Should you download Microsoft Windows 11?

A,Mid-age,Man,Contemplating,A,Decision,While,An,Angel-daughter,Whispers

Earlier today, after weeks of rumors, Windows 11 leaked to the web. No, I don't just mean images and videos were shared early -- the actual operating system itself became available for download! It is a bootable ISO file. This not only confirms what the next version of Windows will be called, but it made it possible for anybody to install the operating system early.

While you can download Windows 11 right now, the real question, of course, is should you do it? Before we discuss the morality of doing so, let's be very clear -- it is foolish to download and install a closed source operating system from non-official sources. Obviously, if you aren't getting it from Microsoft directly, it could be full of malware and other bad stuff.

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Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 OS leaks in full online, revealing a centered taskbar and Start menu, rounded corners, and widgets!

Windows-11

Towards the end of the month, Microsoft is set to reveal the future of Windows. We already reported last week that Windows 10 is coming to an end, and its replacement might be Windows 11, or possibly Windows Sun Valley.

Earlier today, some screenshots from the new OS appeared at Baidu, and then an iSO of the full operating system leaked on the web, confirming that it is indeed called Windows 11.

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Microsoft will support Internet Explorer for one more year -- but now is the time to move on

Internet Explorer on a laptop

The move by Microsoft to replace Internet Explorer with Edge has been a slow and torturous journey. Edge is already in its second major iteration, and is now based on the Chromium engine, but the specter of Internet Explorer is still hanging heavy.

Microsoft has already announced that support for the browser is going to come to an end, and today is the start of a year-long countdown to the day this happens. But if you are hanging doggedly onto Internet Explorer, there's no need to wait another 12 months; now really is the time to move on.

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Microsoft Xbox Mini Fridge can keep your Mountain Dew or underwear cold for long gaming sessions

Xbox-fridge

Gamers drinking Mountain Dew is sort of a cliché, but it is based on reality. People that play video games often drink that soda due to its high caffeine count. Taking things even further, many gamers chug energy drinks these days too. Why do they do this? So they can both stay alert and stay awake longer -- it allows them to play their games well into the the night.

Believe it or not, I have also heard of some gamers refrigerating their underwear. This is done in the summer months as a way to keep cool during gaming marathons. When they are feeling particularly sweaty in their crotch area, they can change into chilled underpants for relief.

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What we want to see in Windows 11

Rainbow 11 balloons

It's no secret that Microsoft is due to reveal details of the next version of Windows later this month. On June 24, the company is holding an event at which we'll learn a lot about Windows 11 (as the name is almost certainly going to be confirmed to be), but with a week and a half to go, there is still plenty of time to talk about what we hope to see in the operating system.

Microsoft seemingly learned quite a lot from Windows 8 and made vast improvement with Windows 10 -- but it also made its fair share of slip ups and mistakes and did plenty to annoy users. This latest update is a chance to put things right, make people happy, and really move Windows into the future. Here's what we'd like to see in Windows 11.

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Microsoft releases out-of-band KB5004327 update for Windows 10 to fix 0x80073D26 and 0x8007139F errors

Microsoft building logo

Microsoft has issued an off-schedule update for Windows 10 that addresses 0x80073D26 and 0x8007139F errors in versions 20H1, 20H2 and 21H1 of the operating system.

The KB5004327 update is aimed at systems that have experienced problems installing or opening Xbox Games Pass Games. Anyone affected by the issue is redirected to the Microsoft Store page for Gaming Services when the errors occur.

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Microsoft wants to calm you down with meditative versions of its Windows 95, XP, and 7 startup sounds -- yes, really

bored burnout

It’s not long now until Microsoft takes the wraps off the next version of Windows, and there’s a lot of debate going on already with regards to what it might be called. The smart money is on Windows 11, but Windows Sun Valley is also a popular choice.

If you’re excited for the grand reveal, Microsoft has come up with a way to keep you calm while you wait -- and that’s to listen to startup sounds from previous versions of Windows, slowed down by 4000 percent!

