Microsoft Teams is getting a new setting that will allow users to choose a default setting for opening the shared Office files. The software giant has recently announced in a message on the Microsoft 365 Admin center that this update will begin rolling out to all desktop users by the end of this month.
Currently, Microsoft Teams on the desktop only provides an option to view Office files (shared within chats and channels) directly within the app. However, this will change next month with the addition of a new default option in Settings. “This new feature allows users to set a default of browser, desktop or Teams when opening Office files (Word, Excel, and Power Point) that are shared in Teams,” Microsoft explained in a message on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
To change their default setting, users will need to click their profile picture, choose Settings >> General >> and then scroll down to the Files section. They will see a dropdown menu to choose between the following options:
Teams: This is the default setting that will use Office viewer to open the document.
Desktop app: Microsoft Teams will use the appropriate desktop app to open the Office file on both Windows and Mac.
Browser: Microsoft Teams will open the document in read-only mode via Office Online.
In addition to this, Microsoft Teams users will also be able to change the default setting when opening a document. You can see how this new menu will look below.
It is important to note that the app will require users to install Office version 16 or newer to enable this setting on their desktops. Moreover, this option will only be available for Office documents, and the Teams app will continue to use Office viewer for PDF files. Let us know in the comments below if you think this option will help to manage shared files in Microsoft Teams?
Remember the Apple ads? “What’s a computer?” is something that Apple has wanted you to think about for quite some time now. Yet, Microsoft has fired back with some Surface Pro 7 ads that mock the iPad Pro.
No matter how you look at it, the Surface Pro 7 and the iPad Pro are two different machines. Recently, though, the iPad has tried to cross those lines and become more of an actual laptop replacement — especially with the addition of the “all-powerful” Apple M1 chip inside.
Being the curious person I am, I went out and traded up my iPad Air 3 for an iPad Pro 12.9 inch model. I specifically tried to use it as my main computing device as part of an experience. And, while the hardware is beautiful, there are some shortfalls that limit the experience for me. Here’s the Surface fan’s review of Apple’s latest flagship iPad.
Specs, Ports & Price
The model I purchased for review is the base 12.9-inch model. It comes configured with 128 GB of storage, 8 GB of RAM, and the Apple M1 processor inside. The display is Apple’s new Liquid Retina XDR display (featuring mini LED tech) display, sized at 12.9 inches.
As for ports, there’s a lone Thunderbolt 3 USB-C port on the bottom supporting data of up to 40GBps, and connections to 4K and 5K displays or newer Thunderbolt 3 accessories. That’s an improvement over the last iPad Pro which didn’t have Thunderbolt support. There’s no headphone jack on this year’s iPad Pro, nor is there a fingerprint reader like the iPad Air 4. You’ll have to settle for FaceID via the new 12MP, f/1.8 front-facing camera.
Pricing on my configuration is at $1,099, not including the Logitech Keyboard ($229) and Apple Pencil ($125) I purchased as extras. You can step up configurations a bit to $1,200 for 256GB of storage. You can also buy 512GB for $1,400 or 1TB for $1,800. There’s even a model with 2TB of storage. While it’s overkill, you can get 16GB of RAM on the models with 1TB or 2TB storage.
Design
There’s a saying that goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This is something that Microsoft has lived by for a while, and Apple, too. The design of the Surface Pro lineup hasn’t changed since it was introduced, with the exception being the Surface Pro X. I can also say the same for the iPad Pro, which hasn’t changed much since the third generation back in 2018 that dropped out the fingerprint reader in favor of slim bezels.
But going back to the design, The iPad Pro sports an aluminum design that the new iPhone 12 Pro Max mimics. The shiny corners are squared off and flat. There’s even a nifty spot on the top for the Apple Pencil, just like the spot on the side of a Surface for the Surface Pen.
Overall, it is a simple design that makes the iPad feel very premium (and heavy) like holding a slab of slimmed-down marble in the hands. Just be aware you don’t find flashy colors here, as the iPad only comes in Space Gray and Silver. That silver finish is broken up at the top and bottom of the rear of the iPad with gray antenna bands.
Physically, the iPad Pro 12.9 inch measures 11 x 8.5 x 0.25 inches. It weighs 1.5 pounds and even closer to 2.5 pounds with my Logitech Keyboard. That’s still close to the Surface Pro 7 which measures in at 11.5 x 7.9 x 0.3 inches and 1.8 pounds with the keyboard. The weight and big screen might make the iPad Pro hard to hold in the hands for some people, but for me, it wasn’t a problem. If you think it’s too big, try the smaller 11-inch Pro instead.
One more obvious thing, too. There is no in-built kickstand. I opted to buy a Logitech case which adds one in. As an alternative, Apple’s Magic Keyboard is one, which will “float” the iPad up over the keyboard for you. It’s ridiculously priced at $350, though. But if you really want to use your iPad as a laptop replacement, it’s a must.
Performance
The performance here is important, as the iPad Pro sports the M1 processor found in the base MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. That leaves it with a ton of promise and power, but it does feel a bit short due to the limits of iPad OS. But don’t let me spoil the fun. Let’s jump into the good stuff first.
Looking at everyday performance, this iPad Pro is a champion for my workflows. Much like a Surface and all the other laptops I’ve reviewed, it tackles my workflow without issues. Using Safari sessions open side by side split-screen mode, I’m able to have 6+ tabs open at once.
Tabs don’t reload, and my content always stays put. Even copying files for my Podcast off a USB-C SSD was a quick task. It’s quite a change for me coming from an iPad Air, which always reloads tabs in the background and required the need for Lightning to USB-C dongles.
I also was able to open multiple apps at once in the background. YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Safari, Teams basically everything I could open, did open, and the iPad Pro handled it with charm without any delays. It’s definitely laptop-level performance when it comes to social media, web browsing, and what I like to call “casual computing.”
Day 1: Safari really respects the rules of the web for desktop like Edge and Chrome does on Windows. Websites scale to the web version. Didn't have issues. I just set to 75% scaling and it's like I'm using a Windows PC. Poor photo. But an example here. pic.twitter.com/7slGUcTttj
If you look at the Geekbench scores, you can see why. IPad Pro picks up a 7,298. Geekbench is skewed a bit for mobile devices, but that outdoes the Surface Pro 7’s 5,000 score. I also attempted to encode a video in iMovie to test the M1 chip, and the process was quite frustrating due to the mobile version of the app and the new iPad-style layout. (I’m too used to iMovie on MacOS)
When I got it to work, the iPad Pro pushed out a 1-hour long 1080p podcast via iMovie in under 5 minutes. It beat out the 12 minutes on my dedicated video editing machine, with RTX graphics. Even gaming worked well, with Call of Duty: Mobile loading up within a few seconds, animations staying smooth, and no dropped frames.
The only real performance flaws of the iPad has to do with apps and iPadOS itself. I spoke about this when I reviewed my iPad Air 3, but it’s pretty much the same experience as before. While Surface and Windows are home to productivity-first desktop apps, the iPad Pro is based on mobile-first apps. Apps are catered to mobile, and not for desktop with some missing features, as I found out when editing in iMovie or even using Microsoft Word.
Basically, as a Surface user, in using the iPad Pro as a “main computer,” I needed to get used to the reality of missing features in my apps. It takes some getting used to and is totally doable for some people who just depend on the web. But, in most cases, it is not easy and I had to go back to my PC for certain tasks.
Day 2: needed to download B-roll and other stuff for the video version of the podcast. But couldn't figure out to use the iPad version of iMovie. I had to go back to my PC. Ended up doing it as a remote PC on my iPad. I guess I'm cheating?! pic.twitter.com/t5NcBVyyfQ
That’s not to forget the fact that despite bringing the M1 chip to the iPad lineup, there are no Mac apps on the Apple App Store. You’re still dealing with iPad apps, most of which don’t leverage the 8GB of RAM and the power of the M1 chip. If Apple were to bring Mac apps to the iPad, then the full power of the M1 chip would be unlocked. It’s a really overpowered iPad as is.
Oh, and the iPad Pro doesn’t have the ability to extend to another monitor (it only lets you mirror.) It also doesn’t have a true file system or an in-depth file explorer app like a Surface or Windows PC does. That really kills any big chances at using an iPad in place of a PC, as you’ll need to depend on gestures and multitasking on the display. Apple improved the files app a bit in iPad OS 15 with progress bars for copying/pasting, but it’s a small step. The Surface doesn’t have any of these problems.
With Microsoft just announcing Windows 365, it will be interesting to see how the iPad Pro handles it. A cloud powered-version of Windows could take the iPad to a new level. We’ll have to wait and see how things work compared to just remoting into an existing PC via the network.
Display & Bloom issue
Coming from using a Surface Pro 5, and Surface Go 2, the display on the iPad Pro is quite refreshing. It’s a lot like the Surface Pro X, with slim bezels all around. The difference, though, is the refresh rate, and display technology.
The iPad Pro sports a “ProMotion,” Liquid Retina XDR 120 Hz display. This means content on the screen refreshes quickly and is much smoother when scrolling. The use of mini-LED technology in the panel also means that the iPad can dim pixel zones independently. It makes HDR content look amazing, but otherwise speaking, the difference between a regular LED screen is barely noticeable when not watching HDR movies, TV shows, or other stuff.
With HDR content, compared to an AMOLED screen on my HP Envy, the iPad does look a bit similar. In nature videos, flowers looked vibrant and realistic, and the light orange of sunsets just looked so lifelike. The screen can get pretty bright when playing back HDR content, and around 500 nits when not viewing HDR. That’s around the same peak brightness as the Surface Pro X.
But mini-LED has its faults. One of those is “Bloom,” where you see bleeding in the pixels. This wasn’t too noticeable for me, except when looking through the settings in a dark room at night with the iPad in dark mode, or even in YouTube’s media player. Everyone has experienced this one way or another, and Apple has acknowledged it already. It’s hard to produce the effect for a photo, but it’s something to get used to.
Battery Life
Finally, we hit the battery life aspect of the iPad. Battery life really depends on how you use your device, but for me, I got to around 13 hours during my mixed usage. It’s really amazing to see that level, as this rivals even the best Windows laptops, even laptops with Qualcomm processors. Where iPad falls short in battery has to do with recharging, though. Unlike the modern Surface devices which support quick charge via Surface Connect, iPad doesn’t charge quickly with the included charger. A 15-minute charge only boosted the battery by about 9% in our tests.
Apple Pencil
Now, for the pencil. Apple Pencil Gen 2 has a built-in battery that charges when it’s snapped to the top of the iPad. It’s a lot like the Surface Slim pin, which charges in the Surface Pro X’s keyboard. The Apple Pencil, though, depends on Bluetooth, so you need to keep Bluetooth on the iPad to use it (unlike Surface Pen.)
Overall, Apple Pencil feels like a real pencil, in the same way that the regular Surface Pen does. I just wish it had an eraser. I needed to tap the pencil to switch to an eraser each time, unlike Surface Pen where the top is the eraser. Drawing, though, is plenty smooth, especially thanks to the ProMotion Display.
Cameras
When it comes to the cameras, I wish most Windows PCs were as good as the iPad Pro. The iPad Pro sports a “center stage” selfie camera on the front. This makes it seem as though the camera is on a gimbal, as it’s able to follow you around. But it’s actually a software trick that uses the 12MP f/1.8 lens to zoom in and out. During Facetime calls if I moved left or right, the camera was able to track me and keep me in the field of view. It’s quite magical. The only downfall to this is that the camera is on the side, and not on a top bezel like on a Surface, so you need to adjust where you’re sitting during calls.
As for the rear camera, you’ll find a 12-megapixel, f/1.8 wide-angle main lens. There’s also a secondary 10MP, f/2.4 ultra-wide-angle camera, and LIDAR sensor. This is an iPad and not a DSLR, so don’t expect professional photos. For that, buy an iPhone!
Not to replace your computer
I got an iPad Pro to see if it can replace my Surface and my computer. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. While it’s an excellent device, iPad OS holds back the full potential of the iPad Pro, and even the potential of the M1 chip inside. You can buy one if you want to change the way you work and switch over to using mobile-first apps but be prepared for missing features. Trust me when I say it, as much as Apple wants the iPad to be a Surface replacement, it can not. The iPad will always be a tablet and not your main computer.
Windows 11 is definitely on everyone’s lips for good reasons that it’s running smoothly and it has a great design but also for its inherent bugs as an early build.
However, a new question arose on the Microsoft Community board: Are we going to see a 32-bit version of Windows 11?
As the question stirred a lot of debate, we’re going to make some documented assumptions ourselves and give you a proper answer.
Will there be a Windows 11 32-bit version?
Microsoft didn’t clearly specify that there’s not going to be a Windows 11 32-bit version but all the data shows that we’re not going to see such a thing.
We’re going to start from the Windows 11 requirements and they clearly stipulate that for running the new OS, you need a 64-bit capable processor.
However, that’s not proof that there’s not going to be a 32-bit version of Windows 11. You can perfectly run a 32-bit system on a 64-bit processor.
Next, 32-bit systems are obsolete. We can list only a few Linux distributions that still support the outdated architecture and MacOS crossed to the 64-bit camp a long time ago.
Even Windows 10 will only use 64-bit builds
Another important clue comes from the Windows 10 Requirements page that is clearly stating that Windows 10 will only use 64-bit builds:
Beginning with Windows 10, version 2004, all new Windows 10 systems will be required to use 64-bit builds and Microsoft will no longer release 32-bit builds for OEM distribution. This does not impact 32-bit customer systems that are manufactured with earlier versions of Windows 10; Microsoft remains committed to providing feature and security updates on these devices, including continued 32-bit media availability in non-OEM channels to support various upgrade installation scenarios.
So, not even the soon-to-be expired OS will be available in its 32-bit form so we don’t expect to be otherwise with Windows 11.
However, there’s absolutely no reason to believe that you won’t be able to run 32-bit applications on your 64-bit system.
And another question can push through: How will users running a Windows 10 32-bit version be able to upgrade to a Windows 11 system?
The answer here is pretty simple: They won’t be able to do that unless their computer meets the requirements.
But if you are running a 32-bit system because your processor is not 64-bit compatible, you will clearly not be able to upgrade to Windows 11.
Do you have any other questions or you just want to discuss the subject, leave a comment below.
Microsoft Edge will soon get a new “Extended Stable” release cycle for organizations interested in receiving Edge updates every 8 weeks. Microsoft announced back in March that Edge would switch to a 4-week release cycle to match what Google is doing with Chrome, but the company is aware that this faster release cycle may not be ideal for enterprise users.
This new “Extended Stable” release cycle option will be available with Microsoft Edge 94, which is expected to be released in late September (the Edge Stable channel is currently on Edge version 91). This Extended Stable option will stay on even-numbered revisions and update every 8 weeks, and there will be a biweekly security update.
“If an organization selects the 8-week “Extended Stable” release cycle with Microsoft Edge 94, they will receive subsequent feature updates with Microsoft Edge 96, Microsoft Edge 98, and so on. While feature updates will be packaged and delivered with new version releases based on the selected release cycle, important security patches and fixes will be delivered as needed independent of the selected release option to help maintain browser security,” the Edge team explained today.
Once Microsoft Edge 94 and this new “Extended Stable” release cycle option become available in late September, IT Admins will be able to opt-in by using the “TargetChannel” Group Policy and selecting the “Extended Stable” option. It will also be possible to opt-in with Microsoft Endpoint Manager by selecting the “Extended Stable” release option via Intune.
If the move to a 4-weeks release cycle should be very welcome for most Edge users, it’s good to see Microsoft taking into account the needs of enterprise customers with this new “Extended Stable” channel option. Microsoft Edge will continue to automatically install updates in the background even for managed PCs on the Extended Channel, but organizations who prefer to manually update the browser will also be able to find packages in the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) catalog.
