Ioerror Offending Command Image When Printing [Fix]

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

While printing a PDF document using Adobe PDF Viewer or other tools, you may encounter ioerror offending command image message.

This is a somewhat uncommon error while printing, but it can be fixed, and today we’re going to show you how to fix it.

What is an error offending command in PostScript?

  • This error is caused by corrupted or improperly imported graphics.
  • Certain graphics formats can also cause this issue to appear.

What can I do to fix Printer error ioerror offending command image?

1. Print as Image

  1. Start Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  2. Open the document you want to print.
  3. Cick on File and select Print.
  4. In the print window, select the printer that you want to use.
  5. Click the Advanced button.
  6. In the Advanced Print Setup window, check the Print As Image option.
    Printer error ioerror offending command image
  7. Click OK to save the changes.
  8. Click the Print button, and that should help you print PDF files without any errors.

2. Isolate the system-level print problem

  1. Check if the error occurs on more than one application.
  2. If the error occurs on multiple applications, the problem is most likely with your printer and not the application.
  3. To resolve the error, make sure you are using an up-to-date PostScript device driver.
  4. Make sure you have sufficient hard disk space when sending a file to a postscript interpreter especially when you print a large file.
  5. Check your printer for loose connection by unplugging and replugging the cables.
  6. Make sure the PostScript printer is compatible with the newer PostScript code.
  7. If you have an older printer, it may fail to recognize the newer PostScript code.

After doing that, check if the problem is resolved.

3. Isolate application and file-specific problems

  1. If you are using Adobe Acrobat Reader, try resetting the preference settings.
  2. Next, check if the application has any updates pending.
    Printer error ioerror offending command image
  3. Adobe Acrobat Reader comes with a built-in repair tool.
  4. Click on Help and select Repair Installation.
  5. Follow on-screen instructions to fix any installation-related issues.

3.1 Isolate the file-specific problem

  1. Open the PDF file in Microsoft Word.
  2. Click Enable Editing button on top.
  3. Click File and select Save as.
  4. Select a folder to save the file.
  5. Click the drop-down menu for Save as type and select PDF.
    Printer postscript error
  6. Click the Save button.
  7. Open the file in Acrobat Reader and check for any improvements.

The Printer error ioerror offending command image usually occurs due to printer disk problems or application-related issues. Follow the steps in this article to fix this error and get your printer working.

This issue is somewhat similar to the one we previously covered, when printer is connected but not printing, so be sure to check it out.

If you are aware of another method that lets you fix the Printer error ioerror offending command image, tell us about it in the comments section below so that other users can use it as well.

Nicole Forsgren, PhD to move from Google Cloud to new role as VP of Research & Strategy at Microsoft’s GitHub

Posted on by Kip Kniskern

Nicole Forsgren, a PhD, author, and former CEO of DORA (DevOps Research and Assessment, which was acquired by Google last year, is taking on a new role at Microsoft, as VP of Research and Strategy at GitHub. In a post on her blog, Forsgren describes what she’ll be doing next (after “after a short break to enjoy some naps, Diet Coke, and ice cream”):

At GitHub, I will expand and continue investigating developer happiness and productivity while also helping the industry get better, and there’s no better place to ask these questions because GitHub is truly at the heart of software development for so many communities. Here, I can bring the research closer to the tools that we use and build on the foundation of knowledge that exists while asking different questions, from different angles, and surfacing different insights. I am excited to continue talking with and learning from developers, testers, IT ops, infosec, and executives to understand their work; working with tools teams across the ecosystem to understand their challenges and what they see so we can help make things better; nerding out with researchers and makers across the industry and academia so we can partner to find interesting questions (and ways to ask and frame and think about those questions), supporting each other and collaborating on solutions.

There’s always some back and forth between big tech companies, but this looks to be a big get for Microsoft and GitHub. So far, Microsoft has been fairly hands-off with GitHub, a favorite for developer collaboration, but it’s good to see the company bring on this level of talent to move it forward.

 

Users can now try PowerShell 7 on Windows, macOS and Linux

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

When it comes to command lines, your mind will most likely go to PowerShell. This neat task automation and management framework has been with PC users since the dawn of operating systems, and it continues to evolve.

PowerShell 7 is now live

The new version is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It sees Microsoft moving from .NET Core 2.x to 3.1 which enables enhanced backward compatibility features with existing Windows PowerShell modules thanks to the resurrection of numerous .NET Framework APIs.

Being cross-platform compatible means that the new PowerShell version is now compatible;e with all Linux distros, including Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Fedora, Debian and others.

In an official Microsoft post, they stated that:

If you weren’t able to use PowerShell Core 6.x in the past because of module compatibility issues, this might be the first time you get to take advantage of some of the awesome features we already delivered since we started the Core project!

What does PowerShell 7 bring to the table?

The official changelog for the new PowerShell is now available, and here are the newest features to be available to the general public:

  • Pipeline parallelization with ForEach-Object -Parallel
  • New operators:
    • Ternary operator: a ? b : c
    • Pipeline chain operators: || and &&
    • Null conditional operators: ?? and ??=
  • A simplified and dynamic error view and Get-Error cmdlet for easier investigation of errors
  • A compatibility layer that enables users to import modules in an implicit Windows PowerShell session
  • Automatic new version notifications
  • The ability to invoke DSC resources directly from PowerShell 7 (experimental)

You can get the latest version of PowerShell from GitHub where you can find the Windows, macOS and Linux versions.

What’s your take on the new features brought to PowerShell? Share your opinions with us and the other users in the comments section below.

[wl_navigator]

New report says Surface Earbuds coming this Spring, Microsoft working on new Cortana integration with Teams

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

According to a new report from Brand Sams at Petri.com, Microsoft could be shaking up Cortana a bit and giving it a bit of re-brand. Falling in with news about a possible Spring release for the Surface Earbuds, the report reveals that Cortana could soon be named “Microsoft 365 Assistant” and also might pick up a new integration with Teams.

Though best treated as a rumor, Sams details that Cortana is now known as “Microsoft 365 Assistant” internally at Microsoft, and believes that he “wouldn’t be surprised to see the assistant publicly rebranded as well.” In addition, the report says that Microsoft is playing with the idea of including a new Cortana-functionality in Teams. Per Sams, Teams could pick up a new look, with Cortana appearing in the search bar at the top of the window. Cortana, or the “Microsoft 365 Assistant,” could also be used in Teams for common productivity tasks such as sending files, creating chats, presenting content while in meetings, and more.

As for the news about Surface Earbuds, it is said that the reason for the delay in release was due to issues with the software, and the productivity features originally revealed by Microsoft. Additionally, the “Play my Emails” of Surface Earbuds feature might be re-branded as well to a “commute” feature, and could come to more devices than just the earbuds.

This news should not be too surprising, as Microsoft recently came out and announced that Cortana will be evolving from more of a personal assistant to a productivity assistant. Losing features like Cortana skills, it now fits in better with Office 365 and Microsoft 365, though the overall goal is still to help you achieve more with less effort.

Working from home? Here’s how to collaborate with Office 365 for remote work using more than just Teams

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

As the novel Coronavirus continues to spread here in the United States and across the world, many companies like Microsoft have been asking employees to work from home. That often means depending on programs like Microsoft Teams or Slack to get your work done and stay in touch with your boss and coworkers. But, did you know that you can use Office 365 for remote work with more than just Teams? In this guide, we’ll show you how.

Share your files and folders with OneDrive

When you work in an office, you can typically head over to your coworker and hand them a print-out of a file or a folder, but working from home, this isn’t something you can do. With OneDrive, however, things are easy. You can share almost anything you want with your coworkers, be it a video, document, project, or more.

To share files in OneDrive, you need to sign in to your Office 365 account, and then choose OneDrive from the Office App Launcher. You’ll then want to click the New button at the top if you want to share your files in a folder and choose Folder. You also can upload an individual file by clicking Upload. Once done, you’ll want to right-click the file and choose Share. You’ll get a pop-up box, and you can choose if you want people to edit the file or not. You also can enter in the email address to send it right away, or click Copy Link to copy the link outside to Slack or another Program. When done, your file is free to share on the web.

Collaborate on your files in Word and Excel

One of the benefits of Office 365 is the collaboration features built into programs like Word and Excel. For instance, in Word, you’re able to add comments in your document so others can reply and give you feedback. This can simulate being in a team huddle or meeting, as when the document is uploaded to a OneDrive or SharePoint multiple people can open the document at once and edit it simultaneously.

Once your file is in OneDrive or SharePoint you can add comments in Word documents.  To do so, you can go to the Review tab and choose New Comment and then type in your comment. You’ll also be able to reply to comments with Reply or delete comments by right-clicking it and choosing Delete Comment.

To comment in Excel, you can right-click the cell and then choose New Comment and then click the Post button. Your coworkers can then comment by right-clicking and choosing Reply to Comment. Additional comments can be edited by resting your cursor over the comment text and clicking Edit.  You can read more about additional collaboration features in Excel here at Microsoft.

