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How To Fix “Unfortunately Google Play Service Has Stopped” Error

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unfortunately google play service has stopped

The backbone of all the smartphones having Android OS (Google’s Android, to be more precise 😉 ) is Google Play Service which has a huge collection of applications. One can depend on this for all types of apps, and this is something that cannot be replaced in the lives of Android Smartphone users. But the major drawback is when we continuously receive a pop-up message saying, “Unfortunately Google Play Service Has Stopped”. This causes a problem in the work when we are in urgent need of some mobile application. And, we have seen many people complaining about the repetition of this problem on their device. It is high time to fix this issue and let the users work in an easy manner. In this context, given below are some useful tips that will guide you about the fixation of this error in your device.

How To Fix Unfortunately Google Play Service Has Stopped

Solution 1: Update your Play Services

One of the major reasons behind repetition of this pop-up message on your device may be the outdated version of your Google Play Services. So, the simplest thing you can do to fix this problem is to update your Google Play Services app. Sometimes outdated software does not run properly on your device and shows error over and over again. So most probably by doing this, you can fix the problem.

You can update it by opening the Play Store on your phone and search for “Play services”, if you see the option to update the app, click on that, the app will be updated.

Solution 2: Force Stop & Clear Cache (1)

As already mentioned that Google Play Service is the backbone of your device and hence, it is the framework of all the Google and Google Play apps installed in your device. With time, it may collect caches in your device that will create a problem in using it properly. If your Google Play Services app is already updated and the problem is not solved, you can try clearing your cache. In most of the cases, this has helped in solving the problem. Read the steps given below to clear the cache for your Google Play Services.

  1. Go to settings and click on “Apps” section.
  2. Scroll down through all the apps and click “Google Play Services”.
  3. After opening the app details, click on the “Force Stop” option.
  4. Then you must tap on the option that says “Clear Cache”.

Solution 3: Force Stop & Clear Cache (2)

The Google Services Framework system app on your Android device is the one that stores all the important information and helps your phone to sync with Google and keep all your apps running up to date. With continuous use, even Google Services Framework app collects a lot of caches and it needs to be cleared. This may be one of the reasons for repetition of the pop-up message saying, “Unfortunately Google Play Services Has Stopped”. Because of caches, you may not be able to connect to Google servers properly, and this will cause the problem again and again. Given below are steps to clear cache from your Google Services Framework app.

  1. Go to setting and click on “Apps” option.
  2. Select the option “All Apps”, and scroll down through all the options until you find “Google Services Framework.
  3. Click on this option and then select the button “Force Stop.
  4. Then you must tap on the option “Clear Cache” and fix this bug.

Solution 4: Fix Wi-Fi issues

One of the major reasons behind the repeated appearance of this pop-up box may be your Wi-Fi connection. There are chances that your Wi-Fi may be blocking a particular IP address which is used by Google for syncing up with your device. Hence, if the above-mentioned solutions have not solved your problem, then you must try fixing up your Wi-Fi connection. You can switch off the Wi-Fi and then switch it on. Then you must go to Google Play Services and check if the problem is solved. You must try the same thing with mobile data and check if the problem is solved.

Solution 5: Just Reboot

This may seem like a usual advice and will sound least important, but one must always try this. Just like switching the mobile data or Wi-Fi connection on and off can solve the problem. You should try doing the same with your device. Yes! Rebooting your device can also fix this bug. This may sound simple, but sometimes there may be some repetitive blockage system that will cause problems. Switching off your device and then switching it on will fix this bug.

Solution 6: Try Custom Roms

Last but not the least, this is must try the solution that will fix the repetition of pop-up message. You just have to install a custom ROM that is stable and has no bugs included in it. There are several custom ROMs available in the digital marketplace which you can easily install on your device. (Related: Best Custom ROMs for Android)

You can get these ROMs for any Android 5.0 or Android 5.1 Lollipop custom firmware. Installing this ROM which is free from bugs will let you finish all your work in a smooth manner.

Solution 7: Sign out & sign in to your Google account

If the problem is still not fixed, then you can try this one solution that has worked in most of the cases. All you have to do is, remove your Google account from your device. Now you need re-enter all the details and once again add this account. Given below are steps to follow for doing this process.

  1. Go to settings and select the option that says “Google Accounts.
  2. Now you must click the options panel located at the top right corner.
  3. Click the option that says “Remove account.
  4. Now, using the same method, click the option “Add Account” and enter all the details.

After this, you can check your Google Play Services app and make sure if the problem is fixed.

Also check out: Screen Overlay Detected

Conclusion

Therefore, in the light of facts above, we can say that no technical problem is too big. You can easily look for solutions and solve it in no time. We believe we helped you with exactly that with the Unfortunately Google Play Service Has Stopped error. Do comment down if you still face any issues after trying these solutions, we’ll try to find a working solution for you.

How To Fix “Unfortunately Google Play Service Has Stopped” Error
Gadgetraid.com.


How To Fix The ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED Error In Chrome [For PC & Android]

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err_name_not_resolved

Google Chrome is the most extensively used browser nowadays and for very good reasons too. It supports vast extension ecosystems, allows full integration with Google accounts and also has a reliable set of mobile apps which are available in every platform, hence making it easier to keep data in sync thus allowing easy handling of multiple devices. No wonder it is the gold standard among the web browsers. Suffice to say, Google Chrome is the most popular web browser in existence today.

Even so, like all other systems, Chrome also gets some glitches and errors. One such error is the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error. This is a common error that comes up randomly. In fact, it is one of the most common errors internet users have to deal with all the time. Most encounter this error once or twice at least, while it is even more for others. Amazingly enough, many don’t know how to resolve this error yet.

This error can be caused by system faults or by Chrome. So to make sure that it is not the former, run the following checks before you try any of the solutions below.

How To Fix The ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

Basic Checks to Solve The Err Name Not Resolved Error in Chrome

  • Try to load the website in other browsers like Firefox.
  • Make sure that your connection is active by visiting another website or by pinging a website using the command prompt. As an example, run this command in your command prompt.
    ping www.google.com
  • Check if the site is up and running by entering the URL in the ‘Down’ app.
  • Refresh the page using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F5.
  • Make sure that the cables are connected properly and that there are no faults in the modems and routers.
  • Make sure that the URL you entered is correct.
  • If you specified the DNS manually, make sure that it is working properly by pinging it. Another way is to remove the service for a while to see if that fixes the problem. Try using Google DNS instead.

If the issue is any of the first 3 that are listed above, then it suggests that the problem might not be with Chrome. It might be with the website or the network connection that you are using.

Some variations of the ‘This website is not available’ error includes the following error messages: ‘ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED’, ‘ERR_CONNECTION_RESET’ or something similar. Sometimes the page may come up with something entirely different like ‘Unable to connect to the Internet’. All of these stem from some common underlying factor a few of which have been given below.

Solutions To The ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED Error In Chrome

Below given are some of the solutions for Err name not resolved error in Chrome. These are tailored for PC and will work on Android too (if there is a different method for Android, we will mention it along side the PC solution.

Read on!

Firewall or Antivirus

It may sometimes occur that the Firewall setup or your antivirus program may be blocking the connection. Try disabling these for a little while to check if this is creating the problem (note that it is better to keep them enabled and enable them as soon as the cause is detected). This might be the problem if you have recently installed or updated such a software.

Proxy Server

It is possible that you may have used a proxy server and forgot to remove it after use. Check your proxy settings to confirm this.

DNS Server Address

Another reason might be your DNS server. If this is the case, you will need to change or refresh the address to Google DNS in order to fix this. Click here for a step by step for changing the DNS on your system to Google DNS.

If you have tried this already, move on to the next solution.

Corrupted Cookies

Cookies are text files created and stored in your system by the different sites you visit. If something goes wrong with them, it can cause this error. In order to remedy this error, clear the cookies in Chrome.

Disable Predictions

Click on the Chrome’s settings option from the overflow button at the upper right corner of the screen. Scroll to the end. You will see an advanced settings option there.

Open it. In it, find the option ‘Use a prediction service to load pages more quickly’ and turn it OFF.

err name not resolved

Refresh the page to see if it the err_name_not_resolved error is gone or not. If not, you can try the other ways.

Flush Chrome DNS

This is quite simple. Open a new tab in Chrome and type the following in the address bar.

chrome://net-internals/#dns

err name not resolved

You will find a page opened in which click the ‘Clear host cache’ button. This will flush the Chrome DNS cache.

Restart your PC

This might sound too simple but really, it is worth a try. So go ahead and restart your system. Also, before you restart the system, close Google Chrome and open it again. Sometimes, this itself will be enough. If it doesn’t work, give restarting your PC a shot.

If this is happening on your Android phone, close the Chrome app by swiping it away from recents screen. It might solve err name not resolved in Android.

Restart your Router

You can also try restarting your router as you normally would do for any connection related issues. It might work for this error too.

Try A Different Network

If you have another connection available, then try connecting to a different network and see if the website loads. If other networks are not available, you can always use a VPN service temporarily to check if the website loads or not. If it does, it means that the website you are trying to access is being blocked by your ISP or on a country level.

Clear Your Browser Cookies In Chrome

If none of the above solutions didn’t fix the problem, then try this one. To clear the cookies, first, choose the Chrome settings in the drop-down list that can be seen when you click on the overflow button on the top right corner of the new tab in Chrome.

Scroll down to the end of the page and click on the ‘Show advanced settings’ options at the bottom.

Choose ‘Clear browsing data’ option and check only the ‘Cookies and other site data’ and pick ‘All time’ from the drop-down list.err_name_not_resolved

Now, restart your Chrome browser and see if the problem is resolved.

Conclusion: Solve the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error in Chrome.

These were some of the ways to fix the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error in Chrome. Try them one by one and you will find the one that works for you. We hope the answers were clear, precise, easy to understand and helpful. If the problem persists even after trying the steps in this guide, comment down below we’ll help you out!

The post How To Fix The ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED Error In Chrome [For PC & Android] appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

My iPhone Won’t Turn On – How to Fix it?

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iphone not turning on

Apple’s iPhone undoubtedly is one of the worlds best tech one can own and use. However, there is one common problem that every iPhone user face and probably they hate this problem too. The problem is that iPhone won’t turn on. The reason behind this issue can be many.

Also on the internet, there are a number of articles that provide information to get rid of this issue. However, not all of the sources have authentic information. Some websites even provide misleading information for the “my iPhone won’t turn on” fix. So it is advisable to think a bit about the online solution before applying it to the iPhone device.

Whenever an Apple device crashes, there can be two reasons. One of them is that the operating system of the device is crashed and you need to reset the iPhone. Or there can be a hardware problem that is not letting the iPhone turn on and work again.

Whatever the problem is, there is always a fix. So just in case if your iPhone is not turning on, then here are some steps that you can follow to make the iPhone work again. So let’s just move to the solution without wasting any time.

Steps To Fix An iPhone That Won’t Turn On

NOTE: These steps would work on all the models including iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone SE and even older models such as iPhone 5s, iPhone 5, iPhone 4s & iPhone 4 if you’re still using those models.

Investigate

Before you start applying any of the fixes make sure you know the problem. You can not fix a software issue by looking into the hardware part. Similarly, you cannot fix a hardware issue by looking at the software part. So you should investigate the problem at first and understand what actually went wrong with your iPhone.

Software crash

Software crash is the most common problem among iPhone devices. So if you are facing the same issue you can try reinstalling the software of your device. Now the question is how to perform a hard reset? Well if you own an iPhone 6 or older apple device then you have to press the home button and hold down the wake button together for like 20 to 30 seconds. For iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus try pressing the home button and volume up or down button. If the problem is with your software then soon you will see a logo of the apple.

