Category: Windows

Get the latest news and updates on Microsoft Windows Operating systems, Features, Best picks, Reviews, and How-to tutorials on this section of our website.

There is a small problem with the latest update of Windows 10

The latest Windows 10 update, released on April 11, has caused several issues for users. Along with fixing some bugs in the system, update KB5025221 has led to problems with printing, selecting default programs, and Windows Update.

One of the issues that the update was meant to fix was the incorrect identification of USB printers as multimedia devices. However, it seems to have introduced more printer-related problems. According to Windows Latest, many users are reporting issues with scanning functions for printers like the Brother DCP-L2540DW following the update. Removing the KB5025221 update has resolved this problem.

Users of the Brother HL-L3210CW printer have also reported issues on the Microsoft forums. They have found that the printer does not work after the update, despite print data being sent successfully. Uninstalling the update has fixed this problem as well, although this carries some security risks.

Overall, while the Windows 10 update was meant to fix issues in the system, it seems to have caused more problems for users. If you are experiencing printer-related issues, removing the KB5025221 update may help resolve them. However, it is important to note that this may come with some security risks.

In addition to the issues with printing, the latest Windows 10 update has also caused problems with other features. Some users have experienced issues with the settings menu of the default applications. Specifically, when they open the Chrome browser, the default browser selection menu appears every time.

Moreover, Windows Update has also been problematic for some users. In some cases, it was difficult for the update to appear, and then it seemingly stopped downloading at 0 percent. However, the installation process was actually taking place in the background, which users could tell from the acceleration of the processor cooling.

These issues can be frustrating for users, as they interfere with the smooth functioning of their systems. It is important for Microsoft to address these problems as quickly as possible, to ensure that users can continue to use their devices without interruption. If you are experiencing any of these issues, you may want to consider seeking support or assistance from Microsoft or a qualified professional.

The only way to fix these bugs is by uninstalling the KB5025221 update, but doing so can put your computer at risk because it also removes the security fixes it released.

If you want to know about similar things at other times, like the Facebook page of the Fbhtechinfo

April 24, 2023
How to Login to a Comcast Xfinity Router
Do you have an Xfinity router from Comcast at home? If not, you should because one of the top internet service providers, Comcast, has reliable, genuine, and legitimate routers.

You might not be able to log into a Comcast Xfinity router if you possess one. We’ve got your back. With this manual, you will discover how to log into your Comcast Xfinity router. Don’t stop reading, though.

READ ALSO: 2 Ways to login to your Netflix Account

How to Log Into the Comcast (Xfinity) Router

Begin by following the steps below for a simple login to your Comcast Xfinity router:

1. Link your device to the Xfinity router

Before you connect to your Xfinity router, you won’t be able to use the web interface. As a result, you must use a mobile hotspot, a different Wi-Fi or LAN connection, or both to connect your phone or computer to the internet.

Reminder: The Ethernet cable can be used in its place if you forget the Wi-Fi network authentication password because it doesn’t require one.

2. Enter the Xfinity IP Address

Open any web browser and enter the Xfinity IP address into the URL bar. The most common IP address for Xfinity routers is 10.0.0.1.

If this IP address does not work, you can check your IP by following these steps:
- Step 1: Click on Start (the Windows logo) or click the WIN key on your keyboard.
- Step 2: Type “cmd” into the search bar and press ENTER to open the command prompt.
- Step 3: Inside the command prompt, type “ipconfig” and press Enter. The number allocated to “Default Gateway” is your router’s IP address.
3. Type in your login information

Use your account’s username and password to log in to your Xfinity router. You can reset your Xfinity router if you’ve lost your login information. To restore the default settings on your Xfinity router, follow the instructions.

4. Setup the Xfinity Router

You can quickly view and change settings after entering the Xfinity router’s web interface. While making changes to your router’s settings, ensure you’re still connected to the internet.

READ ALSO: How to find the IP address of your computer

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I access my Xfinity router?

You must enter 10.0.0.1 in your web browser’s address bar to access the Xfinity router web interface and log in. The IP address used in this case is 10.0.0.1, the default address for most Xfinity routers. Use your username and password to log in after the page has loaded.

How to access Comcast modem settings?

The web interface of the Xfinity router provides access to the Comcast modem settings. Enter the IP address 10.0.0.1 into your browser’s address bar. You may quickly access the modem settings by logging into your Xfinity router account.
August 28, 2022
How to Fix VLC Media Player Not Playing on Windows 11

VLC is regarded as the finest since it supports practically all video and audio formats and has an intuitive user interface. All Windows versions can use the VLC player, which has a lengthy history. But it seems to cause some issues with the Windows 11 operating system. Despite the potential wait, fixing this will be quicker than installing and configuring a new media player. If you are in a similar scenario, continue reading to learn how to resolve the VLC media player issue on Windows 11.

