Every time there is a new version of Windows, it generally keeps getting heavier as more features are crammed in. As a result, those with older PCs often crave lighter versions of the OS, and gamers are no exception. AtlasOS, a lite version of Windows 10 claims to offer just that. The developers note that AtlasOS removes all such "drawbacks" that negatively affect the gaming performance of a PC. And in the process, it reduces system latency, network latency, input lags.

Atlas is a modified version of Windows 10, which removes nearly all the drawbacks of Windows that negatively affect gaming performance. Atlas is also a good option to reduce system latency, network latency, input lag, and keep your system private while focusing on performance.

However, in order to achieve its lighter form, the developers of AtlasOS have had to make some pretty significant corner-cutting. On its website, the team has confirmed that it gets rid of important features like Windows Defender as well as system restore points.

Please do keep in mind that Atlas is made for gaming, so many features and services that aren't needed for most gamers have been taken away. When services or features are taken away, they can cause problems with the apps you use or even with hardware.

Atlas gets rid of the following services and features:

• Windows Defender

• Restore Points and System Reset

It has also been confirmed by the dev team that Defender will not be added anytime soon. This came as a response to a user's feature request for keeping Defender:

Not going to be added any time soon, sorry. This has been talked about a lot.

To be fair to Atlas, Microsoft also itself recommends disabling some security features like VBS as these are known to impact gaming performance. However, entirely stripping away the anti-malware is probably a bit too much.

Source: Atlas

Windows 10 lite gaming OS called AtlasOS strips key features like Defender, System Restore

Rufus 4 is the first update to drop Windows 7 (earlier Rufus 3.22 dropped ISO downloads on Windows 7). From now on, creating bootable USB drives with Rufus requires Windows 8, 8.1, 10, or 11. Also, the app now defaults to a 64-bit executable, but x86 and ARM versions are still available for download. Finally, the developer says old Rufus versions may be unable to update correctly, hence the jump from version 3 to 4.

Here is the complete changelog for Rufus 4.0:

• Fix persistent partition not working with Ubuntu 23.04

• Fix out of range pointer error with Ubuntu 23.04 when booting in BIOS mode

• Fix boot freeze with Ubuntu Studio when Secure Boot is enabled

• Fix incorrect architecture detection when checking for updates

• Fix a Windows Store application crash when processing GRUB bootloaders

• Fix a Windows Store application crash when enumerating processes that contain a % sign

• Fix a Windows Store application crash when using German localization

   

You can download Rufus 4.0 for free from Neowin, or from the official website or GitHub. The app is open-source, so every skilled developer can clone the project for improvements and offer patches, fixes, and new features.

It is worth noting that Rufus is not the only app you can use for bootable USB drives. Ventoy offers similar capabilities with frequent updates that deliver new features and improvements. You can also consider WinToUSB.

Rufus 4 is out with improvements, default 64-bit executable and no Windows 7 support

Starting with Excel for web, the Chart Task Pane now supports various data modifications such as changing axis, the range of the chart, and removing a series. These options can be accessed from the Data or Format tabs. Microsoft says that this is a highly requested feature.

Additionally, Excel for web customers can also add hyperlinks in comments and take advantage of faster and more optimized filtering when cells contain unique or duplicate conditional formatting rules. There is also a new feature that reduces unwanted fragmentation of conditional formatting rules, Microsoft describes it as follows:

When a workbook is opened this feature will merge those fragmented conditional formatting rules that are identical, within a contiguous range of cells, and with unchanged priority ordering. It excludes rules whose evaluation relies on a selection range like Above or Below average, Unique or Duplicate, Gradients, etc., and rules in PivotTables.

Meanwhile, Excel for Windows customers can enjoy the same reduction in unwanted fragmentation described above, along with an Insider capability to show the Quick Access Toolbar by default. Microsoft says that the latter was a highly requested feedback item and that users can even customize the Quick Access Toolbar to host their most used items.

Lastly, Excel for Mac only has one new feature this month, and it's the reduction in unwanted fragmentation of conditional formatting rules, which has already been mentioned above a couple of times.

If you have feedback for Microsoft regarding existing capabilities or want the addition of new ones, let the company know via the dedicated feedback portal here.

Here are all the new features Microsoft added to Excel in April 2023

Here is the changelog:

Highlights

• New! This update adds the ability to sync language and region settings when you change your Microsoft account display language or regional format. Windows will save those settings to your account if you have turned on Language preferences sync in your Windows backup settings.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Edge IE mode. Pop-up windows open in the background instead of in the foreground.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Edge IE mode. The Tab Window Manager stops responding.
• This update changes the app icons for certain mobile providers.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Chinese input method. You cannot see all of the first suggested item.
• This update affects Xbox Elite users who have the Xbox Adaptive Controller. This update applies your controller remapping preferences on the desktop.
• This update addresses an issue that might affect news and interests. It might flicker on the taskbar and File Explorer might stop responding.

