While Microsoft is rolling out the upgrade for all eligible systems, you can get your upgrade done right away with this media tool. Here's how you can use the tool.

Compatibility

Before installing Windows 11, you should check if your computer meets the minimum requirements. If you're not sure how to do that, you need the PC health check tool from Microsoft.

To do this, scroll to the bottom of the page and download the app. Once you open the app, you can click the 'check now' button. The app will tell you if the computer is compatible. If it isn't, you will be told what the problem is.

Media Creation Tool

After you've checked your PC compatibility, it's time to download Windows 11. You have three options to do this - use the installation media, create an ISO file, or use the installation assistant. Click on 'create Windows 11 installation media' and then click on download.

You must then choose your media type. You can choose between a USB drive or an ISO file. Once you select the media, accept the terms and hit next. Make sure your USB drive is connected to the computer. The download tool will create an installation media. Once done, click on finish.

If you want it on DVD, you choose the appropriate radio box and choose which folder you want it saved in. Change the name of the file to what you want and click save. Once done, you will also be given the option of writing the ISO data on a DVD.

Installing Windows 11

Now you must insert the drive (USB or DVD) in the computer you want to upgrade. Open the drive and double-click the setup.exe file. Follow the on-screen prompts and click install. Once done, your PC will restart and your Windows 11 will be ready to use.

Time To Upgrade

Now that you know how to upgrade to Windows 11, don't wait for the free upgrade from Microsoft. Follow the steps above and create your very own media creation tool for Windows 11.

How To Use the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool?

What Is the Tablet Mode?

The tablet mode first came into existence when Windows 10 was launched. If you're still using Windows 10, you can enable it by going to settings, then system, and then toggle tablet mode on. This feature allows you to use your device as a tablet.

When the Windows 10 tablet mode is activated, all programs are maximized. You can even use your device's touchscreen to operate it rather than a keyboard.
While the tablet mode is not available on laptops and desktops in Windows 11, you can use it on touchscreen devices.

Using Tablet Mode in Windows 11

Windows 11 does not have the option of switching the tablet mode on or off. This feature is automatically enabled on all touchscreen devices. If you have a 2-in-1 device, you can enable tablet mode by detaching your keyboard.

Switching Off Tablet Mode in Windows 11

While there is no sure way to switch off the tablet mode in Windows 11, the best way is to reattach the keyboard, and the tablet mode should be disabled. However, if the device is still stuck in tablet mode, you can try a few things.

• Check the keyboard connection and see if it is reconnected properly.
• Try rotating the screen to get your device back to its original mode.
• Restarting your Windows 11 device can also disable the tablet mode.

You can also perform a system restore to get your device back to its original position.

Complete Solutions - Vertical or Horizontal

Enabling and disabling the tablet mode in Windows 11 is extremely straightforward. As you can see, it can be done in a few simple steps. If these steps don't work, you can try contacting Microsoft's customer care.

How to Enable Tablet Mode in Windows 11?

Brave Browser supports the feature under the name Night Mode. It is hidden behind an experimental flag on desktop versions of the web browser, and available in the appearance section of the mobile version of Brave Browser for Android.

The name hints at the mode's main purpose: to improve the display of web content when it is dark. Some computer users prefer to display darker colours all the time.

Enabling Night Mode in Brave is a straightforward process. Brave Browser users on Android need to go to Settings > Appearance, and toggle the Enable "Night Mode" (Experimental) feature on the page that opens. A restart of the browser is required.

On desktop versions of Brave, it is necessary to flip an experimental flag instead. For that, load brave://flags/#enable-force-dark in the browser's address bar and change the state of the flag from Default to Enabled. Adventurous users may play around with the different inversion techniques to find the one that is best suited for them. A restart is required to apply the change.

Brave browser applies the dark mode on all sites visited in the web browser after the restart. Users may undo the change by setting the flag to Default on desktop, and to off on the mobile version of Brave.

The browser applies the changes to web content only. Interface colours do not change while the mode is active. The colours of images displayed in articles on webpages are not inverted by default.

Note that Brave Browser supports light and dark modes. These can be applied in the Settings to paint the interface in dark or light colours.

On desktop, Brave users load brave://settings/appearance and set the Brave colours preference to dark or light to make the change. Mobile users need to open Settings > Appearance > Theme to switch between light and dark modes. The default mode is always "system default" in both cases.

Now You: does your favorite browser support light and dark modes for web content or the interface? Which do you prefer?

How to enable Brave Browser's Night Mode for any website

Windows 8.1 users may continue using it, but the system's security issues will no longer be fixed by Microsoft or anyone else. Browsers and other programs will stop getting updates, and some websites will refuse to work as new technologies are no longer supported by the browsers.

Windows 7, which receives the last ESU patches on Tuesday as well, looks to be in a similar situation on first glance. Microsoft won't release updates for it anymore, even though there is still demand for that. Many programs won't receive updates anymore and the situation looks identical to the one that Windows 8.1 users face.

There is a difference, however. 0Patch, known for keeping operating systems and programs alive beyond official support ranges, announced that it will support Windows 7 with at least two additional years of critical security updates. Additionally, it announced this week that it will also support Microsoft Edge on Windows 7 until at least January 2025.

With the security side of things taken care of, Windows 7 is the better option going forward for users and organizations who do not want to upgrade to Windows 10 or can't, for whatever reason. The extended security updates come at a cost, as 0Patch is charging around $25 per year and device for the privilege. Microsoft charged the same amount in the first year of ESU, but doubled the price for the second and third year.

Windows 7 users may still run into compatibility issues that prevent certain programs from running. While some software companies announced end of support already, e.g., Google with its Chrome browser, it is still uncertain for how longer others will support their programs on Windows 7 and also 8.1. Still, it seems likely that some programs will stop working. This would be a major problem in some cases. Gamers, for example, may rely on platforms such as Steam. If Valve, the company behind Steam, decides to end support for Windows 7, it could mean that Steam can't be run anymore on Windows 7 or 8.1.

All things considered, Windows 7 users are still in a better position, provided that they subscribe to 0Patch's offer to receive critical security updates for the next 2 years at least.

Now You: What would you do in that case?

While Windows 7 has a fighting chance, it is game over for Windows 8.1

How to make Windows 11 look like Windows 10

Windows 10 has a very specific aesthetic. While Windows 11 has opted for a more fluid, dynamic design language, there's a remarkable feeling of strength and reliability in the Windows 10 design language. The tips listed below aim to help you bring that feeling of strength and reliability into your Windows 11 space, and it’s easier than you think. 