The VLC media player on Windows 11 has been reported to be problematic by several users. A notice stating, “This software can’t operate on your PC,” is allegedly displayed to specific users when they attempt to start the VLC media player on a Windows 11 computer. However, several users have expressed dissatisfaction with VLC’s performance or inability to play movies on Windows 11. We’ll look at some practical solutions for all of these problems today, no matter what the issue may be.

READ ALSO: How to Use and Access the Spotify Web Player

How to Fix VLC on Windows 11 Videos Not Playing

There are several possible causes for the VLC media player not functioning correctly on your system or not playing videos. We’ll examine the most frequent reasons and potential solutions for each. Here is why you could be having this problem.

1. Check for VLC Latest Versions

Developers have upgraded VLC to make it compatible with Windows 11. Likely, you’re still using the previous version of VLC if you recently upgraded to Windows 11. So, kindly verify and download the most recent version. Most of the problems are automatically resolved using VLC’s most recent version. Here is where you may download the most recent VLC.

2. Examine the File Format

Many different video formats are supported by the VLC media player, although not all of them. VLC will display a blank screen or an error message if you try to play an incompatible video format. The many file types that VLC supports may be seen in its official features section. If VLC does not support your required video format, you can convert it using an online video converter.

3. Install VLC Media Player Again

If you are experiencing difficulties starting or running the application on your system, re-installing it can be helpful. If you have Windows 11 installed but are still using an outdated VLC media player, your computer might not be able to run it. Instead, a notice reading “This software can’t operate on your PC” will be seen.

Another issue that develops while utilizing an older application is if the media player is having problems playing the video because of the MP4 codecs.

4. Disable VLC Hardware Acceleration

VLC has hardware acceleration built in, accelerating the encoding and decoding of several video formats. It may not work correctly on specific systems, particularly those with faulty device drivers.

1. Launch the VLC media player.

2. Select Preferences from the context menu after clicking Tools. You may also launch the VLC Preferences window using the Ctrl + P hotkeys.

3. Navigate to the Input / Codes tab.

4. Select Disable from the drop-down arrow next to Hardware-accelerated decoding in the Codecs section.

5. Click on Save.

6. Relaunch the VLC media player and see whether you can play any videos. If not, go on to the next option on the list.

5. Disabling Hardware Video Decoding

In this case, the best course of action is to disable VLC’s hardware video decoding option. You can use the following procedures to do that:

1. Launch VLC and Choose Tools, then click Preferences.

3. Select ALL after clicking the Show Settings option.

4, Go to the menu and choose Input/Codecs.

5. Select FFmpeg from the Video codecs menu.

6. Select Disable under Hardware decoding.

7. After you’ve deactivated Hardware decoding, restart VLC and try again to play the file.

READ ALSO: Should I disable the webcam when not in use?

Conclusion

VLC, as a media player, provides its consumers with dependable service. However, situations like these might be expected now and again. The issue of VLC Media Player not playing movies or not working in Windows 11 is relatively widespread.

These problems arise when an older version is utilized, or the media player is incompatible with the MP4 codec. Hopefully, the remedies listed above may assist you in resolving the difficulties. Engage us in the comments section below if you have further questions.

August 27, 2022
How to schedule a shutdown on Windows 11
You can ask your computer to shut down automatically with a simple command, as we detailed in the instruction on coding a primary computer shutdown. This post focuses on the same function, but we will discuss how to carry it out with Windows 11 this time. The steps to program the shutdown using the CMD and a script, a file in BAT format, are contained in the following two parts.

Schedule Windows 11 shutdown with CMD

The Command Prompt, also known as CMD, is the ideal tool for scheduling Windows 11 PC shutdown. The identical command can be sent and carried out by the console in two different ways. The first of these can be carried out via the Run menu.
1. To open the run dialog, press Windows + R.
2. Run the shutdown -s -t (time in seconds) command.
3. Substitute the final figure for the number of seconds until the computer shuts down.
4. To start the command, press Enter.
You will get a notification right away warning you that the team will end the session at the appointed time. Just increase the number of minutes you want to delay the shutdown by 60 to get the seconds you need for the shutdown command. 60 minutes, for instance, are 3600 seconds (60 x 60).

As seen in the screenshot above, you may also first open the Command Prompt window and execute the same command there.

Check out the following available arguments to maximize the scheduled shutdown feature:
- shutdown -r -t (time in seconds) . Schedule the reboot.
- shutdown -h -t (time in seconds) . Schedule hibernation.
- shutdown -l -t (time in seconds) . Schedule logout.
- shutdown -hybrid -t (time in seconds) . Schedule shutdown and get ready for quick start.
To cancel any of these actions before the timer expires, use the shutdown -a command.