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Microsoft warns that KB5003637 update for Windows 10 may prevent apps accessing event logs

Gold Microsoft sign

It is only a couple of days since Microsoft released KB5003637 update for Windows 10 on this month's Patch Tuesday. But the company has already issued a warning that after installing this particular update "apps accessing event logs on remote devices might be unable to connect".

The problem stems from apps that make use of legacy Event Logging APIs, and Microsoft says that the behavior is entirely expected. It also provides details of how to fix issues with accessing event logs.

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Microsoft says it will stop supporting Windows 10 in 2025

Windows 10 end of life

We know that Microsoft is set to make a big announcement regarding the next generation of its Windows operating system in a couple of weeks.

What we don’t know for certain is if the successor will be called Windows 11, Windows Sun Valley, or something else entirely. However, what we do now know, is that Windows 10 is definitely on the way out.

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Microsoft accidentally leaks the name of its next operating system -- and it isn't Windows 11

On June 24 Microsoft is hosting a big event where it will unveil the future of its Windows operating system. Although we know changes will be made to the look and features of the OS, what we don’t know is what this new and (hopefully) improved version of Windows will be called.

There have been a number of suggestions, including Windows 365, WindowsOS or simply "Windows", but so far most of the clues have been pointing to it being Windows 11.

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Windows 10 users need to brace themselves for more irritating nags from Microsoft

Windows 10 laptop

Windows 10 users are not strangers to seeing annoying popups, ads and other irritants from Microsoft. The company has a long history of badgering people with nags about its services via pop-up messages and entries in the Start menu or taskbar. With an upcoming version of Edge, this is something that's set to continue.

In the latest dev build of Microsoft Edge, there is evidence that Microsoft is going to display a message to users inviting them to "make the web work for you". This is the company seeking permission from people to use their browsing histories and activities "to personalize Microsoft Edge and Microsoft services". In other words: telemetry.

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Microsoft rebrands Windows Virtual Desktop as Azure Virtual Desktop

Microsoft headquarters

With remote working on the rise, cloud services and virtual desktop solutions have become increasingly important. This has been the case for Microsoft’s Windows Virtual Desktop since its public release about a year-and-a-half ago.

Originally targeted at enterprise users, Microsoft now has a broader vision for its cloud VDI platform. As such, Microsoft is adding new capabilities to the services, tweaking pricing, and rebranding it as Azure Virtual Desktop.

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KB5003430 update is causing audio problems in Windows 10

Man crying while listening to music

People installing the KB5003430 update for Windows 10 are discovering that music files are becoming corrupted in certain circumstances.

The issue affects Windows 10 versions 2004 and 20H2, and it renders FLAC music files unplayable if metadata is edited. For anyone whose music collection has been borked, there is nothing that can be done to get back corrupted metadata (save restoring them from the backup you obviously have), but there is a workaround to prevent the problem from happening again, and it is possible to get mangled files playing once more.

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Insiders miss out as Microsoft keeps its cards close to its chest in build up to Windows 11 announcements

Pause 11 button

Will it be Windows 11, Windows 365, WindowsOS or simply "Windows" that Microsoft reveals later this month as the successor to Windows 10? There's money being wagered on Windows 11, but we'll just have to hold out to see not only what the name is going to be, but also what the operating system has in terms of new features, tools and aesthetics.

Ordinarily jumping on the latest Insider builds of Windows gives a great way to see into the future. Eager users can try out preview builds ahead of the official update releases, but sadly this will not be the case ahead of the next major version of Windows.

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Microsoft will manually review all submissions to the Windows Package Manager (Winget) repository

Microsoft headquarters

Last week's official release of the final build of the Linux-style Windows Package Manager by Microsoft was met with great excitement from the community. But the company seems to have only belatedly spotted an issue with its Store alternative.

The problem is that the Windows Package Manager Manifest Creator tool makes it incredibly simple to submit new package to the repository. This has results in complaints that "people are submitting bad or duplicate manifests without checking if the app already exists or not"; Microsoft has come up with a vey hands-on solution.

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