Microsoft’s future Xbox controllers could well take some inspiration from Sony’s Dualsense controller for the PlayStation 5. Speaking with the team from the Kinda Funny Gamecast, Xbox head Phil Spencer shared his appreciation for the PS5 DualSense, which received praise for its unique impulse triggers and haptic feedback features (via Video Games Chronicle).
As we’ve seen since the beginning of this console generation, some PS5 games use the Dualsense controller in pretty interesting ways, whether it’s Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War changing the trigger resistance when you switch weapons, or FIFA 21 adding trigger resistance when you spring with tired players. These little things can really make a difference to improve immersion, and it’s certainly something that Phil Spencer and the Xbox team have been looking at.
“We’re definitely thinking about different kinds of devices that can bring more games to more places. There’s probably some work that we’ll do on the controller. I think Sony’s done a nice job with their controller and we kind of look at some of that and [think] there are things that we should go do.
“But [we’re] probably not in the more bespoke accessories place right now,” he added. “We just look at what happens on Windows and other places and see if there’s a unique opportunity for us. Right now I don’t think there’s anything that’s obvious to me.”
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S consoles shipped with slightly redesigned controllers last year, which added a new Share button, textured grips on the triggers and bumpers, and a USB-C port for charging. The new Xbox controllers also come with a hybrid D-pad that resembles the one on the Elite Series 2 controller, though with a pretty cheap feel and clicking noises that can be quite annoying.
Maybe Microsoft will wait for a mid-gen console refresh to introduce a redesigned controller, just like it did during the previous console generation when the Xbox One S shipped with a slightly different controller. Xbox’s Phil Spencer doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to copy the DualSense’s best features, and he probably doesn’t really need to. So far, the Xbox team seems more focused on new platform features, with the new Chromium-based Edge browser expected to make its way to Xbox consoles with the next system update coming next month.
Microsoft has announced a new preview release of Windows Terminal, bringing the version to 1.10. This update brings a few new features, including a command palette button in the dropdown, Settings UI updates, support for bold text, and more.
First off, Microsoft has replaced the Feedback button available in the dropdown menu with a new command palette button to improve its visibility. “We noticed that the Feedback button inside the dropdown menu was hardly used, and we figured this was highly valuable real estate. We decided to change this button to a command palette button to make the command palette more discoverable (because who doesn’t love the command palette?),” Microsoft explained release notes.
This update enhances the Quake Mode feature in the tool that lets users bring up a new window on the top half of their screens with a keyboard shortcut. Thanks to the latest release, the minimized Quake mode window will now be available in the system tray, and users will be able to quickly re-open it by double-clicking on the taskbar icon.
Microsoft also said that it’s going to bring back the “Defaults” page into the Settings UI so that users can configure default settings across all profiles. “We are currently working on designing a new UI solution and we’ve received some feedback that a page for “defaults” is highly requested in the settings UI,” the Windows Terminal team said. The new Settings UI is still a work in progress, so users are encouraged to provide feedback on the GitHub issues page.
Other changes include the addition of bold text support to the terminal console as well as an option for Windows Terminal users to add custom actions. In addition to the aforementioned changes, Windows Terminal 1.10 brings a bunch of bug fixes and improvements, and you can find the full changelog below:
Miscellaneous improvements
???? You can now explicitly set your language preference for the terminal. This setting can be found on the Appearance page of the settings UI.
???? The percentage sign is now added to all opacity slider values (Thanks @chingucoding!).
???? You can now close tabs by index (Thanks @ianjoneill!).
???? Font settings can now be represented as an object in your settings.json file.
Bug fixes
???? There should be many fewer crashes (hopefully none ????) when opening the settings UI.
???? Closing tabs should no longer crash in the terminal.
???? You can now open a new tab using the command line without the terminal dismissing.
???? Default terminal in version 1.10 is much more reliable in 22000.65. Default terminal in 1.10 is not compatible with 22000.51 and 1.9 is not compatible with 22000.65.
???? Performance and reliability improvements.
Last but not least, the Redmond giant has also bumped the Stable version of Windows Terminal to version 1.9. Unfortunately, some features are still limited to preview users, such as the ability to edit actions from Settings or set the tool as the default terminal.
The latest versions should be available as an automatic update to users that installed Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store. As usual, you can also grab them manually now from the GitHub releases page.
Back in December, 2019, I was saying that the future of Windows lies in the cloud. However, even then we were referring to what was at the time Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop. Now Microsoft has taken a huge leap forward and has revealed Windows 365, as it was leaked just a couple of days ago.
The new Cloud PC service will enable customers to create installs of Windows 10 or even the newest Windows 11 in the cloud and stream the OS to virtually any device out there. Now how about that? Aimed at enterprise and EDU customers, Windows 365 will essentially let you run the latest Windows features from your browser on your Mac, iPad, or Android devices.
Built on Azure Virtual Desktops, the service is similar to XCloud service, which allows you to stream games from the cloud. Pricing hasn’t been yet disclosed, but we know the service will become available in the beginning of August, just in time for the busy Q4 season.
Windows 365 will be a subscription-based service with no minimum requirements, ranging from super small to huge companies. This could become a potential disruptor in the market if it comes at the right pricing; and we will definitely give it a try here at Reflector Media, as well.
Of course, virtualization and remote access to computers isn’t something new, but what we’re looking at here is Microsoft looking to deliver a very clean and streamlined product that is ready for the post-pandemic world of hybrid work.
Now let’s have a look at some of the features that we believe are going to matter for your business and which seem very interesting. As a side note, I’m not a professional IT Pro, so I will be happy to hear you out in the comments.
1. Ease of Use
There are plenty of virtualization and cloud PC solutions available on the market, with Microsoft’s own Azure Virtual Desktop or other solutions from companies like Citrix. But from the looks of it, it seems that Microsoft is trying to make the service as easy to use as possible.
Wangui McKelvey, general manager for Microsoft 365, highlights the important of the instant-on boot experience that will allow workers to stream their Windows session across their entire ecosystem:
Windows 365 provides an instant-on boot experience. You can pick up right where you left off, because the state of your Cloud PC remains the same, even when you switch devices
Windows 365 will work on any modern web browser as a login or through Microsoft’s Remote Desktop app, which sounds very streamlined.
2. Pricing
Yes, I know that at the moment we don’t have all the details with regards to Windows 365 pricing, but there’s a good enough hint. The same McKelvey went on to say the following:
Windows 365 is really going to make a huge difference for organizations that wanted to try virtualization for various reasons but could not — maybe it was too costly, too complex or they didn’t have the expertise in house to do it
By asserting that Windows 365 comes as an alternative to solutions that were too pricey, it’s obvious that Microsoft has made a very smart analysis in the back and will come up with a very aggressive pricing scheme.
This is going to be very very interesting to observe how it evolves, because at the moment businesses have different solutions at their disposal when it comes to managing their employees’ software costs. Will Windows 365 prove to be a cheaper option? We think so.
3. Faster and Safer Deployment
Another very appealing feature is the fact that your IT department will be able to create Cloud PCs within minutes. This will enable your enterprise to potentially solve such issues as having to rely on actual physical hardware. Furthermore, with the increasing number of cyber attacks, the procedure of safeguarding remote workers isn’t always an easy process.
The deployment of an entire Windows PCs in the cloud in a matter of minutes could be the answer to that. This sounds like it would also reduce the number of problem caused by faulty Windows Updates.
Furthermore, small businesses that likely have no IT support, will be able to set up everything by themselves (we’re definitely going to release a guide on how to do it). The bigger companies will be able to rely on Microsoft Endpoint Manager.
We’re now halfway through the week which means it’s time for a new Microsoft Edge Dev build. Coming in at 93.0.946.1 this week, this fresh release is adding Windows 11 visual effects, tweaking the share menu, finishing feature rollouts, and a lot more. We’ve got you covered with a look at everything you need to know.
As always, there’s the added features first. With the share menu, Microsoft added the ability to share websites directly to email or social media sites. Microsoft also added a flag to enable visual changes in Windows 11, and enabled by default the setting to hide the title bar when Vertical Tabs are enabled. Here’s a look at everything else that’s new that you need to know.
Added the ability to upload payment card info from a webpage to your Microsoft Account in order to sync it across devices. Note that this is currently only available in the United States.
Added a dialog after installing a PWA or website as an app that gives easy access to the capability to pin the app to the taskbar, Start menu, or desktop.
Finished feature rollout of quiet notifications, device authentication before filling a password, adding web captures to collections.
Added management policies (note that updates to documentation or administrative templates may not have occurred yet):
Enabled management policies from Chromium
Enabled mainstream support for keyboard accessible tooltips in web content.
Added support for Open XR Extended Features.
Of course, every new Edge Dev build comes with reliability fixes and changed behaviors. We recapped some of these for you below, and invite you to check the full list at Microsoft, if you’re curious. (Hint, there’s a lot!)
Fixed a crash when interacting with extensions.
Fixed a crash on Mac when updating the browser.
Fixed a crash on Windows 11.
Fixed an issue where the browser sometimes crashes after re-opening a PWA or installed app.
Fixed a crash when clicking the Efficiency Mode button.
Fixed an issue where Favorites to non-webpages sometimes don’t open.
Fixed an issue where Web Capture area selection stops unexpectedly.
Fixed an issue where text notes in Collections sometimes aren’t saved properly.
Fixed an issue where the button to send feedback doesn’t work.
Fixed an issue where popups are sometimes rendered offscreen.
Known issues in this latest release are the same as the past. Microsoft hasn’t yet fixed the problems which have plagued Edge in the past. You’ll still see wobbling when scrolling, favorites being duplicated, Kaspersky Internet Suite, tabs and extensions crashing, playback errors on YouTube, and extensions not working on Linux.
Happy downloading, Edge Insiders. As always, remember to submit your feedback to Microsoft. This helps make Edge great for everyone.
As with every new patch that Microsoft issues either for an emerging issue, or as a part of Patch Tuesday, there is bound to be some sort of bug, or bugs, that affect users in unexpected ways.
This month’s update rollout event also brought some problems to the surface, that started after users installed the latest batch of cumulative updates.
And, as you would expect, this kind of triggers a neverending chain of events, where the future patch fixes problems with the current one, and so on.
These are the problems that Windows 10 users noticed after downloading and applying the latest cumulative updates.
KB5004237 will prevent you from connecting via RDP
This is the first issue to emerge out of the depths of social media, where Windows users usually inform others of their ordeals.
Apparently, after installing KB5004237, which is an update released by Microsoft as a part of the July Patch Tuesday event, for 2021, things went a bit crazier than expected, as Reddit user GiliamOS exemplified.
After rolling out the two patches to a batch of test machines, connecting to them via RDP you see a corrupt connection. It works, but is visually unusable. Rolling back the patches fixes it, but come on Microsoft!
Anyone have ideas post-patch install how to fix this? Changing color depth, res or “experience” makes no difference.
At first glance, it seems that the cumulative updates entered some sort of conflict with the display drivers that he had installed on his device.
The post’s author even confirmed that, after checking, he realized that the driver version he had installed, came from Microsoft, instead of Nvidia.
There aren’t that many reports of users dealing with the same issue, just yet. And this is because there are some patches that affect different users in different ways, while some cause the same problem for everyone involved.
We will keep an eye out and monitor the situation, while also keeping you informed on any new details.
KB5004237 may also prevent you from charging the laptop battery
Another user complained on the Microsoft Answers website that he is unable to charge the battery of his Dell Precision 7530 laptop after installing the new KB5004237 patch:
So this thing started happening recently when battery wont charge, but the time remaining is shown in this manner when the charger is plugged in. Is this a cause of concern?
Additional information about the system: Dell Precision 7530, barely an year old. The laptop is able to boot up on battery power i.e when the charger is not connected to the system.
In the screenshot provided by the user below, you can see that when he is connecting his charger, the battery is not showing that it’s charging but the remaining time for battery energy is extremely high.
Apparently, he already tried a lot of procedures like disconnecting the power supply and battery and reconnecting them, performing a BIOS update, reinstalling the battery drivers, and performing the Power troubleshooter to no avail.
Unfortunately, we have no official solution from Microsoft about how to circumvent this problem. We will monitor this issue and get back to you with a solution as soon as possible.
The new KB5004237 may change the fonts on your system
After installing the new KB5004237, a user is complaining on Reddit this time that his system was set on the Marlett font and he can’t read anything anymore:
The last Windows 10 update really messed up my fonts in Windows. Noticed it immediately in my email program. Tried to install dot net, and those fonts were messed up as well on the install screen. Now noticing that right click menus on the desktop are the same way, as well as file and folder names. It’s all gibberish. Any suggestions? Can’t do screenshots because Windows 10 is largely useless, although some programs are okay. Where there should be readable text, there’s just garbage. Programs like Edge work fine so far, or Skype.
Now, if you’re checking the Marlett font, you will see that it is a true-type font developed by Microsoft and used since Windows 95 used for user interface icons from menus and windows.
Definitely, it cannot be used for any text and can be seen as gibberish even for a more trained eye.
Unfortunately, we don’t have any official feedback from Microsoft and there is hardly anything to do unless you know your way precisely to uninstall the patch from the update history.
We will keep an eye on the development of the situation and update this article as soon as there are new developments.
Update Error 0x8007000d after installing KB5004237
After finishing an automatic repair triggered by the system, a user reported on Reddit that he received the error 0x8007000d after installing the KB5004237 update.
Hello everyone! Yesterday my laptop booted up to repair screen automatically. I think the EFI partition was damaged or something. I managed to fix by formatting it. Now when I want to update Windows to KB5004237 I get error 0x8007000d. I tried SFC /scannow and it fixed some things. I then ran DISM which also fixed some things. But I still got the error. I tried resetting the Windows Update components, but that also didn’t work. I tried the in-place upgrade but that also failed. Can anyone help me?
The error 0x8007000d appears when the system can’t find an essential file in the installation package.
Corrupted system files and broken Windows update components are some of the reasons why you may encounter this error.
BSoD code 0xc000021a when installing the KB5004237
One of our readers signaled in our comments section that he experienced the BSoD error 0xc000021a when installing KB5004237:
KB5004237 update led to BSOD 0xc000021a. Had to undo the update using the USB installation media drive.
Unfortunately, the only way around this issue was to revert the update by using his USB installation media. However, that seems to be the only reasonable thing to do in this case.
Unable to send e-mails with third-party clients after the KB5004237 installation
One of our readers complained in our comments section that after installing the KB5004237 he could not send e-mails by using his third-party e-mail client service:
I use a third party email service after installing this update KB5004237 I could not send emails. I could and did receive emails but every time I tried to send email I received a error message referring to SMTP. I uninstall the update and the system went back to working just fine. I wait a couple of weeks and see what transpires. BTW I install the same update on my wife’s laptop and no issues (so far).
This is a most unfortunate event since it can be disruptive to the workflow and can cause communication discrepancies.
However, he managed to get rid of the problem by reverting back to the installation of the KB patch. That is the way to go around the problem until Microsoft finds another possible way.
Have you stumbled upon any issues after installing this month’s cumulative update batch? If so, share your experience with us in the comments section below.
This operating system version is the latest one yet, and it was released by Microsoft in May 2021.
Rumors back then were that this version was going to bring a major visual overhaul, which later turned out to be the Sun Valley project, which later transformed into Windows 11.
Windows 10 version 2009 (20H20) [October 2020 Update]
Windows 10 version 20H2 is the latest Windows 10 OS version, and it was released in October 2020.
Obtaining the latest update is incredibly easy, especially if you already have Windows 10 v2004, and can be easily achieved via the Windows Update menu.
Windows 10 version 1909 is among the most popular and most used versions of Windows 10 currently available. As its name suggests, Microsoft released it in November 2019.
This feature update doesn’t pack as many new features as previous releases. Key changes include: Windows Defender Credential Guard is now compatible with ARM64 devices, enhanced Windows Sandbox capabilities, Windows Virtual Desktop is now available to all users, and more.