Use the Office app on iOS and Android to unlock your mobile Office

So far we’ve kept the discussion to Office 365 on desktop, but you also can unlock more collaboration by using your phone, too. Microsoft recently released a new all-in-one Office app for iOS and Android, and it includes a number of collaboration features. Using the app on your phone, you can get a peek at documents your coworkers have edited, and much more.

When you install the app, you’ll be able to do many things that you typically do in the office. For instance, you can scan pictures and quickly transform them into full-blown documents that you and your coworkers can collaborate with. You’ll also have access to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, too. There’s even an option to help you sign PDFs, scan to PDFs, and transfer files between your phone and your computer.

Microsoft 365 (Office)
Microsoft 365 (Office)
Download
QR-Code

Microsoft 365 (Office)
Developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Price:
Free

Use OneNote 2016  together with Outlook

When you’re working from home, things can get hectic and it might be hard to stay on top of what needs to be done. Luckily, you can use OneNote 2016 together with Outlook to help boost your collaboration. Outlook alone is a great way to collaborate, as we’ve previously explained, but paired with OneNote 2016 there’s a lot you can do. For instance, you’ll be able to turn Outlook emails sent to you into notes in OneNote, and mark up the message and sent it out to your coworkers. You’ll also be able to send your virtual meetings — Skype or Teams — to your OneNote notebook and take additional notes, and even create Outlook Tasks. We previously explained that here, so give it a read to learn more.

Many more ways

We’ve just touched on a few ways you can collaborate with Office 365 when working from home. When including Microsoft Teams, there’s a lot you can do. As part of our Office 365 coverage, we’ve shown how you can chat with Skype in Office on the web, share your screen in Microsoft Teams, and boost your productivity with Teams apps. Do you have any tips on how you collaborate when working from home? Let us know in the comments below.

Microsoft listens to Xbox fans, backtracks on Xbox Game Pass Quest points values

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Yesterday, we reported that Microsoft harshly degraded the points values of Xbox Game Pass quests, causing many Xbox fans (like myself) to become upset. A short 24 hours later, Microsoft has responded to the complaints of Xbox fans and has backtracked by increasing Game Pass Quests points values, although they’re still lower than the original values.

Although daily quests for logging into the Game Pass app on Mobile and playing Xbox Game Pass games are now still at 5 points, other quests that involve spending more time playing games have now increased. The value of weekly-game-specific quests has now gone up from 20 points to 50 points, and monthly-game specific quests are now valued at 75 points instead of 20 points. As the folks at True Achievements point out, that’s now a gain of 405 to 1635 points.

Other points values still remain the same and are still reduced. For instance, the bonus for earning achievements in Game Pass titles is still 10 points vs the original 50 or 25 points. Completing Adventurer, Apprentice and On the Go Quests also still remains 25 points vs the original 50.  

Either way, it’s great to see that Microsoft has listened to the feedback of gamers. Do you like the new points values? Let us know in the comments below.

FIX: Printer sending job notification error in Windows 10

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

One of the common issues faced by the users after upgrading to a new version of Windows is compatibility problems.

While Windows installs generic printer drivers automatically, you may still encounter a printer sending job notifications error when printing a document.

This error can occur if the printer driver is not compatible with the printer or if the printer spool service is not working correctly.

If you are also troubled by this error, here are a couple of troubleshooting tips to help you resolve printer sending job notifications error.

What to do if the printer is sending job notifications error?

1. Update USB drivers

printer sending job notification
  1. Press Windows Key + R to open Run.
  2. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to open Devices Manager.
  3. In the Device Manager, expand Universal Serial Bus Controllers.
  4. Find your USB port driver to which the printer is connected.
  5. Right-click on the port driver and select Update Driver.
  6. In the next window select Search automatically for updated drivers software option.
  7. Windows will scan for an updated version of the driver and install it automatically.
  8. Close Device Manager and restart the printer.
  9. Try giving a print job and check for any improvements.

Try these steps if you have access to multiple computers. Connect the printer to another computer to check if the system can complete the print job without error.

1.1 Update printer driver

  1. Make sure you have installed the latest print drivers for your printer.
  2. You can download the latest version of the printer driver from the manufacturer’s website.

Alternatively, you have the option to update the printer driver or any other one using efficient support from a driver management tool such as Fortect Driver Updater.

2.  Restart Print Spooler service

printer sending job notification
  1. Press Windows Key + R to open Run.
  2. Type services.msc and click OK to open Services.
  3. In the Services window, locate the Print Spooler service.
  4. Right-click on Print Spooler and select Properties.
    printer sending job notification
  5. In the Properties window, click Stop.
    • This will stop the print queue process.
    • Keep the Print Spooler Properties window open.
  6. Open File Explorer and navigate to the following location:
    • C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\PRINTERS
  7. Delete all the files in the Printers folder.
    • If you don’t see any files, click the View tab and check the “Hidden Items” box.
  8. Close the File Explorer window.
  9. In the Print Spooler Properties window, click the Start button to restart the service.
  10. Close the Services window and try printing again.

3. Troubleshoot printer level problem

3.1 Run printer troubleshooter

printer status error
  1. Click Start and select Settings.
  2. Go to Update and Security.
  3. Click the Troubleshooter tab.
  4. Scroll down and click on Printers.
  5. Click the Run the troubleshooter button.
  6. Follow on-screen instructions and apply any recommended fixes.

3.2 Reset the printer

  1. Turn off the printer.
  2. Unplug the power cable from the wall outlet.
  3. Leave the printer idle for a minute.
  4. Press and hold the Power button.
  5. While holding the power button connect the power cable to the wall outlet.
  6. Release the power button when the printer restarts.
  7. Now try printing and check if the error is resolved.

If you are experiencing printer sending job notification error in Windows, follow the steps in this article to troubleshoot the problem.

Do let us know which method helped you resolve the issue in the comments section below.

Microsoft trims its new Xbox Game Pass Quests after one month, and Xbox fans (like me) are not happy

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

I’ve always been a big fan of Microsoft Rewards. Like many others who use the program, I run Bing searches every day across my phone and PC to eventually cash in my points for Microsoft products. That’s why I was quite happy when Microsoft revamped Xbox Game Pass Quests last month. Just like other gamers paying for Game Pass, I had more reason to turn on my Xbox, play my favorite games, and get rewarded with Microsoft Rewards points for doing so.

But, starting this month in March, Microsoft made a major change to Xbox Game Pass Quests. Points values for common quests are now extremely undervalued compared to what they were originally, and that is making Xbox gamers, and myself included, really disappointed.

To understand how much the points have been degraded, we need to look at how Game Pass Quests began. In the last month, you would get heavily rewarded for your time completing the daily, weekly, and monthly quests.

Before, you would get rewarded with 30 points each day for two tasks: logging into the Xbox Game Pass app on Mobile and playing an Xbox Game Pass game on Xbox. You’d also be able to get up 50 points each for monthly tasks, and 100 points for completing them all. Other quests also rewarded you heavily for getting achievements in Game Pass games or downloading or playing a certain amount of Game Pass games. You’d even get a payout 1,000 points for completing all the tasks for the month, as well.

As pointed out by the folks on Reddit, with this method, gamers, were able to average 500 points a week with the right level of dedication. It was an easy way to play Xbox and get rewarded for doing so.

But now that Microsoft has changed the way that points are valued for Game Pass Quests, they might as well be pointless. Daily quests for logging into the Xbox Game Pass app on Mobile and playing an Xbox Game Pass game on Xbox are now just worth 10 points at the rate of 5 each. Weekly quests are now just 10 points each, and monthly quests are down to 10 each also. You’d also only get a 100 point payout for finishing all the quests.

Math aside, the Xbox Game Pass quests are now way less valuable, with roughly just 285 points payout for the monthly section alone. You’d now get more Microsoft Rewards points per day by just completing searches on Bing on PC and Mobile than you do for playing Xbox Game Pass in a single month. You can check the chart below to see why (courtesy of Reddit user Dzahc.)

 

It is unknown why Microsoft made this change, but I think it might be a way of just experimenting with points values. Either way, much like myself, gamers are not happy about it. Considering the monthly price of Game Pass, some Redditors have said that they won’t be renewing their subscription to the service anymore if the points stay this way. Other gamers, myself included, played their Xbox and downloaded games they’d care less about otherwise just to score these points.

Indeed, now that Xbox Game Pass points are undervalued, it doesn’t even make sense to even buy into Game Pass to get the bonus Microsoft Rewards points. A subset of gamers simply won’t bother checking out games just to get the points from quests. And, for those in countries like Australia where getting Rewards points is tough enough, this only makes it harder to enjoy the program.

We reached out to Microsoft for comment about this change, and a Microsoft Spokesperson tells us the following:

“We’re always listening to fan feedback, and we appreciate those who took the time to reach out about changes to Xbox Game Pass Quests points. Based on that feedback, we’re rolling out adjusted point values that should be reflected on dashboards today.”

We will be keeping a close eye on the points values on the Xbox Game Pass Quests, and will keep you updated if values happen to change. Stay Tuned to OnMSFT for more.

