the driver. Once entirely removed, reboot the computer and check if the issue has been resolved. Disable all overclocking Hardware overclocking pushes its limits. An unstable piece of hardware can also result in APC Index Mismatch BSoD. Therefore, it is recommended that you return any hardware to its original frequencies, may it be RAM, GPU, or CPU. If that solves the problem, we suggest that you do not overlook your hardware. If you still want to, you gradually increase its frequency without pushing the frequency too far that it starts to throw bugchecks again. Scan for corrupted system files As a more subtle approach, you should also check your system for any corrupted or missing system files. Windows 10 comes with a built-in tool to fix this issue. The System File Checker (SFC) automatically repairs corrupted system files that may be redundantly available on your PC, or have just gone missing. Perform the following to run the tool: Launch Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges and then enter the following command: sfc /scannow Now allow some time for the command to fully run and scan your PC and make any fixes if possible along the way. Restart the computer. Once done, recheck if the issue persists. Closing words Better safe than sorry! This is why a BSoD is prompted – both software and hardware are protected by shutting down the system entirely in case the system no longer understands what function(s) to perform. If you encounter an APC Index Mismatch BSoD, be sure to check the “What failed” description on the screen. This will allow you to do a little research on the internet and determine exactly what part of the system is faulty, and then troubleshoot it accordingly.

A process that you may have come across, often seen as “WMI Provider Host” in the Task Manager, is one of the critical processes of the Windows OS that ensures smooth running. However, users have often reported that the process is consuming insane amounts of system resources, especially the CPU. At such times, it is often difficult to perform other tasks as the system slows down and lags. The Windows Management Instrumentation Provider Service, also known as WMIPRVSE.EXE, enables monitoring and error reporting for Windows systems. This article will be helpful to those who have such a problem. Let us delve into the details about what the purpose of this function is, and does it even need to run on your PC at all? Quick Summary [hide] 1 What is WMI Provider Host process 2 Is WMI Provider Host process a virus? 3 Is it safe to disable the WMI Provider Host process 4 Causes of WMI Provider Host high resource consumption in Windows 10 4.1 Process is using a high number of handles 4.2 The running process is consuming high memory 5 Fix WMI Provider Host (WmiPrvSE.exe) high CPU usage 5.1 Restart Windows Management Instrumentation service 5.2 Scan for corrupted system files 5.3 Perform a clean boot 5.4 Disable suspicious process using Event Viewer 6 Closing words 6.1 Also Read: What is WMI Provider Host process The WMI Provider Host is a process seen in the Task Manager by many. The executable running behind this process is called WmiPrvSE.exe. The purpose of the process WMI Provider Host is to relay information between a software requesting the information and the software transmitting it. The information it relays is about your system and your OS, which is the sort of information required by many other processes, services, and applications to ensure that your device runs smoothly, without a hiccup. The WMI Provider Host process is the parent process for other provider processes that transport the information. The WMI Provider Host process controls these child processes to ensure they function properly. The task of the process does not end there. This process can be used by third party services to query and obtain information from apps, networks, Windows devices, etc. Not only that, an application that creates alerts when certain information is obtained is usually created using the WMI Provider Host process. Is WMI Provider Host process a virus? As you get the gist, the process is not originally a virus and is a legitimate process in a Windows 10 environment. However, if you see that the WMI Provider Host is consuming large amounts of system resources, it may be possible that it is a virus disguised as a legitimate Windows process. This technique is very common amongst hackers to hide a virus in plain sight. To ensure whether a process on your device is a virus or not, you can check its digital signature for authenticity. However, in the case of the WMI Provider Host, this information is not given in the file. Nonetheless, you can still check its authenticity depending upon which location is opened in the File Explorer when you open the file location. To check the WMI Provider Host process’s authenticity, open up the Task Manager, right-click the WMI Provider Host process, and click Open file location from the context menu. If the following location is opened in the Explorer, it means that the process is authentic: C drive -> Windows -> System32 -> wbem However, if you see any other location open besides this one, it is likely that the process is a hoax. In this case, immediately terminate the process and scan your computer for any potential viruses. Is it safe to disable the WMI Provider Host process As we mentioned, the WMI Provider Host process relays system information between different software. If that communication is not transported, the system would not know how to handle itself. Therefore, you can assume that other services are dependent upon the WMI Provider Host, and it is a critical process in running the OS smoothly. Moreover, when exploring the responsible service for WMI Provider Host, which is Windows Management Instrumentation service, it states the following: If this service is stopped, most Windows-based software will not function properly. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start. Therefore, it can be concluded that it is not safe to disable or stop the Windows Management Instrumentation service, or the WMI Provider Host process. Now that we understand just how important the process is, let us continue to fix the issue of high resource utilization so that you are able to perform your other important tasks without delay or lag. Causes of WMI Provider Host high resource consumption in Windows 10 In best case scenario, WMI Provider Host should not use high amount of resources including CPU and memory usage for a prolonged amount of time. If this is the case, it may suggest that a third party app is making use of WmiPrvSE.exe process incorrectly and this needs to be stopped. According to Microsoft, the WMI Provider Host process consumes large amounts of CPU due to 2 main reasons: Process is using a high number of handles A place in the kernel structure (BaseNameObjects) stores the handles. Handles, as the name implies, are something that contains a more complex object. It may be possible that this structure may be containing an excess amount of handles, which it cannot contain, causing the operation to have high CPU usage. A number over 30,000 may be considered as an excess amount of handles. The running process is consuming high memory Another reason for the WMI Provider Host to be using large amounts of system resources is that another process may be consuming large amounts of system memory. Since the memory area of each running process will need to be queried, and the memory portion may be fragmented, this makes the task of the WMI Provider Host more resource-intensive, causing it to consume higher amounts of system resources. Fix WMI Provider Host (WmiPrvSE.exe) high CPU usage Restart Windows Management Instrumentation service As we said, the service running behind the WMI Provider Host process is Windows Management Instrumentation. You can try and restart this service to make it behave normally and free up unnecessary usage of system resources. To restart the service, open the Services window by typing in services.msc in Run. From there, scroll down and right-click on the service Windows Management Instrumentation. Click Restart from the context menu. You will then be informed of the dependent services and that they will be automatically restarted too. Click Yes. All services will now restart. Once they do, recheck if you can still see the WMI Provider Host process consuming large amounts of CPU. Scan for corrupted system files Windows 10 comes with a built-in tool to fix system files that may have been corrupted. This tool is the System File Checker (SFC) which automatically repairs corrupted system files that may be redundantly available on your PC, or have just gone missing. What it does is replace any damaged or missing files. If the dependencies for the WMI Provider Host are corrupted, this should fix the error and make the process behave normally again. Perform the following to run the tool: Open Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges and then enter the following command: sfc /scannow Now allow some time for the command to fully run and scan your PC and make any fixes if possible along the way. Restart the computer. Once done, recheck if the issue persists. Perform a clean boot A clean boot is a bootup process that temporarily blocks unnecessary background apps and processes from interfering with the critical system processes. This is an excellent method to rule out any apps or programs that may be causing an issue with your device. To perform a clean boot, start by typing in msconfig in Run. Under the General tab, uncheck the box next to Load startup items. Now switch to the Services tab, check the box next to Hide all Microsoft services at the bottom and then click Disable all. Now switch to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager. The Task Manager will now open in the Startup tab. Click on each item in the list and click Disable each time so that they are not started automatically the next time you sign in to your device. Once done, close the Task Manager and click Apply and Ok in the System Configuration window to save the changes and close it. Reboot your computer and check to see if the WMI Provider Host is still taking up more system resources than it should. Disable suspicious process using Event Viewer If you find that the process is not legitimate using the trick we discussed earlier in the post, you must disable the process. Here is how to do so: Open the Event Viewer by right-clicking the Start Menu button in the Taskbar and then clicking Event Viewer. Then click View from the menu bar at the top and then click Show Analytic and Debug Logs. Now, navigate to the following location using the left pane: Applications and Services Logs -> Microsoft -> Windows -> WMI-Activity -> Operational Now, look for any Error in the right pane. If you have one, click on it. You will then be able to see its details under the General section. From there, note down their ClientProcessID. Now close the Event Viewer and open the Task Manager. Switch to the Services tab and now look for the process that has the same Process ID (PID) as the one you noted in the Event Viewer. When found, right-click it and click Stop from the context menu. Also, delete the application that was using the service since it was clearly affecting the performance of your system. Closing words Determining the root cause of a process’s unreasonable consumption of system resources can be tricky. We certainly hope that your issue was resolved using the guide provided in this post.