DFU Restore Mode

There is one more issue that iPhone users face, the display turns out to be black however the phone is on. This can be because of software issues too.  To solve this issue you can try out the DFU restore mode.

Check Your Adapter

What if your iPhone battery is dead and it’s not turning on? Try to charge the phone up using an adapter. If charging up the phone would fix your issue then you are good to go. If it doesn’t you can try charging with a different adapter. Maybe your adapter is not working and the Apple device is completely fine. So do not forget to check out your adapter. Some iPhones even get charged up via a computer or laptop and not from a wall charger. So try to connect the iPhone with your laptop and investigate the result.

Check Out the display

There can be one more problem with your display. Like the phone is working and the display is dead. So to know if your iPhone has the similar issue or not then you can simply connect your iPhone to your laptop. If your laptop has recognized the device its time to backup your phone data. If iTunes is showing up your device then you can simply backup your device. If iTunes is not recognizing your device then try performing the hard reset action while connected to your computer. You may see an error message and will be able to backup your device.

Check out if the device is physically damaged or liquid damaged

What if you have dropped your iPhone and since then the device is not turning on or your phone went from some serious disaster? Also if your iPhone came across to water splash? Anything could happen, iPhones are the most sensitive tech in this world. And you have to be extra careful with the device. Now figure out why your iPhone is not turning on is it because of water damage or you dropped the phone? Or someone dropped something on it? Figure out the issue. If the damage is minor and your device is under apple warranty, probably then there is a chance that Apple might ignore the damage issue and replace your iPhone. So figure out what went wrong with your iPhone.

Conclusion: My iPhone Won’t Turn On

Just in case if your Apple device is not under warranty, then you can say you are in a huge trouble. But not really as I have mentioned earlier, there is a solution for every problem. However, you may have to pay for the solution. So after all the solution if your iPhone is still not turning on then it is advisable to take the iPhone to the apple store and get the phone fixed. Just tell them that my iPhone won’t turn on. However, the repairing charge can cost quite a lot depends on how much your device is damaged. Also if you do not want to spend much you can take your iPhone to other repairing shops. However, if your phone is quite old for like around 3 to 4 years. It is advisable to get a new device. But before getting a new device you should definitely try to backup your device if possible.

The post My iPhone Won’t Turn On – How to Fix it? appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How to Solve This Copy of Windows is not Genuine Error

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this copy of windows is not genuine

We all know about the issue of “this copy of windows is not genuine” that shows up in the Windows operating system. We all know how irritating that error is. If you are a windows user who is using a pirated copy, I am pretty sure you know the pain. Every time you start your computer there is a pop up saying “This Copy of Windows Is Not Genuine”.

Also, the wallpaper of your desktop turns into black and there is the irritating message at the right down corner of your desktop. Now, for most people, all of these things can be pretty annoying.

So how to solve this issue? If you have the same question in your mind, do not worry, we have got your back. In this article, we have shared some of the working ways to solve this copy of windows is not genuine error.

These steps can work for the most common windows versions like Windows XP, Windows 8 and Windows 10. If you are one such windows user who is facing the same issue, then this is the guide you should follow. So let’s just head into the topic without wasting any more time.

There are 4 different steps to fix the error of this copy of windows is not genuine. Let’s see them one by one:

How to Solve This Copy of Windows is not Genuine Error

Method 1: Uninstall the KB971033 update

In the first step, you have to uninstall the KB971033 update from your computer. So to uninstall the KB971033 update follow these instructions:

  • At first, you have to go to the control panel of your computer. You can do so by clicking on your windows start menu.
  • Now you have to click on the System & Security. In case you are a Windows XP user, there is no need for clicking on system and security.
  • Now you have to click on the Windows Update.
  • Then you have to click on the View Installed Updates.
  • Now here you will get a list of all the installed updates. Now you have to find the KB971033 Update.
  • Once you have found the KB971033 Update, right click on it and click on uninstall. Get done with the uninstalling process and you are good to go.

Method 2: Using CMD

On the second step, you will need to run a CMD command. Here are the steps that you need to follow:

  • At first, go to the windows start menu and search for CMD. Now right click on it and open it as run the Command Prompt as administrator. Make sure you have opened the CMD as an administrator, otherwise the method will not work.
  • Now here you have to enter the “SLMGR –REARM” command and hit the enter button. Once you are done hitting the enter button you will get a popup asking you to restart your computer.
  • Now simply restart your computer and you are good to go.

However on some windows version the “SLMGR –REARM” command may not work. So you can try out the “SLMGR /REARM” command as an alternative. Also, there can be a few more errors when you do this, so here are all the errors that you could face while running the command.

Error 1: One of the most common error is the “This maximum allowed number of rearms has been exceeded.” So to fix this error here are the following steps that you can follow:

  • Press the windows button and R together to open the run menu.
  • Type down regedit.exe and hit enter.
  • Now follow this following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> Software -> Microsoft -> WindowsNT -> Current version -> SoftwareProtectionPlatform.
  • Now here you have to look for the SkipRearm and click on modify. Now you have to change its value from 0 to 1.
  • Restart your computer. After restarting rerun the step 2 steps and you are good to go.

However, the main problem comes while typing the command. So make sure you have typed the code correctly. Also, make sure you have opened you’re the CMD as an administrator else you will face the problem.

Method 3: Disable Windows Update

On this step, you have to disable the windows update feature. Now to do this you have to follow the following steps:

  • At first, go to the Control Panel.
  • Click on System & Security.
  • Then click on Turn Automatic Updates On or Off.
  • Then Select the Never Check For Updates option.

Now by doing all the above steps you will get rid of the issue of this copy of windows is not genuine. However here is a bonus step that you can follow. Just in case if you are still facing the issue. So here we go with the last step:

Method 4: Delete the slui.exe file

This is the quickest step one can follow. On this step, you have to find the slui.exe file. So to delete the file here are the steps that you should follow

  • At first, you have to find the slui file. However to make it easy for you here is the path for the file C:\Windows\System32\slui.exe. Once you have found the file then simply delete the file.
  • Follow the above step carefully 😉

Conclusion: This Copy of Windows is not Genuine

By following the above steps you can easily get rid of the this copy of windows is not genuine error. However, with a pirated copy of windows, you will keep facing similar issues with your computer.  So it is advisable to get a genuine copy of windows to get a permanent solution from all the windows problems and issues.

The post How to Solve This Copy of Windows is not Genuine Error appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

My iPhone Touch Screen Is Not Working – How to Fix it?

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My iPhone Touch Screen Not Working

It is one of the most irritating issues when your iPhone touch is not working and it can happen to anyone. This is a terrible situation to be on since you can not make calls from your iPhone or text anyone. It simply means that the iPhone touch screen is not working issue will make your phone useless.

Now, if you have a similar issue then we are here to help you out. On this article, we will explain why the touchscreen of your iPhone is not working. Also, how can you fix the issue? If your iPhone does not have a major issue then you can simply fix your iPhone from your home. But before we move to the solution, let us explain why the touch screen of the phone is not working.

How to fix “My iPhone Touch Screen Is Not Working” issue?

NOTE: Here, we’re going to explain the common solutions for the issue of iPhone not turning on. It should work on all the models in eluding iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, iPhone SE, iPhone 4, etc!

Why is the touchscreen of your iPhone not working?

Well, the reason is simple. It simply means that the software of your iPhone is not connecting with the hardware of your iPhone the way it should. It happens for many reasons, there can be a problem with the iPhone screen, or there can be a problem with the iPhone’s touch sensor. Or it is some third party app that is blocking the connection. The reason can be many.

So just read on where we will be talking about every possible fix that could make your iPhone work again. So just check out the following steps and start applying these fixes one by one.

How to fix iPhone touch screen is not working issue?

Clean the screen of your device

One of the most common causes of this issue is that the iPhone screen is dirty. And it is blocking the screen to recognize your finger touch. So make sure you have cleaned your screen. There can be oil, dust, moisture or any other element that causing the issue. Also, do not forget to clean your fingers as well. It will probably fix the issue if it doesn’t, then see if your phone has any third-party protector or not. If your iPhone does have a third party screen protector, then simply remove it. Then again clean the screen of the iPhone and test it. If it is working then you are good to go and if it doesn’t, then you should not worry as we have more steps to share.

Update the existing apps

Maybe there is some bug with the apps that you use. And the only solution to get rid of the bug is to update the apps. So try to update all the apps that you use. Even if there are some updates from the apple do download it and update.

However, this fix will only work if your iPhone touch is unresponsive for some selected apps. If your iPhone screen is unresponsive for every iPhone feature then you can simply skip this step.

Delete Unnecessary apps

If you have downloaded some apps that you do not even use, consider a delete action for it. Maybe the apps brought some bugs with it and it’s making your iPhone screen unresponsive. So figure out the apps that you do not even use and delete them one by one. However, you can too skip this step if your phone screen is completely not working and you are not able to do anything.

Try performing a hard reset

Maybe there are some bugs that completely made your iPhone touch screen unresponsive. So how can you fix this? Well, you can simply perform a hard reset or hard formatting task. If the problem is with some software it will fix the issue else you have to move on to the next step. However to reset your iPhone here are the steps that you can follow:

If you own an iPhone 6 or older apple device then you have to press the home button and hold down the wake button together for like 20 to 30 seconds. For iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus try pressing the home button and volume up or down button. If the problem is with your software then soon you will see a logo of the apple.

NOTE: In case your issue is different from this one, and your iPhone is not turning on, visit this step by step guide instead.

Is the iPhone touch screen cracked?

Well if the display of your Apple device is completely cracked then it is time to stop trying all the fixes. As you can not fix a broken display. Also, the iPhone screen can be damaged by water. So figure out if your iPhone display is cracked or if the iPhone came across to any water splash? Or did you drop anything on the display?  If the answer is yes then stop here and do not apply any fix as it will not work. If your iPhone screen is broken then it is advisable to take the iPhone to the apple store and get the device fixed.

If your apple device is under warranty and has insurance you can talk with the folks at the apple store and figure out what to do. Just tell them that my iPhone screen is not working.

However, we do not think that Apple would fix your broken screen under warranty. But, if the screen stopped working without any physical damage, they’ll be happy to replace your phone too if it’s under warranty. So it is advisable to visit apple store if the steps on this page didn’t work for you!

We hope you all the best and wish your issue has been solved by now.

The post My iPhone Touch Screen Is Not Working – How to Fix it? appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How To Fix The ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error In Chrome

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err_connection_refused

Google Chrome is the most popular web browser as of now due to a variety of features it offers. It is rather fast and loads pages in a flash. It also has a minimal interface, i.e, it can figure out if we are browsing a keyword or an address on its own. We don’t have to specify it ourselves, nor does Chrome offer separate input space for both.

This seemingly simple feature is rather awesome since we no longer have to remember URLs or even the name of the sites. Also, it was the first browser to give each tabs separate access to the local resources, meaning, even if one tab encounters a glitch, the rest of the browsing sessions remain unaffected.

That being said, we do come across some errors in Chrome. One such problem is that, occasionally, it does not allow some domains to start without any warning while everything else opens properly. When this happens, Chrome gives the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error.

It can happen to any domain, even if we are trying to visit some website which we have visited in the past, such as YouTube. It doesn’t tell you much about what the problem is. The simple solution to fix the problem is to use a VPN, but it really isn’t a solution.

In order to fix this problem, we need to do a little cleaning. Before we get into that, let’s take a look at the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error.

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error

Chrome shows the error for many reasons. If a new extension, VPN or an anti-virus was installed, they can also be responsible for the problem. Another problem with this error is that, if this error is seen on Chrome, then other PCs in the network won’t be able to open this domain too. Also, any other browsers except Safari or iOS won’t open these domains either. The good news is that, if it is solved on your PC, then it will be resolved for other PCs in the network too. Hence we can conclude that it is a DHCP or DNS problem and not because of Google Chrome.