Improvements

• New! This update changes firewall settings. You can now configure application group rules.
• This update affects the Islamic Republic of Iran. The update supports the government’s daylight saving time change order from 2022.
• The update addresses an issue that sends unexpected password expiration notices to users. This occurs when you set up an account to use “Smart Card is Required for Interactive Logon” and set "Enable rolling of expiring NTLM secrets".
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) process. It might stop responding. Because of this, the machine restarts. The error is 0xc0000005 (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION).
• This update addresses an issue that affects protected content. When you minimize a window that has protected content, the content displays when it should not. This occurs when you are using Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview.
• This update addresses an issue that affects provisioning packages. They fail to apply in certain circumstances when elevation is required.
• This update addresses an issue that affects mobile device management (MDM) customers. The issue stops you from printing. This occurs because of an exception.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Windows Defender Application Control. The policy that blocks software using a hash rule might not stop the software from running.
• This update addresses an issue that occurs when you use a PIN to sign in to Windows Hello for Business. Signing in to Remote Desktop Services might fail. The error message is, "The request is not supported".
• This update addresses an issue that might affect the keyboard layout when you sign in to a console session. The layout might be reset to the system default. This occurs when you lock your machine or have more than one keyboard layout in Settings.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Edge WebView2. This issue might cause an infinite loop when you try to restart its process.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Administrator Account Lockout policies. GPResult and Resultant Set of Policy did not report them.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Active Directory Users & Computers. It stops responding. This occurs when you use TaskPad view to enable or disable many objects at the same time.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Unified Write Filter (UWF). When you turn it off by using a call to Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), your device might stop responding.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Resilient File System (ReFS). A stop error prevents the OS from starting up correctly.
• This update addresses an issue that affects MySQL commands. The commands fail on Windows Xenon containers.
• This update addresses an issue that affects SMB Direct. Endpoints might not be available on systems that use multi-byte character sets.
• This update addresses an issue that affects apps that use DirectX on older Intel graphics drivers. You might receive an error from apphelp.dll.

If you installed earlier updates, only the new updates contained in this package will be downloaded and installed on your device.

Windows 10 servicing stack update - 19045.2905

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates.

You can view the changelog here. Keep in mind that older versions of Windows 10 are no longer receiving feature and improvement updates and they will only get security patches from now on.

Windows 10 April 2023 non-security preview build 19045.2913 released

Here is the changelog:

Highlights

• New! This update adds animations to a few icons on the Widgets taskbar button. These animations turn on when:
  • A new announcement appears on the Widgets taskbar button.
  • You hover over or click the Widgets taskbar button.
• New! This update adds a new toggle control on the Settings > Windows Update page. When you turn it on, we will prioritize your device to get the latest non-security updates and enhancements when they are available for your device. For managed devices, the toggle is disabled by default. For more information, see Get Windows updates as soon as they're available for your device.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Edge IE mode. Pop-up windows open in the background instead of in the foreground.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Chinese input method. You cannot see all of the first suggested item.

Improvements

This non-security update includes quality improvements. When you install this KB:

• New! This update changes firewall settings. You can now configure application group rules.
• This update affects the Islamic Republic of Iran. The update supports the government’s daylight saving time change order from 2022.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) process. It might stop responding. Because of this, the machine restarts. The error is 0xc0000005 (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION).
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Edge IE mode. The Tab Window Manager stops responding.
• This update addresses an issue that affects protected content. When you minimize a window that has protected content, the content displays when it should not. This occurs when you are using Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview.
• This update addresses an issue that affects mobile device management (MDM) customers. The issue stops you from printing. This occurs because of an exception.
• This update changes the app icons for certain mobile providers.
• This update addresses an issue that affects signed Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies. They are not applied to the Secure Kernel. This occurs when you enable Secure Boot.
• This update addresses an issue that displays Task View in the wrong area. This occurs when you close a full screen game by pressing Win+Tab.
• This update addresses an issue that occurs when you use a PIN to sign in to Windows Hello for Business. Signing in to Remote Desktop Services might fail. The error message is, "The request is not supported".
• This update addresses an issue that affects Administrator Account Lockout policies. GPResult and Resultant Set of Policy did not report them.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Unified Write Filter (UWF). When you turn it off by using a call to Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), your device might stop responding.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Resilient File System (ReFS). A stop error occurs that stops the OS from starting up correctly.
• This update addresses an issue that affects MySQL commands. The commands fail on Windows Xenon containers.
• This update addresses an issue that affects SMB Direct. Endpoints might not be available on systems that use multi-byte character sets.
• This update addresses an issue that affects apps that use DirectX on older Intel graphics drivers. You might receive an error from apphelp.dll.

If you installed earlier updates, only the new updates contained in this package will be downloaded and installed on your device.

Windows 11 servicing stack update - 22621.1626

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates.

Symptom

Using provisioning packages on Windows 11, version 22H2 (also called Windows 11 2022 Update) might not work as expected. Windows might only be partially configured, and the Out Of Box Experience might not finish or might restart unexpectedly. Provisioning packages are .PPKG files which are used to help configure new devices for use on business or school networks. Provisioning packages which are applied during initial setup are most likely to be impacted by this issue. For more information on provisioning packages, please see Provisioning packages for Windows.

Note Provisioning Windows devices using Windows Autopilot is not affected by this issue.

Windows devices used by consumers in their home or small offices are not likely to be affected by this issue.

Workaround

If you can provision the Windows device before upgrading to Windows 11, version 22H2, this will prevent the issue.

We are presently investigating and will provide an update in an upcoming release.