New PowerToys for Windows 10 updates brings over 100 fixes and new auto-update tool

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

Microsoft’s freeware suite of system utilities dubbed PowerToys was resurrected from its Windows XP days and brought to the company’s flagship operating system Windows 10 in May of 2019.

For power users accustomed to a very niche and specific workflow, the release of PowerToys was a godsend as it brought back the ability for users to tweak obscure settings such as opening cabinet files in a similar fashion to the regular File Explorer experience and shortcuts to opening desktop files from a menu on the taskbar, to name a couple.

PowerToys is arguably analogous to modding in gaming, for many Windows users. However, once brought back, the Windows team had its works cut out for it as users marked up a laundry list of issues when using the suite.

Today, the Windows team is confident that it has addressed those concerns and published an update to PowerToys via its GitHub repository.

According to the release notes, PowerToys is up to version 0.15.1 after a hotfix came in hours after the initial release of v0.15.0. PowerToys users can now look forward to over 100 resolved issues as well as a cool new update notification system to “make you aware there is a new version from within PowerToys.

  • Make you aware there is a new version from within PowerToys
  • Removed requirement to always ‘run as admin’
  • Added almost 300 unit tests to increase stability and prevent regressions.
  • Resolved almost 100 issues
  • Made .NET Framework parts of the source run faster with NGEN
  • Improved for how we store data locally
  • Increased FancyZones compatibility with applications
  • Created the v1.0 strategy, the launcher, the keyboard manager specs
  • Work on cleaning up our issue backlog and labels

For those anxious to download the update, the team does note that users will need to reapply their zone layout for FancyZones after updating. Fortunately, it seems that the minor inconvenience does not apply to custom zone sets, as they appear to be preserved.

How to switch and rename audio output devices in Windows 10

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Switching between audio devices is much simpler in Windows 10 than in prior versions. While the steps may not be immediately intuitive, it’s a quick process once you’ve done it.

Audio output options are now integrated into the modern volume control experience. You can open this by clicking the audio output icon (speaker icon) on the taskbar, down in the system tray area.

Screenshot of managing audio playback devices in Windows 10

You’ll see a volume slider that will adjust the volume of the currently selected output source. Above that, click the device name to reveal all the output devices on your system. Next, click any of the devices to immediately set it as the selected output.

The volume slider will now update to reflect the new output’s levels. Volume settings are stored per-device, so you can make your headphones quiet while keeping your rear panel stereo system loud.

Screenshot of managing audio playback devices in Windows 10

You can rename or remove devices to help organise the output list. You’ll need to use the old Control Panel for this. Launch Control Panel by searching for it in the Start menu. Click the Hardware and Sound category, followed by the Sound link.

You’ll see a list of the output devices on your system, which should be identical to that displayed in the taskbar volume control. Right-click any device and choose “Disable” to hide outputs which you don’t use.

Screenshot of managing audio playback devices in Windows 10

Outputs can be renamed by double-clicking and typing a new name into the Properties window which appears. You can also choose a new icon, although it’s only displayed within Control Panel. More usefully, the window lets you configure the output’s settings, such as audio quality and equaliser controls, using the tabs along the top. The available options will vary with each device. Click Apply and OK to save your changes once you’re done.

NBA 2K20, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and more games are coming to Xbox Game Pass in March

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has just announced the next wave of games coming to Xbox Game Pass for Console and PC in March. NBA 2K20 will be the first Xbox game to join the Console catalog tomorrow, March 5, along with Train Sim World 2020. The latter will also be available on Xbox Game Pass for PC, if you prefer the comfort of using a keyboard and mouse.

Next week, the much-anticipated Ori and the Will of the Wisps and the puzzle game Pikuniku will join Xbox Game Pass for Console and PC on March 11 and 12, respectively. The first one is already available for pre-download on both platforms, and it will be an Xbox Play Anywhere title that supports cloud saves.

On March 13, State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition, a remaster of the zombie survival game will also join Xbox Game Pass for Console and PC, along with the new team brawler Bleeding Edge from Ninja Theory. These two games from Xbox Game Studios support Xbox Play Anywhere as well as crossplay multiplayer across Xbox One and PC.

Lastly, Microsoft announced two more games joining Xbox Game Pass for PC later this month with The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game and the beat ‘em up title Mother Russia Bleeds. However, the company didn’t indicate when these last two games will be available via the new Xbox beta app for Windows 10.

Overall, this should be a pretty exciting month for Xbox Game Pass members. If you have yet to subscribe, we remind you that you can get your first month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass for PC, and Xbox Live Gold, for just $1.

Microsoft offers 6 month free trial of paid Teams tier in light of Coronavirus

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft is offering a six-month free trial to the premium version of its Microsoft Teams business chat/collaboration application, a part of the Office 365 suite. The move comes as fears of the coronavirus outbreak cause many businesses to have their employees work from home.

Companies and businesses that take advantage of the six-month free trial of Teams premium will gain access to many of the application’s features which aren’t available of the free plan—including better access to scheduling and meeting features. Additionally, Microsoft says it will begin to allow users on the free Teams plan to schedule meetings starting March 10. The move promotes public health safety by making it easier to work from home.

Microsoft has recently begin promoting Teams as the place for employees to access from anywhere, likely as the result of the increased demand from working from home. A Microsoft employee from Shanghai also shared some tips for those who will be taking their work to their homes.

While coronavirus concerns have resulted in the cancellation of numerous tech events including Microsoft’s summit, the company says it will continue to monitor the situation before it decides on whether or not to cancel this year’s Build event.

Will you be working from home? What do you think about Microsoft’s promotion? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments area below.

Microsoft is collaborating with Accenture to help deepen the reach of startups focused on social impact

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft and Accenture have teamed up to help deepen the reach of entrepreneurs and startups that are focused on social impact and sustainability. The collaboration is part of the companies’ shared vision to amplify the societal impact of emerging technology and benefit a million people by democratizing access.

As part of the initiative, Microsoft Research India and Accenture Labs will help social enterprise startups test and validate proofs-of-concept, conduct design thinking sessions to help them re-envision the impact of their solutions, and provide support in exploring and using Microsoft technologies. The partnership will help these startups build scalable solutions and business models with more tangible and lasting benefits.

“Our experience shows that by applying emerging technologies to critical challenges facing society, we can accelerate social transformation. This collaboration is a great illustration of delivering on ‘value’ and ‘values’ – creating tangible business and social value while aligning with people’s values. By providing social impact entrepreneurs with direct access to the combined power of Accenture and Microsoft’s technology expertise, we can help significantly improve access, equality, education, inclusion, health, sustainability, and the environment.”

– Paul Daugherty, Group Chief Executive, Accenture Technology & Chief Technology Officer, Accenture

The program will initially engage with startups in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, leveraging the MSR India Center for Societal impact through Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (SCAI). Initially, the program will focus on the areas of agriculture, education, and healthcare.

Microsoft’s involvement in this initiative is part of Microsoft’s Global Social Entrepreneurship program. The Global Social Entrepreneurship program is designed to empower an ecosystem of tech-enabled startups, focused on addressing important social or environmental challenges. The involvement of Accenture Labs is part of its ongoing Tech4Good program, which is focused on applying emerging technologies to help solve complex social challenges.

Windows update KB4535996 causes micro stutters in games

Posted on by Don Sharpe

There are many ways to introduce a bug to your PC, but a Windows 10 update should not be one of them. Yet, unhappy users are still reporting various system complications after installing the cumulative update (CU) KB4535996 that Microsoft released last week.

Update causes micro stutters in games

According to a Windows 10 Subreddit post, the CU KB4535996 may cause micro stuttering in video games—a quality defect that can ruin your gaming experience.

It’s not extreme, but I say my frame rate in games has gone down 10 frames or so, and stuttering occurs once in a while. After uninstalling the cumulative update, everything was fine. Weird.

Outdated graphics and video card drivers may cause irregular GPU frame rates. In that case, you can fix the problem by updating the drivers.

But if you had an excellent gaming experience before the CU, hardware drivers may not be the problem. Uninstalling the update appears to fix the issue, though.

Microsoft account access

Microsoft’s answers forum is also flooded with user complaints about update KB4535996 post-installation issues. After updating their Notebook, one user claims that they could no longer log in to their Microsoft account.

They tried logging out and back in as recommended, but that did not work.

Missing files

Another user posted that the update resulted in the loss of all their desktop files.

All I know is that my computer installed updates last night. Then I restarted this AM and everything was missing that was on my PC.

Some perennially frustrated users are resorting to ignoring all optional updates, which may not always be a great idea if their PCs have a problem that a Windows update could fix. So, folks are still craving for a Windows 10 world in which updates, including security fixes, can install without adverse effects.

Microsoft has not officially acknowledged any problem with the optional update it released last week. Users can only hope that the next Windows 10 fix will satisfactorily address all the issues raised so far.

