guidance Archives

AppWizard

May 2, 2025

Stainless promotes Ben Gunstone to CEO

Ben Gunstone has been promoted to chief executive officer of Stainless Games, succeeding Patrick Buckland, who has led the company since 1994. Gunstone joined Stainless in 2022 as a game director and became operations director before this promotion. Buckland will transition to the role of Executive Chairman. Gunstone expressed pride in his new role and emphasized the company's commitment to creating exceptional games. Buckland, who is 62, decided to step back from the daily stresses of being CEO while still nurturing the company's legacy as the majority shareholder.

Winsage

May 1, 2025

Windows Warning — Microsoft Confirms Old Passwords Still Work To Login

Microsoft has confirmed that users can log into their Windows accounts using old passwords that have been changed and revoked under certain conditions. This behavior is classified as a feature rather than a security vulnerability. The issue arises from the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), which allows remote access to Windows machines. An independent security researcher discovered that after changing his password, he could still access his machine using the old credentials, even from new devices. Microsoft's documentation was updated to explain that credentials are verified against a local cached copy before network authentication, allowing continued access with the old password. Microsoft stated that this design ensures at least one user account can always log in, regardless of system offline status, and confirmed there are no plans to change this behavior.

Winsage

April 30, 2025

A mysterious new Windows 11 folder appeared – and now there’s a new exploit

Windows 11 users encountered the "inetpub" folder after the April 2023 update (KB5055523), which is a crucial component for addressing the security vulnerability CVE-2025-21204. Microsoft stated that the folder should not be removed, as it helps manage Windows Update security vulnerabilities by preventing unauthorized control through symbolic links. However, cybersecurity expert Kevin Beaumont revealed that the same patch introduced a new vulnerability that could allow remote exploitation, prompting Microsoft to acknowledge this issue with a "Moderate" status and indicate that a fix is forthcoming. Users are advised to keep their systems updated and not delete the "inetpub" folder. If the folder is deleted, it can be restored by enabling Internet Information Services in the Control Panel.

AppWizard

April 28, 2025

5 ways to use the Linux terminal on your Android phone

Android 15 includes a fully functional Linux terminal, allowing users to execute familiar commands, though running GUI applications can be challenging. With Android 16, the terminal receives more space. Users can connect to remote machines via SSH by configuring the SSH config file for easier access. The terminal serves as a platform for learning the Linux command line, executing commands, and accessing manuals. Developers can use it for coding, with Python pre-installed, and can create applications directly on their devices. The terminal also supports the installation of the MariaDB database server for database management. Additionally, users can create hidden files for storing sensitive notes using the Nano editor.

Winsage

April 26, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5305 (Beta Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5305 (KB5055636) has been released to the Beta Channel for users on Windows 11, version 23H2. This update is the last for the Beta Channel based on version 23H2, as all Insiders will soon transition to version 24H2, which is currently available as an optional upgrade in the Beta Channel. New features include a profanity filter setting for voice typing that allows users to manage profanity masking. Administrators can now allow users to unpin specific pinned apps on the taskbar using a new PinGeneration option. Fixes include resolving a crash issue in File Explorer when using touch, fixing a problem with the Windows Spotlight flyout, addressing a character insertion issue in password fields when using the touch keyboard, and correcting a display issue in the Settings app. A known issue involves some Insiders experiencing a bug with Xbox Controllers via Bluetooth, which can be resolved by uninstalling a specific driver in Device Manager. Updates for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will continue based on version 23H2 through an enablement package, and features may be gradually rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology. Features may evolve or be removed based on feedback.

AppWizard

April 26, 2025

Key To Success? Minecraft Study Reveals Adaptability Beats All

A study published in Nature Communications explored human decision-making using the game Minecraft, involving 128 participants who navigated a virtual world to find hidden rewards. The research found that individuals adapt their strategies based on personal success rates; they rely on their instincts when thriving but observe and emulate successful peers when struggling. In clustered reward environments, successful players attracted followers, while in random settings, individuals distanced themselves to minimize competition. The study highlighted the importance of adaptability in decision-making and noted that participants sometimes copied others even when it was unbeneficial. The research was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, with no reported competing interests. The paper was published on April 25, 2025.

