reinstallation Archives

Tech Optimizer

December 3, 2025

Wacatac Trojan: What Is It And How To Remove It

The Wacatac Trojan is a type of malware first documented in January 2020, known for disguising itself as benign software to trick users into installation. It operates under various aliases, including Trojan:Script/Wacatac and Trojan:Win32/Wacatac, and can connect to Command-and-Control (C2) servers for remote manipulation. Its capabilities include stealing credentials, evading antivirus detection, creating or joining botnets, causing system damage, enabling spyware functions, acting as Remote Access Tools (RATs), and downloading additional malware. Symptoms of infection include sluggish performance, program failures, unexplained storage reductions, and unfamiliar processes. Wacatac spreads through unofficial software, malicious web pages, and phishing emails. Removal is best achieved using reputable antivirus software, while prevention involves avoiding questionable downloads, practicing good digital hygiene, keeping software updated, backing up data, and using quality antivirus solutions. False positives can occur, where legitimate programs are mistakenly flagged as Wacatac.

Winsage

December 2, 2025

5 reasons your PC can feel slow after a Windows update, and how to fix each one

Large Windows updates involve reconfiguring system files, installing components, updating drivers, and initiating post-update tasks, which can temporarily slow down performance, especially on older hardware. The Windows Module Installer (TiWorker.exe) finalizes updates and may trigger cleanup and maintenance tasks, consuming CPU and disk resources. Outdated or incompatible drivers can hinder performance, leading to sluggish boot times and reduced gaming frame rates. The indexing feature may intensify after a major update, increasing CPU and disk usage. Major updates can reset user-defined settings and reintroduce background processes and applications, causing additional resource consumption. Cumulative updates may lead to performance issues due to memory leaks or driver conflicts, and Microsoft provides a "Windows release health" dashboard for tracking known issues. Slowdowns after updates are typically temporary, lasting from a few minutes to several hours, but persistent issues may require further investigation.

Winsage

November 19, 2025

Microsoft’s new recovery tools rebuild Windows when it glitches

Microsoft has announced two new tools for enhancing Windows PC recovery capabilities within organizations: point-in-time restore and cloud rebuild. Point-in-time restore allows users to revert their system to a previous state by taking snapshots of the Windows environment at various intervals, facilitating recovery from issues like update failures and driver conflicts. This feature will be available for testing by Windows insiders in an upcoming build. Cloud rebuild enables IT administrators to restore the operating system directly from the cloud, similar to the existing Reset feature. Administrators can select the Windows version and language through the Microsoft Intune portal, prompting the PC to download the necessary installation media. This tool resets Windows while allowing for the restoration of personal files, applications, and settings using OneDrive and Windows Backup for Organizations. Both tools are designed for businesses using Microsoft Intune and are expected to be integrated into Intune in the first half of 2026 as part of Microsoft's Windows Resiliency Initiative. Additionally, Microsoft is introducing Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) to address boot-up problems and enhance Windows driver resilience.

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.

Tech Optimizer

November 13, 2025

12 ways to find viruses on your PC for free (and how to remove them)

In cybersecurity, modern viruses operate subtly, making them hard to detect while stealing data. Signs of infection include unfamiliar programs, missing files, erratic browser behavior, frequent error messages, and disabled security settings. If infected, disconnect from the internet, boot into Safe Mode, and run a full scan with Windows Security or trusted antivirus software. To protect your PC, delete temporary files, reset browser settings, uninstall suspicious apps, scan external drives, install updates, change passwords, and avoid suspicious links. For suspicious files, use VirusTotal to check for malware. If problems persist, a complete reinstallation of Windows 11 may be necessary after backing up important files.

Winsage

November 7, 2025

Surprise! A Windows BitLocker bug has returned to ruin your reboot — here’s how to get around it

Windows 11 and Windows 10 users are experiencing a recurring bug related to BitLocker, which has reappeared after Microsoft's October security updates. Microsoft has acknowledged this issue within its Microsoft 365 Business and Windows 11 Enterprise channels, particularly affecting systems using Modern Standby. A fix is being deployed, and organizations impacted by the bug are advised to use the Known Issue Rollback tool as a temporary workaround. Users encountering the BitLocker recovery screen can retrieve their recovery key from their Microsoft account at aka.ms/myrecoverykey. Additionally, recent updates have introduced various bugs, including disruptions to the "Reset my PC" feature and issues with localhost connections and the Windows Recovery Environment. Microsoft is actively working to address these bugs.

Tech Optimizer

October 28, 2025

QNAP warns of critical flaw in its Windows backup software, so update now

QNAP has issued a security advisory urging users of its NetBak PC Agent software to address a significant vulnerability in ASP.NET Core, designated as CVE-2025-55315, with a severity rating of 9.9 out of 10. This vulnerability allows for HTTP request smuggling, which could enable attackers to bypass security measures. QNAP recommends immediate patching of the affected components and has made updates available through software reinstallation or manual installation of the .NET 8.0 Runtime.

AppWizard

October 24, 2025

This Hidden Android Setting Makes Managing Apps Easier And Quicker

Smartphones can become cluttered with seldom-used apps, affecting user experience. Android users can declutter by archiving apps, which can be done automatically through the Google Play Store or manually via the Settings menu. To enable automatic archiving, users should go to the Google Play Store, tap their profile icon, navigate to Settings, expand the General tab, and toggle on the Automatically archive apps option. This will archive infrequently used apps when storage is low. For manual archiving, users can open Settings, select Apps, choose the app to archive, and tap Archive. Archived apps appear grayed out and dimmed in the app drawer. To restore an archived app, users can tap it in the app drawer or go to Settings > Apps > [archived app] and select Restore. Users can opt out of automatic archiving for specific apps by going to Settings, selecting the app, and toggling off the Manage app if unused option.

AppWizard

October 22, 2025

Spotify’s having major issues on Samsung and Google phones—this is why

Users are reporting significant crashes and freezing issues with the Spotify app on Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices, particularly when streaming over Wi-Fi. Switching to mobile data alleviates the problem. Spotify is investigating a permanent solution, as reinstalling the app has not resolved the issues. Complaints were highlighted in a community forum thread, with users specifically mentioning problems on devices like the Pixel 9. Similar issues occurred last year with Pixel 6, 7, and 8 devices after a feature rollout. Users have attempted workarounds such as disabling notifications or clearing the app's cache. Earlier this year, Premium users experienced ads despite their subscription, which Spotify confirmed and fixed the same day.

Winsage

October 19, 2025

BitLocker reportedly auto-locks users’ backup drives, causing loss of 3TB of valuable data — Windows automatic disk encryption can permanently lock your drives

In 2007, Microsoft introduced BitLocker storage encryption with Windows Vista, initially available only in the Enterprise and Ultimate editions. With Windows 11, BitLocker is activated by default for users signing in with a Microsoft account during the Out-Of-Box Experience (OOBE). A Reddit user experienced issues after reinstalling Windows, as two of their drives became inaccessible due to BitLocker encryption activating without consent. BitLocker can slow SSD performance by up to 45% due to the CPU handling continuous encryption and decryption. The software version of BitLocker differs from the hardware OPAL version, which offers better performance but does not enable automatically. BitLocker does not activate automatically for users upgrading from Windows 10 to 11. The affected user may need to wipe the drives to regain access. Users are advised to regularly check and disable BitLocker if unnecessary and to document encryption keys and back up sensitive data.