Microsoft shows cleaner-looking Windows 10 Start Menu, confirms Live Tiles are here to stay

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

It’s no secret that Microsoft has been on a mission to give Windows 10 a new look. We’ve seen new icons roll out across the operating system, as well as the Light Mode introduced in the Windows 10 May 2019 Update. But, there could be bigger things ahead. Indeed, Microsoft recently teased a cleaner looking Windows 10 Start Menu, which appears to be heavily designed by Fluent Design and the new modern Windows icons (via PCWorld.)

As seen in the featured image above, this new Start Menu isn’t much different from the current version of Windows 10 when it comes to layout and overall format. It does, however, look to be more uniform, with less randomly colored backgrounds on the app tiles. Overall, it is cleaner with more uniform colors throughout, allowing the icons to blend in nicely with the acrylic effects delivered by Fluent Design.

This Start Menu was originally discussed by Microsoft during today’s Windows Insider webcast. You can see a still of it in action by watching the webcast on-demand here, at around the 46-minute mark. “The idea is to visually unify the Start menu, [from] a somewhat chaotic color, to something a bit more uniform,” said Mike LaJoie, the person in charge of icon design at Microsoft.

Rumors have previously said that Windows 10’s Live Tiles might be dead in the future, but judging from what Microsoft PM Brandon LeBlanc said during the webcast, the Live Tiles are here to stay. As the image of the Start Menu is still, we can’t tell if they’re present in this new Start Menu. However, LeBlanc mentioned that “Those with Live Tiles will still be able to use them.” It could be that users will continue to have full control over Live Tiles and be able to turn them off and on as needed.

Do you think that this new Start Menu is more clean and efficient? Let us know in the comments below.

Disney Plus is not available in your country? Try this

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

If Disney Plus is not available in your country, it looks like you are not able to access it. The service is currently available in the US, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, and New Zealand. Later on, in March 2020, a number of European countries will see the launch of their local versions of Disney Plus too.

Until that happens, if you live outside these countries, Marvel, The Simpsons, or Star Wars are out of your league, at least in theory. We’re saying that since there’s a chance to access Disney Plus in other regions too.

The advantages of using a VPN – or Virtual Private Network – in this case, are unquestionable. For the uninitiated, a VPN is a piece of software you can download off the web that lets you hide the IP address of your laptop, phone, or your router.

Then, it makes it appear in an entirely different location where Disney Plus is available. Long story short, today we will show you what to do if Disney Plus doesn’t work in your country.

What can I do when Disney Plus is not available in my area?

1. Choose the perfect VPN option

Before having the very best Disney Plus shows and films at your disposal, you’ll first need to get a VPN application.

Aside from giving you Disney Plus access from anywhere in the world, these applications can be used to safeguard your online privacy and stop any deliberate slowing of your speeds.

If the choice you face is highly emotive and you literally dream of all those Disney goodies, your instincts and the rush coming along with them may not serve you well. Don’t know what to choose?

We made a list of the fastest VPN options for Windows 10 you can use to stream video content with ease.

The encryption tunnel is supposed to remain super private, so your true location is always unseen. To make sure of that, it’s recommended to check for your IP address on specific IP address lookup sites. Let’s hope that it won’t fail to hide your real one.

We recommend you get a VPN with a large server coverage. For Disney+ users, make sure that the US specifically is thoroughly covered.

Also, make sure to get a VPN with a transparent privacy policy. Even though these tools are meant to protect your data, some of them may store unnecessary details about your identity and browsing, so be careful with that.

2. Select a compatible location as your home country

At this point, you have the VPN already installed. All you have to do next is to open the VPN app, then log in using your credentials.

Just hit Choose location and feel free to connect to a US server. You may also select any other compatible location as your home country.

3. Sign-up for Disney Plus outside of its supported countries

After connecting to the VPN, you’ll clearly need to go to the Disney Plus website and sign up before you can do anything else. The big news is that you’ll no longer be blocked from signing up this time.

You can easily go through the setup procedure and get inside for the first time. Besides creating a new account for this media streaming service, you must also select a subscription plan and complete the payment process.

Disney Plus doesn’t offer a free trial, but it puts at your disposal flexible pricing options and packages.

⇒ Get Disney+

Finally, Disney Plus will present its content. Rest assured that you can use it without any limitations since you already tricked Disney’s area restrictions.

How does it feel like to have Disney Plus at your convenience? We surely hope that it’s as good as expected. Other eager users also describe taking advantage of Google Chrome on an Ethernet hardwired computer to cast Disney Plus to the TV via the inbuilt Chromecast of NVIDIA Shield TV.

However, taking a quick look at the Subscriber Agreement reveals that this method of accessing Disney Plus is a violation of the terms and conditions.

Do you know another solution for a quick connection even if Disney Plus is not available in your area? Don’t hesitate to share it with the community in the comments section below.

Moreover, if you’re completely new to VPNs, let us be clear in this regard. Even if the access you get when you sign up with a VPN service is great, keep in mind that you still have to connect to a server in another region or even country.

This means that you should be ready for a little bit of latency in your secure connection. Other issues could occur while using a VPN application, yet we’re here to help you out.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary joins Halo: MCC for PC today, and you can play it with Xbox Game Pass

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Great news for Halo fans, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is now available on PC as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection. This remaster of the original Halo game follows the release of the Halo: Reach remaster on PC and Xbox One in December, and it’s once again available on Xbox Game Pass for PC, the Windows 10 Microsoft Store, and Steam.

The PC version of Halo: CE Anniversary will still let PC gamers switch between remastered and classic game graphics on the fly, and both modes should look pretty good in 4K. Here are all the power user features you can expect according to 343 Industries:

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary looks and plays better than ever at 60 frames-per-second (or greater) with 4K UHD support, and players can fine-tune their experience with a vast array of options including variable framerate, native mouse/keyboard support and the ability to rebind controls, support for ultra-wide displays and different aspect rations, updates texture/shadow quality and more. Additionally, we’re happy to introduce community-requested features such as the option to use ‘classic’ audio in multiplayer and improvements to Spartan customization

If you have an Xbox Game Pass for PC or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you can download Halo: CE Anniversary for free today. The game is also included in the full $39.99 Halo: MCC bundle available on Steam and the Microsoft Store, but you can also purchase it separately for $9.99.

343 Industries is still on track to bring the rest of the Halo games to Halo: MCC on PC throughout the year. You can expect Halo: 2 Anniversary to come next, followed by Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4, the latter being the first Halo game developed by 343 Industries after Bungie went to work on the Destiny franchise.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
Download
QR-Code

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
Developer:
Xbox Game Studios
Price:
Free

Microsoft updates Build 2020 website with message about Coronavirus, continues to monitor situation

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Due to the spread of Novel Coronavirus, Microsoft has already canceled both the MVP Summit and its GDC briefing in favor of virtual events. Many have now been wondering if Build 2020, which is set for May 19-21 would be canceled, too.

Although an official decision has not been made yet on that front, the company recently updated its Build 2020 webpage with a message about Coronavirus, saying it will “monitor and make any necessary changes as the situation evolves.” Here’s the statement:

In light of the global health concerns due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Microsoft is monitoring public health guidance in relation to in-person events. At this time, global health authorities have not issued guidance to avoid travel to this location. We are looking carefully at our event calendar as well as our presence at industry events in the coming months. We are not taking decisions lightly, but the health and well-being of our employees, partners, customers and other guests remain our ultimate priority.

We will continue to monitor and make any necessary changes as the situation evolves.

March 2, 2020

Currently, Coronavirus is spreading across the Seattle area, and many Microsoft watchers like Paul Thurrott are doubtful about the status of Build. However, as Microsoft states on the webpage, global health authorities have not yet issued guidance to avoid travel to Seattle, Washington. The company instead insists that it is “monitoring public health guidance in relation to in-person events” and is “looking carefully at [the] event calendar as well as [the] presence at industry events in the coming months.”

While it is still two months out, canceling Build could likely be a huge logistics nightmare for Microsoft. In the statement on the page, the Redmond giant insists it does not take decisions lightly, and wants to put the health and well-being of employees, partners, customers, and other guests first.

There’s been some talk of MVPs, especially if they can’t get refunds for their travel and accommodations, to head to Seattle/Redmond anyway. In a reply to a tweet related to the MVP Summit, former Windows Insider chief Dona Sarkar said that people should not be planning to visit Microsoft’s campus, as the company will be locking down visitations with “tons of people working from home.”

Coronavirus is definitely shaking up the conference industry for sure, even outside of Microsoft. Google recently announced it would be re-imagining its Cloud Next ’20 conference as a free, global, digital-first, multi-day event. Adobe also canned its annual summit in Las Vegas in favor of an online event. And, outside of the United States, Microsoft canceled its Ignite Tour in Zurich.

Fix The Printer Error 1260 in Just a Couple of Easy Steps

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

After installing Windows 10 updates, many users have reported the printer error 1260. This error can have multiple error messages, including:

A policy is in effect on your computer which prevents you from connecting to this print queue. Please contact your system administrator.

