hosts Archives

Winsage

October 15, 2026

Microsoft: Recent Windows updates may trigger Remote Desktop failures

Microsoft has acknowledged an issue affecting non-admin users connecting to devices via Remote Desktop after recent Windows updates, specifically when the "Administrator protection" feature is enabled. This feature, introduced with the KB5067036 update for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 in October 2025, restricts users to standard permissions and requires authentication through Windows Hello for certain actions. Users may encounter connection failures with error code 0xC000000D after applying the KB5124010 September 2026 non-security preview update on systems running Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, 26H1, or 26H2. This issue primarily affects enterprise-managed remote devices configured as Remote Desktop hosts with Administrator protection enabled. Organizations using Windows security baselines have this feature enabled by default unless configured otherwise. A temporary workaround involves disabling Administrator protection, and IT administrators can reset the "User Account Control Type Of Admin Approval Mode" policy using Microsoft Intune or Group Policy. Similar issues have been addressed by Microsoft in the past, including a problem resolved in March 2025 and emergency updates issued last month for Remote Desktop Services failures on Windows Server devices.

AppWizard

October 15, 2026

15 best PC mods of all time that feel like new games

The text discusses the significance of modding communities in PC gaming, particularly highlighting total conversion mods that can transform games into new experiences. A list of notable PC mods includes: 1. Star Wars: Genesis — Starfield: Introduces 40 planets with unique content and revamped combat. 2. A Game of Thrones — Crusader Kings 2: Recreates Westeros with a detailed map and political intrigue. 3. The Lay D Denton Project — Deus Ex: Restores gender choice for the protagonist with new voice lines. 4. A Tale of Two Wastelands — Fallout: New Vegas: Merges Fallout 3 and New Vegas into a single playthrough. 5. Retro Rewind — Mario Kart Wii: Adds over 200 classic tracks to Mario Kart Wii. 6. Divide and Conquer (The Lord of the Rings) — Medieval II: Total War: Allows players to command factions from Middle-earth. 7. Long War — XCOM: Enemy Unknown: Extends gameplay with new classes and missions. 8. Fallout: London — Fallout 4: Set in post-apocalyptic London with new quests and characters. 9. Stardew Valley Expanded — Stardew Valley: Adds new locations, NPCs, and events to the game. 10. The Nameless Mod — Deus Ex: Introduces a 15-hour campaign with a new narrative. 11. Ashes 2063 — Doom 2: A standalone mod set in a post-apocalyptic world. 12. STALKER Anomaly — STALKER: Call of Pripyat: Offers a survival sandbox experience with a fresh narrative. 13. The Dark Mod (Thief) — Doom 3: An open-source platform for creating custom levels. 14. Return to Rapture — Half Life: Alyx: Merges Half-Life and BioShock with a new storyline. 15. Enderal: Forgotten Stories — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: A standalone RPG with its own world and narrative. The selection criteria for the best mods included their transformative impact on the original game and ease of installation. Recommendations for safe mod installation include downloading from reputable sources and backing up save files. Additionally, some mods have evolved into standalone games, illustrating the potential of modding creativity.

Winsage

October 8, 2026

Microsoft confirms a Windows update can close games that use AC-3 audio

Microsoft has acknowledged an issue related to a Windows update (KB5124010) released on September 22, 2026, which has caused unexpected closures of various games that rely on AC-3 audio decoding. This issue affects Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2, while server editions remain unaffected. The problem primarily impacts legacy applications that depend on Windows' built-in audio decoding, particularly older PC games using the Dolby Digital codec for pre-rendered cutscenes and licensed soundtracks. Microsoft has confirmed the issue but has not provided a list of affected titles, workarounds, or a resolution timeline. The status remains unchanged as of October 7, and the issue persists regardless of user action.

AppWizard

October 6, 2026

Mike Tomlin’s Son, Mayce, Takes Us Inside His Dad’s Minecraft City

Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin revealed a Minecraft city he has been building for 12 years, encouraged by his sons, Dino and Mayce. The first episode of his YouTube series received 3.2 million views in four days, and NBC’s Football Night in America featured a segment on it. Dino traveled from Miami to New York to help produce the video, while Mayce assisted with filming and editing. The city includes personal touches and inside jokes reflecting their family dynamics. Mayce mentioned that their relationship goes beyond gaming, appreciating the time spent together. Episode 2 is in development, with details kept under wraps.

AppWizard

October 1, 2026

Top 5 Proxy vs VPN for Android App Developers Tools to Secure Test Builds

In Android app development, maintaining connectivity, security, and debugging capabilities is crucial. When connecting to a London edge server, all requests must be visible to QA teams, but using a consumer VPN can hinder debugging proxies. A debugging proxy allows developers to inspect request headers and modify data by terminating TLS on their workstation. In contrast, a VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for all device traffic but prevents debugging proxies from intercepting packets. TorGuard is a hybrid solution that combines a VPN with SOCKS5 and V2Ray endpoints, allowing for traffic encryption and application-specific proxying. mitmproxy is an open-source tool that enables scripted request manipulation and can intercept various traffic types. Tailscale uses a WireGuard-based mesh network to provide stable private IPs for devices without needing port forwarding. HTTP Toolkit offers a rootless interception method for Android, directing traffic to a laptop without complex configurations. WireGuard is a high-speed self-hosted VPN that encrypts packets but does not allow for inspection. To inspect traffic while changing geographic egress, developers can run mitmproxy on a laptop and connect it to a VPN, ensuring the proxy is closest to the app. For debugging Android HTTPS traffic, a proxy is preferred for reading or rewriting requests, while a VPN is better for changing exit IPs or encrypted routing. SOCKS5 masks IP addresses but does not encrypt traffic.