Shut down Windows 11 using a script (BAT file)

Another option for scheduling Windows 11 shutdown is to write a script in BAT format to automate the process further.

It’s as simple as following these steps:
1. Launch Notepad on your computer.
2. Enter the command you want to execute. Enter shutdown -s -t 3600, for example, to shut down the computer in one hour.
3. Select File > Save As.
4. Select All files from the Type dropdown in the Save dialogue.
5. Give it a name and the extension.bat. For instance, shut down Windows in an hour. bat
It is recommended that you create many scripts so that you may run the command with various parameters. So, you could have a BAT file that shuts down the machine in an hour, restarts it every 30 minutes, or logs you out in 15 minutes. There are as many options as the possible combination of the shutdown command. To stop any of these actions, keep in mind that the shutdown -a command can potentially create a script.
July 23, 2022
Windows 11: How to free up and fix high Memory Usage
Has it ever occurred to you that your PC runs slow or crashes for no reason? This could be because your device’s RAM is close to being full, or it’s having communication issues with the processor. With the new Windows OS, one of the ways to fix it is by learning how to free up RAM in Windows 11.

With the release of this software, it cannot be evident to practice the actions that we carried out with its predecessor. Therefore, we leave you three simple tutorials to learn how to free up RAM.

How to free up RAM using Windows Registry (Regedit)

One of the most effective to free up RAM on your Windows 11 device is through the registry editor. Be sure to follow the steps to the letter to avoid permanent damage or critical system errors.
- Pull down the menu and type “Regedit” or “Registry Editor.”
- Click on the option that Windows throws at you. A new window will open with a series of files. Go to the path “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE – SYSTEM – CurrentControlSet – Control – Session Manager – Memory Management” by typing this line in the system location field. Look for the one called “ClearPageFileAtShutdown” and double click on it.
- Sets the information value to “1” in the only editable field.
- Apply the changes, and you’re done. The memory will have been freed.
How to free up RAM in Windows 11 using a script

Scripts are small statements of code with a single function. They can be created from Windows Notepad and run when needed. In this case, we will create a script to free RAM manually. Whenever you feel you need it, you have to run it.
1. To create the script, you need to know the amount of RAM on your computer. Go to Settings>System>About. Once there, you only have to look at the line that mentions “Installed RAM Memory.”
2. Close that window and display the menu again. Find the notepad.
3. Depending on the amount of RAM installed on your device, copy and paste one of these commands into the notepad file:
512MB: Mystring=(320000000).

1GB: Mystring=(655000000)

2GB: Mystring=(1100000000)

3GB: Mystring=(1655000000)

4GB: Mystring=(2000000000)

6GB: Mystring=(3000000000)

8GB: Mystring=(4000000000)

16GB: Mystring=(7300000000)
- For example, if your device has 8GB of RAM, you should copy and paste the following: “Mystring=(4000000000)”.
- Save the created file with the name “Liberar_Ram.vbs” in the folder of your choice. The final extension will give it functionality, so don’t forget the “.vbs.”
- When you consider that you need to clean the RAM, you only have to access the folder where you saved it and double click on the “Liberar_Ram.vbs” file.
Freeing RAM is a benign practice for the proper functioning of your device. However, if you can increase it, we recommend doing so whenever necessary. Don’t forget to visit the rest of the posts to learn more about Windows 11 and how it works.
February 21, 2022
Google releases Chrome OS Flex for use on any Windows or Mac PC

Chrome OS Flex is a new version of Google’s operating system for PCs. It has just been released and is designed to run on Windows or Mac personal computers.

Although it’s in beta and primarily aimed at businesses and schools that want to reclaim and maintain old PCs, it’s a promising development that may end up becoming a significant threat to Microsoft’s dominance of desktop computing.

When Google acquired Neverware, the company responsible for CloudReady software that allowed Chrome OS to be installed on any PC beyond Google’s own-brand hardware, speculation was sparked about the company’s future strategy to occupy a larger space in the PC ecosystem. Google didn’t clarify the actual goals of the Neverware purchase, but it was clear. White and bottled”.

Their engineers have been busy ever since, and the first result we see now. And while CloudReady offered much of the value of Chrome OS, the feel of a native operating system, some key features, and official support from the Internet giant were still missing. “We have worked hard to integrate the benefits of CloudReady in a new version of Chrome OS,” they explain from Google.

Chrome OS Flex fills in the gaps in CloudReady, starting with Chrome Browser integration. Features like geolocation, which were handled differently in CloudReady’s Chromium browser, will now be dealt with the same way Chrome does on a Chromebook. Another important feature is support for Google Assistant and Family Link accounts.