Blue Screens of Death (BSoD) can be a nightmare for many on Windows 10. This can occur due to several reasons, usually accompanied by either a stopcode or the name of a faulty file. However, many people still experience a “BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO” BSoD without warning, nor any stopcodes. A Bad System Config Info error mostly occurs due to a critical system file either being corrupted or duplicated, and the system does not understand how to react, hence throwing a BSoD to protect the device. In some cases, users see a stop code 0x00000074 when they see a blue screen stating Bad System Config Info. This error occurs when your device has a corrupted system registry or when something is wrong with the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file. The BCD file contains important boot-related data that is critical for the system to initiate successfully. If you have experienced such an error, do not worry. Follow the guide provided to fix the problem without having to perform a fresh OS installation. Quick Summary [hide] 1 Fix Bad System Config Info BSoD 1.1 Repair BCD files 1.2 Edit BCD file 1.3 Update faulty driver 1.4 Run memory diagnostics 1.5 Repair bad disk sectors 1.6 Scan for corrupted system files 2 Closing words 2.1 Also Read: Fix Bad System Config Info BSoD Repair BCD files As we mentioned, BCD files are important for the system to run smoothly. You can repair these by following the guide given below. To do so, create a bootable USB drive or mount an ISO image to your computer and boot from it using the boot menu at startup. From there, click Repair your computer. Now, click on Troubleshoot and then Command Prompt. You will now see the command-line interface on your screen. Paste the following commands one after the other to repair the BCD files. bootrec /rebuildbcd bootrec /scanos bootrec /fixmbr Now type in exit to leave the Command Prompt and then reboot the computer. Check if the issue has been resolved. If not, continue down to perform the rest of the fixes. Edit BCD file Another issue with a BCD file is that it could store the wrong amount of RAM than there is, the wrong number of processor cores, or any other information than the actual number. Such an error with a BCD file can cause a “Bad System Config Info” BSoD. This can be corrected by entering the following commands in Command Prompt through a bootable image, as done in the step above. Create a bootable USB drive or mount an ISO image to your computer and boot from it using the boot menu at startup. From there, click Repair your computer. Then, click Troubleshoot and then Command Prompt. In cmd, type in the following commands one after the other to fix the BCD file: bcdedit/deletevalue {default} numproc bcdedit/deletevalue {default} truncatememory You can now exit the Command Prompt and reboot the computer. Check if the issue has been resolved. Update faulty driver Faulty drivers are often found guilty of causing a BSoD, especially after you have just changed a piece of hardware. In such a scenario, we recommend that you update any faulty driver(s) on your system if any. To update a malfunctioning driver, open the Device Manager by typing in devmgmt.msc in Run. Now, look for the faulty driver with an exclamation mark next to its icon and right-click it. From the context menu, click Update Driver. In the pop-up window, click Search automatically for drivers. The wizard will now search online for any updated drivers available. Once installed, restart the computer. However, if the driver update fails, we suggest that you go to the manufacturer’s website and manually download and install the driver package. Perform the same steps for any drivers that have an exclamation mark next to them. Once done, your issue should be resolved. We recommend that you do not stop here and perform the remaining steps discussed below as a precaution. Run memory diagnostics You can also perform a memory test to ensure that there aren’t any bad sectors on there, which are often found to be the cause of a BSoD. Windows 10 comes with a built-in tool for the task, however, it does involve a system reboot. To invoke a memory test, type in mdsched.exe in Run and hit Enter. In the pop-up window, click Restart now and check for problems. Your computer will now reboot and then automatically go into scanning mode. It will then scan your memory to look for any bad sectors. If found, we recommend that you replace your memory modules on priority so you do not encounter another BSoD because of it. You can view the results in System Tray once the computer restarts. Repair bad disk sectors It is possible that the error occurred due to a faulty hard drive, or a single bad sector within it. This can be checked by performing a deep scan without using any third-party tools. To perform the test in Windows 10, launch the Command Prompt with administrative privileges, and type in the following: Chkdsk /f /r /x You will then be asked whether you want to perform the test the next time the computer boots up. Enter Y for yes. Now reboot your computer and it will automatically perform a scan on your storage drive. Note that the scan can take some time to complete, in some cases, hours. Please allow the scan ample time to complete. Scan for corrupted system files Windows 10 comes with a built-in tool to fix system files that may have been corrupted. This tool is the System File Checker (SFC) which automatically repairs corrupted system files that may be redundantly available on your PC, or have just gone missing. What it does is replace any damaged or missing files. Perform the following to run the tool: Launch Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges and then enter the following command: sfc /scannow Now allow some time for the command to fully run and scan your PC, and make any fixes if possible along the way. Restart the computer. Once done, recheck if the issue persists. Closing words If you have experienced a “Bad System Config Info” blue screen, we suggest that you start troubleshooting the error immediately and do not wait for another BSoD. Several blog posts on the internet suggest that you repair the System Registry by renaming the old files in your system drive and replacing them with fresh files using a bootable OS image. Let us inform you that this technique is no longer valid as the system registries are no longer backed up in the RegBack folder. You can read more about this on Microsoft’s support page. Having said that; we recommend that you try all of the above methods to mitigate the BSoD. However, if you still fail to rectify the issue, it would mean that the problem lies within the system registries. For that, you will either have to restore your PC to a previous point or perform a clean OS install.

It can be quite panicking when you turn on your computer to perform a task and encounter the error message “Reboot and select a proper boot device” just as the machine was starting up. In such scenarios, even rebooting the computer multiple times does nothing to fix it, and you cannot fix the issue from within the Windows OS because the machine doesn’t even boot. So what do you do? Don’t worry, issues like these can usually be resolved in no time. We are here to guide you through several solutions that you can apply to resolve the said problem. First, let us see what error message this occurs in the first place. Quick Summary [hide] 1 Why “Reboot and select proper boot device” error occurs 1.1 Hardware 1.2 Software 2 Fix “Reboot And Select A Proper Boot Device” Error 2.1 Check for cables physically 2.2 Check if boot drive is detected 2.3 Rearrange boot order in BIOS 2.4 Enable/Disable Legacy Boot mode 2.5 Load optimal defaults for BIOS 2.6 Activate system partition 2.7 Repair BCD files 2.8 Perform a clean install 3 Final verdict 3.1 Also Read: Why “Reboot and select proper boot device” error occurs Once you shut down your PC normally and the next day when you try to boot it up again, you are confronted with a black screen asking you to select a boot device. What causes this issue? Reboot and select proper boot device The “Reboot and select a proper boot device” error is prompted when your system cannot find a device with an executable operating system on it. Even though an OS has been installed on the hard disk and was fully functional just yesterday, it sometimes becomes dysfunctional due to several reasons. These reasons could be both due to hardware and software. Hardware The hardware-related reasons could be: The hard disk is undetectable due to a damaged cable (power or SATA). The hard disk is detected but isn’t connected properly. The bootable disk has been damaged or is dead. Software The software-related reasons for the error could be: The bootable partition is no longer active. The boot sequence is incorrectly configured. The boot files have been corrupted. OS has been corrupted Now that we understand why the error occurred, we have a few tricks up our sleeves to fix it. Fix Reboot and select a proper boot device Fix “Reboot And Select A Proper Boot Device” Error Check for cables physically If your machine was running perfectly fine the last time and suddenly stopped working causing the error, you should initially inspect the wires connecting the hard drive. Disconnect your system’s hard drive and check the wires for any physical signs of damage. It could be possible that the wires overheated or just accumulated some carbon on the connectors. NOTE: Disconnect your computer's power cable and battery (in case of a laptop) before opening it up. Inspect the wires, reconnect them and check to see if you still encounter the same problem. If you do however find a problem with the wires, we suggest that you replace them immediately. Check if boot drive is detected The next step is to check if the hard drive is being detected by the system at all. For that, you can verify it through their BIOS. Follow the steps below to do so. Enter your system BIOS and look for the peripherals your system detects. This information is usually on the main BIOS page. Check to confirm if your hard drive is being displayed as an item that is currently detected by your BIOS. If you find that your hard drive is not being listed, shut down your computer and change the slot it is connected to on the motherboard’s side then recheck if it is detected in the system BIOS. If still not, then try replacing the cables connected to the hard drive. If you are still unsuccessful, then it is likely that you have a dead hard drive. Rearrange boot order in BIOS If you do see your hard drive in the system BIOS, then make sure that it is at the top of the boot order. The boot order decides where devices take priority in running the operating system from. Therefore, ensuring that the boot drive is at the top will ensure that the system is not trying to boot an OS from another device, such as the CD ROM or a USB drive. Enter your system BIOS and head to the “Boot order” configurations. Each BIOS may have a different location for this setting, therefore you might have to look around for it. When found, change the boot order to bring the hard drive to the top or the “first boot device” using either the up arrow key or the + key. Enable/Disable Legacy Boot mode There is a chance that your hard drive’s partition type/style does not support the mode your BIOS uses to boot an operating system. Since Legacy Boot mode only supports MBR, it is possible that it has been switched off. In contrast, it is also likely that the partition mode is GPT which requires UEFI. Tip: Learn more about Legacy vs. UEFI boot modes here, and MBR vs. GPT here. To enable or disable Legacy Boot mode, reboot your computer and enter the system BIOS. Now look for the Boot mode option. This can be found in different locations for the different BIOS types. Once found, if it is already enabled, disable it. If it is disabled, try enabling it and rebooting the computer. Try booting it from the hard drive again and check if it does. Load optimal defaults for BIOS If your issue has not been resolved thus far, we suggest that you restore your BIOS settings to the default factory settings. Often, any misconfigured BIOS settings could be preventing it to boot up from the hard drive successfully. Enter your system BIOS and look for the “Load default settings” option. Restore the default settings and then reboot the computer to check if the OS boots from the hard drive. Activate system partition Another reason for the “Reboot and select a proper boot device” error could be that the partition that holds the OS has suddenly gone inactive, and is thus unable to load it. This can be enabled using the Command Prompt. To do this, bootable installation media will be required. Create a bootable Windows device using the media creation tool and plug it in. Then boot from the bootable external device and click Repair your computer. From there, navigate to the following: Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Command Prompt In the Command Prompt, type in Diskpart. Then, type in list disk to confirm the number of disks on your PC, and then select the correct one by typing in select disk 0 (or the correct number of the disk as per your list). Once selected, type in list partition to confirm the number of partitions. Then type in select partition 1 (or the correct number of the OS partition) and then type active to activate it. Now restart the computer to check if it boots into the OS. Repair BCD files BCD files are important for the system to run and boot up smoothly. It is possible that these files have been corrupted and need some fixing up. You can repair these by following the guide given below. To do so, create a bootable USB drive and boot from it using the boot menu at startup. From there, click Repair your computer. Now, navigate to the following location to launch the Command Prompt. Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Command Prompt Paste the following commands into Command Prompt one after the other to repair the BCD files. bootrec /rebuildbcd bootrec /scanos bootrec /fixmbr Now type in exit to leave the Command Prompt and then reboot the computer. Check to see if the OS loads up now. Perform a clean install If your OS still doesn’t boot properly but the hard drive is fully detectable by the OS, we regret to say that you must now reinstall your OS as it has been corrupted and is unfixable. Refer to this guide to create a bootable USB device for any version of Windows 10. Final verdict Unfortunately, if your OS does not boot up normally from BIOS, the option to restore it to a previous state also goes out of the window. There can be a number of reasons, as well as solutions, to fix the “reboot and select a proper boot device” prompt.

