Microsoft Photos gains internet powered “Similar Search” feature thanks to Bing

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft is adding another nifty new feature to its Photos app for Windows 10 devices. The company is adding a “Search for similar images in Bing” option in the right-click context menu that can be accessed from the selected image screen.

According to MSPoweruser, the update should be live to all users of the Photos app on Windows 10. However, only some of our machines have picked up the update so far, one of which is running the Photos Preview program.

To begin a similar search and share the image with Bing, you’ll have to agree to allow the company to process the file online, as well as potentially use it to improve its search engine image processing services. The company has been big on privacy settings lately, so rest assured you won’t have to worry about prying eyes looking at your private photos without your consent.

From our brief experience, the feature seems to still be broken, as sharing an image brings a blank white browser screen with no results. If this is the case for all users, it’s doubtful that Microsoft has pushed it to anyone except potentially a small handful of people to see what they think before they release it to everyone.

In addition to the new search powered by Bing, Microsoft has also improved the video editor with new animated text styles—Simple, Quiet, Cinema, and Bold— as well as a Duplicate Project option if you’d like to keep an extra copy.

If you’re interested, you can go ahead and download the latest update of the Photos app and let us know in the comments if you’re able to see the new menu option. Please keep in mind that right-clicking an image after you selected from your gallery will bring up the context menu with Similar Search with Bing as the last selection.

In addition, Microsoft is also working to bring automatic People tags and other quick editing tools to the Microsoft photos app to help put it closer to par with Google Photos and iCloud.

Microsoft Photos
Microsoft Photos
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Microsoft Photos
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Microsoft to offer two custom Game of Thrones Xbox One consoles to lucky fans

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft’s Xbox One S All Digital edition has only been available for purchase for a couple of days now. However, that hasn’t stopped HBO from partnering with Microsoft to produce the two different special Game of Thrones edition disk-less consoles in celebration of the series’ final season. Of course, as always, these special edition consoles are not available for sale, instead they are available as a prize to those who win it in one of the contests.

As described on the Xbox Wire blog post, the House Targaryen console features the Targaryen crest, which sits on top of the casing which resemble leather dragon scales. Those who would like to take a shot at potentially winning one of these must follow the official Xbox Twitter account, and retreat the reveal post using the #GamerThrones and #Sweepstakes hashtags.

The Night King console features a “weathered tin metal” which is intended to resemble his armor as seen in the series. Similarly to the House Targaryen console, the system can be won by liking the reveal post on Facebook.

The contests will begin starting today, and the last chance to participate will land on May 22nd. Only one of each consoles are available, so if you’re a big Game of Thrones fan, you hate disks, and you love ultra-rare items, then it’s definitely something for you to check out.

Of course, even if you don’t win one of these, Microsoft still has other Game of Thrones giveaways. If you pre-order the season 8 on Xbox through the Microsoft Movies and TV app, you can receive a free exclusive Iron Throne avatar for your Xbox Live account. Additionally, you can also choose to bundle the entire eight-season collection altogether and get two additional free avatars.

Lenovo unveils three new Windows 10 Thinkpads

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

Despite there being little to no Build news on the Windows 10 operating system front, Windows OEM partners are still pumping out devices that leverage the OS in combination with ever-evolving user request features that make using Windows that much more desired.

One of Microsoft’s premier partners in Lenovo just announced the launch of upgrades to a handful of devices from its ThinkPad line of laptops.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T495, T495s, and X395 represent the company’s medium-range flagship productivity offerings for businesses.

The retooled T and X lineup will include 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen 7 Pro Mobile processors with integrated AMD Vega graphics for better battery management when flying through macro-enabled Excel workbooks and multi-media heavy PowerPoint presentations.

Lenovo has previously offered AMD SKU’s for its more entry-level ThinkPad lines in the A and E series but as of today, its more mid-range devices are getting the switch which could represent an acknowledgment in software evolution or a loosening of the stranglehold Intel has had on its hardware.

Now, these are different SKU’s with different processors which mean different hardware support for the motherboards are in order and owners of the AMD versions of the T495, T495s and X395 will have to forego Thunderbolt 3 support, QHD panel options, and slightly less battery output. In exchange of missing Thunderbolt support, the new laptops will come with support for the newer HDMI v2.0 port protocol and users will be able to use existing T490 and X390 docking stations with the new laptops.

Lenovo expects to ship the ThinkPad T495 for $939.00 in late May, the T495s for $1089 in May as well and the X395 for $1089.00 sometime in June.

Tacoma, Surviving Mars, and Black Desert join the Xbox Game Pass video game library today

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Tacoma, Black Desert, and Surviving Mars are the latest Xbox One video games to come to the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. As of today, all three titles are available to play in full for subscribers.

Tacoma launched on the Xbox One in 2017 and is a futuristic story-based video game with a variety of puzzles to solve and plotlines to uncover. Here’s its official description and trailer:

The Venturis Corporation wants their AI back. That’s where you come in. Tacoma is a narrative adventure set aboard a high-tech space station in the year 2088. As you go about your mission, you’ll explore every detail of how the station’s crew lived and worked, finding the clues that add up to a gripping story of trust, fear, and resolve in the face of disaster.

At the heart of Tacoma is the facility’s digital surveillance system, which has captured 3D recordings of pivotal moments in the crew’s life on the station. As you explore, echoes of these captured moments surround you. You’ll use your ability to rewind, fast-forward, and move through the physical space of these complex, interwoven scenes to examine events from every angle, reconstructing the multi-layered narrative as you explore. Tacoma is the next game from the creators of Gone Home, and carries on that tradition of detailed, immersive, and powerful storytelling, while pulling players deeper into the narrative than ever before.

Black Desert is an online roleplaying game that supports worlds with up to 100,000 players. It launched on Xbox One back in March of this year and supports 4K Ultra HD when played on an Xbox One X console.

Black Desert is a living-world MMORPG. Experience fast-paced, action-packed combat, hunt monsters and huge bosses, fight with friends in a guild to siege nodes and region castles, train your life skills such as fishing, trading, crafting, cooking, and much more!
Players will enjoy jaw-dropping graphics, intuitive skill-based combat, and an immersive story encased in our expansive world that’s just waiting to be explored.

Accompanied by a Black Spirit, a companion whose destiny is intertwined with their own, players will discover the secret of the Black Stones and the history of their corrupting effects. In a medieval fantasy setting, the game chronicles a conflict between two rival nations, the Republic of Calpheon and the Kingdom of Valencia. With a battle based on achievements and personal qualifications, Black Desert gives full control to players that can directly aim, escape and make numerous different skill combinations.

Surviving Mars debuted on the Xbox One in 2018 and is a Sci-Fi city building game set on, as its title suggests, the planet Mars. It also features 4K Ultra HD when played on an Xbox One X. Here’s its official game description:

Colonize Mars and discover her secrets, with minimal casualties. Welcome Home! The time has come to stake your claim on the Red Planet and build the first functioning human colonies on Mars! All you need are supplies, oxygen, decades of training, experience with sandstorms, and a can-do attitude to discover the purpose of those weird black cubes that appeared out of nowhere. With a bit of sprucing up, this place is going to be awesome!

Surviving Mars is a sci-fi city builder all about colonizing Mars and surviving the process. Choose a space agency for resources and financial support before determining a location for your colony. Build domes and infrastructure, research new possibilities and utilize drones to unlock more elaborate ways to shape and expand your settlement. Cultivate your own food, mine minerals or just relax by the bar after a hard day’s work. Most important of all, though, is keeping your colonists alive. Not an easy task on a strange new planet. There will be challenges to overcome. Execute your strategy and improve your colony’s chances of survival while unlocking the mysteries of this alien world. Are you ready? Mars is waiting for you.

May has been a pretty good month for new Xbox Game Pass titles. Other titles added to the library this month include Descenders, Wolfenstein II, and Wargroove.

Do you use Xbox Game Pass? Let us know which titles you’ll be playing this month in the comments below and then follow us on Twitter for more Xbox gaming news.

Tacoma
Tacoma
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Tacoma
Developer:
Fullbright
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$19.99


Black Desert
Black Desert
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Black Desert
Developer:
Pearl Abyss
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Surviving Mars
Surviving Mars
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Surviving Mars
Developer:
Paradox Interactive
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Insiders can now test dark mode on OneNote app

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Dark theme is trending right now as many Windows 10 design elements got it.

Microsoft’s Mike Tholfsen announced on Twitter that Windows 10 user would soon see a dialogue box when they create a new notebook. Based on their specific conditions, this dialogue box will help them to easily set up default sections. Additionally, the OneNote application also got Fluent design features.

Windows Insiders are currently testing OneNote in dark mode. Redditor Grindiot shared a glimpse of the test feature. Microsoft kept the same color scheme as it used for File Explorer and the Microsoft Office Suite.

OneNote users can easily switch between dark and light modes using a built-in toggle button. Moreover, the same feature is also available in the settings app. Many Reddit users also noticed that the color of their pens turned darker.

The feature is not yet available to all users

As mentioned above, Microsoft rolled out the update to a small group of Windows Insiders. You can check for updates through Microsoft Store.

Unfortunately, the update may fail to install for some users.

Opted into Insider last night. Woke up, still nothing. Checked for windows update. Just a windows defender update, nothing more. Restarted my computer. Still nothing. Toggling “dark theme” and “high contrast mode” does nothing. Checked version number: “Version 16001.11601.20066.0”. Uninstalled and reinstalled OneNote. Version now says “Version 16001.11629.20028.0”, but the the “insider” checkbox is now unchecked. I hope that doesn’t put me in the bottom of the queue. Checked the box and will continue to restart, check for updates.

The criteria by which Microsoft decides to distribute Insider updates to selective people remain unknown. If you’re not an Insider, all you can do is wait until Microsoft releases the update to all users in the coming weeks.

 

An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache [FIX]

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

Microsoft Office uses the Office Document cache to make sure the changes made to the Office files are saved in the cloud. Sometime, the files may get corrupted or damaged due to abrupt closing of the application and show office document cache error.

The full error reads An error occurred while accessing the Office Document Cache. Close and reopen the Upload Center to try again. If the problem persists, move or delete the cache in the Upload Center settings dialog box. If you are facing this error, here is how to troubleshoot this problem on your Windows system.