It also includes Phone Hub, which offers complete synchronization with Android devices, to access the last tabs opened on the mobile, see its battery level, the strength of the wireless connection, or receive notifications from chat applications. Although it is not a priority due to the system approach, it is expected to add the ability to run Android apps shortly.

And that’s because Chrome OS Flex, when fully developed, will look, feel and work the same way Chrome OS does on a Chromebook. It is created under the same code base (Linux kernel and Chromium OS), will follow the same release cadence, and have the corresponding version, quality, and security updates.

The operating system is entirely free for anyone and can be installed “in a matter of minutes” on any PC, although some of its functions may depend on the hardware used. It can also be run from an external USB drive in ‘Live’ mode without touching the installed operating system. You have more information and access to the download in Chrome Enterprise.

February 16, 2022
How to activate Windows 11 with a genuine license key

Activating Windows is a task that not everyone has to do. When buying a new computer, it is expected that it comes with its license and you do not have to do anything more than start and use it. But it is also common, fortunately, more and more, for computers to be sold without a pre-installed operating system and, if you want to use Windows, it is necessary to install and activate it.

And it is that anyone can download an official Windows installation image, install it and use it. Still, you have to activate Windows to continue using the system sooner rather than later. Even during the trial period, when you can use Windows without activating it, there are restrictions on available features. But, one way or another, you will have to activate Windows.

How to activate Windows with a genuine license

Once you have the license (a code of 25 characters, letters, and numbers, separated into groups of 5 characters), you can enter it during the installation process or once you have installed the system. It doesn’t matter if you do it sooner or later. It is done the same in Windows 10 or Windows 11, although the screenshots that you can see below are from the first.

A license code to activate Windows is like this (I made it up, don’t waste your time trying):

AK47O-007EM-20Y22-V12V4-CD63J

NOT AN ACTUAL KEY

If you will install Windows and want to enter the activation code during the system installation process, the first step is the first one, right after choosing the language. Otherwise, select the option “I don’t have a product key,” and you will complete this step once the installation is complete.

To activate Windows from the desktop, open the system settings from the start menu, and there is no loss: below everything, you will see a link with the same: “Windows is not activated. Activate it now.” Click on it and.

In the next step, click on the link that says “Change the product key” and enter the key to activate Windows in that pop-up window and activate.

You will receive a message saying your Windows has been activated

Now you can fully enjoy your Windows without giving it more thought. The process, as you have seen, is straightforward.

February 6, 2022
Windows reaches 1.4 billion users, says Microsoft

Satya Nadella has reported the number of Windows users in Microsoft’s financial results presentation. And they are not a few: 1,400 million monthly active users use their operating systems, and those with Android only surpass them.

Microsoft has presented financial results for the last quarter of 2021, and they are record-breaking, as our colleagues at MCPRO tell us. For the first time, it broke the $50 billion mark in revenue with strong growth across its divisions.

Microsoft entered 51,700 million dollars in the quarter for a year-over-year increase of 20%. Earnings were in sync, $18.8 billion, up 21 percent. Both data have exceeded analysts’ estimates, so investors will likely continue to reward the value of a stock that continues to trend positive despite the ‘savings’ to be paid by Activision Blizzard being monumental.

As in recent years and with an additional boost from the hybrid work models required by the pandemic, everything that comes from the Azure cloud continues to improve results (+26%). It is already Microsoft’s most prominent business if we include services based on it, mainly Microsoft 365 (Office 365), which already has a whopping 56.4 million subscribers. In total, Microsoft’s Productivity and Enterprise area had revenue of $15.9 billion, up 19%.

Windows users

Windows has not been Microsoft’s primary product in terms of income generation for years. Still, there is no doubt that 1,400 million active users go a long way in everything, direct sales, and everything that moves Windows, including its enormous positioning on desktops software to power other Microsoft applications and services. For example, Microsoft says that Teams is used by 145 million users a day. If it were not installed by default in Windows, they would be much less.

Last quarter, Windows OEM revenue grew 25%, confirming that the manufacturer channel is the actual maintainer of the system. It is mentioned that most of these licenses correspond to company versions and not consumer ones. Another issue to note is that the user data offered by the CEO of Microsoft includes any Windows-based device, including Xbox consoles or HoloLens headsets, in addition to the bulk of personal computers.

If you are wondering, data on the share corresponding to each edition of Windows has not been offered, and it would have been interesting to know the degree of actual adoption of Windows 11. Depending on the external analyst who publishes the situation analysis, the share varies from just a few tenths to 9%.

Perhaps the key, at least in companies, is the very existence of Windows 10. The final version of Windows 10 21H2 landed recently, and although it does not include the announced news, it has achieved the desired stability after reducing the number of update releases. In addition, its technical support will last -at least- until October 2025, which is a guarantee for companies and users who prefer to wait to perform the migration.