Windows 10 version 1903 is also named Windows 10 May Update. Code-named “19H1”, it is the seventh Windows 10 version released by Microsoft in May 2019.
Windows 10 May Update offers, among others, an improved Start menu and a new tool named Windows Sandbox.
On November 13, 2018, Microsoft re-released the Windows 10 October Update (version 1809). It is also code-named Redstone 5, the last of the series named in this manner.
Among many other features, it offers dark theme support in File Explorer and a touch keyboard powered by SwiftKey.
This was one of the largest Windows 10 updates and among many new features, it brought the fullscreen mode and reading enhancements and many convenience features added to Microsoft Edge.
Microsoft service for Home and Pro editions was stopped on April 9, 2019, but will continue for Enterprise and Education editions until April 14, 2020.
Here is the list of monthly roll-ups released for Windows 10 version 1709 after the major update code-named Redstone 3 but most known as Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
Probably the most interesting feature is the launch of Paint 3D and 3D Viewer. Also, Cortana was integrated with third-party apps.
Microsoft service for Home and Pro editions was stopped on October 9, 2018, but will continue for Enterprise and Education editions until October 8, 2019.
Here is the list of monthly roll-ups released for after the major update code-named Redstone 2 aka Windows 10 Creators Update.
On April 10, 2018, Windows 10, version 1607, reached the end of service in their Home and Pro versions, and on April 9, 2019, it ended support for Enterprise and Education editions.
Still, Microsoft will continue to offer support for Enterprise LTSC editions until October 13, 2026. Microsoft recommends updating to the latest version of Windows 10 to continue receiving security and quality updates.
Among many new features, Microsoft brought a redesigned Start screen and the “all apps” menu was removed.
Windows 10 version 1511 was launched on November 12, 2015. It was code-named “Threshold 2” and it was the first major update to the initial Windows 10 version.
On October 10, 2017, Microsoft ended support for Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 version 1511, and on April 10, 2018, it also ended support for Enterprise and Education editions.
Microsoft brought with Windows 10 November Update a pre-installed Skype video, messaging and phone apps.
Windows 10 version 1507 was the initial release of this operating system. Microsoft launched it on July 29, 2015, and it was code-named “Threshold 1”.
On May 9, 2017, Microsoft ended the support for all editions of Windows 10 version 1507 excepting Enterprise LTSC. Support for this edition will continue until October 14, 2025.
At the annual Inspire conference, Microsoft is going big on sustainability. The company announced a new cloud offering to help address sustainability needs and also detailed some significant updates on its own sustainability efforts.
First, there’s the new cloud offering known as the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. This (in preview) offering will help companies think about their carbon emissions, set stability goals, and take measurable action when using the power of the Microsoft Cloud. The offering brings along “comprehensive, integrated, and automated insights for organizations to accelerate each stage of their sustainability journey,” per Microsoft’s Judson Althoff.
Examples of some scenarios in the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability include the ability for companies to offer customers a scorecard to track progress against their carbon emission goals. Customers will also be able to pinpoint specific emission areas and track if they are meeting their emission reduction goals. Finally, CIO’s can early report on IT carbon emissions by connecting emissions data into one view for reporting.
As for what’s going on at Microsoft when it comes to sustainability, there’s a couple of big announcements. Microsoft is announcing a 100/100/0 (where 100% of the electrons [energy,] 100% of the time are generated from zero emissions) goal. Microsoft will also be purchasing contracts to help bring more zero carbon energy onto the grid and move more high carbon intensity energy off the grid. Additionally, Microsoft is planning on releasing a set of in-depth capacity-building tools and resources to help companies report their greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions, develop clean energy strategies, and reduce their energy-related emissions.
We also want to note that Microsoft received a zero carbon certification for their Puget Sound and Silicon Valley campuses. Meanwhile, in Redmond, Microsoft revealed a Thermal energy center, which uses geothermal wells to heat and cool the campus. You can learn more about these announcements over on Microsoft’s sustainability blog.
With a growing user base of 145 million daily active users, Microsoft Teams is a big topic at the company’s annual Inspire partner conference that just kicked off this morning. Teams has slowly but surely become a versatile platform where users can access many Microsoft 365 services as well as third-party apps, and Microsoft announced this morning a new Dynamics 365 integration in Teams that will let users view and edit Dynamics 365 data within Teams at no extra cost.
With Dynamics 365 data access now included with Microsoft Teams, employees will be able to view and edit Dynamics records right within their Teams workflow, with automated notifications when other employees when they make key changes on records. Dynamics 365 users will also be able to add a Teams meeting when creating an appointment, and also capture notes during a Teams call that will be automatically be saved in the Dynamics 365 record.
In addition to this new Dynamics 365 integration, Microsoft Teams is also welcoming new collaborative apps from partners including Atlassian Confluence, SAP C4C, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Workday. Later this summer, Microsoft Teams will also ISV partners to sell their apps directly within Teams, and benefit from Microsoft’s new commercial marketplace fees that have just been reduced from the standard 20% industry fee to 3%.
Lastly, Microsoft Viva, the company’s new employee experience platform within Teams will also add 21 new partner integrations later this year. Workday, Qualtrics, and ServiceNow will follow the existing partnerships with Headspace, SuccessFactors, and other apps that bring together various tools for employee engagement, learning, and wellbeing.
Microsoft is holding its Inspire 2021 digital conference this morning where Microsoft 365 CVP Jared Spataro announced some important updates for Dynamics 365, Teams, and Viva. The company is launching a new Dynamics 365 integration in Microsoft Teams that will be available for Microsoft 365 customers at no additional cost.
“Together, Teams and Dynamics 365 offer powerful new ways for everyone across an organization to seamlessly exchange and capture ideas in right in the flow of work. We’re also eliminating the tax that has historically held organizations back from this kind of integration, making these experiences available within Teams to any user, at no additional cost,” explained Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft 365.
Microsoft Teams users will now be able to access Dynamics 365 data within the app. This feature will let them view and collaborate on projects directly from the Microsoft Teams chats or channels. Dynamics 365 is also launching a feature that brings the ability to add Teams meetings to appointments and capture notes directly with the calls. Automated notifications are also in the works, which will make it easier to push alerts and adaptive cards through specific chats and channels.
Microsoft also announced new and enhanced collaborative apps from its partners that are coming soon to its Teams collaboration service. This will primarily allow for “real-time and asynchronous collaboration” for chats, meetings, and more. The company is also making it easier for ISVs to manage their purchases by selling the apps directly within Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft Viva updates
Later this Fall, Microsoft Viva, a new employee experience platform integrated into Team, is getting better with a bunch of new partner integrations that should enhance the employee experience. These integrations will make it easier for customers to provide employees with insights and tools tailored to their specific needs.
Some new APIs will also be available soon, such as Viva Connections APIs that will let partners integrate their apps with the Viva Connections dashboard. Coming soon, new Viva Learning APIs will also allow apps to integrate data from third-party learning providers in order to access content in Microsoft 365 services, including Office.com, Microsoft Search, Teams, and SharePoint.
In addition to this, there are a bunch of new benefits for partners to help them build and market Microsoft Teams and Viva apps, and the list includes 1:1 consultation services with Microsoft experts, access to technology, marketing resources, and more.
Microsoft 365 Lighthouse and Project Orland
Last but not least, Microsoft has announced the availability of its two new security offerings called Project “Orland” and Microsoft 365 Lighthouse. Microsoft says that these tools will make it easier for its partners to provide “managed security services and identify new growth opportunities.”
First of all, Microsoft 365 Lighthouse, which has been available in private preview since last year, is launching in public preview today. The unified portal helps to ensure that the data, devices, and users of all Microsoft 365 Business Premium customers are secure by providing access to standard security configuration templates.
Project “Orland” is another new security tool that is now available in private preview for Microsoft 365 subscribers. The new experience has been designed to empower CSP partners to develop a more holistic approach for driving customer engagement. It uses machine learning techniques to help organizations retain and increase their Microsoft 365 customers.
If you’re interested, you can sign up for the Project “Orland” private preview program on this page. Microsoft has also announced a new PC cloud service which will be generally available in August this year, and you can learn more about it in our separate post.
Windows 365 allows streaming Windows 10 or Windows 11 (when it’s available), including apps, data, and settings, as a cloud service. It takes the operating system to the Microsoft Cloud, securely streaming the full Windows experience to your personal or corporate devices.
Microsoft calls this thin client implementation as Cloud PC, which uses both the power of the cloud and the capabilities of the device to provide a full Windows experience. This new hybrid personal computing category is well timed considering the accelerated digital transformation of businesses across the world post the pandemic and evolving hybrid workplaces.
Windows 365 allows organizations to empower distributed workforces, temporary and seasonal employees, and workers with a need for specialized workloads in a flexible and secure manner – regardless of their location or device. It also allows organizations to ramp on and off according to the needs of the business allowing them to scale for busy periods without the logistical challenges of issuing new hardware. Organizations will be able to choose the size of the Cloud PC that best meets their needs with a per user per month pricing.
Windows 365 Features
Microsoft insists that this new paradigm isn’t just about allowing and securing remote access but alleviating user experience and improving productivity. Windows 365 is built on Azure Virtual Desktop and it essentially simplifies the virtualization experience. Of course, large enterprises which require greater customization and flexibility would rather opt for Azure Virtual Desktop to modernize their VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) in the cloud.
Windows 365 offers a consistent Windows experience, no matter the device/operating system – Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android. It supports business apps like Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, line of business apps, and more as well as the Office suite.
It provides an instant-on boot experience that enables users to stream all their personalized applications, tools, data, and settings from the cloud across any device and allow them to pick up right where they left off. The state of a user’s Cloud PC remains the same, even when they switch devices.
Device Management
While small businesses can use a simple, self-service model to procure Cloud PCs for their organizations, enterprise IT can use Microsoft Endpoint Manager to procure, deploy, and manage Cloud PCs for their organization. Windows 365 is consistent with how IT manages physical devices right now. The Cloud PCs will show up right alongside physical devices in Microsoft Endpoint Manager, and the IT team can apply management and security policies to them just as it’s done on all other devices.
IT can also scale processing power and monitor the performance of the Cloud PC to make sure the users are getting the best experience. There’s also built-in analytics to look at connection health across network to make sure the Cloud PC users can reach everything they need.
Windows 365 is built with a focus on a Zero Trust architecture. It stores information in the cloud, not on the device, and encryption is used across the board. All managed disks running Cloud PCs are encrypted, all stored data is encrypted at rest, and all network traffic to and from the Cloud PCs is also encrypted.
Availability
Windows 365 will be generally available on August 2, 2021 to organizations of all sizes. Organizations will have two edition options – Windows 365 Business and Windows 365 Enterprise – with multiple Cloud PC configurations based on performance needs.
FIFA 22 is the latest entry in the incredibly long-running video game franchise that began way back in 1994 with FIFA International Soccer. The upcoming game is getting separate releases for the Xbox One and Xbox Series X. Both versions are basically the same though the Xbox Series X release does naturally offer superior visuals.
A special bundle containing both releases is available for around $20 more than an individual version for those that are planning to upgrade to an Xbox Series X console in the near future and want to play the best version of the game. It should be noted that the Xbox One version of FIFA 22 will play on an Xbox Series X console, it just won’t get the enhanced graphics.
Pre-orders of either version of FIFA 22 will get the following:
FUT Team of the Week 1 Player
Kylian Mbappé Loan Item, for 5 FUT matches
FUT Ambassador Loan Player Pick, for 3 FUT matches
Career Mode Homegrown Talent, local youth prospect with world-class potential
Those pre-ordering the Ultimate Edition which comes with both versions will get all of the above bonuses plus the following:
Limited-Time Bonus: Untradeable FUT Hero item on December 1
Four Days Early Access, start playing FIFA 22 on September 27
Microsoft today released two new videos featuring numerous Microsoft employees sharing their favorite Windows 11 features and which widgets they like to use the most.
The video doesn’t reveal much that hasn’t already been revealed about Microsoft’s new Windows operating system but there are some good reminders about the existence of some smaller details that may have been overlooked such as how the weather widget will change color depending on the current temperature and the fact that the Windows 11 widgets were designed with mobile users in mind.
Here’s the new video about Windows 11 widgets.
And here’s the video covering the other noteworthy Windows 11 features.
As expected, Microsoft started rolling out the July 2021 Patch Tuesday updates today. Using this batch of updates, the Redmond giant focuses on improving the overall functionality of the OS, while also fixing existing bugs.
Microsoft rolls out different Patch Tuesday updates for all the Windows 10 versions currently supported. For more information on the latest updates, check out our Windows 10 Patch Tuesday update history page.
Since each cumulative update is different for each version of Windows 10, it would be wrong to talk about a singular changelog, and that is why this article exists.
Not only will we be providing you with a detailed changelog of all the modifications brought to each major version of Windows 10, but we will also be providing you with direct download links from the Windows Update catalog.
What are the main changes in the July Patch Tuesday updates?
Microsoft’s July security updates feature approximately 40 security updates for Windows-specific issues.
July’s Patch Tuesday also includes several fixes for CVE-2021-34527, which address the Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability, a print service bug that has been exploited for the past two months.
The fix for the infamous CVE-2021-34527 is, without a doubt, the highlight of July’s Patch Tuesday.
After it was first discovered, then rediscovered, patched, but not fully, the print spooler bug had users on the edge, especially after the POC’s publication.
Now, this vulnerability appears to be fixed on Microsoft’s Security Update guide, complete with additional workarounds for users who have yet to apply the latest essential patches.
CVE-2021-34473 – This Remote Code Execution for Microsoft Exchange is rated as a 9.1, requires no user interaction, has a low complexity, and does not need user interaction. That seems to cover just about all of the worst case scenarios for an exploit. That is before we mention that this is one that is already publicly disclosed. If you run exchange on-prem this should have you running to get it patched ASAP.
CVE-2021-34448 – This exploit is already being used out in the wild, and per the MSRC site it can cause a total of integrity and confidentiality. Meaning they can get all information or modify all files from the impacted component. The only ray of sunshine here is that it does require user interaction, but that can be as simple as getting them to visit a corrupted site or click on a bad link. Thank goodness your end-user training has been thorough and has been adopted by everyone!
CVE-2021-34494 – Anytime there is a threat to DNS it is worth highlighting. On the bright side you don’t need to patch every machine with this one, only machines that are DNS servers. On the dark side, it requires minimal permissions and no user interaction to exploit. This is not one that is already publicly known or exploited, so at least patching should get you ahead of it.
These are the critical vulnerabilities fixed in the July 2021 Patch Tuesday
Out of all the different new features that Microsoft designed for Windows 11, this one has to be one of the more useful ones yet.
The redesigned Settings app has already received some positive feedback from Insiders, and it may not be just because it looks better and it rearranged settings so that they would make more sense, but it will also notify users about many aspects.
Even changing some settings will trigger the system to let you know that what you did isn’t really recommended.
The Settings app offers some pretty useful information
We all start fiddling with the system settings after we installed an OS. And this is just to tweak everything in order to fine-tune it to our exact desire.
The Windows operating system already allows users to select different preferences, for when the device is using the battery power, and when it’s plugged into a power source.
On Windows 11, setting either of these settings to never, will actually trigger some notifications that you can see whenever using the Settings app.
These system alerts will also include an action button, which gives you the possibility to switch back to the recommended settings.
And if you are keeping up with the available information on the future operating system, you might know that playing with power settings might not be the best idea yet.
We are saying this because, after installing build 22000.65, lots of users complained about Windows 11 actually affecting the battery life for laptops and tablets.
But all the recommendations the system will display won’t be limited to just the Windows 11 native settings.
For example, the Settings app will also remind you that your Microsoft 365 subscription is about to expire, the status of OneDrive, or if a new Windows update is available.
You might think that these ideas that Microsoft keeps coming with would actually please fans, with how accessible they make everything.
In reality, nobody cares that much about this, thus the initiative did not receive such a warm welcome.