Related: Windows 11 usage share continues to rise slowly

Step 1: Change your background

Your PC’s background has a relatively large effect on the overall aesthetic of your system. For instance, before I had a Windows 11 PC, I simply downloaded the stock Windows 11 background onto my PC and it felt like I was using a newer system. All you need to do is download a stock Windows 10 background from your favorite wallpaper repository and set it as your background. 

Some would say changing your background should be the last step, but as the background you choose determines the overall theme and feel of your PC, we’d suggest doing it first. 

Step 2: Move your taskbar

Next, you’ll want to move your taskbar. The Windows 11 taskbar is located centrally at the bottom of the screen, whereas that of Windows 10 filled up from the left-hand side. All you need to do is head to your Settings app by hitting the Windows key + i, and then clicking on Personalization. 

From here, find the item that says Taskbar and then head to Taskbar alignment. Here, you’ll be able to align the taskbar to the left so that it resembles Windows 10 more. 

Step 3: Switch out your file explorer

The next step is to change to the classic file explorer. Hit the Windows button + R to open the Run utility. Next, type regedit into the search box and click OK. When you see the UAC prompt, hit Yes. 

You’re now in the registry editor. From here you need to head to the address bar and type in the following string: 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions

Once you’ve done that, you’ll see an item called Shell extensions. Click on it. Next, hit New, and then select Key from the drop-down menu. Rename the new key Blocked. 

When you’ve done this, right click on the right-hand side of the interface and hover your cursor over New. Now, choose String Value and name it the following:

{e2bf9676-5f8f-435c-97eb-11607a5bedf7}

The last step is to simply restart your PC and the changes should take effect. If you ever want to roll back to the new file explorer, you just need to delete the Blocked key. 

Step 4: Reclaim the old context menu

You’ll need to head back into the registry editor for this one. Once in, paste the following path into the address bar:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID

Hit enter, and then right click where you see CLSID. Hover your cursor over New, and choose Key, and name it the following:

{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}

Next, you’ll want to right-click on the key you just created, hit New, hit Key again, and then name it the following:

InprocServer32

Once you’ve done that, double click on Default. You’ll find that option right below the new InprocServer32 key. Next, ensure that the field right below Value data is empty, and then hit OK. the last step is to restart your PC and wait for the change to take effect. 

Step 5: Go back to the old Start menu

Head back into the registry editor and paste the following string into the address bar:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\

Hit Enter, and then right click on the right-hand side of the interface. Hover your cursor over New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it the following:

Start_ShowClassicMode

Next, you’ll want to double-click on the entry you created and then type 1 into the Value data box. Click OK to save what you’ve done. You’ll need to restart your PC again before you see any change. 

Step 6: Remove annoying taskbar icons

You won’t need to head back into the registry editor for this one. All you need to do is head to Settings and click on Personalization. Once there, Click on Taskbar and then simply turn off all the taskbar item toggles. That’s it!

Step 7: Use an additional app

Even if you follow all the steps set out above, you still might not be able to achieve the desired effect. If Microsoft wanted you to go back to Windows 10, they never would have made Windows 11’s UI so different. Therefore, simply using the tools that Microsoft provides isn’t going to be enough. Therefore, if you want your PC to look as much like Windows 10 as possible, you should consider using third-party apps to get the job done. A really good app to try is StartIsBack. 

Windows 10 lives again

Even though the aging OS has three years at most, within which it will still be usable and safe, it seems that the energy of Windows 10 is set to endure far longer. With our handy tips above, you can have your Windows 11 OS looking and behaving like Windows 10 in no time!

7 easy ways to make Windows 11 look like Windows 10

The operating systems Windows 7 and 8.1 run out of support in January 2023. Similarly, Windows Server 2012 will run out of support in October 2023. The death of an operating system goes hand in hand with end of support for programs usually.

Google and Microsoft announced already that their browsers won't receive any security updates after the final January 2023 update. Edge, for example, will stop working on the out-of-support Windows versions when Edge 110 is released in February 2023.

Tip: Load edge://settings/help in the Edge address bar to display the current version of the web browser. You may also select Menu > Help & Support > About Microsoft Edge to open the page manually. The version that is installed is displayed underneath the title on the page.

0Patch announced earlier that it plans to deliver security updates for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2012 for at least 2 years after end of support. Now comes the pledge to support Microsoft Edge 109, the last version of the browser, until January 2025. Both services may be extended, depending on demand.

Security patches for Microsoft Edge will be provided for Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2. The patches require a commercial account, either Pro or Enterprise. Pro accounts are available for about $25 per year and device.

0Patch instructs customers to update Microsoft Edge to the latest version available for the device, and to keep the update functionality enabled. Microsoft may release emergency updates for the browser even if it is out of support. The company has done so in the past for other products and it may do so again.

All it takes then is to make sure that 0Patch Agent is running on the device and that it is linked to a Pro or Enterprise account. 0Patch focuses on critical security updates.

Closing Words

Microsoft Edge may not be the most desirable web browser for many, judging by its market share, but users may want to weight that against the fact that most web browsers won't receive any update after January 2023 on the retired Windows systems.

Running an out of date version of a browser may result in some services becoming unavailable. It depends largely on the service, but those that check the browser version or use technology that is not supported by Edge 109 may not work properly or at all after the browser has been updated to version 110 and beyond.

Now You: do you run one of the mentioned operating systems? What will you do and use after January 2023? (via Günter Born)

0Patch: security updates for Microsoft Edge on unsupported Windows versions until 2025

Before we start

Before we get into the actual guide, it would be pertinent to mention that there are two different types of updates for Windows 11; builds and cumulative updates. Builds are the big boys; the major updates that furnish your PC with everything from appearance alterations to shiny new features. These are essentially new versions of the Windows 11 OS. Cumulative updates, on the other hand, are smaller updates delivered to patch any vulnerabilities and patches in the Windows 11 OS. Luckily, you can remove both of these types of updates from your system. 

Related: How to downgrade your Windows 11 PC to Windows 10

How uninstall a Windows 11 update

Now that we’ve covered the basics, we can proceed with the guide. This is a really easy process and it’s quite quick to perform. 

How to install a cumulative update on Windows 11

Step 1: Settings

First, you’ll want to head into the Settings app on your PC. You can do this either by hitting the Windows button + i, or by heading into the Start Menu and hitting Settings. 

Step 2: Windows update

Next, you’ll want to scroll down to the bottom of your Settings interface where you see Windows Update. Click on this option. 

Step 3: Update history

Clicking on Windows Update will reveal additional options. The next one you want to click on is Update history. Scrolling to the bottom of the Update history panel will get you to the Uninstall updates button. Click it. 

