BIOS

Winsage
July 10, 2026
Microsoft has acknowledged that some Windows 11 PCs are facing issues with Secure Boot certificate updates, which may fail to install or be blocked. The company is working with PC manufacturers to develop a patch, while users may need to take proactive measures if their certificates are obstructed. Microsoft has temporarily halted the rollout of Secure Boot for certain devices due to complications, and affected users will receive detailed error messages in the Windows Security app regarding their Secure Boot certificates. Secure Boot certificates issued in 2011 have expired, and Microsoft is replacing them with new certificates issued in 2023. Most modern hardware is already utilizing the new certificates, but some devices may have disabled Secure Boot or faulty firmware. Users can check their Secure Boot status in the Windows Security app. HP has confirmed that Secure Boot updates are being blocked on some of its PCs due to a BitLocker issue, which prevents the installation of new certificates. Microsoft has paused Secure Boot certificate updates for devices affected by known issues while collaborating with manufacturers to identify specific devices or firmware complications. A firmware update will be necessary for affected devices, but it is not yet available. The majority of PCs have received the Secure Boot certificates via Windows Update, but compatibility issues may prevent some devices from receiving the update. Older devices or those not among the OEM’s top-selling models may not receive updates if the UEFI firmware is unsupported. Secure Boot is a security feature required for Windows 11, preventing unauthorized software from executing at boot. While an expired Secure Boot certificate does not stop a PC from functioning, it may limit long-term security protection. Microsoft advises users not to disable Secure Boot, as it would compromise security further.
Winsage
July 10, 2026
Valve has introduced an official Windows driver package for the Steam Machine, allowing users to replace SteamOS with Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit). The package includes drivers for the graphics unit, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth modules, and SD card reader. The graphics driver is custom-designed for the Steam Machine’s AMD chip and is not compatible with standard Adrenalin drivers. Installing Windows will erase SteamOS and all stored data, and there is currently no dual-boot option available. Users must connect to an Ethernet network during setup, as Wi-Fi drivers can only be installed afterward. The drivers are provided "as-is," without official support from Valve. Performance benchmarks show that SteamOS outperforms Windows by 10 to 15 percent, but some users may prefer Windows for compatibility with certain online games and services.
TrendTechie
July 2, 2026
The hacker known as voices38 has breached the Denuvo protection system in the game 007 First Light, which was released on May 27, 2026, approximately two weeks before the hack was reported. Voices38's method is a conventional executable "crack" that does not require users to disable security mechanisms, making it more user-friendly than previous attempts by the group DenuvOwO. Voices38 has also successfully bypassed protections in other high-profile games, including Pragmata, Stellar Blade, Resident Evil: Requiem, and Mafia: The Old Country. The effectiveness of DRM solutions like Denuvo is being questioned as hackers develop more sophisticated methods to breach these systems.
Winsage
July 1, 2026
A modder demonstrated Windows 11 running on a vintage system with a Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor, DDR1 RAM, and an ATI Radeon HD 4650 AGP graphics card, achieving stable performance with games like Half-Life 2 and Crysis. The setup utilized an ASRock ConRoe865PE motherboard with an Intel i865PE chipset and required some "hacking interventions" for hardware compatibility, including launching the AGP 8X interface and activating H.264 video decoding. The Radeon HD 4650 AGP used Windows 7 64-bit drivers from 2012. The modder noted that Windows 11 officially supports BIOS systems via Windows 11 IoT, contributing to its stability on older hardware. The system's performance was enhanced by a Toshiba THNSNJ512GCSU solid-state drive (SSD). Additionally, another modder doubled the performance of a GeForce GTX 1650 by increasing its VRAM to 8 GB, and a different modder compressed GTA V to 2.5 GB.
