Latest news with #WindowsLatest
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Microsoft's Upgrade Mistake For 400 Million Windows Users
This huge reversal has an equally huge problem. What a difference a week makes. Microsoft has suddenly 'given up' and confirmed the inevitable. Windows 10 support will be extended at no cost until October 2026. So it seems the October 2025 hard red line was neither as hard nor as red as expected. Unfortunately, it seems this is a mistake affecting more than 400 million users. Ironically, after years of trying, the week Microsoft chose to drop this bombshell was also the week its Windows 11 upgrade campaign finally started hitting home, with the newer version of the OS catching Windows 10's market share for the first time. The current Windows 10 user base divides into two camps. Somewhere around 400 million users with PCs eligible to upgrade and around 240 million that can't. With the upgrade program working, Microsoft should have limited its free support extension to only those with ineligible PCs. That's where the upgrade complexity and cost lies. Instead, any users favoring Windows 10 who would balk at paying the expected $30 12-month ESU price get a free extension, subject to using Microsoft's cloud backup. It will be fascinating to see what happens to those upgrade stats over the coming weeks. Windows 11 finally catches Windows 10 In my view, Microsoft has missed a trick and this is a mistake. There was a genuine case to give ineligible PC owners more time to upgrade hardware, without giving the entire Windows 10 user base a break. The fear now is this just kicks the problem down the road, stopping or even reversing the accelerating upgrade train for eligible PCs. This is the second softening of the hard red line in recent weeks, with the other concession being a three-year security support extension for office apps on Windows 10, which had been expected to disappear come October this year. Windows 10's free extension On that note, there is a word of caution for Windows 10 users. Microsoft's blogpost announcing the free extension also promised it 'will continue to provide Security Intelligence Updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10 through October 2028.' This is not the same as full security support and should not be treated as such. The extension is a one-year deal not a three-year deal, despite some reports. Windows Latest has published a first look at the new ESU wizard, which lists the three options: Cloud backup, reward points or $30. It then confirms that support is extended beyond October. "In our tests, it just takes a few seconds to extend support. You'll see the 'Enroll now' button on the right side of the Windows Update." Obviously, 'you don't need to meet Windows 11 requirements to be eligible for Extended Security updates," which would be counter-intuitive. But neither is it disabled if you do. 'Right now, this enrollment feature works only in the Windows Insider Program,' Windows Latest says. 'You don't have to join the program for the 'Enroll now' button, as Microsoft says it will roll out the feature to everyone in the coming weeks.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Windows 11 Update Meant to Fix Game Crashes Is Failing to Install: Reports
Microsoft's June 2025 cumulative update for Windows 11, KB5063060, is causing trouble for quite a few users. The worst part is that this update comes after the earlier KB5060842 patch that was released to fix problems with Easy Anti-Cheat. Now, users are reporting that KB5063060 is failing to install, with error codes such as 0x800f0922, 0x80070002, 0x80070306, and 0x800f0991 showing up during the process, as reported by Windows Latest. Some users say the update gets stuck at 100% completion, but the system doesn't boot up. Quite a few users have also reported that the update causes issues beyond installation failures. Some have experienced system freezes or crashes when playing games, even after installing the patch that was supposed to fix these problems. External monitors displaying purple-green colors over HDMI connections are also reported, but the colors disappear once the update is removed. Users have also reported problems with Bluetooth connectivity. They need to reconnect their devices after every restart and often find duplicate entries in the Control Panel. Some have also reported slow or unstable network connections after installing the update. For those affected, Microsoft says to uninstall KB5063060 through the Windows Update settings if problems occur. Users can also try downloading the update manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog or wait for a probable fix in a future update. Most users are not running into these problems.
Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Fixing your broken Windows 11 PC is about to get even harder — here's why
Even with Windows 11, a lot can go wrong with your computer whenever you install new software or drivers, change your settings, and especially if you make tweaks to the registry. This is why you should set up and start using System Restore points if you haven't already. When you make a System Restore point, Windows creates a snapshot of your PC at a given time that you can revert to when something goes wrong. For instance, let's say you updated your drivers and a device like your printer or keyboard isn't working anymore. If you made a System Restore point before doing so (which you absolutely should), you can quickly undo what you did and return to a point when your computer was working as it should. Now, though, Microsoft is changing how this feature works in Windows 11, and as a result, you're going to want to create System Restore points earlier and more often. Here's why. Up until Windows 11, all of the System Restore points you created would be available on your PC for 90 days after doing so. This gave you plenty of time to revert your computer to an earlier System Restore point. With the release of Windows 11 24H2, System Restore points will now be deleted after 60 days. Once this window has passed, you'll no longer be able to access your older System Restore points, which means that if you install a bad app or driver and don't notice that you did so within two months, your only option will be to completely reset your PC. As Windows Latest points out, some System Restore points disappeared even sooner and were no longer available after just 10 days. Thanks to this change, though, that should be a thing of the past, and now you'll have the full 60 days to revert to an earlier System Restore point. In a support document, Microsoft confirmed the change, saying: 'After installing the June 2025 Windows security update, Windows 11, version 24H2 will retain system restore points for up to 60 days. This 60-day limit will also apply to future versions of Windows 11, version 24H2'. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. If you haven't created a System Restore point in Windows yet, you absolutely should, as doing so could be the difference between restoring your PC to an earlier point in time or having to reset it completely. With one of the best laptops or best computers running Windows 11, it's very easy to do so. However, if you're unfamiliar with the process or haven't done so in a while, I'll walk you through the steps. To get started, open the Start menu and type 'Create a restore point' into the search box. This will open the System Protection tab in the System Properties menu in your computer's Control Panel. This feature is disabled by default, so before getting started creating System Restore points, you'll need to turn it on by clicking Configure. A new window will appear next to System Properties, where you'll need to select Turn on system protection to enable the feature. Below, you'll also see a Disk Space Usage slider where you can decide how much of your computer's storage space you want to allocate for your System Restore points. After hitting Apply and closing that window, you'll now be able to make your own System Restore points. To do so, click Create at the bottom of the window, and from there, you'll need to give your restore point a name before hitting Create. It's worth noting that you don't need to worry about the date and time at which you made your System Restore point, as Windows automatically adds this information. Once your System Restore point has been successfully created, a final window will appear letting you know the process is complete. Now, when you go to the Recovery menu within your computer's Control Panel, you'll have the option to Open System Restore so that you can revert to a previous restore point. Backing up your files using the best cloud backup services or even the best cloud storage is important for safekeeping, but with System Restore points, you can back up your entire PC — complete with all your apps, files, and settings — in case of an emergency. That way, you can quickly restore your PC and get right back to how you left it without missing a beat.