Symptom

Copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish on Windows 11, version 22H2. You are more likely to experience this issue copying files to Windows 11, version 22H2 from a network share via Server Message Block (SMB) but local file copy might also be affected.Windows devices used by consumers in their home or small offices are not likely to be affected by this issue.

Workaround

To mitigate this issue, you can use file copy tools that do not use cache manager (buffered I/O). This can be done by using the built-in command-line tools listed below:

robocopy \\someserver\someshare c:\somefolder somefile.img /J

or

xcopy \\someserver\someshare c:\somefolder /J

We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release.

You can check out the full changelog here.

Windows 11 April 2023 non-security preview build 22621.1635 released

What is new in Firefox 112.0.2

• Fixes a high memory usage issue with animated images in minimized (or completely covered) windows, especially when using animated themes.
• Fixes an issue where Linux users with bitmap fonts installed may have had entire sections of text invisible to them on some sites.
• Fixes an issue where web notifications with images were not displaying for Windows 8 users.

Firefox is currently the only mainstream browser that supports Windows 7 and 8/8.1. Microsoft, Google, and other Chromium-based browsers discontinued their browsers support on pre-Windows 10 versions after Microsoft put Windows 7 to its final rest in January 2023. In contrast, Mozilla wants to give those sticking to Windows 7/8 another year of support. Last month, Mozilla revealed plans to issue security updates and fixes for Firefox 115 ESR until at least Q3 2024.

You can download Firefox 112.0.2 by heading to Menu > Help > About Firefox. Alternatively, download an installer from the official website.

Firefox 112.0.2 fixes high memory usage, broken notifications on Windows 8, more

The company first announced the ability to link multiple devices last year in an effort to increase cross-device compatibility. As part of the feature, WhatsApp syncs chats and media across devices over the internet while keeping the conversations end-to-end encrypted. It said that WhatsApp will automatically log out of companion devices if the primary device remains inactive for a long period. The company said in its blog post:

Linking phones as companion devices makes messaging easier. Now you can switch between phones without signing out and pick up your chats where you left off. Or if you’re a small business owner, additional employees are now able to respond to customers directly from their phones under the same WhatsApp Business account.

The update has started rolling out globally in a phased manner and will reach everyone in the coming weeks. WhatsApp added that it will also introduce an alternative way to add companion devices in the coming weeks. Users would be able to type their phone number on WhatsApp Web to receive a one-time code which they can enter on their primary phone to link the device.

WhatsApp now works on four smartphones at the same time

However, Torvalds cautioned that "something nasty couldn't have been lurking all these weeks," urging real-world testing to ensure the release is ready for prime-time consumption.

Linux 6.3 new features

Despite not being a long-term support (LTS) release, Linux 6.3 includes some interesting features that will be beneficial for users. One of the most significant is improved support for multi-actuator hard disk drives.

This is becoming increasingly important as more hyperscale cloud operators adopt these drives, which feature a second set of read/write heads that enable faster performance. With Linux 6.3, the kernel is now better equipped to handle these drives, providing users with improved functionality.

Linux 6.3 also includes support for Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization on China's Loongson RISC-V processors. This security feature allows the kernel to load into different areas of memory each time it boots, making it more difficult for attackers to target specific areas.

This is an important step for Loongson, which is working to make RISC-V processors a contender in the enterprise market.

Microsoft contributed to the new release by adding nested hypervisor support for its own Hyper-V hypervisor. This update will benefit users of Microsoft's hypervisor by providing improved functionality.

Intel users will also be pleased to note that Linux 6.3 works well with its forthcoming Meteor Lake silicon. The kernel includes an update that ensures an Intel gigabit NIC can approach its promised throughput. Since 2020, the kernel has unwittingly throttled it to 60% of that speed.

Not sure whether to try Linux or not? Here is how to try Linux Mint!

How to install Linux 6.3?

Those interested in Linux 6.3 can download it from the kernel.org website. However, to use it, users will need to compile it manually. Alternatively, users of rolling-release distributions can expect to receive an update with this kernel soon.

Some fixed-release distributions, such as Pop!_OS, will also make this version available to users through their regular software update channels.

Ubuntu users looking to install Linux 6.3 will need to rely on Canonical's mainline builds. These builds are produced by Ubuntu developers, but come with no guarantees or support. As a result, users should use them at their own risk.

Linux 6.3 offers improved security and functionality for users

The issue was discovered first by Reddit user hackermchackface a few days ago. He wrote:

What is causing Edge to leak all visited URLs following latest update? API is: bingapis.com/api/v7/followweb/isfollowable ?

GET request includes full url of every page navigate to.

Searching for References to this url give very few results, no documentation on this feature at all. Json response shows type as “FollowableStatus” which yields zero Google results, which is rare.

Microsoft MVP and Stardock engineer Rafael Rivera gave the following statement to The Verge:

Microsoft Edge now has a creator follow feature that is enabled by default, it appears the intent was to notify Bing when you’re on certain pages, such as YouTube, The Verge, and Reddit. But it doesn’t appear to be working correctly, instead sending nearly every domain you visit to Bing

Microsoft has responded to The Verge confirming that it is aware of such reports. Caitlin Roulston, director of communications at Microsoft, has stated:

We’re aware of reports, are investigating and will take appropriate action to address any issues

We will be updating this article when further updates are here.

