failure Archives

Winsage

November 24, 2025

Scary experiment shows an infamous Windows XP build sending an old PC into chaos

Windows XP is no longer officially available for modern machines, but tech enthusiasts continue to explore its interface, particularly through virtual machines. The MetraByte YouTube channel recently showcased an experiment with "Windows XP Horror Edition," a version designed to disrupt and destabilize systems. This version can corrupt files and disable essential features, creating unsettling visuals and a chaotic user experience. The creator installed it on an isolated machine to avoid damaging their primary computer, emphasizing the importance of caution. A "Peaceful version" of the OS, which maintains the horror aesthetic without destructive elements, is also available on archive.org, but neither version should be installed on a primary PC.

AppWizard

November 22, 2025

Stardew Valley’s medieval fantasy cousin now lets you collect adorable pets and kill off NPCs

Mirthwood's latest update, the Foundations update, introduces new features such as seasonal festivals, pets, and random world events. Three recurring festivals have been added: All Hallows Eve, the Festival of Blossoms, and the Summer Solstice, each featuring special vendors with 35 exclusive items. Players can now have pets, including cats and dogs, which help with farm tasks and alert to intruders. The update also includes 35 new random events, like Bandit Raids and Vermin Plagues. A significant new feature is the mortality of NPCs, where players can lose characters due to neglect or failure to complete quests, with a tombstone system to memorialize them. The Foundations update is currently available, with a 30% discount on Steam until December 2, and a free demo is offered.

Winsage

November 22, 2025

Pretty much everything important on Windows 11 has broken, says Microsoft

Windows 11 has encountered significant issues, including failures in the Windows Recovery Environment and complications during the migration from Windows 10 to 11. The recent Windows 11 24H2 update has led to critical failures for users, affecting core shell components such as explorer.exe, shelhost.exe, StartMenuExperienceHost, and ImmersiveShell. Symptoms include application crashes when initializing XAML views, explorer running without a taskbar, failure of the Start menu to launch, silent failures of System Settings, and crashes of ShellHost.exe. Microsoft attributes these problems to applications dependent on XAML packages not registering in time after the update. Reports indicate a shift in user preference, with a Linux distribution for former Windows users achieving 780,000 downloads within a month, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with Windows.

AppWizard

November 20, 2025

After just a week, Black Ops 7 has given up campaign-gating its new extraction mode Endgame

Treyarch has introduced Black Ops 7 as the most expansive installment in the Call of Duty franchise, featuring a new PvE extraction mode called Endgame, which is linked to the co-op campaign. Initially designed to encourage narrative engagement, Endgame will be made accessible to all players just a week after launch, indicating that player engagement with the campaign may not have met expectations. The campaign has received mixed reactions, and Treyarch has implemented incentives like XP rewards and four-player co-op gameplay to attract players. Starting November 21, players can access Endgame without completing all campaign missions, although initial gameplay reveals a repetitive start. Players who unlock Endgame before its wider release will receive additional rewards, including double XP tokens and GobbleGums for Zombies. The decision to make Endgame available to all suggests a shift in Treyarch's expectations regarding player engagement.

Winsage

November 19, 2025

Windows 11 gets new Cloud Rebuild, Point-in-Time Restore tools

Microsoft introduced two recovery features for Windows 11 at the Ignite developer conference: Cloud Rebuild and Point-in-Time Restore (PITR). PITR allows users to revert a Windows 11 system to a previous stable state in minutes by capturing comprehensive snapshots of the system, restoring the operating system, settings, and files. This feature will enter preview with an upcoming Windows 11 Insider preview build. Cloud Rebuild enables complete reinstallation of Windows 11 from the cloud for devices with persistent issues, using the Intune portal for selection of the Windows release and language. It employs Autopilot for zero-touch provisioning and streamlines user data restoration through OneDrive and Windows Backup for Organizations, reducing downtime significantly. Both features will be integrated into Microsoft Intune in the first half of 2026, allowing remote recovery actions and management of Windows Recovery Environment functionalities. Additionally, Microsoft is testing an updated version of Quick Machine Recovery (QMR), which helps resolve Windows boot failures without physical access. QMR engages the Windows Recovery Environment during boot failures, analyzes crash data, and allows Microsoft to implement remote fixes. The latest version improves the boot-repair process by conducting a single scan to resolve issues.

