desktop Archives

Winsage

September 19, 2026

Web apps are freezing in Microsoft Edge, and the fix is a real hassle

Users are experiencing freezing issues with web applications on PCs due to a bug in Microsoft Edge version 153, which causes windows to become unresponsive to mouse and keyboard inputs. Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and suggested reverting to version 152 as a temporary solution. To downgrade Microsoft Edge, users must disable updates through the Group Policy Editor, download the MSI file for version 152, and execute a rollback command in the Windows command prompt. After completing these steps, users can verify the version of Microsoft Edge to confirm the rollback.

Winsage

September 19, 2026

These 4 built-in Windows tools helped me build a self-healing PC

Windows operating systems include built-in tools for maintaining PCs, allowing users to monitor system health, repair corrupted files, and recover from boot failures with minimal intervention. Task Scheduler automates maintenance tasks by triggering them based on schedules or events, accessible via the Start menu or taskschd.msc. It can activate tasks at fixed intervals, on startup, during idle periods, or in response to Event Viewer entries. Tasks should run with the highest privileges and can be configured to execute regardless of user sign-in status. The Settings tab allows missed tasks to run as soon as possible. DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is a command-line utility that repairs the component store, essential for installing updates and restoring system files. It offers three inspection levels: CheckHealth, ScanHealth, and RestoreHealth, with the latter requiring an internet connection for downloading replacement files. DISM logs operations in C:WindowsLogsDISMdism.log. SFC (System File Checker) verifies and repairs core operating system files using Windows Resource Protection. The command sfc /scannow checks all protected files, while /verifyonly provides a report without changes. SFC's effectiveness depends on the integrity of the component store, making it essential to run DISM first. Results are logged in C:WindowsLogsCBSCBS.log. Quick Machine Recovery (QMR), introduced in Windows 11, addresses boot failures by connecting to the internet to find solutions when repeated boot failures are detected. QMR is enabled by default on unmanaged devices and can continuously check for fixes. It is designed to respond to widespread issues rather than unique problems and may not work effectively on older hardware or without a network connection. Together, these tools provide a comprehensive approach to system maintenance in Windows 11, ensuring the operating system remains healthy and efficient without additional software.

Winsage

September 19, 2026

Microsoft fixes bug behind ‘Defender Antivirus is turned off’ alerts

Microsoft resolved an issue that caused misleading alerts indicating that Defender Antivirus was disabled after recent updates. This fix was confirmed in an update to the Windows release health dashboard and was implemented in the Microsoft Defender Antivirus update (version 4.18.26080.4) rolled out on September 17. The bug, acknowledged by Microsoft in late August, affected users in the Release Preview Channel of the Windows Insider program since at least June and impacted all supported versions of Windows clients and servers. Users received erroneous notifications in the Windows Security app prompting them to activate Microsoft Defender Antivirus, despite it functioning correctly. Misleading alerts could appear upon Windows startup and intermittently thereafter, even when notification settings were disabled.

Winsage

September 18, 2026

How to measure and shrink the Windows search index

The initial storage cost of the search index on a fresh installation of Windows 11 is minimal, only a few megabytes. When a sizable work folder is added, the index expands, but it does not revert to its original size after the folder is removed. The search index is stored in Windows.db for Windows 11 and Windows.edb for Windows 10. Windows 11 has two indexing modes: Classic (default) and Enhanced, with Classic indexing Documents, Pictures, Music folders, and the Desktop, while Enhanced scans the entire PC. The index includes file names and content, allowing keyword searches. Users can measure their index items through Settings without special permissions, while file size requires administrative access via PowerShell. An index under 30,000 items is acceptable for average users, while performance issues may arise beyond 400,000 items, with a technical ceiling of one million items. In an experiment, the index grew from 462 items and 6.71 MB to 3,466 items and 18.66 MB after adding 3,000 text files, but remained at 16.81 MB after deleting those files. To reclaim disk space, users can exclude specific folders from indexing and rebuild the index, which can significantly reduce its size while retaining the same number of items.

