Items tagged with Windows 10
Microsoft has started pushing out its May 2020 Update for Windows 10, though not everyone is receiving it at once. For those who are able to install the update, one of the highlights is support for Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) version 2.7, which brings with it a hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling option. This can improve performance in gaming, but there's a caveat. In addition to needing the May 2020 Update, it also requires driver-level support by your GPU manufacturer, be it Intel (integrated graphics), AMD (integrated and discrete graphics), or NVIDIA (discrete graphics). None of them have rolled out drivers that add full, official support for the feature just yet (or so it seems),...
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With only a few days to spare in the month of May, Microsoft began rolling out the May 2020 Update for Windows 10 earlier this week, though not everyone will receive it right away. Microsoft is following a throttled release schedule so it can catch and fix any problems that were missed during the testing phases. However, if you want to force the issue, you likely can. Before you begin, we highly recommend backing up any important files, just in case things go sideways. We also suggest saving the upgrade until you have a bit of free time to spare, for the same reason—troubleshooting problems is never fun, and even less so when you are under the gun to fix an issue quickly so you can get...
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In case you missed it, the May 2020 Update for Windows 10 is here, and you can force an upgrade if you are not among the first to receive it automatically through Windows Update. Before you do that, however, be aware that there are several known issues with this release. This is to be expected with this sort of thing, and is part of the reason why Microsoft does not dish out its feature updates to everyone at the same time. The May 2020 Update brings Windows 10 to version 2004, up from version 1909 (November 2019 Update). Several rounds of testing within Microsoft's Windows Insider program took place before the final build starting rolling out to the public at large, with some known issues already...
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The month of May is quickly passing us by, and in less than a week, we will already be into June. That means there is not much time left for Microsoft to begin rolling out its May 2020 Update for Windows 10, if it wants to keep the update in line with its name. So, when is it coming? There is evidence to suggest it will start hitting PCs today. Microsoft has been testing polished builds for the past several weeks, and was recently thought to be testing a release to manufacturing (RTM) release. Those are builds that are basically indicative of the final version, which gets offered up to OEMs to prep new PCs and test their hardware. Publicly available builds are usually close behind. As spotted...
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What is in store for Windows 10? The next major Windows 10 update will likely include some interesting aesthetic changes. Rumor has it that Windows 10 21H1, or Windows 10 Iron (Fe), will feature a new Windows Start menu. Microsoft recently confirmed that the next major update is codenamed “iron” in a blog post. Fast ring participants will begin to test it out this upcoming June. Microsoft remarked in its blog, “The Fast ring is currently on our Manganese (Mn) OS branch. We expect the Fast ring to switch over to our Iron (Fe) branch toward the later part of June…” Interestingly, it appears that this piece of information was not supposed to be made available to the...
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I can only imagine what it must be like for Microsoft to maintain an operating system with feature upgrades and frequent security updates, for use on a dizzying array of hardware combinations. It is a mammoth task, and does not always go smoothly. The latest example of this is a recent security update that is causing more headaches for some Windows 10 users. This time around, the problematic patch is KB4556799. It was included with this month's Patch Tuesday update, which rolled out on May 12 (the second Tuesday of the month). It arrived with good intentions, with the following highlights... Updates to improve security when using Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge. Updates to improve security...
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It has been a year since PowerToys, a 90s era Windows 95 (and later, Windows XP) utility, made a triumphant return to Windows 10. While not yet a fully polished release, Microsoft continues to tweak the utility on GitHub, the open source hosting platform it purchased for $7.5 billion in 2018, and has released a new version with a couple of neat upgrades attached. The latest release is version 0.18.0. Microsoft said its goal with this new build was to deliver three things: PowerToys Run, Keyboard Manager, and migrating to the new settings system. Microsoft also says this is the first release where it is testing out an auto-updating system, and it will be interesting to see how that works out....