Winsage
June 30, 2026
Recent reports indicate that AMD's driver is disabling Smart Access Memory (SAM) on Windows 10 systems, resulting in reduced gaming performance. Users have experienced issues such as game crashes and improper recognition of Radeon graphics cards. Many have uninstalled the AMD driver using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) and performed a clean installation, but SAM remains disabled in the Adrenalin software despite BIOS settings being unchanged. Notifications from Windows 10 suggest a conflict between the AMD driver and the operating system. AMD is investigating the issue and has released a preview driver version 26.6.3 to address compatibility problems for RX 7000 series GPUs. Temporary workarounds have been suggested by users, including checking monitor refresh rates and rebooting systems.
Winsage
June 29, 2026
Major PC manufacturers, including HP, Dell, ASUS, Lenovo, MSI, Acer, Samsung, LG, and Microsoft’s Surface division, have provided guidance on transitioning to new Secure Boot certificates as the expiration of Microsoft’s 2011 certificates approaches. The expiration will occur in three phases: Microsoft Corporation KEK CA 2011 expired on June 24, 2026; Microsoft UEFI CA 2011 expired on June 27, 2026; and Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011 is set to expire on October 19, 2026. Microsoft has begun rolling out replacement certificates through Windows Update, contingent on OEMs providing compatible BIOS updates. ASUS offers detailed documentation for both consumer and commercial devices, confirming that most users will receive updates automatically. Lenovo provides direct download links for BIOS updates organized by product family and specifies which products will not receive updates. Dell's support article covers its entire product lineup, noting that devices with an End of Service Life before January 1, 2026, will not receive updates. HP outlines a dual-track approach for updates, with specific timelines for commercial PCs. Microsoft's Surface devices receive updates directly from Microsoft, while MSI categorizes guidance based on processor generation for its laptops. Acer emphasizes backing up the BitLocker recovery key and provides a model table for confirmed BIOS release dates. Samsung confirms that all PCs running Windows 10 or 11 will function normally post-expiration, but security updates will cease. LG has released a guide for checking BIOS updates for its PCs. To verify if a PC has the 2023 certificates, users can check the Secure Boot section in Windows Security. A green checkmark indicates successful application, while yellow or red icons indicate pending updates or incompatibility. Microsoft has pushed the certificates to all eligible devices as of June 2026.
Winsage
June 27, 2026
Omores has successfully demonstrated running Windows 11 on a Core 2 Quad Q6600 with a DDR1 motherboard and an ATI Radeon HD 4650 AGP graphics card. The system is stable and capable of running modern browsers, games, and 3D benchmarks, including the demanding game Crysis. Compatibility was achieved by integrating ATI’s Windows 7 64-bit drivers from 2012. Windows 11 operates on older systems without UEFI and only ACPI 1.1, and it officially supports BIOS systems through Windows 11 IoT.
AppWizard
June 25, 2026
Riot Games has introduced a new feature for its Vanguard anti-cheat system called Vanguard On-Demand, which allows the kernel driver to load only when a Riot game is launched and unload upon exit. This change ends the previous practice of loading the driver at Windows start-up, which has been in place since 2020. The new mode is supported by Windows 11 25H2 and requires specific hardware configurations, including UEFI Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, Virtualization-Based Security (VBS), Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity (HVCI), and IOMMU. Approximately 35% of players currently meet these hardware requirements, while around 3% are using incompatible systems. Riot has created a checklist called Vanguard Pre-Check to help players determine if their systems qualify. The percentage of fully secured machines is estimated to be around 34.33% and is increasing monthly. Players whose systems do not meet the criteria will need to make manual adjustments in their BIOS. Vanguard On-Demand mode will be available for players on Windows 11 starting later today. The feature is based on Microsoft’s Runtime Driver Attestation Report, which tracks driver activity since boot and helps ensure no vulnerable drivers have been loaded while Vanguard is inactive. Riot Games has required TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on Windows 11 since 2020 and has faced criticism for these requirements. Enabling VBS and HVCI may affect frame rates and could disable older peripheral drivers due to Microsoft's vulnerable driver blocklist.
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