Here are some methods to fix this error:

How To Fix The ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error In Chrome

1. Check If The Website Is Down

Make sure that the website isn’t down before you start troubleshooting. If the site is down, no matter what you do, you will get the same error message. Try using apps like ‘Down’ to check this. Just paste the URL with the problem in the app and see if it is up. If the app states nothing is wrong with the site, then it is time to get troubleshooting.

2. Reset Your WiFi Router

To reset your WiFi router, press and hold down the power button for 10 seconds and release it to turn the router OFF. Now wait another 10 seconds and turn it back ON. Check if Chrome loads the domain now. If it doesn’t yet, it’s okay. This is the least technical solution of the whole and we have more to try our hand at.

3. Flush DNS

Open the command prompt. You can open the command prompt by searching ‘cmd’ in the taskbar search box or start menu search box. Right click on the search result and select ‘Run as Administrator’ option. You will see the command prompt. Now, type in the following command.

ipconfig /flushdns

It will tell you when the DNS cache has been cleared successfully or not. It takes a few seconds to complete though, nothing to worry about.  Now, restart your system and try opening the domain again. If it still doesn’t work, try the next solution.

4. Renew IP and DHCP

Again, open the command prompt as stated above and in the command prompt, run the following command.

ipconfig /renew

This will renew your IP and DHCP configuration. It might disconnect you from the WiFi for a second or two, but it’s really okay. Wait for the Windows to connect back to the network again. See if Chrome will load the domain. If not, try the following solution.

5. Change Your DNS Server

This solution is for when you can open the website using VPN but you are unable to open it when you are not using a VPN. It doesn’t matter if you are using WiFi or direct Ethernet connection, you can still change the DNS settings.

  1. Press Window+R. You will see that the ‘Run’ dialogue box has appeared on the screen.
  2. Now type ‘ncpa.cpl’ and press Enter. It will show the Network Connections.
  3. Now, right click on your connection, which may be Ethernet or any other network connection and select Properties.
  4. Now, double click on the TCP/IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) option.
  5. On the next screen, you should be able to see an option called ‘Use the following DNS server addresses’.
  6. Select that option and enter the following addresses for using Google Public DNS.
Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4.

Save all these changes. Check whether the error has been resolved or not.
Solve the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error In Chrome

6. Do Not Use Proxy Server For LAN

If the error arose after the installation of a VPN app or extension, you need to check this setting. For that, Open ‘Internet Options’ and switch to the Connections tab. In the tab, you will be able to find LAN settings option. In it, the ‘Use proxy server for your LAN’ option will be seen. Make sure that it is unchecked. If it is checked, uncheck it and don’t forget to save the changes.

You can also try disabling the new extensions, VPN or anti-virus that you have installed recently if any.

7. Scan For Malware

Finally, scan your computer with a reliable antivirus software to make sure that this prevalent issue is not responsible for the error.

 

Conclusion – Solve the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error In Chrome

These are some of the ways to resolve the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error in Chrome. Try these methods one by one and see which one works for you. We hope they were helpful and easy to understand.

The post How To Fix The ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error In Chrome appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How To Use iMessage on Windows PC

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Apple’s iMessage is considered as one of the best messaging services that exist on the internet. However, not everyone gets the chance to use the iMessage service.

Only an Apple device user gets the privilege to use it. The apple’s iMessage service undoubtedly amazing from other chat services like WhatsApp. It kills the need of downloading other third-party messaging apps and send your texts at data costs.

Moreover, the application saves your delivery report and other information to make the messaging experience easier. One of the good things about the app is that it comes preinstalled on every Apple device.  Also, there are a number of people who love to use iMessage and not WhatsApp.

Maybe they just do not like to use multiple platforms to exchange texts. However, if you are not a mac or iOS user then you can not use the application. However, if you are wondering how to use the iMessage on pc then we are here to help you out.

There are total 3 methods that let you use the iMessage service on your windows pc. Just in case if you are wondering what are those methods then do check out the whole article and we will walk you through all the three methods. So let’s just head to the topic without wasting any time:

But before we talk about these steps, we would like to say that all of the methods that are listed here have been tested by us first to make this piece of article authentic and valuable.

How To Use iMessage On PC To Send Messages?

1. Using Chrome Remote Desktop

chrome remote desktop

NOTE: This method requires you to have a MacBook or iMac.

This is the easiest method one can follow. You do not even need to download an app or heavy software. If you have the chrome internet browser installed on your computer you are good to go. The chrome remote desktop extension lets you access any computer screen easily.

However, you will need a MacBook or iMac desktop for this. Also on your Mac, you have to install the iMessage app (which might already be installed if you haven’t removed it). Now to access iMessage from your windows pc you have to follow these steps:

  1. At first, make sure you have Google Chrome installed on both PC and Macs. If you don’t have the browser installed on the computers. Then simply download the Google Chrome browser from the official website (click on the below given button).
  2. Just click the above link in both of your devices and it shall load the appropriate installable files according to your platform.
  3. Now, Install it on both of your devices now.
  4. Now, you have to install the Chrome Remote Desktop. To do so, just click on the below given button.
  5. Once you are done installing the extension, you have to click on ‘Launch App’ button from the top right.
  6. Now on the Mac, you will need to install an additional program. So, download the ‘Chrome Remote Desktop Host Installer’ and install it on your Mac.
  7. After installing everything, launch the Chrome Remote Desktop on your Mac. Here you will see a 12 digit code on the screen. Simply note it down and do not share the code with anyone else for privacy.
  8. Now you have to launch the Chrome Remote Desktop from your Windows PC. Then enter the 12-digit code. This will give you accesses to the mac.
  9. Now simply go to the app drawer and access iMessage.

2. Using IPADIAN Emulator

UPDATE: This method is not currently working.

On this method, you will not need any Mac. The IPADIAN Emulator offers an ecosystem of IOS device on your windows computer. So you can use IOS services on a Windows machine without any issues. Also, there are so many alternatives available for the IPADIAN Emulator. But this is the best option you can go with. Here we go through the steps of this method:

  1. Download the IPADIAN Emulator application from Softonic website.
  2. Install the downloaded file.
  3. Follow all the screen instructions and get done with the installation process.
  4. Launch the program. Here you have to sign up with your Apple ID and password. If you do not have an Apple ID, then create one for yourself.
  5. Now you will get access to the iOS ecosystem. Locate the iMessage app and you are good to use iMessage on PC.

3. Download Bluestacks to use the iMessage on Windows PC.

UPDATE: This method is not currently working.

With Bluestacks it also quite easy to get the iOS ecosystem. As well it kills the need of having an apple device. If you are wondering how you can use the iMessage on Windows PC using bluestacks, here is the guide you should follow,. Just read on and we will tell you the last method to use iMessage on the windows system.

Steps To Get iMessage on Windows System:-

  1. At first download the Bluestacks Android emulator from the internet.
  2. After downloading the program run it.
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to get done with the installation process.
  4. Launch the application and search for iMessage from the search bar.
  5. Download the iMessage App to your Bluestacks.
  6. Setup the iMessage app and you are all set to use Apple’s iMessage on a windows system.

Conclusion: Use iMessage On Personal Computer

So this was the steps to easily use iMessage on windows PC. However, for an emulator, there are many options. You can use any good emulator to install iMessage. Also, the emulator may lag on your system as it is quite a heavy program so make sure you have a powerful hardware to use the iMessage service smoothly.

NOTE: These emulators and Chrome RDP isn’t a complete solution for iMessage for Windows, as the iMessage is totally an Apple app, that too a closely guarded one. It would be actually better if you use any other iMessage alternatives for your PC rather than trying to get it working on Windows! We’re attaching a list of iMessage alternatives for Windows down below for you to try.

iMessage for PC Alternatives:

Here are some of the iMessage for Windows alternatives we’d suggest you to try:

  1. Pushbullet: Pushbullet ain’t really a messaging app, but it lets you view texts from your PC on phone & also send texts & reply back instantly from PC itself. This should be your best pick as of now.
  2. Telegram: Telegram, much like WhatsApp, but has the speciality that it is open source and can be installed on any number of devices independently.
  3. Facebook Messenger: Much like Telegram, this can also be installed in any number of devices and can be accessed online.
  4. Skype: Let’s go old school. Skype has been around for so long, that’s for a reason. It can be great iMessage on Windows alternative if you choose it to be.
  5. WhatsApp: Alas, WhatsApp is here. It’s something everyone uses nowadays, even your friends using iMessage on their phones must be using it. Just install the WhatsApp Web on your PC (or access it online) and you’re good to go.

I hope this last part really helped you in realising that there is no real method available now to get iMessage on PC to working. Just use any alternative if you really want to message seamlessly on your Windows PC like everyone does with iMessage.

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How to find saved WiFi passwords on Android phone

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how to find saved wifi password in android

It is really common to find WiFi connections around us these days. And if you get really lucky, you might find some open WiFi connections near you. Some of these signals may not be reliable and lack of security than the protected WiFi. You can save the passwords of these protected WiFis in your phones and laptops.

In case you forget and need it later, if you are a Windows user, you can easily check the saved passwords on your system/your laptops. But the problem is that there is no option to see saved WiFi passwords on android and hence android mobile users cannot access these passwords.

There are methods to view saved WiFi passwords in android too. For some methods, you need to root the android device, but this method is not that preferable as it has a lot of pros and cons. You should check out more about root to see what it entails and decide whether you wish to do it or not.

There are also methods to view the saved WiFi passwords in android without the root access. This method is also called WiFi password recovery no root. Without further ado, let’s see how both of the above methods can be used to answer your query of how to find wifi password on android, read on.

How to View Saved WiFi Passwords In Android without Root

  1. First of all, you have to download the Es File Explorer App on your Android phone. (Click here to download it).
  2. Open the app and open the navigation bar by swiping left.
  3. In the Navigation Bar, you will see an option called ‘local’. Select that option.
  4. Now, under ‘local’, you will see ‘Device’ option. Click on it.
  5. After that, click on the ‘System’ option which you will be able to see on the screen.
  6. You will be able to see many folders. Now, open the ‘etc’ folder.
  7. Inside the ‘etc’ folder, you can see the ‘wifi’ folder. Open it.
  8. After that, click on the file named the following.
    Wpa-supplicant.conf
  9. You will be shown different viewers to open it in. Select the ES text viewer for opening it.
  10. And that is it. You should be able to see all your saved WiFi passwords in the viewer, and it’ll show wifi password that you were looking for.

find saved wifi passwords

This is the best method for android show wifi password without having to root it. That being said, you should know that this method does not work for all the android devices. So, if it does not work for you, you will have to root your Android device to see the saved WiFi passwords. But if it does work, the solution given above is the best.

Now let us see how we can view the saved WiFi passwords on a rooted android device. The steps given below are specifically for rooted android phones. Sometimes, there is no way to see the WiFi passwords without gaining admin access as this information is stored in the system folder of the device.

If your device is not rooted and the method stated before is not working, then consider rooting it and follow the steps given below to view your saved WiFi passwords on your android phones.