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Microsoft has begun the phaseout of 32-bit versions of Windows 10. OEMs are no longer being offered a 32-bit OS starting with Windows 10 version 2004, which is currently available for both OEMs and developers. Phasing out 32-bit versions of the OS will be a long process, and no longer offering that version to OEMs is the first step. However, Microsoft says it is committed to providing 32-bit builds in other channels. In other words, consumers will still be able to buy retail copies of Windows 10 and obtain 32-bit media; just not on new PCs. Microsoft's phaseout of the OS comes as demand has significantly fallen for 32-bit PCs as most modern computers available for consumers today use a 64-bit...
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In just a matter of weeks, Microsoft is expected to begin rolling out its May 2020 Update for Windows 10. Exactly when Microsoft will flip the switch is still not known, though the latest Insider preview should be the final test build as the update nears a public release. While no specific date has been announced, however, Microsoft may have inadvertently revealed that it is arriving on May 26. For anyone who does not want to wait, downloading the latest test build in ISO form is an option. A clean install followed running Windows Update should ensure an RTM (Release To Manufacturing) build is in place, the same as what will go out to the public sometime next month. "While we originally thought...
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The coronavirus/COVID-19 is not just causing immense pain and suffering around the globe due to the heartbreaking loss of life. It has also stunted the development of many projects from well-known companies due to shelter-in-place orders that have been ordered in many states across the U.S. The latest [tech] victims include Microsoft’s highly anticipated Surface Neo and its complementing Windows 10X operating system. In a blog post today, Panos Panay, who now serves as the Chief Product Officer for Windows and Devices, in a roundabout way confirmed the news that we first heard early last month: Surface Neo has been delayed. Panay first revealed that Microsoft is shifting its focus...
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For those eagerly awaiting the release of the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, we've got some good news for you. Microsoft is closing in on an official public release, and leading up to the launch, the company has released Build 19041.208 to the Release Preview ring. This updated build is most likely going to be what is pushed to the public [sometime] this month. Microsoft encountered a number of issues with the previous [expected] RTM build, which is why its plans have been altered slightly. "While we originally thought that Build 19041.207 would be the final build, we made the decision to take in one more fix we felt was important to have before making the May 2020 Update generally available,"...
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Microsoft's PowerToys utilities were oft-used by enthusiasts with Windows 9x operating systems on up through Window XP, but took a long hiatus starting with the release of Windows Vista. Around this time last year, Microsoft announced that PowerToys would be returning as a set of utilities for Windows 10, and we're now up to v.0.17.0. With this latest release, you'll no longer need to manually seek out and download a new update when Microsoft posts it to GitHub. Instead, PowerToys v.0.17.0 adds an automatic updating mechanism which makes this process a breeze. While the functionality is currently in place, you won't be able to actually take advantage of it until v.0.18.0 is released...
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Security updates for Windows are supposed to make the operating system more secure and stable, but when bugs slip through, they can create headaches. That appears to be the case with the recent KB4549951 update for Windows 10. After installing the cumulative update, some users report they are experiencing blue screen of death (BSoD) errors. The potentially problematic update starting going out to Windows 10 PCs (versions 1909 and 1903) a little over a week ago. I've installed myself on my main desktop PC and have not encountered any blue screens or other problems (knock on wood). It's not a particularly major update, with Microsoft noting the following highlights... Updates to improve security...
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In just a matter of weeks, Microsoft will begin pushing out the May 2020 Update for Windows 10, the first of two major upgrades scheduled for this year. Previously known as Windows 10 20H1, what looks to be the final test build is circulating within the Windows Insider program. Feeling antsy? You can give the May 2020 Update a spin right now, and in ISO form. The benefit of an ISO image is being able to easily install the latest Windows 10 build with a clean slate, rather than performing an in-place upgrade. It's also convenient to have if you want to install it on multiple PCs in your home. The only caveat is that we are still talking about a test build here, and it's possible Microsoft will...
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In case you were thinking about holding off applying yesterday's Patch Tuesday update, which requires a system reboot, you should probably go ahead and hit the restart button. This month's cumulative update patches a whopping 113 vulnerabilities, at least three of which are zero-day flaws currently being exploited in the wild. This is one of the more important Patch Tuesday updates in quite some time, and unlike last month's it comes without revealing any nasty wormable exploits. Out of the 113 bugs it squashes, 19 of them are labeled as critical, the most severe rating Microsoft assigns, and the other 94 are all labeled as important. The collection of updates also address numerous products,...