January 26, 2022

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 11

Microsoft has added new keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11 to support the new features and changes implemented in the operating system. Added to those that already worked in Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 (maintained for the most part), they form an exciting set to facilitate the management of the system and its main functions, increasing productivity.

The keyboard and the mouse are the two main input peripherals of a PC, and we use them massively on computer desks even though we have other forms of interaction such as touch screens or voice control. They are definitely still the most intuitive methods.

Of course, in addition to data entry, the keyboard of a personal computer can be used to control the system and applications. This is where these ‘shortcuts’ come in. As you know, they are combinations of two or more keys that, as a general rule, replicate the tasks that we would do with a mouse or other pointing peripheral such as the touchpad of a laptop. However, they are handy, saving time and effort when carrying out certain actions. The truth is that once you get used to it.

Keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11

Win + W	Open the Widgets section
Win + A	Access the quick settings (Before it opened the Action Center)
Win + N	Access the notification panel
Win + Z	Open layout/window templates (Snap)
Win + Tecla Arriba (Up)	Fit the active window to the top half of the screen
Win + Down key (Down)	Fit active window to the bottom half
Win + Left/Right Key	Fits the active window to the left/right half.
Win + C	Open the Microsoft Teams chat software

Desktop shortcuts

“Windows” key	Open and close the start menu
Win + D	Hide or show all applications and windows on your desktop
Win + I	Open the General Settings tool
Win + K	Open the networking tool
Win + L	Lock the device by activating the unlock screen
Win + M	Minimize all open desktop windows
Win + O	Lock screen orientation
Win + P	Opens the projector for connections to external displays and projectors
Win + R	Start the run tool
Win + X	Open the advanced menu, alternative to the start menu
Win + Print Screen	Take a screenshot (Saves in Images)
win + space bar	Switch between input languages and keyboard layouts

General shortcuts in applications

Control + A	Select all items
Control + C	Copy the selected item
Control + X	Cut the selected item
Control + V	Paste the copied item
Control + Z	undo the changes
Ctrl + Y	Redo the changes
Control + OR	Open a file in the current app
Control + S	Save the file or folder
Ctrl + Mayús + S	Open the task save as
Alt + Tab	Switch between running apps
Alt + F4	Close the active window
Alt + F8	Show password on the login screen
F5	Update the active window
F10	Open the menu bar of the active application
Ctrl + P	Print current screen

For file explorer

Win + E	Open File Explorer
(Within the browser) Ctrl + N	Open a new window
Ctrl+E	Access the search bar
Control + W	Close the active sale
Ctrl + Mouse Scroll	Change the view of files and folders.
F4	Switch to address/location bar
F5	Refresh the browser
F6	Switch between left/right panes
Alt + D	Select the address bar
Alt + P	Show/Hide preview pane
Alt + Enter	Opens the Properties menu of the selected item

Other keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11

For the game bar:
Win + G	Open the Xbox game bar
Win + Alt + G	Record the last 30 seconds of the active game
Win + Alt + R	Take a screenshot in-game
Win + Alt + T	Show/hide record timer overlay
For the taskbar:
Windows + Tab	Open the task view
Windows + 1, 2, 3…	Activate the first, second, third application…
Windows + T	Highlight the first app on the taskbar
Windows + B	Highlight the first app in the system tray
For virtual desktops:
Windows + Ctrl + D	Create a new virtual desktop
Windows + Ctrl + Left Arrow	Switch to the previous virtual desktop
Windows + Ctrl + Right Arrow	Switch to the next virtual desktop
Windows + Ctrl + F4	Close the current virtual desktop.
For accessibility:
Windows + U	Launch the Ease of Access Center
Windows + Enter	Start the narrator
Windows + +	Launch the magnifying glass and zoom
Windows + –	Move the magnifying glass away if the app is open
Windows + Escape	close the magnifying glass

These keyboard shortcuts are handy. Once you learn them and start using them, you will not stop doing it. They can be activated with peripherals like a mouse, but it’s a good way to save time and effort. Those shown above are just a selection of the hundreds available. While most are ported from version to version, here’s Microsoft’s list for Windows 11, 10, 8.1, or Windows 7.

And not only operating systems have them. There is another big collection for almost every Windows app, as you can see in this guide. And not just Microsoft. There are keyboard shortcuts for any software like these for the Google Chrome browser.

January 25, 2022

How to reset Windows 10 with a single command
“Reset,” “Restore,” or “Recover” an operating system like Windows 10 means returning it to its factory settings, just as it was when we installed it for the first time. There are different ways to do it, but today we propose the fastest one, through a single command in the Windows console.