How to View Saved WiFi Passwords On Android with Root

  1. Again, you will have to download the ES File Explorer app on your device (Click here to download it). This is because we are trying to access a system file on android. Hence we cannot use ordinary or traditional file explorers that comes pre-installed on the device. Now we have to see how we can use ES File Explorer as a root explorer, i.e, how you can use it to view system files.
  2. Launch the ES File Explorer and open the app’s settings by pressing the menu key.
  3. In the settings, scroll down till you see the ‘other settings’ section and select the ‘Root settings’ option.
    After that, in the ‘Root settings’ option, you will find ‘Root Explorer’ option and ‘Up to root’ option both of which are checkable. Check both of these options. If you are enabling this feature for the first time, your Android device will show a prompt asking you if you would like to grant this app the root access. Select the remember option and click allow. This will enable the ES File Explorer app.
  4. You will now be able to view all the root Android files when you tap the up button instead of exiting the app.
  5. Now, select the option called ‘local’ form the navigation bar.
  6. In it, you will see the ‘Device’ option. Click on it.
  7. Now, you will be able to see a directory called data. Select it.
  8. In this directory, choose the misc folder.
  9. Inside the misc folder, you will see a wifi folder. Enter this folder.
  10. After that, you will see a file named ‘wpa_supplicant.conf’. Tap on this file to open it and make sure that you have used the FS Explorer’s built-in text/HTML viewer for opening the file.
  11. That is it. You should now be able to see the network SSID and corresponding passwords next to it. Search for the network that you wish to know the password of, jot it down and close the file.

Please be very very careful and ensure that you don’t edit anything in the file. If you do, you might start getting some problems with your WiFi connectivity which can be difficult to detect and correct if you don’t remember or know about the edits.

Conclusion: View the saved WiFi passwords on Android devices.

These are the two best ways to view your saved WiFi passwords on your android phone depending on whether they are rooted or not. Hope the directions were clear, precise easy to understand and follow. Hope it also helped you to access your saved WiFi passwords on your Android phone.

The post How to find saved WiFi passwords on Android phone appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.


How to Fix ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting’ error in Windows

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you may be a victim of software counterfeiting

Do you know how many people currently use the Microsoft Windows Operating System? If you don’t, let’s just say that it is beyond a billion. This is because the Windows OS is clean, easy to use and very user-friendly. Since so many people across the world are using this OS, it is difficult for Microsoft to keep track of the authenticity of the OS being used by the user.

More than a fair share of the Windows currently being used are pirated versions and not the real thing. Such a vast level of piracy caused Microsoft to install bugs in the false versions for tracking them down. These bugs let the user know that their Windows OS is not a genuine Microsoft product. Have you ever had your screen just turn blank without any warning?

Then a prompt can be seen on the screen afterwards with the message ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting error’ or another message like ‘This copy of windows did not pass genuine windows validation’ or this message like ‘ask for genuine Microsoft software’.

You may be a victim of software counterfeiting error

If any of this messages has scared you off, do not worry, we have a fix for this problem. So don’t freak out and let’s see more about this error.

Why and when does someone see this error on their screen?

You will see this message when you are trying to update the pirated version of your Microsoft Windows OS. The whole deal of showing the message on the screen while the screen is black is called Windows Genuine Advantage or WGA in short. WGA is an anti-piracy feature created by Microsoft.

It ensures the authenticity of the product by enforcing validation of license while you are trying to update your non-genuine Windows software or while trying to download other Microsoft products into your system.

Usually, Windows XP users are faced with this error even though now Windows 7 and Windows 8 version users are also known to get a similar error on their system like ‘This copy of windows is not genuine’.

This problem may seem serious and difficult to handle, but it is not. The solution is quite simple. You just need to remove the WGA from your system and this error message will go away.

The solutions listed here will allow you to use the pirated versions of Windows without any issues. To remove the error and to stop the WGA, follow these 3 simple steps.

Fixing ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting’ error in windows

Step 1

  1. Go to ‘start’ menu and select the ‘run’ option. Alternatively, you can press Windows+R. This will open the Run dialogue and you can see it on the screen.
  2. In the run dialogue box, type in the following.
    Regedit
    Now click OK. You will see that the Registry Editor window is displayed on your screen.
  3. In the registry window, select the ‘+’ symbol on the left of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to open its subfolders.
  4. Click on the ‘+’ symbol next to the ‘Software’ option to open its subfolders.
  5. Click on the ‘+’ symbol next to the ‘Microsoft’ option.
  6. Keep opening the subfolders similarly in the following sequence till you reach the ‘Notify’ folder.
    Software -> Microsoft -> Windows NT -> Current Version -> Winlogon -> Notify
  7. You should be able to see WGALogon folder if you have completed all of the steps above. Now, right-click on this folder and select the ‘delete’ option.
  8. You are almost there. Now, restart your PC and that is it. You will not see the error message ever again.

Step 2

The error has to be removed permanently so that it won’t happen again. To make sure of it, you have to follow a few more directions. In this step, you will remove the other WGA files. This can offer your system a better protection and security.

Deleting the WGA files can be a bit complicated like deleting the hidden by default files in Windows. Follow the below steps and it should be very easy to do it.

  1. Click on the ‘Drive C’ folder in ‘My Computer’ or ‘Desktop’ and go to the ‘Windows’ folder.
  2. Here, you can see a folder named ‘System32’. Open it.
  3. Click on ‘Tools’ option which can be seen on the Menu Bar.
  4. In it, open the ‘Folder’ option.
  5. Now, go to the ‘View’ tab.
  6. Check the ‘show hidden files and folders’ option in the ‘View’ tab.
  7. Click ‘Apply’ button and after that click on the ‘OK’ button.
  8. After completing these steps, you will be able to see the hidden files in your system. Now you are in C:/Windows/System32 folder. You can manually look through the folder for the WGA files or you can search for them by clicking on the ‘Search for files and folders’ option which can be seen on the left side of the screen. In the space, type in ‘Wga’ and search for the results.
  9. You may see files like Wgatray.exe, Wgalogon.dll, Wgasetup.exe etc. Delete all the files that pop up that have the word ‘Wga’ in their names
  10. After this, follow the same steps again to delete WGA files from ‘C/Windows/System/dllcache’.

Now, follow the one simple step below and you will be error free forever

Step 3

After all of the above steps, you are now error free as all the WGA components are removed. But to make sure that this error won’t happen in the future, you have to disable automatic updates. This is because, if you install updates, there is a chance that Microsoft will install WGA again and this error will repeat. To disable automatic updates, follow these steps.

  1. Go to Control Panel in the start menu.
  2. Go to the ‘Automatic Updates’ option.
  3. Check the ‘Turn off automatic updates’ option. This will make sure that you will not get any updates.
  4. Click ‘Apply‘ and click on ‘OK’ after that.
  5. And we are done.

Conclusion – How to Fix ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting’ in windows

The steps above will give you a permanent solution for this error message of You may be a victim of software counterfeiting. It will make sure that this error won’t pop up in the future and you can use your OS forever but without any updates.

But it is always safer to use new versions of OS as hackers target old versions and they can also be easily attacked by malware. Also, piracy is not supported by us in any way. We always recommend that you use the original software from the Microsoft Store. Hope this article was helpful and easy to understand.

The post How to Fix ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting’ error in Windows appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How To Enable Windows Photo Viewer On Windows 10?

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windows photo viewer in windows 10

By now, most of the Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 users will have upgraded from that to the Windows 10 version. If you are one of those people then it’s possible that you may or may not have the Windows Photo Viewer application for Windows 10 version. It depends on the way you chose to upgrade to the new version of Windows.

Microsoft has classified most of the apps into the metro, universal or modern as a default type in Windows 10. The Windows Photo Viewer still exists in this version but you won’t find it in Default Apps or Default Programs in the Settings menu.

If you have upgraded from the Windows 7/8/8.1 versions, you will still have the Windows Photo Viewer and you can set is default without any problem. The issue comes up when you perform a clean installation of Windows 10 version from ISO. It can also happen if you purchase a computer with Windows 10 already installed. You won’t be able to find Windows Photo Viewer in both the cases. In fact, you won’t even be able to access this from anywhere at all.

But the thing is, Windows Photo Viewer is actually there. It just isn’t available or it’s kept hidden due to some minor issues which we will show you how to fix in this article. Read on to know more about how to enable Windows Photo Viewer on Windows 10.

How to Enable Windows Photo Viewer on Windows 10

Why you should use the classic Windows Photo Viewer on your Windows 10 PC?

The reason why one would want to use the Windows Photo Viewer app for the image files is that it offers more features than the default image viewer. It offers a lot of different effects and filters in addition to the usual provisions to enhance, rotate, crop and remove red-eye from your photos.

You can always use the Photos app which is set by the Microsoft as the default app for image files but it is slower than the Windows Photo Viewer application, not to mention difficult to use. Also, if you are someone who is used to using desktop apps, it is quite possible that you won’t like the Photos app as it is not a desktop app.windows photo viewer

The Problem: Why is Windows Photo Viewer hidden in Windows 10? 

Some registry keys enable you to access the Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10. Microsoft has implemented Windows 10 version in such a way that these keys won’t be created when you perform a clean installation of this version. For whatever reason, you will have to use the Photos app to open all the image files that you have. Making people getting used to the Photos app is their agenda.

Further, Windows Photo Viewer is a part of the DLL file called ‘Photoviewer.dll’. It does not have a separate executable file associated with it. So you won’t be able to associate your image files at a specific ‘.exe’ to the Windows Photo Viewer either.

Now that we know in detail and depth about the problem, it’s time to find a solution. How to get the Windows Photo Viewer back? It has got something to do with tweaking the Registry Editor as we will see below. Follow the instructions and you will be able to set Windows Photo Viewer as the default app for your image files without any difficulties.

How To Enable Windows Photo Viewer On Windows 10?

You can follow the steps given below to get back Windows Photo Viewer on your Windows 10 version PC. This can be done in two sections. First, we have to bring back the classic Windows Photo Viewer back to Windows 10. Then, we can finish off the process by setting it as our default application for image files. Let’s dive right into it without further ado.

How To Bring Back The Classic Windows Photo Viewer to Windows 10?

Before you begin this, we strongly recommend that you create a manual restore point as we are going to edit the Registry. In case of any setbacks, you can always use this restore point to undo any problems and resume the normal function of your system without any issues.

  1. Download the ‘PhotoViewer.reg’ file to your Windows 10 PC, use the button given below to download it now. 
  2. Download and place it in your desktop.
  3. Now, double-click on the ‘PhotoViewer.reg’ file. You should be able to see a dialogue box asking you for confirmation to merge the file. Click ‘Yes’ option. Or you can right-click on the ‘PhotoViewer.reg’ file and choose the ‘Merge’ option from the appearing menu.
  4. You will get another dialogue box saying that the keys and values contained in the file were successfully added to the Registry. Just click on the ‘OK’ button you will see in this dialogue box.
    windows photo viewer

That is it. You have just enabled the Windows Photo Viewer in your Windows 10 PC. Now to set it as your default app for images, just follow the instructions given below.

 

How to set Windows Photo Viewer as Default on Windows 10?

  1. You have to open the Settings app first. Do this by clicking on the Settings icon in the Start menu. Alternatively, press the Winodows+I keys together to open the Settings app.
  2. In the Settings app, click on the ‘System’ option you will be able to see there. After that, click on the Default Apps on the left pane so that you will be able to view all the default apps on the right side.
  3. Scroll down the right side to see the Photo Viewer section. In this section, click on the ‘Photos’ option that you see to open a flyout menu of apps. In the flyout list of apps, choose the Windows Photo Viewer option. This will make it the default app for photos.

windows photo viewer

That is it. If you followed all the instruction above, you should have successfully enabled the Windows Photo Viewer on your Windows 10 PC and set it as default. It is as simple as that.

Conclusion: How  to Enable Windows Photo Viewer On Windows 10?

Did the article help you to set the Windows Photo Viewer as the default app for the image files on your PC? Thank you for reading it. Hope it did help you and was clear and easy to understand.

The post How To Enable Windows Photo Viewer On Windows 10? appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool (and Full Step by Step guide)

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download windows 10 media creation tool

Windows is the most popular of all the Operating systems out there and it continues to have a large market share. By now, most of you will have upgraded your Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 version. If you are looking for ways for a clean installation of Windows 10 or to put in Windows 10 with an easy to use Update Assistant, just follow this article here. You should be enlightened about it by the end.