Via: The Verge

Source

Opera One is available for the desktop operating systems Windows, macOS and Linux. The browser features a modular design, which Opera Software believes is more intuitive to the user.  It is still based on Chromium, the core that the current Opera browser shares with Google Chrome, Vivaldi, Microsoft Edge, Brave and many other browser.

Besides its modular design, Opera Software claims that Opera One is the first major Chromium-based browser that supports a multithreaded compositor, and the company is also introduced a new tab management feature, which it calls Tab Islands.

Opera One's modular design allows Opera to "build a more powerful and feature-rich browser that is ready for a generative AI-based future" according to the official press release. Opera One will "dynamically adapt to the user's needs" by bringing key features to the foreground. Opera Software explains that Opera One will adjust itself based on the current context, which, the company hopes, will improve the browsing experience for users.

Existing Opera users may notice that some features are missing from the browser. Opera engineers evaluated all features for relevance, resulting in a "cleaner, decluttered look with plenty of space for future AI-based features and extensions in both the browser sidebar and address bar". Opera's recently introduced AI prompt features are turned on by default in Opera One.

A look at Opera One's design confirms the cleaner look. The browser has no title bar, the first bar lists open tabs powered by the tab islands feature. Below that is the address bar, which spans almost the entire width of the interface. Some icons and buttons are removed, including the Home button, and the Opera Menu has been moved to the right side of the address bar.

Multithreaded Compositor delivers a "faster and smoother user interface layer" according to Opera Software.

Tab Islands is a tab management feature that looks similar to the tabs groups feature of Chromium on first glance. Opera One opens related tabs in the same tab group, called island by Opera Software, to improve accessibility and manageability. Tab Islands use Opera One's modular design. They use colour codes and can be expanded or collapsed no the tab bar.

The feature is turned on by default in Opera and the creation of new Tab Islands is automatic. Opera One users may also create Tab Islands manually by selecting tabs with Ctrl/Cmd-clicks and right-clicking on the selection. Tabs can also be moved around.

Enthusiasts may download the first developer build of Opera One from the Opera website right now. It needs to be noted that this is a beta build, which may not be feature complete and may have issues.

Closing Words

Opera Software is betting big on modularity and AI in browsers. While it is up for debate how successful the switch will be, especially considering that existing Opera users will be switched over at one point in time, it is definitely a move that distinguishes Opera Software's browser from other Chromium-based browsers.

The idea to use AI in the browser to put the focus on actions based on context is bold, and it remains to be seen how this will turn out.

Now You: will you download and try Opera One?

Opera One: fully redesigned Opera browser and big bet on AI

Microsoft Teams competitor Slack complained to the European Union in 2020 about the bundling of the tool with Microsoft's widely used Office application suite.

Office customers who install Microsoft Office on their devices had Microsoft Teams installed alongside Microsoft Word, Excel and other common Office applications that come bundled with it.

The Financial Times received information from two unnamed sources. According to the information, Microsoft is in talks with regulators from the European Union to find a solution. While a deal appears to be uncertain at this point, the unbundling of Teams with Office is top priority.

Companies would be able to buy Microsoft Office without Microsoft Teams eventually, but the how has not been decided on yet. The talks may remind Windows users of Microsoft's previous clash with EU regulators.

More than a decade ago, Microsoft agreed to offer other web browsers to Windows users in the European Union. The company was fined €561 million in 2013 as it failed to provide this consistently.

This was not Microsoft's only anti-competitive ruling in the European Union. Microsoft was found to have violated European antitrust laws in 2004 by bundling Windows Media Player in Windows. This led to the creation of Windows N-Editions, which are sold in Europe up to this day. There is also a NK-Edition of Windows, which is sold in South Korea.

Microsoft could sell a special version of Microsoft Office in countries of the European Union that comes without Teams installed. The N-versions of Windows have not been particularly successful, and it is uncertain, whether special versions of Microsoft Office without Teams will be more successful.

Talks are ongoing at this point and there is a chance that both parties do not come to an agreement. The European Union might then go ahead and launch a formal investigation into the matter, which could lead to a fine and a binding decision to split Teams from Office.

Now You: what is your take on this? Microsoft returning to old habits?

Microsoft reportedly won't bundle Teams with Office in the future

The biggest change in the new MSN Weather app (version 4.53.5109 and newer) is a redesigned home page with tabs that let you quickly check the forecast for your favorite locations (via @FireCubeStudios and Deskmodder). In addition, there are new information blocks, such as "Suggestions for your day" with forecast-based recommendations. For example, the app can tell you if you need an umbrella, what clothing you may want to wear, wind safety, and more. Unfortunately, when upgrading the app, Microsoft lost the air quality indicator, so you can no longer check AQI for your area in MSN Weather (it is still available on the MSN Weather website).

Here is how the upcoming update compares with the current version:

Old version

New version

As for other not-so-pleasant changes, get ready for a swarm of recommended content on each page inside the app. Once you scroll down, the app will greet you with the MSN News feed, infamous for feeding customers with all sorts of questionable (sometimes outright harmful) content. Luckily, the feed focuses on weather news, so it does not try to shove celebrity gossip and other nonsense down your throat.