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Back in mid-February made the wise [at the time] decision to announce that it would end support for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) on May 12th. While the October 2018 update was plagued with many showstopping bugs that annoyed customers, the true reason for ending support is to push customers to newer builds with increased functionality and security fixes. However, a lot has changed between now and February; most notably with the stay-at-home lockdowns due to COVID-19. With this in mind, Microsoft no longer feels that May 12th is a realistic date for its customers to have upgraded their systems to newer versions of Windows 10. The company writes: We have been...
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Microsoft has long offered the Your Phone app for Windows 10 PCs, which allows smartphone users to send and receive a text message from their computer and share files, among other features. However, some of the best features available for Android users are unavailable for iPhone users. Dell updated its software last month that beat Microsoft to the punch bringing similar functionality for iPhone users, while expanding Android support. The catch is that Dell Mobile Connect was only meant to run on Dell computers. If you were using a different manufacturer's Windows 10 PC, it was possible in the past to run the app by sideloading it and manually installing drivers. Whether or not that worked varied...
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Dragging and dropping files between your Samsung Galaxy smartphone and Windows 10 is now a cinch, thanks to an upgrade Microsoft made to its Your Phone app for Android handsets. This is basically an extension of the tight nit relationship between Microsoft and Samsung, with the former promising to introduce drag-and-drop support between the latter's phones and Windows 10 PCs when the Galaxy S20 series was announced. Now that functionality is here. Well, sort of. This is being tested to members of the Windows Insider program. Microsoft will presumably expand the feature to support more Android handsets, but for the time being, drag-and-drop functionality requires a Samsung device running Link...
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Microsoft has pushed a new Insider Preview of Windows 10 to the Fast ring, which brings it up to Build 19603. There are a number of changes that have been incorporated into this latest build, but the headlining feature is new File Explorer integration for the Windows Subsystem for Linux, aka WSL. We should mention that Microsoft first gave users the ability to gain access to their Linux files dating back to Windows 10 1903. However, Microsoft is now making accessing those files even easier by adding a Linux icon to the left-hand side navigation pane in File Explorer. After clicking the Linux icon, it will expand to show you all of the currently installed distros on your system. Clicking each...
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It's that time again; time for another refresh of the Xbox Game Bar that graces Windows 10 PCs. This time around, Microsoft is making it easier for you to interact with some of your most-used apps while gaming via the Xbox Game Bar, and it's a change that we can definitely get onboard with. Microsoft is enabling the ability to add custom third-party widgets to the Xbox Game Bar, and some of the first to arrive include Gamecaster from XSplit and Razer Cortex (available currently in beta form). Intel is even getting in on the action with a cutdown version of its Intel Graphics Command Center (IGCC). With support baked directly into the Xbox Game Bar, Microsoft explains that you'll never have to...
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Today is March 31st, which in the tech world means that it is World Backup Day. We always stress here at HotHardware that you should backup all of your data frequently, because you never know when disaster will strike, be it an act of god or malware attack that renders your system unusable. Backups on Android and iOS devices In the smartphone realm, backups are pretty much taken care of for you automatically. Many Android OEMs offer automated mechanism that will backup your entire phone automatically at set interval. For iPhones, Apple allows for automated daily backups as long as your device is connected to a power outlet and Wi-Fi. These automated backups are also only possible...
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Earlier this week, we reported on a new bug that is affecting Windows 10 users at the worst possible time. A connectivity issue was preventing a large number of users working from home due to COVID-19/coronavirus from accessing Microsoft services like Office 365, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook. At the time, Microsoft warned that the issue was affecting "devices using a manual or auto-configured proxy, especially with a virtual private network (VPN)" and that it would result in a loss of internet connectivity. Microsoft indicated that it would issue an out-of-band update in April to address the bug, but it is actually delivering it right now ahead of schedule. The company has made available KB4554364,...
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