Resetting Windows 10 to factory settings is a maintenance task that any user should know about because sooner or later, they will have to use it. And it is that any operating system, and more Windows, ends up degrading with the mere passage of time and use due to the installation/uninstallation of applications, drivers, failures in some update of the same system, or the introduction of some malware from the that no one is safe.

You will notice it in the event of random or chronic system failures, various slowdowns in its execution, or an increase in boot time due to the more significant load at startup, added services, or greater demand for the system registry. In this database, the operating system stores everything type of information, which does not stop increasing from the same installation. I take it as a regular maintenance task to be carried out from time to time to anticipate the errors that, yes or yes, will end up arriving.

Reset Windows 10 with a single command

This internal maintenance task is halfway between creating restore points and more accessible and quicker to perform than a complete installation from scratch. Microsoft improved it in Windows 10 by adding the exciting novelty of reinstallation from the cloud, without the need to use physical recovery media or use local files, sometimes problematic if we have corrupted files or files affected by malware.

If your PC is not working correctly or, as we said, you use it as a regular maintenance task. You can access this internal tool from the general application of Settings> Update and security> Recovery> Reset.

But there is another even faster option that shows the possibilities of the Windows console, in this case in its simpler command line variant. You can access it in various ways, as we propose in this practical basic that consists of only two steps, not without recommending you, as always when we use this type of application, that you make a backup of your files:
1. Right-click on the start button and select command prompt (administrator).
2. In the terminal, write the command systemreset –factoryreset

And there is nothing else to do except choosing between the two options that you will see in the image:

They explain themselves. In both cases, applications and system settings will be deleted because the tool will access Windows RE (Windows Recovery Environment), wiping and formatting partitions before installing a fresh copy of Windows 10.

In the case of opting for the “Remove everything” option, the tool will allow you to save the files placed in other storage units outside the main one where the operating system is installed. Still, as we recommend, it is preferable to do it beforehand. If you use the “Keep my files” option, the tool will make a copy of them to return them to their original place once the system is installed.

Once the process is done, you can access Windows Update to update the system to the latest version of security and features, install the applications and games you need, and the drivers provided by Microsoft or the manufacturer of the equipment or components.

We insist. Resetting Windows 10 is a handy function that can be done in various ways, all of which are very easy to handle. Please do not doubt that you will have to use it due to some error, system destabilization.
January 14, 2022
5 Softwares you shouldn’t have on Windows
Many technology transitions have led to replacements and discontinuations (for example, the transition from Flash to HTML5). Consequently, it is not unusual to find versions of programs or applications in Windows that are not updated and therefore should not be installed.

Having programs and applications without updating or maintenance is a security risk, especially in a Windows operating system, where users use an administrator account by default. This is a bad habit established by Microsoft and that the company has not rectified for various reasons. Still, it is seen and proven that it is an actual highway that facilitates the exploitation of vulnerabilities.

Despite this, using a standard user account should not be an excuse to neglect those programs or applications that have not been updated for a long time, either because the user does not need them or because they have run out of support. In any case, it is advisable to carry out the pertinent uninstallation processes, so we will indicate the steps to do it in Windows.

We will mention discontinued technologies that it would be better to uninstall as soon as possible. We take the opportunity to expose other things that it would be advisable not to use even if they still have support.

1. Adobe Flash Player

It must be said, Flash was at the time a necessary evil, primarily to provide the web with multimedia functions that it lacked until the appearance of HTML5. This also encompassed many gaming websites, of which there are possibly still a few that have not migrated to more modern and supported technologies.

The reason why Flash was considered a necessary evil is based on two grounds:
- First, because it was a proprietary technology, it was difficult for third parties to supervise it and its portability to other platforms.
- Second, because it has starred in countless security scandals, many consider it unsafe technology.
If to the two previous points we add that it is currently discontinued (at least for the West), there is no need for more reasons to uninstall Flash if it is installed on the computer (and not only Windows but also Linux and macOS).

2. QuickTime

QuickTime is a multimedia playback framework developed by Apple that has its player. The story here is not much different from the Flash, although without so many murky episodes surrounding the security it offered.

However, Trend Micro discovered two severe security flaws in April 2016 that led to the recommendation to uninstall QuickTime for Windows, as Apple discontinued development three months earlier. This meant that the vulnerabilities would remain forever, exploitable both through locally stored files and the plugins that existed for web browsers.

Since Windows 10 is the most used version and appeared in 2015, it isn’t easy to find a computer with QuickTime installed. Still, if it does, we recommend its immediate uninstallation.

To play video files in QuickTime format, which used to use the ‘.mov’ extension, it is recommended to use VLC, a multimedia player of proven quality and powerful multiplatform support.

3. CCleaner

CCleaner is a cleaning application that you should not use, and therefore, should not have installed in Windows.