That didn’t work We can’t install this printer right now.  Try again later or contact your network administrator.  ERROR #1260

This error is related to the new Driver Packaging Awareness requirements and can be resolved by configuring Point and Print policies in the Group Policy editor. If you are also troubled by this error, here is how to resolve it in Windows 10.

How can I fix printer error 1260?

1. Disable antivirus and firewall

Turn off firewall

We can't install this printer right now error 1260
  1. Click Start and select Setting.
  2. Go to Updates and Security.
  3. Click on Windows Security.
  4. Select Firewall and Network Protection.
  5. Click on your currently active network.
  6. Scroll down and toggle the switch to turn off Windows Firewall.

Disable antivirus 

We can't install this printer right now error 1260
  1. If you have a third-party antivirus installed, try disabling it temporarily.
  2. To disable it from the taskbar, right-click on your antivirus icon.
  3. Select disable temporarily.

If disabling the antivirus did not resolve the issue, you may have to uninstall the security program and then try to install the printer or the related drivers.

If the issue is resolved after disabling the firewall and antivirus, enable Windows Firewall and antivirus again.

2. Add FQDN and NETBIOS name for Point and Pinter Server

We can't install this printer right now error 1260
  1. Press Windows Key + R to open Run.
  2. Type gpedit.msc and click OK to open the Group Policy Editor.
  3. Now look for Point and Printer Restriction policy.
  4. Right-click on the policy and select Properties.
  5. Earlier, the user could only include the FQDN of their printer servers. However, now you need to include the shorter names as well.
  6. For example, if your FQDN is serv-print.mydomain.local, now you also need to include “serv-print” separated by a semicolon in the Group Policy Editor.
  7. After making the changes, running gpupdate should resolve any printer issues.

You don’t have the Group Policy Editor on your Windows PC? Get it right now in just a couple of easy steps.

The A policy is in effect on your computer printer 1260 error can occur if your security program or firewall is blocking the connection or if the issue is with the Group Policy Editor. Follow the steps in this article to fix the problem and get your printer back online.

If you have any additional questions or suggestions, please leave them in the comments section below.

Here’s how you can use the Touch Bar on a MacBook Pro with Office 365 for boosted productivity

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

When Apple released the fourth generation MacBook Pro in 2016 it came with a new feature known as the “Touch Bar.” An OLED strip running above the keyboard, the Touch Bar replaced the traditional function keys with multi-touch keys. Depending on which app you use, the Touch Bar is able to adapt and show you various functions, as well as a digital “ESC” key. Many apps in MacOS, including Microsoft’s own Office 365 suite, have special Touch Bar functionality, and in this guide, we’ll show you how to make the most of it in the core Office apps.

Word

In Microsoft Word on Mac OS, there are quite a few useful Touch Bar functions to help you be more productive and skip out common keyboard shortcuts. Starting from left to right, you will find access to a clipboard paste button and a styles button for bold, italics and underline. You’ll also find options for highlighting, followed by text color, and bulleting, numbers, and justification.

Scrolling on the Touch Bar will show additional controls for inserting hyperlinks, photos, and comments. For faster access to opening documents, there’s even a button for opening recent documents. Finally, on the far left, you’ll find one to bring Word full-screen.

It’s worth noting that some of these buttons on the Touch Bar will have secondary functions. Clicking the clipboard gives you quick access to pasting, complete with formatting options. The highlight button will then show you a color wheel and allow you to pick the right color for highlighting. The same also applies to the font color. It’s a quick convenient way of getting to core editing functions and will save you a valuable click.

Excel

Moving on to Excel, the functions of the Touch Bar are quite similar to the ones for Word. Again, left to right, you’ll still have access to some basic editing functionality without using keyboard shortcuts. This includes a paste button, as well as options for formatting for bold, italics and underline. After that, though, the buttons change a bit. There’s a new option for boarders in cells, as well as an option for the cell fill color. That’s then capped off with options for the cell style, and then an option to create a chart.

In terms of secondary functions, the cell border button will give you access to various cell border styles. The Cell fill color, meanwhile, will give you a color picker, as does the font color option. As for the cell style button, you can choose from a variety of styles such as “Good,” “Bad,” or “Neutral.” Finally, the chart button will give you quick picks for charts such as Column, Line, or Pie. Again, this is a quick way of avoiding clicking on the ribbon in Excel for common tasks.

PowerPoint

Next up, there’s PowerPoint. This Office program has perhaps what is the best function for the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro as the functions change based on how you’re using PowerPoint. We’ll be starting first with the functions for editing mode. In this mode, from the left side, you’ll find the clipboard paste option, just as you do in the other Office apps. That’s then followed up by a button to add a new slide and a button to insert a table, photo, and shape. You’ll then find a button to summon the text edit option, followed by a button to open recent files, and another to begin the presentation. We’ll move on to the text edit options next.

With the text edit options for the Touch Bar in PowerPoint on the MacBook. there’s quite a lot similar to Word. There are buttons to bold italics, underline, insert number or bullets, edit the color of text, and change the justification. When in this mode, you can go back to the main view by tapping the ESC key. That will then give you access to additional features such as fill color, outline color, and options to rotate images and change image formats. Again, quite useful, as these are typically buried beneath the right-click menu.


Finally, we’ll talk about how you can use the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro in PowerPoint during a presentation. This is the coolest mode of them all, as here, you’ll be able to see a live preview of your slides. A button on the left of the Touch Bar will allow you to end the show, and the button next to it will show you the progress on the slideshow. You’ll then see a preview of each of the slides, and you’ll be able to drag your way through and touch each slide one by one while seeing it on the screen to move from one to the next. There’s even a mini clock in the Touch Bar to show you the time, and additional controls to switch your screen to the more traditional presentation mode.

Outlook

Much like PowerPoint, the Touch Bar in Outlook will show you different options based on how you use the app. We’ll be starting first with when you’re in your inbox. In this mode, you’ll find a button to switch between the mail and calendar portions of outlook. That’s then followed by options for creating a new message, deleting, arching, moving, and replying to the message. You’ll also find a flag button, too.

Next, there are functionalities for when you’re replying to an email. In this mode, The Touch Bar will have a button to send out your email, followed by an emoji key, and then the clipboard paste button. There are then the standard editing options seen from the rest of Office 365, such as style, font color, and more.

Lastly, there are some functions for the calendar. In this mode, there are options for sorting through the different views: Day, Month, Week, Work Week. There’s even a key to start a new meeting or event. It’s quite the nifty little trick, to help you avoid clicking buttons in the menu bar, or using keyboard shortcuts.

Just a little way to boost productivity

Looking at things all together, these Touch Bar tricks are just one small way to boost your productivity. Instead of having to worry about keyboard shortcuts or where to click in the Office Ribbon, you can slide your fingers up to the Touch Bar instead. It’s just one small thing, though, as we’ve previously explained tips and tricks for many of the Core Office 365 apps. Check out our coverage here for more, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Thimbleweed Park and more are leaving Xbox Game Pass soon

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

A couple of games are leaving Xbox Game Pass for Console and PC soon, as seen on the Xbox Game Pass mobile app today (via TrueAchievements). Shenmue I & II, Thimbleweed Park, Litchspeer: Double Speer Edition will be leaving the Console and PC catalogs soon, and you can add to that list Deus Ex: Mankind Divided on Console as well as Titan Quest Anniversary Edition and Apocalipsis on PC.

The Xbox Game Pass Mobile app doesn’t reveal when these games will be removed, but it will likely be later this month. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided will actually be the latest high-profile Square Enix to disappear following Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Just Cause 4.

It’s not all bad though as Xbox Game Pass will get two new Xbox Game Studios titles this month with the much-anticipated metroidvania game Ori and the Will of the Wisps (coming March 11), as well as the team brawler Bleeding Edge (coming March 23). Microsoft will likely announce more games very soon, as it usually does at the beginning of every month. If you have yet to try Xbox Game Pass, we remind that you can get your first month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for just $1.

Microsoft amps up Teams as the “Teamwork from anywhere” solution following Coronavirus outbreak

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, many companies have been canceling pubic events or suggesting employees work from home via telecommuting solutions like Teams or Slack. This is of particular concern in the Seattle area, Microsoft’s home-base where the virus is still spreading.

As a result, Microsoft recently canceled its MVP summit, but that isn’t stopping the company from advertising its products in the wake of the virus. Ironically, some timely new ads for Teams are showing how it is the “Teamwork from anywhere” solution.

Recently, we noticed two of these new Teams ads online. Our managing editor came across an advertisement for Teams on Twitter, which can be seen above. The ad mentions that remote work is made easy for free with Teams and shows an image suggesting how Teamwork can be done from anywhere. In a separate instance, one of our writers also noticed a banner ad for Microsoft Teams on Microsoft’s support website for two-factor verification. The “Learn how” banner mentions how users can keep in touch and stay productive with Teams and Office 365 with working remotely.

This is a fairly engrossing way to draw more attention to Teams. Microsoft previously aired an ad for Teams during the NFL Playoffs in January, and it took jabs at Slack. As a result, it will be interesting to see how this campaign helps boosts Teams’ popularity as Cortanavirus spreads and more companies encourage folks living in impacted cities to work from home.