Step 4: Uninstall

Now, you’ll see a list of updates that you can uninstall. Simply select an update by clicking on it, and then hitting the Uninstall button at the top of the interface. Windows 11 will ask you to confirm your selection. 

How to uninstall builds on Windows 11

Step 1: Settings

You’ll need to had back into Settings for this. Once there, click on System, and then head to Recovery. 

Step 2: Recovery

In the Recovery panel, scroll down to Advanced startup and click Restart now. It’s always best to save any work you have in progress before you restart your PC. 

Step 3: Restart

When your PC reboots, you’ll see Choose an Option on the screen. From here, you’ll want to head to Troubleshoot, and then Advanced options, and, lastly, Uninstall updates. Here, you’ll need to click on Uninstall latest feature update. Now, simply hit Uninstall feature update and the most recently installed Windows 11 build will be removed from your PC. 

Before we go

Before we head into the next exciting article, there’s something you need to know about Windows 11 builds. You can only uninstall builds that have been installed in the last 10 days. If you wait longer than 10 days, you’ll need to reinstall a fresh copy of Windows 11; you won’t be able to roll back the build. You could also initiate a full system backup.

How to uninstall a Windows 11 update

Here is what Microsoft has said about the change in Windows 11 build 25272:

We are removing the suggestion action for searching copied text in Microsoft Edge and showing recommend common websites on the Recommended section in Start – both of which began rolling out with Build 25247. Thanks to all the Insiders who gave us feedback on these two experiences. As a reminder, features and experiences we try out in the Dev Channel may get removed and never released beyond the Dev Channel as we incubate new ideas and get feedback from Insiders.

It is interesting to see Microsoft removing the ability to search highlighted text in Edge, especially considering that Windows 11 lets you modify it to work with other browsers. Microsoft might bring the feature back in future updates or remove it for good due to negative feedback, low usage among insiders, or other factors. Whatever the motivation behind the decision, most users will be happy to see Microsoft making the Start menu arguably less annoying.

Microsoft backtracks one of the worst Start menu changes in Windows 11

Editing the Registry

One way of moving your taskbar is by editing the registry yourself. Before you move ahead with editing the registry, you should know that it is a powerful tool and can cause serious damage to your system if you don't know what you're doing. Open the registry editor. This can be done by clicking the start menu button and typing 'regedit.' In the search results, you will see the registry editor. Click on it. When it opens, type the below address in the address bar and press enter.

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StuckRects3

Once loaded, you need to navigate to StuckRects3 and then double-click on settings. This will open the edit binary value window and you will see a table with different values. Now comes the tricky part. Find the second row from the top and then count five columns from the left. You will see a default value of '3' in this field. Place your cursor just ahead of the 3 and press backspace once and change the value to '1.'

Press ok and then restart windows explorer. This can be done by opening the task manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC) and then clicking more details. Once there, select the processes tab and look for windows explorer. Right-click on it and press restart. This will move your taskbar to the top of the screen. If you change your mind, follow the above-mentioned steps again and change the value back to '3.'

Modify the Look of Your Screen...with Caution

Now that you know how to edit the registry and make changes, make sure you do it only if necessary. You shouldn't play around with the registry and this can cause a lot of system issues.

How To Move the Taskbar to the Top or Side on Windows 11?

According to WABetaInfo, in the latest 2.23.1.26 version of WhatsApp beta, the company is working on allowing users the option to access conversations on different Android devices without the hassle of backing up chat history on Google Drive. The feature will be accessible by going to WhatsApp Settings > Chats and then choosing the "Chat transfer to Android" option.

To transfer data, users would need to download WhatsApp on the device they wish to share chats to and scan the QR available by opening WhatsApp on the other device. One important thing to note, however, is that while the capability provides a faster way of migrating conversations between devices without updating chat records, it does not replace the significance of backing up chats. Users are still recommended to back up chats regularly to Google Drive to protect their conversations in case they experience issues with their phones.

The feature is in the making and is currently not accessible to Beta testers either. Furthermore, WhatsApp is yet to disclose the launch date for this feature.

Source and images: WABetaInfo

WhatsApp is working on a chat transfer option without the need to update backups on Drive

The release notes reveal that Microsoft removed the recommended websites feature in the Start Menu.

"We are removing the suggestion action for searching copied text in Microsoft Edge and showing recommend common websites on the Recommended section in Start – both of which began rolling out with Build 25247."

Microsoft started showing website recommendations in an earlier build in the Dev channel. The company received criticism for this, as it seemed to introduce another advertising possibility to the operating system.

Patrick's article on annoying Windows 11 Dev channel features that should get dropped included website recommendations.

Arguments leveled against the feature included the following points:

• Recommended focused on recently opened files and installed apps previously for the most part. Website recommendations would take away space from these user-specific recommendations.
• Listing websites under recommended could pave the way for adding more advertisement to the Start Menu of the operating system.

The feature has been removed by Microsoft in this week's Dev Channel Insider build for Windows 11. It seems unlikely that it is going to make a return in a future build.

Edge and Bing Search Suggested Actions is also gone

The very same build of Windows 11 removes another feature that testers found annoying for the most part. A new suggested action feature that pushes Microsoft Edge whenever text was copied on the operating system.

Windows 11 would display a prompt to run a search for the text on Bing using Microsoft Edge; this happened even if another default browser was set on the system already.

Windows 11 users had to disable the Suggested Actions feature in its entirety to disable the prompts.

Closing Words

Windows 11 Developer builds are designed for testing. Some features that Microsoft tests won't make it into the Stable versions of the operating system, and that is sometimes a good thing.

In this case, Microsoft made the right decision to remove the two features again. They offered little of use, as the features were designed more to Microsoft's benefit than the user's.

Now You: what is your take on the features and the removal?

Windows 11: Microsoft removes Website Recommendations and another annoying feature

Microsoft said that affected users would receive an app error or an error from SQL Server, such as "The EMS System encountered a problem" with "Message: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver] Protocol error in TDS Stream" or "Message: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]Unknown token received from SQL Server".

Today, Microsoft has finally released a workaround for the issue, though the delay is sort of understandable as it was the holiday season in the U.S. and many other parts of the world. The company writes:

Workaround: To mitigate this issue, you can do one of the following:

• If your app is already using or able to use Data Source Name (DSN) to select ODBC connections, install Microsoft ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server and select it for use with your app using DSN. Note: We recommend the latest version of Microsoft ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server, as it is more compatible with apps currently using the legacy Microsoft ODBC SQL Server Driver (sqlsrv32.dll) than Microsoft ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server.
• If your app is unable to use DSN, the app will need to be modified to allow for DSN or to use a newer ODBC driver than Microsoft ODBC SQL Server Driver (sqlsrv32.dll).