CCleaner has been accused of breaking Windows installations on many occasions, but if the gossip doesn’t convince you, maybe it will because Microsoft decided in 2019 to put the application on its blacklist. If the company responsible for Windows makes a similar move, you should not have CCleaner installed on your PC.

The reasons put forward by the Redmond giant were the various problems that CCleaner had during the second half of the past decade. To begin with, we have the discovery of backdoors in 2017 that compromised multiple versions of the application and opened a remote administration backdoor that was used to install malware, keyloggers, ransomware, and take control of computers.

Second is Avast’s acquisition of Piriform, developer of CCleaner. The change of hands did not sit well with the cleaning application, which introduced persistent and annoying advertisements that would reappear even if its cookies were deleted. This was added to the compatibility problems that at least at the time it had with Windows 10.

An application that has fallen out of favor and on top of it can break the system. What are more reasons needed to uninstall it?

4. Microsoft Silverlight

At the time, it was defined as “Microsoft’s Flash” since it was created to build and run rich Internet applications. It was conceived for use in other less technical words through a web browser.

Although Silverlight never reached the diffusion and popularity of Flash, it did get used by services such as Netflix, which required it in case of wanting to reproduce content through a web browser.

Like Flash, Silverlight was and still is proprietary software, so third parties could not freely audit it, and its support across multiple platforms was limited, so much so that it never made it to Linux.

Fortunately, the consolidation of HTML5 invited streaming content platforms to offer at least multi-technology support that was not limited to Microsoft’s Silverlight and other similar solutions. However, the transition of these services to HTML5 has indeed had a very high price as they have forced the consolidation of DRM, which is served through WideVine.

The situation derived from the consolidation of DRM in HTML5 is far from ideal in terms of freedom for users. Still, at least Linux users no longer have to resort to Windows to enjoy the content offered by various platforms.

Apart from being deprecated by the push of HTML5, Silverlight was officially discontinued by Microsoft in October 2021, so you already have two compelling reasons to uninstall it as soon as possible.

5. µTorrent (the uTorrent)

The case of μTorrent is, by far, the most scandalous that we will discuss in this article, mainly because it continues to have so many users, so many, that it will likely continue to be the most used BitTorrent client today.

μTorrent became very popular thanks to its minimalist interface and low resource usage. It started as an open-source project, but it became proprietary software after being acquired by BitTorrent, Inc., now Rainberry, Inc.

That a BitTorrent client under the company’s umbrella responsible for developing the P2P file-sharing protocol should be a powerful signal to place trust, but nothing is further from reality since μTorrent has been involved in various scandals during the past decade.

More specifically, those responsible for μTorrent have been caught mining Bitcoins without users’ permission. It has spread malware through an advertisement, and a bug was discovered that allowed them to control a computer remotely and steal downloads. Above, one has to go through the checkout to eliminate the advertising present in the application.

In short, μTorrent is a proprietary application and maliciously managed by its managers, so it is recommended to uninstall it and replace it with free software such as qBittorrent or Transmission client.

Hardware manufacturers’ bloatware

This is an old story, especially for Windows laptops, which usually come up with the manufacturer’s garbage. This garbage, commonly called bloatware, usually contributes little to nothing to users, so in the end, it mainly serves to use up disk space uselessly and increase the attack surface that malicious actors can exploit.

The presence of bloatware ends up making more than one. When buying a computer, decide to reinstall the system and put one clean not to drag unnecessary things.

Conclusion: Remember to check well what you have on your computer from time to time (even if you do not use Windows)

The pace of life we lead and the high automation offered by modern operating systems can make us forget to check from time to time what we have installed in the operating system and some applications such as web browsers.

As we have already said several times, it would not only be advisable to eliminate discontinued, suspicious components of doubtful or unknown origin, but also any application or add-on that is not going to be used again to minimize the attack surface (obviously, one does not go to uninstall an application that uses tiny, but uses it and will continue to use it).
January 1, 2022
Windows 11: How to disable automatic brightness
Today’s notebooks are incredibly complex in terms of technology, functionality, and features, with complex cooling systems and tons of internal components packed seamlessly into the smallest possible space.

Each brand designs the exterior of their laptops to be attractive. Still, utilities and technologies are also used to improve the user experience, and it is common for many of them to go unnoticed and other operating system utilities. Especially now with the arrival of Windows 11, which we can install by following this guide or discover all its new functionalities if we do not want to use a Microsoft account this other.

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One of those technologies is that of adaptive brightness. We all know that laptop screens have adjustable brightness and can be controlled from various options in Windows. Still, not everyone knows that in recent years it has been done every time more popular a new way to adapt the brightness according to what is displayed on the screen. This works by identifying the clarity of the content being displayed, and if it is mainly light, the brightness is raised or left the same, and if it is primarily dark, it is reduced to save battery life.