Although you may be experiencing the “Windows Defender Firewall Has Blocked Some Features Of This Application” frequently on your Windows device, this is not an error. This prompt is a notification as well as a permission dialog box about whether you want to allow a program that is not trusted to be executed on your PC. This article discusses why this prompt occurs, how you can simply turn off such prompts so no one is encountered in the future, and how you can fix it. Fix Windows Security Alert Quick Summary [hide] 1 Why “Windows firewall has blocked some features” occurs 2 Fix “Windows firewall has blocked some features of this application” 2.1 Scan computer for malware 2.2 Disable VPN 2.3 Allow program through Windows firewall 2.4 Reset Windows Firewall 3 Closing words 3.1 Also Read: Why “Windows firewall has blocked some features” occurs By default, the Windows Defender Firewall is programmed to block any malicious content on your device. Although you might not be running a virus, some programs and applications that require communication over the internet are automatically blocked by the firewall, such as multiplayer games, Google Chrome (occasionally), or even media players. Firewall protects your system from outside traffic, and that is what it is doing. However, it is not yet smart enough to detect which third-party apps can be trusted. Hence, in order to run them, they need to be allowed through the firewall manually. You can choose whether to allow any content, or simply keep it blocked by clicking cancel. The reason for the firewall to block any content can be from an actual virus on a PC to the use of a VPN. Let us discuss how you can rectify the issue so that no more similar prompts are experienced. Fix “Windows firewall has blocked some features of this application” Scan computer for malware If you are uncertain whether the application you are about to run can be trusted, then you must perform a deep system scan and get rid of any malware. Here is a list of the top antivirus software to use to perform the scan. In case you are proceeding to purchase antivirus software, here are the 17 aspects you should always consider. Disable VPN Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) carry encrypted data over the internet. This encrypted data can be considered malicious by the Windows Defender Firewall, resulting in it being blocked. If you are using VPN software, we suggest that you turn it off temporarily and check if it resolves the issue. Allow program through Windows firewall If you want to stop receiving such prompts for the same program, you can manually allow it through the firewall so it does not block it automatically. To enable a program through your firewall, navigate to the following location: Control Panel -> System and Security -> Windows Defender Firewall Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall on the left. On the next screen, click Change settings and then check the box next to the program/feature that you want to allow through the firewall. Ensure that both the boxes under Private and Public are also checked. Once done, click OK at the bottom to save the changes. Now, check if you will be prompted when running the same program again. Reset Windows Firewall If you think that you are experiencing the “Windows Defender Firewall has blocked some features of this application” prompt because you manually blocked it from the Firewall, and are now unable to allow it, you can reset the Windows firewall settings to its default configuration. Closing words Although every rule and application can be allowed through Windows Firewall, it is not the wisest of choices. Therefore, think before you allow a program through the firewall whether it is trusted or not. If it is trusted, only then should you allow it. if not trusted, then we suggest that you do not allow it and check for its authenticity. Or better yet, if it is absolutely essential, run it in a Sandbox environment so that it is isolated and off of your actual machine.

You are at your office and everything on your laptop seems to be working fine, but the moment you try to connect your PC to your home wi-fi, it stops working. You are connected to your Wi-Fi router but your screen says “No internet, secure” or “Wi-Fi connected but no internet.” Such a scenario can be frustrating. Such a message on your Windows device means that your wireless modem/router or your access point is connected to your PC, but it cannot surf the web unless the problem is removed. Well, what might be the problem? This article discusses various scenarios and how you can troubleshoot your PC, its wi-fi network adapter, and your modem accordingly for a successful internet connection. Fix No Internet Access Quick Summary [hide] 1 Windows ability to detect internet connection 2 Determine the source at fault 3 Reasons for no internet access 4 Fix Wi-Fi connected but no internet access4.1 Single device cannot access the internet 4.1.1 Confirm no internet access 4.1.2 Clear TCP/IP stack and renew IP address 4.1.3 Configure static DNS 4.1.4 Update Wi-Fi adapter driver 4.1.5 Disable Fast Startup 4.1.6 Turn off IPv6 4.1.7 Incompatible wireless standards/modes 4.1.8 Disable third-party antivirus 4.2 Multiple devices cannot access the internet 4.2.1 Restart the router 4.2.2 Disable DHCP of new access point 4.2.3 Contact ISP 5 Closing words 5.1 Also Read: Before we begin the troubleshooting guide, we need to understand how Windows detects if it is connected to the internet or not. Windows ability to detect internet connection A Windows component, known as the Network Connectivity Status Indicator (NCSI), is responsible for the internet connectivity display in the Taskbar. NCSI is part of the Network Awareness program. The NCSI works in two critical steps to check the internet’s status that the computer is connected to. These two tasks are performed independently. NCSI performs a DNS lookup for www.msftconnecttest.com, and then sends out an HTTP Get request to http://www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt and downloads the text file. This is a plain-text file that contains “Microsoft connect test.” NCSI also performs a DNS lookup for dns.msftncsi.com and checks to see if the corresponding IP address is 131.107.255.255. From step 1, if the text file is received containing the exact match, Windows establishes that the computer is connected to the internet. If, however, the text file is not downloaded or has been redirected, NCSI moves on to the second step. Once NCSI resolves for dns.msftncsi.com, it checks if the page is accessible. If the page is accessible, the network icon in the notification tray shows that it has internet access. However, if the NCSI is unable to perform its function, it will indicate that there is no internet availability, even though the computer is able to access the internet through the browser and ping other IP addresses. Now that we understand how the Windows internet detection mechanism works, we can better troubleshoot the issues we are facing. The next thing we must focus on is determining the source at fault: Is it your Windows device, or is it the router? Or maybe there is a problem on the Internet Service Provider’s end. Determine the source at fault The simplest way to quickly rule out which end is at fault for the no internet connection is to check whether there is only one device that faces the issue, or are there multiple devices? If you find that other devices on the network are also connected to the wi-fi but have no internet access, it is likely that the issue is at the router’s end, or with the ISP. However, if you find that other devices are functioning normally and have internet access, and only one device does not have access to the internet, then there are more chances that the issue lies within that device alone. Reasons for no internet access There can be a number of different reasons why your device may connect to the wi-fi router but does not have access to the internet. If multiple devices on the same network face this issue, it could be due to either one of the following reasons: An issue with the router. Misconfiguration of a newly installed access point. An issue with the ISP. If you face no internet access on only one device, then any of the following problems could be the reason: Corrupted TCP/IP stack. Misconfiguration of DNS server. Misconfiguration of IP address, subnet mask, or gateway. Outdated wireless adapter driver. Mismatched wireless IEEE standards. Third-party antivirus blockage. Let us now continue to troubleshoot all related devices for both scenarios. Fix Wi-Fi connected but no internet access Single device cannot access the internet As we suggested earlier, when only one device on the network cannot access the internet, it is likely that there is an issue with that device only, since other devices are functioning normally. Here is what you can do to fix the problem: Confirm no internet access It might be possible that your Taskbar is saying that you have no internet access, but in fact, you do. Yes, this could potentially happen if your organization or router is configured to block DNS lookups for Microsoft servers that control what your wi-fi icon says. Open up a web browser and visit any website on the internet to confirm whether your device can access the internet or not. If it does, you will require no further troubleshooting and simply ignore the “No internet, secured” label beneath the Wi-Fi connection. If there is no internet access via web browser, continue down to the steps below to rectify the problem. Clear TCP/IP stack and renew IP address Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol is responsible for carrying packets from one source to its destination target. This protocol involves a three-way handshake, which means that three packets are exchanged between the source and the target before exchanging the actual information. Repeating these handshakes repeatedly would significantly increase traffic on the network. Therefore, the data is cached and stored locally on the device to avoid unnecessary packet transportation. Over time, the cached data can become corrupted, which results in failure to connect to the internet, even though all other configurations are done right. In this case, the TCP/IP stack needs to be reset to make room for new, fresh entries. Refer to our guidepost to reset the TCP/IP stack in Windows and renew the allotted IP address via DHCP. Configure static DNS A misconfigured Domain Name Server (DNS) can also cause your device to not access the internet. If you still face the same issue after resetting the TCP/IP stack, you should try and configuring a static DNS on your machine. You may refer to our guidepost to set static DNS using the command line, or follow the steps below to do so from the Graphical User Interface (GUI). Type in ncpa.cpl in Run to open the Network Connections window. Right-click on the Wi-Fi adapter and select Properties from the context menu. In the Wi-Fi Properties window, double-click Internet protocol versions 4(TCP/IPv4), and a new properties window shall open. From there, select the “Use the following DNS server addresses” radio button and then enter 8.8.8.8 as the Preferred DNS address, and 8.8.4.4 as the Alternate DNS address, as in the image below. Click Ok on all properties windows to save and close them. The DNS addresses just used belong to Google. These are the fastest DNS servers out there. Update Wi-Fi adapter driver An outdated wi-fi driver may also cause the device to behave abnormally and not be able to connect to the internet. We always recommend that you keep all of your drivers (and operating systems) up to date. To update your Wi-Fi adapter driver, open the Device Manager by typing in devmgmt.msc in Run. Expand Network Adapters, right-click on the wi-fi adapter, and select Update driver from the context menu. In the pop-up window, click Search automatically for drivers. The wizard will now try and search for any newer drivers for the associated hardware. However, if you are unable to do so. We recommend that you visit the manufacturer’s website and manually download the latest driver (on another PC with internet access), move that driver in a USB drive to the affected PC, and manually install it. You can also download and install network drivers even without Internet. Disable Fast Startup Fast Startup is a Windows 10 feature that allows it to boot and load last-open content immediately after booting up. However, what it is doing is putting the computer in hibernation mode instead of turning it off completely. The fast Startup feature can sometimes cause unstipulated issues in Windows and other devices, such as with the network adapter. Therefore, we suggest that you turn it off and check whether it resolved the problem. To switch off Fast Startup, navigate to the following: Control Panel -> System and Security -> Power Options When there, click Choose what the power buttons do on the left. Then click Change settings that are currently unavailable. Now, uncheck the box next to “Turn on fast startup” and click Save changes at the bottom. Now restart your computer to implement the changes and check if you can now access the internet. Turn off IPv6 Like IPv4, IPv6 is another Internet Protocol standard that most modern devices now support. All Windows devices that support IPv6 have both IPv4 and 6 enabled by default. This can often cause unanticipated network problems. Therefore, since most devices today support both versions 4 and 6, we suggest that you turn off version 6 and only work with IPv4. To turn off IPv6, open the Network Connections page by typing in ncpa.cpl in Run, and then right-click the Wi-Fi network adapter. Select Properties from the context menu. In the Properties window, uncheck the box next to Internet protocol version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and then click OK. Now check if you are able to access the internet. If not, there is still one more thing to consider. Incompatible wireless standards/modes The mode of communication between your device and your router is based on certain standards accredited by IEEE. These standards are 802.11g, 802.11ac, 802.11b, etc. It is implemented as a standard so that all wireless technologies having the same standard are compatible with one another. It is possible that your router is old and supports an older wireless standard, whereas your Windows PC is relatively newer and does not support the same communication standard as the router. In that case, the standard will need to be manually changed. Here is how to do so: Open the Network Connections window by typing in ncpa.cpl in Run, right-click the Wi-Fi adapter, and select Properties from the context menu. In the Properties window, click Configure. The Wi-Fi adapter properties window will now pop up. Switch to the Advanced tab, select the mode under the Property box and then select Disabled from the dropdown menu in front of it. Click OK when done. Your Wi-Fi adapter will now disconnect from the router and then re-connect. Check to see if your device can now access the internet. Disable third-party antivirus Third-party antiviruses can also block some content that they think is malicious and prevent you from accessing the internet altogether. If you are still unable to do so, we suggest that you disable or uninstall the antivirus software, reboot the computer, and check your internet connection again. Multiple devices cannot access the internet In case, more than one device cannot access the internet and faces the “No internet, secured” prompt, then it is likely that the issue is not with the Windows device, but on the other end, i.e. the router. Here are a few things you can do to remediate the issue. Restart the router It may seem illogical, but routers, being an electrical machine, often need a break and cool down just for a little time. Try restarting the router or the router as well as the access point if both are separate. Physically switch off the devices and let them rest for about 30 seconds before turning them back on again. Allow them 3-5 minutes to become fully functional again and then retry connecting to the internet. If the problem persists, try the rest of the solutions below. Disable DHCP of new access point If you have set up a new access point and can connect to it, but cannot access the internet, it is likely that you have misconfigured it. Recheck all the settings of the access point to ensure that any device connected to that access point can access the internet. Usually, users tend to leave the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) on before connecting to the router. In such a scenario, both the router and the access point have DHCP enabled causing an IP conflict, or 2 separate networks functioning on the same ISP without having Network Address Translation (NAT) – A method to map one network IP to the IP of another network. Hence, we suggest that you disable the DHCP of the access point through its console interface. Contact ISP If you are still unable to access the internet even after performing all of the above tasks, we suggest that you contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) as there is most likely a fault with their end. Ask them for guidance and maybe they can tell you that it is, in fact, a problem on their end they will solve it for you. Closing words Not having a working internet connection can be annoying, especially when you’re aware that every other device is functioning normally on the same network. However, these quick fixes will help you get over the issue in no time. If you are facing a network outage on your mobile phone, simply try forgetting the network and re-connect to it, or reset your Wi-Fi configuration. If that doesn’t work, it is probably because of an issue with the router or with the ISP.

