Microsoft

Microsoft has issued a warning to users of various versions of Windows Server that a recent update is causing problems with Netlogon connections.

Affecting Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2012 R2, 2012, 2008 R2 SP1 and 2008 SP2, the problem means that some applications and appliances on domain controllers may be unable to establish a Netlogon secure channel. Microsoft is blaming not only the KB5009555 update, but "updates released January 11, 2022" for the problem.

With Windows 11, Microsoft tried to give its operating system a more modern look and feel, with rounded corners and a centered taskbar. Unfortunately, the OS is still lacking certain features that were promised from the start, like native Android app support, although they are coming.

If you don’t want to use Windows 11, or Windows 10 for that matter, then your alternative choices tend to be restricted to macOS (if you have an Apple computer), Google OS (if that’s your thing), or one of the many Linux distros. But what if there was another way? AvdanOS is everything you could wish for, and more.

Microsoft has confirmed the existence of a problem in Windows 11 that can result in files being left behind after a user performs a reset that should completely wipe a device.

The issue has been added to the list of known problems with the operating system just days after a Microsoft MVP shared details of his findings after conducting both remote and local data wipes in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The company has provided details of a workaround that can be used until a proper fix is produced.

It used to be we’d get a new Dev Channel Insider build of Windows 11 every Wednesday, but that’s no longer guaranteed to be the case. Insiders had to wait a full two-weeks before Build 22557 finally rolled out, although there were few complaints about the delay in the end as it was one of the most exciting, feature-packed releases. New additions included the addition of folders in the pinned apps area of Start, live captions, a new Focus experience, Quick Access improvements in File Explorer, new touch gestures, and more

It may not be Wednesday today, but Microsoft has returned to its weekly schedule with Build 22563. This flight isn’t quite as thrilling as the last one -- how could it be? -- but it still has a lot going for it.

Windows users are familiar with Microsoft Defender running on their computers offering local protection, but there is also a cloud-based version of the security tool. Microsoft Defender for Cloud is the result of the unification of Azure Security Center and Azure Defender.

Having already added support for Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft has now added protection for Google Cloud Platform. The latest addition comes as Microsoft recognizes the fact that 92 percent of organizations now embrace a multi-cloud strategy.

The Insider builds of Windows 11 are something of an experimental playground for Microsoft, giving the company a chance to trial new features and options with beta testers before a wider rollout. In the recent Dev Channel build there are signs of new shortcuts coming to the operating system.

Users who installed Windows 11 build 22557 noticed that the language switching panel accessible from the taskbar is now home to buttons to access a range of input options. This includes the Emoji Panel, the Clipboard Panel and more.

When Microsoft released Windows 11, there was pretty much universal acclaim for the operating system. Even yours truly (primarily a Linux user) found the new version to be quite good. Despite all the positivity, however, many consumers were dismayed to learn their computers were not compatible with Windows 11. Microsoft had programmed the installer to check for certain hardware, including TPM chips, and stop the installation if requirements were not met.

Of course, some skeptics claimed that these strict system requirements were merely a scheme to increase PC sales. You know what? Maybe sales did factor into Microsoft's motivations. So what? The thing is, Microsoft controls Windows 11, and the company can rightfully make the system requirements to be whatever it wants (and for any reason). Sorry, folks, but that is a fact. Don't like it? Switch to Linux.

Whether it stems from wanting to ensure that people have the best experience by using appropriate hardware or not, Microsoft has caused annoyance among Windows 11 users with warning messages about system requirements. If you have installed Windows 11 on a computer that does not technically meet the minimum requirements, you may well have seen these alerts advising you that your system is not up to scratch.

Whether you are irritated by the "System requirements not met" message on the desktop, or the one that appears in the System section of Settings, you will be pleased to hear that you can hide them. There is no need to track down a watermark remover, as all you need to do is apply a registry tweak.

PowerToys was an essential tweaking tool for Windows 95 onwards. Microsoft brought it back as an open source release for Windows 10 three years ago, and has been bolting on additional tools ever since. If you use Windows 10 or Windows 11, then it’s definitely worth a download.

If you used the original PowerToys, then the chances are you used Tweak UI. In fact, that might have been the only tool of the suite you did use as it let you modify many of Windows’ lesser known settings without the need to hack the registry. Although today’s version of PowerToys is great, it doesn’t include a modern take on Tweak UI. In fact that tool hasn’t been seen since Windows XP.

One of the obstacles standing in the way of some people upgrading from Windows 10 to Window 11 is system requirements. Even some relatively new systems are unsupported due to lacking features such as TPM 2.0, but where there's a will there's a way, and there are various workarounds that make it possible to install Windows 11 on pretty much any system.

If you have opted to go down this route, Microsoft is preparing to irritate you. The company is testing a desktop watermark that will serve as a constant reminder that you're using unsupported hardware. The message reads "System requirements not met" and is sure to lead to a surge in watermark removal tools. [UPDATE: it is now possible to hide the message!]

SwiftOnSecurity has stirred up a huge level of interest and excitement after suggesting that Microsoft is already busily working on Windows 12.

The rollout of Windows 11 may have gone well, but the cyber security expert and Microsoft MVP tweeted saying that the successor is already in the pipeline. A tweet reading "according to a source at Microsoft, Windows 12 is already under development and it's going to require two TPMs" appeared over the weekend. What is going on?

For as long as most users can remembers, Skype has come with a warning that it cannot be used to place 911 calls. Microsoft has just announced that this is now changing for users of the Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS versions of the app.

The application is now labelled as offering "Limited emergency calling". What this means, for now, is that Skype users in the US are able to place 911 calls using the app, bringing it in line with a handful of other countries. More than this, Skype can help emergency operators to locate you if necessary -- but there are some limitations to the new functionality.

Whether Linux distributions are more secure than Windows or macOS is the source of on-going debate, but Google's Project Zero has some interesting findings relating to the patching of security holes.

The security research program at Google has published information relating to security flaws found in software over the course of two years. Between January 2019 and December 2021 the Project Zero team found that Linux developers addresses problems far faster than Apple, Microsoft or Google itself.

Microsoft has been pouring a lot of love into Windows 11 of late, and understandably so -- but this does not mean that people who have decided to stick with Windows 10 have been forgotten. And to prove this, the company has just released the significant KB5010415 update, introducing new features and options, as well as fixing various issues.

For now, KB5010415 is only a preview, meaning that it is an update that gives an early taste of the full launch next Patch Tuesday. The update is available to anyone who wants to install it, and it includes a number of compelling reasons to do so.

If you're using Windows 11, there is a reasonable chance that you have a Microsoft account -- but it is not necessarily the case. While there are various advantages to signing into Windows using your Microsoft account, it is not something everyone feels entirely comfortable with.

So it will come as bad news to such hold-outs that Microsoft is going to force some users to create such an account. The change is coming to Window 11 Pro, meaning that home users who have opted for this version of Windows, in addition to the organizations, businesses and enterprises that use this edition of the operating system are affected. But there is some good news.