The Redmond company says that it is working on a permanent fix for the issue.

Microsoft finally provides workaround for Windows apps broken by buggy SQL Server driver

At the moment it is not clear why Microsoft added the new icon and option since it is basically doing the same thing that "Pictures" does. However, it is possible that there are more changes in store for later.

To enable the Gallery in the new build 25272, follow the steps below:

Caution: Unannounced features are often raw, unstable, or borderline unusable. Back up important data before using the ViveTool app and enabling hidden options. Remember that using stable Windows 11 is the best way to ensure your system remains as bug-free as possible.

Download ViveTool from GitHub and unpack the files somewhere convenient.

1. Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin).
2. Switch Windows Terminal to Command Prompt profile by pressing Ctrl + Shift + 2 or clicking the arrow-down button at the top of the window.

    

   
3. Navigate to the folder containing the extracted files using the CD command. For example, if you have extracted ViveTool to C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive.
4. Type vivetool /enable /id:41040327 and press Enter.
5. (For PowerShell try: .\vivetool /enable /id:41040327)
6. Restart your computer.

If you change your mind and want to go back, repeat the steps above and replace enable with disable in the commands on steps 4 / 5.

New Windows 11 feature "Gallery" has been spotted in latest Dev build

The company writes in its blog post:

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1095 and Build 22623.1095 (KB5022364) to the Beta Channel.

Build 22623.1095= New features rolling out.
Build 22621.1095= New features off by default.

Here is the full list of changes and improvements, as well as bug fixes in the new Beta builds:

Changes and Improvements in Build 22621.1095 & 22623.1095

[Start]

• The search box design in the Start menu has been updated with more rounded corners to reflect the design of the search box on the taskbar.

   

  

  Design of search box on the Start menu has more rounded corners.

   

Changes and Improvements in Build 22623.1095

[General]

• Moved Quick Assist out of Windows Tools so it displays directly in the Start menu’s All apps list and is easier to find.

   

Here are the fixes in Build 22623.1095:

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Fixed a couple issues which could result in the top half of the taskbar getting clipped.

   

[Start]

• Fixed an issue where the uninstall app dialog might not display correctly in the Start menu in certain cases, making the buttons inaccessible.

   

[Task Manager]

• Fixed an issue causing filtering by publisher name to not match correctly on the Processes page.

• Fixed an issue causing some services to not show in the Services page after filtering is applied.

• Fixed an issue which resulted in new processes appearing in a filtered list if launched while a filter is set.

• We fixed the issue where some dialogs were not rendering in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.

• The issue causing the data content area of the Processes page to flash once when theme changes are applied in the Task Manager Settings page is fixed.

• The Startup apps page in Task manager will now list apps as expected.

• Fixed an issue which could cause a black flash when opening Task Manager.

• If there are no matching search results, Task Manager will now explicitly say that.

• Fixed a Task Manager crash that could happen when attempting to end certain processes.

• You can now set focus to the search box by pressing CTRL + F.

   

Fixes for BOTH Build 22621.1095 & Build 22623.1095

[Search on the Taskbar]

The following known issues only apply for Windows Insiders who received one of the different treatments for how search looks on the taskbar as mentioned here this blog post:

• We’ve made improvements to reliability to fix some crashes and the performance of animations and transitions.

• We fixed the issue causing the search box on taskbar to not render correctly and display visual artifacts.

• We fixed the issue causing layout issues with right-to-left display languages like Arabic.

   

[Other fixes]

• New! We changed the experience for preview .NET Framework updates. After you installed this update, all future preview (optional) .NET Framework updates would display on the Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates On that page, you could control which optional updates you wanted to install.

• We fixed an issue that affected Windows Server 2022 domain controllers (DC). They stopped responding when they handled Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) requests.

• We fixed an issue that might have occurred when the Input Method Editor (IME) was active. Applications might have stopped responding when you used the mouse and keyboard at the same time.

• We fixed an issue that affected exe. It stopped responding.

• We fixed an issue that affected how fast you could copy items from a network to a local computer. For some users, the copy speed was slower than expected.

• We fixed an issue that affected certain systems that had firmware Trusted Platform Modules. (TPM). This issue stopped you from using AutoPilot to set up those systems.

• We fixed a resource conflict issue between two or more threads (known as a deadlock). This deadlock affected COM+ applications.

• We fixed an issue that affected devices that were subject to Microsoft Exploit Protection Export Address Filtering (EAF). Some applications stopped responding or did not open. These included Microsoft Office and Adobe Reader.

• We fixed an issue that affected exe. It randomly stopped you from signing in or signing out.

• We fixed an issue that might have occurred when you converted or reconverted Japanese Kanji using a multibyte character set (MBCS) app. The cursor might have moved to the wrong location when you typed.

• We fixed an issue that affected exe. It stopped responding while connecting to a RemoteApp and Desktop Connection.

• We fixed an issue that might have affected FindWindow() or FindWindowEx(). They might have returned the wrong window handle.

• We fixed an issue that affected picture files you found using search on the taskbar. This issue stopped you from opening those pictures.

   

You can find the official blog post here.

Latest Windows 11 build 22623.1095 (KB5022364) includes more tweaks to search in Start menu

You can read the full changelog below:

[Changes and Improvements]

[General]

• Moved Quick Assist out of Windows Tools so it displays directly in the Start menu’s All apps list and is easier to find.
• We are removing the suggestion action for searching copied text in Microsoft Edge and showing recommend common websites on the Recommended section in Start – both of which began rolling out with Build 25247. Thanks to all the Insiders who gave us feedback on these two experiences. As a reminder, features and experiences we try out in the Dev Channel may get removed and never released beyond the Dev Channel as we incubate new ideas and get feedback from Insiders.

[WSL]

• Starting with Build 25267, the inbox version of Windows Subsystem for Linux has been removed. When you install a build with this change if you’re a WSL user you will need to update to the latest WSL version by running wsl.exe --update or wsl.exe –install to ensure WSL continues working on your PC. Once you have done that, WSL will continue working on subsequent build updates. In future builds we’re looking to have this done automatically.

   

[Printing]

• Added a refresh button to the Windows print queue.

Fixes

[General]

• Fixed an issue where some Arm64 devices experienced a black screen while resuming from sleep or hibernate.
• Fixed an issue causing various UI elements in apps to disappear and reappear sometimes in recent builds.

[Search on the Taskbar]

The fixes only apply for Windows Insiders who received one of the different treatments for how search looks on the taskbar that began rolling out to Insiders with Build 25252:

• We fixed the issue causing the search box on taskbar to not render correctly and display visual artifacts.
• Japanese IME candidate items should display correctly now inside the search box on the taskbar.

