Items tagged with windows 11
Yesterday, Microsoft made Windows 11 available to the Release Preview Channel, which means that the company is confident enough to ship this build (or slightly newer builds) to the public. We don’t know at this time if Windows 11 Build 22000.194 will be what ships on October 5th, but it’s close enough. For those that want to join in on the fun before October 5th, here’s a quick guide to get you up and running with Windows 11 as soon as possible. First of all, here are the minimum specifications that Microsoft requires for Windows 11: Processor: 8th generation Intel Core or AMD Ryzen 2000 (and newer) processor RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable...
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Microsoft is moving along quickly with the launch of Windows 11. The company already indicated that its next consumer operating system would ship on October 5th, and now the company has taken the latest step to ensure that the launch goes off without a hitch. Windows 11 build 22000.194 was first delivered to Windows Insiders in the beta channel last week. According to Microsoft, this same build is now optionally available to Windows Insiders with eligible PCs in the Release Preview Channel. These previous few beta channel builds have primarily been focused on crushing any lingering bugs, and no new features have been added. It is highly plausible that this could be the build that ships on October...
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Microsoft can't seem to release a new version of Windows without causing controversy. Windows 8.x was panned for its graphical redesign, while Windows 10 was blasted for Microsoft's constant nagging to "encourage" users to upgrade. With Windows 11, the company has taken flak for its hardware requirements, including the need for TPM 2.0 and Ryzen 2000/8th generation Core processors and newer. Microsoft recently indicated that it would allow customers with unsupported hardware to perform a clean install of Windows 11 but that they could be prevented from accessing Windows Update (and general security updates). Those restrictions are likely enough to scare most people away from taking the risk....
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Shortly after Microsoft announced Windows 11 earlier this Summer, it made its PC Health Check available to let Windows 10 users know if their device met the minimum requirements to upgrade. However, the app did more to frustrate users with its unclear error messages and lack of explanation for why systems were labeled as incompatible with Windows 11. "Based on the feedback so far, we acknowledge that it was not fully prepared to share the level of detail or accuracy you expected from us on why a Windows 10 PC doesn't meet upgrade requirements," wrote Microsoft in June. It then removed the app as it integrated tweaks to make it more user-friendly. The PC Health Check app is now back, and anyone...
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Windows 11 officially launches on October 5th, which means that a slew of PC OEMs will announce refreshed devices using the operating system over the next few weeks. Hewlett-Packard is getting the ball rolling early with the announcement of two new devices aimed at mobile professionals. The first is the Spectre x360 2-in-1, which features up to a 16-inch 4K+ (3840x2400) OLED touch display. For those keeping scores, the Spectre x360 previously topped out at 15 inches. Given that this announcement is happening before the launch of Intel’s 12th generation Alder Lake processors, the Spectre x360 is powered by the 11th generation Tiger Lake H35 family (up to a Core i7-11390H), features up to...
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Microsoft is scheduled to hold its annual Surface hardware event on September 22nd, and multiple products are expected to debut at that time. One of the headliners will undoubtedly be the Surface Pro 8, which received an early reveal today courtesy of @Shadow_Leak via Twitter. According to the tweet, the Surface Pro 8 will use Intel's current 11th generation Tiger Lake-based processors rather than the incoming 12th generation Alder Lake family. That is to be expected considering that Intel won't officially announce its full Alder Lake processor lineup until late October. Also on deck is an all-new 13-inch display that doubles the refresh rate to 120Hz. This would put the Surface Pro 8 on even...
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The astutely named PrintNightmare family of issues affecting many Windows devices is not going away for Microsoft, it seems. Though there have been numerous patches and updates, not all have been fixes for the print spooler issues. This is the case once more following this month’s Patch Tuesday update, which has been confirmed to break network printing in some cases. As of late, Microsoft is reporting that “After installing KB5005033 or a later update, certain printers in some environments using Point and Print might receive a prompt saying, ‘Do you trust this printer?’” When this happens, administrator credentials are required to install the printer every time...