Windows 11 users take took to Reddit to express their opinions are actually appalled that the tech company isn’t focusing on some more major issues, for the time being.
Remember that the new OS also comes with a built-in feature that will warn users if their NVMe SSD drive is affected by hardware issues.
Microsoft seems to be adding more and more exciting and helpful features to the new operating system with each passing day.
Lots to be excited about and still a lot to test, until Windows 11 transitions into a full-fledged OS.
What are your thoughts about this notification system idea? Let us know in the comments section below.
If may want to know that today, at approximately 10 AM PST, Microsoft will release another round of major updates for 2021, as a part of their July Patch Tuesday, just as they did with every other second Tuesday of each month.
If by any chance you aren’t familiar with these updates, know that we’re mainly talking about fixes applied to all of the most major issues that Windows has, and also security bolstering.
During last month’s Patch Tuesday, the tech company released a staggering 50 security fixes, meant to address some serious problems that were being exploited.
What to expect from this month’s Patch Tuesday updates?
If you keep yourself up to date with everything that the Redmond-based tech company does during these Patch Tuesday events, you surely remember last month’s batch.
Pressed by serious security concerns, Microsoft released a huge number of security fixes, meant to sort out some exploits that were going on in the wild.
The zero-day vulnerabilities that Microsoft has tracked as being actively exploited were patched in June 2021, as follows:
CVE-2021-33742: Windows MSHTML Platform Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, CVSS 7.5
CVE-2021-33739: Microsoft DWM Core Library Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability, CVSS 8.4
CVE-2021-31199: Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability, CVSS 5.2
CVE-2021-31201: Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability, CVSS 5.2
CVE-2021-31955: Windows Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability, CVSS 5.5
CVE-2021-31956: Windows NTFS Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability, CVSS 7.8
Keep in mind that this month’s Patch Tuesday is actually happening during everyone’s summer vacation, so the number of CVEs may be much smaller than in previous months.
However, increased ransomware attacks and some still pending issues that affect Windows, will make it so that Microsoft employees will still deliver solutions, even if it is via a much smaller content quantity.
For July 2021, we could actually get:
Besides the regular supported operating systems, the Extended Security Updates for Windows 7 and Server 2008/2008 R2 will be released as usual.
Also, Internet Explorer updates should show up again this month. The browser appears to be getting more attention by Microsoft lately.
SQL server or .NET framework updates haven’t been available for several months, so be on the lookout for them.
Adobe already released APSB2151 prenotification for Acrobat and Reader so also be prepared for that release on Patch Tuesday.
We are all eager to find out what Microsoft will be distributing, security updates, and fixes-wise, as a part of the July 2021 Patch Tuesday.
As we all know, there still are some issues that the tech giant has postponed addressing, for whatever reason, and we might just see these solutions pop up this month.
The volume of the software Microsoft will release could also be influenced by the fact that they are now hard at work perfecting Windows 11.
If you haven’t already heard about Windows 11, you will most likely want to know that it will be replacing Windows 10 from 2025, so you might also want to see what the differences between the two are.
[DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINKS] July 2021 Patch Tuesday
Windows 10 versions 21H1 and 20H2
Windows 10 v21H1 is the latest major version of Windows 10, and as such has the most experimental features on it.
Fortunately, most bugs that were first present when it was first made available have been weeded out, and this version of Windows 10 is far more stable.
This build includes all the improvements from Windows 10, version 2004.
No additional issues were documented for this release.
Known issues
When using the Microsoft Japanese Input Method Editor (IME) to enter Kanji characters in an app that automatically allows the input of Furigana characters, you might not get the correct Furigana characters. You might need to enter the Furigana characters manually.
NOTE
Devices with Windows installations created from custom offline media or custom ISO image might have Microsoft Edge Legacy removed by this update, but not automatically replaced by the new Microsoft Edge. This issue is only encountered when custom offline media or ISO images are created by slipstreaming this update into the image without having first installed the standalone servicing stack update (SSU) released March 29, 2021 or later.
NOTE
Devices that connect directly to Windows Update to receive updates are not affected. This includes devices using Windows Update for Business. Any device connecting to Windows Update should always receive the latest versions of the SSU and the latest cumulative update (LCU) without any extra steps.
As the Redmond-based tech company said not long ago, Windows 10, version 1909 reached the end of service on May 11, 2021, for devices running the Home, Pro, Pro for Workstation, Nano Container, and Server SAC editions.
Devices still running this version of the OS will no longer receive monthly security and quality updates that contain protection from the latest security threats.
So, if you still want to receive security and quality updates, Microsoft recommends updating to the latest version of Windows 10.
Adds Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption protections for CVE-2021-33757. For more information, see KB5004605.
Security updates to Windows Apps, Windows Management, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Authentication, Windows User Account Control (UAC), Operating System Security, Windows Virtualization, Windows Linux, the Windows Kernel, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, the Windows HTML Platforms, the Windows MSHTML Platform, and Windows Graphics.
This version of the OS is outdated and will no longer receive any updates from the tech company. Users that are still running this old version on their devices are strongly advised to choose a more recent one to update to.
If you still want to use Windows 10 and are not willing to upgrade to 11, you don’t have to do so right away. After all, Microsoft announced that the support for Windows 10 will go on until 2025.
Removes support for the PerformTicketSignature setting and permanently enables Enforcement mode for CVE-2020-17049. For more information and steps to enable full protection on domain controller servers, see Managing deployment of Kerberos S4U changes for CVE-2020-17049.
Adds Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption protections for CVE-2021-33757. For more information, see KB5004605.
Addresses a vulnerability in which Primary Refresh Tokens are not strongly encrypted. This issue might allow the tokens to be reused until the token expires or is renewed. For more information about this issue, see CVE-2021-33779.
Security updates to Windows Apps, Windows Management, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Authentication, Windows User Account Control (UAC), Operating System Security, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Virtualization, Windows Linux, the Windows Kernel, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, the Windows HTML Platforms, the Windows MSHTML Platform, and Windows Graphics.
Known issues
After installing KB4493509, devices with some Asian language packs installed may receive the error, “0x800f0982 – PSFX_E_MATCHING_COMPONENT_NOT_FOUND.”
After installing KB5001342 or later, the Cluster Service might fail to start because a Cluster Network Driver is not found.
This is one of the more older OS versions, that Microsoft first released back in August 2016. Apparently, the Redmond-based tech company still feels like there is room for improvement here.
Updates to remove Adobe Flash from your device.
Updates for verifying usernames and passwords.
Updates to improve security when Windows performs basic operations.
Removes support for the PerformTicketSignature setting and permanently enables Enforcement mode for CVE-2020-17049. For more information and steps to enable full protection on domain controller servers, see Managing deployment of Kerberos S4U changes for CVE-2020-17049.
Addresses an issue that incorrectly renders some Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF) files. This issue occurs if you build the EMF files using third-party applications with ExtCreatePen() and ExtCreateFontIndirect().
Addresses a redirector stop error that is caused by a race condition that occurs when the system deletes binding objects when connections close.
Removes the Adobe Flash component from your device.
Adds Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption protections for CVE-2021-33757. For more information, see KB5004605.
Addresses a vulnerability in which Primary Refresh Tokens are not strongly encrypted. This issue might allow the tokens to be reused until the token expires or is renewed. For more information about this issue, see CVE-2021-33779.
Security updates to Windows Apps, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Authentication, Windows User Account Control (UAC), Operating System Security, the Windows Kernel, Windows Graphics, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, the Windows HTML Platforms, the Windows MSHTML Platform, and Windows Active Directory.
Besides all the peculiar software glitches that Insiders already found in the fabric of the upcoming OS, the way it affects some of the hardware components has also been a hot topic these days.
We already know that there are cases when, after installing Windows 11, users reported that the fans on the Surface 2 devices have stopped working.
Battery life also seems to be a factor in this discussion, as people are now noticing that their laptops batteries are drained much faster than before installing the preview build.
Battery life significantly reduced with the new OS
Social media is filled with numerous reports that all seem to point in the same direction: Windows 11 preview builds drain battery much faster than the previous operating system.
As you would imagine, this sparked various debates about how and what Microsoft did wrong when designing this operating software.
And, as well know, an unfinished, unreleased OS that’s still being tested could indeed even reduce device performance, or encounter other hardware conflicts.
In the above-mentioned Reddit post, this Windows 11 user claims that the battery issues actually started after installing the 22000.65 build, for the upcoming OS.
Getting that issue too, on Windows 10 i get around 4hrs of usage on my laptop, after using the Dev build of windows 11 i get only around 2hours
It was supposed to be the other way arround
Not many were expecting to run into this type of situation, as Microsoft proudly pointed out that Windows 11 will actually help conserve battery life, with its improved Dynamic Refresh rates.
Although there are many that confirm this problem, the first build of the future operating system didn’t seem to trigger a similar reaction.
If you also want to know how the new OS performs on portable Microsoft devices, such as laptops or tablets, check out our extensive article.
Before we make any future judgment, however, we have to see how the tech company will perfect Windows 11, over the upcoming months leading to its official rollout.
Are you also experiencing the same issue after installing the 22000.65 build for Windows 11? Let us know in the comments section below.
The screen recording business is pretty complicated. The dedicated software is pretty expensive, hard to use unless you are a bit of a techie and consume lots of resources.
Whether you’re a teacher who wants to put up some guides for the students or you’re an online content creator, you need a screen recording tool that’s both easy to use and light on resources.
That’s why we were pretty impressed when we found about HitPaw’s Screen Recorder that checks all the features on our list of requirements and it’s free.
What is HitPaw Screen Recorder?
Screen Recorder from HitPaw is a screen recording software that offers three simple modes to record the screen, webcam, and picture in picture videos in the easiest way possible.
In fact, it’s so easy to use that you will forget all about any technical details and you will like to become a great director for your creations, whether they come from your screen or your webcam.
What are the Screen Recorder features?
The HitPaw Screen Recorder is an all-purpose tool that you will find extremely helpful in a number of ways.
Of course, its main feature is the screen recording, and you will find that not only it will do the job to the letter but you will also enjoy using it.
Let’s go together through the main screen recording features that HitPaw Screen Recorder has to offer.
Zoom recording
With this tool, you can define exactly the area on the screen that you want to record. You simply need to keep pressing the left mouse button and drag it diagonally to shape a rectangle.
And then, if you want to change its position, you can just grab the frame and drag it to another area of interest. It’s so simple.
And after you define the area with the mouse, you will immediately see the recording the screen captioning, and the PIP buttons.
PIP recording
And about PIP recording, with the HitPaw Screen Recorder you can become a real movie director because you can record your screen and your webcam at the same time.
This feature is extremely useful when you’re doing a review of a game, for instance, because you can broadcast the gameplay and yourself commenting simultaneously.
You can either make the gameplay full screen and show your webcam in a smaller window, broadcast yourself on the webcam as full screen, and set the screen-recording in a small window, or you can quickly switch between the two with a single click.
And really, that’s absolutely all you need when doing a review or a presentation, whether it’s a work presentation or just a fun way to do a review for your YouTube channel.
Of course, you can set the position and the dimensions of the smaller screen and the big screen can be defined with the zoom feature, you’re not limited to a full screen.
Webcam recording
Recording your webcam is child’s play. You just need to select the webcam recording feature, to choose the webcam that you want to use, the resolution, and the FPS of the recording.
You’ve also got the mirror button and you will also see the output volume and the microphone volume levels on top. That’s it!
Segment recording
After you’re done with the recording and hit the stop button, you will automatically be sent to a built-in editor where you will be able to trim and select exactly the parts that you need from your recording.
However, if you’re doing a long video, it will be hard to go through all of it so that’s where the Segment recording feature comes to help.
Even before starting the recording, you can go to the menu by pressing the down arrow like in the screenshot below.
Then, you have to click on the Task option from the right and check the Auto save recordings in… and complete with the number of your choice.
The result is that the tool will automatically save a clip every interval of time you selected, let’s say 20 minutes. That way you will have smaller clips to deal with, trim and manage.
Great tool for free
Here comes the greatest news because you will probably be shocked to hear that this tool is free. Exactly! You can use it as long as you want.
However, all your clips will have a small HitPaw watermark on them and you will see some ads when using the program.
If you want to get rid of the watermark and the commercials, you have three reasonably-priced commercial plans that you can take on.
Even if you decide to get a paid subscription, you still have a 30-day money-back guaranteed policy to benefit from so you can change your mind at any time.
HitPaw Screen Recorder
Record any part of your screen and webcam with a click of a button with this excellent free tool.
One of the benefits of Microsoft’s new Surface Headphones 2+ is the Microsoft Teams certification. Since then, a lot of Microsoft’s partners have begun making their own Teams certified headsets, and one of those is the Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset WL7022. We were provided one for review, and have been using it over the past week in Teams and Skype calls. It’s proven to be quite the headset, making our Teams calls sound amazing.
Price and specs
The Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset WL7022 is catered for business and enterprise audiences, so it’s quite an expensive venture at $300. For that price, you’re getting the headset, a charging cradle, as well as a carrying case. Note that the headset also has a USB-A wireless receiver, and sports Bluetooth 4.0 technology. There’s also Active Noise Cancellation on board.
The weight on the headset comes in at 5.47 ounces. For you audiophiles, the headset also sports support for the SBC, mSBC, CVSD codecs. There’s also Hi-Fi stereo support, voice alerts onboard for battery, pairing, and mute status. The battery life is rated for 15 hours, thanks to the 325 mAh battery.
Design
There’s a lot to like with the design of this headset and it starts with the charging cradle. The headset slides into a special cradle via a POGO connector in between the right earpad and the Teams side button. When housed, the entire thing sits sleek and nice at the side of a desk. The cradle plugs in via USB-A to a monitor or charging brick, and a LED light lets you know the charging status.
It is disappointing, though, to see what happens if you opt to not use the cradle for charging, In these cases, you’ll need to use micro USB. Most headsets and accessories sport USB-C on board, but this headset is an exception. For a bit of good measure, Dell includes a 3 foot long micro USB cable in the box. The included pouch also means you can travel with the headset, and the cable in a bag.
Other than the cradle, the headset itself is very slim and compact. Unlike Surface Headphones which have a big profile when sitting on the head, this Dell is a lot smaller. The earpads are comfier as it doesn’t fully cover your ear and instead sits on the top. If you’re wondering, Dell is using a leatherette material on the earpads as well as the headband, and the rest of the headset is plastic (other than the metal band in the middle.) That means that the headset doesn’t fit too tight and leaves room for your ears to breathe a bit. As you’d expect, it is adjustable, too. Up to 10 positions, so it can fit anyone and everyone.
Other points of the design include the buttons on board the mic. A Teams call button on the right side lets you tap to open Teams to manage your calls. On the left, there are play and pause buttons as well as fast forward and back. You can also twist the left earpad left and right to adjust volume, The right side has a microphone boom, which you can either be worn on the left or the right, for your convenience. All of these controls are super convenient, letting you control media without needing to touch your PC or phone.
As for the power button, it’s embedded on the right earpad. Just slide the button up and it turns on then hold down that slide to pair. On the other earpad, meanwhile, you’ll find the ANC button. Dell includes a USB-A dongle for connections to a PC if you don’t prefer to use Bluetooth. The dongle has an indicator light that flashes to show you the status of the headphones.
Sound experience
After using the Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset WL7022 for two weeks, there’s a lot that we liked about it. We’ll start first with the fit and feel. While most headphones end up making our ears feel sweaty and uncomfortable after more than an hour, the Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset WL7022 didn’t.
Its slim design felt at home on our head for prolonged periods of use. We started a day with it at 9:00 AM and finished our workday with it around 3:30 PM. Only taking the headset off for brief breaks, the leatherette material definitely is on the comfy side without causing our ears to sweat.