Forbes
17-06-2025
- Forbes
Microsoft Confirms Windows Upgrade Choice—100 Day Deadline Nears
Users must act now as deadline nears. The awkwardness of Microsoft's multiple emergency updates to resolve failed installs continues, with yet another warning of a Windows 11 flaw. But the bigger issue remains the stubborn Windows 10 user base. With little more than 100 days to upgrade or lose support, Microsoft confirms another upgrade choice for those 700 million users. That new update warning, per Windows Latest, is that 'Windows 11 KB5063060 is failing to install due to errors like 0x800f0922, 0x80070002, 0x80070306, and 0x800f0991.' Those issue are hitting PC gamers hardest. You do have the option to uninstall the update, or just await the inevitable fix. Desktop Windows Version Market Share Worldwide (June 2024 to June 2025) After several months of steady upgrades from Windows 10 to Windows 11, last month's data was a setback with those upgrades flatlining, leaving 50% of the user base at risk. The good news for Microsoft and the cybersecurity industry is that June has been much better — thus far. It now looks as though upgrades are accelerating, which is critical. And now, Microsoft is making the transition much easier. Last month, the Windows-maker confirmed 'we're beginning the rollout of a new PC-to-PC migration experience in Windows,' which means 'you will be able to transfer your files and settings from your old PC to the new one during the PC setup process.' Microsoft said this data migration process would rollout 'in phases for a smooth experience,' and now it's turning up on user devices. For the 250-million-plus PC owners who need to upgrade their hardware as a Windows 11 upgrade is not possible given its hardware hurdles, this is a game-changer. 'What if you can't upgrade to Windows 11 because you own an unsupported PC?' Windows Latest says. 'You can use a new Windows Migration feature, which comes with a free 'PC to PC' transfer feature.' This sits within the existing Windows Backup tool, and 'while it's not exactly a new app… it is getting [this] Migration tool.' PC to PC migration tool This forthcoming update was spotted by @phantomofearth on X: 'Unsurprisingly, Windows Migration is coming to Windows 10 to make it easier to move to 11 as we get closer to EoL. The migration flow in the Backup app is hidden in today's RP CU (19045.6029), can be enabled with feature ID 56242779.' Windows Latest says that while 'this is visible in Windows 10 Build 19045.6029, but is hidden,' they 'forced it on, [albeit] it warns that the feature is in internal testing, so it's not supposed to work for regular consumers just yet.' When it is, it will be a good option for hundreds of millions of users with little more than 100 days to upgrade.
Forbes
06-06-2025
- Forbes
Microsoft Issues Critical Windows Update—Do Not Delete This
You have been warned — do not hit delete. NurPhoto via Getty Images You won't like this. If you're at risk from this Windows security vulnerability, the fix is a nightmare unless you're a fairly expert user. That's not ideal, and it's all down to an update quietly installed on your PC without explanation in April. You may recall the awkward saga of the 'inetpub' folder and 'Microsoft's confusing messaging on deleting or not deleting this mysterious folder on your PC that could leave you and your PC at risk.' Plenty of users deleted the folder that suddenly turned up. 'After installing this update or a later Windows update,' Microsoft later explained, the new folder will appear on your device. 'This folder should not be deleted.' This empty folder, Windows Latest explains, 'is typically associated with Internet Information Services (IIS), which is a native Windows service that allows developers to host websites or apps on Windows 11.' The empty folder appeared without explanation. 'Some of us assumed that it's a bug with the cumulative update and deleted the folder.' Now we have news of an actual fix. 'If you deleted the 'inetpub' folder, created after Windows April 2025 updates,' Windows Latest warns, 'you need to immediately bring it back.' You can turn on the IIS service or 'use a new PowerShell script.' Only after all those deletions did the explanation come. The 'inetpub' folder 'is created as part of a security patch for CVE-2025-21204,' Windows Latest says, 'and it doesn't matter whether IIS is turned on or not. It'll show up, and you're not supposed to delete it, and if you deleted it, please bring it back, according to Microsoft.' You can turn on IIS, 'however, that's something most people don't want to do because IIS also creates additional folders, which are not required unless you're a developer. Instead you can run Microsoft's newly released PowerShell script. First ensure you're logged in as an Administrator, then you can follow Windows Latest's instructions: Mostly users are unlikely to go through this, which will leave them at risk. 'As per Microsoft, without the folder and its correct ACLs (Access Control Lists), you remain exposed to potential privilege escalation or unauthorized access.'