Installing OS updates on your Windows 10 computer can be annoying at times. Not only does the update process occasionally hang, but it often takes up so many resources on your device that you are unable to perform any other tasks. One of the most prominent background processes running during the update is known as “Modern Setup Host” or “setuphost.exe.” If you are experiencing similar issues on your PC, go no further. We have compiled all the possible queries and fixes you can apply to fix your problem with the Modern Setup Host process. Quick Summary [hide] 1 What is the Modern Setup Host process? 2 Is Modern Setup Host a virus? 3 Fix Modern Setup Host high disk utilization 3.1 Run Windows Update troubleshooter 3.2 Repair Windows image 3.3 Perform a clean boot 3.4 Change system language to default system UI language 3.5 Clear Software Distribution folder 3.6 Disable Windows updates 4 Closing words 4.1 Also Read: What is the Modern Setup Host process? The Modern Setup Host is a process in a Windows environment responsible for extracting and installing Operating System updates. This process is run by an executable “setuphost.exe” that can be found at the following location: C:\Windows.BT\Sources This process can be found running within your Task Manager while either updating your Windows 10 or updating to Windows 10. Is Modern Setup Host a virus? Technically, Modern Setup Host is not a virus and is a legitimate Windows process. Having said that, hackers nowadays tend to disguise their malware as legitimate processes so that they could be hidden in plain sight without being detected. Therefore, you cannot be sure whether the process is a virus or not without confirming its digital signature. Digital signatures are electronic proofs of authenticity attached to an element that contains the metadata or the origin of the element, such as its creator’s information. This signature can be checked for the authenticity of the Modern Setup Host process running on your PC. To check its digital signature, open the Task Manager by using the Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut keys and switch to the Details tab. From there, look for the process “setuphost.exe,” right-click it, and select Open file location from the context menu. Then, right-click the file in File Explorer and click Properties from the context menu. In the Properties window, switch to the Digital Signatures tab. If the “Name of signer” is listed as Microsoft, it means that the process is legit and not a hoax. If there is no signer’s name or anything else, it is likely that the process is malicious. In which case, we would advise you to get rid of it using antivirus software. Fix Modern Setup Host high disk utilization Here are a number of things you can do to fix the high resource utilization of the Modern Setup Host so that you can begin your usual tasks on your PC. Since the process should not take more than 20 minutes, we suggest that you implement the following solutions after allowing the said time. Run Windows Update troubleshooter Since the process is associated with Windows updates, the first course of action ought to be running the built-in troubleshooter for Windows Update. Windows 10 comes with troubleshooting technology that automatically detects any faults and suggests solutions as well. Open the Troubleshoot option within the Settings app (Run -> ms-settings:troubleshoot) and click Additional Troubleshooters. Now, click Windows Update and then click Run the troubleshooter. A Windows Update troubleshooter window will now open and scan your system for any potential problems. It will then suggest some actions to perform (if any problems are found). Perform these actions to fix the issue. Once done, allow the Modern Setup Host a few more minutes to install the updates. Repair Windows image A possible corruption within the Operating System files can also cause the Modern Setup Host to use more resources than it requires. You can try and fix this corruption using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command-line tool. To do so, launch Command Prompt with administrative privileges and enter the following 3 commands, one after the other: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Checkhealth DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth It can take a few minutes for the commands to execute completely. Do not close the Command Prompt and allow them ample time to run. Once completed, reboot the computer and try reinstalling the Windows updates. Perform a clean boot A clean boot is a bootup process that temporarily blocks unnecessary background apps and processes from interfering with the critical system processes. This is an excellent method to rule out any apps or programs that may be causing an issue with your device. To perform a clean boot, start by typing in msconfig in Run. Under the General tab, uncheck the box next to Load startup items. Now switch to the Services tab, check the box next to Hide all Microsoft services at the bottom and then click Disable all. Now switch to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager. The Task Manager will now open in the Startup tab. Click on each item in the list and click Disable each time so that they are not started automatically the next time you sign in to your device. Once done, close the Task Manager and click Apply and Ok in the System Configuration window to save the changes and close it. Reboot your computer and check to see if the Modern Setup Host is still taking up more system resources than it should. Change system language to default system UI language The language you are using on your Windows device greatly affects the installation process of Windows updates. If your current system language does not match the default system UI language, it is likely that the installation process can get stuck and the Modern Setup Host process consumes large amounts of resources. First, you must check what the default system UI language for your OS is. To do so, launch the Command Prompt with administrative rights and then type in the following: DISM.exe /online /get-intl This will display the default system UI language in front of the “Installed language.” Now, to change the system language to its Ui language, open the Region and language options in the Settings app (Run -> ms-settings:regionlanguage) and change the Windows display language to the same as UI language from the drop-down menu. Once done, try reinstalling the Windows update and check if the Modern Setup Host problem still exists. Clear Software Distribution folder The Software Distribution folder can be found in C:\Windows. This folder contains temporary files within a subfolder (download) that are required to install a Windows update. Quite often, a Windows update fails to install or gets changed due to these temporary files within the said folder. Under such circumstances, any associated processes, such as Modern Setup Host, tend to behave abnormally and may consume an abrupt amount of system resources while gaining nothing. Thus, these temporary files need to be removed and the update process needs to be started from the top. Navigate to the following location using File Explorer: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download Now, select all the items by using the Ctrl + A shortcut keys. Then delete all selected items using the Del key while holding down on the Shift key to remove them permanently. Once removed, restart the computer and try reinstalling the Windows updates. Then check if the Modern Setup Host is still consuming large amounts of system resources. Disable Windows updates Since the Modern Setup Host process is directly associated with Windows updates, you can disable Windows from being updated altogether. However, this is not what we recommend as updating your OS regularly keeps your system and information safe from outside threats, and keeps your OS running stable. Here are 3 ways you can disable your Windows updates. Closing words It can be really frustrating when you are trying to do the right thing by installing Windows updates, but it just does not allow you to perform your usual tasks alongside it. While all CPU and RAM are being utilized by the updates, there is nothing left for you to use. Don’t worry, you can troubleshoot your PC to fix the issue of high resource utilization of the Modern Setup Host process using this guide. Let us know which solution worked for you in the comments down below.