The real strength of the Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset has to do with the way it handles voice. We tested things out on a Teams for Life (consumer version of Teams) call with one of our friends across the country. The person on the other end of the call said that we were coming through loud and clear. Even on our podcast, our guests appreciated how clear we sounded. Oh, and (with a click of a button on the inside of the mic) that microphone can also be used to listen in to your surroundings when you’re wearing the headset, a bit like the transparency mode on Apple’s Airpods.
In terms of other sound quality, the Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset WL7022 is great. When we tried out the ANC feature for watching movies at night, it was able to cancel out the sound of fireworks outside our window. Then, during Teams calls, the ANC feature muted out city noises like construction, sirens, and cars passing. ANC isn’t as solid as you’d get with Surface Headphones (since it doesn’t seal your ears in,) but the three mics on board this Dell headset still do a good job, all things considered.
In watching the movie Safe, the headset did a great job of making the sounds of the opening scene in the New York City Subway system feel realistic. Then, when listening to music, we couldn’t help but to groove along with an EDM remix of Rather Be by Jess Glynne. The headset does a good job with decent levels of bass, and good mids but for music, it definitely is not as immersive as more studio-quality headphones with dedicated Aux cords like Microsoft’s consumer Surface Headphones 2.
And what about the battery? Overall, from day-to-day use, we got through about two days on a single charge. Dell says you get up to 15 hours listen time, and 12 hours with talk time. Using the ANC kicks that down to 10 hours and 12 hours.
Software & multi-platform use
The Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset WL7022 has a couple of smart features that we appreciate. The first of those is the smart sensors. There are smart sensors onboard that can automatically mute calls (and music) when the headset is removed. Another is hearing protection. This feature can detect loud noises and prevents audio spikes to protect hearing.
Finally, there’s the way it works with different devices. We paired the headset with an iPhone via Bluetooth, as well as a PC with the USB dongle. We were able to use the headset to listen to music on an iPhone, then switch over to the PC when we needed audio there. It’s seamless, and the switching happens instantly.
We end with a note on the software. To peek at the battery status of the headset and more, you can download the Plantronics Hub Software on Windows and other platforms. It also has a host of other settings for controlling the sensors, audio prompts, audio, and more. If you’re into tweaking things, then we highly suggest this optional download.
Expensive, but good for enterprise
Priced at $300, the Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset WL7022 might be out of reach for most consumers. However, for enterprise users and IT admins who send out headsets to people in the office or at home, this headset is worth it for enhancing Teams calls. The audio is immersive, there are some intuitive features, and it’s very comfortable and easy to use with all your different devices. As alternatives, we would suggest the similarly priced Surface Headphones 2+. Consumers, though, might want to check out more the Dell Pro Stereo headset, or an Alienware headset.
Oracle Database is one of the foremost DBMS (Database Management Systems) for Windows. However, Windows 10 doesn’t include any built-in Oracle ODBC connection tool.
So, you’ll need to install an Oracle ODBC driver to connect to an Oracle database with an ODBC-compliant application.
You have to do more than download and install an ODBC package to connect to an Oracle database with an application.
On top of that, you’ll also need to add new environment variables and set up a DSN for the driver before you can connect with the Oracle database.
How can I install an Oracle ODBC driver in Windows 10?
Then right-click a space within the C: drive and select New > Folder.
Enter Oracle as the new folder name. Then you should have a new folder with this path: C:\Oracle
Move all three of the downloaded Oracle ZIP archives into the Oracle folder. You can do that by selecting the ZIP files, clicking the Move to button, and selecting Choose location within File Explorer.
Next, extract all three of the ZIP archives into the Oracle folder. To extract a ZIP, select it and click the Extract all button on File Explorer’s Compressed Folder Tools tab.
Then you can click the Browse button in the Extract Compressed window to select the Oracle folder. Click the Extract button.
Open the extracted instantclient-basic-windows.x64-19.11.0.0.0dbru folder.
Move the instantclient_19_11 subfolder from there into the Oracle folder.
Then erase the now empty instantclient-basic-windows.x64-19.11.0.0.0dbru folder that previously included the instantclient_19_11 subfolder by right-clicking it and selecting Delete. Thereafter, you’ll have a single instantclient_19_11 folder within the Oracle directory.
The ODBC and basic ZIP archives must be unzipped to exactly the same folder. Select to extract the ODBC ZIP to the path of your unzipped Basic package.
Delete instantclient_19_11 at the end of the path in the Extract Compressed window so that an additional subfolder isn’t included.
The SDK package is a non-essential optional one. However, it’s recommended you download that package too.
The SDK ZIP archive should also be extracted to the same instantclient_19_11 folder that includes the Basic and ODBC package files.
In case that did not help, you can give a try to Outbyte Driver Updater which has a big database of drivers and might have the right ones for Oracle, besides that, updating your drivers is a common good practice for maintaining a functional PC.
2. Add an Oracle Client directory environment variable
Press the Windows and Skeys simultaneously to open a search box.
Type the keyword system environment variables with the search text box.
Click Edit the system environment variables to open the window in the screenshot directly below.
Press the Environment Variables button.
Click the New button for system variables.
Next, input OCI_LIB32 within the Variable name box.
Input your Oracle folder path in the Variable value box. If you followed the guidelines above, that folder path would be this: C:\Oracle\instantclient_19_11.
Next, Double-click Path in system variables to open the window in the snapshot directly below.
Click the New button, and enter the same folder path you input within the Variable value box.
Press the OK button.
NOTE
To get the list of TNS services when establishing ODBC connections, you’ll also need to set up a TNS_ADMIN system environment variable that points to the directory that includes the tnsnames.ora file.
3. Install your ODBC Oracle client package
To install the ODBC client, open the instantclient_19_11 folder you extracted the ODBC package to in File Explorer. Then right-click odbc_install.exe and select the Run as administrator option.
Note that there isn’t any kind of GUI installation wizard for that file. So, that’s all you need to do here.
4. Set up the DSN for Oracle driver
Bring up the search tool within Windows.
Enter ODBC Data Sources in the search box.
Click ODBC Data Sources to open the window in the screenshot directly below.
Next, click the Add button on the User DSN (or System) tab to open the Create New Data Source window.
Select your Oracle ODBC driver, and press the Finish button.
Fill out the required details on the ODBC configuration window.
Click Test Connection to check your Oracle Database Server connection.
Press the OK button to exit.
5. Install missing Visual C++ libraries
You can’t set up data sources for an Oracle driver with the ODBC Data Source Administration if a required Visual C++ package for it is not installed on your PC.
If an error message pops up when your try to set up an Oracle driver data source, you might be missing a required Visual C++ package.
You’ll need to have Visual Studio 17 installed for the current Oracle 19 client. You can download Visual Studio 2017, and older redistributable packages, via the C++ downloads page.
Then click the VC EXE file you downloaded to install the Visual Studio package. So, that’s how you can install the Oracle ODBC driver on Windows 10.
When you’ve installed the current Oracle ODBC driver, you can connect to Oracle Database DBMS versions from 11.2 up to 19.1 with the 19c client.
While this guide covers Oracle’s ODBC setup, many developers also work with Microsoft SQL Server. In that case, you may want to check out the ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server, which provides reliable connectivity for SQL Server databases on Windows.
Moreover, if you need to fix Windows 10 ODBC issues, just check out our dedicated article. As for your opinion, the comments area is waiting for you.
Some users have posted on forums about an issue in which the AMD GPU driver installation gets stuck. For some users, the AMD installer gets stuck at verifying drivers.
Other users have said their PCs freeze while trying to install an AMD driver. Users can’t install AMD drivers because of that issue.
If you happen to be one of them as well, rest assured that we can help you out. Just check out the tips and tricks mentioned below.
How can I fix an AMD driver installation stuck issue?
1. Update your AMD driver with driver updater software
Instead of manually trying to install an AMD GPU driver, try utilizing driver updater software instead. A driver updater utility will scan your PC and highlight its devices with outdated drivers.
You can download and automatically install graphics card drivers among others with driver updater software.
2. Check you’ve downloaded the right driver package for your PC
Make sure you’ve downloaded the right AMD driver for your PC before installing it. You need to download the right driver package for your GPU, Windows platform, and 64/32-bit system architecture.
So, double-check you’ve got the right AMD driver package before attempting to install it again.
3. Install the driver in Safe Mode
Click the Start button in Windows 10, and select the Power option.
Next, click Restart while pressing and holding the Shift key.
Select Troubleshoot on the blue menu screen the PC restarts at.
Then select Advanced options to open that menu.
Select the Start-up Settings button.
Press the Restart button.
Thereafter, your desktop or laptop will restart at a Startup settings menu.
Press the 5 key for the Enable Safe Mode with Networking option.
Then try installing your AMD graphics driver in Safe Mode.
4. Completely uninstall a current GPU driver before installing a new one
You can thoroughly uninstall an AMD GPU driver with the proper utility. The tool recommended below will also eradicate all files and registry entries associated with an uninstalled graphics driver.
Our Display Driver Uninstaller guide provides details about how to utilize it properly, so don’t hesitate to take a closer look right away.
Click the system tray icon for Windows Security to open that antivirus utility.
Then select the Virus & threat protection button to open the tab in the snapshot directly below.
Click Manage settings to open the option shown directly below.
Now click Real-time protection setting off to disable Windows Security.
Also, turn off the Cloud-delivered protection option.
If you’ve got a third-party antivirus utility installed, you’ll need to disable that. Right-click the system tray icon for your antivirus software to open its context menu.
Then look for and select a disable/turn off option of some description, which most antivirus utilities include on their context menus.
6. Turn off the Windows firewall
First, press the Windows key along with the S key at the same time to open a search box.
Type Windows Defender Firewall in the search text box.
Click Windows Defender Firewall to open that Control Panel applet’s window.
Next, click Windows Defender Firewall on or off on the left side of the Control Panel to open a Customize Settings window.
Finally, select both the radio buttons for the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (recommended) options.
Select the OK option to save the new firewall options.
NOTE
It’s recommended that users both temporarily disable their antivirus software and turn off the Windows firewall. Then try installing your AMD graphics driver with the antivirus software and firewall disabled.
Those are some of the more probable fixes for AMD driver install freeze issues. You can also get in touch with AMD support if further troubleshooting suggestions are still required.
If Microsoft Solitaire is not connecting to the Internet, you won’t be able to play the game at all. Luckily, this is a minor problem that can be easily resolved, so let’s see how we can fix this issue.
What can I do if Microsoft Solitaire is not connecting to Internet?
1. Open and use the troubleshooter
Click the Start button and Settings on its menu.
Next, select Update & Security and go to Troubleshoot in Settings to open the tab directly below.
Then select Additional troubleshooters to open the list troubleshooters in Settings.
Select Windows Store Apps to click its Run the troubleshooter button.
Thereafter, go through the troubleshooter that opens and select to fix any detected issues.
2. Re-register the Solitaire app
Click the magnifying glass button that’s on the far left side of the taskbar in Windows 10.
Enter the keyword PowerShell within the search box to find that utility.
Next, right-click Windows PowerShell to select a Run as administrator context menu option.
Input this command for re-registering the Solitaire app: Get-AppxPackage -allusers *MicrosoftSolitaireCollection* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
Best Windows games under 1 GB deliver immersive fun with minimal storage. Ideal for older PCs, low-spec laptops, or users with limited bandwidth, each of these titles offers quality gameplay in a compact install.
Explore diverse genres: open-world, shooters, strategy, and indie hits, all running smoothly without hogging your drive. For more choices, check out the related list of low-spec laptop games,.
It also lets you keep multiple favorites installed without worrying about storage limitations.
These compact titles span nostalgic blockbusters and modern indie gems. Many belong in the world of Windows games under 1 GB in size, yet still offer deep, fulfilling experiences.
GTA Vice City, developed by Rockstar North and released in 2002, became an instant classic thanks to its vibrant 1980s Miami-inspired aesthetic, infectious soundtrack, and smooth open-world gameplay. Critics praised its atmosphere and storytelling, cementing its status as one of the most iconic entries in the Grand Theft Auto series. Despite its age, it remains widely popular thanks to nostalgia and frequent re-releases and remasters.
The game still holds up today on low-end systems, requiring under 1 GB to install. Fans continue to revisit Vice City’s neon-lit streets for its engaging missions, celebrated voice acting, and dynamic radio channels, proving that high production value can thrive in a compact package.
Released in 2001 by Rockstar North, GTA III was the trailblazer for 3D open-world gaming. It revolutionized the industry with its stunning Liberty City, cinematic story, and sandbox freedom. Critics lauded its groundbreaking design, and it quickly became a benchmark for narrative-driven, expressive gameplay.
Despite being nearly two decades old, GTA III’s appeal endures thanks to its compact install (around 900 MB) and its importance as a cultural touchstone. It remains a favorite among gamers for its impactful mission structure, sandbox experimentation, and the novelty of exploring an immersive cityscape at a time when such worlds were rare.
Developed by Blizzard Entertainment and released in 1998, StarCraft redefined real-time strategy games with its asymmetric factions (Terran, Zerg, Protoss), competitive balance, and engaging storyline. It garnered widespread critical acclaim and quickly became a staple of esports, especially in South Korea. Its influence persists in competitive programming and strategic game design.
With a minimal install size of around 400 MB, StarCraft continues to thrive through remastered editions, active modding, and fan communities. Its streamlined gameplay, smart AI, and fast-paced multiplayer ensure it remains a beloved classic among strategists and FPS-focused esports fans alike.
Counter‑Strike: Condition Zero expanded on the original CS formula with new single-player content, improved AI bots, and refined gameplay that debuted in 2004. Developed by Turtle Rock Studios and Gearbox, it received praise for its tactical depth and cooperative modes. Critics recognized it as a polished spin-off of a genre-defining game.
Clocking in under 1 GB, Condition Zero stays accessible for gamers seeking classic FPS action on older PCs. Its bot-driven missions and retained multiplayer servers maintain an active player base, keeping this tactical classic alive among nostalgic communities.
Released in 2001 by Remedy Entertainment, Max Payne introduced the world to bullet-time gameplay and a dark, graphic-novel narrative style. Its cinematic storytelling and intense gunplay earned it critical acclaim and multiple awards, setting a new bar for narrative-driven action games.
Even with a modest file size of around 850 MB, the game’s gritty storyline and immersive shooting mechanics continue to attract players. Its strong noir atmosphere and the innovations it introduced ensure Max Payne remains a landmark sequel target for action enthusiasts and retro gamers.
Developed by Treyarch and published by Activision in 2004, Spider-Man 2 was groundbreaking for delivering open-world mechanics with seamless web-swinging. It gained critical acclaim for capturing the essence of Spider-Man with intuitive traversal and engaging missions.
Despite an install size under 1 GB, it remains one of the most beloved superhero games ever made. Its combination of free-roam exploration, memorable encounters with villains, and accurate character portrayal continues to make it a fan favorite years after release.
Minit, released in 2018 by Minit Studio, is a minimalist action-adventure that resets every 60 seconds. It’s praised for its clever design, charming visuals, and rewarding progression. Critics applauded the game for its unique loop structure and rich world-building within a constrained time frame.
At only ~60 MB, Minit’s concise gameplay loop and clever mechanics create a compelling experience. Its minimalist approach and inventive pacing have secured its status as a standout indie hit that often surprises and delights new players.
The Battle for Wesnoth, first released in 2003 as an open-source project, combines deep turn-based strategy with fantasy storytelling. Developed by a community of volunteers, it has earned critical respect for its rich campaigns, unit variety, and tactical complexity.
Under 400 MB, Wesnoth continues to win fans with its vast user-generated content and scenario editor. Its strategic depth and thriving modding community keep it continually updated and deeply replayable decades after launch.
RoboBlitz, by Naked Sky Entertainment and released in 2006, became a showcase for Unreal Engine 3’s power with its physics-based puzzles and colorful aesthetic. It received praise for integrating dynamic environments into its gameplay effectively.