Winsage

September 28, 2026

Windows 11 preview update causes black screen after sign-in; Microsoft publishes workaround

On September 24, Microsoft reported an issue affecting devices that installed the August 27 preview update for Windows 11, causing a black screen after sign-in and preventing the desktop from loading correctly. This issue primarily impacts Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) hosts using FSLogix with existing user profiles. The affected OS versions are Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2, and 24H2, and the causal update is KB5120998. Microsoft has issued interim workarounds, including a manual desktop launch and a Known Issue Rollback (KIR), which will be automatically delivered to non-enterprise devices. Affected enterprise-managed devices require manual deployment of the KIR policy. The black screen issue is part of a series of update-related problems for Windows 11 in 2026, while Windows 10 has experienced fewer issues during the same timeframe.

Winsage

September 26, 2026

Is Windows 11 good enough yet?

A viewer on The Full Nerd asked if perceptions of Windows 11 might change after five years. The author, who initially embraced Windows 11 but became disillusioned due to ads and performance issues, has recently had a positive experience with the Dell XPS 13 laptop. Despite having only 8GB of RAM, the laptop performs well with multitasking, maintaining responsiveness even with multiple applications open. However, the Task Manager shows that memory usage starts at 6GB even when idle, indicating that Windows 11 consumes significant resources. The author speculates that ongoing critiques may have led to optimizations in software from companies like Google and Microsoft.

Winsage

September 26, 2026

Microsoft: Recent Windows updates cause desktop loading issues

Microsoft has acknowledged that some users may experience desktop loading issues, specifically black screens, after installing the August 2026 preview updates and subsequent releases. This problem mainly affects Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) hosts using FSLogix. Symptoms include a black screen post-sign-in and crashes related to Windows Explorer, which can be temporarily resolved by manually launching Windows Explorer through Task Manager. For enterprise customers, Microsoft has introduced a mitigation strategy via Known Issue Rollback (KIR), allowing IT administrators to reverse problematic updates by applying specific group policies. Additionally, Microsoft has addressed issues related to the loss of mouse and desktop settings on certain Windows 11 systems caused by the KB5120998 update.

Winsage

September 25, 2026

Windows update leaves some virtual desktops staring into the void

Microsoft has acknowledged an issue affecting some Windows 11 users utilizing virtual desktops, where a black screen appears after sign-in, requiring manual launch of Explorer to regain access. This glitch is linked to devices operating on the August 2026 non-security preview update or later. It has been predominantly observed on Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) hosts using FSLogix, with crashes of Windows Explorer noted in the Application event log. A temporary workaround involves using Task Manager to initiate explorer.exe as a new task. Microsoft has implemented a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) via Group Policy to disable the problematic change until a permanent fix is released. Versions 26H1, 25H2, and 24H2 of Windows 11 are affected, while Windows 10 and Windows Server do not appear to be impacted.

Winsage

September 24, 2026

86Box Setup Guide 2026: Emulate a Windows 98 PC in 13 Steps

86Box is an emulator that meticulously reconstructs vintage PCs, allowing users to boot operating systems like MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows XP. The latest version, 6.0, was released on May 31, 2026, featuring a native Windows ARM64 build and discontinuing support for macOS 10.13 High Sierra. It has approximately 2,400 monthly searches in the U.S., indicating a demand for setup guides among enthusiasts. Unlike DOSBox, which creates a generic DOS environment, 86Box emulates specific hardware components for authentic execution of various operating systems. Originally a fork of PCem, 86Box has expanded its supported motherboards and developed a community of contributors. Version 6.0 has established it as the preferred choice for retro-PC builders in 2026. Before installation, users need a minimum of a 64-bit Intel Core 2, AMD Athlon 64, or ARMv8 CPU, 4 GB of RAM, and a compatible host operating system. The installation process involves downloading the appropriate build, sourcing a legal ROM set, and configuring the virtual machine using the 86Box Manager. Users can select specific graphics cards and sound hardware to replicate the original systems accurately. The setup requires installation media for the guest operating system, which must be sourced legally. Common pitfalls during setup include ensuring the BIOS ROM is available, matching CPU speed to software era, and installing the correct drivers. A properly configured virtual machine should display a BIOS POST screen and boot the selected operating system. Troubleshooting common issues often involves checking for missing ROMs, uninstalled drivers, or performance settings. 86Box is open-source and legal to use, but users must ensure they have legitimate licenses for any software used within the emulator.