You may come across Nvidia container process nvcontainer.exe gets broken and starts using high CPU resources. The PC starts hanging and the users are not able to run their tasks smoothly. This normally happens when a user is playing games or doing editing work which requires GPU usage. Reports are that some users aren’t able to open the File Explorer either, let alone perform any other work. Some are even confused about whether it is a legitimate process or a virus. Continue reading down this article to learn more about Nvidia Container and how you can fix its high CPU consumption issue. Quick Summary [hide] 1 What is Nvidia Container 2 Is Nvidia Container a virus? 3 Fix Nvidia Container high CPU utilization 3.1 Install old Nvidia driver 3.2 Disable in-game overlays in GeForce Experience 3.3 Restart Nvidia services 3.4 Disable Nvidia’s scheduled tasks 3.5 Uninstall GeForce Experience app 4 Closing words 4.1 Also Read: What is Nvidia Container Nvidia Container, like every other container, is a shell around one or multiple Nvidia processes which isolates them from other processes so that they do not interfere with one another. This architecture helps the processes run smoothly. The file running the Nvidia Container process is “NVDisplay.Container.exe.” Is Nvidia Container a virus? Although the process is legitimate and starts showing up in the Task Manager right after installing the Nvidia driver on your device, it can still be a virus. This is because hackers nowadays tend to disguise their work-of-art with legitimate process names so that they could go undetected, hiding in plain sight. However, you can confirm whether the Nvidia Container process running on your machine is legitimate or not by confirming its digital signature. Digital signatures are electronic elements that confirm the authenticity of the process, app, or program. If the Nvidia Container on your device is authentic, it is bound to be signed by Nvidia themselves. Here is how you can confirm it. Open the Task Manager using the Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut keys, right-click “Nvidia Container” and click Open file location. File Explorer will now launch. Right-click NVDisplay.Container.exe and select Properties from the context menu. In the Properties window, switch to the “Digital Signatures” tab and there you will find the name of the signer, as highlighted in the image below: If, however, you do find the signer space empty, it means that the process is not legitimate and probably is a virus. In which case, you will need to perform a full system scan using third-party antivirus software to remove any potential threats. Fix Nvidia Container high CPU utilization Install old Nvidia driver If you are experiencing high CPU utilization due to the Nvidia Container process after you have just updated the driver, it may be possible that the new driver has some bugs that are yet to be fixed. Therefore, we suggest that you revert to your older driver using the guide given. Open the Device Manager by typing in devmgmt.msc in Run, expand Display adapters, then right-click the Nvidia graphics adapter and click Uninstall device from the context menu. Now, download the old driver from Nvidia’s website. Click the link to open it up, enter your Nvidia adapter model details and click Search. On the next page, click Download to download the driver. When it does, right-click it and select Run as administrator to install it. Follow through with the installation wizard. When it installs, reboot the computer and check if Nvidia Container is still using up the same amount of CPU. Disable in-game overlays in GeForce Experience GeForce Experience is an application used by games to stream, share images, videos, and snapshots with your teammates. The app also uses Nvidia Containers to run its processes. A feature within the GeForce Experience app is an in-game overlay. This is a feature that allows you to record your gameplay and capture images while you are gaming. Although an excellent feature to have, it can be one of the reasons why the Nvidia Container is consuming so much of your device’s CPU power. Disable the in-game overlay feature within the app by clicking the Settings (Gear icon) button in the top-right corner, and then in the General tab, toggle the slider in front of “In-game Overlay” to the Off position. When off, check to see if the Nvidia Container is still utilizing the same amount of CPU. Restart Nvidia services In certain cases, all that is required is a reboot of the Nvidia services which contribute to abnormal functionality of the associated processes. Simply try and reboot these services using the given guide and check if it resolves the issue. Open the Services window by typing in services.msc in Run. Here, look for all services starting with Nvidia, these include the following: NVIDIA Display Container LS NVIDIA FrameView DSK Service NVIDIA LocalSystem Container Right-click each of these services one by one and select restart from the context menu to reboot them. Note: If a service is not running, leave it as is. Once the services reboot, check if the Container has freed up some CPU. Disable Nvidia’s scheduled tasks Nvidia software is accompanied by some automated, scheduled tasks whose sole responsibility is to gather information from your playing habits, create a log, and report any bugs to Nvidia. Users have reported that disabling these tasks has often solved their problem of high CPU consumption by Nvidia Container. Open the Task Scheduler by typing in taskschd.msc in Run, click Task scheduler library on the left, and then look for all tasks beginning with “NvTm” in the window on the right. Right-click on each of these tasks and click Disable from the context menu, as in the image below: Once the task schedulers are disabled, reboot the computer and check if it resolved the issue of high CPU utilization. Uninstall GeForce Experience app Although The GeForce Experience app is a god-send for gamers, it is still a pretty heavy software accompanied by lots of gaming-related features. If none of the solutions have worked for you so far, it is likely that the GeForce Experience app is consuming CPU resources. The app will then need to be removed from your PC. To do so, open the Programs & Features window in the Control Panel by typing in appwiz.cpl in Run. From there, double-click NVIDIA GeForce Experience to uninstall it. If prompted for confirmation, click Uninstall. Once removed, reboot the computer to see if the issue has been mitigated. Closing words Not too long ago, the Nvidia Container was accompanied by another service known as “Nvidia Telemetry Container.” This container is used to collect your logs and data and report to Nvidia. It also consumed large chunks of CPU at the time. However, this container is no longer used by Nvidia software, hence any solution you find on the internet to disable this container service is null and void.

Investment scams have been by far the most common type in Australia recently, a new report by the country’s consumer watchdog has revealed. And while a growing number of Australians fall victim to fraudulent schemes involving cryptocurrency, bank transfers remain the scammers’ favorite way to extract money. Australians Lose $670 Million to Scammers in a Year, Including $75 Million Through Bank Transfers Residents of Australia have lost $851 million Australian dollars (almost $670 million) in over 444,000 reported scam cases in 2020, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced in its latest Targeting Scams report published Monday. The review compiles data from the commission’s own Scamwatch website, Australia’s cybersecurity center Reportcyber, other government agencies, and about a dozen banks and financial intermediaries. ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard commented: Last year, scam victims reported the biggest losses we have seen, but worse, we expect the real losses will be even higher, as many people don’t report these scams. The agency has registered increasing financial losses to investment scams in 2020 with the total figure reaching a record-high $328 million Australian dollars ($254 million). Reports to Scamwatch increased by 63% to 7,295 and losses rose to $66 million Australian dollars, or over $51 million. Almost 34% of people who reported an investment scam lost money. The average loss was $26,713 Australian dollars, or around $20,000. Bank transfers remained the most common payment method used by scammers, with over $97 million Australian dollars ($75 million) lost through such transfers, a 40% increase over the previous year. According to the ACCC, bitcoin (BTC) was the second-highest payment method, with $26.5 million in losses, or a little over $20.5 million. Adding these to the “Other Payments” category, including cryptocurrencies such as ethereum (ETH) and apps like Zelle or Skrill, brings the total to $50 million Australian dollars (almost $39 million). ‘Romance Baiting’ Scams Lure Young Australians to Fraudulent Crypto Investment Schemes Despite still lagging behind traditional payment methods, bitcoin and other crypto payments are becoming more common. “The perceived anonymity of unregulated cryptocurrencies can impede the ability to recover funds or identify scammers. It is likely that we will see increased use of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the years to come,” the ACCC report remarks. Amid an ongoing Covid crisis, health and medical scams increased last year more than 20 fold compared to 2019, accounting for over $3.9 million Australian dollars ($3 million) in losses. But in 2020, Scamwatch identified a new type of scam, which it refers to as “romance baiting,” often associated with crypto payments. Perpetrators are targeting social groups which have not previously suffered heavy losses. Victims are typically contacted on a dating app, redirected elsewhere and lured into an investment scam involving cryptocurrency, the ACCC explained. Young Australians, aged between 25 and 34 years, have lost the most money to romance baiting last year – $7.3 million Australian dollars ($5.66 million). In total, citizens filed 414 reports of such scams, with losses reaching $15.4 million Australian dollars (almost $12 million). Crypto scams are by far the most common in this genre (57%), the commission noted. Other scams targeting potential crypto investors have employed fake celebrity endorsements. The face, name, and personal characteristics of a well-known public figure are usually used to sell a product or a service. This product could be health-related or linked to an investment strategy encouraging people to invest in various cryptocurrency schemes. The report details that victims are offered an opportunity to collect high returns in a rather short period of time from a trading or investment platform that suddenly disappears.