More of Microsoft’s new app icons begin to roll out to public Windows 10 users

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Several Microsoft apps began to update on Windows 10 devices last week with their new app icons such as Calendar and Mail and now it looks like even more have started to get their icon refresh.

Earlier today, Films & TV (Movies & TV), Microsoft Alarms & Clock, and Groove Music (see above image) all got an update that replaces their old icon with their new one. The app icon update appears to a bit staggered with others claiming that their Calculator, Photos, and Voice Recorder apps have also been refreshed.

Microsoft revealed their intention to update their numerous app icons back in December of 2018 but the rollout has been strangely delayed and randomly implemented across Windows 10, iOS, and Android devices. The company then expanded on this idea in December last year with an even more ambitious icon plan.

Do you like these new app icons? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest and Twitter for more Microsoft app news.

Fix: You are not set up to use this calling feature

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

The Microsoft Office Suite is probably the world’s most well-known office suite currently available. Part of its popularity is due to the variety of tools that it brings to the table, one of which is Skype for Business.

Skype for Business is a collaborative tool that has been on the market for quite some time now, and its popularity doesn’t seem to diminish.

However, Skype for Business is not without its kinks and bugs. for example, users have reported that they are getting an error when trying to call certain numbers stating that:

You’re not setup to use this calling feature, please contact your admin

The reasons behind this error message are well-known, and we will discuss them further in the article below.

How do I get rid of the calling feature error?

Unlike other error messages, this particular one is not caused by functionality issues with Skype for Business. In fact, it only appears when you don’t meet certain conditions using the program.

Here’s a complete list of the things you need to do in order to get rid of the calling function error message:

  • Purchase calling plans for Office 365
    • If you have a service provider that provides on-premises PSTN connectivity for hybrid users, you don’t need to buy a calling plan
  • Assign the phone system for office 365 licenses and then assign a calling plan to the users in your organization
    • If you are using on-premises PSTN connectivity for hybrid users, you only need to assign a Phone System license
  • Add numbers in Skype for Business admin center
  • Add emergency addresses and locations for your organization
  • Assign phone numbers and emergency addresses to users skype pricing

I still can’t make calls via Skype for Business

If you still can’t make calls via Skype for Business, or are just unhappy with the subscription plans and offers, you could always migrate to a new collaborative tool.

We recommend using a flexible third-party program that allows you to manage your calls via any type of device and provides you with versatile settings that enhance your productivity.

⇒ Get Microsoft Teams

For a complete list of the best collaborative tools currently on the market, check out this in-depth guide.

If you know of any other way to bypass this issue with Skype for Business, tell us about it in the comments section below.

[wl_navigator]

You can now tag specific user groups in Teams

Posted on by Don Sharpe

If you are an enterprise that uses Teams to collaborate in the workplace, the tool boasts a host of new features to help your employees work and communicate more efficiently.

In a recent post Microsoft announced changes that streamline collaborations on Outlook emails within Teams. The updates also touch on how supervisors or superiors can use @ mentions to address specific users in their organization.

Tagging particular user groups

Even before the latest Teams updates, you could @ mention anyone within the platform to get their attention. You could also target all members of a team by using the @team tag.

But the tag is limiting in that it does not let you address a specific user group within your team. So you end up drawing the attention of people who should be focusing on other tasks or responsibilities in the office.

Now, Teams lets team owners set up tags for specific user groups or roles, allowing them to send targeted messages. This enhancement makes sense because team members may have different responsibilities, and some critical communication may only be relevant to certain personnel.

Targeted communication allows team members to message everyone assigned to a specific tag at the same time; simply @mention the tag name in a post. Using tags, team owners can organize users based on a common attribute, like a role, project, or location.

For example, you can @ mention and only target neurosurgeons in a team that also includes cardiologists, gastroenterologists, and dermatologists.

Share to Teams in Outlook

The news of Teams-Outlook email integrations does not come as a surprise since Microsoft had hinted about it before. It just so happens that reading, responding to, or collaborating on official email conversations are still a vital part of everyday workflows or tasks in modern workspaces, including digital ones like Teams.

Say, you have a prospective customer communicating to you via Outlook. But you are managing the sales process, including working with sales reps, in Teams.

With the new Share to Teams feature in Outlook, you can move an entire email conversation with the prospect to Teams. The reverse process is also possible within Teams.

According to recent rumors, Microsoft is working on a new Outlook feature, Spaces. The tool is meant to help organizations manage project elements like emails, contacts, to-do lists, and OneDrive files. The ability to export Teams conversations to Outlook will certainly make Spaces more powerful.

 

 

Failed to Load Extension From Chrome: How to Fix it

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

Google Chrome is one of the world’s most popular web browsers currently in use. It is fast, powerful, and can be customized with tens of thousands of extensions that improve its functionality. But many reported that they failed to load an extension from Chrome.

They instead see a message that reads, Manifest file missing or unreadable. The error often appears when launching Chrome, and the extensions remain inaccessible. Keep reading to find out how to fix things!

What can I do if Chrome failed to load an extension?

Before we head to the slightly complex solutions, try these quick tricks first:

  • Restart the computer.
  • Switch to Incognito or Private browsing mode. You can access it by pressing Ctrl + Shift + N on Chromium-based browsers.

If none work, head to the fixes listed next.

1. Activate your extensions one-by-one

If you keep getting the same error messages, disable your extensions and then activate them one by one until the error appears again.

Then remove the extension enabled last and use an alternative one that does the same thing.

2. Reinstall Google Chrome

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type appwiz.cpl, and hit Enter.
  2. Select Google Chrome from the list of programs and click on Uninstall.uninstall
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
  4. Once done, restart the computer to apply the changes.
  5. Now, head to Chrome’s official website, download the setup, and run it to install the browser.

Normally one could uninstall Google Chrome by simply accessing the list of installed programs, but you also need to delete all stored app data on your PC.

To do that efficiently, you should use a third-party uninstaller that will get the job done in seconds. It won’t just clear the leftover files but also remove any registry entries created by the program.

Now, you should no longer encounter extension loading errors when using Google Chrome.

Before you leave, check the best extensions to speed up Chrome, and get one today!

Which of these solutions helped you get rid of the issue? Let us know by leaving a message in the comments section below.

FIX: Google Chrome Error 138

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

When it comes to navigating the Internet, you need a solid web browser at your disposal. There are plenty out there to choose from, and Google Chrome is a top choice.

It is fast, powerful, customizable and probably the most popular web browser currently on the market.

However, Google chrome is still nothing but a piece of software, and it too has its own fair share of issues. One good, or in this case bad, an example is error 138 that many users have reported encountering.

While encountering this issue is indeed unfortunate, the good news is that there are a couple of fixes that you could try that will let your use Google Chrome again easily.

How do I fix Google Chrome Error 138?

1. Check to see your other browsers as well

If you encounter Error 138 in Google Chrome, then try opening other browsers to see if they encounter any similar issues connecting to the Internet.

Note: Even if Google Chrome is the only third-party web browser that you are using, remember that you can still use Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge since they come pre-installed with Windows 10.

If you notice that all other browsers work, then your firewall might be blocking Google Chrome. As such, try turning it off or at least temporarily suspending it.

This method varies based on what firewall software tool you use. Thus, go to the developer’s website to check out how to unblock a program for your particular firewall choice.

While testing out your connectivity, you might end up keeping the new web browser as your new default one. As such, you might as well get a very reliable one. For some of our top choices, check out this detailed article.

2. Check router and connectivity settings

If you notice that all of your web browsers experience similar connectivity issues, then a good course of action would be to simply restart or reset your router settings. That being said, go to the manufacturer’s website and check out exactly how you can do this for your particular model.

3. Delete your Google Chrome profile

  1. Reboot your PC and make sure you don’t open Google Chrome during this session at all
  2. Press Windows + R
  3. Type in the following line, and press Enter:
    • %LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser Data
  4. Rename the Default folder to Default.old
    • Make sure you make a backup of this folder somewhere just in case
  5. Launch Google Chrome and try connecting to a website

By following these steps, you should regain full functionality of your Google Chrome browser again, and no longer encounter error 138.

If you know of any fix for this browser error, leave us a message in the comments section below so that we may update the article accordingly.

[wl_navigator]

Can’t retrieve media content on Disney Plus? Try this

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

If you log on to Disney Plus right now with the intention to watch Home Alone or Magical Holiday Celebration, you’ll most likely be disappointed. Disney Plus has quietly removed titles from its library. That’s why plenty of subscribers like you look for a way to retrieve their favorite media content.

Around 10 years ago, Disney just bought Marvel and streaming services were pretty much unknown. Today it turned into a streaming giant that houses almost everything it produces. This includes Star Wars, Pixar, Mickey Mouse, and Goofy cartoons, along with the vault of classic Disney animated films.

Add to the list shows from 20th Century Fox or National Geographic – all supporting the wide audience. Unlike its competitors, Disney Plus made no official statement regarding swapping content out for newer titles.