Overall, the MSN Weather app for Windows 10 and 11 is now an exact copy of its web-based interface available on the msn.com/en-us/weather page, recently declared the most accurate forecast provider by ForecastWatch. One may argue that the service's UI is not the most convenient or easy to use (not to mention the ever-spreading recommended content), but at least it provides accurate forecasts.

Microsoft redesigns stock Windows Weather app, infests it with MSN news

WinToUSB 7.9 changelog:

• Add support for unofficial Windows 11 Lite ISO
• Fix other minor bugs

Also, just like Rufus and Ventoy, WinToUSB also allows the bypassing of Windows 11 system requirements like TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, Minimum hardware and Microsoft account (MSA). The other key features of the utility are given below:

• Creation of Windows To Go from ISO, WIM, ESD, SWM, VHD(X) or DVD drive.Improved

• Clone Windows 11/10/8/7 to USB/Thunderbolt drive as portable Windows.

• Creation of Windows To Go on Non-Certified Windows To Go USB drive.

• Encrypt Windows To Go with BitLocker to keep your data safe.

• Creation of Windows installation and bootable WinPE USB drive with BIOS & UEFI support.

• Download Official Windows 11/10/8.1 ISO file from Microsoft.

• Use any edition of Windows 11/10/8/7 and Windows Server 2022/2019/2016/2012/2010 to create Windows To Go USB drive.

   

You can download the software from Neowin or from the official site too.

Rufus alternative WinToUSB gets Windows 11 Lite support, can bypass system requirements

The organization released Firefox 112.0.1 a few days ago, the latest stable version of the web browser. The update addressed a issue related to cookies in Firefox. Affected Firefox versions would set the last used date of cookies thousands of years in the future, which had the result that users were logged out of web services.

Firefox Memory Leak

Mozilla confirmed the memory leak on Firefox 112.0.1's release notes page. There, the organization provided the following information about the issue: "Under rare circumstances, animated Firefox themes can use excessive memory."

According to Mozilla, the issue may be experienced only when users have installed specific animated themes, such Dark Space, in Firefox and use it actively. Additionally, Firefox would leak memory only a browser window was either minimized or occluded.

All of these conditions had to be met for the memory leak to occur. Mozilla recommends that Firefox users switch to another theme until it is releasing a patch for the issue: "If you encounter this problem, please change your theme to one that does not use animations to work around it. We are in the process of shipping a fix".

Mozilla is working on a fix, and progress can be monitored on Bugzilla. There, users are informed that the issue is affecting Firefox 112, 113 and 114, but not Firefox ESR.

The issue was reported to Mozilla 6 days ago and engineers have worked on the fix ever since. Beta and Nightly versions of Firefox have updates already that should address the issue.

How to manage themes in Firefox

Firefox users may manage themes in the following way in the web browser. It is recommended to have one window open only and keep it in the foreground to avoid the memory leak issue.

1. Select Menu > Add-ons and Themes, or load about:addons directly in the Firefox address bar.
2. Select Themes from the sidebar on the left. Firefox displays the active theme at the top and all other themes that are available below it.
3. Scroll down to another, preferably one that is not dynamic, e.g. Light or Dark, two of the default Firefox themes, and activate the Enable button next to one of the themes to make it the active theme in the web browser.

The change is immediate. Provided that it is not a dynamic theme as well, Firefox should no longer leak memory when a browser window is minimized or occluded.

Now You: do you use default or custom themes in your browser?

Mozilla confirms memory leak in Firefox

WhatsApp has become a must-have messaging platform with an increasing number of people using it for personal as well as professional communication. The web version of WhatsApp has made it easier for users to access their chats on a larger screen. However, there are times when users encounter login issues, particularly related to scanning the QR code required to initiate WhatsApp Web.

How to fix WhatsApp Web no valid QR Code detected problem?

Although there has not yet been a clear statement from the authorities, many social media users who encountered the error started tweeting about the issue on Twitter.

You can see the tweet of the Twitter user SaabSphere about the WhatsApp Web not working error below.

There is no official solution yet, but if you are experiencing the WhatsApp Web no valid QR Code detected error, you can try our solution suggestions below.

1. Using the built-in WhatsApp QR Scanner
2. Cleaning the camera lens
3. Checking internet connection and speed
4. Clearing the browser cache
5. Disabling Dark Mode
6. Removing rarely-used linked devices

Using the built-in WhatsApp QR Scanner

It is important to note that the WhatsApp web QR code works only with a built-in QR code scanner, and not with a random QR code scanner. Therefore, users should ensure that they are using the in-built QR scanner in the WhatsApp app on their phone. If that doesn't work, users can try other options.

Cleaning the camera lens

Sometimes, issues with the camera lens can also cause problems while scanning the QR code. Users should ensure that the camera lens is clean and free of dust or any other obstruction that might affect the image quality.

Checking internet connection and speed

Another reason why the QR code may fail to scan could be a poor internet connection. Users should check their internet speed and connectivity to ensure that they have a stable connection. A slow internet connection can cause the QR code to fail to load, resulting in the WhatsApp Web no valid QR Code detected error. A quick speed test can help users assess their network quality.

Clearing the browser cache

Clearing the cache of the web browser can help improve the browser experience and speed up the loading of the WhatsApp Web QR code. Users can clear the cache of their preferred browser to resolve login issues.