[Task Manager]

• Fixed an issue causing filtering by publisher name to not match correctly on the Processes page.
• Fixed an issue causing some services to not show in the Services page after filtering is applied.
• Fixed an issue which resulted in new processes appearing in a filtered list if launched while a filter is set.
• Fixed an issue where Task Manager did not display light and dark content correctly, rendering potentially unreadable text.
• Fixed an issue causing the Startup apps page in Task manager to not list any apps for some Insiders.
• If there are no matching search results, Task Manager will now explicitly say that.
• Fixed a Task Manager crash that could happen when attempting to end certain processes.
• You can now set focus to the search box by pressing CTRL + F.

[Narrator]

• Fixed an issue that was causing Settings to crash after turning Narrator on or off in Lithuanian and Hungarian builds.
• Narrator should now be working correctly with Windows Defender Application Guard for Edge.

[Live Captions]

• We fixed the issue that was causing Live Captions to not work in the latest Insider Preview builds in the Dev Channel.

[Input]

• When using the Japanese IME with Narrator, Narrator will no longer read out the entire composition string each time you press a key.
• The message displayed the first time you use ALT + Shift should no longer display if you only have one input language installed.
• Fixed an issue where the Surface Pen could no longer advance PowerPoint slides in recent builds.
• Made a change to help improve performance when using a high report rate mouse while gaming.
• Fixed an issue where if you used the touch gesture for opening the Start menu, it could get stuck halfway.
• Fixed an issue which could cause Excel to stop responding on certain mouse drag events when using the Japanese or Chinese IMEs.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue which could cause a hang if you cancelled out of certification authentication when connecting to VPN.
• Fixed an issue which was causing Settings to crash when opening Power and Battery sometimes.
• Fixed an issue causing Quick Settings crashes sometimes when navigating to the Bluetooth section.
• Fixed an issue where the app icons under Settings > Apps > Default apps might be blurry.

[Windowing]

• Fixed an issue causing a black screen when ALT + Tabbing out of certain games in recent builds.
• The maximize button should no longer be slightly smaller than the close and minimize buttons when you highlight it in File Explorer and certain other apps while using dark mode.
• Fixed a couple DWM crashes that were introduced in recent builds.

[Other]

• Fixed an issue which was causing some Windows Security app crashes.
• Fixed an issue where the print queue was showing stale job information for printer connection printers.
• Fixed an issue where when creating a FIDO2 credential for a website in a browser, you might see the dialog twice in a row in certain cases.
• This build contains the fix for an issue impacting Windows Hello on certain PCs. We are continuing to investigate an issue specific to Arm64 PCs (see known issues).
• Fixed an issue which could lead to the Camera app showing that something went wrong if you pressed Pause while recording video.

NOTE: Some fixes noted here in Insider Preview builds from the Dev Channel may make their way into the servicing updates for the released version of Windows 11.

Known issues

[General]

• Using Windows Hello to sign in with facial recognition may not work on Arm64 PCs. A workaround for this is to use the Hello PIN path.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• The taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar. You may also see this issue on secondary monitors.

[Search on the Taskbar]

The following known issues only apply for Windows Insiders who received one of the different treatments for how search looks on the taskbar that began rolling out to Insiders with Build 25252:

• In right-to-left display languages like Arabic, there are layout issues with the text in the search box on taskbar.

[Task Manager]

• Some dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.
• The data content area of the Processes page may flash once when theme changes are applied in the Task Manager Settings page.

[Widgets]

• We’re investigating an issue where the widgets board will get stuck open in an invisible state for Insiders in China (and potentially others), causing clicks on the left side of the screen to not work. If you encounter this, pressing WIN + D may resolve the issue.
• In right-to-left display languages like Arabic, content animates out of view before the widgets board resizes when clicking to expanded view of the widgets board.

You can find the official blog post here.

First Windows 11 Dev build of 2023 fixes broken UI, black screen, Task Manager bugs, more

Performance data, including the most recent one, shows it is more of a mixed bag as Windows 11 22H2 and Windows 10 22H2 were seen trading blows with one another depending on the workload. The delta is probably not enough for someone to consider upgrading to Windows 11 as it is almost always less than 10%.

However, things could be vastly different for AMD with its new Ryzen 70003D chips that were revealed earlier today at CES 2023. While AMD debuted the 3D V-cache last year with the 8-core 5800X3D, the company is now moving beyond 8 cores with 12-core and 16-core options. Interestingly, the core layout is vastly different for the 8-core and 12/16-core variants. AMD employs a Core Complex Die (CCD) approach on the latter where each CCD packs up to eight cores. Hence for the 12 core, it's six cores in each CCD, and for the 16 core, it's all eight cores in each CCD.

Although the CCDs in normal Ryzen processors are duplicates, on the new Ryzen 7000X3D CPUs, AMD will only equip one CCD with the 64MB 3D V-cache. This means the other CCD will be geared towards high clock speeds. AMD's Scott Stankard shared this detail in an interview with PCWorld today. This approach will allow the 7000X3D chips to tackle both high cache usage cases, such as in games and stuff, as well as high clock speed scenarios.

The trade-off, AMD explains, is worth it as going with V-cache on both CCDs did not yield much better results and mainly added to the cost.

AMD Ryzen 7000X3D lineup

However, to make this possible, AMD says it had to work with Microsoft and game developers. Since only one CCD will have the 3D V-cache goodness, the task scheduling needs to be on point such that a particular workload is sent to its intended CCD for processing.

Scott Stankard explains:

I once called it magic, but it's not magic, it's hard work right, that we've done within our engineering team, with Microsoft, with the gaming developers such that we know which CCD to use at the right time

Although AMD does not explicitly mention Windows 11, it is almost certain these optimizations will make their way to Windows 11 and future versions. Windows 10 could get these optimizations as well.

The new scheduler update could also help alleviate CCD-related performance problems that have seemingly been plaguing AMD Ryzen CPUs on Windows 11 22H2.

Source: PCWorld (YouTube)

AMD says Windows 11 performance boost is coming soon to its Ryzen 7000X3D, and possibly more

As a refresher, Windows 8.1 was released back in 2013 as a response to customer feedback about Windows 8. As such, it notably featured the return of the Start button, a Bing-based unified search system, the ability to boot directly direct to desktop, and more. Although it was received more positively than its predecessor, it failed to address several issues and as such, it does not have the loyal customer base that Windows 7 enjoyed.