Accepting that some Christmas titles are gone is one thing, but the lack of any warning is another. Moreover, titles like Dr. Dolittle, The Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Garfield 2, Shaggy Dog 2006, or Flicka have vanished into thin air too.

Hopefully, they’ll come back soon. And if this doesn’t happen, is there anything that you can do to correct that?

What can I do to retrieve media content on Disney Plus?

Access Disney Plus with the use of a VPN
  1. Sign up for one of the VPNs you prefer using.
  2. Then, install the appropriate app for your device.
  3. Log in.
  4. Connect to a secure server from another supported country.
  5. Once connected, head to the Disney Plus site or app and enjoy. While your true location is hidden, Disney Plus thinks you’re streaming from the country the VPN server is in.

Note: if you’re unsure about your VPN choice, this list with super-fast VPN options for Windows 10 might help you out.

Usually, you can download movies from Disney Plus and house them on your device. This gives you the peace of mind that nothing could ever go wrong, but there’s a thing to consider.

There are no restrictions on how many times you download a title, but any downloaded content would only stay on your device as long as it is available on Disney Plus. When it’s removed from the service, it’s also gone from your device.

Since this isn’t a viable solution, note that these unexpected changes seem to affect especially North American subscribers. Many of the aforementioned titles are still available internationally.

Disney changes its content from one location to another due to complications of licensing deals and streaming rights. The selection of titles on Disney Plus could remain in flux for the next several years, just like it happens on Netflix.

However, with the use of a VPN, remember that you can access Disney Plus from anywhere around the world. Do a quick search to find the availability of your favorite TV episodes, films, and shows, then stream Disney Plus after choosing the right VPN location for it.

Despite a few titles being removed, Disney Plus still is an awesome service packed of popular content. At only $6.99 per month or even less with an annual subscription, it remains cheaper than the less attractive entry-level Netflix account.

And it’s not like some titles are missing without any compensation. Disney is marching on, keeping up the good work of adding new original movies and shows to its library each month.

Let us know whether the above trick worked for you or if you’ve already bought some physical copies of your favorite films. The comments area is waiting for you.

iDRAC Virtual Console is Not Working: 3 Ways to Launch it

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

If iDRAC Virtual Console is not working on your PC, you won’t be able to remotely monitor your server.

This is a major problem and it can affect your business and clients, but there are ways to fix this problem.

Why is the iDRAC Virtual Console not working?

  • Compatibility issues with the newer versions of Java.
  • Java security settings can often interfere with iDRAC.
  • Outdated iDRAC firmware is a common cause of problems.

How can I fix the iDRAC Virtual Console if it’s not working?

Before we try other solutions, we suggest you perform the following checks:

  • Ensure that iDRAC firmware and trust certificates are up to date.
  • Resetting iDRAC can also help at times.
  • If you’re using Kaspersky antivirus, consider changing its settings or disabling it.
  • You can also use iDRAC in Docker as an alternative.

1. Revert to an older Java version

  1. Prior to uninstalling your current version, turn off Auto Java updates.
  2. Open Settings, and select Apps from the Windows Settings screen.
  3. Select Java from the Apps and Features screen. Click the Uninstall button.
    find and uninstall Java
  4. If an older version of Java is shown, do not uninstall it.
  5. Next, go to the Java archive page and download an older version of Java.

2. Use the GitHub script

  1. Navigate to the IDRAC6 Virtual Console Launcher page.
  2. Read the instructions on that page and familiarize yourself with the script.
  3. Click on Download ZIP.
  4. Extract the files and run the scripts.

3. Modify the Java security file

  1. Open the Java installation directory. By default it should be: C:\Program Files\Java
  2. Next, go to lib and then the security folder. Locate java.security and open it with Notepad.
  3. Locate the jdk.jar.disabledAlgorithms and remove RC4. Some users also had to remove SSL3.
  4. Save changes.

How do I reset my iDRAC Virtual Console?

iDRAC9 Web Interface

  1. Connect to the Web interface and log in with your credentials.
  2. Navigate to Maintenance and select Diagnostics.
  3. Lastly, select Reset iDRAC.

iDRAC7 and 8 Web Interface

  1. Connect to the Web interface with your username and password.
  2. In the Quick Launch Tasks section in the bottom right select Reset iDRAC.
  3. Confirm that you want to reset it.

If iDRAC Virtual Console is not working, that’s usually a Java issue and you can fix it by installing an older version or by adjusting your settings. However, that may give you the Oudated Java message, but that can be easily fixed.

We also suggest checking our Java is not recognized guide as well as our article on how to remove Java update is available message.

Did our solutions work for you? Do let us know in the comments area below!

The first batch of new Windows 10 icons hits live builds

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

With the retirement of one of their most popular OSes in history, Microsoft now focuses more and more on developing their current OS, Windows 10.

However, these don’t include just functionality improvements or bug fixes, but some flavor changes as well.

Back in December, Microsoft announced that they are preparing to deliver some new icons to Windows 10 users, with some of them already available in Windows Insider builds.

The first revamped icons reach live builds

However, these new icons are no longer Insider exclusive, since Microsoft has made a few of them available for everyone. The new update was first spotted by Techdows and it seems that Mail and Calendar, Movies and TV, and the Calculator app are some of the new tools to receive an iconic facelift.

The new icons will update on Windows 10 Start Menu, Taskbar, and Splash Screen. This seems to be just a first batch of a much greater wave of icon updates to come since changes previously seen in preview builds have not been released yet to live.

Those of you that are currently running Windows 10 version 1909 can already test out the new icons. Unfortunately, no word on whether those running older versions will get the icons is out yet.

The icons also feature in Windows 10X, the OS that Microsoft is currently fine-tuning for later deployment on the Surface Neo, a dual-screen device.

Note: While updates to the Calendar and Mail apps seem to have been pushed out automatically to everyone, in order to see the new icons for the Calculator and Movies & TV apps, you’ll need to update the apps via the Microsoft Store.

What do you think about the new and improved icons for Windows 10? Give us your feedback by leaving a message in the comments section below.

[wl_navigator]

New Cortana changes will help you increase work productivity

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

Everyone that loves interactive apps is probably familiar with Windows 10‘s very own Cortana. This voice assistant has been with users ever since the first version of Windows 10, acting as Microsoft‘s version of Alexa or Google Assistant.

It received numerous updates throughout the years, some ore or less successful, but it seems that things are about to change.

In a recent post, Microsoft stated that they are planning to turn Cortana into a productivity assistant for Office 365:

The upcoming update to Windows 10 will include access to a new Cortana experience with an emphasis on productivity, helping you quickly find the information you want across Microsoft 365. The new Cortana experience in Windows 10 features a chat-based UI that gives you the ability to interact with Cortana using your voice or the keyboard.

Cortana will lose some key features

As part of the new revamp brought to Microsoft‘s voice assistant, some features that aren’t very work-focused will be dropped.

For example, Microsoft mentioned that some consumer skills including music, connected home and third-party skills will no longer be available in the updated Cortana feature in Windows 10.

The end-goal for these changes is to finally transform Cortana into a full-fledged work assistant that will focus more on productivity, helping you quickly find the information you want across Microsoft 365.

Cortana will gain some new skills

Of course, Cortana is also getting some new ones as well. New versions will allow you to type or speak out requests to find people or files, or quickly create or queue up emails.

You can also use it to check out yout calendar, set a reminder, or add entries to your lists in Microsoft To Do. With these changes, Microsoft hopes that work productivity will increase while making it a bit more interactive and engaging.

The main reason behind these changes is most likely Microsoft‘s plan to replace Cortana as the default voice assistant in Windows 10x.

Given how something newer would replace it, the only logical choices would have been to either give Cortana a new purpose or remove it altogether. However, the program is still quite popular among Windows users, and that is probably why Microsoft didn’t choose the latter.

What’s your take on the latest changes that are to come for Cortana? Let us know what you think by leaving a message in the comments section below.

[wl_navigator]

Microsoft’s MVP Summit is the latest event to fall victim to Coronavirus caution, will be a virtual only event

Posted on by Kip Kniskern

Word is filtering out through Twitter today that the Microsoft MVP Summit, a sometimes annual event bringing some 1500 Microsoft MVP award recipients to Microsoft’s Redmond campus for a week of NDA protected sessions, has been cancelled.

Quick update, here’s the notice, as posted by an MVP

MVPs have been notified via email about the cancellation. The event was to be held March 15-20, in Bellevue and Redmond, Wa. MVPs tweeting about the cancellation are saying that it will be replaced by a virtual event.

With concern about the COVID-19 Coronavirus spreading, the MVP Summit is one among a growing number to be cancelled or postponed. So far, there’s no word about Microsoft’s Build developer conference, slated for May 19-21 in Seattle, but prospects aren’t probably looking good for any large conference. The Mobile World Conference, Facebook’s F8, and the Game Developer Conference (GDC) have already been cancelled, or in the case of GDC, postponed. So far, Google I/0, set for May 12-14, is still on, as is Build, but obviously plans could change.