Winsage

September 18, 2026

Microsoft fixes Excel’s copy-paste bug, but only for a small group of people

Microsoft acknowledged a bug affecting Excel's copy and paste functionality that emerged after the September Patch Tuesday update. They have released an out-of-band update to resolve various issues, including the Excel bug. Instructions for users to navigate the issue include using the Paste Special feature and selecting options like Formulas, Values, or Links. Microsoft is investigating the root cause of the issue and plans to implement broader fixes. Additionally, Windows 11 is being refreshed to streamline the update process and reduce bugs.

BetaBeacon

September 18, 2026

Pokémon Infinite Fusion on Android: JoiPlay Setup [2026]

- Pokémon Infinite Fusion is a standalone game built in RPG Maker XP, using the RGSS scripting layer. - The game is not a ROM, cartridge dump, or console to emulate, but rather a folder of Ruby scripts, tileset graphics, and audio files. - The mainline build of the game reached version 6.7.2 on October 2, 2025, and was updated to version 6.8.2 by August 2026. - The game combines two Pokémon into a single custom sprite and blended stat line, generating the combined artwork procedurally. - The Android-specific performance complaints come from the CPU doing image layering work in real time when compositing fusion sprites on lower-end devices.

Winsage

September 17, 2026

The real reason your Windows 11 taskbar couldn’t move for 5 years

Tali Roth, overseeing Windows core user experience, revealed that Windows 11 did not inherit significant portions of the legacy Win32 code, particularly affecting the taskbar's customization and repositioning features. Microsoft had to rebuild the taskbar from scratch, which complicated the ability to allow users to move it, as each application would need to adapt to such changes. Initially, the demand for a movable taskbar was low, but user feedback prompted Microsoft to reconsider. Similarly, the Start menu in Windows 11 offered fewer customization options compared to Windows 10 due to a design shift towards a minimalist aesthetic, making it difficult to reintegrate previous features. Microsoft is balancing user feedback with its design vision as it evolves the Windows experience.

Winsage

September 17, 2026

Windows Search’s default indexing mode could be writing gigabytes to your SSD every day for a feature almost nobody uses

The search index on Windows 11 can contribute to storage bloat, with reported sizes varying significantly among users. The search index database, named Windows.db, is crucial for delivering quick search results and can grow dramatically, with some users experiencing sizes exceeding 200GB. A PowerShell script can be used to check the size of the Windows.db file. If the file size is unusually large, users can rebuild the search index through the Indexing Options in the Control Panel. Windows 11 has two indexing modes: Classic and Enhanced, which affect the size and number of indexed items. Classic mode indexes specific folders, while Enhanced mode indexes the entire PC. Excluding certain directories can help manage index size. Performance issues may arise on PCs with over 400,000 indexed items.

Winsage

September 17, 2026

Microsoft Calls In NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang For Its Biggest Windows Event In Years

Microsoft will hold a Windows event on October 7 in San Francisco, marking its first major dedicated Windows gathering in over two years. The event will feature CEO Satya Nadella, Windows and Surface chief Pavan Davuluri, and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, focusing on the impact of local AI on personal computing. A highlight will be the Surface Laptop Ultra, designed to compete with the MacBook Pro, featuring a custom NVIDIA RTX Spark SoC, an NVIDIA Blackwell GPU, up to 128GB of RAM, and the ability to run complex AI models on-device. Microsoft has also introduced a Workload Profile Scheduling system for efficient task distribution across CPU cores and optimized its Prism emulation layer for legacy x86 applications on ARM systems. The event is not expected to announce Windows 12, as Microsoft will focus on enhancing Windows 11. Major hardware partners like Dell, Lenovo, and ASUS are also involved in the RTX Spark ecosystem.

Winsage

September 17, 2026

What Windows 11 KB5129195 fixes

On September 14, 2026, Microsoft released KB5129195, an out-of-band cumulative update for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, transitioning systems to build 26100.9457 for 24H2 and 26200.9457 for 25H2. The update addresses several regressions, including failed connections and sign-ins in Remote Desktop Services, host-folder sharing failures in Plan9 file sharing for HCS-managed Linux virtual machines, and failures affecting 8-channel and 3D-audio modes in USB Audio Class 1.0. However, it does not fix ongoing issues with AMD Radeon graphics cards, such as freezes, black screens, and driver timeouts, which have affected various hardware configurations. KB5129195 is available through multiple distribution channels, including Windows Update and WSUS.