It is very easy to download and install Windows 10. One can do it very easily from the Microsoft website using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. It is the latest version of the series and is the most secure, versatile and powerful version yet. Microsoft has made available the Windows 10 Installation Media Tool which will help you download Windows 10 easily and cleanly for the users of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1.

In this page, we’re showing you how to install Windows 10 using Media creation tool & also how to Download windows 10 media creation tool directly, read on!

Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool

Click the below given link to download the Windows 10 Media creation tool directly.

Developer Microsoft
License Freeware
OS Windows
File Size 17.8MB
Download link

 

Use Windows 10 Media Creation Tool To Download Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft

As already said, the Media Creation Tool is intended to help all users who have upgraded from Windows 7 and Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 by allowing users to download Windows 10 ISO directly from the Microsoft website. The perk of using this Media Creation Tool is that one is not required to enter the Windows 10 product key for installation.

Another point to be noted is beside the installation without product key is that the Media Creation Tool also allows the customers to upgrade their current installation versions to Windows 10, so that is pretty cool too. The following versions of the Windows 10 can be downloaded using the Media Creation Tool for Windows 10. They can be downloaded in both 32-bit and 64-bit of the below given versions:

  • Windows Pro N
  • Windows 10 Single Language
  • Windows 10 Home N
  • Windows 10 Pro
  • Windows 10 Home

Another advantage of the Media Creation Tool is that it can be used to download the Windows 10 ISO file for other PCs as well, that is, if you own a system without a valid internet connection, just use the Media Creation Tool for Windows 10 to download the Windows 10 ISO for that system as well.

A point to note is that there are no options in the Media Creation Tool to download Home and Pro ISO images separately.  Selecting Windows 10 in edition filed will automatically include both the Home and Pro ISO images.

When you are done downloading the Windows 10 ISO file, you can use the same Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB or bootable DVD of Windows 10. Also, you will not require a product key when you are upgrading from previous versions of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to Windows 10 on the same computer. Things are quite straightforward as there is no separate Media Creation Tool for 64-bit as Microsoft has combined the tool for both the 32-bit and 64-bit.

So, you can use the Media Creation Tool together with various types of Windows 10 to create a bootable USB stick or DVD or you can upgrade from the existing versions of Windows 7/8/8.1 to Windows 10. Also, you can upgrade from your Windows 10 key type to the other one. It is also possible to get Windows 10 as an ISO file specifically. The Media Creation Tool will help you a great deal if you want to do a clean Windows installation or if you want to install a new Windows OS.

For upgrading from existing versions of Windows, you will require a bootable disk to deploy Windows 10. The Media Creation Tool will easily help you to set up a file for Windows 10. It is really a straightforward approach which will only take a few minutes of your time to setup your Windows 10 implementation package. It is actually a wizard that guides you through the required steps for installation. All you have to do is read the instructions and click ‘Next’ button a couple of times.

Please make sure that you have a reliable internet connection to use it as most of the installation files are to be downloaded from the Microsoft website. So a fast internet makes the entire process much faster.

Make A Bootable USB Or An ISO Image

You can use a USB drive to store the saved files but note that 3GB of free space is required in the minimum and most of the data already stored in the USB drive will be overwritten during the process. Instead of this, an ISO image may be generated by the application form which will be saved into your PC. You can then burn the Windows implementation files into a DVD using a Disk Burner software.

How To Develop A Windows 10 Deployment Package

The Media Creation Tool comes handy when you want to install or reinstall Windows 10 on your PC and do not have with you an installation media. You can release Windows 10 easily from the bootable USB or Disk which you have created with the help of the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.

When you run the Media Creation Tool, two directories are created in your system partition. They are:

$WINDOWS.~BT
$WINDOWS>~WS

These two folders contain the installation files and the setup. As you run the tool, you will be asked if you want to upgrade this PC now or if you want to create an installation media (USB Flash Drive, DVD, or ISO) for another PC.

  1. If you choose to ‘Create Installation Media For Another PC’ option, you will see a Window where you can specify the language architecture an edition. After you give the specifics, click ‘Next’. Then the Windows 10 download will begin.
  2. Once the ISO file is ready, you will see options for opening the location for ISO file and for opening a DVD Burner software. Choose the option to open the ISO folder and run the setup file to upgrade your existing version of Windows to Windows 10.
  3. In case of any errors, restart the setup and it should run smoothly.

On the other hand, if you select ‘Upgrade This PC’ option, you will just have to specify the language, architecture and edition and click ‘Next’ and that’s it.

Conclusion – Windows 10 Media Creation Tool

Hope the article was clear on the uses of the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and you were able to download Windows 10 media creation tool. It has been detailed as simple as possible. If you have any doubts, comment down what you have to say in the comment section below!

The post Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool (and Full Step by Step guide) appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How to Download And Install Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool

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download mi flash tool

Are you a Xiaomi user? Then you may be in a search to find out how to flash the latest firmware on your device easily. If yes, then here is a comprehensive article on how to download and install the latest firmware on any Xiaomi smartphone using the Mi flash tool. At first, it may seem to be a very complicated “geek” work. Well, you can learn the “geek” stuff in layman here.

With the Xiaomi Mi flash tool, one can fast load boot files on any Xiaomi device. Before getting into the geek stuff of download Xiaomi Mi Flash tool & installing it, it will be quite useful to know the functions and features of the Xiaomi Mi Flash tool. Read on!

How To Download And Install Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool

Functions and Features of the Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool

Installer

Xiaomi Mi Flash tool comes as an installer which means you have to install the tool on your PC for flashing your Xiaomi devices. The tool is available in .exe or .msi format. One should select either of the two versions for installing. The tool also comes with several packages like ADB tool, drivers, and an exclusive Mi tool.

Multiple Flashing Options

There are three flashing options available on the tool. This includes flash all, flashing all without storage, and flash all except data and storage. The user can change the flash settings at his/her will, by default the tool is set to flash all except storage.

It is recommended to go with the default settings

In-Built USB Driver

The flash tool comes with inbuilt USB drivers which include the Google ADB tool and drivers, Microsoft MTP and RDNIS drivers and Qualcomm serial bus drivers. Hence, you don’t have to install drivers for making this tool work.

So, where and how to download Mi Flash Tool for free?

Download Mi Flash Tool [Latest Version]

Here are some of the latest versions of Mi Flash tool which is available for free download.

Latest Version:

Older Versions:

Download MiFlash20160830

Download MiFlash20160401

Download MiFlash20151028

Download MiFlash20150731

Download MiFlash20150601

Download MiFlash20140509

How to Install Mi Flash Tool?

In the end, it has boiled down to the one single question. How to download and install mi flash tool?

Follow the step by step guide on how to do the same.

  1. To get started, Download Mi Flash tool from any of the links provided above. It is always advised to go with the latest version. The file will be available in the .zip format, make sure you unzipped for accessing the installation file. 
  2. Now, open up the extracted folder and click on the “.exe” or “.msi” installer file to launch the installation wizard.
  3. Once you click on the installation files, an installation window pops up. Click on Next and proceed to the next step.
    Install Xiaomi Mi Flash tool
  4. Choose your destination folder where you have to install the tool. Once decided, press on “Next”
  5. You will be asked to confirm the installation process. Once you tap on the “Confirm” button the installation process begins.
  6. The installation process will be interrupted by a windows security prompt dialogue box. You can safely click on “Install this driver software anyway“. The dialogue box looks something like this.Install Xiaomi Mi Flash tool
  7. The installer takes few minutes to complete the installation process. You will be asked to wait till the installation process to get over. Kindly wait till the process gets completed. Once the process is completed press on “Close” for closing the installer.
  8. That’s it you have successfully installed Mi Flash Tool on your computer.

How to Use Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool?

Follow the steps mentioned here to fast load firmware on your Xiaomi devices without bricking your devices.

  1. Follow the above steps to download and install Mi Flash tool on your computer.
  2. Once it is installed and ready to use, Switch off your Xiaomi device (make sure your device have enough battery life).
  3. Now, enter the fastboot mode by holding “Volume + Power Key” for at least 8 secs.
  4. Once you have entered the fastboot mode you will be welcomed with a robotic android logo. The screen looks something like this.xiaomi fastboot mode
  5. Now connect your Xiaomi device with your computer where you have installed Mi Flash tool using the USB cable.
  6. Open Xiaomi flash tool and locate the firmware (that you have downloaded and extracted on your computer).
  7. Now, Click on the refresh button. This allows the Mi Flash tool to recognize your phone.
  8. Click on the flash button to begin the flashing process.
  9. The flashing process takes few minutes to get completed. Once, completed you will be able to see the success message.

Conclusion: How To Download And Install Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool

I hope you have loved reading the article. Are you still in doubt about the process? If yes, feel free to contact us using the comment section. We will come to your help at the earliest. Subscribe to us and stay tuned for further updates on latest technology news and tweaks.

The post How to Download And Install Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How To Use iMessage on Windows PC

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Apple’s iMessage is considered as one of the best messaging services that exist on the internet. However, not everyone gets the chance to use the iMessage service.

Only an Apple device user gets the privilege to use it. The apple’s iMessage service undoubtedly amazing from other chat services like WhatsApp. It kills the need of downloading other third-party messaging apps and send your texts at data costs.

Moreover, the application saves your delivery report and other information to make the messaging experience easier. One of the good things about the app is that it comes preinstalled on every Apple device.  Also, there are a number of people who love to use iMessage and not WhatsApp.

Maybe they just do not like to use multiple platforms to exchange texts. However, if you are not a mac or iOS user then you can not use the application. However, if you are wondering how to use the iMessage on pc then we are here to help you out.

There are total 3 methods that let you use the iMessage service on your windows pc. Just in case if you are wondering what are those methods then do check out the whole article and we will walk you through all the three methods. So let’s just head to the topic without wasting any time:

But before we talk about these steps, we would like to say that all of the methods that are listed here have been tested by us first to make this piece of article authentic and valuable.

How To Use iMessage On PC To Send Messages?

1. Using Chrome Remote Desktop

chrome remote desktop

NOTE: This method requires you to have a MacBook or iMac.

This is the easiest method one can follow. You do not even need to download an app or heavy software. If you have the chrome internet browser installed on your computer you are good to go. The chrome remote desktop extension lets you access any computer screen easily.

However, you will need a MacBook or iMac desktop for this. Also on your Mac, you have to install the iMessage app (which might already be installed if you haven’t removed it). Now to access iMessage from your windows pc you have to follow these steps:

  1. At first, make sure you have Google Chrome installed on both PC and Macs. If you don’t have the browser installed on the computers. Then simply download the Google Chrome browser from the official website (click on the below given button).
  2. Just click the above link in both of your devices and it shall load the appropriate installable files according to your platform.
  3. Now, Install it on both of your devices now.
  4. Now, you have to install the Chrome Remote Desktop. To do so, just click on the below given button.
  5. Once you are done installing the extension, you have to click on ‘Launch App’ button from the top right.
  6. Now on the Mac, you will need to install an additional program. So, download the ‘Chrome Remote Desktop Host Installer’ and install it on your Mac.
  7. After installing everything, launch the Chrome Remote Desktop on your Mac. Here you will see a 12 digit code on the screen. Simply note it down and do not share the code with anyone else for privacy.
  8. Now you have to launch the Chrome Remote Desktop from your Windows PC. Then enter the 12-digit code. This will give you accesses to the mac.
  9. Now simply go to the app drawer and access iMessage.

2. Using IPADIAN Emulator

UPDATE: This method is not currently working.