Despite an install size under 500 MB, RoboBlitz impressed players with its polish and technical innovation. The creative puzzle action and charming visuals ensure it remains a cult favorite among fans of physics-driven indie titles.
Cave Story+, originally an indie freeware from Japanese developer Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya in 2004, evolved into a critically acclaimed metroidvania with a robust narrative. Reviews highlighted its depth, multiple endings, and tight design, noting it as a landmark for indie development.
The enhanced version still takes just ~90 MB while delivering hours of exploration, platforming, and character-driven storytelling. Its blend of challenging levels, upgrade systems, and emotional beats keeps players coming back time and again.
Originally released in 1997 for the N64 and ported to PC later as part of the remastered edition, Doom 64 retained the brutal Doom formula while adding new visuals and weapons. It was praised for its haunting atmosphere and tightly packed corridors.
In its PC version, it installs in ~280 MB, offering quick-paced combat, refined level design, and modern controller support. Its ability to deliver classic Doom action in a minimal package has earned it continued popularity among fans of retro shooters.
To ensure smooth performance, install these games on an SSD, close unnecessary programs, and set graphics to low or medium. Even decade-old laptops can handle these titles with ease.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Are these compatible with Windows 10/11?
Yes, these classic games often run flawlessly with compatibility mode tweaks. They remain top picks in the classic Windows games category.
Can I play offline?
Absolutely yes. Every game on this list supports offline play.
Will they work on integrated graphics?
Yes. Designed for older systems, they run well on Intel HD or equivalent setups.
🧾 Final Take
These 11 best Windows games under 1 GB prove that compact downloads can still deliver unforgettable gameplay. From GTA’s open-world charm to StarCraft’s strategic depth, each one is small in size but massive in fun.
Ideal for low-spec machines, travel rigs, or nostalgic enjoyment, grab these titles today for big experiences with minimal storage required.
Rust is a pretty popular survival game, but many users reported issues while trying to save their settings. According to users, Rust settings are not saving for some reason.
This issue usually occurs if the cfg file is missing or if you close the game improperly, so your settings aren’t saved properly.
This can be a problem, especially if you need to change a certain setting to make the game run better. However, there are ways to fix this problem, and in this guide, we’ll show you how to do it.
What do I do if Rust settings are not saving?
1. Create the config file manually
Navigate to the Rust installation directory. The location should be the following: /steam/steamapps/rust
Right-click the space inside the folder and choose New and select Folder. Name the folder CFG.
Navigate to the CFG folder and go to the View pane and check the File name extensions checkbox.
Right-click the space in the directory, expand the New menu and select Text Document.
Name the file Client.cfg.
A confirmation dialog will now appear. Click on Yes.
Now start the game, change your settings and join a server.
Quit the game and start it again.
After doing that, your settings should be saved properly. This is a simple little trick, so be sure to try it if Rust settings keep resetting.
2. Make sure that you’re closing the game properly
If Rust settings are not saving, it’s rather likely that you’re not closing your game properly. The correct way to close the game is to use the Exit button in the game.
If you use any other method of closing the game, it’s likely that your settings won’t save, so make sure that you’re exiting the game properly every time.
Many users reported that their settings were saved after they started closing the game properly, so we encourage you to use this method instead.
While this method might be slower, you’ll ensure that your settings will be properly saved every time, so there’s no reason not to use it.
3. Use a dedicated driver updater software
Finding the drivers manually can be a time-consuming task and it does require some technical knowledge just to make sure that you are not doing any damage. Things can be different if you use a specialized tool.
4. Use the writecfg command
Start Rust.
Press F1.
When the console appears, enter writecfg and press Enter.
This is a simple console command that should force the game to save your settings to the cfg file. Keep in mind that this is just a workaround, but it should help you if Rust settings keep resetting.
Despite being a workaround, many users reported that this method worked for them, so it’s a viable option, especially if you don’t want to close the game using the conventional method.
Fixing this problem is easier than you think, and if your Rust settings are not saving, be sure to try the solutions from this guide.
Moroever, we’ve got some quick tips to apply each time the game audio stops working in Windows 10. They will certainly make this issue a thing of the past.
Did you find a different solution to this problem? If so, feel free to share it with us in the comments section below.
You can never go wrong with a Brother scanner considering its reputation for being reliable, functional, error-free, and with the possibility to print, copy, scan, and fax.
But, as with many other scanners, installing and ensuring that the correct driver is running on your app is essential for the best outcome.
In this article, we will show you the exact steps you need to make in order to install the Brother scanner driver, so make sure to keep on reading.
How can I install the Brother scanner driver?
1. Use the installation DVD
Insert the DVD into your device and choose Install Scanner Driver.
On the following window click on Next.
Make sure to read the agreement and check the I accept box.
Now, click on Next and Complete.
Finally, click on the Install button to start the process.
Allow for the process to complete and restart your device if needed.
Click on the search result to download the driver.
On the next page select your operating system.
Click on Agree to the EULA button to download the found driver.
Run the downloaded file and proceed with the installation.
3. Use a third-party tool
Installing any driver manually can be a sensitive thing considering that downloading the wrong one can impact the overall work of the associated app.
Using a third-party tool that not only will download the correct driver but will also ensure that it will stay updated is therefore recommended.
More so, using specialized driver tools can give you professional support for any issues, whether you need to install or repair specific drivers on your PC.
It’s possible as well to install or update all your drivers at once, or individually according to your circumstance. Thus, using such a reliable method will resolve any situation with problematic drivers.
Welcome back to our Windows news recap, where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.
Microsoft claims its “PrintNightmare” fix is working but acknowledges issues with select printers
After releasing an emergency fix for the “PrintNightmare” exploit which affects the Windows Print Spooling service, claims of it being ineffective began to surface. Microsoft’s Security Response Center has responded via a blog post, saying that its fix is effective when default registry settings are in place. Despite this, the company has acknowledged that the fix does cause issues with some printers, such as the Zebra brand of printers.
Microsoft is holding a Windows 11 Bug Bash — complete quests and earn a special badge
As testing of Windows 11 by Windows Insiders gets underway, Microsoft is holding a Windows 11 Bug Bash until July 14, allowing Insiders to complete quests and earn a special badge for their participation. There are a variety of quests, from the new Start Menu, Snapping Windows, using external monitors, and even the new calendar flyout and Quick Settings.
Windows 10’s popular free Sketchbook drawing app goes paid after ownership change
Autodesk Sketchbook, now known as Sketchbook, has become a paid app on the Microsoft Store after its ownership changed, despite it being one of the most popular free drawing apps on Windows 10. As a bit of history, the app used to be paid-for around three years ago, but switched to being free.
Acrobat Reader DC first Adobe Win32 app to appear in the new Microsoft Store
Keeping your PC safe from malware should be your priority; many tools can help you with that. SpyHunter and Malwarebytes are currently the best tools for this task, but how do they compare to one another?
Both tools offer similar features, and both should be able to remove all types of malware from your PC. So, which one should you choose?
In this guide, we will compare SpyHunter and Malwarebytes and help you find the best malware removal tool for your PC.
SpyHunter vs Malwarebytes, which one should you use?
A quick introduction
What is SpyHunter?
SpyHunter is a malware removal software for both Windows and Mac. The software can detect all types of malware, including ransomware, keyloggers, trojans, viruses, spyware, rootkits, and others.
The software comes with a simple and user-friendly interface, so even first-time users won’t have any problems while using this software.
What is Malwarebytes?
Malwarebytes is a well-known malware removal software that was first released way back in 2006. The software can detect almost any type of malware and remove it securely from your PC.
Malwarebytes evolved over the years, and now it has a real-time scanning feature, so it works like antivirus software and is not just a malware removal tool.
Regarding availability, the software is available on both Windows and Mac platforms.
Interface and ease of use
SpyHunter: Simple but clunky at times
SpyHunter offers a simple and friendly user interface, and you can access all the essential features from the toolbar.
Although the interface itself is simple, we can’t shake the feeling that it looks outdated, but that’s just a personal preference and not a dealbreaker for us.
We did have a few issues with the interface, and we didn’t like how to reports are organized. All reports are available in a form of a tree, which makes them harder to read, and we hope that would be changed in near future.
The Scheduling feature interface also leaves a bit to desired, and we wish that there was an option to choose what type of scan you wish to perform.
These are some minor issues with the interface, and we hope that those issues will be fixed in near future.
Malwarebytes: Simple and friendly interface with a couple of minor flaws
Malwarebytes interface is simple, clean, and with large icons, so you can easily access any feature that you want.
All your notifications are available in the right pane, so you can easily see any recent detections, warnings, and blocked threats.
While the interface is simple, the application had a couple of elements that we didn’t like. Most notably, there’s a reminder during the scan that will suggest upgrading to a Premium version.
This isn’t a dealbreaker for us, but some users might not like this. Overall, the interface is simple and friendly, and you won’t have any problems using it.
SpyHunter: Simple but capable malware removal tool
SpyHunter comes with a simple and friendly interface, and you can perform a system scan with just a single click.
According to the developers, the software can detect malware, viruses, spyware, ransomware, keyloggers, trojans, rootkits, adware, unwanted programs, and security vulnerabilities.
In addition to the quick scan feature, the software also has a custom scan, allowing you to choose which drives you wish to scan.
Using the custom scan you can choose to scan for privacy issues, vulnerabilities, and rootkits. You can also choose if you want to scan your memory and registry.
The software can also protect hosts file and protect system files as well. As for network protection, there’s DNS and proxy protection available.
SpyHunter also has a scheduling feature, allowing you to schedule your scans, and thanks to the reporting feature, you can see all your previous scans and results with ease.
We also have to mention that SpyHunter has a System Guard feature that provides real-time protection, but sadly, this feature is available only in the Full version of the software.
The Free version also has an unusual limitation, allowing you to remove detected threats only once per 48 hours. This is a questionable decision indeed.
Malwarebytes: An advanced malware removal software
The main highlight of Malwarebytes is its malware removal feature, and the software will be able to detect and remove any malware type with ease.
The software is incredibly simple to use, and you can perform a quick scan with just a few clicks. The custom scan feature is available, allowing you to choose which drives you want to scan.
You can also choose if you want to scan memory objects, startup items, rootkits, and archives. This feature also allows you to choose how to treat detected threats.
This allows you to automatically quarantine all threats, ignore them, or choose the desired action for each threat.
Extensive reports are also available, allowing you to view a detailed list of all detected items. Of course, there’s a whitelist feature, and you can add files, folders, applications, and websites to it with ease.
The software also offers Real-Time Protection in Web Protection, Malware and PUP Protection, Ransomware Protection, and Exploit Protection.
Each of these components can be turned off, so you don’t have to use them if you don’t want to. Unfortunately, all the options from the Real-Time Protection are only available in the Premium version of Malwarebytes.
Another feature that is exclusive to the Premium version is scheduled scanning, which means that you have to manually start each scan on your PC.
Even though the Premium version offers full real-time protection, the Free version is more than capable to deal with all malware threats.
Want to know more about Malwarebytes Premium? Be sure to check our Malwarebytes Free vs Premium article for in-depth analysis.
Final thoughts
SpyHunter: Simple with a few flaws
SpyHunter is incredibly simple but powerful malware removal software, and it should help you deal with any malware easily.
The software also offers some unique features such as hosts, proxy, and DNS protection that will be useful.
Real-time protection isn’t available in the Free version, but during our testing, SpyHunter didn’t interfere with Windows Defender, so that you can use the two without any interference.
The user interface was our biggest complaint, and while we didn’t mind the slightly outdated interface, we didn’t like how the report feature worked.
This section looked crammed with information, which can be a problem, especially if you have tens of threats detected on your PC.
This isn’t a dealbreaker, but it is still something that might need a bit of improvement. The software also had a bit of a questionable past, and the SpyHunter was often labeled as a potentially unwanted application.
We also had to mention that the Free version had a 48-hour wait period for malware removal, which can be a problem if you need to remove malware urgently from your PC.
Although SpyHunter did a decent job, you should take its questionable past and unusual limitations in the Free version into consideration before using it.
Pros
Simple to use
Can remove all types of malware
Hosts file protection
DNS protection
Proxy protection
Cons
Questionable past
Can remove malware once per 48h in Free version
Malwarebytes: One of the best malware remover tools
Malwarebytes offers easy to use interface, so you should be able to scan for malware in a matter of seconds.
The Free version is more than capable to deal with all types of malware, but unfortunately, the real-time scanning and scheduling remain available only in the Premium version.
This isn’t a major issue since you can easily use Malwarebytes with Windows Defender side by side. Some users might not like the message that keeps asking you to upgrade to the Premium version, but we didn’t find it too distracting.
Pros
Simple user interface
Ability to remove all types of malware
Can work alongside Windows Defender
Unlimited manual scans in the Free version
Free Premium trial
Cons
Some features are only available in the Premium version
Both applications are more than capable of dealing with malware, but with SpyHunter’s past and the limitations of the Free version, Malwarebytes seems like a far superior choice, in our opinion.
What is your malware removal software of choice? Let us know in the comments below.
What are the hardware requirements for Malwarebytes and SpyHunter?
Here are the requirements for Malwarebytes:
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1 or newer
CPU: 800MHz CPU with SSE2 technology
RAM: 2GB for 64-bit and 1GB for a 32-bit operating system
Storage: About 250MB
The hardware requirements for SpyHunter are the following:
Operating System: Windows XP SP3 or newer
CPU: 1GHZ CPU
RAM: 1GB RAM
Storage: 200MB
Is SpyHunter a legitimate antivirus software?
Many users have criticized SpyHunter for its practices, such as the ability to remove detected malware once every 48 hours in the Free version.
The software also had its share of controversies and was labeled as a potentially unwanted program for detecting fake threats on users’ PCs.
This led to many being skeptical about SpyHunter’s legitimacy as antivirus software.
What are the trial version limitations for SpyHunter and Malwarebytes?
In the Free version, SpyHunter doesn’t have real-time protection or 24/7 support. The software also has a questionable limitation that lets you remove malware once every 48 hours.
On the other hand, Malwarebytes doesn’t have any scanning limitations, and you can manually scan your system as often as you want.
Real-time scanning and scan scheduling are available only in the Premium version. However, Malwarebytes comes with a 14-day free trial, so you can fully try it out.
Can Malwarebytes and SpyHunter work alongside Windows Defender?
SpyHunter works without any problems with Windows Defender, at least in the Free version. The Full version with real-time protection might interfere with Windows Defender in some way.
Malwarebytes works with Windows Defender, but to enable that, you need to open the Settings section and navigate to the Security tab.
From there, you can find an option to register Malwarebytes in the Windows Security Center. Disable this feature, and Malwarebytes will work alongside Windows Defender without any issues.
Can SpyHunter detect malicious/fraudulent websites?
No, SpyHunter can’t detect fraudulent websites, instead, the software is focused on detecting malware on your PC.
On the other hand, the Premium version of Malwarebytes can easily detect and block malicious or fraudulent websites.
Display issues are not entirely uncommon on Windows 10 PCs. For example, PC freezes are one display issue most users will resolve by rebooting their desktop and laptops.
Most users become alarmed when their PC screen goes black or suddenly freezes and doesn’t respond to anything.
Is there a problem with the graphics card?
Most Windows 10 users have encountered the situation where the PC screen doesn’t work normally or as it should, and this leads to frustration.
Usually this situation involves a frozen or black screen, and keyboard or mouse inputs not responding to commands, so, for a good reason, that’s no joke, and you need to treat the problem seriously.
All these things lead to one safe conclusion: the display or graphics driver has a problem that you need to fix as quickly as possible.
Rebooting the PC also restarts (or resets) the video driver, which usually fixes display issues. However, you don’t need to reboot a Windows 10 PC to reset its video driver.
There are a couple of different ways you can manually reset video drivers, which restarts graphics subsystems, to fix display issues without restarting a desktop or laptop.
How do I reset my graphics card without restarting my PC?
