hard drives

AppWizard
June 30, 2025
Xbox is set to release 18 new games from June 30 to July 4 across its consoles and platforms. Game Releases: - 30 June - Mystic Pathways: Crystal Quest (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) - 1 July - Irem Collection Vol. 3 (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One) - No Heroes Here 2 (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) - 2 July - Mecha BREAK (Xbox Series X/S, PC) - Arena Renovation (Xbox Series X/S) - Dead of Darkness (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) - Mystic Thief - Elemental Conquest (Xbox Series X/S) - Rally Arcade Classics (Xbox Series X/S) - SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off Extra Krusty Edition (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One) - 3 July - Music Drive: Chase the Beat (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One) - 4 July - Aery: Titans of the Future (Xbox Series X/S) - All the Words She Wrote (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One) - Beat of Life (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One) - Farm Together 2 (Xbox Series X/S) - Frozen Axe (Xbox Series X/S) - Golf Guys (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) - Hexa Road (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One) - Novel Rogue (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
Winsage
June 20, 2025
Microsoft is blocking users of WD Black SN770 solid-state drives from receiving the Windows 11 version 24H2 update due to an issue that has not been officially acknowledged. Users attempting to upgrade receive an alert indicating their hardware is not ready. Some users have found a workaround by manually applying firmware updates using the SanDisk Dashboard software, which is necessary for managing firmware updates for various SSD models. Western Digital's recent corporate restructuring has added complexity to support for these drives. Until Microsoft automates the firmware update process, users must use the SanDisk Dashboard to update their firmware and proceed with the Windows 11 upgrade.
Winsage
June 6, 2025
Microsoft has made significant updates for users in the European Union and European Economic Area, including the ability to uninstall the Microsoft Store while still receiving app updates, a reduction in notifications related to Edge, and increased control over web searches in Windows. This week features discounts on various applications, with some offers extending beyond a single week. Notable new or improved Windows apps include: - Fences 6.0: An updated desktop management tool that allows users to organize programs and links into customizable groups with new tab support. - Start Everywhere: An application launcher that complements the Windows Start Menu, enabling users to launch applications from any screen corner using mouse clicks, hotkeys, or active corners. - VeraCrypt 1.26: An open-source encryption software that allows users to encrypt their entire system, individual hard drives, or specific partitions, with new protective measures against screen recordings and captures.
Winsage
May 30, 2025
Microsoft's recent Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 has faced significant issues, particularly affecting users on versions 22H2 and 23H2. The installation of the May 13 update is failing on some machines, especially in virtual environments, leading to recovery mode entries and boot errors. Users are advised to avoid the update temporarily. The error message indicates a problem with the ACPI.sys file, which is crucial for managing hardware resources. Windows 11 Home and Pro users are likely unaffected, as virtual machines are typically used in enterprise settings. Microsoft has not provided the number of impacted users or a workaround beyond uninstalling the patches, but engineers are working on a resolution. This incident follows previous patching challenges faced by Microsoft this year, including an emergency update for Windows 10 and issues with Remote Desktop sessions in earlier updates.
Winsage
May 28, 2025
File Explorer in Windows 11 has usability issues, particularly with sluggish search functionality and problems accessing networked drives. Users often experience drives disappearing after reboot, inaccessibility to files, and freezing of File Explorer, with error codes like c0000375 indicating deeper issues. The networked drive feature relies on outdated technology, as Microsoft has deprecated older protocols like SMBv1, complicating file sharing. Users can mitigate freezing by restarting File Explorer and ensuring network settings are correctly configured, such as setting Wi-Fi to private and enabling file sharing options. Excessive pinned items in Quick Access can cause crashes, and clearing the cache may resolve these issues. Alternatives to File Explorer, like XYplorer and File Pilot, can provide better access to networked drives. Overall, the challenges stem from outdated technology and the corruption of the Quick Access cache, with third-party solutions available for relief.
Winsage
May 6, 2025
BitLocker encryption is enabled by default on most Windows 11 systems, which can hinder the installation of Ubuntu. To proceed with the installation, BitLocker was temporarily disabled through the Control Panel. A bootable USB drive for Ubuntu was created using Rufus with an SK hynix Tube drive. The Ubuntu 25.04 ISO file, known as "Plucky Puffin," was downloaded at 5.8GB in about a minute. The decision was made to install Ubuntu 25.04 instead of the more stable Ubuntu 24.04 LTS due to a desire for the latest features. The installation was planned for both a ThinkPad X1 Carbon and a custom-built desktop with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU.
Winsage
May 3, 2025
Janet Jackson's song "Rhythm Nation" caused laptops to crash due to its bass-heavy sound generating a resonant frequency that affected mechanical hard drives. Microsoft investigated the issue and found that the song could induce slight movements in the hard drives, leading to data corruption and system freezes. They implemented a "notch" filter to eliminate the problematic frequency from the launch of Windows XP in 2001 until Windows 7 in 2009. This issue was specific to laptop hard drives and did not affect external models. With the introduction of solid-state drives (SSDs), the problems associated with mechanical drives and resonance have been largely resolved.
Winsage
May 3, 2025
Playing Janet Jackson's 1989 hit "Rhythm Nation" near certain laptops manufactured from 2005 onward can cause malfunctions, particularly affecting their hard drives. This issue was highlighted by Microsoft employee Raymond Chen, who noted that a major computer manufacturer had to create a custom audio filter to address specific sound frequencies that could disrupt 5,400 RPM hard drives. The problem was serious enough to be listed in the NIST National Vulnerability Database. The audio filter remained in use until at least the Windows 7 era, and there was a hardware vendor that sought an exception to a rule requiring users to disable all audio processing, citing potential physical damage to computers if the audio processing was disabled. Chen expressed uncertainty about whether this rule still exists today.
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