Can’t access the Office Document Cache? Here’s what you need to do

  1. Delete Microsoft Office Document Cache
  2. Kill Microsoft Upload Center Task / Delete Registry Keys
  3. Uninstall Skydrive
  4. Use third-party software for Office errors

1. Delete Microsoft Office Document Cache

The first method to fix this error is to delete your Microsoft Office Document Cache manually. Deleting the cache does not affect your saved documents but helps you to fix the syncing issue.  Here is a two-step guide to doing the same.

Perform a Clean Boot

Performing a Clean Boot is not necessary but recommended. This is to ensure that cache files don’t get loaded during startup and stop the user from deleting them. Here is how to do it.

  1. Press Windows Key + R, to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type msconfig and hit enter to open System Configuration.
  3. In the System Configuration window, click on Services tab.System Configuration - Services - Hide microsoft services
  4. Now, click on “Hide all the Microsoft Services” option. This will hide all the essential Microsoft Services.
  5. Now you need to disable all the remaining services. Click on the “Disable All” button.
  6. Go to the Startup tab and click on the Open Task Manager.
    startup tab An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  7. In the Task Manager window, under the Startup tab, select all the startup apps and click on Disable. Disable all the apps one by one.
    Disable All Startup apps An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  8. Close the Task manager and go back to the System Configuration window.
  9. Click Apply and then click OK to save the changes.
  10. Close the System Configuration window and restart your system.

Delete Microsoft Office Document Cache

After the system restarts in Clean Boot state, do the following.

  1.  Type Microsoft Upload Center in the Cortana/Search bar.
  2. Click on Microsoft Upload Center to open it.
    Microsoft Upload Center - Settings An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  3. Now, click on Settings.
    Microsoft Upload Center - Delete Cache An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  4. Click on the Delete cached files button to delete the cache. Click OK.
  5. Close Microsoft Upload Center.

Open System Configuration and enable all the services that you disabled. After the restart, you should have resolved the Microsoft Office Document cache error.

2. Kill Microsoft Upload Center Task / Delete Registry Keys

If the issue persists, you can try to kill the Upload Center services and then delete the Cache files manually. We will also delete a few keys from the Registry editor. Here is a three-step guide to doing the same.

Kill the Upload Center Task

  1. Right-click on the Taskbar and select “Task Manager”.
  2. In the Process tab, click on the Name tab to sort using the name.
  3. Look for a process named “Microsoft Office Upload Center”.Microsoft Upload Center - Process - Task Manager An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  4. Right-click on Microsoft Office Upload Center and click on “Go to details”.
  5. Here you can see all the service that “Microsoft Upload Center” is using.
    Microsoft Upload - Taks Manager - MSOUC-EXE - End task An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  6. Right-click on “NSOUC.EXE” and select End Task.
  7. See if any other Microsoft Upload Center related services are running. Select all the related services and click on End Task. If no more services found, close the Task Manager.

Delete FileIO Registry Keys

  1. Press Windows Key + R.
  2. Type regedit and hit Enter.
    Upload Center - delete Registry Keys FileIO An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following location:
    • ComputerHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0CommonFileIO
  4. Delete all the keys inside the FileIO folder.
  5. Close the Registry Editor.

Want to block access to registry editing tools? Here’s how to do that properly!

Rename and Delete OfficeFileCache Folder

Note: First make sure to enable Hidden Items in the File Explorer to unhide any hidden items in the Office folder.

  1. Open “File Explorer”.
  2. Click on the View tab.
  3. Under the Show/Hide section “Hidden items” box is checked.
    show hidden items file explorer An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  4. In the File Explorer navigate to the following location.
  5. %userprofile%AppDataLocalMicrosoftOffice
  6. Open your Office version folder. In this case, it is office 2016/2019 so click on 16.0. If you are running Office 2013, click on 15.0 folder.
    Upload Center - FileCache folder An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  7. Here you should see a folder named OfficeFileCache.
    Office Upload Center - OLDfileCache An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  8. Select the OfficeFileCahche folder and rename it as Old_OfficeFileCache.
  9. After the file is renamed, reboot/restart the system.
    Upload Center - OldFileCache Delete An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache
  10. After the Restart check if the Microsoft Upload Center is recreating the folder named OfficeFileCache inside %userprofile%AppDataLocalMicrosoftOffice16.0
  11. If the new OfficeFileCache Folder is created, delete the Old_OfficeFileCache folder.

3. Uninstall Skydrive

skydrive An error occurred when accessing the Office Document Cache

If you have SkyDrive installed, you can fix the issue by uninstalling Skydrive and then reinstalling it. Here is how to do it.

  1. Launch Skydrive and remove your computer from the drive.
  2. Go to Control > Program > Programs and Features. Select Skydrive and click on Uninstall.
  3. Download and Install Skydrive.
  4. Reboot your system and check for any improvements

4. Use third-party software for Office errors

Another solution is to use a reliable third-party tool that is compatible with every version of Microsoft Office and aims to repair, as well as recover damaged or corrupted files.

This is an easy and safe way to retrieve important data you lost in its original form and fix .doc, .docx, XLS/.XLSX, and .ppt/.pptx/.pptm files.

⇒ Get Stellar Repair for Office

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Can’t Extend the Drive in Windows 10/11? Here’s What to Do

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

Most users install their programs (games and applications) on the system (C:) drive by default. If you use too many applications, the drive will run out of free space. You can use the Disk Management tool to extend the volume to increase the C: drive size.

However, when users sometimes try to extend the volume using the Disk Management tool, some notice that the Extend Volume option is greyed out, and they cannot extend the drive. Here is how to fix the greyed-out Extend Volume option in Windows 10.

What to do if you’re unable to extend a drive in Windows 10?

1. Use AOMEI Partition Assistant to Merge Partition

AOMEI is a free partition assistant tool that allows you to extend and shrink the disk partition without deleting any other partition. This option is better than the second method, where you would have to delete the D: drive to extend the C: drive volume. Here is how to do it.

  1. Download and install the AOMEI Partition Assistant.
  2. After the installation is overrun AOMEI Partition Assistant
    AOMEI Partition - Merge Partition
  3. Right-click on the C: Drive and select Merge Partitions.
  4. In the Merger Partitions window, select the Unallocated space.
    add-unallocated-space-to-c-drive
  5. Click OK to proceed.
  6. Next, preview the action. Click Apply and Proceed to save the changes.

What to do if you don’t have unallocated space to extend the volume?

AOMEI Partition Assistant allows you to allocate free space from the D: drive to C: drive without deleting the partition. Here is how to do it.

  1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant.
  2. Right-click on the D: > drive and select the “Allocate Free Space” option.
    AOMEI Partition - Allocate Free Space
  3. In the Allocate Free Space interface, select amount of space you want to allocate to the C: drive.
    AOMEI Partition - Allocate Free Space- D to C
  4. Make sure you select the C: drive as the target drive for allocating the space.
  5. Click OK to proceed.
  6. Preview the space allocation and click on Apply and Proceed to save the changes.

AOMEI Partition Assistant

Manage your partitions and make sure your system is in top shape with this professional software.
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2. Create Qualified Unallocated Space

The reason why the Extend Volume option is greyed out in the disk management tool is because of the unallocated space is not right contiguous to the C drive. To make it work, you need to put the unallocated space right next to the C drive and then extend the volume. Here is how to do it.

To do this, you need to delete the partition next to the C: drive that is D: drive in most of the cases. So, begin with taking the backup of your data in the D: > drive. Once the backup is ready, proceed with the following steps.

  1. In the Cortana/search bar, type Create and format and open Create and Format hard disk partitions.
    Disk Management tool - Delete E Drive
  2. Right-click on the D:> drive (E: in this case) and select Delete volume.  (The D drive here is representational. If you have any other letter drive between the C drive and unallocated space, you need to delete that volume).
  3. A pop-up window will appear, asking you to confirm the Delete Volume action. Click on Yes.

Now, you will see the partition next to the C: drive is unallocated. You can easily extend the C: volume without any problem.

  1. Right-click on the C: > drive and select Extend Volume.
  2. Proceed with the on-screen instruction to increase the C: drive size.

You see how simple it is to merge unallocated space in Windows.

These are the two ways to extend the volume for C: drive and fix the Extend Volume greyed out in the disk management tool.

I prefer the first method as it is easier, offers more options, and it does not require deleting any partitions to extend the C: drive. However, if you don’t want to install third-party software to extend the drive, you can go with the second method to the same effect.

Windows 10 20H1 build 18894 is out with File Explorer and Accessibility improvements

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has just announced the release of Windows 10 20H1 build 18894 for Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring. After lots of 20H1 builds with no significant new features, the new bits finally bring something new to test with a new File Explorer search experience.

Select Insiders will see after installing this new build that the File explorer search box can now show content from OneDrive, and the search results will also be actionable. This new search experience is powered by Windows Search, and Microsoft says that only a small percentage of Insiders will see it at first.

If the File Explorer improvements are the main highlight in this build, Microsoft is also bringing some Narrator and Windows Mangnifier improvements. You can learn more details in the full release notes below:

File Explorer improvements

We’ve heard your feedback asking for increased consistency, and to make it easier to find your files. Over the next few days we’ll be starting to roll out a new File Explorer search experience – now powered by Windows Search. This change will help integrate your OneDrive content online with the traditional indexed results. This rollout will start with a small percent, and then we’ll increase the rollout to more Insiders as we validate the quality of the experience.

What does that mean for you? Once you have the new experience, as you type in File Explorer’s search box, you’ll now see a dropdown populated with suggested files at your fingertips that you can pick from.

These improved results can be launched directly by clicking the entry in the new suggestions box, or if you want to open the file location, just right-click the entry and there’ll be an option to do so. If you need to use commands or dig deeper into non-indexed locations, you can still press enter and populate the view with the traditional search results.

Showing the new dropdown that appears when you type in File Explorer’s search box.

We’ve also updated the design, so now as soon as you click the search box in File Explorer (or press CTRL+E to set focus to it), you’ll see the dropdown list with your search history.

If you encounter any issues, or have any feedback, file them under “Files, Folders, and Online Storage” > “File Explorer” in the Feedback Hub.

NOTES: You may notice in the screenshot, we’ve made the File Explorer search box wider so the suggestions dropdown has a bit more room to show results – that’s not a new option, but we figured you might want to know how to do it: just move your mouse to the starting border of the search box, and your mouse should turn into a resizing double arrow cursor. Just click down and drag the search box to be a bit wider.