1. Press the reset video driver hotkey
Whenever a display issue arises, simply press the Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B keyboard shortcut. When you press those keys simultaneously, the screen will very briefly go blank.
You’ll also hear a beep before everything reappears. So, don’t be alarmed when that happens. This video driver reset hotkey reputedly works in Windows 10 and prior versions.
It will reset Intel, Nvidia, and AMD video drivers among others. Users with older Windows platforms can also manually reset video drivers with the alternative methods below.
2. Disable and enable your PC’s display adapter
Press the Windows key + R to launch Run.
Type this Run command within the Open box:devmgmt.msc
Then click OK to open Device Manager.
Double-click the Display adapters category in Device Manager.
Right-click your display adapter to select an Uninstall device option.
Wait a minute, and then right-click your display adapter again to select Enable device.
3. Use a third-party app to fix your video drivers
If you want to fix display problems in the future, you no longer need to reboot your PC to reset video drivers, you can instead rely on a dedicated third-party app.
Thus, by using a tool that constantly makes sure your drivers are up-to-date, you get rid of many other errors or bugs that may occur along the way.
Tips for users
Although the Windows 10 operating system has a mechanism for automatically restarting a driver, which is very useful for all users, you need to make sure you don’t get to that point though.
That’s why our major recommendation is to use software that automatically handles your drivers, quietly and in the background.
In this way, you can run your desired apps without the panic or inconvenience of a black or frozen screen right in the middle of an important task.
Of course, it’s good to know that you always have the saving shortcut: Win+Ctrl+Shift+B at hand to get you out of this unpleasant situation, which you can call on very quickly.
So, you can quickly reset your video driver without rebooting with any of the above methods. Resetting your video card can be an invaluable troubleshooting option for resolving various PC display issues.
Epson is one of the most known and used printers out there but as with many other popular tools, it does come with its share of problems in Windows 10.
Some users report they have been having trouble with the initial driver installation although they have followed the indicated steps in the installation process.
We will explore in this article what steps you need to make in order to install the Epson scanner driver, so make sure to keep on reading.
What to do if I can’t install the Epson scanner driver?
1. Uninstall the printer
Open the printer and make sure it’s connected to your device.
Double click on the Devices and Printers folder to open it.
Check if there are any canceled and queued documents.
Next, power off the printer and disconnect the data cable.
Type Programs and Features in the Search bar and press Enter.
Select your printer from the list and click on Uninstall/Change.
Next, click OK and then press on Yes in the following window.
Finally, you will see confirmation that the uninstall is complete. Click OK.
Restart your device for the process to complete.
2. Disable your antivirus
Your antivirus software or firewall can often interfere with your Internet connection and cause your printer to not function properly.
In order to solve this issue, and see if this is actually the problem, you might want to temporarily remove your antivirus or firewall.
Since almost any antivirus software can cause this kind of problem, be sure to temporarily remove all third-party antivirus tools.
3. Perform a clean boot
Sign in to your device as an administrator.
Go to the Search bar and type in msconfig.
Next, select System Configuration from the list.
Go to the Services tab of System Configuration.
Here, select Hide all Microsoft services, and then select Disable all.
On the Startup tab make sure to select Open Task Manager.
Next, in Task Manager, for each startup item, select the item and then select Disable.
Close Task Manager and System Configuration as well and restart your device.
4. Do a system restore
Press down the power button until the Automatic Repair message appears.
Go to Troubleshoot, select Advanced options, and choose System Restore.
Next, select your username and enter your password and click Next.
Select the desired restore point, and follow the on-screen instructions to restore your PC.
After your PC is restored, check if the problem still appears.
5. Use a dedicated software
Updating the drivers manually can be a time-consuming process and there may be a situation where you install the wrong driver, which could have a negative effect.
Consider using a dedicated third-party tool that will not only install the correct driver for your Epson printer but will ensure that the driver stays updated.
Outbyte Driver Updater removes the risk that comes with installing faulty drivers and helps you batch update and repair all drivers on your PC.
It uses its own driver database to download and install the best version available for any hardware you may use. It is easy to use, completely safe, and lightweight.
With this last recommendation, we will conclude our article. We hope that by performing the steps indicated here you managed to fix not being able to install the Epson scanner driver.
As you probably know by now, Windows 11 has been announced, and it should be released someday soon.
While we wait for the full release, Microsoft is being busy and it has released the first build of Windows 11 to Windows Insiders, so we got a first chance to experience Windows 11 on our own.
A new build, called Windows 11 22000.65 was released recently, and today we’re going to take a closer look at it and see new features and improvements it offers.
Why is it called 22000.65?
Many users were surprised by this naming convention, which leads to certain speculations. Some expect this to be a pipeline update that doesn’t change much, which is unlikely.
On the other hand, Microsoft may be changing the naming convention, so they won’t be changing the major build number on weekly basis.
We’re still not sure about the naming convention, but we’re positive that more information will be revealed in the future.
Windows 11 build 22000.65 released, what does it offer and how to install it?
What’s new in Windows 11 22000.65?
Search in Start Menu
In this build, the Start Menu got a search box, and while this feature can come in handy, Windows 11 already has a separate search feature that does the same job.
The addition of the search bar felt a bit unnecessary since it will just open the regular search feature that you can already open from the Taskbar.
Many users aren’t too happy because there are two search bars in Windows 11 build 22000.65 and we’re still waiting to see what will Microsoft do with it, and whether will it remain as a permanent component of the Start Menu.
We weren’t too thrilled about this change either, and hopefully, the search bar won’t be here to stay in the final version.
If you’re one of the users that weren’t too thrilled about the new Start Menu, there was a way to Change Windows 11 to classic view and get the old Windows 10 Start Menu back.
Start Menu isn’t the only element that got changed in this build. The Taskbar got a slight improvement, and now it shows properly across multiple monitors, which is great for dual monitor setups.
You can enable this feature from the Taskbar behaviors menu in the Settings app.
Context menu changes
We also noticed that a Refresh option is now available from the context menu when you click your desktop. In the previous build, it was hidden behind the Show more options, so this is a welcome change.
While we’re talking about the context menu, you’ll now get an option to run .ps1 files with PowerShell when you right-click the file instead of going to go to the Show more options menu.
Sound troubleshooting
As for other quality of life improvements, there’s now an option available to troubleshoot the sound problems when you right-click the sound icon in the Taskbar.
Unfortunately, the troubleshooting window comes right from Windows 10, and it doesn’t have the rounded corners that Windows 11 windows have, so it looks really out of place.
Change the power plan from the Settings app
Microsoft also made some changes to the Power settings and now you can select your power mode right from the Power settings section in the Settings app.
That’s right, no more will you have to access the Control Panel to change this setting since now it’s available right from the Settings app.
Unfortunately, you can’t customize the advanced power settings from here, and for that, you’ll need to use the Control Panel.
Snap layout improvements
There are also improvements with snap layouts, and now portrait layouts have three apps instead of four, which leaves users with more space to work with.
This change is aimed mostly towards tablet users or users that are using their monitor in portrait mode. If you don’t fall into these two categories, you most likely won’t even notice this change.
GIFs in emoji panel
Microsoft is collaborating with weshineapp to bring GIFs to the emoji panel, and while GIFs are available now available, this feature is available only to users from China.
We don’t know if this feature will be available globally someday, but we don’t see any reasons why not.
Windows 11 build 22000.65 bugs
User interface inconsistency
Windows 11 brought a new user interface with rounded corners, but unfortunately, not all elements follow it. This change brought some fresh air, but certain applets don’t seem to use the same design.
Moreover, some applets don’t follow the theme settings and they will always use the light theme. This all results in a visual inconsistency, but we hope that this will be sorted out soon.
Graphics stuttering
If you’re were looking to enjoy some gaming or multimedia with build 22000.65, guess again. This build has a weird bug that causes graphics to stutter when moving the mouse.
The issue seems related to Nvidia graphics drivers, but removing the drivers doesn’t fix the issue.
Taskbar icon problems
The biggest issue with Taskbar is that moving the icons around the Taskbar or simply moving an icon to the Taskbar will open the moved application automatically.
This isn’t a major problem, but it can get annoying pretty fast if you want to rearrange apps. However, it seems that this issue affects only the applications that aren’t currently running.
For some reason, on the new build, the space between pinned apps seems bigger. This usually isn’t a problem, but if you have multiple applications pinned to your Taskbar, you might run out of space.
This is a minor problem, and unless you’re doing heavy multitasking or have dozens of icons pinned in your Taskbar, you probably won’t encounter this issue.
It also seems that the Taskbar icons are slightly off-center, but this is easily fixed by hiding the Taskbar temporarily, or by changing your theme.
Issues with Fn keys
Another problem that you may encounter with this build is with the Fn keys and shortcuts that use the Fn key.
It seems that shortcuts that use the Fn key will stop working after your PC goes to sleep. Once the PC wakes up, those shortcuts will no longer work. However, this is easily fixed with a PC restart.
Widget issues
Widgets are the newest feature to be added in Windows 11, but it seems that widgets aren’t working properly in build 20000.65.
When you open the widgets panel, instead of your widgets, you’ll get a login window asking you to enter your login credentials or your PIN.
Logging in doesn’t work, and instead, it gives you the dreaded Something went wrong error, so you’re stuck with the login screen whenever you try to use widgets in this build.
The widgets panel also might appear empty or it might use the wrong window size in this build.
Activation problems
On our test machine, we noticed Error code 0xC004F213 followed by a message saying that no product key was found on your device, despite Windows being activated.
This error will mark your Windows as inactivated and you won’t be able to customize it until you resolve this issue.
Can’t see recent searches
The new Search feature in Windows 11 works great, but it seems that it fails to work properly. While hovering the search icon, you should be able to see the recent searches, but that’s not the case.
This feature works if you have just one search, but if there are two or more, the recent searches will be missing when you hover the search icon in the Taskbar.
Issues with context menu
As mentioned previously, build 22000.65 brings the Refresh option to the context menu, so you won’t have to use Show more options to reveal it.
However, using the Refresh option will cause your context menu to stop working completely. We wrote in detail about this issue in our Windows 11 context menu bug article, so be sure to check it out.
Speaking of issues, we have a whole article dedicated to Windows 11 build 22000.65 bugs, so visit it for more information about bugs.
How do I install build 22000.65?
Open the Start Menu and click on Settings.
When the Settings app opens, navigate to the Windows Update in the left pane.
Check for available updates. If Windows says that version 22000.65 is available for download, click on Download now button.
Wait for the download process to finish.
Once the update is downloaded, click the Restart now button.
Wait while the update is being installed and don’t turn off your PC.
During the update, your PC will automatically restart and then continue the upgrade process.
Once the process is finished, your system will be updated to build 22000.65.
As you can see, updating to the new build is pretty simple, and the entire process is performed right from the Settings app and it shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
Is the new W11 build better than the previous one?
The first build of Windows 11 gained a lot of attention from the users, but what about Windows 11 build 22000.65?
This build brings some changes and improvements, especially if you’re working with devices in portrait mode or if you’re using multiple monitors.
Some quality of life improvements, such as the ability to refresh the desktop quickly or to change the power mode right from the Settings app is more than welcome.
We didn’t like the introduction of the Search bar in the Start Menu since it feels redundant and it just opens the Search feature when you click on it.
There are some new bugs as well, but that’s to be expected from Insider Builds. Overall, this build is nothing to write home about, but it does fix a fair share of bugs.
If you’re looking for new and exciting features, then this build might not be what you’re looking for. What are your thoughts on Windows 11 build 22000.65? Have you tried it yet? Let us know in the comments section below.
Computer chips are an essential part of modern electronics, and we can find them in almost every device, ranging from our TVs to smartphones.
Currently, there’s a worldwide computer chip shortage going around, and this can be a major problem for the whole electronics industry.
Today we’re going to take a closer look at the chip shortage and give you all the necessary information that you need to know about it.
What should I know about computer chip shortage?
How did the chip shortage start?
Chip shortage started in 2020 after the start of the pandemic, since the demand for consumer electronics grew, especially with the increasing number of people working from home.
With the increased demand for consumer electronics, the demand for computer chips grew thus causing the shortage.
It all comes down to the supply and demand, and when the demand grew due to the pandemic, the suppliers weren’t ready for it.
Now that we know how the chip shortage started, let’s see what’s causing it.
What is causing the chip shortage?
The car production had to shut down temporarily due to the pandemic, but the demand for cars grew and the car industry started to recover.
By doing so, the demand for chips to be used in car electronics rose. However, the chip manufactures are overwhelmed by making chips to meet the increasing demand for consumer electronics.
Other factors such as a drought in Taiwan, a Renesas Electronic Corporation fire in Japan, and the failure of the Texas power grid are all factors that have contributed to the global chip shortage.
These are some of the main reasons why there’s a chip shortage in 2021. So, we know what is causing the chip shortage, but who is affected by this shortage? Keep on reading to find out.
Who is affected by chip shortage?
Some might think that the chip shortage is affecting only the major companies, but that’s not the case. The companies are experiencing shortages because the demand for electronics skyrocketed.
If the companies can’t produce enough electronics, the customers are going to be affected by this as well. This includes almost every person on the planet, but the effects of the shortage might not be as drastic as some think.
In the worst-case scenario, users won’t be able to get a specific product because the demand exceeds the current supply of consumer electronics.
This is similar to the graphics card shortage that was caused by crypto miners and the PS5 shortage due to scalpers. This means that certain electronics might not be available due to the high demand.
In other cases, the prices of electronics might rise due to the scarcity of electronics. According to market researchers, the prices of large screen TV has increased by around 30% compared to last year.
But it’s not just TVs, the computer chips are in almost every digital device that we use, so the shortage will affect smartphones, consoles, laptops, and other similar markets.
How will this shortage play out in the real-life, and how much will the prices go up we can’t predict, so we’ll just have to wait and see how the situation plays out.
Regarding the companies, the car industry has been affected the most by the chip shortage. According to the experts, it’s expected for the auto industry to make between 1.5 million and 5 million fewer vehicles this year alone.
Many manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen AG, Subaru Corp, Toyota Motor Corp and Nissan will scale down their production due to the chip shortage.
According to Ford, they are expecting a loss as has as $2.5 billion this year, and the same applies to other car manufactures.
A regular car uses around 50 to 150 computer chips, and with the shortage of chips, it’s no wonder to see that many car manufactures are scaling down their production.
This is a massive hit for the car industry, and we still can’t predict what will be the global consequences. But it’s not only the car industry that’s affected, the consumer electronics manufactures are affected as well.
Chip shortage affected Qualcomm, and the company is struggling to keep up with the demand. Since Qualcomm is closely connected with Samsung we expect Samsung sales to be affected by this.
Apple has also been affected by the lack of chips, and Apple’s financial officers expect to see up to a $4 billion drop in revenue in this quarter alone.
As you can see, this is a global problem, and it will affect consumers and every manufacturer of consumer electronics.
We can’t tell what the future holds for the electronics market, and we are still waiting to see what will be the global consequences of the chip shortage of 2021.
Who is the largest chip manufacturer?
The chip manufacturers and companies that are partnered with them are affected the most by computer chip shortages. There are several major chip manufacturers, and in this section, we’re going to list them.
Coming from Silicon Valley, Intel is the largest chip manufacturer in the world. The company has over 100, 000 employees in 46 different countries around the world.
Intel is closely associated with the development of CPUs, so we might see an Intel processor chip shortage in the future.
We have to mention that Intel processors are used by other hardware manufacturers such as Lenovo, HP, and Dell, so you expect devices from these companies to be affected by the shortage.
Samsung is also a major producer of chips, and the company hires around 290,000 people and operates in 74 countries around the world.
All Samsung’s electronics will be affected by the chip shortage, but Samsung’s partners including Apple, Sony, HTC, and Nokia are also affected.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is the world’s largest independent chip factory, thus making it one of the largest companies in Taiwan.