The process of clearing the browser cache varies depending on the browser you are using. Here are the steps to clear the cache for some popular browsers:

Google Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome and click on the three dots at the top right corner of the window
2. Click on "More tools" and then select "Clear browsing data"
3. Choose the time range for which you want to clear the cache
4. Select the types of data you want to delete, including "Cached images and files"
5. Click on "Clear data"

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Firefox and click on the three lines at the top right corner of the window
2. Click on "Options" and then select "Privacy & Security"
3. Scroll down to "Cookies and Site Data" and click on "Clear Data"
4. Check the box next to "Cached Web Content"
5. Click on "Clear"

Microsoft Edge:

1. Open Edge and click on the three dots at the top right corner of the window
2. Click on "Settings" and then select "Privacy, search, and services"
3. Under "Clear browsing data", click on "Choose what to clear"
4. Check the box next to "Cached images and files"
5. Click on "Clear now"

Disabling Dark Mode

In case the above steps do not resolve the issue, users can try disabling Dark Mode on their desktop. Some users have reported that turning off Dark Mode helped them resolve login issues related to WhatsApp Web.

Removing rarely-used linked devices

WhatsApp users can link up to 4 devices from one account, which means that a rarely-used linked device may interfere with the login process. If users are unable to scan the WhatsApp Web QR code using their phone, they should consider removing any rarely-used linked device to free up the account limit.

How to fix WhatsApp Web no valid QR Code detected error?

Announced in 2015 as a way for organizations to use a special version of Microsoft Store in business and education environments, it was designed for IT administrators as a "flexible way to find, acquire, manage, and distribute free and paid apps" to Windows 10 and 11 devices in volume.

Microsoft stopped development of the Stores in 2020 already, and rumors suggested that Microsoft would retire the Stores in the future. Microsoft announced in April 2021 that it would remove the ability to purchase apps in the Stores, but did not announce the end of the Stores at that time.

Then, in July 2021 came the announcement that Microsoft would retire both Microsoft Stores in the first quarter of 2023.  Microsoft postponed the retirement of the Microsoft Store for Business and Microsoft Store for Education then, so that the few organizations that used it could continue doing so for the time being.

Now comes the announcement that the Stores will be retired in May 2023.

Organizations may use other Microsoft products to push Microsoft Store applications to managed devices. Microsoft has been working on Endpoint Manager integration with the Microsoft Store on Windows.

The company published an overview of how the integration works on its Tech Community website in July 2022. Another support article describes how IT administrators may add Microsoft Store apps to Microsoft Intune.

Intune provides the following improvements according to Microsoft:

• Browse and search Store apps within Intune.
• Install and uninstall apps with required app deployments.
• Monitor the installation progress and results for Store apps.
• Win32 Store apps are supported.
• System context and user context are supported for UWP apps.

Closing Words

The removal of both Microsoft Stores affects a small number of organizations only. Microsoft did not release usage information about its Stores, but it is clear that the Stores were not used as widely as Microsoft had hoped.

Organizations do retain abilities to install Microsoft Store applications to user devices using management solutions though.

Now You: do you use the Microsoft Store? (via Günter Born / Dr. Windows)

Microsoft retires two Stores in May 2023 that barely anyone used

The Redmond company decided to pay attention to improving syntax highlighting after it was requested by the Developer Community. It’s an important feature that allows software developers to differentiate different parts of complex code. Many programmers inherit projects from other employees and sifting through the code to work out what it does is easier when components are separated by different colours.

In the gallery below, you can take a look at before and after comparisons of syntax highlighting in Visual Studio. Even if you don’t write code, you should be able to see how much of a difference the new highlighting makes.

Gallery: Visual Studio 2022 17.6 Syntax Highlighting

Microsoft said that the different parts of the code, such as variables and escape characters, are mapped to different Display items. If you’re not a fan of the colour choices, just head to Tools > Options > Environment > Fonts and colours and select Text Editor from the Show settings for dropdown. You can then select the Display item and set the Item foreground, Item background, Font, and Size options as you like.

If you don’t yet have Visual Studio 2022 Preview, you’ll need to download it from the dedicated website. If you do have it, just make sure you have the latest version installed.

Visual Studio 2022 17.6 will improve JavaScript and TypeScript syntax highlighting

LinuxONE servers come to the Big Blue cloud

IBM has taken a longer-than-usual stride towards making its proprietary hardware platforms cloudier, by offering bare metal LinuxONE boxes in the big blue cloud.

The LinuxONE servers use the same Telum processor IBM packs into its z16 mainframe but are designed solely to run Linux – Big Blue’s own z/OS is not allowed.

But IBM promotes LinuxONE as offering just about the same level of hardware resilience as mainframes. The former typewriter champion also asserts that the LinuxOne architecture teamed with Telum trounces x86 for compute density and energy consumption.

And of course Linux is far less exotic that z/OS, making it a platform more independent software vendors will happily target. IBM reckons greenfield sites might fancy LinuxONE too, as it can run Kubernetes and is therefore suggested as a fine platform for cloud-native development.

The Register submits it would be a brave buyer that ignores decades of historical case studies about the perils of lock- in to proprietary platforms and makes LinuxONE the bedrock of a new IT stack. But stranger things have happened.