Accessibility improvements

  • Narrator table reading improvements: Narrator is now more efficient when reading tables. Only the deltas are read when navigating. Entering and exiting tables is also less verbose.
  • Narrator web page summary: There’s a new command in Narrator to give a webpage summary! (Narrator + S). Currently this command will give information about hyperlinks, landmarks and headings.
  • Magnifier text cursor setting: Windows Magnifier has a new ability to keep the text cursor in the center of the screen making it easier and smoother to type. Centered on the screen is on by default and can be changed in the Magnifier settings.

As usual, this new 20H1 build also brings several bug fixes and general improvements, and you can learn more in our separate post. Don’t forget to tune it to the Windows Insider webcast at 11:30AM PST as the Windows Insider team may well have more interesting news for us today.

Tune in to the Windows Insider webcast live from Build 2019 at 11:30AM PDT

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft’s Build 2019 developer conference is still ongoing in Seattle and there will be a new Windows Insider webcast will be recorded live from the event. As usual, the show will be streamed live on Mixer and it will kick off at 11:30AM PDT this morning.

Hopefully, we got some new information about Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge browser this week, the event has been pretty light on Windows 10 news so far. We didn’t hear any details about the upcoming 19H2 update for Windows 10, and Microsoft has also yet to announce when the May 2019 update will start rolling out to Windows 10 users.

We’re not sure what to expect from today’s webcast, but the Windows Insider team did mention a new PWA version of the Windows Insider website (not to be confused with the Feedback Hub).

There could be more surprises for Insiders during the webcast, including a new 20H1 build, so make sure to tune in this morning at 11:30AM PDT.

Enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed [BEST FIXES]

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Today, we bring you a comprehensive guide on how to fix the Enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed error in Windows 10.

When this error occurs, it often results in various forms of system malfunctions, ranging from abrupt reboot to search service malfunction. Basically, this is caused by irregularities in the DCOM security setup, issues with Windows search registry entry and/or incomplete/inappropriate initialization of the search service.

In any case, we have come up with certain Windows 10-applicable solutions, so be sure to try them all.

What can I do if enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed? This error usually occurs if Windows Search service isn’t properly configured. To fix it, set the Startup Type of Windows Search service to Automatic. If that doesn’t work, change the value of SetupCompletedSuccessfully DWORD in your registry.

Steps to fix user sessions enumeration issues

  1. Reset Windows Search startup
  2. Reconfigure Windows Search service in Registry Editor
  3. Add SYSTEM in the DCOM setup

1. Reset Windows Search startup

If Windows Search service isn’t properly configured, you might get Enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed error. To resolve this issue, all you have to do is to change the startup type of your PC’s Windows search service, by following these steps:

  1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows Key + R.
  2. In the pop up dialog box, type services.msc and press OK or the Enter button.servcies Enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed
  3. In the Services window, locate the Windows Search option and then right-click on it.
  4. Select Properties from the list of options.windows search properties Enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed
  5. In the Properties window, navigate to the Startup type drop-down and select Automatic in the drop-down menu.startup type automatic enumerating user sessions failed
  6. Press Apply > OK to finish the process.
  7. Close the window and reboot the computer.

Once this is done, check if the error is fixed. If the error remains unfixed, you can try the next solution.

Windows Search Indexer causing high CPU usage on your PC? Fix it now with this simple fix!

2. Reconfigure Windows Search service in Registry Editor

The Registry Editor allows you to change various settings on your computer. Hence, if you encounter the Enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed error, you can reconfigure the Windows Search service in Registry Editor to resolve the issue. To do this, follow the step-by-step guidelines below:

  1. Open the Run box and enter regedit and click on OK.regedit enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed windows 10
  2. In the next window, navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search path.windows search registry editor enumerating user sessions
  3. Go to the right-hand pane right-click on SetupCompletedSuccessfully.
  4. Select Modify from the context menu.modify registry enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed
  5. Set the Value data to ‘0‘ (from ‘1‘).
  6. Click OK to apply changes.
  7. Restart the computer to finish up the process.

Once your PC’s restarted, check to see if the error persists.

Can’t access Registry Editor? Here’s how to fix that once and for all!

3. Add SYSTEM in the DCOM setup

If SYSTEM is not included in the DCOM security setup, you are bound to encounter Enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed error at one point or another.

To fix this issue, do the following:

  1. Open Run dialog box and enter dcomcnfg and press the Enter.dcomcnfg enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed
  2. On the list of results, select Component Services.component services Enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed
  3. In the next window, locate and double-click on Computers.computers enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed
  4. Right-click on My Computer and select Properties.component services properties enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed windows 10
  5. Under the My Computer Properties window, navigate to the COM Security tab.
  6. Select Edit limits under the Access Permission section.COM security enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed windows 10
  7. In the Access Permission window, click on Add > Advanced.advanced button enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed windows 10
  8. Click on the Find Now option to display search results.find now enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed windows 10
  9. On the displayed results, select SYSTEM.
  10. Check Allow the Local Access and Remote Access permissionsaccess permission enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed windows 10
  11. Click OK to apply changes.
  12. Exit program and restart the computer.

Check if this solution has fixed the error.

Note: Before running any of the solutions outlined in this tutorial, ensure you are logged into your PC as an administrator. This is to provide you unrestrained access to relevant programs like Registry Editor and Component Services among others.

There you go, these are a couple of solutions that might help you fix Enumerating user sessions to generate filter pools failed error. Be sure to try them all and let us know in the comments section if you found our solutions helpful.

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Windows Hello will soon be a FIDO2 Certified authenticator

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft’s Windows Hello will officially become a FIDO2-certified authenticator service in the next release of Windows 10. This means that going forward, all Windows 10 devices with Windows Hello biometics will be FIDO2-certified out of the box as long as long as they are running the Windows 10 May 2019 update or later.

For those unfamiliar, FIDO2 project is an effort between the FIDO Alliance and the World Wide Web Consortium with the purpose of creating a simpler yet strong authentication service for web applications. FIDO2-compliant services use cryptographic security that is “far superior to passwords” according to the organization, which it promises will further protect users from phishing and password theft.

Microsoft has been pushing Windows Hello and passwordless login of MSA accounts to greatly boost security and convenience for its consumers. Back in November, the company added support for FIDO2 security keys as a way to authenticate one’s Microsoft account. With Windows Hello now following the same standards, customers should be able to feel more at rest about the security of their private data.

Microsoft is also bringing passwordless login via Windows Hello to the Mozilla Firefox web browser starting in the Windows 10 May 2019 update. The company expects the same functionality to eventually make its way to Chromium-based web browsers, including the new Microsoft Edge that is still under development.

The tech giant also recommends those to use the Microsoft Authenticator app, which it says is “built on secure technology similar to Windows Hello.” While it’s expected to take time for Windows Hello and Microsoft Authenticator to totally replace passwords altogether, the company recommends developers to look into supporting FIDO2 authentication in their web applications as soon as today.

Microsoft Edge Insider Beta channel for Windows 10 leaks online

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Now that download links for the macOS version of Microsoft Edge have been shared by Microsoft watcher WalkingCat yesterday, it turns out that the Microsoft Edge Beta channel for Windows 10 is now available to download thanks to another leak. Twitter user ADeltaX shared the download links earlier today ahead of an official announcement for Microsoft, and we’ve been able to try it on one of our PCs.

Compared to the Dev and Canary channels, the Beta channel will be updated much less frequently, with new builds coming every six weeks. Microsoft says on the Microsoft Edge Insider website that it should be “the most stable Microsoft Edge preview experience,” though we did experience one crash after installing the beta version on a Surface Pro 4 today.

Microsoft had several sessions dedicated to its new Chromium-based Edge this week, and the web browser will soon get a new Collections feature, a Privacy dashboard, an Internet Explorer mode, as well as a Fluent Design update. It remains to be seen if the new Beta channel will officially launch before the end of Build 2019, but a public announcement is likely imminent.

6 best cloud encryption software for Windows PC users

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Are you looking for the best cloud encryption tool for your cloud storage? Look no further. Read this guide to learn what are the best cloud encryption solutions to use in 2019.

Cloud storage service is another form of cloud computing that has made it easier to keep files safe in the cloud accessible via the web.

Unlike redundant file storage techniques, files stored in the cloud can be accessed anywhere and at any time.

However, as the internet has evolved, cloud storage services have experienced security breaches over the years.

There are several news of individual or business cloud storage accounts hijacked or accessed by third-party such as hackers, government, media, etc.

Therefore, there is a need to encrypt your files and prevent unauthorized access to your files on the cloud.

This keeps your personal information and identity safe and secure.

The Windows Report team has compiled this list of the best cloud encryption for Windows PC users. This will help you choose the best solution for your needs.

Best cloud encryption tools

Boxcryptor

cloud encryption toolsBoxcryptor is a German-based cloud encryption software known for its freemium model and user-friendly interface. This cloud encryption tool takes control of your cloud storage account thereby reducing security breaches.

With Boxcryptor cloud encryption tool, users can make use of its end-to-end encryption protocol which encrypts their online activity from desktop to the cloud and vice versa.

Boxcryptor uses a combined encryption algorithm involving asymmetric RSA and symmetric AES encryption; this ensures that every file retains its unique random encrypting key which is generated during the formation process of the file.

The file key is then used to encrypt and decrypt the file contents leading to secured storage.

You can choose to test the free plan which allows access to a single cloud storage provider and gives encryption options. The major advantage of upgrading to paid options is simply more control over a larger number of accounts.

Also, the premium plans enables you to configure your cloud security and provides protection to sensitive personal and company data.

Meanwhile, Boxcryptor is compatible with over 30 different cloud storage services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, ownCloud, GMX, Egynyte, Cubby, Amazon S3, CloudMe, Nextcloud, and many more.

Download Boxcryptor

Cryptomator

cloud encryption toolsIf you want a free cloud encryption tool with advanced features that gives you without subscription or registration, Cryptomator is the best cloud encryption tool for you.

This cloud encryption tool is an open source technology which can be configured to your personal desire.

One of the major advantages of Cryptomator is its use of transparent encryption which means that users won’t notice any difference when working with files.

In addition, Cryptomator uses military-grade encryption protocol i.e. AES encryption to encrypt your cloud information.

