Microsoft Weekly: bugs in Windows 11 24H2, new features for Windows 10, and more

In this episode of Microsoft Weekly, we look at quite a lot of new bugs in Windows 11 version 24H2, fresh Windows 11 preview builds, new stuff for Windows 10, upcoming games, driver and app updates, and more.

Table of contents:

1. Windows 10 and 11 news
2. Windows Insider Program
3. Updates are available
4. Gaming news
5. Great deals to check
6. A blast from Microsoft's past
7. Random fact about Microsoft

Windows 11 and 10

Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And of course, you may find a word or two about older but still supported versions.

This week, Microsoft acknowledged quite a few bugs in Windows 11, especially version 24H2. These include the inability to clear 8.6 GB of temporary data on drive C, 0xc1900101 error, blue screens of death on PCs with the Voicemeeter app, issues on ASUS systems, app freezes when using camera, and more. Those bugs block the upgrade to Windows 11 version 24H2, but if your system is unaffected and you want to get the update right here and right now, check out this guide.

As for more positive news, customers with certain WD and SanDisk SSDs can now download new firmware to fix blue screens of death on Windows 11 version 24H2. Microsoft also released new Windows Recovery updates.

Windows Insider Program

Here is what Microsoft Released this week for testing in the Windows Insider Program:

The newly released builds for Windows 10 turned out to pack some interesting changes. Although Windows 10 is less than a year from its inevitable end of mainstream support, Microsoft still adds new features to the aging operating system. This time, the "About" section received quite a significant redesign.

As for Windows 11 Insiders, Microsoft paused the rollout of some features to users with Windows 11 version 23H2 in the Release Preview Channel. Those features include the Phone Link Start menu integration and some updates to the out-of-box experience.

Besides new builds, Microsoft released a new Microsoft Store update with revamped app and game pages.

Speaking of the Windows Insider Program, here are five things I want Microsoft to change. Ten years after the initial launch, the program is in dire need of some changes to reignite the excitement and make things less confusing.

To finish the Windows 11 section, here is what happens when you mix nostalgia with a modern operating system. Someone on Reddit applied an old-school coat of paint to Windows 11, turning it into a modern Windows 98 capable of running modern apps. It looks very cool.

However, if you would like something more modern, check out this mod, which promises a complete overhaul of the stock Windows UI.

Updates are available

This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.

This section kicks off with a new Surface leak. Earlier this week, someone in China listed a Surface Laptop prototype with Intel's latest Core Ultra 7 268V processor for sale. The computer is almost identical to the current-gen Surface Laptop 7, and it packs 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD. The asking price was roughly $2,600 before the listing was taken down.

If you use Office 2016 or Office 2019, it is time to plan upgrades to newer versions. These apps have slightly less than one year of support ahead of them. To help users migrate to supported suites, Microsoft published a detailed guide with all the available options for different customers. Check it out here.

One way to ensure your Office apps are always supported is to move to the Microsoft 365 subscription, where Insiders can try a new tool for Excel and PowerPoint. Soon, those two apps will let you draw perfect shapes thanks to the Draw and Hold gesture, which came straight from OneNote and Word.

Oracle shipped a new update for VirtualBox, a popular cross-platform hypervisor. The latest version features various TPM improvements, fixes for Windows 11 version 24H2, Linux 6.12 support, and other changes.

Mozilla released a small update for Firefox. Version 131.0.3 delivers fixes for YouTube playback issues, crashes on Windows, and other bugs. In addition, the latest Firefox Nightly versions finally let you turn on the Mica material on Windows 11.

Microsoft Edge has been updated to version 130. It packs an updated Settings section and a big list of various changes under the hood. Microsoft also released a new feature update for Edge Insiders on the Dev Channel.

Other notable updates include the following:

• Admins will soon be able to migrate OneDrive data to Google Drive for 100 users.
• Logitech Options+ received support for the MX Creative Console and more.
• Stardock released a new version of DesktopGPT with Template Editor and more.
• NordVPN now has a native app for Windows on ARM.
• Microsoft released Copilot Scheduled Prompts for prompt automation.
• Microsoft and HID partnered to enable physical access cards for MFA.
• Microsoft announced the general availability of Azure Cobalt 100-based VMs.
• Windows Admin Center version 2410 Public Preview is now available.
• OpenAI's ChatGPT app is finally available on Windows to some users.
• PowerToys is getting utility grouping.