In terms of what end of support means for Windows 8.1 users, they will not be offered any more security updates or technical support following the OS' end of life. Although Microsoft has noted that some people might be able to upgrade to a newer version of Windows, it's probably better to get a new PC instead. Of course, it recommends Windows 11 but it is important to remember that Windows 10 is still an option too, as it is supported until October 14, 2025.

This is why Microsoft recommends purchasing a new PC instead of upgrading your the OS of your existing system:

PCs originally built with Windows 8.1 are designed with technology that is about 10 years old. Once you move to a new PC, there will be many aspects of Windows that you will find familiar, but also with important software and hardware innovations and capabilities that were not available a decade ago. Some of the innovative new features available with Windows 11 on a new computer:

• Newer PC hardware that is faster, more capable and more compatible with the latest industry technology.
• To help you keep your computer secure, you can take advantage of the latest security capabilities:
  • Get built-in security at no extra cost. Your Windows computer comes with built-in security features, including firewall and internet protections to help safeguard against viruses, malware and ransomware.
  • Use facial recognition or your fingerprint for more-secure sign-ins into Windows 11 on a PC compatible with Windows Hello. You can also use a localised PIN or your phone as a key.
• Organise your image files with the Photos app and they’ll be ready for easy viewing and sharing—even across devices. You can also search for certain themes and people in your photos. You just need to make sure your images are stored on OneDrive and you’re signed into your Microsoft account.

Microsoft has boasted that Windows 11 is the way to go because it is its most secure OS to date, saying that it's really easy to migrate your existing content and software to its latest OS.

While your Windows 8.1 PC will continue functioning in an unsupported state after January 10, you may experience degraded experiences across some software. For example, in-app and new purchases from the Microsoft Store will not be possible after this date, Microsoft Store app updates will stop after June 30, you may experience problems with Office apps, and web browsers such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge will be dropping support for the legacy OS soon too.

PSA: Support for Windows 8.1 is ending next week

In addition to being a recommended install for those picking up the new graphics card, support for DLSS 3 usage in Conqueror’s Blade and Dakar Desert Rally has arrived with this driver too.

It's bug fixes that are up next, with Nvidia managing to squash quite a few of them in this update:

• Portal RTX hang during resolution/mode change and GFE recording [3894168]
• [DirectX 12] Shadowplay recordings may appear over exposed when Use HDR is enabled from the Windows display settings. [200742937]
• AVS4You monochrome video preview [3890225]
• Players report black/grey screens in Outer Wilds with 522.25 driver [3841593]
• Lumion Pro 12.3 - Heavy corruption observed on app window [3784371]
• Fixed brightness issue on some Notebooks [3765244]

Here are the known issues still being looked at:

• Toggling HDR on and off in-game causes game stability issues when non-native resolution is used. [3624030]
• Monitor may briefly flicker on waking from display sleep if DSR/DLDSR is enabled. [3592260]
• [Halo Wars 2] In-game foliage is larger than normal and displays constant flickering [3888343]
• [Steam version] Forza Horizon 4 may freeze after 15-30 minutes of gameplay [3866530]
• [GeForce RTX 4090] Watch Dogs 2 may display flickering when staring at the sky [3858016]

The Nvidia 528.02 Game Ready driver is now available via the GeForce Experience app. Those who prefer direct downloads can find standalone links below. The release notes can be read here.

Desktop GPUs:

• GeForce Game Ready Driver Download: Windows 11, 10 – DCH [US version]

Notebook GPUs:

• GeForce Game Ready Driver Download: Windows 11, 10 – DCH [US version]

Nvidia 528.02 Game Ready driver delivers RTX 4070 Ti support

Frontpaged:   Nvidia GeForce Game Ready Driver 528.02

Here are the highlights of the update:

Highlights

• PowerToy utilities now ship with self-contained .NET 7, meaning it's not necessary to install .NET as part of the installer and it's easier to keep up to date.
• It's possible to pick which of the installed OCR languages is used by Text Extractor by selecting it in the right-click context menu.
• Added a setting to sort the order of the accented characters by usage frequency in Quick Accent.

There are no known issues in this release.

And here is your in-depth changelog with improvements and changes for the existing toys:

General

• Reduced resource consumption caused by logging. A thread for each logger was being created even for disabled utilities.

• The .NET 7 dependency is now shipped self-contained within the utilities, using deep links to reduce storage space usage.

 

Color Picker

• Fixed an issue where the custom color formats were not working when picking colors without using the editor.

• Fixed a crash when using duplicated names for color formats.

• Added two decimal formats, to distinguish between RGB and BGR.

• Fixed color name localization, which was not working correctly on 0.65.

 

FancyZones

• Fixed an editor crash caused by deleting a zone while trying to move it.

• Reduce the time it takes the tooltip for layout shortcut setting to appear in the editor.

 

File Locksmith

• Fixed an issue causing File Locksmith to hang when looking for open handles in some machines.

 

Hosts File Editor

• Added a warning when duplicated entries are detected. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

 

PowerToys Run

• Support drag and dropping for file results. Thanks @daniel-richter!

 

Quick Accent

• Added support for dark theme. Thanks @niels9001!

• Increased default input delay to improve out of the box experience.

• Fixed a bug causing the first character to not be selected when opening the overlay. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

• Fixed the positioning of the overlay when showing near the horizontal edges of the screen.

• Added additional Pinyin characters. Thanks @char-46!

• Added Macedonian characters. Thanks @ad-mca-mk!

• Added a setting to sort characters by usage frequency.

• Added a setting to always start selection in the first character, even when using the arrow keys as the activation method.

 

Settings

• Fixed an error that hid the option to keep the display on when using the "Indefinitely Awake" mode.

• Fixed an accessibility issue causing the navigation bar to not work with narrator in scan mode.

• Fixed an accessibility issue where the name for the shortcut control was not being read correctly.

• Tweaked the Color Picker custom color format UI. Thanks @niels9001!

• Improved the shortcut control visibility and accessibility. Thanks @niels9001!

• Fixed an issue causing the Settings to not be saved correctly on scenarios where the admin user would be different then the user running PowerToys.

• Added a setting to pick which language should be used by default when using Text Extractor.

 

Text Extractor

• Improve behavior for CJK languages by not adding spaces for some characters that don't need them. Thanks @AO2233!

• OCR language can now be picked in the right-click context menu.

 

Video Conference Mute

• Reduced resource consumption by not starting the File Watchers when the utility is disabled.

 

Documentation

• Updated the development setup documentation.

• Improved the Markdown documentation lists numbering in many docs. Thanks @sanidhyas3s!

 

Development

• Turned on C++ code analysis and incrementally fixing warnings.