Your cloud account is protected from brute force and other hacking attempts with its advanced security and regular security updates by Cryptomator.

You also get a virtual hard drive to access your files on your cloud storage as well as a vault where your encrypted files are kept.

In addition, this cloud encryption tool is lightweight and comes with responsive user interface unlike other cloud encryption tools.

The setup is easy as you only need to put username and password removing the need to create accounts, key management, or cypher configuration.

On the other hand, files are encrypted individually even when placed in groups or batches.

This is particularly useful due to the fact that when changes are made to a specific file, only the specific file is modified while still retaining its encryption state.

Download Cryptomator

Tresorit

cloud encryption toolsTresorit helps protect your files with end-end cloud encryption thereby preventing hackers, government and snoops from accessing your cloud storage.

With this cloud encryption tool, you can easily secure your files using the AES 256 end to end encryption protocol which uses randomly generated encryption keys to ensure file safety.

The keys generated by the software are available only to individual users as no copy is sent to Tresorit servers.

Therefore, your files stored on the cloud can only be accessed by you with your unique private decryption key.

In addition, this cloud encryption tool also comes with a password protected link feature whereby you can send files through an encrypted link which cannot be traced or decrypted by unauthorized users.

Passwords can also be placed on the encrypted file link to add an extra layer of security.

Moreover, Tresorit also offers cloud storage facilities giving users access for up to 1000GB free encrypted storage to keep files on their secure servers.

Tresorit is also cross-compatible among several platforms such as Windows, Android, iOS, Mac, and Linux; therefore, you can encrypt and decrypt your files across other Operating Systems as well.

Download Tresorit

pCloud Crypto

cloud encryption toolpCloud Crypto uses state-of-the-art TLS/SSL encryption to keep your information safe on your cloud storage.

This cloud encryption tool utilizes three different server locations to ensure that your information is kept secure at all time.

With pCloud Crypto, users get access to the secure 256-bit AES encryption for files alongside with the 4096-bit RSA encryption for private keys.

The cloud encryption tool also offers cloud storage services which let you store your files on its cloud platform.

Since the software uses highly encrypted protocols, your files on their cloud servers are encrypted using its end-to-end encryption and password protection.

pCloud Crypto may seem like a laid-back option unlike Tresorit or Boxcryptor.

It delivers where desired due to its dual cloud computing services i.e. cloud storage and cloud encryption.

pCloud offers a multi-layer protection, meaning that the encryption algorithms have more protection layers and keys.

Moreover, the user has the option to lock the personal data with a password, making it inaccessible to other users.

Download pCloud Crypto

SpiderOak

cloud encryption toolSpiderOak is a popular cloud encryption tool which offers consolidated secure cloud storage and cloud encryption services.

This cloud encryption tool encrypts files using its centralized account system in enabling Windows users to easily synchronize their cloud storage account across different platforms.

Also, the strict adoption of zero-logs policy prevents your personal information from being leaked as well as your files which are well-encrypted on the SpiderOak’s servers.

Still, in spite of restrictive compliance regulations, SpiderOak software allows the user to efficiently communicate and organize data.

This cloud encryption tool also provides additional protection against ransomware and data loss which is quite effective.

Users can access the cloud based storage without the need for VPN when accessing their cloud storage account.

Moreover, SpiderOak comes with data recovery toolset which help users recover deleted or lost data on the cloud storage.

Download SpiderOak

IDrive

idrive cloud encryption tools

If you’re looking for cloud storage that will keep your files encrypted and protected at all times, perhaps you might want to consider IDrive.

This service can work with almost any platform and you can sync your data using Windows, iOS, Mac or Android.

The service supports real-time synchronization, so you can rest assured that all your files will be regularly updated on the cloud.

This service also supports snapshots and versioning, so you can easily view and restore up to 30 previous versions of all your files.

IDrive also has a web-based console available, and you can use it to manage your backups and restores remotely with ease.

The service also has continuous data protection, so it can recognize modified segments of your files and back them up.

What separates this cloud storage service from the rest is its 256-bit AES encryption.

The encryption uses a user-defined key, and this key isn’t stored on the server, so only you will be able to decrypt your files.

Overall, IDrive offers solid features in terms of cloud storage, it’s fast and it works perfectly with almost any platform, and thanks to the 256-bit encryption, you can rest assured that only you can access your files.

The most basic plan is available for free and it offers 5GB of storage, but if you want more storage space and certain advanced features, you might want to consider getting a yearly plan.

Overview:

  • Free (with up to 5GB of storage)
  • Available on all major platforms
  • File backup and versioning up to 30 versions
  • 256-bit AES encryption

Have you used any of the cloud encryption tools we mentioned above? Feel free to share your experience with us.

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Mojang releases Minecraft Classic on the web to celebrate the game’s 10th anniversary

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Minecraft Classic is now available to play for free on the web browser. The release comes just ten days before the iconic game’s tenth anniversary, so anyone wanting to get their hands on the very first version of the game can now do so, no purchased copy necessary.

The Classic game comes with the same set of just 32 blocks that were first introduced, and “all the original bugs” that came with one of the very the first releases. Of course, if you own the full Java version of the game, you can always still play it straight from the Minecraft Launcher.

The classic version of Minecraft was first made available for free on PC, Mac, and Linux platforms with Java installed. Since its release, the game has received hundreds of new blocks, items, and other features. The game also saw its way to smartphones and tablets in the form of Pocket Edition, and eventually consoles as well.

Microsoft later purchased the game’s development company, Mojang, for $2.5 billion, making it the first multi-billion dollar acquisition under Microsoft’s current CEO Satya Nadella’s lead. Since then, we’ve seen Minecraft released on the Windows 10 Microsoft Store, and cross-compatibility added to the Pocket, Console, and Windows 10 editions of the game, all of which have become what is now known as Bedrock Edition.

The Minecraft team also has more surprises for the game’s tenth anniversary, which officially lands on May 17th. In addition, we’re also expecting an AR release of the game, which was teased in a video towards the end of yesterday’s Build 2019 event.

Xbox 360’s From Dust and Costume Quest video games are now playable on Xbox One

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The Xbox 360 video games, From Dust and Costume Quest, are now playable on Xbox One consoles after gaining backwards compatibility functionality.

From Dust is classified as a god video game, a type of game that places the player in a god-type role and tasks them with manipulating the in-game environment and elements to achieve tasks such as helping a primitive tribe survive.

The game originally launched on the Xbox 360 in 2011 and received a fair bit of praise for its art direction and graphics.

Here’s the official game description for From Dust:

Discover a unique Modern God game where nature is the star: From Dust, the latest original concept by Eric Chahi, visionary creator of Another World.Behold the beauty of a primitive world pulsing with life and face the might of nature. Beware the danger of a world that is constantly changing under your command. Control the destiny of a tribe struggling to survive and help it recover its ancestors’ lost powers.Immerse yourself in a world as exotically beautiful as it is dangerous. A universe where Nature reclaims what is Hers; and you are your people’s only chance of survival.

Costume Quest launched on the Xbox 360 in 2010 is a family-friendly roleplaying game set around Halloween. Players are tasked with collecting items for their costume as they explore their neighbourhood and battle monsters.

Here’s the official game description for Costume Quest:

Rediscover Halloween in this imaginative RPG from Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions. Explore the monster-filled neighborhood of Auburn Pines, Autumn Haven Mall and Fall Valley Carnival. Collect magical costumes with super powers, unique weapons and special items as you hunt down quests. Level-up your heroic warrior and battle the evil overlords in this epic adventure to save Halloween!

Have you been waiting for From Dust or Costume Quest to come to the Xbox One? Let us know which one you’ll play first in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

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Here’s how to boot Windows XP on your Nintendo Switch

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

A lot of people tried running Linux and Android on their Nintendo Switch in the past few years. It has been a year now that a YouTube user demonstrated Windows XP booting on Nintendo Switch. As a result, Windows XP fans tried to run the OS on their devices as well.

Redditor Alfonso Dingo Torres Jauregui, made a recent attempt that came under the highlights. He explained how his attempt turned out to be a successful one.

He basically installed L4T Linux and used QEMU to run Windows XP on Nintendo Switch. The user also says that the total installation and setup process took around 6 hours.Handheld Mode

Enjoy Pinball 3D at a full speed

Jauregui used QEMU to run Windows XP on a virtual machine. Virtualization is a process where an OS runs on top of another one.

You may be thinking about the performance of the system. The user claims that anyone can enjoy Pinball 3D “at a full speed”.

Play Pinball 3D

When talking about the specifications he says,

I have the Cinnamon DE running and have a 2GB Swap dime in order to keep things nice and smooth.

He clearly said that if you want to replicate the procedure on your Nintendo Switch you should first install QEMU and allocate a 10 GB hard disk space.

This recent experiment proves that Nintendo Switch is a lot more than a simple gaming console. Jauregui says that his modified version of the Switch is working perfectly well until now.

Some Reddit users are excited to play Pinball 3D on their console devices. Furthermore, they also demanded Jauregui to try some more games. 

It looks like users are interested in running more such experiments. They wonder if joycons works as inputs within Windows XP. 

Yeah but can the XP system run Android in a VM with another nested VM inside it running Ubuntu that run Yuzu emulator on top of it?

Comment down below if you are one of those who tried out Windows XP on their Nintendo Switch.

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Unable to automatically step into the server: Get the best fixes here

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

When trying to debug WCF (Windows Communication Foundation) service, you may encounter different types of error. One such error is Unable to automatically step into the server.

The full error reads Unable to automatically step into the server.  The remote procedure could not be debugged. This usually indicates that debugging has not been enabled on the server.

If you are trying to troubleshoot this error on your server, here are some valuable suggestions.

How do I fix ‘Unable to automatically step into the server’ errors?

  1. Add a Web.Config file to the Web Service
  2. Check for .NET Framework Compatibility
  3. Repair Visual Studio Installation
  4. Run Visual Studio with Administrative Privilege
  5. Troubleshoot Compatibility for Devenv.exe

1. Add a Web.Config file to the Web Service

While using Microsoft Visual Studio, this issue may occur due to a missing Web.Config file. Visual Studio does not create a Web.Config file automatically while creating a Web Application or Web Service. And when you try to debug the Web service, you may end up with this error.

Web-config file add visual studio

To fix the issue, you need to add a Web.Config file to the Web service. Here is how to do it.

You need to create a Web.Config file and add <compilation debug=”true”> line between the <system.web> section.

If you already have a Web.Config file, you need to add the <compilation debug=”true”> line and save the file.

2. Check for .NET Framework Compatibility

microsoft dotnet framework

If you have built the service project using a different version of .NET Framework than your client, it causes compatibility issues resulting in a server error.

To fix this make sure that you and your client projects are on the same .NET Framework. That is if you have built your project using Framework 4.5 and your client’s project was on .NET Framework 4.0 then you may need to change the project properties of service project to have .NET Framework 4.0.

3. Repair Visual Studio Installation

To enable debugging it is important that you install a version of ASP.NET framework before installing Visual Studio on your system. If you have installed Visual Studio first and then decided to install ASP.NET, you may see the “Unable to automatically step into the server” error.

You can fix this issue by repairing the Visual Studio installation from the Control Panel. Here is how to do it.

Steps for Visual Studio 2010 and Earlier

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type “control” and hit enter.
  3. In the Control Panel, click on Programs > Programs and Features.
  4. Located and select the Visual Studio program.
  5. On the top, click on the Repair/Change option and follow the on-screen instructions.
  6. After the repair is complete, reboot the system and check for any improvements.

Visual Studio 2019

If you have the latest version of Visual Studio installed, follow these steps instead.

  1. Find Visual Studio Installer by clicking on Start > Visual Studio Installer (search in the letter V).
    visual-studio-installer
  2. Alternatively, you can also find the installer by visiting the following path:
  3. C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft Visual StudioInstallervs_installer.exe
  4. Run the Visual Studio Installer, and it will open the launcher.
  5. Under the installed tab, click on the More button and select the Repair option.
    Visual Studio Installer 2019 - Repair
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions (if any) and wait for the installer to Repair the Visual Studio framework.

Alternatively, if repairing the Visual Studio client doesn’t work, you can try to reinstall the Visual Studio application as well.

4. Run Visual Studio with Administrative Privilege

visual studio

If the issue persists, you can try to run the Visual Studio launcher with the administrative privileges. Running the Visual Studio with the administrative access fixes any issues that occur due to inadequate permission.

  1. Click on Start, type Visual Studio.
  2. Right-click on your version of Visual Studio and select Run as Administrator.

5. Troubleshoot Compatibility for Devenv.exe

visual studio icon

While we have discussed the compatibility issues earlier, you can try to fix any compatibility issue by using the built-in compatibility troubleshooter in Windows. Devenv.exe is a software component of Microsoft Visual Studio. Try to run the compatibility troubleshooter for it and see if that resolves the error.

  1. Open “File Explorer” and navigate to the following location:
  2. C:Program Files Microsoft Visual Studio version Common IDE
  3. Right-click on devenv.exe and select “Troubleshoot Compatibility”.

What to do if USB device blocks Windows 10 v1903 install

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Microsoft made it clear it would block upgrades to the Windows 10 May 2019 Update if external media such as a USB device or SD card is attached to the computer.

This happens because the OS may  assign the wrong letters to your SD cards or USB devices.

Microsoft says that Windows 10 users who try to install the update may experience the following error:

This PC can’t be upgraded to Windows 10. Your PC has hardware that isn’t ready for this version of Windows 10. No action is needed. Windows Update will offer this version of Windows 10 automatically once the issue has been resolved.

How to fix Windows 10 May 2019 Update install errors

Here is a quick solution that you can use to unblock the Windows 10 May Update. You should unplug all external media attached to your device such as SD cards or USB devices.

The solution is pretty simple but you should have physical access to the computer.

However, you may also experience the same issue on a remote computer but there is a workaround to resolve it as well.

Make sure that the USB device is not detectable on the system. Only then can you begin the installation process of the Windows 10 May 2019 Update.

You need to follow the complete procedure mentioned below.

  1. Click the Start menu and navigate to the search bar and type Device Manager. Alternatively, you can also press Windows key + X, and click Device Manager from the list of options.
  2. At this step, you need to look for the devices that will be disabled. You can find it under Universal Serial Bus controllers section.
  3. Now when you have found your desired device, Right-click on the device and click Disable device.disable USB devices windows 10
  4. It will display a warning: Disabling this device will cause it to stop functioning. Do you really want to disable it?
  5. Confirm your choice.

Now you can install Windows 10 May 2019 Update again and this time the process should complete without any issues.

Additionally, you can enable your devices through the Device Manager. Right-click your device and click Enable Device.

RELATED ARTICLES YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT:

Microsoft Photos is getting quicker access to image cropping, automatic tags, and custom file info

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft Photos is receiving some changes to improve the image editing experience in Windows 10. Most notably, the app will feature quicker access to image cropping by including the icon on the top navigation bar immediately upon opening an image (via MSPoweruser).

For those who are particular about their image details, Microsoft Photos will also allow users to edit information such as such as the capture date and file name straight from the menu accessible by right clicking an image. Additionally, anyone can also choose to have People tags automatically applied to photos though the use of facial recognition technology, with the option being initially available from the privacy screen when the updated app is first launched.

Microsoft is releasing the app to Insiders first to test and help sort out potential bugs, but it shouldn’t be long before everyone gets it. If you want to see these changes now, you can join the Preview program straight from the settings within the Photos app.

Microsoft’s Xbox One All-Digital Edition available now, includes three games for $249

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has released the Xbox One S All-Digital edition today, so anyone that has had their mind set on it can go ahead and order it right now. It’s available for $249 on the Microsoft Store and online, as well Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart, and other retailers worldwide.

https://twitter.com/Xbox/status/1125792531797557248

Microsoft is pitching this as a cheaper alternative to the Xbox One S that comes with the disk drive, with a starting price of $249 and three games included—Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3, and Sea of Thieves. Although Microsoft promises to keep its $50 price difference on its systems online and at its physical stores, it’s worth mentioning that the console with the disk reader can still be purchased for slightly over $200 from third-party sellers on Amazon.

Still, the Xbox One S All-Digital console could serve as an inexpensive way to get into gaming for those who aren’t already invested in physical games and movies. If you’re new, we recommend getting a Game Pass membership which will give you access to over a hundred games right off the bat for just $9.99 per month. New subscribers get three months for just $1, which is an ample amount of time to decide whether to keep it.

Windows 10 to get a custom-built Linux kernel later this year

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft is bringing the full Linux kernel to the Windows 10 operating system, which will replace the emulation architecture that was a part of the initial release of the Windows Subsystem for Linux, or WSL for short. Taking advantage of the full kernel, WSL2 will bring “up to 20x faster” performance for Linux apps, and full system call compatibility to allow many apps that were previously incompatible to run without issues.

Docker is an example of an app that can take advantage of the full Linux kernel.

Microsoft is initially starting out with version 4.19 of the Linux kernel, which is the most recent long-term release of the system. The company is also promising to keep the kernel updated to the latest long-term release so that any developer “always has the latest Linux goodness,” according to Microsoft’s program manager Jack Hammons.

Of course, while the full kernel is available, none of the userspace binaries are included by default. Instead, a user must select one through the installation of their preferred Linux distro on the Microsoft Store, or by creating their own custom package. In addition, thanks to its open source nature, developers will also be able to create their own WSL kernels, with instructions being made available soon on GitHub.

The company hasn’t verified when full kernel will be readily available in Windows 10, but we could see it as soon as the next major release of the opening system codenamed 19H2, which is due for later this year. To make the overall experience even smoother, Microsoft is also introducing a new tab-based Windows Terminal that will allow developers to access Windows Subsystem for Linux, PowerShell, and Cmd from a single command line interface.

Descenders joins Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass video game library

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The downhill freeriding video game, Descenders, is now available to play in full for all Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

The game is streamlined yet feature-packed concept tasks the player with navigating downhill courses, avoiding obstacles, and outlasting the opponents to rank higher in the leaderboards. All courses are procedurally generated before each playthrough so there’s no way to learn a track. The emphasis is on reaction times and speed.

Here’s the official feature list:

  • Procedurally generated worlds: Take on different jumps, slopes and hillbombs every time you play
  • Freestyle bike controls: Control every subtle movement of your rider, with an in-depth physics system made for slick whips and scrubs
  • Risk vs reward: Push your rider for massive scores and combos — but bail too many times and you might lose it all
  • Build your Rep: A fully-featured online Rep system lets you show off your worth, and earn new bikes and threads
  • Become the next Descender: Can you survive the game in a single run, and reach the ranks of the legendary Descenders?
  • Wear your team’s colors and apparel with pride, and receive exclusive team gear
  • Your Rep points go towards your team’s total Rep, and exclusive prizes are awarded to the top team
  • Gain access to your team’s exclusive channel on the Descenders Discord server

Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s monthly subscription service that gives members full access to around 100 video games on Xbox One consoles.

Other games coming to Xbox Game Pass this month include Surviving Mars, Tacoma, Black Desert, For The King, The Surge, and Lego Batman 3.

Are you an Xbox Game Pass subscriber and will you play Descenders? Let us know why or why not in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

Descenders
Descenders
Download
QR-Code

Descenders
Developer:
No More Robots
Price:
Free

Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PS4 Fortnite players can no longer merge their accounts

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Back in February, Epic Games launched an official method for merging Fortnite accounts so that players with game saves on multiple platforms could bring all of the items and in-game currency under one username.

As of yesterday, this functionality has been completely discontinued, though, so those that were unable to merge their accounts before the deadline, or had completely forgotten to do so, will now have to choose which of their accounts to abandon and which to play under.

The account merging feature was created in response to PlayStation 4 players who were forced to create new Fortnite accounts when playing the popular game on other platforms due to Sony’s hard stance against crossplay and cross saves with rival consoles. When cross-platform functionality was eventually enabled on the PS4, Fortnite players could then use the one Fortnite account and a need for bringing all of their purchases and unlocked items under one system was needed.

Fortnite is currently one of the most-popular video games in the world and is playable on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PS4 consoles in addition to Windows, iOS, and Android devices.

Did you manage to merge your Fortnite accounts in time or were you caught out? Share your experience with the community in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

Fortnite
Fortnite
Download
QR-Code

Fortnite
Developer:
Epic Games Inc.
Price:
Free

How to fix NSIS error when installing AMD driver

Posted on by Tashreef Shareef

NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System) Error usually occurs when the user tries to install a driver on their Windows system. The error is caused when the user tries to install a corrupt or incomplete application that fails to initiate the installer.

The Error reads NSIS error; installer integrity check has failed. Common causes include incomplete download and damaged media and clicking on OK closes the launcher. If you are facing this error as well, here are a couple of troubleshooting tips you can try to fix the error.

How do I fix Nullsoft Scriptable Install System error on AMD driver

  1. Move the Installer to a Different Folder
  2. Rename the Installer
  3. Run the Installer from the Command Prompt
  4. Download the Installer from Another Source
  5. Scan your Computer for Malware
  6. Install Pending Windows Updates
  7. Run System File Checker

1. Move the Installer to a Different Folder

As strange it may sound, moving the installer to a different folder has worked for many users. Folder-related errors are not uncommon, so it should not be surprising.

  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the location where the installer is located.
  2. Right-click on the Installer and select Copy.
    Rename Folder Windows 10
  3. Create a new folder containing only English letter and move the installer to the new folder.
  4. Run the Installer from the new folder and check if that resolves the error.

2. Rename the Installer

The simplest working fix for the NSIS error is to rename the installer. Users have reported that renaming the installer has allowed the installation to complete successfully.

  1. Open, File Explorer and navigate the directory where the NSIS installer is located.
  2. Right-click on the Installer and select the Rename option.
    Rename AMD Installer
  3. Enter a single word name for the installer.
  4. Try to rerun the installer and check for any improvements.

3. Run the Installer from the Command Prompt

You can install the NSIS installer using the Command Prompt. Windows requires all the executable files to pass the corruption test. However, using the NCRC command, you can skip this test and proceed with the installation without any error. Here is how to do it.

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type “cmd” and hit enter. It will open the Command Prompt.
  3. Open File Explorer and navigate to the directory where the NSIS installer is located.
  4. Drag and drop the installer onto the Command Prompt. Doing so will add the installer path in the Command Prompt.
    NCRC - AMD NSIS Installer
  5. Press the Space key and type /NCRC. Hit enter to execute the file.
  6. This should open the NSIS installer installation window. Proceed with the installation.

4. Download the Installer from Another Source

If the installer is corrupted at the source end then no matter how many times you download the file, it will show NSIS error. In this case, you need to download the installer from other sources or find an updated version of the driver.

The best way to download any installer is by the official source. In this case, visit AMD’s website and download the latest driver. If not, wait for developers to release a new version with the bug fix.

5. Scan your Computer for Malware

If your computer is infected with malware or virus, it may also affect other programs and installers resulting in corruption or malfunction. Some adware is known to cause such errors where the user is prevented from installing any new driver or software on their system. We recommend scanning your PC for malware with dedicated anti-malware software for a threat-free PC.

6. Install Pending Windows Updates

If you have downloaded the latest version of the NSIS driver and your Windows OS does not have the latest build installed, it may cause compatibility issues.

To fix this, check if any updates are pending to be installed for Windows.

  1. Click on Start and select Settings.
  2. Open Update and Security.
  3. Click on Windows Update and click on Check for Updates.
    Windows Update Download - Pending - Ready to Download
  4. Windows will check for updates and notify if updates are ready to download. Click on the Download button to download and install the updates.

7. Run System File Checker

Windows OS comes with a built-in System File Checker. It is a command line-based tool that allows you to scan the system for corrupt or missing system files and replace it with new files.

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type cmd and hit enter.
    Sfc scannow
  3. In the Command Prompt, type the following command and hit enter.
    Sfc /scannow
  4. Wait for the System File Checker to complete the scan and fix any problems.

Reboot the system and check for any improvements.

How to fix frequent Mortal Kombat 11 issues on Xbox

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Choose your destiny! The newest installment of the Mortal Kombat series is out. Brought to us by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive.

Test your skills out on the platform of your choice, warrior, the game is available on Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and other platforms.

As we all know, no game launch is truly without some hiccups. And the newest installment from the Mortal Kombat series makes no exception, with certain issues related to connectivity, game progression and save games. But there are instances of graphical and audio bugs occurring.

But fear not, we’ve got a list of fixes that will help you to fix some of the most frequent Mortal Kombat 11 game bugs on the Xbox One.

How can I fix Mortal Kombat 11 issues?

  1. Game freezes
  2. Connectivity issues
  3. Update won’t install
  4. Controller won’t work
  5. Reset your Xbox
  6. Reinstall your game

1. Fix game freezes

This nifty solution helps out in the event the game the game freezes up, or it fails to launch too. In order to do this, follow these steps:

  1. Firstly, Press your Xbox button on the controller to open up the guide.
  2. Now press the Menu button on the controller and quit the game.
  3. You can now restart your game.

2. Connectivity fix

You should check if either your console or network adapter is running into issues or not. In order to fix your connection, follow these steps:

To test your network connection:

  1. Press your Xbox button to open up the guide.
  2. Now you’re going to select System, and then Settings.
  3. Next, select Network, and Network settings.
  4. Select Test network connection.test network connection xbox one

Check data usage:

  1. Open the Settings menu on your Xbox One.
  2. Go to the Network
  3. Open Network settings.
  4. Now select Bandwidth usage on right side of the screen.

To fix your connection:

  1. Firstly, unplug your Ethernet cable, if one is connected at the moment.
  2. Open the Settings app on your Xbox One console.
  3. Go to the Network
  4. Now select Network settings.
  5. Then select Set up wireless network.
  6. Choose your wireless network from the list of available networks.
  7. Don’t forget to enter your network password.
  8. Click Continue to finish the setup process.

3. Fix update issues

Sometimes you might facing issues with outdated patches on your console or game. In order to solve this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Firstly, press the Xbox button to open up the guide.
  2. Now select System and go to Settings.
  3. Select System and now press Updates & downloads.
  4. Select Keep my console up to date for console and Keep my games and apps up to date for Mortal Kombat 11.

4. Controller fix

If you’re running across controller problems, this solution can help you out. Just follow these steps:

  1. Turn on your Xbox One.
  2. Next, turn on your controller by pressing the Xbox button.
  3. Press and release the Connect button on your console.
  4. Press and hold the Connect button on your controller.
  5. The Xbox button should flash a couple of times, but your connection should be stable afterwards.

5. Reset your Xbox

In order to perform this action, simply press and hold the power button for more than 10 seconds, until your Xbox One is on. Next, you’re gonna unplug everything from the console, wait for 10 seconds or more till you plug everything back in. Or alternatively, you can follow these steps:

  1. From your Menu, go to System.
  2. Now select Settings, and select Console Info.
  3. Next, you’re going to select Reset Your Console.Console info & updates xbox one
  4. Select one of the three options and proceed.
  5. This should restore your default settings.

6. Reinstall Mortal Kombat 11

If everything else failed, and you’re still running into problems, the best solution is to uninstall and reinstall your game. In order to do this, follow these steps:

  1. From the Home menu and select My Games and Apps.
  2. Select the Games
  3. Select Mortal Kombat 11 and press the Menu button on your controller.
  4. Choose Manage Game, and select
  5. Once this is completed, reinsert your game disk into your Xbox, and reinstall your game.

QUICK TIP FOR SMOOTH MORTAL KOMBAT GAMING SESSIONS ON XBOX

Always remember to check whether or not the Xbox Live service is working, then proceed with the steps at hand.

We hope that these solutions were of help to you, and you’re able to complete your journey in Mortal Kombat 11.

In the meantime, let us know in the comment section down below on what other issues have you faced while playing the game on your Xbox One.

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Download Tencent Gaming Buddy for Windows

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

PUBG is still one of the most popular games on the planet. Millions of players compete daily in this tough environment. They all have the same purpose in mind: to be the last man standing.

The mobile version of the game is very addictive but it also brings some disadvantages due to hardware and software limitations.

If you want to enjoy a smooth PUBG Mobile gaming experience, we suggest you download Tencent Gaming Buddy emulator on your Windows PC. 

In this manner, you can emulate PUBG Mobile on the screen of your computer.

Tencent developed this emulator specially for PUBG Mobile. 

The controls are fully optimized and properly mapped on your keypad and mouse. Various layout are available to choose from.

How do I install Tencent Gaming Buddy PUBG Mobile emulator on PC?

The steps to follow are very simple and intuitive:

  1. Follow the download link above.
  2. Hit the install button to download and install the emulator.Tencent Gaming Buddy PUBG Mobile emulator
  3. Now, hit the Start button .
  4. The download process continues with the game engine.
  5. After a couple of minutes, the emulator will download PUBG Mobile on your PC.
  6. Once the process is finished, you can hit the Play button.

Enjoy the game!

Over to you now: How has your Tencent Gaming Buddy PUBG Mobile been so far? Let us know in the comments below.

Office 365 lets you better control what data you share with Microsoft

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

After the GDPR was officially adopted, Microsoft promised to make the necessary changes to the way it collects data from users. The company is now introducing two new categories (Required and Optional) to the data collected from Office 365 Enterprise users.

Microsoft faced criticism for GDPR violations on multiple occasions. These violations were mostly related to how Office apps collected user data and shared with their parent company.

Microsoft didn’t bother about users’ privacy concerns during the process. Neither had they the option to disable the data collection process itself.

Office 365 becomes GDPR compliant

Microsoft says that these changes are made to address the concerns of European clients. The company is of the view that the “Required data” will be the one that is required to ensure your account’s security or to make your products work.

The big M plans to roll out both these features in the next few months for Office 365 Pro Plus and Windows 10 users. Moreover, products like Dynamics 365 and Xbox will get additional changes and features in the next few months.

The company is planning to list down details regarding these changes into a report. The published report will include details when the company steps back from collecting specific user data.

Microsoft claims it does not collect details of your personal files, your email or other personal data. IT administrators will now have the option to enable or disable privacy controls for other users on the same Office 365 account.

In case you want to be secure while surfing the internet, you will need to get a full-dedicated tool to secure your network.  Install now Cyberghost VPN and secure yourself. It protects your PC from attacks while browsing, masks your IP address and blocks all unwanted access.

Data breach scandals on the rise

Users were not concerned about data privacy a few years ago. The ever growing number of data breach scandals affecting major tech companies pushed users to focus more on their privacy and how companies user their data.

Microsoft is now addressing some of users’ concerns. The recent changes to Microsoft’s data collection policy are really impressive. Now it’s up to Microsoft to put in the efforts necessary to keep its promises.

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What is RtHDVCpl.exe And Should You Remove it?

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Many users encountered unknown RtHDVCpl.exe file in the list of running processes, and they are rightfully concerned.

Unknown exe files should make every user suspicious, and many users reported that exe files aren’t opening on their PC.

So join us while we take a closer look at this file and see what it does and whether should you remove it from your PC.

What is process RtHDVCpl?

RtHDVCp means Realtek High Definition Volume Control Panel. The real RtHDVCpl.exe file is associated with Realtek High Definition Audio Driver, and it does the following:

  • Works as an interface between your OS and Realtek sound card.
  • Allows you to configure volume settings.

Is RtHDVCpl.exe malware?

No, this process isn’t malware, but if you want to make sure, do the following:

Is RtHDVCpl.exe needed?

This software isn’t needed, but you might want to keep it for the following reasons:

  • You configure your sound settings using Realtek software.
  • There might be some potential issues with Realtek software if you delete it.

If, by some chance, this file is affected by malware, you should consider removing it.

How can I remove RtHDVCpl from startup?

Use Task Manager

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Navigate to the Startup tab.
     
  3. Locate this file, right-click it, and choose Disable.

After doing that, the software will be disabled, and it won’t start with your PC anymore. Disabling is usually a better option since you won’t get any messages regarding missing files.

As you can see, the Realtek audio HDA rthdvcpl.exe file is harmless, so you shouldn’t remove it. If it’s causing you any problems, you might want to consider disabling it instead.

To learn more about this software and whether you need it on your PC, read our guide on Realtek HD Audio Manager.

Have you ever encountered this file before? Let us know in the comments below.

Imperator: Rome may trigger all these bugs on your PC

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

The grand strategy wargame formula is back in the mix, this time with Imperator: Rome. Brought to us by Paradox Interactive, the game serves as a sequel to the well-known Europa Universalis: Rome game.

In terms of timeline, the action is set between the foundation of the Roman Empire, till onset of the Diadochi Wars. The map is set in the Iberian peninsula, featuring more than 7000 cities, with this many terrain to go by, all nations present in the game are playable.

As we’re more and more familiar, no game launch can be deemed flawless. And Imperator:Rome is no exception to this. With unrest amonst the gaming legionaries on Steam threads, pointing out to game crashes, black screens, save issues, map problems and the game not synch-ing properly with Steam.

With all this being said and done, we’ve compiled a list of common bugs reported by users.

Common Imperator: Rome issues:

  1. Black screen
  2. Savegame problems
  3. Connection issues
  4. Game crashes
  5. Game freezing up
  6. Multiplayer problems
  7. No sound
  8. Endless validation

1. Black screen

Sometimes when you’re launching the game, the only thing you’ll see is a black screen.

I’m having an issue that whenever i launch this game, i get a black screen, cursor show that it’s loading, but if you click on it, it goes white, then pop up the not responding with the option to close or wait for it to respond.

2. Savegame problems

Numerous players have reported having troubled with saving their progress, requiring that they start a new game. With problems carrying over when they load a previously saved game.

So I have a problem, my savegame got somehow corrupted. When I want to load and continue playing (unpause) the game freezes. It doesn’t work with other savegasmes also

3. Connection issues

There have been reports of legionaries facing connectivity problems with their accounts. Mostly being related to their Steam accounts not synch-ing with their game.

I can login inside the game…but when I try to bind the account to Steam, I get a POP_error

4. Game crashing

Some people have experienced the game crashing at various points in the game, with no particular pattern.

The game keeps crashing at random intervals and I get a CrashReporter.exe – Application Error that says: The Application was unableto start correctly (0x000007b). The game usually crashes after a few minutes. Any known fixes for this?

5. Game freezing up

There are instances of players who weren’t able to play due to it freezing up, the occurrence taking place when they start playing the actual game.

My computers specs are perfectly fine and the game loads great all the way until I start to actually play. Within a couple of minutes of gameplay the entire thing just freezes. The audio is still in tact and makes noises when I hover the cursor over objects in the game, however visually everything just freezes

6. Multiplayer problems

Forming an alliance with a friend is part of the great aspects of the game. But when this isn’t possible, we’re bound to exile.

Almost every time when I want to load a MP game that i play with a friend, i get the message that the alliance is broken with him (When i’m in the server lobby!!!!). When i start the game i get the message a second time and the alliance is gone. I can form the alliance directly after that.

7. No sound

We all love to immerse ourselves in the world pictured in Imperator, but some users have reported the game having no sound whatsoever.

There is no sound at all. That can’t be right. Is it? Even in Settings, you can select ‘Audio’, but there is nothing in that selection. Any ideas??

8. Endless validation

It’s all fun and games when you get the game in your Steam library, but when the game is stuck in an andless validation loop, there’s no laughing matter here.

Downloaded the game late last night, opened it up and set all the settings to max graphics. Opened it this morning and said exe was invalid. I then validated the game, it said 1 file had issues and after validating would stop and then begin to validate again. It has been doing this for over 5 minutes; each loop is about 30 seconds.

How do you like the game so far? Do you rule your empire with iron fist or do you run vouch for peace? Let us know in the comment section down below.

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FIX: Windows 10 is not giving focus to gamebar

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Windows 10 users encounter Game bar focus issues quite frequently. More specifically, they can’t select the menu options using both an Xbox controller and mouse.

Here’s a guide on how to fix this Game bar issue in Windows 10.

What to do if Windows 10 is not giving focus to gamebar

  1. Make sure Game bar is granted permission to work
  2. Have your Xbox app up to date
  3. Terminate Game Bar
  4. Try turning Game Bar off and on
  5. Reinstall the Xbox app
  6. Disable Gamebar Presence Writer

1. Make sure Game bar is granted permission to work

Verifying Game Bar’s activity permission status should be the first thing you should check. To do so, follow these steps:

  • Press the Start button > open Settings
  • Click Gaming > make sure to have Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game Bar set to On.Record game clips using Game Bar

2. Have your Xbox app up to date

Having the latest version of the Xbox app minimizes the potential of errors occurring.

To find the latest updates you, follow the next steps:

  • Press the Start button > type microsoft store in the search box and open Microsoft Store
  • Press the three dots on the right side of the store > click Downloads and updates > Get updatesupdate microsoft store app
  • Restart the app and try to see if Game Bar works

3. Terminate Game Bar

Another solution that reportedly worked for some users involves terminating the Game Bar process and rebooting the PC. To complete this task, you need to:

  • Press the Start button > open Settings 
  • Click on Apps > Apps & Featuresapps & features windows 10
  • Find Game Bar > click Advanced Options > press Terminate
  • Restart your computer and see if it works

4. Try turning Game Bar off and on

Disabling and enabling Game Barback is another solution worth trying. To enable/disable it follow these steps:

  • Press Start button > open Settings
  • Click Game Bar > turn off
  • Restart your PC
  • Go back to the PC settings > Game Bar > turn on

5. Reinstall the Xbox app

Game Bar is integrated into the Xbox app, so try uninstalling the Xbox app first.

Reinstall the app from the Microsoft Store, then check to see if the issue has been solved.

6. Disable Gamebar Presence Writer

The Gamebar Presence Writer is a process that enables in-game video recording. Stopping this process proved to fix the issue from some users.

To disable Gamebar Presence Writer you need to follow these steps:

  • Open the Xbox app > click the Settings icon
  • Click Game DVR > select to turn off Record game clips and screenshots using Game DVR

These were the best solutions we could find for fixing the Game Bar lack of focus issue. If you have any other fixes for this issue, feel free to list them in the comment section below.

How to set a timer with Cortana on Windows 10

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

The latest Windows 10 Preview build 14352 introduces the ability to set a timer with Cortana.

This is useful if you need to be reminded of something in a short period of time and don’t want to bother with regular reminders.

Simply tell Cortana to set a timer and for how long, and you’re good to go.

Commands to set a timer with Cortana in Windows 10

If the “Hey Cortana” option is enabled, you basically just need to say it, but you can also write the command in the Search bar and Cortana will set up a quick timer for you that way.

Besides setting up a timer, you can also manage it by checking how much time is left or completely cancel it.

Here’s what you need to say to Cortana to be able to manage your current timer.

  • “Hey Cortana, set a timer for 10 minutes”
  • “Hey Cortana, how much time is left?”
  • “Hey Cortana, cancel my timer.”

So, open Cortana. You can do this by clicking the Start button and typing “Cortana”.

cortana timer windows 10

After the timer expires, Cortana will notify you with a pop up and a buzzer sound. If you are playing music or watching a video with sound, the volume of the alarm will be lowered.

It was already possible to set up a timer in Windows 10 before, but it required using the built-in Timer app.

With the introduction of this feature, the Timer app is not needed anymore.

This feature is only available for Windows 10 Insiders running the latest Preview build on PC.

We expect it to also arrive on Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview with one of the upcoming builds, and to the general public with the upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update in July.

What do you think about the ability to set a timer in Windows 10 with Cortana?

Do you find this addition useful, or will you not even pay attention to it? Tell us your opinion in the comments below!

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Import Outlook Express mail to Outlook 2010 [How To]

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Outlook Express was one of the most used email clients in the past, long before Windows 10 was released. However, Microsoft made a few changes and made Outlook a part of its Office suite.

If you used Outlook Express in previous versions of Windows, you probably have some emails on your hard drive, and speaking of which, today we’re going to show you how to import Outlook Express mail to Outlook 2010.

Outlook Express was a default email client on older versions of Windows, and many people used it on daily basis. This application was simple, and with its user-friendly design and basic functionality, it became a favorite.

Although Outlook Express isn’t available anymore, you can still import your Outlook emails to a Outlook 2010 by following our instructions.

How can I Import Outlook Express mail to Outlook 2010?

1. Outlook Express and Outlook 2010 are on different computers

Before you move your emails, you need to open Outlook Express and find out the location of your emails on your hard drive. To do that, you need follow these steps:

  1. Open Outlook Express and choose Tools > Options.
  2. Navigate to the Maintenance tab.
  3. Click the Store Folder. Store Location window should open showing you where your email messages are stored. Copy the folder address or write it down, because you’ll need it for future steps.

Before you can find your email messages, you have to turn on the option to show hidden files and folders. You can do that by following these steps:

  1. Navigate to My Computer and choose Tools > Folder Options.view tab
  2. Go to the View tab and find Hidden files and folders section. Click on Show hidden files and folders option.show hidden files and folders
  3. Click Apply and OK to save changes.

With hidden files and folder enabled, you can easily locate your emails on your hard drive by doing the following:

  1. Navigate to the folder where your emails are stored. If you remember, we got its location from Maintenance tab in Outlook Express.
  2. After you’ve found the folder, copy it to a removable media, such as USB flash drive for an example.
  3. Connect the USB to a different computer that has Outlook 2010 installed and copy these files to your Desktop or any other folder you can easily access.
  4. Open Outlook 2010 and choose Open > Import.
  5. Select Import from another program or file and click Next.
  6. Select Outlook Express 4x, 5x, 6x or Windows Mail and click Next.
  7. Locate the files you transferred from the USB flash drive and select them in order to import them.

In case you are looking for a way to import your Outlook emails to iPhone, check out this guide to find the easy steps.

2. Outlook Express and Outlook 2010 are on the same computer

  1. Open Outlook 2010.
  2. On the File tab choose Open, and then Import.
  3. From the list that appears, click Import Internet Mail and Addresses, and then Next.
  4. Then click on Outlook Express and check Import mail.
  5. Click Next, then Finish.

3. Import only the account name and account settings

  1. Open Outlook 2010.
  2. On the File tab choose Open, and then Import.
  3. Click Import Internet Mail Account Settings, and then click Next.
  4. Click on Outlook Express and then hit Next.
  5. Follow the instructions in the wizard to finish.

As you can see, transferring emails from Outlook Express to Outlook 2010 might not be the simplest process, but since Outlook Express isn’t being developed anymore, the only solution is to migrate your email messages to a new computer.

Even though Outlook Express and Windows Live Mail aren’t being developed anymore, there are many great alternatives available and OE Classic might be a perfect Windows Live Mail alternative for you.

If you’re looking for a similar email client to Outlook Express in Windows, we recommend you to check out our Best Windows 10 Email Clients and Apps to Use right now.

If you have any more questions about Outlook Express or Outlook 2010, don’t hesitate to reach for the comments section below.

Asphalt 9: Legends and two other Gameloft mobile games to gain Xbox Live functionality

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

A little less than two months ago, Microsoft made its Xbox Live infrastructure available to all developers creating iOS and Android games. The initiative is already having some good results as Gameloft, the company behind popular mobile games such as the Asphalt series will soon make three of its games Xbox Live-enabled (via Gameindustry.biz).

Asphalt 9: Legends, Asphalt 8: Airborne, and Dragon Mania Legends will all get Xbox Live functionality later this year, with support for Achievements, Friends Lists, and leader boards. All three games are currently available on iOS, Android and Windows 10, and they’re also all free to play.

There used to be many Xbox-Live enabled on Windows Phone back in the day, but it remains to be seen if more developers will embrace Microsoft’s new mobile SDK. Xbox Live monthly active users rose to 63 million in the last quarter, but Microsoft is now looking at the millions of users playing games on mobile devices to find new sources of growth.

Fix: Experience Index missing on Windows 10

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Microsoft introduced the Windows Experience Index in Windows Vista. It was a way to measure your computer’s performance and give it a simple solid score.

The WEI wasn’t very popular, and was hardly used professionally. Still, it was useful for the bragging rights after spending all of your savings on a brand new PC.

While the WEI is not a very practical way of measuring your computer’s performance, it is very simple to understand.

Unfortunately, Microsoft abandoned it in Windows 8 and did not bring it back in Windows 10.

As it is with Microsoft though, the actual code for the index is still in Windows 10. You can run the Windows System Assessment Tool via a simple command in the command prompt.

It is not unusual for Microsoft to keep around code of depreciated features from Windows.

It could be for legacy or it could just be laziness.

Also, maybe some other component of Windows still depends on the Windows System Assessment Tool and might stop working if it is not found.

Whatever the reason is, the point is that it is available and can be used via commands if not by the normal graphical interface.

Experience Index missing on Windows 10, how to fix it?

To see what your WEI score is, all you have to do is follow these steps. Note that this works on both Windows 8 and 10.

  • On your keyboard, press and hold the Windows Key and then press R to open the Run command box.Screenshot_3
  • In the Run command box, type shell:Games and press Enter.Screenshot_4
  • You should now be able to see the Windows Experience Index score on the right sidebar.

Checking your score is as easy as it can get. However, reevaluating it takes a bit more effort.

The Windows System Assessment Tool is the utility that gives your PC the WEI score. Still, any way to trigger it has been removed from the normal Windows GUI.

There is however still remnants of it left around Windows so you can still trigger it in Windows 10 for now. It is not every hard to do, simply follow these steps:

  • Open your Start Menu and type “cmd”, and open the Command Prompt.Screenshot_5
  • In the Command Prompt, type winsat formal and press Enter – this will launch the WinSAT in a separate window and start running the tests. You will have to wait for it to finish and it can take however long it might take.Screenshot_6
  • After the WinSAT tool has finished running successfully, just repeat the steps given earlier to see your new score.

While this works, it is not exactly the best solution because of all the hoops you have to jump through to get to it.

Since the UI is disabled or removed from the latest Windows iteration, the community decided to build its own UI for the WinSAT service.

One of such tools is called WinAero WEI Tool. Here’s how to get it:

  • Go to this link and simply scroll to the bottom to click “Download”.
  • Once downloaded, extract the files and simply run the program – there is no installation required.

weiui[1]

WinAero WEI Tool is best of both worlds. Also, it doesn’t require you to install anything new to your system.

It works on top of existing Windows features and it provides a full fledged UI for the whole Windows Experience Index platform.

It also has some nice features such as the ability to save results as an HTML file,something by default was not present in previous Windows versions.

Windows adds and removes features with every iteration. However, the actual code for it sticks around within the operating system for much longer.

Sometimes this is useable, like this in case, but most of the time it is not and just takes up space without doing much.

WinSAT and WEI were a nice feature to be introduced in Windows Vista at a time when computers were not that powerful.

Also, Microsoft needed a push for hardware makers to up their game and make better consumer products to run more complicated operating systems.

It served its purpose for Windows Vista and 7 but today, WEI fulfills no purpose except for giving you bragging rights.

Moreover, there are much better options for benchmarking and scoring that are operating system agnostic and are support across devices.

These tools are also much more accurate and are generally more specific instead of giving you a general overall score.

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Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore opens up about difficult Edge decisions

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

In an interview with The Verge, Corporate Vice President in the Experiences and Devices division at Microsoft, Joe Belfiore opened up about how the company came to the decision to shutter its in-house web browsing development for an off-the-shelf approach to its new one. While it may seem pretty self-explanatory to anyone with a cursory understanding of the competitive web browsing landscape, Belfiore elaborated on some of the reasons Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella pushed the company to replace its own rendering engine with that of an open-sourced one.

“Google is doing well with web-based collaborative experiences, the Office team is investing more to improve ours, we want the web browser to be better.”

Not only was Google doing well, but they have arguably also become the de facto web browsing experience for most people which highlighted one of EdgeHTML’s shortcomings in distribution. With EdgeHMTL development handcuffed to Windows 10 releases, there just wasn’t enough overall users despite its comparatively large install base.

In addition, being locked to just a Windows 10 powered desktop, the company couldn’t iterate quick enough to offer a competitive alternative to Chrome, as features, security and patchwork were all tied to the update release cycle of Windows 10. While adoption remains a huge issue to tackle for Microsoft, the other was a developer-imposed injury that involved its original rendering engine. Since Chrome and Safari used far more similar rendering engines and EdgeHTML didn’t have the user base to command developer attention, testing against it usually became a low-to-no priority for most web developers. The end result were quirky page renderings that usually left a less than desired experience amongst Edge users.

One of the other big issues Microsoft had to contend with was the stagnant UWP platform development to which EdgeHTML was an integral part. Without the ambitious adoption of UWP development Microsoft had hoped for, shackling Edge advancements to UWP updates was becoming an exercise in futility for the company as it continued to watch Google run away with and solidify large swaths of former IE and Edge users.

When enough was enough and annoying user-facing prompts or pop requests for default app status weren’t netting the results the company had hoped for, it came time for drastic change. First, the company commissioned to side projects called “Blade” and “Septagon”: the former would incorporate the Blink engine in the background of the existing Edge application, while the latter would fully implement Chromium.

During Microsoft’s high-level Friday meetings that include a “Research of the Amazing” overview, the top executives reviewed the Septagon project and were pleased with the results. The positive feedback from the RoTA meeting was only the beginning: Belfiore and team then had to shop the project around for further feedback and assessment that included a demo to former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, board member Reid Hoffman, and the CEO of popular open source repository GitHub, Nat Friedman.

After deliberating on the pros and cons of going down the Chromium path, the company made the final decision to switch in September 2018 roughly a year after the journey began.

“We were a bit nervous,” admits Jatinder Mann, a Microsoft Edge program manager. “The fortunate thing is, as soon as we made the announcement, we got a lot of positive responses from Chromium engineers, from other Chromium browser vendors that were pretty excited to see us join this community.”

With the cat out of the bag, though, it was now time for Microsoft and Google to become even closer development partners. With Chrome engineers well-versed in contributing to the Chromium project, Microsoft sought their counsel and have been working closely with Chrome developers on projects such as scrolling, accessibility features, and touch controls, all of which Edge arguably had the advantage over Chrome.

Seven months removed from the big announcement, Chromium development on Edge had sped it way closer to feature parity with Chrome, with the occasional hiccup here and there resulting in conspiracy theorist invoking the bad blood between Microsoft and Google as an explanation for some early developmental issues. While at face value Microsoft’s adoption of Chromium appears like a great move, there are still linger questions that remain, including how the company plans to market/remarket and push its revitalized browser. Additionally, it’s still not clear how Google plans to cooperate long term with Microsoft, or potentially sabotage the company’s efforts in the name of competition.

As Insiders become further steeped in using the new Chromium-based Edge browser, a side-by-side comparison of Microsoft’s EdgeHTML development and that of its new browser quickly shines a light on the “headwinds” the former development path was going to take the company through. Ultimately, that’s why the move to Chromium feels less earth-shattering and more evolutionary than anything.