Winsage

April 26, 2025

3 reasons you shouldn’t use Btrfs, ReFS, or ZFS on Windows

Windows has relied on the NTFS file system for many years, while alternatives like Microsoft's ReFS, ZFS, and Btrfs have emerged. ZFS and Btrfs are not officially supported on Windows, leading users to depend on community-developed drivers that can cause stability issues, including crashes and blue screens of death. Performance tests show that ReFS underperforms compared to NTFS, with significant declines in disk performance across various metrics. Similar performance issues have been reported for Btrfs. Additionally, ReFS lacks certain features available in NTFS, such as support for portable media, specific encryption options, extended file attributes, and disk quotas. Currently, Windows is not fully equipped to support these newer file systems, and while ReFS is under development, the future of ZFS and Btrfs on Windows remains uncertain.

AppWizard

April 24, 2025

Technology behind private messaging app Telegram names Maximilian…

The TON Foundation will announce Maximilian Crown as its new CEO on Thursday. This appointment aims to stabilize Telegram, which has a user base of one billion, following the arrest of its founder Pavel Durov in Paris last year. Crown's leadership is seen as a significant step for Telegram, demonstrating its commitment to expanding its multi-functional app amid governmental pressures to access user data. Crown has experience as CFO and COO of MoonPay and has successfully secured operational approvals across various countries. Telegram has transformed into a “Super App,” integrating features such as gaming, shopping, and payment functionalities. The Telegram Open Network (TON) has 41 million active accounts and 121 million Toncoin holders. Toncoin's value is tied to Telegram's fortunes, experiencing fluctuations following Durov's arrest. Concerns have been raised regarding the impact of French authorities' actions on Telegram’s blockchain initiatives, especially related to digital privacy and government oversight. Durov was detained for 96 hours and criticized the scrutiny faced by Telegram, warning against legislative efforts that threaten individual freedoms.

Winsage

April 24, 2025

Microsoft fixes bug causing incorrect 0x80070643 WinRE errors

Microsoft has resolved a known issue causing 0x80070643 installation failure errors during the deployment of the April 2025 Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) updates. This issue affected the KB5057588 update for Windows Server 2022 and the KB5057589 update for Windows 10, versions 22H2 and 21H2. The error message was misleading, as it did not reflect the actual status of the update or the device's performance. The error typically occurred when a device attempted to install the WinRE update while another update was pending a reboot. Microsoft confirmed that users will no longer see the incorrect error message after installing the affected updates. Additionally, in August of the previous year, Microsoft retired the January 2024 Windows security updates that also triggered 0x80070643 errors during WinRE updates. During that time, fraudulent IT support websites promoted malicious PowerShell "fixes" for these errors, leading to malware infections among users.

Winsage

April 22, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5562 (Dev Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5562 (KB5055642) has been released to the Dev Channel, introducing new features and improvements. Key updates include: - New Text Actions in Click to Do: - "Practice in Reading Coach" allows users to enhance reading fluency and pronunciation. - "Read with Immersive Reader" offers a distraction-free reading environment with customizable text options. - Finding Photos Saved in the Cloud via Windows Search: Users in the European Economic Area can search for cloud-stored photos directly from the taskbar by describing them. - Improvements for Voice Access: Users can add custom words to the voice access dictionary and discover new features through an immersive experience. - Improved Windows Search: Users can disable cloud content searching via settings. - File Explorer Changes: Folders opened from outside File Explorer will default to opening in a new tab if an existing window is open. - Widgets Improvements: Notification settings can be controlled per feed or dashboard. - Windows Security Update: Additional details for Pluton TPM chips will be displayed in the Windows Security app. - Settings Update: The printer renaming dialog has been updated to align with Windows 11 visuals. - Fixes: Resolved issues include Start menu crashes, color display issues in snap layouts, slow loading times for search, and voice typing issues in the Chinese layout. - Known Issues: Some apps may not install from the Microsoft Store, and Windows Recovery Environment may not function properly after the update. - Reminders: Users can remove Recall at any time, and updates in the Dev Channel are based on Windows 11, version 24H2.