A few Kenyan banks have started sending out warning alerts to clients engaged in cryptocurrency trading to be wary of the associated risks. These warnings have reportedly been sent to clients who have “used their credit and debit cards to buy cryptocurrencies on crypto exchanges.” Crypto Trading Risks According to a local report, one of the banks, NCBA Bank Kenya is now advising clients “not to buy, hold, or trade in virtual currencies.” In a warning sent to clients who have previously transacted on crypto exchanges, NCBA Bank said: In accordance with the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK)’s circular No. 14 of 2015, virtual currencies such as Bitcoin are not legal tender in Kenya. No protection, therefore, exists for you as our customer in the event that the platform holding or trading in cryptocurrency fails or goes out of business. Throughout the emailed alert, the NCBA Bank repeats the common lines that are used by central banks when attempting to discredit digital currencies. For instance, NCBA Bank says “transactions in virtual currencies are largely untraceable, making them susceptible to abuse by criminals.” Unregulated Crypto Exchanges Furthermore, the bank also warns that cryptocurrencies are traded on exchange platforms which “are not properly regulated” and that consumers risk losing all their funds in the “event these exchanges collapse or close business.” While NCBA Bank clients can still transact with cryptocurrency exchanges, the bank still warns that it does not “approve cryptocurrency transactions.” In the meantime, the report speculates that the banks’ latest action could mean that the CBK still frowns on cryptocurrencies. For example, in 2015 the central bank issued an advisory asking Kenyans to desist from cryptocurrency transactions. Similarly, in April 2018, the CBK cautioned banks against dealing in cryptocurrencies. However, despite these warnings, crypto trading continues to grow in Kenya and some reports say the country now has the second-largest peer-to-peer traded volumes on the continent. It remains to be seen if acts by Kenyan banks are going to slow down crypto traded volumes.

On Monday, the San Francisco-based retirement plan provider for small to medium-sized businesses, Forusall, announced the launch of an alternative 401(k) plan that offers in-plan cryptocurrency access. According to the alt 401(k) investment option, Forusall is working with Coinbase Institutional as its retirement plan partner. Forusall and Coinbase’s Institutional Arm Offer Crypto-Infused Alt 401(k) Plan Forusall, the “one-click” retirement provider founded in 2012, has revealed that digital currency investors can now leverage the company’s alt 401(k) investment option in order to obtain tax-advantages from crypto asset investments. The company Forusall claims to manage plans for over 600,000 employees from companies like Target, Coca Cola and Citigroup. By November 2019, Forusall was advising employees with over $1 billion in assets. The company’s focus on crypto assets applies to the alt 401(k) product, which can also leverage environmentally focused funds, mutual funds, and real estate. “For too long, too many Americans haven’t had the same access to alternative investments that wealthy and professional investors have had. Our mission is to provide every American with the tools necessary to build a brighter financial future, and making these alternatives more readily available is a key step towards that,” Jeff Schulte, CEO of Forusall explained during the announcement. The company’s website also mentions growing crypto asset interest and highlights that 60% of institutional investors believe in investing in crypto assets. “6 out of 10 institutional investors feel that digital assets have a place in their portfolio and 36% are already using it,” the Forusall website notes. Alt 401(k) Plan Provides 5% Allocation With a Choice Between 50 Crypto Assets Forusall’s announcement on Monday details that employers can choose to add the crypto option and employees can direct up to 5% of their portfolio into digital assets. The plan works with Coinbase Institutional, so employees that leverage Forusall’s alt 401(k) investment option can choose from 50 unique crypto assets. The retirement plan provider further said that the company monitors the crypto allocations and employees can always rebalance their portfolios into different assets. The lead at Coinbase’s institutional crypto arm, Brett Tejpaul, explained during Forusall’s alt 401(k) announcement that expanding digital assets to mainstream retirement plans will broaden the playing field. “When we created our institutional platform, our initial focus was making cryptocurrency accessible to institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals,” Tejpaul remarked. “The next evolution is to broaden our reach and we are thrilled to be working with Forusall, the leading 401k technology platform, to expand access to cryptocurrency through 401ks.” The alt 401(k) option from Forusall is not the first retirement plan to add crypto assets into the fray. The U.S.-based Digital Asset Investment Management (Daim) revealed in November 2020, that it offers a company-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan. Daim’s product allocates up to 10% in bitcoin via the institutional-grade custodian Gemini Trust. The firm New York-based Gemini also works with Bitwage to give employees the ability to invest their pre-tax and post-tax dollars in bitcoin (BTC)

The Internet was once a bastion of freedom and was hoped to bring economic power to everyday people. These days a few centralized platforms such as Google, Facebook and Amazon dominate the online world, deciding what we can and cannot say, while keeping all the value for themselves. In an upcoming 4-session live event you can find out how Pocketnet, a decentralized social media platform, changes this forever. Join an Exclusive Live Crypto Challenge Pocketnet is a decentralized, open-sourced, and censorship-resistant platform that offers an alternative to centralized social network such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. It is powered by the cryptocurrency Pocketcoin (PKOIN), a Proof-of-Stake token that allows authors to earn crypto for their content and protects them from arbitrary censorship through community moderation. Blockchain tracks reputation and high reputation users moderate the platform. The token is for decentralized advertising, boosting posts, buying unique fonts and themes in Pocketnet, as well as auctioning off NFT-Scarce tokens. Recently Pocketnet announced a limited space exclusive live event for cryptocurrency supporters. The event will consist of four live sessions on June 10, 17, 24 and 29. Participants will learn how Pocketnet and Pocketcoin will change the internet forever. The speakers will be Pocketnet core developers and surprise guests. There will be no public full recordings available from this exclusive closed-door event so make sure to register right now to reserve your spot. Decentralized Video, P2P Messaging and NFTs The first session – Decentralization, Blockchain, Pocketnet and Pocketcoin (PKOIN) – will take place on June 10 at 10 AM US Eastern Time. In it you learn why centralized platforms are not your friends, how Pocketnet uses a censorship-resistant blockchain nodes to overcome centralization problem in the social media, overcoming the scalability problem in blockchains and the uses of Pocketcoin (PKOIN). The second session – Is Truly Decentralized Video Alternative to Youtube Possible? Pocketnet & Pocketcoin to the Rescue – will take place on June 17 at 10 AM US Eastern Time. It will cover the subject of a decentralized video alternative to Youtube in the Pocketnet ecosystem, how video bloggers can earn with PKOIN and why fighting against censorship is not about politics, it is about common sense. It will include special guest bloggers with millions of subscribers (before censorship): Laura Loomer, Dan Dicks, Sarah Westall, with more guests to be added. The third session – Is Truly Decentralized P2P Encrypted Messaging App Possible? How to maintain the privacy and decentralization? – will take place on June 24 at 10 AM US Eastern Time. In it you will learn why all centralized messengers are a bad idea (even Telegram & Signal), challenges with building a decentralized chat, using blockchain to derive encryption keys for the Pocketnet Chat, how to receive messages offline in a decentralized platform and how to seamlessly log in from new devices in Pocketnet & get contacts with message history. The forth session – NFT-Scarce: A Revolutionary New Way to Sell Your Art and Content on Pocketnet – will take place on June 29 at 10 AM US Eastern Time. It will explain why the current NFT model is flawed (external storage, maintenance, lack of scarcity). This session will also cover the NFT-Scarce as a smart contract auction on the Pocketnet blockchain, how NFT-Scarce sales are scarce and what encryption has to do with it, selling artwork as NFT-Scarce for PKOIN, selling investment ideas as NFT-Scarce for PKOIN, selling special content as NFT-Scarce for PKOIN and the big launch of NFT-Scarce and Demo

The ETP is engineered like an ETF and will be centrally cleared, 21shares detailed in a press release on Monday. As ETPs trade on exchanges similarly to stocks, institutional investors in the U.K. will be facing a regulated framework and structure to which they are already accustomed to. The Swiss company further elaborated: The ETP has been designed to provide institutional U.K. investors with secure and cost-effective exposure to Bitcoin without the associated Bitcoin custody and security challenges. UK Launch to Follow Debut on Euronext Paris and Amsterdam The bitcoin ETP will be offered in the United Kingdom this summer, following successful launches on Euronext Paris and Amsterdam on June 1, 21shares revealed. One unit of the ETP represents exposure to roughly 0.00035 bitcoin entitlement, the crypto firm added. Its chief executive Hany Rashwan was quoted stating: This is the right time to bring our successful crypto ETP to the institutional U.K. market. Our strong track record and existing institutional reach across continental Europe means that investors can confidently gain exposure to Bitcoin via a liquid and conventional investment product. Institutional investors will have access to ample liquidity provided by GHCO which is an authorized participant in the offering. “GHCO has been actively trading ETFs and recently started quoting crypto ETPs. It has an unrivaled track record in quoting the tightest spreads, a key demand for institutional investors,” 21shares pointed out. Zug-headquartered 21shares is a leading crypto ETP issuer with over $1.5 billion in assets under management across 14 ETPs listed on several European stock exchanges. The company has already offered cryptocurrency ETPs for institutional investors in Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria, and the Netherlands. In March, 21shares launched bitcoin cash (BCH) and ethereum (ETH) ETPs on Deutsche Boerse’s Xetra.