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For some, Microsoft's insistence that PCs be equipped with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 support is irritating, especially since the company has done a poor job explaining why it is suddenly such a big deal. Installing a virtual machine (VM) won't necessarily escape the requirement, either. As users in the Windows Insider program have discovered, the latest preview build in the beta channel—version 22000.194—enforces the TPM 2.0 requirement. Applying the latest cumulative update in Windows 11 bumps the OS up to the latest preview build. Up to this point, VMs have been able to test Insider builds without issue related to the TPM 2.0 requirement. But hey, today is a new day, and...
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Microsoft will unleash Windows 11 for the public on October 5th. But users should be aware that the company has made some annoying changes to the default browser behavior compared to Windows 10. As we reported last month, changing your default browser from Microsoft Edge to Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is more cumbersome, requiring you to delve into Settings and change individual file type associations for your browser. At the time, Mozilla SVP Selena Decklemann warned that Microsoft's behavior towards third-party browsers had become untenable. "We have been increasingly worried about the trend on Windows. Since Windows 10, users have had to take additional and unnecessary steps to set and...
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The official launch of Windows 11 is on the horizon, but people have seemingly been installing it in droves even though it's not fully released. However, one catch in installing the newest operating system from Microsoft is that you need an internet connection, but do you really? It appears that a new bypass has been found that circumvents that need, so you can now install Windows 11 offline by following these relatively easy steps below. Back in June, when Windows 11 was leaked online, users found that the “next generation of windows” required an internet connection to grab a Microsoft ID. To avoid this, some quick-thinking users found a workaround by pressing “Alt+F4”...
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There's a light at the end of the tunnel for Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system, which will officially debut on October 5th. And as you might imagine, Microsoft is hard at work squashing bugs, making sure that performance is up to par, and that compatibility with existing hardware is as high as possible. With this in mind, Microsoft released two new Windows 11 Insider Preview builds this week to testers. The Dev Channel has jumped to Build 22454 for those that want to be on the bleeding edge of Windows 11 development. If you want a more stable testing experience, Build 22000.184 now resides in the Beta Channel. Microsoft says that it has fixed two outstanding issues with Windows 11 Build...
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In less than a month, Microsoft will release Windows 11 to the public, its first major new operating system to the Windows ecosystem in over half a decade. Microsoft chose to go this route rather than continue to update Windows 10 with new features and capabilities on a bi-annual basis, even though at one point, it was pitched as being the last major version of Windows. Should you upgrade to Windows 11? Microsoft obviously hopes you will, and is touting the performance advantages that will come with making the migration. One thing we've already previewed with Windows 11 is how it is better equipped to handle hybrid architectures, like Intel's upcoming Alder Lake CPUs. We tested this using a laptop...
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A notorious cyber-criminal group is believed to be responsible for a malicious Word document that attempts to lure victims by preying on their curiosity towards Windows 11, the next major operating system from Microsoft. The document began making the rounds in June, the same month a leaked Windows 11 ISO tipped up, followed by the first Insider Preview build being made available. The leaked Windows 11 ISO showed up around the middle of June, and immediately drew interest because for many people, it provided a first real look at the upcoming OS. Adding to the interest, Windows 10 was supposed to be the last version of Windows ever, with recurring feature updates on a bi-annual basis (and of course...
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Microsoft announced yesterday that Windows 11 officially launches preinstalled on new PCs (and as an upgrade for select new Windows 10 PCs) on October 5th. With the launch just over a month away, the company is adjusting its Windows Insider Program testing regimen to align with its goals for having the operating system ready for launch. Unfortunately, this means Windows Insiders testing Windows 11 with an unsupported PC are now getting the boot from Microsoft. Testers who visit Windows Update in their current build of Windows 11 are now greeted with the following message: Your PC does not meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. Your device is not eligible to join the Windows Insider...
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Windows 11 is coming just about six weeks from now, on October 5th -- at least, on new PCs. One of the biggest pieces of application-related news was the ability to run Android apps directly in Windows. Thanks to Intel, Android apps compiled for Arm64 would still be able to run on x86 PCs directly from Amazon's App Store. And it has already been confirmed that users can side loaded directly from an APK. Unfortunately, this technology isn't going to be ready for launch when the next version of Windows ships. Presumably due to pressures brought on by both ChromeOS and macOS, Windows 11 will run Android apps natively. Intel's Bridge Technology is a runtime post-compiler that will prepare an...