On this method, you will not need any Mac. The IPADIAN Emulator offers an ecosystem of IOS device on your windows computer. So you can use IOS services on a Windows machine without any issues. Also, there are so many alternatives available for the IPADIAN Emulator. But this is the best option you can go with. Here we go through the steps of this method:

  1. Download the IPADIAN Emulator application from Softonic website.
  2. Install the downloaded file.
  3. Follow all the screen instructions and get done with the installation process.
  4. Launch the program. Here you have to sign up with your Apple ID and password. If you do not have an Apple ID, then create one for yourself.
  5. Now you will get access to the iOS ecosystem. Locate the iMessage app and you are good to use iMessage on PC.

3. Download Bluestacks to use the iMessage on Windows PC.

UPDATE: This method is not currently working.

With Bluestacks it also quite easy to get the iOS ecosystem. As well it kills the need of having an apple device. If you are wondering how you can use the iMessage on Windows PC using bluestacks, here is the guide you should follow,. Just read on and we will tell you the last method to use iMessage on the windows system.

Steps To Get iMessage on Windows System:-

  1. At first download the Bluestacks Android emulator from the internet.
  2. After downloading the program run it.
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to get done with the installation process.
  4. Launch the application and search for iMessage from the search bar.
  5. Download the iMessage App to your Bluestacks.
  6. Setup the iMessage app and you are all set to use Apple’s iMessage on a windows system.

Conclusion: Use iMessage On Personal Computer

So this was the steps to easily use iMessage on windows PC. However, for an emulator, there are many options. You can use any good emulator to install iMessage. Also, the emulator may lag on your system as it is quite a heavy program so make sure you have a powerful hardware to use the iMessage service smoothly.

NOTE: These emulators and Chrome RDP isn’t a complete solution for iMessage for Windows, as the iMessage is totally an Apple app, that too a closely guarded one. It would be actually better if you use any other iMessage alternatives for your PC rather than trying to get it working on Windows! We’re attaching a list of iMessage alternatives for Windows down below for you to try.

iMessage for PC Alternatives:

Here are some of the iMessage for Windows alternatives we’d suggest you to try:

  1. Pushbullet: Pushbullet ain’t really a messaging app, but it lets you view texts from your PC on phone & also send texts & reply back instantly from PC itself. This should be your best pick as of now.
  2. Telegram: Telegram, much like WhatsApp, but has the speciality that it is open source and can be installed on any number of devices independently.
  3. Facebook Messenger: Much like Telegram, this can also be installed in any number of devices and can be accessed online.
  4. Skype: Let’s go old school. Skype has been around for so long, that’s for a reason. It can be great iMessage on Windows alternative if you choose it to be.
  5. WhatsApp: Alas, WhatsApp is here. It’s something everyone uses nowadays, even your friends using iMessage on their phones must be using it. Just install the WhatsApp Web on your PC (or access it online) and you’re good to go.

I hope this last part really helped you in realising that there is no real method available now to get iMessage on PC to working. Just use any alternative if you really want to message seamlessly on your Windows PC like everyone does with iMessage.

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How to find saved WiFi passwords on Android phone

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how to find saved wifi password in android

It is really common to find WiFi connections around us these days. And if you get really lucky, you might find some open WiFi connections near you. Some of these signals may not be reliable and lack of security than the protected WiFi. You can save the passwords of these protected WiFis in your phones and laptops.

In case you forget and need it later, if you are a Windows user, you can easily check the saved passwords on your system/your laptops. But the problem is that there is no option to see saved WiFi passwords on android and hence android mobile users cannot access these passwords.

There are methods to view saved WiFi passwords in android too. For some methods, you need to root the android device, but this method is not that preferable as it has a lot of pros and cons. You should check out more about root to see what it entails and decide whether you wish to do it or not.

There are also methods to view the saved WiFi passwords in android without the root access. This method is also called WiFi password recovery no root. Without further ado, let’s see how both of the above methods can be used to answer your query of how to find wifi password on android, read on.

How to View Saved WiFi Passwords In Android without Root

  1. First of all, you have to download the Es File Explorer App on your Android phone. (Click here to download it).
  2. Open the app and open the navigation bar by swiping left.
  3. In the Navigation Bar, you will see an option called ‘local’. Select that option.
  4. Now, under ‘local’, you will see ‘Device’ option. Click on it.
  5. After that, click on the ‘System’ option which you will be able to see on the screen.
  6. You will be able to see many folders. Now, open the ‘etc’ folder.
  7. Inside the ‘etc’ folder, you can see the ‘wifi’ folder. Open it.
  8. After that, click on the file named the following.
    Wpa-supplicant.conf
  9. You will be shown different viewers to open it in. Select the ES text viewer for opening it.
  10. And that is it. You should be able to see all your saved WiFi passwords in the viewer, and it’ll show wifi password that you were looking for.

find saved wifi passwords

This is the best method for android show wifi password without having to root it. That being said, you should know that this method does not work for all the android devices. So, if it does not work for you, you will have to root your Android device to see the saved WiFi passwords. But if it does work, the solution given above is the best.

Now let us see how we can view the saved WiFi passwords on a rooted android device. The steps given below are specifically for rooted android phones. Sometimes, there is no way to see the WiFi passwords without gaining admin access as this information is stored in the system folder of the device.

If your device is not rooted and the method stated before is not working, then consider rooting it and follow the steps given below to view your saved WiFi passwords on your android phones.

How to View Saved WiFi Passwords On Android with Root

  1. Again, you will have to download the ES File Explorer app on your device (Click here to download it). This is because we are trying to access a system file on android. Hence we cannot use ordinary or traditional file explorers that comes pre-installed on the device. Now we have to see how we can use ES File Explorer as a root explorer, i.e, how you can use it to view system files.
  2. Launch the ES File Explorer and open the app’s settings by pressing the menu key.
  3. In the settings, scroll down till you see the ‘other settings’ section and select the ‘Root settings’ option.
    After that, in the ‘Root settings’ option, you will find ‘Root Explorer’ option and ‘Up to root’ option both of which are checkable. Check both of these options. If you are enabling this feature for the first time, your Android device will show a prompt asking you if you would like to grant this app the root access. Select the remember option and click allow. This will enable the ES File Explorer app.
  4. You will now be able to view all the root Android files when you tap the up button instead of exiting the app.
  5. Now, select the option called ‘local’ form the navigation bar.
  6. In it, you will see the ‘Device’ option. Click on it.
  7. Now, you will be able to see a directory called data. Select it.
  8. In this directory, choose the misc folder.
  9. Inside the misc folder, you will see a wifi folder. Enter this folder.
  10. After that, you will see a file named ‘wpa_supplicant.conf’. Tap on this file to open it and make sure that you have used the FS Explorer’s built-in text/HTML viewer for opening the file.
  11. That is it. You should now be able to see the network SSID and corresponding passwords next to it. Search for the network that you wish to know the password of, jot it down and close the file.

Please be very very careful and ensure that you don’t edit anything in the file. If you do, you might start getting some problems with your WiFi connectivity which can be difficult to detect and correct if you don’t remember or know about the edits.

Conclusion: View the saved WiFi passwords on Android devices.

These are the two best ways to view your saved WiFi passwords on your android phone depending on whether they are rooted or not. Hope the directions were clear, precise easy to understand and follow. Hope it also helped you to access your saved WiFi passwords on your Android phone.

The post How to find saved WiFi passwords on Android phone appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How to Fix ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting’ error in Windows

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you may be a victim of software counterfeiting

Do you know how many people currently use the Microsoft Windows Operating System? If you don’t, let’s just say that it is beyond a billion. This is because the Windows OS is clean, easy to use and very user-friendly. Since so many people across the world are using this OS, it is difficult for Microsoft to keep track of the authenticity of the OS being used by the user.

More than a fair share of the Windows currently being used are pirated versions and not the real thing. Such a vast level of piracy caused Microsoft to install bugs in the false versions for tracking them down. These bugs let the user know that their Windows OS is not a genuine Microsoft product. Have you ever had your screen just turn blank without any warning?

Then a prompt can be seen on the screen afterwards with the message ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting error’ or another message like ‘This copy of windows did not pass genuine windows validation’ or this message like ‘ask for genuine Microsoft software’.

You may be a victim of software counterfeiting error

If any of this messages has scared you off, do not worry, we have a fix for this problem. So don’t freak out and let’s see more about this error.

Why and when does someone see this error on their screen?

You will see this message when you are trying to update the pirated version of your Microsoft Windows OS. The whole deal of showing the message on the screen while the screen is black is called Windows Genuine Advantage or WGA in short. WGA is an anti-piracy feature created by Microsoft.

It ensures the authenticity of the product by enforcing validation of license while you are trying to update your non-genuine Windows software or while trying to download other Microsoft products into your system.

Usually, Windows XP users are faced with this error even though now Windows 7 and Windows 8 version users are also known to get a similar error on their system like ‘This copy of windows is not genuine’.

This problem may seem serious and difficult to handle, but it is not. The solution is quite simple. You just need to remove the WGA from your system and this error message will go away.

The solutions listed here will allow you to use the pirated versions of Windows without any issues. To remove the error and to stop the WGA, follow these 3 simple steps.

Fixing ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting’ error in windows

Step 1

  1. Go to ‘start’ menu and select the ‘run’ option. Alternatively, you can press Windows+R. This will open the Run dialogue and you can see it on the screen.
  2. In the run dialogue box, type in the following.
    Regedit
    Now click OK. You will see that the Registry Editor window is displayed on your screen.
  3. In the registry window, select the ‘+’ symbol on the left of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to open its subfolders.
  4. Click on the ‘+’ symbol next to the ‘Software’ option to open its subfolders.
  5. Click on the ‘+’ symbol next to the ‘Microsoft’ option.
  6. Keep opening the subfolders similarly in the following sequence till you reach the ‘Notify’ folder.
    Software -> Microsoft -> Windows NT -> Current Version -> Winlogon -> Notify
  7. You should be able to see WGALogon folder if you have completed all of the steps above. Now, right-click on this folder and select the ‘delete’ option.
  8. You are almost there. Now, restart your PC and that is it. You will not see the error message ever again.

Step 2

The error has to be removed permanently so that it won’t happen again. To make sure of it, you have to follow a few more directions. In this step, you will remove the other WGA files. This can offer your system a better protection and security.

Deleting the WGA files can be a bit complicated like deleting the hidden by default files in Windows. Follow the below steps and it should be very easy to do it.

  1. Click on the ‘Drive C’ folder in ‘My Computer’ or ‘Desktop’ and go to the ‘Windows’ folder.
  2. Here, you can see a folder named ‘System32’. Open it.
  3. Click on ‘Tools’ option which can be seen on the Menu Bar.
  4. In it, open the ‘Folder’ option.
  5. Now, go to the ‘View’ tab.
  6. Check the ‘show hidden files and folders’ option in the ‘View’ tab.
  7. Click ‘Apply’ button and after that click on the ‘OK’ button.
  8. After completing these steps, you will be able to see the hidden files in your system. Now you are in C:/Windows/System32 folder. You can manually look through the folder for the WGA files or you can search for them by clicking on the ‘Search for files and folders’ option which can be seen on the left side of the screen. In the space, type in ‘Wga’ and search for the results.
  9. You may see files like Wgatray.exe, Wgalogon.dll, Wgasetup.exe etc. Delete all the files that pop up that have the word ‘Wga’ in their names
  10. After this, follow the same steps again to delete WGA files from ‘C/Windows/System/dllcache’.

Now, follow the one simple step below and you will be error free forever

Step 3

After all of the above steps, you are now error free as all the WGA components are removed. But to make sure that this error won’t happen in the future, you have to disable automatic updates. This is because, if you install updates, there is a chance that Microsoft will install WGA again and this error will repeat. To disable automatic updates, follow these steps.