Windows File Explorer is a great tool, but it also has its drawbacks. The program often responds slowly when you open or copy files. Sometimes, File Explorer’s search bar takes too long to load your search results or doesn't deliver search results at all. If you manage and work with files daily, File Explorer’s performance issues can drastically hamper your productivity. Fortunately, there are various ways to fix File Explorer when it’s slow or unresponsive. 1. Restart File Explorer Restarting File Explorer can help resolve this issue—especially when you open multiple File Explorer windows. To get started, right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager from the options. Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart. If the issue persists, try closing File Explorer using the Task Manager and then reopen it manually. To do this, open Task Manager as per the previous steps. From there, right-click Windows Explorer and select End task. Finally, open File Explorer and check if the issue is resolved. 2. Minimize Your Running Programs Running too many PC programs at the same time could affect File Explorer’s speed. In fact, this could slow down your entire PC. To resolve this, try minimizing the number of programs running on your PC. To get started, open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Navigate to the Processes tab. In the Apps section, right-click on a specific program and select End task. Repeat this for all the programs you’d like to close. Next, scroll down to the Background processes section and close some tasks using the previous steps. 3. Disable Quick Access and Clear File Explorer History Quick Access is one of File Explorer’s best features. When you open File Explorer, your recently accessed files and folders will appear under the Quick Access option. This helps you access your files and folders quickly, but it can also slow down File Explorer. To speed up File Explorer, you could consider disabling Quick Access. Open File Explorer and hit the File option on the top-left corner of the screen. Select Change folder and search options. In the next window, navigate to the General tab. Hit the Open File Explorer to drop-down menu and select This PC. Next, uncheck the Show recently used files in Quick access and the Show frequently used folders in Quick access options. Now, press the Clear button next to Clear File Explorer History. Press Apply and then press OK to apply these changes. Restart your PC to apply these changes. 4. Configure the Folder Optimization Settings Are you experiencing this issue particularly with a folder that contains lots of files and subfolders within it? If that’s the case, optimizing that folder could help. Here’s how you can optimize your folder to help speed up File Explorer: Right-click the problematic folder and select Properties. Navigate to the Customize tab. Hit the Optimize this folder for drop-down menu and select General items. Check the Also apply this template to all subfolders box. Press Apply and then press OK to apply these changes. 5. Troubleshoot the Windows Search and Indexing Service The Windows search and indexing service is a great tool. It helps improve the search performance on your PC. However, File Explorer and its search bar could be slow if the search and indexing service has issues. Troubleshooting the Windows search and indexing service could help speed up File Explorer. Here’s how you can troubleshoot the tool: Type Control Panel in the Windows search bar and select the Best match. In the View by drop-down menu, select Small icons. From there, select Indexing Options. In the next window, select Troubleshoot search and indexing. Check the Search or indexing is slowing down the computer box. Press Next to finalize the process. Speed Up File Explorer With Ease File Explorer can be quite irritating when it’s slow. It makes it an unpleasant experience to manage and work with your files. Hopefully, you should be able to speed up File Explorer using the tips we’ve provided.

When the battery level is low, Windows 10 displays a warning message so you can save your work or plug in the charger. Usually, there is a warning when the battery level is low and a second warning when the battery level is critical. If you are not getting these notifications, you might need to check some Windows 10 settings. 1. Turn On Windows 10 Notifications If you turned off notifications so you can work without interruptions, this might also stop Windows 10 from displaying the low battery notification. To fix this, you have to change Windows 10 notification settings. Right-click Start > Settings> System > Notifications & actions. Turn on the toggle for Get notifications for apps and other senders. Scroll down to the Get notifications from these senders list. Turn on the toggle for Security and Maintenance. 2. Use Power Troubleshooter If you are experiencing problems with battery notifications, use the Windows 10 built-in troubleshooter to detect and solve the issues. Right-click Start > Settings > Update & Security. From the left-hand menu, select Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters. Below Find and fix other problems, select Power > Run the troubleshooter. Follow the on-screen instructions. 3. Use Default Power Settings Unintentionally, you might have changed power settings which now interfere with the low battery notification. However, there’s no need to worry since you can always restore default power settings. Here is how you can do it: In the Start menu search bar, search for “control panel" and select the Best Match. Click Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Change plan settings. Click Restore default settings for this plan > Yes. Note: If you are switching through multiple power plans, you need to reset the default settings for every one of them. 4. Check the Power Options Settings The Power Options settings are quite complex, so it's easy to lose track of them. Nonetheless, you can set them correctly by following our guide. Turn On Low Battery Notification The low battery notification is enabled by default, but there is a chance you might have changed it by mistake while modifying other Windows 10 settings. Or maybe a third-party app produced the change. No matter the cause, you can set the low battery notification following these steps: In the Start menu search bar, search for control panel and select the Best Match. Click the View by menu and select Small Icons or Large Icons. Click Power Options > Change plan settings. Click Change advanced power settings. This will open the Power Options menu. Expand the Battery menu. Expand the Low battery notification menu. To enable the low battery notification, set it to On for On battery and Plugged in. Click Apply > OK to save the changes. Check Low Battery Level Your device might shut down before showing the low battery notification if the Low Battery Level is set to a low level, especially if you are running programs using a lot of resources. Here is how you can fix it: Follow steps 1-5 from the previous section to open the Battery menu. Expand the Low battery level menu. Set the percent for On battery and Plugged in to at least 15-20%. Click Apply > OK. Check Low Battery Action To ensure your device isn’t shutting down, sleeping, or hibernating once your battery reaches the low threshold, you have to check the Low battery action settings. Open the Battery menu. Expand the Low battery action menu. Select Do nothing both for On battery and Plugged in. Click Apply > OK. Check Critical Battery Notification Open the Battery menu. Expand the Critical battery notification menu. Set it to On for On battery and Plugged in. Check Critical Battery Action Open the Battery menu. Expand the Critical battery action. Set it to Hibernate for On battery and Plugged in. Finally, expand the Reserve battery level menu and set it to a lower percentage than the Low battery level. Usually, the Reserve battery level value is between the Critical battery level value and the Low battery level value. Restart your device and check if Windows 10 shows a low battery notification. If you switch between multiple power plans, you have to go through the above steps for each of them. 5. Change Battery Saver Percent Windows 10’s battery saver mode might interfere with the low battery warning. Usually, Battery saver is set to turn on when the battery reaches the 20% level. If the Low battery notification is set to a lower level than 20%, you might not get the notification. This is because Windows 10 battery saver restricts certain notifications. You can change the Battery saver settings following these steps: Right-click Start > Settings > System. From the left-hand menu, select Battery. Change the value below Turn battery saver on automatically at. Now that you have fixed it, make sure you don't lose your work progress. If you have set up multiple displays or leave your desk often, it might help you personalize the low battery notification. Here is how you can do it: In the Start menu search bar, search for control panel and select the Best Match. Click Hardware and Sound> Change system sounds. From the Program Events menu, select Low Battery Alarm. Choose a new alarm from the sound menu and click Test to hear it. Once you have decided on a new sound for the low battery notification, click Apply > OK. The Problem Could Be the Battery If you have tried these solutions and your device still keeps shutting down before displaying the low battery notification, the problem could be caused by the battery itself. The battery’s temperature is too high. If ventilation isn’t good enough or the cooling system doesn’t work properly, the battery temperature will increase. This will make the battery discharge faster or even shut down your laptop to keep it from overheating. As a temporary fix, you can use a cooler. The battery has a lot of dead cells. It is not unusual that some cells are dead after a few years while others are still functioning. You might think you have a fully charged battery, but your laptop will shut down suddenly. In this case, the only solution is to replace the battery. Keep Your Work Safe You now know how to fix the low battery notification error in Windows 10, so you can keep working or playing without having to worry about your device suddenly shutting down. As discussed, the issue might be the battery, but before replacing it, try changing the settings as discussed throughout this article.

Gmail is quite a reliable tool when it comes to sending and receiving emails. However, this tool isn't without its flaws. Sometimes, Gmail can give you issues when you try to attach files to your emails. When this happens, you can't drag and drop files to Gmail, or the dedicated file attachment button won't respond. You'll usually see a popup error message that reads: "There was an error attaching your file" or "Attachment failed. This may be due to a proxy or firewall." Let's help you resolve this issue. What Causes This Error? As the error message suggests, this issue could be caused by a firewall or a proxy server. However, that's not always the case. Let's explore a few other causes for this error: For security reasons, Gmail blocks executable files (EXE) and other attachments that may spread viruses. In other instances, this error is caused by a browser-related issue. For example, a browser extension could be limiting Gmail's functionality. Speaking of browsers, perhaps you're using an unsupported one. To get the best Gmail experience, you need to use it on supported browsers like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. Now that you know what causes this error, let's help you resolve it. 1. Switch Off Your Firewall One of the best ways to overcome this issue is by switching off your firewall. Here's how you can do this on a Windows PC. Open the Run dialog command by pressing the Windows key + R. Type firewall.cpl and press OK. On the left-hand side pane, select Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off. Under the Domain, Private, and Public network settings, select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall option. From there, press OK to close the tab. If you're using a third-party antivirus program, you might also need to temporarily switch it off. Be sure to switch it back on immediately when you finish sending your email. 2. Disable Your Proxy Server If your proxy server is enabled, you might want to disable it to get rid of the problem. Here's how you can do this on your Windows PC. Type Internet options in the Windows Search bar and click Internet Options when it appears. In the next window, navigate to the Connections tab and click the LAN settings button. Next, uncheck the Use a proxy server for your LAN box and click OK. Click OK on the LAN Settings window. Next, click Apply and then click OK on the Internet Properties window. 3. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies If this is a browser-related issue, then clearing your browser cache and cookies could help. Cookies are files created by the websites you visit. They enhance your browsing experience by saving browsing data. The cache remembers parts of pages, such as images. This helps load webpages faster during your next visit to the site. While browser cache and cookies enhance your browsing experience, they can overwhelm your browser if you don't regularly clean them. Simply clear your browser cache and cookies to resolve this error and any other browser-related issue. 4. Go Incognito Do you have a lot of add-ons or extensions in your browser? If that's the case, one of them could be interfering with Gmail's functionality. To check if an extension is causing this error, enable incognito mode or private browsing mode. From there, sign back into your Gmail account. If you're now able to attach files to Gmail, then one of your extensions has a problem. Disable all browser extensions and then re-enable them—one at a time. This will help you find out which extension is problematic. From there, you might want to remove or replace the problematic extension. 5. Update Your Browser or Use a Different One Web browsers usually update automatically when you close and reopen them. However, if you haven't closed yours in a while, there could be a pending update. Here's how you can update common web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge: How to Update Chrome: Click the menu button (three vertical dots) on the top-right corner of the screen. Navigate to Help > About Google Chrome. To apply any available updates, click the Relaunch option. How to Update Firefox: Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) on the top-right corner of the screen. Navigate to Help > About Firefox. Firefox will check for updates and download them automatically. Click Restart to Update Firefox to complete the process. How to Update Edge: Click the menu button (three horizontal dots) on the top-right corner of the screen. Navigate to Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge. Click the Restart button when Edge finishes checking for updates. If all else fails, you could try using a different web browser. Attach Files to Gmail Without a Hassle By using the tips we've provided, you should be able to attach files to Gmail without any trouble. Just be sure to attach supported file types and use a compatible web browser. Should you still encounter this error, maybe you might want to try a new email service provider.