This battery-saving technique began to be seen a few years ago in some models that included it in manufacturer utilities, such as some high-end Dell brand laptops. Still, it is currently included in most laptops as standard, and its control will depend on the graphics card of each computer.

How to disable automatic brightness in Windows 11

Currently, we can find this technology in almost all new notebooks with Intel or AMD CPUs, known by the name of “Screen energy-saving technology” in the former, and by the name of “Vari-Bright” in the case of the former. Issue of the latter. To control it, we will have to go to the respective control panels of the integrated graphics of the CPU, so if we have a laptop with separate dedicated graphics from either Nvidia or AMD, we will not find the settings for this technology there.

If this technology is uncomfortable for us or we want to deactivate or activate it in our computer, then we will explain how to do it either our Intel or AMD CPU:
1. Ensure you have the integrated graphics drivers installed and updated: as we have just said, these technologies depend on those drivers, so we will have to install or edit them to get the most out of the technology.
2. Enter the drivers: this can be done by right-clicking on the desktop and going to ” Radeon Settings ” for AMD or ” Graphics Command Center ” for Intel, or you can also search for their names in the Windows search engine.
3. Find the setting: In Intel’s case, we will have to go to the system and the energy section, where the information about our battery will appear and below the setting on the automatic brightness.

In the case of AMD, we will have to open the Radeon control panel and go to the screen tab, where we will see a section at the bottom right called ” Vari-Bright ” along with a switch and a slider to control its action.

4. Modify the setting: once we are there, we can see that we have various degrees of action of this technology for battery saving in both Intel and AMD. If we want to leave it activated, we can play with the different degrees, and if we’re going to deactivate it, it will be enough to deactivate the switch of the battery-saving options in Intel and that of the Vari-Bright in AMD.

How to activate automatic brightness depending on ambient lighting

We also talk about the fact that apart from the brightness according to what is shown on the screen, you can also control the brightness of the screen without referring to what is shown on it from Windows, even some computers incorporate ambient light sensors and can handle it automatically, in which case if we want to activate or deactivate this function either in Windows 10 or 11 we can follow these steps:
1. Enter the screen settings: we can do this easily by right-clicking on the desktop and clicking on the screen configuration option.
2. Set the brightness: on that page, at the top, we will see the option to activate and deactivate the automatic brightness and regulate the brightness of our screen manually.
Pros and cons of automatic brightness control systems

These technologies have the main objective of reducing battery consumption and increasing its duration, that is why it can be seen on laptops, but sometimes it can be uncomfortable to have them activated, especially if we make many changes between applications with light and dark backgrounds or if we are moving with the laptop changing between spaces with a lot of and low light.

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On the other hand, we save the battery by having it activated. At the same time, we use our computer since, for laptops that are not Gaming and are more focused on work, the screen will be one of the parts that consume the most energy in everyday use.

By adjusting the brightness intelligently, you can get a lot of extra battery time, so everyone will have to assess whether these automatic changes in brightness bother them or can live with them on their computer.
December 30, 2021
“Microsoft’s actions look desperate – and yet familiar”

Ever since Chromium moved its browser to basics, Microsoft seems to have gotten bloodshed: it wants to convince Windows users not to choose another browser over Edge accidentally. They do this aggressively at times, so it’s understandable if this knocks out collateral over competitors.

We have previously reported how Microsoft is trying to increase its browser market share. And that wasn’t the first time, and more are likely to come to convince users.

However, some are overwhelmed by this. For example, the first person in the company to develop the free Vivaldi browser, which includes an ad and tracking blocker. Jon von Tetzchner says Microsoft is desperately trying to prevent users from installing a different browser and using it instead of Edge. “Vivaldi isn’t afraid to compete on a level playing field, but why isn’t Microsoft doing it?” The CEO asks in his blog post, then details the Calvary he went through when he tried to download Vivaldi as an alternative browser, supported by screenshots.

@Vivaldi

“Microsoft’s moves seem desperate. And yet familiar. They don’t want you to use other browsers. They even offer to pay to use the browser through their Microsoft Rewards program. This is not the behavior of a confident company that develops an excellent browser. It belongs to a company that openly abuses its influential position and forces users to use the inferior product simply because it can. What if it’s not a monopoly?” Tetzchner says.

He also adds that the U.S. and EU competition authorities are currently focusing on Google, Apple, and Facebook, for a good reason, of course. However, it is essential not to forget about Microsoft. They are not focused and are trying to take advantage of this opportunity to make it harder for users to use a different browser under Windows. Since Microsoft is the dominant player in the operating system market, it is being abused as a cause for concern – and it deserves close investigation.

For his part, the head of Vivaldi will request an investigation against Microsoft for this anti-competitive practice. The Redmondians have not responded yet.

December 19, 2021