 

New Xbox Wireless Phantom Magenta Controller will be available on May 17

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The Xbox team unveiled today a new Limited Edition Xbox Controller that looks even cooler than the purple Fortnite Limited Edition controller that launched last year. Indeed, the new Xbox Phantom Magenta controller will use the same translucent design seen on the well-received Phantom Black and Phantom White controllers, but this time with a dark pink design.

This new Limited Edition controller will cost $69.99 and start shipping on May 17, and you can already pre-order it from the Microsoft Store. There’s also a $49.99 officially licensed charging stand that uses the same Phantom Magenta design, and you can pre-order it today before it starts shipping on March 17.

The Phantom Magenta Controller has a matching charging stand.

Keep in mind that all existing Xbox accessories will keep working on the upcoming Xbox Series X when it’s released in holiday 2020. We’ll likely see Microsoft launch more Limited Edition controllers throughout the year, and the company really seems to be onto something with this “Phantom” series using a translucent design.

A Fatal Error Occurred While Trying to Sysprep the Machine [Fix]

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

The System Preparation tool is an essential part of the Windows OS and helps in duplicating, testing, and delivering new installations. However, while running it, you may encounter A fatal error occurred while trying to sysprep the machine.

This error occurs if the Windows Software Licensing Rearm program has run more than three-time in a single Windows image. Keep reading to find out the solutions!

How do I fix Sysprep’s fatal error?

1. Edit SkipRearm Key

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type regedit, and click OK.
  2. In the Windows Registry Editor, navigate to the following location:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform
  3. On the right pane, locate the SkipRearm key.path
  4. Double-click on the SkipRear, and in the Value data field, enter 1, then click OK.
  5. Close the Registry Editor and check if the error is resolved.

By editing the SkipRearam key, you can fix the Sysprep fatal error issue in Windows. Make sure you create a restore point before editing any registry keys.

2. Edit GeneralizationState and CleanupState keys

  1. Open the Registry Editor, and navigate to the following location:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\Status\SysprepStatus
  2. In the right pane, locate and double-click on the GeneralizationState key.GeneralizationState to fix GeneraliazationState
  3. In the Value data field, enter 7, and click OK.
  4. Next, locate and double-click the CleanupState key. If you can’t find it, save the changes and restart the PC.
  5. For those who did find the DWORD, enter 2 in the Value data field and click OK.
  6. Run System Preparation Tool and check for any improvements.

Editing GenealizationState and CleanupState DWORDs can help fix things if you see A fatal error occurred while trying to sysprep the machine when running sysprep /generalize.

3. Run the DISM commands

  1. Press the Windows key, type cmd, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator.
  2. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
  3. In the command prompt, paste the following commands and hit Enter after each:
    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthdism commands
  4. The process may take a few minutes to complete.
  5. Upon completion, it will display a success message.
  6. Close the command prompt and run the System Preparation Tool.

The DISM commands help repair the system image and can fix things when you receive errors while running the System Preparation Tool. You can also go for a specialized tool to simplify this process.

4. Uninstall MSDTC

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type cmd, and hit Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
  2. Type the following command and hit Enter to uninstall the server:msdtc -uninstall
  3. To reinstall the service, run the following command:msdtc -installreinstall msdtc
  4. Run the System Preparation Tool and check for improvements.

That’s all! With these quick solutions, you should be able to fix A fatal error occurred while trying to sysprep the machine in Windows 7 and Windows 10.

Before you leave, find out how to use Sysrep in Windows, the various commands, and actions.

Don’t forget to leave any other questions or suggestions that you may have in the comments section below.

Domain Not Working: Why Is It and How to Fix the Issue

Posted on by Mduduzi Sibisi

Domain issues can stymie the excitement of launching your first website. Nothing is as frustrating as finalizing the design of your website and launching it, only to see a DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error and the domain not working.

Fret not! Because you’re not alone. Being unable to load your website because your domain name is not working is a fairly common problem. One that is remediable with the following steps in this guide.

What can I do if my domain is not working?

Before we start making changes, here are a few quick tricks to try:

  • Double-check with your registrar to ensure your domain name is not expired.
  • In case you’ve just registered your domain, it may take a while to finalize the registration. Usually, this process will take an entire day (24 hours), though you should wait for 2-3 days.

If none work, move to the fixes listed next.

1. Clear your browser’s cache

Note icon NOTE
The steps listed here are for Google Chrome and work for Microsoft Edge and other Chromium-based browsers.
  1. Open your browser, and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete.
  2. Navigate to the Advanced tab, tick all the checkboxes here, especially Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, then click on Clear data.clear data to fix domain not working
  3. Once done, relaunch the browser.

This solution works particularly well for users who have migrated their website to a new hosting service or changed their IP address. If the website‘s IP address does not match the domain in your browser’s cache, it may cause some problems.

This is because your browser will try to consult its cache instead of the authoritative name server.

Clearing your browser’s history may take a while. You’ll need to ensure that all active tabs are closed if you want it to work effectively. If it’s taking too long, you might have to restart your browser and go through the above steps again.

2. Flush and reset the DNS cache in Windows

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, paste the following command, and hit Enter:cmd /k ipconfig /flushdnsflush dns
  2. Wait for the reset to complete.

After running this command, a console window should appear with a success message. This solution works on the same principles as clearing your browser’s DNS cache and should help fix things when the domain is not working.

Your operating system also saves DNS information, and your browser will sometimes try to use this cached data if it can’t find DNS information in its cache.

3. Make sure your domain is registered with the right name servers

If you already have an idea of what name servers are delegated to your domain, then the best way to ensure that the nameservers are correct is by using a domain name registration data lookup like ICCAN Lookup or Whois Lookup.

When using these lookups remember to insert your domain name (windowsreport) followed by the top-level domain (.com). You don’t have to worry about the subdomain (www.). Your input should look something like windowreport.com.

That’s it! One of these solutions should have helped when the domain was not working, and things should be up and running now.

Before you leave, check the best open-source network monitoring tools for detailed information on the various parameters.

Did any of these steps work for you? Do you have any qualms or questions? If you do, don’t hesitate to reach for the comments section below.

FIX: Sysprep stuck at Just a moment screen in Windows 10/11

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

The System Preparation tool allows users to test and deliver new installations for the Windows operating system based on an established installation. However, some users have reported that Sysprep is stuck at Just a moment screen while applying the image to a new machine.

This issue can occur due to several reasons, which makes it difficult to pinpoint the problem as it can vary depending on the machine.

In this article, we have listed a couple of troubleshooting tips to help you resolve the Sysprep stuck at Just a moment issue in Windows 10.

What can I do if Sysprep is stuck at Just a moment screen?

1. Change the computer name

Windows 10 Sysprep stuck at just a moment

  1. Log in to your Windows computer with administrative rights.
  2. Press Windows Key + R to open Run.
  3. Type control and click OK to open the Control Panel.
  4. Click on System and Security.
  5. Under the System section, click on see the name of this computer.
  6. In the new window, scroll down to Computer name, domain and workgroup settings section.
  7. Check if the computer has a name.
  8. If blank, click on the Change Settings button.
  9. In the Computer description field, enter a name for your computer.
  10. Click on Apply and OK to save the changes.

Several users have reported that the error to have resolved after adding a name to the computer instead of leaving it blank.

You can’t open Control Panel? Take a look at this step-by-step guide to find a solution.

Can’t change the name of your PC in Windows 10? Don’t worry, we’ve got the right solutions for you.

2. Check for scripts

Windows 10 Sysprep stuck at just a moment

  1. If you have a script that is supposed to run after the first sign in, it is possible that the script is creating issues with the Sysprep tool.
  2. Create a backup and delete the script.
  3. Reboot the computer and check for any improvements.

3. Remove pre-installed apps

Windows 10 Sysprep stuck at just a moment

  1. Right-click on the Start button.
  2. Select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the context menu.
  3. In the PowerShell window type the following command to get a list of all the installed apps.
    Get-AppxPackage | ft Name, PackageFullName -AutoSize
  4. Now find all the app that you want to uninstall using the PackageFullname.
  5. For example, if you want to uninstall the People app, the name of the app would be .People.
  6. To uninstall the app, enter the following command and hit enter:
    Get-AppxPackage *people* | Remove-AppxPackage
  7. This will uninstall the selected app.

Uninstall all the preinstalled apps simultaneously

Windows 10 Sysprep stuck at just a moment

  1. If you want to uninstall all the preinstalled apps, do the following.
  2. Run PowerShell as admin.
  3. In the PowerShell window, type the following command and hit enter:
    Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage
  4. This will uninstall the pre-installed apps for all the users. Ignore the error if any displayed.
  5. Once the apps are uninstalled, rerun the Sysprep tool and check for any improvements.

Windows PowerShell has stopped working? Check out this guide and fix the issue in no time.

The Windows 10 Sysprep stuck at Just a moment can occur due to several reasons. Follow all the steps in this article one by one to resolve the issue with your machine.

If you have any other questions or suggestions, leave them in the comments section below and we’ll be sure to check them out.

READ ALSO: