New Microsoft Edge Insider Addons web page briefly goes online

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft is getting closer each day to releasing the public preview of the new Chromium-based Edge web browser, and today a webpage for downloading add-ons for the preview browser has been made briefly available for users to browse. When the public preview goes live, users will be able to test preview updates of the browser by signing up to be an Edge Insider, in a similar way that that Insiders test preview builds of Windows 10.

WalkingCat was discovered the new web page, which has since gone offline, showing a preview of an extension available under the “Microsoft Edge Insider Addons.” While there’s not much else to be seen now that the page is unavailable, Neowin points out that it listed as many as 82 addons during its brief availability, although the Get button did not work at the time they checked.

Microsoft’s Edge is certainly a nice and speedy web browser, but the lack of developer support has resulted in the app’s low market share especially as Google Chrome overwhelmingly dominates this area. Microsoft’s decision to move Edge to Chromium for better web interoperability is supposed to fix these issues. Since their decision, we’ve seen screenshots of the new browser leak and have also learned that it might only support 64-bit devices at launch—which thankfully is the majority of devices today, but if you’re running a small tablet with only 1 GB of RAM you might be out of luck.

Even then, it’s hard to tell the shortcomings the browser might face as it competes fiercely with Google’s offering. Extensions support is certainly one challenge for Microsoft, especially given that it is a major feature users enjoy in Chrome. However, because the new Edge will be Chromium-based, most Chrome extensions should be able to work if allowed.

Microsoft Edge is expected to see the availability of preview testing sometime this year, and is expected to eventually make its way to older versions of Windows (7 or 8) and even macOS. Hopefully if all goes well, it might exit the preview before the year’s end, but that’s a major if.

Feature Image credit: Richard Hay

What to do if iPad isn’t charging on a Windows 10/11 PC?

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

If your iPad won’t charge when you connect it to a Windows 10 PC, that can be a big problem, but in today’s article, we’ll try to help you fix this annoying issue.

It seems that Windows laptops and Apple products don’t go along really well. There have been many complaints about how the Windows machine doesn’t charge iPad or iPhones.

In rare cases the hardware (lightning connector) is faulty but in most cases, it is the software that needs a little bit of fiddling around.

We have listed some troubleshooting steps, follow them and stay assured your Windows PC will charge your iPad.

iPad says Not Charging when plugged into computer? Fix it now

  1. Restart
  2. Check the cable and Ports
  3. Problem with battery indicator
  4. Restore your device on iTunes
  5. Connect your Apple device to the Windows PC via the lightning connector
  6. Use the wall charger

Solution 1 – Restart

This is one step that I always perform irrespective of the problem. Force restart will soften the ill-gotten things and will ensure that your hardware runs better. In order to do this press and hold the sleep/wake button on the iPad.

In the case of iPhones press and hold the home button along with the Sleep/Wake button. Ideally, this should turn off the screen and force the device into restart mode. In the meanwhile, I would also recommend restarting your Windows laptop as well.

Solution 2 – Check the cable and Ports

Yes, faulty cables can turn things upside down. Before you move on to further troubleshooting steps check the cable by plugging it into another device or best a wall charger. More than often the cables wear out in the course of usage.

Apple Lightning cables are notorious for tearing off at the edge of each connector. Also, ensure that you buy third party cables with due diligence, it is always advisable to buy an Apple Certified accessory.

The next best thing to do is borrow a cable from your family or friends, this way you can also rule out a fault in both the device and the cable. Also, try plugging into a different USB port, and last but not least check for loose connections.

Solution 3 – Problem with battery indicator

This is one of the weirdest things I have ever heard. Folks at the Apple forum have been saying that the entire fault lies with the iPad battery indicator. According to them the iPad charges as expected but the charging indicator doesn’t glow up.

Install a battery health app and see whether or not the Windows machine is charging your iPad, if yes make sure that the charge voltage is within the prescribed range.

Solution 4 – Restore your device on iTunes

I have sorted out a couple of problems on my iPhone after restoring it using iTunes. Even Apple care will ask you to reset and restore the device as a last resort.

Even if this step fails then you need to contact Apple Care. Before getting started with the restore process ensure that you take the backup. Follow the steps below to backup your iPad or iPhone and restore the same.

Solution 5 – Connect your Apple device to the Windows PC via the lightning connector

  1. Select Device tab from the top left corner.
  2. In this step click on Backup and wait for the process to end.
  3. Click Restore and once again wait for the process to end.
  4. Don’t worry, it is natural for the device to restart several times during the process.

If everything else fails and the iPad is not charging it’s time to call up Apple Service care. They would be able to pinpoint between an electric failure or any other issues with the hardware.

Solution 6 – Use the wall charger

If your iPad won’t charge while connected to the PC, perhaps the problem is related to insufficient power. Your PC can’t produce the same amount of power as a wall charger, and that might be the cause for this problem.

To fix the problem, connect the iPad to the wall charger and check if it works. If the device chargers while using the wall charger, it’s possible that your PC isn’t properly configured or it simply doesn’t deliver enough power to the USB ports.

In case you have an AppleCare+ plan it’s well and good if not compare the cost of repairing vs the cost of buying a new device. Also, request the Apple Care executive to clear the dust from the ports.

How to use multiple monitors like a single monitor on Windows 10

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

On previous versions of Windows, users who use more than one monitor were able to have their lock screen on each of the monitors that were connected to their PC. However, users who have Windows 10 on their PC, do not have access to this same feature.

The dual monitor’s lock screen feature does not work on Windows 10, as only one (the main monitor) will display the lock screen and the other monitor(s) will display a black screen.

According to Microsoft’s customer support, the dual monitor’s lock screen feature is not available on Windows 10 due to the OS being on an entirely new architecture. Reportedly, the team in Microsoft is still working on a solution to fix the issue.

How to fix black screen issues on Windows 10 dual monitors

  1. Install Nvidia Surround
  2. Install multi-monitor tweaking apps

Solution 1 – Install Nvidia Surround

For now, there are some workarounds that can resolve the problem to a degree. For instance, some users use the program called Nvidia Surround, which allows them to treat their multiple monitors as a single monitor. While this Nvidia feature is designed for gaming on multiple monitors, it can also be utilized to make your dual monitors lock screen more attractive.

Solution 2 -Install multi-monitor tweaking apps

Another method users have used to fix the black screen issue is by using third-party multi-monitor tweaking programs. Apparently, programs like these can allow you to configure your settings to create dual monitors lock screens. It is important to note, that third-party programs are not provided or supported by Microsoft. Therefore, it is never safe to completely trust a third-party program that tweaks your Windows settings.

Download them at your own risk as some of these programs may inject malicious code into your PC.

Nevertheless, using third-party programs seems to be the only way to solve the issue at the moment. It is rumored that the pro version of Display Fusion allows users to work around the issue. The program also offers many other features that allow you to tweak other parts of your Windows 10 OS, like Windows management, monitor controls, remote controls, power functions, and more. It is probably the closest thing you will find to a dual monitors lock screen solution on Windows 10.

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Fix: No Power Options in Start Menu [Windows 10]

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

A Windows 10 update can come with great improvements but also with bugs, including the missing power options in the Start Menu.

They are not just greyed out. The Shutdown, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate options in the Power Options menu are missing completely. Instead, the Start Menu offered only the sign-out option.

What can I do if the power options are missing from Windows 10?

1. Run a series of scans in Command Prompt

  1. Go to Start, type cmd, and launch Command Prompt as an administrator.
  2. Type the following commands and hit Enter after each one:
  • sfc /scannow
  • powercfg –restoredefaultschemes
  • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

After running all the above scans, restart your PC and see if the power options have been restored.

2. Tweak the Registry

  1. Open the Group Policy Editor by typing gpedit.msc in Search and clicking Enter.
  2. Go to the following settings and double-click on it to open the configuration box: User Configuration/Administrative Templates/Start Menu and Taskbar
  3. Now, double-click on Remove and prevent access to the ShutDown, Restart…
  4. Select Not Configured or Disabled and click Apply.
  5. Exit after completing the steps above.

However, if you are using Windows 10 Home, the Group Policy Editor is not available, but you can still install gpedit separately.

But you can run regedit to open the Registry Editor and go to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies/Explorer

Ensure that a value named NoClose exists with a value of 0. Then, reboot your PC and check whether the Power Options are back.

3. Reset the PC to factory settings

Finally, if none of the previous steps worked for you, we can only suggest resetting your PC to factory settings.

We know this will cost you some time, as you’ll need to reconfigure settings and reinstall applications from scratch. However, this might be your only option, as the error is rather critical.

Let us know in the comments section below if you have any further questions or suggestions.

Devil May Cry 5 Black Screen and Other Issues [Fix]

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Devil May Cry 5 has been out for a while, and many users are wondering how to fix Devil May Cry 5 black screen issues on their PC.

This is a somewhat common issue; many reported black screen while gaming. However, this issue will make your gaming sessions unplayable.

Luckily, there is a way to fix this problem, and in today’s guide, we’re going to show you the best ways to do it.

Why is my Devil May Cry 5 not responding?

  • Interference from the TableInputService can cause this problem.
  • Improperly configured dmc5config.ini file causes various issues.
  • Your graphics card settings can cause all sorts of problems.

How can I fix Devil May Cry 5 black screen issues?

1. Cap your FPS

  1. Download RivaTuner Statistics Server, install it in your preferred location
  2. Run it and input your FPS cap.
  3. That should fix the problem.

2. Disable TableInputService

  1. Open your Windows Task Manager.
  2. Click on the Services section;
  3. Locate the Process TabletInputService and disable it.

If you’re running the game on regular computers, you can clean boot your machine, which should help with Devil May Cry 5 grey screen issue.

3. How to fix Devil May Cry 5 Stuttering

  1. Locate your game folder in Steam/steamapps/common/DMC5
  2. Scroll until you’ve found dmc5config.ini and open it with any text editing program you have, keeping in mind to create a backup of this file.
  3. You’ll need to edit the following sections Capability=DirectX12 to Capability=DirectX11 and TargetPlatform=DirectX12 to TargetPlatform=DirectX11;
  4. Save changes.

4. Use the keyboard shortcut

  1. Start your game;
  2. Press Alt + Enter to make the game go into windowed mode;
  3. Access video settings in the game and adjust its resolution to your screen’s resolution;
  4. Save changes, you can now play the game in fullscreen mode.

This is a simple solution, and it can help with Devil May Cry 5 full screen issue on your PC.

5. Fix Audio Sync issues on Nvidia

  1. Open Nvidia Control Panel and select Manage 3D Settings;
  2. Click on Program Settings and select the game from the list;
  3. Set Vertical Sync to Fast and save your settings.

6. Cutscene black screen fix

  1. Access your DMC5 game directory in Steam/ steamapps/ common/ Devil May Cry 5
  2. Open the file dmc5config.ini and search for this line UseVendorExtension=Enableand change it to UseVendorExtension=Disable;
  3. Save your changes.

We hope these fixes were of help to you. In the meantime, we compiled a list of common glitches and bugs reported by players so far.

In case you have more problems, we suggest reading our PC crashes while gaming guide for more in-depth solutions.

How has your DMC5 experience been so far? Do let us know in the comments below.

iCloud For Windows Not Working or Won’t Open [Fix]

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Many are using iCloud, but some users reported that iCloud for Windows is not working. This can be a problem and leave your files out of sync.

In the past, we wrote about how to download iCloud for Windows, but today we’re going to focus on how to fix its issues.

Why is my iCloud not opening on my computer?

  • Missing media components can sometimes prevent iCloud from running on your PC.
  • Sometimes Apple’s processes can interfere and prevent iCloud from working.
  • Using an outdated version of iCloud will cause this and many other problems.

What can I do if iCloud for Windows is not working?

1. Fix missing media features

  1. Click the Cortana button and input the program in the search box to open the Programs and Features window.

  2. Click Turn Windows features on or off.
  3. Now click the + to expand Media Features, which includes a Windows Media Player check box.
  4. Is the Windows Media Player checkbox selected? If not, select it and press OK to close the window.
  5. Restart the OS and add iCloud to Windows.
  6. If Windows Media Player is selected, you can reinstall it by deselecting its checkbox and restarting Windows. Then select the Windows Media Player check box again to switch it back on.

2. Enable iCloud Photos on Windows 10

  1. First, open the iCloud for Windows software.
  2. Click the Open iCloud text and then select the Photos checkbox.
  3. Press the Options button for Photos to open further settings.
  4. Select the My Photo Stream option.
  5. You can also press the Change button to choose an alternative default photos location in Windows.
  6. Click OK > Apply to confirm selected settings.

After doing that, check if the problem is resolved

3. Fix iCloud Photo Stream not syncing

  1. Open the Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar and selecting Task Manager.
  2. Select the Processes tab and then search for Apple Photostreams Uploader and Apple Photostreams Downloader processes listed there.
  3. Right-click each of these processes and choose End task to close them.
  4. Open Run by pressing the Win key + R hotkey, input %appdata% and click OK.

  5. Click Apple Computer and open the Media Center directory in File Explorer, and delete everything in the Media Center folder.
  6. Reboot or Log out and back into Windows 10.
  7. Now open the iCloud control panel again, and double-check the Photos options to ensure they’re configured correctly.

4. Update iCloud for Windows

  1. Enter Apple in the Cortana search box and select Apple Software Update to open the window below.

  2. Then click the iCloud for Windows checkbox.
  3. Press the Install 1 item button to update iCloud.
  4. Or you could add the latest iCloud to Windows 10 by pressing the Download button on this page. Remove the antiquated iCloud software and replace it with the new version.

If iCloud for Windows is not working, that can be an issue, but we hope that these solutions managed to help you fix it.

Sadly, this isn’t the only issue you can encounter, and many reported that they can’t sign into iCloud on their PC. Fortunately, we have a special guide that addresses that.

Did you find a different solution? If so, share it with us in the comments section below.

KB4489899 brings some browsing issues on Chrome and Edge

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Microsoft recently rolled out the Patch Tuesday updates for March 2019 and fixes some graphics and mouse performance issues caused by KB4482887.

Although these issues have been resolved, the update brings a bundle of other issues for Windows 10 users. 

Most of the users took it to Reddit and Microsoft’s forum to report the bugs they have experienced so far.

KB4489899 reported issues

1. Sub-folders disappear

A user has reported an issue that he has lost the sub-folders that he had under Favourites.

After I installed KB4489907 and KB4489899, I lost many of the sub-folders under Favorites main folder of MS Edge browser.

The bug is expected to be addressed in the next update.

2. Failed automatic update

While another user was trying to automatically install KB4489899 and KB4486553, he encountered and reported the following error.

2019-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems (KB4489899) -Error 0x8007371c

Although Microsoft has not released any fix for the bug you can still try the following workarounds to fix the issue.

Solution 1 – Change Windows Update settings

  1. Open the Settings app > Update & Security > Advanced options
  2. Disable the option ‘Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows
  3. Go to Delivery Optimization >Allow downloads from other PCs
  4. Disable the option

Solution 2 – Free up some space

  1. Type disk cleanup in the search bar.
  2. Choose Disk Cleanup > select your system drive >OK.
  3. Disk Cleanup will now scan your drive.
  4. Select the files you want to remove and click OK.

Solution 3 – Run Windows Update troubleshooter

  1. Open the Settings app and go to Update & Security section.
  2. Select Troubleshoot from the left pane.
  3. Select Windows Update from the list and click Run the troubleshooter button.

3. Blur delay issue

Another user took it to Reddit and stated that this Patch Tuesday update failed to resolve the blur decay issue that existed in the Action Center. The issue is preventing users from clicking on anything.

You did not fix the blur delay issue on Action Center. Yes, it may be just a UI issue but I just found out that you can’t click anything until the blur shows.

4. Chrome Text Rendering Bug

Furthermore, another user reported experiencing text-rendering issues in Chrome browser. Currently, the issue is no reported to exist on any other browser.

He further stated that he had to face a black screen for around 5 mins on the first restart after installing the update. The system was also slowed down that caused performance issues.

Anybody else suddenly having text-rendering issues in Chrome? Text on various websites is screwed up for me now, on and off (so right now, I can see it fine, but if I refresh, it’ll glitch out again for a bit).

Microsoft has not yet suggested any workaround for the issues.

5. Performance issues in games

Although Microsoft claimed that it has resolved the performance degradation issues in KB4489899. Still, a user had experienced that some of the games including BF V and PUBG were using more frames in full-screen mode.

Games are getting more frames. Both PUBG and BF V were tested. Something very odd: I’m getting crazy more FPS when I run PUBG in fullscreen windowed. like 20-30 more.

One of the possible solution to fix the issue is:

  1. Open the game properties.
  2. Navigate to the compatibility tab and disable Fullscreen optimizations. 
  3. Close the dialogue box and save the new settings.

Your game will now run better in Fullscreen mode. 

KB4489899 Known Issues

Microsoft has acknowledged a couple of known issues in KB4489899. The tech giant confirms that you might experience authentication issues in  Internet Explorer 11, application not responding, and audio issues. 

You can have a look at the complete list of known issues on Microsoft update page.

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Far Cry New Dawn needs new expeditions and a full sized map

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Since its release, the newest title in the Far Cry franchise has garnered mixed reviews. Just like the post nuclear landscape, some like it, some don’t.

Radiation Can Shrink Maps?

The open world aspect of the game revolves around a re-imagined Far Cry 5 map, with some new areas becoming accessible, while others are now inaccessible.

It does offer a fresh feel to a familiar setting with fans of the previous installment. But is the post-nuclear torn landscape so rich in exploration as the previous title?

New Feature: Expeditions

A new feature in New Dawn is the expedition maps, that add more challenges and upgrades to your outposts. Expeditions are a series of closed-world adventures that take place outside of Hope County.

Take on the challenge for up to three difficulty levels, each level giving the player rare loot and upgrades for Prosperity itself.

Gamers need new expeditions

Users from both Steam and Ubisoft forums have shared their opinions and wishes regarding the exploration aspect of the game, and the prospect of new content.

While new content was featured in New Dawn, old and familiar elements have seemingly disappeared in a nuclear cloud. Steam users were quick to express their feelings towards the changes.

And airplanes. Those are gone from New Dawn and I miss them dearly. Helicopters just aren’t the same.

While the expedition map aspect adds more length and variety to the game, there’s not enough content to keep players in the saddle.

Dear devs, please add further Expeditions. Love this title, but sadly it is far too short. Would have loved a full sized map of this.

Others have stated that the game lack the weekly challenge feature that Far Cry 5 brough to the table, while support seems to be lacking.

Such a shame that there isn’t even a weekly challenge like in FC5. I would love to see further support for this title.

On Ubisoft’s forums, a community  manager has stated that there is no additional content planned for this title.

It’s been discussed already in this thread, but as things stand right now, there is no additional content planned for New Dawn.
While that is the case, rest assured that we are keeping our eyes on your ideas, concerns and other feedback and are making sure that they are seen.
It is not possible to realise each and every request in a game (past, present or future) – there are so many other factors that affect such decisions, it’s not as easy as that.
But you can be certain that your posts on these forums don’t go unnoticed.
As far as we are concerned, that is what these forums and other channels exist for. So by all means, keep the ideas coming!

In the meantime, you can share your thoughts on this topic. Did you enjoy the game? What’s your favorite aspect?

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How to fix EasyAntiCheat error messages in Ubisoft games

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Many For Honor players have complained about various EasyAntiCheat error messages lately. It seems that the anti-cheating tool erroneously blocks players from entering the game. After a thorough search on the web, it appears that this is actually a common issue on Ubisoft’s games.

Here’s how one player describes this issue:

easyanticheat banned 0006000043
Spent hours of playing, practicing to get better, with less than 50% of win rate, and get banned for just adjusting my controls. Basicly i just give away my $70 for this. help?

Fortunately, Ubisoft published a list of workarounds to fix the annoying EasyAntiCheat error messages on all its games.

How to fix EasyAntiCheat errors

1. Make sure that Uplay is up to date > verify the install status of the game.

2. If the error message occurs when you install the game, follow the troubleshooting steps listed on EasyAntiCheat’s help website.

3. If the error message occurs when you launch Uplay, follow the instructions listed on this support page.

4. If you get an error message while running the game (the most frequently encountered situation), this may be triggered by game integrity violations or multiplayer issues.

Fix EasyAntiCheat game integrity violation errors

1. Corrupted memory: This error can occur if the physically installed RAMs are defective and cause runtime memory corruption. Check that your game installation is up-to-date.

2.Corrupted packet flow: This error may occur if there is heavy packet loss in multiplayer. Try joining another multiplayer session with low latency.

3. Forbidden system configuration: This error is triggered if the Windows Kernel Patch Protection was been disabled or modified. This error is a strong indicator of a rootkit virus infection. Run a full system anti-virus scan or re-install Windows.

4. Forbidden tool: This error occurs when there’s a hacking tool running in the background. Make sure there are no unknown programs running with the Windows Task Manager. Restart Windows to fully unload the hacking tools from the system.

5. Internal anti-cheat error: A hack attempt to the anti-cheat core was detected. Check that your game installation is up-to-date.

6. Missing required file: You’re running an outdated game version or manually deleted game files on disk. Check that your game installation is up-to-date.

7. Unknown file version: You’re running an outdated game version or manually deleted game files on disk. Check that your game installation is up-to-date.

8. Unknown game file: An unknown file that is not part of the game installation was loaded from the game directory. Close the running game and then delete the file inside the game directory.

9. Untrusted system file: The game loaded a system dll that failed an integrity check. Use Microsoft’s System File Checker tool: launch Command Prompt as admin > type sfc /scannow and wait for the scanning process to complete. Then run a full anti-virus system scan. Additionally, make sure that all available updates have been installed through Windows Update.

Fix EasyAntiCheat multiplayer issues:

1. Host or peer validation failed

2. Kicked: EAC Disconnected: This message indicates a client-side connectivity issue with your PC and the EasyAntiCheat network. Make sure that your anti-virus and/or firewall is not blocking the connection to EasyAntiCheat’s DNS address: client.easyanticheat.net:80.

Always launch the game through Steam and not directly from the game directory. Otherwise, the game may start without anti-cheat protection, thus failing to authenticate with game servers.

Ultimately, we recommend using a third-party antivirus program that addresses your privacy concerns and protects you while you play online. It’s important to protect your device at all times and block any unexpected access to it.

⇒ Get TotalAV

Download Devil May Cry 5 on Windows 10/11 [Download link]

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

The long awaited sequel with our favorite demon hunter, Dante, is back, with old acquaintances and new characters jumping into the action.

The story takes place five years after the events of Devil May Cry 4, the rest of the story is left to the player to experience.

Interested in getting DM5? Use the download link below.

Gameplay-wise, the newest DMC brings a lot to keep you busy for hours. You’re sent right into the thick of the fighting, with hordes of demons and multiple types of attack.

Weapons get a nice boost, they’re flashy, brutal and so fun to wield. Dante now has the ability to combine his weapons into a motorcycle called Cavaliere. Nero will bring a new helping hand into the fight.

A new playable character, simply named V, will bring some interesting summoning abilities, that will be left to the player to use to his heart’s content.

We’re back to the style-rating combat mechanic we all love to improve, from previous instalments, this time with an added feature of the music changing in accordance to your perfomance, so if you wanna hit the high notes, do it with more style.

With the game‘s soundtrack being composed by talented individuals such as Kota Suzuki, Jeff Rona, Casey Edwards and Cody Matthew Johnson, we can expect some epic moments amongst the carnage.

DMC 5 options on Steam

The game is currently priced around at $67 USD, with the Devil May Cry 5 Deluxe Edition having a bit higher price but offering 13 items: Devil May Cry 5, Devil May Cry 5 – Alt Style Rank Announcers, Devil May Cry 5 – Alt Title Calls, Devil May Cry 5 – Live Action Cutscenes, Devil May Cry 5 – DMC1 Battle Track 3-Pack, Devil May Cry 5 – DMC2 Battle Track 3-Pack, Devil May Cry 5 – DMC3 Battle Track 3-Pack, Devil May Cry 5 – DMC4 Battle Track 3-Pack, Devil May Cry 5 – Gerbera GP01, Devil May Cry 5 – Pasta Breaker, Devil May Cry 5 – Sweet Surrender, Devil May Cry 5 – Mega Buster, Devil May Cry 5 – Cavaliere R.

Begin your road to bad-assery today and download Devil May Cry 5 on your PC!

Enjoy the game!

Windows 10 20H1 build 18855 is now available for Skip Ahead with more bug fixes

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

After Microsoft released the 19H1 build 18356 for Fast Ring Insiders yesterday, the company is now shipping the 20H1 build 18855 to Insiders on the Skip Ahead ring today. This new build from the 20H1 development branch is another minor update with no new features, though it brings several bug fixes that Fast Ring Insiders received in the 19H1 build 18353 last week.

Indeed, the build 18855 includes the same Windows Sandbox improvements that previously came with the 19H1 build 18353, including microphone support and various usability improvements. As for known issues, Microsoft still hasn’t fixed the GSODs caused by anti-cheat software, as well as the compatibility issue with Creative X-FI sound cards. You can check the full list of fixes and known issues below:

General changes, improvements, and fixes for PC

  • Notepad now automatically restores unsaved content when Windows restarts for updates.
  • We’ve enabled microphone in Windows Sandbox, which among other things will improve several accessibility scenarios.
  • We’ve enabled microphone in Windows Sandbox, which among other things will improve several accessibility scenarios.
  • We’ve added functionality to configure the audio input device via the Windows Sandbox config file.
  • We’ve fixed an issue in which the Windows Sandbox time zone was not synchronized with the host.
  • We’ve enabled the Shift + Alt + PrintScreen key sequence in Windows Sandbox which activates the ease of access dialog for enabling high contrast mode.
  • We’ve enabled the ctrl + alt + break key sequence in Windows Sandbox which allows entering/exiting fullscreen mode.
  • We fixed a recent issue resulting in some Insiders experiencing bug checks upon lid close, monitor plug, or monitor unplug.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in preferred region settings getting reset on upgrade in the last few flights.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in the Chinese version of multiple games not working.
  • We fixed an issue in memcpy that caused some drivers to hard-hang the system on load; this could manifest as a hang on upgrade, depending on the system.
  • We fixed an issue from recent builds that could result in monitors being missing from the built-in Color Management application.
  • We fixed an issue causing Explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when Jump list content was updated.
  • We fixed an issue where text scaling values did not persist across upgrades for Win32 applications.
  • Due to a Narrator reading reliability issue for the “Change how capitalized text is read” feature, the feature has been disabled starting in build 18855.
  • We fixed an issue that could cause the touch keyboard to crash when switching from IME-based languages to another language.

Known issues

  • Launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bugcheck (GSOD).
  • While this flight contains some night light improvements, we’re continuing to investigate reported issues in this space.
  • When performing Reset this PC and selecting Keep my files on a device that has Reserved Storage enabled, the user will need to initiate an extra reboot to ensure Reserved Storage is working again properly.
  • Some Realtek SD card readers are not functioning properly. We are investigating the issue.
  • Creative X-Fi sound cards are not functioning properly. We are partnering with Creative to resolve this issue.
  • We’re investigating an issue preventing VMware from being able to install or update Windows Insider Preview builds. Hyper-V is a viable alternative if available to you.
    Known issues for Developers
  • If you install any of the recent builds from the Skip Ahead and switch to either the Fast ring or the Slow ring, optional content such as enabling developer mode will fail. You will have to remain in the Fast ring to add/install/enable optional content. This is because optional content will only install on builds approved for specific rings.

There are not a lot of differences between 19H1 and 20H1 builds for now, and we hope things will get more interesting pretty soon. We’re still wondering what will happen when Microsoft will start releasing 19H2 builds later this Spring, as there will be two separate development branches to follow with probably different new features being tested with Fast Ring and Skip Ahead Insiders. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if you encounter any issues after installing the build 18855 on your PC.

Latest Windows 10 Insider build 18356 may have opted you out of the Insider program, here’s how to get back in

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

The Windows Insider program is far from an exact science when it comes to reliability for both the Windows engineers and the testers who often experience unforseen setbacks, delayed releases, buggy previews and in rare occasions a device crippling preview.

Yesterday’s Windows 10 Insider build 18356 is further evidence that being an Insider requires a certain level of patience and understanding, as users are now seeing evidence that when updating to the preview, their devices are being opted out of the Insider program, unable to receive new builds.

According to the head of the Windows Insider program Dona Sarkar, there is a work around for anyone experiencing the new issue and she has just addressed the complication via her Twitter handle.

As a refresher, to opt in, just go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program > Get Started, and choose “Active Windows Development” (the Fast Ring). Remember if you have been on the Fast Ring but take this opportunity to join the Skip Ahead ring (now on 20H1 builds), you won’t be able to go back, so choose carefully.

The new auto selection problem doesn’t seem to be a widespread issue and is not noted in the Known Issues log in the release notes, but it seems like something that will and should be addressed by the time the next preview hits Insiders.

Microsoft 365 Government gets expanded Teams support, more

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Following the launch of Microsoft 365 Government last year, Microsoft is announcing today that Microsoft Teams is now available in all Microsoft 365 Government cloud environments. This should push more US federal, state, local, tribal, or other territorial government entities to make the move to Office 365.

“While Teams has been available in the Government Community Cloud (GCC), today we are announcing the availability of Teams in GCC High and Department of Defense (DoD) environments,” wrote Catherine Boeger, General Manager of Microsoft 365 Commercial GTM. “Teams is built to meet the enhanced security and compliance requirements of government agencies, which can now better deliver against their mission and provide services to citizens and constituents.”

In addition to the expanded Microsoft Teams availability, the Redmond giant also reiterated today that its Outlook app on iOS and Android can now be used by Office 365 U.S. GCC High and DoD customers. That’s because the mobile client adopted a new architecture earlier this year that meets all the security requirements for these organizations.

Lastly, Microsoft is planning to improve its Microsoft 365 Government threat protection and intelligence tools later this year to help security teams address the rising volume of cybersecurity threats. “Soon we will launch new capabilities in Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) P2 for GCC that automate investigation and remediation of threats in email—helping you further reduce the burden on your team and time to response,” Boeger explained.

Windows 10 Camera app is getting Office Lens integration

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The Windows Camera app is getting support for Office Lens integration, as Italian blog Aggiornamenti Lumia reports that the update is rolling out to Windows Insiders. For those who might not be familiar, Office Lens is a tool that allows user to scan images from printed documents for a multitude of reasons, such as for the conversion of the physical document to to be editable in Word or to save the information in OneNote.

This update brings two core features of Office Lens straight to the Camera app—Document and Whiteboard scanning. This means that users can users can not only scan documents straight from the Camera app, but also handwritings and drawings on whiteboards onto an easy to read image.

We’re not exactly sure how this all works just yet, but it’s available to a handful of Windows Insiders right now, and we were able to download the update on a PC in the Skip Ahead ring. After a little bit of testing from Insiders, the update will eventually make its way to all Windows 10 users, making for a much quicker and more effective way to scan a document on the go.

Microsoft also recently added Office Lens support to the OneDrive application for iOS, bringing support for scanning documents and business cards for saving within the cloud storage service. With Office Lens integration being added each of Microsoft’s other apps, there seems to be less incentive for users to download the dedicated Office Lens app.

Windows Camera
Windows Camera
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World of Warcraft becomes first game to use DirectX12 on Windows 7, with more to come

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

Despite Windows 10 edging out Windows 7 as the prefered operating system choice for gamers recently, developers at Blizzard wanted to bring its Windows 10 gaming gains to Windows 7 users.

Recently, Blizzard began supporting DirectX 12 on Windows 10 and World of Warcraft gamers began benefiting from multi threaded compute processes that resulted in better frame rates across a myriad of configurations.

However, DirectX 12 isn’t offered on Windows 7 and in order bring a similar experience to its substantial gamer base on Windows 7, Blizzard developers and Windows engineers had to hash out an alternate set of work arounds.

Fortunately, the Microsoft and Blizzard were able to come up with a runtime solution that is now being released within the WoW: Battle for Azeroth game patch 8.1.3.

At Microsoft, we make every effort to respond to customer feedback, so when we received this feedback from Blizzard and other developers, we decided to act on it. Microsoft is pleased to announce that we have ported the user mode D3D12 runtime to Windows 7. This unblocks developers who want to take full advantage of the latest improvements in D3D12 while still supporting customers on older operating systems.

Yesterday’s patch becomes the first of its kind where a game developer port DirectX 12 to Windows 7. WoW gamers on Windows 7 will now gain similar Windows 10 improvements that include boosted frame rate performance, and other GPU related features.

To be clear, DirectX 12 cannot be manually installed on to Windows 7 machines but is coming via a game update. Microsoft is said to be working with a handful of studios to replicate Blizzards update patch process, so more DirectX 12 benefits are on their way to Windows 7 gamers.

Microsoft’s new Wireless Display app lets you cast your Windows or Android screen to an Xbox One, and it works with PC games

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has released a new app for the Xbox One console, which allows PC and Android screens to be projected to the system. The app allows the Xbox to act as a Miracast receiver, where an enabled device can connect to it to be used as a second display.

While screen projection is certainly a nice touch, the real feature here is being able to play PC games directly on the Xbox from within the new app. This is because the app sports controller support, allowing input from the Xbox gamepad to be sent straight to the PC. This allows for a multitude of PC-exclusive games to be played on the system, in a similar manner to how Xbox games can be streamed directly on the Windows 10 PC via the Xbox app.

You have to go though a hoop of steps to get this to work, with the first being to install the app directly on the Xbox. After it’s installed, you can open it on your Xbox, which will immediately become visible for other devices to connect to. One the blue cast screen is loaded, you can connect to it just like you would any other Miracast display, by going into the display menu (via the Win + P command) and select XBOXONE. If you intend to control the PC from the Xbox such as for playing games, make sure to tick the box to enable keyboard and mouse input from the Xbox.

When the app is loaded, the connect screen will look something like this.

If all goes well, you should be able to easily switch between mouse and gamepad inputs by simultaneously hitting the view and menu icons on the gamepad. From our end, we were able to get mouse input to work just fine on the Surface Go, but had trouble getting the gamepad to work in a game of Minecraft. On the other hand, Asphalt 9 worked just fine, so it’s hard to understand what the limitations are for the controller support. However, it doesn’t seem to work on Android devices at all as of the time of this writing.

From the PC side, you can also switch between various screen latency modes, Gaming, Working, and Watching videos from the connection bar at the top of the screen. Despite the latency option, though, watching protected content such as that on Netflix is a no go.

Wireless display connection through Miracast has worked on the Surface Hub 2 for some time, allowing for the projection of documents and presentations on the larger screen. Microsoft has brought the same technology to the Xbox One, but improving it even further by adding gamepad support.

While the gamepad can act as a keyboard and mouse combo, the same can’t be said true if you connect an actual keyboard and mouse to the Xbox One. On the other hand, as keyboard and mouse gaming is slowly becoming a thing for the system, perhaps it won’t be long until the feature does make its way to the app.

Wireless Display
Wireless Display
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iCloud Calendar Not Syncing With Outlook: How to Force it

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Is your iCloud calendar not syncing with Outlook? This can be a big problem on any PC and make you miss important events.

The calendar also allows you to show and manage tasks in Outlook, but we covered that in a separate guide. Today we’re going to focus solely on the syncing issues, so let’s get started.

Why is iCloud calendar not syncing with Outlook?

  • Issues with Apple’s servers can sometimes cause sync issues with Outlook.
  • Temporary glitches in iCloud can sometimes cause this problem.
  • Missing updates can lead to this and other issues, so keep the iCloud client updated.
  • Your iCloud account might not be properly configured in Windows.

What can I do if iCloud calendar not syncing with Outlook?

1. Check iCloud’s system status

  1.  Visit System Status page in your browser.
  2. Check if there’s an issue with any of Apple’s services.
    icloud status icloud calendar not working
  3. If there are, wait until Apple resolves them.

2. Sign out and in

  1. Open the iCloud for Windows software.
  2. Next, press the Sign out button to log out.
  3. Select Delete from computer when prompted to keep a copy of your iCloud calendar and contacts.
  4. Wait a few minutes and then sign in to iCloud again.
  5. Select the Mail, Contacts, Calendars and Tasks option on the iCloud window to synchronize the Calendar.

After doing that, check if the problem with the iCloud calendar is still there.

3. Update your iCloud software

  1. Press Windows key + S and enter store. Select Microsoft Store from the list.
  2. Go to Library.
  3. Check if iCloud is on the list of updates.
  4. If so, install the update and check if that helps.

After doing that, check if the problem is still there.

4. Open Outlook with the/resetnavpane switch

  1. Close Outlook if it’s currently open.
  2. Press the Win key + R to open Run.
  3. Run the following command:Outlook.exe /resetnavpane outlook.exe resetnavpane icloud calendar

5. Edit the registry

  1. First, open the Mail applet in the Control Panel.
  2. Select to open the Mail Setup applet.
  3. Press the Show Profiles button and click Add.
  4. Then you can type a title in the Profile Name text box, and press the OK button.
  5. Now open the Registry Editor by pressing the Win key + R. Enter regedit and run it.
  6. Next, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Apple.DAV.Addin
  7. Double-click LoadBehaviour on the right of the window. Enter 3 in the Data value text box if it’s currently at 0.

6. Check if iCloud is your default account

  1. In Outlook go to File and select Info.

  2. Head to Account Settings and then select Data Files.
  3. Now you can see if iCloud is the default Comments column account. If that’s the case, select an alternative account as the default one.
  4. Select Set as Default to adjust the default account settings.
  5. Then restart the Windows 10 OS.

These are a couple of fixes you can use if the iCloud Calendar is not syncing with Outlook.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the only problem you can encounter, and many reported that iCloud for Windows is not working.

What solution did you use to solve this issue? Let us know in the comments below.

DVD Not Working in Windows 10/11? Here’s how to fix it

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

If your DVD is not working, you might experience certain issues, especially if you have multimedia or other applications on DVD discs. This can be a problem for some users, and today we’re going to show you how to tackle this issue.

Many users, including myself, have been reporting problems with their DVDs in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. If your DVD too is also not working, then follow the below steps needed to fix the problem.

Problems with the DVD drive not working in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 are one of the most common and experienced by many users. We’re going to talk about this issue and try to offer some working solutions, as there are enough guides to help you get rid of it. The CD and DVD problems have occurred with Windows 8 more often than with Windows 8.1, so it seems that Microsoft has put an update in place.

My DVD drive installed Windows 8 and can also boot from DVD, but Windows 8 does not recognize the drive after the operating system is loaded. How can I get drivers loaded for this version of Windows? If I boot with the Windows 8 DVD in the drive, ignore the option to boot from the CD or DVD, when the OS loads, the drive is recognized and I can use it for that session. If I reboot without the DVD in the drive, it is gone again.

DVD drive not detected in Windows 10? Try these solutions

  1. Use Command Prompt
  2. Delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters DWORDs
  3. Run the troubleshooter
  4. Check your optical reader
  5. Change your group policy
  6. Reinstall your DVD drivers
  7. Install the necessary drivers manually
  8. Check for updates

There are many problems that can occur with your DVD drive, and in this article we’ll address the following issues:

  • Windows 10 DVD drive not reading discs – Several users reported that their DVD drive isn’t reading discs. This is usually caused by a bad driver or a dirty optical sensor.
  • DVD not playing Windows 10 – Several users reported that DVD isn’t playing on their Windows 10. This can be an annoying problem, but you should be able to fix it using one of our solutions.
  • DVD drive not showing – Sometimes your DVD drive might not even show up on Windows 10. If that’s the case, be sure to check your drivers. In one of our previous article we showed you how to fix missing DVD drive, so be sure to check that article for detailed explanation.
  • DVD writer not working properly – Several users reported that DVD writer isn’t working on their PC. If you have this problem, be sure to check your DVD configuration.
  • DVD not, found playing, reading, recognized, detected, ejecting, responding, spinning, displaying files, loading – There are many problems that can occur with your DVD. However, you should be able to fix most of these problems by using one of our solutions.
  • DVD not autoplaying Windows 10 – Many users reported that DVD AutoPlay isn’t working for them. In one of our previous articles we explained how to fix AutoPlay problems for DVDs, so be sure to check it out.
  • DVD not appearing in my computer – Another problem that many users reported is that DVD isn’t appearing on their PC. This can occur if your DVD drive isn’t connected properly or if your drivers aren’t compatible with Windows 10.

1. Use Command Prompt

This is what one user is saying and many others are having similar problems like this one. Users affected by this problem said that they saw the following message: “Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19).” Now, let’s see what we can do to fix it. First of all, try the following:

  1. Run Command Prompt as an administrator. To do that, right click the Start Button and choose Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu. If you don’t have Command Prompt on the list, you can also use PowerShell (Admin).
    command prompt DVD not reading
  2. Type reg.exe add HKLMSystemCurrentControlSetServicesatapiController0″ /f /v EnumDevice1 /t REG_DWORD /d 0x00000001 and press Enter.
    reg.exe command prompt DVD not autoplaying Windows 10

After doing that, restart your PC and check if the problem is fixed.

2. Delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters DWORDs

If the previous solution didn’t fix your problem, then try checking if all the cables are properly put in place, just in case this might be caused by a rather stupid problem that you overlooked.

Also, you can check for the DVD drive in BIOS. After restarting the Windows 8/Windows 8.1 computer, enter the BIOS screen (usually by pressing F10 multiple times). If it is absent, then it is a hardware problem, and not a software one, and you’ll need to contact your vendor. Now, here’s another potential fix:

  1.  Type regedit in the Search bar and press Enter.
    regedit search DVD writer not working properly
  2. In the navigation panel, locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}.
    registry key DVD not playing
  3. In the right panel, locate one or both of the keys UpperFilters and LowerFilters. You can have only one, or you can have both. Select these keys, right-click them and choose Delete.
    delete DWROD DVD not autoplaying Windows 10
  4. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
    delete confirm DVD not appearing in my computer
  5. Exit Registry Editor.
  6. Restart the computer.

3. Run the troubleshooter

Sometimes you might be able to fix the problem with the DVD drive simply by running the hardware troubleshooter. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type control in the Run dialog box, then press Enter or click OK button.
    control run Windows 10 DVD drive not reading discs
  2. In the Search box in Control Panel, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting.
    troubleshoot DVD not playing Windows 10
  3. Under the Hardware and Sound section, click on Configure a device. If you are prompted to enter an administrator password or provide confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

After the troubleshooter is finished, check if the problem still remains.

4. Check your optical reader

If your DVD is not working, the problem might be your optical reader. Sometimes the reader can move and remain in a new position causing this problem to appear.

To fix the issue, you need to use a small object and move it to the original position. Keep in mind that this is rather dangerous, and if you don’t know what you’re doing you can easily permanently damage your DVD drive and your PC.

Several users reported that cleaning their optical reader fixed the problem. There are many ways to do that, and the best one might be to open your DVD drive and clean it with a cue tip.

If you’re not comfortable with removing your DVD drive, you can always use a disc that comes with a small brush that automatically cleans your DVD.

If cleaning the DVD drive doesn’t work, your DVD might be faulty, and the only choice is to replace the entire DVD drive.

5. Change your group policy

According to users, if DVD is not working the problem might be related to built-in burning features. However, you can resolve this problem by making few changes in Group Policy Editor. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Press Windows Key + R and enter gpedit.msc. Press Enter or click OK.
    gpedit.msc DVD not autoplaying Windows 10
  2. In the left pane navigate to User ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsFile Explorer. In the right pane, double click on Remove CD Burning features.
    remove CD burning features DVD not appearing in my computer
  3. When the Properties window opens, select Enabled and then click on Apply and OK.
    enable policy Windows 10 DVD drive not reading discs

If you can’t access Group Policy Editor, you can disable this feature using Registry Editor. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Open Registry Editor.
  2. In the left pane, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer key. In the right pane, look for NoCDBurning DWORD and double click it. If this DWORD isn’t available, you’ll need to create it manually.
    registry NoCDBurnining DVD not playing Windows 10
  3. Set the Value data to 1 and click on OK to save changes.
    value data DVD drive not showing

After making the changes, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.

6. Reinstall your DVD drivers

Few users reported that they fixed the problem simply by reinstalling their DVD driver. If DVD is not working, you can fix the problem by doing the following:

  1. Open Device Manager. You can do that by pressing Windows Key + X and choosing Device Manager from Win + X menu.
    device manager DVD drive not showing
  2. When Device Manager opens, locate your DVD drive and right-click it. Choose the Uninstall device.
    uninstall device DVD writer not working properly
  3. When the confirmation menu appears click on the Uninstall button.
    confirm uninstall DVD not found

Once the driver is removed, restart your PC. When the PC restarts, Windows will automatically install the default driver and your DVD drive should start working again.

7. Install the necessary drivers manually

If your DVD isn’t working on Windows 10, the problem is most likely related to your drivers. This is a minor problem that can be fixed by manually installing the missing drivers. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Open Device Manager. Locate your DVD drive on the list. If there’s a small question mark or an exclamation mark next to it, it means that there’s a problem with your DVD drive.
  2. Right-click your DVD drive and choose Update driver.
    Windows 10 DVD drive not reading discs
  3. Click on Browse my computer for driver software.
    browse my computer for driver software DVD not playing Windows 10
  4. Now click on Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
    let me pick from a list of available drivers DVD drive not showing
  5. Select the desired model from the list and click on Next.
    CD-ROM Drive DVD writer not working properly

After installing the driver manually, the problem with your DVD drive should be resolved.

8. Check for updates

If the DVD is not working, perhaps you can fix the issue simply by updating Windows 10. Windows 10 already updates itself automatically, but you can manually check for updates by doing the following:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Head over to the Update & Security
  3. Now click Check for updates

If any updates are available, they will be downloaded automatically in the background. Once the updates are downloaded, restart your PC and check if the problem is still there.

If all of the above still didn’t solve your problem, then have a look at this guide from HP that is meant for HP and Compaq computers with Windows 8, but there’s a high chance it could work for you, as well.

Microsoft To-Do updates on Windows 10 & web with new flagged email feature

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The Microsoft To-Do app updated today for the web and Windows 10 devices with the new flagged email smart list feature.

This new feature activates automatically when a user logs in with the same account information used for Office 365 and can be enabled from within the app’s settings.

After it’s enabled, a new Flagged Email smart list will appear within the left column that will pull the 10 most-recently flagged emails from the last two weeks. Each email will appear in To-Do as a task that can be managed, deleted, or checked off.

The Flagged Email smart list will not function for those that aren’t using a connected Office 365 account.

Have you had a chance to use this new feature yet? Share your thoughts on it with the community in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Microsoft tech content.

Microsoft To Do: Lists, Tasks & Reminders
Microsoft To Do: Lists, Tasks & Reminders
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Microsoft To Do: Lists, Tasks & Reminders
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Download Windows 7 KB4489885, KB4489878 on Patch Tuesday

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Well, the March 2019 Patch Tuesday edition didn’t bring any major updates to Windows 7 users.

While there are two new updates available for download (KB4489885 and KB4489878), they only focus on adding general security updates to various Windows components.

The changelog is rather “thin” and reads as follows:

Addresses an issue that may prevent the Event Viewer from showing some event descriptions for network interface cards (NIC). 
Security updates to Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Cryptography, Windows Hyper-V, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Server, Windows Kernel, Windows MSXML, and the Microsoft JET Database Engine

It is worth mentioning that security update KB4489885 brings one additional bug fix that fixes the issue causing the abbreviated Japanese Era names to be incorrect.

Windows 7 KB4489885, KB4489878 bugs

These updates also come with a known issues. Microsoft acknowledged that after installing one of these patches, Internet Explorer 10 may have authentication issues.

As the Redmond giant explains, this problem occurs when two or more people use the same user account for multiple, concurrent login sessions on the same machine.

When this happens, you may experience one of the following issues: cache size and location show zero or empty, keyboard shortcuts may not work properly, webpages may intermittently fail to load or render correctly, credential prompts will keep on popping and you won’t be able to download files from the internet.

In order to avoid this problem in the first place, the best solution is to simply use different user accounts for each user.

If you already downloaded KB4489885, KB4489878 and you encountered additional bugs, do let us know in the comments below.

KB4489868, KB4489886, KB4489871 and KB4489882 [Download links]

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

If you’re running older Windows 10 versions, there are four new cumulative updates that you can install on your computer.

Each OS version has its own cumulative update.

If you’re interested in downloading the stand-along update package, follow the direct download links listed below.

March 2019 Patch Tuesday update download links

The March 2019 Patch Tuesday edition brought only “thin” updates, so to speak. In other words, the new patches feature less than 5 bug fixes and improvements on the official changelog.

More specifically, there are two common fixes and improvements that these four cumulative updates share.

Microsoft has fixed the software issues causing error 1309. At the same time, the tech giant added a series of security updates to many Windows 10 components and programs.

Addresses an issue that may cause users to receive “Error 1309” while installing or uninstalling certain types of MSI and MSP files.

Security updates to Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Shell, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Wireless Networking, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Hyper-V, Windows Server, Windows Linux, Window Kernel, Windows MSXML, and the Microsoft JET Database Engine.

It is worth mentioning that KB4489871 and KB4489882 also fixed the issues that causes users to receive an erroneous return value of “0” when calling _isleadbyte_l().

Have you already installed the latest Patch Tuesday updates on your Windows 10 machine? Tell us more about your experience in the comments below.

Download KB4489899 to fix graphics and mouse issues in games

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

If you’re running Windows 10 v1908 on your computer, you can now check for updates and download KB4489899.

If you’re also a gamer, you’ll definitely want to download this patch as soon as possible as it fixes a series of annoying bugs limiting your gaming experience.

Download KB4489899 [Direct download links from Microsoft]

As stated above, you can also download the updates automatically via Windows Update.

Hit the ‘Check for updates‘ button and the updates will download automatically.

KB4489899 changelog

This cumulative update brings only 3 bug fixes, as well as some security improvements.

Here’s the official changelog:

  • Addresses an issue in Microsoft HoloLens with tracking and device calibration that has affected some users. You may notice improvement 10-15 minutes after installing this update, but we recommend resetting the holograms for best results. 
  •  Addresses an issue that may cause users to receive “Error 1309” while installing or uninstalling certain types of MSI and MSP files.
  • Addresses an issue that may degrade graphics and mouse performance with desktop gaming when playing certain games, such as Destiny 2, after installing KB4482887.
  • Security updates to Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Shell, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers, Windows Server, Windows Linux, Windows Hyper-V, Windows Datacenter Networking, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Wireless Networking, the Microsoft JET Database Engine, Windows Kernel, Windows, and Windows Fundamentals.

Keep in mind that some users may experience audio issues and browsing slowdowns after installing this patch.

Chrome’s new smooth scrolling feature lands later this year

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Google’s Canary Build has revealed Microsoft’s plans to add the smooth scrolling functionality to the newly designed version of Edge. Users will be able to scroll using scrollbars when the main thread is busy.

The decision will impact Mac, Windows, Linux,  Android and Chrome OS as the platforms that support Chromium based browsers. 

We have reported earlier that the upcoming Edge browser will be based on Chromium. The news was later confirmed as Microsoft officially started contributing to the open-source project.

We can expect significant improvement in the native Chrome browser itself as a result.

Recent reports suggest that Microsoft is planning to fix the scrolling issues in Chrome and other Chromium based browsers by adding a new feature. The news came into the spotlight as a result of recent commit by Microsoft to the Gerrit source code management of Chromium.

Instead of a bug, users have reported the smooth scrolling to be a feature request accepted by the company.

Microsoft will enhance the feature on Windows devices because we known the smooth scrolling feature is already available in Google Chrome. The company said that Windows 10-based accessibility client apps will be compatible with the latest version of Edge.

How to enable smooth scrolling in Google

Google is working on the feature and it is now available in the Chrome‘s Canary build. Users can enable the smooth scrolling feature if they have the new Canary build. Move towards the Chrome flags and look for Smooth scrolling. Your scrolling on the browser will be improved as you have enabled the feature.

The news surfaced online as Microsoft is ready to release the latest Chromium-based version of Edge. A few days ago, a leaked screenshot unveiled the UI of the Chromium based Edge browser.

Reports confirm that the new browser will be equipped with a lot of latest capabilities, features, and improvements. Some of these features include Chromium for Arm, touch optimization, and browser-accessibility features.

Up until now, Microsoft has not allowed Chrome users to have access to test or enable the smooth scrolling feature.  The feature is currently under development and we can expect it to be released in the second half of the year.

 

Minecraft will join the Xbox Game Pass catalog on April 4

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Minecraft, the popular sandbox game that Microsoft acquired back in 2014 is finally coming to Xbox Game Pass. The Xbox One version of the game will join the Game Pass catalog on April 4, but Microsoft is leaving Minecraft for Windows 10 out of the party for now.

“Since its launch in 2009, the Minecraft community has remained one of the most active and passionate in gaming, attracting over 91 million players of all ages from virtually every country in the world. Those joining through Xbox Game Pass will enter a vibrant, global community that plays across 20 unique platforms like Windows 10, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and mobile. Xbox Game Pass players will also gain access to an ever-expanding array of content for purchase via the in-game Minecraft Marketplace, which contains over 1,000 pieces of content from 60 distinct creators,” explained Parimal Deshpande, Director of Product Marketing for Xbox Game Pass.

Minecraft was one of the few first-party games that Microsoft had yet to add to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, and there are still a couple left such as Forza Motorsport 7, an Xbox Play Anywhere title released last year. We hope this will change soon so Xbox Game Pass finally becomes the only service you need to play all Xbox Game Studios games from the past, present and future.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming to the Windows 10 Microsoft Store and Steam, with Halo: Reach to be added soon

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The rumor was true, Halo developer 343 Industries has been secretly working on a PC version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and the anthology will be released on the Windows 10 Microsoft Store and Steam later this year. That’s pretty great news for PC gamers, as the last Halo game to be released on PC was Halo 2 back in 2007.

Halo: MCC on PC will include the same content as the Xbox One game, but 343 Industries’ Brian Jarrard said today that the games will actually roll out one by one. Another great news that Jarrard announced today is that Halo: Reach, Bungie’s latest Halo game released back in 2010 on the Xbox 360 will soon be added to Halo: MCC on Xbox One and PC. On Xbox One, the multiplayer content will be free for everyone who owns Halo: MCC, but the campaign and Firefight modes will be available as a paid DLCs (all content will be available for free for Xbox Game Pass subscribers).  This will be different on PC as Halo Reach will actually be the first game to be released on this platform, and the PC version will include all game content.

The Master Chief’s arrival on PC will happen in stages with each title releasing one by one over time -– giving the development teams the ability to ensure each one is right, while giving players a chance to jump in right away, rather than having to wait for the entire suite of games to be completed. Our current plan is for this journey to begin with the launch of Halo: Reach – the fictional beginnings of Master Chief’s saga – with the rest of the titles following in chronological order thereafter. Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST (Campaign), and Halo 4 will each be available for individual purchase within MCC as they become available. And each game will evolve and grow over time with community input.

Jarrard said today that Halo: MCC will be released on PC later this year, but didn’t share an ETA. We also don’t know if the Microsoft Store version will support Xbox Play Anywhere and cross-platform multiplayer between Windows 10 and Xbox One, but 343 Industries will likely share more details in the coming months.

Microsoft sues FoxConn over unpaid royalties, and FoxConn is furious

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

In some Chinese industries the business procurement of international intellectual property can be a murky undertaking, to put it nicely.

Citing a report by Phys.org, “a survey of US businesses by the American Chamber of Commerce shows IP infringement continues to be a top challenge for some in China, citing inadequate laws and the difficulty of prosecuting cases as the most vexing IP issues.”

As with most companies who deal with and in China, Microsoft has found itself in a quagmire trying to enforce infringement issues with its Windows software, where in many cases, the operating system is bundled with hardware to customers by manufacturers who have not paid the well-known licensing fee asked by the software maker.

Today, March 12, 2019, Microsoft is planting another flag in the ground around IP infringement and this one is at the expense of upsetting a very powerful Chinese manufacturer in Foxconn.

Foxconn which has become almost synonyms with the iPhone and many of the other big tech items purchased around the world, just received notice of a lawsuit filed against the company by Microsoft.

According to an article from Reuters, Microsoft’s lawsuit against FIH Mobile Ltd, a Foxconn subsidiary, is asserting to the North District of California, that the company has been “unpaid royalties for patents used in devices for clients including a top Chinese smartphone vendor.”

In reaction to the news, founder and chief executive of Foxconn Terry Gou was furious claims an insider. Gou conducted an impromptu conference to address the lawsuit and explain that Foxconn “has never paid any patent fees to Microsoft.”

On the flipside, Microsoft is proclaiming that its original 2013 deal with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, before it became known as Foxccon, supersede its current understanding with Foxconn.

It is unclear at this point exactly what was infringed upon by FIH Mobile Ltd, especially with Microsoft almost comically exiting the mobile hardware game over two years ago.

Regardless of the infringement claims, Foxconn’s Gou is not going to take the lawsuit sitting down and appears ready to deal with it in court, answering questions about the incident at a press conference with “they should not pick on manufacturers.

With latest update, Fortnite now forces Xbox One / PS4 multiplayer crossplay

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Fortnite, the widely popular 100-player battle-royale first-person shooter from Epic Games, has received an update today, bringing cross platform multiplayer between the PS4 and Xbox One editions to table (via Thurrott). This means that Epic will be putting both console users in the same matchmaking pool, as opposed to keeping PS4 users in their own. Of course, you’ll have to opt in to the feature, but if you opt out you’ll be restricted to Creative Mode and Playgrounds.

Interestingly, Nindendo Switch users will be removed from the console matchmaking pool, and will instead be moved to the same pool as Android and iOS users. In the changelog, Epic says that they “expect an on-average better per-game experience for both Mobile and Switch players,” although it’s hard to understand why given the different input methods (controller vs. touchscreen) of the two groups of players.

But on the bright side, at least cross-platform multiplayer now works on the PS4 due to Sony’s softening of its stance on cross-platform multiplayers games. This could likely result in more titles getting cross play for the platform, bringing gamers from both sides together instead of keeping them apart.

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How to trigger a Windows 10 BSoD on-demand

Posted on by davew

The Blue Screen of Death (BSoD), or stop error, is an error that appears on your Windows 10 PC during a system crash. Windows Insiders running Preview builds on their Windows 10 PCs will experience a Green Screen of Death (GSoD). Obviously, a BSoD is not exactly the best thing you want to see on your Windows 10 PC, as it often means really bad news for you. Sometimes, though, you might want to see how well your Windows 10 PC recovers after a BSoD, or if you’re a developer you may want to see how an app handles a system crash. Oddly enough, Microsoft has instructions on how to modify your Windows 10 PC’s Registry to enable a keyboard shortcut to force a BSoD. In this guide, we’ll show you how to trigger a Windows 10 BSoD on-demand.

Microsoft, Windows 10, BSOD, Windows 10 PC
Green Screen of Death (GSoD) for Windows Insider builds

As always before we start, I need to point out a warning that editing your Registry can cause permanent and irreparable errors to your Windows 10 PC. Please back up your PC before attempting any of the following instructions. Additionally, this process will only work for Windows 10 PCs using a PS/2 or USB keyboard with a Scroll Lock key. With that out of the way, let’s begin.

How to trigger a Windows 10 BSoD on-demand

Here are the 10 steps you need to follow:

1. Type in “Regedit” in the Windows 10 search bar
2. Once you see the “Registry Editor” app pop up, click run as administrator.
3. Go the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServiceskbdhidParameters
4. Right-click on the right panel, select New, and select “DWORD (32-bit) Value.” Microsoft, Windows 10, BSOD, Windows 10 PC
5. Name the new DWORD “CrashOnCtrlScroll” and press Enter.
6. Double-click CrashOnCtrlScroll and change its hexadecimal value from 0 to 1.Microsoft, Windows 10, BSOD, Windows 10 PC
7. Click OK to confirm the new value.
8. Go to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesi8042prtParameters
9. Repeat Steps 4-7
10. Restart your computer to apply the new Registry settings.

In order to remove the keyboard shortcut to trigger a Windows 10 BSoD, all you need to do is repeat Step 3 and Step 8 and delete the “CrashOnCtrlScroll” DWORD from both paths. You can trigger a BSoD in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 using the same steps in your Registry Editor.

Once you complete these steps, you can use your keyboard to intentionally trigger a Windows 10 BSoD crash by holding down the right Ctrl key and pressing Scroll Lock twice. The keyboard shortcut sequence will force Windows 10 to trigger a KeBugCheck and generate a 0xE2 error displaying the BSoD screen, along with a “MANUALLY_INITIATED_CRASH” message. Your Windows 10 PC will also create and save a crash dump that can be used for debugging later if needed.

Alternatively, there is another option to trigger a BSoD (or GSoD) on your Windows 10 PC, using the Command Prompt. It’s a faster process and does not require you to edit any of your registry settings. You can trigger a Windows 10 BSoD (or GSoD) in 3 steps:

  1. Open Command Prompt, and choose “Run as administrator”
  2. Type in the following command: TASKKILL /IM svchost.exe /F
  3. Press Enter

Once you press Enter, you will see the BSoD (or GSoD) error screen. The reason you are seeing a BSoD or GSoD is that the command line you entered forcibly killed a critical process needed for Windows 10 to run correctly. Please note: TASKKILL is not available in Home versions of Windows 10, TSKILL is used in its place. One might wonder why anyone want to force their computers to see the Windows 10 BSoD.

For starters, some developers might use the BSoD to get to the route of an issue they are experiencing with their Windows 10 PC that is a custom hardware build. Other times, developers might need to trigger a BSoD to test an application’s resiliency after an unexpected restart. Otherwise, it’s a fun way to prank a friend or family member.

RPG Maker MV is no longer coming to Microsoft’s Xbox One consoles

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

RPG Maker MV, a video game that lets players create their own old-school roleplaying games, will no longer be coming to the Xbox One family of consoles.

The game was originally set to launch on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in late-2018 with the Xbox One version being a late addition to the release schedule. The Xbox One version was expected to gain cross-play with the Nintendo Switch version.

While the Switch and PS4 version did come out in November, the Xbox One version of RPG Maker MV was delayed until early-2019.
The official announcement of the cancellation (Japanese) doesn’t specify why the Xbox One version was abandoned, simply stating it was canned due to “various circumstances.”

Were you looking forward to RPG Maker MV on Xbox One and are you disappointed by this cancellation? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

3 cool Windows 10/11 spring wallpapers to download right now

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Microsoft has just rolled out three new wallpaper packs for Windows 10. All of them are based Spring-themed. You can download them for free from the Microsoft Store.

These themes come with high-quality images. They are named Pi Day, an African Safari and Smiling Creatures. If you install them, you will not see any new sounds or visual modifications apart from the wallpaper itself. 

Spring is right around the corner, followed by a hot summer season. If you are a fan of the Spring season you will see amazing flowers everywhere.

We can not deny the fact that desktop the dull and boring desktop can never be a great source of inspiration. So, Microsoft has released pretty cool and nice wallpapers to spice up your boring desktop this spring. 

Download Spring-themed wallpaper packs

1. AN AFRICAN SAFARI

Microsoft describes the “An African Safari” theme as:

Cheetah cubs in the savannah, a giraffe in a misty forest, and zebra outlined by the Serengeti sunset. These are just a few of the magnificent African animals featured in this 20-image set, free for Windows 10 Themes.

DOWNLOAD AN AFRICAN SAFARI 

2. PI DAY

Microsoft describes the “Pi Day” theme as:

How will you celebrate the elegance of the mathematical constant p (pi)? It’s approximate, irrational, and circular… or you could just eat some pie on March 14 instead. Do the math: these eight images are free for Windows 10 Themes.

DOWNLOAD PI DAY

3. SMILING CREATURES

Microsoft describes the “Smiling Creatures” theme as:

Need a smile? Have 16! Grins grace the faces of these 16 adorable animals, fish, and one happy grasshopper, free for Windows 10 Themes.

DOWNLOAD SMILING CREATURES

After you have downloaded the themes, you can navigate to Settings > Personalization > Theme to enable the free themes published by Microsoft.

You can now switch between different wallpapers right from your desktop. Change the wallpaper by just a right-click on the desktop and Next background.

You can install the wallpapers on up to ten devices running Windows 10.

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Download March 2019 Patch Tuesday updates as soon as they’re out

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Microsoft is going to release the March Patch Tuesday updates in just a few hours’ time.  

The updates will specifically address the existing vulnerabilities in the Windows OS. At the same time, the patches will fix usability and performance related issues.

Users are looking forward to this release after the failed release of the October 2018 Update.

A bug was reported in this update that caused the removal of some user files. Therefore, Microsoft was forced to pull back the update right after it was released.

Windows 10 March Patch Tuesday updates

Apart from the typical security patches, we expect the Windows 10 March 2018 Patch Tuesday updates to finally fix the bugs (including authentication issues) in Internet Explorer 10.

The bugs are currently restricting two or more users from using the same user account for various concurrent login sessions. Furthermore, it may fix the issues in Microsoft Access 95.

1. OS bug fixes

As far as the past few updates are concerned, Microsoft is focusing on the fixing the issues in the OS.

As mentioned earlier, these cumulative updates will also bring a handful of improvements and bug fixes to increase the stability and reliability of the operating systems.

The same is valid for cumulative updates for Windows 10 and monthly roll-ups for Windows 8 and 7.  

Which is the latest version of Windows 10? Find out from our constantly updated article!

2. Microsoft Office bug fixes

Last week, Office 2010, 2013 and 2016 users got many non-security Microsoft Office updates. The upcoming update will also fix the issues that currently exist in the Microsoft Office productivity suite.

Download March 2019 Patch Tuesday Updates

Let’s see how the update turns out to be as Microsoft will roll out the Windows 10 cumulative updates in the next few hours.

The upcoming updates will automatically start installing on your PC if you have enabled automatic updates. Moreover, manual updates can be installed by checking for updates via the Settings page.

check for updates

Follow our latest news stories for the list of changes and any potential bugs in the new cumulative updates tomorrow.

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LMS.exe: What is it and how to fix high CPU usage

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Depending on the task that you’re performing, you may keep noticing the LMS.exe process in your task manager.

And just with other .exe files, the presence of the lms.exe process in our systems is a bit disconcerting considering that it’s not a very well-known program.

As a matter of fact, other users have reported that the file seems to be resources-thirsty apparently gobbling up to 80% of the CPU time.

This causes their computers to take an eternity to respond and makes using a PC a frustrating experience.

But what is the lms.exe file and should it worry you? Then, how can you fix its high CPU usage issue? Read on to get the answer.

What is lms.exe?

What does LMS EXE do

In full, LMS is Local Management Service.

It is part of the Intel Management and Security Application, a utility that helps you access, troubleshoot, and manage PCs using intel Core vPro processors remotely.

The app needs the installation of a stable Microsoft .NET Framework to run.

In terms of roles, the LMS delivers Windows-related Intel remote management functions and typically runs in the background to facilitate requested tasks of it by the Intel platform.

By and large, Lms.exe is more useful in a business environment.

Where is lms.exe located?

The LMS.exe typically resides in either the C:Program Files (x86)IntelIntel(R) Management Engine folderLMS folder or a variation of theC:Program Files (x86)IntelAMT subfolder.

There have been several releases of the program so the file exists in several versions.

Is lms.exe Malware?

Undoubtedly, the program is authenticate and has no history of messing up systems in its native format. However, some malware masquerades as lms.exe and can wreak havoc in your machine without being detected by your antivirus.

The fact that the file can hide itself while remaining active behind the scenes makes it a favorite among notorious cybercriminals.

Indeed, it’s probably a malware if you find it operating from funny paths such as the documents folder, your system32 subfolder, and C:WindowsFonts.

Issues associated with Lms.Exe

The LMS.exe frequently brings problems. Besides the high CPU usage, it has been blamed for conflicting with other tools and occasioning issues in overall PC operation.

How to get rid of LMS.exe high CPU usage

We will discuss a number of fixes but let’s focus on the biggest complaint: how to sort the lms.exe CPU intensive challenge before everything else.

Well, it’s not always that the process will hijack the CPU. However, if you’re simultaneously administering too many procedures all related to the utility program, then it will automatically pull down your PC’s performance.

This is what you should do:

1. Change the current configuration setup

You can use the Windows MSConfig (Microsoft System Configuration) facility to change how windows behave at boot and hence the starting of the LMS process.

Steps:

  1. Click on the Start button and type msconfig on the search box then click ok.What is LMS process?
  2. Choose the startup tab then click ok.
  3. Click on open task manager.
  4. Locate Intel management engine and tap on disable.How does an LMS work?
  5. Close this Window and click ok.
  6. Restart the PC and see if the hiccup persists.

2. Use Windows Task Manager to manually disable it

If the msconfig steps seem daunting, you can opt to utilize the good old task manager in aborting the offending process.

Steps:

  1. After boot, open Windows Task Manager(press CTRL+ALT+DEL keys).
  2. Scroll through the processes window and locate the lms.exe.lms.exe high cpu usage
  3. Click on it and choose end process.

3. Disable from BIOS

Additionally, your system has the AMT (Active Management Technology) or ME (Management Engine) in the BIOS tabs in the BIOS and you can halt them from there.

Steps:

  1. Restart your PC
  2. Press the appropriate key to enter into BIOS at startup.
  3. Find the AMT/ ME areas and set them to disable. To be on the safe side, do this for every other Intel Management Engine connected Components and Intel Management Engine software you come across.
  4. Exit BIOS (Saving the changes) and reboot.

Should I remove LMS.exe?

Because of its enterprise computing nature, it could be unwise to uninstall the tool in a company PC.

On the other hand, it may not have much of an effect on computers used in home environments though we still recommend that uninstallation should be your last resort.

Steps:

  1. Go to start button.
  2. Type cmd (in the search dialogue)
  3. Chose command prompt (desktop app) then run as administrator from the results.lms exe windows 10
  4. Type sc delete LMS on the open command window then press enter.intel management and security application local management service disable

This should erase the LMS.exe tool.

How to fix other lms.exe issues

Please note that the fixes I have highlighted above can also be useful for a couple of other errors emanating from the lms.exe.

Here are some extra successful solutions:

Update The Process and supporting framework

Most of the reported lms issues are primarily due to the application running into problems when operating.

Now, one of the most accomplished ways to stop these issues is to update the relevant applications.

Steps:

Just search the Intel website for the most recent Intel Active Management Technology (Local Manageability Service)update.

You then download and install it.

Also, check that the essential .NET Framework (3.5 or 4.x) is correctly installed and updated (see how How you can Download the .NET Framework for Windows 10). lms.exe

Your problems could soon be gone if all goes well.

Run an Antivirus scan

Do you recall what we said about the file being a darling of creators of harmful software?

Now, the only way you can rule out the possibility of your machine being under an attack from these dangerous apps is to perform a thorough virus/attack check on your system.

Again you have alternatives:

Option 1: Use the powerful Microsoft Safety Scanner

Microsoft Safety Scanner has been designed to diligently find and oust viruses, spyware, and other kinds of malicious software from infected Windows computers and is quite effective.

You simply download the free security scanner and run it.

It will not only discover even sneaky malware like Mydoom and Sasser but will also attempt to reverse all injurious changes implemented by the identified threats.

Steps

  1. Download this tool (choose the 32-bit link or 64-bit link) and open it.
  2. Then select your preferred type of scan and start the malware scan.
  3. Let it complete and review the results as displayed on your screen to see if the LMS.exe file appears.

Please backup your files prior to executing the disinfection process as any affected data files may be deleted in their entirety (and data lost) during healing. 

Option 2: Use your installed antivirus program

If you have one of the best antivirus software with encryption installed, then just launch a virus scan using it. Check the manufacturer’s website if you have forgotten the steps.

You can even clean your system using Windows Defender.

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Windows Background Slideshow Not Working [Fix]

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Occasionally, you’d like to see your best photos and/or pictures saved on your computer displayed as the background or a slideshow. But many who did try reported that the Windows background slideshow is not working.

Why is my background slideshow not working?

The problem is most likely within your computer’s power settings, which you must change before the background slideshow can work again.

However, the main problems could be:

  • Feature not turned on: The background slideshow option is not enabled
  • Issues with the compatibility: Background slideshow won’t work from previous Windows versions or isn’t found at all
  • Problems selecting photos: Links to your photo album send back the No items match your search error message when selecting a folder with your pictures.

There is good news for you: we have working solutions to fix the issue of your Windows 10 background slideshow function not working.

What can I do if Windows 10 background slideshow not working?

1. Change the power settings

  1. Right-click Start.
  2. Select Control Panel.
  3. Search and select the Power option.
  4. Click Change Plan settings.
  5. Now, click Advanced power settings.
  6. Click Desktop Background settings.
  7. Go to the Slideshow tab.advanced power options
  8. Change it from Pause to Available.

If your desktop background slideshow won’t change, go to the next solution.

2. Save as Theme

  1. Go to Themes
  2. Save your current background settings as a theme.
  3. Give the theme a name.
  4. Click Save.

When Windows 10 slideshow is not working, saving it as a theme should do the trick, as it did for other users!

3. Change the Personalization settings

  1. Click Start and choose Settings.
  2. Click Personalization.
  3. On the Background drop-down menu, select Slideshow.
background settings

When the Windows 10 background slideshow is not showing all pictures, changing the Personalization settings will help!

4. Turn on the Desktop background settings

  1. Click Start and select Settings.
  2. Now, click Ease of Access settings.ease of access
  3. Click Other options.
  4. Turn on the Show Windows Background setting.

Usually, when the desktop background is a solid color, it was probably turned off on this setting. You can also right-click on your desktop, choose Next desktop background, and see if it helps.

5. Restore the albums folder 

  1. Click Start and go to Settings.
  2. Now, click Personalization.background settings
  3. Click Lock screen on the left pane.
  4. Go to Background and select Slideshow from the drop-down menu.
  5. Select Choose albums for your slideshow.background slideshow
  6. Remove the folder that holds the photos or pictures.
  7. Restore the folder.

If the Windows 10 photos slideshow is not working, removing the folder and then adding it all over again should work.

6. Check if you’re using sub-folders

Sub-folders are not well supported for the background slideshow function, whether in Settings or Control Panel.

If you set your Picture library to be the root of your subdirectory system, selecting the Picture library as your slideshow folder is advisable.

Choose a folder that directly contains the images or photos you want to use for your background slideshow.

And by now, you should have things running when the background slideshow is not working in Windows 11 or the previous iterations.

Before leaving, find the best Windows slideshow maker software and get one today!

Did any of these solutions resolve your issue? Share with us your experience in the comments section.

Skype for Web drops support for ChromeOS and Linux

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Skype released a brand-new version for Skype for web that enables the users to make Skype calls directly from their browsers. The twist in the story is that the web application has dropped support for Linux and Chrome OS.

Last year Skype for web has introduced some new and exciting features such as Skype-to-Skype call recording, high-definition video calling, and a notifications panel.

Furthermore, it allows the users to search for any specific message with in the a conversation. In this way you can save a lot of time and effort that is required to scroll through all of your chat history.

Skype for Web offers all the features that you will currently find in the desktop application. It even has the same look and feel, and you can perform all these activities using the latest version:

  • Access the Skype profile
  • Update the activity status
  • Get a Skype number
  • Add credit
  • Access Settings

Limitations for some users

Back in 2015, when Skype was experimenting with its Web version it was supporting the Linux and Chrome OS. It was available for both the platforms after its launch on the two big platforms macOS and Windows.

It looks like the web application was found to be stable enough on macOS and Windows so it dropped the support for the other two smaller platforms.

Users running MacOS 10.12 or higher and Windows operating system along with Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome can only enjoy the latest features.

It’s clear that, if you are using a Linux system or a Chromebook, you won’t be able to access the new version of Skype for Web.

Moreover, the tool does not support the Firefox browser and mobile devices. It clearly means that you might have to face “Browser not supported” message if you are using any unsupported browser.

Most of the loyal Skype users found that to be annoying. They still had to use the desktop application because of the limitations.

It’s still unclear that when the web application will be launched for the unsupported platform. But users still hope that will happen soon.

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Microsoft reveals new “MixPot”rewards you can win by watching Inside Xbox on Mixer tomorrow

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft’s Inside Xbox live show is coming back for a new episode tomorrow, and the company has just revealed some exclusive “MixPot” rewards for its Mixer audience. This time, those of you who watch the show on Mixer will win a Lollipop accessory box for Black Desert Online, a MMORPG that was released on Xbox earlier this month.

That’s not all, as everyone will also get the chance to win a digital copy of One Piece: World Seeker, an upcoming action-adventure game to be released March 15.

The program for tomorrow’s episode appears to be pretty exciting. There will be news about State of Decay 2, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, DayZ, new Xbox Game Pass updates, as well as a major Halo: The Master Chief Collection announcement. The Xbox One anthology is expected to be finally released on Windows 10, but many Halo fans would also like to see Halo: Reach, Bungie’s latest Halo game to be added in a remastered form.

We’ll be covering this new Inside Xbox live tomorrow,  but make sure to watch it live on Mixer at 5PM ET / 2PM PT.

Microsoft is bringing 13 brand new ID@Xbox titles to GDC

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has just announced 13 new ID@Xbox titles ahead of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco next week. The Redmond giant is planning a big presence at GDC this year with some sessions dedicated to Project xCloud, as well as a new cross-platform Xbox Development Kit (XDK).

“We’re looking forward to this year at GDC, with 13 newly announced titles joining us in San Francisco and a total of 30 games featured across the Microsoft Booth, in the lower level of the South Hall, and our Developer Showcase event for media,” wrote Jessica Ronnell, ID@Xbox Events and Community Management Lead. The latest ID@XBox tites include Beholder 2, Boomerang Fu, CrossCode, Dead Static Drive, Door Kickers: Action Squad, HyperDot, Mowin’ & Throwin’, StarCrossed, Stela, The Forgotten City, Totem Teller, UnderMine and Unrailed. You can learn more about these games on Xbox Wire.

The ID@Xbox program remains a great way to bring more indie devs to release their games on Xbox One, and the program passed the 1,000 titles milestone last year. Highlights include the vintage-looking run and gun game Cuphead, the puzzle-platformer INSIDE or the farming simulation game Stardew Valley. These games usually get much less exposure than blockbuster AAA games, but if you pay attention you’ll definitely notice some beautiful gems here and there.