  1. Go to Control Panel in the start menu.
  2. Go to the ‘Automatic Updates’ option.
  3. Check the ‘Turn off automatic updates’ option. This will make sure that you will not get any updates.
  4. Click ‘Apply‘ and click on ‘OK’ after that.
  5. And we are done.

Conclusion – How to Fix ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting’ in windows

The steps above will give you a permanent solution for this error message of You may be a victim of software counterfeiting. It will make sure that this error won’t pop up in the future and you can use your OS forever but without any updates.

But it is always safer to use new versions of OS as hackers target old versions and they can also be easily attacked by malware. Also, piracy is not supported by us in any way. We always recommend that you use the original software from the Microsoft Store. Hope this article was helpful and easy to understand.

The post How to Fix ‘You may be a victim of software counterfeiting’ error in Windows appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.


How To Enable Windows Photo Viewer On Windows 10?

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windows photo viewer in windows 10

By now, most of the Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 users will have upgraded from that to the Windows 10 version. If you are one of those people then it’s possible that you may or may not have the Windows Photo Viewer application for Windows 10 version. It depends on the way you chose to upgrade to the new version of Windows.

Microsoft has classified most of the apps into the metro, universal or modern as a default type in Windows 10. The Windows Photo Viewer still exists in this version but you won’t find it in Default Apps or Default Programs in the Settings menu.

If you have upgraded from the Windows 7/8/8.1 versions, you will still have the Windows Photo Viewer and you can set is default without any problem. The issue comes up when you perform a clean installation of Windows 10 version from ISO. It can also happen if you purchase a computer with Windows 10 already installed. You won’t be able to find Windows Photo Viewer in both the cases. In fact, you won’t even be able to access this from anywhere at all.

But the thing is, Windows Photo Viewer is actually there. It just isn’t available or it’s kept hidden due to some minor issues which we will show you how to fix in this article. Read on to know more about how to enable Windows Photo Viewer on Windows 10.

How to Enable Windows Photo Viewer on Windows 10

Why you should use the classic Windows Photo Viewer on your Windows 10 PC?

The reason why one would want to use the Windows Photo Viewer app for the image files is that it offers more features than the default image viewer. It offers a lot of different effects and filters in addition to the usual provisions to enhance, rotate, crop and remove red-eye from your photos.

You can always use the Photos app which is set by the Microsoft as the default app for image files but it is slower than the Windows Photo Viewer application, not to mention difficult to use. Also, if you are someone who is used to using desktop apps, it is quite possible that you won’t like the Photos app as it is not a desktop app.windows photo viewer

The Problem: Why is Windows Photo Viewer hidden in Windows 10? 

Some registry keys enable you to access the Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10. Microsoft has implemented Windows 10 version in such a way that these keys won’t be created when you perform a clean installation of this version. For whatever reason, you will have to use the Photos app to open all the image files that you have. Making people getting used to the Photos app is their agenda.

Further, Windows Photo Viewer is a part of the DLL file called ‘Photoviewer.dll’. It does not have a separate executable file associated with it. So you won’t be able to associate your image files at a specific ‘.exe’ to the Windows Photo Viewer either.

Now that we know in detail and depth about the problem, it’s time to find a solution. How to get the Windows Photo Viewer back? It has got something to do with tweaking the Registry Editor as we will see below. Follow the instructions and you will be able to set Windows Photo Viewer as the default app for your image files without any difficulties.

How To Enable Windows Photo Viewer On Windows 10?

You can follow the steps given below to get back Windows Photo Viewer on your Windows 10 version PC. This can be done in two sections. First, we have to bring back the classic Windows Photo Viewer back to Windows 10. Then, we can finish off the process by setting it as our default application for image files. Let’s dive right into it without further ado.

How To Bring Back The Classic Windows Photo Viewer to Windows 10?

Before you begin this, we strongly recommend that you create a manual restore point as we are going to edit the Registry. In case of any setbacks, you can always use this restore point to undo any problems and resume the normal function of your system without any issues.

  1. Download the ‘PhotoViewer.reg’ file to your Windows 10 PC, use the button given below to download it now. 
  2. Download and place it in your desktop.
  3. Now, double-click on the ‘PhotoViewer.reg’ file. You should be able to see a dialogue box asking you for confirmation to merge the file. Click ‘Yes’ option. Or you can right-click on the ‘PhotoViewer.reg’ file and choose the ‘Merge’ option from the appearing menu.
  4. You will get another dialogue box saying that the keys and values contained in the file were successfully added to the Registry. Just click on the ‘OK’ button you will see in this dialogue box.
    windows photo viewer

That is it. You have just enabled the Windows Photo Viewer in your Windows 10 PC. Now to set it as your default app for images, just follow the instructions given below.

 

How to set Windows Photo Viewer as Default on Windows 10?

  1. You have to open the Settings app first. Do this by clicking on the Settings icon in the Start menu. Alternatively, press the Winodows+I keys together to open the Settings app.
  2. In the Settings app, click on the ‘System’ option you will be able to see there. After that, click on the Default Apps on the left pane so that you will be able to view all the default apps on the right side.
  3. Scroll down the right side to see the Photo Viewer section. In this section, click on the ‘Photos’ option that you see to open a flyout menu of apps. In the flyout list of apps, choose the Windows Photo Viewer option. This will make it the default app for photos.

windows photo viewer

That is it. If you followed all the instruction above, you should have successfully enabled the Windows Photo Viewer on your Windows 10 PC and set it as default. It is as simple as that.

Conclusion: How  to Enable Windows Photo Viewer On Windows 10?

Did the article help you to set the Windows Photo Viewer as the default app for the image files on your PC? Thank you for reading it. Hope it did help you and was clear and easy to understand.

The post How To Enable Windows Photo Viewer On Windows 10? appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool (and Full Step by Step guide)

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download windows 10 media creation tool

Windows is the most popular of all the Operating systems out there and it continues to have a large market share. By now, most of you will have upgraded your Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 version. If you are looking for ways for a clean installation of Windows 10 or to put in Windows 10 with an easy to use Update Assistant, just follow this article here. You should be enlightened about it by the end.

It is very easy to download and install Windows 10. One can do it very easily from the Microsoft website using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. It is the latest version of the series and is the most secure, versatile and powerful version yet. Microsoft has made available the Windows 10 Installation Media Tool which will help you download Windows 10 easily and cleanly for the users of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1.

In this page, we’re showing you how to install Windows 10 using Media creation tool & also how to Download windows 10 media creation tool directly, read on!

Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool

Click the below given link to download the Windows 10 Media creation tool directly.

Developer Microsoft
License Freeware
OS Windows
File Size 17.8MB
Download link

 

Use Windows 10 Media Creation Tool To Download Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft

As already said, the Media Creation Tool is intended to help all users who have upgraded from Windows 7 and Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 by allowing users to download Windows 10 ISO directly from the Microsoft website. The perk of using this Media Creation Tool is that one is not required to enter the Windows 10 product key for installation.

Another point to be noted is beside the installation without product key is that the Media Creation Tool also allows the customers to upgrade their current installation versions to Windows 10, so that is pretty cool too. The following versions of the Windows 10 can be downloaded using the Media Creation Tool for Windows 10. They can be downloaded in both 32-bit and 64-bit of the below given versions:

  • Windows Pro N
  • Windows 10 Single Language
  • Windows 10 Home N
  • Windows 10 Pro
  • Windows 10 Home

Another advantage of the Media Creation Tool is that it can be used to download the Windows 10 ISO file for other PCs as well, that is, if you own a system without a valid internet connection, just use the Media Creation Tool for Windows 10 to download the Windows 10 ISO for that system as well.

A point to note is that there are no options in the Media Creation Tool to download Home and Pro ISO images separately.  Selecting Windows 10 in edition filed will automatically include both the Home and Pro ISO images.

When you are done downloading the Windows 10 ISO file, you can use the same Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB or bootable DVD of Windows 10. Also, you will not require a product key when you are upgrading from previous versions of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to Windows 10 on the same computer. Things are quite straightforward as there is no separate Media Creation Tool for 64-bit as Microsoft has combined the tool for both the 32-bit and 64-bit.

So, you can use the Media Creation Tool together with various types of Windows 10 to create a bootable USB stick or DVD or you can upgrade from the existing versions of Windows 7/8/8.1 to Windows 10. Also, you can upgrade from your Windows 10 key type to the other one. It is also possible to get Windows 10 as an ISO file specifically. The Media Creation Tool will help you a great deal if you want to do a clean Windows installation or if you want to install a new Windows OS.

For upgrading from existing versions of Windows, you will require a bootable disk to deploy Windows 10. The Media Creation Tool will easily help you to set up a file for Windows 10. It is really a straightforward approach which will only take a few minutes of your time to setup your Windows 10 implementation package. It is actually a wizard that guides you through the required steps for installation. All you have to do is read the instructions and click ‘Next’ button a couple of times.

Please make sure that you have a reliable internet connection to use it as most of the installation files are to be downloaded from the Microsoft website. So a fast internet makes the entire process much faster.

Make A Bootable USB Or An ISO Image

You can use a USB drive to store the saved files but note that 3GB of free space is required in the minimum and most of the data already stored in the USB drive will be overwritten during the process. Instead of this, an ISO image may be generated by the application form which will be saved into your PC. You can then burn the Windows implementation files into a DVD using a Disk Burner software.

How To Develop A Windows 10 Deployment Package

The Media Creation Tool comes handy when you want to install or reinstall Windows 10 on your PC and do not have with you an installation media. You can release Windows 10 easily from the bootable USB or Disk which you have created with the help of the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.

When you run the Media Creation Tool, two directories are created in your system partition. They are:

$WINDOWS.~BT
$WINDOWS>~WS

These two folders contain the installation files and the setup. As you run the tool, you will be asked if you want to upgrade this PC now or if you want to create an installation media (USB Flash Drive, DVD, or ISO) for another PC.

  1. If you choose to ‘Create Installation Media For Another PC’ option, you will see a Window where you can specify the language architecture an edition. After you give the specifics, click ‘Next’. Then the Windows 10 download will begin.
  2. Once the ISO file is ready, you will see options for opening the location for ISO file and for opening a DVD Burner software. Choose the option to open the ISO folder and run the setup file to upgrade your existing version of Windows to Windows 10.
  3. In case of any errors, restart the setup and it should run smoothly.

On the other hand, if you select ‘Upgrade This PC’ option, you will just have to specify the language, architecture and edition and click ‘Next’ and that’s it.

Conclusion – Windows 10 Media Creation Tool

Hope the article was clear on the uses of the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and you were able to download Windows 10 media creation tool. It has been detailed as simple as possible. If you have any doubts, comment down what you have to say in the comment section below!

The post Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool (and Full Step by Step guide) appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How to Download And Install Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool

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download mi flash tool

Are you a Xiaomi user? Then you may be in a search to find out how to flash the latest firmware on your device easily. If yes, then here is a comprehensive article on how to download and install the latest firmware on any Xiaomi smartphone using the Mi flash tool. At first, it may seem to be a very complicated “geek” work. Well, you can learn the “geek” stuff in layman here.

With the Xiaomi Mi flash tool, one can fast load boot files on any Xiaomi device. Before getting into the geek stuff of download Xiaomi Mi Flash tool & installing it, it will be quite useful to know the functions and features of the Xiaomi Mi Flash tool. Read on!

How To Download And Install Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool

Functions and Features of the Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool

Installer

Xiaomi Mi Flash tool comes as an installer which means you have to install the tool on your PC for flashing your Xiaomi devices. The tool is available in .exe or .msi format. One should select either of the two versions for installing. The tool also comes with several packages like ADB tool, drivers, and an exclusive Mi tool.