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Folks, we finally have a launch date for Windows 11. Microsoft today announced that its next-generation Windows 11 operating system will launch on October 5th, just over six years after the initial debut of Windows 10. The announcement was made via a blog post, in which the company explained that "Windows 11 is ready to empower your productivity and inspire your creativity." New PCs with Windows 11 preinstalled will ship on October 5th, and Microsoft will deliver free upgrades to the operating system to "eligible Windows 10 PCs." However, the Windows 11 upgrade process will be different from years past. Instead, the free upgrades will initially only roll out to new eligible devices. "The upgrade...
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There has been quite a bit of confusion surrounding supported systems and hardware in the migration from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Microsoft is partly to blame for this confusion, given its changing stance on supported processors. However, it also stated that a workaround would allow Windows 11 to install on unsupported processors but would miss out on Windows Updates. Microsoft already has its PC Health Check Tool, which is available as a separate download that will show if your current system is ready to make the jump to Windows 11. And if your hardware isn't up to the task, it will tell you what must change to bring it into compliance. Microsoft's PC Health Check Tool for Windows 11 However,...
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Here's an interesting twist on a story that we brought you yesterday regarding Windows 11. There has been a lot of consternation about Windows 11 and its support (or rather lack of support) for popular processors. For example, first-generation AMD Ryzen processors aren't officially supported, and they were released not too long ago, in early 2017. Therefore, PCs with these processors aren't supported at all by Microsoft when upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11. However, Microsoft confirmed yesterday that enthusiasts and businesses could get around this limitation by performing a clean Windows 11 install with an ISO. The company didn't make clear at that time that while this workaround will...
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Microsoft has posted an update to its system requirements for Windows 11, and they bring a reprieve for customers that feared that their older PC wouldn't be supported. But, of course, there's a bit of nuance in Microsoft's latest policy updates, so let's dig right into the changes. Microsoft previously stated that it would only support 8th generation Intel Core and Ryzen 2000 and newer processors. However, the company later stated that it would investigate the inclusion of 7th generation Core and Ryzen 1000 processors. After consulting with AMD, Microsoft says that both companies decided not to add first-generation Ryzen 1000 processors to the compatibility list. However, Microsoft and Intel...
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Microsoft is actively reaching out to members of the Windows Insider program who are subscribed to the Dev Channel, and letting them know that now is the time to hop over to the Beta channel, if they want to continue testing Windows 11 features and experiences indicative of what the public release will entail. Those who decide to stay put may have to contend with "less stable" builds. The emails going out to Dev Channel subscribers essentially reiterate and expand upon comments Microsoft made in a recent blog, when announcing the latest 22000.160 preview build. "IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you are in the Dev Channel, now would be the right time to consider switching to the Beta Channel if you want...
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We often cover vulnerabilities in Windows 10 that involve convoluted methods of gaining admin access to systems using privilege escalation. However, the latest exploit involving software for Razer products is facepalm-worthy in its sheer simplicity. In this case, the problem stems from Razer's Synapse software, which configures its peripherals like gaming mice and keyboards. This software can adjust macros, program mouse buttons, and control your RGB lighting. However, security researcher jonhat revealed via Twitter that an unscrupulous person with a Razer mouse or keyboard could gain SYSTEM access to a Windows 10 (or Windows 11) PC simply by plugging the device into the target PC. Need...
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Committing to a new operating system is no small task when you are not used to the interface and are unsure where to start. However, developer Blue Edge is trying to solve this problem with a web-based mock Windows 11 experience that can give you a feel for Microsoft’s latest Windows update. Announced back in July, the Windows 11 experience in-browser is a neat project built “using standard web technologies like React, CSS (SCSS), and Js.” According to the FAQ on the project’s GitHub, Blue Edge explained that it took upwards of 12 days to get assets, plan, and program. Though it is not the snappiest experience, the browser-based Windows 11 currently features...
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