• C++ code analysis no longer runs on release CI to speed up building release candidates. It still runs on GitHub CI and when building locally to maintain code quality.

• Cleaned up "to-do" comments referring to disposing memory on C#. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

• Added a fabric bot rule for localization issues.

• Fixed a CI build error after a .NET tools update.

• Update the Windows App SDK dependency version to 1.2.

• When building for arm64, the arm64 build tools are now preferred when building on an arm64 device. Thanks @snickler!

• Updated the C# test framework and removed unused Newtonsoft.Json package references.

• Updated StyleCop and fixed/enabled more warnings. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

• Fixed a language typo in the code. Thanks @eltociear!

• Improved code quality around some silent crashes that were being reported to Microsoft servers.

• Moved the GPO asset files to source instead of docs in the repo.

• Upgraded the unit test NuGet packages.

You can download PowerToys from the Microsoft Store, winget, or its repository on GitHub.

Source

Most Firefox installations will receive the update automatically after release. The automatic updating functionality of the browser will download and install it on most devices. The checks for updates do not happen in real-time. Firefox users may select Menu > Help > About Firefox to speed up the process, or download the update manually from Mozilla once it is released officially.

Firefox users who experience major crashes may download the release early from Mozilla's release server. Please note that there is a tiny chance that the listed version will be modified again before official release.

Update: Mozilla published the release note. It appears that the crashes affected users on macOS 10.12 - 10.14 only.

• Fixes a crash for some users on Mac OS X 10.12-10.14 during video playback.

There is one other entry:

• The "Tabs sharing devices" menu item for WebRTC is now located in the tools menu on macOS only.

The release notes have not been published yet. An entry on Mozilla's bug tracking website Bugzilla reveals that the new version of Firefox addresses crashes of the browser.

The report confirms that the crashes are caused by access violation exceptions and that it is one of the top crashes according to Firefox Telemetry data.

Firefox development editions have been updated already to address the issue. The Extended Support Release version of Firefox appears to be unaffected by the issue.

It is unclear at this point if Firefox 108.0.2 will include other changes, or if the release focuses on the crash fix. We will update the article after Mozilla published the official release notes here.

Now You: have you experienced browser crashes recently? (via Deskmodder)

Firefox 108.0.2 will be released later today fixing crashes

Frontpaged:   Mozilla Firefox Browser 108.0.2

That’s because Google is set to stop technical and security support for the browser running on Windows 7 next week.

Google initially had plans to halt support on July 15, 2021, but due to Covid-19, it pushed the deadline back first to January 15, 2022 and then to January 10, 2023.

‘Chrome 109 is the last version of Chrome that will support Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. Chrome 110 (tentatively scheduled for release on February 7th, 2023) is the first version of Chrome that requires Windows 10 or later,’ explains Google’s Chrome Support Manager.

‘You’ll need to ensure your device is running Windows 10 or later to continue receiving future Chrome releases.’

Windows 7 may be old, but it’s still used by millions of PCs around the world. According to statistics from NetMarketShare.com, 14 per cent of global Windows devices were still running Windows 7 in December 2021.

Google added: ‘Older versions of Chrome will continue to work, but there will be no further updates released for users on these operating systems. If you are currently on Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1, we encourage you to move to a supported Windows version to ensure you continue to receive the latest security updates and Chrome features.’

Many small businesses may have avoided the transition to Windows 10 while larger organisations may not be willing to pay the cost of an upgrade.

Microsoft itself stopped support for Windows 7 in January 2020.

The company said at the time: ‘If your PC is running Windows 7, it will no longer receive security updates. Therefore, it’s important that you upgrade to a modern operating system such as Windows 10, which can provide the latest security updates to help keep you and your data safer,’ the company said on its support website.

‘If you continue to use Windows 7 after support has ended, your PC will still work, but it will become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses.

‘Your PC will continue to start and run, but you will no longer receive software updates, including security updates, from Microsoft.’

Now it appears that Chrome will suffer a similar fate.

In November of 2020, Max Christoff, the engineering director at Google Chrome explained: ‘Migrating to Windows 10 was a part of many organizations’ roadmap for the year. But as new priorities for IT teams emerged, we’ve heard that 21% of organizations are still in the process of migrating to Windows 10.

‘While the past few months served as a catalyst for technology investments and digital transformation initiatives for many organizations, for others, some planned IT projects may have had to take a back seat.’

Source

However, the latest Edge Dev update also proves that using a preview channel as your primary browser is not the best idea. There are multiple reports of the browser crashing on a loop, and Microsoft has already confirmed the issue, promising to release a necessary fix as soon as possible.

If your Microsoft Edge Dev 110.0.1587.1 copy is not crashing, here are the changes you will find:

New Features:

Android:

• New Ad blocker feature now allows you to block ads with a long press.
• Now you can change the wallpaper on the New Tab Page.

WebView2:

• Added experimental Permission management API.

Enterprise:

• New policies (Note: Updates to documentation and administrative templates may not have occurred yet)
  • Print preview sticky setting policy.
  • Touch Mode policy.
  • Policy for disabling Immersive Reader’s Grammar Tools.

Reliability improvements:

• Fixed browser crash related to out of memory condition when visiting certain shopping sites.
• Fixed browser crash related to invalid access in a vector on webpages.
• Fixed browser crash related to McAfee Drive Encryption.
• Fixed browser crash by disabling WebAuthn autofill functionality due to issue.

macOS:

• Fixed browser crash when activating Fullscreen mode.

iOS:

• Fixed browser crash when using the translator.
• Fixed browser crash when viewing New Tab Page.

Android:

• Fixed browser crash when downloading a file.
• Enterprise:
• Fixed browser crash due to Conditional Access workflow retries too many times when remediation fails on Android.

Other changes:

• Fixed URLs not being added to the allow list when the flyout is dismissed on Website Typos protection.
• Fixed favicon not loading properly when installing a site as an app.
• Prevented browser window from staying open if it only contains a blank tab opened by ClickOnce interaction.
• Removed recently closed suggestions from the address bar so they will now persist instead only on the current browser session.
• Fixed can’t expand or collapse Tab group while the Tab group menu is showing.
• ALT + S shortcut no longer triggers the screenshot functionality.
• Workspace sharing prompt will now close when clicking outside of the UI.
• Fixed Visual search button appearing outside the image when scrolling.

iOS:

• Fixed can’t swipe up on New Tab Page.
• Fixed page getting squished when using Split View on iPad.
• Fixed automatic profile switching issue where it keeps switching back to a Work profile from a personal profile.
• Fixed the issue when trying to sign in from Add account displaying a circle.

Android:

• Fixed Add current page to Favorites button not showing after editing a favorite.