Multiple Flashing Options

There are three flashing options available on the tool. This includes flash all, flashing all without storage, and flash all except data and storage. The user can change the flash settings at his/her will, by default the tool is set to flash all except storage.

It is recommended to go with the default settings

In-Built USB Driver

The flash tool comes with inbuilt USB drivers which include the Google ADB tool and drivers, Microsoft MTP and RDNIS drivers and Qualcomm serial bus drivers. Hence, you don’t have to install drivers for making this tool work.

So, where and how to download Mi Flash Tool for free?

Download Mi Flash Tool [Latest Version]

Here are some of the latest versions of Mi Flash tool which is available for free download.

Latest Version:

Older Versions:

Download MiFlash20160830

Download MiFlash20160401

Download MiFlash20151028

Download MiFlash20150731

Download MiFlash20150601

Download MiFlash20140509

How to Install Mi Flash Tool?

In the end, it has boiled down to the one single question. How to download and install mi flash tool?

Follow the step by step guide on how to do the same.

  1. To get started, Download Mi Flash tool from any of the links provided above. It is always advised to go with the latest version. The file will be available in the .zip format, make sure you unzipped for accessing the installation file. 
  2. Now, open up the extracted folder and click on the “.exe” or “.msi” installer file to launch the installation wizard.
  3. Once you click on the installation files, an installation window pops up. Click on Next and proceed to the next step.
    Install Xiaomi Mi Flash tool
  4. Choose your destination folder where you have to install the tool. Once decided, press on “Next”
  5. You will be asked to confirm the installation process. Once you tap on the “Confirm” button the installation process begins.
  6. The installation process will be interrupted by a windows security prompt dialogue box. You can safely click on “Install this driver software anyway“. The dialogue box looks something like this.Install Xiaomi Mi Flash tool
  7. The installer takes few minutes to complete the installation process. You will be asked to wait till the installation process to get over. Kindly wait till the process gets completed. Once the process is completed press on “Close” for closing the installer.
  8. That’s it you have successfully installed Mi Flash Tool on your computer.

How to Use Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool?

Follow the steps mentioned here to fast load firmware on your Xiaomi devices without bricking your devices.

  1. Follow the above steps to download and install Mi Flash tool on your computer.
  2. Once it is installed and ready to use, Switch off your Xiaomi device (make sure your device have enough battery life).
  3. Now, enter the fastboot mode by holding “Volume + Power Key” for at least 8 secs.
  4. Once you have entered the fastboot mode you will be welcomed with a robotic android logo. The screen looks something like this.xiaomi fastboot mode
  5. Now connect your Xiaomi device with your computer where you have installed Mi Flash tool using the USB cable.
  6. Open Xiaomi flash tool and locate the firmware (that you have downloaded and extracted on your computer).
  7. Now, Click on the refresh button. This allows the Mi Flash tool to recognize your phone.
  8. Click on the flash button to begin the flashing process.
  9. The flashing process takes few minutes to get completed. Once, completed you will be able to see the success message.

Conclusion: How To Download And Install Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool

I hope you have loved reading the article. Are you still in doubt about the process? If yes, feel free to contact us using the comment section. We will come to your help at the earliest. Subscribe to us and stay tuned for further updates on latest technology news and tweaks.

The post How to Download And Install Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How to Solve ‘The Active Domain Services Is Currently Unavailable’ Error

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active directory domain services is currently unavailable

It is not uncommon to come across various errors while using the computer system and associated devices. Especially when external devices are considered, this error is more prevalent. Sometimes you may not be able to print the final document from a printer even after all the prior steps were executed smoothly.

You will be able to see different error messages, depending on the problem or the error that has caused the issue. You will notice that these errors are more common while using Microsoft word applications like Word and Excel.

When you try to get a print out using these applications, the following error message may appear on your screen, “Active directory domain services is currently unavailable error“.

If you’re looking for a resolution for that, we’re here to help! Here we show you how to solve active directory services is currently unavailable error. This fixed we’re giving on this page will work on Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 & XP. Read on!

Active Directory Domain Services Is Currently Unavailable Error

Why this error happens in your PC?

This is because the printer hasn’t been detected by the system and hence documents cannot be printed. In this article, we will go through different ways to solve this error.

Another peculiar thing is that you might not find this error while using other applications as it is seen that they can easily detect the printer, unlike the MS applications. This is because the user permission doesn’t allow the printer to be listed in the MS office. So the printer won’t be detected as well.

Some users think that the problem is due to Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 operating systems. And also, this problem is seen for all major brands of printers like HP, Lexmark, Canon etc. We have seen this problem in systems using Windows 7 version operating system too. So it may not be the problem of your printer that is causing this error but the issues of user permission that is responsible for the same.

So let’s delve into ways to solve this error.

How to solve the ‘the active directory domain services is currently unavailable’ error message

Here we have listed a few ways which you can try implementing to resolve this error. Let us go through them one by one without further ado.

Method 1

Basic Troubleshooting:
Always start with the basics. So try troubleshooting your printer to solve the active directory domain services unavailable issue. You can troubleshoot your printer using the following steps.

  1. Press Windows+W keys and type in ‘troubleshooting‘.
  2. You will find an option ‘view all’ in the right panel of the troubleshooting control panel menu. Click on it. Now choose the printer from the window that will appear on your screen.
  3. Now, follow the basic troubleshooting steps by using the troubleshooter tool. It will help you find and fix some of the errors that might have occurred.

Usually, this method should be able to help you fix the error that has occurred and allow you to use your printer without further issues. Don’t panic if this doesn’t work so well. You can always try the other methods that are listed below.

Method 2

If the problem persists, check for network installation issues. You can do that easily by following the steps given below.

  1. Open your computer’s Control Panel and look for the ‘Printers’ option.
  2. Select it.
  3. In the ‘Printers‘ option, select the ‘Add New Printer‘ option.
  4. Finally, click on the ‘Network Printer’ option that you can see and press ‘Browse’ to look for available printers.

This method might help detect your printer and thus fix the ‘the active directory domain services is currently unavailable’ error. If not, try the next method.

Method 3

Another easy method that works is reinstalling the required drivers for your printer.  Just uninstall and reinstall the drivers. If it doesn’t work, try the following steps too.

  1. Open the run command by pressing the Window+R keys together.
  2. In the prompt which appears, type in ‘services.msc‘.
  3. You will see the ‘Print spooler‘ option. Select it.
  4. Now right click on this and select ‘Properties’.
  5. You should be able to see that the startup type is ‘Automatic’ and service status should be ‘Running’If you find that it is already running, stop and restart it.

the active Domain Services Is Currently Unavailable' Error

This method might work for you. If it does, great. If it doesn’t, don’t worry. There are a few more things that you can try to fix this active directory domain services unavailable error in windows 10.

Method 4

Another method that you can try is rebooting your router and turning the firewall off. You can achieve this by following these steps.

  1. Reboot the router the usual way and turn off the firewall for a small while.
  2. Restart your system.
  3. After that is done, open the Control Panel.
  4. In it, select ‘Printers’.
  5. Now choose ‘Add New Printer‘ option.
  6. Now press ‘Browse for Printer’ and add the device.

Now, this method should do the trick and solve the ‘the active directory domain services is currently unavailable’ error message. If it doesn’t, fear not. We still have some more tricks up our sleeve.

Method 5

Before you start with this method, we recommend that you create a system restore point in case anything goes wrong. If you do this, you will be able to use this to restore the Windows. Now follow these steps to change the PrintPorts and Windows permissions.

  1. Launch the Registry editor.
  2. This can be done by going to the ‘Start’ option and typing in ‘regedit‘.
  3. Locate the following through the given path.
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>Microsoft>Windows NT>CurrentVersion
  4. Expand the ‘CurrentVersion’.
  5. Now right click ‘Devices’.
  6. Now select ‘Permissions’.
  7. Check the Full Control Box.
  8. Repeat the steps above to set full control permission on PrintPorts and Windows.
  9. Test your printer to see if the error persists.

Some other methods that you can try to fix ‘The Active Directory Domain Services Is Currently Unavailable’ error are performing a full system scan for malware that can cause printer errors or by repairing your registry. The latter can be done using some trustworthy software like CCleaner. Just make sure that you backup your data before this so that you can get everything intact in case something goes wrong.

Conclusion – How to solve ‘The Active Directory Domain Services Is Currently Unavailable’ error

The methods given above should solve the active directory domain services is currently unavailable error. Go through all of it and you will find something that works for you. Hope the article helped you and was clear and easy to understand. If you still has any issues, do comment your queries on the comment section given below, we’ll try to solve it for you!

The post How to Solve ‘The Active Domain Services Is Currently Unavailable’ Error appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

How to Download & Install MIUI 10 on your Xiaomi/Redmi Phone Now?

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download and install miui 10

The MIUI 10 was recently unveiled at Xiaomi’s Annual launch event with the Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorers Edition and the Mi 8 SE. With these three smartphones the Chinese manufacturer also announced the release of an MIUI 10 China Developer’s ROM.

Here on this page, we show you how to download and install MIUI 10 on your Xiaomi phone. But be aware of this fact that some of these ROMs in this page listed are leaked (as XDA claims). So proceed with caution.

How to Download & Install MIUI 10 on your Xiaomi/Redmi Phone Now?

Now we have two options, either we wait till a Global Beta version has been launched or install the Chinese Beta ROM which is only possible Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, Xiaomi Mi 5, Xiaomi Mi 6, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, or the Xiaomi Mi Note 2. The reason for this is that the MIUI 10 update is not available publicly yet and has only leaked online.

The update is in closed beta testing right now. However, don’t make the China word mislead you, the language can be easily set from Mandarin to English and Google apps can be installed too.

IMPORTANT: You need to have an unlocked boot loader on your Xiaomi phone to install MIUI 10. Follow the instructions here to unlock your bootloader!

Make a backup of all your data before installing to prevent any data loss. Follow the following steps below to install MIUI 10 beta on your device:

  1. You need to download and install ADB (Android Debug Bridge). The steps are different for Mac OS and Windows, so do a bit of research before installing. Follow this article from XDA-developers for further research. 
  2. Connect your smartphone with your computer.
  3. Now you have to install TWRP recovery on your phone, you can use the links given below to download the required TWRP package for your phone:
  4. Now you have to download the Google Apps package:
  5. And the right MIUI 10 build for your phone from the links given below:
  6. Transfer the downloaded MIUI 10 ROM package along with the Google Apps package from your PC to your device.
  7. Now you have to reboot the bootloader which can be done by first switching off your mobile and holding down the power key and volume keys simultaneously.
  8. Proceed to boot the TWRP which can be done by typing the command: fastboot boot/path/to/twrp.img (You have to replace the /path/to/twrp.img with the actual filename and location which you have downloaded to.)install miui 10
  9. After booting on TWRP, tap on “Wipe” and then “swipe to factory reset” to do a factory reset. This feature can likely be skipped if you are already on the MIUI 9 Stable or Developer ROM’s but will be needed if you are on the MIUI 9 Global platform.
  10. After this just go to “Install” and proceed to the location where you have downloaded the MIUI 10 ROM. Select it and flash it.install miui 10
  11. Also go back and flash Google Apps package too.
  12. After flashing them both, you have to do a reboot and you will boot into the MIUI 10.
  13. Enjoy the MIUI 10 on your Xiaomi Mi Mix 2/ Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S/ Xiaomi Mi 5/ Xiaomi Mi 6/ Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro or the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2

Source: XDA developers

Conclusion: How to install MIUI 10 on your Xiaomi Phone

We hope you got what you wanted from this page and have installed the latest MIUI 10 on your phone now. Do let us know if you’ve any doubts regarding the same and if you faced any error on the comments section, we’ll try to help you!

The post How to Download & Install MIUI 10 on your Xiaomi/Redmi Phone Now? appeared first on Gadgetraid.com.

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