Download errors are common on Google Chrome, and they come in many forms. In this article, we'll explore the "Download Failed – Network Error" issue. This error message usually pops up in the middle of a download. Sometimes, the error message pops up immediately when you try to download a file. No matter how many times you try, the download keeps failing. Although the error message suggests that the issue is with "a network," this is not always the case. We'll explore this error in detail and provide you some solutions to resolve it. 1. Check Your Internet Speed and Connection You need a stable internet connection for downloading files. For this reason, you should first check if your internet connection is active and stable. First, test your Wi-Fi speed with a reliable speed test tool. If your internet speed is okay, then you could consider resetting your router and refreshing your connection. 2. Modify Your Antivirus Settings It's highly likely that this error is caused by your computer's antivirus program. Most antivirus programs include traffic monitoring features such as HTTPS scanning. These features help protect your PC against malware hidden behind secured and encrypted websites. However, this feature can sometimes go overboard by blocking all downloads—even if they aren't harmful. Try disabling HTTPS scanning or temporarily disabling your antivirus program to resolve this issue. Remember to re-enable HTTPS scanning or your antivirus program when you finish downloading. 3. Try Incognito Mode Chrome plugins or extensions help improve your browsing experience. However, they could also limit Chrome's functionality, as an extension could be corrupt or outdated. In some cases, an extension could suddenly become incompatible with the Chrome version you're using. To check if an extension is responsible for this error, enable incognito mode. This will disable all third-party extensions and allow you to browse privately. Retry your download and check if the issue persists. If this resolves your issue, then one of your extensions is causing this error. A good way to resolve the issue is to disable all extensions and then re-enable them—one by one. This will help you identify the problematic extension. 4. Reset Chrome or Try Another Browser To resolve this error, you might have to reset Chrome and restore it to its default settings. This will disable all third-party extensions and will delete your cache and cookies. This will not affect your browsing history, saved passwords, and bookmarks. Here's how you can reset Google Chrome. Click the menu button (three vertical dots) on the top-right corner of the screen and select Settings. On the next window, select the Advanced dropdown menu. Select the Reset and clean up option. Select Restore settings to their original defaults. Click the Reset settings button on the next screen. If this doesn't resolve your issue, you could try downloading your file using another web browser. 5. Update Your Network Drivers Network drivers control the interface between your Windows PC and a given network. If you're running outdated or corrupted network drivers, this could cause various network connection issues. Updating your network drivers could help. Here's how you can do this: Type Device Manager in the Windows Start Menu and select Device Manager when it appears. Select the Network adapters option. Right-click your PC's network driver and select Update driver. In the next window, select Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. 6. Configure the Windows Attachment Manager Settings The Windows Attachment Manager helps protect your computer from unsafe files that you download or receive via email. If it considers a file unsafe, it blocks you from downloading it. In this case, you'll need to configure the Windows Attachment Manager settings to resolve this issue. Here's how you can configure the Windows Attachment Manager settings: Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run command dialog box. Type inetcpl.cpl and press Enter. Navigate to the Security tab on the Internet Properties window. Click the Custom level button. In the Security Settings window, scroll down and locate the Downloads option. From there, check the Enable button under File download. Scroll further down and locate the Miscellaneous option. Next, check the Prompt (recommended) option under the Launching applications and unsafe files option. Click OK. Click Apply and then click OK on the Internet Properties window. Finally, restart your PC to apply the changes. "Download Failed - Network Error" Solved Chrome is prone to several issues that affect functionalities such as downloading files. As we've indicated, this error could also stem from your computer. Hopefully, you should be able to resolve this issue using the tips we've provided.

We’re living in an increasingly paperless world. This is great for the environment, as not printing out documents definitely saves trees. Sometimes printing can’t be avoided, though. Or you might just prefer to read something on a piece of paper. A few trees have to be sacrificed for that. But you can at least save more of them by printing on both sides of the page. It’s pretty easy to print double-sided on a Mac if you know where to look. We’re here to help with that, and save a few of our leafy friends along the way. How to Print Double-Sided on Your Mac To print double-sided (also known as duplex printing) you need a great printer that works with your Mac and something to print. What you print could be a Word or Pages document or it could be a recipe or article from your internet browser. The actual content of what you’re printing doesn’t matter. What matters is the application you’re printing from. This is because the Print menu looks a little different in different applications. Therefore the location where you turn on double-sided printing is different depending on the Print menu layout you’re looking at. You can generally access the Print menu by hitting the Cmd + P keys on your Mac’s keyboard. Otherwise you can click on File > Print in most applications. Printing Double-Sided From Pages Once you’re in the Print menu, most of the time you’re looking for a checkbox that’s labeled Two-Sided. Click to enable that box and hit the Print button. Your printer should print whatever you’re printing on both sides of the paper! The above Print menu format is generally what you’ll encounter when printing from Mac-based applications. An app like Preview may have some additional options in the main Print menu, but for double-sided printing you just need to find the Two-Sided checkbox. Printing Double-Sided From Google Chrome In an application like Google Chrome, it looks different. To print on double-sided from Google Chrome on your Mac, or a similar Print menu format, open the Print menu and click on the down-facing arrow beside More settings. Scroll down, and make sure to enable the box between Two-sided and Print on both sides. A dropdown menu will appear asking which way you want the print to flip—on the long edge or the short edge. To read your printout like a book, set this dropdown to Flip on long edge. To read your printout like a stenographer’s spiral top notepad set the dropdown to Flip on short edge. Click the Print button, and your printer should start doing some duplex printing. Printing Double-Sided From Microsoft Office Printing double-sided from Microsoft Office applications on a Mac is equally simple. It just takes a few extra clicks. Once in the Print menu, change the third dropdown menu from Copies & Pages to Layout. Click on the dropdown menu beside Two-Sided and select Long-Edge binding for a book-like double-sided printout. You can also select Short-Edge binding for a spiral top notepad-like printout. Booklet will print two pages side by side on one sheet of paper in landscape. The next pages after that will be on the same sheet of paper, turned on the short edge. You can also turn the menu to Off to turn off double-sided printing. Just like you can uncheck the Two-Sided box in other Print menu setups. If You’re Having Trouble or Not Seeing the Double-Sided Option If you’re following our steps above and your printer still isn’t doing double-sided printing from your Mac or if you can’t recreate your success with double-sided printing, update your printer drivers to make sure they’re on the most recent versions. It’s possible a bug has emerged that an update will correct. How to Update Your Printer Drivers To update your printer drivers go to System Preferences on your Mac and click on Software Update. Install any software related to your printer manufacturer. You can also try Googling for your printer make and model to download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website. Remove and Re-Add Your Printer Another thing to try is removing the printer from your Mac’s memory and then re-adding it. To remove a printer go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners. Click on the printer you’re having issues with and click the minus button (–). To re-add the printer click the plus button (+) and click on your printer’s name and make from the local network list that appears. You may have to hit the Add Printer or Scanner button in a popup before you get that list. Tweak Your Printer Settings Once you’ve clicked on your printer’s name, choose an option from the Use dropdown menu. AirPrint will be an option if your printer supports it—it’s software from Apple that lets you use a printer wirelessly without downloading a driver. If you’d like to download the proper driver for your printer click Select Software in the Use dropdown. If you’ve downloaded a driver separately and have it on your Mac, select Other and navigate to the file in question. When you’ve made your Use menu selection click the Add button in the bottom right. Then try doing double-sided printing again and see if the issue is resolved. It’s possible you may not be able find the Two-Sided checkbox or binding selection options in the Print menu in any application on your Mac though regardless of your drivers. If that’s the case it’s very likely your printer can’t do double-sided printing. Manually Print Double-Sided Though it’s a very common feature in modern printers, double-sided printing isn’t seen in every printer model. You can work around it to a degree by printing only the odd pages of a document, and then loading those pages back into the printer so that you can print the even pages on the back. You can also print one page, then turn that paper over in the printer to print on the back. This method can take a long time and it requires knowing how to feed paper into your printer in the right direction. It’s an option, but it’s not terribly efficient and it’s far from our preferred method. So if you’re on the market for a printer, we would highly recommend making sure double-sided printing is an option alongside other important printer features we look for. Double-Sided Printing on a Mac Is Easy Printing on both sides of a piece of paper saves paper and trees. We hope our guide above helps you successfully print double-sided from your Mac and that it helps you like your printer that much more going forward, too.