Winsage

November 17, 2025

Windows 11 KB5068861 won’t install, File Explorer SMB search not working on network shares, and other issues

Windows 11 users are facing installation issues with the KB5068861 update from the November 2025 Patch Tuesday release, which addresses 63 critical security vulnerabilities. Errors reported include 0x80070306, 0x800f0983, and 0x800f081f. Affected users can wait for an optional release or use the Media Creation Tool, which downloads the same patch. Some users have reported a malfunctioning SMB search feature after the update. The installation errors have prompted reports of specific error codes, and attempts to resolve them through SFC scans or health checks have been largely ineffective. Downloading the .msu package from the Microsoft Update Catalog is recommended, followed by an installation attempt. If unsuccessful, the Media Creation Tool can be used while retaining user data. The November 2025 Update includes enhancements like a revamped Start menu, improved battery icons, and performance improvements, particularly for gamers. However, some users have encountered Bluetooth connectivity issues, especially on AMD PCs, with a temporary fix involving adjustments in Device Manager. The KB5068861 update has also caused a bug affecting search functionality over shared networks, leading to slower search results or empty listings for businesses. This issue arises from a breakdown in communication between the Windows client and the server’s search index. Users can restore functionality by restarting the Windows Search service or rebuilding the index. Additionally, the remote search functionality over SMB is compromised, preventing the Windows client from utilizing the server’s index. Users may need to uninstall the update to restore functionality, which requires disabling the Sandbox feature first. Specific DISM commands can be used to identify and remove the update, or it can be uninstalled through the Settings menu.

Winsage

November 17, 2025

Windows 10 update failure, autonomous AI cyberattack, Feds fumble Cisco patches

Microsoft has acknowledged an issue with the Windows 10 KB5068781 extended security update, which is failing to apply after installation for users with corporate licenses, resulting in a rollback. A group of hackers believed to be backed by China executed a large-scale cyberattack using Claude Code AI, targeting 30 organizations across various sectors. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reported that U.S. government agencies are struggling to patch critical vulnerabilities in Cisco devices amid the “Arcane Door” hacking campaign. Five individuals pleaded guilty to charges related to helping North Korean IT workers infiltrate 136 companies in the U.S. from September 2019 to November 2022. Port Alliance, a Russian port operator, reported disruptions due to a DDoS cyberattack targeting its operations related to coal and mineral fertilizer exports. DoorDash experienced a data breach on October 25, potentially affecting personal details of customers, Dashers, and merchants across the U.S. and Canada, traced back to a social engineering scam. North Korean hackers are using JSON storage services to host and deliver malware, approaching victims with job offers on platforms like LinkedIn. Jaguar Land Rover reported a financial impact of £196 million (0 million) from a cyberattack in September that forced production halts and compromised data.

Winsage

November 17, 2025

First Windows 10 ESU Patch Tuesday release fails for some

Microsoft is facing installation issues with the first Extended Security Update (ESU) for commercial Windows 10 customers, specifically update KB5068781, which fails to install on devices activated through the Microsoft 365 admin center, resulting in the 0x800f0922 error. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue and is investigating it, but no fix or workaround is currently available. This incident follows another ESU failure that occurred just days prior, prompting Microsoft to release an out-of-band patch. The latest update was intended to fix a previous glitch that incorrectly indicated a user's version of Windows had reached the end of support.

Winsage

November 17, 2025

I tried 3 Windows laptops with Qualcomm chipsets this year – and found 3 glaring issues

Last year, Microsoft introduced Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, prompting the purchase of a Surface Pro 11, which became essential for daily tasks. This led to acquiring additional devices, including a Surface Laptop and a Dell XPS 13, both with Snapdragon X Elite chips. Despite effective marketing, businesses remain cautious about these devices. Windows on Arm has improved for Office applications and web services, with devices maintaining cool temperatures and long battery life. However, there are limitations: backup software may not work effectively on Arm devices, as external drives are inaccessible during recovery, necessitating workarounds like network or cloud storage. Installing Linux on Snapdragon-powered PCs is challenging due to a lack of compatible installation images, making Intel-based PCs more practical for work tasks. Additionally, Arm-based devices have performance constraints for gaming, with Snapdragon processors unable to compete with dedicated GPUs, making high-performance gaming unfeasible.

Winsage

November 17, 2025

Custom Windows Event Viewer log notifications upped my debugging game

Windows Task Scheduler can be configured to monitor system events and send notifications for anomalies, allowing users to proactively address issues before they escalate. Users can set up custom notifications by specifying Event IDs in the Task Scheduler. Common Event IDs for debugging include: - Application crash: Event ID 1000 (Application Error) - Application hang: Event ID 1002 (Application Hang) - Service failure: Event ID 7000 (Service Control Manager) - Service stopped: Event ID 7036 (Service Control Manager) - Disk/I/O issues: Event ID 129 (Disk or NTFS) - Group policy failure: Event ID 1058 (Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy) - Driver error: Event ID 7023 (Service Control Manager or Kernel-PnP) - Failed logon: Event ID 4625 (Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing) - User account locked out: Event ID 4740 (Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing) - Audit log cleared: Event ID 1102 (EventLog) - Unexpected system shutdown: Event ID 41 (Kernel-Power) To set up notifications, users can create a PowerShell script that performs specific actions based on the event type, such as sending an email for critical alerts or displaying on-screen messages for less critical events. This setup enables effective monitoring without the need for third-party applications.