Wednesday’s news that bare metal LinuxONE servers are now available in IBM cloud therefore creates an interesting alternative to the safe option of hyperscale x86 or the enfant terrible that is cloudy Arm-powered servers.

It also means that three of IBM’s proprietary hardware platforms are now present in its cloud: Big Blue delivered POWER-as-a-service way back in 2016 and started renting cloudy mainframes in 2022, albeit only for test and development purposes.

LinuxONE servers appear to be available in IBM Cloud's London, Tokyo, Washington, Sao Paulo, and Toronto regions. Monthly prices start at $1,490.66 per month for a pair of virtual CPUS (vCPUs may seem an odd option for a bare metal server, though that's what IBM's configurator listed when we tested).

Analyst firm IDC rates the non-x86 server market as likely to generate $13.1 billion of revenue during 2023, compared to $109.5 billion for kit running CPUs from Intel or AMD. LinuxONE is therefore not a big player and has competition from the aforementioned cloudy Arm machines and IBM’s other platforms.

While the new cloudy servers may therefore not set the world on fire, they do at least give IBM’s cloud a unique offering, which is welcome given that during the 2010s the distinguishing feature of the Big Blue cloud was its unreliability and slow rate of improvement compared to upstart hyperscalers.

Source

In the latest Bing blog post, Microsoft revealed it has now added better formatting for complete math equations, which was promised a few weeks ago. It states:

We shipped support for LaTeX markup—allowing Bing chat to correctly display complex mathematical expressions. This makes Bing chat an even more useful tool for learning math concepts or writing technical research papers.

The latest update should also offer some improvements for people who have had Bing Chat abruptly stop a conversation:

We’ve heard your feedback that messages would sometimes trigger Bing to unnecessarily end conversations (e.g. “I’m sorry but I prefer not to continue this conversation.” or “It might be time to move on to a new topic.”). This should now occur less frequently than before, and we’re continuing to investigate cases where this happens.

There should also be some better answers from Bing Chat when it comes to questions about news topics. Finally, there's been some bugs that have been fixed, including "Reducing instances where Bing chat triggered unnecessary duplicative searches" and "Minimizing errors that led to Bing chat returning no response to queries."

Source

Microsoft also packed 6 themes in the operating system, including some really cool dark themes.

Where are the desktop wallpapers located in Windows 11?

The folder is sort of hidden, it is not located in the Pictures folder like common sense would have you believe. Instead, you can find the Windows 11 wallpapers in the following directory: C:\Windows\Web\

Tip: Windows 10 users can find the wallpapers in the same folder, read about it here.

You can read about the Bloom design on Microsoft's blog.

How to find the default wallpapers in Windows 11

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to the following folder: C:\Windows\Web\
3. It has 4 sub directories: 4K, Screen, touchkeyboard, and Wallpaper. Navigate to each folder to find the ones that you may like.

Each sub-folder in this directory, contains a few pictures in various sizes and resolutions. The primary wallpaper, which is called Bloom (it was inspired by flowers), and its dark mode variant are placed in the following folder: C:\Windows\Web\4K\Wallpaper\Windows

The Screen folder has 6 wallpapers, though one of these is just a solid colour background. The Touch Keyboard directory is home to even more colourful abstract backdrops. The C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper is sort of a mixed bag and contains several images, some of which are Nature-themed ones, if that tickles your fancy. There are a couple of image sets with different coloured versions of the same wallpaper, you can set the operating system to switch between them by enabling the slideshow option. But I should warn you, toggling the setting can have an adverse result in that it can cause screen flickering issues.

Tip: If you have a laptop or an OEM desktop that included Windows 10 or 11, the manufacturer's default wallpaper can be found in the C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper directory.

Spotlight does not save images that are downloaded from the internet in the Windows wallpapers folder. If you're interested in those, here's what you need to do.

How to find the Spotlight wallpapers in Windows 11

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Copy the following path and paste it in the file manager's address bar: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Assets
3. You should see a bunch of files in this folder with random alphanumeric names. Some of them may display a thumbnail preview, but most of them will not. These are the wallpapers that Windows Spotlight downloads occasionally.
4. Copy the files to a different folder on your computer.
5. The files won't be in a usable state, i.e. you won't be able to open them in Windows Photo Viewer or other apps. There is a simple fix for this issue.
6. Rename the files by adding the .jpg suffix to the names. e.g. This will mark them as images, that you can view in any program of your choice.

Note: Windows also saves the icons for apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store in the Content Delivery Manager's folder, so may have to discard those images.

What is the big deal about the Windows 11 wallpapers folder? Why is this important?

Windows 11 only lists the 5 recent backgrounds that you used in the Settings > Personalization screen. So, if you changed wallpapers several times, the Settings app will not display the default backgrounds of the operating system. You will need to browse for them manually, and the folder is not exactly easy to find if you didn't already know about it. That being said, there is a simple way to restore the default backgrounds. All you have to do is to change the theme, and you will get its corresponding image set as your desktop background.

As I mentioned earlier, Windows 11 comes with 6 themes, each of which has its own wallpaper. But keep in mind that there are more backdrops available in the wallpapers folders, so you actually get some extra customization options. By manually changing the wallpaper, you can mix and match the images (including the hidden ones), with the built-in themes of your choice, to keep things fresh.