WebView2:

• WebResourceResquested API promoted from experimental stage to public.
• Fixed DPI mismatch.
• Disabled native Windows Share option due to not working as expected on HoloLens and in UWP apps.
• Fixed custom rasterization scale bug. (#2918)

Enterprise:

• Removed the ShadowStackCrashRollbackBehavior policy.
• Fixed focus fails to work involving showModalDialog and window.open in IE Mode workflows.
• Fixed an issue where visiting a URL that is on AllowListUrls policy causes to open a New InPrivate tab to a URL that is not on the AllowList on iOS.

You can download Microsoft Edge Dev on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android from the official Edge Insider website. Note that the browser no longer supports Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

As an online publication, Neowin relies on ads for operating costs, and if you use an ad blocker, we'd appreciate being whitelisted. In addition, we have an ad-free subscription for $28 a year, which is another way to show support!

Microsoft outs new Edge Dev update with improved ad blocking on Android and more

Virtual Desktops in Windows 11

Windows Virtual Desktop Helper is a small utility that is meant to provide a bit more convenience when one is using virtual desktops. The app works in Windows 11 and Windows 10, but with the latest version 1.8 update, it now supports Windows 11 Insider builds as well.

Here are the salient features of the app followed by the changes and bug fixes in the latest 1.8 release:

Features

• Show desktop number in notification area
• Show desktop name when switching desktops
• Show prev/next desktop by clicking icons in notification area
• Autostart with Windows
• Simple and lightweight
• Configurable
• Free

Changes

• Improved fallback attempts to other Windows APIs if initial guess doesn't work

Fixes

• Support Windows 11 Insider builds

In testing the new version in Windows 11 Dev channel build 25247, it seems to work nicely. The default position of the overlay is in the center (as shown below), but one can move it up or down, left or right, inside settings. The settings also provide options to make the overlay translucent, add fading effect, and choose the overlay duration.

Bear in mind though that the Windows Virtual Desktop Helper app is new and unsigned at the moment, which means Windows Defender and other anti-malware solutions will block it. If you don't trust it enough, it is perfectly fine to skip it, but the code is available on GitHub and hence can be fully scrutinized.

Via: Deskmodder

Virtual Desktop Helper now supports Windows 11 Insider builds too

The news article, which is unfortunately behind a paywall, cites a person familiar with the plan as its source.

ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI that is created specifically for dialogs. Patrick explained how ChatGPT works here on this site, and you may want to check out the informational article to better understand what it does and does not do.

It is also of interest that extensions are already available that add ChatGPT to search engines. These display content produced by ChatGPT in the search results, but do not alter the classic results returned by the search engine.

Microsoft seems to consider integrating ChatGPT more deeply into Bing. The conversational nature of ChatGPT could help the company better understand user requests, and users of Bing might favor conversational answers over traditional search results.

The report suggests that Microsoft is still evaluating the possibility, as it is considering factors such as the accuracy of results and technical factors. Microsoft could release an initial test version to a small group of Bing users later this year.

OpenAI, the company that developed ChatGPT, has received a $1 billion investment from Microsoft. ChatGPT was released in November 2022 to the public. Anyone may use ChatGPT at the moment, but usage requires verification of an email address and mobile phone number.

ChatGPT works very well for certain types of query, but not necessarily for all. There is also always the question of accuracy.

A likely scenario is the integration for certain types of user queries only and exclude it from returning results for requests considering health or investment topics.

The creators of ChatGPT highlight that it may "occasionally produce harmful instructions or biased content", and "may occasionally generate incorrect information".

Added with care, it could improve the search quality of Bing for certain queries.

ChatGPT produced the following response when asked about its integration into Bing or other search engines:

It's possible that integrating a language model like ChatGPT into a search engine like Bing could potentially be beneficial in certain ways. For example, a language model like ChatGPT could potentially be used to generate more natural-sounding responses to user queries, or to generate relevant summaries of search results. However, it's also important to consider any potential drawbacks or challenges that might arise from such an integration. For example, it could be difficult to ensure that the language model's responses are always accurate and appropriate, or to ensure that the model's output is consistent with the search engine's overall tone and style. Ultimately, the decision of whether to integrate a language model like ChatGPT into a search engine would depend on a variety of factors, including the specific goals and needs of the search engine, as well as the potential benefits and challenges of such an integration.

Now You: what is your take on this? Should products such as ChatGPT be included into search engines? Will it be the end for certain types of Internet sites?

Source

Leave Your Computer

One of the ways to fix this problem is to leave your computer while the update is downloading. The updates usually get stuck due to interruptions in internet connectivity or power surges. Plug in your computer and leave it while the updates are downloading. It may happen faster and the update will not get stuck.

Windows Troubleshooter

If your trouble with updates is not resolved, you can try the update troubleshooter. To do this, go to settings and then click on update & security. Once there, click on troubleshoot and then additional troubleshooters. On the next window, you will see an option called windows update. Click on 'run this troubleshooter.' The troubleshooter will look for any issues and fix them. Once it is fixed, you will need to restart your computer and the update will download and install after that.

Software Distribution Folder

You can also go to 'C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution' and see if the update is still happening. This is the software distribution folder that stores temp files and has all the data needed for updates. Right-click inside this folder and then click on properties. Check the size of the folder to see if the size is increasing. If it is the same, you can follow the below steps:

Switch off your Windows update. To do this, type 'cmd' in the start menu, right-click and select 'run as administrator.' Type the command "net stop wuauserv" and "net stop bits" and this will stop the update.

You must then delete the update files in the distribution folder. Finally, you switch on the updates by running the command prompt again and typing "net start wuauserv" and "net start bits." This should resolve the Windows update issue.

Uninstall a Conexant Audio Device

Disabling Auto Driver Downloads

Uninstalling a Conexant audio device is straightforward and has worked for a few users. To do this, open your start menu and then your control panel. Under the control panel, click on 'system.' You then need to select advanced system settings and click on the hardware tab. Click on the device installation settings and choose 'No' as the answer to the question and then save the changes.

Uninstalling a Conexant Audio Device

You must then open the device manager and look for your audio device under the 'sound, video and game controllers.' Right-click on the device name and choose uninstall device. You will get a confirmation pop-up. Click on uninstall. 

Restart your computer and go to your device manager again to see if the drivers are not installed. Run the Windows 11 update again and after it's done, re-enable the driver downloads once the update is done.

Don’t Get Frustrated Anymore

Stuck updates can get frustrating if you're not sure what's causing it. We hope these tips will help you get resolve stuck updates with Windows 11.

Windows 11 Update Stuck: Fixed For Good