And here are the newest drivers released this week:

• Nvidia Studio Driver 565.90 with optimizations for the latest Adobe AI updates.
• AMD 24.10.1 with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 support and more.
• Intel 32.0.101.6127 WHQL with notable FPS improvements in some games.

What will no longer receive firmware updates is the original Surface Laptop Go. This entry-level laptop reached the end of its relatively short four-year lifecycle on October 13, 2024. Another dead Windows device is Qualcomm's Snapdragon Dev Kit. The company discontinued the product and refunded orders, allegedly due to a faulty HDMI port.

Finally, here is this week's Microsoft 365 Roadmap weekly, where we track upcoming features for Microsoft's productivity apps, such as Teams, Outlook, Excel, Word, OneDrive, etc. The latest additions include offline features for the new Outlook on Windows, a new calendar for Teams, new themes for Outlook, and more.

Reviews are in

Here is the hardware and software we reviewed this week.

Steven Parker reviewed the TerraMaster F4-424 Max, a powerful 4-bay NAS with a 10-core Intel processor, 10 Gb Ethernet, DDR5 memory, and quiet cooling. It is not perfect, so prepare for having just 8 GB of RAM, a bit lacking OS, and odd quirks with native apps.

On the gaming side

Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts and more.

Microsoft's latest Xbox consoles are now available. On October 25, Microsoft launched three new versions: the 1 TB Xbox Series S Robot White, the 1TB Xbox Series X all-digital, and the 2 TB Xbox Series X Galaxy Black Special Edition. A teardown of those consoles revealed interesting hardware changes, such as a reworked cooling, a new 6nm chip, lower energy consumption, and heavily redesigned motherboards.

Playground Games released Update 13 for Forza Motorsport. The latest content update delivers Drift Mode, a new track (Sunset Peninsula), a bunch of new Mustangs, and plenty of under-the-hood (get it?) changes to improve different aspects of the game. Update 13 is available on Xbox and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store.

Xbox Cloud Gaming is getting more Call of Duty titles. Starting October 25, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Call of Duty Warzone, and the upcoming Call of Duty Black Ops 6 on all supported devices. By the way, the latter received its final PC specs and a dedicated trailer.

Microsoft also announced the next wave of games for Game Pass subscribers. They include South Park: The Fractured but Whole, Donut County, MechWarrior 5: Clans, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Ashen, Dead Island 2, and a lot more.

Interestingly, ahead of the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 release, Microsoft pulled its $1 Game Pass trial. Therefore, if you are a newcomer to the service, you can no longer (temporarily) get access to the catalog for just $1. Now, the only way to play Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is to pay $11.99 for PC Game Pass, $19.99 for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, or $69.99 for the game itself.

To finish with Call of Duty, here are the new controllers and console wraps that Microsoft announced this week. You can now spec a Call of Duty-themed Xbox Wireless Controller or Xbox Elite Series 2 gamepad. Plus, Microsoft is now selling a Call of Duty console wrap for Xbox Series X.

GSC Game World revealed a preview of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, revealing how choices you make affect the storyline in the upcoming game set in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. The game is launching on November 20, 2024, on Xbox Series X|S and PC (including Game Pass).

Other notable gaming stories from this week include the following:

• Rare's Craig Duncan becomes the new head of Xbox Game Studios as Alan Hartman retires.
• DayZ received a big Frostline expansion with a new frozen region.
• Chronicles: Battle for Greece campaign expansion announced for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
• Microsoft agreed to settle the "gamers lawsuit" over the Activision-Blizzard deal.
• Bioware confirmed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard won't have any third-party DRM.
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II received its first major update.
• Alan Wake 2: The Lake House expansion is coming on October 22 and promises even more horror.
• The EA Play subscription is now available at the Epic Games Store.
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 announced for PC, lands in January 2025.

To finish this week's Gaming section, check out our recap of the latest Xbox Partner Preview showcase, where Microsoft revealed a Control spin-off, FBC: Firebreak, Subnautica 2, and more.

Source

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

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