Having access to the official wallpapers has a few advantages. Let's say that Microsoft decided to remove the wallpapers and replace them with new ones, or edits the current version. You can simply revert to the original backgrounds quite easily. If you have some skill with image editors, you could modify the wallpapers to suit your needs and spruce up your desktop. You may even use the backdrops on your other devices.

If you don't have Windows 11 on your computer but want the wallpapers from it, head over to our previous coverage to download them. Do you like Bing Wallpapers? You can have your desktop wallpaper refreshed every day with the official Bing Wallpapers app from Microsoft, or the third-party program, Bingsnap. If you have an Android phone, you can use a combination of the Muzei Live Wallpaper app, and the Bing Image of the Day add-on, to get a new home screen image every day.

Do you like Windows 11's wallpapers? Which one is your favorite?

Where are the desktop wallpapers located in Windows 11?

Microsoft has pushed out several versions of the DirectStorage API already, which developers may use in their games to benefit from the feature.

Many Windows gamers may be unaware of the technology. The two main reasons for that are that only one game has been released so far that supports DirectStorage and that DirectStorage benefits from very fast NVME drives. The one game is Forspoken, which has received mixed reviews so far.

DirectStorage requires a PCIe 3.0 NVME SSD and a graphics processing unit (GPU) that supports DirectX 12. Microsoft has noted previously that a GPU that supports DirectX 12 Ultimate is ideal for the feature.

Previously, DirectStorage required at least a 1 terabyte NVME hard drive, but Microsoft has removed the requirement from the official specifications.

Find out if DirectStorage is supported

It is actually quite easy to check if a Windows PC supports DirectStorage. Here are step-by-step instructions to do so:

1. Use the keyboard shortcut Windows-G to open the Game Bar on the operating system; this opens an overlay on the desktop with all sorts of system information and tools related to gaming.
2. Select the Settings icon, which is the cogwheel icon on the center toolbar at the top.
3. Switch to Gaming Features when the Settings widget is displayed on the screen.
4. Check the DirectStorage entries there to find out of DirectStorage is supported, and to what degree.

Windows provides the following details:

• Whether the GPU supports DirectStorage.
• Whether the operating system supports the latest DirectStorage IO optimizations.
• Whether any of the connected drives supports the feature.

The information is useful, as you may use it to select the best drive for the installation of games. The faster the drive the better the performance in games that make use of the feature.

Windows includes no option to turn on DirectStorage. The Windows PC either supports the feature, because it meets the requirements, or it does not support it. Games do need to support it as well, but there is only one that has been released that does support it.

Games that are in development currently may introduce support, and some future games will certainly support DirectStorage. It is unclear at this stage, whether DirectStorage will remain a niche feature, supported only by a small number of games, or enter mainstream. The latter won't happen overnight, but will take years.

Now You: what is your take on DirectStorage?

How to find out if your Windows PC supports DirectStorage

Microsoft Word for Mac and Windows is now capable of letting you share your Word documents to your Kindle devices without any hassle. This will allow you to read Word documents on your Kindle devices.

To enrich the reading experience, Microsoft Word will also let you choose how you want the documents to appear on Kindle. You can choose between reading options before hitting Send: Like a Kindle book and Like a printed document. As described by Microsoft, the first option "will enable you to make font sizes and page layouts adjustable, and is best suited for text with simpler formatting and reading on smaller screens." Microsoft recommends choosing the printed document option if the text has more complex formatting because "Like a printed document" keeps page layouts and formatting as is.

 

In its official blog post, Microsoft announced the limited availability of the new Kindle sharing option. For Windows users, the "Send to Kindle" feature is currently available for Microsoft 365 Insiders in Beta and Current Channels. It is available in the following Insider builds:

• Beta Channel users running Version 2305 (Build 16403.20000) or later
• Current Channel (Preview) users running Version 2304 (Build 16327.20104) or later

On the other hand, Mac users will need Word for Mac Insiders Version 16.72 (Build 23040200) or later to send their documents to Kindle.

Microsoft also made two important announcements regarding the new sharing functionality. First, the ability to sync the ink annotations and edits you make on documents in Kindle is not currently supported. The second is that "Send to Kindle" will be available for Word for the web in the future.

Microsoft Word adds new feature to make reading documents on Kindle more convenient

MSI Afterburner GPU overclocking tool returns after Ukraine war paused development

On the support document, Microsoft writes:

Microsoft Update Health Tools is offered to devices through Windows Update as update KB4023057. This update is applicable for both Windows consumer and commercial devices, with a slightly different purpose and functionality.

• On Windows consumer devices, this update helps remediate smooth functioning of Windows Update.

• For commercial devices, this update is recommended for Windows Update for Business (WUfB) Deployment Service for managing Feature and Quality Updates.

The Microsoft Update Health Tools is required for Expediting security updates through Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Graph.

In order to verify if the Microsoft Update Health Tools are working, users can migrate to the installation files (C:\Program Files\Microsoft Update Health Tools). Likewise, commercial customers can check if the Update Health service is running on their devices.

You can find more details in the official support article.

KB4023057: Microsoft slightly improves Windows Update on Windows 11, Windows 10