The company has over 50,000 employees and it makes over 10 million chips per year. Regarding its partners, TSMC is closely associated with Apple.
SK Hynix was known as Hyundai Electronics in the past, and the company has multiple locations in the US, China, and Taiwan.
The company is associated with Apple, Asus, Dell, and HP, but it also manufactures DVD players and cell phones.
Broadcom comes from California and specializes in producing chips for computers and smartphones. Some of its major partners include Apple, IBM, Dell, Asus, Lenovo, Nintendo, Nokia, and Logitech.
Qualcomm is another company affected by chip shortage. The company specializes in wireless technology, and its chips are used on the majority of wireless devices.
We still don’t know what kind of consequences will the Qualcomm chip shortage have on the economy, but we’ll keep you informed.
Micron Technology is one of the largest manufacturers of memory and data storage for computers, so we might see a NAND chip shortage in the future.
NVIDIA and AMD are also on the list of the largest semiconductor companies. While NVIDIA focuses mostly on GPU processors, AMD is developing both graphics cards and Ryzen processors.
If these companies are affected, we’ll see a graphics card chip shortage and maybe an even bigger shortage of graphics cards in the future.
These are some of the largest chip manufacturers in the world and the shortage of chips will surely affect the partners of these companies as well as consumers that purchase their products.
How will chip shortage affect PCs?
With shortages, prices are bound to go up soon. Experts from Dell expect the price of displays, DRAMs, and NAND to go up.
NAND chip shortage will also be fueled by a new cryptocurrency called Chia. This new cryptocurrency uses storage space for mining, and to mine Chia, you need a lot of storage space.
The currency works with large hard drives and NVMe drives, and according to experts, mining Chia will cause your SSD to wear out faster.
Seagate has confirmed a surge in demand for SSDs, and many resellers are stockpiling on SSDs thus causing a shortage.
Regarding the price of SSDs, the researchers believe that the price will increase from 3 to 8% non-enterprise users.
Samsung was also affected by this, the main cause being the power shortages that occurred in February in Texas. Regarding the shortage, here’s what the Samsung representative had to say:
“We still have an inventory of controllers in possession, allowing us to continue to produce SSDs. Some overseas media outlets have somewhat exaggerated the issue.”
NVIDIA and AMD are also affected by the chip shortage, so we might see a GPU chip shortage or a price increase in the future. The situation with graphics cards is already bad with cryptomining, and the chip shortages aren’t helping.
AMD and Intel and the largest CPU manufacturers, so it’s possible that the CPU prices will go up as the demand for chips increases.
It seems that AMD will prioritize the high-end CPUs in the future, due to the shortage. Here’s what AMD CEO Lisa Su recently said regarding the shortage:
“So I would say particularly, if you look at some of the segments in the PC market, sort of the lower end of the PC market. We have prioritized some of the higher-end commercial SKUs [Stock Keeping Units] and gaming SKUs and those kinds of things.”
It seems that the PC industry will be affected by a chip shortage, but we can’t estimate how big the impact will be on the prices and the consumers.
How will chip shortage affect laptops?
The laptop market might be affected even more than the desktop PC markets because laptops are a computer of choice for many students and employees that work from home.
Recently Acer stated that computer chip shortage will have a severe impact on their production capabilities and this impact is expected to last until the first or second quarter of 2022.
Acer isn’t the only company affected by this, and Dell’s shares fell 1% while the HP shares dropped by 6%.
Realtek seems to be affected by this issue as well, and all laptop manufacturers that are relying on Realtek devices will be affected by this.
Since all major manufacturers are affected, we might expect a price increase for laptops across the board. In fact, ASUS and HP increased the prices for their consumer PCs, and Dell is likely to follow suit.
Despite the price increase, the PC market is expected to increase by 18 percent this year, according to analysts from IDC.
Since all major manufacturers are affected, we might expect a price increase for laptops across the board.
How does chip shortage affect Xbox?
Xbox Series X sales have slowed down due to the global chip shortage, and in the last year, Microsoft sold 3.3 million Xbox One Series X consoles.
Although the chip shortages have affected the whole electronics industry, TSMC, a chip manufacturer for Xbox, reported that its earnings have risen by 25.2% this year.
However, this doesn’t mean that the shortage is over, and it will most likely last until the second quarter of the next year, so expect Xbox shortages and price increase.
The PS5 scalping was a big factor in the overall PS5 shortage, and the computer chip shortage won’t do any favors for the PlayStation fans.
Sony’s chief financial officer stated that the company was unable to meet the high demand from the customers, but that they will do everything in their power to ship as many units as possible.
Sadly, the global chip shortage isn’t doing any favors to consumers that want to get a PS5, so it might take them a couple of months or more to get their hands on a PlayStation 5.
Despite the chip shortage, Sony sold 4.5 million consoles in 2020, and 3.3 million up to April in 2021.
When will the computer chip shortage end?
Computer chip shortage has affected the whole electronics industry, and we still haven’t felt all of its consequences, so it’s going to get worse before it gets better in our estimation.
So how long with the shortage last? Some experts claim that it may last until 2023. According to them, the demand is already high, and the production rate is slowed down, so it will take some time for the manufactures to catch up with the market demands.
Some experts speculate that the situation might improve in the next six months for certain sectors, but the chip shortage will most likely remain an issue in 2022 as well.
One of the world’s largest chip manufacturers, TSMC, claims that the company will be able to catch up with the demands of the auto industry in the current month but the experts remain skeptical.
Sadly, it seems that chip shortage is here to stay, and it will likely follow us into the next year, if not longer. So, what should we as consumers do and how can we avoid the chip crisis? We’ll explain that in the next section.
Tips on how to avoid the chip crisis
Customers will surely experience a chip crisis sooner or later, and many are seeing some of its first results especially when it comes to the shortage of graphics cards and gaming consoles.
All industries are affected by this, so we will most likely see a prince increase for hardware and all digital consumer electronics.
This situation affects car manufacturers and other industries as well. So, what can we the consumers do? We need to be prepared for a price increase that will surely come in near future.
We can also try to adjust our consumer habits, and keep using older hardware and devices until the shortage of chips has passed.
If you’re looking to get Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, you’ll have to be patient and wait for the consoles to become available in stock.
On the other hand, companies are already trying to speed up the production process and to open new facilities for chip production to meet the demands.
Sadly, this is a lengthy process and it can take months, or even more because to open new facilities, you need machines that can make chips, and those machines require their chips to work.
The White House has issued an executive order to improve the domestic production of chips. Intel is also planning to invest billions in domestic factories to combat the computer chip shortage.
TSMC plans to open new facilities in the next three years, and SK Hynix has announced that they are planning to increase the spending on chip production this year.
The EU plans to increase its chip production, and its goal is to produce 20% of the global supply of semiconductors by 2030.
It seems that chip shortage is here to stay, and in the future, we hope that companies will stockpile chips to avoid a situation like this.
We hope that you find this article informative and that you now understand better how the chip shortage is affecting the electronics industry.
Remember the rickety old typewriter? Yes, the one wherein you had no autocorrect or backspace buttons.
Typewriter software tools are those that simulate the old machine, and it employs a barebones UI matching with the typewriters of yesteryear.
The market is flooded with word processors, but not many mimic the process of writing on a typewriter. Many users find the minimal word processors to be inspiring in nature and also distraction-free.
Let’s take a look at some of the best typewriter software solutions that can be downloaded right away.
What’s the best typewriter software to use on your PC?
You must have heard of Typing Tutor since it is one of those premium typewriter software applications available for quickly learning speed typing, 10-key, and touch typing.
As one of the most feature-rich typing software tools on the current market, get ready for an initial skills test, multiple typing lessons, and intuitive exercises that include poems or prose.
The greatest advantage is that all these are offered in such a manner that Typing Tutor is suited for experienced users who don’t need to learn the basics and newbies alike.
After all, schools and institutions have been using it for years to improve students’ typing skills in a fun and intuitive way.
These are some key features that Typing Tutor brings to the table:
Quick and easy operation
Fun and engaging interface
Adaptive learning for all skill levels
Various exercises to develop and further boost typing speed and precision
Dictation audio exercises
Printable course completion certificates
Typing Tutor
Eager to try out Typing Tutor? Enjoy unlimited ongoing use of all professional features!
Kaz is a versatile and modern typing platform that features unique methodologies, including an award-winning multi-sensory touch typing course.
The program aims to teach users how to type fast in just 90 minutes, by using the Accelerated Learning method that encompasses brain balance and muscle memory techniques.
Kaz offers courses for individuals of all ages and its Neurodiverse edition was created for people with special needs, such as dyslexia, ADHD, or Tourette’s.
Make sure you have a tool designed to be a real support when you need it, when your environment distracts you, or you simply have a condition that makes your life a writing ordeal.
KAZ typing
Improve your typing skills with this amazing tool!
What if you require an advanced word processor that offers all the modern features while still sticking to its essentials?
Well,Write!is your safest bet since the text editor not only aims at boosting your productivity but it also supports Markdown syntax, spell-checker, cloud integration, and productivity counters.
Don’t miss the chance to write smoothly with this amazing tool, which has been designed exactly for you and your needs.
Numerous users turn to this solution when they’re at a creative standstill or when they need support for faster, distraction-free writing.
LibreOffice is a word processor that heavily focusses on keeping the writing environment distraction-free.
It comes with an autosave option and lets you save unlimited documents on the cloud. Despite being an online first-word processor, it works in both online and offline mode.
The writer also offers Dropbox, Google cloud integration. The best part, however, is that the program offers cross-platform compatibility and is also available for smartphones as well.
LibreOffice is often referred to as the most powerful open-source word processor.
Typorais your best bet if you are looking out for an app that’s equally suited for both reading and writing.
It helps to focus by removing all the distractions including preview window, mode switcher, syntax symbols associated with markdown source code along with the other tools.
Typora offers cross-platform compatibility, the interface is pretty sleeck, and it supports Custom CSS theme natively. Also, the export options offered by Typora are decent enough.
You can try this tool if you’re sure you need some reliable help, because it certainly won’t let you down.
Typing.com is a professional typing program equipped with several educational tools, including keyboarding lessons, tech literacy, and basic coding tutorials.
It offers engaging and interactive content in three languages (English, Spanish, and Portuguese), allowing students of every skill level to participate.
All you have to do is decide on your needs, because this software certainly provides you with a wide range of features to rely on.
In addition, a good thing to mention and loved by users is that this freeware has a modern interface and many instruments are fully customizable.
10FastFingers is a program that allows you to practice and test your typing skills through competitive games and advanced tests.
The interface is quite basic, but it makes it easier to find the tools you’re looking for and focus on the fun. You can improve your typing skills on the go, with the 10FastFingers app compatible with Android and iOS devices.
Moreover, the platform enables you to create custom typing tests in over 40 languages and play against users located all over the world.
Give this software a chance, and you’ll find that all the stress of writing disappears, because it will help you focus exactly on your needs and the distractions of the environment will disappear.
How to choose the best typewriter software for your PC
If you’re in the midst of a creative process and simply run out of inspiration or find everything around you distracting, then typewriter software sounds like just the solution for you.
There are certain software that provide you with certain useful features to create an environment free of other distractions.
Determine your needs from the software
First, you have to find out what needs you have from a machine that mimics the process of writing on a typewriter.
Whether you need an application to help you improve your typing speed and accuracy, or perhaps you need real support because you struggle with dyslexia or ADHD.
Whatever the situation, there’s no problem, because the market means there’s plenty of software that’s designed exactly for your needs, you just have to look.
Analyse the features that the software implies
There’s no mystery, every information is now free or at most one click away. You can check or request more details about a software that appeals to your needs.
For example, you may be looking for a tool that offers Dropbox, Google cloud integration, but you need cross-platform compatibility and to be available for smartphones as well.
Or maybe you’re a school manager and want to improve students’ typing skills in a fun and intuitive way.
Our tip
Whether it’s a recreational activity or a school that’s geared towards improving the skills of its students, it’s worth investing in a reliable software typewriter to use on your PC.
The environment is quite wicked anyway and distracts you from writing, so be sure to opt for a solution that suits your needs, but be picky about the features that are most important to you.
If you struggle with dyslexia or simply want to increase your typing speed to become more productive, then the list above is exactly the decalogue you can keep in mind when making your choice.
Have you used some of these digital typewriter tools? Tell us more about your experience in the comments below. Also, if you have any other suggestions or questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
The Redmond-based tech company has released a critical emergency patch to fix a problem with the Windows Print Spooler service.
This vulnerability in question is known as PrintNightmare and it was under constant exploit from malicious entities.
When exploited, it allowed attackers to install software; view, alter, delete data; or even create new accounts with full user rights. However, user reports are indicating that the patch doesn’t really fix the entire issue.
KB5004945 is a new security update that has been released for any Windows version newer than v2004.
Users who have Windows 10 version 1909 will first get the KB5004946 patch, and then the PrintNightmare patch will also be installed.
The patch is available for multiple Windows versions
The above-mentioned security patch is now available for quite a few versions of Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2021 R2, Windows Server 2008, and Windows RT 8.1.
If you are a Windows 7 user, this patch is also available for you, even though the operating system is out of support.
The only OS versions for which this patch is currently unavailable are Windows 10 version 1607, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2012, but Microsoft stated that they are working on it.
This whole situation seems to be pretty serious, considering that the software is also addressed to Windows 7, this fact being an indicator of the severity of the problem.
Even more, knowing the Windows 7 OS has been out of support ever since January 14, 2020.
Information about this also circulated on social media, where security researchers said that Microsoft’s patch only addresses one element of the vulnerability.
The Microsoft fix released for recent #PrintNightmare vulnerability addresses the remote vector – however the LPE variations still function. These work out of the box on Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 2008 and 2012 but require Point&Print configured for Windows 2016,2019,10 & 11(?). ?♂️ https://t.co/PRO3p99CFo
— hackerfantastic.x (@hackerfantastic) July 6, 2021
What’s disconcerting is that malicious third parties can still target these vulnerabilities. Word on the internet is that there are ways for people to completely bypass Microsoft’s patch and target vulnerable systems.
This is achieved via remote code execution in addition to the previous local privilege execution.
Dealing with strings & filenames is hard? New function in #mimikatz ?to normalize filenames (bypassing checks by using UNC instead of \servershare format)
So a RCE (and LPE) with #printnightmare on a fully patched server, with Point & Print enabled
As you can see, Microsoft is taking this threat very seriously, so we think that you should too.
Update to Windows 10 Version 20H2 &21H1
1. Open Windows Update
Press the Win + X key combination by using your keyboard.
Choose Settings from the pop-up menu.
Navigate to Updates & Security.
Choose Windows Update.
2. Perform the update
Open the Windows Update window and click Check for Updates.
Press the Install now button to update to version 20H2 of Windows 10, thus getting the KB5004945 patch.
Wait for the installation process to complete.
Click Restart now.
NOTE
How can I fix the Print Spooler PrintNightmare without updating?
Even though it is not recommended that you follow this path, it might be useful in the case of some users, so here are the required steps to successfully stop the Print Spooler service:
Press Win+X keys to open the sub-menu.
Choose Windows PowerShell (Admin).
In the command prompt, type the following command and run it by pressing Enter: Stop-Service -Name Spooler -Force
Disable it entirely by using the following command: Set-Service -Name Spooler -StartupType Disabled
Press Enter to run the command.
Performing these steps will ensure that Windows will firstly disable the corrupted service, and the second command will stop it from running at the startup of your system.
If for any reason, you will want to revert these changes at some point, you can run the following commands:
To start the service again: Start-Service -Name Spooler
To allow it to run at Windows startup:-Name Spooler -StartupType Automatic
Microsoft now urges users to install this security update and make the best efforts to keep their private content inaccessible to external sources.
Online safety should be one of the first things on our minds, seeing how these threats can greatly impact individuals and companies alike.
What extra security measures are you taking, to protect your data? Let us know in the comments section below.
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